Activists at Syrian 'national dialogue' call for end to violence - CNN International

Syrian officials and delegates attend the national dialogue meeting in Damascus on July 10, 2011.NEW: "The bloodshed needs to stop. ... Excessive force is unjustified," one activist saysSyria's vice president says the meeting is a step toward creating a "democratic nation"Some government opponents criticize the Damascus University meetingSyria's foreign ministry summons U.S. and French ambassadors

(CNN) -- Activists speaking at a Syrian government-sponsored "national dialogue" meeting Sunday criticized recent crackdowns by the country's security forces, calling for an end to violence against protesters.

Syria's vice president hailed the Damascus University meeting between officials and members of the opposition as a step toward creating a "democratic nation."

"We hope that at the end of this comprehensive meeting to announce the transition of Syria to a pluralistic democratic nation where all citizens are guided by equality and participate in the modeling of the future of their country," Vice President Faruq al-Shara said in opening remarks at the meeting, which was broadcast live on state television.

Syrian activists say that security personnel have assaulted unarmed protesters during months of anti-government demonstrations that erupted nationwide in mid-March. The Syrian government has claimed armed groups are responsible for the violence at the demonstrations.

Several speakers at Sunday's meeting called on Syria's government to change its tactics.

"The bloodshed needs to stop. Yes, there are unauthorized protests, but is it a reason to use unjustified and excessive violence? The use of all types of excessive force is unjustified," said Qadri Jameel of the opposition Front of Change and Liberation.

Syrian researcher Al-Tayyeb Tizzina also criticized the use of force and asked for violence to stop in order for the dialogue to succeed.

"The establishment of a political society requires the immediate start of a process dismantling the police state that is dominating Syria," he said.

Al-Shara acknowledged that a surge of violence in Syria precipitated Sunday's meeting.

"We have to admit that without the big sacrifices that were presented by the Syrian people, from the blood of their sons, civilians or military in more than one province, city and town, this meeting wouldn't have happened," he said.

The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said the meeting included members of the opposition, independent activists, youth leaders and academics.

But some opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime have criticized the meeting, saying the government is trying to quiet widespread unrest without making meaningful changes.

Demonstrators protested the meeting in nationwide "no dialogue" marches Friday.

"Any dialogue must be based on the base of (al-Assad's) stepping down from power," said a statement from the Change in Syria Conference, an opposition group which called for al-Assad to hand over power to the vice president at a meeting in Turkey last month.

Sunday's dialogue meeting began as Syria's foreign ministry summoned the U.S. and French ambassadors and accused them of interfering in internal affairs when they visited Syria's fourth largest city without permission last week, state media reported.

The ministry told the diplomats that their visit to the city of Hama violated the Vienna Convention, according to SANA.

On Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford visited Hama as part of what the State Department called an

effort to show American support for Syrians fighting for democracy. He was in Hama early Friday and departed.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland issued a blunt rebuttal to similar Syrian government accusations Friday, calling claims that Ford's visit was inciting protesters "absolute rubbish" and saying she was "dismayed" by the Syrian government's reaction. Nuland said that the U.S. Embassy had notified the Syrian Defense Ministry before the visit and that Ford's car was waved through a security checkpoint.

France's ambassador to Syria, Eric Chevallier, also visited Hama Thursday and spent the night, the French government said, meeting with wounded people and their families and medical staffers at a hospital.

Al-Assad issued a decree appointing a Hama provincial governor Sunday, a day after firing the existing leader after a series of peaceful demonstrations there, including a massive anti-government protest last Friday.

Activists and Human Rights Watch have reported many arrests and deaths in a fierce government crackdown in the area. Citizens have called a general strike in the city.

Diplomatic tensions over Syria also flared in Washington last week, with the State Department summoning Syrian Ambassador Imad Mustapha Friday.

The State Department said Mustapha was called "to express a number of our concerns with the reported actions of certain Syrian embassy staff in the United States."

The statement, issued in response to a question taken at Friday's daily briefing, said the State Department had received reports that Syrian mission personnel had been conducting video surveillance of people participating in peaceful demonstrations in the United States.

"We are also investigating reports that the Syrian government has sought retribution against Syrian family members for the actions of their relatives in the United States exercising their lawful rights in this country and will respond accordingly," the statement said.

CNN's Yousuf Basil and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report.

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Fayyad: Peace talks may need stronger US mediation role - CNN International

The Palestinian prime minister wants more details from IsraelLack of a new settlement freeze erodes trust, Fayyad saysDirect peace talks have broken down for now

Washington (CNN) -- The United States may have to expand its role from Middle East peace talks facilitator to become a broker on specific core issues, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Sunday.

Appearing on the ABC program "This Week," Fayyad indicated that progress toward a peace settlement could occur in the short-term despite Israel's refusal to halt construction of new settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

However, Israel must provide specifics about its position on core issues such as what a Palestinian state would entail, the status of Jerusalem and the return of refugees, Fayyad said, adding that the lack of a new settlement freeze erodes trust in the process.

Asked if the United States would need to offer so-called "bridging" proposals on specific issues to try to stimulate negotiations, Fayyad said that "may be necessary."

"It may be unavoidable, actually, for the United States, acting as a broker at some point, to come in with bridging proposals so we make this happen," he said.

The interview, which included Israeli opposition leader and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, took place two days after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlined a direction for the peace process after giving up on trying to persuade Israel to again freeze settlement construction as a condition for the direct talks to resume.

"It is no secret that the parties have a long way to go and that they have not yet made the difficult decisions that peace requires," Clinton told the Brookings Institution's Saban Forum.

As the administration sought a new strategy to save the peace talks, Clinton delivered a tough message that reflected the administration's impatience with both sides.

She warned that the demographic trends resulting from continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories are risking Israel's future as a Jewish state, while extremism in the absence of peace is further jeopardizing its security.

"We conclude without a shadow of a doubt that ending this conflict once and for all and achieving a comprehensive regional peace is imperative for safeguarding Israel's future," Clinton said, adding that the conditions Palestinians suffer due to the occupation are "unacceptable" and "unsustainable."

On the ABC program, Livni also said that a peace settlement with the Palestinians is in Israel's interest, adding that she disagreed with Israel's refusal to a temporary settlement freeze requested by the United States.

"I believe that peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians is an Israeli interest; it's not a favor to President (Barack) Obama," Livni said. "And Israel needs to make these kind of decisions in order to live in peace, so, basically, a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians is an American interest, but it is also an Israeli interest."

Fayyad complained that the lack of a settlement freeze damaged the credibility of the entire process, and he called for Israel to make clear its position on the core issues of the talks.

