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Story highlightsThe Nobel Prize for economic sciences has been awarded every year since 1969It is worth 10 million Swedish kronor, or about about $1.47 millionPrizes for peace, literature, chemistry, physics and medicine have been awardedThe winner of the Nobel prize in economics will be announced Monday in Stockholm, Sweden.The prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is worth 10 million Swedish kronor, or about about $1.47 million.The 2010 prize was awarded jointly to Peter A. Diamond of MIT, Dale T. Mortensen of Northwestern University and Christopher A. Pissarides of the London School of Economics and Political Science "for their analysis of markets with search frictions."The three received the prize for research on how economic policy affects the job market. Their theories "help us understand the ways in which unemployment, job vacancies and wages are affected by regulation and economic policy," the academy said.The three economists' research focused on so-called "frictions," or impediments to trade, such as misinformation, cost of transportation or the disparity between companies' and employees' needs.The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said that Diamond, Mortensen and Pissarides focused on how these frictions apply to unemployment, by focusing on the disconnect between employers and the unemployed. Part of the study examines why unemployment remains high when there are workers available to fill the job openings.Nobel prizes for peace, literature, chemistry, physics and physiology or medicine were awarded last week.The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen, on Friday "for their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work," the committee said.Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer won the Nobel Prize in literature on Thursday. The Swedish academy said it gave the award to Transtromer "because, through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality."On Wednesday, the prize in chemistry was awarded to Israeli scientist Daniel Shechtman.Shechtman is a professor at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and is known for his discovery of quasicrystals.On Tuesday, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences named Saul Perlmutter from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley; Brian P. Schmidt of Australian National University and Adam G. Riess of Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute, the winners of the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics. They made the discovery that our universe apparently is expanding at an accelerating rate some 14 billion years after the Big Bang.On October 3, the Nobel committee named Ralph Steinman, a biologist with Rockefeller University, and scientists Bruce A. Beutler and Jules A. Hoffmann, the winners of the 2011 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.The Nobel Prize for economic sciences has been awarded every year since 1969, when it was established by Sweden's central bank.The youngest laureate in economic sciences is Kenneth J. Arrow, who was 51 years old when he was awarded in 1972. The oldest winner is Leonid Hurwicz, who was 90 years old when he was awarded in 2007. He is also the oldest Laureate to be awarded the Nobel Prize in all areas. | 3news
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(CNN)She's back in the fast lane. Mikaela Shiffrin skied to a 65th career World Cup win and first in downhill since 2017 with victory in Bansko, Bulgaria Friday.The American star is now just two race wins behind Austrian great Marcel Hirscher, who retired last year, and fourth on the list of all-time World Cup winners. She trails compatriot Lindsey Vonn, who also ended her glittering career last year, by 17 victories. Sweden's slalom legend Ingemar Stenmark holds the record with 86.Shiffrin, who will be 25 on March 13, is traditionally a slalom and giant slalom specialist but her second career downhill victory has cemented her lead at the top of the standings as she chases a fourth straight World Cup overall season title.Mikaela Shiffrin competes in the women's downhill in Bansko Bulgaria.READ: Shiffrin wins reindeer, names it after Swedish great Ingemar StenmarkRead MoreAlready this season Shiffrin had won three slaloms and a giant slalom race, but victory in Bansko was her first of 2020.Vonn won four overall crowns between 2008 and 2012, while Austrian great Annemarie Moser-Proell holds the women's record with six overall titles, awarded to the skier who has performed the best across all disciplines. Hirscher holds the most overall titles with an unprecedented eight straight Crystal Globes. | 5sport
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Story highlightsBlue clay used at Madrid Masters this year has been banned by the ATP for all 2013 World Tour events Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic voiced disapproval after losing matches on surfaceSurface pioneered by former Romanian tennis star and businessman Ion TiriacThe blue clay used at this year's Madrid Masters which was severely criticized by world No.1 Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal has been banned from all ATP World Tour events in 2013. The announcement was made after a meeting of the ATP Board of Directors in London on Saturday. "After careful consideration, I have decided that blue clay courts will not be allowed next year. I very much believe in innovation and exploring ways to enhance our sport. While the blue clay may have offered better visibility on television, there were clearly issues with the quality of the courts in Madrid this year ..." Executive Chairman and President Brad Drewett said in a statement. "Regardless of color, we must first ensure that courts are safe and fair for players," he added.Kvitova: 'Tennis without pressure is boring'JUST WATCHEDWho will taste Wimbledon glory?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWho will taste Wimbledon glory? 03:02JUST WATCHEDAndy Murray's secret weaponReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAndy Murray's secret weapon 03:19It brings an abrupt end to the use of the surface pioneered by former Romanian tennis star turned businessman Ion Tiriac as a way of improving visibility for television viewers. "Ion has been a great supporter of the game for many years and I continue to encourage his ideas, including the testing of blue clay at non-ATP World Tour events. At this time, however, it's clear that further development is required before it can be considered for use at the ATP World Tour level," Drewett said. Can Djokovic and Kvitova emulate Wimbledon greats?The move ensures that both Nadal and Djokovic will return to play in Madrid next year after threatening to boycott the event if the blue clay was retained. After losing to fellow Serb Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets on the surface last month, Djokovic said he wanted to "forget this week" and move on to "real" clay courts. 'You cannot be serious!' Tennis' top tantrums"It took me at least a week to try to get used to this surface and somehow find a way to win matches and play a decent level of tennis. There is no discussion in my eyes, it's very simple. No blue clay for me," Djokovic said.Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky also joined the chorus of disapproval tweeting in May that the "blueclay court 6" was "the worst court of @ATPWorldTour.""Ha! Blue clay.. It looks like something Smurfs would play on," ran another tweet from Croatain Ivo Karlovic. | 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)A rogue rocket expected to collide with the moon on March 4 was wrongly identified as a SpaceX Falcon rocket stage and, instead, is likely from a past Chinese lunar mission, according to NASA. The object now on target to hit the moon was first made public by Bill Gray, an independent researcher focused on orbital dynamics and the developer of astronomical software. He identified it in 2015 as the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon rocket, used that same year to launch the US Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR.The object, initially called WE0913A by asteroid spotters, had gone past the moon two days after DSCOVR's launch, he said.A rocket booster could crash into the moon in the next few weeks"I and others came to accept the identification with the second stage as correct. The object had about the brightness we would expect, and had showed up at the expected time and moving in a reasonable orbit," Gray said on his website. His assessment was widely accepted by other space experts and NASA, which said it was monitoring the rocket's trajectory.Read MoreA new identificationOver the weekend, however, Gray said he had gotten the object's origins wrong after communicating with Jon Giorgini of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which doesn't track space junk but does keep careful track of a lot of active spacecraft, including DSCOVR."Jon pointed out that JPL's Horizons system showed that the DSCOVR spacecraft's trajectory did not go particularly close to the moon. It would be a little strange if the second stage went right past the moon, while DSCOVR was in another part of the sky. There's always some separation, but this was suspiciously large," Gray said."Analysis led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies indicates the object expected to impact the far side of the Moon March 4 is likely the Chinese Chang'e 5-T1 booster launched in 2014," according to a NASA statement released Monday. "It is not a SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage from a mission in 2015 as previously reported. This update results from analysis of the object's orbits in the 2016 -- 2017 timeframe."Gray said he subsequently reviewed his data and has now landed on a different explanation: He said that the object was the third stage of the Chinese Long March 3C rocket used to launch its lunar orbiter in 2014.The rocket stage is expected to hit the moon at 7:26 a.m. ET on March 4. However, the impact will be on the far side of the moon and not visible from Earth. The rocket will likely disintegrate on impact and create a crater about 10 to 20 meters (32.8 feet to 65.6 feet) across. Need for official monitoring of space junkJonathan McDowell, an astronomer at The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, said identifying space junk is "never easy" in deep-space orbit, but he said Gray's new identification was likely right. "I'd give at least 80% and maybe 90% odds."NASA successfully tests SLS rocket that will help Artemis astronauts reach the moonHe explained, "It's especially hard for these things in chaotic deep space orbits where you pick something up several years after it was last seen and try and backtrack it to match it with a known mission."McDowell said the confusion over the identity of the rocket stage highlighted the need for NASA and other official agencies to be monitoring deep space junk more closely, rather than relying on limited resources of private individuals and academics. There are about 30 to 50 lost deep-space objects like the rocket stage that have been missing for years, but no space agencies have systematically kept track of space debris so far away from Earth, he said. "It's not like LEO (low Earth orbit) stuff where the traffic is high so junk is a danger to other spacecraft. But you'd think it would be a good idea to know where we have dumped things."He added, "It's not a very high priority, but you would think the world could afford to hire at least one person to do this properly, and maybe require space agencies to make public their deep space trajectories."More spacecraft are going into this sort of orbit in the future, Gray said, and some thought should be put into keeping "outer space clean." There are simple steps that government agencies and corporations launching rockets could take such as making the last known orbital data elements publicly available. | 3news
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Story highlightsSebastian Vettel wins Singapore Grand PrixTitle leader Lewis Hamilton retires with technical faultVettel and Nico Rosberg close up in title raceSpectator on track causes safety car (CNN)Even an intruder who risked life and limb by wandering on to the track during a Formula One race could not prevent Sebastian Vettel from racing to a pole to checkered flag victory in an incident-packed Singapore Grand Prix Sunday.Germany's Vettel was first to spot the man and had the presence of mind to radio in to his team. "There is a fan on the track," he repeated twice.Follow @cnnsport
It led to a second safety car at two thirds distance of the 61-lap race on the Marina Bay circuit. F1 officials later said that a 27-year-old man had been arrested and that the incident was being investigated. After the safety car pulled off, Vettel powered clear again to win from Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen. Nico Rosberg was fourth.Lap 38/61: A man takes a very dangerous stroll track-side before jumping away. Safety car out #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/YUfXYY2TGY— Formula 1 (@F1) September 20, 2015 Read MoreWith title leader Lewis Hamilton forced to retire in his Mercedes with a mystery technical issue, Rosberg closes the gap on his teammate to 41 points, with Vettel reviving his title hopes a further eight points back.Hamilton had come to the night race hoping to draw level with his hero Ayrton Senna on 41 Grand Prix victories, but after only qualifying fifth was unable to make much impression before his race ended early just after halfway..@MercedesAMGF1 miss out on the podium for only the 2nd time this season #SingaporeGP #F1NightRace pic.twitter.com/0HdPGlAl4W— Formula 1 (@F1) September 20, 2015 Instead, Vettel took the plaudits and moved one clear of Senna to third on the all-time list with his 42nd F1 career win, a result never in doubt after making a clean start from pole.Read: Singapore haze threatens F1 raceThe only hurdles were the safety cars, the first coming after 15 laps following a collision between the Williams of Felipe Massa and Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India.Each time, Vettel was able to distance Australia's Ricciardo for his third win of the season for the Prancing Horse team and with six races to go of the 2015 season has an outside chance of a fifth world title.We still have a small chance. Maybe we can make the impossible possibleSebastian Vettel"We still have a small chance. Maybe we can make the impossible possible," Vettel said at the victory celebrations.Read: F1 title standingsBehind the main title contenders, there was a superb but in the end controversial drive by 17-year-old Max Verstappen who carved his way through the field from the back of the grid to finish eighth, but defied an order from his Toro Rosso team to allow teammate Carlo Sainz past in the closing stages.Only 14 cars finished the floodlit race on a technical street circuit which tests drivers and cars. | 5sport
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Story highlightsA court has thrown out a case against a man accused of taking part in a massacre in FranceSS troops killed 642 residents in the village of Oradour-sur-Glane in June 1944Cologne Regional Court said there was no doubt the massacre occurredBut it said that it was unlikely the case against the pensioner, 89, would be provableA German court has thrown out a case against a former SS member accused of participating in the massacre of 642 residents of a French village during World War II.The 89-year-old had been accused of murdering 25 people and aiding the murder of several hundred others at Oradour-sur-Glane in central France on June 10, 1944.According to the indictment, troops surrounded the village before rounding up all the residents in the town square and separating the men from the women and children. The men were shot in four barns, which were then burned down. The women and children were imprisoned in a church into which explosives and hand grenades were thrown. Troops then set that building alight, killing any survivors of the initial attack.There was no doubt that members of the man's Panzer regiment had killed the Oradour-sur-Glane residents and burned down the village, the Cologne Regional Court said in a statement Tuesday. But the court said it was unlikely the case against the pensioner, named by local media only as Werner C., would have been provable. Demonstrating he had been present in the village on the day of the massacre would not on its own have been enough to prove the charges against him, it said.Oradour-sur-Glane Mayor Philippe Lacroix told CNN the decision would be appealed. "We need to go through with the lawsuit for the families. Time does not excuse the crime," he said. "Germany has worked hard to ensure that the trial takes place, and we hope it will succeed."Radio France International quoted prosecutor Andreas Brendel as saying he was "surprised" by the Cologne court's decision, despite evidence in such cases being "extremely thin."The ruins of Oradour-sur-Glane have been preserved as a monument to those killed there.The village's Centre de la Memoire, or Memory Center, says 300,000 people visit the "martyr village" annually. | 3news
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Story highlightsHeidi Schlumpf: Oscar Romero, assassinated in 1980 in El Salvador, on just path to sainthoodThree nuns and laywoman were killed on missionary work shortly after RomeroWhy no sainthood push for them? Schlumpf asksHeidi Schlumpf is a columnist for the National Catholic Reporter and teaches communication at Aurora University. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. (CNN)Like many Catholics, I applauded the news this week that Pope Francis had formally declared Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero a martyr, paving the way for his beatification, the final step before sainthood. Romero was assassinated in 1980 by a right-wing death squad after preaching against the government's oppression and human rights violations -- what Catholics call "the preferential option for the poor." To me, Romero is already a saint, and I am lucky enough to have made a pilgrimage to San Salvador to see the chapel where he was slain while celebrating Mass and to his nearby living quarters, where his blood-stained clothes remain.Heidi SchlumpfJust outside the capital, along a dirt road, is another place of pilgrimage, one for four other martyrs. It is where four North American churchwomen -- Maryknoll Sisters Ita Ford and Maura Clarke, Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel and lay missioner Jean Donovan -- were raped, killed and buried just months after the assassination of Romero.While much has been made about the slow pace of Romero's sainthood cause, especially after the fast-tracking of now-blessed John Paul II, there has been little outcry about the need to open sainthood causes for these women. A Maryknoll spokeswoman told me the order is not aware of anyone officially pursuing canonization of any of the four churchwomen.And the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland have not opened a cause for Kazel, said Sister Susan Durkin, president of the order. "That doesn't mean we won't consider doing that moving forward, especially in light of the announcement about Archbishop Romero, which we are all certainly happy about and has been a long time coming," she said.Read MoreJUST WATCHEDFrom humble beginnings to sainthoodReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFrom humble beginnings to sainthood 02:15I believe Ford, Clarke, Kazel and Donovan's commitment to the poor in the face of grave danger that ultimately led to their death qualifies them for consideration to sainthood.Who were the four North American churchwomen?Ford, a native New Yorker, had joined the Maryknoll order in her 30s and had worked in Chile in the 1970s in the wake of the U.S.-backed military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government there. Responding to pleas for help from Romero, Ford left for El Salvador, only to learn about the archbishop's death while en route. Ford was later joined by Clarke, also a native New Yorker, who had entered the Maryknollers at 19. By the time she went to El Salvador, Clarke was an experienced missionary, having served the poor in Nicaragua for 20 years. Both women were returning from a regional meeting of their religious order in Managua on December 2, 1980. They were met at the airport by Kazel and Donovan. Kazel had been engaged to be married before joining the Urusline Sisters in Cleveland. She worked first as a teacher, then joined a mission team in El Salvador in the early 1970s. Donovan, a laywoman, grew up in Connecticut and was working for an accounting firm in Cleveland when a spiritual search led her to the diocesan mission project in El Salvador. All four women served the poor at a time when the Salvadoran government had become increasingly suspicious of the church's work among the people.After leaving the airport on that fateful night, the women's car was stopped by National Guardsmen, who beat, raped and shot them. Although several lower-level guardsmen were convicted, a U.N. truth commission concluded the men responsible had carried out the killings on orders from above. Donovan was 27. Kazel was 41. Ford was 40. Clarke was 49. Are they not martyrs also?As with Romero, some Catholics question whether these women were killed in odium fidei, literally "in hatred for the faith." Traditionally this has meant death for refusing to renounce one's Christian beliefs. In August, Pope Francis told reporters that one of the questions the Vatican congregation faced with Romero's case was whether such hatred could also be because of the good works the person did because of his or her belief. This week's announcement about Romero seems to have answered that question. The Catholic Church's process for declaring someone is a saint can be costly and requires support from an organized group, most often a religious order -- which explains why so many founders and foundresses have been canonized over the centuries. It also explains why the church has so few lay saints. But the lack of an official stamp of sainthood has not stopped Catholics from honoring the four churchwomen of El Salvador. Books have been written about them, those involved in justice work pray for their intercession, and young Catholics already choose their names as their confirmation names. While Romero's heroic transformation from quiet priest to outspoken archbishop is inspiring, he's not the only Catholic killed for speaking out against injustice, oppression and human rights violations during the 12-year civil war in El Salvador. Among the more than 75,000 Salvadorans who lost their lives were six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter, who were killed by government forces at the University of Central America. And these four brave North American women. After Clarke's death, a fellow Maryknoll sister is said to have found a poster among her belongings with the words: "Follow me, and if you follow me and lose your life, others will follow you." If that isn't the definition of a martyr, I don't know what is. It's time to make the martyrdoms of these women official, too. Read CNNOpinion's new Flipboard magazine.Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | 3news
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(CNN)The UN's high commissioner for human rights has called for an independent investigation into human rights violations that may amount to war crimes in Ethiopia's Tigray region, days after CNN published an exclusive report about a massacre in a village there. On Thursday, Michelle Bachelet said there was a need for an "independent, objective assessment" of the situation on the ground in Tigray, given the "deeply distressing reports of sexual and gender-based violence, extrajudicial killings, widespread destruction and looting of public and private property by all parties.""Credible information also continues to emerge about serious violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict in Tigray in November last year," Bachelet added.A CNN investigation published on Friday revealed a massacre which took place during a religious festival in the town of Dengelat late last year. Eyewitnesses told CNN that a group of Eritrean soldiers opened fire at church whilst mass was underway, claiming the lives of priests, women, entire families and a group of more than 20 Sunday school children.Massacre in the mountainsThe UN Human Rights Office said it had "managed to corroborate information" about the massacre in Dengelat, along with other incidents including indiscriminate shelling in Mekelle, Humera and Adigrat.Read More"A preliminary analysis of the information received indicates that serious violations of international law, possibly amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, may have been committed by multiple actors in the conflict, including: the Ethiopian National Defence Forces, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, Eritrean armed forces, and Amhara Regional Forces and affiliated militia," Bachelet's office said in a statement. Amnesty International charged in a report Friday that Eritrean forces killed hundreds of unarmed civilians in the city of Axum in November through indiscriminate shelling and shooting and extrajudicial killings, in what the human rights organization said could amount to a crime against humanity.Eritrea's government denied involvement in the atrocities reported by Amnesty, but has yet to respond to CNN's request for comment in relation to the Dengelat massacre.Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed since Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation against leaders in the Tigray region. CNN has previously reported that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea have perpetrated many of the extrajudicial killings, assaults and human rights abuses in the Tigray region.More recently, the UN Human Rights Office said it had received reliable information from sources regarding the killing of eight protesters by security forces between February 9 and 10 in Adigrat, Mekelle, Shire and Wukro. More than 130 cases of rape have also been reported in eastern region hospitals in Mekelle, Ayder, Adigrat and Wukro between December and January, the UN statement said. UN Security Council to discuss Ethiopia conflict following CNN investigation into Tigray massacreBachelet called on the Ethiopian government to "grant my Office and other independent monitors access to the Tigray region, with a view to establishing the facts and contributing to accountability, regardless of the affiliation of perpetrators."Whilst welcoming statements by the Ethiopian government on accountability, Bachelet "urged the authorities to ensure that those commitments are translated into reality and stressed that the UN Human Rights Office stands ready to support efforts at advancing human rights."Amnesty International joined Bachelet's call for an independent investigation on Thursday. "The UN High Commissioner's statement today underscores the gravity of the alleged crimes being committed by all sides in the Tigray conflict, and the urgency of the UN acting now," Sarah Jackson, Amnesty's deputy regional director for East Africa, the Horn, and the Great Lakes, said in a statement. "Given the complexity and gravity of the situation, a UN-led investigation, rather than a joint investigation with Ethiopian institutions, is urgently needed to establish the truth and lay the foundations for accountability. There is no time to lose -- work on this must begin now, before evidence could be destroyed and memories begin to fade."US Secretary of State Tony Blinken spoke Tuesday with Abiy "to emphasize the United States' concern about the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Ethiopia's Tigray region," the State Department said.In response to CNN's investigation, Ethiopia's government said it would "continue bringing all perpetrators to justice following thorough investigations into alleged crimes in the region," but gave no details about those investigations. | 3news
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Story highlightsThe former Italian prime minister pens the lyrics for an album, "True Love"It's his fourth collaboration with singer Mariano ApicellaThe songs aren't political, Apicella says: "Music is love"Berlusconi fell from power this month over his country's debt crisisHis fall from government has not stopped the creativity of the flamboyant former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has written the lyrics for a new CD out Tuesday."True Love," by Neapolitan guitarist and singer Mariano Apicella, contains 11 songs written in the last two years, Apicella told CNN.Most of the melodies recall the long tradition of the Neapolitan folk music, with the introduction of some jazz elements and a bit of samba and other Latin American rhythms.Apicella spent last weekend with Berlusconi at the former prime minister's villa in Sardinia, he said.On other occasions paparazzi have captured pictures of more than one young girl around the luxurious gardens and pool of the villa.But last weekend, Apicella said, not one woman was around. JUST WATCHEDLast Look: Berlusconi's new gigReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLast Look: Berlusconi's new gig 02:06JUST WATCHEDItalians say 'bye-bye' to BerlusconiReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHItalians say 'bye-bye' to Berlusconi 03:25"It was just us, a pianist and a few gardeners and Berlusconi was very relaxed, probably due to the fact that he has fewer responsibilities now," Apicella said by phone.Berlusconi resigned earlier this month over his country's debt crisis, bringing to an apparent end an 18-year era in which he dominated Italian politics. Berlusconi is very proud of the album, Apicella said.He particularly loves the song "Ma se ti perdo" ("If I lose you"), a slow samba."True Love" is the fourth collaboration between Berlusconi and Apicella, who said he goes to Berlusconi for lyrics once he has a tune ready. "When I'm satisfied with new music that I compose, I bring it to him and he writes the lyrics, sometimes straight away. Sometimes it takes him longer," Apicella said. Apicella first met Berlusconi in Naples following a dinner after a political rally a decade ago. "We immediately felt a mutual sympathy," Apicella said. "He is an extraordinary man."Their songs are not political, Apicella said. "Music is love," the singer said, "And Berlusconi is a man of passion." | 3news
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Story highlightsFC Schalke 04 to open stadium shaped cemetery for club's fans from next monthSchalke founded in the year 1904 and the cemetery will contain that number of gravesSchalke now provides a birthing room, baptisms, marriages and now a final resting placeBoca Juniors of Argentina opened a similar ceremony five years agoThey say football can take over your life and now German Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04 have taken that adage to its extremes. Schalke fans have long filled Germany's leading football arenas with the chant "Ein Leben lang, Blau und Weiß ein Leben lang" ("a lifelong blue and white") but now, the club has ensured that such devotion can officially last a lifetime -- and beyond. For devotees of the side lying second in the Bundesliga and currently topping their European Champions League group can, from next month onwards, be laid to rest in a cemetery specifically made for Schalke fans -- one which lies in sight of the team's Veltins-Arena home in Gelsenkirchen. "You can start your life with Schalke 04 by getting baptized, you can get married at the stadium and now you can be buried at the Schalke cemetery," Schalke's public relations officer Sonja Berger told CNN. "The Schalke cemetery is a unique project and as far as we know there is nothing comparable in Europe." Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestone Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneMessi magic – Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with Barcelona teammates Cesc Fabregas, left, and Xavi Hernandez after matching Pele's 75 goals in a calendar year.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneSecond best – The Argentina star then moved past the Brazil legend with his second goal of the match against Mallorca, which left Messi nine short of the best tally for a year held by Germany's Gerd Muller.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneProud dad – The 25-year-old has had a new celebration since the birth of his first child, son Thiago, earlier this month.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneAward winner – Messi is in line to win a fourth successive world player of the year award in January. Pele presented him with the Ballon d'Or at the start of this year.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneGolden boot – Pele scored 75 goals in 1958, when he launched onto the football scene as a 17-year-old and helped Brazil win that year's World Cup. Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Messi moves past Pele milestoneGoal machine Gerd – That feat was surpassed in 1972 by Muller, who scored 85 goals as West Germany won the European Championship and his club Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: Asian champions go 'Gangnam Style' Photos: Asian champions go 'Gangnam Style'Gangnam Style – Ulsan Hyundai players perform the horse-riding dance of Psy's worldwide pop hit "Gangnam Style" after winning the AFC Champions League football final against Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli.Hide Caption 1 of 4 Photos: Asian champions go 'Gangnam Style'First final, first title – Ulsan Hyundai thrashed Al Ahli 3-0 to become the third South Korean club in four years to be crowned kings of Asia, having reached the final for the first time. Hide Caption 2 of 4 Photos: Asian champions go 'Gangnam Style'Leading from the front – Ulsan captain Kwak Tae-hwi celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the final in front of his home fans.Hide Caption 3 of 4 Photos: Asian champions go 'Gangnam Style'Savor the moment – Ulsan's supporters had much to celebrate, but their team is struggling to qualify for next year's tournament after falling off the pace in the K-League.Hide Caption 4 of 4Read: A softer side to Alex Ferguson? The rising fortunes of the Royal Blues have been assisted in recent years by signings of the caliber of former Real Madrid star Raul Gonzalez and current Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, with Schalke having achieved four second-place finishes in the Bundesliga since the turn of the century and reached the last four of the Champions League in 2011.Off the pitch, the club has also been growing. Three years ago, Schalke opened a delivery room in the maternity wing of a hospital close to the Veltins-Arena, so that newborns can enter the world in a room with blue and white coloring and where Schalke logos and images adorn the walls. With the club also providing baptisms and weddings, the introduction of the cemetery project -- which is known as the Schalke Fan Feld -- takes the array of services offered by the club into the afterlife as well. However, adverse weather conditions have delayed the opening of the historic cemetery -- which features 1,904 plots in commemoration of the year the club was founded -- until the middle of December but fans are already snapping up the limited places. Given that the team with seven championship crowns (albeit with the last dating back to 1958) has long been one of Germany's most popular sides, plots at a stadium-shaped cemetery -- which will be bedecked in blue-and-white flowers surrounding a tiny rectangular "pitch" featuring two goals and a floral Schalke emblem -- may not last long with over 100 having already been taken. This is despite a cost of $6,639 (5,406 Euros), a price which does not benefit the Bundesliga club itself but which does guarantee 25 years of grave maintenance, as provided by a company headed up by local real estate agent, and former Schalke trialist, Ender Ulupinar. JUST WATCHEDGreece vs. Germany: More than a gameReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGreece vs. Germany: More than a game 03:10JUST WATCHEDFootball gloom in Munich ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFootball gloom in Munich 02:14With no current plans to extend the one-off project beyond the 1,904 graves available, the Schalke cemetery -- which lies within the city's larger Beckhausen-Sutum cemetery -- will have a certain exclusivity, and one family have already decided to move a late relative's remains from his initial resting place to this new home. Plots to have already gone include number 04, for obvious reasons, and number 215 which has been allocated to a fan who wanted it in memory of Schalke's leading European triumph in 1997, with the club winning the now-defunct UEFA Cup on 21 May -- or 21/5. "For a normal person, I think this decision is insane -- but not for me. I have supported Schalke for almost 26 years now so for me, it's just an additional way of showing my support. Either you are a really huge fan or just a fair-weather fan -- I am a really huge supporter, I love my club and think it's a good idea," Arthur Gore, who is just 34, told CNN. "You pay for the care, so no one needs to care for the grave, and for me, it's like a pioneering project as well, so I am really proud of it. Schalke is part of the culture in Gelsenkirchen because after the mines were closed in our city, there has been a lot of unemployment. "Without Schalke, there wouldn't be anything here and the opinion of many people, not just myself, is that the city lives from the club." When asked whether he had made provision for any future family members, the unmarried sales manager laughed freely before admitting it was a topic he had given little thought to. JUST WATCHEDMunich and Champions League FinalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMunich and Champions League Final 03:00JUST WATCHEDFootball club looks to fans for funding ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFootball club looks to fans for funding 02:44"These are questions I haven't thought about yet but I do have a girlfriend. I told her I had bought her a grave but she looked surprised -- as she is not a football fan, she doesn't really get it," replied Gore, who says he was attracted by the "unique" nature of the offer. "One of my married friends also wants to buy a plot and I think his wife will understand as she knows that when she married, she married Schalke as well. Otherwise, I am not sure the marriage would work as being a die-hard supporter, which includes traveling the country, takes up a lot of time." Despite the high cost, Gore is convinced a number of Schalke fans are so devoted to the club that many will soon embark on setting funds aside to buy a plot in future. Meanwhile, Ulupinar -- whose wife runs a cemetery garden business -- says the idea came to him after noticing a mix of Schalke pennants, flags, season tickets, player photos and blue-and-white flowers were already decorating hundreds of gravestones in the western city of Gelsenkirchen. "The feedback has been very good, not just in terms of the number of graves already taken up, which we didn't expect to be so high, but also in terms of the fan and media interest too -- and it hasn't only come from Schalke followers either, but other supporters too," says Ulupinar, 39. "There has been some criticism though, with some people feeling it is not Christian to designate an area of the cemetery for people of a certain, and smaller, group. But on the whole, people like the idea." Helpfully for Ulupinar, Hans-Joachim Dohm, a retired pastor and Schalke fan himself, has countered the protests by saying that dozens of supporters had been requesting a special final home with links to the club for a number of years. Schalke are not the first football club to open a cemetery for their fans, with Argentina's Boca Juniors having created one with 3,000 plots in 2007 while South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs have entered the market in different fashion, offering fans a Funeral Plan which effectively serves as a life insurance policy. | 5sport
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(CNN)"The Kominsky Method" has often felt like the anti-sitcom sitcom, a Netflix series that proudly revels in inside-Hollywood references, originally built around a pair of characters whose combined age was roughly 150. The show returns for a shortened final season minus one of them, Alan Arkin, but provides a sweet, sentimental signoff for Michael Douglas in the title role.Both Douglas and Arkin earned awards nominations for the show (Douglas won a Golden Globe, a statuette that isn't quite as glittery these days), which cast the former as imperious acting coach Sandy Kominsky, and the latter as his longtime agent and friend, Norman Newlander.Norman's exit is logically explained, and his shadow hangs over the third season, which sees Sandy tackling fresh challenges and responsibilities, while significantly reconnecting with his ex-wife Roz (Kathleen Turner), in what amounts to an extended "Romancing the Stone" reunion.Sandy also frets about the future of his daughter, Mindy (Sarah Baker), who is heading toward the altar with her much-older boyfriend Martin (Paul Reiser), a situation that Roz embraces more philosophically than her ex. As for the colorful characters at the acting class, success for one of Sandy's students brings him into contact with Morgan Freeman, playing -- in the best "Entourage"-like Hollywood tradition -- an appropriately jaundiced version of himself, in a savvy spoof of TV dramas.Produced by sitcom maestro Chuck Lorre ("The Big Bang Theory," "Young Sheldon" and more), "Kominsky Method" clearly relishes its latitude in terms of risqué language, sexual situations and showbiz jokes aimed at people who have dined at Hollywood hangout Musso and Frank's.Read MoreThe show's real provocation, however, has been its laser focus on the indignities of aging, a genuine indulgence in an industry notorious for how harshly it treats its elders.Driven by subscriptions, not advertising, Netflix has shrewdly taken advantage of that -- "Grace and Frankie" being another season with senior-citizen stars -- and the jokes about little blue pills share space with lots of casual slights, in a town where the experience that comes from aging is unvalued.Without giving anything away, Lorre and don't necessarily ride the jaded mentality that has informed the series all the way to the end. The result is a six-episode season that deals with friendship, grief and loss in ways that are alternately funny and touching and, overall, satisfying, yielding another strong showcase for Douglas.Whether that translates into further accolades remains to be seen -- particularly in this condensed six-episode format -- but for those who invested in the previous seasons, "The Kominsky Method" gets the curtain call that it deserved."The Kominsky Method's" third season premieres May 28 on Netflix. | 1entertainment
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Story highlightsTop Republican strategist Sarah Lenti details how — against her family's wishes and conservative values — she decided to undergo IVF to become a single parentAfter being told she had less than a 5% chance of conceiving -- 3.7% in fact -- she gave birth to two baby boys, Eli and Abel.Sarah Lenti is a political strategist and policy advisor at SML Advisory Partners. She served as a director on the National Security Council under Condoleezza Rice and worked as a lead researcher for Mitt Romney's 2010 book, "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness." The views expressed in this commentary are her own. This piece is the first of a CNN Opinion series, "What it's like to be me," which explores the personal struggles Americans face at a time of profound social change. Denver (CNN)It was a year ago when a young woman stopped me in a neighborhood shop. She gazed at my stroller and started crying. She told me how lucky I was to be married with kids.My heart dropped. She didn't know me at all.Sarah LentiI am a single mother by choice. Yet I was raised in a Christian, conservative home, where I grew up believing in the traditional family unit. And I was taught that there was an order to achieving it. First, fall in love. Second, marry a man. Third, start a family.Now in my fifth decade, only one has proven true for me -- and it isn't the first.On the day that I turned 30, I journaled that I would think about becoming a mother should I still be single at 38. What that looked like, I didn't exactly know. It was a promise to myself, maybe to God.Read MoreAt the time, I was in a terrible relationship with a man who told me he wanted to be with me, but he could never love me. It was because of those words that I first clung to the idea of motherhood. Maybe a man could deny me love, but he would never deny me a child.Fast forward to my 38th birthday. I was still single, and the world of dating had changed significantly in the last eight years. Tinder and Bumble, the dominant dating apps, offered countless options for single men and women, but made the experience of dating entirely impersonal.Every family is different: Share your story of how IVF, adoption or your unique family structure has shaped your life with #ToBeMe or text/WhatsApp us on +1-347-322-0415Dating amounted to small talk with a stranger, who you had briefly interfaced with online because you each thought the other attractive. The small talk was a prelude to hooking up, and there were no expectations even of a text the next day.It was brutal. And after trying my hand at it, I was no closer to finding the love of my life or starting a family. If I needed statistics to back me up, I had them. In 2014, marriage was on the decline, as was the fertility rate in the United States.I had one real option left -- and that was to attempt to get pregnant alone. Maybe I didn't deserve a family, or so many of the subscribers to my conservative Christian values might say. And maybe the men with whom I had been involved didn't view me as acceptable wife/mother material. But deep down I felt differently and decided to give myself one shot.And so I started the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF). I was mentally prepared for the physical havoc that would ensue, and I had saved every penny for it -- to the tune of $30,000. Tinder and Bumble, the dominant dating apps, offered countless options for single men and women, but made the experience of dating entirely impersonal.But why didn't I adopt? After all, even if I were fortunate enough to have a child, the child would be fatherless. And many, myself included, believe this places the child in a precarious situation. That said, at least with IVF my potential child would be biologically related to me, his or her grandparents and cousins. The child might not have a father, but he or she would have a strong bloodline. I hoped this would help ease any future struggle for my child.The IVF experienceThe very decade I was born into -- the glorious 70's -- ushered in the science and technology that might allow me to conceive. Alone.More specifically, 1978 was the year that the first human being was born through the process of embryo creation outside of the womb, then implantation inside of the womb, pregnancy and successful birth. Since that time, IVF has produced approximately 5 million babies, with nearly 1 million of those being born in the United States.The IVF pool is quite minuscule compared to total US births -- for example, in 2011, only 0.7% of all US births were attributed to IVF. That said, and barely optimistic, I was committed to the process, or so I thought.And yet there I was at a bar in Los Angeles, a month out from IVF, crying in front of two people I barely knew, but knew well enough to unload to.My life was great on paper. I had done all the right things. I went to Stanford for graduate school. I worked at the White House under Condoleezza Rice. I had the opportunity to travel the world. I had loving parents and two wonderful sisters.And yet I felt unloved -- even unlovable. And also greatly conflicted.On the one hand, I was ecstatic -- I was weeks away from my shot at becoming a biological mom. I started thinking about this potential path nine years ago and had been setting aside money for five years. I was in love with idea of having a family and giddy at the thought of the unknown.But there was doubt. Goodness, there was doubt. There was that little voice inside my head -- the voice of my parents and others -- that was very much alive in me. "Why would you purposely bring a child into the world without a father? Are you really that lonely? How would that child feel one day?"Throughout my upbringing, I was told that it's wrong to play God. And, as recently as the previous Christmas Eve, I was told that bringing a child into the world without a father was selfish.My heart and my brain had to fight back.No, I was not that lonely. No, I was not that selfish. Actually, it was waking up single, every single day of my life -- only to be greeted by my career -- that felt selfish. And while I could never speak for the feelings that my future child might have, I took solace in the belief that any child would be happy to be alive if he or she were sincerely loved.Throughout my upbringing, I was told that it's wrong to play God. And, as recently as the previous Christmas Eve, I was told that bringing a child into the world without a father was selfish.As I drew nearer to the implantation date, the prospect of creating a tiny human grew more real and began to override any lingering doubt.And so, on August 29, 2014, I asked my doctor to implant two embryos. He wisely asked me to justify two. I was quick to answer. If I were lucky enough to get pregnant with twins -- what a gift for them. They may not have a father, but they would always have each other.I knew the statistics and did not expect to get pregnant. Given my age and the means of conception, I was praying for the long shot of one, knowing two would be a miracle.The 2014 Assisted Reproductive Technology National Summary Report, as published by the US Department of Health and Human Services, is a humbling reminder of just how small the odds were during the year that I attempted to conceive. In 2014, a woman of my age, using fresh non-donor eggs with no previous pregnancies, had an 18.8% chance of pregnancy resulting in a live birth. When it came to percentages of cycles resulting in twin lives births, the success rate plummeted to 3.7%.Yes, I had a 3.7% chance of success.Choosing a donorOf course, before the IVF process could begin, I had to choose a donor -- and let's just say I took a less than conventional approach. Given my professional background as a conservative politico, I think people expect me to say that IQ, number of educational degrees and political association were at the top of my donor qualifications list. Not the case.I was looking for someone who I would be attracted to if we were procreating in the traditional way.I know this must sound incredibly superficial. But, let's be frank, it's impossible to gauge true intellect or a kind heart by virtue of an online donor search.And so I began my search with a focus on the physical attributes that I have always been attracted to -- namely height and athleticism. Six-foot-2 and toned was my baseline.The donor was a collegiate lacrosse athlete. I was able to see three pictures, from tot to teen, of an adorable boy with an incredible smile, unruly hair and a twinkle in his eyes. (This particular bank did not allow adult pictures of the donor for legal reasons. So, at the end of the day, the attraction part of my search was also a gamble.) I was searching for my version of good genes, who also looks good in jeans -- at least on paper.
I finished my search on the scientific side of things. The donor bank I chose provided a full medical history and genetic testing results. Honestly, why wouldn't you opt for a donor with no heart disease, cancer, mental illness or any other serious genetic conditions in his family history?This is the one distinct advantage of going the donor route as opposed to the good old-fashioned route when conceiving. While I haven't polled my married or attached friends, I am 99.9% certain that not a single one queried their partner about the specifics of their family's medical history prior to sleeping with them or accepting a marriage proposal.I was searching for my version of good genes, who also looks good in jeans -- at least on paper.The longest days of my lifeIn early September, my blood work came back with hormone levels signaling pregnancy. I was in shock, but I had eight long weeks to go until seeing if there was a heartbeat or two. I started to take a pregnancy test every evening. It was the longest 56 days of my life.D-Day finally arrived. And, there on the sonogram screen right in front of me, was the most beautiful thing: my child's heartbeat, strong and steady.I had a million immediate questions for the sonographer and started right in. She stopped me, because there was heartbeat number two. Wait, what? I was laughing and crying at the same time. This must be what joy feels like, I thought.The cliché that I despise most is: It will happen when you least expect it. Nonsense. I had gone almost 40 years expecting nothing in terms of dating, love and, God forbid, a husband -- and I received exactly that in return.But suddenly the least expected had happened. I was pregnant with twins. My journal entry from the evening read as follows:Week 8, Day 1: October 6th D DayDear God: Thank you.Baby A: your heartbeat was 159 today.Baby B: your heartbeat was 168.I love you A & B. Please keep growing. You're looking great.Thank you, God. I pray for their development -- from their fingers to their toes. From brain to nose. I am so grateful for these precious beings. Prepare me to be the strong parent -- fiscally and spiritually -- that they will need me to be.Love you. Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceThe ever-intense Eli at 3 weeks wise.Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceEleven-day-old miracles: Week two of 10 at the Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceFinally home and first nap together. May 22, 2015. (Abel, left. Eli, right.)Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceAbel and Eli at 6 months strong.Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceCan you believe we started off at less than 3 pounds?Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceHappy, healthy, precocious and embarking on the terrible (or terrific) 2's. (Abel, left, Eli, right.)Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: I had a 3.7% chanceTwo years old and two years together. This is our family. This is love.Hide Caption 7 of 7The Friday of truth On a Friday morning roughly 30 weeks after implantation, something seemed wrong. I had such severe leg cramps that I was crawling around the apartment on my hands and knees. I called an Uber at 8:30 am. Never having taken any birthing classes, I had no idea what the onset of labor looked like. By the time I got to the hospital the pain was so intense that I could barely make it to the door. The Uber driver offered to help me up. I was immediately checked in and within minutes was told that I was 7 cm dilated and would be headed into an emergency C-section.My heart stopped. I was petrified that those little heartbeats were going to stop and that my sons -- my sons -- were not going to make it. I was alone in the pre-delivery room just long enough to run through every awful scenario in my head.And then it was time. Seventy minutes after arrival, I was wheeled into a room with a team of 16 doctors and nurses waiting for me. The sight of this army, the two waiting incubators and all the other metal contraptions made me well up. I had no idea what was going to happen next, but I had never expected it to happen quite like this -- not this early, not with these many medical professionals and not entirely on my own.Eli and Abel have proven to be the embodiment of that saying you always hear -- the hardest, yet best thing I've ever done.
Doctors and nurses were working quickly all around me. Epidural, check. Babies' heart rates, check. Slicing me open, check. Ripping two crimson-colored sons out of me at 10:40 am and 10:43 am, check and check.I saw Eli and Abel for a nanosecond before the nurses cut the cords and rushed them to their incubator stations to begin inserting the breathing tubes. They were 10 weeks premature and neither could suck, swallow or breathe on their own.The two teams whisked my babies to the Level 4 NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) without me getting to touch their skin or ask if their vital signs were stable. I did hear them cry, which was a relief. I just wish my sisters had been there to take a picture and help recount what happened. I can't ever get that moment back. Little did I know when I moved to Denver that I would be delivering twins two years later at Denver's premier NICU hospital -- The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian St. Luke'sI was not able to see my sons until nine very long hours after delivery. I walked into a room with two incubators housing my baby boys, who looked more like starved squirrels than the roly-poly infants that I had envisioned. All wired up, with IVs jutting out of the top of their skulls, they were absolutely perfect. Complete miracles from inception to emergency birth.And, of course, they chose Friday the 13th of March to scare the living hell out of me and fight their way onto this Earth. The next 60 daysTwo weeks after I was released from the hospital, I found myself sleeping in my Denver home of almost two years, as my boys lived and slept inside NICU -- for 60 days straight. And though I could easily have felt alone -- so removed from my two miracles -- I didn't. Friends and family from across the country constantly checked in on me, calling, texting, writing me words of encouragement. And even once Eli and Abel were out of NICU, loving and supporting friends -- and sometimes even strangers --continued to shower us with kindness and affection.Initially, the NICU team was our rock. These complete strangers became the most significant and consequential people in the lives of my sons during their first two months. I will never be able to appropriately express my gratitude to the nurses and doctors who safeguarded their lives. Several are friends to this day.Then my personal trainer and his wife, the first people to visit me in the hospital, became the most trusted and consistent presence in our lives. From celebrating our birthdays, to helping with our apartment move, to Fourth of July and Super Bowl celebrations, to just being those adult ears that I need -- Adam and Teri have been there for all of it.You wake up every morning with a mandate and desire to be a better parent to your children than you were the day before.The mother of twin boys, who lived steps away from me, became my sanity check. We were pregnant at the same time and delivered within weeks of each other. We met by fluke, thanks to a double stroller sighting in the alley.And the parents of my first employee proved invaluable, babysitting the boys on weekends so I could nap.I can't forget the British transplant, who regularly delivered homemade quiche on weeknights just because.More recently, though, the manager at the Palm (steakhouse) took care of my family. It was Thanksgiving night, and I took the twins for our first holiday fête as a family of three. In one of the most random acts of kindness, the manager worked her way to our table, poured me a glass of wine, helped feed the boys, shared a bit of her life story with me and then bought our meal. She did not know me.Most importantly, since the birth of Eli and Abel, my parents have fallen so completely in love with their grandsons that it's hard to fully put into words the intensity of their connection. What was at first an idea hard for my traditional parents to grasp, is now two, tiny human beings, who have my parents tightly wrapped around their little fingers. Though thousands of miles away, my parents -- and my sisters -- express their love and support constantly and in innumerable ways.There are incredible people in this world. My sons' existences have made that real to me.The lessons learnedEli and Abel have proven to be the embodiment of that saying you always hear -- the hardest, yet best thing I've ever done.My sons are my family and my future. They represent everything good, hopeful and hilarious about life. They smile and cheer when I walk into their room. They blow kisses and sneak hugs. They belly laugh when we dance. They cuddle up at night and put their heads in the crook of my neck.They also scream, bite and bang their heads on the floor when they're upset. They chuck their food when they don't like it. They act like the world is coming to an end at bath time. And they are a constant financial stress. Being a single parent is hard as hell.But from my two little men, I quickly internalized that love is a verb. Love is an action and something you work at every single day. You wake up every morning with a mandate and desire to be a better parent to your children than you were the day before.They are my miracles, which I almost didn't allow to happen because of heartbreak, self-doubt and maybe even self-loathing.Speaking of love, friends like to tell me that there is a man out there -- some wonderful man who will sweep me off my feet and be an excellent father. To that I say, please stop. Do I want to date? Of course. But I can honestly write that I have no expectations for love, and I certainly do not believe that there is a father out there for my sons. I am not waiting and hoping, because I have lost that hope.Why have I lost that hope? Truth be told, I have been vulnerable with a few men pre- and post-pregnancy. But rejection upon rejection by man after man will do it to you. Even when you are that aloof gal, who doesn't ask questions or have expectations of something real or long-term, it still ends. I guess you just lose your luster after awhile. It's my reality, and it never changes.And while we are on the topic of relationships, I would note that I will forever be perplexed by the rate of unsolicited and unexpected congratulatory communications from ex-boyfriends after years of no contact. These were the men who rejected me. These were the men who left after months or years of pretending and/or cheating. Mom writes children's book to explain IVF to her sonAfter the birth of my sons, these same men suddenly thought they had a green card to strike up conversation and ask for pictures of the twins. One suggested grabbing dinner in DC. One kindly offered to come to Colorado to help run errands, cook dinner or do whatever I needed. The attention was hard to digest. I once cried over these men. Perhaps this was a way of absolving their guilt for being dishonest or wasting my time? Perhaps they were sincerely happy for me, which would suggest that they did respect me after all? Perhaps they were feeling slighted or envious that I went it alone, without them? I'll never know. And, most importantly, I finally no longer care.Though I may never have a significant other, I do have my sons, who've taken me from unloved to loved and from unlovable to lovable. They've done this all on their own. They are my miracles, which I almost didn't allow to happen because of heartbreak, self-doubt and maybe even self-loathing.Prior to Eli and Abel, I wasted at least half of my adult life obsessing about things I had lost -- men who broke my heart, clients who weren't a good fit, friendships that had faded. My sons taught me to focus on the miracles that are right in front of my eyes every single day, beginning with my 3.7%.Every family is different: Share your story of how IVF, adoption or your unique family structure has shaped your life with #ToBeMe or text/WhatsApp us on +1-347-322-0415Correction: This piece initially stated Lenti is in her fourth decade and has been amended to reflect that she is in her fifth decade.
