(The Hollywood Reporter)Oscar-winning rapper-turned-actor Common has closed a deal to join the cast of "Suicide Squad," Warner Bros.' all-star action movie featuring DC Entertainment super-villains. David Ayer is directing the feature, which already boasts actors Jared Leto as the Joker, Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Also in the lineup are Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Viola David, Adam Beach, Ike Barinholtz, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Scott Eastwood. There will also possibly be cameos of Jesse Eisenberg who plays Lex Luthor and Ben Affleck as Batman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," who are rumored to appear as Warners builds its own cinematic universe. Hollywood Reporter: 'Suicide Squad' is 'Dirty Dozen' with supervillains . The story tells of imprisoned villains recruited by a government agency to perform covert operations. Details for Common's role have not been revealed. Warners had no comment on the deal. The movie is in production in Toronto. Common is currently on screen with Warners' Liam Neeson thriller "Run All Night" and was part of the cast for acclaimed civil rights movie "Selma." For the latter he won an Oscar for best original song, which he shared with John Legend. He is due to shoot Relativity's "Hunter Killer" with Gerard Butler in July. Hollywood Reporter: What happens when 'Star Wars' is just a war film? He is repped by CAA and Myman Greenspan. Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are both units of Time Warner, as is CNN. ©2015 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved.

Summary: Common joins "Suicide Squad" cast, which already includes Will Smith, Jared Leto . Film is about supervillains who team up .


New Delhi (CNN)An Indian software pioneer and nine others have been sentenced to seven years in jail for their role in what has been dubbed India's biggest corporate scandal in memory, police said. Ramalinga Raju, the former chairman of software services exporter Satyam Computers Services, was also fined $804,000, R.K. Gaur, a spokesman for India's Central Bureau of Investigation, told CNN. In 2009, Satyam Computers Services was at the center of a massive $1.6 billion fraud case after its then-chairman Raju admitted inflating profits with fictitious assets and nonexistent cash. Investigators say losses to investors resulting from the company's book manipulation were much higher. A special court convicted Raju and nine other people of cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of public trust and other charges, said the Central Bureau of Investigation, which looked into the case. In the media, the case has been compared to the 2001 Enron Corp. scandal, in which a Houston energy company's earnings had been overstated by several hundred million dollars. When the scam made headlines, Satyam, which means "truth" in Sanskrit, was India's fourth-largest software services provider. It was serving almost 700 companies, including 185 Fortune 500 companies, and generated more than half of its revenue from the United States. The company had about 53,000 employees and operated in 65 countries. After Raju's shock disclosures six years ago, the Indian government fired Satyam's board. In a subsequent state-backed auction, the company was bought by Tech Mahindra, part of the country's Mahindra Group. A heavyweight of the nation's software industry, Raju, 60, has been in jail for the past 32 months. He had founded Satyam in 1987. His company made giant strides as the outsourcing business grew in India in the 1990s.

Summary: Satyam Computers Services was at the center of a massive $1.6 billion fraud case in 2009 . The software services exporter's chairman, Ramalinga Raju, admitted inflating profits . Satyam had been India's fourth-largest software services provider .


(CNN)The complete skeleton of a camel thought to to have been used by Ottoman troops besieging Vienna in the 17th century has been found beneath a cellar in Austria. The remains were uncovered by archaeologists from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), exploring the construction site for a shopping center in the city of Tulln in 2006-2007. "The partly excavated skeleton was at first suspected to be a large horse or cattle," archaeozoologist Alfred Galik said. "But one look at the cervical vertebrae, the lower jaw and the metacarpal bones immediately revealed that this was a camel." In their research, published in the journal "PLOS ONE," the archaeologists said Ottoman troops had besieged the area around Tulln in 1683 as they tried to reach Vienna, but that Tulln itself had never been conquered. The Ottoman Army had a "camelry," using camels for transportation and to ride, they said. Despite their city not falling, Tulln inhabitants and the Ottomans were in contact, with historic documents referring to the invading army's peaceful surrender of two prisoners of war, the researchers said. But they said it would be impossible to say how it got into the city. "Its appearance might be linked to an exchange of local people with the troops or the Ottoman army simply left it behind. Apparently, the citizens took it inside the town, where they probably kept and displayed it as an 'exotic animal,'" they said. "It seems quite conceivable that being not familiar with behavioral and feeding habits, the scarcity of food in wartimes, people did not keep it for long." While other camel bones have been found in Central Europe, the researchers said this was unique. "It is the first complete camel skeleton found in Central Europe and Central European territories under the control of the Ottoman Empire, apart from the complete skeleton of a dromedary recovered from the sediments of the Theodosius harbor on the European part of Istanbul." DNA analysis on the Tulln skeleton confirmed that it had been one of a hybrid species of camel, specifically a "Tulu," the offspring of dromedary female and a male with Bactrian DNA. "The two species are able to interbreed, which results in larger, more powerful and efficient hybrid offspring," researchers said. "The camel specimen from Tulln is the first archaeozoologically and genetically confirmed evidence of a Tulu hybrid camel." The camel was also believed to have been castrated to make it easier to handle. The Austrians' unfamiliarity with such a beast may have led to the skeleton's preservation. As opposed to the Ottoman troops -- who would likely have eaten the camel's flesh -- the residents of Tulln apparently buried the camel whole. "The dismemberment of the carcasses certainly is a reason for the scarce preservation of camel finds in general and is indicated by bones with butchering marks in particular. However, the citizens buried this camel in a typical post-mortal position, and together with rubbish in the remnants of a cellar that was leveled," researchers said. In their report, the researchers said the camel was found on

Summary: Archaeologists have found the skeleton of a camel below a cellar in an Austrian village . They believe the camel was from the 17th century Osmanic-Habsburg war . Ottoman troops used camels as troops during the conflict .


(CNN)Pop star Taylor Swift, who has built an intense bond with her fans by sharing personal details of her life, revealed some sobering news Thursday: Her mother has cancer. The singer did not divulge the nature or severity of the cancer, saying "I'd like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private." Andrea Swift, 57, who years ago quit her job as a mutual fund marketing executive to raise Swift and Swift's younger brother, Austin, has joined her famous daughter on tour and in several of her videos. In a post on Tumblr, the blogging platform, Swift said that for Christmas last year, she asked her mom to get screened for potential health issues, "just to ease some worries of mine." Her mother felt "perfectly fine" but went to the doctor for tests anyway "just to get me and my brother off her case" about it. "The results came in, and I'm saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer. I'd like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know," Swift added. #PrayForMamaSwift was a trending hashtag Thursday on Twitter, where Swift's legions of fans offered prayers and messages of support. Within an hour and a half, Swift's tweet about her mom had been retweeted more than 21,000 times. Many fans shared "there's something in your eyes that says we can beat this," a lyric from Swift's 2008 song "Change." Swift also urged her fans to make sure their parents get screened for cancer and other potential health problems. "She wanted you to know because your parents may be too busy juggling everything they've got going on to go to the doctor, and maybe you reminding them to go get checked for cancer could possibly lead to an early diagnosis and an easier battle ..." she wrote. "Or peace of mind in knowing that they're healthy and there's nothing to worry about." Swift, 25, added that "usually when things happen to me, I process them and then write music about how I feel, and you hear it much later. This is something my family and I thought you should know about now. "Thank you for caring about my family so much that she would want me to share this information with you. I hope and pray that you never get news like this." Andrea Swift and Swift's father, Scott Kingsley Swift, live in Nashville, Tennessee, in a mansion bought by their daughter in 2011 for $2.5 million.

Summary: Pop star Taylor Swift revealed Thursday that her mom has cancer . The nature and severity of Andrea Swift's cancer have not been divulged .


(CNN)All Elizabeth Sedway wanted was to leave paradise and head home. But she couldn't. Why? Because, according to her, she has cancer. That's what she said in a video posted to Facebook that shows her group packing up from their Alaska Airlines plane as it sat at the gate in Hawaii. "You're taking me off the airplane because I don't have a doctor's note saying I can fly," a woman is heard saying. "All these people are waiting, and I'm being removed as if I'm a criminal or contagious, because I have cancer and no note to fly." Sedway did eventually get on a flight back to San Jose, California, although she didn't get home until late Tuesday night. And she got an apology. "We regret the inconvenience Ms. Sedway experienced ... and are very sorry for how the situation was handled," Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said. "... While our employee had the customer's well-being in mind, the situation could have been handled differently." Her cancer fight notwithstanding, Sedway was in Hawaii in time to celebrate her 14th wedding anniversary. Still, on Monday, she was on a plane to head east. Then, according to her Facebook post, an airline employee who saw Sedway seated in the handicapped section asked her how she was doing. The second time she inquired, Sedway wrote that she responded by saying she sometimes felt weak. That was followed by a call to a doctor, then her removal from the plane. Egan, the Alaska Airlines spokeswoman, acknowledged that the carrier's policy when someone has a medical issue is to call MedLink, a group of ER nurses and doctors. The idea, she explained, is that "it is better to address medical issues or concerns on the ground rather than in the air, especially on flights to or from Hawaii" -- which in that case would last five-plus hours over open ocean. The decision to pull Sedway from the flight was done with "the customer's well-being" in mind, according to Egan. Still, that doesn't mean it was the right decision. Alaska Airlines since apologized to Sedway "for the disruption this has caused," in addition to refunding her family's tickets and paying for their overnight accommodations." Even though she was stuck in Hawaii, Sedway made clear on Facebook that this was a real "disruption." "Because of this, I will miss my chemotherapy, my children will miss school and my husband will miss important meetings," she said.

Summary: Elizabeth Sedway posted to video to Facebook showing her removal from a plane . She was forced off a flight in Hawaii and told she couldn't head home to California . Alaska Airlines later apologized, saying it could have handled the situation differently .


