Sex, Lies And American Justice: French Still Try To Understand Strauss-Kahn Case (Time.com)

By PIOTR SMOLAR / LE MONDE / WORLDCRUNCH Piotr Smolar / Le Monde / Worldcrunch – Sat Jul 2, 2:25 am ET

This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in Le Monde.

The startling turnaround in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn affaire has nothing to do with what happened May 14 in the now famous Sofitel hotel room 2806. It is all about the credibility of the plaintiff, the Guinean housekeeper who has accused "DSK" of sexual assault. For the American judicial system, in its Protestant and Puritan culture, lying is considered absolutely unacceptable.

According to the revelations in the New York Times, and subsequent details from prosecutors, there was a healthy amount of incoherence in the statements of the Sofitel Hotel employee. (See pictures of the legal battle of DSK.)

"The American system is based on truth," explains Arthur Dethomas, a Parisian lawyer who is also a member of the New York bar. "Litigants take an oath, they swear not to lie, even in matters that involve themselves. In France, on the contrary, a person who is testifying on his own case is not required to be sworn in, because it is assumed that he can protect himself."

The French system thus gives the accuser a sort of "right to lie." In court, before any statement is recorded, the witnesses are questioned about their connections with the individuals involved in the case. Are they close friends or relatives? Have they had any connection of dependence on them, such as a salary?

According to Dethomas, the revelations mark a decisive turn of events in the investigation. "It has to do with an unexpected affair in a closed room, between two individuals," says the lawyer. "The accusation rests on a sexual encounter between them. For a rape to be established, there must be an absence of consent. If the person who claims to have not given consent ceases to be credible, it's over. Even the fact that she possibly lied on a federal document, the application she filled out for refugee status, would be a felony, a perjury sufficient enough to disqualify everything else she says." (Who was Strauss-Kahn's accuser?)

U.S. Justice Works Both Ways

Between France and the United States, the differences in judicial philosophy and practice, notably concerning the status of the victim, explains part of the incomprehension coming from this side of the Atlantic. But so too does the soap opera of a judicial procedure that has taken place since the beginning in New York against Dominique Strauss-Kahn: his being paraded before the media, handcuffed in front of the cameras, his three-day temporary detention, then the heavy weight given to the prosecution, in contrast to the tactical silence of the defense. "In its brutality, the American justice system works both ways," says a Parisian lawyer.

For his part, Patrick Baudoin, a lawyer as well as the honorary president of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), listened rather incredulously to the avalanche of commentaries since the latest turn of events. "One thing struck me: as soon as certain unfavorable, thorny elements were discovered in the past history of the plaintiff, it was deduced that her testimony no longer stands."

Baudoin himself encountered the ways of the American justice system when he defended the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, accused of having wanted to participate in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The comparison between the United States and France prompted him to distinguish justice from public life. "In terms of public morality, it is much better in the United States," he notes. "In France, there is much more leeway and allowance for half-truths. However, in terms of law, it is striking to see what is going on in the United States from one extreme to another. We saw a vilified and reviled DSK who was being dragged through the mud. Suddenly, the victim, who contrary to the French system is merely a witness and not a plaintiff, is discredited." (See pictures of the flashly life of Strauss-Kahn.)

The lie is not only a "mortal sin" inside the courtrooms of America. It is also devastating in front of the cameras. In 1998, Bill Clinton was nearly thrown out of office through an impeachment procedure for having been accused of perjury in the Monica Lewinsky affair. He was not criticized for having a sexual relation with his assistant, but for having lied about it.

In the same way and more recently, the Democratic representative Anthony Weiner had to resign from his position in Congress on June 21. He had sent risquE photos of himself in his underwear through his Twitter account. But the reason for his fall was caused by his first version of the facts, which were misleading and dishonest. He had pretended that his account was hacked. This insupportable line of defense forced him, within a few days, to backtrack and confess with sobs in his voice in front of the cameras. It was already too late.

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See France's reaction to the collapse of the DSK case.

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Venezuela gov't, army insist Chavez still in charge (Reuters)

CARACAS (Reuters) – Military and civilian allies of Venezuela's convalescent President Hugo Chavez insisted on Friday he was still running the OPEC oil-producing nation despite his prolonged absence in Cuba for the removal of a cancerous tumor.

Army chief General Henry Rangel Silva and ministers moved quickly to head off speculation about a possible power vacuum or political infighting after Chavez, 56, revealed late on Thursday he was still receiving treatment after the operation.

He did not say when he would be back from Cuba, where he disappeared from public view after surgery on June 10. Nor did he specify the treatment he is receiving, leading to rumors the malignant cells may have spread, requiring chemotherapy.

Local media had said Chavez could have prostate cancer.

The absence of the charismatic leader -- who has dominated Venezuelan politics since 1999 and projected his leftist views across Latin America and the world -- have raised doubts about his ability to campaign for a presidential election in 2012.

It was also a humbling admission of mortality from a usually supremely confident politician with a string of election wins who has often taunted his foes with the prospect of staying in power until 2021.

With doubts swirling over how long his recovery could take and opponents questioning how Venezuela should be ruled in his absence, Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua insisted Chavez was in "full exercise of authority" from Cuba.

"Let no one have any doubts -- it's Chavez who's in charge here," Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez echoed.

One source close to the Venezuelan medical team that is following Chavez's recovery said the diagnosis had revealed a cancer that required aggressive treatment that could take several months. A wing of the Caracas Military Hospital was being prepared to receive him when he returns, the source said.

No official public updates on Chavez's detailed medical condition have been released since his own account late on Thursday.

While wishing Chavez a prompt recovery, the opposition accused the government of lying about his condition.

CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES?

They also argued that under the constitution, he should delegate powers in the case of prolonged illness or absence.

"We don't know when the president is returning ... There could be a flood of demands (arguing this) in the courts," said Ramon Aveledo, leader of the Democratic Unity opposition bloc.

General Rangel Silva said the military, a pillar of support for Chavez's leftist government, would guarantee constitutional order during Chavez's absence.

The president, he said, would be home soon. "He is getting better, he's fine," Rangel told state television.

To bolster the message that Chavez remained in charge, state TV on Friday showed a video of the talkative president chairing a mini-cabinet meeting in Havana on Wednesday.

"We shouldn't let our guard down for a moment. Onwards, at a victory pace," Chavez said in the recorded video, in which he said rehabilitation included daily walks and a special diet.

He said his friend and mentor, former Cuban President Fidel Castro, sent him treats like peanut butter and cooked lamb.

Chavez, one of the world's fiercest critics of Washington, confirmed postponement of a regional summit scheduled for July 5 in Venezuela on the 200th anniversary of its independence.

Markets have generally reacted positively to news of Chavez's health problems, on the presumption they improve the chances of a more business-friendly government. Venezuela's benchmark 2027 rose 1.750 points to 76.563.