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(CNN)LeBron James and the NBA community have expressed their disappointment after prosecutors decided not to charge any police officer in connection with the shooting of Jacob Blake.James, who has consistently used his platform to call for the end of police brutality, said the prosecutor's decision was "a blow to the heart and to the gut.""Not only to that community, but to us and to every Black person that has been a part of this process and seeing these outcomes for so long," he told reporters after the LA Lakers' win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Tennessee on Tuesday.Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced Tuesday that "no Kenosha law enforcement officer in this case will be charged with any criminal offense based on the facts and laws."Rusten Sheskey, a White officer, shot Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times in the back while responding to a domestic incident on August 23, 2020. Blake survived the shooting but was left paralyzed from the waist down.Read MoreOfficer Sheskey told investigators that he used deadly force during the chaotic encounter because he was afraid Blake, while attempting to flee the scene, was trying to kidnap a child in the back seat of the vehicle.The Wisconsin Department of Justice had said Blake had a knife in his possession and the weapon was found on the floorboard of his vehicle. Blake himself told authorities he possessed a knife, Graveley said.READ: After leading Lakers to victory, LeBron looks for WNBA win over LoefflerLeBron James has used his platform to call for the end of police brutality. 'We will continue to work to enact policy change'The announcement comes as anger continues to grow at the repeated deaths of Black people at the hands of police. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others sparked widespread protests across the world last year, driven by the Black Lives Matter movement.The NBA community was heavily involved in calling for change and the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic in August, following the shooting of Blake in the team's home state.The Bucks' decision led to game and practice postponements throughout the sports world including baseball and football.Following the latest hearing, the Bucks released a statement on social media that did not specifically mention Blake nor the decision in Kenosha County but did reiterate its stance against racism."The Bucks organization remains firmly against excessive use of force by law enforcement," the statement read."This past year shed light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American and other marginalized communities. Reoccurring instances of excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging the Black community must stop."We will continue to work to enact policy change so these incidents no longer exist. As an organization, we remain strongly committed to address issues of social injustice and anti-racism and to make meaningful change for African Americans and all marginalized members of our community."READ: Curry scores career-high 62 points in Golden State Warriors victoryJUST WATCHEDAriel Atkins: 'We're really fighting for hope'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAriel Atkins: 'We're really fighting for hope' 03:54'It's disheartening'Wesley Matthews, who now plays for the Lakers, was part of the Bucks team which refused to play last year and he echoed James' thoughts on the latest announcement."Truly, it's disheartening [...] it's just about right and wrong," he told reporters after the game on Tuesday."It can't deter those citizens who are trying to do right, who are trying to fight for equality, who are trying to fight for the right things."It can't deter us, we can't lose our heads, we can't start rioting, we have to be calculated, we have to continue to keep our foot on the pedal, we have to continue to keep our foot on the gas." | 5sport
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Story highlightsA maintenance worker for Madrid's subway system found the check WednesdayIt was in a wallet and made out to a man with a California driver's license"It appears that the wallet was stolen on the Metro," a subway system spokeswoman says"We have to verify that the origin of the money is not illicit," a police spokesman saysIt's a check for $2 million, issued to a man with a California driver's license. And it was found in a subway car in Madrid, police say."We have his name. We're trying to locate this person," a National Police spokesman in Madrid told CNN on Thursday."We won't just hand it over. We have to verify that the origin of the money is not illicit," said the spokesman, who by custom is not identified.The check was issued by Bank of America, and it's post-dated to January 2014, the spokesman said.A maintenance worker for Madrid's Metro, or subway system, found it Wednesday. A train running on line 5, which roughly traverses the capital from east to west, reported a problem with doors that wouldn't fully close at the Diego de Leon station.Homeless man turns in $40k, gets $91kThe train was sent to a maintenance yard, following protocol, and a worker who inspected the doors found a brown leather wallet that contained the $2 million check, the California driver's license and some credit cards, a Metro de Madrid spokeswoman said."It appears that the wallet was stolen on the Metro," the spokeswoman said. "The thief looked inside, grabbed the cash -- but didn't see the check -- and then threw the wallet away."Usually, these kinds of discarded stolen wallets end up on a station platform. But this one landed in the doorway of a Metro car, preventing it from closing properly, she said.Madrid's Metro handles an average of 2 million passengers a day, but this is believed to be the first time that one of them was carrying a $2 million check, the police spokesman said.Why would someone with such a large check be riding in the subway, instead of in a chauffeured car?Police would like to ask the owner of the check that question, too, the spokesman said.Police have contacted the U.S. Embassy in Madrid for help in finding the check's owner, but the embassy had no immediate comment. | 3news
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(CNN)The public backlash against Rachel Dolezal has died down in the last two years, but there's one person who wishes it would stay that way -- her son. In the trailer for his mother's upcoming Netflix documentary, Franklin seems frustrated at her decision to step back into the spotlight."The more I hear about it and talk to people about it, the more it just drains me," he says. Dolezal made headlines in 2015 when her biological parents revealed she was born white but had been presenting herself as black for years. The scandal led her to step down from her role as the head of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP. Despite backlash from the public and her brother, who called her appearance a type of blackface, Dolezal maintains the view that she is a "transracial" black woman. Her case is one of many raising questions about racial fluidity. Read MoreBut Dolezal's struggle to "rebuild" through a stint on Netflix appears to be taking a toll on her two children."She can identify whatever she wants to because it's her business," Franklin says in the trailer, released on Wednesday. "But when it's put in the limelight, I don't think you should be pissing people off more than they already are, unless you want to be bit in the a** from it."He also admits that he feels resentment for the way she has expressed herself and the effect it has had on their family. "I resent some of her choices and I resent some of the words she's spoken," he said.For "The Rachel Divide," which releases on April 27, filmmaker Laura Brownson followed Dolezal for two years in an attempt to capture the aftermath of her actions.Netflix claims that Dolezal was not paid for the documentary, according to the BBC. | 1entertainment
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(CNN)For the past decade, Sheldon Smith has been dedicated to helping young African American fathers better their lives and the lives of their children.Through his non-profit in Chicago, the Dovetail Project, he has taught hundreds of young fathers like himself parenting and life skills to become positive role models and responsible parents.And when Covid-19 hit, Smith mobilized to make sure they have the resources and support they need."When businesses were closing and doing layoffs, many of our young men lost employment," said Smith, a 2016 CNN Hero. "We wanted to just make sure that our fathers knew that we were there for them."Sheldon Smith and his team are providing essential supplies to young fathers during Covid-19.To keep program participants safe during Covid-19, the organization paused its weekly group classes, and Smith and his team started what they call the Fatherhood Relief Fund. They're providing necessities such as diapers, baby formula, wipes and boxes of food. Read MoreSince April, Smith says, they've helped more than 2,500 fathers. And now, in the fight for equality and justice, Smith's work -- and message -- are as critical as ever. "I grew up in a poor community. I don't have a college degree. I am a felon. I would be considered a statistic," Smith said. "But then I turned around and built one of the largest fatherhood initiatives in this country.""Black fathers are important," he said. "We have to continue to believe and work together." CNN's Laura Klairmont spoke with Smith about his current efforts. Below is an edited version of their conversation.CNN: What do you want people to know about the men in your program? Sheldon Smith: Our young, fearless men who attend our program have beautiful hearts. What they've had to overcome and how much they just love their kids -- they are volunteering their time so that they can find the tools, skills, knowledge and resources that they need so that they can be better fathers. No one is making them be there. They just want more. Many of us want more. But oftentimes if you can't see it, you can't be it. And the communities that they come from is only what they see. They come from disadvantaged and unfortunate situations, broken families. So, we are that shining light of hope. I tell our young men all the time that they are myth-busters.CNN: Normally, your 12-week program also covers felony street law and family law. What does that entail?Smith: From the very beginning, we knew that Black and Brown men who joined the program needed to learn how to interact with law enforcement. We wanted to make sure it was done in a friendly way. So, we invited officers into the class, along with attorneys who fight for issues like this. Family law is just as important for them to learn about custody rights, child support and things that can railroad you into the criminal justice system.We know in disadvantaged communities they are overly policed. And that dynamic brought about fathers and the community feeling different with police engagement. We want to practice it and be able to get it out and understand it. And it's not just role-playing amongst each other. It's inviting law enforcement and attorneys in at the same time so we can have this broad perspective together of how it all comes together. It's bringing about more unity.The truth is, as Black and Brown people, we shouldn't be training and teaching our kids and prepping them for how to deal with the police or how to put your hands up or all the windows down or don't reach for your wallet quick. That's not normal. We've reconditioned ourselves to accept that as the norm. And right now, as a nation we have an opportunity to change that.CNN: How have recent events brought your work into a new light? Smith: When I first seen the incident with George Floyd, I was disappointed and saddened. And the other side of it is it happened during Covid-19, when everyone was at home, looking at TV. When the world could see it. And now it's been a global reaction. And we're talking about injustices in America that need to be changed.We know that it's been a big struggle in Black fatherhood, and now that black or brown issues are coming up to the forefront, we are excited as an organization, because we get a chance to talk about our work in a different way. Black fatherhood is in the forefront of everything that we do because we know that when people say mentoring, they really mean that they need their dads at home. But if we're killing their fathers, if we're overly incarcerating their fathers, and we're doing it with no reason, with no compassion -- what will our children have left? We have to continue to believe and work together, and not make it about when a death occurs that this is a time we need to stand up. Supporting black and brown youth and them going on to do successful things will happen. And the more our next generation of kids see it, the more it's going to continue. So, we just have to continue to be that example. Once you invest, build and believe, you bring about a different solution.Want to get involved? Check out the Dovetail Project website, and see how to help. | 3news
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(CNN)President Joe Biden announced a series of measures on Tuesday aimed at ramping up coronavirus vaccine allocation and distribution, including the purchase of 200 million more vaccine doses and increased distribution to states by millions of doses next week.With those additional doses, Biden said there would be enough to fully vaccinate 300 million Americans -- nearly the entire US population -- by the end of summer or early fall.He described efforts to combat Covid-19 as a "wartime undertaking." "We now have a national strategy to beat Covid-19. It's comprehensive. It's based on science, not politics. It's based on truth, not denial, and it is detailed," he said. As part of the new efforts announced Tuesday, the US will buy 100 million more doses from Pfizer/BioNTech and 100 million more from Moderna -- the two-dose vaccines that have been granted emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer and Moderna are working to step up production, and Biden said that the additional doses will be available this summer. Read MoreThe new purchase will increase the planned Covid-19 vaccine supply from 400 million to 600 million, an official told reporters on a call on Tuesday ahead of Biden's remarks.Biden White House State of play: Impeachment trial date will give more time to confirm Biden Cabinet Here are the 30 executive orders and actions Biden signed in his first three days Here's where President Biden's Cabinet nominees stand The President also took action on Tuesday to increase the weekly vaccine supply to states, tribes and territories -- upping the current 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses weekly. Additionally, the White House will be providing three week vaccine supply look-ahead reports to states as opposed to one week look-aheads. Biden's Covid coordinator, Jeff Zients, informed governors on a call Tuesday afternoon that Covid vaccine allocations for states would increase by around 16% starting next week.A White House document explaining the move says the Biden administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks.The new efforts come one day after the President said he expects the US will soon be able to vaccinate 1.5 million people a day, which is a notable increase from the administration's previously stated target of 1 million per day. The President said that the US could surpass that initial target in about three weeks, and said that he thinks anyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get it by this spring.Biden's official goal on administering vaccines still remains 100 million shots in his first 100 days in office, multiple White House officials told CNN, after Biden raised the new 1.5 million doses a day aspiration. That initial goal is enough to cover 50 million Americans with vaccines that require two doses.There have been about 22.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered to Americans as of Tuesday afternoon, according to data provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Biden raises the bar on vaccines and suggests US will get to 1.5 million a dayAbout 3.3 million Americans have received two doses of a vaccine as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the CDC.The President said Monday that the key factors involved in ramping up vaccinations are having enough of the vaccine, syringes and other necessary equipment and people administering them.The vaccine supply and the question of whether there will be enough doses to go around has been a key concern for the Biden administration, CNN has reported.Biden signed an executive order on his first full day in office to ramp up supplies for vaccinations. The order was part of a series of actions Biden took that day to address the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to devastate the nation and has claimed the lives of more than 421,800 Americans as of Tuesday afternoon.The Biden administration believes it did not inherit a working federal coronavirus vaccine distribution plan from the Trump administration."The sad part is the last administration didn't leave anything, didn't leave a plan," Biden senior adviser Cedric Richmond said on CNN over the weekend.Before taking office, Biden was openly critical of what he described as a "dismal" rollout of the Covid vaccines under President Donald Trump.CNN's Maegan Vazquez and Jason Hoffman contributed to this report. | 4politics
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Cannes, France (CNN)An unacknowledged son, photo ops with the mafia and humongous cocaine binges: it's incredible that Diego Maradona found time to become the greatest footballer of his generation.And yet, during his seven years at Napoli, Maradona catapulted an unheralded team to become Italian league champions -- twice -- won the World Cup with Argentina and nearly came within a whisker of defending it."The Golden Boy" collected golden boots like cereal box toys; scored arguably the sport's most famous and infamous goals in the same game. To many Neapolitans and Argentines he was god. But you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain. Such was the case as Maradona's personal life went on to eclipse his exploits on the pitch. Now, after decades keeping the world at arm's length, the Argentine has gone on the record to have his say on a narrative long-calcified in public memory. Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, British Oscar-winning documentarian Asif Kapadia has made a punchy -- and surprisingly tender -- portrait of the star rising and falling like a celestial yo-yo, tracking the Argentine's turbulent spell in Southern Italy.Read MoreConfessionalVisually, the film is composed entirely of archive footage, much of it culled from a 500-hour trove shot in the '80s for an unmade documentary commissioned by Maradona's one-time agent Jorge Cyterszpiler. However, it is Kapadia's extensive access to the footballer himself that provides its revelations. Maradona, famously capricious, unspools himself in voiceover recorded by Kapadia at his home. The picture painted is one of a man grasping for equanimity, still wrestling to find peace with a life lived recklessly and unapologetically.Argentinian journalist Daniel Arcucci, British director Asif Kapadia and Maradona's former fitness coach Fernando Signorini pose during a photocall for the film "Diego Maradona" at the 72nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival.READ: How Maradona redefined football in the space of five minutes"(Kapadia) achieved confessions ... that I had never had after having followed him for 30 years as a journalist," Maradona's friend and biographer Daniel Arcucci told CNN Sport. And the footballer spilled all "in such a crude way, that I never expected from him."Kapadia's interviews find the filmmaker in new territory: both his previous subjects, Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse, were dead before film production began. "I was hoping to look back on his life a little bit and be able to present it to him while he's still around," the director said, "for him to reassess certain choices that he made."Born 1960 in the Villa Fiorito area of Buenos Aires, Maradona was a "little black kid from the slum," in the words of his former fitness coach Fernando Signorini.Football, says Maradona, "was my salvation," lifting him and his family out of poverty as he rose through the ranks of Argentinos Junior and Boca Juniors, before leaving for a world record transfer fee to Barcelona in 1982. After an injury and illness-beset two seasons "there wasn't another team in the world that would buy me," Maradona says. Enter Napoli, the struggling relative in the Italian family. As one newsreader drolly puts it, "the poorest city in Italy buys the most expensive player in the world."Maradona on the beach with his parents.The CamorraNaples and Maradona had a natural affinity; the "Africans" of Italy is how the player coarsely describes the Neapolitans. Both were scrappy and fueled by adversity, both were passionate -- perhaps too much so."I was no saint," Maradona says, reflecting on his infidelity. While his football dazzled at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, his mistress Cristiana Sinagra was back in Italy, heavily pregnant with Diego Armando Maradona Sinagra. (For years the footballer refused to acknowledge paternity and did not meet his son until 2003). The documentary also covers occasions Maradona came into contact with the Camorra -- the Neapolitan mafia -- with Kapadia flashing up photographs of the footballer smiling alongside members of the crime syndicate. Representative for Maradona Stefano Ceci told CNN Sport via email that he could "categorically confirm that Mr. Diego Maradona has no involvement with the Neapolitan Camorra" and that the ex-player "has never been convicted by a court to support members of the Neapolitan Camorra (sic)."The photographs, he explained, were taken at a time when "Diego was the most unapproachable person in Naples" and that, as Napoli fans, "the most powerful Camorra family in Naples ... on several occasions looked for a photo shoot with Maradona inviting (him) to various birthday parties of their family."Maradon'a on-field genius would go on to be eclipsed by his exploits off it.Parallel to Maradona's on-field genius, alcohol and drugs flowed. "One hit and I felt like Superman," Maradona recalls of his first experience with cocaine while at Barcelona.As a Napoli player at the height of his addiction he would party from Sunday to Wednesday, Maradona describing how he would return home and lock himself in the bathroom to hide from his infant daughters. 'Lucifer lives in Naples'But the crown slipped from the prince of Naples when he broke Italian hearts, scoring for Argentina in the semifinal penalty shootout that knocked the hosts of out the 1990 World Cup. One Italian publication ran a story claiming "Lucifer lives in Naples." A member of the Napoli Utlras, meanwhile, confesses in the film: "I am still upset with Diego."The downfall was swift; the player was left isolated as the press turned on Maradona's addiction woes.A 15-month football ban soon followed for a failed drugs test in 1991. His career wasn't over -- who can forget the midfielder's stunning strike against Greece at the 1994 World Cup before falling foul to another failed drugs test? -- but Maradona never recovered his form on the pitch."He was used in a way," Signorini told CNN, who makes a distinction between the mild-mannered "Diego" he knew and "Maradona," a persona constructed as armor against a prying world."It's (like) you're opening up a path in the jungle: the first one is the one who will have to confront all the dangers, then for others the path is already open," he added. Subsequent footballers have learned from Maradona's cautionary tale, Signorini implied, but for the Argentine "nobody could help him on this journey." The wistful tone of many of the interviewees suggests they wish they could have. Maradona during downtime listening to records at home.There's more sadness to Kapadia's film than anticipated, and Maradona is on hand to comment on what was going on behind his younger self's often doleful expression. "By the end of (the interview sessions) I was asking quite tough questions," said Kapadia. "He would try to divert and go off and give you something else entirely." Eventually a begrudging respect formed, he added, with Maradona telling the director "'at least you've got the nerve to ask those questions to my face, not like most of those journalists who do it when I'm not looking.'" At the time of writing Maradona had not seen the documentary, said Kapadia. Hopes that he would attend the gala screening at Cannes were dashed by a shoulder injury that kept him in Mexico where he is managing second-tier Dorados de Sinaloa.JUST WATCHED'Goal of the Century': Maradona's 1986 magicReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'Goal of the Century': Maradona's 1986 magic 04:33Shoulder injuries aside, Kapadia's film argues that at the age of 58, perhaps some of Maradona's internal wounds have begun to heal. The film's postscript suggests, by the footballer's standards, a journey has been taken in recent years. So is Maradona now at peace with himself? "I hope so," said the director. | 5sport
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Story highlightsOfficial: A large-scale search involving police, firefighters is underwayThe avalanche hit a group of 10 hikers and their guide, the official saysParis (CNN)Three people are dead and about seven others remain unaccounted for after an avalanche Wednesday in the French Alps, an official in the Hautes-Alpes prosecutor's office said.One person was evacuated to a hospital in Grenoble, France, in "extremely serious condition," according to the official, who spoke on behalf of Hautes-Alpes prosecutor Raphael Balland.The avalanche happened around 3 p.m. (9 a.m. ET) around France's Ecrins National Park near the village of Pelvoux, which is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the Italian border and 120 kilometers north of where Germanwings Flight 9525 went down last week.It struck a group of about 10 hikers and a guide, the prosecutor's office said. A large-scale search is underway for those still missing.JUST WATCHEDDogs help find avalanche survivorsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDogs help find avalanche survivors 02:30Read MoreThe search party includes at least 27 police officers and dogs out of Briancon, Isere and Modane and 30 firefighters, according to the official in the prosecutor's office in Hautes-Alpes province. Four helicopters flew over the scene as well.Weather forecasts called for temperatures around or below freezing Wednesday night. | 3news
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Story highlightsA majority of Croatians vote in support of the nation's entry into the European UnionCroatian leaders signed an accession treaty in December to join the EUCroatia would become the alliance's 28th member stateCroatians voted Sunday in support of their country's bid to join the European Union, paving the way for the southern European nation to become the alliance's 28th member.According to official results, posted on a government website, about 66% of voters backed Croatia's entry into the EU and 33% sided against the move. Turnout was about 44%.Already a member of NATO, Croatia is now poised to join an EU bloc that includes its neighbors Slovenia and Hungary. It is one of five nations listed as "candidate countries" on the European Union's website.Last December, Croatian leaders signed an accession treaty paving the way for the nation's entry.European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso called that signing "an outstanding moment for the European Union -- and for Croatia.""Today, we all acknowledge the hard work Croatia has done and its crowning success," Barroso said in a December 9 statement. "Croatia is the best proof of how strong and successful the transformative power of our enlargement policy can be."Years after initiating its bid, Croatia is on pace to "rightly join our union" on July 1, 2013, the European Commission president said.In that statement, Barroso alluded to the economic crisis affecting much of the eurozone, including bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal. But he insisted that these issues should not halt the European Union's expansion."Enlargement, provided that all the relevant conditions are met, will ... continue to serve as an anchor of stability, a driver of democracy and the rule of law," he said. "We should therefore not let the economic crisis overshadow this very important European policy." | 3news
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(CNN)Arsenal's FA Cup title defense came to an end with a 1-0 defeat by Southampton in the fourth round.After a poor start to the season, the Gunners appeared to have turned a corner ahead of Saturday's game, having gone six matches without defeat and five without conceding.But a first-half own goal from defender Gabriel ended that run and helped the Saints progress to the next round."I'm really sad to be out of the competition, congratulations to Southampton," manager Mikel Arteta, who led Arsenal to an FA Cup final victory against Chelsea last year, told BT Sport."Disappointed to be out and disappointed with the way we lost the game, conceding in an area where we cannot give the ball away." Read MoreVisit CNN.com/sport for more news, features and videosArsenal was without captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was absent due to a "personal matter," according to Arteta, and instead called upon 21-year-old Eddie Nketiah to lead the attack.Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe is challenged by James Ward-Prowse (left) and Stuart Armstrong.However, it was Southampton, a place above Arsenal in the Premier League table, who showed more attacking intent early on.READ: Liverpool's shock defeat to Burnley ends 68-game unbeaten run at AnfieldREAD: Cristiano Ronaldo's 760th goal fuels debate over greatest of all timeThe Saints got the game's only goal midway through the first half when Kyle Walker-Peters's low cross deflected off Gabriel and under the outstretched arm of Leno.Both sides had chances to add to the scoreline in the second period -- Arsenal through Rob Holding and Nketiah and Southampton through Theo Walcott -- but the game ended 1-0.Southampton next faces Premier League rival Wolves in the fifth round as it bids to win its first FA Cup title since 1976."In the first half we had more punch, more power (than Arsenal) ... the team was very disciplined today against such a strong side," manager Ralph Hasenhuttl told BT Sport. The two sides face each other again at St Mary's in the Premier League on Tuesday. Manchester City leave it lateIn Saturday's other FA Cup games, Manchester City needed a flurry of late goals to defeat League Two's Cheltenham Town.Cheltenham, which plays three tiers below City, took a shock lead in the second half through Alfie May and was on course to produce a stunning upset with 10 minutes remaining. Three late goals saw Manchester City breathe a sigh of relief against Cheltenham.However, three late goals from Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres saved City's blushes and set up a fifth-round clash against Swansea. There were also wins for the Premier League's three other teams in action on Saturday. Brighton defeated Blackpool 2-1, Sheffield United beat Plymouth Argyle by the same scoreline and West Ham cruised past Doncaster 4-0. | 5sport
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A version of this story appeared in the May 24 edition of CNN's Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Sign up here to receive the need-to-know headlines every weekday. (CNN)India reported 4,454 new Covid-19 fatalities on Monday and is now the third country in the world after Brazil and the United States to surpass more than 300,000 official deaths. It also added more than 220,000 new cases, marking the fourth consecutive day that the number of cases recorded in the country have declined. The spiraling crisis has overwhelmed India's health care system in several states. Beds, oxygen and medical workers are in short supply. Some patients are dying in waiting rooms or outside overflowing clinics. At cremation grounds, bodies are piling up faster than workers can build new pyres. While the outbreak is beginning to abate in major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, its spread to rural areas is drawing concern. Meanwhile, an alarming uptick in deaths among Covid-19 survivors from a rare "black fungus" infection is underlining problems in India's health care system. And the country's vaccination drive is faltering, dogged by shortages at a time when it is needed most. As the crisis has unfolded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been slammed by international media for not doing enough to prevent the catastrophe, and for downplaying the death toll. But, inside the country, telling the truth can get journalists in trouble -- India ranks among the lowest in the world for press freedom.
Still, local media outlets are working tirelessly to get the real story out, doing some traditional shoe-leather journalism, Diksha Madhok writes. They're also fighting for transparency and accountability from a government that has tried to clamp down on criticism of Modi and his handling of the pandemic. YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.Read MoreQ: How feasible is it for businesses to require proof of vaccination? A: Businesses and organizations are in the midst of a messy, interim period, says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. And figuring out how to implement policies that apply to vaccinated and unvaccinated people can be challenging. But from a public health standpoint, Benjamin says he doesn't view proof of vaccinations as the most efficient solution. The flimsy paper cards that typically signify that a person has been vaccinated against Covid-19 are easy to forge. And those checking vaccination status at the door often have no way of verifying that the proof being presented is real. Benjamin encourages businesses to think critically about who their safety protocols are designed to protect, whether they'll be able to enforce them and whether the rules are accomplishing their objective. Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415.WHAT'S IMPORTANT TODAY New information on Wuhan researchers' illness furthers debate on pandemic origins A US intelligence report found that several researchers at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill in November 2019 and had to be hospitalized, a new detail about the severity of their symptoms that could fuel further debate about the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, according to two people briefed on the intelligence. A State Department fact sheet released by the Trump administration in January said that the researchers had gotten sick in autumn 2019 but did not go as far as to say they had been hospitalized. China reported to the World Health Organization that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan on December 8, 2019. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the intelligence surrounding the earlier hospitalizations. Importantly, the intelligence community still does not know what the researchers were actually sick with, said the people briefed, and continues to have low confidence in its assessments of the virus' precise origins beyond the fact that it came from China. The director of the Wuhan National Biosafety Lab told Chinese state media Monday the report was "a complete lie." The women possibly at higher risk for Covid-19 that no one is talking about More than a year into the pandemic, one study has found that some women are at higher risk for Covid-19 compared to others in their age and sex groups. These women, often young and otherwise healthy, have an underlying condition that isn't mentioned on any Covid-19 comorbidity list: polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. PCOS, which affects about one in 10 women of "childbearing age," is an imbalance of reproductive hormones that can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, high androgen levels and ovarian cysts. But it can also come with a host of other health problems, nearly all of which overlap Covid-19 comorbidities. Despite how common PCOS is, as well as the serious complications it can come with, health experts say the condition has long been overlooked, misunderstood and under-researched, leaving patients to advocate for themselves or even educate practitioners to get treatment. And with very little research looking at whether women with PCOS are at higher risk for more severe Covid-19 or long-term symptoms, some fear the same is happening with public health policy around the pandemic. ON OUR RADARFormer US FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb said it would be reasonable for children to continue wearing masks indoors during the summer, especially in crowded, stuffy settings such as classrooms. Osaka hospitals are under strain from mounting Covid-19 cases as Japan ramps up its vaccination drive. Italy narrowly pipped a handful of rivals to win a colorful and kitsch Eurovision Song Contest in the Netherlands on Saturday, an early test of Europe's emergence from the pandemic. The possibility of all coronavirus restrictions being lifted in the United Kingdom next month is "looking good," the UK Health Security Agency's chief executive said. France's daily Covid-19 death toll fell to a more than seven-month low of 70 on Sunday. Israel is set to lift local Covid-19 regulations after its vaccine rollout has nearly eliminated new infections. TOP TIPPlanning or attending a wedding during the pandemic? Couples who have repeatedly postponed nuptials are finally able to hold weddings this summer, as Covid-19 and social distancing measures begin to lift in the US and elsewhere. But the virus still poses risks, especially to those who are unvaccinated. Here are some creative solutions to keep ceremonies safe: The venue: Look for places with enough space to modify layouts or seating so that people from different households can be at least 6 feet apart. Indoor air quality matters too, so well-ventilated rooms, high ceilings, window fans, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters and the ability to open windows or doors when possible are key. The guest list: Pare down capacity and prevent crowding by going through the guest list and deciding who really must be at the wedding. You can also help guests reduce risk by providing "sanitation stations" and custom masks. The reception: Avoid buffet-type meals where everyone would be touching the same serving utensils. Cutting the event short could be another way to address concerns around the virus spreading as people share a meal. The dance: Dancing -- and specifically breathing heavier while doing so -- can also make receptions higher risk. Some couples are hiring Covid-19 compliance officers to help politely enforce safety precautions like physical distancing. | 3news
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London (CNN)Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were deliberately poisoned by a nerve agent, UK police say, significantly increasing the likelihood that a foreign state was behind the attack.Mark Rowley, head of the counter-terrorism division of London's Metropolitan Police, told reporters that Sunday's incident was being treated as attempted murder. He revealed that one of the first police officers on the scene had fallen sick and was seriously ill in hospital.The developments mean that the British government must confront the suspicion that elements linked to the Kremlin carried out a brazen attack with a deadly agent in the middle of a rural English city, two weeks before President Vladimir Putin seeks re-election for a new six-year term. If a Moscow link were proved, it would plunge relations between the West and Russia into a new low, and would call into question the British government's ability to protect residents of the UK at home. Rowley said officers from Wiltshire police, the local force, were providing support to the sick officer and his families, but insisted there was no evidence of a wider threat to public health.Skripal -- a former Russian military official convicted of spying for the UK -- and his daughter Yulia remain critically ill in hospital after being found unconscious on a shopping center bench. Police said they believe the pair were the specific targets of the attack.Yulia Skripal (R) is thought to be one of the few members of her father's (L) immediate family still alive.
Read More"This being treated as a major incident involving attempted murder by administration of a nerve agent," Rowley said. Describing the investigation as fast-moving, police urged members of the public to get in touch with any information.Rowley said UK government experts had identified the specific nerve agent used in the attack, but declined to say what it was.The executive director of Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency, described the incident as "outrageous affront to our security in Europe and our way of life," but cautioned not "jumping to any conclusions" as to who was responsible. The UK government convened an emergency cabinet-level meeting to discuss the investigation on Wednesday.'Echoes' of the pastConfirmation that a nerve agent was used in the Salisbury attack considerably narrows the range of suspects. Nerve agents, highly poisonous chemicals that that prevent the body's nervous system from functioning properly, are rarely used outside the battlefield and require considerable expertise to develop. Exposure to potent doses can result in death.JUST WATCHEDVX, Sarin: How do nerve agents kill?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHVX, Sarin: How do nerve agents kill? 01:34Sarin was used in the 1995 attack on the Tokyo subway, carried out by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which killed 13 people and injured 5,500 others. Another nerve agent, VX, was used to kill Kim Jong Nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Kuala Lumpur international airport in February 2017.On Wednesday, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned that Britain would "respond robustly" if the Salisbury attack was found to be the work of a foreign power.Johnson had said that there were "echoes" in this case of what happened to former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died a slow death after drinking tea laced with highly radioactive polonium-210 in 2006 in a hotel in London.Russia spy case a chilling reminder of suspicious deaths in UKA detailed UK inquiry later concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably approved the operation by Russian agents to kill Litvinenko. The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the inquiry as politically motivated.Johnson's Tuesday comments drew an acerbic response from Russia's embassy in London, which released a statement saying it "looks like the script of yet another anti-Russian campaign has already been written."Russia had not received an official request from British authorities to assist in the investigation, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.Skripal's English refugeSkripal, 66, is believed to have lived in the UK since his release from Russian custody in 2010. He was convicted in Russia of spying for Britain before he was granted refuge in the UK after a high-profile spy swap in 2010 between the United States and Russia. His daughter Yulia, 33, is thought to be one of the few members of the former spy's immediate family still alive after his wife and son died in recent years. She was visiting him from Russia at the time of the incident.Police officers outside the Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury which has been closed following the incident.A woman who saw Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury town center on Sunday described the pair as appearing "out of it," as if they had "been taking something quite strong."Police have called on anyone who visited the area on Sunday, including Zizzi restaurant or the nearby Bishop's Mill pub -- two sites that are being examined -- to come forward with any information that might help them piece together what happened.Local convenience store manager Ebru Ozturk had seen Sergei Skripal at the Bargain Stop shop in Salisbury just five days before the incident. She told CNN that he was a "kind customer" who would usually come in once a week and buy Polish-smoked bacon and scratch-and-win lottery cards.CCTV footage showed Skripal talking to Ozturk and buying items at the store on February 27, five days before he was apparently poisoned.
"His wife died a few years ago. He was feeling bit sad. He started to get used to living on his own after the wife died," Ozturk said."He is (a) regular customer, he is so kind and he seems to me an educated person. Very polite," said Ozturk. "I don't talk too much to the customers, but he was, you know, one of the very kind customers."CNN's Euan McKirdy, Zahra Ullah, Milena Veselinovic, Simon Cullen and Carol Jordan contributed to this report. | 3news
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(CNN)Health care emerged as the most important issue for choosing a nominee among Iowa Democratic caucusgoers, according to the entrance polls conducted Monday before the caucuses began. Two in five chose health care, and about 1 in 5 said climate change, while fewer chose foreign policy or income inequality. Visit CNN's Election Center for full coverage of the 2020 raceThe party has been bitterly divided over health care throughout the primary campaign. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have called for replacing private insurance with "Medicare for All," while candidates like former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota have called for a public option while maintaining existing private insurance systems. Almost 3 in 5 Iowa Democratic caucusgoers support replacing private insurance with a government plan. Almost 2 in 5 oppose that. Read MoreCaucusgoers for whom health care is the top issue in choosing a nominee were split between Sanders and Buttigieg, with around a quarter supporting each. Almost 2 in 5 support Warren while 1 in 6 support Biden and the same for Klobuchar.Among caucusgoers who oppose replacing private insurance with a government plan, 3 in 10 supported Biden, and another 3 in 10 went for Buttigieg. About 1 in 6 in this group supported Klobuchar.The early entrance polls showed Biden, Buttigieg, Sanders and Warren leading with Iowa caucusgoers.Biden led the field among caucusgoers whose top issue for choosing a candidate is foreign policy, with nearly half of that group backing his campaign. Two in five in this group backed Buttigieg.Electability mattered to caucusgoers. About 3 in 5 Iowa caucusgoers say they would prefer a nominee who can beat President Donald Trump over a candidate who agrees with them on the issues. Among those, a quarter are supporting Biden and a quarter are supporting Buttigieg. Klobuchar, Warren and Sanders each drew support from about 1 in 6 of this group. Almost 9 in 10 Biden backers say they prefer a candidate who can beat Trump over one who agrees with them on the issues. The only candidate in the top five whose supporters prioritize agreement on the issues over beating Trump are those backing Sanders.Fewer than 2 in 5 Iowa caucusgoers had never attended a caucus before, down from 44% in the 2016 caucuses and 57% in the 2008 caucuses. More than 6 in 10 had caucused before.Young Iowans overwhelmingly back SandersAlmost half of Iowa caucusgoers under 30 years old supported Sanders, significantly higher than any other candidate among young voters, according to preliminary entrance polls. Young caucusgoers made up a similar share of the Iowan electorate on Monday as they did in 2008, the highest mark in entrance polling stretching back to 2000. Fewer than 1 in 5 back Buttigieg and 1 in 10 support Warren.Almost 3 in 10 Democratic Iowa caucusgoers are over 65 years old, roughly even with 2016. A third of them support Biden, 1 in 5 back Buttigieg and 1 in 5 support Klobuchar.'Very liberal' voters choose Sanders and WarrenCaucusgoers who described themselves as "very liberal" went overwhelmingly for Sanders and Warren. More than 2 in 5 support Sanders; more than a quarter support Warren. Fewer, around 1 in 10, support Buttigieg.Among moderate Democratic caucusgoers, a quarter each supported Biden and Buttigieg. Almost 2 in 10 support Klobuchar.Overall, about a quarter of caucusgoers are very liberal, 2 in 5 identified as somewhat liberal and a third as moderate.More than a third of caucusgoers made their minds up lateMore than a third of Democratic caucusgoers decided who to support in the last few days or today, roughly double the 16% who made up the minds in the same timeframe in 2016. Almost 2 in 3 Sanders supporters made up their minds last year. Half of Klobuchar's supporters made up their minds in the last few days.More than 4 in 10 decided who to support before January.The Democratic entrance poll estimates how much support a presidential candidate has at the start of the caucus process and will more closely reflect the first round of voting. It does not reflect the final caucus result, which is used to calculate the state delegate equivalents that a candidate is expected to win.The top finisher in the Iowa Democratic caucuses has gone on to win the nomination in 7 of 9 contested races since 1976.Entrance polls were conducted among Iowa caucusgoers as they entered precincts Monday night. Edison Research conducts the poll for the National Exit Pool, a consortium of news organizations. This story has been updated with the latest entrance poll data. | 4politics
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(CNN)The Republican-controlled Georgia state House on Tuesday night passed a sweeping elections bill that would hand new election policing powers to the state's bureau of investigations and restrict nonprofit funding of elections.The 40-page bill would give the Georgia Bureau of Investigations the power to initiate election fraud allegations, work that is currently overseen by state election officials. The investigations bureau also would have the authority to subpoena election records with signoff from the state attorney general.It also would allow public inspection of original paper ballots and make other changes to election procedures in this key battleground state.The sweeping measure, which now heads to the Georgia Senate, is part of a wave of bills moving through Republican-controlled state legislatures this year that are aimed at rewriting election procedures, following President Joe Biden's 2020 victory. Former President Donald Trump and his allies have falsely attributed his loss in Georgia and other key states to election fraud.Voting rights activists denounced the measures proposed in Georgia as erecting new hurdles to voting in a state that will host marquee races for governor and a US Senate seat this year. As currently written, the changes would take effect in July -- ahead of November's general election.Read MoreKey states making moves to change election laws and voting optionsAnd voting rights groups warned that the involvement of state law-enforcement in policing election fraud could chill participation in elections."It makes people think there's a chance they could be investigated," said Xakota Espinoza of Fair Fight Action, a group established by Stacey Abrams, who is running for the Democratic nomination in the governor's race."What is the need for this? They are pushing this bill to appease conspiracy theorists."During committee debate last week, GOP state Rep. Alan Powell said lawmakers are "trying to get to the point that everything is uniform -- no matter what county it is."Doing so, he said, would "dispel any of the anxiety and the concerns that there's something that's been done wrong."Republicans in the Georgia House moved swiftly in recent days to advance the measure before the state legislature's internal deadline Tuesday for bills to clear at least one chamber. The bill, which passed on a 98-73 vote, was the final piece of legislation considered on the deadline day and passed the House shortly before 11 p.m. ET.Republican legislators in the Georgia House unveiled the sweeping proposal last week -- just as the GOP-controlled legislature in neighboring Florida gave final approval to an elections security office sought by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Milton Kidd, who oversees elections in Douglas County, west of Atlanta, said the more direct involvement by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations could deter poll workers and voters from participating."Poll workers ... have told me that they have moved away from the election space because they feel like these are actions that are going to come against them," Kidd said at a recent hearing on the bill. "It's going to have a chilling effect on voters participating in the process because, in most cases, the election issues that the secretary of state has found have been administrative issues. They're issues that the current mechanism can actually deal with."Florida state legislature leads the charge on a number of GOP prioritiesGeorgia and Florida both are among the states that enacted new voting restrictions last year.Georgia's sweeping 2021 election overhaul established new voter ID requirements to cast ballots by mail, restricted the use of ballot drop boxes and allowed state takeovers of local election boards.During a news conference Tuesday morning, Nichola Hines, president of the League of Women Voters of Atlanta-Fulton County, the proposal would complicate matters for election workers and voters already scrambling to navigate the changes brought by Georgia's 2021 election law and recent redistricting."Adding another round of voting changes at this late date," she said, "is a recipe for disaster and will likely cause confusion and suppress the votes of voters of both parties."The new proposals that Georgia lawmakers are weighing focus more on election administration than on ballot access.One proposal, for instance, establishes elaborate chain-of-custody procedures for handling absentee ballots. Another would prevent nonprofits from providing any funding directly to local election administrators. Instead, those groups first would have to seek approval from the State Elections Board, which would then distribute the grants to prevent funding inequities across the state.Republican officials have taken aim at donations funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan to local election offices during the height of the pandemic in 2020. Conservatives say the grants helped make it easier to vote in Democratic areas -- giving the party an unfair advantage.The grant administrators have denied any partisan bias in distributing the money, which topped $340 million. GOP gubernatorial candidate David Perdue calls for new election police unit in GeorgiaBiden's narrow 2020 victory in Georgia -- the first for a Democrat in the state in nearly three decades -- was certified after three counts of ballots. And judges have tossed out several lawsuits claiming fraud. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating what actions Trump or his allies may taken in their efforts to overturn Biden's victory. The probe began last year following Trump's call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he pushed the Republican to "find" the votes to overturn the election results.This headline and story have been updated to reflect House passage of the bill.CNN's Dan Berman contributed to this story. | 4politics
