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Boy safe, suspect dead after Alabama bunker standoff

Labels: Lifestyle

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: Rescued child is in good spirits at hospital, authorities say

NEW: Officials say crime scene is still active, bomb squad on site

FBI says boy was rescued after negotiators felt he was in danger

Witness said he heard explosion followed by gunshots

Midland City, Alabama (CNN) -- A 5-year-old boy freed Monday after being held captive in an underground bunker for six days is laughing and smiling and playing with his favorite toy dinosaur after being reunited with his family, authorities said.

The boy's kidnapper is dead, but officials offered no details on the raid that freed the boy -- identified only by his first name, Ethan -- and left his abductor fatally shot.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Steve Richardson visited Ethan at a hospital, where he was in a private area with heavy security.

"He is doing fine," Richardson told reporters at a late-night news conference. "He's laughing, joking, playing, eating."

Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson had no new details about Ethan's rescue, and when asked if the boy saw his abductor, 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes, killed during the rescue operation, Olson replied, "He's a very special child. He's been through a lot, he's endured a lot."

Ethan looks great but will be hospitalized overnight, an uncle told people at a prayer vigil earlier Monday.

Authorities said they were still working on the crime scene and the investigation should continue for several more days. The sheriff's office said the bomb squad was checking the bunker for potential explosive devices.

Ethan, the rescued boy, arrives on stretcher Monday at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Alabama.

Richardson earlier said an FBI team went in to get Ethan after negotiations had broken down with Dykes, who also was "observed holding a gun."

Olson said it became very difficult to deal with and even communicate with Dykes over the past day.

Believing the child to be in imminent danger, an FBI team entered the bunker at 3:12 p.m. CT (4:12 p.m. ET) and rescued the boy, Richardson said.

One neighbor said he was outside when he was startled by the sound of an explosion.

"I heard a big boom and then ... I believe I heard rifle shots," said Bryon Martin, who owns a home near the bunker where the boy had been held since Tuesday.

It was a loud noise that "made me jump off the ground," he said.

Authorities wouldn't say whether the blast was set off as a diversionary tactic or whether Dykes had planted explosives around the bunker.

After the good news of the boy's release spread through the small rural community, travelers on a nearby highway honked their horns as they drove by.

The FBI had borrowed from the U.S. military high-tech detection equipment similar to the technology used to discover homemade bombs in war zones, three Defense Department officials told CNN.

It was unclear whether the equipment, which is not readily available to civilian law enforcement, had been used by the FBI.

One of the defense officials said no members of the military were involved in the rescue. They would have been acting a technical advisers, the official said.

Last Tuesday, police said, Dykes boarded a Dale County school bus and demanded the driver hand over two children.

The driver, Charles Albert Poland Jr., refused, blocking access to the bus's narrow aisle as at least 21 children escaped out of the back emergency door, authorities said.

The gunman killed Poland, then grabbed a kindergartner before barricading himself and the boy inside a nearby bunker he had built.

Smith said Monday that Ethan has siblings, but none of them were on the bus last week.

In the ensuing days, officials said little about what was going on in the bunker or in their strategy, or what -- if anything -- Dykes wanted.

"Based on our discussions with Mr. Dykes, he feels like he has a story that's important to him, although it's very complex," Olson said Monday before the hostage situation ended. He didn't elaborate.

Ethan suffers from Asperger's syndrome and attention deficit disorder, state Rep. Steve Clouse said during the week.

Dykes told authorities that he had blankets and a heater in the bunker, and authorities have previously said the bunker -- built 4 feet underground -- has electricity.

Authorities did not say how they were communicating with Dykes.

Meanwhile, residents and business owners in Midland City put up blue, red and black ribbons in support of the boy and Poland. Blue and red are the local school colors, and black is in honor of the slain bus driver.

The U.S. Navy confirmed Monday that Dykes served in the military from 1964 to 1969.

Naval records list him as an aviation maintenance administrationman third-class who served with units based in California and Atsugi, Japan. The job entails clerical work related to aircraft and aircraft maintenance, according to the Navy's job description.

Neighbors and officials had described Dykes as a survivalist with "anti-government" views.

Even as the hostage situation continued Monday morning, plenty of police were on hand as schools in neighboring Ozark, Alabama, reopened for the first time since the incident began.

Dale County schools remained closed but were to reopen on Tuesday, the district said.

In Ozark, school officials decided to begin strictly enforcing a 15-foot safety zone around school buses required by state law. The law prohibits any unauthorized adults, including parents, from approaching within 15 feet of a school bus stop. If an unauthorized adult gets too close, bus drivers are supposed to close bus doors or drive away, if necessary, school officials said

CNN's Victor Blackwell and Martin Savidge reported from Midland City; Barbara Starr contributed from Washington; Michael Pearson and Steve Almasy reported and wrote from Atlanta; and CNN's Vivian Kuo and Larry Shaughnessy also contributed to this report.

Ex-Navy SEAL murder suspect had been in mental hospital

Labels: Health

FORT WORTH, TexasThe Iraq War veteran charged with killing a former Navy SEAL sniper and his friend on a Texas shooting range had been taken to a mental hospital twice in the past five months and told authorities that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, police records show.

Eddie Ray Routh, 25, also told his sister and brother-in-law after the shootings that he "traded his soul for a new truck," according to an Erath County arrest warrant affidavit obtained by WFAA-TV. Police said that Routh was driving the truck of victim and ex-Navy SEAL Chris Kyle at the time of arrest.

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Routh is charged with one count of capital murder and two counts of murder in the shooting deaths of Kyle, author of the best-selling book "American Sniper," and his friend Chad Littlefield at a shooting range Saturday in Glen Rose. He is on suicide watch in the Erath County Jail, where he's being held on $3 million bond, Sheriff Tommy Bryant said.

Routh, a member of the Marines Corps Reserve, was first taken to a mental hospital on Sept. 2 after he threatened to kill his family and himself, according to police records in Lancaster, where Routh lives. Authorities found Routh walking nearby with no shirt and no shoes, and smelling of alcohol. Routh told authorities he was a Marine veteran who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Eddie stated he was hurting and that his family does not understand what he has been through," the report said.

