(CNN)Soon, America will be too fat to fight. Forget about rampant diabetes, heart attacks and joint problems -- the scariest consequence arising out of our losing battle with the bulge is the safety of our country. In about five years, so many young Americans will be grossly overweight that the military will be unable to recruit enough qualified soldiers. That alarming forecast comes from Maj, Gen. Allen Batschelet, who is in charge of U.S. Army Recruiting Command. Obesity, he told me, "is becoming a national security issue." I was so taken aback by Batschelet's statement that I felt the need to press him. Come on! Obesity? A national security crisis? The General didn't blink. "In my view, yes." Of the 195,000 young men and women who signed up to fight for our country, only 72,000 qualified. Some didn't make the cut because they had a criminal background, or a lack of education, or too many tattoos. But a full 10% didn't qualify because they were overweight. Before you accuse me of sensationalizing, it's that 10% figure that worries General Batschelet the most. "The obesity issue is the most troubling because the trend is going in the wrong direction," he said. "We think by 2020 it could be as high as 50%, which mean only 2 in 10 would qualify to join the Army." He paused. "It's a sad testament to who we are as a society right now." The problem is so worrisome for the Army that recruiters have become fitness coaches, like the trainers on the NBC show, "The Biggest Loser." Yes, your tax dollars pay for Army recruiters to play Dolvett Quince or Jillian Michaels to whip could-be recruits into shape with the hope they can diet and exercise their way to become real recruits. If they lose enough weight, they're sent to boot camp. Some make it; many don't. But, General Batschelet told me the Army must try. "We are the premier leader on personal development in the world," he told me. "We want to see you grow and become a leader. That is a great strength in our Army." Except the Army never considered the type of growth it's now contending with. Nowadays "personal development" means working on both character and ... girth. The general, along with so many others in this country, is struggling with why so many Americans, despite all the warnings, continue to eat too much and exercise too little. I have a theory. It ain't pretty. But it's got to be true: We just don't care. "The acceptance of obesity is prevalent," according to Claire Putnam, an obstetrician and gynecologist who believes obesity is a national crisis right now. "When you look around you, 70% of adults are overweight or obese. It's seems normal," she said. Just look at the numbers: More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese. Seventeen percent of all children and adolescents in the U.S. are obese. That's triple the rate from just a generation ago. So, maybe we should face the fact that we've grown comfortable with our girth. It is crystal clear we haven't the foggiest idea of who needs to lose weight and who doesn't. Just the other day, Twitter trolls scolded the singer, Pink, for gaining weight. Pink is not remotely fat. Neither is Selena Gomez, haters. Or Britney Spears, hecklers. If 70% of us are overweight in this country, why are there so many willing to fat-shame people who are not remotely obese? Maybe it's easier to criticize others for carrying extra weight than to admit we have a weight problem ourselves. Because it is abundantly clear we are wallowing in denial. Dr. Putnam points to one of Kaiser Permanante's medical questionnaires. You know, the paperwork patients are asked to fill out before they see the doctor. There is actually a box on the form that allows the patient to "opt out of talking about obesity." Some patients refuse to step on the scale. "You want to be sensitive to that patient," Putnam told me. "You don't want to nag. But, doctors need to step in and say we need to fix this." CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, agrees with Putnam. "Perceptions of weight are a big part of the problem," he said to me. "If a person is overweight -- as difficult as it is -- they ought to be told. You know, this issue reminds me of the issue with concussions. We should call them what they really are: a brain injury, not 'getting your bell rung.' In the same vein, we should tell people who are overweight or obese that, clinically, they're 'overweight' or 'obese' and at risk for just about every chronic disease in the book." In other words, chubby is not the proper way to describe a person who is obese. Just like "fat" is not the proper term for Pink or Selena Gomez. And, yes, semantics matter. According to the CDC, 81% of overweight boys and 71% of overweight girls believe they are just the right weight. We've clearly lost our perspective on what's normal when it comes to a healthy weight. So much so it's becoming a national security problem. So what will it take? The answer cannot be the U.S Army.

In a few years, the military will be unable to recruit enough qualified soldiers because of America's obesity problem . Carol Costello: We have a serious national security issue at hand, but it's within our control if we could own up to it .


(CNN)Marco Rubio is all in.  The Republican senator from Florida has announced that he is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, running on an optimistic message that he embodies the promise of the American Dream. With his youthful energy and Hispanic roots, it's tempting to see Rubio as the new blood that the GOP needs in order to compete against Hillary Clinton in 2016.  Yet Rubio has been his own worst enemy on what could have been his two signature issues: immigration reform and Cuba relations.  He holds little appeal to Latino voters.  And unless he can offer new ideas, his climb to the Republican nomination will be steep. Back in 2013, Rubio was a member of the Senate "Gang of 8" that crafted a bipartisan proposal for comprehensive reform, including a path to citizenship for the nation's estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.  He later distanced himself from the bill after it ran into resistance from House Republicans, and now says he favors a piecemeal approach, starting with securing the border. His retreat on immigration means that Rubio has missed an opportunity to set himself apart from most of the presumptive Republican presidential candidates.  That's a shame, for this issue was supposed to be his calling card to Latino voters. Instead, Rubio has embraced a typical conservative approach to immigration.   He believes that President Obama's Deferred Action program, offering deportation relief to young immigrants, should be ended.  He has stated that the President's executive action on immigration, on hold pending a circuit court review, sets a "horrifying precedent." Meanwhile, both the Deferred Action program and President Obama's executive action on immigration are overwhelmingly favored by Hispanics.  No wonder the research firm Latino Decisions reports that, "We find no evidence that Rubio's candidacy will draw significant Latino support for his candidacy or for his party more generally."  So, if Rubio is counting on his ethnicity and personal history as the son of immigrants to win over fellow Hispanics, he is mistaken. At a private breakfast Monday for supporters, Rubio described running against "one candidate in the race who's from yesterday, and one who wants to take us back to yesterday."  But when it comes to Cuba policy, Rubio himself seems firmly stuck in the past.  Over the weekend, he called the recent thaw in relations between the two countries ridiculous. He has warned that Cuba is taking advantage of the United States.  Here, he is an increasingly lonely voice.  Most Americans support better relations with Cuba, as do a majority of Cuban-Americans.  By clinging to the notion that isolating Cuba is better than engaging with the communist country, Rubio has marginalized himself on an issue where he could have provided insight and leadership. Immigration and Cuba policy aside, Rubio's political philosophy will be a tough sell to Hispanics.  He is a fierce opponent of "Obamacare" and wants the law repealed.  However, the Affordable Care Act has led to a 12.3% drop in the Hispanic uninsured rate, making Latinos the demographic with the largest gain in insurance, thanks to the law.  (In fact, Rubio signed his own family up for "Obamacare" on the Washington exchange, taking advantage of a generous federal subsidy offered to lawmakers.) Rubio favors smaller government, while Latinos are more likely than the general public to say they favor a bigger government that provides more services over a small government that provides less.  And though Rubio doubts that climate change is caused by humans, The New York Times has noted that Latinos view global warming as a problem and favor government action on the issue. Sure, Rubio is young and charismatic.  But his work on the failed immigration bill notwithstanding, Rubio has a significant lack of accomplishments to show for his five years in the senate.  In February, he was reported as topping the list of absentee lawmakers by the website Politico. Another Rubio weakness is his lack of bold policy proposals.  Consider that his fellow contender for the GOP presidential nomination, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, has been willing to present new ideas to the Republican base, such as reforming the criminal justice system and legalizing medical marijuana.  Or that another GOP candidate for president, Sen. Ted Cruz  of Texas is entirely comfortable with his image as a conservative firebrand.  By comparison, Rubio seems cautious and ill-suited to the task of rousing Republican voters. With his early leap into the 2016 race, Marco Rubio is positioning himself as the next generation of GOP leadership.  Unfortunately, a fresh face on stale ideas is not a winning combination -- not for Rubio, and not for Latino voters.

Raul Reyes: In seeking Latino vote, Marco Rubio his own worst enemy on two key issues: immigration reform, Cuba relations . He says on health care, climate change and other issues, he breaks from Latinos' positions. Polls show they don't favor him .


