 | Everything you need to enjoy a weekend yoga retreat in your own home! From our sponsors |
| CNN.com - Top Stories |
| CNN.com delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest top stories, weather, entertainment, politics and more. |
Israel to Gazans: Move from Hamas sites to avoid strikes
7/13/2014 1:14:49 PM
- NEW: German official says political dialogue is needed for a peaceful resolution
- IDF spokesman calls raid in Gaza a special operation, indicates there will be more
- U.N. says some of its facilities have been damaged
- Palestinians to push U.N. to designate Israel "apartheid state"
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israeli forces dropped leaflets in northern Gaza on Sunday to warn residents to move away from Hamas sites to avoid military strikes.
The warning came as the death toll in Gaza reached 168, with more than 1,100 people injured, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
About 70% of the fatalities were civilians, of which 30% -- 32 people -- were children, said Chris Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which said the figures came from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Israel said its forces have struck 1,320 "terror targets" across Gaza, including 735 concealed rocket launchers. Seventy percent of Israel's population lies within range of Hamas rocket attacks, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israel has used its Iron Dome defense system against many of the more than 800 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, the military said. Two more were intercepted Sunday over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
One rocket that hit the city of Ashkelon on Sunday severely wounded an Israeli teen, the Israel Defense Forces said.
"All sides ... must respect the sanctity of civilian life," Gunness said on Twitter.
Pierre Krahenbuhl, head of UNRWA, planned to visit Gaza on Sunday, but the Israeli military did not authorize the mission for security reasons, Gunness said.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will hold meetings in the region in the coming days.
"Hope for peaceful resolution seems to be even further away," he said Sunday in a written statement, according to a CNN translation. "Nevertheless, in this crisis we must establish dialogue with the political decision makers. That is why, above all, it is about ongoing talks in Amman, Jerusalem and Ramallah."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior State Department official said. Kerry "condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, and stressed Israel's right to defend itself," the official said. Kerry also discussed U.S. concerns about escalating tensions and reiterated the U.S. is prepared to help facilitate a ceasefire, the official said.
Gazans trickle out of north
Articles on Palestinian news sites showed residents trickling out of northern Gaza, headed to U.N. facilities.
But not all U.N. facilities may be safe from violence. "Worryingly, in the past 24 hours, nine UNRWA installations have been damaged," Gunness said Sunday. "All of these were schools, in Gaza City, the middle and north areas and around Rafah in the south of Gaza."
Some residents said they won't leave home. "They will not vacate. ... Where do we go?" asked Ramez Al-Madhoun, who lives in a building with 20 people in Beit Lahya. He said his building is home to seven adults, the rest children. In the background, the sound of rockets rang out from his northern Gaza neighborhood.
Gazans generally are not allowed to cross into Israel, and Gaza's border with Egypt is closed. Many people from northern Gaza who have relatives elsewhere in the territory have left their homes.
The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem assisted 150 U.S. citizens in evacuating out of Gaza and into Jordan on Sunday, the consulate said in a Facebook post.
Battle over 'human shields'
Video on Hamas-run television showed a Hamas spokesman urging people to serve as human shields, CNN's Jake Tapper reported Thursday.
Palestinian sources have also described some deaths in the conflict as being people who formed a "human shield."
But former Palestinian adviser Diana Buttu told "The Lead with Jake Tapper" that she does not believe "people are going to listen to somebody who says stay inside while your house is being bombed."
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, regularly uses sites and facilities populated by civilians.
"The leadership of Hamas and the other organizations has chosen -- at a time when they are using the population of Gaza as human shields -- to hide under ground, to flee abroad and to deliberately put civilians in the line of fire," Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting Sunday.
"This is the entire difference between us and Hamas -- we are using defensive systems against missiles to protect the residents of Israel, and they are using the residents of Gaza to protect arsenals of missiles. Nothing better underscores the difference in this campaign. Israel is a democracy that is fighting -- in a legitimate and focused manner -- against unbridled terrorists," he said.
The Palestine Liberation Organization, meanwhile, announced that it will ask the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at its annual meeting in August, to designate Israel as an "apartheid state." And Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the United Nations "to officially put the State of Palestine under the UN international protection system," the PLO said.
Israel raids missile site
Israeli forces briefly entered Gaza early Sunday and raided a missile launching site, an Israeli military source said. It marked the first time Israeli forces have acknowledged they've entered Gaza in the current conflict.
During the incursion, which lasted about half hour, both sides exchanged gunfire at the launch site, the source said.
Four Israeli soldiers suffered light injuries, but all the troops returned home safely, the source said.
The source declined to comment on whether the mission achieved its objective.
It likely won't be the last mission of this type, an Israeli military spokesman told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
"We can expect these type of activities taking place," IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said. "Special ops that happen usually below the radar, in and out, swift missions, quickly, concise and very precise at what they're doing, to get that added value to safeguard Israeli lives."
Lerner would not give specifics, but said leaflets had warned residents of one town in Gaza to evacuate ahead of military action. He said the area was the source of many rockets fired at Israel.
Israel: 'What would you do?'
Throughout the conflict, Israel has warned Gaza residents of upcoming attacks targeting militants and terrorist infrastructure. On Twitter on Sunday, the IDF posted: "To warn civilians of an impending strike, the IDF drops leaflets, makes personalized phone calls & sends SMSes. How many militaries do that?"
"Sirens heard across (Israel). Gaza terrorists are firing barrages of rockets. Israel is under attack," the IDF posted, with a photo asking "What would you do?"
Another tweet Sunday showed large trucks. "As rockets fall on Israel, we keep our crossing to Gaza open. 59 truckloads of goods are about to reach Palestinians," the post said.
Hamas posted Saturday on its Twitter feed that it was going to strike Tel Aviv. "Palestinians are defending themselves," the group posted Sunday, with a video that it said showed it targeting a tank.
Hamas also tweeted that the "death toll rises to 162 martyrs" from Israeli airstrikes.
In leaflets dropped Sunday, the IDF warned residents that it intends "to attack terrorists and terror infrastructures." The leaflets list areas that will be targeted. "Israel is currently attacking, and will continue to attack, every area from which rockets are being launched at its territory."
The leaflets told residents which roads were safe to take and gave a time frame. "The IDF is not interested in hurting you or your family members. These operations are limited and short. Whoever does not adhere to these instructions and does not vacate their house immediately is subjecting their lives and the lives of their children and family to danger," the leaflet said.
The Israeli military said it also drops empty shells on roofs, an operation it calls "roof knocking," to alert civilians that airstrikes are imminent.
The goal of the airstrikes, the military said, is to get Hamas militants to stop firing rockets into Israel.
Hostilities between the two sides escalated this month after the killing of three Israeli teenagers and a Palestinian teen. Neither Hamas nor Israel appears to be backing down.
More than 10,000 Palestinians are displaced and hundreds of thousands have been affected by damage to water infrastructure, said UNWRA, the refugee agency.
Concerns about a ground invasion by Israeli forces are growing, prompting the U.N. Security Council to call for a cease-fire between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
Pope calls for Middle East cease-fire
CNN's Michael Schwartz and Salma Abdelaziz reported from Jerusalem; CNN's Josh Levs and Faith Karimi reported from Atlanta. CNN's Khalil Abdallah contributed to this report.
Don't hyphenate Chinese American
7/13/2014 6:59:27 PM
- Eric Liu: Words are expressions of power and identity, and even punctuation matters
- Liu: As I explain in my new book, I call myself "Chinese American" -- without a hyphen
- He says the hyphenated "Chinese-American" signifies a transaction between two parties
- Liu: Similarly, "ABC," or American-born Chinese, is also inadequate in its identity label
Editor's note: Eric Liu is the founder of Citizen University and the author of several books, including "A Chinaman's Chance" and "The Gardens of Democracy." He was a White House speechwriter and policy adviser for President Bill Clinton. Follow him on Twitter @ericpliu. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- Those who live in fear today imagine that America is being overrun by foreign, disease-carrying, tax-sucking criminal hordes. They cannot imagine that immigrants, whether documented or not, could ever contribute to our country. They refer to the children and families trying to cross the southern border as "illegals."
But to quote John Lewis, who fought 50 years ago for civil rights and fights now for immigration reform, "There is no such thing as an illegal human being."
Language matters. Words are expressions of power and identity. And even something as trivial as punctuation can say a lot about what it means to become American.
For instance, I never hyphenate.
As I explain in my new book "A Chinaman's Chance," I call myself "Chinese American" -- without a hyphen. American is the noun, Chinese the adjective. Or, rather, Chinese is one adjective. I am many kinds of American, after all: a politically active American, a short American, an earnest American, an educated American.
This is not a quibble about grammar; it's a claim about the very act of claiming this country.
The hyphenated form, "Chinese-American," to me signifies a transaction between two parties, as in Chinese-American diplomatic negotiation or Chinese-American commerce and trade. The hyphen implies a state of interchange across nations. It does not name a person, much less a citizen.
For the same reason, I never really accepted the label that my immigrant parents attached to me and other second-generation kids: "ABC," or American-born Chinese. I understand why they used it. They had been formed in China. They were deeply culturally Chinese and as they tried to make their way in this country and raise kids, they hoped those kids would think of themselves the same way.
We didn't, exactly. The second generation rarely does. While Chineseness was a deep influence on my palate and vocabulary and moral sensibility, I grew up in this land, an American. I went to Chinese school on Sundays, but I counted the minutes until I could get back to playing baseball with my best friend John. I was raised at home with a Chinese belief in family obligation and social propriety, but I was schooled everywhere else in an American spirit of individual invention and reinvention.
Actually, my immigrant dad taught me this. He's the one who introduced me to the noxious phrase, "a Chinaman's chance," which since the 1850s had meant "slim to no chance."
When he came here in the late 1950s, he decided, with his wry sense of humor, to reappropriate this slur. He would apply it playfully to commonplace situations, such as saying that the Yankees had "a Chinaman's chance" of making a ninth-inning comeback.
