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China has own 'war on terror'
5/24/2014 5:23:37 AM
- Terror attacks in China intensify as war in Afghanistan winds down
- Most originate from Xinjiang, a region bordering Afghanistan
- Chinese terrorists believed to be influenced by foreign groups
- Chinese demand government clamps down on terrorism
Editor's note: Victor Zhikai Gao is director of China National Association of International Studies. He was a former employee of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as English interpreter for Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- For many decades, unlike their counterparts in many Western countries, Chinese police did not carry guns. Even the armed police in China, charged mainly with guarding foreign embassies, government buildings and important facilities, would normally only carry unloaded guns, keeping the bullets separate.
A police officer firing a gun was a rarity, because China was a safe country.
Recently, however, a major shift is occurring that is significantly changing the landscape, as China faces its own "war on terror."
With the war in Afghanistan winding down, there has been an intensification of terrorist attacks in China. Most bear the same tell-tale fingerprints. They originate from China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, which borders Afghanistan, and are perpetuated by extremists from China's Uyghur minority, a mainly Turkic-speaking Muslim population.
They aim to indiscriminately kill innocent, unarmed people in public places, demonstrating a complete disregard for human life.
The deadly terror attack Thursday on Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, was the just the latest in a spate of such attacks to strike China since a jeep plowed into a crowd in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in October, killing five.
This week's attack also involved vehicles -- in this case SUVs that drove into crowds at an open market as its occupants tossed out explosives, leaving at least 39 dead and 90 injured, according to Chinese state media.
Other attacks have been carried out by knife-wielding mobs, such as the attack on Kunming train station in March that left 29 dead, according to state media.
An attack the following month on an Urumqi train station also involved a knife-wielding mob that swarmed the station after an explosion was detonated. Three people were killed, included two suspected attackers, and 79 injured, according to state media.
Days later, men with knives attacked travelers at a train station in Guangzhou, injuring six people, according to Chinese police.
There have also been foiled attempts at hijacking airplanes.
Faced with an intensification of such attacks, right-thinking people in China are united in unreservedly condemning these crimes against humanity. The Chinese people want peace and stability at home, and many are demanding that the government take resolute measures to combat these terrorist attacks.
In response, the Chinese government has authorized the arming of police, and instructed them to shoot -- to kill, if necessary -- in combating such attacks.
The government has also significantly beefed up the police presence in many cities, particularly at bus and train stations, airports, public squares, schools and other public places which tend to be the targets of such attacks.
READ MORE: Q&A -- tensions in China's restive far west
The Chinese government believes the Uyghur terror groups have been strongly influenced by foreign terror groups.
Chinese Uyghur Islamic extremists have previously found their way to Afghanistan, with some winding up in Guantanamo.
China's concern is that such infiltration will see terrorist attacks in China intensify in coming years, in light of a likely resurgence of violence in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from the country.
Faced with the potential threat of intensified terror attacks, China will need to significantly beef up law-enforcement capacities further and raise public awareness about potential attacks.
China will also need to significantly increase international and regional cooperation to effectively deal with any resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan in the coming years.
In this context, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, and other multilateral frameworks will have significant roles to play in rallying countries in this part of the world to unite in their common struggle against terrorism.
Effectively combating terrorism will require an international united front.
The international community will not be well served if we start to label terrorist attacks against one country as terrorism, but terrorist attacks against another country by another name.
Put simply, an attack that aims to terrorize people by killing and injuring innocents indiscriminately is a terrorist attack -- and should be universally condemned and dealt with as such.
Double standards and hypocrisy will only further embolden terrorists, and will leave more innocent people as victims of such crimes.
No decent person -- and no religion -- should condone or justify terrorism.
If the international community is united, terrorism in China or anywhere else in the world will never win. Let us unite in our common fight against terrorism and extremism in the world, and prevail.
Chants of 'Long live the pope' as Francis arrives in Jordan
5/24/2014 6:19:22 AM
- NEW: Groups of cheering supporters line the road as Pope Francis arrives in Amman
- Francis is visiting Jordan, Bethlehem and Jerusalem with a rabbi and a Muslim cleric
- "Highly symbolic" visit sends message of unity in volatile region, says Vatican
- The pope is also expected to call attention to the poor and downtrodden during his visit
(CNN) -- Pope Francis arrived in Jordan on Saturday on the first leg of a trip to the Holy Land during which he is expected to promote unity and call attention to the poor and downtrodden.
Descending the steps of the plane in Amman, he was greeted by a throng of local dignitaries and clergy.
Small groups of cheering supporters lined the road, waving flags and chanting "Long live the pope," as his motorcade left the airport at the start of his visit.
In Jordan, the pope will greet some of the 600,000 Syrians that have fled since the start of the civil war in 2011, as well as refugees from Iraq. He will also celebrate Mass and visit the River Jordan, where many Christians believe Jesus was baptized.
The Holy Land trip is the first for Francis as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and just the fourth for any pontiff in the modern era.
The pope will visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem alongside Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who co-wrote a book with the pontiff, and Sheikh Omar Abboud, who leads Argentina's Muslim community.
The religion of the pope's traveling companions, both of whom hail from his home country, Argentina, is no coincidence.
"It's highly symbolic, of course," said the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a consultant to the Vatican press office.
"But it also sends a pragmatic message to Muslims, Christians and Jews that it's possible to work together -- not as a system of checks and balances but as friends."
In Bethlehem, Frances will greet children from refugee camps, celebrate Mass in Manger Square, lunch with Palestinian families, and visit the site of Jesus' birth. The pope is expected to call for a Palestinian state, which has long been Vatican policy.
And in Jerusalem, the pontiff will meet the city's grand mufti and chief rabbis, visit the Western Wall and Yad Vashem, a memorial to the Holocaust, and lay a wreath on the grave of the founder of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl. He will also celebrate Mass at the site of the Last Supper.
The papal visit will include high-profile encounters as well.
Francis will meet with King Abdullah II in Jordan, with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Bethlehem, and with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres while in Jerusalem.
Pope Francis in the Holy Land: 5 things to know
China has own 'war on terror'
5/24/2014 7:28:18 AM
- Terror attacks in China intensify as war in Afghanistan winds down
- Most originate from Xinjiang, a region bordering Afghanistan
- Chinese terrorists believed to be influenced by foreign groups
- Chinese demand government clamps down on terrorism
Editor's note: Victor Zhikai Gao is director of China National Association of International Studies. He was a former employee of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served as English interpreter for Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- For many decades, unlike their counterparts in many Western countries, Chinese police did not carry guns. Even the armed police in China, charged mainly with guarding foreign embassies, government buildings and important facilities, would normally only carry unloaded guns, keeping the bullets separate.
A police officer firing a gun was a rarity, because China was a safe country.
Recently, however, a major shift is occurring that is significantly changing the landscape, as China faces its own "war on terror."
With the war in Afghanistan winding down, there has been an intensification of terrorist attacks in China. Most bear the same tell-tale fingerprints. They originate from China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, which borders Afghanistan, and are perpetuated by extremists from China's Uyghur minority, a mainly Turkic-speaking Muslim population.
They aim to indiscriminately kill innocent, unarmed people in public places, demonstrating a complete disregard for human life.
The deadly terror attack Thursday on Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, was the just the latest in a spate of such attacks to strike China since a jeep plowed into a crowd in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in October, killing five.
This week's attack also involved vehicles -- in this case SUVs that drove into crowds at an open market as its occupants tossed out explosives, leaving at least 39 dead and 90 injured, according to Chinese state media.
Other attacks have been carried out by knife-wielding mobs, such as the attack on Kunming train station in March that left 29 dead, according to state media.
An attack the following month on an Urumqi train station also involved a knife-wielding mob that swarmed the station after an explosion was detonated. Three people were killed, included two suspected attackers, and 79 injured, according to state media.
Days later, men with knives attacked travelers at a train station in Guangzhou, injuring six people, according to Chinese police.
There have also been foiled attempts at hijacking airplanes.
Faced with an intensification of such attacks, right-thinking people in China are united in unreservedly condemning these crimes against humanity. The Chinese people want peace and stability at home, and many are demanding that the government take resolute measures to combat these terrorist attacks.
In response, the Chinese government has authorized the arming of police, and instructed them to shoot -- to kill, if necessary -- in combating such attacks.
The government has also significantly beefed up the police presence in many cities, particularly at bus and train stations, airports, public squares, schools and other public places which tend to be the targets of such attacks.
READ MORE: Q&A -- tensions in China's restive far west
The Chinese government believes the Uyghur terror groups have been strongly influenced by foreign terror groups.
Chinese Uyghur Islamic extremists have previously found their way to Afghanistan, with some winding up in Guantanamo.
China's concern is that such infiltration will see terrorist attacks in China intensify in coming years, in light of a likely resurgence of violence in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from the country.
Faced with the potential threat of intensified terror attacks, China will need to significantly beef up law-enforcement capacities further and raise public awareness about potential attacks.
China will also need to significantly increase international and regional cooperation to effectively deal with any resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan in the coming years.
In this context, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, and other multilateral frameworks will have significant roles to play in rallying countries in this part of the world to unite in their common struggle against terrorism.
Effectively combating terrorism will require an international united front.
The international community will not be well served if we start to label terrorist attacks against one country as terrorism, but terrorist attacks against another country by another name.
Put simply, an attack that aims to terrorize people by killing and injuring innocents indiscriminately is a terrorist attack -- and should be universally condemned and dealt with as such.
Double standards and hypocrisy will only further embolden terrorists, and will leave more innocent people as victims of such crimes.
No decent person -- and no religion -- should condone or justify terrorism.
If the international community is united, terrorism in China or anywhere else in the world will never win. Let us unite in our common fight against terrorism and extremism in the world, and prevail.
Chants of 'long live the pope' as Francis arrives in Jordan
5/24/2014 7:10:31 AM
- NEW: Pope Francis celebrates Mass before thousands of believers in Amman
- NEW: Pontiff urges a swift solution to the Syrian crisis and peace in the Middle East
- "Highly symbolic" visit sends message of unity in volatile region, says Vatican
- The pope is also expected to call attention to the poor and downtrodden during his visit
(CNN) -- Crowds of supporters waved and cheered as Pope Francis arrived to celebrate Mass at a stadium in Jordan on Saturday, on the first leg of a Holy Land trip that is intended to promote a message of unity.
His trip has been billed as a "pilgrimage for prayer," with its roots in faith, not politics.
But in a region where religion and politics are so closely intertwined, his every remark will take on an added significance.
Thousands of faithful packed the International Stadium in Amman for Saturday's Mass, in what is a majority Muslim nation with a significant Christian community.
Small groups of cheering supporters earlier lined the road, waving flags and chanting "Long live the pope," as Francis' motorcade left the airport in Jordan's capital, Amman, at the start of his three-day visit to the region.
The pope's first stop was at al-Husseini Royal Palace in Amman, where he met with Jordan's King Abdullah II.
In televised remarks after that meeting, Francis paid tribute to Jordan's efforts to promote interfaith tolerance and to the welcome the small nation has given to Palestinian refugees and, more recently, those fleeing war-torn Syria.
Francis said it was "necessary and urgent" that a peaceful solution was found to the crisis in Syria.
He also called for a "right solution with regard to the situation between Israel and the Palestinians." Middle East peace talks recently stalled despite high-profile efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to push them forward.
"I grasp this opportunity to renew my esteem and respect for the Muslim community and show my appreciation for the work carried out by his Majesty the King, which is promoting further understanding between peoples of different faith and communities of different faith," Francis said.
The Holy Land trip, also taking in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, is the first for Francis as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and just the fourth for any pontiff in the modern era.
It marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark meeting between Pope Paul VI and the then-spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Athenagoras, in Jerusalem.
Landmark meeting
While in Jordan, Francis will greet some of the 600,000 Syrians that have fled since the start of the civil war in 2011, as well as refugees from Iraq. He will also visit the River Jordan, where many Christians believe Jesus was baptized.
Accompanying Francis on his trip are Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who co-wrote a book with the pontiff, and Sheikh Omar Abboud, who leads Argentina's Muslim community.
The religion of the pope's traveling companions, both of whom hail from his home country, Argentina, is no coincidence.
"It's highly symbolic, of course," said the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a consultant to the Vatican press office.
"But it also sends a pragmatic message to Muslims, Christians and Jews that it's possible to work together -- not as a system of checks and balances but as friends."