Routh's mother told police that her son had been drinking and became upset when his father said he was going to sell his gun. She said Routh began arguing with them and said he was going to "blow his brains out."

Police took Routh to Green Oaks Hospital for psychiatric care.

Dallas police records show Routh was taken back to the same mental hospital in mid-January after a woman called police and said she feared for Routh's safety.

Green Oaks will not release patient information, citing privacy laws. Most people brought by police to the hospital are required to stay at least 48 hours.

In May, Routh's mother reported a burglary that included nine pill bottles and her son was involved, according to a Lancaster police report. No other details were available.

Authorities say Routh, Kyle and Littlefield arrived at the sprawling Rough Creek Lodge at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, and a hunting guide called 911 about two hours later after discovering the bodies. Kyle and Littlefield were shot multiple times, and numerous guns were at the scene, according to the affidavit.

In this April 6, 2012, photo, former Navy SEAL and author of the book American Sniper, Chris Kyle poses in Midlothian, Texas.

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Paul Moseley

After leaving the Navy, Kyle quickly found a way to maintain contact with his fellow veterans and pass on what had helped him work through his own struggles. By late 2011, he filed the paperwork to establish the nonprofit FITCO Cares, which received its nonprofit status the following spring, said FITCO director Travis Cox.

Routh drove to his sister's house, and told her that he killed two people and that he planned to drive to Oklahoma to evade Texas authorities, the affidavit said. Routh's sister then called police, and he was arrested after a short police pursuit in Lancaster.

Jailers used a stun gun on Routh on Sunday night after he appeared ready to assault them when they entered his cell after he refused to return his food tray, the sheriff said. Then they put Routh in a chair that restrains his arms and legs in his solitary confinement cell, Bryant said.

Bryant said Routh has an attorney but hasn't met with him at the jail in Stephenville, about 75 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Routh's mother and sister were unsuccessful Monday.

Sundae Hughes, an aunt of Routh's, said she watched him grow up but hasn't seen him since his high school graduation in 2006. Hughes was in disbelief that her nephew could be involved in such an incident.

"He has a kind heart (and was) someone willing to jump in and help, no matter what it was," she said.

Routh joined the Marines in 2006 and rose to the rank of corporal in 2010. His military specialty was small-arms technician, commonly known as an armorer. He had been stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and served in Iraq from 2007-08 and in the Haiti disaster relief mission in 2010.

He is now in the individual ready reserve. He could be called to duty, but it's uncommon unless he volunteers, 1st Lt. Dominic Pitrone of the Marine Forces Services public affairs office said.

Travis Cox, director of FITCO Cares — the nonprofit that Kyle set up to give in-home fitness equipment to physically and emotionally wounded veterans — said he believes that Kyle and Littlefield were helping Routh work through PTSD.

Cox didn't know how Routh and Kyle knew each other. He said the shooting range event was not a FITCO session.

Kyle, 38, left the Navy in 2009 after four tours of duty in Iraq, where he earned a reputation as one of the military's most lethal snipers. "American Sniper" was the No. 3 seller of paperbacks and hardcovers on Amazon as of Monday, and the hardcover was out of stock.

Kyle was so deadly accurate in combat that insurgents in Iraq put a $20,000 bounty on his head and dubbed him "The Devil of Ramadi." But to fellow SEALs like Rorke Denver, he was known as "The Legend." Denver told CBS News, "We were aware early on in that deployment that something special, for lack of a better term, was unfolding."

Littlefield, 35, was Kyle's friend, neighbor and "workout buddy," and also volunteered his time to work with veterans, Cox said.

Sarai Sierra's 2 Young Boys Don't Know Mom's Dead

Labels: Business

The two young sons of slain New York mom Sarai Sierra are under the impression that their father has gone to Turkey to bring their mother home - alive.

Sierra, whose battered body was found near a highway in Istanbul over the weekend, was the mother of two boys aged 9 and 11.

Steven Sierra, who went to Istanbul in search of his wife after she disappeared nearly two weeks ago, told his children that he was going to Turkey to bring their mom home.

"The father will be speaking to them and it's something that's going to be hard and he's going to be talking to them when he comes back," Betsy Jimenez, the mother of Sarai Sierra, said today during a family news conference.

State Representative Michael Grimm said Steven Sierra's biggest concern is telling his children that mom's not coming home.

"It's going to be the hardest thing he's ever going to have to do in his life," said Grimm, who added that the Staten Island family isn't sure when Steven Sierra will be able to bring home his wife's body.

An autopsy was completed Sunday on Sarai Sierra, 33, but results aren't expected for three months. Turkish officials however said she was killed by at least one fatal blow to her head.

A casket holding the Staten Island mother was carried through alleyways lined with spice and food stalls to a church, where the casket remained on Monday.

Turkish police hope DNA samples from 21 people being questioned in the case will be key to finding the perpetrators, the Associated Press reported, according to state run media.

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Earlier this week, it was also reported that Turkish police are speaking to a local man who was supposed to meet Sierra the day she disappeared, but he said she never showed.

After an intense search for Sierra that lasted nearly two weeks, her body was found Saturday near the ruins of some ancient city walls and a highway. Sierra was wearing the same outfit she was seen wearing on surveillance footage taken at a food court and on a street the day she vanished, Istanbul Police Chief Huseyin Capkin said.

Sierra's body was taken to a morgue, Capkin said, and was identified by her husband.

It did not appear she had been raped or was involved in any espionage or trafficking, Capkin said.

Betsy Jimenez said Monday that her family has many unanswered questions such as what happened to her daughter after she left her hotel room to go and take photographs of a famous bridge.

"They're still investigating so they might think it might be a robbery, but they're not sure," said Jimenez.

Sierra, who had traveled to Istanbul on Jan. 7 to practice her photography hobby, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was due to board a flight home to New York City.

Dennis Jimenez, Sierra's father, told reporters Monday that he didn't want her to go on the trip.

"I didn't want her to go. But, she wanted to go because this was an opportunity for her to sightsee and pursue her photography hobby because Turkey was a land rich with culture and ancient history and she was fascinated with that," said Jimenez.

While in Istanbul, Sierra would Skype with her family and friends daily, telling them about how amazing the culture was.

