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(CNN) -- The House of Representatives voted Friday to impeach a federal judge convicted of obstruction of justice while in office. Judge Samuel Kent was the first federal judge to be charged with sexual crimes while in office. U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent of Texas pleaded guilty in February, admitting he lied to investigators about nonconsensual sexual contact with two employees in his courthouse. As part of a plea agreement, other counts alleging sexual misconduct were dropped. Kent was the first federal judge to be charged with sexual crimes while in office. He has submitted his resignation, but made it effective June 1, 2010, meaning he would be paid for a year while in prison. That drew a heated response among some members of Congress, and a House Judiciary Committee task force unanimously approved four articles of impeachment against Kent on the grounds of sexual assault, obstruction of justice and providing false statements to federal investigators. Before the House vote, Judiciary Committee member Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, said to House members that Kent collecting a salary of about $174,000 while in prison constituted "an attempt to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from the American people." There were no dissenting votes. The decision on whether to convict Kent will be made by the Senate. A conviction would mean he would lose his seat on the federal bench and his pension. Kent, who turns 60 this month, was sentenced in May to 33 months in prison and began serving the sentence Monday. He was ordered to undergo treatment for alcoholism while in prison. An attempt to reach Kent's attorney for comment was unsuccessful Friday afternoon. President George H.W. Bush nominated Kent, who took his seat on the bench of the Southern District of Texas on October 1, 1990. Kent is the 14th federal judge to be impeached by the House. The last impeachment -- on charges of lying to a federal grand jury -- was of Mississippi Judge Walter Nixon in 1989. | [
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"what was the decision"
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] | Samuel Kent says he lied about nonconsensual sexual contact with 2 employees .
Kent submits resignation effective June 2010, which allowed him to collect salary .
To keep Kent from being paid while in jail, House panel votes to impeach .
Decision on whether he'll lose his seat on the bench and pension rests with Senate . |
(CNN) -- The Humane Society has accused a federally funded primate center of mistreating chimpanzees and other primates, saying that some animals showed signs of psychosis and self-mutilation.
New Iberia Research Center cages about 325 chimps on its 100 acres. It also has about 6,000 monkeys.
The allegations against the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana, which houses more than 6,500 primates, came after a nine-month undercover investigation.
The center denies the allegations.
"We found animals living in isolation, exhibiting self-mutilating behavior, psychosis, all sorts of emotional and physical problems at this laboratory," Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle told CNN on Wednesday.
The Humane Society's undercover investigator, who worked as a laboratory technician with a hidden camera, revealed 338 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, which sets standards for the treatment of animals in labs, Pacelle said.
The Humane Society posted some of its secret footage on its Web site. The footage includes an animal with what the group said was a self-inflicted wound, another animal jumping in circles in its cage, and chimpanzees screaming as lab technicians approached with a dart gun.
The violations were filed in a 108-page complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is required by law to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, the organization said.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he will order a thorough investigation of animal welfare practices at the facility.
"If the allegations prove to be true, the American public can expect the perpetrators to be held fully accountable. I take the protection of animals very seriously, and will do my utmost to fully enforce the Animal Welfare Act," he said in a written statement.
The New Iberia Research Center, part of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, issued a statement saying that the videos "distort acceptable standard procedures and incorrectly imply mistreatment of nonhuman primates at the New Iberia Research Center."
It added: "We take very seriously our responsibility to care for the animals housed at the center and to carry out biomedical research according to federal rules and regulations."
The center further said it properly housed and cared for the animals. It also said it complies with regulations of the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Humane Society accused workers at New Iberia of hitting primates on the mouth, using "painful" dart guns and removing infant monkeys from their mothers.
The Humane Society also said it had documented evidence of "rampant" breeding of government-owned chimpanzees. In 2007, the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Research Resources, following a 12-year moratorium, said it would no longer breed chimpanzees for research, citing financial reasons.
The New Iberia Research Center has received more than $37 million in grants from the NIH, according to the center's Web site.
The NIH said it has opened an investigation regarding the allegations and said it is working closely with the USDA.
However, it said it could not comment on the allegations while its investigation is under way. "The results will be available when the investigation is complete," the NIH said in a written statement.
"We are committed to the safety and welfare of all animals in research. All animals used in federally funded research are protected by laws, regulations, and policies to ensure they are used in the smallest numbers possible and with the greatest commitment to their comfort."
Pacelle said the most serious issue was the self-mutilation and "nonstop pacing and circling, psychosis and other abnormal behaviors."
"These are highly intelligent animals. They have a sense of self, they have a sense of past and future, they have the wide range of emotions that we have," he said.
"They should not be subjected to this long-term, decade-long isolation, and all these painful and physical procedures and the psychological torment in these laboratories."
The New Iberia Research Center says it offers a "broad range of diagnostic, laboratory, and human resources for the development and characterization of nonhuman | [
"An undercover investigation found the animals were prone to what?",
"What is the investigation over?",
"New Iberia Research Center is based in which U.S. state?",
"Who said he would \"order investigation of facility's animal welfare practices\"?",
"What caused the treatment of the animals to be exposed?"
] | [
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"psychosis and self-mutilation."
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] | Society says undercover investigation found animal psychosis, self-mutilation .
Center denies allegations, says it properly housed and cared for the animals .
Agriculture secretary says he'll order investigation of facility's animal welfare practices .
New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana houses more than 6,500 primates . |
(CNN) -- The Icelandic volcano producing the ash cloud snarling much of European air traffic has not stopped erupting. Is there any chance that flight schedules could return to normal any time soon, and does the weather forecast provide any relief? Here are some common questions and answers about the ash cloud crisis.
Q: For how long will the volcanic cloud remain in the atmosphere?
A: The very fine ash previously injected into higher levels of the atmosphere -- above 20,000 feet -- will remain in the air for "quite some time," because the particles can be removed only by thunderstorms, which are not expected in the next few days, the World Meteorological Organization said Tuesday. The current high pressure system, with weak winds and slowly descending air in the center, is not helping to disperse the ash cloud, the WMO said. Still, the ash particles are slowly descending to lower levels, and there is evidence that most of the ash is now between the ground and about 10,000 feet, the WMO said.
Q: What does the weather forecast say?
A: The current high-pressure system over Iceland is expected to dissipate toward the end of the week, when a stronger low-pressure system is predicted to develop, the WMO said. Not only will this system change the winds and push the ash toward the Arctic, but the rains associated with this system will help "wash out" the ash at lower levels, the WMO said.
While that directly affects only the ash in Iceland, it could be good news for the rest of Europe, because some of the ash could be "washed out" of the air before it reaches the continent, said CNN weather anchor Mari Ramos.
For Ireland and the United Kingdom, upper-level winds coming from the north are not predicted to change any time soon. Any rain that does develop closer to Europe would be unlikely to help wash much of the ash out of the atmosphere, Ramos said, because the ash cloud has generally remained above any weather system. The ash currently being spewed out by the volcano is reaching as high as 20,000 feet.
Q: If the weather isn't going to change, when might the volcano stop erupting?
A: The eruption will continue for a while, but the activity will become less and less explosive, said volcanologist Simon Day of University College London. The more important question is how long the volcano will continue to send ash high into the atmosphere.
"With the first phases, the ash was going up to 30,000 to 40,000 feet," Day said. "The current levels that the ash is being ejected to is maybe only 10,000 or 20,000 feet. It's probably also coarser-grained ash as well -- it's not quite so finely divided on the whole -- so it's going to settle out faster. So although the eruption may continue for a long time, and we may over the next few months see bursts of explosive activity, it's probably not going to be as much of a problem as it has been during this last week."
Q: Does the appearance of the volcano's plume indicate anything about the ash?
A: The whiteness of the plume suggests it contains mainly steam and little ash, the WMO said. When under-glacier eruptions occur, like this one in Iceland, the volcanoes tend to produce finer particles of ash, which stay in the air longer, Day said. That's because the melting ice shatters the magma, which contains the particles that eventually become ash.
Q: What do the ash particles look like?
A: The particles are extremely fine -- about as fine as pollen, Day said. They are made up of rocks, minerals, and volcanic glass, which together form volcanic ash, the WMO said. Such ash is hard, does not dissolve in water, and is extremely abrasive and mildly corrosive, the WMO said.
Q: Iceland has many volcanoes, so why hasn't this situation happened before?
A: The last time an Icelandic volcano produced so much ash over Europe was in | [
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] | Meteorologists: very fine ash in upper atmosphere will remain for "quite some time"
Low-pressure system expected to push ash toward the Arctic, bring rain .
Volcanologist: Activity will become less and less explosive over time .
Ash particles are as fine as pollen, but hard, abrasive and mildly corrosive . |
(CNN) -- The Indian city of Mumbai exploded into chaos early Thursday morning as gunmen launched a series of attacks across the country's commercial capital, killing scores of people and taking hostages in two luxury hotels frequented by Westerners. CNN's Christiane Amanpour says India and Pakistan might be warming toward each other. Chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour spoke about the situation. CNN: An attack this large, this sophisticated, and carried out with no warning could have come from inside India, maybe, maybe outside, maybe a neighboring state could be involved. We turn to Christiane Amanpour. What do you hear? Christiane Amanpour: Well, Tom, Islamic militants have been stepping up their assaults on Mumbai, which is not just the center of its filmmaking, but the economic and financial hub of India. They have often blamed terror attacks on Islamic militants based in Pakistan. Some, they say, are concerned about, for instance, Indian rule over Kashmir. Al Qaeda also has threatened to attack India in revenge for its policies. Very, very interestingly, this comes at a time when the new president of Pakistan has, in fact, gone further than any previous Pakistani leader in saying they want to improve relations with India, in saying they want to jointly combat terrorism together. The Pakistani president even went so far as saying he would consider renouncing a nuclear strike on India. This is a very confused situation. Although some group has claimed responsibility, nobody knows the motive yet. ... CNN: Talk to me about why it would be in the interest of these people to sever this tie between Pakistan and India. Do they believe India would join in the effort to squeeze them out? Amanpour: This is the ongoing situation. Certainly, Kashmir is a flashpoint for India and Pakistan, and really back in 2006, there were Islamic militants blamed for recent attacks. About 180 people were killed there. The one that came closest to pitting India against Pakistan was in 2001, when Islamic militants attacked the Parliament. Only 12 people were killed, but not compared to what's happened now, and that almost led to a war between India and Pakistan. Whatever happens in this region is so, so difficult and dangerous because of the flash point it centers on. As I say, though it has come at a time right in the aftermath of the warmest outreach by Pakistan to India in decades. ... CNN: What is, in all of this world picture, Christiane, what is the significance of this? Amanpour: Well, this is deeply significant, obviously, because it is such a complex and coordinated attack on multitudinous targets, multitudinous locations. Obviously, a large number of militants or terrorists who have taken part in this, and they have engaged the Indian forces, the police and security forces. It's not like they just put bombs somewhere and allowed them to go off, and either they were suicide attackers who got killed or they were able to remotely detonate their bombs. What they've done is not just attack, take hostages, but engage also with the security forces. So this really ratchets it up a very significant level. And it's been coming for about 20 years, these attacks. Small in the last couple of decades, but in the last 10 years or so, particularly since 9/11, there have been a number of very significant attacks blamed by the Indian forces on Islamic militants. ... This is very, very dangerous in this part of the world. Mumbai is India's not just gateway to the nation; it's its economic and financial hub, and it's its cultural hub as well, having the Bollywood and the other film production studios there. Nobody quite knows who it is and why they have done it. This is the thing that is very difficult and dangerous at the moment. This little-known group, if it's true that they exist, have claimed responsibility, although that has not been confirmed, so-called Deccan Mujahedeen, and what is the motive? There has obviously for many | [
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"What region has been the flashpoint?",
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"Who has gone far in reaching out to India?",
"What will the nations join together to fight?"
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] | Pakistani leader has gone far in reaching out to India, Amanpour says .
Nations may even join together to fight terrorism, correspondent says .
Region of Kashmir has been flashpoint for neighboring nations . |
(CNN) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency issued a critical report Tuesday saying that it has "serious concerns" about Iran's nuclear program and has obtained "credible" information that the Islamic republic may be developing nuclear weapons.
The IAEA report, the most detailed to date on the Iranian program's military scope, found no evidence that Iran has made a strategic decision to actually build a bomb. But its nuclear program is more ambitious and structured, and more progress has been made than previously known.
"The agency has serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program," the report said. "After assessing carefully and critically the extensive information available to it, the agency finds the information to be, overall, credible. The information indicates that Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device."
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the report had just arrived and refrained from commenting on details at an afternoon briefing. But a senior U.S. official called the report "a big deal."
"The report is very comprehensive, credible, quite damning, and alarming," the official said.
Read the IAEA report here
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed the report as a fabrication of facts aimed at satisfying U.S. allegations about Iran's nuclear program.
Ahmadinejad essentially called Yukiya Amano, the director general of the IAEA, a U.S. puppet and said the United Nations agency has no jurisdiction in Iran.
"The Americans have fabricated a stack of papers and he keeps speaking about them," he said on state-run Press TV. "Why don't you do a report on the U.S. nuclear program and its allies? Present a report on the thousands of U.S. military bases where Washington has nuclear arms that threaten global security."
The IAEA had released another report on Iran in September but this one was highly anticipated because of the military aspect.
Since 2002, the IAEA has regularly received new information pertaining to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile, the report said.
It said Iran has made "efforts, some successful, to procure nuclear related and dual use equipment and materials by military related individuals and entities" and has acquired nuclear weapons information from "a clandestine nuclear supply network."
It has also worked on mastering the design of a nuclear weapon and tested components, the report said.
The IAEA said the some of the activities have both civilian and military applications, but others are specific to nuclear weapons.
Iran has repeatedly insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian energy purposes only.
According to the IAEA report, Iran is believed to have continued weapons research and technology development after 2003, when the intelligence community thought Iran had stopped. Instead of halting, it seems Iran took a temporary hiatus at the time, although the program progressed at a more modest pace since then, the report said.
After the report's release, top Republicans in Congress called on President Barack Obama's administration to ratchet up economic sanctions against Iran. Rep. Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, raised the fear that Israel would attack Iranian nuclear facilities without further steps by the United States and its allies.
Rogers, R-Michigan, said new sanctions should cut off the supply of refined fuel to Iran and target its central bank, which he said is being used to finance Tehran's nuclear program.
"If we talk about it for a long time, if we're not really leading on it, I will tell you we leave this option to the Israelis," he told CNN's "John King USA."
And in a written statement, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen called on Congress to pass two bills targeting Iran's energy sector. The Florida Republican leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which recently sent legislation to the House floor to do just that.
"If fully implemented, they have the potential to cripple the regime's ability to continue its nuclear program," she said. "If the Iranian regime acquires nuclear weapons capabilities, the U.S., Israel and our other allies in | [
"where is Sanctions should target refined fuel supply?",
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] | NEW: GOP members of Congress urge White House to ratchet up economic sanctions .
NEW: Sanctions should target refined fuel supply, Iran's central bank, Rep. Mike Rogers says .
A nuclear watchdog report expresses serious concern over Iran's nuclear program .
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismisses the report as fabrication . |
(CNN) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed its concern Wednesday over what may have been the improper use of its emblem in the daring rescue last month of 15 hostages in Colombia.
What seems to be part of a red cross is seen on a man involved in the rescue in this official image.
"We are in contact with the Colombian authorities to ask for further clarifications as to exactly what happened," ICRC Deputy Director of Operations Dominik Stillhart said in a written statement.
Video and photographs originally shown to CNN appeared to show one of the hostage rescuers wearing a bib with a red cross on it, and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe admitted July 16 that Colombian military intelligence used a single Red Cross symbol in the rescue mission.
The ICRC statement said video aired on Colombian television earlier this week "reveals that a member of the army team involved was wearing a tabard marked with the Red Cross emblem before the operation had even begun, suggesting intentional misuse." Watch where bib appeared in video »
"If authenticated, these images would clearly establish an improper use of the Red Cross emblem, which we deplore," Stillhart said.
Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos blasted the leaking of the video as "an act of disloyalty, possibly corruption or even treason," although he defended the right of the media to publish the material once it had been leaked.
Speaking at a news conference at a military base in San Jose del Guaviare on Tuesday, Santos said the military had launched an investigation into the leak and said that those responsible would be "severely disciplined."
Uribe said in July that the man wearing the bib was a member of the Colombian military intelligence team involved in the rescue who panicked and used the emblem to protect himself.