In Bethlehem, Frances will greet children from refugee camps, celebrate Mass in Manger Square, lunch with Palestinian families, and visit the site of Jesus' birth. The pope is expected to call for a Palestinian state, which has long been Vatican policy.
And in Jerusalem, the pontiff will meet the city's grand mufti and chief rabbis, visit the Western Wall and Yad Vashem, a memorial to the Holocaust, and lay a wreath on the grave of the founder of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl. He will also celebrate Mass at the site of the Last Supper.
Francis will meet with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Bethlehem, and with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres while in Jerusalem.
Pope Francis in the Holy Land: 5 things to know
Rosberg on Monaco pole, for now
5/24/2014 10:37:17 AM
- Nico Rosberg on pole positon for Monaco Grand Prix
- Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton second quickest
- Daniel Ricciardo third on grid for Red Bull
- NEW: Stewards investigating incident involving Rosberg
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- Nico Rosberg claimed provisional pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix Saturday but was under investigation by race stewards over an incident which held up Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton in the final few moments of qualifying.
Both men were on their last flying laps when Rosberg lost control of his car and took to the escape road at Mirabeau.
Hamilton, who was behind him and two hundredths of a second ahead on the first sector timings, was forced to slow up as yellow flags were waived and eventually abandoned his effort.
Read: Winner Webber's view of Monaco
It meant Rosberg's one minute 15.989 clocking from his penultimate run gave him first place on the grid, with Hamilton 0.059 seconds slower from a previous effort.
But it left Hamilton clearly fuming and insisting at the post-qualifying press conference that he was "on target" to take pole before his teammate went off.
Rosberg claimed he had "tried to push just that little bit more and went over the edge," but was delighted to have taken pole in Monte Carlo for the second straight year.
"I'm really, really happy -- to be on pole at home is fantastic, it couldn't be better."
Behind the all-conquering Mercedes pair it was Australian Daniel Ricciardo who again got the better of Red Bull teammate and four-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel for third and fourth on the grid.
Two-time former world champion Fernando Alonso will occupy the third row ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso and Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen of McLaren were seventh and eighth fastest .
Another rookie, Russian Daniil Kvyat in the second Toro Rosso was ninth and Mexican Sergio Perez completed the top 10 for Force India.
Read: Grit and glamor, the magic of Monaco
Hamilton leads Rosberg by three points in the title race after winning the last four races, but pole position on the tight street circuit in Monte Carlo virtually guarantees victory come Sunday's race.
Rosberg took the season-opener in Australia when Hamilton failed to finish, but has had to settle for second place to the Briton in the last four rounds, with signs of tension between the two men in their own private battle for the world championship.
Interactive: Experience the thrills of Monaco
Read: Monte Carlo insider's guide: From casino city to race track
Police believe U.S. shootings 'premeditated mass murder'
5/24/2014 9:54:01 AM
- The shootings occurred near University of California, Santa Barbara
- Evidence suggests "premeditated mass murder," sheriff's spokeswoman says
- The suspected gunman was one of the seven dead; seven others were injured
(CNN) -- A gunman described as mentally disturbed and possibly bent on retribution sprayed bullets from a slow-moving car in a small Southern California college town, killing six people in a rampage called "premeditated mass murder," Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies said Saturday.
The gunman also died from a gunshot wound after his car crashed Friday night, police said. It was unclear if the fatal head wound was self-inflicted or the result of a firefight with police.
Seven people also were being treated in a hospital for gunshot wounds or traumatic injuries, including at least one who was in surgery, said sheriff's office spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.
"The sheriff's office has obtained and is currently analyzing written and video evidence that suggests this was a premeditated mass murder," Hoover said.
Hoover apparently was referring to a YouTube video titled "Retribution" posted by a young man. In the nearly seven-minute video, the young man rants about women who ignored or rejected him over the past eight years and warns that he will "punish you all for it."
"Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge," the man says on the video.
The shootings occurred in Isla Vista near the University of California, Santa Barbara, in a crowded area bustling with activity on Memorial Day weekend.
"I don't recall hearing any screaming," witness Robert Johnson told CNN, describing the moment the gunman opened fire on people outside a deli. "It was at that point where I turned and ran in the opposite direction. ... There's a lot of confusion. Even shortly after this whole ordeal had ended, I think a lot of people didn't realize the magnitude of the situation."
The violence began and ended within minutes, from 9:27 p.m. when shots were reported to around 10 minutes later when police discovered the body of the suspected gunman, CNN affiliate KEYT-TV said. Authorities said there were nine separate crime scenes.
"Sheriff's deputies responded and found several victims suffering from gunshot wounds. As sheriff's deputies were attending to the victims and performing first aid, they were also receiving suspect information. Only minutes later, there were additional reports of shots fired in several other areas of Isla Vista," Hoover said.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI were assisting local police in the investigation, including trying to trace the handgun used and where the possible suspect obtained it.
Johnson told CNN he was standing on a corner when he heard what he thought were fireworks. Then a black BMW with tinted windows drove by and either slowed down or stopped outside a deli where as many as eight people were eating outside. Someone in the car opened fire.
"It all happened very quickly, but I think this happened to be the largest group on the street," he said. "It think it was just targeted because it was the largest group in the area."
People jumped up and ran, Johnson recalled.
Worst U.S. mass shootings
KEYT reporter John Palminteri told CNN that some witnesses reported hearing the gunman talk to some of his victims as he fired. Outside a 7-11 convenience store, he said, workers came out amid the gunfire to pull to safety a girl who had been shot in the leg. Another victim, a bicyclist, apparently sustained massive head injuries after being struck by the gunman's car.
One woman told the station that a driver of a car flashed a gun at her and asked, "Hey, what's up?" before opening fire. She escaped unharmed.
"I heard some pops, but I just assumed they were fireworks," said Daniel Slovinsky, who was eating at a restaurant. "Contrary to what you might expect, there wasn't a whole lot of chaos immediately. I didn't hear any screaming. A few people were running. ... It wasn't really until police started yelling at people to get inside that we realized something big went down. But even then people didn't know what."
KEYT reported that "witnesses described seeing a black BMW speeding through the streets, spraying bullets at people and various targets." Six minutes after the first emergency call, the suspected gunman traded fire with sheriff's deputies, and the vehicle plowed into a parked vehicle, said Hoover, the sheriff's office spokeswoman.
The suspected gunman was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound, she said, adding that it wasn't clear whether the death was self-inflicted or whether deputies killed the suspected gunman. A semiautomatic handgun was recovered, she said.
It appears the suspect acted alone, Hoover said.
Santa Barbara Sheriff Bill Brown called the suspect "severely mentally disturbed," according to KEYT.
Authorities searching for a motive were looking into a video posted on social media that contains a man's tirade against women who supposedly rebuffed him, Brown told the station. Hoover said the suspect has been preliminarily identified but his name won't be released until "a positive identification is made."
The identities of the victims won't be released until the next of kin are notified, she said.
Chilling video filled with threats
5/24/2014 9:05:00 PM
This video, published on May 23 on YouTube, is part of the criminal investigation into the California drive-by shooting.
If your browser has Adobe Flash Player installed, click above to play. Otherwise, click below.
Director's son filmed rant before deadly rampage
5/25/2014 12:43:30 AM
- Man with three handguns and a car killed 6, injured 13, authorities said
- "Tomorrow is the day of retribution," Elliot Rodger said in a video
- Rampage occurred near the University of California, Santa Barbara
- "He aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us," victim says
Isla Vista, California (CNN) -- After promising a "day of retribution" on YouTube, a heavily armed, mentally disturbed 22-year-old went on a killing spree in a California college town, authorities said.
He fatally stabbed three men in his residence, shot two women to death in front of a sorority house, shot a man to death inside a deli, exchanged gunfire twice with police and injured 13 people as he drove from block to block, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office said Saturday night.
Elliot Rodger, 22, ended the Friday night rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara, apparently by fatally shooting himself in the head while sitting behind the wheel of his wrecked BMW, Sheriff Bill Brown said.
Inside the car, police found three handguns -- all legally purchased -- and more than 400 rounds of unused ammunition, Brown said at a Saturday evening press conference.
The suspect formerly was a student at Santa Barbara City College and lived in Isla Vista, where the rampage occurred.
His father, Peter Rodger, works in the film industry and was the second unit assistant director on the first "The Hunger Games" film, according to a spokeswoman for Lionsgate.
The younger Rodger apparently telegraphed his intentions. The day before the rampage, he released a YouTube video entitled "Retribution," in which he rants about women who ignored or rejected him over the past eight years, "since I hit puberty."
"Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge," he says on the video. "You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it." He specifically criticized sorority members.
Rodger appears to have further chronicled his rage in a 140-page account of his life that begins with his birth and ends with what he describes as "the Day of Retribution." The document, titled "My Twisted World," was obtained by CNN affiliate KEYT.
"It was apparent he was very mentally disturbed," Brown said.
Transcript of the chilling video
So disturbed that a family member asked law enforcement officers to check on his welfare April 30, Brown said. They went to his residence, found Rodger "polite and courteous," and left, Brown said.
The rampage left six dead and 13 hurt, with eight suffering gunshot wounds, four hit by the suspect's vehicle and one suffering a minor injury "of unknown origin," Brown said.
At the press conference, Dr. Stephen Kaminski, trauma services director for Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, gave this account of 11 of the wounded: four treated and released, and seven transferred to Cottage Hospital. Of those seven, two were in good condition, three fair and two serious, he said.
Brown provided this sequence to the violence, which occurred in a crowded area bustling with activity on Memorial Day weekend. The action covered so much ground that officers worked 12 different crime scenes.
Spree apparently began with stabbings
First, three men were "repeatedly stabbed" and killed inside Rodger's residence. They weren't identified.
Next, members of the Alpha Phi sorority in Isla Vista reported hearing loud knocking on the front door for several minutes. Nobody answered. Several minutes later, witnesses saw three women in front of the sorority house shot by a man from across the street. Two were killed, one wounded. All were UC Santa Barbara students.
Rodger drove his black BMW several blocks, went into a delicatessen and shot Christoper Martinez to death, officials said. Martinez was a UC Santa Barbara student.
While driving around, sometimes on the wrong side of the street, Rodger shot at pedestrians on the sidewalk, authorities said. He encountered a sheriff's deputy who was on foot and exchanged gunfire. He kept driving and hit a bicyclist, authorities said. He shot more pedestrians on the sidewalk.
He encountered four deputies on foot near a park and they exchanged gunfire. Rodger may have been hit in the hip. He drove away at a high rate of speed and hit another cyclist, who tumbled over the car's hood and hit the windshield. The BMW collided with other cars and came to a stop.
Officers approached the car and found Rodger dead of a gunshot wound to the head. "It would appear he took his own life," Brown said.
One family is speaking out in anger.
Richard Martinez, father of Christopher Martinez, said to reporters. "Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights, what about Chris' right to live? When will this insanity stop?"
A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN that Elliot Rodger passed the background check needed to buy the firearm used in the shooting. The official says nothing has been found in the gun trace to indicate Rodger shouldn't have qualified to buy a gun.
Rodger had three previous contacts with authorities, the sheriff said.
On July 21, 2013, he talked to officers at the hospital, saying he'd been the victim of an assault. Officers thought he might have been the aggressor, Brown said.
On January 15, he called to complain a roommate had stolen three candles worth $22. Rodger later made a citizen's arrest on the roommate for petty theft and the case was referred to the district attorney for prosecution, Brown said.
And, finally, the April 30 check at the request of a family member.
Who's the man behind the rampage
A life-and-death situation
The outburst of violence left students and residents stunned.
Kyle Sullivan, 19, a student at Santa Barbara City College, said he came upon three young women -- all shot -- on a lawn in front of the Alpha Phi sorority.
One woman appeared to be dead. Another was struggling and "just barely able to move her eyes," he said. A third, with a kidney wound, was on the phone with her mother, saying she probably wasn't going to make and "how much she loved her," Sullivan said.
"I really wasn't able to sleep at all," Sullivan told CNN. "It was heartbreaking that something would happen in our community like this."
The names of those women have not not released. Alphi Phi posted on its Facebook page Saturday that "all our members are safe."
Nikolaus Becker, a high school senior visiting Isla Vista, was eating a burger in a restaurant with friends. They heard pops and thought fireworks. Some students were doing homework.
Not town's first mass killing
"We were actually joking around about it," he said of the crackling sound. "People were riding their bikes around outside, and parties were still going on."
Then Becker and friends heard two more sets of bangs. Police were running. A speeding car -- moving at least 50 mph -- screeched around a corner. When Becker finally went outside a half hour later, he saw body bags on the street.
