Superfan goes extra mile to support football team

Matthew Gerrard (right) enjoying the convivial atmosphere of Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park.
Football fans are often prepared to make huge sacrifices for the love of watching their teams play.

Take Matthew Gerrard. The 33-year-old lives in Kent, in south-east England, yet regularly makes the eight-hour round trip to watch Borussia Dortmund in Germany’s top flight division, the Bundesliga. Matthew was once a fan of London-based club Arsenal, having been to a pre-Premier League game as a youngster 20 years ago. But over time he found England’s increasingly money-driven top clubs becoming a turn-off and soon turned his attention to Dortmund, one of the most successful clubs in German football. “A trip to a 2006 World Cup match in Dortmund was the catalyst,” he told CNN. “That started my love for the club as the people were so friendly and warm towards me I started looking out for their results.” Three years on and Matthew is now a Dortmund devotee and drives 560 miles (933km) there and back get to the club’s Signal Iduna Park ground in the west of Germany. Accompanied by three friends, Matthew is on course to have attended around a third of Dortmund’s home games by the end of the season. There are a number of reasons for him turning his back on the Premier League, the main one being his experience as a match-going fan, Matthew explained to CNN. He said: “There is little police presence. They let the fans enjoy themselves, it is all about two-way respect, so you get more of a party atmosphere. Opposing fans mingle together much more, singing songs, talking football and all drinking alcohol. Do you travel to other parts of the world to follow your team Let us know in the Sound Off box below. “I’ve never seen any trouble with drunk supporters getting agitated because it’s not the norm in terms of behavior. This really brought it home to me how different and civilized the game is in Germany.”

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Not only is it civilized and family-friendly, it’s immensely practical and efficient in its organization. A cup of beer costs €5 ($6.60) and vendors come round the stands to refill it for another €1 ($1.30). To limit litter, fans can sell the cup back to the club for €1 or keep it for when they return. One big difference between the two leagues is the presence of terracing — where fans stand rather than sit — in the Bundesliga. The Hillsborough disaster of 1989, where 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death in an overcrowded terraced stand, brought an end to standing at top-flight English grounds, though many fans still try to stand today. The lack of terracing has been criticized for gentrifying the game in England. “For me, reintroducing terracing to the Premier League would be a step in the right direction. It would bring about an atmosphere and add a certain soul to the match that has been missing,” says Matthew who writes for the Soccerlens blog. The presence of terracing means stadiums can hold more people, which gives the Bundesliga the highest average attendance of any European league. Dortmund’s stadium holds more than 80,000 people and one of the ground’s giant terraced stands, the Sudtribune, has a capacity of 25,000. To put that in context, the entire stadium of England’s Portsmouth FC holds only 20,000. Further enhancing its fan-focused credentials, the cost of entry to Bundesliga games is kept low and can even include transportation to and from the stadium. “To stand on the Sudtribune costs €10 ($13), which is less than watching my local non-league side,” he says. “Even sat in the stands you pay around €20 ($27) in a state-of-the-art stadium, offering a superb view of the action.” The cheapest seat for an adult at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium — the only Premier League ground with a capacity close to that of Dortmund’s stadium — costs €27 ($37). Matthew no longer feels any affinity with the Premier League as he believes it takes fans’ hard-earned cash and leaves them feeling short-changed. “Unless the Premier League and its clubs start to listen to the fans I’m sure there will be more people like me who feel the same and fall out of love with it,” he added. “Whereas the Premier League will always be a four-horse race, the games in Germany are far more exciting and anyone can beat anyone else. This season’s title race is still wide open. “But, ultimately, what matters to me is that I can watch what I consider a superior product, in a foreign country, with all associated costs, for less than it would be to watch a top game in London.”

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Analysis: Is first lady the president’s secret diplomatic weapon?

First lady Michelle Obama can play a role in rebranding America, CNN's Bill Schneider says.
What can the first lady accomplish when she accompanies her husband on his first trip to Europe? She can play a role in the rebranding of America.

President Obama has star power. We saw it when he traveled to Europe during the campaign. So does the first lady: When Michelle Obama accompanies her husband overseas this week for the G-20 summit, it’s likely to double the wattage. “I believe in this nation. And I believe in my husband,” the first lady said in a recent interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Obama remains a figure of hope to the world. But he is not immune from criticism. His policies have been under attack abroad as well as at home. “He talks about a large stimulus campaign by Americans. All of these steps, their combination and their permanency, is a way to hell,” Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said. Some foreign leaders are resentful because the financial crisis that threatens to undermine the world economy started in the United States. Watch more on Obama’s trip to Europe »