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(CNN)British lawmakers voted in favor of a key Brexit bill early Tuesday morning, marking an important milestone in the UK's exit from the European Union.Members of Parliament passed the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill -- which will transfer EU law into UK legislation when Britain exits the bloc -- by 326 votes to 290. The bill will now move onto committee stage and undergo line by line scrutiny. Following the vote, Prime Minister Theresa May issued a statement calling it "a historic decision to back the will of the British people.""Although there is more to do, this decision means we can move on with negotiations with solid foundations and we continue to encourage MPs from all parts of the UK to work together in support of this vital piece of legislation," she said.Read MoreBefore the vote, David Davis, the UK's secretary of state for exiting the EU, emphasized that the bill offers businesses and individuals "reassurance that there will be no unexpected changes to our laws after exit day" while avoiding "a cliff edge of uncertainty."He added: "The British people did not vote for confusion and neither should Parliament." Britain to slash EU migration after Brexit, leaked paper saysIn addition to codifying existing EU laws, the legislation -- previously referred to as the Great Repeal Bill -- means the UK would no longer have to adhere to new laws made in Brussels after the country's departure from the bloc. Amendments are expected to be added to the bill under pressure from backbench Conservatives and opposition members of Parliament when it moves into committee stage.Opposition: Bill is a 'power grab'May's government faces opposition over measures known as Henry VIII powers, which opponents say constitute a "power grab" and give ministers more power than Parliament. The government has said those powers will not be used for any significant changes but rather for technical amendments and only for a limited time.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had instructed his party to vote against the legislation."Parliament has already voted to leave the European Union. But the government's EU Withdrawal Bill would allow Conservative ministers to set vital terms on a whim, including of Britain's exit payment, without democratic scrutiny," a Labour spokesperson told CNN on Monday. Despite attempts from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party to band together in opposition to the bill, the post-midnight vote was a comfortable victory for May. This first Commons win is a welcome boost for the Prime Minister after Britain endured a difficult start to negotiations with Brussels, highlighted by last week's frosty encounter between Davis and his European counterpart, Michel Barnier.Barnier complained of "no decisive progress" in the negotiations and accused Britain of attempting to secure the "impossible" in its approach to leaving the single market while retaining its benefits.Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect the stage this bill is at in the Parliamentary process.CNN's David Wilkinson, Bianca Nobilo, James Masters and Manisha Ganguly contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsFIFA writes to Nigerian federation over "lesbian ban"World governing body seeking more informationReports claim lesbians to be outlawed from national leagueHomosexuality is already illegal in NigeriaFIFA has written to the Nigerian Football Federation to seek clarification over reports that lesbians have been banned from playing in the West Africa nation.A spokesperson for the world governing body told CNN Friday that a letter had been sent requesting more information."This is not a FIFA investigation, but a preliminary step, fully in line with how any normal procedure would be conducted by FIFA's Disciplinary Department," the spokesperson said. "Until we establish more details, we cannot speculate on any sanctions, or indeed any next steps." Earlier this week, reports in Nigeria quoted Dilichukwu Onyedinma, head of the country's women's football league, who said lesbian players should be ostracized."Any player that we find is associated with it will be disqualified," she was quoted as saying.JUST WATCHEDLjungberg: 'I was called gay'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLjungberg: 'I was called gay' 04:50"We will call the club chairmen to control their players, and such players will not be able to play for the national team." Read: U.S. soccer star 'comes out' as gay, then retiresHer reported comments drew a storm of protest for Gay Rights campaigners, and a number of groups said they had written to FIFA president Sepp Blatter about the alleged ban."The organizations expressed their concern about reports that the Nigerian Football Association has banned lesbians from football in the country," the Federation of Gay Games website reported. "This follows reports that the coach of the Nigerian team participating in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany explained that she had excluded players presumed to be lesbians from the team. "Given the inaction of FIFA following that situation, and the flippant response from FIFA to concerns over their decision to host future World Cups in homophobic countries, the organizations sending this letter believe that FIFA must now take firm action or confirm its reputation as a homophobic organization, in contradiction to its bylaws and the Olympic Charter."Article 3 of the FIFA Statutes threatens stiff punishments for individuals or national federations if the code, which focuses on discrimination and racism, is broken."Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of ethnic origin, gender, language, religion, politics or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion," it reads.Any action which FIFA might choose to take could be complicated by Nigerian law, under which homosexuality is already illegal. | 5sport
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(CNN)The geometry of scoring goals has been easy for Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi but his success has come amid the backdrop of a love triangle involving a teammate who was once a good friend. Follow @cnnsport
Icardi spoke openly about the "odd" situation involving himself and fellow Argentine Maxi Lopez and insists he is now a contented family man. Almost anyone who passes through Barcelona's famed youth academy draws attention and Icardi recalls when then B team boss Pep Guardiola stopped training to chat with him. JUST WATCHEDMauro Icardi's talks family and feudsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMauro Icardi's talks family and feuds 04:01"When the training session finished up, we went into his office and he said, 'Mauro, you have to fight for this, work hard, always be humble and relaxed,'" Icardi recounted. The spotlight intensified when he scored on his first-team debut for Sampdoria while on loan with the "La Samp" in 2012. Read MoreIt was at Sampdoria where the 22-year-old met Lopez's now former wife, Wanda Nara, and several months after Lopez and Nara divorced, Icardi and Nara tied the knot. Icardi even has tattoos of the three children Lopez had with Nara. And when Sampdoria met Inter Milan last April, it was dubbed the "Wanda Derby," fodder for the gossip columns as well as the sports pages. Te Amo pollo @MauroIcardi #27 #🔩 pic.twitter.com/yuBhYBUkQA— Wanda Icardi (@wandaicardi) February 28, 2015
In a scene reminiscent of Wayne Bridge's handshake snub of John Terry in the Premier League in 2010 -- Terry was romantically linked with Bridge's former partner -- Lopez refused to shake Icardi's hand. Icardi scored twice in the 4-0 mauling and moving on to this campaign is tied for second behind another Argentine, Carlos Tevez, for the most goals in Serie A. But his spat with Lopez continues to capture the imagination of the public. "The truth is we had an experience together at Sampdoria," Icardi said. "We shared a year together on the team and we had a good friendship. After everything that happened and from that moment on, everything was cut off. "The situation was a bit odd. It was a bit strange how everything turned out because one doesn't want these things to happen, but they did." I met this dude today. They say he's a maverick but to me @mauroicardi is a pretty honest guy with a very big future. Profile coming soon on @cnn @cnnsport A photo posted by Don Riddell (@donriddell) on Mar 18, 2015 at 3:08pm PDT
Icardi lives with Nara and her three kids and the couple recently welcomed Francesca into the world. Icardi admits it was a shock to the system when his baby daughter was born. "It changed my life 360 degrees because being relaxed at home, lying down on a couch and not hearing noise or the other three kids we have at home -- who are Wanda's but are a lot calmer -- is something that was taken away from us by surprise," Icardi said. "But this is something we wanted. "I liked the idea of being a father, to have a child and finally Francesca arrived and now the house is insane because she cries all day and at night, she doesn't let us sleep. "She changed our entire schedule and it's something that we have to get used to a bit because these first few months are going to be like this." Felices 2 meses mi Bebota hermosa 👶❤️ pic.twitter.com/JsfSjpRRez— MauroIcardi (@MauroIcardi) March 19, 2015
Icardi and Nara are well known for posting pictures and messages on Twitter professing their love for each other. Indeed the player is adamant that Nara "means everything" to him."She's the person that's by my side every day, the person that's there for the good, for the bad or when I feel bad," he added. "She's always with me. She's a person who helps me so much and we've managed to form a beautiful family and, right now, she means everything to me. "I hope to live and share everything I achieve with her. As long as my footballing career goes on, I hope to achieve it by her side because she truly deserves it for the sacrifice she's made of being so far from her family, so far from Argentina and to be by my side here, raising our children and being happy in Milan."Enamorados pic.twitter.com/1WoK1aY2DD— Wanda Icardi (@wandaicardi) February 26, 2015
Icardi is part of an Inter side in transition -- adrift in the race for the title but also for a Champions League spot. German club Wolfsburg recently knocked Inter out of the Europa League 5-2 on aggregate, too. Yet no one can argue with Icardi's contribution.His prowess in front of goal is even more impressive considering he didn't like football in Argentina when he was growing up, only playing the sport because his father would tempt him with a sandwich and soft drink. He said his agents are currently in talks with Inter about an improved deal, news that's sure to disappoint potential suitors elsewhere in Europe. "Regarding my pay, my salary, that I don't 'earn a lot,' these are things that are a result of two years ago when I came to Inter," Icardi said. "To me, it was a good contract for having arrived at Inter. I signed the contract with the excitement and desire to prove my worth and be an important player for Inter. "Now, after two years, I still have this contract that people are talking about, but my agents are speaking to the club, they're coming to an agreement, they're seeing how to fix this situation and when it happens, I'll sign the renewal and -- I'm sure -- I'll be happy and Inter will be happy if they want me to stay here."Read: New goals for Del Piero | 5sport
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Story highlightsTalks on Britain's future divorce from the European Union start Monday The UK government is in a weak position but is taking a hard lineLondon (CNN)Nearly a year to the day since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, the process of Brexit finally begins on Monday. The British Brexit minister, David Davis, will open the talks with the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, supported by officials on both sides. It will be a typically Brussels affair: an opening session, a 90-minute working lunch for the two lead negotiators to set the scene, then the dry, detailed business of working groups with officials poring over documents.Agenda for the 1st formal negotiating round. Negotiations in Brussels ending with press conference @MichelBarnier & @DavidDavisMP #Brexit pic.twitter.com/1Z8WLKMtSi— European Commission (@EU_Commission) June 16, 2017
The bureaucratic, orderly nature of the negotiations belies the chaos and confusion that have dominated the Brexit debate in the UK over the past year. And since the election results last week that left Prime Minister Theresa May without a parliamentary majority, that chaos and confusion have intensified.EU officials in Brussels are ready to negotiate -- the sense of impatience is palpable. But there is also incredulity that the British government is preparing to go into the talks with a hard-line negotiating position when it cannot command a majority at home.Read MoreIn calling the election back in April, the Prime Minister asked the electorate to give her a mandate for a hard Brexit, based on Britain leaving the European single market and making a clean break with the EU. After voters rejected that request, the Brexit talks start Monday lacking clarity on what the exact nature of the UK's departure from Europe will be.Brexit jobs trackerThat problem is compounded by the fact that May has yet to strike a deal with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party that would give her the extra votes in Parliament she needs for a working majority. The Democratic Unionist Party wants to attach its own conditions onto Brexit as part of its deal with the Conservatives -- including the insistence on a "soft border" between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.JUST WATCHEDIrish farmers straddling border fear BrexitReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIrish farmers straddling border fear Brexit 03:25But given May will have a limited majority in the House of Commons, even with the backing of the Northern Irish party, opposition parties such as Labour and the Liberal Democrats have their own agendas to pursue and will seek to amend any law that comes before Parliament connected to Britain's withdrawal from Europe.Put together, May's case for a hard Brexit is extraordinarily weak -- something that negotiators in Brussels will see coming before Davis and his team have a chance to step off the Eurostar train.Of course, the government is not only beleaguered by its post-election hiatus but by the growing anger over its response to this week's Grenfell Tower fire disaster -- with May criticized for failing to meet victims' families and politicians facing anger in the streets from local residents. The nature of the tragedy has highlighted the inequality in pockets of London and elsewhere in the UK, including the housing conditions of disadvantaged communities. It begs the question whether May's government, apparently rudderless and without real power, can realistically hope for getting a deal out of Europe when its own social problems seem to have reached a boiling point at home.Monday will just be the first day of what will be more than 18 months of talks. The tightly managed timetable, known in EU parlance as sequencing, means that negotiators will start discussing the "divorce settlement" -- how much the UK will have to pay to exit the bloc -- before it turns to talks on which ties the country will keep with Europe, if any. This first phase could take many weeks. But public trust in the government is faltering, and May's own poll ratings have plummeted since Election Day. Two months ago, the Prime Minister could have looked forward to Britain having a strong negotiating hand on Day One of Brexit talks; now it is hard to see how her position could be any weaker. | 3news
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One day in June 2019, Jitarth Jadeja went outside to smoke a cigarette. For two years he'd been in the virtual cult of QAnon. But now he'd watched a YouTube video that picked apart the last element of the theory he believed in. Standing there smoking, he would say later, he felt "shattered." He had gone down the QAnon rabbit hole; now, having emerged from it, he had no idea what to do next. 'QAnon only hurts people. It has helped nobody.'QAnon is a virtual cult that began in late 2017.The most basic QAnon belief casts President Trump as the hero in a fight against the "deep state" and a sinister cabal of Democratic politicians and celebrities who abuse children. And it features an anonymous government insider called "Q" who purportedly shares secret information about that fight via cryptic online posts. Travis View is a conspiracy theory researcher who co-hosts the podcast "QAnon Anonymous."Read MoreThe theory's believers "always fantasize that they are saving children and they're bringing criminals to justice," View says. "But QAnon only hurts people. It has helped nobody."There aren't solid estimates for the number of QAnon followers worldwide, but it's clear their ranks are growing. A CNN investigation reviewed QAnon-related Facebook pages and groups based only outside the US and found a total of at least 12.8 million interactions between the beginning of the year and the last week of September.An attendee at a Trump rally holds up a QAnon sign on August 4, 2018. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)Lisa Kaplan and Cindy Otis lead Alethea Group, a company that tracks disinformation to protect its clients' brands. They followed false claims that Wayfair was complicit in a child exploitation plot as they spread from havens for QAnon to the mainstream in the summer of 2020."There's not sort of, one sort of set doctrine or belief system," Otis said. "But a lot of it goes down to what goes viral and what doesn't." 'It's like a parasite." How a dangerous virtual cult is going globalLike many previous conspiracy theory groups, QAnon has become as much about community as its actual theory. The result is a convoluted and ever-changing web of beliefs which branch off from the central worldview. In this case, that includes things like members of the supposed cabal also worshipping Satan, and JFK Jr. having faked his 1999 death in a plane crash to escape the deep state plotters. QAnon has also started assimilating unrelated conspiracy theories, including false ideas about the supposedly dangerous nature of 5G infrastructure and the false, dangerous notion that the Covid-19 pandemic is a ploy to monitor private citizens.Since there's no leadership or structure to QAnon, its supporters incorporate existing conspiracy theories and develop new ones. QAnon "really does take on a life of its own, which can, in fact make it a more significant threat," Kaplan said. 'A car crash you can't look away from'Jadeja, the former QAnon believer, is Australian. But he said he's always been interested in American politics. He spent time studying in the US, living in Queens, New York. His nationality is a testament to the fact that QAnon has spread well beyond the United States. "If you'd look in Australian politics, it's boring by comparison," Jadeja said. "American politics, it's like, it's like a car crash you can't look away from."During the 2016 US presidential election, Jadeja said, he was drawn to then-candidate Bernie Sanders. He liked what Sanders had to say about inequality and his "anti-establishment sentiment." But then Trump won. "That kind of really kicked it all off for me," Jadeja said. Jitarth Jadeja, 32, found QAnon in 2017. He spent two years entrenched in the virtual cult. His biggest regret? Sharing the conspiracy theory with his father. (Bill Code for CNN Business)It felt to him like the world was shocked by Trump's win. How had seemingly no one seen it coming? And most importantly, who had? "I kind of switched off from all mainstream media," Jadeja said. That's when he began listening to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and reading Infowars, which exposed him to QAnon theories for the first time. By December 2017, he identified as a Q follower. Around this period, Jadeja said he was in the midst of a 15 year struggle to finish his degree. He'd pulled away from friends and become socially isolated. "I just felt completely overwhelmed... I was probably in a deep depression I think when I found Q," he says. Once Jadeja found QAnon he was quickly sucked in. He would spend time on websites that aggregated posts supposedly from Q, which often first appear on darker corners of the internet like 8kun. Then he'd move on to read the interpretations of those posts from other believers. These interpretations are popular among the QAnon community because posts from "Q" are often so vague that they can be read in any number of ways. The tactic tends to lure in supporters the way fraudulent psychics can — there's little solid information given, so almost anything can be taken as confirmation of a pronouncement by "Q.""There'd be a lot of Youtube and Reddit mini-celebrities within the community that would be like the anointed decrypter for that point in time," Jadeja noted.I was probably in a deep depression I think when I found Q." Jitarth Jadeja, former QAnon followerQAnon was all he wanted to talk about. That made life offline increasingly difficult for him, and he pulled away from friends. "No one believes you. No one wants to talk to you about it. ... You get all angsty and crabby and whatnot. [S]uch shouting, irrational, you sound like the homeless guy on the street yelling about Judgment Day," Jadeja said. One of the few people in his regular life with whom he was able to talk with about his newfound interest with was his father. "We used to talk about it a lot. We used to only talk about it with each other. We show each other things like, did you see that? Did you see that?" Jadeja said."I think superficially it did seem like [QAnon] gave me comfort," Jadeja said. "I didn't realize the nefarious kind of impact it was having on me because it was very insidious how it slowly disconnected me from reality."Finding 'answers'Experts say that people often seek out conspiracy theories in times of crisis. "I think we tend to underestimate the extent to which these sorts of narratives are appealing," Alethea Group's Otis said, "especially when we're in a time of great stress and emotions are high."Otis noted that the 2016 US presidential election was one of those times for many people. Now the coronavirus pandemic means uncertainty and anxiety are once again at a high point."It's a very compelling narrative to say all of this is orchestrated," Otis said. "There's a cabal coming after you. They're trying to make your life miserable. You want an answer for why bad things are happening? Here they are."Protestors hold QAnon-related signs during an anti-lockdown demonstration in Melbourne, Australia on September 5th. Some QAnon followers falsely believe the Covid-19 pandemic is an elaborate hoax. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images AsiaPac)View, the conspiracy theory researcher, said QAnon preys on vulnerable people who in some cases might be suffering from mental health issues."I think it's a mistake to say that QAnon is a conspiracy theory, because this kind of makes it sound like Area 51 or Big Foot," he said. "It's a community of people that radicalizes them into a world view, that just essentially detaches them from reality."For Jadeja, the impulses he developed while he believed in QAnon are a source of shame. "I would have been so happy to see Hillary Clinton dragged in front of a military tribunal, even though she's a civilian," he said."That still bothers me to this day, how willing and happy and joyfully I would have reacted to something that I would normally want no part in... This is how you get good people to do bad things."In a May 2019 bulletin, the FBI warned that conspiracy theories like QAnon could "very likely" motivate criminal and sometimes violent activity in the US especially because of the reach and volume of conspiratorial content available online. The platform problemQAnon theories often start out on fringe internet forums like 8kun and 4chan, according to Alethea Group's Kaplan. But once a claim gains popularity there it can quickly catapult onto mainstream social media networks. "It becomes especially dangerous once these conspiracies go on to platforms like Twitter and Facebook, because it increases the breadth of the reach that these false conspiracies have," she said. Reddit banned a popular QAnon subreddit in 2018. In July 2020, Twitter said it had removed more than 7,000 QAnon-associated accounts. Last week, Facebook announced it would ban any pages, groups or Instagram accounts representing QAnon. And on Wednesday, YouTube joined the other platforms, saying it would prohibit conspiracy theory content that threatens or harasses an individual or group. It stopped short of banning QAnon and other dangerous theories completely. But the task of identifying and policing these kinds of accounts is massive. Facebook, for one, has previously made promises to ban certain groups or types of content in the past but enforcement has sometimes been slow or inconsistent."This isn't something that there's one solution that will, you know, remove this group from their platform for all eternity," Otis said. "It's going to be an ongoing and dynamic problem."View believes these actions may be too late. "This is a group who are very highly motivated, and they believe that they are fighting essentially an information war."Leaving QAfter two years in the world of QAnon, Jadeja said, cracks began to form in his conviction. He believed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had been instrumental in "exposing" Hillary Clinton and had helped win Trump the election. If Trump was trying to bring down the cabal, Jadeja wondered, how could he let Assange face extradition to the US for charges related to publishing secret military and diplomatic documents? On top of that, Jadeja said, he was noticing more logical inconsistencies in QAnon's theories.How QAnon uses religion to lure unsuspecting Christians But there was one particular piece of "proof" he was still holding on to. It went like this: A QAnon follower had supposedly asked Q to tell President Trump to use the phrase "tip top" in a speech. Then Trump did. To Jadeja, that had been proof that Q existed and had the ear of the president. But then, as his doubts mounted, he decided to research it further and came across a YouTube video that showed other times Trump had previously said the phrase or something similar. Suddenly "tip top" was no longer irrefutable proof, it was probably just coincidence.For others, that might have easily been glossed over, a blip easily dismissed in their belief. But for Jadeja, who was nearing a break with QAnon, it was a turning point."It was the worst feeling I had in my life," Jadeja said. That's when he went outside for a smoke. 'It starts with empathy and understanding'r/Qult_Headquarters is a forum on Reddit "dedicated to documenting, critiquing, and debunking the chan poster known as 'Q' and his devotees." Its 30,000 members pick apart QAnon theories and point out inconsistencies.It's where Jadeja turned when he stopped believing. He wrote a 659-word post that began with the words "Q fooled me."He thought the group would ridicule him for believing in the conspiracy theory. "I expected to be torn apart," he said.Instead, the opposite happened. According to Jadeja, he got over a hundred responses to his post — and nearly all of them were supportive. "These guys put me back together again."Three years later, Facebook says it will ban QAnonHe now thinks one of the toughest challenges in trying to deradicalize a QAnon believer is that they view the opposition as "pure evil.""This is a big problem, not just because people are being taken in and their families are like being ripped apart," he said. "This is an existential battle between good and evil that these people think they're fighting." He says he used to think the same thing.This is an existential battle between good and evil that these people think they're fighting."Jitarth JadejaAnother Reddit community called QAnonCasualties functions as a support group for friends and family members of QAnon believers. It has more than 28,000 members. There are hundreds of stories of loved ones "lost" to QAnon. Friendships ruined. Relationships ended. Families suffering. Looking back, Jadeja said, he doesn't think there is a single relationship in his life that wasn't affected by his time believing in QAnon. "It's destroyed some of them to this day. It's strained a lot of them to this day."But there's one thing in particular that he regrets the most: sharing QAnon with his father. CNN reached out to Jadeja's father multiple times for a comment but he did not respond. Jitarth Jadeja looks at a photo of himself as a child next to his father. (Bill Code for CNN Business)Jadeja thinks it's possible more QAnon believers can follow his path out."It has to start with empathy and understanding," Jadeja said. That's what the QultHeadquarters community on Reddit gave him.In View's opinion, confronting QAnon believers with facts isn't the best way to deradicalize them. He said the best way to help believers is to remind them of their life before Q. Believers need to be encouraged to ask themselves "if this new life that they built for themselves is actually productive, if it's actually building towards something good or if it's just a waste of time and it's filling some kind of emotional void." Potentially being known as "the QAnon guy" among his friends is the last thing Jadeja wants. But he fears the community will continue to grow. That's why, he said, he decided to share his story — in the hope that other believers might see that there is life after QAnon and reevaluate their choice to support it.Ultimately, he said, he's glad he went down the QAnon rabbit hole. It taught him a lot about hubris, he believes. And, he said, "It allowed me to really confront, like, the own darkness that's in my own heart." — Additional reporting by Sofia Barrett | 0business
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(CNN)Novak Djokovic is one win away from a record-breaking 21st major title and the first calendar grand slam in men's singles since 1969.He needed the full five sets to do it, but the world No. 1 from Serbia defeated No. 4 Alexander Zverev of Germany 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the US Open semifinal at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday.Djokovic, 34, is tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20 major singles titles -- the most in men's tennis. He will face Russian and world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the final on Sunday.On the court after Friday's win, Djokovic said: "There's only one match left. All in, let's do it. I'm going to put my heart and my soul and my body and my head into that one. I'm going to treat the next match like it is the last match of my career."The last man to complete the calendar grand slam -- winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same year -- was Rod Laver in 1969. Laver tweeted a picture of himself watching Friday's semifinal, saying "Great to be back in New York, watching the history channel."Read MoreSix years ago, Serena Williams attempted to complete a calendar grand slam, which hadn't been done on the women's circuit since Steffi Graf in 1988. Graf also won gold in singles at the Olympics that year, making her the only tennis player -- male or female -- to complete a so-called golden slam, winning Olympic gold in addition to all four majors.Williams went on to be shocked in the US Open semifinals by Roberta Vinci.In the early hours Saturday, Djokovic referenced Williams' run, saying: "I remember I won 2015, I won that year's US Open. I was talking to Serena. She was very emotional about everything that was going on. I can relate to what she's been going through right now. I understand it now. Obviously, once you're in that situation, you can really comprehend what a player goes through."Djokovic said he understands why Williams wanted to avoid questions about her loss, and spoke of the pressure top players feel to keep winning. "At the end of the day, you have to go out on the court and deliver. You're expected to always win. For a great legend that she is, she always has that expectations from everyone, including herself," he said. "It's no different with me."In his post-match press conference, Zverev said of Djokovic: "If you look at the stats, if you look the pure game of tennis action, he's the greatest of all time."There is a reason why he's won 20 grand slams. There's a reason why he's spent the most weeks at world No. 1... I think mentally he's the best player to ever play the game. Mentally in the most important moments, I would rather play against anybody else but him."Djokovic plays Medvedev on Sunday. The 25-year-old defeated 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in straight sets earlier Friday, reaching his third grand slam final. He has dropped just one set in this year's US Open.This will be Medvedev's second US Open final, having lost to Nadal in five sets in 2019. He lost the Australian Open final to Djokovic in straight sets earlier this year.After his semifinal win, Medvedev said he learned a lot from that match against Djokovic in Melbourne."He was playing different than the matches he did before me, and I was kind of not ready for it. So now I am," Medvedev said of Djokovic's tactics.Of the final, he said: "It's going to be more interesting in terms of tactic what I'm going to prepare .. No matter the score, I'm just going to turn up the heat, if I can say, and try to do my best, even more than what I did in Melbourne."At the Tokyo Olympics this summer, Djokovic -- who had already won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon -- had the opportunity to go for the golden slam.Instead, he left without a medal after losing to Zverev in the semifinals. It was Zverev, a finalist at last year's US Open, who went on to win the gold medal in the best-of-three-sets format. | 5sport
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Story highlightsMan United drops into Europa LeagueIts local rival City wins to top Group DPSV and Juventus also go throughReal Madrid hits eight goals (CNN)In a huge night of European football for the city of Manchester, one team advanced out of the group stage of the Champions League, while the other was left licking its wounds on Tuesday. Follow @cnnsport
Rahim Sterling lifted a listless Manchester City with two stunning goals in the 80th and 81st minutes to propel them into the top of Group D in a 4-2 win against Mönchengladbach at the Etihad. The surprising 1-0 win by Sevilla over Juventus dropped the Italians into second place of Group D. "It's a brilliant thing for the boys, we worked hard and I think we deserved it at the end of the day. Hopefully we can carry it on to the last 16," Sterling told UK broadcaster BT Sport after the match. "So, what did you do for your 21st birthday, @sterling7?" #mcfc pic.twitter.com/BT28O5n8Lc— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 8, 2015
Meanwhile, at a wild match in Wolfsburg, Manchester United was ousted from the group stage after a 3-2 loss to the Germans. Read MoreBrazilian defender Naldo scored the opener and the winner for Wolfsburg, which won Group B handily. PSV Eindhoven's 2-1 come-from-behind win against CSKA Moscow relegated United to the UEFA Europa League. The match started with a lively first half. United's wunderkind Anthony Martial -- whose $55.5 million price tag from Monaco was questioned at the start of the season -- opened up the match with a 10th-minute strike from the left flank that rocked Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego BenaglioBut the lead lasted just three minutes before Naldo equalized on a skillful volley off a set-piece from the German side. Former Switzerland international Benaglio saved a point-blank header in the 26th minute from Marouane Fellaini, launching a stunning reversal of momentum. Only moments later, a world-class display of touch-passing between Julian Draxler and Max Kruse led to an easy tap-in for Portuguese winger Vieirinha to take the lead 2-1. Juan Mata was narrowly positioned offside which ruled out a Jesse Lingard goal just before halftime. Although the referee signaled for a goal, Manchester United exhalations were deflated when a late flag was controversially raised by the linesman -- ruling that Mata interfered with Benaglio's line of vision. Replays validated the decision from the officials. "I think it's a crazy match. We scored goals. They are canceling goals," said United manager Louis van Gaal in a post-match interview -- pointing to the fact that Wolfsburg players complained right after Mata's offside ruling, leaving the linesman in agreement. United's captain Chris Smalling appeared to be injured for the final 10 minutes, though he stayed on the pitch. "We had the chance to win, I think we fought for the win, but with 10 men at the end we could do more than what we have done," Van Gaal added. United keeper David de Gea kept his team in the match in the second half with a leaping backhanded deflection to counter André Schürrle's long-distance lob that came against the run of play. Schürrle was denied again moments later, this time by de Gea's leaping block in front of the net. United briefly saw light at the end of the tunnel late in the second half when word came in that CSKA had scored to lead against PSV. An own goal from Guilavogui in the 82nd minute drew the score at 2-2, before Naldo put the match away moments later. SCHLUSS - 3:2! Wir stehen zum ersten Mal in unserer Geschichte im Achtelfinale der @ChampionsLeague. YEAH! #WOBMUFC pic.twitter.com/UPpBPcUNKz— VfL_Wolfsburg (@VfL_Wolfsburg) December 8, 2015
Van Gaal may have welcomed the change of scenery initially, after his side was recently booed by home fans. The Old Trafford faithful have been frustrated by the team's lack of scoring chances, voicing their displeasure in last month's 1-0 win over CSKA and again at Saturday's goalless draw against West Ham. Wayne Rooney broke his 404-minute goalless drought against CSKA but sat out Tuesday night with a lingering ankle problem, joining Phil Jones, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo, Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw on the long list of currently injured Red Devils. United's Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger weighed in on his club's current brand of football in a pre-match interview with BT Sport. "You know it's a mix of everything, it's not only the strikers who shoot on goal. It's everyone on the team who is on the pitch can score a goal, and it's how we build up the chance, and how we make the last pass to make it easy on the guy to score a goal," said Schweinsteiger, who faced Wolfsburg often with his former club Bayern Munich. "I know we have players who have the ability, but we have to show it for every game." Wolfsburg was set up in 1945, as a successor to the Volkswagen corporate club, and is intertwined with the company and its hometown's identity. The auto industry giant owns the German Cup champions -- pumping about €85 million ($97 million) a year into the club.With its brand badly damaged by the diesel emissions scandal, Volkswagen may be reluctant to sacrifice the valuable marketing exposure it gets from subsidizing Wolfsburg, and its other soccer partnerships (it has a stake in German league champion Bayern through its subsidiary Audi).Meanwhile, not finishing at the top of the Premier League since 2013 hasn't hurt Manchester United's value: Earlier this year the club was anointed the fifth most valuable sports team in the world by Forbes at $3.1 billion. Bayern Munich topped the list in Germany, standing 11th in the world at a value of $2.35 billion. Real Madrid topped the list at $3.26 billion. Seven soccer teams were included in the Forbes top 50 list. In Tuesday's other action, Real Madrid beat Swedish club Malmo 8-0 to top Group A with five wins and a draw, equaling the competition's largest group stage win. Cristiano Ronaldo netted four times against the Swedes to be the first player to pass 10 goals in the group stage -- the Portugal star ended with 11 -- and extend his tournament scoring record to 88.France striker Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick to move equal eighth on the all-time European list with 46 goals, alongside Eusebio and Filippo Inzaghi.Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his 45th in the competition as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Shakhtar 2-0 to consolidate second place. The Ukrainian side went down to the Europa League after finishing above Malmo on goal difference.Atletico Madrid topped Group C after winning 2-1 at second-placed Benfica, while Galatasaray earned a consolation spot in the Europa League following a 1-1 draw at home to Astana.Who will win the Champions League? Tell us on CNN FC's Facebook page | 5sport
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Story highlightsTop-10 stars Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia to tee off in Abu Dhabi Golf ChampionshipMcIlroy says he is "feeling good mentally" as he prepares to start his 2014 seasonWinning another major title in 2014 would make it a "remarkable" year for MickelsonWorld No.1 absent Tiger Woods absent from the $2.7m desert showdownIf a rain dance brings relief for one kind of drought then golfer Rory McIlroy might just be hoping a few traditional dance steps in Abu Dhabi might satisfy his thirst for another major title in 2014.McIlroy and reigning British Open champion Phil Mickelson joined a local dance troupe swirling golf clubs instead of the traditional sticks in a dose of Al Razfa dancing.The entertainment was a curtain raiser for this week's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship where McIlroy and Mickelson will tee off against fellow top-10 players Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia."That was a bit of fun and a great way to get into the rhythm of the season," said former world No. 1 McIlroy, who put a miserable 2013 season behind him with victory in the Australian Open in November."Some skilful finger work and balancing is needed. I suspect it's a bit like golf, practice, practice, practice."McIlroy, a two-time major winner, seemed in buoyant mood as he prepares to knuckle down to the new season.On New Year's Eve, the 24-year-old announced on Twitter his "first victory of 2014" as he revealed he was engaged to Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.JUST WATCHEDGolf: The success stories of 2013ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGolf: The success stories of 2013 05:22JUST WATCHEDSergio Garcia on giving backReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSergio Garcia on giving back 07:07JUST WATCHEDRio's Olympic golf courseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRio's Olympic golf course 05:36The pair have been dating since September 2011, but if media rumors were to be believed their romance has endured some difficult moments, particularly as both slipped down the rankings in their respective sports in 2013.But McIlroy, now the world No. 7, told the media ahead of the Abu Dhabi tournament that he is feeling more focused, especially as a would-be married man."I'm not going to sit here and say that all the stuff going on off the golf course wasn't a distraction and say that it didn't affect me," McIlroy, who is involved in a court case with his former management company, told reporters. "Of course it did. You're thinking of other things when you really shouldn't have to.Feeling good"I don't think there can be a bigger decision you have to make than asking someone to marry you."If anything, it will only help to have that stability and knowing everything in that regard in my life is set. "I'm feeling good about where I am mentally. I feel good with everything that's going on off the golf course, and it's hopefully shaping up to be a good year." Mickelson has his own targets in mind as he begins his new season in Abu Dhabi. The American may have won his first British Open title last season but he had to swallow the agony of finishing as runner-up of the U.S. Open for a sixth time.It is the only one of the four majors to elude Mickelson, denying him a career grand slam."Any major championship win would make the year special and memorable," Mickelson told reporters in Abu Dhabi."I do believe that I'll win a U.S. Open. I don't know if it will be at Pinehurst this year -- very well could be, or in the future. But any major championship would make 2014 a remarkable year."Joining the quartet of top-10 players at the desert showdown are former winners Paul Casey from England, Germany's Martin Kaymer and Welsh defending champion Jamie Donaldson as well as major winners Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and Ireland's Padraig Harrington.The $2.7m prize pot attracts some of golf's big names to open their season under the desert sun of Abu Dhabi but the game's biggest cat Tiger Woods is not in attendance this year and the world No. 1 has yet to open his campaign.Read: Garcia invests in football dreamRead: Wozilroy is official | 5sport
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Story highlightsNico Rosberg claims Mercedes' third successive pole position for Spanish Grand PrixGerman driver heads off teammate Lewis Hamilton at Circuit de Catalunya on SaturdayBoth drivers worried that they will not be able to maintain that pace in Sunday's raceSebastian Vettel qualifies third ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando AlonsoIf qualifying results were an indicator of race success this season, Mercedes would be dominating Formula One.However, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are both downplaying their chances of victory in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix despite locking out the front row and earning the team's third successive pole position.Only one race has been won by the pole-sitter out of four GPs this year -- world champion Sebastian Vettel at the second event in Malaysia -- as tire management has taken precedence over lap speed.F1's official supplier Pirelli has modified its rubber compounds for this weekend to allay some fears over tire degradation, but Rosberg was left uncertain of his race prospects after heading off Hamilton by more than two-tenths of a second with a time of one minute 20.824 on Saturday."We have to be cautious after what happened in Bahrain," said the German, who was ninth last month after heading the grid.F1 interactive: Discover why Catalunya is so toughJUST WATCHEDWhen Silver Arrows dominated F1ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhen Silver Arrows dominated F1 04:14JUST WATCHEDWho is the greatest F1 driver ever?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWho is the greatest F1 driver ever? 02:46JUST WATCHEDEngines on, Formula 1 returns!ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEngines on, Formula 1 returns! 03:58JUST WATCHEDRed Bull Show RunReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRed Bull Show Run 02:57"Everyone has been working really hard to understand the problems and to understand how to get the most out of the tires as they are hugely complex."We were behind in Bahrain, but hopefully we have caught up now. I'm a little more confident for tomorrow. But the race is going to be a whole different thing given the challenge of the tires."Hamilton, who was third in China after starting from pole, and fifth in Bahrain, paid tribute to the team's efforts to improve the cars."It's a real bonus for us to be so high up, and that's all down to the hard work that the team have put into this car, I can't thank them enough," said the 2008 world champion. "I've not been totally happy with the balance of my car all weekend, even today, so we need to look at it this evening and see what we can do for the race. "Limiting the degradation is going to be my major challenge as the general pace isn't too bad. It's going to be tough to keep these positions tomorrow but we'll give it our best shot." Read: Vettel edges Alonso in practiceVettel, who tops the championship standings by 10 points, qualified fourth ahead of Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen and the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa."I was pretty happy with the last sector, as historically it's been a bit weak for me," said Vettel."Now finally, after the last couple of years, I understand the last few corners a little better. We took a slightly different approach to some others using option tires only -- whether that helps us tomorrow we'll have to wait and see, but it will be an interesting race and a lot will be about tire degradation."Massa was later handed a three-place grid penalty after being accused of impeding Mark Webber in the second Red Bull during Q2, with the Australian qualifying eighth behind Lotus' Romain Grosjean.Those two moved up a place, as did ninth-fastest Sergio Perez -- whose senior McLaren teammate Jenson Button missed the third session and will start the race in 14th.Force India's Paul di Resta qualified 10th ahead of Toro Rosso duo Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, while his teammate Adrian Sutil was 13th.Williams' Pastor Maldonado, who won last year's race for his maiden F1 victory, was back in 18th behind his rookie teammate Valtteri Bottas.They were both bumped up the grid after 16th-placed Esteban Gutierrez of Sauber was dropped three spots for impeding Raikkonen during Q1. | 5sport
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(CNN)Free speech came to fisticuffs before alt-right white nationalist Richard Spencer could even begin his speech at Auburn University. Students encircling the brawl said a Spencer supporter began jawing with an antifa, or anti-fascist, protester over Spencer's right to speak. A punch was thrown. The men spun through the crowd, swinging fists and grasping for headlocks before thudding to the ground. It was over in seconds with both men in cuffs -- one of them bloodied -- and carted off to jail. Auburn had tried four days earlier to cancel Spencer's speech Tuesday night. But a federal judge forced the public university to let him exercise his First Amendment rights. Photos: A history of free speech on campus Photos: A history of free speech on campusCollege and universities have long been hubs of free speech -- and hotbeds of protest. In this 1964 photo, civil rights groups picket a speech by Alabama Gov. George Wallace at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. The controversial Wallace, a leading spokesman for segregation, denounced a newly passed civil rights bill as a federal power grab. Hide Caption 1 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusJames Meredith is accompanied by two federal marshals and surrounded by jeering students after registering for entry at the University of Mississippi in the fall of 1962. The first African-American student to enroll at the school, Meredith suffered constant harassment on campus before graduating the next year.Hide Caption 2 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusCollege students from various nearby schools march down Commonwealth Avenue in Boston in October of 1965 to protest US involvement in Vietnam. Several hundred students -- most from Boston University, Harvard and MIT -- marched in the parade before attending a rally on Boston Common. Hide Caption 3 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusIn 1968 students at Columbia University in New York took over four buildings on campus to protest the school's affiliation with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a weapons research think tank. The students were also protesting Columbia's plan to construct a segregated gymnasium in the city-owned Morningside Park. The sit-in ended violently when police stormed the buildings.Hide Caption 4 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusMario Savio, right, one of the leaders of the 1964-65 Free Speech Movement at the University of California-Berkeley, speaks at a "Peoples Park" rally on campus in June 1969. The movement, which protested the university's ban on student political activity, soon spread to other campuses.Hide Caption 5 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusDorothy Goldsmith and Rita Webb squirt Kenneth Opat with oil in 1970 at Tulane University in New Orleans, where students tagged Louisiana's oil industry with the "polluter of the month" award. The demonstration on April 22 of that year was part of the first annual observance of Earth Day. Hide Caption 6 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusMary Ann Vecchio screams as she kneels by the body of student Jeffrey Miller, shot by National Guardsmen on May 4, 1970, on the campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The National Guard had been called in to help quell several days of unrest on campus by crowds of demonstrators protesting the war in Vietnam. This photo was published worldwide, won a Pulitzer and helped sway public sentiment against the war.Hide Caption 7 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusA group of anti-apartheid demonstrators find themselves blocked off behind the municipal building in Berkeley, California on April 18, 1985, after marching from campus to a courthouse where 20 demonstrators were awaiting arraignment. The protesters became trapped in an alley after police closed a gate on them. Hide Caption 8 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusA teddy bear adorns one more than 400 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt as volunteers stand by silently during a 1996 ceremony at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Ilinois. Hide Caption 9 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusNew York University students lay down to form a peace symbol on the floor of the NYU library in 2003 to protest the impending war in Iraq.Hide Caption 10 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusUniversity of Missouri graduate student Jonathan Butler, second from right, speaks on November 9, 2015, following the announcement that University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe would resign. Wolfe stepped down amid widespread protests over his handling of racial tensions at the Columbia, Missouri school. Hide Caption 11 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusYale University students and faculty rally November 9, 2015, to demand the school become more inclusive to all students. The "March of Resilience" followed several racially charged incidents at Yale, including allegations that a fraternity turned a woman away from a party because she was not white. Hide Caption 12 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusA student walks by a bulletin board November 12, 2015, at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. More than 1,000 students, professors and staff at Yale gathered to discuss race and diversity at the Ivy League school amid a wave of demonstrations at US colleges over the treatment of minority students. Hide Caption 13 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusColumbia University students gather to protest President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration January 30, 2017, in New York. The executive order banned travelers to the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Hide Caption 14 of 15 Photos: A history of free speech on campusStudents protesting controversial Breitbart News writer Milo Yiannopoulos march in the street on February 1, 2017, in Berkeley, California. A scheduled speech by Yiannopoulos at the University of California-Berkeley was canceled after protesters and police engaged in violent skirmishes.Hide Caption 15 of 15The episode comes amid what critics say is a growing intolerance for the exchange of ideas at American colleges and universities. In recent months battles over free speech on campuses have descended into violence across the nation. Read MoreThe University of California, Berkeley, erupted into near-riots in February during protests against professional provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and again last week over President Donald Trump. When political scientist Charles Murray spoke last month at Middlebury College in Vermont, protesters got so rowdy that a professor accompanying him was injured.More and more American universities are avoiding controversial speech altogether by banning polarizing speakers. On Wednesday Berkeley said it would seek to cancel next week's scheduled speech by right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, citing safety concerns.And students say the middle ground on campuses is in danger of becoming quicksand, a place where neither side dares tread. "There's no test, just an escalation of hostilities on both sides," said Tyler Zelinger, 21, a senior studying political science and business at Atlanta's Emory University. "When there's no more argument, there's no more progress."Police and officials block protesters from a University of Notre Dame hall where Charles Murray was speaking March 28. Students are quick to shut down opposing ideasAssaults on college free speech have been waged for decades, but they used to be top-down, originating with government or school administrators.Today, experts say, students and faculty stifle speech themselves, especially if it involves conservative causes. Meet the conservative student activist who wants to 'make campus great again'Harvey Klehr, who helped bring controversial speakers to Emory during his 40 years as a politics and history professor, said the issues college students rally around today come "embarrassingly from the left." Oppose affirmative action or same-sex marriage and you're branded a bigot, he said. Where debate once elevated the best idea, student bodies are now presented slanted worldviews, denying them lessons in critical thinking, he said. "History is full of very, very upsetting things. ... Grow up. The world is a nasty place," he said. "If you want to confront it, change it, you have to understand the arguments of nasty people." Berkeley political science professor Jack Citrin began attending UCB in 1964 during the advent of the free speech movement, when Berkeley students "viewed ourselves as a beacon of the ability to handle all points of view." Universities expose young people to ideas and challenge what they believe about science, politics, religion or whatever. But many students today exist only in the bubble of what they believe, he said."It's an indicator of the erosion of the commitment to open exchange and a retreat into psychobabble," Citrin said. Trump's rhetoric is spawning hate -- on both sidesTwitter dubbed it #TheChalkening. Last year at Emory, someone used chalk to scrawl "Build the wall" and other pro-Trump messages near Emory's Black Student Union and CentroLatino. Some Emory students were livid and let the administration know it. One sophomore declared, according to the school newspaper, that protesters were "in pain."The reaction brought scorn from pundits such as HBO's Bill Maher, who said he wanted "to dropkick these kids into a place where there is actual pain." As Emory sophomore Maya Valderrama, 20, left a February protest denouncing Trump's policy on sanctuary campuses, she said the outcry over the chalkings was overblown. She wasn't threatened by them, she said, but she understood the concern. This wasn't about politics, she said. Pro-Mitt Romney messages on campus hadn't threatened anybody, but Trump is hostile to segments of the student body. The chalkings represented "a visual affirmation of his hatred," Valderrama said.College students have adopted some new terms to define when and how they feel threatened. A "microaggression" is an indirect, subtle and sometimes even unintentional discrimination against a minority group. Many students and their professors worry that when it comes to issues on campus, emotion rather than logic is driving the debate. Some students complain that hypersensitive classmates railing about "microaggressions," "trigger warnings" and "safe spaces" have committed assault on the First Amendment. Others, especially minorities, feel Trump's rise to power has emboldened conservative students to spew vitriol. Nathan Korne, a sophomore at Marshall University in West Virginia, welcomes Trump's attacks on political correctness because he's "tired of not being able to discuss open ideas." But Yasmine Ramachandra, a 19-year-old at Ohio's Oberlin College, sees no silver lining. Trump is validating right-wingers who always wanted to snuff out certain speech, and his rhetoric has emboldened hatemongers, she said. Two days after Trump's election, she walked through a campus racial profiling protest where a group of counter-protesting bikers called her a terrorist and demanded she leave the country, Ramachandra said. "The bigger repercussion is (Trump) validating these other people," she said. The anger cuts both ways, said University of New Mexico sophomore Alexus Horttor. She recently saw the Arab owner of a hookah shop kick a student out of his store over a Trump bumper sticker. "People feel their way is the right way, and it's only their way," Horttor said. Liberals are more likely than conservatives to suppress speech Spencer. Murray. Yiannopoulos. All three have been attacked by students for having extreme far-right views.Meanwhile, left-leaning speakers routinely appear on university campuses without fuss.The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education maintains an incomprehensive database of more than 300 attempts to disinvite campus speakers since 2000. About three-quarters of the attempts involved pressure from liberals. Evolution and Israel are among the most controversial topics. But more often the disinvitation attempt stems from disagreements over immigration, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or abortion. Yiannopoulos ticks several of those boxes. Milo Yiannopoulos is trying to convince colleges that hate speech is coolThe former Breitbart editor made free speech a buzzphrase when Berkeley protests turned violent during his appearance. The demonstrations made Yiannopoulos -- now persona non grata after appearing to condone pederasty -- a free speech martyr at the time. UC Berkeley's Citrin said that was the point. Yiannopoulos' speech was staged to challenge the school's commitment to free speech, he said. "There were a variety of calls for it not to be permitted to occur by a group of faculty who, frankly, didn't seem to understand the First Amendment very well," the professor said. "Free speech at Berkeley took a hit when it was all said and done."Some students who attended protests against Yiannopoulos' planned speech at Berkeley told CNN they were relieved he couldn't share his message. But others who watched from the fringes were disappointed. "It's a sad irony in the fact that the free speech movement was founded here and tonight, someone's free speech got shut down," said Shivam Patel, a freshman who witnessed the protests on campus. "It might have been hateful speech, but it's still his right to speak."Students believe bigots hide behind the First AmendmentWhen the chalkings appeared at Emory, some minority students felt targeted, said Lolade Oshin, 21, who is African American. Later, after students complained about feeling hurt, a national columnist wrote their parents should've whipped their "spoiled asses with a cat o'nine tails." National commentators chastised them as "snowflakes" -- people too vulnerable to face opposing views. Oshin, a senior business major, feels such criticism is unfair. "As a black woman in America, I have no choice but to hear the other side," she said. "But because those individuals are privileged, they don't have to hear my side. ... One side has grown up having to be sensitive and to navigate a white man's world.""Safe spaces" are places where women, the LGBTQ community and racial and ethnic minorities can congregate with like-minded people without having to defend their own beliefs. Bigots hide behind free speech, she said, asking: How is it the Trump chalkings were free speech but student protests were not? "Have whatever beliefs you want. Say whatever you want, but if I feel you're dehumanizing me, I'm going to use the same right you're using to fight your ideas," she said.Oshin also sees hypocrisy in the reaction to the Yiannopoulos pederasty controversy.Conservatives defended Yiannopoulos after Berkeley, she said, but when he appeared to condone pedophilia rather than Islamophobia and bigotry, there were crickets from the right. "Is it what is offensive or who is being offended that matters? It is very interesting how conservatives are not screaming freedom of speech now," she said. "It seems to be a tactic used to quiet the marginalized and oppressed. But as soon as others feel threatened, it is not brought up."Some students are afraid to talk about touchy issuesUniversity of Oregon law student Garrett Leatham, 29, believes hearing both sides is integral to understanding an issue."