One victim, Nick Pasichuke, told CNN he was struck by the gunman's car.
"There are six other people currently hospitalized with me right now. ... There was a guy driving a BMW. I was on a long board and he aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us. I have two broken legs and need surgery. The police said I flew roughly 50 feet into a busy intersection. This is all so crazy."
Ian Papa said he was inches away on the street when the gunman's car sped up and struck two bicyclists.
"It happened so fast," he said. "I had no time to react. I jumped on the sidewalk and I see a man on a BMW, his body inside the windshield and glass broken everywhere ... I almost wanted to break into tears. It was a life and death situation.
Gunman talked to victims
The violence began and ended within minutes, from 9:27 p.m. when shots were reported to around 10 minutes later when police discovered the body of the suspected gunman, CNN affiliate KEYT-TV said. Authorities said there were nine separate crime scenes.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI were assisting local police in the investigation, including trying to trace the handgun used and where the suspect obtained it. Agents were on the scene to offer firearms expertise in tracing all details about the weapon using ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, according to the agency.
Worst U.S. mass shootings
KEYT reporter John Palminteri told CNN that some witnesses reported hearing the gunman talk to some of his victims as he fired. Outside a 7-11 convenience store, he said, workers came out amid the gunfire to pull to safety a girl who had been shot in the leg.
Beachfront college town of Isla Vista has seen mass killing before
'No words to express the sadness'
In a statement on its website Saturday, UC Santa Barbara said several students were taken to local hospitals after the shooting.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those affected," the statement said.
Santa Barbara City College also reacted Saturday.
"There are no words to express the sadness we have for the victims and their families and for all the residents of Isla Vista," the statement said. "We know our students co-mingle with UCSB students and Isla Vista residents as part of our greater community and we all, as an extended family, are impacted by this unimaginable event."
Elliot Rodger's family also gave their condolences, spoken through their attorney: "The Rodger's family offers their deepest compassion and sympathy to the families involved in this terrible tragedy. We are experiencing the most inconceivable pain and our hearts go out to everybody involved."
Transcript of Elliot Rodger 'Retribution' video
CNN's Sara Sidner and Alan Duke reported from Santa Barbara. Paul Vercammen reported from Isla Vista. Ralph Ellis reported and wrote in Atlanta. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ray Sanchez , Joe Sutton, Joe Sterling, Michael Martinez and Evan Perez contributed to this report.
I'm a gun owner and I want gun control
5/24/2014 2:30:13 PM
- Mark O'Mara: Fatal shooting rampage in Santa Barbara latest to reflect U.S. violence problem
- He says U.S. has vast number of shootings, and the tough part is what to do about it
- Responsible gun owners don't want to gut 2nd Amendment, he says, but can't ignore problem
- O'Mara: If gun owners don't allow reasonable flexibility, they may soon face over-restriction
Editor's note: Mark O'Mara is a CNN legal analyst. He is a criminal defense attorney who frequently writes and speaks about issues related to race, guns and self-defense in the context of the American criminal justice system. A version of this commentary appeared earlier this month. The opinions expressed in it are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- Another week in America, another mass shooting.
This time the mayhem was at the hands of a drive-by shooter Friday night, firing at people in Santa Barbara, California. Six dead, 13 others injured, gunman suicide, police say. Officials called the man "severely mentally disturbed."
The rampage comes only weeks after police headed off a Minnesota teen's plans to shoot up his school. According to news reports, John David LaDue allegedly possessed an arsenal (which included homemade bombs) that he allegedly planned to use to slaughter as many students as he could at his high school in rural Minnesota.
Thanks to a civilian tip and good police work, we narrowly escaped a mass shooting then.
On Friday, we were not as lucky.
A friend of mine predicted that the United States would suffer probably 10 such shootings in 2014. I didn't want to believe him, but I knew it would be true.
It turns out we will suffer far more than 10. We've seen a shooting where an assailant targets multiple people somewhere in this country every week this year, according to the website Shootingtracker.com. Only a small number -- such as the recent FedEx shooting in Georgia, or those at Fort Hood, Texas, or Jewish facilities in Kansas -- will gain national attention.
We have a problem with gun violence in this country. I think this much is not in dispute. The real debate is this: What do we do about it? Unfortunately, most answers to this question involve greater governmental regulation and intrusion into our lives.
Americans are fiercely independent, sometimes to a fault, and we bristle at any effort seen as trampling our inalienable rights. But the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution have never been unfettered. Each amendment in the Bill of Rights has spawned a legacy of case law that interprets, defines, refines and restricts our basic freedoms based on the values and needs of the people at the time.
Here are some examples:
The First Amendment -- our freedom of speech, of expression, of assembly -- is our most fundamental right, but even it is not unrestricted. No matter how strongly we feel, our words cannot be used to incite violence. They cannot be used to further terrorism. We cannot incite panic (shouting "fire" in a crowded theater). We are allowed our freedom of religion, yet we cannot force those religious beliefs on others.
The Fourth Amendment says we are secure in our home, and that the government cannot search and seize our effects and paper without probable cause. While we're free from improper government intrusion, the interpretation of probable cause has loosened over time.
We're free from government intrusion as long as we are not doing something illegal or something that would negatively affect our community. (I can live at peace in my home; I cannot do so with a meth lab.)
And of course we have amendments that ended slavery and granted universal suffrage.
The Constitution is not written in stone. It evolves as our society evolves. The Second Amendment is more complicated, however, because it deals with issues larger than freedom and oppression; it deals with life and death.
Buried in the Second Amendment is the right to self-defense, the very mechanism that allowed our Founding Fathers to win freedom from tyranny. Some argue it is the right that guarantees all other rights. Our forefathers wanted us to be able to protect ourselves against outside threats, and even from internal tyranny. They may have even intended us to be able to protect ourselves from each other.
It is a stretch to argue they intended guns to be so available, in such strength, that children, high-school populations and co-workers and law enforcement could be so easily slaughtered.
A gun in the hands of a law-abiding citizen is the perfect, unassailable instrument for self-defense and for the protection of one's family. To tell someone who is acting reasonably and rationally that they have to give up that right is unfathomable to the responsible gun owner. That's why gun rights advocates have such a negative response to any perceived restrictions on gun ownership: They know, without question, that they will only use their weapon properly.
But all too often guns are used improperly, without justification, with tragic results. While we have laws preventing convicted felons from legally owning guns, we live in a reality where even properly maintained guns wind up in the wrong hands, where the overly free commerce of firearms virtually assures that some of them will be used by people with criminal intentions.
Gun rights advocates often see a comment like that as an argument for further restriction on their use of weapons, but that's not the way I intend it. I myself am a responsible gun owner. I believe in the right to justified self-defense. I also believe that reasonable restrictions to assure that only law-abiding citizens can purchase firearms better prevents over-restriction of our Second Amendment.
Our Constitution is a resilient force, and our Bill of Rights has survived countless modifications and restrictions without the erosion of fundamental freedoms. Our Second Amendment right is no different: It can survive modification and restriction without the fear that it will vanish altogether.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently pledged $50 million to address gun issues. In the face of such a concerted effort, the failure of gun rights advocates to allow any reasonable flexibility to our right to bear arms could mean that it will eventually buckle under the weight of thoughtful opposition propelled to action by the next series of tragic and, unfortunately, inevitable mass shootings.
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Suspected gunman filmed rant before deadly rampage
5/25/2014 3:46:50 AM
- Man with three handguns and a car killed 6, injured 13, authorities said
- "Tomorrow is the day of retribution," Elliot Rodger said in a video
- Rampage occurred near the University of California, Santa Barbara
- "He aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us," victim says
Isla Vista, California (CNN) -- After promising a "day of retribution" on YouTube, a heavily armed, mentally disturbed 22-year-old went on a killing spree in a California college town, authorities said.
He fatally stabbed three men in his residence, shot two women to death in front of a sorority house, shot a man to death inside a deli, exchanged gunfire twice with police and injured 13 people as he drove from block to block, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office said Saturday night.
Elliot Rodger, 22, ended the Friday night rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara, apparently by fatally shooting himself in the head while sitting behind the wheel of his wrecked BMW, Sheriff Bill Brown said.
Inside the car, police found three handguns -- all legally purchased -- and more than 400 rounds of unused ammunition, Brown said at a Saturday evening press conference.
The suspect formerly was a student at Santa Barbara City College and lived in Isla Vista, where the rampage occurred.
His father, Peter Rodger, works in the film industry and was the second unit assistant director on the first "The Hunger Games" film, according to a spokeswoman for Lionsgate.
The younger Rodger apparently telegraphed his intentions. The day before the rampage, he released a YouTube video entitled "Retribution," in which he rants about women who ignored or rejected him over the past eight years, "since I hit puberty."
"Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge," he says on the video. "You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it." He specifically criticized sorority members.
Rodger appears to have further chronicled his rage in a 140-page account of his life that begins with his birth and ends with what he describes as "the Day of Retribution." The document, titled "My Twisted World," was obtained by CNN affiliate KEYT.
"It was apparent he was very mentally disturbed," Brown said.
Transcript of the chilling video
So disturbed that a family member asked law enforcement officers to check on his welfare April 30, Brown said. They went to his residence, found Rodger "polite and courteous," and left, Brown said.
The rampage left six dead and 13 hurt, with eight suffering gunshot wounds, four hit by the suspect's vehicle and one suffering a minor injury "of unknown origin," Brown said.
At the press conference, Dr. Stephen Kaminski, trauma services director for Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, gave this account of 11 of the wounded: four treated and released, and seven transferred to Cottage Hospital. Of those seven, two were in good condition, three fair and two serious, he said.
Brown provided this sequence to the violence, which occurred in a crowded area bustling with activity on Memorial Day weekend. The action covered so much ground that officers worked 12 different crime scenes.
Spree apparently began with stabbings
First, three men were "repeatedly stabbed" and killed inside Rodger's residence. They weren't identified.
Next, members of the Alpha Phi sorority in Isla Vista reported hearing loud knocking on the front door for several minutes. Nobody answered. Several minutes later, witnesses saw three women in front of the sorority house shot by a man from across the street. Two were killed, one wounded. All were UC Santa Barbara students.
Rodger drove his black BMW several blocks, went into a delicatessen and shot Christoper Martinez to death, officials said. Martinez was a UC Santa Barbara student.
While driving around, sometimes on the wrong side of the street, Rodger shot at pedestrians on the sidewalk, authorities said. He encountered a sheriff's deputy who was on foot and exchanged gunfire. He kept driving and hit a bicyclist, authorities said. He shot more pedestrians on the sidewalk.
He encountered four deputies on foot near a park and they exchanged gunfire. Rodger may have been hit in the hip. He drove away at a high rate of speed and hit another cyclist, who tumbled over the car's hood and hit the windshield. The BMW collided with other cars and came to a stop.
Officers approached the car and found Rodger dead of a gunshot wound to the head. "It would appear he took his own life," Brown said.
One family is speaking out in anger.
Richard Martinez, father of Christopher Martinez, said to reporters. "Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights, what about Chris' right to live? When will this insanity stop?"
A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN that Elliot Rodger passed the background check needed to buy the firearm used in the shooting. The official says nothing has been found in the gun trace to indicate Rodger shouldn't have qualified to buy a gun.
Rodger had three previous contacts with authorities, the sheriff said.
On July 21, 2013, he talked to officers at the hospital, saying he'd been the victim of an assault. Officers thought he might have been the aggressor, Brown said.
On January 15, he called to complain a roommate had stolen three candles worth $22. Rodger later made a citizen's arrest on the roommate for petty theft and the case was referred to the district attorney for prosecution, Brown said.
And, finally, the April 30 check at the request of a family member.
Who's the man behind the rampage
A life-and-death situation
The outburst of violence left students and residents stunned.
Kyle Sullivan, 19, a student at Santa Barbara City College, said he came upon three young women -- all shot -- on a lawn in front of the Alpha Phi sorority.
One woman appeared to be dead. Another was struggling and "just barely able to move her eyes," he said. A third, with a kidney wound, was on the phone with her mother, saying she probably wasn't going to make and "how much she loved her," Sullivan said.
"I really wasn't able to sleep at all," Sullivan told CNN. "It was heartbreaking that something would happen in our community like this."
The names of those women have not not released. Alphi Phi posted on its Facebook page Saturday that "all our members are safe."
Nikolaus Becker, a high school senior visiting Isla Vista, was eating a burger in a restaurant with friends. They heard pops and thought fireworks. Some students were doing homework.