(CNN)Robert Bates, 73, shot and killed a man while playing cops and robbers with real police. Bates was a reserve deputy sheriff, which allowed him to "work full time jobs in the community and volunteer ... time in a myriad of events such as the Special Olympics and Tulsa State Fair," according to the Tulsa County Sheriff Office's website. But Bates wasn't limited to crowd control at sporting events for the disabled. He had taken part in more than 100 operations with the violent crimes task force, according to his lawyer.  On April 2, Bates thought he was going to use a Taser on Eric Harris, who deputies had just tackled after he sold an undercover officer a Lugar pistol and then took off running. But Bates wasn't holding a Taser. He was holding his gun. He fired one shot and killed Harris. From a policing perspective, there wasn't even good reason to use a Taser against Harris. Cops were on scene. Harris wasn't getting the upper hand. He wasn't going anywhere. And despite what Bates would later claim, Harris was not running like a man with a gun. In fact, Harris was running fast and his arms were pumping very much like a man who is not protecting a gun in his waistband. What was Bates, an insurance company CEO, doing there in the first place? It certainly looks like Bates was given special access to "real" policing. Harris had given $2,500 to Sheriff Stanley Glanz's re-election campaign. He donated cars to the department. He gave equipment. So it would be noteworthy if Bates ends up being convicted based on evidence provided by "sunglass cameras" that he may have purchased for the department. A Tulsa police official said the agency has 130 reserve deputies, many of them wealthy people who make donations to the police. "That's not unusual at all," he told the Tulsa World. Maybe Bates could have been a reserve deputy without donating anything. But I doubt there are many volunteer septuagenarians working with the violent crimes task force. He was too old to be policing the streets. Tulsa police said that Bates had served a year in 1964 as a police officer. Most police departments have mandatory retirement ages. Federal law-enforcement officers, for instance, retire at 57. How easy is it to confuse a gun for a Taser? Police officers generally look with a skeptical eye toward volunteers. For one thing, it makes it tougher to push for a pay raise when people are offering to do your job for free. But departments also know that you get what you pay for. What is the point of background checks, psychological tests and the professional training police undergo if a person can donate a few grand and go out on patrol? Some people are a little too eager to be police officers. These people perhaps buy a police-like car for their personal car. Maybe they put in a police light or two. Some have actually made car stops. Police departments hate cop impersonators (it's illegal, by the way) and try and weed them during the hiring process. You want workers who like the job, but not too much; there's a fine line between passion and fanaticism. That said, there are good volunteer police officers. New York City, for example, has auxiliary police. These officers received more limited training and they help with neighborhood events and other nonenforcement activities. They wear an NYPD uniform but do not carry a gun. Auxiliary police and similar programs reinforce the notion that the police are the public and the public are the police. Volunteers remind us all that policing is a noble public calling, and most police work does not have to be done by overly militarized SWAT officers. An auxiliary program also allows young recruits a way to dip their foot into the police world before taking the plunge. It can be a great benefit to everybody when potential officers discover the job isn't for them before they are locked into a 20-year commitment. What happened in Tulsa County is a disgrace to police professionalism, and the fallout from this disaster may push police departments to end these kinds of programs. That would be a mistake. Police departments should encourage more productive interactions between police and the public. But a line does need to be drawn.

Peter Moskos: Reserve cop, 73, meant to use a Taser on a man, but shot him dead instead. Why was a volunteer cop witha  gun in a violent crimes unit? He says the man may have bought his way in with donations to police. Cops are, and should be, wary of those a little too eager to be police . Moskos: Right approach is unarmed auxiliary cops, like in NYC, volunteering as a way to connect public to police .


(CNN)Thinking about presidential candidates?  Apparently, hormones are a major factor one should consider. According to one female businesswoman in Texas, Hillary Clinton shouldn't be president because her hormones might make her so irrational she'll start an unnecessary war. When George W. Bush waged an unnecessary war in Iraq -- was his testosterone to blame? As Cheryl Rios, the CEO of Go Ape Marketing, sees it: "We're built differently, we have different hormones. In the world that we live in, I understand that there's equal rights and that's a wonderful thing and I support all of that. I don't support a woman being president." "With the hormones we have there is no way we should be able to start a war," Rios wrote in a Facebook post. If Rios is concerned about hormones impacting decisions in the Oval Office, she'd be better off worrying about the male candidates for president. Throughout history, male hormones have indeed impaired some male leaders' decision-making. Studies show that women leaders take fewer unnecessary risks than their male counterparts. If science doesn't convince you, just Google "cheating politicians" for the long and sordid list of men like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Sanford and John Edwards, whose hormones got the best of them. Rios has taken a lot of flak for her "biblically" inspired beliefs, but she's not the only one who's arguing that a woman's hormones are a legitimate leadership concern. Time magazine declared Hillary Clinton the "perfect" age to be president, because she's a postmenopausal woman who is "biologically primed" to lead. (She also happens to be a former first lady, senator and secretary of state.) I'm not joking. Believe me, I wish I were. No wonder Jon Stewart left "The Daily Show" before the election cycle ramps up in full swing. If discussions about a candidate's hormones are what we have to look forward to, the state of presidential politics is depressing indeed. But underneath the biochemistry debate is a much scarier consideration: The bias against women in the workplace is so well established that even in 2015, a female candidate will be hard-pressed to get elected unless we have a serious discussion about ending gender bias. We want to believe that we live in a world where our daughters can do anything and be anything. And you'd think they could -- they outnumber boys in college, graduate school and the work force. But what will limit their potential is not biochemistry or ability, but a bias in how women and girls are viewed. Unfortunately, Cheryl Rios' view of women is not unique. Some people believe women have "our place" and that place is not at the table. They'll tell your daughter to "go for it" but believe she isn't qualified to fulfill her dreams. In a compelling series about women and work, Wharton School professor Adam Grant and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg lay out the startling facts about the bias women face at work and the profound benefit of eradicating gender stereotypes. The evidence of bias is undeniable and the examples are endless. It's overt: There are more men on corporate boards named John, Robert, William or James than there are women on boards altogether. The bias is also covert: When students rate their favorite professors, they describe the men as "geniuses" and the women as "nice." The bias is real, yet so many of us are blind to it. Hillary Clinton might not be the perfect candidate, but the fact that she is a woman will make her road to the White House a much steeper climb. That's not just a problem for Democrats -- it's a problem for Republicans, Independents, everyone. The fact is, equality benefits everyone. It's better for the bottom line (companies with more women in leadership roles make more money).  It's great for kids because children with involved fathers are happier, healthier, and more successful. It's great for marriages because couples that share responsibilities have stronger marriages.  And it's great for corporate teams because diverse teams and companies produce better results. Our nation, our economy and our families would be much stronger if half of our companies were run by women and half of our households were run by men. It's not enough to say to our daughters: "You can be anything you want to be." What we need to say is: "You can be anything you want to be, despite what some people might think -- and what they think is wrong." Rios said that if Clinton is elected, she is "moving to Canada" because "a female shouldn't be president."  Apparently Rios knows as much about women and leadership as she knows about Canada: Kim Campbell became the country's first female prime minister in 1993. Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Canadians elected their first female prime minister, Kim Campbell.

A businesswoman worries that if Hillary Clinton becomes president, her hormones will make her go to war . Mel Robbins: What's scary is that the bias against women in the workplace is still going strong in 2015 .


London (CNN)Police said Thursday that there was no sign of forced entry to a building in a spectacular holiday weekend heist of safe deposit boxes in the heart of London's jewelry district. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Johnson of the London Metropolitan Police Flying Squad said the thieves appeared to have gained access to the vault of Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd through the shaft of an elevator that is used by several businesses in the building. The thieves disabled the elevator on the second floor of the building -- which would be the same as the third floor in the United States -- then climbed down the elevator shaft into the basement, he said. Once there, he said, they used a drill to bore through a 6-foot-thick wall and gain access to the vault where the safe deposit boxes were. Johnson said he had no figure for the value of what was stolen. A former police official in London has speculated that the loss could run to 200 million pounds, or 300 million dollars, in a remark widely reported by news media. And numerous British news organizations put the value of the loss in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. But Johnson said police were still identifying the owners of the ransacked safe deposit boxes and trying to contact them to learn what had been lost. People with knowledge of the area have speculated that cash and jewels were probably taken. Some jewelry businesses reportedly stored some of their jewels in the boxes rather than leaving them in their stores over the holiday weekend. Johnson said the scene in the vault remained chaotic as police continued their forensic examination. He said the floor was covered with dust and littered with safe deposit boxes and power tools. Over the four-day Easter holiday, an unknown number of thieves broke into the vault and might have been able to take as much as four days to rifle through the boxes. WATCH: Top five jewelry heists . Johnson called the crime sophisticated and said there were a limited number of people in the UK capable of having pulled it off. He said had no idea whether the thieves were still in the country. Although there was no sign of forced entry to the building, the detective said, "whether that involves inside knowledge will form part of the investigation." Hatton Garden is a storied area in London and the heart of the city's diamond trade. The area's promotional website says it is home to "the largest and most concentrated cluster of jewellery retailers in the UK" and has been for quite some time. "History tells us that the old City of London had certain streets -- or quarters -- dedicated to specific types of business," the website says. "The Hatton Garden area has been the epicentre of London's jewellery trade since medieval times. "Today, it maintains its international reputation as the centre of London's diamond trade. It is one of the finest and most renowned jewellery locations in the world." How was $4.8 million in gold swiped from a North Carolina highway? The website of Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Ltd. says the company was founded in 1954 and offers a "secure and cost-effective solution to store and protect important and irreplaceable personal belongings."

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


(CNN)Sawyer Sweeten grew up before the eyes of millions as a child star on the endearing family sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond." Early Thursday he committed suicide, his sister Madylin Sweeten said in a statement. He was 19. "This morning a terrible family tragedy has occurred," Madylin Sweeten said in a statement passed on by her manager Dino May. "We are devastated to report that our beloved brother, son, and friend, Sawyer Sweeten, took his own life. He was weeks away from his 20th birthday.  At this sensitive time, our family requests privacy and we beg of you to reach out to the ones you love." Sweeten, best known for his role Geoffrey Barone, was visiting family in Texas, entertainment industry magazine Hollywood Reporter reported, where he is believed to have shot himself on the front porch. Sawyer Sweeten was born in May 1995 in Brownwood, Texas. He was a year and a half old when he started on "Raymond," playing next to his real-life twin brother Sullivan, who starred as Michael Barone, according to the website IMDb. Their sister, Madylin, played their TV sister Ally Barone. The show was about the adults, and the children, especially the twins, had bit parts, adorable cameo moments. In the beginning, they were too young to speak. The series developed a loyal following and ran from September 1996 through May 2005. According to his IMDb profile, Sawyer did not appear to take on acting roles after "Raymond" was discontinued. CNN's Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report.

Sawyer Sweeten played across from his twin brother and their sister as the children of Ray and Patricia Barone . Report: Sweeten was visiting family in Texas and is believed to have shot himself .


