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4a4202a1-791e-4753-a206-968015533a29 | null | (CNN)Nima Bhakta was that college friend who everyone knew would be a great mother. We met in 2006, and I could see that she was always at ease when she interacted with children. Kind and confident, she was also the friend who talked about how excited she was to have children of her own. That's why it was such a devastating loss to her family, friends and to me, when she lost her battle with postpartum depression and died by suicide on July 24. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in women with postpartum depression. Nima Bhakta (L) and author Sneha Kohli Mathur (R) became roommates and friends at the University of California San Diego. In a letter to her family before she died, Nima wrote that she tried to tell her loved ones about her struggle with postpartum depression but she hadn't been able to find the words to explain the depth of her suffering. She wrote that she had a loving and supportive husband and that no one was at fault for her pain. Read MoreIt started, she wrote, after her son was born in 2019. She felt completely changed as an individual, wife, sister, daughter and aunt, and she didn't understand how she couldn't even attempt cooking or other things that she once enjoyed. Her constant worry about the future and self-blame for any difficulties with her son overwhelmed her. She got to the point that she believed that she was a complete failure as a mother and was scared that she would cause him harm in the future. Throughout her letter was a sense of shame for needing help taking care of her son, and guilt that she wasn't feeling better despite having an incredibly supportive husband, Deven Bhakta, and her sisters and family.FDA approves first postpartum depression drugIn her text messages to me she expressed she was experiencing postpartum depression. "Everything I do for Keshav just seems like a task for me, it's been hard to have that bond between me and him. Really didn't expect all this since I love kids but with Keshav I've been struggling. I haven't been out of the house either unless it's for a doctor appointment, it's pretty bad. Deven's been such a big help it's ridiculous." She couldn't see what a wonderful mother she was to her beautiful baby boy. I saw her as a devoted mother diligently attending to all of his daily needs. I could see she loved him so much. How did a mother who didn't have any of the risk factors for PPD -- factors that include a personal or family history of depression and lack of social support -- still succumb to it? It can be harder for Indian women like us to ask for psychological help because these issues are not always discussed in our community, but there are other reasons women suffer from this misunderstood condition. What is postpartum depression?During pregnancy and in the hours after childbirth, women experience a dramatic drop in their estrogen and progesterone hormone levels, and that fluctuation is thought to contribute to postpartum mental health problems, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Nima and her husband Deven celebrated at their baby shower on October 6.In addition to the changes in hormones, emotional factors, fatigue and general life stressors may contribute to PPD, experts say. Postpartum depression may begin in the days or weeks following childbirth, or it may begin months later, and it can last weeks, months or years if untreated. While the experience of PPD can look different for each woman, common symptoms include a loss of pleasure or interest in doing things she once enjoyed; eating and sleeping much more or much less than usual; experiencing panic attacks or anxiety most or all of the time; feelings of guilt, worthlessness and self-blame; sadness or crying uncontrollably; fear of not being a good mom; fear of being alone with the baby or disinterest in the baby; difficulty making decisions; and thoughts of hurting oneself or the baby. Postpartum depression is not the so-called "baby blues," which 70% to 80% of all moms experience, according to the American Pregnancy Association. While baby blues may begin soon after birth, its symptoms -- which can include crying for no apparent reason, anxiety, insomnia and mood changes -- should dissipate two weeks after childbirth. If they continue past two weeks, mothers should be examined for postpartum depression.How many women are affected by postpartum depression?Anywhere from 10% to 20% of new moms in America experience postpartum depression, which means that about 400,000 to 800,000 mothers are impacted annually, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, studies have found that up to 50% of cases may go undiagnosed.Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States during the postpartum period, accounting for about 20% of postpartum deaths, according to a 2005 study. Despite its prevalence, there is no universally designed or approved screening process, and the experience of going through PPD is often a surprise to new moms.How are women of color disproportionately affected? The experiences of women of color are not well documented in research, and this leads to a discrepancy of care for mothers of color, according to a 2016 survey by Robert Keefe, a professor at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Women of color may not reach out for mental health support because they believe that their depression is a normal part of motherhood.Women of color face further pressures due to cultural expectations. Furthermore, our mental distress may present in a different manner than a medical practitioner has been trained to look for, as the majority of research reflects the experiences of white women, according to Keefe's survey. This picture of Nima was taken on October 11 by her husband, Deven in Bishop, California.Asian and Asian American women often express psychological distress in physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal problems, or headaches and backaches, according to a 2014 study by Dr. Sandeep Grover and Dr. Abhishek Ghosh, both psychiatrists with the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in India. This may be because psychological expression of distress is culturally frowned upon. In Keefe's survey, Latina women reported that having a medical provider of the same cultural background made them more comfortable to confide in, but there are fewer providers of color to serve them. One solution that would benefit women of all cultures is to create more support groups for mothers of the same cultural background. How can family members help new mothers? Despite having a supportive family and friends who encouraged her to seek out medical support, Nima still felt detached from everyone. In the midst of a pandemic, when people are more isolated than usual, it's important to check in on the new moms in your life. If you know someone who is a new mom, there are things you can do. Talk to your new mother friends and make the conversation about her, not just the baby. Don't try to solve her problems; instead, listen and validate her feelings. Celebrate all the little victories she achieves, both with her baby and personally. This is a medical condition, and people with this condition need medical assistance. If we break a leg, we wouldn't hesitate to visit a doctor, take medications to treat the pain and then go to therapy to strengthen the muscle, right? Taking care of our mental health is the same! Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. What other help is available? Friends can't be therapists. However, we can normalize and encourage psychotherapy. While taking medication, usually antidepressants, is thought to help treat PPD, as a mental health professional, I find that therapy is also often needed but underutilized. Through therapy, a mom can better understand her experiences and discover healthy ways to cope with her feelings, solve problems, set realistic goals and respond to situations in a positive way. Despite its prevalence and potentially fatal outcome, only one drug has been developed to specifically treat postpartum depression. An intravenous infusion of the drug brexanolone, sold as Zulresso, was approved by the FDA in 2019. Can we share our feelings?I wish I had been more open with Nima about my own experience with having suicidal thoughts during my pregnancy. I spent most of my pregnancy in bed, in the dark, getting most food from a PICC line inserted into my arm because of hyperemesis gravidarum, a medical condition that affects 0.3 to 2.3% of pregnant women. Hyperemesis gravidarum is characterized as extreme and continuous vomiting and nausea during pregnancy. It can cause weight loss of more than 5% of the pregnant woman's body weight, lead to dehydration and potential complications for the baby. Some days I felt like I simply couldn't go on. Other than my therapist, I did not share these thoughts with anyone. I wondered what was wrong with me and how I could be a good mother when I thought about ending my own life. We all have a lot to learn about postpartum depression.This short video is a good place to start: https://t.co/rbnSlKM7Fl#breakthestigma4nima pic.twitter.com/qCoaOAisV0— Anand Patel (@anandp29) August 3, 2020 But I was not myself. I was experiencing perinatal depression. As my therapist explained to me, depression is a powerful force that hijacks your brain and doesn't allow you to think clearly. I didn't want any visitors. I didn't even want to talk to or text anyone. I wanted to lie in the dark without so much as the curtains being open. Sometimes I just lay on the bathroom floor waiting for my next bout of vomiting because I didn't have the energy or motivation to make it back to my bed. Luckily, I have an educational background in psychology, and I recognized the signs of slipping into a depression. I reached out to my therapist, and therapy and medication helped me get through that difficult time, and continue to help me manage my anxiety.Parents need to know they're not aloneI hope that sharing my experience from three years ago will encourage more people to share their experiences, because only then will we shatter the stigma. That way others experiencing similar things know that they are not alone.I am so thankful that I could reach out to my therapist during those difficult times, and that my family encouraged and supported my journey. If you are having or ever have had any mental health struggles, especially related to PPD, and are open to sharing, please do so. It may save someone's life. Also, give therapy a chance; it will be worth it. Overcoming Depression: Facts and ResourcesThe American Psychological Association provides the following resources:Racism and depression: A real linkHow to find a therapist in your areaTherapists of colorCovid-19 psychological impactThe color of Covid-19 databaseTo honor Nima's wish to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues, Nima and Deven's families started the #BreakTheStigma4Nima hashtag on social media. In response to this hashtag, friends and strangers have been sharing stories about their own struggles related to PPD, including some who had never openly discussed their experiences before. Ultimately, this is what inspired me to share my story as well.To get help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). There is also a crisis text line. For crisis support in Spanish, call 1-888-628-9454.To learn more about postpartum depression, call Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773 or visit its website. Sneha Kohli Mathur has a BA and MA in psychology and is a board-certified behavior analyst and a doctoral candidate in education, working to support adults on the autism spectrum as they transition to college and employment. | health | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
239035d4-b654-4cc2-8358-eec446cfd3e3 | null | Melbourne, Australia (Reuters)Australia's Victoria state reported 779 new COVID-19 infections and two deaths on Sunday, a decrease from the previous day's record high as the country's Prime Minister presses state leaders to be ready to reopen once they meet vaccination targets.The daily increase was still the state's second-highest, after the 847 cases logged on Saturday, as officials battle to contain a Delta variant outbreak that has taken root since midyear.Australia's two most populous states, Victoria and New South Wales, have been struggling to contain the highly infectious variant while they ramp up vaccinations to 80% of the population, a threshold that will allow officials to ease strict lockdown measures.Three-quarters of Australians have had a first dose of vaccine, while just half have had both doses.Hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters clash with police in AustraliaPrime Minister Scott Morrison said in an interview aired on Sunday that he expects states to open up borders and ease restrictions once the 80% vaccination threshold has been met.Read More"We each have a personal responsibility for looking after our own health. And so it's important that we do move forward," he told Channel 7's "Sunrise" program."There comes a time when you just got to move on and get on with it," he said from Washington, where he held a summit with his counterparts from the United States, Japan and India.Morrison said his message to Australians was "that what I'd like them to have for Christmas is their lives back. And that's within the gift of governments. And that's a gift I'd like to see us give them."Australia to trial vaccine passports over coming days as post-Covid opening preparation beginsNew South Wales recorded nine deaths, according to government data on Sunday, while new locally acquired infections fell for a third day to 961, the lowest daily number in nearly a week, raising hopes that cases may have peaked, originally expected in mid-September, as vaccination rates climb."Whilst we are extremely encouraged by the downwards trend that we have seen, with Delta you cannot be complacent," said state Premier Gladys Berejiklian.The state's first dose rate has risen to 85.2% of people over 16 years of age, while 59.1% of the population has had their second dose.New South Wales has recorded 288 deaths in the Delta outbreak, accounting for nearly a quarter of the country's approximately 1,230 deaths.State government officials are to finalize a roadmap this week for what to do when the 80% target is met, as focus shifts to when to reopen community activities to the unvaccinated.Sporting events, regional travel, pubs, restaurants and other functions may remain off limits to unvaccinated people until as many as 90% of the state's adults have had two doses. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
c71aaa9e-3d8a-4ef1-b231-aabb39743b69 | null | Story highlightsStephane Peterhansel on brink of a 10th Dakar Rally victoryFrenchman has won motorcycle event six times and will win fourth car crown barring a catastropheCompatriot Cyril Despres takes an 11-minute lead into final day of motorcycle eventFrance's Stephane Peterhansel clinched the 13th and penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally on Saturday leaving him on the brink of claiming a 10th title in the event.Driving a Mini, Peterhansel completed the 275 km timed stage from Nasca to Pisco in Peru ahead of South Africa's Ginel De Villiers driving a Toyota.Peterhansel, who has won the car event three times and the motorcycle event six times, has a lead of close to 43 minutes over Spain's Nani Roma.Does Dakar Rally damage the environment?"It was not a stage we were trying to win. First and foremost, we wanted to avoid falling into traps, especially after getting stuck in the sand yesterday," Peterhansel said, AFP reported."There is still a 30-kilometer special to go and we could have a technical problem. I am still holding my breath this evening. I will breathe again once I am on the podium," he added.Defiant Gordon wins 12th stageCompatriot Cyril Despres looks almost certain to win the motorcycle competition as he takes an 11-minute lead over nearest rival Marc Coma into Sunday's final stage in Lima after the Spaniard labored with gearbox problems. Portugal's Helder Rodrigues, riding a Yamaha, won the penultimate stage of the motorcycle race finishing 47 seconds ahead of Despres."Today's stage was psychologically very tough," Despres said, AFP reported. "I always wait until the last day to enjoy things. I have seen so many things happen at the Dakar, and even more today. I want to stay calm and enjoy things a bit more," he added. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
7c299e70-f15c-498b-a0eb-86616fc889fa | null | Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo (CNN)After a turbulent few years, Sunisa Lee can now call herself an Olympic gold medalist.The American gymnast won the women's all-around title in Tokyo on Thursday ahead of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade in second and the Russian Olympic Committee's Angelina Melnikova in third.Lee, who extends the USA's run of Olympic gold medals in the event to five, scored 57.433 as teammate and 2016 all-around champion Simone Biles watched on from the stands. Given what Lee has experienced over the past two years, no wonder the word she twice landed on to describe her victory was "surreal."In 2019, she won gold on uneven bars at the US Championships shortly after her father had fallen off a ladder and become paralyzed from the chest down, while last year she lost her aunt and uncle to Covid-19.Read MoreLee, who turned 18 in March, has also overcome a spate of injuries, including a broken bone in her foot and an Achilles tendon injury last year. Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldUS gymnast Sunisa "Suni" Lee competes on the balance beam during the individual all-around final on Thursday, July 29.Hide Caption 1 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee is congratulated by teammate Jade Carey after winning the gold.Hide Caption 2 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee takes a selfie with silver medalist Rebeca Andrade, center, and bronze medalist Angelina Melnikova. Andrade is the first Brazilian to ever medal in women's gymnastics. Melnikova is Russian.Hide Caption 3 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee started her day on the vault, where she put up the field's fifth-best score.Hide Caption 4 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldAn overhead shot of Lee on the uneven bars.Hide Caption 5 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee celebrates after her performance on the uneven bars. Lee had the best score on that apparatus.Hide Caption 6 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee soars in the air during the uneven bars.Hide Caption 7 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee talks to her teammate Jade Carey during the competition. Carey finished in eighth place.Hide Caption 8 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee performs on the balance beam during the third rotation. She put up the field's second-best score on the beam.Hide Caption 9 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee was in first place heading to the floor exercise on the final rotation.Hide Caption 10 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee put up the field's fifth-best score on the floor exercise, and it was enough to hold onto the lead.Hide Caption 11 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee congratulates Brazil's Rebeca Andrade after the floor exercise. Andrade had a chance to overtake Lee at the end, but she stepped out of bounds twice during her floor routine.Hide Caption 12 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee twists in the air during her floor exercise routine.Hide Caption 13 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldFrom left, US gymnasts Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner cheer for Lee after her gold-medal performance. Biles, the defending champion, withdrew from the event because of mental-health concerns. Correction: This caption has been updated to include Grace McCallum, who was previously misidentified by Getty Images.Hide Caption 14 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee hugs Jade Carey after it was clear she had won gold.Hide Caption 15 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldShyenne Lee, Lee's sister, celebrates at a watch party in Oakdale, Minnesota.Hide Caption 16 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee, 18, is the first Hmong-American to compete as an Olympic gymnast.Hide Caption 17 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee's parents, Yeev Thoj and John Lee, react while watching their daughter from Oakdale, Minnesota. In 2019, John Lee suffered an accident that left him paralyzed.Hide Caption 18 of 19 Photos: Suni Lee wins gymnastics goldLee poses with her gold medal on the podium.Hide Caption 19 of 19"The past two years have been absolutely crazy with Covid and my family and everything else," Lee told reporters at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre. "This medal definitely means a lot to me because there was a point in time when I wanted to quit and I just didn't think I would ever be here, including injuries and stuff."So there are a lot of emotions, but I'm definitely super proud of myself for sticking with it and believing in myself."Much of the build-up to the final had been dominated by Biles' withdrawal from the event to protect her mental health. Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, had pulled out of the team competition earlier this week after landing awkwardly on her vault. Alongside her teammates Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles and MyKayla Skinner, Biles was there cheering and clapping Lee and Team USA's Jade Carey from the stands.From left, US gymnasts Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles and MyKayla Skinner cheer for Lee after her gold-medal performance. Biles, the defending champion, withdrew from the event because of mental-health concerns.The gold medal adds to the silver Lee won with Team USA in the team competition on Tuesday, and her victory means the US draws level with the Soviet Union with a record six wins in the women's all-around.Lee started the evening with a score of 14.600 on vault before moving into the medal positions with 15.300 on uneven bars. Her 13.833 on balance beam handed her the lead over Andrade, and the Brazilian then stepped out twice on her floor routine to end her hopes of a gold."I was starting to put a little bit too much pressure on myself," said Lee. "Knowing that Simone was gone, I feel like people kind of put that pressure on me that I had to come back with a medal. "I tried not to think about ... (and) just focus on myself and do what I normally do because that's when I compete the best."Andrade, meanwhile, has her own reasons to be proud as she becomes the first woman from Brazil to win an Olympic gymnastics medal.Andrade, seen competing on balance beam during the all-around final, secured an historic medal for Brazil.She qualified second for the event -- behind Biles and ahead of Lee -- and scored highly on vault and bars in the final. But it was Lee who took the lead on the third rotation."I did my best and I'm very proud of the outcome," said Andrade. "I worked hard, I worked with my psychologist to achieve these objectives ... I don't mind if it's gold, silver, or bronze, or even if I didn't have any medal. I think I had a great performance and I'm very thankful for that."For Melnikova, her bronze medal adds to the gold she won with the ROC earlier this week."I am extremely happy. It has been a hard road to get here. All my dreams came true," she said. "I basically worked for it five years and I didn't miss any major competition in all those five years."Following the team and all-around events, women's artisitc gymnastic competitions resume in Tokyo on Sunday with the vault and uneven bars events. Correction: A caption has been updated to include Grace McCallum, who was previously misidentified by Getty Images. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
d5dd9da2-4497-47a3-8115-ac5f6224f129 | null | Hong Kong (CNN)A series of loud bangs startle the sleeping corgi, driving it out of its bed. The door opens and two people dressed in full hazmat suits enter the living room, one carrying a crowbar and another a yellow plastic bag. "Did the leader say we need to settle it right here on the spot?" one of them can be heard asking. "Yes," the other replies, as he proceeds to move a table the corgi was hiding under, and strike the animal on the head with the crowbar. The dog whimpers and runs off camera to another room.The unsettling scene, captured by a security camera and shared online by the dog's owner, shows the last moments before the pet was killed in its home by Covid prevention workers in the Chinese city of Shangrao, in southeastern Jiangxi province, on Friday, while the corgi's owner was undergoing compulsory quarantine in a nearby hotel.The killing of the dog, which triggered a massive outcry on Chinese social media over the weekend, is the latest example of the extreme measures taken by local authorities in China in pursuit of zero-Covid.Local authorities in China are under tremendous pressure to curb infections, as a renewed Delta variant outbreak continues to spread across the country. So far, more than 1,300 cases have been reported in about two-thirds of provinces in the country.Read MoreAmid the outpouring of shock and anger, the dog's death has sparked heated debate about animal rights, as well as no shortage of reflection on just how far unchecked government power can be expanded during the pandemic at the expense of individual rights.The residential community where the dog lived is under lockdown due to a handful of confirmed Covid-19 cases. All residents were required to enter into government quarantine on Friday, and were not allowed to bring their pets with them, the owner said on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform.Survillance footage shows the corgi hit by a health worker with a crowbar.The owner, whose surname is Fu and has so far tested negative for the virus, said community workers had repeatedly reassured her before she left for quarantine on Friday morning that they would not take away or kill the dog during the building's disinfection. But by the afternoon, Covid prevention workers had barged into her apartment to hit the dog, according to the owner."The dog tried to avoid the beating and fled into the bedroom, and therefore it wasn't recorded by surveillance camera, but (I) could hear faint wails. A few minutes later, they said they've dealt with it and would take it away, holding a yellow plastic bag in their hands," she wrote in a since-deleted post. "Even now I don't know whether my dog is alive or dead, and where it has been taken," she added. In a statement late on Saturday, the local government of Xinzhou district, where the complex is located, confirmed the dog was killed as part of the need to "thoroughly disinfect" homes in the community.But it admitted Covid prevention workers had "safely disposed" of the dog without communicating fully with the owner. The workers involved had been criticized and removed from their positions, it said, adding they had apologized to the owner and gained her understanding.On Weibo, however, the owner claimed she was pressured by local authorities and her employer to delete her posts. CNN has reached out to the owner, who was not named by the government, and the Jiangxi provincial government for comment.Halloween Covid scare forces Shanghai Disney into lockdown as China steps up efforts to eradicate virusIt's not the first time Chinese authorities have killed pets as part of their stringent Covid response. In September, three cats in the northeastern city of Harbin were killed after testing positive for the virus without consent from their owner, who was in hospital quarantine after contracting the virus.Not all local governments are as stringent when it comes to dealing with pets, however. In January, Shanghai authorities were widely praised for allowing residents to bring their pets into centralized quarantine with them. Animals in different countries have contracted Covid-19, including domestic pets, zoo animals and livestock, with humans the primary source of these infections.But although scientists say Covid-19 likely originated in animals before becoming widespread among humans, there is no evidence animals are playing a significant role in the spread of the virus to people, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.And in the latest incident, the dog was killed before it was even tested for Covid, according to the owner."When they hadn't even confirmed whether the dog was negative or positive (for Covid), they barged into the owner's home and beat the dog to death. Is this the management level of the government?" a top comment on Weibo said.In its statement, the district government said residents had been asked not to lock their doors before they left for quarantine, and Covid prevention workers opened the owner's door by force under the witness of police officers.The move has sparked a fierce backlash from pet owners and sympathizers, while others see it as a necessary sacrifice for the "greater good" of society, arguing that human lives are more important than animals'. But for some, there is another crucial question to be asked: just how much more power has the government amassed in the name of Covid prevention, at the cost of individual rights and liberties?"From the earlier killing of the three cats to today's killing of the dog, it's getting worse and worse. The so-called debate around 'animal rights' is merely a camouflage -- the issue at heart here has always been the wanton infringement of individual (rights) by the endlessly expanding state power," a comment on Chinese social media site Douban said. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
512964ea-dfdd-4069-b26f-ff1fa0d2465e | null | (CNN)The Italian regions worst-hit by the second coronavirus wave entered a new lockdown Friday after the country tallied its highest daily number of both infections and deaths the previous day. Italy is under a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. nationwide curfew, with bars and restaurants closing at 6 p.m., while certain areas face harsher restrictions.Residents in "red zone" regions -- Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta and Calabria -- may only leave home for necessities, health or work. Those in "orange zones" are banned from leaving their towns except for work or health reasons -- and bars and restaurants are closed except for delivery and takeout.Italy reported 35,505 new cases and 445 deaths Thursday, taking its case total to 824,879 and fatalities to 40,192, according to health ministry data.A woman rides a bike along an empty street in the district of St. Michel in Paris on November 3, the fifth day of France's lockdown.These figures "are not a good sign," said Gianni Rezza, director of the prevention department at the ministry. "The virus is running and we have to stop it."Read MoreIn neighboring France, Paris also announced stricter measures as the country reported a record 58,046 new cases Thursday, according to the French health agency. The country has Europe's highest case number, at 1.6 million infections.From Friday, food delivery, takeout and alcohol sales are banned in Paris between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., police said. "The second wave is already upon us, and it is brutal," French health minister Olivier Véran told a news conference Thursday. If the virus keeps spreading at this rate, he said "the second wave could be worse and longer" than the first, and could take "until mid-December" to stabilize.Véran urged people to respect the national lockdown, or face "a high risk of saturation" of hospitals by mid-November.And in Germany, authorities on Thursday registered more than 20,000 Covid-19 cases in a single day for the first time. The rise comes amid renewed efforts to curb the spread of the virus that on Thursday saw 21,506 new infections across Germany, an increase of more than 1,600 compared to the previous day. Fresh lockdowns as case spikeGreece will enter a three-week national lockdown from Saturday after reporting almost 10,000 new cases in five days, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Thursday. People will need to text the authorities before leaving home and high schools will close.Denmark also announced new restrictions in seven municipalities after scientists identified a mutated strain of the coronavirus linked to the mink population. According to the government, the mutated form of the virus has been passed back to humans from the small mammals.Coronavirus could drive the last nail into the mink fur tradeAll mink in the country will be killed because of the concerns over a mutation of the virus, the country's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Wednesday.Danish cafes and pubs will close from Saturday, along with indoor sports venues, cultural centers and public transport, and people should avoid travel outside their area.Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven are both in self-quarantine after potential coronavirus exposure, it emerged Thursday.A UK government adviser told CNN that Raab was "informed that an individual with whom he has been in recent close contact with has tested positive," as England entered a month-long second national lockdown.Löfven said a person in his vicinity came in contact with someone with Covid-19 but had tested negative.A pedestrian wearing a mask passes a digital display in London showing the new measures as England enters a second coronavirus lockdown on November 5."The development is going in the wrong direction quickly. More are infected. More people are dying," Löfven wrote on Facebook.Earlier this week Sweden announced it will tighten restrictions in three additional regions, including limiting gatherings in bars and restaurants to eight people.Austria and Poland also both reported record case rises Thursday as Austria entered its second national lockdown this week, which includes an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and the closure of leisure facilities.Norway, which has one of Europe's lowest infection rates, has seen a "sharp rise" in cases, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Norwegians were urged to "stay at home as much as possible" from Saturday as countrywide restrictions were announced, including bars and restaurants closing at midnight and more remote learning.Prime Minister Erna Solberg warned of a "very serious" situation, adding, "we must act now to avoid a new shutdown as in March."Bent Høie, the Norwegian health minister, said that if current trends continue "it will create major challenges for our health service, as we see happening in country after country in Europe."CNN's Chris Liakos, Luke McGee, James Frater, Henrik Pettersson, Amy Cassidy, Nina Avramova and Antonia Mortensen contributed reporting. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
3a4b195d-48e2-47a5-87f2-d149f73b6404 | null | (CNN)I did not arrive in America as a refugee or to join family already here. I owe the start to my life in this country to two things: my father's brilliant mind and a very special document. Daddy was a statistician renowned in his field of probability theory, and in 1975, Florida State University offered him a teaching position. We flew across the globe on Indian passports and gained entry into America with a visa called H-1, reserved for people such as my father who possessed distinctive skills.We later applied for permanent residency, my father went on to become a professor emeritus at FSU and in 2008, I proudly became a US citizen.The H-1 visa was designed to attract smart people who were considered the best and the brightest of global talent to fill the gaps in the US workforce. I am a direct beneficiary of that program. Without it, my own trajectory would have been very different.In 1990, the visa was reinvented as H-1B, and it boomed alongside the rise of Silicon Valley. Most H-1Bs are awarded to technology workers, though other fields such as science and medicine also benefit. And these days, almost 70% of the visas are awarded to Indian nationals. Read MoreWithout the H-1B program, argue its supporters, innovation is sure to suffer and America stands to lose its competitive edge. Look at any number of start-ups, and you're sure to find talented folks who reached America on an H-1B. Among that elite group is Mike Krieger, one of the founders of Instagram.But in recent years, abuses and fraud in America's largest guest worker program have surfaced. And now with Donald Trump in the White House, H-1B is facing fresh scrutiny.In April, Trump signed a "Buy American and Hire American" executive order that is part of his ambitious plan to restore 25 million American jobs. The President blames H-1B visa holders for stealing US jobs, and his order takes aim at the program. The visas, he said, "should never, ever be used to replace Americans." The criticism fits neatly into prevailing anti-immigrant rhetoric, even though H-1Bs are not for immigrants. And to be clear, many H-1B opponents say they don't support building walls or taking other measures to keep foreigners out.I read Trump's harsh words and wondered: How could a visa responsible for my own family's success come under so much fire? When did a perfectly legitimate guest worker system become so controversial? Who wins? Who loses? Has it really become bad for America?Intrigued, I decided to learn more about the H-1B visa.My conversations led me to other Indian Americans, and some of their comments surprised me. I reached out to a congressman from Silicon Valley, a CEO of a tech company who refuses to hire H-1B workers, and a technology worker who lost a fulfilling job and is running for Congress to change the system. I even spoke with an H-1B worker from my native India whose story I found heartbreaking.I learned there were no simple answers to my questions. What I do know is the H-1B visa has become a document coveted by thousands around the globe -- and reviled by just as many in the United States.A losing lottery?To understand how the H-1B visa system works, I called one of the nation's foremost experts on the subject: Ronil Hira.Hira, an associate professor of public policy at Howard University, testified last year before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the impact of H-1B workers. He began with his personal story, one that is not unlike mine.He was the son of immigrants who left India in the 1950s to seek a better life. His wife's family also arrived in the United States on the same H-1 visa program as my father.The idea behind H-1B is the same as it was when my father obtained his H-1. It's still employer-sponsored and temporary -- the H-1B is good for three years and is extendable for another three. After that, the holder has to return home unless the employer sponsors him or her for permanent residency -- better known as a green card.Each year, US Citizenship and Immigration Services issues 65,000 H-1B visas to applicants with bachelor's degrees for "specialty occupations." Another 20,000 are set aside for those with master's degrees or higher from a US university. JUST WATCHEDH-1B visas by the numbersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHH-1B visas by the numbers 01:16Those caps, mandated by Congress, were as high as 195,000 in the early 2000s, and many in the tech industry would like to see them rise again. "The single stupidest policy in the entire American political system was the limit on H-1B visas," Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, recently told an MIT audience. "A properly run company is really about having the best people."The demand for the visas remains high and the competition, intense.This year, on the morning of April 1, the first-come, first-served application process opened like the gates to a horse race. Four days later, it was over. The USCIS had received 199,000 visa petitions from employers -- way more than enough to meet the statutory caps. Because of the high number of applications, the visas are then allotted by lottery. That's where the trouble begins. If the intent is to get the highest-skilled workers to fill "specialty occupations," why is the government using an arbitrary method such as the lottery? Although everyone in the lottery is theoretically qualified, chances are some better-qualified applicants will lose out to those with less skill and experience.Another problem: Employers are supposed to seek a foreign worker only when they cannot find a qualified American for the job. But that's not how it works, Hira tells me.Large firms unfairly snag a chunk of H-1B visas by flooding the application pool. They include familiar names such as Google, Microsoft and Apple, but the biggest recipients are outsourcing companies like Cognizant and Accenture and Indian giants Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, the two top recipients of H-1B visas.Employers must make a good-faith effort to recruit an American worker for a position before seeking an H-1B visa, but they don't have to document their efforts. "The actual rules don't require companies to look for American workers and specialized skills," Hira says. "The definitions have gotten loose. Everything in the system is written in favor of the employers." The big companies have figured out how to play the visa game and take advantage of loopholes, Hira says. And the smaller companies, the ones that are more in need of specialized labor, are often out of luck.The main reason American companies hire H-1B workers through outsourcing firms, Hira says, is to save money. A whole lot of it. Employers are suppopesed to pay H-1B workers a "prevailing wage" based on the job and location. But Hira's research found that employers were recruiting H-1B labor at entry-level wages, not the average wage for specific jobs. Infosys or Tata can save a company up to $45,000 per worker every year, according to Hira's analysis.Read Ronil Hira's analysisIn 2013, for instance, Infosys snared almost 7,000 H-1B visas. The median wage it paid was $70,882, about $20,000 lower than a computer systems analyst in Rosemead, California. That's the home of Southern California Edison, a utility that replaced more than 300 American IT workers with H-1B workers employed by Infosys. Hira cites a compensation study that showed Edison IT specialists were earning an average annual base pay of $110,446.The lower salaries at Infosys and other outsourcing firms are still attractive to thousands of tech workers in India, who average only $6,000 a year and clamor for an opportunity to work in the United States.Neeraj Gupta came from India to America as a graduate student and then was hired on an H-1B by a Silicon Valley firm, which later sponsored his green card. Gupta went on to found his own tech company, which was ultimately acquired by an Indian outsourcing firm. In 2009, after witnessing the offshoring of jobs, Gupta began looking into solutions that would create American jobs in technology services."With respect to President Trump, there is truth in what he is saying," Gupta tells me. "The premise of the visa is accurate. The challenge is how it has been hijacked by the IT outsourcing industry."Hira, too, believes the good intent of H-1B has been overrun by corporations that cannot see beyond their profit margins. He was in favor of H-1B, he told the Senate committee last year. But it was imperative to fix a broken system. "High-skilled immigration has directly benefited my family enormously," Hira told lawmakers. Then, he issued this warning:"Thousands of American jobs will be offshored. Tens of thousands of American workers will have their wages depressed. And thousands of American students will be denied opportunities. That's one lottery American workers and students are guaranteed to lose."Laid off and forced to train his replacementCraig Diangelo lost big to H-1B.At first, he kept quiet, in line with an agreement he signed to not disparage his employer. But he was so incensed by the injustice at his workplace he could not stay silent. Not only did Diangelo, 65, lose his job to a less-skilled, lower-paid foreign worker, but he was forced to train his replacement or face losing his severance.Craig Diangelo lost his job at Northeast Utilities and had to train his replacement, an H-1B worker.He'd worked in information technology all his life, but the sudden job loss dimmed his future considerably. So much so, that Diangelo is now running for office. Frustrated by the inaction of lawmakers to reform America's guest worker program, Diangelo is running as a Republican to unseat Democrat Elizabeth Esty in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. "I would like the law to change," Diangelo says. "You cannot bring over an H-1B worker to replace an American."Diangelo had always wanted to be a schoolteacher, but after finishing his degree in education in the mid-1970s he couldn't find a job. Instead he went to work for Travelers Insurance Cos. in Hartford, Connecticut. He began as a COBOL programmer, and his career evolved over the decades as the tech industry changed. In his last full-time position at Northeast Utilities in Berlin, Connecticut, Diangelo helped support the company's storage architecture. He made $130,000 a year."It was a wonderful job," he tells me. "It paid me well. I worked with a great group of people."That began unraveling when a merger with a smaller company led to changes in management. In October 2013, the new managers gathered the 220 employees in Diangelo's unit and bluntly announced that their jobs were going to Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services."Why were we not given the first rights to re-apply for our jobs?" Diangelo says. "Why was I not given the opportunity to go to Infosys and say: 'I would like to apply for this position?' "To make matters worse, Diangelo was told he would have to engage in "knowledge transfer" and train his Indian replacement."I was in complete disbelief," he says. "I gave my soul to this company. They had been good to me. It didn't make any sense."He was told his last day would be in December, but that was extended to March and then to May when his employers realized the replacement workers were not ready. They were not high-skilled employees filling a job for which no Americans were available, as was the intent of H-1B."They were lower-skilled workers," Diangelo says. "We had to train them from scratch. My replacement was making half of what I was making. And he had no benefits."I'd met Infosys employees when I visited the company's shiny Googlesque campus in Bangalore, India, several years ago. They told me how IT jobs had opened up opportunities, changed their lives. For the first time in generations, their families aspired to so much more in life. Tech companies are a point of pride in my homeland. The industry is the largest private sector employer in India and constitutes about 10% of the gross domestic product. Technology is a big reason why India arrived as a major player on the global stage.I knew there was a mad rush to apply for H-1B visas at Infosys and other outsourcing firms. But what I did not realize is that these eager Indians were putting Americans out of work.From Diangelo, I was hearing the ugly side of Indian tech. Northeast Utilities employees put up US flags in cubicles after realizing they would lose their jobs to H-1B workers.I contacted Infosys and Tata for comment. Tata did not respond. An Infosys spokesman told me the company was not granting any interviews regarding H-1B visas. He did, however, send me this statement: "We continue to invest in the local communities in which we operate, including hiring local American top talent, bringing education and training to our clients to shrink the skills gap in the US, and working with policymakers to foster innovation within states and across the country. It is our endeavor to help clients leverage the best US talent together with the best global talent."Diangelo says he found it humiliating, depressing even, that he had to stay on -- with his Infosys replacement -- at a job he knew would soon vanish for him. But he and his colleagues were older workers close to the top of their salary grades. He knew it would be hard to find employment elsewhere. He had few options.Diangelo trained his replacement in Connecticut as well as 11 other workers in India. The company, he says, recorded his webinars, and he guesses his training sessions have been used many times since his departure. This is how it sometimes works: Indian H-1B workers are brought in to replace workers here in America, but subsequently many of the jobs are moved offshore to India.Diangelo and his colleagues on the second floor of the Northeast Utilities building put up small US flags on their cubicles. As each completed a last day at work, a flag came down. Diangelo was the last. When he returned after a weekend to turn in his company badge, only his flag remained. Then, that, too, was gone. I asked for an interview with a manager at Northeast Utilities, now called Eversource Energy, and was sent a statement via e-mail:"Three years ago we made strategic changes to our IT department to support the merger of two companies and keep pace with changing technologies to better serve our customers," the statement read. "As an electric and gas delivery business, we did not have the internal capabilities to efficiently meet the growing technology needs of the larger, combined company." Eversource, said the statement, uses Infosys and Tata to perform some of its IT functions, and that employees such as Diangelo who were affected were offered comprehensive severance packages, career transition and training services and extended health care coverage.This has nothing to do with immigration. We have a bill out there that allows foreign workers to take American jobs.Craig DiangeloEversource is hardly the only US entity that has been accused of laying off Americans in favor of cheaper Indian labor. Employees at the University of California, San Francisco, had to train their replacements from an outsourcing firm. So did technology workers at Walt Disney World, New York Life, Toys R Us and Southern California Edison. And these are just the cases that have surfaced publicly because of lawsuits and employees such as Diangelo who risked losing their severance by speaking out.Diangelo says he holds nothing against his replacement worker from Infosys, nothing against immigrants. He blames the system that allows this to happen.This year, he watched as the H-1B application date of April 1 approached. He had counted on Trump to put a moratorium on the visas. But now, he says, 85,000 more foreign workers will arrive in the United States in the coming months."That means another 85,000 Americans will lose their jobs," he says."Every time I talk to my senators and congressmen, they say we need a comprehensive immigration bill," he says. "But these are two separate things. This has nothing to do with immigration. We have a bill out there that allows foreign workers to take American jobs."So he's running for Congress in hopes of making change himself. "The government needs to make changes to the H-1B program," he says. "Even the lawmakers who made this law say it has been hijacked."Diangelo is referring to Bruce Morrison, a former Connecticut congressman who sponsored legislation creating the H-1B visa system but is now a vocal critic.Several bills that aim to reform H-1B have been introduced in both the House and Senate this year. One of the co-sponsors of a House bill is Rep. Ro Khanna, an Indian-American from California's 17th Congressional District in the south San Francisco Bay Area and the heart of Silicon Valley.Again, I thought of my own family as I read Khanna's bio. He was born in Philadelphia to parents who immigrated in the 1970s from India. Because of his background and because he represents so many who work in the tech industry, Khanna has taken heat for his stance on H-1B.Please note: Ro Khanna, an Indian American politician funded heavily by NRIs, is championing restrictions on H1B: https://t.co/glRDDlYtLG— Rajiv Malhotra (@RajivMessage) March 3, 2017
Khanna tells me his Silicon Valley voters understand the need for reform. He says that as the son of immigrants, he understands the contributions of people who come from other lands. But their contributions cannot come at the expense of American workers."We need change so you don't have underpaid foreigners taking away American jobs," he says. "This bill is pro-immigrant and pro-American worker."At the end of my conversation with Diangelo, he tells me the Infosys H-1B employee he trained wanted to be his friend. "I couldn't allow myself to do that. I did not have hard feelings against him. But he was taking my job."Diangelo took early retirement; he did not want to transition into a new career so late in life and eventually found contract work in IT. Many of his co-workers, he says, are still unemployed. "We don't go out as much or give to charities," he says of himself and his former colleagues. "It has a downward spiral effect. A long-lasting one. It affects the morale of people."Every time he pumps gas at his local Costco, he looks up at the Eversource compound on a hill and thinks: My job is still there. Employees on the Bangalore, India, campus of Infosys, a tech giant that is one of the top recipients of H-1B visas.Growing demandOn a recent morning, I visit Monty Hamilton, CEO of Rural Sourcing Inc., a technology outsourcing company based in Atlanta. There are no H-1B workers here. It goes against the mission of the company, Hamilton tells me.Hamilton grew up in a two-stoplight town in Mississippi. When he chose vocation over location, he was forced to chase his dreams in a big city. He began his career with Accenture, another big recipient of H-1B visas, before taking the reins at Rural Sourcing in 2008. The company's goal was to find smart IT employees, not in foreign countries but in secondary US cities outside Silicon Valley: Albuquerque, New Mexico; Mobile, Alabama; Augusta, Georgia. "We do need to import some talent, but we need to do a better job in training the US workforce to get into this field that is changing so fast," he says.Though he won't hire H-1B workers, Hamilton says it's folly to think the visas can be done away with altogether.His fifth-floor office overlooks the campus of Georgia Tech. He tells me that all the foreign students who are about to graduate will be forced to go home unless they find employer-sponsored H-1B or other visas. "Why in the hell would we allow that?" Hamilton says. America has 500,000 tech jobs open today, he tells me. And only 43,000 students who graduated with computer science degrees last year, he says, citing Code.org. "How long does it take to fill a tech job? An average of 65 days. That tells me there is a shortage," Hamilton says.Whether or not there truly is a shortage is the subject of much debate, I discovered. It often depends on the interpretation of statistics.I read a petition that entrepreneurs including Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Tim Cook co-signed with educators, nonprofits and governors from both political parties urging increased computer science education. "There are currently over 500,000 open computing jobs, in every sector, from manufacturing to banking, from agriculture to healthcare, but only 50,000 computer science graduates a year," the letter said.Read the petitionBut I also read an Economic Policy Institute analysis that found American colleges graduate 50% more students in engineering and computer and information science than are hired in those fields each year. Read the EPI analysisShortage or not, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted the number of technology jobs will rise from 3.9 million in 2014 to about 4.4 million in 2024. Part of the demand for tech jobs is due to the growing "Internet of things," including cloud and mobile computing. "Technology is changing fast," Hamilton says. "We do need to import some talent, but we also need to do a better job in training the US workforce."I leave Hamilton's office and come across a group of young Indian engineering students enrolled at Georgia Tech. They tell me they want nothing more than to stay here for a job. If they don't get one right away, they will go home and try to return with an H-1B visa. They talk about it as though it were a coveted prize, a ticket to success.JUST WATCHEDIndian official says H-1B visas bolster jobsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIndian official says H-1B visas bolster jobs 01:31'Techsploitation'For days, I ponder something Craig Diangelo told me. He realized his Indian H-1B replacement was also in a difficult position -- he had no idea he was going to America to take someone else's job. H-1B workers brought over by outsourcing firms often don't know the circumstances they are about to face. They, too, are part of an abusive system, say H-1B critics.The exploitation of Indian H-1B workers essentially amounts to indentured servitude, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting, which exposed what one worker called "an ecosystem of fear." Techsploitation: A True StoryIn a class-action lawsuit filed in California, H-1B workers described staffing agencies known as "body shops" that enticed workers to the United States and filed for their H-1B visas. Instead, when they arrived, the workers were huddled together in cramped "guest houses" and paid no wages until they were placed with a technology firm. H-1B workers described having to pay the staffing agencies, pay for travel to jobs in other states and falling into debt before they even earned a penny.Because H-1B visas are sponsored by companies, the employees are beholden to them. They risk losing their jobs and being sent back to India if they complain too loudly. "It's human trafficking. They are being bought and sold," says Jack "Jay" Palmer, a former Infosys employee who brought a whistleblower lawsuit against the technology giant in 2012 alleging visa fraud. Palmer accused Infosys of illegally using business visitor visas known as B-1 to fill positions in the United States. The B-1 visas are easier to obtain and have lower fees than H-1Bs and are intended for short stays to attend meetings and training sessions. The lawsuit led to a federal investigation, and Infosys eventually agreed to a $34 million civil settlement with the Justice Department.I catch Palmer on the phone as he's driving to the Atlanta airport for a flight to Washington. He says he's meeting with Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican and a sponsor of the Senate H-1B reform bill. "I believe in the American dream. I have nothing against H-1B and green cards," Palmer says. "I just want to see the law enforced."India to Trump: America still needs our tech workersA few hours later, I get a call from an Indian man whom Palmer has been helping. He tells me he is from Hyderabad, another technology hub in India, and was sponsored for an H-1B visa by Tata Consultancy Services. He fears repercussions at his job in New York and speaks with me only after I agree to withhold his identity.He says he worked in India for a decade before he came to America on an H-1B and was "body-shopped." He was placed in a job with a published salary of $45 an hour, but after the body shoppers and the outsourcing companies take their share, he only makes about $29.The man is 45 and has a wife and two children -- 8 and 12. His expenses amount to about $5,000 a month, about $1,000 more than what he takes home. He has fallen into debt and no longer has the ability to climb out of it."We cannot save any money," he says. "I have $20,000 in credit card debt, and I owe $15,000 for my car.""Why don't you go back home to India?" I ask him."I do not even have money to buy tickets," he says. He says he feels lucky, though. At least he is not in a "guest house" waiting for work.Life, he says, goes on in limbo. He says he was promised sponsorship for a green card but was asked to pay a $25,000 fee he couldn't afford. I spoke with another Indian H-1B worker in Atlanta who has applied for a green card, but the backlog is so great for Indian citizens that it can take up to 10 years or more. Until then, H-1B workers remain tethered to their employers."My dream was to come to America, but I don't want to stay here with this kind of life," the man in New York says. "But I have no choice. I replaced American workers, but I am a victim, too." The man in New York is not alone. There are thousands of workers like him, Palmer tells me. Palmer and other H-1B reformers want accountability.They say US companies must be required to document their searches to fill positions with American workers. Employers must pay prevailing wages and be prevented from subcontracting or outsourcing H-1B jobs. Reform advocates are pushing for a system of government enforcement and oversight of the H-1B regulations, not one that is reliant on whistleblowers to expose abuse.Technology is here to stay. And it is changing at warp speed. The demand for smart talent is not going away. That's why even the biggest critics of H-1B are the most ardent backers of reform, not elimination.What I hear them saying is the system ought to work the way it used to, when my father obtained an H-1 visa. He was hired for a job he was uniquely qualified for, and he was compensated with a decent wage. No one wants to see Americans lose their jobs unfairly, and if my father were still alive, I know he'd be troubled by what I learned about the current H-1B program.I also know he would be heartened to see that some of the most ardent backers of visa reform are Indian Americans. After all, we are the ones who have most reaped the rewards of H-1B. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
95b0037c-6ea4-43a2-b92b-2aa1ff215a52 | null | (CNN)There's a storm brewing at the Rugby World Cup -- quite literally.Typhoon Hagibis is expected to bring torrential rain and violent winds to southern Japan this weekend, potentially causing havoc to the final World Cup group stage matches. The typhoon rapidly intensified on Monday as its wind speeds increased by 100 mph in 24 hours, upgrading Hagibis from a tropical storm to a super typhoon.
"The latest modeling by our weather information experts indicates that it is now tracking north and east and will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Tokyo and surrounding areas on 12 October," said a statement from World Rugby, the sport's governing body on Tuesday, which added that there is a "robust contingency program in place."If the weather is deemed too severe, matches will be canceled. In that case, the final result is declared a draw and each team receives two points, an outcome that could have a big impact on the tournament's knockout draw. Read MoreIf a match starts but is abandoned in the first-half, then a draw is also ruled, but if it is abandoned in the second-half then the score at the time the game is stopped is taken as the final score. Were Ireland's game against Samoa to be canceled and Scotland beats Russia and Japan in its final two pool games — picking up a four-try bonus point in one of those games — then Ireland, the world's top-ranked team ahead of the tournament, would go out.The players and coaches, however, are remaining resolute."Come on, we're from Scotland," said prop Gordon Reid, whose side faces a must-win game against host Japan in Yokohama Sunday. "We have had worse weather -- rain, hail, everything in one day. It doesn't matter. It's fine. We have coped well with a lot more. "We are from Glasgow, from Ayrshire. We're not as posh as some from Edinburgh, but we are from Scotland. We are used to this kind of thing. Whatever it is, rain or shine, snow, it doesn't matter."