"I think what really has to be done now is, in order to give the process the kind of credibility that's required, is for us to really know with precision where it is that the government in Israel stands on the fundamental issue of what it is that's meant by an end to Israeli occupation, what is it that's meant by a state of Palestine," Fayyad said.

Clinton said the Obama administration would work with the parties to pursue a framework agreement on the core issues of the conflict: borders and security, settlements, water and refugees, and on Jerusalem, which would pave the way for the resumption of direct talks and a final peace deal.

Starting with borders, Clinton said the parties must "agree to a single line drawn on a map which divides Israel from Palestine" in a way that offers Palestinians an end to the occupation but protects Israel's security.

While acknowledging the fate of Palestinian refugees was a "difficult and emotional issue," Clinton said, "there must be a just and permanent solution that meets the needs of both sides."

Although the United States abandoned efforts to secure a settlement freeze during the negotiation, Clinton said the issue of settlements must be dealt with in a final peace deal.

"We do not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity. We believe their continued expansion is corrosive not only to peace efforts and the two-state solution, but to Israel's future itself," she said.

"There surely will be no peace" without agreement on Jerusalem, the thorniest of all the final status issues because of its religious significance to Muslims, Christians and Jews, she said.

"The parties should mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem and safeguards its status for people around the world," Clinton said.

She praised state-building efforts by the Palestinians and improvements in security, but acknowledged, "for all the progress on the ground and all that the Palestinian Authority has accomplished, a stubborn truth remains: While economic and institutional progress is important, indeed necessary, it is not a substitute for a political resolution."

Before her remarks, Clinton held talks with senior officials from both sides, including Fayyad and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. She also met with lead Israeli and Palestinian negotiators and the U.N. special envoy for the region. The Obama administration's special Mideast peace envoy will travel to the region this week.

But Clinton put the onus squarely on the leaders themselves to understand each other's perspective, prepare their own publics for the difficult compromises that will need to be made and stop demonizing the other side.

"To demonstrate their commitment to peace, Israeli and Palestinian leaders should stop trying to assign blame for the next failure and focus instead on what they need to do to make these efforts succeed," she said.

Similarly, she warned against "unilateral actions" to prejudge the outcome, such as Israeli announcements about building in East Jerusalem and Palestinian threats to seek independence at the United Nations.

CNN's Jill Dougherty, Elise Labott and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.

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Elizabeth Edwards loses battle with cancer - CNN International

Elizabeth Edwards died Tuesday at the family home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a statement from the family said.Edwards hid the possibility she had cancer from her husband during the 2004 campaignShe met her future husband while they both studied law at the University of North CarolinaHer cancer returned in 2007She died at her home, surrounded by her familyRead more on this story at CNN affiliate WRAL.

(CNN) -- Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of 2004 vice presidential candidate and former North Carolina senator John Edwards, died Tuesday after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 61

She died at the family home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, according to a statement released by the family.

"Today we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth's presence but she remains the heart of this family," the statement said. "We love her and will never know anyone more inspiring or full of life."

Edwards was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her husband lost his bid for vice president in November 2004. John Edwards, a one-term Democratic senator, was Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's running mate.

It was later revealed that she knew before the election she might have cancer, but shielded her husband from the news during the campaign. She immediately underwent treatment, and the cancer was believed to be in remission.

In March 2007 -- at the start her husband's 2008 presidential campaign -- Edwards learned that the cancer had returned and spread.

Dr. Lisa Carey, the oncologist treating Edwards, categorized the cancer as metastatic stage four cancer, largely confined to the bones.

The cancer was diagnosed treatable but not curable, Edwards said.

Despite the diagnosis, Edwards said she was ready to go forward with her husband's bid for the White House.

"Either you push forward with the things that you were doing yesterday or you start dying," she said. "If I had given up everything that my life was about ... I'd let cancer win before it needed to."

"Maybe eventually it will win," she said. "But I'd let it win before I needed to."

John Edwards, unable to compete with the attention focused on then-Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, withdrew from the presidential race in January 2008.

Several months later, he admitted that tabloid claims about an extramarital affair with former campaign videographer Rielle Hunter were true. Eventually, he also admitted to fathering a child with Hunter -- an allegation he initially vociferously denied even after conceding the affair.

John Edwards said the affair happened in 2006 while his wife's cancer was in remission. He claimed he informed his wife at the time and asked for her forgiveness.

The couple was criticized by some activists for not revealing the affair prior to his presidential bid, as the news could have damaged Democratic chances if it became publicly known during a general election campaign in which John Edwards was the party's standard bearer.

"This was our private matter, and I frankly wanted it to be private because as painful as it was I did not want to have to play it out on a public stage as well," Elizabeth Edwards said.

The affair appeared to end any future political ambitions the former senator may have had. It also led to the couple's separation.

Elizabeth Edwards was born Mary Elizabeth Anania on July 3, 1949, in Jacksonville, Florida. Her father was a Navy pilot, and in her early years, she attended school in Japan.

She attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and met her future husband while studying at UNC's law school.

They spent their first date dancing at a local Holiday Inn, and it ended with John kissing Elizabeth on the forehead.

"It was just really sweet," she said of the kiss. "I wasn't used to men being sweet."

The couple was married July 30, 1977, the Saturday after they took their state bar exams. They had four children: Wade, Cate, Emma Claire, and Jack. Wade Edwards was killed in a car accident in 1996.

Mrs. Edwards worked as a clerk for U.S. District Judge Calvitt Clarke Jr. in Norfolk, Virginia, and was a bankruptcy lawyer in Raleigh.

In 2006, after her initial cancer diagnosis, she wrote "Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers," which chronicled the aftermath of her son's death and her battle with the disease.

When her cancer returned in 2007, the couple held a news conference to publicize the information and declare their intention to continue with John Edwards' campaign.

"You can go cower in the corner and hide or you can go out there and stand up for what you believe in," the former senator said. "We have no intentions of cowering in the corner."

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press after her husband admitted to his affair, Elizabeth Edwards said the incident helped her focus on resuming her role as an advocate for the poor and for health care reform. She also said it pushed her to refocus on her role as a mother.

She also said she did not want her husband's tarnished public image to overshadow his role as an advocate for the poor -- particularly in the eyes of her children.

"I have to prepare for the possibility if I die before they are grown" to make them "able to function without an involved, engaged and admiring parent," she said. "So I need to create the picture for them that I want them to have."

She said living with stage four cancer "is like dancing with a partner who keeps changing."

