Tiniest Katrina survivor finally born POSTED: 0744 GMT (1544 HKT), January 17, 2007
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Noah Benton Markham holds his first news conference with mom Rebekah, big brother Witt and dad Glen Markham.
photo 2 Noah was named after the biblical builder of the Ark -- an idea that came from Rebekah Markham's sister-in-law
COVINGTON, Louisiana (AP) -- Rescued from a great flood while he was just a frozen embryo in liquid nitrogen, a baby boy entered the world Tuesday and was named after the most famous flood survivor of them all, Noah. Noah Benton Markham -- 8 pounds, 61/2 ounces -- was born to 32-year-old Rebekah Markham by Caesarean section after growing from an embryo that nearly defrosted in a sweltering hospital during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "All babies are miracles. But we have some special miracles," said Wanda Stogner, a cousin of Markham's. (Watch how the embryos were rescued. ) Relatives gathered around New Orleans police officer Glen Markham as the proud 42-year-old father carried the tiny blanket-wrapped bundle topped by a pink-and-blue cap out of the operating room at St. Tammany Parish Hospital. For a few seconds he tried to make them guess whether the baby was a boy or a girl. Then he announced, "It's a boy!" to an eruption of cheers and applause. Two weeks after Katrina hit, law officers used flat-bottom boats to rescue the Markhams' embryos and some 1,400 other ones stored in tanks of coolant at New Orleans' Lakeland Hospital. The tanks had been topped off with liquid nitrogen and moved from the first floor to the third as the storm drew near, but the hurricane swamped the hospital with 8 feet of water and knocked out the electricity. The Markhams had decided that if their baby was girl, she would be named Hannah Mae, Hannah meaning "God has favored us." A boy would be named after the biblical builder of the Ark -- an idea that came from Rebekah Markham's sister-in-law. (Watch Mom, Dad and big brother welcome Noah ) "That is the best name!" said Ramon Pyrzak, lab director for the Fertility Institute of New Orleans, where the Markhams created embryos from their sperm and eggs after nearly a decade of inability to have a baby. Noah's older brother, 2-year-old Glen Witter "Witt" Markham Jr., whose embryo was created at the same time as Noah's but implanted immediately in 2003, stood on his mother's hospital bed and leaned forward to give the baby a gentle kiss. "So soft!" Witt said. If the embryos had thawed, each woman who wanted another baby would have had to undergo another expensive round of fertility drugs, egg harvesting and in vitro fertilization. Rebekah Markham estimated her first pregnancy cost $12,000. "It's amazing that he was frozen," Glen Markham said as he gazed through the nursery window at the squalling newborn. "I thought the only thing you could freeze was a crab. You freeze a crab and defrost it, and it'll come back to life."
Fairness sought for 'condolence payments' Tuesday, January 16, 2007 An Iraqi woman mourns the death of a relative killed during a battle between U.S. soldiers and insurgents. The terrible news out of Iraq today: At least 70 people people died in a sectarian attack at a university. Plus, the United Nations released a report finding that 34,000 Iraqi civilians died in Iraq in 2006. Most of those civilians were killed in Iraqi-on-Iraqi violence, but not all of them. The U.S. military has been involved in a number of civilian casualties, and we wondered, what does the United States do when that happens? Do they make reparations for the families who've lost loved ones? We checked, and in fact, the Pentagon does have a program to compensate victims of so-called "collateral damage." But as we found out, it's pretty haphazard, and there are those both in and out of the military who think it would be a good idea to set up an official policy to compensate civilian victims of U.S. military actions. One of those is the new chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, a Democrat. He wants the Pentagon to replace the old system of leaving the amount of so-called "condolence payments" up to the discretion of field commanders with a formal program where the Defense Department would need to come to Congress to ask for money, and Congress could then ask questions about civilian deaths. The idea hits on fairness and transparency. A significant side effect of that kind of program would be to, for the first time, give the public an idea of how many Iraqis have died under U.S. fire. Because right now, no one is counting.