"Political vacuums are rarely to be encouraged but this one could lead to a slowdown in public spending and could raise the likelihood of an opposition victory in the next elections and thus a less confrontational governing style," said Richard Segal, an emerging markets analyst at Jefferies in London.

U.S. CAUTIOUS, A WORRY FOR CUBA

Washington, which accuses Chavez of authoritarian rule in a major U.S. oil supplier, said it saw no immediate instability.

"This is clearly a personal matter and something that he and his family are dealing with," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing in Washington.

"We're sympathetic to that. But we don't have any reason to believe there's anything involving stability there."

Chavez's illness however is a source of concern for his main political ally Cuba, for whom Venezuela is a key economic benefactor and oil supplier.

Chavez allies vowed they will continue his leftist drive, which has included nationalization of much of the economy.

In Caracas shantytowns, where Chavez is still widely loved for using oil revenues to build new clinics and schools, supporters saluted him overnight with fireworks.

"He's alive! He's alive!" one group shouted.

Opposition leaders, seeking to rally around a unity candidate to be picked in February for the 2012 presidential vote, may see the news as a sign Chavez is weakened.

"It is impossible to deduce if he will or will not be in a physical state and the right mood to go into the 2012 campaign," said local analyst Luis-Vicente Leon.

The opposition was trying hard to avoid appearing gleeful at Chavez's ill health, although some detractors posted vitriolic messages on Twitter and other sites.

Known for eight-hour speeches and frequent camera appearances, Chavez left Venezuela in near silence and its government functioning at half-steam for almost three weeks after the June 10 operation to remove a pelvic abscess.

"The president looks fallible for the first time and it may be only a matter of time before the cracks begin to appear, potentially between a civilian and a more military wing (in government)," the British-based LatinNews newsletter said.

Latin American leaders sent messages of solidarity.

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, treated for cancer last year, wished him "faith" and "strength." Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, an erstwhile foe who has patched up his relationship with Chavez, wished him a "speedy recovery."

(Additional reporting by Mario Naranjo, Daniel Wallis, Deisy Buitrago, Diego Ore, Eyanir Chinea and Girish Gupta in Caracas, Jeff Franks in Havana, Andrew Quinn in Washington, Carolyn Cohn in London; Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Bill Trott)

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Chavez back on TV, but still no info on health (AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela – Hugo Chavez has reappeared in photos and videos on state television, chatting with Fidel Castro in Cuba after a prolonged seclusion following surgery that has left Venezuelans guessing about their president's health.

The images aired Tuesday night were the first to be released in 10 days and showed Chavez talking animatedly, both on his feet next to Castro and seated alongside one of his daughters.

Venezuelan government officials again said the 56-year-old Chavez is recuperating smoothly after pelvic surgery, but they gave no details about his condition or about when he might return home.

"We see him recovering, fully recovering," Information Minister Andres Izarra said on state television as the short video clips and photographs were shown of Chavez standing and talking with Castro outdoors with trees in the background.

Izarra said the encounter in Cuba took place Tuesday, and Cuban state television also broadcast pictures of the get-together.

Usually a prolific speaker who makes televised speeches most days, Chavez has been largely out of sight since the government announced June 10 that he had undergone pelvic surgery. He spoke once in a telephone call to state television two days after the operation, and appeared in photographs alongside both Fidel and Raul Castro that were published June 18.

Chavez has said the surgery removed a pelvic abscess, yet a lack of details about his condition has fed widespread speculation and talk in Venezuela that the president might be very ill.

Vice President Elias Jaua has led government events in Chavez's absence. The leftist president's elder brother, Adan, rallied supporters at a Sunday prayer meeting for Chavez's health.

While Venezuelans have wondered and debated about Chavez's long silence, his political allies have insisted he is improving and is firmly in control of affairs in Venezuela.

Still, officials have not said how soon Chavez might return to Venezuela, which next week will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of its independence from Spain.

At one point in the videos, Chavez and Castro look at a copy of the Tuesday edition of Cuba's Communist Party newspaper Granma and apparently discuss it.

"They discussed different current events," Izarra said.

Chavez wore a track suit jacket with the colors of Venezuela's flag while Castro sported a red baseball cap and a blue and white track suit.

"There we are seeing commander Chavez very dynamic," Izarra said, describing the images and adding that he spoke with Chavez earlier Tuesday about government-related issues.

The words of Chavez and Castro were inaudible, and Venezuelan folk music played during the short presentation of video clips and photos.

Some of Chavez's political opponents were not convinced Chavez looked healthy in the images.

"I saw him looking very thin. His face looked very thin," said Gustavo Azocar, an opposition politician. "I find it strange that state television shows the president talking with Fidel Castro, but it does not broadcast him talking to the country."

Opposition politicians have complained that the government has not provided adequate information about Chavez's health, and some have suggested the president should temporarily cede his duties to the vice president.

Chavez's allies have said that is not necessary. On state television, Izarra held up a document that he said Chavez had signed Tuesday approving funds for a government housing project.

Izarra's Twitter account carried a message earlier in the day suggesting Chavez is energetically tending to his day-to-day duties, saying the president is governing "like a dynamo" following the operation.

Cuban state television also broadcast a one-minute segment on the meeting showing the same pictures, including some with Chavez's daughter Rosa sitting with the two men.

Cuba's report also gave no details about Chavez's health, but said Wednesday afternoon's newscast would offer more information about the encounter.

___

Associated Press writers Peter Orsi in Havana and Christopher Toothaker and Jorge Rueda in Caracas contributed to this report.

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It Won the Confidence Vote, but Greece's Government Still Has Everything to Lose (Time.com)

For Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, winning the vote of confidence in Parliament was the easy part. His ruling Socialists hold a slim majority, and last week's cabinet reshuffle elevated party hardliners to keep rogue deputies in line. The vote, held just after midnight on Wednesday morning, passed 155 to 143.

Now, back to the hard part: Papandreou's embattled government resumes the deeply unpopular austerity program that's supposed to save Greece from defaulting on its massive national debt. Euro-zone leaders say the government must approve €28 billion of cuts, tax hikes, financial reforms and privatization in a June 28 vote before Greece receives the latest installment of bailout loans to allow it to keep paying off its debts. (See pictures of protests in Greece.)

Since last year, when Greece imposed a program of deep budget cuts and tax hikes in exchange for more than $150 billion in bailout loans from the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF), austerity has increasingly become a dirty word for many Greeks. "Austerity means unemployment, a dead economy and a 45% cut to my pension after I worked almost 40 years to get it," says Dimtrios Kountomerkos, a 58-year-old Athenian who retired from the Hellenic Air Force two years ago. "And still, after all these cuts, everyone says we're going to default again. What's the point?"