"Fortunately with the research, it looks like there may be a new drug for me down the line," she said. "My job is to stay alive until they find a cure. I don't think there's any way to live with this diagnosis than to have that kind of optimism."

On Monday, the Edwards family released a statement saying that further cancer treatment would be unproductive.

In a message posted on her Facebook page, Elizabeth Edwards addressed her family and friends:

"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human," she wrote.

"But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful. It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know."

CNN's John King contributed to this report.

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China Debuts at Top of International Education Rankings - ABC News

American educators received a wake-up call today when it was revealed that students in Shanghai rank number one globally in reading, math and science, far outpacing their American peers. Despite modest gains in math and science, the U.S. continues to lag behind other developed countries.

A report out today, "Highlights From PISA 2009: Performance of U.S. 15-Year-Old Students in Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy in an International Context," shows the U.S. now ranks 25th in math, 17th in science, and 14th in reading out of the 34 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

While OECD countries such as Finland, South Korea, Canada, Japan, Switzerland and New Zealand continue to outpace the U.S. in reading, science and math, all eyes are on China. In its first year to be included in the study as a non-OECD education system, Shanghai ranked first in all three categories. Hong Kong came in second in reading and science and third in math.

"The 2009 PISA data demonstrate the rise in the quality of education in Asia -- among the top performers were Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Korea," said Tony Jackson, Vice President of Education at the Asia Society. "Aligning education goals to economic development, Asian nations have scoured the world for models of effective education systems, and implemented them consistently through deliberate policies and long-term investments. Any definition of a world-class education must include knowledge of Asia and the language and cultural skills to deal with Asia. It's a two-way street: America must now learn from — and with — Asia and the world."

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the findings, "to be brutally honest, show that a host of developed nations are out-educating us."

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Police don't know if missing Virginia girl went with man willingly - CNN International

12-year-old girl abducted; mom deadBrittany Mae Smith had met the 32-year-old on the InternetThe man moved in with the girl and her mother in OctoberSmith's mother was found dead in their home

(CNN) -- A missing 12-year-old Virginia girl -- whose mother was found dead inside their home -- is believed to be with a 32-year-old man she met on the Internet, authorities said Tuesday, but they don't know whether she went with him willingly.

Police are "still actively searching" for Brittany Mae Smith, and have extended an Amber Alert for another 24 hours, Roanoke County Police Chief Ray Lavinder told reporters.

Authorities launched a search for the seventh-grader Monday after officers found the body of her mother, Tina Smith, 41, inside the family's Salem, Virginia, home. Tina Smith's co-workers contacted police after the woman failed to show up for work Monday morning. Her death is being investigated as a possible homicide, authorities said.

"We are extremely concerned for Brittany's safety," Lavinder said.

Police are "confident" that Brittany Smith is with Jeffrey Scott Easley, Lavinder said. He described Easley as a "friend of the family" who met the girl online over the summer and "developed a relationship" with her. Easley moved in with Smith and her daughter in October, the chief said.

Authorities aren't sure whether Brittany Smith was kidnapped, however. "We believe that she's with him, and we're not exactly sure about the situation," Lavinder said. He said police would like the girl to "at least contact us and let us know that she's OK."

Asked whether police believe Easley is responsible for Tina Smith's death, Lavinder said authorities have no information to indicate that, but that the investigation is ongoing.

"We would like to get Brittany back safely," he said. "We would like to get Mr. Easley back and make sure he's OK, and then we'd like to investigate the murder of Tina."

After finding Tina Smith's body, police soon got information that Brittany Smith's whereabouts were unknown, leading them to issue the statewide alert.

"We found out pretty quickly that (Brittany) had not shown up for school. Nobody seemed to know where she was. We're concerned that her disappearance is going to be, at least a good possibility, it has something to do with the homicide," Roanoke County Police Lt. Chuck Mason said Monday, according to CNN affiliate WSET of Lynchburg, Virginia.

Virginia's Amber Alert website noted early Monday evening that Easley's car, a 2000 red Chevrolet SUV, had been found. But authorities are still looking for Tina Smith's vehicle, a silver 2005 Dodge Neon four-door sedan with Virginia license plates.

Easley, a 265-pound white male, is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, has brown hair and hazel eyes, the Amber Alert says. Brittany Smith is 5 feet tall, weighs 100 pounds, and has straight brown hair and brown eyes.

Hall said authorities don't yet have a specific search area, as they are uncertain which direction Easley might be heading or how far he might have gotten. They have asked anyone with information to call 911 or Roanoke County police at 540-777-8641.

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China proposes 'six-party talks' meeting amid Korean tensions - CNN International

South Korean soldiers lay tracks to prepare for landing operations on a beach in Taean, southwest of Seoul on Nov. 28, 2010.NEW: McCain says China is not doing enough to resolve the conflictTensions are high after a fatal North Korean shelling of a South Korean islandChina: Six-party talks play an important role in "safeguarding peace and stability"The discussions were put on hold in 2008

(CNN) -- As both North Korea's largest trading partner and a country engaged in diplomatic talks with South Korea, China is dealing with both sides of an increasingly divided Korean peninsula.

China is proposing to convene an emergency consultation with members of the six-party talks amid growing tensions on the Korean peninsula, a Chinese official said Sunday.

"The Chinese side, after careful studies, proposes to have emergency consultations among the heads of delegation to the six-party talks in early December in Beijing to exchange views on major issues of concern to the parties at present," Wu Dawei, Chinese special representative for Korean peninsula affairs, told journalists.

"The six-party talks play an important role in strengthening communication among the parties, advancing denuclearization on the peninsula and safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula and in northeast Asia," he said.

Diplomats, seeking a lessening of tensions and a return to the six-party talks with North Korea over the country's nuclear aspirations, have busily labored to avert more hostilities. The United States, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and North Korea are the six countries that have been involved in the discussions, which were put on hold in 2008.

But China said the proposed emergency consultations do not mean a resumption of the six-party talks, China's state media reported.

The South Korean government will "bear in mind" China's proposal, according to a Foreign Ministry press release. But the government added that given the current situation, the proposal "needs to be carefully reviewed."

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that China is the key to resolving the conflict, but said the country is "not behaving as a responsible world power."

"They could bring the North Korean economy to its knees if they wanted to. And I cannot believe that the Chinese should, in a mature fashion, not find it in their interest to restrain North Korea. So far, they are not," McCain said.

McCain called the proposal for a six-party meeting a "fine first step," but said that North Korea's history of confrontation will not come to a stop without significant penalties.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula mounted last week when four South Koreans died after North Korea's shelling of Yeonpyeong Island during a South Korean military drill Tuesday.