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'Big Brother' racism denied POSTED: 2012 GMT (0412 HKT), January 17, 2007 LONDON, England -- Channel 4 attempted to cool an escalating row over alleged bullying of Indian Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty on "Celebrity Big Brother," saying there was no clear evidence of racism. As the number of complaints to the media regulator topped 19,000 and police probed e-mail threats against housemates, the broadcaster said Shetty had not spoken out about any racism. "There has been no overt racial abuse or racist behaviour directed against Shilpa," Channel 4 said in a statement. "However, there has undoubtedly been a cultural and class clash between her and three of the British females." Singer Jo O'Meara, reality TV star Jade Goody and model Danielle Lloyd face claims they have ganged together to bully Shetty, 31. Media regulator Ofcom said 19,300 viewers have complained about her treatment. Earlier, Bollywood had been up in arms about what it called the racist bullying of Indian film star Shetty. India's foreign ministry said it was probing the accusations while in the eastern Indian city of Patna, fans burned an effigy of "Big Brother" executives. The story was the lead on Indian TV stations, together with clips of the actress weeping. (Full story) And in Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair was drawn into the row when, responding to a question in parliament about the TV program, he agreed with former Labour minister Keith Vaz that "we should oppose racism in all its forms." The actress has been called a "dog" after the current series started two weeks ago. Three of the other women participants were seen to make a number of unpleasant asides against her. One fellow contestant, Goody, described the actress' cooking as untrustworthy, mocked her accent and complained about her "screeching." The treatment of Shetty by housemates will be raised with Britain by India, adding to pressure on Channel 4 bosses to halt alleged racism on the program. Police in Hertfordshire, north of London, told Reuters two e-mailed threats had been sent to the show's broadcaster Channel 4. Shetty, an A-list Bollywood actress, has been reduced to tears in the "Big Brother" house, a purpose-built complex of rooms and a garden where the nine remaining housemates are living. Ratings boost The boss of Carphone Warehouse, a mobile phone retailer, said his firm was reviewing its sponsorship of the program, according to The Times. "The sponsorship is constantly under review. Clearly, we are against racism," Charles Dunstone told the paper. Filmed by hidden cameras, the antics of the housemates can be watched 24 hours a day, with highlights played every evening. The housemates alone remain unaware of the furore in the outside world which -- if nothing else -- will likely boost the show's viewing figures. The program attracted 4.5 million viewers on Tuesday, up from 3.5 million on Monday. Shetty, meanwhile, became the favorite to win the competition. Bookmaker William Hill quoted odds of 6/4 that she would triumph, after taking a rush of bets for her in the previous 24 hours. "She has stuck in there and if she now picks up the public sympathy vote, punters certainly believe she will be very hard to beat," William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams told AP. Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, in Britain to promote his new film "Rocky Balboa," said the abuse was "wrong, obviously, but you can't expect people to act normally in that situation," according to The Associated Press. "Shilpa is a beautiful woman. Everybody should stand corrected and just move on," Stallone said in a radio interview. "It's a game, people." The actor's mother, Jacqueline Stallone, as well as his ex-wife, Brigitte Nielsen, appeared on "Celebrity Big Brother" two years ago.
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Asian golfers enter a golden era The Pakistan Open, won by England's Chris Rodgers (above) last year, launches the Asian Tour on a new season, with more tournaments and prize money on offer than ever before for the region's ranks of improving professionals. With the first tee shot at the Karachi Golf Club on Thursday, Asian Tour golfers will embark on the first leg of a 29-event calendar worth a tour-record $26.5 million.
