Petite but proven: Women pass elite Army course

By Jim Miklaszewski, NBC News chief Pentagon correspondent While the Pentagon brass and U.S. military leaders are struggling over how to bring women into ground combat training, two young female soldiers have already proven they've got what it takes to join their male counterparts on the battlefield. 1st Lt. Audrey Moton and 2nd Lt. Carley Turnnidge, both West Point graduates, took on the Army's Sapper Leader Training course for combat engineers at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.  It's one of the toughest combat training courses in the entire U.S. military and the only course of its kind that accepts women.  Since 1999, nearly 60 women have made the grade. For more on women in combat, watch NBC Nightly News' two-part series. Part One airs on Saturday, Dec. 1. Moton at 5'6'', and Turnnidge, barely reaching 5'4'', faced 28 grueling days of physical torture with little sleep or food.  But that was only half the challenge.  Training alongside 36 larger, more muscular male soldiers, both instinctively felt that as women they had to prove they could hold their own.  They did. Turnnidge, a high school and West Point soccer star, went above and beyond the call.  After failing in tactical operations in her first try, remarkably, she took the course twice -- 56 straight days without a break.  In a training swim, Turnnidge had to drag her exhausted male partner back across the lake.  Moton vigorously trained to get in shape before she ever got to the course and believes she and Turnnidge actually motivated the men. "They'd think, 'Wait, I don't wanna get beat by a girl.' Well, then run faster," she said. "I'm not going to stop." While women are permitted to fly fighter jets and attack helicopters in combat missions, Pentagon policy prohibits female soldiers and Marines from serving in direct ground combat roles.  In the past 11 years of guerrilla-style combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, those battle lines were essentially erased.  More than 130 female service members were killed and 800 wounded.  This week the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit to lift the ban on women in combat. Both Moton and Turnnidge passed the course and earned the coveted title "SAPPER."  While it will likely open doors for future promotions and positions of leadership, they have no illusions they'll ever see ground combat themselves,  but believe they're helping pave the way for other female soldiers in the future. "It sets me apart from my peers," Turnnidge said, "and over time more women will be able to prove themselves." Moton is convinced with proper training and personal commitment, women will inevitably see duty in ground combat. "Down the road, we'll see many more women doing this. We're gettin' there." More content from NBCNews.com: 66 species of coral proposed for protection by US College students witness murder suicide in class Wikileaks case: Manning asked why he didn't complain earlier Missouri Powerball jackpot winners revealed: 'We're still stunned by what's happened' Mystery man claims winning Powerball ticket ... in Maryland? Harvard latest college to accept BDSM club Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