READ: The Rugby World Cup through the eyes of a fanIreland forwards coach Simon Easterby was similarly unfazed."By all accounts things can change reasonably quickly," he told reporters in Fukuoka. "But we are playing here on Saturday against Samoa unless we're otherwise informed."England scrumhalf Ben Youngs did reveal that his team had been anticipating a change of game plan against France, utilizing the forwards and restricting the amount of long passes."There will be a lot of pick-and-goes from the forwards -- if (the typhoon) arrives," said Youngs. "One thing (coach) Eddie (Jones) has always said is that we have to be adaptable and make sure we're able to change things. When you wake up in the morning it could be different, so we'll just have to wait and see. "We're anticipating rain and horrible conditions and we will train like that."Japan has a long history of withstanding typhoons. In legend they are known as The Kamikaze -- the divine winds -- a reference to the two mighty typhoons placed providentially seven years apart which destroyed two separate Mongol invasion fleets in the 13th century. JUST WATCHEDMeet the Rugby World Cup's body-painting superfanReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMeet the Rugby World Cup's body-painting superfan 02:16READ: France survives scare against battling TongaThe typhoon's current trajectory suggests that it could also affect this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, although no plans to alter the race schedule have been put in place so far. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
4598f884-399f-4d68-98aa-8d8da09a979f | null | (CNN)President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have added to their pet family, the first lady's spokesperson told CNN.A new puppy, a pure-bred German Shepherd, was spotted Monday playing on the South Lawn of the White House. Michael LaRosa, Jill Biden's press secretary, confirmed the news of a new family puppy. "Yes. There is (a puppy)," LaRosa said. The puppy is named "Commander" and was a birthday gift to the President from his brother James Biden and sister-in-law Sara Biden, LaRosa told CNN. Biden celebrated his 79th birthday on November 20.Commander was born on September 1 and arrived to the White House Monday afternoon. Photos: Presidential pets through historyWillow, the Biden family cat, is the first White House cat since the George W. Bush administration.Hide Caption 1 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyPresident Theodore Roosevelt's eldest son, Teddy Jr., holds a macaw named Eli circa 1902. The Roosevelts had all kind of animals, including lizards, snakes and a one-legged chicken.Hide Caption 2 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyPauline, one of William Howard Taft's pet cows, stands on the lawn of the State, War and Navy Building in Washington. Pauline also was known to graze on the White House lawn.Hide Caption 3 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyWho needs groundskeepers? Woodrow Wilson's sheep graze on the South Lawn of the White House.Hide Caption 4 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyWarren G. Harding and his dog Laddie Boy are photographed in front of the White House in 1922. Laddie Boy was an Airedale terrier.Hide Caption 5 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyFirst lady Grace Coolidge holds her pet raccoon, Rebecca. Rebecca was sent to the Coolidges as a gift to cook on Thanksgiving -- yes, you read that right -- but the first family decided to adopt the animal instead.Hide Caption 6 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt is joined by Fala, his Scottish terrier, before going to his inauguration in 1941. Roosevelt had to break the news to Fala that he would not be attending the ceremonies.Hide Caption 7 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyHarry Truman's daughter, Margaret, holds their Irish setter, Mike, outside the White House in 1945.Hide Caption 8 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyJohn F. Kennedy Jr. mischievously leans out of his baby carriage and reaches for the family's Welsh terrier, Charlie. Charlie was one of the Kennedy family's many dogs.Hide Caption 9 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyJohn F. Kennedy and his children John and Caroline play with their pony Macaroni in 1962.Hide Caption 10 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyLyndon B. Johnson sings with his dog Yuki while his grandson Patrick looks on in 1968. Johnson's daughter rescued Yuki, a mixed-breed dog who was abandoned at a gas station in Texas.Hide Caption 11 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyRichard Nixon shows off Pasha, his Yorkshire terrier, to two young visitors in 1969. Nixon also had two other dogs while in office.Hide Caption 12 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyGerald Ford pets his golden retriever, Liberty, while studying budget matters in the Oval Office.Hide Caption 13 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyJimmy Carter's daughter, Amy, holds her cat, Misty, as she returns to the White House in 1977.Hide Caption 14 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyRonald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan are joined by their dog Rex after visiting Camp David. Rex was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.Hide Caption 15 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyGeorge H.W. Bush walks on the South Lawn of the White House with his springer spaniel Millie and her puppies in 1989. Hide Caption 16 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyThe Clinton family cat, Socks, peers over a podium in the White House briefing room in 1994.Hide Caption 17 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyGeorge W. Bush is joined by his Scottish terriers Barney and Miss Beazley as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House in 2006.Hide Caption 18 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyBarack Obama runs down a corridor with Bo, a Portuguese water dog, after the first family adopted him in 2009. The Obamas later adopted another one named Sunny. The breed was chosen because of Malia Obama's allergies. The coats of Portuguese water dogs are hypoallergenic.Hide Caption 19 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyChamp was one of the Biden family's German shepherds. He died in June 2021 at the age of 13.Hide Caption 20 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyCommander is the Biden family's German shepherd puppy. He was given to the President as a birthday gift.Hide Caption 21 of 22 Photos: Presidential pets through historyThe Bidens' cat, Willow, looks out a window at the White House.Hide Caption 22 of 22The Bidens' beloved German Shepherd, Champ, died in June at the age of 13. Their other German Shepherd, a rescue named Major, has been living mostly in Wilmington, Delaware, after a handful of aggressive incidents involving staff at the White House.Read MoreLaRosa told CNN that Major will continue to live away from the White House. "After consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists, and veterinarians, the first family has decided to follow the experts' collective recommendation that it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends," LaRosa said, noting the decision to move Major was not a reaction to a specific incident, but comes on the heels of "several months of deliberation" by the Biden family and "discussions with experts."In March, Major bit two people -- one a member of the Secret Service, another a National Park Service worker. In April, the White House announced Major would be going to Wilmington for extensive training to help him adjust to life in the White House. Sightings of Major at the White House have been slim since then, however, a dog fence was erected around the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden on the Southeast side of the White House.Where's the cat?The Bidens have also promised they will add a cat to the White House menagerie.LaRosa told CNN the cat, a female, will join the Biden family in January. In April, the first lady said in an interview the cat was "waiting in the wings." The cat has been fostered by acquaintances for the last several months. This story has been updated with additional reporting. | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
0c285a45-b7ee-4377-b0e0-b29e03ae9398 | null | Story highlightsWentworth retracts plans to make existing members pay £100,000 feeBut new members will still have to pay £125,000 debentureChanges come after protests from club members and residents (CNN)The grand plans intended to make Wentworth one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the world have been revised.Follow @cnnsport
It was revealed in October that the Beijing-based Reignwood Group -- which owns Wentworth in Surrey, England -- was to introduce a new membership scheme that would see existing members charged a £100,000 ($141,000) debenture and new joiners £125,000 ($176,300), with the annual subscription also going up from £8,000 ($11,300) to £16,000 ($22,600). The changes were reported to be part of the Chinese owners' plans to make the golf club more exclusive by helping to reduce membership from 4,000 to 888 -- a number said to be chosen as it is considered lucky in China.However, Wentworth has confirmed to CNN that Reignwood Group, which bought the golf club for a reported £135 million ($190.4 million) in 2014, has opted to make alterations to those planned changes.Existing members will now not have to pay the new debenture fee, with residents of the neighboring Wentworth Estate also being given reduced rates -- although newcomers will still be required to pay the £125,000 ($176,300) fee.Read MoreA spokesperson for Wentworth members told CNN last month that new members previously paid around £15,000 ($21,100) to join the golf club.Wentworth confirmed that annual subscriptions will still rise for members, although it failed to say if that fee will increase to £16,000 ($22,600).The original plans did not go down well with Wentworth's members, who threatened legal action -- alongside neighboring residents -- after talks with the owners broke down. Residents even threatened to block roads in protest during the European Tour's PGA Championship, held at the golf club each May.And so it begins...construction of the Championship Pavilion, overlooking the 18th, is underway #BMWPGA #golf pic.twitter.com/4Mkh0eky0E— BMW PGA Championship (@BMWPGA) March 23, 2016
Wentworth said in a statement that the "latest membership update" followed a number of meetings between members, residents and Reignwood Group president Songhua Ni."We have listened to a variety of differing interests from members and estate residents," Ni said. "We are continuing to make every effort to accommodate those, whilst focusing on our vision of making Wentworth Club the world's premier private golf and country club."Wentworth Club chief executive Stephen Gibson added: "For several months, we have been working to find the right solution to include as many current members as possible in the new vision for Wentworth Club. Read: How texts from Woods inspired DayRead: Where Spieth and McIlroy will go for gold"I believe that today's update, alongside the new membership offers and enhancements we announced last month clearly show our commitment to our existing members and local estate residents, who are an integral part of the club's past and our future."Reignwood Group said in October it would be investing £20 million ($28.2 million) into Wentworth to improve facilities by December 2018 to help ensure that it "becomes the world's finest private golf and country club."The founder of Reignwood Group is billionaire Chanchai Ruayrungruang, a Thai-Chinese national.Reignwood Group owns a mixture of finance, real estate and leisure assets, including the Pine Valley Golf Club & Resort near Beijing, and the Princeville golf resort in Hawaii. Photos: 10 great golf courses to playCarnoustie Golf Links (Scotland) – Carnoustie is where Ben Hogan won the only Open Championship he ever played in. The par-five sixth hole "Hogan's Alley" was named after him because of the tight driving line he took in all four rounds on it.Hide Caption 1 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playCarnoustie Golf Links (Scotland) – You'll follow the footsteps of some of the game's greats here. If you want to try your hand at emulating Hogan's drives at the sixth hole, aim between the fairway bunkers and the out-of-bounds fence.Hide Caption 2 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playOcean Course, Kiawah Island (S.C.) – Even at a shortened length, the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina is a tough challenge. Whichever tees you choose, a round here is a heavenly experience.Hide Caption 3 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playOcean Course, Kiawah Island (S.C.) – Possibly the toughest course in the world, the Pete Dye-designed Ocean Course at Kiawah Island was the stage for the 1991 Ryder Cup -- the notorious "War On The Shore," in which the European team lost by the narrowest of margins to the United States. Hide Caption 4 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playOld Course, St. Andrews Links (Scotland) – The "Home of Golf" and probably the most famous course in the world, the Old Course at St. Andrews Links has hosted 28 Open Championships, with another one due in 2015.Hide Caption 5 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playOld Course, St. Andrews Links (Scotland) – At St. Andrews, it's impossible not to be inspired by the history -- the Swilcan Burn, Hell Bunker, the Road Hole, the Old Course Hotel and the huge double greens that can leave you with putts of over 100 feet on 14 holes.Hide Caption 6 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playPebble Beach Golf Links (California) – "If I had only one more round to play, I would choose to play it at Pebble Beach," said Jack Nicklaus. The iconic course overlooking the Pacific Ocean is one every golfer should hit. Hide Caption 7 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playPebble Beach Golf Links (California) – With nine holes that hug the rugged coastline, this is what the golf courses must be like in Heaven. Though hopefully not as expensive. A round at Pebble costs $495, not including the cart.Hide Caption 8 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playPinehurst No. 2 (North Carolina) – The Pinehurst Resort has eight courses, four designed by Donald Ross, including the legendary No. 2 course, which has hosted one Ryder Cup, one PGA Championship and two U.S. Opens.Hide Caption 9 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playPinehurst No. 2 (North Carolina) – In 2014, the No. 2 course will make history by becoming the first course to hold the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women's Open in successive weeks.Hide Caption 10 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal County Down Golf Club (Northern Ireland) – Though it's never hosted a professional major, Royal County Down is a worthy inclusion on any golfer's wish list. The magical links course is perennially voted one of the best in the world.Hide Caption 11 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal County Down Golf Club (Northern Ireland) – Royal County Down is a par 71 that measures 7,186 yards from the championship tees, 6,878 yards from the medal tees and 6,675 yards from the stableford tees. Hide Caption 12 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (England) – The 1969 Open here was the first Major won by Tony Jacklin, ending an 18-year drought without a British victory in their own Open and signaling the beginning of the rise of European golf. Hide Caption 13 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (England) – Royal Lytham has hosted 11 Open Championships, many of them historic, including its first, held in 1926 and won by Bobby Jones.Hide Caption 14 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal Porthcawl Golf Club (Wales) – Royal Porthcawl hosted Tiger Woods when he played for the U.S. team in the 1995 Walker Cup and has been the venue for six Amateur championships, the most prestigious tournament in amateur golf. Hide Caption 15 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal Porthcawl Golf Club (Wales) – On this magnificent links course, the sea is visible from every hole. It can be played at various lengths, from 7,065 yards par 72 from the black tees down to 6,303 yards from the yellow tees.Hide Caption 16 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal St George's Golf Club (England) – St. George's is the first course outside Scotland to hold the Open. It's hosted 14 Open championships, 13 Amateur championships, the Walker Cup in 1930 and 1967 and the British PGA Championship in 1975, won by Arnold Palmer.Hide Caption 17 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal St George's Golf Club (England) – This wonderful course was also the setting, under the name "Royal St Marks," for James Bond's golf match against Goldfinger in Ian Fleming's novel "Goldfinger."Hide Caption 18 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal Troon Golf Club (Scotland) – Troon's most famous hole is the short par-three eighth, known as "'the Postage Stamp," which measures just 123 yards from the back tees. It gets its name from the smallness of the green, which is surrounded by deep bunkers. Many top golfers have come to grief at this course, home to the shortest hole at any Open Championship venue.Hide Caption 19 of 20 Photos: 10 great golf courses to playRoyal Troon Golf Club (Scotland) – Royal Troon is another course with a great history of winners among its eight Open Championships, including Bobby Locke, Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf and Tom Watson.Hide Caption 20 of 20 | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
f78ab27d-1c1e-4f00-8ae8-3e5b6d5408b2 | null | Story highlightsBible study goes on one week after shooting, with theme of "The Power of Love"The body of the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, a state senator, is on public view at State HouseSouth Carolina lawmakers are grappling with removal of Confederate flag in ColumbiaCharleston, South Carolina (CNN)Just one week after a gunman killed nine people during Bible study at Charleston's Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, worshippers gathered once more in the same room where the bullets flew."This territory belongs to God," Interim Pastor Norvel Goff Sr. told the roughly 150 people gathered for the resumption of weekly Bible study in the basement of the church they lovingly call Mother Emanuel.This week's theme, fittingly, was "The Power of Love."Some believe it took an incredible amount of love and faith for family members and loved ones of those killed to publicly declare their forgiveness of 21-year-old Dylann Roof. He sat through the class for an hour with his victims before declaring he was there "to kill black people" and opening fire. Roof, who has admitted to the killings, has been charged with nine counts of murder. Additionally, the Department of Justice is likely to pursue federal hate crime charges against him, law enforcement officials told CNN.Read MoreInside the room, beige tile floors and a low suspended ceiling showed telltale signs of the horror that unfolded. One of the ceiling tiles was missing. A number of others were new and in one was a bullet hole taped over with the number H-17, a police ID."Bible study will continue," Goff told the crowd, "but because of what happened, we will never be the same."'That's alright. I've got the nine'Noting it was not really a normal Bible study because of the "tragic, horrific, event" that occurred there, Goff began to talk about the lessons of love. As he talked, people shouted back "hallelujah," "yes sir," "amen" and "come on" in the call and response typical of many black churches. "Last week," Goff said, "dark powers came over Mother Emanuel. But, that's alright. God in his infinite wisdom said 'that's alright. I've got the nine.' "An armed Charleston police officer kept watch over the meeting. The scent of fresh flowers lingered in the air. An arrangement of white mums and other flowers sat in the center of a round table near the front of the room. A banquet table in the back was overflowing with floral displays of all kinds in tribute to those who died.Dressed in all black, a string trio -- two violins and a cello -- played the songs "Simple Gifts" and "Be Thou My Vison." The trio members are all current or former members of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, including violinist and Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker. Goff sought to put people at ease, asking them to move from the back of the room to the front and promising "not to take up a collection." Goff touched on many common themes and encouraged those in the room not to run from trouble but to "run to God." The family of Myra Thompson, one of the shooting victims, entered the room about half way through the meeting. There were nine of them in all and they were seated in the front. They listened intently as Goff talked about transformation and forgiveness, saying "God is with us, with you and God gives us the ability to let it go." He referred to the hatred displayed last week declaring, "We are better than that."Comforting the mourners, Goff promised, "This is not the end. We will see our loved ones again." And, while acknowledging that many hearts are broken, he said God can heal them all.As he rose to conclude the service, Goff sang the hymn "Jesus Loves Me." Healing will continue this week, as two of the victims will be buried Thursday: the Rev. Sharonda Singleton and Ethel Lee Lance. The church's pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, will be buried Friday.A flag and a bodyEarlier Wednesday, the Confederate flag flapped nearby as Pinckney's body went on public view in the S.C. State House.The shooting victim Obama mentioned by nameA week after the killing of the African-American pastor and state senator by a man who had posed in photos with the flag as a symbol of white supremacy, Pinckney's legislative colleagues are still grappling with whether to take it down.Hundreds have demonstrated at the State House in Columbia to have the Confederate flag removed immediately. On Tuesday, lawmakers took a step in that direction.Only 10 members of the S.C. House of Representatives voted against a motion to open up a debate on whether to remove the flag from a war memorial located yards from the State House's doors.Who were the victims?Critics: Do it now Photos: Charleston church shooting Photos: Charleston church shootingIn this image from the video uplink from the detention center to the courtroom, Dylann Roof appears at a bond hearing June 19, 2015, in South Carolina. Roof is charged with nine counts of murder and firearms charges in the shooting deaths at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17.Hide Caption 1 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingDylann Roof, the 21-year-old charged with murdering nine people in a church shooting on Wednesday, June 17, is escorted by police in Shelby, North Carolina, on Thursday, June 18.Hide Caption 2 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingLaw enforcement officers in Charleston, South Carolina, stand guard near the scene of the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.Hide Caption 3 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingA police officer directs a police vehicle in front of the church on June 18.Hide Caption 4 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingTwo law enforcement officials said Roof confessed. Roof said he wanted to start a race war, one of the officials said.Hide Caption 5 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPolice in Charleston close off a section of Calhoun Street early on June 18, after the shooting. The steeple of the church is visible in the background.Hide Caption 6 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingCharleston police officers search for the shooting suspect outside the church on Wednesday, June 17.Hide Caption 7 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPeople in Charleston pray following the shooting on June 17.Hide Caption 8 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingA woman joins a prayer circle on June 17.Hide Caption 9 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingA man kneels across the street from where police gathered outside the church on June 17.Hide Caption 10 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPolice gather at the scene of the shooting on June 17. The church was formed in 1816.Hide Caption 11 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPeople pray in a hotel parking lot across the street from the scene of the shooting on June 17. Every Wednesday evening, the church holds a Bible study in its basement.Hide Caption 12 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingAn armed police officer moves up Calhoun Street on June 17.Hide Caption 13 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPeople gather after the shooting.Hide Caption 14 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPolice stand outside the church.Hide Caption 15 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPolice close off a section of Calhoun Street near the scene of the shooting.Hide Caption 16 of 17 Photos: Charleston church shootingPolice in Charleston released this security-camera image that they say shows Roof entering the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.Hide Caption 17 of 17A law protecting it and other Civil War symbols requires a two-thirds supermajority vote in each chamber of the legislature to take it down. But critics say it could go much faster if lawmakers would just strike down that law with a simple majority vote.Confederate symbols under fire, raising questions on CapitolMeanwhile in Alabama, all four Confederate flags at the Confederate memorial on the state Capitol grounds in Montgomery were removed Wednesday morning on the order of Gov. Robert Bentley, according to press secretary Yasamie August. The governor said he didn't want the flags to become a distraction to legislative matters. August said the move will be permanent. Opinion: Taking down Confederate flag is a good startIn Charleston, with fears that outside protesters could descend there, the City Council acted quickly, unanimously passing a special resolution to establish guidelines for demonstrations.JUST WATCHEDS.C. lawmaker: Don't take down the Confederate flagReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHS.C. lawmaker: Don't take down the Confederate flag 03:42Demonstrators will have to stay at least 300 feet away from any church, synagogue, funeral home, cemetery or family home, said council member Kathleen Wilson. She and others on the council have heard that far-right protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas may be among those visiting town.CNN's Don Melvin, Ben Brumfield, Ralph Ellis and Devon Sayers contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
ef6d668b-524c-4d06-95ea-b7cf7c39b134 | null | London (CNN)Royal fans have finally got a proper look of Britain's newest royal, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.The baby son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was christened in Windsor on Saturday, exactly two months after Archie was born on May 6. Photos taken after the private ceremony were released hours later. The snaps were taken by fashion photographer Chris Allerton in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor, the same room where Harry and Meghan took some of their wedding pictures last year.One of the photos shows Archie with his parents, his grandfather the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, and two sisters of Princess Diana, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes.A second, black and white photo, pictured just Archie, Meghan and Harry in the Rose Garden at the castle.Read MoreHarry and Meghan were criticized by some for keeping Archie out of the spotlight, especially after it emerged recently that British taxpayers footed a £2.4 million (about $3 million) bill for their home renovation. View this post on Instagram This morning, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was christened in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle at an intimate service officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are so happy to share the joy of this day with members of the public who have been incredibly supportive since the birth of their son. They thank you for your kindness in welcoming their first born and celebrating this special moment. Their Royal Highnesses feel fortunate to have enjoyed this day with family and the godparents of Archie. Their son, Archie, was baptised wearing the handmade replica of the royal christening gown which has been worn by royal infants for the last 11 years. The original Royal Christening Robe, made of fine Honiton lace lined with white satin, was commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841 and first worn by her eldest daughter. It was subsequently worn for generations of Royal christenings, including The Queen, her children and her grandchildren until 2004, when The Queen commissioned this handmade replica, in order for the fragile historic outfit to be preserved, and for the tradition to continue. Photo credit: Chris Allerton ©️SussexRoyal A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jul 6, 2019 at 8:14am PDT
While royal baptisms have been private, cameras have been allowed to capture the arrivals of the family and their guests when the three children of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- George, Charlotte and Louis -- were christened. Meghan and Harry's private christening for baby Archie causes almighty stormThe christening was held at a private chapel in Windsor Castle. The intimate service was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.Harry was christened at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in 1984, and he and Meghan wed there in May 2018.Only a few guests were invited to witness the baptism, according to Buckingham Palace. Among them were the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Queen skipped the event due to a prior engagement, according to the palace.Seventh in line to the throne, Archie Harrison does not qualify immediately for the title of prince and the Sussexes have chosen not to use any title at all for their son.The photos provide the first proper view of Archie's face.While Archie will have the right to use his father's second peerage title, Earl of Dumbarton -- his parents have indicated they won't be using it for him.However, when Prince Charles becomes King, Prince Harry's son will automatically become His Royal Highness Prince Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
7457c198-47ee-4210-a8e1-2ca9abb746d3 | null | Story highlightsThe gunman shouted about Aleppo as he opened fireRussia's foreign ministry described the shooting as a "terror attack" (CNN)Russia's ambassador to Turkey was assassinated on Monday during an art exhibition in the country's capital city.The gunman shouted "do not forget Aleppo" before he shot Andrey Karlov, who was giving a speech at the opening ceremony of a photo exhibit in Ankara. The shooting happened in front of a crowd and was captured on video and by several photographers. Minutes beforeKarlov was speaking at the opening of an exhibition entitled, "Russia from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka," which was organized by Russian embassy and Ankara municipality. Read MoreAndrey Karlov (R) was giving a speech during a visit to the Modern Art Center in Ankara, Turkey.The gallery is located in an upper middle-class area of Ankara, where there are luxury hotels, embassies and is near the Turkish parliament. The shootingThe gunman, Mevlut Mert Altintas, was a police officer, according to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. AP photographer Burhan Ozbilici caught the moment of the shooting on camera.An unnamed gunman walked in and shouted about Aleppo as he opened fire, according to video posted on social media.He has been neutralized, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency reported, but it's unclear if he was killed or captured by police.The Russian ambassador is shown on the floor after the gunman shot him.The unnamed gunman gestures after the shooting.Moments laterPeople in the gallery react after the shooting.Outside the galleryTurkish police secure the area outside where the Russian Ambassador was killed.Outside the art gallery in Ankara on December 19, 2016.CNN's Sarah Faidell contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
d6de6dce-3715-4236-90e9-3ca5df0fab83 | null | Story highlights A MySpace page apparently belonging to Rausing tells of her struggle with drugsEva Rausing had struggled with drug addiction for years, an acquaintance saysShe is found dead after her husband, Hans Kristian, is arrested on drug chargesRausing's father is worth an estimated $10 billionThe son of one of the world's wealthiest men is under arrest in London after the body of his American-born wife was found in their home this week, her death unexplained.Police stumbled into the mystery Monday, when they arrested Hans Kristian Rausing on drug charges.A search of his home in one of London's most expensive neighborhoods turned up the body of his wife, Eva, spurring police to arrest him again in connection with the death.Eva Rausing had struggled with drug addiction for years, an acquaintance said."This has been an existing problem for a long time," said Liz Brewer, who knew Rausing through charity and social circles. "I think the whole thing is a complete tragedy."The case puts the multimillionaire couple squarely back in the headlines four years after they were arrested on charges of possessing cocaine and heroin, according to media reports at the time. Eva Rausing had tried to smuggle a small amount of crack cocaine and heroin into the U.S. Embassy in London, reports said. She and her husband were arrested when police found more drugs at their house.The pair, however, avoided prosecution. Since then, they have kept a low profile, Forbes magazine said in its annual rich list report this year."It's very clear to us Eva had her own problems with drugs and drugs misuse," the head of an anti-drug organization told CNN Wednesday."She knew prevention was important. She knew how hard it was to get off drugs once you are on drugs," said Paul Tuohy, chief executive of Mentor. Eva Rausing had donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the charity in the years before her death, Mentor said.Her husband is the son of Hans Rausing, who is worth an estimated $10 billion, thanks to the family's connection to Swedish packaging giant Tetra Laval.Hans Kristian Rausing is now receiving medical treatment, police said Wednesday. An autopsy Tuesday failed to determine the cause of Eva Rausing's death, police said.Police refused to name Rausing as the man who was arrested, but a source familiar with the investigation said the man in custody lived at the address where the body was found.The source asked not to be named discussing an ongoing investigation.Eva Rausing gave more than 500,000 pounds ($778,000) to Mentor, said the charity, which runs programs "to protect children from alcohol and drugs."J&J heiress, found dead, had high-profile lifePosts on a MySpace page dating back to 2007 that appears to belong to Rausing, but whose authenticity could not be verified, give a picture of her ups and downs.She writes that she went to college in California. "I had a good time there -- too good, as I dropped out and did not go back to university until the grand old age of 24. Which leaves some troubled years in between ... The beginning was fun, the ending not so fun," she writes."I was lucky to have a loving supportive family who stood by me, though I didn't always see it that way at the time. So, I cleaned up my act, became a good girl, if maybe a little boring, got a degree in economics, and then got married!"She says she is a good mother to the couple's four children but, in an apparent reference to her drug abuse issues, she writes of relapsing several years earlier."I fell back into the same hole as before and have been there for nearly 7 years. I once read that I would have 7 bad years (I don't normally believe in hocus pocus horoscopes) but so far it has been right, and I'm hoping for 7 good years starting 2007."I'm still married, amazingly, to a very kind, patient and loyal husband. I'm very lucky that he has stuck with me -- many would have not."Hans Kristian Rausing's billionaire father was bought out of the Tetra Laval business founded by his own father. Tetra Pak declined to comment on Eva Rausing's death or her husband's arrest because their branch of the family "divested its interests in Tetra Pak, and the Tetra Laval Group, in 1995." | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
bdd223e3-9789-4bab-a81d-a688a46ad986 | null | Story highlightsA slave owner goes on to co-found an organization called SOS SlavesThat abolitionist group fights to liberate slaves in MauritaniaThe West African country was last in the world to abolish slaveryExperts say 10% to 20% of Mauritanians live in slavery todayAs a member of Mauritania's slave-owning class, Abdel Nasser Ould Ethmane could have had anything he wanted as a present for his circumcision ceremony: a toy, money, a camel, or, as his brother would choose, a bicycle.But the 7-year-old wanted something more sinister.He chose Yebawa Ould Keihel, a young boy with skin the color of coal. At that moment, Abdel became a slave master.It's an experience that's common here in Mauritania, a vast country in West Africa's Sahara Desert where activists and the United Nations estimate 10% to 20% of people are enslaved -- usually dark-skinned people who have lighter-skinned masters.For the owners of slaves, a group of Arab people called the White Moors who raided sub-Saharan Africa for slaves centuries ago, this is no big deal."It was as if I were picking out a toy," Abdel, now 47, said of choosing Yebawa as his slave. "For me, it was as if he were a thing -- a thing that pleased me. This idea came to me because there were all these stories about him which made me laugh -- that he talked in his sleep, that he was a bit chubby and a bit clumsy, that he was always losing the animals he was supposed to be watching over and was then always getting punished for this. So for me, he was an interesting and comic figure."It's normal that I chose him."Sadder still, Yebawa didn't consider himself human either -- at least not in the way Abdel was. Mauritania's slaves are very often brainwashed by their masters into thinking they are less than human and that their place is at the bottom of a rigid and still-enforced caste system that allows them only to serve their masters without pay or free will.Yebawa Ould Keihel grew up as a slave in central Mauritania. But there's a surprising twist in Abdel's story.It's one that shows how far Mauritanians have come in their effort to combat slavery.And how very much more must be done before the hundreds of thousands of slaves and former slaves here can truly be set free.The young slave ownerThey were raised on the same breast milk.Yebawa's mother nursed both her son and the man who would become his master, giving Yebawa and Abdel a bond from birth."That does indeed create a relationship between me and them," Yebawa said.When the two children were very young, Abdel recalled, they behaved like brothers. But after the circumcision ceremony, everything quickly changed. The two boys could not be seen together without being scolded by their family members. Stay with your own kind, their parents said. They had to exist in separate but intersecting worlds.Abdel, like the rest of his light-skinned family, lived in a large camel-skin tent. Yebawa and other slaves lived in tattered tents of cloth on the periphery of their nomadic camp, which shifted locations to follow the few plants able to grow in the Sahara.Noble families keep slaves both as servants and status symbols. Abdel's family had hundreds of slaves, he said, and their labor was divided among aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives."When you divvy up slaves, either you send a slave to go serve a certain branch of the family or if you have just one slave, you divide him up in chunks of time: three months here, four or five there," he said. "That's how you share a human being."Slaves in Mauritania typically are attached to one family from the time they are born. They can be given away as gifts for special occasions, but usually aren't bought and sold.Because of their darker skin and lowest-caste status, slaves are treated as inferior.Abdel's family never beat its slaves, he said, but did regard them as subhuman.When it rained on the Tagant plateau, in central Mauritania, slaves like Yebawa picked up the edges of the tent and held them in the air all night long to prevent their masters from getting wet. Abdel recalls hearing the slaves' teeth chattering all through the cold desert nights -- and mocking this "teeth music" with his slave-owning friends."Here they were standing up, protecting us, and we were completely unconscious (and) ignorant," he said. "This was actually quite innocent because, for us, slavery was really a natural state. One must really have in mind that when one is born into a certain environment, it is considered the right one -- just and fair."Free and equalAbdel never questioned slavery as a child. Yebawa and other slaves were required to tend to the family's goat herds, wash clothes, serve tea, cook food, and entertain a master if he was bored. But when Abdel was about 12, his parents sent him to Nouakchott, the country's sprawling seaside capital, where he could get a better education than he could receive while living the life of a nomad. There, Abdel met a European tutor, a bizarre character, as he recalls, with a frizzy Afro and chunky glasses. This oddball teacher was Abdel's tour guide into new worlds.After school, the tutor sent Abdel to the French Cultural Center, a library of sorts in the quarter of Nouakchott that houses foreign residents and embassies. Hesitant at first, Abdel soon dove into every book he could find. He started with French comic books like "Asterix." And while he was reading he noticed something:None of the characters owned slaves.Or if they did, slavery was treated as an artifact of the ancient past.He read on, thinking nothing of it at first. Soon he was picking up volumes about the French Revolution. In a book pulled from the library's shelves almost at random, Abdel found the sentence that would eventually alter his life:Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.He read it again and again.Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.Slow transitionIt would take years for that idea to register fully, but from the moment he read the sentence, a question started to burrow deep in Abdel's brain: What if slavery actually is wrong?Either the books were wrong or his family was, Abdel thought. Was his entire life a lie?"I started to ask myself if lies were coming out of this book," he said in an interview conducted in French, "or if they were rather coming out of my very own culture."Abdel took this idea to his father who, surprisingly, agreed with him. He had tried to free the family's slaves before, he told his son, but they didn't want to leave, so he didn't argue with them, keeping the practice in place against his own conscience.His mother, however, was dismissive. Slavery is the natural order, she told her son. Don't question it."It was what God had given us, and these people who were our slaves loved us -- they wanted to stay with us and serve us," he recalls her saying. "It's not our fault if they loved us and wanted to serve us."Soon Abdel was taking the conversation outside the family. He organized a salon of sorts, where young people who questioned life as it had always been in Mauritania could meet in secret to discuss their experiences. To have these conversations about slavery in public in Mauritania would have meant arrest."There were sand dunes where we would sit under the moonlight and we would discuss everything and nothing. That's where the first conversations about slavery took place."In those discussions, Abdel finally came to see Mauritania in context -- the aberration in a world that had abolished slavery decades or centuries before.He denounced slavery as inhumane. With his mind made up against the practice, Abdel began to adjust to a new reality: He didn't know how to do the most basic things for himself. Away at graduate school in Bordeaux, France, Abdel found the school cafeteria closed one day and decided to make an omelet. He put eggs, salt and pepper in a pan with oil. But he didn't crack the eggs, he said, and the whole concoction "exploded."He wasn't any better at laundry."I could not wash my socks. When they were dirty, I would throw them away in the trash and buy new socks."He needed to go through a new education of his own -- to learn to work with his hands. Since then, he's been working to teach other slave owners to do the same.Mauritania's abolitionistsThey met in secret on a rooftop in the dark of night, the desert stars watching over them: Abdel, the reformed slave owner, and a man named Boubacar Messaoud, who grew up in a family of slaves in southern Mauritania, near the border with Senegal.Together they would form SOS Slaves, a group fighting to end slavery in Mauritania. In that first conversation, they pulled a rug over their heads to muffle their voices. The year was 1995. Such discussions were not safe in Mauritania -- and still aren't.The power of these men from different worlds coming together would shape the future of their country, which still lives in slavery's shadow."If we fail to convince a maximum number of whites and a maximum number of blacks" that slavery is wrong, "then slavery will not go away," Boubacar says.Though slavery was formally abolished by Mauritania in 1981, it was the last country in the world to do so, and outsiders regarded the move as a public relations stunt more than anything else. Both Boubacar and Abdel would be arrested and beaten several times for their activities. Mauritania's rulers denounced their group as illegal and divisive. Abdel's brother, a fellow activist named Sidi Mohammed Soueid Ahmed Elyessa, went on a nine-day hunger strike in jail. The only thing that kept him alive, he said, was a sympathetic prison guard who slipped him thimbles full of tea with extra sugar in it for sustenance. They have continued their efforts just the same.SOS Slaves' first push was to make the slaves' stories public. They took testimonies from slaves who had escaped, wrote them up and posted them around the Mauritanian capital in pamphlets and fliers. These men and women typically had risked their lives to escape from their masters and been forced to leave their families behind. SOS took on the work of finding and freeing those family members.Their actions started to have impact.They denounced the Mauritanian government's inaction on slavery, lobbying for legislation that would criminalize the practice. The law passed unanimously in 2007, making it a crime to own another person and force him or her to work. Only one case has been successfully prosecuted, but the law is still cause for much hope among anti-slavery activists in the country.Despite some successes, one story in particular has haunted Abdel's conscience: That of his personal slave, Yebawa.What is freedom?In December, CNN arranged to reunite Abdel and Yebawa in Nouakchott. The two men -- master and slave -- hadn't seen each other in more than a decade.In that time, much had changed. Yebawa, chubby as a child, had grown to be rail thin. Abdel had moved to the Ivory Coast out of fear he would be arrested in Mauritania for being the country's most prominent activist from the slave-owning class to now campaign against slavery. Most importantly: Abdel's family had granted Yebawa freedom.The two men hugged and shook hands, their skin tones -- one tan, one midnight black -- creating a noticeable contrast as they embraced."Look, he isn't fat (anymore)," Abdel said with a smile.Yebawa smiled back. The power of the situation, however, was in what they left unsaid.Abdel and Yebawa sat side by side on an embroidered green sofa as Abdel talked about how his family had granted Yebawa his freedom many years ago. Yebawa didn't react -- his eyes stared off into the distance.Later in the week, in a second interview, Yebawa said he was confused by the encounter: He never truly realized that he was free."It did not matter much," he said.It was more important for his parents, he said, although he had not discussed it with them.Abdel later said he could have predicted this response. He insists his family did tell Yebawa he was free, that the idea simply never sunk in."He's my slave -- he'd say nothing different even today," he said. "So, with Yebawa, I failed. Yes, it was a failure. I had success with others, but not with Yebawa."He hoped Yebawa would do something more with his life."It is a catastrophe," he added. "These are people in their lifetime that are obligated to do difficult manual labor. They can't live any other way. Like Yebawa, if he gets paid a salary, he can't count to see if he was paid right or not."Last year, SOS opened a school for escaped slaves and their children in Nouakchott. It only serves about 30 people, but it's the beginning of efforts to deal with slavery's social impact -- by giving slaves job skills, an education, the tools to create a viable life if and when they escape from their masters.Ignorance is under assault.But the fight against ignorance cannot include slaves alone. Slave masters, too, need a dose of education -- a spark from the outside -- to pull themselves out of an insular world where slave ownership is an accepted part of life, Abdel said."I am not really excusing" the slave owner, he says, "just saying that he only becomes a villain when he becomes conscious" of what he's doing."When he sees the possibility of freeing his slaves, there starts the problem. If he is unaware of the problem, he continues to believe that this is normal. "But today all slave owners are people who are very condemnable, because slavery has been abolished in Mauritania, many times." The slave master-turned-abolitionist made that journey from ignorance to enlightenment. And his organization, born under the stars of the Sahara, continues its work into its second decade. Abdel is certain others can follow. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
83b9e0f9-f825-44f3-82c9-ed73c0bdf94c | null | (CNN)Rescuers have found "biological traces" of a 2-year-old boy who fell down a 360-foot well three days ago in southern Spain. The toddler was in the countryside with his family near the village of Totalán in the southern province of Málaga on Sunday afternoon when he apparently fell into the well, which is nine inches in diameter."We have found biological traces inside the well that belong to the minor, Julen," said Maria Gamez, a central government official. "Hence we are sure that the little boy is in there."The boy's father, José Roselló, told reporters on Wednesday that the family was "not going to give up" and have "hope that he is not dead.""I feel like we have [been] here for months," Roselló said, adding that he and his wife feel "broken."Read MoreRescuers are racing against time to save the boy. The team, which includes mining rescuers from the northern region of Asturias, are digging horizontal and vertical tunnels that will intersect at the spot where Julen is believed to have fallen.Officials told CNN that digging began in the mountainous area on Tuesday and could take up to 48 hours to be completed. Firefighters previously found a bag of sweets in the well, AFP reports. But two cameras that were lowered into the shaft failed to capture any trace of Julen. The well was bored in December during efforts to find groundwater, but was not covered or protected, AFP reports. According to the Spanish daily El Pais, Julen's cousin saw the boy disappear into the hole on Sunday. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
4c3d8e15-285b-4cca-b05a-145b42d7b851 | null | Story highlightsReal Madrid held to 0-0 draw by Valencia Barcelona four points behind in La Liga title raceEuropa League challengers Athletic Bilbao beat Sevilla 1-0 Schalke boost Champions League hopes with 3-0 win over HannoverReal Madrid saw their lead in Spain's La Liga cut to just four points after being held to a 0-0 draw by Valencia Sunday.Barcelona's 4-1 win over Zaragoza -- their ninth in a row -- had put the pressure on Real, who were unable to respond with a victory of their own in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.Cristiano Ronaldo hit the post for Jose Mourinho's men as they pressed early on, but their effort petered out and third-placed Valencia had chances of their own.Ricardo Costa and Tino Costa saw their efforts denied by the woodwork in each half and Jordi Alba could not convert after being one-on-one with Iker Casillas.But Real staged a late rally and Karim Benzema was denied by a double save from keeper Vicente Guaita.They have now drawn three of their last five La Liga games as defending champions Barcelona have sliced into their lead.The title could be decided by the second El Clasico league clash of the season and they are favored to meet again in the final of the Champions League.In other La Liga action Sunday, Europa League semifinalists Athletic Bilbao beat Sevilla 1-0 and Levante kept up their bid for European football next season with a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid.In Gernany's Bundelisga, Schalke recovered from their midweek Europa League exit to Bilbao with a 3-0 win over Hannover.Peruvian Jefferson Farfan set up all three goals for Schalke with Raul scoring two of them.Klaas Jan Huntelaar added the other, his 24th of the season.Hamburg stayed in relegation trouble after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
e406c051-f185-476d-801a-284629dff486 | null | Hong Kong (CNN Business)Cryptocurrency prices are climbing after Russia's ruble sank to another record low and Moscow was hit with new sanctions. As of 5:25 a.m. ET on Tuesday, bitcoin had jumped 13% over the last 24 hours to $43,163, according to cryptocurrency tracker CoinDesk.Other cryptocurrencies moved higher, too. Ethereum climbed 10% Tuesday to reach $2,878. Dogecoin rose nearly 6% to about 13 cents apiece.Virtual currencies are traditionally seen as a risky bet, but as conventional assets experience curbs or greater volatility because of geopolitical tensions, some analysts believe they will gain more traction.According to Arcane Research, an Oslo-based cryptocurrency research firm, the trading volume between ruble and cryptocurrencies has spiked in recent days on Binance, one of the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. Read MoreFinancial sanctions are easier than ever for Russians to evade. Thank BitcoinInvestors appear to be "trying to get out of the ruble" due to its "drastic devaluation after all the sanctions," said Bendik Schei, head of research at Arcane.Schei added that more people were switching to tether rather than bitcoin. While bitcoin is the world's most valuable cryptocurency, tether is known as a "stablecoin" since it is pegged to the US dollar. "This is where they find the most comfort at the moment," Schei said of investors. "Under the current market conditions, I'm not surprised to see investors, at least those in Russia, seeking stablecoins ...This is about saving their funds, not investing."Over the past week, tether has largely held firm at about $1 apiece.Falling rubleThe scramble came as the ruble plunged Monday, trading at 104 to the US dollar. It was little changed early on Tuesday. Western powers have frozen the assets of Russia's central bank with the aim of making it harder for Russia to mitigate the effect of sanctions on some of its biggest lenders and other companies. The steps are meant to prevent Russia from accessing a "rainy day fund" that officials said Moscow had been expecting to rely upon during the invasion of Ukraine. Instead of using the reserves to buffer a plummeting ruble, Russia will no longer be able to access many of the funds it keeps in US dollars.US cutting off Russia's central bank from US dollar transactionsApart from offering investors a relatively safe haven, cryptocurrencies could offer Russians a way of evading sanctions, according to some experts. US and EU sanctions rely heavily on banks to enforce rules. If a sanctioned business or individual wants to make a transaction denominated in traditional currencies such as dollars or euros, it's the bank's responsibility to flag and block those transactions.But digital currencies operate outside the realm of standard global banking, with transactions recorded on a public ledger known as blockchain.— Allison Morrow, Nikki Carvajal, Jeremy Diamond, Kevin Liptak and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report. | business | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
4a68f263-072d-401c-ba2b-848eeed505d1 | null | (CNN)Surveillance video of a transgender immigrant who died in ICE custody may have been deleted while investigations into her death were ongoing, lawyers representing her family said Wednesday. The company that runs the facility says their cameras automatically overwrote the video.The attorneys said the footage could be key evidence revealing the events leading up to the death of Roxsana Hernandez, a 33-year-old from Honduras who died May 25, 2018, in New Mexico from AIDS complications.The death of Hernandez, who'd come to the United States in a group of transgender migrants who were part of a caravan last year, drew widespread attention and sparked accusations from advocates that she hadn't received adequate medical care while in US custody beginning May 9, 2018. ICE officials said Hernandez wasn't in their custody long enough to assess the situation and begin proper treatment. Wednesday, the Transgender Law Center and attorney Andrew Free released an email exchange between officials that indicates surveillance footage was not preserved from inside the Cibola County Correctional Center, a privately run ICE detention facility where Hernandez was held for less than a day before she was hospitalized.To live openly as a woman, she had to flee. But the road ahead holds no guarantees.The emails, which the attorneys said were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit and were first reported by BuzzFeed, reference an ICE headquarters request on August 22, 2018 -- more than three months after she left the facility -- for a copy of surveillance footage as part of the agency's internal review of Hernandez's death. A Washington-based ICE analyst notes that their team had viewed the footage during an earlier site visit to Cibola.Read More"The requested video is no longer available. The footage is held in memory up to around 90 days. They attempted to locate and was negative," an Albuquerque-based ICE official responds.Attorneys representing Hernandez's family filed notice of a wrongful death claim in November.They also filed a lawsuit in New Mexico on Wednesday against CoreCivic, the private company that runs the Cibola facility, asking a judge to force the company to release video and other records in the case."They were on notice to preserve any and all video surveillance and it seems they may have failed to do so," Free said in a statement. "We filed suit because we have reason to believe they may be withholding more evidence. The public has the right to know what happened to people who die in the custody of the US government and CoreCivic is not above the law."ICE declined to comment on the video or emails, citing its policy against commenting on pending litigation. ICE has said Hernandez "received all the appropriate medical care possible" during her time in the agency's custody.CoreCivic said that video footage was not preserved because the company didn't receive notice that Hernandez's family was considering a lawsuit until November.By that point, spokeswoman Amanda Gilchrist told CNN, "whatever digital images that might have existed had been long overwritten."Death review reveals details of medical careThe Transgender Law Center also released ICE's "Detainee Death Review" for Hernandez, which the law center said points to "various discrepancies in the medical treatment Roxsana received and immigration enforcement's internal protocols."One key finding, according to the law center: Hernandez didn't get the HIV medication she needed."Roxsana needed medical care and yet she was cleared to be incarcerated. At numerous times throughout her days in immigration enforcement custody, the people she was detained with pleaded for her to receive medical care," Lynly Egyes, the law center's legal director, said in a statement. "It is clear from these records that if immigration enforcement believes that their sole duty is to shuffle people into immigration prisons, that is what they'll do. As a result, the consequences for those who are either sick or who get sick while in their custody can be fatal."In a statement released by ICE, the deputy medical director for the ICE Health Service Corps said hospitals generally don't begin HIV therapy on a patient who's been diagnosed with significant medical issues."The correct selection of an HIV treatment regimen requires a number of laboratory tests to determine which drugs may be most effective for the patient in consultation with a medical provider familiar with HIV care. Hernandez was in transit for most of her brief time with ICE," Capt. Philip Farabaugh said. "When she arrived at Cibola, such evaluation could not take place in such a short window of time prior to her transfer to the hospital." ICE has said Hernandez entered the agency's custody on May 13, 2018, after several days in US Customs and Border Protection custody at the San Ysidro Port of Entry near San Diego. She was transferred to Cibola on May 16 and spent less than a day in an intake area of the facility before she was taken to the hospital.Nine days later, she died at Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque. Gilchrist said in a statement that Hernandez was detained at Cibola for only 12 hours."Roxsana Hernandez came to Cibola County Correctional Center in May 2018 gravely ill," Gilchrist said. "When she arrived, she went through the intake process which includes a medical evaluation. The medical team made the determination that she needed to be immediately transported to an outside hospital."Lawyers for Hernandez's family earlier alleged she was physically abused while in US custody and died from insufficient medical care -- claims US immigration authorities have disputed. An April 2019 autopsy report indicated her cause of death was multicentric Castleman disease due to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.Correction: This story has been updated to more accurately describe where Roxsana Hernandez was held at the Cibola County Correctional Center. Hernandez was held in an intake area of the facility, but not in the transgender unit. She was held for less than a day before she was taken to the hospital in May 2018.CNN's Geneva Sands and Emanuella Grinberg contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
fd93d7d7-1637-44ae-aefb-508c6cbc3f07 | null | (CNN)There were f-bombs of joy emitted from New Orleans -- and likely many were spewed out of despair in New York.Despite having just a 6% chance to land the No. 1 pick, the New Orleans Pelicans won the draft lottery on Tuesday in Chicago -- and likely the Zion Williamson sweepstakes. It gives New Orleans the rights to the top spot in the NBA draft, which takes place June 20.#PELICANS TICKET OFFICE IS WILDIN!!' 🔥🔥🔥 #BirdStrikes pic.twitter.com/meihqCrWdd— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) May 15, 2019
The Memphis Grizzlies, who also had a 6% chance, moved up to second. The New York Knicks -- who at 14% had the highest odds along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns of winning the pick -- received the third pick.Williamson, who was on hand for the lottery, told ESPN he still felt nervous even after the lottery results were announced, saying that it was a lot to take in."It's definitely a possibility (of going to New Orleans), but it's not sure until it actually happens," Williamson said.Read MoreVisit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos, and featuresMeanwhile, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry was a very happy man, dropping the f-word in celebration when it was announced his team would have the top pick, while the Pelicans' ticket office exploded in euphoria, with employees screaming and jumping up and down.Coach Alvin Gentry reacts to the @PelicansNBA winning the 2019 #NBADraftLottery. pic.twitter.com/miV5cmVT3Y— NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2019