SINGAPORE -- The Asian Tour starts a new season at the Pakistan Open this week, with more tournaments and prize money on offer than ever before for the region's ranks of improving professionals. With the first tee shot at the Karachi Golf Club on Thursday, Asian Tour golfers will embark on the first leg of a 29-event calendar worth a tour-record $26.5 million. The figures represent a dramatic rise from the 18 events worth $9 million of four years ago, a sign the tour has been able to attract more sponsorship and potential hosts as the region's players march up the world rankings. "It's an exciting time for the Asian Tour and I believe we are entering a golden era for golf in the region," Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said. The tour's plan to expand into new markets within the region has led to five events being added to the calendar, with Indonesia holding three, Malaysia one and Cambodia hosting its debut tournament in December. Nine events will be co-hosted with the European Tour and Myanmar's Han believes these will continue to promote both organizations as well as the players. "International cooperation will remain a priority as it creates opportunities for sponsors and players to enjoy the full benefits of partnerships," he said. The first major prize pool will be at the tri-sanctioned $2.44 million Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket in March, with other lucrative events taking place in China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia ahead of the tour's flagship event in Singapore. The $4 million Singapore Open has been moved from September to November, to start a month containing four events in the region worth $16 million, with the aim of luring the world's leading golfers to Asia after the major tours have ended. Two-times defending champion Adam Scott of Australia and Ernie Els of South Africa have already committed to this year's event and the Asian Tour expects a world class field to descend on the challenging Sentosa Golf Club later this year. India's Jeev Milkha Singh took the order of merit title last year, romping to four victories on three different tours to rocket up the world rankings to an impressive 36th place. Breakthrough season His breakthrough season has been rewarded with exemptions to the four majors and he will become the first Indian to play at the U.S. Masters in April. "My main focus will be on the U.S. Tour," the Chandigarh-born Singh said. "There will be a lot of traveling, but many of the European and Asian events are joint-sanctioned, so that helps." With Singh spending less time in Asia, Thai duo Thongchai Jaidee and Prom Meesawat and India's Shiv Kapur will be among the favorites for the order of merit title. The 22-year-old Prom is perhaps the most promising player to emerge in Asia for some years and the "Big Dolphin" scored his maiden victory at the SK Open in Korea last May. The burly Prom was one of the few Asian players to hold their own in last week's Royal Trophy defeat to Europe, picking up halves against Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke in match play. "I have improved so much since I became professional (in 2004)," he said. "It's very tough on the tour as you have to handle the travelling and the heat. I think I am doing that very well. I am young and have the energy."
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'Funky Claude' brings soul to Montreux Tuesday, August 15, 2006 Posted: 1800 GMT (0200 HKT)
Claude Nobs started the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1967 -- it has been held every year since
Montreux Jazz Festival founder Claude Nobs is often referred to as "Nobby's in the Lobby." Nobs earned the nickname because as a record label executive with Warner Music, he always made sure he was there to greet artists as they arrived to ensure they were happy. It is no surprise then that he is close friends with most of the artists who play at his now 40-year-old festival and the hospitality he delivers at his chalet "Le Picotin" is legendary. Nobs was born 70 years ago near Montreux, Switzerland. Growing up, he developed a passion for jazz music. As a young man, Nobs' father demanded he focus his attention on earning a living, which resulted in a promising career as a chef before he turned to the hotel and tourist business. Although Nobs did not care much for columns and figures, he accepted an accountant's job at the local tourism office in 1960. With a string of languages behind him, he moved into the promotions department soon after, arranging charity concerts and traveling around Europe to boost the profile of his beloved hometown. On his first trip to New York, he arrived unannounced at Atlantic Records, asking to speak to its head, Nesuhi Ertegun, whose name he had seen on countless records. After being told it would be impossible, he explained to the receptionist he had traveled all the way from Switzerland. Ertegun agreed immediately -- his parents had been Turkish ambassadors in Berne -- and the pair became firm friends. With Ertegun's help, Nobs staged the first Montreux Jazz Festival on June 16, 1967. The festival was originally staged at the Montreux casino, but in 1971 a fire broke out while Frank Zappa was performing. Deep Purple immortalized the event the following year in their global hit "Smoke on the Water," which even name checked Nobs as "Funky Claude." For the past 40 years, the Montreux Jazz Festival has attracted music legends at the top of their game -- year after year after year. For four decades Nobs has used the most advanced technology available to record performances.
The festival's legacy has been preserved in a priceless video archive, managed by Nobs' partner Thierry Amsalem. Every year, artists who play at the Montreux Jazz Festival are invited to party at Nobs' chalets before their performance. Afterwards, they can view their own or other performances on a giant screen at Nobs' home. Nobs, right, with Ahmet Ertegun, left, at Nobs' chalet during this year's festival. Nobs, right, with Ahmet Ertegun, left, at Nobs' chalet during this year's festival.
Two eccentric buildings contain his collection of juke boxes, model trains, musical instruments and assorted memorabilia. Several artists have released Grammy-winning albums titled "Live at Montreux" and some of the performances are now being released on DVD under Nobs' company name Montreux Sounds. The festival is run by a foundation with finances continually on a knife-edge as Nobs' musical ambitions test the budget, which started from a meager $8,000 and has grown to $12 million. Now 70, Nobs knows he will not be around forever. He says he has an exceptional team who can take over the organizing the festival at any time, but even he admits that recreating the relationship he has with artists would prove virtually impossible for anyone else.
