Garissa, Kenya (CNN)Kenyan police have arrested five suspects in connection with Thursday's attack at Garissa University College, Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery said Friday, according to CNN affiliate NTV. Nkaissery told reporters the university will be able to confirm Saturday if everyone has been accounted for. Thursday's attack by al-Shabaab militants killed 147 people, including 142 students, three security officers and two university security personnel. The attack left 104 people injured, including 19 who are in critical condition, Nkaissery said. During search and recovery efforts on Friday, CNN witnessed one male who was not a student hiding under a bed. That male was taken into custody and was being treated as a suspect, sources close to the search told CNN. The find sparked an additional search of the building. Sources said three people, all students, were found alive. A female student was found under a pile of bodies, another female student was hiding in a wardrobe and a male student was hiding in the bathroom, the sources confirmed to CNN. Student Hellen Titus said she survived by fooling the attackers into thinking she was dead. After gunmen shot fellow students, she smeared their blood onto her body to make it seem she'd been shot, too, she told CNN on Friday at a makeshift center for evacuated students. "In the time of shooting," she said, "they skipped me." Most of the victims had been shot from behind, in the back of the head, a medic told CNN. "They're facing down, always," a worker with St. John's ambulance service said Friday. "They're always facing down, and they're shot in the heads, around the back." Al-Shabaab's long, bloody legacy with Kenya . Early Thursday, an explosion and gunfire cut through the morning quiet on the campus about 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Kenya's border with Somalia, tearing many students in dormitories out of their sleep. "Never heard anything like this," journalist Dennis Okari from CNN affiliate NTV tweeted as he watched smoke rising over a student hostel. Al-Shabaab gunmen had first stormed a Christian prayer service, where they killed some and took others hostage. Then they went across campus with them, shooting non-Muslims and sparing Muslims, a witness said. They headed for the hostels. Student Japhet Mwala lay in her bed. "We were sleeping when we heard a loud explosion that was followed by gunshots, and everyone started running for safety," she told Agence France-Presse. Awaking to terror: 'I am lucky to be alive' "There are those who were not able to leave the hostels where the gunmen headed and started firing. I am lucky to be alive because I jumped through the fence with other students," she said. Students ran -- some crawled -- away from the gunfire, Okari said. At one point, the gunmen pinned down a building where 360 students lived, Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery said. Okari took cover outside the campus and listened to explosions and gunfire for four hours. Kenyan security forces moved in and killed four gunmen. Somali terror group Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda affiliate, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Summary: 5 suspects arrested in attack on Kenyan campus, official says . Student tells CNN of smearing herself with blood to escape death . Al-Shabaab gunmen opened fire, and 147 people died .


London (CNN)It wasn't messrs Clooney, Pitt and their nine accomplices who sailed down an elevator shaft and cracked open dozens of safety deposit boxes at a London vault during the Easter weekend. But last weekend's raid in the heart of the city's jewelry district feels like it has been taken from a movie like "Ocean 11" given its daring and planning. Such robberies are rare: the gang didn't follow the current criminal trend of manipulating digits in cyber space but instead went back to basics and committed their burglary in a way not seen in London for more than 40 years. In September 1971, the staff of a bank in Baker Street, central London, arrived at work to find that thieves had dug a 40-yard tunnel from a shop they had rented, hauled in a thermic lance and explosives and opened the strong room. The gang got away with a haul worth around £30 million (the incident later formed the basis of the movie "The Bank Job.") But how are such heists organized? Roy Ramm, a former commander of specialist operations at London's Scotland Yard for 27 years, explains. In the UK burglaries and robberies are often committed by working-class people, people who would otherwise have blue collar jobs. In more than 25 years as a Scotland Yard detective, I never met a Raffles- or a Thomas Crown-style criminal from a middle-class background who had then turned to the hard side of crime. Sophisticated heists like the Hatton Garden raid are generally not a natural progression for burglars who began with smaller domestic break-ins. Many neighborhood criminals commit burglaries to feed drugs habits and acquire long strings of convictions that mean they are always on the police radar. Occasionally, they steal things they can't sell and end up dumping valuable paintings or antiques when they are not able to sell them on quickly. More specialist criminals -- those, for example, who target museums or country houses -- will be very specific and steal only what they know they can quickly convert to untraceable cash. Many of those who commit the bigger crimes or run major criminal enterprises combine high IQs with a kind of raw street intelligence. One of their skills is the ability to recognize a criminal opportunity when it presents itself, possibly from a source of inside information. Probably the biggest difference between any heist you'll see in a movie and its real-life equivalent is the motive. I've never encountered any criminal who committed a high value crime just for the challenge or to prove that it could be done. The only reason has been for the money, often to support a certain lifestyle and to fund other criminal enterprises. Inside information is one way of identifying a criminal opportunity, using people who are able to provide that crucial detail or who will participate in some small way to facilitate the crime. The Brinks MAT robbery in 1983 -- a case which I was involved in at the time -- saw a criminal gang escape with gold bullion worth more

Summary: Police in London are trying to catch the gang which staged a multi-million heist during the Easter vacation . Former police commander: Such crimes require meticulous planning and use of information by criminals . The masterminds behind such complicated crimes carefully assemble their gangs with men they can trust .


(CNN)If you were mourning the loss of a loved one in China, at least the entertainment might have cheered you up. Until now. In rural China, hiring exotic dancers to perform at wakes is an increasingly common practice, but is now the latest focus of the country's crackdown on vice. Strippers are invited to perform at funerals, often at great expense, to attract more mourners, China's official Xinhua news agency said. Another report suggested another motivation: that the performances "add to the fun." Photos obtained by CNN from an attendee at a village funeral in Cheng'an County in Hebei Province show mourners of all ages, including children, watching the performance. The attendee, who asked not to be identified, said he was visiting family during the Lunar New Year holiday. While he was there, one of the elderly villagers died so he went to the funeral. "I felt something wasn't right," he told CNN. "The performance crossed the line. I had heard about hiring strippers to dance at funerals but had never seen it myself. I was shocked when I saw the strippers." He said the villagers said this kind of performance had been practiced for a while. "They didn't find it shocking or strange. They were used to it. "They told me, 'what if we can't watch (this kind of) performance after it gets exposed by the media?'" In some areas of China, the hiring of professional mourners, known as "kusangren" is commonplace. These can include performances, although in recent times the dance acts have increasingly tended towards the erotic. China's Ministry of Culture issued a statement Thursday announcing a crackdown on these funeral stripteases. It said that the ministry had investigated two separate incidents, one in Handan City, Hebei Province, and the other in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province. Both involved multiple-participant "burlesque" and "striptease" shows as mourners looked on. The Ministry's report said that stripteases undermined "the cultural value of the entertainment business," and asserted that "such acts were uncivilized." The practice has been going on for some time, the report said. Exotic dancing and other forms of pornography are illegal in China. The dancers in the two cases were held in "administrative detention" following the two investigations, the report added. The Ministry of Culture did not respond to CNN requests for comment. Last year, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security ordered police across China to step up efforts to tackle the "three vices" -- prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking -- warning officials they would be held accountable for illegal activities. In February 2014, a massive crackdown on prostitution in the southern manufacturing city of Dongguan, dubbed "Sin City" for its huge vice industry, raided 2,000 establishments and detained more than 900 people.

Summary: Funeral strippers in rural China are the latest focus of the country's crackdown on vice . In some areas of China, the hiring of professional mourners is commonplace, but some performances are getting racy . Government report says that stripteases undermine "the cultural value of the entertainment business"


(CNN)Bring your own beaker, goblet or vase and slurp it up. 7-Eleven is hosting the first Bring-Your-Own-Cup Slurpee Day at United States stores from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday to kick off peak Slurpee season. This shot at brain freeze isn't free, but customers at participating stores can fill their "cup" of choice for $1.49, the average cost of a medium Slurpee. Note: A garbage can is not a cup. In-store displays with a 10-inch-diameter hole will rule out anything too ridiculously large for Slurpee consumption, and cups must be sanitary. But within those parameters, pretty much anything goes: . "From sand buckets to trophies, customers can unleash their creativity by bringing in their choice of a unique, fun Slurpee cup," said Laura Gordon, 7‑Eleven's vice president of marketing and brand innovation, in a statement. The promotion isn't to be confused with Free Slurpee Day, traditionally celebrated each July 11.

Summary: Bring your own large "cup" for a $1.49 7-Eleven Slurpee . Any sanitary container less than 10 inches in diameter is fair game .


(CNN)Every day, images of war and conflict are splashed across our desktops, plastered on our TV screens and scattered through our mobile news feeds. Because of that, one's response to such imagery often becomes calloused or desensitized. This concept of "how we digest images of war through mainstream media outlets," was what drove photographer Simon Brann Thorpe to begin his project "Toy Soldiers." This idea to create a fresh perspective drove him into the desert of Western Sahara, a long-disputed region of northwestern Africa. Thorpe uses the area's harsh landscape as a powerful backdrop for soldiers posed as green plastic figurines -- similar to the popular toys that many children play with. The soldiers are with the Polisario Front, an independence movement that has been clashing with Morocco over the region since the mid-1970s. Thorpe said his project enables "the creation of a visual metaphor from which a viewer develops their own emotional, physical and political response to war and conflict, when faced with the realization that the images do not contain toy soldiers but real soldiers." Thorpe's background was not in photojournalism, but in landscape photography, which lends to his powerful placement of the soldiers in the desert -- not to mention that all the locations chosen are historic locations of battles between Morocco and the Polisario Front. "The conflict in Western Sahara receives virtually zero coverage despite 2015 being the 40th anniversary of the outbreak of war there," Thorpe said. After a ceasefire in 1991, the people of Western Sahara have been living in a state of non-resolution. The people are split into two camps -- those living in Moroccan-occupied territory, and those in refugee camps in Algeria. Social media . Follow @CNNPhotos on Twitter to join the conversation about photography. Thorpe had to get clearance to work with the Polisario Front military and also had to be cautious of how many troops he moved about at one time -- otherwise he would have needed permission from the United Nations. He usually worked with about 50 or 60 soldiers at a time. The autumn months did not offer much reprieve from the long hours in the sweltering desert sun. Thorpe would work with the troops' commander to position the men, then climb atop sandy mountains with his wide-angle lens and capture these striking images. They would work till dusk and then spend the night under the stars. Not only were the soldiers willing participants for this project, but they also helped construct the platforms they stood on. Thorpe said they were made out of old oil drums. After the elaborate five-week production, Thorpe hopes his images will raise questions on "how images of war (will) be consumed in the future with ever-diminishing attention spans and competition for them." Simon Brann Thorpe's "Toy Soldiers" book is available for pre-order through Dewi Lewis Publishing. You can follow Thorpe on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Summary: Simon Brann Thorpe's project makes real-life soldiers resemble toy soldiers . He shot the images in Western Sahara, a disputed region of northwestern Africa .