(CNN)Roseanne Barr revealed earlier this week that she is going blind. In an interview with The Daily Beast, the 62-year-old comic talked about her struggle with macular degeneration and glaucoma — two eye diseases that get progressively worse over time and can steal vision. Barr's doctors haven't provided a timeline, but her symptoms are worsening: "My vision is closing in now," she said. "I just try and enjoy vision as much as possible. Y'know, living it up." Related: 9 worst eye care mistakes you're making . Macular degeneration is a breakdown of the part of the retina that allows us to see fine details in the center of vision; while glaucoma damages the nerve that connects the retina to the brain, and is often caused by fluid build-up and pressure in the eyes. (Barr said in the interview that she helps relieve the pressure by using marijuana, which is known to temporarily lower pressure inside the eye.) "It's somewhat unusual that Roseanne Bar has both, but not unheard of," explains ophthalmologist Steven A. Shanbom, MD, of Shanbom Eye Specialists in Berkley, Mich. Though there are some controllable risk factors, certain people are genetically predisposed to these diseases, so Barr may simply be prone to both. "Certainly it's sad. The combination of the two is terrible. Macular degeneration takes away her central vision, and glaucoma is taking away her peripheral vision," Dr. Shanbom adds. (He is not treating Roseanne Barr, and does not know the specifics of her case.) The risk for both diseases goes up for everyone after age 60, with some people, especially African Americans, at higher risk in their 40s. That's why the American Academy of Opthalmology recommends getting a baseline eye exam when you turn the big 4-0, even if you have perfect vision. In the early stages, you can have either condition, but have no symptoms at all. Things like a family history or high blood pressure, or issues within the eye (like having a thinner cornea, for example) might lead your MD to prescribe drops that can reduce your chances of developing glaucoma by about half. Related: 10 natural ways to lower blood pressure . There is no cure for either disease. But like those eyedrops, there are treatments that may delay the progression of early-stage glaucoma (from other drugs to surgery), and therapies that might halt further vision loss in advanced cases of macular degeneration (including an implantable telescope). The future looks brighter however: An animal study published this month suggests that an injection of stem cells into the eye might slow or even reverse the effects of early-stage macular degeneration. There are also simple things you can start doing right now to ward off these diseases. Here, five ways to protect your peepers. Slip on your shades—even when it's cloudy . Sun exposure can up the risk for glaucoma and macular degeneration, as well as cataracts (clouding of the lenses). Make sure your sunglasses offer 99% to 100% UV protection. Sporting a pair that doesn't filter UV light is more dangerous than wearing no shades

Summary: Barr has macular degeneration and glaucoma, eye diseases that get progressively worse and can steal vision . The risk for both diseases goes up for everyone after age 60 . Sun exposure can up the risk for glaucoma and macular degeneration .


(CNN)This week, Hillary Clinton surprised the world yet again — not with the official launch of her campaign but for the unconventional way she did it. She sure pushed the envelope. With her video, new logo and road trip, she opened a long communications campaign not only to "rebrand" herself but to completely reframe who she is, what she stands for and how she intends to run. We'll find out over the next year and a half whether it will work. Many in the press and on late-night television scratched their heads this week; others were scathing. Ruth Marcus -- a columnist for the Washington Post -- dismissed her launch video as a "relentlessly, insultingly vapid" effort of "demographic box-checking." Jon Stewart lampooned it as a "State Farm commercial gone viral" and also "boring as s---." Since the media will likely be the stand-in primary opponent for Hillary, their belief in her authenticity is a critical factor in whether she can reframe herself in voter's eyes. But from a marketing perspective, her launch may have been much more successful than critics think. The YouTube announcement video took on the central strategic challenge for the campaign and candidate: To flip Clinton's message from self-absorbed "I" to empathetic "we." While critics may sneer, it is hard to deny that the image it projects of Hillary is more confident, fresher, simpler and forward-looking, with even a bit of the upstart feel of two of the most successful product launch companies, Nike and Apple. Clinton's team may have begun to create an empathetic relationship with voters that has eluded her in the past, most crucially when she lost the nomination fight to Barack Obama in 2008. In marketing terms, rebranding is a strategy to bring a new name, term, symbol or design to an established brand with the aim of developing a new identity in the minds of consumers. Reframing is a strategy that goes further: it seeks to change how a consumer (or voter) emotionally experiences an established brand. A rebrand may change how you think about a brand; a reframe may change how you feel about it. In the Apple case, the company at one time fell on its face when it unveiled the original Macintosh; some thought the company was headed for oblivion. But when Steve Jobs returned as CEO, he went back to the drawing board and soon unveiled the iPod, which not only changed the way consumers thought about Apple, but how they experienced it. Not only a rebrand -- but a reframe. Take Hillary's road trip to Iowa in the van nicknamed Scooby. The press lampooned her, but I would bet that for many others, her unscripted and anonymous stop at Chipotle reinforced the "everyday Americans" campaign theme. Hillary stood in line to order, an everyday customer among everyday people at an everyday fast-food chain. Also introduced last week was what will come to be the single most-ubiquitous element of her campaign: Clinton's new and controversial campaign logo. It is a brilliant, iconic expression of the emotional connection she wants

Summary: Martha Pease: Hillary Clinton got her presidential bid launched by reframing who she is, what she's about . She says Clinton took a low-key, unconventional approach, unlike Marco Rubio's standard announcement .


(CNN)The boy who asked a church to help him find a forever parent finally has one. Desperate for a home in 2013, Davion Navar Henry Only dressed up in a suit and borrowed a Bible from the boys home where he lived. Then he headed to a St. Petersburg, Florida, church to make a plea for his own adoption. Now 16 years old, he had lived his entire life in foster care, bouncing from one home to another. The older he got, the less likely it was that he would be adopted. But the Tampa Bay Times documented his journey, and a video of his plea went viral. Thousands of calls came into his agency, and a minster's family in Ohio asked him to come live with them. But he got into a fight with one of their sons, and they sent him back to Florida. Forever wasn't forever in that case. And to the people who asked what went wrong, his social worker had the answer. "That boy spent his whole life in the system, that's what went wrong," Connie Going told the Tampa Bay Times. Photo helps gets teen adopted . For a year, he went through four more foster homes and wouldn't speak about what happened in Ohio. Finally, he reached out to Going, the woman who had been there for him since he was 7. Only had repeatedly asked her to adopt him, but she didn't think that she could be enough for him. She already had three children, ages 21, 17 and 14. But something changed in that latest call, and she knew she would finally say yes. So did her three children. Going rented a larger house, and Only moved into the home after his new mom passed the home study. His official adoption date is April 22. "I guess I always thought of you as my mom," Only told her before Christmas. "Only now I get to call you that for real, right?"

Summary: Davion Only took to the pulpit to find a forever home . After some setbacks, his family is set to make it official in April .


(CNN)So, you'd like a "Full House" reunion and spinoff? You got it, dude! Co-star John Stamos announced Monday night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" that Netflix has ordered up a reunion special, followed by a spinoff series called "Fuller House." The show will feature Candace Cameron Bure, who played eldest daughter D.J. Tanner in the original series -- which aired from 1987 to 1995 -- as the recently widowed mother of three boys. "It's sort of a role reversal, and we turn the house over to her," Stamos told Kimmel. Jodie Sweetin, who played Stephanie Tanner in the original series, and Andrea Barber, who portrayed D.J.'s best friend Kimmy Gibbler, will both return for the new series, Netflix said. Stamos will produce and guest star. Talks with co-starsBob Saget, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Dave Coulier and Lori Loughlin are ongoing, Netflix said. The show will be available next year, Netflix said. "As big fans of the original Full House, we are thrilled to be able to introduce Fuller House's new narrative to existing fans worldwide, who grew up on the original, as well as a new generation of global viewers that have grown up with the Tanners in syndication," Netflix Vice President of Original Content Cindy Holland said in a statement. The show starts with Tanner -- now named Tanner-Fuller (get it ... Fuller?) -- pregnant, recently widowed and living in San Francisco. Her younger sister Stephanie -- now an aspiring musician -- and her lifelong best friend and fellow single mom, Kimmy, move in to help her care for her two boys and the new baby. On Monday, Barber tweeted Cameron Bure to ask whether she was ready to resume their onscreen friendship. "We never stopped," Cameron Bure tweeted back. Fans were over the moon at the news.

Summary: Show will return with a one-hour special, followed by spinoff, star John Stamos says . He announced the show Monday night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live"


Sao Paulo, Brazil (CNN)Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians are taking to the streets in protests across the country, lashing out against President Dilma Rousseff as she struggles with an economic downturn and a massive bribery scandal. The demonstrators have called for the President to be impeached. On the other side Rousseff's base is holding rallies in her support. There are a number of issues at play. One of the biggest: an investigation into a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme at the state-run oil company Petrobras. Petrobras was long considered the corporate jewel in Brazil's crown, one of the biggest companies in the world by market capitalization. But last year, investigators launched a sweeping investigation. According to suspects-turned-witnesses, construction companies paid bribes to executives at Petrobras as well as politicians to secure lucrative contracts. Most of the politicians accused in the investigation belong to the President's Workers Party and its allies. During many of the years that the alleged corruption took place, Rousseff was the chairwoman of Petrobras. There hasn't been any evidence she was involved with the scheme, and her supporters say the position is merely a figurehead. Rousseff has defended Brazilians' right to protest and acknowledged the need to clean up corruption at Petrobras -- but denied any prior knowledge of it. But Brazilians are still outraged. Rousseff won re-election with just over 50% of valid votes in October, but her approval rating plummeted to 13% after the protests last month. Compounding the frustration is the economy, which is expected to contract this year. Inflation is stubbornly high, and the currency has lost more than 20% of its value against the dollar this year alone. Both sides are. The country was already sharply divided during presidential elections in October. Roughly half of the voting population didn't vote for Rousseff, and many of those same people joined protests immediately after elections. Rousseff's supporters like to characterize the protesters as Brazilian elite and right-wingers, and some small groups do carry signs calling for a military intervention to oust the President. But with the Petrobras scandal growing and the economy sinking, the protests have gotten bigger and broader, with many demonstrators saying they initially voted for Rousseff. Protesters say Rousseff should be impeached for failing to halt the corruption at Petrobras. On the other hand, labor unions, social activists and groups such as the Landless Workers Movement who support the government have organized their own marches. The demonstrations are meant as a show of force for democracy, with participants saying the President was democratically elected and cannot be impeached. But participation has not been consistently strong. The President has said Petrobras should be cleaned up. Has she done anything about it? She says she's given prosecutors and the Federal Police free rein to investigate the Petrobas scandal. Some of her allies who have been implicated in the investigation think Rousseff should do more to protect them. This scandal has been known publicly for at least a year, and during Rousseff's election campaign, she said she would root out corruption. The Brazilian economy was booming for the

Summary: Protesters angry over bribery scandal involving state-run oil company Petrobras . Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff also is struggling with an economic downturn .