"This officer, upon confessing his mistake to his superiors, said when the (rescue) helicopter was about to land ... he saw so many guerrillas that he went into a state of angst," Uribe said.
"He feared for his life and put on the Red Cross bib over his jacket."
However, a confidential military source who showed CNN the photographs that included the man wearing the bib said they were taken moments before the mission took off.
The use of the "Red Cross, Red Crescent and Red Crystal Emblems is governed by the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols."
"These emblems may not be used by bodies or persons not entitled to do so under international humanitarian law," the ICRC statement said.
Uribe said in July that as the constitutional head of the armed forces, he takes full political responsibility for what he described as a slip-up. He said he has apologized to ICRC officials.
Previously, the Colombian president and his top generals had categorically denied that international humanitarian symbols were used in the July 2 rescue mission that duped the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels into handing over prized hostages including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three U.S. military contractors and 11 Colombian police and soldiers. Learn about some of the freed hostages »
Such a use of the Red Cross emblem could constitute a "war crime" under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, according to international legal expert Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association.
Such a move could endanger humanitarian workers in the future, he said.
"If you use the emblem in a deceitful way, generally the conventions say it would be a breach. (Based on the information as explained to me) the way that the images show the Red Cross emblem being used could be distinguished as a war crime," he said in an interview with CNN on July 16.
"Complete and total respect for the Red Cross emblem is essential if the ICRC is to be able to bring assistance and protection to the people worst affected by armed conflicts and other situations of violence," the ICRC's statement said.
"As a neutral and impartial humanitarian organization, the ICRC depends on the trust of all the parties to the conflict to be able to carry out its humanitarian work | [
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] | NEW: Defense minister blasts leak of video from hostage rescue .
International committee probing use of symbol by military rescuer .
15 hostages were rescued July 2 from rebel organization FARC .
Misuse of emblem could be war crime, legal expert says . |
(CNN) -- The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Thursday convicted the "mastermind" of the Rwandan genocide and sentenced him to life in prison for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Theoneste Bagosora, right, and his co-defendant Anatole Nsengiyumva, left, arrive in court. It is the first time the tribunal has convicted high-level officials for the 100-day genocide in 1994 which left an estimated 800,000 people dead. Theoneste Bagosora, 67, a colonel in the Rwandan army, was found guilty along with two other men -- Major Aloys Ntabakuze and Lieutenant Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva. All were sentenced to life in prison. The tribunal -- located in Arusha, Tanzania -- acquitted General Gratien Kabiligi, the former head of military operations, and ordered his immediate release. CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour -- who covered the story -- called the verdicts "a real turning point and a milestone in justice." Watch CNN's Christiane Amanpour on the verdict » "It sends a message that right up the chain of command, you cannot hide," Amanpour said. The court said Bagosora was a key figure in drawing up plans for the genocide. A Hutu, Bagosora was convicted of ordering Hutu militia to slaughter rival Tutsis. The massacres began after a plane crash on April 6, 1994 that killed the presidents of Rwanda and neighboring Burundi. The court said the plane was brought down by a surface-to-air missile fired from the airport in Kigali, the Rwandan capital. Watch what happened in the court » Bagosora decided the military should take over and he refused to involve the prime minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, in any discussions, the court found. April 7, while Bagosora held a crisis meeting with top military officials, the prime minister was arrested, sexually assaulted and killed by top members of the Rwandan Army, the court found. Find out more about the world's killing fields » That made Bagosora the head of all political and military affairs in Rwanda, and in that capacity, he was at the top of the chain of command. The same day the prime minister was killed, the court said, army personnel confined and killed four important opposition leaders -- including the president of the constitutional court and government ministers -- and murdered 10 Belgian peacekeepers who had been dispatched to the prime minister's residence. The court found Bagosora bore responsibility for those and other killings because he commanded those who carried out the crimes. "Bagosora was the highest authority in the Ministry of Defense and exercised effective control of the Rwandan army and gendarmerie," said Presiding Judge Erik Mose. "He's therefore responsible for the murder of the prime minister, the four opposition politicians, the 10 Belgian peacekeepers, as well as the extensive military involvement in the killing of civilians during this period." ICTR Prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow said the convicted men "prepared, planned, ordered, directed, incited, encouraged and approved the murder of innocent civilian Tutsis." The killings were carried out by military personnel on the orders of Rwandan authorities including Bagosora, the court said. The court found that from April to July 1994, Bagosora exercised authority over members of the Rwandan Army and their militiamen, who committed massacres throughout Rwanda with Bagosora's knowledge. "In all the regions of the country, members of the Tutsi population who were fleeing from the massacres on their hills sought refuge in locations they thought would be safe, often on the recommendation of the local civil and military authorities," the indictment said. "In many of these places, despite the promise that they would be protected by the local civil and military authorities, the refugees were attacked, abducted and massacred, often on the orders or with the complicity of those same authorities." The indictment against Bagosora alleged he had been opposed to concessions made by his government to Tutsi rebels at 1993 peace talks in Tanzania, and had left the negotiations saying he was returning to Rwanda to "prepare the apocalypse." The U.N. established the tribunal in late 1994. The trial began in April 2002 | [
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Genocide began after plane carrying the leaders of Rwanda, Burundi crashed .
Bagosora was charged with genocide and crimes against humanity .
The United Nations established the genocide tribunal in late 1994 . |
(CNN) -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed Tuesday it intends to refer the latest allegations of corruption involving officials of world football's governing body FIFA, to its ethics commission.
According to a report by the BBC, Issa Hayatou -- who is a long-term IOC member, the FIFA vice president and the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) -- accepted $15,000 as a bribe in 1995 from a marketing company.
The IOC responded to the claim by requesting the evidence the British broadcaster had gathered on the African executive for further analysis.
"The IOC has taken note of the allegations made by [the] BBC and will ask the program makers to pass on any evidence they may have to the appropriate authorities," the body said in a statement to CNN.
"The IOC has a zero tolerance against corruption and will refer the matter to the IOC ethics commission," the statement added.
Cameroonian Hayatou was one of three FIFA officials -- including Nicolas Leoz from Paraguay and Ricardo Teixeira from Brazil -- who were named by the BBC as having taken bribes from the ISL marketing company who went onto secure valuable World Cup rights in the 1990s.
All three are due to cast votes to decide which nations will play host to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in a ballot at FIFA headquarters on December 2.
Hayatou said Tuesday that he was considering legal action over the BBC claims.
He told Press Association Sport: "This money was not for me it was for the 40th anniversary of CAF.
"At that time ISL was the sponsor of CAF and they give the money to CAF and not to me, and the executive committee of CAF accepted it and approved it."
The latest developments follow the suspension of two other FIFA executive members in November -- Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Tahiti's Reynauld Temarii -- after allegations by British newspaper the Sunday Times that both had accepted bribes for their vote.
In contrast to the IOC's stance, FIFA said that it would be taking no further action.
"The investigation and the case are definitely closed," it said in a statement Tuesday, adding that the allegations had already been investigated by Swiss authorities.
"In its verdict of 26 June 2008, the criminal court of Zug had not convicted any FIFA officials.
"It is therefore important to stress again the fact that no FIFA officials were accused of any criminal offence in these proceedings."
England's 2018 bid team, who have been concerned that the fall-out from the corruption allegations would damage their chances of hosting the World Cup, claimed the program was "an embarrassment to the BBC."
Worried about a backlash from FIFA members, the bid team wanted the BBC to delay the broadcast until after Thursday's decision, but their plea was refused.
"We stand by our previous position that the BBC's Panorama did nothing more than rake over a series of historical allegations none of which are relevant to the current bidding process," it said in a statement Tuesday.
Michel Platini, the president of European football governing body UEFA, offered England some comfort.
"I don't think this (program) will have an effect, no," he told gathered reporters after a UEFA meeting in Zurich Monday.
But he added: "I think what may affect the decision is the atmosphere going back a long time and what people have been writing about FIFA in the British press for many years."
The 22 members of FIFA's executive committee will be choosing between bids from England, Russia and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium to decide who will host the 2018 World Cup.
Australia, the United States, Japan, Qatar and South Korea are bidding for 2022. | [
"What position does Issa Hayatou hold with FIFA?",
"Who was alleged to have accepted bribes in the 1990s?",
"Who is the vice president of FIFA?",
"Who confirmed they will pursue the allegations?"
] | [
[
"vice president"
],
[
"Issa Hayatou"
],
[
"Issa Hayatou"
],
[
"International Olympic Committee"
]
] | The IOC confirms it will pursue the latest allegations of corruption involving FIFA officials .
FIFA vice president Issa Hayatou is also an IOC member .
Hayatou is alleged to have accepted bribes in the 1990s for World Cup rights .
NEW: Hayatou says he is considering legal action against the BBC . |
(CNN) -- The Internet connection in Myanmar was cut Friday, limiting the free flow of information the nation's citizens were sharing with the world depicting the violent crackdown on monks and other peaceful demonstrators.
Ko Htike runs his Myanmar blog out of his London apartment and says he's trying to stop the violence.
Myanmar-based blogs went dark suddenly. But London-based blogger Ko Htike -- who has been one of the most prominent bloggers posting information about the violence -- has vowed to keep up the fight, saying where "there is a will, there is a way."
"I sadly announce that the Burmese military junta has cut off the Internet connection throughout the country," he said on his blog Friday. "I, therefore, would not be able to feed in pictures of the brutality by the brutal Burmese military junta."
Ko Htike is a 28-year-old who left Myanmar, once known as Burma, seven years ago to study in England. Watch a blogger's fight for Myanmar »
He told CNN.com a day earlier that he has as many as 40 people in Myanmar sending him photos or calling him with information. They often take the photos from windows from their homes, he said.
Myanmar's military junta has forbidden such images, and anyone who sends them is risking their lives.
"If they get caught, you will never know their future. Maybe just disappear or maybe life in prison or maybe dead," he told CNN.
Why would they take such risks?
"They thought that this is their duty for the country," he said. "That's why they are doing it. It's like a mission."
Even with Friday's action by the government, he said he will continue to do all he can to get images of what's happening out for the world to see.
"I will also try my best to feed in their demonic appetite of fear and paranoia by posting any pictures that I receive through other means," he said on his blog. "I will continue to live with the motto that 'if there is a will there is a way.' "
With few Western journalists allowed in Myanmar, his blog has become one of the main information outlets. More than 170,000 people from 175 countries have gone to the blog, according to a counter on the page.
On Friday, shots rang out in the streets of Myanmar's biggest city of Yangon, marking the third straight day of violence at the hands of the ruling military junta to suppress citizen protests. See photos of the protests »
One diplomat told CNN that a Western witness had reported seeing about 35 bodies lying in rows on a street near Sule Pagoda, with civilians praying over them. CNN could not independently confirm the report, and it was not known if the bodies were from Friday or the result of earlier violence.
According to The Associated Press, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday he believes the loss of life in Myanmar has been "far greater" than is being reported.
In a country where Buddhist monks are revered, the violence against them could stir even more outrage among the people of Myanmar. "Now, there is blood shed on the monastery," Htike said.
The Internet has also spawned other Myanmar pages. On the popular online community of Facebook, several Myanmar support pages were set up with links keeping a close eye on the latest developments. One letter floating around the Internet from a group calling itself the "Global Alliance of Burmese Students" called on people abroad to stage protests.
"We call on you to take action, to take the lead, and to show solidarity with our fellow countrymen back home," it said. "The streets of Yangon bleed red, and it will all be in vain if we do not act and mobilize for change."
Other people used technology as simple as the cell phone as a means to get the word out on what was happening.
"We didn't do any terrorism, but they sharp-shoot us | [
"Who vows to keep up the fight?",
"What has been cut off in Myanmar?"
] | [
[
"Ko Htike"
],
[
"Internet connection"
]
] | Internet connection in Myanmar has been cut off .
London-blogger vows to keep up the fight .
Woman on phone: "Who can help us?"
Student sent video to CNN because people "should know what is happening" |
(CNN) -- The Iowa Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry received an emotional welcome home July 25 -- more than a year and a half after leaving for Iraq. More than 600 soldiers marched on the field at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo, Iowa, in front of thousands of friends and family members. I-Reporter Myke Goings captures Iowa National Guard soldiers celebrating their return from Iraq. The unit served 17 months in Iraq, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, said Master Sgt. Duff McFadden of the Iowa National Guard. Two soldiers were killed in action, both by a roadside bomb, Radio Iowa reported. I-Reporter Myke Goings captured the emotion of family members and soldiers on camera as well as the tributes to the soldiers around town. His wife works with Sara Barnard, who reunited with her husband Tim at the ceremony. "You could see the excitement of the look on her face as she finally found him in the group," Goings said. "To do that with everyone in camouflage was amazing." E-mail to a friend | [
"Where in Iowa did they return to?",
"Which state did the soldiers return to?",
"What occurred during the event?",
"Who returned to Iowa?",
"Where did the soldiers return from?",
"What did Myke Goings report?",
"Who welcomed them back?",
"Who documented the event?"
] | [
[
"Waterloo,"
],
[
"Iowa,"
],
[
"home"
],
[
"Army National Guard's 1st Battalion,"
],
[
"Iraq."
],
[
"Iowa National Guard soldiers celebrating their return from Iraq."
],
[
"friends and family members."
],
[
"I-Reporter Myke Goings"
]
] | More than 600 soldiers returned to Iowa from service in Iraq on July 25 .
Thousands of friends and relatives welcomed them back at ceremony .
I-Reporter Myke Goings documented the event . |
(CNN) -- The Irish government ordered a recall Saturday of all pork products linked to pigs slaughtered in Ireland, after laboratory tests found the presence of dioxins in animal feed and pork fat samples. Preliminary evidence gathered by Ireland's Food Safety Authority indicated that the contamination likely started in September, the government said in a statement. The Food Safety Authority advised consumers not to consume Irish pork and bacon products for the time being. The government is now trying to determine the scope of the contamination. Dioxins are environmental contaminants, often present in industrial waste. Most dioxin exposure occurs through diet, with more than 95 percent coming from the consumption of animal fats, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Dioxin levels in food are regulated. Dr Tony Holohan, Ireland's Chief Medical Officer, said that the dioxin usually impacts the nervous system and liver in comments reported by the UK Press Association. Holohan added that the dioxin would only be perilous through prolonged exposure. The agency reported that an animal feed ingredient supplied by one business to 40-plus farms is regarded as the likely cause of the dioxin by experts, and that tests revealed the dioxin polychlorinated biphenyls to be 80 to 200 times above the acceptable safety level. | [
"What caused the food scare in Ireland?",
"What is the government evaluating?",
"What was found in animal feed and pork fat samples?",
"How many times above the acceptable level were dioxins found?",
"What was found in animal feed in Ireland?",
"Are government agents evaluating contamination at risk?"
] | [
[
"the presence of dioxins in animal feed and pork fat samples."
],
[
"pork products"
],
[
"dioxins"
],
[
"80 to 200"
],
[
"dioxins"
],
[
"The"
]
] | Food scare in Ireland after dioxins found in animal feed and pork fat samples .
Government evaluating extent of contamination, risk only via prolonged exposure .
Media: Government says level of dioxins were 80 to 200 times above acceptable level . |
(CNN) -- The Irrawaddy, one of the world's rarest species of freshwater dolphins, have been found in surprisingly large numbers deep in the waterlogged jungles of Bangladesh. The Irrawaddy is considered to be one of the world's rarest species of freshwater dolphin. Conservationists thought the Irrawaddy had dwindled in number to just a few hundred, but they have now counted almost 6,000 of them in the Sundarban mangrove forests and the adjacent waters of the Bay of Bengal. The forests of the Sundarban -- Bengali for "beautiful forest" -- lie at the delta of the Ganges and two other rivers on the Bay of Bengal. Until now, little mammal research had taken place in the area. "Every time we had done a study to look into the population (elsewhere), they came out critically endangered," said Brian Smith of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, who led the study. "It was a very pleasant surprise and a shock to find that Bangladesh supports such a large number (of dolphins)." The discovery is noteworthy because scientists do not know how many Irrawaddy dolphins remain. The next step, they say, is to ensure the mammal's survival. One rare dolphin species -- the Yangtze River dolphin, or baiji -- is extinct. Another, the Ganges River dolphin, is critically endangered. Some of the threats affecting the Irrawaddy are man-made. The construction of dams has reduced the flow of fresh water in many parts of Bangladesh. And the population is dwindling because the dolphins sometimes get caught in fishermen's nets. The dolphin, which has a large, rounded head, can grow up to 8 feet in length and is related to the orca, or killer whale. It is found in large rivers, estuaries and freshwater lagoons in south and southeast Asia. In Myanmar, the dolphins help herd schools of fish toward fishermen's boats and nets. In Bangladesh, fishermen hold them in high regard, Smith said. "There is no market for dolphin products," he said. "In a country like Bangladesh, with protein deficiency and where food is scarce, there is a real cultural prohibition against harming them. It gives us hope because it means fishermen are very receptive to working with us." The results of the study were shared Wednesday at a conference for marine mammal protected areas in Hawaii, and published in the winter issue of the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. Conservationists are now working with the Bangladesh government to establish a protected area for the dolphins. "There are so many bad news (stories) coming out of the conservation community that this is a real sort of positive story," Smith said. | [
"had dwindled in number to just a few hundred",
"Where have the freshwater dolphins been found?",
"How many dolphins they were found?",
"who is Irrawaddy?",
"Where do the Irrawaddy inhabit?",
"How many of the Irrawaddy still exist?"