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“It was a crisis that was created and spread throughout the world due to the irresponsible behavior of white people, blue-eyed people, that thought they knew everything but are now showing they knew nothing,” Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said. Obama’s mission is to rebrand the United States as a force for change and hope in the world, just as John F. Kennedy once did. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy was an important asset to JFK. Her charm and sophistication were a sensation overseas. Michelle Obama also embodies a new American brand: diversity and accomplishment. “We’re at a time when we’re going to have to try a lot of things. Some of it won’t work; some of them will,” the first lady said. Although her schedule overseas has not been made public, CNN has learned that the first lady will venture out twice on her own. Learn more about the president’s itinerary » In London, England, Michelle Obama will visit a school for underprivileged girls, many of them learning to speak English. She is likely to make a strong statement about women’s rights, as she did recently when she brought together “Women of Courage” at the White House. “The difference between a struggling family and a healthy one is often the presence of a strong woman or women at the center of that family,” she said.

The first lady will also visit the Jewish quarter of Prague, in the Czech Republic, which symbolizes the tragic history of a community that found success and influence in the United States. An African-American first lady will pay tribute to women and Jews. It’s the new face of America.

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How will April Fool’s worm impact you?

Computer users will not know that Conficker.c has infected their machine.
Remember the dire predictions surrounding the ‘millennium bug?’ The doom-and-gloom scenarios bandied about by security analysts on how computers could act when their clocks turned to January 1, 2000?

Well, researchers are hoping that a potential April Fool’s time bomb — the Conficker.c that is supposed to hit computers on April 1 — turns out to be equally unfounded. But realizing that hope alone is not a prudent option, here is a primer on the worm so you can adequately prepare yourself — and your computer. What is Conficker.c and what do analysts fear it may do Conficker.c is a worm, a malicious program thought to have already infected between 5 million and 10 million computers. Those infections haven’t spawned many symptoms, but on April 1 a master computer is scheduled to gain control of these zombie machines, said Don DeBolt, director of threat research for CA, a New York-based IT and software company. What happens on April Fool’s Day is anyone’s guess. The program could delete all of the files on a person’s computer, use zombie PCs — those controlled by a master — to overwhelm and shut down Web sites or monitor a person’s keyboard strokes to collect private information like passwords or bank account information, experts said. More likely, though, said DeBolt, the virus may try to get computer users to buy fake software or spend money on other phony products. Experts said computer hackers largely have moved away from showboating and causing random trouble. They now usually try to make money off their viral programs. Watch more on the worm » How does the Conficker.c work Conficker.c imbeds itself deep in the computer where it is difficult to track. The program, for instance, stops Windows from conducting automatic updates that could prevent it from causing damage.

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The program’s code is also written to evolve over time and its author appears to be making updates to thwart attempts to neuter the worm. Who wrote the program It’s unclear who wrote the program, but anti-work researchers — a group calling itself the Conficker Cabal — are looking for clues. First, they know that some recent programs have come from Eastern European countries outside the jurisdiction of the European Union, said Patrick Morganelli, senior vice president of technology for Enigma Software. Worm program authors often hide in those countries to stay out of sight from law enforcement, he said. In a way, the Conficker Cabal is also looking for the program author’s fingerprints. DeBolt said security researchers are looking through old programs to see if their programming styles are similar to that of Conficker C. The prospects for catching the program’s author are not good, Morganelli said. “Unless they open their mouth, they’ll never be found,” he said. So, the most effective counter-assault simply may be damage control. How can I tell if my computer’s infected One quick way to see if your computer has been infected is to see if you have gotten automatic updates from Windows in March. If so, your computer likely is fine, DeBolt said. Microsoft released a statement saying the company “is actively working with the industry to mitigate the spread of the worm.” Users who haven’t gotten the latest Windows updates should go to http://safety.live.com if they fear they’re infected, the company’s statement says. People who use other antivirus software should check to make sure they’ve received the latest updates, which also could have been disabled by Conficker.c. How did the worm evolve The first version of Conficker — strain A — was released in late 2008. That version used 250 Web addresses — generated daily by the system — as the means of communication between the master computer and its zombies. The end goal of the first line was to sell computer users fake antivirus software, said Morganelli. Computer security experts largely patched that problem by working with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to disable or buy the problematic URLs, he said. A second variant, Conficker.b, was released in January and infected millions more machines. The Conficker, strain C, will generate 50,000 URLs per day instead of just 250 when it becomes active, DeBolt said. What is being done to fight Conficker

Members are searching for the malicious software program’s author and for ways to do damage control if he or she can’t be stopped. They’re motivated in part by a $250,000 bounty from Microsoft.

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Pirates captured after attacking German tanker

Computer users will not know that Conficker.c has infected their machine.
Seven suspected pirates are in German custody after they fired on a naval tanker off the coast of Somalia and were pursued by warships, the German military said.