(CNN)When I was elected to the Kentucky State Senate in 1967, I became the first woman and the first person of color to serve in the body. Five decades later, I find it almost unfathomable that a politician from my own state is attempting to launch his presidential campaign on a record that includes questioning landmark voting rights and civil rights legislation. But that is what Rand Paul, who today declared he's running for president of the United States, is doing. His campaign team told reporters last week that his campaign announcement message would be about "expanding the Republican Party" -- a message of inclusion. But those of us listening today who he is hoping to include, heard nothing more than hype. I'm not buying it. Since coming to the U.S. Senate, Paul has tried to sell himself as a different type of Republican. He's tried to brand himself as the GOP's minority outreach candidate. The problem for Paul, and the GOP at large, is that they don't back up their words with their policies. Yes, it's about time that Republicans started seriously considering the fact that black voters are an important piece of the electoral puzzle. But they can't actually appeal to the community unless they have a real commitment to the issues facing minority communities. A quick survey of Sen. Paul's positions makes clear that he does not. Paul kicked off his announcement speech in Louisville by declaring "I have a message that is loud and clear: We have come to take our country back." I have no doubt that under Paul's leadership, he would indeed take our country back -- in the wrong direction -- way back to a time when we were debating the Civil Rights Act -- which Paul has done since landing on the national stage; when there was no Department of Education -- a department he thinks "should be done away with;" when women didn't have choices -- choices Paul seeks to limit in Washington; when DREAMers weren't protected from deportation -- protections Paul currently opposes. In his inept speaking engagements at historically black colleges and universities, he has come across as condescending and lacking basic cultural competency. But Paul has also questioned the Civil Rights Act, and even claimed that private business owners have a right to discriminate. When asked about the need for a more robust Voting Rights Act following the Supreme Court's dismantling of the law, Paul dismissively remarked, "We have an African-American President." When President Obama stood with John Lewis and other veterans of the civil rights movement in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge last month to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, he inspired us all by saying: "With effort, we can roll back poverty and the roadblocks to opportunity. ... With effort, we can protect the foundation stone of our democracy for which so many marched across this bridge -- and that is the right to vote." America is better -- and we solve more problems -- with more democracy, not less. Unfortunately Rand Paul has demonstrated

Summary: Georgia Powers: Rand Paul, running for president, would like minorities to think he's an advocate. His record on rights shows otherwise . On civil rights, women's choice, voting rights, immigrant DREAMers, education, he has shown he'd take country backwards, she says .


(CNN)Monty Python in a movie? What a silly idea. But the timing was right for the gang of British comedians (along with their token American, Terry Gilliam), who were looking to hit the big screen after four seasons of "Monty Python's Flying Circus," their groundbreaking British TV series. "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," which premiered 40 years ago Thursday, was the result. The movie, a spoof of the Arthurian legend, did not start auspiciously. The budget was small -- about $400,000, half of it supplied by rock stars, including Genesis and Pink Floyd. On the first day of filming in Scotland -- the first shot, in fact -- the camera broke. The weather was bad. The hotel was dismal. Python member Graham Chapman was suffering from alcohol withdrawal. It got better. On the day of its first American screening in New York, a thousand people were in line by 8 a.m. Thanks to the popularity of "Python" on American TV, the movie was a box-office hit, making $5 million -- more than 10 times its budget. More importantly, it soon became a comedy classic. The dialogue alone has been widely quoted, with such lines as "It's just a flesh wound" and "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries" referenced on shows such as "The Simpsons," "Game of Thrones" and "The Blacklist." Python member Eric Idle turned the film into the Tony-winning Broadway play "Spamalot." The troupe ended up making three movies -- well, four, if you count "And Now for Something Completely Different," five if you include "Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl," five-and-a-half if you allow "The Rutles," six if you ... well, three. We'll say three. Is there a best one? Where should you start? Let's break them down: . From its dramatic opening credits featuring fake-Swedish subtitles to the adventures of Sir Launcelot ("the boldest and most expensive of the knights"), weighted-bird computations and sudden animator heart attacks, "Holy Grail" is probably the loosest and most Python-esque of the Python oeuvre. As a movie with a plot and character and all that movie nonsense, it falls short -- but as a repository for some of Python's best gags, it remains perhaps the best (and certainly most quotable) of the bunch. Besides, it features the word "shrubbery." " 'Grail' is a bit like 'A Hard Day's Night,' " Idle observed in the Pythons' autobiography. "It's got a joie de vivre that's very infectious, it's very hard not to like." Pros: The dialogue. The Black Knight. The Knights Who Say "Ni." Cons: It's sometimes sloppy. And it doesn't really have an ending. Verdict: Better than a cheese shop full of ex-parrots. Probably Python's most consistent movie, "Life of Brian" is the story of a guy born down the road from Jesus who finds himself hailed as a messiah and ends up crucified. It was a satire on organized religion, first-century politics and zealotry -- one of the best bits is the ongoing argument between "the People's Front of Judea" and "the Judean People's Front" --

Summary: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" celebrates 40 years Thursday . The 1975 film is considered a comedy classic . Troupe made three movies together, not including concert works and compilations .


(CNN)What was supposed to be a fantasy sports car ride at Walt Disney World Speedway turned deadly when a Lamborghini crashed into a guardrail. The crash took place Sunday at the Exotic Driving Experience, which bills itself as a chance to drive your dream car on a racetrack. The Lamborghini's passenger, 36-year-old Gary Terry of Davenport, Florida, died at the scene, Florida Highway Patrol said. The driver of the Lamborghini, 24-year-old Tavon Watson of Kissimmee, Florida, lost control of the vehicle, the Highway Patrol said. He was hospitalized with minor injuries. Petty Holdings, which operates the Exotic Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway, released a statement Sunday night about the crash. "On behalf of everyone in the organization, it is with a very heavy heart that we extend our deepest sympathies to those involved in today's tragic accident in Orlando," the company said. Petty Holdings also operates the Richard Petty Driving Experience -- a chance to drive or ride in NASCAR race cars named for the winningest driver in the sport's history. CNN's Vivan Kuo and Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report.

Summary: The crash occurred at the Exotic Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway . Officials say the driver, 24-year-old Tavon Watson, lost control of a Lamborghini . Passenger Gary Terry, 36, died at the scene .


(CNN)The "Star Wars" universe keeps on expanding. Details of the plot for 2016's "Star Wars: Rogue One" were revealed during a panel at Star Wars Celebration fan festival Sunday in Anaheim, California. Director Gareth Edwards ("Godzilla") showed an early teaser for the movie and revealed plot details for the "Star Wars" anthology film (the term Disney prefers instead of "spinoff"), starring Felicity Jones. The movie will take place in between "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and "Episode IV: A New Hope" (known to many as the first "Star Wars" movie from 1977). A group of rebels go on a rogue mission to steal plans for the Death Star. Jones will play a rebel soldier. The movie won't begin shooting until this summer so the footage shown in the teaser -- including a glimpse of the Death Star -- won't necessarily appear in the finished product. Edwards told the crowd that Jones is a "Star Wars" fan and dropped everything to take on the lead role. Producer Kathleen Kennedy said "Rogue One" was one of the first pitches she received after becoming president of Lucasfilm in 2012, and she could not turn it down. It was one of the final events at Celebration, where fans gather to talk about "Star Wars," dress in costumes, look for rare "Star Wars" merchandise and learn about future projects for the franchise. The convention kicked off with the well-received trailer for this year's "The Force Awakens." Costumes and props from that movie also were on display. Anything bearing the movie logo was a hot item for collectors. Tens of thousands are expected to have attended the event when all is said and done. "Rogue One" is scheduled to hit theaters December 16, 2016.

Summary: The plot focuses on a rogue mission to steal plans for Death Star . Felicity Jones will star as a rebel soldier .