(CNN)Kayahan, one of Turkey's best-loved singers and songwriters, died of cancer Friday at the age of 66. He had performed most recently in Istanbul on Valentine's Day. The performer, who was also an accomplished guitarist, was first diagnosed with cancer in 1990, the year he competed in the Eurovision Song Contest, and the year before he released the album that ignited his career. The cancer returned in 2005 and then again in 2014, Turkey's semiofficial Anadolu Agency reported. He died Friday in a hospital in Istanbul, five days after his 66th birthday. "We are in grief over losing Kayahan, who contributed to Turkish music with countless compositions and marked a generation with his songs," Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu tweeted. The singer, whose full name was Kayahan Acar, was born in Izmir province, in western Turkey on March 29, 1949. He grew up in Ankara, Turkey's capital, before moving to Istanbul. In 1990, he competed in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing 17th. The following year he released an album titled "I Made a Vow," which catapulted him to prominence. Though he recorded nearly 20 albums, that one would remain his most popular. His final album was released in 2007. Other artists recorded his material throughout his career. Videos available online show a vibrant performer with a thick shock of dark hair as he accompanies himself on guitar and croons in a clear tenor. Kayahan was best known for his love songs. More recent videos show a frailer performer, seated and without a guitar, but still clearly glorying in the joy of singing a song.

Summary: Kayahan wrote some of Turkey's best-loved pop songs . The singer was first diagnosed with cancer in 1990 . He most recently performed in February in Istanbul .


(CNN)They were huddled in the back of a tugboat. Some were without shoes. Their coats and jackets, still wet, were piled up in a huge container behind them. The 117 migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, arrived in the port of Augusta, Sicily, around 1p.m. Tuesday, after being picked up by the tugboat off the coast of Libya. The two boats they had been in were barely seaworthy, the tug's Montenegrin captain told me. The discarded coats, he said, would be thrown away. We had flown to Sicily from Rome following news that as many as 400 migrants had been lost at sea. The tragedy adds to the mounting death toll among those fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. So far this year as many as 900 have lost their lives. Last year at least 3,200 died making the journey. Since 2000, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), almost 22,000 people have died fleeing across the Mediterranean. Thousands may have died, but even more have succeeded in making the treacherous journey. This small group in Augusta were among nearly 10,000 migrants who have arrived on Italian shores since the weekend, according to the Italian Coast Guard. With the onset of spring and calmer seas, it appears that the flow of migrants is not relenting. The group, which included 31 women, was composed mostly of Nigerians and Gambians. As they filed off the boat, representatives of the Italian Red Cross did a quick visual inspection, checking for fever, scabies, any sign of illness. One woman, they discovered, was two months pregnant. Timothy, in his mid-20s from Nigeria, told me he left his home nine months ago. He paid human traffickers in Tripoli 1,000 Libyan dinars, more than $700, for the voyage. For him, it's a fortune. I asked 28-year-old Jibril, from Gambia, why he had left his home. "It's not like in Europe," he told me. "After 20, 25 years, you have to make a future for yourself. But in Gambia, I couldn't. My family, they don't have nothing. They are poor people." Mercy, from Kano in northern Nigeria, seemed shell-shocked. In a faint voice she told me she had left Kano because her family feared she that would be taken by Boko Haram. "I was scared," 25-year-old Al-Haji from Gambia told me about the journey from Libya. "I was taking a big risk. Either I enter Europe or I die." Another man, from Liberia, told me he had lived and worked in Libya for 15 years, but was terrified at the prospect of ISIS gaining even more territory. An Egyptian translator working for the Italian police told me they had information that a large group of Syrians were gathered in a Tripoli warehouse, and were expected to make the journey to Italy in the coming days. It seems that all the victims of the multiple tragedies and woes of Africa and the Middle East -- grinding poverty, war and the rise of ISIS -- are washing up on the shores of Italy. The wars, unrest, upheaval, misery

Summary: Migrants rescued in Augusta, Italy tell CNN why they fled . They were packed onto two barely seaworthy boats, tug captain said .


(CNN)Here's a pop quiz: What's better for America's status in the world? A) Being a global leader in innovation, job creation, education, social mobility, literacy and child health. B) Being a global leader in imprisoning the highest number of human beings -- its own citizens. It's an obvious answer. But the unfortunate reality is that the United States leads the world in incarceration, not education. Our country has shown time and again a nearly unlimited capacity to reinvent itself and move closer to the ideals on which our society was founded. Yet we have emerged as the global leader in a race that no nation would want to even be a contender in. While our country is home to only 5% of the world's total population, we are home to 25% of the world's prison population. And nearly three fourths of this population is comprised of nonviolent offenders. At the same time, we are losing the increasingly important race to educate our citizens. Where the United States was once ranked first in high school graduation rates, we now rank 23rd in high school completion among 30 of the world's most developed nations. Where we were once the driving force of the global economy, we now rank fifth in the World Economic Forum's global competitiveness index. Key metrics in this index include the quality of a nation's primary, secondary and higher education systems. Instead of empowering the next generation of American artists, scientists, engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs, our country has chosen to devote a massive amount of resources, time and energy to locking people up. By imprisoning individuals, we also burden families, condemn generations to cycles of poverty and breed economic inequality. In the 1980s and 1990s, Congress chose to adopt laws that drastically changed the way our country handled nonviolent drug crimes. Since then, the American prison population has increased by nearly 800% over the past 30 years. Over 2.7 million American children have a parent who is incarcerated, and 10 million American children at one time in their lives had a parent in prison. Americans of color are disproportionately burdened by the failures of our justice system. There are more black men in prison or under state or federal supervision today than there were enslaved in 1850. And while African Americans make up only 13.6% of the total U.S. population, they make up a whopping 40.2% of the U.S. prison population. The sad reality is that in today's America, prisoners are never truly free from the burdens of our criminal justice system. A report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research concluded that once released from prison, an ex-offender's prospects for obtaining employment statistically decreased. The report estimated that, in 2008, ex-offender employment losses cost our economy the equivalent of 1.5 to 1.7 million workers, or $57 billion to $65 billion annually. It's therefore no surprise that American prisons have become revolving doors, with two out of every three former offenders rearrested within three years of their release. The millions of wives, sisters, husbands, daughters, sons, friends and the people

Summary: Cory Booker: The unfortunate reality is that the United States leads the world in incarceration, not education . At the same time, we are losing the increasingly important race to educate our citizens .


Washington (CNN)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the deal six world powers struck to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions, saying he sees better options than "this bad deal or war." "I think there's a third alternative, and that is standing firm, ratcheting up the pressure until you get a better deal," Netanyahu told CNN's Jim Acosta Sunday on "State of the Union." His comments come as Democrats and Republicans spar over the framework announced last week to lift Western sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country dropping from 19,000 to 5,060 active centrifuges, limiting its highly enriched uranium, and increasing inspections. President Barack Obama endorsed the deal, saying it was better than the alternatives. But GOP contenders for the party's 2016 presidential nomination lambasted it, saying it gave Iran too much flexibility. On Sunday, the sparring continued. One Senate Democrat said Netanyahu needs to "contain himself." And a top Republican said almost any of Obama's successors as president "could do better." Netanyahu's most recent argument against the Iran nuclear deal was similar to the one he'd made in a March trip to Washington, when he addressed a joint session of Congress -- fueling a Republican push to have the deal sent to Congress before it's implemented. "It does not roll back Iran's nuclear program. It keeps a vast nuclear infrastructure in place. Not a single centrifuge is destroyed. Not a single nuclear facility is shut down, including the underground facilities that they built illicitly. Thousands of centrifuges will keep spinning, enriching uranium," Netanyahu said Sunday. "That's a very bad deal. " Netanyahu said Iran is a country of "congenital cheating" and that it can't be trusted to abide by the terms of the deal, which lasts 10 years with some provisions extending well beyond that. He said his opposition has little to do with his frosty relationship with Obama. "I think that we can have a legitimate difference of opinion on this, because I think Iran has shown to be completely distrustful," Netanyahu said. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, meanwhile, said she wishes Netanyahu "would contain himself." The top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said negotiators working on the deal -- from Iran and the United States, as well as Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- are "on the cusp of something that can be workable." "It's a framework. It has to be wrapped into a final agreement. There still can be some changes," Feinstein said. "But I don't think it's helpful for Israel to come out and oppose this one opportunity to change a major dynamic -- which is downhill, a downhill dynamic in this part of the world." Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz defended the deal in an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, saying it would extend from two months to one year the "breakout" time period -- the length of time it would take Iran to build a nuclear bomb. He said it also allows for the "almost instantaneous recognition of any attempt to evade the deal." "We have blocked all of these pathways

Summary: Netanyahu says third option is "standing firm" to get a better deal . Political sparring continues in U.S. over the deal with Iran .