Sierra's best friend Maggie Rodriguez told ABC News that she was forced to pull out of the trip at the last minute because she couldn't afford it. That's why Sierra traveled alone.

Her husband, Steven Sierra, and brother, David Jimenez, traveled to Istanbul last Sunday to meet with American and Turkish officials and push the search forward.

Shackleton Antarctic bid makes landfall

Labels: Technology

SYDNEY: An exhausted British-Australian expedition recreating Ernest Shackleton's 1916 crossing of the Southern Ocean in a small boat made landfall Monday after a perilous 12-day journey.

Led by renowned adventurer Tim Jarvis, the team of six reached Peggotty Bluff on rugged South Georgia, where they landed their vessel in the same place Shackleton and his men beached the James Caird nearly 100 years ago.

The next leg will see three of the team tackle a two-day climb to 900 metres (2,950 feet) over the mountainous, crevassed interior of South Georgia.

That will take them to the old whaling station at Stromness on the other side of the island, where Shackleton and his men, with little more than the clothes on their backs, raised the alarm about the sinking of their ship, the Endurance.

Jarvis said the boat trip, using only the equipment, navigational instruments and food available to Shackleton, was extremely tough, describing it as "truly about endurance -- mental as much as physical".

"There was just no way to keep dry. The waterproofing with wax didn't work," he said.

"Below deck, the boat was constantly damp and being on watch meant that you were directly exposed to the elements. On a few occasions a big wave washed over the deck and down the hatch soaking everything down below."

Along with Norway's Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole in 1911, Australian explorer Douglas Mawson and Briton Robert Falcon Scott, Shackleton was among the great Antarctic explorers.

When he set off on his third trip to the region in 1914 with the ship Endurance, he planned to cross Antarctica via the South Pole.

But the vessel became trapped in 1915, and sank 10 months later as it was crushed by the advancing ice. Shackleton and his crew lived on the floating ice until April 1916, when they set off in three small boats for Elephant Island.

From there, Shackleton and five crew members made the treacherous voyage to South Georgia, reaching their destination 16 days later to face the mountainous trek.

All members of the Endurance mission were eventually rescued with no fatalities.

It was his granddaughter Alexandra who approached Jarvis, who in 2007 re-enacted Mawson's 1912 odyssey across the frozen continent, about recreating their ordeal.

-AFP/fl

Ravens hold off 49ers, win Super Bowl 34-31

Labels: Lifestyle

2013 Super Bowl: The best photos

Obama: "No doubt" more revenue still needed

Labels: Health

One month after signing into law a "fiscal cliff" deal upping taxes on American families making more than $450,000 a year, President Obama said today there's "no doubt" additional revenue is needed to bring down the U.S. deficit, but believes lawmakers can do it "without raising taxes again."

"I don't think the issue right now is raising rates," the president said in an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley. "There's no doubt we need additional revenue, coupled with smart, spending reductions in order to bring down our deficit. And we can do it in a gradual way so that it doesn't have a huge impact."

Rather than raising taxes, the president proposed gutting government waste, reforming health care - "we spend a lot more on health care than any other country does, and we don't get better outcomes," he said - and closing loopholes that he suggested allow wealthy Americans to manipulate their tax rates.

"Can we close loopholes and deductions that folks who are well connected, and have a lot of accountants and lawyers, can take advantage of, so they end up paying lower rates than say, a bus driver or a cop?" Mr. Obama asked. "The average person can't take advantage of them.

"The average person doesn't have access to Cayman Island accounts," the president continued, in what may have been a punch at 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney's "tax haven" in the Caribbean. "The average person doesn't have access to 'carried interest income,' where they end up paying a much lower rate on billions of dollars that they've earned.

"...We just want to make sure that the whole system is fair, that it's transparent, and that we're reducing our deficit in a way that doesn't hamper growth reduce the kinds of strategies that we need," he concluded.

Earlier this week, a new GDP report showed the U.S. economy shrank 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012. Mr. Obama reasoned that a sudden drop in defense spending amid the so-called "fiscal cliff" was to blame, and called on Congress to act to avert a series of automatic spending cuts set to trigger in March.

"Washington cannot continually operate under a cloud of crisis," he said. "That freezes up consumers, it gets businesses worried. We can't afford these self-inflicted wounds. There is a way for us to solve these budget problems in a responsible way, through a balanced approach... if we do that, there's no reason why we can't have really strong growth in 2013."

Super Bowl XLVII Live Blog: Ravens Hang On, 34-31

Labels: Business

10:57 p.m. ET: Super Bowl XX MVP Richard Dent carries in Vince Lombardi trophy.

10:54 p.m. ET: Lots of things this game will be remembered for: Harbowl, Ray Lewis final victory, incredible performance by MVP Joe Flacco, Beyonce halftime show, and the 34 minute power outage.

10:50 p.m. ET: Tonight’s victory means the Baltimore Ravens are the only NFL team to never lose a Super Bowl in multiple appearances. The 49ers are now 5-1 in Super Bowl appearances.

10:47 p.m. ET: Well, it was an entertaining, intense, instant-classic game, that ends with the Baltimore Ravens’ QB, Joe Flacco named MVP.

10:46 p.m. ET: Lots of audible cursing on the field. “F-bomb” trending nationally on twitter.

10:45 p.m. ET: The Harbaugh brothers meet on the field for the handshake.

10:45 p.m. ET: RAVENS WIN 34-31

10:44 p.m. ET: Another Ravens timeout – the last few seconds of this game are taking a long time. 49ers put up a huge fight, but looks like they’ll fall just short of a miraculous comeback.

10:42 p.m. ET: 4 seconds left in the game after Ravens intentionally take a safety. 34-31 Ravens.

10:40 p.m. ET: Baltimore time out with :12 seconds left.

10:38 p.m. ET: 49ers players on the sidelines looking distraught. And Jim Harbaugh still looks angry about the no -call.

10:37 p.m. ET: Niners use their final time out with 1:42 left to play.

10:36 p.m. ET: Ravens get the ball back, and call a timeout with 1:46 remaining in the game.

10:35 p.m. ET: Incomplete pass and Jim Harbaugh is having one of his patented meltdowns on the sidelines.

