(CNN)A mysterious affliction has killed as many as 18 people in southwestern Nigeria, leaving health officials scrambling to determine its cause. The cases have all occurred in Nigeria's Ondo state since April 13, health officials said Sunday. Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, Ondo's state commissioner for health, said 18 people have died and five people are being treated.  Those affected are between the ages of 25 and 60.  The disease does not appear to be contagious, he said. Symptoms include headaches, blurred vision, loss of sight and unconsciousness, Adeyanju said. Some suspect it may be the result of locally brewed alcohol. The World Health Organization, earlier Sunday, reported at least 13 people were killed and that there were 18 total cases. Those numbers were reported by Adeyanju released somewhat different totals. Investigators sent samples of blood, urine and spinal fluid to a university in the city of Lagos for tests, which ruled out infections from viruses or bacteria, the WHO said. Doctors plan to carry out toxicological tests on one of the victims who died in a hospital, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said.

18 dead and 5 being treated, Nigeria says . Locally brewed alcohol is suspected . Some patients have died within hours .


(CNN)Larry Johnson remembers the fear and feeling of helplessness from being on the SkyWest Airlines flight that made an emergency landing in Buffalo, New York. "I thought we were done," he said Thursday, one day later. "There was no doubt in my mind that we weren't going to land." Johnson was flying with his brother, his girlfriend and his 8-month-old son when he says a flight attendant came over the speaker asking for someone who was medically trained to help with a sick passenger. Minutes later, Johnson says, the attendant announced there was a pressurization problem and told passengers to prepare for the emergency landing. "You're going to feel dizzy and woozy and lightheaded, and you're not going to be able to breathe," Johnson recalled the flight attendant saying. The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday initially reported a pressurization problem with SkyWest Flight 5622, and said it would investigate. It later issued a statement that did not reference any pressurization issues. "It was like being trapped and you couldn't do anything. You have no control over it. Your body just felt pressured," Johnson said. Johnson said his girlfriend was seeing spots and that "when I was blinking, it was really bright. I could barely see." According to Marissa Snow, spokeswoman for SkyWest, three passengers reported a loss of consciousness while on the flight. Fifteen passengers were examined by medical personnel at the Buffalo airport, but no one was transported to the hospital, she said. The spokeswoman said that maintenance personnel found no indication of a pressurization problem with the aircraft, an Embraer E170, and that the airline continues to investigate the cause. An official with the National Transportation Safety Board told CNN that the agency is in communication with the FAA and SkyWest to gather information on the incident to better understand what took place. Mary Cunningham was the nurse on board who attended to the first sick passenger. "There was a woman, very lethargic, very nauseous, turning gray, just not looking good," Cunningham said. After administering oxygen to the woman, Cunningham, a nurse at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, returned to her seat. Soon after, Cunningham said, she was called up again by the flight attendant after another women near the first started to lose consciousness. "It was something that was affecting oxygen in that area," which was near the middle of the plane, she said. Cunningham said she had to return to her seat after feeling lightheaded. There were 84 passengers on board the plane, including nine crew members. Flight 5622 was originally scheduled to fly from Chicago to Hartford, Connecticut. The plane descended 28,000 feet in three minutes. "It would feel like a roller coaster -- when you're coming over the top and you're going down," CNN aviation analyst Mary Schiavo said, describing how such a descent would feel. "You know that these pilots knew they were in a very grave and very serious situation." Johnson, flying to visit his parents with their only grandchild, was glad that roller coaster ride ended safely. "It was a shaky ride. It wasn't anything I would like to experience again," he said. CNN's Jean Casarez, Josh Gaynor, Dana Ford and Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report.

Three passengers report a loss of consciousness on SkyWest flight . But officials say there is no evidence of a pressurization problem .


(CNN)It didn't seem like a fair fight. On one side were hulking football players and pro wrestlers, competing as teams of two to eat as many pounds of steak as they could, combined, in one hour. On another was a lone 124-pound mother of four. And sure enough, in the end, Sunday's contest at Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, wasn't even close. Molly Schuyler scarfed down three 72-ounce steaks, three baked potatoes, three side salads, three rolls and three shrimp cocktails -- far outpacing her heftier rivals. That's more than 13 pounds of steak, not counting the sides. And she did it all in 20 minutes, setting a record in the process. "We've been doing this contest since 1960, and in all that time we've never had anybody come in to actually eat that many steaks at one time," Bobby Lee, who co-owns the Big Texan, told CNN affiliate KVII. "So this is a first for us, and after 55 years of it, it's a big deal." In fairness, Schuyler isn't your typical 124-pound person. The Nebraska native, 35, is a professional on the competitive-eating circuit and once gobbled 363 chicken wings in 30 minutes. Wearing shades and a black hoodie, Schuyler beat four other teams on Sunday, including pairs of football players and pro wrestlers and two married competitive eaters. She also broke her own Big Texan record of two 72-ounce steaks and sides, set last year, when she bested previous record-holder Joey "Jaws" Chestnut. The landmark Big Texan restaurant offers its "72-ounce Challenge" daily to anyone who can eat the massive steak, plus fixings, in under an hour. Those who can't do so must pay $72 for the meal. Schuyler, who now lives in Sacramento, California, won $5,000 for her efforts. Her feat will be submitted to Guinness World Records. But mostly, she just seemed pleased to enjoy a hearty meal on the house. "It's free, so I'm pretty happy about that," she told KVII. "Otherwise it would have cost me about 300 bucks."

Molly Schuyler scarfed down three 72-ounce steaks Sunday in Amarillo, Texas . The Sacramento woman, 35, is a professional on the competitive-eating circuit .


(CNN)By some estimates, about a third of Americans use some form of alternative medicine, including homeopathic remedies because they find Western medicine inadequate. Creams such as Arnicare for pain relief or liquids such as Sidda Flower Essences for male virility are part of a $2.9 billion business that has seen "explosive growth," according to the FDA. These drugs do not go through the same level of scrutiny as over-the-counter and prescription drugs. But now your over-the-counter homeopathic remedies might soon face stricter scrutiny from the federal government. Products such as the homeopathic cold remedies Coldese and Zicam, among others, came under fire Monday from experts who testified at a Food and Drug Administration hearing Monday. The two-day "listening session," as the FDA calls it, is an opportunity for experts and members of the public to help the FDA decide how it should regulate these products. Critics say the agency is not doing enough. An analysis of hundreds of published studies from the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia found that homeopathic medicine was no more effective than a placebo. There is no evidence that they actually work, the council claimed, and yet it is a multibillion dollar business. Homeopathy is a medical philosophy that essentially believes your body is the best weapon to fight disease. Homeopathic medicine is based on the idea that "like cures like," meaning if something causes a symptom in your body, if you take a diluted form, it will boost your body's ability to fight it. Typically these remedies include a plant or a mineral in a tiny amount. Do homeopathic treatments for ADHD work? People who represent the industry, such as Mark Land, a member of the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists, argue that the current FDA system is a good one and that the products available today are of high quality and label standards are enough. Critics argued otherwise. Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman testified that most people don't entirely know what homeopathy is and "may assume that these products are dietary supplements or are conventional drugs" since they are often sold on the same shelves as traditional drugs. This practice is "innately misleading," said Fugh-Berman, an associate professor in the department of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown. Most consumers, she said, don't know that the FDA doesn't "routinely review these products for identity, purity, potency, quality or stability prior to marketing." Opinion: Alternative healing or quackery? While many people believe the drugs are safe in large part because they are highly diluted, products such as Cold-Eeze, if taken according to the recommendations on the label, would be 10 times the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of zinc for adult females and eight times the recommendation for males, according to Fugh-Berman. Too much zinc can have toxic effects. More than 130 people using another homeopathic medicine with zinc, Zicam, reported to the FDA that they lost their sense of smell. The FDA issued a warning to consumers about it in 2009. There is a misconception that all homeopathic products are "natural" according to the FDA "and therefore safe. Unfortunately, FDA has become aware of significant safety issues associated with homeopathic products in recent years," according to an email from the agency. Other issues include a 2010 FDA warning about Hyland's Teething Tablets. They also recalled the tablets that had inconsistent amounts of belladonna. Larger doses of the substance can be toxic. In 2014, the FDA warned consumers about Pleo Homeopathic drug products having penicillin or derivatives of penicillin. Another expert asking for stricter standards with homeopathic medicine, Janine Jagger with the Familial Mediterranean Fever Foundation, said that there should be stricter label standards that better explained what was actually in the homeopathic product. She believed there was a "deceptive illusion of treatment" when people chose these homeopathic options over pharmaceuticals that have been proven to work. A third of Americans use alternative medicine . A mother and editor of an alternative medicine magazine and website, Peggy O'Mara, testified that homeopathic medicine has helped her family over the years. As a writer and editor of health publications, she said she has seen a growing interest in this kind of medicine, and she believes it is is well-placed. She believes people have more trust that consumers do their research before purchasing the product, as she does. She wishes doctors were better versed in this kind of medicine and believes others want "safe, effective and easily accessible" products that are "nontoxic" alternatives to help people feel better. The public hearing will continue Tuesday. The FDA could make decisions about these labeling and regulation standards some time this year.

The FDA may take a more hands-on approach to regulating homeopathic medicine . It does not go through the same approval process as over-the-counter drugs . Some studies suggest homeopathic medicine is no more effective than placebos .