(CNN)As Nepal grapples with an earthquake that has killed more than 3,400 people, Ronen Ziv worries about someone he has never met. His unborn baby is due this week in Kathmandu. He had tickets to travel to Nepal for his child's birth from a surrogate mother, but now he has no choice but to wait in his native Israel for news. "It's terrifying," Ziv said. "I can tell you I didn't get much sleep ... all my thoughts and all my prayers are for the surrogate mother and the unborn child." Nepal is a popular place for Israeli couples to have surrogate children. Ziv's first child, a 15-month-old daughter, was born to a surrogate mother in Nepal. Ziv and his partner, Tom, traveled to Nepal for the birth. They were planning on making the trip once again, but the earthquake forced them to change their plans. Companies that help arrange surrogate pregnancies estimate 25 couples are now in Kathmandu with newborn surrogate children, while 10 to 15 surrogate mothers are due to give birth in the coming weeks. The country is also a popular spot for Israeli travelers. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates there are about 600 to 700 Israelis in Nepal. Israel Defense Forces is sending 260 emergency responders to Nepal, including search-and-rescue teams. The group is also bringing almost 100 tons of medical aid supplies. Ziv says his baby is in a breech position, requiring a cesarean section. In the current chaos of Kathmandu, he worries his surrogate mother, Nafisa Shaje, will not get the proper medical attention required for a safe and healthy birth. Ziv would prefer Shaje fly to Israel, where hospitals can provide the needed medical help. But with only days left until the baby is due, Ziv said putting Shaje on a plane might not be possible. "If anything else happens, it could very quickly go to absolute catastrophe," Ziv says. Hospitals in Nepal have been flooded with injured quake victims. Some have been turned away so doctors can tend to the most severely injured. Cila Tamir, Ziv's attorney, has been working with the Ministry of the Interior to try to bring Shaje to Israel. "She has no place to deliver. No conditions," Tamir said. "Everything is ruined there, and I'm sure that the hospital doesn't function normally because of the casualties and the injuries."

Summary: Nepal is a popular place for Israeli couples to have surrogate children . An estimated 10 to 15 surrogate mothers are due to give birth soon in Kathmandu .


Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN)A suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a group of protesters in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing 17 people and wounding dozens more, police said. An Afghan lawmaker taking part in the protests in the city of Khost was among the 64 people wounded, said Faizullah Ghairat, the provincial police chief. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid denied his group was responsible for the attack. No other organization has so far claimed responsibility. Humayoon Humayoon, an Afghan member of parliament for Khost province, and the other protesters were on their way to join a larger rally against the provincial governor, according to Zahir Jan, an eyewitness. The suicide attack hit the group around 10 a.m. local time, police said. CNN's Masoud Popalzai reported from Kabul, and Jethro Mullen wrote from Hong Kong. CNN's Elizabeth Joseph contributed to this report.

Summary: An Afghan lawmaker is among 64 people wounded in the attack, police say . Taliban spokesman denies his group was responsible for the attack .


(CNN)Saudi Arabia has executed a second Indonesian maid despite protests from Jakarta, which is itself facing fierce criticism for its failure to heed calls for clemency for a number of foreigners on death row. The Indonesian government summoned the Saudi ambassador to the foreign ministry on Thursday after learning that 37-year-old Karni Bt. Medi Tarsim had been beheaded, without official warning. Karni was sentenced to death in March 2013 for killing her employer's four-year-old child. She was the second Indonesian domestic worker executed by the Saudis this week, following the death of Siti Zaenab Bt. Duhri Rupa on Tuesday -- the execution again carried out with Indonesian officials receiving no prior warning. "That is our main issue. It's not that suddenly there was an execution. We didn't know when it would take place. Still, we took over a hundred steps to try to free (Siti) from execution," said Arrmanatha Nasir, spokesman for Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Siti, 47, was convicted of killing her employer's wife in 1999, but the death penalty was delayed until the youngest of the victim's sons reached puberty and was old enough to consider requesting her pardon. He didn't. Rights groups say they suspect Siti was mentally ill and cast aspersions on claims she had confessed to the crime. Amnesty International also said reports suggested she had been abused while working in the victim's home. "Imposing the death penalty and executing someone with a suspected mental illness smacks of a basic lack of humanity," said Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International. In a statement, the Indonesian government said the protection of its citizens abroad was a "priority" and listed the attempts it had made to help Siti, including providing legal aid, writing letters to the Saudi King and "continuous efforts... to ask for forgiveness from the family." Indonesia said in many cases its efforts had worked. From July 2011 to the end of March this year, it said it had "successfully freed" 238 of its citizens from the death penalty. One of those was Satinah Binti Jumadi Ahmad who was sentenced to death in 2011 after reportedly admitting to killing her 70-year-old employer and stealing $10,000. Satinah claimed she acted in self-dense. Days before her scheduled execution, the Indonesian government stepped in with so-called "blood money" of 7 million Saudi riyals -- at the time worth about $1.8 million. Satinah was spared. Indonesia's efforts to save its own citizens does not sit well with advocates who are seeking the same mercy for foreigners languishing on Indonesia's death row. Two of the most high profile cases are Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Australians convicted of attempting to smuggle heroin from Bali to Australia in 2005. Friday marks the 10-year anniversary of their arrest with seven other people -- members of the so-called "Bali Nine" -- who are currently serving lengthy sentences in Indonesian prisons. As the alleged ringleaders, Chan and Sukumaran were sentenced to death, and denied clemency from President Jokowi Widodo, a decision being challenged through the country's Constitutional Court. "If

Summary: Indonesia protests executions, says didn't receive formal warnings . Both women had worked as domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia before being convicted of murder .


Washington (CNN)Washington was rocked late Thursday by shootings -- one at the gates of the U.S. Census Bureau's headquarters and another in a popular area packed with restaurant patrons. The shootings were connected, authorities said. They began with what authorities believe was a domestic kidnapping incident, according to D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier. The suspect's vehicle was spotted outside the Census Bureau, which is in Suitland, Maryland. A guard apparently approached the vehicle and saw two people arguing. That guard was then shot at least once in the upper body, said Prince George's County Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady. The guard was in extremely critical condition, according to Brady. The police chief said the suspect then fled the scene. Officers picked up the chase, and the suspect fired gunshots at multiple locations, Lanier said. The chase ended in a crash on Washington's busy H Street. A shootout ensues, Lanier said. An officer and the suspect were wounded, according to the police chief. Both were conscious and talking when they left the scene. "Right now, we have every reason to believe that the car that we have in this last incident here is the same car involved and the same person involved in the kidnapping," she said. Lanier told reporters the kidnapping victim was located and is in good condition. She did not identify the suspect, nor the guard, nor the officer who were injured. Steve Brusk reported from Washington. Dana Ford wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Greg Botelho also contributed to this report.

Summary: Authorities believe the two shootings are connected . A suspect leads police on a wild chase, firing at multiple locations . A Census Bureau guard is in critical condition, a fire official says .


(CNN)Italians have a saying: "Too much of something cripples it." We're overcrowded with so many frescoed churches, medieval castles and Roman ruins that we simply don't know what to do with them, let alone care for a proper upkeep. We've turned blind to their value and beauty. There are nearly 5,000 "gems" scattered across the country, ranging from museums to archaeological areas and monuments. Italy boasts the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world -- 50, several of which risk crumbling to the ground due to neglect and lack of public resources. And there are another 42,000 that are at the mercy of mudslides, floods and natural calamities. The UNESCO-listed Basilica of Assisi, where St. Frances' tomb lies, is just the last of a series of national shames. Its frescoed walls by Renaissance masters including Giotto risk falling down and are badly in need of a restyle. In a desperate move the monks have launched a crowdfunding project to raise 500,000 euros. We're talking of one of the biggest pilgrimage sites in the world -- not to mention its artistic value. I remember once an American colleague asking me: "But what does Italy do with its immense cultural heritage"? Good question. If other nations had half as much of what we boast, they'd make a much better job with it. Paradoxically, if we had just the Coliseum or Venice it would be easier. But we don't and trouble is Italy doesn't know how to exploit this treasure. Take the British Museum's successful exhibition on Pompeii in 2013: we have the real site in our backyard but the British made the best of it worldwide while the real Pompeii was -- and still is -- making global headlines just because of its frequent collapses. Or, worse, Italy couldn't care less to promote its assets. As a travel writer I have the misfortune of dealing with tourist offices almost on a daily basis and it's a battle: many are reluctant to give information and have no good photos of places. I find myself almost begging them, when it should be the other way round. The true but sad thing is that restyling in Italy is mainly thanks to private funds and sponsors. Crowdfunding has already saved Bologna's San Luca Portico. The Coliseum is getting a makeover thanks to shoe brand Todd's, while a few visionary businessmen are rescuing crumbling villages by turning them into luxury resorts. Yet it's not just a matter of scarce public resources or austerity-driven measures. It's also about not having a sense of artistic and cultural attachment, the care to cherish a country's valuable monuments. And that's because Italians have always lacked a sense of national belonging: Italy, despite its millenary history, is one of the world's most modern states, unified in 1861. Patriot Massimo D'Azeglio once said: "Now that we've made Italy, we need to make Italians." Tough job indeed, and we're still a long way to go. There's also wide-spread approach that tends to limit restyling in general. Heritage authorities are in love with the

Summary: Italy boasts the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world . Italy doesn't know how to exploit treasures, and appears not to care about them, writes Silvia Marchetti .