10:34 p.m. ET: 4th and goal from the 5-yard line after an incomplete pass.

10:33 p.m. ET: 30-second timeout for the 49ers. Good timing, almost a delay of game penalty there.

10:32 p.m. ET: Now 3rd and goal for the 49ers. A stop here would be huge for the Ravens. 1:55 left in the game.

10:29 p.m. ET: Second and goal at the 5-yard line. This game is crazy. 49ers take a timeout at the 2 minute warning.

10:28 p.m. ET: And another quick first down with 2:39 left. First and goal.

10:26 p.m. ET: On 2nd and 10 Kaepernick connects with Crabtree picking up a first down.

10:24 p.m. ET: 49ers pick up seven on the first down. Less than 4 minutes left in the game.

10:22 p.m. ET: 38-yard field goal attempt good for the Ravens. Baltimore up by 5 with 4:19 left in the game. The 49ers still have two timeouts left. 34-29 Ravens.

10:20 p.m. ET: Offsides calls on the defense – five yard penalty makes it 3rd and 2 for the Ravens. Lots of penalties for the 49ers tonight.

10:18 p.m. ET: No matter – Ravens quickly pick up two first downs.

10:17 p.m. ET: Good challenge by Jim Harbaugh. Now 3rd and inches for the Ravens.

10:16 p.m. ET: Super Bowl attendance announced at 71,024. No wonder it got hot during the power outage when the AC cut out.

10:14 p.m. ET: San Francisco challenging first down. Risky move – the team only has two timeouts left with more than 7 minutes left in the game.

10:11 p.m. ET: Pass interference called on the 49ers, automatic first down for the Ravens. Rough week for Chris Culliver.

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10:08 p.m. ET: This game could come down to a field goal – many 49ers fans’ biggest fear after Akers’ season.

10:06 p.m. ET: Incomplete throw on the two-point conversion attempt. Kaepernick’s run was the longest rushing touchdown for a quarterback ever in the Super Bowl. 31-29 Ravens.

10:05 p.m. ET: Kaepernick rushes for a touchdown. Niners trying for two-point conversion to try to tie this game up.

Related: ‘Kaepernicking is all the craze after 49ers beat Green Bay

10:04 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN 49ERS.

10:03 p.m. ET: And Gore picks up another one. Niners inside the Ravens 20.

10:02 p.m. ET: Randy Moss picks up a first down at the Ravens 39.

9:57 p.m. ET: Incomplete on 3rd and goal. 19-yard field goal attempt is good. 31-23 Ravens.

9:56 p.m. ET: On 1st and goal, Ravens stopped one yard short of the end zone. 2nd and goal.

9:54 p.m. ET: Bernard Pierce not expected to return to the game with a leg injury.

9:51 p.m. ET: First down for the Ravens with an 8-yard gain. Bernard Pierce looks really shaken up after that tackle. Third quarter ends with score still 28-23 Ravens.

9:46 p.m. ET: Scary looking tackle of Jones on the return. Impressive that he kept hold of the ball.

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9:44 p.m. ET: Akers gets a redo, and drills it. 17 unanswered points in a 4:10 drive for the 49ers. 28-23 Ravens.

9:43 p.m. ET: Replay of fourth down on a penalty. Ravens player ran into Akers. 4th and 2 for the Niners.

9:43 p.m. ET: Akers kick no good, but there’s a flag on the field

9:41 p.m. ET: Superdome representative releases statement apologizing for the incident, and NFL statement says authorities are “investigating the cause of the power outage.”

9:40 p.m. ET: Fumble recovered by the 49ers. Momentum definitely swinging the 49ers way.

9:36 p.m. ET: It’s a one score game as Akers drills the extra point. He’s having a surprisingly good game, considering his dismal season. 28-20 Ravens.

9:34 p.m. ET: Frank Gore gets the ball into the end zone, and there’s a player down on the field. 28-19 Ravens.

9:32 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN 49ERS.

9:32 p.m. ET: First down by Vernon Davis – this game suddenly got much more interesting. 1st and goal for the Niners.

9:30 p.m. ET: Sack by Admad Brooks – big change of momentum as Ravens punt (badly) – with a big return by the 49ers.

9:28 p.m. ET: Now it’s up to the 49ers defense to keep San Francisco in this game. Jacoby Jones carried the ball to the Ravens 17. His previous carry, intially listed at 109 yards, has been changed to 108 yards, tying the all-time record, not breaking it.

gty sf touchdown kb 130203 wblog Super Bowl XLVII Live: Score, Commercials and More

Evan Vucci/AP Photo

9:25 p.m. ET: First touchdown for San Francisco this game, after Kaepernick connects with Crabtree, who runs it into the end zone after an 80-yard drive. 28-13 Ravens.

9:24 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN 49ERS.

9:21 p.m. ET: Randy Moss has his first grab of the game, and San Francisco takes a timeout.

9:20 p.m. ET: Great throw by Kaepernick, dropped by Crabtree. 3rd and 8.

9:19 p.m. ET: There it is – a scramble for 15 yards – a first down and some. That’s 36 yards rushing for him now.

9:18 p.m. ET: Kaepernick scrambles for a gain of five. For somebody who has used his legs so successfully this season, he seems really hesitant to try it in this game. 2nd and 5 49ers.

9:15 p.m. ET: Touchback – 49ers will start with the ball at their 20-yard line.

9:12 p.m. ET: Game resumes largely as it played out before the delay. Flacco immediately gets a first down with a 15 yard toss.

9:11 p.m. ET: Not a great start after the delay for the 49ers. A gain of 7, but short of a first down. Andy Lee comes out for the punt.

9:10 p.m. ET: That was a 34 minute delay. No statement from the NFL yet, but that must have been really frustrating for both teams.

READ MORE: Social Media Reacts to the Super Bowl Blackout

9:10 p.m. ET: Apparently, part of the holdup was the electrical equipment on the 49ers side going out with the power. Play set to resume in the next minute or so.

9:08 p.m. ET: Luckily, so far there have been no disturbances reported in the crowd during this blackout delay.

9:05 p.m. ET: Obviously, how each team reacts in the first drive right after this power outage and long delay will be huge. In case you forgot, the 49ers will get the ball at the SF 40 after a Kaepernick sack. 3rd and 13 for the Niners.

