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(CNN)Beneath a thick cover of clouds, Venus is aglow.The Parker Solar Probe mission, intended to study the sun, has revealed more about what lies beneath the thick atmosphere of Venus. The spacecraft captured its first visible light images of the planet's surface during a 2021 flyby.As Parker approached Venus in February 2021, it was able to capture the red thermal glow exuded by Venus created by heat coming from the planet's surface.NASA's Parker Solar Probe becomes first spacecraft to 'touch' the sun"The surface of Venus, even on the nightside, is about 860 degrees," said lead study author Brian Wood, a physicist at the Naval Research Laboratory, in a statement. "It's so hot that the rocky surface of Venus is visibly glowing, like a piece of iron pulled from a forge."The surface of Venus remains very much a mystery to scientists because it's hidden beneath thick clouds that prevent it from being seen. Read MoreThe Parker Solar Probe has an imager, called WISPR, that was able to peer beneath this hazy cover while imaging the entire nightside of Venus in visible light that humans can see, as well as near-infrared light, which is otherwise invisible to us. The name WISPR is short for Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar PRobe.The spacecraft has used gravity assists from Venus, where the probe essentially swings itself around the planet, to get increasingly closer to the sun. During those flybys in July 2020 and February 2021, Parker kept its imager on and aimed it at the dark side of Venus. Dark regions on Venus seen in this WISPR image correspond with dramatic geologic features on the surface.The imager was designed to detect faint features in the solar wind that streams out from the sun. The newly released images are part of a study that published Wednesday in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The images show that the Venusian surface exudes a faint glow, and features like plains, plateaus and continental regions can be distinguished. There is also a glowing halo of oxygen in the planet's atmosphere called airglow, a type of light that also exists in Earth's atmosphere. "We're thrilled with the science insights Parker Solar Probe has provided thus far," said Nicola Fox, division director for the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, in a statement. "Parker continues to outperform our expectations, and we are excited that these novel observations taken during our gravity assist maneuver can help advance Venus research in unexpected ways."Parker Solar Probe detects a radio signal from Venus' atmosphereVenus is often called Earth's twin due to a similarity in size and structure between the two planets. Images like the ones captured by Parker can help scientists determine why one planet has temperatures hot enough to melt lead, and the other became a haven for life."Venus is the third brightest thing in the sky, but until recently we have not had much information on what the surface looked like because our view of it is blocked by a thick atmosphere," Wood said. "Now, we finally are seeing the surface in visible wavelengths for the first time from space."Previous missions to Venus have shared insights about the planet using radar and infrared-detecting instruments that could penetrate the thick clouds, like NASA's Magellan mission in the early 1990s. The Magellan mission created this radar map of Venus in the 1990s.The new images can help scientists learn more about the geology and minerals present on Venus because they glow in unique wavelengths of light when heated. Parker will continue to use gravity assists from Venus as it spirals closer to the sun, but the trajectory of the next flyby won't allow for imaging. The next opportunity to image Venus will be during the seventh and final flyby in November 2024.New UAE space mission will orbit Venus and land on an asteroidThe spacecraft's success with observing Venus while also revealing new insights about our sun has inspired the teams supporting other missions to gather images and data as they fly by Venus, like the BepiColombo mission to study Mercury and Solar Orbiter spacecraft.Venus is the target of several upcoming missions later this decade like VERITAS and DAVINCI that will image and sample the Venusian atmosphere and create a new higher-resolution map of the surface in infrared light."By studying the surface and atmosphere of Venus, we hope the upcoming missions will help scientists understand the evolution of Venus and what was responsible for making Venus inhospitable today," said Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters, in a statement. "While both DAVINCI and VERITAS will use primarily near-infrared imaging, Parker's results have shown the value of imaging a wide range of wavelengths."

3news

Story highlightsMarc Marquez seeking to be first rookie to win motorcycling's premier title since 1978The 20-year-old has a 13-point lead over defending MotoGP champion Jorge LorenzoThey will battle head-to-head in Sunday's final race of 2013 season at ValenciaFellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa won last season's event at the Circuit Ricardo TormoIf Sebastian Vettel's efficient march towards his fourth Formula One crown left fans of motor racing's premier competition stifling yawns, things in the top class on two wheels are rather different.Last month, the latest in Spain's prodigious production line of motorcycle racers, Marc Marquez, looked to have the MotoGP title sewn up. Arriving in Australia with a cavernous 43-point lead over compatriot Jorge Lorenzo, it seemed almost inevitable that the 20-year-old would become the division's youngest champion, and the first rookie to win the title since Kenny Roberts in 1978. Instead, the twisting undulations of Phillip Island flipped the season's story on its head.Bridgestone, MotoGP's tire supplier, had been unable to properly test on the newly resurfaced circuit, and the teams quickly discovered that the fresh tarmac was causing their rubber to disintegrate at a dangerous rate. For safety, the race was reduced to 19 laps, and a mandatory bike change introduced at the halfway point. To widespread astonishment, Marquez's Repsol Honda team misinterpreted the strict guidance on pit stops and he stayed out on track a lap too long, leading to his disqualification.Read: Lorenzo sets up thrilling MotoGP finaleThe black flag for Marquez may have been harsh -- a tweet from veteran rider Colin Edwards summed up the feelings of many fans -- but Honda's loss was Yamaha's gain. Lorenzo went on to win, and suddenly the championship race was back on.Lorenzo carved further into Marquez's lead the following week, beating his younger rival into second place at Honda's home circuit in Motegi, Japan. Now, as the teams arrive in Valencia for Sunday's season finale, the title is well and truly up for grabs -- with just 13 points separating the top two.The most likely scenario for Lorenzo to defend his title, and claim a third overall, is for the Mallorcan to win the race and hope Marquez is no higher than fifth. The other permutations would require Marquez to either not finish -- which has happened only once this season, in June -- or be lower than eighth. However, he has been on the podium for 15 of 17 races. Hervé Poncharal, a former rider who is now principal of the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team he co-founded, is a big admirer of both men."Lorenzo is an incredible racing machine," Poncharal told CNN. "He is so sharp, he is so methodical. I have incredible respect for the rider." Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing venture Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing ventureBaywatch to burned rubber – Pamela Anderson has become joint owner of GT Series team Race Alliance. Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing venturePam Power – Anderson fronted the Downforce1 racing team in March 2012, which planned to compete in the 2012 European Le Mans and International GT Open series. The plan, however, failed to materialize.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing ventureDriving force – The Canadian star is pictured here with Markus Fux at the Downforce1 launch. Occasional racing driver Fux is also involved in the Race Alliance team.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing ventureUp close and personal – The former Playboy model pictured alongside German socialite Marcus Prinz von Anhalt at the Downforce1 launch last year.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing ventureBaywatch beginnings – Anderson shot to fame in the hit U.S. TV show Baywatch, in which she played lifeguard C.J. Parker between 1992 and 1998.Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Pamela Anderson's motor racing ventureParis in the pits – Anderson is not the first female celebrity to enter motorsport. Socialite Paris Hilton co-founded the SuperMartxe VIP MotoGP team in December 2010. Hide Caption 6 of 6 Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in Malaysia Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in MalaysiaMemories of Marco – As MotoGP returns to Malaysia for the first time since the tragic death of Marco Simoncelli, the Italian's memory is very much to the fore of the sport. Here, a fan of the rider, shows her devotion with a tattoo in tribute to her hero who died following a fatal crash on October 23 2011.Hide Caption 1 of 6 Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in MalaysiaFatal finish – Simoncelli was killed on the second lap of the race after losing control of his bike and being hit by Colin Edwards and Valentino Rossi at turn 11 at Sepang. The 24-year-old Italian suffered trauma to the neck, head and chest after his helmet flew off in the collision.Hide Caption 2 of 6 Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in MalaysiaNever forgotten – The whole of the MotoGP world stopped in silence at the unveiling of a plaque in memory of the Italian during the ''Tribute for Marco Simoncelli' ahead of the race in Malaysia. The number '58' which was Simoncelli's number and his nickname 'Sic' are both included on the memorial.Hide Caption 3 of 6 Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in MalaysiaPaying tribute – Marc Marquez of Spain and Team Catalunya Caixa Repsol touches the plaque during the ceremony. The Spaniard, who is hoping to claim the Moto2 title this weekend, looked emotional throughout the ceremony.Hide Caption 4 of 6 Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in MalaysiaMarching on together – MotoGP teams and officials came together at Sepang to remember the former rider during the 'Tribute for Marco Simoncelli' ceremony. According to 2011 world champion Casey Stoner, the incident is "a lot more fresh on everyone's mind being the anniversary." Hide Caption 5 of 6 Photos: Marco's Memories: A year on in MalaysiaHolding back the tears – Fausto Gresini, team manager of San Carlo Honda Gresini, looks on struggling to hold back the tears. Simoncelli was the second rider Gresini has lost following the death of Japanese rider Daijiro Kato in a gruesome crash at Suzuka in 2003.Hide Caption 6 of 6However, he adds that the MotoGP paddock already considers Marquez to be a champion."For everyone it doesn't matter the outcome of Valencia, he is the world champ in terms of speed. And this year is really incredible, because this is happening in a year when MotoGP is so competitive (at the top)."Read: Marquez mistake gives Lorenzo hopePoncharal also notes Marquez's startling maturity, which has given the youngster the consistency that many rookie riders struggle to deliver."He is incredibly aggressive on the bike, but if you look at the record he's not a big crasher. When you look at how aggressive he is, how hard he tries, and the risks he's taking, you can see that already now he's a very mature guy, although he's the youngest." Former MotoGP rider and double World Superbike champion James Toseland agrees. "I've been amazed at how he pushes the bike to the limit consistently," Toseland, who is now forging a career in music, told CNN. "At Mugello (the Italian MotoGP, when Marquez fell close to the end of the race while riding in a comfortable second place) you saw an over-enthusiastic 20-year-old, but that's all I've seen of that kind of personality. He's been so consistent and so level-headed since then."The Briton also sees the two Spaniards as neck and neck in the talent stakes: "I truly believe that Lorenzo is more than a match for Marquez on the same day, on the same bike, in the same conditions." Read: Lorenzo hits seagull, sets lap recordMotoGP is not immune to the problems F1 has faced with the dominance of Vettel's Red Bull. While an underachieving Ducati team continues to struggle, the factory outfits of Honda and Yamaha are simply blowing away the opposition, so the fact that this year's title is going to the wire will no doubt please the championship's governing body. Photos: Rossi to reunite with Lorenzo at Yamaha Photos: Rossi to reunite with Lorenzo at YamahaBest of rivals – Valentino Rossi, left, will rejoin Jorge Lorenzo at Yamaha next season, renewing one of MotoGP's biggest rivalries in recent years.Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Rossi to reunite with Lorenzo at YamahaDucati doledrums – Seven-time world champion Rossi has struggled since joining Ducati in 2011, having taken with him his No. 46 -- the number with which his bike has always been adorned to commemorate the first win by his father, who was also a motorbike racer. Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Rossi to reunite with Lorenzo at Yamaha'The Doctor' departs – Rossi left Yamaha in 2010, having won 46 races for the Japanese team. However, that year the man known as "The Doctor" lost his world title to younger teammate Lorenzo.Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Rossi to reunite with Lorenzo at YamahaRise of 'the outsider' – Rossi won the world championship in Lorenzo's first two years with the team, but the Spaniard usurped him after finishing fourth in 2008 and second in 2009.Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Rossi to reunite with Lorenzo at YamahaNew teammates – Rossi welcomed Lorenzo to Yamaha in 2008. The 25-year-old is known as "Por Fuera" (meaning "by the outside") following a daring move in his first race victory in the 125cc class in 2003.Hide Caption 5 of 5JUST WATCHEDLorenzo: Motorcycling is like dancingReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLorenzo: Motorcycling is like dancing 03:31Also, while the gap between Honda, Yamaha and the rest may be wide, there is no absence of personal rivalry at the top of the championship. Marquez's relationship with third-placed teammate Dani Pedrosa is not exactly cordial, and he has consistently riled his rivals with his combative and uncompromising style. Marquez was docked a point for a clash with Pedrosa at Aragon in early October, and controversially escaped censure for a rough pass on Lorenzo in Jerez. So while Lorenzo will be fighting tooth and nail for victory, Pedrosa may also be less than willing to help smooth his fellow Catalan's ride to glory. Poncharal doubts that any quarter will be given."I'm not so sure Pedrosa is going to help Marquez a lot, but Dani winning the race, that's good news for Marc," he said.Intriguingly Valencia is a particularly happy hunting ground for Pedrosa, with a total of six wins at the track, including three in the MotoGP class.Read: Pedrosa denies Marquez in MalaysiaWhile his own hopes of a long-awaited first championship were ended in Japan, the diminutive 28-year-old will be looking to end the season on a high. Lorenzo has also won a MotoGP race at the track, in 2010 -- the year he won his first world title -- while Marquez rode to victory there last season on the way to winning the Moto2 class.Poncharal believes that Britain's Cal Crutchlow, who rides for Tech 3, could also play key role along with Lorenzo's seven-time world champion teammate Valentino Rossi."Cal is going to wish to finish the season as high as possible; he was second last year (at Valencia) when he crashed four laps from the end. Valentino is going to be pushing; I'm not sure he will play Jorge's game."The last time a MotoGP season went down to the final race was in 2006, when America's Nicky Hayden, then riding for Honda, wrested the crown from the all-conquering Rossi. Read: Rookie Marquez makes MotoGP historyRossi, in his first stint at Yamaha, fell early in the race and was unable to regain enough places to prevent Hayden clinching what would be his first and, to date, only title. This time around, Marquez will be hoping to avoid any mishaps as he looks to clinch motorcycle racing's ultimate prize."It's going to be incredibly tense -- 13 points is good to have, but it's not a lot," Poncharal said. "It looks easier than it will be ... I think it's 50-50."With Europe heading towards winter, conditions at the track may also play a role. "Valencia is a special track," Poncharal said. "We know the weather this time will be difficult, there will be a lot of pressure because (in Japan) we saw Marc, for the first time, not being the Marc we know. He will be under more pressure at the last round. "In Jorge's mind it was game over (before Australia). Now everything has changed, Jorge is going to go out in Valencia not thinking, just pushing -- without any pressure."For motorsport fans looking for one last fix of excitement before the season ends, Sunday's race should provide it in spades. "The final is going to be like a dream scenario," Poncharal said. "Let the sport decide."

5sport

Christopher Leonard is the author of "The Lords of Easy Money: How the Federal Reserve Broke the American Economy," from Simon & Schuster. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. Even the smartest Wall Street investors don't know if markets will be up or down tomorrow, but they do seem to agree on one thing: The coming year will be a wild and dangerous ride. The roller coaster is already underway. Over the course of one day, January 24, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 1,000 points in early trading only to whipsaw and regain all its value by the market close. It's as if there was a stock market crash in the morning, but then everyone changed their minds over lunch break. And even throughout the rest of the month, markets swung by the hour. What in the world could cause such wild volatility? The answer is simple: the Federal Reserve. With consumer prices rising at their fastest level since the early 1980s, the Fed is expected to hike interest rates soon, which will help to contain inflation but could cause markets to plunge. Traders worry that sky-high market prices could crash as the central bank slows its stimulus measures. After all, when the Fed tightened in 2018, prices fell sharply for stocks and commodities, and the Fed eventually reversed course.Perhaps for this reason, Wall Street seems to doubt the Fed's resolve to tighten now. In early January, for example, The Wall Street Journal reported that Fed officials believed that interest rates would eventually hit 2.5%, but market prices for certain bonds indicated that traders believed the Fed would only hike to 1.5%. This reflects the tug of war that is underway: Some traders think that the Fed will significantly tighten its monetary policy, but others seem to believe that the Fed won't let market prices fall. This back and forth has been going on for years, but what makes it different this time is inflation. If the Fed doesn't act, inflation could become even more intense and could destabilize the entire economic system. Read MoreThis is forcing the Fed's hand. The only proven way to fight inflation is to hike interest rates and tighten the money supply. This was the only thing that stopped the Great Inflation in the 1970s. The big question today is how bad the market reaction will be if Powell's Fed follows through. How smooth can the landing really be for markets and investors? The most likely outcome is that markets will follow past precedent and fall steeply when the Fed tightens. But this time, the Fed won't have the luxury of reversing course to stop the decline because doing so could further stoke price inflation.The dynamics behind this dilemma have been building for years. Between late 2008 and late 2015, the Fed kept interest rates at or near 0%, while pumping new cash into the banking system on Wall Street. These policies had the desired effect. All those new dollars were forced to find any new investment that would provide a good return (there was, after all, very little incentive to save the money when the Fed was holding interest rates so low). Wall Street speculators chased after a wide variety of assets in search of yield, bidding up prices for things like tech stocks and commercial real estate.China's digital yuan shows why we still need cryptocurrencies like bitcoinBut, in 2018, when the Fed was raising interest rates, it was also withdrawing some of that excess cash it had injected through quantitative easing. The result was a scary and synchronized downturn in all kinds of assets, from stocks to commodities. Fed Chairman Jay Powell famously surrendered to the market forces in 2019 and stopped hiking rates, in a move that went down in Wall Street history as the "Powell Pivot." Given that history, it's understandable that Wall Street may be skeptical about where the Fed is heading next. If markets crash, the Fed will almost certainly take the blame, creating enormous pressure to back off. Powell has shown in the past that he is sensitive to such pressure, which has encouraged investors to "buy the dip," meaning they buy stocks when markets fall because they think the Fed will step in and boost prices again. This helps explain the wild market swings. At one moment investors seem terrified that high rates will crash markets, and in the next moment they abandon the fear and buy the dip.This volatility will continue until investors figure out whether the Fed is actually serious about raising rates aggressively. Then the market has to figure out how much stocks and bonds are really worth in a higher interest rate environment. None of this will happen quickly, and none of it will happen smoothly. The Fed seems trapped in a lose-lose situation, either accepting higher inflation or accepting turmoil in the markets. The rest of us are trapped along with it, for the duration of this bumpy ride.

0business

Elie Honig is a CNN senior legal analyst. His op-ed is part of a special documentary project commemorating the 60th anniversary of the trial of Adolf Eichmann. Watch the full-length video above, and watch for more from Honig on this project on CNN and CNN International. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN)Sixty years ago, the world saw the face of evil.Sixty years ago, in an internationally broadcast trial, millions of people around the world watched as a man -- a monster, really, despite his human form and slight frame -- sat in a courtroom in the newly-formed nation of Israel.Elie HonigThe defendant: the notorious Nazi Adolf Eichmann, widely known as the "Architect of the Holocaust," stood charged with unimaginable crimes against humanity -- the murder of millions. Eichmann's dry, technical title -- translated roughly as the chief Nazi "logistics coordinator" -- conveyed his mechanical approach to his work but belied the horror of it all. The "logistics" which Eichmann "coordinated" were the systematic rounding up and deportation of millions of Jews and others to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps. American forces captured Eichmann at the end of World War II, but he escaped from a prison camp in 1946. He remained in hiding while an international manhunt ensued. Years after Eichmann's escape, Israeli intelligence agents dramatically abducted and captured him in Argentina in 1960 (as depicted in several books and movies, including "The House on Garibaldi Street" in 1975 and "Operation Finale" in 2018). Israeli forces smuggled Eichmann out of Argentina and transported him to Jerusalem for trial.The trial began in April 1961. For several months, the world watched on television as Israeli prosecutors and investigators methodically laid out the proof of Eichmann's crimes. During the trial, Eichmann sat inside a bulletproof glass box, an iconic image of a power-mad, genocidal mastermind forced to confront his own wicked actions. Nazi Adolf Eichmann stands in a protective glass booth flanked by Israeli police during his trial April 5, 1961 in Jerusalem.Read MoreAt the end of the trial, a three-judge panel found Eichmann guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other offenses, and sentenced him to death. He appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court, which upheld the verdict and sentence. Eichmann was executed by hanging on June 1, 1962.While the Eichmann trial is now firmly part of world history, the lessons still resonate today. Hatred based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and ethnicity sadly remains a potent and growing threat in the United States and elsewhere. We need to remember the Eichmann trial for what it can teach us about our collective past -- and future. The prosecutorTwo of the men who tried Eichmann survive today: prosecutor Gabriel Bach and investigator Michael Goldmann-Gilead. Both men live in Israel, in their mid-90s, surrounded by warm, loving families. Sixty years after the Eichmann trial, they spoke with me about their roles in one of the monumental criminal cases in world history.Bach, now 94, recalls a childhood spent repeatedly fleeing just ahead of the Nazis. He attended the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and sat close enough to Adolf Hitler to see him turn away in disgust when American sprinter Jesse Owens won the gold medal. Bach's family left Germany for the Netherlands in 1938, just weeks before Kristallnacht -- the infamous night when Nazis killed dozens of German Jews, arrested some 30,000 Jewish men, destroyed thousands of Jewish businesses and burned or otherwise damaged more than 1,000 synagogues.Gabriel Bach, 94, a former deputy prosecutor in the trial of Adolf Eichmann, poses for a picture during an interview in May 1, 2020. His family fled the Netherlands one month before the Nazis invaded in 1940. Bach, then a young teenager, and his family settled in the territory that would later become Israel. He was bar mitzvahed during that trip, while on board the ship Patria -- which, on its next journey, was sunk by a bomb, claiming the lives of more than 250 people. As Bach put it, he and his family were "always sort of just one step ahead."Bach eventually became a lawyer in Israel, and he was tapped to serve as one of the three prosecutors responsible for trying Eichmann on the worldwide stage. (Bach later would go on to serve as a justice on the Israeli Supreme Court). Despite the passage of time, Bach's memories of the trial remain clear. He vividly recalls the testimony of one survivor, Martin Foldi, who was transported in a cattle car from Hungary to Auschwitz in 1944 with his wife, son, and daughter. Upon arrival, a Nazi guard signaled for Foldi to go right and instructed his wife, son and daughter to go left.When Foldi looked up just after being separated from his family, he could no longer see his wife or son in the distance as they moved ahead in their line. But, Bach recalls, Foldi testified he had recently bought a bright red coat for his daughter, who was then two and a half years old. Foldi saw "that little red dot getting smaller and smaller -- this is how my family disappeared from my life."In a trial filled with testimony about unimaginable horrors, Bach said the testimony about the red coat was the "only minute of the trial ... I suddenly couldn't utter a sound." Keenly aware that the judges were waiting for him to continue, he pretended to shuffle papers on his desk to buy himself a moment to gain his composure.Bach rejects efforts to soften the reality around the horrific crimes committed by Eichmann. Eichmann and his court-appointed attorney maintained during the trial that he was just following his superiors' orders. Hannah Arendt, who covered the trial for The New Yorker, famously wrote in her book "Eichmann in Jerusalem" that Eichmann embodied the "banality of evil." Arendt argued, "Eichmann was not Iago and not Macbeth ... Except for an extraordinary diligence in looking out for his personal advancement, he had no motives at all ... He merely, to put the matter colloquially, never realized what he was doing."Adolf Eichmann listens in the prisoner's dock at the left, as presiding Judge Moishe Landau gives the verdict at the conclusion of his trial. Bach flatly calls Arendt's conclusion "rubbish." Displaying the methodical care of a skilled prosecutor, Bach explains that after the Holocaust (but before his trial), Eichmann said that he regretted not having done more to kill Jews. He cites numerous examples where Eichmann took affirmative steps to prevent any Jewish person from being spared or shown mercy.Bach proudly notes that, despite the intense emotion and publicity surrounding the case, Eichmann was tried in accordance with rule of law and principles of fairness. With his vast experience as prosecutor, defense attorney and judge during his career, he recalls with pride that "we wanted to handle this case like we handled any other case." Bach understood that, with history on the line, "it was important for history's sake that every point of legal decency had to be followed."The investigatorUnlike Bach, Goldmann-Gilead was unable to escape the Nazis as they expanded their control over Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. When Goldmann-Gilead was a teenager in 1942, his mother and sister were "deported" by the Nazis on a railcar to the Belzec extermination camp. He never saw them again.Goldmann-Gilead lived through the ultimate of horrors. As a teenager, he was caught trying to hide books about railroad construction to keep them from falling into Nazi hands. A SS officer then called Goldmann-Gilead out to a public square in view of his friends and neighbors, and lashed him over 80 times. Goldmann-Gilead himself passed out during the brutal beating; he only learned the number of lashes later from his friends who stood by, horrified, counting.Michael Goldmann-Gilead, one of the lead investigators in Adolf Eichmann's trial, speaks to CNN.Goldmann-Gilead then survived multiple concentration camps, including the most notorious one of all, Auschwitz. The Nazis branded Goldmann-Gilead's forearm with his prisoner number: 161135. He still bears his tattoo today, with a sort of defiant pride. In an iconic image, Goldmann-Gilead is seen, years later, sitting at the prosecution table during the Eichmann trial, with his shirt-sleeve rolled up to reveal a muscular forearm bearing the tattoo branded on him by the Nazis years before.Sixty years after the trial, Goldmann-Gilead told me he vividly recalls his face-to-face interrogation of the Nazi's chief architect of death and destruction. "When he opened his mouth -- I cannot forget this -- when he opened his mouth, I saw the doors of the crematorium open," Goldmann-Gilead says.At one point during the trial, the prosecution team was struggling to authenticate a document that appeared to reflect the transport of Jewish prisoners to the Nazi extermination camps. Goldmann-Gilead realized that his own prisoner number, permanently branded on his arm, was among the numbers listed.After the Israeli court found Eichmann guilty and sentenced him to death, Goldmann-Gilead was one of the few people chosen to witness Eichmann's execution. Eichmann's body was cremated, and the ashes were given to Goldmann-Gilead, who was instructed to scatter them at sea. Goldmann-Gilead told me he recalls noticing just how small the quantity of ashes were from one person, compared to the mountain of human ashes he was forced to shovel, many years before, from outside the crematorium at the Birkenau concentration camp.Goldmann-Gilead and a few others boarded a boat in the Mediterranean Sea. He then took the container with Eichmann's ashes and poured them out. Goldmann-Gilead recalled that afterward he "stood quietly at the edge of the boat and I thought quietly to myself about my parents, my family, and those who did not have the privilege to see one of the greatest murderers brought to justice."The memory of the HolocaastMy grandfather, Lazar Nuchem Honig, was a Polish Jew born in 1911. (I am named after him; my full name, Eliezer, is a variation on his first name). Lazar survived the Holocaust, in part because he was the right age (he was old enough to be put to work but young enough to endure), because he was useful (he was a furrier who could make warm hats the Nazis valued), and because of pure happenstance. Allied forces liberated him from the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in 1945. My family still has a makeshift refugee passport of sorts that he was issued after the war. Across the front, just over his photograph, is a stamp that reads "Liberated by Allies."Like so many Jews who survived the Holocaust, my grandfather had nothing to go back to. Most of his family had been murdered, he had no home or formal education, and he found himself a refugee in Europe. He eventually emigrated to Sweden, where he met my grandmother, Gusta Zagorski. She, too, had survived the concentration camps and she, too, had lost nearly her entire family to the Nazi genocide. Toward the end of the war, she survived the infamous "Death March" to the interior of Germany, and she was liberated from Bergen-Belsen, another notorious Nazi concentration camp.My grandfather died in 1960 from cancer. I never met him, and even my father, who was 10 years old at the time, has mostly fleeting memories. But my grandmother lived until 2008, and I knew her well. (She would have turned 100 just this past June). She was fiery, brilliant, stubborn, blunt, funny, difficult and deeply traumatized. Elie Honig, at age 2, with his grandmother, Gusta Honig.Many Holocaust survivors have spoken or written poignantly of their experiences. That was not my grandmother's way. She never brought it up. The few times my brothers or I would try to get her to talk about it, she'd respond with a wave of the hand and a dismissive remark along the lines of, "I lived through it once; why would I do it again?" She had a large group photograph of herself with her extended family taken when she was about 12 or 13 years old in Poland. I once asked her to tell me what happened to the people in the photograph. She started by saying "Most of them, killed." She then pointed to specific people pictured: "This one, dead. This one, dead. I don't know what happened with this one. That one, killed." Like I said: she was blunt. Once, I spent an entire summer day driving her from her home in South Jersey to my grandfather's gravesite, about four hours roundtrip. Again, I tried to pry into her memories of the Holocaust. All she said was that it all felt like a nightmare, she didn't want to re-live it, but she remembered being liberated at the end by people wearing red crosses on their jackets.My grandparents had two sons, nine grandchildren (including my two brothers and me), and seven great-grandchildren (so far). My grandmother knew her grandchildren well, and she met one of those great grandchildren, my son, several times. I remember her doting on him, stroking his chubby arm and hovering over him to protect him. Just days before my grandmother passed away, when we all knew what was coming, she met another great-grandchild, my daughter, who was a baby at the time. My grandmother had almost no strength left, and she could barely open her eyes -- but she managed to force herself awake to take in her first great-granddaughter. I believe my grandmother passed on a piece of her fiery spirit to my daughter in those final few moments.Bach and Goldmann-Gilead understood in 1961 that they carried a massive, perhaps impossible, responsibility: to serve justice on one of history's most treacherous mass murderers. In the six decades since, the legacy of the Eichmann trial, and the work of Bach and Goldmann-Gilead and many others who have since passed on, has only grown. The images of the trial are indelible: Eichmann in the glass box, Goldmann-Gilead quietly but defiantly displaying the Auschwitz prisoner number tattoo on his forearm, Bach's examination of the man who last saw his daughter as a shrinking spot of red on the horizon. Bach and Goldmann-Gilead were, in a sense, just doing their jobs, in the noblest tradition of any prosecutor or law enforcement agent. Their day-to-day courtroom work reminds me in many respects of the work I did as a prosecutor, many decades later: debriefing witnesses, preparing documents, arguing evidentiary points in court, delivering opening and closing arguments. But Bach and Goldmann-Gilead also knew, six decades ago, that they were fighting for justice for millions of people. Some of those people, just a miniscule fraction, were my own family members -- my grandparents who miraculously survived, and many other family members who didn't. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookThe lessons from the Eichmann trial resonate today. In 2015, a racist shooter murdered nine black worshippers in a church in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2017, White supremacists chanted "Jews will not replace us" and invoked racist symbols and slogans in Charlottesville. In 2018, a gunman killed 11 Jewish worshippers inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. At the January 6 Capitol insurrection, rioters wore neo-Nazi gear, including a shirt emblazoned with "Camp Auschwitz." In the last few months, a member of Congress has carelessly made nonsensical, ignorant public remarks that trivialize and mischaracterize the true horror of the Holocaust. And, just last week, barracks at Auschwitz were defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti and Holocaust-denying slogans.Goldmann-Gilead told me, "With the death of Eichmann, the murderous ideology of nationalist socialism was not scattered. It is still existing ... in the form of hatred, hatred that is dangerous. And we must be on guard so that catastrophes do not repeat themselves." Goldmann-Gilead is a living reminder that, in his own words, "We must educate the new generation not to hate, and to avoid such hatred. Otherwise, our struggle against such evil will be in vain." Video for this piece written by Gena Somra and Elie Honig; produced by Gena Somra, Farhad Shadravan and Elie Honig; and edited by Farhad Shadravan and Andre MurphyText edited by Yaffa Fredrick

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Story highlightsKeegan Bradley wins PGA Grand Slam of Golf in BermudaRookie professional cards a level-par 71 for four-under 138 Charl Schwartzel one-shot back after brilliant second round 65 Bradley claimed PGA Championship in Atlanta to earn invite to prestigious event Keegan Bradley rounded off a triumphant rookie season by claiming the PGA Tour's Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda Wednesday.Bradley held off a charging Charl Schwartzel of South Africa to win the prestigious end-of-season title by a shot after carding a level-par 71 on the Port Royal Golf Course.It left the American on four-under 138 for the two-round tournament which brings together the season's four major winners.Masters champion Schwartzel produced a best of the day six-under 65 but was ultimately undone by his first round three-over par 74.U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy started the day in the joint lead with Bradley after their first round 67s, but fell away in blustery conditions to card a four-over 75 to finish in third place on level-par 142.McIlroy's Northern Ireland compatriot Darren Clarke was way off the pace as the British Open winner closed out a second round of 74 for nine-over 151.The 25-year-old Bradley, who turned professional in 2008, has enjoyed a remarkable first season on the PGA Tour, claiming the Byron Nelson Classic before his triumph in the PGA Championship where he beat Jason Dufner in a playoff.Remarkably, it was his first appearance in a major, only one of three golfers to achieve the feat. He kept his nerve as Schwartzel drew level through the turn after picking up five straight birdies.Bradley, who had bogeyed the opening hole, birdied the 10th to open up a one-shot lead over Schwartzel which he kept to the finish to claim the $600,000 first prize."It was a lot more intense than I thought it was going to be," Bradley told gathered reporters after his victory."Coming down the stretch, it felt like any other tournament that I played in. It was very, very intense, and I was nervous over that 5-footer to win."

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Story highlightsMuguruza beaten by Alison van UytvanckCilic blows two-set lead against Guido Pella Nadal, Djokovic, Kyrgios win in straight setsSimona Halep reaches third roundWimbledon (CNN)The shocks at the World Cup have made their way over to Wimbledon, with defending women's champion Garbine Muguruza and last year's men's finalist Marin Cilic the latest casualties in the second round. Follow @cnnsport In fading light on a scorching Thursday in southwest London, Muguruza was sent packing by a player who had never before collected a top-10 win, Alison Van Uytvanck, 5-7 6-2 6-1. Furthermore, the 47th-ranked Belgian had only ever tallied one main draw win at Wimbledon in five previous trips. Muguruza's fellow third seed Cilic blew a two-set lead and fell to world No. 82 Guido Pella of Argentina 3-6 1-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 hours before the Spaniard's exit. Prior to this week, Pella hadn't won a main draw match at the All England Club. Not since Steffi Graf in 1994 has the defending women's Wimbledon champion failed to reach at least the third round. "I think she played big today," Muguruza told reporters. "She took a lot of risk and it worked for her. I also think that my level today was not where I wanted it to be. That's also why she could develop that kind of level.Read More"But it's a little bit sad because I wanted to really go out there."The reigning champion's title defence is over.Alison Van Uytvanck stuns Garbiñe Muguruza 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 for yet another huge shock in this year's #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/LS5ug8Wdkf— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2018 The Spaniard went out on Court 2, modest when compared to the two main show courts, and Muguruza admitted she would have preferred to compete on a grander court. Yet would the outcome have been different? Big servingVan Uytvanck recovered from surrendering a break lead in the first set. Her serve, one of the biggest in the women's game, clicked in the final two sets as she claimed two-thirds of all her service points. Muguruza glared at her racket and muttered in frustration as her errors climbed. Van Uytvanck duly served out the encounter with ease, despite saying she was "dying" inside. "Confidence was there. I'm playing well the last couple of days, so that's what I took with me on the court," said Van Uytvanck, twice a titlist on the WTA tour. "In set two and three I was just there mentally. "I was in the zone and just hitting every ball, and it was going my way." Cilic's match resumed following rain Wednesday with Pella leading by a break at 4-3 in the third and incredibly, he never lost the momentum. Five years ago at Wimbledon, he experienced much different emotions, stretchered off with a leg injury in a fifth set. Marin Cilic was down ... and out at Wimbledon after losing to Guido Pella in the second round. "Today when we came back, obviously he served two good service games in that third set, came back two sets to one," Cilic told reporters. "Obviously a little bit different situation."Cilic said a slip on the grass Wednesday didn't affect him, nor the pressure of being one of the men's favorites. "I was just not feeling as comfortable as yesterday with hitting," he said. "I was not as accurate. I was just missing some balls, some easy balls, giving him a chance to come back. That was playing a part. "It was not just the pressure. It was me not executing on the court well."Latest upsetMuguruza and Cilic's departures followed losses by pre-tournament women's favorite Petra Kvitova, former champion Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki, although the Dane faced the ever dangerous Ekaterina Makarova. Six of the women's top 10 seeds are already gone. READ: Sharapova, Kvitova stunned at Wimbledon READ: Flying ants cause havoc Cilic had defeated Novak Djokovic to win a Wimbledon warmup in London last month and the players to have toppled the 29-year-old on his last five visits to SW19 are among the best performers tennis has ever produced: Andy Murray, Djokovic (twice) and Roger Federer (twice). Prior to this week, @guido_pella had never won a match at #WimbledonNow, he's into the third round after beating last year's finalist Marin Cilic 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-5 pic.twitter.com/xokCXTqCsA— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 5, 2018 Even though Federer downed Cilic in the 2017 finale, he'll be relieved to see the 2014 US Open winner leave from his half of the draw. READ: What's behind Federer's resurgence?In their last six matches, Cilic won one and four went to a deciding set, including this year's Australian Open final. The blowout last year at Wimbledon could be attributed to Cilic's foot blisters. Indeed the way the draw is shaping up, 2016 finalist Milos Raonic figures to play Federer in the last four. JUST WATCHEDRoger Federer's return to world number oneReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRoger Federer's return to world number one 03:08Cilic will probably be asking himself for days how he lost to Pella. Pella himself seemed surprised at his mammoth victory. "Well, I was looking for this match for years, but I never expected it to be here in Wimbledon against Cilic," said Pella, whose sister Catalina is ranked 300th on the women's tour. "That was the biggest surprise for me, because this is the third time I come here, the first time I win a single match in the main draw, and it was a big surprise."But I'm really, really happy, because I prepare myself very good to this tournament."CrackedYes, Wednesday's pause gave the 28-year-old a sliver of hope but Cilic still led by two sets. And the Croat relinquished a 3-1 lead in the fourth. In the turning point of the fifth, Pella saved three break points at 2-2. Serving second in the decider, Cilic eventually cracked, especially his less steady forehand wing. Although Cilic saved two match points at 4-5 with thunderous serves, there was no such respite at 5-6 and Pella completed the job thanks to a forehand into the net from his opponent. Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal moved a step closer to reaching a first Wimbledon quarterfinal since 2011 when he saw off the big-hitting Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4 6-3 6-4. The match was relatively straightforward for the 17-time grand slam winner, although he received a pair of time violation warnings from a chair umpire he has clashed with in the past, Carlos Bernardes. Nadal and the chair umpThree years ago in Rio, Bernardes, said Nadal, forced him to change his shorts -- which were upside down -- on court instead of somewhere more private. "I make a mistake, I put my shorts the other way," Nadal said. "You cannot force me to change my shorts in front of everybody, you know. For me, that's not respectful."Rafael Nadal jumps in joy during his win over Mikhail Kukushkin. Nadal however had no major problems with Thursday's rulings by Bernardes. Three-time champion Djokovic also progressed in straight sets, 6-1 6-2 6-3 over Pella's compatriot, Horacio Zeballos, even after hurting his knee in the third set. "I've been doing checkups now," said the rejuvenated Djokovic. "It seems like it's nothing major. Hopefully tomorrow I'll see on the practice session how it feels. Hopefully it's going to be fine." The Serb, in a rarity, was placed on Court 2 for the first time in about a decade. He wasn't fussed. Nick Kyrgios struck 19 aces in downing Robin Haase 6-3 6-4 7-5 but was hit with a code violation by chair umpire James Keothavong, which might have been for bad language, reported AAP. Novak Djokovic was seen by the trainer Thursday at Wimbledon for a knee issue. Keothavong, at one stage, also left his chair to explain the foot fault rule to the 15th seed after he had been called for multiple foot faults. A Kyrgios duel against another Australian who has courted controversy, Bernard Tomic, won't materialize after the lucky loser lost to 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in four sets. Visit our tennis page for more news and videosWomen's French Open winner Simona Halep avoided being upset. The Romanian won the last 10 games of her match with Zheng Saisai to advance 7-5 6-3 while qualifier Eugenie Bouchard will leave Wimbledon with momentum despite a 6-4 7-5 loss to Ash Barty in a battle of former Wimbledon junior champions. Bouchard, the 2014 Wimbledon finalist, won four straight matches at any level for the first time since 2016.

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(CNN)Snowboarder Shaun White called past sexual harassment allegations levied against him "gossip" during a news conference Wednesday after his historic gold medal win at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The 31-year-old snowboarder has previously admitted to sending lewd text messages to Lena Zawaideh, the former drummer of his band Bad Things, in 2016 and the parties later reached an undisclosed settlement.White was asked at the news conference Wednesday whether Zawaideh's accusations could tarnish his legacy, White said,"You know honestly I'm here to talk about the Olympics not gossip ... but I don't think so.""I am who I am and I'm proud of who I am and my friends, you know, love me and vouch for me and I think that stands on its own," he added.Shaun White celebrates during the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Final at Phoenix Snow Park on February 14, 2018.When asked for clarity and if he thought the allegations were gossip, White said he felt he had addressed the question.Read MoreWhite also apologized for letting an American flag touch the ground after his gold-medal winning performance, which angered some viewers on social media. The snowboarder was given the flag after his dramatic comeback to win the gold on his final run."I remember being handed the flag. I was trying to put my gloves on and hold the flag and the board," he said. "Honestly, if there was anything, I definitely didn't mean any disrespect.""I'm very proud to be part of team USA and be an American," he said.Earlier in the day, cemented his legacy as America's greatest snowboarder Wednesday by winning his third gold medal for the halfpipe in dramatic fashion.Gold wasn't guaranteed for White after he fell on his second attempt. After a tense wait for his final run, the American needed to beat Japan's Ayumu Hirano's impressive score of 95.25 to win. White tallied a 97.75 to take gold at the final moment, an incredible comeback. The 31-year-old snowboarder has been one of America's most famous athletes for years, but Wednesday's win was likely his sweetest."I'm sure you can tell by my reactions at the bottom of the pipe but this meant the world to me and my family and my team," White said at the news conference."To be a gold medalist again is just unreal." With the victory, White became the only man to take top honors three times in the Games' halfpipe competition, and in the process won the US' 100th Winter Olympic gold.Harassment allegationsLena Zawaideh of Bad Things performs onstage during day 3 of the Firefly Music Festival in Delaware, June 21, 2014.Zawaideh -- the former drummer in White's band "Bad Things" -- sued White in May 2016 for breach of contract and backpay, alleging that White failed to pay her for her work. She was the only woman in the band. An amended civil suit filed by Zawaideh's attorneys against White in August 2016 accuses the Olympian of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior.According to court documents obtained by CNN, Zawaideh says White: Texted her pictures of naked men with erect penises and showed her sexually explicit videos, including one "sexualizing human fecal matter." "Stuck his hands down his pants, approached Zawaideh, and stuck his hands in her face trying to make her smell them."Demanded she "wear sexually revealing clothes" and cut her hair.After the suit was filed, White admitted to sending text messages with Zawaideh in a statement to the New York Daily News but accused her of using them to "craft a bogus lawsuit." White's statement did not specify what was in the texts.White's legal team filed a motion attempting to compel Zawaideh to submit to a mental health evaluation in February 2017, but the parties reached the settlement a couple of months later.Details of the allegations against White have been public for a number of months, but resurfaced again in media reports Tuesday and Wednesday as the snowboarder prepared for his Olympic run.So far White's reputation, athletic career and business dealings -- including sponsorships and clothing lines -- have not been affected. White designs clothes for Macy's and is sponsored by the snowboarding company Burton.He's arguable the most popular American boarder and skater since Tony Hawk. Since White turned pro at age 13, he has become one of the world's most decorated athletes, winning multiple gold medals at the Olympics and the X Games.

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(CNN)World football governing body FIFA said Wednesday that the number of teams at the next men's World Cup will remain at 32.FIFA had considered expanding the field for the 2022 finals, to be held in Qatar, to 48 teams. In March, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said a feasibility study showed it was possible to increase the size of the competition to 48 teams for Qatar "providing certain conditions are met."Infantino also said doing so would require some neighboring countries to share hosting duties and that FIFA was "working very closely" with the host nation to explore the possibility of tournament expansion.14 best things to see and do in Qatar"Following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process with the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders, it was concluded that under the current circumstances such a proposal could not be made now," FIFA announced Wednesday.Read MoreFIFA said it also considered lowering some requirements."A joint analysis, in this respect, concluded that due to the advanced stage of preparations and the need for a detailed assessment of the potential logistical impact on the host country, more time would be required and a decision could not be taken before the deadline of June (5)," FIFA said.In 2010, Qatar was awarded the right to host the 2022 World Cup, the first ever to be held by a nation in the Middle East.Follow @cnnsport FIFA has already agreed that the 2026 tournament, which will be jointly held by Canada, Mexico and the United States, will feature 48 teams -- although that decision was made before the bidding process had concluded.CNN's Eoghan Macguire contributed to this report.

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Washington (CNN)Army Spc. Sarah Reyes' instincts had always prompted her to run toward danger, not away from it."I lived for it, and I was good at it," she said of her time as an Army combat medic, which included a nine-month stint in Afghanistan. But today, she is a different person.Reyes still fears talking about the night she says she was raped by a "monster" disguised in combat fatigues at Ft. Stewart, Georgia -- a member of her own platoon who had served at her side while deployed overseas.Why the military's long reckoning with sexual assault can help us now"I am terrified that my story isn't good enough ... that it doesn't represent what's going on," Reyes said. But despite that fear, she is speaking out for the first time, telling CNN she hopes her words can help others. Read MoreReyes said she now suffers from extreme anxiety and has a tendency to "run away and avoid things" due to the pain inflicted by a man she had grown to trust nearly four years ago. Like the vast majority of military victims who report crimes of sexual violence, Reyes said she remains dissatisfied with the way she was treated by investigators who decided not to pursue charges against the alleged assailant.Her experience is an illustration of what many survivors described as a broken system that they say perpetuates a culture that suppresses the reporting of sexually violent crimes.Recent reports of sexual misconduct by high-profile politicians, entertainment moguls and media personalities have revived a public discussion about sexual assault and revealed a deep-seated culture of tolerance of inappropriate behavior that also extends into the US military. While the issue of sexual assault in the military has been widely reported for years, the recent spate of allegations against individuals and momentum of the #MeToo movement has prompted a renewed effort for transparency within the armed services. Pentagon reports increase in misconduct complaints against senior officialsIn November, 200 women working in national security signed a letter titled #metoonatsec, stating that this is a problem they also face. Those who signed the letter included women who have worked as ambassadors, civilians at the Pentagon, military officers, staffers on Capitol Hill and professors as well as women in the nonprofit and think tank worlds."This is not just a problem in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, newsrooms or Congress," the women said in their letter. "It is everywhere."'He had his hand around my neck'Reyes said she has actively avoided speaking out because she felt that some of the circumstances around the alleged assault -- including the use of alcohol and gaps in her memory -- delegitimized her case in the eyes of Army investigators and many of her fellow soldiers. Prior to the alleged assault, Reyes said she was at a party in the barracks, where she and her fellow soldiers were drinking.Reyes told CNN that she did not feel like she drank too much but noted that she was "not making her own drinks" and "does not have much memory" of the night. Although the timeline of the evening is still fuzzy at times, Reyes said she now recalls more about the what occurred -- including feeling very tired during the party and lying in the bed of a male soldier.JUST WATCHEDRape trauma often mistaken for deceptionReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRape trauma often mistaken for deception 01:56"Next thing I remember is being in his bed and him being so nice to me," Reyes said. "Then I kind of zone out and don't remember much ... I think we were kissing at that point."The next morning, Reyes said she woke up feeling confused and physically sick but initially did not recall having sex."All I could remember were the nice things he was saying -- like my own brain had tricked me into believing or remembering the good things," she said. At that point, Reyes said that she still did not fully realize that she had been raped and even wrote the man a message on Facebook to apologize for leaving his room so abruptly. "At some level I must have known, but it was not what I was focused on," she said. The realization that something beyond her initial memory of the night had occurred did not fully set in until the next day, when her friends asked if she had consented to everything that happened during the encounter. "That moment was like someone flipped on a light switch -- I realized I didn't want it all to happen," Reyes said. "My body went numb and I was crying. ... (I) felt like my world had ended and I couldn't figure out why."Hagel outlines plan to reduce, respond to sexual assault casesReyes maintained that she was incapable of giving consent at the time and emphasized that she would not have willingly agreed to have sexual intercourse under normal circumstances -- highlighting that the soldiers in her platoon were aware that she and her best friend, Melissa, had both recently decided to abstain from sex until marriage as part of a pact to recommit themselves to their Christian faith."We had both been in relationships that had gone bad. We wanted to start fresh, and we were committed to abstaining from sex until marriage," Melissa told CNN. "We were the church girls, everyone in our platoon knew this," Reyes said, adding that some of her fellow soldiers said she was acting provocatively during the party but that behavior "is not who I am."CNN has agreed not to use Melissa's last name to protect her privacy.Additional memories began to surface over the course of the next few days, according to Reyes."Now I know more happened," she said. "He had me bent over and had his hand around my neck and was behind me and was raping me.""He was still saying nice things while he was doing it. ... I remember trying to turn around and push him off me, but he kept saying nice things and kept going," Reyes added. "If someone had asked me if I had suicidal thoughts at that moment, I would have said yes -- that terrified me." That realization drove her to initially tell Melissa and Kim Speedy, a counselor working at Ft. Stewart at the time.Speedy ultimately encouraged Reyes to report the incident. Reyes told the investigators -- all of whom were males -- as much as she could remember about the assault but was informed that there was not enough evidence to pursue charges against the accused assailant due, in part, to the gaps in her memory. "He asked if I said no," Reyes said about the investigator, a detail that, at the time, she was not completely certain about. "I said, 'I don't know,'" she said, adding that she kept wondering to herself why they did not believe her. Sharp decrease of sexual assault in military, study findsAfter a series of interviews over the course of several days, completing a rape kit and getting a CT scan, Reyes said she was told by investigators that the soldier "admitted it happened" but that they "don't have anything to prove it."The soldier had admitted to "a sexual encounter that was violent (enough to almost break her neck) but claimed that she never said no," according to Speedy, a mental health therapist who has treated victims of military sexual trauma for years and was the counselor who handled Reyes' case in 2012. But despite Reyes' testimony, investigators found that the man did not rape or assault her because of his claim during the investigation that he stopped when she demonstrated an unwillingness to participate and that she was not incapacitated to the point where she was incapable of performing sexual acts. Investigators also determined that although the man did place his hands around Reyes' neck, the action was not done with the intent to force sexual acts or cause her bodily harm. "There wasn't enough to prosecute," they kept saying, according to Reyes. "I don't know what they would expect to have ... should he have broken my neck?"Speedy, who was the first person Reyes told about the incident and who advised her to report it at the time, said the investigators' conclusion "shows exactly how a sexual assault is dismissed in the military" -- particularly cases involving decorated soldiers. "Based on the bruising around Sarah's throat and the fact that she was sobbing, fearful of all touch and was found on the floor in the fetal position, rocking back and forth in a dark exam room, coupled with her statements about what happened, I can say with a 99% certainty that a sexual assault occurred," she told CNN."People who engage in consensual sex do not present with those symptoms. This is exactly how these cases get swept under the rug. Facts are misrepresented by investigators and attorneys," Speedy added.Reyes said her "case was not straightforward" but that after talking to military investigators, she believes "there is a preconceived notion what the story should sound like, what the timeline should look like and what the reaction should be."The male soldier was ultimately allowed to continue his normal duties at Ft. Stewart and was never charged in military or civilian courts related to Reyes' accusations.CNN reached out to Ft. Stewart and the Pentagon for comment but they declined to discuss details pertaining to a specific investigation.What is being done?The Pentagon said that it remains committed to addressing the issue of sexual assault and harassment within the ranks as survivors demand accountability from military leadership. "The Department of Defense continuously works to eliminate sexual assault and assault from the military, and we encourage service members to report all instances of sexual assault so we can provide support services and hold offenders accountable," spokesman Col. Rob Manning told reporters last month after a #MeToo protest held outside the Pentagon. In 2015, a bill sponsored by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, passed that ended the statute of limitations for rape cases in the military, banned commanders from reversing jury verdicts in sexual assault and rape cases, made it a crime to retaliate against personnel who report sex crimes, and permitted victims to have their cases handled by civilian authorities in certain circumstances.President Donald Trump called the issue "a massive problem" during the 2016 election at a forum, where he was questioned about a 2013 tweet that said: "26,000 unreported sexual assaults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?"When asked if that meant the "only fix is to take women out of the military," Trump said: "No, not to kick them out.""But something has to happen," he said. "Right now part of the problem is nobody gets prosecuted. You have reported ... you have the report of rape and nobody gets prosecuted."Pentagon report says military sexual assaults decreased in 2016The Department of Defense recently released data showing that the number of reported sexual assaults that occurred at military bases and installations around the world have increased since 2013.But in 2016, 68% of military victims did not report sexually violent crimes, according to data from the annual Department of Defense report on sexual assault."The truth is that the scourge of sexual assault in the military remains status quo," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, said about the 2017 Pentagon report. "(It) disappointingly shows a flat overall reporting rate and a retaliation rate against survivors that remains at an unacceptable 6 out of 10 for a third year in a row."Hiding in plain sightReyes is one of several former and current service members who told CNN that the military failed to properly address their reports of sexual assault, despite implementing programs like SHARP, or Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention.CNN talked to five women who said they were assaulted while serving in the military, and data says 1 in 4 women are assaulted by someone in their chain of command -- numbers that have led the Pentagon to target what it calls a pervasive issue of sexual assault within its ranks."There is a lot of victim-shaming that happens ... the justice system has an archaic view of sexual assault," according to Speedy."A lot of people are largely unaware of how the military justice system functions," Speedy said, specifically referencing issues with what she called the "good soldier defense."JUST WATCHEDRape victims: Military calls us 'crazy' (2012)ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRape victims: Military calls us 'crazy' (2012) 05:29The military tends to give decorated and successful soldiers the benefit of the doubt even when they are accused of a crime, she told CNN. "That mentality sets up a perfect breeding ground for someone who wants to assault women.""Eighty-five percent of assaults that occur in military are acquaintance rape," she added, noting that service members are often "brainwashed to think these people would lay down their life for you or take a bullet for you." Capt. Celina Baldwin, who was recently deployed to Iraq, said she was raped after a night of drinking by an "acquaintance" -- who was a member of the West Point Military Academy hockey team -- while she was attending the academy in July 2011. Speedy, who has seen all the related documents in Baldwin's case and was present with the prosecution during the preliminary hearing, corroborated her story. According to Baldwin, the assailant was a teammate of an ex-boyfriend. "I woke up a couple of times during the act and told him to stop, but he continued," she said. "I remember waking up the next morning feeling like something felt strange and remembering that he had sex with me while I was asleep."Baldwin did not immediately report the assault to Army leaders and also had trouble remembering the details of the encounter at first.She told CNN that she "even apologized to him for falling asleep during sex as a way of asking for confirmation that it actually happened.""My rapist responded mentioning it was OK, and ultimately acknowledging that I fell asleep while he had sex with me," she said.But the process of piecing together memories of that night was something that took years and extensive therapy, according to Baldwin, who, like Reyes, described feeling confused about the idea that she was "raped" by someone she knew. In addition to the July 2011 encounter, Baldwin said she was also subjected to unwanted touching and experienced sexual harassment throughout her time at West Point.Over the span of two years, Baldwin said she was touched against her will on several occasions by two members of the West Point rugby team and was one of several female cadets mentioned in a series of "sexist and violent" emails disseminated by rugby players. Baldwin was dating a member of the rugby team at the time. "The culture on the West Point rugby team was very disgraceful toward women, especially female cadets," she told CNN. "This behavior was so widely accepted and considered funny, cool and popular that it became a necessity to assimilate to if you wanted to be accepted into this community."Baldwin said she and several other female cadets were sexually harassed in the form of an email chain that the rugby team called "the highs and lows." "Each week, players would submit the 'highs' -- things which deserved praise by the other teammate -- and the 'lows' -- things which deserved shaming by the other teammates. Female cadets were often the subject of the 'highs and lows,'" Baldwin said. The emails were ultimately turned over to West Point leadership, but the subsequent investigation resulted in a minimal one-week punishment for the team, and those involved were allowed to graduate from the academy with their 2013 class. "On multiple occasions, the leadership at West Point and throughout the Army commended the rugby team for sticking together and taking the punishment as a team instead of singling out those who were 'worse' offenders than others," Baldwin said. The case resurfaced in the summer of 2013, when the Pentagon's Inspector General's office opened an investigation into how West Point leaders handled the situation.During the course of this investigation, Baldwin said she disclosed that she had been touched against her will by members of the rugby team on multiple occasions. Investigators also discovered that Baldwin had revealed the 2011 rape to her boyfriend at the time -- prompting a separate inquiry into the incident. But although investigators found probable cause of rape and sexual assault, officials determined that Baldwin's "character was questionable and the statements I made could not be relied upon," she said."The case went no further than this," Baldwin added. Report: Military punishes sex assault victimsWhen she pushed investigators for more information, Baldwin said she was told that the case involving the two rugby players was "put on hold because they were at Ranger school."While soldiers who are under investigation or pending any sort of legal, UCMJ or Administrative Action are typically prevented from receiving "favorable action" -- like admission to US Army Ranger School -- Baldwin told CNN that she was notified that the two rugby players were not flagged due to a "mistake" and would not be removed from the program. Baldwin has previously spoken out about what happened but told CNN she is "still very disappointed" in the way it was handled."The Army promised on multiple occasions, even at some of the most senior levels (Pentagon), that this would be handled the right way, but at the end of the day, no repercussions have been taken," she told CNN. Mishandled casesThe Washington Post reported in February 2017 -- prior to the rise of the #MeToo movement -- that Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who currently serves as Trump's national security adviser, was the commanding officer who presided over Baldwin's assault case involving the two rugby players.The Inspector General's office investigated McMaster's handling of the case and found that he had directed the indicators of a pending assault investigation be removed from the two rugby players' records so they could attend Ranger school.McMaster later said that he did not know all the rules for removing that information, and he was not formally reprimanded for his actions despite a memo from the Inspector General that said he mishandled the case."I still do not know the answer to this question -- whether anything was done in response to these two Rugby players sexually assaulting me," Baldwin said, adding that she recently found out that McMaster was also a rugby player while attending West Point as a cadet. McMaster did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNN on the case.All three officers named in Baldwin's reports now have leadership roles in the military, she said. "They are still active-duty Army officers, and as they continue to be promoted and progress in their careers, they will take command at higher echelons over larger units of soldiers," Baldwin told CNN. "I am concerned that one day they, accused of sexual assault themselves (and admitting to it), will be in a position, as commanders, to preside over other cases like this."When asked why she decided to remain in the service after her experience reporting sexual assault and harassment, Baldwin said that while she has the "utmost respect for those survivors" who chose to leave that she wanted to promote change from the inside. "I think a lot of survivors are given an escape route and pushed out the door. However, for me, I want to be a part of the change," she said. A 'pervasive pattern' of silenceWhile the call to address the issue of sexual abuse in the military has gained momentum in recent months, many victims and experts said the Pentagon must do more to address cultural and systemic issues that exist if it is serious about meaningful reform."Despite the many efforts made by the military to address sexual assault and harassment, 58% of those who report a sexual assault also report being retaliated against, and only 4% of cases result in conviction," said Lydia C. Watts, CEO of the Service Women's Action Network, or SWAN. "True progress will be measured when there is a wholesale culture change in which retaliation is not tolerated, survivors feel safe coming forward and there are swift and fair prosecutions."In November, the Defense Department's watchdog named "ensuring ethical conduct" one of the top 10 "management and performance" challenges for the Pentagon in 2018.JUST WATCHEDNot just Hollywood: Survivors share their storiesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNot just Hollywood: Survivors share their stories 02:01"In the category of personal misconduct, there has been a steady trend in substantiated allegations of improper relationships and sexual misconduct," the report said.When asked what message she would like to convey to Defense Secretary James Mattis about the issue of sexual assault, Reyes said, "Something needs to change. What they are doing now isn't working." The ongoing public discussion about sexual assault perpetrated by celebrities and politicians also reveals an ironic truth about a "pervasive pattern" of silence that has existed for decades, according to Speedy. "I think there is just a big veil of secrecy," she said, noting that the military maintains a similar history of failing to report crimes to revelations within the entertainment, political and media realms. "We protect our own," Speedy said, "but we are protecting perps, not victims."