(CNN)We belong to different generations and political parties. We live in different states and under different circumstances. One of us is a college student, born into a political family, while the other is a former congressman from South Carolina and father of five children. One of us served on the selection committee for the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. The other will receive this award in recognition of the stand he took when he broke with his party and sacrificed his political career to support responsible action to combat climate change. We share an unwavering belief that the United States must lead the world on climate change and seize opportunities for unity, growth and progress. We believe that President Kennedy's courageous leadership in space exploration holds lessons that can help guide us forward. In 1962, President Kennedy, speaking at Rice University, described the space program that he had first announced when he asked the Congress to support his ambitious goal of landing a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Opening his speech, Kennedy stated simply the effect of man's scientific pursuit:  "The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds." This curious paradox holds true today. Our knowledge of the causes and dangers of climate change has increased even as our ignorance of its ramifications has unfolded. Many of our elected representatives persist in inaction and complacency by arguing that individual nations are powerless to solve the problem because every nation is culpable. Others choose to dispute the science, deny the evidence, and avoid the question of how to solve the problem. But climate change is only scary if we choose to sit, wait and do nothing about it. President Kennedy encountered the same dilemma:  "It is not surprising that some would have us stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait. But ... this country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them." We need not be frightened today. Climate change is a chance for all of us to add a chapter to the story of American triumph and human progress. It is a moment for this generation to display the very qualities we attribute to the American political heroes of earlier times, who left the world a better place for us. Courage of this scale will come from a people who are told that they can do great things by leaders who believe that their people are capable of great things.  We believe that America will see opportunity in the danger of climate change just like we saw benefits on Earth from travel in space. Kennedy told the crowd at Rice that the pursuit of a goal that seemed impossible was valuable precisely because it would be so hard to accomplish. "We choose to go to the moon not because it is easy but because it is hard," he said. Something so difficult would only be achieved through cooperation and national unity, and it would push us toward greatness. There will always be reasons for inaction. Many will argue that responsible reforms will hurt our economy as it recovers from the Great Recession. They will exploit the fears of that time to justify extracting rents from industries and fuels whose days are numbered. Progress on climate change will require courage. Some leaders who stand up to meet the challenge may fall, but they can be sure that their sacrifice will light the world with more energy, more mobility and more freedom and ensure a healthier planet. We can start by making straightforward changes in the tax code that are acceptable to both the right and the left. By adopting policies that would make it in our trading partners' interest to join us, meaningful reforms can provide solutions without making government any bigger. As Americans, we are obligated to leave the world a better place than we found it. We believe, just as President Kennedy did, that only if America leads on the most important issues of our time can we deliver on that promise. We call on our elected leaders to embrace the climate challenge before us and light a path to greatness once again.

Profile in Courage award is going to a Republican congressman who risked his career while recognizing the danger of climate change . Authors: Addressing climate challenge is today's moon shot, an enormous effort that will pay big benefits .


(CNN)She predicted events that unfolded in the Middle East well before they happened. And her book on Iraq became required reading for many military leaders trying to understand the country. Veteran journalist and author Sandra Mackey died Sunday, her son, Colin Mackey, said. She was 77. Her extensive career began in anonymity. She was an undercover reporter working for U.S. newspapers from Saudi Arabia as her husband, Dr. Dan Mackey, worked in a Riyadh hospital. For four years, she hid her writing from the authorities and smuggled her stories out of the country to get around Saudi Arabia's prohibition on foreign journalists. Her work appeared under the pseudonym Michael Collins. As she chronicled what was happening around her, Mackey's distinctive voice began to emerge. Over the years, a stream of books followed. "The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom" offered "a rare first-hand glimpse into the hidden realm of Saudi social and public life," The New York Times wrote. Her 1992 book "Passion and Politics: The Turbulent World of the Arabs" helped bridge gaps in understanding between Arabs and Americans, critics wrote. Mackey wrote for the people she knew, in a layman's language that was rooted in her training as a high school history teacher. "Scholars may be put off by Mackey's occasionally florid, bombastic language, but her work is a sound analysis and a sympathetic yet balanced effort to explain Arab perspectives to Americans," Elizabeth R. Hayford wrote in Library Journal. After earning a history degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, Mackey attended the University of Virginia to study international relations. She graduated in the first class of women admitted to the graduate program. For her book on Iran, Mackey was three times able to win permission to travel through the country unaccompanied, allowing her to paint an intimate portrait of a country going through extraordinary change. Her 2002 book "The Reckoning -- Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein" portended some of the outcomes of the war in Iraq -- but also drew some sharp criticism. "If war prevails, we shall beget a greater disorder in the Persian Gulf," Mackey wrote in the book. "We will be sucked into the resentments of the Arab world, the hostilities of the Iraqis, and the challenge of nation building in what has become an intensely tribal society at the core of American vital interests in the oil-rich Persian Gulf.'' Fouad Ajami, the late Hoover Institute fellow who was also a frequent guest on CNN, took issue with the book. "The crowds in Baghdad and Basra (like the crowds in Kabul that greeted their liberators with kites and music) may yet embarrass Mackey and the countless naive people who see things her way,"  Ajami wrote for The New York Times' Sunday Book Review cover story in 2002. Mackey had an Oklahoma twang, the slightly nasal kind that she was proud of, but that belied her worldly understanding. She would use it to full effect when she wanted to put people at ease. Mackey was a frequent commentator on CNN during the Gulf War in the 1990s. She also appeared on countless other outlets, including Bill Maher's "Politically Incorrect," to explain in layman's terms what was happening in the region. Her book on Iraq was published one year before the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003. The book forewarned of the consequences of such action. "In a perfect world, Shia, Sunni, and Kurd, followed by a company of other minorities, would walk into the post-Hussein Iraq as a liberated people united by common suffering," Mackey wrote. "But as all those who plot the way of nations are so acutely aware, the world is not perfect." She said those calling for an invasion of Iraq "cannot ignore the threats to American security that could come with Hussein's demise." "With American troops on the ground and no governing authority capable of taking charge, the United States faces the real possibility of a secular version of militant Islam," Mackey said. "... Thus, American military forces rotate in and out, U.S. taxpayer money finances the occupation, and Iraqi hostility to a Western presence increases. There is no exit strategy except retreat." In 2004 the U.S. military actually flew Mackey to Iraq to teach commanders from the Army's 1st Infantry Division while the war was still raging. Her book on Iraq became required reading for many military officers. "I am literally a little old lady in tennis shoes," she used to joke about her ability to gain the confidence of countless sources.  "What's the harm in talking to me?"

Mackey predicted what would happen to Iraq if the U.S. invaded and deposed Saddam Hussein . She also wrote a book credited with helping bridge gap between Arabs and Americans .


(CNN)The FBI is investigating a possible ISIS-inspired terrorist threat in the United States, law enforcement officials said Saturday. The investigation originated from intercepted chatter and other intelligence information that led officials to believe a possible plot could be in the works, the officials said. No arrests have been made. It's not clear whether the threat is real or aspirational. The exact nature of the threat couldn't be learned. One official said it focused on parts of California where officials stepped up security, a U.S. official said. The Transportation Security Administration alerted local law enforcement agencies that are responsible for external security around airports, but officials said the possible threat is not necessarily aviation-related. Some cities around the United States have increased their security as a precaution. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson declined Saturday to talk about specifics, but spoke about security measures in general. "Over the last few months, we have made a number of security adjustments, including enhanced screening at select overseas airports and increasing random searches of passengers and carry-on luggage on flights inbound to the U.S., reflecting an evolving threat picture," the spokesman said. He said the DHS added layers of security to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. ETSA is an online application system to screen travelers before they are allow to board an airplane or ship bound for the United States. In February, a more visible law enforcement presence was put in place at federal facilities, he said. "The department has conducted significant outreach efforts ... with state and local law enforcement partners regarding these trends and engaging in a series of meetings and events with local community leaders across the country to counter violent extremism," he said.

Officials say the investigation originated from intercepted chatter . Possible threat focused on parts of California, one says .


(CNN)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will get two extra weeks to form a government, Israel's President said in a news release Monday. Netanyahu made the request at President Reuven Rivlin's Jerusalem home Monday. "We have made progress and are on the way to forming a government," Netanyahu told Rivlin, according to a statement. "However, I require additional time in order for the government to be stable and so that we might reach agreement on important issues that will aid us in meeting the challenges facing the State of Israel." Netanyahu must form his government in less than 42 days, according to Israeli law. "I wish you success in your work," Rivlin told the Prime Minister, according to a statement. "The entire people of Israel hope that a government will be established; indeed, a transition government has not received the confidence of the Knesset and is viewed by the public as needing to be dealt with. I hope that in the coming days you will succeed in forming a stable government for the State of Israel." Last month, Netanyahu's Likud Party snared 30 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, giving its leaders the first chance at forming a coalition government. The Zionist Union came in second, with 24 seats.

Israeli law says the Prime Minister must form his government in less than 42 days . Netanyahu cites government stability and reaching "agreement on important issues" as reasons he needs additional time .


Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN)Her second floor cafe on a dusty industrial road was painted with dashes of psychedelic colors.  And Sabeen Mahmud surrounded herself there with books, people, and discussions on technology, human rights and women's entrepreneurship. Introducing others to Jimi Hendrix, street art, and talking politics was not supposed to get her killed. But in Pakistan, free speech is dangerous, and Mahmud's exuberant exercise of it made her stick out nationwide. Two gunman shot her dead at point-blank range late Friday after she locked up The Second Floor cafe in Karachi for the night, police said. Mahmud died from five bullet wounds. The gunmen also shot her mother. She is in a hospital but is expected to be released on time for her daughter's funeral. Mahmud's killing broke hearts beating for non-violence and progressive values across the country. She freely said what she thought in a place where many people are too afraid to and by doing so spoke for many more people than just herself. She had become a Pakistani figurehead for humanism, love and tolerance. "She took that torch into the dark forest and so many people followed. She really, truly was a success story of the heart," said close friend and BBC journalist Ziad Zafar. No one has claimed responsibility for her shooting, and police have not named any motive. But Mahmud had just finished leading a discussion group on a topic that many want silenced, when the shots fell. In the province of Baluchistan, where separatists have fought a virulent insurgency for years, people have been disappearing regularly. There have been steady allegations of mass abduction. The Lahore University of Management Sciences planned to host the discussion on the topic, with human rights activist Mama Qadeer Baloch, but authorities shut it down. Mahmud would not hear of it not going on. "Despite the plurality of opinion, very little space seems to be given to the discussion in Pakistani mainstream media or academia; the debate seems to be shut down before it can even begin," she posted on Facebook. "What is the reality? Has the media been silenced on Balochistan? What makes it dangerous for us to talk about Pakistan's largest province at one of our most celebrated universities?" She invited the discussion to The Second Floor, also known by the shorthand T2F.  She said she knew it was a potentially dangerous move, and she had received death threats in the past when she handled the topic before. "She was the bravest woman in the world, she really was, she was a brave heart; my God, she was a brave, brave girl," Zafar said. Even in its secluded, humble location, T2F was a magnet to those seeking secular wisdom. They found it in a homey setting, musingly decorated like a small town college bookstore. The walls outside its entrance are sprayed with socially critical graffiti -- dusky red hearts float across gray walls. Mahmud waited to greet visitors, many of them young Pakistanis seeking freedom of thought, with a hug, a mug and encouragement for Pakistan's future. "She hoped the same thing we all hoped for, a place that is fair with liberty and justice for all," Zafar said. Grief over her death and gratefulness for her work poured out on social media and via email. "Thanks for giving us the room to breathe when fog pressed heavy on our shoulders. It's only been a few hours, Sabeen, and the city is already gasping for air," a group of illustrators called From Karachi with Love wrote. An artist drew Mahmud puttering off on a Vespa scooter wearing pants, a blouse and sandals. Her tightly coiffed short hair and angular glasses framed her bright-eyed features. Missing was a head scarf. On a wall in T2F is a spray painted Technicolor image of Marilyn Monroe from "the Seven Year Itch," her white dress replaced by a traditional outfit of mustard, ocher and  green. But it still flew up over her hips, revealing her alabaster legs, a daringly sexy and satirical image. The artistic expression sticks out and triggers passions, like many things Mahmud said and did.

She hosted a controversial discussion on the disappearance of people . She knew what she was doing was dangerous and had received death threats before . Mahmud loved books, Jimi Hendrix and discussions about human rights .


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

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


(CNN)Giovanni Lo Porto put himself in harm's way to help, heading to Pakistan to work on a much needed reconstruction project following deadly flooding there. His work and his life, as he knew it then, came to a halt on January 19, 2012. That's when, according to Italy's state-run ANSA news agency, four armed men burst into the building where Lo Porto lived and abducted him along with colleague Bernd Muehlenbeck. Two years later, Lo Porto was dead -- killed accidentally by a U.S. drone strike, according to American authorities. The native of the Sicilian city of Palermo died along with a fellow al Qaeda hostage, American Warren Weinstein. That same counterterrorism operation in a border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan killed at least one al Qaeda leader, Ahmed Farouq, who was also a U.S. citizen. His family members, including his four brothers, called him Giancarlo. Lo Porto grew up in Sicily and then studied at London Metropolitan University, getting his undergraduate degree there in Peace and Conflict Studies in 2010, according to the school. A professor there remembers him as "passionate, friendly (and) open-minded," according to an ANSA report. And the university, in a statement, described him as "a popular student who was committed to helping others." "We are tremendously proud of him and the humanitarian work he did," the school said. At the time he was taken captive, Lo Porto worked with the German aid organization Welthungerlife, a 53-year-old group dedicated to fighting hunger and poverty worldwide. Such work means going to places where the need is most -- places like Multan in Pakistan. That community was one of many in Pakistan devastated by major flooding in 2010, which covered about one-fifth of the country and left more than 1,500 people dead. These conditions are all too common in the South Asian nation, as evidenced by flooding one year later that forced upwards of 660,000 into refugee camps and killed more than 430 people, about a quarter of whom were children. "He told me, 'I'm pleased to have returned to Asia and Pakistan, I love the people, culture and food in this part of the world,' " said the London Metropolitan University professor. Specifically, Lo Porto was a project manager with Welthungerlife's clean water and sanitation program, working with 8 to 10 fellow international staffers and 100 to 200 locals starting in October 2011, according to Simone Pott, a spokeswoman for the aid group. Pott described Lo Porto as a lively, very positive man who made friends all over the world. Some of those friends in Italy, England and beyond pressed for Lo Porto's release after he was taken captive, urging Italy's government and newspaper editors to get his story out, ANSA reported. The same story said that al Qaeda (after first claiming he was being held) denied abducting Lo Porto, as did the Pakistani Taliban. Muehlenbeck, a German national, was freed last October, at which time he said that he and his colleague had been separated, according to ANSA. But Lo Porto never got the chance to savor freedom again, like his German counterpart. Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said his country's government "carried out every effort possible to trace and try to return Giovanni to his loved ones." "Unfortunately, the conclusion is now different (than we wanted) because of the tragic and fatal mistake of our American allies, which has been recognized by President Obama," Gentiloni said. "The responsibility of his death and (that) of Warren Weinstein ... is that of the terrorists." On Thursday, after the U.S. government reported Lo Porto's death, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi expressed his "deepest sorrow for the death of an Italian who dedicated his life to the service of others." Lo Porto's death left those at his former charity Welthungerlife speechless and confused, Pott said. And then there are his family members like his mother, who ANSA reports became "another person" after her son's kidnapping. "Her only hope was to embrace Giovanni," a neighbor said. CNN's Hadia Messia contributed to this report.

NGO where Lo Porto works describes him as a lively, positive man with lots of friends . London university  says he was a "popular student ... committed to helping others" He was killed in a U.S. counterterrorism strike in January, authorities say .


(CNN)We want our killers to be kind. To walk into court and show remorse, tell us that they are really nice people who only did it because they feared for their lives, or they were temporarily insane. Even though those things may not be true, too often they are accepted as legitimate excuses for murder. Well, Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end and now convicted murderer, made none of those excuses. He walked into court with an air of bravado, his head held high like the $40 million, NFL superstar he was just a couple of years ago. Several times he was even caught winking at his fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, during the trial. And we didn't like his swagger. Hernandez didn't offer a plausible alibi. He didn't look ashamed or remorseful. He never wept. His own attorney, James Sultan, admitted that Hernandez "witnessed" the killing of Odin Lloyd, "committed by somebody he knew," but said his client did not commit the crime. Even before the guilty verdict came down Wednesday, for many -- at least those covering the trial -- audacity seemed to be the defendant's biggest crime. "The Arrogance of Aaron Hernandez," a New Yorker headline accused. I don't get it. What does it matter that Hernandez was arrogant in court, or walked with too much swagger, or even smiled at his girl? Like it or not, that is who he is. The evidence is what matters. And for once, this time it appears the jury carefully considered the damning mountain of circumstantial evidence against this defendant and came to the right decision: guilty of first-degree murder in the 2013 slaying of Odin Lloyd. Hernandez, 25, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. He was also found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. It was the right decision. Still, it's hard not to feel sadness over such a senseless waste of life for both Lloyd and now Hernandez, who were once friends. Football was the best thing Hernandez ever had, especially after he father died suddenly after a routine hernia surgery in 2006. Hernandez was 16. After that his life got complicated. At 17, Hernandez went off to the University of Florida and seemed headed for greatness. There he won the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end and led the team in receiving during its 2009 Bowl Championship Series win. But off the field, his life was to beginning to unravel. Trouble started: bar fights, reports of marijuana use and failed drug tests. He was even questioned in relation to a shooting after a fight at a Gainesville, Florida, nightclub. By the time he was drafted in 2010 by the New England Patriots, Hernandez had already been labeled a "troubled player." But neither the Patriots nor the NFL has anything to be ashamed of in how they handled the Hernandez case. They did everything right this time. Hours after Hernandez was charged with murder, he was let go from the team. And his coaches didn't spend any time trying to convince the public that their star tight end was a decent, family-loving guy, as the league has done too many times in the past when its players got in trouble. This time justice worked. There's no reason to second-guess what went wrong, to ask "How could a star NFLer be a murderer?" The NFL for the most part does a great job vetting its players, and certainly Hernandez is an anomaly in the league, where despite the ugly headlines, the overwhelming majority of players are upstanding, law-abiding citizens. And Patriots bashers (me included) would be mistaken to try to find fault with the team for drafting Hernandez despite his troubled past. No one really knows what evil lurks in the hearts of others, even those closest to us. Not the mothers whose sons go off and commit schoolyard killing sprees, or wives whose husbands gun down innocent people, and certainly not employers who are mostly concerned about performance on the job. There was no way to predict Hernandez would end up a murderer. He was a guy who had all the talent and opportunity in the world, but he still went wrong. Hernandez himself may have explained it best as he was being taken out of the courtroom: . According to a law enforcement source close to the case, Hernandez told officers escorting him, "'Hey man, I'm going to miss you guys. ... I don't need any luck any more.' He gave you the impression, 'It's kinda like no big deal. ... It is what it is.' "

Roxanne Jones: Jury right to find Hernandez guilty, but the waste of life for player and his victim is tragic . She says NFL, Patriots knew his troubled past, but could not have predicted his actions, and both handled case well .