"I probably overreacted a little bit," Gentry said, according to USA Today. "I probably said a word I shouldn't have. It was raw emotion, it really was. I think what our fans have been through, what our team has been through."READ: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wants more women as refereesREAD: 'We all have Hoop Dreams' -- bittersweet tale of first 'reality TV show'Meanwhile, Knicks fans went from excited -- at least one fan appeared to be celebrating prematurely by getting a Zion Knicks tattoo before the lottery started -- to downtrodden."I just sat back and hoped it was going to be No. 1," Patrick Ewing, whom New York selected No. 1 back in 1985 and was representing the Knicks on stage, said to ESPN.She's getting a Zion Knicks tattoo already pic.twitter.com/bNukkNlnNe— Master (@MasterTes) May 15, 2019
The Pelicans last had the No. 1 pick in 2012, when they selected Anthony Davis.In 2017, the NBA board of governors approved changes to the lottery system to discourage teams from tanking in the regular season. Before this year, the top seed had a 25% chance of winning the lottery. The 14 teams that missed the playoffs all had a chance at the coveted No. 1 spot.The 2019 #NBADraftLottery order is set. pic.twitter.com/PEbqipMVFL— NBA (@NBA) May 15, 2019
This was the most anticipated draft lottery since LeBron James was entering the NBA in 2003. Per league rules, Williamson had to wait one year after graduating from high school to be eligible for the draft.In his lone season at Duke, Williamson was the biggest draw men's college basketball saw in years. At 18 years old and listed at 6 feet, 7 inches tall and 285 pounds, Williamson was a human highlight reel -- not just with his explosive dunks but with his all-round game.Will Williamson's game translate to the NBA? That remains to be seen, but it's tough to see any team wanting to pass up his potential."It's my will to win, and whatever that team needs me to do, I'm going to be able to do it," Williamson said to ESPN. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
79f2a3fa-5247-433a-b7d3-b41b76ebb7fc | null | (CNN)High above the Arctic Circle, waves crash aggressively onto Europe's largest three-mast wooden schooner. Wind howls violently against the ship as it crosses notoriously stormy waters -- tearing its sails in the process. But for the crew on board, as they cross the Barents Sea, this is the adventure of a lifetime.The SV Linden in harbour outside of Bergen.Aboard the Linden, 10 men battle sea sickness and work relentless shifts for 40 days in a determined effort to get the replica of a 1920s vessel from Denmark to the icy Norwegian island of Svalbard. In Svalbard, home to 3,000 inhabitants -- polar bears outnumber people. Here, the landscape is rugged, remote, fragile and rich in untouched arctic wilderness. The seasons are relentless -- with long sunlit summer evenings and endless winter nights. It's the Linden's maiden voyage after being revitalized, but for many on board this is more than just a journey. This is a mission to provide sustainable, eco-friendly expeditions in the high Arctic. Read MoreNot only that though, the voyage also aims to bring perspective to the lives of some of the Linden's young crew -- some of whom come from troubled backgrounds and have had run-ins with the law.READ: Sailing around the world -- with three childrenThe sea has always been a huge part Linden captain Rasmus Jacobsen's life. For 30 years the Dane has worked on various sailing vessels and has dedicated his life to sustainability and environmentalism.The Linden's captain, Rasmus Jacobsen has worked on various sailing vessles for 30 years."I was in the Caribbean when I saw these huge cruise liners coming into an island," he told CNN."They'd drop thousands of people at an island and they'd walk around and then they would leave the island and the footprint they would leave was a strange one because they were like ants and then they would disappear again."From what Jacobsen saw, the island wasn't benefiting from the presence of tourists -- neither economically or environmentally. Concerned about how this could be increasing the island's vulnerability, he started talking with tourism boards to understand how holidays could be less destructive on the environment, more beneficial to the people of the host country and enrich the lives of tourists.With this idea in mind, Jacobsen purchased the Linden. It had spent the past few years as a floating restaurant in Finland and had fallen into a state of disrepair. He put it into dry dock for a major refurbishment and got in touch with Basecamp Explorer -- a tourism company that offers sustainable Arctic adventures in Svalbard. Looking out to Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard.READ: "Weathered but wiser" — Around-the-world sailors learn hard lessonsFrom then, after months of work, the Linden set sail from Svendborg to Svalbard in late March to join the company to offer eco-friendly expeditions.Along the way, the Linden visited many towns -- including that of Bergen, Bodø, Tromsø, and Bjørnøya before finally reaching Longyearbyen in Svalbard. As crew members worked six hour shifts, twice a day, they watched the northern lights dance in the sky and were captivated by sights like the Norwegian fjords along their route."The scenery is one of the greatest things on board," 22-year-old crew member, Mads Hansen, told CNN. "With sailing there's freedom in it and the thought of you being carried away by wind and nature -- all for free -- that's what I enjoy, that nature helps you get around the world."READ: The first man to sail non-stop solo around the worldHansen, along with Tobias Soerensen and Johannes Elslo, works tirelessly around the clock maintaining the vessel -- from painting, rigging the ship and adjusting sails and ropes to fixing wood. "Yesterday the masts were slightly bent and my job together with Tobias was to make them exactly straight," Elslo said. "That was so fulfilling by the end of the day being able to see these three 20 meter tall masts just looking slightly better -- we could see that but nobody else could, so it is rewarding in a very strange way.""I think it's beautiful how we're just rebuilding the Linden on our way up (to Svalbard) -- it's very drastic," 22-year-old Soerensen said. "You start to really get this relationship to the ship as you're working with it a lot."Mads Hansen paints the ship as part of ongoing maintenance.Finding perspectiveUnlike Soerensen and Hansen, who have both completed traineeships in sailing, Elslo came on board with no experience -- instead he's a literature student. For him, this trip is a great chance to reflect on his life back home in Copenhagen. He found out about the trip through his father, who is a sailor."This is a very emotional trip for me -- it is so different and the ship is so beautiful and everywhere we sail is beautiful," Elslo said."It's difficult to be away and not knowing when I'll be coming back. So I have lots of moments every day where I don't really regret it, but I miss a lot of things back home while cleaning toilets and freezing in the night steering the ship, then a moment later I'm filled with joy that I haven't felt before."READ: Sailor sacrifices sleep for science to save the planetJohannes Elslo and Tobias Soerensen at the helm of the Linden.As well as offering jobs to people who are simply interested in an adventure, Jacobsen also makes a point of employing some crew members that come from troubled backgrounds or have had run ins with the law."Young people might benefit from leaving the environment they are in -- this could be various places in Denmark where life is a little bit rough and tough."A city might call me and say 'we have this young man or woman that might benefit from being away from home for a period of 6-12 months just to get another perspective of life.'"I wish I could help more but every now and again if there is a match, if it seems like they really want to then I'll have a talk with them." Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardTobias Soerensen tidies ropes on the Linden's deck during it's voyage to Svalbard.Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardIt's the Linden's maiden voyage after being renovated, but for many on board this is more than just a journey: this is a mission to provide sustainable, eco-friendly expeditions in the high arctic.Hide Caption 2 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardJohannes Elslo and Tobias Soerensen tend to the ship's timber. After some mistreatment through various owners, a lot of maintenance work was done during the voyage.Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardThe crew have learned how to become more self-sufficient through growing things on board and harvesting local wild plants and fauna.Hide Caption 4 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardThe Linden's chef, Dennis Lyngsø, uses recycled materials to create a base for on board gardens.Hide Caption 5 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardCrew peel carrots in the Linden's saloon after another outbreak of rot -- keeping food fresh on board is challenging and a learning process.Hide Caption 6 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardLyngsø spends most of his time hustling in the galley and preparing meals for crew members and guests on board using the fish they've caught. On deck he's maintaining a garden where a variety of onions grow, and inside he experiments, fermenting vegetables and growing mushrooms and microgreens which are fully packed with nutrients.Hide Caption 7 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardSoerensen, along with his crew members, works tirelessly around the clock to maintain the vessel -- from painting, rigging the ship, adjusting sails and ropes, to fixing wood.Hide Caption 8 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardUnlike Soerensen and Hansen who have both completed traineeships in sailing, Elslo came on board with no experience -- instead he's a literature student. For him, this trip is a great chance to reflect on his life back home in Copenhagen.Hide Caption 9 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardAs crew members worked six hour shifts, twice a day, they watched the northern lights dance in the sky and were captivated by sights like the Norwegian fjords along their route.Hide Caption 10 of 11 Photos: The Linden's voyage to SvalbardThe Linden has now begun welcoming guests on board for its expeditions in Svalbard and will remain there for the summer before heading south.Hide Caption 11 of 11READ: Gonet Monofoil -- revolutionary 'flying' yacht takes offJacobsen believes a ship is the perfect place for someone to straighten their life out."It's a very honest environment to be in because you can't really hide who you are," he explains. "Being together 24/7 month after month you'll get to learn each other very well and in the end you don't want to waste time trying to be something you're not and you start to build another character ... by connecting with me, with the cook, the engineer. "There's no guarantee when they come back if they'll go back to what they were, but they still learn something -- they learn about how to interact with other people (from different backgrounds)." Becoming self-sufficientMette Eliseussen, expedition leader at Basecamp Explorer told CNN the aim in Svalbard is to "discover how to run tourism without making a negative impact on wildlife, the ocean or the land around us.""Tourism is becoming an economic force in the world, making it even more important to test and demonstrate if and how this industry can bend towards sustainability," she said."Over the last half year we have researched to find ways we can be more environmentally friendly on the Linden."A shot from the bowsprit of the Linden in Svalbard.Jacobsen and his crew use the sails as much as possible, and have also learned how to become more self-sufficient by growing things on board and harvesting local wild plants and fauna. READ: "Planet is doomed" unless ocean health improves, says yachtswoman"We are exploring possibilities to harvest not only fish and crustaceans from the ocean, but also seaweed and plankton (and) we turn our food waste into nutritious soil and use this to fertilize our own garden on board," Eliseussen added.The crew have had to come up with creative ways to fight the challenges of the bitter arctic climate. A greenhouse has been made inside the ship, using skylights and the heat produced by the generator to give various plants and vegetables what they need to grow. "That also gives us another challenge," Linden chef, Dennis Lyngsø told CNN. "There's going to be a midday and midnight sun for a couple of months."Plants do need their respiration also, so we have to cover that up to simulate the darkness of the night because these plants aren't supposed to grow in the arctic."Dennis Lyngsø observes plants that have begun sprouting on board.Lyngsø spends most of his time hustling in the galley and preparing meals for crew members and guests on board using the fish they've caught. On deck he's maintaining a garden where a variety of onions grow, and inside he experiments, fermenting vegetables and growing mushrooms and microgreens which are packed with nutrients. He's also made it his mission to educate members on board about respectful relationships with meat."Everything nowadays is vacuum packed in plastic and so they don't have a relationship towards the meat they eat -- that it's had a life before -- so I wanted to show the guys on board that if you catch a fish you kill it yourself," he said. "They prepare it so they get involved with their hands, just make them have a more respectful relationship towards nature and how it entitles you to harvest it. You have to know how much you eat and where it comes from."READ: How to sail around the world in 42 daysMette Eliseussen and Dennis Lyngsø maintain small garden on board.This is a first for Lyngsø, not just sailing -- but also cooking in this capacity. He walked past the Linden while it was docked in Denmark one day and his friend told him about the ship's sustainable ambitions. "We walked past it and I told him to stop and that we had to go back, I just had a feeling I had to do it," Lyngsø said. "It's the first time for me sailing in big waves and harsh weather like this. You get used to it but it's difficult to cook soup," he laughed. "One of the crew members said if you're able to cook on the ship then you can cook anywhere so I'm adding that to my resume."The crew scramble to store food supplies for the voyage below decks so they don't freeze.The Linden has now begun welcoming guests on board for its expeditions in Svalbard and will remain there for the summer before heading south.Visit cnn.com/sailing for more news and videosGuests will experience sailing through icy waters and enjoy Svalbard's polar landscape. They'll learn from crew members what it takes to sail a wooden vessel and will study the wildlife that calls Svalbard home -- from polar bears, to walruses, reindeer and even blue whales. They will also witnessing how 400 years of human presence on the island has affected their environment.Tobias Soerensen and Johannes Elslo and the Linden's first mate keep watch on night shift."I think we've found something that appeals to the modern tourist that still wants to be able to see some of the old land and old culture in 100 years from now," Jacobsen said."The Linden is a nice way to travel. It moves slowly, yes that's true, but on the other hand I also think it's important to be present where you are. "It's important that we are present and aware of where we are and what we're doing and one of the ways to do that is to slow down every now and again and to just enjoy it with the people we are together with."Photographs and videos taken by freelance photojournalist Eliah Lillis | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
b2042df3-a068-4908-bb78-49eb102d986c | null | (CNN)You'd expect a tennis player to be good with their hands, but these boys take it to another level -- when they're not winning grand slams they're in the music studio jamming for hours, much to their wives' displeasure.Bob and Mike Bryan, known worldwide as the Bryan brothers, are tennis' most successful doubles pairing of all time with a record 106 titles, 16 of them grand slams. Before their gig for fans at California's Indian Wells tournament, they told CNN's Open Court about their music -- from throwing ninja stars to jamming with pop celebrities.Follow @cnnsport
"We get more nervous playing music gigs than tennis matches, that's for sure," reveals Mike, who plays drums and guitar. "We get a lot of great musicians to come out and back us. We've been doing it for five, six years."We feel like rock stars. People come out to see our music, which is a cool thing."JUST WATCHEDThe Bryan brothers strike a new chord with fansReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe Bryan brothers strike a new chord with fans 04:29Born three minutes apart, the twins -- who turn 37 this month -- grew up with music from a young age, traveling around with their father's band on tour.Read More"All his bandmates were our uncles," says Bob, the family keyboardist. "Sleeping on stage behind the guitar amps, it was just part of our life. He played, I think, 180 gigs a year so we were just around it." Their father Wayne -- a firm believer in early starts -- made sure there were plenty of musical instruments around the home so that his kids could "just diddle" whenever they liked.Thx Glasgow for a fun day of dubs. Was a helluva match & we're happy to keep the team alive. Looking forward to Day3. pic.twitter.com/a4hpGfg9hX— Bob Bryan (@Bryanbros) March 7, 2015
"Don't wait until you're eight, nine, 10 -- the minute you can walk or hold yourself upright, get on that keyboard, get on those drums, get on that guitar, start hitting tennis balls," Wayne, who plays guitar, tells CNN as he imitates tinkling the ivories."Don't wait until later because I think there's so much rapid development from three to six, you're wasting your time.""We didn't have a television in the house -- I'm sorry CNN," he jokes, "and we didn't have video games. So their whole life was enjoying music, enjoying tennis, and enjoying school work."It certainly seems to have been a recipe for success -- the brothers have won a combined $25 million on court -- but it's not about the money when it comes to music."We have dreams of being musicians after tennis, being rock stars. But it's tough," says Mike. Walking to her evening tennis class. ❤️🎾 #circleoflife pic.twitter.com/L5u1nYKD9H— Bob Bryan (@Bryanbros) March 26, 2015
"We've definitely never made money playing music -- our album cost us a little bit of money. We ordered a bunch of CDs and they didn't sell out, we use them as Frisbees now." "We had 10,000 of them," adds Bob. "They're just ninja stars -- we're chucking them to anyone that wants a CD."We played 70 gigs in a couple of years. Good gigs, bad gigs, sound problems, we played in bars ... Tennis crowds are very forgiving of the Bryan Brothers Band. They probably can't believe that we can even play."As with many artists, their love of music transcends financial reward -- and has even helped them with their tennis."It's a great outlet, it's helped our longevity on tour just to have that, to just lose yourself in something different because there's a lot of pressure when you're playing for points and money and traveling around the world, jet-lagged," Mike says."The heart rate comes down and you forget that you're about to play a grand slam final the next day."Snuck a little Bobby Brown into the set list. :) #myprerogative @jimbogios @thepapageorgio @bryanbros @bnpparibasopen pic.twitter.com/houjzqIn4j— Mike Bryan (@Bryanbrothers) March 13, 2015
They also have fun with celebrities such as James Valentine from Maroon 5 and Jim Bogios from Counting Crows, who exchange jam sessions for tennis coaching in what Bob calls the "music tennis exchange program."Their tastes have developed a lot since they were young and playing "the oldies" with their father, often surprising crowds with their talent when they were only four or five years old."My dad would basically ask the crowd, 'Is there anyone out there that can play?' " recalls Bob, who with wife Michelle has a growing band of their own after the birth of daughter Micaela -- already an online star in her own right -- in 2012 and Bobby Jnr. in 2013."We would raise our hands and my dad would say, 'Who are these little guys?' We'd climb up and Mike, he couldn't even see over the drums. He'd say, 'What do you guys want to play?' And Mike would say 'Louie Louie, key of A...' and we'd just kick it in. We'd blow everyone's mind." One last moment with the little ones. Thanks @MiamiOpenTennis for a great 2 weeks. @mensclaycourt, see u soon! pic.twitter.com/SYctdeXjYo— Bob Bryan (@Bryanbros) April 5, 2015
Tennis is renowned for its dedicated parents -- with Judy Murray and Richard Williams becoming some of the most prominent personalities on the tour. "This was actually sort of my dream, you know?" says Wayne, who coaches tennis along with wife Kathy -- a former professional on the women's circuit."I always played music and tennis and sports. Truth be told, my wife and I thought (the boys) were going to be the No. 1 doubles team in the world -- and a lot of other people did. We saw this coming a long way off. "But we didn't push them into it. We showed them how great music can be, they sat with my band, and they enjoyed playing, they enjoyed the applause."What's not to like? Music is a great thing to do -- it brings people together, it's good for the soul. Tennis brings people together, it's good for the soul. To me it's the best two things you can do, music and tennis."Victorious at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Sunday, the band of brothers clocked their 106th title -- a win that would have been music to their ears.Read: Tennis without human error? You cannot be seriousRead: Novak Djokovic - The secret to my success | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
927ae419-5457-4cf0-ba47-10813803f7a3 | null | (CNN)James Clapper, former director of National Intelligence, said Wednesday morning he questioned President Donald Trump's fitness for office. "I really question his ability to be -- his fitness to be -- in this office, and I also am beginning to wonder about his motivation for it," Clapper told CNN's Don Lemon on "CNN Tonight." Hours after Trump delivered a defiant speech in Phoenix, Arizona, Clapper said he found the President's rally "downright scary and disturbing."Clapper denounced Trump's "behavior and divisiveness and complete intellectual, moral and ethical void." "How much longer does the country have to, to borrow a phrase, endure this nightmare?"Read More "He should have quit while he was ahead after last night," Clapper referring to Trump's announcement on US strategy in Afghanistan. "Again, I think the real Trump came through." James Clapper, former director of national intelligence, says he questions President Trump's fitness for office https://t.co/IRRXg7paZM— CNN (@CNN) August 23, 2017
Clapper also said he is worried about the President's access to the nuclear codes. "In a fit of pique he decides to do something about Kim Jong Un, there's actually very little to stop him," Clapper said. "The whole system is built to ensure rapid response if necessary. So there's very little in the way of controls over exercising a nuclear option, which is pretty damn scary." | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
ed06fd5a-0a00-47bd-a22b-99ceb0f33c06 | null | Amanda Mattingly is a Truman National Security Project fellow and a former foreign affairs officer at the US Department of State. She served at the US Embassy in Caracas in 2002-2003. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion at CNN. (CNN)I've met Nicolás Maduro, and he's about the last person you'd want running a country. He's an incompetent authoritarian. He has driven his country and its economy into the ground. His brand of Bolivarian socialism is a corrupt sham, a con job on Venezuela's poor and a sorry excuse for a political-economic model. Venezuela suffers from a humanitarian, political and economic disaster thanks to Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez. Amanda MattinglyAs successive authoritarian leaders, they have stripped away Venezuela's economic viability and democratic institutions while consolidating power.Now, I can tell you Joe Biden is no Maduro. He is no radical, corrupt socialist, and he is certainly no friend to Maduro. False rhetoric about Biden and communism has been circulating in southern Florida in this election year, with South Florida voters particularly susceptible to assertions that Biden wants to install Cuban or Venezuelan-style socialism in the United States. Exploiting traumatic memories of life in Cuba under the Castros and in Venezuela under Chávez and Maduro, Trump is stoking their fears in search of votes. "Joe Biden is a PUPPET of CASTRO-CHAVISTAS," Trump tweeted Saturday. Given the importance of Florida in US presidential elections, and the particular importance of Latino voters in South Florida, these false narratives about Biden could be important in determining who serves as America's next President.Why Florida's Cuban population is susceptible to Trump's propaganda Read MoreThe truth is that Biden is a moderate Democrat and American patriot who has a long record in the US Senate, and as vice president, of taking a tough stance on American adversaries -- like Maduro -- and of advocating for a smart, integrated US foreign policy in Latin America.Not only is it ludicrous to compare Biden to Maduro, it is also ludicrous to think that Biden wouldn't take a tough stand against him. In early 2019, Biden recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the legitimate interim leader of Venezuela within weeks of Guaidó proclaiming himself the rightful President and calling for new, free and fair elections. Guaidó has been accepted as the legitimate leader of Venezuela by more than 50 countries, including the US. He knows that Biden will be a strong ally against Maduro and for efforts to bring about a peaceful democratic transition in Venezuela.As Biden said earlier this year and again in Miami on Oct. 5, "Maduro is a dictator, plain and simple."American policy toward Venezuela should focus first and foremost on democracy. Before the Trump administration, democracy promotion had been a cornerstone of US foreign policy in Latin America and around the world. The US should work to regain its leadership role in promoting and upholding democratic principles, institutions, and governance. The US should definitely not be suggesting the possibility of an American military intervention or the tacit approval of a military coup in Venezuela. American diplomats should get back in the business of promoting and defending democracy.Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro wins latest round in billion-dollar gold battle The US should also be defending human rights and taking a tougher stand against Maduro and his regime, which has been accused of abuses by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and a recent UN report. The Venezuelan government has denied such reports, making it all the more important for the US to put its weight behind any efforts to hold Maduro to account. American's stance on Venezuela should be tough, but it should also open up new diplomatic opportunities with allies in Latin America and Europe. Rather than closing down avenues for diplomacy, the US should work to open new paths for cooperation. Unfortunately, this administration has squandered the trust and mutual respect necessary to build a strong multilateral coalition to address Venezuela's crisis. America's foreign policy works best when the US works with partners and provides principled, values-driven leadership in multilateral organizations. Right now, the US should be leading the efforts at the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Lima Group to promote a peaceful and democratic transition in Venezuela. Working through these institutions, the US gains legitimacy and support for its agenda. 'I thought I was going to die.' Inside Venezuela's mandatory quarantine motelsIn the absence of strong US leadership, Latin Americans across the region are losing faith in democracy and in the US as a partner for a better future.A credible and effective US policy would also respond to the humanitarian disaster that has befallen the Venezuela people. More than 5 million Venezuelans have fled their country out of fear of political persecution and in search of economic opportunities. Meanwhile, untold thousands could be dying of Covid-19 due to a collapse of the health care system. In 2019, Doctors for Health found that 70% of Venezuela's public hospitals reported only intermittent access to water, as Human Rights Watch notes.The US should be working with Colombia and Brazil to address this disaster and its spillover throughout the region, specifically by targeting assistance to refugees and the neighboring countries bearing the brunt of the exodus. The US government should also extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Venezuelans in the US, a group that includes approximately 200,000 eligible Venezuelans who have sought refuge from the crisis in their home country, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Biden has pledged that he would do this if elected.Venezuela's government accused of committing crimes against humanity in UN report Rather than doubling down on cruel policies and draconian economic sanctions that squeeze the Venezuelan people -- but benefit the Maduro regime by offering him cover for his economic failures -- a new US-Venezuela policy should seek to help "el pueblo," the people.America's failed policies on Cuba should be a lesson, and Venezuela should not fall victim to a repeat of that anachronistic approach. For decades, we have provided the Cuban regime with an excuse for its own failed economic policies, and now we are doing the same for Venezuela. Never-ending sanctions on Cuba have not resulted in regime change. That tactic will not work in Venezuela either. Sweeping economic sanctions primarily hurt the people of these countries and make them ever more prostrate before their authoritarian governments. You can see that in the hours-long lines for food in Havana and the hours-long lines for gas in Caracas. How Trump compares -- or not -- with Latin American strongmenTargeted sanctions on specific individuals in the Maduro government, military, and security services would be more effective. By the end of 2019, and almost a year after the United States imposed broad economic and oil sanctions on Venezuela, 96% of households in Venezuela were living in poverty, and of that number, 79% in extreme poverty. Yet, Maduro remained in power. US sanctions should target Venezuelan nationals supporting and funding Maduro; those who commit human rights violations; those who undermine democratic processes and institutions like the National Electoral Council (CNE); and those who run drug trafficking and money laundering operations. The blunt tool of general sanctions further degrades the poor economic conditions in which the majority of Venezuelans now live. We are deepening their suffering rather than providing leverage for a solution.Current US-Venezuela policy also pushes Venezuela closer to Russia, China, and Iran. Over the last several years, we have seen these countries lending to the Venezuelan government, taking control of the Venezuelan oil sector, and most recently, allegedly buying Venezuelan gold in exchange for gasoline.The situation in Venezuela is heartbreaking. The sooner free and fair elections can be held to elect a new leader, the better. Under a Biden administration, the US will regain its leadership in the region and work toward that day when Venezuela sees there is a peaceful, democratic transition. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
0673f769-1b17-4ff9-a871-0ea1aaf1e7b3 | null | Washington (CNN)North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch has raised alarm across Asia and in Washington. Pyongyang, with its ruthless leader and laser focus on attaining nuclear weapons that can strike the US, is arguably the toughest foreign policy challenge facing the Trump administration.North Korea scares the region and has stymied past US presidents. Trump administration officials have warned that "all options are on the table" for responding to Pyongyang. It's fair to say none of them are good, but what they?1. Economic pressure The US and United Nations have introduced sanctions that make it hard for North Korea to use the international financial system or for its businesses to function abroad. But they haven't changed Pyongyang's trajectory. Read MoreNow, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has put countries on notice that if they or their companies help North Korea -- also known as the DPRK -- they'll face penalties. That mostly means China, which accounts for 90% of North Korea's trade. That doesn't seem to be working yet. Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter. So much for China working with us - but we had to give it a try!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2017
North Korea has been accused of funding its missile program through illicit dealings across the globe -- with crimes such as hacking banks, selling weapons, dealing drugs, counterfeiting cash and even trafficking endangered species. The secrets behind Kim Jong Un's personal piggy bankThese operations are believed to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars and allow Pyongyang to pursue its nuclear ambitions as sanctions cripple the country's economy, according to analysts who spoke to CNN.Experts say shutting off that revenue may prove difficult, like playing a game of international whack-a-mole, due to North Korea's adaptive overseas network used to nest and disguise their illicit business amongst legal trade activities.2. Cyber and information warsThis could involve penetrating North Korea with news about the outside world, to undermine the regime's control. Another approach would be cyber attacks to disrupt Pyongyang's weapons programs -- though experts say that would only delay, rather than stop them.3. Diplomatic dialoguePrevious US administrations have tried dialogue -- past talks have included South Korea, Japan, China and Russia. They haven't worked. For 20 years, North Korea has promised to drop its nuclear program in exchange for aid and sanctions relief -- and then broken those promises. Earlier this year, Trump said he would be willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "under the right circumstances" to defuse tensions over North Korea's nuclear program.No sitting US president has ever met with the leader of North Korea while in power, and the idea is extremely controversial, but some lawmakers have said they would be willing to support the idea following Pyongyang's latest missile test. 4. An international pressure campaignThis is new, and we'll see how it works. In April, Tillerson asked all UN members to fully implement sanctions; to cut or downgrade diplomatic relations with North Korea; and increase its financial isolation. And he issued a threat to UN members that don't comply."It's a pressure campaign that has a knob on it," Tillerson told State Department employees May 3. "I'd say we're at about dial setting five or six right now."Though Tillerson did not specify how those third-country sanctions would work, part of the strategy involves asking countries around the globe to scale back their diplomatic relationships with Pyongyang.5. Regime change The Trump administration has sent mixed messages on this. In April, Tillerson said regime change -- removing leader Kim Jong Un -- wasn't the goal. CIA chief signals desire for regime change in North KoreaIn July, CIA Chief Mike Pompeo said it might be. He said that while a denuclearized Korean peninsula would be great, the most dangerous thing about those weapons is the man who wields them: "So from the administration's perspective," he said, "the most important thing we can do is separate those two. Right?" Pompeo admitted during a Q&A that there are risks to this approach, namely, what would come next? 6. Military forceNo one wants this, but the Trump administration says it's ready to use muscle to back its diplomacy. Analysts raise a couple of issues, one being former Secretary of State Colin Powell's Pottery Barn rule of foreign relations: you break it, you own it. A military operation against North Korea would saddle the US with expanded costs and responsibility on the peninsula. It would roil Asia and China, perhaps with unintended consequences. And while all war game scenarios show the US winning a military confrontation, that victory comes at the cost of hundreds of thousands of deaths, mostly in South Korea. | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
c0f0d86e-67a3-4e1c-8cc8-77e3a6368ce7 | null | (CNN)German officials on Thursday said a possible Islamist terror attack on a synagogue in the western city of Hagen was averted after authorities were tipped off. "We received a very specific and serious tipoff that an attack on the synagogue could take place during the Yom Kippur festival. A reference was made to an Islamist-motivated threat situation," German regional interior minister Herbert Reul said at a press conference Thursday. "In concrete terms: a specific time, place and perpetrator were named," he said.Reul said that a 16-year-old Syrian was among four people arrested in connection with the threat on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Reuters reported that officers with machine guns were seen around the location for several hours on Wednesday evening.Read MoreIn 2019, a gunman in the eastern German town of Halle killed two people and injured several others, in an antisemitic rampage on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Thursday that security forces were doing everything they could to ensure people's safety."After the attack on the synagogue in Halle on the highest Jewish holiday Yom Kippur two years ago, a young person shouted to me: You can't protect us! In Hagen, a synagogue was now once again seriously threatened, presumably with Islamist motives," Seehofer said in a statement."This time, the security authorities were quicker. We are doing everything humanly possible to protect our people. Never again must Jews live in fear in our country. There is no place for anti-Semites in our society."Germans are due to vote in parliamentary elections on September 26, after which longtime German Chancellor Angela Merkel will step down. Two of those hoping to take her place at the helm -- Armin Laschet, of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party, and Olaf Scholz, of the Social Democratic Party -- condemned the reported threat to the synagogue in Hagen."The police [in North Rhine-Westphalia] may have prevented a cruel attack on Jewish life in Hagen," tweeted Laschet, who is governor of North Rhine-Westphalia. "This threat situation shows that the fight against international terrorism continues to be one of the great challenges of our time.""It hurts that Jews in Hagen are exposed to such a threatening situation and cannot celebrate Yom Kippur together. It is our duty to do everything to protect them and to intervene immediately in case of danger," Scholz tweeted.Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that the Halle attack took place in 2019.CNN's Claudia Otto contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
5543d20b-ffe2-466a-81f9-202fb29a7df8 | null | (CNN)Serena Williams' quest for a 24th Grand Slam title continued Saturday but she had to rally against a rejuvenated Sloane Stephens at the US Open. Williams lost the first set before prevailing 2-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the fourth round, her serve -- and legendary desire to win -- playing a big factor at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. Fans are being kept away this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the tournament operating a bubble similar to other sports. But there watching Williams was her daughter, Olympia, and husband Alexis Ohanian. JUST WATCHEDAlexis Ohanian on his hopes for Angel City and the wider worldReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAlexis Ohanian on his hopes for Angel City and the wider world 03:52The 38-year-old Williams faces another stern test on Monday when she meets Greece's Maria Sakkari -- who beat her last week. The turnaround for Williams against Stephens came at 2-2 in the second, when she saved a break point before breaking for 4-2 against the 2017 champion. Read MoreThrough the first five games of the second set, Stephens -- who wore a Black Lives Matter mask entering the court -- had been getting much the better of the baseline exchanges. She hit 13 winners and only five unforced errors in ground stroke exchanges while Williams tallied 14 unforced errors and just seven winners. After the key two-game swing, though, Williams raised her game. She didn't face another break point and finished with 12 aces. When Williams broke for 3-1 in the third, Stephens' chances all but evaporated. Confidence boostThe victory is sure to be a confidence booster for Williams after suffering upset quarterfinal losses at two warmup events when she held commanding leads. That included against Sakkari at the Western & Southern Open, when Williams led by a set and 5-3. If she goes all the way in New York, Williams would tie Margaret Court for the all-time lead in Grand Slam titles. Even in defeat, it's the type of outing that could kick-start Stephens' career. No one has ever questioned her talent but Stephens has struggled since reaching the French Open final in 2018. She entered the US Open with a 1-7 record in 2020 and only got a seeding of 26th when other players pulled out of the draw. Besides Williams' family, fellow players Naomi Osaka, Dominic Thiem, Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova took in the action from their luxury suites on Arthur Ashe that would otherwise go to corporate sponsors and guests. JUST WATCHEDA rare audience with Richard WilliamsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA rare audience with Richard Williams 05:11Saturday's most dramatic contest saw Karolina Muchova -- who beat Venus Williams in the first round -- save three match points to defeat Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2 2-6 7-6 (7). The Czech became the latest player to save match points en route to victory this week, following Andy Murray, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Cameron Norrie and Varvara Gracheva. In a sizable upset in the men's draw, Canada's unseeded Vasek Pospisil beat Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5 2-6 4-6 6-3 6-2. The eighth-seeded Spaniard came close to ending Novak Djokovic's unblemished 2020 record last week at the Western & Southern Open in New York. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
dbb75bee-443d-46a4-afc2-90da94392eca | null | Story highlightsKnox was cleared in the 2007 death of her roommateThe defense maintains prosecutors can't prove her involvementKnox spent four years behind bars Who is Amanda Knox? Is she a two-faced she-devil, angelic and compassionate to some but Satanic and Lucifer-like to others? That's what Carlo Pacelli, the lawyer for a man Knox falsely accused in the 2007 murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, called her as he summed up his case last week.Is she "Foxy Knoxy," as the British tabloid press leered and sneered at her within hours of her exoneration in Kercher's murder Monday? Or is she the fresh-faced girl from Seattle she still appears to be, even after spending nearly four years behind bars before her conviction was quashed?Is Knox simply the victim of character assassination, painted falsely as a "femme fatale" by prosecutors and media the world over? Defense lawyer Giulia Bongiorno advanced that theory in her own closing argument. She compared Knox to Jessica Rabbit, the hourglass-shaped, husky-voiced cartoon character who insists in the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" that she's not bad, she's just "drawn that way."JUST WATCHEDWas Italy fair to Amanda Knox?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWas Italy fair to Amanda Knox? 02:48JUST WATCHEDSocial media buzzing over Knox rulingReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSocial media buzzing over Knox ruling 01:11JUST WATCHED'Joy' in Seattle as Knox set freeReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH'Joy' in Seattle as Knox set free 01:26JUST WATCHEDWho was Meredith Kercher?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWho was Meredith Kercher? 02:34Five women and three men on a jury here weighed in decisively on who Knox is Monday, throwing out the five most serious charges she was originally convicted of in connection with Kercher's death and releasing her from prison. Audible gasp in courtroom as verdict is readThe jury also freed Raffaele Sollecito, her former boyfriend who became her co-defendant.Their release came at the end of an appeal lasting just over four months and feeling much more like a re-trial than an appeal as understood in the United States or Kercher's native Britain. Lawyers battled on two fronts -- DNA evidence and Knox's character.Police scientists argued that a knife found at Sollecito's home had traces of Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's DNA on the handle. And they testified that a bra clasp belonging to Kercher and found in her room had Sollecito's genetic material on it.Experts appointed by the court questioned police handling of the evidence, suggesting authorities' sloppiness could make the DNA results unreliable and should make them inadmissible in court. Prosecution witnesses, meanwhile, maintained that the tests were valid -- leading to highly technical and sometimes heated courtroom arguments and prompting the prosecution to ask for new DNA tests, a request the judge rejected.No end to Knox as pop culture obsessionKnox and Sollecito do not have airtight alibis for the night of November 1, 2007, when Kercher's throat was slashed, her semi-naked body left under a bed cover.Their cell phones and Sollecito's computer were switched off at the time of the murder, depriving them of potentially exculpatory evidence. But while they cannot prove they were not at the scene of the crime, their defense team says the prosecution cannot prove that they were. There was no physical trace of them in the room where Kercher died, Knox and Sollecito's lawyers insisted.They argued that the crime was solely the work of drifter Rudy Guede, who was convicted separately and is serving 16 years. His DNA was all over the crime scene, the defense said.That may have been enough for the jury to set Knox and Sollecito free.Defense lawyer Luciano Ghirga reminded the jury repeatedly Monday morning that the prosecution needed to prove its case "beyond a reasonable doubt" -- a standard he made a point of saying was rooted in Italian law and was not imported from America, in a nod to the nationalistic tensions that have sometimes seemed to underpin this case.The jury must have had sufficient doubts to overturn a verdict rendered by eight of their compatriots less than two years ago. That means that either Knox and Sollecito were the victims of a miscarriage of justice then, or that Kercher is now.Only Knox and Sollecito themselves may know which it is -- because nearly four years after Kercher's death, incontrovertible evidence about whether Knox and Sollecito were involved remains maddeningly elusive. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
6d703d2d-fb1a-4a2b-af93-b644529dbd9d | null | Story highlightsChelsea overturn first leg deficit to beat Steaua Bucharest and reach last eightInter Milan perform heroics but still exit against Spurs in thrilling 4-4 aggregate drawLazio, Benfica, Fenerbahce, Newcastle and two Russian sides also into quartersThe story was the same that Fernando Torres has been writing ever since he joined Chelsea from Liverpool for the enormous sum of £50 million ($80 million) in January 2011. Having secured Chelsea's passage to the Europa League quarterfinals by scoring the goal that ultimately knocked out Romania's Steaua Bucharest, Torres then had the chance to embellish a rare display of confidence with a late penalty. Could this be the moment that the Spaniard, who looked unusually fired up after being denied what he thought was a penalty before then suffering a bloodied nose, finally began to feel settled at Stamford Bridge? For those who have followed Torres' stop-start Blues career, the scenario was all too familiar as he crashed his 86th minute penalty against the crossbar - before looking to the heavens in despair. That he was even prepared to take the penalty told its own story for a man who can boast World Cup and European Championship medals is not known for his prowess nor confidence from the spot. Indeed, when he stepped up against Sunderland in a 3-1 league win at the Stadium of Light last December, the successful effort was -- remarkably -- the first he had ever scored in the Premier League since arriving in 2007. JUST WATCHEDPetr Cech: Refs need to be more openReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHPetr Cech: Refs need to be more open 01:19JUST WATCHEDIs there a crisis in English football?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIs there a crisis in English football? 03:16JUST WATCHEDDidi Hamann on beating AC MilanReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHDidi Hamann on beating AC Milan 02:43With reports surfacing of Torres having turned down the chance to join big-spending Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, this seemed the chance for the striker, who celebrates his 29th birthday next week, to banish his woes and restore that absent friend of his: confidence. But as the ball cannoned against the woodwork, the former Atletico Madrid star may have felt that there is an invisible barrier blocking his path at Chelsea. "He was working hard and he took his chance great -- but obviously, it's a pity that the penalty didn't go in for him," said Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. Nonetheless, Torres' strike in the 71st minute was enough to see Chelsea through on a tense night -- meaning the Blues stay on course to become the first side to win UEFA's top two club competitions in reverse order in successive seasons. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in the Romanian capital, Rafa Benitez's side leveled matters as Juan Mata squeezed the ball home after 33 minutes -- but Vlad Chiriches' equalizer (and away goal) on the stroke of half time gave the game a very different complexion. Making a rare start after a season disrupted by knee problems, captain John Terry restored Chelsea's lead before Torres scored only his second goal in 20 games to register a 3-2 aggregate win. The victory capped a productive night for English clubs as Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle managed to partly atone for the failure of their Premier League counterparts in the Champions League -- none of whom made it into the last eight. Spurs were involved in the day's most dramatic game as they took a 3-0 lead to Inter Milan -- only to find themselves level on aggregate after 90 minutes as the rampant Italians scored through the lively Antonio Cassano, Rodrigo Palacio and a William Gallas own goal. But six minutes into extra-time, the previously quiet Emmanuel Adebayor silenced Inter's fans when poking home a vital away goal. The Togolese boasted the unusual record of having scored for Spurs against Inter at the same San Siro stadium where he had netted for Arsenal against AC Milan -- a rare feat -- but this was a mere aside when Alvarez made it 4-4 on aggregate with ten minutes to go. JUST WATCHEDAlex Ferguson: 'Racism still exists'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAlex Ferguson: 'Racism still exists' 03:29JUST WATCHEDJerome Valcke: Match-fixing a 'disease'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJerome Valcke: Match-fixing a 'disease' 02:35But Tottenham -- who badly missed the suspended Gareth Bale -- held on, to leave coach Andre Villas-Boas with the chance of repeating the 2011 Europa League triumph he achieved with Porto. "We have learned massively from our last two ties in the competition, against Lyon and Inter," said the visibly-drained 35-year-old after the game. While Spurs hung on for victory, Newcastle achieved theirs deep in stoppage time as Papiss Demba Cisse headed home -- at home -- against Anzhi Makhachkala for a 1-0 aggregate win. Russian clubs had a mixed night with Rubin Kazan winning 2-0 at home against Levante, but only after extra-time, while Zenit St Petersburg went out against Basel, beaten 2-1 on aggregate after Roman Shirokov failed to score an 86th-minute penalty that would have taken the game into extra-time. Elsewhere, Libor Kozak scored a hat-trick as Lazio completed a comfortable 5-1 aggregate win over Stuttgart with a 3-1 win in Rome while Portugal's Benfica, one of the strongest teams left in the Europa League, knocked out Bordeaux 4-2. Fenerbahce joined Champions League quarterfinalists Galatasaray in extending Istanbul's interest in European competition as they completed a 2-1 aggregate win over Czech side Viktoria Plzen. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
5adedf69-1482-4a44-8ffe-ecf6f01f1e0a | null | Here's a look at the life of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.Personal:Birth date: April 3, 1930Death date: June 16, 2017Birth place: Ludwigshafen am Rhine (in Rhineland-Palatinate), GermanyBirth name: Helmut Michael KohlRead MoreFather: Hans Kohl, a civil servantMother: Cacilie (Schnur) KohlMarriages: Maike (Richter) Kohl (May 8, 2008-his death); Hannelore (Renner) Kohl (June 27, 1960-July 5, 2001, her death)Children: with Hannelore Renner: Peter and WalterEducation: University of Frankfurt; University of Heidelberg, Ph.D., 1958Religion: Roman CatholicOther Facts:Kohl worked for German reunification, campaigning in East Germany for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and getting NATO and the Soviet Union's approval. Timeline: 1947 - Begins working in the Christian Democratic Union. 1959-1976 - Serves in the legislature of the West German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.1969-1976 - Serves as minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate.June 12, 1973-September 27, 1998 - Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union.October 1976-October 2, 1990 - A member of the Bundestag, West Germany's lower house of parliament.October 1, 1982-October 2, 1990 - Chancellor of West Germany.1988 - Along with then French President Francois Mitterrand, Kohl receives the Charlemagne Award for efforts towards European unification.October 3, 1990 - West and East Germany are reunified. October 3, 1990-September 27, 1998 - Chancellor of Germany.October 3, 1990-September 12, 2002 - A member of Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.1992 - Chairman of the Group of Seven.October 1998 - Is named Honorary Citizen of Europe for his work in the integration of Europe.April 20, 1999 - Is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US President Bill Clinton at the White House.November 30, 1999 - Admits that he accepted anonymous political donations between 1993 and 1998, totaling more than $1 million. Acceptance of such funds is a crime under German law.2000 - A criminal investigation is launched about the illegal fundraising. Kohl refuses to discuss details of the funds and is harshly criticized for his role in the scandal.February 8, 2001 - The criminal investigation into illegal fundraising is dropped, and Kohl agrees to pay a fine of 300,000 German marks ($142,000).November 2004 and 2005 - Publishes memoirs, "Memories: 1930-1982" and "Memories: 1982-1990."December 2004 - Kohl is in Sri Lanka on vacation when the tsunami hits and is rescued by the Sri Lankan Air Force.April 3, 2006 - Receives the Class One order of the Terra Mariana Cross from the government of Estonia for his support of Estonia's bid for independence.February 28, 2008 - Is hospitalized after falling and fracturing a hip at his house in Ludwigshafen. October 31, 2009 - Meets with former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev and former US President George H.W. Bush in Berlin to mark the upcoming 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. March 1, 2016 - German tabloid Bild reports that Kohl is suing ghostwriter Heribert Schwan, publisher Random House and author Tilman Jens over an unauthorized biography of the former chancellor, asking for five million euros in damages and claiming breach of trust. Germany's top court in 2015 sided with Kohl against Schwan, ruling that the biographer could not use quotes from conversations the two held for the purpose of Kohl's official memoir and banning further print runs.June 16, 2017 - Kohl dies at the age of 87. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
4d13e7da-db79-4e75-93b4-64887d9fecdd | null | Story highlightsWorld No. 2 Rory McIlroy finishes second at the Texas Open on SundayMartin Laird, ranked 117th, surges up the leaderboard to claim PGA Tour winThe Scot earns a place at the Masters after his first victory since 2011McIlroy returns to form with a 66 with his best finish in the U.S. since last yearWhile Rory McIlroy was steadily playing himself into form for this week's Masters, an unexpected challenger came through to earn a place at Augusta with a shock win at the Texas Open on Sunday.Scottish golfer Martin Laird fired nine-under-par 63 in the final round, with birdies at his last three holes, to end McIlroy's hopes of a morale-boosting victory.The world No. 2, who canceled a humanitarian trip to Haiti last week to make a late entry in San Antonio, had to settle for second place after closing with 66. "Even though I didn't get the trophy, Martin was just too good today -- 63 in these conditions is just phenomenal," McIlroy said.It was his best finish in the U.S. since winning last September's BMW Championship, which helped the Northern Irishman top the money list before adding the European Tour title to his swag. Read: Cactus pricks sparks McIlroy revival"I'm really pleased with my game and I think this has been a great week for me," he said.JUST WATCHEDCNN Explains: The MastersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Explains: The Masters 02:16JUST WATCHEDBubba Watson's hovercraft is for real ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBubba Watson's hovercraft is for real 02:23JUST WATCHEDExclusive: McIlroy on media scrutinyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHExclusive: McIlroy on media scrutiny 02:50JUST WATCHEDWatch Watson's 'Golf Boys 2.OH' videoReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWatch Watson's 'Golf Boys 2.OH' video 01:55The 23-year-old has struggled this season following his reported $250 million switch to Nike equipment, and surrendered the No. 1 ranking to Tiger Woods last month."Just eliminating the stupid mistakes that I was making on the course, mental errors, and to finish off this tournament in the way I did today is great going into Augusta," McIlroy said.Laird triumphed by two shots as he earned his third PGA Tour win, and his first since 2011, as he ended a run of 14 American winners on the PGA Tour this season.Read: McIlroy - I know what I'm doingThe 30-year-old, ranked 117th in the world before this tournament, had missed the cut in half of his eight starts this year, with a best finish of 34th."It's unbelievable. I've been asked probably 30 times in the last couple of weeks 'Are you in Augusta? Are you in Augusta?' and I've had to say 'No' and every time it kind of hurt me a little bit after playing the last couple," Laird said."So that was my major motivation to try to get back into tournaments like that this year, and this win goes a long way in doing that."Read: 'Dufnering' craze grips golfOvernight leader Billy Horschel missed out on his first victory -- and a Masters debut -- as a 71 left him three shots behind Laird.He tied for third with 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk and another American, Charley Hoffman -- who both shot 69.Veteran Korean K.J. Choi was sixth on nine-under 279, five shots off the winner. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
09ce70ad-8e77-45c1-83ae-252ad31b794d | null | Story highlightsRoger Federer loses to Kevin Anderson in Wimbledon quarterfinalsEight-time champion goes down 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-4 13-11Novak Djokovic advances with win over Kei NishikoriDjokovic to face Rafael Nadal (CNN)In unfamiliar surroundings at Wimbledon, Roger Federer suffered an unfamiliar defeat against a big server who just didn't flinch. Follow @cnnsport
Federer blew a match point and two-set lead to Kevin Anderson, 2-6 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-4 13-11, in a four-hour, 14-minute quarterfinal played away from his backyard of Centre Court on Wednesday. His great rival, Rafael Nadal, narrowly avoided an upset to conclude the day, coming from behind to top Juan Martin del Potro in an even more mesmerizing 7-5 6-7 (7-9) 4-6 6-4 6-4, nearly five-hour slugfest. Those who stayed behind on Centre Court to watch that one instead of England's semifinal against Croatia at the World Cup at the same time were thus highly rewarded. Roger Federer leans into a forehand in his match with Kevin Anderson.The 17-time grand slam champion set a blockbuster clash with the rejuvenated and more rested Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, who owns 12 majors, had a relatively straight forward outing, prevailing 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-2 over Kei Nishikori in two and a half hours to begin the festivities on Centre. Read MoreFederer, unusually, won't be in the last four at Wimbledon. "It's disappointing losing the next two sets after winning the first two and having match points," Federer told reporters. "I've been there before. I know what kind of energy I need to bring to the fifth. I was able to bring that."I didn't feel mental fatigue. Now I feel horribly fatigued and just awful. It's just terrible. But that's how it goes. Credit to him."Rare lossesIt was Federer's first reverse at SW19 since the 2016 semifinal against Milos Raonic. That one, too, went to five sets. And not since 2011 against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had Federer fallen from two sets up in southwest London. READ: Serena rallies into semifinalsREAD: Federer's Wimbledon queue dreamFederer shut down his season due to knee problems after that loss to Raonic, and given some of the Swiss' errors Wednesday, one had to wonder if the 36-year-old was feeling something physically. Federer did take a tumble in the second set after engineering a stunning lob. He didn't mention an injury post match but said simply that he was "average," a word not normally associated with Federer. But keep an eye on his August schedule. "It's just not one of my best days, but they don't happen very often either," said Federer. "It's one of those average days you have to try to win the match, and I just couldn't get it done today." In a rarity at Wimbledon, Roger Federer exited prior to the semifinals.The contest took place on Court 1, the first time the eight-time champion played at Wimbledon outside Centre Court since 2015 when he was in the midst of a four-and-a-half year grand slam drought. There were no such issues for the evergreen Federer entering this Wimbledon. He had won three of the last four grand slams he contested to lift his tally to 20 overall and was the favorite to add to that haul come Sunday evening, especially since the world No. 2 hadn't dropped a set through four rounds -- or even his serve. The fifth-set score was reminiscent of the 2009 Wimbledon final which Federer claimed 16-14 in the final set over the unfortunate Andy Roddick. Roddick was only broken once that day. Anderson wasn't as prolific on serve but the US Open finalist wasn't broken in the final three sets. He saved his lone break point of the fifth at 3-4 with a potent delivery and finished with 28 aces. Then Anderson broke through at 11-11, aided by a Federer double fault at 30-all. In the past the eighth seed has sometimes struggled to close out matches but there was no issue Wednesday. Roger Federer puts his hand to his brow."I think the toughest thing players face when going out playing somebody like Roger in this setting is giving yourself a chance," said Anderson, who lost all eight of his previous sets against Federer. "I feel like the times that I've played him before, or other guys sort of with his ranking and history, I haven't really allowed myself to play."The first set was an example of that. I was really proud of myself the way I was able to relax, play my game. That's a big goal that I've had. Even if I'd lost that match in three sets or four sets, I still actually made some progress on that front."Obviously it's infinitely better winning that match."Anderson will now face former college rival John Isner in what will be a battle of two of the biggest servers in tennis. Isner -- into his first grand slam semifinal -- struck 25 aces to fend off his fellow ace king, Raonic, 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 6-3. He hasn't been broken yet. All this after saving two match points in the second round against Ruben Bemelmans. Kevin Anderson celebrates after beating Roger Federer.Fed starts strongWhen Federer broke Anderson in the first game, there were flashes of the 2014 semifinal against Raonic when he did the same. It set the tone. Breaking for a second time to end the set in 25 minutes, no one could have forecast the drama that was to come. "First set, felt great," said Federer. "Reading the serve. He wasn't getting many aces. When I was on, I was making him play. From the baseline I felt like I could mix it up, play aggressive. "There was a lot going on."As the match went on, I couldn't surprise him any more. That's a bad feeling to have."Anderson broke for 2-0 in the second set, becoming the first player since Tomas Berdych in last year's semifinal to take the Federer serve at Wimbledon. But aided by a majestic defensive lob that turned into a winner in the corner, Federer broke back for 2-3 and to add to Anderson's frustration, he sent a forehand into the net on break point in the sixth game.How costly was the fall, though? Federer didn't say. Winning the tiebreak, Federer appeared to be on his way to victory. Holding match point at 5-4 in the third on Anderson's serve, a penetrating ground stroke from Anderson forced a backhand passing error from the top seed. READ: Isner makes first quarterfinalREAD: Federer has dream to visit Wimbledon queueSouth Africa's Kevin Anderson at Wimbledon.Federer, atypically, seemed rattled. He was broken for 5-6 and failed to take advantage of 0-40 on the Anderson serve in the ensuing game. It was becoming a struggle for Federer and even more so when the Florida-based South African forced a fifth set. Anderson capitalized at 11-11 and hung on for the biggest win of his career, becoming the fourth man to overcome a match point on the way to knocking out Federer at a major. Roger Federer thanks the Wimbledon crowd after losing to Kevin Anderson.Nadal escapesNadal downed del Potro for the second time in several weeks at a grand slam, having bettered the Argentine in straight sets at the French Open en route to an 11th title. Up a set and leading the second-set tiebreak 6-3, he was well on his way to another comfortable victory. But the injury-ravaged fifth seed recovered, assisted by a Nadal double fault on the third set point. In the gripping fifth set, del Potro dived at volleys, slipped several times and unleashed his laser like forehand. Nadal slipped himself on consecutive points at 2-2 and at one stage went into the stands chasing a del Potro smash. A front-row seat on Centre Court...#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/RATrKv9Xiy— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2018