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Story highlightsEngland's Lee Westwood leads by one shot after three rounds of Dubai Desert ClassicOvernight leaders Rory McIlroy and Thomas Bjorn slip back after rounds of 72 and 73 Tiger Woods six shots off the lead at Pebble Beach Pro-Am eventSouth Korean Charlie Wi leads field by three strokes from America's Dustin Johnson Lee Westwood will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic after posting a five-under par 67 at the Emirates Golf Club on Saturday.After closing with three consecutive birdies on Friday, the Englishman started his third round in similar vein, claiming three birdies on the opening four holes. Two subsequent bogeys (at the sixth and the eighth) slowed his charge, but further birdies at the 10th, 12th and 13th saw Westwood finish on a 15-under par three-round total of 201. Overnight leaders Rory McIlroy and Thomas Bjorn slipped back into the chasing pack with rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. McIlroy and Bjorn lead the wayThe Northern Irishman is currently two shots off the lead in a tie for fifth with Germany's Martin Kaymer (70), Swede Joel Sjoholm, whose 66 was the lowest score of the day, and Scott Jamieson (70).Bjorn, who dropped three shots in the closing four holes, is a shot further back on 12-under par in a tie for ninth with American Ben Curtis (67) and George Coetzee (69) from South Africa. Westwood's closest challengers are Germany's Marcel Siem and Scot Stephen Gallacher. Both men shot rounds of 68 to finish on 14-under par. Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello (70) is also tied for second after a birdie at the closing hole. Meanwhile in California, Tiger Woods remains within striking distance of the lead at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am after posting a two-under par round of 68 at the Monterey Peninsula course. The 14-time major winner is currently six-under par and six shots off the pace set by South Korean Charlie Wi at the event played over three courses. "I got my ball-striking to where I feel very comfortable. I just need to make a couple of putts to get on a roll. Today was just a spot where I didn't hit the ball in the correct spots to give myself these looks," Woods said, PGATour.com reported. Woods' upturn continues at Pebble BeachWi has a three-shot cushion after following up his record-breaking round of 61 (at the Monterey Peninsula course) with a three-under par 69 at Pebble Beach to finish on 12-under par.The 40-year-old once again threatened to make another low score with five birdies and an eagle, but four dropped shots (two going out and two coming back) checked his progress. "I took the approach today by telling myself that this is just a new day and whatever happened yesterday that I was going to put it behind me and just start fresh," Wi said, AFP reported.Joint first-round leader Dustin Johnson posted an even-par round of 72 at Spyglass Hill to claim second place, while Danny Lee, who also shared the lead after day one, is one shot further back tied for third on eight-under par.The New Zealander in joined by Irishman Padraig Harrington, Fiji's Vijay Singh and American's Brian Gay and Brendon Todd.

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Get '5 Things' in your inboxIf your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. (CNN)Big tech companies are clamping down on Russian state media outlets by cutting off their ad revenue during the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Google is the latest platform to ban the outlets from running ads on their content, following similar decisions by YouTube and Meta in recent days. Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)1. UkraineRussian and Ukrainian delegations are meeting for talks today on the Ukraine-Belarus border as Moscow continues to ramp up its assault on Kyiv. New satellite imagery shows a miles-long convoy of Russian military vehicles bearing down on the Ukrainian capital despite the negotiations. This comes just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin put his deterrence forces, which includes nuclear arms, on high alert. Meanwhile, Western sanctions are beginning to take effect, with the Russian Central Bank announcing it would raise its key interest rate from 9.5% to 20% because "external conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed." Russia's currency also hit a record low against the US dollar today as the country's financial system reeled from the crushing sanctions. Follow CNN's full coverage of Russia's attack on Ukraine here.2. Climate crisisRead MoreThe Environmental Protection Agency faces a Supreme Court case today that could challenge the federal government's ability to fight the climate crisis and prevent its worst outcomes. Republicans are expected to argue that the EPA has no authority to regulate emissions from the power sector. Instead, they say that authority should be given to Congress. A Supreme Court decision siding with coal companies could undercut the Biden administration's plans to slash planet-warming emissions at a time when scientists are sounding the alarm about climate change. Observers say the outcome of this case is tough to predict, but a ruling that would shift the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants to Congress would be the worst-case scenario for the EPA.JUST WATCHED'Fire season is now year-round': Here's how climate crisis fuels wildfiresReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'Fire season is now year-round': Here's how climate crisis fuels wildfires 03:163. CoronavirusPeople who have received a dose of Evusheld, the monoclonal antibody drug against Covid-19, should get an additional dose as soon as possible, the FDA says. The agency revised the emergency use authorization because the drug may be less active against certain Omicron subvariants. Monoclonal treatments serve as a different avenue for protection and are popular among immunocompromised people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. It's also an option for individuals who have been advised not to get a vaccine because of a severe reaction to a Covid-19 vaccine or its components. The revision of the emergency use authorization presents challenges, though. Experts say it's going to be difficult to get the word out to everyone who received a dose, and access to the product remains limited. 4. State of the UnionCapitol Police will once again erect a fence on Capitol grounds ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address tomorrow. The fencing is an effort to heighten security and prepare for possible protests by big rig truckers in the coming days. The speech is a National Special Security Event, according to officials, and the Secret Service has been placed in charge of planning. Outside law enforcement agencies as well as the National Guard have been brought in to assist during the event. You can watch the State of the Union address on CNN at 9 p.m. ET tomorrow or stream it live here.JUST WATCHEDWhat will Biden prioritize in State of the Union address?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat will Biden prioritize in State of the Union address? 03:235. North KoreaNorth Korea launched a ballistic missile off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula yesterday -- an "undesirable" move for peace stabilization while the world is trying to resolve the Ukraine war, South Korea's National Security Council said in a statement. The launch is North Korea's eighth test this year and comes nearly a month after Pyongyang fired what it claimed was its longest range ballistic missile since 2017. North Korea has ramped up its missile testing in 2022, announcing plans to bolster its defenses against the United States and evaluate "restarting all temporally suspended activities," according to state media.BREAKFAST BROWSEThe 28th Annual SAG AwardsIf you're searching for a top-tier TV series or movie to watch, look no further. Here are the winners of the year's best television and film performances. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds pledge to match donations for Ukrainian refugees up to $1 millionWe now have another reason to admire this amazing power couple.Elon Musk activates SpaceX satellite internet service in UkraineUkraine asked Musk to provide internet service to the country amid Russian attacks, and Musk delivered."The Batman" hits theaters FridayLadies and gentlemen... Robert Pattinson is Batman and Zoë Kravitz is Catwoman. Intrigued? Let's talk about "Euphoria" and that second-season finaleWarning! Spoiler alerts -- and a double dose of teen drama -- are this way.TODAY'S NUMBER20%That's the size of the stake that BP holds in Rosneft, Russia's state-owned oil giant. The British company said yesterday it is dumping that stake in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. BP, which had called itself "one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia," will lose about $2 billion as a result of the move.TODAY'S QUOTE"Look, there is no place in either political party for this White nationalism or racism. It's simply wrong ... it's evil as well."-- Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, blasting his fellow GOP members who attended a White nationalist event and those who support Russian President Vladimir Putin. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona received criticism for speaking at the America First Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida. The event was organized by White supremacist Nick Fuentes, who has been banned from most major social media platforms for his White nationalist rhetoric.TODAY'S WEATHERJUST WATCHEDPacific Northwest facing flood, wind and avalanche threatReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPacific Northwest facing flood, wind and avalanche threat 02:20Check your local forecast here>>>AND FINALLYA toast to better days aheadRyes and shine. Why not kick off your Monday with warm coffee and toast this morning -- and learn how bread is made. (Click here to view)

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Story highlightsThe Pontiff laments the suffering of people in conflicts currently making headlinesForemost, he asks that bloodshed end in Iraq and Syria (CNN)Pope Francis reminded the world of the Vatican's status as a state and his role as a moral diplomat in his traditional speech given at the end of Easter Mass.The Pontiff lamented the suffering of people in the conflicts currently making headlines and called for violence everywhere to end.Foremost, he asked that bloodshed end in Iraq and Syria and that humanitarian aid get to those in need.Pope Francis greets the crowd from the popemobile after the Easter Mass on Sunday at the Vatican."May the international community not stand by before the immense humanitarian tragedy unfolding in these countries and the drama of the numerous refugees," he said in his "urbi et orbi" address, Latin for "to the city (Rome) and to the world."Then he turned to the Holy Land, expressing the wish that the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians resume.Read MoreFrancis mentioned Libya; the nuclear talks with Iran in Lausanne, Switzerland; Yemen; Nigeria; South Sudan; and the shooting at the Garissa University College in Kenya.Pope Francis greets the crowd from St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Sunday.He also hoped for peace in Ukraine and for healing for those who have suffered there.The Pope turned to economic oppression: "We ask for peace and freedom for the many men and women subject to old and new forms of enslavement on the part of criminal individuals and groups," he said.He asked for peace from drug dealers, corrupt officials who collaborate with them, and arms dealers.Pope Francis ended the address consoling the marginalized, the poor, the sick and the suffering.And he wished all a happy Easter.CNN's Annie Ramos contributed to this report.

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(CNN)Mark Spitz, the legendary swimmer who held the record of seven Olympic gold medals in a single Games before Michael Phelps won eight in 2008, says even his fellow American's mark will fall at some stage.The most decorated Olympian of all time, Phelps won eight golds at Beijing, seven of which were in world record times. The American retired in 2016 after winning his 23rd Olympic gold, and Spitz, who claimed his record medal haul at the 1972 Munich Olympics, thinks nine golds in one Games is a possibility. "The bottom line is, records are made to be broken," Spitz, now 71, told CNN Sport's Don Riddell. "There will be somebody, someday that will rise to the occasion, perhaps. Maybe not in my lifetime or even Michael Phelps' lifetime. Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo Olympics Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsAmerican gymnast Simone Biles is the defending Olympic champion in the individual all-around, and if the high-flying 24-year-old wins in Tokyo she will be the first woman to repeat since Vera Caslavska in 1968. Many consider Biles to be the greatest gymnast of all time. Over the past few years, she has astounded us with never-before-seen moves; there are now four original skills that are named after her. And earlier this year she became the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault in competition.Hide Caption 1 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsNaomi Osaka (Japan): Osaka, one of the biggest stars in tennis, recently made headlines when she withdrew from the French Open, citing her mental health. The four-time major winner also sat out Wimbledon. But the 23-year-old will be competing in her home country for the Olympics.Hide Caption 2 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsKatie Ledecky (United States): Ledecky was one of the biggest stars of 2016, winning five Olympic golds and setting two world records — one in the 400-meter freestyle and one in the 800-meter freestyle. She was the first swimmer since 1968 to win the 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyles at the same Olympics, and she will be looking to defend all of those titles in Tokyo. She will also be favored in the 1,500-meter freestyle, which is making its debut this year on the women's side. Ledecky, 24, has broken 14 world records during her illustrious career.Hide Caption 3 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsNyjah Huston (United States): Skateboarding makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo, and Huston is one of the sport's icons. The 26-year-old, who has nearly 5 million followers on Instagram, has won three of the last four world titles in the street category. He's also won the most street medals in X Games history.Hide Caption 4 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsNoah Lyles (United States): Lyles, center, is the current world champion in the 200 meters and many people's favorite to win the event at the Olympics, which Usain Bolt won in each of the past three Games. Bolt's retirement also opens the door for a new 100-meter champion. Lyles, 23, was expected to compete in that event, too, but he finished seventh at the US Olympic trials and failed to qualify. The winner of that race, Trayvon Bromell, is now among the favorites there.Hide Caption 5 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsStephanie Gilmore (Australia): Surfing makes its Olympic debut this year, and the highly decorated Gilmore will be one of the favorites on the women's side. The 33-year-old has won more world titles — seven — than any of her competitors. She'll be looking to beat out American Carissa Moore, the current world champ.Hide Caption 6 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsLaurel Hubbard (New Zealand): Hubbard will be the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics. Hubbard, 43, competed in men's weightlifting competitions before transitioning in 2013. She has been eligible to compete in the Olympics since 2015, when the International Olympic Committee issued new guidelines that allow any transgender athlete to compete as a woman provided their testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per liter for at least 12 months before their first competition, according to Reuters.Hide Caption 7 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsAllyson Felix (United States): Felix kisses her daughter, Camryn, at the US Olympic trials in June. Felix, 35, is the only female track-and-field athlete to win six Olympic gold medals, and she also has three silvers. If she wins a medal in Tokyo, she would stand alone as the most decorated female track star in Olympic history. Over the past few years, Felix has been an advocate for change, whether it be taking part in Black Lives Matter protests or standing up for maternal protections in contracts. This is her fifth Olympic Games.Hide Caption 8 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsCaeleb Dressel (United States): Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, has called it a career. But Dressel might be the next big thing in men's swimming. The 24-year-old has already got two Olympic gold medals, and he's the world-record holder in the 100-meter butterfly. He'll be racing in that event as well as the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter freestyle.Hide Caption 9 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsJanja Garnbret (Slovenia): Sport climbing is one of four sports making their Olympic debut this year, and Garnbret, 22, is one of the best sport climbers on the planet. The 2019 World Cup champion is heavily favored to win gold.Hide Caption 10 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsShi Tingmao (China): China's diving teams have been dominating Olympic competitions since 1984, taking home 40 gold medals out of a possible 56. Shi, 29, won two golds in 2016 and will look to add to that tally before calling it a career. She's owned the 3-meter springboard events since 2015, rarely losing an event.Hide Caption 11 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsSky Brown (Great Britain): The 13-year-old skateboarder lives up to her name, soaring through the air when she competes in the park event. Sky, Britain's youngest-ever summer Olympian, is ranked third in the world in park skateboarding. Her Olympic qualification finished an inspiring comeback story: Last year, she fractured her skull and broke bones in her left hand after falling from a ramp during training. Sky also was born in Japan. Her mother is Japanese and her father is British.Hide Caption 12 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsSimone Manuel (United States): Manuel made history in 2016 when she became the first African American woman to win gold in an individual swimming event. She won't be able to defend her crown in the 100-meter freestyle, as she wasn't able to qualify this time around, but she will be competing in the 50-meter freestyle. The 24-year-old also medaled in two relays in 2016.Hide Caption 13 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsEliud Kipchoge (Kenya): Kipchoge, the only person to complete a marathon in under two hours, is a legend in the sport. The 36-year-old won Olympic gold in 2016 and is one of the favorites to win in Tokyo. Hide Caption 14 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsHend Zaza (Syria): At 12 years old, Zaza is expected to be the youngest Olympian in Tokyo — and the fifth-youngest person ever to compete in the Olympics. The table-tennis player actually qualified in February 2020 when she was just 11. Because of the country's civil war, she hasn't been able to enter many tournaments, her coach has said.Hide Caption 15 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsZhu Ting (China): Zhu is the captain of China's indoor volleyball team, which won Olympic gold five years ago in Rio de Janeiro. The 6-foot-6 outside hitter is 26 years old, but she's already considered one of the greatest volleyball players of all time.Hide Caption 16 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsShelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica): Fraser-Pryce, right, is looking to become the first woman to win the 100-meter dash at three different Olympics. The 5-foot-1 "Pocket Rocket" finished third in 2016 after winning gold in 2008 and 2012, but she rebounded to win the event at the 2019 World Championships. And in June, she clocked a time of 10.63 seconds, which is the second-fastest 100 time ever for a woman. If the 34-year-old wins gold in Tokyo, she would be the oldest person to win an individual Olympic sprint.Hide Caption 17 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsRyo Kiyuna (Japan): Kiyuna is from the island of Okinawa, which is considered the birthplace of karate, and he is one of the favorites to win gold as the sport appears at the Olympics for the first time. The 31-year-old competes in the kata event, which is a solo discipline where the athletes demonstrate various forms. Hide Caption 18 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsKevin Durant (United States): Team USA has dominated men's basketball since 1992, when NBA players were first allowed to play and the "Dream Team" became a global phenomenon. The Americans have won the last three gold medals and six of the last seven — only coming up short in 2004. Durant, 32, is one of two returning players from the team that won in 2016, and he'll be looked to for leadership and scoring. Durant led the team in scoring in 2016, and he averaged 34.3 points in the NBA playoffs this year.Hide Caption 19 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsMasahiro Tanaka (Japan): For the first time since 2008, baseball is back at the Olympics. Unfortunately, baseball-crazy Japan will not be able to cheer on the national team in person, as all Olympic spectators have been banned because of Covid-19. Tanaka, a former New York Yankee who made two All-Star teams, now plays professionally in Japan with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The 32-year-old is one of the most well-known names on a team that includes pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, shortstop Hayato Sakamato and outfielder Seiyka Suzuki. Major League Baseball players are not competing in Tokyo.Hide Caption 20 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsAriarne Titmus (Australia): The biggest threat to Katie Ledecky's dominance in the pool could be Titmus, a 20-year Australian nicknamed the "Terminator." Titmus defeated Ledecky in the 400-meter freestyle two years ago at the World Championships. Ledecky was battling a stomach virus at the time, but Titmus has only gotten better since then. She nearly broke Ledecky's 400-meter world record in June, finishing just .44 seconds off the pace.Hide Caption 21 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsMegan Rapinoe (United States): The US women's soccer team is packed with superstars, including Rose Lavelle, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan. But it's impossible to take your eyes off Rapinoe, who scored the game-winning goal in the 2019 World Cup final and was named the tournament's best player. The 36-year-old has also been an outspoken advocate for equality and inclusivity.Hide Caption 22 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsKarsten Warholm (Norway): Warholm broke a 29-year-old world record this summer when he finished the 400-meter hurdles in 46.70 seconds. It was the longest-standing record in men's track. Warholm, 25, has dominated the event over the last few years, winning the last two world titles.Hide Caption 23 of 24 Photos: 25 athletes to watch in the Tokyo OlympicsDiana Taurasi and Sue Bird (United States): If the US women's basketball team wins gold — as it has in every Olympics since 1996 — then Taurasi, left, and Bird will become the first basketball players of any gender to win five Olympic gold medals. The two guards are two of the greatest women's basketball players of all time. Taurasi, 39, is the WNBA's all-time leading scorer. Bird, 40, is the league's all-time leader in assists.Hide Caption 24 of 24"But somebody will be in a newsroom saying, 'I can't believe that you broke whatever it is ... you've got nine gold medals or whatever it might be in one Olympics Games,'" added Spitz, who was interviewed by CNN in late 2019, before the pandemic struck to delay the Games by a year.Read MoreSpitz said he "felt fine" watching Phelps break his record in 2008, having seen him excel across multiple events four years previously in Athens. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and features"They said my record was so good that it wouldn't be broken in my lifetime," said Spitz, who won nine golds and 11 Olympic medals in all. "(Phelps) is quite remarkable in the Olympics ... I think there are quite a lot of people that have been inspired."American swimmers Tom Bruce (left) and Mike Stamm (right) carry teammate Mark Spitz on their shoulders at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.Spitz points towards American swimmers Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky, both of whom are expected to dominate the pool in Tokyo later this month, as successors to Phelps' Olympic legacy. Dressel took Phelps' 100-meter butterfly world record in Gwangju, South Korea, in 2019, and broke two short-course world records -- the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle -- in the space of an hour in Budapest, Hungary, last year.Dressel celebrates during the men's 100m freestyle final at the US Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska, last month."He's setting the world ablaze," says Spitz."He actually swims in four events right now, the 50m and the 100m freestyle, the 50m and 100m butterfly. And then again, he'll be on at least probably three relays. So already we're looking at someone that's going to win seven medals."READ: Michael Phelps on doping -- one failed test and you should never be allowed to compete againLedecky is also expected to shine in the pool in Tokyo later this month having won four golds and a silver in Rio and a gold in London.Ledecky competes in the 400m freestyle heats at that US Olympic trials. The freestyle specialist will compete across the 1500, 400, 200 and 800 events, the first of which has been newly added to the women's Olympic program ahead of Tokyo.

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(CNN)Eighteen months ago, Malcolm was at the vanguard of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Full of bravado and often clad in black, the 21-year-old oversaw a group of 60 combative front-liners who embraced confrontational tactics against the police while demanding greater democracy in the former British colony. Today, he is applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, and separated from his family in Hong Kong where he feels he can longer visit. Malcom believes if he returns to the Chinese city he could be arrested under a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong last June, which scaled up penalties against dissent to include punishments as severe as life imprisonment. 'No room for debate or compromise' as Hong Kong introduces sweeping national security rules for schoolsSince then, nearly 100 activists have been arrested under the new law. When Hong Kong police apprehended a protester friend of Malcolm's in October, he booked a red-eye flight to London. Malcolm asked CNN not to use his real name, for fear that his family -- who remain in Hong Kong -- could face repercussions. The British government has called the security law a clear violation of the "one country, two systems" policy meant to ensure Hong Kong's autonomy from Beijing until 2047. In its wake, the UK has opened a six-year pathway to British citizenship for holders of British National (Overseas) passports (BN(O)), a special visa category created for Hong Kong nationals before the 1997 transfer of power. Read MoreThe visa does not account for the most vulnerable Hong Kongers: young pro-democracy protesters, like Malcolm, who were born after 1997 and are therefore not eligible. But it is nonetheless remarkable in its scope -- in a city of 7.5 million people, 5.2 million Hong Kongers and their dependents are eligible for it.Malcolm is one of hundreds of young pro-democracy protesters who have left Hong Kong. It's also remarkable for another reason: it has been pioneered by the same British politicians who engineered the UK's break from the European Union, in part, to curb immigration. It sets a markedly different tone for the Conservative government, and its cheerleaders in the British press, who have spent the past decade pushing anti-immigrant policies. And critics say it is predicated on a flawed idea of Hong Kongers as a "model minority" who will need no support to settle into a new life in the UK. A different tone The UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016 following a campaign dominated by anti-immigration rhetoric -- much of it emanating from the same politicians who are now running the government. In one campaign missive, pro-Brexit lawmakers Boris Johnson, Priti Patel, and Michael Gove stoked fears that rising numbers of southern European immigrants would "put further strain on schools and hospitals," and that "class sizes will rise and waiting lists will lengthen if we don't tackle free movement."Yet last June, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the visa pathway for millions of Hong Kongers, describing the offer as being "one of the biggest changes in our visa system in history." The same politicians and media houses that warned darkly of an influx of foreigners during the Brexit campaign raised few objections this time around. The exiles and the inmates: The heart-wrenching hand dealt to Hong Kong's democracy activistsLast month, Priti Patel, now the Home Secretary, said she looked forward to welcoming Hong Kongers "to our great country." Yet in 2016, Patel campaigned against what she described as "uncontrolled migration" from the EU, and last year she is reported to have considered plans to send those seeking asylum in the UK to two Atlantic islands more than 4,000 miles away. Welcoming Hong Kongers has become one of the few issues in British politics that commands bipartisan support, uniting opposition Labour, Green Party and Scottish National Party members with the hawkish, anti-China wing of the Conservative party. The British government's shift in attitude could echo a change in public opinion -- migration concerns in the UK appear to have softened considerably in recent years. The jury is out as to why public attitudes have shifted, but it has coincided with immigration dropping off the agenda as a political issue in the past few years.There is also a feeling of colonial "indebtedness" to the people of Hong Kong, says Jonathan Portes, a Professor of Economics and Public Policy at King's College London. Hundreds of thousands took part in pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.Some of Brexit's biggest backers are championing the scheme "in a pretty explicit break with the approach of [Margaret] Thatcher in the run up to 1997," Portes said, explaining that the late UK Prime Minister "wanted to limit, as much as possible, the number of Hong Kong Chinese who came here, because of her wider anti-immigration views." Defending Hong Kong against the creep of authoritarianism has also become a moral issue in the UK, which has hardened its attitude towards China in the past year. The UK has barred Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from playing a part in the country's 5G network, and has been vocal in its criticism of Beijing for human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in the Xinjiang region. Model minority Perhaps one of the reasons the Hong Kong visa scheme has been so lauded is that its recipients are also being sold to the British public by hardline Brexiteers as a caricatured model minority, say critics.Hong Kong nationals "wouldn't cost our taxpayers a penny... [they] would bring their own wealth," Conservative peer Daniel Hannan wrote in the right-wing Daily Telegraph newspaper. "And once they arrived, they would generate economic activity for the surrounding region, just as they did in their home city." The Home Office estimates that up to 153,700 BN(O) holders will arrive in the country this year -- and estimates they could bring £2.9 billion ($4.1 bn) into the economy over five years.Yet the reality might not be so clear cut.UK prepares to welcome thousands of Hong Kongers fleeing national security lawHong Kong has one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world, but it is also one of the most economically unequal places on the planet, where one in five people are estimated to be living in poverty. A family of two adults and two children will have to pay as much as £12,000 ($16,600) in immigration-related fees and have more than £3,100 in the bank in savings, according to the UK Home Office, and that doesn't include flights.The language barrier (forms will need to be completed in English), and having to demonstrate the ability to accommodate and support themselves for at least six months, are also likely to put some off. "60% of the people in Hong Kong live in public housing estates and they would find it harder [compared to Hong Kong's white-collar workers] to settle in a foreign country," Chan added. Some of Brexit's biggest backers are championing the scheme, including Home Secretary Priti Patel Nor is it straightforward for those who are able to scrape the funds together, campaigners say. A study by civil society group Hong Kongers in Britain found that the majority of people planning to take up the visa are highly educated and financially able to support themselves through the move. Yet their main concerns about the move are finding accommodation, living costs, finding a job, and integrating into British society. More than a quarter of those surveyed worried about having trouble communicating in English. Another challenge is the support that awaits them when they arrive in the UK. The UK does not have a formal national integration program for immigrants. And there is no nationwide integration plan for the Hong Kongers who emigrate under the new scheme, according to Fred Wong, who works with Hong Kong ARC, a civil society group which offers Hong Kongers legal and mental health support. Wong asked CNN not to use his real name because he still has family in Hong Kong and fears for their safety. Inside the battle between the BBC and ChinaSome of the 40 Hong Kongers who Wong is currently helping in the UK have yet to finish university or high school, while around half have never held down a job before and are struggling to get on the ladder in the UK. The UK government has no provisions to help them find jobs, set up bank accounts, or access mental health support, Wong said. "Most of them suffer from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], which could be a reason or excuse [to why] they are not progressing," Wong said. His group has been organizing free psychological consultations and talks on how to overcome insomnia, nightmares and stress, as many of the Hong Kongers Fred helps have had trouble sleeping since fleeing the territory. The model minority narrative means that the UK government is "unprepared, and maybe a bit oblivious to the amount of support that's needed," Wong said. "The UK government is working alongside civil society groups, local authorities and others to support the effective integration of BN(O) status holders and their families who choose to make our United Kingdom their home," UKs Minister for Future Borders and Immigration, Kevin Foster, told CNN in a statement. Support could shiftPolls show that the majority of British voters support the BN(O) scheme, but attitudes could shift as an estimated 300,000 BN(O) holders arrive in the next five years, Tanja Bueltmann, a professor of migration and diaspora at the University of Strathclyde, told CNN. "The [ BN(O) scheme] is genuinely well meaning, but the provision around it is not very good," she explained -- something that raises questions over how many Hong Kongers will make the move in the end. The other worry is Hong Kongers will face racially aggravated violence at a time of increasing xenophobia against people of East Asian appearance in the UK. Figures from London's Metropolitan Police showed that people who self-identified as Chinese, and whose ethnic appearance was recorded as "Oriental," experienced a five-fold increase in racist crimes between January 2020 and March 2020. Polling done in June found that three quarters of people of Chinese ethnicity in the UK had experienced being called a racial slur. During an October debate on racism against the Chinese and East Asian community in Parliament, Scottish National Party lawmaker David Linden said some of his constituents "described the attacks against them, with restaurants and take-outs being vandalized and boycotted and victims being punched, spat at and coughed on in the street and even verbally abused and blamed for the coronavirus pandemic." Two Royal Navy sailors carry a portrait of Queen Elizabeth through the British Forces' Hong Kong headquarters as her pictures are taken down ahead of the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.London-based Hong Kong Watch and 10 other civil society groups wrote to the government in January expressing concern about the lack of a "meaningful plan in place to ensure that the new arrivals properly integrate ... local authorities do not have specific policies, strategies or the creative bandwidth to welcome and integrate Hong Kong arrivals into their communities." "The government must learn the lessons from past failures and take pre-emptive action now," their letter read. 'In limbo' In the meantime, up to 350 Hong Kong dissidents between the ages of 18 and 24 are believed to be currently "stuck in limbo" in the UK, according to Wong from Hong Kong ARC. Being born after 1997, they are not eligible for the BN(O) scheme. Some are in the country on tourist visas, biding their time until the UK government creates a policy that considers them, or until Canada begins its planned work-visa pathway for young Hong Kong dissidents. Australia has offered a pathway for permanent residency for Hong Kong students and skilled workers currently in the country. But pandemic-related travel restrictions, as well as a lack of funds, mean many have had to rely on the generosity of civil society groups for a stipend, food and even accommodation. Others, like Malcolm, have already applied for political asylum in the UK. The process can take more than a year. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work or open a bank account while their claim is being processed; they will be charged higher international fees if they attend a UK university. And campaigners say there is no guarantee that pleas for asylum will be granted. According to the Refugee Council, in the year to September 2020, only 49% of initial decisions by the Home Office resulted in a grant of asylum or other form of protection. Welcoming Hong Kongers has become one of the few issues in British politics that commands bipartisan support.Many asylum-seekers instead have to rely on asylum appeals through the courts to provide them with refugee status. "The pro-democracy protests would not have existed without them [young activists], and without the protests there would not have been the BN(O) scheme -- but they're the ones who are being left behind," said Chan. Malcolm says he is luckier than most, having a sizeable inheritance to survive on, and a network of contacts that helped find him accommodation outside London. He hopes to apply for college once he gains asylum, but in the meantime has started to financially support around 20 dissidents in the UK and Hong Kong. He says that the British government has not done enough to help his generation. 'Practice makes perfect'Hong Konger Sze, who asked CNN not to use her full name because her family still lives in Hong Kong, quit her job as a high school geography teacher and came to the UK in October on holiday to visit some friends. At the end of her two-week trip, Sze decided to stay. She told CNN she plans to apply for BN(O) visa at the end of this month and is living off her savings in a flat she rents with a friend in North London in the meantime. Sze has been looking into roles as a geography teaching assistant or tutor as her Hong Kong teaching qualifications are recognized in the UK. When asked if her halting English will be a liability, Sze says "practice makes perfect." The 28-year-old said China's incursion into everyday life in Hong Kong had influenced her decision to stay, as had the fact that being in the UK means she has the "freedom to do what I want and even protest every week," without fear of political retribution. It would be intolerable to live in Hong Kong now, especially since teachers have been compelled to "teach students about the [national] security law," she said. JUST WATCHEDChina's crackdown on Hong Kong spreads to the city's classroomsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHChina's crackdown on Hong Kong spreads to the city's classrooms 02:59Sze has settled into London life: She already has strong opinions on the snail's pace of London buses and is counting the days to when lockdown ends and she can go shopping on Oxford Street. While it can be hard to find the authentic Cantonese cuisine she grew up eating in Hong Kong, Sze marvels at how much cheaper food is at British supermarkets. "The food quality is better, the price is cheaper and the rent is cheaper," she told CNN. Sze cannot get a job until her BN(O) visa is approved, but she is optimistic that the UK's coronavirus-induced economic slump will not get in the way of her finding work. "I am open to any [job] option -- it really depends on how much savings I have," she said. But her biggest concern is the fate of fellow dissidents going through the asylum process, and whether her compatriots who move to the UK will give up the fight for independence back home. "Hong Kongers should never give up, no matter if they've left Hong Kong or not," she said.

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Story highlights An abuse survivor says Cardinal Sean Brady should face more questionsBrady being criticized for how he handled cases of sexual abuse of children by priestsA new TV documentary says Brady was more involved in a 1970s cover-up than he admitsBrady says he did what he was supposed to do at the time and insists he won't resignIreland's top Roman Catholic cleric, Cardinal Sean Brady, was under mounting pressure to resign Friday amid renewed allegations about his role in dealing with the sexual abuse of children by priests.A British television documentary repeated claims made in 2010 that Brady was told of attacks by pedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth in 1975 but did not inform police or the parents of the victims. The documentary also claimed that Brady, then a priest, had a greater role in the church investigation of the Smyth allegations than he has admitted. New details and documents also were produced. Responding to the BBC program, Brady repeated his defense that he had done his job by passing details of all allegations to his superiors.He told CNN that he felt "betrayed" when he discovered that church officials had taken no action against Smyth, who continued to abuse children for years throughout Ireland and in the United States.JUST WATCHEDCalls for Irish Catholic chief to resignReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCalls for Irish Catholic chief to resign 02:20Smyth was eventually imprisoned and has since died. Brady has accepted that during the 1970s, he was "part of an unhelpful culture of deference and silence in society and the church," but he has insisted he does not intend to resign.The Catholic Church in Ireland said Friday that a previous request from Brady for Pope Benedict XVI to send a bishop to help him with his work would be "reactivated."Calls continued from abuse victims and lawmakers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for Brady to step down. Abuse survivor Jon McCourt told CNN that further inquiries should be made into Brady's role."Many people have been prosecuted for a lot less and served years in prison," he said."At the very least, an investigation should be carried out. The law is the law, there was no immunity. He was legally obliged to inform the authorities, and not doing so has caused a lot of people a lot of pain."One of the most senior politicians to speak out has been Ireland's deputy prime minister, Eamon Gilmore."It is my own personal view that anybody who did not deal with the scale of the abuse that we have seen in this case should not hold a position of authority," he said. Gilmore, also the country's foreign minister, last year decided to close Ireland's embassy in the Vatican, citing the need to cut costs. Brady said then he was "profoundly disappointed."The government and church in the mainly Catholic country have been at loggerheads in recent times after a series of state-backed investigations into sexual abuse by priests and other church figures over several decades.

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(CNN)Russian President Vladimir Putin has for years enjoyed life as an influential political figure in many European Union member states. Even in countries that have taken a staunch anti-Kremlin line since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, Putin has sought opportunities to attach himself to populist political movements that promote an anti-West agenda and undermine confidence in mainstream European politics. Putin has repeatedly associated himself with prominent Euroskeptic opposition figures, like France's Marine Le Pen, Italy's Matteo Salvini, the Netherland's Geert Wilders and, perhaps most damagingly for the EU, Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary. Whether that support is via symbolic visits to and from Moscow or through direct funding, rowdy populists who talk down the threat of Russia have played a role in Putin's goal of dividing Europe -- and preventing it from taking meaningful action against a belligerent Russia. Putin's invasion of Ukraine has led to many of those who'd previously cozied up to Putin now looking to distance themselves from the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) speaks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (R) during their meeting in Moscow on February 1, 2022. Read MoreEarlier this week, the far-right Italian politician Salvini, a long-standing staunch opponent of mass migration, visited Przemysl, a town in Poland that shares a border with Ukraine, supposedly to show his support for Ukraine, Poland and the refugees forced to flee their homes.When he arrived, Przemysl's mayor told Salvini to "see what his friend Putin has done," while brandishing a T-shirt with the Russian President's face on it. In 2014, Salvini was seen wearing an identical T-shirt while visiting Moscow. Meanwhile, French Presidential candidate Le Pen has had to walk a tightrope, defending her previous ties to Putin, which involved financial support from Russian banks. Her party has defended its association with Putin historically, but Le Pen herself was made to admit that he ran an "authoritarian regime" and that the invasion of Ukraine is a "clear violation straight of international law and absolutely indefensible." The Russian invasion has forced Hungary's Orban to "condemn Russia's armed offensive" and allow NATO troops and weapons to pass through Hungary, although he has tried to mitigate blowback from Russia by preventing arms directly traveling from Hungary into Ukraine. Putin's aggressive behavior is, of course, nothing new. All of these political figures saw what Russia did in 2014 and still maintained relations with the Kremlin. What were they gaining from befriending an autocrat? The mayor of Przemysl holds up a T-shirt with the likeness of Vladimir Putin as Matteo Salvini speaks with journalists on March 8, 2022. The answer to that is more complicated than a simple financial transaction. Of course, in the case of Le Pen's loans from Russian banks and Orban's funding for a nuclear power station, Russia presented an investment opportunity that both would have struggled to find elsewhere. Katalin Cseh, a Hungarian member of the European Parliament, explains that in recent years, European money has come with strings attached -- like obeying the EU's rules on human rights and freedom of expression. "There is a very clear financial benefit in dealing with Putin, especially at the time European money comes with questions about freedoms of media, human rights and corruption, which Putin doesn't care about," she told CNN. However, it's more than just money that many of these fringe groups see in Putin. He also represents a type of political leadership that stands in direct contrast to what many conservative Europeans see as Brussels' liberal agenda -- one they say promotes inclusivity that threatens the Europe of traditional, Judeo-Christian values. Andrius Kubilius, the former Prime Minister of Lithuania and current Member of the European Parliament, told CNN that Putin's goal, in this sense, was always transparent. "Putin's strategy was to find people within the European Union who would support some of his more radical domestic political and social ideas. He understood very well this is how you divide us politically, splitting the European Council and Parliament so we could not take strong, unified positions against him," Kubilius said. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (R) embraces Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of a meeting in Milan on August 28, 2018.Those political and social ideas include things like anti-LGBT laws, undermining the independent judiciary and clamping down on the free press. "Many of the liberal groups in the European Parliament have a hatred of the type of traditional conservatism they see in Russia," said Gunnar Beck, an MEP for the German right populist party, Alternative fur Deutschland. Speaking of his party and their partners within the European Parliament, Beck told CNN that "many of us are opposed to the fashionable social trends of our time, some of which are promoted through with public money. We look at Russia and see a European country where these issues have not gone too far, as we see it." While Beck said that Putin's invasion is a "clear breach of international law," he and others like him still feel that the West's anger at Russia's behavior is at times "deeply hypocritical," and view Putin as an example of a leader defending his country's "heritage and values." In this sense, the kind words that flow from Europe's populists to Moscow and vice versa feed a particular political narrative that is convenient for all sides. For those Euroskeptic Europeans, Putin's Russia is a country that doesn't tolerate things they believe erode the social and moral fiber of the country, like LGBT rights and mass immigration. They don't see any cognitive dissonance in condemning Putin's war while also applauding his resistance to liberal, modern values. For Putin, these European cheerleaders present an opportunity to sow disunity in both the EU and the Western alliance more broadly."Putin's tool was to sow uncertainty in Europe, promoting a set of values very different from ours. For years, the Kremlin has used disinformation to exploit people and maximize divisions in society," President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola told CNN. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Marine Le Pen at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 24, 2017.However, she believes that "the war has changed everything" in ways that will last "probably for a very long time.""He has underestimated Europe's resolve and the importance that Europeans give to freedom and democracy, just as he has underestimated the resilience and the resistance of the Ukrainian people," Metsola said. It is likely that Putin's actions have made him such a pariah that Europe's security map has been changed forever. Senior European and NATO diplomats have previously told CNN that the Ukraine invasion has advanced thinking around security by light years. Historically, it has been very hard to get EU agreement on any foreign policy issue; now they are signing off sanctions packages and upping defense spending at a rate unthinkable just weeks ago. Putin's merciless violence will also affect the domestic politics of those who'd previously stood beside him. It is likely that Le Pen will be reluctant to play up her ties to the Russian President ahead of the French election in April. Cseh notes that Hungary's election, also in April, will force Orban to walk the tightrope of his traditional voters, whom, Cseh says, he has told for years that "the EU is the enemy and Putin is a great guy." Putin's invasion has already cost him dearly, in terms of his complicated, but ultimately beneficial relationship with the rest of Europe.And as the war rumbles on, it is likely that on top of the economic pain and personnel losses, he will live the rest of his life as a persona non grata with some of the individuals who helped him grow his -- and Russia's -- wealth and status as a global player the rest of the world was willing to work with. 

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New York (CNN Business)Morgan Moore's grocery bills are sky-high. So she has started to stay away from name brands and buy more of Walmart's Great Value private-label brand.The freelance graphic designer in Gilmer, Texas, wanted to buy bacon on a recent trip, but "just walked away" because it was too expensive. Bacon prices increased 2.3% in November from the previous month and has surged 17.8% annually.Moore has also started shopping more frequently at Dollar General for basic meats, dairy and eggs. Prices there, she has found, "are a little bit cheaper, but still not as cheap as I'd like them to be."Higher prices for groceries are putting pressure on many Americans' grocery budgets, forcing them to change how they shop for food and essentials.Are you having trouble affording holiday gifts? Share your storyLast month, grocery prices were 6.4% higher than they were a year ago, the fastest pace of food inflation in more than a decade. Some shoppers are responding by trimming the number of products they're buying at the store and trading down to less-expensive private-label brands. according to companies, market data, public surveys and interviews with customers. Others are switching to cheaper stores.Read More"It's a squeeze," said Matt Larson, a teacher in Salt Lake City, Utah, who shops for his wife and their four children at Kroger and Costco.The family's budget has gotten some breathing room from the expanded federal child tax credit and free lunches at school for the kids, he said. But Larson is buying ground beef around once a month, instead of every week, and purchasing less milk.Ground beef prices increased 0.9% in November from the month prior and 13.9% annually while milk prices were up 0.9% in November and 4.5% annually. "It's hard to spend that much more on beef," Larson said.The family keeps extra beans, wheat, flour and other shelf-stable items in the basement, and it is turning to this safety stock to help ride out the highest rate of inflation in nearly 40 years."We're relying on what we have and not going out to buy more," he said.Buying cheaper foodShoppers are feeling the pain at the checkout aisle, and they say they're not going to take it much longer.A late September survey of more than 14,000 consumers by market research term Numerator found that 20% said they would switch to cheaper brands if prices continued to rise. Seventeen percent said they would switch retailers and 10% said they would buy less frequently. Eleven percent of shoppers surveyed said they would not change their buying patterns.Sales volume in 78% of the top 100 food categories declined during the four weeks ending November 28 from the same time a year ago, according to IRI point of sale data at leading supermarkets, big box stores, wholesale clubs and other shopping channels. Higher prices tend to lead to a decline in sales volume — the number of products sold.Costco and other discount chains expect to benefit from shoppers seeking out bargains.Breakfast meats, milk, eggs, cereal, ice cream, fresh bread, seafood and wine saw the steepest volume declines annually.Although many consumers have gotten a boost from rising wages, rounds of federal stimulus during the pandemic, and expanded food stamp and child tax credit benefits, there are signs that rising prices are changing their buying patterns."We have seen some resistance" from customers to prices on premium cuts of meat, Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) CEO Jack Sinclair said on an analyst call last month. "We've seen some trading down" on proteins.Switching to discount storesIn the past, customers have responded to higher prices or tougher economic conditions by buying fewer prepared meals and deserts, stocking up at the beginning of the month and shopping more at discount chains, said KK Davey, IRI's president of strategic analytics.Leaders at discount grocers such as Walmart (WMT), Dollar General (DG), Dollar Tree (DLTR), Grocery Outlet (GO), Costco (COST) and BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) have said in recent weeks that customers are noticing the higher prices and changing their shopping behavior. These companies say they are positioned well to attract price-sensitive customers looking to stretch their budgets. This level of inflation "helps us a little because of the value proposition that we have," Costco finance chief Richard Galanti said on an analyst call last week.Customers "are feeling the inflation," said Dollar Tree CEO Michael Witynski on an analyst call last month. "I think right now, more than ever, they are going to be relying on great value."Tops Markets, a regional supermarket chain in the northeast, expects shoppers to seek out more bargains as food manufacturers raise prices in January 2022.Cost increases and supply constraints "will impact how consumers shop and select," Kristen Hanson, the vice president of Tops' center store merchandise, private-label brands and pharmacy, said in an email. "We would suspect shifting into lower priced items," many of which will be Tops' private labels.

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London (CNN)It was meant to be the most predictable of election campaigns. A British Prime Minister with a comfortable lead in the polls calling an early election to strengthen her mandate to negotiate Brexit, up against a supposedly weak opposition leader from the unfashionable far left of his party.Can left-wing populism win the UK election?But with a week to go before the UK election, Theresa May's position is looking less than secure. Under her opponent Jeremy Corbyn, Labour is closing the gap in the opinion polls behind May's Conservative Party. His manifesto -- a raft of leftwing policies with renationalization of industry at their core -- has been well received by voters. Stories about Corbyn's past support for the Irish Republican Army and Hamas are failing to inflict serious damage. And in the wake of last week's suicide bombing in Manchester, the Labour leader's perceived weakness on security and counter-terrorism don't seem to have damaged him in the court of public opinion.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses supporters during a campaign event in Birmingham in May.At the start of the campaign in April, the Prime Minister set down a narrative that the June 8 election was a choice between her "strong and stable" leadership that would deliver a successful Brexit, and Corbyn's far-left brand of Labour. It is still highly likely that May will win next Thursday. But as the campaign enters the final stages, it is remarkable how Corbyn has managed to change the narrative and turn the election into a competitive fight.This shift has been achieved, say commentators, in part because Corbyn does not behave like an ordinary politician. While other party leaders adapt their policies to the changing times, his views -- including opposition to Britain's independent nuclear deterrent, and in favor of higher taxes on the rich to pay for healthcare and schools -- have not changed in more than 30 years.From trade unionist to politicianRead MoreCorbyn was raised in rural Shropshire in central England and was educated at a local grammar school before studying at a North London college, from where he left after one year, failing to finish a degree. After working for a number of trade unions he got his first break in politics at the age of 25 when he was elected to a council seat in Haringey, a borough in north London. Nine years later he became Labour MP for the London seat of Islington North, at the same time Tony Blair entered Parliament. Their career paths could not have been more different: while Blair rose through the Labour Party to become its leader in 1994 and prime minister in 1997, Corbyn remained a backbench MP, rebelling against Blair in hundreds of votes in the House of Commons and most prominently as a vocal critic of the Iraq war. Corbyn (center) marches with demonstrating steelworkers in London in 2016. It was after Labour's second electoral defeat in a row, in 2015, that Corbyn's name was put forward for the leadership contest as a "token" leftwinger, but was at first not taken seriously. He went on to win with nearly 60% of the vote.In the same way Bernie Sanders experienced an insurgent tide of popularity from younger voters, 68-year-old Corbyn is most popular among 18-34 year-olds. Read: Britain's young voters are angry, not apatheticThe success of Corbyn's anti-establishment pitch -- he saw off a challenge from the party's centrists in 2016 -- may also invite comparisons with the US president. Like Donald Trump, the Labour leader is prone to outbursts of tetchy, erratic and stubborn behavior. Corbyn at his home in London in last year. By coincidence, Trump and Corbyn have each been married three times. Yet the similarities perhaps end there: Corbyn has the unassuming manner and bearing of a high school science teacher and likes to spend his weekends on his community garden plot, not playing a round of golf in a lavish hotel resort."There is a certain freshness about the Corbyn campaign which is attractive to people who are fed up with the staleness and tiredness of political discourse," says Tom Baldwin, who was director of communications for the previous Labour leader Ed Miliband at the 2015 election. "Corbyn himself doesn't look scared in interviews. He doesn't look scared of being found out.""He has a really thick skin and he is very comfortable in it. As such there is an 'x-factor' to him which it would be churlish not to acknowledge."Race to the finishOn Monday evening, during a Sky News/Channel 4 program in which Corbyn and May were grilled by a studio audience and rottweiler interviewer Jeremy Paxman (separately, because the PM has refused to take part in a TV leaders debate), the Labour leader laughed off critical questioning and held his own. The Prime Minister, by comparison, appeared rattled by tough questions. Corbyn answers questions from a studio audience during a televised debate, "May v Corbyn Live: The Battle for Number 10" in London this week.Yet Corbyn's thick skin showed signs of vulnerability on Tuesday morning when, in an interview for BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, he sounded flustered as he failed to answer a crucial question of how much Labour's plan to offer free childcare from the age of two would cost. This incident highlighted two major weaknesses of the Labour leader: that his agenda will cost taxpayers a lot of money, and that his circle of advisers lack the experience and professionalism to have ensured Corbyn had the right figures in front of him.This shaky grasp of figures can cut through to the opinion polls. So far, the Conservatives' lead has steadily narrowed since May called the election. Six polls taken since the Manchester attack showed a gap of between five and 12 points, down from between 15 and 20 points two weeks ago.Analysis: Theresa May's UK election slogan backfiresIn the past two weeks, newspapers have highlighted Corbyn's links to the IRA and Hamas, including his appearances at events commemorating both organizations. But voters appear to be unmoved.Baldwin says Corbyn has benefited from an absence of the kind of intense scrutiny normally applied to potential prime ministers because, unlike Miliband in 2015, "at the start of this campaign everyone thought Corbyn had a cat in hell's chance of winning". Opponents had not really had a chance to hone their attacks on Corbyn until now, he added.Corbyn stands next to British Prime Minister Theresa May at the annual Remembrance Sunday Service in London last year. But according to Baldwin, the narrowing in the polls is more as a result of failings in the Conservative campaign, including pinning so much on May as a "strong and stable" leader, which backfired because she was forced to perform a u-turn over a major policy on funding for elderly care. There has also been little effect in the polls from her position as an authoritarian, security-minded prime minister in the wake of Manchester."The Tories have been running a terrible campaign - that is the single most important factor in this election so far," says Baldwin. "They dropped the ball and it is very difficult to turn their line around. They have tried to make this all about her and have managed to tarnish her brand in the course of three weeks." Now it is Corbyn, in his refusal to budge from his old fashioned brand of leftwing politics -- and perhaps because expectations of him, as the underdog, were already low -- who now appears to represent stability.While it remains unlikely he will be prime minister next week, the Labour leader has turned the most predictable election in recent British political history into an unexpectedly dramatic race to the finish.

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Story highlights UK newspapers to appeal after losing legal challenge to a government-backed planCampaign group Hacked Off welcomes ruling on cross-party royal charter"Charter will protect freedom of the press" and offer real redress, government saysNewspaper chiefs fear the proposed royal charter may allow interference by politiciansUK newspaper and magazine publishers lost a High Court bid Wednesday to block the progress of a government-backed royal charter on press regulation.The royal charter, which has cross-party backing, was due to go before the Privy Council on Wednesday for approval after the High Court ruling.The industry groups that brought the unsuccessful legal challenge said they were "deeply disappointed" by the decision and would try to overturn it on appeal."This is a vital constitutional issue and we will be taking our case for judicial review -- of the Privy Council's decisions on both the industry Charter and the cross-party Charter -- to the Court of Appeal," they said.The legal challenge was brought to the High Court by the Press Standards Board of Finance (Pressbof), which is the industry body that funds the current press watchdog, the Press Complaints Commission.JUST WATCHEDPhone hacking trial beginsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPhone hacking trial begins 00:10JUST WATCHEDMurdoch's empire under fireReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMurdoch's empire under fire 04:10It sought permission to seek a judicial review of the politician-backed royal charter on the grounds that the industry's own proposed royal charter was not properly considered and that the process was "startlingly unfair."The industry's draft royal charter was rejected by the Privy Council, a body made up of government ministers, earlier this year.But the High Court ruled against the legal challenge.The cross-party royal charter follows months of talks between the industry and lawmakers on how to establish a system of independent press self-regulation, following an inquiry last year into press ethics led by Lord Justice Leveson.The inquiry was set up after outrage over claims of widespread phone hacking and other abuses by elements of the UK press. A number of criminal prosecutions are being brought in relation to those claims.Critics say the government-backed royal charter risks weakening the freedom of the press by allowing political interference, while supporters argue that the newspaper industry has failed to regulate itself effectively so far. 'Proper complaints system'The Department for Culture, Media and Sport earlier welcomed the High Court ruling."Both the industry and the government agree self-regulation of the press is the way forward and we both agree that a Royal Charter is the best framework for that," it said in a statement."We are clear the process for considering the industry royal charter was robust and fair and the courts have agreed. We can now get on with implementing the cross-party charter."A royal charter will protect freedom of the press whilst offering real redress when mistakes are made. Importantly, it is the best way of resisting full statutory regulation that others have tried to impose."Labour Party deputy leader Harriet Harman also voiced her support for the ruling. "Now is the time for a proper complaints system which is effective and independent of press and politicians which does not infringe the freedom of the press," she said. "We need a press which is robust and free, which holds those in power to account, but which does not abuse its own power by wreaking havoc on the lives of innocent people."'Good for journalism'Campaign group Hacked Off, which has called for tougher regulation of the press, has backed the royal charter opposed by the newspaper industry."The big newspaper companies like the Mail and the Murdoch press have been in denial ever since the Leveson inquiry report condemned the way they treated ordinary people and said they needed to change," executive director Brian Cathcart said in a statement."The inquiry judge has told them this. Their own readers -- the public -- have told them. Their past victims have told them. Every single party in Parliament has told them. Now the courts have thrown out their latest manoeuvre."Cathcart said the royal charter was "good for journalism, good for freedom of speech, and -- vitally -- good for the public."Government interference?The Pressbof challenge was made "in the context of a wholly unfair and irrational process leading to a recommendation and decision that has the potential profoundly to affect the nature of press regulation in this country," according to a statement filed with the court. The newspaper publishers argued that they were not properly consulted about the rival royal charter, which has cross-party political support.They also argued that the government-backed royal charter does not guarantee freedom of the press from political interference, since it can be amended with the agreement of a two-thirds majority in Parliament.Both versions of the royal charter envisage the establishment of a "recognition panel" to oversee a self-regulatory committee that would consider complaints against the press and would have the power to impose fines of up to 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) against newspapers for wrongdoing. Their differences hinge on how that panel is made up and on how changes can be made to the charter. The rejected Pressbof charter proposed that it be amended after agreement by the industry itself, while the government-backed version would be subject to a vote in Parliament.Protecting a free pressThe Privy Council rejected the industry's draft charter on the grounds that under its terms, the recognition panel would not be sufficiently independent and that it would not have sufficient powers to ensure proper redress.But Pressbof argues that its version of the royal charter is more likely to meet Leveson's aim of "a genuinely independent and effective system of self-regulation," free from government interference.Culture Secretary Maria Miller told lawmakers this month that the government "must protect our free press whilst striking the right balance between independence and redress for individuals."The independent Leveson inquiry was set up by Prime Minister David Cameron to make recommendations on journalistic ethics and examine the relationship of the press with the public, police and politicians.

