Obama speaks out on Zimmerman verdict

President Barack Obama said Friday that "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago" in his first live comments since a Florida jury acquitted George Zimmerman last weekend in the teenager's shooting death.

He also said protests over the verdict should remain nonviolent.

The president said Americans are aware of the "history of racial disparity in our criminal laws" and said the government should review some state and local legislation, such as Florida's "stand your ground" law, saying they may promote rather than discourage violent confrontations.

A jury acquitted Zimmerman last Saturday in Martin's February 26, 2012, shooting death, inciting anger among many who considered the incident racially motivated murder.

Obama issued a written statement on Sunday noting that the jury had spoken and urging calm and reflection.

On Friday, he also said successive generations of Americans have gotten better at changing attitudes on race, but "we have to be vigilant and work on these issues."

To demonstrators calling for federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman, Obama said they must "have some clear expectations here."

He stressed that law enforcement and the criminal code "is traditionally done at the state and local levels, not at the federal level."

Randy Travis remains under heavy sedation, in critical condition

Country singer Randy Travis remained under heavy sedation and in critical condition Friday, two days after surgery relieved pressure on his brain after a stroke, his publicist said.

"His family continues to ask for prayers and support," publicist Kirt Webster said in a statement.

His stroke was "a complication of his congestive heart failure" for which he is being treated at The Heart Hospital at Baylor Plano in Texas, Webster said.

The singer was initially hospitalized Sunday at Baylor Medical Center at McKinney, Texas, with a presumptive cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

Travis, 54, was transferred to The Heart Hospital at Baylor Plano in Texas on Monday.

Travis' illness is related to his "recently acquired viral cardiomyopathy," one of his doctors said. Viral cardiomyopathy is a disorder where a virus attacks the muscles of the heart, causing the heart to beat slower, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website. In some cases, the heart can stop, it said.

Opinion: Randy Travis taught me country

Travis had a tough year in 2012 with arrests for assault and public intoxication, which earned him probation.

Travis was at the forefront of the "New Traditionalist" movement in the 1980s and 1990s, but he faded as the '90s wore on. He made a comeback after turning to gospel music in 1999. His song "Three Wooden Crosses" won song of the year in 2003 from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.

'WWE' Dolph Ziggler Will Be World Champion Again in 2013

Dolph Ziggler's first two runs with the World Heavyweight Championship were brief, but he'll get a third try before 2013 ends.

Ziggler's fleeting championship reigns shouldn't be seen as a sign of WWE's lack of confidence in him, but a situation born from a compelling story taking precedence over his individual success.

WWE is in the business of telling stories, and it sacrificed Ziggler's time as champion for the sake of a great story. Ziggler fending off his first challenger would have been the expected outcome. Champs usually make it out of their first defense.

The Miz, who lost the Intercontinental Title to Wade Barrett one night after winning it, and Ziggler are recent exceptions.

Of all the scenarios fans thought might happen at the inaugural Payback, who could have predicted that we'd see a rare double turn take place? In a single match, Alberto Del Rio became champ again as well as morphing into a villain once more. Del Rio reverted back to his dastardly ways, and Ziggler showed signs of becoming a fan favorite.

The unexpectedness of this angle was one of the best parts of the pay-per-view.

One can understand why WWE went in that direction. It meant robust entertainment for the crowd, but an abbreviated title reign for Ziggler.

Expect him to wear that championship once again.

And soon.

The history of both the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship shows a pattern of Del Rio not holding onto either belt for long. His first reigns as world champ lasted three months each. His two WWE title runs lasted 35 days the first time around and the 49 the next.

CM Punk's recent historic reign and Sheamus keeping the belt for much of 2012 aren't the norm, for Del Rio or anyone during this era.

That opens the door for Ziggler to win the belt back at either Money in the Bank 2013 or later. His and Del Rio's feud is charging along with them colliding at Del Rio's championship celebration.

Ziggler is playing the predator here in a situation where it seems like WWE is leaning toward letting him regain his belt after struggling and suffering on his way to earning our sympathy.

That would make sense, too, considering who the champion after Ziggler might be.