] | [
[
"the Irrawaddy"
],
[
"deep in the waterlogged jungles of Bangladesh."
],
[
"almost 6,000"
],
[
"one of the world's rarest species of freshwater dolphins,"
],
[
"jungles of Bangladesh."
],
[
"almost 6,000"
]
] | Rare species of freshwater dolphins found in Bangladesh's waterlogged jungles .
Fears Irrawaddy had dwindled in number to just a few hundred .
However, researchers have now counted almost 6,000 . |
(CNN) -- The Israel Defense Forces called off a raid after one of its combat soldiers posted information about the operation, including the time and place, on Facebook, the IDF said Wednesday.
"On Wednesday, we are cleaning up (the village). Today - arrest. On Thursday, God willing, we will be home," the soldier, who was not identified, posted on the social networking site, according to IDF.
The post was removed after other soldiers in the company saw it online and reported it to their commanders, IDF said.
"The division commander decided to cancel the operation out of concern that the information had reached hostile groups and would harm IDF forces," it said.
The soldier was sentenced to 10 days imprisonment and was removed from his battalion and all combat postings, IDF said. His combat certificate also was revoked.
IDF soldiers are prohibited from posting classified information online, including photographs of military interests. | [
"What punishment did the soldier receive?",
"What sentence have the soldier faced ?",
"Which person posted details aobut the raid?",
"What was canceled by the commander ?",
"Where did soldier posted details about raid ?"
] | [
[
"10 days imprisonment and was removed from his battalion and all combat postings,"
],
[
"10 days imprisonment and was removed from his battalion and all combat postings,"
],
[
"one of its combat soldiers"
],
[
"called off a raid"
],
[
"Facebook,"
]
] | Soldier posted details about pending raid on Facebook, Israeli military says .
Commander canceled operation, fearing enemies might have learned about it .
Soldier sentenced to 10 days imprisonment, removed from his battalion . |
(CNN) -- The Italian government has approved the creation of a new task force of 500 soldiers who will be deployed to combat the recent wave of Mafia crime in the country.
The army has been deployed in major cities aross Italy since the early summer.
Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa told the ANSA press agency Tuesday that ''the majority'' of the troops would be sent to the southern city of Naples following the worst ever Camorra massacre last week, that left an Italian and six Africans dead.
La Russa said that the 500 troops will be in addition to the 3,000 soldiers deployed alongside police in major Italian cities this summer, ANSA reported.
''The troops could be deployed for three months and (perform) the functions of manning check points,'' he said.
This will be the second time since the 1990s that the army has been sent in to combat Mafia crime in southern Italy, ANSA said.
Thousands of soldiers were sent to Sicily in 1992 following the murder of anti-Mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. They stayed on the southern island until 1998 in an operation dubbed the Sicilian Vespers.
The Casalesi Camorra clan is believed to have been behind Thursday's killings, which began with the shooting of an amusement arcade's 53-year-old Italian owner, known to have had links with the clan, ANSA said.
Twenty minutes later, three Ghanaians, two Liberians and a Togo national were shot dead at a shop where local residents often brought clothes for minor adjustments. A third Liberian died in hospital Friday morning.
According to ANSA, police said the murders were drug-related but also ''a signal'' that the Casalesi were still strong in the area despite a raft of recent arrests.
The Casalesi clan is one of the most feared Camorra gangs. It controls drug trafficking and prostitution in the Caserta region, near Naples. | [
"How many people did the Camorra clan kill?",
"What larger crime organization is mentioned?",
"How many times has the army been sent in?",
"Where would a majority of the troops be sent to?",
"Number of people that were murdered by the local Camorra clan?",
"Six people were murdered by what clan last week?",
"How many times since the 1990s has the army be sent to combat mafia crime?",
"Who is the Defense Minister that is quoted?",
"Where would the majority of the tropps be sent?",
"Who murdered six people?",
"The majority of troops will be sent where?",
"Who was the army sent to combat?"
] | [
[
"an Italian and six Africans"
],
[
"Mafia"
],
[
"This will be the second"
],
[
"southern city of Naples"
],
[
"an Italian and six Africans"
],
[
"The Casalesi Camorra"
],
[
"second"
],
[
"Ignazio La Russa"
],
[
"Naples"
],
[
"The Casalesi Camorra clan"
],
[
"southern city of Naples"
],
[
"Mafia"
]
] | Defense Minister: Majority of the troops would be sent to Naples area .
This follows the murder of six people by local Camorra clan last week .
Second time since 1990s that army has been sent in to combat Mafia crime . |
(CNN) -- The Jacksonville, Florida, man accused of hacking celebrities' online accounts for nude photos and other private information said Friday, "I am very sorry for all of this."
A federal judge ordered Christopher Chaney, 35, to appear in a California courtroom on November 1 to answer charges, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office said.
"What I'm most sorry about is that I had to drag my mom into all of this, and my family and my neighbors and they just want to live their lives," Chaney told reporters. He did not respond to questions.
Chaney is accused of hacking into the accounts of more than 50 celebrities, including movie stars Scarlett Johansson and Mila Kunis and singer Christina Aguilera.
A grand jury indicted Chaney on nine counts of computer hacking for gain, eight counts of aggravated identify theft, and nine counts of illegal wiretapping. If convicted of all 26 counts, Chaney would face a maximum of 121 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said.
The aggravated identity theft charge alone carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence, he added.
The suspect's attorney, Christopher Chestnut, said his client "remains very remorseful" and understands the importance of privacy.
Still, Chestnut indicated the potential sentence appeared harsh.
"People who murder kids don't get 120 years in prison," he said.
Earlier this week, Chaney told a reporter that he had became "addicted" to the intrusion and "didn't know how to stop."
"I know what I did was probably one of the worst invasions of privacy someone could experience," Chaney told CNN affiliate WAWS/WTEV in Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday.
"And these people don't have privacy to begin with. And I was in that little sliver of privacy they do have."
The FBI's Los Angeles office said he was arrested as part of "Operation Hackerazzi," which looked into computer intrusions targeting individuals associated with the entertainment industry.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Chaney was able to access nude photos of some of the celebrities and some of them were uploaded on the Internet," Birotte said Wednesday.
A recently circulated nude photo of Johansson is part of the investigation, he said.
Chaney allegedly "also took financial information, movie scripts and conversations that the celebrities believed to be private," Birotte told reporters.
In the interview with WAWS/WTEV, Chaney said the hacking "started as curiosity and it turned into just being, you know, addicted to seeing the behind-the-scenes of what's going on with these people you see on the big screen every day."
"It just happened and snowballed," he said, adding that he wishes it had never begun.
Chaney said he felt "almost relieved months ago" when authorities seized his computer because "I didn't know how to stop doing it myself. I wasn't attempting to break into e-mails and get stuff to sell or purposely put it on the Internet. It just -- I don't know."
Authorities allege that Chaney distributed the photos he obtained illegally and offered them to celebrity blog sites. Some of the files, including private photographs, were posted online "as a result of Chaney's alleged activities," authorities said in a statement.
"I've had like six months to think about it," Chaney said, "it eats at me. ... When you're doing it you're not thinking about what's going on with who you're doing it to."
According to the FBI's Los Angeles field office, investigators believe that Chaney used publicly available sources to mine for data about his targets. Once Chaney gained access and control of an e-mail account, "he would obtain private information, such as e-mails and file attachments, according to the indictment," the FBI said in a statement.
Authorities allege that once Chaney hacked into a celebrity's e-mail account, he would use the contact lists to find other celebrities' | [
"What did the suspect say",
"Who were some of the victims?",
"What is his name?",
"When is he due in court?",
"When will the suspect appear?",
"Who did the victims include?",
"When does the hacker to appear in court?",
"What was Chaney not attempting to do?"
] | [
[
"\"I am very sorry for all of this.\""
],
[
"Scarlett Johansson and Mila Kunis and"
],
[
"Christopher Chaney,"
],
[
"November 1"
],
[
"November 1"
],
[
"Scarlett Johansson and Mila Kunis and singer Christina Aguilera."
],
[
"November 1"
],
[
"break into e-mails"
]
] | NEW: Suspect says, "I am very sorry for all of this"
Christopher Chaney says he was not attempting to sell private information he got from celebrity accounts .
Victims include Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis, Christina Aguilera .
The celebrity hacker suspect is ordered to appear in a Los Angeles court on November 1 . |
(CNN) -- The Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the Major League Soccer final Sunday, in what could be David Beckham's last significant game on U.S. soil.
The Galaxy entered the final match, which was on their home turf in Carson, California, as the clear favorite. The squad hasn't lost this year at The Home Depot Center, and overall have won 19 games, tied 10 and lost five.
The Dynamo, meanwhile, finished second in the Eastern Conference having won 12 games, tied 13 and lost nine.
Yet while the Houston squad had strong players like Brian Ching and Brad Davis on its roster, they couldn't match the star-power of the Galaxy. That included U.S. national team stalwart Landon Donovan, Irish forward Robbie Keane and Beckham.
The sole goal of the game came in the 72nd minute. Beckham flicked a header to Keane who passed the ball to Donovan -- who, in turn, sent it past Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall.
It was the Galaxy's third MLS title, and Beckham's first.
Beckham has been a global soccer icon for years, inspiring the movie, "Bend It Like Beckham" and starring for years with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the English national team. He's also been a hot item off the field, as the husband of former "Spice Girl" singer and fashionista Victoria Beckham.
In 2007, he signed on with Major League Soccer -- a surprising move to some, given that he then was still considered one of the world's best players and the U.S. league's quality was considered inferior to many others worldwide.
Beckham said then that he hoped to help build the sport's standing in the United States and the league's profile internationally.
His $32.5 million contract is set to expire at year's end, and Beckham recently told CNN that he is still weighing where, if anywhere, he will go next.
Clubs rumored to have shown interest in him include European teams Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Queens Park Rangers.
"People say I'm coming to the end of my career, which at 36 years old you usually are," he said last week. "But it's always nice to be wanted, and to be wanted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe still."
Beckham added that, at season's end, he plans to talk through his next steps with his family -- considering, among other factors, his health and "what I think I can still achieve."
Beckham hoped to have an answer possibly before Christmas.
He also expressed his desire to somehow be part of the 2012 Summer Olympics, either as a player, "an ambassador for the Olympics" or simply a fan.
"To be a proud Englishman, to get the Olympics in a part of London where I grew up, it was something that I loved being part of," Beckham said.
CNN's Paul Vercammen contributed to this report. | [
"Who entered the game as a favorite?",
"What minute goal came?"
] | [
[
"Los Angeles Galaxy"
],
[
"72nd"
]
] | The Galaxy entered the game as the clear favorite .
The sole goal came in the 72 minute .
Beckham's contract expires at the end of this year .
Referring to other teams' interest, he says, "It's always nice to be wanted" |
(CNN) -- The Marine Corps has dropped charges against the commander of the Marine company involved in the 2005 killings of Iraqi civilians in Haditha, Iraq.
Camp Pendleton's commanding officer ordered charges dropped against Capt. Lucas McConnell.
Capt. Lucas McConnell, who had been charged with dereliction of duty, was also granted immunity to ensure he cooperates with the investigation, the service said Tuesday.
McConnell was one of four officers charged with failing to properly investigate and report the civilian deaths.
Lt. Gen. James Mattis, the Marine commander in charge of the corps' units in the Middle East, ordered the charges dismissed last week.
"Lt. Gen. Mattis determined that administrative measures are the appropriate response for any errors or omissions allegedly committed by McConnell," according to a statement from the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton in California.
Four Marines from McConnell's unit were charged with murder in connection with the deaths of up to two dozen civilians in Haditha in November 2005. Charges have been dropped against two of them -- one in exchange for his testimony and the other after a hearing officer decided he acted in accord with the rules of engagement.
Two other officers -- Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the battalion commander, and 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson -- also face charges related to their response to the killings.
Haditha, located along the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad, was the target of several Marine campaigns aimed at rooting out insurgents from 2004 through 2006.
Prosecutors accused the Marines of going on a rampage after a roadside bomb killed one of their comrades, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas, on November 19, 2005.
A statement from the Marine Corps originally blamed the deaths on the roadside bomb, triggering a parallel investigation into how commanders handled the incident. E-mail to a friend | [
"where did kill up to two dozen civilians, in November 2005",
"how many officers face charges?",
"Where were the civilians killed?",
"what was Capt. Lucas McConnell accused of?",
"Who are facing charges?",
"how many were killed?",
"who did accuse of poor investigating, reporting of deaths?",
"What is the captain's name?"
] | [
[
"Haditha, Iraq."
],
[
"four"
],
[
"Haditha, Iraq."
],
[
"dereliction of duty,"
],
[
"Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the battalion commander, and 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson"
],
[
"up to two dozen"
],
[
"Capt. Lucas McConnell."
],
[
"Lucas McConnell,"
]
] | Capt. Lucas McConnell was accused of poor investigating, reporting of deaths .
Two other officers face charges related to their response to the killings .
Incident killed up to two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, in November 2005 . |
(CNN) -- The Marine Corps has sacked four top officers of a California-based fighter squadron over the December crash of a fighter jet that slammed into a San Diego neighborhood, the service announced Tuesday. Grace Yoon, 15 months, was killed after a military jet crashed into her home. Deferred maintenance and faulty decisions by the pilot and squadron members with whom he was communicating on the ground contributed to the crash, a Marine Corps investigation concluded. The commander of the squadron involved, its top maintenance officer and two others have been relieved of duty as a result of the investigation, and nine other Marines have received other disciplinary action, Maj. Gen. Randolph Alles said. The jet crashed in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, about three miles short of the Miramar airfield. Two adults and two small children from a Korean immigrant family were killed when the jet slammed into their house. Watch what pilot said as plane had trouble » The F/A-18 Hornet crashed after "a succession of emergencies" that began with oil-pressure problems in its right engine during a flight off the Southern California coast, said Marine Col. John Rupp. That left the jet relying on its other engine, which previously had been giving mechanics electronic indications of a problem with its fuel-flow system, Rupp said. Learn more about the jet » Maintenance rules don't require immediate repairs for the problem, he said, but the squadron flew the jet 146 times before it eventually crashed because its left engine was starved for fuel. "The end result was that the squadron elected to fly an aircraft that had a degraded fuel system on the left side of the aircraft," Rupp said. "This is a critical point, and this was collectively questionable judgment on the part of the squadron's maintenance department." The investigation criticized the pilot, who was being trained on the F/A-18, for not consulting a pocket checklist that outlined emergency procedures. While controllers aboard the aircraft carrier that launched the jet urged the pilot to land at a nearby Navy airfield at North Island, squadron officers relied on "incorrect assumptions and inaccurate data" to guide him back to the plane's base at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. "No one in the ready room stated or understood the severity of the low fuel emergency at this time," Rupp said. "This is a critical moment, and this is collectively bad decision-making by the duty officer, by the operations officer and by the squadron's commanding officer." The pilot waited "until the last possible moment" to eject from the plane, bailing out at an altitude of just 400 feet, and attempted to steer away from homes on the ground before the crash, Rupp said. The pilot, whose name has not been released, is grounded pending further review, which Marine officers said was routine. Alles said the officer was an "above-average" pilot who "just made a poor decision." Dong Yun Yoon lost his wife, children and mother-in-law in the crash and another unoccupied house also was destroyed. Yoon said the victims were his daughter Rachel, who was born less than two months before the accident; his 15-month-old daughter Grace; his wife, Young Mi Yoon, 36; and her 60-year-old mother, Suk Im Kim, who he said had come to the United States from Korea recently to help take care of the children. In an emotional press conference in December, Yoon said he did not blame the pilot and urged the public to pray for him. "I don't blame him. I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," Yoon said at the time. "Please pray for him not to suffer from this accident," Yoon said as he fought for composure. "He is one of our treasures for the country." | [
"What was pilot criticized for?",
"what preceded fatal San Diego crash?",
"who were killed in crash?",
"what did Squadron officers rely on"
] | [
[
"not consulting a pocket checklist that outlined emergency procedures."