(Thomas) Jefferson did great things, but he owned slaves. We need to know both. Otherwise, we're stuck believing Columbus sailed the ocean blue and helped the Indians," he said. Teens' brains are developing, and critical thinking is essential to maturity, so "being able to listen to disagreeable opinions when you're that young and understanding what they're saying and why" is important to higher education, he said. Horttor, the University of New Mexico sophomore, says her own growth has been stunted by the testy atmosphere on campus. Take religion. Horttor's mother is a Christian, but she knows many atheists. The 19-year-old's own leanings? "I don't know what I believe in yet because I haven't seen the man." But Horttor is reluctant to ask Christians why they believe and atheists why they don't, because she doesn't want to be ostracized. She sees a similar reluctance to discuss partying on campus. University administrators and student leaders seem to avoid the topic, she said, for fear of appearing to condone it. Meanwhile, parties play host to fights, binge drinking, drugs and sexual assaults, she said. Why not have forums on the dangers of binge drinking or on signs that a guy might be trying to victimize you?"People don't talk about the dangers of partying and what to look out for," she said. "It's like sex education. These things need to be addressed so no one gets hurt."But they will go to extremes to defend free speechLiam Ginn, a freshman at the University of Southern Maine, faced his classmates' fury this year when state Rep. Lawrence Lockman visited the Portland campus. The lawmaker has lashed out at Islam and gays. In 2014, he apologized for saying that if abortion is legal, rape should be legal, too, because "the rapist's pursuit of sexual freedom doesn't (in most cases) result in anyone's death."Students wanted Lockman disinvited, and as chair of the student senate, Ginn was part of a student government vote to remain neutral. He lost some friends over the decision, he said. Originally intended as a cue to alert trauma survivors about disturbing content, "trigger warnings" have since been expanded to include instances involving race, class, sexism and even privilege.Ultimately, Lockman delivered his remarks on immigration -- or "the alien invasion" -- and students engaged him in heated debate, Ginn said. Asked why he voted to remain neutral, Ginn, 24, said he'd never condone Lockman's rhetoric. But he did a stint in the US Navy before beginning college, and the experience changed his views."After putting five years down for this country, you realize you're defending all the laws that we stand for," Ginn said. "Otherwise, the past five years were a waste of my time."They will listen to speakers they disagree with if they're civilIn 2015, liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke at Liberty University, the Christian school in Virginia founded by evangelist Jerry Falwell.Senior Hannah Scherlacher, 22, said most of her classmates don't agree with Sanders' views. But when he visited campus there were no protests, no raised hackles, she said. Attendance at his speech was compulsory. Sanders made points students disagreed with, but he knew his audience, she said. He told the crowd of 12,000, "I want to support my arguments with what you believe -- your Bible, your Scripture," Scherlacher recalled. His "unifying tone" made Scherlacher "reflective on my role as a Christian to alleviate poverty." She revisited her Bible to study Jesus' condemnation of wealth and power. And Sanders spurred debates that carried on after he left, the public relations major said. "Everyone I talked to was glad he came," she said. "It's important to communicate with those we disagree with."But they will ignore speakers they see as hurtfulBob Richards, founding director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment at Penn State, earned scorn himself when he brought porn publisher Larry Flynt to campus in 2001. Faculty and a Philadelphia radio station demanded a disinvitation. Richards couldn't understand why intellectuals didn't jump at the chance to spar with Flynt. But he believes things may be worse now. "We see more of a willingness on the part of the public to stop expression. They're happy certain speech is cut out," the journalism professor said. "If you put something like that on a ballot, people would vote to regulate expression."Ramachandra, the Oberlin student accosted by bikers, acknowledges clinging to her own truths. Oberlin is a bastion of the left, and it's unlikely someone like Spencer or Yiannopoulos would be invited to speak at the Ohio school, she said. If they were, there'd be anger but support. People would open up safe spaces to shield students from hurtful messages, she said. She's fine with that. A leader of Oberlin's debate team, Ramachandra said the difference between Liberty's reaction to Sanders and Berkeley's response to Yiannopoulos is simple. Sanders promotes policies, she said. Yiannopoulos was an alt-right darling who Twitter banned for harassment and who counts feminists, Muslims and social justice warriors as enemies. If students want to protest Yiannopoulos, avoid him or shut him down, it has little to do with the free exchange of ideas, she said. "I don't think I'm missing out on any political discourse" by tuning him out, she said. "I've already come up with my own counterpoints so I don't need them to come to campus and provoke me and hurt other people."This article was updated on April 20 to change the descriptor for political scientist Charles Murray. | 3news
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(CNN)Russian athletes will not be allowed to march behind their national flag at the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Games after two tested positive for doping.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued the ruling hours before the event on Sunday, confirming that multiple doping violations had influenced its decision.Russian curlers hand back Olympic medals amid doping probe"This was hugely disappointing and, in addition to other considerations, prevented the IOC from even considering lifting the suspension for the Closing Ceremony," the IOC executive board said in a statement.Instead of their national flag, Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) will march behind the Olympic rings at the closing ceremony which starts at 8 p.m. local time Sunday (6 a.m. ET). They did the same at the opening ceremony after the IOC banned Russia from competing the Games because of state-sponsored doping leading up to and including the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.Read MoreMore than 160 Russian athletes who could prove they were clean competed in the Games, but two, mixed doubles curler Alexander Krushelnitckii and bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva, were excluded after testing positive for banned substances. Krushelnitckii and his wife and curling partner, Anastasia Bryzgalova, gave back their bronze medals, after he tested positive to meldonium. "I have never either violated the rules of sports or used doping," Krushelnitckii said in a statement published by Russian state news agency TASS.Sergeeva, who failed to medal in the bobsleigh, tested positive in an out-of-competition test for the banned heart mediation trimetazidine.The Russian Bobsled Federation said its medical team did not prescribe the drug to Sergeeva. "The bobsled Federation of Russia and the athlete herself understand the extent of her responsibility and realize how what happened can respond to the fate of the whole team," it said in a statement.Nadezhda Sergeeva (R) and Anastasia Kocherzhova of Russia at the BMW IBSF World Cup Women`s Bobsleigh World Cup on January 19, 2018.On Saturday, a Russian delegation made a final pitch to the IOC Saturday to allow them to march behind the Russian flag. Chef de Mission Stanislav Pozdnyakov apologized again for the doping violations and said they were "more to do with negligence than malicious intent."The IOC confirmed Sunday that the Russian Olympic Committee will have its suspension lifted after the Games, as long as no additional positive cases are returned from Olympic Athletes from Russia.CNN's Jo Shelley contributed to this report. | 5sport
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Story highlightsUkrainian club Metalist Kharkiv are disqualified from UEFA competitions for a seasonEuropean soccer's governing body finds Metalist guilty on match-fixing chargesMetalist had been set for European Champions League playoff with SchalkeGreek side PAOK Thessaloniki could be reinstated to Europe's top club competitionUkrainian club Metalist Kharkiv have been thrown out of UEFA competitions for a year after European soccer's governing body found them guilty on match-fixing charges.Metalist, who finished runners up in the Ukrainian Premier League, had been drawn to play German side Schalke in the final qualifying stage of the European Champions League.But after hearing their case on Tuesday, UEFA's Appeals Body has decided to disqualify them from all European competitions for the 2013/14 seasons.A statement on UEFA's website said the club were in breach of several regulations, one of which precludes "any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level."Read: FIFA calls for unity in 2018"FC Metalist Kharkiv have been disqualified from UEFA competitions for the 2013/14 season following the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against the Ukrainian club," the statement read.JUST WATCHEDIs Brazilian football sexist?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs Brazilian football sexist? 02:47JUST WATCHEDNew York Cosmos' grand plansReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew York Cosmos' grand plans 02:12"The club has the opportunity to appeal the decision of the UEFA Appeals Body to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)."In the meantime, the UEFA Emergency Panel -- which is composed of five members of the UEFA Executive Committee -- will hold a meeting later today to consider the consequences of the decision on the competition."Earlier this month the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a decision by the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) to ban Yevhen Krasnikov -- Metalist's sports director -- from the game for five years in relation to allegations he helped to fix a Ukrainian league game against Karpaty Lviv in 2008.CAS also backed the FFU's decision to strip Metalist of their third-placed finish in 2008 and the decision to fine the club and FC Karpaty $25,000 each over a disputed fixture played in April 2008.One of Metalist's players, Serhiy Lashchenkov, was banned for five years and another five players in their squad were handed three-year bans.Metalist beat PAOK Thessaloniki in the third qualifying round of the Champions League last week, but the Greek side may now be reinstated. | 5sport
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Story highlightsBoxer Manny Pacquiao returns to his home in the Philippines"The doctor said I will recover 100%," he says of his shoulder injuryHe lost a fight for the WBO welterweight title May 2 to Floyd Mayweather Jr.Manila, Philippines (CNN)Boxer Manny Pacquiao returned to the Philippines on Wednesday and brushed off questions about a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. "For now I don't talk about it, about my next fight," he said in an interview in Manila. "My focus is to recover and be OK."JUST WATCHEDFans in the Philippines saddened by Pacquiao's lossReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFans in the Philippines saddened by Pacquiao's loss 02:16Pacquiao, a national hero in the Philippines, lost to Mayweather on May 2 for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title in Las Vegas. It was the biggest prizefight in years.Pacquiao and his camp have suggested a right shoulder injury stopped the Filipino from executing his game plan. Pacquiao had surgery on his shoulder in the United States and wore an arm brace during the interview. He said the operation went well and he needed to rest for six months. Read More"The doctor said I will recover 100%," he said.Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao waves to the crowd upon arrival with his family including his wife Jinkee and youngest son Israel (bottom left) on May 13 at the airport in the Philippines.Mayweather didn't think much of his opponent's excuse for losing the fight, saying on Instagram: "19 years in the fight game and I've had one excuse: 'Don't have an excuse'. Winners win and losers have excuses."When asked about comments other people have made, Pacquiao said, "I don't want to go down to their level."JUST WATCHEDPacquiao and Mayweather each face legal troubles ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPacquiao and Mayweather each face legal troubles 01:05Pacquiao, 36, has served two terms in the legislature in the Philippines and may run next year for the Senate. His manager has suggested Pacquiao might run for president eventually.The boxer said his wife doesn't want him to run again for the legislature because it would take him away from the family so much. When asked if he dreamed about being president Pacquiao said, "Not in my mind."A parade will be held in Manila for Pacquiao.Manny Pacquiao boards the float to start the motorcade going to the Manila Hotel | @cnnphilippines pic.twitter.com/fg3vLS2dAe— Paolo del Rosario (@paodelrosario) May 13, 2015
Manny Pacquiao motorcade is now on Ayala avenue | @cnnphilippines pic.twitter.com/iLWE56qN4R— Paolo del Rosario (@paodelrosario) May 13, 2015
CNN's Arlene Espiritu reported from Manila and Ralph Ellis wrote from Atlanta. | 5sport
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Story highlightsRossi accuses Marquez of 'destroying our sport'Rossi crashed out in Argentina after on-track collision (CNN)The largely dormant but always potentially volcanic feud between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez erupted violently on Sunday, at an incendiary Argentine MotoGP.Marquez, who had fought his way back through the field from 19th place after a ride-through penalty, appeared to mount a wildly misjudged attempt to pass his rival. Follow @cnnsport
The Catalan's Repsol Honda collided with Rossi's Movistar Yamaha, shoving the Italian to the edge of the track and onto the wet grass run-off area.To audible gasps from the stands, Rossi was sent sprawling. He remounted only to limp home in 19th place and out of the points. Marquez crossed the line in fifth, but a penalty for 'reckless riding' pushed him back to 18th, also pointless.Valentino Rossi was left furious after being forced off the track by rival Marc Maequez.Rossi was damning in his assessment of both the incident and Marquez's race weekend overall, pointing to other incidents involving the Honda rider.Read More"One incident can happen to anybody, you can make a mistake in braking, you can touch the other guy. It can happen, it's racing," he told reporters. "But from Friday morning on, Marquez did this to [Maverick] Viñales, to [Andrea] Dovizioso, to me and today he went straight through four riders."READ: Sebastian Vettel wins Bahrain Grand Prix after mechanic hit by Ferrari carREAD: The F1 star who still drives a VW GolfHis penalty following the clash with Rossi was the third for Marquez on a frenetic afternoon.After stalling his bike on the grid there appeared to be confusion over whether he should start from the pit lane. But Marquez mistakenly remained on the grid, storming to a commanding lead after robustly passing even his teammate Dani Pedrosa, who was also then sent dramatically tumbling by an overly-aggressive pass from Tech 3 Yamaha's Johann Zarco.A ride-through penalty for Marquez's starting grid infraction was the beginning of his problems as he fought to regain places. Valentino Rossi is helped back onto his bike after crashing out.A first misjudged pass attempt saw him barge into Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro, for which race direction ordered him to drop a place, all before the calamitous incident with Rossi.Marquez tried to explain himself after the race. "[After the ride-through penalty] I obviously tried to push to recover and, unfortunately, I made some mistakes, the biggest one I believe being with Aleix [Espargaro]," he told reporters. "I approached faster than him and I didn't realize it. I tried my best to avoid contact but unfortunately I wasn't able." The world champion blamed the track for his clash with Rossi. "With Valentino it was different, as it was a consequence of the track conditions," he said. "I touched a wet patch, locked the front, and released the brakes. I tried to turn, again making my best effort to avoid contact."'Disrespect'Even without the drama of the Rossi-Marquez clash, the race was memorable enough. Cal Crutchlow became the first British rider to lead the championship since the legendary Barry Sheene in 1979, with a superbly judged win in capricious conditions.The LCR Honda rider patiently tracked an unlikely leading group containing Zarco, Suzuki's Alex Rins and Pramac Ducati's Jack Miller, before launching a perfectly timed last lap bid for victory.Crutchlow looks to have found his perfect ride this season. "She's a rocket when she needs to get going," he said of his bike. "Now we come away from here leading the championship and we have to be positive going on to [the next race in] Austin."Brit Cal Crutchlow was victorious in Argentina but less than happy with the lack of media attention.The Manxman, never less than direct, voiced his irritation at the sparsely attended post-race press conference, accusing those media not present of 'disrespect'. His frustration was understandable, but the story was undeniably elsewhere."Of course, today I made some mistakes, which I recognize," Marquez conceded. "But one thing I know for sure: never in my career have I intentionally hit another rider."Yamaha team principal Lin Jarvis was hearing nothing of Marquez's explanation. "It was unacceptable, dangerous and deserves a very strong penalty," he told MotoGP.com after the race.Rossi went further still. "He doesn't play clean. He plays dirty," he railed. "They [Race Direction] have to do something; I'm scared on the track when I'm with Marquez. "I was scared today when I saw his name on the board. I'm not Race Direction -- they will decide -- but like this he is destroying our sport, because when you do 300 km an hour on the track, you have to have respect for your rivals."At the end of the race an ashen-faced Marquez, helmet off, walked straight to Rossi's garage to apologize, but was angrily turned away by the Italian's entourage. It is hard to imagine what it would take now to repair their once-cordial relationship. | 5sport
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(CNN)After losing 3-0 to Roma in 2018, Barcelona fans might've thought it was the club's lowest ebb. After losing 4-0 to Liverpool in 2019, they might've thought it was actually the club's lowest point. However, for the third season in a row, Barcelona found an increasingly more humiliating and painful way to be dumped out the Champions League, losing 8-2 to Bayern Munich. And as was widely expected, the club took action on Monday by sacking manager Quique Setién, who presided over the massive defeat. "This is the first in a series of decisions that outline an ample restructuring of the first team," read in part a statement from Barcelona. "Those changes will be made in consensus with the current technical secretary and will be announced in the upcoming days."It has been reported that former Barcelona player Ronald Koeman is the favorite to take over. Koeman is the current manager of the Netherlands national team.Read MoreWhile many had the Catalans as underdogs against Bayern, a Barcelona side that included the great Lionel Messi, as well as club legends Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez, were expected to put up a fight. But the Germans ran riot in Lisbon, inflicting a record defeat on Barcelona, thanks to braces from Thomas Muller and Philippe Coutinho, who is on loan to Bayern from Barcelona. The manner of the defeat -- in which it conceded 3.1% of all the Champions League goals it has ever conceded -- left Barcelona fan Ryan Alam feeling "humiliated.""At one point I was hoping Bayern would show us some sympathy but that never came," he told CNN Sport. "I didn't expect such a disappointing performance from the very club I've supported my whole life. I hope all this happened for a good reason, and the board fixes its issues with the president, the club's transfer policies, and finds a manager that fits Barcelona's caliber."READ: 'More than a Club?' How FC Barcelona 'lost its soul'Messi reacts during the UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich.'Historical humiliation'One newspaper in Spain called the result the "end of a shameful cycle," while another called it a "historical humiliation." Another just simply had the headline: "Shame."Despite giving its fans some brief hope by drawing at 1-1 in the seventh minute, once Bayern retook the lead just 15 minutes later, the result never looked in doubt. Barcelona's insistence -- and inability -- to pass the ball out from the goalkeeper against a ruthless Bayern pressing system result in goal after goal. "While Barca did not perform, Bayern must be given credit for the game they played. It was world class football," Barcelona fan Ali Mir explained. While Bayern looked like a well-drilled, physically fit team, Barcelona looked like an ageing collection of individuals too heavily reliant on the magic Messi can often summon. Setien reacts following a Bayern Munich goal.Pique, who has played for Barcelona for over 10 years, looked visibly emotional while giving his post-match interview, saying "the club needs change.""This is not the first, nor the second, nor the third time," Pique told Movistar after the game. "It's hard, it's very hard, and I hope it counts for something. "And well ... we must all reflect now, the club needs changes and I am not speaking of the coach, nor the players. I do not want to single out anyone. I think structurally the club needs changes, because as I said it's not the first, nor the second, nor the third time. "Nobody is essential. I'm the first to offer myself if new blood has to come and change the dynamic. Because now we have hit rock bottom. And well ... now we all have to reflect internally on what is best for Barca, which at the end of the day is the most important thing. "A club like Barca must be at the top, winning and competing. We've gotten to a point where we cannot hide anymore which is reflected on the field. What happened today is unacceptable for a club like Barcelona."READ: The Man Utd teenager who is a superstar in the makingPique reacts following defeat to Bayern.The road aheadSo, what now for the five-time Champions League winner? While the club is famous for its productive youth system -- which produced players such as Xavi and Andres Iniesta -- the route from academy to first team has stagnated, as the club focuses on big-name signings instead. And with an ageing squad -- six of Barcelona's starting XI over the age of 30 -- there are some serious question marks in many aspects of the club, on and off the pitch. In addition to Setién -- who cut an exasperated figure on the touchline during the defeat to Bayern -- losing his job, a number of expensive players could be on the way out. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosBarcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, after apologizing to the fans of the club, said the club will "make some decisions." "There are some decisions that we had already made, and others that we will make over the next few days. Announcements will be made from next week, we need to make decisions after things have calmed down. Today is a day for reflection. Tomorrow we will try to raise our fans' spirits following such a heavy defeat." | 5sport
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The heated debate over potential Catalan independence from Spain took a new turn Wednesday when the Catalan regional parliament approved a declaration alluding to sovereign rights.It is not an outright statement of independence, but parliament's declaration insists that the Catalan people, in northeast Spain around Barcelona, have the right to self-determination. Over sharp opposition from the conservative Spanish government in Madrid, the Catalan parliament voted 85-41 for the declaration, with two abstentions. Five other regional members of parliament chose not to vote at all.A key part of the declaration reads: "The people of Catalonia have -- by reason of democratic legitimacy -- the character of a sovereign political and legal entity."It vows that Catalonia will hold talks with the Spanish government, European institutions and the international community over the self-determination issue.The vote -- the latest in a series of actions pushing self-determination -- comes during a tumultuous period in Catalan and Spanish politics, in the midst of Spain's deep economic crisis, which some analysts say is what has brought the long-simmering independence issue to the forefront.Last September 11, an estimated 1.5 million people -- 20% of Catalonia's population -- filled the streets of Barcelona, the Catalan capital and Spain's second-largest city, demanding independence.But the Spanish government insists the Spanish constitution does not permit any one of Spain's 17 regions to unilaterally break away.Soon after, the ruling Catalan nationalist president, Artur Mas, called snap regional elections, two years early. His government had already enacted deep spending cuts trying to balance the regional books and had asked Madrid for $6 billion in emergency credit to pay its bills.But the elections on November 25 did not go as Mas had planned. Instead of winning a broad majority for his Convergence and Union formation, he lost 12 of his 62 seats, while seeing a sharp rise of the Catalan Republican Left party.While both of these parties favor independence, they differ on most other issues, especially economic policy.The Republican Left eventually backed Mas to carry on as Catalan president but insisted on setting 2014 as the year to hold a self-determination referendum.The date and year for such a referendum were not included in Wednesday's parliamentary declaration, but many analysts see it as an attempt to keep the independence topic at the forefront.Voting against the declaration were the regional members of parliament from the Spanish prime minister's conservative Popular Party and most of the regional members from the Socialist party, which is the main opposition party at the national level.Catalonia has its own flag and language, produces 19% of the nation's wealth and argues that it sends far more in taxes to Madrid than it gets back in central government spending.A survey last November by the Catalan government's polling center showed 57% of Catalans would vote for independence, a 6 percentage-point increase from last June and a 14 percentage-point increase from mid-2011. | 3news
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(CNN)After her win Tuesday night in the quarterfinal match of the US Open, tennis star Naomi Osaka was nearly brought to tears by video messages from the parents of Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery thanking her for honoring them during the tournament.Before each match, Osaka has donned a face mask with the name of a different Black person whose death has sparked calls for racial justice.Osaka has said she's using her platform to spread awareness about social justice.After her match Tuesday night, Osaka appeared on ESPN's set at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where she was surprised with video messages from Martin's mother and Arbery's father.Arbery, 25, was chased and fatally shot while jogging in Georgia in February. Martin, 17, was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida in 2012 as he walked home from a convenience store carrying iced tea and Skittles. Read More"I just want to say thank you to Naomi Osaka for representing Trayvon Martin on your customized mask and also for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor," Sybrina Fulton, Martin's mother, said in a video message played for Osaka on ESPN. "We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Continue to do well. Continue to kick butt at the US Open."In a separate message, Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, Sr., said "God bless you for what you're doing and you supporting our family with my son. My family really, really appreciates that, and God bless you."Naomi Osaka wears mask with Ahmaud Arbery's name at US Open and continues to win"It means a lot," Osaka said after seeing the video messages. "I feel like -- I don't know. They're so strong. I'm not sure what I would be able to do if I was in their position. I feel like I'm a vessel at this point in order to spread awareness and it's not going to dull the pain, but hopefully I can help with anything that they need."In a news conference later, Osaka said the messages were emotional and even shocking."Actually, I was just trying really hard not to cry," Osaka said. "It's extremely touching that they would feel touched by what I'm doing."She has said she has seven masks prepared to wear with seven different names on them."It's quite sad that seven masks isn't enough for the amount of names, so hopefully I'll get to the finals and you can see all of them," she previously told ESPN.Osaka has also worn masks with the names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and George Floyd, all of whom died at the hands of police officers.Her hope is to encourage more people to do their own research about the deaths and racial injustice and to somehow improve the world for the next generation."I'm not sure what the world would look like if everything was peaceful, but I would hope that people help each other in times of great need. I would also hope that the older generation isn't scared to help the younger generation. For me, the biggest thing is I don't want people younger than me to suffer through the things I have to suffer through," she said. | 5sport
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(CNN)Ferrari lost its bid on Friday to overturn Sebastian Vettel's time penalty which cost the German driver his first victory of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this month. Vettel was handed a five-second penalty after he was deemed to have rejoined the circuit in an unsafe manner after making a mistake during lap 48, pushing rival Lewis Hamilton off the track in the process. Despite holding off the Mercedes driver for the rest of the race and crossing the finish line in front, the time penalty ensured the 31-year-old Vettel finished second.FIA officials met with the team ahead of the French Grand Prix this weekend but ultimately rejected Ferrari's right to review the decision.Despite Ferrari being optimistic that they had "overwhelming" evidence, stewards concluded that there were "no significant and relevant new elements which were unavailable to the parties at the time."Read MoreWith its right to appeal rejected, Ferrari is still looking for its first win of the Formula 1 season. Sebastian Vettel reluctantly made his way to the podium after the stewards' decision at the Canadian GP.READ: Lewis Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger among stars at Lauda funeralREAD: Leonardo DiCaprio and Orlando Bloom attend Formula E film premiereVettel stropFollowing the race, the German driver staged a mini protest, initially refusing to take to the podium and swapping the number one and two boards that had been placed in front of the Mercedes and Ferrari cars."I think we had a great race and the stewards' decision is too harsh," said Vettel, after the race.Vettel's reaction after the race was ridiculed by some on social media, with many likening his antics to a childish strop. "EXACTLY what my daughter Flo would do if she didn't get her own way. She's 6," said former F1 presenter Jake Humphrey.Meanwhile, others were sympathetic to the German and questioned the stewards' decision. "Any of the stewards ever raced at the front in F1? Didn't watch the race.. have now seen the 'incident'. Mental penalty," tweeted former F1 driver Mark Webber.JUST WATCHEDNiki Lauda: Three-time F1 champ dies aged 70ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNiki Lauda: Three-time F1 champ dies aged 70 01:58Hamilton won againAmid all the controversy in Montreal, Hamilton secured his fifth win of the season and maintained his team's 100% record. The Briton leads the drivers' standings with 162 points, with Valtteri Bottas second on 133 and Vettel third on 100.The two Mercedes drivers were in impressive form once again during practice ahead of the French Grand Prix, finishing first and second. | 5sport
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Story highlightsRussia answers a U.S. human rights law with revenge sanctions on 18 AmericansThe U.S. law already drew an angry response when signed into law in DecemberFriday, Washington published a list of alleged Russian human rights abusersRussia's blacklist includes members of a New York district court and FBI and a DEA agentA day after the United States published a blacklist of alleged Russian human rights abusers, whom Washington slapped with personal sanctions, the Kremlin answered with a list of its own. It slaps alleged American rights violators with similar sanctions, official Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Saturday.The U.S. list is part of a December 2012 law, the Magnitsky Act, which imposes visa bans and freezes assets of Russian officials believed to be connected to the death of whistleblower Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who uncovered the country's largest known tax fraud.U.S. releases blacklist tied to alleged Russia rights abusesMagnitsky was allegedly beaten to death in detention, a claim which Russian authorities dispute. The new law has been a thorn in the side of Moscow, which banned U.S. adoption of Russian children shortly after it passed. Washington's blacklist, published Friday, contains 18 names. The Russian list also contains 18 and is a conscious, incensed reply to the U.S. list. Russian news agency Interfax published the names of Americans on Moscow's list. It includes an FBI agent, a DEA agent and officials at a New York district court."This war of lists was not our decision, but we do not have the right to ignore such open blackmail," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement according to RIA Novosti. It accused the United States of basing its relationship with Russia on "mentorship." Washington's blacklist includes people said to be linked to the Magnitsky case, including senior officials in the Russian interior ministry, prosecutors, judges, prison officials and tax officers.The people on Russia's mirror list have a connection to the U.S. detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, RIA Novosti reported. It also includes Americans who were allegedly "involved in the abduction and removal to other countries of Russian citizens and in threats to their lives and health."More on the Magnitsky ActAn additional, classified list, which was submitted to the U.S. Congress, includes people who are subject only to the travel ban.Other blacklisted names were tied to other high profile cases.One was accused in the 2006 shooting death of a Chechen man who filed claims against Moscow with the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg for human rights violations in Chechnya.The other is believed to have played a part in the 2004 murder of American Paul Klebnikov, the editor of Forbes' magazine's Russian edition, in what was viewed as an attempt to quash investigative journalism in the country.A senior State Department official told reporters the list was the product of an investigation based on information from non-governmental organizations and other information made available to the United States.The official said the rigorous standards used to develop this list were similar to those used to designate individuals and companies on other U.S. blacklists. Additional names would be added to the blacklist, should more information become available, the official said.Absent from the list were certain Russian officials close to President Vladimir Putin.But the senior State Department official said "political considerations" in the U.S. relationship with Russia were "not a factor" and that additional names could be added to the blacklist, should additional information become available.Russian reactionsPresident Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Friday that the U.S. blacklist would have a "very negative effect on bilateral Russian-American relations."But he appeared to play down the long-term impact, saying ties between Moscow and Washington were multifaceted and still had potential for growth.Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned Friday that the publication of the list risked overshadowing the visit of National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, who is scheduled to visit Moscow on Monday."The choice of timing was not entirely favorable," Lavrov said, considering Donilon's visit is meant to address the broad aspects of the U.S.-Russia relationship. If the list is published, we will react and our American partners know that." | 3news
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(CNN)Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Tuesday that his government would hold accountable any soldier found responsible for rape or looting in the country's conflict region of Tigray, just days after CNN and the UK's Channel 4 News published investigations into rape being used as a weapon of war against women."Reports indicate that atrocities have been committed in Tigray region," Abiy wrote in a post on his Twitter account. "Regardless of the TPLF propaganda of exaggeration, any soldier responsible for raping our women & looting communities in the region will be held accountable as their mission is to protect," he said, referring to the Tigray People's Liberation Front, the region's ruling party, which is now leading a resistance against Ethiopian and Eritrean forces in the area. In stories published and broadcast Friday, CNN spoke with nine doctors in Ethiopia and one in a Sudanese refugee camp who said they had seen an alarming increase in sexual assault and rape cases since Prime Minister Abiy launched a military operation against TPLF leaders, sending in national troops and fighters from the country's Amhara region. Forces from neighboring Eritrea are participating in the military campaign on the side of Ethiopia's government, as CNN has previously reported.CNN unveiled medical records and testimony from survivors, alleging that women were being gang-raped, drugged and held hostage by soldiers.'Practically this has been a genocide'High-level UN agency officials issued a rare statement late Monday demanding the allegations of rape and other forms of sexual violence in the region be investigated. Read More"Amid a worsening humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, reports of indiscriminate and targeted attacks against civilians, including rape and other horrific forms of sexual violence, continue to surface. This must stop," the statement reads."First, it is essential that an independent investigation into conflict-related sexual violence in Tigray be initiated, with the involvement of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights."They called on all parties to the conflict "to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law; ensure their forces respect and protect civilian populations, particularly women and children, from all human rights abuses; explicitly condemn all sexual violence; and take action to bring perpetrators to justice where abuses do occur."A victim left pregnantA CNN team in Hamdayet, a Sudanese town on the Ethiopian border where thousands of refugees from Tigray have gathered in recent months, spoke with several women who described being raped as they fled fighting."He pushed me and said, 'You Tigrayans have no history, you have no culture. I can do what I want to you and no one cares,'" one woman said of her attacker. She told CNN she is now pregnant.In a separate case in Ethiopia, a woman's vagina was stuffed with stones, nails and plastic, according to a video seen by CNN and testimony from one of the doctors who treated her.According to the doctors CNN spoke with, almost all the women they treat recount similar stories of being raped by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers. The women said the troops were on a self-proclaimed mission of retribution and were operating with near-total impunity in the region."The women that have been raped say that the things that they say to them when they were raping them is that they need to change their identity -- to either Amharize them or at least leave their Tigrinya status ... and that they've come there to cleanse them ... to cleanse the blood line," Dr. Tedros Tefera said."Practically this has been a genocide," he added.Massacre in the mountainsOn Thursday, CNN affiliate Channel 4 News published its own harrowing investigation into sexual violence against women in Tigray. The report included interviews from a safe house -- the only one believed to be operating in Tigray for rape survivors -- where around 40 women too traumatized to return to their families are receiving shelter and support.One of the survivors told Channel 4 News that she and five other women were gang-raped by 30 Eritrean soldiers who were joking and taking photos throughout the attack. She said she knew they were Eritrean troops because of their dialect and uniforms. She said she was able to return home only to be raped again. When she tried to escape, she recalled being captured, injected with a drug, tied to a rock, stripped, stabbed and raped by soldiers for 10 days.Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed in the conflict. CNN has previously reported that soldiers from neighboring Eritrea have perpetrated extrajudicial killings, assaults and human rights abuses in the Tigray region. Separate investigations by CNN and Amnesty International in February revealed evidence of massacres carried out by Eritrean forces in Dengelat and Axum. On Monday, the Eritrean embassy of the UK and Ireland responded to CNN's repeated requests for comment by denying allegations of wrongdoing by Eritrean soldiers and denying that Eritrean troops were in Ethiopia.CNN's Schams Elwazer, Richard Roth, Sarah Dean and Angela Dewan contributed to this report. | 3news
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Greg Fischer is the mayor of Louisville and the President of the United States Conference of Mayors. Eric Garcetti is the mayor of Los Angeles. Lori Lightfoot is the mayor of Chicago. Brandon Scott is the mayor of Baltimore. All four are members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. The views expressed in this commentary are their own. Read more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN)You've probably seen the headlines: 2020 was a deadly year for gun violence in cities across America. In January, the four of us ---- along with hundreds of other mayors ---- joined together virtually for the US Conference of Mayors winter meeting to discuss this tragic development, support each other and figure out ways to tackle our gun violence crisis. What we heard from our colleagues was deeply unsettling. Many cities are facing not one, but two public health crises at the same time: Covid-19 and increased gun violence.As cities battled the deadly pandemic in 2020, a survey of over 125 diverse police agencies found that 57% of them saw upticks in firearm homicides and nearly 70% saw upticks in nonfatal shootings. Available data also suggests that violence increased in large cities in 2020, regardless of local politics or governing political parties. And after a full year of this violence, it's clear that these increases won't disappear without action. Indeed, they could linger long after the last American receives a coronavirus vaccine.JUST WATCHEDFighting gun violence from Newtown to KenoshaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFighting gun violence from Newtown to Kenosha 16:05Thankfully, there's hope that local officials like us will no longer have to grapple with these unprecedented challenges without federal assistance. As we welcome the Biden administration, we're also sounding the alarm bells. Our country can't continue to overlook the record-breaking number of shootings in our cities. We can't continue to underfund evidence-based intervention programs, like local outreach programs which employ credible messengers to go out into communities to de-escalate violence, and hospital-based violence intervention programs, that connect gunshot victims with counselors to prevent retaliation.Read MoreBoth are critical tools for cities to prevent gun violence, especially as sales of guns and ammunition soar to record levels. We can't continue to allow illegal guns to stream into our communities. And we can't continue to turn a blind eye to the Black and Latino communities in cities that are bearing the brunt of this daily gun violence. Our offices have been working nonstop to try to meet this crisis with action, directing the resources we can to proven, locally tailored, community-led violence interventions. In the hardest hit neighborhoods, communities are doing all they can, too, showing perseverance and creativity while bearing the disproportionate impact of a pandemic and economic crisis. But the truth is that neither city governments nor the communities we serve can solve this problem alone.Reducing the harm of the pandemic must also include saving lives from gun violence, and the federal government must work hand in hand with mayors to get it done. Fortunately, there are several ways the new administration can help.To begin, the administration should create a gun violence prevention task force to coordinate efforts across every corner of the administration and every city in the country. We need to re-imagine and invigorate the federal response to gun violence -- and that will take an all-hands approach. JUST WATCHEDOn the campaign trail, Biden pledged to end gun violenceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOn the campaign trail, Biden pledged to end gun violence 01:07From there, Biden can sign a series of executive orders to begin the real work of addressing gun violence in our cities. That means immediately prioritizing the existing public safety grant programs that support our community-based violence intervention organizations whose life-saving work has been underfunded during the pandemic. It means stopping the flow of illegal guns into our communities by reforming how guns are sold, publishing data on the sources of guns used in crimes and strengthening the background check system. It means helping provide access to modern technology that will assist in solving gun crimes and providing information about where illegal guns are coming from. And it means getting ahead of one of the fastest growing gun safety issues by eliminating the market for one of the new guns of choice for criminals: ghost guns --- untraceable, do-it-yourself weapons that can be sold without a background check, no questions asked. To be clear, what we're asking for is nothing like the last administration's moves to deploy federal agents to cities, which was done under the guise of fighting the surge in crime but seemed to be more a stunt to stir political and racial hostilities. What we need is collaboration to address the root causes of violence that have existed for years ---- like housing and income inequalities ---- and to forward the movement for racial equity by helping the communities who bear the brunt of these tragedies. We also need a federal response that prioritizes funding agencies like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that can shut down gun trafficking channels and bad actors in the gun industry who supply illegal guns. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookAbove all else, we need a partnership between our cities and the federal government to help support the local initiatives that we know are working. The bottom line is that these two simultaneous crises ---- Covid-19 and gun violence ---- have formed a perfect storm in our cities, stretching us to unacceptable limits and leaving far too many people dead or harmed in their wake. Our cities are being tested like no other time in our lifetimes, and frankly, their future and the lives of our constituents depend on what lawmakers at every level of government do next. We're doing everything we can to address these colliding crises, but we just can't go it alone. We urgently need congressional action on gun safety, but executive actions -- like the ones we outlined -- would be a crucial step in the right direction. We look forward to working together -- with Democrats, Republicans and independents -- to keep our cities safe from gun violence. | 3news
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(CNN)India captain Virat Kohli denied his team underestimated Pakistan in Sunday's high-profile Twenty20 World Cup contest and said they know what went wrong in the thumping by their arch-rivals.India went into the match with a 12-0 record in World Cups against their neighbors but Pakistan snapped that streak with a 10-wicket romp at Dubai International Stadium.Kohli reacted with incredulity when asked if their unblemished track record made them complacent ahead of the Group 2 blockbuster."You don't go out there to take anything lightly, especially a team like Pakistan who on their day can beat anyone in the world," Kohli, who will relinquish India's Twenty20 captaincy after the tournament, told reporters."This is a game that has to be respected, and we are a team that definitely respects the game... We never take any opposition lightly. Neither do we differentiate between oppositions, that's how we play our cricket."Read MorePut into bat, India could not really recover after Shaheen Afridi wrecked their top order.With Pakistan captain Babar Azam and opening partner Mohammad Rizwan smashing an unbeaten half-century, the chase was a cakewalk for Pakistan who triumphed with 13 balls to spare."They definitely outplayed us, there's no doubt about that," Kohli said. "You don't win by 10 wickets if you don't outplay the opposition. We did not even get any chances. They were very professional and you definitely have to give them credit."Kohli said the team tried to put pressure on them but "they had the answers." "There's no shame in accepting that a team played better than you," he added.India next plays New Zealand on Sunday and Kohli felt the break would do a world of good to his side, who had a fair idea about the areas they needed to work on."We know exactly how the game went, and where it went wrong. We have absolute clarity of that," the 32-year-old said. "That's a good thing to know where you went wrong as a team, so that we can work on it and try and correct it and move forward."Kohli said there were still a lot of matches left in the tournament. "If we stick to the process we follow, we definitely feel like we can overcome these mistakes," he added. | 5sport
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(CNN)Germany's Ursula von der Leyen has been elected as the European Commission's first female president.Her nomination was approved by 383 votes in a secret ballot on Tuesday evening at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. There were 327 votes against her and 22 abstentions. After being elected by a narrow margin of just nine votes over the required 374, von der Leyen called for a "united and strong Europe."The 60-year-old outgoing German defense minister and multilingual mother of seven will succeed Jean-Claude Juncker, who has served as president since 2014 and will step down on October 31. She will be tasked with leading the EU's executive body and providing political guidance to the Commission, which proposes new laws, manages the EU budget and is responsible for enforcing EU law.Read MoreEurope's likely next president may need far-right votes to win. Some see that as a 'catastrophic sign'Prior to the vote, von der Leyen made a series of promises to attract the support of parliament members from across the political spectrum. Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, she said that she wanted Europe to be the first "climate-neutral continent" in the world, proposing a new "green deal" to make the EU carbon neutral by 2050. Von der Leyen also spoke on gender equality, and said that she would propose to add violence against women to the list of EU crimes.In a letter on Monday addressed to the parliament's Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, von der Leyen had also said that she would propose a "new pact on migration and asylum," that would establish a "new way of burden sharing," and would plan to bring the EU's border force Frontex to 10,000 staff by 2024.'A huge challenge'Von der Leyen was congratulated by leaders across the 28-country bloc.In a message posted to Twitter, Junker congratulated von der Leyen for being the first woman to lead the commission and said: "This job is a huge responsibility and a challenge. I am sure you will make a great president. Welcome home!" German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a Twitter post: "Congratulations to @vonderleyen. She campaigned for a united and strong EU, now we want to work on this together. The world doesn't wait for Europe."Von der Leyen will assume her position on November 1, one day after Britain's current scheduled withdrawal from the EU. In a press conference after her election, Ursula von der Leyen spoke on Brexit, saying she will work in a "constructive way" with any new UK leader ahead of the October 31 deadline. She declined to say if she would rather see Boris Johnson or UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the frontrunners for the Conservative leadership contest to become Britain's new Prime Minister.Asked about winning the vote in a slim majority, von der Leyen said she will work with pro-European parties for "stable majorities.""I don't know who voted for me, I know it was very difficult to achieve a majority," she said. A controversial nominationSome German media outlets say it's "good news" for the military that von der Leyen is leaving her position as defense minister.