(CNN)Fifty years ago in Frankfurt, German prosecutors tried 22 former Nazi SS soldiers at Auschwitz in what remains the most famous Holocaust trial staged in Germany. At the time, Fritz Bauer, the German-Jewish attorney general of Hessen, expressed the simple hope that "sooner or later, one of the accused would step forward and say: 'What took place -- it was horrific, I'm sorry.' Then the entire world would exhale, as would all the survivors of those killed at Auschwitz, and the air would be cleared." Sadly, Bauer observed, "it has not been uttered, nor will it be." The refusal of perpetrators to own up to their guilt remains one of the most disappointing aspects of Holocaust trials. John Demjanjuk, whose conviction by a Munich court in 2011 established the precedent that has now made possible the trial of Oskar Gröning, remained defiantly silent during his 18-month trial, never so much as breathing a word of acknowledgment or remorse. Over the years, some defendants have acknowledged knowing of the exterminations, but have insisted that they played no role. Those who acknowledged participating in the killing insisted that they did so out of fear of life or limb. Over the years, an extraordinary research effort was dedicated to exploring the claim that SS men had engaged in extermination out of duress. The results were astonishing: Investigators and historians failed to uncover so much as a single instance in which a German officer or NCO had been executed or even severely punished for opting out of genocide. Not one. These evasions and lies were often effective, as many German trials of Holocaust perpetrators ended either in light sentences or outright acquittal. And even when a trial ended in a conviction, what was missing was any sense of moral reckoning, an acknowledgment on the part of the accused of the perversity of genocide. Fritz Bauer can now exhale. On April 21, on the opening day of his trial in Lüneburg, where he stands accused of complicity in the murder of 300,000 Jews during his service at Auschwitz, the 93-year-old Gröning faced the court and acknowledged, "It is beyond question that I am morally complicit. This moral guilt I acknowledge here, before the victims, with regret and humility." If nothing else comes from the trial, that statement alone justifies the undertaking. Of course, in acknowledging his moral complicity, Gröning fell short of confessing legal guilt. Indeed, for years he has insisted in his innocence as a matter of law, arguing, in an interview with Der Spiegel in 2005, that he had been no more than a "cog in the gears." At Auschwitz, Gröning was responsible for inspecting the luggage of deportees to the camp -- most of whom were gassed within hours of their arrival -- for banknotes that would be carefully counted and sent to Berlin. In performing this task, Gröning insists that he never engaged in cruel, murderous or sadistic acts -- a claim that we can probably accept as true. But does this relieve him of criminal liability? For decades German courts held that mere service as a concentration camp -- in the absence of evidence of a personal act of killing -- constituted no crime under German law. In 2011, the Demjanjuk conviction changed that. In convicting Demjanjuk as an accessory to the murder of 28,000 Jews at the Sobibor death camp, the Munich court concluded that death camp guards, regardless of how they had conducted themselves, had to be accessories to murder, because that was their job. It was a crucial breakthrough, because it recognized that mass killing is not a personal act of evil but an exterminatory process. When it comes to factory-like genocide, guilt is not to be measured by acts of cruelty or nastiness; guilt follows function. Convicting under that theory was the great accomplishment of the Munich court. By this standard, Gröning's truthful claim that he was no more than "a cog" constitutes an admission of guilt. This does not mean that Gröning deserves the same measure of punishment as an SS sadist. In fact, it's not clear that he deserves any punishment besides the symbolic gesture of conviction. But without the court's conviction, Gröning's important acceptance of moral guilt will remain incomplete. The significance of Gröning's trial can be measured in one final way. Many have observed that it coincides with the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. But it also coincides with an anniversary of a different sort. April 24 marks the day that millions mourn the killing of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by the Ottomans during World War I, an event many have described as genocide. And yet the Turkish nation itself remains in denial of the mass killings that unfolded a hundred years ago. With that in mind, Gröning's trial reminds us of other mass atrocities that still await their moment of moral and legal reckoning.

Oskar Gröning is on trial over his alleged role in deaths at Auschwitz . Lawrence Douglas: Other mass atrocities still await moment of moral reckoning .


(CNN)Sophisticated, glamorous and spacious -- when the super-rich go house-hunting they are searching for something special. Real estate in London's swankier suburbs can catch a buyers' eye. Mayfair, Kensington and Chelsea have long been the stomping ground of the elite -- and are now welcoming a new wave of African investors. "The Africans who are coming into London now are Africans who themselves have worked for their money," explains Bimpe Nkontchou, a British-Nigerian wealth manager based in London. "They have grown in industry and are actually part of the exciting story of the African renaissance," she continues. "It's bringing to London the best of the continent." These investors are having a considerable impact on London's property market and they mainly come from just six countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and Senegal. Of these, Nigerians are splashing out the most cash when it comes to bricks and mortar in the British capital -- typically spending between $22 and $37 million on securing a property, according to luxury property agents Beauchamp Estates. Their research shows that over the past three years Africans have spent over $900 million on luxury residential property in London. "The new international African is very well-traveled," explains Nkontchou. "Educated in the U.S., UK and different parts of Europe their taste is definitely more modern and clean." 'Safe-Haven' Owning a home in post codes like W1 or W8 -- around the corner from Kensington Palace -- means more than having a place to lay your head. These buildings are investments which are expected to gain even bigger value in the coming years. High-end auction house Sotheby's says that foreign investors see London as a "safe haven"  for prime property investments, and ranks the city as the second most important hub for ultra high-net-worth homes. The only spot more important on the planet is New York City. For evidence that London still attracts high-end buyers, look no further than the sale of a penthouse in Mayfair which fetched $40 million earlier this year. Educated thinking . As well as an intelligent investment, many of the African buyers see these houses as a way of maintaining long standing cultural ties with London -- and it's here they want to send their children to school. Harrow, Eton, Cheltenham Ladies College are all among the list of respected institutions that teach the offspring of wealthy Africans. The Nigerian Embassy in London calculates that Nigerian nationals now spend over $446 million per year on fees, tutoring and accommodation at British schools and university. "West African clients are very much driven by the need to educate their children," says Nkontchou. "Education usually means putting the children on an international stage, and that's one reason why this is feeding into the demand for property in London." Indeed, education industry experts ICEF Monitor say there were over 17,500 Nigerians studying in British universities in 2012  -- about 1,000 more than the 2009/10 academic session. And experts are expecting this trend to continue. "Virtually all the transactions are for end use, not rental investment, which indicates that the African buyer market in London has significant room for growth," says Gary Hersham, director at Beauchamp Estates. "African buyers or luxury tenants in London are currently where the Russians and Ukrainians were five years ago. They have the resources and desire to purchase or rental luxury homes in Prime Central London," he adds. "It is going to be the African century."More from Marketplace Africa . Read this: Africa's green lean speed machines . Read this: African designs rocking art world . Editor's Note: CNN Marketplace Africa covers the macro trends impacting the region and also focuses on the continent's key industries and corporations .

Wealthy Africans are investing in some of London's most upscale real estate . Some Nigerians are spending as much as $37 million on houses . Property experts say African investment in London is set to grow .


(CNN)Saturday's deadly earthquake in Nepal was the "big one" experts were waiting for based on the region's history. Earthquakes are a fact of life in the South Asian country, with tremors of magnitude 4 or 5 occurring several times each year, geologist and science journalist Kate Ravilious said. With the last major earthquake in 1934, the concern was not if, but when the next "great" earthquake would hit, said Ravilious, author of the 2014 article, "Kathmandu's earthquake nightmare." In a landlocked country like Nepal, where infrastructure is fragile to begin with, the consequences of such an earthquake had the potential to be "much more serious," Ravilious told CNN. Those fears were realized when a magnitude-7.8 earthquake centered less than 50 miles from the national capital of Kathmandu rocked Nepal, toppling homes, historic buildings and leaving more 1,400 dead, authorities said. "This event, while large and tragic, is not unusual for that region of the world as the whole mountain range stretching from Tibet almost to Caspian Sea is an area of major collision between continental plates," said geological engineer Nicholas Sitar with the University of California, Berkeley's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. What's different this time from 1934 is the size and density of Kathmandu, which suffered the brunt of damage in both earthquakes. "The population has exploded in several decades," U.S. Geological Survey spokesman Gavin Hayes told CNN. "When you get a vast population in the kind of building infrastructure that isn't equipped to handle shaking of an earthquake this size, that's when you see the scale of disaster we're seeing now." The big unknown is what happens next, now that the initial rumbles of the quake have passed, Ravilious said. How will emergency response teams enter the landlocked country, whose single international airport is closed? How will transports carrying aid move through the country if roads are destroyed? If and when landslides start, how will mountainside villages in the Himalayan range fare? And, will it all be resolved before monsoon season starts? "The worry now is to get Nepal up and running again on feet," Ravilious said. "The monsoons in a couple of months could make things worse if we don't sort things out before then." An earthquake is the ground shaking caused by a sudden slip on a fault, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Stresses in the earth's outer layer push the sides of the fault together, releasing energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking felt during an earthquake. Nepal is located on a major plate boundary between India and Eurasia, where collisions have been in progress for about 50 million years. Those collisions are responsible for the construction of the Himalayas, which has the tallest and some of the fastest growing mountains in the world, said Chris Goldfinger, director of Oregon State University's Active Tectonics and Seafloor Mapping Laboratory. India is moving northward into Eurasia at a rate of about 45 millimeters a year, with earthquakes of a magnitude from 8 to 9 occurring on average in the Himalaya every 500 to 1,000 years, said Marin K. Clark, associate professor of Geological Sciences with the University of Michigan's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. The last major earthquake to affect this part of the Himalayas was in the 1500s, and Kathmandu was badly damaged in an earthquake that occurred farther east of Saturday's quake in 1934. A major concern for this earthquake is damage from landslides generated by the strong shaking, Clark said. The entire area that experienced shaking was in steep, mountainous topography where landsliding is a significant hazard. Clark compared the circumstances to the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. The magnitude-7.9  earthquake generated more 200,000 landslides, many of which blocked roads, slowing response and recovery efforts. The landslides also blocked river valleys, which created significant flood hazard. "We might anticipate a similar situation for Nepal."