North Korea said the South provoked the attack because shells from the South Korean drill landed in the North's waters.

"We express our condolences to the victims of the Yeonpyeong island incident and will make efforts for the sake of peace between North and South Korea so that the situation does not deteriorate," Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo said during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Sunday.

The South Korean president asked that China "contribute to achieving peace on the Korean peninsula with a fairer and responsible position in regards to North and South Korean relations."

Lee added that "South Korea has endured endless provocations from the North since the Korean War, but if North Korea carries out an additional provocation, we will take strong countermeasures."

On Sunday, South Korea and the United States began joint military exercises on the Yellow Sea -- another point of contention in the region.

North Korea has warned of unpredictable "consequences" if the United States fulfilled its vow of deploying an aircraft carrier to the Yellow Sea for the military maneuvers.

"The DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] will deal a merciless military counter-attack at any provocative act of intruding into its territorial waters in the future," North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Sunday.

China appeared to have criticized the joint military exercises last week.

"We oppose any party to take any military acts in our exclusive economic zone without permission," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

The China-North Korea relations take another step on Tuesday, when Choe Tae Bok, chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, will pay an official visit to China, Xinhua reported. Choe was invited by Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, the agency said.

CNN's Steven Jiang and journalist Jiyeon Lee contributed to this report.

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Honor Flight brings veterans to WWII memorial - CNN International

Veteran Dick Coss hugs an enlisted family member who surprised him at the World War II memorial. WWII veterans get free travel to memorial in Washington through Honor Flight Less than 10 percent of WWII American veterans are still aliveTwelve veterans started the Honor Flight in 2005 with six small planesNow, Honor Flight charters Boeing jets to take veterans from all over the country

(CNN) -- Meet the "greatest generation" -- the 16 million servicemen and women who served in World War II.

Eighty-year-old Army veteran Chris Maurer couldn't wait to sign up. He lied his way into the army at the age of 15.

"I went to sign up and said 'I'm ready to go!' They told me, 'You look too young!' So I said, my mama said I could go. So she signed for me and that was it. I was gone," Maurer said.

Eighty-nine-year-old Hal Murray said he remembers navigating the skies of Europe like it was yesterday. "The farther we pushed Germany back after the Rhine crossing, the heavier the flack for our bombers," Murray said.

And 83-year-old Weyman Owens witnessed the destruction left behind from the nuclear strikes at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"It was hell. At least a mile from where they dropped that thing, buildings made of rod iron were just twisted and torn to pieces: a church, torn all to pieces, everything just blown to pieces. Nothing I've ever seen compares to that."

Many veterans, including Maurer, Murray and Owens, didn't think they would get a chance to see the memorial.

Chris Maurer is greeted by military officials and volunteers at the Baltimore airport.

That is until they heard about Honor Flight, a program dedicated to getting veterans to the memorial in Washington. Twelve veterans started the program in 2005 with six small planes.

Today, it operates like a volunteer airline, with 98 hubs in 35 states. Now, instead of renting small planes, they charter Boeing jets, thanks to donations that keep the planes in the sky. The veterans don't pay a penny.

There is a sense of urgency at Honor Flight because less than 10 percent of those who served in the war are still alive.

At the memorial, Murray paused to remember the high price of freedom -- the more than 400,000 American soldiers who died in the war.

"To Paul McKinney and the 15 other men who died in my squadron, this honors them all," Murray said. "This is just a very beautiful place and they've done a very great job of making it meaningful for old jokers like me."

"I didn't go into service to have a memorial," fellow veteran Owens said.

"But it's beautiful, it's worthwhile, and it's something to be proud of."

World War II veterans are dying at a rate of about 1,000 per day, said Royce Ard, West Georgia's Honor Flight hub director.

"Some have even passed away while waiting to go on this trip. So it's imperative that we get as many of these flights done as quickly as possible," Ard said.

In the days and weeks before each Honor Flight, an army of ground volunteers coordinates every detail from the buses that pick them up to the meals they eat.

Everywhere they go, they are greeted by well-wishers -- people who have no connection to the veterans except a desire to thank them for their service.

In some cases, Ard said, this is the first time they have been thanked so directly.

"It's not because people ignored them. In 1945 everyone was in the service. So when they came home, they went back to work, back to the farm and back to school. They just came home and started to build up America again," Ard said.

"Thanking the World War II veteran took way to long."

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NY holocaust fund bilked of $42.5 million, prosecutor says - CNN International

Seventeen people are accused of taking part in the alleged fraudFalse claims were filed to get money from two funds, the U.S. attorney saysThe scheme went on for nearly 16 years, he says

New York (CNN) -- Charges were filed Tuesday against 17 people accused of taking more than $42 million from programs established to help Holocaust survivors, authorities said.

"The alleged fraud is as substantial as it is galling" said Preet Bharara, U.S. attorney for New York's Southern District, calling it a "perverse and pervasive fraud committed against a not-for-profit organization of historic significance."

Over a period of almost 16 years, millions of dollars intended for Holocaust survivors "instead found its way into the pockets of corrupt employees of the Claims Conference and an elaborate network of fraudsters," Bharara told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

The money came from two funds managed by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, also known as the Claims Conference, a nonprofit that was established almost 60 years ago to assist those harmed by Nazis. The Claims Conference distributes more than $400 million a year from funds provided by the German government to victims of the Holocaust.

Bharara said conference officials first noticed the fraud and went to the FBI in December 2009.

"The Claims Conference is to be commended for notifying us as soon as they found out there were issues," he said.

Six of the 17 people charged Tuesday with fraud and conspiracy are former and currant employees of the Claims Conference, according to Bharara. He called Semen Domnitser the "ringleader" of the fraud, saying that for more than 10 years he served as the director and oversaw both the Hardship Fund and the Article Two Fund.

The Hardship Fund makes one-time payments of about $3,600 to victims who were forced to leave their homes while fleeing advancing Nazis troops. Bharara said some 5,000 fraudulent applications worth $18 million were processed through the fund.

The Article Two Fund gives pension payments of roughly $411 a month to those who earn less than $16,000 after taxes and spent a minimum of six months in a concentration camp or at least 18 months in a Jewish ghetto in hiding or living under a false identity to avoid the Nazis. Bharara said that this fund had processed over 650 fraudulent applications worth more than $25.5 million.

The Claims Conference issued a statement saying that since discovering the fraud, it had implemented numerous steps to strengthen its safeguards.

"We are outraged that individuals would steal money intended for survivors of history's worst crime to enrich themselves," said Julius Berman, chairman of the Claims Conference.