PFT: KC Chiefs player kills girlfriend, then himself

Reuters It's Christmas tree night at the Florio household.  Which means that I'll be risking injury as I take an axe out to the back 40 and make like Jack Del Rio on the choicest trunk of pine. Actually, the tree is in a box.  But I could still get injured; those fake needles are quite pointy. Speaking of injuries, here's our weekly look at the guys who are banged up for Sunday's games.  Which I most likely won't get injured while typing. Cardinals at Jets Three Arizona wideouts are questionable, but none are named Larry or Fitzgerald.  Andre Roberts looks to be the least likely to play with an ankle injury; he didn't practice all week.  Running back Beanie Wells, back from IR, is now questionable with a knee injury.  Jets receiver Clyde Gates is doubtful with a concussion.  Tim Tebow reportedly will be inactive due to broken ribs that have him listed as questionable. Panthers at Chiefs Carolina running back Jonathan Stewart is doubtful with an ankle injury.  Quarterback Cam Newton has a right wrist injury, but he is listed as probable and missed no practice time.  Chiefs tackle Branden Albert is questionable with a back injury, as is linebacker Tamba Hali, who has an injured knee. Bengals at Chargers Receiver Mohamed Sanu is out with a foot injury that may require season-ending surgery.  Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis is probable with an ankle injury.  Chargers wideout Eddie Royal is out with a hamstring.  Safety Eric Weddle is probable due a concussion suffered on that 4th-and-29 block from Anquan Boldin. Browns at Raiders Cleveland quarterback Brandon Weeden has been cleared to play after suffering a concussion on Sunday.  Running back Trent Richardson is probable with chest, rib, and finger injuries.  Raiders running backs Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson are questionable with ankle injuries.  Two of Oakland's running backs, Taiwan Jones (ankle) and Marcel Reece (hamstring, quadricep), are probable. Texans at Titans A whopping 21 Texans are probable.  Out are cornerback Johnathan Joseph (hamstring, groin) and linebacker Brooks Reed (groin).  Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy (concussion) is out with a concussion.  Receiver Kenny Britt is probable with a knee injury. Colts at Lions The Colts have no major injuries.  Lions receiver Calvin Johnson (thumb) and running back Mikel Leshoure (ankle) are probable.  Safety Louis Delmas (knee) is questionable. Jaguars at Bills Receivers Justin Blackmon (groin) and Cecil Shorts (hamstring) are probable after unexpectedly missing practice on Thursday.  Twenty-two Bills show up on the injury report, with defensive ends Mark Anderson (knee) and Chris Kelsay (neck) out. Vikings at Packers Minnesota receiver Percy Harvin is doubtful once again with an ankle injury.  Nine others are probable.  Six Packers are out, including linebacker Clay Matthews (hamstring).  Receiver Greg Jennings is slated to play for the first time since September, listed as probable after recovering from hernia surgery. Patriots at Dolphins Defensive end Chandler Jones (ankle), guard Logan Mankins (ankle, calf), and tight end Rob Gronkowski (forearm, hip) are out for New England.  A total of 15 Patriots are questionable, including four receivers and tight end Aaron Hernandez (ankle).  The Dolphins have no major injuries. Steelers at Ravens Receiver Antonio Brown (ankle) and safety Troy Polamalu (calf) are probable after extended absences.  Receiver Jerricho Cotchery (ribs) is questionable to return to action after missing last week's loss to Cleveland.  Four Steelers are out:  quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (shoulder), Byron Leftwich (ribs), linebacker LaMarr Woodley (ankle), and Mike Adams (ankle).  Several key Ravens are probable.  Tight end Ed Dickson (knee) is doubtful. 49ers at Rams For San Fran, 11 players are probable.  Safety Darcel McBath is questionable with a concussion, and tight end Demarcus Dobbs has been ruled out after an arrest.  Rams receiver Danny Amendola, who played despite being doubtful last week, is doubtful again with a foot injury.  Without him, the chances of a Rams loss become probable. Seahawks at Bears Seattle receiver Sidney Rice is questionable with a calf injury.  Running back Marshawn Lynch is probable with a back injury.  For the Bears, receiver Devin Hester (concussion) and guard Chris Spencer (knee) are out.  Receiver Alshon Jeffery (knee) is doubtful. Buccaneers at Broncos The Bucs have only four guys on the list, and all are probable.  Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley is questionable with wrist and hip injuries. Eagles at Cowboys Running back LeSean McCoy and quarterback Mike Vick are both out with concussions.  Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (foot) is questionable, but he's expected to play.  Also questionable are receiver Miles Austin (hip) and running back Felix Jones (knee).  Receiver Kevin Ogletree is probable with a concussion that kept him from playing in the Thanksgiving loss to the Redskins.  Defensive tackle Jay Ratliff is doubtful with a groin injury.