(CNN)It's clear from Hillary Clinton's campaign rollout -- a video announcement/campaign ad/short film that debuted Sunday afternoon -- that she will make women and being a woman central to her outreach. In case you're skeptical, Vox has posted a handy "by the numbers" for her campaign video, and there are 38 people besides Clinton in the two-minute ad. Twenty of them are women. There are three separate mentions of motherhood. This is all fine and good (and predictable) if you acknowledge that the proportion of women who vote has exceeded the proportion of men who vote in every presidential election since 1980. And let's not overlook the fact that Clinton is in fact a woman, and that's a fine thing to celebrate. But in reality, she doesn't have to wonder if a woman-centered campaign is the best strategy. She can simply look back to the most recent elections to see that overplaying to one half of the eligible-voting population failed spectacularly all over the country, in red and blue states, when that strategy was employed by both male and female candidates. As I've previously written, the 2014 midterm elections saw the death of a political meme: the "war on women." Granted, that's not because Republicans convinced the country that they were the party of women. But it is noteworthy that Democrats who overtly pandered to women at the expense of real issues (and men) crashed and burned. To wit: . In Colorado, Sen. Mark Udall was nicknamed "Mark Uterus" for all the time he spent fear-mongering on women's reproductive issues, only to end up, according to exit polls, eight points ahead among women. His opponent, Cory Gardner, finished 17 points ahead among men. In New York, a Democratic candidate for Congress, Martha Robertson, drew laughs from the audience during a debate for accusing her opponent of engaging in a "war on women." To repeat, she was a woman, a Democrat, in New York. In Louisiana, Sen. Mary Landrieu sought to give her ailing campaign a boost in by part blaming sexism for Democrats' lack of popularity in the South. Not surprisingly, Southerners voted for her opponent, Bill Cassidy. In Texas, where liberal Wendy Davis ran almost entirely on an abortion-rights platform, she accused Republicans of sexism for daring to scrutinize her inaccurate biography. Her opponent, Greg Abbott, won by 20 points, and Davis only ended up with 47% of the women vote. Whether in Texas or Colorado, New York or Louisiana, voters made it clear they cared about more than just reproductive issues and weren't going to be bullied into voting Democratic by false cries of sexism. But while Democrats were screaming about the Republicans' "war on women," few in the media acknowledged that the Democrats' deficit among men was actually greater than the Republicans' deficit among women. Exit polls in 2014 showed that men voted for Republicans over Democrats by a 16-point margin, and women voted for Democrats by only a four-point margin. Regardless of whom Republicans run for president, Hillary Clinton will most likely get the women vote. What she needs are men. So instead of running a woman-centered campaign, she might want to figure out a way to court the other sex.

S.E. Cupp: Clinton making women central to outreach, but she should really focus on men . In 2014 election, overplaying to one gender failed -- particularly with "war on women"


(CNN)A dress worn by Vivien Leigh as she played Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind" has fetched $137,000 at an auction. That's a pretty healthy profit for the collector who bought the outfit decades ago for a mere $20 as it was on the verge of being tossed out. The outfit, a gray two-piece ensemble, was sold at an auction in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday, according to Heritage Auctions. It was the most sought after item among roughly 150 pieces of "Gone With the Wind" memorabilia on sale in the auction. They come from the huge collection amassed by James Tumblin, who used to work at Universal Studios. Tumblin said he came across the Scarlett O'Hara dress in the early 1960s while doing some research at a costume company. "I saw this dress on the floor and a docent told me not to bother to pick it up, because they were throwing it away," he said, according to The Telegraph. "I asked if he would sell it to me," he said. "I had noticed there was a printed label saying Selznick International Pictures and 'Scarlett production dress' was written in ink." From that savvy purchase, his "Gone With the Wind" collection snowballed. Other standout items include a straw hat worn by Leigh in a number of scenes in the movie and a gray wool suit worn by Clark Gable as his character, Rhett Butler, kicks down the door of Scarlett O'Hara's boudoir. The dress -- a jacket and full skirt ensemble -- was worn in several key scenes in the 1939 movie, including when Scarlett O'Hara encounters Butler and when she gets attacked in the shanty town. The outfit has suffered a little with age, however. When Leigh wore it in the movie, it was slate blue-gray. Over the years, it's faded to light gray. But that didn't deter the winning bidder on Saturday.

Collector says he bought the outfit as it was about to be thrown away . Vivien Leigh wore it in several key scenes in the 1939 movie .


Sao Paulo, Brazil (CNN)Brazilian police have arrested the treasurer of the ruling Workers' Party, bringing the bribery investigation at the state-run oil company Petrobras a step closer to President Dilma Rousseff. Federal police arrested Joao Vaccari Neto at his home in Sao Paulo on Wednesday morning. Vaccari faces charges of corruption and money laundering as part of the broader probe into corruption at Petrobras. Former executives who have turned state's evidence claim that construction companies paid large sums under the table to Petrobras officials and politicians in order to secure lucrative contracts with the oil giant. Vaccari has denied any wrongdoing and recently told a congressional commission that all donations to his party were legal and were reviewed by electoral authorities. Vaccari is the closest political figure to Rousseff so far implicated in the investigation. Rousseff herself has not been implicated, although she was the chairwoman of Petrobras when much of the alleged corruption took place. Rousseff has insisted she supports the probe and has not in any way interfered with the investigation. Sources quoted in Brazilian media have said investigators are looking at whether some of the bribes went toward Rousseff's election campaigns. Anger over what has ballooned into a multi-million dollar corruption scandal has eroded Rousseff's approval rating and prompted hundreds of thousands of Brazilians to take to the streets in protest. On Sunday, about half a million people participated in demonstrations across the country. But turnout was smaller than a month earlier, when roughly one million people marched in protest, raising questions about how long the demonstrations can last.

A top official with President Dilma Rousseff's ruling party is arrested in bribery probe . Joao Vaccari Neto denies wrongdoing, says all donations were legal . Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians have protested against Rousseff in the last few months .


Rome (CNN)Italian authorities said they had launched a "vast anti-terrorism operation" Friday, going after suspects associated with al Qaeda who had discussed a range of targets, including the Vatican. Some members of the terrorist cell had direct contact with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden before his death in Pakistan in 2011, wiretaps showed, Italy's state-run ANSA news agency reported. And wiretaps and other intelligence revealed that the group planned to carry out terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as in Italy, according to Caligari Chief Prosecutor Mauro Mura. Some evidence indicated the Vatican was among the targets considered, police said. Talk of this took place March 2010, around the time a possible suicide bomber from Afghanistan entered Italy, Mura said. Police said, too, that some of the suspects were involved in a Pakistani market bombing in 2009 in which more than 300 people were killed and injured . The suspects had been under surveillance for years, some as far back as 2005, police said. On Friday, Italian State Police closed in, carrying out raids in seven provinces in what they called a first-of-its-kind operation. One of the raids targeted the alleged terrorist cell's headquarters on the island of Sardinia. The operation, which is still going on, is expected to result in the arrest of 18 people, most of them from Pakistan, said spokesman Paolo Meloni, who represents the police in Sassari, Sardinia, where the investigation is being coordinated. Some suspects had an abundance of weapons and moved cash around the world, police said. One was apprehended on a flight from Italy to Pakistan while carrying 55,000 euros, or nearly $60,000, police said. Meloni said the provinces in which the raids were being carried out included Frosinone and Macerata, which are in central Italy, as well as Bergamo, in the north. Some of those expected to be arrested are suspected of having been involved in the 2009 car bombing in Pakistan, Meloni said. In that bombing, in a bazaar in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, 137 people were killed and more than 200 were injured. Still other suspects are suspected of involvement in migrant trafficking, he said. Police said the group tried to recruit to its cause the migrants it transported. CNN's Hada Messia reported from Rome, CNN's Don Melvin reported and wrote from London and CNN's Greg Botelho reported and wrote from Atlanta.

Police: Some suspects involved in Pakistan blast that killed, injured more than 300 . Evidence suggests Vatican was discussed as a possible target in March 2010, police say . State news: Some members of alleged terrorist cell had direct contact with Osama bin Laden .