Earthquake scientists have been expecting major event in Nepal since 1934 . Population density, weak building infrastructure amplified damage, USGS spokesman says . "This event, while large and tragic, is not unusual" in region, geological engineer says .


April 23, 2015 . Some questions addressed this Thursday: How has the U.S. Supreme Court addressed the use of force by police? What impact might lower gas prices be having on hybrid vehicle sales? What is "The Blob," and what role does it play in the Pacific Ocean? We're also delivering a random fact about a state vegetable and showing how a robot has two legs up on good balance. On this page you will find today's show Transcript and a place for you to request to be on the CNN Student News Roll Call. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show. ROLL CALL . For a chance to be mentioned on the next CNN Student News, comment on the bottom of this page with your school name, mascot, city and state. We will be selecting schools from the comments of the previous show. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call! Thank you for using CNN Student News!

This page includes the show Transcript . Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary . At the bottom of the page, comment for a chance to be mentioned on CNN Student News.  You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call.


(CNN)You'll see him in your McDreams. On Thursday night's "Grey's Anatomy," Dr. Derek Shepherd -- the hunky character played by Patrick Dempsey -- died. He wasn't shot down over the Sea of Japan, nor did a helicopter fall on his head. Instead, he died following a car crash -- after helping victims of another accident. "Derek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important character -- for Meredith (Grey), for me and for the fans," show creator Shonda Rhimes said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our 'McDreamy.' Patrick Dempsey's performance shaped Derek in a way that I know we both hope became a meaningful example -- happy, sad, romantic, painful and always true -- of what young women should demand from modern love. His loss will be felt by all." Intriguingly, Dempsey still has a year left on his contract. His character's death leaves his TV wife, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), as the show's mainstay as it concludes its 11th season in May. "It's been a remarkable ride," Dempsey told TVLine. "The worldwide impact has been extraordinary. It is incredible how devoted and passionate the fans are, and I will forever be grateful and humbled by the experience." "Grey's" fans are still in shock. People magazine ran an obituary for the character. #McDreamyForever was a trending hashtag on Twitter. Tweets from "Grey's Anatomy's" official account were filled with emoji of crying faces and broken hearts, as well as tearful images from the show. Some chose to remember the good times, but for others, there was a big sense of betrayal. But the show will very much continue -- not only does it have a few weeks before the 11th season is over, Pompeo is also signed through season 12. The theme of this season, Rhimes had said, was Grey's ability to stand on her own. Now without her husband -- who was already devoting his life to separate concerns as a presidential aide -- she'll truly have to do so. "Grey's Anatomy," though not the powerhouse it was when it premiered in 2005, still does well in the ratings. For the week ending April 19, the most recent available, it was 20th in overall viewers and 12th among the desirable adults 18-49 demographic. And Dempsey, who also races cars, isn't going anywhere. He has a development deal with ABC Studios, "Grey's" producers.

"Grey's Anatomy" is in its 11th season . Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey, died after a car crash .


(CNN)It's been a busy few weeks for multiples. The first set of female quintuplets in the world since 1969 was born in Houston on April 8, and the parents are blogging about their unique experience. Danielle Busby delivered all five girls at the Woman's Hospital of Texas via C-section at 28 weeks and two days, according to CNN affiliate KPRC. Parents Danielle and Adam and big sister Blayke are now a family of eight. The babies are named Ava Lane, Hazel Grace, Olivia Marie, Parker Kate and Riley Paige. "We are so thankful and blessed," said Danielle Busby, who had intrauterine insemination to get pregnant. "I honestly give all the credit to my God. I am so thankful for this wonderful hospital and team of people here. They truly all are amazing." You can learn all about their journey at their blog, "It's a Buzz World." Early news reports said the Busby girls were the first all-female quintuplets born in the U.S. But a user alerted CNN to news clippings that show quintuplet girls were born in 1959 to Charles and Cecilia Hannan in San Antonio. All of the girls died within 24 hours. Like the Busby family, Sharon and Korey Rademacher were hoping for a second child. When they found out what they were having, they decided to keep it a secret from family and friends. That's why they didn't tell their family the gender of baby No. 2 -- or that Sharon was actually expecting not one but two girls, according to CNN affiliate WEAR. And when everyone arrived at West Florida Hospital in Pensacola, Florida, after Sharon gave birth March 11, they recorded everyone's reactions to meeting twins Mary Ann Grace and Brianna Faith. The video was uploaded to YouTube on Saturday and has been viewed more than 700,000 times. Could you keep it a secret?

Rare set of female quintuplets was born this month in Houston, Texas . The girls were born via C-section at 28 weeks and two days . Another family kept the news of twins secret until birth .


(CNN)When Bruce Jenner told ABC's Diane Sawyer and the world on Friday night that "Yes, for all intents and purposes, I'm a woman," the declaration wasn't particularly surprising. Paparazzi have been stalking the former Olympic champion for months, breathlessly documenting his increasingly feminine appearance down to his lip gloss, pierced ears and French manicure. The social media reaction?  A cheer, a shrug -- and not much else. Except the occasional prod at Jenner also being Republican. Of course, Jenner's family owned the moment, being the reality TV mavens they are -- the Jenners and the Kardashians. "So very proud of you, my hero," tweeted daughter Kendall Jenner. His other daughter Kylie Jenner expressed mixed emotions. "Understandingly, this has been very hard for me. You will hear what I have to say when I'm ready to but ... this isn't about me. I'm so proud of you, Dad. You are so brave. My beautiful Hero," she said on Twitter. Ex-wife Kris Jenner was equally supportive. "Not only was I able to call him my husband for 25 years and father of my children, I am now able to call him my hero," she said. Stepdaughters Kim, Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian also joined the family chorus. "Love is the courage to live the truest, best version of yourself. Bruce is love. I love you Bruce. #ProudDaughter," Kim tweeted. "Just finished watching the #BruceJennerInterview with the family. Bruzer, I'm soooo proud of you! Dads really are heros ❤," Khloé said on Twitter. "Couldn't be a more proud daughter. With courage and bravery, let's change the world. I am honored to stand by Bruce's side and support him," Kourtney said. The entertainment industry was quick to embrace the news. Lady Gaga has long supported lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. "We have the chance to write this moment in history together," she tweeted.  "Let's empower people like Bruce all over the world by being loving & not mean.💗" Transgender actress Laverne Cox of "Orange is the New Black" gave a shout out. "Sending lots of love and support to #BruceJenner and their family tonight," she tweeted.  "It is always brave to stand in one's truth. Congrats darling." The Jenner interview was a key moment for advocacy groups like GLAAD and  the National Center for Transgender Equality, thrusting LGBT issues into the spotlight. "Today, millions of people learned that someone they know is transgender," GLAAD tweeted. "Welcome, #BruceJenner," Trans Equality tweeted.  "Thank you for your courage and bravery." As with all things, public opinion is hardly unanimous and social media only represents the views of those who post. Still, there were few detractors. One man used an Old Testament Bible verse as the basis for his stance. "GOP Logic: Bruce Jenner is not Gay...but Transgender," Benny said on Twitter.  "Still forbidden by the Bible but we cherrypick." This woman wasn't sure what to make of Jenner's announcement. "Still confused about Bruce Jenner becoming a woman...," tweeted HugHey. And what would a social media event be without a good dose of humor. Many folks seemed to be more intrigued by Jenner's announcement that he's Republican than him coming out as a woman. "I accept that Bruce Jenner is a Republican and wish him happiness, even if I can't understand it," said Johnny McNulty. "I'll accept Bruce Jenner's choice to live how he wants much easier than leftists will accept his politics," CounterMoonbat said on twitter. And this final nugget from Bibi. "Bruce Jenner: *comes out as a woman* . "Everyone: "Yas girl, slay" "Bruce Jenner: *comes out as a republican* . Everyone: "disgusting"

Social media largely supports Jenner . More people seemed intrigued that he's a Republican .