9:00 p.m. ET: And there’s already a @SuperbowlLights twitter account.

8:59 p.m. ET: Law enforcement source tells ABC News the power outage is just a technical issue, nothing nefarious. Reporters at the game say they heard a boom in the stadium before the lights went out. Lights slowly coming back on, and players still on the field.

ap dark stadium kb 130203 wblog Super Bowl XLVII Live: Score, Commercials and More

Matt Slocum/AP Photo

8:54 p.m. ET: The AC is apparently also out at the closed stadium, and people say it’s getting hot in there with such a huge crowd and the lights that are on.

8:51 p.m. ET: Considering the score, the fact that this power outage delay may last as long as 20 minutes, and the fact that the halftime show is over, I wonder how many people are tuning out right about now.

8:51 p.m. ET: Power surge to blame, apparently.

8:48 p.m. ET: “Bring Beyonce Back” trending on Twitter now.

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8:45 p.m. ET: Players trying to stay warmed up on the field, and fans sound like they’re getting really antsy.

8:44 p.m. ET: Commercials cost around $4 million for a 30-second spot, and with these extra commercial breaks, some of them might really be getting their money’s worth.

8:40 p.m. ET: Sideline reporter says half the lights in the stadium are out, including the scoreboard.

8:40 p.m. ET: 100 million people are expected to be watching the game today…a game that is suddenly not happening as the power cut out during the third quarter.

8:38 p.m. ET: Cut to commercial as the power goes out at the stadium. The game just got even stranger.

8:38 p.m. ET: And the power is out at the Super Dome.

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8:37 p.m. ET: Kaepernick sacked for a loss of 6. 3rd and 13.

8:35 p.m. ET: 49ers to start their drive at the 13-yard line.

8:34 p.m. ET: The biggest deficit ever overcome in the Super Bowl is ten points. It’s been done twice.

gty jacoby kb 130203 wblog Super Bowl XLVII Live: Score, Commercials and More

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

8:32 p.m. ET: That was fast (11 seconds to be exact) – a 109-yard kickoff return touchdown by Jacoby Jones. An all-time NFL record. 28-6 Ravens.

8:32 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN RAVENS.

8:31 p.m. ET: Back to football. Ravens to receive to start off.

READ MORE: Beyonce Sings Biggest Hits with Surprise Guests

8:27 p.m. ET: First Lady Michelle Obama liked the halftime show. She just tweeted “Watching the #SuperBowl with family & friends.@Beyonce was phenomenal! I am so proud of her! -mo” from her FLOTUS twitter account.

8:22 p.m. ET: And Beyonce ends an impressive and energetic halftime performance with “Halo.”

8:19 p.m. ET: Looks like the DC reunion is over – it was fun while it laster!

ap bey destinys kb 130203 wblog Super Bowl XLVII Live: Score, Commercials and More

Gerald Herbert/AP Photo

8:16 p.m. ET: Destiny’s Child reunion for “Bootylicious!”

8:14 p.m. ET: So many Beyonces!

8:12 p.m. ET: For the halftime performance, there are 135 dancers on the field, and 2,000 fans. And really cool visuals on the stage.

8:10 p.m. ET: Beyonce kicks off the halftime show with “Love on Top” followed by “Crazy in Love.”

8:07 p.m. ET: Here’s what the President and First Lady are eating at their Super Bowl party: Chesapeake Crab Cakes and San Francisco Cioppino Stew with Sourdough Toast. There are also wings, and they’re drinking Anchor Steam and Clipper City beers.

RELATED: Obama Hoping for Close Match in Super Bowl

8:05 p.m. ET: Still, the 49ers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to make it to the Super Bowl so it’s tough to count them out just halfway through.

8:04 p.m. ET: Ravens dominating so far, and it’s not even really close. While the teams take a breather, Beyonce heads to the field for the half time show.

8:00 p.m. ET: First half ends with a Ray Lewis sack. The likely future Hall of Famer is retiring after this game. Strangely enough, his first NFL sack was of Jim Harbaugh – who is currently coaching the 49ers. Also in that game? Randy Moss, who is currently having a rough game for the 49ers.

7:59 p.m. ET: Field goal is Good. 21-6 Ravens at the half.

7:58 p.m. ET: Really looks like the big game jitters are getting to Kaepernick. Ray Lewis sack brings out Akers for a field goal attempt.

7:55 p.m. ET: Fun Fact – Kaepernick was drafted by the Chicago Cubs as a pitcher in 2009. You can see the pitcher still in him with some of these throws.

7:54 p.m. ET: 49ers back in the red zone after a few big gains. They still have two timeouts with less than one minute left in the second quarter.

7:52 p.m. ET: 15-yard penalty and automatic first down for the 49ers on a roughing the passer call.

7:50 p.m. ET: That’s Flacco’s 11th touchdown pass this postseason.

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Dave Martin/AP Photo

7:49 p.m. ET: 21 – 3 Baltimore as incredible throw, catch and run lead to a touchdown for the Ravens. 49ers have A LOT of work to do in the second half.

7:48 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN RAVENS.

7:45 p.m. ET: No flag on what looked like offensive pass interference as Culliver breaks up a Flacco long throw, and we hit the two-minute warning.

7:44 p.m. ET: 2nd and 10 for the Ravens with 2 minutes left in the second quarter. The Ravens will be receiving the ball at the beginning of the second half.

7:41 p.m. ET: Kaepernick, who had been noted for his great decision making calls under pressure, is having a rough game so far. At 25 years old, this start is only the tenth pro start of his career.

7:39 p.m. ET: Awesome 9-year-old girl football player Sam Gordon is in the house!

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Obtained by ABC News

7:37 p.m. ET: Volkswagen’s controversial ad just aired – here’s Jamaica’s reaction to it.

RELATED: Controversial Volkswagen Super Bowl Ad Gets Viewer Approval

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Harry How/Getty Images

7:37 p.m. ET: Gutsy fake field goal call considering the Ravens’ rookie kicker is about as sure a thing as there is for points.

7:36 p.m. ET: Tricky – fake field goal by the Ravens, but short of a first down.