Dozens of sea turtles with hypothermia rescued in Cape Cod

New England Aquarium Dr. Charles Innis, the New England Aquarium's head veterinarian, listens for a heartbeat on a newly admitted 60-pound loggerhead sea turtle. Turtles with temperature in the low to mid 40's can come in with a heartbeat as low as one per minute and still be re-warmed. By Reuters Endangered sea turtles are becoming stranded on Massachusetts' Cape Cod shores so frequently in recent weeks that wildlife rescuers are scrambling to cope with what could be a record influx. In the past four days, some 67 sea turtles suffering from hypothermia have been brought to the New England Aquarium's Animal Care Center care facility near Boston, aquarium spokesman Tony LaCasse said Friday. They are among 120 sea turtles that arrived since early November. Turtle strandings in Cape Cod Bay typically begin in November during the annual winter migration back to the Gulf of Mexico, LaCasse said. In early summer, the reptiles will migrate back up the eastern seaboard to forage for crab, he said. The sea turtles are washed ashore by high winds and tides in the large, shallow bay because they are unable to find their way around the hooked tip of Cape Cod to swim south for the winter, he said. As the water temperature falls, they get stunned by the cold, become weak and float on the surface. "It essentially creates a deadly bucket," LaCasse said. "We don't know of it happening anywhere else in the world on this scale." As many as 144 sea turtles have been rescued in past so-called stranding seasons, which could last until the third week of December, LaCasse said. Usually most sea turtles that get stranded are juvenile Kemp's ridleys but this year, LaCasse said, they include some 50-100 pound huskier loggerheads as well as green sea turtles. All of the turtles are designated as endangered or threatened species. The aquarium's Animal Care Center has exceeded its capacity for about 100 turtles, so biologists, nonprofit rescue groups and volunteer pilots on Friday were transporting some of them to other aquariums and rescue centers along the East Coast. Massachusetts Audubon This leatherback sea turtle stranded in Truro, Mass. Six loggerheads were driven to the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, eight Kemp's ridleys taken to the National Marine Life Center on Cape Cod and four were flown to a facility in Virginia, LaCasse said. On Monday, four loggerheads will be flown on a corporate jet to facilities in Maryland and Georgia, he added. During the rehabilitation process, he said, the turtles are "re-warmed" slowly over a period of days until they regain their strength and can be released into the wild. LaCasse said the aquarium, which is reporting on the strandings on its blog, had not yet reached an annual record for stranded turtles, but it was "getting pretty close."  More content from NBCNews.com: 66 species of coral proposed for protection by US College students witness murder suicide in class Wikileaks case: Manning asked why he didn't complain earlier Missouri Powerball jackpot winners revealed: 'We're still stunned by what's happened' Mystery man claims winning Powerball ticket ... in Maryland? Harvard latest college to accept BDSM club Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