Von der Leyen is a long-time ally to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and is the only minister to have served in Merkel's cabinet since she came to power back in 2005. In a statement, Merkel congratulated her, saying she looked forward to "good cooperation" with von der Leyen as "a new partner" in Brussels. "After over 50 years, a German will be at the top of the European executive," she noted.Von der Leyen's nomination to replace Juncker was unexpected since von der Leyen wasn't even a candidate. Some have described her nomination as a backroom deal in Brussels.Ahead of the vote, von der Leyen faced a lot of criticism, particularly from Merkel's coalition partners -- the Social Democrats (SPD) -- who were upset that EU leaders ignored the top candidates after days of horse-trading. European leaders nominated von der Leyen to lead the Commission after they failed to agree on any of the nominees put forward by European political parties ahead of the EU elections. Von der Leyen beat the original frontrunner for the role, Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans.Domestically von der Leyen has been a divisive figure, with some German media outlets recently reporting that it's "good news" for the military that von der Leyen is leaving her position as defense minister. CNN's Bianca Britton and Nadine Schmidt contributed to this report. | 3news
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London (CNN)Britain's former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has confirmed that he and his wife Marina Wheeler have separated and are in the process of going through a divorce.The news was first reported on the front page of the Sun newspaper on Friday.In a joint statement released to the UK Press Association, Johnson and Wheeler confirmed the split."Several months ago, after 25 years of marriage, we decided it was in our best interests to separate," the statement read."We have subsequently agreed to divorce and that process is under way." Read MoreBoris Johnson facing party probe over burqa comments"As friends we will continue to support our four children in the years ahead. We will not be commenting further."Johnson, who has four children with Wheeler, resigned from the government in July with an attack on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit strategy.The former Foreign Secretary campaigned for Britain to leave the EU and has been vocal in calling for a so-called "hard Brexit" -- in defiance of May's approach -- since the 2016 referendum.Friday's news comes amid predictions that Johnson will soon launch a bid to unseat May as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party. He remains the subject of an independent investigation however, after likening Muslim women who choose to wear veils to "bank robbers" and "letter boxes" in a newspaper column last month.The probe will examine whether his comments, which sparked accusations of Islamophobia, breached the Conservative Party's code of conduct. | 3news
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Story highlights Local media report that Santos left the field this year to focus on his businessPolice: The former football player's wife found his severed head on their doorstepJoão Rodrigo Silva Santos played for mostly second-tier club teams before retiringO Globo: Police investigate whether Facebook posts are connected to the crimeJoão Rodrigo Silva Santos didn't come home Monday night.When the former professional footballer's wife opened the door on her way to work the next morning, she found his severed head on their front step.The head was inside a backpack, police said. Santos' eyes and tongue had been gouged out, according to Brazilian media reports. Player stabbed, referee dismembered over soccer quarrel in BrazilNow police in Rio de Janeiro are investigating the grisly killing, though they haven't said who they believe is behind it.Santos, 35, was a forward for a number of mostly second-tier Rio de Janeiro football teams before retiring and opening a health foods store. His death comes at a time when football fans worldwide are shifting their focus toward Brazil, which will host the World Cup in 2014. Late last year, the country announced it was pumping $900 million dollars into its security budget to make the competition "one of the most protected sports events in history."World football's ruling body FIFA had expressed concern about Brazil's increasing crime rate, particularly in Sao Paulo.One police official told Brazil's O Globo newspaper that authorities are investigating whether a recent post on the store's Facebook page could be connected to the crime. The post showed surveillance footage and asked for help catching shoplifters.Police plan to compare the images to surveillance footage taken at the shop Monday night, chief homicide investigator Rafael Rangel told the newspaper. The former football player was last seen Monday night, when two suspects entered his vehicle, CNN affiliate TV Record reported.On Wednesday morning, police said they found parts of a man's body in a river outside the city and were testing the DNA to see whether the remains belong to Santos, TV Record said.Authorities have interviewed 10 witnesses so far in the case, police said.According to local media, Santos' wife, Geisa Silva, worked for the police in one of Rio's shantytowns, but as a social worker giving swimming lessons to children, not as a policewoman.She told investigators she did not know of any threats made against her husband, according to TV Record.Some of Santos' relatives and neighbors told O Globo that he didn't have any enemies and said they didn't know what could have motivated the attack.Brazil boosts World Cup security budget as crime risesSantos started his football career when he was 16 years old, and played for several Brazilian club teams. He played for the Bangu club team from 1996 to 2005, according to a biography on the club's unofficial website.In 1998, he played for Honduras' Olimpia club. And in 2003 he played for Sweden's Oster club, the website says.The website calls Santos a "humble hero," describing how goals he scored brought victory to another club team he joined.According to the FutRio.net football news site, Santos left the field earlier this year to focus on his business.The site reported that club players in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday honored Santos with a minute of silence. | 5sport
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(CNN)A pregnant woman wearing a headscarf was viciously attacked in a café in a town near Sydney, New South Wales police said Thursday.The incident happened on Wednesday night in Paramatta, about 15 miles west of Sydney, the police said in a statement. The 31-year-old woman, who the police said was 38 weeks' pregnant, was sitting at a table, eating and chatting with friends.CCTV footage of the incident shows a man slowly approaching the victim, leaning over the table before punching her in the head.Why Australians should be worried about Fraser Anning's words In the statement, the police said the man allegedly "punched the woman in the head multiple times before she fell to the ground where it's alleged the man stomped on her head."Read MoreThe footage shows fellow customers eventually restraining the man, who was then arrested by the police at the scene.The police said the 43-year-old man has been charged with assault causing bodily harm and affray.The victim was admitted to hospital for observation after the attack, the police said.The woman, Rana Haidar, gave CNN permission to publish comments she posted on Facebook after the assault."This man verbalised his hatred of Muslims prior to hitting me," Haidar wrote. "He decided that he was going to take it in his power to act upon his hatred and he neither knows me, nor my religion."She added that she's experienced "verbal abuse and hate from other Australians in the past but I have never thought that physical abuse of this nature could happen to me." Haidar thanked the people in the restaurant who stepped in to defend her during the attack. And she expressed hope that speaking out about her assault might prevent future attacks motivated by race or religion."I do not want this attack to happen to anyone ever again," she wrote. "I want to see a world where people defend one another against cowardly acts like this and band together to protect the victims. We cannot allow behavior like this to become the norm and sit silent."This is absolutely sickening. We know Muslim women are often targets of racist violence. Thank you to the bystanders who had the courage to intervene. We should all be able to go about our lives free from violence, harassment and intimidation. #auspolhttps://t.co/AVMG1TgWwh— Mehreen Faruqi (@MehreenFaruqi) November 21, 2019
The Australian National Imams Council, the body that unites Australia-based Muslim clerics and scholars, said it was "appalled" by the attack. In a statement issued on Friday, the council called on the government to "acknowledge that Islamophobia is a serious danger and act in protecting its citizens." The council said it reached out to the victim, who said "the offender made anti-Islamic comments before attacking her."Mehreen Faruqi, a Greens senator for New South Wales and the first Muslim woman to sit in Australia's parliament, called the attack "absolutely sickening." "We should all be able to go about our lives free from violence, harassment and intimidation," she tweeted. | 3news
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Story highlightsMore than 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer yearly in AmericaKayaker Brad Ludden started First Descents to give young patients some "victory over their cancer"Ludden was honored as a 2016 Top 10 CNN Hero | Tribute Show videoTarkio, Montana (CNN)In kayaking, a "first descent" is when someone successfully paddles a section of river that no one has ever paddled before.By the time Brad Ludden was 18 years old, he had attained close to 100 of them."Every time you come around a corner, you're the first person to see it from that perspective," said Ludden, now 35. "You feel a lot of personal transformation and growth through that process."CNN Hero Brad LuddenToday, Ludden is giving that life-changing experience to young adults with cancer—helping them face down their fears and realize they're not alone."When you're a young person with cancer, it's so isolating," said Ludden, who watched his own aunt battle cancer when she was 38. "All your friends are getting married, having children, starting jobs and living life. Here you are fighting for yours." Read MoreEvery year, more than 70,000 young adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease.Ludden's nonprofit—First Descents—offers free outdoor adventures based around kayaking, surfing and rock climbing. The weeklong camps are held at picturesque locations, where 15 young adult cancer fighters and survivors from across the country come together to challenge themselves physically and bond with others who've gone through the same battle. "While thousands of people have kayaked these sections of river before them, it's their first time down," Ludden said. "You see it at the bottom of the rapids in the look of accomplishment and pride on their faces."Since 2001, Ludden and his group have brought these transformative experiences to more than 3,000 people. "I have learned more from First Descents' participants than anything else in my entire life," Ludden said. "I've learned how to be much more vulnerable, the importance of laughter and to not just accept each day as it comes but to go out and define it."JUST WATCHEDTop 10 CNN Hero Brad LuddenReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTop 10 CNN Hero Brad Ludden 02:32CNN's Meghan Dunn spoke with Ludden about his work. Below is an edited version of their conversation.CNN: During the week, you see a transformation in the participants. What's that like? Ludden: Day one, they get all their gear and they learn the very basics of whatever it is they're there to do. And then each day, we ratchet that up a little bit and build on the previous day so that by the end of the week, they're applying everything they've learned to one final challenging day. And that could be a multi-pitch ascent, or a bigger break, or harder whitewater. It's fascinating to watch not only the physical transformation, but also the social and emotional transformation. The way they bond together and the confidence that they're building—it's a really beautiful transformation to witness in a relatively short amount of time.CNN: Each participant gets a nickname. Why?Ludden: (It) is a huge part of our culture. This experience can be a real stake in the sand in their recovery or their life post-diagnosis. It can be one of their greatest victories and a really defining experience. This name becomes associated with that experience. It's the name of them as a kayaker, or a climber, or a surfer. It's not the name of them as someone with cancer. And so it's an opportunity for a fresh start. We've found a lot of people take a lot of pride in their name.JUST WATCHEDCNN Hero Brad Ludden: First DescentsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Hero Brad Ludden: First Descents 02:41CNN: First Descents goes beyond a weeklong program. How do participants continue their journey?Ludden: The weeklong trip hopefully is the beginning of their First Descents experience. When they go home from that, we've created local adventure communities around the country that they can engage in, go on more localized adventures. We host (additional) one- to two-weeklong programs. Those are much more adventure-oriented and are all over the world—everywhere from Africa to Indonesia and Alaska to Patagonia. We believe that this shouldn't be a one-and-done experience. As part of that, we truly see healing in the act of helping someone else. And we believe that we all as a community who are experiencing these programs have the same obligation to help other people have the same experience. So we try to create this pay-it-forward aspect. We create fundraising challenges around the country that everyone's invited to be a part of, all with the goal of providing that first-time experience to someone who hasn't had it, but wants it.CNN: What do you hope participants gain from each week? Ludden: I hope that they come here seeking some answers, perhaps seeking some personal growth and maybe some victory over their cancer. We infuse a lot of challenge and adventure, beautiful settings, laughter, great people and good food. But I think at the end, all that bundled together just represents a very large transformation in everyone's life. It's that important reminder that this life, it's really fleeting. The end is going to come sooner than we want. With that knowledge, we have this obligation to go out and live as fully as possible.Want to get involved? Check out the First Descents website and see how to help.You can make a donation right now to First Descents. Just click the CrowdRise widget below!Brad Ludden, First Descents on CrowdRise | 2health
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Lincoln Mitchell (@LincolnMitchell) teaches in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. His most recent book is "The Giants and Their City: Major League Baseball in San Francisco, 1976-1992." (Kent State University Press, 2020) The opinions expressed here are his own. View more opinion at CNN. (CNN)By the time the voting ended Tuesday night, the defeat of the effort to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom was widely expected. California is a solidly Democratic state that has not elected a Republican to statewide office since 2006 and has not cast its electoral votes for a Republican presidential candidate since George H. W. Bush carried the Golden State in 1988. Nonetheless, the scope and timing of Newsom's victory may be a bad sign for the GOP even beyond California. With roughly 80% of the vote counted, about 64% of the more than nine million Californians who took part decided against recalling Newsom. Lincoln Mitchell According to the CNN exit poll, almost every major group in the state rejected the recall: Whites, African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, every age group, men and women, urban and suburban residents, parents and non-parents, those with and without college degrees and LGBTQ Californians.A number of those groups are already part of the Democratic coalition, but some of the numbers are bad news for the GOP, particularly the gender data: 64% of female voters and 62% of White female voters decided to keep Newsom in office, far more than men. Those numbers are significant. Consider that as recent as 2020, President Joe Biden only won 51% of White women in the state. Read MoreThe clear majorities Newsom won among African Americans (83%) and Latinos (60%), particularly female members of those groups, ensured he would stay in office, but those voters were not the focus of the GOP -- White people were. Donald Trump secured 47% of California's White voters in 2020 but just 41% of that demographic voted yes on the recall.JUST WATCHEDSE Cupp: Newsom's win shows it's the worst of times for the GOPReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSE Cupp: Newsom's win shows it's the worst of times for the GOP 05:56This broad support for Newsom, particularly the gains he made with White women, suggests that the GOP message is not breaking through to the kinds of voters who the Republican Party needs in order to be competitive in other parts of the country. The Republican-backed recall movement sought to portray Newsom as ineffective, uncaring and unwilling to follow his own rules, notably when he dined at the French Laundry restaurant with a party that included lobbyists shortly after announcing Covid restrictions in 2020. That message didn't resonate enough to convince most voters that California would be better off under the stewardship of today's GOP.For the Republican Party to compete in future elections that, unlike the recall, it can and needs to win, it is essential that it wins over White women. The data from the recall suggest that in California those women are not in favor of candidates like Larry Elder, the kind of Trumpian figure who will likely be on the ballot in a lot of states and districts in 2022. Huge landslides against the recall in places like Santa Cruz county, where 80% opposed the idea; Los Angeles County, which went 71% against the recall, and Newsom's hometown of San Francisco, which cast 87% of its votes against the recall, were expected. But the failure of the GOP to make progress in places like San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange counties, which were once solidly Republican but went for Biden in 2020 and against the recall in similar numbers this time, indicate the GOP is still not reaching the voters it needs. Is Larry Elder a gift to Gavin Newsom?The GOP losing votes may not matter statewide in blue California, but if White women, whether they live in moderate and conservative suburbs in California -- yes those places exist -- or elsewhere in the country, continue to abandon the GOP, suburban districts around the state and country will trend more Democratic and leave the GOP scrambling to figure out how to advance its political agenda and how to win back voters.Newsom's resounding victory also occurred at a time when the Democratic Party has been on the ropes on the national stage. The withdrawal from Afghanistan had dominated the news and has hurt President Biden politically, while the rise of the Delta variant had made the back-to-school period difficult and stressful for many families, including in California. This was a moment when a Democrat in a state like California should have been vulnerable, if not to defeat, then at least to a relatively close election. Instead, the Republicans, and the de facto GOP standard-bearer in the person of Elder, were humiliated. That victory means Newsom will stay in office, very likely cruise to reelection in 2022, possibly against Elder, but it also will put some wind in the sails of a Democratic President who badly needs it right now. The recall was a referendum on Newsom, but indirectly on Biden and the Democrats as well. The numbers show that it wasn't close and that Californians, including the White women whose support is so crucial to the GOP's future in the state, were not buying whatever the GOP and Elder were selling. | 3news
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Story highlightsThe Bolshoi Ballet cast and crew issue an open letter standing by the plot's alleged mastermindThe letter suggests illegal methods in obtaining Pavel Dmitrichenko's confessionPolice say their investigators are acting honestlyThe ballet wants an independent commission to investigateThe Bolshoi Ballet says the allegations swirling around one of its dancers -- that he choreographed an attack to blind the artistic director -- are "absurd."Even an alleged confession in the case does nothing to convince the cast and crew that Pavel Dmitrichenko could be behind the attack that severely burned and nearly blinded Sergei Filin, the Bolshoi employees said in an open letter Wednesday."Unfortunately, the history of our country and our society knows many examples" when results were achieved by "illegal methods, and evidence and proof often turned out to be a fiction," the letter said.The group called for an independent commission to probe the attack.Moscow police struck back, saying its "investigators do their job honestly."Ballet 'villain' arrested: Story in 4 ActsThe plot laid out by authorities pits Dmitrichenko as the central villain, lashing out against Filin -- a man who often cast Dmitrichencko as the villain in productions.What neither side disputes: Someone threw sulfuric acid into Filin's face in January as he entered his Moscow apartment.Police say Dmitrichenko had two co-conspirators, one of whom threw the acid. Local newspapers had quoted ballet members as saying Dmitrichenko was angry because he thought Filin was stifling the career of Anzhelina Vorontsova -- Dmitrichenko's girlfriend."For everyone who knows Pavel Dmitrichenko, even the idea that he could be the mastermind and the customer of the crime committed in such a brutal form, is absurd," the Bolshoi's cast and crew said in their letter."Having known Pavel personally for many years, we are convinced that despite his notorious temper, his hot-headedness and his straightforwardness, he is a very decent and sympathetic person who is always ready to extend a helping hand."The members added they are convinced "that the fundamental disagreements with Sergei Filin about his artistic and personnel policy in the ballet could not go beyond the law. We believe that the investigation's findings are too rushed, the evidence seems unconvincing and we view Pavel's testimony, which was later changed, as given under pressure."Dmitrichenko and his two alleged accomplices are being held until the police investigation is over.It may take at least six months for Filin to recover from the burns. Doctors performed a skin graft on him, and, after a second eye surgery, were able to save his sight.Filin is "coming through the toughest period of his life," the ballet said. "We hope that the true reasons and circumstances of this crime would be established."Police said the investigation is still ongoing, and preliminary results will be reported to the ballet and to the public.Last week, police declared their case was solved with Dmitrichenko's confession."I organized this attack but not to the extent that it happened," the dancer is heard saying in a video released by police.Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reported that before the attack, Filin suffered months of intimidation, including threatening phone calls, someone slashing his tires, and someone attempting to hack his Facebook page. | 3news
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(CNN)Austria's top court has ruled that same-sex couples can get married from the start of 2019, declaring a previous law discriminatory.The Constitutional Court overturned a law that restricted same-sex unions to civil partnerships, according to court documents seen by CNN.The decision brings Austria into line with many other European nations including Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and the UK. #ehefüralle #eheöffnung #wienliebe A post shared by Stefanie Grubich (@frauenbergers) on Dec 5, 2017 at 7:38am PST
Heute hat die Liebe gewonnen ❤️🌈! Der Verfassungsgerichtshof Österreich hat entschieden, dass die Unterscheidung zwischen Ehe und eingetragener Partnerschaft das Diskriminierungsverbot verletzt und die Ehe für alle Menschen geöffnet! Zur Feier des Tages haben wir am Rathaus die Regenbogenfahnen gehisst! #GleicheLiebe #GleicheRechte #EhefürAlle #lovewins A post shared by Jürgen Czernohorszky (@czernohorszky) on Dec 5, 2017 at 5:05am PST
Same-sex couples in Austria have been allowed to enter legal partnerships since 2010, but until now have not been able to marry.The court made its decision based on a complaint from two women living in a partnership who refused to accept that their formal marriage permission was denied by authorities in Vienna.Read MoreThe restrictions on same-sex marriage will now be lifted on 31 December 2018 with the new regulation coming into effect on 1 January 2019. As part of its attempt to iron out inequalities in the system, heterosexual couples will from next year be able to opt for a civil partnership that falls short of marriage. | 3news
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Story highlightsWorld football's governing body FIFA punishes Caribbean officialsQuartet banned after meeting in which cash was allegedly offered for votesOthers were fined, warned and reprimanded for their involvement in May eventMeeting in question involved former FIFA vice-president Mohamed bin HammamFIFA has taken action against several Caribbean football officials involved in the meeting that led to former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam being banned for life.Hammam, who was to be Sepp Blatter's only opponent at the June 1 election, had hoped to win votes at the Caribbean Football Union's meeting on May 10-11.However, the former Asian Confederation head withdrew from the race after being accused of offering cash to Caribbean delegates and this month lost an opening legal battle to be reinstated.FIFA's ethics committee announced on Friday that Franka Pickering of the British Virgin Islands has been banned from all football-related activities for 18 months and fined 500 Swiss francs ($560).Jamaica's Horace Burrell was banned for six months, with half of that suspended for a two-year probationary period. Photos: FIFA corruption timeline Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMay 14, 2010 – A turbulent period for FIFA began in May 2010. Whilst most of the world's soccer fans were more concerned with Africa's first World Cup finals that June, FIFA was presented with official bid documents by Australia, England, Netherlands/Belgium, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Russia, Spain/Portugal and the United States for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. During the ceremony at its Swiss headquarters, FIFA announced dates for inspections of the bidding nations from July-September.Hide Caption 1 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMay 16, 2010 – British newspaper Mail On Sunday reveals that English bid leader David Triesman was secretly recorded making comments about alleged attempts by Spain and Russia to bribe referees at the imminent 2010 FIFA World Cup. Hide Caption 2 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineAugust 17, 2010 – Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets the visiting FIFA inspection team in Moscow. Qatar is the last country to receive the inspectors in September.Hide Caption 3 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineOctober 20, 2010 – FIFA provisionally suspends Amos Adamu, pictured, and Reynald Temarii three days after Britain's Sunday Times newspaper claimed they offered to sell their World Cup votes. Adamu, head of the West Africa Football Union, denies the charge that he asked for $800,000 to be paid to him directly so four artificial pitches could be built in his native Nigeria. "I am confident that my actions, the full and true extent of which were not detailed in the story published, will demonstrate not only my innocence and integrity, but also my commitment to football and to FIFA," the 57-year-old says in a statement.Hide Caption 4 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineOctober 20, 2010 – Temarii, a former Tahiti international player, is accused of asking for $2.4 million to build a youth academy for the Oceania Football Confederation, of which he has been head since 2004. Hide Caption 5 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineOctober 20, 2010 – "It is a sad day for football," FIFA president Sepp Blatter, pictured here meeting British Prime Minister David Cameron a week earlier, tells reporters in Zurich. Hide Caption 6 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineNovember 17, 2010 – FIFA releases its bid inspection reports, and it's bad news for Qatar. The tournament would be held in the middle of Qatar's summer where temperatures regularly hit 50 degrees Celsius. Despite a hi-tech pitch that included state-of-the-art cooling technology to keep players and fans safe, FIFA gave one part of the bid a "high" risk rating. In the report it stated that hosting the World Cup in June and July would be "considered as a potential health risk for players, officials, the FIFA family and spectators, and requires precautions to be taken".Hide Caption 7 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineNovember 18, 2010 – FIFA confirms the suspension of executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, along with four additional officials. Ahead of the December 2 ballot to decide the host of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, Adamu receives a three-year ban and $11,947 fine and Temarii a 12-month ban and a $5,973 fine. However, the organization rules that there is no evidence to support allegations of collusion between rival bid teams. Adamu plans to appeal.Hide Caption 8 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineNovember 29, 2010 – Issa Hayatou from Cameroon is one of three FIFA officials -- the others Nicolas Leoz from Paraguay and Ricardo Teixeira from Brazil -- who are named in a BBC program which alleges they took bribes from the ISL marketing company who secured World Cup rights in the 1990s. All three had votes voting in the December 2 decisions on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Hide Caption 9 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineNovember 30, 2010 – The International Olympic Committee announces it will launch an investigation into allegations on BBC's Panorama program that Issa Hayatou, who is also an IOC member, took bribes. Hayatou says he is considering legal action against the BBC. Football world governing body FIFA says the allegations have already been investigated and the matter is closed. Hide Caption 10 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineDecember 2, 2010 – The winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals are announced. Russia wins the bid to host the 2018 tournament, with England garnering just two votes despite a last minute meet-and-greet blitz involving UK Prime Minister David Cameron, David Beckham and Prince William. But the big shock came when Blatter announced that Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup.Hide Caption 11 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMarch 18, 2011 – After months of speculation, Asian Football Confederation chief Mohamed bin Hammam announces he is to stand against Blatter in FIFA's presidential election. Bin Hammam, a Qatari, was a key figure in ensuring that Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup.Hide Caption 12 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMay 10, 2011 – Just a few weeks before FIFA's presidential vote, former FA chairman David Triesman gives evidence at a UK parliamentary enquiry into England's failed 2018 bid. Under the cover of parliamentary privilege Triesman accused FIFA Ex Co members Warner, Nicholas Leoz, Ricardo Texeira and Worawi Makudi of trying to secure cash and privileges in return for their vote. In other evidence submitted to the committee from the Sunday Times, it was alleged that FIFA vice-president Issa Hayatou along with fellow Ex Co member Jacques Anouma has been paid $1.5 million by Qatar for their World Cup vote. All those accused strenuously deny the allegations.Hide Caption 13 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMay 27, 2011 – FIFA announces that it will expand its corruption probe to include Sepp Blatter, after AFC president Mohammed bin Hammam claimed Blatter knew about cash payments he was accused of giving to national football association in exchange for pro-Hammam votes during Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid. Blatter maintains that the allegations are "without substance", and is subsequently exonerated by FIFA's ethics committee two days later. Blatter later holds an extraordinary press conference where he tells the world's press: "Crisis? What is a crisis?!"Hide Caption 14 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMay 29, 2011 – But FIFA's ethics committee upholds the complaints against Bin Hammam and Warner. Hammam is effectively barred from standing in the election. Warner's football "tsunami" turns out to be an email, which Warner releases to the press, where secretary general Jerome Valcke seems to suggest that Qatar "bought" the right to host the 2022 World Cup. After initially threatening legal action, Qatar withdraws its complaint when Valcke explains he was referring to Qatar's large, and legal, campaign budget, rather than bribes. Warner will face no further action following his resignation and the presumption of his innocence will remain.Hide Caption 15 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineMay 29, 2011 – Just a few days before the vote, both Warner and Blatter's presidential rival Mohamed Bin Hammam are suspended after fellow Ex Co member Chuck Blazer submits a report alleging that the two men paid $40,000 worth of bribes to secure the support of members of the Caribbean Football Union. Both deny the claims, with Warner promising a "tsunami" of revelations to clear his name.Hide Caption 16 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineJune 1, 2011 – Despite a last minute attempt by the English FA to postpone the vote - a proposal which garnered just 17 out of the available 208 votes -Sepp Blatter is re-elected for a fourth term as president of FIFA at the 61st FIFA Congress at Hallenstadion in Zurich. He vows to learn from past mistakes and undertake a reform agenda.Hide Caption 17 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineJuly 23, 2011 – Former head of the Asian Football Confederation Mohamed Bin Hammam was banned for life by FIFA after a two-day hearing into bribery allegations. Hide Caption 18 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineOctober 6, 2011 – Chuck Blazer announces he will step down from his role as general secretary of CONCACAF at the end of the year. American Blazer was one of the men who voted on the location for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.Hide Caption 19 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timelineOctober 21, 2011 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter announces the introduction of four new task forces and a "Committee of Good Governance" aimed at reforming the organization and repairing its reputation. Hide Caption 20 of 20Blazer to step down from CONCACAF roleThe committee handed 30-day bans to the Dominican Republic's Osiris Guzman and Ian Hypolite of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with half of those suspended. They were also fined 300 francs.Aubrey Liburd of the British Virgin Islands and Hillaren Frederick of its U.S. counterpart were fined the same amount, and reprimanded along with Anthony Johnson of St. Kitts and Nevis.FIFA handed warnings to David Hinds and Mark Bob Forde of Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago's Richard Groden, Yves Jean-Bart of Haiti and Jamaica's Horace Reid.Felix Ledesma of Dominican Republic was cleared, while the hearing of Guyana's Noel Adonis was postponed.David Frederick (Cayman Islands) and Joseph Delves (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) escaped any interrogation as they are no longer football officials. | 5sport
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Story highlightsLewis Hamilton wins Brazilian GPMercedes clinches constructors' titleAngry Max Verstappen finishes second (CNN)Max Verstappen labeled Esteban Ocon an "idiot" and was accused of trying to punch the Frenchman in a post-race fracas after their collision cost him likely victory in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix won by Lewis Hamilton.Red Bull's Dutch star had to settle for second place with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen third in a nail-biting finish at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo.Follow @cnnsport
Verstappen looked to have his second straight F1 victory secured when he overtook Hamilton on lap 39 of 71 and moved clear on fresher tires, but five laps later came the incident that was to change the course of the race.Overtaking Force India's backmarker Ocon, Verstappen was taken by surprise as the Frenchman tried to unlap himself -- causing the two collided and sending the leader spinning off.Verstappen responded with an expletive-ridden rant over race radio but then set about chasing down five-time champion Hamilton for the second time.LAP 43/71OCON HITS VERSTAPPEN! 😱Esteban tries to unlap himself on his former F3 rival but spins out the race leader in the process! Verstappen drops to second...#BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/qPj4Gnetld— Formula 1 (@F1) November 11, 2018
Read MoreHe ultimately came up just short despite having damage to the bottom of his Red Bull during the collision.Ocon was given a 10-second stop-go penalty by stewards, but that was little consolation for the 21-year-old Dutchman who was in search of victory after claiming the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight ago."We did everything today," said a distraught Verstappen in the post-race interviews. "He (Ocon) was such an idiot."There was contact on the track, and a bit off it too 😡 #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/OajZ1UM4lL— Formula 1 (@F1) November 11, 2018
The argument continued in the weighing room, with Verstappen confronting his counterpart and TV pictures showing him shove Ocon a number of times as other drivers watched on."He pushed me and wanted to punch me, that's not professional," said Ocon, who was a fierce rival of Verstappen as both moved up through the ranks."I don't care care what people say," said Verstappen as details of the incident were spread on social media, but he was later handed a penalty by the sport's governing body, the FIA, for his actions.Lewis WINS the #BrazilGP!!!!!We are 2018 #F1 World Constructors' Champions!!!!!GET IN THERE!!!!! #HiFive pic.twitter.com/7HDijW0y9g— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) November 11, 2018
All that was of little concern to Hamilton, who was winning his 10th race of a triumphant season and the 72nd of his glittering career."I saw it happen, I wasn't surprised by it," was his caustic verdict. "I saw them racing and they weren't racing for the same position."He also offered advice to Verstappen as the two mulled over the incident. "You always make sure there's space," he told him.Combined with fifth place for teammate Valtteri Bottas, it secured a fifth straight constructors' title for Mercedes which has an unassailable lead over Ferrari with just the Abu Dhabi round to go this season.'Remarkable' Lewis Hamilton joins pantheon of all-time F1 greatsIt was another disappointing race for Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who started second on the grid behind Hamilton on pole, but slipped back through the field as the Red Bulls of Verstappen and fourth-placed Daniel Ricciardo emerged as the main threat to the newly-crowned champion.Australia's Ricciardo, who started from 11th of the grid, was also left to reflect on what might have been in his penultimate race for the team before moving to Renault, closing fast at the finish on Raikkonen, who was racing his 150th grand prix for Ferrari.Charles Leclerc, replacing the Finn at Ferrari next season, finished a fine seventh for Sauber, but the race is likely to be remembered for what occurred off the track as well as on it.Verstappen was found to have breached the FIA International Sporting Code and must perform two days of unspecified "public service" over the next six months, it was later announced. | 5sport
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Pyeongchang (CNN)Diplomacy and sporting endeavor mixed awkwardly at the spectacular opening of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, as sworn adversaries sat feet apart while North Korea received a welcome that would have been unthinkable just months ago.In a ceremony infused with themes of peace and harmony, South Korean President Moon Jae-in twice shook hands with Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. US Vice President Mike Pence, sitting a few seats away in the same VIP booth, looked stony faced as the extraordinary scenes unfolded.The unprecedented encounter between the two senior Koreans fueled hopes that the Olympics could succeed where a generation of world leaders has failed -- to lay the groundwork, however tentatively, to a process of reconciliation on a peninsula that often appears one wrong move away from nuclear conflict.Minutes into the ceremony, as children skipped through a mythical landscape, Moon greeted Kim Yo Jong and North Korea's 90-year-old ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam, the head of the North's Olympic delegation.Kim Yo-Jong applauds during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.Kim Yo Jong, the first member of the North's ruling dynasty to visit the south since the end of the Korean War in 1953, smiled broadly as they shook hands. Read MoreThen, the two figures from opposite sides of a divided Korea watched as athletes from their respective nations marched together under a unified flag. Themes of peaceA giant dove lit up the sky, famous South Korean singers sang John Lennon's Imagine and, most significantly of all, athletes from North and South Korea walked in together for the first time in 11 years.The message was not subtle. Drawing on themes of harmony and unity, the ceremony gave Koreans hope -- whether or not it lasts -- that their nations, still technically at war, may one day find peace.The South Korean flag "Taegeukgi" is seen during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang.The ceremony involved a starring role for the Games' mascot Soohorang, the white tiger, long been considered a protective guardian in Korean history and culture.In an elaborate finale, pre-taped for the TV broadcast to ensure nothing went wrong, more than 1,200 choreographed drones formed the Olympic rings in the sky.Soohrang, the white tiger, played a starring role in the opening ceremony.Pence looked uncomfortablePence, who has been vocal in his criticism of North Korea in the runup to the Games, sat impassive in the frigid February night, rising only when the US team entered the stadium.The US and North Korean representatives did not speak during the ceremony, and Pence did not attend an earlier dinner where he was due to share a table with North Korea's ceremonial head of state.Moon, however, welcomed Kim enthusiastically, greeting her warmly when she entered the VIP box and then shaking her hand again when North and South Korean athletes entered the stadium together.US Vice President Mike Pence (front R), his wife Karen (front C), North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong (2nd L) and Kim Jung-Sook (L), the wife of South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, attend the opening ceremony.The presence of Kim, who was promoted to the country's Politburo, the senior body of North Korea's communist party, as an alternate member last year, represents a hugely significant move in the thawing of relations between the neighbors.According to diplomatic sources, there is a "good chance" Kim will invite Moon to visit Pyongyang "sometime this year."Fireworks explode during the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018.While the sources say "nothing is final," a visit by Moon to North Korea would be the first time a South Korean President has stepped foot in the country since 2007.That invitation could come when Moon and Kim will meet for lunch at the Blue House on Saturday, after the meeting was confirmed by a South Korean presidential spokesperson. Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyFireworks erupt as the Olympic cauldron is lit in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Friday, February 9.Hide Caption 1 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyNorth and South Korean athletes march together during the parade of nations. It has happened only three other times in Olympic history.Hide Caption 2 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyFormer figure skater Kim Yuna lights the Olympic cauldron. The South Korean won gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics.Hide Caption 3 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyThe torchbearers included former South Korean soccer star Ahn Jung-hwan and golfer Inbee Park.Hide Caption 4 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyThe opening ceremony included many dazzling displays and performances.Hide Caption 5 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyThomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, speaks before the lighting of the cauldron.Hide Caption 6 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyThe ceremony was held at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium, a temporary structure with capacity for 35,000 spectators.Hide Caption 7 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyUS Vice President Mike Pence, front right, attends the ceremony with his wife, Karen. Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is seated in the back row and on the left. She was a guest of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, not pictured. At left is Moon's wife, Kim Jung-sook.Hide Caption 8 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyUS athletes arrive at the opening ceremony.Hide Caption 9 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyAmerican athletes wave during the march of nations.Hide Caption 10 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyOlympic athletes from Russia march under a neutral flag. Russia was banned from taking part in the Games after the International Olympic Committee found that the country had engaged in "systemic manipulation" of anti-doping rules.Hide Caption 11 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyFrance's athletes take part in the parade of nations.Hide Caption 12 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyA Korean quartet led by Jeon In-kwon sings John Lennon's classic "Imagine" before an inflatable dove is released into the air.Hide Caption 13 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyFireworks explode over the stadium.Hide Caption 14 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyTongan flag bearer Pita Taufatofua goes shirtless, as he did for the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics.Hide Caption 15 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyKim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the ceremony.Hide Caption 16 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyParticipants perform around a design of the Olympic rings. Hide Caption 17 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyDutch athletes enter the stadium.Hide Caption 18 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyDrummers are lined up during the performance.Hide Caption 19 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyThe South Korean flag is portrayed.Hide Caption 20 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyA dragon is carried into the stadium.Hide Caption 21 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyFireworks explode as the opening ceremony begins.Hide Caption 22 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyA white tiger is portrayed at the beginning of the ceremony. The tiger is "closely associated with Korean mythology and culture" and is a "familiar figure in Korean folk tales as a symbol of trust, strength and protection," according to the Games website.Hide Caption 23 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyNorth Korean cheerleaders wave their country's flag as they gather ahead of the opening ceremony.Hide Caption 24 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyImpersonators of Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump are escorted out of the stadium.Hide Caption 25 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyPerformers entertain the fans during the ceremony.Hide Caption 26 of 27 Photos: 2018 Winter Olympics: The opening ceremonyPyeongchang is about 80 miles (125 kilometers) east of Seoul, South Korea, and about 60 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea. Hide Caption 27 of 27Korean athletes march togetherTeams from North and South Korea team entered the arena under the unification flag, a blue silhouette of the peninsula and outlying islands. Athletes from both nations took selfies with each other as they waited to walk into the heart of the stadium.As the Koreans emerged, they were greeted to an ovation from 35,000 cheering spectators.North Korea's Hwang Chung Gum and South Korea's Won Yun-jong arrive during the opening ceremony.The show of unity and harmony was not lost on Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee, who said North and South Korea had set a "great example" for sending "a powerful message of peace.""All the athletes around me, all the spectators here in the stadium, and all Olympic fans watching around the world... we are all touched by this wonderful gesture," Bach said. "We all join and support you in your message of peace".A unified selfie. #COR #PyeongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/NHFwCUTckb— Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) February 9, 2018
Tongan looks coldPita Taufatofua has never been one to shy away from the big occasion. The Tongan athlete who raised eyebrows for going shirtless while carrying his country's flag during the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Rio two years ago, has done it again.Flag bearer Pita Taufatofua of Tonga leads the team during the opening ceremony.Taufatofua braved the 32˚F cold and again appeared bare-chested, wearing only a traditional Tongan mat. The guy knows he has a brand, and he is sticking to it.The 34-year-old, who competed in taekwondo in Rio, will be going for gold in cross-country skiing in Korea.Olympic torch litIt was left to 2010 Olympic figure skating champion Yuna Kim to light the Olympic flame.South Korean Olympic figure skating champion Yuna Kim lights the Olympic flame.Two members of the joint Korean hockey team carried the Olympic Torch up a steep flight of stairs, after it had passed through the hands of short-track medalist Chun Lee-kyung, golfer Inbee Park and soccer player Ahn Jung-hwan.The torch was then given to Kim, who performed a short skating routine before lighting up Pyeongchang.Aimee Lewis reported from Pyeongchang and James Masters wrote in London. CNN's Will Ripley and Sophie Jeong in Seoul contributed. | 5sport
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Story highlightsMore goals, no draws: Brazil has been an unusual World CupOn average, 3.66 goals have been scored per matchThere have been no draws, but the average at this stage is 25%Five out of 12 teams that scored first went on to lose Notice anything unusual about the World Cup this year? It has been an absolute goalfest. In fact, it's on pace to be one of the highest-scoring tournaments in the 84-year history of the World Cup.Over the first 12 games, the average number of goals per match has been 3.66, partly because of the Netherlands' 5-1 blowout of Spain. But nine of the 12 other matches have seen three or four goals scored. The average number of goals per match in South Africa in 2010 was 2.27, and FIFA calculates that the average since 1930 has been 2.86.You have to go back to 1954 to find a World Cup with a higher average number of goals per match. That year's competition, in Switzerland, saw the humiliation of goalkeepers with an average of 5.38 goals per match, the highest ever.It's also unusual that there have been no draws yet this year. Every match has had a winner and a loser. Since group stages were introduced in 1950, one out of four group matches has ended in a draw, with nearly a third of them resulting in a draw in 2010. It also feels like there has been an unusual number of come-from-behind victories this year. Five of the 12 matches have seen the team that scored first go on to lose, if you count Brazil's own goal in the tournament's opening match against Croatia.It's hard to come by reliable data for how often teams come from behind to win in the World Cup, but it was very unusual in Euro 2012. The team that scored first in that contest went on to win more than 70% of the time, according to an article in the International Journal of Sports Science.World Cup Schedule of Matches | 5sport
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Story highlightsCameron Todd Willingham was executed in 2004 for killing his 3 childrenInnocence Project asks that prosecutor in 1992 case be investigatedEx-prosecutor: Allegations latest "tack" by death penalty opponents in caseJohn Jackson says he tried to protect informant after case, not coerce testimonyMore than a decade after his execution, Cameron Todd Willingham is still a pawn in the debate over the death penalty. Opponents of capital punishment say Willingham's is a clear case of an inmate being wrongfully executed, while the original prosecutor and state of Texas have been steadfast in their assertion that Willingham should be no one's cause célèbre."Willingham was a psychopathic killer who murdered his three children," John H. Jackson, the former Navarro County prosecutor who handled the case in 1992, wrote in an e-mail. "He submitted to a polygraph with predictable results, he confessed the murders to his wife, the trial evidence established two prior incidents when he tried to kill his children in utero by vicious attacks on his wife."Willingham was executed in February 2004 after being found guilty in an arson that killed his children, 2-year-old Amber and 1-year-old twins Karmon and Kameron. His family has fought to have his name cleared ever since.The Innocence Project filed a grievance Monday with the State Bar of Texas, asking that it investigate the now-retired prosecutor. The grievance alleges Jackson "fabricated and concealed evidence," including documents indicating that a jailhouse informant received special treatment in exchange for his testimony, which Jackson and the informant both claimed was not true during the original trial.A story in The Washington Post on Sunday, written by the Marshall Project, a journalistic group focusing on criminal justice matters, said Willingham's case is especially important to death penalty opponents because it could provide the first case showing "conclusively that an innocent man was put to death in the modern era of capital punishment."JUST WATCHED'Nathan deserves to face his maker'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'Nathan deserves to face his maker' 01:01JUST WATCHEDVictim's father: 'He deserves to die'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHVictim's father: 'He deserves to die' 01:12JUST WATCHEDPerry Mason moment in death penalty caseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPerry Mason moment in death penalty case 00:53JUST WATCHEDI did the crime...you're doin' the timeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHI did the crime...you're doin' the time 01:36The story points out that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, in upholding Kansas' death penalty in 2006, said opponents had failed to show a single case in which a convict was executed for a crime she or he didn't commit.Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Willingham had been involved in criminal activity since his teens and had been verbally and physically abusive with his family. Witnesses alleged that during the blaze, Willingham seemed more concerned with rescuing his car than his daughters. Appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, declined to stop Willingham's execution, yet in his final words, he claimed to be "an innocent man convicted of a crime I did not commit." Since his conviction, the science employed by investigators to determine that the fatal fire was an arson, as well as a post-conviction claim by his ex-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, that Willingham confessed to her, have been matters of debate.An alleged allianceThe Marshall Project story reports that informant Johnny Webb, whose testimony was integral to convicting Willingham, now says he lied on the witness stand in exchange for favors from Jackson. The story also alleges that correspondence between Jackson and Johnny Webb indicate the two were in cahoots. Jackson told CNN the letters are being misconstrued.In one letter, Webb writes that his testimony against Willingham resulted in retaliation from other inmates."Here, the state offered me certain benefits in exchange for my testimony, which resulted in sending a man to death row. This resulted in a murder contract being placed on my head. Because I kept my end of the promise, the state is bound to uphold theirs until my release from incarceration," Webb wrote to Jackson in 1996. Other documents cited in the Marshall Project report indicate Jackson worked to have the charges on which Webb was convicted reduced, to have Webb released early on a robbery conviction and to have him moved to a less dangerous prison. In a 1996 letter to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice official, Jackson wrote that Webb should be afforded an "out-of-sequence parole hearing" based on his cooperation in the Williingham case and the subsequent threats against him.Jackson wrote in closing that incarceration would not aid Webb's rehabilitation and would jeopardize the Willingham conviction. Thus, "Webb's cooperation in the murder prosecution without expectation of leniency should be accorded some consideration," he said.Webb was granted parole in 1998, but within months was back in jail on drug charges, which constituted a parole violation. In 2000, Webb said in a handwritten letter that he wished to recant his testimony. The Marshall Project alleges the note was never placed in Webb's file or disclosed to Willingham's attorneys. "I am given no other choice but to make this motion to recant testimony at this time," Webb wrote. "I was forced to testify against Mr. Willingham by the DA's office and other officials. I was made to lie. Mr. Willingham is innocent of all charges."'Patently untrue'Reached at his Corsicana, Texas, office, Jackson declined a chance to present his side of the allegations in a phone interview. Despite CNN messages left via phone and e-mail, he said he was "skeptical CNN wants to present my side of the story."CNN wasn't given a chance to ask Jackson specific questions about the allegations -- namely, reports that numerous fire investigators now say the original conviction was based on outdated arson science and a Marshall Project allegation that a wealthy businessman with connections to Jackson provided Webb money and favors.JUST WATCHED'Existing like an animal'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'Existing like an animal' 01:54JUST WATCHED'This can't be real'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'This can't be real' 01:49JUST WATCHED'What you're up against'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'What you're up against' 01:16JUST WATCHEDA love story on death rowReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA love story on death row 04:56Jackson did, however, provide a 250-word response to some of the allegations against him. "The new tack is that I promised the jailhouse witness Webb leniency if he would testify that Willingham confessed," Jackson wrote. "This is patently untrue and I interviewed Webb before others and very sincerely advised him that I could offer him nothing in return for his testimony."After "supposedly reputable journalists," whom Jackson didn't name, outed Webb as a snitch who had cooperated with authorities, the white supremacist gang, the Aryan Brotherhood, began threatening Webb. There were also efforts by Willingham's defense team and prison guards colluding with the Aryan Brotherhood to coerce Webb to recant, and a journalist even tried to bribe the informant, Jackson wrote. "AFTER (emphasis Jackson's) the Willingham trial I did everything in my power to prevent his being killed by the (Aryan Brotherhood)," he said. "Webb wrote letters warning that he would be forced to write a recantation because of death threats from the (Aryan Brotherhood) and their stooge prison guard, but that the recantation would be false."Jackson also alluded in his e-mail to Willingham's ex-wife's claim that Willingham confessed to her before his execution. Indeed, in 2010, responding to the Willingham family's push to have her former husband's name cleared, Stacy Kuykendall told reporters gathered at an Austin courthouse that Willingham admitted setting the blaze. "Todd murdered Amber, Karmon and Kameron. He burnt them," she said. "He admitted he burnt them to me, and he was convicted for his crime. That is the closest to justice that my daughters will ever get." She would later tell the Chicago Tribune and The New Yorker magazine that Willingham made no such confession to her, according to their reports. Arson or no arson...In his e-mail to CNN, Jackson did not address the arson science used in the investigation, but he wrote in a 2009 guest column for the Corsicana Daily Sun that there was sufficient evidence of Willingham's guilt without the problematic findings in the arson report. "The Willingham trial has become a sort of cause celebre by anti-death penalty proponents because it seems to be an example of outmoded scientific techniques which led to a miscarriage of justice," he said. "In fact, the trial testimony (the newspaper) reported in 1991 contains overwhelming evidence of guilt completely independent of the undeniably flawed forensic report."He pointed to seven factors that he said helped establish Willingham's guilt, including his violent past, evidence showing someone had blocked the door's back home with a refrigerator, the "superficial" nature of Willingham's burns and an analysis suggesting Willingham hadn't inhaled excessive smoke, as he claimed, during his rescue attempt.Little seems certain in Willingham's case, outside the fact that death penalty opponents and proponents staunchly disagree over his guilt. Disagreement has been a mark of the case, as Willingham's own defense attorney told CNN in 2009 that he thought his client was guilty, while one of the jurors who convicted him expressed doubts.Texas Gov. Rick Perry has defended his decision not to stay Willingham's execution, calling him a "monster." Meanwhile, Innocence Project Co-Director Barry Scheck said in the Monday news release that not only should the verdict be called into question, but so should the man who prosecuted Willingham."We are asking the State Bar of Texas to investigate and prosecute this matter, which we believe is of profound importance to all citizens in this country. Whether one supports or opposes the death penalty, the execution of an innocent man is, as Justice (Sandra Day) O'Connor has said, a 'constitutionally intolerable event,'" Scheck said. Jackson has seen his case under fire before, and he stands by the verdict today, just as he did when it was handed down in 1992 and when he penned his guest commentary for the local paper in 2009."While anti-death-penalty advocates can muster some remarkably good arguments, Todd Willingham should not be anyone's poster child," he wrote then. | 3news
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Story highlightsDefending champion Andy Murray of Scotland is out of the U.S. OpenSwiss Stanislas Wawrinka beats the Briton 6-4 6-3 6-2 in New YorkThe world No. 10 faces Novak Djokovic in his first grand slam semi finalDjokovic lost his first set of the tournament but still downed Mikhail YouzhnyPractice made perfect for Stanislas Wawrinka at the U.S. Open.The Swiss used all his nous to dump his occasional practice partner Andy Murray out of the final grand slam of the season in stunning style.The world No. 10 ended the defending champion's run in New York 6-4 6-3 6-2 to reach the first grand slam semifinal of his career. He will face world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the last four Saturday. "It feels amazing," Wawrinka said on court after the match. "The defending champion is a tough opponent and I'm really happy."It was a crazy match for me."Wawrinka had said of his Scottish pal in the build up to the match: "I know his game, he knows my game and at the end of the day our match is completely different [from practice]."The 28-year-old Swiss guessed his chances of beating the Wimbledon champion would come down to confidence.JUST WATCHEDAndy Murray wins Wimbledon men's finalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAndy Murray wins Wimbledon men's final 01:53JUST WATCHEDSecret to beating tennis' big fourReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSecret to beating tennis' big four 05:40JUST WATCHEDTennis stars help Sandy victimsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTennis stars help Sandy victims 02:13Read: Murray wins WimbledonConfidence was exactly what Murray appeared to be lacking on a windy Arthur Ashe court.The Briton was attempting to defend a grand slam title for the first time and the nerves showed.It was on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows that the 26-year-old had claimed his first grand slam title in 2012 before ending Britain's wait for a homegrown Wimbledon champion in July.But Murray failed to find his rhythm and smashed his racquet to the ground, mashing its head in the process, when he lost a tight opening set.There were no more histrionics from the Wimbledon champion as Wawrinka steadily pressed Murray's weaknesses and fired down his fierce forehands to wrap up the match inside three sets."I thought he played great," said a downbeat Murray to reporters. "And that was the hardest part of the match."I made a few mistakes and for the most part I didn't create a break point chance."When it's breezy conditions everyone takes time to feel comfortable but I played poorly. I had a good run the last couple of years and it's a shame I had to play a bad match."Read: Federer crashes outWawrinka finds himself in a unique position of being the highest-ranked Swiss player left in the men's draw after Roger Federer -- a five-time winner in New York -- went out in the fourth round.While the higher-profile Swiss star continues to be mastered by his see sawing form, Wawrinka believes he is in the form of his life.He is eager to see how far his purple patch will take him after joining resurgent Frenchman Richard Gasquet and Spanish favorite Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.JUST WATCHEDDjokovic: 'My dreams came true'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDjokovic: 'My dreams came true' 00:43JUST WATCHEDDjokovic beats Federer in ATP finalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDjokovic beats Federer in ATP final 02:20JUST WATCHEDWho will taste Wimbledon glory?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWho will taste Wimbledon glory? 03:02Djokovic lost his first set of the tournament but still defeated flashy Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-0 in a match closer than the score indicated. Djokovic made 45 unforced errors and Youzhny went 0-for-6 on break points in the opening two sets. "It was important to get the early break in the fourth," the world No. 1 told reporters. "I really felt a big relief and just went for my shots and played great."The fans in New York would take a repeat of Djokovic's encounter against Wawrinka at the Australian Open in January. It was one of the matches of the year, as Djokovic rallied to prevail in five sets and five hours. In the women's semifinals Friday, defending champion Serena Williams meets Li Na and Victoria Azarenka battles surprise package Flavia Pennetta. | 5sport