(CNN)Sleek chassis, alluring paintwork and a need for speed, but these are no ordinary motors. When pedal hits metal, an eco-friendly process gets set in motion. Powered by electricity and engineered for efficiency, car enthusiasts from across Africa are sparking home-grown concepts that have gotten experts revving. In Zaria, a city in northern Nigeria, a team of students from the Ahmadu Bello University are currently applying the final touches to the "ABUCAR 2." The students used locally available materials to build the vehicle, and even included recycled electrical components in the engine. While it runs on gasoline, the engine maximizes fuel efficiency and produces fewer emissions than normal cars. "We are sure we have a great car," says the project's supervisor Muhammad Dauda. "Now we are focusing on making some final enhancements to hone the driving strategy -- this is just like Formula One." Their compact creation, which was built over five months, will travel to The Netherlands in May to compete in the European leg of this year's Shell Eco-marathon -- the motoring competition rewards those who travel the longest distance using the least amount of fuel. But the team is also working towards a hybrid petro-electric motor, which they hope to unveil in 2016. At low speeds the vehicle will be powered by electricity alone, but at higher speeds both electric and petrol components will work together. Between extremes, excess power generated by the engine recharges the batteries that power the electric motor. It's the model that Toyota uses in the Prius. Green-focused designs like these are increasingly needed on the continent, as some studies say 50% of global emissions of organic carbon could come from Africa in 2030. At May's Shell Eco-marathon, ABUCAR's team will be hoping to race past the sleek "Autonov III" creation from the University of Lagos. Painted the colors of the Nigerian flag and powered by a solar battery, the car's aerodynamic teardrop shape helps minimize drag. Constructing earlier iterations of this vehicle was put under stress in 2013 when university teachers went on a six month strike, but the industrial action didn't stop the team from tinkering with the electric engine. "We've used small tires to reduce the overall weight of the vehicle," explains team manager Chukwuemeka Isiogu. "We've trained ourselves to just think about fuel efficiency and create the most efficient vehicle." Other eco-friendly engineers are less about sleek and more focused on comfort. Uganda's Makerere University has produced a two-seater electric car called "Kiira EV". With a super-light fibreglass body and lithium ion battery, the car can go 50 miles on a single charge. The design project cost $35,000, but the engineers made sure to include leather seats and a CD player. Whilst working on the Kiira, the team is also developing an 28-seater electric bus which will run on a mixture of electric and solar power. Innovative creations have also come from the University of Benin in Nigeria. Their "Tuke-Tuke" car -- named after local mini-buses -- is made from locally available materials. The brake pads, for example, are made from palm kernels. Tuke-Tuke also has some key features that will come in handy when slipping through the city's streets. Windscreen wipers start automatically when rain hits the sensors, gears can be changed with the touch of a button and owners use their finger rather than a key to unlock the doors. And when it gets dark, the driver just needs to clap their hands to turn on the interior lights. Elsewhere, engineers are working on green vehicles for the whole family. One Ghanaian inventor is building SUVs with electric motors powered by rechargeable batteries. Apostle Safo, who also founded a church, dreams big in his five-seater creations which are hand built in Gomoa Mpota, except for the headlights and tires. While he says the product will be affordable, it remains to be seen just how much a handmade SUV would cost. These innovations certainly are impressive concepts, but it's unlikely electric vehicles will be filling roads on the continent any time soon -- it is unclear how economically viable it would be for governments and companies to build the right number of charging points, but the issue of power itself is even more pressing. "Reliability when it comes to electricity supply is key," says South African sustainability consultant Anthony Dane. "Convincing consumers across Africa to invest in an electric vehicle whilst electricity shortages are such a major issue in so many communities is a challenge." Read this: Africa's 10 most prosperous countries . More from Marketplace Africa . Editor's Note: CNN Marketplace Africa covers the macro trends impacting the region and also focuses on the continent's key industries and corporations .

African students and car enthusiasts are creating eco-friendly cars . Nigerian students will compete in an "Eco-Marathon" in May .


(CNN)Chile's Calbuco volcano erupted twice in 24 hours, the country's National Geology and Mining Service said early Thursday. The agency said it was evaluating the spectacular nighttime eruption, but indicated it was "stronger than the first one." About 23½ inches (60 centimeters) of ash fell in some places, according to the Ministry of Interior and Public Safety. Authorities issued a red alert for the towns of Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas in southern Chile. Both are popular tourist destinations. A 12-mile (20 kilometer) exclusion zone was established around the crater. Military and police forces were assisting with the evacuations of more than 4,400 residents, the Interior Ministry said. The first eruption on Wednesday set off a bit of a panic in the region. "At the beginning, it was small, and later, the cloud grew and later there was a huge cloud over you and true terror starts," said one Puerto Montt resident. Another person said: "It was impressive to see an enormous mushroom cloud, with the immense force of the volcano, and to see the ashes. At that point, there was a lot of panic, lots of chaos, traffic jams, people going to supermarkets, everyone looking for water, trying to take out money from the ATMs." The eruption is a first for many in the region. The last major eruption was 1962.  There was a minor eruption in 1972. Calbuco also belched out a bit of gas and smoke in 1996. Alejandro Verges, regional director at the Ministry of Interior and Public Safety, said Thursday afternoon that officials are concerned there might be a third eruption. "The situation is relatively calm right now, although people are understandably anxious about what could happen tonight," he said. CNN's Shasta Darlington and Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report .

Almost 2 feet of ash fell in some areas . Authorities evacuate 4,400 people . The last time Calbuco erupted was 1972 .


Washington (CNN)Decision time for GOP operatives, another controversial foreign policy choice for President Obama, a ripple effect from the Robert Menendez indictment, and two insights into Hillary Clinton's campaign launch -- those stories filled our Sunday trip around the "Inside Politics" table. Obama's Iran diplomacy already has his conservative critics fired up, and things could get even more interesting in the week ahead. The President is headed to Panama for a regional summit, and Julie Pace of The Associated Press reports one of the big questions is whether he'll make history and have a face-to-face meeting with Cuban leader Raul Castro. "This would be the first meeting between a U.S. and a Cuban leader in decades," said Pace. "But Obama's efforts to end this freeze of Cuba have been a lot more difficult than they looked when he announced it last year," Pace said.  "And so what the White House is going to be weighing is whether this meeting would be a way to generate more progress or whether it would be a premature reward for the Castros." Hillary Clinton has leased her headquarters space in Brooklyn and will soon make her presidential campaign official. And with the launch, Jonathan Martin of The New York Times reports, will come a carefully orchestrated effort to reintroduce Clinton -- with an emphasis on her childhood and her earlier work on children's issues. "The Democrats around Hillary Clinton believe that while she's one of the most famous people in the world, she's never been properly introduced in her own right," said Martin. "So when she does roll out her campaign here in a couple of weeks, look for more biographical touches. We'll hear about her childhood in suburban Chicago and some of the work that she did as an advocate for the Legal Services Corporation and the Children's Defense Fund when she was in her 30s, and also, more about her Arkansas days as first lady, as an advocate for education." A lot of the big names signing on to Team Clinton are already known. But Dan Balz of The Washington Post explains part of the statement her campaign wants to make with the announcement is to show it has a large, experienced staff ready for the key national and state roles. "What I'm hearing is that when they launch, this staff is going to be even much, much bigger than we, at this point, imagine, that they have done a huge amount of hiring," said Balz. And Balz reports the planning centers on smaller events designed to highlight more personal interaction. "She did an event with the wife of the mayor of New York earlier this week that could be a template for the kinds of things they're doing." Much of the media attention on the corruption indictment against Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey has been on its allegations of luxury hotel stays with girlfriends. But beyond the more tabloidesque details, Jackie Kucinich of The Daily Beast notes that one of the charges centers on a suggestion the senator's staff was soliciting funds for a so-called super PAC -- a violation of campaign finance laws. And she says the scrutiny of that practice might grow because of the Menendez allegations. "I was talking to some campaign finance watchdogs this week and they say if the (Federal Election Commission) really starts to look into this, they're actually going to find some impropriety with other lawmakers much much farther than Menendez," said Kucinich. "So watch for that if it starts happening." By a week from Monday, there will be three official GOP candidates for president: Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. Others will soon follow, and as things get more official, pressure is mounting on GOP operatives to choose sides. In New Hampshire this past week, Matt Maroney, a former Mitt Romney alum with ground organizing experience, signed on with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's team. Others in the state reported calls coming in from Ohio Gov. John Kasich and, yes, even Donald Trump. This dynamic plays out on the national level, too: Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, for example, was approached both by Team Christie and by allies of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. In the end, though, Fabrizio signed on with Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who makes his official announcement on Tuesday.

White House weighing whether Obama should meet with Raul Castro . A serious congressional ripple effect from the Menendez indictment? It's decision time for GOP operatives as the 2016ers get ready to launch .


New York (CNN)Jake Tapper is the next anchor of CNN's Sunday morning political interview program "State of the Union." CNN announced Tapper's promotion on Friday morning. He will take over the program in June; he'll remain the channel's chief Washington correspondent and the anchor of the weekday afternoon newscast "The Lead." Among his peers, Tapper is seen as an authority on politics, something a program like "State of the Union" demands. He received rave reviews when he was the interim anchor of ABC's Sunday morning hour "This Week" in 2010. "I couldn't be more excited about this election season and the new platform I will have at CNN to cover it," Tapper said in a statement. "'State Of The Union' has a rich tradition and I hope to not only build on its history but expand the definition of what a Sunday show can be." Tapper thanked CNN Worldwide CEO Jeff Zucker "for the confidence he continues to show in me and to my colleagues at CNN for the incredible support on air and off that I've received since beginning this adventure two years ago." Tapper joined CNN from ABC in 2013 to anchor "The Lead." On "State of the Union," he succeeds Candy Crowley, who signed off the program last December. A rotation of fill-in hosts have been anchoring the program this year. Zucker announced Tapper's appointment on the network's editorial conference call on Friday morning. "I am thrilled that Jake will take on this additional role at such a pivotal time in the election cycle," Zucker said in a statement. "He has the perfect combination of skills that make him uniquely qualified -- he's a relentless reporter, a gifted storyteller, and a terrific interviewer who doesn't stop until he gets answers. We are lucky to have him on both 'The Lead' and 'State of the Union.'" Sunday political programs are among the most prestigious chairs at television networks. And changes are afoot: CBS is about to say goodbye to Bob Schieffer, the longtime moderator of "Face the Nation," who will be succeeded by John Dickerson in June. Additionally, NBC replaced David Gregory with Chuck Todd on the original Sunday public affairs program, "Meet the Press," last fall. With the anchor moves at the other networks, CNN may see an opportunity for what's known in the industry as share-shifting -- viewers switching networks and sampling the new anchors. With his new position, Tapper will become the second man to work weekdays and Sunday mornings. ABC's George Stephanopoulos is both a co-host of "Good Morning America" and the moderator of "This Week." There is precedent for this at CNN: for many years Wolf Blitzer anchored on the weekdays and led the Sunday morning program "Late Edition," the forerunner to "State of the Union."

Jake Tapper will add the Sunday show "State of the Union" to his portfolio at CNN . Tapper also anchors "The Lead" on weekdays .