China struggles with growing HIV/AIDS epidemic

Chinese students show their hands painted to look like red ribbons during a World AIDS Day event on November 30. Vice premier Li Keqiang pledges support for battling HIV/AIDS in China Li was criticized during his tenure as governor stemming from blood scandal in Henan HIV/AIDS patient's family says government hasn't properly addressed past Hong Kong (CNN) -- With a long red AIDS ribbon pinned to his chest, Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang warned of the grave situation of HIV/AIDS in China, calling it "not only a medical issue but also a social challenge." On the week of World AIDS Day, the man expected to replace Wen Jiabao as premier next year, publicly acknowledged the nation's challenges with the epidemic. The disease shows no sign of abating in the world's most populous country. AIDS related-deaths have increased by 8.6 percent to 17,740 deaths, compared with the previous year, according to the country's health figures. And 68,802 new HIV/AIDS cases were reported this year up to October, according to Chinese state media. But some HIV/AIDS advocates say the number of cases is underestimated, in part because many people who have HIV/AIDS may never have been tested to know their status. China has grappled with a checkered HIV history that includes a contaminated blood scandal in a central province and, in years past, denying that AIDS was a problem in the country. Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang vowed government action on HIV/AIDS. But recently, China's elite has appeared to champion HIV/AIDS causes. Peng Liyuan, the wife of China's presumptive next president, Xi Jinping is the World Health Organization's Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Li, who also heads a commission on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, met with health activists on Monday and vowed action. "Li is very friendly and decisive," said Li Hu, director of HaiHeZhiXing AIDS Volunteer Group, who met with the leader. "There are hopes that we can do a better job with leader's help." In statements published in state-run news media, the vice premier pledged greater support and tax breaks for HIV/AIDS organizations, an expansion of free drug treatment for people with the disease and protection of patients from discrimination at hospitals. But Li's words were of little comfort for a migrant worker who said his family's life was ruined by AIDS. He traveled to Beijing seeking legal redress and spoke to CNN, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of HIV/AIDS issues. HIV-like illness affecting Asians Medical first: Man appeared cured of HIV Man says he's cured of HIV Magic Johnson on his fight with HIV "I don't feel anything," said the man, about Li's declaration. He came to the capital from Henan province, where Li had served as governor. His wife gave blood in a blood drive sponsored by local officials in the province in 1997. As a student, she had been urged to give blood because it was "an honor," the man said. The couple learned last year during a prenatal screening that she has AIDS and will soon learn if their one-year-old child is HIV-positive. He says the family faces financial hardships, and his wife is unable to work because of health problems. While his wife and child receive free AIDS medication from the government, he estimates spending $6,500 to treat related infections caused by her weakened immune system that are not covered by the program. Their one-year-old baby cannot drink breast milk, due to concerns about HIV infection, he said. Though there's no way to prove that his wife contracted the disease in the blood drives in Henan in the 1990s, he remains convinced and is planning to make his case in Beijing like many others from the province have. In 1998, Li became the governor of Henan, one of the most populous provinces in China, which was also one of the areas most devastated by HIV/AIDS. During his stint, there were criticisms related to an HIV/AIDS outbreak linked to local blood banks. State-run media attributed the disease's spread to "illegal blood sales and contaminated blood transfusions." The central government began tightening controls over the business in the mid-1990s once more was known about HIV and how the virus is spread. While most of the infections happened before Li arrived in Henan, he faced major criticism. Chinese AIDS activist Wan Yanhai was imprisoned in 2002 in relation to his advocacy. "We have been criticizing him over the blood scandal in Henan, which many people died in silence without getting medical help," said Wan Yanhai, a former government health official turned AIDS advocate. Wan was arrested in 2002 in Beijing after publishing a government report on the spread of AIDS in Henan. "I do believe [Li] has done some good things, if we look at the record of him as a governor and party head," Wan said. But he added there was silence during Li's years in Henan. During Li's tenure there, journalists trying to write about HIV/AIDS were detained, activists and doctors were sent away, Wan said. He left China in 2010, citing harassment by authorities. Living with HIV HIV infection rate soars in UK Li's recent outreach to the HIV/AIDS community was welcomed by Li Hu, an activist based in Tianjin, who called it "definitely a boost for our work. Policies can only be well executed with their supervision." In recent years, China has made a series of progressive reforms. It lifted a ban prohibiting foreigners with HIV from visiting the country in 2010 -- the same year as the United States. China also promised antiretroviral treatment for all patients with HIV in 2003. A UNAIDS report released last week lauded China for increasing the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment by 50% last year. Almost a decade ago, the Chinese government formed a policy called "Four frees, one care" that would give free blood tests for those with HIV, free education for AIDS orphans, free consultation and screening tests, and free antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women. But hundreds protested in Henan in August, calling for full implementation of the government's HIV/AIDS policies across the province.