That's how I grew up. To call me "American-born Chinese" is to make my birthplace and upbringing incidental rather than central. It is to imply that wherever a person of Chinese ethnicity may be born, he is not truly of that place; he is just a sojourner, attached to a vast global web of Chinese.
That's not the way of our nation. In America, immigrants become American -- and by so doing, change America. The change is accelerating.
We've already become heavily Hispanic. Now -- to the surprise of many -- Asians have become America's fastest-growing group. People who look like me can no longer be presumed foreign until proven otherwise. We are becoming the new face of the United States.
In 1914 or 1814, when Italians or Irish were coming in great waves (uninvited by government, by the way, and unsanctioned by law), "becoming American" meant assimilating to a white, WASP way. In 2014, it means entering a vibrant and more complex omniculture that mixes the styles and memes of the entire world.
This shouldn't be scary. It should be exciting. For what makes America enduringly great is precisely this ability to synthesize the best of the rest of the planet.
That's our edge -- as long as we don't blow it. Yes, not blowing it includes taking illegal immigration seriously because borders do matter, and so does enforcing borders. But it primarily means keeping our eye on the bigger picture: that we are stronger when we are more inclusive and better when we activate our full diversity.
Welcoming and integrating legal immigrants is therefore a necessity. So is creating a pathway to citizenship for our undocumented neighbors, friends and colleagues so that we don't leave millions of people stuck in second-class limbo.
There will never be a simple answer to the eternal American question, "Who is 'us'?" But in this moment when jobs feel scarcer and life feels more zero-sum, we have to make a conscious choice to be bigger than our fears. That, without hyphens or hyperventilating, is the true American way.
Read CNNOpinion's new Flipboard magazine.
Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.
Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion.
Palestinians seek safety as rockets rain down
7/14/2014 2:51:17 AM
- NEW: Israeli military says it shot down a drone spotted along its coastline
- The death toll in Gaza reaches 172, Palestinian health authorities say
- Families flee northern Gaza after warnings from Israel
- Nearly 1,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israel, the Israeli military says
Gaza City (CNN) -- One bomb dropped on a center for the disabled. Another wiped out 18 members of the same family.
By Monday morning, the death toll from nearly a week of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza had reached 172 -- all of them Palestinians -- with more than 1,250 wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israel has so far shrugged off international calls for a cease-fire, saying it will continue the offensive as long as the militant group Hamas keeps firing rockets into its territory.
And Hamas shows no sign of letting up after already launching almost 1,000 rockets at Israel.
Caught in the middle are the residents of Gaza. While the Israeli attacks have killed some militants, around 70% of the fatalities were civilians, according to the United Nations. Of the dead, more than 30 are children, the U.N. reported.
"All sides ... must respect the sanctity of civilian life," said Chris Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees,
'We have nothing'
Over the weekend, Israel dropped leaflets instructing residents to leave northern areas of Gaza where it planned to carry out strikes. But Hamas, which controls Gaza, told people to stay put.
Ahmed, a resident of northern Gaza, managed to put his family in a taxi Sunday to take them to somewhat safer ground in Gaza City.
"I don't answer to them," Ahmed said of Hamas' request. "I do what's best for us."
As they were getting into the car, explosions erupted nearby, prompting cries of fear from the terrified children.
It's the third time in the last five years that the family has had to flee their home.
Others stayed, because they felt they had no other choice.
"They will not vacate. ... Where do we go?" asked Ramez Al-Madhoun, who lives in a building with 20 people in the northern Gaza neighborhood of Beit Lahya. He said his building is home to seven adults, the rest children.
In Gaza City, where some streets are strewn with rubble, people are taking refuge in U.N. buildings. More than 1,000 gathered in one school alone.
Um Juma'a says she and her family of 15 fled their home at 2 a.m.
"We told the kids, 'Get up! Get up!'" she says. "We walked all the way here."
A baby in the family needs milk, but they don't have any.
"We have nothing," she says. "Not even safety."
'We are human beings'
Israel said its forces have struck 1,470 "terror targets" across Gaza, including 770 concealed rocket launchers.
One airstrike hit the house of the head of the Gaza police, Tayseer al-Batsh, killing at least 18 people, all of them members of the same extended family, and wounding 50, Palestinian security and medical sources told CNN on Sunday. The attack, whose youngest victim was 10, happened late Saturday.
Earlier that day, an Israeli airstrike hit a center for the disabled, killing two women.
"Every people in Gaza are suspected as targets to Israel. We cannot live in peace in this situation," said Dr. Ahmed Jarour at Gaza's Shifa hospital, where two patients with severe burns from the disabled center attack were brought in.
On Friday, Israeli rounds struck the El Waffa Hospital.
The Israeli military said it was investigating the strikes, but claimed that Hamas often hides missiles and other weapons in hospitals and private homes.
Israel: Hamas using mosques
There's no guarantee that U.N. facilities will be spared by the violence.
"Worryingly, in the past 24 hours, nine UNRWA installations have been damaged," said U.N.'s Gunness on Sunday. "All of these were schools, in Gaza City, the middle and north areas and around Rafah in the south of Gaza."
Mosques have also been hit in the strikes. The Israeli military says Hamas, which regularly uses sites and facilities populated with civilians, hides rockets and other weapons in mosques and schools.
"The leadership of Hamas and the other organizations has chosen -- at a time when they are using the population of Gaza as human shields -- to hide under ground, to flee abroad and to deliberately put civilians in the line of fire," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting Sunday.
Iron Dome intercepting attacks
Israel has used its Iron Dome defense system against some of the more than 980 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, the military said.
On Sunday, militants launched more than 130 rockets at Israel. The defense system intercepted 22 of them.
Seventy percent of Israel's population lies within range of Hamas rocket attacks, according to the Israel Defense Forces, and the Iron Dome can't stop all of them.
One rocket that hit the city of Ashkelon on Sunday severely wounded an Israeli teen, the IDF said.
So far, no Israelis have been killed by the rocket attacks.
The IDF said Monday that it shot down a drone spotted along the Israeli coastline, near the city of Ashdod.
Hamas' military wing said in a brief statement that it has sent a number of drones on missions inside Israel and would provide more details in due course.
Cease-fire hopes dim
International efforts to press Israel and Hamas into negotiating a cease-fire have failed to gain traction.
"Hope for peaceful resolution seems to be even further away," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Sunday in a written statement.
"Nevertheless, in this crisis we must establish dialogue with the political decision makers," said Steinmeier, who will hold meetings in the region in the coming days. "That is why, above all, it is about ongoing talks in Amman, Jerusalem and Ramallah."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with Netanyahu, a senior State Department official said. Kerry "condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, and stressed Israel's right to defend itself," the official said.
Kerry also discussed U.S. concerns about escalating tensions and reiterated the U.S. is prepared to help facilitate a cease-fire, the official said.
The Palestine Liberation Organization, meanwhile, announced that it will ask the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at its annual meeting in August, to designate Israel as an "apartheid state."
And Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the United Nations "to officially put the State of Palestine under the UN international protection system," the PLO said.
Pope calls for Middle East cease-fire
CNN's Ben Wedeman reported from Gaza City, and Jethro Mullen reported and wrote from Hong Kong. CNN's Yousuf Basil, Michael Schwartz, Salma Abdelaziz, Josh Levs and Khalil Abdallah contributed to this report.
Israel warns Gazans: Leave now
7/14/2014 2:54:12 AM
Residents of Gaza flee the area after warnings by Israeli military that airstrikes are imminent. Ben Wedeman reports.
If your browser has Adobe Flash Player installed, click above to play. Otherwise, click below.
Civilians flee Gaza rocket attacks
7/14/2014 2:54:20 AM
Neither Israel or militants are backing away from their increasingly violent conflict. CNN's Karl Penhaul reports.
If your browser has Adobe Flash Player installed, click above to play. Otherwise, click below.
Pope calls for Mideast cease-fire
7/14/2014 2:54:35 AM
- The Pope gives a sermon, traditional prayer every Sunday at noon
- He met with presidents of Israel and the Palestinian Authority in June
- Violence in the region has escalated since then
- Pope says prayer is a powerful weapon against evil
(CNN) -- Pope Francis called for a cease-fire in the Middle East before Sunday's Angelus prayer and said his meeting in June with the presidents of Israel and the Palestinian Authority was not a waste of time.
"I exhort to all the interested parties and to all of those who have political responsibility at the local and international level to not give up the prayer, nor any effort to cease any hostility and reach the desired peace for the good of all," the Pope said, according to a CNN translation. He spoke in Italian, from the window of his apartment above St. Peter's Square.
In June, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres committed themselves to the quest for peace during a visit to the Vatican. It was the first time the Pope had hosted a prayer gathering of two leaders engaged in conflict.
"Someone could think that such a meeting took place in vain. Instead no, because prayer helps us in not letting evil win nor resigning ourselves to violence and hatred take over dialogue and reconciliation," the pontiff said Sunday.
The Angelus is a traditional prayer given Sundays at noon following a short sermon from the Pope.
Hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militants escalated this month after the killing of three Israeli teenagers and a Palestinian teen. Neither Hamas nor Israel appears to be backing down.
Since Monday, scores of people in Gaza have been killed, the Gaza Health Ministry has said. Though some Israelis have been wounded, none has been killed by the rockets fired by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza.
Israel drops leaflets warning Gaza residents to evacuate ahead of airstrikes
CNN's Hada Messia contributed to this report.
Germany wins fourth World Cup
7/14/2014 5:58:28 AM
- Germany defeats Argentina 1-0 in World Cup final
- Mario Gotze scored only goal of the game on 113 minutes
- Contest finished 0-0 after 90 minutes
- Gonzalo Higuain wasted Argentina's best opportunity
How are you celebrating the World Cup? Join the global conversation on CNN Facebook Pulse
(CNN) -- Never bet against Germany.
In a world where so much can change so quickly, perhaps it is reassuring that there is one constant which remains.
The nation which had ripped Brazil's dreams to shreds in the semifinals, won its fourth World Cup after a tense 1-0 victory over Argentina Sunday.
Mario Gotze's strike, seven minutes from the end of extra time, ensured Germany ended its 24-year wait for glory at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium.
