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Story highlightsNew Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy is struggling to create jobs and stop the economy shrinkingSpanish employers are pushing for a profound reform of the country's rigid labour marketThe number of Spaniards without jobs rose by more than half a million last year to reach 5.27m, or 22.85 per cent of the workforce, in the final quarter, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).The figures, not seasonally adjusted, confirm Spain's jobs record as by far the worst among big eurozone economies following the collapse of the Spanish housing construction bubble from 2007. Mariano Rajoy, the Popular party prime minister who took power in December, is struggling to create jobs and stop the economy shrinking even as he reinforces the budgetary austerity plans agreed by the previous government with the European Union. Spanish employers are pushing for a profound reform of the country's rigid labour market as one way of encouraging the hiring of workers and so reducing the unemployment rate, which is more than double the eurozone average. JUST WATCHEDSpain's jobless total hits 5.3 million ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSpain's jobless total hits 5.3 million 01:48They also say the true situation is not as bad as portrayed in the statistics, because of widespread cheating by people seeking unemployment benefits while continuing to work, especially in southern Spain.Andalusia, the big region in the south, recorded the highest unemployment rate of 31.23 per cent of the workforce, according to INE, while the Basque country in the north had the lowest rate of 12.61 per cent.The quarterly survey showed 1.57m households have not a single family member in work. | 3news
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Story highlightsRobbie Naish won his first windsurfing world title aged 13He has been at the forefront of windsurfing, kitesurfing and paddle boarding ever sinceNaish is a 24-time windsurfing champion (CNN)Robby Naish was a shy, 11-year-old kid growing up in Hawaii when he took his first ride on a windsurfing board. The son of a competitive surfer from California, it would alter the course of his life. From that first trip, Naish went on to pioneer windsurfing and later kitesurfing and has become a global watersports icon. Follow @cnnsport
"I remember the first moment, just getting going on the thing," Naish told CNN's Main Sail at his home in Maui, Hawaii. "I was really small. It an eight-foot-long wooden boom. I could barely get it out of the water...that feeling of just, you're doing everything. Nothing works until you put it together. I just loved it."SuperstarRead MoreTwo years later in 1976, Naish won the first of 24 windsurfing world titles. By the mid-1980s, as windsurfing's popularity soared, Naish had become a superstar who transcended his sport. JUST WATCHEDSurfing the wave called 'Jaws'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSurfing the wave called 'Jaws' 02:26 READ: The surfing break named after a Hollywood monster'The Man'"He's been there since Ground Zero, back when I was a kid, he was already a world champion," said Australian Jason Polakow, a two-time wavesailing world champion. "It's been two or three decades since that time and he's still killing it out in the waves. There are only a few people like that on the planet and he happens to be one of them."Naish, who turns 55 on April 23, is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in his sport, an innovator who built a multimillion-dollar brand while holding world titles across different disciplines, including windsurfing and kitesurfing. "The guy is a multiple world champion windsurfer, but he is a cultural icon for everybody, I think, in the watersports industry," said Bernd Roediger, a two-time Aloha Classic windsurfing champion. "People look that guy and they say, 'Oh yeah, that's Robby Naish, he's the man.'"'Kings'The charismatic Naish quickly became the poster boy for the fledgling professional circuit. "It was amazing," Naish said. "Especially as a little kid from Hawaii that was suddenly out there, traveling the world. We had amazingly big events, in Japan and in Holland and Germany and France with hundreds of thousands of spectators and a lot of money."Competing on the tour in the 1980s and 1990s was "like a rock'n'roll-type thing," according to Polakow. "It was extremely popular...I remember going to my first event in Japan and Robby and all his boys were like the kings out there," he said.JUST WATCHEDConrad Colman: Face-to-face with Mother NatureReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHConrad Colman: Face-to-face with Mother Nature 03:11READ: The man who sailed around the world in 42 daysNaish SailsWhen windsurfing's popularity waned after its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, Naish reinvented himself as a kitesurfer, winning more world titles in a different sport. Having competed as a professional athlete for two decades, Naish swapped the waves for the board room when he created his own company, Naish Sails, in Hawaii in the mid 1990s."It kind of started small and grew organically," he said. "My priority is still, even at this age now, that I am an athlete in my head," he said. "But this is definitely taking more time than it used to because it's not a stepping stone."A lot of people start a business with an exit strategy: 'I'm going to do this, and then I am going to spin it, I am going to go public and then I am going to sell it.' "I never had that vision, this is what I do, this is the stuff we make, this is the stuff I ride."Kite surfingNaish played a key role in the development of kitesurfing, which became one of the fastest-growing sports in the world in the late 1990s and 2000s. "We were the first company to really start developing stuff that worked for kitesurfing," he said. "I sold more kites in my first year of business, than I had sold windsurfing sails in several years combined before that. It was an amazing compliment to windsurfing. It just added a whole new dimension to being on the water."Naish has a simple explanation for the soaring popularity of kitesurfing at the turn of the century."The reason it took off is, everybody wants to fly," he said. "Literally, every kid that's ever flown a kite in their life is, like, imagining flying away with this thing." Naish's involvement with kitesurfing also helped put that sport on the map. "Robby has a huge effect on the success of the sport," said kitesurfing pioneer Elliot Leboe. "He has such a legendary name, I don't think kite boarding would be where it is at without Robby's involvement." SUP and foilsIn the past 10 years, Naish has been at the forefront of yet another fast-growing watersport: standup paddle boarding (SUP). The growth of SUP in the past decade did not surprise him."I knew from the very beginning it was going to be huge, because it was so accessible," he said. As for his first love, windsurfing, Naish is hoping foiling technology will give the sport a boost.Foils, which have become the buzzword in sailing over the past decade, reduce drag and therefore boost speed as it lifts the board out of the water and allows the surfer to glide over the waves."Up to now, most of the foiling in windsurfing has been on the high-performance end and not much recreational," he said. "It's only recently we've started to develop in the recreational windsurfer realm. That's where I am really pushing: to be able to go into as light a wind as possible, to bring people back into windsurfing with eight, 10 knots of wind."READ: Why the next America's Cup is going back to basics -- but getting fasterLooking back on his long career, Naish said he wasn't sure what his quiet, 11-year-old self would have made of it. "If the young Robby Naish looked at it now, he might get scared away and do something else," he said.Visit CNN.com/sailing for more news, features and videos"I was so shy, I don't know if I could even think of all the attention. It took a long time to get to this point where I was comfortable, doing what I do." | 5sport
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(CNN)A backyard roller coaster, a high-speed ride through the desert, and a royal surprise for a young girl. These are the videos you don't want to miss this week.When you can't go to Disneyland, bring Disneyland to youJUST WATCHEDMan recreates Disneyland rollercoaster in his parents' backyardReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMan recreates Disneyland rollercoaster in his parents' backyard 01:06A California man had a lot of time on his hands during the pandemic and decided to recreate and iconic Disneyland attraction in his parents' backyard.Honoring her baby brotherJUST WATCHEDChrissy Teigen's daughter's sweet tribute to lost brotherReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHChrissy Teigen's daughter's sweet tribute to lost brother 00:57Chrissy Teigen shared a heart-warming video of her daughter, Luna, honoring her late brother, Jack.Read MoreA record-setting rideJUST WATCHEDWatch: People travel in Virgin Hyperloop for the first timeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWatch: People travel in Virgin Hyperloop for the first time 03:13Virgin Hyperloop completed the first test of its high-speed transportation technology with humans on board.A bilingual princess surpriseJUST WATCHEDThis Make-A-Wish was a Disney firstReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThis Make-A-Wish was a Disney first 01:49Make-A-Wish and Disney made sure that 6-year-old MarΓa got the royal treatment from her favorite princess. McPlant gets grilled on the internetJUST WATCHEDInternet mocks McDonald's new meatless burgerReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHInternet mocks McDonald's new meatless burger 02:05McDonald's got their fair share of online mockery for the name of their new meatless patty. | 3news
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Story highlightsFour-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer reaches last 16Top seed Rafael Nadal goes through with win over Gael Monfils in MelbourneWimbledon champ Andy Murray sees off Feliciano Lopez to join them in fourth roundMaria Sharapova, Sloane Stephens and Victoria Azarenka through in women's drawThe heat was off Roger Federer as he joined fellow grand slam winners Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray in the final 16 at the Australian Open.Federer zipped through a 6-2 6-2 6-3 win over unseeded Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili as the searing temperatures eased in Melbourne and distinctly grayer skies loomed over the show courts.The 32-year-old is chasing a fifth title in Australia and an 18th career grand slam but for now Federer is grateful for small mercies after a niggling back injury saw him lose form in 2013."I'm just happy waking up in the morning and not feeling like an old man," he told reporters. "So that's very positive. Right now I feel very fresh and very good physically.Read: Can Federer find his old form in 2014?"My first goal was to get through the first week, now clearly the draw is very difficult. I've done the work, I've not lost a set so far, so we'll see how it goes."JUST WATCHEDWho will be the tennis ace of 2014?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWho will be the tennis ace of 2014? 04:52JUST WATCHEDIs Murray ready for the Australian Open?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs Murray ready for the Australian Open? 02:29JUST WATCHEDMarion Bartoli: Why I left the gameReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMarion Bartoli: Why I left the game 04:00It's a French test for Federer next as he faces Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 10th seed, for a place in the quarterfinals.If he advances to the final eight, Federer would face Murray -- the man who beat him in an absorbing Australian semifinal last season.Murray, the Wimbledon champion, battled through a first set tiebreak to see off Spain's Feliciano Lopez for his place in the last 16, where he faces unseeded Frenchman Stephane Robert.Confident was the word Nadal ominously used to describe how he was feeling after he breezed through with a 6-1 6-2 6-3 win over Gael Monfils."Well today I think I have to say that I played well from everywhere, no?" the Spanish world No. 1 teased reporters after his match in Melbourne.In the women's draw, defending champion Victoria Azarenka lost just one game as she whizzed into the fourth round in Melbourne.There she will face American Sloane Stephens in a rematch of last year's semifinal when Azarenka caused a stir by taking a medical timeout just as Stephens appeared to have the upper hand in the second set."We left it all here last year," said Azarenka, when asked if she had spoken to Stephens about the incident. "That's what is important for me, to play another match. I'm looking forward to it."Russian third seed Maria Sharapova hit her way through a tight second set to see off France's Alize Cornet 6-1 7-6 while fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska and Jelena Jankovic also advanced.But there was disappointment for Danish 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki as she lost 6-4 5-7 3-6 to unseeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.Wozniacki, who is engaged to golfer Rory McIlroy, said she now intends to zone out from the Australian Open -- although she said it politely of course."When I'm not in the tournament anymore, it sounds rude, but I don't really look at the games anymore," she explained. | 5sport
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Story highlights7 stolen works were by Picasso, Matisse, Monet, Gauguin, othersPaintings of "considerable value" were taken, Kunsthal Rotterdam spokeswoman saysThe collection contains more than 150 works of art, including artists Duchamp, BraqueThe early morning break-in triggered an alarm and a security responsePaintings by famous modern artists disappeared from an exhibition in the Netherlands in a predawn art heist Tuesday, shutting down an exhibition in the Kunsthal Rotterdam, where works by Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol and Claude Monet are on display.Seven works of "considerable value" disappeared in the museum theft, spokeswoman Mariette Maaskant said on Netherlands public radio."Initial investigations show the burglar was well prepared," police said in a statement.Painting from Clapton's collection nabs record priceRotterdam police said evidence has been secured and they are speaking with potential witnesses. Investigators are also looking at security camera footage.The paintings include Pablo Picasso's "Tete d'Arlequin"; Henri Matisse's "La Liseuse en Blanc et Jaune"; and Claude Monet's "Waterloo Bridge, London" and "Charing Cross Bridge, London," Rotterdam police said.The other three were Paul Gauguin's "Femme devant une fenΓͺtre ouverte, dite la Fiancee," Meyer de Haan's "Autoportrait" and Lucian Freud's "Woman with Eyes Closed."London: Man charged for defacing classic painting at the TateThe Kunsthal's alarm system went off shortly after 3 a.m. local time, alerting the exhibition hall's private security detail. When security staffers arrived by car, they saw that the paintings were missing, Rotterdam police spokesman Roland Ekkers said. They informed police, who started an investigation.The works belong to a private collection that is being shown for the first time to the public, according to a Kunsthal statement.The Triton Collection has taken 20 years to assemble and includes more than 150 works of modern art from the "late nineteenth century to the present day." It spans art movements from impressionism and expressionism to cubism and constructivism.Its roster of artists boasts the names of Marcel Duchamp, Piet Mondriaan and George Braque, to name just a few.Andy Warhol's '15 minutes' of fame are not up yet | 3news
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Story highlights Nigel Evans resigns as deputy speaker of the House of Commons after charges He says he'll remain in Parliament to represent his constituentsHe faces a total of eight counts, including one rape charge, and insists on his innocenceHe's a member of the ruling Conservative Party, which declined comment The deputy speaker of Britain's House of Commons resigned Tuesday after being charged with a variety of sexual offenses, including rape, in cases dating more than a decade. Nigel Evans, a member of the ruling Conservative Party, said he would "robustly defend my innocence" when the case goes to trial. But he said he would remain in Parliament, just not in the leadership, to continue to represent his constituents. "Whilst I am saddened that this case has not been closed today, I am certain of two things: firstly that I am innocent, and secondly that my innocence will be demonstrated," Evans said in a statement. Evans has been charged with one count of rape, five counts of sexual assault -- a charge involving allegations of intentional, unwanted sexual touching -- and two counts of indecent assault. The eight counts involve a total of seven people, prosecutors said. All of the victims in the charges are men, prosecutors said in a statement announcing the charges. Evans came out as gay in 2010 and has made a name for himself as a prominent gay rights activist in England. The investigation began in May, when Evans was arrested and questioned by police after two men in their 20s leveled accusations against him. The charges date back as far as 2002, prosecutors said.Evans has been a member of Parliament since 1992 and served as the Tories' vice chairman between 1999 and 2001. The Conservatives had no comment on the charges, calling it a police matter. | 3news
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Story highlightsU.S. attorney general says the suspects wanted to capitalize on growing U.S. soccer marketAmerican soccer official Chuck Blazer was an informant for U.S. prosecutorsMichael Garcia, a onetime U.S. attorney, was tasked with looking into FIFA's bidding process (CNN)In recent years, FIFA has made news not just for enforcing rules on the soccer field, but also for allegedly breaking them off it. The body that governs soccer, the most popular sport in the world, is a multibillion-dollar behemoth. Great power, yes. Great responsibility? Not so much, critics say. FIFA has been regularly accused of bribery and kickbacks, allegations that reached a fever pitch after it awarded Russia and Qatar the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, respectively. Afterward, the group carried out its own internal investigation and cleared itself. Read More So why is the United States, a country where soccer ranks far below football and basketball in popularity, now taking top FIFA officials to court on corruption charges? Most of the 14 people indicted aren't Americans. But as U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch lays it out, the suspects planned their crimes in the U.S.; they used the U.S. banking system; they planned to profit through schemes that targeted the "growing U.S. market for soccer.""This is a U.S. case," David Zirin, sports editor for The Nation magazine, said Wednesday on CNN.In order to understand how, we'll have to take you through a journey that, as you'll see, involves Americans at all stages. First up ...Michael GarciaMichael Garcia: The World Cup is a big deal. It comes around every four years, and when it does, it's the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet.When FIFA awarded the 2018 games to Russia and followed that with the even more head-scratching choice of Qatar in 2022, critics and other governments cried foul. They smelled shenanigans. They wanted a transparent account of the bidding process to see if Qatar and Russia cut any corners.Read the report FIFA brought in Michael Garcia, a onetime U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was tasked with looking into the behavior of the two nations. He spent 19 months scrutinizing the bids to host the two tournaments. By the time he was done, his findings stretched to 350 pages. So what did FIFA do?It suppressed the report, released a puny 42-page summary -- and cleared itself of any wrongdoing in November. Garcia hit back. He labeled FIFA's findings on his report "incomplete and erroneous."Then you have ...Loretta LynchJames Comey and Loretta Lynch: As we mentioned earlier, Garcia is a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. The guy who held that job before him? James Comey. He's the current FBI director. And the corruption charges are a result of a three-year FBI investigation. Then there's the second New York connection: Attorney General Loretta Lynch. She oversaw the case in Brooklyn before she was appointed to lead the Justice Department. But why did U.S. authorities start looking into FIFA to begin with?When FIFA cleared itself of wrongdoing, the FBI wasn't ready to do the same. It wanted to know whether any of the allegations of bribe-taking and kickbacks by FIFA officials took place on American soil.Enter ...Chuck Blazer sits behind FIFA President Joseph Blatter in 2011 in Switzerland.Chuck BlazerChuck Blazer, an American, was the No. 2 man in CONCACAF, the FIFA-affiliated governing body for North America and the Caribbean. The organization has its headquarters in Florida.CNN answers your #FIFAQsBlazer had found himself in a bind. He had amassed $11 million in unreported income, the IRS said, and he hadn't paid his taxes for many, many years. He was looking at some serious prison time.He pleaded guilty in 2013 on corruption charges and became a wire-wearing informant for the feds. He provided documents and recordings of meetings with FIFA colleagues that hinted at not-so-kosher dealings, law enforcement officials said.That meant looking into the dealings of ... Jeffrey Webb, head of CONCACAFCONCACAFRemember when we mentioned CONCACAF? U.S. soccer falls under that governing body. With Blazer as a cooperating witness, American officials set out to see whether corruption touched tournaments held in the Americas. The feds say it did.One of the people facing charges now is Jeffrey Webb. He's a FIFA vice president; he heads CONCACAF; and he was Blazer's boss. Webb "used his position of trust to solicit bribes from sports marketing executives," acting U.S. Attorney Kelly T. Currie of the Eastern District of New York saidIn return, they provided media, marketing and sponsorship rights to soccer matches in the Americas. Prosecutors said those arrested accepted bribes and kickbacks totaling more than $100 million, from the early 1990s until now. For example, $110 million in bribes changed hands in bringing Copa America, a soccer tournament usually held in South America, to the United States in 2016, Lynch said. But can the U.S. actually go after FIFA officials?Yes. Because it is ...The seal of the FBIThe United States of America:The United States brought charges against the suspects because the plots were allegedly hatched on American soil."According to U.S. request, these crimes were agreed and prepared in the U.S., and payments were carried out via U.S. banks," the Swiss Office of Justice said.Prosecutors also say they think the broad reach of U.S. tax and banking regulations aid their ability to bring the charges. In addition, U.S. authorities claim jurisdiction because the American television market, and billions paid by U.S. networks, is the largest for the World Cup. Who has been charged?CNN's Evan Perez and Shimon Prokupecz in Washington; Harry Reekie in Zurich, Switzerland; and Ralph Ellis in Atlanta contributed to this report. | 5sport
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Story highlightsLydia Ko became youngest-ever winner in LPGA Tour history at Canadian Women's OpenKo, 15, became LPGA tour's fifth-ever amateur champion -- its first since 1969Ko also won U.S. Women's Amateur in Ohio and New South Wales open at Australian LPGA this yearKo plans to maintain amateur status for time beingWhen Lydia Ko swung to victory at the Canadian Women's Open Sunday, she became the youngest-ever winner in LPGA Tour history.Currently the world's top-ranked female amateur golfer, Ko, 15, also became the tour's fifth-ever amateur champion -- its first since 1969. The glove she wore during her final round will become part of the World Golf Hall of Fame's collection."I was most impressed with just her demeanor," fellow player Stacey Lewis told reporters in quotes carried by LPGA.com. Lewis is ranked second in the Women's World Golf Rankings. "I mean you would have never known that it was the final round of an LPGA event. She played like she had been there before."Ko's success followed triumphs earlier this year at the U.S. Women's Amateur in Ohio and the New South Wales open at the Australian LPGA. The latter competition saw her crowned as the youngest-ever winner of a professional golf tour event, although her record was broken in June.JUST WATCHEDOnly in America: Augusta admits womenReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOnly in America: Augusta admits women 01:30JUST WATCHEDCondi Rice makes history at AugustaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCondi Rice makes history at Augusta 02:38However, she could not claim the US$300,000 first-place check on Sunday. As an amateur, she is not allowed to accept sponsors or prize money, relying on donations instead.The South-Korean-born New Zealander said she plans to remain an amateur for the time being. In addition to her blossoming golfing career, she intends to complete high school, and reportedly has her eye on attending Stanford for college."I mean this is a great win, but I don't think this will affect me changing my roots to my career," she told reporters.Next up, Ko will play at the Women's British Open in September. | 5sport
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Story highlightsForeign ownership of UK football clubs a mixed pictureFans relish the extra investment that is often promisedChelsea and Manchester City have won EPL titles with increased fundingCommunity connections of the clubs can be sidelinedA week, as they say, is a long time in football. By that reckoning, six weeks is almost an eternity. For fans of one of English football's oldest clubs, it certainly feels that way.On Boxing Day 2012, former European champions Nottingham Forest lined up to play Leeds United in a second flight match in the English Championship. After going a goal behind, Forest roared back to an emphatic 4-2 victory that had a certain swagger about it. Watching at the time, it was hard to escape the feeling that things were finally coming together for a side that has come to embody the term 'sleeping giant'.Read: Can Kuwaiti cash restore fallen English giant?One point and one place outside the playoffs, that afternoon Forest fans would have tucked into their turkey sandwiches with a sense of satisfaction and thoughts of good things to come. But just hours after the final whistle the club's Kuwaiti owners, the Al Hasawi family, fired the club's quietly progressive manager, Sean O'Driscoll. Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of football Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of footballCity's sponsorship solution? β Manchester City's massive sponsorship deal with Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways has come under scrutiny due to UEFA's Financial Fair Play guidelines.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of footballCash-rich champions β The champagne and the revenues continue to flow for English Premier League champions Manchester United, one of the highest-earning clubs in world football.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of footballPresident's pledge β UEFA president Michel Platini has staked his reputation on the successful implementation of Financial Fair Play in European football.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of footballRussian roulette? β Billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has poured hundreds of millions of pounds into Chelsea since 2004, but the English club must now balance their books under FFP.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of footballSerie A sides struggling β Italian giants Inter and AC Milan, both funded by wealthy benefactors, have work to do if they are to meet the requirements of FFP by the 2014 deadline.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Financial Fair Play set to change the face of footballA sign of the FFP times β Barcelona's midfield star Andres Iniesta wears a shirt bearing the name of sponsor the Qatar Foundation. Spain's European champions had, until late 2010, never allowed such kit endorsement. Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: Roberto Di Matteo's time at Chelsea Photos: Roberto Di Matteo's time at ChelseaStanding alone β Roberto Di Matteo's tenure as Chelsea manager came to an end after Tuesday's 3-0 defeat to Juventus. Di Matteo was sacked despite leading Chelsea to European Champions League and English FA Cup glory just six months earlier.Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Roberto Di Matteo's time at ChelseaAVB's No. 2 β Di Matteo enjoyed a successful playing career at Chelsea in the 1990s before returning to the club as Andre Villas-Boas' assistant manager in 2011. He took interim charge of the team following Villas-Boas' sacking in March this year. Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Roberto Di Matteo's time at ChelseaUp for the cup β After beating Tottenham Hotspur in the semfinals, Di Matteo led Chelsea to an FA Cup triumph by beating Liverpool 2-1 in the final.Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Roberto Di Matteo's time at ChelseaHistory boys β Di Matteo's crowning glory came in May, when Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich on penalities to win the European Champions League. The historic success, Chelsea's first in the competition, was one of the reasons why club owner Roman Abramovich gave Di Matteo the manager's job on a full-time basis.Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Roberto Di Matteo's time at ChelseaFalcao fires β Chelsea suffered a set back early in the 2012-13 season when a Radamel Falcao-inspired Atletico Madrid beat Di Matteo's team 4-1 in the European Super Cup final.Hide Caption 5 of 5Baffling decisionFor fans and observers alike it was a baffling decision. "We cannot speak highly enough of Sean as a man," said Chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi. "He was appointed at an extremely difficult time for the club and can count himself unlucky to have lost his job with the team just one point away from the top six. But we have a responsibility to look to the future for this great Club because we have huge ambitions for it."Fast forward just a few weeks, and O'Driscoll's replacement, Alex McLeish, has followed his predecessor to the exit. January had also seen the sudden and unceremonious exits of Forest's CEO, its head of recruitment, and the popular club ambassador (and former player and manager) Frank Clark.Read: Was Di Matteo the architect of his own downfall? McLeish departed 'by mutual consent' after just one win in seven games and a transfer window that bordered on farcical, as key target George Boyd's switch to the club foundered after the player apparently failed an eye test. Forest fans took to social media once more in a bewildered daze as headlines painted a picture of a shambolic club in disarray. Days later another former Forest manager, the combative Billy Davies, was reinstalled in this hottest of managerial hot seats. But before he could properly take charge his team duly lost 2-0 to a Bristol City side now, somewhat poetically, managed by none other than Sean O'Driscoll. JUST WATCHEDNFL owner: 'Soccer too expensive' ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNFL owner: 'Soccer too expensive' 01:32Blackburn woesThis odd story will have particular resonance in England's north west, where another of English football's most venerable institutions, Blackburn Rovers, has collapsed from mid table comfort in the English Premier League (EPL) to relegation and ignominy.The club's owners, India's Venky's Group, began their tenure by sacking the widely respected Sam Allardyce in December 2010. Since then they appear to have embarked on a kamikaze PR strategy, which has led to ridicule off the pitch and confusion on it.In the latest chapter, Shebby Singh, the former TV pundit brought in by Venky's as the club's 'global advisor', is reportedly at loggerheads with managing director Derek Shaw, amid allegations of interference with football matters and disputes over players' contractual deals. The culture clash between the old and the new sides of the club looks wider than ever. Rovers are now onto their third manager of the season and a swift return to the EPL looks wildly improbable.Read: India dream turns sour as Blackburn are relegated Venky's and the Al-Hasawi family are the latest in a wave of foreign owners taking control of clubs in the English leagues. Few on the growing list are strangers to controversy. Mixed feelingsCardiff City's new Malaysian owners changed the club's colors from blue to red, causing outrage -- but perhaps they will be forgiven as they are currently well set for promotion to the EPL. Photos: Deloitte's annual football review Photos: Deloitte's annual football reviewHide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Deloitte's annual football reviewHide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Deloitte's annual football reviewHide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Deloitte's annual football reviewHide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Deloitte's annual football reviewHide Caption 5 of 5 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city dividedHow Battle of Manchester was won β On a day of high drama and emotion, the blue half of Manchester was left to celebrate as Manchester City pipped their city rivals to the title. Click on for the highlights ...Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided20 mins: Manchester United, relying on City to slip up against QPR, score first through Wayne Rooney in their must-win match at Sunderland. Advantage United!Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided39 mins: Back in Manchester, Pablo Zabaleta puts City back in the driving seat as Paddy Kenny fails to keep his shot out. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided48 minutes: A terrible mistake from Joleon Lescott allows Djibril Cisse (center) to race through and equalize for QPR. Advantage well and truly with United!Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided54 minutes: With City looking shell-shocked, QPR captain Joey Barton is sent off after a clash with Carlos Tevez. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided66 mins: Unbelievable! Jamie Mackie (3rd from left) puts 10-man QPR 2-1 ahead after a rare counter attack. Classic smash and grab -- the City players can't believe it. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided92 minutes: With time added on City grab a lifeline through substitute Edin Dzeko (right). But City need to win. United have beaten Sunderland 1-0!Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided95 minutes: City have done it! Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is mobbed by teammates after scoring the winner with seconds to go in injury time.Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city dividedCity manager Roberto Mancini (center) runs to greet his jubilant players after their breathtaking victory.Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city dividedVictorious captain Vincent Kompany holds aloft the Premiership trophy ...Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided... while United players look dejected as the result from Manchester filters through.Hide Caption 11 of 11The Glazer family's takeover of Manchester United sparked a supporter's revolt that saw the formation of a completely new team -- FC United of Manchester -- by fans alarmed at the level of debt (currently around Β£360million - $550m) foisted upon the club. Then there's Roman Abramovich's Chelsea, whose phenomenal success has been tempered by the owner's propensity to fire managers; and Sheikh Mansour of Manchester City, whose investments in the club stretch UEFA's concept of Financial Fair Play to the limit, and very probably beyond.Read: Abramovich spent $342 per minute on Chelsea The attitude of football fans to these types of investor is pretty schizophrenic. On the one hand the very prospect of a new owner, awash with cash, coming in and transforming a club's fortunes would get many salivating, regardless of where the money is from and who is taking the reins. English football, or at least the Premier League, is an enormously attractive stage and clubs make for interesting playthings for the super-rich. Meanwhile, fans are attracted to the idea of quick-fix success. Community connectionOn the other hand, with spiraling ticket prices driven largely by players' wages and the increasingly erratic pictures being painted by some of these new owners, there is a sense that clubs' connections with the communities in which many have existed for over a century are being undermined.Then of course there's the idea of what constitutes super rich in the context of football. Away from the financial machinations of the Glazers, Randy Lerner's more straightforward commitment to Aston Villa appears to have run dry, with the team staring at a relegation battle and the purse strings tied tightly shut. Read: Manchester United: It's the debt stupidIn the Championship, Watford's owners have enjoyed remarkable success by filling their side with loan signings from another club, Italy's Udinese, which they also own. JUST WATCHEDSpeaking out against racism in footballReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSpeaking out against racism in football 02:20JUST WATCHEDMessi claims fourth Ballon d'OrReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMessi claims fourth Ballon d'Or 02:31And then, in England's League One, there's Portsmouth. If the Glazer's ownership of Manchester United appears complex, the background to Portsmouth's stewardship is positively arcane. An excellent blog by Portsmouth fan SJ Maskell recently dissected the baffling raft of creditors currently being pored over in the English courts. The club, which enjoyed a Premier League berth and an FA Cup win just five years ago, is facing relegation to England's fourth tier and possible ruin. It has seen a succession of owners, offshore companies, and paper trails leading all over the world drive it into successive demotions and financial collapse.Wayward clubA group of fans has formed the Portsmouth Supporters' Trust, which is looking to gain control of this wayward club and finally wrestle it back from a course to apparent doom. All logic points to their being given the chance to do so, but this is a club that has defied logic for years and a decision in their favor is by no means certain.The Portsmouth Supporters Trust faces a battle, but it is perhaps this kind of institution that points to a more stable future for clubs and the sport of football in England. The problem with many of the new wave of owners in English football is not that they are foreign. Football is a global game, and the EPL is filled with players from all over the world, so it would be illogical to deny owners from overseas the chance to take part too. But the disconnect between the fans that pay to watch these clubs, the communities in which they operate, and even the armchair fans that follow them from afar, is an issue.A report launched this week by the football community trust Supporters Direct outlines a range of measures primarily focused on the physical manifestations of clubs -- the stadia in which they play, and the various off-shoots of these buildings. JUST WATCHEDHow to fix a soccer matchReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow to fix a soccer match 02:15JUST WATCHEDSouth Africa's World Cup legacyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSouth Africa's World Cup legacy 02:52Read: Riches to rags: Why Rangers' meltdown should worry EuropeAt the report's core are recommendations designed to protect the relationship between clubs and their communities, including joint ownership of stadia, 'golden shares' to be held by supporters collectively, and clubs that are owned by or formed as so-called Community Benefit Societies. In essence, it is about taking a degree of control into the hands of supporters.The sentiment behind this applies not just to the bricks and mortar of a football stadium. Clubs like Barcelona in Spain and throughout Germany's Bundesliga are protected from extreme and erratic behavior by the fact that fans are directly involved in a democratic ownership arrangement. The worst excesses of owners, who can act on a whim to often disrupt and damage the course of some of the long established institutions at the heart of communities, can be curbed by what is basically a democratic, rather than autocratic structure. Allied to initiatives such as UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, perhaps this will see a game in England that is balanced less precariously, and fit for a long term and sustainable future.For now, however, English football fans should perhaps be careful what they wish for. | 5sport
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Story highlightsIan Wright says Arsenal could learn from Leicester's "desire to win"Questions Arsene Wenger for buying "players of a similar mentality"Would only take one player for Arsenal from Leicester: N'Golo Kanté (CNN)Leicester City's improbable title charge has sparked an equally unlikely renaissance of British traditions that seemed to be going out of fashion.Seven points clear at the top of the English Premier League, characteristics such as determination, desire and fight manifest themselves in Claudio Ranieri's Leicester team like no other.That never-say-die spirit arguably helps explain why Leicester have won five of their last seven matches by a 1-0 scoreline. "How many times have I said to you about 1-0?" posed managerial great Sir Alex Ferguson after one such victory four years ago for his Manchester United team. "It means championship form. "I don't mind the 1-0s, I really don't. It tells you we are determined, we're going to defend, do the right things and play as a team." Read MoreArsenal legend Ian Wright is a player inextricably tied to that scoreline. The Arsenal teams he starred in were so good at winning 1-0 the club's fans even popularized a chant about it.Ian Wright played for Arsenal between 1991 and 1998.These days, Arsène Wenger's Arsenal teams are a very different proposition. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has previously described their style of football as "like an orchestra."If it's a brand of football that frequently stirs the soul, Wright says Arsenal could learn a thing or two from Leicester's title tilt."It's their determination and their will to win -- the fact they seem to be playing with an unbelievable team spirit," Wright told CNN. "You wouldn't say Leicester's players are great players -- they're fantastic players and hopefully they'll go on to be great players."But Arsenal have signed great players, and what you want from great players is the commitment and desire that Leicester have."That's what I'd take from them," Wright says. "I'd take the team spirit and the desire to win."Ian Wright celebrates one of his 185 Arsenal goals. Truths, home truths & statisticsThe Gunners have won just two Premier League games this season by a 1-0 scoreline -- both against beleaguered Newcastle United. Perhaps more tellingly, only Liverpool (17) and Palace (15) have dropped more points from winning positions than Arsenal (14) this campaign. Arsenal's lack of resilience is becoming something of a pattern -- just as it was lacking during the years of William Gallas' tantrums, late Cheick Tioté equalizers, and throughout the team's six straight exits in the Champions League at the last 16 stage. It's increasingly said that Wenger's side only play well when it's already too late. Look no further than last weekend's 3-3 draw against West Ham.True they salvaged a draw from the jaws of defeat ... but that was only after a two-goal lead had already been squandered as Wenger's side was bullied into submission by an Andy Carroll hattrick. Is it any wonder the Gunners have won just one of their last eight London derbies?"Arsène Wenger's been there 20 years," muses Wright. "The only problem I've got with Arsene is he's bought players of a similar mentality."In Wenger's early years in charge his teams were populated by born-winners like Tony Adams, Gilberto Silva and Patrick Viera."When you have great players, they need those ingredients as well," says Wright, referring to that will to win. Wright belts out the national anthem alongside Paul Gascoigne and Paul Ince.Initially, Arsenal fans excused their team's shortcomings as Wenger selflessly prioritized long-term prosperity over short-term gain, and the club moved from Highbury's hallowed halls to their new home at the Emirates. Arguably it has been a trophy seating 60,000 in place of more conventional honors. In recent times, the purse strings have loosened, though after years of being out-bought, the Gunners have seemingly been squarely out-fought. The billions of Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour -- owners of Chelsea and Manchester City respectively -- can no longer be relied on as crutches to justify shortcomings. Arsenal's annual wage bill comes to more than $270 million, while Leicester's is just shy of $70 million.JUST WATCHEDIs this the most exciting Premier League ever?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs this the most exciting Premier League ever? 02:15"I don't know if I would take a player from Leicester," Wright tells CNN. "At a push I'd probably take N'Golo Kanté."The dynamic Leicester midfielder makes more tackles per game than anyone else in Europe, and is famously told to "slow down" in training by his manager, Claudio Ranieri. In his assessment of the two squads, Wright encapsulates the point -- this singular Premier League season has not been about just quality, but mentality.Fairytale or nightmare? "There's just not enough trophies in the cabinet for Arsenal fans at the moment," the Gunners legend concedes. And after that recent 3-3 draw against West Ham, it looks set to remain that way, with Arsenal trailing Leicester by 13 points.During another season in which the Gunners have flattered to deceive, it says it all that a triumph for good old-fashioned graft would actually be the lesser of two evils for Wenger and Arsenal fans. "I think the saving grace that he might have will be if Tottenham don't win the league," says Wright, referring to Arsenal's north London rivals, who trail Leicester by seven points but are still in with a chance of winning the league."If Tottenham win the league I think that people will go mad. They'll go crazy, Arsenal fans!" Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy have been key to Leicester's success this season.JUST WATCHEDMeet the EPL's Cinderella Story ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMeet the EPL's Cinderella Story 02:45 | 5sport
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Story highlightsVictoria Azarenka defeats Samatha Stosur to win the Qatar Open in DohaWorld No. 1 loses only three games on her way to a third title of 2012Azarenka wins 6-1 6-2 to take her winning run in 2012 to 17 matchesVictoria Azarenka surrendered just three games to Samantha Stosur as she claimed her third title of an impressive year at the Qatar Open.The world No. 1 wrapped up a 6-1 6-2 victory over her Australian opponent, showing no sings of discomfort from the injury that she picked up in Saturday's semifinal win over Agnieszka RadwanskaThe Belarusian's win in Doha was her 17th straight victory this year, a run that has seen her capture the Syndey International crown and a first grand slam title at the Australian Open in January.Azarenka shrugs off injury to reach Qatar finalIt was her 11th career title and cements Azarenka's place as the dominant force in women's tennis in 2012. Last year in Doha, she lost in the opening round to Daniela Hantuchova -- a defeat that caused her to contemplate quitting the sport."I am really proud of the way I played today," an emotional Azarenka said in an interview courtside. "I was not 100 per cent after my fall yesterday and I knew I had to adjust my game and everything went according to plan."Last year I lost in the first round and watched someone else lift this beautiful trophy. But now I have this for myself."Azarenka rarely looked in any danger against Stosur, the reigning U.S. Open champion, breaking her opponent three times in the opening set.Stosur continued to make unforced errors in the second set, Azarenka racing into a 3-0 lead. Though the Australian retained two service games, another break sealed the third title of Azarenka's year. | 5sport
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(CNN)Much of the United States stopped to watch the Super Bowl Sunday and it was an event that delivered in every conceivable way.Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes led his side to a stunning fourth-quarter comeback to beat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV.US President Donald Trump was quick to congratulate Mahomes' team on their win, though initially he had a few geographical problems. "Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game, and a fantastic comeback, under immense pressure," tweeted Trump. "You represented the Great State of Kansas and, in fact, the entire USA, so very well. Our Country is PROUD OF YOU!"Trump's original tweet was quickly deleted, but not before it was shared widely.Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on a great game and a fantastic comeback under immense pressure. We are proud of you and the Great State of Missouri. You are true Champions!β Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2020 The Chiefs aren't from Kansas. They have always hailed from Kansas' neighboring state of Missouri.Read MoreTrump then deleted the tweet, re-posting a new one congratulating Missouri, though he wasn't quick enough for the keen-eyed on social media to point out his error.In contrast, the 24-year-old Mahomes knew exactly what he was doing, though it took some cajoling to persuade his teammates.Magic MahomesTrailing 20-10 in the fourth quarter, with 12 minutes on the clock, Mahomes had thrown his second interception of the game.It seemed almost certain at that point that the Vince Lombardi trophy would be heading to San Francisco for a record-equaling sixth time.But the Chiefs' quarterback had other ideas.He drove his side on, and completed two touchdown passes to send the Chiefs charging into the lead. A rushing touchdown by Damien Williams took their tally to 31 and they sealed their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years. Mahomes was crowned Super Bowl MVP after leading his team to victory, throwing two touchdowns and rushing for a touchdown too.It was an inspired revival, but Mahomes had already made a habit of dragging his team back from the brink in this year's NFL Playoffs.Against the Texans in the Divisional Round, the Chiefs trailed 24-0 but went on to win 51-31.In the AFC Championship, they trailed 17-7 but triumphed 35-24.It seems Mahomes just has a knack for inspiring those around him to believe and play positively, just like him.Wide receiver Tyreek Hill gave a glimpse into the boost Mahomes gives the team: "He was encouraging us, telling us to believe. You know, we were down 20-10 and he was telling us to believe in the fourth quarter. He (saw) it in some guys' eyes, they were getting down, including myself. I was like, 'Man, how are we going to pull this off?'"And he was like, '(No.) 10 (Hill's jersey number), you've got to believe, brother. Like the same faith you've had all of your career, you've got to believe right now. It's going to happen, man. I can feel it.'"Safety Daniel Sorensen said Mahomes' talent helps, too."We know that, as a defense, 'Look, get Pat the ball back and he can do things that are really special.' He can score in a hurry, and that's what we were able to do," said Sorensen.Mahomes is the youngest quarterback ever to win both the Super Bowl and NFL MVP award, which he did last year as a 23-year-old.He is also only the third African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl, joining Doug Williams (with Washington in Super Bowl XXII in 1988) and Russell Wilson (Seattle, Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014).Speaking about this feat, Mahomes told CNN: "I think it just means, no matter where you come from, now matter how you were raised or what race you are, you can go out and follow your dreams. "That's what I've always believed. No one thought I was going to be a football player. "Everyone thought I was going to be a baseball player, but I followed my dreams and now I'm here, winning the Super Bowl with all my teammates." | 5sport
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(CNN)In the dark early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when a death toll of 1 million was still unimaginable, there was one bright spot: nature appeared to be healing. With humans under lockdown, stories circulated about unusual animal sightings, like wild goats taking over a town in Wales -- and then became a joke about the public's thirst for signs of regeneration: New Yorkers claimed the return of Elmo to Times Square as proof of a great earthly rebalancing.The idea of nature resurging offered relief from worries about the pandemic's human suffering, and hope for the planet: Was nature still capable of healing itself, if just given some alone time? It's probably not that simple. Scientists could take years to establish the net impact of the great "anthropause," as some have dubbed it, on wildlife and the environment, but there are already signs of fallout. Lockdowns have put tourism, some scientific field research, and surveillance of some protected areas on pause. More poachers have come in their place, conservationists in Asia, Africa and the Americas tell CNN.Mountain goats roam the streets of LLandudno, Wales, on March 31, 2020. "We can't expect that nature just soldiers on," United Nations Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen told reporters on Tuesday, in response to a question about how to stem the world's ongoing loss of wildlife since the 1970s. Nearly two-thirds of the world's wildlife was wiped out in the past 50 years, according to a recent WWF report, and a new report by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew shows that some 40% of plants are threatened by extinction. With land and seascapes already irrevocably altered, polluted, razed and planted, humans must figure out how to actively steward the health of the environment and live in it sustainably, Andersen said -- precisely the challenge before world leaders at the UN Summit on Biodiversity on Wednesday and at the COP15 global biodiversity conference next year.Read MoreIn other words, it'll take more than a few months at home to heal the planet. "There's more wildlife visiting inhabited areas. We've seen the penguins in Cape Town, the kangaroos jumping down the streets in Adelaide and so on. In those contexts it probably has given nature a bit of a break," says Conservation International's executive vice president Sebastian Troeng. Less international travel has also interrupted some illegal wildlife trade across borders, he adds, but "that's pretty much as far as any benefits go."'Covid-19 has been a godsend to poachers'Poacher active in jaguar range in undisclosed location in South America during the COVID-19 pandemic. April 24, 2020Fewer people around isn't always a good thing.In Honduras, hidden cameras have captured a change in traffic across eight conservation parks this year. Monitored by global wild cat conservation group Panthera, the cameras once recorded thousands of tourists, the group's South America Regional Director Esteban Payan says. "For years, you wouldn't get one single cat there," he says. "Now there's no tourism, no tourists on these trails. And we start seeing margays, we start seeing ocelots, we start seeing pumas." But in some parks, Payan says, the cameras have also started to capture more hunters. People who illegally hunt wild cats are often retaliating for attacks on cows or livestock, he says. And some are just armed wanderers. "With the lockdowns, many people are just walking in the forest and are walking with a gun -- and they'll see a jaguar and will kill it out of fear," he says.Panthera and other organizations have working solutions to these problems. One project promotes electric fencing for ranchers to protect livestock from predator cats. But the coronavirus makes acting on them harder."We depend on funding," says Payan. The tattered global economy translates into less giving to NGOs from large and small donors alike, he says, which ultimately results in "less patrolling and less vigilance."A continent away, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the same problem plagues efforts to stop poachers who kill or capture exotic species to traffic on the black market. Adams Cassinga, head of Conserv Congo, an anti-trafficking organization that works with lawmakers to bring poachers and traffickers to justice, tells CNN that since the pandemic, he's seen fewer park rangers and security officers in protected areas.These leopard skins were confiscated from poachers in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the pandemic.His organization has assisted 11 wildlife trafficking busts in Kinshasa over the past five months, he says, more than double the number in the same period last year. These involved a butcher's list of rare animal carcasses and parts: a half ton of pangolin scales, four great apes, one baboon, 60 kilograms of ivory and several monkeys. Some of the animals rescued alive, like baby chimpanzees, fetch up to $50,000 on the international black market."Covid-19 has been a godsend to poachers," says Cassinga.Tourism is a central source of funding for wildlife reserves and nature parks around the world. As CNN has previously reported, the presence of eco-tourists keep poachers and loggers at bay, and at well-managed reserves, their money funds rangers, park management and other programs to ensure the health of wildlife. When travel ground to a halt this year, that vital funding dried up.A rescued baby chimp."Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on wildlife tourism, and on the functioning of parks and protected areas around the world," says Andersen, the UNEP executive director. "In many countries we've seen an almost 100% decline in tourism."The lesson for us is that if we are to save protected areas, we need to broaden our revenue streams" to go beyond tourism, she says.Not all organizations interviewed by CNN had the same issues. Nonprofit African Parks, which manages 18 parks across the continent, said it had not observed an overall increase in poaching. Chief marketing officer Andrea Heydlauff chalked that to the fact that the organization does not rely heavily on tourism and did not cut staff during the pandemic. 'I'm not proud of it and even wish I wouldn't have done it'What motivates a poacher? For some, it's just survival. Several conservation organizations have warned that human poverty is one of the greatest dangers to wildlife this year.The pandemic may have emboldened established criminals and traffickers, but it has also driven hundreds of millions of jobless people worldwide into a desperate state of poverty, raising the risk of a famine "of biblical proportions," to quote a statement by the UN's David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program. Tourism is a central source of income in Guatemala's Maya Biosphere Reserve, a vast swath of tropical forest that encompasses ancient archaeological sites, national parks and wildlife reserves. One man from Cruce Dos Aguadas village there said he turned to poaching to feed his family after tourism work stopped. He has been hunting the shrinking number of Yucatan brown brocket, a small species of deer considered "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC), as well as "near threatened" ocellated turkeys, feathered in iridescent blue and copper."I'm not proud of it and even wish I wouldn't have done it, but what else would I do?" he told CNN. "Before the pandemic, we could rely on tourism or the work in archaeological sites to earn money and buy food with. But now, we have nothing."The brown brocket at Mexico's Centenario Zoo in Merida, Yucatan. Even before the pandemic, people in rural areas around the world supplemented sparse diets by hunting wild animals, or bushmeat. But economic pressure has forced many to hunt more for survival. Experts say it has also led to more illegal logging, harvesting and grazing in protected lands. In Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, an extremely rare silverback mountain gorilla was killed this June, the first such killing the park had seen in nine years. One of just over 1,000 remaining in the world, the gorilla -- known locally as Rafiki -- had run into bushmeat poachers who were likely looking for smaller prey. Veterinarian Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Uganda-based non-profit Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) which works in the park, says that without tourism, the share of park revenue dedicated to supporting basic local infrastructure has dried up, and people living in the area have no "other options but to turn to illegal activity to meet the basic needs of food and fuel wood for their families," Kalema-Zikusoka said. A general view shows habitations near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda in 2014."For the most part, communities surrounding Uganda's protected areas, conservancies and important wildlife areas are some of the poorest and most marginalized," she says. The number of people accused of poaching more than doubled in Uganda in the early months of the pandemic. Uganda's Wildlife Authority (UWA) recorded 531 poaching suspects between February and May of this year, compared to 255 in the same period the year before. UWA executive director Sam Mwandha said poaching has since slowed to "normal" levels.Heading toward Kunming 2021World leaders addressed the UN Biodiversity Summit virtually at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday.Conservationists fear the global push to revive faltering economies will do more damage to the environment. Government stimulus to create jobs and growth could be directed to green initiatives, but early signs are not entirely promising: CNN has previously reported that several wealthy governments are already pouring relief money into polluting fossil fuel industries, and Conservation International has tracked more than 20 rollbacks in environmental protections globally this year. Rebooting the global economy has to combine "putting food on the table" with directing "resources towards nature-positive actions that will guarantee us a secure future," UNEP's Andersen says. For people living near nature, upticks in poaching suggest a need for more resilient "wildlife economies" with less dependence on tourism, she says.Andersen also stresses the need to look beyond protected areas to cities and rural areas, where environmental problems abound. "We must look at biodiversity beyond protected areas, because this is where the loss is most severe." 15 states sue Trump administration over Alaskan Arctic oil and gas leasingCurrently about 15% of global land and 7% of waters are protected, according to the UN's database of protected areas. The goal set a decade ago by global representatives in Aichi, Japan, was 17% for land and 10% for waters by 2020 (still lower than scientists' 30% target for both).At next year's Convention on Biodiversity in Kunming, China, 196 countries are hoped to set new biodiversity goals for themselves -- and actually achieve them this time. To build momentum toward that, several countries including Canada, the UK and EU vowed this week to expand protected natural areas, and more than 70 countries signed a 10-point pledge to prioritize the environment in post-pandemic reconstruction. Notably missing from the list of pledge signatories, however, were China, India, the US, and Brazil. A 'once in a lifetime experiment'Male largemouth bass guarding fry in Lake Opinicon, 2016. The pandemic offers scientists a dramatic opportunity to drive home the need for such commitments.Though a tragedy, the pandemic is "this once in a lifetime event" to evaluate the effects of our behavior on nature, says Richard Primack, a biologist at Boston University, who is working with scientists globally to compile research about Covid-19's impact on conservation, for the journal Biological Conservation. "We going to see these enormous changes in human activity."A major question, says Primack, is whether the ways in which humans try to protect nature actually work. "Maybe (the data) will tell us that the management we have is not important, if biological systems are really staying the same. Or maybe it's telling us that the management is critical." One colleague of Primack's sees early evidence to support scaling up protection. David Philipp, an avid angler and conservation biologist at the Fisheries Conservation Foundation, has been studying bass populations in the lakes and rivers of southern Ontario for 30 years. For decades, he says, sport fishing caused a disastrous annual depletion of baby bass, by disrupting father fish as they guarded their nests from predators. But between 2019 and 2020, the number of surviving baby bass in Philipp's research zone more than tripled, from 124,000 to 414,000, a change that he attributes to a halt on fishing due to pandemic lockdowns and the US-Canada border closure. This year's surviving fry could live as long as 15 years, theoretically rejuvenating the population for years. His research, which is still under review, could be a decisive piece of Philipp's pitch to the Canadian government for a pilot project that would effectively replicate lockdown's benefits, by blocking off nesting areas in lakes from fishing for a few months each year. Lockdowns have "given people a glimpse of how quickly things can improve if we take action," Andersen says. Though sightings of flora and fauna thriving during mankind's confinement may not tell the whole story, she hopes they will inspire the public to reconnect with nature and demand more environmental protections in the future.Primack, the biologist, has wondered whether in some cases, the animals spotted during the pandemic had been visiting urban spaces all along. "People might have been just rushing around too much to notice them before," he says. Only long-term studies will eventually show whether wildlife in some areas really did take advantage of the sudden quiet to explore, or whether we just began to see things differently. | 3news
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Story highlightsMexico beat Germany 1-0Hirving Lazano scores only goal of game (CNN)Germany came into Russia 2018 tipped as favorites by many, looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.But on Sunday night, the reigning champions became the latest big team to fall victim to a shock result, with an opening game defeat to Mexico.Tens of thousands of green-shirted El Tricolor fans had descended on Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium in the hope of seeing something special.Follow @cnnsport