1.Pictured with the singer Van Morrison, then 52.
2. Nobs and Neil Young
3; With the band R.E.M
4, Nobs and Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay
5. Nobs, left, and Chuck Berry
6, Nobs, center, flanked by Nesuhi Ertegun, left, and jazz impresario Norman Grantz.
7. With David Bowie
8. Quincy Jones and Nobs. The pair co-produced the Montreux Jazz Festival 25th Anniversary in 1991
A rebound in the major miners such as BHP Billiton helped lift Australian shares on Thursday but caution ahead of the Bank of Japan's decision on interest rates capped Japanese stocks.
Authorities are examining similarities between the disappearances of Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby
and the 1991 disappearance of 11-year-old Arlin Henderson in 1991. Both Shawn and Arlin were last seen
riding icycles,and Arlin bears a physical resemblance to Ben.
Pizzeria manager suspected in third abduction POSTED: 2135 GMT (0535 HKT), January 17, 2007 ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) -- A suburban St. Louis man suspected of kidnapping two youngsters is also under investigation in the disappearance of another Missouri boy 16 years ago, The Associated Press has learned. Michael Devlin, 41, was arrested last week after police found two kidnapped boys in his apartment in suburban Kirkwood: 13-year-old boy Ben Ownby, who was seized on January 8, and 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck, who vanished 4 1/2 years ago. Lincoln County sheriff's deputies said Wednesday that Devlin is now the "most viable lead" in the investigation into the 1991 disappearance of Charles Arlin Henderson of Moscow Mills. Both Shawn and Charles vanished at age 11 while riding their bikes on a rural road about an hour's drive from St. Louis. Both boys were slight, weighing about 100 pounds, and had close-cropped hair. "If you were to take a photo of Arlin Henderson and you place it next to Shawn's picture, there is a striking resemblance," sheriff's Lt. Rick Harrell said.
Ali turns 65 with voice muted, but mind clear POSTED: 1639 GMT (0039 HKT), January 17, 2007 LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- The images are unsettling at best, upsetting at worst. The world, after all, remembers what he once was. Muhammad Ali trembles and has to be wheeled to a ringside spot to watch his daughter fight in New York. A frail Ali needs to be supported by basketball player Dwyane Wade at the Orange Bowl in Miami. The voice that once bellowed that he was "The Greatest" is but a whisper now, and he communicates mostly with facial expressions. His body is ravaged by Parkinson's disease and the effects of recent spinal surgery. He tires easily. His mind, though, remains sharp and clear, and his passion for people hasn't faded with age. Ali turned 65 on Wednesday. The heavyweight champion who shocked the world is a senior citizen now, eligible to collect Social Security. Like many other retirees, he has moved from Michigan to the desert to be out of the cold. Visitors to the home in a gated area of Scottsdale, Ariz., that he shares with his fourth wife, Lonnie, often find him absorbed in the past, watching films of his fights and documentaries on his life -- and Elvis movies. Even more, he loves to watch himself talk. "Muhammad is a little sentimental. He likes looking at older things. He likes watching some of the interviews and saying some of the crazy outrageous things he used to say," Lonnie Ali said. "Sometimes I think he looks at it and says, `Is that me? Did I really say those things?"' Those were the days when Ali still floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, when he added to his legend by defying the odds to beat George Foreman in Zaire and Joe Frazier in the Philippines. "Rumble young man, rumble," cornerman Bundini Brown would yell to him. That young man's face is now distorted by Parkinson's, making him look far older than he is. Now, instead of the "Ali Shuffle" that once dazzled the boxing world, he is reduced to sometimes using a walker, the result of surgery to help correct spinal stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal canal which causes compression of the nerve roots. Some days are better than others. Ali reads fan mail every now and then and painstakingly signs autographs with his trembling hand. Sometimes, mostly in the morning before his medication kicks in, the family can understand every word he says. "We give him enough meds to make his day go well enough, but not enough to make him look absolutely normal," Lonnie Ali said. "He would look better if we did, but we don't want to. We don't want him on too many medications." His birthday will pass with calls from his nine children and other relatives. Ali's only request to mark the occasion is a trip to one of his favorite magic shops so he can pick up a new trick or two to show visitors. One of his daughters, Hana, says no one should feel sorry for him. "People naturally are going to be sad to see the effects of his disease," she said. "But if they could really see him in the calm of his everyday life, they would not be sorry for him. He's at complete peace, and he's here learning a greater lesson." The man who made headlines and countless television highlights with his predictions and boxing prowess can't really talk about himself anymore. But others can:
The daughter Hana Ali listens often to the tapes, the ones her father made for an audio diary in 1979 when she and her sister, Laila, were little girls. On them, Ali's voice is strong, his opinions certain. "This is Muhammad Ali making a tape for future reference explaining what's going on in the world," it begins. Ali talks about his efforts to mediate the Iranian hostage crisis and meeting kings from different nations. He gives his thoughts on war and peace, and he has a talk with George Foreman on God and religion. "Sometimes I have to stop listening because I get in this time warp thing," Hana Ali said. Of all his children, she may be the closest to her dad. "He needs people like we need the air to breathe," she said. "He knows how great he is, but at the same time he's very humble. He's shocked to see how people still love him and remember him. You see his eyes light up and it takes him back a moment when they chant `Ali, Ali.' It's like charging a battery up."