],
[
"\"a succession of emergencies\""
],
[
"Two adults and two small children from a Korean immigrant family"
],
[
"\"incorrect assumptions and inaccurate data\""
]
] | NEW: "Succession of emergencies" with aircraft preceded fatal San Diego crash .
NEW: Squadron officers relied on "inaccurate data" to direct pilot to return to base .
NEW: Pilot criticized for not consulting pocket checklist of emergency procedures .
Man's wife, children, mother-in-law killed were killed in crash . |
(CNN) -- The Marine accused of killing Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, who was more than eight months pregnant, was not the father of her unborn child, a law enforcement source close to the murder investigation said Saturday. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, who is being held on a murder charge, is scheduled for arraignment in June. The source, who has seen a report completed earlier this month by the Defense Department's Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, said Cpl. Cesar Laurean's DNA does not match that of the unborn child, who also died. Laurean and Lauterbach were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. An autopsy showed that Lauterbach, 20, died of blunt force trauma to the head. Police unearthed her charred body from beneath a barbecue pit in Laurean's backyard in January 2008. She disappeared the month before. Laurean was 22 when he was arrested in Mexico in April 2008. At the time, a Mexican reporter asked Laurean whether he had killed Lauterbach. The Marine replied, "I loved her." Laurean has been indicted on charges that include first-degree murder, financial card transaction fraud and obtaining property by false pretenses. North Carolina prosecutors allege he killed Lauterbach on December 14 and used her ATM card 10 days later before fleeing to Mexico. He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico. The law enforcement source familiar with the case said a DNA swab was taken by court order from Laurean after he was extradited from Mexico in March to face charges in North Carolina. Mexican authorities agreed to the extradition, in part because prosecutors took the death penalty off the table. Mexico does not have a death penalty. Before her death, Lauterbach told the Marines that Laurean raped her. The month before she disappeared, Lauterbach's mother says Maria told a military investigator that she no longer believed Laurean was the father of her unborn child. However, Lauterbach's mother, Mary, says her daughter remained adamant that Laurean raped her. Laurean denied it. A few weeks before a scheduled rape hearing at Camp Lejeune, Lauterbach disappeared. Dewey Hudson, district attorney for Onslow County, said Laurean is scheduled for arraignment in early June, and is expected to enter a plea. "I cannot comment on any of the tests," Hudson said. He would not say how the DNA results might affect his case against Laurean. Through her attorney, Mary Lauterbach said the DNA test results don't answer bigger questions she has about whether the Marines did enough to protect her daughter or moved quickly enough to investigate her claims. "We do not believe that the result will have any effect on the continuing investigation or the trial," said Lauterbach's attorney Merle Wilberding. | [
"who's body was found?",
"who was the dna taken from?",
"where was Lauterbach's body found?",
"where was the body found",
"What did the source say about the DNA?",
"who was the suspect",
"where was the suspect extradited from?"
] | [
[
"Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach,"
],
[
"Cpl. Cesar Laurean's"
],
[
"beneath a barbecue pit"
],
[
"beneath a barbecue pit in Laurean's backyard"
],
[
"does not match that of the unborn child, who also died."
],
[
"Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean,"
],
[
"Mexico"
]
] | DNA taken from suspect Cpl. Cesar Laurean doesn't match child's, source says .
Swab obtained after suspect was extradited from Mexico to United States .
Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach's body was found in Laurean's backyard in 2008 . |
(CNN) -- The Marine husband of a slain Fort Bragg soldier was charged with murder Monday and another Marine was charged with aiding the crime, a local police chief said. Fayetteville, North Carolina, police released this undated photo of 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc. Authorities have been searching for the missing soldier, Army 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc, 24, since a fire torched her North Carolina apartment on July 10. Marine Cpl. John Wimunc and fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden were initially charged with arson, but after police interviews Wimunc was charged with first-degree murder, said Fayetteville Police Chief Tom Bergamine. Alden was charged with felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, Bergamine said. Both were taken to Cumberland County's jail and held without bond, he said. Earlier, a witness found a charred body in woods, but Detective Jeff Locklear told reporters that police were still awaiting a positive identification from the medical examiner and could not say for certain it was Holley Wimunc. The lieutenant's father released a statement about the death Monday in which he said his daughter was a nurse at a military hospital and had two children. "It is with profound sadness that our family just received the news from authorities that our beloved daughter Holley is dead," Wimunc's father said in a statement released to CNN affiliate WRAL in Raleigh, North Carolina. "Since last Thursday's shocking news about Holley's burned apartment and her missing person status, our family through the country has nonetheless been holding on to a thin thread of hope that she would be found alive." Military officials said both Marines were stationed at Camp Lejeune, which is about two hours away from Wimunc's Fayetteville home. Joe Lenczyk -- resident agent-in-charge for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- said Wimunc and her husband were estranged and lived apart. Wimunc is the second female soldier from Fort Bragg to die under suspicious circumstances in recent weeks. Spc. Megan Lynn Touma, 23, was seven months pregnant at the time of her death in June, authorities said. Investigators say they are treating that death as a homicide. Camp Lejeune also has had a suspicious death of a female soldier this year. Twenty-year-old pregnant Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach's charred body was found January in the back yard of another Marine stationed at the base. That suspect, U.S. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, was captured in April in Mexico. | [
"who is the Marine?",
"When have the authorities been searching from?",
"Who was charged with murder?",
"What has the husband been charged with?",
"Who have been searching for 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc?",
"Who was charged with arson?",
"Who has been charged with murder?"
] | [
[
"Holley Wimunc."
],
[
"since a fire torched her North Carolina apartment on July 10."
],
[
"Marine Cpl. John Wimunc"
],
[
"murder"
],
[
"Authorities"
],
[
"Marine Cpl. John Wimunc and fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden were initially"
],
[
"Marine Cpl. John Wimunc"
]
] | NEW: Soldier's husband, Cpl. John Wimunc, charged with murder .
Marine Lance Cpl. Kyle Alden charged with arson in connection with the crime .
Authorities have been searching for 2nd Lt. Holley Wimunc since July 10 . |
(CNN) -- The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has tagged two great white sharks off Cape Cod in an area where shark sightings have been reported, state officials said Sunday. A great white shark is tagged Saturday off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Shark sightings closed nearby beaches. The first tagging Saturday marked the first time a great white shark had been successfully tagged in the Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. coast, the division said in a statement. A second shark was tagged Saturday afternoon, officials said. The taggings took place in the waters near Chatham, Massachusetts, two days after Greg Skomal, shark expert for the Division of Marine Fisheries, reported as many as five large sharks were seen near Monomoy Island, a National Wildlife Refuge off the southern elbow of Cape Cod. The island is about a mile away from Chatham's Lighthouse Beach, a public swimming area. Chatham's beaches were closed to swimmers after the sightings, Skomal said. CNN affiliate WCVB reported that all of Chatham's east-facing beaches were closed after three sharks came within 75 yards of the coastline. Watch who is making money from sharks » The beaches will be off-limits to swimmers until the middle of the week, officials told WCVB. After the sightings, Skomal and other biologists set out to identify the species, the division statement said. Skomal identified a great white shark on Friday, and then the two were tagged Saturday. "The tags, which use satellite-based technology to record where a shark travels, allow scientists to better understand migratory patterns," the division statement said. Great white sharks are relatively rare in New England, the division statement said, but have been seen feeding near seal colonies. Massachusetts has recorded only four shark attacks since 1670, two of which were fatal. The last fatal shark attack in Massachusetts happened in 1936. Researchers have also tagged great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. | [
"What are being tagged in the Atlantic Ocean?",
"Where are beaches closed after shark sightings?",
"Have sharks been tagged in the Atlantic before?",
"What is the purpose of the tags?",
"What is the reason for the beach in Chatham, Massachusetts closing?",
"What species taggings are the first in the Atlantic Ocean?",
"What will tags let scientists do?"
] | [
[
"two great white sharks"
],
[
"off Cape Cod, Massachusetts."
],
[
"The first tagging Saturday marked the first time a great white"
],
[
"record where a shark travels, allow scientists to better understand migratory patterns,\""
],
[
"Shark sightings"
],
[
"great white sharks"
],
[
"better understand migratory patterns,\""
]
] | Taggings of great whites are the first in the Atlantic Ocean, state officials say .
Beaches in Chatham, Massachusetts, closed after shark sightings .
Great white sharks are relatively rare in New England, state officials say .
Tags will let scientists track the two sharks . |
(CNN) -- The Mexican military has arrested a suspect in the killings this month of three people with ties to the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, police and federal spokesmen said Monday.
The arrested man is Ricardo Valles de la Rosa, municipal police spokesman Jacinto Seguro said.
According to Juarez newspaper El Diario, the suspect also was sought in connection with at least one other homicide: the killing of Zapata Reyes, a member of the rival Mexicles gang.
Valles de la Rosa reportedly has U.S. ties, having been charged with 10 counts related to drug trafficking in the United States, local media said. The suspect is a resident of la colonia Partido Romero in Ciudad Juarez, the media said, adding that he may rent a place in El Paso.
Federal spokesman Enrique Torres said the suspect was arrested sometime Friday. He did not release a name, but described him as being 42 years old and a member of the Aztecas, a local street gang affiliated with the Juarez drug cartel.
"The Chihuahua state attorney general is telling us that this guy is implicated in the killings of Arthur Redelfs and his pregnant wife, Lesley [Enriquez]," Seguro said.
El Diario reported that the suspect was captured with the help of the FBI. An FBI spokesman in El Paso, Texas, had no comment, other than to say that the investigation continues.
The three victims had all been at a party in Juarez and left in two vehicles that looked similar. They were killed on the roads in drive-by shootings.
Enriquez was an employee of the consulate in Juarez and was four months pregnant. Redelfs, her U.S. citizen husband, was a jailer in El Paso. The couple's 10-month-old child, who also was in the vehicle, was not injured.
The third victim, found dead in the other vehicle, was identified as the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate. His wife was not traveling with him, but two of their children in the car were wounded, officials said.
CNN's Carol Cratty contributed to this report. | [
"Who is the Aztecas street gang affiliated with?",
"Who is the suspect?",
"What is Ricardo Valles de la Rosa's age?",
"Who arrested a suspect on Friday?",
"Who arrested the suspect Friday?",
"Who is the new suspect sought in connection with the slaying?",
"When was the Mexican military arrested?"
] | [
[
"cartel."
],
[
"Ricardo Valles de la Rosa,"
],
[
"42 years old"
],
[
"Mexican military"
],
[
"Mexican military"
],
[
"Ricardo Valles de la Rosa,"
],
[
"Monday."
]
] | NEW: Suspect, Ricardo Valles de la Rosa, 42, also sought in connection with another slaying .
Federal spokesman says Mexican military arrested suspect Friday .
Suspect called member of Aztecas street gang, which is affiliated with Juarez drug cartel . |
(CNN) -- The Mexican navy smelled something fishy and their intuition paid off. They found nearly a ton of cocaine hidden inside a shipment of frozen sharks.
The cargo, which was aboard the freight ship Dover Strait, had been loaded in Costa Rica, Mexican navy says.
Navy inspectors at the southeastern port of Progreso, in Yucatan state, on Tuesday detected an anomaly in two shipping containers during a routine X-ray, according to a navy news release.
The inspectors zeroed in on a shipment of sharks. Upon slitting one of the frozen fish open, they found black bags containing rectangular packets filled with cocaine.
In all, authorities recovered 870 packages of cocaine, weighing 894 kilograms (about 1,967 pounds), the navy reported Wednesday.
In recent years, Mexico and the United States have stepped up drug enforcement efforts, pushing more of the drug trade to sea routes and forcing drug smugglers to find more creative ways to hide their contraband.
The cargo was aboard the freight ship Dover Strait and had been loaded in Costa Rica, the navy said. | [
"What is made at southeastern port of Progreso?",
"Where was the drug found?",
"By whom was the discovery made?",
"Who detected anomaly in two shipping containers?",
"How many packages of cocaine were found?",
"What is found inside sharks?",
"What State was the discovery made in?",
"Where was discovery made?",
"What was found inside sharks?"
] | [
[
"cocaine."
],
[
"inside a shipment of frozen sharks."
],
[
"Mexican navy"
],
[
"Navy inspectors"
],
[
"870"
],
[
"cocaine"
],
[
"Yucatan"
],
[
"inside a shipment of frozen sharks."
],
[
"ton of cocaine"
]
] | 870 packages of cocaine weighing almost a ton found inside sharks, navy says .
Discovery made at southeastern port of Progreso in the Yucatan state .
Inspectors detected anomaly in two shipping containers during a routine X-ray . |
(CNN) -- The Minerals Management Service, a division within the Interior Department, was a troubled agency long before the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the recent revelations of employee misconduct.
The agency -- which oversees U.S. offshore drilling, including the Gulf of Mexico -- has come under fire for mismanagement, questionable conduct and cozy relationships with industry officials.
The MMS issued permits for the Deepwater Horizon drill rig -- contracted by BP -- which exploded on April 20. The explosion killed 11 people and resulted in an oil spill that is threatening parts of the Gulf.
Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar, during an appearance Wednesday before the House Committee on Natural Resources, said he was trying to change the agency's culture and its structure, which some critics say leads to mismanagement.
"My belief is that most of the employees of the MMS are good public servants," Salazar said. He, however, acknowledged some of the past conduct was "scandalous" and "reprehensible."
Salazar said some people have been fired and others referred for prosecution.
Two sources told CNN on Thursday that MMS Director Elizabeth Birnbaum has been fired.
At a House subcommittee hearing Thursday, Salazar insisted Birnbaum had resigned "on her own terms and own volition." President Obama later said he didn't know whether Birnbaum was fired or resigned on her own.
The Obama administration has said in recent weeks that many of the problems within the MMS were inherited from the Bush administration. Salazar, during his testimony and in his answers to members of Congress on Wednesday, also made that point.
During the hearing, Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, asked Salazar why he and other officials were "harping on what MMS did or didn't do in the previous administration."
"Why aren't we talking about the here and now?" Lamborn asked.
Salazar was blunt in his response. "We've done a lot to clean the house at MMS, unlike the previous administration," he said. "This is not the candy store of the oil and gas kingdom which you and others were a part of."
Conflict of interest?
The MMS, which has about 1,700 employees, has two responsibilities when it comes to industries such as oil or natural gas. It must act as a regulator while also collecting royalties from the companies.
Some critics say those are opposite pulls and make the agency ripe for mismanagement.
The U.S. government technically owns resources such as the oil in the Gulf. Companies pay the federal government for the rights to drill in certain areas. The MMS collects and distributes about $13 billion a year, Salazar said.
William Galston of the Brookings Institution said there is a built-in conflict of interest, resulting in lax regulation of involved companies.
"The MMS has a lot of incentive to collect as much, in the way of royalty income, as it can. That means pressure to authorize a lot of drilling and then to do everything possible [to make sure] that the flow of production is robust and unimpeded," said Galston, who recently wrote a piece critical of the MMS for The New Republic magazine.
"MMS, as it is currently structured, has to simultaneously put one foot down hard on the gas pedal and the other on the brake," he said. "And the imperatives to go fast are a lot stronger than to slow down."
Salazar said organizational change within the MMS and a restructuring of the agency was necessary to deal with such conflicts.
Salazar advocated plans to "remove revenue collectors away from the leasing and policing functions of the MMS."
He then wants to create two bureaus within the MMS. One would be responsible for creating energy resources -- including oil and gas -- in the outer continental shelf. It would issue leases and collect royalties.
The other would act as the policing arm of the agency, carrying out inspections and enforcing regulations.