The next 90-minutes did not disappoint. Mexico, the perennial underachievers, who so often arrive at big tournaments on a wave of optimism only to crash out at the first hurdle, began the game with a bang. Undaunted by their opposition, Mexico adopted a thrilling, attack-minded approach, continually threatening the German defense. But it was striker Hirving Lozano who broke the stalemate on 35 minutes, in a goal that would prove the difference between the two sides. Read MoreGermany, at times clearly overwhelmed by the fluidity of the Mexican forward line during the opening exchanges, eventually regrouped, subjecting their opponents to a barrage of late pressure.Mexicans celebrate at the Angel of Independence in the country's capital, following the national team's historic victory over Germany in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.But it was too little, too late. Mexico held on for a famous win, prompting wild, delirious celebratory scenes at the final whistle.Such was the euphoria back home in Mexico, that seismic sensors in Mexico City detected what was reported to be a mini "artificial" earthquake, caused by what the country's Institute of Geologic and Atmospheric Investigations claimed was "possible mass jumping," after Lozano's goal.Regardless of the real cause of the quake, the emotion was evident, as crowds of people, many openly weeping, took to the streets to celebrate the historic win. Read: The secrets to Germany's World Cup successRead: Who should you root for if your country isn't at Russia 2018?Hirving Lozano of Mexico scores his team's first goal past Manuel Neuer at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.A less than perfect build-upThe reigning champions have endured a rocky build-up to Russia 2018. Despite a plethora of depth and talent -- a second string German team won the Confederations Cup last year -- the German side arrived in Moscow Sunday on the back of a poor run of form.Die Mannschaft have won just once in their past four games, that being a narrow 2-1 home win against Saudi Arabia. In addition, two members of the squad have come under the spotlight for being photographed alongside Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, both of Turkish descent, met Erdogan last month with Reuters reporting that both were criticized by German politicians for doing so.The pair assured manager Joachim Low they were not trying to make a political point, but Gundogan was booed when he appeared as a substitute against Saudi Arabia.While Ozil started against Mexico in Moscow, Gundogan was an unused substitute. Yet there were no audible signs of discontent from the sizable German contingent in the crowd.Mexico, conversely, have been riding the crest of a wave coming into Russia 2018. El Tri topped CONCACAF qualifying for the first time since 1998 and the feel good factor continued last week as they were awarded the right to co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside the US and Canada.Germany's fans wave their national flag they cheer prior to their team's World Cup Group F football match against Mexico at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.Lively startThose two contrasting moods seemed evident in opening exchanges, as Germany appeared somewhat sluggish and labored.Mexico, meanwhile, were lively and full of energy and the front three of Javier Hernandez, Hirving Lozano and Carlos Vela combined early on to force Jerome Boateng into a last-ditch tackle.The resulting corner caused panic in the Germany box, before a grateful Manuel Neuer pounced on the ball.Germany appeared rattled but that early foray forward seemed to spark them into life, as exciting young striker Timo Werner immediately went up the other end and flashed a shot across Guillermo Ochoa's goal.Mexico's goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa (front) saves a shot from Germany's forward Timo Werner (top).But any ideas that Germany would waltz to three points in Moscow were quickly quashed. Mexico are no World Cup novices, only Brazil and today's opponents have advanced from the group stages more often in the past nine tournaments.It was soon evident the first half was following a certain pattern: Germany attacking, Mexico hitting their opponents on the counter-attack..But Mexico were creating by far the better opportunities and coach Juan Carlos Osorio was soon awarded for his flawless tactical plan.It was on another break that Hernandez came short and played a one-two with Carlos Vela, before playing the ball through to the marauding Lozano.The PSV forward cut inside Ozil and beat Neuer at this near post to send the huge swathes of green shirts in the stadium wild.Mexico's players celebrate after winning the Russia 2018 World Cup Group F football match between Germany and Mexico.Osorio was certainly living up to his pre-tournament promise."We will play good football, attractive football, you will see a great match and feel good about your team," he told reporters before the match.The second half continued in much the same vein, with Mexico wasting chance after chance on the break to put the game to bed, first through Hernandez's wasteful pass and then through Miguel Layun's two wayward strikes.Mexico's victory is met with wild celebrations at the Angel of Independence in the country's capital. Osorio became more cautious, taking off Vela and Lozano for Raul Jimenez and Edson Alvarez, before introducing Mexico legend Rafa Marquez, who became only the third player to play at five World Cups and the first in history to captain a country in five. Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench players celebrate with the World Cup trophy after defeating Croatia in the final on Sunday, July 15.Hide Caption 1 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench midfielder Paul Pogba celebrates with the trophy.Hide Caption 2 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance mobs Kylian Mbappe after his goal gave the team a 4-1 lead.Hide Caption 3 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Ivan Strinic reacts during the match.Hide Caption 4 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance manager Didier Deschamps is lifted by his players after the victory. Deschamps was also a player on the 1998 French team that won the World Cup.Hide Caption 5 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench goalkeeper Hugo Lloris makes a jumping save against Croatia.Hide Caption 6 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench players celebrate after the final whistle.Hide Caption 7 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench President Emmanuel Macron shows his excitement while watching the match.Hide Caption 8 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPaul Pogba, bottom, runs to the corner after scoring France's third goal.Hide Caption 9 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's Lucas Hernandez tackles Ante Rebic.Hide Caption 10 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupThe referee used video review on this play late in the first half and called for a penalty after Ivan Perisic handled the ball in the Croatian box. Antoine Griezmann stepped up to convert the penalty and give France a 2-1 lead.Hide Caption 11 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPerisic, bottom left, scored a spectacular first-half goal to tie the match at 1-1.Hide Caption 12 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupWill Smith and Nicky Jam perform during the closing ceremony held before the final.Hide Caption 13 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgian players celebrate Eden Hazard's goal in the third-place match against England on Saturday, July 14. The Belgians won 2-0.Hide Caption 14 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupThomas Meunier opened the scoring for Belgium in the fourth minute.Hide Caption 15 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEnglish goalkeeper Jordan Pickford reacts after the first goal against Belgium.Hide Caption 16 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMario Mandzukic scores against England late in extra time to give Croatia a 2-1 victory in the semifinals on Wednesday, July 11.Hide Caption 17 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMandzukic celebrates after his goal.Hide Caption 18 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Ivan Strinic, right, challenges England's Jesse Lingard.Hide Caption 19 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatian defender Sime Vrsaljko goes over Ashley Young for a header.Hide Caption 20 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA photographer is knocked over by members of the Croatian team as they celebrate the late Mandzukic goal.Hide Caption 21 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPlayers collide during the Croatia-England semifinal. Croatia played 120 minutes for the third straight match.Hide Caption 22 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupLingard shields the ball in the corner.Hide Caption 23 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's Antoine Griezmann celebrates at the end of the semifinal match against Belgium on Tuesday, July 10. France won 1-0 to advance to the final.Hide Caption 24 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's Olivier Giroud kisses teammate Samuel Umtiti after Umtiti scored on a header against Belgium.Hide Caption 25 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupGiroud is challenged by Belgium defender Vincent Kompany.Hide Caption 26 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's teenage sensation, Kylian Mbappe, jumps over Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.Hide Caption 27 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupThierry Henry, assistant coach for Belgium and former French captain, consoles Belgian players after the semifinal loss.Hide Caption 28 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupLuka Modric jumps for the ball during Croatia's quarterfinal victory over Russia on July 7.Hide Caption 29 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatian players celebrate after defeating Russia in a penalty shootout. The match was tied 2-2 after extra time.Hide Caption 30 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussian forward Fedor Smolov reacts after the Croatia match.Hide Caption 31 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Mario Mandzukic, left, and Russia's Mario Fernandes go for the ball.Hide Caption 32 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Andrej Kramaric celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Russia.Hide Caption 33 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEnglish defenders Harry Maguire, left, and John Stones celebrate their quarterfinal victory over Sweden on July 7. Maguire scored the opening goal in the 2-0 win.Hide Caption 34 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEnglish manager Gareth Southgate celebrates his team's win. Hide Caption 35 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupDele Alli scores on a header for England's second goal.Hide Caption 36 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwedish players are dejected at the end of the match.Hide Caption 37 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgian players celebrate the second goal in their 2-1 win over Brazil on July 6. They advanced to play France in the semifinals.Hide Caption 38 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazilian star Neymar reacts after the final whistle.Hide Caption 39 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium celebrates their first goal, which came off a deflected header in the 13th minute.Hide Caption 40 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois leaps for a loose ball in the box.Hide Caption 41 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupKevin De Bruyne controls the ball against Brazil.Hide Caption 42 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's Olivier Giroud, left, and Uruguay's Martin Caceres battle for the ball during their quarterfinal match on July 6. France won 2-0.Hide Caption 43 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupUruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera watches the ball leak into the net after he misplayed an Antoine Griezmann shot in the second half.Hide Caption 44 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's Benjamin Pavard, top, and Uruguay's Cristian Rodriguez compete for a header.Hide Caption 45 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA France supporter cheers ahead of the match.Hide Caption 46 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEnglish players react after their shootout win over Colombia on July 3. It was England's first-ever shootout win at a World Cup.Hide Caption 47 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupColombian striker Radamel Falcao heads the ball toward goal on July 3.Hide Caption 48 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEngland's Harry Kane tries to control the ball against Colombia. He scored a penalty during regulation time. It was his tournament-leading sixth goal.Hide Caption 49 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFalcao reacts after receiving a yellow card.Hide Caption 50 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSweden's Emil Forsberg, left, celebrates after scoring against Switzerland on July 3. Sweden won 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.Hide Caption 51 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Sweden fan shows his support during the Switzerland match.Hide Caption 52 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwitzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri is challenged by Ludwig Augustinsson.Hide Caption 53 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium players celebrate after Nacer Chadli, third from right, scored with just seconds remaining to win the round-of-16 match against Japan on July 2.Hide Caption 54 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupChadli slides the ball past Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to finish off Belgium's 3-2 comeback victory. It is the first time since 1970 that a team has come back from two goals down to win in the World Cup knockout stage. Hide Caption 55 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Japan supporter cries after the match.Hide Caption 56 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupTakashi Inui, left, gave Japan a 2-0 lead early in the second half.Hide Caption 57 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium defender Vincent Kompany nearly scores in the first half.Hide Caption 58 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazilian star Neymar is fouled by Mexican defender Edson Alvarez during their round-of-16 match on July 2. Brazil won 2-0.Hide Caption 59 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupNeymar stretches for a cross to score Brazil's first goal in the 51st minute.Hide Caption 60 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupNeymar is held on Paulinho's shoulders after the first goal.Hide Caption 61 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMexico's Hirving Lozano watches the ball during the Brazil match. This is the seventh straight time that Mexico has been eliminated in the World Cup's round of 16.Hide Caption 62 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Luka Modric celebrates with teammates after their victory over Denmark on July 1. Croatia won on penalties after the match ended 1-1. Hide Caption 63 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Ivan Perisic stops the ball during the Denmark match.Hide Caption 64 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupGoalkeeper Igor Akinfeev saves an Iago Aspas penalty to give Russia an upset victory over Spain in the round of 16. The match went to penalties after ending 1-1.Hide Caption 65 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussian players mob Akinfeev after the final save.Hide Caption 66 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussia's Artem Dzyuba celebrates after scoring against Spain in the first half.Hide Caption 67 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSpain's Isco and Russia's Mario Fernandes vie for the ball.Hide Caption 68 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupDzyuba is defended by Sergio Busquets.Hide Caption 69 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEdinson Cavani celebrates his second goal in a 2-0 victory over Portugal on June 30.Hide Caption 70 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPortugal's Cristiano Ronaldo receives a yellow card from referee Cesar Ramos near the end of the match.Hide Caption 71 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupArgentina's Lionel Messi reacts after his team was knocked out of the World Cup by France on June 30. Messi had two assists in the 4-3 loss.Hide Caption 72 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupKylian Mbappe was the star in France's victory over Argentina. The teenage sensation scored twice and drew a penalty that gave France its first goal.Hide Caption 73 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAn Argentina fan reacts after the match.Hide Caption 74 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupGabriel Mercado deflected a Messi shot past Hugo Lloris to give Argentina a brief 2-1 lead.Hide Caption 75 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench players celebrate after Benjamin Pavard tied the match at 2-2.Hide Caption 76 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance fans celebrate during the match against Argentina.Hide Caption 77 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupColombian defender Yerry Mina controls the ball during a match against Senegal on June 28. Mina headed in a second-half goal to lift his team to a 1-0 victory -- and first place in Group H.Hide Caption 78 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupColombia's Juan Quintero jumps over Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye. Senegal finished with four points in Group H, the same as Japan, but Japan advanced on the "fair play points" tiebreaker. Japan had two fewer yellow cards in the tournament than Senegal. Hide Caption 79 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSenegal fans salute before the match against Colombia.Hide Caption 80 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPoland's Jan Bednarek, left, competes for the ball with Japan's Gotoku Sakai on June 28. Poland won 1-0, but Japan advanced to the next round.Hide Caption 81 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPoland forward Robert Lewandowski dribbles through two Japan players.Hide Caption 82 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupJapan supporters clear litter from the stands after the match.Hide Caption 83 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium's Adnan Januzaj curls in a stunning goal against England on June 28. It was the only goal of the match.Hide Caption 84 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupThe Belgium-England match was notable for how many top players didn't see the field. With both teams already assured a spot in the knockout stage, many of their usual starters took the night off. Among those on the bench for Belgium were captain Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.Hide Caption 85 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupTunisia's Wahbi Khazri, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the winning goal against Panama on June 28. Tunisia won 2-1.Hide Caption 86 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPanama players celebrate after an own goal gave them an early lead against Tunisia.Hide Caption 87 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupGermany's Marco Reus reacts after his team lost to South Korea and was knocked out of the World Cup on June 27. The defending champions lost 2-0 and finished at the bottom of Group F.Hide Caption 88 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSouth Korea'sΒ LeeΒ Jae-sung, left, chases down a ball with Germany's Jonas Hector.Hide Caption 89 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupLudwig Augustinsson celebrates after scoring Sweden's first goal in its 3-0 victory over Mexico on June 27. The result meant that Sweden would top Group F and Mexico would finish in second.Hide Caption 90 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMexican defender Hector Moreno heads the ball in front of Swedish forward Marcus Berg.Hide Caption 91 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazilian defender Thiago Silva celebrates after his powerful header gave Brazil a 2-0 lead over Serbia on June 27. Brazil won Group E with two victories and a draw.Hide Caption 92 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazil's Willian and Serbia's Filip Kostic fight for the ball.Hide Caption 93 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazilian star Neymar controls the ball during the Serbia match.Hide Caption 94 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwitzerland's Blerim Dzemaili celebrates after scoring the first goal in his team's 2-2 draw with Costa Rica on June 27. Switzerland finished second in its group to advance to the knockout stage.Hide Caption 95 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupKendall Waston had a goal for Costa Rica in the match against Switzerland.Hide Caption 96 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCosta Rican defender Cristian Gamboa, right, closes in on Switzerland's Ricardo Rodriguez.Hide Caption 97 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupArgentina star Lionel Messi rides on the back of Marcos Rojo after Rojo's late winner against Nigeria on June 26. With the 2-1 victory, Argentina clinched a spot in the next round of the tournament.Hide Caption 98 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRojo controls the ball earlier in the match against Nigeria.Hide Caption 99 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupArgentina legend Diego Maradona was in the crowd once again, drawing attention from fans just as he did when he was a player.Hide Caption 100 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Josip Pivaric prepares to chest the ball during the team's 1-0 win against Iceland on June 26. Croatia improved its record to 3-0 in the tournament.Hide Caption 101 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia supporters kiss ahead of the match against Iceland.Hide Caption 102 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupDanish players acknowledge fans after their scoreless draw with France on June 26. Both teams advanced to the knockout stage.Hide Caption 103 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupDenmark's Martin Braithwaite, left, is tracked by France's N'Golo Kante, center, and Presnel Kimpembe.Hide Caption 104 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAustralian player Mark Milligan is joined by his children after a 2-0 loss to Peru on June 26.Hide Caption 105 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMilligan stretches to clear a cross.Hide Caption 106 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAaron Mooy tugs on the jersey of Peru's Paolo Guerrero.Hide Caption 107 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPortugal's Ricardo Quaresma, left, is embraced by Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring against Iran on June 25. Iran scored late to tie the match, but the 1-1 result was enough to see Portugal into the next round.Hide Caption 108 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAn Iran fan enjoys the pre-match atmosphere.Hide Caption 109 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupIranian forward Sardar Azmoun shields the ball from Portuguese defender Jose Fonte.Hide Caption 110 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMoroccan goalkeeper Munir catches the ball against Spain. That match ended 2-2, with Spain winning the group.Hide Caption 111 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEgyptian star Mohamed Salah reacts after Saudi Arabia's winning goal in second-half stoppage time on June 25. Egypt lost all three of its matches at this World Cup.Hide Caption 112 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSalem Al-Dawsari celebrates with a flip after scoring the match-winning goal against Egypt.Hide Caption 113 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussia's Artem Dzyuba, in white, competes with Uruguay's Sebastian Coates during Uruguay's 3-0 victory on June 25. Uruguay won all three of its matches in the group stage. This was Russia's first loss.Hide Caption 114 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Uruguay fan, right, poses with a Russia fan before the match.Hide Caption 115 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupUruguayan forward Luis Suarez, left, reacts after the second goal deflected past Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. Hide Caption 116 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupColombian forward Falcao celebrates after scoring against Poland on June 24. Colombia won 3-0.Hide Caption 117 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupColombian defender Yerry Mina opened the scoring with a header in the first half.Hide Caption 118 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Colombia fan before the Poland match.Hide Caption 119 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSenegalese players huddle up before the second half of their match against Japan on June 24. The two teams tied 2-2.Hide Caption 120 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA shot of the crowd at the Ekaterinburg Arena during the Japan-Senegal match.Hide Caption 121 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEnglish striker Harry Kane celebrates after scoring a penalty in the 6-1 rout of Panama on June 24. Kane finished with a hat trick.Hide Caption 122 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPanama players gather after their defeat. Hide Caption 123 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupGerman players celebrate after Toni Kroos scored on a late free kick to stun Sweden 2-1 on June 23.Hide Caption 124 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSouth Korea's Ki Sung-yueng, right, argues with Mexico's Edson Alvarez as Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa lies on the ground on June 23. Mexico won 2-1.Hide Caption 125 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSouth Korea'sΒ LeeΒ Yong, left, duels for the ball with Mexico's Hirving Lozano.Hide Caption 126 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Mexico fan waits for the start of the match against South Korea.Hide Caption 127 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium's Romelu Lukaku scores against Tunisia on June 23. He had a pair of goals in the match, which Belgium won 5-2.Hide Caption 128 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCaptain Eden Hazard also scored two for Belgium.Hide Caption 129 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPlayers watch the ball during the Belgium-Tunisia match.Hide Caption 130 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium's Jan Vertonghen, left, challenges Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri.Hide Caption 131 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Serbia on June 22. Switzerland won 2-1.Hide Caption 132 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwiss players defend Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.Hide Caption 133 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer catches the ball over Milinkovic-Savic.Hide Caption 134 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupNigerian midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo kicks the ball during a 2-0 victory over Iceland on June 22.Hide Caption 135 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAhmed Musa celebrates after scoring his second goal of the match against Iceland.Hide Caption 136 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupIceland fans perform their famous viking clap.Hide Caption 137 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupNeymar celebrates his last-second goal that finished off Brazil's 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on June 22.Hide Caption 138 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupNeymar taps in his goal late in the match.Hide Caption 139 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatian players celebrate the second goal in their 3-0 victory over Argentina on June 21. The victory clinched them a spot in the knockout stage.Hide Caption 140 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatia's Luka Modric is tackled by Argentina's Nicolas Tagliafico.Hide Caption 141 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupWilly Caballero is dejected after his flubbed clearance gifted Croatia its first goal.Hide Caption 142 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrance's Kylian Mbappe, right, celebrates with teammate Antoine Griezmann after scoring against Peru on June 21. It was the only goal of the match.Hide Caption 143 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPeru's Andre Carrillo is challenged by French players Paul Pogba, left, and N'Golo Kante.Hide Caption 144 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Peruvian supporter waits for the start of the match.Hide Caption 145 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAustralia's Robbie Kruse, foreground, and Denmark's Henrik Dalsgaard go for a header during the teams' 1-1 draw on June 21.Hide Caption 146 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupAustralia's Joshua Risdon jumps over Thomas Delaney.Hide Caption 147 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSpain's Diego Costa, right, celebrates with teammate Isco after scoring against Iran on June 20. Spain won 1-0.Hide Caption 148 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA fan has his face painted with the colors of the Spanish flag on June 20.Hide Caption 149 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupReferee Andres Cunha speaks with Iranian midfielder Ehsan Hajsafi during the match.Hide Caption 150 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal in Portugal's 1-0 win over Morocco on June 20.Hide Caption 151 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupUruguay fans cheer outside the stadium before the match with Saudi Arabia on June 20.Hide Caption 152 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSaudi Arabia's Fahad Al-Muwallad, left, challenges Uruguay's Diego Godin.Hide Caption 153 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupUruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring against Saudi Arabia. It was the only goal of the match, and the final result meant Uruguay and Russia would both advance to the tournament's knockout stage.Hide Caption 154 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMohamed Salah kisses the ball before scoring a penalty for Egypt on June 19. Russia won, however, by a final score of 3-1.Hide Caption 155 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEgypt's Tarek Hamed, left, and Russia's Aleksandr Golovin compete for the ball.Hide Caption 156 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussia's first goal came when the ball deflected off Egypt's Ahmed Fathi.Hide Caption 157 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMembers of the Senegal team celebrate after defeating Poland 2-1 in their match on June 19.Hide Caption 158 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupJapanese defender Gen Shoji climbs over Colombia's Radamel Falcao to win a header in their World Cup opener on June 19. Japan won the match 2-1.Hide Caption 159 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupThe referee shows a red card to Colombia's Carlos Sanchez in the third minute. Sanchez was deemed to have deliberately handled the ball in the box.Hide Caption 160 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEnglish players celebrate Harry Kane's first goal in the 2-1 win over Tunisia on June 18. Kane later added the winner in second-half stoppage time.Hide Caption 161 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA Tunisia fan shows his dejection after the final whistle.Hide Caption 162 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBelgium's Dries Mertens, right, competes for the ball with Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez during their World Cup opener on June 18. Mertens scored a goal in Belgium's 3-0 victory.Hide Caption 163 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPanamanian forward Gabriel Torres controls the ball during the match against Belgium.Hide Caption 164 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSweden's Pontus Jansson, top left, and South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng try to head the ball during Sweden's 1-0 victory on June 18.Hide Caption 165 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSwitzerland's Steven Zuber celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil on June 17. The two teams tied 1-1.Hide Caption 166 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazil's Philippe Coutinho and Switzerland's Breel Embolo compete for the ball.Hide Caption 167 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBrazilian star Neymar recently came back from a foot injury.Hide Caption 168 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMexico's Hirving Lozano, left, celebrates with Jesus Gallardo after scoring the only goal in the upset victory over Germany on June 17.Hide Caption 169 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFans wave German flags before facing off with Mexico.Hide Caption 170 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa makes a late save against Mario Gomez.Hide Caption 171 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMarcos UreΓ±a runs onto the pitch during Costa Rica's opening match against Serbia on June 17. Serbia won 1-0.Hide Caption 172 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupCroatian players celebrate after Luka Modric scored the second goal of their 2-0 win against Nigeria on June 16.Hide Caption 173 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupNigerian captain John Obi Mikel runs with the ball during the Croatia match.Hide Caption 174 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupDenmark's Yussuf Poulsen reacts after he scored a goal against Peru on June 16. It turned out to be the only goal in the match.Hide Caption 175 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPeru's Luis Advincula, left, and Denmark's Martin Braithwaite fight for the ball.Hide Caption 176 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupArgentina star Lionel Messi appears downcast at the end of a 1-1 draw with Iceland on June 16. Messi missed a penalty in the match.Hide Caption 177 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMessi and Iceland's Hordur Magnusson struggle for the ball.Hide Caption 178 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFans of France share a kiss before the team's opening match with Australia on June 16.Hide Caption 179 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFrench midfielder Paul Pogba keeps his eye on the ball against Australia. His shot deflected off an Australian for the match-winning goal.Hide Caption 180 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPortugal star Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first-half penalty against Spain on June 15. He added two more goals in the 3-3 draw.Hide Caption 181 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupSpanish defender Nacho, left, competes for a header with Portugal's Bruno Fernandes. Nacho conceded the early penalty to Ronaldo but responded with a second-half goal.Hide Caption 182 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFernando Hierro was making his debut as Spain's manager. The former captain took over when Spain fired Julen Lopetegui just before the tournament.Hide Caption 183 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPortuguese defender Raphael Guerreiro controls the ball in the match against Spain.Hide Caption 184 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupMorocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz lies on the ground after heading the ball into his own net late in stoppage time on June 15. The whistle was blown just a few moments later, and Iran won 1-0.Hide Caption 185 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupIran's Alireza Jahanbakhsh grimaces in pain in front of Morocco's Romain Saiss.Hide Caption 186 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupUruguay's Luis Suarez, left, and Egypt's Sam Morsy battle for the ball on June 15. Uruguay won 1-0.Hide Caption 187 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFans watch the Egypt-Uruguay match from temporary seats set up at the Ekaterinburg Arena. The seats had to be installed to meet FIFA's minimum-seating requirement.Hide Caption 188 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupEgyptian midfielder Abdallah Said heads the ball during the match against Uruguay.Hide Caption 189 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFedor Smolov fights off two Saudi defenders during the tournament opener, which Russia won 3-0 on June 14. Russia and Saudi Arabia came into the match as the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament.Hide Caption 190 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupFans watching from Yekaterinburg, Russia, celebrate Russia's first goal.Hide Caption 191 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupThe ball flies past Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf for Russia's fourth goal.Hide Caption 192 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupA fan wears body paint in Russia's colors before the opening match.Hide Caption 193 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the crowd before kickoff at the Luzhniki Stadium.Hide Caption 194 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupPerformers take part in the tournament's opening ceremony.Hide Caption 195 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupBritish pop star Robbie Williams headlined the opening ceremony.Hide Caption 196 of 197 Photos: The best photos of the 2018 World CupRussian soprano Aida Garifullina sings during the opening ceremony.Hide Caption 197 of 197His calming influence was crucial, marshaling the space in front of Mexico's back four as wave after wave of German attacks descended on the area.Low brought on striker Mario Gomez in a final attempt to rescue a point but the Stuttgart forward missed a late header and El Tri held on for their first ever win over Germany in a World Cup. | 5sport
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Story highlightsDouble world champion Sebastian Vettel cruises to victory in the Italian Grand PrixThe 24-year-old German finishes ahead of Jenson Button and Fernando AlonsoVettel dominated the weekend, claiming pole as well as clocking the fastest lapButton's second place ensured McLaren finished second in the constructors' tableGermany's double world champion Sebastian Vettel produced another dominant drive, leading from start to finish to cruise to an imperious win in Sunday's inaugural Indian Grand Prix at Greater Noida, New Delhi.The 24-year-old Red Bull driver once again showed he is a class apart from his rivals this season, claiming his 11th victory from 17 races to further increase his already unassailable lead at the top of the drivers' standings.McLaren's Jenson Button has been the only driver able to stay with Vettel this season, and he continued that trend by finishing clear in second, with the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso taking third.Can Formula One succeed in India?Vettel's teammate Mark Webber was fourth, ahead of the Mercedes pair of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.There is no change to the positions in the drivers standings with the top four finishers remaining the top four in the overall classification.Vettel is now on 374 points, with two races remaining in Abu Dhabi and the traditional final grand prix in Brazil.Button remains second on 240 points, but he is by no means certain of finishing runner-up, with five other drivers mathematically able to overtake him.Alonso (227) and Webber (221) are still dangers to Button's second place although the latest in a long line of collisions between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa again cost both drivers.Hamilton was able to finish seventh, but Massa was forced to withdraw on the 28th lap.However, Button's second place did guarantee McLaren finishing runner-up to Red Bull in the constructors' standings, with third-placed Ferrari now unable to overtake them."In terms of team effort, we did everything right today, our car just wasn't quite quick enough to actually win the race," Button told the official Formula One website. "I loved the whole experience this weekend. And I think every driver will be excited about coming back here because it's such a phenomenal circuit, fast and flowing with a bit of everything. It gets a big tick from me. "The Indian people have really welcomed us to their country. I've never seen so many people smiling before and the crowd has been wonderful. I hope that Formula 1 grows in India in the future and that we get an even bigger crowd here next year." | 5sport
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Story highlightsRunoff against centrist Emmanuel Macron is scheduled for May 7Le Pen says final voting round on May 7 could bring a "very big surprise" (CNN)French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on Tuesday sought to broaden her appeal outside her party's traditional base, declaring that she is "not the candidate" of the far-right National Front. "I am the candidate who has been supported by the National Front," she said in an interview with the French TF1 network. Le Pen, 48, fresh off the highest-ever voting tally for the National Front, said she stepped aside from the party leadership this week to run on behalf of all French citizens. "I am a presidential candidate as of today," she said. Observers see the move as a tactical one designed to earn her votes from people who might be disposed to vote for her but who find the fascist reputation of the National Front a step too far. Read MoreLe Pen said the final voting round on May 7 could bring a "very big surprise" -- the result of "a revolt of the people against the elite," as seen in Britain's Brexit vote and in Trump's election victory.Voters snubbed the political establishment Sunday, sending Le Pen and political novice Emmanuel Macron, 39, through to the second round of the presidential election.Le Pen: The people want to take back powerResponding to a question from CNN's Melissa Bell, Le Pen acknowledged parallels between her nationalist policy stances on immigration and globalization and those that propelled President Donald Trump to the White House. "The people are saying we want to take back power," she said. "We want to be sovereign again." Like Trump, Le Pen has risen on populist politics rooted in anger over immigration policies, globalization and middle class economic disenfranchisement. Many view her as a threat to the strength and unity of the political institutions that have underpinned Western countries for the past half century, notably in her opposition to the EU and pledge to leave NATO. Echoing Trump's "America first" mantra, Le Pen said Tuesday that she would not be influenced by the policies of other countries. "The only question I would be worried about is, Is it good for France and the French people?" she said. Le Pen has vowed to intensify the nationalist, anti-Islamist rhetoric that propelled her into the second round.Sunday's first round contest was held under tight security after a terror attack in Paris on Thursday night disrupted the final day of campaigning Friday. The Paris attacks in November 2015, in which 130 people were killed, saw French President François Hollande's popularity plunge.Le Pen on Tuesday reiterated her pledge to impose a temporary ban on legal immigration to France -- calling the nation's immigration policies "the best kept secret of our republic." JUST WATCHEDWho is Marine Le Pen?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWho is Marine Le Pen? 01:47She wants to slash legal immigration from 200,000 to 10,000 "entries" per year in France, and wants to see immigrants' access to public services limited."How can we take care of them?" she asked. "How are we going to house them?" On Sunday, the pro-European centrist Macron took first place with 24.01% of the first-round voting, while Le Pen came second on 21.30%, according to final results.JUST WATCHEDWhat to know about Emmanuel MacronReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat to know about Emmanuel Macron 01:32Opponents have argued that Le Pen's economic and social programs would bankrupt the country, particularly if France dropped the euro as its currency, as she has threatened.Le Pen's advancement to the second round is not without precedent -- her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, made it to a runoff against then-incumbent Jacques Chirac in 2002, only to suffer a devastating loss when anti-extremist voters rallied against the National Front leader.For many voters, the election was about a desire for change and disenchantment with a political class.The country suffers from high unemployment, a stagnant economy, security concerns and its citizens remain bitterly divided. The government has struggled to cope with immigration and integration.Macron, 39, a former banker, has never held elected office, though he served as economy minister under Prime Minister Manuel Valls.He attracted support from left and right with promises to boost the economy and improve security. His party, "En Marche!" which was only created in September, now has more than 200,000 members and his meetings have attracted vast crowds.CNN's James Masters contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsBayern Munich name Kurt Landauer as one of its three honorary club presidentsLandauer served as the German club's president four times between 1913 and 1951In 1938, Landauer was sent to a concentration camp by the Nazi regimeHe died in 1961 but is credited as one on the club's founding fathersBayern Munich has honored the remarkable life of its former president Kurt Landauer, who was hounded out of office 80 years ago by the Nazi regime and sent to a concentration camp.During four terms as president of the German football club, Landauer is credited with establishing Bayern as an international force and nurturing the club's youth policy.The legacy of Landauer, who served as a soldier for the German army in World War I but was later imprisoned in Dachau, is to be remembered by the club, who has named him as Bayern's third honorary president."This accolade is long overdue," said club president Uli Hoeness during a presentation to Landauer's nephew Uri Siegel, his only surviving relative."For my uncle, there was only ever FC Bayern," Siegel recalled on the Bayern Munich website.Landauer was born into a Jewish family in 1884 and at the turn of the 20th Century was playing for Bayern Munich's youth team.JUST WATCHEDFrom civil war to the football pitchReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFrom civil war to the football pitch 02:58JUST WATCHEDAre German teams the best in Europe?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAre German teams the best in Europe? 03:56JUST WATCHEDDo Bayern Munich need Pep Guardiola?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDo Bayern Munich need Pep Guardiola? 01:28His football career was cut short when he left for Switzerland to train as a banker but when he returned to Munich he was soon elected as president of Bayern in 1913.The outbreak of World War I interrupted Landauer's term and he left to serve in the German army.After the war, Landauer again took up the post of club president in 1919 and it was during this period he established his legacy with the club.Founding father"The president, who favored investment in the team rather than the construction of a stadium demanded by a section of the membership, rates to this day as one of the founding fathers of the club's widely-admired youth policy," explained Bayern Munich's website.Bayern also won their first domestic title under Landauer's tenure in 1932.But the following year with the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany and its extreme anti-Semitic policies soon brought a dark shadow over the club's achievements.The Nazi authorities branded Bayern a "Jewish club" and the club lost team members and fans, and fell back in the national rankings.Read: Football grapples with anti-Semitism stormLandauer resigned the presidency and in 1938 he was arrested and sent to a concentration camp.His service as a solider during World War I meant he was released after 33 days and he left for Switzerland. However, his three brothers all died under the Nazi regime, while his sister Gabriele was deported and is still officially listed as missing. Auschwitz goalkeeperLandauer returned to Munich in 1947 and resumed presidency of his beloved Bayern in 1947 to 1951. He died 10 years later at the age of 77.The former youth player and four time club president has joined player Franz Beckenbauer -- star of the team which won three European Cupss in the mid-Seventies -- and former president Wilhelm Neudecker as Bayern's only honorary presidents."His efforts were pioneering during an extremely difficult time for FC Bayern," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recalled in 2009."He experienced things which so many people unfortunately experienced in those times. We must do everything necessary to prevent times like that happening ever again. "Remembrance is a vital component in that."In Britain, a former prisoner of war, Ron Jones, has also detailed his painful memories of football under the Nazi regime in a new memoir.The 96-year-old recounts his experiences in the Auschwitz death camp where he and fellow British soldiers formed a football team.His story has been published in a 2013 book called The Auschwitz Goalkeeper. | 5sport
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Mosul, Iraq (CNN)For more than 28 hours, CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon and photojournalist Brice Laine were with Iraqi special forces during their push into ISIS-held Mosul. It was a new phase of the liberation operation -- switching from villages and open terrain to a dense city that a well-equipped ISIS is determined to defend. Their convoy was leading the operation Friday when it came under attack multiple times. Vehicles were destroyed, soldiers were hurt. Troops and journalists sought shelter in a succession of houses, calling for backup again and again. Inside the armored vehicles, hiding with families in houses, Arwa Damon kept notes amid the heat of the battle. Here is her account, with occasional strong language. It has been lightly edited for clarity. Friday, 9 a.m.Read MoreWe are in Samah, in the east of Mosul.Soldiers are spotting suspected ISIS fighters down side roads. A frantic radio call: "Yellow car to the right." For more than 28 hours, CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon and photojournalist Brice Laine were with Iraqi special forces during their push into ISIS-held Mosul. Their convoy was leading the operation Friday when it came under attack multiple times. Here, on Friday at 9 a.m., soldiers make a frantic radio call: "Yellow car to the right.""Another two cars on the right -- a Kia and a white one," spots the soldier next to me. He sees a third car and calls it over the radio. "Three cars, disappeared into the side streets." The gunfire is all over the place. It's nonstop. Our MRAP armored vehicle is filled with the smell of gunfire from all the shooting outside.Mosul's bloody streets could quickly derail Iraqi forces9:30 a.m.A voice comes over the ISIS radio frequency that the Iraqis are monitoring: "I am surrounded." We have no idea where he might be. A bulldozer is with our convoy, heading up the side streets.9:54 a.m.Samah is now behind us. Hay al-Ulamaa is ahead of us.9:56 a.m. Some voice coming through on the monitored ISIS radio: "Save me, need medical." The voice is very choppy, frantic.9:57 a.m.We're moving into Kirkukli neighborhood.The roads are quite narrow. There are some open lots, but the roads the convoy is winding through are narrow with low-hanging electrical cablesRadio call: There is a car bomb in Khadraa neighborhood.10:03 a.m.We just emerged onto a large road between two neighborhoods.The gunfire is much more intense -- a lot is outgoing fire. The incoming makes ping sounds as it hits the side of our vehicle. 10:37 a.m.We've stopped. "Sniper on the right." I need to pee.A bearded man comes out of a house next to where we are stopped and hangs up a white flag.A white rag was hung outside a home next to where Arwa and her team are stationed."Do not allow the civilians to leave," comes the radio call. "It's too dangerous for them." Gunfire is erupting again. It's the constant cacophony of war. From the monitored ISIS radio channel: "Get ready to fire mortars." The soldiers radio a warning to the entire unit.11 a.m.There's a massive firefight down a street.We go into the house of the man who hung the flag. It's actually a rag he tied to a pole. His family cowers inside.The man's daughter, Nour, is 19. She can't stop crying -- afraid of the shooting and that the soldiers will take her father away.The man who hung the white rag on the pole walks back into his house after bringing out tea for the soldiers.The man gives the soldiers tea and biscuits. Outside, the shooting continues down a main road.We go out.Two soldiers drag a body back. It's a wounded man, an older man. No one knows who he is. He was driving a yellow taxi toward the troops. They ordered him to stop and then fired. Brice filmed the whole thing. He had stopped his car, started quickly walking towards us. One soldier shouted for him to stop, another to sit, another to come. Bullets fly. He falls into a ditch. One soldier screams: "Why did you shoot him?"The driver died shortly after.Two soldiers drag a wounded man across a road. The man was fired upon after driving a taxi toward the troops. The man later died.11:27 a.m. The shooting continues.The old man's body is wrapped in a pink floral blanket. The medic next to him is cutting and folding bandages. The body of the man who had been driving the taxi is wrapped in a pink floral blanket.The soldiers are chatting. Now that there is a break, they are asking us where we are from and if we are married. 11:46 a.m.Everyone scrambles for the vehicles.The gunfire just got too intense -- grenades thrown into the street right behind us. At least three of them. Second Lieutenant Wael Saheb-Ali is hurt -- a chunk of shrapnel flew across the back of the vehicle, lodging itself above his left eye. Just a minute earlier, he was telling Brice that he was recently engaged and wants to get married and have children as soon as the war is over.Brice films a gun battle down the street.Another jumps into the armored vehicle with some shrapnel to the thigh. Another explosion just outside the window. Another grenade. They want to make it across the street, where the shooting is heaviest, to treat the injuries, but we can't move.An ISIS radio voice asks for backup.A captain we are with takes a selfie with us, then yells for a route to be opened up so we can move out. He scrolls through pictures of his family, shows me a photo of his wife and his six kids. He was born in 1984. He tells me I look 46. For the record, I am 39.11:57 a.m We are about to cross the main road.Or not. We are still in the same spot. Air is thick with that smell of munitions. It sort of sticks in your nose; it's very distinctive.12:05 p.m.It's gone silent. Somehow that's creepier than the firefights. A couple of shots ring out. 12:11 p.m. We made it across the street, shots pinging off the armored vehicle."Did you see them?" the men ask each other."Two or three, around 100 meters from us." 12:31 p.m.A massive flash of orange.A massive explosion just as we were stopped.My ears are ringing.The door to the vehicle couldn't come up fast enough.Everyone is coughing from the dust and dirt kicked up by the blast.Out the back window I saw a family running, a family with kids.It was a suicide car bomber, the soldiers said.I can't stop thinking about that family. And all the others. 12:36 p.m. Another massive explosion. I just saw the aftermath of the first one. A Humvee behind us is immobile. Soldiers are running for cover. One helping another who must be wounded.The aftermath of a suicide car bomb is seen through a window.12:40 p.m.Our communications are down. "We are in a bad place," the driver says.That is not what anyone wants to hear. Something just went off in front of us. Now we can hear the hiss of incoming fire.12:45 p.m.Radio communications are back up."There are no aircraft. We are under heavy fire," the captain says into the radio. "Mortars, grenades, suicide bomber." Our tire is shot out ... we hear the hiss of the air going out.We are trapped. All we can do is watch the street corners for car bombs. Wait for rockets, mortars, missiles.12:56 p.m.They need to evacuate the wounded, but they can't. Radio calls are getting a bit frantic. The battalion commander may have been wounded. 1:12 p.m. The Humvee a couple of vehicles down is on fire. The blaze is massive. There are small explosions coming from it. We don't know what caused the explosions. We're told that the soldiers inside managed to get out of it before it exploded.Two Humvees are moving up. 1:21 p.m.A commander is on the radio, trying to bolster morale. "You liberated all of Iraq. A burning Humvee -- this should drive you forward. You are special forces. You are the heroes of Iraq. You freed all of Iraq. The entire world is watching you." 1:41 p.m.A motorcycle lays abandoned on the ground. The driver jumped from it while it was still moving and ran away. A motorcycle just came at the convoy. Soldiers fired. Brice sees it happening, the driver, in his mid-40s, long beard and traditional "Afghan" clothing, jumps from his moving bike and runs away. His bike is now lying on its side. The soldiers fear it is loaded with explosives, but it does not blow up. 1:55 p.m. This fight is nothing like that of the outskirts. This is in the side streets, against an enemy that knows them and rules the rooftops.Holy shit. That is the craziest crap I have seen. A white car just went flying down the side street in front of us. Right between the battalion. Then a rocket-propelled grenade came flying in.They keep calling for air power. This fight is nothing like that of the outskirts. This is in the side streets against an enemy that knows them and rules the rooftops. The rooftops of homes that have civilians inside. "There is heavy incoming, heavy incoming," the captain calls on the radio. "We need air power now! We are getting hit from all sides." 2:13 p.m.We just took a direct hit. I don't know what it was. My ears are ringing. Brice has a small wound on the side of his head.Brice sits with a head injury at a civilian house after their MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle took a direct hit.The captain has a head wound. One of the guys is hit in his shoulder.I have blood on me, but it's not mine.3:06 p.m.We are in a civilian house, crowded into a room with the family that lives here.The mother and five children are all huddled into a corner, almost as if they are trying to make themselves as small as possible.The guys we are with are here, too. They don't have vehicles to evacuate -- all their vehicles were ruined, there are only three left that are mobile.3:10 p.m. That was an airstrike, or so they said. There are two families here -- two neighbors. The women and six kids are all crammed behind the dresser.3:45 p.m.The family living in the house in which the team was stationed served everyone fried eggs and bread, despite their lack of food supplies.The family we are with made fried eggs and bread for everyone. Even in the worst of times people who have nothing will give everything. The jets are buzzing overhead now. 3:51 p.m.Radio call: "The jets are overhead. It's almost over. They are almost finished in your area."Crazy outgoing fire again. I think backup may have finally arrived.4:05 p.m.A vehicle burns down the street."Is that my vehicle on fire?" a soldier walks in and asks. There is gunfire everywhere again. One of the soldiers says ISIS is filming the burning vehicles. "How do you know?" I ask. There is a tall building, I am sure they are. They did this before, he says. They started to move the wounded, but there is too much incoming fire."Are you leaving with the wounded?" I'm asked."Yes please." Brice notes that it will be dark in an hour and a half. The blood has dried on his face. 4:12 p.m.There is no backup yet. Time is going by very slowly. Explosions are shaking this house. 4:19 p.m.It's the counterterrorism guys. Or so they tell each other. The commander is here somewhere on this block. The backup unit is 100 meters away, they say, but can't get here. "We don't even have vehicles to withdraw," one says. A radio call about an attack from the rear. And fire from the right and left. 4:29 p.m. There are still a lot of explosions. Some so powerful they are shaking the house. The kids are screaming.5:04 p.m.We have no other choice. We are surrounded. A soldier, himself just shot in the leg, came to clean up Brice. And then there was another explosion. And more wounded came in. They have a plan. They need to clear a couple of blocks to reach another of the units. "We have no other choice. We are surrounded."5:38 p.m. We have been moved to another house, maybe 10 meters down the road. We had to jump into a Humvee. The guys are really looking out for us. We are now with the wounded in what feels like the last house standing. The entire road outside is littered with the wreckage of the convoy. Broken down and burnt-out vehicles. The gunfire is endless.There is another family here in the room next door. No one was under any illusion that the battle for Mosul was going to be easy or simple, but I think the ferocity of it is really driving home how tough this fight is going to be. Faces are somber. The men around us are all moaning in pain. 5:56 p.m."We should have split up and taken three or four roads, not all come down one. We should have secured the homes," says Lt. Ahmed, who treated Brice. It turns out he's not a medic but he's been helping everyone.We are sitting on a rickety, white metal swing. The sun has gone down and we can see the sliver of a crescent moon. They have moved some of the wounded to the entrance -- maybe help or transport is on the way. They have 20 or more wounded, Ahmed says. One dead. 6:05 p.m.They are moving the wounded. I think to up the street a little. And they said the major took two Humvees to get the Diyala battalion. Their communications are down. Our Thuraya satellite phone died hours ago. 6:20 p.m. The walking wounded are trading stories. About how groups of ISIS fighters, each with three to four men, are hiding in homes. Even homes with civilians in them. The commander comes in and tells the walking wounded they need to swap guard duty. "Is backup coming or is it a lie?" one soldier demands to know. 7:34 p.m.We just drove the gauntlet in a Humvee with the wounded and one body. We arrived at another house with the wounded. It's quiet back here. The family whose home it is has kind gentle faces. I am calling the matriarch Umm Abdullah -- she doesn't want her identity disclosed, and the family doesn't want to be filmed. They are still scared ISIS might come back. We talk and laugh. We tell random stories. About how schools are closed so the boys haven't been to university but their mom still wants them to marry. About how the family hid their satellite dish from ISIS. About how the husband looks so much better clean shaven and wondering when ISIS will be guaranteed gone so he can get the beard off. The family feeds everyone even though they have so little. We talk about favorite foods, giggling over different accents and pronunciations. They have that dark but utterly charming Iraqi humor."Come, I will cradle you to sleep," Umm Abdullah says. "But I am too fat! I might roll on you and squish you!" Her daughter-in-law models the head-covering ISIS would make them wear. Then she asks why my hair isn't white yet. Her hair is, and she's 46. We joke it's the ISIS effect.11:15 p.m.It's going off again outside. This is supposed to the backup coming."We are fucked," a soldier says on the phone. "We have been besieged for 10 hours. We have 20 wounded, we have no vehicles left."Brice asks if it's worth filming. He's sleepy and in pain. Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityMembers of the Iraqi federal police wave the country's flag as they celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on July 9, 2017. Iraq declared victory against ISIS forces in Mosul after a grueling monthslong campaign. The battle to reclaim Mosul, the last major ISIS stronghold in Iraq, has been underway since fall 2016.Hide Caption 1 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityThis injured girl was found by Iraqi forces as they advanced against ISIS militants in the Old City of Mosul on Monday, July 3. She was carried away for medical assistance.Hide Caption 2 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA suspected ISIS fighter is held in a basement while Iraqi forces continue to push for control of the Old City of Mosul on Monday, July 3.Hide Caption 3 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi Special Forces soldier exchanges fire with ISIS militants in the Old City on Friday, June 30.Hide Caption 4 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA bomb explodes near the al-Nuri mosque complex on Thursday, June 29. Iraq's military has seized the remains of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri. Iraq and the United States have accused ISIS of blowing up the historic mosque. Hide Caption 5 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityMembers of the Iraqi Federal Police hold a position as US-led coalition forces advance through the Old City on Wednesday, June 28.Hide Caption 6 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityThe remnants of Mosul's ancient leaning minaret are seen in the Old City on Sunday, June 25. ISIS' claim that US warplanes were responsible for the destruction of the minaret is "1,000% false," US officials told CNN.Hide Caption 7 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityTwo boys comfort each other after their home collapsed during fighting between Iraqi forces and militants in Mosul on Saturday, June 24. The boys, who are cousins, said some of their relatives were still under the rubble.Hide Caption 8 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi soldier helps transport a girl as residents flee their homes west of Mosul on Friday, May 26.Hide Caption 9 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityDisplaced Iraqis make their way through rubble after evacuating their homes in a neighborhood of west Mosul on Wednesday, May 17.Hide Caption 10 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi man tries to extinguish a burning car during fighting in Mosul's western Rifai neighborhood on Tuesday, May 16.Hide Caption 11 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA member of the Iraqi counterterrorism service secures a building as troops push toward Mosul's Al-Oraibi western district on Sunday, May 14.Hide Caption 12 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA smoke cloud rises on the front line as the Iraqi Emergency Response Division advances in west Mosul on Saturday, May 6.Hide Caption 13 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA wounded man is transported in western Mosul on Friday, April 21.Hide Caption 14 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi federal policeman smokes during a break from battle on Wednesday, April 12.Hide Caption 15 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA member of Iraq's security forces stands guard in eastern Mosul as smoke rises from the ISIS-controlled western section of the city on Friday, April 7.Hide Caption 16 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqis visit a bath house on the southern outskirts of Mosul on Wednesday, April 5.Hide Caption 17 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityFlames billow from an explosion in Mosul during a clash between Iraqi forces and ISIS fighters on Sunday, March 5.Hide Caption 18 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityFamilies are forced to evacuate as Iraqi forces advance in western Mosul on Thursday, March 2. The number of internally displaced people has surged as the offensive effort has intensified. Hide Caption 19 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityMosul residents cross a damaged bridge in the al-Sukkar neighborhood on Saturday, January 21.Hide Caption 20 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityFrench President Francois Hollande and French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, right, view territory held by ISIS during a visit to a military outpost near Mosul on Monday, January 2. Hide Caption 21 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA young girl takes part in a Christmas Day Mass at a church in the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh. The area's churches were heavily damaged by ISIS militants before the town was freed by Iraqi forces during the Mosul offensive.Hide Caption 22 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi Shiite fighters ride through a desert area near the village of Al-Boutha al-Sharqiyah, west of Mosul, on Friday, December 2. Hide Caption 23 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityInternally displaced Iraqis who fled the fighting in Mosul watch as a civilian drone films them at the al-Khazir camp on Thursday, December 1.Hide Caption 24 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi soldier searches a home for ISIS militants after Iraqi forces retook the village of Al-Qasr on Wednesday, November 30.Hide Caption 25 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi soldiers transport a comrade who was injured during a battle near the village of Haj Ali on Tuesday, November 29.Hide Caption 26 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA man mourns during the funeral of four Iraqi paramilitary fighters who were killed in battles in the town of Tal Afar.Hide Caption 27 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityDisplaced civilians return to the village of Tall Abtah on Friday, November 25, after Iraqi forces retook the village from ISIS.Hide Caption 28 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi civilians sit on the ground in Mosul on November 24. An Iraqi officer addressed the group, demanding to know the whereabouts of alleged ISIS militants who opened fire on troops a few days earlier.Hide Caption 29 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn injured baby receives treatment at a field hospital in Mosul on November 15.Hide Caption 30 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA woman cries Sunday, November 13, after seeing the St. Addai church that was damaged by ISIS fighters during their occupation of the Keramlis village.Hide Caption 31 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi special forces soldier prays next to a Humvee before troops pushed toward Mosul's Karkukli neighborhood on November 13.Hide Caption 32 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA Kurdish Peshmerga fighter holds part of a defused bomb planted by ISIS militants in Bashiqa, Iraq, on Friday, November 11.Hide Caption 33 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA member of Iraq's special forces guards two suspected ISIS fighters found hiding in a house in Mosul on November 11.Hide Caption 34 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi woman displaced by war holds her cat near a checkpoint in the Iraqi village of Shaqouli, east of Mosul, on November 10.Hide Caption 35 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi troops watch a broadcast of Donald Trump's acceptance speech in a house in Arbid, on the outskirts of Mosul, on Wednesday, November 9. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated Trump on his win and said he hoped for continued support in the war on ISIS.Hide Caption 36 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityUS Marines install equipment at a coalition base in Qayyara on November 9.Hide Caption 37 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi forces member investigates a mass grave that was discovered after coalition forces recaptured the area of Hamam al-Alil on Monday, November 7.Hide Caption 38 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi children witness a man being interrogated by a member of the Iraqi army at a base next to the Al-Intissar neighborhood of Mosul on November 7.Hide Caption 39 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA civilian man who fled the fighting trims his beard after reaching an Iraqi army position in Mosul on November 7.Hide Caption 40 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityChildren play in debris created by an airstrike in Qayyara on Sunday, November 6.Hide Caption 41 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityFemale members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan sing as they hold a position near Bashiqa on November 6.Hide Caption 42 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA baby is passed through a fence back to his mother at a refugee camp in the Khazir region on Saturday, November 5.Hide Caption 43 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityPeople line up to receive food at a refugee camp in the Khazir region on November 5. Thousands are taking refuge in camps set up for internally displaced people.Hide Caption 44 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi soldiers pass near a bridge destroyed in an airstrike in Qayyara on November 5.Hide Caption 45 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi soldiers patrol an alley on the outskirts of Mosul on Friday, November 4.Hide Caption 46 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA suspected member of ISIS is detained at a checkpoint near Bartella, Iraq, on November 4.Hide Caption 47 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi families pack into a truck to be moved to camps on Thursday, November 3.Hide Caption 48 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi special forces soldier searches for the location of an ISIS sniper in Gogjali on November 1.Hide Caption 49 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA man fleeing the village of Bazwaya carries a white flag as he arrives at a checkpoint on November 1.Hide Caption 50 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi soldier receives treatment after being injured during clashes with ISIS fighters near Bazwaya on October 31.Hide Caption 51 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi soldier navigates through a shattered windshield as coalition forces advance on Bazwaya on October 31.Hide Caption 52 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityArchbishop Yohanna Petros Mouche, center, performs Mass in the liberated town of Qaraqosh on Sunday, October 30.Hide Caption 53 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityChildren play in a camp for internally displaced people near Kirkuk, Iraq, on October 30. More than 600 families from Tel Afar, a town west of Mosul, have been living in the camp since ISIS took control of the area in 2014.Hide Caption 54 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityDisplaced families are seen on the road near Qayyara on Saturday, October 29.Hide Caption 55 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityU.S. military personnel take cover in a bunker after a mortar alarm was sounded at a coalition air base in Qayyara on Friday, October 28. Hide Caption 56 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityWomen and children grieve over the grave of a family member at a Qayyara cemetery damaged by ISIS on October 27.Hide Caption 57 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityResidents of Qayyara wait for distribution of food and water rations on October 26. Local water sources have been contaminated by the burning oil and sulfur.Hide Caption 58 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraq's counterterrorism forces advance toward ISIS positions in Tob Zawa on October 25.Hide Caption 59 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key citySoldiers give first aid to an injured boy in Tob Zawa on October 25. Hide Caption 60 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityKurdish Peshmerga forces take positions as they start to move toward the Imam Reza and Tizxirab villages of the Bashiqa district on Sunday, October 23.Hide Caption 61 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi forces distribute fruit in the village of al-Khuwayn, south of Mosul, after recapturing it from ISIS on October 23.Hide Caption 62 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityKurdish security forces detain a suspected member of ISIS in the eastern suburbs of Kirkuk on Saturday, October 22.Hide Caption 63 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityAn Iraqi forces member helps a man push a car as they arrive at a refugee camp in Qayyara on October 22.Hide Caption 64 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key citySpent bullet cartridges litter the street around the Jihad Hotel, where ISIS militants battled Iraqi security forces in Kirkuk on Friday, October 21.Hide Caption 65 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityGen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, who leads Iraq's counterterrorism forces, sits in Bartella on October 21 after the town was reclaimed.Hide Caption 66 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityPeshmerga fighters look over a village during an assault near Bashiqa on Thursday, October 20.Hide Caption 67 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityIraqi forces head toward the front lines near Qayyara on Tuesday, October 18.Hide Caption 68 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityA Peshmerga fighter peers up from an underground tunnel in the liberated town of Badana on October 18. ISIS fighters have built tunnels below residential streets to escape from airstrikes.Hide Caption 69 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityKurdish security forces take up a position near ISIS-controlled villages on Monday, October 17.Hide Caption 70 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key citySmoke rises from a suicide car bomb attack carried out by ISIS in the village of Bedene on October 17.Hide Caption 71 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityMembers of the Iraqi coalition gather around a fire at Zardak mountain ahead of the offensive.Hide Caption 72 of 73 Photos: Mosul: Iraqi-led forces push into key cityPeshmerga forces deploy in the dark near the village of Wardak early on October 17.Hide Caption 73 of 73"God give them strength," the mom, Umm Abdullah, says. "It's only 11. We still have a full night of this?"This family has nothing left. They sold their gold and car to make money. Why didn't you leave, I ask. The father worked at the electrical company. It was a good salary but then the salary stopped. By then it was too late. The kids don't flinch or cry. Everyone quickly falls back asleep. Saturday, 8:11 a.m.There is still no backup.Arwa and the team sit while waiting for backup.We keep being told that it's coming. The soldiers are hearing the same thing but everyone's reaction is similar. "Yeah, yeah, they said that 20 hours ago." The guys are all talking. "The men only have two magazines left, and they are one or two houses away from us." Then they saw a group of 10 moving across the rooftops. "This is nothing," says a soldier. He's 25. "We might spend three or four months like this." 8:20 a.m.They cleared some roads and then blocked them with the bulldozer, one man says. But overnight, ISIS removed the blockade. He laughs, wincing at the pain in his side -- he has two gunshot wounds, he says. 8:34 a.m. Suicide car bombs are spotted coming. It's gone mad outside.The mom of the family is crying. "We aren't going to survive. We need to get out of here. Even if three or four of us die, the rest will survive." A machine gun is going off. "Save the rounds, save the rounds," someone says. Umm Abdullah is praying under her breath. 8:39 a.m.Explosions shake the house. Umm Abdullah, who had stayed inside, not wanting to show the troops her face, now heads out to beg them for help. "Don't worry, no one will get to you, we are here," she's told. We want to believe him. We -- us, the family, even the soldiers -- all want to believe him. 8:48 a.m.Time is crawling again. The family is crying, hiding under the stairs. They are begging to go to their neighbors. But each time they try to make a run for it, the fighting is too intense. The kids are crying. They don't want to die. 9 a.m.Three sand-colored Humvees are circling. The soldiers say they are not theirs; they are suicide bombs. A strike hits something massive. One of the Humvees in front of the house is hit. 9:15 a.m. More frantic calls telling commanders they are going to die, they are going to run out of ammunition. Anyone who can fight go to the roof, anyone who can fire -- to the roof. 9:30 a.m.A grenade or a mortar lands in the courtyard outside. More people are wounded. The guys want airstrikes. One soldier is angry. "ISIS uses the white flag and hides its fighters and they attack us. It happened twice yesterday."9:50 a.m.The guys are laughing again. Backup is here, finally, 22 hours later. Down one of the streets, they saw Iraqi counterterrorism vehicles, but they need to circle around. It was the walking wounded who held this position -- them and the handful of soldiers who survived unscathed."This is nothing," Lt. Ahmed says. "In Baiji refinery we were like this for four months. They were air-dropping supplies."He has an able air about him that gives confidence to the men. He is calming and confident. Shot in the leg but still fighting.