PHOTO: Germany (#GER) celebrate with the FIFA #WorldCup trophy in the Maracana #GERARG - http://t.co/pnaaGOs0Hc pic.twitter.com/FbUCyzM1c6
— FIFAWorldCup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 13, 2014 For all the doubters who said that no European side would or could ever win the World Cup on South American soil, there was one team which refused to listen.
Lazy stereotypes often abound when describing German football.
The words 'organized', 'ruthless' or 'machine' are bandied about along with that other cliché, 'efficient.'
To use those words to describe this German side would not only do it a disservice -- it would ignore the wonderful talent which passes through the veins of each and every player.
Germany has long threatened to rule the world.
In 2006, it came close, bowing out at the semifinal stage after a painful defeat by Italy in a tournament held in its own country.
Two years later, it was beaten in the final of the European Championships by Spain before the same opposition ended its World Cup dream in South Africa.
Bizarre moments from the World Cup final
At Euro 2012, Italy once again was its nemesis as Germany fell at the semifinal stage of Euro 2012.
Nobody doubted Germany's talent -- but critics said it did not have the ability to get over the winning line.
The sight of Bastian Schweinsteiger, bloodied and bruised, provided all the insight you needed into the psyche of this German team.
It can do ugly -- but it can do beautiful too.
That beauty was there for all to see when Gotze took Andre Schurrle's cross on his chest and volleyed the ball past the Sergio Romero's despairing dive.
AHA! pic.twitter.com/iK5hbfm7Hr
— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) July 13, 2014 But in Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, it has steel, in Schweinsteiger it has a warrior and in Thomas Muller it has a man who can do everything.
Few could begrudge Germany this success -- it has been the team of the 2014 World Cup.
Germany has thrilled in this tournament. Its 4-0 victory over Portugal was sublime; its 7-1 thrashing of Brazil was mesmerizing.
But this win, secured through guts, fight and a moment of magic from one of its bright new stars showed that Germany overcame the most difficult hurdle of all.
With the game deadlocked at 0-0 after 90 minutes, substitute Gotze provided the game's defining moment with a touch of magic.
The Bayern Munich star took Schurrle's pass on his chest before displaying exquisite technique to volley the ball past Sergio Romero.
Argentina, which was beaten by West Germany 1-0 at the 1990 World Cup, rallied briefly but failed to find an equalizer.
Even with the mercurial Lionel Messi in attack, Argentina were unable to take the game to penalties -- not that it deserved to.
For all the talk of Messi, it was left to another wonderful talent and his left foot to steal the headlines with the decisive goal.
At least Brazil could smile once again -- there is not enough beer in the entire country to distract from the prospect of an Argentine party on the Copacabana.
Argentina failed to muster a single shot on target during the contest -- and yet it will walk away ruing three wonderful chances to have won the tie.
With 20 minutes played, Toni Kroos, so impressive throughout the tournament, inexplicably headed the ball over his own defense for Gonzalo Higuain to run through on goal.
The best photos from the #WorldCupFinal: http://t.co/85OVmB0iU0 #CNNWorldCup pic.twitter.com/FK5hpEfuPV
— CNN International (@cnni) July 13, 2014 The Napoli striker did everything right. He took a touch, allowed the ball to move slightly in front of him and with just Manuel Neuer to beat, then somehow shanked his effort horribly wide.
As Higuain stood still in disbelief and his teammates held their heads in their hands, Germany breathed again.
For a side so assured in its 7-1 victory over Brazil, Germany were rattled by a couple of team changes -- just before the final and soon after the game had started.
Deprived of Sami Khedira through injury after the midfielder suffered an injury just before kickoff, Germany's shape was disrupted further when replacement Christoph Kramer was forced off following a heavy clash with Ezequiel Garay.
As Germany regrouped the South American side constantly looked to use the flanks to exploit a lack of pace in their opponents' defense.
It was from the right flank which Argentina created the move it thought had provided the crucial breakthrough.
Ezequiel Lavezzi found space on the right before delivering the perfect cross for Higuain to fire home from close range.
As Higuain wheeled away to celebrate and those draped in blue and white danced with joy, the flag of the assistant referee was held aloft after the forward was correctly adjudged to be offside.
Germany, having scored seven in its previous game against Brazil, began to wake from its slumber and only a fine save from Romero prevented Kroos' fierce drive from nestling in the corner.
But with just a minute of the first half remaining, Romero was forced to thank the woodwork as Argentina got out of jail in dramatic circumstances.
Kroos' corner dissected the Argentine defense and Benedikt Howedes flew through the air before sending a thunderous header against the post.
Forced to play 120 minutes during its semifinal against the Netherlands, Argentina showed little signs of tiredness and made a rapid start to the second half.
Once again it was Messi causing problems, this time latching onto Lucas Biglia's through ball before running clear of the German defense.
This was it. This was his moment. The boy from Rosario, the boy who left home at 13 and moved halfway across the world to Barcelona to become the world's greatest. Destiny beckoned.
He'd been here so many times before. The ball was in his stride, the goalkeeper was advancing, the net was supposed to bulge.
But it didn't. Messi dragged his shot wide. Argentine hearts sank, Germans stood relieved, almost open mouthed. Messi looked bewildered. Proof that the world's best player is human after all.
Having seen Argentina contrive to miss two wonderful opportunities, perhaps those in German shirts believed this would be their night.
BREAKING: GERMANY WIN THE 2014 #WORLDCUPFINAL #GER 1-0 #ARG http://t.co/3lwaJ0YtVh #CNNWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ElP5O6BxXo
— CNN Football Club (@CNNFC) July 13, 2014 It certainly had chances to win the contest before the end of 90 minutes with Kroos firing wide from 20-yards, while Schurrle failed to control the ball after moving in on goal.
With an extra day's rest following its semifnal victory over Brazil, Schurrle brought out a sharp save from Romero as Germany picked up the tempo.
But Argentina remained a threat on the counter attack and substitute Rodrigo Palacio should have done better than hook his effort high and wide after being played through on goal.
With tired limbs and minds beginning to show, the pace of the contest slowed with both sets of players struggling to create any kind of chance.
Challenges began to fly in with Javier Mascherano fortunate to escape a second yellow card, while Schweinsteiger was left with a blood pouring from his face after a clash with Sergio Aguero.
Penalties seemed inevitable. And then it happened.
Schurrle, found space down the left and his cross picked out Gotze, who took the ball on his chest before volleying the ball past Romero and into the far corner.
It was a goal worthy of winning any World Cup -- a wonderful strike which came with just seven minutes of the contest remaining.
Argentina tried to respond but while minds were willing, bodies were not. Messi was anonymous, his final effort from a free kick sailing high into the stand.
Those in white turned towards the center circle, the sight of gleaming gold trophy was there for all to see.
A campaign which began with the thrashing with Portugal ended with victory over the team which so many had tipped for victory.
Perhaps Argentina should have known. Never bet against Germany.
Read: German football phrases
Read: Lionel Messi's moment of immortality?
Read: Four key takeaways from World Cup 2014
Read: Germany erupts with joy
Why Brazil should have won
7/14/2014 5:09:45 AM
- CNN worked up its own rankings for how each team should have done
- Our table is based on FIFA ranking, manager salary and population size
- England, Spain, Italy and Russia were the biggest disappointments
- Costa Rica punched farthest above its weight, and Belgium also shone
See the full list of how World Cup teams stack up here.
(CNN) -- It's all over now. Germany won the World Cup, which can't have surprised anyone who watched it demolish Brazil en route to the championship.
But according to CNN's calculations, Brazil should have taken home the trophy.
While Lionel Messi was battling Thomas Muller to be the tournament's top goal scorer, while Tim Howard and Guillermo Ochoa were batting away shots on goal, while Roy Hodgson and Fabio Capello were stalking the sidelines, CNN was looking at the bigger picture.
We started with the FIFA world ranking for each team going into the World Cup, starting with Spain ranked number one, all the way down to Australia at 62.
Then we looked at how much each country was paying its manager.
Russia topped that table, paying Capello nearly $11.5 million a year, according to Nick Harris of Sporting Intelligence. England came a distant second, with Italy, Brazil and Switzerland rounding out the top five.
Soccer-mad Mexico came dead last, paying manager Miguel Herrera about $214,000.
Next we added in each country's population size, since bigger countries have larger pools to draw potential soccer stars from. The United States was the biggest country to qualify, followed by Brazil, Nigeria, Russia and Japan. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Uruguay were the smallest, both with populations under 4 million.
Then we averaged the three measures -- ranking, manager salary and population size -- to come up with our own prediction for how each team would fare in the World Cup.
Our predicted winner: Brazil. It was the second-largest country in the tournament, ranked third in the world by FIFA, and with manager Luiz Felipe Scolari's $3.8 million salary putting him fourth.
It fared well enough in the group stages, but once things got serious, the hosts completely fell apart, conceding 10 goals in their last two matches and scoring only 1.
That left it in 4th place, three below where we predicted it should end up.
Germany, on the other hand, overperformed, but not by much.
We picked it to come second, and it came first, for a rating of +1.
Our statistics also tell us who the biggest over- and under-achievers of the tournament were.
Some are obvious. The numbers suggest Costa Rica should have come 27th overall, but it trounced the big boys in the Group of Death and came out 8th, by FIFA's official statistics.
Second-place Argentina also did far better than our predictions.
Yes, it was ranked fifth in the world going into the tournament, but it didn't shell out big money for a manager -- Alejandro Sabella was the 22nd-best paid coach -- and Argentina falls in the middle of the population table. Of course, having Messi be one member of that population makes a difference, even if the Hand of God didn't touch him in the final.
Spain, on the other hand, was a giant dud. Ranked third in the CNN table, it actually came 23rd.
Only one nation came out worse: England. Ranked 10th in the world, with the second-best paid manager and and the 11th-largest population, we think it should have come fifth. It came 26th.
Italy and Russia also suffered in our rankings, partly for paying their managers so handsomely. We say Italy should have come third, not 22nd, and Russia should have tied at sixth place with the United States.
Russia actually came 24th, while Team USA came 15th.