Bharara said that applicants were recruited from the Russian-Jewish community and that fake birth dates, birthplaces and "fabricated stories of persecution, completely made up stories about what happened to these individuals during World War II," were written in their applications.

Bharara said the investigation continues and that some of the thousands of applicants also might be charged. It was unclear in some cases if the applicants knew that fraud was being committed, he said.

Sixteen of the 17 people charged Tuesday have been arrested and four of them have admitted their guilt, Bharara said.

"We will bring to justice all those who would callously line their own pockets by looting an important lifeline for Holocaust survivors," he said.

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In India, Obama pushes US jobs - CNN International

President Obama speaks at the U.S.-India Business Council and Entrepreneurship Summit on Saturday in Mumbai, India.President unveils about $10 billion in new contracts for U.S. exports to IndiaIt's a delicate balancing act amid frustration with outsourcing of U.S. jobs to Indian call centersIn U.S., Republicans skeptical, cite stalled South Korea, Colombia, Panama trade dealsBoeing chairman, who's also on trip, predicts much global cooperation

Mumbai, India (CNN) -- Eager to fend off any criticism that he's globetrotting just days after a disastrous midterm election, President Obama unveiled about $10 billion in new contracts for U.S. exports to India on Saturday as he launched an aggressive push to show his trip to Asia will deliver jobs back home.

"The United States sees Asia, and especially India, as a market of the future," Obama said at a meeting here with business leaders from the U.S. and India. "For America, this is a jobs strategy."

It is a delicate balancing act for Obama to promote broader trade relations with India, given American frustration with the outsourcing of U.S. jobs to call centers in cities like Bangalore here in India.

But Obama took the issue head-on, by asserting that the notion of Indian outsourcing being a net drain on the U.S. economy is part of a "caricature of India as a land of call centers and back offices that cost American jobs."

"But these old stereotypes, these old concerns ignore today's reality," Obama said. "In 2010, trade between our countries is not just a one-way street of American jobs and companies moving to India. It is a dynamic, two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth, and higher living standards in both our countries."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and other Republicans back in Washington, however, immediately expressed skepticism about Obama's renewed interest in the issue after failing to move forward on pending trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.

Don Stewart, spokesman for McConnell, said the senator delivered a speech on the Senate floor the day after Obama's inauguration urging the new president to make the trade deals a top priority because "increasing markets overseas for our farmers, entrepreneurs and manufacturers through trade agreements will grow good jobs."

Stewart said at a subsequent meeting, McConnell renewed his call to move the trade agreements but "sadly, Democrats in Congress said 'no' to these agenda items."

But Stewart did add that McConnell is "encouraged" that Obama suggested Saturday that he is now moving forward on the trade deal with South Korea, another country the president is visiting later in the week.

"It's certainly welcome," Stewart said. "We know that expanding markets for American goods, services and agriculture overseas will help increase jobs here at home. And maybe the president's renewed focus will encourage Democrats in Congress to join us in this bipartisan effort."

Obama penned an op-ed in Saturday's New York Times headlined "Exporting Our Way to Stability," in which he vowed that in Seoul he would "work to complete a trade pact that could be worth tens of billions of dollars in increased exports and thousands of jobs for American workers."

Obama also reiterated his call to double U.S. exports all around the world in the next five years. "We want to be known not just for what we consume, but for what we produce," he wrote. "And the more we export abroad, the more jobs we create in America. In fact, every $1 billion we export supports more than 5,000 jobs at home."

Obama announced Saturday that about 54,000 U.S. jobs will be created by $10 billion in new contracts for the Indian government and private companies here to buy a slew of American products, including jet airplanes from Boeing as well as engines and gas turbine technology from General Electric.

James McNerney, Boeing's chairman of the board who serves on an advisory council for the president and made the trip to India, credited Obama with helping to encourage the deals that will enable his company to sell 10 C-17 military transport planes to the Indian air force as well as 30 737s to commercial airlines in India.

"Having the president here, it helps," McNerney said. "Ever since the civil nuclear deal, which really brought closer ties between India and the United States in a lot of areas, I think the follow-on impact of that has been closer military ties. For the president to state as a priority, by his presence, that closer cooperation, sharing technology across the two countries, can only help. And in this case, it has."

McNerney also addressed the issue of outsourcing by American companies, suggesting that it may have gone too far.

"Big companies like Boeing have gone through a period of making their business models very horizontal," McNerney told reporters. "I think we're all wrestling with that model. It's become overextended in some cases."

He added that he predicts there will be a lot of global cooperation "but somewhat less outsourcing. That's just my take."

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Windows Phone 7 Sales Reportedly Strong in International Markets - eWeek

Windows Phone 7 sales seem to be off to a solid start in international markets, according to reports from around the world.

DigiTimes reported in a Nov. 3 article that sales of HTC-built Windows Phone 7 smartphones are ?better than expected? in Europe and Australia. Stocks of the HTC HD7 and HTC 7 Mozart had apparently sold out in both the latter country and Germany.

?Early supporters of the new operating system such as South Korea?s Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are also experiencing rising demand from carriers,? the article suggested, indicating the sales information came from unnamed ?Taiwan-based handset makers.?

Meanwhile, stocks of Windows Phone 7 devices in the U.K. are apparently low, according to several media outlets. ?We will be launching with limited amounts of both our Windows Phone 7 devices, the HTC 7 Mozart and the Samsung Omnia 7,? a representative from U.K. carrier Orange wrote in an e-mail to Mobile Today. ?We are, however, anticipating that our competitors could be in a similar situation.? Orange customers were apparently being offered a cash voucher in exchange for preordering a Windows Phone 7 device.

The Mobile Today article quoted an Orange manager as saying: ?I was shocked when I heard the news. We are the lead partner for Windows Phone 7. But I believe this is a manufacturer issue on a worldwide scale.?

Windows Phone 7 will make its debut in the U.S. market Nov. 8, with two devices?the HTC Surround and Samsung Focus?on AT&T. At the company?s Professional Developers Conference 2010, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer suggested that the smartphone platform has a chance in what he termed a still-nascent mobile market, despite fierce competition from the likes of Apple iPhone and Google Android.

?We?re early; there?s no question we?re early,? he told the audience during an Oct. 28 speech, according to CNNMoney.com. ?I think we kind of nailed it. When you see it, you just go ?oooh.??

Windows Phone 7 differs from its competitors with a user interface that aggregates Web content and applications into six subject-specific ?Hubs,? such as ?People? and ?Games.? Microsoft hopes that format will attract users away from competing platforms that rely on grid-like screens of individual apps.