9:58 a.m. And then it kicks off again. The family is hiding in the small bathroom. The whoosh of a coalition airstrike. There have been a couple of those, followed by brief moments of silence that are almost more unnerving than the fighting. And then some more firing. 11 a.m.A couple more airstrikes. They have a whoosh that sucks the air out before impact.One just took out the house behind this one -- the house that the ISIS guy was firing from. It's a flattened pancake. They say it was empty of civilians.Rubble is seen through a window. An airstrike took out the house behind the one in which Arwa and Brice were staying.We find out there were eight ISIS fighters in it.11:05 a.m. The family left. Umm Abdullah was angry. Scared angry. The kind of angry you get at life but you don't know who to direct it to. They ran out quickly. I wanted to hug Umm Abdullah, but she didn't even glance in my direction. They ran out without their shoes. NoonThe soldiers on the roof are blowing through their ammunition. There are ISIS fighters two blocks over. It just doesn't end. The airstrikes are coming in. 12:30 p.m.These guys are all veterans of the battle to take the Baiji refinery. "This is nothing," they say, starting to tell stories. "We had viewing holes in the wall and once a guy went to look through it and an ISIS eyeball was staring at him."Relief is coming. The units are getting closer.1:44 p.m.We are out. We are so fortunate. All we can think of are the families, those kids, the fear on their faces. The soldiers who are still fighting, the knowledge that it will only get worse. | 3news
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David Daley is the author of "Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count" and "Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy." His work has appeared in the New Yorker, New York Times, Atlantic and Washington Post, among other publications. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN)Wisconsin, North Carolina and Ohio are once some of the most closely contested battleground states. But for more than a decade, extreme gerrymandering in these three states tipped the scales in favor of the Republican Party. Dave Daley As a result, district maps sent a disproportionate number of Republicans to Washington and often protected lawmakers against significant blue waves. Our democracy is in dire straits. Earlier this year, a GOP filibuster stalled crucial voting rights laws in Congress while in 2019 a US Supreme Court decision shuttered federal courts to partisan gerrymandering claims, giving state legislatures the green light to take redistricting to extremes. Read More But state supreme courts have stepped in to curb gerrymandering, becoming a crucial stopgap in championing free and fair elections. And while this redistricting cycle has been a partisan bloodbath, some congressional maps better reflect the nation's politics, thanks to the work of state courts. We've seen this in battleground states including Wisconsin, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Virginia, where state courts -- often, though not always, in bipartisan fashion -- have struck down aggressive partisan gerrymanders, making the case that they violate the rights of voters under the state constitution. This is some of the best news to emerge from an otherwise bleak redistricting cycle. The number of competitive districts nationwide has been driven to alarming lows. Many rapidly growing Black and Latino communities have been cracked, packed and diluted in the first redistricting since the US Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v Holder gutted preclearance, a provision under the Voting Rights Act that required states to obtain federal approval before making any changes that affect voting. Last week, the US Supreme Court struck down Republican requests to block congressional maps in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. While the decisions are a win for democracy in the run-up to the 2022 midterm elections, the Supreme Court could later uphold the legal argument presented in these cases, known as the Independent State Legislature doctrine, which argues that state courts do not have authority over state legislatures when it comes to federal election matters. Without state courts to step in, many legislatures could continue to warp congressional maps -- or pursue election subversion methods -- for years to come. We've seen the results of this partisanship for much of the last decade. In 2012, for example, President Barack Obama carried Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia and Wisconsin to win reelection. But Republicans, in the first election after the GOP's successful redistricting strategy provided them monopoly power over new district lines, won 47 of 67 US House seats up for grabs, and retained control of the lower chamber even though Democratic candidates won 1.4 million more votes nationwide.The Texas primary has turned into a bad Netflix series In 2018, Ohio voters overwhelmingly endorsed a state constitutional amendment that established new guardrails on elected officials tasked with drawing maps. But five Republicans on the state redistricting commission ignored those provisions and backed a map in 2022 that ensured the GOP would win at least 12, and potentially 13, of the state's 15 US House seats. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican commission member who voted for the map, even admitted that the state legislative process could have been "more clearly constitutional." The state supreme court -- with the Republican chief justice joining three Democrats in a 4-3 decision -- overturned it as unconstitutional, demanding that lawmakers try again. And when the same commission failed to follow a court order to produce a new state legislative map, the chief justice threatened to hold the governor and the entire panel in contempt. In North Carolina, where redistricting has become a blood sport as intense as the Duke vs. UNC basketball rivalry, Republicans enacted a congressional map that guaranteed them at least 10, and as many as 11, of the 14 seats in a state where a few races were determined by less than one percentage point in 2020. The state court, in a 4-3 decision, overturned that map, citing state constitutional protections of free and fair elections, freedom of speech and equal protection. "Achieving partisan advantage incommensurate with a political party's level of statewide voter support is neither a compelling nor a legitimate governmental interest," the ruling signed by Associate Justice Robin Hudson read. Under court order, the legislature produced a more balanced map, with six safe GOP seats, five safe Democratic districts and two battlefields.In Virginia, the state supreme court protected fair maps after the new redistricting commission broke down over partisan bitterness. In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, meanwhile, state courts proved effective (if imperfect) adjudicators in creating compromise maps in states with Democratic governors and Republican controlled legislatures. And with only five seats separating the two parties in the US House, maps that better reflect the partisan balance of the people will go a long way toward preventing minority rule in the House. State courts are not a panacea to cure the effects of gerrymandering. Only 30 state constitutions protect free and fair elections; New York, for example, lacks that extra safeguard, which will make it difficult to undo an intense Democratic gerrymander. And while one Republican justice in Wisconsin and Ohio did join with Democratic colleagues in defense of a fair process, conservative judges have generally taken a narrower view of those free and fair election clauses, and in North Carolina, even found the Rucho decision should make gerrymandering claims nonjusticiable -- a case the court cannot hear -- period. Mike Pence is no profile in courage That leaves little hope for voters to challenge egregious gerrymanders in Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Indiana, Tennessee and Arkansas. The lack of federal standards, the abeyance by federal courts, and the growing partisanship of state courts creates a dramatically uneven playing field. Naturally, the crucial role state courts have played has also not gone unnoticed by partisans eager to retain control over the process. Since former President Donald Trump and his allies tried to overturn the 2020 election, there's been greater attention paid to state secretary of state races. What hasn't gotten enough attention is the battle over state supreme courts. According to a Brennan Center report, big donors and interest groups poured more than $100 million into state supreme court races during the 2019-2020 cycle as these down-ballot and often sleepy races became more central to partisan control. That's likely to be only the beginning of the fight. The ugly truth is that the state of democracy could depend less on the will of the people and more on the results of judicial contests that are often held in off-years. In Ohio, where Republicans tend to win statewide elections, the legislature decided to add partisan affiliation to judicial elections this year. In Pennsylvania, where the state supreme court also overturned a gerrymandered congressional map in 2018 and batted aside baseless claims of voter fraud in 2020, Republicans have pushed a constitutional amendment to elect judges by districts, not statewide, which would favor the GOP. Pennsylvania state lawmakers also tried, but failed, to impeach the justices who struck down a gerrymandered congressional map that favored Republicans. North Carolina's fight over redistricting also sets up an intense showdown this fall, when two seats on the state supreme court -- and partisan control -- will be on the ballot. The US Supreme Court, meanwhile, could upend this entire dynamic between state courts and legislatures. Four of the Supreme Court justices have signaled an openness to the controversial Independent State Legislative doctrine. Because state courts and governors are not the legislature, at its most extreme interpretation, this doctrine hands unilateral control to state lawmakers with no ability for a court to undo their work. This would mark a seismic shift of power that could remake the very nature of judicial checks and balances, let alone the nature of a state constitution. It also goes against decades of precedent and is dangerously anti-democratic. While the Court this week rebuffed an invitation from North Carolina and Pennsylvania Republicans to intervene with the state court-ordered maps, three justices did sign onto an opinion that called this notion "an exceptionally important and recurring question of constitutional law." Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook A fourth justice, Brett Kavanaugh, who previously questioned the state courts' jurisdiction, suggested that the Supreme Court take on these questions in a future term. State courts have made a critical contribution to ensuring that the 2022 elections will be conducted on fair maps. After that? The very rulebook our elections have followed in modern times could ride on the decisions of Justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett. | 3news
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(CNN)A prominent South Carolina lawyer whose wife and son were shot and killed three months ago arranged for a former client to kill him so that his surviving son could collect a life insurance payout of about $10 million, according to court documents.Alex Murdaugh, 53, was shot in the head on a roadway September 4 but survived. A family spokesperson had previously blamed the shooting on an unidentified man in a blue truck. However, Murdaugh admitted to authorities Monday that he had conspired with the man to kill him as part of a suicidal fraud scheme, according to an affidavit to support charges against the alleged gunman.Murdaugh's lawyer, Jim Griffin, told CNN's Martin Savidge they have been informed an arrest warrant has been issued for Murdaugh on charges of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud. Murdaugh plans to voluntarily surrender Thursday at the Hampton County jail, no later than 2 p.m., according to Griffin.Curtis Edward Smith, 61, who allegedly shot Murdaugh, was charged with assisted suicide, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, pointing and presenting a firearm, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).Murdaugh, an attorney, had previously represented Smith in unrelated court proceedings, court documents show.Read MoreMurder and mystery in South Carolina: A timeline of the Murdaugh family killingsOn NBC's "Today" on Wednesday, Murdaugh's attorney Dick Harpootlian acknowledged the scheme, saying his client was depressed and suicidal due to the recent deaths of his wife, son and elderly father, as well as his struggles with opioid addiction.In a statement, attorneys Harpootlian and Jim Griffin said their client "is not without fault" but added his "life has been devastated by an opioid addiction.""For the last 20 years, there have been many people feeding his addiction to opioids," the attorneys said. "During that time, these individuals took advantage of his addiction and his ability to pay substantial funds for illegal drugs. One of those individuals took advantage of his mental illness and agreed to take Alex's life, by shooting him in the head."A series of bloody tragediesThe admission and affidavit answer one part of a sprawling mystery involving one of the most powerful family dynasties in coastal South Carolina. Wednesday, SLED announced it was opening a criminal investigation into the February 2018 death of Gloria Satterfield and the handling of her estate.Satterfield was the Murdaugh family housekeeper for more than two decades before dying in 2018 after what was described as a "trip and fall accident" at the Murdaugh home, according to attorney Eric Bland, who is representing her estate.SLED said it is opening an investigation based upon a request from the Hampton County coroner that highlights inconsistencies in the ruling of Satterfield's manner of death, as well as information gathered during SLED's other ongoing investigations involving Alex Murdaugh."The decedent's death was not reported to the Coroner at the time, nor was an autopsy performed. On the death certificate the manner of death was ruled "Natural," which is inconsistent with injuries sustained in a trip and fall accident," the coroner's request to SLED said. In the aftermath of Satterfield's death, a $500,000 wrongful death claim was filed against Alex Murdaugh on behalf of her estate, Bland said. But the estate has not yet received any of the $500,000 owed as the result of a wrongful death settlement in 2018, Bland added. The attorney filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of Satterfield's estate against Alex Murdaugh, the estate's former attorney Cory Fleming, as well as Palmetto State Bank.The lawsuit comes more than three months after the fatal shootings of Murdaugh's wife, Margaret, 52, and son Paul, 22, in June. Murdaugh called 911 and reported he found them shot dead outside of their home in Islandton, a small community about an hour north of Hilton Head Island, according to authorities.The killings have not been solved, and Murdaugh has denied responsibility. The investigation into their deaths also led authorities to reopen the 2015 unsolved death of 19-year-old Stephen Smith in Hampton County.Murdaugh faces other legal and personal issues as well. His shooting on September 4 came a day after he resigned from his law firm amid allegations he had misappropriated funds. Two days after the shooting, Murdaugh released a statement saying he was entering rehab, and his law license has also been suspended."The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret," he said in the statement. "I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders. I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships."61-year-old charged with assisted suicide, conspiracyCurtis Edward Smith, 61, allegedly shot Alex Murdaugh in the head as part of a conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, according to an affidavit.Murdaugh was not fatally wounded when he was shot September 4. Afterward, he called 911 to report he had been shot on a road in Hampton County, according to SLED, and he was taken to a hospital in Savannah, Georgia.Authorities initially described Murdaugh's injury as a "superficial gunshot wound to the head," though Murdaugh's attorneys said his skull was fractured in the shooting.A family spokesperson initially issued a statement saying an unidentified man had shot Murdaugh. "Alex pulled over after seeing a low tire indicator light. A male driver in a blue pick-up asked him if he had car troubles, as soon as Alex replied, he was shot," the statement said.There is more to the story, however, according to the affidavit. βMurdaugh allegedly provided Smith, a 61-year-old from Colleton County, with a firearm and directed Smith to shoot him in the head, the affidavit states. The purpose of the scheme was for Smith to kill Murdaugh so that his son could collect the life insurance payout, according to the affidavit.Smith admitted Tuesday to being present at the shooting and to disposing of the firearm afterward, the affidavit states.South Carolina attorney resigns and enters rehab after being shot in the head months after deaths of his wife and sonThe charges for the alleged shooting and conspiracy are based in Hampton County. Smith also was charged with the distribution of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana in Colleton County, according to SLED. The drugs were found in a search of Smith's home on Tuesday, according to the affidavit.It's not clear whether Smith has retained legal counsel. The Colleton County Sheriff's Office said Smith had a bond hearing on Wednesday morning and received a $5,000 cash surety bond for the meth charge and a personal recognizance bond for the marijuana charge. He was transferred to Hampton County custody on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.Murdaugh had represented Smith as his attorney on at least two occasions dating back to 2010, according to court records from the Colleton County 14th Judicial Circuit.He first represented Smith in a personal injury lawsuit that Smith brought against a land management company, and Murdaugh is also listed as Smith's attorney for a 2013 traffic infraction, the court documents show.Murdaugh's attorney says he was depressed and suicidalAlex Murdaugh leaves a hearing in a personal injury lawsuit at the Richland County Courthouse in March 2019.Harpootlian, Murdaugh's attorney, said on "Today" that the murders of his wife and son "took a tremendous toll on him." So, too, did the death of his 81-year-old father, who died peacefully at his home that same week, his obituary said.In addition, allegations that Murdaugh had misappropriated funds from his law firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED) came at the same time as a self-initiated detox, which Harpootlian said sent Murdaugh into "a massive depression."Murdaugh decided to end his own life but believed his life insurance policy had a suicide exclusion, his attorney said. Harpootlian said Murdaugh's scheme "was an attempt on his part to do something to protect his child," Buster, his eldest and only living child.Harpootlian said he and Griffin visited Murdaugh on Monday in an out-of-state detox facility."We actually had the first conversation we've ever had with him where he wasn't on opioids or oxy. And as a result of that, he clearly knew what he had done was wrong," Harpootlian said.Harpootlian said he fully expects Murdaugh will eventually be charged in the conspiracy case, but his client's hope is that authorities will stay focused on solving the murder of his wife and son.In a statement to CNN, Harpootlian and Griffin said Murdaugh is cooperating with authorities and continues to deny he had any role in the killings of his wife and son."On September 4, it became clear Alex believed that ending his life was his only option. Today, he knows that's not true," the attorneys said."Alex is fully cooperating with SLED in their investigations into his shooting, opioid use and the search to find the person or people responsible for the murder of his wife and son."CNN's Melissa Alonso, Angela Barajas, Caroline Kenny and Rebekah Riess contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsJorge Lorenzo of Spain crowned MotoGP world champion Lorenzo finishes second behind Casey Stoner in Australian roundMain rival Dani Pedrosa crashes out early at Phillip Island Retiring Stoner winning sixth straight race in front of home fansSpain's Jorge Lorenzo was crowned MotoGP world champion Sunday after finishing second behind home favorite Casey Stoner in the Australian round at Phillip Island.The Yamaha star took full advantage of a mistake by his closest rival Dani Pedrosa, who came off on Turn Four of the first lap to see his title hopes disappear.Pedrosa's Honda teammate Stoner rode a peerless race to secure his sixth straight win on his home track, a fitting finale before his retirement at the end of the season.Lorenzo held off Britain's Cal Crutchlow (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) to clinch his second world title in motorcycling's premier class."What a day! I'm very happy, it was easier than I expected because Dani made a mistake in a corner and crashed. I wanted to keep with Casey but he was so strong," he told the MotoGP official website."Today is an amazing moment. We've been very patient and very concentrated," he added.He will go into the final race before his home fans in Valencia with a 43-point advantage over compatriot Pedrosa, who was philosophic after his first lap mistake. "There is some sadness because we've been closer than ever to take the title, but also proud for all we achieved," he said."Concerning the crash, it was nothing strange, I just went wider on the corner lost the front, maybe the tire was not warm enough."Stoner, who saw his hopes of defending the world title disappear after a crash at the U.S. round in Indianapolis, was delighted to have signed off in front of his loyal Australian supporters with another superb victory, the 45th of his glittering career."It was very important for me to win a race before the end of the season and I'm really happy to do it here, at home, in front of the huge crowd," he said."My condolences to Dani -- I saw him crash out in front of me - but he had to push today and go out and win the race to keep his championship hopes alive."Crutchlow's teammate Andrea Dovizioso finished fourth with seven-time champion Valentino Rossi in seventh for Ducati.Marc Marquez of Spain finished third in the Moto2 race to clinch the world title in that category. | 5sport
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Story highlights Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams says the meeting is part of national reconciliation "This will cause difficulty for Republicans and nationalists," he acknowledgesQueen Elizabeth II will meet ex-IRA leader Martin McGuinness in Northern Ireland next weekMcGuinness is now a Sinn Fein politician and deputy first minister of Northern IrelandBritain's Queen Elizabeth II is to meet a former IRA commander, Martin McGuinness, during her visit to Northern Ireland next week. McGuinness, now a Sinn Fein politician, is the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. The meeting is being seen as highly symbolic.Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams confirmed that McGuinness will meet the queen at an event in Belfast to celebrate art and culture across Ireland."Because this involves Martin meeting the British monarch, this will cause difficulty for Republicans and nationalists who have suffered at the hands of British forces in Ireland over many decades," he said in a printed statement.However, the party had agreed that McGuinness should meet the queen "in the context of conflict resolution and national reconciliation, as well as our own republican national objectives," he said.The event is not connected with the queen's diamond jubilee celebrations, he said."This is a significant initiative involving major political and symbolic challenges for Irish republicans," Adams added."As the record of the peace process demonstrates, Irish republicans have frequently been prepared to take bold and historic initiatives and risks for peace to break stalemates and find agreements."The meeting follows the queen's historic visit to the Republic of Ireland in May of last year.It was the first visit by a British monarch to the republic since it gained independence in 1921 and marked a reconciliation between neighboring countries, who once viewed each with suspicion and hostility.An IRA bomb killed one of the queen's relatives, Lord Mountbatten, in 1979. IRA members have also killed police officers and soldiers in Northern Ireland, who serve in the queen's name. The nationalist community in Northern Ireland sees the British as occupiers and wants their rule in the province to end.McGuinness has admitted that he was a leader of the Provisional IRA during the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland between pro-British and pro-Irish forces.In recent years, he has received death threats from hard-line dissident IRA splinter groups because of his support for the peace process.He stood for Ireland's presidency last year but returned to his post as deputy first minister of Northern Ireland when his campaign was unsuccessful.Accepting his party's nomination last September, he said republicans have an obligation to "heal the wounds of their actions."The majority of the island gained independence in 1921, following two years of conflict, but six of the nine counties of the province of Ulster chose to stay in the United Kingdom, eventually becoming the country of Northern Ireland.In the late 1960s the conflict between mainly Protestant unionists who want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom and largely Roman Catholic nationalists who want the North to be reunited with the rest of Ireland exploded into a political and sectarian war, known as the Troubles.The three decades of ensuing violence between the IRA and loyalists claimed the lives of more than 3,000 people, most of them north of the border, and while the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 effectively ended the conflict, suspicions remain. For this reason the queen's state visit is more than symbolic.Under the terms of the landmark accord, terrorist groups on both sides dumped their weapons, and political allies of the two now work together in Northern Ireland's power-sharing government. | 3news
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Story highlightsCourt in Britain denies newspapers' attempt to block royal charter regulating pressCharter establishes government-backed plan to regulate UK pressPro-government regulation activist: Plan will give public better protection from press abuseMedia commentator for Guardian: Publishers will simply ignore charterBritish newspaper publishers have failed in their bid to block a new government-backed royal charter on press regulation, clearing the way for a new system of regulation proposed by UK lawmakers but opposed by news publishing companies.The royal charter is lawmakers' attempt to implement the recommendations of the 2012 Leveson Inquiry into press ethics, which was set up after outrage over claims of widespread phone hacking and other abuses by elements of the UK press.Supporters of the charter say it provides the legal framework and sufficient penalties to ensure effective self-regulation by a press which, they believe, has failed to do so in the past.Detractors say the government should never have a role, however remote, in regulating the press, and that the proposed charter is an attack on journalism and on press freedom. JUST WATCHEDPhone hacking trial beginsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPhone hacking trial begins 00:10At Hacked Off, a campaign group which fought for the changes and was set up in the wake of the phone hacking scandal, a spokesman said: "News publishers now have a great opportunity to join a scheme that will not only give the public better protection from press abuses, but will also uphold freedom of expression, protect investigative journalism and benefit papers financially..."The time has come for the newspaper companies to listen to all of those voices, including the vast majority of their readers, and to distance themselves from a past marred by bullying, fabrication and intrusion."But Roy Greenslade, a former editor who is now a media commentator, said in his Guardian column: "It means, now that the Queen has approved it, that we face the existence of a royal charter to set up a system of press regulation that no publisher will sign up for. They will simply ignore its existence.""Instead, the publishers will create their own system, having already advanced concrete plans for a new regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso)."In the UK Press Gazette, Tim Crook, a member of the Chartered Institute of Journalists, went further. He said the government's royal charter "prescribes an unwanted, untried, untested, under-researched system of arbitration for media law disputes mostly paid for by the media whether they win or lose, taking place in secret, and leaving those who opt out with the future burden of punitive legal costs for open justice high court litigation."At the UK Government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport, a spokesperson said: "A Royal Charter will protect freedom of the press whilst offering real redress when mistakes are made. Importantly, it is the best way of resisting full statutory regulation that others have tried to impose. We will continue to work with the Industry, as we always have, and recent changes secured by the Culture Secretary, to arbitration, the standards code and the parliamentary lock will ensure the system is workable."But Tony Gallagher, editor of the Daily Telegraph, tweeted: "Well done everyone involved in the Royal Charter. Chances of us signing up for state interference: zero."And Tim Luckhurst, a CNN contributor and University of Kent journalism professor tweeted: "The Royal Charter is bad for journalism, bad for freedom of speech, and - vitally -appalling for the British public."He added: "Today Britain squandered a precious freedom.I fear that those who welcome press regulation now will regret it profoundly but too late." | 3news
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Story highlightsDaniel Ricciardo wins Canadian GP for Red BullFirst victory in F1 for young AustralianNico Rosberg finishes second for MercedesTeammate Lewis Hamilton retires in blow to title hopesDaniel Ricciardo took advantage of a rare sign of vulnerability from the all-conquering Mercedes team to score his maiden victory in a thrilling finish to the Canadian Grand Prix Sunday.The Red Bull rookie overtook title leader Nico Rosberg in the closing stages of the 70-lap race in Montreal and took the checkered flag under the safety car after Felipe Massa of Williams and Sergio Perez in his Force India crashed while battling for minor places.It was an astonishing turn around after another race set to be dominated by Mercedes with title leader Rosberg battling to hold off teammate Lewis Hamilton for the honors.The early stages had been marked by an early safety car when the two Marussias of Briton Max Chilton and Frenchman Jules Bianchi's collided on the first lap.JUST WATCHEDDriving through Gilles Villeneuve CircuitReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDriving through Gilles Villeneuve Circuit 01:20JUST WATCHEDF1 drivers battle to stay in the fast laneReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHF1 drivers battle to stay in the fast lane 02:47Read: Rosberg pips Hamilton to Canada poleRosberg, who started from pole, eventually came under pressure from Hamilton, who had initially lost second place to Vettel.But both suffered power problems, allowing the pack to close up with Massa briefly taking the lead.Hamilton finally passed Rosberg to take second, but then was forced to retire with a rear brake problem.Rosberg, who reclaimed the lead, was unable to hold off the charging Ricciardo, but will be consoled by opening up a potentially decisive 22-point lead in the championship race over Hamilton.In a fine day for Red Bull, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel completed the final podium spot, but has been beaten by his precocious teammate in the last five races."I am still a bit in shock," Ricciardo said at the presentations.JUST WATCHEDCNN reporter takes on the Red Bull RingReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN reporter takes on the Red Bull Ring 02:12JUST WATCHEDPaying tribute to Ayrton SennaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPaying tribute to Ayrton Senna 02:34Read: Rosberg wins in Monte Carlo"Hamilton had a problem and Rosberg was slow down the straights," he revealed."I really struggled to get past (Sergio) Perez but managed to finally get a run out of the last chicane and get a nice run out of turn one and set my sights on Nico with couple of laps to go. "I finally managed to get in the right spot to use DRS and it's an amazing feeling right now."Rosberg, winner of the last race in Monaco, had made a brave attempt to hold on to his lead."I lost a lot of power in the straights but it did not quite work out. I couldn't hold off Daniel Ricciardo," he admitted.Behind the front runners, Jenson Button took a fine fourth for McLaren with Nico Hulkenberg in fifth for Force India and Fernando Alonso sixth for Ferrari.Read: Shades of Prost and Senna rivalryFinn Valtteri Bottas was seventh in the second Williams ahead of Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso.Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen in the second McLaren and Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari completed the points scoring.Perez and Massa, who walked away from their 240kph crashes, were classified 11th and 12th, scant consolation after both scented victory as Mercedes faltered.Read: Who wants to be an F1 billionaire? | 5sport
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Story highlightsPope Benedict's spokesman denies a cardinal is under investigationPaolo Gabriele, the pope's butler, is accused of leaking confidential papers to the media Pope Benedict is "saddened and shocked" by the arrest, the Vatican spokesman saysA book based on the documents charts an internal power struggle within the VaticanPope Benedict XVI's spokesman denied Monday that a cardinal or a woman were being investigated alongside the pope's butler on suspicion of leaking confidential documents."I firmly deny the reports of a cardinal being also involved in the investigations, as well as the reports of a woman allegedly also involved," the Rev. Federico Lombardi told CNN.Butler Paolo Gabriele has been formally charged with aggravated theft for allegedly stealing private documents, Lombardi said.Gabriele was arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential papers to an Italian journalist, the Vatican said Saturday.The formal investigation is ongoing, Lombardi said Monday, refusing to comment on how long it will last.JUST WATCHEDCrisis at the Vatican?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCrisis at the Vatican? 01:55JUST WATCHEDMole in the VaticanReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMole in the Vatican 02:58JUST WATCHEDDocument leak engulfs VaticanReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDocument leak engulfs Vatican 03:58Gabriele, 46, was arrested Wednesday, accused of illegal possession of confidential documents, found in his apartment in Vatican territory, the Vatican said in a statement issued three days later. Gabriele, who has worked as the papal butler since 2006, is one of only a handful of people with access to the pontiff's private desk.We recommend: Leaders of U.S. Catholic nuns to address Vatican reprimand about 'radical' feminismHis job included handing out rosaries to dignitaries and riding in the front seat of the "Popemobile," a vehicle used for public papal appearances, as seen in many photographs showing Gabriele with the pope.Last month, the Vatican gave Cardinal Julian Herranz a "pontifical mandate" to uncover the source of hundreds of personal letters and confidential documents that have been released to Gianluigi Nuzzi, an Italian journalist and author of "Sua Santita," a book that translates to "His Holiness" and includes the documents. Nuzzi would not confirm the identity of his sources, but he told CNN that his primary source -- whom he referred to as "Maria" in his book -- "risked life and limb" if ever found out. The source worked inside the Vatican, according to Nuzzi, who refused to give other details such as the source's gender, age and if he or she was clergy or not.Nuzzi told CNN that he has not been questioned in connection with the arrest. The Vatican called the publication of his book "criminal" when it was released last Saturday in Italian.Feltrenelli and Mondadori booksellers both rank the book at No. 1 in sales within Italy.Nuzzi's book highlights an internal power struggle within the Vatican through numerous documents including faxes, personal letters and inter-Vatican memos. He told CNN that he received the documents during a year of private meetings in secret locations. We recommend: Missing girl's brother urges Vatican to open upThe documents show that allegations of corruption and money laundering were a concern for a number of high-ranking prelates, including Carlo Maria Vigano, who is now the papal nuncio in Washington, D.C. Vigano wrote in a series of letters to the pope that he was concerned about the spread of corruption and that his move to Washington would stir speculation. "Holy Father, my transfer at this time would provoke much disorientation and discouragement in those who have believed it was possible to clean up so many situations of corruption and abuse of power that have been rooted in the management of so many departments," according to his letter, which was published in the book. The Vatican has not denied the authenticity of the documents, but instead says the breach of privacy is a criminal act. The 108-acre city-state has its own judicial system, distinct from the Italian judicial system. CNN senior Vatican analyst John Allen pointed out that its courts normally prosecute the likes of pickpockets, "not alleged moles."Thus, the Vatican doesn't have facilities to incarcerate anyone on a long-term basis, and the civil and criminal penalties it typically metes out are limited, Allen said Saturday. He speculated that, for these and other reasons, the Vatican may ask -- assuming that it determines there is enough evidence against Gabriele -- that any such trial occur within the Italian judicial system."The question then would become: Does the Italian government want to pick that (trial) up?" said Allen, a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter. "In addition to being an embarrassing scandal for the Vatican on its own terms, this also has the potential to become ... a diplomatic contretemps."For now, Gabriele is being held in a special cell within Vatican City, a walled enclave within Rome, according to Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi. Lombardi said the pope was "saddened and shocked" about the arrest.The Vatican said the first phase of its preliminary investigation, under chief prosecutor Nicola Picardi, has ended. An investigating judge, Piero Antonio Bonnet, is leading the next stage of the investigation, which could lead to a trial or acquittal.Gabriele has appointed two lawyers of his choice to act at the Vatican Tribunal, and has had a chance to meet them, the Vatican statement said. "He enjoys all the legal guarantees provided by the criminal code and criminal procedure in force in the State of Vatican City," it added. | 3news
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(CNN)It's "where the world's best meet, from far and near," according to Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who ahead of the Dubai World Cup had penned a 24-line poem in honor of the prestigious event.On Saturday, it was one of Sheikh Mohammed's horses Thunder Snow that proved to be the best as the five-year-old made history to become the Dubai World Cup's first two-time winner with a barnstorming victory over Gronkowski at Meydan. View this post on Instagram Dubai World Cup .. In "Al Wasl"* we held a joyous gathering A land towards which people came hastening .. And so "Al Wasl", is a name from the past The present Dubai, where aspirations last .. Connecting people with love and generosity Embracing visitors as they arrived eagerly .. From around the world, the guests flew in Bound by its spell, they found a great haven .. Honored is the horse on this land and victorious Whence every horse aspires to be glorious .. A joyous celebration, year after year Where the world's best meet, from far and near .. This World Cup is quite a unique one indeed Everyone has heard of its success and great steeds .. Every year we win and earn our trophy For when horse owners meet, indeed it is victory .. Winning is neither bound by a cup, nor complete Though my horse is a winner, with the wind it competes .. The presence of our guests is an absolute win A win that fills me with peace from within .. It brings me a joy that lingers, an utmost pleasure A happiness against which none else can measure .. My passion for horses goes back a long way They are my life, my joy from the very first day .. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum .. β’ The word "Al Wasl" means connection or to connect in the Arabic language. It is also what the city of Dubai was named in the past. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum uses it as a metaphor in this poem to illustrate how the Dubai World Cup connects people from all around the world. A post shared by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (@hhshkmohd) on Mar 29, 2019 at 11:34am PDT Brave horseThunder Snow's win marked trainer Saeed bin Suroor's ninth victory in the feature event of the world's richest race day.The prestigious meeting marks the end of the United Arab Emirates racing season -- Sheikh Mohammed is also the Prime Minister of the UAE -- bringing together the world's top jockeys, trainers and thoroughbreds.Read MoreOn Saturday, a cool $35 million was up for grabs across the six Group 1 and three Group 2 races, culminating in the showpiece Dubai World Cup, which is worth $12 million.READ: Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed is finally a Melbourne Cup winnerPiloted by Christophe Soumillon, defending champion Thunder Snow snatched victory from Gronkowski to win after a photo finish in a time of two minutes and 3.87 seconds."He is a such a brave horse," Thunder Snow's trainer Saeed told the Dubai Racing club website. "I wasn't sure if he had won, but we had the best jockey in the world on board and he knows him so well."He has won the UAE Derby and now the Dubai World Cup twice on him from wide draws and they are a great team."As for Thunder Snow, I will have to speak with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, but I would like if he could run in America again. Maybe in New York, in Saratoga with the final plan being the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita."Fight hardSoumillon said Saturday's win had proved to be a tougher race than Thunder Snow's 2018 triumph."Last year I won by five, six, even more lengths, and today Thunder had to fight hard," the 37-year-old Belgian jockey told the Dubai Racing club website."I really want to say a big thank you to Saeed bin Suroor, and also to HH Sheikh Mohammed, just before the race they said to me in the paddock you should have so much confidence and do everything right."It was very hard, I was more looking like a Cheltenham jump jockey in the end than an American style jockey but you need to get him going and sometimes you need to do something different."The thing is, I promised to Saeed that I will just have the trophy and he will have the money so I'll have to come back next year!"By a nose ... Thunder Snow wins the Dubai World Cup.READ: Racing's top global powerhouses: From royal families to Irish farmsNamed after the NFL star who retired earlier this week, Gronkowski had led for most of the race and owner Amer Abdulaziz admitted it was frustrating to finish second."He's run a great race, I can't believe he was so close," said Abdulaziz. "When you come that far and you get beaten by such a narrow margin, it is so frustrating, but this is also a victory for us. In the end, we were beaten by a better horse but our horse is a great horse."Sheikh Mohammed (L), receives the trophy after his horse Thunder Snow's victory at the Dubai World Cup.READ: World's richest horse racesIn the penultimate verse of his racing ode, Sheikh Mohammed writes that the Dubai World "brings me joy that lingers, an utmost pleasure ... A happiness against which none else can measure."Given his Godolphin team won four of the eight thoroughbred races, Saturday proved to be a particularly joyous day for the racing enthusiast. | 5sport
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(CNN)Talk about a roller-coaster performance -- Ilkay Gundogan provided the dictionary definition on Sunday for Manchester City against Liverpool. The Germany international was the subject a heavy challenge inside the first two minutes, blazed a penalty way over the bar just before half-time before scoring twice in Manchester City's 4-1 victory at Anfield. After Gundogan scored the opener just after the half-time break, Mohamed Salah briefly had the reigning Premier League champions level, converting from the penalty spot, before Gundogan's second of the game once again gave City the lead. Raheem Sterling and the excellent Phil Foden wrapped up the result, which took Pep Guardiola's side four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand over Manchester United in second. "I need to admit that missing a penalty is always a bad thing, especially early in the game," Gundogan told the BBC afterwards. "There's always a danger of dropping confidence but after I missed, I just tried to do the simple things as well as possible. Read More"Don't get distracted by the penalty and try to keep going and help my team to win. It worked out well. Maybe I was lucky to be in the right places but I always try to be there when I smell the danger in front of goal. Happy about the goals, relieved but much happier about the result and the way we played.""[The title is] not ours yet, we need to stay humble, we know we need to put out performances like that out every single game. Doesn't matter whether it's Liverpool away or Sheffield United at home, even that game was so tight and close. Every game has its own character and challenges but we need to keep going every game is important, it could be a very good season for us."READ: Club World Cup: Al Ahly's 'Chosen One' coach draws strength from Nelson MandelaGundogan celebrates scoring his team's second goal against Liverpool. Up and downIt has become the league's most hotly contested clash over the last few seasons, with Manchester City and Liverpool fiercely competing for the past two Premier League titles. After winning its first title in 30 years last year, the Liverpool's title defense has faltered this season, with Manchester City stepping up in its absence, looking ominous in its hunt for its third title in four seasons. And it was the visitors who were presented with the best opportunity to open the scoring, as Fabinho's trip on Raheem Sterling resulted in a penalty just before the half-time break. However, the in-form Gundogan could not convert, blazing over the bar. According to statistics from Opta, four of the last six penalties to have missed the target completely in the Premier League have been taken by Manchester City players, with three of those coming against Liverpool. Gundogan misses a penalty against Liverpool.But shortly after the halftime break, Gundogan made up for his first-half mistake. After some soft defending from Trent Alexander-Arnold let Sterling into the Liverpool box, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson could only parry Foden's shot into the path of the on-rushing Gundogan to give the Premier League leaders the lead. After 10 minutes of strong City pressure, the reigning champions drew level, taking advantage of an uncharacteristic mistake from the usually excellent Ruben Dias. A poor clearance from the Portugal international fell into the lap of Salah, and, in an effort to correct his mistake, Dias pulled back the Liverpool attacker, giving away a penalty. And unlike his Manchester City opponent, the Egypt international made no mistake from the spot, powerfully blasting home. Having been pegged back, the Manchester side was once again the more threatening, and thought it had reclaimed the lead -- but John Stones' effort was ruled out for offside. It did eventually retake the lead, capitalizing on some uncharacteristic errant clearances from Alisson in the Liverpool goal. Sterling celebrates with Silva after scoring City's third goal.Two sloppy passes from the Brazil goalkeeper fell to Manchester City players, and some penetrating running from Foden from the second, and an incisive pass, allowed Gundogan to grab his second goal of the game from close range. And Alisson's woes didn't end there. His attempted pass out from the back fell right at the feet of Bernardo Silva who chipped over for Sterling to double the lead. Sterling is only the third player to score more than 100 goals in all competitions under Pep Guardiola in his top-flight managerial career, after Lionel Messi with 211 and Sergio Aguero with 120.The superb Foden, who gave the Liverpool defenders fits all afternoon, capped off a wonderful display with his own powerful finish. Following the defeat, any title hopes look a long way off for Liverpool, while Manchester City stretched its lead at the top and continue to look impressive in this unprecedented season. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosFoden celebrates after scoring Manchester City's fourth goal against Liverpool."We played in the way you have to suffer here. Hopefully next time we can win here with people," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "Anfield is always impressive but with people it is much more."Huge victory for us. Three more points at the end but I take into consideration the fact we won after we missed a penalty and conceded a goal but the way we reacted... that made the difference."We started really well. We cannot play like they play, we have to play in a slow rhythm. Second half we adjusted our set up and the quality of the players did the rest."It is an important win but it is February. Of course the gap to fifth is big right now and that means for the Champions League for next season is important but 10 wins in a row in this period is something exceptional. Today is the time to talk about this but tomorrow we look to the next game." | 5sport
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Story highlightsCourt of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturn Mohamed bin Hammam's FIFA banThe Qatari was banned from FIFA for life on bribery charges last yearCAS outlined how overturning the ban was not a declaration of Bin Hammam's innocenceBin Hammam was suspended by the Asian Football Conderation earlier this weekThe lifetime ban imposed by global governing body FIFA on the former head of Asian football has been annulled.The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld Mohamed bin Hammam's appeal against the punishment handed to him after being found guilty of bribery by FIFA's ethics committee in July 2011.The Qatari was accused of issuing bribes to members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), including former North American soccer head Jack Warner, in exchanges for votes during his ill-fated FIFA presidential campaign against current chief Sepp Blatter.The CAS decision to lift the sanction imposed on Bin Hammam was based on a lack of evidence, though the body stressed the 63-year-old had not been found innocent."This conclusion should not be taken to diminish the significance of its finding that it is more likely than not that Mr. Bin Hammam was the source of the monies that were brought into Trinidad and Tobago and eventually distributed at the meeting by Mr Warner," said the CAS statement.JUST WATCHEDKickbacks and cover-ups at FIFA?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHKickbacks and cover-ups at FIFA? 02:32JUST WATCHEDGoal-line technology approved by FIFAReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGoal-line technology approved by FIFA 02:27JUST WATCHEDDidier Drogba welcomed to China ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDidier Drogba welcomed to China 02:39JUST WATCHEDJohn Terry cleared of racial abuseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJohn Terry cleared of racial abuse 03:27"His conduct, in collaboration with and most likely induced by Mr Warner, may not have complied with the highest ethical standards that should govern the world of football and other sports."The panel is doing no more than concluding that the evidence is insufficient in that it does not permit the majority of the panel to reach the standard of comfortable satisfaction in relation to the matters on which the Appellant was charged."It is a situation of 'case not proven', coupled with concern on the part of the panel that the FIFA investigation was not complete or comprehensive enough to fill the gaps in the record."The CAS verdict was greeted with unease by FIFA."FIFA has noted with concern the decision announced today by CAS in the Mohamed Bin Hammam case," read a statement from the Zurich-based body, which recently appointed two crimefighters as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving the organization's governance.Former United States attorney Michael J Garcia and German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert have been put in place to tackle the allegations of wrongdoing which have plagued FIFA in recent years."The CAS panel notes that 'FIFA was in the process of reforming its ethics committee and that, in the event new evidence relating to the present case was discovered, it would be possible to re-open the case, in order to complete the factual background properly and to establish if Mr Bin Hammam has committed any violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics,'" added FIFA's statement.Earlier this week, Bin Hammam was provisionally suspended by the Asian Football Confederation, the organization of which he was president between 2002 and 2011, following an audit of the body's accounts.The suspension related to payments in and out of AFC bank accounts during Bin Hammam's tenure. | 5sport
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Story highlightsTennis star Maria Sharapova is the world's highest-paid female athlete.Max Eisenbud has been working with the Russian since she was 12She says he does "everything for me" from organizing travel to brokering dealsEisenbud has also helped her tennis rival Li Na become a top-earning athleteShe towers above him, but she can't do without him -- so much so they even email each other up to 75 times a day.From the time they met 15 years ago, Maria Sharapova has been able to count on a man who has masterminded her rise to becoming the world's highest-paid female athlete."He knows everything that's going on. He knows where I'm going to be tomorrow, he knows where I am now," she told CNN's Open Court show. "He" is Max Eisenbud, who first met the Russian when she was a 12-year-old tennis hopeful working with renowned coach Nick Bollettieri in Florida.Then Eisenbud had a low-paying job liaising with young players' parents at the Bradenton academy that IMG bought off Bollettieri, but now he's Vice President of Tennis at the world's leading sports agency -- having made a fortune not only for Sharapova but also China's most bankable tennis star, Li Na, the No. 2 earner on Forbes' 2012 female athlete list.JUST WATCHEDThe story behind Sharapova's successReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe story behind Sharapova's success 06:26"As an agent you just get lucky sometimes, and I'm just a really lucky guy," said the 41-year-old agent. Photos: Sharapova's winning design Photos: Sharapova's winning design The epitome of style β Maria Sharapova strikes the perfect pose as she puts away a forehand during this year's Australian Open. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Suitably sporty β Her dress for the tennis season's opening grand slam was designed to embrace fashion and high performance. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Fashion followers β Sharapova's collection is being sported by a number of players including Indy De Vroome of the Netherlands.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Fleetness of foot β Sharapova's tennis shoes are color co-ordinated with the dress range and are among the lightest and most flexible in the market. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Serena's rival collection β America's 13-time grand slam champion Serena Williams also unveiled a collection of dresses for the 2012 Australian Open.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design The Little Black Dress β In 2006, Sharapova made heads turn with her "Little Black Dress" -- an outfit encrusted with beaded crystals which she wore as she claimed the U.S. Open crown. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Winning mentality β Sharapova's intensity and desire to win have kept her at the top of the women's game since her first grand slam title in 2004. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Sharapova's winning design Fashion icon β Sharapova at the launch of a Cole Haan collection of clothing and accessories bearing her name.Hide Caption 8 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dream Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamThe Sharapova story β Maria Sharapova has come a long way since turning professional on her 14th birthday in April 2001, having played the game since she was four years old.Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamSharapova style β Sharapova's fame has brought endrosements that saw Forbes magazine rate her as the highest-paid female athlete in the world, with annual earnings of over $18 million. She has her own clothing line and is also working on a candy line called Sugarpova.Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamParis pain β The one thing separating Sharapova from a career grand slam is the French Open title. She has twice made the semifinals, most recently in 2011, when she was beaten by eventual winner Li Na of China.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamAt home in Rome β Despite never having won at Roland Garros, Sharapova is in good form in 2012, losing just once on clay this season. Most recently, she successfully defended her Italian Open title to offer hope she can finally win the French Open and complete a career slam.Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamEarly years β Sharapova was spotted at an early age by former great Martina Navratilova and after moving to the United States she was enrolled into the famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida at the age of nine.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamWimbledon breakthrough β The Russian became the third youngest female to win Wimbledon in 2004 aged just 17. She beat Serena Williams in the final to spark huge interest the papers labelled "Maria Mania."Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamFlushed with success β Sharapova's second major success came at the U.S. Open in 2006 when she beat Justine Henin at Flushing Meadows. By this stage she had already become the first Russian woman ever to hold the world No. 1 ranking. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Maria Sharapova's French Open dreamA major hat-trick β The 25-year-old made it a hat-trick of grand slam victories at the 2008 Australian Open and in some style. She didn't drop a set in the entire tournament on her way to defeating Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in the final.Hide Caption 8 of 8"I just really try not to mess it up!"Deal makerHis lucky day came on July 3, 2004 when the 17-year-old Sharapova stunned Serena Williams -- and the tennis world -- in the Wimbledon final to win her first grand slam title. With her model looks and youthful charm, blue-chip sponsors fell over themselves to get a piece of the action. Forbes magazine reported that Sharapova earned almost $28 million in the year up until June 2012 -- $22 million of that was from endorsements.Read: How women cracked tennis' glass ceilingThey might make something of an odd duo, with the glamorous Sharapova standing at 6 foot 2 inches and Eisenbud, a short, balding man from New Jersey, but as a business partnership they have the perfect synergy."We've just been very open and honest and real, and he's someone who says it like it is," said Sharapova, who like Eisenbud was born in April -- but 15 years apart."I think that's one of the greatest things that I appreciate in people, and he's done that from the very beginning. He understood the dynamic of me being the athlete, of working for me. "Agents have much bigger jobs than just everyday life -- booking planes, looking into your agenda -- of course he's trying to make you money and make you big deals, but at the end of the day, he does everything for me."He has this old-fashioned calendar and just looks at every date. He knows my schedule, exactly when I'm flying to this tournament, when I'll be back, when we can fit this in. "He knows my training hours so there are some things that I prioritize over others, and there are certainly some shoots creatively that I would like to do and he's like, 'We just don't have time for it', so I have to ax that out, but we usually agree on many things."JUST WATCHEDTennis star launches candy lineReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTennis star launches candy line 01:05 Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria? Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria?You've been served β Maria Sharapova, who won the Indian Wells title in 2006, took the first set 6-2 as she took control of the final in some style.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria?Hard times β Caroline Wozniacki, currently ranked No.10 in the world, failed to cope with the pace and power of her opponent in the opening stages.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria?Caught short β The Dane made a poor start to the second set, losing her opening service game with a double fault but she continues to fight and sees off two more break points in the fifth game to trail 2-3.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria?Real muscle β The World No.3 held a 4-2 record against Wozniacki and never looked like losing as she reeled off three straight games to take the second set 6-2.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria?Time to celebrate β Sharapova celebrates after winning the title in just 81 minutes -- it was her first triumph since the 2012 French Open.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: How do you solve a problem like Maria?For the trophy cabinet β Sharapova has now won at least one title in each of the past 11 years. "This is what I do all the work for is these moments," she told reporters. "You feel like everything has paid off."Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earners Photos: The WTA's top prize money earners* After Brisbane International, January 2013Hide Caption 1 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 2 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 3 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 4 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 5 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 6 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 7 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 8 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 9 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 10 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 11 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 12 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 13 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 14 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 15 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 16 of 17 Photos: The WTA's top prize money earnersHide Caption 17 of 17Read: Sharapova's sweet plan for successWhile Sharapova is comfortable on the red carpet and at celebrity parties, her manager is happier making deals. "He's constantly looking at his BlackBerry ... if you need to get his attention, you should probably send him an email. That's the way I see our relationship," she said."He's very good at some things; others he's just absolutely hopeless at, like if you go to an event and you're on the red carpet, he has no idea what's going on."He's like 'Hey' and he's talking to all these people and you're like, 'OK, where am I going? Am I doing interviews? Or a step and repeat? What's going on?' "That's not his forte. His thing is getting on the phone, getting deals done, getting the schedule together. All those business decisions, so there are things that I know I need to bring in other people for."Super agentEisenbud sees his role as a juggler of commitments."I think I'm more of a facilitator, an organizer. I know when to bring things to her because she's in the middle of a tournament, and when she needs to stay focused some more, so it's not distracting her tennis," he says."I think that's kind of my skill. We do probably anywhere between 30 and 75 emails a day between us, so sometimes we don't even need to talk on the phone. She just sets the vision and I'm just able to try to do my best to try and follow her vision."Read: Sharapova's grand slam designsFrom clothing and cosmetics to her latest foray -- a self-funded candy line -- Sharapova has a strong business strategy."If I didn't want to play tennis again, I'd have enough money to live for the rest of my life but I do respect the money that I've made because I didn't grow up having a lot of money," said Sharapova, whose parents fled their native Belarus soon after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, just before she was born.Her father accompanied her to the United States in 1994, taking low-paying jobs before she enrolled at the $35,000-a-year IMG academy on a scholarship, aged nine.JUST WATCHEDLittle girl takes on tennis giantsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLittle girl takes on tennis giants 02:01JUST WATCHEDCan 'Baby Federer' become a champion?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan 'Baby Federer' become a champion? 04:54JUST WATCHEDTipsarevic's clay court master classReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTipsarevic's clay court master class 05:03"My family never had it, so I'm always very respectful for every single dollar that I make to this day. I really came from nothing," she said. "I was living a normal, average, everyday life back in Russia and we had a dream and I had a talent and we moved to the U.S."Of course I'm so lucky and fortunate to have and earn great money but at the end of the day, we did earn it with my parents and their hard work and their sacrifices and all the hours on the court." Read: How fashion brands serve up success for tennis starsEisenbud may work with other players -- he has a group of young hopefuls as well as Li -- but he says Sharapova will always be his focus.He's been there from her early highs, to the lowest of the lows when it seemed a shoulder injury would end her career back in 2008."I've been with her so long, to see her smiling on the court, there's nothing better," he said, with Sharapova this year winning the Indian Wells title in March and last Sunday beating Li in the Stuttgart final to retain her title. "It's pretty hard for me. I know too much information that other people don't. I know what's on the line, where we are with different things and what wins would mean, so I get a little nervous."With Li also earning big deals, Eisenbud is akin to football's "super agents" such as Jorge Mendes, who works with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho."Rather than competing against one another, Sharapova and Na actually provide Eisenbud's business with much greater global coverage," British sports business expert Simon Chadwick told CNN."There is a degree of overlap in that they are both global tennis stars, whom the general public are aware of. This poses issues of clarity, focus and targeting for Eisenbud. Read: Sharapova successfully defends Stuttgart title"However, as brands, they are significantly different propositions, which means that they are likely to appeal to different groups of people in different countries around the world."JUST WATCHEDSharapova: It's a special victoryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSharapova: It's a special victory 01:54JUST WATCHEDSharapova ready for tough clay challengeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSharapova ready for tough clay challenge 04:36Life after tennisIt was last year's French Open success that really crowned Sharapova's comeback, having been written off after a long struggle to rebuild her career following that shoulder operation. "That was emotional, I definitely had a lot of tears," Eisenbud recalled. "I was with her when she had the shoulder surgery, I was there when she woke up, I saw her first rehabs, I saw all the tough times, I heard all the journalists writing her off, Pam Shriver saying she'll never win a grand slam again, all the people just 'never never never.' "If I'm seeing it I'm sure she's seeing it, so when she was able to win that -- get on her knees and win that French Open -- that was just a lot of, 'I told you so' and 'don't count me out.' "Here's a great champion that had all the money in the world, all the glory, all the titles, but she wanted to come back and win, and it just says a lot about her."But the injury did turn Sharapova's thoughts to life after tennis, and the resulting launch last year of her "Sugarpova" candy was her first independent business project."There's a lot of downtime on the tour and she uses it a lot," Eisenbud said. "She's involved in everything she does, she's not a silent owner -- she runs and drives everything that she's doing and I just try to implement it while she's on the court."Everything we've been doing now for the last couple of years has been thinking about life after tennis. We didn't want her career to end and then all of a sudden start thinking about it."I think Sugarpova will be a huge business for her after tennis. She'll be getting into a lot of different things -- cosmetics, fragrance, clothing -- so I think it's just the beginning right now for her." | 5sport
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Story highlightsThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge officially open St. George's ParkSt. George's Park is England's newly-constructed national football centerWilliam: "It will be far more than just a world class facility for training"The center is located in Burton-upon-Trent in the English county of StaffordshirePrince William and the Duchess of Cambridge were both on hand to give an elite football facility aimed at ending England's 46-year wait for a second World Cup triumph the royal seal of approval.The $168-million St. George's Park complex in the town of Burton-upon-Trent, which has taken 18 months to build, will house all 24 England teams from junior hopefuls through to senior stars."Coming here this morning, seeing these wonderful facilities and beautiful surroundings -- just experiencing this extraordinary place - gave me the same feelings I had when I first went to the Olympic Park," William, who is president of the English Football Association (FA) declared.England's new national headquarters in the county of Staffordshire is hoping to inspire its footballers and prolong the feelgood factor left by a landmark sporting summer in the UK after London hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games.Crime and punishment in sport: Laying down the law? "St. George's Park, and the concept that underpins it, is something totally new," continued William. "It will be far more than just a world class facility for training our future world-beating national team."It is more than just the university from which thousands of highly qualified coaches will graduate. It is also a magnificent example of the sort of social initiative that brings opportunity and purpose to wider British life. "It will provide employment and a social hub for local people and, through the thousands of volunteers on which coaching relies, it will foster community spirit, purpose and hope throughout England."β¬βͺFA chairman David Bernstein hailed the facility as well as expressing his delight that the royal couple had been able to attend the grand opening.The opening of St. George's Park is a beacon of good news for English football after a year that has tainted by the racism allegations leveled against Chelsea captain John Terry, that prompted his international retirement.Just last week Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole called the FA a "bunch of twats" after an independent report that found Terry guilty stated Cole's evidence to the inquiry had "evolved" over time.Bernstein revealed Cole had apologized in person for his tweet but was keen to focus on the potential benefits St. George's Park would bring to the national team."The range of functions here are so great," Bernstein said on the organization's website. "It's a coaching center, it's a sports science center, a rehabilitation center."It's a fantastic thing for football and for The Football Association. This has been 20 years in development. "A huge amount of work has gone in to it. And to have our president, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Duchess to open this facility is really fantastic."There is so much built into this project. It's an inspirational place as well, the pinnacle of things that are happening elsewhere around the country. We are trying to do so much with youth development generally, and this represents the pinnacle of that."The complex mirrors similar facilities in other European countries, such as France's center of excellence at Clairefontaine which produced the nucleus of the team which won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.In addition to Clairefontaine -- which aided the development of players such as Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka -- the English Football Association also drew inspiration from Zeist in Holland, Cologne in Germany, Spain's La Ciudad del Futbol and Coverciano in Italy.English football's powerbrokers will hope St. George's Park can help England win the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 46 years."Initially we'll get our 24 teams using St. George's Park," explained the FA's director of football development Trevor Brooking. "You'd like to see a youngster coming in here at 15 and get the 'wow factor' and want to stay with the England teams throughout the age groups, U17s through to under-21s and seniors."St George's Park boasts 11 outdoor pitches including an exact replica of the playing surface at Wembley Stadium, an altitude chamber to replicate playing in different climates and a 60-meter sprint track aimed at monitoring running speed and style.Apart from state-of-the-art facilities, what will a centralized hub offer English football which is does not have already?JUST WATCHEDMourinho on the enigma of BalotelliReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho on the enigma of Balotelli 01:35JUST WATCHEDJosΓ© Mourinho on managing star playersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJosΓ© Mourinho on managing star players 05:06JUST WATCHEDJosΓ© Mourinho's press conference anticsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJosΓ© Mourinho's press conference antics 06:08"The FA's locations have always been disconnected from the realities of grassroots football," explains Pavl Williams, editor of thecoachingmanual.com."They now have a location which is central to the rest of the country and accessible to a broader range of society."It's also a central location where lots of organizations are working together, which is necessary if you are going to pull out a consistent philosophy at every level of the game, which is what we are trying to do."Tuesday's opening marks the end of a lengthy process for English football. A national soccer hub was first mooted back in the late 90s.Many observers have highlighted the lack of a core philosophy and antiquated coaching methods as a reason for England stagnating while more technically-gifted teams like Spain have flourished."The way football is going to progress in the country is through working together," continued Williams. "We need to create something which is bigger than the sum of its parts."St. George's Park can bring in more agencies which work really well together and get that out to coaches working at a grassroots level."One of the key areas St. George's Park will look to address is the coaching which is given to promising English talent.Williams outlined a lack a UEFA A Licensed coaches at grassroots level as a key difference between England and continental Europe, as well as suggesting over coaching can cause some youngsters to burn out."A lot of kid's coaching is hands off coaching," said Williams. "The more you educate a coach, the more they learn when to not step in and coach."Facilities, like the pitches you play on, are a big issue for technical players. But in coaching specifically, kids in other countries are allowed to express themselves more." | 5sport
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Story highlightsFabrice Muamba releases photo of himself in London hospitalMuamba recovering after suffering heart attack in English FA Cup tie Bolton midfielder is pictured sitting up and smilingAston Villa star Stiliyan Petrov diagnosed with acute leukaemiaBolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba has been pictured for the first time since collapsing on the pitch with a cardiac arrrest during his side's FA Cup quarterfinal match against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on March 17.Muamba is shown smiling and sitting up on his bed at the London Chest Hospital where he is recovering from his ordeal.The photograph was posted Friday on the Twitter account of his girlfriend Shauna."Fab wanted me to post this pic for you all and to also say thank you for such overwhelming support," read the message with the picture.The 23-year-old is wearing a T-shirt and hooded top, but is in a room full of medical equipment.Muamba collapsed during the first half of the game at Tottenham, being stretchered off while horrified players and fans watched on. It was also being shown on television. The match was abandoned, with Tottenham winning the replayed tie 3-1 earlier this week.It was later revealed Muamba's heart had stopped for 78 minutes while desperate, but in the end successful, attempts were made to resuscitate him.Meanwhile, English Premier League side Aston Villa said Friday that their captain, Stiliyan Petrov, has been diagnosed with acute leukaemia.The 32-year-old Bulgarian international midfielder had undergone medical tests after going down with a fever following Villa's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal last Saturday."We expect to learn more about Stiliyan's situation in due course and we have moved quickly to support him and his family," the statement on the club's official website said."During this time we ask that Stiliyan's privacy is placed ahead of all inquiries and trust that we will share information as we receive it."Stiliyan is cherished by many and he will get from Villa every ounce of love and support that we have to help bring this to a positive conclusion."Petrov, who has been capped 105 times by Bulgaria, joined Aston Villa in 2006 after spending seven years with Scottish giants Celtic where he was a big crowd favorite and helped them to four championship titles."We are all absolutely devastated to hear this news. As a member of the Celtic family, it is important for Stiliyan to know that he has our unequivocal support in battling against this disease," manager Neil Lennon said in a statement on the club's official website. | 5sport
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Story highlightsAuthorities in the Czech Republic announce they've arrested a 29-year-old manWeapons, ammunition and police uniforms were seized from his Ostrava homeThe suspect "sympathizes probably" with Norway mass killer Anders Breivik, police sayBreivik is a self-declared ultranationalist opposed to multiculturalismCzech authorities announced Saturday that they have arrested a 29-year-old man who expressed admiration for Anders Behring Breivik, the self-declared ultranationalist who has admitted killing 77 people in Norway last summer.Video broadcast on Saturday by CT24, a public broadcast station in the Czech Republic, showed the handcuffed suspect flanked by police. Dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, the unidentified man appears to be smiling during much of the videotaped walk.Tomas Tuhy, a regional director of the Czech Republic Police, said authorities confiscated "police or prisoner" uniforms during their search of the suspect's apartment, as well as some police equipment. Pictures published on CT24's website showed explosive detonators, firearms, ammunition, and what appears to be a police uniform, that were seized as part of the investigation.The man from Ostrava, the Czech Republic's third largest city located in the eastern part of the country near the Polish border, may have intended to pass himself off as a policeman when waging an attack, police said, as reported by the Czech News Agency. Ostrava police chief Radovan Vojta told reporters Saturday that authorities exercised "increased caution" when they went into the suspect's apartment, fearful it might have been rigged with explosives. JUST WATCHEDCould Oslo massacre have been avoided?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCould Oslo massacre have been avoided? 02:28The suspect "sympathizes probably with known (killer) Anders Breivik," said Tuhy in a press conference covered by state broadcaster CT24. The Czech News Agency added, citing police, that the suspect indicated in e-mails that he was an admirer of Breivik.JUST WATCHEDBreivik claims killing was 'necessary'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBreivik claims killing was 'necessary' 03:45"Of course we are checking out that connection," Tuhy said, declining to elaborate on how the Czech and Norwegian men might be linked.JUST WATCHEDAlleged mass killer shows no remorse ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAlleged mass killer shows no remorse 02:57According to Norwegian authorities, Breivik set off a fertilizer bomb outside the prime minister's office on July 22, 2011, killing eight people. He then took a ferry to Utoya Island, the site of a Labour Party youth camp where more than 700 young adults were meeting, and roamed the island shooting and killing 69 people.JUST WATCHEDNorway mass murder suspect in courtReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNorway mass murder suspect in court 02:01Breivik has admitted to carrying out the killings, which he says were necessary to protect Norway from multiculturalism. He is on trial, with authorities' determination of his sanity central to what happens next in the case.The Czech suspect was arrested August 10, according to the Czech News Agency, though authorities didn't announce it until Saturday. | 3news
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(CNN)Manchester United slumped to a fourth defeat of the Premier League season at Old Trafford on Saturday, going down 2-0 against rival Manchester City.Both of the game's goals -- an own goal from defender Eric Bailly, before Bernardo Silva turned in a cross on the stroke of halftime -- came in the first half, piling more pressure on United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.The result sees City move up to second in the league table, while United, which has now only won one of its past six Premier League games, remains fifth. "They played well, of course, they don't give you opportunities to win the ball off them, so some praise has got to go to them," Solskjaer told Sky Sports."But we were not at our level and standards need to be raised."Read MoreVisit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and featuresBernardo Silva (left) celebrates scoring Man City's second goal. City took the lead after just seven minutes when Bailly deflected Joao Cancelo's cross into the United goal.The home side's best chance of equalizing came on 26 minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo had a powerful volley saved by Ederson, but it was City which dominated the first half as Gabriel Jesus and Cancelo had shots saved strongly by de Gea. But the United goalkeeper couldn't keep out Bernardo Silva's poked effort from Cancelo's cross just before halftime as City doubled its lead.United introduced Jadon Sancho in the second half, which started as a more even contest than the first. READ: Barcelona appoints club legend Xavi as new coachCristiano Ronaldo had Manchester United's only shot on target against Manchester City. However, City's lead never looked under threat as Pep Guardiola's side dominated possession. Phil Foden and John Stones both had chances to add a third goal in the final 10 minutes, but the scoreline remained 2-0 at the final whistle. "I think we had the game of our lives today," Foden told Sky Sports. "Everything just went right -- a lot of possession and a lot of chances. We dominated from start to finish, which is obviously really good."United's latest defeat in the league comes two weeks after a humiliating 5-0 thumping by Liverpool, after which came a 3-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur and a salvaged 2-2 draw against Atalanta in the Champions League. But despite recent results, Solskjaer said he didn't feel like he was on borrowed time as United's manager. "I have good communication all the time with the club that's very upfront and honest about the situation," he added."I work for Man United, I want the best for Man United and of course as long as I'm here, I want to do what I can to improve this." | 5sport