If Ziggler is headed towards full facedom, he'll likely win this eventual struggle. In the end, WWE often lets the good guy overcome his enemy. Ask Sheamus or John Cena how being opposite the dark side affects one's win-loss record.

Good defeating evil in the end is a more familiar and more comforting story. That's the one Ziggler getting his revenge and his title back will tell.

With the entire world title Money in the Bank ladder match comprised of heels, one would assume that it will be a face Superstar that they will cash in on. Should Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes or Antonio Cesaro win the briefcase, it makes more sense for a face Ziggler to be their eventual victim.

Ziggler might then again be the victim of a story arc.

This time, the tale would be of an up-and-comer earning their first world title by any means necessary. It could very well be Ziggler who that Superstar robs of the championship.

Family feud is almost 'like spitting in' Mandela's face, Tutu says

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has a few choice words for the feuding family of Nelson Mandela: Resolve your differences, and stop tainting the former president's name.

Tutu intervened after a bitter dispute among relatives over the burial of Mandela's three deceased children. His grandson exhumed them from Qunu two years ago, then reburied them in Mvezo.

The rest of the family sued the grandson, and a court ordered him to return the remains to Qunu, where the former president spent his childhood. They were reburied there this week.

The drama has played out in public, with the grandson, Mandla Mandela, lashing out at his relatives during a news conference.

Mandela's family dispute comes at a precarious time. The statesman is hospitalized and on life support for a recurring lung infection.

Though he has been getting kidney dialysis, he is not in a vegetative state and opens his eyes when people talk to him.

The feud has appalled the nation, prompting Tutu to step in and appeal to the family to stop.

"Please, please, please may we think not only of ourselves. It's almost like spitting in Madiba's face," Tutu said in a statement, according to the South African Press Association.

"Your anguish, now, is the nation's anguish -- and the world's. We want to embrace you, to support you, to shine our love for Madiba through you."

Madiba is the revered statesman's clan name.

Mandela has been hospitalized in Pretoria for nearly a month.

Court documents filed in relation to the case revealed more details on the condition of South Africa's first black president.

His health had declined so sharply last week that his family was considering whether to take him off life support, a court document revealed Thursday. His condition later improved.

The document, known as a "certificate of urgency," was filed on June 26.

It stated that Mandela, 94, had taken "a turn for the worst" and doctors had advised his family to switch off his life support machine.

"Rather than prolonging his suffering, the Mandela family is exploring this option as a very real probability," it added.

Mandela remains in critical but stable condition, President Jacob Zuma's office reported Thursday.

Considered the founding father of South Africa's democracy, Mandela became an international figure while enduring 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid, the country's system of racial segregation. He emerged from prison in 1990 and became the nation's first black president four years later.

His lung problems started during his years in prison under the nation's now-defunct apartheid regime.

Tutu, who was also a hero of the anti-apartheid movement, is friends with Mandela.

The remains are Mandela's daughter, Makaziwe Mandela, who died as a baby in 1948; his eldest son, Madiba Thembekile, who died in a car crash in 1969; and Makgatho Mandela, father to Mandla, who died in 2005.

Before they were reburied this week, a forensic test was done to confirm the identities of the bodies.

Boeing 777 crashes at San Francisco International Airport

An Asiana Airlines' Boeing 777 crashed and burned Saturday while landing at San Francisco International Airport, sending up a large plume of dark smoke from an aircraft that lost its tail and much of its roof.

Flight 214 left Seoul's Incheon International Airport earlier Saturday and flew 10 hours and 23 minutes to California, according to FlightAware, a website that offers tracking services for private and commercial air traffic.

Anthony Castorani, who witnessed the flight land from a nearby hotel, said he saw the plane touch the ground then noticed a larger plume of white smoke.

"You heard a pop and you immediately saw a large, brief fireball that came from underneath the aircraft.

Kristina Stapchuck saw the dramatic scene unfold from her seat on a plane on the airport tarmac. Soon after Flight 214 touched down, "it looked like the tires slipped a little bit and it rocked back," .

Parts of the plane began to break off as it rocked and then began to spin.