'Misconduct, management and spills'
"MMS used to stand for Minerals Management Service. It now stands for misconduct, management and | [
"Who has been fired?",
"Which business has a troubled history?",
"Who has a troubled history?",
"Who is in charge of the Interior Department?",
"Who was fired?",
"What does Ken Salazar say he is attempting to do?",
"Whats the Interior Department chief called?"
] | [
[
"MMS Director Elizabeth Birnbaum"
],
[
"Minerals Management Service,"
],
[
"Minerals Management Service,"
],
[
"Ken Salazar,"
],
[
"MMS Director Elizabeth Birnbaum"
],
[
"trying to change the agency's culture and its structure,"
],
[
"Secretary Ken Salazar,"
]
] | Minerals Management Service has a troubled history, government reports say .
Report: Inspectors got meals, tickets to sports events from companies they monitored .
Interior Department chief Ken Salazar says he's trying to change MMS culture, structure .
MMS Director Elizabeth Birnbaum has been fired, sources say . |
(CNN) -- The Mojave boneyard in the California desert is where old airplanes go to die -- a wasteland of decrepit planes, titanic heaps of titanium and aluminum waiting to be scrapped for metal in India or China.
Plane boneyards are a rich source of spare parts for MotoArt to create their functional furniture.
But for Dave Hall and Donovan Fell, the boneyard is only the beginning.
They own MotoArt, a company based in California that turns old aircraft parts into high-end furniture and functional art.
From beds and desks to light fixtures and wall partitions, Hall and Fell say they are doing more than reinventing cast-offs from retired planes, they're creating pieces of aviation history.
"Once they are gone we can never get them back again," said Hall of the abandoned planes at Mojave.
"So what we like to do is actually take these aircraft parts and preserve them and give them a second life in some really fun, functional art."
MotoArt began in 2000 when Hall and Fell, former co-workers at an architectural sign company in Los Angeles, collaborated on an art exhibition that showcased Fell's polished B-17 bomber propeller sculptures. See before and after photos of recycled plane parts »
"We sold out the entire show, and the gearheads all loved it," said Fell. It was then that the duo realized their unique art project could have a much wider audience.
Encouraged by the success of the exhibit, the duo began exploring the nearby Mojave boneyard for more than just propellers -- B-25 rudders for desks, 747 jet engine cowlings for beds, F-4 ejection seats for, well, ejection seats.
"Who's never wanted an ejection chair?" laughs Fell, sitting in the company's studio in Los Angeles, where the MotoArt team bring back the treasures they find in the Mojave Desert. Watch Dave Hall at work at the Mojave boneyard »
The duo's most popular pieces of 'functional art' are their desks, ranging from the sleek 8-foot DC-9 tail stabilizer desk, which retail at around $15,000, to the imposing 14-foot DC-4 conference table, which costs a whopping $60,000.
According to Hall, hundreds of hours are sometimes spent cutting, sanding, polishing and surfacing a single piece. It took the MotoArt team 220 hours to turn a single 747 cowling, the large shiny aluminum strip covering a jumbo jet engine, into a spectacular 8.5-foot diameter chrome receptionist's desk.
Hall said it takes hundreds of hours to produce a fuselage partition, from using a chainsaw to slice 10-foot sheets out of the main section of a plane, to polishing and readying it for the showroom floor of the Dutch carmaker Spyker, which has commissioned MotoArt to create exhibitions for the company around the world.
Hall and Fell began the company out of their garage, and now have 15 employees and a 12,000 square-foot studio with a showroom that could double as an aviation museum.
"It's like a larger version of my room when I was 10 years old," says Fell of the MotoArt headquarters.
But MotoArt is anything but child's play -- in just nine years the company has carved out a niche in the high-end furniture market, creating a multi-million dollar business thanks to a wide range of corporate clients.
The company counts Boeing, Microsoft, Red Bull and the United States government as happy MotoArt customers, as well as a number of airplane enthusiasts and celebrities.
But for Hall and Fell, it is the preservation of the planes that gives them the greatest satisfaction.
"It's heartbreaking to see these planes that have serviced our country for decades being crunched up and destroyed, and it gives us a little piece of heart that we are able to recycle this and give it a second life," he said. | [
"What does MotoArt preserve through functional art?",
"What is being used to recycle into furniture?",
"Which parts can be used for desks?",
"where will they find planes?",
"Where do men at MotoArt search for old plane parts?",
"What kind of history does MotoArt try to preserve?",
"What do the men use for beds?",
"What they used?",
"What's going on at old airplane boneyards?",
"What type of planes are used for recycled furniture?"
] | [
[
"aircraft parts"
],
[
"old aircraft parts"
],
[
"B-25 rudders"
],
[
"Mojave boneyard in the California"
],
[
"Mojave boneyard"
],
[
"aviation"
],
[
"747 jet engine cowlings"
],
[
"recycled plane parts"
],
[
"spare parts for MotoArt to create their functional furniture."
],
[
"retired"
]
] | Men at MotoArt search boneyards for old plane parts to recycle into furniture .
They use B-25 rudders for desks, 747 jet engine cowlings for beds .
MotoArt prides itself on preserving aviation history with functional art . |
(CNN) -- The NBA has canceled its preseason, and the first two weeks of the regular season are in jeopardy as team owners and players remain at odds over a new labor deal.
"By Monday, we will have no choice but to cancel the first two weeks of the season," NBA Commissioner David Stern said Tuesday.
The cancellation of all 114 preseason games will mean a loss of about $200 million in revenue, he said. The NBA already had announced the cancellation of some preseason games.
"And we're looking down the barrel of losing regular-season games. There's an extraordinary hit coming to the owners and to the players," Stern said.
The sometimes bitter labor struggle and lockout has stretched to three months.
"We can only say we are running out of time so many times," NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver has said.
NBA Players Association President Derek Fisher has acknowledged the stakes.
"We are aware of the calendar," he said this week. "We know our backs are against the wall in terms of regular season games and what those consequences will be."
Last week, the NBA announced that it had postponed player training camps for the upcoming season and canceled some preseason games. Training camps were scheduled to open on October 3.
Representatives from both sides have been meeting in hopes of hammering out a collective bargaining deal, but no significant progress has been announced.
The NBA began a lockout of its players in early July.
Stern has said that last season was not profitable for most of the league's 30 owners, who want cost-cutting help from players.
The league lost as much as $300 million in the 2010-11 season, Stern has said.
One of the battles has focused on the owners' rejection of the players union's call for an average $7 million player salary in the sixth year of a new labor deal.
The current average salary is about $5 million.
Other big issues include a fight over whether the NBA will strengthen its salary cap and a move by owners to get a bigger share of revenues.
The last work stoppage occurred in 1998. | [
"what is in jeopardy?",
"how much revenue will be lost?",
"How much loss would canceling the preseason bring?",
"Which weeks are in jeopardy?"
] | [
[
"the first two weeks of the regular season"
],
[
"$200 million"
],
[
"about $200 million in revenue,"
],
[
"the first two"
]
] | NEW: The first 2 weeks of the regular season are in jeopardy .
NEW: Canceling the preseason brings a revenue loss of about $200 million, the NBA commissioner says .
The lockout has lasted three months . |
(CNN) -- The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday will launch three days of hearings into the circumstances surrounding the US Airways Flight 1549 emergency landing on New York's Hudson River. In January, passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 had to be rescued out of the Hudson River after a bird strike. Looking into several issues from the January 15 incident -- from migratory birds to why a rear door opened after the landing -- the NTSB panel will hear testimony from key witnesses, including Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot; and Billy Campbell, the only passenger scheduled to testify. On Monday, the NTSB corrected remarks made by board member Robert Sumwalt, who was quoted by The Associated Press as saying Campbell was being called to contradict statements made by flight attendant Doreen Welsh, who has said a panicked passenger opened the rear door. The NTSB said Sumwalt, who will lead the three days of hearings, was mistaken and that Campbell's written statement does not suggest Welsh opened the rear door. NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson said the board asked Campbell to testify because he had the most detailed statement of those people in the cabin at the time of the crash. "Safety Board investigators interviewed 145 passengers, each of whom provided their own perspective on what happened," the NTSB said Monday night. "Some of the passenger reports conflicted with the accounts of other passengers, including accounts of how the rear door was opened." "What was consistently reported by those inside the plane was that the water entered the aft section of the cabin immediately while everyone was still seated," the statement said, adding that the NTSB will focus on how the water gushing "affected the ability of the passengers and the crew to evacuate the aircraft since two of the four slide-rafts were in the rear of the plane, on each of the rear doors, and they could not be used." Sullenberger was the pilot in command during the flight, which lost power in both engines after hitting a flock of Canada geese. Bird detection, and standards for engines to handle bird strikes, are among subjects to be covered in the hearing. Other topics include pilot training for ditching and forced landings on water, and cabin-safety training, emergency procedures and equipment. CNN's Mike Ahlers contributed to this report. | [
"When did it occur?",
"When did the crash landing happen?",
"What landed in the Hudson River?",
"When dud the flight land in Hudson River?",
"What did the plane hit?",
"What will the hearing cover?",
"What caused the loss in both engines?",
"What is the flight number of the plane?",
"What made the plane crash?"
] | [
[
"January 15"
],
[
"January 15"
],
[
"US Airways Flight 1549"
],
[
"January 15"
],
[
"the water"
],
[
"circumstances surrounding the US Airways Flight 1549 emergency landing on New York's Hudson River."
],
[
"hitting a flock of Canada geese."
],
[
"1549"
],
[
"bird strike."
]
] | Hearing will cover several topics, including why rear door opened after landing .
US Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River on January 15 .
Plane lost power in both engines after hitting a flock of Canada geese . |
(CNN) -- The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that both engines of the US Airways flight that ditched last month into the Hudson River contained bird remains. The feather found inside one of the engines of the plane that crashed into the Hudson River. The engines from US Airways Flight 1549 were sent to the manufacturer in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the NTSB directed the analysis, it said in a news release. The plane's flight data recorder "revealed no anomalies or malfunctions in either engine up to the point where the captain reported a bird strike, after which there was an uncommanded loss of thrust in both engines," the NTSB said. The NTSB also said that an "engine surge event" in the right engine on January 13, two days before the accident, was caused by a faulty temperature sensor, which had been replaced. Investigators said last month they found a single feather and evidence of "soft-body impact damage" on the aircraft. The find reinforces the pilot's report that the plane was brought down by a flock of birds. Pilot Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, 58, told investigators his aircraft struck birds, disabling both engines, about 90 seconds after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in New York. The feather, found on a flap track on the wing, was also sent to identification experts at the Smithsonian Institution last month. The pilot ditched the Airbus A320 in the Hudson River and passengers tried to flee the aircraft almost immediately after it settled in the water and began to float along the river current. All 155 crew members and passengers on the plane survived the incident, which New York Gov. David Paterson dubbed a "miracle on the Hudson." | [
"did they land in water?",
"Where did the pilot ditch the plane?",
"where did they land?",
"What evidence was found on the aircraft?",
"How many people survived?",
"what brought the plane down?",
"Where in Ohio?"
] | [
[
"crashed into the Hudson River."
],
[
"Hudson River"
],
[
"Hudson River."
],
[
"a single feather"
],
[
"All 155 crew members and passengers"
],
[
"bird strike,"
],
[
"Cincinnati,"
]
] | Engines sent to manufacturer in Ohio after crash .
Last month single feather, evidence of "soft-body impact damage" found on aircraft .
Pilot ditched plane in Hudson after he said aircraft hit flock of birds .
All 155 crew and passengers survived what was called "miracle on the Hudson" |
(CNN) -- The Netherlands has rejected an asylum plea by a gay Iranian teenager trying to escape possible persecution in his homeland. Mehdi Kazemi believes he will face persecution if he is made to return to Iran. Mehdi Kazemi, 19, had originally sought asylum in Britain, where he was taking classes on a student visa, because, he said, his boyfriend had been executed in Iran after saying he and Kazemi had been in a gay relationship. Britain's Home Office rejected his request, prompting Kazemi to flee to Netherlands. Tuesday's decision by the Council of State -- the highest administrative court in the Netherlands --means Kazemi could face deportation to Britain, which he fears will send him back to Iran. Council spokeswoman Daniela Tempelman said the council decided it must comply with the Dublin Regulation and return Kazemi to Britain. Watch how teenager has lost his right to remain. » Under the Dublin Regulation, European Union member nations agree that an application for asylum submitted in any EU country would be handled by that country alone. The regulation seeks to ensures that an asylum seeker is not redirected from nation to nation simply because none will take responsibility. Kazemi's initial appeal for asylum in the Netherlands, made in October, was rejected. He then appealed unsuccessfully to a regional court in December. His last appeal was to the Council of State in January. Tempelman said that in order for the Dutch court to consider Kazemi's asylum application, he needed to prove that Britain did not handle his asylum application properly, but he wasn't able to prove any wrongdoing on the part of the British government. Kazemi now has exhausted his chances for appeal in the Netherlands and, according to Tempelman, could be returned to Britain on a short notice. The British government about six months ago accepted the Dutch request to take him back. Kazemi's lawyer will have the option of taking his case to the European Court of Human Rights to request an "interim measure" that could allow Kazemi to stay in Europe until further notice. "If anybody signs his deportation papers and says, look, he's got to be deported to Iran, that means they have signed his death sentence," said Kazemi's uncle Saeed, who asked CNN to withhold his last name over safety concerns. Gay rights activists in Europe and Iran are also researching Kazemi's case. "When Britain is prepared to send a young man back to possible execution, that is inhumanity on a monumental scale," said Peter Tatchell, an activist for gay campaign group OutRage. "And I hang my head in shame, as a British citizen." In a written statement, Britain's Home Office said that even though homosexuality is illegal in Iran and homosexuals do experience discrimination, it does not believe that homosexuals are routinely persecuted purely on the basis of their sexuality. E-mail to a friend | [
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"What teenager loses appeal to remain in the Netherlands?",
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"Where did the 19 year old seek asylum?",
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"what is the decision made for 19 year old?",
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"if he is made to return to Iran."
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] | Iranian teenager loses appeal to remain in the Netherlands .
19-year-old had sought asylum in UK but is to be sent home .
Mehdi Kazemi says he will face persecution in his homeland . |
(CNN) -- The New Hampshire primary will tell us a good deal more than the Iowa caucuses did about where the Republican candidates stand and how they might do in the general election against President Barack Obama.
While the unpredictable nature of the Iowa caucuses offered Rick Santorum an opportunity to shine, Tuesday's vote will tell us where the party is really headed, in what has been a Wild West of a presidential selection process, one with more ups and downs than the Colorado Rockies.
The New Hampshire primary, established in 1916, has a long and treasured history in American politics. It has often been the site where new voices have been able to upset the status quo and take on establishment figures.
In 1952, the military hero Dwight Eisenhower successfully challenged "Mr. Republican" Robert Taft, the senator from Ohio, who was thought to be one of the strongest figures in the party. That same year, Tennessee Sen. Estes Kefauver shook up the Democratic Party by winning a stunning victory against President Harry Truman, fueling his decision not to run for re-election.
In 1968, Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy's strong second-place showing similarly upset President Lyndon Johnson, forcing him to think twice about how strong his support was within the Democratic Party. The results, Sen. Ted Kennedy recalled, demonstrated that "overnight, Johnson had become beatable." A few weeks later Johnson told the nation that he would not run for re-election.
In 1976, the little-known Jimmy Carter built on his surprise victory in the Iowa caucuses by winning in New Hampshire and cementing his status as a front-runner.
Republican Patrick Buchanan revealed the soft support among conservatives in 1992 for President George H.W. Bush, whom Buchanan derided as "King George," when he did better than expected against the president (though Bush won).
To be sure, the outcome of the primary is not always a measure of who will win the party's nomination. There is a substantial list of New Hampshire losers -- including Barack Obama in 2008, George W. Bush in 2000, Bill Clinton in 1992, and Walter Mondale in 1984 -- who went on to receive party nominations.
Most important, New Hampshire is a state where independents matter very much and turn out in large numbers. The primary allows unaffiliated voters to participate, thus boosting the number of participants from the middle of the political spectrum.
With the base of each party relatively deflated about the choices in 2012 (liberal Democrats are disappointed in Obama's record, while conservatives are not overly enthused about any of the front-runners), the 2012 election will likely come down to the person who can capture the center.
With Obama's approval ratings at a low ebb, Republicans have a major opportunity if they can win the hearts and minds of independents and centrist Democrats.