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Story highlightsAngelique Kerber beats Caroline Wozniacki in Copenhagen finalSecond seed Kerber wins 6-4 6-4 at hard court eventSara Errani of Italy wins Barcelona Open titleIvan Ljubicic bows out of tennis at Monte Carlo MastersDouble defending champion Caroline Wozniacki suffered a shock defeat in the final of the WTA Copenhagen Open as she was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Germany's Angelique Kerber Sunday.Home favorite Wozniacki had gone into the title match with a 14-0 winning streak at the hard court tournament and victories in the 2010 and 2011 editions.Kerber, the second seed, had also lost her two previous meetings to Wozniacki, but staged a recovery in each set to claim victory.She was down 4-3 in the first set before putting a run of three straight games together to take a one set lead and 4-1 in the second.Five straight games saw Kerber romp to victory in front of the stunned home crowd at the Farum Arena."I felt like I had nothing to lose. If I lost the match, it's okay against her. It made me take more chances and I'm glad it worked out," Kerber, who won her maiden title in Paris in February, told the official WTA website.Wozniacki took the defeat in her stride as she moves on to the clay court season."Yes, it's disappointing to lose, but it's not a disaster. You lose matches sometimes, and today was one of those times. There's a new match and new tournament coming, so you go on."In the Barcelona Open, Italy's seventh seed Sara Errani shocked third seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-2 6-2 to win the clay court event.Errani had also taken the doubles title and had been confident of victory."She hits very hard and is very fast, but while she can hit two winners in a row, she can also hit consecutive errors -- knowing that I knew I had to keep up with her pace, keep the ball deep and be very solid, but also stay aggressive," she said.On the men's ATP Tour, Ivan Ljubicic slipped to a 6-0 6-3 defeat to fellow Croatian Ivan Dodig at the Monte Carlo Masters Sunday.Ljubicic, 33, was playing the final match of a glittering career in the principality where he now lives. | 5sport
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(CNN)Cricket Australia (CA) has said there is "no alternative" but to cancel the proposed Test match against Afghanistan in November, following the Taliban's stance which aims to ban women from playing sport. Australia's governing board for cricket is due to host Afghanistan for the one-off Test at the prestigious Bellerive Oval stadium in Hobart, Tasmania. However, in a post from their verified Twitter account on Thursday, CA said that "if recent media reports that women's cricket will not be supported in Afghanistan are substantiated," it would have "no alternative but not to host Afghanistan for the proposed Test Match.""Driving the growth of women's cricket globally is incredibly important to Cricket Australia. Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level."We thank the Australian and Tasmanian Governments for their support on this important issue," it added. Read MoreThe Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) -- which represents retired and current, domestic and international players -- released a statement on social media in support of Cricket Australia's announcement shortly after."The ACA unequivocally endorses Cricket Australia's statement on the upcoming Test Match against Afghanistan," the statement read."What is happening now in Afghanistan is a human rights issue that transcends the game of cricket."And while we would love to see players such as Rashid Khan play against Australia, hosting this Test Match cannot be considered if that same opportunity to play the game is denied to Roya Samim and her teammates."'My country is in chaos'Rashid Khan, who captains the Afghanistan Twenty20 side, said his "country is in chaos."The news comes as Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban's cultural commission, told Australia's SBS News that Afghan women should not play cricket and other sports where they would be "exposed.""In cricket, they might face a situation where their face and body will not be covered. Islam does not allow women to be seen like this," Wasiq told SBS News.Meanwhile, the Guardian reported that Afghan women's cricketer Samim fled her country for Canada, in order to escape the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August. Khan, who captains the Afghanistan Twenty20 side, has been vocal on social media about the conflict in his native country."Dear World Leaders! My country is in chaos," he tweeted in August, several days before the Taliban seized the presidential palace in Kabul. "Thousands of innocent people, including children and women, get martyred everyday, houses & properties being destructed. Thousand families displaced."Don't leave us in chaos. Stop killing Afghans & destroying Afghaniatan [sic]. We want peace," he added. | 5sport
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Story highlightsJordan Spieth tells CNN he is ready to win his first major golf championshipThe 20-year-old tees off at the U.S. Open in Pinehurst as one of the favoritesSpieth tied for second place in his first appearance at the Masters in AprilHe became youngest PGA Tour winner for 82 years in 2013This time last year Jordan Spieth barely registered on golf's radar, now it seems merely a matter of time before he assumes the mantle of major champion.The 20-year-old will tee off at Pinehurst on Thursday as one of the favorites to lift the U.S. Open, a measure of his stellar rise over the past 12 months.Spieth became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour for 82 years when he bagged the 2013 John Deere Classic, underlining the potential encompassed in his swing.He briefly held the lead during the final round of the Masters before tying for second and was in contention at the Players Championship, eventually finishing fourth.Read: Spieth - U.S. golf's new kid on the blockSo what price a maiden major championship in North Carolina aged 20 years and 10 months, roughly five months before Tiger Woods captured his first?"I truly believe I can win a major -- right now I think I'm ready to," the Texan told CNN. "Each and every week is about preparing for the next major championship.JUST WATCHEDJordan Spieth's life changing shotReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJordan Spieth's life changing shot 07:07JUST WATCHEDJordan Spieth recreates amazing bunker shotReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJordan Spieth recreates amazing bunker shot 00:44JUST WATCHEDA history of golf at Pinehurst ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA history of golf at Pinehurst 03:58"The U.S. Open is a major which is what legacies are defined by. That's what Rory (McIlroy) says all the time, golf is all about winning majors."To be able to go into this event with a lot of confidence, I feel like I'm going to embrace the challenge."Much has been made of the test Pinehurst will present, a markedly different one to 2005 when unfancied New Zealander Michael Campbell triumphed.It has since been reshaped by two-time major champion Ben Crenshaw and his business partner -- famed golf architect Bill Coore -- who have restored many of its original features.The pair have ripped out reams of rough and widened many fairways, but that won't necessarily makes things any easier.Sandy scrub, pine straw and wiregrass now flank the fairways, meaning any errant tee shots could lead to a lottery in terms of lie.The winning scores in three of the last four U.S. Open tournaments have been even par or less, underlining what a biting examination of a player's game it represents.But that doesn't phase Spieth -- it excites him."I love the hardest challenge you can get," he explained. "The U.S. Open is the most difficult challenge in all of golf. That is exciting for us, it's awesome."It's going to be really interesting at Pinehurst with no rough. Everyone who has been there has raved about the place."Any time you can play golf's toughest test and try to test your game, if you can beat the golf course you really feel special after that round."JUST WATCHEDMartin Kaymer's sand shot master classReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMartin Kaymer's sand shot master class 03:53Spieth has been feeling pretty special for most of the last year.His breakthrough victory at the John Deere proved he possessed the talent and temperament required to prosper on the biggest stage.After memorably holing a bunker shot to force his way into a playoff, Spieth secured victory on the fifth extra hole, defeating David Hearn and Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion.He recorded a pair of top four finishes in the FedEx Cup, including second place in the season-ending Tour Championship, before taking part in the USA's winning Presidents Cup encounter with their International counterparts.At 2014's first major, Spieth muscled his way into the final group at Augusta on Sunday, and at one point assumed the lead from playing partner and eventual winner, Bubba Watson. Spieth finished in a tie for second.Then at golf's unofficial fifth major, the Players Championship, Spieth was again in the final grouping before a late wobble saw him fall to fourth, playing partner Martin Kaymer, from Germany, taking top honors.JUST WATCHEDBeautiful hand-painted golf postersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBeautiful hand-painted golf posters 03:55JUST WATCHEDRory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki splitReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki split 04:24But for someone whose goal at the start of the season was to thrust himself into contention at a major championship, it was very much mission accomplished."I knew I was going to be in all four majors and it was about getting out there and contending because I knew it would be a different feeling than contending in any event I'd been in before," he said."I wanted to see how I would perform and sure enough at that first one in Augusta I got off to the start I needed. "I had the right game plan that week. I knew how difficult the golf course was playing -- the weather made it firm and fast -- and I didn't let bogeys bother me. "I played my way into contention on Sunday, I had the lead. "I feel like I played some really strong golf with the amount of pressure I felt that week -- a bounce here, a bounce there then I might have been wearing the green jacket on my first try. "That's really cool looking back at that and knowing I accomplished one of my goals for the year."Spieth's preparations for Pinehurst have included calls to Crenshaw, to pick his brains as to the redesign, and strength and conditioning work in the gym.As well as repeating his "stay patient" mantra, Spieth has also been grooving his swing to make sure it stands up to the fierce examination of the closing holes in a major championship."I feel like it's all falling into place," Spieth said."I know from Augusta when you are in the thick of things and you're feeling that intense pressure the most important thing is making sure the most basic part of your golf swing stays the same."It is tough staying patient, I'm not a patient person off the course at all so it's very hard, especially when emotions are so heightened."I did a very, very good job of it at Augusta, and a very good job for a little while at the Players. "I've got a lot of confidence going in that I can put it together a little longer, just having been in the heat twice now in two of the strongest fields in the world that I've ever played against."Read: Kaymer holds on for Players winRead: Tiger Woods out of U.S. Open | 5sport
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(CNN)Two Harris County, Texas, deputies are recovering after being shot while exchanging gunfire with a suspect at a Houston-area home, officials said.The suspect was killed, said Edison Toquica, chief deputy for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, at a news conference Tuesday night.Both deputies were shot in a leg and one was also grazed in the head and left ear, Toquica said.The deputies are "very lucky to be alive," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.The shooting began as the deputies were responding to a call of shots fired at a home around 8 p.m.Read More"Basically they were ambushed. The suspect came out, pointed the weapon and began to discharge the weapon at the deputies, and they did what they are trained to do," Toquica said. "They defended themselves and discharged their weapons, striking the suspect."The 911 call is believed to have come from the suspect's brother at the house, according to Toquica.The deputies, ages 27 and 28, are "in good spirits," Gonzalez said. "A little shaken up, obviously, concerned for their families as well, so we're giving them all the support we can at this point."The suspect was out on bond for aggravated assault of a family member in 2020, according to Toquica, who expressed frustration the suspect was able to get a weapon. Gonzalez also expressed concern about the suspect being out on bond, saying, "We've seen far too much of this ... and it's concerning to everyone, including us, that somebody with that type of charge could be out."He added, "As we've said for a long time, we should consider risk when making these very important decisions that are putting others, including law enforcement, in harm's way." | 3news
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Story highlightsLazio fined $52,000 fine by UEFA for "improper conduct of the club's supporters" Fine follows racist chanting by supporters during Europa League tie at TottenhamGroup of fans directed monkey chants at Spurs playersLazio has three days to appeal against decisionLazio has been hit with a $52,000 fine by UEFA following racist chanting by its supporters during the Europa League fixture with Tottenham last month.The Italian club was heavily criticized after a group of away fans directed loud monkey chants at Spurs trio Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend.The decision, which was taken by UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body, must be appealed within three days if Lazio are to contest the fine.UEFA to take action against LazioA statement on UEFA's website read: "UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body has today fined S.S. Lazio β¬40,000 for the improper conduct of the club's supporters (racist behaviour) during the UEFA Europa League group stage match in London on Thursday 20 September between Tottenham Hotspur FC and the Italian side."An appeal may be lodged against this decision within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision."JUST WATCHEDPFA chairman: Serbia should be banned ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPFA chairman: Serbia should be banned 01:15 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sport Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportWhere it all began β It is now nearly a year since Chelsea lost to QPR 1-0 in an English Premier League game at Loftus Road. During the game it was alleged QPR defender Anton Ferdinand swore at John Terry and made reference to the Chelsea captain's reported affair with the ex-partner of former team-mate Wayne Bridge. Terry is then said to have described Ferdinand as a "f***ing black c***".Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportBeyond reasonable doubt β In July, Terry was cleared in a London court, where the criminal burden of proof is "beyond all reasonable doubt". But the English Football Association then investigated the case, and using the test of "on the balance of probabilities", came to the conclusion that Terry's defence against claims he racially abused Ferdinand was "improbable, implausible, contrived".Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportHandshake snub β Back in September, Ferdinand had declined Terry's offer of a handshake when QPR met Chelsea at Loftus Road as the feud between the two players rumbled on.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sport'Twatgate' β After the FA delivered the independent commission's report on the Terry case, the Chelsea captain's teammate Ashley Cole tweeted: "Hahahahaa, well done #fa I lied did I, #BUNCHOFT***S". The Chelsea and England left-back quickly issued a "unreserved apology" for his tweet through his solicitor.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportSuarez punished β In 2011 the FA had to deal with another racism case, this time handing Liverpool striker Luis Suarez an eight-match ban and a $63,000 fine after finding the Uruguayan guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportThe end of the affair β Suarez and Evra failed to shake hands before the start of an English Premier League game at Old Trafford last season after the Uruguayan had served his ban. However, when United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in September, the pair did shake hands.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportFine line β Questions have been raised about UEFA's sanctioning policy. Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner was fined $126,000 and banned from playing in his side's next competitive game for flashing his sponsored waistband promoting a bookmaker as he celebrated a goal against Portugal in Euro 2012. But that fine eclipsed the $52,000 fine that UEFA handed to the Bulgarian Football Union for its fans' racist abuse of England players during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia in September 2011. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportBlattergate β In November 2011, FIFA president Sepp Blatter told CNN that football did not have a problem with racism on the field and any incidents should be settled by a handshake.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportGuilty as charged β The FA's Independent Regulatory Commission heard 473 cases between December 2010 and December 2011, but only two of them ended in "not guilty" verdicts.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Crime and Punishment in sportCall to action β Stoke City boss Tony Pulis wants the Football Association to punish Liverpool's Luis Suarez for diving. "It's an embarrassment," said the Stoke manager after a 0-0 draw at Anfield. "The FA should be looking at this."Hide Caption 10 of 10JUST WATCHEDCollymore on John Terry quitting ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCollymore on John Terry quitting 03:07The incident took place under the gaze of UEFA President Michel Platini, who was at the goalless draw in north London.But the fine will do little to silence Platini's critics, who insist he is not tough enough when punishing those who continue to perpetrate acts of racism.UEFA charge England and SerbiaWith the world now waiting with baited breath to see what punishment UEFA hands out to the Serbian Football Association following the ugly scenes in Krusevac on Tuesday, Platini is under increasing pressure to repair the body's reputation.Back in February of last year, Platini gave Serbia a grave warning that its clubs could be banned from competing in European competition if they continued to cause trouble.Racism row shines light on Serbian footballThe Frenchman is now facing the pressure to back up his words by handing out severe punishments on the alleged abuse. Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern Europe Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeSerbia scuffles β England midfielder Danny Rose claims he was subjected to monkey chants before, during and after the second-leg of their Under-21 Euro 2013 playoff match against Serbia on Tuesday, and had stones thrown at him by the crowd in Krusevac. Fans also ran on to the pitch and scuffles broke out after a 1-0 win secured England qualification for Euro 2013.Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeMacedonia punished β The Macedonia FA were fined $26,000 after fans racially abused England trio Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Emile Heskey during a qualifying game for Euro 2004.Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeTrouble in Bulgaria β In September 2011, Bulgaria were fined $55,000 after a small number of fans directed monkey chants at England's Ashley Young, Cole and Theo Walcott during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeRussian FA hit with fine β Russia was hit with a $38,000 punishment after supporters made monkey noises towards Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie during Euro 2012 Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeCroatia in the dock β The Croatian FA were ordered to pay a $16,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct during the Euro 2008 quarter-final tie against Turkey.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeCrackdown on Russia β Russia were again in the news for the wrong reasons at Euro 2012 and were fined $39,00 for "the setting off and throwing of fireworks by Russia spectators, displaying of illicit banners and the invasion of the pitch by a supporter," during the Euro 2012 tie against Poland. Russia was also fined $155,000 after clashes between supporters and police during and after their game against the Czech Republic.Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropeBendtner loses gamble β Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner was given a one-match ban and a $126,000 fine after he lifted his shirt to reveal a betting company's logo on his underwear while celebrating a goal against Portugal in a Euro 2012 group game. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Soccer racism in Eastern EuropePorto punished β Porto were hit by a $27,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of subjecting Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli to monkey chants during a Europa League game in February 2012. It took UEFA six weeks to finally hand out a punishment. But questions were raised after UEFA also fined City $40,000 after the club were found guilty of coming back out on to the field of play late after the halftime interval.Hide Caption 8 of 8JUST WATCHEDMourinho on the enigma of BalotelliReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho on the enigma of Balotelli 01:35JUST WATCHEDMourinho: John Terry is not a racistReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho: John Terry is not a racist 01:32The likelihood of that remains somewhat open to question with UEFA even failing to mention the racist chanting by Serbian fans in the match report on its own website.English player chief Carlisle calls for Serbia banRecent fines handed out by UEFA has also drawn criticism with offences which are perceived as less offensive than racism attracting higher financial penalties.During Euro 2012, Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner was handed a $125,800 fine for revealing a betting company's logo on his underwear after lifting his shirt while celebrating a goal.UEFA sees red over Bendtner's underpantsUEFA also handed out a larger fine to Chelsea following its semifinal defeat by Barcelona in 2009 after Didier Drogba confronted referee Tom Ovrebo after his failure to award the London club several penalties.When it comes to punishment for racism, UEFA has imposed relatively small fines, which has left the governing body open to extreme criticism.Back in 2002, the Slovakian Football Association was hit with a $29,000 fine after fans abused England duo Ashley Cole and Emile Heskey.A year later, Cole, Heskey and Sol Campbell were abused while on England duty in Macedonia with the host FA being forced to pay a fine of $27,000.In June 2007, the Football Association of Serbia was punished with a $27,000 fine after its fans racially abused England players during the Under-21 Championship Finals in Holland.Crime and punishment in sport: Laying down the law?The Croatian FA was made to pay just $16,000 after its fans were found guilty of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct" during the Euro 2008 quarterfinal tie with Turkey.In 2011, Bulgaria's FA was hit with a $54,000 fine after England's Ashley Young, Ashley Cole and Theo Walcott were racially abused during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia.Porto was fined $27,000 after its fans racially abused Manchester City's Mario Balotelli during a Europa League game last April.That decision came a full six weeks after the incident and was then frowned upon further, after UEFA fined City $40,000 for coming out late ahead of the second-half of their last-16 Europa League game at Sporting Lisbon.Both Russia ($39,000) and Spain ($26,000) were fined at Euro 2012 following problems of racism, but neither country was hit as hard in the pocket as Denmark striker Bendtner. | 5sport
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Story highlights Some 30 people could be in the wreckage of the Hotel Rigopiano "We are calling out but no one is answering," a searcher tells Italian mediaPenne, Italy (CNN)Rescuers were searching into the night Thursday for any survivors of an avalanche that killed at least two people and blasted a resort hotel in central Italy.As night fell, as many as 30 people were thought to be still inside the wreckage of the Hotel Rigopiano, Italy's Civil Protection Department said. Some could have survived in air pockets, officials said, although cold temperatures would endanger any survivors.The avalanche swallowed the four-star hotel, at the foot of the Gran Sasso mountain about (135 kilometers) 85 miles northeast of Rome, Wednesday night after a series of earthquakes in the region that day.Road crews had cleared much of the snow and fallen trees by nighttime Thursday, finally allowing heavy rescue equipment to reach the hotel. Snow machines and helicopters had earlier taken searchers, including dogs, up the mountain. Officials based estimates of the missing on guest registration and staff numbers, but said it was possible that some people had escaped before the avalanche hit.Read MoreThe hotel has 43 rooms, according to website TripAdvisor.Italian fire department spokesman Luca Cari, who was at the scene, told CNN that the hotel had been "completely slammed" in the avalanche and debris was scattered as far as 100 meters from the hotel structure, making the search area large.Two people were rescued from the site of the hotel, Civil Protection Department chief Fabrizio Curcio told journalists, but rescuers using search dogs have otherwise seen no sign of life."We are calling out but no one is answering," a searcher told Italian state media ANSA.One man, vacationing with his wife and two children, 6 and 8, said he missed being caught in the destruction only because he had walked to his car just before the avalanche hit. The whereabouts of his wife and children remained unknown Thursday.Firefighters told ANSA the hotel had been "swept away" and buried by tons of snow, and that there were mostly uprooted trees and debris at the hotel site. Two bodies had been recovered more than 24 hours after the avalanche hit.An elderly farmer also died in the same region of Abruzzo on Wednesday when his barn collapsedRescuers ski to disaster zoneVideo recorded by rescue teams showed what appears to be a smashed wall or window in the hotel's lobby, with tree branches, snow and other debris piled on the floor.Snow and debris broke through windows or a thin wall into the Hotel Rigopiano.Curcio explained that dealing with earthquakes and an avalanche at the same time caused difficulties in the rescue operation and even confusion among the affected population over how to respond."For the weather, you tell people to stay in their homes, while for the earthquake, citizens must be brought outside. Putting together these two elements is extremely complicated," he said.Rescuers dig for survivors at the hotel Thursday following the avalanche.Rescuers battled blizzards and strong winds to reach the site, some having to ski for several kilometers in the darkness to get there because some roads were impassable.When they arrived, they found only the building's top story and roof visible above the snow, Italy's Mountain Rescue Service said on social media. It also posted a picture of rescuers digging for survivors.This file photo shows The Hotel Rigopiano, which sits at an altitude of 1,200 meters (nearly 4,000 feet).Italy's fire department posted a photo on Twitter showing rescuers being dropped into the area by helicopter. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said the amount of this week's snowfall in the country is something that hasn't been seen in decades.The Hotel Rigopiano in central Italy, in a photo taken before the avalanche.CNN Meteorologist Brandon Miller said heavy snowfall in the last 24 hours measured 70 centimeters (nearly 28 inches) and over the past week, snow accumulations were more than 3 meters (about 10 feet) in the mountains. The risk of more avalanches is high, he said."The recent, historic snowfalls have created a very loose and unstable snowpack, which is why the avalanche danger is high on all steep slopes." Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelThe coffin of avalanche victim Alessandro Giancaterino is carried to his funeral service in Farindola, central Italy, on Tuesday, January 24. A series of earthquakes that struck on January 18 caused an avalanche at the foot of Gran Sasso mountain in central Italy, about 135 kilometers (85 miles) northeast of Rome, burying guests and staff of Hotel Rigopiano, a local mountain resort.Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelEmergency crew members carry three puppies that were dug out from under the snow covering Hotel Rigopiano on Monday, January 23. Rescuers cheered the discovery of the dogs, whose survival brings hope for those people who are still missing.Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelItalian rescuers and volunteers continue a rescue operation on Sunday, January 22 at the site of the avalanche that inundated Hotel Rigapiano.Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelMigrants volunteering with the Italian Red Cross stand ready at the avalanche emergency operations center at Penna, central Italy, on Saturday, January 21.Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelA rescuer rests at a sports complex turned emergency coordination center in Penne on January 21.Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelOne of three children rescued from the avalanche zone is transported to a hospital in Pescara, on Friday, January 20.Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelAnother of the three children rescued on Friday is carried by rescuers to the hospital in Pescara.Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelAn aerial view shows the roof and top floor of the three-story Hotel Rigopiano buried in snow after the avalanche struck at the foot of Gran Sasso mountain in central Italy on Thursday, January 19.Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelRescuers stand by two cars submerged in snow as they work in front of the Rigopiano Hotel on January 19.Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelA rescuer clears snow in front of the hotel. Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelRescue workers were met with an eerie silence Thursday when they reached Hotel Rigapiano, a four-star spa hotel struck by an avalanche.Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelRescuers are dropped by helicopter near the site of the avalanche. Weather conditions in the region made it difficult to access the area by road.Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelSnow and rubble fill a hallway inside Hotel Rigopiano. The area is a popular ski destination for Italian tourists.Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelItalian emergency crews operate at the site of the avalanche on January 19. Central Italy was hit by more than 10 earthquakes on Wednesday, January 18, four of them measuring magnitude 5 or above, according to the US Geological Survey.Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelDamage from the avalanche is seen in an image taken from video shot by rescuers inside Hotel Rigopiano.Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: Avalanche buries Italian hotelRescuers dig for avalanche survivors after skiing several kilometers through blizzard conditions to reach the hotel, on January 19.Hide Caption 16 of 16Rescue efforts ongoingRescuers were still trying to get to other areas isolated by the avalanche, Gentiloni said, and authorities were hoping to bring power back to as many as 90,000 people who were left in darkness overnight from the extreme weather.Central Italy was rocked by more than 10 earthquakes Wednesday, four of them above magnitude 5, according to the US Geological Survey.An initial 5.3-magnitude quake hit in the morning near the town of of Amatrice, which was devastated by powerful earthquakes in August. The tremors continued for more than six hours, with one as strong as magnitude 5.7. While the epicenter was 90 kilometers (about 55 miles) northeast of Rome, the quake was felt in the capital, sending people running from buildings in a panic.All the aftershocks hit around Amatrice, in the mountainous regions of Marche, Lazio and Abruzzo.Nearly 300 people died in the August earthquakes in central Italy around Amatrice, leaving its town center -- once popular with tourists -- reduced to rubble.CNN's Barbie Nadeau reported from Rome, with Milena Veselinovic and Angela Dewan reporting and writing from London. | 3news
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Story highlightsFiorentina coach Delio Rossi sacked after attacking player Adem LjajicRossi lashes out at Serbian after he sarcastically applauds decision to replace himThe outburst comes 32 minutes into match against Novara, with Fiorentina later drawing 2-2Club president Andrea Della Valle says: "No provocation can justify that reaction"Tensions often run high in top-level sports, but it is rare to see a team's coach physically attack one of their own players.However, that was the bizarre situation in an Italian soccer match on Wednesday -- and it has cost Fiorentina coach Delio Rossi his job.The 51-year-old has been sacked just six months after being tasked with turning around the fortunes of the top-flight team following an astonishing fight with young midfielder Adem Ljajic during the Serie A match against Novara.Rossi clambered into the dugout and attempted to punch the Serbian after the 20-year-old sarcastically applauded a decision to replace him, with Fiorentina at that stage losing 2-0 against a team that has been relegated to the second division.Fiorentina, which won the last of of its two Italian titles in 1969, fought back to draw 2-2. It left "La Viola" hovering above the bottom three and still needing a point from the last two rounds to ensure another season in Serie A. Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumph Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumphMourinho's mission accomplished β Real Madrid players lift Jose Mourinho after winning the Spanish title for the 32nd time. The Portuguese coach has also won league titles in Portugal, England and Italy.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumphFlying the flag β Real Madrid supporters celebrate their team's triumph, which was clinched with two games to play after a 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao. Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumphGonzalo's joy β Gonzalo Higuain celebrates his opener for Real against Bilbao. It was followed by goals from Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumphReal Madrid triumph β Bilbao's Javi Martinez was sent off late in the match at San Mames. His team had been expected to put up a tough test, having reached the final of the Europa League this season.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumphMessi breaks record β Barcelona may have lost the Spanish title after a three-year reign, but Lionel Messi broke Gerd Muller's longstanding record for goals in a European season. Messi's eighth hat-trick this season in the 4-1 win over Malaga took him to 68 overall and 46 in La Liga -- two ahead of Ronaldo.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Real Madrid's La Liga triumphAjax clinch Dutch title β As Real triumphed in Spain, Ajax Amersterdam won the Dutch league for the second year in a row as coach Frank de Boer's team beat VVV Venlo 2-0.Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: The end of an era: Josep Guardiola Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaTime away β Pep Guardiola has been on a year-long sabbatical in the U.S. after stepping down as Barcelona coach, but he returned to Europe in January for the Ballon d'Or when he was shortlisted for FIFA's world coach of the year award.Hide Caption 1 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaEnd of an era β When he confirmed he was to end his four-year reign as Barcelona coach, Guardiola gave an emotional press conference.Hide Caption 2 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaLeague of his own β Guardiola announced his intent to quit at the end of last season just three days after the club's Champions League semifinal exit against Chelsea, drawing 2-2 at home and losing 3-2 on aggregate. He left a remarkable legacy.Hide Caption 3 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaFlying high β He was massively popular at the Camp Nou after four trophy-laden seasons. Here he is thrown in the air by his players after winning the FIFA Club World Cup for the second time in December 2011, having been the first team from Spain to win it two years earlier.Hide Caption 4 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaA super bond β Guardiola congratulates Barca players Cesc Fabregas and Javier Mascherano after winning the Spanish Supercup against Real Madrid at the start of the 2011-12 season.Hide Caption 5 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaCup runneth over β Guardiola lifts the 2011Champions League trophy after Barca beat Manchester United at Wembley. The 41-year-old has earned a reputation as a coach who prepares meticulously for matches. Hide Caption 6 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaA golden career β Guardiola won the FIFA Men's Football Coach of the Year award in January 2012. "I can't promise you silverware, but I can say that we'll keep on battling to the end and you'll be proud of us," he said after becoming coach four years ago.Hide Caption 7 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaSix-time champs β In the 2009 calendar year, Guardiola won six trophies in total -- the Copa del Rey, La Liga, the European Champions League, the Spanish Supercup, the UEFA Supercup and the Club World Cup.Hide Caption 8 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaPlayer turned coach β Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta shakes hands with Guardiola on June 5, 2008. The Catalan club's 15th coach arrived with the mission to end a two-season trophy drought -- he didn't disappoint.Hide Caption 9 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaBarcelona boy β As a player, Guardiola spent more than a decade in Barcelona's senior team, winning six Spanish titles and one European Cup. He captained Spain to a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and went to the 1994 World Cup. Hide Caption 10 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaAcademy graduate β He joined Barca's famed La Masia youth academy in 1984, and wore the No. 4 shirt until leaving for Italy in 2001.Hide Caption 11 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaItaly calling β He had two spells at Serie A side Brescia either side of a brief time at Roma, and is pictured playing against Perugia in 2002.Hide Caption 12 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaWorld class β Guardiola left Europe to join Qatar's Al-Ahly from 2003 to 2005, then joined Mexico's Dorades de Sinaloa for a season before finally hanging up his boots.Hide Caption 13 of 14 Photos: The end of an era: Josep GuardiolaGolfing fan β Guardiola is pictured here with fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olzabal at the Ryder Cup after Europe produced a remarkable comeback to win the tournament at Medinah in the U.S.Hide Caption 14 of 14Club president Andrea Della Valle dismissed former Lazio and Palermo coach Rossi immediately after the match, with no successor yet announced."(In a) few seconds, months of stress came out. I am sorry, because the manager has never made such actions. I have to take this decision for his goodwill, so he can understand he was wrong. No provocation can justify that reaction," Della Valle said on Fiorentina's media website."With the due proportions, we will take serious disciplinary measures for Ljajic too. It is not up to me justifying Delio Rossi, but he has never done anything like that."Rossi's dramatic departure comes just months after he was signed in the hope of turning around the Tuscan team, which finished ninth last season.He replaced the fired Sinisa Mihajlovic in November but has failed to significantly boost results, with the club 15th in the table, six points above the drop zone."I am sorry to witness this in my 10th year at the club and I believe the manager's contribution helped us to win in Rome and Milan," Della Valle said after the match."I believed we would have achieved safety from relegation tonight and, definitely, I was not expecting to take this decision tonight. This team requires more unity if we want to avoid relegation. I know that at this moment Delio Rossi is suffering more than anyone else and I want to respect the work he has done here for us." | 5sport
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Story highlightsItalian news agency reporter Giovanna Chirri broke the pope resignation storyHer knowledge of Latin gave her the edge to get the scoopThe news had her "knees feeling weak"How do you say "scoop" in Latin? It's a good bet that Giovanna Chirri -- the journalist who broke the story of the pope's resignation -- can tell you. Chirri's knowledge of Latin gave her the edge to understand the magnitude of the pope's announcement.A reporter for ANSA, Italy's state-run news agency, Chirri was among a few reporters at what appeared to be a routine papal announcement Monday. Most media outlets chose not to cover the event, which began with 20 minutes of announcements concerning other church matters, ANSA reported. JUST WATCHEDFrench hopes for next popeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFrench hopes for next pope 01:32JUST WATCHEDPapal news stuns Mexican faithful ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPapal news stuns Mexican faithful 01:51JUST WATCHEDThe pope's financial footprintReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe pope's financial footprint 02:34But then, in Latin, Pope Benedict XVI said he would resign at the end of the month "because of advanced age." The news would surprise the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, but someone had to inform them first. Chirri has "polished" Latin skills, her employer said, but it took confidence to trust that she heard what she thought she heard. The pope's resignation, explained"(The news of) his resignation didn't seem real to me," she told ANSA. "I told myself 'you misunderstood.'"The pope's Latin is "very easy to understand," Chirri said, but it wasn't until the announcement was repeated that the reporter filed an urgent bulletin for ANSA, which was subsequently picked up by the rest of the world. A devout Catholic, Chirri told ANSA she tries to keep her faith separate from her work covering the Vatican, but Monday's announcement made her cry because she was upset. "I fought to keep my nerve despite my knees feeling weak," she told the news agency.While Catholic services today are celebrated in local languages, Latin remains the official language of the Roman Catholic church. For this reason, all official acts of the church are announced in Latin, as was the case Monday. | 3news
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(CNN)The last time an amateur took the lead after a round in the US Women's Open was when Jane Park did so at Newport Country Club in 2006.When that happened, Megha Ganne was just a child. Fast forward to 2021 and Ganne -- a 17-year-old high school junior -- pulled off the same feat on the Lake Course at The Olympic Club, finishing on a four-under 67 after day one of the 2021 edition of the major. Known for its twisted, forest-lined fairways, tiny greens and dense rough, the course is a tough one to navigate.But Ganne managed to balance the unforgiving cool, damp and foggy conditions and 6,361 yardage with some impressive putting, and back-to-back birdies on the back nine allowed her to take sole possession of the lead. Read MoreHowever, at the 18th hole her approach shot landed in a greenside bunker and Ganne finished with a bogey to end the day sharing the lead with England's Mel Reid.This is the first year that the San Francisco Lake Course has hosted a women's major, but it has plenty of top-tier competitive history in the men's game, notably hosting five US Open tournaments. Playing for high stakesGanne, who is from New Jersey, is ranked third in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and 71st in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and has form in holding her nerve when playing for high stakes. She is a four-time finalist in the Drive, Chip and Putt National Championship and competed in the Augusta National Women's Amateur this April. In 2019, she reached the semifinals of the US Women's Amateur at Old Waverly Golf Club in Mississippi.In 2020, after advancing to match play in the US Women's Amateur, she ended the year with top-five finishes at the AJGA Girls' Championship, the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the Dixie Amateur. Megha Ganne competes in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship at Augusta National in April 2019. In a post-round press conference, Ganne admitted that her first impression of the sprawling course threw her a bit."It was kind of terrifying to see it for the first time, but I got some rounds in and gained a little bit of confidence," added Ganne, who plans on attending Stanford University in 2022. Following her round, the LPGA tweeted: "What a showing from amateur Megha Ganne." After first playing the US Open tournament in Charleston in 2019 as a 15-year-old, Ganne managed to brush off her nerves the second time around. "I think the first time is nerve-racking for anybody and meeting your idols and being on the stage for the first time," she explained."But the second time around, even the practice rounds, I wasn't as nervous. I felt like I could come here and just play my game instead of soaking that all in."Joint at the topOn a day where most players were struggling to break par, England's Reid secured five birdies and had only one bogey."I didn't think that score was out there honestly," Reid said. "I had a pretty good game plan. It's probably the best I've had for a tournament."The world No. 33, who won her first LPGA Tour title last October, also credited four-time men's major winner Brooks Koepka for his advice. "He gave me a few things that he follows by in a major, so obviously appreciate his help," she said. "What he told me was, I thought, invaluable, honestly, and it made me have a little bit different approach. That's why I feel like I prepared the best."Catherine Lacoste remains the only amateur to have won the US Women's Open, clinching the Harton S. Semple Trophy in 1967. Ganne will continue to pursue victory on Friday in a group alongside Hong Kong's Tiffany Chan and Finland's Matilda Castren. | 5sport
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(CNN)Sixteen people have been injured -- including four critically -- after an explosion led to a large fire in an apartment building in the Swedish city of Gothenburg, emergency services told CNN Monday.The blast happened at 4:45 a.m. local time, according to Swedish police who are investigating the cause of the explosion."The fire department has confirmed that there is no gas in that building, so we have ruled out a gas leak for the moment," said Stefan Gustafsson, a spokesman for Sweden's western regional police. "There is no natural explanation for the explosion," Gustafsson said. In total, 16 people have been sent to hospital, with the possibility that "more people will be brought in, we don't know yet," a press officer at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg told CNN. Firefighters work at the site of an explosion in central Gothenburg on September 28, 2021. Read MoreSearch for evidenceThe fire has been brought under control and crime technicians are now surveying the scene for evidence, Swedish police told CNN. Police spokesperson Thomas Fuxborg, who is at the site of incident, told reporters that something had "probably" been placed in the apartment complex.In recent years, gang violence has been on the rise in Sweden, with both homemade explosive devices and guns being previously used by rival gangs to settle disputes.Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said it was too early to say exactly what had happened in Gothenburg but the whole of Swedish society would respond if criminals were behind the explosion."As a society we will do everything possible to fight gang crime," he told a news conference. "People should be able to feel safe."Sweden has one of the highest rates of gun homicide in Europe due to the steady increase of violent activities by organized gangs. In 2019, 257 attacks involving explosives were reported in the Nordic country, according to data from the Swedish national council for crime prevention. The Swedish daily newspaper, Aftonbladet, reported that one of the residents in the apartment block where the explosion took place was involved in a witness protection program, but police officers CNN spoke to would not comment on the claim. "We can say nothing about who was living in the building while the investigation is ongoing, it is against the law," Gustafsson said. Additional reporting from Reuters. | 3news
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(CNN)Every morning, Victor Wahl walks into his office with a sense of dread. Months of intense protests and heightened scrutiny have left the acting police chief of Madison, Wisconsin, like many in his shoes, on edge about what lies ahead. "I'm fearful to find a bunch of resignations on my desk," said Wahl, whose department has lost twice the number of officers this year compared to previous years.The national reckoning over race and policing -- sparked by the killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day -- resulted in more than 10,000 demonstrations nationwide. At one point, Wahl's department faced 119 straight days of protests. "We're asking so much of officers now," Wahl said. Read MoreThe killing of Floyd -- compounded by a string of other high-profile police encounters -- has driven the public outcry for change in policing, with some calling to defund or abolish police departments entirely. Agencies have faced frequent Black Lives Matter protests, armed counter protestors, and demonstrations over Covid-restrictions and election results -- with much of the interactions with police instantly captured on video, leaving little room for excuses and louder demands for transparency and accountability.Police in Brooklyn turn out in response to a massive march in June, demanding justice for all victims of police brutality, making a loud call to defund the NYPD and invest in communities. What's more, a generation of older cops who joined the profession during hiring sprees in the 1990s are ready to retire. And, there is evidence that some officers are rethinking their careers and leaving their jobs. Meanwhile, agencies throughout the country are struggling to attract new recruits to their ranks.All this has led policing in America to a defining crossroads: Will there be substantive reforms to improve how law enforcement protects and serves the community, or will the energy of 2020 dissipate and allow agencies to retreat to their traditional ways of enforcing law and order?"It worries me that the profession as a whole does not see the damage we've done to our communities," said RaShall Brackney, the police chief of Charlottesville, Virginia. "Without that understanding and reckoning of it, it will continue." How 2020 delivered a 'collision' of challengesMinneapolis police watched the demonstrators protested the killing of George Floyd outside the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct office in south Minneapolis.An officer's knee on George Floyd's neck. Another shooting Rayshard Brooks twice in the back. Yet another shooting paralyzing Jacob Blake from the waist down. Each Black man's encounter with law enforcement -- captured on video -- became a potent symbol for a growing movement challenging police authority and thrusting the actions of police beneath a national microscope. Even cases that didn't have publicly available video -- such as Breonna Taylor, an EMT-turned-ER technician who was gunned down in her home, or Julian Lewis, who was shot during a traffic stop along a country road in east Georgia -- still gripped communities, big and small, with sweeping protests. "When we see officers killing a person of color, it doesn't just raise the anger of a potentially unjustified killing. It raises the anger of another potentially unjustified killing involving this troubling, repetitive racial dynamic," said Seth Stoughton, a University of South Carolina law professor. Though Floyd's killing was hardly the first, 2020 revealed a massive, galvanized movement against police brutality with unprecedented reach made possible by a national coalition of local groups working in unison.The Movement for Black Lives -- bolstered during the 2015 national convention of over 50 black-led organizations, including Black Lives Matter, Dream Defenders, BYP 100, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and the families of 20 victims of police killings -- provided the infrastructure that allowed thousands of organizers to mobilize millions of people in all 50 states this summer, despite a deadly pandemic, according to Monifa Bandele who sits on the leadership team of the Movement.The historic scope of the outrage this year has some researchers suggesting that Black Lives Matter is the largest protest movement in US history, with estimates of up to 26 million people participating in demonstrations across the country by June, according to the New York Times. Between May 24 and December 5, more than 10,000 demonstrations associated with the Black Lives Matter movement took place, according to US Crisis Monitor, a joint effort by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI) at Princeton University, which collects and analyzes real-time data on demonstrations and political violence in the US.The vision for police reform is as diverse as its stakeholders.Police departments and unions say the answer lies within unifying national policing standards and improving existing policies, which they insist requires more resources. Activists contend that cutting police budgets and reducing police interactions are the best ways to limit harm.But in the absence of well-funded social welfare services, those very stakeholders see an American society that relies heavily on law enforcement to handle issues ranging from homelessness and mental health crises to maintaining student safety in schools."2020 has just been a collision of so many pressing challenges," said Cynthia Renaud, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. "And law enforcement has been at the forefront of all of those trying to respond to it, trying to work and serve their communities, and also trying to be responsive to the change and the changes that our society has been so vocal that they want." A race against the clockIn the wake of Floyd's death, nearly 20 police chiefs have left their posts, many after facing criticism from their communities, including over use-of-force incidents and how their officers handled protests. At least 40% of them were minorities -- women, people of color and/or members of the LGBTQ community."The one thing that is really troubling in all of this is the laying off of innovative and progressive police chiefs. Often, it's a knee jerk reaction to a controversial incident," said criminology professor Michael White at Arizona State University. "But given the political climate, city government is moving way too quickly to remove a chief or call for their resignation in response to one incident." Maintaining diversity among the ranks when the nation continues to grapple with systemic racism is key to changing policing culture within departments -- a culture which has typically supported straight, conservative, white men, said Natalie Todak, assistant professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Alabama at Birmingham."We want to build a police force that is as diverse as the communities they serve, to have cultural awareness and protection of life strategies ... The exodus of progressive police leaders is the opposite of what we want to see right now," she said. In Charlottesville, Brackney says she feels the pressure of implementing meaningful change in a race against the clock. RaShall Brackney, right, is sworn in as Charlottesville, Virginia, police chief on June 18, 2018. "I worry I can't do enough before I'm forced out in some way," she said. "Before I have the time to put in place the institutional safeguards that will protect the community from a profession that hasn't had to undergo the right scrutiny for a long time." Brackney was sworn in as Charlottesville's first Black female chief of police just a year after the deadly "Unite the Right" rally shook the Virginia town. An independent review found the Charlottesville police department failed to protect the community's safety during the 2017 white nationalist rally, leaving Brackney to repair the relationship with the residents. "There are calls for more diversity, more women, diversity in religious beliefs, in lived experiences ... and yet persons who look like me are being run right out of this profession over their inability to change institutional issues in just two years," she said. "They are attempting to address the right cases of police brutality, but not given the type of time it takes to change a culture." It may take generations to fix the damaged relationship between police departments and their communities, said Brackney. And in the meantime, even incremental progress is hard. People chanting "cops and Klan go hand in hand" and "honk if you hate the police" right outside the station make it difficult to recruit new officers, Brackney said, let alone hire the diverse candidates needed to answer demands for reform. "Who would want to walk into that environment voluntarily?" she said. Some police agencies left struggling with recruitmentIn 2019, a Police Executive Research Forum survey showed 63% of respondents saying that the number of applicants applying for full-time sworn positions at their agencies had either "decreased significantly" or "decreased slightly" compared to five years earlier.The situation has only gotten worse, according to police chiefs and law enforcement experts interviewed by CNN."It's the lowest turnout in over 40 years," said Tom Weitzel, police chief of Riverside, a Chicago suburb. His department recruits new officers every two years, he added, on average receiving over 180 applications. So far, only a third of that number have applied in the current recruitment period."I think it's a product of bad publicity and stuff that's going on, they don't want to get into a profession where they're constantly under the microscope and constantly criticized." "2020 has been a remarkably challenging year for the front-line officer," added Wahl, in Madison. "The public and media expect perfection in a job where it simply isn't possible ... I worry that this trend will continue and that it will be more and more difficult to recruit people to this profession."Madison, Wisconsin, Chief of Police Victor WahlThe struggle to attract new recruits is compounded by a rise in resignations and early retirements, experts told CNN. A recent survey by the Police Executive Research Forum found that 36% of responding police departments have seen a higher number of resignations and retirements this year compared to the same time frame over last five years. Larger and medium-sized agencies -- like Chief Wahl's in Madison -- were found to have higher numbers of officer separations than smaller departments. Wahl says he lost 13 of his nearly 500 officers between June and November. Over the past few years, he added, the average for the same time span has been half that. The NYPD says it lost 2,100 officers out of more than 34,000 by October of this year -- an increase of more than 65% compared to the same time period in 2019. Atlanta has been operating without a fully staffed force for some time, the Atlanta police department told CNN in a statement, adding that the agency has lost about 200 officers this year and currently fills 1,602 out of the authorized 2,046 positions."While it is true that we have seen some turnover within the department," the statement said, "this is not out of line with what we are seeing with numerous departments across the nation today, due to the current climate surrounding policing in United States."In Portland, Oregon, which witnessed months of near daily protests and a federal crackdown on the demonstrations by the Trump administration, the police department has reached its highest number of annual retirements in 14 years after 48 officers left the police department this year, according number provided by the city. Chicago's usual retirement rate doubled in August and September with 59 and 51 officers leaving the department respectively, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Minneapolis lost 10% of its police force in the months following the George Floyd protests, with at least 75 officers have requested medical leave citing PTSD from the unrest, according to the Star Tribune. "I am seeing many resignations, particularly of younger officers," said Brackney, who currently has a 13% vacancy among her sworn officers: "We can't operate like this." In Riverside, Weitzel received a two-week notice from an officer after just seven years. "He left for a bigger agency farther away from the metropolitan areas," Weitzel said. "He said he wanted to go to an agency that doesn't have to deal with the rioting and the looting." Riverside, Illinois, Police Chief Tom WeitzelThe retirement bubble is burstingThere's another, older, reason behind so many officers leaving the force: the 1994 Crime Control Act, a controversial law overseen by Joe Biden in the Senate and signed by Bill Clinton, which provided $7.6 billion in federal funding for tens of thousands of police officers. "All these cops are coming up for retirement now," said Ivonne Roman, one of those so-called "Clinton Cops" who retired as police chief of Newark on April 1. "This past April alone 200 cops retired in Newark. This was always coming regardless of Covid or the protests." A 2019 study by the Police Executive Research Forum called it a "triple threat": fewer applications, more people leaving law enforcement for other opportunities and an aging workforce becoming eligible for retirement. The study found 8.5% of officers to be eligible for retirement, with an additional 15.5% becoming eligible in the next five years. Weitzel, who was eligible for retirement six years ago, said many officers used to stay beyond their retirement eligibility date. "I would have expected them to stay on, but Covid and the unrest have played a significant role in officers retiring earlier than they had planned," he said, adding it's not just affecting the rank-and -file but supervisors and lieutenants, as well. The draw of saving a little extra money before retirement isn't as appealing for those eligible for retirement when it means long days, mandatory patrol shifts and a drumbeat of negative publicity. Staffing shortages caused by Covid-19 meant some veteran officers had to fill in on patrol shifts this summer, said Roman. "They're not used to wearing body cams," she added, "they don't know how to operate all the new technologies. They're fish out of water." The unintended consequences of budget cutsPeople walk down 16th street after "Defund The Police" was painted on the street near the White House on June 8 in Washington, DC. Answering demands for police reform, even without an all-consuming pandemic, is challenging enough. But where calls to entirely defund the police haven't made their way into budget talks, the economic repercussions of Covid-19 and civil unrest certainly have. "Covid isn't so much a health problem for us, it's a budget problem. It's the worst budget since I've been Chief," said Weitzel, the Riverside police chief who has held the position since 2008. "The pandemic is affecting everything; taxes aren't coming in... with restaurants and bars closed the village isn't getting the liquor taxes," he added. "It has a dramatic effect on how much revenue we can collect." While Weitzel's 2021 budget isn't yet clear, he knows replacing all his departing officers next year is out of the question. He anticipates having 20% fewer sworn officers. In New York and Los Angeles, calls to "defund the police" coupled with the economic realities of Covid-19 have led to a significant decrease in police budgets. Both agencies are shrinking their force, Los Angeles is investing in a community policing program and New York is shifting responsibilities, such as responding to calls involving homeless people, away from its police department. In Minneapolis, the city council voted to move almost $8 million from the police budget towards other programs, including mental health programs. The plan also notes nonemergency calls will be redirected to other departments.Still, budget cuts at a time when the country is also pleading for more accountability and transparency from police departments can have unintended consequences. Improvements recommended to Wahl's department, he says, all require significant resources, whether it's staff time, training or funding. "'Defunding' the police and police reform are mutually exclusive," he said. "It's not possible to demand more from the police while at the same time reducing their ability to improve."A popular remedy to police brutality is more, and better, officer training focused on implicit bias and de-escalation. Specifically, departments should be investing in scenario-based training emphasizing the effects of mental health and drug addiction on behavior, said Tom Saggau, spokesperson for the police unions in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose."But you have to role play that, you can't learn that just from a book. And that means more money, because that means you're pulling someone off patrol and someone else needs to fill that gap. That's overtime -- that's money."Despite the widespread use of implicit bias training, even beyond policing, there is little evidence for its effectiveness in combatting systemic racism. A study of 36,000 New York police officers receiving implicit bias training in 2018 found "insufficient evidence to conclude that racial and ethnic disparities in police enforcement actions were reduced as a result of the training."Even if differently designed trainings yield better results in the future, budget cuts in some departments will prevent them from being offered."I will always try to cut things before I cut people," Brackney said, "but that means you cut trainings when the community demands more training. You cut transparency tools when the community is demanding more transparency. That takes a lot of funding." And those transparency tools, she noted, include accountability tools like bodycams. "So, when you say 'defund the police' these are the unintended consequences that the community doesn't realize," Brackney said. "These are tools that allow a police department to have legitimacy in a community." Universal standards key to building trust, but they won't come easyA police officer charges forward as people protest the death of George Floyd in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. on May 31.While law enforcement experts say police reform will look different depending on the department and the community it serves, they say uniformity in policing best practices and information sharing would go a long way in establishing expectations of police and building trust with their communities.Someone living in a public housing community in Charlottesville, argues Brackney, should feel like they are subject to the same standard as someone living in Beverly Hills. People should have the same constitutional and legal protections against excessive force across the country, she said, adding that the United States is one of the few nations that doesn't have national standards for policing, including officer training or hiring requirements.Uniformity doesn't just benefit communities, Weitzel said. "Officers work and operate better under clear directives, policies and procedures... if they are murky, they don't work as well," he said, adding that it helps when policies are the same across the country. "Once an offender is in handcuffs, you know, the use of force stops. That should be the [national] standard," said Weitzel. "If an offender has trouble breathing, an ambulance needs to be called immediately. That should be the standard. Most agencies probably have some version of this in their policies already, but not all. That's why we need a national standard." Since last year, several bills addressing police misconduct and use of force have been introduced in Congress. At the end of June, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which calls for the development of uniform standards, including use of force procedures, passed in the House. But Jim Pasco, head of the National Fraternal Order of Police -- with nearly 350,000 members nationwide -- is skeptical it'll go much farther. "It kind of goes with the country at this point ... The conservatives are going to say it [a national use of force policy] ties the police's hands and the liberals are going to say it doesn't go far enough." Though he'd be in favor of a federally mandated policy, he doubts it'll happen any time soon. "We've got eighteen thousand police departments out there," Pasco said, "[It's] the most decentralized policing operating in the world." Protesters march during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Boston on May 31.Research by Campaign Zero, a police reform advocacy group, shows that more restrictive use of force policies are associated with fewer police-involved killings. Implementing more restrictive policies on the state and federal level, the American Civil Liberties Union's policing policy advisor Paige Fernandez said, will allow it to trickle down to police departments across the country. A national policy will help standardize data collection on policing, she said. "The fact that our government is not keeping track of their employees who are killing people is really scary and I think should frighten a lot of people," Fernandez said. "One of the most immediate things President-Elect Biden could do is implement a nationwide use of force standard to ensure we are collecting data from states on police violence and other police misconduct." The existing database documenting officer misconduct, the National Decertification Index, is an imperfect system. It tracks officer decertification, the professional license law enforcement officers hold, from 44 states. Aside from missing six states and Washington, DC, it doesn't capture data on police misconduct that didn't result in decertification. It's also not publicly accessible and, perhaps most importantly, the data that is submitted is done so voluntarily. Mike Becar, NDI's project director, has been keeping the database afloat on a "shoe-string budget" after receiving some federal funding when they started 20 years ago, he said. Last month, they received a $1 million grant from the Department of Justice to rebuild the database and possibly start tracking excessive-use-of-force incidents. But without a national use of force standard, Becar said, uniformity will prove to be a hurdle for NDI, as well. "What you don't want is one state to report a set of data, and then a different state to report a different set of data," said Renaud, of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. "The expectations and requirements need to be the same and consistent nationwide." President Trump signed an executive order in June that among other steps, called for a federal database of police officers with a history of using excessive force. The order, which also set financial incentives for police departments to establish credentialing programs and follow standard "best practices," was a modest attempt by Trump to confront a national reckoning over racial inequities and law enforcement. Critics say the order fell short of addressing the real problems in policing. "This is a meager police reform," said Carl Takei, senior staff attorney with the ACLU's Trone Center for Justice and Equality, adding that information-sharing alone is not going to solve the crisis."What we desperately need is to shift funding, power, and responsibilities out of policing -- and into community-based and community-led services that uplift the communities that have historically been targeted and disproportionately harmed by police."It's time to reimagine policing, experts sayTwo months ago, Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man wielding a knife, was shot and killed by police in Philadelphia when he didn't surrender his weapon and walked towards the officers. His family said he had bipolar disorder and was in the midst of a mental health crisis at the time. Wallace's case isn't an anomaly. A 2016 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimated that 25% to 50% of fatal encounters with law enforcement involve people with a mental illness. Demonstrators gather in protest near the location where Walter Wallace, Jr. was killed by two police officers on October 27, 2020 in Philadelphia.Each day, police officers are called into social situations they are not equipped to handle, said Saggau, the spokesperson for police unions in California. Saggau's statement is echoed on a national level. "We do believe that police officers are called upon to perform duties that they are insufficiently trained or equipped to handle. And obviously handling mentally troubled people would be one of them," said Pasco, with the National Fraternal Order of Police.Limiting the role of police, activists say, means shifting calls that don't require an armed response -- such as certain mental health crises or homelessness issues -- away from police departments to other social services better suited to handle them."The question becomes, who intervenes in conflict? Who responds to harm?" said DeRay McKesson, co-founder of Campaign Zero. "The police are the easiest, laziest and simplest answer to those questions, but they are not the best." Experts point to programs like Eugene's CAHOOTS in Oregon, which runs in conjunction with the police department and sends medical and crisis workers to make initial contact with people who are intoxicated, mentally ill or disoriented, focusing on de-escalation and harm reduction. Though successful in Oregon, the program requires a robust human services network that can't simply be replicated elsewhere, CAHOOTS' own website notes. We need to change the way we think about public safety, said Fernandez, of the ACLU. "We've decided that police are the solution to every problem with society and we plug [them] into every single hole we have instead of investing in alternative services or other institutions, other life affirming programs that we know actually benefit public safety and public health." In the aftermath of Floyd's killing, some cities and states took initial steps towards police reform -- including banning chokeholds, cutting police budgets, and shifting responsibilities away from police departments. Still, at least eight states have not passed any legislation addressing police violence since 2014, when the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, fueled weeks of protests nationwide.Renaud, head of the international police chiefs group, isn't discouraged. "We're already seven or eight months past Floyd's killing -- the conversation isn't stopping and it will continue into 2021."Perhaps for the first time, Brackney said, the demands for police reform aren't limited to marches and demonstrations. "We are now actually in a movement that mandates a reckoning and rectifying of the current culture of policing.""The nation is exhausted with the status quo, temporary appeasement or even resignations in order to muffle the demands of the communities," she said. "I believe for the first time, we're going to see very substantive changes in the way we police, but also in the ways in which we police are being legislated and governed by outside bodies."Re-imagining public safety and changing an institution as deeply embedded and intertwined in society as policing will take time, but Bandele, the activist, remains optimistic."Our movement put 25 million people on the ground this summer protesting police brutality and state violence, that has never happened in the history of the country," she said. "The Juneteenth demonstration, which was led, called for, and launched by the Movement for Black Lives -- and spontaneously supported by many unaffiliated groups -- happened in all 50 states, that also has never happened. So, we're telling the members of Congress: this is the issue, now is the time. We can't wait." | 3news
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(CNN)Some Presidents extend an invitation, others just crash the party.While debate surrounds whether the victorious US Women's National Team will attend the White House to meet President Donald Trump, Brazil's leader left no such ambiguity as his country won the Copa America on home soil.Follow @cnnsport
Jair Bolsonaro was front and center alongside those in the famous yellow shirt of Brazil after a 3-1 victory over Peru in Rio de Janeiro sparked celebrations across the country.Bolsonaro had watched Brazil win its ninth Copa America title, its first since 2007, which was secured despite being forced to play the final 20 minutes of the contest with 10 men after Gabriel Jesus was sent off.READ: What next for Messi and Argentina after more disappointment?Chilean referee Roberto Tobar shows the red card to Brazil's Gabriel Jesus.Read MoreJesus, rarely out of the action, endured a mixed evening with the Manchester City star assisting his side's first goal and scoring its second before being dismissed after receiving a second yellow card in the 70th minute.Clearly unhappy with the decision, Jesus walked off the field of play before taking out his frustration on the video assistant referee (VAR) monitor which fell to the ground."I want to apologize," Jesus told reporters after the game. "I could have avoided it and I also need to grow up a lot."Fans of Brazil hold an image of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi eating popcorn as they celebrate. Leading 2-1 courtesy of goals from Everton Soares and Jesus, Brazil added a third right at the death through Richarlison's penalty to seal the win.Peru, which defeated defending champion Chile in the last four, had threatened to spoil the party earlier in the tie when Paolo Guerrero leveled at 1-1 from the penalty spot.But La Blanquirroja, who had not reached the final since 1975, was unable to cope with Brazil's group of superstars, including its captain Dani Alves.READ: Neymar consoles Suarez after penalty missBrazil's Dani Alves (C) celebrates with his daughter Victoria and his son Daniel after winning the Copa America.For Alves, this was a particularly sweet triumph.At the age of 36, he has now won a staggering 40 major titles. Voted the tournament's best player and a key part of the Brazil defense that conceded just once in six game, Alves' performances belied his years.But while some spectators may have been surprised by Alves' levels of performance, the man himself was rather less shocked."If you have respect for your profession and look after yourself it's easy to maintain your level," he told reporters ahead of the final."Some people are surprised about my performances here, I am not." | 5sport
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Story highlightsIrish pair Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell share halfway lead at World CupThey card four-under 68 to join Australia on 13-under 131 at Mission HillsScotland a shot further back on 12-under after their 68 in foursomes playScotland's Steven O'Hara leads South African Open at halfway Irish pair Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell shared the lead at the halfway stage of golf's World Cup in China after a second round four-under-par 68 Friday.McIlroy, the reigning U.S. Open champion and McDowell, who won the 2010 edition, drew level with first round pacesetters Australia after superb play in the alternate shot foursomes.The Australian pair of Brendan Jones and Richard Green shot a two-under par 70 for 13-under 131, nine shots more than their superb 61 in the opening fourballs Thursday.World No.2 McIlroy and his close friend McDowell carded six birdies against two bogeys on the Blackstone course at the Mission Hills resort on the southern Chinese island of Hainan."We struggled to find our rhythm a little bit on the front nine. Rory putted really well today, which kept things together," McDowell told the official European Tour website."I've struggled a little bit on the greens the last couple of days. But I was happy the way I swung the club in general and Rory is playing lovely."McIlroy added: "I think both of us are very pleased about the score that we ended up shooting today."Anything in the 60s in the foursomes format is a very reasonable score out there."Scottish pair Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher carded four birdies in their 69 and were just one shot back on 12-under.Unheralded New Zealand duo Michael Hendry and Gareth Paddison raced up the leaderboard with a 68 to be tied for fourth on 10-under with Spain and the United States.England's Ian Poulter and Justin Rose were tied seventh with Mexico and the Netherlands, a shot further back, with the hosts China pleasing the galleries as Liang Wenchong and Zhang Xinjun carded six birdies and two eagles in their 68 to be five behind.The 28 national teams return to the fourballs format for the third round Saturday with Sunday's final round more difficult foursomes play.Meanwhile on the European Tour, Scotland's Steven O'Hara led the South African Open at halfway after a second-round 68 for 11-under 133 at Serengeti.O'Hara is battling to save his card and is down in 134th place on this season's money list with two counting tournaments left.Twice winner Retief Goosen and his fellow South African Merrick Bremner are just one shot behind with five-time champion Ernie Els also in contention after a second successive 69. | 5sport