Not town's first mass killing
"We were actually joking around about it," he said of the crackling sound. "People were riding their bikes around outside, and parties were still going on."
Then Becker and friends heard two more sets of bangs. Police were running. A speeding car -- moving at least 50 mph -- screeched around a corner. When Becker finally went outside a half hour later, he saw body bags on the street.
One victim, Nick Pasichuke, told CNN he was struck by the gunman's car.
"There are six other people currently hospitalized with me right now. ... There was a guy driving a BMW. I was on a long board and he aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us. I have two broken legs and need surgery. The police said I flew roughly 50 feet into a busy intersection. This is all so crazy."
Ian Papa said he was inches away on the street when the gunman's car sped up and struck two bicyclists.
"It happened so fast," he said. "I had no time to react. I jumped on the sidewalk and I see a man on a BMW, his body inside the windshield and glass broken everywhere ... I almost wanted to break into tears. It was a life and death situation.
Gunman talked to victims
The violence began and ended within minutes, from 9:27 p.m. when shots were reported to around 10 minutes later when police discovered the body of the suspected gunman, CNN affiliate KEYT-TV said. Authorities said there were nine separate crime scenes.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI were assisting local police in the investigation, including trying to trace the handgun used and where the suspect obtained it. Agents were on the scene to offer firearms expertise in tracing all details about the weapon using ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, according to the agency.
Worst U.S. mass shootings
KEYT reporter John Palminteri told CNN that some witnesses reported hearing the gunman talk to some of his victims as he fired. Outside a 7-11 convenience store, he said, workers came out amid the gunfire to pull to safety a girl who had been shot in the leg.
Beachfront college town of Isla Vista has seen mass killing before
'No words to express the sadness'
In a statement on its website Saturday, UC Santa Barbara said several students were taken to local hospitals after the shooting.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those affected," the statement said.
Santa Barbara City College also reacted Saturday.
"There are no words to express the sadness we have for the victims and their families and for all the residents of Isla Vista," the statement said. "We know our students co-mingle with UCSB students and Isla Vista residents as part of our greater community and we all, as an extended family, are impacted by this unimaginable event."
Elliot Rodger's family also gave their condolences, spoken through their attorney: "The Rodger's family offers their deepest compassion and sympathy to the families involved in this terrible tragedy. We are experiencing the most inconceivable pain and our hearts go out to everybody involved."
Transcript of Elliot Rodger 'Retribution' video
CNN's Sara Sidner and Alan Duke reported from Santa Barbara. Paul Vercammen reported from Isla Vista. Ralph Ellis reported and wrote in Atlanta. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ray Sanchez , Joe Sutton, Joe Sterling, Michael Martinez and Evan Perez contributed to this report.
10 dead in Somali parliament attack
5/24/2014 1:38:16 PM
- NEW: Somali security minister resigns in wake of the attacks
- Al-Shabaab militants attacked building with explosives, weapons
- Fighters blew themselves up; building has been secured, police spokesman says
- Somali Prime Minister calls attack "cowardly, despicable"
Mogadishu, Somalia (CNN) -- Al-Shabaab militants launched an attack Somalia's parliament headquarters Saturday, leaving at least 10 people dead and more than 11 others wounded, witnesses and officials said.
Members of the parliament were among those wounded after gunmen loyal to the al Qaeda-affiliated terror group stormed the facility in Mogadishu, according to witnesses and official accounts.
Fighters used automatic rifles, heavy machine guns and explosives in an attack that lasted more than three hours, witnesses said.
Mohamed Madale, a police spokesman, said security forces later secured the building after the fighters blew themselves up. He said the security forces killed several fighters during the attack.
Dahir Mohamed, a police officer who witnessed the attack, said the attackers used a car filled with explosives to get into the parliament building, and killed some of the Somali forces guarding the building on their way in.
Smoke and flames could be seen pouring from the building as ambulances pulled up to attend to the wounded lying on the ground. People took cover as security forces moved in, exchanging gunfire with the attackers. Some members of parliament were evacuated from the building.
Ali Osman, an ambulance worker at the scene, told CNN that he collected 10 bodies, including those of Somali forces, civil servants and civilians who were caught in the crossfire during attack.
He also said more than 11 others, including members of parliament, also were wounded.
A spokesman said on Al-Shabaab's radio network that the group was responsible for the attack.
Prime Minister: Attack does not reflect "true Islamic faith"
In a statement condemning the attack, Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed said, "The terrorists have once again shown that they are against all Somalis, by killing our innocent brothers and sisters. These cowardly, despicable actions are not a demonstration of the true Islamic faith."
The U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning the attack.
"We extend our sympathies and condolences to those affected by this heinous act of terrorism," deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said in the statement, "and commend Somali and African Union forces for their swift and courageous response."
"We continue to stand firmly with the Federal Government of Somalia and the many international partners working to support its efforts to root out the threat posed by al-Shabaab and to build a more secure and prosperous future for the Somali people," Harf said. "Cowardly acts such as these will not shake our resolve."
Lawmakers witness carnage
Mohamed Omar, a lawmaker who was inside the parliament building, said that Al-Shabaab fighters wore military uniforms and "suicide belts." Security forces killed at least three of the militants, Omar said.
Osman Daallo, a member of parliament, said he saw two colleagues seriously wounded, including a fellow MP "whose chest was gushing out from blood."
Mohamed Deyfalah, another MP, said the attack was the worst he has ever witnessed, and he had always believed the heavy security presence at the parliament would have prevented such an attack.
One of wounded MPs who asked to remain anonymous said the attack "indicates the weakness of the government."
"Our government is still unable to deal with the terrorists and today's attack underscores a lack of efficient government," the lawmaker said.
Late Saturday, Somalia's security minister, Abdukarim Hussein Guled, resigned as a result of the attack.
"I bear witness that the 22 months I have been in the office, we managed to improve the security situation of the country, especially Mogadishu," the minister said, "but now it is time to resign so that someone else who is better than me can take over the office."
Al-Shabaab's aim is to turn Somalia into a fundamentalist Islamic state, though it has carried out attacks in other African countries, as well. The group carried out the mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya, in September that left at 67 people dead.
The group has increased the use of suicide attacks in recent years, though these have been somewhat rare in Somalia. It is believed that veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are helping train al-Shabaab fighters.
Learn more about Al-Shabaab
CNN's Brian Walker contributed to this report
Search for UK yachtsmen suspended
5/24/2014 11:33:39 AM
- NEW: As expected, the Coast Guard search is suspended; no sailors are found
- NEW: The life raft on the 39-foot Cheeki Rafiki wasn't used
- Overturned boat is found 1,000 miles off Massachusetts with its keel broken
(CNN) -- A missing British yacht was found overturned with its keel broken, causing a breech in the hull, about 1,000 miles off Massachusetts, but the four-man crew is still missing, the U.S. Coast Guard said Friday.
A U.S. Navy helicopter spotted the capsized the 39-foot Cheeki Rafiki sailboat within a Coast Guard search area east of Cape Cod, officials said.
A Navy boat crew and surface swimmer assessed the damaged boat, but the swimmer found no signs of the crew after knocking on the hull and reaching below the waterline, the Coast Guard said.
Search crews looked Friday for a bright-colored life raft and the missing sailors, who the Royal Yachting Association identified as skipper Andrew Bridge, 21; Steve Warren, 52; Paul Goslin, 56; and James Male, 23.
As expected, the Coast Guard suspended the search at 10 p.m. ET Friday -- which was midnight in the search zone -- after scouring another 21,000 square miles.
No sailors had been found as of then. In a statement Friday night, the Coast Guard hinted that the prospects anyone would be found alive are slim.
"Based on the extreme sea conditions at the time of distress, but assuming best-case emergency equipment, the estimated survival time past the time of distress was approximately 20 hours," the Coast Guard said. "Searches were suspended nearly 200 hours after the time of distress."
The four British sailors have been missing in the Atlantic Ocean for more than a week.
The 39-foot (12 meters) Cheeki Rafiki was sailing from the Caribbean to the United Kingdom on May 15 when it began taking on water, according to Doug Innes, the yacht's managing agent.
Innes said contact was lost with the boat -- which he describes as "a performance racer/cruiser" that is "equipped for trans-Atlantic sailing and racing" -- early the next morning. He added that he believed the crew abandoned to the life raft.
But the U.S. Coast Guard appeared to dispel that notion, saying Friday night that "the boat's life raft was secured in its storage space ... indicating the crew had not been able to use it for emergency purposes."
Multinational search for missing British yacht crew resumes
CNN's Greg Botelho, Steve Almasy and Kevin Conlon contributed to this report.
S Africa's Zuma sworn in
5/24/2014 8:32:53 PM
- South African President Jacob Zuma vows his government will perform better this time
- Zuma's party, the African National Congress, won 62% of vote -- lower than before
- ANC still enjoys widespread support after governing 20 years
(CNN) -- South African President Jacob Zuma was sworn in Saturday for a second term, pledging to focus on the economy in a country battling growing inequality.
"Today marks the beginning of the second phase of our transition from apartheid to a national democratic society," Zuma said during his inauguration at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
"This second phase will involve the implementation of radical socioeconomic transformation policies and programs over the next five years."
His party, the African National Congress, won the general election this month, holding on to power despite economic woes, deadly mining protests and corruption allegations.
It got 62% of the vote -- lower than the last time -- with its popularity and that of Zuma's taking a hit due to various issues, including a scandal centered in his private homestead in Nkandla. The state watchdog has alleged more than $20 million of public money was misused in improvements to the sprawling complex. Zuma has denied any wrongdoing.
After a turbulent first term, Zuma said his government will perform better this time around and take responsibility for any shortcomings.
"We will ... ensure much tighter accountability, with firm consequences where there is a failure to deliver services to our people," he said.
He said South Africa has made progress since the days of apartheid two decades ago.
"While the lives of millions of people have improved, poverty, inequality and unemployment still persist," he said.
"Economic transformation will take center stage during this new term of government as we put the economy on an inclusive growth path."
The ANC, which has governed for 20 years, still enjoys widespread support after the defeat of the apartheid system and the beginning of democracy in South Africa.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Robert Mugabe, were among the heads of state attending Saturday's ceremony.
Identity of suspect in deadly California rampage confirmed
5/24/2014 8:10:56 PM
- NEW: Man with three handguns and a car killed 6, injured 13, authorities said
- NEW: "Tomorrow is the day of retribution," Elliot Rodger said in a video
- Rampage occurred near the University of California, Santa Barbara
- "He aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us," victim says
Isla Vista, California (CNN) -- After promising a "day of retribution" on YouTube, a heavily armed, mentally disturbed 22-year-old went on a killing spree in a California college town, authorities said.
He fatally stabbed three men in his residence, shot two women to death in front of a sorority house, shot a man to death inside a deli, exchanged gunfire twice with police and injured 13 people as he drove from block to block, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office said Saturday night.
Elliot Rodger, 22, ended the Friday night rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara, apparently by shooting himself in the head while sitting behind the wheel of his wrecked BMW, Sheriff Bill Brown said.
Inside the car, police found three handguns -- all legally purchased -- and more than 400 rounds of unused ammunition, Brown said at a Saturday evening press conference.
The suspect formerly was a student at Santa Barbara City College and lived in Isla Vista, where the rampage occurred.
His father, Peter Rodger, works in the film industry and was the second unit assistant director on the first "The Hunger Games" film, according to a spokeswoman for Lionsgate.
The younger Rodger apparently telegraphed his intentions. The day before the rampage, he released a YouTube video entitled "Retribution," in which he rants about women who ignored or rejected him over the past eight years, "since I hit puberty."
"Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge," he says on the video. "You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it." He specifically criticized sorority members.
Rodger appears to have further chronicled his rage in a 140-page account of his life that begins with his birth and ends with what he describes as "the Day of Retribution." The document, titled "My Twisted World," was obtained by CNN affiliate KEYT.
"It was apparent he was very mentally disturbed," Brown said.
Transcript of the chilling video
So disturbed that a family member asked law enforcement officers to check on his welfare April 30, Brown said. They went to his residence, found Rodger "polite and courteous," and left, Brown said.
The rampage left six dead and 13 hurt, with eight suffering gunshot wounds, four hit by the suspect's vehicle and one suffering a minor injury "of unknown origin," Brown said.
At the press conference, Dr. Stephen Kaminski, trauma services director for Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, gave this account of 11 of the wounded: four treated and released, and seven transferred to Cottage Hospital. Of those seven, two were in good condition, three fair and two serious, he said.
