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Man City crowned EPL champions
5/11/2014 11:50:08 AM
- Manchester City defeat West Ham to secure EPL title
- Goals from Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany secure victory
- League triumph is City's fourth in 134-year-history
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(CNN) -- Manchester City are the champions of England once more after clinching the EPL title on the season's final day.
City defeated West Ham 2-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium Sunday putting them out of reach of second placed Liverpool who themselves defeated Newcastle United 2-1 at Anfield.
Goals from Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany gave City the victory on a day that was less dramatic than the last time the blue half of Manchester secured the Premier League crown (City scored two injury time goals against QPR to win the title in the final game of the 2012 season) but the celebrations were just as jubilant and colorful.
Triumphant City fans invaded the pitch to congratulate their heroes at the final whistle, setting off flares and blue smoke bombs before clearing away so the trophy could be presented.
"It's an amazing feeling. There is no word to explain our feeling right now," City's French midfielder, Nasri told Sky Sports after the final whistle.
"I'm just so happy for the manager (Manuel Pellegrini) as well because its his first title in Europe. He's done an amazing job. He remained calm all season."
The triumph marks City's second title win in three seasons but just the fourth in the clubs 134-year-history.
Bankrolled by the immense wealth of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the Abu Dhabi Investment Group, City have been a near unstoppable attacking force all year.
Big money signings such as Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Alvaro Negredo, David Silva and Samir Nasri -- all brought to the club in the time since Sheikh Mansour's reign began in 2008 -- have each been outstanding.
"I manage a great group of players and a great institution," said City manager, Pellegrini. "(It's a) very special group. Maybe they were in a difficult moment when I arrived. They believe in the way I play and we try to play the year in the right way."
"This whole year comes from a lot of work without and within ... at the last, this was the best team in the league.
City's captain Vincent Kompany added to his manager's sentiments: "I'm so happy. I think this team has more than just talent. It's got heart and real soul."
Liverpool fall short
Over at Anfield, the mood was decidedly less celebratory despite the home side coming from behind to beat Newcastle United 2-1.
Eleven consecutive victories had made Liverpool favorites for the title before they dropped points at home to Chelsea and then away Crystal Palace in recent weeks.
Victory on the final day means they finish the season two points behind City in second place.
Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard was magnanimous in defeat although put perspective on what was ultimately a successful year for the Anfield club whose main aim was to finish in the top four and secure a Champions League place for next season.
"(I'm) absolutely devastated, I can't sugar coat it. (But) we can't be too down its been a fantastic season. We need to bounce back and try go one better (next year)."
"We have to congratulate Manchester City. They been the best over 38 games so congratulations to them."
Manager Brendan Rodgers echoed Gerrard's sentiments: "We've been on an incredible journey this year."
"To get to the top four was the aim. Its a real compliment that people have seen us challenging," Rodgers added.
Final day roundup
Elsewhere in England, Norwich City's relegation was confirmed by a 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.
The Canaries required victory and a massive swing in goal difference to have any chance of beating the drop.
Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson, however, ensured Arsenal would go into the FA Cup final with Hull in two week's time in buoyant mood.
The only team that Norwich could have caught, West Brom, lost 2-1 at home to Stoke although the result was of little relevance due to Arsenal's victory.
Ryan Giggs' time in temporary charge of Manchester United came to an end with a 1-1 draw at Southampton. England striker Rickie Lambert gave the Saints the lead before Juan Mata equalized for United.
Giggs is widely expected to be replaced in the United hotseat by current coach of the Dutch national team, Louis van Gaal in the coming weeks.
Everton secured fifth position and a place in next season's Europa League with a 2-0 victory away to Hull City while Tottenham overcame Aston Villa 3-0 at White Hart Lane.
In the day's remaining fixtures, Chelsea came from behind to beat already relegated Cardiff City, Fulham and Crystal Palace drew 2-2 while Swansea defeated in-form Sunderland 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.
Read: Dani Alves winning racism fight
Read: Pele expects "fantastic" World Cup
Young gun Spieth ties Players lead
5/11/2014 7:08:03 AM
- Martin Kaymer and Jordan Spieth tied after third round of Players
- Will be paired again on final day Sunday
- John Senden and Sergio Garcia nearest challengers
- Franceso Molinari moves up with joint best of day 67
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(CNN) -- Golf's new star Jordan Spieth drew level with Martin Kaymer at the top of the Players Championship leader board Saturday as the pair continued their personal battle for victory at the 'fifth major."