Well, researchers are hoping that a potential April Fool’s time bomb — the Conficker.c that is supposed to hit computers on April 1 — turns out to be equally unfounded. But realizing that hope alone is not a prudent option, here is a primer on the worm so you can adequately prepare yourself — and your computer. What is Conficker.c and what do analysts fear it may do Conficker.c is a worm, a malicious program thought to have already infected between 5 million and 10 million computers. Those infections haven’t spawned many symptoms, but on April 1 a master computer is scheduled to gain control of these zombie machines, said Don DeBolt, director of threat research for CA, a New York-based IT and software company. What happens on April Fool’s Day is anyone’s guess. The program could delete all of the files on a person’s computer, use zombie PCs — those controlled by a master — to overwhelm and shut down Web sites or monitor a person’s keyboard strokes to collect private information like passwords or bank account information, experts said. More likely, though, said DeBolt, the virus may try to get computer users to buy fake software or spend money on other phony products. Experts said computer hackers largely have moved away from showboating and causing random trouble. They now usually try to make money off their viral programs. Watch more on the worm » How does the Conficker.c work Conficker.c imbeds itself deep in the computer where it is difficult to track. The program, for instance, stops Windows from conducting automatic updates that could prevent it from causing damage.

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The program’s code is also written to evolve over time and its author appears to be making updates to thwart attempts to neuter the worm. Who wrote the program It’s unclear who wrote the program, but anti-work researchers — a group calling itself the Conficker Cabal — are looking for clues. First, they know that some recent programs have come from Eastern European countries outside the jurisdiction of the European Union, said Patrick Morganelli, senior vice president of technology for Enigma Software. Worm program authors often hide in those countries to stay out of sight from law enforcement, he said. In a way, the Conficker Cabal is also looking for the program author’s fingerprints. DeBolt said security researchers are looking through old programs to see if their programming styles are similar to that of Conficker C. The prospects for catching the program’s author are not good, Morganelli said. “Unless they open their mouth, they’ll never be found,” he said. So, the most effective counter-assault simply may be damage control. How can I tell if my computer’s infected One quick way to see if your computer has been infected is to see if you have gotten automatic updates from Windows in March. If so, your computer likely is fine, DeBolt said. Microsoft released a statement saying the company “is actively working with the industry to mitigate the spread of the worm.” Users who haven’t gotten the latest Windows updates should go to http://safety.live.com if they fear they’re infected, the company’s statement says. People who use other antivirus software should check to make sure they’ve received the latest updates, which also could have been disabled by Conficker.c. How did the worm evolve The first version of Conficker — strain A — was released in late 2008. That version used 250 Web addresses — generated daily by the system — as the means of communication between the master computer and its zombies. The end goal of the first line was to sell computer users fake antivirus software, said Morganelli. Computer security experts largely patched that problem by working with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to disable or buy the problematic URLs, he said. A second variant, Conficker.b, was released in January and infected millions more machines. The Conficker, strain C, will generate 50,000 URLs per day instead of just 250 when it becomes active, DeBolt said. What is being done to fight Conficker

Members are searching for the malicious software program’s author and for ways to do damage control if he or she can’t be stopped. They’re motivated in part by a $250,000 bounty from Microsoft.

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Medvedev: I’ll work with Obama to improve relations

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, front, says he wants to work with Barack Obama.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he is ready to work with U.S. President Barack Obama to overcome a recent low point in U.S.-Russian relations.

The Russian leader, writing an op-ed in The Washington Post ahead of Thursday’s G-20 summit in London, said he and Obama have exchanged letters this year that “showed mutual readiness to build mature bilateral relations in a pragmatic and business-like manner.” Medvedev cited a number of possible areas of cooperation between the two countries, starting with nuclear disarmament. He agreed with Obama that resuming the disarmament process should become an “immediate priority.” “The wish to ensure absolute security in a unilateral way is a dangerous illusion,” Medvedev wrote. “I am encouraged that our new partners in Washington realize this.” Both countries see a need for “collective solutions” to the problems in Afghanistan. Conferences on Afghanistan, organized by each country, should be part of a “mutually reinforcing rather than competitive” approach, he said. Medvedev also said the two countries should help take the lead at the G-20 summit to address the state of the global economy.

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Russia and the United States should push for “universal rules and discipline” in the financial sector and discuss the introduction of a supranational reserve currency, potentially under the International Monetary Fund, Medvedev wrote. But Medvedev and Obama’s first meeting — scheduled for Wednesday, the day before the summit — will offer the chance for a new start in their countries’ relationship, the Russian leader said. “Unfortunately, relations soured because of the previous U.S. administration’s plans — specifically, deployment of the U.S. global missile defense system in Eastern Europe, efforts to push NATO’s borders eastward and refusal to ratify the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe,” Medvedev wrote. “All of these positions undermined Russia’s interests and, if implemented, would inevitably require a response on our part.” He said neither country should allow “drift and indifference” in their relationship. “We should agree that overcoming our common negative legacy is possible only by ensuring equality and mutual benefit and by taking into account our mutual interests,” he wrote. “I am ready for such work with President Obama on the basis of these principles, and I hope to begin as early as tomorrow at our first meeting in London before the Group of 20 summit.”