The numbers also show one remarkable coincidence. On paper, Belgium and Greece are almost identical.
Belgium was ranked 11th by FIFA. Greece was ranked 12th.
Both have populations of about 11 million people, and the two nations paid their managers exactly the same salary.
Both teams did better than we predicted.
We picked Greece to come 18th, but it managed 13th.
Belgium did even better, coming sixth, nine places higher than our calculations suggested.
Read: Germany defeats Argentina
Read: Germany parties like it's 1990
Read: Argentina vs. Germany: By the numbers
CNN's Patrick Sung, Manuela Lanza and John Sinnott contributed to this report.
Riots erupt in Argentina
7/14/2014 1:21:50 AM
- Mobs vandalize shops and attack officers
- At least 30 people are injured
- Fans had gathered to celebrate Argentina's best performance since 1990
(CNN) -- Police in Argentina arrested at least 30 people Sunday after a World Cup celebration in downtown Buenos Aires got out of hand.
Fans had gathered to celebrate Argentina's best performance in the World Cup in almost a quarter century.
The celebrations went on peacefully without incident until a few hours later when dozens of rowdy vandals smashed shop windows, ransacked a theater, beat up journalists and attacked police officers with bottles and rocks, local media reported.
Police fired water cannons and tear gas in response.
Fifteen police officers and at least five others were injured in the clashes, the state news agency Telam said.
Even though, Argentina lost to Germany 0-1 in extra time, it was the first time the team made it to the World Cup finals since 1990. And its star player, Lionel Messi, won the Golden Ball, given to the best player of the tournament.
"The boys gave everything," one man said. "They put their souls into the game. But this time, it didn't happen. We are very happy."
Germany erupts with joy as 24-year World Cup wait comes to an end
Bizarre moments at the World Cup final
4 key points from World Cup
7/14/2014 5:45:42 AM
- Is it the star or the team? Amy Bass says the World Cup final went to the best team
- She says takeaways include the role of sports as an influence on and window into politics
- Bass says it's time for soccer to take its dangers seriously
- She says World Cup showed enduring popularity of sport worldwide, gain in U.S. interest
Editor's note: Amy Bass, a professor of history at the College of New Rochelle, has written widely on the cultural history of sports, including the book "Not the Triumph but the Struggle: The 1968 Olympics and the Making of the Black Athlete." She is a veteran of eight Olympics as the supervisor of NBC's Olympic Research Room, for which she won an Emmy in 2012. Follow her on Twitter @bassab1. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- This World Cup final looked to answer a question that has been surfacing throughout this tournament, and perhaps -- considering the hold King James has had on U.S. basketball fans in the past few weeks -- all of sports: Is it the team, or is it the star?
The last game of this tournament pitted the best player in the world, Messi, against the best team in the world, Germany. And if nothing else, this match demonstrated definitively that while players like Messi might win games, teams like Germany win titles.
So Messi gets the Golden Ball. Germany gets everything else.
After steamrolling its way over Brazil to make the final, Germany looked to be a favorite for the title despite its early draw with Ghana. For Argentina, at stake was the lure of claiming the title on the home turf of its arch rival, Brazil, which finished a devastatingly disappointing fourth after losing in Saturday's match against the Dutch.
But the depth of Germany was too much for Argentina in the end. While Thomas Müller -- who started the tournament with a hat trick against Portugal and whose goal against Brazil in the semifinal made him only the second player in history to score five goals in consecutive World Cups -- has been one of the stars of these past weeks, it was an extra-time goal by Mario Götze, who came off the bench, that propelled Germany to the top.
So with play over for another four years, what have we learned?
Sports matter: As we have seen time and time again with the Olympic Games, politics do not cease to exist when players step onto the field, the court or the pitch. This tournament proved yet again what a critical window sport provides into the world we live in, particularly considering the fiery protests that greeted the Brazilian government when it signed on the dotted line to host. The billions spent on bringing the most-watched sporting event in the world to Brazil put the country's government into a fragile state as protestors told FIFA to "GO HOME." But the politics were not reserved for the streets of São Paulo and Rio: Inside the stadiums we saw fans in blackface when Germany faced Ghana and a spike in the use of "Nazi" on Twitter when Germany faced both Brazil and the United States.
The World Cup next goes to Russia, with Sochi's Fisht Olympic Stadium one of the venues. If the lead-up to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games are any indication, one has to wonder if Russia's next role as host to the world will renew cries against the country's discriminatory policies against the LGBT community, its controversial annexation of Crimea and claims last year by Manchester City star Yaya Toure that he had been abused by racist CSKA Moscow fans during a Champions League match.
Soccer remains the most popular sport in the world: To say the World Cup is a global spectacle barely scratches the surface. The television viewing numbers for the group stages broke all sorts of records. While American pundits seemed stunned that 24.7 million people in the United States watched their national team face Portugal, the ratings in other countries during the group stages are almost incomprehensible. Some 47.4 million people watched Brazil face Croatia, while in Japan 34.1 million people watched their team take on Ivory Coast. On Twitter, Germany's smack down of Brazil became the most conversed match ever, with 35.6 million tweets, dwarfing this year's Super Bowl numbers of 24.9 million.
It's time for FIFA to get its own head in the game: Sometimes the seemingly simplest sports can be the most dangerous. It is clear that FIFA needs to learn the hard lesson of American football and start paying attention to head injuries. It needs to think about changing its harsh substitution rules, which do not let a player return to the game once he sits and give a coach only three players off the bench per game. In the final, Germany's Christoph Kramer took a nasty shot to the head when he collided with Argentina's Ezequiel Garay in minute 17, but after a moment on the sideline, he went back in for almost 15 more minutes before falling again and leaving the game, looking unquestionably dazed and confused.
Kramer's collision was one of many that this tournament saw. Argentina's Javier Mascherano cracked his head in the semifinal against the Dutch and continued to play, while Uruguay's Álvaro Pereira went down unconscious after a knee to the head during his team's first-round match against England. Like the others, he returned to the game after a brief checkup on the sideline and played for the remaining 30 minutes. Rugby is experimenting with new substitution rules for players suspected of having concussions. Calls for soccer to do the same will likely only intensify.
Bizarre moments at the World Cup final
The United States maintains its love-hate relationship with soccer: Yes, we know, thousands upon thousands of children hit the pitch every Saturday morning, spring and fall; and yes, we know, Major League Soccer is growing its attendance and cultivating its fan base; and yes, we know, NBC is growing its ratings for the Premier League telecasts. But will this translate to soccer breaking into the ranks that basketball, baseball, football and hockey enjoy?
To be sure, more than ever before, American fans got on the World Cup wagon that somewhat shuts the rest of the world down every four years. ESPN saw record-breaking numbers for U.S. games during its excellent coverage of the tournament, and the United States found a legitimate rock star player in Tim Howard, making him a social media sensation after he stopped everything but a bus against Belgium.
Importantly, not all U.S. fans stopped watching after the Americans had been eliminated. The Germany-Brazil rollover nabbed some 6 million U.S. viewers on a Tuesday afternoon, making it the largest-rated non-U.S. World Cup game in history.
That said, allegations that soccer is boring, "flopping" players are ridiculous (that means you, Arjen Robben), the officiating (especially the time keeping) is confounding and that many fans are racist hooligans continue to be sermonized with passion and venom.
In the United States, then, there is only one thing we can count on in four years: there will be those who yet again claim that soccer has finally arrived and those who say that it hasn't and never will. But perhaps we can answer the question sooner. Tune in next year, when the Women's World Cup heads to Canada. Because on that pitch, the United States will be a major factor, and there are few things Americans like more than being contenders.
Note: An earlier version of this article gave incorrect names for the opposing teams when Thomas Müller scored in the semifinal and when 24.7 million Americans watched.
Read CNNOpinion's new Flipboard magazine.
Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.
Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion.
Best quotes from Brazil 2014
7/13/2014 6:35:41 PM
We saw enough unforgettable action to make Brazil 2014 one of the most memorable tournaments of all time. And it's not just on the pitch where players are making a mark, with many stars of Brazil 2014 producing some superb soundbites. With the quarterfinals almost upon us, here is CNN's pick of the best quotes of the World Cup so far.
China's star TV anchor detained
7/13/2014 11:24:16 PM
- Rui Chenggang is known for his "big get" interviews and his nationalistic sentiment
- Prosecutors took Rui into custody just before the start of "Economic News"
- Rui's patron Guo Zhenxi was detained in June for allegedly accepting bribes
- Rui's detention is the latest twist in a widening anti-corruption campaign in China
Beijing (CNN) -- In the latest twist of a widening anti-corruption campaign, Chinese authorities have detained a popular and controversial television anchor with the national broadcaster, state media reported.
Rui Chenggang's anchor chair was left empty for Friday night's newscast on China Central Television after prosecutors detained the star journalist shortly before airtime.
It appeared that Rui, known for his "big get" interviews as well as nationalistic sentiment, was taken into custody less than an hour before the start of "Economic News," which his co-anchor presented alone.
Speculation about Rui's troubles began last month when his longtime patron Guo Zhenxi, the head of state-run CCTV's financial news channel, was detained for allegedly accepting bribes. Several other senior figures at the channel were also implicated, the government said.
'Face of New China'
Rui, 37, denied through an assistant last month that he was under investigation. He tweeted at the time to his 10 million followers on Sina Weibo -- China's equivalent of Twitter -- a philosophical conversation between two ancient Zen masters that implied time would eventually clear his name.
State media cited CCTV sources on Saturday as saying that Rui's detention was closely linked to Guo's case, as well as an investigation into his own possible profiting from using CCTV resources.
Rui, who's known for wearing designer suits and driving fast cars, commands more social media followers than any other CCTV personality and has been called the "face of the New China" by his admirers.
His official CCTV bio says he has interviewed hundreds of business and political leaders around the world. The New York Times has profiled him and even the popular American comedy program "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" has featured him in an episode.
Fluent in English, Rui began his broadcast career at CCTV's international service, but his stardom soared under Guo after the young journalist jumped to the network's financial news channel in 2008. An unapologetic self-promoter, he has authored two popular autobiographical books touting his friendship with the world's rich and powerful.