Spieth, who lit up the Masters with his inspired play at not yet 21 years of age, has not dropped a shot all week on the testing TPC Sawgrass course and scrambled for an inspired par on the final hole of the third round.
The left him on 12-under 204 after a 71 and drew him level with front runner Kaymer, who bogeyed the 18th to fall back to that mark.
Germany's Kaymer, who opened with a joint course record 63 had to settle for a level par 72 on what is traditionally moving day at most tournaments, but the lead duo still kept a three-shot lead over nearest challengers Sergio Garcia of Spain and Australian John Senden.
Read: Records all the way as Kaymer leads
Spieth also made superb par saves on the 14th and 16th and wants to keep his run going on the last day with a $1.8 million prize up for grabs.
It would be really cool to play the whole tournament that way and that should be my goal tomorrow, with a
couple more putts falling," he said.
England's Lee Westwood is another two shots back after a 71 left him on seven-under-par, the same mark as his Ryder Cup colleague Francesco Molinari of Italy, whose 67 was the joint lowest score of the day.
Spieth, who eventually had to give best to Bubba Watson at Augusta in the first major of the season, admitted that the defeat still rankles. "Augusta left me feeling a little hungry," he told the official PGA Tour website.
Read: Kaymer maintains lead over Spieth
He expects to receive the support of the galleries in what Kaymer is comparing to a Ryder Cup style situation, man against man.
"Hopefully we'll get out there and give them something to cheer for," Spieth said, "and try and gain momentum off of the fans who have been so special here."
But 2008 winner Garcia, second last year to the absent Tiger Woods, may well be a factor again and he might have been closer to the leaders but for a three-putt bogey on the famous par-three 17th.
Last year he dumped his tee shot into the water to hand the title to Woods and says he has learned from the experience. "I'm looking forward to the final round. I am excited about it and going to give it my best shot like last year.
"Hopefully I will be in the same situation and able to handle the 17th and 18th better."
Hamilton reigns in Spain
5/11/2014 11:23:55 AM
- Lewis Hamilton claims victory at Spanish Grand Prix
- Mercedes claim fourth consecutive one-two finish
- Home favorite Fernando Alonso finishes race in sixth position
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(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton held off Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg to claim victory by the narrowest of margins at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona Sunday and take the lead in the F1 standings for the first time this season.
The win represents a fourth straight checkered flag for the British driver while Rosberg's second place means Mercedes have now secured four consecutive one-two finishes and five successive race wins.
Hamilton started the day on pole and led into the first corner, a position he wouldn't relinquish all afternoon as he claimed his first career victory in Spain.
Rosberg pushed him all the way, however, eventually finishing just 0.6 seconds behind after a tense chase on the final laps.
Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo finished fully 40 seconds back in third while the Australian's teammate and four-time world champion, Sebastian Vettel ended the day fourth.
Home favorite Fernando Alonso claimed sixth position behind Williams Valtteri Bottas in fifth.
Speaking on the podium after the race, Hamilton said: "A big thank you for my team, they have done an incredible job this year. The support here is the best I have ever had and my first win in Spain means everything to me.
Hamilton seemed edgy over the team radio as Rosberg cut into his lead on the final laps and admitted he was concerned after the race.
"I was not upset, I was not fast enough today, Nico was quicker," he continued. "I struggled with the balance and needed to rely on my engineers. I was moving my settings up and down and fortunately I was able to keep Nico behind."
Hamilton's relief was contrasted by Rosberg's frustration at having come so close.
I think one more lap and I could have given it a good go," the Greman driver said. "Unfortunately that was it and I am bit gutted but still, second place, second in the championship and many more races to go."
Third placed Ricciardo, meanwhile, was content with a podium finish, given the superiority of the Mercedes cars.
We knew we didn't really have the pace for Mercedes," he said. "We looked like a third-place car and in the end that's what it was. We had a pretty comfortable third- place and we just had to focus on getting the tires to last two stops and that was it."
"(It was) really nice to be on the podium and I'm sure I'll be able to keep it this time," he added, referring to the second place finish that was taken away from him in the season's first race in Melbourne due to breaching fuel-flow regulations.
The result means Mercedes continue to dominate both the driver's and constructors' championship.
Hamilton sits atop the driver's standings on 100 points, three ahead of Rosberg. In the driver's, meanwhile, Mercedes lead the way on 197 points, 113 ahead of second placed Red Bull.
Elsewhere in the race, Kimi Raikonen took seventh position for Ferrari while Romain Grosjean secured a first points position of the season for Lotus in eighth.
Force Indias Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg secured the final two point scoring positions in ninth and tenth respectively.
Read: Why can't women win in F1?