Brown provided this sequence to the violence, which occurred in a crowded area bustling with activity on Memorial Day weekend. The action covered so much ground that officers worked 12 different crime scenes.
Spree apparently began with stabbings
First, three men were "repeatedly stabbed" and killed inside Rodger's residence. They weren't identified.
Next, members of the Alpha Phi sorority in Isla Vista reported hearing loud knocking on the front door for several minutes. Nobody answered. Several minutes later, witnesses saw three women in front of the sorority house shot by a man from across the street. Two were killed, one wounded. All were UC Santa Barbara students.
Rodger drove his black BMW several blocks, went into a delicatessen and shot Christoper Martinez to death, officials said. Martinez was a UC Santa Barbara student.
While driving around, sometimes on the wrong side of the street, Rodger shot at pedestrians on the sidewalk, authorities said. He encountered a sheriff's deputy who was on foot and exchanged gunfire. He kept driving and hit a bicyclist, authorities said. He shot more pedestrians on the sidewalk.
He encountered four deputies on foot near a park and they exchanged gunfire. Rodger may have been hit in the hip. He drove away at a high rate of speed and hit another cyclist, who tumbled over the car's hood and hit the windshield. The BMW collided with other cars and came to a stop.
Officers approached the car and found Rodger dead of a gunshot wound to the head. "It would appear he took his own life," Brown said.
One family is speaking out in anger.
Richard Martinez, father of Christopher Martinez, said to reporters. "Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights, what about Chris' right to live? When will this insanity stop?"
A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN that Elliot Rodger passed the background check needed to buy the firearm used in the shooting. The official says nothing has been found in the gun trace to indicate Rodger shouldn't have qualified to buy a gun.
Rodger had three previous contacts with authorities, the sheriff said.
On July 21, 2013, he talked to officers at the hospital, saying he'd been the victim of an assault. Officers thought he might have been the aggressor, Brown said.
On January 15, he called to complain a roommate had stolen three candles worth $22. Rodger later made a citizen's arrest on the roommate for petty theft and the case was referred to the district attorney for prosecution, Brown said.
And, finally, the April 30 check at the request of a family member.
Who's the man behind the rampage
A life-and-death situation
The outburst of violence left students and residents stunned.
Kyle Sullivan, 19, a student at Santa Barbara City College, said he came upon three young women -- all shot -- on a lawn in front of the Alpha Phi sorority.
One woman appeared to be dead. Another was struggling and "just barely able to move her eyes," he said. A third, with a kidney wound, was on the phone with her mother, saying she probably wasn't going to make and "how much she loved her," Sullivan said.
"I really wasn't able to sleep at all," Sullivan told CNN. "It was heartbreaking that something would happen in our community like this."
The names of those women have not not released. Alphi Phi posted on its Facebook page Saturday that "all our members are safe."
Nikolaus Becker, a high school senior visiting Isla Vista, was eating a burger in a restaurant with friends. They heard pops and thought fireworks. Some students were doing homework.
Not town's first mass killing
"We were actually joking around about it," he said of the crackling sound. "People were riding their bikes around outside, and parties were still going on."
Then Becker and friends heard two more sets of bangs. Police were running. A speeding car -- moving at least 50 mph -- screeched around a corner. When Becker finally went outside a half hour later, he saw body bags on the street.
One victim, Nick Pasichuke, told CNN he was struck by the gunman's car.
"There are six other people currently hospitalized with me right now. ... There was a guy driving a BMW. I was on a long board and he aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us. I have two broken legs and need surgery. The police said I flew roughly 50 feet into a busy intersection. This is all so crazy."
Ian Papa said he was inches away on the street when the gunman's car sped up and struck two bicyclists.
"It happened so fast," he said. "I had no time to react. I jumped on the sidewalk and I see a man on a BMW, his body inside the windshield and glass broken everywhere ... I almost wanted to break into tears. It was a life and death situation.
Gunman talked to victims
The violence began and ended within minutes, from 9:27 p.m. when shots were reported to around 10 minutes later when police discovered the body of the suspected gunman, CNN affiliate KEYT-TV said. Authorities said there were nine separate crime scenes.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI were assisting local police in the investigation, including trying to trace the handgun used and where the suspect obtained it. Agents were on the scene to offer firearms expertise in tracing all details about the weapon using ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, according to the agency.
Worst U.S. mass shootings
KEYT reporter John Palminteri told CNN that some witnesses reported hearing the gunman talk to some of his victims as he fired. Outside a 7-11 convenience store, he said, workers came out amid the gunfire to pull to safety a girl who had been shot in the leg.
Beachfront college town of Isla Vista has seen mass killing before
'No words to express the sadness'
In a statement on its website Saturday, UC Santa Barbara said several students were taken to local hospitals after the shooting.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those affected," the statement said.
Santa Barbara City College also reacted Saturday.
"There are no words to express the sadness we have for the victims and their families and for all the residents of Isla Vista," the statement said. "We know our students co-mingle with UCSB students and Isla Vista residents as part of our greater community and we all, as an extended family, are impacted by this unimaginable event."
Elliot Rodger's family also gave their condolences, spoken through their attorney: "The Rodger's family offers their deepest compassion and sympathy to the families involved in this terrible tragedy. We are experiencing the most inconceivable pain and our hearts go out to everybody involved."
Transcript of Elliot Rodger 'Retribution' video
CNN's Sara Sidner and Alan Duke reported from Santa Barbara. Paul Vercammen reported from Isla Vista. Ralph Ellis reported and wrote in Atlanta. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ray Sanchez , Joe Sutton, Joe Sterling, Michael Martinez and Evan Perez contributed to this report.
3 victims thought to be students
5/24/2014 9:03:01 PM
- Police name three victims in Santa Barbara County rampage
- One victim's father slams politicians, NRA in emotional comments to media
- Six people were killed by Elliot Rodger, 22, Friday night in Santa Barbara County
(CNN) -- Three men at an apartment, two women outside a sorority and one visitor to a deli were killed in a rampage Friday night in a college community near Santa Barbara, California, authorities said Saturday evening.
The two women were identified as Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19, both students at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Christopher Martinez, 20, was killed at the deli, officials said.
Elliot Rodger, 22, went on a rampage in Isla Vista, a community near the university and Santa Barbara City College, stabbing his roommates and shooting others during a violent spree Friday, Sheriff Bill Brown told reporters.
7 dead in California shooting rampage
Martinez's father gave a wrenching statement to the news media Saturday afternoon.
He was "a really great kid" whose "death has left our family lost and broken," Richard Martinez said.
"Our family has a message for every parent out there: You don't think it will happen to your child until it does," the visibly emotional parent said, his voice rising to a shout in obvious agony.
"Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights, what about Chris' right to live?" he continued.
"When will this insanity stop?" he said. "When will enough people say, stop this madness, we don't have to live like this? Too many have died. We should say to ourselves -- not one more."
Police say the shooter also died.
"It would appear that he took his own life," said Brown.
'What a tragic loss'
Weiss' Facebook page -- with a banner promoting a sorority event -- was filling with tributes Saturday evening.
"Rest in peace Veronika Weiss. Its not fair that life was taken from you in this manor. My thoughts are with your loved ones," wrote one commenter.
"... You were ALWAYS smiling. And I thought you were beautiful. Where are you now?" wrote another.
"My condolences to the family... What a tragic loss... R.I.P.," read a third.
Weiss was a graduate of Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks, California, according to her Facebook page.
Shooter's YouTube video titled 'Retribution'
In a YouTube video he posted titled "Retribution," Rodger announced his intent to commit mass murder at a sorority house at UCSB.
"On the day of retribution I'm going to enter the hottest sorority house of UCSB," he said. "I'll take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you."
Who's the man behind the rampage?
Police said 13 people were injured in the melee -- four by vehicle, eight by gunshot wound, and one of unknown origin. Authorities earlier said seven people were injured.
Some of the injured were being treated in a hospital for gunshot wounds or traumatic injuries, including at least one who was in surgery, said sheriff's office spokeswoman Kelly Hoover.
Nick Pasichuke, who was hit by Rodger's BMW, suffered two broken legs.
"There was a guy driving a BMW. I was on a longboard (elongated skateboard) and he aimed his car at our group of friends and ginned it into us," he said. "I have two broken legs and need surgery. The police said I flew roughly 50 feet into a busy intersection."
He added, "This is all so crazy."
Witness: 'She was hysterical'
Skylar Serge witnessed one of the shootings from her house.
"I could see a woman on a bike get thrown," she said.
The woman was bleeding, she added.
"She was hysterical. She was not sure if it was blood running down her leg" or water from her water bottle.
The woman was cared for by an employee from a nearby convenience store who wrapped a belt around her thigh to stop the bleeding, said another witness, Farah Reiz.
The shootings occurred in a crowded area bustling with activity on Memorial Day weekend.
"These students are among the best in the country and the loss of life is palpable," University of California system president Janet Napolitano told CNN.
Director's son filmed rant before deadly rampage
5/24/2014 11:41:47 PM
- Man with three handguns and a car killed 6, injured 13, authorities said
- "Tomorrow is the day of retribution," Elliot Rodger said in a video
- Rampage occurred near the University of California, Santa Barbara
- "He aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us," victim says
Isla Vista, California (CNN) -- After promising a "day of retribution" on YouTube, a heavily armed, mentally disturbed 22-year-old went on a killing spree in a California college town, authorities said.
He fatally stabbed three men in his residence, shot two women to death in front of a sorority house, shot a man to death inside a deli, exchanged gunfire twice with police and injured 13 people as he drove from block to block, the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office said Saturday night.
Elliot Rodger, 22, ended the Friday night rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara, apparently by fatally shooting himself in the head while sitting behind the wheel of his wrecked BMW, Sheriff Bill Brown said.
Inside the car, police found three handguns -- all legally purchased -- and more than 400 rounds of unused ammunition, Brown said at a Saturday evening press conference.
The suspect formerly was a student at Santa Barbara City College and lived in Isla Vista, where the rampage occurred.
His father, Peter Rodger, works in the film industry and was the second unit assistant director on the first "The Hunger Games" film, according to a spokeswoman for Lionsgate.
The younger Rodger apparently telegraphed his intentions. The day before the rampage, he released a YouTube video entitled "Retribution," in which he rants about women who ignored or rejected him over the past eight years, "since I hit puberty."
"Tomorrow is the day of retribution, the day in which I will have my revenge," he says on the video. "You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it." He specifically criticized sorority members.
Rodger appears to have further chronicled his rage in a 140-page account of his life that begins with his birth and ends with what he describes as "the Day of Retribution." The document, titled "My Twisted World," was obtained by CNN affiliate KEYT.
"It was apparent he was very mentally disturbed," Brown said.
Transcript of the chilling video
So disturbed that a family member asked law enforcement officers to check on his welfare April 30, Brown said. They went to his residence, found Rodger "polite and courteous," and left, Brown said.
The rampage left six dead and 13 hurt, with eight suffering gunshot wounds, four hit by the suspect's vehicle and one suffering a minor injury "of unknown origin," Brown said.
At the press conference, Dr. Stephen Kaminski, trauma services director for Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, gave this account of 11 of the wounded: four treated and released, and seven transferred to Cottage Hospital. Of those seven, two were in good condition, three fair and two serious, he said.
Brown provided this sequence to the violence, which occurred in a crowded area bustling with activity on Memorial Day weekend. The action covered so much ground that officers worked 12 different crime scenes.
Spree apparently began with stabbings
First, three men were "repeatedly stabbed" and killed inside Rodger's residence. They weren't identified.
Next, members of the Alpha Phi sorority in Isla Vista reported hearing loud knocking on the front door for several minutes. Nobody answered. Several minutes later, witnesses saw three women in front of the sorority house shot by a man from across the street. Two were killed, one wounded. All were UC Santa Barbara students.
Rodger drove his black BMW several blocks, went into a delicatessen and shot Christoper Martinez to death, officials said. Martinez was a UC Santa Barbara student.
While driving around, sometimes on the wrong side of the street, Rodger shot at pedestrians on the sidewalk, authorities said. He encountered a sheriff's deputy who was on foot and exchanged gunfire. He kept driving and hit a bicyclist, authorities said. He shot more pedestrians on the sidewalk.
He encountered four deputies on foot near a park and they exchanged gunfire. Rodger may have been hit in the hip. He drove away at a high rate of speed and hit another cyclist, who tumbled over the car's hood and hit the windshield. The BMW collided with other cars and came to a stop.