One of Mitt Romney's biggest selling points is that he offers the GOP the only candidate who can run as a moderate who is not beholden to the party's base. During one of the weekend debates he brushed back talk about making contraception illegal and tried to focus on his economic policy rather than social and cultural issues. He left the others to fight it out as to who was a "big-government conservative" and who was not.
In New Hampshire, Romney will have the first chance to show that his appeal to centrists is a strength.
Republicans in New Hampshire tend to fit the profile of the kind of conservative candidate who will have the greatest national appeal. While Republican party activists are often attracted to the candidate who can speak the language of the religious right, the Republican with the best chance of taking Obama in this election will be the fiscal conservative who pushes for lowering the deficit, lowering spending, and containing taxes, while avoiding the cultural issues that turn off moderates.
In 2008, according to ABC News, only 23% of the New Hampshire electorate said they were evangelicals, compared with 58% in Iowa this year.
Finally, New Hampshire looks more like a national election than does Iowa. While Americans like to think our political process works by | [
"What kinds of voters will the primary test Romney's strength with?",
"What state gave Santorum prominence?",
"Which state gave Santorum prominence?",
"In which race are establishment figures challenged?",
"Who will be tested with centrist voters?"
] | [
[
"centrists"
],
[
"Iowa"
],
[
"Iowa"
],
[
"The New Hampshire primary,"
],
[
"Romney"
]
] | Julian Zelizer: Iowa gave Santorum prominence but N.H. vote is likely to be more revealing .
He says the primary will test whether Romney is strong with centrist voters .
The primary has been a place to challenge establishment figures, Zelizer says .
Zelizer: Unlike Iowa, New Hampshire isn't decided by retail politics . |
(CNN) -- The New York Giants' unlikely win over the New England Patriots is already being called one of the biggest shockers in Super Bowl history, and the amazing catch David Tyree made to set up the game-winning touchdown won't be forgotten anytime soon. Pint-sized Giants fans, Luka and Kristian Radovich, celebrate after Plaxico Burress' game-winning catch. CNN.com reader Michael Heitman, of Baxter, Tennessee, will remember Super Bowl XLII for more than the 17-14 score. "Our 13-month-old daughter took her first steps during the second half. Apparently, so did the Giants offense. Congrats to the Giants from a Cowboys fan," he said. David Marks, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, said it was "one of the best football games I'd ever seen," but said watching the game with his family had some drawbacks. "I was not able to enjoy the commercials as much because my mom wouldn't stop yakking away," he said. "She's 80 years old and I didn't want to say anything at first -- you don't know how much longer you have your mom at that age. But finally after a quarter and a half, I had to ask her to pipe down." Watch some of the pre-game festivities » Dan Nash, of Santa Monica, California, didn't have that problem. "It would be nice to see the GAME a little more," he said adding that "every 10 seconds (or less), we're watching ads! Kickoff ... three ads. Punt ... three ads. Flag on the play ... two ads." Here is a sampling of our readers' reaction to the game: Russell Giuliano of Middletown, New Jersey I have seen every Super Bowl, and this was the best ever, even better than No. 3 with Namath. Dave Viscusi of Schenectady, New York That was one of the best Super Bowls/Super Bowl parties I have ever been to. We made 4 different kinds of pizza (BBQ chicken, cheese, sausage and peppers), boneless buffalo wings, BBQ ribs, chips of all kinds, apple martinis, some beer and topped off the Giants victory with some CHAMPAGNE! GO G-Men ... Eli deserves every ounce of credit he gets for this Super Bowl ... Way to throw it right in the arrogant Patriots' face! Ricardo Gomez of Buenos Aires, Argentina I'm a big Pats fan, and I was sad to see that last play when Manning escapes the Pats' defense and throw that pass, the one that put the GIANTS OFFENSE so close to the touchdown. Anyway, I think Pats are still the best team in the league, and I was there that snowy night when Brady got us to the Super Bowl at the last second with (Adam Vinatieri kicking) that amazing field goal! So GO PATS! GO!!! Irving Horowitz of Princeton, New Jersey There are three sport moments in my life that I will take to my grave with a broad grin and deep pleasure: The first was the Bobby Thompson home run for the New York (Baseball) Giants in 1951 to defeat the Dodgers; a varsity game while I was at Hobart & William Smith when, as a member of the faculty and staff, we defeated a first-class varsity team in 1962 and I made the winning basket with 28 seconds on the clock (I have the press clippings to prove this); and the biggest thrill of them all: Watching the New York (Football) Giants win Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots. When Bob Tisch spoke of "this win is for all Giant fans who, for the past 30 years, supported the team at Giants Stadium, and before that at the Yankee Stadium, and for those who still remember being part of the Giants at the Polo Grounds," I felt that he spoke directly to me. After all, I am actually about a year or two older than the franchise ... Wow! 2008 is already a good year -- a good | [
"What happened during the second half?",
"when did the fan's daughter take first steps?"
] | [
[
"13-month-old daughter took her first steps"
],
[
"during the second half."
]
] | Ultimate Super Bowl party: Four kinds of pizza and a Giants' win .
"It's good to be in New York," reader says .
One fan's daughter took first steps in second half .
I-Report: Have a story to share? Send it to us . |
(CNN) -- The New York Times has rejected an essay that Sen. John McCain wrote defending his Iraq war policy. Sen. John McCain wrote an op-ed for The New York Times, but the paper said it could not publish it as written. The piece was in response to an op-ed from Sen. Barack Obama that was published in the paper last week. In an e-mail to the McCain campaign, Opinion Page Editor David Shipley said he could not accept the piece as written, but would be "pleased, though, to look at another draft." "Let me suggest an approach," he wrote Friday. "The Obama piece worked for me because it offered new information (it appeared before his speech); while Senator Obama discussed Senator McCain, he also went into detail about his own plans. It would be terrific to have an article from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama's piece." Read McCain's rejected piece In a statement released Monday, The New York Times said it is "standard procedure on our Op-Ed page, and that of other newspapers, to go back and forth with an author on his or her submission." "We look forward to publishing Senator McCain's views in our paper just as we have in the past. We have published at least seven Op-Ed pieces by Senator McCain since 1996. The New York Times endorsed Senator McCain as the Republican candidate in the presidential primaries. We take his views very seriously," the statement said. McCain's rejected op-ed was a lengthy critique of Obama's positions on Iraq policy, particularly his view of the surge. "Senator Obama seems to have learned nothing from recent history," wrote McCain, criticizing Obama's call for an early withdrawal timeline. "I find it ironic that he is emulating the worst mistake of the Bush administration by waving the 'Mission Accomplished' banner prematurely." Watch why the piece was rejected » Obama's July 14 essay had taken shots at McCain for not further encouraging the Iraqi government to take control of the country. "Instead of seizing the moment and encouraging Iraqis to step up, the Bush administration and Senator McCain are refusing to embrace this transition -- despite their previous commitments to respect the will of Iraq's sovereign government," Obama wrote in his op-ed. "They call any timetable for the removal of American troops 'surrender,' even though we would be turning Iraq over to a sovereign Iraqi government." Read Obama's essay Shipley, who was President Bill Clinton's senior speechwriter from 1995 to 1997, had advised the McCain campaign that "the article would have to articulate, in concrete terms, how Senator McCain defines victory in Iraq. "It would also have to lay out a clear plan for achieving victory -- with troops levels, timetables and measures for compelling the Iraqis to cooperate. And it would need to describe the senator's Afghanistan strategy, spelling out how it meshes with his Iraq plan." He added that he hoped the parties could "find a way to bring this to a happy resolution." McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said Monday the Arizona senator's position will not change based on the "demands of the New York Times." "John McCain believes that victory in Iraq must be based on conditions on the ground, not arbitrary timetables," he said. "Unlike Barack Obama, that position will not change based on politics or the demands of the New York Times." The newspaper endorsed McCain for the Republican presidential nomination in January, shortly before the New York primary. In February, after it became clear McCain would be his party's presumptive nominee, the paper published a thinly sourced report that McCain once had a close relationship with a female lobbyist. McCain said he was disappointed in the New York Times piece. The paper said that it stood by its reporting and that "the story speaks for itself." McCain's campaign sent out fundraising appeals based on the article. The article "is particularly disgusting -- | [
"What has John MCain written an essay about?",
"What essay did McCain write?",
"Which newspaper company suggested that McCain submit a piece that mirrors Obama's?",
"Which piece contained new information?",
"What was John McCain's essay about",
"Where did John McCain's essay appear"
] | [
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[
"policy."
],
[
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[
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[
"New York Times"
]
] | NEW: Paper says rejection part of standard back-and-forth procedure .
John McCain writes essay in defending his Iraq policy .
New York Times suggests McCain submit piece that mirrors Barack Obama's .
Paper: Obama's essay had new information, McCain's critiqued Obama's positions . |
(CNN) -- The New Zealand All Blacks secured a narrow 14-10 victory over France in Wellington on Saturday to square their rugby Test series at 1-1, but France still secured the Dave Gallaher Cup for the first time since it was introduced in 2000 by virtue of their five-point victory in Dunedin last week. Ma'a Nonu goes over for New Zealand's only try in their narrow victory over France in Wellington. Having been out-muscled and out-played 27-22 in the opening Test, the New Zealanders played with far greater intensity, physicality and urgency at a cold, wet and windy Westpac Stadium. A Ma'a Nonu try midway through the first half opened the scoring for the host nation before Stephen Donald slotted home a penalty for an 8-0 advantage at the break. The French reply was swift after the restart, with wing Cedric Heymans crossing the line with a superb solo effort and then Julien Dupuy's conversion getting them back into the game. But another Donald penalty and one from substitute Luke McAlister edged the All Blacks further ahead before a late three-pointer from Dimitri Yachvili kept things interesting. Meanwhile, a much-changed Australia side comfortably accounted for Italy 34-12 in Melbourne on Saturday. Man-of-the-match Adam Ashley-Cooper, who started on the bench, finished with two tries, one in each half, after coming on initially when Peter Hynes was blood-binned, then as a replacement for James O'Connor at full-back. Three first-half tries gave the Wallabies a 20-6 lead at the break and that was a fair reflection of the difference between the teams, but the hosts were held at bay for much of the second half before late tries by Lachie Turner and Ashley-Cooper. Australian-born full-back Luke McLean landed four penalties for Italy for whom fellow-Aussie Craig Gower was effective and creative in his second start at fly-half. | [
"which was the final score of the game?",
"Who defeated France?",
"What was the result of France?",
"Who defeated Italy?"
] | [
[
"14-10"
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[
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[
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] | The New Zealand All Blacks defeat France 14-10 in Wellington to level series .
Tourists France won the opening Test match 27-22 in Dunedin last weekend .
A much-changed Australian side defeats Italy 34-12 in Melbourne on Saturday . |
(CNN) -- The Northwest braced for blizzards Friday night while cities from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Boston, Massachusetts, were cleaning up after a major storm delayed air travel and created havoc on the ground. A commuter waits at a Detroit, Michigan, bus stop Friday morning. "This is essentially the reincarnation of the same storm that brought the heavy snow to parts of California, southern Nevada and northern Arizona," Steve Corfidi, lead forecaster with the weather service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, told CNNRadio. Icy roads created from storms this week paralyzed much of the greater Seattle, Washington, area, where schools were closed and bus routes were suspended Friday as roads were too icy to navigate. Two charter buses carrying 80 people that collided and skidded off a road were pulled to safety, CNN affiliate KOMO reported. The buses crashed through a metal railing and hung precariously over Interstate 5 for several hours before tow trucks pulled them back on the road, KOMO reported. "We hit it and everyone is in shock for a minute, and [the driver] says 'go to the back of the bus.' And people threw each other out the windows," passenger Tamera Vasquez told KOMO. Saturday was expected to bring heavy snows in Washington, damaging winds and power outages to a region still recovering from storms earlier in the week. Hurricane-force winds are possible in the eastern foothills of Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties. Further west, several inches of snow are possible in the greater Seattle-Tacoma-Everett metro area Saturday afternoon. Toward the Olympic Mountains, they could be measuring new snowfall in feet. Flights at most airports in the Midwest and Northeast were up and running after experiencing delays as long as three hours throughout the day. But storm warnings and watches remained in effect for most of region. Corfidi said the storm is expected to maintain intensity into Saturday, continuing east and "spreading a swath of very heavy snow and freezing rain" into Pennsylvania and New York. "There could easily be up to a foot of snow over parts of Illinois, northern Indiana, perhaps into parts of Michigan and southern Wisconsin, eastward into parts of New York and Pennsylvania," Corfidi said. In Milwaukee, snowfall closed the airport for several hours and cut into local business hours for retail shops during the busiest shopping season of the year. Malls and shopping centers in Milwaukee, Glendale, Wauwatosa and Greendale opened later than usual, dealing another blow to retailers already struggling with a severe economic downturn. To compensate, some stores in the area, including Kohl's, Boston Store, J.C. Penney and Macy's are staying open until midnight on some days, the Journal-Sentinel Online reported. "The snow has me concerned," Southridge Mall manager Mary Wenger told the newspaper. Another four to seven inches of snow is expected over the weekend. In New Hampshire, still reeling from an ice storm last week, crews worked feverishly to restore electricity service to more than 30,000 customers remaining in the dark, CNN affiliate WMUR-TV in Manchester reported. Southern New Hampshire could get 10 new inches of snow before midnight Friday, WMUR said. Elsewhere, police in Buffalo, New York, shut down the city's Skyway highway because of winds and snow, CNN affiliate WGRZ-TV reported. Western New York had several inches of snow on the ground by noon, the station reported. To the north in Ontario, Canada, southbound Highway 400 was shut down outside Toronto after an multivehicle accident in near whiteout conditions, CNN affiliate CTV reported. "Lots of blowing snow. Visibility is next to nothing," CTV senior cameraman Tom Podolec reported from the scene. Ontario Provincial Police reported 70 accidents in less than five hours Friday morning. The system should move quickly, Corfidi said. It was not shaping up as an extraordinary event, he said. "It is December, and winter storms certainly raise their ugly heads this time of year," Corfidi said. | [
"What vehicles were rescued by tow trucks?",
"What is anticipated in Washington?",
"How much snow is expected between Illinois and New York?",
"What depth of snow is expected?",
"What weather is anticipated in Washington?",
"Which city can expect hurricane strength winds?",
"How many buses skidded off the road?",
"How much snow is expected from Illinios to New York?",
"What did tow trucks pull to safety?"
] | [
[
"Two charter buses"
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[
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[
"up to a foot"
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[
"10 new inches"
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[
"heavy snows"
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[
"Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties."
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[
"Two charter"
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"Two charter buses"
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] | NEW: Tow trucks pull two buses to safety after they skidded off road .
NEW: Blizzards, hurricane strength winds anticipated in Washington .
NEW: Snowfall cuts into shopping hours for retailers struggling with downturn .