World wakes to Nigeria's plight
5/11/2014 5:18:53 AM
- Frida Ghitis: Women of Nigeria got the world to pay attention to mass kidnapping of girls
- Ghitis: Women endure the brunt of the worst aspects of repression and exploitation
- But women in many repressive countries are fighting back against injustice, she says
- Ghitis: Pushback from women's groups combined with social media gets results
Editor's note: Frida Ghitis is a world affairs columnist for The Miami Herald and World Politics Review. A former CNN producer and correspondent, she is the author of "The End of Revolution: A Changing World in the Age of Live Television." Follow her on Twitter @FridaGhitis. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- Women are not powerless. Look at Nigeria.
It's impossible not to be outraged by the capture of hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls by a terrorist group, and by the inexcusable delay in pursuing the armed men who took them. For women, in particular, the continuing drama has ignited a particularly powerful response.
Women in many countries are vulnerable and victimized, but they are fighting back in unexpected places with the built-up fury of long held frustration. And they are getting results. Women are no longer powerless.
Let there be no doubt: The reason the United States is sending help, Nigeria is accepting it and the entire world is paying attention is that the women of Nigeria demanded it.
Nigerian women from the town of Chibok in the northeastern Borno state, the mothers, sisters, relatives and friends of the schoolgirls, launched their protests and set off the #BringBackOurGirls campaign that swept away weeks of international apathy.
At a rally in Abuja, one woman held up a sign that read "Can Anyone Hear Me?" The long-delayed answer was a most emphatic "Yes," which resonated across the oceans and echoed in the Nigerian presidential palace.
Sure, the decisions are mostly up to male politicians, but in Washington, all the women members of the Senate, 20 of them, signed a letter to the president of the United States demanding a firm response. They did it without hesitation and without regard to political affiliation.
The tragedy of the Nigerian girls was grotesquely highlighted in a video by a laughing Abubakr Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram. He declared "Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women."
The revolting message encapsulated the distilled essence of women's plight in many corners of the world. And the response shows a phenomenon of both spontaneous and organized pushback from women's groups, from the millions of men who join them, and from the forces that social media can unleash across cyberspace.
It is a movement that begins with the grassroots, moves into cyberspace and powers its way into the halls of power.
Women have had enough. There is a reason that Malala Yousefzai has become a major international figure, a hero especially to women. It is, of course, about her bravery. Gunmen belonging to the Pakistani Taliban boarded the bus that was bringing the 14-year-old champion of girls' education and her friends from school. They shot her in the face. The Taliban oppose girls' education with that obsessive fervor displayed by the most radical Islamist groups, who want to take all Muslims back to the 7th century.
They could not kill her and they could no silence her. Instead, they made her stronger, and they made her voice louder.
In Afghanistan, when the Taliban came to power, one of its first acts was to shut down women's schools and ban women from universities. They did it under the guise of enforcing Islamic rules.
Religious pretexts are common. But they are nothing more than an excuse. Like the Taliban, Boko Haram finds it particularly offensive that girls should receive an education. Shenkau appears on the latest video holding his AK-47, offering his considered advice. "Girls should go and get married," he said, adding he would give them in marriage "at the age of 9"...at the age of 12, "because they are our slaves."
It's no wonder frustration is boiling over. Consider the recent news from Indonesia's Aceh province, where a woman was raped by eight men as punishment for having an affair. Now an official Shariah court has sentenced her to a humiliating public caning.
Women are fed up. And it's not all about the work of Muslim extremists. In late 2012, emotions boiled over in India after the horrific gang rape of a student riding a city bus in Mumbai. The woman came to be known as Nirbhaya, which means "the fearless one," in Hindi.
Nirbhaya, who had left home to study physiotherapy, had plans to show the Indian people that a woman could realize her dreams. She was planning to give free health care to the poor. Instead, she died at 23, when six men on the bus she took with her boyfriend attacked her with such brutality that she died from internal injuries.
Nirbhaya shook India's women. She jolted the country. In massive demonstrations Indian women joined by thousands of men demanded the government take action to stop the epidemic of rape. The world was horrified. The government vowed to act, but there is much left to be done in a country dominated by men on all spheres of society.
Women endure the brunt of the worst aspects of repression and exploitation. As many as 30 million people are slaves today. Most of them are sex slaves working in brothels and enduring other forms of captivity. And 98% of the sex slaves are women and girls.
Cases like the Nigerian girls, still unaccounted for, and millions sold into bondage are the most urgent, the most dramatic. But they are only a part of the problem. They are so outrageous, so offensive, that they leave no room for moral equivocation.