Broken for 2-3 in the fifth, del Potro subsequently missed five break chances in the next two return games. On one, with Nadal completely out of position, he mishit a forehand. The crowd groaned. "I am very happy the way that I survived a lot of important points in that fifth set," said Nadal. "I think I did a lot of things well. I went to the net. In general terms, have been a positive match. Only negative thing is I played almost five hours, and I had the chance maybe to play less winning that second set."Del Potro concluded the encounter on the floor again, losing his footing as Nadal put away a volley. When the 2009 US Open winner got up, Nadal was there to hug him. "We have a lot of respect for each other. Rafa is a great champion," said del Potro. Djokovic told Serbian media he requested a slot on Centre Court -- having played once on the main stage this fortnight -- and the three-time champ got his wish. Visit our tennis page for more news and contentFederer will have to wait until next year to return to the court he has owned. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
e9bdbdeb-18c2-4ea6-a3b0-fda63d54eb42 | null | Story highlightsNick Kyrgios takes down Roger Federer in surprise win at Madrid OpenFederer said after the match, "no doubt about it, it was impressive" (CNN)Young Aussie tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios has claimed another major scalp with victory over world No. 2 Roger Federer in Madrid. In addition to beating then-world No. 1 Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last July, the 20-year old defied expectations to down the Swiss master at the Madrid Open with a stunning 6-7 (7-2) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (14-12) victory. The weight of meeting one of his childhood heroes on court did not appear to bow Kyrgios, who beat the elder statesman, and one of the most successful players in the history of the sport, in just over two and a half hours. Blessed to play one of my childhood heroes in Roger Federer. Blessed to get the win tonight 7-6 6-7 7-6 (14-12).— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) May 6, 2015
"Before the match I didn't feel nervous or anything like that," said Kyrgios, who on Sunday missed out on his first top-level title when he was beaten in the Estoril Open final in Portugal. "I was just excited to get out to the court. I've been playing well recently on the clay, so I knew I had a good chance to go out there and do well. I stuck to my game and served well and I got the win."Read MoreAfter the younger player -- ranked 35th in the world -- broke his serve in the first game, Federer used his greater maturity to steady the ship, and ended up taking the set to a tie break. There was some bad temper from both players during the first set, with Kyrgios cautioned for unsportsmanlike behavior. Federer gamely tried to see off the Australian, but ultimately youthful zest won out over experience. After the match, Federer was reflective."It's a big stage, you know? And he -- he has nothing to lose, he has no fear and he's got a great game so he could rely on his serve so much that it keeps him in the match regardless of how he plays from the baseline," the 17-time grand slam winner said. Swiss tennis player Roger Federer reacts after loosing against Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios during the Madrid Open.His serve indeed was on fire, with Federer only able to win 18 of 85 first-serve return points."All he needs to do is string a few good shots, a few good points together when it really matters. It was one of those matches but no doubt about it, it was impressive," said Federer, who on Sunday won the 85th title of his glittering career at the inaugural Istanbul Open in Turkey. Krygios, the youngest player in the ATP Tour's Top 50, took to Twitter after the match to admit that the encounter had left him "buzzing."Getting some physio and massage then it's bed for me, if I can sleep. #Buzzing— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) May 6, 2015
He next faces John Isner of the U.S. in the third round, while third seed Nadal -- who beat 54th-ranked American Steve Johnson in his opening match -- will continue the defense of his title against Italy's Simone Bolelli. World No. 4 Nadal, who is struggling on his favorite clay surface ahead of the French Open, will again face Kyrgios if they both reach the semifinals."I know things are going to work out," said the Spaniard, who lost in the last 16 in Barcelona and was beaten in the Monte Carlo semis by top-ranked Novak Djokovic."I haven't lost my game. I just need to build my confidence and it'll work out. I know that either sooner or later it will come back. That's what I want to think. I'm convinced about it. It's matter of time. Let's see when it happens."Read: Cheeky Federer's royal baby tweet | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
b2596be4-882b-4069-b4a4-3b028d03ad01 | null | (CNN)Iranian female soccer fans entered the national stadium for the first time in 40 years Thursday to watch their side thrash Cambodia 14-0 in Tehran.Iran's ban on women attending sports stadiums is not written into law but was put in place shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.Iranian women cheer during a soccer match between their national team and Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019.But following pressure from human rights group and the sport's world governing body FIFA, Iran agreed to permit women to enter the stadium.The initial allocation of 3,500 tickets for female fans was quickly sold out -- reportedly in under an hour -- before an additional 1,100 were released for the World Cup qualifier."This is a very positive step forward, and one which FIFA, and especially Iranian girls and women, have been eagerly waiting for," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.Read More"The passion, joy and enthusiasm they showed today was remarkable to see and encourages us even more to continue the path we have started. History teaches us that progress comes in stages and this is just the beginning of a journey."Consequently, FIFA now looks more than ever towards a future when all girls and women wishing to attend football matches in Iran will be free to do so, and in a safe environment. There can be no stopping or turning back now."Inside the stadium, those present were treated to 14 unanswered goals by the home team as it made light work of 169th ranked Cambodia.An Iranian woman cheers during the World Cup qualification match between Iran and Cambodia at the Azadi stadium in the capital Tehran on October 10, 2019.Karim Ansarifard scored four and Zenit St. Petersburg striker Sardar Azmoun netted a hat-trick in a game that Iran led 7-0 at the interval.Cambodia's misery was compounded by a second-half penalty miss against its 23rd ranked host.An Iranian woman wearing her country's national colours arrives at the Azadi stadium.READ: Iranian women allowed to enter stadium for World Cup clashREAD: FIFA 'assured' women can attend soccer matches'Discriminatory, deceptive, dangerous'While Thursday's game marks a step forward for Iranian women watching football matches, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called the cap of 4,600 female fans "discriminatory, deceptive, and dangerous."Iranian women cheer during the World Cup qualification match between Iran and Cambodia at the Azadi stadium in the capital Tehran."The effective 5% quota on seats for women contravenes FIFA's constitution, statutes, and its human rights policy," the organization said."Article 4 of its statutes states that discrimination against women 'is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion' of the FIFA member.'"When asked if these conditions truly meet its statutes that prohibit gender discrimination, FIFA told CNN: "FIFA's stance on the access of women to the stadiums in Iran has been firm and clear: women have to be allowed into football stadiums in Iran. For all football matches.Female football fans show their support ahead of the World Cup Qualifier between Iran and Cambodia at Azadi Stadium on October 10, 2019."In line with our stance, we are working to ensure the safe access of women to tomorrow's FIFA World Cup qualifier between Iran and Cambodia. We reaffirm our position that the number of women in the stadium needs to be determined by the demand for such tickets, without any arbitrary limitation being imposed."Further details on the next steps to be implemented to ensure the future access of women to the stadiums in Iran will follow once we have performed a thorough assessment of Thursday's match based on the input provided by the FIFA delegation that is present in Tehran."The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) was not immediately available for comment.On Tuesday, Iranian Twitter users started using the hashtag #WakeUpFIFA, urging world football's governing body to allow more women to attend the qualifier against Cambodia.Iranians in Iran are tweeting with #WakeUpFIFA hoping that @FIFAcom could ensure that all women who want to watch the Oct. 10th game can attend the stadium. Government has capped the seats for women at 3500.@HRW thinks the cap is discriminatory & dangerous.https://t.co/K1qJ3agCg6 https://t.co/CovCbdLdiE— Tara Sepehri Far (@sepehrifar) October 8, 2019 READ: Iranian woman denied soccer stadium access dies after setting herself on fireREAD: FIFA must act after death of Iran's 'Blue Girl', says activistIn recent months, FIFA has come under increasing pressure to force Iran to overturn its ban on women entering sports stadiums, in particular following the death of Sahar Khodayari, a female fan who set herself on fire after she was denied access to a football stadium in Tehran.Dubbed the "Blue Girl" on social media after the colors of her favorite Iranian football team, Esteghlal, Khodayari was charged with "openly committing a sinful act" by "appearing in public without a hijab" when she attempted to enter a stadium "dressed as a man" in March, according to human rights group Amnesty International.Khodayari appeared in a Tehran court last month. When the case was adjourned, she poured gasoline over herself and set herself on fire. She died on Monday September 9.CNN's Matias Grez contributed to this report | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
69afeaf5-5ec0-42a1-ad4c-55430b7c3062 | null | Story highlightsSmart fabrics let you monitor your body's vital signsNew wearable technology could simultaneously act as a remote doctorClothes range from t-shirts and socks to space suits (CNN)To find out all you need to know about your body's vital signs, all you need to do is to get dressed. The burgeoning market for intelligent clothing that can measure stats including your heart and respiratory rate has resulted in a broad range of wearables which could one-day act simultaneously as an on-call doctor."[People] can be monitored 24/7 and not have to be in hospital to do it," says Bennet Fisher, of CircuiteX, the smart fabrics arm of Noble Biomaterials. "The data collected ... can provide a general profile of a person's health."It's all about silverThe technology is based on the use of conductive yarns -- most commonly made with silver -- which are woven into fabrics to act as sensors that detect electrical signals, acting as electrocardiograms (ECGs) and electromyograms (EMGs) to measure heart rate and muscle activity respectively. Read MoreThe silver can either be woven in throughout a piece of clothing or else through tapes or patches sewn into specific regions."You can put it in any close-fitting garment," says Andy Baker, CEO of SmartLife, whose t-shirts and sports bra are set to launch in September 2015. The closer the sensor to the skin, the better the signal detected.Read this: Contact lens with a built-in telescopeSignals are then transmitted to detectors -- in the form of apps on a smartphone or tablet -- easily carried by the wearer. The information collected can also be uploaded to the cloud or sent to a third party, such as a doctor. Baker thinks this line of clothing could revolutionize medical practices."We could put a t-shirt on 20 people in a ward and a clinician can walk in with an i-Pad and see all 20 heart rates," says Baker. The rules of medical approval mean such an application is still a few years away, but Smartlife is targeting medical use by 2017. "We don't want to diagnose, just collect and share the data as they wish," adds Baker.SmartLife's electronic "brain" is hidden in its clothes and converts electrical signals into useful data.The sports-casual lookThe most prominent types of clothing in development were originally intended to monitor athletes as part of their training, but are now set to benefit the health of the general public.T-shirts, sports bras and shorts are currently being trialed by companies such as CircuiteX, SmartLife and Finland-based Clothing+. "If you become ill, in the hospital the doctor will first do some tests like take your pulse, blood pressure and temperature," says Mikko Malmivaara, head of marketing at Clothing+. This baseline information is crucial for doctors to get a snapshot of their patient's state of health. But longer-term data could be even more valuable as a comparison. "If the doctor had access to the patient's biodata from a longer period back, they could make a far better diagnosis, seeing trends in the data," adds Malmivaara.The close-fitting nature of sports shirts and bras makes them a popular choice among those developing the technology, with CircuiteX counting Victoria's Secret and Adidas among its clients now opting to enable their customers to track their vital signs.SmartLife and Clothing+ are also developing health vests to be worn under normal clothing either throughout the day or at crucial times of day -- such as during people's morning routine. The tomography vest developed by Clothing+ is aimed at cardiac patients. "During their normal routines ... the vest scans the lungs for fluid and ... can detect a weakening heart up to 10 days prior to a collapse," claims Malmivaara, who says that one of the symptoms of a failing heart is fluid accumulating in the lungs. Read this: The worms that invade your brainUnder pressureThe versatility of smart fabrics has enabled their use to extend beyond everyday apparel to clothing such as edema socks and materials such as smart bandages. The data collected also extends beyond heart rates to more specific indicators such as inflammation and pressure.Socks designed by Danish company Ohmatex monitor edema -- fluid retention commonly in the feet and legs -- by electronically measuring the circumference of the wearer's leg. The presence of fluid is an early warning sign of heart failure or pre-eclampsia. "Patients can be [made] aware of increased swelling," says Christian Dalsgaard, chief technical officer at Ohmatex. "Edema is not well understood but is an indicator something is wrong," he says.Next on the agenda for SmartLife are compression bandages that use two-way signals in and out of the fabric to track how far a bandage is being stretched, as well as the pressure it's putting on the wearer. This should help medical professionals to apply bandages securely and with more accuracy, in addition to then monitoring any movement in the wearer once fitted. "[Wounds] only heal if they have the correct pressure," says Baker.Getting hot Ohmatex is not prioritizing everyday wearers but instead dedicated professions, ranging from firefighters to astronauts. Among its earlier innovations was the use of temperature sensors in fire suits to prevent firefighters overheating whilst in action, which have now been trialled in U.S. firefighter academies. "Heat stress can make a firefighter collapse due to dehydration and temperature shock," says Dalsgaard. Three signals are collected to monitor the temperature outside of a fire suit and heat levels close to the skin, with alarms then signaling when to leave.Currently in development -- in association with the European Space Agency (ESA) -- is smart clothing for astronauts to monitor muscle activity and wasting whilst in zero gravity. Astronauts need to exercise regularly when in space to prevent their muscles from wasting, as no forces are acting on them to keep them in shape. "If you don't [exercise] your muscles will decrease within 20 to 30 days and you won't walk when you return," says Dalsgaard. Data that gives a clear indication of an astronaut's muscle development could help to personalize their training regime. Dalsgaard hopes his new line of space clothing will be on the catwalks of the International Space Station in 2017. | business | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
198cf8c3-61d0-4d81-9da5-683f93043827 | null | (CNN)Novak Djokovic says his disqualification from the US Open has been a "big lesson" but admits he doesn't think he will "ever forget about it."The Serbian was disqualified last week after hitting a line judge with a ball during his fourth-round game of the grand slam against Pablo Carreno Busta. Djokovic apologized for the incident -- in which he took a ball from his pocket and hit it behind him only for it to strike the judge in the throat -- on social media afterward. Dominic Thiem dedicates US Open win to family after 'so many sacrifices'The world No.1, who says he's checked on the judge, Laura Clark, to make sure she's OK, spoke for the first time since the incident, explaining he was "shaken by the whole thing.""Of course, it was very hard for me to accept right after it happened. For a couple of days, I was in shock and I was shaken by the whole thing," Djokovic said at a news conference in Rome.Read More"There was a lot of speculation about whether it was deserved. I accepted it, I moved on. I checked on Laura after the match, she said that she was fine. I felt really sorry to cause the shock and drama to her because she didn't deserve that in any way."I felt very good about myself, my game. It was totally unexpected and very unintended but, when you hit the ball like that, you have a chance to hit somebody that is on the court. I accepted it and I had to move on. Of course, I didn't forget about it, I don't think I'll ever forget about it."Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and featuresDjokovic tends to the judge after striking her with a ball. 'I'm hoping for the best'Even before the incident for which he was disqualified, Djokovic's aggression had shone through. He had whacked a ball angrily against the advertising hoardings earlier in the same match. But while he acknowledges he is working to be "the best version of myself on the court and off the court," his fiery temperament is something that has helped the 17-time grand slam winner reach the top of the sport. "I understand that I have outbursts and this is the personality and the player I have always been," he said. "I obviously went through ups and downs in my career in managing to control my emotions more or less but you're alone out there, it's a lot of intensity, a lot of pressure and you have to deal with all of that so sometimes situations like this happen.Djokovic tends to the line judge who was hit with the ball."I cannot promise that I will never, ever do anything similar to that. I'm definitely going to try my best that something like that never happens again, obviously, but anything is possible in life. I'm going to take this in as profound as possible as a big lesson."Djokovic is preparing to appear at this week's Italian Open and the French Open, which begins on September 27. And getting back onto the court was important for him in getting over the incident. "I don't think I'll have any major issues coming back to the tour and being able to perform well. I have my first chance here in Rome."It's great I think I have a tournament a week or 10 days after it happened because I feel the earlier, I get back in competition mode the faster I'll overcome the memory and re-program it. I'm hoping for the best."Djokovic returns a forehand during a practice session in Rome, Italy.Rafael Nadal, who chose not to defend US Open title in New York, will play his first tournament since the end of February in Rome.Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosHe said of Djokovic's incident: "The consequences have been always the same. Novak was unlucky. The rules say clearly that's a default."Sorry for him. He had an opportunity there. But in some way you should not be doing this. It is important to have the right self-control on the court because, if not, you can be unlucky as he was." | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
213dfe27-e17d-4baa-b1d8-1b58e765fac2 | null | (CNN)Rare "low precipitation" (LP) supercells spawned tornadoes across at least two Georgia counties on New Year's Eve. Even though Friday's forecast called for severe storms, including tornadoes, it was a highly unusual event. "Based on the visual and radar appearance of the storms, we do believe several of the storms Friday were a type of rotating storm, or supercell, known as a low-precipitation or LP supercell, " Steve Nelson, Science and Operations Officer for the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Atlanta, said. What is a supercell?"LP supercells are more common in the High Plains region of the US," Nelson said, and are scarcely seen in the Southeast. When LP supercells are present, the odds of also including a tornado are even lower. Such storms are much more likely to produce very large hail.Read More"An LP supercell has less precipitation and based on studies, these storms can produce tornadoes, but are somewhat less likely," Nelson said.Nelson added precipitation descending along the back side of a rotating storm plays a key role in how tornadoes form. It's very much a case of "Goldilocks" conditions."If there is too much precipitation, it can cut off the warm air going into the updraft which fuels the storm," Nelson said. "Too little precipitation and you lose mechanisms that create rotation near the ground and potentially a tornado."Such storms are more challenging to see on radar than more "traditional" severe storms. Meteorologists heavily rely on radar reflectivity to monitor where storms are located."You need precipitation, like rain, hail, etc., in order to see how the air is moving in the atmosphere. So when there is no precipitation in the atmosphere it makes it hard to understand the movements that are occurring within a storm," Kyle Thiem, meteorologist with the NWS office in Atlanta.Nelson added, "without precipitation, the storm is almost impossible to detect," which explains why Weather Service offices around the country rely on storm spotters on the ground."Reports from spotters and county officials in Carroll and Newton counties were extremely helpful and allowed warnings to be issued for areas in the path of the storm and other storms that had similar features," Nelson said.Pics from the NWS survey and submissions of Newton County GA tornado earlier this evening. Near Salem/Brown Bridge road. We have ruled it a tornado but will finish the survey on Saturday. #tornado #gawx pic.twitter.com/xCZJPJ4RUk— NWS Atlanta (@NWSAtlanta) January 1, 2022
The storm in Carroll County, which includes the northwestern suburbs of Atlanta, and the one in Newton County located between Augusta and Atlanta, both had ideal atmospheric conditions for supercells to develop and form tornadoes, however they were very small in overall size."Because the storms were incredibly shallow, that limited the growth of the parent supercell, which is why so little precipitation was falling," Thiem said. "Fully formed supercells have a much better ability to harness the low-level shear into the atmosphere in order to produce a tornado." Tornadoes themselves are not rare in Georgia, averaging 26 per year. Having one in December is not unheard of, as the Peach State averages at least two tornadoes every single month of the year.Georgia is 5th in terms of tornado fatalities, averaging four per year, tied with Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. Thankfully Friday's storms did not cause any fatalities.One of the main difference in Friday's tornadoes was they were not rain-wrapped, as they often are in the Southeast. The storms and the tornadoes associated with them were highly visible.When tornadoes are rain-wrapped, in "high precipitation" (HP) supercell storms, they are often more deadly because they are difficult to see.HP supercells make low-level storm features such as wall clouds and tornadoes difficult to identify, the NWS office in Amarillo, Texas, where LP supercells are more common, pointed out.By definition, LP supercells have very little if any rain associated with them, which is why it is very easy to see the wall cloud in photos from Covington, Georgia. Image of tornado warned storm from Conyers, Georgia looking towards Covington, Georgia. This storm caused tornado damage over Covington on New Year's Eve."Low-precipitation storms are very rare in Georgia, or in the eastern US anywhere really, because East of the Mississippi River is so much more humid on average than the Plains. But it does happen from time to time, especially in the cooler season," said Brandon Miller, CNN Meteorologist. "Nearly 15 years ago to the day, on January 2, 2006, a similar storm with little rain and a very unremarkable presentation on radar produced an EF-3 tornado in Georgia."Nelson confirmed the 2006 event is the only other "formally documented" case of this type of storm occurring in Georgia.While Friday's tornadoes weren't EF3's like the one in 2006, they did cause damage.Two separate EF1 tornadoes were confirmed on Saturday by the NWS. The one in Newton County lasted just under 10 minutes and traveled 2.5 miles. It damaged a few homes, businesses, and a middle school. Two cars were flipped in a restaurant parking lot, and a total of six injuries were reported.Storm damage from Newton County, Georgia from a tornado warned storm on New Year's Eve.The tornado in Carroll County lasted just under 15 minutes and traveled nearly 3 miles. While there were no injuries, numerous trees were brought down, and minor building damage was reported. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
a5effb5b-a8a2-4b55-8834-eec52764cb7d | null | Story highlightsFormer England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson sacked by Leicester City Eriksson leaves with the club 13th in England's second flight 63-year-old Swede Eriksson in the job for just over a year Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was sacked by Leicester City Monday with his side in a mid-table position in the Championship.Eriksson had been at Leicester, who are in the second-flight of English football, for just over a year with mixed results.The Swede took charge midway through last season with Leicester in a lowly position and they briefly flirted with the playoffs before finishing 10th.A summer spending spree, backed by the Thai owners Asia Football Investments to the tune of $16 million, was intended to help them push for the English Premier League.But a dismal 3-0 defeat to struggling Millwall Saturday left them in 13th, albeit only five points behind the second-placed team in a congested league."Leicester City Football Club has confirmed today that, by mutual agreement, Sven-Goran Eriksson has ceased to be the first team manager, with immediate effect," read the club statement on its website."First team coach Dereck Fazackerley has also left the club."The club and its board of directors would like to thank Sven and Derek for the contribution they have made to Leicester City during their 13 months at King Power Stadium."Eriksson, 63, becomes the second former England boss to depart from a Championship side this season after the sacking of Steve McClaren at Nottingham Forest.Former Leicester manager Martin O'Neill, who has been out of management since leaving Aston Villa last year, was installed as the early favorite for a return to his old job.Eriksson has endured a checkered managerial career since leaving his England post in 2006, including spells with Manchester City and the Mexico national team.He even took charge of lowly Notts County, then in the bottom flight of English football, but left when the owners could not back up their financial promises. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
88658a1d-8937-4e01-8662-abca80c8ed75 | null | London (CNN)The first ever index of investors in Britain's extensive slave trade is being compiled by academics, after the project received £1 million ($1.4 million) in funding from the UK government.The Dictionary of British Slave Traders will detail the 6,500 members of society who took part in the trade throughout a period stretching more then two centuries.It comes after a year of debate about Britain's celebration of its colonial past: A number of statues and public memorials to slave owners have been removed or renamed since Black Lives Matter protestors pulled down a sculpture of slaver Edward Colston in the city of Bristol in June.London asks public to decide fate of slave owner's statue in financial district William Pettigrew, professor of history at Lancaster University, who is leading the project, told CNN: "We're looking at the entire population of investors in the slave trade -- not just independent investors, but also the corporations that were involved."The index will highlight the involvement of some high-profile investors, including the man widely considered Britain's first Prime Minister, Robert Walpole. Read MoreSet to be published in print and online around 2024, the project received £1 million in funding from the UK's Arts and Humanities Research Council.It will show how deeply the slave trade permeated British society, Pettigrew said. "It's not just this narrative of very, very wealthy merchants becoming extremely wealthy out of this horrific trade -- it's about the social breadth of investment," he said, highlighting "the extent to which ordinary shopkeepers invested large proportions of their capital in slave trading voyages."The grim truth behind Britain's stately homesBritain enslaved 3.1 million Africans between 1640 and 1807, transporting them to colonies around the world, according to Historic England, a public body. Many of these people were taken to the Caribbean to work on sugar plantations, which made their owners very wealthy through the export of sugar, molasses and rum, according to the National Archives.In 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests swept world, the country's celebration of some of those involved in the trade -- and the relative lack of teaching about the topic in British schools -- came under more intense scrutiny."Public appetite and hunger for high-quality data that underpins these public debates has grown greater and greater" in recent months, Pettigrew said. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
435b984f-f749-40c7-87c2-b7f1b5f82e4f | null | Berlin, Germany (CNN)An Iraqi migrant suspected of the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in western Germany was arrested by Kurdish forces in Iraq one day after German police issued an international warrant for his arrest. Ali Bashar, a 20-year-old asylum-seeker, was captured by security forces at the airport in Irbil, northern Iraq, a top senior security official in the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] told CNN on Friday. He had fled from Germany to Iraq via Istanbul with his family on June 2. The arrest was made following close cooperation and coordination with the German consulate in the Kurdistan region, said Dindar Zebari."I thank the participating Kurdish security forces for making the arrest possible," German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Friday.Susanna Maria Feldman, a resident in the western German city of Wiesbaden, was reported missing by her mother on May 23. Read MoreBy the time the police opened an investigation, Bashar and seven other family members -- all of whom lived in a refugee center in Wiesbaden -- had fled using identification papers that German authorities failed to identify as suspect. The plane tickets contained different names from those given on the residence documents for Bashar and his family, officials said.Police to dig up German riverbank in search for toddler who disappeared in 1981Bashar was first linked with the case after a 13-year-old refugee told police in Wiesbaden on Sunday that the Iraqi man had raped and killed Feldman.The teenager's body was found by police Wednesday close to a railway track in the Erbenheim area of Wiesbaden. Prosecutor Achim Thoma said that strangulation was the cause of death.Bashar arrived in Germany in October 2015 and moved to Wiesbaden with his parents and siblings in April the following year, according to police. Bashar's asylum claim was rejected in December 2017. He is currently appealing that decision.According to authorities, he had been involved in several incidents of low-level violence and is a suspect in the rape of an 11-year-old girl in March this year, but there had been no reason to arrest Bashar before the Feldman case.A second suspect, a 35-year-old Turkish citizen, was arrested at his home in Wiesbaden Wednesday evening but has since been released and is no longer suspected of involvement.Sophie Rebmann and Nadine Schmidt reported from Berlin. Judith Vonberg wrote from London. Hamdi Alkhshali in Atlanta and Muwafaq Mohammed in Irbil contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
7a7a4db8-384c-4dcb-a2ce-071b7c509ad8 | null | Story highlightsAustralian's attitude called into question againTomic accused of not trying at Madrid Open Conduct could jeopardize Olympic place (CNN)He has become known as "Tomic the Tank Engine" -- and tennis star Bernard Tomic is courting controversy again. The Australian was criticized for holding his racquet upside down with the handle pointing forwards on match point in a 6-2 6-2 defeat to Italy's Fabio Fognini at the Madrid Open on Wednesday. And the 23-year-old, who has been accused of "tanking" -- not trying -- as matches in the past have slipped away, only added fuel to the fire with his post-match comments. Tomic -- who has voiced ambitions to become a top ten player -- told the Gold Coast Bulletin: "I don't care about that match point. Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?"'Tanking' Tomic bombs out of the Madrid Open in a farcical fashion. https://t.co/yxFSWSU3VM #MadridOpen #7News https://t.co/kgOuAaSYGZ— 7 News Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) 4 May 2016
The world No. 22 gained his nickname after tennis legend John McEnroe accused him of a "tank job" during a straight sets defeat to Andy Roddick at the 2012 U.S. Open.Read MoreAfter the Fognini defeat, the Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the player's "attitude was again called into question" as he "threw in the towel."Olympic doubt?The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that the latest Tomic row could have implications for his hopes of a place at this summer's Olympics in Rio.It said Australian Olympic chef de mission Kitty Chiller had been in discussions with Tennis Australia about the behavior of both Tomic and his compatriot Nick Kyrgios.@TennisAustralia Bernard Tomic should not be considered for Rio or the Davis Cup for a long long time. He's a disgrace to Australian sport— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen) 5 May 2016
The players would be guaranteed selection on the basis of their rankings alone -- but they must also be "in good standing with TA" to secure a place.Meanwhile, World No. 21 Kyrgios progressed in Madrid with a 7-6 7-6 win over Stanislas Wawrinka.Follow @cnnsport
Last year, Kyrgios was fined $10,000 and given a suspended ban after courtside microphones at the Rogers Cup in Montreal picked up his comments linking fellow Australian pro Thanasi Kokkinakis to Wawrinka's girlfriend.A furious Wawrinka confronted Kyrgios in the locker room after the match and called on the tennis authorities to take action -- but the duo's rematch in Madrid passed off without controversy.JUST WATCHEDAustralian tennis: Generation NextReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAustralian tennis: Generation Next 04:20 | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
21ffe320-9a7e-4599-9c34-80010c86f918 | null | (CNN)Thomas Caldwell, a Virginia man whom prosecutors have charged as part of an extremist group's alleged conspiracy to prepare and attack the Capitol on January 6, said in a court filing Monday night he worked for the FBI from 2009 until 2010 and asserts he has held a "Top Secret" level security clearance for decades. Caldwell, 65, raised the resume points in a new filing arguing for his release from jail after the Justice Department convinced a judge he should be held pending his trial.More on ImpeachmentHow to watch the Senate impeachment trialWhat we know about how Trump's second impeachment trial will goHouse Republicans who backed impeaching Trump have no regrets as Senate GOP reckons with former President's roleCaldwell's defense attorney wrote in Monday's filing that Caldwell "has held a Top Secret Security Clearance since 1979 and has undergone multiple Special Background Investigations in support of his clearance." An FBI spokesperson said in a statement that it is "policy not to comment on personnel matters."The Justice Department has not yet responded and is set to respond to Caldwell's request in court later this week.Read MoreThis comes as several Capitol riot defendants in federal court have challenged judges' detention orders or have seen the Justice Department push for their detention, and as federal investigators work toward meatier cases against right-wing paramilitary political activists and extremist groups, including the Oath Keepers, which Caldwell is allegedly connected to, according to his indictment. Caldwell previously said in court proceedings he is a veteran, and reiterated that to the judge in Washington, DC, on Monday. Caldwell's defense attorney, in the filing, also denied he is an Oath Keeper and argues prosecutors have no proof he was in the Capitol building January 6.In the days before the riot, Caldwell wrote on Facebook responding to an alleged call-to-action among the group, "I swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. I did the former, I have done the latter peacefully but they have morphed into pure evil even blatantly rigging an election and paying off the political caste. We must smite them now and drive them down," according to his indictment, where he is named alongside two others allegedly connected to paramilitary group.He also wrote about "night hunting" in Washington and "Oath Keeper friends in North Carolina," prosecutors said. He is charged by the grand jury with conspiracy, destruction of government property, entering the restricted grounds of the Capitol and obstruction of an official proceeding, referring to the Congressional session to certify the election of Joe Biden as President.During the siege, prosecutors allege Caldwell wrote via Facebook "Inside." They also say he took selfies on a balcony on the perimeter of the Capitol.At his previous detention hearing, the judge called his alleged actions on January 6 "pure lawlessness."CNN's Christina Carrega contributed to this report. | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
a4d9e5d3-7aee-4a8d-bf46-f947b6ded54c | null | Story highlights"There were flames, and there was lots of black smoke," an eyewitness saysEmergency services pulled several people from the waterAll 28 passengers and two crew members are accounted for, police sayThe boat operator has stopped river tours as authorities investigatePeople had to leap into the River Thames on Sunday after the amphibious tour boat taking them around London caught fire near Parliament."There were flames, and there was lots of black smoke," Phil Beasley-Harling, an eyewitness, told CNN affiliate ITV. "At one point, it looked as though the boat wasn't going to survive."Amateur video showed several passengers jumping into the water as flames and smoke billowed out from the windows at the front of the London Duck Tours boat, a bright yellow vehicle that takes sightseers around the British capital by road and river.After reports of the fire were received late Sunday morning, firefighters, a police helicopter and paramedics rushed to the scene. Several people were pulled from the water, and the blaze was eventually extinguished.Police said all 28 passengers and two crew members on board the vessel were safe.No one was seriously injured, and three people treated at a London hospital for "minor smoke inhalation ailments" have all been discharged, London Duck Tours said. Most of the people on board the boat were foreign tourists, ITV reported.The company and the London Fire Brigade both said the cause of the blaze, which damaged one third of the vessel, was so far unknown.River tours suspendedBorough Cmdr. Alison Newcomb of London's Metropolitan Police said that the maritime coast guard is investigating."At the conclusion of that investigation, I anticipate they will make a decision with regards to future tours," she told ITV.London Duck Tours said it has stopped operating tours on the river until the reason for the fire has been established."Should technical or safety modifications be required to our fleet, these will be introduced prior to the service recommencing," Duck Tours said, stressing that it "operates to the highest safety standards.""London Duck Tours operates a fully modernized fleet of nine vehicles that have been completely rebuilt and refurbished between 2002 and 2012," it said. "This includes new, purpose built hulls, new engines, computerized systems and steering equipment."The company said it was fully cooperating with investigators and regulatory authorities.Previous problemsAmphibious tour vehicles have run into trouble in the past.In June, a duck boat sank in the British city of Liverpool. Twenty-seven people were taken to the hospital for shock and exposure after that incident.It was the second time the Liverpool tour company, The Yellow Duckmarine, had had a problem with a vehicle -- one of them sank in March without any passengers in it.The Yellow Duckmarine, whose passengers have included the Queen and Prince Philip, is not running any tours at the moment, according to its website. Reports said it went into administration and had its road license revoked after the June sinking. London Duck Tours said it had higher safety standards than The Yellow Duckmarine, which it described as "a totally separate company."In Philadelphia, two people died after a 250-foot sludge barge pushed by a tugboat overran a disabled 33-foot amphibious tour boat on the Delaware River in 2010. The barge plunged the smaller vessel, its 35 passengers and two crew members underwater.The amphibious boat's operator, Ride the Ducks, suspended operations in Philadelphia for about nine months after the crash. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
86f6292d-c44b-434c-a14f-e9683b252ac7 | null | Story highlightsRoger Federer beats Tomas Berdych 3-6 7-5 7-5 in Madrid final on SundayFederer equals Rafael Nadal's record of 20 Masters titlesThe 16-time grand slam champion will take Nadal's No. 2 ranking on MondayClay court season shifts to Rome ahead of the French OpenRoger Federer came from behind to beat Tomas Berdych to win his third Madrid title and equal Rafael Nadal's record of 20 Masters titles.Federer won 3-6 7-5 7-5 to continue a rich vein of form that has seen him lose just three times in 48 matches over the last eight months and ensure the Swiss will take Nadal's No. 2 ranking on Monday.The 16-time grand slam champion's ranking rise is significant because Federer could avoid playing No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Nadal until the final of the French Open -- the second major tournament of the tennis season, which starts on May 28."It's been a great spell and I couldn't be more happy right now coming off a break winning right away," Federer following his first ATP Tour tournament after a third-round exit in Miami in March. The Swiss star struggled in his opening match before beating big-serving Milos Raonic in three sets, and grew in confidence on the controversial blue clay while Nadal and Djokovic fell by the wayside. Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue? Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Kiss of death – Fernando Verdasco kisses the blue clay in Madrid after beating world No. 2 Rafael Nadal in a huge upset. "I never was in control of the match, I didn't know how to win a point," said Nadal, who is the modern era's "King of Clay." Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Fanning flames of discontent – Nadal's shock exit only added fire to complaints the blue clay is too slippery. Even before his defeat, the Spaniard tweeted: "The history of clay court was on red. It wasn't on blue. Only one person wins -- the owner of the tournament."Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?A slippery slope – Novak Djokovic, who beat Nadal in last year's final on red clay, has been an outspoken critic of the surface, saying: "I played my first official match on blue clay and I have to admit I was not very happy. Next time I have to bring skates instead of shoes, it was sooo slippery."Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Why so blue? – Not all the feedback has been negative. "I think it's the same, it's just you don't get as dirty," Serena Williams tweeted.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Billionaire's big ambitions – Behind the blue revolution is Romanian billionaire, Ion Tiriac. The former French Open doubles winner and manager to Boris Becker pioneered the first blue hard courts at his indoor event in Stuttgart -- a lead followed by the Australian and U.S. Opens.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Fan feedback – Nadal throws his towel -- emblazoned with the logo of sponsor Mutua Madrilena -- into the crowd. Tiriac says improving the experience for television viewers watching his $10.6 million tournament was a major factor in the switch to blue.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?More than skin deep – Performance specialist Alistair McCaw says the slippery surface isn't due to the color but the implementation. "The amount of clay covering the surface is lesser than normal. If you dig your foot into the surface and remove some of the clay, you will notice that the underlying surface is a hard rubber-like mat," he said.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?The air up there – Recently-retired tennis star Ivan Ljubicic says the biggest challenge at Madrid isn't the clay -- it's the altitude. Balls fly faster through thinner air, and Madrid is 650 meters above sea level.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Blue yonder – The blue clay court is made the same way as the red, with bricks ground into tiny fragments and spread over the ground in two different layers. However, in Madrid these bricks are stripped of their iron oxide (the chemical that provides the original color) and then treated with dye.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Madrid's clay controversy: Why so blue?Seeing red – The tournament is seen as an important buildup to the real clay court crown -- the French Open. Players have argued it's difficult enough adjusting to the conditions in Madrid, without then having to change their game at Roland Garros at the end of the month. Hide Caption 10 of 10JUST WATCHEDMadrid's new blue clay courtReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMadrid's new blue clay court 01:41JUST WATCHEDBlue clay prepared for Madrid OpenReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBlue clay prepared for Madrid Open 00:40JUST WATCHEDIvan Ljubicic retires from tennisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHIvan Ljubicic retires from tennis 02:42Serena thrashes No. 1 Azarenka in Madrid final"I was worried about getting through the first round and was not even thinking about who was going to be my second round opponent," Federer said after claiming his fourth title this year and 74th overall. "I was very realistic coming into this event. Confidence is coming back. I was away and it didn't take much for me to get my confidence back, especially now that I've been playing so well for the past nine months."Berdych got off to the best possible start in Sunday's final, breaking Federer straight away for a 2-0 lead. The Czech had a chance to secure the first set when Federer was serving, before Berdych closed it out on his own serve in the ninth game.However Berdych's service let him down at a key point in the second set's 12th game when he double-faulted, allowing Federer to pull level.Berdych squandered two break points at the start of the third set, and Federer sealed victory on his fourth match point after two hours and 38 minutes.Federer has now lost just four times to Berdych in 15 meetings, though the Czech player had won three of their past five matches, including a win in the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinals.The tennis circuit shifts to Rome next week and a return to the reddish clay for the rest of the clay court season.That is likely to be a welcome relief for Nadal and Djokovic, who had been vocal in their criticism of Madrid's blue clay surface, particularly after their shock exits at the hands of Fernando Verdasco and Janko Tipsarevic respectively. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
ea590a39-b52d-458d-b258-cf5203315072 | null | Story highlightsMore than 400 French citizens are believed to be fighting in Syria or Iraq, the government saysFrance has launched an effort to counter online recruiting by jihadist groups (CNN)As ominous music plays, the ISIS flag flutters, child fighters wield weapons and graphic images of beheadings flash across the screen.At first, it seems like one of the notorious, slick jihadist recruitment videos flooding the Internet. But the tone quickly shifts. There are images of Syrian children crying, dead bodies lying on the floor and dire warnings: "You will discover hell on Earth" and "You will die alone far from home."The French government tells young Internet users about its video, "'They (ISIS) tell you 'You live in a world of pure miscreants,' the truth is here.'"The video campaign, which started this month, is the latest volley in a fierce battle being fought online between the French government and jihadist groups. What's at stake is nothing less than the lives of the country's youth.It's an idea that's catching on. Online recruiting by extremist groups was among topics discussed this week at a White House summit on countering violent extremism. Several online initiatives to combat those recruiting efforts are being launched by various countries, including France. Brazen, brutal: 5 terror groups making headlinesRead More"This is clearly a communication war against jihadist groups," Jean-Charles Brisard, head of the independent French Center for the Analysis of Terrorism, told CNN. "And it is going to be a long-term endeavor."And even though the latest "battlefields" are social media platforms and no real bullets are being fired, there are French civilians already caught in what amounts to a cyber-crossfire. Photos: The ISIS terror threat Photos: The ISIS terror threatWounded passengers are treated following a suicide bombing at the Brussels Airport on March 22, 2016. The attacks on the airport and a subway killed 32 people and wounded more than 300. ISIS claims its "fighters" launched the attacks in the Belgian capital.Hide Caption 1 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrians gather at the site of a double car bomb attack in the Al-Zahraa neighborhood of the Homs, Syria, on February 21, 2016. Multiple attacks in Homs and southern Damascus kill at least 122 and injure scores, according to the state-run SANA news agency. ISIS claimed responsibility.Hide Caption 2 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrian pro-government forces gather at the site of a deadly triple bombing Sunday, January 31, in the Damascus suburb of Sayeda Zeynab. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a statement circulating online from supporters of the terrorist group.Hide Caption 3 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatYemenis check the scene of a car bomb attack Sunday, December 6, in Aden, Yemen. Aden Gov. Jaafar Saad and six bodyguards died in the attack, for which the terror group ISIS claimed responsibility.Hide Caption 4 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatInvestigators check the scene of a mosque attack Friday, November 27, in northern Bangladesh's Bogra district. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack that left at least one person dead and three more wounded.Hide Caption 5 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatWounded people are helped outside the Bataclan concert hall in Paris following a series of coordinated attacks in the city on Friday, November 13. The militant group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks, which killed at least 130 people and wounded hundreds more.Hide Caption 6 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatEmergency personnel and civilians gather at the site of a twin suicide bombing in Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday, November 12. The bombings killed at least 43 people and wounded more than 200 more. ISIS appeared to claim responsibility in a statement posted on social media.Hide Caption 7 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke rises over the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar on November 12. Kurdish Iraqi fighters, backed by a U.S.-led air campaign, retook the strategic town, which ISIS militants overran last year. ISIS wants to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria.Hide Caption 8 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrian government troops walk inside the Kweiras air base on Wednesday, November 11, after they broke a siege imposed by ISIS militants.Hide Caption 9 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatMembers of the Egyptian military approach the wreckage of a Russian passenger plane Sunday, November 1, in Hassana, Egypt. The plane crashed the day before, killing all 224 people on board. ISIS claimed responsibility for downing the plane, but the group's claim wasn't immediately verified.Hide Caption 10 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAn explosion rocks Kobani, Syria, during a reported car bomb attack by ISIS militants on Tuesday, October 20.Hide Caption 11 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatShiite fighters, fighting alongside Iraqi government forces, fire a rocket at ISIS militants as they advance toward the center of Baiji, Iraq, on Monday, October 19.Hide Caption 12 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke rises above a damaged building in Ramadi, Iraq, following a coalition airstrike against ISIS positions on Saturday, August 15.Hide Caption 13 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi men look at damage following a bomb explosion that targeted a vegetable market in Baghdad on Thursday, August 13. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Hide Caption 14 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIn this image taken from social media, an ISIS fighter holds the group's flag after the militant group overran the Syrian town of al-Qaryatayn on Thursday, August 6, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. ISIS uses modern tools such as social media to promote reactionary politics and religious fundamentalism. Fighters are destroying holy sites and valuable antiquities even as their leaders propagate a return to the early days of Islam. Hide Caption 15 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAn ISIS fighter poses with spoils purportedly taken after capturing the Syrian town of al-Qaryatayn.Hide Caption 16 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke rises as Iraqi security forces bomb ISIS positions in the eastern suburbs of Ramadi, Iraq, on August 6.Hide Caption 17 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatBuildings reduced to piles of debris can be seen in the eastern suburbs of Ramadi on August 6.Hide Caption 18 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThe governor of the Asir region in Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz, left, visits a man who was wounded in a suicide bombing attack on a mosque in Abha, Saudi Arabia, on August 6. ISIS claimed responsibility for the explosion, which killed at least 13 people and injured nine others.Hide Caption 19 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSaudi officials and investigators check the inside of the mosque on August 6.Hide Caption 20 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatMourners in Gaziantep, Turkey, grieve over a coffin Tuesday, July 21, during a funeral ceremony for the victims of a suspected ISIS suicide bomb attack. That bombing killed at least 31 people in Suruc, a Turkish town that borders Syria. Turkish authorities blamed ISIS for the attack.Hide Caption 21 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatProtesters in Istanbul carry anti-ISIS banners and flags to show support for victims of the Suruc suicide blast during a demonstration on Monday, July 20.Hide Caption 22 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatPeople in Ashmoun, Egypt, carry the coffin for 1st Lt. Mohammed Ashraf, who was killed when the ISIS militant group attacked Egyptian military checkpoints on Wednesday, July 1. At least 17 soldiers were reportedly killed, and 30 were injured.Hide Caption 23 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrians wait near the Turkish border during clashes between ISIS and Kurdish armed groups in Kobani, Syria, on Thursday, June 25. The photo was taken in Sanliurfa, Turkey. ISIS militants disguised as Kurdish security forces infiltrated Kobani on Thursday and killed "many civilians," said a spokesman for the Kurds in Kobani.Hide Caption 24 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatResidents examine a damaged mosque after an Iraqi Air Force bombing in the ISIS-seized city of Falluja, Iraq, on Sunday, May 31. At least six were killed and nine others wounded during the bombing.Hide Caption 25 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatPeople search through debris after an explosion at a Shiite mosque in Qatif, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, May 22. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, according to tweets from ISIS supporters, which included a formal statement from ISIS detailing the operation.Hide Caption 26 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi soldiers fire their weapons toward ISIS group positions in the Garma district, west of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, on Sunday, April 26. Pro-government forces said they had recently made advances on areas held by Islamist jihadists.Hide Caption 27 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA member of Afghanistan's security forces stands at the site where a suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up in front of the Kabul Bank in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Saturday, April 18. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. The explosion killed at least 33 people and injured more than 100 others, a public health spokesman said.Hide Caption 28 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi counterterrorism forces patrol in Ramadi on April 18.Hide Caption 29 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThousands of Iraqis cross a bridge over the Euphrates River to Baghdad as they flee Ramadi on Friday, April 17.Hide Caption 30 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatYazidis embrace after being released by ISIS south of Kirkuk, Iraq, on Wednesday, April 8. ISIS released more than 200 Yazidis, a minority group whose members were killed, captured and displaced when the Islamist terror organization overtook their towns in northern Iraq last summer, officials said.Hide Caption 31 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish Peshmerga forces help Yazidis as they arrive at a medical center in Altun Kupri, Iraq, on April 8.Hide Caption 32 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Yazidi woman mourns for the death of her husband and children by ISIS after being released south of Kirkuk on April 8. ISIS is known for killing dozens of people at a time and carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts. Hide Caption 33 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatPeople in Tikrit inspect what used to be a palace of former President Saddam Hussein on April 3.Hide Caption 34 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatOn April 1, Shiite militiamen celebrate the retaking of Tikrit, which had been under ISIS control since June. The push into Tikrit came days after U.S.