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(CNN)Former Olympic cross-country skier Noah Hoffman says he is "scared" for the safety of athletes who might be contemplating speaking out about human rights issues during Beijing 2022.Hoffman, who retired from competitive skiing after the PyeongChang Games in 2018, says he is concerned by the human rights record of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the lack of support shown by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Earlier this month, a Beijing 2022 official said athletes who demonstrate behavior that "is against the Olympic spirit, especially against Chinese laws and regulations" will face "certain punishment."Beijing 2022 says no foreign athletes have tested positive yet for Covid-19 after arrivalThe IOC has subsequently reiterated that any form of protest must not take place during competition or medal ceremonies, but the Olympic Committee has said athletes are free to express their opinions during press conferences and interviews."I'm scared for athletes who are headed there because athletes are going into a really difficult situation with the restrictions on speech in China," Hoffman tells CNN Sport.Read More"Athletes have been warned by the organizing committee that if they violate the laws of China, they will be punished but the laws of China, when it comes to speech, are extremely opaque."It's not clear at all what kind of speech might be deemed illegal." Hoffman says the handling of the Peng Shuai case shows just how dangerous it could be for athletes who decide to speak out against China. Last November, Peng was feared to be held incommunicado by the Chinese government after she posted a long narrative on Chinese social media that retired Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her into sex during a years-long on-off relationship.Within 30 minutes that post was pulled down, and Chinese censors went to work deleting all traces of her accusation, removing any reference from China's airwaves. In fact, when CNN broadcasts the story, China's sensors change the network broadcast to color bars, forbidding any mention of the story into China.READ: What you need to know ahead of Beijing 2022Noah Hoffman represented Team USA at two Winter Olympic Games. 'Athletes are being told to get burner phones'Peng later denied having made the sexual assault claim and the IOC has been forced to defend its handling of the situation after releasing images of video calls with the Chinese tennis star and declaring that she is safe and well. However, no independent verification of her well-being has been confirmed."The IOC treated it as something to basically be swept under the rug. What a sad, sad state of affairs," said CNN Sports analyst Christine Brennan. "And the IOC will be remembered for this for a long, long time," she said.Images of Peng attending a ski competition and appearing with basketball legend Yao Ming at a ski competition in Shanghai have also been released.Human rights activists have since said the IOC were putting Peng at "greater risk" and that the video calls were staged.The Chinese government has not acknowledged the sexual assault allegations. But its Foreign Ministry said it hoped the "malicious speculation" about her would stop.Australian Open criticized for stopping Peng Shuai protest'Surveillance risk'High-profile sporting figures, including NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom, have also criticized China's treatment of the Uyghur community, Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong.The US state department has said that it believes China is committing genocide on its Uyghur population. It says about two million people are being held in a network of internment camps, and are subjected to torture, sterilization and food deprivation.China denies any human rights abuses. It has insisted that its reeducation camps are necessary for preventing religious extremism and terrorism in the area."The IOC has proven that they're much more interested in appeasing the Chinese authorities than they are in protecting athletes," Hoffman added. "Unfortunately, we've seen the IOC work with the CCP to cover up the Peng Shuai story and to ignore her allegations of sexual assault rather than working to protect her."Hoffman also lashed out at China after being warned of a lack of privacy.The national Olympic committees for several western nations have warned athletes to leave personal phones and devices home, and to use temporary phones due to security and surveillance risks. "So, I'm scared for athletes heading to Beijing," said Hoffman. "Athletes are being told to get burner phones and rental computers because they're not going to have any digital privacy in Beijing." China has repeatedly condemned any attempts to politicize sports, saying a diplomatic boycott by the US and others is based on "ideological bias" and "lies and rumors" and an attempt to disrupt the Games. READ: China says Winter Olympics tickets won't be sold to general public due to Covid-19JUST WATCHEDYao Ming addresses encounter with Peng ShuaiReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHYao Ming addresses encounter with Peng Shuai 02:39'It's just not worth the risk'While Hoffman says he's always been outspoken, he admits to having avoided controversial topics during his athletic career. The 32-year-old, who recently worked on an initiative with the Purple Project to raise money and awareness for domestic abuse shelters, wants other athletes to use their platforms to speak up on topics that mean the most to them. However, he is advising athletes heading to Beijing 2022 to wait until they are home before speaking out. "First of all, I think athletes should always be allowed to speak out. I think they're human beings first and like every human being, they have the right to express their opinion," he adds."I don't believe that sport administrators have the right to limit athletes' expression."But once the athletes are in China, it's just not worth the risk for athletes to come in and make a political statement."I hope that no athlete is put in a situation like Peng Shuai is in now."Hoffman now works with Global Athlete, a movement which looks to give athletes a unified voice to make their own decisions.The hope is to level out the "power imbalance" between athletes and sport administrations. JUST WATCHEDSee Beijing's 'closed-loop system' for OlympicsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSee Beijing's 'closed-loop system' for Olympics 02:56IOC criticism In particular, Hoffman wants to see sweeping changes to the IOC and has called on athletes, as well as political bodies, to ensure the organization is held accountable for its actions -- notably on the issues of human rights. "The Olympic Movement doesn't exist without athletes, and that kind of leverage is critical when you're trying to change an organization as entrenched as the IOC," he says. "The IOC really operates like an authoritarian organization. At this point, they're not fully accountable to any one government, to any one sponsor or financial supporter. They're certainly not responsible to athletes."[The IOC] use athletes to legitimize what they do, as opposed to actually listening to athletes, to negotiating with athletes, to being responsive to the needs of athletes."The IOC has not yet responded to CNN's request for comment regarding Hoffman's comment but previously told CNN: "Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition.""Given the diverse participation in the Olympic Games, the IOC must remain neutral on all global political issues."At all times, the IOC recognizes and upholds human rightsβ―as enshrined in both the Fundamental Principles of the Olympic Charter and in its Code of Ethics. "We are responsibleβ―for ensuring the respect of the Olympic Charterβ―with regard toβ―the Olympic Games and take this responsibility very seriously. "All interested parties have to provide assurances that the principles of the Olympic Charter will be respected in the context of the Games."The IOC also created the Athletes' Commission which it says serves as a link between the athletes and the organization.The Beijing Winter Olympics are set to start on February 4. | 5sport
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(CNN)Sherlock Holmes and his habitual sidekick Dr. Watson have passed the baton to the younger generation in Netflix's new show, "The Irregulars," which premiered in March. Based on the Baker Street Irregulars, who appeared in three of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, the titular characters are a gang of scrappy street kids, led by a 17-year-old girl called Bea, who eke out a living in London's grimy underbelly. Watson -- an uncharacteristically sinister figure -- recruits the teens on behalf of his mysterious "business partner" Holmes, who is holed up at the duo's traditional base at 221b Baker Street.But tradition stops there: the teen sleuths are not cracking ordinary criminal cases. Instead, they must battle the dark, supernatural forces at work in creator Tom Bidwell's horror-infused reimagining of Victorian London. Rather than make a classic adaptation, "we wanted to do something very different," says Bidwell. Bidwell says his inspiration came from Arthur Conan Doyle. Although best-known as the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Conan Doyle had a strong interest in spiritualism, fairies, mediums and other phenomena, and was a "terrific" ghost story writer, says Bidwell, adding that his series is "an ode" to the author.The Irregulars hard at work, solving a crime.Read More"The Irregulars" is testament to how far interpretations of Holmes have evolved since Conan Doyle first introduced the pipe-smoking detective in his 1887 novel "A Study in Scarlet." Since then, Holmes has appeared in over 250 film and TV adaptations -- more than any other literary human character, and been played by actors including Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, each putting their own spin on the crime-solving super-sleuth.Other adaptations have gone further and reimagined the entire story so that, as with "The Irregulars," Holmes is not the star of the show and other characters take center stage. Here are five Sherlock Holmes adaptations worth watching:"The Hound of the Baskervilles"Following a successful career playing Shakespearean roles and appearing on Broadway, English actor Basil Rathbone debuted as Sherlock Holmes in the 1939 film "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Rathbone's Holmes was elegant, smart and relentless in pursuit of the truth, and for many fans he perfectly embodied Conan Doyle's literary character. The actor continued in the role for another 13 movies, and also played Holmes in radio plays, before laying down his deerstalker hat and pipe for good. For many fans, Basil Rathbone was the quintessential Sherlock Holmes. "Sherlock"Set in present-day London, the BBC's award-winning series "Sherlock" ran from 2010 until 2017. Benedict Cumberbatch's Holmes describes himself as a "high-functioning sociopath" in the first episode, and the actor skillfully captured the detective's signature mix of cerebral brilliance and emotional detachment, while sparring with Martin Freeman, playing a grounded, dependable version of Dr. Watson. Benedict Cumberbatch (in the hat) and Martin Freeman at the Baker Street HQ. "Elementary"Set in modern-day Manhattan this TV series, which ran from 2012 until 2019, starred Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes, with Lucy Liu playing Joan Watson. Lee Miller's Holmes is a recovering alcoholic, striving to maintain his sobriety under Watson's watchful eye. Watson wasn't the only character to be re-cast as a woman: Natalie Dormer played the part of Holmes's nemesis, criminal mastermind Jamie Moriarty. Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson (Lucy Liu) looking for clues. "Miss Sherlock"In this 2018 barrier-breaking, female-led adaptation set in modern-day Tokyo, Holmes is incarnated as consultant detective Sara Shelly Futaba, played by the late Yuko Takeuchi. With her extraordinary observation and deductive skills, Futaba solves a series of mysteries with the help of a Watson-like character, a gifted surgeon called Wato Tachibana, played by Shihori Kanjiya. The actors swapped the classic pipe prop for a more fragrant rose.Yuko Takeuchi (center) in "Miss Sherlock." "Enola Holmes"Sherlock retreated to a supporting role in Netflix's hit 2020 movie "Enola Holmes" while Millie Bobby Brown stole the limelight as the detective's sparky younger sister, in an adaptation of the first of Nancy Springer's series of young adult fiction books, "The Enola Holmes Mysteries." The Conan Doyle estate filed a lawsuit against Netflix claiming that its version of Sherlock Holmes, played by actor Henry Cavill as being kind and emotional, violated the author's copyright. The lawsuit was dismissed in December 2020. Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) learning life skills. | 3news
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(CNN)Tennis champion Margaret Court, who has had a frosty relationship with the Australian Open over her views on sexuality and same-sex marriage in recent years, says she not been invited to this year's tournament in a radio interview with 3AW.The 24-time grand slam winner, who has won her home grand slam 11 times, said she would not have accepted the invite if she had received it."I'm not coming to the Australian Open. No, I wasn't invited," Court told Australian radio channel 3AW on Tuesday."With coronavirus, we've been so busy with our community work. I haven't even thought about it."CNN has reached out to the Australian Open organizers to ask why Court wasn't invited.Read MoreREAD: Nick Kyrgios feels 'safe' ahead of the Australian Open as he credits the country for its Covid-19 responseCourt looks on during a tennis Hall of Fame ceremony on day nine of the 2020 Australian Open.While Court achievements on the court are unrivalled -- her 24 grand slams are the most in tennis history -- her views on the LGBT community and opposition to same-sex marriage have been criticized.A Pentecostal pastor in Western Australia, she has likened LGBTQ teaching in schools to the work of "the devil" and previously said tennis is "full of lesbians"."I've always said what the Bible says," she said on Tuesday when quizzed about her views. "I don't hate anybody. I love people, and I love gay people and transgender people, and we get them into our community services. We never turn anybody away."A lot of things were said which I never really said, which I think was the sad part."I've been bullied a lot in the last few years, and I don't mind. That's alright. But if I say anything, then I'm a bigot and I'm everything else, and I don't like that."At last year's Australian Open, she was invited by the tournament to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her grand slam sweep but organizers said they didn't agree with her "demeaning" personal views.She won all four grand slams -- the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open -- in 1970.During last year's Australian Open, tennis greats Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe protested against the name of the Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne.Navratilova unfurled a banner reading "Evonne Goolagong Arena" in reference to Australia's seven-time grand slam champion and paraded it around the court with McEnroe.Goolagong, who worn 13 grand slam titles, grew up in the wheat town of Barrellan in New South Wales, one of eight children. She was born into Aborigine heritage, and the only family of its kind in town, the Goolagong kids faced prejudice, according to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.Last week it was revealed last week that Court will receive the Companion to the Order of Australia (AO) award, the country's highest honor.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosSmith, the Ladies Wimbledon Champion for 1963, poses with the trophy after defeating Billie Jean Moffitt (Billie Jean King) in straight sets.The decision to award her the honor was criticized however, with Australian journalist Kerry O'Brien in fact rejecting his Australia Day award to protest the decision. Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews called Court's views "disgraceful" and "hurtful."However, Court says she does not regret accepting the honor."No, because I loved representing my nation," she said. "When I got the AO it was for my community reach area. We put out 75 tons of food a week. And this was for my tennis, and I think it was a long-time coming."I wasn't one who looked for it. I didn't know I was getting it. I was very honored when I was told I was. There wasn't a lot of fuss about it, but there has been a lot of other people who have made a lot of fuss about it."Court's record of 24 grand slam titles is unmatched in both the men's and the women's game. Serena Williams is second on the all-time list with 23, ahead of Steffi Graf's 22.Australia Day in 2021 was marked on Tuesday. | 5sport
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(CNN)A statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been vandalized and the word "Judas" sprayed on a property he owns in Stockholm after the star, who started his career with hometown club Malmo, invested in a rival soccer club.According to police, the incidents took place on Wednesday following the announcement that Ibrahimovic had acquired a stake in Stockholm-based Hammarby.The statue of the Swedish football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic was vandalized.In Malmo, a statue of the player was vandalized with a racist messaged sprayed onto the ground.Malmo police told CNN that it had opened up a case to investigate the vandalism of the statue outside the local football stadium.The force also confirmed it had opened a separate case over unlawful threats made against Ibrahimovic.Read MoreNo suspects have been arrested or charged, police said.A woman walks past Swedish football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic's property in Stockholm, where someone sprayed "Judas" on the the door.Ibrahimovic, who is Sweden's leading international goalscorer with 62 goals in 116 games, has played for some of Europe's biggest clubs including Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.He has spent the past two seasons playing in the US with LA Galaxy. View this post on Instagram @hammarbyfotboll A post shared by Zlatan IbrahimoviΔ (@iamzlatanibrahimovic) on Nov 25, 2019 at 10:36pm PST
"Hammarby is a fantastic club with passionate supporters and is well respected in both Stockholm and Sweden," Ibrahimovic told Hammarby's website."I have always liked the club and its fans, and I'm also impressed with the club's achievements over the last years, both on and off the pitch. To be part of and to assist Hammarby in its progress feels both fun and exciting."The 38-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving LA Galaxy earlier this month, also published a post on Instagram with his surname on the back of a Hammarby shirt, though he has made clear he has no intention of playing for the club."I've said for 10 years that I'm not going to play football in the Allsvenskan. It's not going to happen," he told Aftonbladet.CNN has contacted Ibrahimovic's representatives for comment. | 5sport
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(CNN)Another championship may be in the cards for Boston this weekend.Yes. We've seen the snarky billboard mocking the x-amount of days since Boston's last title. And no. We're not talking about the Bruins -- who have a chance to win the Stanley Cup next week.We're talking about the famed soccer club Liverpool. You know, the team that LeBron James has a minority stake in? The Reds are owned by the Boston-based Fenway Sports Group -- the same parent company that owns the Red Sox.So, on Saturday, Boston can claim yet another championship should Liverpool win the UEFA Champions League Final over fellow English Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.Read MoreSince 2001, Boston-area sports teams have won six Super Bowls, four World Series, a Stanley Cup and an NBA championship.What's in the water in New England? Tea?Here's your guide to the weekend's biggest sports events:French OpenSerena Williams, who this week wowed the world with her new match ensemble designed by Virgil Abloh, founder of luxury streetwear brand Off-White, faces fellow American Sofia Kenin -- 17 years Serena's junior -- in the third round on Saturday. The two have never faced each other in a tournament.Williams is seeking a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title in Paris -- a tournament she's won three times. View this post on Instagram Mother, Champion, Queen, Goddess. An icon off the court, a legend on it. A post shared by NikeCourt (@nikecourt) on May 27, 2019 at 8:47am PDT Also set to be in action this weekend are major winners Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.Watch it:Saturday at 5 a.m.-12 p.m. ET on Tennis Channel and 12-3 p.m. ET on NBC Sunday at 5 a.m.-12 p.m. ET on Tennis Channel and 12-3 p.m. ET on NBC International viewers should check local listings.US Women's OpenJapan's Mamiko Higa had quite a championship debut Thursday -- her 6-under-par 65 was the lowest debut score by any player in championship history.Higa, who is married to professional sumo wrestler Ikioi Shota, leads by 1.There's no summer vacation for Duke University sophomore amateur Gina Kim. The 19-year-old amateur, who just helped the Blue Devils win the NCAA team title two weeks ago, is also on the leaderboard.Oh, and she hits shots like this...FROM THE BUNKER!#USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/rs0HtedyHgβ USGA (@USGA) May 30, 2019
Watch it:Saturday 2-7 p.m. ET on FS1Sunday 2-7 p.m. ET on FS1International viewers should check local listings.UEFA Champions League FinalNicknamed the Super Bowl of Europe (and even that is doing the game a disservice), this particular contest looks to be the culmination of the greatest Champions League season of all time. The winner of the match between Tottenham and Liverpool will be crowned the champion of Europe -- which isn't a bad title to list on a resume.Wanna watch the game live in person in Madrid? Good luck! Tickets are nearly impossible to find.A fan struggles to find tickets for the UEFA Champions League Final at the Plaza Mayor square in Madrid.Watch it:Saturday 3 p.m. ET on TNT, B/R LiveInternational viewers, check your local listingsPRO TIP: Tune in earlier (the broadcast starts at 1:30 p.m. ET) to check out Imagine Dragons, who will be performing at the opening ceremony.The Memorial TournamentTiger Woods is playing. The 2019 Masters champion struggled mightily two weeks ago -- missing the cut at the PGA Championship -- but looked sharp during the first round of the Memorial Tournament in Ohio. Woods loves this course, as he has won five times at Muirfield Village. So chances are good he'll make a weekend run.Too bad former NFL great Peyton Manning couldn't keep playing with Tiger this weekend. The two have played together for more than 20 years and were paired at Wednesday's pro-am. They are hilarious.Watch it:Saturday 3-6 p.m. ET on CBSSunday 2:30-6 p.m. ET on CBSInternational viewers should check local listings.NHL Stanley Cup Final -- Game 3Game 2 ended in thrilling fashion. Rarely one to score, Carl Gunnarsson's seeing-eye overtime winner sent St. Louis fans into delirium as the Blues evened the series against the Boston Bruins at one.And yes, they play the late, great Laura Branigan's 80's hit "Gloria" everywhere when the Blues win. Even here. And with this thing.Of course, Boston would love nothing more than to bring home yet another championship.Watch it:Saturday 8 p.m. ET on NBCSNInternational viewers should check local listings.Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr. Anthony Joshua, regarded as the savior of boxing's heavyweight division, fights for the first time on US soil. The unbeaten IBF, WBA and WBO champion has a record of 22-0, 21 knockouts.JUST WATCHEDAnthony Joshua on his past and presentReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAnthony Joshua on his past and present 03:17 The stage couldn't be bigger -- Madison Square Garden -- the very place where CNN's Don Riddell discovered Joshua's biggest fear.Andy Ruiz Jr. (32-1, 21 KOs) would like nothing better to stop the Brit in his tracks.Watch it:Saturday 9 p.m. ET on pay-per-view via DAZNInternational viewers should check local listings.NBA Finals -- Game 2Sure, everyone knows about the scoring exploits of Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard (and the sideline bling from Toronto Raptors ambassador Drake), but Game 1's star was a player who doesn't usually grab headlines.It was Pascal Siakam's late father's dream that he make it to the NBA. Nicknamed Spicy P, the Raptors forward hit 11-straight shots in the opener -- the longest streak in the past 20 NBA Finals. Dad would be proud. View this post on Instagram From the motherland #ripdad #doingitforyouππΎ A post shared by Pascal SiakamππΎπͺπ (@pskills43) on Apr 16, 2019 at 8:54pm PDT Game 1 featured some rare negative history for the defending champs. The Raptors home victory, meant the Golden State Warriors lost for just the second time in the NBA Finals since 2016.Watch it:Sunday 8 p.m. on ABCInternational viewers should check local listings. | 5sport
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Story highlightsAon will sign an eight-year contract to brand the club's training kit and United's Carrington training groundThe London-based insurer will act as a presenting partner for Manchester United on tourFor the 2011/2012 season, United increased revenues by Β£14.2 million to Β£117.6 millionThe world's most valuable club Manchester United has penned a new multi-million dollar deal with U.S. insurance giant Aon as part of an aggressive marketing strategy aimed at driving revenue through sponsorship.One of 36 companies that now sponsor Manchester United, Aon will sign an eight-year contract to brand the club's training kit and attach its name to United's Carrington training ground. The deal, which runs until 2021, is reportedly worth Β£15 million [$23 million] a season and will see the training ground renamed Aon Training Complex. It is the first time the Premier League giants have sold the branding rights to their coveted training ground on the outskirts of Manchester and represents another step in the club's strategy to drive up revenues. For the 2011/2012 season, United increased revenues by Β£14.2 million to Β£117.6 million, the highest of any club in the Premier League, and have sponsorship deals with companies from Indonesian tyremakers to China Construction Bank. United players and coaches, including manager Alex Ferguson, will also wear Aon branded training kits at all friendly and competitive domestic fixtures as well as during training sessions. Aon will have access to the club's training grounds to entertain clients and host corporate events.Announcing the partnership, Manchester United Commercial Director Richard Arnold said in a statement: "I am delighted that this cements our relationship with Aon for a further eight years."Additionally, the London-based insurer will act as a presenting partner for Manchester United, nicknamed the 'Red Devils,' on its pre-season tour of Asia this summer. Aon said 'Tour 2013' will focus on the Club's 325 million followers in Asia with matches planned in Bangkok, Sydney, Yokohama, Osaka and Hong Kong. Phil Clement, Aon's Global Chief Marketing Officer said: "This announcement is the next step in the evolution of our partnership with Manchester United." He added: "It is a privilege for Aon to be associated with the world-famous Manchester United training facility." In October, Manchester United cashed in on a four-year deal with training kit partner DHL anticipating that they could make more money from another sponsor. Aon is currently the club's main kit sponsor but is set to be replaced by Chevrolet for the start of the 2014-2015 season after the club signed a seven-year deal with the U.S. carmaker in July. Manchester United, owned by the American Glazer family, look set to win a record 20th league title this season, holding an unassailable 15-point lead over their fierce rivals Manchester City.The league leaders are set to host reigning champions Manchester City in a local derby at Old Trafford on Monday. | 5sport
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(CNN)Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for coronavirus, the Portuguese Football Federation said in a statement Tuesday.According to the statement, Ronaldo is "well, without symptoms, and in isolation."The 35-year-old Juventus forward played for Portugal against France in the Nations League on Sunday and against Spain in a friendly last week.Ronaldo will now miss his country's next Nations League fixture against Sweden on Wednesday, as well as Juventus' upcoming matches which include a Serie A clash with Crotone and a Champions League group game against Dynamo Kyiv.Following Ronaldo's positive test, the Portuguese Football Federation also said that every player subsequently returned a negative test on Tuesday morning.Read MoreREAD: As coronavirus cases surge, hundreds of footballers jet off thousands of miles round the worldInternational breakDespite surging cases of Covid-19 across the globe, many footballers have left their clubs to play international games.However, some clubs have not released players to play for their countries, including Austrian side RB Salzburg whose players were called up for Mali, Cameroon, Zambia, Austria and Hungary.Ronaldo (right) shares a joke with French striker Kylian Mbappe (center) during Portugal's Nations League match. On Monday, Ronaldo posted a photo to social media of him sharing a meal with his Portugal teammates. The forward has scored three league goals in two games for Juventus so far this season -- one against Sampdoria and a brace against AS Roma.He also scored twice as Portugal defeated Sweden 2-0 in the Nations League last month.With his first goal against Sweden, Ronaldo became the second player ever to reach the milestone of 100 international goals. He is now eight goals behind the all-time international record of 109 set by Iranian Ali Daei.Earlier this year Ronaldo flew back to his native Madeira when coronavirus cases started to rise across Europe and football was suspended, according to Reuters. He then helped Juventus lift the Serie A title following the league's resumption. | 5sport
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(CNN)Denmark's former defense minister has been charged with leaking state secrets, he said in a statement Friday. It's unclear exactly what Claus Hjort Frederiksen, a current opposition lawmaker, said or revealed -- or when he allegedly did so. Frederiksen, who also served as chairman of the Intelligence Services Committee, alleged that he was being charged for "violating the limits of my freedom of speech." "I have spoken out as a Member of Parliament on a political issue, and I have nothing further to add at present," Fredriksen said in a statement released by his political party, Venstre. "But I could never dream of doing anything that could harm Denmark or Denmark's interests."Frederiksen's announcement comes just days after news surfaced that Denmark's former spy chief, Lars Findsen, was sitting in jail due to similar allegations.Read MoreFindsen was charged under the same section of the Danish Criminal Code as Frederiksen. Both men face a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.Findsen was among four people arrested on December 9 after what the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, also known as PET, said was "a long investigation of leaks" within intelligence services, according to a statement from the country's intelligence unit. The trial is currently ongoing, the statement said.Denmark's spy chief imprisoned for allegedly leaking classified information At the time of Findsen's arrest in December, the intelligence service said that the four arrested people were both current and former PET employees and employees of the Danish Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS). Findsen has been the head of the DDIS since 2015.Before that, he served as the head of Police Intelligence Service and as a department head at the Danish Ministry of Defense.Little detail is known about the case, including the nature of the alleged leaks. The trial is being held behind closed doors. When asked for more details on the charges, the Danish intelligence service told CNN that it had no further comment.Findsen's lawyer, Lars Kjeldsen, told CNN that his client "denies all the charges" against him. The next closed-door hearing of the trial is scheduled in a month's time, he said.CNN's Ivana KottasovΓ‘ contributed to this report | 3news
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(CNN)With the goal race between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo hotting up, attention now turns to when their next La Liga goals are going to come.The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has suspended all domestic football in the country indefinitely because of a new law approved by the government which aims to divide television money up more evenly between the top two divisions.Follow @cnnsport
Messi edged ahead in the Champions League charts with his stunning double on Wednesday to give Barcelona a commanding 3-0 first-leg lead over Bayern Munich, as Ronaldo added to his tally in Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday.The Argentine has scored 10 goals in the Europe, one ahead of Ronaldo.While Messi may lead the scoring in Europe, Ronaldo currently holds the advantage domestically, leading 42-40 in the race for the "Pichichi" -- La Liga's top goalscorer crown.Read MoreHowever, it's not just the world's two best footballers who will be affected by the television money stalemate. The RFEF says 600,000 players will be impacted across 17 regional federations, totaling 30,000 suspended matches.The suspension -- which comes into place from May 16 -- could affect the final two match days of the season and even the domestic Spanish Cup final -- the Copa del Rey -- which is scheduled to be contested between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao on May 30.If an agreement can't be reached to enable the suspension to be lifted it could have serious repercussions for Barcelona as they chase silverware on three fronts.The suspension is backed by the players' union (AFE,) while the Spanish Football League (LFP) is siding with the government.Leo Messi sobre el Real Decreto-Ley. "Nosotros los jugadores estamos con #AFE en lo que decidan" https://t.co/BLeXJUBlVQ #RealDecretoConAFEβ AFE (@afefutbol) May 7, 2015
In a statement published on the RFEF's website, they accuse the Spanish government of a "lack of respect" to Spanish football's governing body.Barcelona star Messi is supporting the strike, seemingly more concerned with reaching a suitable outcome than coming top of the scoring charts."That is something which AFE have said to us, they came here for a meeting with us," Messi told a news conference ahead of the match with Bayern. "The players are with them in what they say." The government claimed the law was a "historic achievement" and that "Spanish soccer can reach levels of exploitation and sustainability that were unthinkable till now."Prior to the strike, there had already been concerns surrounding the Copa del Rey final being played just 11 days before the start of Copa America -- Latin America's major tournament -- with national teams looking to call up players prior to the clash.If the suspension isn't resolved, many of La Liga's top clubs could be without their star names for the final games of the season, including Messi -- although Luis Suarez would still be available for Barcelona given he is still subject to an international ban after biting Giorgio Chiellini at last year's World Cup.The matches on the weekend of May 9 are scheduled to go ahead, as Real Madrid faces Valencia and Barcelona hosts Real Sociedad.The Spanish government is yet to make a comment on the suspension.Read: Ronaldo vs MessiRead: Messi thrills in Guardiola's return | 5sport
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Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. (CNN)Heading to space was just the beginning for the James Webb Space Telescope. Heralded as NASA's premier space observatory of the next decade, the telescope launched on Christmas Day -- and it still has a ways to go before it's in orbit and observing the universe. The agency refers to this process as "29 days on the edge" while the observatory unfolds its massive sunshield and reaches a special point in orbit that is a million miles away from Earth.This $10 billion space telescope will reveal the secrets of the universeThe Webb telescope will look at every phase of cosmic history, including the first glows after the Big Bang that created our universe and the formation of the galaxies, stars and planets that fill it today. Its capabilities will enable the observatory to peer inside the atmospheres of exoplanets and investigate faint signals from the first galaxies formed 13.5 billion years ago.In order to accomplish all of these things, NASA built its most complex telescope yet -- and everything has to work flawlessly before it can get started.Read MoreDuring the 29 days, Webb will set up shop, unfurling its giant gold mirror and the protective tennis court-size sunshield. This process involves thousands of parts that must function harmoniously, in the right sequence. Fortunately, each step can be controlled from the ground in case there are issues. So far, Webb is already off to a great start. The spacecraft has already made two of three critical course correction burns to ensure it's on the right trajectory. This image shows NASA's last look at the telescope after launch, captured by the cameras aboard the rocket's upper stage as the telescope separated from it. Earth can be seen to the upper right.It also used less propellant than planned due to the precision of the telescope's launch aboard the Ariane 5 rocket, so "the observatory should have enough propellant to allow support of science operations in orbit for significantly more than a 10-year science lifetime," according to NASA. The mission was designed to last for five years. But as we've seen with other telescopes that successfully outlasted their expected timeline, like Spitzer and Hubble, scientists are hedging a bet the same may be true for Webb. On December 26, Webb released its antenna assembly, including a high-data-rate dish antenna, that will serve as the telescope's way of sending back 28.6 gigabytes of science data twice a day. Astronomers, including those with The Virtual Telescope Project, have even been able to track Webb's journey since launch, sharing images and video of the observatory against a backdrop of stars.Protection from the sunNow, Webb is starting to take a familiar shape -- the one it will be once everything is fully deployed. The spacecraft has unfolded and latched pallet structures that will ultimately lead to the rollout of the sunshield, a process that is expected to continue through Sunday. The team also extended the Deployable Tower Assembly, which creates distance between two halves of the spacecraft. The observatory is comprised of three main elements. One is the Integrated Science Instrument Module, which holds Webb's suite of four instruments. These instruments will mainly be used for capturing images or spectroscopy -- breaking down light into different wavelengths to determine physical and chemical components.The name of NASA's most powerful telescope is still controversial one month before its launchThe Optical Telescope Element, the main eye of the observatory, includes the mirrors and backplane, or spine, that supports the mirrors. Then there is the Spacecraft Element, which includes the spacecraft bus and sunshield. The bus includes the six main subsystems needed to operate the spacecraft, including propulsion, electrical power, communication, data and thermal controls. The massive five-layer sunshield will protect Webb's giant mirror and instruments from the sun's heat because they need to be kept at a very frigid negative 370 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 188 degrees Celsius) to be able to observe the universe as designed.This illustration shows the Webb telescope with its mirror and sunshield fully deployed in space.The successful setup of the sunshield is critical to Webb's ability to function -- and it's also one of the most challenging spacecraft deployments NASA has ever attempted, according to the agency."There are 50 major deployments that transform Webb from its stowed, launch configuration into an operational observatory," said Michael McElwain, Webb observatory project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, in a statement."While these steps have been tested on the ground and operationally rehearsed in the Mission Operations Center, these critical activities must be executed for a successful mission. Best wishes to our team, and stay cool, Webb!"The next stepsWebb will next release its sunshield covers, extend booms and stretch the five layers of the sunshield into place, if all goes according to plan.Then, there is the mirror -- considered to be Webb's trademark.The telescope comes equipped with a mirror that can extend 21 feet and 4 inches (6.5 meters) -- a massive length that will allow the mirror to collect more light from the objects it observes once the telescope is in space. The mirror includes 18 hexagonal gold-coated segments, each 4.3 feet (1.32 meters) in diameter. It's the largest mirror NASA has ever built, but its size created a unique problem. The mirror was so large that it couldn't fit inside a rocket. So engineers designed the telescope as a series of moving parts that can fold origami-style and fit inside a 16-foot (5-meter) space for launch.Ball Aerospace optical technician Scott Murray inspects the first gold primary mirror segments during assembly.This is the next series of crucial steps for Webb -- making sure all of those mirrors unfold and lock together to create one giant mirror. All of these steps are expected to finish by the end of next week.Finally, Webb will make one more trajectory adjustment to insert itself into an orbit that reaches beyond the moon.While that rounds out the 29 days, the telescope will go through a period of commissioning in space that lasts for six months, which involves cooling down the instruments, alignment and calibration. All of the instruments will go through a checkout process to see how they are functioning.Webb will begin to collect data and its first images later in 2022, and those are expected to be released in June or July, forever changing the way we see and understand the universe. | 3news
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Story highlightsProtesters are using comments from Mexico's top prosecutor as a rallying cry"Enough, I'm tired," JesΓΊs Murillo Karam said while talking about missing students caseThe case and its aftermath have become a political crisis for Mexico's President"Enough, I'm tired," Mexico's top prosecutor said, cutting off reporters' questions.Attorney General JesΓΊs Murillo Karam had just revealed that authorities believe 43 missing students were kidnapped, executed and dumped in a river -- and he was ready to call it a day. His words spread like wildfire through an outraged nation.Mounting fury over government officials' response to -- and possible role in -- the students' disappearance has convulsed the country for weeks, posing a mounting challenge to Mexico's President amid demonstrations where at times violence has flared.It's one of the most serious cases in the contemporary history of Mexico and Latin America, Human Rights Watch Americas Director JosΓ© Miguel Vivanco told Mexico's El Economista newspaper. He compared it to a massacre of students during a Mexico City demonstration in 1968."At that time, these kinds of things happened: mass disappearances of people, where no one was held accountable," he told the newspaper. Yet in the 21st century, he said, Latin America "has overcome these kinds of practices." It's no wonder, he said, that "an act of this magnitude" unfolding "in view of all Mexicans, the international community and the media" has caught so much attention. Now Murillo's comments at a press conference last week have become a new rallying cry, used by fed-up protesters dishing out some of the sharpest criticism Mexican President Enrique PeΓ±a Nieto's administration has faced since he took office in December 2012. Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican students Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsMissing Mexican students β Forty-three students remain missing after armed men ambushed buses carrying students in southern Mexico on on September 26 .The Mexican state of Guerrero posted images and offered a reward of 1 million pesos ($74,000) for information leading to the missing students. Images of three missing students were not available.Hide Caption 1 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 2 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 3 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 4 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 5 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 6 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 7 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 8 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 9 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 10 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 11 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 12 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 13 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 14 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 15 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 16 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 17 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 18 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 19 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 20 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 21 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 22 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 23 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 24 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 25 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 26 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 27 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 28 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 29 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 30 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 31 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 32 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 33 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 34 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 35 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 36 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 37 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 38 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 39 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 40 of 41 Photos: Photos: Missing Mexican studentsHide Caption 41 of 41JUST WATCHEDMexico-Missing StudentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMexico-Missing Students 04:39JUST WATCHEDSee Mexican police search for studentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSee Mexican police search for students 01:01#YaMeCansΓ© -- Spanish for "enough, I'm tired" -- became a trending hashtag on Twitter and a topic of viral YouTube video posts as people in Mexico and around the world fired back."I am also tired that the government protects and colludes with organized crime," a young man says at the beginning of one online video."Hello. I'm Juan. And I've had enough," another man chimes in. "I'm tired of so much injustice."It's a rapidly unfolding political crisis for PeΓ±a Nieto, threatening his efforts to revamp Mexico's image abroad and convince citizens that drug-related violence is on the decline.Students' case sends shock wavesThe case of the 43 missing students from a rural teachers' college in Mexico's Guerrero state quickly grabbed the national spotlight as word spread about their September 26 disappearance.And as details of the troubling case emerged, outrage only grew.Authorities say the students were abducted by police on order of a local mayor, then turned over to a gang that's believed to have killed them and burned their bodies before throwing some remains in a river.There's no indication any of the students had ties with organized crime, Murillo said. On Friday, protesters marching in Mexico City carried posters saying, "Enough, I'm tired." Others held signs saying, "It was the state." Demonstrators sprayed graffiti on the walls of Mexico's National Palace Saturday, trying to break down and set fire to a massive wooden door."These are the people that are screwing over the country," they chanted.JUST WATCHEDOfficial: Men confess to killing studentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOfficial: Men confess to killing students 01:48JUST WATCHEDMexican mayor caught in abduction caseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMexican mayor caught in abduction case 02:45JUST WATCHEDNew video of missing Mexican studentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew video of missing Mexican students 02:55Protesters clashed with police at Acapulco's airport on Monday, crippling the airport for hours and forcing the cancellation of several flights.Mexico's President has also said he's outraged about the students' case, but he's condemned the protest violence. And some have expressed skepticism that protesters are truly concerned about what happened to the students, accusing them of exploiting the situation for political reasons.Protesters condemn what they call inaction by the government."There is a national emergency. This is clear," JosΓ© Alcaraz, a protest organizer, told CNN en EspaΓ±ol Saturday. "There is a decomposition of the Mexican state."Pressure on the PresidentThe students' parents have been highly critical of PeΓ±a Nieto for his administration's handling of the investigation.A cell phone video from a closed-door meeting with the President, released on YouTube, shows one family member saying PeΓ±a Nieto should resign if he can't deliver answers.It's not the first time the President, who represents the Institutional Revolutionary Party that once ruled Mexico for more than 70 years, has faced allegations of government corruption and accusations the government is too slow to fight crime. Even as he deals with the investigation into the missing students and its aftermath, an investigative report from Mexican news website Aristegui Noticias over the weekend alleged that Mexico's President and his wife have been living in a lavish $7 million mansion owned by a contractor that's won lucrative government projects.In response, the government said that first lady AngΓ©lica Rivera has been making payments on the house with money she's made from her acting career. But the report about the mansion has only further fueled critics who describe the President as out-of-touch. The protests over the missing students' case are part of a particularly "explosive situation," John Ackerman, a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told CNN last week."People in Mexico are taking to the streets yesterday, today and just about every day for the last month, demanding not only clearing up this particular crime, which is very particularly egregious and important, but really a change to the system," he said. "Mexico's transition to democracy has not been very democratic. People are looking for a new system and a new way of thinking about government and the relationship between state and society."Slain Mexican student's friends, family demand justiceAttorney general tells CNN affiliate: I would say it againIn an interview Monday, Murillo defended his comments from Friday's press conference in the controversial case."When I said, 'I am tired,' it's because I am tired of this: I am tired of brutal violence," the attorney general told CNN affiliate Televisa.It's a phrase he said he'd say again."Naturally, I have no reason to lie. I am as human as anyone else, and I also get tired. I have been sleeping for four hours a night for the past 30 days, and that day I had been awake for 40," he said.He said he had just spoken with the missing students' parents, and told them what he later told reporters -- that officials believe the students' remains were thrown in the river, but they don't yet have DNA proof."Really, when you hear them (the parents), you shudder at the powerlessness of not being able to give them an immediate answer," Murillo said.There's no doubt the case of the missing students will weigh on Mexico for years to come, Murillo said."This would impact any country, not a presidential term," he said. "The impact of this kind of event lasts forever."The question is, what will happen next? There's one thing protesters say they aren't tired of: making sure Mexico's most powerful leaders hear them. | 3news
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Story highlightsNo criminal charges to be filed in Ronald Johnson case, prosecutor saysJustice Department opens investigation of Chicago police, attorney general saysRelease of dashcam video in Laquan McDonald's death has rocked Chicago (CNN)The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether Chicago police have made a habit of violating the law or the U.S. Constitution in their policing, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday.The "pattern-and-practice" probe, as it's known, will focus on use of force, deadly force, accountability and how the Chicago Police Department "tracks and treats" those incidents, she said. Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he welcomes the investigation and promised the city's total cooperation in achieving the "mutual goal" of keeping Chicago safe while respecting citizens' rights. "Nothing is more important to me than the safety and well-being of our residents and ensuring that the men and women of our Police Department have the tools, resources and training they need to be effective crime fighters, stay safe and build community trust," Emanuel said in a statement. He later told reporters that the city will be made better because of the investigation.Read More"We accept it, and we need it," he said, describing the current moment as an inflection point."None of the measures we have taken have ever measured up to the seriousness, the scope, the scale of the challenge in front of us as a city," Emanuel said.City, department under fireWord of the federal probe comes about two weeks after police released the October 2014 video of Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting Laquan McDonald on a Chicago street, and it comes after reports released by the city over the weekend indicate that accounts from police on the scene appear to contradict what the footage shows. The video of McDonald's fatal shooting outraged many Chicagoans, who took to the streets to protest what they felt was an excessive use of force and dishonesty by the city and Van Dyke's fellow officers, who initially accused McDonald of threatening officers. The demonstrators also questioned why it took more than 400 days to release the video, despite the city paying McDonald's mother $5 million in April. The spotlight on the case shone bright enough to illuminate another case -- that of Ronald Johnson, who was killed by police eight days before McDonald's death. Video from that incident was shown to reporters Monday, as Emanuel promised last week. Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said Monday that there will be no charges against the officer responsible for Johnson's death. The federal investigation -- which places the Chicago Police Department in the company of forces in other cities such as Cleveland; Ferguson, Missouri; and Albuquerque, New Mexico -- is necessary, Lynch said, because failing to hold police accountable for misconduct creates "profound consequences" for communities. "When suspicion and hostility is allowed to fester it can erupt into unrest," she said, adding that the investigation will not home in on individuals but will aim to "improve systems."Leadership changes in ChicagoCalls for a federal probe intensified after Chicago police on November 24 released the video of McDonald being shot 16 times last year. Political upheaval came quickly on the heels of Chicago's demonstrations, with Emanuel asking for (and getting) Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy's resignation. On Sunday, the mayor announced that Scott Ando, head of the authority that investigates police shooting incidents such as the McDonald and Johnson cases, had stepped down. Sharon Fairley will be the new chief administrator for the city's Independent Police Review Authority, replacing Ando, a veteran Drug Enforcement Administration agent who joined the IPRA in 2011 and took its reins last year. Fairley was general counsel to the city's Office of the Inspector General and previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney where she prosecuted national security, financial and government fraud cases. "Sharon brings the experience and independence to ensure that when an officer breaks the rules, they will be held accountable," the mayor said in a statement, adding that "new leadership is required as we rededicate ourselves to dramatically improving our system of police accountability and rebuilding trust."This follows a series of initiatives taken by Emanuel's office in the past two weeks, including expanding the body camera program and establishing a task force to review police discipline procedures, according to the statement. The City Council formed the IPRA in 2007 "in response to concerns about how allegations of police misconduct were being investigated," according to its website. It is staffed by civilian investigators charged with independently reviewing allegations against police. Latest in federal police probesFederal police probes like the one undertaken in Chicago are nothing new to President Barack Obama's administration. Many cities have fallen under the federal microscope during his administration. A few examples: -- In Ferguson, federal authorities determined after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown that the police department had engaged in discriminatory and unconstitutional practices. -- A federal probe that began in Cleveland in 2013 documents several instances of unnecessary force after two unarmed civilians were shot more than 20 times after a high-speed police chase. -- In East Haven, Connecticut, federal investigators determined Latinos were subjected to more traffic stops, harsher treatment and more retaliation over discrimination complaints, a 2011 Justice Department report said. The following year, four officers were arrested and charged with targeting Latinos. -- The Justice Department and Missoula, County, Montana, officials reached an agreement last year after a federal probe highlighted allegations of gender bias against victims of sexual assault. The agreement to approve policies, training, communication and data sharing, among other measures, ended a lawsuit in which the county attorney accused the feds of bullying and defaming prosecutors. -- A 2011 report on New Orleans found minorities were subjected to excessive force, illegal stops and pat-down searches. It also found that more African-American residents were arrested, compared with white residents, and that police targeted transgender people for arrest on prostitution charges.-- The Justice Department accused the Albuquerque, New Mexico, police department of engaging in "a pattern" of using excessive force after a two-year investigation. In some instances, the department alleged, officers failed to turn on their cameras and recorders before such encounters.Following the announcement of the Ferguson probe in September 2014, CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin explained -- much as the attorney general did Monday -- that these types of investigations focus more on reform than punishing individuals for past misconduct. Still, Toobin said, "it's very serious because it can lead to a virtual federal takeover of the police."CNN's Faith Karimi, Devon M. Sayers, Evan Perez, Rosa Flores, Joe Sutton, Ryan Young, Monte Plott, Dana Ford and Dan Merica contributed to this report. | 3news
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(CNN)George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. His final moments were captured on camera, sending citizens reeling from another unnecessary death of a black man in America.A demonstrator holds her hands up while she kneels in front of the Police in Anaheim, California, during a peaceful protest of George Floyd's killing.Protesters took to the streets peacefully -- but many demonstrations turned violent. Riots and looting left more than 30 cities across the country strewn with charred vehicles and trash. Businesses already struggling with the coronavirus pandemic suffered heavy damage and destruction. Here is a look ways you can help cities, including Minneapolis, that have been shaken by riots, racism, and unrest.How you can help MinneapolisA man walks past a damaged building following overnight protests over the death of George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota's Twin Cities -- Minneapolis and St. Paul -- were damaged, burned or looted. Read MoreHamline Midway Coalition and Union Park District Council have organized volunteers and provided supplies to the clean-up effort. The Lake Street Council started a fund called "We Love Lake Street" to help rebuild small businesses in that Minneapolis community.The Neighbors United Funding Collaborative is helping small businesses in the Midway and Union Park area rebuild their storefronts.The Metropolitan Economic Development Association, a Minneapolis non-profit focused on helping minority entrepreneurs succeed, created a crowdsourcing campaign specifically for local minority businesses harmed by the recent unrest. How you can help in your local community People clean up broken glass and debris outside a downtown Atlanta restaurant on Saturday, May 30. The building was vandalized during protests.Across the country, communities are banding together to clean up their cities following protests. It started in the immediate aftermath of some riots as ordinary citizens showed up with brooms and trash bins. These grassroots efforts were spontaneous, but effective. You can start a clean up of your own. Contact neighborhood associations and other civic groups to link up with others who are willing to join in. US men's national soccer team and Fortuna Dusseldorf goalkeeper Zack Steffen established a GoFundMe page that supports small businesses damaged during the protests.Thank you to all the athletes and fans who have joined the @voycenow movement. We just dropped a GoFundMe to raise money for the small businesses still fighting with us despite being damaged in recent protests. Please share the Link is in my bio. #Athletes4BLM #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/KFcBAbqTKzβ Zack Steffen (@zackstef_23) June 4, 2020
How you can support non-profits working to bring equalityMalaysia Hammond, 19, places flowers at a memorial mural for George Floyd at the corner of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Racism in the US is a public health issue, according to several medical groups. You can stand up for racial justice by supporting non-profits working to eradicate racism. JUST WATCHED 3 generations share their truth about being black in AmericaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH 3 generations share their truth about being black in America 04:49Facing History and Ourselves equips educators to teach tolerance in classrooms through the study of history and ethical decision-making. The Let Us Breathe Fund was created in the wake of the murder of Eric Garner. The group grants money to minority non-profits to fight structural violence and racism in New York.Black Youth Project 100 is a national organization working toward racial justice through direct-action organizing, advocacy, and political education.The NAACP Legal Defense Fund fights to eliminate racial disparities through education, scholarships, and legal help for people of color whose civil rights have been violated. The Equal Justice Initiative works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality. For more than 30 years, EJI has helped overturn wrongful convictions and unfair sentences for minorities. It also has a comprehensive public education program that includes books, documentary and feature films, lesson plans, and other community programs.The National Urban League helps African-Americans and other minorities through economic empowerment programs, educational activities and promotion of civil rights. | 3news
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Story highlightsChinese tennis star Li Na retires at age of 32 due to injuryLi was Asia's first grand slam singles championThe 32-year-old Li had win-loss record of 503-188Li recorded prize money earnings of $16.7 millionAsia's first grand slam singles champion Li Na has called time on her 15-year tennis career due to "chronic" knee injuries.The current world No. 6 won the French Open in 2011 and the Australian Open in 2014 as well as helping popularize the sport in Asia."It took me several agonizing months to finally come to the decision that my chronic injuries will never again let me be the tennis player that I can be," said Li on her Facebook page."Walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family."Paying tribute to Li'is successful career, WTA chairman and chief executive officer Stacey Allaster highlighted the Chinese star's help in raising tennis' profile in Asia.JUST WATCHEDLi Na wins 'dream' trophyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLi Na wins 'dream' trophy 01:36JUST WATCHEDAsia's tennis superstarsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAsia's tennis superstars 02:15JUST WATCHEDWhat the French Open means to Li NaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat the French Open means to Li Na 01:31"She is a pioneer who opened doors to tennis for hundreds of millions of people throughout China and Asia," said Allaster in a statement. "It's hard to be a household name in a nation with 1.4 billion people, but that's what Li Na is," added Allaster."Her legacy is immense and I have no doubt that her contributions to the WTA will be seen for decades to come in China, throughout Asia and the rest of the world."World number one Serena Williams also paid her own tribute. "Your retirement is a sad day for tennis but I'm sure your future will be bright. The star you left on our sport will never dim. Thank you for always making everyone smile," she wrote on her Facebook page.As well as her two grand slam triumphs, the 32-year-old Li reached the Australian Open final in 2011 and 2013.After her 2014 win in Melbourne, she became world No. 2 in February -- the highest ranking ever attained by an Asian player.However, an injury to her right knee forced Li to withdraw from April's Stuttgart Open, and the 32-year-old has struggled with her form since. It was a knee injury that forced her to miss the recent U.S. Open.Read: Li Na's open letter of retirement"After four knee surgeries and hundreds of shots injected into my knee weekly to alleviate swelling and pain, my body is begging me to stop the pounding," Li added on her Facebook page.JUST WATCHEDAlthea Gibson's Tennis legacyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAlthea Gibson's Tennis legacy 04:50JUST WATCHEDAna Ivanovic fights to regain number 1 statusReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAna Ivanovic fights to regain number 1 status 03:20JUST WATCHEDSharapova's Wimbledon triumphReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSharapova's Wimbledon triumph 06:07"My previous three surgeries were on my right knee. My most recent knee surgery took place this July and was on my left knee."While I've come back from surgery in the past, this time it felt different. As hard as I tried to get back to being 100%, my body kept telling me that, at 32, I will not be able to compete at the top level ever again. "The sport is just too competitive, too good, to not be 100%."Li, who played in three Olympics for China and retires having earned $16.7 million in prize money, has no plans to completely sever her links with tennis."We're putting together various plans on how we will continue to grow the sport of tennis in China," she said. "These plans include opening the Li Na Tennis Academy, which will provide scholarships for the future generation of Chinese tennis stars."I will also stay involved in the Right to Play, an organization dedicated to helping underprivileged children overcome challenges through sport."Read: Tennis grand slam lessons we've learned in 2014Read: Serena's delight at U.S. Open win | 5sport
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Kara Alaimo, an associate professor in the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University, is a frequent contributor to CNN Opinion. She was spokesperson for international affairs in the Treasury Department during the Obama administration. Follow her on Twitter @karaalaimo. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion at CNN. This piece has been updated to reflect the latest news. (CNN)On Sunday, Nicola Coughlan, the Irish actor known for "Bridgerton" and "Derry Girls," asked people on social media to stop commenting on her appearance. "I am just one real-life human being, and it's really hard to take the weight of thousands of opinions on how you look being sent directly to you every day," she posted on Instagram.Kara Alaimo It wasn't the first time she's had to make this request. Last year, Coughlan replied to a Twitter user who wrote, "The fat girl from Bridgerton is wearing a black cardigan at the Golden Globes" with a 2018 article she penned for The Guardian, called "Critics, judge me for my work in Derry Girls and on the stage, not on my body." Coughlan's request echoed a similar post by "Yellowjackets" star Melanie Lynskey. On Friday, Lynskey said she'd been inundated with messages from people shaming her over her body, a remark that followed news reports that she'd been body-shamed on set and that some of her co-stars had vociferously stuck up for her. "Most egregious are the 'I care about her health!!' people... B****, you don't see me on my Peloton! You don't see me running through the park with my child. Skinny does not always equal healthy," she tweeted.Lynskey said she was struck by online comments suggesting it was implausible that her character on 'Yellowjackets' would really have had an affair with a character played by the attractive Peter Gadiot. "I'm just like, 'Wow, really? That's where people's heads are at, that the most important thing is being thin or young?'"Of course, it's not just women in the public eye who contend with this kind of abuse and concern-trolling. Many of us do. But Coughlan and Lynskey, who are known for playing women who exercise agency and control on screen, are uniquely positioned to call out this kind of body opining for what it is: a toxic form of misogyny that should no longer benefit from its camouflage as concern with wellness. Now, we all need to follow their lead -- and demand that social networks do the same.Read MoreWe've got to change the norms of socially acceptable behavior on social media. It's long past time for people to stop commenting on the bodies of women in the public eye. A woman's character has nothing to do with her appearance. And, to state the obvious, famous men just don't contend with the same level of vicious scrutiny. So, like Coughlan and Lynskey, we should all call out any person who tries to reduce us to our bodies -- and we should speak up anytime we see it happen to another woman (or a person of any gender, for that matter).Of course, it's not just users who need to change. We should also demand that social networks remove this kind of toxic content. For example, when Sen. Richard Blumenthal's staff set up an Instagram account purporting to be a 13-year-old girl and indicated interest in weight loss, they found that Instagram's algorithm actually recommended accounts with names like "eternally starved" and "I have to be thin." (Instagram admitted the accounts shouldn't have been allowed.) 'Yellowjackets' takes our '90s nostalgia and gives it fangsBut, ultimately, in order to change what's said on social media, we need to change our society. In particular, we need to get over a major misconception: that weight is generally a reliable indicator of whether a person takes care of his or her (but, let's be honest, usually her) health. It simply isn't true.As The New York Times has reported, "decades of studies have repeatedly showed that there are powerful biological controls over individual body weight. Adopted children ended up with body mass indexes like those of their biological parents, not those of their adoptive parents."So claiming that a woman isn't taking care of her health because of her weight is wrong in both senses of the term -- it's inappropriate and it's inaccurate. The distinction is important, because when women believe they need to lose weight or achieve a certain body mass index (BMI) -- a measure of height and weight that is now recognized not to necessarily be an accurate barometer of health on its own -- they can end up doing things that actually harm their health.Cornell philosopher Kate Manne, for example, recently wrote in the New York Times that the only times she has had a BMI deemed "normal" was when she starved herself or severely restricted her diet. In order to lose weight, for instance, she did not eat food for 17 of 30 days one month. This can't be healthy in the least.BMI can be an especially unfair measure for women of color. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, conducted research with colleagues which found that, for BMI to reflect racial and ethnic differences in body composition, the threshold for Black women would need to be higher.And believing that your worth is wrapped up in your weight -- or that it's necessarily your fault if you can't achieve a certain number on a scale -- stands to be devastating to the self-worth and broader mental health of women and girls.It's especially unfair that women receive extra social censure for appearing overweight when you consider that women take better care of our health than men overall: We are less likely to be overweight in the first place, more likely to visit the doctor regularly, and less likely to do harmful things like heavy drinking.Of course, it's a good idea for us all to take care of our bodies by eating healthy foods and, if we're physically able, exercising. But you can't tell whether a person is doing this by looking at them. What's more, by shaming a person, you're likely to cause her stress -- something that we can be very sure is bad for her health. So, regardless of what internet trolls may outlandishly claim, they're clearly out to harm women. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookWe shouldn't let them. When people comment on the bodies of women, we all have to call them out. But, just as importantly, we also have to make sure women and girls know that these people aren't just mean -- they're also deeply misinformed. Looking at a woman's body can't tell a stranger whether she's healthy. But comments about her weight can reliably tell us that people are out to do her harm. | 3news
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Berlin (CNN)German Chancellor Angela Merkel moved a step closer to forming a coalition government with her center-left rivals on Wednesday, after four months of political uncertainty.A spokesperson for the Social Democrats, (SPD) confirmed it had reached a deal with Merkel's center-right CDU/CSU, but stressed that it would need to be formally approved by the party's 460,000 members.The announcement represents a huge breakthrough for Merkel, who has struggled to form a government since suffering embarrassment at September's election.The deal paves the way for a return to the so-called "grand coalition" between the CDU and SPD, which governed prior to the last election. It would also leave the right-wing Alternative for Germany party as the main opposition in the German parliament.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leader of the German Social Democrats (SPD) Martin Schulz are set for another Grand Coalition.The AfD's anti-immigration stance proved popular with voters, taking it to 12.6% of the vote, a political earthquake in Germany.Read MoreBack togetherThe agreement represents a U-turn by the SPD, which had originally said it would rather rebuild itself in opposition than prop up another Merkel administration, after suffering its worst election result since World War II.Why Germany still doesn't have a new government, four months after voteBut after talks between Merkel's CDU, FDP (Free Democratic Party) and Green Party collapsed in November, party leader Martin Schulz was dragged back in under pressure from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who warned the country's leading politicians against the prospect of fresh elections.The SPD did at least manage to extract some gains from Merkel, notably in the form of taking control of the finance ministry.A recent poll from public broadcaster ARD showed that 52% of respondents did not think another grand coalition was a good idea. CNN's Nadine Schmidt reported from Berlin. James Masters wrote from London. | 3news
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(CNN)Early in his salacious new book about homosexuality in the Vatican, the French journalist Frederic Martel asks a source to estimate the number of Vatican clergy who are "part of this community, all tendencies included.""I think the percentage is very high," says the source, identified as an Italian journalist who left the Vatican and the priesthood after he was discovered viewing gay sex websites on his Vatican computer. "I'd put it around 80%."That estimate from Martel's book, which is scheduled to be published on February 21 in eight languages and 20 countries, has already made international headlines. CNN received an early copy of the book, whose English title is "In the Closet of the Vatican," through a source. Neither CNN nor the source agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement with Bloomsbury, the book's publisher in English, nor any other publisher. While there has been no shortage of sexual scandals in the Catholic Church, mostly concerning the abuse of children, there are no reliable studies on the number of gay Catholics in the priesthood, mostly because church leaders won't allow them.Read MoreIn that sense, Martel's book could have provided valuable insights. He says he talked to 1,500 sources, including 41 cardinals, 52 bishops and 45 current and former Vatican ambassadors, or nuncios, during his four years of reporting the book.But is that 80% figure really true? And what, exactly, does "all tendencies included" mean? Remarkably, in a 576-page book, Martel, who has written widely on LGBT culture, never returns to that estimate, nor does he try to ascertain its veracity.Instead Martel dedicates more ink to ruminating on the presence of a rainbow colored umbrella in Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican apartments where Pope Francis and other high-level Catholic officials live, than trying to determine whether his source's estimate is true. "I imagine the scene: its lucky owner, perhaps a cardinal or a monsignore, takes his stroll in the gardens of the Vatican with his rainbow flag in his hand! Who is he? How dare he?"Like that passage, the book is light on verifiable accounts and heavy on innuendo. At times, it reads like French social theory translated by Page Six gossip mongers. One prominent cardinal is described as looking like a "Viking bride." Another is accused of having a "flowery conversation" over the phone in a "perfumed voice."Martel calls the Vatican "one of the biggest gay communities in the world" where "50 shades of gay" lurk beneath the pious surface. This secret underworld communicates in coded messages: In Vatican parlance, he writes, to be gay is "to be part of the parish," an entendre that blends the sexual and sacred. But it is unclear how Martel, who says he is sympathetic to gay clergy, supports many of his more sweeping and damning assessments. At times, he relies less on traditional journalistic methods like on-the-record conversations and documents than on his self-described "gaydar" and coy insinuations made by secret sources. Many of those sources, he says, "came on to me decorously.""It's an occupational hazard!"That's not to say Martel hasn't touched on an important topic at a crucial time for the church. In fact, either he or his publishers seem to have planned the book's release for maximum impact.February 21 is not only the book's publication date, but it's also the opening day for a summit the Pope has convened of top bishops from around the world to deal with the church's massive and morally damaging sexual abuse crisis.While the Pope has tried to downplay expectations for the meeting, many Catholics around the world are expecting some sort of action or plan before it concludes on February 24.But already Catholics have expressed concern that Martel's book, which contains some shocking but unverified allegations, will not only overshadow the church's attempts to protect children, but also essentially link gay scandals with the clergy abuse crisis."The timing of the book is tremendously problematic," said the Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit priest who has written about LGBT Catholics and the church."It will distract from the summit and raise in people's minds the idea that all gay priests are breaking their vows and are linked to abuse," said Martin, who said he has read excerpts of the book.In fact, Martel does link homosexuality to the Catholic Church's clergy abuse crisis."The 'culture of secrecy,' which was necessary to maintain silence about the huge presence of homosexuality in the church, has made it possible to hide sexual abuse, and for predators to benefit from this system of protection within the institution," he writes.Ironically, Martel's argument finds common cause with American conservatives, who have argued for years that the real roots of the clergy abuse crisis lie not in pedophilia but in homosexuality.That charge was made most famously by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the Vatican's former US ambassador, who accused the Pope in a letter last year of turning a blind eye to the "homosexual networks" responsible for destroying the church from the inside.Confusingly, Martel calls Vigano's letter both "irrefutable" and a blend of "probable facts with pure slander."But ultimately the book provides little for either conservative or liberal Catholics to cheer about. Prominent figures in the papacies of John Paul II and Benedict XVI are portrayed as hypocrites, liars or sexual deviants. Some stories appear to be well-sourced, like the tale of a late Colombian cardinal who allegedly beat male prostitutes. Others are mere rumors.And while the author has some genuinely sharp insights about the distance between the Catholic Church's public and private stances on homosexuality, they are too often buried beneath catty quotes and unverifiable anecdotes."From what I've read," Martin said, "it's hard to determine what is fact and what is fiction."At one point in the book, Martel asks himself why one cardinal agreed to talk to him, despite his reputation as a journalist interested in gay culture."Is it the attraction of the forbidden, a kind of paradoxical dandyism, that led him to see me? Or was it the sense that he was untouchable (the source of so many lapses)?"As Martel's book hits the market next week, those are questions many of his sources may be asking themselves. | 3news
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(CNN)The human toll of the invasion of Ukraine mounted over the weekend as Russia upped its bombardment of civilian areas and infrastructure.As conditions worsened in a number of key Ukrainian cities, the United Nations said more than 1.5 million refugees had fled the country so far.Here's what you need to know about what happened over the weekend. Key cities bombarded as plans for evacuation corridors failWestern intelligence officials say Russia is increasing the pace and strength of strikes on key population centers, including the capital Kyiv, in an effort to bombard cities into submission. Read MoreA Russian military strike hit an evacuation crossing point in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin Sunday, killing eight people, including a family with two children and several other civilians trying to flee the Russian invasion. The harrowing scenes were captured by international media, including the New York Times, filming at the checkpoint. They reported a shell landed as a stream of civilians was coming through.Heavy shelling has continued around Kyiv. The impact of explosions was heard over the weekend by CNN teams in the capital and in rural areas to the southwest. Amid the indiscriminate attacks, Kyiv appealed for international help on Sunday, saying thousands of people were isolated "because of direct hostilities, and in some places for 5-6 days they survive without electricity, water, food, medical help and means of subsistence. They are in direct danger," the Kyiv Regional Military Administration wrote.Residents are evacuated from Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 5, 2022. For the past week, civilians in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, have witnessed Russia's bombardment of residential areas as its military hones in on civilian infrastructure such as schools, shops, hospitals, apartment blocks and churches. This continued over the weekend as Kharkiv's TV tower was targeted in strikes, knocking out television and radio broadcasts, according to local authorities. Ukraine's Emergency Service said a "bombing" that took place on Sunday evening "completely or partially demolished" multi-story residential buildings, administrative buildings, medical institutions, educational institutions and dorms. There were also large-scale fires in 21 buildings in the central part of the city, it added in a statement. Meanwhile, hopes of setting up evacuation corridors for civilians in the southern city of Mariupol were dashed multiple times over the weekend after Ukraine accused Russia of continuing its attacks on those routes. Mariupol, a strategically important port city, has been under siege by Russian forces determined to tighten their grip on Ukraine's south. The city has been without power for days, and it's not clear how many of Mariupol's roughly 400,000 inhabitants have been able to evacuate. But on Sunday the International Committee of the Red Cross said attempts to evacuate some 200,000 people had failed. Also on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was preparing to bomb the Black Sea port city of Odessa in southern Ukraine, adding that the airport in Vynnytsia, in the west of the country, had been destroyed by a rocket strike.Russia has fired a total of 600 missiles since the invasion of Ukraine began, a senior US defense official told CNN on Sunday, and has committed approximately 95% of its amassed combat power inside Ukraine. CNN has not independently confirmed these figures.