Just a few days ago, the world was barely paying attention to Nigeria's abducted schoolgirls. Today, the whole world is watching, help is on the way. That is what the women of Nigeria have accomplished -- not quite what Boko Haram had in mind.
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Atleti, Barca and Real fail to win
5/11/2014 5:01:14 PM
- All three sides chasing the La Liga title failed to win Sunday
- Atletico Madrid drew with Malaga while Barcelona were held by Elche
- Real Madrid out of title race after defeat to Celta Vigo
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(CNN) -- Does anyone want to win La Liga?
All three sides challenging for the Spanish title failed to win on the season's penultimate weekend ensuring the title race will go to the final day.
Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at home to ten-man Malaga, Barcelona were held to a scoreless draw away to Elche while Real Madrid fell to a 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo.
The results mean only Barcelona or Atletico can now win the title.
Both sides will face each other in the season's final round of fixtures at the Nou Camp next weekend in what is sure to be a dramatic and emotional occasion.
Atletico will be particularly disappointed with their failure to win Sunday as three points against 13th placed Malaga would have seen them crowned champions in front of a passionate Vicente Calderon crowd.
The Rojiblanco, who were without top scorer Diego Costa due to injury, missed numerous chances in the first period and fell behind in the 66th minute after mistakes by defender Toby Alderweireld and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Alderweireld allowed an aimless long-ball bounce over him enabling Malaga striker Samuel Garcia to nick the ball off Courtois who had come needlessly charging from his goal in an attempt to make up for his teammates initial error. Garcia then composed himself before bundling the ball into the empty Atletico net.
Lesser teams may have crumbled under the pressure of such a misstep but Atletico and Alderweireld were undimmed by their carelessness and hit back shortly after.
The Belgian defender rose to head a Diego Ribas corner beyond Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero to level the scores at 1-1 after 74 minutes.
Aware Barcelona were being held and Real losing, Atletico went for the kill. Caballero saved well from David Villa twice before Malaga were reduced to ten men after defender Marcos Angeleri was harshly shown a second yellow card for bringing down Villa at the edge of the away side's penalty box.
Jose Sosa hit the side netting from the resultant free-kick as injury time approached -- but Atletico would have one final chance to win it.
Adrian Lopez tip-toed his way into the Malaga box before striking a curling shot that looked to be heading towards the top corner only for another heroic Caballero save to deny the Atleti sub.
Speaking after the match, Atletico manager Diego Simeone maintained he was proud of his team despite the result, telling reporters that "the players gave their maximum."
The Argentine also revealed he hopes star striker Diego Costa will be fit for next weekend's showdown where "nobody believes we can win in Barcelona."
While that last comment may be an early attempt at mind games, Atletico's draw means Barcelona's failure to win at Elche is not as catastrophic as it could have been.
The Catalan's will still have to beat Atleti on the final day to secure the championship, however, something they have failed to do in five attempts this season.
Andres Iniesta came closest for a laboring Barca against an Elche side who are struggling to avoid relegation.
The Spanish international midfielder smacked the crossbar with a ferocious first-half volley while Alexis Sanchez and Lionel Messi also both missed good opportunities to secure victory.
"What a league final awaits us on Saturday," tweeted Iniesta after learning of Atletico's failure to win. "With our people we can get it."
Defender Dani Alves also took to twitter to add: "There is no glory without suffering, no glory without a fight."
While Barca and Atletico have one final chance to claim glory next weekend, the same cannot now be said for Real Madrid.
Two major defensive errors handed Luis Enrique's Celta Vigo an impressive 2-0 victory in Spain's Northwest.
A dithering Sergio Ramos was dispossessed by Celta striker Charles Dias de Oliveira who went on to round Diego Lopez and fire the ball into the Madrid two minutes before half-time.
Xabi Alonso's careless backpass in the 63rd minute then enabled de Oliveira to double the home side's advantage. The striker again rounded Lopez after intercepting Alonso's misplaced pace and slotted into an empty net.
After the match, dejected Real Madrid midfielder, Isco, told the club's website that Real had "let the league slip because of our own mistakes."
"Now we just have to learn from it and put our minds on the last league match as a preparation for the final of the Champions League."
Read: Dani Alves winning racism fight
Read: Pele expects "fantastic" World Cup
Nadal wins in Madrid again
5/11/2014 4:59:53 PM
- Rafael Nadal wins Madrid Open after Kei Nishikori retires in third set
- Victory is Nadal's 27th Masters tournament win in trophy laden career
- Nishikori will break into world's top 10 for first time on Monday
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(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal won his first European clay title of the season and 27th Masters tournament victory of his career at the Madrid Open after his opponent Kei Nishikori was forced to retire through injury.