Janet Jackson: Testing is key

Singer Janet Jackson is an ambassador for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. We continue to struggle with an unabated HIV epidemic in the United States Communities of color are disproportionately affected by the virus We must fight the disease -- not the people who have it, say amfAR representatives Editor's note: Janet Jackson is a Grammy Award-winning musician and an ambassador for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Mathilde Krim is the founding chair of amfAR. (CNN) -- Last year on December 1 -- World AIDS Day -- President Barack Obama said that creating an "AIDS-free generation" around the world was finally within our grasp. This World AIDS Day, let's help him achieve that goal. And let's start in the United States. While the AIDS research and activist communities continue to celebrate some major breakthroughs during the past few years, we continue to struggle with an epidemic in the United States that grows unabated. Each year, 50,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV -- the virus that causes AIDS -- and more than 1.1 million people are living with the virus. And while everyone is at risk and should know their status, data tell us that communities of color -- particularly black women and young, black gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men -- are disproportionately affected by the virus. If we're going to create an AIDS-free generation here at home, we need to start investing in resources that will curb the epidemic among these populations. Hillary Clinton unveils 'blueprint' to combat AIDS According to a Fenway Institute study released at this year's International AIDS Conference, nearly 6% of black men under the age of 30 who have sex with men are newly infected with HIV every year in six cities across the United States. That's three times the rate among white men who have sex with men. Perhaps most alarming, a Black AIDS Institute study claims that 60% of black men who have sex with men will have HIV by age 40. Among black women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 1 in 32 black women will become infected with HIV in their lifetime. And despite representing 14% of the female U.S. population, black women make up 66% of all new HIV infections among women, according to the HIV Prevention Trials Network. When statistics are this shocking, we must take action. In his World AIDS Day address last year, Obama said, "When new infections among young, black, gay men increase by nearly 50% in three years, we need to do more to show them that their lives matter. When Latinos are dying sooner than other groups; when black women feel forgotten even though they account for most of the new cases among women, we need to do more." So: What can we do to make people feel like they matter, and feel like we haven't forgotten them? One thing we can all do right now is go get tested -- and encourage our friends and neighbors to get tested, too. Knowing your status is the first step to curbing the epidemic. Go to hivtest.cdc.gov to find out where to get tested in your neighborhood. If you test negative, learn how to stay that way. If you test positive, learn your treatment options and take control of your health. Second, we must fight the disease -- not the people who have it. We need an open dialogue among families, schools, and churches about the risks of HIV, and we need to recognize the role stigma plays in pushing the epidemic underground and unchecked. Stigma against people living with this disease, or who are particularly vulnerable to it, has no place in our evidence-based quest to stop the spread of AIDS. We must hate this disease; we must never hate our fellow human beings. Third, we must educate everyone -- particularly black women and young black men -- about their vulnerability to the virus. Everyone has a right to feel empowered to take control of their sexual lives and the health of themselves and their families. Half of young people with HIV don't know it Finally, we need to realize that AIDS will remain with us as long as we keep our guard down. The dialogue we start this week needs to take place every day, not just World AIDS Day. Talk to your kids about the importance of safe sex and abstinence. Talk to your partners about the importance of monogamy. Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, we can finally see, in the distance, an end. We finally possess the ability to change this region's, and the world's, future. Will you join us in helping us create a truly AIDS-free generation by first creating one here at home? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Janet Jackson and Mathilde Krim.

Mexico set to swear in new president

President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto assumes control of the armed forces and national security He and outgoing President Felipe Calderon take part in symbolic handover ceremonies Peña Nieto will be officially sworn in as president Saturday morning before Congress Members of Peña Nieto's new Security Cabinet take the oath of office (CNN) -- Mexican President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto has assumed control of the armed forces and national security in a symbolic ceremony held midnight on Saturday at the presidential palace, ahead of his official swearing-in before Congress. Exactly as scheduled, at 12:01 a.m. local time, President Felipe Calderon and Peña Nieto walked down the escalators to a patio in the National Palace. In a ceremony lasting about five minutes, Calderon received the national flag from a military school cadet, which immediately he handed to Peña Nieto. The act symbolized the transfer of command of the security forces. Afterward, both men first greeted members of the new Cabinet, then the outgoing Cabinet members. Minutes later, in a different ceremony, Peña Nieto conducted the oath of office of the members of the new Security Cabinet, composed of Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, as the head of the Ministry of the Interior, Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda as head of the Ministry of National Defense and Vidal Soberon Sanz as Secretary of the Navy. Peña Nieto, who heads the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known as the PRI, said the new government had taken office "from the first minute of this day." "A governmental transition has been completed in an orderly, legal and transparent fashion," he said. "This process has helped to preserve the political stability, economic and social development of the nation. Mexico has shown democratic maturity and institutional strength. In accordance with Article 83 of the constitution, today I begin to exercise the honorable position of President of the United States of Mexico." Both man made use of social media to voice their thoughts during this historic moment in Mexican history. Calderon said via Twitter: "My term ends, but not my commitment to Mexico, which I will continue fighting until the last of my days. Another tweet read: "The handover of the national flag for the change of guard from the president to the president-elect symbolizes the transfer of command." Peña Nieto tweeted: "Starting today, I begin to occupy the post of Constitutional President of the United Mexican States. I am confident in my team and I recognize their track record, which supports its commitment to Mexico." He will take the oath of office in the lower house of Congress at 10 a.m. local time Saturday, under tight security.