Officers approached the car and found Rodger dead of a gunshot wound to the head. "It would appear he took his own life," Brown said.
One family is speaking out in anger.
Richard Martinez, father of Christopher Martinez, said to reporters. "Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights, what about Chris' right to live? When will this insanity stop?"
A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN that Elliot Rodger passed the background check needed to buy the firearm used in the shooting. The official says nothing has been found in the gun trace to indicate Rodger shouldn't have qualified to buy a gun.
Rodger had three previous contacts with authorities, the sheriff said.
On July 21, 2013, he talked to officers at the hospital, saying he'd been the victim of an assault. Officers thought he might have been the aggressor, Brown said.
On January 15, he called to complain a roommate had stolen three candles worth $22. Rodger later made a citizen's arrest on the roommate for petty theft and the case was referred to the district attorney for prosecution, Brown said.
And, finally, the April 30 check at the request of a family member.
Who's the man behind the rampage
A life-and-death situation
The outburst of violence left students and residents stunned.
Kyle Sullivan, 19, a student at Santa Barbara City College, said he came upon three young women -- all shot -- on a lawn in front of the Alpha Phi sorority.
One woman appeared to be dead. Another was struggling and "just barely able to move her eyes," he said. A third, with a kidney wound, was on the phone with her mother, saying she probably wasn't going to make and "how much she loved her," Sullivan said.
"I really wasn't able to sleep at all," Sullivan told CNN. "It was heartbreaking that something would happen in our community like this."
The names of those women have not not released. Alphi Phi posted on its Facebook page Saturday that "all our members are safe."
Nikolaus Becker, a high school senior visiting Isla Vista, was eating a burger in a restaurant with friends. They heard pops and thought fireworks. Some students were doing homework.
Not town's first mass killing
"We were actually joking around about it," he said of the crackling sound. "People were riding their bikes around outside, and parties were still going on."
Then Becker and friends heard two more sets of bangs. Police were running. A speeding car -- moving at least 50 mph -- screeched around a corner. When Becker finally went outside a half hour later, he saw body bags on the street.
One victim, Nick Pasichuke, told CNN he was struck by the gunman's car.
"There are six other people currently hospitalized with me right now. ... There was a guy driving a BMW. I was on a long board and he aimed his car at our group of friends and gunned it into us. I have two broken legs and need surgery. The police said I flew roughly 50 feet into a busy intersection. This is all so crazy."
Ian Papa said he was inches away on the street when the gunman's car sped up and struck two bicyclists.
"It happened so fast," he said. "I had no time to react. I jumped on the sidewalk and I see a man on a BMW, his body inside the windshield and glass broken everywhere ... I almost wanted to break into tears. It was a life and death situation.
Gunman talked to victims
The violence began and ended within minutes, from 9:27 p.m. when shots were reported to around 10 minutes later when police discovered the body of the suspected gunman, CNN affiliate KEYT-TV said. Authorities said there were nine separate crime scenes.
U.S. law enforcement officials said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and FBI were assisting local police in the investigation, including trying to trace the handgun used and where the suspect obtained it. Agents were on the scene to offer firearms expertise in tracing all details about the weapon using ATF's National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, according to the agency.
Worst U.S. mass shootings
KEYT reporter John Palminteri told CNN that some witnesses reported hearing the gunman talk to some of his victims as he fired. Outside a 7-11 convenience store, he said, workers came out amid the gunfire to pull to safety a girl who had been shot in the leg.
Beachfront college town of Isla Vista has seen mass killing before
'No words to express the sadness'
In a statement on its website Saturday, UC Santa Barbara said several students were taken to local hospitals after the shooting.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those affected," the statement said.
Santa Barbara City College also reacted Saturday.
"There are no words to express the sadness we have for the victims and their families and for all the residents of Isla Vista," the statement said. "We know our students co-mingle with UCSB students and Isla Vista residents as part of our greater community and we all, as an extended family, are impacted by this unimaginable event."
Elliot Rodger's family also gave their condolences, spoken through their attorney: "The Rodger's family offers their deepest compassion and sympathy to the families involved in this terrible tragedy. We are experiencing the most inconceivable pain and our hearts go out to everybody involved."
Transcript of Elliot Rodger 'Retribution' video
CNN's Sara Sidner and Alan Duke reported from Santa Barbara. Paul Vercammen reported from Isla Vista. Ralph Ellis reported and wrote in Atlanta. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter, Ray Sanchez , Joe Sutton, Joe Sterling, Michael Martinez and Evan Perez contributed to this report.
Pope calls for peace at Jordan mass
5/24/2014 9:30:28 AM
- NEW: Pope Francis calls for peace and harmony as he celebrates Mass in Amman
- Pontiff urges a swift solution to the Syrian crisis and peace in the Middle East
- "Highly symbolic" visit sends message of unity in volatile region, Vatican says
- The Pope is also expected to call attention to the poor and downtrodden during his visit
(CNN) -- After a joyous welcome from the gathered faithful, Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Saturday at a stadium in Jordan on the first leg of a Holy Land trip intended to promote a message of unity.
His trip has been billed as a "pilgrimage for prayer," with its roots in faith, not politics.
But in a region where religion and politics are so closely intertwined, his every remark will take on an added significance.
The Holy Land trip, also taking in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, is the first for Francis as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and just the fourth for any pontiff in the modern era.
Everything to know about Pope Francis
Thousands of believers packed the International Stadium in Amman for the Mass in what is a majority Muslim nation with a significant Christian community. Many cheered and waved as the Pope arrived.
In his homily, Francis spoke of the need for tolerance and diversity, and urged everyone to put aside grievances and divisions.
"The mission of the Holy Spirit is to beget harmony ... and to create peace in different situations and between different people," he said.
"Let us ask the Spirit to prepare our hearts to encounter our brothers and sisters so that we may overcome our differences rooted in political thinking, language, culture and religion."
Christian refugees from Syria, Iraq and the Palestinian territories were among those present, and 1,400 children received their First Communion at the Mass.
Small groups of cheering supporters earlier lined the road, waving flags and chanting "Long live the Pope" as Francis' motorcade left the airport in Amman at the start of his three-day visit to the region.
The Pope's first stop was at al-Husseini Royal Palace in Amman, where he met with Jordan's King Abdullah II.
In televised remarks after that meeting, Francis paid tribute to Jordan's efforts to promote interfaith tolerance and to the welcome that the small nation has given to Palestinian refugees and, more recently, those fleeing war-torn Syria.
Francis said it was "necessary and urgent" that a peaceful solution was found to the crisis in Syria.
He also called for a "right solution with regard to the situation between Israel and the Palestinians." Middle East peace talks recently stalled despite high-profile efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to push them forward.
"I grasp this opportunity to renew my esteem and respect for the Muslim community and show my appreciation for the work carried out by his Majesty the King, which is promoting further understanding between peoples of different faith and communities of different faith," Francis said.
His visit marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark meeting between Pope Paul VI and the then-spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Athenagoras, in Jerusalem.
Landmark meeting
While in Jordan, Francis will greet some of the 600,000 Syrians that have fled since the start of the civil war in 2011 as well as refugees from Iraq. He will also visit the River Jordan, where many Christians believe Jesus was baptized.
Accompanying Francis on his trip are Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who co-wrote a book with the pontiff, and Sheikh Omar Abboud, who leads Argentina's Muslim community.
The religion of the Pope's traveling companions, both of whom hail from his home country, Argentina, is no coincidence.
"It's highly symbolic, of course," said the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a consultant to the Vatican press office.
"But it also sends a pragmatic message to Muslims, Christians and Jews that it's possible to work together -- not as a system of checks and balances but as friends."
In Bethlehem, Frances will greet children from refugee camps, celebrate Mass in Manger Square, lunch with Palestinian families and visit the site of Jesus' birth. The Pope is expected to call for a Palestinian state, which has long been Vatican policy.
And in Jerusalem, the pontiff will meet the city's grand mufti and chief rabbis, visit the Western Wall and Yad Vashem, a memorial to the Holocaust, and lay a wreath on the grave of the founder of modern Zionism, Theodor Herzl. He will also celebrate Mass at the site of the Last Supper.
Francis will meet with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Bethlehem, and with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres while in Jerusalem.
Pope Francis in the Holy Land: 5 things to know
CNN's Delia Gallagher contributed to this report.
Pope's Holy Land trip begins
5/24/2014 9:30:52 AM
Pope Francis lands in Jordan to begin a landmark trip through the Holy Land. CNN's Becky Anderson reports from Amman.
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Kim and Kanye tie the knot
5/24/2014 8:31:05 PM
- Kardashian and West get married in Florence, Italy
- There was an elaborate run-up to the wedding
- They were friends for nearly a decade before they started dating
(CNN) -- The parents of North West have made it official.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West tied the knot at Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Italy, on Saturday, Kardashian's publicist told CNN.
People reported Kardashian was walked down the aisle by Bruce Jenner while Andrea Bocelli sang "Con te Partiró"; and Kris Jenner was seen in the front row wiping her eyes during the ceremony. Guests reportedly broke into applause twice during the ceremony: first when the couple kissed and when the newlyweds were presented.
The wedding capped off a weekend of extravagant European affairs, starting with a brunch hosted by fashion designer Valentino in Paris on Friday.
Later that evening, hundreds of guests were invited to the Palace of Versailles for a private tour and a surprise performance by Lana Del Ray. According to E!, the couple then flew guests to Florence for the wedding ceremony.
The city has special meaning to them; Kanye said they conceived their daughter, North, there "among the masterpieces of the Renaissance.
This is the third marriage for Kardashian and West's first. The couple got engaged in October 2013, as seen on TV, after Kardashian gave birth to their daughter. But theirs was apparently a love affair years in the making.
Reportedly it took the rapper nine years to finally win the woman of his dreams, but it was in March 2012 when they appeared together at Paris Fashion Week together that they were officially an item. Kardashian told Oprah Winfrey during a 2012 interview that she didn't know what took them so long.
"I think we've always had an attraction for each other, but we've always been in either other relationships or it just wasn't the right timing," she said. "One day, I don't know, it just happened. It kind of like took me by surprise even."
In December 2012, Kardashian announced via her blog that she was pregnant with West's child.
"It's true," Kardashian wrote. "Kanye and I are expecting a baby. We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us."
She gave birth to her daughter in June 2013 and Kardashian praised West's parenting skills during an interview with talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres after the rapper proposed to her.
"He is honestly the most amazing dad," Kardashian said. "He just loves her so much."
West clearly appreciates the family that they have now made legally official.
"Family time -- it's what Kim gave me," he told the BBC in September 2013. "She gave me everything. She gave me a family. She gave me a support system."
Blast at Djibouti restaurant kills 3
5/24/2014 8:59:13 PM
- Sources do not believe it was a suicide bombing
- A Ministry of Health official confirms foreigners are among the dead
- The U.S. Embassy in Djibouti issues a security alert
(CNN) -- An explosion at a restaurant in downtown Djibouti killed three people and injured several more, according to a Ministry of Health official and a doctor at a local hospital.
The two sources, who do not want to be named, confirmed three people died and an unknown number of others were wounded.
The sources do not believe it was a suicide bombing.
The Ministry of Health official confirmed that the restaurant where the attack occurred is La Chaumiere, a popular restaurant among Westerners who visit the small Horn of Africa nation.
Both sources confirmed that foreigners were among the dead, but they would not give specifics on nationalities.
The U.S. Embassy is Djibouti issued an alert to Americans following the attack at the busy restaurant. The alert advises citizens to "exercise heightened security measures." It also recommends Americans to "limit movements, avoid areas frequented by Westerners, implement additional personal security measures, and review personal crisis response plans."
CNN's Shelby Lin Erdman contributed to this report
Defiant PM urges Ukrainians to vote
5/24/2014 11:32:45 AM
- Prosecutor General's office probes suspected election interference in eastern Ukraine
- Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says Ukrainians will show they cannot be intimidated
- "We are defending our land," says Yatsenyuk of Sunday's presidential vote
- The election is taking place despite the separatist unrest gripping eastern Ukraine
Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- In the face of deadly violence gripping the east of his country, Ukraine's Prime Minister had a defiant message for his fellow countrymen and women Saturday on the eve of national elections: We are going to the polls.
Voters will be choosing a president to lead their country, Arseniy Yatsenyuk said, "for whose freedom, prosperity, European future, the Ukrainians are paying the highest price -- the price of their own lives."