Kountomerkos and two of his friends were among the thousands who were waiting outside Parliament last night for the outcome of the vote. They drank beer and booed each time a deputy voted to support Papandreou's government. Most of the crowd was aligned with the aganaktizemenoi, the revolution-minded Greeks who have camped out for weeks in Syntagma Square across the street from Parliament. Modeled after Spain's young indignados, who protested their nation's own austerity cuts, the aganaktizemenoi represent the most visible revolt against Papandreou, whom they deride as a weak leader carrying out orders from international lenders instead of looking out for the Greek people. Many of these protesters are left-wing activists who oppose capitalism and blame banks for Greece's problems. They want to upend a political system they see as irrevocably broken, and call Papandreou's government a "junta" to associate it with the military dictatorship that ruled the country from 1967-74. It's a painful jab at Papandreou, who hails from Greece's most powerful family, which was chased out of the country by the military dictators. (See more on Greece's debt crisis.)

The aganaktizemenoi may be using a dated template to create a fresh revolution, but they have mobilized Greeks who have been quietly stewing about the country's downward economic spiral. Yet, the Syntagma protesters offer no clear solutions on how to save Greece from its debt crisis, says Stathis Kalyvas, a political-science professor at Yale. "It's a protest movement, so they know what they're against, but what they are for is very fuzzy," he says. "But it's an important movement in that it makes 'political time,' which is usually glacial, move faster - and it's clear Greek politicians have to move much, much faster on this crisis."

To do so, the Socialists must, at the very least, stay unified. That's easier now that Papandreou has brought in Evangelos Venizelos as the new finance minister and deputy prime minister. Venizelos, a 54-year-old constitutional-law scholar and former defense minister, is a forceful politician who is both widely respected and feared. He is also the Prime Minister's longtime foe, having unsuccessfully challenged Papandreou in 2007 for leadership of the PASOK party. "Venizelos is considered a tough, serious guy," says Ioannis Tsarmougelis, an economics professor at the University of the Aegean. "He is someone who commands attention in the party." (See why another Greek bailout is a bad idea.)

Passing the latest austerity measures also looks easier now. The new measures include more cuts to public spending, as well as tax hikes and a privatization plan. One part of this privatization includes reducing Greece's holding in the state-run electricity company, the Public Power Corporation (PPC). The PPC's union, Genop, says the privatization will lead to higher rates for consumers at a time when they're finding it hard to pay their bills. Genop is protesting with 48 hours of rolling power cuts that began Tuesday.

The most controversial part of the new austerity package is the government's plan to trim the public sector by 150,000 workers. Many Greeks consider the public sector bloated and inefficient, but cutting it will cost the government dearly politically. For decades, both PASOK and the main opposition New Democracy party crammed the public sector with their cadres, regardless of their qualifications, as a way to curry favor with supporters. "It's been a no-go zone for politicians for years, but the public sector must be overhauled," says political analyst Dimitris Skalkos. "It's the first step to wean Greek politicians from their dependence on special interests, and it will also open up this economy."

The public-sector union, ADEDY, will join the private-sector union in a 48-hour strike next Monday and Tuesday, when Parliament is supposed to discuss and vote on the new fiscal measures. Meanwhile, the Syntagma protesters are vowing to stay in the square until new elections are called. They say public opinion is on their side: According to a survey by Kapa Research for To Vima newspaper, more than 47% of Greeks surveyed oppose new austerity measures and want early elections. Papandreou is vowing to finish his government's term, which ends in 2013. (See how one year after the bailout, Greece is still hurting.)

Many analysts say Papandreou's government is doomed, and new elections are inevitable. But they also acknowledge that stability is crucial as markets and creditors watch Greece right now. The government is in talks with international lenders about a second bailout that could be as large as last year's package. The hard part, for Greece and for Europe, is far from over.

See pictures of the global financial crisis.

See photos of the Greeks' spring of protest.

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Gates: U.S. must work still with Pakistan

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, right, and Adm. Mike Mullen appear Wednesday at a Senate subcommittee hearing.NEW: 27 senators call for revising the mission in Afghanistan Adm. Mullen says budget cuts are "painful ... but they're absolutely necessary"Defense Secretary Gates notes that allies lie to and spy on the United StatesGates will step down at the end of June

Washington (CNN) -- The nation's top military man warned Wednesday that the United States must continue to work with Pakistan as a partner despite years of mistrust.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen did not directly refer to the latest point of tension between the countries: Pakistani authorities' arrests of people who provided assistance and information before the successful raid on the Osama bin Laden compound and the killing of the al Qaeda leader.

However, Mullen said Pakistan remains crucial to U.S. strategy.

"We must continue to pursue a partnership with Pakistan," Mullen told the Senate Appropriation panel's defense subcommittee. "The alternative -- drifting toward a more contentious or fractured relationship -- is far more detrimental to U.S. interests in strategically defeating al Qaeda and ensuring nuclear weapons do not fall into terrorists' possession."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates appeared with Mullen to give his last testimony before his retirement at the end of the month. When asked about rocky relations with allies such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, Gates offered some political reality on global diplomacy.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, asked Gates how long the United States should support "governments that lie to us," adding: "When do we say enough is enough?"

Gates responded that "based on 27 years in the CIA and four and a half years in this job, most governments lie to each other. That's the way business gets done."

"Do they also arrest the people that help us when they say they are allies?" Leahy asked, in clear reference to Pakistan's actions against officials who helped the U.S. raid on bin Laden's compound.

"Sometimes," Gates said, "and sometimes they send people to spy on us and they are our close allies.

"That's the real world that we deal with."

Wednesday's hearing examined the defense budget in a political climate of increasing pressure to reduce spending. Since the killing of bin Laden, calls have increased to end the Afghanistan mission earlier than the 2014 target date set by NATO.

President Barack Obama has long said the initial withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan would begin in July, and the question now is how large of a first step he will take. Military commanders are preparing recommendations, and Obama is expected to make a decision in coming weeks.

A letter Wednesday from 27 senators to Obama called for revising the Afghanistan mission, starting with a "significant and sizable" reduction in U.S. forces there beginning in July.

"According to our own intelligence officials, al Qaeda no longer has a large presence in Afghanistan, and, as the strike against bin Laden demonstrated, we have the capacity to confront our terrorist enemies with a dramatically smaller footprint," said the letter signed by 24 Democrats, two Republicans and one independent who caucuses with the Democrats. "The costs of prolonging the war far outweigh the benefits. It is time for the United States to shift course in Afghanistan."

It urged Obama "to follow through on the pledge you made to the American people to begin the redeployment of U.S. forces from Afghanistan this summer, and to do so in a manner that is sizable and sustained, and includes combat troops as well as logistical and support forces."

Mullen, however, warned Wednesday of increased problems in the region if the United States backs out of the Afghanistan mission now. The result probably would be a need to return a decade from now to face "a more dangerous situation," he said.

In response to concerns about the commitment to shared goals by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Gates said one problem has been that the United States and its allies have failed to listen when Karzai raised specific complaints. Karzai has gone public about problems involving alliance forces long after he first raised the issues with U.S. and NATO commanders, Gates said.