7:34 p.m. ET: Almost an interception by the Niners, but it’s just an incomplete pass by Flacco. 3rd and 9.

7:31 p.m. ET: Another first down for the Ravens.

7:30 p.m. ET: Personal fouls by both teams cancel each other out. Ravens first down at 49ers 38.

7:29 p.m. ET: That interception is evidently the first time a 49ers quarterback has ever been intercepted in the Super Bowl (that’s five previous games). And Reed ties the record with his 9th postseason interception.

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Jamie Squire/Getty Images

7:28 p.m. ET: Interception by Baltimore but flag is down and teams fighting on the field.

7:24 p.m. ET: After that commercial about sports fans’ superstitions – here’s an interesting article about when those superstitions cross the line into OCD.

7:22 p.m. ET: Penalties and that fumble killing San Francisco so far. 14-3 Ravens. Ten touchdowns and no interceptions so far this postseason for Flacco.

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Harry How/Getty Images

7:22 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN BALTIMORE.

7:21 p.m. ET: Automatic first and goal for Ravens after another penalty – a personal foul on 49ers’ Whitner.

7:20 p.m. ET: Flacco connects with Dickson, and a flag is down.

7:19 p.m. ET: While they’re on the subject of Patrick Willis, here’s an interesting story about him and his “brother for life,” the Baltimore’s Michael Oher.

7:17 p.m. ET: Another first down for the Ravens. That’s 4/5 third down conversions for the Ravens so far.

7:16 p.m. ET: Major change of momentum, as Ravens get gain of about 5 after 49ers fumble.

7:12 p.m. ET: Fumble recovered by Ravens. First down for Baltimore.

7:12 p.m. ET: Another first down for the Niners.

7:11 p.m. ET: Another first down on gain of eleven with reception by Davis. Another another small scuffle breaks out. Teams clearly (obviously) passionate.

7:10 p.m. ET: Looks like Davis is okay – gain of 29 yards on great throw from Kaepernick.

7:08 p.m. ET: First Harbaugh parent sightings of the night! They’ve said tonight will be really bittersweet for them.

READ MORE: Super Bowl Bittersweet for Harbaugh Family

7:08 p.m. ET: They may be brothers, but side-by-side comparison of the Harbaugh brothers’ reactions to last play show totally different styles.

7:05 p.m. ET: Flacco sacked with 12 seconds left in quarter.

7:04 p.m. ET: Incomplete throw by Flacco with 17 seconds left in the 1st quarter.

7:03 p.m. ET: Unbelievable throw and catch by Boldin for 31-yards.

7:02 p.m. ET: 3rd and 7 for Ravens after incomplete pass by Flacco.

7:00 p.m. ET: 9-yard gain for the Ravens. Ed Reed in locker room for evaluation.

6:57 p.m. ET: Jacoby Jones returns kick to the 22-yard line. Ravens’ Ed Reed and 49ers’ Vernon Davis both apparently being checked out after Reed hit Davis on previous drive.

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Harry How/Getty Images

6:55 p.m. ET: And to the relief of 49ers fans, David Akers field goal attempt is good. 7-3 Ravens.

6:54 p.m. ET: Kaepernick sacked. 49ers going for field goal.

6:53 p.m. ET: Davis out and being worked on by trainers. Second and goal, incomplete in the end zone, off of Crabtree’s hands.

6:52 p.m. ET: Vernon Davis, a super speedy tight end, with another first down on a 24-yard reception from Kaepernick. 1st and goal.

6:51 p.m. ET: And Gore with another first down.

6:50 p.m. ET: Kaepernick scrambles for a gain of seven, 2nd and 3.

6:50 p.m. ET: Kaepernick, who shocked the league with his legs when he took over from Alex Smith, gets a 1st down and then some.

6:49 p.m. ET: Gore gains nine, after having a rough few carries early.

6:48 p.m. ET: Huge, 19-yard game for Michael Crabtree, who broke out this season once Kaepernick took over the starting QB job.

6:46 p.m. ET: Already looking to be a really physical game as scuffle between players breaks out after 49ers loss of two yards.

6:45 p.m. ET: And here’s the GoDaddy commercial everybody has already been talking about – supermodel makes out with Hollywood’s favorite extra.

6:44 p.m. ET: Penalties already hurting the 49ers – big game jitters?

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McNamee/Getty Images

6:41 p.m. ET: And the extra point is good. 7-0 Ravens

6:40 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN BALTIMORE. Ravens take an early lead with a reception by Anquan Boldin.

6:39 p.m. ET: On 3rd and 9, same thing happens, but flag is down for defensive offsides – five yard penalty and replay of 3rd down.

6:39 p.m. ET: Given some time, Flacco throws ball beyond end zone for an incompletion on 2nd and 9.

6:38 p.m. ET: Ravens QB, Joe Flacco, known for his exceptionally strong arm, gets the ball to Torrey Jones at the SF 19.

6:37 p.m. ET: And a first down for the Ravens from SF 39.

6:36 p.m. ET: Better start for the Ravens, who pick up eight yards on their first down of the game.

6:36 p.m. ET: And the first drive of the game goes nowhere; Andy Lee punts on 4th down, and Jacoby Jones returns to near the 50-yard line.

6:34 p.m. ET: On first and 15, no gain for 49ers all-time leading rusher, Frank Gore.

6:33 p.m. ET: Five yard penalty for the 49ers for illegal formation.

6:32 p.m. ET: Kaepernick connects with Vernon Davis for a gain of 20, but a flag is down.

6:31 p.m. ET: Here we go – 49ers start the first drive at the 20-yard line.

6:28 p.m. ET: Ravens chose heads, and elected to defer their choice until the second half. 49ers to receive at kickoff.

6:27 p.m. ET: Newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame join the team captains for the coin toss.

6:22 p.m. ET: Alicia Keys performs the Star Spangled Banner, wearing a red dress and playing a white piano at the 50-yard line.

6:21 p.m. ET: Joint Armed Forces Color Guard present the flags.

6:20 p.m. ET: Hudson wearing a green ribbon in honor of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting while performing with the students.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

6:19 p.m. ET: In a touching performance, Sandy Hook Elementary School students perform “America the Beautiful,” with Jennifer Hudson.