This means, he said, in a statement posted on the interim government's website that "the choice we make on Sunday and the responsibility of each of us is even higher."
The presidential election is being held amid ongoing separatist violence in eastern Ukraine, centered in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Voters will choose a successor for ousted pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych in a country riven by Russia's takeover of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and aggression blamed on pro-Russian factions.
Increasingly bloody clashes this week have raised the question of whether pro-Russian forces are trying to disrupt the election -- a move that the United States and its European allies say could trigger tougher sanctions on Moscow.
The pro-Russia militants who control a swath of Donetsk and Luhansk have held a referendum on independence and refuse to accept the legitimacy of the government or the presidential election.
But Yatsenyuk insisted that Ukrainians would have their say Sunday at the polls.
"Tomorrow we will prove to the whole world, and first of all to ourselves, that it is not possible to intimidate us, that we are going to decide ourselves how to rebuild our home and how to work in it," he said.
"But we have fought for these elections. We are defending our land, restoring our military, rebuilding the destroyed industry, destroying the schemes that had been washing billions out of the country; we are learning to control the power and laying the ground for further development," he said.
Ukraine's 'Chocolate King' aims for top job
Election interference investigated
The Prosecutor General's office said Saturday it was investigating 83 cases of alleged interference in the election process in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
Police chief Volodymyr Grynyuk of the Interior Ministry said district and local election commissions in 12 regions nationwide were under protection as of Saturday, according to the Cabinet press office.
Of the 34 district election commissions set up in Donetsk and Luhansk, half are out of action because buildings have been seized by separatists and equipment destroyed, it said. But ballot papers have still been delivered to those regions.
The self-declared mayor of rebel stronghold Slovyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, has said that anyone who tries to vote in the presidential election will be arrested.
And according to protesters speaking Saturday outside the headquarters of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic," as well as the body's Twitter account, Donetsk and Luhansk have united to form a new separatist republic called "Novorossiya."
The government in Kiev, which launched an "anti-terrorist operation" against the separatists, has so far been unable to dislodge them from the towns and cities they hold.
But Yatsenyuk suggested their days in charge were numbered.
"I would like to assure our compatriots in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, who will be prevented from coming to the polling stations by the war waged against Ukraine: The criminals don't have much time left to terrorize your land," he said.
Overall, 600 crimes have been registered in relation to separatist activity, threats to the country's integrity, terrorism and financing terrorist activities, the Prosecutor General's office said. More than 100 people have been detained.
Russian recognition
Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Friday told an economic forum in St. Petersburg that he would respect the will of Ukraine's voters in Sunday's election.
But he reiterated Russia's assertion that according to Ukraine's Constitution, the ousted Yanukovych remains the nation's legitimate president and questioned whether the election should be held now, given the violence in eastern Ukraine.
The front-runner in the presidential contest is billionaire businessman and politician Petro Poroshenko.
Speaking Saturday, Putin again addressed the issue of Russia's natural gas supply to Europe, much of which flows through Ukraine. Moscow has said Kiev owes Russian energy giant Gazprom $3.5 billion for natural gas and warned that any disruption to supplies will be Ukraine's fault.
"We are seriously concerned by the statements of some of the Ukrainian radicals and their direct threats to interfere with the transit of the Russian gas to Europe and we hope that common sense will prevail and that won't happen," Putin said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said Friday that Russia would decide whether or not to recognize the Ukraine vote only after it takes place, according to state media.
U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently said that disruption of the Ukraine vote by Russia would bring further sanctions targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy.
So far, U.S. and European sanctions have targeted individuals and some banks and other entities
Kiev and Western powers have accused Russia of coordinating and supporting the unrest. Russia denies direct involvement with or influence on the separatist groups.
Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, the head of Ukraine's security service, said Friday that no military operations were planned for the election, but alternative secure voting places would be arranged for some people in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions because of the separatist threat.
On Friday, Ponomaryov, in Slovyansk, showed a CNN crew missile launchers known as man-portable air defense systems that he said were obtained on the black market in the 1990s and now could be used on Ukrainian military aircraft in the event of civil war.
Luhansk, Donetsk clashes
As tensions simmer ahead of the vote, at least 32 people were killed and 44 injured in clashes Thursday between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists in the Luhansk region, according to the country's anti-terror office spokesman, Vladislav Seleznev.
Thirty pro-Russian separatists and two Ukrainian soldiers were among the dead, while the injured included 37 separatists and seven Ukrainian soldiers, Seleznev said Friday. Ukraine's defense ministry said 20 separatists died, with more than 30 wounded.
The reports could not be independently confirmed, and some previous casualty claims by Ukrainian sources have proven unreliable.
On Friday, pro-Ukrainian militias heading to shut down a pro-Russian checkpoint in Donetsk region came under attack, according to a regional Ukrainian authority and the chief of staff of one of the groups, called Right Sector.
The Donetsk regional authority said one person died and nine were wounded, while the Right Sector official said four pro-Ukrainian fighters were trapped and may have been killed or captured.
There were no further details on the affiliations of the casualties, and the reports also could not be independently confirmed.
Ukraine's Security Service said Saturday that border guards this week had detained an alleged Russian national who told them he was a sniper under orders to join militia groups and target Ukrainian soldiers.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reported from Slovyansk and journalist Victoria Butenko from Kiev, while Laura Smith-Spark wrote and reported from London. CNN's Tom Cohen contributed to this report.
Pakistan PM to attend Modi ceremony
5/24/2014 10:39:12 AM
- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also will meet with Indian leaders after swearing-in
- Narendra Modi's party won a resounding victory in India's national elections
- Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry also is expected to attend
(CNN) -- In an unprecedented move, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to New Delhi to attend the oath-taking ceremony Monday for India's new leader, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi will be sworn in as the head of the world's largest democracy after his Bharatiya Janata Party won a resounding election victory.
As well as attending the ceremony, Sharif will have a bilateral meeting with Modi on Tuesday and will also meet with Indian President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, according to a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.
Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry is expected to accompany Sharif, according to the statement.
India's external affairs ministry said Wednesday that invitations had been extended to the heads of all eight countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, which includes Sharif.
"This is the first time that India has invited all SAARC members to attend a swearing-in ceremony of a prime minister," ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said.
The attendance of Sharif at the ceremony may boost hopes of improved relations between the neighboring countries.
READ: Narendra Modi appointed as India's prime minister
READ: Memo to Modi: How to reboot India
CNN's Pierre Meilhan contributed to this report.
F1: Rosberg keeps Monaco pole
5/24/2014 12:13:16 PM
- Nico Rosberg on pole positon for Monaco Grand Prix
- Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton second quickest
- Daniel Ricciardo third on grid for Red Bull
- NEW: Rosberg cleared by race stewards of any infraction
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(CNN) -- Nico Rosberg survived an investigation by race stewards to claim a controversial pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix Saturday ahead of disgruntled Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
They ruled there was "no evidence of any offence" after several hours of mulling over an incident which happened at the back end of the qualifying session.
Both men were on their last flying laps when Rosberg lost control of his car and took to the escape road at Mirabeau.
Hamilton, who was behind him and two hundredths of a second ahead on the first sector timings, was forced to slow up as yellow flags were waived and eventually abandoned his effort.
Read: Winner Webber's view of Monaco
It meant Rosberg's one minute 15.989 clocking from his penultimate run gave him first place on the grid, with Hamilton 0.059 seconds slower from a previous effort.
But it left Hamilton clearly fuming and insisting at the post-qualifying press conference that he was "on target" to take pole before his teammate went off.
Rosberg claimed he had "tried to push just that little bit more and went over the edge," refuting any suggestion that it had been a deliberate ploy to deny Hamilton his chance of pole.
The German, who lives in Monte Carlo, was nevertheless delighted to have taken pole on the famous circuit for the second straight year.
"I'm really, really happy -- to be on pole at home is fantastic, it couldn't be better," he added.
Behind the all-conquering Mercedes pair it was Australian Daniel Ricciardo who again got the better of Red Bull teammate and four-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel for third and fourth on the grid.
Two-time former world champion Fernando Alonso will occupy the third row ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso and Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen of McLaren were seventh and eighth fastest .
Another rookie, Russian Daniil Kvyat in the second Toro Rosso was ninth and Mexican Sergio Perez completed the top 10 for Force India.
Read: Grit and glamor, the magic of Monaco
Hamilton leads Rosberg by three points in the title race after winning the last four races, but pole position on the tight street circuit in Monte Carlo virtually guarantees victory come Sunday's race.
Rosberg took the season-opener in Australia when Hamilton failed to finish, but has had to settle for second place to the Briton in the last four rounds, with signs of tension between the two men in their own private battle for the world championship.
After the late incident the atmosphere in the interview area appeared distinctly frosty with 2008 champion Hamilton giving short answers to questions on the subject.
Interactive: Experience the thrills of Monaco
Read: Monte Carlo insider's guide: From casino city to race track
Mistake decides $200m match
5/24/2014 11:43:28 AM
- Queens Park Rangers promoted to English Premier League
- 10-man QPR beats Derby County 1-0 in playoff at Wembley
- Bobby Zamora scores injury time winner
- Game reputed to be worth $200m to the winner
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- The so-called richest game in football hinged on a late defensive error by Derby captain Richard Keogh as Bobby Zamora scored a dramatic injury-time winner for 10-man Queens Park Rangers in the Championship playoff at Wembley Saturday.
Promotion to the English Premier League is estimated to be worth $200m and it was QPR celebrating an unlikely win at the final whistle.
Former England international Zamora scored with a first-time volleyed shot after Keogh's intended clearance fell straight to his feet.
It was QPR's first shot on target after a match largely dominated by Derby -- particularly after Gary O'Neil's red card on the hour mark.
O'Neil went for hacking down Johnny Russell as he raced towards goal and it looked only a matter of time before Derby, managed by former England boss Steve McClaren, grabbed a winner.
Read: QPR edges towards financial freefall
His QPR counterpart Harry Redknapp admitted as much as he reflected on his side's triumph.
"We were hanging on with 10 men until a fantastic finish," he told Sky Sports. "We were hanging on for our lives," he admitted.
QPR, relegated from the EPL last season, has spent heavily, backed by owner Tony Fernandes, with a massive wage bill in comparison to other rivals in the second flight of English football.
Leicester City and Burnley gained the two automatic promotion spots, leaving QPR to negotiate its passage through the playoffs involving the next four best-placed teams in the league.
Victory over Wigan saw QPR into the final, while Derby thrashed Brighton to reach the Wembley showdown.
Read: Zamora scores 2005 winner for West Ham
A cagey and tactical match produced few chances, the best coming after O'Neil was dismissed but QPR's man-of-the-match defender Richard Dunne and goalkeeper Robert Green were outstanding in repulsing Derby.
Then came the late drama -- with Zamora repeating a feat he achieved in helping West Ham win the playoffs in 2005.
It left a distraught Keogh to be consoled by his teammates while QPR lifted the playoff trophy.
For McClaren it was a bitter disappointment after guiding his young team to third place in the regular season standings and a deserved place in the final.
"I've lost some games in my career but that is the cruelest," he told BBC Sport. "For somebody to make mistakes -- we don't blame anybody," he added.
What's behind China's far west unrest?
5/24/2014 1:14:46 PM
- Violent attack in Urumqi open market brings spotlight on Xinjiang
- China's Xinjiang autonomous region has a long history of friction
- Recent spate of attacks and bombings in China has been blamed on separatists
Hong Kong (CNN) -- China has once again been rocked by a violent attack targeting civilians after two SUVs plowed into people gathered at an open market in Urumqi, the capital of the western Chinese region of Xinjiang.
Explosives were tossed from the vehicles, before one of the SUVs exploded, leaving many shoppers dead or wounded on the streets as flames and smoke billowed from the scene.
The incident left 31 dead and more than 90 others hurt, according to Xinhua, China's state-run news agency.
The brazen act was described by China's Ministry of Public Security as "a serious violent terrorist incident" and it vowed to crack down on the perpetrators.
It was the latest in a series of deadly attacks in public places in China in the past few months.
It also put the spotlight once again on Xinjiang, a region with a long history of friction between Han Chinese, China's biggest and most dominant ethnic group, and the indigenous Uyghurs, a mainly Turkic-speaking Muslim population.
What happened in the recent attacks?
-- April 30, 2014: After Chinese President Xi Jinping had wrapped up a visit to Xinjiang, an explosion rocked the South Railway Station of Urumqi, followed by a knife attack at the same location. Three people died and 79 others were injured in the attacks, according to Xinhua, as "knife-wielding mobs" attacked people at one of the station's exits following the blast. Two people, described as religious extremists and part of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, were blamed for the incident. Both died in the blast.