Nadal had won seven straight games to lead 3-0 in the third set when the match was halted having lost the first set 6-2 and come from a break down to win the second 6-4.
Nishikori had struggled with a back spasm in Saturday's dramatic semifinal victory over Nadal's fellow Spaniard, David Ferrer, and the injury returned to haunt him on Sunday.
Although disappointed to lose his first Masters final in in such an unfortunate manner, the Japanese can take comfort from his performances this week which will see him break into the world top 10 for the first time when the latest rankings are released Monday.
Nishikori out-played Nadal for a set and a half with some aggressive shot making and big winners.
After the trainer was called seven games into the second set, however, it was clear that Nishikori's movement was inhibited.
Nadal capitalized to break twice and level the match at a set apiece.
The third set was an anti-climax by comparison with Nadal easing ahead of his injured opponent before Nishikori decided he couldn't continue.
"I am very disappointed about what happened today in this final," said Nishikori after the match.
"Unfortunately, I was hurting already and I tried to fight but Rafa was too good today, so congratulations to him."
As ever, Nadal was gracious in victory.
"I'm very sorry for Nishikori. He's an unbelievable player that will fight to be in London (at the ATP World Tour Finals)," he said.
"Winning at home is always more special than winning anywhere. Having the chance to play in front of your home crowd... is unforgettable for me," he added.
Sharapova bounces back
Earlier, Maria Sharapova recovered from a horrendous start to defeat Romania's Simona Halep 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to claim the women's title.
The Russian lost the first four games of the match to the World No. 5 and conceded the first set in less than half-an-hour.
Sharapova turned things around as the game progressed and has now won seven of her last nine titles on a clay, a surface once far from her favorite.
Speaking on court after the match, the 27-year-old said: "Last year I lost in the finals and I really wanted to go one extra step this year, and it's just been such a fantastic week.
"Simona and I had played a couple of times before, but she's really on a different level now (having risen from 64th position in the world rankings this time last year). I don't know how I pulled it off."
Crack epidemic haunts Brazil
5/9/2014 2:17:56 PM
- Brazil is suffering an epidemic as figures show it is the world's No. 1 crack consumer
- In Rio, addicts smoke while volunteers try to persuade people away from drugs
- Official initiatives have been launched to tackle the problem
- But critics say they are aimed at clearing streets before the World Cup, not at helping addicts
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (CNN) -- It's called "cracolandia" -- crackland -- where drug users crouch underneath plastic tarps and shuffle down a dimly lit road like modern-day zombies.
One young woman in jean shorts wanders by, pushing a baby carriage piled high with garbage. There are stacks of disposable plastic water cups used as improvised crack pipes.
Brazil has surpassed the United States as the world's No.1 consumer of crack cocaine, according to the Federal University of Sao Paulo. It shares borders with the world's biggest cocaine-producing countries -- Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Strong economic growth has meant more disposable income for everything from microwave ovens to drugs.
North of the famed Maracana soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro, users in "cracolandia" openly smoke the small, single-hit balls that cost 5 reais, or about $2.20. There are between 300 and 400 people camped out at this crack haven every night.
One, Zair, rests on crutches as he lights up.
"People say crack is the drug of death, but I don't think it is," he said, laughing. "I've been smoking for eight years."
Tatiana sits on a stained couch nearby. She turns tricks in exchange for crack. When asked whether she wants to get off the streets, she shakes her head and asks for a lighter.
Brazil is in the middle of a drug epidemic as it prepares to host the World Cup soccer tournament in 12 cities beginning in June. Billboards reading "Crack. Freedom or death" line highways leading to cities and to small farming towns. Officials have launched a string of initiatives to address the addiction with mixed results. Critics say the focus has been on cleaning up the streets rather than specifically addressing the causes of addiction or providing solutions for users.
Others are trying to help.
One night a week, volunteers from the Evangelical Love of God Church drive to Rio de Janeiro's crack havens in their battered VW van with vats of food.
Crack users wait in line for bowls of spaghetti and bow their heads in prayer with the volunteers, themselves recovering addicts.
Robson has been free of drugs for three months now. He reads from the Bible and wraps those he recognizes in bear hugs.
"I'm giving witness, showing them what God can do if they're willing," he said. A security guard with a wife and children, Robson used drugs for a decade before getting hooked on crack cocaine.