Video taken soon after the crash and posted on YouTube showed dark gray smoke rising from the plane, which appeared to be upright. That smoke later became white, even as fire crews continued to douse the plane.

A photograph posted to Twitter shows what appear to be passengers walking off the plane, some of them toting bags, as smoke rises from the other side.

"I just crash landed at SFO," read the accompanying message from David Eun. "Tail ripped off. Most everyone seems fine. I'm ok. Surreal..."

Debris settled from the water's edge, along San Francisco Bay, up to where the plane eventually came to a stop.

Fire trucks were on site, while first responders could be seen walking outside the aircraft.

Evacuation slides could be seen extending from one side of the aircraft, from which there was no apparent smoke.

Corrine Gaines, from the U.S. Coast Guard's operations in San Francisco, said that a helicopter had been launched and that her agency is helping others responding at the scene.

The Bay Area airport was closed to incoming and departing traffic after the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said on its website, adding that the time when it's expected to reopen is unknown.

There were a few clouds in the sky around the time of the crash, and temperatures were about 65 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Winds were about 8 miles per hour.

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a "go team" that will be led by chairwoman Deborah Hersman to investigate the crash, the agency said.

Asiana Airlines-- one of South Korea's two major airlines, the other being Korean Air -- got the plane involved in the incident in 2006, according to the Aviation Safety Network. The craft has two Pratt & Whitney engines, it said.

Asiana operates many of its flights out of Incheon International Airport, which is the largest airport in South Korea and considered among the busiest in the world.

San Francisco International Airport, located some 12 miles south of downtown San Francisco, is California's second busiest, behind LAX in Los Angeles.

According to information on Asiana Airlines' website, the company has 12 Boeing 777 planes. They have a seating capacity of between 246 and 300 people and had a cruising speed of 555 mph (894 kph).

Oprah Winfrey tops Forbes list of powerful celebs

Oprah Winfrey has regained the top spot on Forbes magazine's annual most powerful celebrities list.

The TV personality has been a runner-up for the past two years, but on Wednesday it was revealed that Oprah has regained her crown.

It is the fifth time the 59-year-old star has topped the prestigious list of 100 celebrities, beating out stiff competition from the likes of chart superstars Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Madonna.

Jennifer Lopez - who was No. 1 last year - dropped to 12th place in this year's rankings.

Oprah made an estimated $77 million between June 2012 and June 2013, down from last year's $165 million. However, despite not being the highest earner on Forbes magazine's list, "her money, mixed with strong fame scores in metrics like press mentions and social networking power, pushed her to the top," said Forbes writer Dorothy Pomerantz.

"She still wields an enormous amount of power, which is really what we look for in our fame matrix. She is taking this cable network and turning it around just through the sheer force of her will, her connections and her ability," Pomerantz continued.

Lady Gaga ranked second on the list, despite having to cut her tour short because of a hip injury.

The eccentric star's social media success and press influence pushed her up the list, aside from her $80 million earnings.

Esteemed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg came in third, while Beyoncé and Madonna claimed the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

Taylor Swift came in sixth place, Bon Jovi was named in seventh position, while Roger Federer and Justin Bieber came in eighth and ninth places.

Ellen DeGeneres was also named in the top ten, coming in just behind Bieber.

The Celebrity 100 is based on income over a 12-month period and fame. This element is defined by media influence and social media power, including Twitter and Instagram.

Oprah is one of three celebrities who have been featured on the list every year since 1999. Howard Stern and Steven Spielberg also hold this honor.

See the original story at CoverMG.com.

Senate passes sweeping immigration bill

The U.S. Senate gave final approval Thursday to a roughly 1,200-page bill that promises to overhaul immigration laws for the first time since 1986, creating a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented residents while ratcheting up security along the Mexican border.

Senators passed the sweeping legislation -- initially drafted by the four Democrats and four Republicans in the chamber's so-called "Gang of Eight" -- by a 68-32 vote.

Fourteen Republicans joined a united Democratic caucus in supporting the bill, which is backed by the White House and has the potential to become the crowning legislative achievement of President Barack Obama's second term.