-led airstrikes targeted ISIS bases around the city.Hide Caption 35 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi security forces launch a rocket against ISIS positions in Tikrit on Monday, March 30.Hide Caption 36 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThe parents of 19-year-old Mohammed Musallam react at the family's home in the East Jerusalem Jewish settlement of Neve Yaakov on Tuesday, March 10. ISIS released a video purportedly showing a young boy executing Musallam, an Israeli citizen of Palestinian descent who ISIS claimed infiltrated the group in Syria to spy for the Jewish state. Musallam's family told CNN that he had no ties with the Mossad, Israel's spy agency, and had, in fact, been recruited by ISIS.Hide Caption 37 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi Shiite fighters cover their ears as a rocket is launched during a clash with ISIS militants in the town of Al-Alam, Iraq, on Monday, March 9.Hide Caption 38 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatDisplaced Assyrian women who fled their homes due to ISIS attacks pray at a church on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, March 1. ISIS militants abducted at least 220 Assyrians in Syria. Hide Caption 39 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSafi al-Kasasbeh, right, receives condolences from tribal leaders at his home village near Karak, Jordan, on Wednesday, February 4. Al-Kasasbeh's son, Jordanian pilot Moath al-Kasasbeh, was burned alive in a video that was recently released by ISIS militants. Jordan is one of a handful of Middle Eastern nations taking part in the U.S.-led military coalition against ISIS.Hide Caption 40 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Kurdish marksman looks over a destroyed area of Kobani on Friday, January 30, after the city had been liberated from the ISIS militant group. The Syrian city, also known as Ayn al-Arab, had been under assault by ISIS since mid-September.Hide Caption 41 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish people celebrate in Suruc, Turkey, near the Turkish-Syrian border, after ISIS militants were expelled from Kobani on Tuesday, January 27.Hide Caption 42 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatCollapsed buildings are seen in Kobani on January 27 after Kurdish forces took control of the town from ISIS.Hide Caption 43 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatJunko Ishido, mother of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, reacts during a news conference in Tokyo on Friday, January 23. ISIS would later kill Goto and another Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa.Hide Caption 44 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatISIS militants are seen through a rifle's scope during clashes with Peshmerga fighters in Mosul, Iraq, on Wednesday, January 21.Hide Caption 45 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAn elderly Yazidi man arrives in Kirkuk after being released by ISIS on Saturday, January 17. The militant group released about 200 Yazidis who were held captive for five months in Iraq. Almost all of the freed prisoners were in poor health and bore signs of abuse and neglect, Kurdish officials said.Hide Caption 46 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSmoke billows behind an ISIS sign during an Iraqi military operation to regain control of the town of Sadiyah, about 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, on Tuesday, November 25.Hide Caption 47 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatFighters from the Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish People's Protection Units join forces to fight ISIS in Kobani on Wednesday, November 19.Hide Caption 48 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA picture taken from Turkey shows smoke rising after ISIS militants fired mortar shells toward an area controlled by Syrian Kurdish fighters near Kobani on Monday, November 3.Hide Caption 49 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatIraqi special forces search a house in Jurf al-Sakhar, Iraq, on Thursday, October 30, after retaking the area from ISIS.Hide Caption 50 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatISIS militants stand near the site of an airstrike near the Turkey-Syria border on Thursday, October 23. The United States and several Arab nations have been bombing ISIS targets in Syria to take out the militant group's ability to command, train and resupply its fighters.Hide Caption 51 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish fighters walk to positions as they combat ISIS forces in Kobani on Sunday, October 19.Hide Caption 52 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatHeavy smoke rises in Kobani following an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition on October 18.Hide Caption 53 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatCundi Minaz, a female Kurdish fighter, is buried in a cemetery in the southeastern Turkish town of Suruc on Tuesday, October 14. Minaz was reportedly killed during clashes with ISIS militants in nearby Kobani.Hide Caption 54 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKiymet Ergun, a Syrian Kurd, celebrates in Mursitpinar, Turkey, after an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition in Kobani on Monday, October 13.Hide Caption 55 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAlleged ISIS militants stand next to an ISIS flag atop a hill in Kobani on Monday, October 6. Hide Caption 56 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Kurdish Peshmerga soldier who was wounded in a battle with ISIS is wheeled to the Zakho Emergency Hospital in Duhuk, Iraq, on Tuesday, September 30.Hide Caption 57 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatSyrian Kurds wait near a border crossing in Suruc as they wait to return to their homes in Kobani on Sunday, September 28.Hide Caption 58 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA elderly man is carried after crossing the Syria-Turkey border near Suruc on Saturday, September 20.Hide Caption 59 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Kurdish Peshmerga fighter launches mortar shells toward ISIS militants in Zumar, Iraq, on Monday, September 15.Hide Caption 60 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatKurdish Peshmerga fighters fire at ISIS militant positions from their position on the top of Mount Zardak, east of Mosul, Iraq, on Tuesday, September 9. Hide Caption 61 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatDisplaced Iraqis receive clothes from a charity at a refugee camp near Feeshkhabour, Iraq, on Tuesday, August 19.Hide Caption 62 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatAziza Hamid, a 15-year-old Iraqi girl, cries for her father while she and some other Yazidi people are flown to safety Monday, August 11, after a dramatic rescue operation at Iraq's Mount Sinjar. A CNN crew was on the flight, which took diapers, milk, water and food to the site where as many as 70,000 people were trapped by ISIS. But only a few of them were able to fly back on the helicopter with the Iraqi Air Force and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.Hide Caption 63 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThousands of Yazidis are escorted to safety by Kurdish Peshmerga forces and a People's Protection Unit in Mosul on Saturday, August 9.Hide Caption 64 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatThousands of Yazidi and Christian people flee Mosul on Wednesday, August 6, after the latest wave of ISIS advances.Hide Caption 65 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Baiji oil refinery burns after an alleged ISIS attack in northern Selahaddin, Iraq, on Thursday, July 31.Hide Caption 66 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatA Syrian rebel fighter lies on a stretcher at a makeshift hospital in Douma, Syria, on Wednesday, July 9. He was reportedly injured while fighting ISIS militants.Hide Caption 67 of 68 Photos: The ISIS terror threatChildren stand next to a burnt vehicle during clashes between Iraqi security forces and ISIS militants in Mosul on Tuesday, June 10.Hide Caption 68 of 68A new campaignPrecise figures on the number of Europeans who have gone to Iraq and Syria -- and which jihadist groups they have joined -- are hard to come by. The consensus among counter-terrorism analysts is that more than 3,000 have traveled, of whom 500 have returned.In France, officials say the stakes are high.Recruiting by jihadist groups has been successful there. More than 400 of its citizens are believed to be fighting in Syria or Iraq, according to Prime Minister Manuel Valls, and another 1,000 or so are believed to have some involvement with those groups.President Francois Hollande's government started its first anti-ISIS online communication campaign, "Stop Jihadism," on February 5. The effort is aimed at countering recruiting in France by ISIS and other jihadist groups. The French government's campaign, posted on YouTube, features an online video edited in the style of an ISIS video -- complete with harrowing music showing screenshots of Facebook accounts from ISIS supporters.After a few seconds, a Facebook message from a purported ISIS supporter pops up on the screen: "Hey, I like the stuff you like on Facebook. Are you interested in what's going in Syria these days? If you have any question, don't hesitate. The truth is over there, you should go! ... I can put you in touch with friends who are fighting there." Then, the images of crying children and the warning about "hell on Earth" play."This is video is very simple and goes straight to the point," Brisard said. "It is important to counter propaganda. It is worse to do nothing."ISIS fires backBut ISIS fired back just two days after France began its new initiative, posting its own material with French-speaking ISIS fighters mocking the government's campaign.ISIS supporters used Twitter to post graphics with the same typography and the same kind of slogans as the French government campaign. When the French government used catchphrases such as, "If you go to Syria, you will massacre civilians," ISIS supporters replied online with slogans telling potential recruits if they go to Syria, they would be "happy to kill" their enemies, as opposed to leading depressed lives in France. Other jihadist groups have joined in the effort to counter the French campaign.Omar Diaby, purported to be one of the most influential French jihadist recruiters, released a trailer video focused on the January attacks in Paris. The video, called "Once upon a time Charlie," an obvious reference to the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, features French-speaking al Qaeda fighters, uses special effects, music and voices of male, female and teenage jihadists.Speakers in the video praise the names of the brothers who carried out the attacks, and they try to argue against the French government with lines such as, "France pretends to be a country of free speech but censors all the time our video."A Web of possibilities for recruitersLast September, the French government commissioned an anti-radicalization organization called the Prevention Center Against Sectarianism Related to Islam, which goes by the French acronym CPDSI, to counter online recruitment of French youths by jihadist groups."The recruitment and the first contacts are most of the time established on the Internet," said Donia Bouzar, director of CPDSI.According to a study published by the CPDSI, jihadists in charge of online recruitment use specific arguments to attract young people.These arguments target five different categories of individuals who could be susceptible to recruitment such as "heroic knight" for men or "humanitarian cause" for women. Other categories include young people who are avid players of war video games, aimless teens looking for a leader or people who are simply "in need of power."According to the CPDSI, young French people who get involved with jihadist groups are from a range of economic, social and religious backgrounds. In fact, most of the families whose teens become involved with jihadist groups consider themselves to be nonreligious or atheist, the CPDSI says."The jihadist in charge of online recruitment will look for key words on social media," Bouzar said on French TV Canal Plus. "They will look for people who have Facebook or Twitter statuses mentioning they want to be nurses or social workers, for example."French journalist Anna Erelle knows that type of effort well.During a recent month, she pretended to be "Melanie," a young French woman converted to Islam who wanted to join ISIS. In her book "In the Skin of a Jihadist," she tells how she decided to be in virtual contact with French jihadi already in Syria and Iraq. One of them, a 38-year-old man, was especially insistent and did everything he could to get her to travel to Raqqa, Syria."I had a fake Facebook account and I wanted to understand why a young French woman would want to leave her family and her friends to join ISIS," Erelle told CNN. "I was shocked by how the jihadists become quickly ever-present in your daily life. When they have a target they won't stop."A 16-year-old French girl that the government identifies only as "Léa" echoes that, saying repeated contacts began after she posted online that she wanted an altruistic job -- she wanted to be a nurse."More than 50 people were contacting me per day. It was all day. They contacted me in the morning, at night. They were men, then women. They wanted me to attack a synagogue in Lyon (France)," said Léa, according to the French government.Segment of society caught in the middle?Some Muslims in French-speaking countries say the government's new campaign is culturally insulting, and holds Muslims as a group to ridicule. A French-speaking Belgian organization named Muslim Rights Against Islamophobia said the French campaign completely is "full of generalizations and conflations."One online graphic in the campaign shows nine signs of radicalization parents should look for in their teens, including "changing the way they dress," "stopping listening to music" or "eating differently.""It's not because we have a beard or that we don't listen to mainstream music that we are necessarily going to attack someone," Redwane Tehla, a 22-year-old Muslim student in Paris told CNN. "Again, in France, the Muslim community is blamed for jihadism."The problem is not Internet, the problem is Islamophobia in France ... France is not fighting against the real social problems that push people to go join ISIS," Tehla said.The French government insists that its campaign is legitimate and is to "prevent young people from turning to terrorism activities.""We know that 90 percent of French young jihadists started on the Internet," Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said at a press conference the day the government launched the website.Some terrorism experts agree with the French government's strategy."It is not supposed to stigmatize the Muslim community, it is supposed to stigmatize terrorists. The French government needed to be shocking and had to make a powerful statement," says terrorism expert Jean Paul Ney. "This needs to be fought the same way intelligence services would fight against a sect -- with mass mind control through propaganda."Experts say it's too early to tell whether the new campaign is producing results, but they point out that France is not the first country to have started an online platform against ISIS propaganda. The U.S. State Department launched the campaign "Think Again Turn Away" last September, which also used a graphic video using ISIS's own pictures."All governments involved in the war against terrorism are trying to find new tools to stop jihadists' online recruitment," Brisard told CNN. "Internet recruiting is new, we all grope around and see what could work best." | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
ab236a39-6e87-421c-bbef-0da5b8a22dd4 | null | Story highlightsIt's healthy for horses to have down time away from the stablesSand is soft underfoot and low impact on horse's jointsSeawater soothes skin and muscles (CNN)Training horses can be a tough, exhausting business, so what better than a ride to the seaside?Racehorse trainer Gai Waterhouse, known as the first lady of Australian racing, is a firm believer in time spent at the beach. But it's not for her benefit, it's for the well-being of her horses, she tells CNN.Follow @cnnsport
RehabilitationFirstly, training on the sand is low impact on a horse's tendons and joints. The sand is soft underfoot and has more "give" than turf, reducing impact and the likelihood of jarring.Read More"It's particularly good for horses that might have been injured," Waterhouse explains. READ: White Turf Races, the horse race with an alpine edgeExerciseNot all animals love the water, but when it comes to horses, cantering in the sea is effective exercise. Waterhouse compares it to professional athletes running in a hydrotherapy pool, with joints and muscles supported by the water. It's good strength and conditioning work, with minimal stress on the horse both physically and mentally.READ: The magical horse race where life's a beach Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachBird's eye view – Two horses are exercised on Laytown beach ahead of the Laytown Strand horse races -- the only ones in the Irish and English calendars to be run on a beach under the Rules of Racing.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachSetting course – Men work to erect the temporary race course on Laytown beach.Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachSeaside speed – Horses gallop along the Laytown beach course. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachCoast with the most – A view of the action as riders and jockeys come into view through a gap in trees above the beach.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachReflected glory – A tightly-bunched race field is mirrored in the water.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachOn the hoof – Fresh hoof prints in the Laytown sand.Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachRich tradition – These extraordinary races have been part of the local landscape since 1868, when they were held as part of the Boyne Regatta.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachRiding the waves – Horses walk through the water ahead of a race. Races are run over distances ranging from five furlongs to two miles. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachBest seat in the house – Spectators watch in a huge field with sweeping views over the beach and its racing action, while some get to perch in an improvised grandstand created in dunes on the edge of the beach.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Beside the seaside: The horse race where life's a beachWater's edge – There's nothing else quite like it in Europe -- the only horse race where life's a beach.Hide Caption 10 of 10'Massage'The seawater also soothes a horse's skin, cleaning any cuts and loosening muscles. Like a sports massage, this can be particularly beneficial when training levels have increased.READ: Why is Winx the 'world's best racehorse?'READ: Guery jumps to victory at Miami BeachJUST WATCHEDWATCH: St. Moritz's horse race on snowReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWATCH: St. Moritz's horse race on snow 02:37Down timeIt's also healthy for horses and their riders to have some down time away from the stables. "Playing in the sea and sand lets the horses relax," says Waterhouse. "It gives them something else to do other than running hard in circles."A horse's performance can drop if it gets bored of training, so a trip to the beach rejuvenates both horse and rider. As Waterhouse puts it, "It's playtime as well as good exercise." | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
e80233d9-fa8a-4c54-8ed2-85618240f6e3 | null | Astoria, New York (CNN)Paul Santell spends at least 30 hours each week feeding and trapping stray cats throughout New York City's boroughs. It's a mission that sort of fell in his lap five years ago but has now earned him the moniker "Paul the Cat Guy.""When I moved to Queens, I didn't realize there were so many cats," Santell said. "I knew nothing about animal rescue."In the United States, there are 30 to 40 million stray or feral cats roaming outside and only about 2% of them have been spayed or neutered. These community cats produce around 80% of the kittens born in the US each year, adding to the overpopulation concern. On his way home each night, Santell began noticing strays living in poor conditions. He started to feed one of them. That quickly became two cats, then three. Before he knew it, he was feeding a whole colony.Read MoreJUST WATCHEDCNN Heroes: Paul the Cat GuyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Heroes: Paul the Cat Guy 04:00"After about two months of feeding them, I said, 'You know what? I want to do more to help them.'" Santell attended an ASPCA class, where he learned about Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR—defined as the humane and effective approach for managing community cats. Cats are trapped and taken to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated. After recovery, the cats are released back where they were found or, if they're friendly, adopted. "You learn how to use a trap. You understand what colony cats are. And once you get certified, you're able to use the free spay-neuter service at the ASPCA," Santell said.A female cat can have an average of 180 kittens in her lifetime so fixing cats greatly reduces the stray population. Studies show that TNR improves the lives of feral cats, helps their relationships with people who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time.Since 2014, Santell has been actively responding to reports of feral cats, pregnant cats and stray kittens. He has helped nearly 2,000 cats and has no plans to stop any time soon. Every night after work, he travels around Queens, feeding the three cat colonies that he manages. And on the weekends, he traps stray cats across the city and adopts out socialized cats."This is all for the cats," Santell said. "I want them to have a better life. They deserve better." Santell has grown a large social media presence as Paul the Cat Guy on Instagram and shares his nonprofit work with his followers. He also advertises his adoptable cats and takes requests from locals who need help with a stray cat in their neighborhood. View this post on Instagram HAPPY FATHER'S DAY FROM CLEMENTINE I got a nice Father's Day shout out over at @oursweetclementine There is nothing I would like more than to get this girl a forever home. She is so sweet and mellow with her foster mom. Just like her previous foster homes. All she wants is to be the only pet in the home and she will rub against you and play with wands and other toys. Please share this post far and wide, and if you are interested in adopting CLEMENTINE please send me a message. Thank you! Reposted from @oursweetclementine - Happy Fathers Day to my foster dad @beemcjee and rescue dad @paulthecatguy ❤️🥰 even though I'm still up for adoption and no one has applied for my cute self, I still have a group of people who've become my family that love and adore me 😻 #rescueismyfavoritebreed #foreverhomeneeded #adoptme #adoptdontshop #tabico - #regrann #rescueacattoday #addictedtorescue #astoria #queens #nyc #paulthecatguy A post shared by Paul The Cat Guy (@paulthecatguy) on Jun 16, 2019 at 4:40pm PDT
Earlier this year, he responded to a call about a sick cat living in an alley in the Bronx. After trapping her, Santell realized she might be adoptable."We weren't sure how she was going to be socially," he said. "But she just blossomed into this funny, rolling around cat."The cat, named Lucy, now lives in Manhattan with her new owner. "Knowing where Lucy comes from and what she's been through, I feel an extra responsibility to make sure she is happy and healthy and feels safe," said Belinda Luu, her adopter. "I'm so grateful that Paul found Lucy."A handful of volunteers help Santell foster and transport cats. But he's largely a one-man-operation, doing this work in addition to his full-time job."A lot of times people ask me, 'Do you love cats?'" Santell said. "What I like to do more than anything is to save lives. It's the greatest feeling in the world."CNN's Meghan Dunn spoke with Santell about his work. Below is an edited version of their conversation.CNN: How much time do you spend on your nonprofit efforts? Paul Santell: This is never-ending work. It can be 24 hours a day. It can be 365. Just when I think I have my projects complete, I get another request to go somewhere else. I have a full-time union job. And I trap full-time. Any given weekend, I'm putting in anywhere between maybe six to 12 hours trapping alone. CNN Hero Paul SantellDuring the week you have to tend to the feral cats in the traps in the morning, you have to give them fresh food and water. Then I'm socializing kittens. Then I'm going through the social media. People want to adopt; I'm giving them applications. Then I'm answering requests for, "Oh, you have a colony over here. OK, you need some help." I see if I can advise them. If not, I add it to my list of TNR projects to do. And then I do my colony feeding at night. You don't stop. CNN: You also encourage and help others to take on TNR projects.Santell: I like to inspire others to at least do their block, their yard, their parents' yard. Just spread the word. That's really the goal of all rescues, because we're overloaded with requests, and we all just want to help all the cats. So, the more people that I can teach through either social media and direct messaging online, text messaging or going out to the field and teaching you how to do the TNR. That way, if everybody just did their yard, their block, their area, imagine if 1,000 people did it versus two dozen people just in one neighborhood—the population would be under control.CNN: How does your adoption process work? Santell: When a cat that I trap is truly friendly, I never put them back outside after the vetting process. I put them up for adoption. I consider myself pretty strict when it comes to adoption standards. We're looking for a solid, forever home. It's so hard for me to rescue them from outside. I spend so much effort and time to just get them out of the situation, (so I'm not going) to hand them off to where they're not in an ideal situation. When one of our cats goes to a forever home, it's the greatest feeling in the world.To donate to Paul the Cat Guy via CrowdRise, click here | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
a2b61ca1-3f65-4486-b491-87f4c53e5d00 | null | (CNN)A couple in Italy who met on their balconies during the coronavirus lockdown are now engaged, becoming a modern-day Romeo and Juliet in the same city where Shakespeare's story of star-crossed lovers took place.It was love at first sight for Michele D'Alpaos, 38, who remembers the exact moment he laid eyes on Paola Agnelli, 40, as she walked across the terrace of her apartment in Verona."It was the afternoon of March 17, when I was forced to work from home because of the lockdown," D'Alpaos told CNN. "I saw this beautiful girl, Paola. I was immediately struck by the beauty of this girl, by her smile. I had to know her."The pair had lived in buildings across from each other almost their entire lives, but were never aware of each other's existence. But that afternoon, while her sister played the violin on their balcony as she did every evening to cheer up the quarantined neighborhood, Agnelli caught D'Alpaos' gaze."I immediately thought, 'What a beautiful boy'," Agnelli told CNN. "I believe he was sent to me from heaven."Read MoreMichele D'Alpaos and Paola Agnelli.While the two were strangers up until that moment, fate still found a way to bring them together.Agnelli happened to know D'Alpaos' sister because they use to visit the same gym and followed each other on Instagram. Moments after discovering this, D'Alpaos quickly created his own Instagram profile just to reach out to Agnelli."One message after another, we ended up chatting until late at night," D'Alpaos said. "By then I was just waiting to wake up in the morning to be able to talk to her again. We had so many things in common, from food to politics, she was very nice, she always laughed at my jokes, even the most stupid ones."Romance in the neighborhoodClose enough to smile at each other from their balconies but too far to embrace, the two spent their days and nights talking, laughing, and learning about each other until they said it felt like they'd known each other forever.A New York couple is keeping romance alive with coronavirus pop-up dinnersAs Italy remained under lockdown because of the pandemic, Agnelli and D'Alpaos had no choice but to remain apart. But that didn't stop D'Alpaos from finding ways to remind Agnelli of his love for her.One example of his romantic tactics is when D'Alpaos surprised Agnelli one summer morning by writing her name in big letters on a white bedsheet and hanging it from the top of his building for her to see."The greatest difficulty of a courtship from the balcony compared to a normal one is to woo a person by stimulating them in the soul and not simply relying on physical appearance. You have to get their attention and never fall into monotony," he said."You don't get a chance to set the mood by going out to a nice place or anything like that. Everything is centered only on the two of us."Their first kissOn May 4, nearly two months since the beginning of their love story, Agnelli and D'Alpaos were finally able to meet at a garden near their homes."We didn't even talk, we sat on a bench and kissed for half an hour like two teenagers," D'Alpaos said.While many people would have feared their chemistry would not translate in real life, the pair immediately fell into rhythm. They spent the summer surprising each other at the beach, spending their birthdays together, and planning dates that began in the morning and bled into the night.Michele D'Alpaos and Paola Agnelli on one of their dates.While the two said they're engaged, the details have been kept private and there are currently no plans for a wedding date or location, but what they know for sure is their shared hope to start a family.D'Alpaos noted that Shakespeare's tragedy is based on two rival families and the story of Romeo and Juliet "ends in tragedy with the two of them committing suicide.""Let's hope our story has a better ending than theirs." | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
a1e0c413-2a69-42c0-9dc8-d98cb7989c0f | null | London (CNN)A Russian cargo ship which ran aground off the southern coast of England has been refloated during high tide, the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has confirmed.The 180-meter (590-foot) vessel -- which was carrying 18 crew members -- got stuck on a beach in Cornwall just after 5:30 a.m. local time, with several residents tweeting eye-catching images of the mammoth ship glowing in the early morning light.The Russian ship Kuzma Minin, grounded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth Local residents look out at the striken cargo ship on Tuesday afternoon. The ship, called Kuzma Minin, ran into trouble off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth due to extreme weather conditions.The vessel will now be fully inspected, according to Mark Sansom, Falmouth Harbor Master. Sansom confirmed in a statement that the bulk carrier was successfully refloated at 14.08. He added: "This has been a successful and well-coordinated operation involving multiple agencies. We would like to recognize the outstanding performance of the pilot and of all vessel crews involved in what was a very demanding incident."Read MoreSansom said that the episode was no longer being treated as a "major incident" and that "there is no evidence of any pollution."WATCH #HMCoastguard Winchman Niall Hanson, being lowered down to the #KuzmaMinin to assist the Harbour Pilot onboard. Seas remain rough with 60mph winds. Everyone #allsafe however Newquay Coastguard helicopter remains on standby. An attempt to refloat will be made later today. pic.twitter.com/WCS92nkOFs— Maritime&Coastguard (@MCA_media) December 18, 2018
He continued: "We are now discussing the future of the vessel with the Secretary of State's Representative Maritime Salvage & Intervention and the vessel owners."The incident came after weather forecasters issued a yellow warning of severe weather with 65 mph winds.Local resident Nigel Kitto told the UK Press Association that the rescue teams on a lifeboat and helicopter operated in "horrific" conditions."The helicopter and lifeboat have been going in and out and it's incredible to see -- the skill of the helicopter pilot," he said.Heavy rain and wind continue to lash England's southwest coast, with the UK's Met Office issuing a severe weather warning for the area. The rain is forecast to ease later on Tuesday. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
09368bab-ac2a-41c5-865f-f9999c7ae7c3 | null | Story highlightsVonn competing in World Cup race on SaturdayAmerican still hopeful of competing against men (CNN)Lindsey Vonn has won it all, but America's most decorated skier is determined to end her career having fulfilled her ambition of racing against men -- even though the former Olympic champion admits she would only be "averagely competitive." The 33-year-old, the most successful woman in World Cup history with 77 victories, is still hopeful that her sport's governing body, the International Ski Federation (FIS), will allow her to race in a men's World Cup downhill race next year.Follow @cnnsport
Speaking to CNN's Alpine Edge ahead of the season opening World Cup race in Austria, Vonn said the world's most successful male skiers were supportive of her bid to compete against them in Lake Louise over the last weekend of November 2018. 2018 Winter Olympics For more CNN coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics, go to cnn.com/olympics However, neither Vonn or the world's best male skiers, such as former Olympic champions Axel Lund Svindal and Kjetil Jansrud, think she will be able to match the men on the slopes. "I've had quite a bit of support from the men I've talked to, like Axel and Jansrud," said Vonn, who will compete in the women's giant slalom in Soelden on Saturday. Read More"The big names are behind me. They don't think I'm going to do very well, but they're still behind me." Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonSlalom queen Shiffrin – Young American slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin is eying no less than four possible medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonSlalom queen Shiffrin – Having dominated the World Cup slalom circuit in the years since she took the 2014 Sochi Games by storm as a teenager, Shiffrin will be trying to become the first man or woman to successfully defend an Olympic slalom title.Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonWinter Olympics – Ski racing will play a central role at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, which will be held from February 9 to 25. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonMatthias Mayer – A star was born in Sochi when Austrian Matthias Mayer, then aged just 23, triumphed despite having never won a downhill race before. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonMatthias Mayer – But it remains to be seen how Mayer will fare on the Olympic course in Jeongseon, which is full of big curves and long rolls, particularly after breaking two vertebrae in a serious crash in 2015. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonScenic and spectacular – The World Cup circuit will be hosting about 80 races on three different continents, crossing from the European Alps to the North American Rockies before finishing with the finals in Are, Sweden, in March. The season starts at the majestic 3,000-meter high Rettenbach glacier in Soelden, Austria (pictured) on October 28.Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonRacers will be throwing themselves down the mountain at speeds of up to 80 miles-per-hour, and no event is more breathtaking than the classic Hahnenkamm race on the feared Streif course in Kitzbuhel, Austria.Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonLindsey Vonn – All eyes will be on the sport's most famous racer as she chases Swedish legend Ingemar Stenmark's all-time mark of 86 World Cup victoriesHide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: 2017/18 ski seasonHistory in the making? – Vonn, the most successful female ski racer of all time, is currently nine wins shy of the record so expect her to go full throttle at every race. Hide Caption 9 of 9Positive feedbackFive years ago, the sport's governing body rejected a similar proposal from Vonn, citing rules barring mixed-gender races. More recently, Atle Skaardal -- FIS women's race director -- said in a statement this summer that accommodating Vonn in a men's downhill would be a "very difficult challenge" and a "very difficult topic."But Vonn, who has had to overcome a number of serious injuries throughout her career, including the disappointment of missing the 2014 Sochi Olympics because of injury, was not prepared to give up. "It's people who don't really understand my goals that are against it," added the 2010 Olympic champion. "FIS are coming around to the idea, I've had more positive feedback than I've had in the past so I'm going to keep working on it and, hopefully, I can get it done."JUST WATCHEDThe crystal globe chase: World Cup gloryReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHThe crystal globe chase: World Cup glory 01:23READ: Vonn targets Olympic goldREAD: The ski resort with a James Bond museum 'Men more powerful, women have finesse'Vonn said she was pursuing the idea of competing against her male counterparts because she wanted to test herself against the best in the world. Though she admitted her main focus this season was February's Winter Olympics in South Korea, which she is prioritizing over her quest to break Ingemar Stenmark's all-time World Cup record, of which she is nine victories shy. Vonn is pictured competing in the women's Super-G on March 16, 2017 in Aspen, Colorado. READ: 2017-18 season preview To compensate for the superior strength of male skiers, Vonn said she had chosen Lake Louise, a Canadian circuit where she has secured 14 of her record 38 World Cup downhill wins. "The men are the highest level of our sport," said Vonn. "I've won a lot of races in my career and this is something that's a new challenge. "I want to push myself and see where I stand against the best skiers in the world. "Obviously, it's nothing against the women, I think that the level in women's ski racing is amazing but, at the same time, I've definitely reached a point in my career where I'm looking for something new, looking for a new challenge. "It's nothing to do with media, or attention. I've plenty of stuff going on outside skiing. It's something that I personally want to do."Visit CNN.com/sport for more news and videos"I'm not going to lie and say I'm going to be really competitive," added Vonn. "I think I'm going to be averagely competitive. The men are just so much stronger than we are. "But the reason I chose Lake Louise as the venue to potentially race them is because, obviously, I've had success there in the past but it's more of a course that requires less strength so much as gliding and the ability to carry speed. "The women have more finesse, and the men more strength, so hopefully this course can even things out a little bit." | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
dedbf797-dde5-43ef-8a05-e2972d5dc9d3 | null | Story highlightsSteven Holcomb drove the US to a rare gold medal in the four-man event in 2010He was found dead at the US training center for winter Olympic athletes (CNN)Steven Holcomb, who piloted the US No. 1 four-man bobsled to Olympic gold in 2010, was found dead Saturday morning in his room at the US training center in Lake Placid, New York, the US Olympic Committee said.He was 37 years old. No cause of death was given. "Steve was a tremendous athlete and even better person, and his perseverance and achievements were an inspiration to us all," United States Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve's family and the entire bobsledding community."Sad news for the bobsled and skeleton community as we mourn the loss of bobsled legend Steven Holcomb. https://t.co/YlG9t7V5rb pic.twitter.com/D6ZZsEmprO— USA Bobsled Skeleton (@USBSF) May 6, 2017
Holcomb's victory was impressive considering in 2008 he had a procedure for an eye condition that could have led to him going blind. The gold medal was the first US win in the event since 1948. He also raced to two bronzes in 2014 Sochi Games, driving two-man and four-man sleds.Read MoreHolcomb was a five-time world champion.This season he was second in the two-man competition and third in the four-man in the World Cup standings. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
c92b8073-1eba-4471-be98-d2008f130c6d | null | (CNN)Here's a look at the Boston Marathon, run from Hopkinton to Boston. The finish line is in front of the Boston Public Library on Boylston Street.October 11, 2021 - The 125th Boston Marathon takes place. The winners are Benson Kipruto of Kenya in the men's division, and Diana Kipyokei of Kenya in the women's division.FactsThe race is organized by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), and the principal sponsor is John Hancock Financial Services.Runners are categorized by gender, then by age. Qualifying times depend on the age of the participant on the day of the race.Read MoreParticipants must be 18 years of age on the day of the race and must meet certain time standards to qualify for their age group. Visually impaired runners are allowed to participate, but they must have a five hour qualifying time. There are also categories for wheelchairs and handcycles.Runners come from all over the world to participate.RecordsBest Men's Open time - 2:03:02 - Geoffrey Mutai, Kenya - (2011) Best Women's Open time - 2:19:59 - Buzunesh Deba, Ethiopia - (2014)Best Men's Wheelchair time - Marcel Hug, Switzerland, 1:18:04 (2017)Best Women's Wheelchair time - Manuela Schar, Switzerland - 1:28:17 (2017)TimelineApril 19, 1897 - The first marathon is run and is 24.8 miles. The winner is John J. McDermott of New York, with a time of 2:55:10. There are 18 entrants, 15 starters and 10 finishers. 1897-1968 - The race is run on April 19, Patriots' Day, a holiday commemorating the start of the Revolutionary War only recognized in Massachusetts and Maine. In those years that April 19 falls on a Sunday, the race is held the next day, Monday the 20th.1918 - A military relay is held instead of the marathon due to the United States' involvement in World War I.April 19, 1924 - The race is lengthened to 26.2 miles to conform to Olympic standards.April 17, 1967 - Kathrine Switzer becomes the first woman to receive a number to run in the Boston Marathon. She enters the race under the name K.V. Switzer and wears baggy clothes to disguise herself. Females are not officially allowed to enter until 1972.1969 - Patriots' Day is changed to the third Monday in April, so the date of the race is also changed..1975 - A wheelchair division is added to the marathon. Bob Hall finishes the race in two hours and 58 minutes in a wheelchair.April 15, 1996 - The 100th Boston Marathon is run. There are a record 35,868 finishers.April 15, 2013 - Two bombs explode near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring at least 264 others. May 15, 2015 - Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is sentenced to death for his role in the 2013 marathon bombings. In July 2020, an appeals court vacates Tsarnaev's death sentence and rules he should be given a new penalty trial. In March 2021, the Supreme Court agrees to review the lower court opinion that vacated Tsarnaev's death sentence. October 26, 2016 - Three-time winner Rita Jeptoo, of Kenya, loses her 2014 title and record for the fastest women's finish ever (2:18:57), as part of a ruling on her two-year ban for doping.March 13, 2020 - It is announced that the marathon is being rescheduled to September 14, 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.May 28, 2020 - Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announces that the 2020 marathon is canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A virtual event, in which participants can earn their finisher's medal by verifying that they ran 26.2 miles on their own within a six-hour time period, will take place September 7-14.October 28, 2020 - The B.A.A. announces that the 2021 marathon will be postponed until the fall of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
6ea28a01-66ea-4368-aae6-50ebd05994ed | null | New York (CNN)As Russia's attack on Ukraine continues to intensify, reporting from the war zone is becoming increasingly difficult — and dangerous. Four journalists have so far been killed reporting on the war and many more are injured or missing. Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna has been missing for more than a week, and her outlet believes she is being held by Russian forces. However, Olga Rudenko, editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Independent, said journalist Oleh Baturyn, who was kidnapped last week in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Kakhovka, was just released by Russian fighters. The Kyiv Independent is a fairly new publication but has earned acclaim for its war coverage. "It's gone from being a three-month-old startup and a relative unknown in the Western world to now one of the leading sources of information on the war in Ukraine," CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter said on Reliable Sources Sunday.Rudenko said no one on her team has been directly targeted yet, but reporting on the conflict is a "daily risk."Read More"We have to remember that this is an invasion by an authoritarian regime that has been targeting journalists and media consistently for decades now," Rudenko said. Rudenko said the outlet is learning as they go when it comes to protecting employees who have suddenly found themselves war correspondents. Several of the Independent's reporters already had experience working in a war zone following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Now they are once again working in dangerous locations, including Kyiv.One of the outlet's biggest fears is that Russian forces may cut off internet connections, hindering their ability to publish news."We do not concentrate" in one place, Rudenko said. "We are in different locations."Work goes on, but there is an emphasis on avoiding unnecessary risks. "We are also telling reporters that safety is a priority," Rudenko said. "No story is worth a human life." But the psychological impacts will last after the war, Rudenko said. "Just being thrown into this," Rudenko said of the toll the fighting is taking. "This new reality where we cover this horror every day and every hour." | business | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
b95d29e3-abc2-43b0-945c-1b3bbaac11b7 | null | London (CNN)Scottish police confirmed that a body found near South Queensferry is that of missing Frightened Rabbit lead singer Scott Hutchison. The body was recovered at Port Edgar, west of Edinburgh, about 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, police said in a statement to CNN.Hutchison's family was "utterly devastated with the tragic loss of our beloved Scott," according to a statement."Despite his disappearance, and the recent concerns over his mental health, we had all remained positive and hopeful that he would walk back through the door, having taken some time away to compose himself," the family said.Hutchison, 36, was last seen on video footage after leaving the Dakota Hotel in nearby South Queensferry at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, according to police. Read MoreThe search for the missing man focused on the South Queensferry area, Forth Road Bridge and Fife. Concerns grew after the band posted a message on Twitter saying: "We are worried about Scott, who has been missing for a little while now. He may be in a fragile state and may not be making the best decisions for himself right now. Please could Scott or anyone with any information on his whereabouts please contact Police Scotland (101)."Just one day before he vanished, Hutchison wrote two tweets that made fans worry. "Be so good to everyone you love. It's not a given. I'm so annoyed that it's not. I didn't live by that standard and it kills me. Please, hug your loved ones," read one. His last tweet read: "I'm away now. Thanks."The family statement adds: "Scott, like many artists, wore his heart on his sleeve and that was evident in the lyrics of his music and the content of many of his social media posts. He was passionate, articulate and charismatic, as well as being one of the funniest and kindest people we knew. Friends and family would all agree that he had a brilliant sense of humour and was a great person to be around."The statement goes on to describe Hutchison as "a wonderful son, brother, uncle and friend." "Despite whatever else was going on in his life he always had time for those he cared for," it added. "Depression is a horrendous illness that does not give you any alert or indication as to when it will take hold of you," the statement reads. "Scott battled bravely with his own issues for many years and we are immensely proud of him for being so open with his struggles. His willingness to discuss these matters in the public domain undoubtedly raised awareness of mental health issues and gave others confidence and belief to discuss their own issues."Frightened Rabbit was initially formed by Hutchison as a solo project in 2003, and his brother Grant joined in 2006 on drums. The lineup grew to five with the addition of Billy Kennedy, Andy Monaghan and Simon Liddell.In an open interview with Vice's Noisey last week, Hutchison described his current feelings."Pretty fine. Middling. On a day-to-day basis, I'm a solid six out of 10," he said. "I don't know how often I can hope for much more than that. I'm drawn to negatives in life, and I dwell on them, and they consume me. I don't think I'm unique in that sense. I'm all right with a six. If I get a couple of days a week at a seven ... it's great." | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
3d47a064-c53c-4237-8cbd-1f745d0d98e2 | null | (CNN)Public urination at Glastonbury Festival led to illegal drugs entering a river running through the famous Somerset site in southwestern England, potentially harming wildlife, according to a new study. Researchers at Bangor University in Wales discovered high levels of cocaine and MDMA in the Whitelake River, which runs through Worthy Farm, where the hugely-popular music festival is usually held with more than 200,000 attendees.The study found MDMA concentrations quadrupled the week after the 2019 festival, while cocaine concentrations reached levels previously shown to affect the life cycle of European eels -- which are present in the river and are critically endangered.Christian Dunn, a professor in wetland science at Bangor University, who led the study, told CNN Tuesday that the levels of illegal drugs were "high enough to be classed as environmentally damaging," although he added the caveat that levels "decline pretty quickly after Glastonbury has finished."Dunn collaborated on the study with Masters student Dan Aberg, who worked alongside Daniel Chaplin, from the Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, to measure levels of illegal drugs in the river before, during and after the last Glastonbury Festival in 2019.Methamphetamine in waterways may be turning trout into addictsRead MoreThe researchers said the increase in drug levels had come from festival goers urinating in public, causing the chemicals to eventually enter the river -- which happens particularly quickly in wet weather conditions. "This has highlighted the fact that stopping public urination is so important," Dunn said. "Not just for the traditional pollutants, which we've kind of known about, but for these these types of pollutants, which we're only now really just becoming aware of -- pharmaceutical waste, illicit drug waste -- these are important."Although Dunn praised the work done by the festival to tackle the issue of public urination, he said there was a need for more research to identify the effects of illegal drugs on ecosystems. "We need to start highlighting the dangers of these drugs to the public and to festival goers and saying, 'look, another reason why you should not be peeing on the ground, go and use the loos, go and use the facilities,'" he said.Dunn suggested treatment wetlands and reed bed systems could be used to help "break down and filter out" pollutants flowing into the river and protect wildlife.The researchers also monitored the nearby Redlake River, but found no significant changes in levels of illegal drugs around the time of the festival -- suggesting the increase was directly linked to Glastonbury Festival.Glastonbury Festival organizers said in a statement to CNN that they had a "thorough and successful waterways sampling regime" in place -- agreed with the Environment Agency -- which did not raise any concerns in 2019. However, Dunn told CNN the Environment Agency was "generally looking for things like ammonia and nitrates and other types of pollutants," rather than illegal drugs."Peeing on the land is something we will continue to strongly discourage at future Festivals. We also do not condone the use of illegal drugs at Glastonbury," the festival's statement added."We are keen to see full details of this new research, and would be very happy to work with the researchers to understand their results and recommendations."The study was published in the journal Environmental Research earlier this month. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
756ba9ba-6f7b-4995-8928-4a3c13178b05 | null | (CNN)French football star Kylian Mbappe has tested positive for Covid-19 while on international duty, the French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Monday. Mbappe took a test on Monday morning that returned positive, the FFF said, and was then isolated from the French national team. France is scheduled to play at home in Paris on Tuesday against Croatia in a UEFA Nations League match.The 21-year-old is the seventh Paris Saint-Germain player to have tested positive for coronavirus in recent weeks. Neymar was reportedly among six others to test positive last week.Mbappe played for France against Sweden on Saturday, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win.PSG are set to begin their domestic season on Thursday, but the availability of several of their players is in question following the spate of positive tests.Read MoreNeymar reportedly one of six PSG players to test positive for Covid-19Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes joined Neymar in returning positive tests, their agency confirmed via e-mail to CNN last week. French media said the three teammates all tested positive after returning from vacation in Ibiza, Spain.Mbappe's representatives have not responded to CNN's requests for comment about his test. Paris Saint-Germain replied by noting that Mbappe "is on duty with the France National Team who have confirmed the positive test."The forward played an instrumental role in helping France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and he was named "Best Young Player" of the tournament. He led the club in scoring in the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season and helped them reach the UEFA Champions League final in Portugal last month, where PSG lost to Bayern Munich 1-0. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
3a52db94-3b1f-4023-bb75-4a5c7738b3b5 | null | Story highlightsThe UK's famous Palace of Westminster faces growing risk of 'catastrophic event'A report says politicians must move out for the repairs to be carried outLondon (CNN)British politicians face being evicted from their historic landmark home because the halls of power are decaying around them with the risk of a "catastrophic event."Lawmakers say some of London's famous buildings that make up the Palace of Westminster complex, one dating back to the 11th Century, are in urgent need of repair.They say the buildings which are "a masterpiece of Victorian and medieval architecture and engineering" are in danger of "an impending crisis."READ: London's Big Ben to fall silent for repairsSince its construction, many features of the Palace complex -- a UNESCO world heritage site -- have never been renovated.Read MoreWater damage caused by a blocked roof gulley at the Palace of Westminster, provided as evidence in the report published by lawmakers.They say there is asbestos in the buildings, extensive decay to stonework, plumbing failure and corrosion, and unless the restoration is carried out, there is a substantial risk of a "catastrophic event" such as a massive fire and irreversible damage to the buildings.A report says lawmakers will have to move out for at least six years so that the £4 billion ($5.3 billion) restoration can be completed.Circa 1865: The Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace on the Thames Embankment, London, built in 1840 - 1965 by Charles Barry and A W Pugin. (Photo by Otto Herschan/Getty Images)"The Palace of Westminster does not belong to MPs and Peers, it belongs to the people of the United Kingdom, it said. ""As such it is a vital part of our national heritage and it is important that this historic building is preserved, maintained and adapted for the needs of today and tomorrow for the nation as a whole."The patch-and-mend approach which has seen the building through the decades is no longer sustainable."It said the decision could not be delayed any further and that the UK Parliament "must act now" so that the restoration can begin in the early 2020s.Because the Palace is home to Parliament, it has been extremely difficult to carry out fundamental renovation work without disruption.The report which originally detailed a range of options for the restorations to be carried out was published last year and said: "If the Palace was not a listed building of the highest heritage value, its owners would probably be advised to demolish and rebuild."It said because the UK Parliament has been in continuous occupation of the Palace, it has caused "great difficulty" to carry out fundamental renovation work.The Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben after its main bell is part of the Palace.The Palace, one of the world's most famous and recognizable buildings, contains a combination of ancient and modern structures.The site has experienced several devastating events since the original buildings were constructed in 1045.The current structure replaced the old Palace which burned down in 1834. It was then damaged again by air raids in World War II.The Palace's oldest structure, which survived the major fire in 1834 is the Westminster Hall, which was completed in the 11th Century. It is mainly used for state occasions and ceremonies. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
dcd12226-b967-4b91-9117-ac64162a8799 | null | Story highlightsEXCLUSIVE: EU blacklist contains senior Russian politiciansList redrafted to add 12 further individualsEU member states almost vetoed prominent politicians' inclusionTwo of Putin's top advisers also on the listAfter hours of chewing over how to deal with Russia's annexation of Crimea, EU heads have added a further 12 individuals to their blacklist. The list -- adding to an initial 21 person-one long penned on Monday-- is to be released on day two of their Brussels summit. Its first incarnation, presented to European leaders for discussion on Thursday night, included figures close to the Kremlin, an EU union official said.Notable on the list are Valentina Matvienko, speaker of Russia's upper house, as well as the country's deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, CNN has learned. The inclusion of Rogozin, in particular, the official said, was almost blocked by Cyprus and Slovakia. They were fearful of the fallout from naming one of Russia's top politicians. JUST WATCHEDSanctions imposed against RussiaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHSanctions imposed against Russia 09:42JUST WATCHEDWill sanctions change things in Ukraine?ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWill sanctions change things in Ukraine? 03:43JUST WATCHEDNew sanctions 'will be noticed' in MoscowReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHNew sanctions 'will be noticed' in Moscow 00:30Yet there was a sense that, as an outspoken critic of the West, Rogozin -- like others targeted -- deserved reprimand, the source said. Malta also expressed concern about an unnamed candidate for sanctions, but withdrew its objection. CNN also understands that family members -- thought to be key to the efficacy of any measures -- were not considered amid questions about the legality of such a move and the viability of placing travel bans on individuals, who in some instances are already residents inside the EU.Those expecting swathes of Russian industry to feel the brunt of Europe's indignation may be disappointed. For sources say that no chief executives of the country's largest companies, like Gazprom, Rosneft and VTB Bank, will feature on the additional file. Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief of staff Sergey Ivanov and his minister of defense Sergey Shoigu were not written into the documentation, prepared for Europe's leaders ahead of their meetings, for fear of sending a bellicose signal to Russia. Though, because of their stature, there was debate about placing them back on, the aide said.Advisers to the Russian president, Vladislav Surkov and Sergey Glazyev, both of whom also face US sanctions, were set to be targeted by the EU as well.Some subject to EU sanctions also find themselves on two lists released by the US this week. Europe has had difficulty in matching America's action against Russia on Ukraine because each move requires ratification by all 28 member states. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
e5eba195-a35b-4553-8d6a-a49e5eb6c5d3 | null | Story highlightsPolish Prince Jan Zylinski has challenged UKIP leader Nigel Farage to a duelIn a video, Zylinski says he is sick of Poles being discriminated against in BritainLondon (CNN)A Polish Prince has challenged populist British politician Nigel Farage to a duel in London's Hyde Park over his immigration policy.Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), complains that Britain's membership of the European Union means it is powerless to stop a flow of foreign immigrants, many from impoverished Eastern Europe, into his "small island" nation.In a video posted on YouTube, Prince Jan Zylinski said he was fed up with discrimination against Poles living in Britain."The most idiotic example I've heard of has been Mr. Nigel Farage blaming migrants for traffic jams on the M40," Zylinksi said. Holding a sword that had belonged to his father -- a World War II war hero -- the prince laid down a verbal gauntlet.JUST WATCHEDImmigration tops agenda for UK votersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHImmigration tops agenda for UK voters 03:00"Enough is enough, Mr. Farage. So what I'd like to do, Mr. Farage, is to challenge you to a duel," he said.Read More"I would like us to meet in Hyde Park one morning with our swords and resolve this matter in the way that an 18th century Polish aristocrat and an English gentleman would traditionally do. "Are you up for it Mr. Farage?"Farage -- who is on the campaign trail ahead of Britain's general elections on May 7 -- said he did not intend to cross swords with the prince."It is an impressive sword. I don't have one but I'm sure we could find one if we had to. But I'm not intending to accept the offer," a spokesman quoted him as saying."I would have thought that a Polish prince with a long Polish lineage would rather agree with me that it's a complete tragedy for Poland that it's lost so many of its brightest and best young people."UKIP wants Britain to leave the European Union. It says it would not seek to remain a party to the region's free trade or economic treaties "while those treaties maintain a principle of free movement of labor, which prevents the UK managing its own borders."It has also pledged to cut the country's £9 billion ($12.4B) annual foreign aid budget.Another UKIP politician appeared to back his party leader's chances in a duel, tweeting an image of a medieval knight sliced in two, with the comment: "This is what Nigel would do to him."Polish aristocrat challenges Farage to a duel http://t.co/5exWNperna. This is what Nigel would do to him #UKIP pic.twitter.com/6hydrTuT4r— Paul Oakley UKIP (@PaulJamesOakley) April 13, 2015