(CNN)Tobacco companies including Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds filed suit this week against the Food and Drug Administration alleging that the FDA is violating the companies' free speech rights. In March, the FDA issued guidance that if significant changes are made to a product's label, like color or a logo, the product requires new approval from the administration. This holds true even if the product was previously approved. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, argues that those guidelines go too far and are too vague. They violate the First Amendment because they pre-emptively restrict free speech and exceed the scope of the Tobacco Control Act, the companies claim. The FDA's actions, the suit says, do not advance a substantial government interest. The plaintiffs also include U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., American Snuff Co., Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. and Lorillard Tobacco Co. FDA spokesman Michael Felberbaum said the administration does not comment on litigation. CNN's Debra Goldschmidt contributed to this report.

Companies including Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds in suit alleging violation of free speech . In March, the FDA issued guidance about changes to tobacco product labels . If significant changes are made to a product's label, like color or a logo, the product requires new approval .


(CNN)It's a warm afternoon in Miami, and 35-year-old Emanuel Vega has come to Baptist Health Primary Care for a physical exam. Dr. Mark Caruso shakes his hand with a welcoming smile. Vega, a strapping man with a thick black beard, is feeling good, but he came to see the doctor today because his wife thought he should -- she even made the appointment. It is free to him under his insurance policy with no co-pay, as most preventive care is under the Affordable Care Act. Vega is one of more than 44 million Americans who is taking part in a medical ritual: visiting the doctor for an annual physical exam. But there's little evidence that those visits actually do any good for healthy adults. Caruso listens to Vega's heart and lungs, checks his pulse in his ankles and feels around his lymph nodes. He also asks Vega about his exercise and sleeping schedule and orders blood and urine tests. As long as everything checks out, Caruso asks Vega to return for another exam in a year. Vega says he definitely will. It was a positive experience for both doctor and patient, and they're not alone; 92 percent of Americans say it is important to get an annual head-to-toe physical exam, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation). And 62 percent of those polled said they went to the doctor every year for their exam. But the evidence is not on their side. "I would argue that we should move forward with the elimination of the annual physical," says Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, a primary care physician and a professor of health policy at Harvard Medical School. Mehrotra says patients should really only go to the doctor if something is wrong, or if it's time to have an important preventive test like a colonoscopy. He realizes popular opinion is against this view. "When I, as a doctor, say I do not advocate for the annual physical, I feel like I'm attacking moms and apple pie," Mehrotra says. "It seems so intuitive and straightforward, and [it's] something that's been part of medicine for such a long time." But he says randomized trials going back to the 1980s just don't support it. The Society for General Internal Medicine even put annual physicals on a list of things doctors should avoid for healthy adults. One problem, Mehrotra says, is the cost. Each visit usually costs insurers just $150, but that adds up fast. "We estimate that it's about $10 billion a year, which is more than how much we spend as a society on breast cancer care," Mehrotra says. "It's all a lot of money." And then there's the risk that a doctor will run a test and find a problem that's not actually there. It's called a false positive, and it can lead to a cascade of follow-up tests that can be expensive and could even cause real harm. Dr. Michael Rothberg is another primary care physician and a health researcher at the Cleveland Clinic. He generally avoids giving physicals. "I generally don't like to frighten people and I don't like to give them diseases they don't have," Rothberg says. "I mostly tell my family, 'if you're feeling well, stay away from doctors. If you get near them, they'll start to look for things and order tests because that's what doctors do.' " "The flip side of that is if you're not feeling well, don't keep it to yourself. Don't minimize it. Don't pretend it's not there," he adds. Rothberg says he still has patients who always schedule an annual exam. For those patients, he skips the physical aspects of the exam and focuses instead on talking to them about their dietary and exercise habits, possible risks, age-appropriate vaccinations and any screening tests they may need. The guidelines discouraging annual physicals are aimed specifically at asymptomatic adults. Dr. David Fleming, president of the American College of Physicians, says it's important for elderly patients to be seen on a regular basis, to "do a full assessment of everything -- how they live at home, if the conditions are safe, are they at risk of falling? They need a flu shots every year. This is a population where it's definitely indicated." Back in Miami, Caruso is also well versed in the research on annual physicals, but he still believes in them. "I think having a look at somebody is worth its weight in gold," he says. It's an important part of developing a relationship with a patient, he says, and there have been countless times when he's found real problems during an exam just like the one he gave to Vega. "What if Mr. Vega had had a lump or bump that wasn't right?" Caruso asks. "What if when he had his shirt off, Mr. Vega said, 'Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this spot on my chest,' and it ended up being a melanoma we discovered early?" And Vega did end up needing a little help -- he has a bad back that's landed him in the ER several times. Caruso was able to link him up with a back specialist to help him manage the problem. Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a nonprofit national health policy news service.

92 percent of Americans say it is important to get an annual head-to-toe physical exam . Randomized trials going back to the 1980s just don't support that belief .


(CNN)Have you ever found the creative inspiration you were seeking at the most unexpected time, or thought you were having that long-awaited problem-solving epiphany just as you nodded off to sleep? According to neuroscientists John Kounios and Mark Beeman, there's a reason for that. Their book, "The Eureka Factor", explores the influences at work behind that much sought-after "Aha!" moment. Research suggests that in trying to conjure up inspiration, most of us end up suppressing it. The book explains how to clear out mental junk, in order to make way for pivotal revelations. Dr. Kounios explained: "Insights involve unusual connections. Cognitive psychologists call these 'remote associations'. They are processed mostly in the brain's right hemisphere. Insights occur when a subconscious remote association suddenly pops into awareness. This is accompanied by a burst of activity in the brain's right temporal lobe." "We wrote "The Eureka Factor" to help people understand how creative insight works in the brain so they can use various strategies harmoniously without having them cross-circuit each other, " said Kounios. "For example, there is evidence that imagining the future helps to put someone in an insightful state. However, if a person imagines a specific future that makes them anxious, then insightfulness could decrease because anxiety is a creativity killer." "That said, a positive mood and a broad, expansive spread of attention are a couple of key features of the insightful state," he added. Following are some of the tips they suggest for unleashing your creative potential -- both at home and at work. Spaciousness helps broaden thoughts. Even high ceilings have been shown to broaden attention. Small, windowless offices, low ceilings and narrow corridors will do little to inspire our brains and make us flexible, creative thinkers. Relaxing outdoor colors such as blue and green contribute to this state. "Emergency" colors such as red suppress it. Surprisingly, dark colors and dim lighting can also be beneficial: by obscuring visual details, they help people think more abstractly. Static surroundings encourage static thinking. Don't be predictable. You should sometimes change everyday routines, such as where you go for coffee or your route to work. Rearrange your furniture and decor from time to time, at home and in your workplace. Hold meetings in a variety of places. Make sure to include some nonconformists in your inner circle. Unusual people tend to be out-of-the-box thinkers, and their unique outlook might help you attack a problem from a different angle. The threat of a firm deadline will narrow your thinking and inhibit your insight. Try and use soft target dates and a flexible schedule to establish a helpful, nonthreatening time frame. Rewards and punishments for meeting or missing deadlines, if needed at all, should be vague and mild so they don't contribute added pressure. A positive outlook will help stimulate a more open mind, one that can process a greater number of ideas. If you struggle to think happy, try focusing on the people and things that bring you joy. To put a twist on Pasteur's famous saying, chance favors the happy mind. When you're stuck on a problem, take a break to do or think about something very different. Expose yourself to a variety of people and places. Listen to music or go to a pleasing movie, art exhibit or talk a walk. Play a game, dance, do yoga, read. Insight triggers appear at the most unlikely times and places. We all know how important sleep is to our cognitive thinking. The sleep-deprived mind is more likely to fixate on small matters -- an absolute killer to creativity. Ample sleep also helps foster the discovery of hidden connections between ideas. Insightful thought is at its best when your powers of inhibition are weaker, because reduced focus opens up your awareness to remote associations that wouldn't come to you when you're feeling sharp. If you're an early bird, you should try doing your creative work at night. If you're a night owl, try the morning. Perhaps the single most important thing to remember is that your mental state can change. It takes a while to sink into an insightful mindset. Try and schedule uninterrupted blocks of time for relaxed, freewheeling creative thought. Turn off your phone. Get rid of the clock. Let abstract ideas and vague impressions flow where they will. Tips have been extracted from the book "The Eureka Factor", which has been written by Dr. John Kounios and Dr. Mark Beeman. How missing sleep can damage your IQ . How to make rejection work for you . 7 habits of highly ineffective people .

Two neuroscientists have conducted brain imaging to examine moments of clarity . Sudden "insights" are otherwise known as "Eureka" or "Aha" moments . We can increase our chance of these insights with a variety of daily changes .


(CNN)One of the youngest suspects yet has been arrested on terror-related charges in England. A 14-year-old boy was taken into custody after encouraging an attack on an Australian parade honoring the war dead and urging the beheading of "someone in Australia," Deborah Walsh, deputy head of counter terrorism at the Crown Prosecution Service, said in a statement Thursday. The teenager was taken into custody April 2 after UK's Greater Manchester police examined electronic devices and discovered communications between the teen and a man in Australia, police said in a statement. The teenager, arrested in Blackburn, Lancashire, was not named "because of legal reasons," the statement said. He was charged with two counts of inciting another person to commit an act of terrorism overseas and will appear in Westminster Magistrate's Court on Friday. He was communicating with suspects in Operation Rising, an Australian law enforcement operation that apprehended several men suspected of planning terrorist actions, police in Victoria, Australia, said on the department website. Australia: Charges in foiled 'ISIS-inspired' plot . Those acts of terror were planned for Anzac Day (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps Day) on Friday, the centennial of the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I, police said . "The first allegation is that, between 15 and 26 March 2015, the defendant incited another person to commit an act of terrorism, namely to carry out an attack at an ANZAC parade in Australia with the aim of killing and/or causing serious injury to people," Walsh said. "The second allegation is that on 18 March 2015, the defendant incited another person to behead someone in Australia." Australian law enforcement officers arrested several people last weekend in Operation Rising. Tuesday, Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police charged Sevdet Ramdan Besim with conspiracy to commit acts done in preparation for, or planning, terrorist acts. Authorities have not named the person with whom the 14-year-old in Britain was communicating. British teens face terror charges after being detained en route to Syria . CNN's Alexander Felton contributed to this report.