-- March 1, 2014: Twenty-nine people were killed and 130 were injured when 10 men armed with long knives stormed the station in the southwest Chinese city of Kunming. Kunming railway station is one of the largest in southwest China. Witnesses described men clad in black outfits stabbing and attacking people with cleavers and knives. Local government officials told Xinhua that evidence at the crime scene indicated "it was orchestrated by Xinjiang separatist forces."
-- October 28, 2013: Chinese authorities indicated a Xinjiang connection when a jeep plowed into crowds in Tiananmen Square, killing five and injuring at least 40.
Who are the Uyghurs?
The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group who live in Xinjiang, an area the size of Iran that is rich in natural resources, including oil.
The province shares borders with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Uyghurs, who speak a language related to Turkish, regard themselves as culturally and ethnically close to central Asia, despite a long history of Chinese rule.
Since the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1912, Xinjiang, which means "new frontier" in Chinese, has enjoyed varying levels of autonomy.
In 1933, rebels declared independence and created the short-lived Islamic Republic of East Turkistan.
The Chinese Communist Party took over the territory in 1949 and in 1955 it was declared an autonomous region, giving it a status similar to that of Tibet, which lies to the south of Xinjiang.
Why do Uyghurs resent Chinese rule?
Over the decades, waves of Han Chinese migrants arrived in the region, displacing Uyghurs from their traditional lands and fueling tensions.
Xinjiang is now home to more than 8 million Han Chinese, up from 220,000 in 1949, and 10 million Uyghurs. The newcomers take most of the new jobs, and unemployment among Uyghurs is high. They complain of discrimination and harsh treatment by security forces, despite official promises of equal rights and ethnic harmony.
Activists say that a campaign is being waged to weaken the Uyghurs' religious and cultural traditions and that the education system undermines use of the Uyghur language.
Why is China concerned about the Uyghurs?
Simmering tensions have erupted into riots. The worst violence in decades took place in July 2009, when rioting in Urumqi between Uyghurs and Han Chinese killed some 200 people and injured 1,700. That unrest was followed by a crackdown by security forces.
Beijing says Uyghur groups want to establish an independent state and, because of the Uyghurs' cultural ties to their neighbors, leaders fear that elements may back a separatist movement in Xinjiang.
James Leibold, senior lecturer of politics and Asian studies at La Trobe University
What could be triggering attacks in Xinjiang?
It could be multiple factors, but China is increasing its grip over Xinjiang society, said James Leibold, senior lecturer of politics and Asian studies at La Trobe University in Melbourne. President Xi's administration views Xinjiang "as a crucial backdoor into central Asia" -- one that could provide a new Silk Road and economic opportunities. There are also natural resources in the province.
China has quadrupled internal security budget in Xinjiang, he said. "It has increased armed patrols as well as security cameras in the region."
At the same time, China has also injected money to boost economic development amongst the Ugyhur minority and the Han Chinese who live in Xinjiang, Leibold added.
Is the violence in Xinjiang getting worse?
"I think these things are cyclical in nature," said Leibold, an expert on Chinese ethnic policy relations. "If you look at Xinjiang over the last 60-plus years it's been under Chinese Communist Party rule, the violence ebbs and flows."
The 1950s were particularly bloody, as was the Cultural Revolution, and violence was reported in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he said.
"It's impossible to confirm that ethnic violence has increased," he said. "The government puts out statistics and all the information we get are bits and pieces."
The Chinese government blames what it calls three evil forces: Separatism, extremism and terrorism.
What is significant in recent violence is that the target of the attacks appear to be shifting to civilians from security forces, he said.
"We have seen targeting of innocent civilians and places, an attempt to maim innocent civilians in large numbers," Leibold said. "This violence has seeped outside of Xinjiang autonomous region," he added, referring to the incidents in Tiananmen and the Kunming train station several months ago.
Are there Uyghur terrorist groups?
Some say the threats from Uyghur separatist groups have been exaggerated and that little of the violence inside Xinjiang should be considered terrorism. They also say that the civil unrest is carried out by individuals or small groups, rather than an organized militant group.
However, Uyghur groups have claimed responsibility for bus bombs in Shanghai and Yunnan prior to the Olympics in 2008. The Chinese government blamed an attempted hijacking of a flight in 2012 on Uyghurs.
The U.S. State Department listed the East Turkestan Islamic Movement as a terrorist organization in 2002 in the wake of the September 11 attacks during a period of increased cooperation with China on security matters.
After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, some 22 Uyghurs were rounded up in Pakistan and Afghanistan and detained at Guantanamo Bay. The final three ethnic Uyghurs were released from Guantanamo to Slovakia where they were "voluntarily" resettled early last year.
CNN's Katie Hunt and Jethro Mullen contributed to this report.
F1: Rosberg keeps Monaco pole
5/24/2014 4:32:12 PM
- Nico Rosberg on pole positon for Monaco Grand Prix
- Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton second quickest
- Daniel Ricciardo third on grid for Red Bull
- NEW: Rosberg cleared by race stewards of any infraction
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- Nico Rosberg survived an investigation by race stewards to claim a controversial pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix Saturday ahead of disgruntled Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
They ruled there was "no evidence of any offence" after several hours of mulling over an incident which happened at the back end of the qualifying session.
Both men were on their last flying laps when Rosberg lost control of his car and took to the escape road at Mirabeau.
Hamilton, who was behind him and two hundredths of a second ahead on the first sector timings, was forced to slow up as yellow flags were waived and eventually abandoned his effort.
Read: Winner Webber's view of Monaco
It meant Rosberg's one minute 15.989 clocking from his penultimate run gave him first place on the grid, with Hamilton 0.059 seconds slower from a previous effort.
But it left Hamilton clearly fuming and insisting at the post-qualifying press conference that he was "on target" to take pole before his teammate went off.
Rosberg claimed he had "tried to push just that little bit more and went over the edge," refuting any suggestion that it had been a deliberate ploy to deny Hamilton his chance of pole.
The German, who lives in Monte Carlo, was nevertheless delighted to have taken pole on the famous circuit for the second straight year.
"I'm really, really happy -- to be on pole at home is fantastic, it couldn't be better," he added.
Behind the all-conquering Mercedes pair it was Australian Daniel Ricciardo who again got the better of Red Bull teammate and four-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel for third and fourth on the grid.
Two-time former world champion Fernando Alonso will occupy the third row ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.
Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso and Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen of McLaren were seventh and eighth fastest .
Another rookie, Russian Daniil Kvyat in the second Toro Rosso was ninth and Mexican Sergio Perez completed the top 10 for Force India.
Read: Grit and glamor, the magic of Monaco
Hamilton leads Rosberg by three points in the title race after winning the last four races, but pole position on the tight street circuit in Monte Carlo virtually guarantees victory come Sunday's race.
Rosberg took the season-opener in Australia when Hamilton failed to finish, but has had to settle for second place to the Briton in the last four rounds, with signs of tension between the two men in their own private battle for the world championship.
After the late incident the atmosphere in the interview area appeared distinctly frosty with 2008 champion Hamilton giving short answers to questions on the subject.
Interactive: Experience the thrills of Monaco
Read: Monte Carlo insider's guide: From casino city to race track
Mistake decides $200m match
5/24/2014 4:32:20 PM
- Queens Park Rangers promoted to English Premier League
- 10-man QPR beats Derby County 1-0 in playoff at Wembley
- Bobby Zamora scores injury time winner
- Game reputed to be worth $200m to the winner
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- The so-called richest game in football hinged on a late defensive error by Derby captain Richard Keogh as Bobby Zamora scored a dramatic injury-time winner for 10-man Queens Park Rangers in the Championship playoff at Wembley Saturday.
Promotion to the English Premier League is estimated to be worth $200m and it was QPR celebrating an unlikely win at the final whistle.
Former England international Zamora scored with a first-time volleyed shot after Keogh's intended clearance fell straight to his feet.
It was QPR's first shot on target after a match largely dominated by Derby -- particularly after Gary O'Neil's red card on the hour mark.
O'Neil went for hacking down Johnny Russell as he raced towards goal and it looked only a matter of time before Derby, managed by former England boss Steve McClaren, grabbed a winner.
Read: QPR edges towards financial freefall
His QPR counterpart Harry Redknapp admitted as much as he reflected on his side's triumph.
"We were hanging on with 10 men until a fantastic finish," he told Sky Sports. "We were hanging on for our lives," he admitted.
QPR, relegated from the EPL last season, has spent heavily, backed by owner Tony Fernandes, with a massive wage bill in comparison to other rivals in the second flight of English football.
Leicester City and Burnley gained the two automatic promotion spots, leaving QPR to negotiate its passage through the playoffs involving the next four best-placed teams in the league.
Victory over Wigan saw QPR into the final, while Derby thrashed Brighton to reach the Wembley showdown.
Read: Zamora scores 2005 winner for West Ham
A cagey and tactical match produced few chances, the best coming after O'Neil was dismissed but QPR's man-of-the-match defender Richard Dunne and goalkeeper Robert Green were outstanding in repulsing Derby.
Then came the late drama -- with Zamora repeating a feat he achieved in helping West Ham win the playoffs in 2005.
It left a distraught Keogh to be consoled by his teammates while QPR lifted the playoff trophy.
For McClaren it was a bitter disappointment after guiding his young team to third place in the regular season standings and a deserved place in the final.
"I've lost some games in my career but that is the cruelest," he told BBC Sport. "For somebody to make mistakes -- we don't blame anybody," he added.
Real wins 10th Champions League
5/24/2014 8:04:26 PM
- Real Madrid wins Champions League
- Real beats city rivals Atletico 4-1 in final in Lisbon
- Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo score in extra time for Real
- Atletico led through Diego Godin before Sergio Ramos equalized
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- Three quickfire goals in extra time gave Real Madrid a 4-1 win over city rivals Atletico in Lisbon Saturday to win the European Champions League for the 10th time.
Diego Godin put Atletico ahead in the 36th minute and it took an injury time equalizer from Sergio Ramos to rescue Real and force the extra half hour.
Atletico held out until the second half of the added time until Gareth Bale headed Real ahead after superb work by Angel Di Maria.
Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo, with a penalty, his record 17th goal in the Champions League this season, rubbed salt into the wound for Atletico, who had been bidding for a La Liga/Champions League double.
Coach Diego Simeone, unhappy at the added minutes in regulation play, summed up their frustration as he ran on to the pitch to confront Real's Raphael Varane after the final goal and had to be restrained by stewards.
It was a sorry end to a magnificent season for Los Rojiblancos, but ultimately the quality of Real, epitomized by the world's most expensive player Bale, which prevailed.
It was the Welshman's 22nd goal of the season and sixth in the Champions League but surely the most important of his career.
"This is what every footballer dreams of and it doesn't come any bigger than that," the Welshman told Sky Sports after his side's triumph.
For Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti it was his third Champions League triumph as a coach, equaling the record of Liverpool's Bob Paisley.
His counterpart Simeone had gambled on the fitness of his star striker Diego Costa, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury, but it backfired when the Spanish international limped off after nine minutes.
He was replaced by Adrian Lopez but Atletico initially took his departure in its stride, frustrating Real's attacking menace in a scrappy first half.
It came to life in a passage of play which first saw Bale poke an effort wide of the post after running through the Atletico defense.
Read: Atletico wins La Liga title
The Real fans in the Stadium of Light looked skywards in disbelief but they were soon in total despair after a mistake by Spanish international goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Real failed to clear a corner which was lifted back into the area and Uruguay's Godin beat the onrushing Casillas to the ball to score with a flicked header.
Casillas desperately scrambled back to make amends for his error of judgment but could not keep the ball out of the net.
World Player of the Year Ronaldo had been kept quiet in the first half but was more prominent after the break, forcing Thibaut Courtois to make a fine save from a free kick then narrowly failing to connect with a header in front of goal.
Read: Real crushes Bayern in semifinals
Bale also started to live up to his price tag, charging through from the right before scuffing his effort wide, while a combination with Ronaldo saw another chance to begging.
But with time running out, Ramos connected perfectly with a Luka Modric corner to add to his two goals from the semifinal win over defending champions Bayern Munich and give his side a precious lifeline, of which it took full advantage.
It was Real's first Champions League title since 2002 and to the milestone of 'La Decima" -- extending its record number of wins in Europe's premier club competition.
Read: Atletico ends challenge of Chelsea
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