According to Gates, Karzai has told him he plans to step down when his current term ends in 2014, which also is the year when the U.S.-led mission is supposed to turn over all security responsibility to Afghanistan forces.

Referring to Obama's goal of cutting $400 billion from the Pentagon budget over the next five years, Gates again warned that the wrong kinds of cuts and reduced funding for the military carry additional risk for the nation.

Mullen noted the difficult choices ahead, saying they will be "painful ... but they're absolutely necessary." At the same time, he told the panel that reducing U.S. military forces will necessarily affect the ability to conduct future operations.

"I'm actually pretty comfortable with where we are right now," Mullen said, later adding: "If we have to reduce our force structure, it will have an impact in the long run."

Both Gates and Mullen were talking about next year's defense budget, which includes $553 billion and an additional $117 billion for overseas operations, primarily the war in Afghanistan. Gates, just back from his 12th visit to Afghanistan, said he had seen "impressive progress" there.

Noting that the appearance was his last before the committee, Gates joked, "This time I mean it" in reference to having stayed in his job under Obama despite his known eagerness to retire earlier.

CNN's Tom Cohen and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.

CNN

Libyan rebels say still fighting near capital (Reuters)

ZAWIYAH, Libya (Reuters) – Libyan rebels said they were fighting forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for a second day in the town of Zawiyah on Sunday, bringing the revolt against Gaddafi's rule close to the capital.

A spokesman for the government in Tripoli said rebels had tried to enter Zawiyah, about 50 km (30 miles) from Tripoli, but had been stopped by government troops and defeated on Saturday.

But a rebel in the town contradicted that, saying heavy fighting was still taking place on Sunday, and a Reuters reporter taken on a Libyan government-organised visit to parts of Zawiyah heard shots being fired near the central square.

Zawiyah was the scene of fierce battles soon after a nationwide rebellion against Gaddafi's 41-year rule in February. His security forces snuffed out the rebels in Zawiyah, a prelude to the revolt elsewhere in Libya losing its initial momentum.

Three months later, the war has shifted against Gaddafi, with his grip on power weakened by defections in his entourage, the impact of sanctions on supplies and NATO air strikes that have struck his compound in Tripoli.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, in an interview with Reuters, said there was a growing confidence that Gaddafi's "days are numbered."

Libyan state television broadcast images of Gaddafi -- who has been keeping a low public profile since NATO began its air strikes -- meeting Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the president of the international chess federation.

Ilyumzhinov, quoted by Russian news agencies, said he played a game of chess in Tripoli with the Libyan leader, who told him he had no intention of leaving his country.

The fresh outbreak of fighting in Zawiyah, which is the site of a big oil refinery, marks the closest the armed rebellion has come to Gaddafi's stronghold in the capital for months.

Asked about the government assertion the revolt there had been defeated, a rebel spokesman in Zawiyah told Reuters by telephone: "It is not true."

"The revolutionaries (rebels) control several parts of the coastal road linking Tripoli to Tunisia and skirmishes are still going on in the center of the city," said the spokesman, who gave his name as M'hamed Ezzawi.

Speaking earlier, Ezzawi said 13 rebel fighters and civilians, including a 7-year-old boy, had been killed in the clashes on Saturday.

REBELS "WEAK AND UNPOPULAR"

Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters at a news conference in Tripoli that a rebel force numbering no more than 100 attacked a checkpoint outside Zawiyah on Saturday.

He said government forces killed and captured some rebels, with the rest now surrounded in an area west of Zawiyah and negotiating their surrender.

"This is just another proof of how weak and unpopular they (the rebels) are," Ibrahim said. The rebels "cannot achieve any advance against the Libyan government," he said.

Foreign journalists were taken to Zawiyah on Sunday under the supervision of government officials. They were allowed into the eastern part of the town and the central square, but not the western side where rebels say they are fighting.

The square was almost deserted except for a few police officers and soldiers. A Reuters reporter heard three gunshots to the west of the city center. The eastern side seemed normal, with people going about their business and vehicles on the streets.

DEADLY ATTACKS

Though weakened after months of fighting and NATO attacks, Gaddafi's forces have not buckled.

An ambulance worker in rebel-held Misrata, Libya's third-biggest city, said six rebel fighters were killed by pro-Gaddafi forces when they clashed in farmland between Misrata and the neighbouring town of Zlitan.

Workers at a field hospital near the front line used buckets of water to wash away blood that gathered on the floor after ambulances and pick-up trucks brought in dozens of wounded fighters, a Reuters reporter in Misrata said.

Later, NATO warplanes were in the sky over the city and then the sound of an air strike could be heard hitting the area to the west of the city where the fighting had taken place.

Pro-Gaddafi forces also killed five people when they fired mortars and Russian-made Grad rockets at Zintan, part of the rebel-held Western Mountains region, according to a rebel spokesman.

"The shelling is still going on ... The revolutionaries are trying to defend the town," he said.

REBEL RECOGNITION

The United Arab Emirates said it recognised the rebel Transitional National Council, based in the eastern city of Benghazi, joining a small but growing list of states which view the council as Libya's legitimate representatives.

Gaddafi says he has no intention of bowing to international pressure to step down. He has called the NATO intervention with warplanes and attack helicopters an act of colonial aggression aimed at grabbing Libya's plentiful oil.

But the rebellion is inching closer to the capital as rebels gradually expand the territory they hold and reports emerge of new unrest flaring up in towns elsewhere in Libya.

Rudd, the Australian foreign minister, spoke of messages coming from various levels of Gadaffi's administration "seeking contact with the outside world about possible accommodations."

"There's a growing confidence across the international community that this guy's days are numbered," Rudd said during a visit to London.

"And when you start to have feelers from the core of the Gadaffi regime about how this guy can be accommodated, then I think the writing starts to be on the wall."

In Tripoli -- Gaddafi's main stronghold -- residents have told Reuters of anti-Gaddafi protests, though these have been quickly dispersed by his security forces.

"The districts of Tripoli are waiting for a signal so they can all rise up together," said a resident of the city who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals.

NATO member states are keen for a quick resolution in Libya because voters do not want another long, costly conflict along the lines of those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(Additional reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed in Algiers, Mussab Al-Khairall in Tripoli, Matt Robinson in Misrata, Kate Kelland in London, Andrew Hammond in Dubai and Jan Strupczewski in Brussels; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Matthew Jones)

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Cable Is Still King, Says Netflix CEO (The Atlantic Wire)

Netflix may be winning the Internet, but it's still not loosening the stranglehold of cable TV giants on American consumers, said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings at All Things D's D9 conference. Hastings was asked by journalist Kara Swisher if he was "encouraging cord-cutting," which he denied, adding that the cable TV industry is as strong as ever. "Statistically, no one is dropping cable," he said, noting that cable subscriptions increased this year. He said Comcast, the country's largest cable company, was Netflix's greatest competitor and that he was concerned about its new Xfinity app for the iPad. "We have to continue to push the edge on Internet television, because we're a national, and trying to be a global, company." During the Q&A session, a voice in the crowd pushed back saying "I don't care what the stats say, I see kids cutting cable, not getting cable." Reed reiterated that cable subscriptions were not shrinking, "It's not happening... Maybe with some kids, but once kids get a job, they hook up. Maybe in 50, 100 years it's an issue."