Controversial figure
Rui became a more divisive public figure as his celebrity grew. He successfully led a controversial campaign to kick Starbucks out of Beijing's Forbidden City in 2007, calling the American coffee shop's presence in the historic palace museum an encroachment on Chinese culture.
He grabbed a global spotlight in 2010 when U.S. President Barack Obama said he would give the final question at a news conference in Seoul to South Korean media. "I'm actually Chinese, but I think I get to represent the entire Asia," Rui said before asking a long-winded question on how Obama might prevent his policies from being misinterpreted.
At an economic forum in northeastern China the following year, Rui asked Gary Locke, then the U.S. ambassador to China, a question that some critics called a nationalistic publicity stunt. Others applauded it as a sign of an increasingly confident China standing up to the United States.
"My colleagues told me you flew economy class from Beijing to Dalian," Rui asked Locke. "Was that a reminder that the U.S. still owes China money?"
Locke replied that it was standard government policy for American diplomats and other officials to fly coach.
'Tigers and flies'
Rui's reported detention came on the heels of the downfall of several former high-ranking officials, including a retired top general of the 2 million-strong People's Liberation Army.
Gen. Xu Caihou, a former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission that runs the world's largest standing army, was expelled from the ruling Communist Party and handed over to prosecutors after being found to have accepted bribes, state-run Xinhua news agency reported early this month. Xu was also a member of the Politburo, China's decision-making body, before retiring in 2012.
State media have characterized Xu as a big "military tiger" caught in the massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping, who is also the commander in chief. Xi banned official extravagance -- from banquets to year-end gifts -- and vowed to target "tigers and flies" alike in his fight against corruption. He resolved to spare no one, regardless of position. CCTV recently touted the capture of 35 "tigers" since Xi took power less than two years ago.
Zhou Yongkang
Some China watchers have noted ties between an increasing number of disgraced officials and Zhou Yongkang, the former domestic security czar who has been rumored to be under investigation for some time. Guo, the CCTV executive who was Rui's patron, has long been considered belonging to the Zhou faction.
State media have reported official probes into many of Zhou's family members as well as former associates in the domestic security apparatus, state oil industry and southwestern Sichuan province -- three places Zhou once ruled. If he is actually charged, Zhou would become the highest-ranking official ever to face corruption charges in the history of the People's Republic.
Some 182,000 officials were disciplined in 2013, while courts nationwide tried 23,000 corruption cases, according to the Communist Party's disciplinary commission. State media have cited the trial and conviction last year of former high-flying politician Bo Xilai -- which Bo supporters called politically motivated -- as one prime example of Xi's determination to clean up the party.
'Endemic corruption'
Longtime China observers, however, point to the limits of Xi's war on corruption.
"Corruption is so widespread and so endemic that campaigns are just not going to do it," said Frank Ching, a Hong Kong-based commentator and columnist on Chinese politics. "Something has to be done about the system."
"There have been public calls for a law to require officials disclosing their assets. There has been no indication that they are going to do that. In fact, a number of people calling for this law have ended up in prison," Ching said. "I think people will be much more convinced of the seriousness of this anti-corruption campaign if there were a move to enact such a law."
Israel to Gazans: Move from Hamas sites to avoid strikes
7/13/2014 9:40:07 AM
- NEW: Kerry speaks with Netanyahu, condemns rocket attacks from Gaza
- IDF spokesman calls raid in Gaza a special operation, indicates there will be more
- U.N. says some of its facilities have been damaged
- Palestinians to push U.N. to designate Israel "apartheid state"
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israeli forces dropped leaflets in northern Gaza on Sunday to warn residents to move away from Hamas sites to avoid military strikes.
The warning came as the death toll in Gaza reached 168, with more than 1,100 people injured, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
About 70% of the fatalities were civilians, of which 30% -- 27 people -- were children, said Chris Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which said the figures came from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Israel said its forces have struck 1,320 "terror targets" across Gaza, including 735 concealed rocket launchers. Seventy percent of Israel's population lies within range of Hamas rocket attacks, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israel has used its Iron Dome defense system against many of the more than 800 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, the military said. Two more were intercepted Sunday over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
One rocket that hit the city of Ashkelon on Sunday severely wounded an Israeli teen, the Israel Defense Forces said.
"All sides ... must respect the sanctity of civilian life," Gunness said on Twitter.
Pierre Krahenbuhl, head of UNRWA, planned to visit Gaza on Sunday, but the Israeli military did not authorize the mission for security reasons, Gunness said.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior State Department official said. Kerry "condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, and stressed Israel's right to defend itself," the official said. Kerry also discussed U.S. concerns about escalating tensions and reiterated the U.S. is prepared to help facilitate a ceasefire, the official said.
Gazans trickle out of north
Articles on Palestinian news sites showed residents trickling out of northern Gaza, headed to U.N. facilities.
But not all U.N. facilities may be safe from violence. "Worryingly, in the past 24 hours, nine UNRWA installations have been damaged," Gunness said Sunday. "All of these were schools, in Gaza City, the middle and north areas and around Rafah in the south of Gaza."
Some residents said they won't leave home. "They will not vacate. ... Where do we go?" asked Ramez Al-Madhoun, who lives in a building with 20 people in Beit Lahya. He said his building is home to seven adults, the rest children. In the background, the sound of rockets rang out from his northern Gaza neighborhood.
Gazans generally are not allowed to cross into Israel, and Gaza's border with Egypt is closed. Many people from northern Gaza who have relatives elsewhere in the territory have left their homes.
Battle over 'human shields'
Video on Hamas-run television showed a Hamas spokesman urging people to serve as human shields, CNN's Jake Tapper reported Thursday.
Palestinian sources have also described some deaths in the conflict as being people who formed a "human shield."
But former Palestinian adviser Diana Buttu told "The Lead with Jake Tapper" that she does not believe "people are going to listen to somebody who says stay inside while your house is being bombed."
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, regularly uses sites and facilities populated by civilians.
"The leadership of Hamas and the other organizations has chosen -- at a time when they are using the population of Gaza as human shields -- to hide under ground, to flee abroad and to deliberately put civilians in the line of fire," Netanyahu told a Cabinet meeting Sunday.
"This is the entire difference between us and Hamas -- we are using defensive systems against missiles to protect the residents of Israel, and they are using the residents of Gaza to protect arsenals of missiles. Nothing better underscores the difference in this campaign. Israel is a democracy that is fighting -- in a legitimate and focused manner -- against unbridled terrorists," he said.
The Palestine Liberation Organization, meanwhile, announced that it will ask the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at its annual meeting in August, to designate Israel as an "apartheid state." And Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the United Nations "to officially put the State of Palestine under the UN international protection system," the PLO said.
Israel raids missile site
Israeli forces briefly entered Gaza early Sunday and raided a missile launching site, an Israeli military source said. It marked the first time Israeli forces have acknowledged they've entered Gaza in the current conflict.
During the incursion, which lasted about half hour, both sides exchanged gunfire at the launch site, the source said.
Four Israeli soldiers suffered light injuries, but all the troops returned home safely, the source said.
The source declined to comment on whether the mission achieved its objective.
It likely won't be the last mission of this type, an Israeli military spokesman told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
"We can expect these type of activities taking place," IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said. "Special ops that happen usually below the radar, in and out, swift missions, quickly, concise and very precise at what they're doing, to get that added value to safeguard Israeli lives."
Lerner would not give specifics, but said leaflets had warned residents of one town in Gaza to evacuate ahead of military action. He said the area was the source of many rockets fired at Israel.
Israel: 'What would you do?'
Throughout the conflict, Israel has warned Gaza residents of upcoming attacks targeting militants and terrorist infrastructure. On Twitter on Sunday, the IDF posted: "To warn civilians of an impending strike, the IDF drops leaflets, makes personalized phone calls & sends SMSes. How many militaries do that?"
"Sirens heard across (Israel). Gaza terrorists are firing barrages of rockets. Israel is under attack," the IDF posted, with a photo asking "What would you do?"
Another tweet Sunday showed large trucks. "As rockets fall on Israel, we keep our crossing to Gaza open. 59 truckloads of goods are about to reach Palestinians," the post said.
Hamas posted Saturday on its Twitter feed that it was going to strike Tel Aviv. "Palestinians are defending themselves," the group posted Sunday, with a video that it said showed it targeting a tank.
Hamas also tweeted that the "death toll rises to 162 martyrs" from Israeli airstrikes.
In leaflets dropped Sunday, the IDF warned residents that it intends "to attack terrorists and terror infrastructures." The leaflets list areas that will be targeted. "Israel is currently attacking, and will continue to attack, every area from which rockets are being launched at its territory."
The leaflets told residents which roads were safe to take and gave a time frame. "The IDF is not interested in hurting you or your family members. These operations are limited and short. Whoever does not adhere to these instructions and does not vacate their house immediately is subjecting their lives and the lives of their children and family to danger," the leaflet said.
The Israeli military said it also drops empty shells on roofs, an operation it calls "roof knocking," to alert civilians that airstrikes are imminent.
The goal of the airstrikes, the military said, is to get Hamas militants to stop firing rockets into Israel.
Hostilities between the two sides escalated this month after the killing of three Israeli teenagers and a Palestinian teen. Neither Hamas nor Israel appears to be backing down.
More than 10,000 Palestinians are displaced and hundreds of thousands have been affected by damage to water infrastructure, said UNWRA, the refugee agency.
Concerns about a ground invasion by Israeli forces are growing, prompting the U.N. Security Council to call for a cease-fire between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
Pope calls for Middle East cease-fire
CNN's Michael Schwartz and Salma Abdelaziz reported from Jerusalem; CNN's Josh Levs and Faith Karimi reported from Atlanta. CNN's Khalil Abdallah contributed to this report.
Pope calls for cease-fire
7/13/2014 8:22:44 AM
- The Pope gives a sermon, traditional prayer every Sunday at noon
- He met with presidents of Israel and the Palestinian Authority in June
- Violence in the region has escalated since then
- Pope says prayer is a powerful weapon against evil
(CNN) -- Pope Francis called for a cease-fire in the Middle East before Sunday's Angelus prayer and said his meeting in June with the presidents of Israel and the Palestinian Authority was not a waste of time.