(CNN)UNICEF said Friday that an initial shipment of 16 tons of medical supplies, meant to help 80,000 innocents caught up in the havoc of Yemen, had at last landed in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. The conflict is exacting a heavy toll on children and families, UNICEF said in a statement. "The humanitarian situation is worsening all the time, with increasingly limited access to water, basic sanitation and critical health services," the statement quoted UNICEF Yemen representative Julien Harneis, speaking from Amman, Jordan, as saying. "The supplies we have managed to bring in today can make the difference between life and death for children and their families -- but we know they are not enough, and we are planning more of these airlifts." Aid agencies have been saying that supplies were desperately needed, but getting them into the country in the midst of regional turmoil was difficult. UNICEF said its cargo included antibiotics, bandages, syringes, IV sets and other medical supplies. Included as well, the agency said, were micronutrients for up to 20,000 children and water storage materials airlifted through Djibouti from UNICEF's supply center in Denmark. Also Friday, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said that about 900 refugees from Yemen have arrived in the Horn of Africa. Many more are reportedly trying to make the trip but are hampered by fuel shortages and high fees by boat operators. "UNHCR is extremely concerned about the dangers for anyone trying to flee across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where there are no search and rescue operations," the agency said in a statement. "Last year, 246 lives were reported lost in sea crossings to Yemen. UNHCR appeals to all ships in the area to be extra vigilant and assist any boats in distress. We also ask that countries with vessels in waters near Yemen -- including surveillance and anti-piracy vessels -- instruct their ships to help with rescues." It said that, as demand increases, the boats attempting the dangerous crossing are likely to become more crowded -- a crossing that has historically been made in the other direction, by people fleeing Africa in favor of Yemen . Many Yemenis are attempting the trip in rickety fishing boats. One family told CNN the crossing was "a window into hell." And underscoring the increasing toll being exacted by the conflict in Yemen, the World Health Organization said Friday that at least 643 people have been killed in the country since the fighting escalated three weeks ago. But it acknowledged that the number was almost certainly an underestimate. "As of 6 April 2015 there have been a total of 643 deaths and 2,226 injuries," the WHO, the health arm of the United Nations, said in a statement. "Casualty estimates are likely to change in the coming days as additional cases are verified and reported." The figures cover the period from March 19 to April 6. They include, however, only deaths and injuries verified by a health facility. Other deaths and injuries have undoubtedly occurred. Security in the country, which is on the Arabian Peninsula, deteriorated sharply

Summary: U.N. agency says 900 refugees from Yemen have arrived in Horn of Africa, asks ships in area to be vigilant . WHO: At least 643 people have been killed, more than 2,000 injured in three weeks . UNICEF: Aid includes medical supplies for up to 80,000 people and more airlifts are planned .


(CNN)Mike Rowe is coming to a river near you. "Sometimes, you hear about a person who makes you feel good about humanity, but bad about yourself," Rowe says. On Thursday's episode of "Somebody's Gotta Do It," Rowe meets up with Chad Pregracke, the founder of Living Lands & Waters, who does just that. Pregracke wants to clean up the nation's rivers one piece of detritus at a time. His quota? Always "more." Read Mike Rowe's Facebook post on how to break our litter habit. Since he founded the nonprofit in 1998 at the ripe age of 23, Pregracke and more than 87,000 volunteers have collected 8.4 million pounds of trash from U.S. waterways. Those efforts helped him earn the 2013 CNN Hero of the Year Award, along with numerous other honors. "Wherever you are, no matter if there's a stream, a creek, a lake, whatever, that needs to be cleaned up, you can do it. Just organize it and do it," he told CNN's Anderson Cooper after his win. Pregracke also gives Rowe a tour of the 150-foot, solar-powered barge that the Living Lands & Waters staff calls home during lengthy cleanups. The part-home, part-office, part-dumpster has seven bedrooms, two bathrooms, a classroom and a kitchen -- and just happens to be made from a recycled strip club. According to the organization's latest annual report, Pregracke has made it his mission in 2015 to remove 500,000 more pounds of trash. If you'd like to help achieve this goal, visit his website to learn how to help: LivingLandsAndWaters.org/Get-Involved/ .

Summary: Chad Pregracke was the 2013 CNN Hero of the Year . Mike Rowe visited Pregracke for an episode of "Somebody's Gotta Do It"


(CNN)Prison life won't be pretty for Aaron Hernandez, the former NFL player and convicted murderer sentenced to life without parole. After correction officers evaluate him, he will be shipped to Massachusetts' flagship maximum-security prison, one of the most high-tech jails in the United States with no history of breakouts: the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, about 40 miles outside downtown Boston. It's called Souza, for short, and it's the state's newest prison, opened in 1998, with a matrix of 366 cameras recording live 24 hours a day and a microwave detection perimeter with taut wire. "I don't know the date, but he'll be going there. That's the maximum-security facility," Department of Corrections spokesman Darren Duarte said. Legal advocates for inmates describe Souza as sterile and violent at once. Its diverse demographic includes the young and the old, many of whom are also doing life. One stubborn problem is that opiates are smuggled to inmates, the legal advocates said. "It's very shiny and clean looking and very sterile," said Leslie Walker, executive director of Prisoners' Legal Services of Massachusetts, who has been visiting the Souza prison about every six weeks for the past 15 years and serves indigent prisoners there. But, she added: "It is a very dangerous prison that is right now experiencing a veritable flood of opiates." Officials said Hernandez, 25, is being processed at the maximum-security Massachusetts Correctional Institution-Cedar Junction in Walpole, just a handful of miles from Gillette Stadium, where he once played tight end for the New England Patriots under a five-year $40 million contract. The prison system has yet to determine where to initially place Hernandez in Souza: solitary confinement; the less harsh but restricted block; the general population; a privileged section known as the "lifers block," for those serving a life sentence; or the "kitchen block," for those who work in the prison kitchen. "At this point in time, we will figure out where he belongs in the population once the processing of Hernandez is complete," Duarte said. "Right now, he'll be treated like a regular inmate when he walked into the door, but they will figure all that out." Hernandez was sent immediately for processing after Wednesday's sentencing and jury conviction, Duarte said. A news outlet helicopter followed Hernandez's transfer to MCI Cedar Junction. Prison officials will be concerned about Hernandez's safety and whether any enemies, gangs or headline-seeking inmates will try to hurt Hernandez, who will become Souza's most famous resident. "There could be prisoners with a beef who are out to get him," Walker said. "Then he's going to have to be separated, and it's going to be challenging for prison officers and perhaps for him. "The good news is that the superintendent of Souza-Baranowski is very smart and thorough and a decent human being, who I'm sure will do everything he can to keep Mr. Hernandez safe," Walker added. "The person at the top sets the tone. He's fairly new and he's doing everything he can to make sure the prison is as safe as possible." That superintendent, Osvaldo Vidal, couldn't be

Summary: Aaron Hernandez will serve life in Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center outside Boston . Souza opened in 1998 and is one of the most high-tech jails in the United States . It's also "dangerous," "sterile" and "violent," a legal advocate for inmates says .


(CNN)It took prosecutors months to present 131 witnesses to support their claim that former NFL star Aaron Hernandez killed semi-pro player Odin Lloyd. On Monday, Hernandez's defense gave its side of the story, wrapping up its witnesses in less than a day. Hernandez, 25, is on trial for the shooting death of Lloyd, whose body was found in a Massachusetts industrial park in June 2013. Now that the defense has rested, it won't be long before the jury begins deliberating. Much of the evidence in the former New England Patriots' case is circumstantial. Here are some key points jurors will have to consider after each side makes closing arguments on Tuesday: . As news spread that Hernandez was under investigation in June 2013, Patriots owner Robert Kraft called in the tight end for a meeting two days after Lloyd's death. "He said he was not involved," Kraft testified last week. "He said he was innocent, and that he hoped that the time of the murder incident came out because he said he was in a club." There's only one potential problem with that claim: The time Lloyd was killed hadn't been made public yet by the time Hernandez met with Kraft. So how could Hernandez have known when Lloyd was killed? "What a great, great witness for the prosecution," CNN legal analyst Mel Robbins said. "Basically what happened is Aaron Hernandez lied to his boss. And the only way you rebut it is if you put him on the stand." When questioned by a defense attorney, Kraft said that he'd never had any problems with Hernandez and that the player was always respectful to him. Hernandez's fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, revealed for the first time last week that Hernandez told her to dispose of a box from the couple's home that she said reeked of marijuana. She also said she didn't know what was in the box. That revelation may contradict the prosecution's contention that the weapon used in the killing was in the box. The murder weapon in the case has not been recovered. During cross-examination by the defense, Jenkins testified that she suspected marijuana because the box smelled "skunky." Earlier, she told prosecutors during direct examination that she didn't know what was in the box. She said Hernandez never told her, and she never looked. After concealing the box with her daughter's clothing, Jenkins said she threw it away in "a random dumpster" but could not remember exactly where. Much testimony has focused on the shoes Hernandez wore the night Lloyd was shot. A Nike consultant testified that Hernandez was wearing Nike Air Jordan Retro 11 Lows. About 93,000 pairs of that shoe were made, significantly fewer in a size 13. The shoe's sole makes a distinct impression, said Lt. Steven Bennett of the Massachusetts State Police. The consultant testified under questioning from defense attorney Jamie Sultan that other Nike shoes -- more than 3 million -- make the same impression. Yet Bennett, who works in crime scene services, testified that the footprint left near Lloyd's body was "in agreement" or

Summary: Closing arguments in the case are set for Tuesday . Aaron Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Odin Lloyd . His defense lawyers made their case on Monday .


Washington (CNN)Judge Jeffrey Sutton doesn't have a lot of company on the appeals courts these days. Sutton, who sits on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, penned the only recent appellate court decision to uphold state bans on same-sex marriage. His opinion, issued in November, goes up against an avalanche of judicial rulings striking down such bans. The split helped pave the way for the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case on Tuesday that could ultimately decide whether gay and lesbian couples nationwide have a constitutional right to marry. And it provides important insight into the legal arguments that could be made before the court by states seeking to uphold bans at a time when the national sentiment is quickly shifting in favor of same-sex marriage. "It's an ideal piece of judicial craftsmanship," said Ryan T. Anderson of the Heritage Foundation, who believes that state bans on same-sex marriage are constitutional. Sutton "more or less takes each and every argument that the other side has made, and then one by one by one, he explains why it doesn't work." Critics call the opinion an outlier and don't believe it will carry much weight, considering the number of courts that have overturned same-sex marriage bans in the nearly two years since the Supreme Court struck down the core of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. "Judge Sutton's opinion stands alone," said Jon W. Davidson, legal director of Lambda Legal, a gay rights advocacy group. Sutton, 54, is the former state solicitor for Ohio, where he handled appeals for the state's attorney general. He clerked for Justices Antonin Scalia and Lewis Powell -- Scalia once called Sutton "one of the very best law clerks I ever had." Appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush, Sutton is considered a conservative jurist with a keen interest in states' rights. Here are the central arguments from his opinion that states seeking to uphold their same-sex marriage bans are expected to echo on Tuesday. It is "dangerous and demeaning," Sutton wrote, to the citizenry to assume that only judges "can fairly understand" the arguments for and against same-sex marriage. "Isn't the goal to create a culture in which a majority of citizens dignify and respect the rights of minority groups?" he asked in the opinion joined by Judge Deborah L. Cook, also a Bush appointee. Critics such as Davidson have roundly condemned such reasoning. "The people don't get to decide what the Constitution safeguards," Davidson said. "They don't get to vote to violate the Constitution." Sutton pointed to the drafters and their views of the 14th Amendment. "Nobody in this case," he wrote, "argues that the people who adopted the Fourteenth Amendment understood it to require the States to change the definition of marriage." It's an argument made to enforce the idea that there is no fundamental right to marriage for same-sex couples in the Constitution. "From the founding of the Republic to 2003, every state defined marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman," he wrote, noting that

Summary: Avalanche of appellate rulings have struck down state bans on same-sex marriage . Judge Jeffrey Sutton is behind only recent appellate decision to uphold such state bans . "Judge Sutton's opinion stands alone," says official with gay rights advocacy group .