Putin dials up threats against West -- as protests mount in RussiaRussian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday issued a series of threats against Ukraine and Western powers, in his first expansive remarks since the invasion began."The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they put under question the future of Ukrainian statehood," Putin said during a meeting with Russian flight crew members at an Aeroflot training center in Moscow. "And if that happens, it will be entirely on their conscience."Putin also said Western sanctions were the "equivalent of a declaration of war," and warned he would consider countries imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine as "participants in a military conflict."Zelensky has repeatedly called on the US and NATO to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but the US and NATO said this was not an option currently being considered. Meanwhile, anti-war rallies that have sprung up across Russia led to at least 4,640 people being detained on Sunday in connection with the protests, according to an independent human rights monitoring group tracking detentions. The OVD-Info group said arrests had been made in 147 cities, and since the invasion began more than 13,000 people had been arrested in Russia over the demonstrations. Harrowing insights into what Russian occupation looks likeWaving Ukrainian flags and chanting, Ukrainians took to the captured streets of Kherson on Saturday, March 5, to protest Russia's occupation.The southern port city of Kherson was seized by Russian forces last week after days of heavy bombardment and shelling. The Ukrainian flag was still hoisted on government buildings, and the mayor of the city, Ihor Kolykhaiev, remained in his post.Kolykhaiev said Saturday that Russian troops were everywhere and that the city of nearly 300,000 people was without power and water and in desperate need of humanitarian aid.Speaking to CNN, residents of Kherson under Russian occupation describe days of terror confined to their apartments and houses, fearful to go outside for even basic necessities. Russian troops are shooting at anyone who attempts to leave, according to the residents. Grocery stores have been emptied and medicine is running out, residents and officials said.On Saturday, several hundred people gathered in the city's center, with one video of the demonstrations showing people walking into Kherson's main square despite volleys of gunfire. On Sunday, further demonstrations occurred in smaller numbers. West moves to counter RussiaThe multinational effort to get weapons into Ukraine has seen an undisclosed airfield near the Ukrainian border become a hub for shipping weapons, a senior Defense Department official said Sunday. The airport's location remains a secret to protect the shipments of weapons, including anti-armor missiles, into Ukraine. The Russian military has not targeted these shipments once they enter Ukraine, the official said, but there is some concern Russia could begin targeting the deliveries as its assault advances.US European Command (EUCOM) is at the heart of the massive shipment operation, using its liaison network with allies and partners to coordinate "in real time" to send materials into Ukraine, a second Defense official said.Meanwhile, an interview with CNN on Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration was "now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil." He also said Sunday that the US has seen reports of Russian abuses in Ukraine that "would constitute a war crime" and that the Biden administration is committed to supporting investigations into the country's actionsTamara Qiblawi reported from Lviv. Ivana KottasovΓ‘, Radina Gigova, Olga Voitovych, Tim Lister and Josh Pennington, reported from Kyiv. Oren Liebermann and Devan Cole reported from Washington. Heather Yamour contributed to the report. Gianluca Mezzofiore reported from London. Tara John and Hafsa Khalil wrote from London. | 3news
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Story highlightsTottenham Hotspur dismiss manager Tim SherwoodSouthampton coach Mauricio Pochettino is favorite to take charge of SpursSherwood dismissal comes shortly after West Brom part ways with Pepe Mel There was barely time for the pea to stop spinning as the final whistle blew on the Premier League season before club owners started the next phase of their insatiable quest for improved fortunes. West Bromwich Albion took less than 24 hours to dispense with the services of Spanish coach Pepe Mel, while Tottenham Hotspur managed to wait just a little longer before sacking Tim Sherwood. The dismissals take the number of Premier League managers sacked in the course of the 2013-2014 season to 12, with West Ham manager Sam Allardyce also in danger of losing his job. Tuesday was also the day when many expected Louis van Gaal to give a concrete update on his chances of joining Manchester United, but the man who will step down as Netherlands coach after the forthcoming World Cup was non-committal. "I'm here as Dutch national team coach, not the future Manchester United coach," Van Gaal told reporters at the training camp in Hoenderloo, before refusing to be drawn further on the subject.Read: Is Man Utd too big a club to manage? The Dutchman has been widely tipped to take charge at Old Trafford, after a tumultuous season in which Ryan Giggs finished as interim manager following the dismissal of David Moyes. Even though Sherwood left White Hart Lane with the best win percentage (59%) of any Spurs manager in the Premier League, he paid the price for failing to keep his emotions in check and to take Spurs into the Champions League. JUST WATCHEDWhat is UEFA financial fair play?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat is UEFA financial fair play? 02:00JUST WATCHEDMoyes out at Manchester UnitedReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMoyes out at Manchester United 02:59JUST WATCHEDNeymar: Protests must be peacefulReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNeymar: Protests must be peaceful 00:28JUST WATCHEDBarnes: Only education will stop racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBarnes: Only education will stop racism 00:30JUST WATCHEDSturridge's World Cup dreamReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSturridge's World Cup dream 01:40Andre Villas-Boas was manager for the first half of the season so Sherwood cannot take all the blame yet he did finish the season 10 points off the Champions League places, having taken charge when the gap was half that tally. "We appointed Tim mid-season as someone who knew both the players and the club," said Tottenham owner Daniel Levy in a statement. "We agreed an 18-month contract with a break clause at the end of the season and we have now exercised that option."Overseeing Sunday's 3-0 defeat of Aston Villa, which enabled Spurs to finish sixth, Sherwood did at least ensure a fourth consecutive season of Europa League football, worth around $14 million to the club. That falls short of the Champions League football that owner Daniel Levy so desperately wants to see, both for its prestige and riches. In addition to the $42 million guaranteed by television money, clubs can also profit by squeezing every last ounce out of their commercial partners given the greater exposure afforded by being part of European football's greatest club competition. Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is favorite to replace Sherwood and if the Argentine can lift the Saints to eighth, can he be the man to take Spurs back to the Champions League for the first time since 2010/11? Such a return would be particularly welcome, especially with the new television deal guaranteeing English clubs at least $67 million when it comes into play for the 2015/16 season. While such sums seem suitably seductive, they are not far off the amount that clubs earn just by staying in the Premier League. Take West Brom's neighbors and rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were pulling in the Premier League pay packed until their relegation in 2012. During the 2011-12 season, the club made a profit of $9.7 million but one year later, they had lost $50 million -- a figure that would have been worse had it not been for the first parachute payment ($27m of $81m) that clubs receive after relegation from the Premier League. It's a reminder to West Brom, who finished the season just one place above the relegation zone, of the importance of getting their next appointment right, following a season in which both Mel and predecessor Steve Clarke were pushed out. | 5sport
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(CNN)Cast an eye over the candidates hoping to succeed Angela Merkel as German Chancellor, and one of the phrases most often used by political pundits describing the Green party's nominee Annalena Baerbock is: "A breath of fresh air."Among a lineup of gray-haired middle-aged men vying for the top job, Baerbock -- a 40-year-old former professional trampolinist -- stands out. Baerbock is the Green party's first ever candidate for chancellor, in September's momentous elections that will see Merkel step down after almost 16 years at the helm.The question is, can Baerbock translate that "breath of fresh air" into real winds of change for Germany? Angela Merkel must beat the pandemic to save her legacy. Time is running outSince announcing Baerbock as their candidate, the Greens have enjoyed a bounce in opinion polls, propelling them into first place ahead of Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) bloc.Read MoreThe Greens' surge coincides with a slump in the CDU/CSU's popularity; the conservatives are mired in corruption scandals, leadership squabbles, and questions over their handling of a ferocious third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.Along with the party's co-leader, Robert Habeck, Baerbock has steered the Greens -- once known as the "anti-party party" -- to the center of German politics."There is something of the Tony Blair about her," said Nicholas Wright, lecturer in EU politics at University College London."The fact that she comes from the pragmatist, realist part of the party, basically saying: 'It's all very well having these ideals and principles, but they don't matter if we can't get into government and do anything.'"Muesli eaters to mainstreamBaerbock grew up on a farm in a small village in Lower Saxony, in what was then West Germany, with her engineer father, social education worker mother, two sisters and two cousins. She was born in 1980 -- the same year Germany's Greens party was founded.As a child, her hippyish parents took her on anti-nuclear demonstrations. "It was a lot more radical back then," Wright said of the party that emerged in the wake of the 1960s student movement. "Militant muesli eaters," was how some critics described them, he added.Much as they are today, the Greens were strongly pro-environment and anti-nuclear. But back then they were also anti-NATO and suspicious of multilateralism. That stance has shifted over the decades.The looming crisis in Brussels that no one is talking aboutBaerbock came of age just as the party was moving from the political fringes to the mainstream; when she was in her late teens, the Greens became junior partners with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) in a ruling coalition. It was a significant moment in the party's journey -- even if journalists at the time still asked Green politicians snide questions about muesli.Fast forward to 2021 and the party's candidate for chancellor is a "strong multilateralist," said Wright. Baerbock supports the European Union, and Germany's role in NATO.That said, she has also been critical of targets for NATO members to spend 2% of their GDP on defense. Jumping up the ranksBefore she entered politics, Baerbock was a champion trampolinist, winning bronze three times in national competitions. "It's a bit of an outsider sport," said Waltraud Schelkle, professor of political economy at the European Institute, London School of Economics."It shows she had a certain self-discipline, ambition, and toughness at an early age."Indeed Baerbock's political rise has been swift. She studied political science and public law at the University of Hamburg, completed a master's degree in international law at the London School of Economics, and for a few years was a journalist at German newspaper Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung.In the mid-2000s Baerbock worked as an assistant to Green MEP Elisabeth Schroedter. After unsuccessfully running for the Bundestag in 2009, Baerbock finally got a seat in 2013; she served as the Greens' climate policy spokesperson, and later its co-leader.Annalena Baerbock has been Greens co-leader with Robert Habeck (right) since 2018. Baerbock now lives in the city of Potsdam, just outside Berlin, with her political consultant husband and two young daughters.She is the "rising star" of German politics, appealing to well-educated, culturally progressive voters, according to Wolfgang Merkel, professor of political science at Berlin's Humboldt University.That said, Baerbock isn't the most charismatic speaker, and has a tendency to focus on the details."Some compare her style to Angela Merkel, because she is not super charismatic, she is not a very funny person," said Helene Bubrowski, political journalist at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, who has interviewed Baerbock in the past.Bubrowski recalled stories about the Greens leader calling colleagues late at night "because she has a question about paragraph three, on a particular page, of an international treaty."On "any kind of green energy, she could talk for hours," added Bubrowski. "It's a very down-to-earth, very pragmatic approach to politics."That's not to say Baerbock doesn't smile or laugh along with others. But when it comes to German politics, "humor is not one of the major virtues you have to have as a politician," said Professor Merkel.The Green center Climate is, unsurprisingly, at the heart of the Greens campaign, and Baerbock is pushing further on the government's already ambitious emissions targets. The party is calling for a 70% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2030, compared to the current government goal of a 55% cut.That would involve ramping up the phase-out of coal and nuclear, in favor of renewables.It would also mean an end to fossil fuel-powered cars on Germany's roads -- a striking pledge for a nation with a proud auto engineering history. When it comes to international affairs, Baerbock has vowed to get tough on Russia, criticizing its military presence on the Ukraine border, and opposing the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. She has taken a hardline on China too, over human rights concerns.To some degree, Merkel's environmental push has paved the way for the Greens' success. The Chancellor "made green policies more mainstream," said Schelkle, "even if she did jump on the bandwagon."Merkel "has forced the Greens to become more middle," Schelke added.Merkel's successor Baerbock's success at the polls will largely hinge on whether the CDU/CSU group's candidate, Armin Laschet, can hold onto Merkel's supporters when the country's second-longest serving chancellor steps down.Laschet is the 60-year-old premier of North Rhine-Westphalia state, a devout Catholic whose father was at one point a coal mining engineer. He was selected as the party's candidate after a torturous leadership tussle, and opinion polls so far suggest he is an unpopular choice for chancellor. North Rhine-Westphalia Governor, Armin Laschet, and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, visit a former coal mine in August 2020. Experts say a win for Baerbock would be a significant milestone for Green politicians across Europe. Were she to emerge victorious in September, Wright said it would bolster "the 'green surge' that seems to have been taking place across the continent in the last few years." He points out that Ireland's Green Party is a member of that country's ruling coalition, while collectively the Greens had their best ever showing in the European Parliament elections in 2019, making them the fourth largest grouping there. "A Green Chancellor in the most powerful [EU] state sends a powerful message of what is possible," Wright added. "With the center-left in the electoral doldrums almost everywhere, the Greens are emerging as a realistic progressive alternative. A win in Germany would be a huge fillip."If Europe's biggest economy was successfully headed by the Greens, "most of the other countries and their citizens would lose their fear that green politics and policies harm welfare and economy," said Professor Merkel.It would "inspire particularly West European politicians that green politics and policies do not only work -- but pay out electorally as well," he said.But September is a long way off, and victory is far from certain -- a lot depends on whether the CDU/CSU's supporters unite behind Laschet.By German political standards, Baerbock -- a young woman with two small children and relatively little political experience -- is the more "adventurous" option for voters, said Bubrowski. And German voters are "not very adventurous," she added. "I don't think she's already won the election -- there's still some way to go." | 3news
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(CNN)The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6 was a seminal moment in American politics and our country's history. It was the logical result of a president who lied to the country about, well, just about everything -- including that he lost the 2020 election. It was a slashing wound on the body politics, one that is still scarring over.North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R) doesn't see it that way. Or at least he hasn't grasped that angry and inflammatory rhetoric in the service of political expedience has real-world consequences.In a speech at a county event for the North Carolina GOP, Cawthorn said that the 2020 election was "rigged" and "stolen"( it wasn't) and that reality (it's not) would "lead to one place, and that's bloodshed."He wasn't done! Added Cawthorn:"And I will tell you, as much as I am willing to defend our liberty at all costs, there's nothing that I would dread doing more than having to pick up arms against a fellow American. And the way that we can have recourse against that is if we all passionately demand that we have election security in all 50 states."Read MoreDon't make him lead a violent uprising, America: Admit that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump despite the fact that there is ZERO evidence of widespread election fraud despite a slew of recounts and lawsuits brought by the Trump forces!
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Cawthorn spokesman Luke Ball told CNN that he was "CLEARLY advocating for violence not to occur over election integrity questions." Which, well, no, it's not at all clear.See, because when you demand that people acknowledge a falsehood (the "Big Lie" that the election was stolen) or else, then you're not really advocating against violence. And if that's your goal -- as Cawthorn's spokesman suggested it is -- then you need to articulate it far, far better than the congressman did.Given what we saw happen on January 6 -- five people dead, more than 100 police officers injured, 500-plus people arrested for their roles on that day -- the only responsible thing for lawmakers in both parties is to completely condemn the attempted use of force to change an election reality that they don't like.Cawthorn, even if you give him the benefit of the doubt about what he meant to say, isn't doing that. What is he doing? Playing to the Trumpist base of the Republican Party by continuing to push the Big Lie because he knows that it guarantees applause.Dangerous rhetoric doesn't simply drift into the ether. It finds its way into the ears and minds of people who don't know that politicians are simply posturing for praise. They think this is the truth. And they get angry when someone like Cawthorn says the election was stolen. So when words like "bloodshed" are thrown out and calls to "defend our liberty at all costs" are made, there is a segment of people hearing those messages that wants to do something about it.None of this, unfortunately, is a theoretical discussion. January 6 happened. And unless elected officials like Cawthorn grasp the responsibility they bear to tell people the truth about the election, there's every reason to believe there will be future incidents that echo the insurrection at the US Capitol. | 4politics
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(CNN)Former New York city mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg is putting $20 million behind Democratic efforts to flip the Senate in the 2018 midterm elections. The donation will go to the Senate Majority PAC, the main vehicle for the Democratic Party's push to retake the majority in the Senate. Bloomberg was already slated to be one of the largest Democratic donors of the cycle after he pledged to spend $80 million on Democratic congressional candidates earlier this year. But by adding $20 million to his planned spending -- bringing the expected spending to around $100 million -- Bloomberg is firmly positioning himself with Democrats as he contemplates challenging Trump in 2020."Mayor Bloomberg is a critical ally in our quest to win Senate races in every corner of the country," said JB Poersch, president of Senate Majority PAC. "Mayor Bloomberg's contribution is another indicator that Democrats have real opportunity to take back the Senate."The Washington Post first reported the move. Read MoreThe donation is a boon for the Democratic organization, which had just over $29 million in the bank at the end of August despite raising over $95 million since January 2017, according to the Federal Election Commission.Bloomberg says he's undecided on 2020Democrats' chances of taking back the Senate have improved in recent months, despite the fact that the party is defending 26 seats in November, including two held by independents. While the party finds itself with difficult races in Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota, the possibility that Democrats could unexpectedly win in Tennessee and Texas and flip seats in Nevada and Arizona has opened up the narrow possibility that the party could control the legislative body come 2019.Republicans currently hold a 51-49 advantage in the Senate.Bloomberg adviser Kevin Sheekey said in a statement that the former mayor's decision to donate to the group stems directly from his view of Republican leaders like Sen. Mitch McConnell."Mike was extraordinary disappointed in the Republican leadership in the Senate and feels increasingly passionate about changing it," Sheekey said. "And he's already enthusiastic about the impact he's having on House races and increasingly confident that he can contribute to a Democratic takeover."Speaking with CNN in September, Bloomberg said he was undecided on whether to run for President in 2020, but people close to him have said he is carefully eying a run against Trump."Right now I'm only focused on the midterms," Bloomberg told CNN's Fareed Zakaria. "I believe that the Republicans have not done what they should have done in terms of providing some counterbalance to the executive branch."He later said he would think about running after November.Bloomberg told the New York Times this year that if he were to run for President in 2020 it would be as a Democrat, not as a Republican, and his donations in 2018 are a clear sign that he is trying to deepen his ties to a party whose politics have moved away from left-leaning independents like the former mayor. | 4politics
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London (CNN)Prince Harry and Meghan will move to Windsor early next year as they prepare for the arrival of their first child, Kensington Palace has announced.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have lived in Nottingham Cottage -- a house within the grounds of Kensington Palace in London -- since they were engaged last year.Prince Harry reveals why Charles walked Meghan up the aisle Their new home will be Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate, west of London, the palace said.According to the statement, the Duke and Duchess's official office will continue to be based at Kensington Palace, where Harry's elder brother Prince William lives with his family.The couple's wedding in May took place at Queen Elizabeth's residence Windsor Castle, and their wedding reception was held at Frogmore House, near their new marital home. Kensington Palace said Windsor was a "very special place" for Harry and Meghan, and "they are grateful that their official residence will be on the estate."Read More Photos: Royal Wedding: Official photographsThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex have released the official photographs taken on their wedding day by renowned fashion and portrait photographer Alexi Lubomirski.Hide Caption 1 of 3 Photos: Royal Wedding: Official photographsHide Caption 2 of 3 Photos: Royal Wedding: Official photographsHide Caption 3 of 3The couple are expecting their first child, who will be seventh in line to the British throne, in the spring of 2019. The announcement that Meghan was pregnant was made five months after the couple wed in a starry ceremony at Windsor Castle.Meghan, 37, and Harry, 34, had previously expressed their desire for a family in an interview shortly after their engagement was announced in November 2016. When asked about children, Harry said they planned to take things "one step at a time, and hopefully we'll start a family in the near future."Two months earlier, at an official engagement in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Meghan joked while looking at innovative baby products, "I'm sure at some point we'll need the whole lot." | 3news
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A version of this story appeared in CNN's Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here. (CNN)Covered from head to toe in a white hazmat suit, a small child carrying a backpack half the size of his body toddles down a hospital corridor and arrives at a CT scan room -- all by himself."A 4-year-old boy has been infected (with Covid-19), unfortunately," a caption in the video reads. "No accompanying parents. Going to quarantine alone."The scene, captured by a nurse at a quarantine hospital in the city of Putian, the epicenter of China's latest Delta variant outbreak, gripped millions of people when it went viral on Chinese social media this week."It makes my heart ache," said one of the top comments on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform. "My eyes are getting teary," said another.The video serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of China's prized zero-Covid policy, which has helped the country quell multiple resurgences of the virus. The elimination playbook consists of placing entire neighborhoods under lockdown, testing millions of residents in a matter of days, and swiftly isolating infected people and their close contacts in designated facilities.Read MoreThis time, the strict measures were applied to schoolchildren -- among whom the outbreak was first detected and spread quickly. In Putian, 57 of its recently reported 129 cases are under the age of 12, according to the government. To prevent further transmission, infected children as young as kindergarten age are separated from their parents and put in hospital isolation.In a news conference Thursday, the Putian government said China's epidemic control rules bar Covid patients from any company during isolation and treatment. But if a child and their parent are both infected, the hospital would try to arrange them to stay in the same ward, an official said.Initially, some children who came into contact with the infected but tested negative were also quarantined away from their parents. That policy was later relaxed, with children under 14 allowed to stay with their parents or other family members in quarantine -- but isolation for infected children remains.Zhu Xiaqing, the nurse who took the video at the quarantine hospital, told the local Fujian Health Daily newspaper her eyes were wet with tears when she saw an ambulance full of children arriving, all sealed up in hazmat suits. They had arrived late because a child didn't want to leave home and was crying for two hours before being coaxed into the ambulance, she said.Upon arrival, the children had CT scans by themselves. Some were so young they couldn't climb onto the scanning table and had to be picked up by a doctor, Zhu said."Seeing little children all alone by themselves, without parents by their sides, in a hospital (they are) unfamiliar and scared of -- at that moment my heart really ached," she added.On Weibo, some users questioned why children this young couldn't be accompanied by their parents. Others pointed out their parents were likely put in centralized quarantine in other facilities as close contacts of the infected."It's basically a strategy of 'rather killing a thousand by mistake than letting one go,'" said Jin Dongyan, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong. "Children shouldn't have needed to undergo such extreme quarantine measures. This is the social cost of the zero-tolerance approach."Government workers stop a biker at the entrance to a residential block under lockdown in Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian province on September 14.The strict -- and often hectic -- implementation of containment measures has sparked discontent before. In June, hundreds of residents in Foshan, Guangdong province, protested against weeks of prolonged lockdowns on their neighborhoods. Footage of the rally was swiftly scrubbed from the internet, while on social media, those who criticized or questioned the zero-Covid policy were attacked and muffled by online nationalists.The zero-Covid strategy still enjoys broad support among the wider Chinese public, many of whom have grown accustomed to the benefits associated with Covid-free living and remain fearful of the virus -- partly due to unrelenting state media coverage on the devastation the pandemic has caused abroad."The success of the stringent approach is partly built on public fear. This is not ideal," Jin said. "The correct way is to tell the public the truth (about the need to coexist with the virus), which is the only sustainable way going forward."Across the world, a growing list of countries have opened up after mass vaccinations. Others, such as Singapore and Australia, are also shifting away from the zero-Covid strategy to a new approach of learning to live with the virus.But the Chinese government has remained reluctant to lift border restrictions, despite huge achievements in its vaccination drive. On Thursday, China said it had fully inoculated 1 billion people with domestically made vaccines -- accounting for 71% of its population of 1.4 billion. The vaccination rate is higher than that of many countries which have opened their borders, including the United Kingdom (64.8%) and the United States (53.4%). Jin, the expert at the University of Hong Kong, said authorities are worried about the efficacy of the vaccines. Chinese officials have revealed that some of the early cases in a previous Delta outbreak were fully vaccinated."(They're concerned) that the social immunity is not strong enough. They don't have enough confidence in the vaccines," he said.China is now offering booster shots to fully vaccinated people working at borders, customs, quarantine facilities, Covid hospitals and the aviation industry, according to the National Health Commission, but it remains to be seen how long the effect of that extra shot will last.For the time being, the Chinese government is likely to stick to its zero-tolerance approach as it attempts to boost public immunity, but it will eventually need to learn to live with Covid, Jin said."It might go on for another year or two. But China can't shut its doors forever," he said.At the quarantine hospital in Putian, medical workers have come up with various ways to comfort the infected children. They decorated the isolation wards and corridors with cartoon paintings, and provided the kids with children's books, toys and stationary. Nurses also looked after their daily needs and played games with them, according to state media.But some worry that's not enough."During the day, it might be okay, but at night the kids will still be scared!" said a comment on Weibo.Astronauts start the journey homeAstronauts in the Tiangong space station on video call with researchers on Earth via video link on September 3.The three Chinese astronauts living in space for 90 days have returned to Earth, marking an end to China's longest-ever crewed mission.The astronauts -- Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo -- were sent in June to the core module of China's planned space station, called Tiangong or Heavenly Palace, which is still under construction in a low-Earth orbit.The crew boarded the Shenzhou-12 spacecraft on Thursday and touched down at the Gobi desert in Inner Mongolia on Friday afternoon, state news agency Xinhua reported.During their three months at the space station, the astronauts conducted two spacewalks to test their equipment, new-generation spacesuits and life maintenance systems. Their mission is a major step in China's plan to complete the space station by December 2022, when it's expected to be fully crewed and operational.Before then, China plans to send three more manned spacecraft and two laboratory modules to the space station.It's an ambitious target for China's rapidly expanding space program, which has received billions of dollars in government investment and achieved a litany of other milestones in recent years -- including landing a lunar probe in a previously unexplored area of the moon last December, and landing a rover on Mars in May.Their ambitions don't end there. Earlier this year, the Chinese government signed an agreement with Russia to work together to build a moon base. China is also planning to launch crewed missions to Mars and deploy a massive space-based, commercial-scale solar power plant by 2050. -- By Jessie YeungChina faces a potential Lehman moment. Wall Street is unfazedThe implosion of Lehman Brothers, 13 years ago this week, showed how the collapse of a single entity can send shockwaves around the world.Echoes from that event are resounding today as a massive property developer on the other side of the world teeters on the brink of default.The risk is the collapse of Evergrande, a Chinese real estate company with a staggering $300 billion of debt outstanding, could set off a chain reaction that spreads overseas."Some fear an Evergrande meltdown will have systemic risks on par with the impact Lehman Brothers' demise had on the US stock market," Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, wrote in a note to clients Thursday. Like Lehman in its heyday, Evergrande is massive, suggesting a default would be felt widely. The company has 200,000 employees, raked in more than $110 billion in sales last year and has more than 1,300 developments, according to Reuters.Wall Street is keeping close tabs on the Evergrande situation, which highlights the extraordinary amount of borrowing Chinese companies and families have taken on over the years. Yet there are no signs that investors think an Evergrande default will infect US markets or the domestic economy.For now, investors seem confident authorities in Beijing would use their vast control over the Chinese economy to limit the damage. And there is no evidence, at least so far, of contagion in US markets."I don't think the Evergrande meltdown, and the financial problems of Chinese property companies more broadly, will reverberate back on the US economy or markets," Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, told CNN."We think that the 'China's Lehman moment' narrative is wide of the mark," Simon MacAdam, senior global economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a note on Thursday.David Kotok, co-founder and chief investment officer of Cumberland Advisors, agrees, dismissing Evergrande as a "Chinese domestic credit problem.""It does not look as if it has any contagion effects on American companies or American financial markets," Kotok said. "We see no credit spread widening."Credit spreads, the difference between corporate bonds and ultra-safe Treasury rates, remain very narrow. That's a sign that investors aren't worried -- especially given the Federal Reserve's unprecedented support for the economy and markets. Of course, that can change in a heartbeat."I would change my view at once if I saw any contagion or spillover" into the world's biggest economies, Kotok said.The US Treasury Department declined to comment on the Evergrande situation.Read more on CNN Business.-- By Matt EganAround AsiaFor more than 20 years, Australia tried to maintain good relations with both the United States and China. But on Thursday, with the announcement of a new security deal with the US and the United Kingdom, which will see Australia eventually field nuclear-powered submarines, Canberra made its position clear -- it has chosen Washington over Beijing.The government of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said it will not cooperate with an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into his notorious war on drugs, or allow any investigators into the country.Japan is drawing a red line around an island chain also claimed by China, pushing back at Beijing's increasingly aggressive military posturing, and setting the stage for a potential showdown between the region's two biggest powers, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told CNN in an interview. | 3news
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Story highlightsMaria Sharapova suffers shock defeat at the Australian OpenThe third seed loses in three sets to Slovakia's Dominika CibulkovaWorld No. 1 Rafael Nadal into the quarterfinals after beating Japan's Kei NishikoriFourth seed Andy Murray also into the last eight with a win over Stephane RobertFirst Serena Williams, now Maria Sharapova. Another day at the Australian Open, another top female star out of the season's first grand slam.One day after world No. 1 Williams was dumped out in Melbourne, third seed Sharapova followed suit as she surrendered a one-set lead against Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova to lose 3-6 6-4 6-1.It was the second time 20th seed Cibulkova has beaten the Russian at a grand slam and Sharapova, who required treatment on a hip injury between the second and third sets, admitted her performances in Melbourne have not been good enough."I haven't been playing the best tennis of this tournament, but I found ways to get through to the last two matches," Sharapova, a winner of this tournament in 2008, told reporters."Tried to do that again today, but she played extremely well."Sharapova, a four-time grand slam winner, refused to blame the injury for her surprise defeat. Photos: Australian Open hots up Photos: Australian Open hots upAustralian Open hots up β Li Na faced a battle to stay cool and to stay in the Australian Open against Lucie Safarova.Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upMedical treatment β Li's compatriot Zheng Jie needed medical treatment for heat stress during her 6-2 6-4 defeat by Casey Dellacqua. "I felt so hot, my mind wasn't working," said Zheng. "I was looking at the ball, but I couldn't focus on it. Then I couldn't concentrate. This weather is very difficult for me.Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upSleepless nights β Serena Williams looked in complete control during her straight-sets win over Vesna Dolonc on Wednesday, but the top seed admitted to waking up in the middle of the night due to fears over dehydration.Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upIce cool β Maria Sharapova wrapped ice around her neck in a bid to keep cool during her first round win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands.Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upIt's a hot Juan β Playing early in the day on Tuesday, Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro felt the heat during his win over American Rhyne Williams.Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upFainting β It all got to much for Canadian Frank Dancevic who fainted during his match with Frenchman Benoit Paire.Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upKeeping cool β Italy's 15th seed Fabio Fognini took an outdoor shower in a bid to stay cool. Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upSplish splash β Some fans also adopted the Fognini approach... Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upExposed to the elements β While supporters in the Rod Laver Arena could at least take cover under its roof, fans on the outside courts were exposed to the elements.Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upStrike a pose β With temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius at the Australian Open, sport scientist Dr. Ross Tucker suggests any player hoping to succeed Down Under should take up Bikram Yoga.Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upHot shot β Men's fourth seed Andy Murray is a long-term practitioner of bikram yoga. Clearly comfortable in the heat, he's reached the final in Melbourne in three of the last four years, though the Scot has questioned if the players' health is being put at risk.Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Australian Open hots upBeach party β While some chose to head to Melbourne Park, other Melbournians chose to hit St. Kilda beach.Hide Caption 12 of 12 Photos: Who will be the next men's tennis star? Photos: Who will be the next men's tennis star?'Baby Fed' β Grigor Dimitrov won his first ATP Tour title in October 2013, and is seeking to make his own name in the game after being compared to a young Roger Federer during his early years on the scene. Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Who will be the next men's tennis star?Big hitter β Giant Pole Jerzy Janowicz came to grand slam prominence when he reached the semifinals at Wimbledon 2013, losing to eventual champion Andy Murray. The previous year he made it to the final of the Paris Masters.Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Who will be the next men's tennis star?The next level β Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta is hoping to make the step up this year after impressing on the second-tier Challenger circuit, winning a string of titles in 2013.Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Who will be the next men's tennis star?Rocketman Raonic β Big-serving Milos Raonic, hailed by some as the next Pete Sampras, was the ATP's rookie of the year in 2011 and has already won five titles, but the Canadian is still to get past the fourth round of a grand slam. Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Who will be the next men's tennis star?'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie' β Former junior world No. 1 Nick Kyrgios is hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Bernard Tomic in establishing himself on the senior circuit. While injury ended Tomic's 2014 Australian Open, Kyrgios won his opening match to the delight of the home crowd.Hide Caption 5 of 5"I don't think it's rocket science," added the 26-year-old. "Just when you play a lot of tennis, you're going to get these types of aches and pains and certain movements that you feel it on."Cibulkova's reward for reaching the last eight at Melbourne Park for the first time in her career is a match against 11th seed Simona Halep, who also eliminated a top 10 player in world No. 8 Jelena Jankovic.Sharapova's loss means double defending champion Victoria Azarenka is now the red hot favorite to win a third consecutive Australian Open title.Azarenka's cause will be helped by cooler temperatures, with players finally granted respite from last week's scorching heat.The world No. 2 is the only former champion left in the women's draw after she confidently dispatched American rising star Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2.Although her chief rivals for the title have been eliminated, Azarenka is taking nothing for granted ahead of a meeting with fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska."The players who beat those players deserve all the credit because they've been better, so they are dangerous and they are competitive," said Belarus' Azarenka. Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fears Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fearsUnhappy memory β Novak Djokovic contemplates his fate ahead of his retirement with heat exhaustion in a quarterfinal match against Andy Roddick at the Australian Open in 2009.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fearsCooling treatment β Djokovic used ice-soaked towels in an attempt to cool down in the searing afternoon temperatures in Melbourne.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fearsConstant problem β Spectators wear towels to beat the heat as Tatsuma Ito of Japan played Nicolas Mahut of France on the fourth day of the 2012 tournament in Melbourne. Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fearsSharapova nightmare β Maria Sharapova described conditions as "inhuman" after her infamous 2007 encounter at Melbourne Park with France's Camille Pin. Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fearsWater treatment β Spectators during the 2009 tournament use a time-honored fashion to cool themselves down in the blazing heat.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Feeling the heat: Australian Open fearsHot Scot β Andy Murray tries to acclimatize himself to the searing conditions during the hottest championship on record in 2009 at Melbourne Park.Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana Ivanovic Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicCrossroads β Ana Ivanovic is at a major crossroads in her career, heading into the new season with hopes of breaking back into the world top 10 for the first time since May 2009 after an injury-plagued few years.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicNew kid on the block β At the age of 17 she stormed to the quarterfinals of the 2005 French Open, knocking out third seed Amelie Mauresmo in the process.Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicOne and only β Three years later, the Serbian clinched her maiden grand slam with a win at the French Open in 2008 and was the world No. 1 for the first time in her career. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicChanges β The 26-year-old has hired and fired a number of different coaches over the years, including former head of English women's tennis Nigel Sears, who she split with in July 2013 after crashing out in the second round at Wimbledon.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicDownward spiral β She slid as low as 65th in the rankings in July 2010 after a series of injuries, and has not reached the final four of a grand slam since her French Open win in 2008.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicMoney, money, money β While her on-court success has plummeted, Ivanovic's financial fortunes appear more resilient. Forbes rated her as the ninth highest-paid female athlete in 2013 with total earnings of $7 million -- largely thanks to lucrative sponsorship deals.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicIt must be love? β Ivanovic has had a string of high-profile boyfriends to help distract her, including Masters-winning golfer Adam Scott (left) and Spanish tennis player Fernando Verdasco.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicRole model β Ivanovic became a UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia in September 2007. She has also appeared on the cover of magazines around the world such as FHM, Grazia, Vanity Fair and Cosmopolitan.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicGood start β Ivanovic kicked off 2014 in style by winning the WTA even in Auckland, New Zealand, beating fellow former world No. 1 Venus Williams in the final to claim the 12th title of her career.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: The rise and fall and rise of Ana IvanovicMelbourne mission β Ivanovic will take her bid for a second grand slam title to the Australian Open, where she was runner-up in 2008 and lost in the fourth round the last two years. Hide Caption 10 of 10"For me it's important to just, you know, keep focusing on my game and play it one at a time. Quarterfinals of a grand slam is never easy, no matter who you play."While the women's draw is turning out unexpected results, the men's half is proving altogether more predictable.World No. 1 Rafael Nadal registered a straight-sets win over Japan's Kei Nishikori which was far more difficult than the scoreline would suggest.The 13-time grand slam champion had his serve broken four times and he was made to sweat by 16th seed Nishikori before wrapping up a 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 7-6 (7-3) win.Nadal will continue his bid for a second career win at the season-opening grand slam against Bulgarian No. 22 Gregor Dimitrov.Three-time finalist Andy Murray didn't have it all his own way during his round of 16 victory over Frenchman Stephane Robert.The world No. 4 looked unflappable as he raced into a 6-1 6-2 lead, but Robert, ranked 119th, rallied to take a third set tie break.Eventually Murray's class told and the Scot secured a 6-1 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 win, with 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer awaiting in the quarterfinals.Sixth seed Federer looked in ominous form as he swept aside No. 10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 7-5 6-4, showing glimpses of the talent which brought him four Australian Open titles between 2004 and 2010.Read: Why Ana Ivanovic is having more funBlog: Five rising tennis stars to watch | 5sport
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London (CNN)Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has used the historic milestone of her Platinum Jubilee to redefine the future of the monarchy, calling for the Duchess of Cornwall to be known as Queen Camilla when Charles becomes King.When Charles married Camilla in 2005, the couple announced she intended to be known as "Princess Consort" despite having a right to the title of Queen. It was seen as a recognition of the sensitivities around a title that was destined for Charles' first wife, Diana.It's the same reason Camilla doesn't use the title of Princess of Wales.The Queen would be expected to consult her direct heirs Charles and William before making such a significant announcement about titles, which suggests they both agreed and felt the British public is ready to accept Camilla as Queen.The 95-year-old monarch laid out her vision for institution's transition in an extraordinary message released as she reached the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne.Read More"I would like to express my thanks to you all for your support. I remain eternally grateful for, and humbled by, the loyalty and affection that you continue to give me," the Queen said."And when, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service." Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneWhen her father died in 1952, Elizabeth II β then just 25 years old β became the Queen of England.Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneKing George VI, left, is joined by his wife, Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret as he leaves an airport in London on January 31, 1952. They had waved farewell to Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, who were heading on a royal tour.Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneDuring her royal tour, Princess Elizabeth attends a polo match in Nyeri, Kenya, on February 3, 1952.Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the thronePrincess Elizabeth and Prince Philip wave to Kenyans from the balcony of Nairobi's City Hall on February 4, 1952. Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneLondoners read the news of King George's death on February 6, 1952. He was 56 years old when he died in his sleep from a coronary thrombosis.Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneThe flag flies at half-staff at Windsor Castle following the King's death.Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the thronePrime Minister Winston Churchill leaves St. James's Palace after attending a meeting of the Accession Council, which is automatically summoned on the death of the sovereign.Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneElizabeth, now the new Queen, returns from Kenya on February 7, 1952.Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneElizabeth and Philip are greeted on their arrival in London.Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneGerald Wollaston, the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, reads the proclamation of the Queen's accession on February 8, 1952.Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneA ceremony for the proclamation is held on February 8, 1952.Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneThe Queen and her family arrives for her father's funeral procession on February 15, 1952.Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneKing George's coffin is guarded at Westminster Hall in London.Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneCrowds line the route of the King's funeral procession.Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneForeign heads of state and their representatives march in the King's funeral procession.Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: 70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II took the throneThe funeral procession of King George makes its way through London.Hide Caption 16 of 16It's a hugely significant intervention from the monarch, who is the only person who can define royal titles.Camilla became something of a public pariah following the breakdown of Charles and Diana's union in the mid-90s.JUST WATCHEDThe British Royal family explained: Who's the 'firm' and how does it work?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe British Royal family explained: Who's the 'firm' and how does it work? 05:14Diana had blamed Camilla for ruining her marriage, saying in a 1995 television interview, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." A year earlier, Charles had also appeared on television and confessed his infidelity, but maintained he had only been unfaithful once his marriage had crumbled.Positive public sentiment for the Princess of Wales was only further cemented when she was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.In the intervening years, Camilla retreated to the shadows, supporting Charles quietly from a distance.But as time has gone by, sentiment toward the Duchess of Cornwall has softened. And the Queen's moves to future-proof the monarchy reflects Camilla is no longer viewed as the royal mistress but a central figure in "the firm." On Saturday, Prince Charles and Camilla announced they were "touched and honoured by Her Majesty's words" according to a spokesperson.Elizabeth ascended to the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI, at the age of 56.Analysis: It's been 70 years since the Queen took the throne, but she's not celebrating yetThroughout her reign, Elizabeth has often used landmark moments to reaffirm her devotion to her duties, and did so once more in her message on Saturday, despite the fact she is nearing her 96th birthday."As we mark this anniversary, it gives me pleasure to renew to you the pledge I gave in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to your service," she said.The Queen also expressed "a sense of hope and optimism" for the year ahead, before conveying her gratitude to her family for their support and paying tribute to her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh."I was blessed that in Prince Philip I had a partner willing to carry out the role of consort and unselfishly make the sacrifices that go with it. It is a role I saw my own mother perform during my father's reign," she shared.The monarch ended her message by restating she looked forward "to continuing to serve you with all my heart" and shared her hope her jubilee would provide an opportunity for people to come together after the difficulties of recent years. Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history.Hide Caption 1 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth was born April 21, 1926, in London. She is held here by her mother, also named Elizabeth. Her father would later become King George VI.Hide Caption 2 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth poses for a photo at her London home in 1928.Hide Caption 3 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth is seen with her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, during a visit to Balmoral, Scotland, in September 1933. He would go on to become King Edward VIII in 1936. But when he abdicated later that year, Elizabeth's father became King and she became heir presumptive.Hide Caption 4 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II From left, Princess Elizabeth, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret wave to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on June 22, 1939.Hide Caption 5 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth rides a horse in Windsor, England, in 1940. Her love of horses has been well documented.Hide Caption 6 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II A 14-year-old Elizabeth, right, sits next to her sister for a radio broadcast on October 13, 1940. On the broadcast, her first, she said that England's children were full of cheerfulness and courage.Hide Caption 7 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth shakes hands with an officer of the Grenadier Guards on May 29, 1942. King George VI made Elizabeth an honorary colonel in the Royal Army regiment.Hide Caption 8 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth, right, and Princess Margaret wear summer dresses circa 1942. Margaret is Elizabeth's only sibling.Hide Caption 9 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II With the Drakensberg Mountains behind her, Princess Elizabeth sits in South Africa's Natal National Park on April 21, 1947. It was her 21st birthday.Hide Caption 10 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth wed Prince Philip, a lieutenant in the British Navy who had been born into the royal families of Greece and Denmark. After becoming a British citizen and renouncing his Greek title, Philip became His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His wife became the Duchess of Edinburgh.Hide Caption 11 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Princess Elizabeth arrives at a state banquet in London in March 1950.Hide Caption 12 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth ascended to the throne in February 1952, when her father died of lung cancer at the age of 56. Here, she walks to the altar during her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953.Hide Caption 13 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II is photographed on the balcony of Melbourne's Government House during her tour of Australia in March 1954.Hide Caption 14 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II From left, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother visit Epsom Downs Racecourse in June 1958.Hide Caption 15 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen holds her son Prince Andrew while his sister, Princess Anne, watches during a family holiday at Scotland's Balmoral Castle in September 1960. The Queen has four children, including sons Charles and Edward.Hide Caption 16 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II is seen during the state opening of Parliament in April 1966.Hide Caption 17 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II with her oldest son, Prince Charles, in 1969. Charles is next in line for the throne.Hide Caption 18 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles adjusts his coronet during his investiture ceremony as Prince of Wales in 1969.Hide Caption 19 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and Prince Philip wave from a plane ramp shortly before taking off from Tokyo in May 1975.Hide Caption 20 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen takes a portrait at Windsor Castle for her 50th birthday on April 21, 1976.Hide Caption 21 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen meets the crowds during her royal tour of New Zealand in 1977.Hide Caption 22 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth walks with some of her corgis at the Windsor Horse Trials in May 1980.Hide Caption 23 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen stands next to Prince Charles as he kisses his new bride, Princess Diana, on July 29, 1981.Hide Caption 24 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth takes pictures of her husband during a horse show in Windsor in May 1982.Hide Caption 25 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth drives her Land Rover during the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 1992.Hide Caption 26 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II While at Buckingham Palace, the Queen and Prince Philip view the floral tributes to Princess Diana after her tragic death in 1997.Hide Caption 27 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen addresses the nation on the night before Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.Hide Caption 28 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles looks back at his mother after wedding Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in April 2005.Hide Caption 29 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen, second from right, greets a crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on April 29, 2011. Her grandson Prince William, third from left, had just married Catherine Middleton.Hide Caption 30 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen's signature is seen in the visitors book at Aras An Uachtarain, the Irish President's official residence in Dublin in May 2011.Hide Caption 31 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Madame Tussauds London reveals a wax figure of the Queen in May 2012.Hide Caption 32 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles kisses his mother's hand on stage as singer Paul McCartney, far right, looks on at the Diamond Jubilee concert in June 2012. The Diamond Jubilee celebrations marked Elizabeth's 60th anniversary as Queen.Hide Caption 33 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen tours the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London in December 2012.Hide Caption 34 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II A boy in Belfast, Northern Ireland, takes a selfie in front of the Queen in June 2014.Hide Caption 35 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen enters the Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle after attending a commemorative service for the Scottish National War Memorial in July 2014.Hide Caption 36 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen waits to give her speech during the state opening of Parliament in May 2015.Hide Caption 37 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth listens to her great-grandson, Prince George, outside a church where George's sister, Charlotte, was being christened in July 2015. George and Charlotte are the children of Prince William, left, and Duchess Catherine.Hide Caption 38 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen takes a photo with five of her great-grandchildren and her two youngest grandchildren in April 2016.Hide Caption 39 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen poses with four of her dogs on the private grounds of Windsor Castle in April 2016.Hide Caption 40 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and Prince Philip wave to guests in London who were attending celebrations for her 90th birthday in 2016.Hide Caption 41 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth speaks to Evie Mills, 14, at a hospital in Manchester, England, in May 2017. Evie was injured in a bombing that took place as people left an Ariana Grande concert.Hide Caption 42 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen sits at a desk in Buckingham Palace after recording her Christmas Day broadcast in 2017.Hide Caption 43 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen arrives for the wedding of her grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018. Hide Caption 44 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during a bridge-opening ceremony in Halton, England, in June 2018. It was Meghan's first royal outing without her husband, Prince Harry, by her side.Hide Caption 45 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and US President Donald Trump inspect a guard of honor during Trump's visit to Windsor Castle in July 2018.Hide Caption 46 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen looks at her new great-grandchild, Archie, in May 2019. Archie is the first child of Prince Harry, second from left, and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. Prince Philip is on the far left. Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, is next to her at right.Hide Caption 47 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen welcomes Boris Johnson at Buckingham Palace, where she formally invited him to become Prime Minister in July 2019. Johnson won the UK's Conservative Party leadership contest and replaced Theresa May, who was forced into resigning after members of her Cabinet lost confidence in her inability to secure the UK's departure from the European Union.Hide Caption 48 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II An image of the Queen appears in London's Piccadilly Square, alongside a message of hope from her special address to the nation in April 2020.Hide Caption 49 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen rides a horse in Windsor, England, in May 2020. It was her first public appearance since the coronavirus lockdown began in the United Kingdom.Hide Caption 50 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and Prince Philip pose for a photo in June 2020, ahead of Philip's 99th birthday.Hide Caption 51 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and Prince Philip look at a homemade anniversary card that was given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in November 2020.Hide Caption 52 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen takes her seat alone at Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021. The ceremony was limited to 30 people, in line with England's coronavirus restrictions.Hide Caption 53 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen opens Parliament in May 2021. It was her first major engagement since her husband's death.Hide Caption 54 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen receives a Duke of Edinburgh rose from Keith Weed, president of the Royal Horticultural Society, in June 2021. The newly bred rose was officially named in honor of Prince Philip.Hide Caption 55 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen meets with US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle in June 2021.Hide Caption 56 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen drives her Range Rover as she attends the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Windsor, England, in July 2021.Hide Caption 57 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen attends the Royal Windsor Cup polo match and a carriage-driving display by the British Driving Society in July 2021.Hide Caption 58 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, greet guests during a Windsor Castle reception for international business and investment leaders in October 2021.Hide Caption 59 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen cuts a cake to celebrate the start of her Platinum Jubilee in February 2022. It has been 70 years since the Queen took the throne in 1952.Hide Caption 60 of 61 Photos: The life of Queen Elizabeth II The Queen meets with Rear Admiral James Macleod, the outgoing Defence Services secretary, and Macleod's successor, Major General Eldon Millar, at Windsor Castle in February 2022. It was a few days before Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen tested positive for Covid-19.Hide Caption 61 of 61Traditionally, the Queen marks her Accession Day at her countryside retreat of Sandringham in Norfolk, about 100 miles north of London. It's a chance for her to reflect upon the death of her father away from the glare of the public. In keeping with previous years, no public engagements are expected on Sunday.The nation will have the chance to honor the monarch's historic reign in a series of jubilee-themed festivities set to take place throughout the year, culminating in a blockbuster, four-day public holiday in June.Over the long weekend, beacons will be lit across the United Kingdom; Buckingham Palace will host a music concert; street parties are being encouraged; and a pageant will bring together more than 5,000 personnel, performers, key workers and volunteers from the UK and the Commonwealth.JUST WATCHEDQueen Elizabeth's history with US PresidentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHQueen Elizabeth's history with US Presidents 02:00However, the Queen did host a special reception earlier Saturday for some Sandringham community members on the eve of her Platinum Jubilee.Decoding the Queen's colorful styleShe welcomed pensioners and representatives from several local charities to the Sandringham House ballroom to celebrate her historic milestone with cake.One of those in attendance was former cookery student Angela Wood, who helped develop a recipe intrinsically linked to the start of her reign -- Coronation Chicken, a dish of cold chicken in a curry cream sauce served with a side salad.The Queen appeared to be in great spirits during the engagement, according to Britain's PA Media news agency. She held a wooden walking stick and carried her trademark black handbag as she made her way around the room, joking and laughing with guests.It was the largest gathering the sovereign has attended since October, when she hosted a reception to mark the Global Investment Summit at Windsor Castle.Sign up for CNN's Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on the royal family, what they are up to in public and what's happening behind palace walls. | 3news
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Story highlightsFederer and Nadal have won a combined 37 majors, including the last sixFederer, 36, is the favorite to defend his Wimbledon title1987 Wimbledon champion Cash talked exclusively to CNN Sport (CNN)Lesser mortals would be winding down their careers at this stage, but Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have won the last six grand slam titles between them and show no sign of slowing down.Federer will be bidding to extend his record to nine Wimbledon crowns when the tournament begins next week, a little over a month shy of his 37th birthday.Nadal won a record-extending 11th French Open title last month, shortly after turning 32. Follow @cnnsport