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(CNN)Mexico's Carlos Ortiz clinched his maiden PGA Tour title on Sunday with a two-shot victory at the Houston Open. Ortiz held off a challenge from world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama to become the first Mexican golfer to win a PGA Tour event in 42 years.The 29-year-old was one shot back from overnight leader Sam Burns going into the final day but he held his nerve to finish on 13 under par.Ortiz held back the tears as he delivered the win with a 20-foot birdie putt, a victory which means he will qualify for the 2021 Masters in April. "I've played great this week and it was really hard to hold the emotions all the way to the end, but I'm really happy the way it played out and the way I played, too," Ortiz said after winning at the Memorial Park Golf Course.Read More"I wasn't really thinking about the other guys, I wasn't worried. I knew if I played good I was going to be hard to beat." READ: McIlroy bids to join golf's greats with career grand slam at MastersAn emotional Carlos Ortiz celebrates winning the Houston Open at the Memorial Park Golf Course.Johnson, who is returning to the sport after a positive Covid-19 test, pushed Ortiz to the very end and had missed a putt which would have seen him share the lead with the Mexican. Meanwhile, Matsuyama mounted a late surge and recorded a course record 63 to put himself into contention but neither man could match Ortiz, who claimed the biggest win of his career.Fans cheered Ortiz's triumph, a sight not seen at many sporting events across the world this year. The Houston Open, which began on Thursday, was the first PGA Tour event on US soil to have fans in attendance since March with 2,000 tickets sold for each round of the tournament.

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(CNN)The clocks went back one hour across Europe at 2am on Sunday October 25, giving everyone across the continent an extra hour in bed, and signaling the start of winter.In the UK the clock change signals the end of British Summer Time and the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, which will last until the last Sunday in March.But although the time change means people get a little extra sleep on Sunday morning, there is a downside.While Daylight Saving Time is designed to give people an hour more of daylight in the mornings, the reality is that as winter approaches and the nights draw in, many people who work indoors will find themselves starting work in the dark and finishing in the dark -- with little opportunity to see sunlight. This can leave some people feeling blue and is when some experts say that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) -- a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons -- can take hold.Read MoreWith the coronavirus pandemic still raging across Europe and lockdown measures preventing people from socializing, this winter will feel particularly tough for some.But the good news is there are things you can do to help keep positive during the winter months. Read on for some mood boosting tips -- though if the winter blues start to impact your day to day life -- do reach out for some professional support.Get outdoors, even if just for a few minutesThere are huge benefits to getting outdoors in the daylight each day, even if only for a few minutes. During the working week many people feel as though they are chained to their desks, but a change of scenery, even briefly, can be a real mood booster. Longer walks on the weekends can also help us feel reconnected to nature and are a great way to exercise. Sarita Robinson, Deputy Head for the School of Psychology and Computer Science at the University of Central Lancashire, says that getting out into the great outdoors can be a great way to feel more positive. Helpful tips to combat those seasonal blues"We know that green space and blue space are very soothing, so anywhere where the environment looks pretty is actually beneficial -- so having a walk down to a local riverside, or if you can get to a beach," she says.Even if you live in a city or an urban environment, getting out and looking at your surroundings can still really help -- especially if you go out with a "purpose" -- for example looking at different bird species, or plant varieties."You can find nature in anything," she adds.And if you find you need a mood boost when back indoors, a SAD light therapy lamp, which is said to emit bright light similar to that of the sun, but without the potentially harmful UV rays, might help.Light therapy lamps work by simulating sunlight -- although for best results, experts recommend shopping for a product that has an exposure of at least 10,000 lux of light.Improve your sleep The changing of the clocks can impact the body's circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep by taking cues from the environment, including sunlight and darkness. Not getting enough sleep can significantly affect mood, making it hard to concentrate or be productive. There are things everyone can do to improve their chances of a good night's sleep, such as avoiding stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and mobile phones before bed.Catherine Seymour, Head of Research at British charity the Mental Health Foundation, says getting enough sleep is one of the most important things a person can do to be set for the day ahead -- and she recommends people prioritize it.In a 24 hour society, she says, people can delay going to bed at night either to scroll on their phones or catch up with everyday tasks. But it is more important to slow down and get a good night's sleep."Getting that extra hour's sleep is going to be much more valuable to helping you cope with everything this winter is going to throw at you than an extra hour tidying the house," she says."We tend to sometimes think that shaving an hour off of sleep can be a really efficient way of squeezing more time out of the day but in the long run that catches up with us and can damage our mental health."If you are someone who struggles to get to sleep, weighted blankets have also been growing in popularity for people who suffer with insomnia and anxiety. They work by making us feel more physically secure, and have been reported to ease tension, reducing levels of stress hormones in the body.And if you wake up feeling groggy in the mornings, a sleep lamp might help you to feel more refreshed. Similarly to light therapy lamps, sleep lamps work by mimicking sunlight. Instead of a loud, beeping alarm, a sleep lamp wakes people up as the light gets gradually brighter and brighter.Practice mindfulness Mindfulness and meditation have been proven to help people relax and approach life's challenges with a more positive mindset. Slowing down and focusing on your surroundings can really help some people to better control their worries and anxiety -- which many people are experiencing more than ever due to the coronavirus pandemic.Meditation needn't take long. Taking just five minutes out of your day to unwind and focus on your breathing could help you to reset. CNN has a short meditation guide, which you can find here, that will help you release any negativity or stress and allow your body to relax. Get your body moving, and look after itExercise not only keeps the body fit and healthy, but has been proven to improve sleep, mood, and outlook, too."Getting outside and exercising is a good way of keeping your mood up -- and if you want to beat the blues exercising in nature is a great way to do that," says Sarita Robinson.This 5-minute meditation routine will calm you downCatherine Seymour adds that even as it gets darker, colder, and rainier outside, the benefits of wrapping up and going for a walk are strong."There's the old adage that there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing -- and almost nobody feels worse after going for a walk than they did before," she says."In research we've done into how people are coping throughout the pandemic, the top coping mechanism is going for a walk and spending time in nature. We know [walking] really helps people to feel as though they can cope with the uncertainty."As well as staying physically active it's also important to eat healthily.In times of stress and uncertainty it can feel really tempting to reach for junk food -- and possibly booze, too -- but it's really important to have a healthy, balanced diet.But that doesn't mean being strict with yourself at all times. It's important to be kind to yourself too, so have that bar of chocolate when you fancy it -- just don't forget to eat your five a day.Sing, dance, and be sillyWhen you're feeling down, the idea of having fun can seem impossible, but being silly and fooling around can help us feel less glum about the world.Sarita Robinson says that music and a good dance help her to perk up.Music has a powerful ability to change the way we feel -- and she says she regularly puts her headphones in and enjoys a solo dance."As it gets gloomy outside, another way to boost your mood with exercise is dancing while singing along to some energetic music -- music is a really powerful mood lifter and if you're feeling a bit down turning on the radio and rocking out to some power ballads is a great way to lift your mood. It's one of the things I use to lift my spirits when I'm feeling a bit down," she says.Catherine Seymour agrees that finding time for simple pleasures is a really great way to give yourself a boost.To let off steam, her children do a three-minute dance routine throughout the day that they call "go noodles," she says -- and since working from home, Seymour has been joining in."Getting up from your seat and just being silly is so good for your mental health and wellbeing. After three minutes I see my children sitting back down with a smile -- it improves everybody's mood and just makes you realize you don't have to get stuck down a rabbit hole of problems and seriousness," she says."A bit of being lighthearted is good -- whether that be dancing around, watching comedy, or playing board games. Lightheartedness and silliness is a tonic."CNN's Allen Kim and Banu Ibrahim contributed to this report.

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Story highlightsMessi breaks Spain's scoring record Scored hat trick in Sevilla winPrevious 251 goal record stood for 59 yearsBarca stay in second place in the leagueLionel Messi broke the Spanish league's all-time scoring record after hitting a hat trick in Barcelona's 5-1 victory over Sevilla. It has been a season of records for the Argentine international who, at just 27, already holds the record as Barcelona's highest ever scorer in European competition.But all eyes were on the diminutive striker at the Camp Nou stadium to see whether he cold break Telmo Zarra's 59-year-old record of 251 Spanish league goals.Typical MessiIn the end, Messi didn't just break the record: he equaled it, surpassed it and then extended it in typical fashion. His first, which tied the record, was a sublime left foot free kick which he bent over the wall into the top left hand corner of the goal. The second, which broke the record, was a surging run through the heart of Sevilla's defense that ended with Messi exchanging passes and sliding in to finish at the far post.His Barcelona teammates celebrated with him on the pitch by picking him up and throwing him in the air. But Messi wasn't finished there. He scored another fantastic goal to extend the record with a left foot shot on the run into the bottom left hand corner of the goal. JUST WATCHEDCapturing Messi's magic momentReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCapturing Messi's magic moment 02:38JUST WATCHEDShort-film follows 'Baghdad Messi'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShort-film follows 'Baghdad Messi' 01:46JUST WATCHEDMessi sin tarjeta rojaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMessi sin tarjeta roja "Brutal record""We are happy for everything. Obviously for Leo, it is an incredible, brutal record," Barcelona midfielder Xavi told AFP after the game."It is historic and I am very happy for him because he deserves it as a person and obviously as a player."More importantly, however, the comprehensive victory allowed Barcelona to close the gap on Real Madrid at the top of the table who had beaten Eibar 4-0 earlier on Saturday. There were signs too that Messi's record might not stand for almost six decades, as the previous one had. Cristiano Ronaldo again scored twice, his 197th goal in just 177 matches.

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(CNN)The records just keep on coming on for Steph Curry. The superstar guard made a three-pointer for the 158th consecutive game to break his own NBA record as the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 123-116 in Salt Lake City on Saturday.Curry set his original record of shooting a three-pointer in 157 consecutive games in November 2016.Nikola Jokic: I was a misfit when I joined the Nuggets, says MVPThe 33-year-old Curry broke Ray Allen's record of 2,973 three-pointers in 1,300 games in December. The Warriors star took just 789 games to surpass Allen's landmark."I never wanted to call myself the greatest shooter until I got this record, so I'm comfortable saying that now," said Curry after breezing past Allen's record late last year.Allen was quck to pay his respects to Curry: "He's on his own level, one he made for himself."Read MoreCurry scored 28 points and contributed nine assists in Saturday's win in a game where the Warriors surrendered a second-half 16-point lead, before recovering from an eight-point deficit to overcome the Jazz.DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball in the second half against Deni Avdija #9 of the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on January 01, 2022 in Washington, DC. In an interview aired on Saturday, MVP Nikola Jokic told Serbia's Arenasport that "if you don't like Curry you don't like basketball."LeBron James reaches 36,000 career points as Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston RocketsMeanwhile DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls was also in the business of establishing NBA records on Saturday.DeRozan hit a game winning three-pointer against the Washington Wizards to become the first player in NBA history to hit buzzer beating, game winning shots on consecutive days as the Bulls came from behind to win 120-119.Jacob Lev contributed to this report.

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Story highlightsBatumi is Georgian city on coast of the Black SeaInvestment in tourism and real estate is transforming the cityCasinos add an extra lure for potential touristsGeorgia's president called it "one of the darkest places in the world" after end of USSRBy night the skyline of Batumi shines with illuminated buildings, showing a side of the Georgian city it wishes the whole world to see. But the bright lights it hopes will attract international tourists are quite different from what the town was not long ago. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the city was "one of the darkest places in the world", according to Georgia's president Mikhail Saakashvili. "(It was) one of the worst run, run by a local warlord... with all these SUVs and people running around with Kalashnikovs and dark glasses," he said.Now, rather than gunshots, a frenzy of construction echoes through the city with new hotels and apartment blocks rising up among the low-rise, old buildings. Donald Trump is one of the latest high-profile investors to back the rejuvenation of the city with plans for a new Trump residential tower. Batumi is the focus of Georgia's effort to attract 4 million visitors to the country this year, almost as many as the country's entire population.Send in your pictures from GeorgiaFor now it is mostly visitors from the Caucasus region and Turkey, though Russian tourists are returning since Georgia scrapped their visa requirement last year. Gambling is legal, which provides another lure to potential tourists. "They come here to combine leisure and their holiday with gambling. So lots of Turkish, lots of Chinese come here not only during the summer but also the winter to just have fun," said Maia Sidamonidze, chairwoman of Georgia's Department of Tourism, who added she would like the city to aim high and become a Las Vegas of the Caucasus. Many residents in Batumi are thrilled at the new lease of life their city is getting and the new jobs the investment is bringing.But some of the city's older generation worry that the changes taking place in the city are not going to be for their benefit."The future and present of this country is for young people who studied, who know English; everything is for them" said Nodar Khinigadze, who has been unable to find employment since losing his job in shipping years ago. "It is good that they have jobs but for people like me who trained during Soviet times, it is hard to find our place."

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(CNN)Stefanos Tsitsipas had to dig deep to beat Benoit Paire in the third round of the Australian Open -- so deep that immediately after he'd won, he didn't even realize the match had ended. Facing three match points, Paire could only hit his forehand into the net, meaning Tsitsipas had advanced to the fourth round of the grand slam with a 6-3 7-5 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 victory. However, while the fans rose to applaud Tsitsipas and instead of rushing to the net to celebrate, the Greek fourth seed headed to the back of the court as if expecting another service game. The umpire's announcement of his victory sparked the realization that he had been victorious and he quickly turned around, with surprise on his face, to make his way to the net to shake Paire's hand and then begin a proper celebration of his win. Tsitsipas celebrates victory in his third-round singles match against Paire.Twice a semi-finalist in Melbourne, Tsitsipas was nothing but complimentary of Paire after their hard-fought encounter. Read More"I'm pretty glad with the win. Benoit is one of the biggest talents in our game, he has a lot of feel for the game," said Tsitsipas."It was a very important victory for me today and also very special to be playing on this arena and sharing that with the crowd."Tsitsipas will play Taylor Fritz in the next round, after the American beat Roberto Bautista Agut in five sets on Saturday.Elsewhere, world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev also reached the fourth round of the Australian Open with a straight-set victory over Botic van de Zandschulp. It took the 2021 finalist one hour and 55 minutes to take apart the Dutchman 6-4 6-4 6-2. Medvedev, the US Open champion, will play American Maxime Cressy in the last 16. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosMedvedev acknowledges the crowd after winning his third-round singles match against Botic van de Zandschulp.The 25-year-old Russian is the highest-ranked player left in the draw and has looked impressive during the opening stages of the tournament. "Of course I don't want to stop [at] the fourth round but I'm really happy," Medvedev said afterwards. "(At a) Grand Slam, every round is very tough and even today if the score doesn't show this, I feel like it was a tighter match than the score."

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London (CNN)The clock is ticking for Theresa May as the March 29 deadline for Britain to leave the European Union approaches. The Prime Minister's government may have survived a no-confidence vote, but her Brexit deal looks dead in the water after it was defeated by a record margin in Parliament. May now faces an uphill battle to bring together political parties with competing objectives to strike a compromise deal. If that doesn't work, there are a range of other possible outcomes.

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Story highlightsNFL players forgoing pay for charity Chris Long Foundation built 50 wells in AfricaRussell Okung providing tech education to teensLondon (CNN)In an era marked by divided opinions in the US, a crop of NFL players is quietly trying to bridge the cultural divide with messages of inclusion and charitable work.The likes of the Philadelphia Eagles Chris Long and Los Angeles Chargers Russell Okung are socially active, financially savvy, and committed to charitable causes.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news and videos Two-time Super Bowl winner Long -- the son of NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long -- found it unthinkable to visit US President Donald Trump's White House after both championships, and was the first non-black player to publicly show solidarity with protesting teammates.During the height of the national anthem controversy last season, Long embraced teammate Malcom Jenkins who raised a fist in protest of social injustice -- a gesture that took on more weight after Trump's call on owners to fire protesting players.Read More"Get that son of a bitch off the field right now," Trump said at a rally in Alabama in September 2017.Behind the scenes, former New England Patriot Long was tirelessly working for his charity, which he says has built 50 solar-powered wells in Africa, delivering water to 150,000 people."(We are) trying to change America the most efficient way we can," Long told CNN Sport after an Eagles win in London last month, "which is educating our youth and giving underserved communities the same opportunities as kids who grew up like me."READ: Does the NFL locker room policy need to change? READ: This 320-pound Canadian doctor is also an NFL linemanREAD: Why NFL fans are skipping the games and watching from parking lotsThe 33-year-old defensive end climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in February to raise money with retired NFL players and military personnel. Along with his African initiative, the Chris Long Foundation benefits military veterans and homelessness. Long was an overall No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft from the University of Virginia, which is based in Charlottesville, the scene of the ugly "Unite the Right" rally last year that left one counter-protester dead. The violence in his hometown only made Long more determined to use his status as an NFL player to make a change. And he's putting his money where his mouth is.In 2017, he donated his entire salary -- more than $1 million -- to fund educational scholarships and literacy campaigns. This season he has given up a quarter of his salary while inviting other NFL players to join his causes. In an odd way, the attention garnered from the national anthem protest allowed Long to publicly raise awareness of his charity,"All of a sudden, everyone cares about my protest, but they never cared about my actions," Long told NFL.com. "If guys were just like, 'Hey, I'm over here! I want to talk about social issues,' the reporters would be like, 'We don't care.'" 'You matter, where you're from matters'In the two years he spent writing his book, "Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times," author Mark Leibovich interviewed dozens of league insiders -- including Tom Brady and Robert Kraft, who have blown hot and cold on Trump -- and says the president's words contributed to a backlash."After Trump made it so personal back then," Leibovish says, players became "definitely more aware," even though most were not political to start with. "They can't let that go," he says.Leibovich calls Trump's profanity-laced comment "a direct shot across the bow" of NFL players, 70 percent of whom are black, and applauds the efforts of Chargers offensive lineman Russell Okung to unify players in its wake. "He's very, very politically aware, aggressive, and does stand out among players who are willing to say that (about owners)," he says, "and I totally applaud him for that."Like Long, Okung was a star player out of college, picked No. 6 in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks.In his first few seasons, Okung leveraged the proximity of Seattle's tech community to co-found The Greater Foundation, which provides technology and investment training to lower-income youth."No matter your background, no matter your ethnicity, you deserve a chance to fully participate in the future of our economy," Okung tells CNN."We're preaching the gospel that you matter, where you're from matters, and if you want to solve problems from places in which you come from, you can do it."'He's 'a freak athlete': The unlikely NFL journey of an Aussie rugby giant 'The system wasn't built for players to be empowered' That mantra also applies to 6-foot 5-inch, 310-pound Okung, a venture capitalist who has invested in eSports start-up Matcherino, among other companies.The offensive lineman of Nigerian heritage has represented himself twice in free agency negotiations, is working towards his MBA, and is interested in attending law school at Oxford University after his NFL days. "Obviously, the system wasn't built for players to be empowered," says Okung,Okung, who also raised a fist in protest during the playing of the anthem last season, was voted in as a vice president on the NFL Players Association executive committee. That post seated him at the anthem protest negotiation between NFL players and owners in November, 2017. Prior to attending the well-publicized meeting, Okung urged other NFL players to reach out to him directly.There are sustainable solutions to the injustices that players continue to peacefully, non-violently highlight with their protests. And as @RepBetoORourke said, we're frustrated with those in positions of public trust & power who have been unable to resolve these issues.— Russell Okung (@RussellOkung) August 27, 2018 "The system is designed to keep us divided and to stifle our attempts to collaborate — we're made to see each other as the enemy," he wrote in The Players Tribune. "Indeed, the system celebrates when it puts us at odds with one another." NFL teams agreed to donate a minimum of $89 million to criminal justice reform and other causes over seven years, though a number of players -- including Carolina Panthers defender Eric Reid, who Okung lauds for "remaining steadfast in what he believes in" -- were displeased with the deal."I think we can build a better future together," says Okung. "As soon as ownership decides that they will take the players' representatives and the players seriously in this business, there is nothing we can't do."How Snoop Dogg and NFL reality TV are shaking up HollywoodREAD: Why straight players are clamoring for Gay BowlREAD: NFL kicker Josh Lambo on the secrets of consistency 'The future belongs to those who are contrarian' Players donating to charitable causes is not new to the NFL, though they normally avoid political discussion.Among the dozens of NFL players active in community work are the Houston Texans J.J. Watt, who famously raised $30 million for Hurricane Harvey relief last year, and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, whose foundation has raised $25 million to global causes. Both players mostly stayed away from the anthem controversy last season, unlike Andrew Whitworth of the Los Angeles Rams, an outspoken advocate for players' rights who called Trump's words "immature and unnecessary." The four-time Pro Bowler recently gave up a week's salary for victims of the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, and raised money for those misplaced by the state's wildfires.This one was for you, LA. @JaredGoff16 + @awhitworth77 share the win with families of the victims from the Borderline shooting. #LATogether pic.twitter.com/mFPBgVC54E— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 20, 2018 "Athletes are not as one-dimensional as our society wants them to be," says Leibovich, who spoke to Long, Okung and Whitworth for his book. "They are well-rounded individuals, this has been true for a long time now."Okung, meanwhile, is pursuing his University of Miami MBA during offseasons, and is intent on getting his law degree after hanging up his jersey."I think that the future belongs to those who are contrarian and nonconformist," says Okung. "Honestly, I don't feel like I am stifled, I can do anything that I put my mind to.""I'm one of those people who is just that crazy; if I want it hard enough, I put my head down and work for it."

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Story highlightsGuilty verdicts over kicking to death of Dutch football officialRichard Nieuwenhuizen was set upon after acting as a linesman at a junior matchSix teenagers and one of their fathers jailedTragic incident received worldwide attention last yearSix teenagers and one of their fathers were found guilty by a Dutch court Monday of the killing of an amateur football linesman last year.The 50-year-old adult was sentenced to six years in jail, with five of the teenagers given the maximum sentence of two years in youth detention. The other will serve one year. Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, was set upon by his seven attackers after officiating at a youth match between his son's football team, SC Buitenboys and Nieuw Sloten in Almere, near Amsterdam on December 2, 2012.The father of three walked away after the beating, but later collapsed and died in hospital the next day."The court finds that there is sufficient legal proof that all suspects had a share in the very powerful and violent kicks and kicks to the head and upper body," read the ruling in finding the seven guilty of manslaughter, public violence and brutality.JUST WATCHEDWorld Sport Presents: Racism in FootballReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWorld Sport Presents: Racism in Football 00:29JUST WATCHEDPlatini outlines UEFA's racism reformsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPlatini outlines UEFA's racism reforms 02:34JUST WATCHEDTackling racism in the standsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTackling racism in the stands 03:00Read: Arrests made after linesman's death An eighth defendant, a 15-year-old, was cleared of the killing but sentenced to a 30 days detention for assaulting the linesman and the SC Buitenboys goalkeeper.The defense case had claimed that a rare medical disorder contributed to Nieuwenhuizen's death, but this was rejected by judges, who ruled it was as a result of "serious violence against him."The tragic incident sent shockwaves through Dutch football, which is renowned for its production of talented young players through amateur youth system, and made headlines across the world.FIFA President Sepp Blatter sent his condolences -- all 33,000 amateur games across the Netherlands the following weekend were canceled -- and a minute's silence was also observed at all Dutch professional league matches.Read: Further arrests in killing of Dutch official At Nieuwenhuizen's funeral, hundreds lined the streets to pay their respects, with players from SC Buitenboys, bedecked in their blue and white colors, forming a guard of honor as his hearse entered the crematorium in Almere.Four teenagers were immediately arrested almost immediately after the attack, with three others and the father of one of the Nieuw Sloten players held a week later.The trial in Lelystad began on May 29, with several members of Nieuwenhuizen's family in attendance as a panel of judges heard the evidence.

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Story highlightsCameroon's football federation reduces Samuel Eto'o's suspension to eight monthsThe national captain had been banned for 15 matches for his role in a player strikeBut now the 30-year-old will sit out four international games and can return in SeptemberVice-captain Enoh Eyong had a two-match suspension halved by the federationSamuel Eto'o can return to international action in September after the Cameroon Football Federation decided to reduce the four-time African player of the year's 15-match suspension to eight months.The 30-year-old national captain, who has represented his country more than 100 times, was punished last month for his role in the team's players refusing to play in a friendly against Algeria in November due to unpaid bonuses.But Friday's meeting of the federation's executive meeting ended with his ban being cut, while his vice-captain Enoh Eyong had a two-match suspension halved and defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto's $2,000 fine for refusing national call-ups was waived.Cameroon had to pay Algeria's FA $500,000 in compensation, but the subsequent punishment of the players attracted strong criticism and reports claimed that President Paul Biya intervened to have the rulings reconsidered.Eto'o is widely considered one of the greatest players Africa has produced, having had a distinguished career with European heavyweights Barcelona and Inter Milan before moving to Russia's Anzhi Makhachkala in a big-money deal last year.The federation -- known as Fecafoot -- released a statement on Saturday describing him as "a world famous athlete who has rendered outstanding services to the national team of Cameroon."Eto'o will miss the two-legged 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea Bissau on February 29 and June 15, plus 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Democratic Republic of Congo on June 1 and Libya a week later.Cameroon's Indomitable Lions failed to qualify for this year's African Cup of Nations, which will start this month in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

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(CNN)The effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines for children waned quickly during the Omicron surge, especially among children ages 5 to 11, but was still protective against severe disease, according to new data from the New York State Department of Health.Within one month of being fully vaccinated, effectiveness of the Pfizer shots against infection caused by the Omicron variant fell from 68% to just 12% in the youngest children eligible to get the shots: those 5 to 11 years old. As Omicron cases fall, doctors anxiously await possible surge of dangerous child complication MIS-C Effectiveness against hospitalization in that age group was higher but also dropped substantially, falling from 100% in early December to just 48% by the end of January."The data are not surprising as the vaccine was developed in response to an earlier COVID-19 variant and reduced effectiveness of 2 doses against the Omicron variant has been seen to some degree with all vaccines and ages," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said in a statement posted online.Read More"It is critical to stress that vaccination is still recommended for everyone 5 years and older, including children 5-11. These data also demonstrate that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of more severe illness and hospitalization for children 5-11, and I encourage parents and guardians to consult their pediatrician about getting their children vaccinated, and boosted if eligible, as soon as they can."Children 5 to 11 get a dose of the Pfizer vaccine that is 10 micrograms, one-third the dose given to children 12 to 17. The study also found that while vaccine effectiveness also fell for older children and teens, it fell more slowly than it did for grade-schoolers. For any illness caused by Covid-19, vaccine effectiveness waned from 66% in early December to 51% by the end of January for kids 12 to 17. For hospitalizations, vaccine effectiveness fell from 85% to 73% over the same time frame.The data was posted Monday as a preprint study on the medRxiv server. Preprints have not been reviewed by outside experts or accepted for publication in a medical journal.The authors concluded that if other studies repeat these findings, the vaccine dose for younger children may need to be reviewed. The authors also said the data may demonstrate a need to continue "layered protections, including mask wearing, to prevent infection and transmission" in younger children.Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been collecting its own data on vaccine effectiveness in children and is expected to release it soon."Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines continue to offer high levels of protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and deaths in all age groups, despite decreased effectiveness against infection alone during the Omicron wave," the agency said in a statement."CDC continues to monitor and evaluate data on vaccine effectiveness as it becomes available, but these vaccines work well and are the best tool we have to avoid severe outcomes."

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Rome (CNN)After 36 years of looking for his missing sister, Pietro Orlandi had hoped to finally get an answer on Thursday when the Vatican exhumed two tombs nestled in the shadow of Saint Peter's Basilica.Instead, it took just a few hours for his hopes to be dashed. The tombs were empty. There were no human remains, no funeral urns, and certainly no clue as to how his 15-year-old sister Emanuela Orlandi disappeared on her way home from a music lesson one summer's evening in 1983.The operation to open the tombs in the Teutonic Cemetery involved over a dozen Vatican workers, and came after an anonymous tip-off to the family to "look where the angel is pointing" -- apparently referring to an angel sculpture in the small graveyard that is reserved for German-speaking Catholic burials.Emanuela's brother Pietro Orlandi arrives at the Vatican ahead of the exhumation.The first tomb -- which belonged to Princess Sophie Von Hohenlohe -- was "completely empty," according to Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti.Read MoreLikewise, the second tomb -- of Princess Carlotta Federica di Mecklemburgo -- was also opened and "no human remains were found," Gisotti added.Relatives of the two princesses have been informed of the result of the search, Gisotti said.'I could have expected everything -- except empty graves'The empty graves only deepen the mystery surrounding missing teenager Emanuela, who was the daughter of a prominent Vatican employee and lived inside the holy city's walls with her family."I could have expected everything -- except empty graves," her brother Pietro told CNN at the exhumation site.The Teutonic Cemetery in Vatican City where two tombs were exhumed Thursday."On one hand I felt a sense of relief, on the other I know that this is not the end. Emanuela deserves the truth and justice," he said."I thought that today we could finally make a step forward, even if painful. Instead we are at a starting point."Under the tomb belonging to Von Hohenlohe, workers found a chamber measuring 4 x 3.7 meters. But according to the Orlandi family's forensic expert, Giorgio Portera, the structure of the chamber was made with cement, which is "not compatible with a 19th-century grave.""It appears strange to me that there are no documents that tells us why there graves are empty," he told CNN.Shortly after the exhumations, the Vatican said that a further investigation is now underway into documents to "verify structural works that took place in the Teutonic Cemetery at the beginning of the 1800s, and also during the 1960s and 1970s."Pope John Paul II with Emanuela Orlandi (pink sweater, center), and (from right) her brother Pietro, father Ercole, and mother Maria.A dark page in Italian history The girl's disappearance has gripped Italians for more than three decades, inspiring conspiracy theories involving everyone from mobsters to international terrorists and the highest echelons of the Vatican.Emanuela's mother Maria lives just a few hundred meters from the graveyard where the exhumations took place. Following the opening, the Vatican said in a statement that it "wants to reiterate that it has always expressed attention and closeness to the suffering of the Orlandi family, especially Emanuela's mother."She disappeared at 15. A cryptic tip-off in the Vatican could hold the key to her case Emanuela went missing on July 22, 1983 after attending a flute lesson in the grounds of Sant'Apollinare basilica in central Rome.Her father Ercole worked as a clerk in the pontiff's household and over the years there have been various investigations into her disappearance, all of which have proved inconclusive.The Orlandi family lawyer, Laura Sgro, said that after 36 years the family and Italians "deserve the truth.""The case of Emanuela Is related to too many dark pages of this country," she said.

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(CNN)Defeating the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals isn't the only task at hand for Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard.On Monday, Leonard filed a lawsuit against Nike over a personal logo that Leonard says Nike fraudulently copyrighted and that Leonard designed.The nine-page lawsuit was filed in US District Court for the Southern District of California."In 2011, just after being drafted to the National Basketball Association (the 'NBA'), Kawhi Leonard authored a unique logo that included elements that were meaningful and unique to him," the lawsuit said."Leonard traced his notably large hand, and, inside the hand, drew stylized versions of his initials 'KL' and the number that he had worn for much of his career, '2.' The drawing Leonard authored was an extension and continuation of drawings he had been creating since early in his college career.Read More"Several years later, as part of an endorsement deal with Nike, Leonard allowed Nike to use on certain merchandise the logo he created while Leonard continued to use the logo on non-Nike goods."Unbeknownst to Leonard and without his consent, Nike filed an application for copyright registration of his logo and falsely represented in the application that Nike had authored the logo."Leonard intends to use the logo on clothing lines, footwear and on other products and, among other things, in connection with sports camps and charity functions, but Nike explicitly has objected to such uses."A Nike representative told CNN on Monday that the company does not comment on pending litigation. The Raptors declined to pass along any statement from Leonard.Leonard, wearing a hoodie featuring the logo in dispute, speaks with the media in May.Leonard's contract with Nike expired in September. He's now under contract with New Balance.A resident of San Diego County, he played college basketball at San Diego State University before entering the 2011 NBA draft. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers but was traded on draft night to the San Antonio Spurs, where he played for seven seasons, winning the NBA Finals and garnering NBA Finals MVP honors in 2014.Leonard was traded to the Raptors in 2018. Toronto has since gone on to have its best season with the forward, reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. The series with the Warriors is even at a game apiece. Game 3 is Wednesday in Oakland.Lawsuit: Leonard never transferred logo rights to NikeLeonard signed with Nike in October 2011. During his agreement with the company, the two parties started discussions about creating a logo to add onto merchandise to be sold under the Nike agreement, the lawsuit said."Leonard never transferred the rights to the Leonard Logo to Nike -- conversely, as the many communications, including text and e-mails show, Leonard permitted Nike to use the Leonard Logo for their mutual benefit and for the specific purpose of effectuating the Nike Agreement for the term of the contract," the suit said."Indeed, Nike representatives recognized Leonard's rights to the Leonard Logo -- referring to it as 'Kawhi's logo' in written communications with Leonard. Leonard, without dispute or challenge from Nike, continued to use the Leonard Logo on non-Nike goods, including apparel and merchandise used for basketball camps, appearances and charity events, even while Nike was affixing Leonard's Logo to Nike merchandise."In May 2017, the lawsuit alleges, Nike filed an application with the US Copyright Office to register the "Kawhi Leonard Logo" without Leonard's knowledge or consent. On the application, the lawsuit said, Nike claimed authorship in 2014 of the logo and rights and permissions to the logo.Meanwhile, the lawsuit said, Leonard in November 2017 applied for and subsequently received registration for two trademarks of the logo.On January 30, Leonard's counsel requested for Nike to rescind its copyrights to the logo, according to the suit. Nike responded March 11 that it owns property rights and demanded Leonard cease use.CNN's Kevin Dotson contributed to this report.

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Story highlightsBreivik will be kept under 24-hour observation by mental health experts, a court rulesHe has said he will not cooperate with two psychiatristsHe is accused of killing 77 people in a bomb attack and gun rampage last summerBreivik says he is not insane and was acting to protect Norway from multiculturalismA Norwegian court ordered Anders Behring Breivik, charged with killing 77 people last July, to undergo a month-long psychiatric evaluation as experts seek to determine his mental state ahead of a trial.Breivik is accused of killing eight people in a bomb attack in Oslo and 69 more in a gun rampage on nearby Utoya Island on July 22. It was the deadliest attack on Norwegian soil since World War II. Two court-appointed psychiatric experts recommended that Breivik should spend four weeks under 24-hour psychiatric monitoring so the court can get the fullest possible picture of his behavior, according to court documents released Friday. He should be kept away from other patients but will still have to interact with psychiatric staff, the documents say. The observation will be carried out in facilities at Ila Prison, where he is being held.Breivik has said he will not cooperate with the two psychiatric experts, which underlines the need for constant observation, the court documents said.The two experts were appointed last month to evaluate his mental state after the court requested a second opinion because of the importance of the question of his sanity to Breivik's trial.JUST WATCHEDInside the Norway terror suspect's mindReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHInside the Norway terror suspect's mind 03:14In November, prosecutors said psychiatrists had determined Breivik was paranoid and schizophrenic at the time of the attacks and during 13 interviews experts conducted with him afterward. Breivik has pleaded not guilty, though he has admitted carrying out the attacks, the judge handling his case said previously.It may not be possible for him to be sentenced to the maximum punishment for the crimes if he's deemed insane.A court ruled Monday that Breivik can legally be kept in custody until his trial starts in April.Breivik reiterated some of his extremist views during Monday's hearing, which began with him entering with a smile and offering up a raised, clenched-fist salute.Breivik says nobody could believe that he was insane, and describes questions about his mental condition as ridiculous, his lawyer, Geir Lippestad, told the court. Breivik claims the shooting rampage was a matter of self-defense, meant to save Norway from being taken over by multicultural forces and to prevent ethnic cleansing of Norwegians, Lippestad said.Authorities have described him as a right-wing Christian extremist. A 1,500-page manifesto attributed to Breivik posted on the Internet is critical of Muslim immigration and European liberalism, including Norway's Labour Party.The victims on Utoya Island were among 700 mostly young people attending a Labour Party camp on the island.Breivik's trial is scheduled to begin April 16 and is expected to last 10 weeks.

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(CNN)When runners cross the finish line during Monday's 125th Boston Marathon, Heather Abbott will be there cheering them on. For Abbott and her friends, catching a Red Sox game and walking through downtown Boston to watch the race had been an annual tradition.But on April 15, 2013, their fun day turned into a nightmare. Abbott, then 38, was standing near the finish line when two bombs exploded, one after another, killing three people and injuring more than 260.Abbott was impacted by the second blast and blown into a nearby restaurant."I kind of came to and I saw people just frantically running by me," she said. "I could see blood on the ground and a smoky haze and a ringing in my ears. And my foot felt like it was on fire."Four days and three surgeries later, Abbott was faced with an agonizing decision: live a lifetime of pain or have her leg amputated below the knee. With the guidance of her doctors and other amputees, Abbott decided to undergo the amputation. Read More"It was hard to kind of come to terms with the fact that I am an amputee, at first," she said. "There are all kinds of different emotions, different ways I had to learn to do things."CNN Hero Heather AbbottAbbott received a prosthesis for walking but said insurance would not cover any additional prostheses that would allow her to live the full life she had.With the help of donations and organizations that assisted the victims of the bombing, Abbott was gifted a lifelike prosthetic leg that allowed her to wear high heels again and other prostheses that allowed her to run and paddleboard."For me, having those multiple prostheses kept my sanity intact to a certain degree -- being able to do the things that I did before and being able to have some privacy about being an amputee," Abbott said.Through the process, Abbott learned about the high cost of customized prostheses -- ranging from tens of thousands to more than $100,000. Often, insurance companies will only cover a basic prosthesis for walking, deeming cosmetic prostheses medically unnecessary."There were a lot of people out there who couldn't do the activities they wanted to do, look the way they wanted to look, or just couldn't afford a prosthesis at all because of the cost," Abbott said.So, in December 2014, she created the Heather Abbott Foundation. Her organization has since raised more than $1 million and helped provide customized prosthetic devices to more than 42 amputees across the US. Its beneficiaries range in age from 6 to 58 and have been gifted prostheses that allow them to wear high heels, run, swim, and play sports. Kori Tickel was one of the first recipients -- a young girl who had lost her leg after a lawnmower accident when she was 2. An avid athlete, Tickel wanted a running prosthesis that would allow her to keep up with her teammates.Abbott gifted her a running blade and has continued to help Tickel over the years as she grew out of her prostheses. "I remember the first one she named 'Lightning' -- I guess a reflection of what she expected to be able to do with it," Abbott said.Kori Tickel received her first running prosthesis when she was 8 with the help of Abbott's nonprofitNow 14, Tickel plays volleyball, basketball, lacrosse and loves riding her bike and snowboarding. "She hasn't let anything stop her," Abbott said. "It's been really nice to see her be able to do all the things that she loves to do."For Abbott, this work is about more than giving someone a prosthesis; it's giving them their dignity. And while she's helping heal others, she's also healing herself."There are many more good people in this world than there are bad. Two people who did this to me yet so many more wanted to help, and that was amazing to me," Abbott said. "I wanted to give back, too." CNN's Meghan Dunn spoke with Abbott about her work. Below is an edited version of their conversation.CNN: What motivates you to do this work? Heather Abbott: It is frustrating to see people who can't have what they need to live the life they want just because money's an obstacle. You would think when it has to do with somebody's ability to walk that shouldn't be a question. I'm not sure that insurance companies really understand what the needs are of amputees. The amputee population isn't a huge one in the United States -- there are only about 2 million of us. I don't think we get the attention that we deserve.I only know about this issue because I am an amputee. Most people don't. And they're really surprised to hear that insurance companies don't cover a lot when it comes to prostheses. I just always think about what other kinds of health issues exist that people struggle with because of obstacles with insurance and costs.JUST WATCHEDCNN Heroes: 'The legs I use'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Heroes: 'The legs I use' 02:05CNN: The first custom prosthesis you received allowed you to wear high heels. Why was that important to you? Abbott: At that time, I was really concerned with (keeping) my normal life. My whole life I've been considered kind of a girly girl and have loved shoes. I have a large shoe collection. I inherited the gene from my mom. Six months after I had lost my leg, I got my high heel prosthesis. Walking in heels was not easy. I wouldn't go out in heels alone for a while because I'd want to have somebody I could grab in case I was going to fall. If there was anything that looked slippery, I got very nervous. And it took a while to figure out that certain heels are easier to deal with than others. But you really don't want anything to be taken away from you in a situation like this. So, things that were really hard, I did anyways.CNN: What inspired you to start this foundation? Abbott: Back when I was in the hospital, the doctors, nurses, physical therapists -- I began to understand the importance of their work. They've chosen careers that allow them to impact other people's lives in very significant ways. It made me think a lot about my career choice and what I was kind of focused on. My career didn't allow me the opportunity to really impact people's lives directly like that. So, starting the foundation was a way for me to do that. It feels great to be able to experience that joy that other people feel when they realize they're going to get the prosthesis that they've wanted.Want to get involved? Check out the Heather Abbott Foundation website and see how to help.To donate to the Heather Abbott Foundation via GoFundMe, click here

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(CNN)He's one of horse racing's most celebrated trainers, but Bob Baffert had to defy his mother to reach the summit of the sport. From humble beginnings growing up on a cattle ranch in Nogales, Arizona on the border with Mexico, the 66-year-old has saddled five Kentucky Derby winners and two Triple Crown champions in American Pharaoh and Justify in his illustrious career.We will be talking about the 145th Kentucky Derby for years to come.... pic.twitter.com/DlYzbLJIeB— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 5, 2019 It's earned him a place in the Hall of Fame, and made Baffert third on the all-time list of best trainers with more than $288 million in earnings, according to Equibase."I wanted to be a horse trainer against my mother's will," he told Aly Vance for CNN's Winning Post ahead of this year's Derby at Churchill Downs. "She said, 'how can you make living being a horse trainer in Arizona?'"I just love being around horses. Once it gets in your blood, the passion, you can't get out." Read MoreAs a youngster, Baffert would help his father show their cattle at shows in the region before they dabbled at training quarter horses -- the American breed famous for their sprinting prowess -- to race at various local tracks. When he was old enough, Baffert learned how to ride and earned cash racing on dusty circuits around Nogales. Eventually, though, he realized his dream of becoming a full-time jockey wasn't going to materialize. "I was too big, I ate myself out of a job," said Baffert, who has also trained seven Preakness Stakes winners and three Belmont Stakes champions. READ: War of Will wins Preakness Stakes at PimlicoREAD: Country House wins Kentucky Derby as Maximum Security disqualifedREAD: How young Qatari sheik shook up the 'sport of kings'READ: Maximum Security owner challenges other horsesJUST WATCHEDBob Baffert: Top tips for a Triple Crown winReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBob Baffert: Top tips for a Triple Crown win 01:14 'Little fish, big pond'Having promised his mother he would go to college, Baffert continued his education, but he gravitated back home soon after.He trained horses for his father, but progress was slow. "I was really disgusted with it," he says, referring to his development as a trainer. JUST WATCHEDThe Kentucky Derby: Inside the 'most exciting two minutes in sports'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe Kentucky Derby: Inside the 'most exciting two minutes in sports' 01:41Taking a year off, Baffert got a job as a teacher but that didn't work out either so he took up an offer to train some horses for a friend."I decided to give it one more go," he said. "I started winning and the next thing you know I've got five, 10, 15 horses and then I was going."In 1983, Baffert moved to California to train at the famous Los Alamitos quarter horse track near Los Angeles."I was very intimidated because I knew how tough it was," he said. "I had 40 horses in Arizona and I took my best nine horses to L.A. "I ran three horses the first night and I told a friend that if they don't do well I'm going back to Arizona. "I was a big fish in a small pond there and now I was a little fish in a big pond. Luckily, the first one ran third, the next one ran third, and the third one won and that was it."Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news, features and videos Bob Baffert talks to the media ahead of the 2019 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.'Heaven is in the winner's circle'Baffert switched to training thoroughbreds, with a view to getting one to the Kentucky Derby. "I bought some horses and gave myself three years," he said. "I won the Breeders' Cup Sprint [in 1992] with my first thoroughbred [Thirty Slews], which was so exciting. I really thought it was not going to get better than that." Heading into the Winner's Circle like 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Zbnhl3jdyr— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 5, 2019 Turns out things got much better.In 1996 he took a horse called Cavonnier to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The Derby debutant had his heart in his mouth as Cavonnier took the lead halfway down the stretch."I thought he'd won, but he got caught and got beat an inch in the end," said Baffert. "It was a devastating loss. I just thought I'd blown my shot. For a year I was sort of depressed about it."Fortunately for Baffert, he returned the following year with a grey colt named Silver Charm."He got the lead and there was another horse coming and I remember saying, 'Oh Lord, you can't do it to me again, I can't get beat again,'" he said. "I would have had to check myself into rehab or something."Time stood still for Baffert as Silver Charm surged up the home straight. "I started thinking about my time as a quarter horse trainer and my mother saying, 'Why are you wasting your time training horses?'" he says.Jockey Gary Stevens urged Silver Charm on and he held firm to give Baffert his first win on the biggest stage."It was the most incredible feeling you can have winning the Kentucky Derby," he said. "You're not really mentally prepared for it. It's the greatest race in America, with 150,000 people, Churchill Downs, the Twin Spires, it's just magical. "If there's a heaven it's in that winner's circle. That's the most expensive piece of real estate in the world. It costs so much money to get into that small patch of grass but it's worth every penny of it."READ: The world's richest horses races: The top six prize potsREAD: Racing's global powerhouses: From Irish farms to royal appointmentBob Baffert won the first of five Kentuck Derby titles with Silver Charm in 1997. 'Extraordinary'Silver Charm also won the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the fabled Triple Crown, but was second at the deciding Belmont Stakes to deny Baffert US racing's Holy Grail. The following year, his charge Real Quiet achieved exactly the same feat, while War Emblem gave him a third Kentucky Derby in 2002 and American Pharoah triumphed in 2015 en route to the Triple Crown. Baffert's latest success in the Kentucky Derby was with Justify as he clinched the first leg of his Triple Crown victory last year -- only the 13th horse ever to complete the trilogy."We didn't know how good he was but he found another gear that I didn't know he had," said Baffert. "That's what the great ones do. "When he won the second race [the Preakness Stakes] I thought, 'Oh my goodness, this guy's the guy.' "It's an incredible feeling for an owner or trainer to know they've got a superior race horse on their hands. You can tell when you have a really good one. "American Pharoah, from day one we knew he was extraordinary. I felt a lot of pressure, I thought if I was ever going to win the Triple Crown, he was my last chance. I was so relieved when he won the Kentucky Derby. I thought, 'Ok, now we can start working on the next one.'" Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesMeydan Racecourse, Dubai – Boasting the world's first five-star trackside hotel, restaurants and a museum, Dubai's Meydan Racecourse is a first-class racing destination.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesSt. Moritz, Switzerland – St. Moritz is known for world-class skiing, glitz, glamor and...horse racing? The venue for the White Turf event, held three days a year, isn't your typical racecourse. Instead, it's held on a frozen lake.Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesFlemington Racecourse, Australia – Flemington is Australia's oldest metropolitan racecourse and home to the famous Melbourne Cup. The revamped venue was first used in 1840 when the town of Melbourne was just five years old. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesPiazza del Campo, Italy – Simply put, there is no racecourse in the world quite like the Piazza del Campo in Italy. Its origins date back to medieval times when jockeys rode buffalo. The piazza is packed with spectators with racing around the outside.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesHappy Valley, Hong Kong – Happy Valley Racecourse was built in 1845 to provide horse racing for expat Britons living in Hong Kong. It's surrounded by giant apartments and skyscrapers -- giving visitors an unusually beautiful scenic view.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesAscot, England – Just the name "Ascot" conjures visions of royalty, elegance, high fashion and world-class racing. The racecourse was opened in 1711 by Queen Anne, and Royal Ascot is still one of the most celebrated meetings on the calendar.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesChantilly, France – Spectacular and timeless, historic Chantilly sits in front of the 16th-century Chateau de Chantilly and the majestic Great Stables (pictured) amid forests 30 miles north of Paris.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesLaytown Races, Ireland – Laytown Races is the only official beach race in Europe. Situated on the Irish coast, the 150-year-old tradition attracts more than 5000 regular visitors every year. Horses race along the sands on a makeshift course. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesGoodwood Racecourse, England – The rolling Sussex countryside unfolds in front of one of the most iconic venues in flat racing. Goodwood has hosted racing since 1802 and offers the perfect setting for the famous Glorious Goodwood meeting. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: 10 of the most picturesque racecoursesCheltenham Racecourse, England – Cheltenham is a shrine to jump racing against the idyllic backdrop of the Cotswold hills. It hosts the prestigious Cheltenham Festival every March, the highlight of the world's jump racing calendar. Hide Caption 10 of 10 'Running son of a gun'The history of the Triple Crown is littered with great horses who fell short in the final race, but if there is any blueprint to follow, Baffert says you have to start with the raw ingredients -- a gifted athlete. Then they have to have a "great mind" and "be able to handle the pressure," he says. Staying healthy is a must, and keeping their weight and strength up over the course of the five-week span between the Derby and the Belmont is also key. And lastly, they need large doses of luck. "Stick to those five, but number one is most important," said Baffert. "They've got to be a running son of a gun." Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite images Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesSupermoon – Multi award-winning snapper Edward Whitaker earned horse racing's photograph of the year award with this stunning image of a rare blue supermoon in Lambourn, Berkshire in January 2018. "I knew a spot where the angle was just right," he says. Here he talks CNN Sport through seven of his favorite images. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesFrench fancy – Whitaker's image of French horse Arazi pulling off a stunning last-to-first victory in the 1991 Breeder's Cup at Churchill Downs made his name. "He went through the field like it was 'National Velvet' or some ridiculous film like that. I got this image of jockey Pat Valenzuela screaming his head off against the spires of Churchill Downs. My lot were blown away, it was a big breakthrough."Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesShower time – Another picture that has defined his career is this shot of the great stallion Danehill being hosed down at Coolmore Stud in Ireland in 2003. "I just love the whole effect, how the water is reacting over the horse. He turns his neck so it was almost like a massage to him, and you can see how much he's enjoying it. I had to shoot it on a slow shutter speed and there's a real sense of movement in the water, and the light is just lovely."Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesKaleidoscopic – This color-filled image of Churchill Downs is another Whitaker favorite. "I knew there was this fire exit up to a door that opened onto the roof so I went up there and caught this great dawn. There was a cold front coming in, so I knew there would be some very dramatic reds and yellows in the sky. And now they light up the iconic spires with purple light, so the colors are unbelievable. It's so American and over the top."Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesChantilly face – Horses break from the stalls in front of the Great Stables at Chantilly, France in 2016. "I love this shot because of the light and the horse rearing at the start. It's just a dramatic picture. That one horse going up gives it great strength."Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesLucky horseshoe – Whitaker's luck was in with this picture from Cheltenham last January when he discovered the flying horseshoe. It was part of his portfolio that won an eighth photographer of the year award. "It was a remote picture from under the fence shooting into a clear blue sky. It was a nice picture anyway but the fact the shoe fell off and pointed upright was just unique. I'd never seen anything like it. That's why photography is so exciting."Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: The Racing Post's Edward Whitaker shares his favorite imagesScared stiff – Whitaker conquered his fears and rode up in the TV crane to capture this image of the city of Chester and the racecourse. "This is the scariest picture I've ever taken. You go up on this wobbly plank with a safety harness clipped to a metal frame. I was absolutely terrified but the view was amazing, the light was just right and I got this great scene of Chester with the action on the racecourse."Hide Caption 7 of 7So far Baffert's horses have won 15 American Classics and 15 Breeders' Cup races among more than 2,900 victories.But for Baffert, training race horses is more a way of life than a vocation and opens doors to great friendships along the way."Trainers go to sleep thinking about our horses and we wake up thinking about our horses," he says. "That's the beauty of it. We are working outdoors with these magnificent animals. It's the greatest therapy you can have. Whenever you're feeling down or depressed I just go to the barn and hang out with them. "I'm so lucky that I found something I totally love. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

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(CNN)Talk about having someone in your corner. Going into the crucial final round of the famous Arnold Palmer International vying for his first PGA Tour title of 2021, Bryson DeChambeau had a message of support from a certain 15-time major winner. "I got a text from Tiger [Woods] this morning ... We just talked about 'Just keep fighting, no matter what happens' and play boldly like Mr. Palmer," DeChambeau said in a televised interview.Woods is currently recovering from serious leg injuries suffered in a single-vehicle rollover accident near Los Angeles, where his SUV crossed a median, went across two lanes of road, then hit a tree and landed on the driver's side in the brush.The inspiration from the eight-time Arnold Palmer Invitational winner clearly helped motivate DeChambeau. After bogeying the opening hole of the final round, the 2020 US Open champion didn't drop another shot, eventually finishing 11-under for the tournament -- one shot ahead of Lee Westwood. Read More"It's beyond my wildest dreams to win Mr. Palmer's event," said DeChambeau, adorned in the champion's red cardigan sweater in honor of Palmer."I came here as an amateur, he (Palmer) gave me an invitation and I loved this golf course the minute I arrived. I loved the atmosphere and I love the fans. I loved what Mr. Palmer did with this place and what he's done and his legacy he's left here."READ: There's a dearth of Black players on the LPGA Tour. This woman wants that to changeDeChambeau celebrates making his putt on the 18th green to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.Changing the sportWhile DeChambeau's win was memorable, it probably won't be what people remember from this tournament in coming years. The sight of him pumping his arms in celebration after driving the ball about 370 yards over a huge expanse of water on the par-five sixth hole could be a seminal moment for the sport. Since returning from golf's break last year 40 pounds heavier and with a faster swing, DeChambeau has pushed the boundaries of the sport. His ability to drive the ball further -- he led the PGA Tour last season by a considerable distance -- helped him claim the first major of his career last year and has tamed some of golf's toughest challenges. And he once again showed how his added strength has proved a cheat code, delighting fans with his ridiculous show of power on the sixth hole over the tournament. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosDeChambeau plays his shot from the 11th tee during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.While players usually have to go around the lake at Bay Hill, Florida, DeChambeau attacked the obstacle head on, driving the ball 370 yards on Saturday. He even went one further on Sunday as, according to the PGA Tour, he drove the ball 377 yards, leaving only 88 yards to the hole. Westwood -- who was seeking his first Tour title since 2010 -- joked with the media afterwards that perhaps DeChambeau will take an even more aggressive line on the hole next year, and go "straight at the green, not chicken out.""He can overpower a golf course, so it's fun to watch, I think," Westwood said. "I thought we had a good battle. I don't think anybody was going to shoot 68 or 67," Westwood said. "It was a day for playing sensible and hanging on and grinding out the pars."