(CNN)The next time you fly to see Grandma in Florida, look down. The next time you take the kids on a pilgrimage to see the talking mouse or head down to South Beach for some sun/sin, get a window seat and spend the moments before landing contemplating the seemingly endless swamp below. Because there are few places that represent the folly of man -- and the cost of redemption -- like the Everglades. On approach into Miami or Orlando, it just looks like squishy wasteland full of things that want to hurt you: snakes and scorpions, rats and roaches, gators and mosquitoes. (A researcher once caught 365,000 bloodthirsty bugs in a single trap in a single night.) As you drive along the Tamiami Trail, it just looks like endless sawgrass, the kind that feels like walking through broken glass. "Too wet to farm, too dry to sail, too unpredictable to settle," as Michael Grunwald put it in his definitive history, "The Swamp." And so, a century ago, some American dreamers decided to drain the swamp. They decided to conquer that uninhabitable frontier known as Florida. And long before air conditioning, bug spray and Social Security helped seal that vision, the Army Corps of Engineers blasted and dug 2,000 miles of dams and dikes, ditches and pipes. They did a hell of a job. A watershed built for 2 million people now supports nearly 8 million, and another 50 million tourists each year. But what they didn't know is that without this swamp, there can be no "good life" in Florida. There can be no life. After a century of development, half the Everglades is dead and the other half is on life support. This is a problem, not just for the gators and snakes. It is a problem for the eagles, panthers, snails, dolphins, hawks, manatees, flamingos, vase sponges, black bears and ghost orchids that make up the most unique, diverse wetlands in the world. And most of all, it is a problem for people. Because most of the drinking water in South Florida comes from the aquifers beneath the Everglades. This 2 million-acre river of grass is not only the best form of hurricane protection, it also supports the multibillion-dollar fishing, shrimping and crabbing industries around the Florida Keys. What was once a slow-moving river of gin-clear water became so sluggish and toxic in the 1990s that most of the life in Florida Bay was wiped out -- and America woke up. Fifteen years after then-Gov. Jeb Bush smiled as Bill Clinton signed the most ambitious wildlife reclamation plan in history, the same Army Corps of Engineers that was ordered to rip the Everglades apart is now under orders to help it heal, to the tune of $13 billion as part of a larger congressional restoration plan. That story hook is what drew me here for the final episode of our first season of "The Wonder List." To be honest, as a veteran of a few ho-hum airboat rides, I came with really low expectations. But this place, more than any

Summary: The Everglades were drained a century ago and are now being restored . "The Wonder List" season finale takes places in the Everglades .


(CNN)Last month Wu Rongrong was taken into custody for planning to protest on International Women's Day against sexual harassment in China. Since then, the Chinese authorities have formally detained her and four other activists for "creating disturbances." They also briefly detained some of the activists' supporters, raided a prominent nongovernmental organization that called for their release, and have at points denied some of the women access to medical treatment, lawyers and adequate rest. The fate of the five will be revealed by April 13, as their case reaches the legal time limit when they must either be released or "formally arrested," which almost always leads to conviction in China's legal system. The timing of the detentions of China's most inventive women's rights activists is ironic: Not only did they take place on the very day that marks women's achievements and their struggle for equality, but they also come in a year in which Beijing would have won praise for its role in promoting women's rights. It appears poised to adopt its first and long-awaited anti-domestic violence law, which is expected to get a reading before the National People's Congress Standing Committee this summer. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the influential Fourth World Conference on Women hosted in Beijing, during which Hillary Clinton famously declared that "women's rights are human rights." I first met Wu at a conference several years ago, at a time when there were very few women in China's weiquan or "rights defense" movement. It was common back then for male colleagues to publicly address them as "babes" or "little sisters," even in professional—and ostensibly progressive—settings. As women's rights activists, Wu and others fight on two fronts: against overt rights violations by the Chinese government and against the wider gender norms that relegate women to second-class citizens. By the time we met again two years later, Wu and her young "direct-action" feminist colleagues were clearly off and running. They staged small, public "performance art" protests that attracted media headlines, energized the more mainstream and academically inclined women's rights movement, and pushed women's rights into the national consciousness and onto the government's agenda. Wu had an upbringing typical of her times. She comes from the countryside, which for many has changed beyond recognition within their lifetimes. In recent decades the economy has soared, but her generation is confronting the unhappy consequences of unchecked growth: pollution, unsafe foods and growing inequality between rich and poor. Like many parents, she worries about how to find untainted milk powder for her infant boy, and whether to keep her child with her in the city or to send him to his grandparents in the countryside for a quieter, safer upbringing. Many in Wu and her colleagues' generation are clear-eyed about the problems of China's development model, and some want to address those. Wu joined Yirenping, a nonprofit organization that promotes social equality, whether it is between sexes or among people with and without disabilities, and later founded the women's rights organization Hangzhou Women Center. And it is in Yirenping that she became

Summary: Maya Wang: 5 women held by China authorities after planning International Women's Day protests on sex harassment remain detained . She says in a year when country poised to adopt anti-domestic violence law, Beijing also sending chilling message on women's activism .


(CNN)About 150,000 years ago -- give or take 20,000 -- a guy fell into a well. Last month he made science history. The Altamura Man became the oldest Neanderthal to have his DNA extracted by researchers. It took them more than 20 years to get around to doing it. Scientists in southern Italy have known about him since 1993, when spelunkers spied his skull staring blankly back at them from its nook in the Lamalunga cave, deep under the town of Altamura. The cave explorers told researchers at the University of Bari what they'd found, according to their report published in March in the Journal of Human Evolution and Phys.org. Altamura Man's intact skull and jumbled pile of bones made for a great specimen, but they were wedged into a panoply of stalactites and stony globules deposited by water dripping over them for tens of thousands of years. Researchers decided not to rescue the bones for fear that trying to ease them out of the cave's calcified grip would shatter them and ruin Altamura Man. So, they left him forever a cave man. Calcite pebbles line the Neanderthal's eye sockets, nose bone and an upper jaw like a hundred decorative piercings. Analysis of the calcite has shown the bones to be 128,000 to 187,000 years old. Scientists believe Altamura Man wound up in the cave at least that long ago after falling into a prehistoric well, then died in the caverns at its bottom of thirst or hunger. Recently, researchers made an exception, and toted off a chip from his right shoulder blade to the lab. Metrics taken of his skeleton confirm Altamura Man was a Homo neanderthalensis. He will spend perhaps endless eons glaring silently out of his cranny in the world's most secluded spot, or, as Altamura's archeological museum describes it, "in the corner of a small cavity situated between the ground and the back wall." The scientists hope they will be able to sequence his DNA, to find out more about the evolution of all hominids -- including us. And to hear some of Altamura Man's story about life in Neanderthals' early days in Europe, before he happened to stumble into that darned hole.

Summary: Scientists in southern Italy have known about him since 1993 . Researchers worried that rescuing the bones would shatter them .


(CNN)The story of Anthony Stokes was supposed to have a happy ending. Instead it ended Tuesday, police say, with the teen heart transplant recipient carjacking someone, burglarizing a home, shooting at an elderly woman, leading police on a high speed chase and then dying after his car hit a pole. In 2013, the teen's family told media that an Atlanta hospital rejected him for heart transplant surgery due to what the hospital described in a letter as Stokes' "history of non-compliance." At the time, Mark Bell was acting as a Stokes family spokesman. Bell told CNN that a doctor told the family that Anthony's low grades and time in juvenile detention factored into the hospital's decision to deny him a heart. "The doctor made the decision that he wasn't a good candidate because of that," Bell said then. "I guess he didn't think Anthony was going to be a productive citizen." About a week after Stokes' story made headlines, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta gave him a heart. On Tuesday, Stokes carjacked someone at a mall, kicked in the door of a home in Roswell, Georgia, and fired a shot at an elderly woman, who called 911, said Roswell police spokeswoman Lisa Holland. Stokes drove away in a black SUV, she said. Police spotted the car and ran its plates which showed it had been stolen. Police chased the vehicle. Stokes lost control of the car, hit a pedestrian and then a pole, Holland said. The vehicle was nearly halved, she said. The pedestrian is stable and in good condition, according to CNN affiliate WSB. Stokes died at a hospital, Holland said. In 2013, Stokes' family provided media with a letter they said was from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. "Anthony is currently not a transplant candidate due to having a history of noncompliance, which is one of our center's contraindications to listing for heart transplant," it read. Assessing compliance for potential transplant recipients is important because if a patient doesn't strictly take all required medicines as directed, he or she could die within weeks of leaving the hospital, said Dr. Ryan Davies, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, told CNN. Davies was not involved with this case. When Stokes' family was trying to get him a heart, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference advocated for the teen. SCLC's the Rev. Samuel Mosteller told CNN that he was disappointed. "We got this young man a second chance in life," he said. SCLC referred the teenager to a mentor program in the Atlanta area, but Mosteller said that he wasn't sure if the teenager participated. "What happened between the time in 2013 to now, I don't really know," he said. "How much Anthony recognized the gravity of things and did what he needed to do to make himself a viable citizen, I don't know. But we tried." CNN's Lauren Leslie, Marylynn Ryan, Elizabeth Landau and Jacque Wilson contributed to this report.