The remarks deflate the enthusiasm from tech pundits last month that Netflix is gaining on Comcast, an idea proffered after Netflix announced it doubled its subscribers to 23.6 million while Comcast has 22.8 million customers.

In other moments of the interview, Hastings weighed in on his Netflix wish list (an HBO urban drama that's been getting quite a few shoutouts lately)

Q: What’s the show you really, really want to offer?

A: The Wire. (Right!) But’s it’s an HBO show. Won't get it without a big, big check.

He also spoke about his relationship with content providers and efforts to combat piracy.

Q: You used to be the scourge of Hollywood. Now they like you. Is that just about money?

Hastings: Yes. “The whole relationship thing is overstated.” Pay them and they like you.

Q: Licensing content kills most tech companies. You made it work.”What would you do if you were god” to change rules on content licensing?

A: Well, its worked well for us so far. Content companies want to make money. If you can help them, it works out. We’ve very proud that were outcompeting piracy in the US. Love to see if we can do it in Korea.

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E-Book report: Nook is up, iPad still catching up (AP)

NEW YORK – As the publishing industry wrapped up four days of digital talk at its annual national convention, Amazon.com's Kindle was seen as the clear, if not dominant, player in the growing e-market; Barnes & Noble's Nook was considered a pleasant surprise and Apple's iPad an underachiever.

"They had a respectable launch, but we think Apple can do better," Penguin Group (USA) CEO David Shanks said this week during BookExpo America, which ended Thursday at the Jacob Javits Center. "They still haven't moved their e-books into their iTunes store, and they can have a much better search capability in their iBookstore."

"The iPad offers so many audio visual applications that reading is not given as much priority as it is in dedicated (reading only) devices like the Nook and Kindle," says literary agent Richard Curtis.

More than 20 million iPads and iPad 2s have been sold over the past year, and the iBookstore is also available on more than 160 million additional devices through the iPhone and iPod. But publishers and agents say Apple is not yet the balance to Amazon.com for which they had hoped. They estimate that Apple sales are around 10 percent of the e-market, far behind the believed 60 percent to 65 percent for Amazon. Publishers and agents say e-books are at least 15 percent to 20 percent of overall sales, more than double from just a year ago.

Apple spokesman Jason Roth declined to comment on any specific criticisms, but did say that the iBookstore had over 150,000 titles — an Amazon spokesman says the the Kindle store has more than 950,000 — and that more than 100 million books had been downloaded worldwide through the iBookstore. He would not say how many were downloads of free books. Selections at the iBookstore were greatly improved this year when Random House Inc., publisher of Stieg Larsson and John Grisham among others, agreed to sell through Apple after resolving differences over pricing.

Brian Murray, CEO of HarperCollins Publishers, said iBookstore sales were "a little smaller than expected," but he praised the iPad as a multimedia breakthrough that enabled publishers to sell e-picture books and "enhanced" e-books that include video and sound.

"There are certainly areas for improvement, as there are with every book retailer and device," he said. "But the promise of having another platform where books can be discovered is still true today. The potential is enormous."

A strong No. 2 to Amazon has emerged, but it's Barnes & Noble, which launched the Nook late in 2009 to skepticism about everything from the name "Nook" to the design. David Pogue in The New York Times had mocked the Nook's "half-baked software" and called the device "an anesthetized slug."

But Barnes & Noble has worked to improve the Nook and to offer different types, including a touch screen version announced this week. The company promoted the Nook relentlessly through its superstores and now has around 25 percent of e-sales, publishers say.

David Young, CEO of the Hachette Book Group, said the Nook's success had "frankly astounded" him. Random House CEO Markus Dohle acknowledged he was initially "worried a bit" about the Nook, but praised Barnes & Noble for its "extraordinary accomplishment."

Even the American Booksellers Association, the trade group representing independent sellers, was congratulating its longtime rival.

"They've married the physical location to the e-book device in a way that is profound," says Len Vlahos, the association's chief operating officer.

BookExpo America is a combination of trade show, seminar, soapbox and family reunion, with agents, authors, booksellers and publishers assembled under the Javits roof and in and out of the center's erratic Wi-Fi. The convention is also a testament to the endless and surprising variety of publishers, where a booth this week for the Lebanese Ministry of Culture stood across the aisle from a display of American Girl products.

Among the "buzz" books were the novels "The Art of Fielding" by Chad Harbach and Erin Morgenstern's "The Night Circus." Buzz words included "petting zoo," meaning an in-store selection of e-book devices that customers are allowed to handle; and "showroom," the latest pitch for the value of a physical, "bricks and mortar" store.

Membership in the booksellers association has increased for two straight years after decades of decline, and independents are encouraged by the Nook because they think it demonstrates that old-fashioned bookstores, "showrooms," remain the best way to promote books.

With Borders closing stores and Barnes & Noble committing more space to the Nook, publishers are looking to independents to ensure the tradition of spontaneous discovery, a passer-by spotting a new release in the window or a browser finding an old paperback on a shelf.

"Independents are going to be OK, I genuinely feel," says David Young of Hachette. "We care about the all physical stores, and that includes the chains, because they're our showrooms. It's a good term and one at the moment you can't replicate online."

Independents are not ignoring e-books. Around 250 have signed with Google and its e-book store, which opened last December and which Vlahos of the booksellers association praised as a valuable addition. Synonymous with Internet searching, Google has positioned itself as a bridge between different kinds of devices and retailers, a peacemaker on the e-battlefield.

Some publishers and booksellers would like more noise, though. Brian Murray of HarperCollins says he's disappointed with Google sales, which even Google acknowledges have been small so far. At an information session hosted by Google, booksellers questioned the company's aversion to advertising.

Google's director of strategic partnerships, Tom Turvey, says that spending "lots and lots" of money on ads was unlikely. But he noted that the store was relatively new and was confident that sales would increase as more readers learned about it, whether online, through an e-book device or through the bookstores promoting it. Michael Norris of Simba criticized Google for not having "thought out their e-book strategy all the way through." But Turvey said the Google store was evolving as planned.

"My entire team comes from the book business," says Turvey, a former director of online sales and marketing at HarperCollins. "We understand the issues extremely well."

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U.N.: N. Korea still trades banned arms

North Korea is doing deals in banned weapons with Iran and others, a U.N. report saysThe investigating panel finds "loopholes" and "vulnerabilities" exploited by North Korea"Prohibited ballistic missile-related items" are suspected to have been traded with Iran

United Nations (CNN) -- A new unpublished U.N. report claims North Korea continues to trade banned weapons technology with several countries, including Iran.