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Story highlightsThe pro-Russia rebels are concentrated in the eastern regions of Donetsk and LuhanskThe leader of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic is Alexander BorodaiAnalysts say he is rumored to be a senior Russian intelligence officerThe rebels have denied any involvement in bringing down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17The horrifying crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 has put the pro-Russia rebels operating in Ukraine's eastern regions center stage -- and raised all kinds of questions about who they are, what they want and who's in charge.U.S. and other officials have said it appears the plane was shot down by a sophisticated surface-to-air missile located within rebel-held territory. The rebels have repeatedly denied responsibility and instead point the finger at Ukraine's armed forces.Where are the rebels?JUST WATCHEDMcCain: Putin 'getting away with murder'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMcCain: Putin 'getting away with murder' 01:59The rebels are pro-Russia militants concentrated in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, with the industrial city of Donetsk a particular stronghold.JUST WATCHEDMH17: Tragedy, blame and heartacheReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMH17: Tragedy, blame and heartache 02:22JUST WATCHEDRussia: 'It wasn't our missiles'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRussia: 'It wasn't our missiles' 02:19JUST WATCHEDRussia's MH17 propaganda warReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRussia's MH17 propaganda war 02:54JUST WATCHEDRebel leader: I invite international helpReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRebel leader: I invite international help 04:58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in Ukraine Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineDebris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 sits in a field at the crash site in Hrabove, Ukraine, on September 9, 2014. The Boeing 777 was shot down July 17, 2014, over Ukrainian territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists. All 298 people on board were killed. In an October 2015 report, Dutch investigators found the flight was shot down by a warhead that fit a Buk rocket, referring to Russian technology, Dutch Safety Board Chairman Tjibbe Joustra said.Hide Caption 1 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineAustralian and Dutch experts examine the area of the crash on August 3, 2014.Hide Caption 2 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA woman walks with her bicycle near the crash site on August 2, 2014.Hide Caption 3 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePolice secure a refrigerated train loaded with bodies of passengers from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 as it arrives in a Kharkiv, Ukraine, factory on July 22, 2014. Hide Caption 4 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA pro-Russian rebel passes wreckage from the crashed jet near Hrabove on Monday, July 21, 2014.Hide Caption 5 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in Ukraine – Wreckage from the jet lies in grass near Hrabove on July 21, 2014.Hide Caption 6 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man covers his face with a rag as members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Dutch National Forensic Investigations Team inspect bodies in a refrigerated train near the crash site in eastern Ukraine on July 21, 2014.Hide Caption 7 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineEmergency workers carry a victim's body in a bag at the crash site on July 21, 2014.Hide Caption 8 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA piece of the plane lies in the grass in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 21, 2014.Hide Caption 9 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineAn armed pro-Russian rebel stands guard next to a refrigerated train loaded with bodies in Torez, Ukraine, on Sunday, July 20, 2014.Hide Caption 10 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineUkrainian State Emergency Service employees sort through debris on July 20, 2014, as they work to locate the deceased.Hide Caption 11 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA woman covers her mouth with a piece of fabric July 20, 2014, to ward off smells from railway cars that reportedly contained passengers' bodies.Hide Caption 12 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineToys and flowers sit on the charred fuselage of the jet as a memorial on July 20, 2014.Hide Caption 13 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePeople search a wheat field for remains in the area of the crash site on July 20, 2014. Hide Caption 14 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA woman walks among charred debris at the crash site on July 20, 2014.Hide Caption 15 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineEmergency workers load the body of a victim onto a truck at the crash site on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Hide Caption 16 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineEmergency workers carry the body of a victim at the crash site on July 19, 2014. Hide Caption 17 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA large piece of the main cabin is under guard at the crash site on July 19, 2014. Hide Caption 18 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineVictims' bodies are placed by the side of the road on July 19, 2014, as recovery efforts continue at the crash site. International officials lament the lack of a secured perimeter.Hide Caption 19 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man looks through the debris at the crash site on July 19, 2014. Hide Caption 20 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineAn envelope bearing the Malaysia Airlines logo is seen at the crash site on July 19, 2014. Hide Caption 21 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineArmed rebels walk past large pieces of the Boeing 777 on July 19, 2014. Hide Caption 22 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineUkrainian rescue workers walk through a wheat field with a stretcher as they collect the bodies of victims on July 19, 2014.Hide Caption 23 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA woman looks at wreckage on July 19, 2014.Hide Caption 24 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePro-Russian rebels stand guard as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe delegation arrives at the crash site on Friday, July 18, 2014. Hide Caption 25 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA woman walks through the debris field on July 18, 2014. Hide Caption 26 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePro-Russian rebels stand guard at the crash site.Hide Caption 27 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineWreckage from Flight 17 lies in a field in Shaktarsk, Ukraine, on July 18, 2014.Hide Caption 28 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man covers a body with a plastic sheet near the crash site on July 18, 2014. The passengers and crew hailed from all over the world, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany and Canada. Hide Caption 29 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA diver searches for the jet's flight data recorders on July 18, 2014.Hide Caption 30 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineCoal miners search the crash site.Hide Caption 31 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineWreckage from the Boeing 777 lies on the ground July 18, 2014.Hide Caption 32 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePeople search for bodies of passengers on July 18, 2014. Hide Caption 33 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA woman walks past a body covered with a plastic sheet near the crash site July 18, 2014.Hide Caption 34 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineBelongings of passengers lie in the grass on July 18, 2014.Hide Caption 35 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePeople inspect the crash site on Thursday, July 17, 2014.Hide Caption 36 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePeople walk amid the debris at the site of the crash.Hide Caption 37 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in Ukraine Debris smoulders in a field near the Russian border. Hide Caption 38 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineFire engines arrive at the crash site.Hide Caption 39 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man stands next to wreckage.Hide Caption 40 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineDebris from the crashed jet lies in a field in Ukraine.Hide Caption 41 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineFamily members of those aboard Flight 17 leave Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam, Netherlands.Hide Caption 42 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA large piece of the plane lies on the ground.Hide Caption 43 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineLuggage from the flight sits in a field at the crash site.Hide Caption 44 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA couple walks to the location at Schiphol Airport where more information would be given regarding the flight.Hide Caption 45 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineFlight arrivals are listed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia.Hide Caption 46 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineDebris from the Boeing 777, pictured on July 17, 2014.Hide Caption 47 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man inspects debris from the plane.Hide Caption 48 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineWreckage from the plane is seen on July 17, 2014.Hide Caption 49 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man talks with security at Schiphol Airport on July 17, 2014.Hide Caption 50 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineWreckage burns in Ukraine.Hide Caption 51 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA man stands next to the wreckage of the airliner.Hide Caption 52 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePeople inspect a piece of wreckage believed to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. This image was posted to Twitter.Hide Caption 53 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkrainePeople inspect a piece of wreckage believed to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. This image was posted to Twitter.Hide Caption 54 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA piece of wreckage believed to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. This image was posted to Twitter.Hide Caption 55 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA piece of wreckage believed to be from MH17. This image was posted to Twitter.Hide Caption 56 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineAn airsickness bag believed to be from MH17. This image was posted to Twitter.Hide Caption 57 of 58 Photos: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashes in UkraineA piece of wreckage believed to be from MH17. This image was posted to Twitter.Hide Caption 58 of 58Recent gains by Ukrainian armed forces have seen the territory controlled by the rebels contract. But the rural area where MH17 crashed to earth July 17 remains under the rebels' sway.The various rebel groups operating across the region do not appear to have a strong central command. When did they first appear on the scene?After popular protests toppled Ukraine's pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych from power in February, pro-Russia rebels first appeared in Ukraine's Crimea region, where they seized key infrastructure. The region was subsequently annexed by Russia.Unrest then broke out in eastern Ukraine, a heartland of support for Yanukovych, where many people speak Russian and feel closer ties to Moscow than to Kiev.Rebel leaders in Luhansk and Donetsk seized key government buildings and declared themselves the heads of the People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. In May, a referendum was held in each region on secession from Ukraine.Who are the main rebel leaders?Alexander Borodai, a Russian citizen, was appointed prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic and has been a prominent public face for the rebels.He's the rebel leader who after speaking with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak agreed that the plane's flight data recorders would be handed over.According to Andrew Kuchins, a Russia expert at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, there are rumors Borodai is a Russian intelligence officer who has reached the rank of general in the FSB, the successor to the KGB."Borodai himself has denied (the rumors), but I would say that given his trips back and forth to Moscow, he has certainly been consulting with parts of Russian intelligence over the past couple of months," he said. In an interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo, Borodai denied any responsibility for the downing of MH17.Another name that crops up frequently is that of Igor Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, the self-proclaimed defense minister for the people's republic. JUST WATCHEDUkrainian President compares MH17 to 9/11ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUkrainian President compares MH17 to 9/11 03:05JUST WATCHEDBodies of MH17 victims arrive in KharkivReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBodies of MH17 victims arrive in Kharkiv 02:04According to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Strelkov on July 17 "posted a social media report bragging about the shoot-down of a transport plane -- at which point when it became clear it was civilian, they pulled down that particular report."Also a Russian, Strelkov was a military commander in the rebel redoubt of Slovyansk before it was retaken by Ukrainian forces, later reappearing in Donetsk city. He was also present in Crimea at the time of its annexation. Added to an EU sanctions list in April, he was described as being on the staff of the Russian military's main Intelligence Directorate.What is the rebels' response to the claim they shot down MH17?After three months or more of bitter fighting against the Ukrainian authorities, the rebels are disinclined to believe anything they hear from Kiev or the West, says freelance journalist Noah Sneider in Ukraine. They deny shooting down MH17 and many instead claim it is a provocation conjured up by the Ukrainian authorities in Kiev, he said. Many of them claim they don't have the equipment to have hit the plane. "Anything that's released by the current authorities in Kiev is seen in rebel eyes as fabricated, as intended to -- essentially to draw NATO into Ukraine," Sneider said.Asked about the growing weight of evidence gathered by Washington and Kiev, such as social media postings and phone intercepts, Borodai told CNN it was fake."It is very simple to disprove it. All of the information that comes through the Internet, in my opinion, is practically all lies," he said.Would the rebels have been able to shoot down the plane?Russia denies claims by Kiev and the West that it has provided training, heavy weaponry and logistical support to the rebels. It also dismisses any direct involvement of Russian forces in Ukraine. In recent weeks, rebel forces have brought down a number of Ukrainian military aircraft in the eastern regions, including two Antonov AN-26 transport planes, several Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, an Su-25 fighter jet and an Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane.However, Ukrainian and U.S. officials believe Russian expertise would have been needed to operate the SA-11, or Buk, antiaircraft system that seems increasingly likely to have been used to shoot down MH17.Vitaly Nayda, Ukraine's director of informational security, told CNN that he is certain a Russian officer personally pushed the button to shoot down the plane.CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, who has reported extensively from Ukraine and met many of the rebel fighters, said it was hard to say if any of them had the specialist training needed to operate the Buk system. Photos: MH17: What they left behind Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A birthday card found in a sunflower field near the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in eastern Ukraine, on Thursday, July 24. The passenger plane was shot down July 17 above Ukraine. All 298 people aboard were killed, and much of what they left behind was scattered in a vast field of debris.Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A classical music record is seen among the sunflowers on July 24. Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A shoe, appearing to be brand new, sits under foliage at the crash site. Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Two Dutch passports belonging to passengers lie in a field at the site of the crash on Tuesday, July 22.Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Clothing, sunglasses and chocolate are seen on July 22.Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – More sunglasses and a travel guide lie in the field on July 22.Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A doll is seen on the ground on Saturday, July 19.Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A single shoe is seen among the debris and wreckage on July 19. There has been concern that the site has not been sealed off properly and that vital evidence is being tampered with. Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Pieces of a wristwatch lie on a plastic cover at the crash site. Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A toy monkey.Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Books, bags, a tourist T-shirt. Ukraine's government said it had received reports of looting, and it urged relatives to cancel the victims' credit cards. But a CNN crew at the scene July 19 said it did not see any signs of looting.Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Passports were scattered across the large field.Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Playing cards and euros are seen at the crash site.Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – A travel guide and toiletries.Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – Luggage on Friday, July 18.Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: MH17: What they left behindMH17: What they left behind – An empty suitcase is cordoned off near the plane's impact site on Thursday, July 17.Hide Caption 16 of 16JUST WATCHEDRemembering the victims of MH17ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRemembering the victims of MH17 01:11JUST WATCHEDOfficials: 282 bodies left crash siteReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHOfficials: 282 bodies left crash site 03:04"The people we've met, the militia, they're ragtag, a lot of them have old military experience, and that's mostly ground, street-to-street fighting, rather than the technological stuff you need to know to run something like that."A lot of heavy weaponry has flooded in during the past few weeks, said Paton Walsh. "But the majority of video you see of separatist armor and weapons, lighter artillery, even Grad rocket launchers sometimes, are nothing of the scale of the Buk."What weapons do the rebels have?The military aircraft brought down by the rebels were flying at relatively low altitudes and were for the most part brought down by shoulder-launched SA-7 missiles and ZU 23-2 anti-aircraft guns. Such weapons were seized when pro-Russian rebels took control of several Ukrainian military depots and bases.But those weapons are a world away from the Buk system, effective at a higher altitude, at which the Malaysia Airlines plane was flying. Peter Felstead, an expert on former Soviet military hardware at IHS Jane's, says that "the Buk is in both the Russian and Ukrainian inventories, but it's unclear whether the one suspected in the shoot-down was taken by rebels when they overran a Ukrainian base, or was supplied by Russia."Video posted by Ukraine's Interior Ministry on its Facebook page shows a Buk system, according to the Ukrainian officials, heading toward Russia, with one missile missing.Borodai told CNN that the rebels had never been in control of a single Buk missile system.What does Russia say?Russia insists it has no direct influence over the separatists. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also been consistent in his denials of any Russian involvement in the bringing down of MH17."No one should have the right to use this tragedy to achieve selfish political objectives," he said.Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia wanted to see an objective, open and independent investigation, adding that Ukraine must take the initiative since the tragedy occurred on its territory."With regard to the claims raised by Kiev, that it was almost us who did it: in fact I haven't heard any truthful statements from Kiev over the past few months," he told state TV channel Russia 24.Russian state media reports have sought to suggest that Ukraine's own armed forces may have been involved in bringing down MH17.Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, also blamed Ukraine for the crash in remarks Monday. But when asked about audio recordings of purported pro-Russia separatists talking about shooting down a plane, he suggested that if they did, it was an accident."According to them, the people from the east were saying that they shot down a military jet," he said. "If they think they shot down a military jet, it was confusion. If it was confusion, it was not an act of terrorism."READ: How Ukraine's rebels built up an arsenalREAD: Malaysia Airlines Flight 17: Five unanswered questionsREAD: Alleged phone call: 'We have just shot down a plane' | 3news
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Story highlightsFormer IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn: 'What happens in a [hotel] room is a private thing'Strauss-Kahn speaks to CNN's Richard Quest in first English-language interview since leaving IMFThe economist says he's helping underdeveloped countriesDespite his brushes with the law involving allegations of sexual assault and prostitution, Dominique Strauss-Kahn insisted in a CNN interview that he doesn't "have any kind of problem with women."The former head of the International Monetary Fund, once considered a likely candidate for the French presidency, talked to CNN's Richard Quest in his first English-language interview since resigning in 2011 after being charged with sexually assaulting a New York City maid. All sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn related to the maid were dismissed at the request of the prosecutor.Quest asked what Strauss-Kahn thought about some who perceive the economist as viewing women as "sexual objects.""No, I don't actually," Strauss-Kahn replied. "I don't think so. I don't think I have any kind of problem with women. I have a problem with understanding what is expected from politicians of highest level. It's different from what [a] Mr. and Miss in the street [can do]."Quest asked the economist straight out: "What were you thinking that day in New York?""Firstly, I don't remember it exactly," he replied.JUST WATCHEDStrauss-Kahn still angry over perp walkReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHStrauss-Kahn still angry over perp walk 01:03JUST WATCHEDStrauss-Kahn: European banking is 'sick'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHStrauss-Kahn: European banking is 'sick' 01:07JUST WATCHEDCan politicians move on from scandal?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan politicians move on from scandal? 04:37JUST WATCHED2011: Strauss-Kahn: My 'moral weakness'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2011: Strauss-Kahn: My 'moral weakness' 02:33He went on to say, "I wasn't thinking anything. It happened, something happened, which is a private thing and I still say what happens in a room is a private thing unless the prosecutors find something to tell you that you are going to be charged for something and they have proof of that..."The maid, Nafissatou Diallo, told police that she was cleaning when Strauss-Kahn emerged nude from a room in his luxury suite at the Sofitel hotel. She claimed that he tried to force himself on her, dragged her into the bathroom and tried to pull off her underwear. On May 14, 2011, the economist, once widely predicted to become France's Socialist presidential candidate, was escorted off an Air France flight headed to Paris and taken to a Manhattan police station for questioning about the alleged sexual assault.Strauss-Kahn was charged with attempted rape and imprisonment of the hotel employee, denied bail and transferred to New York's Rikers Island jail. Within days, he resigned his $500,000 job and was indicted on seven counts -- two counts of a criminal sexual act; two counts of sexual abuse and once count each of attempted rape, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.After satisfying a $1 million bail and $5 million bond, Strauss-Kahn got home confinement and had to surrender his travel documents. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. By the end of the summer, prosecutors had disclosed that the maid admitting lying about certain details, the maid had filed a civil suit against Strauss-Kahn and all charges against the ex-IMF head had been dismissed. Strauss-Kahn, often referred to as DSK, left the United States for France.More than a year later, in December 2012, Strauss-Kahn reached a settlement with the maid, the terms of which were not released. Quest asked Strauss-Kahn why he settled with the maid. He explained that he felt he would have to pay more money in legal fees fighting it. He opted to "pay and go on with my life," he said.But there have been numerous allegations against Strauss-Kahn. While the case involving the maid was playing out, French journalist Tristane Banon filed a complaint against Strauss-Kahn alleging attempted rape. Strauss-Kahn filed a counterclaim against Banon for "false declarations."And the following year, in February 2012, French police questioned Strauss-Kahn about an alleged prostitution ring possibly operated out of luxury hotels. In May 2012, a French investigation into Strauss-Kahn's alleged involvement in a prostitution ring widened, and authorities said police would open a preliminary inquiry into acts that allegedly took place in Washington in December 2010, which they believed could constitute gang rape.But in October, a French prosecutor dropped the investigation connecting Strauss-Kahn to the alleged Washington incident. The testimony on which the investigation was based was withdrawn and the woman declined to press charges.Strauss-Kahn also told Quest that he felt he was treated poorly by police in New York."I think it's a terrible thing, frankly," he said. "The problem is, it's a moment where in all European, American society you're supposed to be innocent, you're supposed to be innocent until you're convicted."Strauss-Kahn's arraignment was televised and clips played on U.S. and international networks. "Perp walks," in which defendants -- accompanied by police -- walk in front of photographers handcuffed, are standard fare in America.Underscoring the cultural differences between France and the United States, many French recoiled from images of Strauss-Kahn being paraded before the news media in handcuffs and in court -- photographs that would be prohibited under French law to protect the presumption of innocence.Strauss-Kahn: A reputation battered by sex allegationsSo, after all that, would Strauss-Kahn still consider running for the presidency of France? No, he answered. He said that sometimes he gives advice -- and sometimes he does so for free -- to underdeveloped countries.Strauss-Kahn said he thinks France's current president, Francois Hollande, is "doing his best." He spoke at length about the European economic situation. He criticized leaders for not dealing with a downturn when it first developed."What the Europeans tried to do was to buy time, for political reasons, not to admit the losses so they were unable," he said. "Still now they are unable to have a plan for the future. They just try to buy another six months and another six months and that's a catastrophe because the cost today is much higher than the cost -- what would have been the cost two or three years ago."Quest asked Strauss-Kahn whether he's frustrated that he's not part of the discussion to find a solution to the problem."No, it's my fault," he replied.The economist reflected on work he says he's done internationally, including some work he says he's recently done in South Sudan."I spent all my life trying to help my people in France to have a better life," he said. "It appears to me while I was working that I could do this at the global level. Again, I must be humble."He said of his work in South Sudan: "I'm doing it totally for free because I want to help them. I'm happy to see the government of South Sudan tell me, 'Come to us and help us, We need you.'""That's much more rewarding than any kind of election in any country. People looking at you and say[ing] 'We need you.'" | 3news
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Story highlights"Marathon men" John Isner and Nicolas Mahut have forged close friendship Their first round match at Wimbledon in 2010 is the longest in tennis historyBy the end of their 11-hour match they'd become famous the world overIsner speaks regularly to Mahut who he calls one of the "classiest guys on tour"You'd think John Isner and Nicolas Mahut would be sick of the sight of each other.But from the ashes of their record-breaking marathon match at Wimbledon in 2010 -- officially the longest in tennis history -- an enduring "bromance" has blossomed.It had to, after the pair walked on court for a low-key first-round match in the men's singles draw, limping off three days later after 11 hours of tennis, battered, bruised, fatigued, but lauded as heroes the world over.Even if either should go on to win a glut of major titles in their respective careers, it is entirely possible they will still forever be known for "the marathon match."Read: U.S. grand slam drought: Is the NFL killing American tennis?Far from resenting the attention their epic encounter brought them, the pair are firm friends; not surprising, given they are the only players on the planet to know just how much that eight-hour final set, which ended 70-68 in Isner's favour, can take from you.JUST WATCHEDIsner eyes future grand slamReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIsner eyes future grand slam 04:24JUST WATCHEDThe drought in U.S. men's tennisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe drought in U.S. men's tennis 03:34JUST WATCHEDSloane Stephens hoping for patienceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSloane Stephens hoping for patience 03:06"I'm actually really close with him," Isner told CNN's Open Court."Prior to that match, I knew him but it seemed in passing, I'd give him a head nod, nothing more than that but from that match, I've realized that he is one of the nicest, classiest guys on tour. "He actually is a really good friend of mine. We keep in touch all the time so we developed a friendship from that match, obviously sharing a court for three days."Isner is now officially the highest ranked American in the world following Andy Roddick's retirement, but try as he might to move on from the marathon match it is almost always top of the list when tennis fans approach him. So what was it like to be involved in an episode that transfixed the world?"Yeah, it was crazy. I don't think people will remember the fact that I won that match. I think it would be more the fact that we played it ... Nicolas Mahut, he was a warrior that day," Isner said."I do hear it all the time, it's something that's going to stick with me forever but I've feel like I've done some things out of that match. I've broken the top 10. "I had a few marquee wins under my belt so I've done some good things to try to shed that label but it's up to me to keep doing more."Many expected a tight encounter, given the serving prowess of both players and Isner won that battle too, firing down 112 aces compared to Mahut's 103.For a player who stands at 6 foot 9 inches, Isner's serve is undoubtedly the most powerful weapon in his armory. When it fires, few in the world can live with him, even in this golden age of Federer, Murray, Djokovic and Nadal.He has five ATP Tour titles to his name, winning twice at the Newport and Winston-Salem events. Last weekend he competed at Indian Wells, where in 2012 he saw off world No. 1 Novak Djokovic before losing to Roger Federer in the final. On Saturday he was beaten in his opening match by Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt."If I can get that opportunity where I can play those guys ranked in the top five of the world, that's when I usually see myself raise my game," Isner explains."I like playing on those big stages and I think that's one of the main reasons why I beat Federer, I beat Djokovic and I almost beat Rafa at the French Open of all places. That's why you play this game -- to get a crack at those guys, try to take it to them."Outside of my serve, I think my forehand is my best shot," he added. "It's no secret. My game isn't rocket science. The more aggressive I am, the better my results are going to be. "I have to be really aggressive with my forehand. Something that I'm constantly working on. I need to return better. If I can do that, I'll see a lot more success but my serve is my weapon and that's something that I rely on all the time."JUST WATCHEDRising star inspired by SamprasReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRising star inspired by Sampras 02:22JUST WATCHEDHow Novak Djokovic stays on topReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow Novak Djokovic stays on top 06:13JUST WATCHEDMcEnroe: Sean Penn would play me in filmReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMcEnroe: Sean Penn would play me in film 02:04But while that towering frame benefits his imposing serve, it can also hinder his movement around the court. No surprise then, that Isner invests a huge amount of training time on improving his on-court coverage."I'm always trying to work on my weaknesses which in the main part is my movement. I can improve that aspect.," he said."If I can improve my movement just a little bit, my game will improve a lot so other than that, my height certainly helps me with my serve first and foremost but it's also a bit of a detriment when it comes to moving around the court.""The game is pretty physical today where you see these guys running down balls. You can't hit a winner on some of these guys but for me, that's not the case."Isner may have found it difficult to shake off the "marathon man" tag but there are some other things that have stuck with him by his own choosing -- like his love for wrestling.The spectacle of World Wrestling Entertainment may not be to everyone's tastes but Isner and his friends still gather round to watch it every week."Although it is scripted, I do have great respect for these guys. A lot of guys make fun of me but these guys are actually putting their bodies on the line," he said."Growing up in North California, me and all my friends, it was pretty sad but our weeks revolved around a Monday night. "Monday night wrestle would come on and we'd all huddle up and pay per views would come on and I'd get 10 of my friends to come over -- $5 each, so we could pay the $50 to watch the pay per view."It's something that I've always liked and I haven't grown out of it either. You know, at 27 at 6 ft 10 ins, I haven't grown out of that stage so for me, it's something I do to pass time on Monday nights." | 5sport
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London (CNN)Two previously unseen photos from Princess Diana's personal family album have been released, ahead of the 20-year anniversary of her death.Kensington Palace posted the photos, showing young princes William and Harry, to its official Twitter account . It released three other photos on Sunday.In one shot a young Prince William and Harry stand dressed in police costumes, complete with helmets.Princes William and Harry dress in UK police uniforms.In another image, taken by Prince William, Princess Diana holds a baby Prince Harry in her arms as she sits on board the Royal Yacht Brittania, Queen Elizabeth II's former yacht. The album features in a new documentary, due to air Monday, produced by HBO and Britain's ITV, that examines Princess Diana's relationship with her sons. The documentary "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy," celebrates the life and work of Princess Diana, 20 years after her death, according to a press release by ITV.Read MoreThe princes are filmed looking through the album and discussing the sense of fun Princess Diana brought to their lives. Prince Harry said Diana was a "kid through and through.""When everybody says to me, you know, so she was fun, give us an example ... all I can hear is her laugh in my head. And that sort of crazy laugh of where there was just pure happiness shown on her face." | 3news
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(CNN)Singer Traci Braxton, who appeared on the reality series "Braxton Family Values" with her sisters, including Grammy-winner Toni, died Saturday at 50, her family said."We have come to a time where we must inform the public that after a year of privately undergoing a series of treatment for Esophageal cancer, our beloved Traci Braxton has gone on to glory," her husband Kevin Surratt said in a written statement released by Braxton's spokesperson Thomasina Perkins-Washington."She was surrounded by family and friends at the time of her passing. We ask that you keep them in your prayers," Perkins-Washington's statement said.Toni Braxton posted a tribute on Instagram, saying her sister Traci "was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Toni Braxton (@tonibraxton)
"Braxton Family Values" began in 2011 on WE tv. Traci Braxton also appeared on "Marriage Boot Camp" with her husband, Kevin Surratt.Read MoreTraci Braxton released an album in 2014, "Crash & Burn," and had a hit single, "Last Call." She also had a radio show and acted on stage and in movies."Traci Braxton has been in the lives of TV viewers for years and will always be part of the WE tv family," WE tv said Saturday. "Gone far too soon, we celebrate her life and memory and send our heartfelt condolences to the entire Braxton family during this difficult time. Her light and spirit live on."CNN's Lisa Respers France and Keith Allen contributed to this report. | 1entertainment
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Story highlightsWhen Michigan officials switched water sources for Flint, it introduced iron and lead into the water supplyA class-action lawsuit alleges lead poisoning and some have called for Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign (CNN)Flint, Michigan, lies about 70 miles from the shores of the largest group of fresh water bodies in the world: the Great Lakes. Yet its residents can't get clean water from their taps. A city employee flushes out a hydrant.JUST WATCHEDFEMA aiding in toxic water crisisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFEMA aiding in toxic water crisis 03:15Nearly two years ago, the state decided to save money by switching Flint's water supply from Lake Huron (which they were paying the city of Detroit for), to the Flint River, a notorious tributary that runs through town known to locals for its filth. "We thought it was a joke," said Rhonda Kelso, a long-time Flint resident. "People my age and older, thought 'They're not going to do that.' "The switch was made during a financial state of emergency for the ever-struggling industrial town. It was supposed to be temporary while a new state-run supply line to Lake Huron was ready for connection. The project was estimated to take about two years.What's in the water?Read MoreSoon after the switch, the water started to look, smell and taste funny. Residents said it often looked dirty.Rhonda Kelso and her daughter"The water would come in brown and my daughter was like 'Mom ... why is the water brown?' " Kelso thought it was sewage, but it was actually iron. The Flint River is highly corrosive: 19 times more so than the Lake Huron supply, according to researchers from Virginia Tech.According to a class-action lawsuit, the state Department of Environmental Quality wasn't treating the Flint River water with an anti-corrosive agent, in violation of federal law. Therefore, the water was eroding the iron water mains, turning water brown.But what residents couldn't see was far worse. About half of the service lines to homes in Flint are made of lead and because the water wasn't properly treated, lead began leaching into the water supply, in addition to the iron.This had been the status quo for nearly two years, and until September, city and state officials told worried residents that everything was fine. Former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling even drank it on local TV to make the point.The city is now issuing bottled water to Flint residents.But in August, a group of skeptical researchers from Virginia Tech came up and did in-home testing and found elevated levels of lead in the drinking water and made those findings public. State officials insisted their own research was more accurate."You're paying for poison. I'm paying for water that's a toxic waste," Kelso said. She and her daughter and four other families are now part of a class-action lawsuit that alleges not only lead poisoning but several medical conditions resulting from contaminated water after the switch. CNN sought responses from all the defendants, and many did not respond. Later it became publicly known that federal law had not been followed. A 2011 study on the Flint River found it would have to be treated with an anti-corrosive agent for it to be considered as a safe source for drinking water.Adding that agent would have cost about $100 a day, and experts say 90% of the problems with Flint's water would have been avoided.But Flint residents say they were kept in the dark for 18 months until a local doctor took things into her own hands. The hero doctorDr. Mona Hanna-AttishaIn the pediatric ward of Flint's Hurley Medical Center, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha was seeing more and more worried parents fretting over rashes and hair loss. No one believed state and local officials when they said that this icky brown water was safe. Hanna-Attisha, an animated and passionate young pediatrician with horn-rimmed glasses who everyone calls Dr. Mona, realized there was a way to determine whether the water was affecting kids. Medicare requires states to keep records of blood lead levels in toddlers. The comparison was astonishing. Lead levels doubled and even tripled in some cases."When (my research team and I) saw that it was getting into children and when we knew the consequences, that's when I think we began not to sleep," Hanna-Attisha said.At first, the state publicly denounced her work, saying she was causing near hysteria. They spent a week attacking her before reversing their narrative and admitting she was right.Mayor Karen Weaver"Their information wasn't flawed. They had the data, but they were being told by the DEQ that there wasn't a problem, they just dismissed it," said Hanna-Attisha and confirmed by the state-appointed task force. "There was almost like blinders on," she added. CNN contacted DEQ's former director, Dan Wyant, who made the decision and later resigned over the issue. He did not respond. Just a few weeks later, in October, the city reverted to using Detroit's Lake Huron water supply, but the damage was done to the lead pipes.Even with properly treated water flowing in, Virginia Tech researchers still detected lead levels -- albeit lower ones -- in water in Flint homes.The state is now handing out filters and bottled water. "You know, I never thought this was something that we would be begging for, crying for ... clean, affordable water," said Flint Mayor Karen Weaver. Flint's woes began before the water, but it's all relatedThe past three decades have been rough for Flint. Like many blue-collar Michigan towns, it was fueled by the auto industry. General Motors plants kept it afloat for much of its prosperous history. But in the 1980s and 1990s, those plants began to close their doors, and when the jobs left, so did many of the people. A steady decline in population has been matched by a steady rise in violent crime. It's consistently ranked among the most dangerous cities in America. According to local officials, about 40% of residents are below the poverty rate. Fifteen percent of homes are boarded up and abandoned. Weaver says the city of 100,000 doesn't even have a grocery store. And now its residents don't have clean water either.JUST WATCHEDHigh levels of lead found in Flint waterReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHigh levels of lead found in Flint water 01:01In 2011, Flint was declared to be in a financial state of emergency, and the state took budgetary control. Therefore, all the decisions made during the water crisis were at the state level, which state officials confirmed, not by the City Council or the mayor. "When the governor appointed an emergency financial manager (in 2011), that person came here ... to simply do one thing and one thing only, and that's cut the budget, at any cost," said Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee.Kildee said the water crisis is indicative of an attitude about industrial towns such as Flint that have seen hard times in the past 30 years. They're often just forgotten, he said. "This case shows that you can't treat cities the way you treat some corporation that you might just sort of sell off," Kildee said. Long-term health consequencesLead poisoning is irreversible. Pediatricians such as Hanna-Attisha fear the Flint children who tested with elevated levels will suffer lifelong consequences. "If you were to put something in a population to keep them down for generation and generations to come, it would be lead," Hanna-Attisha said. "It's a well-known, potent neurotoxin. There's tons of evidence on what lead does to a child, and it is one of the most damning things that you can do to a population. It drops your IQ, it affects your behavior, it's been linked to criminality, it has multigenerational impacts. There is no safe level of lead in a child."There are environmental actions that can help mitigate exposure such as proper nutrition and early childhood education. But that's made more difficult in a city with inadequate resources and without a grocery store."We need some money for infrastructure," said Weaver, who took office in November. "We've got to get all of these kids and all of these families the services they deserve because of what's happened."Who's to blame?A state-appointed task force preliminarily found that fault lies with the state DEQ, and on December 29, Wyant stepped down.Last week, three months after high lead levels were detected in Flint children, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency over the issue. Dan Wyant, the former quality director at Michigan's Department of Enviromental QualityThe U.S. Attorney in Michigan and the federal Environmental Protection Agency are also investigating why the state chose to ignore federal law and go without the anti-corrosive agent, as the lawsuit contends. "Nobody has answered that question," Weaver said.Friday evening, about 100 protesters in Flint marched from city hall, calling for Snyder's resignation over the issue.Everyone CNN interviewed -- residents, the former mayor, the current mayor, Congressman Kildee, city workers -- they all blame the governor's office and the state Department of Environmental Quality for what happened to Flint. Snyder apologized on Thursday during a news conference.Dayne Walling, the former mayor who so confidently went on TV and drank Flint River water to try to quell the early protests, lost his recent re-election bid in a campaign centered around the issue."In retrospect, I regret all of it," Walling said this weekend. "All the way back to seeing the city move to a different drinking water source. You can't put a dollar amount of the devastation to our community, our kids, and it was completely avoidable." | 2health
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(CNN)Disgraced former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been found guilty on seven charges related to the 1MDB scandal, which saw billions of dollars of taxpayers money funneled and embezzled out of Malaysia. Tuesday's ruling is the first judgment against Najib, who faces a variety of charges related to the onetime sovereign wealth fund, which prosecutors allege he and his allies used as a personal piggybank to support luxurious lifestyles and fund electioneering. High Court judge Nazlan Mohammed Ghazali found Najib guilty on all counts brought against him -- abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust -- in the current trial, which relates to $10 million of funds which were deposited into his personal accounts from a former unit of 1MDB. Najib has consistently argued his innocence, welcoming the trial -- which he fought against tooth-and-nail before being deposed as prime minister -- as a chance to clear his name.Ahead of Tuesday's verdict, he wrote on Facebook that "no matter what the decision is tomorrow in the High Court, it doesn't end here," indicating that he would appeal. "I don't give up," he added. Read MoreThe ruling is the second major development in the 1MDB case this month. Last week, Goldman Sachs, which underwrote much of the 1MDB fund and was facing a host of criminal and regulatory proceedings in Malaysia, agreed to a $3.9 billion settlement with the country's government. Najib faces prison terms of up to 15 or 20 years for each charge, as well as hefty fines. Sentencing will be announced at a later date. Najib's lawyers have said they will appeal. Other trials against Najib relating to the 1MDB scandal are still ongoing. JUST WATCHEDGoldman Sachs agrees to $3.9B deal with Malaysia over 1MDB scandalReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGoldman Sachs agrees to $3.9B deal with Malaysia over 1MDB scandal 02:31Billions embezzledThe 1Malaysia Development Berhad fund was created soon after Najib took office in 2009, pumping billions in public money into it, with the stated purpose of leading "market-driven initiatives to assist the government in propelling Malaysia towards becoming a developed nation that is highly competitive, sustainable and inclusive." Instead, according to United States prosecutors, 1MDB was used as a slush fund by Najib, his financier Jho Low and other high-ranking officials at the fund, who allegedly embezzled more than $3.5 billion over six years. Swiss prosecutors would later put that figure at over $4 billion. "(These funds) were intended to grow the Malaysian economy and support the Malaysian people. Instead, they were stolen, laundered through American financial institutions and used to enrich a few officials and their associates," said US Attorney General Loretta Lynch in 2016, after the US Department of Justice launched a case against 1MDB in a bid to recover more than $1 billion connected to the conspiracy that was allegedly laundered through the US. The case attracted international attention thanks to the scale of the graft and the audacity of what Low used some of the allegedly pilfered funds for. According to US prosecutors, Low laundered money from 1MDB through Red Granite, which used it to fund Hollywood movies including "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Dumb and Dumber To," and "Daddy's Home." Low has consistently professed his innocence, but last year he struck a $700 million deal with the US government to end a legal case against him.He is still wanted for crimes in Malaysia, however, and has been an international fugitive for years now, believed by some to be hiding out in China. International scandal In early 2015, Clare Rewcastle-Brown, a British journalist and founder of the Sarawak Report website which reports on corruption in Southeast Asia, received about 227,000 leaked documents relating to 1MDB.After months of investigation, Rewcastle-Brown published a story alleging more than $700 million had been transferred from the fund to the personal bank accounts of Prime Minister Najib. The Wall Street Journal also published several groundbreaking reports on the scandal, based partly on the same leaked documents.Following the reports, Malaysian officials raided 1MDB's offices in Kuala Lumpur and investigations were also launched in Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland and the US. Najib told reporters the wrongdoers would be brought to justice. However, Najib's government consistently blocked probes that appeared to threaten him, including removing the Attorney General who was investigating him and replacing the prosecutor with an ally who later cleared Najib. Those efforts came to naught, however, when Najib was turfed out of office in a shock election result in 2018, with an opposition coalition winning power in a landslide, clearing the way for the former leader's prosecution. Within days of the stunning election loss, Najib and his wife were barred from leaving the country. Police soon raided their properties and seized millions of dollars in luxury goods allegedly linked to the 1MDB funds.In July 2018 -- three years after the first 1MDB stories began emerging -- Najib was charged with four counts of corruption. The charge sheet was later expanded to cover dozens of other alleged crimes.His wife, Rosmah Mansour, whose profligate spending with funds allegedly embezzled from 1MDB had helped fuel public outrage, was arrested months later. JUST WATCHEDWhat is 1MDB?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat is 1MDB? 01:44End of Najib?Over five years after the first 1MDB stories emerged, Malaysia's government has indicated a desire to finally put the scandal behind it. As well as settling the case with Goldman Sachs, prosecutors also dropped charges against Najib's stepson and "Wolf of Wall Street" producer Riza Aziz. Despite the myriad charges against him, Najib has remained a force in Malaysian politics through the party he once led, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). Earlier this year, the coalition that toppled Najib fell apart and was itself removed from office, and the current prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, relies on UMNO for power.This had led to some speculation that the government might drop cases against Najib, and observers had long warned that if the cases dragged on too long, the onetime "Teflon prime minister" might return to power and effectively pardon himself. A conviction might benefit Muhyiddin as much as Najib's other political rivals, however. Writing this week, Bridget Welsh, an expert on Malaysian politics at the University of Nottingham, said that "Najib -- not opposition leaders Mahathir or Anwar Ibrahim -- is currently Muhyiddin's most serious political competitor for national leadership." "If Najib is convicted, he will begin an appeal process that will likely put him out of contention for the next general elections and weaken his hold on UMNO, having to rely on proxies for power," she added.Soon after the verdict was announced, Welsh wrote on Twitter that it "closes door on Najib's comeback." CNN's Sandi Sidhu contributed reporting. | 3news
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Story highlightsGolf star Tiger Woods announces he will not play at the U.S. OpenWorld No. 3 is still recovering after undergoing back surgery in MarchThe last of Woods 14 major wins came at the U.S Open in 2008Woods: "I won't be there because I'm not yet physically able to play competitive golf"For the second golf major in a row, Tiger Woods will be missing.The world No. 3 and 14-time major champion announced Wednesday he would miss the U.S. Open as he continued his recovery from back surgery.Woods went under the knife to repair a pinched nerve in March and also missed the first major of the year --The Masters -- in April.The 38-year-old's last major victory came at the 2008 U.S. Open but in a statement on his official website, he said he would not be competing at Pinehurst in North Carolina next month."Unfortunately, I won't be there because I'm not yet physically able to play competitive golf," Woods said. "I'd like to convey my regrets to the USGA leadership, the volunteers and the fans that I won't be at Pinehurst. JUST WATCHEDSpecialist: Tiger facing 3 months recoveryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSpecialist: Tiger facing 3 months recovery 02:01JUST WATCHEDRory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki splitReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki split 04:24"The U.S. Open is very important to me, and I know it's going to be a great week. "Despite missing the first two majors, and several other important tournaments, I remain very optimistic about this year and my future."Injury hampered Woods' early months of the season and he has not competed on the PGA Tour since early March.This will be the sixth major championship he has skipped through injury, his absence at Augusta the first time he'd missed The Masters since making his debut there as an amateur in 1995. Stuck on 14 majors since 2008, he will now have only two more chances this season to close in on Jack Nicklaus' record haul of 18.Despite being absent for several months Woods has only recently relinquished his world No. 1 ranking, to Australia's Adam Scott.Read: Woods to miss MastersRead: Woods aggravates back injury | 5sport
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LondonBritish police said on Tuesday they had arrested eight people as part of an investigation into the SIM-swapping hijacking of US celebrities' phones.Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) said sports stars, musicians and their families had been targeted by the scam in which criminals gain access to their victim's phones or accounts.One man lost his life savings in a SIM hack. Here's how you can try to protect yourselfThis allowed them to steal money, bitcoin and personal information, as well as hack their victims' social media accounts to post content and messages, the NCA said.The investigation, which involved the US Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), discovered a network operating in Britain. The British police said eight suspects, aged between 18 and 26, had been arrested in England and Scotland."This network targeted a large number of victims in the US and regularly attacked those they believed would be lucrative targets, such as famous sports stars and musicians," said Paul Creffield, head of operations in the NCA's National Cyber Crime Unit.Read More6 coronavirus vaccine scams that target your money and personal information - and what to do about them "As well as causing a lot of distress and disruption, we know they stole large sums from their victims, from either their bank accounts or bitcoin wallets."SIM-swapping involves cyber crooks taking control of a victim's phone number by essentially deactivating their SIM and switching the allocated number to a SIM belonging to one of the criminal gang.The criminals then reset passwords on apps, giving them access to their victims contacts, banking details, emails and social media accounts. | 3news
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Jim McDermott is the author of "Bitter Is the Wind," a novel of working class aspirations, and a business litigation attorney based in Portland, Oregon. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his. Read more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN)Forty years ago, I worked on an assembly line and as a gas station attendant. Those minimum wage jobs helped put me through college and law school. Throw in government grants, scholarships, low interest loans and hard work, and a kid from an ordinary background was launched on a path to economic prosperity. I'm a good example of the upward mobility that has always been a critical feature of American capitalism. In hindsight, I can see that being born a white male also helped me.Jim McDermottToday, our capitalist system works very well for kids with private school educations and networks of well-off contacts. But sadly, American capitalism doesn't seem to be working very well for many young people who are not born into families of privilege.I look back now and wonder: How can we return to a place with more opportunities that lead to a better quality of life for all? I believe the answer is through a more progressive form of capitalism.Along my journey of upward mobility, I married into an immigrant family. I've observed that my relatives in Europe enjoy a similar pathway to the American dream that I grew up chasing. Like much of Europe today, in many parts of 1970s America we had a better funded public education system, affordable colleges with generous student loan programs, solid union jobs and more affordable health care. If we can recapture some of what we've lost from that era, make it more inclusive and add in subsidized child care, along with paid sick and parental leave, then we can build a 21st-century foundation for US capitalism that many working-class Americans long for. We could have a baseline social welfare infrastructure that would allow vastly more Americans the opportunity to reach their full potential. Read MoreAmerica got cheatedWe could pay for much of this by leveraging higher income and capital gains taxes on millionaires, higher corporate taxes, a wealth tax and a more progressive estate tax. I'm prepared to do my part.This is not socialism. This is progressive capitalism. Like many people who prospered in life after growing up in the working class, in my heart I'm a capitalist who wants to rebalance our current system. It doesn't mean doing away with ultra-rich people. But it does mean making them less rich by distributing the benefits of capitalism more evenly. We can re-achieve a 1970s level of prosperity so that more of our fellow citizens can have a better chance to transform their lives. Working-class Americans don't want to smother innovation and entrepreneurship, two values that elevate us above many of our global competitors. After all, countless jobs come from risk-takers even though there is an undeniable element of luck involved in wealth creation. Nevertheless, many in the working class admire entrepreneurs and corporate leaders for their vision and drive. They understand that entrepreneurial capitalism is necessary to generate the societal wealth needed to fund a social welfare infrastructure.Yet some in the working class feel betrayed by the financial and political elite in contemporary America. Many are faced with economic insecurity. If they're older, they likely want their kids to do better than, or at least as well as, they've done. If they're younger, they're likely scared of inheriting a world of shrunken opportunities. It's time to raise taxes on the richCovid-19 has only magnified the holes in our country's social safety net. Too many working people have waited on hold with the unemployment office. Too many have waited endlessly for unemployment benefits to arrive. Some never received them. Too many working people feel isolated and angry.American capitalism in the past 40 years has overvalued capital and devalued the dignity of work. That needs to be corrected. America's workers don't want handouts, but they deserve a baseline social welfare infrastructure that allows them the opportunity to climb the economic ladder while offering a decent safety net if they stumble. This means higher wages for their work and reliable, accessible and affordable health care. Not all Americans can be entrepreneurs or innovators. But working Americans still want to work hard, contribute to a common enterprise and have a greater measure of financial success.It's not about depriving the ultra-rich of their concierge doctors, but rather about preventing unforeseen medical expenses or a pandemic from driving working-class families into bankruptcy or rendering them homeless. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookMany in the working class don't feel respected by today's policymakers, many of whom have ignored them for too long and, instead, have catered to the ultra-left or the ultra-right. The fact that capital continues to triumph while Covid-19 continues to spread has only exacerbated the disconnect between workers and the financial elite. Hopefully, policymakers finally will rectify this in 2021.What both the 1% and the working class need to remember, though, is that they actually have a common bond: the need to feel that their lives have a meaningful upward trajectory. I should know. I've inhabited both groups, starting with the factory and gas station jobs that set me on my way so many years ago. I've learned that rebalancing capitalism stands the best chance of healing America's current divisions. | 3news