Summary: In 2013, Anthony Stokes' family said a hospital refused him a heart due to his "history of noncompliance" Hospital eventually gave Stokes a heart; on Tuesday he carjacked someone, burglarized a home, police said . Stokes shot at an elderly woman, hit a pedestrian with a stolen car and died in a police chase, authorities said .


London (CNN)Police said Thursday that there was no sign of forced entry to a building in a spectacular holiday weekend heist of safe deposit boxes in the heart of London's jewelry district. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Johnson of the London Metropolitan Police Flying Squad said the thieves appeared to have gained access to the vault of Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd through the shaft of an elevator that is used by several businesses in the building. The thieves disabled the elevator on the second floor of the building -- which would be the same as the third floor in the United States -- then climbed down the elevator shaft into the basement, he said. Once there, he said, they used a drill to bore through a 6-foot-thick wall and gain access to the vault where the safe deposit boxes were. Johnson said he had no figure for the value of what was stolen. A former police official in London has speculated that the loss could run to 200 million pounds, or 300 million dollars, in a remark widely reported by news media. And numerous British news organizations put the value of the loss in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. But Johnson said police were still identifying the owners of the ransacked safe deposit boxes and trying to contact them to learn what had been lost. People with knowledge of the area have speculated that cash and jewels were probably taken. Some jewelry businesses reportedly stored some of their jewels in the boxes rather than leaving them in their stores over the holiday weekend. Johnson said the scene in the vault remained chaotic as police continued their forensic examination. He said the floor was covered with dust and littered with safe deposit boxes and power tools. Over the four-day Easter holiday, an unknown number of thieves broke into the vault and might have been able to take as much as four days to rifle through the boxes. WATCH: Top five jewelry heists . Johnson called the crime sophisticated and said there were a limited number of people in the UK capable of having pulled it off. He said had no idea whether the thieves were still in the country. Although there was no sign of forced entry to the building, the detective said, "whether that involves inside knowledge will form part of the investigation." Hatton Garden is a storied area in London and the heart of the city's diamond trade. The area's promotional website says it is home to "the largest and most concentrated cluster of jewellery retailers in the UK" and has been for quite some time. "History tells us that the old City of London had certain streets -- or quarters -- dedicated to specific types of business," the website says. "The Hatton Garden area has been the epicentre of London's jewellery trade since medieval times. "Today, it maintains its international reputation as the centre of London's diamond trade. It is one of the finest and most renowned jewellery locations in the world." How was $4.8 million in gold swiped

Summary: Police say the thieves gained entry through the building's communal elevator shaft . Police give no value of the amount taken in the heist in London's jewelry district . There's no evidence of forced entry to the building, police say .


Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)Martin O'Malley told reporters in Iowa on Friday that inevitability -- a term bandied about regarding Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton -- is not unbreakable. "I've seen it before," the former Governor of Maryland and possible presidential contender said. "History is full of examples where the inevitable frontrunner was inevitable right up until she was no longer or he was no longer inevitable." Clinton was considered inevitable to win the nomination in 2008 but ended up losing to Barack Obama. O'Malley had previously dropped the inevitability comment in a television interview last month. The former governor, who capped off his two-day trip to the first-in-the-nation caucus state with a speech to the Polk County Democrats in Des Moines, said that although Clinton is an "eminently qualified candidate," the Democratic Party is full of "good leaders." "History is full of examples where people who are not very well known nationally can be very well known once they are willing to make their case to the people of Iowa," O'Malley said. In some polls, he has scored in the low single digits in the state. In a March CNN/ORC poll of national Democrats, only 1% picked O'Malley. In a January poll by Bloomberg Politics and the Des Moines Register, O'Malley was also at 1% among Iowa Democrats. Clinton, who leads most polls by upwards of 40 points, is planning to launch her presidential candidacy on Sunday through a video message on social media, a person close to her campaign-in-waiting told CNN on Friday. While he wouldn't say much about Clinton, when asked about her candidacy, O'Malley said, "if leaders believe that they have the experience and the framework to move our country forward, they should run. And they should engage with voters and our country would be the better for it." O'Malley, like other Democrats, appears to refrain from directly attacking Clinton. Although last month on ABC, he said that the presidency is "not some crown to be passed between two families," he has not focused on her. He has, however, openly teased a presidential run. "I know that, as Democrats, we expect -- and I have heard this all over the country -- the Democrats expect a robust conversation about the issues we face as a nation and the challenges we face," he said. "They believe that that conversation needs to take place in something as important as a presidential primary." He concluded: "It would be an extreme poverty indeed if there was only one person willing to compete for our party's nomination for President."

Summary: He made the statement before in March . O'Malley is low in the polls with Democrats, but he has been flirting with a presidential run .


(CNN)There's a stampede of investigators in California. The FBI said Friday that it will investigate whether civil rights were violated during the videotaped beating of a suspect in San Bernardino. The suspect allegedly fled by car, foot and horseback when law enforcement officers tried to arrest him. Earlier Friday, San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon said criminal investigations have begun into the actions of deputies as well as the suspect. In addition, an internal investigation has been launched. Ten deputies identified as being involved in the case have been put on paid administrative leave, McMahon said Friday. In video captured by cameras aboard a helicopter for KNBC, deputies gather around the man after he falls from a horse he was riding to flee from them. The video shows deputies using a stun gun on him and then repeatedly kicking and hitting him. KNBC reported that the man -- identified by authorities as Francis Pusok -- appeared to be kicked 17 times, punched 37 times and hit with a baton four times. Pusok was later hospitalized, KNBC reported, citing authorities. "The video surrounding this arrest is disturbing and I have ordered an internal investigation be conducted immediately," McMahon said in a statement. "What I saw on the television was thugs beating up my client," said Jim Terrell, Pusok's family attorney, according to CNN affiliate KCAL. "That's what I saw. And these questions about what was he doing? What did they do? This is far worse than Rodney King." The ACLU of Southern California issued a statement Friday saying that it was "deeply troubled" by the images. "While we applaud Sheriff John McMahon's prompt decision to investigate the disturbing actions of his deputies, we believe more is needed," the organization said. "Too often the department has failed to address questions, including those raised by the ACLU SoCal, about use of force and Taser policies." Coming soon: An app to report police brutality . The Thursday afternoon incident began when deputies tried to serve a search warrant in an identity-theft investigation, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Pusok fled in a vehicle, and deputies pursued him through the unincorporated area of Apple Valley, the town of Apple Valley and farther into the unincorporated area of Hesperia, the sheriff's office said in a news release. Pusok abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot into steep, rugged terrain, with deputies pursing with off-highway vehicles and helicopters, the sheriff's office said. "Within minutes, deputies received information that the suspect came into contact with a group of people near the Deep Creek Hot Springs and stole a horse. He fled on horseback on dirt trails, through very rugged, steep terrain, causing numerous injuries to the horse," the sheriff's office said. A helicopter dropped deputies onto the ground, and as they approached Pusok to make the arrest, he was thrown from the horse, the sheriff's office said. The sheriff's office said a Taser was used on Pusok but was ineffective because of his loose clothing. A deputy was injured when the horse Pusok had been riding kicked him, the

Summary: San Bernardino sheriff says 10 deputies have been put on leave . Video from a news helicopter shows deputies punching and kicking a man repeatedly .


Jakarta (CNN)An Indonesian court has rejected a bid by two Australian drug smugglers -- members of the "Bali Nine" -- to challenge their planned executions. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are awaiting death by firing squad on Indonesia's "execution island" for their role in a failed 2005 heroin smuggling plot. A panel of three judges in the state administrative court in Jakarta on Monday confirmed an earlier ruling that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear challenges against President Joko Widodo's refusal to grant clemency. Lawyers for the pair had argued that Widodo had failed to individually consider their cases. One of the condemned men's lawyers, Leonard Aritonang, said he was disappointed with the rulings but would respect the court's decision. He said his team would file a further review, asking the Constitutional Court to explain Widodo's obligations regarding granting clemency. "I'm hoping the government still respects... any ongoing proceedings," he said. Tony Spontana, a spokesman for the Indonesian attorney general's office, told CNN that the state administrative court's ruling was "a relief." "We had predicted it will be rejected because clemency is a prerogative right of the President, as head of the government, not an object of a suit at the administrative court," he said in a message. "With this decision, it's a step closer towards the scheduled execution." Australia has repeatedly appealed for clemency for the pair and has unsuccessfully proposed a prisoner swap with Indonesia as a way of avoiding their deaths. Indonesia has long taken a hard line on drug smugglers, and since assuming office in October, Widodo has made it clear he intends to be tough on those found guilty of such crimes. In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in January, he said there would be "no compromise" on drug dealers. "Indonesia is in a drug emergency, so we need to have something that's firm," said Widodo. "They can ask for amnesty from the President. ... But I'm telling you there will be no amnesty for drug dealers." In December, six prisoners convicted of drug offenses were killed by firing squad, including five foreigners from Brazil, the Netherlands, Malawi, Nigeria and Vietnam. Chan and Sukumaran have been jailed since April 2005 for a failed bid to smuggle more than 8 kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia. The Bali Nine were arrested after Indonesian police received a tip from Australian Federal Police. Chan, 31, was called the ringleader of the plot, while Sukumaran was described as Chan's collaborator. Seven other people who participated in the plan are serving lengthy prison sentences. Police caught four people at the Denpasar airport with more than 8 kilograms of heroin strapped to their bodies. Another four -- including Sukumaran -- were arrested at a hotel in the village of Kuta. Chan was detained after boarding a plane to Sydney; he wasn't carrying any drugs but was named by others as the mastermind of the plot. Opinion: Why executions won't win Indonesia's drug war . Sukumaran and Chan have become model prisoners during their time behind bars, according to fellow inmates and

Summary: Two Australian drug traffickers on death row in Indonesia have had legal bids rejected . The men were seeking to challenge President Widodo's decision to refuse clemency in their cases . Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are members of the "Bali Nine" drug syndicate .