"It was like love at first sight," he said. "But it stole my personality, my whole being." He ended up on the very same streets where he now works, trying to save lost souls.
"Look at them. They all had lives and families, but they're enslaved by drugs," he said.
After every visit, a few more people end up back at the dilapidated shelter and rehab center built on the roof of the warehouse-style Evangelical Love of God Church.
They sleep on beds crammed 14 to a room and cook meals over open fires. They spend their days in prayer and doing chores: cooking, cleaning, cutting hair. After evening prayer service, they walk to the local football court, sweating it out in two-hour matches.
The church was founded by the Rev. Celio Ricardo and his wife. Ricardo says he started using cocaine when he was 15 and wasn't able to break the addiction until he discovered religion.
"You can only understand tears if you've cried. I know their weaknesses," he said.
Ricardo veers between shouts and tears during his sermons. The recovering addicts and their families fill the pews. Men shake like possessed souls and collapse on the floor.
Ricardo encourages the men to live at the rehab center for at least nine months to avoid temptation while they try to break free from their addictions. Nonetheless, two-thirds of them relapse.
"But they have our address when they're ready," Ricardo said. "They know where they can get help, where they can find people who believe they can change."
Robson is back at the makeshift shelter for the second time, but he's optimistic it will be his last. He dreams of being sober in time for his daughter's 15th birthday.
"For the first time, will I be there with her standing next to the cake?" he asked and flashed a huge smile. He's clean and has the motivation. But he also knows he has fallen before.
Singer Chris Brown jailed
5/9/2014 8:41:59 PM
- Chris Brown should be out of jail by Monday, his lawyer says
- The singer has been in custody for 2 months and in rehab 5 months before that
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Singer Chris Brown admitted Friday to violating his probation by getting arrested in Washington -- an admission his lawyer hopes will gain his freedom soon.
Brown, 25, wore an orange jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, but he appeared to be smiling as he was led into court in Los Angeles by deputies Friday afternoon.
The singer has been in custody for two months and in court-ordered rehab five months before that while awaiting a probation revocation trial. But with that trial on hold because of a delay in his D.C. assault case, Brown lawyer Mark Geragos decided it would be better to settle the case sooner and not later.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin immediately sentenced Brown to serve 365 days in jail for the admitted probation violation. He was given credit for serving 234 days because of the rehab and jail time, leaving 131 days left to serve.
But Brown's lawyer told CNN that he expects Brown to be released from custody by the county sheriff within the next week.
"I would expect that Chris should be out of jail before the weekend's up or before Monday," Geragos said after the hearing. "If he isn't out by Monday, then I would expect he's getting special treatment. He's got over 230 days credit on a 365 (day sentence) and generally the sheriff is releasing on a lot less than that."
Brown's probation for the 2009 beating of ex-girlfriend Rihanna was revoked after his arrest in connection to a misdemeanor assault charge out of Washington
Friday's admission in Los Angeles that he violated his probation by committing a crime in Washington should lead to a quick resolution of the District of Columbia assault case, Geragos said.
Brown still must complete about 700 hours of community labor at a rate of three days a week once he is released from jail. Geragos, however, said Brown has "enjoyed" the work because it is "at a facility that has allowed to him to kind of expand his horizons."
His probation office calculated that his probation, which began in August 2009, should end on January 23, 2015.
Until then, he must attend several anger management and family counseling sessions each week and submit to random drug tests the judge said.
Friday's resolution is a relief for Brown after languishing in jail for the past two months, his lawyer said.
"We're gratified that he was not sentenced to state prison, gratified that he's still on probation," Geragos said. "I think that Chris has learned quite a bit through this experience and I'm anxious to see how he does, as I think everybody else is."
Beatification set for Pope Paul VI
5/10/2014 12:30:12 PM
(CNN) -- Pope Francis approved a decree Saturday to beatify Pope Paul VI, the Vatican said in a statement.
Beatification is considered a step toward sainthood.
The ceremony is expected to be held October 19, at the conclusion of a general assembly of bishops, the Vatican said.
The announcement came two weeks after Pope Francis canonized two others of his predecessors, John XXIII and John Paul II, in an unprecedented ceremony witnessed by huge crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.
Paul VI became pope in June 1963 and died in August 1978. A Vatican bio calls him "one of the most traveled popes in history and the first to visit five continents."
The Catholic Church came out against the use of any type of contraceptives in 1968. In an encyclical letter to Catholics entitled Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI outlined the church's teaching on the matter.
"Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children," the letter reads.
Stop judging Monica Lewinsky?