"I exhort to all the interested parties and to all of those who have political responsibility at the local and international level to not give up the prayer, nor any effort to cease any hostility and reach the desired peace for the good of all," the Pope said, according to a CNN translation. He spoke in Italian, from the window of his apartment above St. Peter's Square.
In June, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres committed themselves to the quest for peace during a visit to the Vatican. It was the first time the Pope had hosted a prayer gathering of two leaders engaged in conflict.
"Someone could think that such a meeting took place in vain. Instead no, because prayer helps us in not letting evil win nor resigning ourselves to violence and hatred take over dialogue and reconciliation," the pontiff said Sunday.
The Angelus is a traditional prayer given Sundays at noon following a short sermon from the Pope.
Hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militants escalated this month after the killing of three Israeli teenagers and a Palestinian teen. Neither Hamas nor Israel appears to be backing down.
Since Monday, scores of people in Gaza have been killed, the Gaza Health Ministry has said. Though some Israelis have been wounded, none has been killed by the rockets fired by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza.
Israel drops leaflets warning Gaza residents to evacuate ahead of airstrikes
CNN's Hada Messia contributed to this report.
Warning leaflets dropped
7/13/2014 7:44:03 AM
Israeli forces dropped leaflets in northern Gaza warning residents to evacuate immediately to avoid airstrikes.
If your browser has Adobe Flash Player installed, click above to play. Otherwise, click below.
China's star TV anchor arrested
7/13/2014 6:30:21 PM
- Rui Chenggang is known for his "big get" interviews and his nationalistic sentiment
- Prosecutors took Rui into custody just before the start of "Economic News"
- Rui's patron Guo Zhenxi was detained in June for allegedly accepting bribes
- Rui's detention is the latest twist in a widening anti-corruption campaign in China
Beijing (CNN) -- In the latest twist of a widening anti-corruption campaign, Chinese authorities have detained a popular and controversial television anchor with the national broadcaster, state media reported.
Rui Chenggang's anchor chair was left empty for Friday night's newscast on China Central Television after prosecutors detained the star journalist shortly before airtime.
It appeared that Rui, known for his "big get" interviews as well as nationalistic sentiment, was taken into custody less than an hour before the start of "Economic News," which his co-anchor presented alone.
Speculation about Rui's troubles began last month when his longtime patron Guo Zhenxi, the head of state-run CCTV's financial news channel, was detained for allegedly accepting bribes. Several other senior figures at the channel were also implicated, the government said.
'Face of New China'
Rui, 37, denied through an assistant last month that he was under investigation. He tweeted at the time to his 10 million followers on Sina Weibo -- China's equivalent of Twitter -- a philosophical conversation between two ancient Zen masters that implied time would eventually clear his name.
State media cited CCTV sources on Saturday as saying that Rui's detention was closely linked to Guo's case, as well as an investigation into his own possible profiting from using CCTV resources.
Rui, who's known for wearing designer suits and driving fast cars, commands more social media followers than any other CCTV personality and has been called the "face of the New China" by his admirers.
His official CCTV bio says he has interviewed hundreds of business and political leaders around the world. The New York Times has profiled him and even the popular American comedy program "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" has featured him in an episode.
Fluent in English, Rui began his broadcast career at CCTV's international service, but his stardom soared under Guo after the young journalist jumped to the network's financial news channel in 2008. An unapologetic self-promoter, he has authored two popular autobiographical books touting his friendship with the world's rich and powerful.
Controversial figure
Rui became a more divisive public figure as his celebrity grew. He successfully led a controversial campaign to kick Starbucks out of Beijing's Forbidden City in 2007, calling the American coffee shop's presence in the historic palace museum an encroachment on Chinese culture.
He grabbed a global spotlight in 2010 when U.S. President Barack Obama said he would give the final question at a news conference in Seoul to South Korean media. "I'm actually Chinese, but I think I get to represent the entire Asia," Rui said before asking a long-winded question on how Obama might prevent his policies from being misinterpreted.
At an economic forum in northeastern China the following year, Rui asked Gary Locke, then the U.S. ambassador to China, a question that some critics called a nationalistic publicity stunt. Others applauded it as a sign of an increasingly confident China standing up to the United States.
"My colleagues told me you flew economy class from Beijing to Dalian," Rui asked Locke. "Was that a reminder that the U.S. still owes China money?"
Locke replied that it was standard government policy for American diplomats and other officials to fly coach.
'Tigers and flies'
Rui's reported detention came on the heels of the downfall of several former high-ranking officials, including a retired top general of the 2 million-strong People's Liberation Army.
Gen. Xu Caihou, a former vice chairman of the Central Military Commission that runs the world's largest standing army, was expelled from the ruling Communist Party and handed over to prosecutors after being found to have accepted bribes, state-run Xinhua news agency reported early this month. Xu was also a member of the Politburo, China's decision-making body, before retiring in 2012.
State media have characterized Xu as a big "military tiger" caught in the massive anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping, who is also the commander in chief. Xi banned official extravagance -- from banquets to year-end gifts -- and vowed to target "tigers and flies" alike in his fight against corruption. He resolved to spare no one, regardless of position. CCTV recently touted the capture of 35 "tigers" since Xi took power less than two years ago.
Zhou Yongkang
Some China watchers have noted ties between an increasing number of disgraced officials and Zhou Yongkang, the former domestic security czar who has been rumored to be under investigation for some time. Guo, the CCTV executive who was Rui's patron, has long been considered belonging to the Zhou faction.
State media have reported official probes into many of Zhou's family members as well as former associates in the domestic security apparatus, state oil industry and southwestern Sichuan province -- three places Zhou once ruled. If he is actually charged, Zhou would become the highest-ranking official ever to face corruption charges in the history of the People's Republic.
Some 182,000 officials were disciplined in 2013, while courts nationwide tried 23,000 corruption cases, according to the Communist Party's disciplinary commission. State media have cited the trial and conviction last year of former high-flying politician Bo Xilai -- which Bo supporters called politically motivated -- as one prime example of Xi's determination to clean up the party.
'Endemic corruption'
Longtime China observers, however, point to the limits of Xi's war on corruption.
"Corruption is so widespread and so endemic that campaigns are just not going to do it," said Frank Ching, a Hong Kong-based commentator and columnist on Chinese politics. "Something has to be done about the system."
"There have been public calls for a law to require officials disclosing their assets. There has been no indication that they are going to do that. In fact, a number of people calling for this law have ended up in prison," Ching said. "I think people will be much more convinced of the seriousness of this anti-corruption campaign if there were a move to enact such a law."
Fire on Rockefeller viewing deck
7/13/2014 10:19:51 PM
- A camera on elevated part of the Rockefeller Center observation deck catches fire
- The blaze sends embers onto six people below, causing minor burns
- Five adults are injured but refuse treatment; one child is transported to the hospital
New York (CNN) -- Six people suffered minor burns after a fire broke out in the observation deck at New York City's Rockefeller Center Sunday night, a fire official said.
A camera on an elevated part of the observation deck caught fire, sending embers falling onto people below, New York City Fire Department spokesman Khalid Baylor said.
Five adults were injured but refused treatment at the scene, and one child was transported to New York Presbyterian Hospital with minor injuries, Baylor said. The blaze was extinguished before firefighters arrived, he said.
The fire took place at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, which houses the headquarters of NBC and the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, a popular tourist attraction.
Deadly clashes at Tripoli airport
7/13/2014 8:56:46 PM
- NEW: National airline announces airport will be closed until July 17
- NEW: Fighting is threatening civilians with violence happening also along airport road
- Brigades from Zintan have controlled the airport since 2011
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Rival Libyan militias battled for Tripoli International Airport on Sunday, leaving nine people dead and 25 others wounded, the government said.
Shelling was threatening civilians as violence stretched along the airport road, which is dotted with residential neighborhoods. All flights in and out of the airport have been suspended.
CNN personnel could hear gunfire and blasts throughout the day. Heavy smoke billowed above the airport.
While the government issued a statement calling for calm, Libya's government is weak and militias outnumber and outgun its security forces. Many of the armed groups are on the state's payroll.
These circumstances make it very difficult for the government to gain control over this latest increasingly volatile and violent situation.
State-run al-Rasmiya television gave the death toll, citing Libya's Health Ministry.
Brigades from the Zintan militia have controlled the airport since the Libyan civil war in 2011. Other militias have tried to wrest control of the airport from the Zintan brigades for years.
Armed vehicles gathered in the area overnight before fighting broke out around dawn Sunday, witnesses said.
"The revolutionary brigades are inside Tripoli International Airport," the Libyan Revolutionaries Operations Room, an Islamist militia in the capital, posted on its Facebook page.
"The revolutionary forces have reached the perimeter of Tripoli International Airport ... clashes with some of the armed groups present there," the group said.
State-owned Afriqiyah Airways said on its official Facebook page that it was diverting some of its international arrivals to the city of Misrata, and that the airport in Tripoli would be closed until July 17.
Late Sunday morning, the sounds of fighting could also be heard in the vicinity of a Zintan base in a western suburb of Tripoli.
Libya's interim government released a statement Sunday that said regional brigades and "field commanders" are carrying out "operations," and they moved on Tripoli Airport with "no order or legitimate cover, coming from different directions ..."
The government is in talks with what the statement called the international community so that lives and "vital installations" are protected. Stop "these acts of war," the statement implored.
A state of emergency in all hospitals and clinics was issued.
Hugh Robertson, the United Kingdom's minister for the Middle East, urges an immediate end to violence at Tripoli International Airport.
Robertson said the violence was "putting the lives of people in the area in grave danger.
"We urge all sides to cease violence immediately and to engage in meaningful dialogue," he said.
In a statement the night before the fighting erupted, the U.S. State Department expressed concern about what it said was the "ongoing violence in Libya and dangerous posturing that could lead to widespread conflict there."