(CNN)Charlotte Dujardin says she is "living the dream" as she cements her status as a dressage legend. Dujardin and Valegro won their their second consecutive Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title in Las Vegas at the weekend -- a trophy to sit alongside Olympic gold and the world and European titles. While their score of 94.196 narrowly missed their own world record in the sport, it was still a full 10 percentage points clear of any rival inside the Thomas & Mack Arena. Dutchman Edward Gal and Glock's Undercover were second with 84.696, ahead of Germany's Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB in third with 80.464. "Valegro just loves his job," said Dujardin. "I don't have to force him to do anything, I just sit there and steer and off I go. There's no sweating, no pushing, no pulling. He knows his job and it's just fantastic" added Dujardin, who couldn't stop smiling as she was pictured next to an Elvis impersonator after her win. Not everyone finds World Cup success quite that relaxing. Switzerland's Steve Guerdat may be the London Olympic champion, but his Longines FEI World Cup jumping victory in Vegas came at the 10th attempt. Guerdat and Albfuehren's Paille had the last fence down and narrowly avoided a time fault that would have denied them the outright win. "I don't really want to think about it," he joked. "Coming to the last I knew the time was tight. "I just went as fast as I could to the finish line, but unfortunately there was a big fence in the way." He added: "I've been three times on the podium, twice in the jump-off and always finished in the top 10. I always wanted to win this." The World Cup Finals are among the most prestigious equestrian titles, but the weekend's events in Las Vegas were notable for the success of younger riders. American dressage rider Laura Graves, a 27-year-old who burst onto the international scene with fifth place at last year's World Equestrian Games, improved to fourth in Vegas. Her performance was outdone by Irish showjumper Bertram Allen, who took bronze on Sunday at the age of 19. The teenager is likely to rise through the ranks of the world's top 10 following that performance, while gaining precious Olympic qualification points. Allen and Molly Malone finished behind French rider Penelope Leprevost, on board Vagabond de la Pomme, who took silver.

Summary: Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin remains world's leading dressage rider after Vegas contest . Swiss Olympic showjumping champion Steve Guerdat finally wins World Cup jumping title at 10th attempt .


(CNN)An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing Monday after its pilot reported hearing unusual banging. Flight 448, which had been bound for Los Angeles, returned to Seattle. Upon landing, a ramp agent was discovered inside the front cargo hold, according to a statement from the airline. The agent, who is an employee of Alaska contractor Menzies Aviation, told authorities he had fallen asleep, the statement said. He appeared to be in OK condition. The cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled. The plane was also only in the air for 14 minutes, Alaska Airlines said. CNN affiliate KOMO spoke to Marty Collins, a passenger on the plane. "We just took off for L.A. regular and then about, oh, about five minutes into the flight the captain came on and said we were going back and we'd land within five to seven minutes, and we did," Collins said. "When we landed was when all the trucks and the police and the fire trucks surrounded the plane." The agent was taken to an area hospital as a precaution. He passed a drug test and was discharged, Alaska Airlines said. He'd been on a four-person team loading baggage onto the flight. All ramp employees have security badges, and undergo full criminal background checks before being hired, said Alaska Airlines. A total of 170 passengers and six crew members were on Flight 448. After returning to Seattle, the aircraft took off again, arriving in Los Angeles on Monday evening.

Summary: Agent was taken to an area hospital as a precaution. He passed a drug test and was discharged, Alaska Airlines says . The cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled .


(CNN)They took Yarmouk by storm, a sea of masked men flooding into the streets of one the world's most beleaguered places. Besieged and bombed by Syrian forces for more than two years, the desperate residents of this Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus awoke in early April to a new, even more terrifying reality -- ISIS militants seizing Yarmouk after defeating several militia groups operating in the area. "They slaughtered them in the streets," one Yarmouk resident, who asked not to be named, told CNN. "They (caught) three people and killed them in the street, in front of people. The Islamic State is now in control of almost all the camp." An estimated 18,000 refugees are now trapped inside Yarmouk, stuck between ISIS and Syrian regime forces in "the deepest circle of hell," in the words of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Yarmouk, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, was formed in 1957 to accommodate people fleeing the Arab-Israeli conflict. The camp, which sits just 6 miles from central Damascus, has been engulfed in fighting between the Syrian government and armed groups since December 2012. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says ISIS and the al Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front control about 90% of the camp. The organization also claims that the Syrian government has dropped barrel bombs on the camp in an effort to drive out armed groups. Activists and residents in Yarmouk tell CNN that as many as 5,000 people have tried to flee their homes since ISIS stormed the camp, but have no place to go. Hundreds have been injured, but the camp's only functioning hospital was first occupied by ISIS, then targeted last week by regime shelling. As the fighting raged in Yarmouk, the director of the Jafra Foundation -- the only aid group that has been able to get into the camp -- painted a grim portrait of the conditions on the ground since ISIS arrived. "We need medicine and access to treatment and medical facilities," Wesam Sabaneh told CNN. "The last hospital in Yarmouk camp was bombed yesterday, so there's really nothing functioning." Opinion: Save the 'miracle babies' Even delivering clean water in Yarmouk can be a deadly task. Majed Alomari, the Jafra Foundation's water coordinator, was killed a few days ago -- gunned down in an ISIS firefight with rival rebel groups. The head of the Palestinian League for Human Rights in Syria (PLHR), who fled the camp and Syria in October 2012, said the people of Yarmouk were in dire need of help. "According to my contacts inside, people are back to consuming water with spices -- a common meal used in 2014" during the Syrian regime's siege of the camp, the PLHR's Salim Salamah told CNN. Aid agencies briefly managed to break the government's stranglehold on the camp last year, and delivered aid to tens of thousands. But now, as terror closes in on Yarmouk from all sides, residents have two choices -- to attempt to flee what was their place of refuge, or to stay inside what the U.N. says now resembles a

Summary: ISIS has seized control of large parts of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Syria . An estimated 18,000 refugees are trapped between militant groups and regime forces . U.N.: "In the horror that is Syria, the Yarmouk refugee camp is the deepest circle of hell"


(CNN)Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugged off repeated questions about the impact of Western sanctions on his nation during a nationally broadcast annual Q&A session. "Sanctions are sanctions," he said. "As far as sanctions are concerned .... (they're) about the need to constrain our development," not just about Ukraine and Crimea. Western sanctions were implemented after Moscow annexed Crimea and pro-Russian separatists battled Ukrainian government forces in the nation's east. Putin predicted the sanctions would not end soon. On the Middle East, the Russian leader defended lifting a ban on the sale of a sophisticated air defense system to Iran. "We need to encourage our Iranian partners," Putin said, referring to a preliminary deal to limit Iran's nuclear program. Sanctions against Iran have had a dramatic impact on the nation's economy. On Israeli and Western fears that such a system would embolden Iran, Putin scoffed. "Iran is not a threat to Israel at all," he said. "It is a defense weapon." Putin's annual exercise is fascinating for ordinary Russians, who normally get him in closely managed doses on state-run television. These sessions are live and can go on and on. Last year, he spoke for three hours and 55 minutes. In 2013, it was a record-setting four hours and 47 minutes. Organizers said public interest was especially strong this year, with 2.4 million questions submitted. Of course, critics of the Kremlin slam the entire event as Russia's imitation of democracy in action. It's hard to imagine a truly critical question, they say, getting aired on national television there. In fact, it's best not to look at this event as an opportunity for Russians to question their leader at all. Instead, it is more like a highly produced, highly choreographed chance for their leader to speak to them, and to the world. Last year, there was a "surprise" appearance by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia. He addressed Putin by video link, quizzing Putin about Moscow's own surveillance practices.

Summary: Putin has spent hours fielding questions from the general public on live television . Sanctions and Russia's deep economic crisis are a major theme .


(CNN)A Florida judge denied a motion by two women to join a lawsuit against Prince Andrew and a prominent U.S. lawyer that alleged underage sex crimes. Lawyer Alan Dershowitz was accused of having sex with minors with help from billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace denied the allegations, which surfaced in a court filing in January. So did Dershowitz. In his decision, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Marra denied a motion by the alleged victims -- "Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4" -- to join a lawsuit accusing the federal government of violating their rights by negotiating a nonprosecution agreement with Epstein without consulting them. Marra wrote in the decision that the "lurid details" of alleged abuse were unnecessary to determining whether the victims could join the lawsuit. "The factual details regarding with whom and where the Jane Does engaged in sexual activities are immaterial and impertinent to this central claim ... especially considering that these details involve non-parties who are not related to the respondent Government. These unnecessary details shall be stricken." Speaking of the allegations against him, Dershowitz said Tuesday: "I hope that people will now understand that they were completely false and made up, and, nobody should believe them." Buckingham Palace, which in January emphatically denied any form of sexual contact between the Duke of York and a victim it identified as Virginia Roberts, said Prince Andrew was informed of the latest developments. "He is spending this week privately, before resuming his schedule of public engagements next week. Further details will be announced in due course," the palace said in a statement. Roberts' attorneys were not immediately available for comment. The federal court filing alleged that "Doe 3" was forced to have sex with several men when she was a teenager. Virginia Roberts made the allegations in a civil motion filed earlier this year in U.S. District Court in southern Florida, joined by another unnamed woman. While Roberts was not identified by name in the filing, her name was widely reported in the British news media, and Buckingham Palace included it in a statement. Along with Britain's Prince Andrew and others, Dershowitz was named in the federal court filing as one of the prominent people who had sexual contact with teenage girls through Epstein. Epstein, an investment banker, pleaded guilty some years ago in Florida to a state charge of prostitution solicitation, but there were no federal charges after he and authorities signed a non-prosecution agreement. But some of Epstein's alleged victims aren't on board with the deal, thinking he should face stiffer charges and penalties. Four of them took federal prosecutors to court, suing them to reopen the case because they believed their rights under the Crime Victims' Rights Act were violated by the agreement. Two of them entered the discussion in January, including the one described as Jane Doe 3. The filing alleged she was a minor when Epstein made her a "sex slave" and made "her available for sex to politically connected and financially powerful people." Those big names allegedly included Prince Andrew and Dershowitz. According

Summary: Judge also throws out bombshell sex claims against lawyer Alan Dershowitz . He asks a federal court to "strike" sex-related allegations against him . A court filing says Dershowitz had sex with minors via Jeffrey Epstein; he denies it .