But there was no word on whether Farage would even accept the prince's less life-threatening back-up challenge."Alternatively, if you don't agree or if your sword is a little bit rusty, Mr. Farage, we can meet for a different kind of duel -- a duel with words in a TV studio in the run-up to the elections," Zylinski suggested. "I'm up for it, it would be really nice, hopefully you will agree."Zylinski posted a separate video on YouTube entitled "7 reasons why the British should love the Poles," in which he pointed to a Times newspaper headline from March reading: "We need more migrants ... they are the best workers in Britain."Please stop knocking the Poles. We love this country we would like British to love us too."Prince Jan ZylinskiThe headline, he said, applied "principally" to the Poles."What I cannot accept is the amount of hostility and in some cases hatred towards the Poles. Enough is enough, I say, this has got to stop."Zylinski pointed to Polish contributions to Britain including those made by Polish RAF pilots during the Battle of Britain, what he said was a "wonderful work ethic" and easy integration into the community."We are often more loyal to Britain than many British people I know," he said. "We are very grateful to be here. We would like you to be grateful too. Please stop knocking the Poles. We love this country we would like British to love us too."Read: Populist British anti-EU leader fires up U.S. conservatives | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
2c56603e-dabd-4020-98f3-19629b79d477 | null | Know someone who inspires you? Click here to nominate them as a CNN Hero.Los Angeles (CNN)He is a 62-year-old superior court judge. They are former addicts and felons. Some of them have completed prison sentences; others have lived under bridges. All of them, however, are part of one team: the Skid Row Running Club in Los Angeles. Twice a week, before the sun comes up, Judge Craig Mitchell runs the mile from his office at the county courthouse to The Midnight Mission, a social services organization centered in Downtown's Skid Row -- the notorious area where the city's largest homeless population resides. CNN Hero Judge Craig Mitchell"It's not an overstatement to say that on any given morning I personally look at hundreds of people within eight blocks. On either side of every sidewalk there are people in tents," Mitchell said. "It's a dangerous place. I've been physically assaulted on Skid Row. People approach me asking if I want to buy drugs." At the mission, he meets a group of 30 to 40 people, and together they run through East L.A.Read MoreThe group includes runners from all walks of life and all levels of athleticism. Some members are homeless or in recovery, and others are lawyers, social workers, students or off-duty LAPD officers.Mitchell developed the program in 2012 after a man he'd once sentenced to prison returned to thank him. "He was paroled to The Midnight Mission and decided to come back and say, 'Thank you, Judge Mitchell, for treating me like a human being.' The president of the mission at the time asked me if there was something that I could do to contribute to the mission's program, and I thought of starting a running club. That was the inception," Mitchell said.Between 300 and 500 people have since run with the group, now an official nonprofit. Every year, Mitchell takes his most dedicated Skid Row runners on a free trip to participate in an international marathon."I come back to the courthouse after any run and check off who was there. And so, I know exactly who has been faithful to the running program and who just comes periodically," he said.In recent years, Mitchell and club members have participated in marathons in Ghana, Rome, Vietnam and Jerusalem. Mitchell says he's seen participants turn their lives around, attending college, securing full-time employment and maintaining sobriety. "Running is a mechanism for the participants to build relationships," he said. "You can be a horrible runner and benefit the same as our fast runners, because at the end of the day you're going to be surrounded by people who really care about you and want to spend time with you. Everybody is welcome. We affirm. We listen. We support."JUST WATCHEDMeet The Midnight RunnersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMeet The Midnight Runners 03:04CNN's Allie Torgan spoke with Mitchell about his work. Below is an edited version of their conversation. CNN: Did you ever imagine taking on this role? Judge Craig Mitchell: When I went down to The Midnight Mission that one afternoon with the parolee, I had absolutely no idea that my life would play out this way. I was just a volunteer coming to The Midnight Mission. I didn't know what I was doing. I don't think The Midnight Mission really knew what direction this would take. I crossed over the line from simply being his sentencing judge to being someone who's trying to guide him into a decision-making process that might break the cycle.I really understood that if I could run with people who are trying to rebuild their lives, deal with addiction issues, deal with homelessness, that would facilitate some very meaningful conversations and build relationships between myself and the people I was running with. One of our runners said, "Judge, your life has taken this direction because almost on a lark one day, you decided to say 'yes' to this person." This "yes" has turned into one of the defining aspects of my life. When those things happen, and you don't plan it, it's nothing short of glorious. I couldn't be happier.CNN: How did you change your own running schedule to make it work? Mitchell: Interestingly enough, my free time was in the afternoon after court. But I learned very quickly that for a lot of the people who are in recovery at the mission, that is when they attend their A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings. So, I was never going to get anybody out there on the pavement if I ran in the afternoon.So, the suggestion by the runners were, "Let's try it in the mornings. Show up at 5:30, we're available. Nobody is asking us to go to any meetings at 5:30." So, I did. And we run now three days a week. We do our long runs largely in Pasadena on the weekends. I find the runners really enjoy getting out of Skid Row, being able to sit down in the park after a long run and share a meal together. CNN: How has your professional path helped prepare you for this role?Mitchell: I was a high school teacher for 17 years. I buried a fair number of my students who were the victims of gang violence. So, I saw the real toll that criminal conduct, gang activity, took on people that I really cared about. I went to law school at night, and my commitment to practice in the criminal law area was largely driven by my experience teaching in the inner-city of Los Angeles. And so, it was a natural draw to me to work as a prosecutor, to try and hold the people who were inflicting that type of pain and loss within our community to answer for it. I ended up putting my papers in to be a judge because I saw judges in the best of circumstances could make a tremendous difference. But I would not trade the 17 years I spent teaching high school for anything. It certainly made me a better prosecutor and has made me a far better judge.Want to get involved? Check out the Skid Row Running Club website and see how to help.To donate to Skid Row Running Club via CrowdRise, click here. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
fb38f5b3-cf6e-4e5a-9a94-2687c1bffb80 | null | (CNN)Away from the protests that have accompanied his visit to Britain and in between diplomatic meetings, US President Donald Trump fitted in a game of golf with his son Eric.Trump stayed in Turnberry, Scotland -- one of his luxury golf resorts -- for the weekend before traveling to Finland for a summit Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the US President attended the NATO summit and visited the UK.US President Donald Trump plays golf, wearing a hat with Trump and USA displayed on it.READ: 10 great courses to play"I have arrived in Scotland and will be at Trump Turnberry for two days of meetings, calls and hopefully, some golf -- my primary form of exercise! The weather is beautiful, and this place is incredible!" tweeted Trump Saturday.Trump was playing with his son Eric.READ: The definitive golf course bucket listRead MoreHe was was later pictured playing with his son on Turnberry's Ailsa course. Last year Eric launched the new "King Robert the Bruce" golf course at the Trump Turnberry resort in Ayrshire.As a private citizen, Trump slammed President Barack Obama for hitting the links and made it a campaign issue. However, since being in office himself, Trump has spent more than 100 days at a golf club that bears his name, according to a CNN count.A police officer stands guard outside Trump Turnberry.This portion of the US President's trip to Britain is private and Trump and his wife Melania have no scheduled public events.The 72-year old, whose mother was Scottish, has often spoken of his affection for Scotland and has reportedly invested some £200 million ($287 million) in Trump Turnberry, renovating an area steeped in history. Trump's name has been emblazoned high and wide at Turnberry in southwestern Scotland, ever since he bought its famed links golf resort in 2014. Trump bought Turnberry in 2014.Turnberry is one of two high-profile courses he owns in Scotland, the other the Trump International Golf Links situated amid the dunes of Aberdeen. Police and security personnel searched vehicles waiting to enter the resort on Saturday, while outside protestors held up an array of anti-Trump placards. At a nearby beach one protestor was wearing a costume in the style of the 'Handmaid's Tale.Earlier this year, the dystopian novel's author Margaret Atwood said the US is becoming more "Gilead-like." Gilead is a place where women are stripped of rights, separated from their children and have lost the ability to fight for better treatment without endangering their lives.A woman wears a costume in the style of the "Handmaid's Tale" on a beach near Turnberry.Turnberry has hosted four Open Championships, most recently in 2009.'Absolutely stunning'Turnberry is a little bit of Britain where the US leader holds sway and the mood was overwhelmingly positive when CNN spoke to residents during the reopening of Turnberry in 2016."I think it all looks fabulous and will bring a lot of revenue into the village and the surrounding areas," said nearby B&B owner Christina Auld, describing Trump as a "lovely guy," having met him on one of his previous trips to the area. Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Golf began in Scotland some 600 years ago and the country represents a bucket list destination for many dedicated addicts. St. Andrews (pictured) is known as the "Home of Golf" and its Old Course is arguably the game's most hallowed turf.Hide Caption 1 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses St. Andrews: Golf has been played over the dunes and linksland of St. Andrews since the 15th century. The clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club stands sentinel over the unique layout which starts and finishes in town.Hide Caption 2 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses St. Andrews: There are six courses squeezed onto St. Andrews' links, with the Old Course at their heart. The Road Hole 17th and 18th form an iconic finishing stretch. Hide Caption 3 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses St. Andrews: The Old Course is known for its blind drives over seas of gorse, vast greens, and swales, humps and hollows which require imagination and the ability to use the ground to your advantage.Hide Caption 4 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Turnberry: Now best known for being owned by US President Donald Trump, Turnberry on Scotland's west coast is a spectacular setting with a famous Edwardian hotel, all of which underwent a multimillion dollar revamp when Trump took over.Hide Caption 5 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Turnberry: The Ailsa course occupies a sublime location overlooking the Firth of Clyde with sweeping views to the Ailsa Craig rock and the Isle of Arran. Hide Caption 6 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Trump International: Controversy has dogged Donald Trump's new course north of Aberdeen since day one -- with environmental concerns chief among the criticism -- but when it opened in 2012 it was clear that from a golfing point of view it was a new gem. Winding through towering dunes and sunken valleys with tantalizing snapshots of the sea, the course offers the full Scottish links experience, with American hospitality thrown in.Hide Caption 7 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Trump International: Trump's Aberdeen venture features two out-and-back loops of nine holes in an authentic natural setting. The modest clubhouse at its heart offers several dining options, including the award-winning MacLeod House Restaurant, and a whiskey bar.Hide Caption 8 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Royal Troon: This is a classic old links on Scotland's Ayrshire coast north of Turnberry. Hide Caption 9 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Royal Troon: The course is famed for its devilish par-three eighth hole, dubbed the "Postage Stamp." It's only 123 yards long but provides a stiff test in the wind, with deep bunkers and a thin green.Hide Caption 10 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Carnoustie: Northeast of Dundee on Scotland's east coast lies the fearsome links of Carnoustie, known as one of the toughest courses in the British Isles. Hide Caption 11 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Carnoustie: The Championship course is the main pull and is famed as the venue where Jean Van de Velde paddled in the burn during a final-hole collapse during the British Open in 1999. Hide Caption 12 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Muirfield: The jewel in the crown of Scotland's "Golf Coast" of East Lothian, Muirfield is a celebrated if controversial venue. Hide Caption 13 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Muirfield: The testing track near Gullane was mired in controversy before the club finally voted -- at the second attempt -- to admit female members.Hide Caption 14 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Gullane: Close to Muirfield is another revered club with three courses. Gullane No.1 is the pick but all offer a satisfying slice of Scottish golf at its finest.Hide Caption 15 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses North Berwick: Along the coast from Muirfield lies a quirky, historic masterpiece with views over Bass Rock and an upturned "reddan" style green that has been copied the world over. Hide Caption 16 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses The Renaissance Club: Another East Lothian gem with stellar views. Hide Caption 17 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Royal Dornoch: On the north shore of the Dornoch Firth on Scotland's northeast coast lies one of its most revered courses. Golf has been played in the seaside town, north of Inverness, since 1616 but the current club has "only" been in existence since 1877. Hide Caption 18 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Royal Dornoch: The venerable spot hosts two courses -- the Championship and the Struie -- but it is the former track that draws in visitors from around the world. Winding along sinuous sandy shores and among the dunes behind, the fast-running course features humps, hollows, pot bunkers and gorse of a true links test, sandwiched between the sea and purple heather-clad mountains. Hide Caption 19 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Kingsbarns: Just along the coast from St Andrews is Kingsbarns, a blockbuster of a modern links in a spectacular cliff-top setting, opened in 2000. Crafted on land that first witnessed golf in 1793, Kingsbarns quickly went to the top of many wish lists for its rugged scenery, testing championship course and lavish hospitality.Hide Caption 20 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Kingsbarns: It features as one of three top-notch courses used in the European Tour's annual Dunhill Links Championship along with St Andrews' Old Course and Carnoustie. Nearby are other Scottish links gems such as Crail, Elie, Leven and Lundin Links. Hide Caption 21 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Castle Stuart: Although it only opened in 2009, Castle Stuart on the banks of the Moray Firth has become a highlight of golf in the Highlands. The course, overlooked by a towering white art-deco clubhouse, hugs the shore and shelving cliffs on a thin stretch of links land with views to Ben Wyvis mountain, Kessock Bridge, Fort George and Chanonry lighthouse. Hide Caption 22 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Castle Stuart: The course is 10 minutes from Inverness airport and within a short drive of Speyside's Malt Whiskey Trail, taking in eight distilleries, including Glenfiddich and The Glenlivet. Other local courses such as Brora, Nairn and Gulspie are worth a trip. Hide Caption 23 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Loch Lomond: Everything about Loch Lomond oozes luxury. From 18th Century Rossdhu House at its center to a spectacular parkland-style course on the banks of the eponymous loch -- Britain's largest expanse of fresh water -- it's a study in elegance. The rub is, it's a private club so access is like a golden ticket from Willy Wonka. Hide Caption 24 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Loch Lomond: It's a relatively recent addition to Scotland's golfing repertory, designed by former US golf star Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish and opened in 1993, but its setting between mountains and water in the grounds of the ruined medieval castle ensures its a regular in lists of the world's best courses. Hide Caption 25 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Gleneagles: A one-stop shop for golf and glamor, Gleneagles offers an inland antidote to Scotland's normal diet of windswept links courses. With a five-star hotel, three top-notch courses, bags of country pursuits and Scotland's only restaurant with two Michelin stars -- Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles -- this highland estate northeast of Edinburgh offers plenty of bang for its buck. Hide Caption 26 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Gleneagles: The Jack Nicklaus-designed Centenary course -- used for the 2014 Ryder Cup -- is the centerpiece of the golf offering, a big, parkland-style layout with soaring views to purple heather-clad mountains. The Gleneagles Hotel opened in 1924, dubbed the "Riviera of the Highlands" and now features 232 bedrooms including 27 suites. More than 50 onsite luxury lodges can also be rented.Hide Caption 27 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Royal Aberdeen: As with many of Scotland's finest courses, golf in these parts goes way back -- Royal Aberdeen Golf Club was founded on land close to the "Granite City" in 1780, and is said to be the world's sixth oldest golf club. The historic Balgownie course is the highlight, a classic links layout threading its way through the natural ecosystem of dunes.Hide Caption 28 of 29 Photos: Scotland's best golf courses Machrihanish: For golf off the beaten track, this historic club in the village of Machrihanish lies on the long finger of the Kintyre peninsula on Scotland's west coast pointing towards Northern Ireland. Machrihanish, with a famous opening shot over the sea, is another links in classic Scottish tradition, with undulating fairways, firm turf, pot bunkers, gorse, wind and vast views towards the islands of Islay, Jura and Gigha. Hide Caption 29 of 29Willie McDines, a veteran caddie master at Turnberry, admitted he'd initially harbored misgivings about the American's involvement, but had quickly changed his mind. "When they started talking about redoing the course, I was saying to myself ... 'are they going to ruin this?'," McDines told CNN. "When you see (the results), it's absolutely stunning. Mr Trump has done exactly what he said he would.""I've seen quite a lot of comings and goings here over the years," he added, "but this is the best one yet."Trump was heavily involved in the redesign of the 112-year-old resort, paying particular attention to the Ailsa course, host of the British Open on four occasions since 1977. It was on these links that the Tom Watson defeated Jack Nicklaus in the legendary "Duel in the Sun." And it was here that the billionaire businessman and would-be President oversaw the radical transformation of the ninth hole, reworking it from a par four into a spectacular par three that stretches across the water alongside the famous Turnberry lighthouse.Trump's hope was that the revamped course would soon play host to the Open — golf's oldest major tournament -- once again. Protests & 'ownership issues'Except it hasn't quite worked out that way. Despite near-universal approval of the course itself, Trump's political views have proven far more divisive, and it now seems highly improbable the Open will be staged there during Trump's tenure. "It would be very complex having an Open at Turnberry at the moment," said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers in February this year, alluding to "ownership issues." It's also looking increasingly unlikely that the sea breeze will be the only thing that greets him when he arrives on the South Ayrshire coast. Around a dozen activists from "Stand Up to Racism Scotland" (SUTR) took to the course Thursday, armed with placards and banners insisting the resort's owner is "not welcome." Activists from Stand Up to Racism Scotland (SUTR) stage a protest at the Trump Turnberry resort ahead of the US president's arrival in the UK. They shouted "lock up Trump, let the children go," according to national newspaper The Scotsman, condemning the separation of families at the US Mexico border. SUTR spokesperson Charlotte Ahmed said she hoped "tens of thousands" would take to the streets of Scotland to join the protests later in the weekend. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news and features Photos: US presidents and golfHe claims to have a handicap of 2.8, and Donald Trump isn't the first US President to have enjoyed time on the golf course. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfSixteen of the last 19 presidents have played golf. Here, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden putt on the White House putting green in 2009.Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident George W. Bush tips his hat after teeing off on the first hole at the Andrews Air Force Base golf course on September 28, 2003.Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Bill Clinton watches as his first tee shot heads off the course and into the trees during a round of golf at the Farm Neck Golf Club of Martha's Vineyard during a family vacation on August 23, 1999. He took a second shot and it landed in the same area. Clinton was known for taking Mulligans, a do-over shot in a friendly match. The press even coined a term for them -- "Billigans."Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident George H.W. Bush tees off on the fourth hole at Spyglass Golf Course during the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on February 28, 1994, in California.Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Ronald Reagan putts a golf ball on Air Force One on November 16, 1985.Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Gerald Ford plays golf during a working vacation on Mackinac Island in Michigan on July 13, 1975.Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Richard Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell play golf at the Los Angeles Country Club in 1969.Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Dwight D. Eisenhower drives down the fairway at Turnberry golf course during a weekend stay at Culzean Castle on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland on September 5, 1959. Eisenhower often carried a club in the Oval Office and took swings while dictating to his secretary.Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Warren Harding, left, gets ready for gold on the Piping Rock Golf Links on Long Island in 1921. He's with Howard Whitney, second from left, president of the U.S. Golf Association, Percy Pyne and American industrialist J. Leonard Replogle.Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident Woodrow Wilson plays golf in 1916. He played more golf than any other president, reportedly logging more than 1,000 rounds in his two terms.Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: US presidents and golfPresident William Taft, the 27th U.S. president, putts on the green in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on June 28, 1909. He is said to be the first presidential golfer.Hide Caption 12 of 12There were whispers of discontent in May when Turnberry banned the country's best-selling soft drink, Irn-Bru, over fears it would stain the resort's luxury carpets. There may be even greater outcry when Trump takes to his own fairways this weekend. CNN's Eoghan Maguire contributed to this report | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
99556c45-6357-4a1f-a4ad-0b40aea87bbe | null | (CNN)The English Premier League match between Aston Villa and Burnley has been postponed due to an increased amount of positive Covid-19 test results within Villa's squad, the club announced on Saturday.The match was scheduled to be played on Saturday, before the additional test results were announced. Per the club, all individuals who tested positive are in isolation, in line with Premier League and government guidance and protocols."The Club is extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused to Burnley Football Club, both our own supporters and the Burnley fans due to attend the fixture but have acted as swiftly as possible this morning to minimise disruption," the club said in the news release.The match is the 10th Premier League fixture to be postponed over the last week and leaves Leeds vs. Arsenal as the only remaining game to be played on Saturday, with six originally scheduled.On Friday, the English Football League announced it was postponing 19 games scheduled for the weekend, citing a rise in Covid-19 cases within football clubs affected. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
df33f64c-9fe4-4be2-8c89-c312d5180d3c | null | (CNN)In recent weeks, GOP lawmakers from at least 16 states have flocked to Phoenix for a first-hand look at a controversial, partisan "audit" of the 2020 vote in Arizona's largest county. The visits look to be a harbinger for similar exercises yet-to-come in those other states -- and a potential revenue stream for, among others, the Arizona effort's main contractor: Cyber Ninjas.Never heard of Cyber Ninjas before the Arizona audit began two months ago? You are not alone. Arizona audit funding cloaked in secrecyThough the Florida-based cybersecurity firm has existed in some form since at least 2014, before last November's election, it hadn't done election auditing, nor been in the public eye. But then, there hasn't been much of it to be in the public eye. Cyber Ninjas exists mostly in virtual reality, with its chief executive, Doug Logan, also serving as, well, pretty much everything. Read MoreOn recent calls to the company's automated answer line, pressing "3" for sales led to the answering message for Logan. So did pressing "4" for human resources. And pressing "5" for purchasing. And "6" for the general mailbox. Go to the address for Cyber Ninjas' Legal Department, listed on its audit contract with the Arizona Senate, and you'll wind up at a rented mailbox in a UPS Store in Sarasota, Florida. The company's business address registered with Florida's Secretary of State, also in Sarasota, was sold last December, and now sits empty. Cyber Ninjas owner Doug Logan, a Florida-based consultancy, talks about overseeing a 2020 election ballot audit ordered by the Republican lead Arizona Senate at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, during a news conference Thursday, April 22, 2021, in Phoenix. Logan himself has strenuously avoided speaking to reporters since taking part in an April 22 press conference just before the audit began. At that conference, he refused to answer questions about how he'd repeated and amplified various debunked election-fraud conspiracy theories on social media, such as this retweet unearthed by the Arizona Mirror, for example: "I'm tired of hearing people say there was no fraud. It happened, it's real, and people better get wise fast." He'd also provided, in a Michigan election lawsuit, an affidavit alleging vulnerabilities in one county's system for tallying votes; state and county officials disagreed, identified a slew of problems with the analysis. And Logan repeated disproven claims in a paper he wrote for Republican US senators objecting to Congress's Jan. 6 certification of President Joe Biden's election win. But Logan, and the Arizona Senate's audit liaison, Ken Bennett, argued at that press conference that Logan's own opinions don't matter, and that people should trust in the integrity of the audit process he's overseeing. Logan declined interview requests from CNN. An emailed statement from his spokesman, Rod Thomson, stated that "Mr. Logan recognizes President Biden's results were certified and accepted in accordance with the Constitution. Mr. Logan remains committed to restoring integrity and trust into our election system, which he is demonstrating through the work he is performing here in Maricopa County."But that's a tough sell, even to Logan's friends.
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"It's hard to say anything bad about the guy. He's a lovely person. He's just nuts now," said Tony Summerlin, who has been friends with Logan for 15 years, and said he helped him win a cybersecurity contract with the Federal Communications Commission five years ago. "It's scary; because if someone like him can turn into this, who can't turn into this?" Summerlin said that in all the years he'd known Logan, before the Arizona audit, "we never, never had a single political conversation; that's what stunned me about this... He said, 'there's definitely something there.' I said, 'based on what?' He said, 'it'll come.' I said, 'you sound like the My Pillow guy.'"Another friend of Logan, who asked not to be named because she works with both Republicans and Democrats in Washington, DC, and feared blowback from being linked to him, described him as very smart, very competent in cybersecurity, and politically naïve. "Doug may not have thought it all the way through," she said. JUST WATCHEDKyung Lah: Why right-wing TV reminds me of state-run mediaReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHKyung Lah: Why right-wing TV reminds me of state-run media 02:38Logan, 41, graduated from Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., in 2002, and quickly became involved in cybersecurity work. Summerlin said he first met Logan in 2005 or 2006. "He was in DC trying to get business with the government for his firm, which at that point was him. He seemed like a smart guy." In 2010, in New York, Logan competed in the first US Cyber Challenge, a national program to identify and develop cybersecurity talent. He went on to become a Cyber Challenge instructor, and helped develop a workshop for the curriculum, according to a person familiar with his work at the program. In March 2014, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that Sarasota County's Economic Development Corporation was helping Logan relocate his company, Cyber Ninjas, to the city, "with plans to eventually add eight to 10 employees." The paper said Logan was moving there from Bloomington, Indiana, where he'd also worked for the software security company Cigital. Logan and his company have a trail of positive reviews posted on his LinkedIn page for cybersecurity consulting work in the private sector. He and Cyber Ninjas also received a three-year, $101,000 federal cybersecurity contract with the Federal Communications Commission in 2016, and subsequently, Summerlin said, worked for the Universal Services Administrative Company, a private-public partnership under the FCC that provides broadband services to underserved communities and schools, among other work. None of that previous consulting appears to have any ties to election-related matters. In April 2020, Cyber Ninjas received a Covid assistance loan for $98,322, saying in its application it then had five employees.JUST WATCHEDCNN confronts woman behind bogus Arizona auditReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN confronts woman behind bogus Arizona audit 05:23Logan, in materials for a cybersecurity conference in Chicago last November, described himself as a father of 11 children and a "Follower of Jesus Christ." But also in November, within days of Trump's election loss, Logan was messaging Ron Watkins. The recent HBO documentary "Q: Into the Storm," pointed to Watkins as either being "Q" or at least a key promulgator of the QAnon conspiracy theories that helped animate many of those who stormed the US Capitol on Jan. 6. Watkins is the former administrator of the internet message-board website 8chan, now 8kun, effectively QAnon's home base. In a series of archived tweets from a now-deleted account between Nov. 12 and December, first reported by The Daily Beast, Logan messaged Watkins, "I'd love to chat if you have a chance;" asked Watkins for links to "original source documents;" and tagged Watkins on his exchanges with attorneys Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, who filed numerous lawsuits challenging Biden's victory and baselessly claiming electoral fraud. Wood also told a reporter for Talking Points Memo that Logan had visited his home in South Carolina to meet with others "working on the investigation into election fraud." Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, who hired Cyber Ninjas, dismissed concerns about Logan's tweets and other indications he might be biased as "tiny little things." Some others don't see them as quite so tiny. Arizona mail in ballot auditDouglas Cobb, owner of Paper Forensics, a Savannah, Georgia-based document examination firm, shared emails with CNN showing he was approached in April by another Cyber Ninjas subcontractor, Haystack Investigations, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to join the Arizona "audit." The emails were first reported by the Arizona Republic.Cobb said he was asked to provide up to 20 people for 14 days to examine the ballot paper, at a rate of $600 a day plus expenses per person and $800 a day for himself. That total, just over $179,000 plus expenses, is more than the Arizona Senate contracted to pay Cyber Ninjas for the audit as a whole: $150,000. As CNN has reported, private partisan sources heavily invested in casting doubt on Biden's election victory claim to have funneled more than $1.6 million to the audit. Neither Fann, nor the Senate, nor Logan, have said how much in private funding Cyber Ninjas has received or spent. At the April 22 press conference, Logan said he didn't know how much his company was being paid, and didn't want to know, because "I don't want to be influenced." Cobb had planned to work on the audit -- until his son looked online into the people he'd be working for. "I withdrew once I found out a little more about who was involved, Cyber Ninjas and Logan and his conspiracy theories," Cobb said. Logan didn't answer questions from CNN about who is accounting for funds received and spent for the audit; about whether he's been approached by legislators from other states to do similar work; about whether his company has an actual office or any full-time employees; about how he and his company came to Fann's attention; or about whether he still believes the conspiracies he touted months ago to GOP US senators, such as debunked allegations of fraud in counties in Georgia and Pennsylvania, or debunked claims that Dominion Voting System's core software originates from intellectual property of Smartmatic, and is linked through Smartmatic to Venezuela's long-dead former president Hugo Chavez, among others. Questions about Logan's beliefs continue to surface. On June 3, when conspiracy theorist and Overstock founder Patrick Byrne released a trailer for a film about the Arizona audit, claiming the election was stolen from Trump, several Arizona reporters immediately pointed to an anonymous speaker, identified only as an "ANON, Application Security Analyst," as sounding exactly like Doug Logan. Summerlin, too, said he recognized Logan's voice. On the trailer, the speaker says, "if we don't fix our election integrity now, we may no longer have a democracy." Shortly after several reporters tweeted about Logan and the trailer, a re-edited version of the trailer was substituted on YouTube with the voice for that speaker digitally altered. Logan didn't respond to queries about whether that was his voice on the trailer, which has now been removed for violating YouTube's community guidelines. The last time he spoke publicly about the audit, on April 22, Logan told reporters, "I know you guys want to paint me like some bad guy in here. I'm involved in this and putting everything on the line with my company because I care about our country. ... Otherwise, who would be stupid enough to walk into this? Every individual that walks into any election integrity thing gets butchered by everybody."Summerlin said Logan recently contacted him to ask for his help, saying that the Universal Service Administrative Company had terminated Cyber Ninjas' contract. Neither Logan nor the USAC responded to questions from CNN about the alleged contract termination. "He said, 'it's wrong they're terminating me,'" Summerlin said. "I said, 'don't be an idiot, of course they're terminating your ass, you work at will.' I said, 'if you get a government contract any time after this, I'll be amazed." | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
da2c4517-8cb0-428e-895c-e840bd031e7d | null | (CNN)Here's a look at the life of Lucas Papademos, economist and former prime minister of Greece.PersonalBirth date: October 11, 1947Birth place: Athens, GreeceBirth name: Lucas Demetrios PapademosRead MoreMarriage: Shanna (Ingram) PapademosEducation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, B.S. in Physics, 1970; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, M.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1972; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D. in Economics, 1977Timeline1975-1984 - Teaches economics at Columbia University.1980 - Senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.1985-1993 - Chief Economist at the Bank of Greece.1988-1993 - Teaches economics at the University of Athens.1994-2002 - Governor of the Bank of Greece.June 1, 2002-May 31, 2010 - Vice President of the European Central Bank.2002 - Assists the Greek government's transition from the drachma to the euro.2010-2011 - Serves as an adviser to Prime Minister George Papandreou.2010-2011 - Visiting professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.2010-present - Senior Fellow at the Center for Financial Studies, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.April 2011 - Appointed as inaugural Minos A. Zombanakis Professor of the International Financial System at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.November 11, 2011 - Is sworn in as prime minister of Greece.May 16, 2012 - Resigns as prime minister after Greek elections fail to produce a government.May 25, 2017 - Is injured by a letter bomb explosion while riding in a car in Athens. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
1d8ecd18-584e-4b74-84f6-97609234ebc9 | null | (CNN)Australian Jarred Gillett will become the first overseas referee to officiate a Premier League match when he takes charge of Watford's home match against Newcastle United at Vicarage Road on Saturday. Gillett, 34, was promoted to the highest Select Group of referees by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) ahead of the current 2021/22 season in June. He spent nine years in his native country officiating in the A-League, Australia's highest professional men's soccer league, before moving to England in 2019 to referee in the EFL.Gillett officiating Bristol City versus Cardiff City in the Championship.Having officiated in League Two, League One and the Championship across the 2019/20 campaign, the Australian took charge of the Championship playoff semifinal second leg between Brentford and Bournemouth.Gillet awarded a penalty and sent off a Bournemouth defender in a thrilling 3-1 victory for Brentford -- the West London side defeating Swansea in the final to end its 74-year absence from the top tier of English football. Read MoreREAD: I ditched Manchester United to support my local team. Now, Brentford's in the Premier LeagueThe Australian official has Premier League experience this season as a Video Assistant Referee (VAR).Watford will be seeking to build on its victory against Norwich last weekend, while Newcastle continues its search for its first win this season.Official history Gillett becomes the second of three referees to make history this month, following Luis Godhino's appearance in France's Ligue 1 last week.In taking charge of Bordeaux's 3-2 defeat at home to Lens, Godhino became the first Portuguese referee to officiate a Ligue 1 match.Luis Godinho refereeing Sporting CP against SC Braga in Portugal's Liga NOS.Maia Chaka rounded out September's history makers when she became the first Black woman to officiate an NFL game, overseeing the New York Jets against the Carolina Panthers.Earlier this year, Rebecca Welch became the first appointed female referee to take charge of an EFL game, 11 years after Amy Fearn had become the first woman to officiate an EFL game having replaced an injured referee in the game's closing stages.In May, further soccer refereeing history was written when Sapir Berman officiated an Israeli Premier League match for the first time since coming out as transgender. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
204b2bce-2bc8-4e70-9742-c7502b971654 | null | Story highlightsThe Costa Allegra is being towed and should arrive Thursday, its owner saysPassengers and crew are using mineral water for washing, Costa saysAn engine room fire on Monday left the cruise liner without propulsionIts fleet mate, the Costa Concordia, shipwrecked last month, killing at least 21The cruise ship Costa Allegra, disabled two days ago by an engine room fire, is due to arrive in the Seychelles Thursday, Costa Cruises said Wednesday.Passengers and crew will be put on planes and sent home almost immediately, the Indian Ocean nation's tourism chief said.Costa Cruises said it had secured 600 plane tickets and 400 hotel rooms. There are more than 1,000 people on the Allegra.With power out, they are using mineral water for washing, Costa said. They have a supply of cold food including fruit, cheese and cold cuts, and fresh bread is being flown to the ship by helicopter, the company said.JUST WATCHEDCosta Cruises suffers new crisisReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCosta Cruises suffers new crisis 05:02A large French fishing ship began towing the liner to port on Tuesday.A Seychelles Coast Guard ship reached the Costa Allegra later in the day, along with two tugboats from the Seychelles Ports Authority, said Seychelles presidential spokeswoman Srdjana Janosevic. The ship was being escorted to Port Victoria, the Seychelles capital, she said.The Allegra lost power in the Indian Ocean Monday with 636 passengers on board and a crew of 413, according to Costa Cruises. Most of the passengers are from Europe, but eight are from the United States and 13 are from Canada.Costa initially said Tuesday the ship was expected to arrive Wednesday at the Seychelles island of Desroches, but said later that after "extensive and accurate checks," passengers could not get off on Desroches. The ship is instead being towed to the Seychelles island of Mahe, where Port Victoria is located, the cruise line said."The disembarkation in Desroches does not assure the necessary and adequate security conditions for mooring the ship and guests' disembarkation," the cruise line said in a statement. "In addition, logistics and hotels on the island are not enough; it would require an immediate transfer from Desroches to Mahe through ferries."The ship departed from Diego Suarez, Madagascar, on Saturday and was originally scheduled to arrive in the Seychelles Tuesday.The Allegra is a fleet mate of the Costa Concordia, which wrecked off the coast of Italy on January 13, killing at least 21 people. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
b335b825-2724-43c7-b101-b1a74b2e9c71 | null | (CNN)A group of kids are suing the Trump administration over the climate emergency, which they say is being handled so negligently that it violates their constitutional rights. And on Tuesday the feds tried yet again to stop the case from going to trial.Calling the lawsuit "radical" and an "anathema," Jeffrey Bossert Clark, an assistant attorney general who represented BP after the 2010 oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, argued for the US government that the case should be thrown out in part because it is a "direct attack on the separation of powers" among the three branches of the federal government.Can 'climate kids' take on governments and win?"We don't think there is a state-created danger here," he added.Twenty-one young plaintiffs -- now somewhat less-young than when they filed the complaint in 2015 -- have watched their lawsuit pinball around the court system for years. Read MoreIt now sits with a three-judge panel from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. A decision on whether the case could advance toward trial is expected in the coming weeks or months. The climate kids allege their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property are being violated by a US government that is knowingly promoting the extraction and burning of fossil fuels, which cause dangerous levels of warming, raising sea levels and promoting droughts and storms.They also say they have a right to a safe atmosphere, and that they are being discriminated against as young people who will bear outsize consequences of the climate emergency. Feds are 'trying to silence' the kids suing the Trump administration over global warmingThe lawsuit has been called a moonshot attempt to get the federal government to act on climate, and has been compared to Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated public schools. It's "the biggest case on the planet," University of Oregon law professor Mary Wood told CNN in 2016.Along with a similar case in the Netherlands, Juliana v. United States is the "most promising" legal action on climate change in the world at the moment, said Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, who is not litigating the case."It's significant that in neither the (Dutch) nor the Juliana case have the government defendants contested the underlying science of climate change," Gerrard said. "Instead their defenses are what is the proper role of the courts, as opposed to the legislative and administrative branches dealing with the issue."It's also clear," Gerrard added, "that governments around the world have almost uniformly failed to act adequately" to address the climate crisis. Which is why people are looking to the courts.Crowds assembled outside court in Portland, Oregon, in support of the youth. Demonstrators carried signs saying "Let the Youth Be Heard" and "The Atmosphere is a Public Trust." Inside, Julia Olson, attorney for the young plaintiffs, argued that future generations will look back on the climate emergency as the defining legal challenge of this century. Meet the mom litigating the 'biggest case on the planet' "When our great-grandchildren look back on the 21st century they will see that government-sanctioned climate destruction was the constitutional issue of the century," Olson said. "We must be a nation that applies the rule of law to harmful government conduct that threatens the lives of our children so that they can grow up safe and free and pursue their happiness."Olson asked the court to push the case toward trial, saying that the ultimate relief the young people seek is an order requiring the US government to create a plan to curb fossil fuel use and make the atmosphere safe and livable for young people and future generations.Judge Andrew Hurwitz questioned whether the courts could do that.Climate change could pose 'existential threat' by 2050: report "The issue here is whether this branch of government, embodied by the three of us today, has the ability to issue the relief that your clients seek," he told Olson from the bench. "We don't doubt that Congress or the President could give you the relief you seek without us.""I don't think Congress or the President ever will without--" Olson said."Well, we may have the wrong Congress and the wrong President," Hurwitz said. "... The real question for us is whether or not we get to intervene because of it. Climate change is seriously threatening human health
"You present compelling evidence that we have a real problem. You present compelling evidence that we have inaction. ... It may even rise to the level of criminal neglect. The tough question for me, and I suppose for my colleagues, is do we get to act because of that."Clark, the assistant attorney general, said the case attempts to sidestep the usual procedures for creating federal laws, noting that it would have "earth-shattering consequences" for legal processes if it were successful. "Thurgood Marshall didn't bring one giant case to establish racial equality," he said. "It was an entire program, it was unfolded step by step."Judges questioned whether that logic applies given that the enormity of the climate crisis is somewhat different from civil rights violations, which are illegal even on a small scale, too. Sea levels may rise much faster than previously predicted, swamping coastal cities such as Shanghai, study findsMuch attention has focused on the case in part because of the dire stakes of the climate emergency, which have been clear for decades and yet continue to worsen. A United Nations scientific body found last year that there were only about 12 years left to avert some of the worst effects of the climate crisis, including flooded coastal cities, deadlier heatwaves and the near-end of coral reefs. Global emissions of heat-trapping gases must be cut in half by 2030 and to net zero by mid-century, the group found in a landmark report. Yet emissions continued to rise globally in 2018, according to the Global Carbon Project. It's the failure of the US government to adequately address the climate crisis that makes this court action necessary, said Andrea Rodgers, senior attorney for Our Children's Trust, which represents the youth plaintiffs."What we've learned throughout history is that when there are systems that have been constructed purposefully (to violate) constitutional rights of citizens, you need all three branches of government to get involved and to remedy the constitutional violation," Rodgers told CNN.Further delay of the case is dangerous for the planet and people, she said."Time is not our friend on this issue." | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
fea8e4b9-453d-4f04-9683-44566f7b3269 | null | Story highlightsBales' Wales faces Ronaldo's Portugal in Euro 2016 semifinal WednesdayBoth are looking to make history for their countriesManchester United legend Ryan Giggs believes Bale is now the better player (CNN)The first Euro 2016 semifinal will pit two of the best players in the world -- and club teammates -- against each other for the chance to create history.When Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and Gareth Bale's Wales face off Wednesday, both will be aiming to steer their countries into uncharted waters.Follow @cnnsport
For Portugal, widely considered as Europe's great underachievers, its empty trophy cabinet belies the plethora of talent the country has produced down the years and, at 31 years of age, Euro 2016 presents Ronaldo with perhaps one final chance for international glory.As for Wales, the players have already made history -- playing in a first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup and reaching the team's first semifinal.Leading the Dragons' charge is Bale, who Manchester United and Wales legend Ryan Giggs believes has already surpassed Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo.Read More
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"At the moment, Gareth Bale," Giggs, who played for Wales between 1991 and 2007, said when asked who he'd prefer on his team. Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo throws reporter's microphone into lake"It's hard to say that with Ronaldo. You know, the other night he could have quite easily had a hat-trick," referring to his spurned opportunities in Portugal's quarterfinal against Poland. "He had four or five decent enough chances, and you're always thinking at the back of your mind: 'He's going to come good, he's going to come good.'Bale on facing Ronaldo: "It's not just about two players, it's about two nations in a semi-final." #PORWAL #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/F7XrGK7quB— UEFA EURO 2016 (@UEFAEURO) July 4, 2016
"But I was impressed with Gareth Bale the other day because he didn't score, he didn't make any of the goals, but his work rate and what he did for the team is something Cristiano doesn't do -- Ronaldo is just a match winner."It's a sentiment echoed by Giggs' former United teammate Owen Hargreaves, who also played alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford.Hargreaves points to Bale's humility as a contributing factor in his rise to the top of football."Ronaldo wants to score goals, he wants to create them, he wants to be the main man and I don't think there's anything wrong with that," two-time Champions League winner Hargreaves said."He's sacrificed a lot in his life to put himself in that position. But I think Bale is probably a little more down to earth, a bit more humble and one of the boys really."After overcoming Belgium -- ranked by FIFA as the second best team in the world -- in the quarterfinals, can Wales dare to dream it could go all the way and win Euro 2016?"You can because of what you've witnessed," Giggs says confidently. "And are Portugal better then Belgium? No. "Belgium are probably a better team, so what is there to fear?" | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
e72f2dd3-8459-47a7-9c04-7c72286d0aa3 | null | Story highlightsOprah Winfrey buys $29 million horse farm ... without the horsesPicturesque equestrian estate includes fruit orchards, pool (CNN)Oprah Winfrey has paid almost $30 million for a sprawling equestrian estate on the California coast. But if the media mogul wants to add horses to her multimillion-dollar purchase, she'll have to buy them herself.The 23-acre farm in Montecito, Santa Barbara, comes complete with all the facilities you'd expect of a deluxe equestrian ranch -- covered stalls, spacious pens, paddocks, riding and exercise areas.However the $28.8 million property, which has views of both the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains, does not appear to come with any actual horses.So just what does the 62-year-old Winfrey -- the famous talk show host, Oscar-nominated actress, and entertainment entrepreneur worth an estimated $3 billion -- have in mind for this luxurious ranch?Seamair Farm features covered stalls -- but does not come with horses. Marty Rogers, of Sage Auctions which managed the sale, said the queen of daytime TV had personally visited the site numerous times before making her winning auction bid. Read More"Obviously, she is a very smart buyer and does have an amazing vision for this property," Rogers said."She had a number of experts inspect different aspects of the property and paid extensive due diligence to the property package we provided."The main house was designed by architect Cliff May, whose signature "California Ranch House" usually featured a long, low roof.Spread over 5,000 square feet, the house boasts four bedrooms, four fireplaces, and overlooks a pool.Historic horse ranch This is the first time in almost four decades that Seamair Farm has gone on the market. Previous owners John Charles Pritzlaff Jr. and Mary Dell Olin Pritzlaff, of the American chemical giant Olin Corporation, bought the property in 1977. Purple potatoes and lots of greens!#newHarvestnewYear A photo posted by Oprah (@oprah) on Jan 2, 2016 at 10:22am PST
Mary Dell raised and trained champion hackney ponies on the farm, and oversaw the renovation of equestrian facilities. She died in July last year, aged 85, reportedly at her home in Santa Barbara.Meanwhile, husband John Charles, a former U.S. ambassador to Malta -- with "encyclopedic gardening knowledge and skills," according to Rogers -- was responsible for the property's thriving fruit orchards.A large avocado grove is also sure to appeal to Winfrey's green thumb.This is the latest property purchase for Winfrey, who reportedly bought a $14 million ski chalet in Colorado late last year. President of media and entertainment company Harpo Productions, Winfrey declined to comment when contacted by CNN.Read: The $725m ranch bigger than New York and Los Angeles combinedFollow @cnnsport
| sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
6aedc4dc-fc0f-40da-ba5d-8dafd12c475a | null | Story highlightsPlane carrying Malala's parents lands in Birmingham, England "It is essential that I be with my daughter during her recovery," says her fatherMalala asked that her school books be brought to her, Interior Minister Malik saysOn October 9, the Taliban shot the teen activist who had demanded education for girlsThe parents of Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai arrived Thursday in Britain to reunite with their daughter, who has become an international symbol of courage after being shot by the Taliban for demanding education for girls.The 15-year-old, who at times has been unconscious, is being treated in a Birmingham hospital for a gunshot wound to the head.Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, has been a central influence for Malala. He ran a school in Pakistan's conservative Swat Valley that kept its doors open to girls -- in defiance of the Taliban.Her parents' arrival on Thursday came 10 days after Malala was flown to Britain.Arrests made in shooting of Pakistani schoolgirlMalala has been unable to speak because a tube has been inserted into her trachea to protect her airway, which was swollen after her injury.JUST WATCHEDMalala's storyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHMalala's story 03:35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind Malala Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani Christians attend a prayer service for the recovery of teen activist Malala Yousufzai in Lahore on Sunday, November 11, 2012. Pakistan celebrated Malala Day on Saturday as part of a global day of support for the teenager shot by the Taliban.Hide Caption 1 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani Christians attend a prayer service in Lahore on Sunday. Malala, 15, went from an intensive care unit in Pakistan, showing no signs of consciousness, to walking, writing, reading and smiling in a hospital in the UK.Hide Caption 2 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani supporters hold photographs of Malala as they stand alongside burning candles during a ceremony to mark Malala Day in Karachi on Saturday, November 10, 2012. The teen activist was shot in the head by the Taliban as she rode home from school in a van last month. She had defied the militant group by insisting on the right of girls to go to school. The attack has stirred outrage in Pakistan and around the world.Hide Caption 3 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani students shout slogans near photographs of Malala in Karachi on Saturday.Hide Caption 4 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – A Pakistani girl carries a photograph of Malala in Karachi to mark Malala Day.Hide Caption 5 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani students attend a Malala Day ceremony in Lahore on Saturday.Hide Caption 6 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – A Pakistani student in Lahore writes a message on a placard on Saturday.Hide Caption 7 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Indian teachers add finishing touches to a "Malala Rangoli" at a high school in Ahmedabad on Saturday.Hide Caption 8 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Malala sits up in her hospital bed with her father, Ziauddin, and her two younger brothers, Atal Khan, right, and Khushal Khan on Friday, October 26, 2012, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in Birmingham, England.Hide Caption 9 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani human rights activists light candles during a Sunday, October 21, 2012, vigil for Malala Yousufzai in Lahore. Hide Caption 10 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Students at the Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Lahore attend special prayers on Friday, October 19, 2012, for Malala's recovery. Hide Caption 11 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Campaigners gather Friday for a vigil for Malala in Birmingham, England.Hide Caption 12 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – An activist with the Association for the Advancement of Feminism lights candles during a vigil in Hong Kong on Friday.Hide Caption 13 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Activists light candles during Friday's vigil in Hong Kong.Hide Caption 14 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik puts final touches on a sand sculpture in honor of Malala at Puri Beach, India, on Tuesday, October 16.Hide Caption 15 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani demonstrators chant slogans during a protest against the assassination attempt by the Taliban on Tuesday in Islamabad, Pakistan.Hide Caption 16 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani activists of the Islamic Sunni Tehreek party carry flags at a rally in Islamabad on Sunday, October 14, 2012. Hide Caption 17 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Veiled Pakistani women participate in Sunday's rally. Hide Caption 18 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Supporters of a Pakistani political party, Muttahida Quami Movement, gather during a protest procession for Malala in Karachi, Pakistan. Hide Caption 19 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani leaders of the movement sit in front of a poster of Malala at a procession in Karachi.Hide Caption 20 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – A Pakistani youth places an oil lamp next to a photograph of teen activist Malala Yousufzai on Friday, October 12, 2012, in Karachi, Pakistan. Hide Caption 21 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani school girls pray for the recovery of teen activist Malala Yousufzai at their school in Peshawar.Hide Caption 22 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani hospital workers carry Malala on a stretcher at a hospital following the attack on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. Malala was shot in the head while riding home in a school van in the Taliban-heavy Swat Valley, officials said. Hide Caption 23 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Supporters hold portraits of Malala as they pray for her well-being in Karachi, Pakistan in 2012. Malala gained fame for blogging about how girls should have rights in Pakistan, including the right to learn. Hide Caption 24 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – A Pakistani Muslim prays for Malala during Friday prayers in Karachi. Malala, whose writing earned her Pakistan's first National Peace Prize, also encouraged young people to take a stand against the Taliban -- and to not hide in their bedrooms.Hide Caption 25 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Supporters place candles to pay tribute to Malala in Islamabad on Wednesday.Hide Caption 26 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – A Pakistani female activist holds a photograph of Malala and prays for her recovery in Islamabad on Saturday.Hide Caption 27 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani students pray for Malala at a school in Mingora on Thursday.Hide Caption 28 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind Malala=Supporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani Muslims bow their heads and pray for Malala during Friday prayers in Karachi.Hide Caption 29 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani school girls pray for the Malala's recovery. Over the weekend, the teen moved her limbs after doctors "reduced sedation to make a clinical assessment," military spokesman Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa said.Hide Caption 30 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – A Pakistani female covers her face during prayers in Karachi.Hide Caption 31 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani civil society activists carry banners in Islamabad on Wednesday as they shout ant-Taliban slogans during a protest against the assassination attempt.Hide Caption 32 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Children of Pakistani journalists and civil society activists light candles in Islamabad.Hide Caption 33 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani Christians attend a mass prayer for the recovery of Malala at Fatima Church in Islamabad.Hide Caption 34 of 35 Photos: Photos: Supporters rally behind MalalaSupporters rally behind Malala – Pakistani Christians attend a mass praying for the recovery of Malala at a church in Lahore.Hide Caption 35 of 35JUST WATCHEDBrown: Malala a symbol for girls' rightsReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHBrown: Malala a symbol for girls' rights 03:18"I am leaving this country with a heavy heart and in extraordinary circumstances because the whole country knows that it is essential that I be with my daughter during her recovery," her father told Pakistani network PTV before leaving Islamabad, in his first public remarks since the October 9 shooting."With the nation's prayers she survived the attack and she will surely recover and her health will progress. And, God willing, as soon as she is recovered, I will be back in Pakistan."Khushal Khan, Malala's younger brother, called for the nation to rally behind his sister. "I want to tell all my friends to pray for Malala," he said.Opinion: Why Malala should not be turned into modern Joan of ArcMalala has been thinking about school even while she lies in her hospital bed, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters after meeting with her family -- she asked her father to take her school books with him."The mission she has taken forward and the education awareness that has spread across Pakistan is all Malala's doing," he said, according to PTV. "So I think that our entire nation should be proud of her love for the soil of her country."After Malala recovers and returns to Pakistan, he said, "we will provide her with complete security, despite anyone's refusal, to ensure that something like this never happens again. The attack on Malala was a mindset of people who don't want to see this country progress."Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has spoken with the girl's father, asking him to stay in Britain as long as necessary while his daughter recovers, Rehman Malik said.Malala has been communicating with medical staff by writing notes, the hospital has said.What's your message for Malala?As of Thursday, Malala "continued to respond well to treatment," the hospital's website said. She is expected to need "a significant period of rest and recuperation" before undergoing reconstructive surgery, Dr. Dave Rosser, medical director of University Hospitals Birmingham, said last week. That surgery could involve reinserting a piece of her own skull or fitting her with a titanium plate.Malala was fighting an infection, but was able to move her extremities and has stood with help from nurses, the hospital said.Although the bullet grazed her brain as it passed from above her eye into her shoulder, she understands where she is and seems to be functioning well intellectually, it added.Malala sent a message of thanks to the thousands of people in Pakistan and elsewhere who have attended rallies and vigils honoring her courage and praying for her recovery.The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the shooting, but don't appear to have anticipated the level of condemnation it would provoke.Malala initially gained international attention in 2009, as the Taliban gained a foothold in her home region of Swat, a Taliban redoubt in northwest Pakistan, near Afghanistan.Girl shot alongside Malala haunted by attackOn her blog, Malala wrote about her life in the region, a center of militant activity where girls schools were shuttered and strict Islamist rules imposed. In her writings, which earned her Pakistan's first National Peace Prize, she encouraged young people to oppose the Taliban.Pakistani police said Wednesday that six men have been arrested in Swat in connection with Malala's shooting, but the primary suspect remained at large.Police have identified Atta Ullah Khan, a 23-year-old man from the district where she was attacked, as the primary suspect. Police said they were searching for Khan, who was studying for a master's degree in chemistry. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