(CNN)Indiana Gov. Mike Pence issued an executive order Monday to extend a public health emergency in his state in response to a rampant HIV outbreak that first began in mid-December. As of Tuesday, there were 135 cases -- 129 confirmed, and six preliminary --  of HIV. The increase has been linked to injection drug use, primarily of the prescription opioid opana. Pence issued an order in March for Scott County, which then had 79 confirmed cases of HIV since mid-December. The county normally averages about five new cases a year. "Scott County is facing an epidemic of HIV. But this is not a Scott County problem -- this is an Indiana problem," Pence said in March. Officials expect more cases as more individuals are tested, particularly because it can take up to three months for HIV to appear in a person's system after initial infection. The emergency order was first issued last month and set to expire Friday, but now will be in place until May 24. It calls on multiple state agencies to coordinate a response to the unprecedented outbreak and provides additional resources. Law enforcement, emergency agencies and health officials are working together. Most notably, a temporary needle exchange program that began April 4. As of Tuesday, more than 4,300 clean syringes had been distributed and more than 3,100 used needles had been turned in, according to the Indiana Department of Health. A team from the CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention was working on site with state and local officials. In extending the public health emergency declaration, the governor said: "While we've made progress in identifying and treating those affected by this heartbreaking epidemic, the public health emergency continues and so must our efforts to fight it."

Gov. Mike Pence extends public health emergency by 30 days . 129 cases of HIV have been confirmed since mid-December . More than 4,300 needles have been distributed through temporary needle exchange program .


(CNN)Ahmed Farouq didn't have the prestige of fellow al Qaeda figure Osama bin Laden, the influence of Anwar al-Awlaki, or the notoriety of Adam Gadahn. Still, he was a big deal. That's the assessment of multiple sources on a man who may not have been well-known in the West, but nonetheless had a special role in the terrorist group. Farouq -- an American -- died in a U.S. counterterrorism airstrike in January, according to the White House. Two al Qaeda hostages, Warren Weinstein of the United States and Giovanni Lo Porto from Italy, were killed in the same strike, while Gadahn died in another U.S. operation that month. Before that, Farouq was the deputy emir of al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, or AQIS, a branch of the Islamist extremist group that formed in recent years. The branch made its presence known in September 2014, when militants infiltrated Pakistan's navy and tried to hijack one of its ships, according to the SITE Institute, which monitors terror groups. The group's spokesman, Usama Mahmoud, on Twitter compared the Pakistani naval officers involved in the attempted hijacking to Nidal Hasan, SITE reported. Hasan is the U.S. Army psychiatrist sentenced to death for killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas. Osama Mehmood, a spokesman for al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, said that Farouq and another top figure, Qari Abdullah Mansur, were killed in a January 15 drone strike in Pakistan's Shawal Valley. They were senior al Qaeda leaders, according to Mehmood. American mouthpiece for al Qaeda killed . CNN's Sophia Saifi contributed to this report.

Ahmed Farouq was a leader in al Qaeda's India branch . He was killed in a U.S. counterterrorism airstrike in January . Like Adam Gadahn, Farouq was American and part of al Qaeda .


(CNN)Most companies in South Korea have hoesik at least once a month and sometimes every week. Literally, this means dinner with co-workers. In practice, it means official eating/drinking fests involving multiple rounds of alcohol at multiple venues. For the foreign business traveler, using foreignness as an excuse to bow out of the action only goes so far. The pressure to participate is intense. Drinking etiquette is the first thing you teach foreign guests," says Bryan Do, a Korean-American director at the South Korean branch of a U.S. company. "It was shocking when I first arrived in Korea. "My boss was a graduate of Korea University [renowned for its hardy drinking culture] and at my first hoesik, we started out with everyone filling a beer glass with soju, and downing it on the spot. That was just the beginning." For Koreans, drinking is considered a way to get to know what someone is really like. "I didn't really like it in the beginning," says Charles Lee, a Korean-Canadian who came to Seoul to work for a South Korean company. "I was like, 'Why are you making me drink something when I don't want to?' But once I understood the meaning behind it, I appreciated it more. "There are just some things you can't say at work or talk about over lunch -- people who talk about work at lunch are losers. But when someone offers you a glass of soju, it's an invitation that means that they want to listen to you. "I thought Koreans were impersonal before I drank with them, so the whole context is important." Drinking is such a big part of Korean life that Seoul traffic is said to correspond with the city's drinking culture. Mondays are a big night for hoesik, so there are fewer cars during evening rush hour, as most office workers leave them at work so they can go drinking. Tuesdays are a rest day, while Wednesday and Thursday nights are also big nights for company drinking. Fridays have the worst evening traffic, as everyone is taking their cars home to use with their families over the weekend. So how do you avoid offending someone (worst of all, a superior or client) at a Korean drinking extravaganza? Follow these seven handy rules. Koreans always identify the "higher" person in the relationship, and defer to them accordingly. One of the first things Koreans often ask when meeting someone new is their age. Even someone just a year older is afforded a language of respect, though age is always superseded by a higher position. It's considered rude for anyone to have an empty glass. If a senior person is pouring -- this usually pertains to hard liquor only -- others shouldn't drink until someone has poured the senior a shot. After all glasses are full, everyone says "Gunbae!" and chugs -- usually "one-shotting" the entire glass in one go. While downing alcohol, you should turn your body away from senior figures so that your body visually blocks your drinking action from your senior. Always hold bottles or shot glasses with both hands. By raising your glass or pouring alcohol with one hand, you are establishing yourself as a senior person. If you're not, well, you've just breached protocol. It's always a good idea to find out people's drinking habits beforehand. It shouldn't be difficult to find out what people like to drink or how they behave when intoxicated. Hoesik usually involves changing venues for a different type of alcohol -- i.e., round one is dinner, accompanied by beer, round two is soju, round three is for whiskey, and so on. Be ready for each. Unless you have an airtight reason, refusing alcohol is considered a mood killer and deemed rude. Sorry, but "I don't like soju" doesn't qualify as a good reason not to punish your liver. Neither would "I've been on the wagon for three years." In fact, unless you're pregnant or already puking, what might be a "good reason" not to imbibe elsewhere often won't fly here. It's generally best to accept and discreetly get rid of unwanted alcohol (under the table, into your water cup, out the window) than to refuse it. One of the most popular venues in Korea for business drinking is the karaoke bar. Koreans love singing, as evidenced by the country's staggering number of karaoke bars, as well as the rush of audition programs on Korean television. Your companions won't rest until you sing. They'll coax, threaten, push and cajole until you finally take that mic. Be prepared to crack under the immense peer pressure. If you simply cannot take any more, you can call a black knight (male) or a black rose (female) to your rescue. This entails a person of your choosing drinking your glass for you, but it also means they get a wish. As in, you might soon wish you'd just taken that last shot as you're spelling your name out with your butt in front of your client. Bottoms up. Christopher Cha is a Korean-American writer based in Seoul.

Hoesik is the Korean tradition of eating and drinking together . Anthony Bourdain travels to Korea for the season five premiere of "Parts Unknown"


(CNN)Every morning, Sissa Abu Dahou puts on traditional male dress, known as a jalabiya, and heads into the streets of the Egyptian city of Luxor for a day of hard work. But this man of the house is actually a woman. The grandmother of two has dressed as a man for 43 years to avoid oppression and eek out a living in the conservative Muslim state. "Why did you do this mother?" her daughter asked during a recorded interview with Egyptian television network CBC. "Your father died and I was six months pregnant with you." she replied. "None of my siblings helped me. I raised you and sent you to school. Without money I could not have gotten you an education." A widow at just 21, Dahou was forced to fend for herself in Egypt's patriarchal south, where decades ago it was unheard of for women to earn their own living. Even in recent years, women make up barely 24% of Egypt's workforce, according to the World Bank. "It is considered wrong that I dressed as a man but no one can judge. Not you or anyone else. Only God can judge me," Dahou said, "People talked but I said I decided to be a man so I can take care of my small daughter." The breadwinner worked as a brick maker for just 25 piasters, the equivalent of a few cents, until she saved up enough money to buy a shoeshine kit.  She found a place for her wooden box, painted with red hearts and the Egyptian flag, alongside the all-male shoe shiners of her community. "If it wasn't for my mother, I would have been on the streets" Houda, her daughter, told TV host Mona al-Shazly through tears. "Honestly I would have been in the streets. I did not find a home except with my mother. And even today my children rely on her." The years of sun and sand weathered and darkened Dahou's face and left her with a voice so deep and raspy she can easily be mistaken for a man. Her only child, Houda, eventually married and had two children of her own. Through the years the one-time housewife dreamed of owning her own business one day, a small street stand to sell snacks and cigarettes.  After her interview on CBC television, the governor of Luxor province offered Dahou a kiosk and a cash advance. The maverick had one requirement- she would only agree to meet with the governor in male attire. "Even if I die, I will not take it off," Dahou said as she pulled on the male jalabiya in front of a TV camera, "When I had to dress in a woman's jalabiya when I went to Cairo I felt suffocated. No, I thank God. I don't want anyone to look at me or look at my daughter." Now the 65-year-old who earned respect as a man has gained praise as a woman. Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, crowned her as one of Egypt's ideal mothers in an official ceremony last month. "If I was really a man, I would not have done this," Dahou told her daughter, "I would have gotten remarried. I would have left you who knows where. You would have been treated without dignity or left homeless. Thank God I was able to protect you."

Sissa Abu Dahou recently was honored as one of Egypt's ideal mothers . But for 43 years she has dressed as a man so she could work in the conservative country . "People talked but I said I decided to be a man so I can take care of my small daughter," says Dahou .