The 14-year-old had communicated with terror suspects in Australia, authorities said . Police: The teenager encouraged others to attack a parade and behead someone in Australia .


(CNN)Living under ISIS. Selling Girl Scout cookies. And giving some lip -- like Kylie Jenner. These are the best videos of the week. In the West, ISIS is widely known for its terrorist actions. But for some communities, the group is the local governing authority, picking up garbage and directing traffic. CNN's Atika Shubert explains how ISIS functions as a state. The video is at the top of this story. It's an annual tradition: Girl Scouts sell cookies -- and, in the millions, we buy them. But is this the best way for them to raise money? CNN's Richard Roth asks about a sweet tradition that's leaving some with a bitter taste. Watch the video: . The use of marijuana has long been a source of controversy, but on movies and TV shows, it's also long been a source of humor. CNN's Lisa France has a blunt look at the herb in pop culture. Watch the video: . Many climate scientists believe that an increase of 2 degrees Celsius in the global average temperature could be the tipping point for climate change. CNN's John D. Sutter takes a measure. Watch the video: . Back in the '50s, "The Blob" was a low-budget horror/sci-fi film. Today, it's reality, as "blobs" of warm water in the Pacific Ocean may be having an impact on storms and marine life. CNN's Jennifer Gray takes a look. Watch the video: . A newly discovered frog has a distinct resemblance to a certain "Not Easy Being Green" Muppet, Kermit the Frog. Kermit himself noted the similarities. So what is this amphibian? Watch the video: . In another attempt to keep up with the Kardashians, some children and teens are using suction to make their lips look just like Kyle Jenner's.The #KylieJennerChallenge hasn't escaped notice. Watch the video: . "Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr. was distinctly flinty when dealing with the questions of a British interviewer. He finally walked out -- and he hasn't been the only one to decide to take off his microphone. Watch the video: . You've heard of drones in the air. Now the Pentagon is working on drones at sea -- and they could be valuable tools in tracking enemy ships. Watch the video: . Recent incidents have brought attention to the question of when police are allowed to use deadly force. CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin looks at the laws for law enforcement. Watch the video: . Michelle Obama is 51 years old -- but she certainly doesn't look it, particularly in the eyes of one youngster. Watch the video: .

How does ISIS govern? Robert Downey Jr. isn't the only celebrity to walk out of an interview .


(CNN)Just weeks after Marvel's "Daredevil" premiered its first season on Netflix, the company confirmed Tuesday that a second season will be coming in 2016. The show focuses on attorney Matt Murdock (played by Charlie Cox), who was blinded as a child, as he fights injustice by day using the law. By night, he continues the fight, becoming the superhero Daredevil and using his powers to protect the New York neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen. It's gotten rave reviews. "With tight adherence to its source material's history, high production quality, and a no-nonsense dramatic flair, Daredevil excels as an effective superhero origin story, a gritty procedural, and an exciting action adventure," says review site Rotten Tomatoes. Netflix's 'Daredevil' has arrived: What's the verdict? A Marvel Television and ABC Studios production, the show also stars Rosario Dawson, Vincent D'Onofrio and Deborah Ann Woll. "Daredevil" is just one of four series that the Disney-owned Marvel has committed to airing on Netflix. Expect to see Avengers characters "Jessica Jones," "Iron Fist" and "Luke Cage" in their own upcoming series, leading into "The Defenders" miniseries programming event.

The critically acclaimed "Daredevil" will be back for season 2 . Charlie Cox plays a blind attorney by day who is a superhero by night .


Tokyo (CNN)On the 29th floor of Roppongi Hills, an upscale Tokyo high-rise full of offices, restaurants and residences, two actors in kimonos sit on a tatami mat and glare at each other as artificial smoke billows around them. It's been a long day of filming "The Crawler in the Dark," a new sci-fi horror movie set in Japan's Meiji era. This movie won't be released in theaters; it's going directly to YouTube. The file sharing website is celebrating 10 years since the first 19-second video "Me at the zoo," was uploaded on April 23, 2005 by one of the site's founders. A decade later, the site gets billions of views every day. And the most popular YouTube channels draw larger audiences than many TV networks. In 2015, YouTube is striving to improve the quality of its content by investing in "YouTube Spaces," like the one in Tokyo, where "creators" like Tokyo independent filmmaker JR Lipartito have access to professional studios, training, and many resources once out of reach for low budget productions. "Having a set, especially a period set like this, is almost inaccessible for an independent filmmaker," Lipartito says. "It really breaks down the barriers." David Macdonald, who moved to Japan as an English teacher two decades ago, is now the Head of YouTube Spaces for Asia Pacific. "YouTube is not only cats and dogs on skateboards any more. It's a place for great content. Great high quality content," Macdonald says. The Tokyo space is one of five worldwide available for free to YouTube partners, who create content and share ad revenue with the website. "Helping creators find better audiences, more audiences, and just improve their craft," Macdonald says. Anyone can create a YouTube channel. The most popular, 25-year-old Swedish gamer PewDiePie, has more than 36 million subscribers. Many of his videos have a viewership that exceeds popular television programs. YouTube has 300 hours of video uploads per minute. The website wants more of those videos to be polished productions. Japanese film and TV company Toei is partnering with YouTube to encourage more Japanese samurai dramas --  called Jidaigeki. The goal is to attract new subscribers in one of YouTube's biggest markets. "They're building sets. We have high quality cameras, high quality sets, high quality actors," says Bob Werley, one of the actors in "The Crawler in the Dark." Werley and fellow actor Masa Hitokawahata hope their higher quality work will appeal to more of YouTube's one billion users. "It's going to raise the bar," Werley says. "We've seen a lot more people wanting to use [the studio], becoming aware of it, getting excited about it." If a video goes viral, the financial rewards can be significant. Thousands of the most popular YouTube creators earn six-figure incomes through ad revenue and sponsorships. A handful earn in the millions of dollars.

April 23 marks 10 years since first video, "Me at the zoo," was uploaded to YouTube . Site gets billions of views every day; 300 hours of uploads every minute . New studios being opened for budget filmmakers to improve quality of output .


(CNN)Doing weird stuff to your body in the name of beauty isn't anything new. Humans have been changing the shape of our skulls, inking ourselves up and sticking things through various protuberances since before we figured out how to write. But now we have Twitter and Facebook and hashtags, so these things seem to sweep around the world faster than a quick trip to the piercing joint. And somehow, many trends these days seem to somehow involve a member of the Kardashian clan. The latest: Lip plumping. By sucking on a jar. To look like Kylie Jenner. Seriously. It even has a hashtag: #KylieJennerChallenge . Don't worry, we said, "What the ... ?" too. But, we are, after all, in the business of providing you, dear reader, with information about the news, events and trends that surround you. So please read on to learn more about this and other "beauty" trends inspired by the Kardashians: . Used to be, YouTube would teach the kiddos how to put on eyeliner or style their hair like a favorite star. That's so old-school. Now, the nets say you should stick your lips in a shot glass, suck all the air out and then pull it off to reveal your all-new plump kisser, just like Kylie Jenner. Except, well, see for yourself. The hashtag #KylieJennerChallenge has been trending on Twitter in recent days, with posters showing off the often disturbing results of their efforts. "Made my chin look like a hickey a week ago and I'll say iv never felt so dumb," Twitter user emmaburkie posted Monday. Plenty of folks shared the sentiment. Many were people who'd tried it. Others were just shaking their heads. Surgeon Dr. Dendy Engelman told Seventeen that the trend is dangerous. "Not only can significant pain, swelling, and bruising result from these suction techniques, but there is potential risk for scarring and permanent disfigurement with repeated attempts," Engelman said. Jenner has tweeted her disapproval of the lip-plumping trend she inspired. It's a trend that predates the Kardashians, but they certainly gave us a lot of it: the sideboob, the flash of breast from the side of a dress, shirt or just about anything else that can be draped on a woman's body. According to Google, the arbiter of all things, search interest in sideboob has fallen off since its 2012 peak, when Huffington Post dutifully reported "another day, another sideboob" shot from Kim Kardashian. How about something newer? Surely you've heard of the "belfie"? A term reportedly coined by Kim Kardashian herself, this charming practice -- a butt selfie -- involves posting self-photography of one's posterior, thusly: . The trend took off last year, with a deluge of broadcast butts and not a little derision, but may have reached its peak with the apparently real belfie stick -- a device for taking "perfect belfies simply and quickly." Butt never fear, Kylie Jenner is here to keep the trend going, with a belfie taken just this month liked by 1.4 million people: . Here's a fact for you: In 2014, the number of women undergoing "buttock augmentation" rose by a mountainous 86%, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Reports. Why? Kim Kardashian, of course, say the doctors. "While a rounder, more curvaceous derriere has been in vogue for a number of years, celebrities like (Nicki) Minaj and Kim Kardashian have brought the attention to the rear to an all-time high influencing more women to undergo buttock augmentation to achieve the hourglass look," Dr. Constantino Mendieta said in an ASAPS statement. And he should know. He bills himself a "butt augmentation specialist." Back in the day, folks who wanted to look like Rachel from "Friends" got her haircut. Now, they get surgery. Well, some of them. Meet Jordan James Parke, who made news this year with an interview with Britain's The Sun newspaper in which he reportedly said he spent $150,000 to look like, you guessed it, Kim Kardashian. He later told US Magazine he doesn't want to look exactly like Kim. But he'd die for her butt. "I'd like to get a bum as big as hers, but I won't get implants," the magazine quoted him as saying. "I've been looking at body contour -- I want to get lipo on my stomach and back and then they put the fat back into your bum."