The U.S. renewed its calls for national dialogue in Libya.
Even though Libyans successfully toppled the 42-year rule of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, the country is far from stable. Armed militias are now the biggest challenge.
The international community has largely agreed that the key to resolving Libya's crisis is national dialogue. But a weak central government -- combined with militias split along regional, tribal and ideological lines -- has added to the challenge.
"The United States is deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in Libya and dangerous posturing that could lead to widespread conflict there," the State Department said in a statement Saturday.
"We affirm our support for Libya's democratic transition and urge the seating of the new Council of Representatives as soon as possible," the statement added. "Finally, we stress the vital role Libya's Constitution Drafting Assembly plays in building the new country for which Libyans sacrificed so much during the revolution."
CNN's Holly Yan contributed to this report.
Kerry: Vital Iran doesn't have nukes
7/13/2014 6:27:47 AM
- NEW: Israeli Prime Minister says Iran is obviously trying to build nuclear weapons
- Kerry says U.S. and Germany "great friends" amid spy flap
- Top Iranian official says his country doesn't need to build nuclear weapons
- Kerry says it's vital to ensure "Iran is not going to develop a nuclear weapon"
Kabul (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Austria on Sunday for talks with five other world powers and Iran on Tehran's nuclear program.
The participants will hold a final round of negotiations ahead of a July 20 deadline aimed at reaching a permanent deal on the future of Iran's nuclear program.
"Obviously, we have some very significant gaps still, so we need to see if we can make some progress," Kerry said in the Austrian capital, Vienna. "I really look forward to a very substantive and important set of meetings and dialogues."
The nuclear talks will include the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council -- the U.S., UK, France, China and Russia -- and Germany.
"It is vital to make certain that Iran is not going to develop a nuclear weapon, that their program is peaceful," Kerry said.
Tehran insists its ambitions are peaceful, but the world powers fear it plans to build nuclear weapons.
"We don't see any benefit in Iran developing a nuclear weapon," Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif told NBC's "Meet The Press" from Vienna.
He said Iran has a number of advantages over its neighbors, including "the fact that we have better technology," which Iran doesn't need to augment with nukes.
"I believe nuclear weapons reduces countries' influence in our region," he added. "It doesn't help anybody."
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking on "Fox News Sunday" from Jerusalem, called Zarif's comments a "joke" and a "sham." He said Iran has invested billions into its nuclear program.
"For what? For creating medical isotopes for Iranian patients circling the earth? What are they developing ICBMs for if not for nuclear warheads?" he asked. "What are they developing these -- building these enormous underground nuclear facilities, if not for a nuclear weapon?"
Kerry is expected to meet with Zarif on Sunday night.
Kerry seeks to mend U.S.-German relations
Kerry met Sunday in Vienna with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The encounter came amid a row over fresh spying allegations against the United States.
On Thursday, Germany's government asked America's top spy chief stationed in the country to leave.
This followed the revelation that two Germans -- one working at a German intelligence agency, the other in the Ministry of Defense -- are suspected of spying for the United States.
After Sunday's meeting, Kerry described the relationship between the two countries as "a strategic one. We have enormous political cooperation, and we are great friends and we will continue to work together in the kind of spirit that we exhibited today."
Kerry did not address the spy flap in his public remarks after the meeting, saying instead the conversation focused on Iran and also included Afghanistan and Iraq.
Kerry: Afghanistan election audit coming
Kerry's stop in Austria follows an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, where divisions are growing since the country's contested presidential runoff election.
After his visit, he announced that an audit of the disputed presidential election results will begin within a day in Kabul, and the two candidates will accept its determination of who won.
The inauguration of the new president, originally scheduled for August, will be postponed during the audit of votes cast for Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, Kerry said. Provisional results showed Ghani ahead with roughly 56% support to 43% for Abdullah.
Both candidates have alleged vote fraud and manipulation during the runoff last month.
North Korea 'fires 2 missiles'
7/13/2014 10:09:04 AM
- South Korean official: 2 short-range missiles are fired from North Korea
- South Korea's military is monitoring the situation closely, the official adds
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- North Korea fired two short-range missiles early Sunday towards waters east of the Korean Peninsula, the latest such launch in the tense region, a South Korean official said.
The projectiles were fired at 1:20 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. Sunday (12:20 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday), according to the South Korean defense ministry official. They appear to have flown about 500 kilometers (310 miles).
The official added that South Korea's military is monitoring the situation closely.
North Korea has carried out a series of missile and rocket launches into the sea in recent months, drawing criticism from South Korea, the United States and the United Nations.
South Korea and the United States, especially, have long expressed concerns about both missile launches and that Pyongyang might be moving closer to developing nuclear weapons.
Prior to Sunday, the most recent such launch happened Wednesday morning, according to a South Korean defense ministry official.
North Korea did not declare a no-fly zone prior to the launch, of what was assumed to be short-range ballistic missiles, from North Korea's western Hwanghae Province, the official said. No damage or injures were reported.
North Korea fires missiles into the sea
As South Korea and China get cozy, where does North Korea fit?
Kerry works to avoid Afghan chaos
7/12/2014 1:37:06 PM
- Abdullah says 'today we are happy to announce' the agreement for an audit
- Ghani says he's 'delighted' how 'the candidates will abide by the will of the people'
- Audit of 8 million ballots will take weeks to complete, Kerry says
- Both presidential contenders allege large scale vote fraud in last month's run-off
Kabul (CNN) -- An audit of Afghanistan's disputed presidential election results will begin within a day in Kabul, and the two candidates will accept its determination of who won, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday.
"Make no mistake. These will be the first steps of what will obviously be a hard, difficult process and we will be working hand in hand with both candidates," Kerry said. "In keeping with each of the candidate's request, this audit will be conducted with the highest international standards."
The inauguration of the new president, originally scheduled for the first week of August, will be postponed while the audit of votes cast for Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani is conducted, Kerry said. Both candidates stood beside him.
Kerry announced the brokered deal amid fears the country could descend into chaotic bloodshed. He extended his stay here to deal with the issue.
Abdullah cited how "there were previous challenges in relation to the election, and today we are happy to announce" the agreement for an audit.
Ghani said he was "delighted" by the accord in which "the candidates will abide by the will of the people."
The two candidates clasped hands and raised them for the cameras before leaving.
Ballots cast in the provinces will be brought to Kabul by NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and Afghan national security forces for the audit, Kerry said.
Kerry arrived in Kabul on Thursday for the unannounced visit amid concern over signs of growing division following the country's contested presidential runoff election.
Despite efforts by the Taliban to disrupt the election, about 8 million votes were cast in June 14 balloting and provisional results showed Ghani ahead with roughly 56% support to 43% for Abdullah, according to Afghanistan's Independent Elections Commission.
Both candidates have alleged large-scale vote fraud and manipulation during the runoff last month.
The audit will take weeks to complete, Kerry said.
Roadside bombing
Amid continued insecurity, a civilian vehicle hit a roadside bomb in the Panjwai district of southern Kandahar province on Saturday, killing eight members of one family, including four women, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry. Two children were injured.
Only two days earlier, six members of a mine-removal team were killed and three others were abducted in an ambush by gunmen in western Herat province, a local police official said.
The United States is withdrawing most of its troops by year's end, reducing the primary leverage it has had in Afghanistan. But it still supports the country with billions of dollars in foreign aid.
The international community, which fears a resurgence of the Taliban, is keen to see Afghanistan continue on the path to democracy.
'Critical moment'
The Obama administration says it has no favored candidate but wants to see a credible and transparent process that produces a president who can bring Afghanistan together and govern effectively.
Senior administration officials said Friday that Kerry's meeting with the two candidates had focused on the need to preserve the gains Afghanistan has made over the past 13 years, through a legitimate political transition.
Conversations have focused on two main areas, the officials said: how to address allegations of fraud in a credible manner and restore confidence in the electoral process; and how to ensure political dialogue so the process is inclusive and produces as unified a government as possible.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has been looking into the fraud allegations.
But the senior administration officials stressed that the political process must be Afghan-led.
Although once an ally of President Hamid Karzai, Abdullah has in recent years become an opponent and vocal critic of the Taliban. Ghani, also a former adviser to Karzai and finance minister, was once a U.S. citizen, but he gave up his passport to run for president five years ago.
The International Crisis Group, a nongovernmental organization, said in a news release Friday that Afghanistan had "reached a critical moment in the development of its democratic system." It urged both sides to engage in talks and to accept the outcome of investigations into the fraud allegations.
"The final result will be less important, however, than the way the contest is decided," the group added. "Such periods of transition are a crucial test for a country's institutions. This is a moment when Afghans must hold tight to their constitution and the rule of law, despite political turmoil."
Nuclear talks
After Saturday's meetings in Kabul, Kerry is expected to travel to Vienna, Austria, for talks on Iran's nuclear program.
Iran and six world powers, the United States among them, are engaged in a final round of negotiations ahead of a July 20 deadline aimed at reaching a permanent deal on the future of Tehran's nuclear program.
Tehran insists its ambitions are peaceful, but the world powers fear it has ambitions to build nuclear weapons.
Kerry is due to speak in Vienna with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the senior administration officials said. The foreign ministers' encounter will come amid a row over fresh spying allegations against the United States.
Germany's government on Thursday asked America's top spy chief stationed in the country to leave.
This followed the revelation that two Germans -- one working at a German intelligence agency, the other in the Ministry of Defense -- are suspected of spying for the United States.
Ghani leads Abdullah in Afghan election, officials say
Afghan candidate demands end to vote count, claims fraud
The Afghan voice that won't be silenced
CNN's Jamie Crawford reported from Kabul. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London and Michael Martinez in Los Angeles. CNN's Masoud Popalzai in Kabul contributed to this report.
Plane diverted to island for 'odor'
7/13/2014 6:19:54 PM
- A Boeing 777 plane from Honolulu to Guam is diverted to Midway Island
- A passenger says many got off plane before takeoff because of smell
- "The captain said there was smoke in the cockpit" during flight, she adds
- "I started to gag because of the smell of chemicals," she says
(CNN) -- A harrowing United Airlines flight Friday over the Pacific Ocean was forced to land on remote Midway Island because of what an FAA official said was an electrical odor on board.