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Nicole Hemmer is an associate research scholar at Columbia University with the Obama Presidency Oral History Project and the author of "Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics." She co-hosts the history podcast "Past Present" and "This Day in Esoteric Political History." The views expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN)The second impeachment trial of Donald Trump got underway on Tuesday with arguments about whether the US Senate has jurisdiction to try the former president now that he has left office. Most legal scholars, regardless of political ideology, believe it does. But impeachment is a political rather than a legal process, so a debate and vote on the issue took up the first day of the trial. Nicole HemmerTrump's lawyers, Bruce Castor and David Schoen, had two very different tacks to make their case that the former president cannot be tried: Castor served up off-the-cuff babbling — at one point reminiscing at length about listening to a record of Sen. Everett Dirksen of Illinois, who served in the Senate in the 1950s and 1960s — while Schoen went straight for the jugular, accusing Democrats of "weaponizing" the process for their own partisan purposes. But though their approaches differed wildly, their goal was the same: to undermine and discredit the impeachment process itself. In doing so, they played into a tactic Republicans have been wielding for decades. Castor, no doubt knowing he had more than 40 Republican votes regardless of what he said, took the opportunity to say nothing coherent at all. While that underscored the weakness of Trump's case, it also underscored that no argument would change the ultimate outcome: Whatever the lawyers say, Republicans are largely uninterested in holding Trump to account. So, no argument is precisely what Castor delivered. Schoen, on the other hand, opened not by laying out a legal argument but attacking "the insatiable lust for impeachment in the House for the past four years." Acting as though he were Fox News's Sean Hannity delivering his opening monologue, he then showed a video mashup of Democrats calling for Trump's impeachment over the past four years. (Of course, the video did not reveal the underlying offenses Democrats were accusing Trump of committing.) This impeachment trial could surprise us"This is nothing less than the political weaponization of the impeachment process," Schoen snapped, "pure, raw sport, fueled by the misguided idea of party over country." The impeachment, he then suggested, was itself an attack on democracy, an effort to overturn the votes of the 74 million Americans who had voted for Trump in the 2020 election. Read MoreSuch arguments are not new. Conservatives in the 1970s made the same sorts of arguments about former President Richard Nixon and the Watergate hearings, insisting that it was an effort by Democrats and the liberal media to overturn Nixon's landslide election in 1972 and silence the "silent majority." They called it the "criminalization of politics" and leaned hard on the idea that Nixon had done nothing worse than any other politician — certainly nothing worse than his Democratic predecessor, Lyndon Johnson, who they believed to be one of the most corrupt politicians of his generation. Since then, there has been a concerted effort on the right, led by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the 1980s and 1990s, to weaponize and weaken the processes meant to hold politicians responsible for their actions. Gingrich leveraged ethics rules to unseat Democratic Speaker Jim Wright in 1989 (less than a decade later Gingrich himself would be ousted, in part, for ethics charges, which he apologized for after an ethics subcommittee ruled against him). As Speaker, Gingrich used all the mechanisms at his disposal to endlessly investigate former President Bill Clinton, culminating in a partisan impeachment with little public support. Trump's trial gets off to a shaky startThe same process repeated itself when former President Barack Obama took office: endless investigations that unearthed little wrongdoing, a contempt of Congress charge against then-Attorney General Eric Holder (who was cleared by a subsequent Inspector General's report), and a desire — ultimately unfulfilled — to impeach Obama. At the same time, Republicans have learned that if they refuse to censure their own, they can make any accountability appear to be a partisan vendetta. That's what happened in Trump's first impeachment, when Utah Sen. Mitt Romney became the only Republican to vote for impeachment or conviction. It is a sign of just how awful the insurrection at the Capitol was that 10 Republicans broke party ranks and voted to impeach last month. But the right is preparing to weaponize all this against Democrats the first chance they get. Hannity has already suggested that, if rules were equally applied, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and California Rep. Maxine Waters should all be impeached for inciting insurrection -- an argument that both attacks Democrats while diminishing the severity of the insurrection at the Capitol. Get our free weekly newsletterSign up for CNN Opinion's new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and FacebookAnd after seeing a mostly-Democratic US House of Representatives majority strip Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conspiracist who supported calls for violence against members of Congress, of her committee assignments, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy warned that Democrats were setting a "dangerous precedent" -- insinuating that when Republicans controlled the House, they could begin stripping committee assignments from any Democrat they deemed problematic. Yet even though they know such bad-faith attacks are coming, Democrats in Congress must continue to make the case against Trump for his role in inciting the insurrection at the Capitol. They may not be able to convince Republicans in Congress, but they can make clear to the American people, and to posterity, that they understand the danger Trump represents to democracy and are willing to do what they can to hold him to account.

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(CNN)She was a cosmetologist. He was bad-tempered and dangerous. Together, they took on the world.He is also a horse, and she could be America's latest sporting fairytale."I was a hairstylist," says Laura Graves, thinking back to 2008. "I had moved to Boston, and that's what I was going to do. But then I said to myself: Now is the time."Follow @cnnsport Graves abandoned her career for a shot at turning the unruliest horse on the circuit into a dressage superstar. Seven years later, the 27-year-old's dreams are coming true.It's a journey that began with a video tape of a horse named Verdades.Read MoreTo many people, "Diddy" -- his nickname -- was unmanageable. Too unpredictable, too hard to train. Few riders, at any level, would gamble a decade on their ability to make Diddy do dressage. But this was what Graves had to work with, after her family bought him on the basis of a video sent from the Netherlands. Wild and explosiveTheir budget had been nothing special, by global dressage standards. Graves says they could either afford "something a little bit trained and maybe not great quality, or something really young and maybe a little better quality."After looking at dozens of videos, Verdades seemed the best bet for the money. But the video didn't tell the whole story."As soon as he arrived, we realized just how strong and sensitive he was," she recalls. "Everything was so difficult with him."It took three men at the quarantine station to help us get him on the trailer, and he was just six months old. He really, really tested your patience."Verdades & Laura Graves in the warm up at the World Cup Dressage Las Vegas. #Verdades #dressage #equestrian #equine... pic.twitter.com/rPLaMQ9OLr— Expert On Horses (@ExpertOnHorses) April 16, 2015 Diddy grew up on the family farm in Vermont. Graves waited to see how he would develop. Diddy didn't."We tried, unsuccessfully, to sell him," she tells CNN. "He was just extremely wild and temperamental, to the point where he was dangerous because he was so explosive. Not ever mean, but not controllable."Some days I would say, 'OK, I just can't ride him today. He's not rideable.' Until he was seven years old I couldn't get a mounting block close to him, I just had to climb up. Laura Graves, right, with her sisters and cousins at a family barbecue."It was all so honest. You couldn't be angry with him. But it felt like an awful lot of defeat."Diddy, though, had talent. On the days when Graves could actually get on the horse, things would click. Dressage competitors value that bond between horse and rider above anything else. "Harmony," top riders call it. Diddy was a handful, but harmony? He had that, too.Graves made a big decision. Hairdressing would not make the cut. She was going full Diddy."I was young and had never sat on a horse of this quality before so I had no idea," she says. "So I said to myself, 'OK, this is it, I have this horse in my life who -- if I had to buy him at this age -- I could never afford, and I'm at a point in my life where I can take an escape from what I'm doing for a job.'"And I went and tried to make it happen in Florida. I packed up everything and moved."'You could see the gifts'The strange thing? Graves didn't see this as a gamble. Many people might not be persuaded to drop their fledgling careers for a horse -- particularly one on which they can't even ride, depending how the horse feels that day.I've always had my Prince Charming -- just maybe he was a frog for a while. Laura Graves "You know, I guess I never think of it that way," Graves concedes. "People who don't have the dream might think of it as a life gamble. But I was young enough that I was still living on dreams. I didn't have any kids or a boyfriend, my responsibility was really pretty low. To me, what was the gamble? Laura Graves with boyfriend Curt Maes at Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont.JUST WATCHEDEiffel Tower hosts equestrian elite ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEiffel Tower hosts equestrian elite 02:38"I go to Florida, I learn to ride some, and then maybe I sell the horse in Florida. But at that point I had decided this horse was mine and this was going to be my horse for the U.S. team, and I was going to make it happen."In 2014, she made it happen.Robert Dover, the man in charge of the American national dressage team, had a call from Debbie McDonald, an Athens 2004 Olympic bronze medalist now charged with finding the next great U.S. talents."She told me to watch out for this young lady, who looked like she was both talented and on a talented horse," says Dover."I watched her and although it was all very much in the formative stage, you could see the gifts of both the rider and the horse."She was walking out of the arena, so I introduced myself and I told her that if she was really that serious about trying out for the team, she had to make some big life changes."Graves changed the lot: where she lived, who she trained with, whatever Dover told her. This was the dream she had pursued when she moved to Florida almost five years earlier, and nothing should now stand in the way.Yayyyyy!Posted by Laura Graves on Tuesday, 27 May 2014By early 2014, Graves and Verdades were popping up at significant international events.Come the middle of the year, they were in the top 10 at world-renowned tournaments like Aachen, open only to the sport's very best.Their breathtaking surge was completed with fifth place at the World Equestrian Games, less than a year after Dover had first seen them. They were the leading American duo at the sport's biggest event outside the Olympic Games.'Type A'Graves and Diddy are now ranked 10th in the world. In January last year, they didn't even make the ranking list of more than 700 riders.Understandably, Graves had decided she quite likes Diddy -- despite everything."We saw it all in one year. That seems a little crazy. I'm so thankful," she says.JUST WATCHEDRising Swiss StarReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRising Swiss Star 02:45JUST WATCHEDGerman showstopperReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGerman showstopper 02:57JUST WATCHEDThe mighty 'godfather' of Para-Equestrian Dressage ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe mighty 'godfather' of Para-Equestrian Dressage 02:38"Some people work like this all their lives and never get the opportunity to experience what I have. So much of it is the horse, and I feel blessed every day to have such an explosive horse."Graves does practically everything when it comes to caring for Diddy. Where other riders employ teams of assistants, Graves is renowned on the circuit for doing the menial tasks herself. Only when forced to give interviews after competing does she reluctantly hand the horse over to someone else. "I'm extremely Type A," is her explanation. "I like to do things myself." Diddy, she says, has not changed with fame and fortune. In the five years she spent slogging out in Florida, she simply got to know him better."He still has 100% of the spirit. I think I'm just used to it," says Graves. Diddy can be easily startled and doesn't like having too many people around, she has learned, so Graves prepares in advance and keeps him out of the spotlight at events. "He's an extremely kind horse and will do everything he can not to make a mistake, but that doesn't mean he's not going to be afraid," she adds."He's a very happy horse. There are horses who are sulky, or silly, and they don't care about people. That's the big difference with this horse."It's the chance of a lifetime to work with a horse like this and there's a lot of luck involved. I didn't have any big horse sponsors in my life -- I own this horse and so, financially speaking, even though it was a difficult road, if this horse didn't work out I couldn't have afforded another one. "And of course, I'm so emotionally involved that this horse is not for sale."July's Pan-American Games in Toronto are next for Verdades and Graves, before the battle for Rio 2016 places reaches a climax.Dover says she remains "well-grounded ... and getting better and better." Reporters at the World Equestrian Games called Graves' lightning-fast ascent a "fairytale."She's happy to play along with that metaphor -- while being careful not to gloss over the years she spent outside the limelight."A fairytale is exactly what I feel like," she says."I was Cinderella and all it takes is Prince Charming to turn your whole life around. I've always had my Prince Charming -- just maybe he was a frog for a while. "But I think it's important to remember how hard Cinderella worked before she caught a break."What's your favorite equestrian pairing? Tell us on CNN Sport's Facebook page

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Story highlightsU.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III expecting a partisan crowd at MedinahLove leads his players against Jose Maria Olazabal's European teamSpain's Olazabal will hope to lead Europe to a fifth win in six Ryder Cup matchesEurope's players will pay tribute to Seve Ballesteros by having a special image of the golf legend emblazoned on their golf bags during this week's Ryder Cup matches against the United States in Chicago.The image depicts Ballesteros' famous celebration as he clinched the British Open at St Andrews in 1984. It was a particular favorite of the Spanish star, who had it tattooed on his left arm and described holing the winning putt on the 18th green as "the happiest moment of my sporting life."The design was revealed as the European team practiced for the first time Tuesday at Medinah Country Club ahead of Friday's opening action.Non-playing captain Jose Maria Olazabal, who formed an almost unbeatable partnership with Ballesteros in the Ryder Cup, is hoping his players will gain inspiration from memories of his great friend, who died of brain cancer last year."We felt that this was one way that Seve could be with us every step of the way. This is the first match since he sadly passed away and a fitting tribute to a true champion," he told the official European Tour website.Olazabal will be hoping to lead Europe to a fifth win in six stagings of the biennial team event, but U.S. captain Davis Love III has warned the visitors to expect an atmosphere "like nothing you've ever seen before" when the action gets underway in the three-day tournament.Love, a two-time winner of the cup as a player, has told Europe's top golfers to expect partisan support from the American fans.Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & Ollie"It's going to be incredible, big golf and a big stage," Love, a 20-time winner on the PGA Tour, told a press conference."I think the first tee could be the loudest any of these guys have ever seen to start off a golf tournament. So I expect a lot of passion. If we are winning holes, it's going to get pretty loud out there, and that's the home field advantage is all about."JUST WATCHEDIs Olazabal ready for Ryder Cup?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs Olazabal ready for Ryder Cup? 07:05JUST WATCHEDWhat can Ryder Cup golfers expect?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhat can Ryder Cup golfers expect? 03:20 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & Ollie Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieA captain's calling – Jose Maria Olazabal will try to mastermind a triumph for Europe in this weekend's Ryder Cup, a competition he has made an indelible mark on over the years.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieOlazabal 84 – The Spaniard's first experience of representing Europe came in the 1984 St Andrews Trophy, where he was part of a continental team which was beaten by Great Britain and Ireland. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieA dream duo – When mentioning Europe and the Ryder Cup, it is almost impossible not to think of Olazabal and the late, great Seve Ballesteros. The Spanish duo played together in the competition for the first time in 1987, when Europe retained the trophy in Ohio.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieJoy for Jacklin – Tony Jacklin's European team defeated the Americans 15-13 to clinch victory at Muirfield Village that year.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieAll square – The Spanish pair were reunited for the 1989 match at the Belfry. Despite their pained expressions in this picture, Europe once again retained the trophy after a 14-14 draw.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieSpanish celebrations – Ballesteros captained a European team to a memorable win in 1997. Europe's team, featuring Olazabal, sealed a dramatic 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 in the pair's homeland of Spain at the Valderrama Golf Club.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieA double Master – In April 1999, Olazabal won the second of his two Masters titles, just four months before the 33rd Ryder Cup at Brookline.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieThe Battle of Brookline – The 1999 Ryder Cup is regarded as one of the finest in the tournament's history. Justin Leonard holed a putt on the 17th, prompting an invasion from the U.S. team. Leonard's putt meant Olazabal had to find the cup to keep European hopes alive, but the Spaniard failed and the U.S. won 14 1/2 - 13 1/2.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieKrushed at the K Club – Another Spaniard to have enjoyed success in the Ryder Cup is Sergio Garcia, who is part of Olazabal's 2012 team. The pair are pictured here after Europe's crushing 18 1/2 - 9 1/2 win at the K Club in 2006.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Ryder Cup revolutionaries: Seve & OllieMedinah Country Club – The 39th Ryder Cup match begins on Friday at the Medinah Country Club in Illinois.Hide Caption 10 of 10Despite the raucous reception which awaits world No. 1 Rory McIlroy and his European teammates, Olazabal, a three-time winner of the Ryder Cup, is looking forward to sampling the event's unique flavor."We respect each other a lot," double Masters champion Olazabal said of the rivalry between the two teams. "Obviously we are going to try to beat each other, no questions about that, but we respect each member of our opponent team."Davis and I, we have competed against each other quite a few times, not just in the Ryder Cup but in other events, and here we are sitting together and each one of us has a huge respect towards the other."Love, the 2007 PGA Championship winner, echoed his counterpart's sentiments, saying, "We are fortunate to play a game and represent a game that is the model for all other sports."It always has been ... We are fortunate that Seve Ballesteros and the players that came before us demanded that ... respect of the game and to carry on traditions of the game."I think this match and the friendship that it begins with and the friendship that it ends with is different than any other sport."Tuesday's practice saw the players go out in groups of four, with the some clues to likely partnerships for the fourball and foursomes matches on Friday and Saturday.Tiger Woods was with Steve Stricker, a successful recent pairing in Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups for the Americans.World No.1 Rory McIlroy went out with Northern Ireland compatriot Graeme McDowell, having played three matches together at Celtic Manor as Europe won the cup back from the United States two years ago.Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, who claimed the scalp of Woods and Stricker in the 2010 clash in Wales, were also out together.

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(CNN)It was a blockbuster story. A respected Chinese virologist appeared on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News in mid-September to share the results of her just-completed report. The conclusion: The novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was likely engineered in a Chinese lab. On Carlson's show, she claimed it was intentionally released into the world. Then, its validity began to unravel. The publication of the paper by lead author Li-Meng Yan -- an expatriate from China seeking asylum in the US -- was quickly linked to former White House adviser Steve Bannon, long a strident critic of China's government. The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security -- a leading authority on the pandemic -- criticized the science behind the report, and pointed out that Yan and her co-authors "cite multiple papers in their reference section that have weaknesses or flaws." A CNN review of Yan's research found it was also built on what appears to be the same theories, similar passages and identical charts presented by an anonymous blogger whose writings were posted on a website linked to Bannon months earlier. Additionally, a source told CNN the three co-authors of Yan's paper used pseudonyms instead of their real names, a practice frowned upon in scientific and academic work.Yet, even after Facebook slapped a "false information" flag on Carlson's September 15 interview with Yan and Twitter suspended Yan's account, Carlson, Bannon and Yan have pressed forward. "You'd think that our media would want to get to the bottom of this pandemic," Carlson said on his October 6 show, "but instead they ignored her claims." Read MoreYan -- who is back on Twitter -- published a second report on October 8 titled "SARS-CoV-2 is an Unrestricted Bioweapon," which doubled down on the theory that the virus sweeping the globe was manmade and added that its "unleashing" was intentional. That study also included material seemingly copied from the anonymous blogger. Both of Yan's controversial papers link to Bannon. Prominently featured on both -- just beneath the title and authors, in a manner that resembles how university affiliations and funding sources are often listed -- are the Rule of Law Society and the Rule of Law Foundation. The twin non-profit ventures were announced in November 2018 by Bannon and billionaire Guo Wengui, aka Miles Guo, a Chinese exile and fierce critic of the current regime in China. Bannon was arrested on Guo's yacht this summer for the unrelated allegation that he defrauded donors who contributed to his crowdfunding campaign to support President Donald Trump's border wall.Steve Bannon's arrest is the perfect symbol of the Trump eraThe two men have repeatedly advanced the theory that the coronavirus came out of a Chinese bioweapons program -- a claim that has been widely panned as groundless -- using as their primary platforms a podcast hosted by Bannon and a website called G News, which publishes their content. Their names are prominently displayed in the top banner of the site's home page.This month, while praising Yan's work on Bannon's podcast, Bannon and Guo went as far as to suggest that China deliberately infected President Trump with the coronavirus. That podcast -- called "War Room: Pandemic" -- was recorded the day after Trump was hospitalized for Covid-19. Bannon credited Guo for saying from the beginning that the virus not only purposefully emerged from the labs, but that "a target is Donald J. Trump."Bannon asked Guo: "Do you believe that a super-spreader or somebody, was actually sent and somehow has been focused on the White House or focused on President --" "100 percent," Guo said. SATURDAY 10AM ET: Heroic #whistleblower virologist @DrLiMengYAN1 joins #SteveBannon for a very special #WarRoomPandemic'America Confronts #CCP Bioweapon Virus'Read Dr. #LiMengYan's 💣 report on the #CCPVirus 👉 https://t.co/WxX2nmOpwKTUNE IN 👉https://t.co/AUokEMwJIL pic.twitter.com/ld0p2xF0xo— Steve Bannon's War Room (@WarRoomPandemic) October 9, 2020 Bannon himself appeared on Carlson's show on September 17 -- two days after Carlson's interview with Yan -- where he touted Yan's "amazing paper" and blasted social-media outlets for slowing its spread without revealing his own connection to the study. Carlson included a disclaimer in a later interview with Yan on October 6, saying, "we are not endorsing your findings." But a Fox News spokesperson declined to address CNN's question of why Carlson hasn't disclosed Bannon's involvement with Yan's paper when discussing her research on several shows. Bannon did not respond to CNN's request for comment; Yan declined a request to be interviewed and did not answer repeated requests for responses to specific questions.Flawed citations, copied passages, mysterious co-authors It was precisely the megaphone provided by Carlson and Bannon online and on TV that prompted the researchers at Johns Hopkins to issue a rebuttal, according to two of the Johns Hopkins authors, who spoke with CNN. "It was clear on social media that the paper was getting more and more attention," said Nancy D. Connell, a microbial geneticist and a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins. "We talked carefully and thought for a long time whether to do it." View note "On the one hand we don't want to give credence to just so much garbage," added Gigi Kwik Gronvall, an immunologist who is also a senior scholar at the institution. "On the other hand, because it's getting taken seriously, it's important to point out that this is not science ... It's infuriating, because everybody has better things to do." The Johns Hopkins response to Yan's paper takes issue with the science, launching into a point-by-point rebuttal. It also includes a section pointing out "weaknesses or flaws" in the paper's citations.One footnote, for instance, leads to an essay by an entrepreneur that only appears on his LinkedIn page after it was rejected by a scientific journal. Billy Zhang, a sole-proprietor consultant in Massachusetts who works with investors and governments in China, told CNN he was surprised to learn that his critique was cited in Yan's report. LinkedIn initially removed his post, but later decided to reinstate it. Another footnote is attributed to an article authored by a writer and editor for an anti-genetically modified food website. Another still traces to an author CNN could not locate, who says he runs a company that appears not to exist. The paper of that author, Dean Bengston, links to a page listing him as the CEO of a Las Vegas company called Meandering Path. But a search of the business name on the Nevada Secretary of State website -- as well as registries for surrounding states and other business databases -- turned up no matching results.Equally troubling for a scholarly paper was CNN's discovery that Yan's papers bear a strong resemblance to blogs first published on G News. Yan's papers contain paragraph after paragraph of identical theories and similar phrasing to the blogs, with some lines lifted nearly word for word. What's more, Yan's three co-authors in both papers -- Shu Kang, Jie Guan and Shanchang Hu -- are pseudonyms, a source told CNN. It's a practice that is highly unusual in such research and generally discouraged due to the resulting lack of accountability and transparency, experts told CNN. The source didn't know why the use of pseudonyms wasn't disclosed in the papers. "They are all Chinese but based here in the US," the source said. "They did not want their real names out there for fear of their families back in China." Dr. Daniel Lucey, an infectious-disease epidemics expert at Georgetown University, said he can't think of another case of authors using pseudonyms in a scientific paper."If you used a fake name, then it would start calling into question, under normal circumstances -- if they weren't honest about their name, then what else are they not honest about?" he said. But Lucey said the authors' concerns in this case might have merit. "I would also think that the four coauthors would be worried about themselves in terms of ever going back to the mainland or Hong Kong," he said. "It's a real thing."As part of its review, CNN spoke with a half-dozen experts from multiple institutions, and all of them found Yan's methodology to be flawed. They described her report as "junk science," "leaps of logic" and "window dressing." Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, said she believes Yan's report set out to deceive for the purpose of spreading "political propaganda." "This paper is very deceptive to somebody without a scientific background, because it's written in very technical language, using a lot of jargon that makes it sound as though it is a legitimate scientific paper," she told CNN. "But anybody with an actual background in virology or molecular biology who reads this paper will realize that much of it is actually nonsense." Last I checked, just accusing an entire global community of scientists who rely on evidence to assess data is not itself evidence of said worldwide conspiracy to deliberately cause a pandemic and cover it up. It does, however, fit neatly into a "Blame China" agenda.— Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) October 8, 2020 Anna Mapp, an associate dean and research professor at the University of Michigan, agreed. "I was really disturbed to see such a shoddy piece of work that I would not accept if turned in to me by one of my own students receiving such attention and being treated as a valid scientific paper," she told CNN. (It was Mapp's graduate student, Amanda Peiffer -- who's working toward a PhD in chemical biology -- who first alerted CNN to issues with the citations at the end of Yan's paper.)Lucey of Georgetown told CNN that he met with Yan in person to discuss her paper on September 6 -- eight days before it was published. His criticism was more muted than that of the other scientists who spoke with CNN; Lucey said he found some of what Yan had to say noteworthy. Ultimately, though, he said he disagrees with Yan's conclusion and told her he couldn't vouch for her science because he's not a molecular virologist. Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (L) greets fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui before introducing him at a news conference on November 20, 2018 in New York.Lucey said at one point, after much back and forth, he asked Yan a big-picture question: Why would China release a government-engineered virus in Wuhan? Lucey said Yan couldn't provide an answer that he considered plausible. Lucey said he believes the virus originated in nature. But he disagrees with the much-publicized theory that it jumped from an animal to a human at a seafood market in December. "Based on what I know about how epidemics have started, I think that it was at least several months earlier," he said. "It could have been out there for more than a year (before December). It's possible." To be sure, there is no scientific consensus on where the novel coronavirus -- SARS-CoV-2 -- originated. Most of the scientific community -- including Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious disease expert -- believes it was not manmade. Other credible scientists  floated the possibility the virus may have leaked from a Wuhan lab, although some contend that an article in Nature Medicine has debunked the notion.  Yan's first paper claims to refute that widely cited Nature Medicine article, published in mid-March, which concluded that SARS-CoV-2 most likely came from nature and not "purposeful manipulation." Neither of Yan's papers are peer-reviewed, which by itself is not a disqualifier. Researchers often publish early drafts of their work on what are known as scientific preprint servers to quickly share findings that could benefit the public -- a practice that has accelerated in the urgent age of the coronavirus.  Yan says she's in hidingMany experts who read Yan's research said they found it hard to reconcile the work with her seemingly impressive pedigree, which includes a stint at the University of Hong Kong's public health laboratory -- a World Health Organization collaborating facility. She has been published in Nature and The Lancet -- two prestigious academic journals -- and says she was among the first researchers in the world to become privy to the dangers of SARS-CoV-2. "Dr. Yan's history and training is excellent," Rasmussen said. "I'd really like to hear from her why she decided to do this, because effectively, it has ruined her credibility as a virologist and it would be a career ending mistake to make." Yan says she fled to the United States in April, according to a Fox News story. In that July piece, she went public with an allegation: Yan claimed that the Chinese government and the WHO had kept mum about their knowledge of the person-to-person transmission of the virus for weeks, even after Yan herself had said she raised the issue with her superiors in late December or early January. "The reason I came to the US is because I deliver the message of the truth of COVID," Yan, saying she feared for her life, told the network from an undisclosed location in the US. View note The Chinese government, WHO and the University of Hong Kong have vehemently denied her July accusation of a coverup. In her October 6 interview with Carlson, Yan said her mother was arrested by Chinese authorities for making allegations against China on her prior appearances on Fox News. The Chinese government didn't respond to a detailed list of questions from CNN about this and other allegations by Yan. It's unclear where Yan is staying in the US -- and the extent to which she knows Bannon and Guo. But a photo that circulated on Twitter last month and was posted on G News appeared to capture the reflection of a smiling Yan in the mirror behind the two men in the foreground: Wang DingGang, board chair of the Rule of Law Society, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Bannon's image can also be seen in the photo.This photo appears to capture the reflection of virologist Li-Meng Yan in the mirror behind the two men in the foreground: Wang DingGang, board chair of the Rule of Law Society, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Bannon's image can also be seen in the photo.Although Bannon and Guo's Rule of Law Society and Rule of Law Foundation are listed under the titles of Yan's reports, neither paper mentions Bannon or Guo, or elaborates on the role the organizations have played in their creation.Guo responded to CNN's questions about the link with a statement that said Yan's publications were researched and written independently. "I have repeatedly stated since as early as January of this year that the COVID-19 pandemic was created by the Chinese Communist Party with the worst of intentions. I stand by these statements," Guo said. "I proudly support Dr. Yan in her efforts to stand up against the CCP mafia and tell the world the truth about COVID-19. Dr. Yan is a hero for her whistleblowing against the CCP and should be commended for her work and personal sacrifice." Bannon has played up the nonprofits' early and persistent promotion of the lab-origin story.  "I want to thank Miles Guo because it was Miles Guo and the whistleblower movement, Miles Guo and the Rule of Law Society, the Rule of Law Foundation, that back in early January really got us to start to focus on this," Bannon said on his podcast on October 3. The two also discussed Yan in that episode, with Guo suggesting she could help prove that the virus was made in a lab. But they made no mention of their connection to her report. How did coronavirus break out? Theories abound as researchers race to solve genetic detective storyYan herself has appeared several times on Bannon's podcast. In August, she said the communist regime does "evil things" and discussed its history of persecuting its own people.The Rule of Law Foundation and Rule of Law Society responded to questions from CNN with two identical statements, signed by their respective board chairs, Hao Haidong and Wang DingGang. Each statement expresses support for Dr. Yan "and any other Chinese asylee who seeks to tell the world the truth about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) corruption, atrocious human rights record, and its role in the spread of COVID-19. "Dr. Yan has independently researched COVID-19 and we respect her findings and desire to speak the truth about COVID-19 to the public," the statement says. "Our support of Dr. Yan has never included influencing, altering, or editing her scientific research and findings." The statement said her reference to the organizations in the report "was solely done as an appreciation of our support in helping her flee Hong Kong and avoid arrest for her COVID-19 whistleblowing." Rasmussen of Columbia University says the possibility of an accidental lab release or even of an engineered virus can't be ruled out, but said either scenario is extremely unlikely -- and Yan's reports provide no credible evidence.The "extraordinary claim," she said, shouldn't be made without "extraordinary evidence." "As much as I hate to think of the idea of competent scientists using their work for political propaganda, to me, that's what this seems to be," she said. "And certainly the affiliation with Steve Bannon and Miles Guo and the Society for the Rule of Law does nothing to dispel that suspicion."CNN's Yahya Abou-Ghazala and Benjamin Naughton contributed to this report.

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(CNN)Close to two-thirds of France's fixed speed cameras have been vandalized by yellow-vest protesters since November, as demonstrators revolt against lowered speed limits introduced by the government last year. A spokesman for the French Ministry of the Interior told CNN that 60% of fixed speed cameras have been damaged by gilets jaunes demonstrators since November 17, when the protests erupted. "I saw on social networks a few fools who appear next to burnt speed cameras. I do not wish for them to one day face the reality of a death on the road. It's not about figures, it's about life," Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told reporters Thursday. Emmanuel Barbe, the head of France's road safety agency, also warned that vandalism of the country's speed cameras will likely lead to more deaths. "This damage to the speed camera network... will lead to deaths. And that makes me profoundly sad," he told France Inter. Many protesters are angry at the French government's decision in 2018 to reduce the speed limit on two-lane highways to 80 km/h.According to the French site radars-auto.com, the proportion of cameras damaged by protesters could be as high as 65%.Read MoreFrench news agency Europe 1 estimated in December that around half of all speed cameras in France had been put out of service for either a short or long period of time, while close to 300 devices had been completely destroyed -- in most cases after being burnt. Other devices have been spray-painted or covered in film. In some departments including the Vaucluse in southeast France, upward of 90% of speed cameras were put out of service following protests in November and December. The French government's road safety association, Sécurité routière, previously refused to release official statistics on the precise number of speed cameras that had been affected during the protests. The organization has not responded to a CNN request for comment. This spike in vandalism is seen as a response to the French government's controversial decision in July 2018 to lower speed limits to 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour) from 90 kilometers per hour (56 miles per hour) on two-lane highways in a bid to reduce a sharp rise in road deaths. The change affects 40% of France's road network, and around 250,000 miles of roads. The French government indicated that the measure could help avoid between 350 and 400 road deaths a year. "Unsafe roads are not inevitable," Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said in 2018. "Lowering speed reduces the number of accidents, as well as the severity of these accidents." He also told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper: "There are 3,500 deaths and 70,000 injured each year -- 70,000! After decades of progress, the toll is getting worse." French police investigate reports of decorated officer filmed punching protestersMany people around the country have nevertheless revolted against the speed limit reduction, and it formed a key trigger for the roundabout blockades that brought France's road network to a halt at the height of the yellow-vest protests. "The outcry is strong because it is such a tangible issue for ordinary people," Jérôme Fourquet from the Ifop polling agency told the BBC. "Around 70% of the population is opposed, and there is no sign of that abating." The ensuing damage to France's speed cameras is costing road agencies and local councils millions of euros. The cost of repairing speed cameras ranges from 500 euros ($574) for minor damage, up to between 60,000 euros ($69,000) and 80,000 euros for the cost of totally replacing a device, according to the French business magazine Capital. France also faces the loss of billions of euros worth of revenue derived from speeding fines.Protesters found guilty of vandalizing or destroying speed cameras face fines of up to 75,000 euros and prison sentences of up to five years.

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(CNN)Firefighters have contained a blaze that erupted on moorland in West Yorkshire in northern England, one of the three wildfires that broke out across the United Kingdom as temperatures hit record seasonal highs.@BBCLookNorth devastating for the moors and it's wildlife! Hope it's soon out, this part of the moor is only just recovering from the last major fire! Massive well done to all the emergency services working hard to try and get this under control @wyfrs pic.twitter.com/AJljnhb7Pw— Clive Pearson (@pearsonfunerals) February 26, 2019 The fire, on Saddleworth Moor, burned throughout Tuesday night across about 1.5 square kilometers (370 acres) near the village of Marsden. Orange fire-line streaks and haze illuminated the dark sky. "The fire now looks to be out," the fire service's official Twitter account tweeted Wednesday morning, adding that "5 pumps and 2 wildfire units are still at the scene and will remain there for much of the day to tackle any further hot spots."@BBCRadioManc Huge moorland fire above saddleworth@@SaddleworthFm pic.twitter.com/MXdLONVH7M— Chris Kearns (@chriskearns12) February 26, 2019 Other fires broke out in Edinburgh, on the city's famed Arthur's Seat hill, and in the southern English county of West Sussex, in woodland immortalized by A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories. The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service blamed the "unusual warm weather this week in Sussex."Read MoreWarmest winter day recordedTemperatures in parts of the UK reached 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) for "the first time in winter on record," Britain's national weather service, the Met Office, told CNN. Saddleworth Moors on fire again tonight. I've managed to capture some footage on the drone.#Saddleworth #moors #fire @Examiner @MENnewsdesk @itvcalendar @itvnew @BBCLookNorth pic.twitter.com/Tqsxa8tAhS— Kyle Bottomley (@Kyle_Bottomley6) February 27, 2019 A countrywide record for the warmest winter day was set Tuesday for the second day in a row, with Kew Gardens in London hitting 21.2 degrees Celsius (70.16 degrees Fahrenheit), the Met Office tweeted. The average temperature in February is between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius (42.8 and 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Met Office.

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Story highlightsCharity groups, EU border control agency argue over best way to deal with migrants in the MediterraneanCharities say they are saving lives; border control says their presence encourages migrants to risk livesReggio Calabria, Italy (CNN)Calm seas, desperate migrants and ruthless human traffickers all played a role in a record-breaking weekend of maritime rescues in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Libya.But even as the rescue vessels race against time to save lives, another battle is brewing with accusations from the European Union's border control agency Frontex against nongovernmental organizations like Doctors Without Borders and the Mobile Offshore Aid Station, or MOAS, that run so-called charity rescue ships. Frontex says the charity rescue vessels create a pull factor for migrants and traffickers; the NGOs say they are out there in the absence of an EU strategy to save lives at sea and a lack of initiative to provide a safe corridor option for migration and asylum.On Sunday evening in Italy, the Italian Coast Guard estimated the number of those rescued since Friday was approaching 7,000, though that number will surely grow as a steady stream of rubber dinghies and rickety wooden fishing vessels were still being spotted off the coast of Libya. At least 20 cadavers, including that of an 8-year-old boy recovered during rescue operations, were also brought to Sicily and the Italian mainland with the survivors. Rescuers battle rough seas to save hundreds of stranded migrantsThe migrants and refugees were rescued by Italian Coast Guard boats, passing merchant ships and more than a dozen NGO charity ships that have filled the vacuum created when Italy's Mare Nostrum search and rescue program ended in 2014 because of budget concerns. The Mare Nostrum project cost Italian taxpayers €9 million ($9.5 million) a month, according to the Italian Navy. The charity ships, which rely on donations, have estimated operating costs of around €11,000 ($11,666) a day, charities say.European authorities and charity ships face a daunting task. Since the beginning of the year, 32,750 migrants and refugees have arrived on European shores, not including those rescued this weekend, according to UNHCR. In 2016, the total number topped 355,000.Read MoreFrontex has two programs at sea. The Sophia program is designed to destroy smuggler's ships after rescues are complete and to train the Libyan Coast Guard to stop boats from leaving. The Triton program enlists member states to provide assets for search and rescue operations. Over the busy weekend, Frontex says the Norwegian Siem Pilot, currently on rotation for Frontex's Triton program, rescued more than 500 of the nearly 7,000 people pulled to safety. In March, Italian prosecutor Carmelo Zuccaro from Catania launched an investigation into the funding of the charity ships, essentially accusing them of colluding with the traffickers. "I am convinced that it is not always the operational center that calls on the NGOs," he told a parliamentary committee in Rome in March. "We also need to investigate the evolution of the phenomenon and find out why there has been such a noted proliferation of these ships and how they deal with such high operational costs without having a return in terms of economic profit." No charges have been filed but Zuccaro told CNN he would seek to sequester the charity ships if he found just cause to do so. The NGOs have accused Zuccaro of starting the investigation on behalf of Frontex as an attempt to remove them from the sea. Zuccaro says he is not acting on behalf of Frontex, but that he is concerned that the rescue vessels are creating an open border into Europe as thousands of irregular migrants reach Italy each year. With this weekend's rescues, the number to reach Europe this year so far has topped 40,000, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. When reached for comment about Zuccaro's legal case, Frontex did not provide a comment. The NGOs, on the other hand, have not minced words.How some European countries are tightening their refugee policies"We are surprised at the timing of these allegations, more than a year after we and others have been in service," said Sophie Beau, co-founder and vice-president of SOS Mediterranee, which runs the Aquarius rescue boat together with Doctors Without Borders. "We know exactly what will happen if we are not out there. More people will die. We know we need to be out there, we have to be out there." In a press release, MOAS co-founder and director Regina Catrambone agreed. "Every day people continue to risk their lives while we, as civil society, stand witness. We must continue to call on European governments to act so that people, such as those rescued by us today, do not die, not in Libya nor in the Mediterranean Sea."Those frustrations are echoed by the other NGOs, with many of the rescue operators tweeting accusations directly against the European Union and Frontex. Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, tweeted, "EU 'leaving migrants to drown' say rescuers who saved 2,000 in single day." And "How many lives could have been saved in the last two years if the #EU had conducted a proactive search and rescue operation? #WhereIsFRONTEX"Two of the charity ships, each filled beyond capacity after rescuing scores of migrants from rubber dinghies and unseaworthy wooden fishing vessels, made May Day calls to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center run by the Italian Coast Guard in Rome to ask for assistance on Sunday. The Iuventa rescue ship operated by the German NGO Jugend Rettet reported navigational failure under the weight of the migrants and the German NGO Sea Eye also reported difficulty due to overcrowding. "#Iuventa and @seaeyeorg are unable to move due to the high amount of people on board and nearby us in rubber boats! We need help by #MRCC" the Jugend Rettet tweeted. It reported having as many as seven pregnant women on board. Italian Coast Guard confirmed that vessels were headed to the area to assist offloading some of the migrants. Why migrants are risking their lives to reach ItalyMOAS also tweeted messages about its rescue ship Phoenix after spending the night watching a number of packed rubber dinghies whose passengers the ship was unable to assist because of its own overcrowding. "Hour 40 of ongoing rescues & crisis management for #Phoenix crew. They are still waiting for help to arrive; and we have lost all words #Med" The voice that is often missing from the discussion is often that of the migrants themselves. On Sunday, 649 people rescued in a number of operations by the MSF Prudence arrived in Reggio Calabria. Among them were men with gunshot wounds from traffickers and women who were tortured, according to rescuers at the scene. At the port, a group of teenage Nigerian boys who had arrived as unaccompanied minors by way of sea rescues earlier this year waited at the shore to see if their missing family members were among the arrivals. When asked if the charity boats made a difference in their decision to make the dangerous crossing, they had no idea what was meant by the question. "The gun to my head made the difference," a young man called Caleb said after describing how he was forced onto a rubber dinghy late one night and losing sight of his father. "We don't have a lot of choices. We are just lucky we got out of Libya alive." Barbie Latza Nadeau is a CNN contributor, the Rome bureau chief for The Daily Beast, and the author of an upcoming book about sex trafficking of Nigerian women and girls to Italy.

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Story highlightsPaintings by Czech artist Emil Filla stolen in audacious theft from collection near PragueFour works worth between $2 million and $4 million taken from castle at PerucPainter's popularity is growing among local and international art collectors.Filla was once a contemporary of Picasso and Braque, exhibited across Europe and in U.S. He may be one of the most sought-after painters you have never heard of, but Emil Filla's name is doing the rounds of newsrooms and international art-loss registers following an audacious theft of his works from a collection in the Czech Republic. Four oil paintings by the Czech Cubist artist, who lived from 1882 until 1953, were stolen on November 18 from a collection at a castle in Peruc, northwest of Prague. The works, which date from the 1920s to the 1940s, are estimated to be worth between 50 million and 80 million Czech crowns (approximately $2.6 million and $4.2 million) according to the Art Newspaper. A spokesperson for the Art Loss Register, an international database of stolen and missing works of art and antiquities, confirmed the works were still registered as stolen on their database. Chris Marinello, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Art Loss Register, said that if any of the paintings were offered to the register's subscribing auction houses, they would be notified immediately. "Either they are recovered relatively quickly or they will go underground and won't resurface for years," he said. The theft comes as interest in Filla's work is rising both in the Czech Republic and abroad. In November, a painting by the artist dating from 1911 and entitled "Utesitel" ("Comforter" in English) was sold at an auction in Prague for 12 million Czech crowns (approximately $640,000), according to Galerie Art Praha, which staged the auction.A spokesperson for the gallery told CNN Filla is undoubtedly "a major figure" in avant-garde European painting, having exhibited across Europe and even in the U.S. between World Wars I and II, but has not had much exposure over the last 50 years. All that is changing, according to Czech art historian Vojtech Lahoda. "Even though there are more collectors of Filla from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, there are more and more foreign collectors (interested in his work)," he said. The reason may be down to his famous contemporaries, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and Guillaume Apollinaire, whom Filla knew when he lived in Paris before World War I and who inspired him to adopt their Cubist style. According to Lahoda, his work presents "the other face of Cubism, something that is very parallel (to French Cubism) but also different," and therefore increasingly sought-after by collectors of work from that style and period. "It's very difficult to buy the original Cubist works of Picasso and Braque from the 1910s but you can still buy Filla's works from those years," said Lahoda. Though he cannot say whether the theft of Filla's paintings from the collection in Peruc is related to his recent upswing in popularity, Lahoda believes it may have been an opportunistic heist, with the thieves taking advantage of the collection's reportedly limited security. "The Peruc case is a very strange one, because the paintings that were stolen are known, they were published in catalogs and journals, so I would say they are publicly unsellable," he said, echoing Marinello's fears they may go underground. Works by the artist are currently on display as part of an exhibition on Czech Modernism at the Gallery of Visual Art in Ostrava, Czech Republic, entitled "Black Suns: Reverse Side of Modernity 1927--1945.""If you want a good collection of Czech modern art from the 1920s and 30s, you can't miss (Filla)," said Lahoda.

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(CNN)US track and field star Sha'Carri Richardson has been suspended for one month from the Olympic team after testing positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced on Friday."The rules are clear, but this is heartbreaking on many levels; hopefully, her acceptance of responsibility and apology will be an important example to us all that we can successfully overcome our regrettable decisions, despite the costly consequences of this one to her," said USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart in a press release.I am human— Sha'Carri Richardson (@itskerrii) July 1, 2021 Richardson appeared on NBC's TODAY show on Friday morning and said: "I just want to take responsibility for my actions, I know what I did, I know what I'm supposed to do, I'm allowed not to do and I still made that decision. I'm not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my case."Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and featuresRichardson had booked her spot at the Tokyo Olympics with a runaway victory in the women's 100m at the US Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon last month. Due to the positive test, her Olympic trials results were automatically disqualified and she will not be allowed to participate in her signature 100m race at the Tokyo Olympics later this month.Read MoreIt's unclear whether Richardson will miss the Games altogether. She may still be eligible to compete in another event besides the 100m, such as the 4x100m relay. CNN has reached out to Team USA for clarity.Friday's USADA statement reads: "Richardson's competitive results obtained on June 19, 2021, including her Olympic qualifying results at the Team Trials, have been disqualified, and she forfeits any medals, points, and prizes. Beyond the one-month sanction, athlete eligibility for the Tokyo Games is determined by the USOPC and/or USA Track & Field eligibility rules."Richardson celebrates winning the 100m final at the US Olympic trials.READ: Asked about protesting if she reaches Olympic podium, Gwen Berry says, 'We'll see'Richardson cited finding out from a reporter that her biological mother had passed away as part of the reason she consumed marijuana, saying: "I was just thinking it would be a normal interview and then on the interview to hear that information come from a complete stranger, it was definitely triggering, it was nerve shocking because it's like who are you to tell me that?"From there just blinded by emotions, blinded by bad news, blinded by just hiding hurt, honestly for the fact that I can't hide myself, so at least in some type of way, I was trying to hide my pain."The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the USADA label cannabis as a banned substance as it "poses a health risk to athletes, has the potential to enhance performance and violates the spirit of sport.""Everything I do comes from me naturally. No steroid(s). No anything. This incident was about marijuana. After my sanctions are up, I'll be back and able to compete and every single time I step on the track I'll be ready to compete for whatever anti-doping agency to come and get what it is that they need," Richardson concluded."Sha'Carri Richardson's situation is incredibly unfortunate and devastating for everyone involved," USA Track and Field said in a statement. "Athlete health and well-being continue to be one of USATF's most critical priorities and we will work with Sha'Carri to ensure she has ample resources to overcome any mental health challenges now and in the future."CNN's Aleks Klosok and Jill Martin contributed to reporting.

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Story highlightsUruguay thrash Jordan 5-0 in their World Cup qualification playoff first legClass tells for world's sixth best team against Middle East minnowsPSG's Edinson Cavani on scoresheet as Uruguay take big step towards BrazilMexico thrash New Zealand 5-1 in first leg of their World Cup playoffIt took Jordan two years, two group stages and a full 18 games to get to the brink of their first ever World Cup finals.The country had reached fever pitch, salivating at the prospect of their small Arab kingdom securing a place in Brazil alongside the world's best soccer-playing nations.Standing in their way were Uruguay, 1950 World Cup winners and ranked as the sixth best team on the planet, brimming with world class talent like Liverpool's Luis Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani.But though the team known as 'Al-Nashama', which translates as 'The Brave Gentlemen', battled gamely in the first leg of their playoff in front of their reigning monarch King Abdullah, the dream is all but over.Read: Egyptian footballer banned for celebrationUruguay ran out 5-0 winners in Amman, delighting their small pocket of fans who made the journey from South America, meaning the mother of all footballing miracles will be needed if Jordan are to qualify.JUST WATCHEDShould injured players keep playing?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShould injured players keep playing? 03:45JUST WATCHEDAmerican coach helping Iran to the World CupReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAmerican coach helping Iran to the World Cup 03:06JUST WATCHEDSoccer clubs to strike over tax hikeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSoccer clubs to strike over tax hike 03:17Still, a portion of their deflated supporters stayed behind after the final whistle to applaud the opposition, whose superior quality told in goals from Maxi Pereira, Christian Stuani, Nicolás Lodeiro, Cristian Rodriguez and Cavani.Jordan started well, Odai Al Saify nearly sneaking a shot inside the near post of Uruguay goalkeeper Martín Silva, but the home side were soon on the back foot.The deadlock was broken on 22 minutes when Pereira, who plays in Portugal for Benfica, tapped home from close range after Cavani's header had been parried by Jordanian goalkeeper Abdulla al-Zubi.The second wasn't far behind as Stuani steered a low shot into the net after poor defending allowed a cross to fall to the striker, who plys his club trade for Espanyol in Spain.After the interval, Jordan fashioned their best chance of the game but Ibrahim al-Zawareh missed the target from close range after Shareef Adnan's inviting cross.Lodeiro made it three on 69 minutes, sweeping home after good work from Cavani and Rodriguez grabbed a fourth moments later with a crisp volley from inside the area.Jordan's misery was complete in time added on as Cavani got the goal his performance warranted, arrowing a free kick from 25 yards into the top corner.The return leg is in Montevideo next Wednesday but Jordan will travel to South America in the knowledge that their first World Cup appearance is set to elude them again.Mexico joyMexico are odds on to join Uruguay in Brazil after they took a commanding 5-1 lead in their playoff with New Zealand.There was a real fear among the country's football mad fans that Mexico might miss out on the World Cup for the first time since 1990, and they had to rely on other results going their way even to make the playoffs.Coach Miguel Herrera was their fourth in five qualification matches but his decision to overlook star names like Manchester United's Javier Hernandez in favor of those who play in Mexico's domestic league paid off.Two goals from Oribe Peralta and further strikes from Raúl Jiménez, Paul Aguilar and Rafael Márquez put Mexico into a five-goal lead before Chris James grabbed a consolation goal for the Kiwis.The return leg takes place in New Zealand next Tuesday.

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Story highlightsMore than 1 million migrants have entered Europe this year, the International Organization for Migration saysThe vast majority have come through Greece and via the seaMore migrants entered Europe across the Mediterranean in October than in all of 2014 (CNN)The number of migrants who have entered Europe by sea and land this year has passed 1 million, the International Organization for Migration said Tuesday.It said that as of Monday, taking into account the latest updates, there had been 1,005,504 "irregular arrivals" into Europe in 2015.The figures show that the vast majority -- 971,289 -- have come by sea over the Mediterranean. Another 34,215 have crossed from Turkey into Bulgaria and Greece by land.Among those traveling by sea, 3,695 are known to have drowned or remain missing as they attempted to cross the sea on unseaworthy boats, according to IOM figures. That's a rate of more than 10 deaths each day this year.JUST WATCHED1 million refugees reach Europe in 2015ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH1 million refugees reach Europe in 2015 04:34One in every two of those crossing the Mediterranean this year -- half a million people -- were Syrians escaping the grinding, four-year civil war in their homeland. Read MoreMore than 4 million Syrians have fled the conflict, creating the worst refugee crisis seen in 25 years, according to the United Nations.Afghans accounted for 20% of the migrant flow, and Iraqis 7%.FULL COVERAGE: Europe's migration crisisA 'manageable' crisisThe startling human tide has presented European leaders, already grappling with the Eurozone debt crisis, with a fresh challenge -- one that has created political rifts and thrown the European goal of border-free travel into question.IOM Director General William Lacy Swing said the numbers were significant, but not unmanageable."The numbers are important, but there's also a recognition that they're going into a population area of 550 million," he told CNN. "If there were not a crisis of solidarity and leadership within the European Union, whereby others would follow the very important, courageous and visionary leadership of (German) Chancellor (Angela) Merkel and open their doors, then dispersed among 28 countries, it would have been much more manageable."Germany, the most economically powerful country in the European Union, has led the way in extending a welcome to migrants, becoming the destination of choice for many entering Europe. The country is set to take in more than a million asylum seekers this year, considerably more than any other country in the European Union, and has set aside more than $6 billion to help feed and house the new arrivals. But where Merkel has opened doors, other European leaders have put up fences. Unequal burdenSwing contrasted Europe's migrant burden with that of Syria's neighbors, who were accommodating most of the 4 million refugees from the conflict."Turkey is now the largest refugee-hosting country in the world, with close to 2.5 million," he said."Lebanon, with a population of less than 5 million, is hosting more than a million, and water-poor Jordan is giving 10 million liters of water every day to the million in their refugee camps.""You cannot have unbroken simultaneous conflict from the western bulge of Africa to the Himalayas without expecting that a lot of people will be heading north, and obviously the resolution of the Syrian conflict is key to everything here," he said.READ MORE: Refugee crisis: What happened in 2015 and what's aheadDeadliest routeThe numbers of migrants into Europe have exploded in 2015 as an unprecedented surge of people have fled wars, persecution and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.More than 970,000 migrants have entered Europe by crossing the Mediterranean so far this year, dwarfing the 219,000 who made the same crossing in 2014, according to the United Nations.JUST WATCHEDMore than 1 million refugees reach Europe in 2015ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMore than 1 million refugees reach Europe in 2015 02:02More people -- 221,000 -- crossed the Mediterranean in October of 2015, the busiest month for migration into Europe, than in the whole of 2014. The Mediterranean, where nearly 3,700 people died this year, has become "the deadliest route for migrants on our planet," Swing has said. At least 11 more, including three children, died Tuesday when their boat capsized while making the perilous journey from Turkey to Greece, Turkey's semiofficial Anadolu Agency reported. By contrast, there have been 6,029 deaths between 1998 and 2013 along the second-deadliest border: the one between the United States and Mexico, the International Organization for Migration said.Deaths are also commonplace along land routes into Europe. In August, Austrian authorities found the bodies of 71 migrants, believed to be from Syria, who had suffocated in a truck abandoned along a highway.More than 80% through GreeceThe overwhelming majority of migrants -- 821,008, or 81.6% -- arrived in Europe in Greece, the IOM said. The second-highest number of arrivals -- 150,317 -- were in Italy, with the remainder in Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus and Malta, in that order.According to an IOM statement released this month, the top five nationalities arriving in Greece were from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Albania.The top five nationalities arriving in Italy were Eritrean, Nigerian, Somalian, Sudanese and Syrian, the IOM said, citing figures from the Italian Interior Ministry.Eritreans are running from a life of repression and abject poverty, fleeing "one of the poorest countries in the world and a closed and highly securitized state under an authoritarian government," according to a report by the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat in Nairobi last year. Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants wear identification bracelets aboard a Norwegian ship during a search-and-rescue mission off the Libyan coast on Tuesday, September 1. Europe is in the midst of a migration crisis. Desperate men and women, often with children in tow, are fleeing wars and poverty to find a better life on the continent. But their voyages, both on land and on sea, can be dangerous and sometimes deadly.Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisHide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisThe body of a drowned migrant remains on a shore in Zuwara, Libya. In the last week, two boats carrying hundreds of people capsized near Zuwara, killing at least 84, officials said.Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA migrant shouts at Macedonian police officers while trying to cross Greece's northern border into Macedonia. About 1,500 migrants were waiting to cross the border.Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA young girl from Iraq waits for registration with her family outside the main station in Munich, Germany. Hundreds of migrants are arriving every day.Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants sit outside the main station in Munich as they wait for their chance to register.Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA group of refugees continues its journey through Hungary after crossing the Serbian border.Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisSyrian refugees walk across railways tracks next to the Serbian town of Horgos to cross the border and enter Hungary.Hide Caption 8 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants sit in a police bus in Pocking, Germany, after making their way to the country from Austria.Hide Caption 9 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants from Afghanistan drink tea at a Paris school where they found shelter.Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisA migrant sleeps on a sidewalk in Berlin near the reception center for refugees and asylum seekers.Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisMigrants walk on a rocky beach in Ventimiglia, Italy, where they set up camp near the French border.Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: 24 hours of Europe's migration crisisRefugee children sleep near a railway station in Budapest, Hungary.Hide Caption 13 of 13European responseEuropean leaders have hashed out a plan to resettle 160,000 refugees. But a massive gap remains between what they have pledged to do and what remains to be done.And public sentiment toward the migrants remains mixed across the continent. A photograph of a drowned 3-year-old Syrian Kurdish boy on a Turkish beach triggered an international wave of public sympathy for migrants. But subsequent events, such as the revelation that one of the Paris attackers entered Europe alongside Syrian migrants landing in Greece, have helped cool goodwill and have boosted the fortunes of far-right political movements.France's anti-immigration National Front party won an unprecedented 27% in a nationwide vote in regional elections this month.JUST WATCHEDRefugees flee to Greek islandReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRefugees flee to Greek island 02:12U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said that in the face of rising anti-migrant sentiment, it was "important to recognize the positive contributions that refugees and migrants make to the societies in which they live and also honor core European values: protecting lives, upholding human rights and promoting tolerance and diversity."Swing, meanwhile, accused the West of having "refugee amnesia." "We must remember that our organization and the U.N. High Commission for Refugees were created in 1951 precisely to take Europeans ravaged by the Second World War to safe shores in Canada, the U.S., Australia and elsewhere," he said."If we are creative in using our visa policies to give temporary protective status to everyone so there is a measure of support there ... then I think it is a manageable proposition," he said.The number of people coming from North Africa across the Mediterranean into Italy dropped slightly this year, from 170,000 in 2014 to around 150,000.READ MORE: Refugees' unanswerable questionsCNN's Diana Magnay, Maggie Lake and Zeynep Bilginsoy contributed to this report.