The report, which was examined by CNN Monday, was compiled by a U.N. panel of experts looking into Security Council violations by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The report asserts that North Korea has "continued to defy the bans on imports and exports of nuclear-related items, of conventional arms and of luxury goods." In addition, the document says that "the panel has discovered loopholes and other vulnerabilities in shipping and transportation practices that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and others have exploited."

One of those trading partners in weaponry and technology, according to the report, is the Islamic Republic of Iran. The panel of experts found "prohibited ballistic missile-related items are suspected to have been transferred" between North Korea and Iran "on regular scheduled flights of Air Koryo and Iran Air."

The North Koreans have also used cargo flights and handling because such flights "lack the kind of monitoring and security to which passenger terminals and flights are now subject."

North Korea was targeted with sanctions by the U.N. Security Council starting in 2006 after it had conducted several nuclear and ballistic tests over the years.

The report detailed several examples of illicit arms or technology sales by North Korea that were stopped:

-- Thailand reported North Korean arms seized in December 2009 at Dom Muang Airport. The markings of crates suggested the 35 tons of arms were probably part of multiple shipments, possibly headed to Myanmar.

-- The panel learned about weapons that would have been delivered to Burundi in October 2009 by a Ukrainian company, possibly by the same aircraft that was impounded two months later in Thailand from North Korea.

-- Two states inspected a seized shipment containing propellant for use in Scud-type missiles en route from the North Korea to a Middle Eastern country that diplomats identified to CNN as Iran.

Calls seeking comment from the North Korean mission at the United Nations were not immediately returned.

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Poll: Some still question Obama's birthplace

WASHINGTON — President Obama released his long-form birth certificate last month, confirming he was born in Hawaii, but that hasn't settled the question of his birthplace for some Americans.

A copy of the long form version of President Barack Obama's birth certificate from Hawaii.

In a Gallup Poll taken May 5-8, 47% of those surveyed — less than a majority — say they believe the president was "definitely" born in the United States. Another 18% say he "probably" was born here.

But a third of Americans remain skeptical or unsure: 8% say he probably was born elsewhere, 5% say he definitely was, and 20% say they don't know enough to say.

The poll of 1,018 adults, taken by landline and cellphone, has a margin of error of +/-4 percentage points.

Ten percent of Republicans continue to say Obama was definitely born elsewhere, compared with 5% of independents and 2% of Democrats. Southerners and those with lower levels of income and education are most likely to doubt that Obama was born in the USA.

That uncertainty and disbelief is likely to continue until most Republican leaders and candidates publicly affirm that they believe the issue has been settled, says Charles Franklin, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin: "Partisans are rarely convinced by partisans on the opposite side."

The findings also reflect a deterioration in faith in "the traditional gatekeepers of truth," including the news media and senior political leaders, he says. "There's a problem in what do you believe when everything is contested so vigorously by both sides."

Obama decried the controversy as "silly" and a diversion from serious issues when he acceded to demands to release the longer form of his birth certificate, a step that required a waiver from the state. He had released the standard, shorter version during the 2008 campaign.

Real estate mogul Donald Trump, who is considering a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, had been raising questions about Obama's birthplace.

Since the release of the birth certificate, news coverage of the issue has ebbed and the number of Americans who accept Obama as native-born has risen. In a Gallup Poll taken April 20-23, only 38% said they thought Obama was "definitely" born in this country; that number has risen by 9 points.

In the earlier poll, 24% said Obama definitely or probably was born elsewhere; that has fallen almost by half, to 13%.

Among those who disapprove of the job Obama is doing as president, 11% say he was definitely born abroad. Among those who approve of the job he's doing, just 1% feel that way.

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Record flooding still in forecast after levee breach

Farmer says the sight of his submerged farm makes you "sick to your stomach"Operations seems to be working so far, official saysLevees are breached at Birds Point and New Madrid, MissouriRecord or near-record flooding is still forecast in at least eight statesRead more about this story from CNN affiliate KPLR. Are you in the area? Share your photos and videos with CNN, but be safe.

(CNN) -- The intentional breach of a levee on the Mississippi River is helping to ease unprecedented flood pressure on other areas, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.

The Ohio River level had dropped about 1.7 feet at Cairo, Illinois, since Monday afternoon, before the blast, but that is expected to level off Wednesday.

The breach, created when engineers detonated explosives late Monday night at Birds Point, Missouri, is sending 396,000 cubic feet of water per second onto 200 square miles of fertile Missouri farmland.

The water is coursing across a floodway that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon described as "literally the most productive part of our continent."

Two states grapple with rising floodwaters

Farmer Bryan Feezor said the sight makes you "sick to your stomach" as he surveyed his submerged fields.

"Farming is all I ever have done ... and it's under water," he told CNN affiliate KPLR. "I really don't know (what I'm going to do)."

A second levee blast was conducted Tuesday afternoon at New Madrid, Missouri, and a third is planned Wednesday near Hickman, Kentucky. The second and third blasts, downstream of Birds Point, will allow floodwater to return to the Mississippi River.

While the plan appeared to be working -- the level of the Ohio River fell where it joins the Mississippi -- record crests and relentless pressure from millions of gallons of water still threatened communities throughout the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys.

Vicksburg, Mississippi, could see water levels rise 4 feet by Sunday. Authorities told residents of Caruthersville, Missouri, that sandbags may not be enough to control the water.

Corina Jolley, of Sikeston, Missouri, said she grew up in Dorena, Missouri, which she said was being inundated by the breach on the Mississippi River.

A tombstone rests above the remains of her father and uncle, but "I'm sure we'll never see it again," said Jolley, who said residents of the rich farmland will be out of luck, as opposed to those in Cairo, for whom the risk has been lessened by the breaches.

"Whoever thought it would be this bad?" she said.

The situation was especially perilous for a 93-year-old woman who was caught in the swollen waters of the Black River near Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where two members of the Missouri National Guard rescued her from a partially submerged car.

"We weren't there to be heroes," said Sgt. Tim Bridges. "We were just doing our jobs." Bridges, along with Spc. Junior Bombard, waded through the rushing, muddy waters to ferry the woman to safety.

This "is the reason why I signed up for the Guard," said Spc. Junior Bombard.

The town of Cairo remained under a mandatory evacuation despite the intentional breach, while six other communities were under voluntary evacuation notices, said Patti Thompson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

"We're definitely not out of the woods yet," she said. "The levees are all very saturated right now and they're going to continue to have a lot of pressure on them for several days."

Even with the levee breach, the National Weather Service continues to predict record or near-record flooding in parts of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and Tennessee, southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, and parts of Mississippi and Louisiana.

Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh, commander of the Corps' Mississippi River Valley Division, made the decision to order the breach. He warned that without punching a hole in the levee, massive flooding would threaten to inundate communities throughout the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys.