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Atami, Japan (CNN)At least two people are dead and some 20 people are missing after a mudslide swept across a seaside city around 60 miles southwest of Tokyo, sweeping away homes amid Japan's rainy season. Footage posted on social media showed the powerful black mudslide shoot down a mountainside, engulfing homes and infrastructure as locals watched in horror. The giant mudslide in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture, which occurred around 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, came after parts of the region were hit by torrential rain.An Atami city official confirmed to CNN that two women had died in the landslide. Police and firefighters have been searching for the missing and so far, 19 people have been rescued in Atami city after being stranded in their homes. Operations stopped overnight and resumed on Sunday at 6 a.m. local time, with 700 people from the police, fire department service and Japan Self-Defense Forces assisting. Read MoreAs of 6:30 a.m., some 380 people have been evacuated, and 10 evacuation centers have been opened in the city, the Atami city official said.More than 130 houses were swept away in the mudslide, Atami City's Fire Disaster and Management Agency said. Sakae Saito, the mayor of Atami city, told reporters that up to 100 to 300 households were affected.About 2,830 households in the city lost power, according to the Tokyo Electric Power Company. By Sunday, power had mostly been restored in Shizuoka.Atami resident Yuji Shima managed to evacuate with his wife and mother but said he lost his home in the mudslide, which looked "like a tsunami.""The first thing that struck me was the sound of the ground rumbling. There was such a muddy, chemical stench in the air -- of course as so many things were being washed away. It all happened in a split-second," he said. Shima said he'd lived in the area for 50 years and though he'd experienced typhoons and heavy rains, he said, "I've never lived through anything like this.""I prioritized my family's safety. We just got ourselves here and didn't take anything with us. We had a lot of people helping us so we had access to food and water," he said. "It's a blessing I survived."The government has set up a task force to respond to the disaster and collect information as heavy rainfall sweeps areas along the Pacific coast in central and eastern Japan.Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga expressed his condolences to the victims of the landslide and stressed that emergency workers were doing their utmost to save lives, rescue people and help with evacuations.The mudslide knocked down homes and infrastructure. Suga added that the seasonal rain front would continue to bring heavy rain to various parts of the country. He urged citizens to check hazard maps in their local areas, pay close attention to weather updates and evacuation information and make sure to take action to protect lives. Heita Kawakatsu, the governor of Shizuoka prefecture, expressed his "deepest sympathies" to those affected by the landslide and to "those who have been forced to evacuate," he told a Saturday press conference.Kawakatsu warned that more rain is expected and said residents should watch out for further landslides. "There are many places where the ground is loose, so please evacuate from dangerous places, listen to information from the city and town, and make sure you and your family are safe," he said.Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a message of support to the Japanese government on Twitter Saturday, saying Taiwanese people "were shocked and extremely saddened by the news footage that was broadcast. If Japan needs it, we are ready to provide assistance."At least 20 people are missing after the mudslide hit the coastal city.So far, evacuation orders have been issued for people in areas surrounding Tokyo, as well as in Shizuoka, and Aichi prefectures, according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK.The authorities have issued landslide warnings for parts of Shizuoka, Kanagawa, Chiba and Yamanashi prefectures, NHK reported. The rain front is expected to move toward the Sea of Japan coast over the weekend, with areas along the coast forecast to see torrential rain on Monday and Tuesday, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency, which also warned of landslides and flooding in low-lying areas.Japan is prone to landslides, averaging up to 1,500 landslides annually in the past decade -- an almost 50% increase compared to the previous 10 years, according to a 2020 Japanese government report. Houses are damaged by mudslide following heavy rain at Izusan district in Atami.Flooding related disasters, like landslides, are a traditional yet serious risk to the country. This is because half of the Japanese population and 75% of the country assets are concentrated in flood-prone areas, according to experts."Japan has a whole lot of risk factors leading to landslides. For instance, it's prone because of its mountainous terrain and a lot of places where the soil is volcanic ash, which is not as strong," seismologist Robert Geller, professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo, told CNN. A rise in rainfall due to global warming is increasing the risk of devastating mudslides. "Global warming is making everything worse and is increasing the frequency of rainfall that can cause damaging landslides," Geller added. "The rainy season is going to last for another week or 10 days. Because of global warming, we're probably getting more rainfall now than we normally do."CNN's Larry Register contributed to this report. | 3news
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Story highlightsThomas Bjorn was one of five European Tour players to earn an exemption into the OpenBjorn held a late lead at the 2003 tournament in England before faltering at the 16th hole Jonas Blixt, who won the Greenbrier Classic, earned his spot through the world rankingsWhen it comes to golf's sentimental favorites, Thomas Bjorn would have to be near the top of the list. The Dane famously blew a late lead at the British Open in 2003 and Ben Curtis took advantage to claim his lone major. It wasn't a collapse to match that of Jean Van de Velde in 1999 -- the Frenchman crumbled on the final hole and eventually lost in a playoff -- but the Claret Jug was in sight for Bjorn since he led by two shots with three holes to play.Bjorn's double-bogey five on the 16th at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England effectively ended his hopes of capturing a maiden major and allowed the little known Curtis to triumph. Bjorn finished tied for second. He will get another opportunity to win the British Open and his first major after being given an exemption Monday for this year's tournament at Muirfield in Scotland that begins next week. Read: McIlroy targets British OpenBjorn was one of five European Tour players to earn the exemption based on their Race to Dubai ranking. JUST WATCHEDGary Player: Why I love horsesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGary Player: Why I love horses 06:17JUST WATCHEDNew golf course at St. AndrewsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew golf course at St. Andrews 04:02Since 2003 Bjorn has only finished in the top 40 at the British Open once, in 2011. He was fourth when the Open was once again held at Royal St. George's. And his only top-20 finish in any other major in the last 10 years came at the 2005 PGA Championship when he tied for second. But in his last five European Tour events, Bjorn registered three top-five finishes and sits 13th in the Race to Dubai.Among the other four European Tour players to be granted exemptions was South Africa's Richard Sterne, who finished second at the French Open after struggling on the back nine Sunday. Five spots went to PGA Tour counterparts based on their FedExCup ranking, with Billy Horschel highest in the standings at No. 5. Horschel tied for fourth at last month's U.S. Open and won the Zurich Open in New Orleans in April. Read: Rose conquers MerionSweden's Jonas Blixt, meanwhile, led a list of eight players who earned their entry through the world rankings. Blixt won Sunday's rain affected Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia to see his ranking rise from 103rd to 51st. | 5sport
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(CNN)A Ryanair airplane was grounded by French authorities Thursday in a long-running row over subsidies, delaying passengers by up to five hours. The French civil aviation authority seized a Ryanair Boeing 737 jet at Bordeaux airport, minutes before it was due to take off for London Stansted with 149 passengers on board. Passengers were subsequently forced to disembark and take a later flight to London. French authorities described the action as "unfortunate," and said it was taken as a "last resort." Ryanair was ordered to pay back close to €10 million in French state aid in 2014."It is unfortunate that the state had to take such action, which led to the inevitable inconvenience of the 149 passengers on board the immobilized plane," the authorities said in a statement. Read More"Those passengers were able to eventually reach their destination later that evening on another Ryanair plane, but with a five-hour delay." The dispute dates back to 2008-09, when the local government offered Ryanair subsidies to provide flights from Angoulême airport -- around two hours northeast of Bordeaux -- to London. The subsidies -- which were also paid to Transavia, a low-cost airline owned by Air France-KLM -- were later deemed illegal by the European Commission in Brussels, and France was ordered to recover the money.Ryanair changes hand luggage rules -- againRyanair "paid less than the additional costs linked to their presence at the airport of Angoulême," the EC said in a statement in 2015. "The airline therefore benefited from an undue economic advantage, distorting competition in the Single Market. "France must now recover the incompatible aid from the companies that received it in order to restore the level playing field." The French civil aviation authority said Friday that Ryanair was obliged to pay the outstanding sum, and it warned that the aircraft would "remain immobilized" until the money had been paid. The authorities didn't confirm the exact figure, but regional airport officials said it was €525,000 ($595,000). Ryanair's strikes are hitting its profits and stock price.In total, Ryanair was ordered in 2014 to pay back close to €10 million of French state aid, which was granted to help improve services in three regional airports. The Irish airline was ordered to return €6.4 million of aid provided to develop Nîmes airport, €2.4 million for Pau-Pyrénées airport, and €868,000 for Angoulême airport. Ryanair has not responded to CNN's request for comment. | 3news
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London (CNN)A woman who says she was gang raped in an English seaside hotel 42 years ago has made an emotional plea for two witnesses to come forward, as police release new e-fit images of the pair.The 17-year-old victim was attacked by members of a touring rugby team in 1978, after she met a member of the group at a nightclub in the coastal town of Plymouth, police said.Police believe the two men are vital to solving the case.The victim said the "shame" of not being able to stop the attack led her to leave home at the age of 17. More than four decades later, she still suffers from PTSD, she said.The victim -- today aged 59 -- has made an urgent plea for the two men pictured in the police e-fits to provide information about the case.Read More"This ordeal for me might have been laughed off by teammates as tour 'high spirits.' But this was nothing of the sort. For me, it was terrifying," she said. "Fortunately, though, there are many people who know exactly what these men did to me because they were there to witness it."A poster showing the Strathmore Hotel, where the rapes took place."You may even know how they planned it, and how they put that plan into operation," she added. "You may even be aware that this was possibly not the first or last time that they did something similar to other young girls or women. "Please help me by taking this opportunity to right this dreadful wrong," she said.'Allegiances change over time'The unsolved crime took place on a cold Saturday afternoon in late January or early February 1978, police said. Freezing temperatures in Britain during that period had caused several sports fixtures to be canceled, PA news agency reports.Police said the woman and her friend had been out at the Safari Club, now known as the Notte Inn, when they met a man, believed to be in his 20s.He said he was a math teacher, who was in the seaside town on England's south coast with his touring rugby team.The teenager left her friend and went with the man to his room at the Strathmore Hotel, but about an hour later a large group of men barged into the room and subjected the girl to a number of rapes, said police. Police believe the men knew the math teacher.A recent view of Plymouth harbour, near where the crimes occurred. Later, during the early evening, the teacher and another man visited a different hotel -- the Duke of Cornwall Hotel -- with the traumatized victim and her friend. Police are trying to track down these two men, believing they are vital witnesses to the case."You appeared at the time to want to stop the attack on me, and you also appeared to be shocked by the action of your teammates," the woman has said in a direct appeal to the two men."I would like you to know that I was very young and very scared and that the impact of your teammates' rape on that Saturday afternoon has affected me every day for 42 years," she said. Destroyed: How the trashing of rape kits failed victims and jeopardizes public safety"There are not many people who truly get the opportunity in their lives to right such a dreadful wrong," the woman added. "The fact that you actually know the identities of all of my rapists gives you this unique opportunity. Please help me by coming forward and identifying your teammates who raped me."The images released on Tuesday show the two witnesses as they appeared in 1978.Police also urged anyone who worked or stayed at the Strathmore Hotel to come forward if they remember anything from the time. The attack occurred during the time of the firefighters' strike in the UK, which had begun the previous year, PA reports.A map released by police, showing the area in which the rapes took place."Allegiances change over time, and those witnesses may not feel able to protect these people any longer by the silence of the 'what happens on tour, stays on tour' mantra," the victim added.Jo Hall, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: "I believe these men are the key to identifying the individuals who carried out this horrendous attack as it is clear that the group of men are known to each other." | 3news
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Story highlightsSecond child of royal parents is known as "spare heir"Traditionally, they were expected to rule if older sibling died or could not become King or QueenNowadays "spare heirs" can find it difficult to establish a rewarding roleLondon (CNN)Born into lives of wealth and privilege, they grow up in palaces, go to elite schools, socialize with stars and travel the world in luxury.It may sound idyllic, but life as the "spare" heir to the throne isn't always easy.While their older brother or sister is brought up knowing they are destined for a life regal duty and obligation -- of public engagements, investitures and ribbon cutting ceremonies -- the role of the younger royal is less defined.As a result they are often torn between duty (and the constant gnawing thought that one day, should something unexpected happen, they may end up ruling) and the life of a "party prince" or princess, holidaying in exotic locations and living it up as a bon viveur.JUST WATCHEDWilliam and Kate get ready for their second childReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWilliam and Kate get ready for their second child 03:58Royal expert Victoria Arbiter says despite the obvious advantages they enjoy, younger siblings of heirs to the British throne often face a difficult path.Read More"Throughout the monarchy's 1,000-year history, the role of the 'spare' to the British heir has been a tricky one," she told CNN. "Some have revolutionized entire eras, while others have tarnished the family name."Why the ''spare heir" mattersIn the modern era, the "spares" have been Prince Harry -- famously photographed in a string of embarrassing positions: naked during a game of "strip billiards" on a trip to Las Vegas, and wearing a Nazi uniform to a "Bad Taste" party -- Prince Andrew and the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret.Arbiter says Princess Diana worked hard to make sure Prince Harry didn't feel left out as the second-born child of the heir to the throne.JUST WATCHEDBaby prams fit for royaltyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBaby prams fit for royalty 02:30"When raising Princes William and Harry, Diana was very conscious that William would be well taken care of as the heir, and so she made a concerted effort to include Harry in everything," she says. "And yet he ... has been the subject of intense scrutiny and criticism."In his younger days, Prince Andrew, the spare to heir apparent Prince Charles, was known for his playboy lifestyle, reportedly romancing a string of eligible young women, earning himself the nickname "Randy Andy."His reputation was boosted by a stint as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War in the early 1980s, but in more recent years he has again hit the headlines, dubbed "Airmiles Andy" by the British tabloids for his travels around the world while promoting UK trade.When the current Queen was born 90 years ago, there was absolutely no expectation that she would go on to rule -- as the daughter of the "spare," the Duke of York, the plan was for her to enjoy the life of a relatively minor royal. But when her uncle, Edward VIII abdicated in order to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson, her shy father Albert, known as Bertie to his friends, was thrust into the limelight and became King George VI, a story dramatized in the Oscar-winning movie "The King's Speech."JUST WATCHEDRoyal baby fever spreading across LondonReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRoyal baby fever spreading across London 01:21Later this year, his daughter broke Queen Victoria's record as the longest-reigning British monarch in history.Two queens, two worlds: How do Elizabeth and Victoria compare? In eras when childhood mortality rates were far higher than they are today, there was a much greater chance of a "spare" being called on to become King or Queen: The three children of Henry VIII -- himself originally a "spare" rather than an heir to the throne -- all eventually ruled England. "One child is never enough for a monarch," explains royal historian Kate Williams. "Throughout history, the only way to secure a throne has been with a phalanx of children -- nine for Victoria, 13 for George III."After last year's birth of Princess Charlotte, it is not yet clear if William and Kate will look to expand their family further, and what that might mean for Prince George's sibling -- or siblings.But Arbiter, whose father Dickie is a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, says the only certainty to life as a second-born royal is that nothing is certain."As history has shown, the British monarchy is anything but predictable -- in two of the last three generations the second-born child has stepped up to the top job and reigned successfully," she says. "Never underestimate the long-lasting potential of a royal 'spare'."JUST WATCHEDPhotos of Prince Louis's christening releasedReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH (15 Videos)Photos of Prince Louis's christening releasedQueen misses christening for Prince LouisFirst glimpse at the royal babyPrince George: Pint-sized trendsetter?Princess Charlotte's cutest momentsPrincess Charlotte makes second public appearanceWhy being 'spare to the heir' mattersYounger royal siblings who made it to the throneWhat's in a name? For a princess ... a lot!Royal baby seen in public for first timeCould a new princess mean big money?Prince George's eventful first year Raising modern royalty Baby's name is steeped in royal historyRoyal baby: Here we go again! | 3news
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(CNN)Ellenborough Lewis, the koala who shot to internet fame after being rescued last week from massive wildfires that engulfed the Australian state of New South Wales, has died. Port Macquarie Koala Hospital made the decision to euthanize Lewis Tuesday after inspecting his wounds. It became clear that the marsupial's burns were not going to improve, the hospital said in a Facebook post. "(Our) number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made," the hospital said. Lewis had already been receiving "substantial pain relief," and the hospital warned Saturday that it was considering putting him to sleep if it was determined that "his injuries and his pain are not treatable and tolerable." Lewis was estimated to be about 14 years old, according to CNN affiliate 9 News.Read MoreDramatic rescueLewis' story went viral after video showed motorist Toni Doherty running from her car to help the koala near Port Macquarie as the catastrophic fires that have ravaged New South Wales burned all around them.Doherty named the koala after one of her seven grandchildren.The pair were reunited Thursday at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, where Lewis was wrapped in blankets and hooked up to an oxygen mask.The blazes have been particularly devastating to the region's koala population. More than 350 of the marsupials are feared to have been killed by the fires, according to animal experts. Experts worry that frequent devastating bushfires and deforestation could spell danger for Australia's koala population. Koalas are now considered endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.CNN's Holly Yan contributed to this report | 3news
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(CNN)A voting app created by allies of prominent Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny was removed from Google and Apple's online stores in Russia just as polls opened for parliamentary elections, according to a series of tweets from Navalny's team on Friday.Ivan Zhdanov, a key ally of the jailed dissident, tweeted an image of an email he said was from Apple confirming the app was blocked. The email said the app, also called Navalny, was removed because Russia designates the Kremlin critic's anti-corruption foundation as "extremist," a reference to his now outlawed political movement. The app therefore contained content that is considered "illegal" in the country.The Navalny app included recommendations for the opposition leader's "Smart Voting" strategy, which urges Russians to vote tactically in support of a candidate most capable of unseating an incumbent from the ruling party, United Russia, in the State Duma elections. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it considers the voting strategy to be a "provocation" and harmful to voters. Russia goes to the polls amid crackdown on political dissent American tech companies have been under an immense amount of pressure from the Russian government in recent months. Some have been handed down fines for not removing content that authorities consider to be "extremist" or "undesirable." And Russian state media reported earlier this week that bailiffs visited Russia's Google office on Monday.Russia's internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has been demanding that Google and Apple remove the "Navalny" app from their online stores. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement last Friday claiming the US Ambassador to Russia had been "summoned" to be told Russia has "irrefutable evidence of the violation of Russian legislation by the American digital giants" in regard to the elections. Read MoreNeither Apple (AAPL) nor Google (GOOGL) has issued formal statements on the removal of the app from its online stores in Russia. Millions of Russians are expected to head to the polls over a three-day period starting Friday in elections taking place against the backdrop of an unprecedented assault on democracy over the past year.Navalny's press secretary, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that the decision of the American tech giants is a "huge disappointment" and an "act of political censorship" which "can't be justified." Zhdanov added Navalny's team is considering filing lawsuits against Apple and Google. A person familiar with Google's decision told CNN the company blocked the app in the Google Play Store due to legal "demands" from Russia's internet regulator. The person said Google has received both publicly reported and private warnings of prosecution against its staff in Russia. The "Navalny" app includes recommendations of the jailed Kremlin critic's tactical voting strategy.Russian authorities threatened Google's local staff in Russia with criminal prosecution, according to the person familiar with the company's decision. Russian state media TASS reported on Thursday that a Russian official issued a direct warning that criminal legal action would be taken for continued deliberate "illegal actions and criminal inaction after receiving warnings." The person familiar with the company's decision said Google has blocked further downloads of the app but users who had already downloaded it should not be impacted. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said he welcomed the decision to remove the app as the move was a "legal requirement" for both platforms to be compliant with Russian law. "That application is illegal on the territory of our country. Both platforms have received the requirement. And in accordance with the letter and spirit of the law, they made such a decision, most likely, but this question should be addressed to those services," Peskov said. | 0business
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Story highlightsThomas Dressen surprise winner of Kitzbuhel downhill German's first ever World Cup win (CNN)It is the most feared and challenging downhill in the world, but outsider Thomas Dressen proved his mettle with a debut World Cup win in the legendary Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbuhel.Follow @cnnsport
Thomas Dressen is the Kitzbuehel downhill winner https://t.co/H1jkSCzh0P pic.twitter.com/x9C5qKVsyn— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) January 20, 2018
The 24-year-old German clinched only the second podium finish of his career with a storming run down the infamous Streif course in front of the 45,000-strong crowd intent on turning the pretty Austrian resort into a carnival for this iconic weekend of ski racing.The Kitzbuhel track is notoriously difficult with huge jumps, such as the 80-meter Mausefalle not long after the steep start section, and fast, bumpy, technical sections such as the Steilhang. High-speed crashes have been a notable feature of the race over the years."The most important victory for a downhiller is Kitzbuhel because in my opinion it's the most complete race," Austrian legend Franz Klammer, the 1976 Olympic downhill champion, told CNN Sport.Read More"It requires everything: guts, making tight turns, long turns, gliding sections and jumping."READ: Feared downhill race requires guts for gloryREAD: Lindsey Vonn reignites Olympic hopes with 79th World Cup winHistory makerJUST WATCHEDMikaela Shiffrin shatters records in stellar seasonReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH (15 Videos)Mikaela Shiffrin shatters records in stellar seasonSkiing great Marcel Hirscher retiresMikaela Shiffrin: Lead singer? Big night out? Vacation destination?Lindsey Vonn on retirement & Mikaela ShiffrinWhy Kitzbuhel is skiing's wildest rideKitzbuhel: skiing's biggest party2014 Olympic slalom champion opens upThe first woman to land a cab triple 1260The life and legacy of Karl MolitorLindsey Vonn to retire after World Ski ChampsMikaela Shiffrin's dominance of the World CupLindsey Vonn exclusive on her final seasonMikaela Shiffrin: Why I won't be objectifiedMikaela Shiffrin: Politics too "toxic"Lindsey Vonn's furry friendsDressen, who was the 19th racer to go on a clear day after the storms of earlier in the week, clocked a time of one minute 56.15 seconds to edge out leader Swiss Beat Feuz, winner of last week's downhill in Wengen, by .20 seconds. Hang on, Bernie Ecclestone wants a word... The former F1 supremo interrupts @chrissymacCNN's chat with man of the moment Thomas Dressen. Japes. https://t.co/JWEbyQm3BZ pic.twitter.com/QGj34DHbXs— CNN Sport (@cnnsport) January 20, 2018
The excited German pumped his arms and then skis in the air before sinking to his haunches and shaking his head at what he had just achieved. "It's just an unbelievable feeling because it was really a surprise to me that I was in the lead as I crossed the finish line and I had to look at the timing board twice to believe it," Dressen told reporters afterwards. "But then when I recognized that it was a really good one today I was just overwhelmed and rally happy about it."READ: Meet the color blind ski photographer taking stunning imagesDressen made his debut on the World Cup circuit in 2015 and claimed his first podium -- a third -- in the Beaver Creek downhill in December.He became the first skier to win his debut World Cup race at Kitzbhuel since Didier Cuche in 1998. The Swiss went on to win the iconic Hahnenkamm downhill a record five times. He is also the first German to win the Kitzbuhel downhill since Sepp Ferstl (representing West Germany) in 1978 and 1979.Austrian Hannes Reichelt, the 2014 winner, gave the raucous home fans something to cheer about with third place in 1:56.56.READ: From plastic 'toothbrush' slopes to Olympic hopes Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideTyrolean treasure: Kitzbuhel is the home of the infamous Hahnenkamm World Cup ski race every January, but the charming Austrian town offers much more than just a death-defying downhill. Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideSparkling gem: Kitzbuhel is a former silver mining town and a medieval jewel in the heart of Austria's Tirol, 60 miles east of Innsbruck.Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideHahnenkamm hysteria: The annual World Cup race on the Streif run is the scariest and hairiest on the circuit with thrills and plenty of spills to entertain the huge crowds that flood in. Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideBlue riband: The Hahnenkamm downhill is the highlight of the World Cup circuit and race weekend creates a carnival atmosphere in Kitzbuhel.Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideHe's back: Celebrities and the jet-set turn out in force to see and be seen. Austrian native and Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger is a regular fixture at the Hahnenkamm finish.Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideNerves of steel: The Hahnenkamm race requires guts and a no-fear approach to tackle the Streif's huge jumps, and steep, icy terrain as it plunges back towards the town. Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideFever pitch: Just making it to the bottom is a feat in itself. Plenty of racers' seasons have been ended in spectacular crashes on the treacherous descent.Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideNo guts, no glory: Winning at Kitzbuhel is the ultimate for a downhill racer. Austrian great Franz Klammer did it four times but Swiss Didier Cuche (pictured) holds the record with five wins.Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideChocolate-box charm: Away from the madness of race weekend, Kitzbuhel is one of the most beautiful settings in the Alps with a pretty, cobbled medieval center.Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideAfter dark: This being Austria, the bar scene is buzzing with plenty of watering holes to refresh thirsty skiers and snowboarders after a long day on the mountain. The Londoner pub is an Alpine institution.Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideStreet party: Kitzbuhel's pedestrianized center is perfect for ambling and taking in the upmarket boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideWhite playground: Kitzbuhel's skiing area is linked with that of Kirchberg. Together they offer 54 lifts and about 180 kilometers of skiing with endless backcountry opportunity. Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideSki safari: As well as the runs on the Hahnenkamm mountain, the ski region includes slopes on the Kitzbuheler Horn, as well as the interlinked areas of Jochberg, Resterhohe and Pass Thurn. Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideCruising grounds: Much of the skiing is tree lined and suits mileage hungry intermediates, although beginners and experts are well catered for.Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideAustrian hospitality: Kitzbuhel is home to myriad four and five-star hotels with a wealth of upmarket eateries and plenty of cosy huts for on-mountain refreshments.Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: Kitzbuhel, Austria ski resort guideMulti talented: Kitzbuhel is more than just a ski resort, with activities such as polo on ice as well as a thriving summer scene including hiking, golf and tennis.Hide Caption 16 of 16Svindal wins super-G Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, who won Friday's super-G over a shortened course because of bad weather, finished eighth in the downhill on the full Streif strack. Svindal takes the unique Kitzbuehel super-g https://t.co/s0r3B2L1jm pic.twitter.com/2niPvZbHBm— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) January 19, 2018
The 35-year-old, one of the most successful racers in skiing speed disciplines over the last decade, was racing at Kitzbuhel for the first time since a season-ending crash on the Hahnenkamm in 2016. Svindal, who has won two downhills so far this season and was second behind Feuz in Wengen, won the super-G from friend and countryman Kjetil Jansrud with Olympic downhill champion Matthias Mayer third and Reichelt fourth. READ: Swiss racer wins worlds longest downhill Frenchman Johan Clarey, who holds the record for the fastest speed registered in a World Cup race with 100.6 mph on the Lauberhorn in Wengen in 2013, suffered the downhill's most notable crash Saturday but was able to walk away unscathed. The men's speed circuit heads to Germany for next week's race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.Norwegian downs HirscherNorway's Henrik Kristoffersen finally got the better of World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher with victory over the Austrian in the Kitzbuhel slalom Sunday.Kristoffersen has had to settle for six podium spots in slalom this season, while six-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher has bagged five wins, plus three in giant slalom.But over two runs on a snowy Ganslernhang course, the 23-year-old Kristoffersen turned the tables to clinch his 16th World Cup victory and first since January 2017. Kristoffersen won bronze in the slalom at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014 to become the youngest male medalist in Olympic alpine skiing. Hirscher took silver four years ago behind countryman Mario Matt, who became the oldest champion in Olympic skiing at 34 and has since retired, although his brother Michael, 24, is making a name for himself with three podiums this season. Visit CNN.com/skiing for more news, features and video The Winter Olympics begin in PyeongChang, South Korea on February 9. | 5sport
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(CNN)Republican lawmakers are starting to choose sides in the fight to defeat Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming, placing high-stakes bets in a divisive primary that is widely seen as a referendum on Donald Trump and cementing deep rifts in the GOP over the direction of the party.In an extraordinary move on Thursday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy -- who has been under pressure from his right flank to put his political muscle behind ousting Cheney -- officially endorsed her primary foe Harriet Hageman, who is backed by Trump. Less than 24 hours later, House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 3 Republican who replaced Cheney in leadership, also threw her weight behind Hageman."House Republicans were ready for a change when I took over as Conference Chair, and it's resoundingly clear that Wyoming families are too," Stefanik said in a statement Friday. "Liz Cheney abandoned her constituents to become a Far-Left Pelosi puppet. Liz sadly belongs in an MSNBC or CNN news chair, not in Congress representing Wyoming — a state that voted for President Trump by over forty points."It's unclear if House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, will follow suit and wade into the race; his office did not return a request for comment. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the head of the House GOP's campaign arm, reiterated to CNN earlier this month that the committee has an official policy of staying neutral in primaries. But the hardline House Freedom Caucus is expected to join in on the effort to unseat Cheney, and across the Capitol, longtime Cheney rival Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has already endorsed Hageman.Read MoreCheney has her own share of congressional allies in her corner, including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who will be a special guest at a Cheney fundraiser next month, as well as retiring Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who launched a PAC dedicated to boosting anti-Trump Republicans. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina both donated to Cheney's reelection campaign, before she drew a primary challenger but after she voted to impeach Trump for inciting the January 6 insurrection. And McConnell came to Cheney's defense earlier this month after the Republican National Committee voted to censure her and Kinzinger for their roles on the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack; McConnell also voiced support for Cheney amid the first conservative-led effort to boot her from leadership.Cheney: Trump is trying to 'unravel the foundations of our constitutional republic'While the McCarthy-Cheney feud has been simmering for more than a year, it's still remarkable for leaders to meddle in primaries -- especially one involving an incumbent. Not to mention, McCarthy and Cheney were onetime allies who served on the same leadership team. And it's especially unusual to see the GOP pour energy and resources into a seat that is all but guaranteed to stay red in November. But Cheney's primary, which will take place this August, has become a proxy war in the battle over Trumpism and will be viewed as an early test of whether the former President still has a strong grip on the GOP. That's why members from both wings of the party are feeling the need to pick sides in the fight and make rare endorsements in a primary involving their colleague.Yet it's also a gamble, especially for GOP leaders: If Cheney defeats Hageman and comes back to Congress, it would be a major blow to McCarthy and Trump's allies. And not everyone in the party wants to see leadership involved, with some Republicans worried it could further expose divisions in their party and potentially undermine their efforts to win back the majority in November.Some Republican lawmakers also warn that nationalizing the race could backfire."It's a mistake to make this primary a referendum on loyalty to Trump," said one senior GOP lawmaker.Others expressed doubt that the fresh batch of endorsements coming out of DC would move the needle in Wyoming."Not a big surprise and am not sure what Kevin's endorsement will mean in Wyoming but maybe an endorsement from Pelosi for Hageman might offset it?" said Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, who also voted to impeach Trump. "At the end of the day it will be the voters, not the outsiders that influence the final result."Ousting Cheney has its political benefitsDespite the potential risks, endorsing Cheney's challenger has some immediate political benefits for McCarthy. Members of the Freedom Caucus were pressuring McCarthy to take action against Cheney, but the GOP leader rejected calls to kick her and Kinzinger out of the conference. Instead, McCarthy has settled on a strategy of working to oust her from Congress entirely -- an easy way to win points with Trump's allies, who will be crucial in any future speaker's bid.Stefanik, too, has faced some skepticism from conservatives who were wary of her moderate record. While Stefanik said she won't seek the conference chair position again, she could make a play for a different leadership post or a committee gavel if they win the majority. Backing Hageman could further boost her standing with conservatives; Stefanik also has a history of playing in primaries to elect Republican women.Their endorsements, which could come with campaign checks and fundraisers, could provide a much-needed boost to Hageman's campaign coffers. So far, Hageman has struggled to outraise Cheney, who brought in $2 million compared to Hageman's $443,000 haul last quarter.Among Cheney's critics, there's also hope that Hageman's support from powerful members of Congress could help consolidate the primary field and force the remaining anti-Cheney GOP candidates to drop out.But when it comes to voters in Wyoming, it's unclear how much sway -- if any -- these endorsements will have. In fact, Cheney's allies say it will now enable her to run as the outsider looking to take on the DC swamp. Since receiving McCarthy's endorsement, Hageman has signaled she would support him for speaker."My priority is to restore Wyoming's lone Congressional seat to the people of Wyoming and to represent their interests. I look forward to working with Speaker McCarthy next Congress to clean up Nancy Pelosi's mess and hold the Biden Administration accountable to the American people," Hageman said in a statement provided to CNN.In a sign that the Trump wing is nervous about Cheney's chances of victory, Trump and his allies have been pressing Wyoming's governor to change the state's laws to prevent Democrats from being able to vote in the Republican primary.Not everyone in the GOP agrees it's the right move."Trump Jr and others are making a mistake with all these attempts to change the voting law in WY. Seems to me that could backfire in a state that has a strong identity of individualism," the senior GOP lawmaker said. "Their efforts would better be spent communicating with voters about why the other candidate is good and Cheney is bad. And helping the other candidate raise money so she can run her own race." | 4politics
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Story highlightsJaguars reach the AFC championship game for the first time since the 1999 seasonThey have never reached the Super Bowl (CNN)There wasn't a lot of chatter about the Jacksonville Jaguars' chances in their first playoff appearance since the 2007 season.In fact, it even appeared that at least some of the Steelers, despite losing to Jacksonville 30-9 in Pittsburgh in Week 5, might have been looking past the Jaguars and ahead to a potential AFC championship showdown against New England."We're going to play (the Patriots) again," Steelers free safety Mike Mitchell told Sports Illustrated. "We can play them in hell, we can play them in Haiti, we can play them in New England ... we're gonna win."Running back Le'Veon Bell also added fuel to the fire, tweeting on Saturday, "I love round 2's ... we'll have two round 2's in back-to-back weeks."But after dismantling the Steelers 45-42 on Sunday in the AFC divisional round, it's the Jaguars who are a game away from reaching Super Bowl LII. And they're also having their say.Read MoreBe careful what you wish for. #DTWD pic.twitter.com/kxV849WLeh— z-#Sacksonville (@Jaguars) January 14, 2018
"We showed up," Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. said. "We didn't talk with all the trash talk they were doing this week. We were quiet. We didn't say anything. Real people are quiet, and then they throw the first punch."It's the first time Jacksonville has been this far since the 1999 season. Should the Jaguars reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history, they're going to have to do it on the home turf of the defending champs. Jacksonville will face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday."I'm just happy to win," said quarterback Blake Bortles, who has been subject to criticism throughout his career. "I have no animosity against anyone who said anything. I'm happy to be able to come here and do this with this team."There are a lot of guys home on the couch watching this. I'm sure they are wishing that they could play. I know in years past I have been. So, having the opportunity to be able to continue to play feels awesome."Myles Jack and Calais Campbell of the Jaguars high five fans after defeating the Steelers.Meanwhile, defensive back Barry Church didn't hold back after the win in Pittsburgh."We did it the first time," Church said. "We knew we had this team's number. All we did was feed on the fuel that everybody was providing."The media, everybody was talking about how it's not going to be like last week, Blake Bortles this, Blake Bortles that. All he did was dominate their defense. All we did was do what we do every week, that's play ball and create takeaways and score. That's what we did and we dominated."We are on to the next round, and we need the notes that the Steelers had on the Patriots. They were doing all that advanced scouting. We need the notes they got for the Patriots. It is time to roll, New England baby.""We're not done yet" After Sunday's win, the Jaguars returned to EverBank Field in Jacksonville, where an estimated 10,000 fans welcomed them. It was their turn to make bold predictions."We're not done yet," defensive end Calais Campbell said, according to the team's website. "This is just the beginning, baby. All the hard work is for this moment, right here. We're going to the Super Bowl. Let's go."Added cornerback Jalen Ramsey: "We're going to the Super Bowl, and we're going to win that (expletive)."The Jaguars' reach extends beyond Jacksonville. In 2012, the franchise became the lone NFL team to make a multi-year commitment to play in the NFL London Games. This agreement has been extended to 2020.A Jaguars fan holds a sign reading 'Sacksonville' at Heinz Field on Sunday.But they hadn't been an easy watch over the last several years, winning just 17 games from 2012 to 2016.Still, heading into this season, even though the Jaguars had gone 3-13 the year before, Campbell said he knew a turnaround was possible with the help of returning talent, leadership in executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin -- who defeated the Patriots in two Super Bowls when he was the Giants head coach -- and head coach Doug Marrone and signings during off-season free agency."We know when we all come together and do it right we are a tough team to beat," Campbell said. "We're hard to beat. We can beat anybody."The results: a 10-6 record and one of the top defenses in the league. And there is at least one more game to go."We've got a lot of work ahead of us," Marrone said to the EverBank Field crowd. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us."Follow Jill Martin on Twitter | 5sport
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Story highlightsRory McIlroy and Tiger Woods will both skip this week's HSBC Champions eventWorld No. 1 McIlroy and Woods talk exclusively with CNN in joint interviewWoods has risen to No. 2 in the world rankings after slipping out of top 50 last yearMcIlroy tops the European Tour money list and won his second major title in 2012World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and 14-time major winner Tiger Woods are both accustomed to life on the road, but even the planet's two top-ranked golfers are not immune to the stresses and strains of the professional golf circuit.In an exclusive joint interview with CNN, McIlroy and Tiger Woods explained how the grueling calendar has forced them both to skip this week's lucrative $7 million HSBC Champions tournament in China -- which starts just three days after their "Duel at Jinsha Lake" exhibition match.McIlroy won that clash a day after finishing second at a tournament in Shanghai on Sunday, while Woods came straight from playing in Malaysia."For me, I'm fried," said the 36-year-old Woods. "I've played a lot of golf towards the end of the year ... I have one more tournament for the year and then I'm done until next year."A resurgent Woods has recovered from a loss of form and fitness which dates back to November 2009 and the scandal that ended his marriage.After dropping out of the top 50 of the world rankings in October 2011, Woods has bounced back in 2012 by winning three PGA Tour events and he is second on the U.S.-based circuit's money list behind its winner McIlroy. Photos: Duel at Jinsha Lake Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeGolden Gong – Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods look on in amusement before banging a ceremonial gong to mark the start of their "Duel at Jinsha Lake." Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeTiger Paw – Both McIlroy and Woods, pictured above, had their handprints immortalized in clay as a lavish ceremony featuring drum majorettes and fireworks preceded their clash in the Chinese city Zhengzhou. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeNumber One – World No. 1 McIlroy cannot keep a straight face as the players pose at the first green, ahead of a clash reported to be paying the pair a combined total of $2 million. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha Lake"Barely-controlled chaos" – "The scene was barely-controlled chaos," wrote Sports Illustrated's Alan Shipnuck. "Some 3,000 fans streamed across the fairways, with soldiers locking arms in a human fence to keep the throngs off the greens." Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeHigh Jinks – A course marshall practices kung fu as she awaits the golfers' arrival. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeFiring Line – "On the tee boxes there were so many camera clicks it sounded like machine gun fire," Shipnuck wrote. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeModel Display – Local golf fans talk with one of the models who inhabited the greens in their evening wear in scenes seldom seen on any golf course. Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeWater Hazard – Woods tries to maintain focus as a luxury boat passes by, with the clubhouse car park also boasting a collection of Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Aston Martins and Maseratis. Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeNext Generation? – Young fans show their support for McIlroy and Woods in a country that is seen as the next great market for golf to conquer. Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeOn the Charge – McIlroy never trailed Woods after starting with a birdie, going on to card a five-under-par 67 -- one less than the world No. 2. Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Duel at Jinsha LakeJob Done – McIlroy awaits his trophy on a day that coincided with the launch of the multi-million-dollar "Golf Villas" to be built around the Jinsha Lake course. Hide Caption 11 of 11JUST WATCHEDGreatest sporting drama of all time?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGreatest sporting drama of all time? 05:43Woods, who has spent a record 623 weeks at the top of the world rankings since turning pro in 1996, will finish the season by playing at the World Challenge event that he hosts later this month."I looked at it, I wanted a break," Woods explained. "I wanted a long extended break from competing and get back into training."It has been a stellar year for McIlroy. He won the second major title of his career at August's PGA Championship, adding to his 2011 U.S. Open triumph, as well as helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup in Illinois thanks to a stunning comeback victory against a U.S. team including Woods.But McIlroy, who also leads the European Tour's "Race to Dubai" money list, is feeling the effects of a long season and is wary of playing too much."Someone needs a week off somewhere," the 23-year-old said. "If I played HSBC, I would be playing five events in a row to finish the season. "After such a busy summer, a Ryder Cup and everything which has gone on, there has got to be an event somewhere which has to be left out and this year unfortunately it was HSBC, for the reason that I wasn't a fan of the golf course and I needed a week off."McIlroy is one half of sport's most high-profile love match with Danish tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki. But despite having a sporting girlfriend -- the couple have been dubbed "Wozzilroy" -- McIlroy admitted life on the tour can get lonely.JUST WATCHEDLPGA winner reveals Olympic ambitionsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLPGA winner reveals Olympic ambitions 04:13JUST WATCHEDDuke supports young golfersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDuke supports young golfers 04:29"You want to have guys you can go out for dinner with and have a laugh with in the locker room," he added. "You're out there for 25 weeks a year, so you might as well make it fun."The growing rivalry between McIlroy and Woods is proving to be a big drawcard for golf, as witnessed by the chaotically enthusiastic scenes in Monday's one-off clash between the pair.The confident McIlroy has not been shy in pointing out Woods' fall from his previous apparent invincibility, and the American compared their relationship to that of previous adversaries Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer."I talked to Jack about it and Jack and Arnie didn't like each other at the very get go," Woods said."They just didn't see eye-to-eye. But now they are best of friends, so that does happen -- mutual respect, or mutual respect over time and getting to know someone."One Ryder Cup player who will be lining up at Mission Hills in Shenzen for Thursday's opening round is Woods' U.S. teammate and great rival Phil Mickelson.The veteran formed a formidable partnership with Ryder Cup rookie Keegan Bradley as the Americans built up a 10-6 lead over Europe heading into the final day at the Medinah Country Club. Photos: The greatest sporting comebacks Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksMission Improbable – German Martin Kaymer milks the moment as his putt on the 18th green ensures Europe will retain the Ryder Cup. His defeat of Steve Stricker capped an improbable comeback, as the Europeans triumphed 14½-13½ despite trailing 10-4 at one stage on Saturday.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksRose in bloom – Justin Rose punches the air as he caps an unlikely comeback of his own, defeating Phil Mickelson on the 18th green after being one down with two to play. The American described his loss as one of the turning points of the 2012 Ryder Cup. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksBattle of Brookline – Europe's victory echoed the 1999 Ryder Cup, where the U.S. also came from 10-6 down to win 14½ - 13½. The 'Battle of Brookline' was bathed in controversy as U.S. players stormed the 17th green in celebration at s crucial Justin Leonard putt. Golfing etiquette had been broken as Leonard's opponent, Jose Maria Olazabal, could still have squared their match. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksLawrie load of glory – Jean Van de Velde (middle) looks bewildered as he reflects on his defeat in the 1999 British Open. The Frenchman blew a three-shot lead on the final hole, so forcing a play-off with Justin Leonard (right) and Scotland's Paul Lawrie (left) which the latter won to seal his first major, despite trailing Van de Velde by an enormous 10 strokes before the final round took place. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksTurkish delight – Liverpool players celebrate with goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek (in black) after the English side completed their remarkable comeback against Italians AC Milan in the 2005 European Champions League final. Trailing 3-0 at half time, Liverpool scored three goals in six second half minutes in Istanbul to force extra time and a penalty shoot-out, which they won 3-2. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksBlue Moon – Players and fans of Manchester City celebrate after winning their first English title since 1968. City trailed Queens Park Rangers 2-1 but scored two stoppage time goals to win 3-2 - and so deny city rivals Manchester United the title. The success echoed United's 1999 Champions League triumph in Barcelona, where they beat Bayern Munich 2-1 despite trailing after 90 minutes. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksThe Icemen cometh – Having won the last four gold medals, the Soviet Union were hot favourites to win ice hockey gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Few expected Team USA - made up of amateur and college players - to stop them but they defied the odds to beat the Soviets 4-3 in a semifinal which became known as 'The Miracle on Ice.' They went on to win gold against Finland in the final.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksComeback King – Despite being two sets and 5-1 down in his semifinal, Frenchman Henri Cochet managed to win the 1927 Wimbledon title. He stunned the world No. 1, American Bill TiIden, in the semis before repeating his escapology act in the final, trailing by two sets once more and surviving six match points before rallying to win in five sets for a third successive game.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacks'The 438' – It is the one-day cricket international that may never be equalled. Set a world record score of 435 to win in their allotted 50 overs, Graeme Smith's South Africa beat Australia in Johannesburg after racking up 438 runs, with just one wicket and one ball to spare.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: The greatest sporting comebacksMariners run adrift – It is baseball's greatest fairytale comeback. In August 2001, the Seattle Mariners were on their way to equalling the major league record of 116 victories in a season. They led the lowly Cleveland Indians 14-2 at the halfway stage and though the Indians rallied they still needed five full runs with only one out remaining - and got them to win 15-14 in the 11th innings, with Kenny Lofton grabbing the crucial score.Hide Caption 10 of 10 Photos: Sport's greatest chokes Photos: Sport's greatest chokesAdam's agony – Adam Scott looked set for a first major win at this year's British Open, but four bogeys on the last four holes of the final round let South Africa's Ernie Els swoop in and steal the Australian's crown. Scott missed a putt on the 18th green that would've forced a playoff.Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesKim's crisis – I.K. Kim has also endured major heartbreak in 2012. The 24-year-old missed a one-foot putt on the final hole of the Kraft Nabisco Championship that would've earned her first major, and then lost a playoff to fellow South Korean Yoo Sun-Young. But Scott and Kim aren't the only golfers to have choked on the big stage...Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesMcIlroy's Masters meltdown – Rory McIlroy may now be the world's top-ranked golfer, but there was a time when he was looking for a first major win. Surely it would come at the 2011 Masters? The Northern Irishman had torn up the famous Augusta course, entering the final day with a four-stroke lead. McIlroy shot the worst round ever recorded by someone leading after three rounds of the Masters. He watched on heartbroken as Charl Schwartzel took the title, but bounced back with a record-breaking U.S. Open win to clinch his first major.Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesTroubled waters – If McIlroy is still haunted by his Augusta nightmare, then one can only imagine the demons which must dwell in the mind of Jean van de Velde. The Frenchman was on course to become a shock winner of the 1999 British Open, requiring just a double bogey on the 18th hole to claim the Claret Jug. What followed has made Van de Velde one sport's most infamous chokers, with a series of wayward shots leaving him in the water. Van de Velde found a greenside bunker with his fifth shot before he eventually holed his seventh for a triple bogey, forcing a playoff. Scotland's Paul Lawrie emerged from the three-way decider as the champion.Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesWimbledon waterworks – Great chokes are not confined to the golf course. There wasn't a dry eye on Centre Court as Czech tennis star Jana Novotna sobbed uncontrollably on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent after losing the 1993 Wimbledon women's singles final to Steffi Graf. Novotna led 6-7 6-1 4-1 before collapsing and allowing Graf to take the title. Novotna did eventually win a grand slam, beating Venus Williams in the 1998 Wimbledon final.Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesHosts humbled – Brazil hosted the football World Cup for the first time in 1950, with an expectant home crowd demanding the team claim the title. Everything looked to be going to plan, with a freescoring Brazil team needing just a draw against Uruguay to seal a first World Cup triumph. Despite taking the lead, Brazil ended up losing 2-1 lead -- and a country was devastated. Since then "A Selecao" have won the World Cup five times, more than any other nation.Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesMilan's misery – But even Brazil's collapse cannot match AC Milan's "achievement" in the 2005 European Champions League final against Liverpool. Carlo Ancelotti's Milan blew their English opponents out of the water in the first half, racing into a 3-0 lead. But, in six incredible second-half minutes, Rafeal Benitez's Liverpool launched one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sport, scoring three times to level the match. Liverpool held on grimly to force a penalty shootout, with Jerzy Dudek's save from Andriy Shevchenko handing Liverpool a most unlikely success.Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Sport's greatest chokesNorwood's nightmare – U.S. sport is not immune to chokes. Buffalo Bills kicker Scott Norwood has the unfortunate honor of being arguably America's most famous choker. At Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants, Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal that would've won the Vince Lombardi trophy for the Bills. It marked the first of four consecutive Super Bowl defeats for Buffalo and a the start of a rapid descent out of the NFL for Norwood.Hide Caption 8 of 8But Europe, captained by Jose Maria Olazabal, launched a stirring comeback to win 8½ points on the final day and retain the trophy.Four-time major winner Mickelson admits bouncing back from the defeat has been one of the toughest tests of his career, but he is ready to roar into action in China."I think the first two weeks following the Ryder Cup was a really tough low, one of the biggest lows of my career," the 42-year-old told the European Tour's website."It was a very emotional time because we really thought we were going to win. We expected to win; we were playing well and we thought that we were going to do it on Sunday."I think that the disappointment will last a lot longer than a month. I feel that over the next two years, we'll still have the same disappointment from not winning this year's Ryder Cup."Mickelson has won this event on two previous occasions when it was held in Shanghai, and he is confident of more success at its new home."I enjoyed our first time in Shanghai, but I think this golf course is wonderful, too," he said."The fact that the golf tournament is moving is nothing different than what we have amongst all of the big major championships in golf. This is a great site with a great golf course to host it."I played the course for the first time this morning; Keegan and I played a practice round and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was fun to play. (There is a) great mixture of holes and challenges, the greens are very fair and I think it's going to be a fun course." | 5sport
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(CNN)Hammer thrower Gwen Berry says that the playing of the national anthem while she was on the podium at the US Olympic track and field trials was "set up." Berry turned away from the flag to face the stands while "The Star-Spangled Banner" played during the medal ceremony on Saturday. She then draped a T-shirt bearing the words "activist athlete" over her head.Having placed third in the hammer event at the trials in Eugene, Oregon, Berry earned a spot on the US team for the Tokyo Olympics, which get underway next month. JUST WATCHEDJohn Carlos on IOC ban on protests at Tokyo 2020ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJohn Carlos on IOC ban on protests at Tokyo 2020 03:29"I feel like it was set up. I feel like they did that on purpose, and I was pissed, to be honest," said Berry of the anthem being played while she was on the podium. "I was thinking about what should I do. Eventually, I just stayed there and just swayed. I put my shirt over my head. It was real disrespectful. I know they did that on purpose, but it'll be alright. I see what's up."Read MoreVisit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and featuresUSA Track and Field (USATF) did not respond to CNN's requests for comment, but according to Reuters, it said the anthem was played each day at the trials according to a pre-arranged schedule. "We didn't wait until the athletes were on the podium for the hammer throw awards," said USATF spokeswoman Susan Hazzard. "We're thrilled with the women's hammer throw team that selected themselves for the Games." The anthem has been played once each evening throughout the trials. Berry displays a T-shirt on the podium at the Olympic trials. "They said they were going to play it before we walked out, then they played it when we were out there,'' said Berry, according to ESPN. "But I don't really want to talk about the anthem because that's not important. The anthem doesn't speak for me. It never has.''On Instagram, Berry added a caption alongside photos of her on the podium, saying: "I said what I said... I meant what I said... STOP PLAYING WITH ME!! PERIOD!" Then on Twitter, Berry said how comments on social media show that "even after the murder of George Floyd and so many others; the commercials, statements, and phony sentiments regarding black lives were just a hoax." JUST WATCHED2 American athletes kneel and raise a fist to protestReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2 American athletes kneel and raise a fist to protest 01:24In 2019, Berry lost some of her sponsorships after raising her fist in protest on the podium at the Pan American Games in Peru. She received a 12-month probation from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee for the act, which she says was meant to highlight social injustice in America."For me, it was extremely devastating because they cut off all my revenue," 31-year-old Berry told CNN of the situation last year."Competing, going overseas, going to competitions, getting prize money, and then ultimately making the Olympic team help me, help my family, help my community."In an open letter to athletes earlier this year, US Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland outlined how "respectful demonstrations on the topic of racial and social justice" would be allowed at the Olympic and Paralympic Trials. "While we support your right to demonstrate peacefully in support of racial and social justice, we can't control the actions others may take in response," the letter said.However, a ban on "protests and demonstrations" at the Tokyo Olympics will be in place after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) upheld Rule 50, which states that "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas." | 5sport