Australia's Pat Cash, who won Wimbledon at the age of 22 in 1987 for his sole major title, told CNN Sport at Roland Garros he is amazed by their "freakish" motivation bordering on "obsession."READ: How Nadal is challenging Federer to be the G.O.A.T. Read More'Obsession'"I don't understand how he [Nadal] does it, I really don't know. It's some form of obsession, there is no doubt about it, I don't know what drives him, but it has to be," said Cash, who now coaches American Coco Vandeweghe."Federer as well ... Why would he be playing at the age of 36 other than to please your adoring fans, and because he likes playing and he likes to win titles? π at @Wimbledon πΎ pic.twitter.com/NkavzmjDOOβ Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) June 27, 2018
"There is some obsession, there is some ego-driven thing that's really pushing them massively."Novak [Djokovic] is normal. Novak said, 'I lost motivation'. That is normal. "In my era, the Tour wasn't as nice and as comfortable as it is now. We had to travel and go overseas and it wasn't exactly first-class seats. We almost all lost motivation. "[Bjorn] Borg retired at 26, I lost interest at 24 or 25, [John] McEnroe has talked about it, [Andre] Agassi has talked about it. That's normal. "What's not normal is Federer and Nadal. And I don't know what it is. Maybe to get better, maybe to win more. "Whatever it happens to be, it's phenomenal. To me, it is kind of weird and most guys, the ex-players, they sort of look at them and go 'Why is Federer still playing?' "Nadal, I think he feels like he's got something to prove, he's had a few years off, he's come back and he's had some motivation to get back again after injuries."READ: Roger Federer wins historic Wimbledon title 'Freakish'"They set the benchmark so ridiculously high that somebody like Novak looks like a failure compared to them because he's lost motivation for a year, which is ridiculous," added Cash. "Novak had the best year [2015], possibly the best year tennis has ever seen. He played Nadal at his peak and Federer at his peak and he beat them. And these are two of the greatest guys we are talking about, so that took a lot out of him. "The same with Andy Murray. Murray had a great year [2016] and then was exhausted the next year. That's normal. "What's not normal is that they [Federer and Nadal] go back year in, year out. It really is freakish and I can't quite find the answer to that, to exactly what it is." READ: Rafael Nadal's secret weapon? The seaCan Nadal win Wimbledon again?"I think he'll struggle on faster courts because of the position where he is standing. He did win the US Open [in 2017], but let's face it the draw was pretty favorable," said Cash."I think some of the bigger hitters will put him in a lot more trouble on a faster court. I'd like to see him come up."There is no reason why he shouldn't do well at Wimbledon, but he is not going to if he stands way back on his returns. "He's not going to beat Federer with the tactics he's got now. Federer has beaten him the last five times they played."Federer stands really close to the baseline, so he is going to struggle against someone like that. But there are not many players like that. "Nadal is super quick, and he gets to everything, and if you leave it a bit too high, you are in big trouble. Visit CNN.com/tennis for more news, features and videos "But he does drop the ball short and you have to punish that." | 5sport
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Kara Alaimo, an associate professor in the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University, writes about women and social media. She was spokeswoman for international affairs in the Treasury Department during the Obama administration. Follow her on Twitter @karaalaimo. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion at CNN. (CNN)Prosecutors charged the parents of a 15-year-old suspected school shooter with four counts of involuntary manslaughter in a rare move that sent shockwaves across the country. Kara Alaimo Ethan Crumbley, who is accused of killing four students and injuring seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan on Tuesday, has already been charged as an adult with terrorism, murder, assault and other counts. On Friday, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald called the actions of his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbly, "criminal." "I have tremendous compassion and empathy for parents who have children struggling. I am, by no means, saying that an active shooter situation should always result in a criminal prosecution against parents. But the facts of this case are so egregious," McDonald added. Ethan Crumbley was present when his father purchased a Sig Sauer gun just four days before the shooting, McDonald said. The teenager called the gun "my new beauty" on social media, while his mother referred to the weapon as "his new Christmas present," according to McDonald. After a teacher said she saw Ethan Crumbley searching ammunition on his phone during class, school officials tried to contact the parents the night before the shooting -- but got no response. The mother however, exchanged text messages with her son that day, and wrote, "LOL, I'm not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught," according to McDonald. When another teacher found a disturbing note on the student's desk the morning of the shooting, both parents were summoned to school and told to get their son counseling, the prosecutor said. But the parents then left and the boy was sent back to class. Michigan school shooting reveals the epidemic America is ignoringIt's unconscionable that his dad purchased the weapon, and that both parents failed to take the school's warnings seriously, even though they knew their son had access to a gun, which, according to McDonald, was not securely locked away. As a mother, it's particularly astonishing to me that another parent would fail to take the proper safety precautions, especially given the circumstances the school officials raised. We as parents, of course, rely on one another to exercise good judgment in order to keep all our children safe. The Crumbleys' apparent lack of concern for the welfare of the other children in their community is absolutely staggering.Read MoreCharging James and Jennifer Crumbly in this case serves as a wake-up call to parents and other gun owners that they need to be more responsible when it comes to safeguarding their weapons. McDonald's actions in this case are entirely justified -- and the move to prosecute the parents could serve as a powerful warning that helps reduce the number of school shootings in this country.Of course, charging the two parents in this case is not enough to solve the problem of gun violence in this country. As my fellow CNN Opinion contributor Julian Zelizer explained, what this country really needs is stricter gun control laws. Lawmakers who have been derelict in their duties to pass this desperately-needed legislation also deserve a good share of the blame for the deaths of so many young children. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookNews of the shooting was, sadly, shockingly familiar to Americans. The school shooting was the deadliest since May 2018, according to a CNN tally. And there have been 48 shootings so far this year on K-12 campuses, 32 of them since August 1. There's nothing normal about the fact that these shootings are now so common that parents actually worry about sending their kids to school.While we wait for the solutions we really need, the move to charge Crumbley's parents and the potential for others to be held accountable for helping kids get their hands on guns could make a positive impact. This strategy clearly isn't a panacea, but this country needs to use every tool at its disposal right now to try to stop school shootings. | 3news
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(CNN)When he was head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2015, Bruce Arians made Jen Welter the first female NFL coach in history. Now, as head coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arians has made two more significant hires.On Wednesday, the Buccaneers became the first NFL team to have two women as coaches on its staff, announcing the hiring of Maral Javadifar as assistant strength and conditioning coach and Lori Locust as assistant defensive line coach.Locust and Javadifar are the first full-time female coaches in Buccaneers' franchise history."I know how hard it can be to get that first opportunity to coach at the highest level of professional football," Arians said."Sometimes, all you need is the right organization to offer up the opportunity. The Glazer family and our general manager, Jason Licht, were extremely supportive of my decision, and I know Maral and Lori will be great additions to my coaching staff. Read MoreTampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians speaks at a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis on February 27, 2019. "I have known Lori going back to my days at Temple University and I've seen firsthand just how knowledgeable and passionate she is about this game. I was equally impressed with Maral's background in performance training and physical therapy and I know she will be a valuable asset to our strength and conditioning program."According to Melissa Jacobs of thefootballgirl.com, Arians had said at the NFL Combine last month that he planned to create a full-time coaching position for a woman on his staff.Locust comes to the Buccaneers after working as the defensive line coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football during the league's inaugural season this spring. In 2018, Locust was a defensive coaching intern for the Baltimore Ravens during the team's training camp and, from 2017-18, worked as a defensive line/linebackers coach and co-special teams coordinator of the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks of the National Arena League.Javadifar most recently worked as a physical therapist at Avant Physical Therapy in Seattle, after completing her Sports Physical Therapy Residency at Virginia Commonwealth in 2018. Prior to her time at VCU, Javadifar worked as a physical therapist and performance trainer in Virginia, while also serving as a guest lecturer at George Mason University.In her stint in the NFL, Welter worked with the Cardinals' inside linebackers and coached throughout training camp and the preseason as a training camp/preseason intern. She's currently an assistant with the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football.The first woman to hold a full-time coaching job in the NFL was Kathryn Smith, who was a special teams quality control coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2016. | 5sport
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SydneyFrench President Emmanuel Macron said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison lied to him over the cancellation of a submarine building contract in September, and indicated more was needed to be done to rebuild trust between the two allies.Macron and Morrison were in Rome for the G20 summit, the first time they had met since Australia scrapped a multibillion dollar submarine deal with France as part of a new security alliance with the United States and Britain announced in September.The new security alliance, dubbed AUKUS and which could give Australia access to nuclear-powered submarines, caught Paris off guard and saw the French ambassadors recalled from Washington and Canberra amid accusations France had been betrayed.JUST WATCHEDBiden to France's Macron: What we did was clumsyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBiden to France's Macron: What we did was clumsy 01:20"I have a lot of respect for your country. I have a lot of respect and a lot of friendship for your people. I just say when we have respect, you have to be true and you have to behave in line and consistently with this value," Macron told a group of Australian reporters who had traveled to cover the G20.Asked if he thought Morrison had lied to him, Macron replied "I don't think, I know."Read MoreMorrison, speaking later at a media conference on Sunday in Rome, said he had not lied and that he had previously explained to Macron that conventional submarines would no longer meet Australia's needs. "I was very clear that what was going to be provided to us was not going to meet our strategic interests, and there was still a process we were engaged in, and we then engaged in, over the months that followed. And then we communicated to him (Macron) our ultimate decision," Morrison said.Morrison repeated the acquisition of at least eight nuclear propelled submarines in a new deal with the US and UK was preferable to the 2016 agreement with France."The Australian Government secured this, something that no previous government has been able to secure in 50 years, and this has well-positioned Australia to defend ourselves into the future. So I make no apologies for getting the right result from Australia. And we knew it would be a difficult decision."Asked about how his administration would move forward with France, Morrison said that his administration has begun to fix relations on projects of shared and mutual interest, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, but admitted that "these things take time." On Friday, US President Joe Biden said he had thought France had been informed of the contract cancellation before the AUKUS pact was announced, and said that the handling of the new security agreement had been clumsy. | 3news
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(CNN)Back against the wall against her sister Venus in grueling conditions, Serena Williams finally found her game.The 23-time major tennis champion, playing in only her first event since February, rallied back from a break down in the final set to overcome her sister, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the inaugural Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky. "Last couple of games, I just wanted to win because I have been losing a lot of those tight sets," Serena, who had been down 4-2 in the final set, said in a post-match interview."So I said 'I really need to try to win this'... just for my game and my confidence, so I just tried to focus on those last two games," added the former top-ranked American, who extended her lead over her older sister to 19-12 in career meetings on a hot and humid day.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and featuresSerena Williams moved to the quarterfinals of her first tournament since early February.Read More30 major singles titles The 38-year-old Serena and the 40-year-old Venus have dominated the sport for more than two decades and hold 30 major singles titles between them. Before this week, they had last played each other two years ago in the third round of the US Open. Serena's 6-1, 6-2 win had been a star-studded affair, played under the lights in the night session at a packed Flushing Meadows in New York.Their 31st career meeting was played in less glamorous surroundings, behind closed doors on a small court at a private tennis club near a busy road. The recently added event in Lexington, the first tennis tournament since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sport for five months, has strict biosecurity measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The event in Kentucky serves as a warmup event for the US Open, which starts at the end of this month in New York and where Serena is trying to win a record-tying 24th major singles title. She last won a Grand Slam singles title at the 2017 Australian Open.Quality point, @venuseswilliams π―#TSOpen pic.twitter.com/N8xk9lV8fIβ wta (@WTA) August 13, 2020 Revamped serveUnlike Serena, Venus had been playing a few exhibition matches in recent weeks. She had taken advantage of the lengthy layoff to revamp her service motion, and had been in fine form in the opening round, beating former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in straight sets.Serena, who came close to going out in the opening round against the 60th-ranked Bernarda Pera, started well against her older sister as she took a quick 2-0 lead. But after squandering three breakpoints for 3-0, she got broken in the next game on a backhand error. It was all Venus after that, winning six of the last seven games to take the first set 6-3 as she put a now erratic Serena under pressure from the back of the court with blistering groundstrokes. Serena regrouped in the second set, winning it on a backhand error after 50 minutes following a break of serve in the sixth game. With the heat rule in place after two sets as temperatures hovered around 31 degrees Celsius (87 degrees Fahrenheit), Venus went off court for 10 minutes, while Serena stayed behind on the court.Serena fought back from a break down in the final set to to win four games in a row and clinch her 19th victory over her sister."Honestly, I am playing well, but I don't think I've ever had a tougher draw in my life," Venus said in a post-match news conference on Zoom. "I basically played two finals in a row. Of course, wanting to play a little bit better today, but overall, not a bad start."READ: Serena comes back from the brink in first match since FebruarySerena Williams after winning her 23rd major at the 2017 Australian Open.'She played so good'"She played unbelievable," Serena said about her sibling. "She played so good. I honestly don't know how I was able to pull it out in the end."The sisters played their first official match in the second round of the 1998 Australian Open, when a 17-year-old Venus beat her 16-year-old sister in straight sets. Although Venus, a seven-time major winner and former world No. 1, had the edge over her younger sibling in the early years, Serena has since dominated, taking nine of the last 11 meetings before this week and winning an Open era record 23 major singles championships. Serena will play the winner of the match between American Shelby Rogers and rising Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez in the quarterfinals. | 5sport
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Story highlightsWilliams signs Felipe Massa for 2014 F1 seasonMassa will be leaving Ferrari at the end of the current season Will partner Valtteri Bottas at Williams replacing Pastor MaldonadoKimi Raikkonen to miss rest of this season due to back problemWilliams has turned to Brazilian Felipe Massa to boost its flagging F1 fortunes, the British based team confirming his signing for the 2014 season Monday.Williams, once a major force in the constructors' championship, has claimed just a single point in 2013 and has parted company with Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.In his place comes the 32-year-old Massa, surplus to requirements at Ferrari after the signing of Kimi Raikkonen, but with a wealth of Grand Prix experience.He will partner Finland's Valtteri Bottas as Williams looks to revive its flagging fortunes.Read: Car to blame for Massa crash in Monaco "We are delighted to be able to confirm our 2014 driver line-up and welcome Felipe into the Williams family," said team principal Frank Williams. "He is an exceptional talent and a real fighter on the race track; he also brings a wealth of experience as we begin a new chapter in our story."JUST WATCHEDCNN Greatest F1 Driver: Day TwoReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Greatest F1 Driver: Day Two 01:02Massa, runner up to Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 title race, has 11 wins and 36 podium finishes in his F1 career, but has had to play second fiddle to Fernando Alonso at Ferrari in recent seasons."When I was a kid, I always dreamed about racing for Williams, Ferrari or McLaren and I'm glad to be signing with another icon of the sport following my time at Ferrari," he said. "With such a major change of regulations in 2014, I hope my experience will be useful in helping the team in its effort to move on from a difficult period," he added.Read: Massa's emotional return to HungaryBottas impressed Williams with his performance to put their car third on the grid after qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal this season, but he was unable to capitalize in the race.Maldonado, who gave Williams a surprise victory in last season's Spanish Grand Prix, has been unable to build on that promise and it is unclear if he will secure a seat with another team in 2014."We wish him well for the future," said Williams, who has signed Massa and Bottas to multi-year contracts.His team last won the constructors' title -- the last of nine -- back in 1997, with Jacques Villeneuve claiming the drivers' crown.Meanwhile, Raikkonen will miss the final two races of this season due to a long-term back problem that requires surgery.The injury flared up at September's race in Singapore, and the 34-year-old Finn has now decided to have an operation so he is fit for the start of next season.His Lotus team may promote third driver Davide Valsecchi, according to the F1 website, or give reserve Jerome d'Ambrosio a runout in the GPs in Austin and Sao Paulo. | 5sport
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Story highlightsAnalysts say the detentions show rift within Erdogan's partyMinisters' sons, a bank president, bureaucrats caught up in the sweepErdogan: Those supported by "dark circles" cannot change direction of TurkeyThe sons of at least three government ministers, the head of a public bank, several bureaucrats and high-profile businessmen were detained by Turkish police Tuesday as part of a sweeping corruption probe, state-run media reported.Analysts called the move a signal of the growing rift within Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party ahead of local elections in the spring.The detentions came after a two-year probe by the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office into allegations of corruption including money laundering, gold smuggling and bribery, according to the semi-official Anadolu news agency.Police carried out dawn raids in Istanbul and Ankara, according to local media, including the headquarters of Halkbank, a public bank that was alleged to play a role in sidelining sanctions on Iran in a gold-for-oil scheme last year.The sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Environment and Urban Planning Minister Erdogan Bayraktar were detained in the raids, according to local media.The head of a large construction company, Ali Agaoglu, was also brought in within the scope of the investigation, though the CEO of the company later told Dogan News Agency that Agaoglu was not the focus of the investigation.Local commentators and analysts see the raids as the most public confirmation of the developing rift between Erdogan's ruling party and supporters of Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic cleric living in Pennsylvania whose loose network of followers are thought to hold key positions within the judiciary and police force.The Hizmet Movement, the name preferred by Gulen's followers, has in the past thrown its support behind the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, led by Erdogan, but the two have been publicly at odds over the last month. "It was a forced marriage and now it's an ugly divorce," said Ahmet Sik, a journalist who wrote a book on Gulen and his influence within the judiciary and the police force.Last month, Erdogan announced that he would shut down college admission tutorial centers, a large source of revenue and recruitment opportunity for the Gulenists. On Monday, Hakan Sukur -- a former footballer and Gulen follower who was elected to parliament on the AKP party ticket -- resigned from the party, citing the government's stance on tutorial centers."This is all a judicial process, it would not be right for me to say anything until the outcome," Erdogan told reporters in Konya. But in a fiery speech he delivered there he said "those who are receiving the support of financial circles and media cannot change the direction of this country. Those who are supported by dark circles from inside and outside the country cannot change the direction of Turkey."Turkey is expected to hold local elections in 2014 and many analysts see this as a test of Erdogan's grip on power after a turbulent year of unprecedented anti-government protests. | 3news
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(CNN)On the peak of Everest, it can take minutes just to catch your breath. That's because, at an elevation of 8,848 meters (29,029 feet), each breath contains one-third of the oxygen found at sea level.In May, British TV personality Ben Fogle was put to the test when his oxygen regulator exploded a few hundred meters from the summit.One of his mountain guides, Ming Dorjee Sherpa, was able to sacrifice his oxygen mask, regulator and cylinder and descend to a lower camp without supplemental oxygen.Then, on the Hillary Step, less than 50 meters from the summit, Fogle's second regulator and bottle exploded on his back."It was pretty terrifying. My heart just sank, because I couldn't really see a way out," Fogle said. Read More"It's a bit like going to Mars in a space suit and imagining what happens when you unzip it."Thanks to the heroic acts of the Sherpas and expedition leader Kenton Cool, who gave Fogle his oxygen supply, the team reached the summit on May 16. Photos: Journey to the roof of the world"Standing on the summit of Everest is the most beautiful and the most hideous experience of my life," said British TV personality Ben Fogle. Click through the gallery to follow his journey up the world's highest mountain.Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldFogle set off to summit Everest with former British Olympian, Victoria Pendleton in April 2018 in support of the British Red Cross. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldFogle and Pendleton began the expedition by trekking to Everest Base Camp, 5400m above sea level.Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldTo acclimatize to the ever-decreasing levels of oxygen, the team did several rotations to Camp 1 and 2, reaching an elevation of 6,400m. Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldBut the expedition was dogged by problems along the way. Pendleton, who struggled with altitude sickness, was advised to cut her trip short. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the world"It is a dangerous mountain and the reality is that a lot of it is a bit of a gamble," said Fogle, who also suffered from setbacks at extreme altitude.Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldAt about 8,500 meters, well into the Death Zone, Fogle's oxygen regulator and tank exploded. "Up at that height, the air is very thin and most of us need supplementary oxygen," said Fogle. "You can imagine the fear and the terror when that suddenly explodes."Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldFogle said it was the selflessness of the Sherpas that saved him. "Ming Dorjee, one of our Sherpas, gave me his regulator and his oxygen tank and he returned down to a lower level."Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the worldAfter six weeks on the mountain, Fogle managed to summit on May 16. He dedicated his Everest expedition to his son who was delivered stillborn in 2014.Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the world"When you hold a little life that was never able to be. The breath was never -- he never had a breath. I think I resolved then and there that I wanted to live my life brightly."Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Journey to the roof of the world"In many ways, I feel I'm living a life for two now," said Fogle. "I was never lonely when I was out there bizarrely, even in the dead of night when we were traipsing through the very dangerous Khumbu Icefall. I felt his presence and it was very powerful." Hide Caption 11 of 11But time on top of Everest is short-lived, as the body is rapidly deteriorating, and you're more exposed than ever to the elements. If luck is on your side, you might get about 20 minutes to take it all in before it becomes intolerable, explains high-altitude medical expert Sundeep Dhillon."You are constantly reminded that you shouldn't be there," Dhillon said. "Most people can't survive more than a day or two at those altitudes with or without oxygen."An accomplished mountaineer in his own right, Dhillon worked closely with Fogle and former Olympic track cyclist Victoria Pendleton ahead of their Everest expedition to raise funds for the British Red Cross. Though physically fit and strong, Pendleton struggled with oxygen deficiency at high altitude. After complications at camp two, 6,400 meters above sea level, she was advised to pull out of the summit bid. "Altitude is extremely humbling, and although we tested both of them in the lab, there is no sea-level predictor for how you're going to do," Dhillon said. "Victoria won't be the only world record holder or Olympian that's struggled on Everest."According to Dhillon, fitness does not affect how efficiently the body performs in a low-oxygen environment. Endurance at altitude is all down to genetics.Surviving Everest is in your genesTo explore the biology behind human oxygen efficiency on Everest, Dhillon took part in two scientific expeditions to Everest in 2007 and 2013.At 8,000 meters above sea level, on the balcony of Everest, Dhillon and the Caudwell Xtreme Everest team collected the least-oxygenated human blood samples ever recorded in "healthy" humans."We effectively had to drop our trousers and stick needles in each other's groins to get arterial blood," Dhillon said.The oxygen levels recorded in the first expedition in 2007 were on par with those collected from critically ill patients close to death. The team went back in 2013 to test the "superhuman" physiology of the Sherpa population of the Himalayas, who have lived at high altitude for centuries. Among other findings, they discovered that the Sherpas' mitochondria -- the part of human cells that respire to generate energy -- were much more efficient at using oxygen.The aim of this research was to identify how different people adapt to low oxygen levels -- or hypoxia -- at high altitude and to apply this understanding to critically ill patients.A similar study in 2014 analyzed the genetic adaptations for high altitude found in residents of the Tibetan plateau. Photos: Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, at 8,847 meters above sea level. Low oxygen at that altitude pushes human endurance to its limits. Pictured, Sherpa mountaineer Pemba Dorje Sherpa and others on Everest, 2009.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Having lived in the Himalayas for centuries, Sherpas have adapted to easily breathe the thin air. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: In 2013, the Xtreme Everest research team conducted experiments on Sherpas and other volunteers at high altitudes to discover how Sherpas thrive at such heights. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Researchers set up their laboratory at the highest altitude possible -- Mount Everest base camp.Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: The secret behind this ability lies in their cells; Sherpas have differences in their mitochondria, which means they use oxygen very efficiently. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Nepalese climber Apa Sherpa is the joint world record for most successful climbs of Mount Everest with 21 ascents. Another Sherpa, Phurba Tashi, is the other joint record holder.Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: For the research, 116 healthy volunteers living in lowland locations and 64 Sherpas were tested before, during and after a climb to Everest base camp.Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: The goal was to understand more about hypoxia -- when not enough oxygen reaches the body's organs -- a condition that affects many intensive care patients. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Having collected genetic information from the individuals who took part in the study, the next phase of research will look at genetic reasons behind the Sherpas' adaptations to high altitudes.Hide Caption 9 of 9'Rotting whilst trying to acclimatize'Much of the Caudwell Xtreme Everest research was done at base camp at an elevation of 5,400 meters, which is above the highest altitude where humans can permanently live, Dhillon said."All the time you're there, you're rotting whilst trying to acclimatize."Most people don't realize that a two- or three-month Everest trip only involves 15 to 20 days of actual climbing, he says. "The rest of the time, you're waiting for your body to acclimatize to the ever-decreasing levels of oxygen."This is when acute mountain sickness kicks in, a result of the slight swelling of the brain.Much like a hangover, acute mountain sickness manifests in the form of headache, dizziness, nausea, trouble sleeping and loss of appetite, according to the Institute for Altitude Medicine. Photos: Your body on EverestDr. Luanne Freer founded Everest ER, a nonprofit medical clinic, in 2003. The clinic is open every year during climbing season at Everest Base Camp.Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Your body on EverestThey provide medical services and preventative education to climbers and locals alike. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Your body on EverestEach year, Everest ER treats an average of 500 people from April 1 to the end of May. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Your body on EverestBefore Everest ER, there was no medical presence on Everest. Only a couple of operational helicopters were capable of airlifting people with injuries to clinics. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Your body on EverestJon Kedrowski says that skiing in Colorado is a good way to prepare for climbing high peaks in Nepal like Everest. Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Your body on EverestKedrowski crosses a crevasse in the Khumbu Icefall on a ladder. Teaching clients how to walk in crampons and using other equipment in icy conditions is key to helping them acclimate.Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Your body on EverestFellow climber Sandra LeDuc captured this photo of a triumphant and relieved Kedrowski reaching the summit of Mount Everest on May 26, 2012.Hide Caption 7 of 7If untreated, it can morph into high-altitude cerebral edema once you reach extreme altitude."Your brain is now swelling because of the hypoxia, and it has nowhere to go because it's constrained by your skull," Dhillon said. "The only exit out of your skull is where your spinal cord comes down, so your brain is being squeezed out of your skull."A person with high-altitude cerebral edema resembles a drunkard: confused, hallucinating and vomiting, with impaired judgment.Another severe form of altitude sickness is high-altitude pulmonary edema, the accumulation of fluid in the lungs. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, chest congestion and severe weakness.If untreated, both cerebral and pulmonary edema can lead to coma and death.Dangers of the Death ZoneClimbers who make it above 8,000 meters -- into the Death Zone, as it's known -- need to keep their wits about them.The simplest task like sitting up out of bed will leave you short of breath, making you pant for a few minutes, Dhillon said.A lack of oxygen to the brain affects your mental performance, too. If you were to try think of words that begin with the letter "T," at extreme altitude, you would be able to think of only two or three.If climbers are sensible and have enough oxygen in reserve, they can get back down the mountain quickly as the air "literally gets thicker every few hundred meters," he said.But perhaps the biggest danger is when climbers treat the summit as the journey's end point. According to Dhillon's estimates, "you've probably got a one in 10 chance of dying on the way down.""People are perfectly capable of exerting themselves beyond their capabilities whilst underestimating the demands that those extreme altitudes place on you. They forget they're in the Death Zone." | 2health
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Story highlightsArsenal win 2-1 at Aston Villa to regain control of the English Premier LeagueFirst-half goals from Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere prove too much for VillaInter stumble in Italy again, drawing 1-1 at home to VeronaArsenal ensured that top spot in the Premier League changed hands for the third time in as many days when winning 2-1 at Aston Villa on Monday. Leaders on Saturday morning, the Gunners first saw Chelsea move into pole position as Jose Mourinho's side won 2-0 at Hull. By Sunday afternoon, the team sitting on top of an enthralling Premier League was Manchester City after Manuel Pellegrini's side survived a scare at Newcastle to also win 2-0. Chelsea have 46 points, Manchester City boast 47 but Arsenal, who sat third prior to kick-off, are now back in front with 48 - thanks to a magical minute that took the tie away from the hosts. Read: Cristiano Ronaldo regains Ballon d'OrJust after the half hour, Jack Wilshere gave Arsenal the lead and within a minute Oliver Giroud had doubled that advantage. JUST WATCHEDArsenal's Theo Walcott out with ACL injuryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHArsenal's Theo Walcott out with ACL injury 00:47JUST WATCHEDPortugal remembers football legend EusebioReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPortugal remembers football legend Eusebio 01:56JUST WATCHEDFootballer fights back after cancerReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFootballer fights back after cancer 03:15"It's a massive three points -- especially because we dropped a bit in the second half," Wilshere told Sky Sports television. "In the past we used to feel the nerves when we were up against it. But this season we haven't." Villa produced little until Christian Benteke's first goal since September provided a rousing finish, with the visitors holding on for a crucial victory. Read: Manchester City back on topThe win avenged Arsenal's defeat at home to Aston Villa on the opening day of the season, which prompted many Gunners fans to call for the head of coach Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman must have felt a degree of satisfaction at the health of his team come the return fixture, with Arsenal having topped the table for much of the season. Without a trophy since 2005, Arsenal are bidding to win their first Premier League title in ten years. In Italy, struggling Inter Milan failed to use home advantage to beat Verona, the team lying immediately below them in the table, and the 1-1 draw ended with the hosts being booed off by their own fans. Victory at the San Siro would have closed the gap on fourth-placed Fiorentina to three points, but the draw still leaves Walter Mazzarri's side five points adrift. Inter have won just one of their last seven league games, with the solitary success coming in the derby against Milan just prior to Christmas. Read: AC Milan dismiss AllegriEarlier on Monday, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri was sacked following the seven-time European champions' dismal start to the season, trailing leaders Juventus by 30 points. | 5sport
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(CNN)Anthony Joshua reclaimed the WBO, IBF and WBA heavyweight titles from Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr. in Saudi Arabia's "Clash on the Dunes" on Saturday night.Britain's Joshua won a unanimous decision from the judges in Diriyah, near Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. He avoided trading big blows with Ruiz the entire fight, instead dancing around the ring and landing jabs and hooks when he found the opportunity. But with the venue for the promotion heavily criticized by human rights groups, Joshua sported further controversy with remarks he made post-fight, using the term "decapitate" in an interview with American broadcaster DAZN."I know that my fans like to see me knock people out and I can do that but sometimes with certain fighters you have to box smarter," said Joshua.Read More"I understand what Andy brought to the table so I had to decapitate him in a different way."Boxing's 'Clash on the Dunes' overshadowed by 'sportswashing' concernsThe build-up to the bout had seen accusations of "sportswashing" -- a practice whereby the staging of high profile sports events is used to improve the reputation of a country with a poor record for human rights.Diriyah, a UNESCO heritage site, has recently hosted the opening two rounds of the Formula E season, and a big tennis tournament will follow the Joshua-Ruiz rematch.Pre-fight both Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn had shrugged off concerns raised by Amnesty International over the issue."I just came here for the boxing opportunity. I look around and everyone seems pretty happy and chilled. I've not seen anyone in a negative light out here, everyone seems to be having a good time," Joshua told the BBC.'Too much partying'The well-beaten Ruiz admitted he didn't prepare like he should have, enjoying the fruits of his shock victory over Joshua back in June too much before getting down to serious training for the rematch."The three months of partying affected me. I should have trained harder. I gained too much weight and I wasn't able to throw my combinations."But I don't want to give no excuses. I believe I hurt him a few times but he was boxing his life out." he said. Andy Ruiz Jr was cut at the side of his left eye early in his unanimous points defeat to Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.Saturday's bout was the first for the two heavyweights since Ruiz won a technical knockout during the seventh round in New York in June. That fight was considered one of the biggest shocks in boxing history, with Ruiz a heavy underdog.Joshua had been one of three undefeated world heavyweight champion contenders but after his revenge victory can now look forward to a possible unification bout with WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who is set to fight Britain's Tyson Fury in their eagerly-awaited rematch in February.My hope is that someone sees my page and decides not to give up. Clean hearts win π€ pic.twitter.com/yBrHeLq19qβ Anthony Joshua (@anthonyfjoshua) December 8, 2019 The New York defeat was the first of Joshua's career, meaning he surrendered all of the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles.In reclaiming them, Joshua joins boxing greats Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis in winning a world heavyweight title back in an immediate direct rematch.2012 Olympic champion Joshua was improving his career record to 23-1 and handed Ruiz just the second loss of his 35-bout career.CNN's Kevin Dotson and Ben Morse contributed to this report. | 5sport
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(CNN)California's Death Valley is known to be a hot place, but it hit 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius) Friday for only the fifth time in recorded history -- that's only five days out of more than 40,000 days on record. Interestingly, it could happen again Sunday, and perhaps even Monday as well. The record for the number of consecutive days at 125 degrees or higher is 10, set in 1913 (June 28-July 5). This year, Death Valley hit 126 on July 7 and will likely continue that stretch of days with 125-plus temperatures through Tuesday. This would be eight straight days, which would be the second-longest streak in recorded history (tying eight days in 2013).DEATH VALLEY UPDATE π‘οΈHigh temp at Death Valley today = 130F.β οΈ If this says anything about how hot SAT-SUN will be, HEED THESE WARNINGS. Do not put yourself, nor first responders in danger this weekend!This observed high temp is considered preliminary & not yet validated. https://t.co/BwovUm42PEβ NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 10, 2021
More than 30 million people in the West are under excessive heat alerts. The heat alerts stretch from northern Washington state down to the Arizona/Mexico border.Grand Junction, Colorado, set a new all-time temperature record of 107 on Friday.Read MoreLas Vegas tied its all-time temperature record of 117 degrees on Saturday. Fresno, California, could also near its all-time temperature record of 115 degrees on Sunday.How hot will it be where you live? >>>Last month was the hottest June on record for the lower 48 statesBut none of these quite compares to the staggering 130 in Death Valley -- 13 degrees above normal. "An anomalously strong high pressure system overhead will remain overhead for multiple days," said Chelsea Peters, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. "When the overnight low is warmer than the previous day's and similar temperature trends are expected, the daytime high would likely end up being just as hot, or hotter than the previous day."But as hot at 130 may be, it is not the hottest temperature ever for Death Valley -- which is 134 degrees, set in 1913. That is also considered the official world record, but it is a bit of a controversial one.The controversy behind the recordThe World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is the governing body that determines formal weather records across the globe, as well as weather nomenclatures (such as naming tropical systems). Prior to 2013, the highest recorded temperature in the world was actually 136.4 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius), set in 1923 in Al Azizia, Libya. However, the WMO later determined the Libya measurement was faulty and officially de-certified it as the official all-time highest global temperature, giving that designation instead to the Death Valley temperature on July 10, 1913.A park ranger takes a picture of an unofficial thermometer at Furnace Creek Visitor Center in California's Death Valley National Park on August 17, 2020, a day after the temperature had reached 130 degrees.However, there is speculation the 1913 Death Valley record may also be invalid due to faulty placement of the instrumentation. All official weather sensors used by the National Weather Service are strategically placed to avoid interference from direct sunlight, wind, trees or moisture.The record of 134 in Death Valley came in the middle of an abnormally intense heat wave that stretched from July 7-14, 1913. Maximum temperatures for that time period were 127, 128, 129, 134, 129, 130, 131 and 127, respectively.The WMO even has this on its website: "Some weather historians have questioned the accuracy of old temperature records. The WMO Archive for Weather & Climate Extremes is always willing to investigate any past extreme record when new credible evidence is presented."Regardless of whether you agree with keeping the 1913 data, it is hot there right now. Not just during the day, but also at night. And intense heat at both times of the day is critical for safety.Heat-related deaths increase at the end of summerMorning low temperatures both Sunday and Monday morning in Death Valley are expected to be 103, which is more than 10 degrees above normal. The record highest low temperature there is 110. This is a problem, because these temperatures don't allow the body to successfully cool down at night. The temperature needs to drop to at least 80 degrees for recovery to begin. In fact, a person can lose up to 2 liters of fluid overnight through sweating if the temperature doesn't drop below 85 degrees.Las Vegas, NV had a high of 117Β°F today (tied all-time record).π₯You may be thinking:π€117Β°F? My phone/car says it's hotter!π Elevation varies a lot across the #LasVegas Valley, so the temperature can vary a lot too. BUT, these measurements aren't all official. Here's why.β¬οΈ pic.twitter.com/C4UnrwYplDβ NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 11, 2021
"Your body requires cooling off at night, and actually expects it while you're sleeping," says Jenn Varian, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Las Vegas office. "When we have very warm overnight temperatures, your body is simply not able to cool off properly, which in (and) of itself can cause complications, but will set you up to be less prepared for the daytime heat as well."The low temperatures in other locations aren't much better. Sunday morning, Las Vegas is forecast to be 93. In Phoenix, the low temperatures will likely not get below 91.The West is caught in a vicious climate change feedback loopDuration is also important, as is the time of year that the heat is occurring. "For example, a heat event in April with high temperatures of 107Β°F will probably warrant an Excessive Heat Warning, whereas 107Β°F in July is just a couple of degrees above normal, so we would be unlikely to issue anything," Varian said.The same thing happens at the end of the summer season, in August and September, even though people may think they'd be acclimated by then."Actually, coroner's reports show that there are more heat-related deaths and illnesses at the end of the summer than any other part, because your body is exhausted from fighting extreme heat all summer," Varian said.CNN Meteorologist Haley Brink contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsShukri Ghanem defected after having served under Moammar GadhafiHis body was found floating in the Danube riverA cause of death has not been determined, but police do not suspect violenceFormer Libyan Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem was found dead Sunday in the Danube river in Vienna, Austria, a police spokesman said.Ghanem, who served under Moammar Gadhafi, defected as the opposition movement and NATO closed in around the then-Libyan leader.His body, dressed in normal clothes, was found floating in the river, said Vienna police spokesman Roman Hahslinger. According to his daughter, Ghanem left the family residence early Sunday morning, the spokesman said.He added that officials are waiting on autopsy results to determine a cause of death, but that Ghanem died in a "normal" manner. Police do not suspect violence was involved, Hahslinger said.When he defected last year, Ghanem told CNN in Rome that he left Libya because the suffering of the people had become unbearable.JUST WATCHEDLibyan official: Gadhafi son to be triedReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLibyan official: Gadhafi son to be tried 02:40"This war is getting even worse every day and there is no end to it, and we would like to end this thing peacefully and come back to a solution quickly to reinstate democracy and constitutional government," he said.Ghanem joined a growing list of top Libyan officials to depart from the regime since the unrest started there in February 2011.Gadhafi was forced from office later that year and then fatally wounded in a gunbattle that broke out after his capture on October 20. His son and one-time heir apparent Saif al-Islam Gadhafi was captured by Libya's new authorities and is awaiting trial.Oil is big business in Libya, which produced some 1.6 million barrels of oil per day before the unrest started. | 3news
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Story highlightsRadio star and entrepreneur launches solar powered fridges for farmersDesign will impact hunger, poverty, gender equality and healthcare (CNN)Almost half of the food produced in the developing world is wasted before it reaches the consumer, largely due to a lack of cold storage. In Nigeria, the problem is particularly acute as agriculture is by far the largest employer -- accounting for two-thirds of the labor force. The lack of electricity in rural areas makes it fiendishly difficult to keep food cold. Enter Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, a radio presenter and social entrepreneur, with "Cold Hubs" - an enterprise that could transform millions of lives and the entire Nigerian economy. The start-up produces walk-in, solar-powered refrigeration units which extend the lifespan of fruit and vegetable produce from two to 21 days. The "Hubs" are designed for use in even the most remote corners of the country. They are simple to operate, and affordable to all. Ikegwunou is a farmer himself from the southern state of Imo, who previously founded the Smallholders Foundation -- and its popular radio station -- as a means of empowering rural workers. He believes the design responds to their most urgent need. Read More"From talking to farmers, we identified the challenge of lost produce," says the 33-year-old. "Most losses come in the markets, and when produce is taken from the trees...In Nigeria, electricity is unreliable so you have to make an alternate plan."From Dresden to LagosIkegwuono resolved to pursue an off-grid solution. In 2012, he traveled to Dresden, Germany, to meet with scientists that had developed a solar-powered cold room that was never commercialized. Together, they refined the concept and technical specifications.The embryonic business then hired an office in the U.S., where the design was presented to investors and energy experts. After going through several prototypes, the entrepreneur emerged with heavyweight investors, an all-star team, and a world-class product. Social entrepreneur Nnaemeka Ikegwuono launched the Smallholders Foundation to empower farmers."When you take an idea to the US, it is torn apart, criticized and condemned," says Ikegwunou. "If you come out unscathed -- then you have an idea."The first units were rolled out at Nigeria's busiest markets in 2014, giving farmers an opportunity to test them for 100 Naira ($0.50) per day. There are now 10 in operation -- and constant use -- with a further 50 to be unveiled in 2016.Farmers also have the option of forming co-operatives to buy their own, with subsidized repayment plans. Either way, Ikegwuonu anticipates they will see swift and substantial returns."A basket of tomatoes sells for $60 when they are in the best condition," he says. "Farmers lose 50% due to lack of storage - $30 a basket. For 50 cents they can eliminate the loss completely."Chain reactionThe company estimates farmers will see a 25% fillip to their annual income, and the benefits do not stop there. Increased food production -- including fruit and vegetables -- should help tackle the nation's chronic malnutrition problem. There will be a boost to female employment as public units will only be operated by women. Rural healthcare will improve as medicines and vaccines can also be refrigerated. Serial entrepreneur Michael "Luni" Libes, founder of six start-ups, recently joined Cold Hubs as an adviser, and sees enormous potential. "This is one of the most innovative ideas I have seen to kick-start the cold chain, and in a way that is accessible to the most farmers," says Libes. "The impact is twofold: At scale it should help Africa feed Africa, and it should stop farmers losing money. It should basically have an impact for both global hunger and global poverty...at least a billion people need this."Cold Hubs has already achieved international recognition, having been selected as a partner program for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. In September, the team was invited to present their work at UN headquarters in New York. Ikegwuono is confident the units can have a dramatic impact at home, but he also believes they can capture the global market. There is interest from the U.S. and Europe, and no obvious competitors. "I hope in 15 years this can be a brand name all over the world -- the same as an LG or Sony product," he says. | 3news
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Story highlightsAussie Webber will extend his contract by one yearWebber won Sunday's British Grand Prix and sits second in the drivers' championshipDiscussions had been held with Ferrari but negotiations amounted to nothingStar still remains ambiguous on his future in the sport beyond next seasonFormula One driver Mark Webber has penned a new deal with Red Bull Racing, extending his contract with the team to the end of the 2013 season.The Australian won his second race of the season at Sunday's rain-soaked British Grand Prix, closing the gap in the drivers' championship between himself and first-placed Fernando Alonso to 13 points."I've been with Red Bull Racing since 2007 and have achieved nine grand prix wins during that time," Webber told the team's official website. "I'm high on confidence at the moment and firing on all cylinders. I know the team well and I'm very comfortable here; we have grown together over the years and it feels like absolutely the right thing to stay with Red Bull for another season."JUST WATCHEDDesigning a Formula One carReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDesigning a Formula One car 03:08JUST WATCHEDDesigning Formula One tiresReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDesigning Formula One tires 03:08Tire talk: Pirelli takes center stage in F1Team principal Christian Horner said of the announcement: "Much of Mark's Formula One success has been during his time with Red Bull Racing and together we have achieved 10 poles, nine wins and 31 podiums."As there was a strong desire from both sides to continue the partnership, it was a logical decision to extend our relationship and it is with great pleasure that we confirm Mark will drive for us in 2013."Much was made of a possible move to Italian rivals Ferrari at the end of the current season, but Webber has dismissed the speculation, stating: "There were discussions with Ferrari, but my decision was to stay here."With the combined efforts of Webber and double world champion Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull currently hold an imperious lead at the top of the constructors' championship, 64 points ahead of Ferrari, who have failed to finish top since 2008.The relationship between the two Red Bull drivers has often been perceived as less than amicable, with tempers flaring when they crashed into each other during the Turkish Grand Prix in 2010. But Webber was quick to dispel any notion of hostilities.On his partnership with the German, Webber said: "Obviously with Seb, we've worked very, very close together for a long period of time now. I think no-one would really have envisaged how long we have worked together, so that's probably been a bit of a surprise. "There are not many teammates staying together for that long in Formula One, but it's proved to be a successful partnership with both of us working very hard with the key technical members of the team. "It's been a potent operation. We're still competitive when we hit the track. Last year there wasn't much racing between Sebastian and I, but in 2009, 2010 and this year, there have been some great battles."When asked about his future beyond the 2013 season, Webber remained enigmatic. "It's a results-based sport at the front of the grid so the future lies in my own hands," said the 35-year-old. "It's down to me to deliver the on-track results." | 5sport
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Story highlightsRelegation haunted Aston Villa thrash Paolo Di Canio's Sunderland 6-1 at Villa ParkVilla move five points clear of the drop zone in the English Premier League tableSunderland sit on the same points as Villa and see Stephane Sessegnon sent offReal Betis and Deportivo La CoruΓ±a draw 1-1 in Spain's La LigaControversial Italian Paolo Di Canio had enjoyed a soaring start to his career as manager of English Premier League side Sunderland -- until Monday night.The 44-year-old fought off a storm of headlines upon his appointment, the English press keen to unpick his political views after previous interviews in which he'd labeled himself a fascist.Despite defeat in his first game in charge at European champions Chelsea, victory in his next two matches, including over Sunderland's bitter north east rivals Newcastle, had done plenty to win over those who were skeptical of his appointment, even though he rejected holding any right wing views.Six points helped drag Sunderland away from the drop zone and they headed to Villa Park knowing a win would take them to the 40-point mark, a virtual guarantee of safety, and at the same time devastate their relegation rivals.Read: Beckham sees red at EvianInstead, they were hit for six, and to add to their misery, their best attacking player Stephane Sessegnon was sent off and will miss the final three games of the season.JUST WATCHEDAston Villa or Sharon Stone?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAston Villa or Sharon Stone? 02:38JUST WATCHEDCNN Football Club: German giants riseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Football Club: German giants rise 22:54JUST WATCHEDDo Bayern Munich need Pep Guardiola?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDo Bayern Munich need Pep Guardiola? 01:28JUST WATCHEDCNN FC: Do Bayern Munich need Guardiola?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN FC: Do Bayern Munich need Guardiola? 22:46JUST WATCHEDFerrer: Spain can win 2014 World CupReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFerrer: Spain can win 2014 World Cup 02:28JUST WATCHEDBehind the scenes at Paris St GermainReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBehind the scenes at Paris St Germain 03:33Villa saved their best performance of the campaign until their 35th match, smashing half a dozen goals past Sunderland to climb above Newcastle on goal difference and onto the same number of points as their opponents.Belgian striker Christian Benteke grabbed a hat-trick, and there were further strikes from Andreas Wiemann, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ron Vlaar.After their biggest win since 2008 Villa manager Paul Lambert told Sky Sports: "When you've got Benteke, Agbonlahor and Wiemann there's always goals in us and I thought the performance was outstanding."Benteke has been world class, for somebody who has just come to this country he's been brilliant. The biggest compliment I can give him is that he's a really humble guy. If he keeps working hard he can be anything he wants."The goal difference has swung again which is great. The whole atmosphere was electric. The goal difference could be crucial; we were a few behind so to get those goals was great. It gives us great impetus to go to Norwich on Saturday."There was no hint of the thrashing to come in an edgy opening half. Villa took the lead on the half hour mark when Dutch defender Vlaar rifled in a shot from range.Sunderland hit back inside two minutes as Danny Rose, on loan from Tottenham, swapped passes with Danny Graham before finishing smartly.But Austrian striker Wiemann ensured Villa went in at the break in front after he controlled and finished astutely from Matt Lowton's decisive pass.In the second half Sunderland surrendered. Villa's signing of the season, Benteke, recorded his first Premier League hat-trick in the space of 17 minutes.He registered his first by nodding into an empty net after Gabriel Agbonlahor's shot was saved by Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and rose to head home a corner moments later.Then after barging his way into the box Benteke finished from a narrow angle to chalk up his 18th goal of the season before Agbonlahor rounded off a perfect night for Villa with the sixth.With goal difference often crucial in deciding the relegation places Villa's emphatic win saw them complete a 10-goal weekend swing over Newcastle, who were beaten 6-0 by Liverpool on Saturday.With Reading and Queens Park Rangers having been relegated to the second tier at the weekend, Wigan are in now in peril, five points from safety but with a game in hand.To add to Sunderland's misery, Sessegnon was sent off for a late tackle on Yacouba Sylla and will now miss their last three matches of the season, though Di Canio did say the club would appeal.He told Sky Sports: "It's not a shock but it is a very bad defeat. The problem was our performance. I'm not very happy. Probably we thought the main job was done. "The first responsibility is with the manager, then the players. If this is medicine in some ways to let us understand we have to play with desire and commitment, then OK. This humiliation can help the players, we can do it but it is not an acceptable performance."I have to make sure we work so hard during this week to get the points we need to stay up. We need to apologize, to the fans who travel in numbers."In Spain, Real Betis and Deportivo La CoruΓ±a drew 1-1, Riki gave the visitors an early lead before Jorge Molina equalized. The draw dents Betis' hopes of European football while Deportivo climbed out of the relegation zone. | 5sport
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Story highlights"Welcome to our union," EU president saysCroatia is facing several challenges"The EU will not be a panacea for Croatia's economy," an analyst saysCroatia formally became the newest member of the European Union on Monday, marking an end to a 10-year campaign for a Balkan state that emerged from the ruins of a bloody civil war. The celebrations began as the clock struck midnight Sunday. Fireworks lit the sky in the capital Zagreb, a choir sang "Ode to Joy" and thousands clinked champagne glasses and erupted in cheers. "Welcome to your union, welcome to our union," EU President Herman Van Rompuy told the crowd. The nation of 4.4 million people is the 28th member of the EU, and the second Balkan country that rose out of the ashes of Yugoslavia to join the union. Slovenia became a member in 2004. "Whatever anyone is saying about us, you should know we are a country of rational people who are realistic about themselves and their country, and the role of their country in Europe and the world," Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic told the crowd. JUST WATCHEDCroatia set to join European Union ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCroatia set to join European Union 03:37JUST WATCHEDCroatia welcomes EU membershipReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCroatia welcomes EU membership 03:11JUST WATCHEDCroatia's road to EU membershipReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCroatia's road to EU membership 04:24Croatia looks to oil and gas fields in Adriatic SeaMany challengesWith a low credit rating of junk and a political class stained by accusations of endemic corruption, Croatia's challenges are unlikely to disappear overnight. It is three years into a debt crisis that is plaguing countries across southern Europe.One of the challenges facing Croatia is its growth prospects. The financial crash of 2008 brought about a harsh double-dip recession that left the country's economy lingering in the doldrums.Last year, unemployment peaked at 17.3% which is behind only Greece and Spain, according to Eurostat - the European Commission's data archive."The EU will not be a panacea for Croatia's economy," Will Bartlett, a senior research fellow at the London School of Economics, told CNN in January. Fighting corruptionCroatia is also in the midst of cleaning up a political class that is rife with corruption. Since the country's inception in the early 1990s, it has struggled to choke off profiteering from those in positions of power.Transparency International - an organization tackling corruption -- ranked Croatia below Rwanda, Jordan and Cuba in its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2012. But the country still came in above Italy - Europe's third largest economy."The country's evolution has been very slow since 1990," said Zorislav Petrovic, head of Transparency Internernational in Croatia. But the current government - led by Milanovic - is taking steps to clean up the country's act under close supervision from the European Union.In November, the country's former Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, was jailed for 10 years after being found guilty of taking pay-offs from foreign companies.Sanader - who was premier from 2004 to 2009 - had fled the country but was arrested in Austria.Kristof Bender, deputy chairman of the policy institute, European Stability Initiative, says Croatia's progress to the "doorstep of the European Union" is quite remarkable."We mustn't forget how bad it was in the 1990s," Bender said. "The darkest moments of war, occupation, mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and autocratic leadership and crony capitalism were all there."European Union, Turkey avoid rupture in relations | 3news
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Story highlightsThe warship was towed to deep water last week to begin the loading process"Repairs are expected to extend the on load process by a few days," according to a Navy statementWashington (CNN)The USS Fitzgerald, a Navy destroyer that was damaged in June after a deadly collision with a cargo ship off the coast of Japan, suffered two punctures to its hull on Sunday while being loaded onto a transport ship destined for the US, according to the service.Already crippled as a result of the June 17 collision that killed seven US sailors, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer was headed to Mississippi for repairs but was forced to return to its home port in Yokosuka, Japan, when it sustained additional damage in an incident involving a heavy lift transport vessel called the Transshelf.The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald is loaded onto heavy lift transport MV Transshelf last week off Yokosuka, Japan."Fitzgerald returned to repair two punctures in her hull caused by the heavy lift vessel's steel support structure during on load at anchorage," the US Navy 7th Fleet said in a statement."Repairs are expected to extend the on load process by a few days, after which Transshelf will transport Fitzgerald to Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for further repairs and upgrades," the statement said. Navy's top officer on recent fatal collisions: 'I feel responsible for this'The warship was towed to deep water last week to begin the loading process while en route back to the US for repairs after the collision earlier this year caused significant damage to its starboard side above and below the waterline.Read MoreWhile Sunday's incident is only expected to delay the Fitzgerald's trip back to the US by only a few days, the timing is less than ideal for the US Navy as the service continues to deal with the fallout of a recent spate of issues involving the 7th Fleet.Two US guided-missile destroyers, USS Fitzgerald and USS John S McCain, suffered collisions with merchant ships, leaving 17 US sailors dead and the two warships needing hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs.The accidents, off Japan and Singapore respectively, also left the Navy wondering how two of the most sophisticated ships on the seas couldn't even navigate crowded shipping lanes.Can the world's mightiest naval fleet survive the perfect storm? In total, the 7th Fleet has clocked up five major non-combat incidents in 2017 involving ships and an additional two involving aircraft, including last week's crash in the Philippine Sea of a plane taking personnel to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.A US Government Accountability Office report from September warned lengthy deployments of US ships based in Japan -- as both the Fitzgerald and McCain had been at the time of their collisions -- often result in key training requirements being neglected due to the demands of operational duties, something the report describes as a "problem."Appearing before the House Armed Services Committee as part of an investigation into the series of fatal crashes and collisions at sea, the Navy's No. 2 officer, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran, said the Navy is trying to do too much with too little."We continue to have a supply-and-demand problem which is placing a heavy strain on the force," said Moran.The Navy has launched multiple investigations, a safety pause, and reviews in the wake of the recent accidents.The service has also taken several personnel actions, including sacking the commanders of the Fitzgerald and the McCain, several other senior officers, as well as the commander of 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, the first time a fleet commander has been relieved of duty in the history of the US Navy.US Navy: 2 deadly summer collisions were 'avoidable' The Navy's internal report on the Fitzgerald and McCain collisions, released in early November, said cutting corners to meet demands on 7th Fleet ships had become the norm."The risks that were taken in the Western Pacific accumulated over time, and did so insidiously," the report said. "The dynamic environment normalized to the point where individuals and groups of individuals could no longer recognize that the processes in place to identify and assess readiness were no longer working at the ship and headquarters level."CNN's Brad Lendon contributed to this report. | 4politics