6:18 p.m. ET: Jason Witten wins the 2012 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

6:12 p.m. ET: And out come the 49ers.

6:11 p.m. ET: The Ravens players are introduced in the stadium to a raucous crowd.

6:09 p.m. ET: And another historic first tonight – the two head coaches are brothers, born just 15 months apart. John Harbaugh, 50, is in his fifth season as the Baltimore Ravens head coach, and has won playoff games in each of his previous seasons. Jim Harbaugh, 49, is in his second season as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, leading his team to the playoffs both seasons.

6:05 p.m. ET: The San Francisco 49ers are going for their 6th Lombardi trophy, which would tie them for the most championships ever with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Baltimore Ravens are trying for their second Super Bowl victory. Neither team has ever lost a Super Bowl game – and at the end of the night, there will only be one team left in the NFL to have never lost a Super Bowl game.

6:00 p.m. ET: It’s here – the biggest spectacle in American sports, the Super Bowl. We’ll be covering the game, performances and, of course, the commercials right here.

It’s been an incredible season so far, and everything has led up to tonight’s game in New Orleans, where the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers face the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. Keep refreshing for the latest updates throughout what promises to be a great game.

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Hillary: Secretary of empowerment
Labels: World

Girls hug U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a 2010 tour of a shelter run for sex trafficking victims in Cambodia.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Donna Brazile: Clinton stepping down as Secretary of State. Maybe she'll run for president

She says as secretary she expanded foreign policy to include effect on regular people

She says she was first secretary of state to focus on empowering women and girls

Brazile: Clinton has fought for education and inclusion in politics for women and girls

Editor's note: Donna Brazile, a CNN contributor and a Democratic strategist, is vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee. She is a nationally syndicated columnist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and author of "Cooking with Grease." She was manager for the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign in 2000.

(CNN) -- As Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton steps down from her job Friday, many are assuming she will run for president. And she may. In fact, five of the first eight presidents first served their predecessors as secretary of state.

It hasn't happened in more than a century, though that may change should Clinton decide to run. After all, she has been a game changer her entire life.

But before we look ahead, I think we should appreciate what she's done as secretary of state; it's a high profile, high pressure job. You have to deal with the routine as if it is critical and with crisis as if it's routine. You have to manage egos, protocols, customs and Congress. You have to be rhetorical and blunt, diplomatic and direct.

CNN Contributor Donna Brazile

As secretary of state you are dealing with heads of state and with we the people. And the president of the United States has to trust you -- implicitly.

On the road with Hillary Clinton

Of all Clinton's accomplishments -- and I will mention just a few -- this may be the most underappreciated. During the election, pundits were puzzled and amazed not only at how much energy former President Bill Clinton poured into Obama's campaign, but even more at how genuine and close the friendship was.

Obama was given a lot of well-deserved credit for reaching out to the Clintons by appointing then-Sen. Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state in the first place. But trust is a two-way street and has to be earned. We should not underestimate or forget how much Clinton did and how hard she worked. She deserved that trust, as she deserved to be in the war room when Osama bin Laden was killed.

By the way, is there any other leader in the last 50 years whom we routinely refer to by a first name, and do so more out of respect than familiarity? The last person I can think of was Ike -- the elder family member who we revere with affection. Hillary is Hillary.

It's not surprising that we feel we know her. She has been part of our public life for more than 20 years. She's been a model of dignity, diplomacy, empathy and toughness. She also has done something no other secretary of state has done -- including the two women who preceded her in the Cabinet post.

Rothkopf: President Hillary Clinton? If she wants it

Hillary has transformed our understanding -- no, our definition -- of foreign affairs. Diplomacy is no longer just the skill of managing relations with other countries. The big issues -- war and peace, terror, economic stability, etc. -- remain, and she has handled them with firmness and authority, with poise and confidence, and with good will, when appropriate.

But it is not the praise of diplomats or dictators that will be her legacy. She dealt with plenipotentiaries, but her focus was on people. Foreign affairs isn't just about treaties, she taught us, it's about the suffering and aspirations of those affected by the treaties, made or unmade.

Most of all, diplomacy should refocus attention on the powerless.

Of course, Hillary wasn't the first secretary of state to advocate for human rights or use the post to raise awareness of abuses or negotiate humanitarian relief or pressure oppressors. But she was the first to focus on empowerment, particularly of women and girls.

She created the first Office of Global Women's Issues. That office fought to highlight the plight of women around the world. Rape of women has been a weapon of war for centuries. Though civilized countries condemn it, the fight against it has in a sense only really begun.

Ghitis: Hillary Clinton's global legacy on gay rights

The office has worked to hold governments accountable for the systematic oppression of girls and women and fought for their education in emerging countries. As Hillary said when the office was established: "When the Security Council passed Resolution 1325, we tried to make a very clear statement, that women are still largely shut out of the negotiations that seek to end conflicts, even though women and children are the primary victims of 21st century conflict."

Hillary also included the United States in the Trafficking in Person report. Human Trafficking, a form of modern, mainly sexual, slavery, victimizes mostly women and girls. The annual report reviews the state of global efforts to eliminate the practice. "We believe it is important to keep the spotlight on ourselves," she said. "Human trafficking is not someone else's problem. Involuntary servitude is not something we can ignore or hope doesn't exist in our own communities."

She also created the office of Global Partnerships. And there is much more.

She has held her own in palaces and held the hands of hungry children in mud-hut villages, pursuing an agenda that empowers women, children, the poor and helpless.

We shouldn't have been surprised. Her book "It Takes a Village" focused on the impact that those outside the family have, for better or worse, on a child's well-being.

As secretary of state, she did all she could to make sure our impact as a nation would be for the better.

Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion

Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Donna Brazile.