The United Airlines plane, carrying 335 passengers and 13 crew on a Boeing 777, was flying from Honolulu to Guam when it was forced to land and spend seven hours on the Pacific atoll, said United spokeswoman Mary Clark. A replacement aircraft later carried everyone back to Hawaii on Friday, she said.
When explicitly asked Saturday whether the disturbing smell was smoke or something burning, Clark described the incident as an odor in the cabin.
A passenger, Karen von Merveldt-Guevara of Sedona, Arizona, said the pilot spoke of smoke and failure to the radar and other systems.
"The captain said there was smoke in the cockpit and the radar failed and other electronic systems were failing, so they had to land. I think they landed old-school. They did an amazing job to get there safely," Merveldt-Guevara said.
"At one point there was one drop of about 40 feet. After that turbulence, it got really silent. I thought everybody was praying, and we were coming in on the wings of faith. We were all praying," Merveldt-Guevara told CNN.
She said an odor emanated even before the plane took off. But the jet took flight any way before being diverted to Midway Island, a U.S. territory known as home to a World War II battle.
United is now investigating the plane, a Boeing 777. The new jetliner is one of the most sophisticated in aviation, Clark said Saturday.
United couldn't comment on further details, such as the purported radar failure, because its investigation is ongoing, Clark said.
Passengers: 'They should not have let us go'
Von-Merveldt said that passengers were told before the flight began that there was an odor in the cockpit.
Some people left the plane, but Merveldt-Guevara decided not to because she was with 25 people traveling together to a big family gathering in Guam.
"I'm just digesting it," she said Sunday in a telephone interview. "I think they should not have let us go from the plane from Honolulu. They told us they had a problem with a smell in the cockpit.
"We had 25 family members on board, and that made me think it was OK to stay," she added.
After all, she thought, her airplane ticket was a last-minute gift given to her a week earlier. "I thought this was godsend, this was meant to be. I was thinking this can't go wrong!" she said.
In fact, the flight takeoff was delayed in Honolulu for three hours, during which the plane sat on the tarmac, she said. "Then they let us go, and I thought it didn't feel right, but hey," she said.
But during the flight while everyone was asleep, Merveldt-Guevara overheard a conversation of a passenger with a flight attendant who said the plane was returning to Honolulu.
"When more people woke up, they made an announcement. I could understand they didn't want mutiny. First we thought it was of a storm hitting Guam. Then the smell got worse in the cabin, and I started to gag because of the smell of chemicals. The attendants were busy. In between they would communicate saying they were busy in the cockpit trying to figure things out," Merveldt-Guevara said.
US Airways crew members fall ill again, forcing second diversion in two weeks
On Midway Island
A video shows people fanning themselves with leafs of paper inside the cabin, apparently after the plane landed.
In the video, a voice on the intercom tells the passengers: "Midway is not an island that has hotels and things. It's just a diversion airport. What they're offering is they have gymnasium here that you can all go to if you like and they have chairs and things. We can put you there until we figure out what exactly is going on. They will open up their stores so you can get something to eat."
The video then displays passengers getting off the plane and walking the tarmac in the middle of the night.
Inside the gym, passengers sat on chairs or rested on the floor.
At the end of the video, the passengers cheered when addressed by a man in the top bleachers. Apparently, they were about to get off the island.
A new flight, 2105, flew the passengers to Guam, where they landed Saturday, Clark said.
FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer described the odor aboard the plane as an "electrical smell" in the cabin or cockpit.
On Sunday, Merveldt-Guevara expressed relief that the journey was over.
"I thought let's just be grateful. Let's savor the moment," she said.
But she said her luggage still hadn't arrived in Guam.
American flight from London forced to sit on Tulsa tarmac after engine issue
Pilot buys pizza for delayed passengers
Evacuation slide deploys midair on United flight
Plane makes unscheduled landing in Phoenix over 'erratic' passenger
CNN's Carma Hassan contributed to this report.
No touchdown for NFL star's horse
7/12/2014 1:08:59 PM
- Wes Welker jets into UK to watch racehorse perform
- Undrafted finishes fourth in Group One Darley July Cup
- Four-year gelding won the $300,000 Jaipur at Belmont Park in June.
Follow us at @WorldSportCNN and like us on Facebook
(CNN) -- The NFL may take over Wembley Stadium -- England's spiritual home of soccer -- every September and October but it was a racecourse that played host to one of gridiron's biggest star's Saturday as Denver Broncos Wes Welker flew in to cheer on his racehorse.
A veteran of three Super Bowls, the 33-year-old wide receiver broke off from pre-season training to attend the Group One Darley July Cup at Newmarket -- an hour east of London -- even taking up bookmaker Paddy Power on a £5,000 ($8,560) Twitter charity bet.
But there was to be no touchdown for Welker on English soil as his 25-1 shot -- named Undrafted -- ridden by jockey Frankie Dettori, finished fourth behind the winner and favorite Slade Power.
NFL superstar @WesWelker has joined us today ahead of his horse #Undrafted's attempt at the Darley #JulyCup. pic.twitter.com/tHkmtD8Azm
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) July 12, 2014 Welker chose the horse's name after he missed out on the draft upon completing college.
While horse racing and soccer have enjoyed a close relationship in some countries -- England internationals Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney have snapped up their own racehorses -- the bonds are less common in U.S. sport.
Welker caught the racing bug through a family friend, taking a small stake in two horses in 2011 and when the opportunity arose he snapped up Undrafted.
"I really enjoy the racing and training aspect because they are very similar to football players," Welker told Britain's Guardian newspaper Friday.
Frankie Dettori aboard @WesWelker's Undrafted this morning on a pre #JulyCup racecourse gallop. #JulyFestival pic.twitter.com/g7M28A77lT
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) July 10, 2014 "They have short careers, and injuries play a huge part, so how you train them and get them ready is very similar to how we train and get ready.
"It's kind of cool to see the similarities between the two athletes."
The four-year old gelding is highly regarded as a fine sprinter and won the $300,000 Jaipur at Belmont Park in June.
Punk rocker Tommy Ramone dies
7/12/2014 8:38:54 AM
- The Ramones are credited with kicking off the punk rock movement
- Their music is fast, loud and cynical, but with an upbeat tune
- They were joined in the new music style by the likes of the Sex Pistols and the Clash
- Tommy Ramone was the last living member of the original band
(CNN) -- Punk rock fuel-injected the beat of rock and roll in the mid-1970s with a frenetic tempo. On Friday, the drummer who gunned out those rhythms with pioneering punk band the Ramones passed away.
Tommy Ramone was 65 and the last living original member of the band, which debuted its first album in 1976. Ramone was also one of the band's composers.
A notice of his death was posted on the band's Facebook page with his age. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame reported that he was 62.
Ramone was reportedly battling cancer when he died.
With their racing-pulse beat and disparaging, cynical lyrics that were combined with oddly florid but loud guitar riffs, the Ramones kicked off a music and counterculture movement in New York that quickly spread to Britain.
It came echoing back from London in variations from groups like the Clash and the Sex Pistols.
Glue-sniffing darkness
Their debut album, "Ramones," left little doubt about the direction of the new rock style with song titles like: "Beat on the Brat," "Chain Saw," "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue."
Not all of their lyrics were dark. Some were playful ruckus, but most of them seemed to come "from a sullen adolescent basement of the mind," as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame put it.
Their head-banging rock cut like a machete into the candy-glazed, infatuated glam pop of the time that was vaulting the band ABBA to Beatles-like elevations. A flock of similar kissable, bell-bottomed groups were riding their coattails.
Then punk rock slammed into the party head-on.
Clashing with glam pop
The Ramones' black leather, torn jeans and canvas sneakers clashed with the rainbow satin, sequins and platform shoes that had overtaken youth culture.
The everyday heroes the Ramones sang about had dumped surfboards and disco gyrations for lives as pogo-ing punk rockers in the urban grit of places like Berlin and New York.
The Ramones were practically the house band of the hole-in-the-wall rock bar CBGB on lower Manhattan's Bowery, a neighbor to skid row. Other American punk and new wave acts like Blondie, the Cramps and Joan Jett joined them there.
The Hall of Fame credits the band with saving rock music "from one of its lowest ebbs."
"The Ramones got back to basics: simple, speedy, stripped-down rock and roll songs. Voice, guitar, bass, drums. No makeup, no egos, no light shows, no nonsense."
Tommy Ramone said the intention was innovation with a statement.
"It wasn't just music in the Ramones: it was an idea. It was bringing back a whole feel that was missing in rock music -- it was a whole push outwards to say something new and different," he said.
Iron Curtain
While his Hall of Fame biography states that Ramone was born Tom Erdelyi in Budapest, Hungary, he was actually born in that city as Erdelyi Tamas, on January 29, 1949, and his name was changed to Tom Erdelyi after he emigrated with his family to the United States in 1957, according to Andy Schwartz, a representative of Ramone's longtime domestic partner, Claudia Tienan.
It was during the morbid wake of World War II, when the Soviet Union was beginning to cement Eastern Europe into a communist bloc.
Some of the Ramones' music reflects that Cold War background with songs like "Blitzkrieg Bop" and the album "Rocket to Russia."
Ramone built his music career on the band but handed over the drum sticks in 1978. In subsequent years, he still drummed, composed and produced for other bands, including the Talking Heads.
But in the decade prior to his death, he didn't play drums for any band, including Uncle Monk, the acoustic duo he formed with Tienan, Schwartz said. Ramone also stopped composing for other artists during this period, Schwartz said.
The other original band members passed away between 2001 and 2004, according to the Hall of Fame.
Joey Ramone, born Jeffrey Hyman, died of cancer in 2001 at age 49.
Dee Dee Ramone, born Douglas Colvin, died from an apparent overdose in 2002 at age 49.
Johnny Ramone, born John Cummings, died of cancer in 2004 at age 52.
People we lost in 2014
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at feedmyinbox.com
If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions
No comments:
Post a Comment