Seoul (CNN)North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is continuing to rule with an iron fist, having ordered the execution of about 15 senior officials so far this year, according to an assessment by South Korean intelligence agents, a lawmaker who attended a closed briefing said. Shin Kyung-min, a lawmaker with the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, told a handful of reporters that he had been given the information by the South Korean National Intelligence Service. CNN cannot independently confirm the executions. The nature of the intelligence supporting the National Intelligence Service allegations was also not immediately clear. North Korea is one of the most closed societies in the world. According to Shin, intelligence officials say Kim is ruling in an impromptu manner and does not countenance excuses or any views at variance with his own. He considers those a challenge to his authority, the intelligence officials said, according to Shin. For example, a senior official with Ministry of Forestry was executed for expressing dissatisfaction with the country's forestry program, the lawmaker said. North Korean defectors share their ordeals . The vice chairman of the State Planning Commission was executed because he objected to changing the design of a science and technology hall from a rounded shape to one resembling a flower, the intelligence officials said, according to the lawmaker. And in March, according to the South Korean lawmaker, Kim executed on charges of espionage four members of the Unhasu Orchestra, including the general director, because of a scandal, Shin said. Kim became North Korea's Supreme Commander in December 2011 following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il. According to the National Intelligence Service, he is reported to have executed 17 senior officials in 2012, 10 in 2013 and 41 in 2014. The National Intelligence Service says there is a strong possibility that Kim will visit Russia, but given his nature, there is no way to be sure until the last minute. Why Putin is hosting Kim Jong Un . CNN's KJ Kwon reported from Seoul and Don Melvin wrote this report from London.

Summary: South Korean lawmaker quotes intelligence officials as saying Kim Jong Un countenances no disagreement . Official reportedly executed for expressing dissatisfaction with forestry program . Four member of Unhasu Orchestra also reportedly executed .


(CNN)Island-hoppers take note: Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos is TripAdvisor's latest pick for the world's top island. Providenciales climbed a rung from last year's No. 2 ranking among the travel review site's Travelers' Choice award winners to bump Ambergris Caye out of the top spot. It was quite a tumble for the Belize island. Ambergris Caye held the top ranking on the TripAdvisor global islands list for two years in a row before dropping out of the top 10 completely this year. Why the disappearance? "It's hard to say, as winners change from year to year based on feedback from travelers," said TripAdvisor spokeswoman Julie Cassetina. "Similar to last year and 2013, winning islands were determined using an algorithm that looked at the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and opinions for hotels, attractions and restaurants on each island gathered during a 12-month period." 30 envy-inducing island photos . Only two more of 2014's top 10 islands appear on this year's global list. Ko Tao, Thailand, gained five spots this year, moving up from No. 10 last year, while Bora Bora dropped from No. 3 last year to rank ninth. Here are the world's top 10 islands for 2015: . 1. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos . 2. Maui, Hawaii . 3. Roatan, Honduras . 4. Santorini, Greece . 5. Ko Tao, Thailand . 6. Madeira, Portugal . 7. Bali, Indonesia . 8. Mauritius, Africa . 9. Bora Bora, French Polynesia . 10. Fernando de Noronha, Brazil . In addition to the global list, TripAdvisor also ranks islands regionally. Here are the top 10 U.S. islands: . 1. Maui, Hawaii . 2. Island of Hawaii, Hawaii . 3. Kauai, Hawaii . 4. Key West, Florida . 5. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina . 6. Marco Island, Florida . 7. Key Largo, Florida . 8. Chincoteague Island, Virginia . 9. San Juan Island, Washington . 10. Mackinac Island, Michigan .

Summary: Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos is the top TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice award winner for islands . Maui ranks first on the top 10 islands list for the United States .


(CNN)Ursula Ward kept repeating her son's name -- Odin. She steadied herself against the podium in the Fall River, Massachusetts, courtroom and occasionally paused. She was tired after more than two years of pain, punctuated Wednesday when her son's killer, Aaron Hernandez, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Odin Lloyd was her first born, her only son. "Odin was the backbone of the family. Odin was the man of the house. Odin was his sisters' keeper," Ward told Judge Susan Garsh, before Garsh sentenced the former pro-football player. Lloyd was 27-years-old and working for a landscaping firm when he was killed in June 2013. He played football for the Boston Bandits, the oldest semi-pro team in Boston and the winner of four championships in the New England Football League, according to the team's website. His mother, sister, uncle and cousin described him as a champion of family, a gifted athlete and a hard worker with a sense of humor. They said he rode his bike several miles to get to work. He went to all of his niece's recitals. "Odin was my first best gift I (will) ever receive," his mother said. "I thank God (for) every second and every day of my son's life that I spent with him. "The day I laid my son Odin to rest," she continued, pausing to maintain her composure, "I think my heart stopped beating for a moment. I felt like I wanted to go into that hole with my son, Odin." She can still hear him talking to her: "'Ma, did you cook? Ma, go to bed. Ma, you're so beautiful.'" Ed Lloyd followed Ward to address the judge. Odin Lloyd's uncle thanked everyone who worked on the case against Hernandez. His nephew, he said, "meant a lot to me." "To see how he grew, the respect he had, the toughest thing for me is that I won't get to see him have a child...," Ed Lloyd said. He loved watching his nephew and his son together. "A lot of people won't see from the outside the value and the riches (Odin Lloyd) had," he said. "I'm sorry for where I stand today but I know that all the time I had with him was special and he'll always be with me." Who was Odin Lloyd? Odin Lloyd's sister Olivia Thibou wept as she explained what it has felt like to lose her brother. "These last couple years have been the hardest of our lives," she said, recalling that she was asked to writer her brother's eulogy. "I got to write all the great memories I have of him." She laughed, recalling his insistence on wearing the same Adidas flip-flops until the soles wore away. He was "prideful," she said. He would take her car out and just when she was starting to angry, he'd pull in with the car shining and clean, inside and out. He taught her daughter how to ride a bike. His murder, she said, "feels like a bad dream." Ward told the court

Summary: Ursula Ward talks about the shock and pain of her son's murder . Odin Lloyd's sister said her brother's death has felt like 'a bad dream'


Garissa, Kenya (CNN)The desks of the small Madrassa are empty. Its 573 students, all male, are staying home after Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta announced three days of national mourning following last week's deadly attack at a nearby university. Only a few kilometers away, 147 people -- mostly students -- were brutally massacred when Al-Shabaab militants invaded the campus in Garissa, a town in northeastern Kenya. We've come to this particular Islamic religious school because the man suspected by Kenyan authorities of being the "mastermind" behind the atrocity -- Mohamed Mohamud -- once taught here. "He was someone who was very quiet, he didn't like too much talk," recalls Sheikh Khalif Abdi Hussein, the principal at the Madrassa. He says he also taught with Mohamud for two years. "When he left the Madrassa, he joined Al-Shabaab. But before, he was normal, just like me and other people." What worries authorities here is exactly that -- Mohamud was Kenyan. But now, say officials, Mohamud is in command of an Al-Shabaab militia based near Kenya's long, porous border with Somalia -- about 118 miles (190km) from Garissa -- who are believed to be responsible for numerous cross-border attacks into Kenya. The Islamist militant group, who are allied with al Qaeda, have been waging a bloody campaign for control of Somalia. With Kenyan troops part of an African Union force deployed in support of Somalia's United Nations-supported government, Kenya has now become a target. Last year, an attack by Al-Shabaab on a shopping center in the country's capital, Nairobi, claimed the lives of 68 people. Now Mohamud stands accused of being behind Thursday's attack -- the deadliest attack in the nation since al Qaeda killed more than 200 people at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi in 1998. But Mohamud is not Kenya's only homegrown terrorist. The Kenyan Interior Ministry has said at least one of the four gunmen who carried out the attack on the university was also Kenyan. Abdirahim Abdullahi was in his 20s and the son of a government chief. His father says he lost contact with his son in 2013, shortly after he left university. The Kenyan government is concerned that Al-Shabaab is recruiting disaffected youth from inside the country. "Our task of countering terrorism has been made all the more difficult by the fact that the planners and financiers of this brutality are deeply embedded in our communities," President Kenyatta said during an address to the nation in the aftermath of the massacre. Meanwhile, Sheikh Khalif insists his Madrassa has nothing to do with Mohamud's extreme, violent ideas. "This man is a dangerous man, a killer, a criminal," he says. But he was also once a neighbor. And so Kenyans must now look within to tackle this very real threat to the country's -- and the region's -- stability.

Summary: The attack at a Garissa university last week killed 147 people, mostly students . Mohamed Mohamud taught at a Madrassa in the Kenyan town . Authorities fear the rise of homegrown terrorists in the African country .