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Three injured as plane veers off Rome runway
Labels: Technology

ROME: A Romanian plane carrying 50 passengers veered off the runway while landing at Rome's Fiumicino airport on Saturday, injuring three people who were rushed to hospital, authorities said.
The ATR 72 turboprop plane of the Romanian airline Carpatair arriving from Pisa finished up at an angle on grass with its landing gear damaged, emergency services and airport officials said.
One of the three people hospitalised, a Romanian flight crew member, was said to have suffered spinal injuries but his condition was not life-threatening.
Another of those hurt had pelvic injuries.
Investigators were attempting to establish the cause of the accident, with bad weather -- winds and rain may have made the landing difficult -- or pilot error suspected.
A passenger on the plane told Ansa that the plane had touched down twice. "The second time the landing gear was bent out of shape and we ended up off the runway."
He described scenes of panic and screaming.
The Rome airport remained open though one of its runways was closed.
According to Italian media, several recent incidents have shed an unfavourable light on the partnership between Alitalia and Carpatair.
The Carpatair plane involved in Saturday's accident was carrying out an Alitalia flight.
In a statement Alitalia said that "strong winds" had forced the plane off the runway and announced the suspension of all its flights operated by Carpatair from Pisa and Bologna.
Last month, a Carpatair flight between Ancona and Rome made an emergency landing soon after take-off.
Earlier in January, another of the Romanian company's planes was forced to make a U-turn following cabin pressure problems which obliged passengers to use oxygen masks.
On January 10 the company issued a statement, denying any reliability problems and denouncing a "media campaign" against it fuelled by "Italian trade unions and pilots" unhappy with Carpatair's partnership with Alitalia.
Carpatair signed the flight-sharing deal with Alitalia last September.
-AFP/ac

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Body of missing American found in Turkey
Labels: Lifestyle

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Body of New York woman found in Istanbul

She disappeared almost two weeks ago

Sarai Sierra was a mother a two

She failed to arrive at Newark, New Jersey, airport

(CNN) -- The family of an American woman who went missing in Istanbul nearly two weeks ago are in mourning after learning that Turkish police found her body Saturday.

Steven Sierra wept during a phone call with CNN, as he waited in Istanbul to go with police to identify the body of his wife, Sarai Sierra.

Turkish police found the New York woman's body near ancient stone walls in Istanbul's Sarayburnu district, the semi-official Anatolian Agency reported. Police suspected she had been killed at another location.

Police told CNN's sister network CNN Turk that the body of the 33-year-old mother of two showed signs of stab wounds.

At least nine suspects had been detained in connection with Sierra's disappearance and death, Anatolian reported.

Sierra's family and friends first sounded the alarm last week after she did not arrive on a return flight from Istanbul on January 22.

"The last we heard from my wife was Monday morning on the 21st. She had spoken with her sister and the last thing she said was, 'I'm coming home tomorrow,' and she was excited and put a little smiley face at the end of her statement," said Steven Sierra in an interview with CNN earlier this week.

Steven Sierra spoke to CNN in Istanbul on Wednesday, after he and Sarai Sierra's brother, David Jimenez, traveled to Turkey to assist in the search.

The worried husband was periodically overwhelmed with emotion throughout the interview.

"You're hoping that she's OK wherever she's at, that she's not hurting, that she's not cold, that she's being fed," Steven Sierra said, choking back tears.

"Its difficult what's going through my mind, if our hopes and prayers are not answered. It is difficult when you have two children that look up to you, and you have to do your very best to stay strong regardless of what happens."

Sarai Sierra flew alone to Istanbul on January 7 after a friend at the last minute canceled plans to accompany her.

"She did a lot of researching about the area, about where she was going to stay, the safest places to go and the time of day to travel," friend Magalena Rodriguez said.

Sierrra was an amateur photographer who had amassed more than 3,000 followers since she joined the photo sharing app Instagram last year.

Some people she met through the service encouraged her to visit the ancient Turkish city, her husband said. They offered to act as tour guides. "You're admiring pictures, but you're getting acquainted with people that you've never met before," Steven Sierra said.

Sarai's brother said he had been worried about his sister's solo trip.

"We were nervous. Were just like 'always be mindful of what you do, be aware of your surroundings. Don't get too comfortable to the point where you drop your guard down,'" David Jimenez said.

But Jimenez and Sierra's husband said Sarai was determined to complete challenges that she set for herself.

As an example, they described how she competed in a triathlon several years ago, despite being a weak swimmer, and despite the fact that she did not own a bicycle. Instead, Sarai completed the cycling leg of the competition by borrowing a mountain bike from her husband.

After arriving in Istanbul, Sierra's photo feed displayed images of Istanbul's beautiful skyline and historic landmarks.

She also squeezed in an excursion to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and to Germany, starting January 15.

"She chose to go to Amsterdam for the graffiti," her husband said. "She informed me as far as how her time was out there. And she also had a tour guide that was helping her out there as well, who I know about and who I've spoken with personally."

Sierra returned to Istanbul on January 19. Three days later, she went missing.

Sierra had rebooked her flight to arrive back early, on January 22, in part to surprise her two sons, 9 and 11.

Days before her scheduled trip home, Sierra spoke with her father, Dennis Jimenez, via Skype to remind him of her flight number and arrival time.

When Dennis Jimenez went to the Newark, New Jersey, airport to pick Sierra up, she didn't show, he said.

The airline told him she had never checked in for the flight.

"She kept in contact with us all the time," Sierra's mother, Betzaida Jimenez, said. "And then not to hear from her? It's not like her."

After the tourist went missing, Turkish police released a surveillance camera video of Sarai at a shopping mall in Istanbul, flipping through her iPad.

The scenes from January 20 are the last known images of her.

The manager of the small private hotel where Sierra was staying reported last seeing her the day the surveillance video was shot. That was a Sunday.

Her Skype account, which she avidly used, went silent a day later. A day after that was when she missed her flight home.

The time she last talked with her family, Sierra was planning on January 21 to see the Galata Bridge and visit the Asian side of Istanbul, her husband said.

The former capital of the Byzantine and East Roman empires straddles the continents of Europe and Asia.

After Sierra's family raised the alarm that she was missing, some of her belongings -- including her passport and medical cards -- were found in her room in Istanbul, though her iPhone and iPad were not there, according to her husband.

Since Sierra's disappearance, Turkish police detained a Turkish man she had been in contact with who was identified only by the first name Talan, according to CNN Turk.

Millions of foreign tourists visit Turkey every year.

While it is not unusual to hear about foreigners being targeted by pickpockets and bag snatchers, violent crime involving foreign tourists is relatively rare.

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