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(CNN)Former Premier League footballer Peter Whittingham has died at age 35 nearly two weeks after sustaining a head injury in an accidental fall at a pub, according to South Wales police. He died at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, police said.Whittingham's former club, Cardiff City, expressed heartbreak in a statement on its website. "It is with an immeasurable amount of sorrow that we must inform supporters that Peter Whittingham has passed away at the age of 35. The news of Peter's sudden and untimely passing has shaken us to our very foundation. Our love goes out to his wife Amanda, their young son and family."First and foremost, Peter was a family man -- and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. Then, as a professional footballer -- as a Bluebird [Cardiff City's nickname] -- he excelled with talent, ease, grace and humility. Nobody did it better."The loss of Peter will be painfully felt by our city, supporters and indeed all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. We love you Pete and your memory will eternally stay with us."Read MoreREAD: Borussia Monchengladbach players offer to give up their salariesWhittingham is congratulated by Rickie Lambert after scoring a free kick against Sheffield Wednesday.Born in 1984 in Nuneaton, England, Whittingham came through the youth academy at Aston Villa -- also spending loan spells at both Burnley and Derby County. He made 16 appearances for England's Under-21 team in that time, scoring three goals, while featuring in Villa's Premier League side.But his real success came after transferring to Welsh side Cardiff City for £350,000 ($412,000) in 2007, according to the BBC. In his 10 years at the club, Whittingham became a firm fan favorite, making 456 appearances and scored 96 goals -- including 25 goals in one season from midfield. His languid style, his talented left foot -- former Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann referred to as "one of the best left pegs I've seen" -- and his uncanny ability to score long-range goals helped Cardiff reach the 2008 FA Cup final and the 2012 League Cup final. What a player Peter Whittingham was.Gone far too soon. RIP. 🙏pic.twitter.com/XZSSN2uRyA— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) March 19, 2020 He also played a key hand in helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 for the first time.After leaving the Welsh capital in 2017, he spent a season at Blackburn Rovers before retiring in 2018. Aaron Ramsey, Juventus and Wales midfielder, came through Cardiff's academy while Whittingham was playing at the club, and paid his respects to his former teammate.Rest in Peace Peter Whittingham😔 Didnt know him personally but have the biggest respect for his footballing ability and that wand of a left foot which scored so many free kicks which I absolutely loved watching. Thoughts are with his family and friends 💔 pic.twitter.com/VnbPieSlrX— James Maddison (@Madders10) March 19, 2020 "I will forever be grateful for you taking me under your wing," he said on Instagram. "You were one of the most technical and gifted players I've played with and that left foot of yours was like a wand. I'm proud to have played alongside you and will always remember the young vs old games and you just running the show. "My thoughts and prayers go out to your family, rest in peace Whitts ❤️ was too young"Whittingham played under current Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2014, and the Norwegian called him an "incredible human being." "I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Peter Whittingham," Solskjaer said. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos"Peter was a fantastic footballer and an incredible human being. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him during my time at Cardiff City."It's hard to believe that he has been taken from us at such a young age." | 5sport
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Story highlightsSergio Garcia talks to CNN's Shane O'Donoghue about "fried chicken" controversy Comments made following a fractious pairing between Woods and Garcia at Players ChampionshipSpaniard says fallout was "horrible" but insists he has learned from affairTiger Woods was whacking golf balls across a bridge in Turkey last week, but back in Spain, Sergio Garcia is still feeling the need to build them following the "fried chicken" saga earlier this year. Speaking to CNN's Living Golf, Garcia once again struck a chord of contrition over the comments he made about the World no.1 last May."I didn't mean it in a bad way. When I was driving back to the hotel, I started thinking about it," Garcia told Shane O'Donoghue."Obviously, I didn't expect that question at all and you try to be funny and it comes out the wrong way I guess," he added. Garcia made the comment during a private dinner at Wentworth golf club a couple of weeks after he and Woods had endured a fractious third round at the Players Championship -- the Spaniard complained that the gallery following Woods had disturbed him during a shot. When asked in jest if he would be inviting Woods for dinner during the then upcoming U.S. Open, Garcia replied: "Yeah, we will have him around every night. We will serve fried chicken." JUST WATCHEDSergio Garcia on giving backReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSergio Garcia on giving back 07:07JUST WATCHEDTiger talking Turkey!ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger talking Turkey! 06:54JUST WATCHEDTiger helps Turkey make historyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger helps Turkey make history 04:36Fried chicken is a common food in the American South, but when used in reference to African-Americans can often imply a negative stereotype.Read: Tiger Woods reveals 'nerdy' sideFellow Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell perhaps summed up the slip best on Twitter: "Private/humor filled environment but he (Garcia) shouldn't have said it #slip."The remark echoed U.S. golfer Fuzzy Zoeller's infamous slur on Woods' following his maiden major win at the Masters in 1997. "Tell him not to serve fried chicken next year," Zoeller said to reporters in an attempt to make humor of the fact that Woods was the first African-American to win the tournament. Tradition dictates that the reigning Masters champion choose the menu for the Champions Dinner the following year. Woods tweeted that Garcia's comments were "wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate" and even the Spaniard's equipment makers TaylorMade weighed in calling the comments "offensive." Garcia issued an unreserved apology via the European Tour but recoils when asked to recall the media storm that followed the jibe. "It was horrible, but what's done is done. Everybody knows how I feel about it, so I think they should be fine with it and if not, it's kind of their problem," he said. "The most important thing is learning from all those things. "I'm making sure that all those experiences make you stronger, a better person and things like that. I think that I've learned from those things and I just need to keep getting better at it, and hopefully keep making people happy." | 5sport
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(CNN)The Tokyo 2020 Olympic boxing qualifying tournament for the Asian and Oceanian region has been canceled due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed in a statement Wednesday.The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also announced that the Olympic qualifying for women's football has been moved from from Wuhan to Nanjing.It follows an outbreak of the virus last month in the city of Wuhan that has since killed 17 people, sickened hundreds and spread as far as the United States.Chinese authorities and scientists say wild animals sold at the popular Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market market are the likely source of the new strain of coronavirus, which is in the same family of viruses as the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).READ: Life inside ground zero of Wuhan coronavirus outbreakRead MoreREAD: Wuhan coronavirus death toll rises to 17 with 509 infected says China, sparking fears of wider spreadThe boxing qualifiers were due to take place in Wuhan from February 3-14. The February 3-9 dates for the women's football, which includes Australia, China, Thailand and Chinese Taipei, will remain the same."The Boxing Task Force continues to work closely with the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and all partners to explore alternatives and will immediately inform National Olympic Committees, National Federations and officials on any development," the IOC statement read.Tokyo 2020 takes place from July 24 to August 9. | 5sport
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(CNN)YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul knocked out UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley during their rematch fight in Florida on Saturday.Paul scored a KO of Woodley during round 6 of the pay-per-view event, an eight-round cruiserweight that included four fights and took place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay."Look at what I just did," Paul said after the match, ESPN reported. "Look at the year I just had. Unprecedented. One of the most valuable boxers in this sport. Four fights. Four massive pay-per-views in 13 months. I've knocked out every single person that I've fought."It was Woodley's second defeat in his pro career, both losses during his bouts against Paul with the first ending in an eight-round split decision.Woodley was given the opportunity for redemption after Paul's scheduled opponent, Love Island star and professional boxer Tommy Fury, withdrew because of health issues.Read MoreThis victory is Paul's fifth straight win. He has also previously defeated fellow YouTube personality AnEsonGib, former NBA star Nate Robinson and former MMA fighter Ben Askren."The perception has changed immensely and rightfully so," Paul said, according to ESPN. "When I came into this, I had a lot to prove. People didn't understand me. They didn't understand my movement. They thought I was just making a mockery of the sport. And now people really see what I'm doing. They respect me, they respect my work, they respect the business side of it." Jake Paul has propelled to fame as a brash social media villain. And he loves itBefore turning toward a boxing career, Paul had been widely known on social media as a brash and controversial YouTube star, where he has more than 20 million subscribers.Paul had promised Woodley an additional $500,000 bonus if Woodley was able to knock out Paul during the match."Caught slipping. Only takes one shot. One Mistake. Beautifully timed," Woodley said in an Instagram post. "Had he dropped his hand i would be celebrating. No hate. Love. I was ready. I was in shape, and blessed to trust God and believe. Heart broken, but not broken.In 2016, Woodley, also known as "The Chosen One," won a UFC title and subsequently defended it four times, according to ESPN.The event included an undercard featuring Amanda Serrano against Miriam Gutierrez, Deron Williams against Frank Gore and Liam Paro against Yomar Alamo.Paul said during the post-match conference that he will now take a vacation and return to fighting whenever he feels likes it.Fury's withdrawal was due to health issuesFury posted an Instagram video December 6 explaining the reason behind his withdrawal, revealing he contracted a bacterial chest infection that made it difficult for him to breathe or sleep. "That went on for about four weeks because I had the mindset of I'm going to keep training, I'm going to get through this, I'm going to have the fight no matter what," Fury said.However, after a trip to the hospital, the boxer discovered he had a broken rib and multiple fractures and was advised by doctors and his team to withdraw from the fight."Even now sitting here filming this video it hasn't really sank in that I'm not fighting," Fury said. "I can't do anything else apart from getting my body right as quickly as possible and look for a new fight date with Jake Paul. There's no other fight that I want out there. That's the fight that I want next." | 5sport
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(CNN)The idea of a private border wall started with a GoFundMe campaign that rapidly raked in more than $20 million. Now prosecutors accuse former top Trump aide Steve Bannon and others tied to the project of defrauding donors and pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars for personal expenses.It's the latest development in a project that's spurred controversy since its inception, while drawing millions of dollars of support and endorsements from many Trump allies.Here's a look at some of the key events that have unfolded since the project began in 2018:The campaign beginsBrian Kolfage, a triple amputee and Air Force veteran, starts a GoFundMe campaign in December 2018 saying "political inaction" has inspired him to raise private funds for a border wall. Within days, the project raises more than $20 million dollars. Read MoreConstruction startsThe nonprofit created in connection with the campaign, "We Build the Wall," announces in May 2019 it has broken ground on its first private border wall project in Sunland Park, New Mexico. "Buckle up, we're just getting started," the group says in a Facebook post. Organizers say the private wall is about a mile long.Ordered to 'cease and desist'Days later, city officials order construction to "cease and desist," stating that proper permits weren't obtained. Kolfage calls the order "political intimidation."Dispute with a federal agencyThe next month a federal agency forces open a gate in the new, privately constructed border wall, arguing proper permits weren't obtained. Kolfage slams the commission, accusing the agency of overreaching its authority.A wall on the Rio GrandeContractor Fisher Industries begins work on a three-mile stretch of private border wall in November 2019. It's located on a sugar cane farm in Mission, Texas, along the Rio Grande. Kolfage tells CNN that We Build the Wall provided $1.5 million for that project, describing that as 9% of the total cost. The project is temporarily halted after being sued by federal prosecutors and the National Butterfly Center, a 100-acre wild butterfly habitat near the project's location, but later is allowed to resume. Fisher's method of building just feet from the Rio Grande becomes a point of contention, in part because of the potential for flooding and damage to surrounding property.A new proposalInterviews and correspondence obtained exclusively by CNN in February 2020 show that We Build the Wall had been communicating with the Trump administration about plans to build a wall along the southern border and donate it to the US government.Reports of erosionAs a part of its lawsuit over the private project, the butterfly center says it documented erosion at the base of the Texas wall in the aftermath of Hurricane Hanna in July 2020. Photos viewed by CNN show cracks in the ground between the wall and the river. "We've got another storm headed this way. If a 'Category 1' already caused so much damage, I hate to see what this next storm is going to do," says Javier Peña, a lawyer for the center. In response to allegations of erosion, Kolfage in August 2020 tweets a link to a news article describing repair work at the Texas site.A shocking indictmentNew York federal prosecutors charge Kolfage, Bannon and two others in August 2020 with defrauding donors of hundreds of thousands of dollars as part of the border wall fundraising campaign. Bannon, Kolfage, Andrew Badolato and Timothy Shea are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.CNN's Priscilla Alvarez, Nick Valencia, Ashley Killough, Geneva Sands, Erica Orden and Kara Scannell contributed to this report. | 4politics
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Story highlightsLast year, the average Swiss person traveled about 2,000 miles by railEach day 350,000 people use Zurich's central train stationZurich's new cross-city rail link is Switzerland's biggest urban projectCross-city link could double the station's capacityAs rail travel grows ever more popular in Switzerland, the country's most important rail station is undergoing a bold transformation to keep up with increasing demand.The Swiss are among the world's top train travelers, second only to the Japanese. Last year, the average Swiss person traveled about 2,000 miles by rail; most of those journeys happened during the morning or evening rush hour.Passenger flows have increased by 30% over the last seven years and 350,000 people now use Zurich's central train station every day. "You can say the Swiss are train addicts," says Daniele Pallecchi, of Swiss Railways. He adds: "Within the last seven years we had a big increase of passengers using the trains in Switzerland and here in Zurich as well and we need more capacity on the rails and on our trains. So we are building now the cross-city link. "The cross-city link ensures bigger capacity and shorter time of traveling." More video: How Swiss trains run like clockworkWhen finished, Zurich's cross-city railway line will be over six miles long and will form an integral part of the Swiss network's inter-city axis. It is Switzerland's biggest urban project. At its heart is the new underground "through" station -- or "Löwenstrasse" -- built beneath the main station. Here, two new platforms will serve four tracks that will eventually be connected to the main train station. Over the past four years men and machines have been digging under two rivers and a fully functioning rail hub, creating a hole the size of two football fields. "It's the most challenging job you can imagine," says project director Roland Kobel. "It's not only railways ... almost every section of engineering is realized here: we have tunneling, we have open cuts, we have deep borings."Kobel says between 500 and 700 people are working on the project at any time, building below ground while the old station continues to function above.Swiss Railway reps say that while work on the cross-city link continues full bore, 98.5% of passengers still reach their destination on time.It's estimated that as many as half a million people will use the station each day by 2020. That's why the cross-city link is crucial: once completed, in 2014, it will match that increase by doubling the capacity of the station. | 3news
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Story highlightsKazuyoshi Miura signs Yokohoma FC contractNew deal will see him play past age of 49"King Kazu's" career has spanned 31 yearsScored 55 goals in 89 games for Japan (CNN)With a nod to the saying "you're only as old as you feel," Japanese striker Kazuyoshi Miura continues to defy the aging process.Known as "King Kazu" in his homeland, the Yokohama FC forward has signed a new one-year deal that will see him continue to play professional football past his 49th birthday, the Japanese club said Wednesday.Follow @cnnsport
In a remarkable career that has spanned more than 30 years, Miura's exploits have seen him play club football in South America, Europe, Australia and Asia."I'm thankful to the club staff and supporters who always offer me support," Miura -- often dubbed "the oldest footballer in the world" -- told Kyodo News."I'll continue to give everything I have and strive," he added, after the club confirmed his new contract at 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11 as a tribute to the striker's shirt number.Read MoreMiura made his professional debut for Brazilian club side Santos as a 19-year-old in 1986, after moving to Brazil four years earlier to play youth football.He managed an impressive 55 goals in 89 appearances for Japan, notching 14 in qualifying as he fired his country to the 1998 World Cup Finals in France.The 48-year-old has three goals in 16 appearances this season, though he is currently sidelined with a thigh injury.Can you think of any other old athletes? Let us know on the CNN Sport Facebook page | 5sport
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(CNN)Zoi Sadowski-Synnott wasn't even born when New Zealand ended its 40-year wait for a Winter Olympics medal in 1992. On Sunday, she soared through the air at Beijing's Genting Snow Park to claim her country's first ever gold at a Winter Games.The 20-year-old put in a remarkable final run to claim the gold in the women's snowboard slopestyle event, snatching victory from Team USA's Julia Marino at the death.The youngest and oldest Winter Olympians competing at Beijing 2022 Sadowski-Synnott had thrown down the gauntlet with a benchmark setting 84.51 on her first effort, but a disastrous second round opened the door for Marino to edge ahead with 87.68 heading into the third and final run.It left the Kiwi requiring a near-flawless performance in the most pressurized of circumstances, and the 20-year-old delivered emphatically -- a jaw-dropping final run rewarding her with a 92.88 score, over five points clear of Marino's best attempt in second, and a historic gold medal."I tried to think last night what it would mean if I managed to land my run and come away with gold, and it feels unreal," Sadowski-Synnott told reportersRead More"I am super proud of where my snowboarding has come in the last few years and super proud to be Kiwi and show the world what Kiwis are made of."I really hope my performance here will inspire young kids and anyone to take up snowboarding because I reckon it's the funnest sport ever." Sadowski-Synnott takes to the skies during the final.Golden landingHaving looked destined to crash as she hurtled towards the ground on that final jump, a miraculous landing following a stunning 1080 double cork was testament to the youngster's fearlessness and strength of character. Four years ago Sadowski-Synnott won bronze in the big air event at the PyeongChang Games at the age of 16, making her New Zealand's youngest ever female medalist.Sadowski-Synnott celebrates after her Olympic victory with runner-up Marino (r).She has since won four Winter X Games gold medals, the most recent two coming at Aspen, Colorado in January."I had a pretty crazy mindset going into my last run and I knew I had to put down the run that I put down at X Games to win gold," Sadowski-Synnott said."Julia [Marino] did an absolutely amazing run. I mustered up everything I had in me to pull off that last jump, and it came off."I knew I was going way too fast, and in the air, I was like, just do anything you can to just land."'She's so inspiring'Sadowski-Synnott, Marino, and Australia's Tess Coady -- who won bronze -- embraced when the results were announced, a memory that the Kiwi said she would "never forget." US-born figure skater Zhu Yi under attack after fall on Olympic debut for ChinaSadowski-Synnott's dramatic final landing meant Marino narrowly lost out on a first Olympic gold, but the 24-year-old American expressed nothing but admiration for her rival."She stomped her last trick on the last line," Marino said. "She's got the strongest legs ever because it sounds like she cracked the landing pretty much with that."She's taking it to the next level doing these big tricks and other girls are like, 'Wow, I think we can do that, too'. She's so inspiring."Sadowski-Synnott, Marino, and Coady celebrate after the women's slopestyle finals.'This is insane'Bronze medalist Coady took home Australia's first medal of Beijing 2022, her podium finish sealing a perfect redemption arc for the 21-year-old after she tore her anterior cruciate ligament in the run-up to PyeongChang in 2018."This last four years has been so insane for me, but in the best possible way," said Coady, who won a bronze at the World Championships in Aspen in 2021."It was so hard, being on the sidelines and watching everyone progress, but it got me so motivated to work hard and get back and get better and catch up to all the girls.""Seriously, [it means] the world. It means so much to me. I'm so incredibly grateful."Meanwhile Marino's US compatriot Jamie Anderson, one of the sport's most iconic figures and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, struggled to find her rhythm and thee 31-year-old finished in ninth with a best score of 60.78 on her second attempt. Sunday's medal tallyCross-Country SkiingMen's 15km+15km Skiathlon: Alexander Bolshunov, Russian Olympic CommitteeFreestyle SkiingWomen's Moguls: Jakara Anthony, AustraliaLugeMen's Singles: Johannes Ludwig, GermanySki JumpingMen's Normal Hill Individual: Kobayashi Ryoyu, JapanSnowboardWomen's Snowboard Slopestyle: Zoi Sadowski Synnott, New ZealandSpeed SkatingMen's 5000m: Nils van der Poel, Sweden | 5sport
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Story highlightsLondon authorities: Six women who attempted climb arrestedThe women from Greenpeace said they dodged security guardsPlan was "to hang a huge work of art that captures the beauty" of the Arctic Greenpeace campaign aims to turn the area around the North Pole into a global sanctuarySix women who climbed one of Europe's tallest buildings Thursday in an effort to rally against Shell's Arctic drilling plan have been arrested, according to London's Metropolitan Police. They were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and taken into custody, according to the police.The women from the environmental group Greenpeace said they dodged security guards around The Shard and, once on top, they planned "to hang a huge work of art that captures the beauty" of the Arctic.It is believed the group first climbed onto the roof of London Bridge Station before accessing the outside of The Shard, the police said. Earlier Greenpeace issued a statement about the climbers. JUST WATCHED'The View from The Shard' in London opensReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'The View from The Shard' in London opens 01:57JUST WATCHEDTime-lapse: The Shard built in 1 minuteReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTime-lapse: The Shard built in 1 minute 01:10JUST WATCHEDLondon's newest landmark: The ShardReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLondon's newest landmark: The Shard 03:28"They expect the grueling project to take most of the day," it read. "The lead climbers are 'free climbing' (scaling the building without assistance) but are fixing safety ropes as they progress. They are carrying the huge work of art in backpacks and will install it this afternoon if they reach the summit. " The six started their climb of the 1,016-foot-tall skyscraper at dawn and were live streaming the climb. They opted to climb The Shard because it towers over the oil giant's global headquarters on the South Bank of the Thames, according to the statement . "Shell is leading the oil companies' drive into the Arctic, investing billions in its Alaskan and Russian drilling programs," it said. "A worldwide movement of millions has sprung up to stop them, but Shell is refusing to abandon its plans."The climbers are from the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Holland and Belgium. The Shard released a statement saying it is working with authorities to ensure the climbers' safety, reading, "Our primary focus is on the safety of the protesters, and of the workers and visitors to our building, which remains open today." Greenpeace's environmental campaign aims to turn the area around the North Pole into a global sanctuary unavailable to industrialization. Shell defended its Arctic drilling. "Oil and gas production from the Arctic is not new," it said in a statement. "The Arctic region currently produces about 10% of the world's oil and 25% of its gas. If responsibly developed, Arctic energy resources can help offset supply constraints and maintain energy security for consumers throughout the world."Regarding the protest, the oil giant said it respects the freedom of expression. "We only ask that they do so with their safety and the safety of others, including Shell personnel and customers in mind," Shell said. | 3news
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(CNN)Former Major League Soccer star Taylor Twellman knows the dangers of head injuries and their lingering effects better than most.Now 39 and working as media pundit for ESPN, the former New England Revolution forward was forced to retire from the sport due to multiple concussions following a devastating 2008 collision with LA Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin.And as he looks back at the injury suffered by Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen in Tuesday's Champions League semifinal, Twellman, who set up a foundation to raise awareness of the dangers of concussion, is troubled by what he saw.Vertonghen was left bloodied and dazed after colliding with teammate Toby Alderweireld as the pair challenged Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana for the ball."I got sick to my stomach," the 39-year-old Twellman told CNN about his reaction to the collision and the aftermath.Read MoreAfter being treated on the field for some time, Vertonghen was initially cleared to continue playing, before staggering to the touchline just moments later. There, he stood retching and had to be helped from the field by the team's backroom staff.Jan Vertonghen was initially given the all-clear to continue playing, before being helped off the field just moments later."Hopefully no one has to die," said Twellman of what he sees as football's troubling record on responding to head injuries."It's irresponsible, it's disgusting, and quite honestly it's pathetic that we're still having this conversation in 2019."Tottenham said its medical team strictly followed the English Football Association concussion guidelines in caring for Vertonghen. In a statement, the club said, "Following testing he was judged to be alert and answered all questions correctly and lucidly, deeming him fit to return to the field of play."All available video footage was relayed to our on-pitch medical team and they were able to confirm that he had suffered no loss of consciousness."Speaking earlier on Thursday in a press conference, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino reiterated his defense of his medical team, stating: "We followed the protocol."He added: "Our doctor and medical staff behaved very well, they were excellent, followed the protocol. I respect [their decisions] because I think I'm professional about football, not medicine. All decisions about health are for medical staff."The assessments on concussion were negative, that's why the player was allowed to play. A few seconds after that was a completely different thing, he [started] to feel no good. After that, we changed in that moment, and he was out of the pitch.Vertonghen had to be helped off the pitch by his manager, Mauricio Pochettino."I think the most important thing for us, is and always will be the health of the player. The game, the result, or that it's the semifinal of the Champions League, what's more important is the health of the player. That's our priority always."You can ask the referees. They were in Spanish, talking about the situation. The referee for me was fantastic."I want to praise him for his amazing behavior. His priority was the health of the player. He said to me 'Mauricio, are you sure he's in a condition to play?' I said, 'Ask the doctor, not me'. 'Doctor is he in a condition to play?' 'Yes', 'ok, go in.'"The club added in a later statement on Thursday that Vertonghen had undergone further tests and had seen an independent neurologist, as is standard procedure, and it had been concluded that the defender did not suffer a concussion. The club said: "The Belgium defender suffered an injury to his nose due to a challenge during the game which resulted in heavy bleeding. He was deemed fit to continue playing after an on-field assessment. All Football Association concussion guidelines were followed."Jan was immediately withdrawn as a result of the player informing medical staff that symptoms were developing suddenly and that he no longer felt stable standing up. We have been advised that this was the result of a presyncopal episode, a near faint."Vertonghen will not be available to play for Spurs in their Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday.READ: How do you stop Lionel Messi?READ: Messi nets 600th goal as Barcelona crushes LiverpoolJan Vertonghen collided with teammate Toby Alderweireld and Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana.Europe's governing body UEFA, which runs the Champions League, also defended the actions of the officials and Tottenham's medical staff, saying: "Based on the reports of UEFA's officials at the match, the concussion procedure was respected during the game, as the referee immediately stopped the match after the incident."The doctor was at no point under time pressure from the referee and was given time to make his medical assessment. The stoppage was longer than the three minutes mentioned in the procedure."In accordance with the procedure, before letting the player come back onto pitch, the referee went to the touchline to approach the team doctor, who informed the referee that the player is fine to carry on and keep the player on the pitch."Football has often been accused of lagging behind other sports in terms of the way that head injuries -- and specifically concussions -- are treated.In other sports, the case is different. Since the 2015 Rugby World Cup, teams have been able to make a temporary substitution for any player suffering from a head injury.In English domestic cricket, temporary substitutions were introduced in 2018. Meanwhile, the NFL -- a sport long linked to head injuries -- has a "Play Smart. Play Safe." protocol, with doctors monitoring player welfare on the sidelines using videoIf found to be showing any signs of impact seizure or fencing responses -- both independent signs of loss of consciousness, the players have to be replaced, according the NFL's concussion protocols developed alongside the NFLPA.Former Watford midfielder played for Morocco at the 2018 World Cup while wearing a scrum cap -- just five days after being substituted due to concussion against Iran.READ: Appie Nouri: 'You never know how good he could have been,' says Danny BlindREAD: From Cruyff to de Ligt: The evolution of Ajax's $500 million football factoryYet, in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, Germany's Christoph Kramer was allowed to continue after a clash of heads, only to be forced off by concussion later in the game. "Shortly after the blow, Kramer came to me asking: 'Ref, is this the final?'" World Cup final referee Nicola Rizzoli later told La Gazzetta dello Sport.At last year's World Cup in Russia, Morocco's Nordin Amrabat suffered concussion during a defeat against Iran, only to play five days later in headgear, which he discarded early on in the match. After Amrabat's return, Morocco manager Herve Renard described the former Watford player as a "warrior."At the time Morocco team doctor Abderazzak El Hifti said he had respected the recommendations of FIFA "point by point."Nonetheless the decision went against FIFA's suggested six-day concussion break. However, the governing body does not have the authority to officially enforce the advice."Until FIFA takes its head out of the sand and out of other places, we are going to still be having this conversation," Twellman added. "If FIFA wants to do something about it and be proactive, then we may be talking about real evolution for the sport and real change."If we're going to be waiting for FIFA, then we'll be waiting forever."In response to CNN's request for comment, a FIFA spokesperson said: "FIFA regularly monitors the situation of head injuries, maintaining constant contact with current and on-going studies on this matter and reviewing our protocols."As mentioned in the concussion module of FIFA's Emergency Medical Manual, "if, at any stage of the concussion assessment, the medical team cannot make a definite decision regarding whether concussion is present or not and a doubt exists, it is recommended that 'when in doubt, sit the player out' and he or she should be removed from play." | 5sport
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(CNN)But what about the coin????A much-ballyhooed Singapore summit between the United States and North Korea met its end Thursday when President Donald Trump called off the conference over some typically Kim Jong Unesque name-calling -- or, as Trump phrased it, "tremendous anger and open hostility."Read Trump's letterThe cancellation, for now, stamps out the prospects for peace between the long-at-odds nations, the denuclearization of North Korea and Trump's Nobel Peace Prize. Yet it did nothing to stop the production of snazzy coins featuring Trump and Kim in front of patriotic backdrops surrounded by olive branches. Because the coins already exist. Read MoreBecause they were made before the meeting with a fickle, autocratic dictator with a disdain for the West that literally goes back generations. Yeah. More than a few people saw the pitfalls in the premature printing of summit coins. Journalist Adam Weinstein remarked Monday, "There's no way a president pre-pressing a challenge coin to commemorate a not-yet-held summit with the North Koreans could ever go wrong."There's no way a president pre-pressing a challenge coin to commemorate a not-yet-held summit with the North Koreans could ever go wrong https://t.co/r2YkgGyb3u— Adam Weinstein (@AdamWeinstein) May 21, 2018
To its credit, the White House distanced itself from the dubious doubloon from the outset, saying the White House Communications Agency creates coinage for every presidential trip abroad and it was not created or approved by anyone at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Nor did it require any taxpayer coin. Phew."Since 2003, White House Communications Agency members have ordered a limited number of commercially designed and manufactured souvenir travel coins for purchase," a White House spokesman said. The commemorative -- or maybe not-so-commemorative -- spare change was called garish, weird, creepy and a Dumpster fire, and that was before it was deemed decidedly unnecessary. Its snappy sense of humor ever-present, Twitter began minting jokes quicker than ... well, the White House mints North Korea summit coins. Perhaps no surprise, President Barack Obama's former chief strategist, CNN's David Axelrod, was one of the first to take a jab. "Coming soon to eBay: Historic summit coins!" he quipped. Coming soon to eBay:Historic summit coins!! pic.twitter.com/hzPHTiYv0S— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 24, 2018
Other tweeps played on the meme of young entrepreneur Frank Giaccio fulfilling his dream of mowing the White House lawn last year. Twitizen Paul Ryckert posted a photo of the boy mowing as Trump looked on. "Can I pay you with US/Korea summit commemorative coins?" the caption reads. "Can I pay you with US/Korea summit commemorative coins?"#koreasummit pic.twitter.com/bfe7jYGzzU— Paul Ryckert (@PaulRyckert) May 24, 2018
Writer Thomas Ricks asked -- rather appropriately -- if the White House will issue a "no summit" coin. The White House did not return calls inquiring whether that is a possibility. (Disclaimer: Because no one really asked.)Questions:Does he have to return his Premature Nobel Peace Prize?Time to issue a "no summit" coin? https://t.co/zi9M6LCmWE— Thomas E. Ricks (@tomricks1) May 24, 2018
A juggler and kazoo player going by The Hoarse Whisperer suggested that the coin is "now the Chuck E. Cheese token of presidential keepsakes." The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun: Where a Kim can be a Kim!The Trump-NoKo Summit coin is now the Chuck E. Cheese token of presidential keepsakes. pic.twitter.com/SDqMNwAPEU— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) May 24, 2018
A tweep with the handle Tea Pain -- not to be confused with the Tallahassee rapper T-Pain (whose real name is Faheem, not T) -- wondered if Trump's heralded business acumen might be at play. "One day we'll find out Trump did a short sale on the commemorative coins, then pulled outta the summit. #InsiderTrading," he tweeted. One day we'll find out Trump did a short sale on the commemorative coins, then pulled outta the summit. #InsiderTrading pic.twitter.com/cqOzWRPgYj— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) May 24, 2018
Former Pentagon mouthpiece Adam Blickstein -- obviously tapping his deep Beltway connections -- reported that along with his "breakup letter," Trump sent his paramour half of the coin "imploring him to wear it around his neck until they're reunited, in love." Awwwww! And you thought Harry and Meghan were adorable!Along with the breakup letter, Trump also sent Kim half of the Peace Summit Coin, imploring him to wear it around his neck until they're reunited, in love pic.twitter.com/USjVHiDoWh— Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) May 24, 2018
On Thursday morning, the White House Gift Shop -- established by President Harry Truman in 1946, which in the ultimate irony was before the Chicago Daily Tribune's infamous "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline -- summit coins briefly remained available to the public. It's a different coin. This one features South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who is doubtless thrilled. But it raises the next question: They made two freaking coins?the White House Gift Shop just discounted the North Korea summit coins https://t.co/mK68m9M2H6 pic.twitter.com/E6rWM8XCc4— Taber Andrew Bain (@taber) May 24, 2018
This author can't judge, as he purchased one shortly before the site crashed around lunchtime. He couldn't resist the $5 discount and black velvet case. | 4politics
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Story highlights"The Duke and Duchess ... are very much looking forward to their first Christmas as a family of four," Kensington Palace saysThe palace says Prince George, 2, will attend Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk (CNN)A new Christmas photo of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, has been released.Taken by photographer Chris Jelf in the gardens of Kensington Palace in late October, the photo shows the young family surrounded by autumnal foliage with the little prince dressed in a pair of shorts and his sister casually missing a shoe."I thoroughly enjoyed photographing a very lovely family -- although you have to be sharp as you don't have long when there are two young children involved," said Jelf."The Duke and Duchess are hugely appreciative of all the warm messages they have received about their family this year and are very much looking forward to their first Christmas as a family of four," the palace said in a statement.A 1987 Christmas card signed by Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their children, Prince William and Prince Harry. The photo comes as the palace announced that 2-year-old George will start attending Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk in the east of the country before the end of January.Read MoreThe school is near the family's home on the Sandringham Estate and close to where Prince William works as an air ambulance pilot, signaling that the Duke and Duchess now view this as their primary residence, rather than Kensington Palace in London.Prince George will start attending Westacre Montessori School Nursery in Norfolk before the end of January. By royal standards, Westacre -- housed in a converted chapel -- is a modest, rural school costing $8.20 per hour, or $49 per day.Montessori refers to an educational style developed by Italian teacher Maria Montessori that emphasizes independent learning and respect for the child's psychological development.Williams' own nursery, while also Montessori, was at the private Mrs. Mynors' Nursery School in Inner London, near Kensington Palace, and in 1986 cost a reported $850 a year to attend.Palace releases new photos of Princess Charlotte | 3news
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Story highlights The Democratic Left and Syriza voice opposition to the austerity packageSamaras calls on lawmakers to approve the deal agreed to with international creditors"As long as this agreement is approved ... Greece will remain in the euro," says Samaras2 parliamentary votes will be held, one on budget and the other on austerity and reformsDebt-stricken Greece has agreed on final details with its international creditors on the terms for the next installment of a bailout deal, the prime minister said Tuesday.However, the agreement on new austerity measures and the country's budget must still be approved in two parliamentary votes -- which are likely to test the strength of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' governing coalition.Samaras said Greece's representatives had done "everything possible" in their negotiations with the so-called troika, the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.Read more: Euro crisis opens old wounds for Greece, Germany"We exhausted all possibilities, pressures and time. We achieved important improvements, even at the last moment," Samaras said. "As long as this agreement is approved and the budget voted into approval, Greece will remain in the euro and will find its way out of the crisis."JUST WATCHEDThe human cost of austerity in GreeceReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe human cost of austerity in Greece 02:15JUST WATCHEDInside a protest, tear gas and allReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHInside a protest, tear gas and all 01:47JUST WATCHEDGreece unemployment gets even worse ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGreece unemployment gets even worse 02:54JUST WATCHEDCan exports save Greece's economy?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan exports save Greece's economy? 02:56The Greek government has until now struggled to nail down all of the €11 billion of spending cuts it needs to satisfy the conditions of its international bailout.The harsh austerity measures already in place have angered many people in Greece, which is in its fifth year of recession and has seen its unemployment rate soar to more than 25%. Greece's parliament is under pressure to pass the new austerity package before November 12, when eurozone finance ministers are expected to announce whether they will release the money.The first parliamentary vote -- this one on the budget -- is expected Wednesday, with the second vote, on reforms and austerity measures, scheduled for Monday. Samaras warned that the danger for the Greek people going forward did not lie in which measure was or wasn't passed, but rather in what might happen if the agreement was not approved and the nation plunged into chaos."These dangers must be avoided. And that is now the responsibility of all parties and of every member of parliament individually," he said.The coalition headed by Samaras is made up of his center-right New Democracy party, the socialist party Pasok and the Democratic Party of the Left, or DIMAR.While Pasok has not yet commented, it seems Samaras may struggle to bring the Democratic Left on board.Read more: Greece brought to standstill by anti-austerity strike"DIMAR fought for labor relations with specific positions in order to protect already weakened labor rights," the party said in a statement Tuesday. "We don't agree on the outcome of the negotiations. DIMAR maintains its position."Radical leftist party Syriza also voiced opposition to the austerity package -- and urged people to take to the streets to demonstrate against its passage."Government measures should not be voted into effect, they will not be implemented," a statement said. "Public protests are the only effective answer to the plans to demolish the rights of workers and of young people (that) will mean the subordination of the country to its lenders and to big capital." Greece, and particularly Athens, has seen repeated street demonstrations against the austerity measures imposed on the nation, some of which have turned violent.Two general strikes have been called in recent weeks by unions who say that another round of cuts to wages and pensions will be too painful for the Greek people to bear.Critics of austerity argue that the country needs measures to promote growth and create new jobs.Samaras said he was already pushing for Greece to be given more than the 31 billion euros expected in the latest installment of funds "so that there is a significant effect on the real economy."Greece's long-running economic woes have shaken global markets and led to fears it could crash out of the 17-member eurozone single currency if it defaults on its debt.The turmoil in the eurozone has exacerbated concerns about other ailing nations such as Spain and Italy, which are also struggling with high unemployment and debt. | 3news
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Story highlights Nobel chairman says the prize should serve as warning to dictatorsBe not afraid to denounce injustice,' Sirleaf says in accepting the prizeArab Spring, Africa provide backdrop to this year's peace prizeThe three women are recognized for their struggle against injustice and sexual violenceWomen's rights took center stage Saturday at the Nobel ceremonies as three women recognized for their struggles against the backdrops of the Arab Spring and democratic progress in Africa accepted this year's peace prize.Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Leymah Gbowee, a social worker and peace campaigner from the same country, shared the prize with Tawakkul Karman, an activist and journalist who this year played a key opposition role in Yemen.The three were chosen for their non-violent struggle against injustice, sexual violence and repression. "Ever since the Norwegian Nobel Committee made this year's decision known, the people of Norway have looked forward to seeing you on this stage," said Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. "You give concrete meaning to the Chinese proverb which says that 'women hold up half the sky,'" he said. "We thank you for the hope you awaken in us all."Jagland said the work of the three laureates should serve as warning to dictators even as more civilians were killed Saturday in Syria. 'Been a long time coming,' say prize winners"The leaders in Yemen and Syria who murder their people to retain their own power should take note of the following: mankind's fight for freedom and human rights never stops," Jagland said.The three women received the coveted gold Nobel medal and a diploma and will share $1.5 million in cash. They will also be honored with a star-studded concert Sunday that culminates the program of Nobel events.All three women dedicated their remarks to women struggling for equal rights around the world."I urge my sisters, and my brothers, not to be afraid," Sirleaf said in her Nobel lecture. "Be not afraid to denounce injustice, though you may be outnumbered. Be not afraid to seek peace, even if your voice may be small. Be not afraid to demand peace."Johnson Sirleaf, a 73-year-old Harvard graduate whose political resilience earned her the nickname "Iron Lady," became Africa's first democratically-elected female president in 2006, three years after decades of civil war ended. Crediting women with ending the conflict and challenging the dictatorship of former President Charles Taylor, she declared a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and made education compulsory and free for all primary-age children. JUST WATCHEDNobel winners discuss women's rightsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNobel winners discuss women's rights 03:51JUST WATCHEDWomen's activists share Nobel Peace PrizeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWomen's activists share Nobel Peace Prize 01:34JUST WATCHEDTwo Nobel recipients from Liberia ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTwo Nobel recipients from Liberia 01:48JUST WATCHEDThree share Nobel Peace PrizeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThree share Nobel Peace Prize 02:40She dedicated her remarks to women around the world "who have seen the devastation that merciless violence can bring."Gbowee, 39, led a women's movement that protested the use of rape and child soldiers in Liberia's civil war. She mobilized hundreds of women to force delegates at 2003 peace talks to sign a treaty -- at one point calling for a "sex strike" until demands were met.She thanked Liberian women for making "our country proud.""Thank you for sitting in the rain and under the sun. This is your prize. This is our prize," she said."The world used to remember Liberia for child soldiers but they now remember our country for the white t-shirt women," she said referring to the women clad in white T-shirts who demanded an end to Liberia's brutal civil war. "Who would have ever thought that Liberian women would have been among faces of women's global victory, but you did it."But she also reminded the world that victory was still afar. "We must continue to unite in sisterhood to turn our tears into triumph, our despair into determination and our fear into fortitude." she said. "There is no time to rest until our world achieves wholeness and balance, where all men and women are considered equal and free."Karman, 32, emerged as an icon of change as Yemen was swept up in the tumult of the Arab Spring, but the mother-of-three has long been active in campaigning for women and human rights. Karman, the first Arab woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize -- and one of its youngest recipients -- founded the rights group Women Journalists without Chains, and emerged as a key figure in protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime."I have always believed that resistance against repression and violence is possible without relying on similar repression and violence," she said. "I have always believed that human civilization is the fruit of the effort of both women and men. "So, when women are treated unjustly and are deprived of their natural right in this process, all social deficiencies and cultural illnesses will be unfolded, and in the end the whole community, men and women, will suffer."While Johnson Sirleaf's Nobel achievement has stirred anger among Liberian political opponents who claim recent elections were rigged in her favor, this year's Nobel Peace Price is unlikely to attract the level of controversy seen in 2010.China and more than a dozen other countries, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, boycotted the event over the decision to award the prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, a key figure in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.Liu, who is serving an 11-year-sentence in a Chinese prison for what the government called "inciting subversion of state power," was not allowed to travel to Norway to accept the prize, which China denounced as a "political farce."Awarded almost every year since 1901 (it has been halted during times of major international conflict) the Peace Prize has a history of contentious laureates. Previous winners include former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who won alongside Vietnamese revolutionary Le Duc Tho (who declined the award), and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who won jointly with Israeli President Shimon Peres and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.In 2009, the prize was awarded to U.S. President Barack Obama despite the fact he had spent less than one year in office. Two years earlier, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was a joint recipient in recognition of work highlighting climate change.• This year's three co-laureates will sit down with CNN's Jonathan Mann for an hour-long special interview. The interview will broadcast live on CNN International and CNN.com on Saturday at 1600 GMT (11 a.m. ET) and repeated on Sunday at 0300 GMT (10 p.m. ET Saturday).• The concert in honor of the Nobel prize winners will be broadcast on CNN.com on Sunday between 1900-2000 GMT (2 p.m.-3 p.m. ET) and 2030-2130 GMT (3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. ET). | 3news
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(CNN)The Patriots weren't supposed to be in this Super Bowl -- much less win it.No, in 2002, at Super Bowl XXXVI, it's probably safe to say no one expected a Patriots dynasty to begin. Not with 24-year-old Tom Brady, a sixth-round draft pick in 2000, starting the 2001 season as a backup quarterback, and Bill Belichick, who had a losing record in his first six seasons as an NFL head coach with the Cleveland Browns and New England.In 2019, it's still perilous to count out the Patriots -- even with Brady now 41 years old and Belichick at 66. Super Bowl LIII will be the ninth -- ninth! -- Super Bowl appearance for the duo. But 17 years ago, New England was not a team that NFL fans around the country envied -- or loved to hate.At age 24, Brady won Super Bowl MVP -- the first of four in his illustrious career.'The Greatest Show on Turf'Read MoreIn those days, a team with dynasty potential was the St. Louis Rams. Known as "The Greatest Show on Turf," they had won Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 against the Tennessee Titans -- a classic finish that came down to the final play in Atlanta. Mike Martz, who was the offensive coordinator for that title, was now head coach, having replaced Dick Vermeil. St Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz.Their offense was loaded with future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame: quarterback Kurt Warner, running back Marshall Faulk and offensive lineman Orlando Pace. Additionally, they had wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Tory Holt. They also had a future hall-of-famer on defense in cornerback Aeneas Williams.The Patriots, meanwhile, started their season with the established Drew Bledsoe at quarterback. But things turned quickly. In Week 2, New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis smashed into Bledsoe near the sideline. The Patriots QB had a concussion and internal bleeding from the hit, leaving the game in an ambulance.Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, who won Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 against the Titans, was back in his second championship game.In came Brady to finish the game. No one knew it at the time, but the NFL landscape permanently was altered.Even after Bledsoe healed, Brady kept the starting job. The Patriots went 11-5, winning the AFC East division and earning a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. Despite Brady suffering a sprained ankle in the AFC title game -- giving Bledsoe the chance to play the hero role -- New England still upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh.NFL's Cinderella team was going to the Super Bowl. But how hobbled was Brady? Could the Patriots slow the Rams' offensive firepower? St. Louis was listed as a 14-point favorite for the February 3, 2002, matchup at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans."Bill Belichick faces a week with one endless echoing question: Who starts Sunday?" CNN's Tom Rinaldi said at the time."We'll take a look at Tom's situation and we'll make the evaluation there and we'll talk about that," Belichick said. "We'll make a decision later on in the week."Said Brady: "I know I'll be prepared if they tell me to start."'The Patriots are winning the battle'After a week of treatment on the ankle, Brady was back behind center for Super Bowl Sunday. According to Fox sideline reporter Rob Pitts, Brady's prep ahead of the game included ice, a massage that lasted almost 45 minutes and that he planned to take a pain injection "just for a peace of mind."On paper, the Rams appeared in control in this game. They had more first downs (26) than the Patriots (15). They had more total yards (427) than New England (267). They also won the time of possession (33:30 to 26:30).What was missing, though, were points."The Rams have had the ball, they've gone up and down the field, they've had the time of possession, they have all those things, but they only have three points," Fox analyst John Madden, who won Super Bowl XI as head coach of the Oakland Raiders, said early in the second quarter. "They're winning the game, but I think the Patriots are winning the battle."Patriots corner back Ty Law after intercepting Warner's pass during first-half action.New England made it 7-3, as Ty Law streaked down the sideline for a 47-yard touchdown off a Warner interception with 8:49 left in the second quarter. Later in the half, Antwan Harris forced a fumble off Ricky Proehl. It was recovered by Terrell Buckley, scampering 15 yards into Rams territory setting up a two-minute drill for Brady. An 8-yard touchdown pass from Brady to David Patten made it 14-3 just before halftime."Bill Belichick told me the other night, 'We've just got to be physical,'" Madden said. "He said, 'The only way we can win this game is we have to be more physical on them, and we have to find other ways to score, other than our offense.'"Fox play-by-play man Pat Summerall, a former NFL placekicker who won the NFL championship in 1952 with the Detroit Lions, then said something that may not have withstood the test of time -- at least with reporters: "Talk about a guy that's become easier to converse with and loosened up."What Madden said after that, however, definitely holds up in present day."He's a great coach," he said.Patriots defensive end Willie McGinest celebrates after sacking Warner during the second half.'This is what Super Bowls are supposed to be'A 37-yard field goal from a then-29-year-old Adam Vinatieri -- the byproduct of another Warner interception -- made it 17-3 in the third quarter. Early in the fourth, the Patriots almost put the game away for good.On fourth down at the Patriots' 3-yard line, Warner was hit and fumbled the ball. Tebucky Jones recovered for New England and ran 97 yards to the end zone. But the play was called back for defensive holding on Willie McGinest.The Rams capitalized on New England's mistake, and Warner's 2-yard run up the middle pulled St. Louis within seven. Later, a Warner 26-yard touchdown pass to Proehl tied it at 17.One minute, 30 seconds remained in the game. Neither team had any timeouts."This is what Super Bowls are supposed to be, Pat," Madden said.Warner runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.'I've been impressed watching Tom Brady'After the kickoff, the Patriots had the ball on their own 17."I think that the Patriots, with this field position, you just have to just run the clock out," Madden said. "You have to play for overtime now."There had never been an overtime game in a Super Bowl, and there wouldn't be OT that night. That eventually would happen for the first time in Super Bowl LI, when Brady, Belichick and the Patriots stunned the Atlanta Falcons to complete the biggest comeback in the title game's history.Instead, Brady dazzled. He completed five passes on the drive, three of those to J.R. Redmond and another a 23-yarder to Troy Brown that brought the ball into St. Louis territory."I've been impressed watching Tom Brady. ... The way he's played in this game today, he has been very, very impressive with his calmness," Madden remarked.Vinatieri loosened up on the Patriots' sideline. Fox flashed a graphic on the screen that his career-long was 55 yards in 1998.Brady got him closer. With 7 seconds to go, the young Patriots QB spiked the ball to stop the clock. It was up to Vinatieri now, from 48 yards. His kick -- as time expired -- was perfect.Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri celebrates his game-winning field goal.With a final score of 20-17, the Patriots were Super Bowl champs for the first time in franchise history. Seventeen of New England's points were from those St. Louis turnovers.Brady was 16 of 27 for 145 yards and one touchdown. Then the youngest quarterback to win the Super Bowl (Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers since surpassed him when he was 23 at Super Bowl XL), Brady had no turnovers and was named Super Bowl MVP -- the first of four in his career. No other player has won that award that many times."I think this team came out and just proved to everybody what we were -- what we've been doing all year," Brady said to CNN after the win. "And you know, people love to see these teams that come out and win by 50 points, and we're the type of team that comes through when you -- when we need it. And the offense, defense, special teams, just -- it was a team game and we have the ultimate team in the Patriots this year."Members of the New England Patriots celebrate Vinatieri's game-winning field goal.Coming full circle?There are no Patriots from that 2001 season roster in the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- yet. But the titles kept coming, in Super Bowls XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX and LI.After the loss, the Rams fell out of the NFL's elite, mostly enduring losing seasons in their final years in St. Louis. But since returning to Los Angeles in 2016, the Rams have reached the playoffs twice and are now back in their first Super Bowl since that loss to the Patriots.Super Bowl LIII is on a familiar date for both teams: February 3, just like in 2002. It's in Atlanta, the city where the Rams last won a championship. This time the Patriots will be favored, as Brady and Belichick aim for title No. 6 together. As for any symbolic significance in this rematch, Belichick -- as usual -- will not go there."Yeah, I'm not really worried about what happened five, 10, 20 years ago," Belichick recently said to reporters. "I'm trying to get ready for this team. There's not, I don't think, a lot of relevance in any of those games."He has work to do. Instead of Martz and Warner, he'll be facing Sean McVay, seen as the newest NFL head coaching prodigy and the youngest head coach in Super Bowl history at age 33. They'll also be up against a 24-year-old quarterback. His name is Jared Goff. | 5sport
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(CNN)A British hiker has gone missing during a solo trip in the Pyrenees mountain range on the border between France and Spain.Esther Dingley, 37, was last seen on November 22, according to a Facebook post from her partner, Dan Colegate, published Saturday. The couple have been traveling around Europe since 2014, documenting their adventures on social media."I'm broken. Shattered to report that my beloved Esther, the person who taught me how to feel, is missing," Colegate wrote on the couple's shared page, "Esther & Dan." "Search and rescue teams have so far found no trace of her."Europe's ski resorts are facing the 'season from hell'Dingley was last seen November 22 on the Spanish side of the mountains, a spokesman for the local mountain rescue team, PGHM, told CNN.Read MoreSixteen team members have been searching for Dingley with the aid of a helicopter but so far they have not found any sign of her, the spokesman said."Anyone who has seen or come into contact with this hiker is asked to contact PGHM Bagnères de Luchon," the mountain rescue team wrote in a Facebook post Friday. "We are facing an emergency situation."Dingley set out on her hike on November 22 and was scheduled to return on November 25, according to the post. Her planned route took her between the Port de la Glère and Port de Vénasque mountain passes, PGHM said.The couple started traveling around Europe in a camper van in 2014 after Colegate suffered a serious illness. Since then they have been documenting their journey on social media.Frenchman rescued from mountains after breaking quarantine to buy cigarettesColegate asked people to send "prayers, thoughts, candles and whatever you have," in his Facebook post."I've not been saying anything, but this wonderful person believes in the power of positive thought and right now I'll take anything if it means that she can be found," he wrote. "I need her back. I can't face the alternative."Colegate has written a number of books about how their lives changed in the wake of a near-death experience, and various media outlets have published articles on the couple. On November 22, the BBC published an article about the pair and their life on the road. | 3news
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