5/11/2014 7:06:28 AM
- Mel Robbins: Monica Lewinsky writes in upcoming Vanity Fair about affair with Bill Clinton
- She says aftermath of affair left Lewinsky humiliated, almost suicidal. She was brave to go on
- She says media exploited news of consensual affair; cashed in. Story put Drudge on map
- Robbins: Real story here is Lewinsky taking back narrative, helping others bullied on Internet
Editor's note: Mel Robbins is a CNN commentator and legal analyst. Mel is the Founder of Inspire52.com, a positive news website and author of "Stop Saying You're Fine," about managing change. She speaks on leadership around the world and in 2014 was named Outstanding News Talk Radio Host by the Gracie Awards. Follow her on Twitter @melrobbins.
(CNN) -- We could all learn a few things from Monica Lewinsky, and when you read the essay she penned for Vanity Fair, "Shame and Survival," you undoubtedly will—maybe even about yourself. That is, judging by the excerpts of her article, which the magazine released Tuesday, ahead of publication.
Most of the world will be looking for the salacious details of her "consensual relationship" with President Clinton. As many will recall, that affair began in 1995 and when news of it broke in 1998, it became a global story. It almost took down the President—he was impeached-- and sent Lewinsky into such an isolated state of hell, she writes, that she had suicidal thoughts at times and a "fear that I would be literally humiliated to death."
Frankly, when you consider just how intense, relentless and abusive the Lewinsky bullying has been for the past 16 years--by the media, the politicians, the public and trolls on the Internet, it's a wonder she had the psychological stamina to resist those suicidal thoughts. And thank God she did.
Lewinsky on Clinton affair: 'Time to burn the beret and bury the blue dress'
You can't underplay how huge the news of the Lewinsky-Clinton affair was at a time when the Internet wasn't only used for trolling celebrities; it had such an impact in the public arena that there are people who are still making money off it. The founder of the Drudge Report, Matt Drudge, broke the story of the affair on his then mostly unknown website in 1998; the story put him on the map. In 2014 the site averages more than a billion page views a month.
When Barbara Walters interviewed Lewinsky in 1999 on "20/20," a record-breaking 70 million viewers tuned in. While the media pointed fingers at "that woman," it was taking advantage of the hottest story in presidential scandal history and squeezing every dollar it could out of Lewinsky's demise.
Heck, when Beyoncé "dropped" her album in December 2013, she cashed in as well -- reducing Lewinsky to a line in "Partition" as a reference to ejaculation. Lewinsky replied in her essay: "Thanks, Beyoncé, but if we're verbing, I think you meant 'Bill Clintoned all on my gown.' "
Sexual affairs are happening all over the world at this very moment--with politicians, world leaders, famous actors and people you know personally. Yes, affairs and other indiscretions are disgusting and immoral, but you can hardly be surprised anymore when you hear about them (looking at you Vance McAllister, John Edwards, Anthony Weiner, Donald Sterling). After all, you don't publicly execute people for these everyday offenses between two consenting adults, and yet that's basically what the world did to Lewinsky.
Last year, President Clinton was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. In 2014, perhaps the world will give Monica Lewinsky the freedom she finally deserves.
The powerful story here isn't the cigar and the blue dress with semen on it, it's that after 16 years of relentless bullying and a past that won't go away, Lewinsky has figured out a way to use the experience to help others by taking ownership of it.
Lewinsky writes that she may be the first person ever at the center of an Internet cyberbullying event, and that it was the case of another recent victim of similar bullying, Tyler Clementi, that made her own suffering "take on a different meaning".
Clintons' relationship with media still testy after all these years
"Perhaps by sharing my story, I reason, I might be able to help others in their darkest moments of humiliation." In the same way that a sitting President can sooth a community struck by a hurricane, mudslide or mass shooting, I have no doubt that Lewinsky could help a victim of cyberbullying get through the pain and humiliation -- and be instrumental in encouraging him or her to stay strong.
One of the most powerful tools you have in life is the truth, and here's the truth: Regardless of what she says, people will judge. Pundits will pontificate, project and wonder aloud about political motivations in the timing. We will wonder if this will hurt Hillary Clinton in 2016 or if Lewinsky was paid by the RNC to unburden herself like this. Go down that road and you miss something way more powerful than politics -- a lesson in humanity and personal power.
She writes that it's time to "stop tiptoeing around my past—and other people's futures. I am determined to have a different ending to my story. I've decided, finally, to stick my head above the parapet so that I can take back my narrative and give purpose to my past."
By telling her story, she's doing exactly that. It takes remarkable courage to confront your humiliating mistakes and painful past, and still hold your head high.
