Reporter’s notebook: Boiling emotions in China

Han Chinese protesters were out in the streets, not far from our hotel near the People’s Square, on Tuesday. A lot of the Han Chinese own shops in the area and there are some hospitals in the vicinity. When we saw the protesters marching in the streets, we simply followed them.

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Talk of drug use continues to dog Jackson’s death

Michael Jackson traveled with what amounted to a "mini-clinic," complete with an IV pole and an anesthesiologist who medicated the insomniac singer, during his HIStory tour in the mid-90s, sources close to Jackson told CNN Thursday. The information sheds new light on perhaps the central unanswered question in Michael Jackson’s death: Were prescription drugs involved On Thursday, the California State Attorney General’s office said that it is helping the Los Angeles police department in the death investigation.

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French PM issues apology over Bastareau

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has apologized to his opposite number in New Zealand, John Key, over the recent "unacceptable behavior" of France rugby center Mathieu Bastareaud. The 20-year-old Stade Francais player, who is the cousin of Arsenal defender William Gallas, has been hospitalized with psychiatric problems after lying over an alleged assault outside the team hotel in Wellington — following France’s 14-10 defeat against the All Blacks on June 20.

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Green walls: the growing success of ‘vegitecture’

Walk past the southern face of the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, and you will be greeted by a massive wall of brilliant green foliage — an 8,600 square feet plant installation by the designer Patrick Blanc, featuring more than 170 different species. The mass of leaves and flowers seems to be swallowing the building — and provides a proud symbol of resurgent nature in this busy, downtown district.

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Langham Yangtze Boutique: Scrubbing Up Nicely

Fans of old Shanghai style rejoice: another of the city’s Art Deco beauties has been buffed, polished and restored to its former shine, this time by Langham Hotels. The onetime Yangtze Hotel on Hankou Road — now called the Langham Yangtze Boutique — was built 75 years ago to cater for the city’s Chinese élite

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Million-selling artist intimidated by ‘Idol’

For someone who claims to be incredibly laid back, Jason Mraz is certainly piling up the accomplishments. The singer-songwriter was the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award at last week’s Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee ceremony in New York. The honor typically goes to newcomers striking a chord in the music industry

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Is it OK to steal hotel amenities?

I stole a laundry bag from the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires. It was made of thick ivory linen, embroidered with the words "dry cleaning" in cerulean blue, and looked like something that I could have found at an antique textiles show. But that wasn’t the case

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Cries in the dark: ‘God is great’

Even sequestered by government order in our hotel, we could still hear the sounds of protests in the night. TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — Even sequestered by government order in our hotel, we could still hear the sounds of protests in the night. Voices shouted “God is great!” from rooftops, from faces hidden in the dark

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Iran bans foreign journalists from covering rallies

Iran’s government Tuesday banned foreign media from covering rallies in Tehran being held in the wake of last week’s disputed presidential election. The decision comes after video footage emerged showing violence at demonstrations in support of opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi. Moussavi has contested the results of Friday’s election, which showed an overwhelming victory for hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

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