From belfies to butt implants, the Kardashian clan has inspired many a trend . The latest: Kylie Jenner's pouty lips spark the #KylieJennerChallenge .


(The Hollywood Reporter)"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is the latest musical getting the small-screen treatment. Fox is developing a two-hour remake of the 1975 cult classic to be directed, executive-produced and choreographed by Kenneth Ortega ("High School Musical"). The project, tentatively titled "The Rocky Horror Picture Show Event," is casting-contingent. The special will be filmed in advance and not air live, but few details beyond that are known. In addition to Ortega, Gail Berman and Lou Adler, who produced the original film, are also attached as executive producers. The special will be produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, and Berman's The Jackal Group. The special is timed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film, which has grossed more than $112 million and still plays in theaters across the country. TV premiere dates: The complete guide . This isn't the first stab at adapting "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." In 2002, Fox unveiled plans for an adaptation timed to the 30th anniversary that never came to fruition. The faces of pilot season 2015 . Fox's "Glee" covered several of the show's most popular songs for a Season 2 episode and even released a special "The Rocky Horror Glee Show" EP. There is no plan yet for when the adaptation will air. Fox also has a live musical production of "Grease", starring Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens, scheduled to air on Jan. 31, 2016. Broadcast TV scorecard . Following in the footsteps of "The Sound of Music" and "Peter Pan," NBC recently announced plans to air a live version of The Wiz later this year. Ortega's credits include "Gilmore Girls," "This Is It" and "Hocus Pocus." He is repped by Paradigm and Hanson, Jacobson. ©2015 The Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved.

Fox plans to make a TV movie of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" Some of the producers behind the original film are involved . TV is in the midst of a musical craze .


(CNN)With help from some filmmakers, 102-year-old Alice Barker went back in time. Barker was a dancer in such New York nightspots as the Cotton Club and the Cafe Zanzibar in the 1930s and 1940s, part of chorus lines that entertained alongside notables including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Frank Sinatra. There were motion pictures made of Barker, but she had never seen any of them. Moreover, her photographs and memorabilia had all been lost over the years. So she had never seen herself actually dancing -- until now. Mark Cantor of jazz-on-film.com and some volunteers put together a video of "soundies" -- early music videos -- and showed them to Barker at the nursing home where she lives. The ageless dancer was delighted. "It's just fabulous," she said.

Alice Barker was a dancer in the 1930s and '40s . Thanks to filmmakers, Barker -- now 102 -- finally saw herself dance .


(CNN)Another controversy has erupted from the press tour for the soon-to-be-blockbuster Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron." After Robert Downey Jr. walked out on an interview, his co-stars Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner found themselves in hot water Wednesday over comments they made in a similar junket interview. When asked by Digital Spy about the character Black Widow's flirtations with the other superheroes, Renner responded "She's a slut," and Evans, laughing, added that she is a "complete whore." Joking or not, fans on social media didn't take it lightly. By Thursday, both actors apologized. CNN obtained a statement from Renner saying, "I am sorry that this tasteless joke about a fictional character offended anyone. It was not meant to be serious in any way. Just poking fun during an exhausting and tedious press tour." Evans also released a statement: "Yesterday we were asked about the rumors that Black Widow wanted to be in a relationship with both Hawkeye and Captain America. We answered in a very juvenile and offensive way that rightfully angered some fans. I regret it and sincerely apologize." Many on social media accepted his apology, but thoughts on Renner were mixed. With one week left until its release, the "Avengers" might want to steer clear of controversy from here on out.

Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner get in hot water after a joke made about "Avengers" character Black Widow . Renner called Scarlett Johansson's character a "slut" and Evans referred to her as a "whore" The actors issued an apology on Thursday .


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

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


(CNN)I've visited Nepal at least half a dozen times over the last decade, and of the more than 100 countries that Save the Children serves, it is undoubtedly one of my favorites. There are the usual things that are said about it -- the stunning landscape, which includes Mount Everest, and the amazing food. But Nepal has also made some of the most remarkable progress on maternal and child health in the last few years. In fact, I remember a time just last May when I sat with a group of mothers and their tiny babies as they told me how proud they were that they now understood how important it was to make sure they prioritized breastfeeding and nutritious foods. They spoke of the wonderful future they were now expecting for their children, and they shared with me the big dreams that they had. So you can imagine the indescribable sadness I experienced waking up this morning and seeing the news reports that Nepal had been hit by its worst earthquake since 1934, when more than 10,000 people were killed. While casualty accounts following the magnitude-7.8 quake Saturday are still difficult to confirm -- hardly surprising considering that communication lines have been severely disrupted -- estimates we are hearing from the ground are already placing the number lost in the thousands, with the official toll now at around 1,500 expected to keep growing as the hours and days pass. The fact that the epicenter of this quake was so close to the capital of Kathmandu, where the majority of Nepal's citizens reside, makes the situation even more dire. Many of these people live in cramped conditions and have never lived outside the city. As a result, it is unlikely they even have a home village to go to temporarily for shelter. Housing the scores of newly homeless will be a tall order. It is still quite cold at night in Nepal, so getting these people into shelters quickly will be of the utmost importance. Compounding this very serious problem will be the difficulty in ensuring that those affected have access to clean water in the coming days; Nepal already had one of the lowest standards of sanitation in the world before the quake. In fact, even getting food to people will be a logistical nightmare, given that the entire country -- which is about the size of Tennessee -- is served by only two main roads, which have likely been badly damaged, if not destroyed. We have been in situations like this before, and know what to do. But time is not on our side -- we have only a few short weeks before the rainy season begins, which will make an already difficult job close to impossible. With that in mind, we have set up a fund to help address the immediate needs of children, who are always the most vulnerable in an emergency. We and other relief organizations will be doing everything we can to help get Nepal back on its feet without having to wait for more people to die from diseases that will inevitably come from contaminated water and the like. Only the oldest Nepalese will remember the last major earthquake, so the psychological toll for the majority of the country will be a significant and ongoing concerning for us as we and other agencies launch our response. And while we can rebuild Nepal after this tragedy, it will take time and help. I hope that we can all play a role in making sure that the tremendous gains that have been made in this country that I love so dearly will not have been in vain.

A magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck near Kathmandu, Nepal . Carolyn Miles: Many survivors will have nowhere to go .


(CNN)Fifteen buffalo were shot and killed on Friday after a day on the loose in upstate New York. The chase, which took farmers and police officers from five jurisdictions through forests and over the Hudson River, ended with "snipers" from the animals' farm gunning down the buffalo from the side of the road, according to Lt. Thomas Heffernan of the Bethlehem Police Department. "It was turning into the wild, wild, West," Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple told reporters on Friday. "It was time to put an end to it." Heffernan described the hectic last moments of the chase: . "They were setting up a perimeter around the animals in the secluded area, they got spooked and they charged through our guys," Heffernan said. The herd then stampeded across the interstate highway, breaking through a wire fence. "Once they crossed over the freeway, that really escalated it," Heffernan said. "There was no choice; the animals had to be destroyed." The bull of the heard weighed over 1,300 pounds and a collision with a car could easily have been fatal, Heffernan said. New York State Police helicopters were called in and nearby school districts were alerted to keep all students inside, Heffernan said. Four men from GEM Farms in Schodack, New York, from where the buffalo escaped, were on the scene by a ravine in Coeymans, New York, to kill the animals, a decision Heffernan said wasn't made lightly, but that was necessary. George Mesick, the 87-year-old owner of the farm, sat in the car listening to the radio as his buffalo were shot. "Very sad," Mesick said. "I'm just so glad that they got them before somebody got hurt." Twenty-two buffalo escaped from the farm on Thursday -- half the farm's stock -- including six that were shot Thursday night in Rensselaer County, Mesick said. One buffalo calf was found dead on a road, hit, and not reported, by a driver, Mesick said. Mesick has been raising buffalo for their meat since 1973, he said, with no escape like this before. "They love to roam," he said. "They love to get in the big field and go like a son of a gun and that's what they did yesterday." The last buffalo were shot 20 miles from the farm, he said. The herd broke through three strands of high tensile barbed wire to escape the farm, and later swam across the Hudson River, according to Mesick, still surprised. "They never even had a pond to swim across," Mesick said. "I still can't believe it."

15 buffalo are shot on Friday after escaping the day before from a farm in Schodack, New York . Police helicopters fly overhead and nearby schools put on alert in the final moments of the chase . The herd breaks through three layers of barbed wire fencing and crosses the Hudson River during the escape .