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(CNN)The Argentina national team paid tribute to Diego Maradona in its first match since his death, unveiling a five-meter [16.4-foot] statue and wearing his image on their shirts ahead of kick-off.Maradona, an Argentine icon and widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, died after suffering heart failure in November last year.In the fifth round of fixtures in South American World Cup qualifying, Argentina and Chile played out a 1-1 draw in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, with Alexis Sanchez's goal canceling out Lionel Messi's penalty.A 16-foot-5-inch tall statue of late football legend Diego Maradona is unveiled at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades."It [the match] is special, since it was the first without Diego," Messi told reporters after the game. "It would have been nice if there were people in the stadium to pay tribute to him, but what is happening in the country and worldwide is complex. We wanted the win and to represent the national team as Maradona used to do."Read MoreREAD: Diego Armando Maradona -- The tormented genius who became one of football's greatest playersLeo Messi celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Chile.Ahead of kick-off, the national team and the federation president were present for the unveiling of the new Maradona statue outside the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, where Chile and Argentina played on Thursday.As the teams lined up on the pitch before the match, the players wore images of Maradona on their shirts with the year of his birth -- 1960 -- and the infinity symbol in place of the year of his death. READ: Seven medical professionals charged with homicide after investigation into Diego Maradona's deathChile players celebrate Alexis Sanchez's equalizer.The draw meant Argentina missed the chance to climb above Brazil at the top of the standings, while Chile remains in seventh.

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Story highlightsManchester City captain Vincent Kompany has played 127 times for the club since arriving in 2008Kompany has won the FA Cup and the Premier League with CityHis contract extension is the longest to be given to a City playerLast season Kompany was voted Premier League Player of the SeasonVincent Kompany has signed a new six-year contract with Manchester City -- the longest contract offered to a player in the club's history.It is unusual for players to be offered more than five years for a contract, but the 26-year-old Belgian has been a key figure for City and captained the club to their first league title in 44 years last season."For me if you are good somewhere then there is no reason to look elsewhere. Man City as a project is not just a project of the owners or the people employed by the club; it is also my project," Kompany told the club's website."I have been here since the beginning and I have seen everything at the club change inside and out," added Kompany, who joined the club in 2008 from Hamburg SV for $9.25m."It is good to know that I can be at City for another six years. It is a compliment that the club feels so highly of me."JUST WATCHEDFans celebrate Man City's sweet revengeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFans celebrate Man City's sweet revenge 00:47Using Facebook to bounty-hunt football's 'disappeared' playersThe Belgian international, who was captain when City won the FA Cup in 2011, was selected in the Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year last season, alongside teammates David Silva, Joe Hart and Yaya Toure.JUST WATCHEDFans celebrate Manchester City's big winReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFans celebrate Manchester City's big win 03:23"Our title win was amazing and one of the best feelings ever for us and the fans," said Kompany, reflecting on City's Premier League triumph, that was only confirmed in stoppage-time after Sergio Aguero's winner in the 3-2 victory against QPR. Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city dividedHow Battle of Manchester was won – On a day of high drama and emotion, the blue half of Manchester was left to celebrate as Manchester City pipped their city rivals to the title. Click on for the highlights ...Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided20 mins: Manchester United, relying on City to slip up against QPR, score first through Wayne Rooney in their must-win match at Sunderland. Advantage United!Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided39 mins: Back in Manchester, Pablo Zabaleta puts City back in the driving seat as Paddy Kenny fails to keep his shot out. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided48 minutes: A terrible mistake from Joleon Lescott allows Djibril Cisse (center) to race through and equalize for QPR. Advantage well and truly with United!Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided54 minutes: With City looking shell-shocked, QPR captain Joey Barton is sent off after a clash with Carlos Tevez. Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided66 mins: Unbelievable! Jamie Mackie (3rd from left) puts 10-man QPR 2-1 ahead after a rare counter attack. Classic smash and grab -- the City players can't believe it. Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided92 minutes: With time added on City grab a lifeline through substitute Edin Dzeko (right). But City need to win. United have beaten Sunderland 1-0!Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided95 minutes: City have done it! Argentina striker Sergio Aguero is mobbed by teammates after scoring the winner with seconds to go in injury time.Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city dividedCity manager Roberto Mancini (center) runs to greet his jubilant players after their breathtaking victory.Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city dividedVictorious captain Vincent Kompany holds aloft the Premiership trophy ...Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: Celebration and heartache: A city divided... while United players look dejected as the result from Manchester filters through.Hide Caption 11 of 11"That last game against QPR will be a very special part of City's history for the next 50 or 100 years but now is the time to look forward.""We have laid the foundations and now we want to win more. If we do that then we can be one of the most successful clubs for a long time to come and that is the aim."

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(CNN)A nearly three-week protest in Ottawa over mandated Covid-19 precautions in Canada may be approaching its end as police tell demonstrators to either leave immediately or face legal consequences. "The action is imminent," said Steve Bell, Ottawa Police Service interim chief. "In the past few days, we have been communicating directly with the unlawful protestors. We have told them they must leave, and we have warned them the consequences of disobeying these rules."Officers began erecting barriers and fencing throughout the capital city's downtown core Thursday in an effort to clear the area of demonstrators, according to a series of tweets from Bell. The secured area encompasses most of Ottawa's downtown and is far larger than the protest footprint to date.Protesters and supporters gather to listen to speakers on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Ottawa."Only those with lawful reason to enter the core, such as residents, businesses, and others with lawful reasons, will be allowed in the area," the chief said. "The unlawful protesters must leave the area and will not be provided access."Bell's statement was an attempt to assure residents that the city was restoring order by removing vehicles and people that are blocking traffic.Read More"We know you have been through a lot and we are committed to returning your streets back (to) normal," he told residents. "We know that the increased police presence may be distressing to some. They are here to keep you safe and complete our mission."Fact check: Strong majority of Canadians oppose convoy protests, poll after poll findsMany demonstrators have vowed to hold out for as long as necessary, and the federal government has moved to enact emergency powers to freeze financial support of the protests despite opposition in Parliament.During a news conference, Bell was asked about a timeline for removing protesters and concerns regarding demonstrations over the weekend."What I can tell you is this weekend will look very different from the past three weekends," he said. Bell maintained that authorities would like the protests to end peacefully and that they've considered "many different circumstances that could exist within the footprint of the demonstration and in and around it, and we're actually planning for several different eventualities.""We want people to peacefully leave," the chief said. "But I can tell you that if they do not peacefully leave, we have plans, strategies and tactics to be able to get them to leave." Beginning with a group of truckers arriving in Ottawa in late January objecting to a vaccine mandate, the protest has morphed into a general airing of grievances against all Covid-19 safety protocols. The incessant noise, shutting down of area businesses and reports of hate crimes and vandalism by protesters have exacerbated the nerves of many residents.Snow falls around a demonstrator waving a flag outside parliament in Ottawa on February 17, 2022.Following criticism for the prolonged situation and the recent stepping down of the chief, Ottawa police said in a statement Wednesday that anyone coming to the capital to join the protest could have their vehicles seized. A charge or conviction "may lead to denial in crossing the USA border," the statement said.The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa, a nonprofit organization that gets funding from the Ontario government, is urging demonstrators to make care arrangements for their children as police move forward with ending the protest. "If parents and children are separated following police efforts in ending the demonstration in the downtown core, CASO will work to reunite families as soon as possible," the organization said in a statement.The latest moves from police come as border crossing blockades along the Canadian-US border have winded down this week. There were no delays at the Emerson checkpoint in Manitoba Thursday morning, according to the Canadian Border Services Agency's website, after the peaceful departure of protesters Wednesday ended the last remaining border disruption. No one was charged, no vehicles were towed and no injuries occurred, officials said. Conservatives object to emergency powersAs authorities work to clear demonstrations in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan to invoke the Emergencies Act to end the protest and cut off the financial support is being criticized by opposition leadership in Parliament. Candice Bergen, interim leader of the Conservative Party, said Wednesday the party won't be supporting a motion by the federal government to use those powers, according to CNN newsgathering partner CTV.Bergen said Trudeau didn't do enough to bring an end to the demonstrations before invoking the act, CTV reported.Traveling to Canada during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go"The first act that he does when he has a chance to do something -- he doesn't go through step one, two, three -- he goes straight to 100 and invokes the Emergencies Act," Bergen told CTV News. "I don't think anything that we will see will change our mind, we will be opposing it."The act, passed in 1988 and never utilized before, can temporarily suspend citizens' rights to free movement or assembly. It can also provide for the use of the military, but Trudeau has said this would not be necessary.Trudeau defended his decision to invoke the Emergencies Act during an address to Parliament on Thursday. "We did it to protect families and small businesses. To protect jobs and the economy. We did it because the situation could not be dealt with under any other law in Canada," Trudeau said. "For the good of all Canadians, the illegal blockades and occupations have to stop, and the borders have to remain open." The Prime Minister told Parliament that about half of the funding for the demonstrations is being supported by people in the United States. "These illegal blockades are being heavily supported by individuals in the United States and from elsewhere around the world," he said. "We see that roughly half of the funding that is flowing to the barricaders here is coming from the United States. The goal of all measures, including financial measures in the Emergencies Act, is to deal with the current threat only and to get the situation fully under control." To invoke powers under the Emergencies Act, the government must propose a motion in the House and Senate explaining why federal officials need the powers and specifying what actions will be taken, then both the House and Senate must confirm the motions, according to CTV.Debate on the House motion was to begin Thursday and a vote will be held soon, said Government House Leader Mark Holland, a member of Trudeau's Liberal Party.Trudeau said invoking the act "is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples' jobs and restoring faith in our institutions."Trucks parked on Wellington Street, in front of Parliament Hill, during a demonstration in Ottawa, Ontario, Wednesday.4 charged with conspiracy to commit murder at Alberta protestWhile the Ottawa shutdown is ongoing and the Manitoba blockade dissolved without confrontation, authorities who ended other border demonstrations earlier this week were met with some resistance.Police in Ontario announced the arrest of up to 30 protesters while clearing out a blockade Sunday in Windsor, near the Ambassador Bridge, a critical link for US and Canadian commerce that connects to Detroit. Ottawa police chief is leaving his post, city officials say amid ongoing protestsPolice seized five protester vehicles Sunday and seven vehicles were towed Saturday, according to Windsor Police Chief Pamela Mizuno. In Coutts, Alberta, police obtained a warrant and searched three trailers Monday associated with a small, organized group within a larger protest at the Alberta-Montana border. More than a dozen firearms, multiple sets of body armor and a large quantity of ammunition and high-capacity magazines were seized, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. Four people have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the Coutts border blockade, the RCMP said Tuesday. Other charges include possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000, police said. "Monday's weapons seizure and subsequent arrests speak to the serious criminal activities taking place during this protest and illegal blockade," Alberta RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki said in a video statement issued Tuesday. "The dangerous, criminal activity occurring away from the TV cameras and social media posts was real and organized, and it could have been deadly for citizens, protesters and officers." Workers in Michigan could lose up to $51 million in wages this week because of trucker protest, group estimatesNine other people were arrested and charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000. The crossing, which connects Coutts with Sweet Grass, Montana, is now open, Zablocki said."I am happy to share with Albertans that the border is fully open, traffic is moving through smoothly and all protestors have moved out of the area," he said. "We are maintaining a presence at this time to ensure the border remains a safe passageway for Albertans." CNN's Jenn Selva, Chris Boyette, Artemis Moshtaghian, Miguel Marquez, Kelly McCleary, Holly Yan, Raja Razek and Steve Almasy contributed to this report.

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(CNN)The Rugby World Cup was not yet five minutes old and Japan was staring at a nightmare. The host looked rattled. The players appeared gripped by stage fright. Even before the expectant crowd in Tokyo had got comfortable, Japan was 7-0 down to low-ranking Russia.Was the famous upset over the South African Springboks four years ago merely a one-off? Would the host disappear without trace in its own tournament? Would the 240 days in camp together have been in vain as the Brave Blossoms wilted under the brightest lights?Despite the disappointing start, the answer has been emphatically "no" as Japan has lit up the tournament with its stunning brand of power and pace.The players roused from their early daze to swat aside Russia 30-10. They were resolute in a historic 19-12 triumph over an Irish unit that had arrived in Japan as the world No.1 team. They registered a bonus-point 38-19 win over Samoa and were scintillating against Scotland in the game of the tournament, running out 28-21 winners to top the group and qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time in its history.READ: Japan, a day after Typhoon Hagibis, reaches first rugby World Cup quarterfinalRead MoreJapan was scintillating against Scotland. Here Kenki Fukuoka charges towards the try line.'A tier-one nation'South Africa awaits again in the next round. Four years ago the "Miracle of Brighton," as Japan's 34-32 victory came to be known, sent a seismic shock around the rugby world. Now, no one should be surprised by the quality of this Japanese team. For Jean de Villiers, the man who captained the Springboks on that day, the Brave Blossoms are where they belong. "They're a top tier-one nation as far as I'm concerned," de Villiers, who played 109 times for South Africa, told CNN. "They deserve respect and can go toe-to-toe with any other team. They're strong up front, they have brilliant backs, are well coached and they're playing for their country with passion."Japan's game against Scotland was a doubt until the morning of kick-off because of the threat of Typhoon Hagibis, which has killed 72 people with the death toll expected to rise. A sports event will always seem trivial when compared to such tragedies, but de Villiers noted how struggle can be a galvanizing force for both spectators and players."We saw how the All Blacks responded after the Christchurch earthquakes [in 2011] and went on to win the World Cup on home soil," he said. "Something similar happened in South Africa in 1995 [where the Springboks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup a year after the fall of apartheid]. Playing for a higher purpose can spur teams on."READ: Japan's South African stalwart Pieter Labuschagne drives strength in diversityREAD: Japanese superfan turns body into canvas for World CupSpectators observe a moment of silence ahead the match between Japan and Scotland in memory of the victims of Typhoon Hagibis that ripped through wide areas of Japan the previous day. 'Formidable team'This makes Japan a dangerous opponent and one that South Africa's coach Rassie Erasmus will not be underestimating. "You can see they are aligned in their game plan," Erasmus told reporters Monday. "As a unit, they are just really a formidable team."South Africa has already beaten Japan once this year. In a World Cup warm-up match in September, the Springboks ran out 41-7 winners."That game was to erase the Brighton game," Erasmus said. "It's 1-1 and now we go into a quarterfinal against a really tough team. That game is in the past now."Rugby World Cup 2019 in picturesView the latest Rugby World Cup news, feature stories, photos and videos on CNN.com.JUST WATCHEDGwijo squad confronts apartheid legacyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHGwijo squad confronts apartheid legacy 01:44That, and the growing capabilities of this Japanese team, is good news for de Villiers, who confessed to feeling a little more secure about presiding over his nation's most humiliating defeat."I think we have more perspective now," de Villiers said. "History has shown that when Japan beat us, it was the start of a process and not just a major upset without any context. Yes, it still hurts, but we can now see that they are no longer minnows."Strength in diversityBeating South Africa again would constitute an even greater achievement for Japan. Despite swashbuckling through the group stage, it will need to raise its game even higher against the imposing Springbok pack. In this respect, the omens are good.When Japan took the lead against Ireland and Scotland, the Europeans reverted to a forwards heavy approach in order to batter a direct path to the try line. There is a hard-to-eradicate theory in rugby that bigger equals better, but wave after wave of inept attacks broke on immovable Japanese defenders.Jean de Villiers represented South Africa 109 times and was captain of the Springboks when Japan secured a famous win at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. "Size doesn't matter when it comes to technique," said the 6 foot 3 inch, 230-pound de Villiers. "We saw in the scrums how the smaller Japanese props made life uncomfortable for the bigger Scots and Irish. They tackle ferociously and recycle the ball as well as anyone in the collision."But, as de Villiers said, the Springbok pack is a different animal and will march into the quarterfinal with a reputation to uphold. South African teams have traditionally relied on brute strength and aggression.Japan will therefore lean heavily on its imports. With 16 players hailing from foreign shores, and the squad of 31 encompassing seven different nationalities, it is the most diverse group in the competition.READ: 'They feel they can win': George Gregan on Japan's World Cup hopesREAD: A nation united in belief as host Japan secures famous victoryJUST WATCHEDHow deadly Typhoon Hagibis devastated JapanReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHow deadly Typhoon Hagibis devastated Japan 01:29Captain Michael Leitch (New Zealand) and Pieter Labuschagne (South Africa) have added muscle in the loose forwards, while James Moore (Australia) and Luke Thompson (New Zealand) have brought height in the line-out. "Their diversity is their strength," de Villiers said. "No matter what happens on Sunday, this group of players can be proud of what they've achieved. They will no doubt inspire future generations of Japanese fans."It was a surprise when Japan beat South Africa four years ago. It was a surprise when it beat two established tier-one nations to progress to the quarterfinals at this World Cup. Japan now registers as a sizable blip on world rugby's radar. No one is surprised anymore.

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(CNN)Biden administration officials have privately urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to leave Ukraine and visit Munich on Saturday given concerns about a possible incursion from Russia, according to three US officials and one senior Ukrainian official.Some US officials are concerned that him leaving the country could open the door for Russia to make false claims that he has fled. While officials haven't explicitly asked Zelensky not to make the trip -- and have been careful to make it clear that it's up to him -- those concerns have been communicated, one of the officials said. Top US officials have been publicly sounding the alarm that an invasion from Russia into Ukraine is "imminent," saying evidence shows that Russia has continued amassing forces and equipment at Ukraine's border, despite Moscow's claims it is withdrawing troops. President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday that the US believes Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine "in the coming week" or sooner. Asked if it would then be wise for Zelensky to leave his country, Biden said "that's a judgment" for the Ukrainian leader to make. "In the pursuit of a diplomatic solution, it may -- may be the wise choice. But it's his decision," the President said at the White House, adding that he's spoken to Zelensky at least a dozen times.Read MoreAsked earlier if any US officials had communicated concerns directly to Zelensky, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said she was "not going to detail any private conversations." Psaki, however, did add that it was conveyed privately what Biden administration officials have said publicly: The decision was Zelensky's to make. The senior Ukrainian official said concerns were raised that conflict could break out at any moment and air travel may be disrupted.Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak, when asked to confirm concerns were raised, told CNN the "diplomatic frontline is just as important today as the frontline in the Donbas.""A fairly representative delegation from the United States, including Vice President (Kamala) Harris, and many European political actors are also expected to attend," Podoliak said. "It is quite natural that the Ukrainian authorities should not only be present at the key event of the diplomatic frontline, but also participate in the relevant discussions." "But our position is simple: The fate of Ukraine should be decided by Ukraine, and not by anyone behind Ukraine's back. At the moment, the situation in the east of the country is completely under control, and any pauses in work on the diplomatic frontline would be unmotivated," Podoliak added. As of now, Zelensky is scheduled to meet with Harris and US lawmakers, who are in Munich for the security conference.Biden on Friday also announced that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet on February 24 in Europe -- but added that the talks wouldn't proceed if an invasion of Ukraine takes place before then."Russia can still choose diplomacy. It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table," Biden said at the White House, adding, "But if Russia takes military action before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy. They will have chosen war and they will pay a steep price for doing so."The US State Department confirmed Thursday that Blinken accepted a meeting with Lavrov "provided there is no further Russian invasion of Ukraine."This story has been updated with additional developments Friday.CNN's Veronica Stracqualursi, Kevin Liptak and Sam Fossum contributed to this report.

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Paris (CNN)A former security aide to French President Emmanuel Macron has been placed in custody as part of an investigation into his use of diplomatic passports, the Paris prosecutor's office told CNN on Thursday.Alexandre Benalla was fired from Macron's office in July last year after being filmed beating up a May Day protester.He is currently under investigation for the "illegal use of a document certifying a professional position" and "forgery and use of forgery," the prosecutor's office said.Macron's chief of staff, Patrick Strzoda, on Wednesday testified at a Senate hearing that Benalla had used his diplomatic passports about 20 times between August 1 and December 31, 2018. Strzoda also said Benalla had used a fake document with the letterhead of the President's chief of staff to request his second service passport.French President Emmanuel Macron leaves his house dressed for tennis with his then-deputy chief of staff Alexandre Benalla in June 2017.Read MoreBenalla used the passports on business trips to Africa, including to Chad, senators heard. Speaking to Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper in recent weeks, Benalla said he had gained no improper benefit from the use of the passports."I may have been wrong to use these passports," Benalla said in a December 30 interview. "But I did it only for personal comfort, to make it easier for me to travel in airports. I did not use them for my business, and I do not see what they could have done for me."Benalla also told the newspaper that he had returned his diplomatic passports to the Elysée Palace at the end of August but that they were given back to him with other personal effects in early October by "a member of the presidency." "Since they were given back to me, I did not see any reason not to use them." Benalla said.In a separate interview with digital outlet Mediapart, released on December 31, Benalla said he continued to have regular contact with the President on current affairs, such as the "gilets jaunes," or yellow vest, protest movement."They cannot deny it," Benalla told Mediapart. "It will be very hard to do because all these exchanges are on my mobile phone."The judicial inquiry into the May Day incidents is still ongoing, the Paris prosecutor's office said Thursday.

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(CNN)Days after the United States announced financial sanctions and visa restrictions on Ethiopian and Eritrean officials, eyewitnesses told CNN that hundreds of young men were rounded up from displaced peoples camps in Shire, a town in Tigray, late Monday evening.Witnesses speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity described how Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers invaded at least two IDP centers where they beat and harassed Tigrayans displaced by a conflict that is believed to have killed thousands of civilians since November 2020. The soldiers then took hundreds of people away, the witnesses said Four military vehicles first encircled the Adi Wenfito and Tsehay camps, witnesses said, before soldiers began rounding up young men, forcing them onto buses and taking them to a location believed to be on the outskirts of Shire. As the soldiers broke into an abandoned school housing the refugees, witnesses said they shouted, "we'll see if America will save you now!"'Two bullets is enough'"They forced open the door, the men didn't even get a chance to put their shoes on. The soldiers had their guns locked, [ready to shoot]," one witness said.One woman said two of her sons -- aged 19 and 24 -- were dragged from their home at around 9:30 p.m. that night. "They didn't say why they were taking them, they just rounded them up, beat them and took them away," she told CNN, adding that she was too afraid of what would be done to her sons to ask any questions. Read MoreSeveral of the men who were rounded up were released late afternoon on Tuesday, after they identified themselves as aid workers. They told CNN hundreds of young men continue to be detained at the Guna distribution center, an aid and foodstuff storage facility which has now been converted into a military camp. A screenshot from video obtained by CNN shows Ethiopian soldiers addressing families inside the UNHCR compound awaiting word of their loved ones. One man described hours of beatings by Eritrean and Ethiopian soldiers. "Many of us are young but there are people there who are much older who won't be able to withstand the beatings much longer," he said.Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Ghebremeskel denied the reports and dismissed previous CNN reporting, saying, "For how long will you continue to believe at face value any and all 'witness statements' ... We have heard so many planted or false stories."US President Joe Biden said in a statement late Wednesday that he is "deeply concerned by the escalating violence" in Ethiopia and condemned "large-scale human rights abuses taking place in Tigray."Robert Godec, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, said Thursday that if the conflict does not "reverse course," Ethiopia and Eritrea should anticipate "further action" from the US. "It cannot be business as usual in the face of the violence and atrocities in Tigray," Godec said during a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing.Godec stopped short of calling the conflict and humanitarian abuses in the region "war crimes," but said the State Department is conducting a review to determine if the actions in Tigray should be designated as such. UN confirms military forces blocking aid in Ethiopia's Tigray region following CNN investigationThe UN also condemned Thursday what it described as arbitrary and brutal arrests and called for the immediate release of those detained. "International humanitarian and human rights law strictly prohibit the arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment of any person," said Dr. Catherine Sozi, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Ethiopia, in a statement. "Serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law must be promptly investigated, and the perpetrators brought to justice."Elisabeth Haslund, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the agency that works with displaced people, told CNN, "we have also received very disturbing reports that Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers entered IDP sites taking a number of youths into several vehicles. The reports of how many vary from a few hundred up to 700 youths."Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) released a statement on Wednesday that corroborated the eyewitnesses accounts given to CNN. "On Monday night, scores of people were forcibly taken by military from camps where internally displaced people are seeking refuge in Shire," MSF East Africa tweeted. 200 days of violenceThe conflict in Tigray has now raged for over 200 days pitting Tigray's regional leaders, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), against the Ethiopian National Defense Force, Eritrean soldiers and Amhara ethnic militia. From the start of the conflict last year civilians have been targeted by Ethiopian government forces and allied Eritrean and militia forces.This latest incident, however, is a significant escalation in what is described by humanitarian workers and witnesses in Shire as an ongoing, extrajudicial campaign targeting young men perceived to be of "fighting age."'Practically this has been a genocide'Aid agencies estimate the town of Shire has tripled in size, hosting up to 800,000 Tigrayans forced out of their homes in the far west of the region in actions by Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara ethnic militia forces described by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as "ethnic cleansing." Humanitarian workers told CNN Eritrean and Ethiopian soldiers have been blocking a key aid route to Shire for months, restricting supplies even as displaced persons continue to flow into the town.One aid worker told CNN tens of vehicles carrying aid to Shire were turned back on Saturday alone. A CNN team in the region in April was able to capture on camera Eritrean soldiers obstructing aid along this route. CNN has reached out to the Ethiopian Prime Minister's Office and the Eritrean Minister for Information for comment but has not received a response.US sanctions The United States late Sunday evening announced "far reaching" financial sanctions and visa restrictions against Ethiopian, Eritrean, Amhara and TPLF officials it finds to be "complicit" in abuses or obstructing the resolution of the crisis. A State Department spokesperson told CNN the sanctions would be enforced as a "unilateral action" by the US. CNN has sought comment from the State Department on the latest reports from Shire.In a statement the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the US sanctions. Many witnesses see this latest uptick in violence as a statement of defiance in the face of growing international censure.UN rights chief says war crimes may have been committed in Ethiopia after CNN reveals Tigray massacreIn videos sent to CNN on Tuesday morning, which were secretly filmed, desperate parents can be seen gathering in the compound of the local UNHCR office. In one video Ethiopian soldiers can be seen addressing the parents inside the compound.CNN was able to geolocate the videos to a location in the center of Shire by examining the metadata in the raw files and matching key landmarks in the footage to the surroundings, such as the Kholafaa e Rashedeen mosque. The metadata also revealed the date and time the videos were filmed -- May 25, 2021 at around 7:45am local time -- which fits with the direction of the sunlight and the lengths of the shadows in the video, a CNN analysis shows. One of the videos also features an UNHCR logo supporting the accounts. The audio in the video is indistinct but witnesses say parents were told: "We could kill you right here and the UN would do nothing to help but take pictures of you."This story has been updated.Reporting contributed by DJ Judd.

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(CNN)British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave his inaugural address to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday night, just hours after his country's highest court ruled his suspension of Parliament was unlawful.But the embattled Prime Minister did not talk about the ruling nor Brexit, apart from jokingly comparing the process of leaving the European Union to the classical Greek tale of Prometheus having his liver eaten by an eagle for eternity.Instead, Johnson used his speech in New York to talk about the importance of science and technology in advancing society and the modern world. Specifically, he promoted transparency and pluralism in science and tech over "digital authoritarianism" where technology is used for censorship and surveillance."At stake is whether we bequeath an Orwellian world, designed for censorship, repression and control, or a world of emancipation, debate and learning, where technology threatens famine and disease, but not our freedoms," he said. In an at times rambling speech, Johnson promoted the United Kingdom as a global leader in technology and invited the world leaders present to attend a summit next year in London. The as yet unnamed summit would be an opportunity to ensure that "cutting-edge technologies" are designed with the right "safeguards in place to protect our peoples," Johnson promised. How long can Boris Johnson cling onto power for?Read MoreJohnson said he believed "governments have been simply caught unawares by the unintended consequences of the internet," including the use and abuse of people's data. "Your mattress will monitor your nightmares, your fridge beeps for more cheese," he continued, calling data "the crude oil of the modern economy."Noticeably absent from the speech was any talk about climate change or pledges to reduce CO2 emissions, unlike several of his fellow speakers. He said that technology could enable society to "vanquish killer diseases, eliminate famine and protect the environment."Johnson also condemned people who hold and promote anti-science beliefs and brought up the anti-vaccination movement in particular, whom he said were "endangering the children they want to protect.""I totally reject this anti-science pessimism. I am profoundly optimistic about the ability of new technology to serve as a liberator and remake the world wondrously," he said. Greta Thunberg's unforgettable messageHis comments come as measles is making a comeback globally, with the United States, the UK and Europe seeing significant setbacks in eliminating the disease. Recent outbreaks of the potentially fatal disease in various countries have been blamed on the growth of the anti-vaccination movement, which has spread via social media and discourages parents from immunizing their children against measles and other diseases.Before his speech, Johnson met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA. Vaccination skeptics have been associated with Trump's presidential campaign and his administration, though Trump has publicly said child vaccinations were important. Speaking to reporters, Trump played down suggestions that Johnson should resign after he was found to have unlawfully suspended Parliament.Asked how he responded to calls for him to go, Johnson said, "we respect the judiciary in our country," before adding that he disagrees "profoundly" with the Supreme Court's ruling."That was a very nasty question," Trump added when Johnson finished speaking. "I know him well, he's not going anywhere," the President said."No, no, no," Johnson replied. The Prime Minister was set to fly back to the UK after his UN speech, a government source told CNN. There is no information yet if and when he may speak in the House of Commons when it resumes session Wednesday.

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Story highlightsDino Ferrari snaps photos of a 280-pound catfish he says he caught in ItalyIt took him 40 minutes to reel in the fish, according to his sponsor (CNN)Catfish come in all varieties, shapes and sizes, some big and some small.And one downright gigantic, apparently now swimming in a river in Italy. That's the fish story being told by Dino Ferrari, who reeled in a 280-pound (127-kilogram), 8.75-foot-long catfish last Thursday along the Po River, said Davide Valla, who is with Ferrari's sponsor company Sportex. (The sponsored fisherman wouldn't say exactly where he caught the big fellow, choosing to keep his favorite spots secret.)Assuming the world isn't being hooked, this would not be the first time someone has caught a whopper of a catfish and lived to tell the tale. In fact, it wouldn't be the biggest catfish ever caught. That would be a nearly 342-pound lau-lau (or piraiba) type of catfish snared in 2009 in Brazil's Amazon region, according to the International Game Fish Association.Read MoreHeck, it's not even the biggest catfish ever snared in Italy. That honor goes to a 298-pound wels catfish -- which is reportedly the same variety caught by Ferrari -- also from the Po River. And Ferrari didn't necessarily bring his fish in alone, with stories linked from Sportex's Facebook page indicating that twin brother Dario was by his side.One thing that makes the latest Po River catch unique is that it was done with a spinning reel, said Valla, who called it a record for such fishing tackle. It took Ferrari 40 minutes to bring in the fish, then bring it to shore, his sponsor said.Once it was on land, the Ferraris snapped some photos and weighed their catch. But they didn't dig in, savoring it with fresh bread, cheese and a glass of pinot grigio.That's because this fish story has a happy ending for the star of the show: the catfish. According to Valla, Ferrari released his big catch back into the river.Teen hooks massive blue marlin off Hawaii coast

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Story highlightsNFL legend Tom Brady is one of the most successful players in the game today, and still going strong at 40.He describes wife Gisele Bündchen as "one of the best parts of his life". (CNN)Tom Brady's fans call him the G.O.A.T -- that is, the greatest of all time.But love him or loathe him (and plenty do on both sides), his track record speaks for itself.Having played for the New England Patriots since he was drafted into the NFL in 2000, Brady has won more professional games than any other starting quarterback in NFL history -- that's 208, to be exact. Tom Brady takes to the field at Superbowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons in February 2017.Furthermore, he's the only quarterback to have led his team to five Super Bowl victories. And the American's latest win at Super Bowl LI, in Texas, this February, landed him his fourth Super Bowl Most Valuable Player title, surpassing the record of his own childhood hero, Joe Montana.At 40 years old -- an age when other athletes are retired or considering it -- Brady is playing at his best. And he's married to one of the world's most successful supermodels, Brazil's Gisele Bündchen.Read MoreCNN's Talk Asia sat down with the American football legend in Shanghai, during his first trip to China.Hi Tom. You are defying your age. What's the secret?It's really a lifestyle, it's not one thing you can point to. It's not like: 'Wow, if you just eat this way, that will happen.' It's every decision I make ... is centered around how I can be the best possible player I can be. And I really enjoy it ... It requires a little bit of discipline but once you make those disciplined choices, they just become part of your life.Brady celebrates the New England Patriots' win against the Atlanta Falcons at Super Bowl LI in February 2017.Earlier this year, your wife told CBS that you've suffered concussions. Why is so difficult for NFL players to discuss violence in the game?I don't think it's difficult to discuss. I just don't think it's anyone's business as to what's going on with my ankle, or my knees, or my arm, or my head. Those things are personal ... Yes, I do play a contact sport, but I also feel like I take more preventative measures than probably anybody in the world. So I really don't have concerns. I think I've got a great approach to how to take care of my body, it's worked very well ... (I'm) going into my 18th professional season, so you know, it's really not going to change. I've actually gotten better at my physical preparation and every year I feel better on the field.The "Deflategate scandal" -- when your team was accused of deliberately under-inflating balls -- earned you a four-game suspension. How did you come back on top?Well, I think when you've done it for 17 years ... I've had a lot of experiences and I know what's important and I know what's not important and tend to use a very positive outlook in order to shape my own emotions and feelings. I use a lot of things for motivation. So you know, to continue to play takes a lot of internal motivation at my age. It's not a lot of external things that motivate me ... (You need) to have a love for the game and still have the opportunity. To go out there last year and play was great. JUST WATCHEDTom Brady on family and loyalty to the PatriotsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTom Brady on family and loyalty to the Patriots 07:01You were also a really good baseball player. Why football? Well, ironically baseball was a lot of strain on my body. I liked to be a catcher, I was in the middle of all the action but I was in a crouching stance all day and my knees would get really sore, and my elbow would get sore from throwing. When I started to play football, I didn't have to do all those things. So, you know, it was really the pain that I felt from playing high school baseball that was one of the reasons why I fell in love with football.Brady throws out the first pitch in a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates in April 2017.In 2000, when you were drafted to the NFL in the sixth round, no one picked you to be a star, right?That was a great opportunity in my life ... When you are picked late, not a lot of people expect too much from you. So I was able to, in my first year, work under the radar.I worked really hard when I didn't have to play and be in front of people ... a lot of young players have that criticism that they face at a young age and, you know, it is hard to overcome.The player passes to teammate Heath Evans for a touchdown while playing the Miami Dolphins in October 2006.I didn't have that, I was able to build and grow and learn and watch. By the time I got my opportunity, I felt like I was in a really good mental place, I had improved physically and maybe caught up a little more.The New England Patriots is a polarizing team. Why is that?In the NFL, there's really no national team. In basketball, at some point, all those guys play on the same national Olympic team. When you see international soccer players, you know, they have their club teams but then they play for their own country, too. Brady leads his team in 2004, while playing the Baltimore Ravens.I wish I had a chance to represent our entire country playing against another country but because you don't in your own country, you have factions that break off. So New Yorkers, they obviously hate our team. Because we've had success, a lot of teams don't like that ... It's a good problem to have. If they don't like you, you're probably doing something right!You're in China for the first time as the face of sports apparel brand Under Armour. Is there an opportunity here for American football?For one reason or another, the NFL hasn't quite made it here the way it's made it to other countries outside the United States ... Football is a great sport, it's an incredibly strategic sport, very disciplined. It's been in America for a long time but to continue the global outreach of the sport is really important as you continue to see it grow. There is obviously a billion-and-a-half people here that love sports and to show them why football is so great, is a great thing to be able to do. Part of why I am here is to explain that as an ambassador to the game. JUST WATCHEDWhy is this year the most important for Tom Brady?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWhy is this year the most important for Tom Brady? 07:09You're married to supermodel Gisele Bündchen. How would you describe your marriage?Family is everything to me. I had such a great mom and dad growing up -- that showed me what a great relationship and marriage is all about ... And to find a wife who has the same outlook as I do, I mean, her mom and dad I love so much. They gave their family the same roots, you know. Bündchen and Brady married in 2009. They have two children together.Gisele grew up with five sisters and they are all very close and I grew up with three sisters and we are all very close. To find a woman who is really a great partner and we have so many of the same beliefs, it's been, it's just one of the best parts of my life.What does life look like after football for Tom Brady?I haven't looked too far beyond that, other than football, playing football. I love preparing for it and all those things that I do to prepare, I think I really want to share those things with, you know, a lot of athletes around the world. At a game in Foxoboro, Massachusettes.I think that's what my goal is. I feel like really it's my responsibility ... I've learned so much, I want to be able to help people not go through the same mistakes that I went through. (That'd be) a great avenue for me to direct my time and energy into when I'm done playing . But I don't see me not playing for a long time.Is another Super Bowl victory in your sights?I hope so. I mean, that's why we're playing -- that would be pretty cool. To win it back to back, I know how hard that challenge is. I know we did it once before, it's hard to do. I mean, you're the hunted, there are a lot of teams that will be coming after us but that's okay because we're coming after them too.This interview has been edited for brevity and grammar.

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Story highlightsFrank Lampard joining New York City FCLampard won Champions League and EPL titles with CheslseaCapped 106 times by England and played at 2014 World CupMove to MLS 'the perfect fit' he tells CNNNot content with claiming every major club honor with Chelsea and over a century of caps for England -- now Frank Lampard is relishing a new challenge in MLS with New York City FC."Obviously players tend to come here later in their careers, but for me personally I come here with a big determination to make an imprint on life here," he told CNN."I made this move because I wanted to come here and do well."The 36-year-old Lampard had a host of offers to prolong his career in the English Premier League or in Europe, but has opted for the Big Apple and the new franchise which starts in the 2015 season."It feels really right," he said. "For me personally it's a great challenge to move from Chelsea to a different country and a great city like New York."JUST WATCHEDLampard: Leaving Chelsea now feels rightReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHLampard: Leaving Chelsea now feels right 03:27JUST WATCHEDChampions League round up ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHChampions League round up 04:19JUST WATCHEDEngland loses to Uruguay in World CupReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHEngland loses to Uruguay in World Cup 01:51Lampard left Chelsea as a club legend, having scored a record 211 goals in 649 appearances over 13 seasons.Read: Lampard goal sinks SpainDuring that time he helped the Blues to three EPL titles, the English FA Cup on four occasions and the crowning glory, the 2012 European Champions League crown.But last season it became clear that his Chelsea career was drawing to a close with manager Jose Mourinho looking to younger players.Lampard said that he was not ruling out a future role at Chelsea but was "totally committed" to New York City FC. "I'm sure there is the possibility to go back later in some capacity," he said. "But I wanted to keep playing regularly and being important in a team."Lampard, who has signed a two-year contact with New York, joins former Spanish international David Villa as the marquee players in the new venture.Read: Chelsea clinches Europa League Before signing a one-year extension to his Chelsea contract before the start of last season, Lampard had mulled over a move to Los Angeles Galaxy, the then club of his former England teammate David Beckham."I have been watching the MLS since the Beckham's and (Robbie) Keane arrived," he said. "The league has improved and its the perfect fit for me in football and lifestyle terms."Lampard's last action as an England player saw him take to the field in its final group match at the 2014 World Cup, a draw with Costa Rica, but having already been eliminated.It was his 106th international cap with 29 goals to his name, an excellent scoring rate for a midfield player.New York City FC sporting director Claudio Reyna described Lampard as "one of the greatest players over the last 15 years" at his official unveiling Thursday and had worked hard to persuade him to make the move. "New York sold me the vision of what they wanted to do," Lampard said. "I think when I look back at the end of my career with Chelsea it's a period as good as it could be. "I have no regrets," he added.Read: Goal-line technology adopted by FIFA

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(CNN)Here's a look at the 2022 Winter Olympics scheduled to be held in Beijing. The games are scheduled to take place February 4-20, 2022. The Paralympics are scheduled to take place March 4-13, 2022.FactsBeijing is the capital of China, and its population is over 20 million. It is one of the largest cities in the world.Beijing is the first city ever to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games. The 2008 Summer Olympics were also held in Beijing.In total, 13 venues, split between the zones of Beijing, Zhangjiakou and Yanqing, will be used during the 17 days of the Games. One new venue, the National Speed Skating Oval, was built in Beijing, and existing venues are being renovated for the Games.Read MoreA total of 109 events will be held, in 15 disciplines across seven sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing.The entire Games will feature artificial snow for the outdoor events since it doesn't snow much there.Under Covid-19 protocols unveiled by the IOC, the Games will be held in a "closed loop" -- in place from January 23 until the end of the Winter Paralympics on March 13 -- will cover all stadiums and competition venues, as well as accommodations, catering, and the opening and closing ceremonies. Spectators will be allowed, but only if they live in mainland China.The Olympic torch, called "Flying," has a curled ribbon design, and is similar to the design of the 2008 torch.The Beijing 2022 mascot's name is "Bing Dwen Dwen." It is a cute cartoon panda dressed in a spacesuit. In Mandarin, "Bing" means ice, and "Dwen" means robust.The Beijing Games will include new mixed men's and women's team events in freestyle skiing, short-track speed skating, snowboarding and ski jumping.The Games have been heavily criticized amid allegations of China's human rights abuses, notably towards the minority Uyghur population.TimelineJuly 31, 2015 - The International Olympic Committee announces that Beijing has been chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, beating out Almaty, Kazakhstan.December 30, 2019 - The Jing-Zhang high-speed railway goes into service. The driverless bullet train, which can go 350 kilometers per hour (217 mph), connects Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, all three of which will host events during the upcoming Winter Olympics.March 4, 2020 - Twelve US senators led by Republican Rick Scott submit a bipartisan resolution requesting that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) remove the 2022 Games from China and reopen the bidding process.February 2, 2021 - A letter signed by more than 180 campaign groups calling for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing warns the Games could "embolden" human rights abuses in China. The letter is put forward by "a coalition of Tibetan, Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, Hong Kong, Taiwanese, Chinese Democracy, and human rights campaign groups." September 8, 2021 - The IOC announces North Korea has been barred from competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics as part of its punishment for its "unilateral decision" to drop out of the Tokyo Games this summer.October 18, 2021 - The Olympic flame for the Beijing Games is successfully lit during a ceremony in Olympia, Greece.December 6, 2021 - The Biden administration announces that they will not send an official US delegation to Beijing as a statement against China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang." US athletes will still be allowed to compete, but the administration will not be sending government officials to the games. January 8, 2022 - US Figure Skating announces that 31-year-old American figure skater Timothy LeDuc is set to become the first openly non-binary athlete to compete at an Olympic Winter Games. They will participate in the pairs event with skating partner Ashley Cain-Gribble.

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(CNN)At Impact your World we love to share stories of ordinary people going the extraordinary distance. Here we take a look at the five acts that tugged at our heartstrings the most -- and we revisit the people who made the difference. This teacher gets an A+Jodi Schmidt and Natasha Fuller reunite after surgery. The choice to become a teacher is not something you take lightly. Neither is the decision to become an organ donor. Jodi Schmidt did both: she donated a kidney to one of her students in May.Schmidt is a first grade teacher at Oakfield Elementary School in Wisconsin. Read MoreNatasha Fuller is a student in her class who suffered from prune belly syndrome, a rare birth defect marked by urinary problems and weak abdominal muscles.Schmidt didn't know the extent of Fuller's problem until she stumbled upon a desperate Facebook post. The clock was ticking for the 8-year-ol and Fuller's family was pleading for a kidney.Fuller and Schmidt share a moment after learning they are a match. It was then Schmidt decided she needed to help."I didn't think anything of it," Schmidt told CNN in September. "Then it totally just hit me, and I told myself I'm going to get tested for it."Schmidt was a perfect match. Now, eight months later, Fuller is an active, happy girl attending school full time. "She has grown incredibly!" Schmidt says. "She is able to participate in all activities, eat foods that she chooses, do sleepovers, etc. She is having a blast." The teacher's generosity has become a point of family pride. "My middle boy became good friends with Natasha and talks often about me giving my kidney away to save Natasha's life, and my oldest daughter is so proud of my commitment to help others," Schmidt says."They have witnessed firsthand the love of our communities, lending a helping hand, patience during my recovery, and learned that organ donation saves lives."You're never too young to make a difference Ethan Engum poses with a police dog at K9 training. When 7-year-old Ethan Engum and his mother started a GoFundme campaign to help the Green Bay, Wisconsin, Police Department replace a beloved K9, they never thought they'd start a chain reaction.In less than 24 hours, they raised more than $500 to replace 4-year-old "Cops," a Belgian Malinois who suffered severe health problems and died in August. Within days, the amount grew to $12,000. Officer Fred Laitinen kneels beside his canine partner "Cops". Courtesy Eric JaegerCapt. Kevin Warych says the department plans to buy a new K9 early next year. In the meantime, Ethan continues to visit the department's officers and dogs."They are my friends," Ethan says."We wanted to show him his hard work was paying off," says Warych. "Every time he came to the department, we arranged for him to meet and greet officers and other K9s."Engum will have the opportunity to name the new K9, but he doesn't yet know what he'll call it.A service for a smileTexas waiter Kasey Simmons received a surprise tip after buying groceries for a lady.When waiter Kasey Simmons paid for an elderly woman's groceries, all he expected in return was a smile. Instead, he got a $500 tip the next day. Simmons was shopping in a Dallas-area grocery store in August. He was wearing his Applebee's uniform when he came across a woman who looked like she needed a pick-me-up."Whenever I see someone who has had a bad day, I need to let them know that it could be much worse," Simmons told CNN.He decided to pay for the woman's groceries. It wasn't until later that he found out how much it actually meant to the lonely widow. "Her husband of 58 years met her at a Piggly Wiggly and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the store. He bought her groceries," Simmons told CNN. "When I paid for her groceries that day, she had a flashback. It made her day so wonderful."The next day, the woman's daughter came to Applebee's, where Simmons works as a waiter, ordered a glass of mineral water and left the massive tip. "In my heart, I did nothing to earn $500 from that woman," he says. "It made me feel better. I changed this lady's life at least for a little bit."As for what he did with the $500, Simmons says he "paid his phone bill with some of it and bought lottery tickets to share with other customers."The waiter and the widow have stayed in touch. "$17 was nothing to make a lady smile," Simmons says. "We are good friends now."Age ain't nothing but a number 4-year-old Norah Wood, her mom Tara Wood and Dan Peterson pose for a photo on Thanksgiving Day.Four-year-old Norah Wood and 82-year-old Dan Peterson struck up an unlikely friendship in a grocery store.It all started when the little girl shouted out to the older man, who looked a bit down standing in the aisle. "Hi old person! It's my birfday today."Tara Wood, Norah's mom, took a picture of the two chatting and posted it on her Facebook page.Someone recognized the man and sent his contact information, commenting that it was "the first time they'd seen him smile since his wife died."That could have been the end of the story. But it was actually the beginning of a special relationship. "Dan joined our family for Thanksgiving and we still visit him once a week," Norah's mom told CNN. "I speak with him a couple of times a week just to check in to see if he needs anything. He's getting mail and letters from people all over the world. He's never felt more loved."A bride, a man and her father's heart Jeni Stepien-Maenner feels the heart beat of the man who walked her down the aisle.Jeni Stepien-Maenner's father was murdered 10 years ago and was an organ donor. The man who received his heart is Arthur Thomas. Stepien-Maenner stayed in touch with Thomas through the years. When she was planning her August wedding in Pittsburgh, the first person she thought of to walk her down the aisle was the man with her dad's heart. Thomas agreed and traveled from New Jersey with his wife to the wedding. "Tom (Arthur Thomas) and I talk a LOT, " Stepien-Maenner told CNN this month. "About two months following the wedding, it was sometimes a few times a week.""Sometimes he's traveling, or I'm caught up with work. But we always touch base at least biweekly.""It's convenient because we can text, email or call."About two months ago, Stepien-Maenner and her husband began house-hunting in D.C."Tom was helping via text and giving us lots of advice!," she says."He's involved in our lives and we are so lucky that our wedding in August opened that different window of friendship for us!""We can't wait to all spend some more time enjoying each others' company."

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(CNN)Both of the options, whichever way the pendulum ultimately swings, are staggering.Did a former Russian spy -- after eight years in relative obscurity in a tiny British city, following the premature, tragic deaths of his wife and son -- end up exposing himself and his only remaining child to a substance that rendered them both critically ill?Russia spy case chilling reminder of suspicious deathsOr did the Kremlin, barely a fortnight before presidential elections, choose a public eatery and meeting between a denounced "traitor" and his daughter to deliver a poison that not only punished the "traitor" that they had exchanged gladly in a spy swap with the US eight years ago, but also added endless fuel to the British government's contention that Russia is its main threat?Either way, little of what happened on Sunday afternoon fits in sleepy Salisbury. As of Monday, it was still a relatively local affair.The nature of the police response -- initially -- suggested that this might have been something less than a state-sponsored assassination attempt.Read MoreWiltshire police were cordoning off the area and scouring bins in protective suits, while the main help that had arrived from outside came from Kent police.But on Tuesday morning, Britain's leading counter-terrorism police chief, AC Mark Rowley, said his unit's specialisms were being used to help with the investigation.He stressed it wasn't a counter-terrorism investigation -- which would be declared, if a state assassination were a likelihood. Much of the day passed, during which it appeared the Wiltshire police would handle the case.JUST WATCHEDFormer double agent remains critically ill ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHFormer double agent remains critically ill 03:02Then UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson and other political figures spoke. Johnson pledged to respond "robustly" if Russia had indeed poisoned its former spy. More statements from Wiltshire police followed, adding only that one of the emergency personnel who responded was still being treated.Then in the afternoon, after the political noise subsided, the Metropolitan Police stepped forward to say that -- while this still was not a counter terrorism investigation -- their counter-terrorism unit would take the lead on the case.It was a curious timeline of events. Local media had on Monday reported the substance found at the scene to be similar to fentanyl: a lethally strong opioid available even on Salisbury's soporific streets.Forty-eight hours, the identity of the victims and some pre-emptive, geopolitical statements later, one British tabloid is suggesting -- without much of a source -- it could be "the poisoner's poison", Thallium.There is a lot of excitement, where it would be preferable to see facts.Indeed, the slim facts of the case emerge into a Britain unsure how to deal with the Russian threat.Russia is a serious problem. It stands accused of assassinating people as well as war crimes in Syria and has invaded Ukraine (twice).Russian spy mystery deepens as daughter confirmed as second victimThe UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson has recently issued a series of statements further amplifying the Russian threat, as his department asks for greater funding for the armed forces.Britain has seen cases of Russians who have criticized the Kremlin meet dubious ends here in the past decade. The most high-profile case being the 2006 murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko. The Skripal case falls awkwardly into a political climate eager to point fingers at Moscow. And the succession of British officials who have to premise their threats of retaliation with the caveat: "we don't know what happened here, but," is testament to that.Given paucity of information, the continued declaration by Britain's top police that this isn't a counter-terrorism case yet, and the dizzying barrage of theories, we are left to guess.But the pendulum of guesswork -- that swings wildly between an assassination attempt and an overdose -- only visits those extreme points briefly. It is entirely possible that what happened might fit in the uncomfortable, more boring gray area between those two extremes. Imagine that...

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(CNN)There's a familiar country atop the medal count in the Winter Olympics: Norway. The country has even set a new mark for most gold medals -- after Johannes Thingnes Bø won his fourth of Beijing 2022 in the men's biathlon 15km mass start -- in a single Winter Games with 15. This might surprise some given that Norway has only a little more than five million residents -- not even in the top 100 most populated countries.So what's the secret to Norway's historical and current success? Two big factors really. The first is, perhaps obviously, the weather. It's the Winter Olympics after all. Norway ranks in the bottom five in World Bank data for average temperature during the year at about 36 degrees Fahrenheit (two degrees Celsius).When you take a look at a medal count and temperature chart (as in this Economist article), you'll see a clear correlation between the two. Read MoreBut it's more than temperature -- it is also money.Team Norway rejoices after winning the biathlon mixed relay 4x6km.Think about how hard it is to train for the Olympics. Gear is often expensive. Children often need fortunate enough parents to get them to events. There also needs to be infrastructure in place to train for the Olympics. Norway is a fairly wealthy country: its GDP is in the top 35 worldwide and the GDP per capita is in the top 10. GDP though doesn't capture all types of wealth. That's what the United Nations Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index is for; it takes into account other variables such as education, life expectancy and inequality. Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, who won gold in the men's 4x7.5km biathlon relay and bronze in 15km mass start, outlined some of the -- expensive -- technology and techniques he and his teammates used to cope with the testing conditions in China. "For the biathlon team, it's been an unbelievable journey this Olympics in Beijing. We were a little bit afraid that maybe here with the wind and the cold it would be some surprises and a little bit of coincidences. So the last two, three years we tried to eliminate as much of these coincidences as we possibly could like training a lot in the altitude, training a lot in the wind."When we didn't have real wind, we trained with this wind machine and put it behind us to have some wind from the left because we knew here from the data that it would be a lot of wind from the left. It's very good to see that we get value for the work we have done the last two and a half years."A country where knowledge can be transferred and where more of the country has access to the funds necessary to compete would in theory supply a broader array of athletes. This was something that was noted originally in "Soccernomics" by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski. You know where Norway is on the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index? Number one. It shouldn't be too surprising, therefore, that a wealthy country -- where it is also cold -- dominates the Winter Games.

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(CNN)The United States condemned the 2008 arrests of Baha'i leaders in Iran Saturday and asked the Islamic Republic to free them.Iran arrested Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli, Vahid Tizfahm, and Mahvash Sabet. They were all convicted of espionage, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. They were sentenced to 20 years in prison.A Plea for the Release of the Seven Imprisoned Iranian Baha'i Leaders from Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi https://t.co/a6H5Em77Kf #BahaiRights— Iran Press Watch (@iranpresswatch) May 13, 2016 "We join the international community in condemning their continued imprisonment and calling upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to release them immediately, along with all other prisoners of conscience in Iran," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement issued on Saturday."Furthermore, we call upon Iranian authorities to uphold their own laws and meet their international obligations that guarantee freedom of expression, religion, opinion, and assembly for all citizens," the statement added.A news release from the U.S. Baha'is said that while the seven leaders were each sentenced to 20 years, their sentences have reportedly been dropped to 10 years.Read MoreThey said the seven have been in imprisoned since May 14, 2008 solely for their beliefs and have been "completely denied due process" and "denied equal treatment under the law."In the past, Iran has said Baha'is are respected as citizens. But the group, which the government calls a sect, is regarded with suspicion."We (as the state) offer a variety of services to the Baha'i sect in Iran and respect them as human beings, but not as insiders, spies, or a political grouplet supported by Britain and Israel to cause disturbance in Iran," Iran's former Prosecutor General Qorban-Ali Dorri-Najafabadi said in 2009, according to a report by Fars News Agency.U.S. agency sounds alarm over Iran's treatment of Baha'isRobert George, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and Katrina Lantos Swett, a USCIRF commissioner, co-wrote a column for the Religion News Service on Friday about the persecution of the group -- a community numbering more than 300,000 members in Iran, that country's largest non-Muslim religious minority.Iran's government is intent on eradicating the group, they say. The group they represent, USCIRF, describes itself as an "independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission.""While pursuit of that goal (eradication) remains, its intensity ebbs and flows in response to the level of world attention and outrage. Unfortunately, there are signs from this past year that persecution is on the upswing, calling for greater world outrage at Iran's abuses of this peaceful religious community.".@USCIRF Commissioners join call to #ReleaseBahai7Now: https://t.co/xO6L3h5aT5 via @RNS. #Bahai #Iran— USBahaiOPA (@USBahaiOPA) May 14, 2016 George and Swett said that since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, more than 200 Baha'i leaders have been killed and more than 10,000 have been let go from government and university positions. There have been arbitrary arrests over the years."Baha'is effectively are prohibited from attending colleges, chartering their own worship centers or schools, serving in the military, and obtaining various kinds of jobs. Even Baha'i marriages are not recognized."There are "ominous signs of a renewed government crackdown" in the past year, George and Swett wrote. The Iranian government cranks out propaganda dehumanizing the group and creates a climate of violence, they say.Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious edict, or fatwa, in 2013 calling for Iranians to avoid "dealings" with Baha'is and labeled the group "deviant and misleading," news reports said.The writers note that other minorities -- Christians, Sunnis, Jews and Zoroastrians -- also face discrimination in Shiite-dominated Iran."But what distinguishes mistreatment of the Baha'is is the stark evidence that eradication is the goal. From laws that push Baha'is to the margins of society to government-sponsored propaganda that degrades and dehumanizes, from mass detention and imprisonment to the closing of businesses, from allowing societal violence against Baha'is to failure to prosecute perpetrators, all signs suggest that Iran's government seeks religious cleansing of this community," they wrote.George and Swett noted that Christian pastor Saeed Abedini was released from captivity in January by Iran and it is time that Iran "do likewise to all religious prisoners, including the Baha'i Seven and the imprisoned Baha'i educators, and other prisoners of conscience."The Baha'i religion, founded during the 19th century in Iran and now with millions of adherents worldwide, is a monotheistic faith that focuses on the spiritual unity of humanity.The clerics who hold sway in Iran regard the Baha'i faith as blasphemous because its founder, Bahá'u'lláh, declared himself to be a prophet of God. Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet of God.