(CNN)Emergency operators get lots of crazy calls, but few start like this. Caller:  "Hello, I'm trapped in this plane and I called my job, but I'm in this plane." Operator:  "You're where?" Caller:  "I'm inside a plane and I feel like it's up moving in the air.  Flight 448 can you please tell somebody (to) stop it." The frantic 911 call came just as the Alaska Airlines flight had taken off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Monday afternoon.  The caller was a ramp agent who fell asleep in the plane's cargo hold. The cell phone call soon broke up, but the man was making himself known in other ways as the crew and passengers reported unusual banging from the belly of the Boeing 737. The pilot radioed air traffic control and said he would make an emergency landing. "There could be a person in there so we're going to come back around," he told air traffic control. The ramp agent who took the untimely nap and caused all the fuss is an employee of Menzies Aviation, a contractor for Alaska Airlines that handles loading the luggage. He'll no longer have the option of dozing aboard one of the airline's planes. "The Menzies employee has been permanently banned from working on Alaska Airlines planes," said Bobbie Egan, a spokeswoman for the airline. Flight 448, which was on its way to Los Angeles, only spent 14 minutes in the air. Other than being scared, the agent never was in any real danger. The cargo hold is pressurized and temperature controlled, the airline said. The passengers knew something wasn't right, almost as soon as the plane took off. "All of a sudden we heard all this pounding underneath the plane and we thought there was something wrong with the landing gear," Robert Higgins told CNN affiliate KABC. Not everyone heard the banging, but it was soon clear this wasn't a normal flight. "We just took off for L.A. regular and then ... about five minutes into the flight the captain came on and said we were going back and we'd land within five to seven minutes, and we did," passenger Marty Collins told affiliate KOMO. "When we landed was when all the trucks and the police and the fire trucks surrounded the plane." "I think it's scary and really unsafe, too," Chelsie Nieto told affiliate KCPQ. "Because what if it's someone who could have been a terrorist?" The employee started work at 5 a.m. and his shift was scheduled to end at 2:30 p.m., just before the flight departed. The agent was off the two days prior to the incident and had taken a lunch break and a break in the afternoon before making his way into the cargo hold, according to a source familiar with the investigation. The man had been on a four-person team loading baggage onto the flight. "During a pre-departure huddle, the team lead noticed the employee was missing. The team lead called into the cargo hold for the employee and called and texted the employee's cell phone, but did not receive an answer. His co-workers believed he finished his shift and went home," the airline's blog said. It's believed he was hidden by luggage, making it difficult for the rest of his team to see him, the source said. All ramp employees have security badges, and undergo full criminal background checks before being hired, according to the airline. After the delay, the flight with 170 passengers and six crew members on board made it to Los Angeles a couple of hours late. CNN's Dave Alsup, Joshua Gaynor and Greg Morrison contributed to this report.

The ramp agent fell asleep in the plane's cargo hold . He can no longer work on Alaska Airlines flights .


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

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


(CNN)The United States is urging China to release five young feminists who face years in prison over their campaign for gender equality. Authorities detained the women in three cities -- Beijing, Guangzhou and Hangzhou -- a few days ahead of events planned for International Women's Day on March 8. "Each and every one of us has the right to speak out against sexual harassment and the many other injustices that millions of women and girls suffer around the world," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement Friday. "We strongly support the efforts of these activists to make progress on these challenging issues, and we believe that Chinese authorities should also support them, not silence them." The detention of Wei Tingting, along with Wu Rongrong, Li Tingting, Wang Man and Zheng Churan has drawn harsh criticism from the international community. Protesters in several cities have called for their release and taken to social media with the phrase "free the five" as a hashtag. Wang Qiushi, the lawyer for Wei, said police recommended Monday that prosecutors press charges of "assembling a crowd to disturb public order." Prosecutors have seven days -- until Monday --  to decide whether to pursue the charges, according to the lawyer. "We can do nothing but wait," Wang said. The five were initially held on suspicion of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." Wang said he didn't know why the charge against the women changed. "Neither should constitute a crime," he said. Campaign group Amnesty International said the new charge was less serious but still carried a maximum prison term of five years. "The women were doing nothing wrong, nothing illegal. They were simply calling for an end to sexual harassment," said William Nee, China researcher at Amnesty International. Wang said that Wei was subjected to lengthy cross examinations during her detention. Two of the women are said to be in poor health. He added that the charges relate both to the activities the women planned for International Women's Day and earlier campaigns against domestic violence. The five are members of China's Women's Rights Action Group. They had planned to hand out stickers with slogans saying "stop sexual harassment, let us stay safe" and "go police, go arrest those who committed sexual harassment!" on International Women's Day. This week, Kerry's predecessor, Hillary Clinton, tweeted that the activists' detention was "inexcusable." Chinese authorities rebuked her comment, saying public figures should respect the nation's sovereignty and independence. CNN's Katie Hunt and Shen Lu contributed to this report .

The international community is calling for the release of the five women . Chinese authorities detained them last month over their campaign for gender equality .


Sanaa, Yemen  (CNN)Saudi airstrikes over Yemen have resumed once again, two days after Saudi Arabia announced the end of its air campaign. The airstrikes Thursday targeted rebel Houthi militant positions in three parts of Sanaa, two Yemeni Defense Ministry officials said. The attacks lasted four hours. The strikes caused no casualties, but did destroy all three military compounds that were targeted, the officials said. They said Saudi airstrikes were also targeting Houthi positions in Lahj province. On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia announced the end of its Operation Decisive Storm, a nearly month-long air campaign against Houthi positions. The Saudi-led coalition said a new initiative was underway, Operation Renewal of Hope, focused on the political process. But less than 24 hours later, after rebel forces attacked a Yemeni military brigade, the airstrikes resumed, security sources in Taiz said. Five airstrikes targeted a weapons depot in the province late Wednesday, two Taiz security officials said. They said explosions lasted for about 40 minutes. Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners started pounding Houthi positions across Yemen starting on March 26, hoping to wipe out the Iranian-allied rebel group that overthrew the Yemeni government and seized power. The Saudis say they want to restore the Yemeni government -- a key U.S. ally in the fight against al Qaeda -- which was kicked out of the capital by the rebels earlier this year. This month, Saudi officials said airstrikes have degraded Houthi-controlled military infrastructure, including key buildings in Sanaa. The campaign achieved its objectives "by a very good planning, very precise execution, by the courage of our pilots, our sailors, our soldiers," said Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, a Saudi military spokesman. A senior Saudi official told CNN that the Houthis agreed to "nearly all demands" of the U.N. Security Council. A statement from the Saudi Embassy in Washington outlined objectives of the next phase of operations, including protecting civilians, enhancing humanitarian and medical assistance, confronting terrorism and creating an international coalition to provide maritime security. Ground troops will continue to protect the border and confront any attempts to destabilize the situation, Asiri said. Military action will be taken if needed. Houthi leader: 'Anyone who thinks we will surrender is dreaming' On Wednesday, Houthis released Yemeni Defense Minister Mahmoud al-Subaihi in Sanaa, a senior Saudi source said on the condition of anonymity. The Houthis had said they detained the defense minister at an air base near the Yemeni port city of Aden on March 26, shortly before the Saudis began their airstrike campaign. The rebels had captured the base that day as part of an advance on the Aden area. The United Nations demanded al-Subaihi's release earlier this month. But beyond the military campaign, the Saudis and their allies have said they want to find a political solution for the violence-plagued nation. President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who says he's Yemen's legitimate leader, thanked the Saudi-led coalition. He is working with the Saudis and other allies to return to his country. "We promise to restructure the Yemen military to ensure that it serves the people of Yemen," Hadi said, calling on the Houthis to withdraw, and saying that he would return to Yemen at "the right time" to rebuild the country. "You will witness many changes in the days to come in our mission to build an institutional government and military, far from rebel militancy." Why is Saudi Arabia bombing Yemen? Hakim Almasmari reported from Sanaa; Holly Yan reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq, Salim Essaid, Nic Robertson and Josh Levs contributed to this report.

After calling off its air campaign, Saudi Arabia resumes airstrikes in Yemen . No casualties are reported, but 3 Houthi military compounds were destroyed . Saudi airstrikes resumed after rebel forces attacked a Yemeni military brigade .


(CNN)You can call him... Joker. We've seen a few teases so far, but on Friday night, director David Ayer gave us the first full look at Jared Leto as the Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime will appear in 2016's "Suicide Squad," the first movie featuring the best-known comic book villain, where (as far as we know anyway), there is no Batman present. The Oscar winner cut his hair and shaved his face for the role, and appears to have embraced it fully. He will be the first actor to play the character on the big screen since the late Heath Ledger. "Suicide Squad" also stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie and a large cast of villains and anti-heroes. (Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment -- makers of "Suicide Squad" -- are owned by Time Warner, as is CNN.) The movie hits theaters August 5, 2016.