Up to a foot of snow is expected from Illinois to New York . |
(CNN) -- The Obama administration announced this week it is sending hundreds of federal agents and crime-fighting equipment to the Mexican border to try to make sure violence from Mexican drug cartels doesn't spill over into the U.S. Author John Gibler says the "war on drugs" approach with Mexico policy has been an absolute failure. John Gibler, author of "Mexico Unconquered: Chronicles of Power and Revolt," appeared Friday on CNN's "American Morning" to talk about U.S. border security efforts. Following is a transcript of his conversation with CNN's John Roberts: John Roberts: You spent so much time along the border area there, going back and forth. The last three years, you've been down there pretty intensely. What is the situation like? John Gibler: Right now, in Ciudad Juarez, as you probably know, more than 7,500 army soldiers have arrived in the city and actually taken over the municipal police force. And that has obviously dampened the amount of incredible violence related to drug trafficking in the city, but fears on the ground are that simply the warring cartels packed up and left town for the time being or [have] gone underground while the army is out in the streets, and that they will be back. Meanwhile, the army is doing all of the municipal police force jobs, so they're effectively writing traffic tickets and driving around in cop cars. Roberts: All right, so you know that earlier this week, Janet Napolitano, the secretary of homeland security, announced this $700 million program, put more border agents and more [Drug Enforcement Administration] agents on the border along with some high-tech surveillance equipment to try to combat the war on drugs there. How effective do you think that plan will be? Gibler: Sadly, I do not think it will be effective. We're talking about a $30 billion a year industry just moving the drugs across the border. That is way too powerful for three more helicopters or 400 more border agents to really try and address. I think it is a deeply embedded social and economic problem that will have to be addressed with social and economic policy. Watch Gibler give his views on U.S. security efforts » Roberts: So the president has reserved this idea of putting some troops down on the border there. I know that Gov. Rick Perry in Texas says that he wants to put 1,000 along the border. However, there in El Paso, where you are this morning, the mayor says, "Whoa, we don't need any troops. Things are great here." Who's right? Gibler: Well, really, the mayor is right in a sense. If you look at 2008, 1,600 people were assassinated in Ciudad Juarez, and there were about 15 homicides that same year in El Paso. So, this whole idea of the violence spilling over is really, I think, kind of malformed or a bit sensationalizing the violence in Mexico, which is very real but the violence already exists in the United States, even though there isn't a national kind of political understanding or consciousness, if you will, about how that violence is related to drug trafficking and drug distribution. amFIX: Can the US win the war on drugs? Roberts: You know, we had Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron earlier this week. And he was talking about this idea of legalizing all drugs as a way to combat the drug war there in Mexico. What do you think of that idea? Gibler: I think it's time to consider all options, and I think it's evident -- more than evident that the "war on drugs" approach has been an absolute failure. It hasn't in any way stopped the amount of drugs being consumed in the United States or the drugs flowing over the border or the violence related to the illegal drug-trafficking industry. ... It's not that radical of a proposal. Even The Economist magazine led with an editorial about a week and a half ago about legislating or regulating drugs. Three former presidents of Latin American countries, | [
"What did the author write?",
"Have they been successful US efforts against drugs in Mexico?",
"Who is John Gibler?",
"What does Gibler say about legalizing drugs?",
"What are needed to battle Mexico's drug problems?",
"What is too powerful for U.S. border efforts?",
"In what country does Gibler want drug legalization?"
] | [
[
"\"Mexico Unconquered: Chronicles of Power and Revolt,\""
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[
"an absolute failure."
],
[
"Author"
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[
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],
[
"federal agents"
],
[
"$30 billion a year industry just moving the drugs across the"
],
[
"Mexico"
]
] | Mexico's huge drug industry is too powerful for U.S. border efforts, John Gibler says .
Author says social, economic policies are needed to battle Mexico's drug problems .
It's time to consider legalizing drugs, Gibler says . |
(CNN) -- The Obama administration has unveiled a government "app store" designed to push the federal bureaucracy into the era of cloud computing. The Obama administration is pushing for the government to use cloud-computing technologies. The change means some federal employees will begin using services like YouTube, Gmail and WordPress, which store data on private Internet servers instead of on those paid for with public money. The process will start small but will ramp up quickly, Vivek Kundra, the U.S. chief information officer, said in a blog post on Tuesday. "Our policies lag behind new trends, causing unnecessary restrictions on the use of new technology," Kundra writes in the post on WhiteHouse.gov. "We are dedicated to addressing these barriers and to improving the way government leverages new technology." The app store is designed for federal employees doing official government business and is not intended for use by the public. Also on Tuesday, Google announced the creation of a "government cloud," in which public data will be stored on Google computer servers by 2010. According to a Google blog post, this dedicated space will serve the needs of federal, state and local governments. With "cloud computing," users access applications that exist online instead of on their computers' hard drives. Both projects are designed to save the government money and to give government employees access to tools sometimes used in the private sector. The measures fall in line with the Obama administration's efforts to get the federal government up to speed with the latest technologies. Kundra wrote that the cost savings could be significant. The federal government spends $75 billion per year on data storage and other information technology costs, he wrote. A video on the new app store Web site also says government servers that host government Web sites and infrastructure often waste energy and money because they duplicate the efforts of the private sector. The app store, which is online at apps.gov, is essentially a compilation of Web programs, tools and services available to some government employees. A social media page, for instance, explains the possible uses of Web sites like YouTube, TwitVid and Flickr. People using the site have to log in and submit requests for approval before gaining access. Many of the applications, such as those mentioned, are free. Other business software in the government app store requires payment. "With more rapid access to innovative IT solutions, agencies can spend less time and taxpayer dollars on procedural items and focus more on using technology to achieve their missions," writes Kundra. Ben Parr, associate editor at the social media blog Mashable, said it's smart for the government to turn to third-party tech companies that know their stuff better than federal bureaucrats. "I'm a fan of it, because in most circumstances government is inefficient and this is a big way to really bring government up to speed in terms of computing," he said. "There are a lot of places where the government is far behind." Some privacy experts are concerned about the fact that some public data could end up on private-run computer servers, however. Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said people are required to submit information to the government and their data should be protected. "We're not against the cloud computing model but there are real concerns here, both about privacy and security online," he said. He questioned whether Google, for example, would be able to use keywords from heath records to push pharmaceutical company ads at the American public. The details of government agreements about cloud computing need to be more public to ensure proper encryption techniques are taken and privacy laws are upheld, he said. "I think it might make people wonder why government data is being commercialized in this way," he said. Parr said most government data is public anyway. "So I definitely don't expect to see the CIA posting private documents on Scribd," he said, referring to the site where people can publish documents and other writing. | [
"who would the app store be for?",
"what has Google also announced?",
"What does the site offer?"
] | [
[
"federal employees doing official government business"
],
[
"creation of a \"government cloud,\" in which public data will be stored on"
],
[
"a compilation of Web programs, tools and services"
]
] | The "app store" would be for federal workers doing government business .
The site, at apps.gov, seeks to offer and explain cloud computing programs .
The administration says such programs could save the government money .
Google also announces a "government cloud" where public data may be stored . |
(CNN) -- The Obama administration said Iran has been "saber-rattling" over its threat to block the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and renewed its vow Thursday to keep the corridor open.
But the Islamic republic's military underscored its intention Thursday to undertake whatever military maneuvers it sees fit on the waterway.
This is the latest in the recent war of words between the United States and Iran over the strait.
It started when Tehran's vice president this week warned that the country could block the strait if sanctions are imposed on its exports of crude oil. The U.S. Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain countered that "any disruption will not be tolerated."
The shipping channel leads in and out of the Persian Gulf between Iran on one coast and Oman and the United Arab Emirates on the other. It is strategically important because tankers carrying oil travel through it.
An Obama administration official, speaking on background because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the government has been "committed to Gulf security for decades and it should come as no surprise to anyone that we'll do what we must to ensure the strait remains open."
Iranian Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, deputy commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, said his country "asks for no other country's permission for the implementation of its defense strategies," state-run Press TV reported on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, "Iran has total control over the strategic water way," adding that, "Closing the Strait of Hormuz is very easy for Iranian naval forces." The vice president, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, issued his threat on Tuesday.
"Iran has repeatedly warned that in the event of a military attack on the country, it will not hesitate in taking all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty one of which would be to close the strategic oil passage," Press TV said in its report.
The administration official stressed that "the saber-rattling is really all on the Iranian side."
Iran has been holding a 10-day military exercise in an area from the eastern part of the strait out into the Arabian Sea. Western diplomats describe the maneuvers as further evidence of Iran's volatile behavior.
France, Britain and Germany have proposed sanctions to punish Iran's lack of cooperation on its nuclear program. Western powers believe Iran is intent on building nuclear weapons, but Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Physically closing the strait would require means that likely are not available to Iran, said Professor Jean-Paul Rodrigue of Hofstra University.
"At best, Iran can posture and potentially disrupt traffic for a short duration," said Rodrigue, who specializes in global trade and maritime transportation issues.
Rodrigue told CNN that any move by Iran to close the strait would be "suicidal" to the current regime.
In 2009, 15 million barrels of oil passed through the strait every day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
"Keep in mind that countries such as China and Japan are more dependent on Persian Gulf oil than the United States," the professor said.
About 18% of U.S. net petroleum imports come from the Persian Gulf region, while Canada provides 25%, according to Rodrigue.
The scholar, who has written extensively about oil "chokepoints," said there are no other means to move large quantities of oil over long distance than by maritime transportation.
"It is thus an international issue where the United States, for strategic and historical reasons, is spearheading its security," Rodrigue said.
CNN's Phil Gast and Jill Dougherty contributed to this report. | [
"What are the sanctions to do with?",
"What does the official say?",
"What will the US do?",
"what did iran say about its defense",
"Who wants tougher sanctions on Iran?",
"Which country is mentioned?"
] | [
[
"exports of crude oil."
],
[
"\"committed to Gulf security for decades and it should come as no surprise to anyone that we'll do"
],
[
"we must to ensure the strait remains open.\""
],
[
"strategies,\""
],
[
"France, Britain and Germany"
],
[
"Iran"
]
] | The U.S. will do "what we must" to keep the strait open, official says .
Iran says it will do what it sees fit for its defense .
Europe wants tougher sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program . |
(CNN) -- The Obama administration vastly underestimated the tens of thousands of barrels of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, despite contrary information from scientists using better methodologies, a report from a national panel investigating the response said Wednesday.
And, the report said, the White House Office of Management and Budget squelched higher worst-case estimates once government officials accepted them, preventing the public from hearing them.
The staff also sharply criticized later White House estimates that 75 percent of the oil had been scooped up, burned or naturally dispersed, saying an operational tool -- known as the oil budget -- used by responders failed to accurately account for biodegradation and was not peer-reviewed by scientists.
The working paper from the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling looked at the government's response to the April 20 explosion that triggered the spill, and whether it accurately and appropriately conveyed information to the public. The explosion claimed 11 lives and led to thousands of barrels of oil being spewed into the Gulf daily for almost three months.
"By initially underestimating the amount of oil flow and then, at the end of the summer, appearing to underestimate the amount of oil remaining in the Gulf, the federal government created the impression that it was either not fully competent to handle the spill or not fully candid with the American people about the scope of the problem," said Wednesday's report.
Federal officials have stated that the low flow-rate estimates did not negatively affect their operations to stop the oil spill.
"Even if responders are correct, however, loss of the public's trust during a disaster is not an incidental public relations problem," the 29-page report said. "The absence of trust fuels public fears, and those fears in turn can cause major harm, whether because the public loses confidence in the federal government's assurances that beaches or seafood are safe, or because the government's lack of credibility makes it harder to build relationships ... that are necessary for effective response actions."
The report issued Wednesday is considered a working paper. The commission will issue a formal report January 12, 2011.
The president appointed the commission in June and tasked it to provide recommendations on how to prevent future spills and mitigate the impact of any that do occur. The commission is headed by former Florida governor and former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator William K. Reilly.
Government officials, reacting to the report, said the response was "in full force and immediate" and that the government adequately warned the public of worst-case spill scenarios.
Rep. Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, said BP won't be able to escape liability.
"Low balling the flow rate numbers was BP's attempt to hide both the truth and their wallet from the American people," Markey said.
After the oil rig sank, the U.S. Coast Guard and BP initially put the spill at 1,000 barrels per day.
The administration later derived a 5,000-barrels-per-day estimate, depending on an "unsolicited, one-page document" based on visual operation of the speed at which the oil was leaking from the end of the riser at the bottom of the Gulf.
Despite "inaccuracies" in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist's estimate of 5,000 barrels, the government stuck with that number through May 27, despite estimates from outside experts suggesting a much higher figure, the report said.
The panel's staff wrote that in some cases, nongovernment scientists relied on more refined or better-established methodologies.
"It is possible that the early official flow estimates would have been more accurate if the government had either enlisted greater in-house scientific expertise, or enlisted outside scientific expertise by making available the data on which government estimates were based," the report said. "The government appears to have taken an overly casual approach to the calculation and release of the 5,000 barrels a day estimate -- which as the only official estimate for most of May, took on great importance | [
"When was the explosion?"
] | [
[
"April 20"
]
] | NEW: Government officials says response since April mitigated problems .
Panel's staff said the government response undermined public trust .
Report indicates the White House office refused to air worst-case figures .
The April 20 explosion claimed 11 lives, resulted in millions of barrels of oil going into Gulf . |
(CNN) -- The Okavango Delta is one of earth's remote places; it is not easy to get to, and it is quite wild. Independent travel there is not for the inexperienced or the faint-hearted.
There are few roads and those that exist are difficult to drive and navigate and subject to flooding and other hazards; communications are spotty at best and locations are distantly apart.
Winning and losing on Botswana's Okavango Delta
The vast majority of tourists fly into camps in the delta, many from the town of Maun, which is easily reached by scheduled airlines from Botswana's capital, Gaborone (Air Botswana), from Johannesburg, South Africa (South African Airways), from Windhoek, Namibia (Air Namibia), and from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. From Maun, a host of bush plane companies fly tourists to the camps and reserves, most of which, including Kwara, are privately owned and operated.
Most tourists make their arrangements through organized tour companies, and there is no shortage of tour operators in southern Africa who can arrange an all-inclusive visit. More resourceful travelers can save money by making their own arrangements using the Internet to identify individual camps, and arranging transportation and accommodations directly through them. The camps vary from luxury suites to basic pup tents, and prices reflect the differences.
Kwara Camp is mid- to upper range, offering heavy canvas tents on wood platforms with full beds and in-tent plumbed bathrooms, full board and a host of activities, including overland Jeep safaris, dugout canoe trips and motorboat journeys that are included in the basic price.
Less expensive camps, such as Oddballs Camp, feature simple pup tents on platforms, but can be hundreds of dollars less expensive. Some camps are fenced to keep animals out at night, while others such as Kwara are not (if the sound of a two-ton elephant or hippopotamus tramping through the bushes right outside your window unnerves you, you might want to opt for a fenced camp).
Botswana is deliberately expensive, as the government wishes to limit the number of tourists who visit Okavango to lessen environmental impact. Rates during high season (July-October) can be twice as high as during low season (November-June). Try going during low season, just before or after high season, to maximize wildlife viewing but minimize cost.
For most upscale camps, plan on US $900-$1,600 per person, per night in high season, and a low of about $700 in low season. For mid-range camps, plan on about $700-$950 in high season, as low as $350 in low season. For basic camps, looks for rates as low as $340 per person, per night in high season and $240 in low season. Most rates are all-inclusive, including lodging, food and all safaris and other activities. Tourists on tighter budgets might want to consider camps in South Africa, although they tend to be less wild and more tourist-populated.
Large animals including lion, zebra, hippopotamus, wildebeest, elephant and others are abundant in the Delta, and while it is thrilling to see them, tourists must always remember, this is not a zoo. The animals are wild. But as long as visitors follow a few simple rules, there is little danger. | [
"who is responsible for this",
"what is difficult to access; most tourists arrive by bush plane?",
"What is the cost for mid-range camps?",
"where did plan on about $700-$950 per person, per night in high season?",
"what did plan on about $700-$950 per person?",
"What is difficult to access?",
"What kind of camp accommodations are there?"
] | [
[
"the government"
],
[
"Okavango Delta"
],
[
"$700-$950 in high season, as low as $350 in low season."
],
[
"mid-range camps,"
],
[
"For mid-range camps,"
],
[
"Okavango Delta"
],
[
"from luxury suites to basic pup tents,"
]
] | The Okavango Delta is difficult to access; most tourists arrive by bush plane .
Camp accommodations range from luxury suites to basic pup tents .