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(CNN)Just over a year ago, Frank-Walter Steinmeier was nominated for the job of German President. "My joy at the task is great," he said in an acceptance speech in Berlin.But not everyone was happy.Some doom-mongers grumbled that Steinmeier was much too important for him to be "consigned to the periphery of power."After all, as Torben Luetjen and Lars Geiges wrote in their biography of Steinmeier, German presidents "don't really have to make many decisions."That all changed on Monday.Read MoreWhat next for Germany as Merkel myth implodes?After coalition talks to form a new government unexpectedly collapsed late on Sunday, dealing a blow to longtime Chancellor Angela Merkel, it was President Steinmeier -- a man more accustomed to unveiling monuments than dirtying his hands with parliamentary politics -- who was given the unenviable task of restoring order. This week he's meeting with five party leaders, urging them to restart talks -- or begin new ones. If they refuse, Steinmeier is the man who could set the country on a complicated path to new elections -- unprecedented in post-war German history."Courage is the lifeblood of democracy," he said in his first speech as President in March this year. He'll need plenty of that in the days and weeks ahead.So who is Frank-Walter Steinmeier?The pragmatic bureaucratSteinmeier's journey from a working-class home in northwest Germany -- his father was a carpenter and his mother a factory worker -- to the office of the President is a remarkable one.But he's otherwise unremarkable, according to Luetjen. "There's nothing extraordinary about him ... He's usually described as someone rather dull."Steinmeier's first foray into politics came in 1991 when he took a job with Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder -- state president at the time and later German Chancellor -- and was soon running his office.According to Luetjen, Steinmeier quickly began to fit the mold of a typical German bureaucrat.As German Foreign Minister, Steinmeier supported Barack Obama's bid for the presidency and the two men worked closely together. Steinmeier has spoken much less favorably about President Trump. His two stints as Foreign Minister -- during which he tackled a military crisis in Ukraine, Greece's financial meltdown and unprecedented levels of refugee arrivals to Europe and was instrumental in negotiating the nuclear deal with Iran -- only confirmed that impression. He may not be "overly exciting," as Luetjen admits, but he's pragmatic, patient and rarely fazed."He's good at finding deals and talking to all sides," says Luetjen. "Now that we have this situation -- close to a constitutional crisis -- those are talents that are really needed."The deal makerSteinmeier's nomination as President came as a surprise to many. He's a man who "enjoyed real power," Luetjen explains. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the previously powerful role of President became largely ceremonial.He or she is the public face of the nation, a German ambassador to the world. When Steinmeier speaks, people listen.But he's not known as a great speaker. And "he didn't seem comfortable with becoming a public figure" at the start of his presidency, Luetjen says.On Tuesday, Steinmeier met with Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democrats and the man who announced his party's withdrawal from coalition talks Sunday night. He believes that Steinmeier -- the deal maker, the man who "likes to get things done" -- will be embracing the challenge of restoring order in the currently chaotic German political landscape."Now he's back, doing real politics," Luetjen says.What are his chances of success?Luetjen and Geiges describe Steinmeier as the "master of anti-chaos." "If anyone can (make a breakthrough), then it's him," says Luetjen. "Yes, I think he's capable of doing this."Making a brief statement from his official residence on Monday afternoon, Steinmeier had the aura of a disapproving school principal admonishing a group of unruly students.He urged all parties to come to the table and refused to entertain the possibility of fresh elections -- the option favored by Merkel and Martin Schulz, leader of Steinmeier's own Social Democratic Party. "I expect everyone to be willing to negotiate to make it possible to form a government in the foreseeable future," he said. Responsibility can't simply be "handed back to the voters."Despite their different party allegiances, Steinmeier has worked closely with Chancellor Angela Merkel since 2005 and they share a pragmatic, cautious approach to politics.For all his caution and composure, Steinmeier does not mince his words. Three months before Donald Trump was elected US President, Steinmeier (then foreign minister) described him as a "hate preacher."And speaking just after Trump's election, Steinmeier made no attempt to disguise his deep disappointment. "Nothing will be easier (now)," he said, "lots will be more difficult."He has even been described in the German media as the "anti-Trump." Steinmeier has spoken out strongly against the rise of populism in Germany too, embodied in the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which entered the federal Parliament for the first time in September's election, winning 12.6% of the vote.Despite the country's history, Germany is not immune to populism and the damage it does to democracy, Steinmeier warned in March.With Merkel partly to blame for the AfD's recent success -- according to some German politicians -- and weakened by a poor election result and failed coalition talks, Steinmeier is the "most stable figure in German politics right now," according to Luetjen."He's the last survivor of a generation. And he might be the right federal president at the right time."Correction: This story has been updated to correct a direct quote that misstated Steinmeier's title.

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Washington (CNN)Though she certainly wouldn't have called herself one at the time, Bettina Hager suspects she was a feminist by age 6 or 7. She knew she was "supposed to like" pink and instead announced to anyone who'd listen that her favorite color was navy blue. She loved math and was hell-bent on running faster than boys. Is now the time?When CNN's Jessica Ravitz last thought about the Equal Rights Amendment, she was a kid tagging along with her mom to marches some 35 years ago. What happened to the crusade to enshrine women's rights in the Constitution? Join Ravitz as she meets the women and men behind a renewed push to pass the ERA.Female, 30 and on a mission: The ERA's new warriorsThe politics of feminism: An unlikely partnershipWomen in the world: Where the U.S. falters Hager, 30, grew up to run marathons. She reads Ms. Magazine while working out. A few years back, while working for the National Women's Political Caucus, she once deployed a crew of interns to slip copies of Ms. -- an alternative to Cosmopolitan -- into Washington-area nail salons.Today, in her new job, she sits in her small and sparse "cubicle that could," helping to mobilize a crusade that began more than 90 years ago. Her marching orders, as the D.C. director of the ERA Coalition, are to help pass and ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, a proposed addition to the U.S. Constitution that would explicitly protect women's rights and prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. Hager is just one fresh face in a rejuvenated movement to make this happen.Read MoreThough first introduced in 1923, the last time the country really paid attention to the ERA was in the 1970s and early '80s, before Hager was even born. That was when feminist activists brought the issue to a boil. But after failing to secure the required number of state ratifications to pass the ERA by its 1982 deadline, the campaign was reduced to a low simmer."A woman's rights should truly be guaranteed by our government and not something that can be up to debate or negotiation," says Bettina Hager, the D.C. director of the ERA Coalition. These days, though, it seems the fight for women's equality is heating up.Just look toward Tinseltown. Emma Watson's now-famous September speech to the United Nations about feminism was watched millions of times. The hack of emails at Sony Pictures revealed pervasive Hollywood gender wage gaps. And then there was Patricia Arquette's recent Oscar acceptance speech for her role as a struggling single mom in "Boyhood." She took to the podium, calling out for equal pay and rights for women in the United States, and inspired a social media frenzy -- not to mention enthusiastic cheers from Meryl Streep. In a backstage interview, Arquette specifically raised the need for the constitutional amendment. Meantime, there's a new book and soon-to-be completed documentary about the ERA, both titled "Equal Means Equal." And, in the midst of these coordinated efforts, lawmakers who've sponsored previous attempts to resurrect the ERA plan to publicly stand together at the U.S. Capitol when they reintroduce their bills in the coming weeks. Sure to be there cheering them on will be activists like Hager, millennial women inspired by those who've walked before them. The question hanging over them: Will this time be different? Necessity or waste of time?A toasty and crowded wood-paneled room, high up in Manhattan's Yale Club, buzzes with experience and credentials.Taking a break from writing her latest book is Gloria Steinem, arguably the most recognized name and face in feminist activism. Walking by is Robin Morgan, a poet and writer whose 1970 anthology, "Sisterhood is Powerful," helped galvanize a movement. Shaking hands is Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, who has been introducing the ERA in every congressional session since 1997.Others in the room are high-powered attorneys, heads of foundations and nonprofits, local government insiders. Since the time of the last ERA push, the percentage of women in the workforce has grown. In 1970, nearly half of mothers stayed home. As of 2012, less than 30% do, according to the Pew Research Center. That shift helps drive a tide of interest in equal opportunities and pay, supporters say. The politics of feminism: An unlikely partnershipWomen who work full-time earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts, a raise of just about 19 cents since President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963. For women of color, the picture is worse, with black women making 64 cents and Latinas making 56 cents for every dollar earned by a white man. The face of ERA opposition during the last big go-round isn't swayed by such figures; in fact, she calls them lies. Phyllis Schlafly, the 90-year-old conservative activist who founded the Eagle Forum, insists gender-neutral employment law already protects women doing equal work with equal experience.The ERA is "dumb and offensive," she tells me in a phone call. And a new push for it is "a colossal waste of time." Schlafly once warned that the ERA would lead to same-sex marriage and women being drafted into combat. She also said it would threaten families, an argument she still makes. She touts the virtues of the traditional nuclear family with a gender-division of duty, wherein husbands provide and wives focus on the home and children. "But didn't you go to law school? Weren't you a lawyer?" I ask."I only went to law school to irritate the feminists," she says with a laugh. Schlafly also was interviewed by Kamala Lopez, the actress, director and activist who established the ERA Education Project and is behind the forthcoming documentary, "Equal Means Equal." The offices of the Feminist Majority Foundation pay homage to an ongoing battle to secure equal rights for women. Amid framed posters gathered over the years are handmade signs like this one. She told Lopez, "Women like the pay gap." And she talked about hypergamy, the notion of marrying up, saying if a man doesn't earn as much as a woman, it is a "deterrent to marriage."The women gathered at the Yale Club in New York scoff when they hear Schlafly's name. They care about issues beyond gender roles and pay equity. They chat over wine and hors d'oeuvres about the injustice of piled-up, untested rape kits. They voice outrage that National Football League star Ray Rice was not prosecuted in New Jersey for assaulting his then-fiancée. They commiserate with each other about ways they still must educate trial lawyers and judges about sexual harassment and assault cases, offering examples like, "No, you can't ask if her skirt was too high." Weaving past these women and men -- mostly older feminists with deep pockets -- is Hager. She, too, has come here this biting-cold January evening to support the ERA Coalition and celebrate the release of the new book, "Equal Means Equal: Why the Time for an Equal Rights Amendment is Now," written by the coalition's founder and president -- and Hager's colleague -- Jessica Neuwirth. A women's rights lawyer, Neuwirth established the international organization Equality Now and was a director in the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She's spent much of her career focused on Africa, steeped in cases of genocide, sexual violence and war crimes. She met Maloney years back during discussions about sex trafficking, and the congresswoman approached her about taking up the ERA charge. Neuwirth, 53, says she welcomes the chance to work on something close to home and, in her mind, so positive and unambiguous. Using court cases as examples, Neuwirth sets out in her book to answer why the ERA is necessary, addressing the question she hears so often from people who assume that it already passed or that women's rights are already covered by existing laws and constitutional language. Photos: History of the ERA Photos: History of the ERAThe feminist activists of the 1960s, '70s and early '80s weren't the first to push for an Equal Rights Amendment. Suffragist leader Alice Paul, second from right, fought hard to pass the 19th Amendment -- which earned women the right to vote in 1920. She drafted the first ERA and introduced it to Congress in 1923.Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAIn 1972, the House and Senate passed the ERA by the required two-thirds votes before sending it to state legislatures for ratification. Three-quarters of the states needed to ratify it, but the ERA fell three states short by its 1982 deadline. Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAGloria Steinem was among the key forces behind the ERA effort in the '70s and '80s. Although it wasn't ratified, most men and women were pro-ERA, Steinem says. Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAPresident Richard Nixon endorsed the ERA after it was adopted with bipartisan support in both houses of Congress in 1972. Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAThe face of ERA opposition, back in the day, was Phyllis Schlafly, the conservative activist who founded the Eagle Forum. She died in 2016 but said a year earlier that efforts to revive the ERA were "a colossal waste of time." Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: History of the ERASchlafly led protests against the ERA, including this one at the White House in 1977. The group, about 200 strong, was protesting then-first lady Rosalyn Carter's campaign for the ERA. Amendment supporters like Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, say their real enemy was never Schlafly but big business and insurance companies.Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: History of the ERADemocratic Sen. Ted Kennedy speaks at an ERA fundraising dinner in Washington in 1980. Kennedy spent more than three decades as a champion for the amendment in Congress.Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAEleanor Smeal, then-president of the National Organization for Women, left, and first lady Betty Ford attend an ERA rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1981.Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAFrom left, Rep. Gwen Moore, Sen. Bob Menendez and Rep. Carolyn Maloney hold a news conference in 2010 outside the U.S. Capitol to call for passage of the ERA. The amendment has been introduced in nearly every session of Congress since 1923.Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: History of the ERAERA supporters like to quote late US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who told California Lawyer in a January 2011 issue, "Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn't."Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: History of the ERASupreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, seen here at an annual Women's History Month event at the US Capitol a few years ago, said this when she was asked how she would amend the Constitution: "If I could choose an amendment to add to this Constitution, it would be the Equal Rights Amendment."Hide Caption 11 of 11"It was literally just a handful of votes that stopped the ERA," she tells the group assembled in New York. "Surely with social media and the new generation of women and men who do not believe in second-class citizenship for women, we can get the ERA across the finish line and put it in the Constitution where it belongs." Those around her cheer, but opponents more contemporary than Schlafly bristle at the idea of women seeing themselves as victims.A Tumblr site and Facebook page dedicated to "Women Against Feminism" feature young women brandishing their own versions of that argument. "If I experience sexism, I stand up for myself and move on," writes one woman. "Bitching about it will get me nowhere." Others warn of unanticipated fallout if the ERA passes. Parents who enroll their children in single-sex schools or organizations like the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts may lose that choice, says Sabrina Schaeffer, executive director of the Independent Women's Forum.Ongoing claims about a wage gap are overblown and speak more to women's choices than to discrimination, says Schaeffer, whose organization counts Lynne Cheney, the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney, among its supporters.Women in the world: Where the U.S. falters in quest for equality"Women would be far better served by having an honest conversation about the things they hope to achieve and the choices they're making along the way, from their college major to if they want to take time out of the workplace," Schaeffer wrote me in an email, "than any kind of legislation which would make women more expensive to hire and ultimately less attractive to businesses." Arguments like these leave Neuwirth baffled."Anyone who says that paying women equally and treating them equally in the workplace makes it more expensive for businesses to hire them ... is saying in effect that women are worth less than men," she says. "Equality in the workplace is not just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing for business and a good thing for men as well as women."People often assume women's rights are secure thanks to the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment, Neuwirth says. That amendment was adopted in 1868. The mere fact that it took another five decades for women to get the right to vote, she says, proves the clause wasn't about them. Jessica Neuwirth has spent much of her career steeped in cases of genocide, sexual violence and war crimes in Africa. Now, as head of the ERA Coalition, she welcomes the chance to work on something closer to home.And laws bearing names like the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Equal Pay Act and Violence Against Women Act may sound great, but they're not ironclad guarantees of protection. In her book, Neuwirth outlines stories of women who have tested the power of federal statutes. One had been raped in college, only to see an admitted attacker go unpunished. Another took out a restraining order against her violent husband, who went on to kill their three daughters. In both instances, the women sued authorities for failing to act and took their cases all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, only to be told there was no constitutional basis for their protection. Other court decisions have justified unequal pay for identical work, as well as the firing of women from jobs they were still capable of doing simply because they got pregnant.Women who think their interests are sufficiently protected, Neuwirth tells the Yale Club gathering, have been duped by a fairy tale."Who would know that better," she says, "than Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia?" She cites what he told California Lawyer in a January 2011 issue: "Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn't."A battle rich in historyLast April, Scalia appeared at the National Press Club beside his judicial polar opposite -- and friend -- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The two were asked how they would amend the Constitution, if they could. The Notorious R.B.G., as she is sometimes referred to these days, didn't hesitate. "If I could choose an amendment to add to this Constitution, it would be the Equal Rights Amendment," she said."What do you mean by that?" asked the moderator, Marvin Kalb."It means that women are people equal in stature before the law," she said. "We have achieved that through legislation, but legislation can be repealed. It can be altered. ... That principle belongs in our Constitution. It is in every constitution written since the Second World War."When her granddaughters pick up the U.S. Constitution, Ginsburg added, she'd "like them to see that that is a basic principle of our society." The idea of an Equal Rights Amendment in the United States isn't new. It was the brainchild of Alice Paul, a suffragist leader who fought hard to pass the 19th Amendment, earning women the right to vote in 1920. Believing that wasn't enough to end discrimination, Paul then drafted the ERA and introduced it to Congress in 1923.From then until 1970, the amendment was presented during every congressional session. Over the years, it enjoyed bipartisan support. For decades it stayed on the Republican platform. But it rarely made it out of committee. A growing women's movement in the late '60s and early '70s set out to change that. In 1972, the ERA passed by the necessary two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, was endorsed by President Richard Nixon and then sent to state legislatures for ratification. The key language, tweaked from Paul's original version, read: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. To pass an amendment, three-quarters of the states -- or 38 of them -- must ratify it. There was a deadline tied to this effort, though; at first seven years, then extended to 10. By the time 1982 rolled around, 35 states had ratified the ERA. The amendment failed to pass, falling three states short.The fight on the national stage grew quiet, but the ERA has been reintroduced every congressional session since then. With the exception of 1983, when House representatives voted on it once more, the ERA has never again made it out of committee and onto the floor for a vote. Rep. Maloney hopes this year will shift the tide. "I spend 75% if not more of my time fighting to hold on to what we [women] already have, not advancing to the next level," Maloney says. "This is going to be the decade of the woman. We need to pass it by 2020 and finish the job." The last time the U.S. Constitution was amended was 1992. The 27th Amendment prohibits members of Congress from giving themselves pay raises during the session in which they are currently serving. That amendment was introduced by James Madison and sent to the states for ratification in 1789. More than 202 years later, it passed. When Maloney and her colleagues reintroduce the ERA, they will present two strategies. Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland will introduce legislation to lift the 1982 deadline -- a hurdle clearly not faced when it came to the 27th Amendment. That would put the ERA three states shy of success.It's been more than 30 years since the last big push to put the protection of women in the U.S. Constitution. A rejuvenated movement is underway, and today's fight includes resources like the new book, "Equal Means Equal." Maloney will propose starting the ERA process from scratch. Embattled Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who took up the charge after Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy died, is expected to do the same.There's no downside in pitching both strategies at once, they all say. The lawmakers are not in competition. They're just trying different approaches to see what will take.The need, they say, is as evident today as ever. While more than 80% of countries guarantee gender equality in their constitutions, the UCLA's WORLD Policy Analysis Center found, 32 do not, including the United States.Facing the opponent early A sign on the wall reads, "An equal society is a happy one." Gathered are about 20 members of a local feminism club. Some rush to finish their lunches of burgers, greasy fries and salads, hinting at their busy schedules.Hager usually spends her days building relationships, talking to staffers on the Hill and joining constituents in meetings with lawmakers. She crafts fact sheets, beats the ERA drum via social media and volunteers for speaking engagements. Often that means talking to groups of adults. Today, though, most of her audience isn't old enough to vote.She has taken her women's history lesson and message to a posh Washington-area private academy, The Field School, where she's been invited to address a room full of teens -- including Jessica Neuwirth's nephew. "I'm not sure if anyone knows who Justice Scalia is," Hager says near the top of her talk, gearing up to share his oft-repeated quote."I play tennis with him!" a boy blurts out. "He goes to our club."The unexpected answer leaves Hager stunned and smiling. The only answer she can come up with: "Well, can you tell him to help us out?" The students want to know what they can do, beyond hit up a Supreme Court justice for support."There is so much creativity in your minds, and we need to find ways to reach out," Hager tells them. "That ice bucket thing [for ALS] took off so fast," says James Barringer, 15, Neuwirth's nephew and the brains behind a Facebook group called Boys and Men for the ERA. "Maybe we can come up with something like that?" James Barringer, center, started Boys and Men for the ERA and is part of his school's feminism club. "Everyone at some point has had a mother," he says. "We would want her to have equal rights." One student fixates on the ERA's language and suggests it should read "regardless of assigned or perceived gender or sex," rather than just "regardless of sex." Another asks about the new movement's greatest opposition."The main opponent we face is lack of knowledge," Hager says. "Seven out of 10 Americans think we already have it. Nine out of 10 think we should have it. Why don't we have it? Because seven out of 10 think we do." Dozens of organizations are active in the ERA Coalition: A Call to Men, the YWCA, the National Congress for Black Women, to name a few. They may have representatives enlisted to work on the cause, but the ERA is Hager's one and only focus.Beyond her job, Hager co-chairs the ERA Task Force of the National Council of Women's Organizations. Her partner in this effort -- and one of her mentors -- is 72-year-old Roberta "Bobbie" Francis. While so many women her age burned out or moved on after the 1982 deadline, Francis remained engaged. In 1981, she wrote a flier, "Why We Need the ERA," which was nationally distributed by the League of Women Voters. But Francis got involved a little late and wasn't on the front lines. "I joined a marathon at the 13th mile," she says. Maybe that's why she's lasted. Or maybe it's simply her personality?"I think the word you're looking for is bullheaded," she says with a laugh. Whatever the case, she's kept on.Francis established and runs equalrightsamendment.org, a repository for all things ERA. And it was she who recommended Hager for the ERA Coalition position when Neuwirth began looking. It's no small responsibility to Hager."If I mess up on the Hill, I could hurt 51% of the population," she says. "Why do you think I'm so hard on myself? I take it very seriously." Jolted to attentionAt the popular Tortilla Coast on Capitol Hill, Hager sits down for a lunch of fajitas, chips and guacamole surrounded by half a dozen colleagues-in-the-cause she counts as friends. All these women, with the exception of one, were born after 1982 -- and into a world where rallying cries for the ERA had been reduced to a whisper.Most of them, including Hager, were jolted to attention in college when they took women's studies courses. That's how they first learned there was no ERA and nothing in the U.S. Constitution to specifically protect them as women."Wait, what? Are you sure?" Kristina Romines, 25, the field coordinator for the National Organization for Women (NOW), remembers saying as she exchanged wide-eyed stares with other startled students. "I almost asked my professor to double check." It's the sort of WTF response they say they hear from peers, women and men alike, over and over. And it matches what polls have shown.A 2001 survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation showed that 96% of U.S. adults believe women and men should have equal rights, and 72% believe the Constitution already guarantees those rights. "Studies have shown that when women are involved, companies do better, the world is safer. This is a reality for all of us," says Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron, CEO of YWCA USA, which is active in the ERA Coalition. The problem, ERA proponents say, is that this simply isn't true. That the ERA isn't already in the Constitution strikes these women as ludicrous. It should be a no-brainer, they say. These women thank their fathers, who were their cheerleaders. At least one speaks of being raised by a single mother, another by a single father after her mother died young. Several mention husbands who share the load at home -- and share their outrage. They talk about how to stir up widespread support, the importance of education, the need for constituents to contact their members of Congress. And they find hope in what's brewing around them: The growing efforts to address sexual assault on college campuses. The higher-than-ever number of women in Congress. The fact that a woman is one party's presumed presidential nominee.They shake their heads about the hypocrisy of the United States pushing other nations -- including Afghanistan -- to protect women in their constitutions while not doing the same at home. While they applaud how same-sex marriage is poised to be protected by the highest court, they are a bit dumbfounded that the same court says it has no constitutional basis to protect them. Frankly, they feel like they got passed over. "Societally, our generation is there," insists Chitra Panjabi, 30, NOW's membership vice president. "The structure needs to catch up." While ratifying the ERA would certainly be symbolic -- a statement to the nation and the world that women in America matter -- these activists insist the need is real.Just look at the recent flood of state legislation meant to chip away at reproductive rights, they say. See how religious freedoms trumped women's rights when the Supreme Court allowed Hobby Lobby to refuse comprehensive birth control coverage. Peek into corporate boardrooms and notice the dearth of female CEOs.Pay and other inequities hurt women -- and, by extension, families and communities (including men). Victims of domestic violence are less likely to leave if they can't stand on their own feet financially. And a lifetime of wage discrimination means women and their families also pay a price later when it comes to Social Security benefits. They marvel about those who fought before them, like the suffragists who endured beatings, arrests and hunger strikes so women could earn the right to vote. "Alice Paul showed up and said, 'I'm going to march on Pennsylvania Avenue," says Panjabi. "That's badass." They can't fathom why anyone elected to serve in Congress would oppose the ERA. "It's hard to vote against equal rights for women and then expect women to vote for you," says Gaylynn Burroughs, 36, director of policy and research at the Feminist Majority Foundation. They feel strange sitting here, speaking on behalf of this fight. It's as if they're instinctively waiting for their mentors to do the talking -- women like Burroughs' boss, Eleanor "Ellie" Smeal, who has been waging battles for women's equality for more than 40 years. Bolstering the bandwidth The offices of Smeal's Feminist Majority Foundation in Arlington, Virginia, are abuzz with interns doing research, planning outreach, organizing reports. On the walls of one workroom are handwritten reminders of why they do what they do."I need feminism because ... People didn't believe I could be a cheerleader and valedictorian," reads one. "I need feminism because... It's 2014 and old white men are still trying to write laws that control my body," says another.Smeal, 75, walks the hallways checking in with her young warriors, striding past a poster for the 2004 "March for Women's Lives." There's a framed Ms. Magazine cover -- Smeal is the publisher -- which reads "Wonder Woman for President." An image of Rosa Parks features her quote, "My sole concern was to get home after a hard day's work." A sketch of the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist is emblazoned with the words, "Gag me with a coat hanger." "We had a huge movement. But we have a bigger movement today; do not be mistaken," says Eleanor "Ellie" Smeal, longtime activist and president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. The ERA "is going to ratify. It's just a matter of time." In a conference room that doubles as a library for all-books-feminist-activist, the political analyst and strategist regales her protégé Burroughs -- joined today by Hager and other guests -- with war stories. She was president of NOW during the last big battle to ratify the ERA. She took part in a silent vigil on the steps of the Capitol, while "little boys from the Boy Scouts yelled at us to get back in the kitchen," she says, laughing at the absurdity of it all. "These little twerps, and their parents wouldn't say anything. And there we were like schmucks not talking. It was awful!" She details an Indiana march through a blizzard, the all-nighters in a Nevada library doing frenzied research, the ongoing struggle to find female lawyers to work with and a female CPA to do NOW's books. She cracks up recalling how befuddled she and her cohorts were by negative media coverage, until they remembered they were suing all three networks and many newspapers for discriminatory practices. Smeal insists the real enemy was never Phyllis Schlafly; it was big business -- "We're the cheap labor pool" -- and insurance companies. Before the Affordable Care Act, women paid about $1 billion more than men each year in the individual health insurance market, according to the National Women's Law Center. And only 3% of the plans they had covered maternity services.Reflecting on the last big ERA fight, Smeal says she and others in the core group knew their odds were bad. But they were building something bigger; it wasn't just one fight. They were an extension of a movement that began years before. When she first met Alice Paul, it was in the wee hours of the night at the National Women's Party building. Smeal and others from the Pittsburgh NOW chapter woke up Paul, who came to the door in a nightgown. Smeal says she was mortified, especially after Paul ran to fetch a bell and started ringing it."If you'd waited 50 years for reinforcements, you'd be excited, too," she remembers a friend saying. In the new reinforcements represented by Hager and Burroughs, Smeal sees all that is possible.While she and her comrades once shut down Western Union when they sent 400,000 telegrams during a march on Washington, today's movement is bolstered by the bandwidth of the Internet and tools like Twitter. Back in the day, it would take a week to move from a new idea to a mailing and require the help of children to stuff envelopes. These days, activists can blast out a fresh message to millions in minutes.While only 12 women held seats in the U.S. Congress, now there are 104. Factor in women elected to offices across the country, Smeal says, "You couldn't get them all in one room." Today, battles are being waged and won locally -- and don't require national mobilization. Oregon stands out as an example, having passed an Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution in a landslide vote in November. "The movement will grow. And the first good shot we get, you can bet we'll take it," Smeal says of the national ERA effort. "I see it as an intergenerational fight. I don't know if I'll be there. I don't know who will be there. But I know one thing: When we go over the top, we're going to need everybody." Driving forward Hager's sensible black pumps are killing her as she climbs into a cab after a long day on the Hill. She's greeted with a surprise that energizes her: At the wheel is only the third female taxi driver Hager has seen in her six years in Washington.The cabbie, who's been at this job for 29 years, isn't fazed. If she had a penny for every passenger who has said they'd never had a female cab driver before, she says, "I'd be a rich somebody." Instead, she gets fired up describing the men who've challenged her. Some say she's taken away their jobs. Others, when she was pregnant, accused her of not having a good husband because she works. "I could go on and on and on," she says, asking that her name not be used. "I give them a piece of my mind, and that's why I don't have much of one anymore." What got her on this roll is simple: Hager let her in on the not-so-secret fact that the ERA never passed. "What are you saying?" the cabbie shrieks, her eyes wide. "I thought I was well educated. You're tripping me out! What do you mean I don't have equal rights?"Now it's Hager's turn to be unfazed. She and her compatriots have seen this response so many times before. So she smiles, leans in from the back seat and begins to explain.

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Story highlightsBetween 7,000 and 10,000 refugees were living in the JungleMany migrants are being bused to several provinces in FranceCalais, France (CNN)French officials have said they will officially close the migrant camp known as "The Jungle" by nightfall Wednesday and will begin bulldozing the settlement.France on Monday began the process of registering thousands of migrants living at the camp after vowing for months to shut it down. By Wednesday morning, more than 4,400 migrants had been processed and bused out of Calais to other regions of the country. French riot police officers hold back migrants Monday as an operation began to clear the camp. "It really is now the end of the Jungle. We will finish at the time needed, but no matter what, tonight the Calais Jungle will shut down," Calais prefect Fabienne Buccio told reporters. "So it shows that we have arrived at the goal, and that our mission, which was to give shelter to the immigrants of the camp, is complete. We are proud, and it is an exceptional moment that we have experienced."Calais prefecture officials said all of the camp's migrants will have been resettled by the end of Wednesday. But a CNN team at the camp said hundreds of migrants were still there by late afternoon, and that many were refusing to register and be moved to other cities. Read MoreSome had cleared out of the camp for a few hours as fires tore through the settlement's center, from dozens of tents, huts and shipping-container shelters torched by migrants. Four Afghans were arrested in connection with the fires, Buccio said.Migrants torched temporary shelters at The Jungle on Wednesday, authorities said. "The cleaning up process is still underway, even if there are still fires throughout the camp. The migrants running back to the containers are trying to retrieve their personal objects," Buccio said. "While the containers were on fire, we had police officers surrounding the area to avoid migrants from getting close for security reasons."French authorities previously said they would not use force to have migrants register themselves. The Jungle is a gritty mosaic of tents and ramshackle huts that sprouted early last year on wasteland in the port city, near the site of a previous camp used in the 1990s.More than 5,000 migrants have been bused out of the camp since Monday.It has become the grim symbol of Europe's migrant crisis and many there have clung to hopes of reaching Britain, just 30 miles away across the English Channel.French officials said up to 7,000 people were living at The Jungle on Monday before evacuations began, but NGOs told CNN the figure was closer to 10,000.'Jungle finished'The 4 square-kilometer settlement had become more of a shantytown than a camp. Migrants had set businesses up there, including restaurants, cafes and hair salons, and many saw the camp as a symbols of migrants' resilience, as much as one of crisis.Among those refusing to leave is a 16-year-old Afghan boy who spoke to CNN at the camp Wednesday. He still hopes to get to Britain. He came to the Jungle alone, he said, and has lived there for nine months.He told CNN his name -- Hashoq -- but couldn't say how it was spelled. "I never learned to write," he said. "I go. Jungle finished," he said, but didn't know where he planned to go.He said he had a brother in the British city of Birmingham, but said he had refused to help him get to the UK."I'm here working, working, trying to go to England."From Camille Verdier in Paris, and Sebastian Shukla and Simon Cullen in London

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Ciudad Juárez (CNN)The blue sedan looked like any other driving along a Mexican highway until the mid-morning sun glinted off long, thin pieces of metal lashed to the car's left side: A column of rebar about 20 feet long was tied precariously to the side mirror. In most other places in Mexico, this might have just been some workers doing construction without the right truck for the job.But this car was driving right along the border wall in Ciudad Juárez, a city just south of the US-Mexico line, with El Paso, Texas on the other side -- a city where human smuggling abounds. Two human smugglers, called polleros in this part of the world, were in the car along with two migrants in the backseat who wanted to cross illegally into the United States. And as we would soon see, the group would use that rebar column as a makeshift ladder to hoist those two migrants up and over the wall and into the US. Tens of thousands of migrants arrive at the US border each week, with record-setting numbers of unaccompanied minors among them. The spike in numbers has once again overwhelmed an unprepared US immigration system, which has faced this type of crisis repeatedly in years past but has yet to resolve entrenched problems like overburdened asylum courts and facilities ill-equipped for housing children. Read MoreThe resurgence has also put a renewed focus on the role human smugglers play in getting so many migrants to the border. A smuggler leads two migrants toward the wall on the US-Mexico border in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, dragging the makeshift ladder. The business of migrant smuggling The smugglers are brothers and run the business out of their family home, smuggling people into the US with the help of one brother's 14-year-old son. Makeshift ladders laid out in the backyard were the only real giveaway of the family business. "It's super light," said the 14-year-old, picking up one of the ladders. He works with his father and uncle moving somewhere between 10 to 35 migrants per week on average, he says. Biden raises refugee cap to 62,500 after blowbackLately, that number has been on the high side. "Dozens are crossing everyday around here, it's very high," said one brother. "From the top of the wall in my backyard you can see people running, so many are jumping the wall." There is scant data to quantify the exact number of migrants using smugglers' services to make this journey. But most experts agree that many have used a smuggler for at least a part of their journey, in ways that can vary from a taxi ride between towns to an "all-inclusive" service that takes migrants from start to finish. The border wall at the US-Mexico border separating El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.A 2018 report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that more than 800,000 migrants from around the world were smuggled into Mexico and from there, smuggled or attempted to be smuggled into the US annually, based on a review of data from 2014 and 2015.Only a fraction of migrants avoid being caught before making it to their final US destination, despite the enormous fees required to make the trip. Costs can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands depending on a number of factors, largely based on the total distance of the journey and how many borders need to be crossed, according to the report. The amounts can leave migrants penniless, many of whom are migrating in the first place due to extreme poverty in their countries of origin.The UN report estimated that the business of trying to get people into Mexico and the US illegally was worth about $4 billion annually using data from 2014 and 2015, an estimate it calls conservative.JUST WATCHEDHarris on migration: We have to give hope to those who stay homeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHHarris on migration: We have to give hope to those who stay home 05:36 A cartel operation A large chunk of money spent on smuggling finds its way into the hands of organized crime, especially in Mexico, where experts say cartels operate with virtual impunity. "Human smuggling is a multimillion dollar industry and I would venture to guess that it's approaching a billion dollar industry [in Mexico alone]," said Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol Sector Chief in El Paso, Texas.Manjarrez says organized crime groups have used the money to create sophisticated smuggling networks that in some cases operate transnationally. "It's almost like a Fortune 500 company dealing with their supply chain," he said. "It is a ruthless business. [The cartels] do look at migrants like they're commodities, not people, and they're definitely exploited." One of the two brothers interviewed by CNN who smuggles people in Ciudad Juárez said he was recruited for the job after moving into his house on the border. "Some guys asked me if I wanted to join, and I said yes. That's why I'm here." In this case, the "guys" he referred to were members of the Juárez cartel—one of Mexico's oldest and most powerful organized crime groups—which the smugglers said they work for directly. Each migrant must pay the cartel $2,000 to cross the border here with the help of a smuggler, the two brothers told CNN. That's in addition to whatever these migrants had to pay just to arrive at the border.Nearly 6,000 undocumented immigrants apprehended daily at US-Mexico border in AprilThe smugglers then receive a salary, or a commission, from the cartel for their work. It's a system that plays out across the US-Mexico border. Different cartels control large sections of the border, commonly called plazas. Those groups then control what crosses the border illegally in these territories, whether it be drugs or people.Human smugglers operating in these areas almost always operate in one of two ways—they either work directly for the cartel that is in charge of that individual plaza or they work independently but have to pay the cartel a tax of sorts for the right to move through that territory, the smugglers told CNN.While the exact extent of organized crime's role in migrant smuggling throughout Central America remains unclear, its presence is apparent in Mexico, where migrants are taking enormous risks in making their journey to the United States. "Most smugglers involved in complex operations are either known to each other by virtue of kinship or friendship, or have entered into ad hoc partnerships with larger and better resourced groups," according to the 2018 UN report. The trip northward JUST WATCHEDCNN correspondent speaks to migrants making dangerous journey to USReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN correspondent speaks to migrants making dangerous journey to US 04:41Tens of thousands of migrants have fled their home countries in Central America this year for myriad reasons. Poverty and corruption continue to plague countries like Honduras, food insecurity is rising in places like Guatemala, and gang violence continues to be pervasive across El Salvador. Two massive Category 4 hurricanes also hit the region late last year, destroying entire communities and Covid-19 further decimated regional economies that were already struggling.The journey itself is grueling. Stories of rape and abuse are common among migrants along the border. "They can be raped, they can be robbed, they can be extorted, they can die on the journey," said psychologist Claudia Grisel Villalobos Esparza, who works at the government-run Nohemí Álvarez Quillay migrant shelter for unaccompanied minors in Ciudad Juárez. At another non-profit shelter in town, a young mother from Guatemala told us she and her toddler were smuggled north by various men over the course of a few weeks. But upon arrival to Ciudad Juárez, instead of being crossed into the United States as she was promised, she was put into a house with dozens of other people. "It was a huge house, the windows were covered with black nylon so we couldn't see outside," said the woman. "They gave us food some days, but one time we spent 8 days without enough food. They locked us in, we couldn't leave." The woman asked CNN not to reveal her identity because of her ongoing fears for her safety while she remains in Mexico. Four families separated at the US-Mexico border under Trump to be reunited this weekThe family of smugglers, led by the two brothers, told CNN they have heard of many such cases of abuse. They even brought up the smugglers who, a few weeks earlier, had dropped two young children over the border wall not far from their home, a case that made national headlines in the US."We don't do that," said one of the brothers. "We're all humans. They want to arrive safely. We don't harm them; we give them food and water and help them cross. Other people may hurt them, but we don't." CNN has no way of verifying how they treat the migrants in their charge. But even if they treat them well, the family's actions are far from selfless. Each time they are compensated for their work, they help to maintain a system that perpetuates rampant kidnapping, rape, extortion and even murder, according to experts like the psychologist at the unaccompanied minor shelter in Ciudad Juárez.While extensive data quantifying the specific threats faced by migrants using smugglers is not readily available, a Human Rights First report released last month reported at least 492 attacks and kidnappings suffered by asylum seekers turned away from the US or stranded in Mexico since President Joe Biden took office in January.A Medecins San Frontieres report from 2017 reported that nearly a third of female migrants entering Mexico interviewed had experienced some form of sexual abuse on their journeys north and nearly 70 percent of all interviewees experienced violence of some kind. The smugglers CNN spoke to argue that they provide a service that helps migrants who are desperate to get to the US. A woman and three young children race toward the wall at the US-Mexico border in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. They were detained by US Border Patrol a few minutes later. The last leg of the journey The smugglers told us to meet them at a car park.CNN chose to document the smugglers' process despite the illegality of their act to illuminate what is happening along the border on a daily basis as the immigration debate rages on in the United States.As our team sat in a minivan waiting, the blue sedan pulled out from a side street and stopped several hundred yards up the road in front of us. Two men got out and went to grab the makeshift ladder the migrants would use to go over the wall. Once it was secured to the side, the car took off down the highway. The smugglers were looking for a good spot to try and cross, they told us later, a location where US Border Patrol would be too far away to catch them in the act. Biden stopped building Trump's wall. Here's what it looks like nowAbout ten minutes of driving, the sedan slowed to a stop along a stretch of highway. One of the smugglers got out of the car along with the two migrants, one of whom grabbed the makeshift ladder. From that point, the border wall was about 500 meters away. A quick dash from the road and the trio made it into the sandy desert that is dominant feature of this arid landscape. Their progress quickly slowed, forced to crawl on their hands and knees to avoid anyone along the border who might be watching. Inching forward, dragging their metal ladder behind them, the labored haggard breathing of the migrants is the only sound apart from the occasional instruction from the smuggler. "Get down lower!," he shouted at one point as a Border Patrol truck drove by on the other side of the border. Halfway to the wall, the group took a break, during which CNN only had about 30 seconds to speak with the migrants. They were Ecuadorian, a young man and woman, 18 and 20, carrying nothing but the clothes on their backs and two 16-ounce bottles of water. They had paid various smugglers thousands of dollars to get to this point and they were hoping to find work in South Texas. But the only way they could do that was if they got over the wall. JUST WATCHEDThe faces of the immigration surge at the US-Mexico borderReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe faces of the immigration surge at the US-Mexico border 03:09After peering over a small bush, searching intently for any sign of law enforcement, the smuggler signaled it was time for the final push to the wall. Crouched in a low run, they made up the final distance in about a minute. The 18-year-old then lifted up the ladder and the smuggler helped him hook one end on the top of the fence, the ladder bent over the wall like a candy cane. The young man tossed both water bottles over the fence and immediately scaled the ladder, nimbly going hand over hand until he reached the top of the wall that's 15-20 feet high. He quickly lowered himself down on the other side, dropping into what looked like an unused construction site, and then it was the young woman's turn. Only slighter slower, she too made it with little problem. A migrant from Ecuador seen climbing over the US-Mexico border wall fence as a smuggler steadies the ladder below. They both took off through the desert on the other side and the smuggler took off back to the highway. For the two migrants, there seemed to be little plan as to what to do next. Clearly confused and overwhelmed, they both ran toward an uncertain future. There was little but desert on that side of the wall.Yes, they'd made it to the United States but far from being the end of their journey it was clear they had so much left to navigate. Where would they go? What would they do? How would they earn money? What would happen if they were caught by immigration authorities? These are questions we cannot answer.For the smuggler, those were immaterial queries -- the reality was simple. He had no idea what happened to them on the other side nor did he have a real interest in knowing. His job was to get them the over the wall and he'd done that. On this mission, he was successful. He raced back to the waiting blue sedan, the migrants he'd just crossed seemingly far from his mind. It was already on to the next one. There were more migrants he had to go pick up that were still waiting to be crossed.

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(CNN)Carlos Ramos will not serve as chair umpire for any Serena Williams or Venus Williams matches at the 2019 US Open, a United States Tennis Association spokesman told CNN on Wednesday.Ramos was the chair umpire for last year's volatile US Open women's singles final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka. A then-20-year-old Osaka prevailed against her idol 6-2, 6-4 in New York to win her first major, but it was overshadowed by controversy.US Open 2019: Naomi Osaka frets over knee injury Serena Williams clashed with Ramos, culminating when he docked her a game for calling him a "thief." After the match, while Osaka accepted the trophy, boos rang around Arthur Ashe Stadium. Osaka wept.Both players recently have suffered from injuries but remain in the US Open women's singles draw. Osaka, currently the top-ranked player in the world, will have the No. 1 seed. Serena Williams is eighth. Venus Williams is unseeded. The draw will be announced on Thursday, while play is scheduled to begin Monday.Read MoreSerena Williams pulls out of Cincinnati Masters with back injuryEarlier this month, Serena Williams was forced to retire in the Rogers Cup final in Toronto after four games against Canada's Bianca Andreescu because of back trouble. The injury kept her out of tournament action at the Western & Southern Open in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, last week.Meanwhile, Osaka retired during her last match, in the quarterfinals of Cincinnati against American Sofia Kenin, because of a knee injury.Serena Williams said she owed Naomi Osaka an apology after the US Open. Osaka's response brought her to tearsOsaka and Serena Williams have played once since that infamous match, with the American winning 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals in Toronto.Serena Williams, who turns 38 in September, is seeking a record 24th major singles title, tying her with Margaret Court for the most all time, and her first since the 2017 Australian Open, when she was pregnant. That win came against Venus Williams.Osaka, the first Japanese player to win a major singles title, added a second grand slam trophy earlier this year when she won the Australian Open.

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London (CNN)Queen Elizabeth has canceled a number of diary events scheduled over the coming weeks "as a sensible precaution" in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.The British monarch, 93, will move to Windsor Castle for the Easter period on Thursday -- one week earlier than planned, Buckingham Palace said in a statement Tuesday. She is expected to stay at Windsor Castle beyond the Easter period.Updates to her diary have been made "for practical reasons in the current circumstances," the statement said.Planned audiences scheduled to take place at Buckingham Palace this week will go ahead, including a meeting with UK Prime Minister.Queen Elizabeth had previously postponed certain events due to coronavirus."Future audiences will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, in line with the appropriate advice," the statement added.Read MorePublic events which were expected to draw large crowds and were due to be visited by the Queen and other members of the royal family in the coming months have been canceled or postponed.Queen Elizabeth postpones engagements amid coronavirus pandemicThe annual Maundy Service at St George's Chapel, at Windsor Castle, on April 9 will not go ahead. Three garden parties due to be held at Buckingham Palace in May will also not take place, the statement said.Planned investitures -- events at which members of the public receive honors from a member of the royal family -- will also be rearranged.Here's how much Europe's royal families really costBritain is now into the "delay" phase of its coronavirus response and scores of public events have been canceled around the country.Last Friday Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, announced they were canceling their spring tour due to the pandemic.The pair were set to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Jordan but have postponed those trips.Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people around the world.Boris Johnson on Monday announced a raft of new guidance, advising everyone to stop non-essential contact with others -- especially those over the age of 70.

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Hong Kong (CNN)Boeing Australia on Wednesday announced plans to make a jet drone with artificial intelligence that can act as a "loyal wingman" for manned jet fighters. The drone's software will enable it to fly independently or in support of manned aircraft while maintaining safe distance between other aircraft, Boeing said in a statement on what it calls the "Airpower Teaming System."The 38-foot-long, single-engine drone with a range of more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) will be able to engage in electronic warfare as well as intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions and swap quickly between those roles, according to Boeing. "Our newest addition to Boeing's portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power," Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems, said in the statement.The company showed off a model of the drone, dubbed the "Loyal Wingman -- Advanced Development Program," at the Australia International Airshow in Melbourne on Wednesday, with an introduction from Australian Minister of Defense Christopher Pyne.Read MoreAccompanying animations showed three of the prospective drones flying alongside a Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 fighter jet as well as an E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. Boeing says its Airpower Teaming System will be able to fly independently with artificial intelligenceAir Marshal Leo Davies, chief of the RAAF, hinted at how a drone with artificial intelligence would interact with human pilots in an interview with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute published Wednesday."We can program it to learn, but it learns linearly, it is not emotional and it is in many respects, in an air combat sense, quite inflexible," Davies is quoted as saying."When we look at a pilot's ability to assess the situation, that brings with it an amount of emotion and creativity that allows us to be agile."We need the flexibility and agility of the human meshed with the speed of a machine. When we put those together, we've got a quite amazing outcome," Davies said. Defense Export StrategyBoeing said it would build the concept aircraft in Australia, with an eye to exporting to allied countries once production becomes possible.Australia's plan to challenge China in the South Pacific"The Boeing Airpower Teaming System provides a transformational capability in terms of defense, and our customers -- led by Australia -- effectively become partners on the program with the ability to grow their own sovereign capabilities to support it, including a high-tech workforce," Marc Allen, the president of Boeing International, said in the company's statement.Building the drones in Australia and selling them abroad would be in line with Canberra's Defense Export Strategy, a 10-year-plan introduced a year ago and aimed at making Australia one of the world's top 10 defense suppliers while building a manufacturing base at home."Exports will provide our defense industry with greater certainty of future investment and support high-end manufacturing jobs for Australians for generations to come," the government said.A Royal Australian Air Force F-35 aircraft takes off during the Australian International Airshow at Avalon airport on March 3, 2017.The high-tech drones would be the latest in a line of modern acquisitions for Australia's air force.The RAAF accepted its first F-35 Joint Strike Fighters last year and plans to have 72 of the stealth jets active by 2023. It also expects to have 15 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft in operation by 2023.Both those platforms could partner in missions with AI drones.The first flight of the drone is planned for 2020, Boeing said.

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Istanbul, Turkey (CNN)At the Ayaklı borsa -- or standing currency exchange in old Istanbul -- seasoned traders still ply their trade on their feet as they have for centuries. They say they have not seen such volatility since 2001, when Turkey faced its last major currency crisis. Those at Ayaklı borsa described August 11 as "Black Friday," after a tweet by US President Donald Trump triggered a new round of tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel, which sent the Turkish lira reeling. From their vantage point at the standing exchange, the lira's battle is far from over."As long as the tension with America continues to be high and Turkey has limited cash reserves, the dollar is open to rise," veteran currency trader Adnan Kapikaya told CNN in the midst of the noisy calls to place orders. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seen arriving at the NATO Summit in Brussels last month.Kapikaya is referring to the high-profile spat between Trump and Turkey's long-serving leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The lira has been caught in the crossfire.Conflict over pastorRead MoreTrump has turned up the heat seeking the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been held in Turkey on espionage charges since 2016. With the pressure he has put on Turkey, President Trump has placed that country in the pole position for what is a nasty rush out of emerging-market currencies and into the dollar as the US Federal Reserve winds down nearly a decade of historically low interest rates.Over breakfast in a café in central Istanbul, bank employee Mehtap Gunal said the near 40% decline in the lira has been difficult to digest as prices for basic foodstuffs continue to rise."This has a shock impact on us. We feel it in our kitchens, cafés and on our salaries," said Gunal. "To see our salary losing its value is scary."With a good instinct for the mood on the street, Turkey's scrappy President has tried to counterpunch each of Trump's moves. One day he threatened a boycott of US electronics; the next, he doubled tariffs on a long list of American goods -- from cars to cosmetics.US Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson (C), is seen inside a car escorted by Turkish plainclothes police officers as he arrives at his house last month.Friends in Russia and QatarHe also moved into higher gear to shield Turks from the Trump offensive by announcing emergency measures to limit Turkish companies from swapping liras for dollars. Erdogan also went out of his way to send a message to Washington that Turkey has friends.Turkey's Erdogan pledges US electronics boycott, gets closer with RussiaRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited Ankara, followed a day later by the young Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who put forth a $15 billion cash injection when Turkey needed it most.The all-hands-on-deck approach worked to slow down panic selling of the lira, but Turkey's long-term economic problems won't vanish overnight after years of prolific spending.In Taksim Square, a grand mosque taking final shape serves as an example of Erdogan's construction-driven growth strategy during his 15 years in power. The West cannot afford losing Turkey to Russia and IranZumrut Imamoglu, the chief economist of Turkey's powerful business association TUSIAD, said local companies and banks are now suffocating under a mountain of foreign debt. After a rapid descent in the currency, the cost of repayment is soaring. Funding gap"Corporates and the financial sector and if you include the government debt, they need to find $180 billion of funding for the next year and international reserves at the central bank stand around $100 billion. So, there is a gap and that is what investors have been focusing on," Imamoglu said. Imamoglu is forecasting a quick reversal of fortune from what she said was an overheated 7.4% rate of growth in the first quarter to near recession by the close of the year.She said Turkey's current account deficit of 5.5%, inflation of nearly 16% and commercial lending rates of 38% make up a toxic economic combination that will implode if Turkey does not turn to the International Monetary Fund for emergency lending, a move Erdogan remains steadfastly against.Which means over the next year, the livelihood of average Turks and their populist leader will remain closely linked to the tweets of the US President and a rising US dollar.

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Washington (CNN)Shortly after tweeting the US military was "locked and loaded" should North Korea "act unwisely," President Donald Trump returned to Twitter on Friday to emphasize his point by retweeting images of US B-1 bombers currently stationed in Guam. Featuring a series of photos depicting B-1B Lancers deployed to the US territory, the tweet from US Pacific Command said: "B-1B Lancer #bombers on Guam stand ready to fulfill USFK's #FightTonight mission if called upon to do so." #USAF B-1B Lancer #bombers on Guam stand ready to fulfill USFK's #FightTonight mission if called upon to do so https://t.co/O3oVeFrNrG pic.twitter.com/IAm2qLwcWY— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) August 11, 2017 A key part of the US military's "tip of the spear," US B-1 bombers have been seen regularly over the Korean Peninsula in recent months amid escalating tensions with Pyongyang -- running regular training flights with Japanese and South Korean fighter jets that often provoke the ire of the North Korean regime. On Tuesday, Trump warned Pyongyang not to make any more threats against the United States or they will "face fire and fury like the world has never seen." Soon after Trump's comments, North Korea issued a statement saying it was "examining the operational plan" to strike areas around the US territory of Guam in the Pacific, including the Andersen Air Force base where the US B-1 bombers are stationed. Read MoreWhile it was released Wednesday, the statement was dated Tuesday and didn't make any reference to Trump's comments. It did, however, express anger over a US flyby of B-1B bombers on Monday.Another statement was issued by North Korean state media Wednesday warning the US that a "preemptive strike is no longer the monopoly of the US."US B-1B Lancer bomberEngines: four turbofans with afterburnerWingspan: 137 feet (41.8 meters) extended forward, 79 feet (24.1 meters) swept aftLength: 146 feet (44.5 meters)Height: 34 feet (10.4 meters)Weight: 95 tons (86,183 kilograms) Speed: 900-plus mph Ceiling: more than 30,000 feet (9,144 meters)Payload: 37.5 tons (34,019 kilograms)Weapons: Joint Direct Attack Munitions. JDAMs are tail sections with GPS navigation capabilities that are attached to 2,000-, 1,000- and 500-pound bombs.Source: US Air ForceThe highly versatile, supersonic B-1 is considered the backbone of the US long range bomber fleet and carries the largest conventional payload of any aircraft in the US Air Force. The US is currently rotating six B-1s through Andersen Air Force Base in Guam which would serve as a key aerial assets should Trump order a military strike on North Korea either preemptively or as a quick response to escalation from Pyongyang. While the US would likely use stealth aircraft such as the F-22s, F-35s and B-2 bombers to lead an initial strike targeting North Korean air defense systems, B-1s would likely be dispatched from Guam once those defensive capabilities were disabled -- utilizing its heavy payload to strike North Korea's fortified nuclear weapons sites, according to Carl Schuster, a former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center.Launching a devastating preemptive strike against North Korea is almost unanimously considered a last resort for the US and analysts said there are currently no signs that the US is planning a first strike.The US would surely use military force in response to any North Korean strike against American or allied targets, but two US defense officials told CNN on Thursday that there are no signs of any imminent launch activity from the rogue state.But the concept of preemptive military action is, at very least, being considered as an option as Trump remains committed to keeping "all options on the table" amid tensions with Pyongyang.Claims that Pyongyang is considering a missile strike near Guam, coupled with Trump's warning "military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely," have fueled concerns of a potential conflict. On Thursday, North Korean state media KCNA said military leaders were working on a proposal to launch four intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missiles into the sea less than 25 miles off Guam's coast.KCNA said the plan would presented to Kim by mid-August.The last resort: How a US strike on North Korea could play outGuam's Homeland Security Advisor George Charfauros said Friday it would take 14 minutes for a missile fired from North Korea to reach Guam."It's a 14-minute flight time if all the factors are successful and if it gets through all the US defense layers in place," Charfauros told CNN. North Korea had previously said the flight time would be 1,065 seconds, or just under 18 minutes.On Thursday, Trump replied to North Korea's threat to hit Guam with a threat of his own."Let's see what he does with Guam," Trump said in apparent reference to Kim. "He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody has seen before.""You'll see, you'll see. And he'll see," he said.