During the PDC, Ballmer also reiterated that Microsoft intends to reverse its fortunes in smartphones, where its market-share has fallen steadily over several quarters. The company is reportedly pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into marketing efforts.

?Make no mistake about it, we?re all in,? Ballmer reportedly told the audience. ?I get all kinds of questions about ?What if you don?t do this or that,? or blah, blah, blah. Boom, baby, that?s what we?re going to do.?

 

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Marking 10 years aboard the International Space Station (photos) - CNET

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4 killed in blast at Pakistan shrine - CNN International

The bomb explodes shortly after dawn prayersThe shrine is one of the country's largest No one has claimed responsibility

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Four people were killed early Monday morning when a bomb exploded at one of Pakistan's largest Sufi shrines, police officials told CNN. Eight others were wounded.

The bomb was placed at one of the gates of the Baba Farid shrine and exploded shortly after dawn prayers when crowds of morning worshipers usually leave the site, police said.

The shrine is located in Pak Pattan, an ancient city in Punjab province about 190 km (118 miles) south of Lahore.

Baba Farid is considered one of Pakistan's most revered Sufi saints.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast. But in recent months Muslim extremists have stepped up attacks against minority sects and their places of worship.

Police officials said eight people were injured in Monday morning's blast.

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After mine rescue, Chilean president heads to England - CNN International

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera -- speaking on October 13 after the miner's release -- is due to arrive in the UK on Saturday.Sebastian Pinera will meet with British Prime Minister CameronThe trip comes after Pinera led efforts to rescue 33 trapped minersPinera and Cameron spokes earlier in the week

London, England (CNN) -- Sporting a burnished image after the rescue of 33 trapped miners, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera is arriving in England on Saturday.

He is scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday.

Cameron spoke with Pinera earlier in the week after all 33 miners were successfully hoisted to safety, a spokesman for the prime minister said. He told Pinera that the rescue effort had demonstrated tremendous skill.

Pinera had vowed to be at the San Jose mine in northern Chile until all of the miners were out. True to his word, he greeted each miner with a hug as they stepped out from the rescue capsules to fresh air for the first time.

Pinera called the rescue a "magical day" for Chile, one that fueled patriotic fervor as the entire world cast its eyes on the South American nation.

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Senate report blasts Pentagon for handling of security contractors - CNN International

Senate report: Failure to keep track of private security contractors puts troops at riskSen. Carl Levin: "We must shut off the spigot of U.S. dollars" to Afghan warlordsCommittee staff: 125 security contracts cost the U.S. more than $100 millionReport cites nonexistent training, violent incidents, warlord affiliations

Washington (CNN) -- A Senate report released Thursday rips into the Pentagon for failing to keep track of tens of thousands of private security contractors in Afghanistan, a failure that places both the mission and U.S. troops at grave risk.

"The report describes a number of private security contractors funneling U.S. taxpayer dollars to Afghan warlords and strongmen who are linked to murder, kidnapping, bribery, pro-Talilban and anti-coalition activities," Armed Services Committee Carl Levin said at a briefing.

"We must shut off the spigot of U.S. dollars flowing into the pockets of power brokers and warlords who act contrary to our interests and who contribute to the corruption that weakens the support of the Afghan people for their government and for our effort," said Levin, D-Michigan.

The committee spent the past year investigating more than 125 Defense Department security contracts that cost the U.S. well in excess of $100 million, according to committee staff. Levin travelled to Afghanistan in July to meet with U.S. military leaders about risks in employing some 26,000 armed contractors.

Levin said some contractors are necessary to provide security, for instance guarding the perimeter of U.S. installations. But too many of them are poorly vetted prior to hiring, and aren't trained or provided with weapons and other equipment.

The report details one incident in February in which Afghanistan contractor guards fired on U.S. Marines who were shouting to identify themselves and using signal flares. The guards shot and killed a Marine. The Marines later detained the guards and found they were high on opium and had been given no training in how to fire their rifles.

Another contractor, according to the report and U.S. military e-mails obtained by the committee, "used rocks to simulate personnel" guarding observation posts.

Another section of the report focuses on guards hired by ArmorGroup as an example of how U.S. and United Nations contracts benefit Afghan warlords.

"The succession of warlords and the guards affiliated with them were implicated in murder, revenge attacks, bribery and anti-coalition activities," the report said. "One of those warlords, known as Mr. White-Two, was holding a Taliban meeting at his home when it was raided by U.S. and Afghan forces." ArmorGroup managers, according to the Senate report, gave the Afghanistan warlords nicknames based on the 1992 crime movie "Reservoir Dogs."

"Those warlords were variously implicated in murder and bribery," Levin said at his briefing. "As a matter of fact, Mr. Pink killed Mr. White-One. They were found to possess landmines, large amounts of ammunition and they were determined by the U.S. military to be in league with the Taliban."

A spokesperson for ArmorGroup's parent company, G4S in London, did not respond to a request for comment.

The Senate report blasted the Defense Department for lack of oversight, saying too much attention was devoted to giving out contracts and too little to keeping them accountable.

"Their workload required them to devote all their efforts to awarding contracts, and as a result they could not provide contract oversight," the Senate report said.

The Senate committee has briefed the Pentagon on their findings. Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote Levin Tuesday saying the department had set up task forces to review the issue, had tripled the number of auditors in the warzone and revamped their hiring, training and deployment.

Gates said the Senate report has helped the Defense Department understand the problems.

"Through the new programs we have implemented, I believe, DoD has taken significant steps to benefit our forces on the ground while not providing aid to our enemies.," Gates said in his letter.

Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus also has warned of over-reliance on contractors, telling military leaders to consider who benefits and the impact on their operations.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai cracked down on private contracts at the end of last month.

"In order to protect Afghan life and property, avoid corruption, security irregularities and the misuse of military weapons, ammunition and uniforms by the private security companies which have caused tragic incidents, and after the required assessment, I approve shutting down all private security companies within four months, including both domestic and foreign," the Afghanistan government's decree said.

The heavy dependence on contractors creates multiple problems for the United States. Efforts to build up the Afghan police and security forces are undercut when people can make more money working for private companies. Warlords can siphon off funds and not provide promised manpower.

Levin admitted that in some circumstances there are only risky, difficult choices.

"The decision as to whether or not to utilize a strongman or a warlord, or whatever you want to call them, has to be made at the highest level, it cannot be made casually by someone lower down in the chain of command that takes the easy way out, who says we will use this guy because he can provide protection," Levin said.

Levin said that despite efforts by the Pentagon and Congress, problems remain.