"There's a tremendous amount of pressure on the system," he told reporters Tuesday evening. "The project operated as designed."

It was a controversial decision. Missouri officials took the Corps to court over the plan, questioning the agency's authority to intentionally breach the levee. The state argued the floodwater would deposit silt on the estimated 130,000 acres, and years, along with millions of dollars, would be required to fix the damage.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in the case on Sunday, clearing the way for Walsh to blow the levee.

Some Missouri residents were angered by the decision, saying it would destroy their communities and provide questionable benefit. But others felt the decision was for the best.

"Yeah, we lost ... acres of farm land here in Missouri," said Sikeston, Missouri, resident Patricia Mobely, who recently fled the drought and firestorms of Texas for what she thought would be a more peaceful life in the Midwest. "But how much more would we have lost if we hadn't done it?"

"The sacrifice that these people are making is for the greater good," Jim Pogue with the Army Corps of Engineers told KPLR. "Their sacrifices are going to benefit hundreds of thousands of people all through this region. It's not just Cairo. It's people all through this part of the country."

Walsh called the decision to inundate the farmland and about 100 homes "heart-wrenching."

"I've been involved with flooding for 10 years and it takes a long time to recover from something like this," he said.

CNN's Phil Gast contributed to this report.

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American who trained al Qaeda pilots still wonders why him

Naples, Florida (CNN) -- He didn't lose any friends or family on that Tuesday in September of 2001, but Rudi Dekkers achieved infamy that day, watching two of his flight school students commit murder as they steered two hijacked passenger jets into the World Trade Center towers.

Today, he celebrates the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"I wish I killed him," he told CNN. "Like a lot of people, I wish I was the one. And bravo to everyone who was behind this. The head of the snake is gone."

Dekkers says he's spent the past 10 years wondering why two terrorists would choose his Venice, Florida, flight school to practice for the day that will go down in U.S. history as one of its greatest tragedies.

Now bin Laden may be gone, but the pain is not.

"To realize he's not there anymore takes some time ... it's a deep emotion for me," Dekkers said. "I don't have that closure yet. I feel like it is buried. But it is fine and perfect that he's out of the picture."

Dekkers' life has been turned upside down ever since it became known that Mohamed Atta and Marwan al Shehhi came to his school, Huffman Aviation, to get their multi-engine commercial pilot licenses in the summer of 2000.

A year later, Atta piloted American Airlines Flight 11 into the north tower of the World Trade Center and shortly after, al Shehhi steered United Airlines Flight 175 into the south tower.

Dekkers wrote a book about it, "Guilty by Association,"

He says the title pretty much sums up the last 10 years of his life, filled with threats, forced to sell his business.

"Guilty by association is meant as a phrase to mean banks won't borrow you money. I can't get a job because I'm related to 9/11," he claimed.

And now, with the death of bin Laden, Dekkers is emotionally encouraged, but it's only part of the healing.

"Ten years with this emotion, do you think it's over in one day?" he asked. "They want a scapegoat ... when I met people and they found out I was affiliated with this, they turned their back."

Dekkers no longer has a flight school. He was not able to secure financing, he believes, because of his ties to the 9/11 tragedy.

He went into the swimming pool business for a while and today he runs a cellular phone business. He says that while the event remains heavy on his mind, he does not feel responsible.

"Is the grocery store responsible for keeping them alive, because they bought groceries there? This is life. We're all caught up in this," he said.

Dekkers says that both Atta and al Shehhi never displayed any behaviors that would have labeled them as terrorists. At one point, he says, the two men were on the verge of being kicked out of the school because they did not appear to be taking their training seriously and were too busy fooling around and not listening to their instructors. They had to be warned, and went on to become average students, Dekkers said.

"Al Shehhi was a more likable person. He laughed and joked," said Dekkers.

"My employees called Atta 'Dead man walking.' He had a white face and no emotions and was a nasty person, very unfriendly," Dekkers told CNN.

The two future terrorists went on to pass the FAA commercial pilot's test and were granted their licenses.

"I didn't know what they were about to do," Dekkers said. "I don't feel guilty at all. I couldn't do nothing about it.

"I wish I could be a hero. I think about this often. Why me? But that's fate. You can't turn away from fate, I guess."

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Liberals May Complain, But They’ve Still Got a Crush on Obama

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Liberals like to think that they can put the squeeze on President Obama for the myriad of disappointments to which he has subjected them. Reporters and pundits talk about an uproar in his base and activists voice their frustrations, but the truth is, Obama’s left flank looks pretty safe.

There was a good bit of attention paid this week to liberal protesters who interrupted one of Obama’s fundraising speeches in California. The group of San Francisco activists was there to seek the release of an Army private accused of leaking secret documents to the Web site Wikileaks.

But the protesters paid $76,000 to get into the event and actually serenaded Obama with a sweet song that included a promise to vote for him and then left the scene peacefully. That’s the kind of protest most politicians would kill for: pay, sing and leave before having a second cup of coffee.

Even as the Wikileaks troubadours were in the midst of their high-priced publicity stunt, Obama’s administration was escalating the war in Libya with drone strikes against government forces and enacting a deal to ship drones to the government in Pakistan to expand the covert war there. While the protesters sang, generals under Obama’s command were negotiating a deal to keep a permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq.

More wars, a continuation of the

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A year after Deepwater Horizon explosion, 3 survivors still struggling

Three rig explosion survivors speak outSTORY HIGHLIGHTSSurvivors say the scars from the disaster have taken their lives away Medical records: Survivors have been diagnosed with multiple mental issuesOne says he wakes up screaming from nightmaresTransocean says its focus is on providing support for employees (CNN) -- For some survivors of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, escaping the inferno of the doomed rig made them feel like they'd cheated death.

But living with the scars of what they witnessed that night, and the memory of the 11 men who perished when the rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana a year ago, has in many ways taken their lives away.

"I remember feeling invincible when it first happened. I remember driving in my truck on the way home after the rig exploded and (I) pushed the gas (pedal) to the floor and never let off it," says Daniel Barron.

But the high Barron felt from surviving didn't last long.

"You have that guilty conscience of, 'Okay, I made it, that's great, but then these guys didn't.' Was there something I could have done to save more people?"

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Midwest, South still threatened by severe weather

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSParts of seven states under tornado watch early WednesdayThe watches are set to expire later Wednesday morning.Obama signs North Carolina disaster declarationThe weather service confirms at least 114 tornadoes in last week's stormsIf severe weather happens near you, we want to hear your story. Share your photos and videos with CNN iReport, but please be careful. See more from CNN affiliate WHAS.

(CNN) -- The threat of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes continued Wednesday to hang over portions of the Midwest and South, after another round of violent weather pummeled parts of both regions the day before, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service early Wednesday placed portions of eastern Kentucky, southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia and West Virginia under a tornado watch until 9 a.m. Wednesday. Parts of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee remain under a tornado watch until 10 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries or deaths from the latest round of storms, according to emergency management officials and law enforcement. Last week, violent storms and tornadoes killed at least 46 people in the southeastern United States.