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Poll: Americans believe world leaders respect Obama

A poll indicates eight in 10 Americans think President Obama will represent the United States well to the world.
As Barack Obama takes off for his first overseas trip as president, a new national poll indicates that more than eight in 10 Americans think he will do a good job representing the United States to the world.

And seven in 10 people questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Tuesday, believe that leaders of other countries respect Obama. That last figure is in sharp contrast with George W. Bush. At the start of his presidency in 2001, only 49 percent believed that foreign leaders respected Bush. “Except for the period following the 9/11 attacks, that number never got any better for Bush,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “Even among Republicans, a majority believes that other world leaders respect Obama.” The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted March 12-15, with 1,019 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey’s sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

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Khmer Rouge prison chief takes stand

Duch ran a prison where people were tortured and killed under the Khmer Rouge.
Kaing Guek Eav on Tuesday expressed sorrow for his actions 30 years ago as a prison chief for the Khmer Rouge regime, as he stood before the tribunal trying him for alleged war crimes.

He kept his emotions in check for the most part but cracked slightly during parts of his testimony. Earlier in the day, prosecutors continued to lay out their case against the 66-year-old former math teacher, who is better known as Duch. Once again, prosecutors stressed how Duch actively participated in the torture and killing of some of the 15,000 prisoners at the S-21 facility. The prison played a vital role in the widespread attack on the Cambodian population, they said. Here, men, women and children were shackled to iron beds and tortured — before they were beaten to death, prosecutors said. The trial is taking place just outside the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.

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Spectators, many of them survivors of the abuse, watched the proceedings from an auditorium separated from the courtroom by a large glass window. Many of the victims were military officials or Communist Party members targeted for not going along with the philosophy of the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge movement, prosecutors said. Duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and murder. He has admitted his role in the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal reign. Watch him affirm his identity in court » The movement swept to power in 1975. Three years, eight months and 20 days later, at least 1.7 million people — nearly one-quarter of Cambodia’s population — were dead from execution, disease, starvation and overwork, according to the Documentation Center of Cambodia. S-21 was one of 189 similar institutions across Cambodia. Duch is the first former Khmer Rouge leader to stand trial. The tribunal, which is made up of Cambodian and international judges, does not have the power to impose the death penalty. If convicted, Duch faces from five years to life in prison.

The trial is expected to last three or four months. Four of the regime’s former leaders, also accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, await trial before the tribunal.

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Hundreds feared dead off coast of Libya

A group of 227 migrants sits on a fishing vessel in Malta last month after arriving from Somalia.
Hundreds of people were feared dead on Tuesday after high winds and heavy seas capsized boats carrying African migrants heading for Europe off the coast of Libya.

“A tragedy has happened off the Libyan coast with at least two boats going down … with obviously hundreds of people going down at sea,” Jean-Philippe Chauzy with the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, Switzerland, said Tuesday, citing diplomatic officials in Tripoli and Libyan officials. The vessels departed Sunday and were heading to southern Europe, Egypt’s Middle East News Agency reported Monday. Official casualty figures were not immediately available from Libyan authorities, but Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said only 20 people had been rescued including six Egyptians. Watch as migrants are feared drowned »

Reports of the incident varied widely. Egyptian state television said that two fishing vessels carrying over 600 people sank, while the Egyptian foreign ministry said one fishing boat went down with 257 people on board. Up to three boats sank, according to Chauzy. The migrants were believed to be headed for the Italian island of Lampedusa, where 37,000 landed last year, according to Chauzy, who said many African migrants converge on Libya en route to Europe.

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Truck overturns, killing 23 pilgrims in India


Twenty-three pilgrims died and more than 70 were injured as a truck carrying them overturned in north India, police said Tuesday.

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Hospital: 15 fired for looking at octuplet mom’s file

Nadya Suleman has been the subject of much curiosity since she gave birth to octuplets.
Fifteen employees were fired for improperly accessing medical records of Nadya Suleman, the mother of octuplets, a Kaiser Permanente spokesman said Monday.

“We always provide training on the importance of patient privacy and confidentiality,” said Jim Anderson, the hospital spokesman. “We knew from the time she (Nadya Suleman) was admitted to the hospital in December, this case would attract attention. “Numerous training sessions were held to remind people of the need to keep the information confidential.” Eight other employees were disciplined for accessing Suleman’s files, Anderson said. Anderson said there’s no indication that any of the information was distributed outside the hospital to the media.

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