The inner circle
Gene Kilroy traveled the world at Ali's side. His official title was business manager, but Kilroy was known mostly for being the man who got things done. He sheltered Ali from anyone trying to make a quick buck off him, and took care of the people around him. For years, he was the lone white man in the champ's entourage. "I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world just to call him my friend," Kilroy said. "If I was to die today and go to heaven it would be a step down. My heaven was being with Ali."
The opponent Larry Holmes was proudest of the black eye. He got it as an amateur the first time he stepped into the ring for a sparring session with Ali at his training camp in Deer Lake, Pa. "I didn't want to put ice on it," Holmes said. "Having him give me a black eye meant a lot to me." Holmes would later give Ali much worse when he beat him in his last big fight. "I can't just say Ali was the greatest because there were so many great fighters out there. I can't say he was greater than Marciano, Louis, Dempsey and everyone else," Holmes said. "A lot of it today is that people feel sorry for him because he's got that Parkinson's or whatever is wrong with him. They feel he doesn't have too much longer to live and they want to be part of the legend."
The promoter Bob Arum wonders if it was somehow partly his fault. A lot of the punches Ali took came on his watch. Ali had 61 fights over 21 years, winning 56. Arum promoted 25 of them. "I feel terrible about what happened because for better or worse I played a part in it," Arum said. "Not that it wouldn't have happened if somebody else was involved. But I feel I played a part in his physical decline." Arum's wife, Lovee, and Lonnie Ali still often talk on the phone. He sees Ali on occasion, and each time he feels conflicted. "Here was a guy who my memories of him were larger than life. He was full of life, like nobody I've ever seen in my life," Arum said. "Now to see what is essentially a shell of what was is hard. Every time I see him I'm glad to see him, but I feel terrible."
The fan Musician and sometime actor Kris Kristofferson first saw Ali in Rome at the 1960 Olympics. They became good friends and even starred together in a television movie, "Freedom Road." He hopes there will be advances in treating Parkinson's before it's too late. "He'll be remembered more than any other great athlete because of his humanitarian work and the courage he showed in his life," Kristofferson said. "He's probably the most remarkable person I ever met on the planet. He's an amazing human being."
The photographer Howard Bingham had no idea his life would change that day, in 1962, when he went to take pictures of a young fighter at a Los Angeles press conference. "My assignment that day was to cover this big loudmouth coming into town," said Bingham, who took pictures for a black weekly newspaper. "I had never really heard of him." Turns out, Bingham was photographing a young Cassius Clay. He's been with Ali ever since and calls him his best friend. "I've had the opportunity to meet and greet kings and queens. And kings and queens have had the opportunity to meet me, too," Bingham said. "It's been wonderful." Bingham still travels with Ali and talks to him regularly on the telephone. "I can't believe that on January 17, 2007, he'll be 65," Bingham said. "It just doesn't seem real."
Rice: Quartet will meet on Mideast U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday she expects the "quartet" of EU, Russia, the U.N. and the U.S to meet in the week of January 29 in Washington to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.
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Nobs, right, with Ahmet Ertegun, left, at Nobs' chalet during this year's festival.