(CNN)The world's seventh-largest economy is heading toward collapse. An economic powerhouse conservatively valued at $24 trillion, one that annually churns out the equivalent of $2.5 trillion, is under assault. However, I am not referring to one of the G8 economies, but to the "super economy" of the ocean. It's one that for far too long has been ignored and taken for granted -- and it is going downhill fast. The health and wealth of the ocean are assessed in a WWF report released Thursday, Reviving the Ocean Economy. The report is the result of a hard economic analysis performed by The Boston Consulting Group built on a foundation of the latest ocean science provided by the Global Change Institute of the University of Queensland. True, the enormity of the ocean can complicate any single appraisal. But it is still important to try to understand its value if global leaders are ever going to sustain it for future generations. The fact is that the ocean feeds us, employs us, offers protection and plays a direct role in the lives and livelihoods of people throughout the world. The ocean also provides intangible but essential services to humanity, such as climate regulation and oxygen production, that are difficult to put in monetary terms. And while we all may look at the ocean from different perspectives, no one can escape the fact that it is a shared resource that provides for each and every one of us. A figure that may get lost in the headlines generated by our report is perhaps most telling: Seventy percent of the ocean's overall economic value relies on its continued health. Ocean assets like fisheries, coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses that produce goods and services rivaling the world's top 10 economies will lose their value if we continue to over-exploit and outright destroy them. That may seem like a far-off possibility to some, but it is a future foretold by the many details in this report. For example, 90 percent of the world's fish stocks are either fully exploited or over-exploited. And that is not all. By 2050 -- only a few decades from now -- it is possible that the ocean could lose its coral reefs, which have already been halved in the last few decades. This isn't just a concern for dive enthusiasts, but to the hundreds of millions of people that rely on ocean resources for their daily meals and their weekly paychecks. The ocean is truly too big to fail. The loss of the ocean's critical habitats and species would have a devastating ripple effect on global food security and economies that no government bailout could salvage. Fortunately, our report identifies actions that would revive the ocean economy, three of which are critical this year. First, the international community must rally around a set of sustainable development goals that clearly reflect the link between the environment -- including the ocean -- and human well-being. Also, negotiators meeting in Paris later this year must agree on an ambitious global climate deal that sets us on the path

Summary: Ocean economic powerhouse valued at $24 trillion: WWF report . Marco Lambertini: Ocean plays direct role in livelihoods across globe .


(CNN)Iran's President on Friday hailed the proposed international deal on his country's nuclear program, vowing that Iran will stick to its promises and -- assuming other countries live up to their end of the bargain -- become a more active, engaged player in world affairs. "Some think that we should either fight ... or we should surrender to other powers," President Hassan Rouhani said. "However, we believe none of that. There is a third path. We can cooperate with the world." Rouhani said his government kept its word to Iranians when negotiating the framework deal, which was agreed upon Thursday and sets parameters for talks that could lead to a comprehensive deal by a June 30 deadline. Chief among them is that Iran would keep at least some centrifuges and no longer face international sanctions. He thanked Iranians for their patience and for "resisting" by standing up for the country's rights. As to the rest of the world, the Iranian President said he thinks most now realize that Iran "is pursuing peaceful objectives." That means trying to develop nuclear energy, not nuclear weapons, as many feared. That fear, combined with distrust of Iran's leaders, spurred the sanctions and the Middle Eastern nation's isolation. "We do not lie," Rouhani said, vowing that Iran will be true to its word, "provided the other parties will implement their own promises." What Iranians think of the deal . Those promises include reducing Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98% for 15 years and significantly scaling back its number of installed centrifuges. Still, while it will be shrunken and centralized, Iran's nuclear program won't go away. What should happen -- assuming there's a common view that Tehran is doing as required -- is that countries will end their sanctions. That was non-negotiable for Iran, with Rouhani saying the deal shows his government's commitment to removing a major "obstacle ... for business" by addressing the world's worries about its nuclear program. "We need economic productivity, employment for the youth and development of non-oil products," he said. "Thus our people can witness better things for their welfare." It won't be easy, of course, to get Iran and the P5+1 -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- on the same page regarding the nitty-gritty details of any final agreement, if there is one. After all, it took two extra days past a self-imposed deadline for the parties to reach a framework deal. What's in the deal? 7 key points . That agreement followed about a decade of often failed negotiations and deep-rooted acrimony, particularly between Iran and the United States. Those tensions haven't disappeared, nor is there any guarantee that talks won't fall apart again over the next three months. Even as he applauded what he called a "good deal," President Barack Obama pointed out Thursday that "if Iran cheats, the world will know it." His government is also being pressed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who blasted the agreement Friday as posing a "grave danger" by legitimizing Iran's nuclear program and making it easier

Summary: Iranian President says a nuclear deal would remove a major obstacle for business . "We can cooperate with the world," President Hassan Rouhani insists . He says, "We do not lie," and Iran will abide by its promises on nuclear deal .


(CNN)Imprisoned soldier Chelsea Manning can now communicate with the world -- in 140 characters or less. Manning, who is serving a 35-year prison sentence for leaking thousands of classified documents, appears to have joined Twitter this week. In a series of tweets, the prisoner formerly known as Bradley Manning said she will be using a voice phone to dictate her tweets to communications firm Fitzgibbon Media, which will post them on her behalf. She is not allowed Internet access in prison, according to The Guardian. "It will be hard, but I don't want this Twitter feed to be a one-way street/conversation," Manning posted to her nearly 26,000-plus followers. Manning was sentenced in 2013, and in August of that year, she said she wanted to transition to a female. The Fort Leavenworth Disciplinary Barracks in Kansas, where she is serving her sentence, has authorized hormone therapy for her treatment. Manning said she suffers from gender dysphoria. Her lawyers describe it as "the medical diagnosis given to individuals whose gender identity -- their innate sense of being male or female -- differs from the sex they were assigned at birth, causing clinically significant distress." Last year, a Kansas judge granted her request to be formally known as Chelsea Elizabeth Manning. The former Army intelligence analyst was convicted of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of documents and videos to WikiLeaks in what has been described as the largest leak of classified material in U.S. history. She was found guilty of 20 of the 22 charges, including violations of the U.S. Espionage Act. Manning has written opinion pieces for The New York Times and The Guardian from prison.

Summary: Manning is serving a 35-year sentence for leaking thousands of classified documents . She says she will be using a voice phone to dictate her tweets .


(CNN)The Dark Knight returns... again. "The Dark Knight Returns," published in 1986, is widely credited for resurrecting Batman in pop culture, something we've seen referenced in everything from 1989's "Batman" to the "Dark Knight" trilogy and the upcoming "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice." Now popular comic book writer Frank Miller is returning to his best-known story. DC Comics (a Time Warner company, like CNN) announced Friday the final chapter in his "The Dark Knight Returns" trilogy, in the form of "The Dark Knight III: The Master Race" ("The Dark Knight Strikes Again" was released in 2001). This third chapter in the grim saga will be released sometime in the fall. "Batman remains my favorite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting," said Miller in a press release, "but we'll do our best." Miller will be joined by acclaimed artist Brian Azzarello.

Summary: Classic comic book "The Dark Knight Returns" is getting a second sequel . Legendary comics writer Frank Miller is returning to the story that made him famous .


(CNN)Hip-hop star Nelly has been arrested on drug charges in Tennessee after a state trooper pulled over the private bus in which he was traveling, authorities said. The 40-year-old rapper from St. Louis, who shot to fame 15 years ago with the track "Country Grammar," has been charged with felony possession of drugs, simple possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security said. The state trooper stopped the bus carrying Nelly and five other people on Interstate 40 in Putnam County on Saturday because it wasn't displaying U.S. Department of Transportation and International Fuel Tax Association stickers, according to Tennessee authorities. The trooper was about to conduct an inspection of the bus, a Prevost motor coach, when he "noticed an odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle," authorities said in a statement. Two troopers then searched the bus, finding "five colored crystal-type rocks that tested positive for methamphetamine, as well as a small amount of marijuana and other drug paraphernalia," the statement said. The search also turned up several handguns and 100 small Ziploc bags, which the statement said are commonly used for selling drugs. The guns included a gold-plated .50-caliber Desert Eagle pistol, a .45-caliber Taurus pistol and a .500 Smith & Wesson magnum. Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes, was taken to the Putnam County Jail along with another passenger. He later posted bond and left the jail, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said. CNN couldn't immediately reach Nelly's representatives for comment Saturday. CNN's Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report.

Summary: State troopers say they found methamphetamine and marijuana on a bus carrying Nelly and five others . Nelly has been charged with felony possession of drugs .