Jared Leto unveiled as the Joker for the first time on Twitter . Leto stars in 2016's "Suicide Squad"


(CNN)In baseball, there's a traditional comeback after a tough season: "Wait 'til next year!" For climate change "next year" is now. This year is the time and the United Nations' international climate negotiations in Paris in December are the place to secure strong global agreement to curb heat-trapping emissions. A successful climate pact will send a signal around the world that a shift to a low-carbon economy is underway. The United States has made clear that it is ready to step up to the plate on climate change. The U.S. administration on Tuesday unveiled details about its proposal to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025.  This common-sense and achievable plan to decarbonize the U.S. economy will result in significant cost savings from cleaner technologies and create more American energy jobs to power our homes and businesses. This is an area where the United States needs to lead, and doing so will create a better planet for our children and a more prosperous future for our country. The United States isn't alone in this global climate effort. In a landmark joint announcement with the United States in November, China unveiled its intent to peak its carbon emissions around 2030 and to double its share of zero-carbon energy to 20%. This shift will require substantial effort from China to retool its economy, increase investment in renewable energy and divest from coal. As the world's No. 1 investor in renewable energy, China has already taken important steps forward. At the same time, India has set the audacious goal of installing 100 gigawatts of solar power capacity by 2022, a 30-fold increase from current levels and eight times more solar capacity than the United States has today. Cities and corporations are joining in as well. More than 200 cities, home to 436 million people, have voluntarily committed to saving 13 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions by midcentury. And more than a thousand companies, along with 73 countries, voiced support for putting a price on carbon and moving to cleaner energy technologies. Leading companies, like Apple and Google, are making major bets on renewable energy. And another 25 businesses have signed onto the Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles—these companies represent energy demand equal to more than 1 million homes. Increasing examples demonstrate that strong climate action can be good for the economy. For instance, renewable sources now provide one-fifth of the world's electricity, while solar manufacturing costs have dropped 80% in the last seven years. Wind turbines installed now are 100 times better at generating power than turbines were 30 years ago. Clean technology investments surged to $310 billion last year. In the United States, carbon emissions fell by 10% from 2007 to 2013, the largest absolute emissions reduction recorded, even as the United States has recovered from the Great Recession. Many of these shifts are unprecedented and could not have been anticipated even five years ago. Yet these trends alone are not enough to counter the mounting climate-related impacts that we are already seeing. A global climate agreement in Paris this December can send more signals to markets and drive more ambitious climate action for decades to come. A Paris agreement would represent a new form of international cooperation and a fundamental change in the global approach to climate action — a shift from burden-sharing to the creation of mutual opportunities; from cost to investment; from economic threat to a spur to economic development. With the United States showing the way, and with cooperation from other countries, businesses, investors, cities and citizens, we can achieve a prosperous and secure future for all. Each year, baseball returns and hope springs eternal. Now, it's time for all countries to get in the game.

Bill Richardson: U.S  announced plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025 . He says China, India, major corporations, cities among those already setting goals for cutting emissions. U.S. must lead in this effort .


(CNN)In case you needed a reminder that President Barack Obama isn't running for office again, he just alienated not only Republicans, who have largely resented him from day one, but the progressive base of Democratic voters. Obama has argued with the progressive potentate Elizabeth Warren, calling her "wrong" on trade policy.  The Massachusetts senator is the same potentate to whom Hillary Clinton has been religiously prostrating.  What everyone does next will be critical for the 2016 elections and the future of Democratic politics. Warren has publicly criticized so-called "fast track" trade authority that would allow the White House to negotiate massive, multination trade deals with little congressional oversight.  The authority would pave the way for trade pacts such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is modeled on the North American Free Trade Agreement, and has killed 700,000 American jobs and drove wages down in the United States while simultaneously decimating Mexican agriculture and small businesses. Aspects of the TPP deal would provide incentives for off-shoring jobs to low-wage countries, imposing limits on government regulations around food safety and the environment, and create mechanisms for multinational corporations to challenge any domestic laws they simply don't like. In December, Warren wrote a letter signed by several other Democrats to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman raising concerns about the TPP.  The letter warned that the TPP could erode safeguards that have been put in place to "prevent future financial crises." "We cannot afford a trade deal that undermines the government's ability to protect the American economy," Warren wrote. At a town hall with MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Tuesday, President Obama said, "I love Elizabeth. We're allies on a whole host of issues. But she's wrong on this." Obama added, "When you hear folks make a lot of suggestions about how bad this trade deal is, when you dig into the facts, they are wrong." But "I'm right and she's wrong" doesn't exactly come off as a thoughtful, let alone respectful, response to the policy critiques of one of the most trusted economic justice leaders in the Democratic Party today. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is trying to walk a fine line somewhere in the middle.  Clinton has recently courted Warren's support while forcefully repeating the rhetoric of populism. But according to a report by The New York Times, Clinton's staff is at pains to suggest that Clinton has always been a populist as opposed to merely trying to now co-opt a current trend.  Yet it becomes harder to paint Clinton as the "original Elizabeth Warren" each time she equivocates on trade policy and the TPP. In a 2012 speech as secretary of state, Clinton praised the TPP as "the gold standard in trade agreements to open free, transparent, fair trade, the kind of environment that has the rule of law and a level playing field." But now, as she campaigns for president facing a Democratic electorate divided over the deal, Clinton is sounding more critical. "Any trade deal has to produce jobs and raise wages and increase prosperity and protect our security," Clinton said this week. So does Clinton support the TPP deal or not? Campaigning in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Clinton reportedly declined to say one way or the other.  That's not the behavior of a fierce populist.  It's more indicative of the sort of politically calculated, ideologically centrist "triangulation" for which her husband was famous. Seizing on Clinton's ambiguity, her potential challenger in the Democratic primary, Martin O'Malley, released a video this week making clear that he is against the TPP. According to a poll, as of 2012 just 1 in 4 Americans believed that NAFTA had benefited U.S. workers and only 1 in 3 believed it had benefited the U.S. economy overall. Even most Republicans in this poll supported the position that the United States should either "renegotiate" or "leave" NAFTA versus "continue to be a member." In other words, any political leader with even the dimmest grasp of economics let alone political pragmatism should run away from a new trade deal modeled on imitating and expanding NAFTA.  While it's not surprising that Republicans are siding with big business and against working Americans in supporting the TPP, it's befuddling that President Obama supports it. The only hope now is for 2016 Democratic candidates, especially Clinton at this point, to support populism not just in rhetoric but in real policy terms and show which party is, for the most part, on the side of the people and not on the side of multinational corporations. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid minced no words in revealing his position about trade "fast track" authority: "I'm not only no, I'm hell no." If Hillary Clinton wants to prove she's a real populist, now's her chance to be even more clear.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has publicly criticized so-called "fast track" trade authority . Sally Kohn: Why does President Obama call her wrong, and why is Hillary Clinton equivocating?


Tokyo (CNN)A week after a Japanese court issued a landmark injunction halting plans to restart two nuclear reactors in a western prefecture, a different court has rejected a petition by residents to delay the reactivation of reactors in the country's southwest. Kagoshima District Court found no "irrationalities" in new safety standards set out by the government in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima meltdowns, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported. By dismissing resident's demands, the court ruled that the Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima could restart. The first of two reactors is scheduled to go back online in July. The ruling could provide a fillip to the government's plans to bring Japanese nuclear reactors back into operation, more than four years since the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that caused the failure at TEPCO's Fukushima plant. The original court ruling, which affects the Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture, cited safety concerns as the reason for the injunction, a court official told CNN. Japan's nuclear watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, had previously given a green light to the reopening of reactors 3 and 4 of the Kansai Electric Power Company's plant. But locals successfully petitioned the court in Fukui, raising concerns about whether the reactors would survive a strong earthquake. Japan's 48 nuclear reactors are offline in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in 2011, when a tsunami triggered by a massive earthquake sent a wall of water crashing into the power plant. Since then, the island nation has imported greater amounts of expensive natural gas and coal to meet its energy needs. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed for a return to nuclear energy, arguing it is essential to the country's economic recovery to reduce the skyrocketing utility bills associated with energy imports. But opinion polls have consistently shown public opposition to a nuclear restart. Keith Henry, managing director of Tokyo-based Asia Strategy, which advises businesses on Japanese public policy issues, says the decision will force Abe to rethink the economics of his energy policy. "That was a body blow (for Abe) because it's no longer a political issue, it's a legal issue. It changes the calculus and the dynamics," he said. "It's now in the courts. And the government is powerless to do anything about it." READ MORE: Power company abandons robot stranded inside Fukushima plant . Anti-nuclear activists celebrated following the Fukui District Court's decision in their favor Tuesday. The nuclear plant operator had argued in court that the plant was safe, meeting heightened safety regulations introduced by the nuclear watchdog following the Fukushima disaster. It said in a statement that "scientific and professional findings" showed that the safety of the reactors was assured. But the court ruled that the new safety standards were "loose," lacked rationality and could not guarantee the safety of the plant, an official said. The power company said it would appeal the decision. "We deeply regret that our assertion was not well comprehended, and cannot accept it at all," it said in a statement. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Tuesday that the country's nuclear watchdog had deemed the plant safe according to the "world's strictest" safety standards. The government had no intention to change course on its planned nuclear restart, he said. Takahama was one of two nuclear facilities granted approval to resume operations. Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture has been granted approval to reopen by the prefecture's governor, although local residents are seeking to challenge this in court. Analyst Henry said the renewable energy sector could benefit from the Takahama decision, as the country weighed solar and hydro power as alternatives. Prior to the Fukushima disaster, about 30% of Japan's energy was nuclear generated. CNN's Junko Ogura contributed to this report from Tokyo.

A Japanese court has rejected a petition by residents to delay the reactivation of reactors in the country's southwest . The reopening of two other nuclear reactors in Fukui was recently blocked by a Japanese court over safety fears . Japan's 48 nuclear reactors have been offline in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster .


(CNN)Georgia Southern University was in mourning Thursday after five nursing students were killed the day before in a multivehicle wreck near Savannah. Caitlyn Baggett, Morgan Bass, Emily Clark, Abbie Deloach and Catherine (McKay) Pittman -- all juniors -- were killed in the  Wednesday morning crash as they were traveling to a hospital in Savannah, according to the school website. Fellow nursing students Brittney McDaniel and Megan Richards were injured as was another person, who was not identified by the Georgia State Patrol. The young women were on their way to finish their first set of clinical rotations. "Today should have been a day of celebration for this bright group of students," at St. Joseph's/Candler hospital said in a Facebook posting. "It was their last day of clinical rotations ... in their first year of nursing school." Clinicals include hands-on instruction at a health care facility. A post commander for the Georgia State Patrol said a tractor-trailer smashed into an eastbound line of cars that had slowed for a prior accident on Interstate 16. "He came along from behind them and he just did not stop for those cars," Sgt. Chris Nease said. There were four passenger vehicles and three tractor-trailers involved in the 5:45 a.m. accident. The women who were killed were in two cars, a Toyota Corolla and a Ford Escape. One of their vehicles caught on fire, Nease said, but it will take an investigation to determine whether the women died on impact. CNN Savannah affiliate WTOC reported one witness tried to help. "Right about the time I got here, the car was just about catching on fire," Cayne Monroe told the station. "The car just burned up really quickly. And I run up there, but there was nothing anyone could do. I've never witnessed something like that in my life. It was pretty tragic." The state patrol said the truck driver is from Louisiana. The 55-year-old man had not been charged as of Thursday evening, Nease told CNN. "Every one of our students contributes in no small measure to the Eagle Nation," university President Brooks A. Keel said in a statement. "The loss of any student, especially in a tragic way, is particularly painful. Losing five students is almost incomprehensible." Georgia Southern flew flags at half-staff and counseling was offered to students. A campuswide vigil was held Thursday night. On the university's Twitter page, a tear was added to the profile logo of the eagle mascot. The school has a student body of about 20,000 and is in Statesboro, about 60 miles from Savannah. "You could tell that they really loved what they did," Sherry Danello, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at St. Joseph's/Candler, said on the hospital's Facebook posting. "They didn't just go through the task, they really connected to the patients." Luke Bryan, a country music star and school alumnus, tweeted his condolences: "Praying for everyone at Georgia Southern and the families who lost loved ones." CNN's Matthew Stucker contributed to this report.

Georgia State Patrol provides more details of crash . Georgia Southern University mourns five nursing students killed in auto accident . Five cars and two tractor-trailers were involved in crash on Interstate 16 .


(CNN)Criminal justice reform is rapidly becoming one of the few bipartisan issues of our time. It's about time. America has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with 5% of the world's population and 25% of its prisoners. Nearly 2½ million Americans are in prison. Over 65 million people, or 20% of the country, have criminal records. Most disturbingly, nearly 40% of our country's prisoners are African-Americans, who only make up 13% of the general population. It's time for policymakers to address this criminal justice crisis head on. We must change the dismal status quo. We must start by asking a simple question: Why are so many Americans criminals? Look no further than Washington, which has spent the past century devising the most complicated — and nonsensical — criminal code known to man. The federal criminal code includes over 4,500 laws and counting, not to mention government regulations for which there are criminal penalties. The list of federal crimes is so long, so broad and so vague that you and I likely commit three felonies every day, unwittingly breaking numerous federal laws as we go about our daily business. No wonder America's prison population is out of control. Americans aren't addicted to crime; our politicians are addicted to criminalizing things. Sadly, the criminalization of Americans also traps them in poverty. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, incarceration leads to reduced wages (11% drop), employment (nine weeks lost annually), and earnings overall (40% annually). Making matters worse, over half of new prisoners are at or below the poverty line and three-quarters of former prisoners are sent back to jail within five years of their release. The deck is stacked against my generation in particular. Young adults are 10% of the population yet comprise 29% of the country's arrests. Young African-Americans are particularly at risk: They're 15 times more likely to be in prison than whites. No wonder 18-to-29-year-olds have the lowest level of trust of any age group that our justice system treats everyone equally. Thankfully, there is a bipartisan consensus in Washington that something needs to be done, and fast. On the left, civil rights groups and their allies in Congress have been demanding that the criminal system be fixed for years. On the right, politicians from Paul Ryan to Rand Paul are now recommending the same thing. If politicians are serious, they should consider three specific areas for reform. 1. Reduce punishment for nonviolent crimes . Politicians should consider reducing nonviolent offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, and end mandatory sentencing for nonviolent crimes. The federal government's unsuccessful war on drugs has led to unfair punishments for nonviolent drug offenders who made youthful mistakes. While some policies may have made sense in the 1980s and '90s, they now do more harm than good. Those involved in the buying and selling of small amounts of drugs shouldn't be subjected to years or decades in prison for their crimes. And more generally, judges should be free to tailor their rulings to the specific facts and details of the case -- and the person standing before them. 2. Rebuild respect between communities and police . One-size-fits-all mandates and decrees from Washington -- from drug laws to civil asset forfeiture to no-knock warrants — create divisions between local law enforcement and the local communities they serve. Practices, policies and programs that create unnecessary distrust and unease should be eliminated. It's the same for police militarization, which has occurred in large part because Washington has supplied local agencies with weapons and tools that are inappropriate for use in local communities. Letting local communities set their own law enforcement policies will go a long way toward restoring the trust that right now seems almost nonexistent. 3. Give ex-nonviolent offenders a second chance . Too many reformed convicts return to jail because they face insurmountable barriers that keep them from living a normal life. Legislators can begin fixing this by encouraging greater record-sealing and expungement for youthful, non violent offenders, thereby giving people who made mistakes a greater chance of finding work and rejoining society. Reducing licensing barriers and restoring voting rights for those with criminal backgrounds should also be considered. This list is only a starting point, yet our elected officials could — and should — quickly and easily take it up. In our era of hyperpartisanship, we should focus on those few things on which Americans agree. Fixing our country's broken criminal justice system should be at the top of the list.

America has the highest incarceration rate in the world, holding 25% of the world's prisoners . Evan Feinberg: We must change the dismal status quo with specific solutions .


(CNN)After deliberating for more than 35 hours over parts of seven days, listening intently to the testimony of more than 130 witnesses and reviewing more than 400 pieces of evidence, the teary-eyed men and women of the jury exchanged embraces. Since late January, their work in the Massachusetts murder trial of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez had consumed their lives. It was nothing like "Law & Order." The days were long and tedious. Now it was over. "It's been an incredibly emotional toll on all of us," Lesa Strachan told CNN's Anderson Cooper Thursday in the first nationally televised interview with members of the jury. A day earlier, Strachan, the jury foreperson, announced the first-degree murder conviction in the 2013 shooting death of Hernandez's onetime friend Odin Lloyd. Strachan said she was struck by the viciousness of multiple gunshots. "You shot him once but you kept going and you shot him six times. There's no need for that and there's no need to use a gun. Period." Before the trial, at least one juror -- Rosalie Oliver -- hadn't heard of the 25-year-old defendant who has now gone from a $40 million pro-football contract to a term of life without parole in a maximum-security prison. But Kelly Dorsey watches the Patriots every Sunday during the football season. She said so on her jury questionnaire. "I knew of him as a football player, not a person," she said. It didn't affect her vote to convict, she said. It didn't matter that he was a football player, she said. Nor did it matter whether he actually pulled the trigger in the murder. "To leave your friend on the ground, knowing that he's not there anymore -- he's either dead or he's going to die -- that's indifference," Dorsey said of Hernandez. "He didn't need to pull the trigger." That word -- "indifference" -- was used multiple times by members of the jury. Jon Carlson said he was struck by testimony and video evidence that Hernandez and two co-defendants were sunbathing poolside hours after the slaying, drinking smoothies. Hernandez at times left his then-8-month-old daughter with the two men. That indifference "surprised a lot of us," Carlson said. He stressed the fact that Hernandez played football for a living didn't influence the jury's decision. "It doesn't matter how much money you have or how much money you make. We're all people, and we're all equal, and we all deserve the same fair trial, and that's what we wanted to make sure we gave him," Carlson said. Lloyd was seen June 17, 2013, around 2:30 a.m. with Hernandez and Hernandez's friends, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace, in a rented silver Nissan Altima. Later that day, a jogger found his body. He had been shot six times, according to prosecutors. Wallace and Ortiz, who were also charged with murder, have pleaded not guilty and will be tried separately. What's next for Aaron Hernandez? Rosalie Oliver -- the juror who hadn't heard of Hernandez before the trial -- said that, for her, the first shot was enough. "There was no need for the other five," she said. "One shot for me is cruelty." Oliver and other jurors said they were surprised to receive calls from friends congratulating them after the verdict. "Who won?" she asked "Odin Lloyd didn't win. (His mother) didn't bring back her son. Did Mr. Hernandez win? No, because he's going to serve the rest of his life in jail and he's 25 years old. The worst part for me is: How about that little girl that's never going to see her father again?" What prison life will be like for Aaron Hernandez . Oliver recalled making eye contact with Hernandez at one point during the months-long trial. "He actually nodded to me one time," she said. "You come in that room every day and you see this person and it's hard to come to that decision at the end because -- like three months with them -- it's almost like they're part of you. And then, all of a sudden now, you've got to make that decision to either put him away or let him go." The jurors declined to talk about the dynamics inside the jury room, choosing instead to keep the focus on the evidence presented during trial. They conveyed a sense of gravity about their task. "You see, you know, 'Law & Order' and all these different TV shows and it's just nothing like that at all. It's just very serious," Carlson said. 5 things to know about the jury .

"We're all equal, and we all deserve the same fair trial," says one juror . The months-long murder trial of Aaron Hernandez brought jurors together . Foreperson: "It's been an incredibly emotional toll on all of us"