"There are contracts that are being implemented today with contractors who have shown to be sloppy, reckless or negligent in terms of implementing those contracts," Levin said. "So the risks exist today."

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Sludge cleanup begins in Hungary as search for victims goes on - CNN International

Toxic sludge slams Hungarian villages4 people dead, 6 missing, 116 injured in southwest HungaryWorkers use metal sticks to poke for more victimsFlow may reach the Danube River

Devecser, Hungary (CNN) -- Rescue workers searched Wednesday for six elderly people missing at Kolontar, one of three villages in southwest Hungary that was hit Monday by a wave of toxic red sludge from an alumina plant reservoir that burst.

Wearing chemical protection suits, the workers used metal sticks to poke through muck three-feet deep (1 meter) for the presumed victims, reported MTI, Hungary's official news agency.

At least 116 people were injured, eight of them seriously, when the mishap occurred Monday afternoon, the agency said. Most of them were flown to hospitals in the capital, Budapest.

The reservoir has been repaired and the flow from the pool has halted.

But the material that flowed out of the reservoir continued to pose a threat. On Wednesday, more than 500 National Disaster Management Authority staffers and soldiers and employees of Hungarian Aluminum Production and Trade Company (MAL), the company that owns the alumina plant's reservoir, were trying to halt the advance of the sludge before it reaches the Danube River's tributaries, said Jeno Lasztovicza, head of the defense committee, according to MTI.

The sludge had already reached the Marcal River, which flows into the River Raba, which empties into the Danube. It was expected to show up in the Danube as soon as this weekend, said Imre Szakacs, head of Gyor-Moson-Sopron County's defense authority, MTI said.

Emergency workers were pouring plaster and fertilizers into the Marcal River in hopes that it would bind with the sludge and counter its alkalinity before it reached the Danube, the continent's second-longest river, some 70 km (43 miles) north, reported MTI.

But the material will have been neutralized by the time it reaches the Raba, Interior Minister Sandor Pinter told reporters.

Untreated, the sludge contains heavy metals, which cause burns and eye irritation, he said.

Four people -- two children ages 1 and 3, an elderly woman and a 35-year-old man whose SUV overturned in the sludge -- have been confirmed dead in the environmental disaster, which occurred 160 km (99 miles) west of Budapest, near the town of Ajka.

Residents were advised not to eat produce from gardens that were covered when the dam burst, releasing at least 1 million cubic meters of thick red mud.

It was not clear when residents evacuated from affected areas in the villages of Kolontar, Devecser and Somlovasarhely would be able to return home, nor were the long-term consequences clear.

A state of emergency has been declared in three counties, the State Secretariat of Governmental Communications said.

In a statement on its website, MAL said it "offers its honest condolences to the relatives of all of the victims who lost their lives in the catastrophe."

CNN's Nic Robertson contributed to this story.

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Three questioned in Nigeria terror attack that killed 12 - CNN International

The attack in Abuja came as the West African country celebrated 50 years of independence.NEW: Three people were arrested in connection to the terror attackNEW: MEND, which claims responsibility, says it gave the government five days noticeThe president says the attack was an attempt to disrupt independence celebrations

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Three people have been arrested in Nigeria and are being questioned in connection with the Friday blasts that killed 12 and injured 50 in the nation's capital, a spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan said Saturday.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, known as MEND, claimed responsibility for the attack in Abuja and said Saturday it had given the Nigerian government advance warning.

"The irresponsible attitude of the government security forces is to blame for the loss of lives," MEND said in a Saturday statement.

The group reported it had warned Nigerian security forces five days prior to the attack.

"The security forces were also warned one full hour to the first bomb blast ahead of the general alert sent to the media and told to steer the public from all parked cars which was not done," the statement continued.

The attack came as the West African country celebrated 50 years of independence.

The International Committee of the Red Cross appealed for blood donations to assist the wounded.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan later called the action a terror attack that was designed to "disrupt" the anniversary, said presidential spokesman Imo Niboro. But he said it had nothing to do with Niger Delta issues or MEND.

MEND, which represents militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta, is an umbrella organization of several rebel groups. It has been battling the government for years over fairer distribution of the country's oil wealth.

MEND said Henry Okah, who many say is an influential member of the group, had been harassed by authorities in South Africa, where he lives.

"Okah has never been involved in any MEND operations but has always been blamed for every attack which is strange to us," MEND's statement said.

"They (Nigerian security forces) were given 5 days prior notice (about the attack) which led to the harassment of Henry Okah on Thursday, September 30 in South Africa," the group said.

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US: Only one supply route shut down by Pakistan - CNN International

Three soldiers were killed when NATO helicopters crossed the Afghanistan Pakistan border, Pakistani security officials said.NEW: U.S. says only one supply route is closedPakistan says its troops fired warning shotsNATO aircraft entered Pakistani airspace, ISAF said

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The U.S. military says only one supply route to Afghanistan has been closed by the Pakistani government after fighting that led to the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers, and a military spokesman said Thursday that United States is hopeful the situation is only temporary.

Pakistan banned NATO supply convoys from entering Afghanistan after the deaths of the three soldiers, whom the government says were killed in Pakistani territory during fighting between NATO troops and militants, according to a military official from the NATO-led command in Afghanistan.

Other routes from Pakistan to the war zone remain open, Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said Thursday. Lapan said it was too soon to assess the impact of closing this crucial route.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad is talking with Pakistan to resolve the situation.

Supply convoys are all-important for the Afghan war effort, and officials from NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were trying to persuade Pakistan to lift the ban. Coalition forces rely heavily on convoys from Pakistan to bring in supplies and gear.

ISAF said in a statement Thursday that its forces saw what they thought were insurgents trying to fire mortars at a coalition base in the Dand Patan District of Afghanistan's Paktiya province, near the Pakistani border.

An air weapons team targeted the suspected insurgents' firing position, located inside Afghanistan along the border area, and the aircraft entered Pakistani airspace briefly "as they engaged this initial target," the ISAF statement said.

After this strike, the "aircraft received what the crews assessed as effective small arms fire from individuals just across the border in Pakistan" and the ISAF aircraft, operating in self-defense, entered into Pakistani airspace and killed "several armed individuals."

Later, Pakistani military officials told ISAF that coalition aircraft struck its border forces.

"ISAF and Pakistani forces are reviewing the operational reporting to verify the exact location of the two engagements and the facts in this case, and we will work together to fully investigate this incident.

"Both sides have in mind that it is the insurgents, operating on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan and violating the territorial sovereignty of both countries, that we are focused on fighting," the ISAF statement said.