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Story highlightsNew York Red Bulls youth coach Mike Jones stabbed to death in the cityThe Briton, from Liverpool, was attacked in the early hours of Sunday morningPolice say Jones was stabbed in neck and torso and one of his ears had been cut offRed Bulls say Jones was a tremendous individual and a fantastic coachA British coach working with the New York Red Bulls has been stabbed to death, the Major League Soccer club has confirmed.Michael Jones, originally from Tarleton in Lancashire, was found dead in a Manhattan street in the early hours of Sunday morning after being stabbed in the neck and torso.His attacker had also cut his left ear off. Jones, who had been out with his sister and girlfriend, was taken to New York's Bellevue Hospital where he was declared dead.Witnesses told the New York Police Department Jones had been arguing with a man, AFP reported. They said the authorities had now released surveillance footage of his suspected attacker.Michael JonesJones had moved to the United States five years ago to become a soccer coach. In a statement on their website, the Red Bulls paid tribute to the 25-year-old."We are aware of this tragedy and on behalf of the entire organization, want to send our most heartfelt condolences to Michael's family, friends and loved ones," it read"He was a tremendous individual, a fantastic coach who loved soccer and a terrific friend for many of us. "This is truly a sad day for our soccer community and we will do our utmost to help authorities in their investigation of this case. Our thoughts and prayers are with Michael's family at this time." | 5sport
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(CNN)When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat in protest during the national anthem, he caused quite a stir within the military community. Teri Johnson, a Gold Star mother who lost her son, Sgt. Joseph Johnson, in an IED attack in Afghanistan in 2010, told CNN's Jake Tapper, "When I read that he said he couldn't stand for a flag that he didn't have pride in ... right away, my heart kind of stopped and I lost my breath because the flag that I see is the flag that draped my son's casket in honor. And I see the flag that was handed to my husband and I with deep respect from a grateful nation. When I look at the flag, I see the best of us."Kaepernick said he's "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." In a strongly-worded Facebook post, Johnson said, "I am sitting in my living room looking outside at my American Flag -- flying at half staff. You see, my son's body lay in a street after an IED blew up the vehicle he was fighting in. His blood stains the sands of Afghanistan. He died protecting the ideals of the flag you refuse to respect."Tapper asked Johnson: "There are also grieving moms because their sons were innocently and wrongly killed by law enforcement ... if one of them were here and said 'Hey, Kaepernick wasn't standing up against your son, he was standing up for my son,' what would you say to that?" Read MoreJohnson said she would reply, "Yes, you have the right to sit down. Sitting down is something that is easy to do. But standing up and stepping forward is something that's hard to do. And what I would like to see, if you really see oppression when you look at the flag, then make it your mission to be proud of it. Do something. Make a difference, so that when you look at that flag, you show pride and you feel hope and possibilities." | 3news
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Story highlightsBayern Munich maintain two-point lead in German league after 3-0 winDefeat leaves last season's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen in 10th placeSchalke move up to fifth with 4-2 victory over Freiburg under interim coachDefending champions Borussia Dortmund eighth after away victoryBayern Munich remained two points clear at the top of the German Bundesliga table after a comprehensive 3-0 win at home to last season's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.Germany international Thomas Muller opened the scoring in the fifth minute from Franck Ribery's cross, and Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten doubled the lead with a fierce low shot before 20 minutes were played.Dutch winger Arjen Robben sealed the victory at the end after coming on as a 78th-minute substitute on his return from injury to keep Bayern in form ahead of Tuesday's Champions League visit by big-spending English club Manchester City, making it six wins out of seven.The defeat left Leverkusen, who host Belgian club Genk in Europe's top club competition on Wednesday, down in 10th place.Borussia Moenchengladbach briefly went top with a 1-0 victory at home to mid-table Nuremberg, as captain Filip Daems scored the only goal from the penalty spot with 14 minutes left after Marco Reus was fouled.Schalke claimed fifth place after a 4-2 victory at home to Freiburg under the guidance of interim coach Seppo Eichkorn, with Ralf Rangnick having stood down for health reasons.The visitors led in the third minute through Papiss Demba Cisse, but Jefferson Farfan equalized on 33 and second-half goals from Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, young forward Lewis Holtby and veteran Spaniard Raul made Erik Jendrisek's 83rd-minute strike against his former club a mere consolation.Hanover missed the chance to move into top three after being held 0-0 at third-bottom Augsberg, who have still yet to win in seven games since winning promotion.Defending champions Borussia Dortmund moved up to eighth with a 2-1 victory at Mainz, as a last-minute volley from Poland international right-back Lukasz Piszczek ended their run of seven away games without a win ahead of Wednesday's trip to Marseille in France.Nicolai Muller opened the scoring in the 33rd on his full debut for Mainz, but young Croatia midfielder Ivan Perisic leveled on 64.Wolfsburg overcome the first-half red card to Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos to beat Kaiserslautern 1-0, with Ashkan Dejagah heading the home team's winner in the 63rd minute.On Friday, bottom club Hamburg won 2-1 at mid-table Stuttgart. | 5sport
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(CNN)The scoring rates of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have blown almost every previous record out the water, and have set a high bar for the next generation of attackers.But could Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland be the man to match the two legends?Before Borussia Dortmund's game on Tuesday against Club Brugge in the Champions League, he had scored 15 goals in 12 appearances so far this season, including a remarkable four-goal haul in his last outing against Hertha Berlin, and failed to score on just three occasions this season.And at 20 years old, with his two goals in Dortmund's 3-0 over Club Brugge, he has reached 15 (and then 16) goals in the Champions League in fewer games than anyone else.READ: World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas appears as a hologram to judge Freestyle World ChampionshipRead MoreHaaland in action during Dortmund's Champions League match against Club Brugge.In fact, he's now scored 16 Champions League goals in just 12 appearances -- Messi had two goals and Ronaldo none after the same number of appearances. Messi now has 117 and Ronaldo has 131 goals in the Champions League."The guy is incredible," Haaland's Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham told UEFA's Champions League website. "Six goals in his last two games and I'm sure many more before that. He's a joke. Right now he's one of the best strikers in the world and he's fantastic to play with."A competition that Haaland clearly is a fan of -- he says listens to the famous Champions League anthem in his car -- the Dortmund striker became the first teenager to score 10 Champions League goals in a season in the 2019/2020 campaign. He's also the leading scorer in this season's Champions League with six goals.Haaland has scored a remarkable 44 goals in 40 appearances for two different clubs -- first Red Bull Salzburg before moving to Dortmund in January 2020 -- last season.Last week, his excellence over this calendar year was recognized as he won the Golden Boy award -- given to the best player aged 21 or under from one of the top-tier European leagues."I'm just happy to be playing with him. He's an incredible player. He contributes greatly on the pitch and I was happy to assist him today. Recently he got the Golden Boy award and I'm very happy for him because he deserves it for how hard he works. He's a fantastic player," Jadon Sancho, who scored Dortmund's other goal, told UEFA's Champions League website.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosHaaland celebrates after scoring against Club Brugge.With Messi and Ronaldo in the twilight of their stellar careers -- although they are both still scoring for Barcelona and Juventus respectively -- could Haaland be the player to take up their scoring mantles?Alongside 21-year-old Kylian Mbappe, what's not in doubt is that Haaland is one of the most promising attackers on the world stage and could be set to break many more goalscoring records if he is able to continue his red-hot form and avoid injury. | 5sport
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(CNN)Jared Allen spent 12 years in the NFL terrorizing quarterbacks with 136 career sacks, 11th all-time in league history. A four-time All Pro and five-time Pro Bowler, Allen is likely a Pro Football Hall of Fame candidate when he becomes eligible in 2021.But he has some major plans for 2022.Allen has Olympic aspirations in curling. His teammates are three former NFL players in quarterback Marc Bulger, linebacker Keith Bulluck and offensive tackle Michael Roos. And while they've only been curling since March, this isn't a joke. The group, dubbed the All-Pro Curling Team, is serious about representing the US at the Beijing Games. This week they're competing at the USA Curling Men's Challenge in Blaine, Minnesota, vying to reach the national championships.Allen, right, practices with his curling team for a competition as coach and former Olympian John Benton watches in Blaine, Minnesota."The entire (curling) community -- every team we play -- has been very, very welcoming," Allen said in an interview Thursday with CNN's Patrick Snell. "They realize we're laughing, we're joking ... but we're not doing this in a disrespectful manner.Read More"We come out, and we're not slouching. We're not over there falling down on the ice, chipping our teeth, don't know how to do things. We have technique. We know how to make shots."We are progressing in a manner that people -- the comment we get is, 'How long have you been doing this? You've been doing this for how long?' and then they're shocked at where we're at in such a short time that we've been doing it. So we've got to build on that."A bet to become an OlympianIt all started with a wager, when Allen bet a friend saying he could become an Olympian. "I figured badminton was going to be strenuous on the old back," the 36-year-old Allen said. "Then I started reading through curling, what it entailed, and the camaraderie and the fact you have a pint with the guys after you win or lose -- and actually the winners have to buy the losers beer. I don't know how that works, but that's awesome." View this post on Instagram TEAM. β β β β β β β β #π₯ β β β β β β β β #allprocurling #stonesdeep #usacurling #curling #allpro #nfl #probowl #minneapolis #curlingclub #jaredallen #michaelroos #keithbulluck #marcbulger #vikings #rams #titans #minnesota A post shared by All Pro Curling Team (@allprocurling) on Jan 3, 2019 at 8:20pm PST Allen had just moved down to Nashville, and he started recruiting. Turns out he didn't have try very hard."There wasn't really much convincing," Bulluck, who spent the majority of his 11-year career with the Tennessee Titans, said to CNN. "He just called and was in the neighborhood looking for property and was like, 'You want to be on my curling team?' I was like, 'All right.'"Bulluck, 41, had curled before. He worked at the FNTSY Sports Network, and an office party was at the High Park Club, which has curling, in Toronto."I did get a few hours of curling in, and the most memorable part was the beers, so I guess I'm here for the beers," Bulluck said with a smile. The team's apparel, which Roos designed, includes a pint to go with a curling stone, a broom, the house and a football.The group is putting in the hours -- and the money. John Benton, a former Olympian, is their coach. The group flies up to Minnesota to curl on what Allen calls the "good ice" at least a few times a month. They also bring in a coach from Canada.Allen retired from the NFL in 2015 and wasn't ready to give up on the competition he'd come to enjoy as a four-time All-Pro in a 12-year career. His solution: Make it to the 2022 Olympics -- in curling."Once we get to the ice, we all trust that we all put the work in," Allen said. "We really don't have any expectations. We have goals. But we've been doing this such a short time that there's no expectations from the outside world. Everybody thinks we're going to fail anyways, so why not go out and shock people."They have work to do.A little more than a month ago, at the Curl Mesabi Classic in Eveleth, Minnesota, Allen's team -- that week made up of himself, Bulger and experienced curlers in Hunter Clawson and Benton -- had a daunting challenge. Their first opponent was Team Shuster, which included 2018 Olympic gold medalists John Shuster, Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner. They lost, 11-3."We're so young, we're so green, but that's what's cool about it," Allen said. "Even in our losses, it's continually learning. The curling community's been super welcoming. And we're just able to gain knowledge and pick things up." | 5sport
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This story was excerpted from the July 29 edition of CNN's Meanwhile in America, the daily email about US politics for global readers. Click here to read past editions and subscribe. (CNN)That went well. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidance advising Americans in areas where there is "substantial" or "high" transmission of Covid-19 to go back to wearing masks indoors, whether vaccinated or not. The announcement triggered an immediate uproar and a revival of the circular and by now utterly frustrating political debate about masking that festered through much of the last year. Those bleating the loudest represent Republican areas where the refusal to take a safe, free, effective vaccine has allowed the Delta variant to catch fire and thwarted a US victory over the pandemic that was almost within reach. As is often the case, the most juvenile behavior was on show in the House of Representatives. Colorado's Rep. Lauren Boebert, a devotee of ex-President Donald Trump, reportedly threw back a mask offered to her by a staffer in the chamber. A Democratic and a Republican lawmaker got into a yelling match when the former said his colleague was being selfish for not masking up. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, said mask guidance rooted in science that shows Delta's deadly spread was not actually "based on science" and accused liberals of wanting to live in a "perpetual pandemic state."Of course, if everyone in the House were vaccinated, masks might not be needed. But more than 90 Republican members have refused to reveal their status, presumably because if they have had the shots, it might clash with their desire to cast doubt on anti-Covid measures to please their voters. Read MoreHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, isn't exactly upholding the highest standards of decorum expected of the person second in line to succeed the President. Asked about McCarthy's reaction to the new mask rules, the California Democrat said: "He's such a moron." Across the country, conservative politicians are vowing to block any new mask mandates. In Florida, where new infections of Covid-19 are exploding, protesters burned masks in the streets. One frustrated emergency room doctor in Miami, Murtaza Akhter, told CNN that he was being besieged by gravely ill Covid-19 patients who still refuse to believe in the vaccine. "It was horrid in the ER last night," he said. After weeks of hope, a virus that has an uncanny ability to inflame America's self-defeating political divides is doing its deathly work again. Fight attendants So much for flying the friendly skies. An epidemic of air rage and violence at 30,000 feet has prompted several hundred flight attendants to sign up for self-defense classes, CNN's Pete Muntean reports. Cabin crew members are being taught by federal air marshals how to punch, elbow and gouge potential assailants. There have been thousands of incidents of violence and intimidation against flight attendants this year, as tempers fray over the usual frustrations with air travel and a new irritant -- mask mandates for everyone on board. One Southwest Airlines employee lost two teeth in an assault, according to her union. And every now and then a new video goes viral of passengers fighting on board and taking out their ire on flight attendants, like the one reportedly on a recent Frontier Airlines fight. If it gets any worse, cabin crews will not only have to point out emergency exits and the location of life vests for "the unlikely event of a landing on water," they also might warn any budding troublemakers that they risk an elbow to the jaw. | 3news
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(CNN)An Arizona political commentator charged in the US Capitol riot spoke at a small right-wing rally in Phoenix last month that was attended by over a dozen Proud Boys, even though a federal judge had ordered him not to associate with any members of the extremist group. Pictures posted online and a video obtained by CNN from an attendee show Micajah Jackson near a group of Proud Boys, spouting conspiracies about January 6. This raises questions of whether he violated the conditions of his pre-trial release, or at the least gave fresh material to prosecutors that they could use against him in court, as they have in other Capitol riot cases. Jackson spoke at the Sept. 26 event, organized by Look Ahead America, the group that held a similar rally in Washington, DC, to support defendants charged in the pro-Trump insurrection.One picture, posted by Jackson on Twitter, shows him posing with a Republican congressional candidate who praised the Proud Boys in attendance during his speech that day. A man in Proud Boys attire, not with the pair, stands in the background behind them at the event. A video obtained by CNN from AZ Right Wing Watch, a Twitter account that monitors the far-right in the state, shows Jackson talking to the candidate, Arizona state Rep. Walt Blackman, near a small crowd that includes at least four men in Proud Boys attire. 'We're getting all kinds of threats': Judge says defiant US Capitol rioters are fueling threats from Trump supportersJackson's attorney told CNN that Jackson had no knowledge the Proud Boys would be attending and that he is complying with the terms of his release. She added that the Justice Department is aware of his participation in the rally, but hasn't flagged it to the judge or tried to revoke his bail. Read MoreAt the rally, Jackson baselessly claimed that the government "weaponized the FBI, the Capitol police, DC police, Antifa, BLM, and Democratic activists to set up a coup against patriotic Americans like myself and hundreds and thousands of others that are still being persecuted," comparing it to "KGB stuff." Leaning into the false-flag conspiracy, Jackson called on the Justice Department to "prosecute every Congress member that was part of this set-up coup against us." Jackson was charged with four misdemeanors that the Justice Department has used against hundreds of other rioters who aren't accused of attacking police or destroying property β including entering a restricted building and unlawfully protesting at the US Capitol. He has pleaded not guilty. Court order to avoid Proud Boys FBI agents arrested Jackson on May 18. As is common in Capitol riot cases where the defendant isn't accused of violence, a federal judge released Jackson before trial. She ordered that he "not associate with any known members of the Proud Boys organization." The order was signed by Judge Robin M. Meriweather on March 27, months before the Arizona rally.Jackson's presence at the rally with the Proud Boys could create legal problems for him. If federal prosecutors believe he knowingly violated the release conditions, they could ask a judge to revoke his bail. In other Capitol riot cases, the Justice Department has quickly flagged potential bail violations to judges, including one rioter who was sent back to jail in part because he watched far-right conspiracy videos online. Other judges deal with violations with warnings. A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office in DC declined to comment about Jackson's case. Maria Jacob, a public defender who represents Jackson, told CNN in a statement that Jackson didn't directly associate with any Proud Boys, and therefore is complying with the release order. "Mr. Jackson did not have any contact with any members of the Proud Boys at the Justice for J6 rally and had no knowledge that any of its members would attend. The government is aware of the allegations and to date has filed no suggestion of a violation or request for action," she said. There's no indication Jackson took pictures with any Proud Boys or knew they'd be at the rally. If he is convicted, prosecutors could bring up this incident at sentencing -- in similar cases, prosecutors have advocated for harsher punishments by citing rioters' incendiary rhetoric and nonchalance toward court orders. The next hearing in Jackson's case is scheduled for Wednesday in DC District Court.'Self-serving' denialsJackson is one of a few dozen Capitol riot defendants with ties to the Proud Boys, according to CNN's latest tally. He's also a veteran who served as a lance corporal in the Marine Corps, according to Pentagon records, making him one of several dozen veterans facing charges. Prosecutors say Jackson marched to the Capitol with a group of Proud Boys and was with them when they breached the first barricades outside the building. Prosecutors say photos show Jackson in a group led by Proud Boys organizer Joe Biggs, another veteran who is also facing charges for the riot.In an interview with the FBI, Jackson claimed he wasn't affiliated with the Proud Boys and said he never met any members before January 6, according to court filings. He also said he doesn't support their ideology, which is often described as far-right with White nationalist sympathies. Investigators cast doubt on Jackson's denials and called them "self-serving" in court filings. In addition to denying that he is tied to the Proud Boys, he complained at last month's Phoenix rally about people who label others as White supremacists, and compared liberals to Nazis. "If you went against the Nazi party -- what they're doing, calling everyone a White supremacist, is the same exact thing that Hitler did with the Jews," Jackson said at the event. | 4politics
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Story highlights French U.N. ambassador says Russia isn't listening to anyoneUkrainian military base commander in Crimea denies switching allegianceRussia says far-right groups "conniving" with new authorities in KievPro-Russian Prime Minister of Crimea is assembling a small armyOne moment Monday morning, a Ukrainian flag still was flying over a military base in Ukraine's Crimea region -- the base's commander reportedly kidnapped by pro-Russian troops the day before. Later Monday, masked troops were at the base, and the Ukrainian flag was gone.The bloodless incursion by apparently pro-Russian forces onto the Ukrainian base in the city of Bakhchisaray -- amid disputed accounts over whether the base commander had switched sides -- was one of the latest encounters between pro-Moscow troops who are consolidating their hold on the Black Sea peninsula and Ukrainian forces who still are there.The incident at the base came a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel bluntly told Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone the Moscow-backed referendum on whether Crimea should join Russia is illegal and would violate Ukraine's constitution if it goes ahead on March 16.Legal or not, Crimean referendum will shape Ukraine crisis Photos: Photos: Crisis in Ukraine Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian tanks are transported from their base in Perevalne, Crimea, on Wednesday, March 26. After Russian troops seized most of Ukraine's bases in Crimea, interim Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov ordered the withdrawal of armed forces from the peninsula, citing Russian threats to the lives of military staff and their families.Hide Caption 1 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian marines wave as they leave a base in Feodosia, Crimea, on Tuesday, March 25. Hide Caption 2 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian sailors stand on the deck of the corvette ship Suzdalets in the bay of Sevastopol, Crimea, on March 25.Hide Caption 3 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian militia members remove a local resident as Russian troops assault the Belbek air base, outside Sevastopol, on Saturday, March 22. Following its annexation of Crimea, Russian forces have consolidated their control of the region.Hide Caption 4 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Soldiers in unmarked uniforms sit atop an armored personnel carrier at the gate of the Belbek air base on March 22. Hide Caption 5 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Russian sailor holds the Russian Navy's St. Andrew's flag while standing on the bow of the surrendered Ukrainian submarine Zaporozhye on March 22 in Sevastopol.Hide Caption 6 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian President Vladimir Putin signs the final decree completing the annexation of Crimea on Friday, March 21, as Upper House Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, left, and State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin watch. Hide Caption 7 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian serviceman leaves a Ukrainian military unit that Russian soldiers took control of in Perevalne on March 21.Hide Caption 8 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian border guards run during training at a military camp in Alekseyevka, Ukraine, on March 21.Hide Caption 9 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian soldiers patrol the area surrounding a Ukrainian military unit in Perevalne on Thursday, March 20.Hide Caption 10 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian protesters remove the gate to the Ukrainian navy headquarters as Russian troops stand guard in Sevastopol on Wednesday, March 19.Hide Caption 11 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian forces walk inside the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol on March 19.Hide Caption 12 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A member of pro-Russian forces takes down a Ukrainian flag at the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol on March 19. Hide Caption 13 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Alexander Vitko, chief of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, leaves the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol after pro-Russian forces took it over on March 19.Hide Caption 14 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Russian flag waves as workers install a new sign on a parliament building in Simferopol, Crimea's capital, on March 19.Hide Caption 15 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian military personnel surround a Ukrainian military base in Perevalne on March 19.Hide Caption 16 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Nameplates on the front of the Crimean parliament building get removed Tuesday, March 18, in Simferopol.Hide Caption 17 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β From left, Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov; Vladimir Konstantinov, speaker of the Crimean parliament; Russian President Vladimir Putin; and Alexei Chaly, the new de facto mayor of Sevastopol, join hands in Moscow on March 18 after signing a treaty to make Crimea part of Russia.Hide Caption 18 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Demonstrators hold a Crimean flag at Lenin Square in Simferopol on March 18.Hide Caption 19 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint near Strilkove, Ukraine, close to Crimea on Monday, March 17.Hide Caption 20 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Former boxer and Ukrainian politician Vitali Klitschko addresses reporters in Kiev, Ukraine, on March 17.Hide Caption 21 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian troops stand guard in front of the Ukrainian Parliament building in Kiev on March 17.Hide Caption 22 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian man applies for the National Guard at a mobile recruitment center in Kiev on March 17.Hide Caption 23 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Civilians walk past riot police in Simferopol on March 17.Hide Caption 24 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian soldier stands on top of an armored vehicle at a military camp near the village of Michurino, Ukraine, on March 17.Hide Caption 25 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Policemen stand guard outside the regional state administration building in Donetsk, Ukraine, during a rally by pro-Russia activists March 17.Hide Caption 26 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Armed soldiers stand guard outside a Ukrainian military base in Perevalne on March 17.Hide Caption 27 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A man holds a Crimean flag as he stands in front of the Crimean parliament building in Simferopol on March 17.Hide Caption 28 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Crimeans holding Russian flags celebrate in front of the parliament building in Simferopol on Sunday, March 16.Hide Caption 29 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian police officer tries to shield himself from a road block thrown by pro-Russia supporters in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 16.Hide Caption 30 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russia demonstrators storm the prosecutor general's office during a rally in Donetsk on March 16.Hide Caption 31 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A child casts her mother's ballot March 16 while holding a Russian flag at a polling station in Simferopol.Hide Caption 32 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A pro-Russian soldier, with the Russian flag behind him, mans a machine gun outside an Ukrainian military base in Perevalne on Saturday, March 15.Hide Caption 33 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A pro-Russian soldier guards the perimeter outside an Ukrainian military base in Perevalne on March 15.Hide Caption 34 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian flags wave in front of a monument dedicated to Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin during a pro-Russia rally in Simferopol's Lenin Square on March 15.Hide Caption 35 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Evgenyi Batyukhov cries March 14 at the site where pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian activists clashed the night before in Donetsk, Ukraine.Hide Caption 36 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A line of policemen stand in front of a bus of pro-Ukrainian activists as pro-Russian supporters confront them during a rally in Donetsk on Thursday, March 13.Hide Caption 37 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian supporters clash with pro-Ukrainian activists in Donetsk on March 13.Hide Caption 38 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Recent Academy Award winner Jared Leto walks through Independence Square in Kiev on March 13. During his Oscars acceptance speech in early March, the actor spoke to protesters in Ukraine and Venezuela saying, "We're thinking of you tonight."Hide Caption 39 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A member of a pro-Russian self-defense unit checks a polling station near Simferopol on March 13.Hide Caption 40 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian soldier looks out of the window of a regional military building with a poster reading "Ukraine's armed forces wait for you!" in Donetsk on March 13.Hide Caption 41 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β An armed Cossack stands guard at a checkpoint on the road from Simferopol to Sevastopol on March 13.Hide Caption 42 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A pro-Russian soldier speaks to a truck driver outside the Ukrainian infantry base in Perevalne on Wednesday, March 12.Hide Caption 43 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Cossacks stand guard at Crimea's regional parliament building in Simferopol on March 12.Hide Caption 44 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Soldiers are seen aboard the Ukrainian ship Slavutych in the harbor of Sevastopol on Tuesday, March 11.Hide Caption 45 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian naval officers board a boat in front of the Russian minesweeper Turbinist in Sevastopol's harbor on March 11.Hide Caption 46 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People shout slogans during a pro-Russia rally in Donetsk on Sunday, March 9. Hide Caption 47 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian police detain a demonstrator during a pro-Russian rally in Donetsk on March 9. Hide Caption 48 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russia protesters remove a Ukrainian flag from a flagpole taken from a government building in Donetsk on March 9.Hide Caption 49 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Cossacks and other pro-Russian forces stand guard outside a government building in Simferopol on Saturday, March 8.Hide Caption 50 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian soldiers load armored personnel carriers into boxcars in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on March 8.Hide Caption 51 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Armed men believed to be Russian military march in a village outside Simferopol on Friday, March 7.Hide Caption 52 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russia protesters demonstrate outside the Belbek air base, near Sevastopol, on Thursday, March 6.Hide Caption 53 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian navy officer looks at the scuttled, decommissioned Russian vessel Ochakov from the Black Sea shore outside the town of Myrnyi, Ukraine, on March 6. Russian naval personnel scuttled the ship, blockading access for five Ukrainian naval vessels.Hide Caption 54 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A member of the Russian military patrols around Perevalne on March 6.Hide Caption 55 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Servicemen guard a checkpoint at a Ukrainian navy base in Perevalne on March 6.Hide Caption 56 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian troops guard the Belbek air base on March 6.Hide Caption 57 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A woman walks past barricades March 6 that were set up by anti-government protesters in Kiev's Independence Square.Hide Caption 58 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A sailor guards the Ukrainian Navy ship Slavutych in the Bay of Sevastopol on Wednesday, March 5.Hide Caption 59 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People wait in line for food distribution in Independence Square on March 5.Hide Caption 60 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian sailors carry meat to their vessel in the Sevastopol harbor on March 5.Hide Caption 61 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Riot police stand at the entrance of a regional administrative building during a rally in Donetsk on March 5.Hide Caption 62 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian police officer gives instructions to members of the media in front of the business class lounge of the Simferopol airport on March 5.Hide Caption 63 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russia demonstrators wave a Russian flag after storming a regional administrative building in Donetsk on March 5.Hide Caption 64 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Demonstrators break a police barrier as they storm a regional administrative building in Donetsk on March 5.Hide Caption 65 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian military recruits line up to receive instructions in Kiev's Independence Square on Tuesday, March 4. Hide Caption 66 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People stand on the Ukrainian Navy ship Slavutych while it's at harbor in Sevastopol on March 4. Mattresses were placed over the side of the ship to hinder any attempted assault.Hide Caption 67 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian troops watch as a Russian navy ship blocks the entrance of the Ukrainian navy base in Sevastopol on March 4.Hide Caption 68 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A woman photographs pro-Russian soldiers guarding Ukraine's infantry base in Perevalne on March 4.Hide Caption 69 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, wearing a blue scarf, visits a shrine March 4 for the people who were killed in February during anti-government protests in Kiev.Hide Caption 70 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Yuli Mamchun, the commander of the Ukrainian military garrison at the Belbek air base near Sevastopol, salutes on March 4.Hide Caption 71 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian soldiers stand guard at the Belbek air base on March 4.Hide Caption 72 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian military members march at the Belbek air base on March 4.Hide Caption 73 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian soldiers fire warning shots to keep back Ukrainian military members at the Belbek air base on March 4.Hide Caption 74 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Ukrainian airman puts the Ukrainian national flag over the gate of the Belbek air base as they guard what's left under their control on March 4.Hide Caption 75 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian soldiers aim a grenade launcher and machine gun as they guard positions at the Belbek air base on March 4.Hide Caption 76 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian seamen stand guard on the Ukrainian navy ship Slavutych in the Sevastopol harbor on Monday, March 3.Hide Caption 77 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Oleg, a Ukrainian soldier, kisses his girlfriend, Svetlana, through the gates of the Belbek base entrance on March 3. Tensions are high at the base, where Ukrainian soldiers were standing guard inside the building while alleged Russian gunmen were standing guard outside the gates.Hide Caption 78 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Wives of Ukrainian soldiers walk past Russian soldiers to visit their husbands guarding a military base in Perevalne on March 3.Hide Caption 79 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A Russian soldier guards an area outside Ukraine's military base in the village of Perevalne on March 3.Hide Caption 80 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A sailor looks out a window near the entrance to the Ukrainian navy headquarters in Sevastopol on March 3.Hide Caption 81 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Armed men in military uniform walk outside a Ukrainian military unit near Simferopol on Sunday, March 2. Hundreds of armed men in trucks and armored vehicles surrounded the Ukrainian base Sunday in Crimea, blocking its soldiers from leaving.Hide Caption 82 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Soldiers walk outside a Ukrainian military base in Perevalne as a local resident waves a Russian flag March 2.Hide Caption 83 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Demonstrators shout during a rally in Kiev's Independence Square on March 2.Hide Caption 84 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian soldiers, left, and unidentified gunmen, right, stand at the gate of an infantry base in Perevalne on March 2. Hide Caption 85 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian soldiers guard a gate of an infantry base in Perevalne on March 2.Hide Caption 86 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A woman cries during a rally in Independence Square on March 2.Hide Caption 87 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Protesters hold flags of the United States, Germany and Italy during a rally in Independence Square on March 2.Hide Caption 88 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People attend a morning prayer service at Independence Square on March 2. Hide Caption 89 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A soldier and a truck driver unload bread outside the Ukranian navy headquarters in Sevastopol on March 2.Hide Caption 90 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Heavily armed troops, displaying no identifying insignia and who were mingling with local pro-Russian militants, stand guard outside a local government building in Simferopol on March 2. Hide Caption 91 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A woman waits in front of unidentified men in military fatigues who were blocking a base of the Ukrainian frontier guard unit in Balaklava, Ukraine, on Saturday, March 1.Hide Caption 92 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β U.S. President Barack Obama, in the Oval Office of the White House, talks on the phone March 1 with Russian President Vladimir Putin.Hide Caption 93 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Troops stand guard in Balaklava on March 1. Hide Caption 94 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Heavily armed soldiers displaying no identifying insignia maintain watch in Simferopol on March 1.Hide Caption 95 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People gather around the coffin of a man who was killed during clashes with riot police in Independence Square.Hide Caption 96 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian activists hold Russian flags during a rally in the center of Donetsk on March 1.Hide Caption 97 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian activists clash with Maidan supporters as they storm the regional government building in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 1.Hide Caption 98 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A protester stands at a memorial March 1 for the people killed in clashes at Independence Square.Hide Caption 99 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Armed men patrol outside the Simferopol International Airport on Friday, February 28.Hide Caption 100 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β An image provided to CNN by a local resident shows Russian tanks on the move in Sevastopol.Hide Caption 101 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Russian troops block a road February 28 toward the military airport in Sevastopol. The Russian Black Sea Fleet is based at the port city.Hide Caption 102 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Armed men stand guard in front of a building near the Simferopol airport on February 28. Hide Caption 103 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β An armed man wearing no identifying insignia patrols outside Simferopol International Airport on February 28. Hide Caption 104 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Police stand guard outside the Crimea regional parliament building Thursday, February 27, in Simferopol. Armed men seized the regional government administration building and parliament in Crimea. Hide Caption 105 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Police intervene as Russian supporters gather in front of the parliament building in Simferopol on February 27.Hide Caption 106 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A man adds fuel to a fire at a barricade in Independence Square on February 27. Dozens of people were killed during clashes between security forces and protesters.Hide Caption 107 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russia demonstrators wave Russian and Crimean flags in front of a local government building in Simferopol on February 27. Hide Caption 108 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Barricades in front of a government building in Simferopol on February 27 hold a banner that reads: "Crimea Russia." There's a broad divide between those who support the pro-Western developments in Kiev and those who back Russia's continued influence in Crimea and across Ukraine.Hide Caption 109 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Protesters stand in front of a government building in Simferopol on February 27. Tensions have simmered in the Crimea region since the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.Hide Caption 110 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Protesters in support of the president's ouster rally in Independence Square, which has been the center of opposition, on Wednesday, February 26.Hide Caption 111 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Security forces stand guard during clashes between opposing sides in front of Crimea's parliament building in Simferopol on February 26.Hide Caption 112 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Pro-Russian demonstrators, right, clash with anti-Russian protesters in front of a government building in Simferopol on February 26. Hide Caption 113 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A police officer gets pulled into a crowd of Crimean Tatars in Simferopol on February 26. The Tatars, an ethnic minority group deported during the Stalin era, rallied in support of Ukraine's interim government.Hide Caption 114 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A man places flowers at a barricade near Independence Square on February 26.Hide Caption 115 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β On February 26 in Kiev, a woman holds a photograph of a protester killed during the height of tensions.Hide Caption 116 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Police guard a government building in Donetsk on February 26.Hide Caption 117 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Protesters remove a fence that surrounds Ukraine's parliament in Kiev on February 26.Hide Caption 118 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People sing the Ukrainian national anthem at Independence Square on Monday, February 24.Hide Caption 119 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Gas masks used by protesters sit next to a barricade in Independence Square on February 24.Hide Caption 120 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A woman cries February 24 near a memorial for the people killed in Kiev.Hide Caption 121 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β People wave a large Ukrainian flag in Independence Square on Sunday, February 23.Hide Caption 122 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Two pro-government supporters are made to pray February 23 in front of a shrine to dead anti-government protesters.Hide Caption 123 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A man and his daughter lay flowers at a memorial for protesters killed in Independence Square. Hide Caption 124 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko speaks at Independence Square on Saturday, February 22, hours after being released from prison. Tymoshenko, considered a hero of a 2004 revolution against Yanukovych, was released after 2Β½ years behind bars.Hide Caption 125 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Tymoshenko is greeted by supporters shortly after being freed from prison in Kharkiv on February 22.Hide Caption 126 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β A protester guards the entrance to Yanukovych's abandoned residence outside Kiev on February 22. Hide Caption 127 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Anti-government protesters guard the streets next to the presidential offices in Kiev on February 22. Hide Caption 128 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Anti-government protesters drive a military vehicle in Independence Square on February 22. Many protesters said they wouldn't leave the square until Yanukovych resigned.Hide Caption 129 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Ukrainian lawmakers argue during a session of Parliament on Friday, February 21.Hide Caption 130 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Men in Kiev carry a casket containing the body of a protester killed in clashes with police.Hide Caption 131 of 132 Photos: Photos: Crisis in UkraineCrisis in Ukraine β Protesters cheer after news of an agreement between the opposing sides in Kiev on February 21.Hide Caption 132 of 132JUST WATCHEDWill Putin stop at Crimea?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWill Putin stop at Crimea? 05:07JUST WATCHEDUkraine: 30,000 Russian troops in CrimeaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUkraine: 30,000 Russian troops in Crimea 04:34Putin has defended breakaway moves by pro-Russian leaders in Crimea, where Russian forces have been tightening their grip on a region that has been the epicenter of a battle for influence among Moscow, Kiev and the West since Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's ouster last month. Pro-Russian forces last week pushed into the autonomous region in a bloodless siege, prompting criticism from Western nations and Ukraine's interim government.Moscow has denounced the events that led to Yanukovych's ouster as an illegitimate coup and has refused to recognize the new Ukrainian authorities, putting the two countries on a collision course over control of Crimea, which has longstanding ties to Russia and has thousands of Russian troops stationed there.Putin has said Russia has the right to protect Russians living in the former Soviet republic. As tensions mount, Ukraine's armed forces carried out training exercises to test their readiness, the country's Defense Ministry said. Citing televised comments made by Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh on Sunday, it said the army was not calling for full mobilization, as diplomacy was still the preferred method to resolve the crisis.The Prime Minister of the autonomous region, Sergey Aksenev, was recently appointed commander-in-chief by the region's parliament, giving him the power to form an army, government spokeswoman Ekaterina Polonchuk told CNN.Aksenev told the Interfax news agency that the decision to form a military stems from "the presence of illegal armed groups in the territory of Crimea," comments confirmed to CNN by Polonchuk. So far, it appears a small number of men have joined the new army.Opinion: Five myths about the crisisMasked troops at Ukrainian baseMonday's appearance of masked troops at the Bakhchisaray base came a day after a pro-Russian group appeared to have kidnapped base commander Vladimir Sadovnik at a checkpoint, according to the Ukrainian military.When a CNN crew visited the base Monday morning, the Ukrainian military was in charge, but Sadovnik still was missing. The deputy commander said that if "they to try blackmail us into giving up the base, it won't happen."Three hours later, the crew returned to the base, and the Ukrainian flag was no longer flying there. Masked gunmen were on the property, looking at the crew from the other side of a fence.The deputy commander told CNN said 15 gunmen came to the base with Sadovnik, and that the gunmen were planning to take vehicles from the base. CNN was not allowed inside.What Sadovnik did upon his return is disputed. Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov said Sadovnik had switched allegiance and persuaded some of the Ukrainian troops there to join him.Sadovnik and the men who joined him loaded trucks with fuel, radios and other goods to take away from the base, according to Seleznyov.But Sadovnik, talking later to CNN by phone, denied Seleznyov's account. He said his kidnappers allowed him to return to the base, and that he still was loyal to Ukraine.He said pro-Russian forces did ask Ukrainian troops at the base to change sides Monday, but that he did no such thing. He said he still was at the base; CNN couldn't immediately verify his location.The control of base wasn't immediately clear Monday. Seleznyov said both Ukrainian and Russian flags were flying at the base late Monday afternoon.Putin earlier this month secured permission from his parliament to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine. The move came days after Yanukovych's flight from the country. Yanukovych was ousted after three months of protests against his decision to spurn a free trade deal with the European Union and turn toward closer ties with Moscow.Are the Russians listening?At the United Nations, French Ambassador Gerard Araud told reporters the situation in Crimea "is worsening by the day." Russian troops are being reinforced and Moscow appears ready to annex the region, he said after a Security Council session Monday afternoon."(The session) was a call to the Russians: We want to negotiate. We want a political settlement. Please don't worsen this crisis," Araud said. But he added, "The Russians are not showing any signal that they are listening to us -- not only to the Security Council, but to all the heads of state and government." And British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said no "free and fair" vote could be held "while Crimea is under the illegal control of Russian troops and armed militias who are denying access to international monitors." "In the light of these concerns, if the referendum goes ahead on the 16th of March, its results must be considered illegal and illegitimate by all nations," Grant said.Opinion: Clock is ticking on Crimea crisisPropaganda warEarlier, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said a group of about 20 pro-Russian activists from the so-called Crimea self-defense squads had broken into the military hospital in the region's main administrative city, Simferopol, and thrown out its chief.In a later statement, it said the hospital chief was back at work after negotiations but added the premises were being blockaded by the activists.However a CNN team that traveled to the hospital found it very quiet, with no one around. A guard on duty said he had not heard or seen anything unusual and that there was no senior official to speak with as Monday was a public holiday.In the course of the rapidly changing events of the past week, a propaganda war over Ukraine has quickly developed as each side seeks to strengthen its stance.Scenes of balaclava-wearing men without insignia patrolling streets or other premises have now become a familiar sight in the region.Reports of confrontations weren't limited to Crimea. In the eastern mainland Ukrainian city of Lugansk, just a few kilometers west of the Russian border, 50 to 60 pro-Russian activists burst into an IRTA TV station building on Monday, editor-in-chief Katerina Rakova said.The intruders initially threatened to burn the building if they weren't allowed to broadcast. But they eventually left, warning that they would return if they are dissatisfied with the station's news broadcasts about pro-Russian demonstrations in Lugansk, Rakova said.Russia, meanwhile, accused far-right groups Monday of "conniving" with the new authorities in Ukraine.In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned "lawlessness" in eastern Ukraine and accused the West of being silent over violence and detentions taking place against Russian citizens, such as one incident last week when it said masked gunmen fired on and injured peaceful protesters.On Monday afternoon, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "increasingly alarmed" by developments in Ukraine."Recent events in Crimea in particular have only served to deepen the crisis. As tensions and mistrust are growing, I urge all sides to refrain from hasty actions and provocative rhetoric," he said. | 3news
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Story highlightsWinner says he wants to give youth a better lifeMartine Aubry concedes to Francois HollandeSocialists pick candidate to oppose Nicolas Sarkozy for presidentDominique Strauss-Kahn was expected to be a candidate, but was felled by sex chargesFrance's Socialist Party, which hasn't won the presidency in more than 20 years, picked longtime politician Francois Hollande to try to unseat incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in next spring's elections.Hollande defeated Martine Aubry in Sunday's runoff election. The former party leader thanked more than 2 million voters and pledged to bring new vitality to the country."I want to give young people a better life," he told CNN affiliate BFM-TV.Hollande had 56.85.% of the vote and Aubry 43.15% with 2.5 million votes counted. Final results were to be posted by Monday."The Socialist primaries have made Mr. Hollande more legitimate and stronger to fight against the right," Aubry said.The last Socialist elected president was Francois Mitterrand, who served from 1981 to 1995. Hollande served as an adviser to Mitterrand.Hollande led the Socialist Party from 1997 to 2008. He is president of the General Council of Correze. Correze is a department in south central France.Hollande favored the European Constitution, which defines the powers of the European Union.Aubry, mayor of the northern city of Lille, succeeded Hollande as party chief. She was the architect of universal health care coverage for low-income citizens and served as labor minister in the early 1990s. Aubry also pushed the 35-hour work-week reform. She's the daughter of well-known political leader Jacques Delors.Hollande and Aubry squared off after former favorite Dominique Strauss-Kahn was felled by accusations of attempted rape in both the United States and France. Prosecutors in New York dropped charges against him, and Paris prosecutors said last week they lacked sufficient evidence to file charges. However, the timing of the scandals doomed his hopes of running for president in 2012.Hollande came in first in last week's party primaries, with 39%, but had to go to a second round against current party chair Aubry, who got 30%, because no candidate got an overall majority.More than 2.5 million people voted in the first round of primaries, thanks to new rules about who was eligible to vote.The big surprise in the first round was Arnaud Montebourg, the anti-globalization candidate, who came in third with 17% of the vote.The first round of French presidential elections will be held April 22 with a second round on May 6 if necessary. | 3news
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(CNN)Deontay Wilder blamed the elaborate costume he wore during the ring walk for his heavyweight world title defeat by Tyson Fury.The American donned a 40-pound costume as a tribute to Black History Month as he made his way into the MGM Grand arena in Las Vegas Saturday.Trump inviting @Tyson_Fury to the White House! pic.twitter.com/Tia2qIy6vqβ Michael Heaver (@Michael_Heaver) February 24, 2020 Britain's Fury clinched the WBC belt with a devastating display that ended with Wilder's corner throwing in the towel in the seventh round. "He didn't hurt me at all, but the simple fact is my uniform was way too heavy for me," the previously undefeated Wilder told Yahoo Sports. "I didn't have no legs from the beginning of the fight. "In the third round, my legs were just shot all the way through. But I'm a warrior and people know that I'm a warrior."Read MoreWilder and Fury could be reunited at the White House after President Donald Trump suggested Monday he may invite them both."Two great fighters, it was really very exciting," Trump told reporters in Washington. "Maybe we have to bring them both to the White House because that was really a good one. In fact, I think we'll do that."READ: How Tyson Fury dismantled Deontay WilderWilder enters the ring prior to the heavyweight bout against Fury. The 34-year-old Wilder, who was bidding for a record 11th straight defense to pass Mohammad Ali's record, knocked down Fury twice in their controversial draw in Los Angeles 2018, but was unable to produce the same standard in Las Vegas. "A lot of people were telling me, 'it looked like something was wrong with you.' Something was, but when you're in the ring you have to bluff a lot of things. I tried my best to do so. I knew I didn't have the legs because of my uniform," he added."I was only able to put it on [for the first time] the night before, but I didn't think it was going to be that heavy. It weighed 40, 40-some pounds with the helmet and all the batteries. I wanted my tribute to be great for Black History Month. I wanted it to be good and I guess I put that before anything."READ: Jake Paul knocks out AnEsonGib in latest YouTuber boxing matchFury (right) punches Wilder.Rematch on the cards?Since the result, speculation has been rife over who Fury will face next. A potential all-British, four-belt unification fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua that would crown an undisputed world heavyweight champion for the first time since Lennox Lewis in 2000 appears to be most appealing to fans. Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, has promised boxing fans that a fight between Fury and Joshua "will happen," while the president of Fury's US promoters Top Rank, Todd DuBoef, told Sky Sports they should "strike while the iron is hot" and set up a mega-clash between the two British heavyweights. Fury celebrates his win by TKO in the seventh round against Wilder.Wilder and Fury had previously fought to a controversial draw in 2018, and in the contract for their rematch, both sides had the right to invoke a third fight, regardless of the result.But after suffering his first career loss to the British fighter, Wilder says a rematch is on the cards. "We're definitely going to exercise it," said Wilder told ESPN. "We're looking forward to it. I'm a warrior and a true champion, and I fight like that every bit of the way. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos"We're definitely going on with it. That's for sure. By the summertime." | 5sport
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(CNN)Chien-Shiung Wu isn't a household name, but the pioneering physicist's portrait could be coming soon to a mailbox near you.Her face is the latest image on a US Postal Service stamp issued on Thursday.And the timing is no coincidence.It's the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.Jada Yuan, Wu's granddaughter, says issuing the stamp that day sends a powerful message.Read More"She believed in women and girls being in science, and achieving in any field that they put their minds to," Yuan says. "And I think it means a lot that because she's on a stamp, people will learn her story."Wu got her Ph.D., became a professor and made landmark discoveries in physics at a time when relatively few women in the United States were even going to college.The Chinese immigrant's work garnered her nicknames like "the queen of physics," and she won numerous accolades. But Wu never won a Nobel prize. And some speculate her gender may have been one reason she was passed over.Physicist Chien-Shiung Wu stands beside a particle accelerator at Columbia University, where she worked for decades.'She radically changed our view of the universe'The stamp featuring Wu's portrait is one of three issued by the USPS this year to honor the achievements and culture of Asian Americans.Postal officials say they selected Wu, who died in 1997, because she was one of the most influential physicists of the 20th century. "During a career that spanned more than 40 years in a field dominated by men, she established herself as the authority on conducting precise and accurate research to test fundamental theories of physics," USPS says in its description of the stamp.The discovery she's most known for: a 1956 experiment disproving conservation of parity, a law of physics that had become an accepted part of quantum mechanics."She radically changed our view of the universe," says Brian Greene, a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University.Scientists had long assumed the universe was symmetric and didn't distinguish between left and right. But Wu's experiment showed that wasn't the case, he said."The achievement opens the way to a whole new set of explanations of the atom, the world and the cosmos," the New York Herald Tribune reported at the time, comparing its significance to Einstein's discovery of the theory of relativity."Her work, you now see it integrated into what is called the Standard Model of particle physics. This is our deepest understanding of nature's ingredients," Greene says. "And Madame Wu's result is written all over those equations."Wu received an honorary degree from Harvard in 1974. Here she's pictured at the right of the bottom row, sitting beside the university's president, Derek Bok, and opera star Beverly Sills, a fellow honorary degree recipient. MIT President Jerome B. Wiesner, novelist Ralph Ellison, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, Institute for Advanced Study faculty member Clifford Geertz and Archbishop Monsignor Rev. Helder Camara also received honorary degrees that year and are pictured in the top row.An immigrant's journeyWu grew up in China and immigrated to the United States in 1936. She completed her Ph.D. studies at the University of California at Berkeley, then went on to teach at Smith College and Princeton University. She took a job at Columbia University and joined the Manhattan Project in 1944, where her research included "improving Geiger counters for the detection of radiation and the enrichment of uranium in large quantities," according to a National Park Service profile of her.She became a full professor at Columbia in 1958 and earned numerous awards for her work, including the Comstock Prize and the Wolf Prize. An asteroid was named after her in 1990.The stamp featuring her face has been years in the making. Anyone can submit suggestions for "stamp subjects that celebrate the American experience." And the postal service says it gets about 30,000 nominations every year.Immigrants have appeared on US stamps a number of times before, though the postal service told CNN it doesn't consider immigration status when it's evaluating who to put on a stamp or track how many immigrants have been featured. Fellow physicists like Albert Einstein and Enrico Fermi have also appeared on stamps, and they were immigrants, too. For Wu's granddaughter, a reporter at The Washington Post who's been promoting the stamp on her social media accounts, highlighting her grandmother's immigrant experience is an important part of the story."When my grandma immigrated, it was on a boat from China. For people of her generation, they got out just before the [Second] Sino-Japanese War, and then more war, and then Maoism. She never saw her parents alive after she left. Their tombs were desecrated when she went back,"Jada Yuan says. "There was a very a small community of Chinese intellectual expats who became really close, and sort of shared that experience of being separated from their homeland." Vincent Yuan, a nuclear scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Wu's son, says his mother kept a book close at hand throughout her career: "From Immigrant to Inventor." In the Pulitzer-winning autobiography, Serbian-American physicist Michael Pupin detailed how he came to the United States with 5 cents in his pocket and just one set of clothes."She identified with him," Vincent Yuan says, "in the sense that she was an immigrant, too, and came over without a whole lot of wealth. And he also was concerned about a lot of things she was concerning science education."Wu, shown here second from right, was among a group selected as "Young Women of the Year" by Mademoiselle magazine in 1946.The prize she didn't getMissing out on the Nobel prize wasn't something Wu discussed with her family, according to her son and granddaughter.But the issue has been a topic of debate in scientific circles for decades, with some speculating that sexism may have been the reason she was passed over even as other scientists studying the same things were honored. "Chien-Shiung Wu is widely considered one of the most influential scientists in history, but her achievements were not widely acknowledged due to her gender and race," the American Association of University Women says on its website.Vincent Yuan says being honored and respected by others in her field meant more to his mother than any prize. "She wasn't about personal awards. ... She looked towards what things she could do things about, but whatever's in the past was in the past."Among the issues that most concerned her: equity for women in science.He suspects his mother would be pleased to see how the field has changed. But to really evaluate, she'd take a hard look at the evidence and turn to the statistics, just like she always did."I'm pretty sure she wouldn't think the battle is over," he says.Wu's family hopes her image on the new stamp will help inspire a new generation of would-be scientists to keep fighting. | 3news
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