(CNN)A fourth man has been indicted in connection with a plot to provide material support to terrorists and for some of the men to join ISIS, according to an indictment from Brooklyn Federal Court released Monday. Dilkhayot Kasimov was added to a superseding indictment in which three previously arrested men -- Abdurasul Hasanovich Juraboev, Akhror Saidakhmetov, and Abror Habibov -- were charged with two counts of providing support to a foreign terrorist organization. Those three have pleaded not guilty. It is unclear if Kasimov has been arrested. The indictment and a criminal complaint filed last month say Juraboev and Saidakhmetov planned to join ISIS and had purchased airline tickets to Turkey. Saidakhmetov has also been charged with travel document fraud after telling authorities he intended to travel for entertainment purposes, according to the indictment. He and Habibov were charged with conspiracy to use a firearm to commit a crime. The names: Who has been recruited to ISIS from the West . Habibov is a 30-year-old Uzbekistani citizen, who police say "helped organize and finance" the operation. He was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida. Court documents say Habibov operates mall kiosks that sell kitchenware and repair mobile phones. He has locations in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Habibov was in the United States legally, but overstayed his visa, according to police. Saidakhmetov, 19, lives in Brooklyn with Juraboev, his roommate. They are permanent residents of the United States. Court documents say Saidakhmetov, a citizen of Kazakhstan, worked at Habibov's mall kiosks in three different states in the fall and winter of 2014. Saidakhmetov was arrested last month at John F. Kennedy International Airport while attempting to catch a flight to Turkey, authorities said. The Brooklyn travel agent who booked his ticket said Saidakhmetov came into the agency, wanting to buy a round-trip ticket to Istanbul. Saidakhmetov said he couldn't afford a direct flight, which would have cost $900, so the travel agent booked him a trip connecting in Kiev, Ukraine, for $571. Saidakhmetov purchased the tickets using a New York state ID, the travel agent said. Court documents say Saidakhmetov once posted some comments on video of ISIS executing Iraqi forces. "Allahu akbar (God is great). I was very happy after reading this, my eyes joyful so much victory." The criminal complaint says he told a confidential informant that he wanted to travel to Syria to wage jihad, "but that his mother had feared that he would do so and took his passport so that he could not travel." Saidakhmetov called his mother in February and asked for his passport, according to the criminal complaint. "When asked where he wanted to go, Saidakhmetov responded that, if a person has a chance to join Islamic State and does not go there, on judgment day he will be asked why, and that it is a sin to live in the land of infidels," the complaint says. "After Saidakhmetov continued to ask for his passport, his mother hung up the phone." Saidakhmetov told the informant he would try to get his passport back by telling his mom

Summary: The revised indictment is released Monday . Dilkhayot Kasimov is charged with two counts of providing support to a foreign terrorist organization . Three other men have also been charged in the plot and pleaded not guilty .


Cedar Falls, Iowa (CNN)As aides politely tried to rush Ted Cruz from an event in Cedar Falls to one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday, the presidential candidate continued shaking hands with anyone who wanted to meet him. Finally, after the selfies and conversations started to die down, his aides managed to move him closer to the door when a tall, burly man stopped him. "Senator," he said, "can I pray with you real quick?" "Yeah," Cruz said, as he clasped the man's upper arm and the two bowed their heads. It was one of the many moments when Cruz connected with voters on a religious level last week, as the senator from Texas hit the trail in Iowa for the first time as a presidential candidate. Being the only official contender in the race, Cruz drew large crowds during his two-day swing across the state. He's counting on Iowa, known for its vocal and active evangelical base, to propel him forward in what's expected to be a tough competition among a crowded field of GOP candidates. Cruz, himself, displays a pastoral swagger when he is speaking on stage and working a room. The senator regularly avoids using a podium, instead favoring pacing the stage with a wireless microphone, a scene reminiscent of a Sunday morning sermon. When he meets with people after events, he embraces each one's hand with both of his, softens his usually theatric tone and looks people square in the eye -- a familiar interaction between churchgoing Christians and their pastors. The past two winners of Iowa's caucuses rose to victory with support from the Christian right, and Cruz, who announced his bid last month at the well-known Baptist school Liberty University, is aiming to energize that same base and claim the coveted state as his prize. Evangelicals make up a large segment of Iowa's Republican voter bloc. According to a Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll from January, 44% of likely 2016 Republican caucus-goers said they were born-again or evangelical Christians. Cruz has built a brand as a stalwart conservative willing to buck GOP leadership on fiscal issues, but he showed in Iowa last week that he's also eager to champion social issues at a time when many Republicans are anxious to avoid them. He was one of the loudest defenders of the religious freedom law in Indiana, which came under fire last week for what critics called paving a path to discrimination against gays and lesbians. He described the outrage over the laws as "shameful" and an "assault" on First Amendment rights. "There are a lot of people here in Iowa and across the country whose hearts are breaking, watching what has happened in the last two weeks," Cruz said Friday night at an event in Des Moines. "We have seen a grossly unfair vilification of religious liberty." RELATED: Republican 2016 hopefuls back Indiana's 'religious freedom' law . He's more than comfortable talking about his own faith and telling the story of how his father became a Christian and a pastor. Rafael Cruz, who's become a celebrity

Summary: Ted Cruz has built a brand as a stalwart conservative on fiscal issues . But he's also eager to champion social issues at a time when many Republicans are eager to avoid them . Cruz says the GOP needs to unite young libertarian-minded voters and evangelicals .


(CNN)Just about now, North Korea's enigmatic ruler was expected to be preparing to emerge from his fortified country for a visit to Moscow to join celebrations next week marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The trip was highly anticipated. After all, this was to have been Kim's first official international trip since he came to power in 2011 following his father's death, and it would have provided a fascinating opportunity for the world to get a closer look at a young leader and a regime still largely shrouded in mystery. But this week, Russia announced that the trip had been canceled, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Thursday that Moscow was informed via diplomatic channels that the trip would not happen. He said that "the decision is connected with North Korean domestic affairs." What could have changed Kim's mind? It is practically impossible to answer the question with absolute certainty, but a possible explanation is that Kim may not be feeling completely secure in his position. And nervous dictators prefer to stay home. True, Kim runs one of the most brutally repressive regimes on Earth. And there is unceasing public praise for the younger 'Dear Leader," including frenzied eruptions of support. But these eruptions are carefully scripted, and those who have managed to flee the North confirm that in private, many are unhappy with the regime. Perhaps with the potential threats in mind, Kim feels the need to reassert his authority and keep his eye on the centers of power. In 2013, Kim shocked the country and stunned outside observers when he ordered the killing of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, who had stood by his side from the day his father died. Jang had mentored and guided the young Kim as he took the reins, but the once-powerful Jang was arrested by soldiers during a Politburo meeting who dragged him away in a chilling scene broadcast on national television. The central news agency called Jang a "traitor for all the ages," with vague accusations that he had behaved "insolently." More seriously, he was accused of "counter-revolutionary factional acts in a bid to overthrow the leadership." And just this week, and only a day before the Russians announced Kim's canceled travel plans, a South Korea lawmaker revealed that South Korea's National Intelligence Service had pieced together information suggesting that so far this year, Kim has ordered the execution of 15 senior government officials. According to South Korean legislator Shing Kyung-min, North Korea's vice chairman of the State Planning Commission, for example, was executed because he objected to plans to change the design of a new government hall from a rounded shape to one resembling a flower. Such an explanation is bizarre. And in keeping with the odd behavior we have grown accustomed to hearing about from North Korea. But there may be more to this. Kim -- who was still in his 20s when he took power and holds a host of titles, including Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army -- still finds it

Summary: Russia says Kim Jong Un has canceled trip to Moscow . Frida Ghitis: Gauging Kim's state of mind no easy task .


(CNN)This is week two of an ongoing series: A Catholic Reads the Bible This week covers the Book of Genesis, chapters 1-11. A week ago, I was worried I wouldn't have anything to write about. Now, I don't even know where to begin. The first step was choosing a Bible. I went with the version that I received for winning the religion award at Rice Memorial High School in South Burlington, Vermont. As I mentioned in the first installment of this series, I'm a lifelong Catholic who finally plans to read the Bible from cover to cover. The Bible I'm reading is "The Deluxe Catholic Bible," published in 1986 by World Bible Publishing. After four days of reading this week, my journal is full of observations and ideas. With my crazy schedule, I found that reading at night was a perfect way to unwind and reflect. And as I started reading, I didn't want to stop. In order to fully process Scripture, I need to slow down and read the footnotes. Footnotes are my friend. First of all, Genesis starts with two separate creation narratives. How did I not know this? The first chapter is the seven days story with God creating the Earth. In the second chapter the Earth is again created and man is formed out of clay. Talking with a CNN colleague, I mentioned how there seems to be fascination in Genesis with dirt and clay. My colleague pointed out that even Adam's name is a play on the Hebrew word "adama," meaning ground. It struck me that the whole first two chapters have everything to do with the Earth and man's place in it, a struggle that we can relate to even now. From the creation of the Garden of Eden to the fall and the banishment, the bounty of the land and the access to it seems to be the area of highest concern. My greatest surprise, though, came when I read about Seth. Seth? Who? I started asking people if they had remembered the story of Seth. My unscientific poll of friends is that 9 out 10 people I asked had no idea who he was. Turns out, Seth is the forgotten son of Adam and Eve who is born after Cain kills Abel. Adam fathered Seth at 130 years old. Yes, we are getting into the part of the Bible with fantastical life spans that allow for the transition from the stories of Adam to Abraham. (Again, thank you footnotes). Unfortunately, we don't learn much more about Seth. When he is mentioned, it's about his descendants. But, because this was my first biblical surprise, I will never forget him. Thank you, Seth. As a woman, though I was waiting to read more about the role of women. Did you know that Eve is the first person named in the Bible? (I expected Adam, but he is called "man" in the first references.) Moving on, we have these tales about the "sons of heaven" seeing Earth's beautiful women and taking them as wives. Um? What? I

Summary: Laura Bernardini, a lifelong Catholic, has decided to finally read the Bible from cover to cover. This is week two . Some surprises: Two creation stories, Seth, and what on Earth are the "men of heaven"?