Early Wednesday morning, firefighters in Celina, Ohio, battled blazes that broke out after severe weather swept through the area. The fires damaged multiple homes and business, according to Lt. Chris Klein of the Celina fire department.

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Still no containment on large wildfires in Texas, officials say

A fire over 16,500 acres in Midland County, Texas, has burned more than 30 homes. STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Presidio County's wildfire is now the largest, having grown to 80,000 acresThirty to 40 homes have been destroyed in Presidio CountyGov. Rick Perry has renewed a disaster proclamation for all of Texas' 249 counties Red flag warnings remain in effect for southern counties in TexasRELATED TOPICSTexasWildfiresTexas Forest ServiceRick PerryOklahoma (CNN) -- The battle to contain large Texas wildfires responsible for destroying close to 100 homes and other structures continued Monday.

The largest blaze, which has destroyed 30 to 40 homes in Fort Davis in Presidio County, has grown to 80,000 acres with 10% containment, the Texas Forest Service said.

The agency has deployed three air tankers, 60 firefighters, bulldozers and other equipment and personnel in addition to a host of other state and local resources to focus on this blaze.

KWES-TV: Parts of West Texas ravaged by fires

Another 34 homes have burned in Midland County due to a fire over 16,500 acres that the state agency on Sunday described as "very active" and not at all contained, officials said.

A Red Cross shelter has been set up at Midland College for those displaced or otherwise affected by this wildfire.

"(Firefighters) can't outrun it," said Alan Craft, a spokesman for the state's Lone Star Incident Management Team.

Another large fire is burning in three Texas counties and has scorched more than 71,000 acres, according to the state Forest Service.

As of Sunday night, the blaze across parts of Stonewall, Knox and King counties was totally uncontained despite the use of air resources, bulldozers, fire engines and other tools and personnel, a statement from the Forest Service said.

There have been no evacuations yet related to another 60,000-acre blaze, this one in Potter and Moore counties near the city of Masterson. That fire is 50% contained but is still considered a threat to the towns of Dumas and Sunray, the Forest Service said.

Gov. Rick Perry renewed a disaster proclamation in effect for all of Texas' 249 counties -- even though major fires are occurring in only 13 of them -- to expedite assistance in case of new fires, his office said Sunday.

In addition to more than 750 personnel working with the Texas Forest Service, the governor's statement noted that two Blackhawk helicopters from the Texas Military Forces, bulldozers from the state transportation department and resources from 60 fire departments statewide were part of the effort.

Improved wind conditions over the past couple of days have helped firefighters in their battle, but dry conditions remain and still pose a problem, CNN meteorologist Monica O'Connor said Monday.

Six new wildfires reported on Sunday were quickly brought under control, the Texas Forest Service said.

Authorities in the Lone Star State have responded to 6,831 fires over 643,000 acres since wildfire season began.

Texas is not alone, as wildfires are burning in large swaths of the Southwest and Midwest, fanned in part by dry, warm and windy conditions.

In the past few days, the National Weather Service has issued "red flag warnings" for New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin on Sunday extended a state of emergency for seven counties. The designation authorizes state agencies to make emergency purchases needed to quickly deliver resources to local jurisdictions, the state's emergency operations center said.

Parts of Oklahoma remain under a "fire weather watch," which means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur.

Many southern counties in Texas are under a "red flag warning," meaning conditions have created the potential for explosive fire growth.

The National Weather Service's website urges residents to exercise extreme care with respect to all outdoor activities that could inadvertently cause wildfires.

CNN's Stephanie Gallman, Mariano Castillo and Kara Devlin contributed to this report.

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4 ways we're still fighting the Civil War

STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe United States marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil WarAmericans still argue over many issues that led to war, scholars sayScholar: "There are all of these weird parallels"Southern historian: Confederate leaders are American heroes CNN -- He stood 5-foot-8 and weighed 145 pounds. His face was gaunt and sunburned. Ticks, fleas and lice covered his body.

Before battle, his lips would quiver and his body went numb. When the shooting started, some of his comrades burst into maniacal laughter. Others bit the throat and ears of their enemy. And some were shattered by shells so powerful that tufts of their hair stuck to rocks and trees.

Take a tour of a Civil War battlefield today, and it's difficult to connect the terrifying experience of an average Civil War soldier -- described above from various historical accounts -- with the tranquil historic sites where we now snap pictures today.

But you don't have to tour a battlefield to understand the Civil War. Look at today's headlines. As the nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of its deadliest war this week, some historians say we're still fighting over some of the same issues that fueled the Civil War.

"There are all of these weird parallels," says Stephanie McCurry, author of "Confederate Reckoning," a new book that examines why Southerners seceded and its effect on Southern women and slaves.

"When you hear charges today that the federal government is overreaching, and the idea that the Constitution recognized us as a league of sovereign states -- these were all part of the secessionist charges in 1860," she says.

"Living history" on Civil War battlefields

These "weird parallels" go beyond the familiar debates over what caused the war, slavery or states' rights. They extend to issues that seem to have nothing to do with the Civil War.

The shutdown of the federal government, war in Libya, the furor over the new health care law and Guantanamo Bay -- all have tentacles that reach back to the Civil War, historians say.

They point to four parallels:

The disappearance of the political center

If you think the culture wars are heated now, check out mid-19th century America. The Civil War took place during a period of pervasive piety when both North and South demonized one another with self-righteous, biblical language, one historian says.

One of the biggest debates during the Civil War was how far should governments go in dictating our lives. We still debate those politics.
--William Blair, Civil War historian The war erupted not long after the "Second Great Awakening" sparked a national religious revival. Reform movements spread across the country. Thousands of Americans repented of their sins at frontier campfire meetings and readied themselves for the Second Coming.

They got war instead. Their moral certitude helped make it happen, says David Goldfield, author of "America Aflame," a new book that examines evangelical Christianity's impact on the war.

Goldfield says evangelical Christianity "poisoned the political process" because the American system of government depends on compromise and moderation, and evangelical religion abhors both because "how do you compromise with sin."

"By transforming political issues into moral causes, you raise the stakes of the conflict and you tend to demonize your opponents," Goldfield says.

Contemporary political rhetoric is filled with similar rhetoric. Opponents aren't just wrong -- they're sinners, Goldfield says.

"The erosion of the center in contemporary American politics is the most striking parallel between today and the time just before the Civil War," Goldfield says.

In the lead-up to the war, political campaigns were filled with religious fervor. Political parties paraded their piety and labeled opponents infidels.

"Today's government gridlock results, in part, from this religious mind set that many issues can be divided into good and evil and sin and salvation," he says.

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Released from jail, Mississippi sisters still seek full pardon

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