(CNN)He was known as the American mouthpiece of al Qaeda, speaking against his native country on behalf of a terrorist organization that's devoted blood and resources to attacking it. But not anymore. The White House announced Thursday that Adam Gadahn, 36, was killed in January in a U.S. government counterterrorism operation. Neither he nor Ahmed Farouq -- another U.S. citizen and al Qaeda operative who died in what the White House said was "likely a separate" operation -- was specifically targeted, according to the statement. Warren Weinstein, a U.S. citizen who was abducted by al Qaeda in Pakistan in 2011, died along with another hostage, Italian Giovanni Lo Porto, in the attack that killed Farouq, according to the White House. White House: U.S. hostage killed in strike on al Qaeda . While he wasn't one of al Qaeda's top leaders, Gadahn was one of its most prominent members, given his many statements on behalf of the organization. Also known as Azzam the American, he was born in 1978. His parents changed their name from Pearlman to Gadahn after their marriage. He grew up on a farm in rural California and at age 18 moved in with his paternal grandparents, who were Jewish. He converted to Islam in 1995 and left the United States for Pakistan three years later. His father said Gadahn last contacted the family in 2002. A former al Qaeda member who later grew disillusioned with the group told CNN terrorism analyst Paul Cruickshank that he was tasked with greeting Gadahn at Peshawar airport in September 1998. Gadahn, who'd just just turned 20, had taken flights from the United States to London, then on to Karachi and Peshawar. The former operative planned to take Gadahn to a pizzeria after he landed, before accompanying him by bus to al Qaeda's encampments in Afghanistan. But Gadahn told him he'd been longing for some Afghan food, so they went to an Afghan restaurant instead before setting out on the road. The former operative said that after Gadahn joined al Qaeda, he was known as Abu Suhayb. In the years after 9/11, Gadahn rose through the ranks in the tribal areas of Pakistan, becoming its chief official English-language propagandist. He emerged in the mid-2000s on al Qaeda videos, including ones threatening attacks on Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia. At first he was disguised. Sometimes he spoke in English, but in other videos he spoke in Arabic. He urged Muslims to target American, Western and Jewish interests with hopes of toppling the regime in Pakistan, according to SITE, a group that monitors terrorists and terror activity online. A federal grand jury in California indicted Gadahn in 2006 for treason and material support to al Qaeda, charges related to his alleged involvement in terrorist activities that included "providing aid and comfort" and other services to al Qaeda, the FBI said. He was among the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorists." In 2007, he appeared on another al Qaeda video in which he warned America to end its involvement in the affairs of predominantly Muslim countries. "Your failure to

Summary: In his final known video, Adam Gadahn called for governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to be overthrown . He was raised in California and said he was of Jewish ancestry . He converted to Islam in 1995, left U.S. in 1998 and joined al Qaeda, becoming a spokesman .


(CNN)One Israeli citizen was killed and another injured in what police are calling a suspected terror attack Wednesday night near Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said a 37-year-old Arab motorist from East Jerusalem struck two people standing at a bus stop in the French Hill section of the city. One victim, identified by police as Shalom Yohai Cherki, 26, died at the hospital. A 20-year-old woman remains in serious condition, according to Rosenfeld. The driver has been arrested and is under investigation by the General Security Services. "From the investigation and first findings, there is a strong suspicion that we're talking about a terror attack," Rosenfeld said. Amid the ongoing investigation, a magistrate court has issued a gag order on details of the incident.

Summary: Incident occurred Wednesday night near Hebrew University in Jerusalem, police say . One victim, a 26-year-old man, has died; a 20-year-old woman is in serious condition . The suspect is a 37-year-old Arab from East Jerusalem, Israeli police say .


(CNN)Laying down tracks for their debut album in the recording studio in Los Angeles, Iman Hashi, 25 and her sister Siham, 27 could not be further from their hometown of Mogadishu. The sisters were born in the Somali capital but were forced to flee after war broke out in 1991. Along with their parents, the girls relocated to Canada as refugees where during their teens they discovered a passion for music. Heading south to LA by way of Atlanta, the singing sisters with a bold flair for fashion are now embarking on a musical journey, gearing up to unleash their Afro-pop sound to the world. CNN's African Voices caught up with the sister act -- known collectively as Faarrow (combining the translation of their names into English -- Iman means "Faith" and Siham means "Arrow") to talk about music, aspirations and Somalia. CNN: Hi guys, thanks for chatting with me today. What are some of your musical influences? Iman: We love Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie -- stuff my mom would listen to and play -- and the Spice Girls. We used to die for the Spice Girls. I love new artists now but I don't know if it's a nostalgia, but I remember ... my mom used to pump whatever -- Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston. CNN: You are working on your debut album now -- how's that been? Siham: We've been working with Elijah Kelley -- he's actually an actor. He was in "Hairspray," "The Butler," and most recently he was in the George Lucas animation, "Strange Magic." That's what he's more known for but his first passion is music. He's an incredible producer, writer and singer. I just felt like he was always the missing piece. He brought everything together. CNN: So now that you've found your "missing piece," how would you describe your sound? Siham: Our music before was experimenting with Afrobeat sounds but now it's more of a fusion (of what) we are inspired by. It's pop with undertones of hip hop and rhythmic African percussion. It's a fusion of everything. CNN: And do you guys write the songs as well? Siham: The entire album was pretty much (written and produced) by me, my sister and Elijah. And when we signed we already had a lot of those songs already done. Warner Brothers Records is really great in that way that they already loved what we were doing and let us do our own thing. CNN: What are you listening to right now? Siham: Oh my God, there's so many! Iman: Sia with "Chandelier." Siham: I really love this new song -- I don't know if Iman is going to agree with me -- but his name's LunchMoney Lewis, it's called Bills; I love it. CNN: As well as your music, you both work with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) -- how did you start your humanitarian work? Iman: Ever since we were kids we wanted to help Somalia, we always talked about it. But we were like "what can we physically do?" We were doing some

Summary: Somali sisters, Iman and Siham Hashi, make up Faarrow . A fusion of hip-hop, world pop and Afrobeats, they are currently finishing debut album .


(CNN)A Delaware father is in stable condition and improving as his two boys remain in critical condition after they became sick -- perhaps from pesticide exposure, federal officials say -- during a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Steve Esmond, his teenage sons and the teens' mother fell ill more than two weeks ago in St. John, where they were renting a villa at the Sirenusa resort. The family has confidence in their medical professionals and is hopeful for a full recovery, according to a statement released Monday from the family's attorney, James Maron. The teens' mother, Theresa Devine, was treated at a hospital and released, and is in occupational therapy, Maron said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Friday that the presence of a pesticide at the rented villa in St. John may have caused the illnesses, which were reported to the EPA on March 20. Paramedics were called to the villa, which the family was renting. Esmond was found unconscious; the boys and their mother were having seizures, Maron said. The lawyer did not say who called the paramedics. Elias Rodriguez, an EPA spokesman, said the agency's preliminary test results "do show that there was a presence of methyl bromide in the unit where the family was staying." Exposure to methyl bromide can result in serious health effects, including central nervous system and respiratory system damage, according to the EPA. The use of the pesticide is restricted in the United States because of its acute toxicity. It's not allowed to be used indoors. Only certified professionals are permitted to use it in certain agricultural settings. For example, the pesticide is injected into the soil of some U.S. strawberry fields, said Judith Enck, an EPA regional administrator. "We trust that the strawberry producers are making sure that there's not excess pesticide residue on strawberries," Enck said. "You definitely want to wash them really good. "This is a pesticide that's been around for a long time, and ironically because of its impact and damage to the ozone layer, it's being phased out because of the air impacts of this fumigant," Enck added. Field workers at a Connecticut nursery were poisoned by the chemical in 1990, according to the Journal of Industrial Medicine. In 2011, warehouse workers in California fell ill after exposed to grapes imported from Chile fumigated with methyl bromide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, said many parts of the world banned the chemical, a neurotoxin. The agent is to be used only outdoors. The chemical is also odorless and colorless, Gupta said. "It's not something that you would have any warning of," Gupta said. The chemical is often mixed with tear gas so people can be aware of its presence, he added. The EPA said it is working with local government agencies to investigate whether the family was made ill after a fumigation at the resort on March 18 and whether any environmental regulations or laws were violated. Enck, the EPA regional administrator, said paramedics were called early on

Summary: Chemical damages ozone and is being phased out, though it's used in strawberry fields, EPA says . A Delaware family becomes ill at a resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands . Preliminary EPA results find methyl bromide was present in the unit where they stayed .


(CNN)What do Walmart, Target, and now the Koch Brothers have in common with the American Civil Liberties Union, ColorOfChange.org, and the Center for American Progress? All of them are adopting or advocating for hiring practices that open up work opportunities for people with convictions and leverage untapped potential in the labor market. Koch Industries' recent announcement that it will "ban the box" -- i.e., remove from its job applications the check-box that asks about convictions -- is a big step forward in the movement to break down barriers to employment for job-seekers with records. "Ban the box" doesn't prohibit background checks, it only postpones them until later in the hiring process. It's one item on a menu of fair-chance hiring reforms intended to ensure that job applicants are evaluated on their skills and qualifications first, rather than judged solely on past mistakes. These policies help reduce recidivism by making employment accessible to job-seekers who need a second chance, and they help break down the stigma of an arrest or conviction record. Two generations of the war on drugs, zero tolerance, and aggressive policing have left 70 million adults with arrest or conviction records that undermine their ability to be considered for jobs, even as the job market has grown steadily. Millions of people are being left behind, and it's taking a toll on our economy: The reduced economic output of people with records cost our economy $57-$65 billion in 2008 alone. These criminal justice policies disproportionately impact African-Americans, who are incarcerated at a rate six times that of whites. The Department of Justice's recent investigation of the Ferguson Police Department, for example, shows the extent to which racism is perpetuated through police departments and the court system. That systemic racial disparity is then repeated throughout the economy, and the community is put at a severe disadvantage in the job market long after individuals have served their time. That's one reason the African-American unemployment rate is persistently twice that of whites. In a job market where employers that didn't previously do background checks now make them a routine part of hiring, qualified job-seekers are being screened out of the applicant pools for more and more jobs. Nearly one in three adults in America has an arrest or conviction history that will show up on a routine background check. Companies like Koch, Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath & Beyond recognize that this is a huge source of untapped talent, and that's why they've already banned the box on their job applications. These policies are also gaining traction with politicians across the political spectrum. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe recently signed executive orders removing the conviction question from initial applications for state employment. So far, 16 states and more than 100 cities and counties have adopted fair-chance hiring policies. Six of those states and the District of Columbia, plus 25 cities and counties, have applied their policies to government contractors or private employers as well. The Obama administration took an important step toward fairer and smarter federal

Summary: Koch Brothers removing checkbox on criminal records from job applications . Authors: Major companies are recognizing that those with criminal pasts can be productive workers .