fe864781-a796-43bb-b35a-1535fdfe89c1 | null | (CNN)Naomi Osaka came to the US Open looking for a third Grand Slam title. She got it by beating a rejuvenated Victoria Azarenka 1-6 6-3 6-3 -- after trailing by a set and nearly 3-0 -- but leaves New York as much more than just a fabulous tennis player. Indeed, Osaka has combined her prowess on court with raising awareness for racial injustice. As in her six previous matches at this US Open, Osaka wore a mask Saturday that displayed the name of a different Black victim of alleged police or racist violence in the US. "I feel like the point is to make people start talking," Osaka said. Read MoreThis time she honored Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old who was fatally shot by a police officer in Cleveland in 2014.Naomi Osaka takes it all in after winning the US Open final on Saturday, September 12.And all this at the tender age of 22. Some might have been overwhelmed by taking so much on their young shoulders, but judging by what happened on the court in New York, not Osaka. After Azarenka's backhand found the net on a second match point, Osaka let out a deep breath and looked skywards. Her second US Open crown was a moment that deserved to be celebrated with fans in the largest regularly used tennis stadium in the world but none were around on Arthur Ashe Stadium, understandably, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Moments later, Osaka lay down on the court and once again looked up above. "I always see everyone collapse after match point," she said during the trophy presentation, where the few claps came from tennis officials and entourages. "I always think you might injure yourself so I wanted to do it safely. When she downed Serena Williams in the controversial 2018 final, it was hardly a normal atmosphere. Already the highest-paid female athlete in the world according to Forbes with annual earnings of $37 million, one could understand if even more sponsors line up for the Japanese's signature. She is the first women's player to tally three majors under the age of 23 since Maria Sharapova -- who was the highest paid female athlete for a decade -- did it in 2008. She is also the first woman since 1994 to overturn a first-set deficit en route to winning a US Open final. On the way to more?Sharapova ended her career with five Grand Slam titles. Osaka could be on the way to even more. The defeat is sure to sting Azarenka, especially with the lead she held, but the last month has marked her renaissance. The 31-year-old former No. 1 has said that she thought about leaving tennis after enduring a custody battle and dealing with injuries. But after not winning a match for a year, she triumphed at the warmup Western & Southern Open at the same site as the US Open -- Osaka withdrew from the final with a hamstring injury -- and then made her first Grand Slam final in seven years.There was also Azarenka's first win over Williams at a major in Thursday's dramatic semifinals."I'm not necessarily disappointed," she told reporters. "It's just painful. It's painful to lose. That is what it is. It was close. I was close. But it didn't go my way."Am I going to think about it too long? Not at all. I win or I lose, I'm not going to change. I'm not going to sit here and be miserable. This was an experience that was just an experience that didn't go my way. I had a great two weeks. I enjoyed myself."The straight-talking Belarusian had spoken during the tournament about how lessening her ego has helped her grow as a player and person."I could continue to stay on my high horse or I could just change it and learn from that," said Azarenka on Thursday. She was bidding to become the first mom to claim a major since Kim Clijsters in 2011.Naomi Osaka reacts during the US Open women's singles final against Victoria Azarenka on Saturday, September 12.She sped through the first set like a thoroughbred in 26 minutes, the most lopsided opening set in a women's US Open final in games in 13 years.What was Osaka thinking?"For me I just thought it would be very embarrassing to lose this in under an hour and I just have to try as hard as I can and stop having a really bad attitude," she said."I feel like two years ago I maybe would have folded being down a set and a break. But I think all the matches that I played in between that time shaped me and made me or forced me to mature more. Especially all the matches that I've played here were very tough."So, yeah, I think definitely I'm more of a complete player now."All going Azarenka's way earlyThat first set saw Osaka make 13 unforced errors combined with just five winners. Azarenka meanwhile only hit three unforced errors and served at 94%.Azarenka couldn't match Osaka for power. Instead she stayed aggressive from the baseline by redirecting pace and creating angles.Everything was going her way, including a double net cord winner in the first game of the second set.Osaka, who earlier tossed her racket to the court gently, was bound to be rattled. But with Azarenka leading 2-0 and 40-30, Osaka went up a gear. It's a gear few have.Azarenka buckled in her next service game, double faulting for the first time and missing a backhand wide with the court open to get broken.Suddenly Osaka had all the luck, striking an ace at 30-all in the next game down the middle that caught the line by a millimeter. She led 5-3. A laser forehand return brought her a set point in a marathon game and she broke for 6-3.The statistics confirmed her stunning turnaround: 16 winners and five unforced errors in the second.JUST WATCHEDTime out: Naomi Osaka draws and tries to come out of her shellReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTime out: Naomi Osaka draws and tries to come out of her shell 03:11The odds were now against Azarenka, since Osaka had won 11 straight third sets in Grand Slams. The trend continued but not without an unexpected twist.Osaka grabbed a 3-1 advantage and seemingly ended any hopes of an Azarenka comeback by saving three straight break points in the next game.She was now cruising to the title but Azarenka saved four break points to avoid going down 5-1. Osaka was now the one jolted and she immediately dropped her serve to get Azarenka back on serve at 3-4.The last word, though, would go to Osaka, who broke for 5-3 when Azarenka's forehand went just wide.But her words in the last month haven't only focused on tennis. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
f460ae8f-8e6d-4f3f-a662-9d4aafd72005 | null | (CNN)Manchester United drew level with archrival Liverpool on points at the top of the English Premier League as a sweetly struck Bruno Fernandes penalty secured a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.Fernandes' 15th goal of the season settled a high-quality New Year's Day encounter after Bertrand Traore had canceled out Anthony Martial's first-half opener for the home side.Liverpool still lead United on goal difference, but after a stuttering start to the season, Ole Gunnar Solskjær's team has been on an impressive run in the league.Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani handed three-match ban by FA over social media postA third straight home win and seven wins in the last nine has seen United charge up the league to occupy its highest position at the turn of the year since the last season of Alex Ferguson's reign as manager in 2012-13, when the English title was last won by the Red Devils.Solskjær was delighted with the victory but has been playing down his team's title chances.Read More"It's early in the season and we shouldn't get too carried away with three points," he told Sky Sports."We have improved and we are getting better in the league and the season is going to be tight so we just to keep working and improving as a team."Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes celebrates with teammates after putting his side 2-1 ahead from the penalty spot against Aston Villa on Friday, January 1.With Jack Grealish pulling the strings, Villa, so close to being relegated last season, is a team transformed in this campaign. It took a brilliant Eric Bailly block to deny substitute Keinan Davis at the death to preserve United's lead.Villa stays in sixth place, seven points adrift of the leaders, but with a game in hand.Villa manager Dean Smith was unhappy with his side's performance in the first half which saw United push the pace with Martial, Fernandes and Paul Pogba all having good efforts before Martial put the home side ahead just before halftime.Pogba and Marcus Rashford combined in midfield to send away Aaron Wan-Bissaka whose cross was headed home at the near post by the Frenchman, his first goal from open play this season.Manchester United's Anthony Martial celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Aston Villa on Friday, January 1.John McGinn's strike was the closest Villa came to scoring in the first half but the visitor was the first to strike in the second as a quick free kick found Grealish to cross for Bertrand Traore to neatly control and fire home.The sides were level for just three minutes when Pogba wriggled his way into the box and Douglas Luiz tripped him with the lightest of touches from behind.Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot but it took a further video assistant referee check for the penalty to be confirmed.Smith said after the match he believed it was the wrong decision, but Fernandes made no mistake with the penalty past Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez, his 11th goal in the league this campaign.Aston Villa striker Bertrand Traore shoots past David de Gea to draw his team level in the 58th minute at Old Trafford on Friday, January 1. As the match opened up, Pogba could not convert from close range, Fernandes had a shot tipped onto the crossbar and Rashford blazed just over from the subsequent corner.Villa also threatened and Tyrone Mings headed just wide from a Grealish free kick while Anwar El Ghazi was denied by a last-ditch stretched clearance from Wan-Bissaka.Bailly's heroics saw him surrounded by teammates at the end before the final whistle blew with United holding on to three precious points.West Ham boostEarlier, West Ham put an end to Everton's recent fine run with a 1-0 win at Goodison Park thanks to a late goal from Tomas Soucek.He followed up a deflected Aaron Cresswell shot to score his fifth of the season in the 86th minute, guiding his shot past Jordan Pickford.Goalscoring opportunities at Goodison were few and far between with only one shot on target in the first half while the second half offered little more in terms of entertainment.📸 Celebrating the opening #PL goal of 2021#EVEWHU • @WestHam pic.twitter.com/4tYA4O6paL— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2021
The best chance fell to West Ham's Pablo Fornals, but he headed weakly wide from a good position.Colombia's James Rodriguez came on as a second-half substitute after an injury layoff, but was unable to spark a home revival before the Hammers made the late breakthrough.West Ham boss David Moyes was claiming his first win against the team he formerly managed, while Carlo Ancelotti's Everton stay in fourth, four points off the top."A really good, professional job," said Moyes, praising his team for finishing a run of three games in six games so strongly.Covid uncertaintyMeanwhile, the ongoing Covid-19 crisis could impact on Sunday's fixtures with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealing that he will be without five players for the planned key clash with Chelsea.City said on Christmas Day that there were four positive cases at the club, including Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus, causing Monday's match with Everton to be postponed at short notice.Further testing has thrown up more positive cases, including three more squad members whose identity has not been revealed.Fulham's match at fellow strugglers Burnley is also in doubt with the results of further testing of its squad awaited.Its London derby on Wednesday against Tottenham Hotspur was called off at short notice, a decision labeled as "unprofessional" by Spurs boss Jose Mourinho as he prepared his side for a home game against Leeds United on Saturday. The Premier League has faced calls for a "circuit break" with a rise in positive tests but has so far insisted the season must progress as planned. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
d11bdff6-068e-4983-8609-755355cdbf61 | null | Story highlightsSergei Filin was attacked as he approached his home in Moscow on Thursday nightThe unidentified assailant threw concentrated acid in his face, causing severe burnsFilin had suffered intimidation, including threatening phone calls, state media sayDoctors are fighting to save the sight of the artistic director of Russia's illustrious Bolshoi Ballet after a masked assailant threw acid in his face on a Moscow street, state media reported.Sergei Filin, 43, was approaching his home around midnight Thursday when the unidentified attacker flung the concentrated acid at him, causing severe burns to his face, the state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported Friday.It could take Filin at least six months to recover from the third-degree burns to his face and eyes, RIA Novosti cited Yekaterina Novikova, a Bolshoi spokeswoman, as saying.Filin took up the key role at the world-renowned ballet company in 2011, after three years directing Moscow's Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theater.There was "fierce rivalry" for the Bolshoi position at the time, according to RIA Novosti.JUST WATCHEDAcid attack shocks Russian ballet companyReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHAcid attack shocks Russian ballet company 01:56The agency reported that Filin had suffered months of intimidation, including threatening phone calls and the slashing of his car tires. Shortly before the acid attack, somebody attempted to hack his Facebook page, it said."We don't know who would benefit from this," Novikova told RIA Novosti. "The police should investigate."Read: Bolshoi Prima ballerina's grace under pressure | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
087fb319-012c-4538-b03c-af06db233a6b | null | Miami (CNN)San Francisco's "Captain America" has reached the Super Bowl. And so have I.When I found out that I'd have the privilege of covering the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV, I knew I had to profile 49ers general manager and Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist John Lynch.Perhaps the byline might give you some clue as to why.We were both born in the Chicagoland area and will both be watching Sunday's Super Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. But that's where the similarities probably end.San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch walks on the field before their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.We crossed paths for the first time inside Marlins Park, at Opening Night.Read MoreFor those not familiar, Opening Night is a frenzy, where members of the media are packed like sardines interviewing players, coaches and team executives. Nonstop for an hour, they're hit in all directions with different types of questions. It's loud. It's borderline chaotic.I spotted him talking to a TV reporter behind a rope near the stage, so I scrambled around the corner to see if I could talk to him. But by the time I got over there, about 10 other media members got there ahead of me and started asking questions.I was running out of time. After 10 minutes or so, a team spokesperson said there would be two more questions. I snuck closer to the rope.And, with the final question, I made my move.49ers' Katie Sowers is the first woman and openly gay coach in Super Bowl history"John Lynch, CNN," I yelled in the midst of the scrum. "Yes, that's my real name."I showed him my credential with my name on it, and Lynch chuckled.I then asked what it was like to be in this moment with this team right now. He replied that it was awesome to be here and be in the Super Bowl again. Then, just like that, the 49ers got him out of there.CNN's John Lynch got this picture of the 49ers' Lynch at Opening Night at Marlins Park on Monday.Hard-nosed mentalityOne of the hardest-hitting safeties to ever play the game, Lynch made the Pro Bowl in nine of his 15 seasons in the NFL and was selected to the All-Pro team twice.He won Super Bowl XXXVII as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 years ago. This is his first time experiencing the Super Bowl as a team executive."I never thought you could equal the feeling of going to the (Super Bowl) as a player, but this one's just as good," Lynch told NBC Sports Bay Area in the 49ers locker room after his team won the NFC title against the Green Bay Packers.Lynch retired from the game in 2008 but hasn't strayed very far from the game he's loved.Lynch celebrates with the George Halas Trophy after winning the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 19 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers beat the Packers 37-20.He spent eight seasons as a color analyst on Fox's NFL coverage, but he left in 2017 to tackle a new challenge as general manager of the 49ers."I remember my wife not being too happy I was going to do this because I really did have a nice job," Lynch said to NBC Sports Bay Area. "But something was pulling at me to compete and be a part of a team."Lynch had a big task in front of him when he got to California.The five-time Super Bowl champs had only three winning seasons in the previous 16 and had only one Super Bowl appearance since last hoisting the Lombardi Trophy right here in Miami 25 years ago.But Lynch took that hard-nosed mentality he had on the field into the front office.Roger Goodell on Antonio Brown: 'We want to help get him on the right track'He hired Kyle Shanahan, who had just been the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons during their NFC Championship season in 2016, as his head coach, and the dynamic duo got to work."Kyle and I are on the same page that we're going to put together and assemble a team and how long that takes we don't know, but we're going to assemble a team that will make you proud," Lynch said when we was introduced as GM in 2017.The first two years didn't produce a lot of results on the field, the 49ers winning 10 of 32 games. But a foundation was being laid, and it sprang to life this season.Forty six of the 53 players on this year's roster were acquired in the three seasons Lynch and Shanahan have been at the helm, including stars like Jimmy Garoppolo, Richard Sherman and Nick Bosa.The 49ers ended with a 13-3 regular season, the top seed in the NFC playoffs and a dominant performance in the playoffs that saw them outscore their opponents (Minnesota and Green Bay) 64-30 on their way to a Super Bowl.Lynch arrives at Miami International Airport in Miami on Sunday.Lynch was named executive of the year by the Pro Football Writers of America, something his right-hand man Shanahan saw he could become from the moment they started working together."When you were as good a player as he was, when you're as smart as he is, when you have the passion he has ... I knew he'd be very good at being a general manager," Shanahan told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I call him 'Captain America' because it's true in how he asks and stuff. He's like that all the time.""Captain America" could claim another massive honor this weekend in Miami. Lynch could be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when modern-era players are selected on Saturday. It's the seventh straight year Lynch has been a finalist for the Hall. When asked about the possibility for pulling off a rare Hall of Fame and Super Bowl double, he said, "I've dreamt about it. It could be a real nice weekend."A "real nice weekend" could be in store for both of us here in South Florida. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
d381190b-4da7-410e-b548-cfe3c92ae8dc | null | Story highlights Rep for D.C. cardinal declines to commentGroup "has little to no credibility," says spokesman for New York cardinalCardinals won't give any more interviews because of leak concerns, U.S. nun saysVatican says it's not up to priest abuse survivors' group to decide what cardinals doA group representing survivors of sexual abuse by priests named a "Dirty Dozen" list of cardinals it said would be the worst candidates for pope based on their handling of child sex abuse claims or their public comments about the cases.The list names three U.S. Roman Catholic cardinals and nine from other countries.Watch for the smoke: How is a new pope elected?SNAP, the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, said as it released the list Wednesday that its accusations were based on media reports, legal filings and victims' statements.A representative for one of the cardinals on list dismissed the group. The remaining cardinals or their representatives couldn't be immediately reached by CNN for comment Wednesday."I'm not going to respond to this group which has little to no credibility," said Joseph Zwelling, a spokesman for Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York.When asked about the SNAP list, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, a spokesman for the Vatican, told CNN: "We believe it is not up to SNAP to decide who comes to conclave and who is chosen. ... cardinals can decide themselves without asking SNAP for advice."JUST WATCHEDA Catholic Church cover-up? ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHA Catholic Church cover-up? 03:16JUST WATCHEDChurch's history of saints and sinnersReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHChurch's history of saints and sinners 02:20JUST WATCHEDCNN Explains: Papal successionReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHCNN Explains: Papal succession 02:42Lombardi and another Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Thomas Rosica, read the SNAP press release together, Rosica said. Lombardi declined to comment further.The two other U.S. cardinals on the list are Sean O'Malley of Boston and Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., the group said.A spokeswoman for Wuerl declined to comment.The others listed are Leonardo Sandri of Argentina, George Pell of Australia, Marc Ouellet of Canada, Dominik Duka or the Czech Republic, Peter Turkson of Ghana, Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, Tarcisio Bertone and Angelo Scola of Italy, and Norberto Rivera Carrera of Mexico, the group said.Not all of them are linked to alleged coverups of sexual abuse, SNAP said. Some were placed on the list because of their public remarks related to the abuse scandal, SNAP said.On Monday, SNAP also called for some of the older cardinals to remove themselves from the meetings held before the election of the new pope, arguing that some have been accused of complicity in protecting priests accused of sexually abusing children.Cardinals from around the globe have been summoned to Rome to take part in the process of choosing the next pontiff, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI last week.As of midday, 113 of the 115 cardinals eligible to elect the new pope are in Rome, according to Lombardi. To be eligible to be a part of the group, a cardinal must be under the age of 80.The two cardinal-electors who are not yet there are Kazimierz Nycz of Warsaw, who was due to arrive later Wednesday, and Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Vietnam, who is arriving Thursday.Interactive: A look at possible papal contendersNo date has yet been proposed for the secret election, or conclave, to select the former pontiff's successor.Meanwhile, a new study says American Catholics view sex abuse by clergy as the most important problem facing the church today, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.When asked to put in their own words what's the most pressing issue facing their church, 34% of the U.S. Catholics questioned cite pedophilia, sex abuse or another phrase for the same problem, Pew said. No other problem received a more than 10% response; the next biggest issue named is low trust and low credibility, at 9%, Pew said.'Silence didn't work'SNAP is intentionally focusing on candidates with a realistic chance of being named pope, its executive director David Clohessy said Wednesday as the group released its list."The single quickest and most effective step would be for the next pope to clearly discipline, demote, denounce and even defrock cardinals and bishops who are concealing child sex crimes. We think that's the missing piece," he said.The new pope should order each bishop around the world to hand over "every piece of paper he has on proven, admitted or credibly accused child-molesting clerics to law enforcement," Clohessy said.Barbara Dorris, victims' outreach director for SNAP, said: "The short answer is we've tried silence, silence didn't work, so we have to speak out. We have to do everything we can to get this information out there."The Catholic Church has been rocked by a series of child sex abuse scandals in recent years -- and the new pope will be under pressure to deal more effectively with a crisis that has shaken public confidence in the church.SNAP says it's vital to look at how the world's bishops have handled claims of abuse by priests because the crisis is far from over."This scandal, we believe, has yet to surface in most nations. It's shameless spin and deliberate deception to claim otherwise. It's tempting to reassure the public and the parishioners by making this claim. But it's also irresponsible," a statement on SNAP's website said."Clergy sex crimes and coverups remain deeply hidden in the vast majority of nations (where most Catholics live), and has really only become widely known -- and barely addressed -- in the U.S. about a decade ago and in a few European countries even more recently."What's in a name? Clues to be found in next pope's monikerMedia leaks concernA news conference scheduled by American cardinals for Wednesday, following media briefings on Monday and Tuesday, was canceled at short notice.Asked if the Vatican had told the American cardinals to stop their daily media briefings, Vatican spokesman Rosica suggested that the details of what was discussed in the general congregations were not meant to be publicized."It's not up to Father Lombardi or myself to tell them what to do," he said. "It could be that among themselves they realized that there are different ways and different methods of getting things out."Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said via e-mail that the U.S. cardinals were committed to transparency and had wanted to share "a process-related overview of their work" with the public "in order to inform while ensuring the confidentiality" of the general congregations."Due to concerns over accounts being reported in the Italian press, which breached confidentiality, the College of Cardinals has agreed not to give interviews," she said.In total, 153 cardinals gathered Wednesday at the Vatican for a third day of meetings, known as general congregations, before they set the timetable for the election.The cardinals spoke about new evangelization, restructuring of the church hierarchy, or curia, and the need for good governance of the church, Lombardi said.A five-minute limit has been imposed on cardinals speaking at the meetings, although the microphone is not being switched off if they run over the time allowed.The cardinals have decided to meet twice Thursday, in the morning and afternoon, in order to "intensify the rhythm of work," Lombardi said.Video shown at a Vatican news conference showed workers preparing the Sistine Chapel for the secretive conclave.An elevated floor is being put in place to protect the elaborate mosaic tiling, said Lombardi, where seats will be placed for the cardinals. The Sistine Chapel and its ornate ceiling by Michelangelo are normally a must-see for tourists in Rome, but it was closed to the public beginning Tuesday afternoon to allow for preparations to take place. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
72c2ef53-8818-40a7-868c-0c730bc9062b | null | Story highlightsDay pulls out of WGC Match PlayWorld No. 3's mother Dening has cancerDay's place at the Masters in doubt (CNN)A tearful Jason Day has withdrawn from the World Golf Championships Match Play to be with his stricken mother Dening, who has lung cancer.The world No. 3 walked off the course after playing six holes of his match with Pat Perez in Austin, Texas before giving an emotional press conference.Follow @cnnsport
Day explained his mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer at the start of the year in Australia and given 12 months to live. She has since joined the 29-year-old and his family at their home in Ohio, where she has had further tests."The diagnosis is much better being over here," the 2015 US PGA champion told reporters. JUST WATCHEDJason Day: If I want it, no one can beat meReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJason Day: If I want it, no one can beat me 02:56Read More'Very emotional'"She's going in for surgery this Friday, and it's really hard to even comprehend being on the golf course right now because of what she's gone through. I'm glad I brought her over here."Dening now faces surgery at the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University on Friday to remove a 3-4 cm mass on her lungs.Day was 12 when his father Alvyn died of stomach cancer. He subsequently began drinking, fighting and getting in trouble regularly. WATCH: Four days with Tiger WoodsREAD: Tiger trying everything for Masters returnREAD: Historic golf club finally allows female membersDening took out a second mortgage on their house and borrowed money to send Day to a boarding school famed for its golf academy. It was there his association with caddie and coach Col Swatton began."It's been really hard to play golf lately," Day explained. "It's been very, very emotional, as you can tell. I've already gone through it once with my dad. And I know how it feels.JUST WATCHEDJason Day, Karrie Webb and Australian golfReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHJason Day, Karrie Webb and Australian golf 22:40"As of now, I'm going to try to be back there with my mom for surgery and make sure everything goes right with her. "Emotionally, it's been wearing on me for a while and I know my mom says not to let it get to me but it really has, so I just need some time away with her to make sure that everything goes well because this has been very, very tough for me."I'm going to do my best and try and be there the best I can for her, because she is the reason that I'm playing golf today. Family is first. It's just a hard time."I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for her, and we can get this behind us and she can live a long life."'Gutsy guy'Day was defending champion at the WGC Match Play after winning the the title for the second time in 2016, beating South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen in the final.After a string of second-place finishes, Day finally got his hands on his first major title in 2015 at the US PGA Championship.Day, who later that year became world No. 1 for the first time, said after his three-stroke triumph at Whistling Straits: "Without my mom's sacrifice, there is no doubt I would not have made it.JUST WATCHEDTiger Woods exclusive: injuries and the futureReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHTiger Woods exclusive: injuries and the future 04:53"Her and my sisters did so much for me so I could have the chance to succeed and I will forever be grateful. There is no telling where I would have ended up. Maybe jail. Maybe dead. But she made sure that wasn't my path."The first major of 2017 is two weeks away, but it is unclear at this stage whether Day will take his place at Augusta National for the Masters."Whatever happens, happens. Whether he's playing that ... I know it is something he wants to do," his manager Bud Martin was quoted as saying by the PGA Tour website."But anyone that has a mother, I think you know that she comes first. Being by her side in Ohio when she has the surgery is something that I think just overwhelmed him. He thought that was where he needed to be.Visit cnn.com/golf for more news and videos"Jason is a gutsy guy. You don't accomplish what he's accomplished on the golf course without having resilience." | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
20cf5bd5-ab42-4492-af1e-6bee2681e23f | null | Story highlightsThousands of migrants are in Serbia's capitalSerbian worker says the refugees are "just running from a bad situation"Europe is facing its largest migrant crisis since World War IIBelgrade, Serbia (CNN)Eighteen-month old Ali runs around happily in his clean new tiger-print pajamas. For the first time in a long time, he is clean -- something that his mother couldn't help him with much until now.They and many other refugees came from war zones -- many having fled Syria and Iraq. The park in central Belgrade, where they are now, is a welcome resting spot, a place where they can eat, clean up and find shelter.But it's not home. Serbia is the latest stop for these people, who arrived by boat on the shores of Greece, traveled through a no man's land border to Macedonia and then headed north. They've been on the road for days, and it's not over yet. Many say they hope to settle down in Western Europe, where economic prospects and inclusion in the European Union gives them a better chance at a new life. Thousands see this as the best path ahead, creating what's being called Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II. Read MoreMisery for migrants caught in Greece-Macedonia bottleneckToddler Ali is in his pajamas outside his family tent near Bristol Park in Belgrade. His family has been on the road for 10 days.The journey hasn't been easy, evident by looking around the Belgrade park. A medical tent set up by local authorities treats the injured and sick -- children among them, having developed coughs and fevers after waiting in the rain for passage in Macedonia. Some adults have foot and leg injuries from so much walking. Their struggles are clear, too, in the activity around a water truck brought in by the city -- where mothers scrub down their children, men wash their feet and a boy fills up water bottles for his family. Drone footage shows moment migrants arriveWhen it starts to rain, refugees resting on the park's green grass pack up. Some find shelter under a parking garage, others sit under umbrellas at the café of a nearby hotel that offers free WiFi.These refugees say they have received the warmest welcome yet here in Serbia, a nation where people remember what it's like to live through war. A mother holds her baby as health workers try to treat him. Some in the Eastern European nation say it's only natural for them to help."We are feeling very sorry for them. We remember our own troubles," a Serbian hotel worker said. "We know they are not bad people, they are just running from a bad situation."Whether these visitors will be welcome for an extended period if they don't continue their journey is another question.Still, Serbian Labor Minister Aleksandar Vulin told CNN on Tuesday his country will never "become a concentration camp for these people. These people have rights, and one of their rights is to travel freely. "Vulin said that Serbia recently saw 7,000 people cross into his country in a single night. He said the migrants are not considered to be a threat.While the concern may help, it doesn't mean these refugees aren't missing home. One man, who used to be a teacher, says he left Iraq after militia bombed his wedding, killing his 14-year old younger brother. He cried with his students when he told them he was leaving."Iraq is the most precious thing I have," he said. "But we became strangers there, we (were) strangers in our own country."4,400 migrants rescued in a day off Libyan coast An Iraqi child after bathing in the parkHe is traveling with his friends, including a journalist from Mosul who left because ISIS took over that northern Iraqi city. Their group huddles under a tree trying to figure out the Serbian phone network. Like many other refugees, they get messages in a language they cannot read.In other words, they don't fit in here yet, either.Still, a part of home is always with them. You can see it and hear it as even the camera-shy gather around a man strumming a baglama, a stringed instrument, and singing an old Syrian Kurdish song. He sings:"I've become old from being poor.They sent me to my exile.My face has become so dark.Why do you do this to me, oh world?"CNN's Jessica King and Becky Anderson contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
171f8cc4-caab-419a-9726-5da381d74038 | null | Story highlightsScottish Power Renewables has successfully tested a new type of underwater tidal turbineThe device can produce 1 megawatt of electricity, enough to power 500 homes and businessesA fleet of ten underwater turbines could be installed off the West coast of ScotlandThis would be the first sub sea turbine farm anywhere in the worldA 30-meter- turbine anchored to the seafloor off the Scottish coast is proving that tidal farms are a turn closer to being a viable renewable energy source. Scottish Power completed preliminary trials of the giant undersea turbine in the fast-flowing coastal waters off the Orkney Islands. It found that the turbine produced one megawatt of electricity, enough to power 500 homes and businesses. "We're very pleased with the initial results and we've operated at full power already," says Alan Mortimer, head of innovation at Scottish Power Renewables.If the next stage of testing goes according to plan, Mortimer says that work will soon begin on a fleet of the turbines -- manufactured by Andritz Hydro Hammerfest -- and will be installed at another site in the Sound of Islay off the west coast of Scotland.Although there are examples of similar stand-alone operations in Norway and the UK, the Sound of Islay turbines would be the first large group of its kind anywhere in the world. When fully operational it is estimated to produce electricity for 5,000 homes. Other countries with strong tidal resources and potential sites for tidal power farms include Argentina, Chile, the U.S. and Canada.Compared to offshore wind farms, tidal energy devices like the turbine trialed in Scotland are completely hidden from view. They are criticized for being potentially harmful to marine life, but Mortimer contends that because the turbine's propellers move relatively slowly, the impact on fish and other forms of sea life is minimal.See also: World's oceans are 'plasticized'Scottish Power says that it already has planning consent and a lease for the seabed where the tidal farm will be built. However the main obstacle to the implementation of more tidal farms remains the cost."We have publicly stated that we expect the capital costs of the Islay project to be around £70 million ($110 million)," says Mortimer, which equates to roughly $11 million per turbine.The 10 megawatts of power that will be generated by the Sound of Islay turbine farm pales into insignificance when compared to the output of a large nuclear or coal power station, which according to American hydro energy non-profit the Ocean Energy Council, can produce up to 100 times as much electricity.Mortimer is quick to point out that he believes such challenges are inevitable in developing new technologies and that costs would fall and efficiencies improve as the fledgling industry develops."The estimate for the UK in terms of wave and tidal is that it could eventually produce in excess of 10% of the country's electricity requirements," says Mortimer. "That's definitely big enough to make it of interest for us to pursue it." | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
88b07fdd-8323-40da-92e4-4ebde5245434 | null | (CNN)Researchers in South Africa reported Thursday they have found some evidence that people who had been infected once with coronavirus were more likely to be reinfected with the Omicron variant than with the Beta or Delta variants.They said it's too soon to know for sure, but a recent spike in second infections indicates to them that Omicron is more likely to reinfect people."Contrary to our expectations and experience with the previous variants, we are now experiencing an increase in the risk of reinfection that exceeds our prior experience," Juliet Pulliam, director of the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis at Stellenbosch University, who helped lead the study team, said in a statement.Coronavirus variants: Here's what we knowOmicron was only identified in November but has worried World Health Organization and other global health officials, who have designated it a variant of concern because of its many mutations affecting areas associated with transmissibility and ability to evade the immune system. Pulliam and her colleagues looked at reports of infections covering 2.7 million people in South Africa since the beginning of the pandemic, including more than 35,000 people diagnosed more than once with Covid-19.Read More"We identified 35,670 individuals with at least two suspected infections (through 27 November 2021), 332 individuals with suspected third infections, and 1 individual with four suspected infections," they wrote in their report, posted online in a preprint, meaning it has not been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal. "Among the individuals who have had more than one reinfection, 47 (14.2%) experienced their third infection in November 2021, which suggests that many third infections are associated with transmission of the Omicron variant."They are assuming the recent uptick in cases in South Africa reflects the spread of Omicron and not some other factor such as waning immunity. The people whose cases they describe have not had the virus sequenced, so it's not certain they were, in fact, infected with the Omicron variant. Even with a new variant, here's why vaccines and boosters are still the best solutionHowever, officials say the Omicron variant is now the dominant coronavirus strain in South Africa, accounting for 74% of samples that were genetically sequenced in November. More sequencing is underway to determine the true prevalence of the variant. "The timing of these changes strongly suggests that they are driven by the emergence of the Omicron variant," the researchers wrote. Before Omicron, the Delta variant had been the most prevalent variant in South Africa, and it remains the dominant variant globally. More data should make it clear if Omicron is, in fact, driving reinfections in South Africa. Public health officials should know by mid-December, they said."Population-level evidence suggests that the Omicron variant is associated with substantial ability to evade immunity from prior infection. In contrast, there is no population-wide epidemiological evidence of immune escape associated with the Beta or Delta variants," they wrote. This finding has important implications for public health, especially in countries like South Africa, where there are high rates of immunity from prior infection. This study did not take vaccination into account, nor could it account for possible waning of immunity over time."Our most urgent priority now is to quantify the extent of Omicron's immune escape for both natural and vaccine-derived immunity, as well as its transmissibility relative to other variants and impact on disease severity," Harry Moultrie, senior medical epidemiologist in the Center for Tuberculosis at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa and a co-author of the paper, said in a statement. 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.Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at University of Southampton, said the situation may be different when it comes to immunity from vaccines. "The immune response from vaccination is much stronger when compared with infection-acquired immunity. Whilst there is likely to be some impact, it is likely vaccines will still provide some level of protection," Head said in a statement to the Science Media Center in the UK. "The booster dose may be key here in maintaining a high level of protection. "Whilst we await more data to emerge over the coming days and weeks, the message to the general public has to be -- go and get all the doses you are eligible for. Keep that protection as high as possible."The findings may mean natural infection will not help build herd immunity, some experts said."Omicron has blown a big hole in the controversial argument that we should simply allow the infection to spread in an attempt to create immunity," microbiologist Simon Clarke of the UK's University of Reading said in a statement."We await a further indication as to whether Omicron has any ability to evade vaccine induced immunity." | health | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
cc0d5973-c9cd-4af7-af98-b4b4e9760272 | null | BerlinGermany has summoned the Russian ambassador and expelled two Russian diplomats after a court ruled on Wednesday that Moscow had ordered the 2019 murder of a Georgian citizen in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.The court found Russian citizen Vadim Krasikov guilty of the August 2019 murder of Tornike Khangoshvili, an ethnic Chechen of Georgian nationality, in a central Berlin park, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.The court said his crime had been ordered by the Russian government.The Berlin courtroom where the verdict was given on December 15, 2021."This murder, ordered by a state as the court found today, constitutes a severe breach of German law and the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Germany. Therefore we have just summoned the Russian ambassador for a talk," Baerbock said in a statement."The Russian ambassador was notified that two members of the diplomatic personnel will be declared persona non grata," she added.Read MoreLater that day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova addressed the expulsion and summons of the ambassador. The Russian connection to a Berlin hit job that Germany doesn't want to talk about"Berlin's unfriendly actions will not remain without an adequate response. A statement on this matter will be made in the near future," she wrote on her Telegram channel.The judge had earlier emphasized the connection of the Russian state with Khangoshvili's murder."In June 2019 at the latest, state organs of the central government of the Russian Federation took the decision to liquidate Tornike Khangoshvili in Berlin," the judge said."Four children lost their father, two siblings their brother," the judge said."Some media suggested that Russia or even (Russian president) Vladimir Putin are on trial here," he added. "That's misleading: only the convict is on the bench. But our task does involve considering the circumstances of the crime."Khangoshvili was shot dead at close range in broad daylight on August 23, 2019. Police arrested Krasikov later the same day. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
89c60da5-a870-4025-9448-8de7abefbc1f | null | Paris (CNN)The Russian artist who published an explicit video that prompted a candidate to pull out of the Paris mayoral race told CNN on Thursday that he stole the incriminating footage from his girlfriend's computer, saying his actions were "just the beginning" of a "political porn" project. Dissident artist Pyotr Pavlensky leaked explicit text messages and a 30-second video that Benjamin Griveaux, the official Paris mayoral candidate for Macron's governing La Republique en Marche party, allegedly sent to Alexandra de Taddeo.Griveaux, a former government spokesperson, was married with children at the time."I stole this video," Pavlensky told CNN in a TV interview, adding that his girlfriend, Alexandra de Taddeo, "didn't know that I found and took the video." He says he discovered the footage last November."I showed her what I was doing after publication," said Pavlensky, who was granted political asylum in France in 2017. This isn't America say French politicians, after candidate quits in sex scandalRead MoreDe Taddeo's lawyer, Noemie Saidi-Cottier did not respond to CNN's multiple requests for comment but she told the Associated Press De Taddeo acknowledges receiving the alleged sex video but denies being involved with its publication online. CNN has reached out to prosecutors to see if they're aware of Pavlensky's claim that he stole the footage.Pavlensky said de Taddeo was previously in a relationship with Griveaux, who dropped out of the race after the leak last week ahead of France's municipal elections that begin on March 15."For me this is only the beginning," Pavlensky said, adding that he was "happy" with the public's reaction.He said that his website, which is currently down, was a place where people could "watch porn made by civil servants, politicians, representatives of power. It's porn, it's political art."He declined to speak further about future projects.Pavlensky is know for his performance art, including sewing his lips shut to protest Pussy Riot's detention. Pavlensky and de Taddeo were taken into custody Saturday and questioned over three days. They have been placed under formal investigation for invasion of privacy and publishing images of a sexual nature without consent, according to a spokesman for the Paris prosecutor.Griveaux's lawyer, Richard Malka, told CNN via text he had "no comment to make." But while withdrawing his candidacy on Friday last week, Griveaux said he and his family had endured "defamatory statements, lies, rumors, anonymous attacks, the disclosure of private conversations that were stolen and death threats" for over a year."Yesterday a new stage has been reached: a website, and social networks relayed vile attacks on my private life," he said in a televised statement Friday. "My family does not deserve this." Griveaux did not deny that he had sent the explicit videos.Pavlensky: Griveaux would be a 'dangerous' mayorSeveral French politicians have lamented Griveaux's resignation. Current Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who is running for re-election, called for the "respect of privacy" in a statement to CNN affiliate BFM TV. Pavlensky denied to CNN suggestions that he released the video out of jealousy over Griveaux and de Taddeo's former relationship. He described the leak instead as an act of "political art" to inform Parisian voters that Griveaux had based his mayoral run on "hypocrisy" and "lies.""His private life stopped being private ... the moment he made his wife and children an integral part of his image and campaign," Pavlensky said."I can't say what could have happened if he had become mayor," he said. "I think it would have been dangerous."Russian artist Pyotr Pavlensky speaks to the press as he leaves the Paris courthouse on February 18, 2020.Pavlensky is famous for his performance protests, including sewing his lips together over the imprisonment of Russian punk group Pussy Riot, who were jailed for a performance critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also once nailed his scrotum to Moscow's Red Square.French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told the radio station France Inter on Wednesday that if Pavlensky was convicted by French judges—for the Griveaux leak - his status as a political refugee may be called into question.Pavlensky, though, said he wasn't scared of losing his refugee status and that he was used to such threats."I'm not thinking about it because in my life there has always been something meant to scare me. I'm used to it." | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
4d04b428-d9ed-4134-8c4f-ec946dc0c542 | null | (CNN)Police in the Australian state of Victoria have found a body believed to be that of missing British tourist Aslan King. In a statement Tuesday, police said the man's body was "located about 10:15 a.m. this morning in a creek just over a kilometer (0.6 miles) from the camping ground where Aslan was last seen.""Officers are yet to formally identify the body; however, it is believed to be Aslan King who was last seen at a camping ground on Old Coach Road about 2am on November 23," the statement added. According to CNN affiliate 9 News, 25-year-old King was camping with friends at Princetown, near the Twelve Apostles, a rock formation off the scenic Great Ocean Road coastal drive. He reportedly suffered a "medical episode" and hit his head at about 2 a.m. Saturday, after which he ran into bushland. "We're not looking at any foul play, we're looking for a missing person," Victoria Police Sergeant Danny Brown told reporters Monday, on announcing the extension of the search area to 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). Read MoreInvestigators said they would prepare a report for the coroner on the body found Tuesday. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
4bd85eca-644e-441d-8b84-79e6ccd87f0c | null | (CNN)Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to participate as neutrals at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Wednesday.The decision, which comes as the sporting world continues to impose sanctions on Russia and Belarus following the former's invasion of Ukraine, means athletes from the two countries will compete under the Paralympic flag and will not be included in the medal table.The Russian delegation must cover the Russian Paralympic Committee symbol on their uniforms in all official ceremonies and sporting competitions, the IPC said. The Belarus delegation must also cover the Belarus flags on their uniforms.In a statement, IPC president Andrew Parsons said: "The IPC and wider Paralympic Movement is greatly concerned by the gross violation of the Olympic Truce by the Russian and Belarusian governments in the days prior to the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.""The IPC Governing Board is united in its condemnation of these actions and was in agreement that they cannot go unnoticed or unaddressed."JUST WATCHEDUkrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina speaks out against Russian invasionReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHUkrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina speaks out against Russian invasion 03:21Read MoreThe Olympic Truce dates back almost 3,000 years to the early days of the ancient games when the leaders of three Greek city-states agreed to limit their battles. In modern times, the Truce has been invoked as a universal goal by the UN regularly since 1993.On January 28, UN Secretary-General António Guterres asked nations around the world to lay down their weapons and observe an Olympic Truce from seven days before the Beijing Games until seven days after the end of the Paralympic Games."What we have decided upon is the harshest possible punishment we can hand down within our constitution and the current IPC rules," added Parsons."Post-Beijing 2022, we will also take measures with our 206 member organisations to determine whether any breaches of the Olympic Truce for future Paralympic Games could lead to the possible suspension or termination of an NPC."On Wednesday, Russia continued to ramp up assaults on key Ukrainian cities with attacks on multiple fronts, while Belarus remains a key military ally of Russia and is being used as a launch point for troops into Ukraine.Earlier this week, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) "recommended" that Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from competing in international sporting events, but added that athletes or teams should compete instead as neutrals where this would not be possible due to "short notice for organisational or legal reasons."The IPC said it will host an "extraordinary" general assembly in 2022, during which members will be invited to vote on whether "to suspend or terminate the membership of the Russian Paralympic Committee and Belarus Paralympic Committee" and "whether ensuring compliance with the Olympic Truce should be a membership requirement."The IPC also said that it will not hold any events in Russia or Belarus "until further notice."The opening ceremony of the Paralympics takes place on Friday before official competition begins on Saturday. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
fd591eec-c73c-4552-990b-3d6ff796b0c9 | null | Story highlightsRafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain wins Dubai Desert ClassicFinal round 68 at Emirates Golf Club secures one-shot winLee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher share second spotTiger Woods in contention at Pebble Beach Pro-Am in CaliforniaRafael Cabrera-Bello defied a clutch of big names to land the Dubai Desert Classic Sunday after a final round four-under 68 at the Emirates Golf Club.It was enough to give the 27-year-old Spaniard a one-shot win ahead of overnight leader Lee Westwood and Scotland's Stephen Gallacher.Both Westwood and Gallacher had putts on the final green to force a playoff but missed to leave Cabrera-Bello to celebrate the biggest win of his career with an 18-under total of 270.World No.3 Westwood, now three times a runner-up in Dubai, opened up a two-shot lead early in the final round when he eagled the second.But the Englishman struggled on the greens in difficult and breezy conditions.Other big names also faltered, with World No.2 Rory McIlroy dropping three shots to the turn before staging a late recovery to tie for fifth on 14-under.The U.S. Open champion had led at halfway with Thomas Bjorn of Denmark on 13-under, but finished with rounds of 72 and 71.Former U.S. PGA champion Martin Kaymer of Germany, who started the final day two shots adrift, missed early birdie chances and fell away with a 74.Germany's Marcel Siem finished alone in third on 15-under after failing to press home his challenge on the back nine.Cabrera-Bello, who led after a first round nine-under 63, was delighted by his performance and his surprise victory."I played well throughout the week and I am delighted to finish ahead of such a good field this week. This is unbelievable."The tournament was the last of the 'Desert Swing' on the European Tour, also taking in Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Robert Rock of England upstaged Tiger Woods to win the first tournament with Scotland's Paul Lawrie claiming victory in Doha.Meanwhile, Woods is four shots behind third round leader Charlie Wi going into the last day of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.Woods, still seeking his first full-field tournament win in over two years, shot a five-under 67 for third place, He will be paired with arch-rival Phil Mickelson, who is in a five-strong group tied for fourth at nine-under.Wi will partner second-placed Ken Duke, who is three shots behind, in the final round. | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