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(CNN)Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has given birth to a son.The baby, whose name has not yet been announced, was born at 8:28 p.m. (2:28 p.m. ET) Wednesday, Marshal of the Realm Svante Lindqvist said in a statement posted online. Sweden's newest prince was 52 centimeters (20.5 inches) long and weighed 3,655 grams (8.1 pounds).Both mother and child are in good health, the statement said. Prince Daniel, who married Crown Princess Victoria in 2010, was present at the Stockholm hospital throughout the birth, Lindqvist said. The couple also have a 4-year-old daughter, Princess Estelle.Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Estelle and Prince Daniel pose at a 2013 wedding.Crown Princess Victoria is the eldest child and heir apparent of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf.

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Story highlights Ratko Mladic declines to answer questions on Srebrenica massacre, Sarajevo siegeMladic says U.N.-backed court is "satanic," argues testimony could harm his own caseHe is called as a defense witness in the trial of ex-Bosnian Serb leader Radovan KaradzicBoth men are being tried on charges of genocide and other war crimes during the 1990sFormer Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic refused to testify Tuesday at the genocide trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic in the Netherlands and denounced the U.N.-backed court as "satanic."Both men are on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, or ICTY, for their role in the conflict that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia two decades ago.But Mladic said he does not recognize the court in The Hague and rejects it as satanic. "It is not a court of justice, and it is trying us because we are Serbs and are trying to protect our people from you," he said.The former army chief, who was arrested in May 2011 after a decade on the run, is being tried separately from his former ally, Karadzic, but was called Tuesday as a defense witness in latter's trial.Mladic agreed to answer only the first of six questions put to him -- on the positions held during his military career -- arguing that his testimony could harm his own case. JUST WATCHED2012: Srebrenica the focus of Mladic trialReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2012: Srebrenica the focus of Mladic trial 02:55JUST WATCHED2012: 'Butcher of Bosnia' shows no remorseReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH2012: 'Butcher of Bosnia' shows no remorse 03:42Karadzic faces two counts of genocide, among other charges, one of which relates to the massacre of nearly 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995.The second question put to Mladic by Karadzic's defense was, "Did you ever inform me, orally or in writing, that prisoners in Srebrenica would be, were being, or had been executed?"The next was, "Did we have any agreement or understanding that the citizens of Sarajevo should be subjected to terror by shelling and sniping?"Mladic was also asked about the reasons for the shelling and sniping in Sarajevo, and what he had told Karadzic.More than 10,000 people, most of them civilians, died in the lengthy siege of Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, by Bosnian Serb forces that pounded the city every day from higher ground.Mladic was also asked if he and Karadzic had any agreement "to expel Muslims or Croats residing in Serb-controlled areas" -- a question related to the second genocide charge faced by Karadzic.Karadzic: From psychiatrist to 'Butcher of Bosnia'Elaborate disguiseThe court proceedings are now in recess, the ICTY said. There was already an early break in proceedings after Mladic asked to be brought his dentures before he answered questions, said ICTY spokeswoman Magdalena Spalinska.Karadzic was captured in 2008 after more than 13 years of hiding in plain sight in Belgrade. He had adopted an elaborate disguise that included long hair and a full beard, and was practicing alternative medicine in the Serbian capital.His trial started in 2009, and the prosecution rested its case in May 2012. The defense case began in October of that year.Mladic is accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in a trial that began in 2011.Both men would face life in prison if convicted. The court cannot impose the death penalty.Balkans conflictsThe ICTY is still prosecuting a number of cases of alleged war crimes committed during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s.The Srebrenica massacre became an emblem of the dissolution of Yugoslavia -- once a multiethnic state of Serbs, Croats, Muslims and others -- into six countries during a bloody and brutal conflict.Other defendants at the court include Croatian Serb rebel leader Goran Hadzic, accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes; and Vojislav Seselj, a Serb nationalist politician who faces charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes.The tribunal says "the most significant number" of its cases have dealt with alleged crimes by Serbians or Bosnian Serbs.But there have been convictions for crimes against Serbs by others, including Croats, Bosnian Muslims and Kosovo Albanians.READ: 2012: Court suspends Ratko Mladic war crimes trialREAD: 2012: Ratko Mladic: Brutal villain to many, hero to others

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Story highlightsJapan becomes the first country to qualify for 2014 World Cup in BrazilKeisuke Honda's 91st-minute penalty secures a 1-1 draw with AustraliaJapan will now head to Brazil for the forthcoming Confederations CupSven-Goran Eriksson appointed head coach of Chinese club Guangzhou R & FAn injury-time penalty from Keisuke Honda fired Japan into the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making the Samurai Blue the first country to qualify for next year's tournament in Brazil.With Japan needing to avoid defeat in order to clinch one of the 32 places with a game to spare, playmaker Honda converted a late spot-kick to level the score at 1-1 after Australia had taken a surprise lead through Tommy Oar's speculative cross with eight minutes remaining.Tuesday's point means Alberto Zaccheroni's Japan are seven points clear at the top of Asian qualifying's Group B and assured of a place in a fifth consecutive World Cup.The top two teams from each of Asia's five-country groups advance, with both third-placed teams entering a playoff. Blog: Can Chelsea go "Back to the Future?"JUST WATCHEDJosé Mourinho's press conference anticsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJosé Mourinho's press conference antics 06:08JUST WATCHEDMourinho returns to ChelseaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMourinho returns to Chelsea 03:08The winner of that two-legged tie plays the fifth-placed team from the South American section to decide who goes to the tournament. Brazil, as host nation, has does not need to qualify.Oman also enjoyed a fruitful Tuesday as they leaped from second bottom in Group B to second top after beating Iraq 1-0 in Muscat thanks to Ismail Al Ajmi's goal in first half stoppage time. The Omanis' nine points are now two better than both Australia and Jordan, but the latter pair have a match in hand. This will be played when the Socceroos, who have qualified for the last two World Cups, host Jordan in Melbourne next Tuesday. The result of that match will determine what each team needs to do in their final qualifier on June 18, when Group B concludes with Australia at home again, against Iraq, while Oman travel to Jordan. Japan's next commitment is the forthcoming Confederations Cup in Brazil, a warmup event for 2014's four-yearly showpiece.Zaccheroni's Asian champions play hosts Brazil in the competition's opening game on June 15.Read: Neymar vows to help MessiElsewhere in Asia, former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been named head coach of Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R & F.The Swede, who has also coached Manchester City, Lazio, Roma and Ivory Coast during a 36-year managerial career, has left his post as technical director of United Arab Emirates club Al Nasr."The club's board of directors has today officially hired Sven-Goran Eriksson as Guangzhou football coach until December 2014," read a statement from the club, which is 13th in the 16-team CSL."Coach Li Bing will from today no longer serve as the acting head coach."

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Story highlightsVeteran international ends playing career to take charge of MilanSeedorf will become first black coach in Serie A since 1995Midfielder made over 400 appearances for San Siro sideDutchman replaces Massimiliano Allegri, sacked on Monday after Milan's dismal Serie A startThe unsavory issue of racism in Italian football could be tested like never before following the news that former Netherlands international Clarence Seedorf is to take charge of AC Milan. Even though Milan has yet to formally confirm his appointment, the 37-year-old is in line to become the first black manager in Serie A in nearly two decades. The last black coach to guide a leading Italian side was Brazilian Jarbas 'Cane' Faustinho, who took joint control of Napoli in the 1994-95 season alongside Vujadin Boskov. Seedorf announced his appointment at a news conference in Brazil while simultaneously retiring as a player following a stellar career -- with Rio de Janeiro's Botafogo proving to be the well-traveled midfielder's last club. "All the experience I have gained in this year and a half at Botafogo is going to help me in my next venture, which will be as coach of Milan," Seedorf told reporters in Brazil on Tuesday. Read: Stumbling AC Milan sack MilanHe takes the Milan job despite boasting no previous coaching experience. JUST WATCHEDClarence Seedorf leaves AC Milan ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHClarence Seedorf leaves AC Milan 02:39JUST WATCHEDRacism in Football: Part 1ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRacism in Football: Part 1 14:23JUST WATCHEDRacism in Football: Part 2ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRacism in Football: Part 2 15:00JUST WATCHEDRacism in Football: Part 3ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHRacism in Football: Part 3 00:59The former Real Madrid and Ajax Amsterdam star's agent said a two-and-a-half-year contract has been signed to replace Massimiliano Allegri, who was fired on Monday following a dismal run of results. At the halfway stage of the Serie A season, the seven-time European champions stand eleventh in the table -- six points off the relegation zone and a worrying 30 behind league leaders Juventus. Seedorf, who won two Champions League and two Serie A titles with Milan as a player, must not only try to arrest the team's worrying slump but also run the potential gauntlet of racism in a country whose football has been plagued by it in recent times. Read: Lazio punished for racismIn 2013 alone, leading sides Lazio, Roma and Inter were all sanctioned following racial abuse by their own supporters. The incident that attracted the biggest headlines came twelve months ago as Kevin-Prince Boateng led Milan in a walk-off after the Ghanaian international was subjected to racist abuse in a friendly against lower-tier side Pro Patria. Juventus president Andrea Agnelli recently told CNN that Italy was some 40 years behind a country such as England in terms of its attitude towards black people.Read: Italian football's 'turf wars'However, Seedorf had more immediate challenges to wrestle with as he took a phone call from Milan chairman Silvio Berlusconi on Monday. "The call came in the middle of the training session. Obviously, it's a place where I spent 10 years of my life and I have a very close relationship with the president so when he asked me I couldn't say no," explained the Dutchman, who said he pondered overnight the wrench of retiring from playing. "After 22 years, it was a difficult night. But I am very satisfied with what I've done in my career." The powerful midfielder made his debut for local side Ajax way back in 1992, prior to joining a host of Europe's top sides: Sampdoria, Real Madrid, Inter and Milan. During this time, he became the first man to win Champions League titles with three different clubs - triumphing with Ajax in 1995, Real in 1998 and Milan in both 2003 and 2007. JUST WATCHEDBalotelli: I'm glad I left EnglandReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBalotelli: I'm glad I left England 03:07JUST WATCHEDBoateng: We can't ignore racismReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBoateng: We can't ignore racism 04:34JUST WATCHEDCan AC Milan rebuild this season? ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCan AC Milan rebuild this season? 02:54In 2012, he left Milan to join Botafogo as the veteran Dutch international sampled football outside of Europe for the first time in his career -- going on to further embellish his trophy cabinet with a Rio league crown.His displays helped Botafogo qualify for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 17 years, as one of Brazil's most famous clubs finally returned to form. SAN SIRO RETURNOn Tuesday, a man with over 400 appearances for the Rossoneri rejected the idea that he would find it difficult to lead players alongside whom he once lined up. "Being in charge of former teammates won't cause a problem -- on the contrary, I know them," said a man chosen above former striker Filippo Inzaghi, with Milan's youth coach having been linked with the job. "I am very happy to have this dream chance to go back." The Surinam-born star had reportedly been working on his coaching badges while in Brazil and will need all his years of experience to turn around a club that has lost the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva and Seedorf himself in recent years. The trio were all part of Milan's last Scudetto, delivered by Allegri in his maiden season in charge in 2010-2011. Seedorf must now improve the 18-time Italian champions' chronic form, with the likes of Mario Balotelli, Kaka and Stephan El Shaarawy having won just five of their 19 league games this season. Next month, a man who once dominated the Champions League on the pitch must negotiate his first match in charge as Milan meet high-flying Spaniards Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16.

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Washington (CNN)The US, South Korea and Japan agreed this week to shift a planned flight of at least two nuclear-capable B-52 bombers so they would not fly over the Korean Peninsula, according to two US defense officials.The decision was made in the wake of North Korea's objection to US military exercises in the region and a suggestion from Pyongyang that the upcoming summit between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump could be at risk. North Korea threatened to cancel the planned summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, saying the US should carefully consider the fate of the upcoming meeting, in view of what it calls "provocative military disturbances with South Korea," North Korea's state news agency reported early Wednesday local time.North Korea warns US as it suspends South Korea talks over military drills Officials said Friday it was not clear to them whether the decision to shift the route of the aircraft was in response to Kim's statement but noted the move was part of an effort to try to ease the prospect of North Korea being able to claim the US was engaging in provocative behavior. The officials insist the bomber missions, which have been going on for several years, are not considered military exercises.Read MoreOfficially, the Pentagon refused to comment. "We continue to coordinate with our allies but for operational security reasons we cannot comment on future or ongoing operations. This would also include our decision-making process," said Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Logan. Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetB-52 Stratofortress – The first versions of this long-range heavy bomber flew in 1954. A total of 744 were built, the last of those in 1962. The Air Force maintains 58 B-52s in the active force and 18 in the Reserve. A single B-52 can carry 70,000 pounds of mixed munitions, including bombs, missiles and mines. The eight-engine jets have a range of 8,800 miles.Hide Caption 1 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetC-130 Hercules transport – A C-130J Super Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron flies over Normandy, France, June 3, 2015. First delivered to the Air Force in 1956, the C-130 remains one of the service's most important airlift platforms. More than 140 are still in active units, with more than 180 in the National Guard and a hundred more in the Reserve. The C-130 is powered by four turboprop engines.Hide Caption 2 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetAC-130 gunships – The AC-130H Spectre and the AC-130U Spooky gunships are designed for close air support, air interdiction and force protection. Armaments on the Spectre include 40mm and 105mm cannons. The Spooky adds a 25mm Gatling gun.Hide Caption 3 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetF-22 Raptor – The twin-engine F-22 stealth fighter, flown by a single pilot and armed with a 20mm cannon, heat-seeking missiles, radar-guided missiles and radar-guided bombs, can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The service has 183 of the Raptors, which went operational in 2005.Hide Caption 4 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetThe single-engine F-35A is the Air Force's eventual replacement for the F-16 and the A-10. The supersonic jets, which will be able to conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks, are just beginning to enter the Air Force fleet. Here, an F-35 Lightning II from the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, flys at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 15, 2017.Hide Caption 5 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetB-2 Spirit bomber – The four-engine B-2 heavy bomber has stealth properties that make it hard to detect on radar. Flown by a crew of two, it has an unrefueled range of 6,000 miles and can deliver both conventional and nuclear bombs. Twenty B-2s are in the active inventory. They joined the fleet in 1997.Hide Caption 6 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetB-1B Lancer bomber – The four-engine jet can fly at 900 mph and carry the largest payload of bombs and missiles in the Air Force inventory. The Air Force has 62 B-1Bs in the fleet.Hide Caption 7 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetF-15 Eagle – The F-15 Eagle, the Air Force's main air superiority fighter, became operational in 1975. With a crew of one or two, depending on the model, the twin-engine jets are armed with a 20mm cannon along with Sidewinder or AMRAAM missiles. The Air Force lists 249 F-15 Eagles in its inventory.Hide Caption 8 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetF-15E Strike Eagle – The Strike Eagle is a version of the air superiority fighter adapted to perform ground-strike missions. With a crew of two, the twin-jet can carry and deploy most weapons in the Air Force inventory and operate in any weather. The F-15E was first delivered in 1988. The Air Force lists 219 in its fleet.Hide Caption 9 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetA-10 Thunderbolt – The A-10 Thunderbolt jets, nicknamed "Warthogs," are specially designed for close air support of ground forces. Key to their armaments is a 30mm Gatling gun. The pilot is protected from ground fire by titanium armor, and the plane's fuel cells are self-sealing in case of puncture. Hide Caption 10 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetRC-135U – The RC-135U Combat Sent, based at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, provides strategic electronic reconnaissance information to the president, secretary of defense, Department of Defense leaders and theater commanders.Hide Caption 11 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetAn F-15 Eagle takes off from the Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, flight line as two E-3 Sentries are seen in the background.Hide Caption 12 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetOV-10 Bronco – A 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron OV-10 Bronco aircraft fires white phosphorus rockets to mark a target for an air strike during tactical air control training. Hide Caption 13 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetA-29 Super Tucano – An A-29 Super Tucano taxis on the flightline during its first arrival, Sept. 26, 2014, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Afghan Air Force pilots trained on the planes that will be used in air-to-ground attack missions in Afghanistan.Hide Caption 14 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetKC-135 Stratotanker – The four-engine KC-135 joined the Air Force fleet in 1956 as both a tanker and cargo jet. It can carry up to 200,000 pounds of fuel and 83,000 pounds of cargo and passengers in a deck above the refueling system. More than 400 of the KC-135s are flown by active, Air Guard and Reserve units.Hide Caption 15 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetF-16 Fighting Falcon – The single-engine jet is a mainstay of the Air Force combat fleet. It can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions with its 20mm cannon and ability to carry missiles and bombs on external pods. More than 1,000 F-16s are in the Air Force inventory.Hide Caption 16 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetC-17 Globemaster transport – The four-engine jet joined the Air Force fleet in 1993 with a primary mission of troop and cargo transport. Each plane can carry up to 102 troops or 170,900 pounds of cargo. The Air Force has 187 C-17s on active duty, 12 in the Air National Guard and 14 in the Reserve.Hide Caption 17 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetC-5 Galaxy transport – The C-5, with a wingspan of 222 feet, a length of 247 feet and a height of 65 feet, is the largest plane in the Air Force inventory and one of the largest aircraft in the world. The first versions of the four-engine jet joined the force in 1970. The Air Force expects to have 52 versions of the latest model, the C-5M, in the fleet by 2017.Hide Caption 18 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetCV-22 Osprey – The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines vertical takeoff, hover and landing qualities of a helicopter with the normal flight characteristics of a turboprop aircraft, according to the Air Force. It is used to move troops in and out of operations as well as resupply units in the field. The Air Force has 33 Ospreys in inventory.Hide Caption 19 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetE-3 Sentry AWACS – AWACS stands for airborne warning and control system. This four-engine jet, based on a Boeing 707 platform, monitors and manages battle space with its huge rotating radar dome. The planes have a flight crew of four supporting 13 to 19 specialists and controllers giving direction to units around the battle space. The Air Force has 32 E-3s in inventory.Hide Caption 20 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetKC-10 Extender – Based on the DC-10 passenger jet, the triple-engine KC-10 is a gas station in the sky with the ability to carry 75 people and 170,000 pounds of cargo. In its six tanks, the KC-10 can carry up to 356,000 pounds of fuel and dispense it while airborne. The Air Force has 59 KC-10s on active duty.Hide Caption 21 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetT-38 Talon – The twin-engine jet trainer, used by the Air Force to prepare pilots for the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15C Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, B-1B Lancer, A-10 Thunderbolt and F-22 Raptor, first flew in 1959. Almost 550 are in the active force.Hide Caption 22 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetU-2 – The single-engine, single-pilot U-2 is used for high-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance. Flying at altitudes around 70,000 feet, pilots must wear pressure suits like those worn by astronauts. The first U-2 was flown in 1955. The planes were used on missions over the Soviet Union during the Cold War, flying too high to be reached by any adversary. The Air Force has 33 U-2s in its active inventory.Hide Caption 23 of 24 Photos: In the U.S. Air Force fleetWC-135 Constant Phoenix – The four-engine WC-135 is used to fly through airspace to detect the residue of nuclear blasts. "The aircraft is equipped with external flow-through devices to collect particulates on filter paper and a compressor system for whole air samples collected in holding spheres," the Air Force says. It has two of these jets in the active force.Hide Caption 24 of 24But Logan also noted "continuous Bomber Presence missions are part of a routine, forward deployed, deterrence capability supporting regional security and our allies in the Indo-Pacific region."Speaking on Friday, the officials said the B-52s which took off from Guam and landed back there, were on a flight that began 24-48 hours earlier. They flew south/southeast of the Korean Peninsula but stayed out of South Korean airspace.The Wall Street Journal was first to report the altered plans.On Thursday, the Pentagon told CNN that the decision not to include B-52 bombers in the ongoing Max Thunder military drills "was made long before the DPRK's remarks on May 16 about diplomatic meetings and summits.""The B-52 non-participation is NOT tied to this week's events or communications. The Republic of Korea and United States will continue to cooperate fully to set the conditions for successful diplomatic efforts while maintaining a foundation of military readiness," a statement from the Pentagon said.The last resort: How a US strike on North Korea could play outUS bombers have been seen regularly over the Korean Peninsula in recent months amid escalating tensions with Pyongyang -- running regular training flights with Japanese and South Korean fighter jets that often provoke the ire of the North Korean regime.

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(CNN)Seven people were killed in a terror attack in central London late Saturday before police shot three suspects dead, the Metropolitan police said.London Bridge terror attacksLive updates: Seven dead in attackHorrified diners hid from man with knifeTrump touts travel plan after London attackIn brief: What we know and don't knowVideo: How attacks unfolded In photos: London Bridge terror attack The violence began when a van swerved into throngs of pedestrians on London Bridge. The suspects are then believed to have jumped out the van and proceeded on foot to nearby Borough Market, a popular nightlife spot, where witnesses said they produced knives and slashed indiscriminately at customers in restaurants and bars.At least 48 people were taken to hospitals, the London Ambulance Service tweeted. Key questions remain, including whether the attackers had support or were part of a larger network, and whether the attacks were coordinated.Read MoreHere's what we know.First incident: London BridgeThe van entered the bridge at 9:58 p.m. local time (4:58 pm ET), Metropolitan Police said Sunday.Witness Mark Roberts said he saw a van speeding across the bridge and then suddenly swerve, bounce off the pavement and hit several pedestrians. He said he heard what sounded like gunfire five to 10 minutes later.At 10.08 p.m., police officers responded to reports of a vehicle colliding with pedestrians on London Bridge.Another witness, Brad Myers, said heard a "boom" behind him, which he thinks was the sound of a car hitting the guardrails or other vehicles. He said he saw someone jump into the water to avoid being hit.The first ambulance team arrived within six minutes, according to the London Ambulance Service.Second incident: Borough MarketAs emergency services rushed to respond, reports came in of multiple stabbings at Borough Market, which was teeming with people on a Saturday night.Witness Elsbeth Smedley told CNN that a man ran into Elliot's, a cafe, and stabbed two people before running out.Jack Applebee, a local restaurant owner, said people were running down the street and he heard a female shout, "They're stabbing everyone." About five minutes later, as he and diners took shelter in the restaurant, he heard 10 to 15 gunshots. Police escorted them out 30 minutes later. Police called both events "terrorist incidents" at 12:25 a.m. Sunday, London time. Guy's Hospital, near London Bridge, was placed on lockdown "to keep patients, relatives and staff safe," it said in a statement.The victimsAt 4 a.m., police said six people were killed. That number has been increased to seven and could go higher.Authorities have not released details about where or how the seven victims died.Some of those hospitalized are in critical condition, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said.Thirty-six victims are still in hospitals and 21 of them are in critical condition, the National Health Service said Sunday. One of the dead was a Canadian, said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday.French President Emmanuel Macron said French citizens were among the victims.At least one officer received injuries that are not life-threatening, police said.The assailantsThe three assailants were shot dead within eight minutes of police receiving the first emergency call.They were wearing what looked like explosive vests but later appeared to be fake.Authorities announced 12 arrests on Sunday.The official responseBritish Prime Minister Theresa May blamed "Islamist extremism," saying "there is too much tolerance of extremism."May said Thursday's general election will go ahead as scheduled. But the main parties suspended campaigning Sunday.The threat level remains at "severe," one step below the highest level, "critical."Khan, London's mayor, praised the quick police response and asked Londoners to remain calm and vigilant. He said that "Over the next few days, Londoners and visitors will be seeing an increased police presence."Large areas around London Bridge and Borough Market remain cordoned off. The UK will observe a minute's silence on Tuesday and flags will remain at half-staff on Whitehall government buildings, May's office announced in a statement. CNN's Hilary McGann and Duarte Mendonca contributed to this report.

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Story highlights Judge rules that statute of limitations has expiredProsecutors had asked for five years in prisonEx-PM survived political, corruption, sex scandals before quitting in NovemberA judge has dismissed the corruption case against former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, saying that the statute of limitations has expired.Berlusconi was charged with bribing a British lawyer, David Mills, to secure favorable testimony in legal cases. Although Saturday's decision will spare Berlusconi prison time, the ruling is not the same as an acquittal. A written report on the case will be published within 90 days. The ruling is a victory for the former premier's lawyers, who had argued that the statute of limitations in the case has expired. Mills' conviction in the case was overturned in 2010.Berlusconi, 75, dominated Italian politics for a decade and a half before resigning amid a financial crisis in November. He has survived a series of political, corruption and sex scandals over the years, involving allegations of embezzlement, tax fraud and bribery.In addition to the Mills case, he also faces trial on charges that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her out of jail when she was arrested for theft.

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(CNN)Prosecutors doubled down on their portrayal of the legislator-hating, gun-toting, right-wing extremist Guy Reffitt as the person who showed rioters outside the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, how to push back against a police line.On Tuesday morning, the Washington jurors will begin to discuss whether they believe the prosecution's theory that Reffitt, on the steps of the Capitol, catalyzed the riot's push into the Senate, causing the disruption of Congress, or whether they side with his defense lawyer's attempt to disconnect Reffitt from the crowd's more violent actions.The case, the first for a January 6 defendant to go to trial, will mark a pivotal moment in the Justice Department's historic investigation. Over six days, the Reffitt trial has surfaced painful memories from Capitol Police officers who responded to the attack and now are testifying; multiple angles of video of the riot from surveillance tapes and rioters' own cameras; a civics lesson on Electoral College certification; a window into the right-wing group the Texas Three Percenters through one witness's testimony and footage of a group videoconference; and the text-message dynamics of Reffitt's family, in which his son grew alarmed with his political extremism and sent information to the FBI.Dozens more US Capitol Police officers were injured on January 6 than previously known, report saysIn their closing statements to the jury on Monday, prosecutors assembled images of the riot showing Reffitt in a blue jacket, standing on the massive exterior banister of the Capitol steps to its Upper West Terrace, far in front of the rest of the crowd. They then played video from multiple angles that captured Reffitt being hit with chemical irritants that forced him to sit and rub his eyes as he waved the mob toward the Senate. The prosecutors cut in images of then-Vice President Mike Pence presiding over the Senate."He was ecstatic. About what he did. About what the mob did," prosecutor Risa Berkower said during her closing arguments before pointing to Reffitt sitting behind her. Read MoreReffitt, she noted, had said of January 6 that he would rather be "tried by a jury of 12 than carried by six (pallbearers)." "He was itching to be judged by you, the jury of 12. And now we're here," Berkower told the jury.Prosecutors also returned to a video of Reffitt bragging, moment by moment, about a standoff with police to the Texas Three Percenters. He referred to a female police officer who fired a pepper ball at him as a "chick," then described himself climbing onto the stairs as another police officer with a chemical irritant came "around the corner." Both police officers testified against him. They noted in court in recent days how Reffitt had been the first person they responded to before more rioters overwhelmed them. "We took the United States Capitol," Reffitt had texted friends and family, prosecutors said.The Justice Department is arguing that Reffitt should be found guilty of five counts -- wanting to obstruct the congressional certification of the 2020 presidential election, transporting guns into DC, carrying a Smith & Wesson handgun onto the restricted grounds of the Capitol, interfering with Capitol Police protecting the Upper West Terrace and obstructing justice by threatening his son and daughter when he returned to Texas. His son, Jackson Reffitt, had turned him in to the FBI and testified at the trial about how his father had said "traitors get shot" and told his daughter he would put a bullet through her phone. His younger daughter did not testify. On Monday, she sat in the courtroom -- at times receiving blown kisses, smiles and an eyebrow raise from her father when her name was mentioned in court. Defense lawyer Bill Welch argued to the jury that Reffitt was guilty of one lesser crime -- trespassing on restricted Capitol grounds -- but not of the other charges. He argued that witnesses like Jackson Reffitt, a member of the Three Percenters with whom Guy Reffitt had traveled to DC and even the FBI's evidence-gathering and photo enhancement techniques couldn't be trusted. Earlier in the day, Welch had methodically questioned two Capitol Police officers about actions Reffitt hadn't done, such as thrown things at police or entered the building, forcing the officers to answer "no" more than two dozen times. While Reffitt may have been one of the first to encounter the police line at the building, his lawyer argued, he was not the most violent or aggressive.Reffitt's own words over text or to his friends and family were more hyperbole than admissions, Welch claimed."Yes, Guy Reffitt brags," a prosecutor countered before the jury left for the day. "And you know what he brags about? The truth."

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Story highlights LAPD: No indication shooting is linked to nationwide protests about policeTwo Los Angeles police officers were shot at, but neither was injuredAbout 100 LAPD officers searched for a suspect in South Central LA In Pasco County, Florida, two deputies were also shot at but not injured (CNN)Two Los Angeles police officers were shot at Sunday night while they drove their patrol car in the southern part of the city, police said. The officers returned fire, authorities said, and no one was injured. One suspect was arrested and two weapons, including a rifle, were recovered. Another remains at large, prompting a manhunt that lasted for hours and involved about 100 officers, LAPD Capt. Lillian Carranza said. Police warned residents to stay indoors in part of South Central Los Angeles. On Monday, police reopened access to streets inside a six-block perimeter they set up overnight.LAPD Detective Megan Aguilar told CNN that investigators have "nothing to indicate that there's a nexus" between the shooting and recent nationwide protests against police brutality that have fueled animosity toward police.And there was a second incident over the weekend in which police were fired at, this one in Florida on Sunday morning. Read MoreJUST WATCHEDShots fired at Florida deputiesReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHShots fired at Florida deputies 01:19Someone fired three bullets at two deputies with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office as they sat in their patrol car. "Both deputies reported hearing the whizzing sound of each projectile as they flew by," the sheriff's office said. "Deputies did not see the suspect or the vehicle from which the shots were fired."Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the person or persons who fired at the officers. Pasco County authorities are also searching for someone who spray-painted, "Shoot MP Cop" on a road barrier in Meadow Pointe, a subdivision.The latest incidents of shots fired at police come after New York police Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were gunned down in their patrol car on December 20. The gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, then shot himself at a subway station. Earlier, he had posted angry messages on social media against police and government, citing the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, two black men killed by police.On Saturday, more than 25,000 police officers from across the country and even Canada attended Ramos' funeral. Liu's funeral will be January 4.Rookie police officer killed in ArizonaCNN's Miguel Marquez contributed to this report.

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(CNN)A marquee English Premier League game was postponed on Sunday after hundreds of Manchester United fans, protesting against the club's US owners, invaded the pitch at its Old Trafford stadium ahead of the match against Liverpool."Following the security breach at Old Trafford, the Manchester United vs. Liverpool game has been postponed," said the Premier League in A statement."This is a collective decision from the police, both clubs, the Premier League and local authorities."Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said over 1,000 protestors had gathered at Old Trafford, while around another 200 people had congregated outside The Lowry Hotel, Salford where the United players were staying ahead of the match."Two officers have been injured with one officer being attacked with a bottle and sustaining a significant slash wound to his face, requiring emergency hospital treatment, said a GMP statement.Read MoreMany Manchester United supporters are unhappy over the club's failed attempt to join the European Super League last month. The Glazer family, which also owns the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, runs the club.The Premier League said the decision to postpone the game was to ensure "the security and safety of everyone at Old Trafford.""We understand and respect the strength of feeling but condemn all acts of violence, criminal damage and trespass, especially given the associated COVID-19 breaches," said the Premier League in its statement."Fans have many channels by which to make their views known, but the actions of a minority seen today have no justification."We sympathise with the police and stewards who had to deal with a dangerous situation that should have no place in football."The rearrangement of the fixture will be communicated in due course."Supporters protest against Manchester United's owners, inside English Premier League club Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium.READ: Maradona was in agony for the 12 hours leading up to his death, says Argentine medical boardManchester United issued a statement acknowledging fans' right to "free expression and peaceful protest.""However, we regret the disruption to the team and actions which put other fans, staff, and the police in danger. We thank the police for their support and will assist them in any subsequent investigation," added the United statement.Flares were let off and bottles thrown at officers said GMP of the protests outside Old Trafford and The Lowry Hotel."Protestors outside Old Trafford became especially aggressive and antagonistic towards police before a group of about 100 forced entry to the ground with some United staff having to lock themselves in rooms," added the GMP statement.The protestors were eventually evicted, but outside the stadium, according to GMP, "hostility grew with bottles and barriers being thrown at officers and horses."GMP Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson described the protestors' behavior -- at both Old Trafford and The Lowry Hotel -- as "reckless and dangerous.""The actions of those today required us to take officers from front line policing and call in support from neighbouring forces to prevent the disorder getting worse," said Jackson."At different points, bottles and barriers were thrown, officers assaulted and people scaled the stadium structure creating risk for themselves and officers."We have launched an investigation and we will be working closely alongside partners to ensure we establish the full circumstances surrounding today's events and prosecute those responsible."Supporters protest against Manchester United's owners outside Old Trafford.READ: 'When we come together it's powerful,' Henry says of social media blackoutSuper LeagueManchester United -- and Liverpool -- were two of the 12 clubs that last month announced their intention to breakaway from the current UEFA competition format and create their very own European Super League, before the project quickly unraveled."We are disgusted, embarrassed and angry at the owner's actions in relation to the planning, formation and announcement of the European Super League," said the Manchester United Supporters Trust at an emergency fans forum meeting on Friday."Once again this clearly demonstrates that the club's owners are only interested in maximising their own profits and do not care about or respect the views of Manchester United fans."READ: Inter Milan wins first Scudetto since 2010At that meeting, outgoing Manchester United Executive Vice-Chairman Ed Woodward said the club do not "seek any revival of the Super League plans.""I know that you will feel angry and let down by the lack of consultation and by the way the proposal failed to recognise the vital principle of open competition. Proper discussion would have helped us avoid the mistake we made," added Woodward."As Joel [Glazer] said ... we failed to give enough weight to the essential principles and traditions of sporting merit which are so vital to football not just in domestic competition but in European competition since the mid-1950s."If the game hadn't been postponed and Manchester United had been beaten by Liverpool then Manchester City would have been confirmed as Premier League champion.Wayne Sterling contributed to this report.

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(CNN)Australia's longest-running soap, "Neighbours," is embroiled in a racism scandal after an Aboriginal actress said she was abused by cast and crew members, heard the N-word multiple times and confronted an actor over a "monkey" epithet while working on the show.Shareena Clanton, whose first appearance on the show aired on Wednesday, said the N-word was used twice in her presence, and she detailed "multiple racist traumas" she said she endured on set.The actress also said sexist jokes were made by senior people, that she suffered retaliation and was "ostracized and further marginalized" as a result of her complaints."It's been lonely, triggering and traumatising to work in such a culturally unsafe space," Clanton wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday.Following her claims, Clanton received support from a number of fellow actors. Read MoreOne of them, Meyne Wyatt, starred in hundreds of episodes of "Neighbours" between 2014 and 2016 and said he too had experienced racism and "rampant" homophobia on set. Beloved Australian soap opera 'Neighbours' is resuming production during the coronavirus pandemic. Here's howWyatt, who is also an Aboriginal actor, said such abuse is endemic in the Australian TV scene. "Neighbours do better! The Film and TV Industry do better! Australia do better!" he wrote on Twitter.In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for the show said "there have been significant and lengthy discussions with Shareena during her time on Neighbours and we will continue to work with all cast and crew to ensure Neighbours continues to be a fully inclusive environment."Chris Oliver-Taylor, the regional CEO of production company Fremantle, told CNN in a statement that an independent review of "Neighbours" and its production process has been ordered. Racism was 'rife' on setSet in a fictional Melbourne suburb, "Neighbours" is one of Australia's biggest cultural exports, fascinating international audiences over the course of its 36-year run. The show was particularly popular in the United Kingdom during its late-1980s heyday, and it launched the careers of global stars including Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe and Kylie Minogue.When the show is not being filmed, its Melbourne set attracts hordes of fans and tourists. But in a detailed Instagram post containing several alleged encounters, Clanton described the site as a toxic and isolating workplace.Shareena Clanton on "Neighbors." Her first guest appearance aired on Wednesday.The allegations and the Australian media's zealous coverage of them comprise the most damaging controversy in the history of the show, which has aired more than 8,500 episodes and is the country's longest-running TV drama."Overt and covert levels of racism were rife, often disguised as 'jokes' like a white actress openly calling another actress of colour a 'lil' monkey'," she wrote. "Twice I endured the 'N'-word openly being used on-set and in the green room. I was even told to 'go somewhere else' by staff when confronting the actor directly because I was making others 'uncomfortable'."Clanton did not identify any cast or crew members by name -- a decision she said was to "avoid any lawsuit." Australia's first international cricket team found fame in the UK. At home, they were betrayedBut she said a White actress on the show "openly laughed at the racist 'N'-word to only lie about laughing about it when questioned by HR." "She said that I 'misconstrued' what she was 'laughing at' and that she was laughing at 'something else'. That is a blatant lie," Clanton claimed.The actress, who previously starred in hit Australian prison drama "Wentworth" and has frequently championed Aboriginal rights at demonstrations and online, also said she saw a "Head of Department" laughing at a vulgar sexist term in front of other cast and crew."I'll never work for this show again," she wrote at the end of her post.In response to the allegations, Oliver-Taylor said the production company is "committed to providing an environment where employees and others in the workplace are treated fairly and with respect, and are free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and bullying."A "Neighbours" spokesperson added: "Neighbours strives to be a platform for diversity and inclusion on-screen and off-screen. Our quest is always to continue to grow and develop in this area and we acknowledge that this is an evolving process. Shareena's involvement in the creative process and on set was invaluable and hugely educational and will benefit the series moving forward."In the show, Clanton plays Sheila Canning, described in promotional material as "a mysterious woman" who arrives from out of town and shares the same name as a regular character. Wednesday's episode was the 8,594th in show history.The film and TV industry has got Black characters wrong for decades. Meet the Black British creatives rewriting the script.Despite some progress over the past century, indigenous people have remained on the fringe of Australian society, cut off from advances and still subject to discrimination and racism.Wyatt, an earlier Aboriginal star on the program, wrote a Twitter thread on Tuesday after Clanton shared her allegations."I was a series regular on Neighbours between 2014 to 2016 and I experienced Racism on set," he said. "It involved the C word and I called it out and it didn't happen around me again. Though I did walk in on this incident? so I have no doubt things were being said behind my back.""I have too much experience to believe otherwise. And it is disappointing but not at all surprising to hear that five years later racism continues to be present in that workplace. But what can you say, we are in Australia."Wyatt went on to lament the lack of Aboriginal inclusion in major Australian TV shows. He then added: "On top of that, the Homophobia that was present whilst I was on Neighbours, was f**king rampant! The comments and jokes and innuendos were ridiculous!""It made for a very unsafe environment for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community and the sh*t needs to be stamped out."

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Story highlights10 refugee athletes entered in three sportsHalf the team grew up in a Kenyan camp IOC boss: "Hope for those in adversity"One refugee hopes to stay on in RioFollow all the Olympic action with CNN's live coverage (CNN)Ahead of competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Yusra Mardini, along with the nine other athletes that make up the Olympic Refugee Team were sent a letter by Pope Francis."I extend my greetings and wish you success at the Olympic Games in Rio -- that your courage and strength find expression through the Olympic Games and serve as a cry for peace and solidarity," wrote the Pope. "Your experience serves as testimony and benefits us all. I pray for you and ask that you, please, do the same for me."Soon after details of the Pope's letter were published, the 18-year-old Mardini jumped in the Olympic pool and won her heat in the 100 meter butterfly -- though she didn't swim fast enough to progress any further.Aged 14, Mardini swam for Syria at swimming's short-course world championships in 2012. But with her home destroyed in the ongoing conflict, she and her sister decided to flee the country in August last year. Read More Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamEvery competitor at the 2016 Olympics will have undergone a personal journey to reach Rio. But for some athletes, notably a number of refugee competitors, the path has been truly life changing ...Hide Caption 1 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamPaul Amotun Lokoro: South Sudan, 100m – Paul Amotun Lokoro fled war in his home country of South Sudan. Years later, the 24-year-old is aiming to not just compete, but thrive at the Olympic Games."I want to win a gold," he says. "If I win the race, I will be famous!" Hide Caption 2 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamRose Nathike Lokonyen: South Sudan, 800m – Fourteen years after leaving South Sudan for the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, Rose Nathike Lokonyen is set to line up alongside some of the world's finest middle distance runners at Rio 2016.Hide Caption 3 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamYiech Pur Biel: South Sudan, 800m – Pur Biel also fled the Sudanese civil war, arriving at the Kakuma camp in 2005. The 21-year-old cites the prospect of Rio 2016 as "a great moment in my life and a story to my children and grandchildren." Hide Caption 4 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamRami Anis: Syria, Swimming – Six years ago, Rami Anis was swimming for Syria at the Asian Games in China. But in 2011, he fled his home of Aleppo to escape bombing.Hide Caption 5 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamLeaving Syria, reaching Rio – His new coach in Belgium believes Anis' place in the Rio 2016 Olympic refugee team is a form of "justice".Hide Caption 6 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamYusra Mardini: Swimming, Syria – Joining Rami on the team is 18-year-old Yusra Mardini, another refugee from Syria who now trains in Germany.Hide Caption 7 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamYoungest refugee athlete – Mardini's coach, Sven Spannekrebs (pictured left here), will be one of the backroom staff joining the refugee team for Rio.Hide Caption 8 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamPopole Misenga: Democratic Republic of Congo, Judo – Congolese judo athlete Popole Misenga sought asylum in Brazil after the 2013 world championships in Rio. He will be on the official Olympic Refugee Team for the 2016 Games in the same city.Hide Caption 9 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamNew life in Rio – Misenga, 24, has married a Brazilian and has a young son since being granted asylum. He says Rio is a "magical place" to live.Hide Caption 10 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamAnjelina Nadai Lohalith: South Sudan, 1500m – Anjelina Lohalith, 21, left her home country when she was just eight years old. While her family remain in South Sudan, she will now compete in Rio in the 1500m for the Refugee Olympic Team.Hide Caption 11 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamYonas Kinde: Ethiopia, Marathon – 36-year-old Yonas Kinde left Ethiopia for Luxembourg in 2012 and immediately pursued his love for running. He soon becoming the best long distance runner in the tiny European country. Hide Caption 12 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamJames Nyang Chiengjiek: South Sudan, 400m – Just 13-years-old when he left his home, Chiengjiek managed to avoid the fate of South Sudan's child soldiers. He reached Kenya's Kakuma camp in 2002, quickly capitalizing on his athletic talents despite a lack of top class facilities. Hide Caption 13 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamBeyond the team – Raheleh Asemani, formerly a taekwondo athlete for Iran, was on the shortlist for the Olympic Refugee Team -- but will now compete for Belgium in Rio having been granted citizenship.Hide Caption 14 of 15 Photos: Rio 2016 Olympics: Meet the first ever refugee teamWoman behind the team – For many years, Kenyan marathon runner Tegla Loroupe has been using athletics to work toward peace in Africa. Five of the Olympic Refugee Team are South Sudanese refugees from her foundation's training center, and she will be the team's chef de mission.Hide Caption 15 of 15From Lebanon they reached Turkey and then took a boat to Greece -- but the boat began to slowly sink as it took on water during the journey. Mardini had to jump into the water and, summoning all of her swimming and survival know-how, help push the boat and its occupants until it safely reached Greek shores. "I thought it would be a real shame if I drowned in the sea, because I am a swimmer," is how she summed up the nightmare to reporters earlier this year. She is now living and training in Germany. Leaving everything behind"These refugees have no home, no team, no flag, no national anthem," International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said when he announced the selected athletes last month. The IOC came up with the plan in March, creating a $2 million training fund and shortlisting dozens of refugee athletes for potential selection."We will offer them a home in the Olympic Village together with all the athletes of the world," Bach said.The final team for Rio includes 10 athletes competing in three sports. Half are refugees from South Sudan, two fled Syria, two left the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one is originally from Ethiopia.Bach added: "These refugee athletes will show the world that despite the unimaginable tragedies that they have faced, anyone can contribute to society through their talent, skills and strength of the human spirit."From Kakuma to RioFive of the 10 athletes grew up in Kenya's vast Kakuma refugee camp before joining a special track and field project.Tegla Loroupe used to be one of Kenya's top marathon runners. The 43-year-old now runs a foundation in her name, partly dedicated to helping refugee athletes train. She will be the refugee team's leader in Rio.JUST WATCHEDNew team will compete in the 2016 OlympicsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew team will compete in the 2016 Olympics 01:05Last year, Loroupe's foundation came to the Kakuma camp and began to hold tryouts for residents. The camp, in Kenya's northwestern corner near the border with Uganda and South Sudan, holds more than 180,000 people -- roughly the size of Swindon in the UK or Salt Lake City in Utah. Returning from a trip to Kakuma in January, top International Olympic Committee official Pere Miro said sport appeared to be one of few things keeping refugees going in such a harsh environment. Kakuma has more than 100 football teams, for example, and dozens of basketball teams.Now, it has five Olympians too.Yiech Pur Biel had been at the camp for a decade when Tegla Loroupe's foundation showed up to hold trials. The 21-year-old, a refugee from South Sudan, was a good enough runner to be chosen for Loroupe's training center -- despite having no shoes at the camp -- and will now race in the 800 meters for the refugee team in Rio."This team is giving hope to the hope-less" #RefugeeOlympicTeam #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/W0Tv5IKF3n— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) July 1, 2016 Joining him is James Chiengjiek, who fled South Sudan to avoid becoming a child soldier in a decades-long civil war that claimed millions of lives. He arrived at Kakuma in 2002.Now in his late 20s, he had been one of Loroupe's athletes since 2013 and will run the 400m in Rio. Paulo Lokoro, who left South Sudan to join his mother at Kakuma in 2004, runs the 1,500m.Loroupe's foundation is sending two female South Sudanese refugees to Rio. Anjelina Nadai Lohalith, 21, is one of them: She came to Kakuma at the age of six and began running at one of the refugee camp's schools.In an interview with Rio 2016 organizers earlier this year, Lohalith described her surprise at being chosen to train for the Olympics. "During the selection it was just like a trial," she said, "but suddenly they say: 'You will be going for training here.'" Lohalith, entered in the women's 1,500m, will be joined by 800m runner Rose Lokonyen on the team. Lokonyen, 23, was a resident at Kakuma from 2002 until joining Loroupe's team in 2015, despite her parents returning to South Sudan in 2008.Strangely, the place these refugees called their new home for many years may soon be wiped off the map itself. Kenya says it will soon close Kakuma due to national security concerns, although it has not specified a date and it's not clear what will happen to the residents.For now, there will be time to gather and follow the fortunes of their five former neighbors in August.'It would be a shame if I drowned'Like Mardini, Rami Anis is another accomplished swimmer.The 25-year-old Anis had been expected to make Syria's team for London 2012 in the men's 100m butterfly event. But in 2011, faced with bombing in his hometown of Aleppo and the prospect of an army call-up, he decided to follow his brother to Turkey.However, four years later, Anis remained barred from competing with his teammates as he was a refugee. With help from smugglers he chanced a terrifying dinghy trip to Greece then made his way to Belgium, where he was finally granted asylum in December last year. "I hope that at Tokyo 2020 there will be no refugee team" - Rami Anis#RefugeeOlympicTeamhttps://t.co/1VL0NilR0T— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) July 8, 2016 "This is a dream for any athlete," Anis told a press conference ahead of the 2016 Games. "When I was a child I would dream about participating in the Olympics and our dream about participating in the Olympics under my country's flag. "However, I am proud that I am participating today even though I am participating as a refugee Olympic athlete. Obviously, I think about my homeland, Syria, and I do hope that by Tokyo 2020 there will be no refugees, nothing is nearer and dearer to my heart than the homeland."Now he trains at the Royal Ghent Swimming Club under former Belgian star Carine Verbauwen. When Anis was selected, Verbauwen said: "If he stayed in Syria -- if there was no war -- he would have been in the Olympic Games. I think this is justice."Anis, meanwhile, has tried to keep a low profile in the buildup to his Olympic debut. He has complained, Verbauwen said, that after months of trying to forget what has happened to him, he is now being asked to relive his journey time and again. His motto is simple: now, "the swimming pool is my home."'Impossible'Yonas Kinde, at the age of 36, is by some distance the oldest member of the Olympic Refugee Team. Kinde lived in Ethiopia until, he says, political and economic difficulties made it "impossible" to continue in his country as an athlete. Kinde left Ethiopia in 2012 and reached Luxembourg, where he has since been earning a living as a taxi driver while continuing to train as a distance runner. He will be on the Rio men's marathon start line."This chance is special for me," said Kinde on being chosen for the team in June. "I've won many races but I don't have a nationality to participate."Meet Ethiopian refugee Yonas Kinde. #RefugeeOlympicTeam#RoadToRiohttps://t.co/irqumf1sCC— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) July 8, 2016 Breaking free in BrazilThe final two members of the refugee team won't have to travel far for their first Olympic appearances.Yolande Mabika and Popole Misenga were members of the Congolese judo team at the 2013 world championships -- in Rio -- when they decided to escape.The message of hope from Congolese refugee Yolande Mabika. #RefugeeOlympicTeamhttps://t.co/i907ESNkUh— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) July 15, 2016 Misenga, 24, had seen his mother murdered when he was six years old before fleeing into the rainforest to avoid fighting in his hometown of Kisangani. Rescued a week later, he went on to learn judo at a home in the capital, Kinshasa -- which is exactly how 28-year-old Mabika had taken up the sport when she, too, was evacuated to the same city.But life on the DR Congo judo team offered little respite from hardships at home. Both athletes say their coaches would assault them and hold them in cage-like cells if they lost. Sometimes, there would be no food. As the 2013 world championships closed, Mabika and Misenga made a break for a northern Rio neighborhood and sought political asylum. They have remained ever since and are likely to be warmly received by their adopted home crowd when the Games begin."Their previous treatment seemed to be subhuman," the duo's new coach, Geraldo Bernardes, told the Guardian newspaper this year. "Here, everyone supports them."Misenga is now married to a Brazilian and has a one-year-old son. He will compete in the men's 90 kg category with Mabika in the women's 70 kg event."I want to win a medal and inspire refugees from all over the world," Misenga told Rio's organizers as he prepared for the Games."Afterwards, I want to stay in Rio. God has made this a magical place."Beyond the refugee teamThe official Olympic Refugee Team won't be the only place you can find refugees competing at the Rio Games.Iran-born taekwondo fighter Raheleh Asemani, for example, was shortlisted for selection to the refugee team but has since been awarded citizenship and picked for Rio by her new home country of Belgium. She already has a European bronze medal with her new team.The power of a hug 👊 ❤️ #RefugeeOlympicTeam #RoadToRio @olympics pic.twitter.com/8NC7w1d3SD— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) July 22, 2016 Another example is Tsegai Tewelde, who will run in the men's marathon for Team GB. The 26-year-old sought political asylum in Britain eight years ago, having grown up in Eritrea. At the age of eight, Tewelde was injured in a land-mine explosion that killed a friend -- and he still bears a scar from the incident on his forehead. Nor is this the first time a form of refugee team has been planned, although it's the first time the IOC has agreed to it.Back in the early 1950s, a group called the Union of Free Eastern European Sportsmen -- started in Hungary and secretly backed by the United States -- tried to set up a team of exiled eastern European athletes for the Olympics as the Cold War intensified. Read more: Full Olympics coverageThe IOC rejected that bid. On hearing that the athletes' application had been denied, Hungarian official Anthony Szapary -- who backed the plan -- said in a letter to the New York Times: "For 'choosing freedom' they are now banned from the greatest sports event of the world."In Rio, that will no longer be the case.

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Here's a look at the life of Great Britain's Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II.PersonalBirth date: June 10, 1921Death date: April 09, 2021Birth place: Corfu, Greece Read MoreBirth name: Prince Philip of Greece and DenmarkFather: Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark Mother: Princess Alice of BattenbergMarriage: Queen Elizabeth II (November 20, 1947-April 09, 2021, his death) Children: Edward, Earl of Wessex (March 10, 1964); Andrew, Duke of York (February 19, 1960); Anne, Princess Royal (September 15, 1950); Charles, Prince of Wales (November 14, 1948)Military: British Royal Navy, 1939-1953Other FactsFull title: HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, Companion of the Order of Australia, Companion of The Queen's Service Order, Privy Counsellor.His ancestry is not Greek by blood, but English, Russian, German/Prussian and Danish. The youngest of five children and the only son.A third cousin of his wife, the Queen, and like her, he is a great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. His interests were painting, environmental conservation, horses, flying and sailing. He has written books on birds, the environment, carriage driving and other subjects. After earning his RAF wings in 1953, Philip logged more than 5,900 hours in 59 different types of aircraft over the next 44 years. Timeline1922 - The overthrow of his brother, King Constantine I of Greece, causes Prince Andrew, Princess Alice and their five children to leave Greece and settle in Paris.1930 - After his parents' separation in 1930, Philip is sent to England and raised there by his maternal grandmother and uncle.1940 - Serves as a midshipman, his first posting, on the HMS Ramillies of the Mediterranean Fleet.1942 - Becomes a sub-lieutenant in the British Royal Navy.July 1942 - Is promoted to first lieutenant and executive officer aboard the HMS Wallace, a destroyer, and participates in the Allied landings in Sicily during World War II.February 1947 - Becomes a naturalized British citizen and a commoner, using the surname Mountbatten, an English translation of his mother's maiden name. Prior to taking the British oath of citizenship, being sixth in line to the throne of Greece, he renounces all claims to titles in both Greece and Denmark.July 10, 1947 - King George VI and Queen Elizabeth announce Elizabeth's engagement to Philip.November 19, 1947 - Is invested as a Knight of the Order of the Garter and is given the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich.November 20, 1947 - Marries Princess Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey. His name changes from Lt. Philip Mountbatten to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.1948 - Is appointed as a personal aide-de-camp to his father-in-law, King George VI.1950 - Is promoted to lieutenant-commander.June 1952 - Is promoted to commander, but his naval career ends with the death of King George VI, and his wife's ascension to the throne on February 6.1953 - Is appointed admiral of the fleet, field marshal of the Army and marshal of the Royal Air Force. Is designated regent presumptive by an act of parliament. In the event of the Queen's death or incapacitation, Philip would rule as regent for Prince Charles.1956 - Launches the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which rewards children for achievements in personal development and community involvement.1956-1970 - Serves as president of the Royal Yachting Association.1957 - By Queen's decree, is "granted style and titular dignity of a Prince of the United Kingdom." He is invested as a Grand Master and First or Principal Knight of the Order of the British Empire. This decree restores his birth title of prince.1961-1981 - First president of the World Wildlife Fund - UK.1964-1986 - President of the International Equestrian Federation.June 1968 - Is awarded the Order of the Merit by the Queen, an honor bestowed to those of, "great achievement in the fields of the arts, learning, literature and science," and is restricted to 24 members.1975-1980 - Serves as president of the Royal Yachting Association for the second time.1981-1996 - Serves as president of World Wildlife Fund International.1996-present - President emeritus of the World Wildlife Fund.April 9, 2005 - Philip and the Queen are the only senior members of the royal family who do not attend Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles' civil wedding ceremony. They do attend the dedication service. November 10, 2005 - His 58th wedding anniversary makes him the longest-serving British consort, outliving the wife of King George III, Queen Charlotte.October 23, 2006 - Inspects British forces in southern Iraq.May 3-8, 2007 - Philip and the Queen visit the United States for the 400th anniversary of America's first British settlement in Jamestown in 1607. They attend the Kentucky Derby on May 5 and a state dinner at the White House on May 7.April 1, 2009 - Along with the Queen, meets US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace.June 10, 2011 - His 90th birthday makes him the oldest-serving royal consort.December 23-27, 2011 - Undergoes treatment for a blocked coronary artery at Papworth Hospital. June 4-9, 2012 - Is hospitalized for a bladder infection at King Edward VII Hospital in London. He misses part of the Jubilee celebrations commemorating the Queen's 60th anniversary on the throne. August 15-20, 2012 - Is treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a bladder infection.June 7-17, 2013 - Is a patient in London Clinic, admitted for abdominal pain, he has exploratory surgery the following day and is released following his recuperation.January 26, 2015 - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott awards that nation's top honor, Knight of the Order of Australia, to Philip for his life of service throughout the Queen's reign.May 4, 2017 - Buckingham Palace announces that Philip will step down from public life after August 2017.August 2, 2017 - Attends a parade of the Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace, carrying out the last of his thousands of public appearances before stepping back from public life.April 3, 2018 - Philip is admitted to a London hospital to undergo planned surgery on his hip. January 17, 2019 - Is involved in a traffic accident when his car collides with another vehicle carrying two women, aged 28 and 45, as well as a nine-month-old baby boy. In a statement the following day, a spokesperson said the Duke of Edinburgh had a "precautionary check-up" on doctor's advice that confirmed Philip "had no injuries of concern." It is later announced that he will not face any charges over the accident. February 9, 2019 - Buckingham Palace announces that Philip has surrendered his driving license following his January traffic accident that left a female driver injured.December 20, 2019 - Philip is admitted to the hospital over a "pre-existing" condition, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. He leaves the hospital on December 24.April 20, 2020 - Philip makes a rare public statement thanking those working across the UK to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.February 16, 2021 - Philip is taken to a London hospital after feeling unwell, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. On March 3, he undergoes a medical procedure for a heart condition.March 16, 2021 - Philip leaves King Edward VII's Hospital where he was recovering and returns to Windsor Castle, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.April 9, 2021 - Dies at the age of 99.