It's in our failures that we often find our strength. Good for you Monica Lewinsky, you found your strength. I for one will be cheering you on.
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Drone, jetliner in near miss in Florida
5/10/2014 10:21:18 AM
- NEW: Flight 4650 on March 22 was a 50-seat jet, according to Flightaware
- FAA: The unmanned aircraft looked like a miniature F-4 Phantom jet, pilot said
- FAA: A jetliner's pilot reported a near collision with a drone over Florida
- Drones getting sucked into jet engines could be "catastrophic," he adds
(CNN) -- A Federal Aviation Administration official warned this week about the dangers of even small unmanned aircraft, pointing specifically to a recent close call involving a drone and a commercial airliner that could have had "catastrophic" results.
Jim Williams, the head of the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) office, discussed various potential perils during a presentation Thursday to those attending the Small Unmanned Systems Business Expo. A video of his talk in San Francisco, and those of others, to those who operate, create or otherwise are involved or interested in such unmanned aircraft was posted to YouTube.
After saying "the FAA has got to be responsive to the entire industry," Williams referred to a pair of incidents in which drones caused injuries to people on the ground. One came at an event at Virginia Motor Speedway in which an "unauthorized, unmanned aircraft" crashed into the stands, and in the other a female triathlete in Australia had to get stitches after being struck by a small drone.
Then, Williams segued to a pilot's recent report of "a near midair collision" with a drone near the airport in Tallahassee, Florida. The pilot said that it appeared to be small, camouflaged, "remotely piloted" and about 2,300 feet up in the air at the time of the incident.
"The pilot said that the UAS was so close to his jet that he was sure he had collided with it," Williams said. "Thankfully, inspection to the airliner after landing found no damage. But this may not always be the case."
According to the FAA, the incident took place on March 22 and involved as U.S. Airways Flight 4650 going from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Tallahassee.
Flightaware.com lists that flight as a CRJ-200, with a capacity for 50 passengers.
The pilot claimed to pass "an unreported and apparently remotely controlled aircraft ... five miles northeast of the Tallahassee airport, according to the federal agency.
Such close calls are rare, the FAA notes.
The pilot reported that the small unmanned aircraft involved looked similar to an F-4 Phantom jet, and not like a helicopter that might hold a camera that many associate more closely with drones. Such planes have gas turbine engines and can fly higher than an average drone, according to the FAA. Neither the drone in this case, nor its pilot, have been identified.
In its own statement, US Airways said that it was aware of this reported "incident with one of our express flights, and we are investigating."
Explaining why this event is significant, Williams referenced to the so-called "Miracle on the Hudson" from 2009, when US Airways Flight 1549 safely crash-landed in New York's Hudson River after striking at least one bird upon takeoff from LaGuardia Airport.
Airplane crash-lands into Hudson River
Such bird strikes are dangerous enough; a drone, even a small one, getting sucked into a jetliner's engine could be even worse, Williams said.
"Imagine a metal and plastic object -- especially with (a) big lithium battery -- going into a high-speed engine," he added. "The results could be catastrophic."
All these incidents speak to "why it is incredibly important for detect-and-avoid standards (for small unmanned aircraft) to be developed and right-of-way rules to be obeyed," Williams said. He added that such standards are in the works.
His agency reiterated this sentiment in its statement Friday.
"The FAA has the exclusive authority to regulate the airspace from the ground up, and a mandate to protect the safety of the American people in the air and on the ground," the agency said. "...Our challenge is to integrate unmanned aircraft into the busiest, most complex airspace in the world. Introduction of unmanned aircraft into America's airspace must take place incrementally and with the interest of safety first."
As to current regulations, Williams noted the FAA has appealed a federal judge's decision in a case involving businessman Raphael Pirker.
Pirker used a remotely operated, 56-inch foam glider to take aerial video for an advertisement for the University of Virginia Medical Center. The FAA then fined him $10,000 for operating the aircraft in a "careless and reckless manner."
A judge on March 6 agreed with Pirker that the FAA overreached by applying regulations for aircraft to model aircraft, and said no FAA rule prohibited Pirker's radio-controlled flight.
Pilot wins case against FAA over commercial drone flight
But on Thursday, Williams said that another judge had stayed this ruling pending the FAA's appeal.
"Nothing has changed from a legal standpoint," he said, "and the FAA continues to enforce the airspace rules."
Drones banned from Yosemite, other parks
CNN's Rene Marsh, Bill Mears, Thom Patterson, Mike Ahlers, Carma Hassan and Chandler Friedman contributed to this report.
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