18145d16-cc42-4fe4-8491-7034bcab518f | null | Story highlightsNo deal yet with Democratic Unionist Party to prop up Conservative governmentThe Irish peace process is at risk, Irish PM warnsLondon (CNN)UK Prime Minister Theresa May was clinging to power by her political fingertips on Sunday after losing her parliamentary majority in last Thursday's election, as an agreement with the minority Democratic Unionist Party that would keep the Conservatives in power was still not finalized. May's co-chiefs of staff, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, handed in their resignations on Saturday following the disastrous election. The vote was called by May to strengthen her position ahead of talks to leave the European Union, in the end it left her weakened.Both Downing Street and the DUP issued statements late Saturday saying talks over a deal to prop up the government would resume next week amid concern among more liberal Conservatives about May hitching her wagon to the right-wing Northern Irish party. Earlier, Downing Street had said a preliminary agreement had already been secured. The DUP is similar to the "religious right" in the United States and takes a hardline stance on social issues, such as same-sex marriage and abortion. Corbyn will push a substantial amendment to the Queen's Speech. Meanwhile the main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that he stands ready to lead the country and that a new general election could be held within months. Read More"I think its quite possible there'll be an election later this year or early next year, and that might be a good thing, because we cannot go on with a period of great instability," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr on Sunday . 'Dead woman walking'Theresa May: the Icarus of UK politics Many of those Conservatives now opposing May are those who wanted to remain in the EU. "Theresa May is a dead woman walking, it just remains to be seen how long she remains on death row," George Osborne, the former UK chancellor who was sacked by May last year, told the BBC on Sunday. The right-wing British press speculated Sunday that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a former journalist and the former Mayor of London, was plotting a leadership coup. But Osborne, who is now the editor of London's Evening Standard newspaper, downplayed the prospect. "He's in a permanent leadership campaign so I am not sure it qualifies as news," he said. The new arithmetic of the House of Commons will also makes Brexit negotiations more difficult. The DUP, although it wants to leave the EU, will insist on keeping the single market that allows the free flow of goods across the UK's border with Ireland. "One piece of good news is the whole election has put pay to a hard Brexit," Osborne told CNN. "The votes aren't there now in the (House of) Commons for taking Britain out of all the economic arrangements we have with the European Union," he said. Ireland: Alliance could endanger peace Winners and losers from the UK electionIn Ireland, there is growing concern that by bringing the DUP into government, London will no longer be able to perform its traditional role as an impartial broker in the Northern Ireland peace process. May spoke to the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny over the phone on Sunday."The Taoiseach indicated his concern that nothing should happen to put the Good Friday Agreement at risk and the challenge that this agreement will bring," the Irish government said in a statement. "He also noted the absence of any nationalist voice in Westminster following the election."The Good Friday Agreement was a major development in the peace process of the 1990s that brought peace to the region after decades of conflict. Seven Republican Sinn Fein members who want a united Ireland were also elected on Thursday, but they do not attend or vote as the party does not recognize Westminster rule.Pressure from all sidesMay called the general election three years earlier than required by law, with the aim of sweeping an even greater majority for her party before Brexit talks in just eight days to take the country out of the EU. But a dismal campaign has left the Prime Minister fending off a mutiny within her own party. Conservative MPs are publicly airing their anger, some calling for her ouster and others demanding radical change in her style of leadership.What the UK election result could mean for BrexitRuth Davidson, the openly gay leader of the Conservatives in Scotland, told the BBC she had words with May over the DUP's record on LGBT rights.Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said on the Andrew Marr show he believed the Conservative Party and the DUP will be able to hold together in government. "They (the DUP) are going to support us on the big Brexit, economic and security issues facing this country," he said. On Sunday, May appointed former BBC journalist Damien Green as First Secretary of State -- effectively May's deputy Prime Minister -- in a reshuffle of her cabinet. Many key positions were unchanged.Michael Gove has been appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He was also a backer of Brexit, and lost to May in the 2015 Tory leadership election.Her new chief of staff will be Gavin Barwell, a former MP who was ousted from his south London constituency as a result of Labour's unexpectedly strong showing in the election. May said that he would bring "considerable experience" to the post.May promises 'stability and certainty'In her post-election reshuffle, May said she appointed ministers that reflect "the wealth of talent and experience across the Conservative Party." In a television interview Sunday with Sky News at Downing Street, May say she would help deliver the "stability and certainty" the country needs during the reshuffling. When asked if she would continue her term in office May said, "I said during the election campaign that if re-elected I would intend to serve a full term. But what I'm doing now is actually getting on with the immediate job." May also said she would be meeting with her cabinet on Monday and going to France on Tuesday for meetings with French President Macron. Peter Taggart in Belfast contributed to this report. CNN's Karen Smith and Sarah Faidell contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
a80c21bf-5697-42c6-932f-d4a0208e6537 | null | (CNN)Seventeen former British gymnasts, including three Olympians, have notified British Gymnastics of their intention to take legal action, alleging coaches subjected them to "systemic physical and psychological abuse," according to a statement from their law firm Hausfeld. "This is a landmark moment in our campaign for justice," Claire Heafford, a former elite gymnast and one of the 17 claimants, said in the statement."This is not and has never been about a few bad apples, this is about decades of systemic abuse, encouraged and covered up by those at the top."The hopes and dreams of countless children and young adults of competing as professional gymnasts have been destroyed and their love for the sport is now shrouded in fear and suffering. My heart goes out to everyone who has felt this pain and have not yet spoken out -- we want you to know that we are here, fighting on your side." In a statement sent to CNN, British Gymnastics said: "We took receipt of the Letter Before Action on the afternoon of 25th February. It would not be appropriate or fair to all parties for us to make any comment until we have had the opportunity for it to be fully considered. "Read MoreThe claimants, who are all women, allege the abuse took place at clubs across the United Kingdom, all of which were affiliated with British Gymnastics, according to the statement from Hausfeld.The claimants, who were between the ages of six and 23 at the time, allege physical abuse included "inappropriate use of physical force by coaches against gymnasts constituting physical assault," pressure on gymnasts to continue training while injured and "abusive and harmful coaching techniques which have no justification in science or theory," as detailed in the statement.The 17 women allege "systemic physical and psychological abuse."The Letter Before Action cites "consistent reports of coaches slapping, pushing, and using physical force to reprimand, punish, stretch, and/or 'correct' gymnasts during training." The claimants also allege coaches "excessively controlled" gymnasts' diets and engaged in "widespread bullying and intimidation behaviour" against gymnasts and parents."The focus on weight served to create a culture of 'body shaming' for gymnasts," states the Letter Before Action sent to British Gymnastics.The Hausfeld statement says in nearly all cases, the alleged abuse has left gymnasts with lasting psychological and physical damage, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.The letter follows the launching of a pressure campaign called Gymnasts for Change by Heafford and Olympic gymnast Jennifer Pinches in 2020."For too long we have seen British Gymnastics prioritise podiums over people, which has led to untold damage to the lives of young people," Pinches said in the Hausfeld statement."It is a heart-breaking truth to face, knowing the level of abuse that we and so many others were subjected to. This is just the beginning of the sweeping changes that we are demanding, and the justice that we will fight for."In December, the CEO of British Gymnastics, Jane Allen, retired amid an independent inquiry into allegations of abuse in the sport.Allen lauded the gymnasts who had spoken out about abuse as "very brave" in an October interview with the BBC and acknowledged the organization had "'fallen short' in protecting its athletes." | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
2ff3cc74-a390-4419-a825-f574d86f7871 | null | Washington (CNN)Two top prosecutors working on the Manhattan district attorney's criminal investigation into the Trump Organization resigned Wednesday, leaving the years-old probe without two key players as it appeared to have entered a crucial phase. Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz submitted their resignations to the DA's office, Danielle Filson, a spokeswoman for the office, told CNN in a statement, adding that "we are grateful for their service." "The investigation is ongoing," Filson said. "We can't comment further." The New York Times first reported the prosecutors' resignations. CNN has reached out to Pomerantz and Dunne for comment. The resignations come as the new Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, has "indicated to them that he had doubts about moving forward with a case against" former President Donald Trump, the Times said, citing conversations with people with knowledge of the matter. Read MoreOne person familiar with the investigation by the district attorney's office told CNN that Bragg appeared "disinterested" in his office's investigation into the Trump Organization while he was battling bad press stemming from a memo he had released detailing changes to prosecutorial policies. The source called Dunne's and Pomerantz's departures a setback but said the investigation will move forward. "A case can be harmed by the team that's carrying it out leaving, but that doesn't mean that's the end," the source said. But another source said the notion that Bragg was uninterested in the case was "ridiculous," saying the district attorney is taking his time. "Alvin's taken a great interest and we're looking at it -- it's ongoing," this source said. "And it's a strong team of lawyers here that it's ongoing with." Bragg's concerns ultimately led to a pause in the probe's use of a state grand jury, according to the Times, which said Dunne and Pomerantz "have not questioned any witnesses in front of the grand jury for more than a month." The newspaper said that the investigators "late last month postponed a plan to question at least one witness before the grand jury." The "precise reasons for Mr. Bragg's pullback are unknown," the Times said, noting that "he has made few public statements about the status of the inquiry since taking office." Following his election last year, Bragg pledged to personally focus on the probe, saying in an interview that it's "obviously a consequential case, one that merits the attention of the DA personally." CNN reported in December that the investigation appears to be coming to a head, with prosecutors focusing on the accuracy of the Trump Organization's financial statements when seeking financing, according to people familiar with the matter.Prosecutors have already brought witnesses before the grand jury, including a key Trump accountant and two Forbes journalists. They have also interviewed employees from Deutsche Bank, one of Trump's main lenders. The investigation follows criminal charges announced last July that allege the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer engaged in a 15-year tax fraud scheme. The Trump Organization and the former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, have pleaded not guilty.This story has been updated with additional information Wednesday. | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
f5673d10-5647-4422-99c1-d1adafa067c6 | null | (CNN)The Greek prosecution lawyer at the center of the Harry Maguire case has questioned the Manchester United football star's version of events after he was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery of police following a confrontation with the authorities on the island of Mykonos.According to Greek police, three Britons -- Maguire, his brother and a friend -- were involved in a "brawl" with locals after a night of drinking in a bar in the early hours of Friday August 21.Police said officers on patrol intervened to resolve the dispute but said the three foreigners turned on them, injuring four officers, according to police and the prosecution lawyer, Ioannis Paradissis.Manchester United's English international defender Harry Maguire has appealed against the verdict of a Greek court which found him guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery of police following an incident on the Aegean island of Mykonos. All three men were arrested and spent the night in police cells before being released the following day.Maguire's subsequent claim in a BBC interview that he "feared for his life" in the confrontation with Greek police in what he thought was a kidnapping was described as "fiction" by Paradissis.Read MoreHe also called on the Manchester United player, who is the world's most expensive defender, to apologize. Maguire was on vacation in Mykonos with his fiancée, family and friends at the time of the incident and his arrest.At his trial on the neighboring Aegean island of Syros on Tuesday, Maguire was handed a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days, according to Reuters. Maguire wasn't present at the hearing having been allowed to leave Mykonos along with his other two co-defendants including his brother Joe, but he has strongly protested his innocence and his legal team has lodged an appeal. Manchester United captain Harry Maguire to appeal Greek court verdict Manchester United is due to begin preparations for the 2020/2021 season on September 2 after a short break following the end of the 2019/20 season, which ended for the side with defeat in the Europa League semifinal to eventual winner Sevilla. In his emotional interview with the BBC on Thursday, the 27-year-old Maguire was asked if he had tried to bribe the police and replied: "No, for sure. There was no bribe involved."But Paradissis, part of the legal team which secured the convictions of Maguire and the co-defendants, told CNN that Maguire was not telling the truth. He said that what Maguire described in his interview as kidnapping was "being driven to the island police station by his own driver, that he and his group had employed on the island, following police instructions, who had intervened in the incident and identified themselves and who instructed the driver to take them to the police station." "At the police station there were signs and police cars and bikes, it was impossible not to know where he was. And this is only a small example of how his story is made up," added Paradissis. Manchester United captain Harry Maguire 'fully co-operating' with police after incident Manchester United, which has publicly supported its captain Maguire despite the guilty verdict, said on Saturday that it didn't have any comment to make, referring CNN to the club's statement regarding Maguire's appeal. "An appeal against yesterday's verdict was lodged this morning by Harry's legal team," said the United statement. "In accordance with the Greek judicial process, the filing of an appeal extinguishes the initial court verdict and nullifies the conviction."The appeal has been accepted and will lead to a full retrial in a more senior court," added the United statement. "This means that Harry has no criminal record and is once again presumed innocent until proven guilty. Accordingly, he is also not subject to any international travel restrictions."On his personal social media and in the subsequent BBC interview, the England international has continued to protest his innocence, claiming they were the victims in the incident.Thanks for everyone's support over the last week, I'm pleased to have had my say and share the true version of events. Looking forward to getting on with life now and the season ahead with @ManUtd and @England. pic.twitter.com/99G1iVi0qh— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93) August 28, 2020 "My family and friends know what happened that night. That's the main thing. The people who are close to you, the ones who trust you. My conscience is clear. I know exactly what happened that night," he told the BBC But Paradissis has poured scorn on Maguire's claims of innocence. "He should apologize for his behavior -. Four police officers went home injured, when they were just doing their job -. This man is a role model to many, especially the young," he told CNN. "At a time like this why did he not at least outright condemn violence, even if he then wanted to claim he was not involved? This is shocking behavior from an athlete."There were witnesses at the police station that Maguire's brother was telling officers 'we can pay'. This was all heard in the trial and Greek justice reached a decision." A spokesperson for Greek police, Theodoros Chronopoulos, told CNN they would be making no further statements. "Our involvement was concluded when the Greek justice system took over, according to Greek law. Greek justice reached a decision," he said. England future uncertainParadissis also disputed Manchester United's interpretation of the legal position of the Maguire case, saying the date for a retrial was up to two years away. "Manchester United has said the verdict is basically invalid because of the appeal process but under Greek law that verdict has only been suspended until the retrial in the form of the appeal takes place. So he remains a convicted person under Greek law," he said."All the same the consequences of the conviction have been stayed until the appeal." Maguire is also a key member of manger Gareth Southgate's England international squad and was initially picked for September's Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark. Following the verdict of the Greek court, Maguire was immediately withdrawn, with Southgate saying: "it was in the best interests of all parties." Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videosWith the postponed Euro 2020 taking place next summer and with important warm-up matches to be played in preparation, Maguire is keen to return to the squad, despite the ramifications of the guilty verdict and the ongoing legal process. "I love playing for my country. Physically and mentally I am ready to play. I'm disappointed but of course I understand," he said. Elinda Labropoulou and Isabel Tejera contributed to this report | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
9597bda2-dfb5-495d-a46e-cecccaeb1a3a | null | Story highlightsEU and UK officials are readying for a fourth round of Brexit talksJuncker proposes reforms to improve the bloc's efficiency (CNN)European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sought to present a bright future for the European Union after the United Kingdom leaves in 2019, but warned that Britain "will regret" the move as much as the EU will.In his annual state of the union address, Juncker repeatedly used the word "solidarity" in talking about the bloc and enumerated its economic achievements, saying that "the wind is back in Europe's sails.""March 29, 2019 -- that is the date when the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. This will be a very sad and tragic moment in our history. We will always regret this -- and I think that you will regret it as well soon, if I might say," Juncker told members of the European Parliament, including Brexit architect Nigel Farage. "Nonetheless, we have to respect the will of the British people. But we are going to make progress. We will keep moving. We will move on. Because Brexit isn't everything. It's not the future of Europe. It's not the be all and end all."UK lawmakers approve EU withdrawal bill Juncker's speech, in Strasbourg, France, comes as British and EU leaders ready for a fourth round of Brexit talks this month, and a day after the UK published a paper offering to contribute military assets to the EU. Defense is the UK's most valuable card in Brexit negotiations and London hopes its contribution in the area will yield favorable trade terms from the EU in return. Read MoreJuncker called on EU leaders to set out a clear vision for the EU's future ahead of May 2019 European Parliament elections, held just over a month after the UK is scheduled to officially leave the union. "The 30th of March 2019, on that date it will be a union of 27. And I suggest we prepare very well for that date," he said, calling for a summit in Romania that day. A reformed EUJuncker gave an insight into his vision for the EU's future and how he hopes to keep the other 27 member states together after a tumultuous period. Britain voted to leave the union in June 2016. Around the same time, several members of the EU expressed growing discontent over how to handle the migrant crisis, while euroskeptic right-wing parties in several member states gained support."When I stood before you this time last year, I had a somewhat easier speech to give. It was plain for all to see that our union was not in a good state. Europe was battered and bruised by something that shocked our very foundation," Juncker said in his opening remarks. Angela Merkel's legacy hinges on mending Europe"We only had two choices -- either come together around a positive European agenda or each retreat in our own corners. Faced with this choice, I argued for unity."Juncker wants to boost trade deals and finalize pending ones by the end of 2019, saying that countries around the world were "knocking at our door" for new agreements. He also called for trade pacts with Australia and New Zealand. After fierce criticism from Britain over inefficiency in the EU, Juncker proposed that his role as president of the European Commission be merged with that of the European Council.He repeated a call to create a post for a eurozone finance minister, but added that the post could be filled by an existing commissioner.And in apparent response to criticism that the bloc focuses on the most menial of issues, Juncker presented a commission with a whittled-down agenda, saying it proposed just 25 initiatives this year, down from 100 two years ago.CNN's Stephanie Halasz contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
5fd34c6b-3eac-419c-a608-0efd658e1e7c | null | Berlin (CNN)German Chancellor Angela Merkel's plane was forced to turn around and make an unscheduled landing due a technical problem, a government spokesman told CNN. Merkel was heading to Argentina for the G20.The plane has landed safely in Cologne, the spokesman said. Merkel has had to reschedule some meetings due to the delay. An RTL reporter on board says they were flying over the Netherlands when they were told there had been an "electronic systems failure" and turned around to land at the Cologne airport. Reporters have been told the airplane is getting a replacement part. Video from on board shows several fire engines surrounding the Airbus after it landed. The two-day summit kicks off tomorrow in Buenos Aires. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
22f0dbe9-2da3-4a7f-8695-499943990066 | null | (CNN)She's heading to Paris to make history, but she's not a fashion model or a top chef. Enable is a superstar racehorse bidding to win Sunday's prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for an unprecedented third straight time.To clinch Europe's richest race once is career-defining, but three wins in the showpiece classic would elevate Enable to legendary status.Such is her physiology and athletic prowess, jockey Frankie Dettori says, "When she takes a breath during a race I can feel my legs moving."A bumper first prize of more than $3.1 million would also be a lucrative payday for Dettori and trainer John Gosden -- who says it's "the race we all want to win" -- but for them the appeal of the Arc and Enable adds up to far more than zeros on a cheque.Read MoreThe 48-year-old Dettori is one of the sport's biggest names, with a wealth of famous wins, including a record six Arc titles. But of all the great horses he has ridden in a glittering career, it is Enable that stirs him the most. "It goes without saying I love horses, but she's taken me emotionally to places no other horse has taken me," said the Italian, talking to Aly Vance for CNN's Winning Post after a morning gallop on Enable at Gosden's Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket, England."We've won most of the big races in Europe and America and experienced some great times together so she's very close to my heart. She's never let me down. The euphoria of winning together has been special."READ: 'You go into your own soul:' Superstar jockey on the pressure of big races READ: Meet the trainer to rulers, royals and billionairesFrankie Dettori celebrates after Enable wins the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly in 2017.'Great mental strength'Enable is a five-year-old bay mare bred by Saudi royal Khalid bin Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms stud as one of the first crop of foals from stallion Nathaniel, a standout champion in his racing career.After becoming only the eighth horse since the Arc's inception in 1920 to win a second title last year, Enable and Dettori went to the US and clinched the Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs to continue a remarkable story. The sale where royalty and billionaires can spend $4.8M on a single horse She's won all three of her outings this year -- all Group 1 races -- and has amassed nearly $12 million in prize money.According to Dettori, she operates in third gear at home but she "puffs up" and the "lights come on" when she hits the race course."Mentally, she's very strong," said the veteran rider ahead of Sunday's showdown at Longchamp. "When she gets to the race course it's like a switch -- she's on, she's ready to go. [But] she can also fight, she's got everything you wish in a great horse."Why the best racehorses go for tens of millionsThe 68-year-old Gosden, who has trained more than 3,000 winners in an illustrious career, says Enable's competitive streak is one of her biggest assets."She has to be in first lot [training group], if you make her wait she'll start digging the bedding up in her box and stamp her feet, she's very competitive, she likes to train and she likes to race," Gosden told Vance on the gallops above Newmarket on a sunny September day."Some days she just quietly goes through the motions and other days she'll show a lot of spark -- very much like us, it depends on what mood she's in, but she certainly wants to please."He added: "Obviously she has the physiology -- great depth, great heart room that is, the girth below where the saddle goes, the whole cardiovascular system and the lungs -- and she has a wonderful stride on her and just this great mental strength," "In a couple of her races she'll just look at the other horses as if to say, 'OK, you think you can go by me? You're not.'" READ: Sheikh Fahad and the phone call that changed racingEnable and Frankie Dettori surge to the line to win the 2018 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.'Luckiest person'In 2017, Enable scored emphatic victories in the Oaks, the Irish Oaks, and the King George before clinching her first Arc at Chantilly, north of Paris, when Longchamp was undergoing redevelopment.But Gosden says in the intervening years she has become "a little cleverer and smarter in her racing." Goodwood brings glorious end to English social seasonShe's narrowly beaten the Aidan O'Brien-trained Magical three times in her last four races, alongside a gritty victory by just a neck over Crystal Ocean in the King George at Ascot in July."When she was youthful and exuberant she'd burst four or five lengths clear, but now she's rather like the old cagey boxer who knows how to win it on points rather than go for an elaborate knockout. She has that mental fortitude which is very important," added Gosden. The groom who looks after her and rides her on a daily basis is the 34-year-old Imran Shawani, who followed his older brother Anwar from Karachi, Pakistan 14 years ago to work for Gosden, with barely any English and no riding experience."The boss [Gosden], he's a gentleman, he's always looked after me very well. He was paying me full wages and at that time I was absolutely useless. That's the truth," Shawani told CNN over the phone after finishing a day's work at Clarehaven. Royal Ascot: A day in the life "The boss said, 'Oh my God, you need to learn a lot.' He used to teach me riding for one hour every day after third lot on the pony. He taught me how to hold the reins, how to go up and down when the horse trots and how to stand on a horse when they canter. I was always doing some mistakes but the boss always ignore, and he gave me lots of chances."I was an absolutely s**t rider."Another brother Afzal rode Enable's father Nathaniel, but when Imran chose her to look after, little did he know she would go on to become a wonder horse. "She's beautiful, she knows she's a superstar," he added. "If you take her on Warren Hill [Newmarket's gallops], she wants to show off she's Enable. She's so special for everyone and if you give her a Polo mint or a carrot she's going to be your friend. "I think I am the luckiest person in the yard and in Newmarket."READ: Why the Curragh is spiritual home of Irish racingImran Shawani (second from right) has worked for trainer John Gosden (right) for 14 years.'A big ask'Enable will face 11 rivals in the mile-and-a-half-test of speed and stamina at leafy Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne on the western edge of Paris.Among the challengers are Magical, multiple Group 1 winner Waldgeist, and O'Brien's Japan."It's a big ask to have them in peak condition year on year," added Gosden. "One thing you never get in this business is overconfident."When you're dealing with horses, anything can happen at any stage, just like a football manager with footballers. You're always worried about a niggle or little injury or a little sickness.Visit CNN.com/Sport for more news. features and videos"We hope she puts in a big achievement but there is some mighty opposition. And you need something very important -- you need some luck in running." | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
f8b4cec0-0e15-4c20-9753-cb8fb05d9b09 | null | New York (CNN Business)Shares of the owner of the pipeline responsible for the oil spill off the coast of Southern California plunged Monday, as the money-losing company could be on the hook for big penalties.Amplify Energy, a small, independent oil company active in oil production and drilling in the area, said that its pipeline is the apparent source of the massive oil spill about four miles off the coast near Huntington, California. Authorities say the spill is comprised of an estimated 3,000 barrels, or about 126,000 gallons, of crude oil.Amplify's shares plunged about 44% in early trading Monday on news of the spill. Houston-based Amplify (AMPY) was created in 2017 out of the bankruptcy of another small oil company, Memorial Production Partners. Thanks to a surge in oil prices this year company's stock had been on a tear, rising 339% year-to-date through the close of trading Friday. Despite those huge gains, Amplify's stock price Friday was about where it stood before the collapse of energy prices in the early days of the pandemic when oil prices briefly turned negative. Institutional investors own about a third of the company's shares.Amplify is a very small company, with only 222 employees as of the end of 2018, the last time it reported the size of its staff in a company filing.Read MoreIts most recent financial report shows sales of $153 million, with year-to-date losses of $54.4 million through the end of June. Adjusted operating income came in at $47 million. One factor that helped its results was the full forgiveness of a $5.5 million payroll protection program loan from the US Small Business Administration.The spill's limited impact on other companiesThe oil spill's impact on other oil and drilling companies has been limited so far. Shares of Exxon Mobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX) and ConocoPhillips (COP), the three biggest US oil companies, were up slightly Monday morning, as were those of offshore drilling company Transocean (RIG).Amplify's subsidiary responsible for the pipeline, Beta Operating, has a history of repeated violations of federal rules for safe operation, according to figures released by the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which inspects offshore oil facilities. The bureau found 71 non-compliance incidents that required a specific part of a facility to be shut down at least temporarily, and one additional incident was serious enough to require an entire facility to be temporarily shut. The bureau also issued 53 warnings that didn't require any shutdowns. This history of problems was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.Massive California oil spill threatens wildlife and closes beachesThe facilities operating the pipeline were built in the late 1970s and early 1980s and are inspected every other year, Amplify CEO Martyn Willsher said at a news conference Sunday. He said company employees noticed the oil spill and notified the Coast Guard on Saturday.Offshore oil production on federal lands has been a focus for Amplify as it tries to grow its business. The company said in August it had spent $1.7 million in capital to increase its operations at federal lands off the southern California coast, and that it expected to start production in September. The company did not respond to questions as to whether that took place as planned, and if the oil from that project was involved in this spill.— CNN's Casey Tolan contributed to this report. | business | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
720398f3-fdfe-4e75-b560-9d5ed5a1b2ce | null | Psychologist John Duffy, author of "Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety," practices in Chicago. He specializes in work with teens, parents, couples and families. (CNN)On this World Mental Health Day, the second of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is clear that people -- most people -- are struggling. Across cultures, we were experiencing plenty of mental health issues well before the pandemic, including -- but not limited to -- undue stress and anxiety, poor self-esteem, eating issues, and family strife. All of these challenges have been exacerbated over the course of the past 18 months.I encourage you to take honest stock of your own emotional well-being today. Are you taking care of yourself? Are you suffering unnecessarily? Are you priding yourself on being busy, when you are in fact exhausted? Are you hiding depression or anxiety to protect the people around you?Following are six steps you can take today to enhance your mental wellness, and that of those around you.Begin a daily wellness regimenRead MoreTaking care of yourself emotionally starts first thing in the day -- preferably before your feet hit the floor. In lieu of checking social media or starting work, draw in a few deep breaths, and consider three things you find yourself grateful for. These can be grand, like your spouse, job or health, or modest, like the weather, the view from your window, or even the luxury of those first breaths. JUST WATCHEDWellness apps are surging in popularityReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHWellness apps are surging in popularity 03:33Then, if you haven't already, try a brief guided mediation like one of these CNN picks or the Calm or Headspace app. Read a comforting excerpt from a favorite self-help or other relaxing book. By doing so, you will create a calm, relaxed mindset for the day. Even stressful days packed with activity will feel more manageable and tranquil if you do so, and you will find yourself catastrophizing far less over the course of the day. Remember, a lot of the things that enhance physical health also support emotional well-being. Evaluate what you put in your body and your mind: food, drink, drugs, a constant stream of video programming, and so on. Thinking about how you might manage your intake to make your body healthier will undoubtedly have mental health benefits as well.I cannot express enough how these early-in-the-day actions can impact your mindset of peace, well-being and gratitude for the rest of your day.Starter tip: Don't think you'll remember first thing in the morning? Write it on a sticky note, and place it over your phone before you go to bed. Get outside your own mind every dayFacebook went offline this week. Experts say we should log out, tooWhen we are anxious or depressed, our symptoms tend to occupy our minds. We scan for severity or for new mental difficulties, and the more we scan, the more we tend to find. Further, our depression, anxieties and other emotional concerns tend to amplify when they remain our sole focus. If we get out and attend to serving others, we find that our own worries diminish. We also feel better when we serve others, coming away with a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment and contribution -- a win-win for mental health. Volunteer at a soup kitchen or your child's school. Work a phone helpline for others struggling with emotional difficulties. Remove the unnecessaryOver the past couple of years, there has been no doubt that we are too busy and protect precious little time to relax and do virtually nothing. Today presents a wonderful opportunity to consider what we can take away from our daily lives that might enhance our peace of mind and support our emotional wellness. This is a day to remove the misguided pride in the word "busy," and focus not on all we can do, but on what really needs to be done -- and what does not. In fact, the pandemic has presented a unique opportunity to do so. Many of my clients have found, in their new work-from-home worlds, that in past years, much of their time has been spent on unnecessary activity, from busywork to social media scrolling. Others find these activities prevent them from getting a full night's sleep or connecting with family, which are crucial elements of emotional wellness. Removing some of this activity can help us protect time for some of these other endeavors that foster well-being and growth. Assess your relationshipsIt's time to become friends with your anxietyAssess how each of your relationships is working for you. Are you giving more than you're receiving from a sibling or friend? Do you feel hopeful and refueled after a coffee date with an acquaintance? Many of us spend far too much time and energy on relationships that are either toxic or one-sided, and that can include social media connections. You may also recognize that you do not reach out and connect enough to others. Slowing down to connect more deeply and share your life and story with your close family or friends is among the most important ways you can strengthen your mental wellness.Check in with your peopleWorld Mental Health Day can be a welcome excuse to reset for improved self-care. But it also presents an opportunity to check in on the mental health of the people around you: your family, friends, neighbors and anyone else in your orbit. Some people you feel you are very close to may be suffering but are adept at hiding it. Check in with all the people you love, and just ask them how they are doing and feeling. For some, this may prompt them to assess their own mental well-being, knowing there is someone in their life who cares enough to ask. Be willing to change and learnMany of my clients have stubbornly asserted that they know what's best for themselves, and too often continue bad habits even as they come to me for help. Sign up for CNN's Stress, But Less newsletter. Our six-part guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it. Treat yourself to an hour a week of self-focus and self-care, whether it's through therapy or other practices. You will learn a lot about how your mind works, and how to remove roadblocks to wellness you may have been clinging to for years. In doing so, you are not only tending to your own emotional well-being but normalizing mental difficulties so that others may be more inclined to do the same. I cannot think of a more impactful way to contribute to our world's collective wellness on a day dedicated to mental health. | health | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
35210bf6-05c6-4774-90b4-85cf1227d0d6 | null | (CNN)A missionary held back tears after she received her Covid vaccine in late October. She had traveled about 7,500 miles to get to this fateful moment. Lorraine Charinda got her first shot of the vaccine on October 23 and her second on Wednesday. It was all thanks to a US church that raised money to get her from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Columbus, Ohio, the church said. "Everyone else, we are still waiting," Charinda told CNN, referring to the millions of people around the world who haven't been offered the chance to get vaccinated. "So it's shocking to hear that vaccines can even expire and be thrown (away) just because people don't want to be vaccinated. If we had that opportunity, really, it would help us a lot."
Interactive: Covid-19 vaccine tracker: View vaccinations by country
Roughly 1 in 1,000 people in the DRC have received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine with 4 in 10,000 people fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data. The numbers are staggering, especially when compared to the more than 1 out of 2 people in the US who have been fully vaccinated, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.This vaccine disparity across the globe is apparent, especially in Africa. South America, North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania have all administered a single vaccine dose to more than 50% of their populations, while only 7% of the population of Africa has received a dose, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) said in October.Read MoreFor Charinda, who works in a poor, rural area called Kamina, she said they could not find the vaccine anywhere in her province. She did not believe she was set to get the vaccine until she was at the airport.Charinda waters onion seedlings on the farm in Kamina in July 2020."We're trying always to look for the vaccine and we couldn't find it," the 32-year-old said. "And because there were no centers in the province, you had to go somewhere to continue to look for it."The experience of the pandemic is even more real to Charinda because she saw her mother fight Covid-19. She met her in Zambia when her mother became ill and she watched her struggle to breathe and battle a fever in June 2021.My uncle died of Covid-19 before he could get a vaccine in Kenya, and I got mine in a US drugstore. This is what vaccine inequality looks like"I really didn't know how serious the pandemic was until I saw my mother lie next to me having those symptoms and difficulty breathing, coughing, fever," she said. "It's like it's real when you're looking at it -- it's like staring at you in the face."Her mother was sick for 7 to 10 days and sent Charinde back to the DRC so she would not get sick. By some miracle, Charinda said, she did not get sick after meeting her mom. "Every time I get a negative result I am like, is this real?" she said. "I'm just looking up to the heavens and asking God if this is real."With tears in her eyes, Lorraine Charinda receives her second Covid vaccine on Wednesday.Charinda's vaccine moment came to fruition because of the West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. The conference has had a relationship with the DRC since 2002 and Charinda started working there as a missionary through General Board of Global Ministries in 2018, a spokeswoman for the West Ohio Conference told CNN."She is a key leader and her work provides food and financial sustainability for communities across the DRC," spokeswoman Kay Panovec wrote.US to donate more than 17 million Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines to African UnionThe organization raised $4,000 within 24 hours in order to bring Charinda to the US, she wrote. The money came from West Ohio congregations and individuals and OhioHealth administered her shots, she added. Charinda, a native of Zimbabwe, works as an agricultural specialist at Kamisamba Farm. She passionately talked about the work she and others do to train residents on crop and animal production in one of the poorest provinces in the country.In coming to the US, Charinda said the access Americans have to the vaccine is remarkable. She hopes that her story can help others, she said."I encourage people to take vaccines. It's really not a joke and it's not anything about politics or what, but it's something real," she said. "You will not realize it until your loved one gets sick, and the fear is that you have that you don't know that person is going to live."CNN's Daniel Wolfe contributed to this report. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
1a65ede2-838a-4407-bb52-03dad12a8f52 | null | (CNN)North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper ordered Saturday that all Confederate monuments on Capitol grounds be removed to protect public safety.In a statement released by his office and published to Twitter, Cooper said "monuments to white supremacy don't belong in places of allegiance."The Confederate statues falling after George Floyd's deathOn Friday, a protester climbed a statue on a Confederate monument at the state Capitol, wrapped a strap around its neck and pulled it down, according to video from CNN affiliate WRAL. A second statue on the other side of the monument was also pulled down. Protesters then marched down the street and hung both statues from a light post on the street, WRAL reported."I am concerned about the dangerous efforts to pull down and carry off large, heavy statues and the strong potential for violent clashes at the site," Cooper said in his statement. "Monuments to white supremacy don't belong in places of allegiance, and it's past time that these painful memorials be moved in a legal, safe way," he went on.Protesters hang a figure pulled from the Confederate monument at North Carolina's State Capitol Friday.The statement said monuments being removed included the remainder of the North Carolina Confederate monument, the monument to the Women of the Confederacy, and the figure of Henry Lawson Wyatt. Read MoreCooper's sentiments on Confederate monuments are not new. In 2017, he called for Confederate monuments on state Capitol grounds to be relocated to museums or related historical sites where they could be viewed in context, according to the statement.Opinion: There is a difference between statues of Abraham Lincoln and Confederate generalsHis call came after a man drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, in August 2017, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. The counterprotesters had gathered in response to a demonstration against the city's decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Protesters and some city leaders have started removing confederate statues across the United States in the wake of the death of George Floyd.Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis. While being arrested, Floyd was held down by a Minneapolis police officer's knee on his neck for more than eight minutes. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward. His death, which was captured on video, sparked widespread anti-racism protests across the US, with people calling for an end to police brutality against people of color. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
3ee17e90-0bcb-4bfc-9049-aa66aabaea1a | null | Story highlights Search suspended for 8 missing crew members of a ship25 crew members airlifted after car carrier runs aground off southern England's coast (CNN)Eight crew members are missing after a cargo vessel overturned off the coast of Scotland, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution said late Saturday. The search for the crew was suspended Sunday night with no sign of them, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said. A search operation that included a helicopter, coast guard rescue teams and a fixed-wing aircraft was unsuccessful, the agency said. The coast guard in Shetland was notified at 2:30 p.m. that the hull of the Cemfjord was found 11 miles east of Pentland Skerries, the RNLI said.Photographs showed the vessel in a vertical position, one end jutting from the water.The Hoegh Osaka ran aground on Bramble Bank in the Solent.Meanwhile, 25 crew members were airlifted from a boat that ran aground off the coast of southern England, below Southampton, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency reported.Read MoreHelicopters lifted the crew from the car carrier, which listed dramatically to one side.The ship ran aground on Bramble Bank near the Isle of Wight. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
25b32bd1-0afd-4376-a10f-ad030d61fa09 | null | Story highlightsRussia's foreign ministry says the verdict against Viktor Bout is "baseless and biased"Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison by a New York courtHe was convicted last year on four counts stemming from weapons dealsMoscow will do all it can to bring about Bout's return to Russia, the foreign ministry saysRussia criticized the United States on Friday for handing down a 25-year sentence to Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, saying the verdict against him was "baseless and biased."Bout, who denies wrongdoing, was sentenced Thursday to 25 years behind bars by a federal judge in New York.Bout, who was dubbed "the merchant of death" by his accusers, was convicted last year on four counts of conspiracy to kill Americans, acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles and provide material support to a terrorist organization.Russia's foreign ministry accused the United States of acting illegally when its agents arrested Bout in Thailand and of pursuing a political agenda after he was extradited to the United States to face trial.In a statement, Russia accused the United States of seeking a forced confession by "creating intolerable conditions of detention, physical and psychological impact." JUST WATCHEDViktor Bout atty: 'We intend to appeal'ReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCHViktor Bout atty: 'We intend to appeal' 00:32In addition, the Russian foreign ministry said, U.S. authorities also encouraged a media campaign against Bout, which was bound to influence the jury.The foreign ministry will do everything it can to bring Bout back to Russia, its statement said.Bout had faced the possibility of life in prison at his sentencing hearing in Manhattan."Viktor Bout has been international arms trafficking enemy number one for many years, arming some of the most violent conflicts around the globe," said Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. "He was finally brought to justice in an American court for agreeing to provide a staggering number of military-grade weapons to an avowed terrorist organization committed to killing Americans."At the trial, the prosecution said that during a 2008 sting operation by U.S. drug enforcement agents in Thailand, Bout believed he was selling weapons to Colombian guerrillas. Bout continued to declare his innocence Thursday. "I am not guilty," he said through a translator. "I never intended to kill anyone. I never intended to sell any arms to anyone. God knows this is the truth."Bout's wife, Alla, said after the hearing that her husband "said few words" in reaction to the sentence. He and his lawyer did not regard the case as lawful, she did.His lawyer, Albert Dayan, filed a letter last week asking Judge Shira A. Scheindlin, who presided over the trial and who set Bout's sentence, to set aside the guilty verdict.Dayan urged the judge not to "become an unwilling party" in what he called a "wrongful prosecution" for "purely political reasons." He argued that the conviction is a "product of malice" and that Bout has been an "object of private politics" coming from Washington.The lawyer claimed that Bout was picked out by the United States government and lured into a crime manufactured by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in which the agency played "the role of judge, jury and executioner. "In his claim, Dayan insisted that Bout did not intend to sell any arms to the agents, that he had not sold any arms for several years and that the only thing he wanted to sell were two cargo airplanes, worth $5 million. Dayan stood by the claim that DEA officers baited his client into illegal activities. "I do not profess, I do not argue that he's an angel, but he is innocent of these charges," Dayan wrote. "I felt it was my duty to speak out and let the world know."According to a federal indictment, Bout was suspected of creating front companies that used his planes to deliver food and medical supplies, as well as arms. After a sting operation in 2008, he was arrested in Thailand and in 2010 was extradited to the United States following a protracted court proceeding.He was convicted in November after a three-week trial in New York. Before his arrest, the DEA had struggled to draw Bout out of his Russian homeland, which is long thought to have sheltered and defended him. Undercover agents met with Bout's associates the world over, from Curacao to Copenhagen, in an attempt to set up a meeting with their target, according to the indictment. The Russian businessman also has been accused of assembling a fleet of cargo planes to traffic military-grade weapons to conflict zones around the world since the 1990s. Allegations of trafficking activities in Liberia prompted U.S. authorities to freeze his American assets in 2004 and prohibited U.S. transactions with him, according to the indictment.Bout has maintained that he operated legitimate businesses and had acted as a mere logistics provider. His exact age is unclear, but he is believed to be in his late 40s or 50s, with his age in dispute because of different passports and documents. The U.S. attorney's office said it had no confirmed age.Critics have accused Bout of providing arms to rebels in several countries and fueling bloody conflicts in places such as Liberia and Sierra Leone.In 2000, then-British Foreign Office official Peter Hain branded him "Africa's chief merchant of death" at a time when Bout is believed to have supplied arms to officials in Sierra Leone, a former British colony then embroiled in civil war. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
b495eab4-b2ec-4042-adac-2a9057253172 | null | (CNN)"The View" host Sunny Hostin and guest host Ana Navarro both tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, sending the show's remaining hosts into a live-on-television scramble to fill airtime while the show adjusted its plans. Harris did not interact with Hostin or Navarro before the show, according to a White House official. Harris went on to conduct the interview from a remote location after a delay. Hostin and Navarro subsequently tested negative for Covid-19 twice on Friday, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Both Hostin and Navarro tested negative on a rapid test and then negative on a PCR test, the sources added. The two are now awaiting the results of a second PCR test, the sources said.A representative for "The View" did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read MoreThe initial positive results were announced by "The View" host Joy Behar during the show after Hostin and Navarro were asked to leave the set. Hostin and Navarro were seated at the table with the other hosts at the beginning of the program. The tables were cleaned and disinfected after they left the set, Behar said, who continued hosting the show on set with her co-host Sara Haines. Behar said Hostin and Navarro were both fully vaccinated. Harris has received two doses of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine and was administered both shots live on camera."I hope that you're in a safe spot right now. We did everything we could to make sure that you were safe because we value you so much," Behar told Harris at the start of their interview. Harris responded: "Thank you, Joy, and to everyone. Listen, Sunny and Ana are strong women and I know they're fine but it really also does speak to the fact that they're vaccinated and vaccines really do make all the difference. Because otherwise, we would be concerned about hospitalization or worse."CNN reported last month that data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows more than 99.99% of people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 have not had a breakthrough case resulting in hospitalization or death. Harris called on Americans to get vaccinated and be responsible. "I've been watching, like many of you, with heartache, with the videos of people who are in an ICU bed, who did not get vaccinated, pleading with their family members, 'please get vaccinated,'" Harris said. She continued: "You know, when I think of it in the context of any one of us who have had these awful experiences of holding the hands of a loved one who is in an ICU bed, or is near death -- like, don't put your families through that. The vaccine is free. It is safe, and it will save your life. So folks just need to get vaccinated."This story has been updated with additional information. CNN's Oliver Darcy, Brian Stelter and Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report. | politics | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
c04999cb-5d0d-41c2-8c36-3067391e2bd6 | null | Story highlightsMoms Helping Moms was born when Bridget Cutler met moms in need in her communityThe nonprofit got its start when Cutler held a garage sale in which all items were freeSince 2011, it has distributed diapers, clothes, nursing supplies and other baby gearDonated new or gently used items go to homeless moms, teen moms and families in needNew Providence, New Jersey (CNN)Bridget Cutler was still adjusting to being a new mom when she read a magazine article that changed her life."It was about a mother who decided to give her child up for adoption because she couldn't stand to hear her crying from hunger," Cutler remembered. "I just thought that no mother should ever be faced with that choice."It can cost close to $250,000 to raise a child in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- and that is just for the basics. It's especially tough for families in New Jersey, where one in eight people struggle to make ends meet. Bridget Cutler and her volunteers solicit donations of new or gently used baby items to be given to parents in need.The following day, Cutler called her "mom friends" and started collecting gently used baby items. "I had the intention, originally, of finding a local organization to donate them to that would benefit my neighbors," said Cutler, 34. Read MoreWhen she did not find what she was looking for, Cutler's idea for Moms Helping Moms was born. Since 2011, the nonprofit has distributed diapers, clothing, nursing supplies and other baby essentials for hundreds of infants and toddlers in New Jersey."So many people have such an abundance, and so many others strive to afford even the basics," Cutler said. "What we're doing is trying to bridge that gap."A fair start in lifeMoms Helping Moms started with one garage sale that Cutler held at her home -- except everything was free. The drive was a success, and she met many mothers in need and many mothers who wanted to help her build the organization.Today, Cutler and her volunteers solicit donations of new or gently used baby items in their neighborhoods. Cutler knows that it can be difficult for some parents to part with their children's things."I wanted to assure these people who were donating so generously to us that these things were absolutely going into hands that needed them," she said.So many people have such an abundance, and so many others strive to afford even the basics. What we're doing is trying to bridge that gap.
Bridget CutlerCutler finds recipients through social workers and other nonprofits. She works with homeless mothers, teen moms and families who have fallen on hard times and just need a boost. Jasmine Harding suffered complications during her last pregnancy. The mother of three was out of work for nearly 10 months, and she and her partner struggled to afford everything they needed."I never thought that I would be in this position. I've had a job since I was 16," Harding said. "I'm their mom, and I should be able to do whatever it is that I need to do for them."Basic needs and beyond At a recent Moms Helping Moms event, Harding received clothing, diapers and a stroller. Now she is able to push her 3-month-old daughter to day care before heading to her new job.For families like Harding's, the drives are not just about getting free baby gear. They provide an opportunity to get financially back on their feet. "New clothes, diapers and wipes, they're a constant expense," Harding said. "With the things that I got today, that will allow me to put that money towards something else, like my rent or my bills."Cutler and her group aim to provide more than just goods to the moms they serve. Volunteers offer support and guidance, giving recipients a sense of community they may not otherwise have. For Cutler, a mother of two, running this nonprofit truly is a labor of love. She recently left her job to devote more time to her group's efforts."Every child deserves all the same things in life. They deserve all of the basics," Cutler said. "If what we're doing helps bridge the gap between people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, even in a small way, then it's definitely worth all the hard work."Want to get involved? Check out the Moms Helping Moms website at www.momshelpingmomsfoundation.org and see how to help. | news | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |
6258f73c-0f78-4013-b074-d7bee88ec21a | null | Story highlightsMACIF is a 100-foot trimaran built to shatter world recordsFrenchman Francois Gabart will attempt round-the-world record in 2017 (CNN)Question; What's 100 feet long and made to smash world records?Answer? The MACIF trimaran, a giant yacht which one of sailing's biggest stars is hoping to pilot into the history books.Read: Team NZ steals America's Cup victoryBuilt for renowned French sailor Francois Gabart, next year he will pilot the vessel during an attempt to break a round-the-world sailing record.The 33-year-old is looking to break compatriot Francis Joyon's single-handed circumnavigation record, which stands at 57 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes and six seconds.Read MoreRead: Sydney as you've never seen it beforeAnd Gabart's preparations seem to be going well. He become the first sailor to complete the 2016 Transat bakerly event Tuesday, claiming line honors in the Ultimes class. Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'The MACIF trimaran, designed by naval firm Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost, was built with one goal in mind: to break world records.Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'The 100-foot yacht was built for renowned French sailor Francois Gabart.Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'The 33-year-old is racing the boat in the Plymouth to New York Transat bakerly in an attempt to break the solo around the world record.Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'In 2013, Gabart won the Vendee Globe -- an unassisted, round the world race -- in a record time of 78 days, two hours and 16 minutes.Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'Next year, Gabart -- sailing MACIF -- will be attempting to break Francis Joyon's single-handed circumnavigation record, which stands at 57 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes and six seconds.Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'"The Transat bakerly, it is no longer what it was (waves, icebergs, biting winds)," Gabart told the Transat website. "I'm in Crocs and shorts! Considering the size of the Atlantic, how close we are is ridiculous."Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'"After racing such a distance, our difference is ridiculous. It's awesome! We wanted to get some competition, and it has delivered," Gabart told the Transat website as he reflected on his Atlantic duel with Sodebo skipper Thomas Coville on Friday May 6.Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'The MACIF trimaran measures 21 meters across and weighs 14.5 tons, while the sails measure 430/650 square meters.Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'On his around the world trip, Gabart recently told Yachting World he estimates he will spend "95% of my time" in the yacht's cabin, as the design allows him to rest, navigate, be close to important controls and most of his food supplies.Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: This yacht is 'MACIF'Trimarans of this size can now comfortably maintain speeds of 40 knots (46 miles per hour).Hide Caption 10 of 10 | sport | CNN_News_Articles_2011-2022 | News Genre Categorization | en | Classify the news article into one of the following categories: politics, news, sport, business, entertainment, or health. Return only the label without any explanation, justification or additional text. |