(CNN)Sunday's announcement that Corinthian Colleges Inc. would shut down all of its remaining 28 campuses is a positive development in a long struggle to hold for-profit colleges accountable. Corinthian, which once enrolled more than 70,000 students, is one of the worst of the "predator colleges" -- schools that offer dubious degrees, saddle students with high amounts of debt and gobble up tens of billions of dollars in federal money every year. Many of these schools are for-profit career colleges that operate mostly online. It's no wonder that Corinthian is doing this after the U.S. Department of Education curtailed its access to federal student aid last summer. There are about 1.3 million students enrolled in for-profit colleges, many of which have questionable track records, and their students need help transitioning into legitimate postsecondary schools. With Uncle Sam's student loan debt sheet topping $1 trillion, we literally can't afford to continue funding for-profit colleges -- which reportedly get 86% of their funding from federal student loan money. For those not familiar with the for-profit college fiasco, here's the whole story in one telling statistic: While for-profit colleges enroll only 13% of the nation's college students, such colleges account for nearly half of all student loan defaults, according to Department of Education statistics. For comparison's sake, the default rate of for-profit college students is worse than the default rate of the worst subprime borrowers during the financial crisis. How do these colleges operate? It's deviously simple: Convince low-income students into borrowing tens of thousands of dollars through easy federal student loans, keep costs low through online classes and part-time professors, and watch the money roll in. The aggressive tactics of these colleges boggle the mind. Recruiters are told to make 100 phone calls and leave 100 messages a day, according to a ProPublica investigation. I can personally attest to the aggressive tactics. My phone number was accidentally placed on a call list for a for-profit college recently, and I received so many calls per day that I had to ask my wireless carrier to block the phone number. Stopping the exploitation of students isn't easy. The for-profit college business is a multibillion-dollar industry. The CEOs of these companies make millions of dollars a year, employ an army of lobbyists and donate money to both political parties. But the past two months brought a new twist to the crisis. Hundreds of graduates of the now-defunct Corinthian joined a "debt strike," publicly declaring their refusal to pay back their loans. In response, Education Department Secretary Arne Duncan signaled a willingness to forgive loans of Corinthian graduates who have crushing debt and no job prospects. Now that Corinthian is finally shutting down, we must finish the job. The remaining for-profit colleges should be closed. Any student not gainfully employed or transferred to a reputable college within three years should be considered a victim, and their debts should be forgiven. Yes, "victim" is the right word. If these degrees actually helped people get jobs, we should be celebrating them. But according to a jaw-dropping report by the Education Department,

Summary: David Wheeler: Corinthian, considered a "predator" school, will shut down campuses . Wheeler: Students of for-profit colleges are hapless victims; their debts should be forgiven .


(CNN)Just as mimeograph machines and photocopiers were in their day, online activity -- blogs, YouTube channels, even social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter -- have fully emerged as the alternative to traditional mainstream media. It is not just the low cost of posting online that attracts dissidence, though that in itself is liberating. It is the lack of access to traditional print and broadcast media in authoritarian countries that is really the driving force leading disaffected voices to post online. It is not unique to Asia, but it might seem more pronounced if you live there. Going online has become the path of least resistance if you want to make yourself heard. But it still brings resistance, some of it legal, some of it deadly. Let's look at the legal angle first. Amos Yee, the teenage video blogger who was arrested and held pending bail Sunday in Singapore, drew international attention for his anti-Lee Kuan Yew harangue. But jailing critics is not usually the government's first choice in Singapore. It is part of Lee Kuan Yew's legacy that the government's use of the courts to bring libel and defamation cases, usually carrying heavy financial penalties, is the preferred method of silencing discomfiting online voices. His father has reportedly apologized for his son's behavior, but the younger Yee could face up to three years in jail. Yee is not unique. Another dissident blogger in Singapore, Roy Ngerng, continues to suffer financial and legal pressure, including the loss of his job, because of a blog post that allegedly accused the city-state's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, of corruption. Ngerng's concern is with the lack of transparency in the management of the Central Provident Fund, the government's compulsory pension program. Yee and Ngerng are two of many. The Committee To Protect Journalists' file on Singapore going back to 2000 has a long string of similar cases, some against politicians, others against citizens simply frustrated with their government. But it is not just Singapore where Internet activity comes under fire: On Monday in Malaysia, with much less of the international attention heaped on Amos Yee, five editors and executives from The Malaysian Insider were arrested over the site's March 25 report claiming that a senior council of royal rulers and state governors, known as the Conference of Rulers, had rejected a proposal to amend federal law to allow for the introduction of hudud, or punishments meted out under Islamic law. In deeply Muslim Malaysia, questions of Islamic faith are a third-rail issue, as is revealing government decisions before they are announced. By far the biggest jailer of journalists in the world is China, where a majority of the 44 people behind bars at the end of 2014 were bloggers, most of them Uighur or Tibetan activists who straddle the line between journalism and activism. But in second place in Asia is Vietnam, where CPJ's most recent prison census showed Vietnam holding 16 reporters behind bars as of December 1. Add one more in late December, Nguyen Dinh Ngoc, a prominent blogger who was arrested for

Summary: Going online has become the path of least resistance if you want to make yourself heard . But where there is the restrictive rule of law, journalists are vulnerable to the anger of officialdom . From China to Malaysia, journalists and bloggers have been jailed -- even killed .


(CNN)Greenpeace activists have climbed aboard a Shell oil rig to protest the company's plans to drill in the Arctic near Alaska. The six protesters used ropes and harnesses Monday to scale the huge platform in the Pacific Ocean, tweeting images of their daunting climb as they went. "We made it! We're on Shell's platform. And we're not alone," wrote Aliyah Field, an American activist taking part in the protest. "Everyone can help turn this into a platform for people power!" The rig, the Polar Pioneer, is on its way to the Arctic via Seattle. The environmental activists caught up with it about 750 miles northwest of Hawaii, Greenpeace said. They plan to occupy the underside of the rig's main deck and say they have enough supplies to stay there for several days. Shell didn't immediately respond to CNN's request for comment late Monday. But company spokeswoman Kelly Op De Weegh told Agence France-Presse that the boarding was illegal and jeopardized the safety of the activists and the crew. Greenpeace is furious over a decision last week by U.S. authorities to lift the suspensions on leases to drill for oil and gas in the Chukchi Sea, which lies between northern Alaska and Russia. Shell and several other oil companies bought exploration leases for the sea in 2008. The U.S. government's decision "means that in 100 days, Shell could begin drilling in the Alaskan Arctic," Greenpeace said. Federal agencies still have to review and approve companies' plans before exploratory drilling can start. Shell's work in the Arctic has suffered some setbacks in the past, including a drilling barge that ran aground off southern Alaska on December 31, 2012. Greenpeace has repeatedly used the occupation of drilling-related vessels to bring attention to its cause. One group of its activists was detained for months by Russian authorities in 2013. In the current episode, the activists pursued the Polar Pioneer, which Shell is leasing from Transocean, as it traveled thousands of miles aboard a transport vessel from Malaysia, Greenpeace said. Besides the American protester Field, the activists come from Australia, Austria, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden. The U.S. Coast Guard wasn't immediately available for comment late Monday on the incident. CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

Summary: Six protesters scale the Polar Pioneer, hundreds of miles northwest of Hawaii . Greenpeace opposes Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic .


(CNN)Just kill it already. That was the sentiment of many "Vampire Diaries" fans on Tuesday after star Nina Dobrev announced she will be leaving the CW show at the end of this season. "I always knew I wanted Elena's story to be a six season adventure, and within those six years I got the journey of a lifetime," she posted on her social media accounts after a "goodbye party" at Lake Lanier outside Atlanta, where the show is filmed. "I was a human, a vampire, a doppelganger, a crazy immortal, a doppelganger pretending to be human, a human pretending to be a doppelganger. I got kidnapped, killed, resurrected, tortured, cursed, body-snatched, was dead and undead, and there's still so much more to come before the season finale in May." And while that may be true, fans were feeling a little jilted. Many chastised the show's producers, some even Dobrev herself, for allowing the show to go on to a seventh season this fall after she departs. Many were upset that Dobrev's departure could sink hopes of seeing a satisfying denouement to the relationship between Dobrev's character, Elena Gilbert, and love interest vampire Damon Salvatore. Fans called the couple "Delena." "I feel angry, sad, depressed, numb but most of all I feel like part of me died along with Nina leaving TVD. Nothing will be the same again," Twitter user iDamonAndElena posted. Producer Julie Plec issued a statement supporting Dobrev's decision. "Nina is excited to spread her wings, get some rest, travel the world and also take it by storm, and we support her a thousand-fold," she said in the statement, according to media accounts. "We will miss Nina and the four hundred characters she played, but we look forward to the insane and exciting challenge of continuing to tell stories of our Salvatore Brothers and our much-loved and gifted ensemble." No thanks, some fans said. Dobrev seemed to anticipate the pain, urging fans to hold on through the show's finale next month. "If you think you know what's coming, you don't," she said.

Summary: "Vampire Diaries" star Nina Dobrev announces she's leaving the show . "Nothing will be the same again," fans say .


(CNN)A fiery sunset greeted people in Washington Sunday. The deep reddish color caught Seattle native Tim Durkan's eye. He photographed a handful of aerial shots of the sunset warming the city's skyline and shared them on CNN iReport. The stunning sunsets were the result of raging wildfires in parts of Siberia. "The dramatic sunsets began showing up over the weekend and had Seattle locals wondering where the amber-colored haze was originating from," Durken said. The fires were started in southeastern Siberia, by farmers burning grass in their fields. But on April 14, it is believed that the flames quickly grew out of control because of strong winds and spread throughout the region, according to CNN affiliate KOMO-TV. As a result, the fires have destroyed dozens of villages in the region. Rescue crews were able to put out the flames. However, the lingering smoke from the widespread fires were picked up by atmospheric winds. The winds carried the smoke from Siberia across the Pacific Ocean and brought it to the Pacific Northwest. Parts of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia are seeing the results of the smoke, wind and solar light combination. The reason people are seeing an intense red sunset is a result of smoke particles filtering out the shorter wavelength colors from the sunlight like greens, blues, yellows and purples, KOMO-TV said. That means colors like red and orange are able to penetrate the air unfiltered. The colors are especially intense during sunrises and sunsets because there is more atmosphere for the light to travel through to get to a person's eye. As the smoke starts to dissipate, air quality will get better and these fiery sunsets will lose their reddish hue.