ISAF issued "sincere condolences to the Pakistani military and the families of those who were killed or injured."

The Pakistani government said two helicopters from Afghanistan appeared to have crossed the border into Pakistan in the Mandata Kandaho, Ali Mangola area of the upper Kurram Agency and engaged an outpost of Frontier Corps through cannon fire.

The post, manned by six soldiers, is located 200 meters inside Pakistan, and troops fired their rifles to indicate that the helicopters were crossing into Pakistani territory.

Instead of heeding the warning, the choppers fired two missiles and destroyed the post, killing the three soldiers and injuring three others.

"This is the third incident of its kind during past one week. In the wake of the last incident on 27 September, contact was made at the highest military level and the incident was regretted by the USA," the government said.

NATO helicopters crossed into Pakistani airspace from Afghanistan in pursuit of insurgents over the weekend, killing 49 people, a spokesman told CNN Monday.

Crossing the border did not violate the International Security Assistance Force rules of engagement, Maj. Michael Johnson said.

Pakistan is very sensitive about U.S.-led military operations on its territory and issued a strong protest Monday.

Pakistan called the incursions "a clear violation and breach" of U.N. rules for foreign forces in Afghanistan.

The United Nations "mandate terminates/finishes at the Afghanistan border. There are no agreed hot pursuit rules," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

A senior administration official in the tribal region's Khyber Agency told CNN Thursday that Pakistan had temporarily stopped NATO supplies from entering Afghanistan in the area of Takhta Baig, which is located about 45 km (28 miles) from the border with Afghanistan.

The official asked to not be named because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

A commander of international forces in the western part of Afghanistan said Thursday that Pakistan's recent ban on use of supply routes is "not a problem" for troops in his area of the country.

Italian Gen. Claudio Berto, talking to reporters in the Pentagon via satellite from Afghanistan, said, "In my point of view, it's not a problem, we are really far away from Pakistan, and if you mean the goods for the soldier, they're coming through other borders, for example Turkmenistan. And we have no problem with this issue."

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Ecuador's president, claiming coup attempt, 'won't relent' - CNN International

NEW: The government declares a state of emergencyThe president was led away in a gas mask after police lobbed tear gas at him"This is treason to the country," says President Rafael CorreaProtesting police say the government canceled bonuses and promotions
(CNN) -- Ecuador teetered on the verge of a government collapse Thursday, as national police took to the streets of Quito, the capital, and attacked the president over what police say was the cancellation of bonuses and promotions.
The government declared a one-week state of emergency Thursday afternoon and put the military in charge of security.
"This is a coup attempt," President Rafael Correa said in a TV interview a couple of hours after police lobbed tear gas at him.
Correa, who was forced to flee to a nearby hospital, said police were trying to get at him.
"They're trying to get into my room, maybe to attack me. I don't know," he said in a telephone interview with state-run Ecuador TV. "But, forget it. I won't relent. If something happens to me, remember my infinite love for my country, and to my family I say that I will love them anywhere I end up."
A video by CNN affiliate Ecuavisa later showed a defiant Correa standing at an upper floor window, shouting to a crowd of supporters, "If they want me, here I am," and then rapidly ripping his necktie loose
A broadcast by Ecuador TV showed mobs on the streets and clouds of black smoke coming from burning tires and garbage. Sporadic looting was reported.
Correa had taken to the streets to try to negotiate with police but was soon surrounded and jostled by a crowd and forced to flee after someone fired a tear gas canister at him. Some of those shoving him were police officers in full gear.
Video from CNN affiliate Teleamazonas shows a man in a tan suit punching Correa and trying to yank a gas mask off the president's face.
The broadcast then shows a hunched-over Correa being led away, his face still covered by the gas mask. Correa, who recently underwent knee surgery, leaned on a crutch with his left arm.
A news photograph later showed him lying on a stretcher.
A government helicopter had tried to evacuate him but was unable to land.
He went on the air from a hospital a couple of hours later to denounce what he called a cowardly attack.
"They fired gas on us -- on the president of the republic," Correa said in a telephone interview with Ecuador TV. "This is treason to the country, treason to their president."
Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino led a large and boisterous pro-government rally at the Carondelet Palace, the president's home. He urged the crowd to take to the streets to peacefully "reject this coup" and "to rescue our president."
Said Patino, "We are not afraid of anyone."
Analysts pointed to the government's precariousness.
"This is the most serious protest that the government of Rafael Correa has faced," analyst Eduardo Gamarra told CNN en Espa?ol.
Rank-and-file police took over their agency's headquarters, Ecuador TV said.
There also were reports that the military had taken control of their bases and the airport.
Most of the military remained neutral, though there were reports that some rebellious units seemed to side with the police uprising.
Ecuador has nearly 58,000 members in its military and 33,000 in the national police force, according to Jane's Intelligence Review.
The military, Jane's said, is undergoing a professionalism transformation designed to give it greater flexibility.
The National Civil Police, meanwhile, is the nation's major law enforcement organization.
Government officials tried to quell the rebellion, insisting that the security forces had been misinformed and warning that the nation's democracy was in danger.
"I want to tell the country there has been an attempt at a coup," said Gabriel Rivera of the Country Accord Party.
"This is a Machiavellian plan organized by sectors of the right," Rivera said on Ecuador TV.
Miguel Carvajal, the minister for interior security, said there was no threat to salaries or benefits. He blamed the reports of the benefit cuts on a massive disinformation campaign.
"He who says that is lying," Carvajal said.
"We call on the citizens. We call on the armed forces. We call on other governments to defend our democratic institutions," he said.
A police spokesman went on the air on Teleamazonas to dispute the government's allegations, saying that the security forces were in fact supporting Correa.
"Fellow officers who hear me nationally, stop this action," said the spokesman, identified only as Sgt. Mejia. "Don't close the streets. Return to the streets to work."
The disturbances occurred as Correa threatened to dissolve the national assembly over a dispute about several laws, including public service and education.
Angry police said they were overworked and underpaid.
"We work 14 hours a day," a uniformed officer said on Ecuador TV. "We are the ones who never protest."
Said another: "One hour without police. Let's see what happens."
Diego Borja, director of the central bank, went on the air to urge calm and for people to take care.
"The police are not protecting the people. They are protesting," he said. "There could be problems."
He also sought to prevent a run on deposits.
"The money is safe," he said. "But be careful if making large withdrawals."
Peru closed its border with Ecuador, and messages of support for Correa came from the governments of Argentina and Venezuela.CNN's Rafael Romo contributed to this report.
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