American Morning
Chilean Navy blamed for not sounding tsunami alarm
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/WORLD/americas/03/01/chile.earthquake/t1main.chile.building.afp.gi.jpg caption="On Sunday, passers-by observe the remains of a destroyed building in Concepcion, Chile's hardest-hit major city."]
Concepcion, Chile (CNN) - Chile's defense minister has blamed the Navy for not issuing a tsunami warning after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the South American country.
Such a forewarning could have allowed villagers on the coast to flee to higher ground.
Of the 708 reported dead, 541 died in Chile's Maule region, and 64 in the Bio Bio region, both on the coast.
"The truth even if it hurts [is that] a division of the Navy made a mistake," Minister Francisco Vidal said.
After the quake initially struck, President Michelle Bachelet said a tsunami was unlikely.
More than 50 countries posted tsunami warnings, and Chilean authorities later realized the large waves that slammed coastal areas were tsunami-generated.
"What we saw between the sixth and the ninth region is a tsunami," Vidal said.
The Navy has an emergency system under which captains in each port may issue warnings when sea levels begin to rise. FULL STORY
Obama to welcome Dalai Lama
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/02/18/dalai.lama.dc.gi.art.jpg caption="The Dalai Lama arrives in Washington, D.C. on February 17, 2010."]
Washington (CNN) - President Obama will meet the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, on Thursday at the White House despite strong objections from the Chinese government.
The meeting has the potential to complicate Sino-U.S. tensions further, which have been rising in recent months.
China has warned the meeting will certainly damage ties with Washington.
"It will seriously undermine the Sino-U.S. political relations," Zhu Weiqun, a senior Communist Party leader in charge of ethnic and religious affairs, said recently. "We will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes."
The Dalai Lama has said he favors genuine autonomy for Tibetans, not independence for Tibet. Beijing regards the Nobel Peace Prize laureate as a dangerous "separatist," a politician who wishes to sever Tibet from China.
Poll: Most Americans favor Tibetan independence
Obama did not meet with the Dalai Lama during his Washington visit last fall, making it the first time since 1991 a meeting with the U.S. president and Tibetan spiritual leader had not occurred. Ahead of a summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Obama persuaded Tibetan representatives then to postpone the meeting with the Dalai Lama. FULL STORY
Program note: The Dalai Lama goes one-on-one Monday with CNN's Larry King in his first interview after his meeting with President Obama. Hear his thoughts on China, human rights and the situation in Haiti. At 9 p.m. ET Monday on "Larry King Live."
8 freed by Haitian judge arrive in Florida
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/02/18/haiti.missionaries.miami.gi.art.jpg caption="Missionaries (L-R) Corinna Lankford, Carla Thompson, Drew Culberth, Steve McMullen and Paul Thompson arrive at Miami International Airport February 17, 2010."]
Miami, Florida (CNN) - Eight U.S. missionaries who were detained for almost three weeks in Haiti on child kidnapping charges arrived in Miami, Florida, late Wednesday night after a judge ordered them freed.
The group arrived at Miami International Airport on a U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo plane from the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
"It feels great for him to be back from Haiti," said Hiram Sasser, who represents one of the men, Jim Allen. "It's great that the attention will return to where it should be back on the people of Haiti."
The freed Americans were among 10 charged with kidnapping and criminal association for trying to take 33 children out of Haiti after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake devastated the impoverished country on January 12.
The group said it was trying to help the children get to a safe place and wanted to establish an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. The eight were released without the need to post bond.
Lawyer Gary Lissade, who also represents Allen, said the fact that the judge was releasing the Americans on their own recognizance may indicate that the charges will be eventually dropped. FULL STORY
What killed King Tut
It's an ancient Egyptian mystery more than 3,000 years old. But today, that mystery is solved.
Scientists now believe they know what killed King Tut. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta joined us on Wednesday's American Morning to weigh in on the results of the examination.
Read more: Malaria, genetic diseases plagued King Tut
Taliban capture a turning point?
Pakistan is now confirming the capture of the Taliban's top military commander.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is said to have been nabbed in Karachi, is the real deal. A man reportedly at the core of Taliban operations and training.
To discuss the significance of the event, we were joined on Wednesday's American Morning by two former CIA officers, Gary Berntsen and Reuel Marc Gerecht.
Ahmadinejad has warning for U.S.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/02/16/ahmadinejad.gi.art.jpg caption="Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made his comments in a televised news conference Tuesday."]
Tehran, Iran (CNN) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the United States and other nations Tuesday not to impose tougher sanctions in reaction to the Islamic country's nuclear ambitions.
Iran already faces U.N. sanctions and the five permanent Security Council members - the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France, all of which have veto power - have been engaged along with Germany in discussions about possible further measures.
"It's high time for some people to open their eyes and adapt themselves to real changes that are under way," Ahmadinejad said at a news conference in Tehran.
Asked specifically about the threat of tougher sanctions, the Iranian president said, "We prefer that they move in the spirit of cooperation. It won't put us in trouble. They themselves will get into trouble."
Ahmadinejad also seemed to threaten unspecified retaliation, saying Iran won't act like it has in the past.
Ahmadinejad's comments came one day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal expressed concern over Iran's nuclear program.
"Definitely, we will show a reaction that will put them to shame, like always," he said. FULL STORY
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