Summary: Smoke from massive fires in Siberia created fiery sunsets in the Pacific Northwest . Atmospheric winds carried smoke from the wildfires across the Pacific Ocean . Smoke particles altered wavelengths from the sun, creating a more intense color .


(CNN)This time, it's official: Russia expects North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to visit Moscow next month for World War II anniversary celebrations. North Korean representatives have confirmed that Kim will be in the Russian capital for May 9 Victory Day celebrations, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday, according to Russian state-run news agency Tass. This would mark Kim's first official foreign trip since inheriting the leadership of North Korea in late 2011. Kim will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the May visit, Tass reported. Kim's trip has been anticipated since late December, when Russian state media reported that Moscow had extended an invitation to Pyongyang. Last month, a Russian official speaking on condition of anonymity told CNN that the invitation was accepted. But Wednesday's Tass report is the first public confirmation attached to a named official. This year's Victory Day marks the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Russia has said it has invited more than 60 world leaders to the celebrations. Kim expected to visit Moscow as North Korea, Russia foster warmer relations . CNN's Madison Park and Alla Eshchenko contributed to this report.

Summary: A Russian presidential aide says Kim will be in Moscow for May 9 Victory Day celebrations, news agency reports . This Victory Day marks the 70 years since the Soviet victory over Germany in World War II .


Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan (CNN)The children laugh and shriek, as some of them seem to always have the capacity to do no matter how depressing the circumstances. Their bright clothes provide splashes of color against the otherwise drab monotone white of the endless rows of tents. A small group plays with rocks, replacements for the toys they left behind when they fled, while others clamber through a jagged tear in the wire fence surrounding the refugee camp. The Shariya refugee camp opened around six months ago, made up of some 4,000 tents and counting. Thousands of Yazidis now call this corner of Iraqi Kurdistan home, about 18 miles (30 kilometers) from one of the front lines with ISIS, where one can hear the occasional reverberation in the distance of what we are told are airstrikes. The vast majority of the camp's occupants are from the town of Sinjar, which is near the border with Syrian Kurdistan, and fled the ISIS assault there back in August. But not everyone escaped. ISIS took thousands of Yazidis captive. The fighters separated the young women and girls, some as young as 8 years old, to be sold as slaves, for their "masters" to use as concubines. Men faced a choice: Convert to Islam or be shot. Mahmoud was out running errands when ISIS fighters arrived, taking his wife, Ahlam, their three children -- the youngest of which was just a month old -- and his elderly parents. "They took our phones, jewelry, money," Ahlam recalls. "They had guns. They forced us at gunpoint into big trailer trucks." They were taken to a school turned prison in Tal Afar. From there, the family was moved from village to village -- and at one stage taken to Mosul. "They wrote everyone's name down and they asked where we want to work, in the fields, as cleaners or as herders," she says. Ahlam and her family chose to herd goats. They were then taken to a Shia village whose residents had fled, where they were part of a group of around 40 living in one house. In the home, Ahlam found a cell phone left behind by its former occupants and called her husband. "I said we are alive but we are prisoners." Ahlam's husband, who up until that moment had lost the will to live, thinking his family was dead, says he cried out of happiness despite his pain. Ahlam would call when she could, briefly, after midnight, hiding under her bedcovers. If she was caught with a phone, she would be killed. The village itself was a massive prison, its entrances guarded by ISIS fighters. She recalls that two men, in their late 40s or 50s, tried to escape. When they were caught, their bones were broken, their bodies tied to the back of a truck and then driven through the streets. The Yazidi captives were forced to watch the gruesome spectacle. The men's corpses were then tossed into a ditch and an order given not to bury them. One night, some of the Yazidi men risked their

Summary: The Shariya refugee camp opened around six months ago, made up of 4,000 tents and counting . The vast majority of the camp's occupants are from the town of Sinjar and fled an ISIS assault . But Ahlam, her children and their grandparents were taken captive .


(CNN)Even in the horror of Syria's civil war, there are few places that showcase the scale of the destruction -- and the senselessness of the loss of life -- more than the Yarmouk camp on the outskirts of Damascus. Set up as a refugee camp for Palestinians in the 1950s, it slowly evolved into a neighborhood over the years, but since 2012 it has been engulfed in the Syrian conflict. Two weeks ago ISIS fighters stormed Yarmouk, and that made life for those still inside even worse than it was before. The Syrian government responded by unleashing a bombing and shelling campaign on the area, residents told CNN, including barrel bombs that flattened many of the buildings already scarred by the three-year-long conflict. Death comes day and night. "I looked up and saw dust," one resident said. "I opened the door and started walking outside and started shouting to the neighbors. One told me 'I am wounded,' another one didn't answer me at all. That second one -- may god have mercy on his soul -- he was martyred." While the battle for Yarmouk is very typical of Syria's civil war, the conflict here is unique. Most of those fighting on all sides are Palestinians. Pro-government factions besiege the area from the outside, cutting off supplies and aid most of the time. The inside is held by anti-regime groups, some of which are Islamists. The situation in Yarmouk was thrust in to the headlines on April 1 when ISIS fighters stormed the rebel-held area and unleashed a campaign of violence and killings. Since then, a local activist tells CNN, ISIS has withdrawn to another area and left the al Qaedalinked group Jabhat al-Nusra in charge of the district. 'The deepest circle of hell': Terrified Yarmouk residents describe ISIS raid . But this is only the most recent in a deadly urban war that is slowly grinding down Yarmouk's buildings and people. Of the more than 100,000 that used to live there, only about 18,000 remain, according to UNRWA, the U.N. agency tasked with aiding Palestinians. I have been to Yarmouk on various occasions, and the picture has always been the same. Pro-government factions surrounded the area and there was house-to house combat, mostly at night. A lot of destruction, very little territorial gain for either side, all of it taking a horrifying toll on the civilians trapped in the middle. "We have no food or water," one resident said, standing amid the ruins of Yarmouk's houses. "They should open a route so we can eat and drink and they can deliver assistance and food. We have nothing. What can we do?" But international aid groups can do very little. There are few occasions where aid is allowed into Yarmouk, or where civilians are allowed out. UNRWA can only care for those who do manage to escape. U.N. official to visit besieged refugee camp . The agency, along with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, runs several shelters for displaced people in government-controlled areas near the camp. Pierre Krahenbuhl, the Commissioner General for UNRWA,

Summary: ISIS raided Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus on April 1 . 18,000 Palestinian refugees remain in the camp, cut off from vital aid . One defiant elderly resident told CNN: "I will not leave the Yarmouk camp even if I am 75 or 76 years old"


(CNN)Are we alone in the cosmos? Or might there be intelligent life elsewhere? Last week, NASA scientists discussed in very concrete terms the steps to discovering life elsewhere in the universe over the next decade or two. This year is the 20th anniversary of the discovery of a planet around a star like our own sun, 51 Pegasi. Since then, ground-based surveys and NASA's Kepler satellite have discovered nearly 2,000 confirmed "exoplanets," and thousands more candidates await confirmation. Many of these planetary systems are quite unlike our own solar system. Some have large planets like Jupiter that orbit their stars far closer than Mercury, the innermost planet in our solar system. But smaller rocky planets like Earth, though harder to find, appear to be even more abundant. Life on Earth developed in its oceans about a billion years after the planet formed. That suggests that rocky planets with liquid water on their surfaces might also have developed primitive forms of life. Life as we know it is carbon-based and requires liquid water. Astronomers define the "habitable zone" around a star as the region within which liquid water can exist on a planet's surface. Any closer to the star, the water will boil into vapor; any farther and the water freezes into ice. Extrapolating from discoveries to date, astronomers estimate there are perhaps 40 billion Earth-like, habitable-zone planets in our Milky Way galaxy alone. Of course, there is a difference between single-celled organisms -- which developed 3.8 billion years ago and remained the most sophisticated form of life for another billion years or so -- and mammals, which appeared about 200 million years ago. And then the humans, who have existed for only 200,000 years. Intelligent life that can communicate via radio waves with other intelligent life is less than 100 years old here on Earth. So while planets that develop simple forms of life may be a dime a dozen, the number that have sentient beings with whom to converse -- even assuming they evolved as humans did, with ears and spoken language, or eyes and written language -- is likely to be tiny. And life that can use radio waves has existed on Earth for only 0.000002% of the planet's history -- 100 years out of 4.5 billion. If the half dozen or so rocky, Earth-like exoplanets now known are similar, the odds of discovering humanlike life on them are about the same as, well, winning your state lottery with one ticket. Of course, if there are 40 billion Earth-like planets out there, the odds improve quite a bit. If they all have histories like the Earth's, there might be 1,000 planets in the Milky Way that could support communicative beings. But before you start composing your first letter to an alien, think about this: The chance that those beings evolved on exactly the same time scale is minuscule. Another planet's 100 years of brilliance might have occurred a billion years ago, or it might happen a billion years in the future. A lot depends on how long communication capabilities last.

Summary: NASA scientists discuss steps to discover life elsewhere in the universe over the next two decades . Meg Urry: Life elsewhere in the universe, and even elsewhere in our own Milky Way galaxy, is practically inevitable . But the chances that we can communicate with that life are slim, she writes .