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London (CNN)British politicians don't find much to agree on these days. But mention the National Health Service, as President Donald Trump did on Tuesday, and the country unites in one voice: Hands off our NHS.So what is the issue, why is it so sensitive and why has it kept coming up during Trump's visit to the country?Britain's healthcare system is free at the point of delivery for everyone in the UK and has been since after the end World War Two. Over the years, it has become a cherished national institution, immune from criticism. Whenever governments plan to introduce charges, or suggest private investment, it inevitably causes an uproar. The trouble is, pressures on the NHS are increasing. An aging population, demand for more expensive treatments, and a public spending squeeze, give politicians little room for maneuver. The NHS is in perpetual crisis and eventually something will need to be done about it.American healthcare companies spot an opening. The NHS needs investment -- and after Brexit, Britain wants a trade deal with the US. The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games included a musical number honoring the NHS.Read MoreWoody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, started it off when he suggested on a BBC political show on Sunday that it would be part of any post-Brexit US-UK trade negotiation. The fact that the US wants access to UK healthcare is no secret. When the office of the US Trade Representative published its negotiation objectives, it specifically mentioned it will seek full market access for American pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The President addressed it again on Tuesday when he was asked about it at a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. "When you're dealing in trade everything is on the table, so NHS or anything else, a lot more than that, but everything will be on the table, absolutely," Trump said.After 70 years of universal health care, is the NHS at a crisis point?But the British public is concerned that would lead to the breakup of the health service, with parts of it being privatized. So the political backlash was immediate -- in particular from those vying to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister. "I want to see the UK get fair deals on trade with the US and many other countries when we leave the EU," said Dominic Raab, one of the contenders. "But the NHS is not for sale to any country and never would be if I was Prime Minister."And this was the health secretary, Matt Hancock, another putative future Prime Minister: "Dear Mr President. The NHS isn't on the table in trade talks -- and never will be. Not on my watch."Donald Trump attacks the UK's health service, and Britain hits backThe backlash was enough for Trump to backtrack later in the day. Asked about the NHS in an interview with British broadcaster ITV, Trump appeared to suggest the exact opposite of his earlier comments. "I don't see it being on the table. Somebody asked me a question today and I said everything is up for negotiation because everything is. But I don't see that being -- that's something that I would not consider part of trade, that's not trade," he said. The British love their NHS. A survey last year by the leading UK healthcare think tank, the King's Fund, showed that a huge number of Britons still support its founding principles , which command that it should be free at the point of delivery, provide a comprehensive service available to everybody, and be primarily funded through taxation. "There's this deep-rooted affection for the NHS. It certainly feels that the NHS is almost part of our national psyche," said Dan Wellings, senior fellow at the King's Fund.Trump wants to do a 'phenomenal' trade deal with Britain. That won't be easySince its inception in 1948, the NHS has become an integral part of the British society and the country's biggest employer. When London hosted the Olympic Games in 2012, the opening ceremony featured an entire musical number honoring the NHS and its staff, with nurses dancing around children in hospital beds."There has been polling done few times over the past few years asking people what makes them proudest to be British and the NHS always tops that poll, above the royal family," Wellings said.The resistance to overhauling the NHS cuts across the British society -- most people said they would pay more tax if the NHS needed it, according to the surveys. (Of course, once confronted by political parties who propose tax increases, it's often a different story.)Despite the strong feelings, parts of the NHS have been privatized over the years. Dentistry, optical care and pharmacy services have been provided by the private sector for many years, according to the King's Fund. Most GP practices, or family doctors, are also private partnerships. Overall, around 7% of the NHS revenue budget is spent on private companies. "When politicians and governments have started to look at changing the NHS, that's when you get a huge resistance from the public," Wellings said. "The fact that those politicians reacted as quickly tells you... they realize that tampering with the NHS is potentially a political dynamite."In the United Kingdom, no politician, not even the world's most powerful one, is allowed to tamper with the NHS.

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(CNN)Most football fans would agree a raucous atmosphere is conducive to the thrill of watching their team play.Which is why German soccer club Freiburg received a shock earlier this week after it was told it would not be allowed to host night matches at its brand new $85 million stadium because of fears over noise levels.A ruling by an administrative court for Baden-Wurttemberg has said the club will be prohibited from playing games at its new home that begin at 8 p.m. local time and between 1 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET) and 3 p.m. on Sundays.Freiburg CEO Oliver Leki said the club was surprised by the verdict.In a statement sent to CNN, he said: "Given the course to date, this decision comes very unexpectedly. The grounds will have to be examined in detail in order to continue with the proceedings."Read MoreFreiburg supporters cheer during the Bundesliga match against Augsburg at Schwarzwald-Stadion on September 21, 2019.READ: How Borussia Dortmund is leading football's fight against the far-rightREAD: Bayern pays tribute to former chairman who rebuilt club after WWIIIt is expected that an appeal will be made following the court's decision.The current ruling means Freiburg, which is scheduled to move into the new 35,000 stadium in time for the 2020/21 season, would be unable to play in four of the six game slots used by the German Bundesliga at a weekend.If not resolved, it would mean Freiburg would be unable to host games on Friday's 8.30 p.m. slot, Saturday's 6.30 p.m. slot and Monday's at 8.30 p.m. It would also be banned from playing home games at 1.30 p.m. on a Sunday.Freiburg's German forward Luca Waldschmidt (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Borussia Dortmund.READ: The teenage sensation everyone's talking aboutREAD: Liverpool condemns racist banner at Champions League gameThis is not the first time the club has faced a legal challenge over the new stadium.In May, a local court rejected legal action brought by residents who had objected to construction, citing fears over noise and increased traffic.Freiburg, which currently plays its home home games at the 24,000-capacity Schwarzwald Stadion, sits sixth in Germany's top division.

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A version of this story appeared in CNN's Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country's rise and how it impacts the world. Sign up here.Hong Kong (CNN)Beijing was once known as one of the world's most polluted cities, with dense smog and acrid air a daily reality for residents. Now, its skies are mostly blue — a sign the Chinese capital is entering a new era of clean air, the country's Minister of Ecology and Environment claimed last Wednesday."The 'Beijing blue' has gradually become our new normal," said Huang Runqiu, the minister, according to state-run tabloid Global Times, as the city recorded its best monthly air quality since records began in 2013.Though Chinese cities have long topped global rankings of the world's worst air quality, they have shown steady improvement over the years. Beijing only recorded 10 days of heavy air pollution last year, Huang said — a drop of nearly 80% since 2015. Recent photos from Beijing show clear blue skies and summer sun, once a rarity in the city of approximately 21 million.The turnaround in Beijing's air quality illustrates how successful the country's anti-pollution campaign has been since it began in 2013 — the year of Beijing's infamous "air-pocalypse," when smog got so bad that levels of PM2.5, a microscopic pollutant, reached 900 micrograms per square meter, 90 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended daily level.Read MoreThe air-pocalypse attracted global media attention and forced the issue into China's mainstream — so much so, that one enterprising local brewery even named a beer after it, promising discounts on smoggy days.For years, pollution in the capital had been euphemistically referred to as "fog," but now, armed with new information on the dangerous effects of poor air quality, residents were no longer willing to tolerate days of labored breathing. "It wasn't simply the irritating Beijing cough that was attacking residents daily — it was something much worse," said Daniel Gardner, emeritus professor at Smith College and author of "Environmental Pollution in China: What Everyone Needs to Know.""Now, when they were coughing, it was a sign that they were taking in particulate matter that leads to morbidity and mortality," he added. "And so, I think people now began to see that quality of air very differently in 2013."A tourist wearing a face mask looking at the Forbidden City through heavy smog in Beijing, China, on January 16, 2013.Terms such as PM2.5 soon became part of everyday vocabulary, as people began to arrange their lives around the varying levels of pollution. And as public awareness grew, protests against coal plants began emerging in cities like Kunming and Shenzhen. At the time, Global Times reported that public outrage was "derailing" the country's economic growth — but, Gardner said, the government had already begun shifting its mindset. Xi Jinping, who became president in March 2013 just two months after the air-pocalypse, saw an opportunity. By pledging to clean up pollution, he could win public support, improve China's battered international image, lure back worried foreign tourists and expat workers, and give himself a PR boost all at once."The first crisis that comes across his desk is the air-pocalypse. It wasn't just Beijing, it was in all of north China, and it made a splash," said Gardner. "2013 was an important attitudinal tipping point, where the government is now openly saying, we are leaving behind this 'economic growth at all cost' policy and moving in this new direction where there is harmony between economic growth ... and environmental stewardship."Starting that year, the government invested billions of dollars into a national air pollution action plan. It rolled out new regulations, set up nationwide air monitoring stations, and began shutting down coal mines and coal plants. By 2014, China had declared a national "war against pollution."JUST WATCHEDTimelapse: Smog envelops Beijing in minutes (2017) ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTimelapse: Smog envelops Beijing in minutes (2017) 00:48At first, Beijing tolerated public protests because they were localized — focusing on specific power plants in the protesters' neighborhoods, or on local officials who had violated environmental regulations. But that soon began to shift as the protests took on a broader scope — fueled in part by "Under the Dome," a 2015 documentary that criticized state-owned companies, corrupt officials, and government ministries for their role in the air quality crisis. More than 200 million people watched the film within its first week, sparking fierce online debate before censors banned the film entirely."What I think the government was worried about, is a movement becoming national," said Gardner. "They saw people in Beijing and Kunming and Lanzhou, in every part of China, watching this same documentary and hearing the same message ... I think the perception was now that the target could grow, and go beyond the local, if this were allowed to continue."As the ruling Communist Party, headed by Xi, tightened its control on civil society and clamped down on social activism, police swiftly shut down environmental protests in Chengdu in 2016 and in Wuhan in 2019. Several other documentaries on environmental issues like plastic waste were also banned.All the while, Xi prided himself on China's antipollution campaign, often shutting down factories and limiting the number of cars on the road to ensure blue skies during important events such as a 2014 summit of Asia Pacific leaders.Despite the improvements, there's still a long way to go — for instance, those temporary blue skies often rebound with heavy smog. And it's hard to know whether improvements are being seen across the country or whether the pollution is just migrating from Beijing elsewhere — especially with new plans introduced this year for dozens of coal-fired furnaces and power plant units. Environmentalists also have to be careful not to cross any political red lines, lest they anger the central government.But viewed from once-smoggy Beijing, it's clear that concerted efforts have paid off — perhaps one of the few times in recent years public outrage has successfully spurred Chinese authorities to act, even if those efforts were carefully managed and quickly suppressed. China reports no new local Covid-19 cases for first time since JulyChina reported no new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases on Monday for the first time since July, according to its National Health Commission (NHC), the latest sign that the country's Delta variant outbreak is beginning to lessen.Chinese authorities have been grappling with the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant since July 20, when a cluster of Covid-19 infections were detected among airport cleaning staff in the eastern city of Nanjing.Since then, it has spiraled into the worst outbreak China has seen in over a year, spreading to more than half of the country's 31 provinces and infecting more than 1,200 people. The surging cases driven by Delta were seen as the biggest challenge yet to China's zero-Covid strategy, which it had relied on to stamp out previous local flare-ups.Local authorities responded by doubling down on the zero-tolerance approach, placing tens of millions of residents under strict lockdown, rolling out massive testing and tracing campaigns and restricting domestic travels.The stringent measures appeared to be working. Daily caseload of local infections has fallen steadily over the past week into the single digits, down from more than 100 from its peak two weeks ago.And on Monday, the country reported 21 imported cases and zero locally transmitted symptomatic infections -- the first time no local cases have been recorded since July 16. It also reported 16 asymptomatic cases, all of which were imported too, according to the NHC. (China keeps a separate count of symptomatic and asymptomatic cases and does not include asymptomatic carriers of the virus in the official tally of confirmed cases.)If the trend continues, China could become the world's first country to control a major Delta outbreak. Photo of the DayA damaged vehicle is seen at the blast site of a suicide bomb attack targeting a motorcade carrying Chinese personnel in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Friday. Two Pakistani children were killed and four people were injured, including a Chinese national, according to Pakistani authorities. The Balochistan Liberation Army, a militant separatist group, has claimed responsibility for the attack. This is the second terrorist attack targeting Chinese nationals in Pakistan in recent weeks. In July, a suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying Chinese workers to a dam construction in northern Pakistan, killing 13 people, including 9 Chinese. Islamabad said the attack had been carried out by "the Pakistani Taliban out of Afghanistan." China passes sweeping data privacy lawChina is getting even tougher on data privacy.The country recently passed sweeping new rules about the collection and use of personal data. The Personal Information Protection Law will take effect November 1, and prohibits "illegally collecting, using, processing, transmitting, disclosing and trading people's personal information," according to state-run Xinhua News Agency.Before this, China had no law in place specifically dealing with the collection and use of such data. Law enforcement had relied on legal provisions scattered across existing laws to handle cases related to data privacy.The full text of the law is not yet public, but Xinhua reported that, among other things, it "clarifies" rules governing the "processing" and "provision" of personal information across borders.News of the law comes as some Chinese tech firms, including ride-hailing company Didi, have been accused of mishandling user data in recent months. Shortly after Didi went public in the United States, Chinese regulators accused it of "illegally collecting and using personal information." Beijing has cited risks that the misuse of data poses to national security as regulators crack down on companies that list overseas.-- By Jill Disis and Steven JiangAround AsiaUS President Joe Biden on Friday announced his intention to nominate Rahm Emanuel as ambassador to Japan and Nicholas Burns as ambassador to China. Emanuel is a former mayor of Chicago, chief of staff to President Barack Obama, a senior adviser for President Bill Clinton and a member of Congress representing Illinois. Burns, a career diplomat and longtime foreign policy hand, has served presidents of both parties.An Afghan mother delivered a baby girl just after touching down at Ramstein Air Base in Germany Saturday aboard a US military evacuation flight, the US Air Force said on its social media.Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hinted at an end to the country's zero Covid-19 infections strategy in an opinion piece published Sunday, warning Australians to expect a rise in infections as restrictions relax.

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Story highlightsThe advancements could help reduce the need for drug testing on animalsChemists used to used balls and sticks to make models of moleculesToday, computer programs show detailed depictions and predict complex chemical reactionsThe work of the Nobel winners led to the creation of these programsChemists used to use balls and sticks to make models to help them understand how molecules worked. That has vastly changed.On Wednesday, the Nobel Prize in chemistry rewarded three scientists for work leading to the computer programs used today to precisely calculate how very complex molecules work.Accomplishments by chemists Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel have enabled programs to even predict the outcomes of very complex chemical reactions. As a result, computers have become just as important in chemistry labs as test tubes, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said when announcing the prize.Slow motionThe exact mechanics of a chemical reaction are hard to observe in the laboratory."Molecules are lazy creatures. Most of the time they don't do anything," said Gunnar Karlstrom from the Royal Academy. "They just swing around and don't do anything, and then suddenly, when they react, everything goes quick, like that." New computer programs allow scientists to make models of these speedy reactions and study them at a slower pace, he said.The three scientists combined the principles of traditional Newtonian physics, which has the advantage of being simple, with quantum physics, which is much more complex but also much more accurate, because it deals with what goes on at a subatomic level.That has resulted in programs that are simple to use but also highly accurate.Predictions made by the programs eliminate the need for some lab testing. For example, they help reduce the necessity of testing a new drug on animals, Karlstrom said.Karplus researches at Harvard University and at the University of Strasbourg in France. Levitt is based at Stanford University Medical School, and Warshel is based at the University of Southern California.All three were born in other countries.They received the Nobel Prize jointly and will split the prize money of 8 million Swedish kronor ($1.2 million).'God particle' theorists receive Nobel Prize in physicsLast yearTwo American scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2012 for their work revealing protein receptors that tell cells what is going on in and around the human body. Their achievements have allowed drugmakers to develop medication with fewer side effects.Research spanning four decades by Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka on "G-protein-coupled receptors" has increased understanding of how cells sense chemicals in the bloodstream and external stimuli such as light, said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awarded the prize.This weekTwo Americans and a German shared this year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine Monday.Americans James E. Rothman and Randy W. Schekman, and German Thomas C. Sudhof were honored for discoveries of how the body's cells decide when and where to deliver the molecules they produce.And on Tuesday, two men who predicted the existence of the Higgs boson particle 50 years before its discovery took the prize for physics -- Francois Englert of Belgium and Peter Higgs of the United Kingdom.Higgs and Englert's theories of the elusive particle explained what gives matter its mass and played a key role in completing scientists' understanding of the nature of all matter.Nobel medical prize goes to 2 Americans, 1 GermanNobel historySince 1901, the Nobel Committee has handed out the Nobel Prize in chemistry 105 times. In certain years, mainly during World Wars I and II, no prize in chemistry was awarded.The youngest recipient was Frederic Joliot, who won in 1935 at the age of 35. The oldest chemistry laureate was John B. Fenn, who was 85 when he received the prize in 2002.Frederic Sanger was the only scientist to win the chemistry prize twice for his work related to the structure of proteins and DNA.There is a fine line between the science of chemistry and the fields of physics and biology. Famed female scientist Marie Curie of France, for example, won Nobel honors for her work in radiophysics in 1903 and again in 1911 for discoveries in radiochemistry.The committee also will announce prizes in literature, peace and economics in the coming days.Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel created the prizes in 1895 to honor work in physics, chemistry, literature and peace. The first economics prize was awarded in 1969.Follow @CNNLightYears on Twitter for more science news updates

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MoscowArmenia and Azerbaijan agreed on Tuesday to a ceasefire at their border, the Armenian Defense Ministry said, after Russia urged them to step back from confrontation following the deadliest clash since a war last year.Armenia had asked Moscow to help defend it after the worst fighting since a 44-day war last year between ethnic Armenian forces and the Azeri army over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave that killed at least 6,500 people.That conflict ended after Russia, which has a military base in Armenia, brokered a peace deal and deployed almost 2,000 peacekeepers to the region. Turkey took the side of Azerbaijan, which regained swathes of land it lost in an earlier conflict."In accordance with an agreement mediated by the Russian side, fire ceased on the eastern section of the Armenian-Azeri border, and the situation is relatively stable," Armenia's Defense Ministry said.Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry did not immediately reply to a Reuters' request for comment.Read MoreEarlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the situation on the border by phone, the Kremlin said.Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also spoke by phone to the Armenian and Azeri defense ministers by phone, Interfax news agency said.The Armenian Defense Ministry said its troops had come under fire from Azerbaijan and that 12 of its soldiers were captured, while two combat positions near the border with Azerbaijan were lost.Eduard Aghajanian, head of the Armenian Parliament's foreign relations committee said 15 Armenian soldiers had been killed.The Azeri Defense Ministry said it had responded to large-scale "provocations" after Armenian forces shelled Azeri army positions, and that its own operation had been successful.The French foreign ministry had said it was very concerned about the deteriorating situation and called on both countries to respect a ceasefire.

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Story highlightsCatalan leaders have said they will declare independence within daysMass protests for and against independence have taken place in BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain (CNN)Large crowds protested in Barcelona on Sunday to demand that their regional Catalan leaders hold fire on declaring independence from Spain, as they have threatened to do in a matter of days.Catalan leaders held an independence referendum one week ago in a divisive and controversial poll that Madrid slammed as illegal. Protesters hold a banner that reads "Catalonia is Spain" at the pro-unity rally in Barcelona on Sunday. The Catalan leaders claimed that 90% of voters were in favor of seceding from Spain. Those numbers are unlikely to be representative of true public opinion, as supporters of remaining in Spain may have considered voting illegal and abstained.A week of protests have nonetheless shown a bitter division. Massive crowds have taken to the streets to rally for independence since the vote a week ago. But there have also been large crowds against separation, including in Madrid, as well as protests calling for dialogue.Read MoreA car is adorned with Spanish and Catalan flags reading "I am Spanish and Catalan" and "I am Catalan and Spanish."The march was organized by the Societat Civil Catalana, which is supported by political parties in Madrid and which called on people from all over the country to attend the march. It wasn't clear how many people might have come in from other cities. CNN spoke to several protesters, all of whom were Catalan. In a sea of red-and-yellow Spanish and Catalan flags, protesters sent a clear message, shouting: "Catalonia is Spain."Jose Francisco Sanchez, 38, said that the October 1 independence referendum was illegal. Jose Francisco Sanchez, 38, said that he rejected the vote and didn't cast a ballot himself because he saw the referendum as illegal."I am not worried because I believe in the laws of Spain and the laws of Europe. Because if there are no laws, there is no democracy," Sanchez, draped in a Spanish flag, told CNN.He said that if Catalan leaders declared independence in the coming days, he hoped the police and army intervene. Madrid and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy were widely criticised after police used force to try and shut down the vote, firing rubber bullets at protesters and pulling voters out of polling stations. Alba Sebastian, 29, says she is worried that factories will close and the economy will take a hit if Catalonia leaves Spain.Alba Sebastian, 29, said she was worried that splitting from Spain would lead to an exodus and hurt the economy. "I listen (to) the opinions of people, and they say this, that if they declare independence they will go (somewhere else) in Spain," she told CNN, adding that she wanted more dialogue between Barcelona and Madrid. She said she felt no reason to have to decide whether she was Catalan or Spanish."I live in Catalonia, I speak Catalan, and I am Spanish," she said.CNN's Claudia Rabza, Katie Polglase, Laura Goehler and Carol Jordan contributed to this report.

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(CNN)Actor Jussie Smollett is headed to jail for lying to police and orchestrating a hate crime hoax, but with his legal proceedings largely over, the questions now turn to the former "Empire" star's future in Hollywood.On any potential return to acting, a Smollett family representative told CNN, "clearly he would like to" but also that at the moment "everything is up in the air."Hollywood is no stranger to handing out redemption to talented men and women who make mistakes, whether it be an offense that lands them in Twitter jail or actual jail. The question is whether Smollett will clear the invisible bar set for him to make his way back onto screens big and small or end up on a list of uncastable actors. There are indications that at least some notable figures in Hollywood have not distanced himself from Smollett, who got his start in the industry at 12 years old in a short-lived ABC's sitcom in which he starred alongside his siblings. At a hearing on Thursday, at which Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, Smollett's team presented the judge with letters of support from actor Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya, among others. Read MoreIn their letter, the couple argued that Smollett should be spared jail time and that the 39-year-old "has already suffered a great deal of punishment as this situation has destroyed his existing career and impuned his reputation." Smollett's sister, Jurnee Smollett, arguably the most acclaimed of the family's six entertainer siblings, remains well connected and regarded in the industry, as well. Even as the family navigated Jussie Smollett's legal troubles, she was among the cast of HBO's horror drama "Lovecraft Country," which debuted in 2020. (CNN, like HBO, is owned by WarnerMedia.) It was on the press tour for that series that the actress, known for her past roles on shows like WGN's "Underground" and HBO's "True Blood," publicly opened up about her brother's scandal in detail and reiterated her support for him.Smollett was found guilty back in December on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false reports about what he said was an anti-gay and anti-Black hate crime. The actor, who is Black and gay, told Chicago police that in January 2019, two unknown men attacked him, yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, poured bleach on him and wrapped a noose around his neck.Chicago police investigated the case as a possible hate crime and at the time, celebrities and politicians rushed to defend him publicly. That support wavered as the incident's twists and turns played out, particularly as investigators soon determined the actor orchestrated the incident and paid two brothers he knew from the Fox drama "Empire" to stage the incident for publicity.On Thursday, the silence from some of Smollett's original defenders was deafening.Actress Yvette Nicole Brown was an exception. Among those who expressed her "love" for the Smollett family in 2019, Brown shared her thoughts once again on Friday, tweeting, "The way that judge reprimanded Jussie, you'd think he murdered 2 people or used a gun instead of a taser on a Black man at a traffic stop." Smollett's attorneys have indicated they intend to appeal.CNN's Jason Kravarik and Brad Parks contributed to this report.

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Story highlightsThe big question now is: In legalizing marijuana, how should we implement the details? Katherine Grimm: As the pot industry evolves, there's been more infighting among interest groups Katherine Grimm, a former corporate management consultant, is the CEO of Clever Gent Brands, LLC, a consulting company that says it is dedicated to cultivating the cannabis industry responsibly from the ground up. She is featured in CNN Original Series "High Profits," which airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNN. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. (CNN)Opposition to marijuana legalization is rapidly decreasing -- from 60% in the mid-2000s to 44% in 2015. But it's still an uphill battle. The big question now is: In legalizing marijuana, how should we implement the details? This is where it gets complicated. There are so many debates over how much home cultivation should be allowed, which medical conditions should be able to use it, what's the best consumption methods for the average user? And who has the ultimate control over the regulations -- the state or the local municipalities? As the pot industry evolves, more and more groups are finding that they've reached their personal stopping point and are upset with those who have different ideas. Home cultivators, medical patients, recreational legalization supporters -- can't we all just get along? Katherine GrimmThere are people who are upset that legalization in any form means taxes and government regulations. These guys have been privately cultivating for years, decades even. And while they'd be happy to not risk jail time for their endeavors, they are not interested in the hassles, responsibilities and costs associated with legalization.Read MoreSome strong medical marijuana supporters believe that recreational use diminishes the medicinal value of the plant. They are fearful that recreational pot creates an image that is too focused on "partying" or just "getting high." They are afraid that the true medicinal value of the plant will be lost in the shuffle and that patients' rights will be diminished. Anyone who has seen Dr. Sanjay Gupta's CNN "Weed" series would agree that it's impossible to deny there are legitimate medicinal benefits to marijuana. While I'm not a patient, I consume cannabis for many different reasons and sometimes it is just to relax and have a few laughs with my friends. That's perfectly OK. Then there are grassroots individuals who believe that any hint of "corporate marijuana" is a bad thing. And others who believe that the "hippie stoner" image is terrible. The marijuana industry is constantly debating the appropriate language to use. Is it "marijuana" or "cannabis"? Do you "use" it or "consume" it? Are you "getting high" or are you "medicating"? There's no denying that language matters -- but it depends on who we are speaking to.There's a time and place for everything. I have asked friends if they wanted to go "smoke some weed." But when speaking with a legislator, I almost always talk about "consuming cannabis." One's not better or worse. They just have different audiences. In the same way that if I'm walking into a potential investor's office, I'm going to be wearing a business suit but when I'm hanging out at home it's more likely to be jeans and a T-shirt. JUST WATCHEDCornering weed's wholesale marketReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCornering weed's wholesale market 01:35Ultimately, in a multibillion dollar industry, there is room for all of us: the casual consumer, the medical patient, the wellness market, etc. But if those of us who are active with the marijuana movement don't learn to work together, we will be our own worst enemy. Let's not make it harder on ourselves with infighting. We need to stop arguing with each other. We need to stop campaigning for legislative measures that attempt to benefit only certain types of users. We also need to stop campaigning for a lack of regulation under the guise of "protecting patients." Let's be honest about our intentions. If the concern is the potentially prohibitive cost of licensing and regulation, then let's have that discussion. We have enough opponents already, it's time we come together. Those of us who are new need to be respectful of those who have put in the work before us. Those of us who have been championing marijuana usage for decades need to be willing to accept help from the well-intentioned newcomers. Let's not complicate the issue for supporters, consumers and legislators. Let's do marijuana legalization right; it's time to unite in our cause. Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. Read CNNOpinion's Flipboard magazine.

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(CNN)Brazilian senators have recommended President Jair Bolsonaro be charged with 10 crimes, including crimes against humanity, alleging his "reckless" mismanagement of the Covid-19 crisis that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.Lawmakers investigating the President officially presented their report on Wednesday, condemning the populist leader's handling of the crisis and pushing for him to face a swathe of charges.They accused Bolsonaro of an epidemic resulting in death, charlatanism, incitement to crime, falsification of documents, irregular use of public funds, prevarication, crimes against humanity, social rights violations, incompatibility with dignity, honor and decorum of the position, and preventive sanitary measure violations.This is the first time in Brazil's history that a parliamentary commission of inquiry (CPI) has drawn up such an extensive list of alleged crimes accusing a President of the Republic.CPI rapporteur Renan Calheiros also called for the submission of the investigation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to analyze the accusations on Bolsonaro of crimes against humanity.Read MoreThe congressional committee had originally planned to recommend mass homicide charges, according to a leaked draft report seen by CNN on Tuesday. But senators decided later to withdraw those allegations, CNN affiliate CNN Brasil reported.Speaking publicly for the first time after the release of the CPI's final report, Bolsonaro said on Wednesday afternoon that the commission's work isn't "productive" to Brazil and that he is not guilty of any crimes."They produced nothing but hatred and resentment among some of us. But we know we're absolutely not to blame, we know we did the right thing from the first moment," Bolsonaro said to a crowd of supporters at an inauguration ceremony for an infrastructure project."Besides being sure that I'm doing the right thing, I give you all a message different from dread," he added, before the public started chanting a derogatory phrase about the CPI rapporteur.The Brazilian president once again doubled down on his support for drugs without proven efficacy against Covid-19, such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, touting his "courage" to defend such treatments as possible solutions for the virus."If you don't have a specific remedy, the medical doctor, according to the Federal Council of Medicine, has the freedom, the duty, to seek an alternative," he said.Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia on October 19.In the final report, 65 others are also recommended to be charged with a variety of alleged crimes, from incitement to crime to criminal organization formation. Bolsonaro´s three sons Flavio, Eduardo and Carlos Bolsonaro are on the list as well as government ministries and top rank officials, both former and current Health ministers Eduardo Pazuello and Marcelo Queiroga and defense minister Walter Braga Netto. Congressmen, bloggers, medical advisers, and businessmen also appear on the list.The commission's senators are expected to vote on the final report next week, and if approved, the document will go to Attorney-General Augusto Aras, considered an ally of Bolsonaro, who would then have 30 days to announce any measures.'Reckless' leadershipOne of the main conclusions of the 1,180-page document is that the Brazilian government, "omitted and opted to act in a non-technical and reckless manner in the fight against the pandemic" ... "deliberately exposing the population to a concrete risk of mass infection."The report also criticizes the government's discouragement of sanitary measures, including going against scientific advice including the use of social distancing and the use of masks. The report denounced what it said was the Brazilian government's deliberate delay in the purchase of vaccines and its push towards ineffective so-called treatments against Covid-19 such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.In the report, senators proposed a series of laws for Congress to pass, including criminalization of fake news, pensions for orphans, early retirement caused by Covid-19, and a 60-day time limit for the Congress to review requests to impeach Bolsonaro.Brazil's Bolsonaro accused of crimes against humanity at ICC for his record on the AmazonLate on Tuesday at the end of a meeting, CPI president Sen. Omar Aziz said the allegations of genocide against Brazilian Indigenous communities would also be dropped from the text, due to a lack of consensus."What we agreed upon is the issue of genocide, which was withdrawn. I think it's for the better. (Report author) Sen. Renan Calheiros heard arguments from everybody, it was very clear," Aziz told reporters.Since the beginning of the CPI, when Brazil was facing its worst moment on the pandemic, Bolsonaro's approval rate has consistently been going down.The latest poll on Bolsonaro's popularity, released in mid-September by Brazil's largest opinion polling group Datafolha Institute, shows that 53% of Brazilians consider Jair Bolsonaro's presidency to be "bad or awful." It is the highest disapproval rate for this poll since he took office in 2019.CNN has asked President Bolsonaro's office for comment but did not receive a response. The President and his supporters have previously criticized the Senate's investigation into his handling of the pandemic as politically motivated."They want to accuse me of genocide. Now, tell me in what country people have not died? This CPI has no credibility," Bolsonaro said.He also said then that he was "sorry about the dead, but people who were healthy had little chance of dying."CNN has also reached out to former Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, current Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga and Defense minister Walter Braga Netto for comment.Bolsonaro has long downplayed the severity of the virus, and argued for the need to prioritize Brazil's economic health. He tested positive for Covid-19 in 2020.Reporting contributed by CNN's Rodrigo Pedroso and Shasta Darlington in Sao Paulo, and Samantha Beech in Atlanta. CNN's Rob Picheta also contributed to this story.

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Washington (CNN)Key allies who share intelligence with the United States could soon be dragged into the middle of Attorney General Bill Barr's politically-charged Justice Department review of how the Russia investigation began.President Donald Trump has said he wants Barr to look into the role key intelligence partners, including the United Kingdom and Australia, played in the origins of Russia probe. He has said he could raise the issue with the British Prime Minister Theresa May during his state visit next week and suggested he may ask her about his accusation that Britain spied on his 2016 presidential campaign.In describing the scope of Barr's mission to declassify and study the pre-election Obama-era intelligence, among several other topics, Trump told reporters, "I hope he looks at the UK and I hope he looks at Australia and I hope he looks at Ukraine."Trump orders intel agencies to assist Barr with review of Russia probeFor now, those allies are trying to stay out of the fray, arguing it's a domestic issue. But the President has granted Barr -- not the intelligence community -- sweeping powers to decide what intelligence can be declassified. That means Barr could potentially reveal intelligence shared with the US by other countries related to Russian election meddling and, in the process, risk damaging those critical relationships with foreign partners. Read MoreThe United Kingdom and Australia are members of the critical so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, rounded out by the United States, New Zealand and Canada.Both have so far publicly stayed quiet, emphasizing their friendships with the US but national security officials in those countries are watching and waiting, following closely while refraining from criticizing a process that could call into question their intelligence gathering and reveal their methods and sources."If the review were to declassify sensitive intelligence -- especially if doing so compromised the safety of sources -- that would cause very grave concern," a former senior British ambassador told CNN. "It could even affect the readiness of close allies like Britain to continue sharing the most sensitive material with the US.""This is a matter for the US authorities," a senior British official in London added, while the embassy in Washington declined to comment.One official from a Five Eyes partner said that a balance needs to be struck between the review of intelligence and national security matters with the need to protect classified information.Australian officials declined to comment but Foreign Minister Marise Payne told a radio interviewer on Monday they don't want to "engage in a public commentary that might entirely risk that we seem to prejudice the ongoing examination of these matters in the US."There is increased wariness because of the President's signature unpredictability but Barr is seen as a steady hand and intelligence partners are comforted by their lengthy friendships with their American counterparts.In Britain's case, the drama surrounding Brexit also means they are keen not to rock the boat."For Brexit and other reasons, the British government is keen to stay closely aligned with the Trump administration, despite significant differences on climate, trade, and foreign policy," the former British ambassador said. "The UK will probably not want to say much in public about the Barr review of inter-agency links."Trump might bring up Five Eyes spying with MayUntil now, the Barr review hasn't gotten much public attention in the UK, with recent headlines dominated by the dramas surrounding Brexit, May's resignation and European Parliament elections. But the British press' attention will soon turn back to the Trump and the tension in the "special relationship" with the President's state visit to the UK next week. Asked whether he would raise the possibility of Five Eyes countries spying on his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump told reporters on Friday he could do so with outgoing Prime Minister May."There's word and rumor that the FBI and others were involved, CIA were involved, with the UK, having to do with the Russian hoax," Trump told reporters on Friday. "And I may very well talk to her about that, yes."Despite the public disagreement between Trump and the US intelligence community over whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election, the top US intelligence chief said the Barr will get "all the appropriate information" for the review of intelligence into Russia's election attacks. Director of National Intelligence: Russian interference in US political system ongoingBut Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats warned Barr against being too public with what he declassifies."I am confident that the Attorney General will work with the IC in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk," Coats said in a statement.When asked if the Department of Justice has provided any assurances regarding the protection of intelligence provided by foreign partners, an ODNI spokesperson referred CNN to Coats' statement from last week. The Justice Department declined to comment. Foreign intelligence and the 2016 electionIt was the Australians who tipped off the FBI that Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos knew about the Russians having damaging emails that could influence the election, months before that information became public. The Australians knew because Papadopoulos bragged about it to the Australian ambassador to the UK in May 2016, and they brought the tip to the FBI's attention in July 2016, after WikiLeaks started releasing hacked Democratic emails. According to the Mueller report, which never identified Australia by name, "the FBI opened its investigation of potential coordination between Russia and the Trump Campaign a few days later based on the information." This came soon after British and European intelligence agencies told their US counterparts about communications they intercepted between Trump associates, Russian officials and other Russian individuals during the campaign.Since Trump won the election, British and American intelligence officials have insisted they continue to work together as closely as ever, despite the tumult at tops of their leadership. But Trump's disregard for the intelligence community has strained ties with some of its strongest partners. Yet at the same time, Trump has repeatedly perpetuated baseless accusations of spying against critical allies. Specifically, Trump has repeatedly alleged -- without any evidence -- that the Obama administration wiretapped him during the 2016 presidential campaign with the help of a British spy agency.A former senior US official pointed to the President sharing highly classified intelligence about ISIS obtained from Israel with Russia's foreign minister and US ambassador during an Oval Office meeting in May 2017 as an example of Trump's casual attitude when it comes to protecting sensitive information."Going all the way back to that point we've seen strains in the intelligence sharing relationship we have within the Five Eyes community," the former official said. "I have not seen these types of strains in our relationship since the immediate aftermath of the [2013] Edward Snowden revelations."That added pressure is particularly problematic when the intelligence concerns Russia, as it does in the Barr review, the former official added. "Intelligence related to Russian activities and influence around the world is through not only our own collection but comparing what we gather with what our other Five Eyes partners are gathering."On Capitol Hill, Democrats have blasted the President's decision to declassify the pre-election intelligence. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff accused Trump of "conspiring to weaponize" classified information while Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mark Warner told CNN that the move "has the potential to jeopardize" key relationships with foreign partners."Trust and confidentiality are essential aspects of our partnerships with foreign intelligence services -- and the President's bizarre decision to allow the Attorney General to selectively and unilaterally declassify information certainly has the potential to jeopardize those relationships," Warner said. CNN's Marshall Cohen and Laura Jarrett contributed reporting

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(CNN)"Bring it on" was the rallying cry from Chris Smalling as the Manchester United defender was confronted with the reality of facing Lionel Messi in Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal.With Smalling likely to start at the heart of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's defense and Messi intent on performing the role immortalized by his unparalleled phenomenon, the pair will -- by the game's close -- be well-acquainted. To leave Messi unattended is, at best, unwise.Mikael Silvestre -- a Champions League winner during his time at Manchester United -- acknowledged that it is Messi's divine brilliance that stands in his former team's way on its path to an unlikely semifinal place."Barcelona -- except 'God' (Messi) -- is a team that you can stop over two games," Silvestre told CNN Sport last month. "I think United can stop Barcelona and progress."Given both the Catalan side's style of play and the central importance of Messi, Silvestre is well aware of the grit and good fortune necessary if his former club is to remain in the game for long enough to concern the five-time winners.Read MoreREAD: How 'Little Seoul' fell in love with its favorite SonMessi has scored 108 Champons League goals, including eight hat-tricks, as well as making 30 assists."They did it against Paris [in the previous round, where United overcame a 2-0 first-leg deficit to win on away goals]. They ended up playing with Mason Greenwood, Tahith Chong, James Garner -- the three youngsters -- in the Parc des Princes."It was an inspiring performance, with that mental ability to stay in the game and believe and to never ever give up. It is in the club's DNA -- that never-give-up attitude."Messi, though remains the key. As a defender who racked up 249 appearances during the Alex Ferguson era, Silvestre has a warning for his former team.JUST WATCHEDTottenham's new hi-tech stadiumReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTottenham's new hi-tech stadium 02:21READ: Sorry about that,' says PSG star after 'worst miss ever'READ: From Cruyff to de Ligt: The evolution of Ajax's $500 million football factory"It is when you have the ball that he is at his most dangerous because he is going to disappear and then going to reappear," Silvestre explained of Messi's threat."[Stopping him] has been done before," he points out. "We know how to do it." Indeed, Silvestre himself has managed it; he came on as a late substitute when United beat Barcelona by a single goal in the 2008 semifinal.More than a decade on, though, Messi's icon has more than stood the test of time. That the Argentine has not been crowned as the world's greatest player since claiming his fifth Ballon d'Or title in 2015 is, in many ways, a red herring.Mikael Silvestre was part of the Manchester United squad that won the 2007/08 Champions League, coming on as a substitute against Barcelona at Old Trafford in the second leg of the 1-0 semifinal aggregate win.READ: How a painting helped soccer great Buffon cope with depressionTimeless supremacyHis unique ability has never declined, and nor have his own numbers; 26 goals in the 2015/16 La Liga season have subsequently been followed by 37 and 34, with the Argentine great sat on 33 with seven games of the current season remaining -- a year dominated by his Barcelona side.In this year's Champions League, Messi's six appearances have brought with them eight goals and a further three assists. It is a run that has added to an already exceptional overall record in Europe's major club competition; 108 goals in 131 appearances give him a superior minutes per goal ratio to that of his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, though the Argentine remains 16 strikes behind the Juventus forward's 124.The duo's long-running battle for footballing supremacy has seen them competing in a competition of their own. Former Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez is the pair's closest challenger -- but even his 71 goals place him 37 behind Messi.Of those still active, Karim Benzema is the next closest, but his Champions League tally of 60 is less than halfway to Ronaldo's astronomic figure.JUST WATCHEDCopa90: Guardiola reveals coaching secrets - to pub teamReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCopa90: Guardiola reveals coaching secrets - to pub team 05:00Alongside Messi's extraordinary, timeless supremacy has, however, sat an accusation that he has struggled to reach his own high standards when faced with English opposition.Yet, for almost as long as the theory has existed, it is a label that Messi has confounded. There are, of course, occasional outliers. Messi's record against Chelsea, for example, sits at just three goals in 10 games.However, his history with Manchester United is different. Although it currently shows just two goals in four games, those strikes came in the 2009 and 2011 finals. His performance at Wembley in the latter of the two is remembered for its sheer majesty, as Barcelona cruised to a 3-1 victory.READ: Tottenham edge out Manchester City but lose Harry Kane to injurySome hope, perhaps, for the Old Trafford faithful comes in Messi's record on English soil.While hardly a goalscoring famine, Messi has netted eight times in 15 games in England, as opposed to 13 in 14 matches at the Camp Nou. Indeed, he is also without a goal in his last 11 Champions League quarterfinals.Whether that is an omen for Solskjaer's side -- good or bad -- remains to be seen.

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Story highlightsAmsterdam's Rijksmuseum reopens after massive $489m, 10-year rebuilding programThe 'altarpiece' of the cathedral-like Gallery of Honor is Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch'Curator Pieter Roelofs says the painting is 'the Dutch national treasure'Click on the picture above to reveal the artwork's secrets. (CNN)Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, one of the world's best-known galleries, reopens April 13 after a massive 10-year rebuild. At the heart of the "new" museum is its most treasured painting, "The Night Watch," a group portrait of one of Amsterdam's local militias, painted by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1642, at the height of the Dutch Golden Age. Read more: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10-year refurbArchitect Pierre Cuypers designed the building around the massive masterpiece -- it measures 11 feet by 14 feet -- in 1885, and it is the only work to be returned to its original location in the radically revamped gallery."Everything has changed, the only thing that hasn't is 'The Night Watch'," explains Wim Pijbes, the museum's director. "It is the altarpiece of the Rijksmuseum, the whole place is arranged around this beautiful masterpiece."Read More Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 years Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, home to one of the world's greatest art collections, reopens to the public on Saturday April 13, after a mammoth 10-year US$489m renovation project. The exhibits have been reorganized into chronological order, with paintings, furniture and other objects displayed side-by-side to tell the history of the Netherlands.Hide Caption 1 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The museum's original entrance hall, designed by architect Pierre Cuypers in 1885, and decorated with opulent wall paintings by Georg Sturm, has been returned to its former glory.Hide Caption 2 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The jewel-like stained glass windows in the entrance hall celebrate great architects, sculptors and painters, including Rembrandt van Rijn, and add to the cathedral-like atmosphere.Hide Caption 3 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Contrasting ancient and modern, Spanish architects Cruz y Ortiz reinstated the building's original courtyards, which had been crammed with makeshift galleries for decades, linking them into one huge, bright and airy atrium.Hide Caption 4 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The museum's collection of one million objects, some 8,000 of which are on display at any one time, span 800 years, from the Middle Ages to modern artist Piet Mondrian, and including this 1887 self portrait by Vincent Van Gogh.Hide Caption 5 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – This painted terracotta statue of the "Mater Dolorosa," or "Our Lady of Sorrows" (c.1500-1510) is among the new acquisitions collected while the museum was closed to visitors.Hide Caption 6 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – At the heart of the gallery is its most-prized possession, "The Night Watch," by Rembrandt van Rijn (1642). The museum was designed around the painting, and it is the only artwork to be returned to its original place.Hide Caption 7 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Turner Prize-winning British artist Richard Wright was commissioned to create a new installation, featuring more than 47,000 black stars, in dizzying patterns on the ceilings of the rooms to the sides of "The Night Watch".Hide Caption 8 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The Rijksmuseum is also home to several works by Johannes Vermeer -- "The Milkmaid" (1658-1660) is among those taking pride of place in the church-like Gallery of Honor.Hide Caption 9 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Pictures are hung on walls painted in shades of gray, the colors chosen so that they does not distract from the artworks themselves.Hide Caption 10 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – In the 20th Century galleries, Fritz Koolhoven's FK 23 Bantam plane sits alongside a painting by Piet Mondrian, both items considered the height of modernity in their era.Hide Caption 11 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Disturbing periods of Dutch history are also acknowledged. These facial casts of Nias Islanders, made by anthropologist J.P. Kleiweg de Zwaan as part of his studies of racial "types" are displayed alongside a concentration camp uniform and a chess set given as a gift by Nazi Heinrich Himmler.Hide Caption 12 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – The museum's special collections, of weapons, fashion and jewellery, Dutch porcelain and musical instruments are displayed in the crypt-like basement. Here, a fleet of model ships sail across the room.Hide Caption 13 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – An entirely new annexe, the Asian Pavillion, has been built to house the museum's collection of art from China, Japan, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and Thailand.Hide Caption 14 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Another highlight of the "new" museum is its ornate four-story library, complete with vertiginous spiral staircase, which has never been open to the public before.Hide Caption 15 of 16 Photos: Rijksmuseum reopens after 10 yearsRijksmuseum reopens after 10 years – Visitors will be able to witness the renovation from April 13, 2013.Hide Caption 16 of 16Visitors will approach Rembrandt's painting through the cathedral-like entrance hall, filled with jewel-toned stained glass and extravagant wall decorations, and the restored Gallery of Honor, home to the Rijksmuseum's collection of 17th century works.Pieter Roelofs, curator of 17th century art, told CNN the arrangement "shows off how important this painting is to the Dutch nation. It is the national treasure."In keeping with the ethos of the new-look museum, "The Night Watch" is surrounded by other militia portraits of the era, giving the piece context but also showing just how innovative Rembrandt's work was.And there's another hint as to just how well-loved the priceless painting is on the floor beneath it: The outline of a trap door. "The Night Watch" is the only picture in the gallery to have its own "escape slide," designed in 1934, to allow it to be swiftly moved out of danger in case of fire, or other threats.Click on the picture above to reveal the artwork's secrets.

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(CNN)Diego Maradona's recovery following surgery to remove a blood clot on the brain has been "excellent," his personal doctor said.Speaking to reporters outside the Olivos clinic in Buenos Aires province, where Maradona is staying, Leopoldo Luque said on Thursday that the former footballer's progress "continues to be really good" and that he was "very eager to leave" the hospital."The idea is to have him here for one more day, but he already feels well enough to be discharged and we spoke to the physicians who also see him in a good enough condition to be discharged," he said. "We're very happy. He can walk, he talks with me, he seems a lot clearer. Obviously, it's still very early, but the recovery is excellent."Luque added it was possible Maradona, who turned 60 last week, could leave the hospital on Thursday, but that they had been trying to convince him to remain for one more day.Read MoreMaradona, widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, was initially admitted to hospital on Monday as a preventive measure, according to his doctor, due to a low mood. The diagnosis at that time was dehydration and anemia.However, subsequent tests revealed that the he had a subdural hematoma -- more commonly known as a blood clot on the brain -- and was immediately transferred from a hospital in La Plata to the Olivos clinic for surgery.READ: 'The Golden Boy' Diego Maradona turns 60Leopoldo Luque, Diego Maradona's personal physician, gives a medical report outside the clinic.A subdural hematoma is considered "among the deadliest of all head injuries," according to the US National Library of Medicine.It is a blood clot on the brain's surface beneath its outer covering, called the dura. It is usually caused by severe head injuries, but can also be caused by minor injuries and can go unnoticed for days or weeks.Luque was met outside the clinic by a sea of reporters' microphones, a scene more akin to that of an interview with a star footballer.After announcing on Wednesday that the operation had been a success, Luque was mobbed and patted on the back by several delighted Argentina fans, who proceeded to celebrate the news in a similar fashion to goal celebrations seen in La Bombonera, the historic home of Boca Juniors, one of Maradona's former clubs.Maradona fans gather outside the hospital where he underwent brain surgery for a blood clot.On Wednesday Luque said the Argentine was "without any type of neurological deficit, without any type of complication associated to the surgery" and had had an "excellent post-operative period." Lionel Messi has been among those to send messages of support to his fellow countryman following the surgery"Diego, all the strength in the world," Messi wrote on Instagram. "My family and I want to see you well again as soon as possible. A big hug from the heart!" View this post on Instagram Diego, toda la fuerza del mundo. Mi familia y yo te queremos ver bien lo antes posible. ¡Un abrazo de corazón! A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Nov 4, 2020 at 5:41am PST Barcelona and Argentina captain Messi played under Maradona, currently the head coach of Argentine side Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata, when he was head coach of the national team between 2008 and 2010, ending his spell in charge following the World Cup in South Africa.

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(CNN)Three large new studies from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight the importance of getting a booster shot to provide the best protection against the Omicron coronavirus variant.This is the first real-life data to examine the effect of boosters against Omicron, which now accounts for more than 99% of coronavirus cases in the United States. The studies, released Friday, raise the question of whether people with just two vaccine doses should still be considered fully vaccinated."I think we have to redefine fully vaccinated as three doses," said Dr. William Schaffner, a longtime CDC vaccine adviser who was not involved with the studies. Omicron cases dip in the US overall, but the wave is far from over in many parts of the countryThe studies have an enormous scope, involving millions of cases, hundreds of thousands of visits to emergency departments and urgent care centers, and tens of thousands of hospitalizations among adults. Getting boosted was 90% effective at preventing hospitalizations during a period in December and January when Omicron was the dominant variant, according to a CDC study that looked at nearly 88,000 hospitalizations across 10 states. Read MoreIn comparison, getting two shots was 57% effective when it had been at least six months past the second shotGetting boosted was 82% effective at preventing visits to emergency rooms and urgent care centers, according to the study, which looked at more than 200,000 visits in 10 states. Former CDC director: What's next with Omicron and the pandemic?In comparison, getting two shots was only 38% effective at preventing those visits when it had been at least six months past the second shot. "I think it's the third dose that really gives you the solid, the very best protection," Schaffner said. That study was published Friday in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. A second study, also published in Friday's MMWR, concluded that people with three shots were less likely to get infected with Omicron. Looking at data from 25 state and local health departments, the CDC researchers found that among those who were boosted, there were 149 cases per 100,000 people on average each week. For those who had only two doses, it was 255 cases per 100,000 people. A third study, published in the medical journal JAMA, showed that having a booster helped prevent people from becoming ill with Omicron. That study of just over 13,000 US Omicron cases found that the odds of developing a symptomatic infection were 66% lower for people who were boosted compared to those who had only received two shots. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.All three studies found that unvaccinated people faced the highest risks of becoming sick with Covid-19. The CDC currently says a person is considered fully vaccinated after they've received their primary Covid-19 vaccines -- two weeks after receiving their second dose of an mRNA vaccine, or two weeks after their first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Booster doses are recommended for everyone age 12 and older five months after their primary vaccination series.Less than half of those eligible to receive booster shots have gotten one, and only about a quarter of the total US population is fully vaccinated and boosted, according to CDC data.Nearly 20% of the US population eligible to be vaccinated -- those age 5 and older -- has not received any dose of Covid-19 vaccine.CNN's Naomi Thomas contributed to this report.

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(CNN)So you're trying to avoid spoilers about the Olympics...Even if working from home takes out the risk of watercooler talk spoiling results for you, there are still many ways you can learn the outcome of an event hours before you see it on TV.After all, Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time, meaning American viewers who aren't tuning into live streams are seeing some events on a delay. So how does any smartphone user avoid spoilers without going off the grid? It's not easy. But here are some ways you can try to be somewhat surprised when you tune in at primetime. Avoiding spoilers on TwitterRead MoreTwitter is a big source of spoilers, but it may also have one of the best features to avoid them.You can mute words and hashtags of your choosing. "Olympics" and "gold" would probably be a good start, plus any sport you're interested in watching.Click "more," then "settings and privacy." Hit the "privacy and safety" tab. Then click "mute and block."From there, click "muted words" (you'll also see a "muted accounts" option here).The Tokyo Olympics will feature more coverage than ever, no fans, and a lot of different ways to watchClick the plus icon at the top right of the screen and enter the word or hashtag you want to mute. You can only add one entry at a time. You'll have the option to choose where Twitter is hiding these words from you, including your timeline or notifications.You can also choose how long Twitter mutes these words. Thirty days from now is your best option to cover you through the Tokyo Olympics.Hit "save" and breathe easy -- unless you have other social media pages. You have more work to do.Avoiding spoilers on FacebookFor Facebook, you have to target a specific account.Click on the three dots on a post and you'll see an option to snooze that account for 30 days. You can do this for an official page you follow or someone you're friends with that you know is always posting about the Olympics.Avoiding spoilers on InstagramInstagram's option is also account-focused.To mute someone you're following, go to their profile and click the "following" drop-down arrow. You'll see a mute option, and from there you can choose whether you want to mute their posts or stories.This option does not show a time limit, so you'll have to remember to go back and unmute someone if you want them back in your feed once the Games are over.Avoiding spoilers on SnapchatIt's a similar process for Snapchat.From your friends list, hold down on a friend's name and click "more." Toward the bottom you'll see a "mute story" toggle that you can turn on.Where you might run into more trouble is in the "Discover" section. From there, click on a post from an account you don't want to see, then click on the account's profile at the top of the screen. At the top right you'll see three dots which will bring up an option to hide this content. Click that, and content from that creator will no longer be suggested to you.Olympic athletes are showing us their funny, fascinating, complicated selves on TikTok and beyondAdjust your push notificationsSo here's where it gets tricky.Many news apps have breakdowns of which type of alerts you receive. Now might be a good time to check those out, as some have a sports section that you could toggle off.The problem is some headlines out of the Olympics fall into the breaking news category, which may be harder to escape. But this is one of the risks you take if you don't go completely off the grid.These settings are also not temporary, so when you're ready to get back to real-time sports updates, revisit these pages.How to avoid spoilers in the real worldOK, so your home is now a spoiler-free zone. But what if you have to go out into the real world?Choose your bars and restaurants wisely. Know which of your favorite local spots have TVs all over their business, as there may be spoilers on whatever channel they are playing.When you meet up with friends or family, make it clear if you're trying to avoid spoilers about a certain event.Or there's always isolation (but most of us can probably agree that we've had enough of that).

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