Chris Guillebeau
AC360° Contributor
In 2004 I went to Liberia for the first of five visits. It was a pretty crazy place at the time, having just ended a 14-year series of civil wars a few months before I arrived with a small assessment team. The streets were patrolled by U.N. tanks, the only electricity was provided by private generators, and the non-functioning lampposts were covered in bullet holes.
While surveying villages outside of the capital Monrovia, we found this site where villagers obtained their drinking water.
I drink the tap water almost everywhere I go — but you can be sure I brought my own $3 bottle of water with me that day. No one builds up an immunity to a water source like that.
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David Gewirtz | BIO
AC360° Contributor
Director, U.S. Strategic Perspective Institute
So I jumped through the looking glass the other day. I spoke to our insurance company. Although the woman I spoke to was very nice, I felt at times like I was talking more to the Mad Hatter than a respected insurance provider.
It all started last fall, when we got a notice that our company's insurance program was going to change with the new year. Our insurance company (one of the largest and best known), provided no further details. After calling our agent and the company itself, all we were able to determine was this change was "normal" and our billing process might be delayed.
OK, fine. Was our rate going up? No idea. Did we file too many claims? No idea. Were we in some sort of coverage limbo? No idea.
So, we waited. And it turns out, our coverage was fine and our rate even went down by seven bucks.
Then came the conversation.
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Breaking news: 8 of 10 American accused of kidnapping in Haiti are heading home. Plus, the raw politics of a U.S. Senate race in Florida. Is one of the candidates not Republican enough?
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
We're following breaking news in Haiti tonight were a judge has ruled eight of the 10 Americans accused of child kidnapping have been freed and may be on a plane headed for the U.S. right now.
Two other Americans, Laura Silsby and Charisa Coulter, remain in Haiti. The judge wants to determine why they traveled to the country on an earlier trip, a lawyer said.
The missionaries are accused of trying to take 33 Haitian children to the Dominican Republic 19 days ago without the proper paperwork.
Jim Allen, one of the accused who is coming home, released a statement:
"My faith means everything to me, and I knew this moment would come when the truth would set me free."
"I hope today's actions will allow everyone to focus again on the dire conditions that remain in Haiti. People are still suffering and lack basic necessities. Please find it in your hearts, as I did in mine, to find ways to give to those in need," he added.
"For those whose cases have not been resolved, we will continue to pray for their safe return."
Do you agree with the judge's decision? Share your thoughts below.
Tonight we've also uncovered new details on the Alabama professor accused of gunning down three of her colleagues last week.
Another violent incident from Amy Bishop's past has surfaced. It has to do with an incident at an IHOP Restaurant in March 2002 in Peabody, Massachusetts.
Tom Foreman has the details in tonight's Crime & Punishment report.
And, David Gergen joins us with an Insider Briefing on the war in Afghanistan. He met with high-level Obama administration officials today about the fight against the Taliban.
Join us for these stories and much more at the top of the hour. See you then!
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CNN
Previously missing police records on the 1986 shooting death of the brother of Alabama professor Amy Bishop - accused of gunning down her colleagues last week - have been found, and investigators said Tuesday they back a state police report that deemed the shooting an accident.
The Braintree, Massachusetts, police records show that police in 1986 believed they had probable cause to arrest Bishop on some charges in her brother's death. However, no charges were filed in that case.
Read the report on the 1986 shooting
Bishop is charged with capital murder and three counts of attempted murder in a Friday shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where she was a biology professor. She is eligible for the death penalty in Alabama.
Ready for today's Beat 360°? Everyday we post a picture you provide the caption and our staff will join in too. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite! Here is the 'Beat 360°' pic:
Bo, the Obama's family pet, plays in the snow during a blizzard on the south grounds of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions! Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
Beat 360° Winners:
Staff:
Marshall Arbitman
“Bo's so lame. Call me Wolf. Yeah, Wolf Blizzard.”
Viewer:
Rodney – Texas
"The Obamanabull snow dog."
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Shawna Shepherd
CNN White House producer
Soon after White House press secretary Robert Gibbs joined Twitter, he was already getting caught up in a race to amass as many followers as reality TV star and notorious tweeter Kim Kardashian.
Gibbs' third tweet from @PressSec: "Wow - in less than 30 hours almost 17K of you are following - amazing - watch out Kim Kardashian!"
His more than 25,000 followers as of Wednesday is impressive, but it pales in comparison to @kimkardashian, who has 3 million-plus followers. But Gibbs' foray into Twitter - the social networking and micro-blogging Web site that accepts messages, or tweets, in 140 characters or less - is an important avenue to deliver the White House's message.