Congo rebels start pullout from city

Colonel Sultani Makenga (C), head of the rebel M23 group, pictured in July. Rebels piled into trucks as they prepared to leave the captured city of Goma, witnesses say Tensions rise as U.N. peacekeepers prevent rebels taking ammunition and vehicles The rebels were told by regional leaders to withdraw at least 12 miles from the city Residents of Goma and the United Nations have complained of looting by fighters (CNN) -- Rebels in the eastern Democratic Republica of the Congo began withdrawing from the key eastern city of Goma Saturday, witnesses said, more than a week after they seized it from government forces. Fighters from the M23 rebel group boarded trucks and other vehicles to head north to outside of the 20 kilometer (12 mile) buffer zone stipulated by regional leaders, a reporter on the ground who was not named for his safety said. Earlier they had begun leaving Sake, a town to the west of Goma. M23 rebels also left their posts at the border crossing with Rwanda, but remained in some parts of Goma as of early afternoon. Tensions mounted in the city as several disputes arose. The M23 wanted to take a large cache of ammunition left by fleeing Congolese soldiers, the reporter said, but MONUSCO, the U.N. peacekeeping force for DR Congo, prevented the rebels from doing so. Rebels in Congo pledge to retreat MONUSCO forces also stopped the rebels from taking vehicles donated to the government by the European Union. The rebel group has been accused of widespread looting by the United Nations and Goma residents. Government forces also looted as they fled last week, witnesses said. Regional leaders and the African Union had called for the rebels' withdrawal from Goma, supposed to have been completed by Thursday, as a condition of starting negotiations. The regional leaders' plan foresees an integrated force being deployed for an initial period of three months at Goma airport, Ugandan Gen. Aronda Nyakairima said earlier this week. It would include a 100-strong neutral force, which would be in command, 100 troops from the Congolese army, and 100 members of the M23, Nyakairima said. Two military observers would also be deployed from each of the neighboring regional powers, while MONUSCO would be responsible for securing the buffer zone outside Goma, he said. The regional leaders also called on the rebels to "stop all war activities," and "stop talk of overthrowing an elected government." The latest violence has forced more than 140,000 people to flee their homes, according to the U.N. refugee agency, on top of those already forced from their homes by previous rounds of fighting in the volatile region. And aid groups warn the conflict risks triggering a broader humanitarian crisis. Why Congo needs our help The M23 group was named for a peace deal of March 23, 2009, which it accuses the government of violating. The soldiers, mostly Tutsis, became part of the national army through that accord. However, they broke away from the Congolese army in April, complaining they weren't being promoted as promised, and because of a lack of pay and poor conditions. The latest unrest continues a cycle of misery in eastern DR Congo, a mineral-rich region at the epicenter of political and ethnic conflict involving its neighbors to the east, Uganda and Rwanda. The area has been embroiled in violence since 1994, when Hutu forces crossed the border from Rwanda fearing reprisals after the genocide in that country. Why the world is ignoring Congo war