In a White House statement, Obama hailed the Senate vote as "a critical step" toward fixing what he called a broken immigration system. He labeled the measure that now goes to the Republican-controlled House a compromise, adding that "we just need Congress to finish the job."

The Senate vote included a rare adherence to old-fashioned protocol. Vice President Joe Biden presided in his constitutional capacity as head of the Senate, and senators voted one-by-one from their desks, calling out "aye" or "no."

Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas broke the drama of the moment when he mistakenly voted "aye," then quickly asked the clerk to make it "no" as the chamber erupted in laughter. Biden tapped his gavel and called for order.

Before announcing the result, Biden warned against outbursts from the public gallery, but chants of "Yes we can" and "Si se puede" broke out after he read the tally. Biden called for the sergeant at arms to restore order.

"Today is another historic day in the Senate," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont. "This legislation will reunite families. It will bring millions of people out of the shadows and into our legal system. It will spur job growth and reduce our deficit. And it will make us safer."

"The time has come to act in the interest of all Americans," declared Sen. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, a member of the Gang of Eight. "I hope that message will be heard loud and clear in the House (of Representatives)."

Historic ruling opens door for immigration for same-sex spouses

Most congressional conservatives, however, remain staunchly opposed to the measure, and have declared it dead on arrival in the House.

Obama warned in his statement that opponents of immigration reform will try even harder to derail it. Noting the broad support for the Senate bill from the business community, organized labor and others, he urged people to contact their House representatives and "tell them to do the right thing."

Republicans are sharply divided over the politically sensitive issue. In the wake of the GOP's crushing loss among Hispanics in the 2012 election, many top voices in the party have pushed for an endorsement of some form of a path to citizenship for the country's roughly 11 million undocumented residents.

"No one should dispute (that) like every sovereign nation on this planet, we have a right to control who comes in. But unlike other countries, we are not afraid of people coming in here from other places," said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the most prominent Republican in the Gang of Eight and a potential 2016 presidential candidate. "I support this reform. Not just because I believe in immigrants, but because I believe in America even more."

For many of the GOP's strongest supporters, any path to citizenship for those who entered the country illegally is a form of unforgivable amnesty. They also don't trust the Obama administration to fully enact the bill's new border security measures, which are generally opposed by progressives.

"There's just no way I can look my constituents in the eye and tell them that today's assurances won't become tomorrow's disappointments," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. "We'll never resolve the immigration problem on a bipartisan basis either now or in the future until we can prove that the border is secure as a condition of legalization."

Senate takes another step toward passing immigration reform

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, called the vote on the measure "largely symbolic" and predicted the bill would ultimately be relegated to the "ash heap of history."

If enacted, the measure would create a 13-year path to citizenship for most undocumented immigrants, while raising the cap on visas for high skilled workers and establishing a new visa program for low skilled workers on America's farms.

A recently added border security amendment -- introduced by GOP Sens. John Hoeven of North Dakota and Bob Corker of Tennessee -- would require 20,000 more border agents, complete 700 miles of fence along the boundary with Mexico, and deploy $3.2 billion in technology upgrades similar to equipment used by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The amendment also strengthens eligibility verification and border entry-exit controls.

Most undocumented immigrants would be eligible for permanent residency only after the five conditions have been met and verified by the Department of Homeland Security.

While Corker's and Hoeven's change appeared to sway some reticent Republicans in the Senate, top House Republicans remained opposed the overall blueprint.

"Apparently some haven't gotten the message: the House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes," said Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. "We're going to do our own bill ... and move the legislation that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people."

House Republicans have indicated their intention to tackle the issue with several smaller proposals instead of one larger bill.

Boehner repeated his pledge to block a vote on any immigration measure that doesn't have the support of a majority of House Republicans. Democrats contend the Senate version would pass the House if brought to a vote, with a united Democratic caucus joined by some Republicans.

The speaker also refused to take a position on whether or not there should be some kind of path to citizenship for those who entered the country illegally.

Democrats have repeatedly warned they will not agree to a plan that lacks such a path.

Regardless, Boehner said he hopes the House will deal with immigration reform this year.

"I have made it clear since the day after the election that this political football should stop, and that the Congress should deal with this issue," he said