Video: Anderson Cooper's Hero
Anderson Cooper | BIO
AC360° Anchor
Math professor's murder still a mystery
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Gabriel Falcon
AC360° Writer
Kentucky investigators probing the murder of a university professor have released surveillance images they hope lead to an arrest.
The pictures were recorded Sunday night, shortly before Bettina Richmond was killed, authorities said in a news release.
The snapshots, taken from a security camera, show Richmond, 51, leaving the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation building where she had just finished playing racquetball, Officer Barry Pruitt of the Bowling Green Police Department told CNN.
Richmond is wearing a white t-shirt and black track pants on the tape. She is also carrying a gray and white sports duffel bag.
Her body was found in her van just before 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. The van was located in the building's parking lot.
Sound Off: Your comments 11/24/09
Editor's Note: We received more feedback about the great job Erica did filling in for Anderson last night. Many also wrote in to let us know that they are looking forward to CNN Heroes on Thanksgiving night at 9PM. What about you?
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Erica Hill is the female version of Anderson...she is really good and shares the same combination of seriousness and serendipity that Anderson conveys. I look forward to catching up on the day's news with both of you after I have cooked dinner and done the dishes....keep up the good work!
I am looking forward to watch the CNN Heroes on this Thanksgiving night. I wanted to share the extraordinary story about my true hero “my daughter”. My daughter is 5 years old and a child prodigy (doing her 5th grade) adopted and granted wishes at Make a Wish Foundation with her own income. She inspired us to adopt a school in rural India at the age of 3 years and also every year we contribute funds to various organizations including Eye foundation, Cancer Foundation and Homeless Shelters. She is our true hero who taught us that giving is divine!
Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 11/24/09
Pres. Obama and the First Lady hold their first state dinner at the White House. We'll go up close and look at the raw politics of the visit. Plus, nip, tuck and tax. Could a so-called "botax" on plastic surgery help pay for health care reform. We're keeping them honest.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
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3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
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5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
Evening Buzz: White Ties, Ball Gowns & Raw Politics
Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
It's a big night at the White House. More than 300 guests are at a state dinner in honor of the prime minister of India and his wife. Sure, some guests are Hollywood A-listers, but most are politicians. Yet, all of them got the ultimate Washington invite.
Tonight we'll have the raw politics linked to the state visit.
The two leaders spoke at a news conference earlier today.
"I believe that the relationship between the United States and India will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century," Pres. Obama said this afternoon.
India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh touched on that when discussing the war on terror.
"The forces of terrorism in our region pose a grave threat to the entire civilized world and have to be defeated. President Obama and I have decided to strengthen our cooperation in the area of counterterrorism," Singh said.
Here's a little geography lesson on why this visit has connections to the war on terror: India has a tense relationship with its nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. Of course Pakistan also shares its border with Afghanistan. And remember, just a year ago there were the deadly terror attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai. According to Indian police, those attacks were planned and carried out by terrorists with ties to Pakistan.
We'll dive into the tense situation tonight on 360° and look at the new developments on the war strategy for Afghanistan.
According to reports, Pres. Obama is planning on sending another 34,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. An official announcement is expected next week. The new strategy comes after nine White House meetings.
What do you think of the new strategy? Sound off below.
Join us for this story and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then!
Documents: What motivates people to consider plastic surgery?
Program Note: Randi Kaye reports tonight on why the new the health care bill could have those seeking cosmetic surgery thinking twice before going under the knife. Tonight on AC360° at 10 P.M.
AC360°
The Senate's new health care proposal may be a deterrent for those seeking cosmetic surgery in the near future. But a 2005 study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons took a look into what those seeking cosmetic surgery were looking to achieve. Nearly 85 percent said that improving their physical appearance was the primary motivating factor with many relating their motivation to correcting, maintaining, or restoring their bodies.
The group also noted that it wasn't just those of the wealthiest class who were seeking cosmetic surgery:
Sixteen participants reported an average household income of less than $30,000 per year; 11 participants reported an average household income of $31,000 to $60,000 per year, 14 participants reported an average household income of $61,000 to $90,000 per year, and 14 reported an average household income of over $90,000 per year.
Read the the study and see the most common areas sought for plastic surgery....
In AfPak, India is the real prize
Fareed Zakaria | BIO
CNN Anchor, “Fareed Zakaria – GPS”
Barack Obama has been criticized for kowtowing to the Chinese and the Russians over the last few months. But so far, this is all about atmospherics. The administration has not made any unilateral concession of substance to either country. It is taking a strategic view that developing strong relationships with both countries, particularly China, will yield long-term benefits. Strangely, however, that strategic focus has been lost in dealing with Asia's other rising giant, India.
At one level the administration is being extremely friendly. India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes to Washington this week for the first official state visit of the Obama presidency. There will be toasts and celebrations and many nice words said in public about the ties between the two great democracies. But underneath this lies an unease about the state of the relationship.
Indian officials worry that the Obama team does not have the same fundamental orientation as the Bush administration regarding India's role in the 21st century. Some Obama officials publicly criticized the nuclear deal championed by George W. Bush, a deal that the Indians regard as basic recognition of their status as a major power. They worry that a Democratic administration could succumb to protectionism. They worry that it is too cozy with China.
CNN Hero Jorge Munoz: An Angel in Queens
At around 9:30 each night, relief comes in the form of Jorge Munoz's white pickup truck, filled with hot food, coffee and hot chocolate.
CNN Heroes
Every day, unemployed men gather under the elevated 7 train in Jackson Heights, Queens. Many of them are homeless. All of them are hungry.
At around 9:30 each night, relief comes in the form of Jorge Munoz's white pickup truck, filled with hot food, coffee and hot chocolate.
The men eagerly accept containers of chicken and rice from Munoz, devouring the food on the spot. Quiet gratitude radiates from the crowd.
For many, this is their only hot meal of the day; for some, it's the first food they've eaten since last night. Vote now for the CNN Hero of the Year
"I thank God for touching that man's heart," says Eduardo, one of the regulars.
'Bad Toy' List
Aaron Smith
CNNMoney.com
An "excessively loud" triceratops and a little girl's chemical-laced purse were among the items listed in the U.S. Public Interest Research Group's 2009 list of dangerous toys released Tuesday.
The 24th annual report, "Trouble in Toyland," targeted 16 examples of toys in 3 categories: toys that it considers dangerously loud, or containing small parts that may present choking hazards for small children, or containing toxic chemicals or lead.
The toys are made or marketed by various companies throughout the world. Only Hasbro Inc. and Sassy have so far responded to efforts to obtain comment.
Read the full report on what to watch out for this Holiday season...
Documents: Senate health reform proposal includes "Botax"
AC360°
The Senate released its proposal for health care reform last week. According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office the bill will extend coverage to 30 million Americans currently uninsured while still reducing budget defects by a projected $127 billion.
But the question has been where does the added revenue come from. According to proposed Section 5000B part of that added revenue is new taxes. Taxes on elective cosmetic medical procedures. Read the passage from page 2045 of the Senate's health care proposal.
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