For mid-range camps, plan on about $700-$950 per person, per night in high season . |
(CNN) -- The Pentagon has revolutionized warfare during the past decade, making unmanned aerial vehicles, known as UAVs, a staple of modern combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. A USAF technician at Creech Air Force Base, checks Hellfire missile attachments on a Predator. Remotely-controlled drones, such as the Predator and the Reaper, have allowed the U.S. military to spy on and attack enemy combatants without putting their own forces at risk, thereby making UAVs a must-have. "The real advantage of unmanned aerial systems is they allow you to project power without projecting vulnerability," says USAF Lt. Gen. David Deptula at the Pentagon. But as USAF commanders try to provide enough pilots to take charge of drones, many are considering another aspect of the warfare revolution -- the psychological impact on those controlling the vehicles. As Dr. Kory Cornum, a USAF colonel, explains: "Whereas we have thousands of years of data on what it's like to go to war really, we only have a few years of data on what it's like to go to war virtually. And so we don't have really enough data." Pilots are now dealing with something never experienced before -- a rapid transition from intense combat to home comfort, often in less than an hour. Some describe it as a version of post-traumatic stress disorder, often more associated with soldiers directly in harm's way. Peter Singer, an adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama's campaign team and author of "Wired for War," described one encounter with a frustrated non-commissioned officer. "She actually banged the table, saying: 'No one is paying attention to this issue of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] among my men and women, no one's paying attention to it," Singer says. "And she talked about a scene where they were flying a drone above a set of U.S. soldiers that were killed and the drone was unarmed at the time and they couldn't do anything about it. They just circled above and they watched U.S. soldiers die in front of them." Watch the debate about the impact of UAVs on pilots » USAF fighter pilots like Major Morgan Andrews remotely control drones from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. Less than an hour after targeting he'll be back in suburban Las Vegas, his drive home more physically dangerous than the combat mission he has just undertaken. Commanders at Creech say that if there is stress, it comes from relentless around-the-clock shift work. Andrews says that like any good pilot he has learned to compartmentalize his life, using his commute to and from work to transition. "I think about work, I think about what happened," Andrews explains, "what I could've done better, anything I maybe did wrong that I could've done differently, how could I do it better next time. I just kind of go through it and usually, by the time I get home, I've sorted it all through my mind and stick it away in a file and go on with life." For Andrews, fighting from Nevada more than outweighs the drawbacks of long overseas deployments, allowing him to enjoy life at home with his family and friends. Cornum adds that the drive home is more of a blessing than anyone realized. "It does give you some amount of time, as opposed to if you lived on base and you could literally walk out of war and into your house," he says. "I don't know if 30 minutes is enough. But it gives you time to decompress." But conducting remote warfare, as Cornum explains, brings with it stress that vary from those usually experienced by troops. "The big difference is that when you are actually deployed, you are with all your battle buddies who are experiencing the thing 24/7. Whereas when you go home, you go home to your family, to your neighbors, who are not in the battle all the time. And that's good and bad." | [
"What does robotic warfare allow pilots to do?",
"In what time can pilots transition from battlefield to home?",
"What are military experts now looking at?",
"What does robotic warfare allow?",
"What allows pilots to control armed vehicles?"
] | [
[
"project power without projecting vulnerability,\""
],
[
"less than an hour."
],
[
"it's like to go to war virtually."
],
[
"spy on and attack enemy combatants without putting their own forces at risk,"
],
[
"unmanned aerial systems"
]
] | Robotic warfare allows pilots to control armed vehicles without risk to themselves .
Military experts are now looking at the psychological impact this may have on pilots .
Pilots now transition from battlefield to home environment in less than an hour .
Some pilots welcome operating from the U.S. rather than being deployed overseas . |
(CNN) -- The Pentagon on Wednesday identified two U.S. soldiers who disappeared in Afghanistan this month, announcing the death of one of the men and saying that the whereabouts of the other remain unknown. Both soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division disappeared in the Morghab River near Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan on November 4. The Pentagon announced the death of Army Sgt. Benjamin Sherman, 21, of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Army Sgt. Brandon Islip, 23, remains missing. Islip is from Richmond, Virginia. Both men were on a resupply mission when they disappeared, the Pentagon said. Last week, military divers found Sherman's body. Family members said he jumped into the river when he saw a fellow soldier struggling in the water. "I know, that day, he jumped into the river to try to save his comrade was because he didn't just see another soldier in the water; he saw his brother," Sherman's sister, Meredith, said in a statement to CNN affiliate WCVB in Boston, Massachusetts. "He didn't jump in because he was trained to but because that's what his heart told him to do." | [
"who found body last week",
"What did divers find?",
"what says family",
"how many sergeants disappeared",
"Where did sergeants disappear?",
"Divers found what last week?",
"Family said he did what after seeing fellow solider struggle?",
"Two sergeants disappeared near which border?"
] | [
[
"military divers"
],
[
"Sherman's body."
],
[
"members said he jumped into the river when he saw a fellow soldier struggling in the water."
],
[
"two U.S. soldiers"
],
[
"in the Morghab River near Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan"
],
[
"Sherman's body."
],
[
"jumped into the river"
],
[
"Afghanistan's"
]
] | Two sergeants disappeared near border with Turkmenistan this month .
Divers found body of one last week .
Family said he jumped into river after seeing fellow soldier struggle . |
(CNN) -- The Philadelphia Eagles welcomed Michael Vick back into the National Football League on Friday after the quarterback spent almost two years in federal prison on a felony dogfighting conviction. Michael Vick speaks at a Philadelphia Eagles news conference on Friday. Vick, formerly with the Atlanta Falcons, has signed a two-year deal with the Eagles. "I think everybody deserves a second chance," Vick said at a news conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday. "Now I want to be part of the solution and not the problem." The league suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia. Vick, 29, was freed from federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 20 and returned to his Virginia home to serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement. iReport.com: Is this a good move? "Everything that happened at that point in my life was wrong," Vick said of his involvement with the dogfighting ring. Watch bloggers discuss Vick's return to the NFL » "I had to reach a turning point. Prison definitely did it for me," he said. Flanked by Eagles coach Andy Reid and former NFL coach Tony Dungy, who acted as a mentor to Vick after he was imprisoned, the newest Eagle vowed "to do all the right things." "I want to be an ambassador to the NFL and the community," he said. "I'm glad I got ... a second chance. I won't disappoint." Dungy said that he thinks Vick can revive his career and turn his life around in Philadelphia but that the quarterback will be tested by fickle Eagles fans. "He is gonna have a lot of people who do not think he should be playing. He's got to prove them wrong on the field and off the field," Dungy said. Watch why Dungy thinks Vick will be a positive force » Earlier reaction to Vick's signing was mixed. The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Thursday night in a statement that it was "incredibly disappointed" at the news. "Philadelphia is a city of dog lovers and, most particularly, pit bull lovers," said Susan Cosby, the organization's chief executive officer. "To root for someone who participated in the hanging, drowning, electrocution and shooting of dogs will be impossible for many, no matter how much we would all like to see the Eagles go all the way." However, Ed Sayres, president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said in a statement that "[NFL] Commissioner Roger Goodell and the Philadelphia Eagles have granted Michael Vick a second chance, and the ASPCA expects Mr. Vick to express remorse for his actions, as well as display more compassion and sound judgment this time around than he did during his previous tenure with the NFL. "We hope that Mr. Vick uses his stature for the betterment of the community and the advancement of the issue of animal cruelty," Sayres said. Reid said he knows that there are some fans who will not accept Vick. "I understand how that works," he said. "But there's enough of them that will, and then it's up to Michael to prove that that change has taken place. I think he's there. That's what he wants to do." He said Vick "seems very focused, and he wants to get his career back on track." It is unclear what role Vick will play in the Eagles' offense. But it was clear that the move had the blessing of Eagles starting quarterback Donovan McNabb. "I pretty much lobbied to get him here," McNabb said. "Because everybody deserves a second chance." The NFL reinstated Vick on a conditional basis last month. Vick "will be considered for full reinstatement and to play in regular-season games by Week 6 based on the progress | [
"when was Vick suspended?",
"what is the NFL",
"Did Vick have any charges against him?",
"When did Vick plead guilty in dogfighting case",
"who was suspended",
"who is Eagles head coach?",
"when will Vick play"
] | [
[
"August 2007"
],
[
"National Football League"
],
[
"felony dogfighting conviction."
],
[
"August 2007"
],
[
"Vick"
],
[
"Andy Reid"
],
[
"in regular-season games by Week 6"
]
] | Philadelphia Eagles introduce Michael Vick at news conference .
Eagles head coach Andy Reid: I know some fans won't accept Vick .
NFL suspended Vick in 2007 after he pleaded guilty in dogfighting case .
Vick won't be able to play in regular season games until October . |
(CNN) -- The Philippine Commission on Elections approved fraud charges Friday against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and several other former officials, state media reported.
Arroyo is charged in connection with the alleged manipulation of results during 2007 Senate elections, according to the Philippines News Agency.
The former president has denied any wrongdoing.
Arroyo was stopped from leaving the country Tuesday as she was trying to board a plane at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, hours after the country's Supreme Court overruled government-imposed restrictions on her travels. The Supreme Court again Friday rejected the government's travel ban, saying she was free to leave as long as she posted a bond and met other requirements, said Jose Midas Marquez, a court spokesman
Arroyo was reportedly boarding the flight to seek medical treatment abroad for her bone disease diagnosed earlier this year, following three unsuccessful spinal operations in the Philippines. She arrived at the airport in an ambulance and was transported to the departure gate in a wheelchair while wearing a neck brace.
Arroyo's lawyer, Raul Lambino, said the former first couple was "subjected to indignity and embarrassment at the airport," calling the government's defiance of the Supreme Court order "abhorrent and in violation of the rights of the individual guaranteed by the (Philippine's) constitution and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
But presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda described the situation as "all high drama," according to media reports. "They (the Arroyos) want the public to sympathize with them," he added.
He said that while the Arroyo couple would be treated with dignity, the government would be "firm in our decision not to allow them to leave the country." Arroyo's husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, is also accused of corruption.
The Supreme Court, which is mostly staffed by judges hired under Arroyo, defied current President Benigno Aquino's state mandate of investigating allegations of corruption during Arroyo's 2001-2010 presidential term.
CNN's Karen Smith and Journalist Winona Cueva contributed to this report | [
"Who is accused of manipulating 2007 electives?",
"What have been imposed on Arroyo?",
"What does the Supreme Court overrule?",
"when did overrules government-imposed travel restrictions on Arroyo?",
"When were the elections held?",
"Who is accused of manipulating the elections?",
"Who denies any wrongdoing?",
"who is Gloria Macapagal Arroyo?"
] | [
[
"President"
],
[
"restrictions"
],
[
"government-imposed restrictions on her travels."
],
[
"Tuesday"
],
[
"2007"
],
[
"Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and several other former officials,"
],
[
"The former president"
],
[
"former President"
]
] | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is accused of manipulating 2007 elections .
The former president denies any wrongdoing .
The Supreme Court overrules government-imposed travel restrictions on Arroyo . |
(CNN) -- The Philippine House of Representatives and Senate were meeting Monday to debate the imposition of martial law in the country's south by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the aftermath of last month's massacre of 57 civilians. As required by law, the president issued a report Sunday explaining her reasons for making the proclamation for the province of Maguindanao. "Lawless elements have taken up arms and committed public uprising against the duly constituted government and against the people of Maguindanao," Arroyo said in a 20-page letter to the leaders of the House and Senate. Martial law went into effect Friday night, allowing arrests without a warrant. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said it was necessary to impose peace following what has been called a politically motivated massacre. He added that Congress would have to approve any extension beyond 60 days. The House and Senate might jointly convene on Tuesday to discuss the president's report, House Speaker Prospero Nograles said Sunday, according to the Philippine News Agency. The debate began as elite forces of the Philippine National Police clashed in the town of Datu Unsay with suspected followers of the politically powerful Ampatuan family, which has been implicated in the massacre, the Philippine News Agency reported Monday. Reports said the armed men offered stiff resistance on Sunday against government security forces in a 10-minute firefight, withdrawing after government reinforcements arrived. No casualties were reported on either side. Charges of rebellion will be leveled against many of those arrested since martial law was implemented, Philippine Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said Saturday, CNN affiliate ABS-CBN reported. At least six members of the Ampatuan family have been arrested, including Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., according to ABS-CBN. Ampatuan, whose father is governor of Maguindanao, has been accused of directing the killings and has been charged with 25 counts of murder. One of the massacre victims implicated members of the Ampatuan family before she died, the affiliate reported. Over the weekend, authorities raided at least one warehouse and ranch belonging to the family. They confiscated firearms, ammunition and vehicles, Maj. Randolph Cabangbang, deputy of operations for the eastern Mindinao command, told CNN. The military was looking at arresting at least 100 people tied to the massacre, ABS-CBN reported. The Philippine military is investigating its own forces in connection with the case as well, Brawner said. Asked why martial law was imposed 12 days after the killings, Cabangbang said authorities "were trying to build a case, a tight case" against suspects. "But it is taking long to build a case, so I think the government gave us a free hand in arresting those who are suspects, and allowed us to search, even without warrant. So we really need this declaration of state of martial law." Violence in the run-up to elections is not uncommon in the country. The Maguindanao massacre, however, is the worst politically motivated violence in recent Philippine history, according to state media. The victims included the wife and sister of political candidate Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu, who had sent the women to file paperwork allowing him to run for governor of Maguindanao. He said he had received threats from allies of Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., the father of the accused mayor, saying he would be kidnapped if he filed the papers himself. Maguindanao is part of an autonomous region in predominantly Muslim Mindanao, which was set up in the 1990s to quell armed uprisings by people seeking an independent Muslim homeland in the predominantly Christian Asian nation. | [
"How many were arrested?",
"Who outlined the reasons for martial law?",
"What did authoirities do?",
"Where was the family from?",
"What does Arroyo outline?",
"What has been raided?",
"What did Arroyo say?"
] | [
[
"At least six members of the Ampatuan family"
],
[
"Philippine House of Representatives and Senate"
],
[
"raided at least one warehouse and ranch"
],
[
"Maguindanao."
],
[
"her reasons for making the proclamation"
],
[
"at least one warehouse and ranch belonging to the family."
],
[
"\"Lawless elements have taken up arms and committed public uprising against the duly constituted government and against the people of Maguindanao,\""
]
] | Arroyo outlines reasons for martial law declaration in 20-page letter .
Report: House, Senate might jointly convene Tuesday, House Speaker says .
At least six members of Ampatuan family arrested, ABS-CBN reports .
Authorities raid at least one warehouse and ranch belonging to family . |
(CNN) -- The Philippine government said Tuesday that fresh rain in Visayas and Mindanao could set off flash floods and landslides, bringing the potential for more misery in places already struggling to recover from a deadly tropical storm.
Eastern Luzon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain, while the rest of the island will have mostly cloudy skies with light rain, the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) predicted.
On Tuesday, the national government offered a new death toll -- 1,453 -- then revised it again based on a count by Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The lower count means the death toll from the storm that lashed the southern Philippines more than a week remained unchanged from Monday: 1,249.
The bodies of people swept out to sea by flash floods from the storm have washed up on nearby beaches and islands, Maj. Reynaldo Balido, the military assistant for operations at the Office of Civil Defense, said Monday.
The authorities have enlisted the help of local fishermen to help the continuing search and rescue efforts for the scores of people who remain missing, Balido said by telephone from the island of Mindanao, the scene of the worst devastation. He added that the fishermen volunteered, since many of them had lost friends and relatives in the disaster.
The unusually heavy rains of Tropical Storm Washi, which churned across the southern Philippines between December 16 and 18, resulted in landslides and flash floods that swept away whole villages. The authorities have had to carry out mass burials in order to deal with the large numbers of dead.
"I've gone through many disasters but this one is the worst as some of the survivors have lost so many family members," said Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.
"Some have lost as many as 30 relatives," he said in comments posted recently on the organization's website.
The number of people injured as a result of the storm has more than doubled to 4,594 from 1,979 at the weekend, according to the NDRRMC putting more pressure on already stretched relief agencies
The United Nations said last week that the storm has created "huge" humanitarian needs in the region. It has made an appeal to raise $28 million to deal with the immediate problems, with tens of thousands of people displaced in and around the port cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
Many people are lacking food, shelter and clean drinking water, the United Nations said.
"We have also established make-shift camps and relief centers for victims in local schools in the area, but because schools are opening on January 3, we are looking to find them more permanent shelter," Benito Ramos, head of the NDRRMC, said.
The storm, known locally as Sendong, has affected more than 700,000 people in the region, the NDRRMC estimated Tuesday.
President Benigno Aquino of the Philippines has declared a state of national calamity following the storm.
CNN's Jethro Mullen and Aliza Kassim contributed to this report. | [
"Where are flash floods and landslides possible?",
"What is the appeal amount",
"What was revised",
"Flash floods and landslides are possible in Mindanao and where else?",
"What did the government do based on a regional count?",
"What was it based on",
"The U.N. has made an appeal to raise how much?",
"How much money does the U.N. appeal to raise?",
"The government revises the death toll, based on what?"
] | [
[
"Visayas"
],
[
"$28 million"
],
[
"death toll"
],
[
"Visayas"
],
[
"offered a new death toll"
],
[
"a count by Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council."
],
[
"$28 million"
],
[
"$28 million"
],
[
"count by Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council."
]
] | NEW: The government revises the death toll, based on a regional count .
Flash floods and landslides are possible in Mindanao and Visayas .
The U.N. has made an appeal to raise $28 million to deal with the 'huge' humanitarian needs . |
(CNN) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins have won the Stanley Cup for a third time after a pair of second-period goals by Max Talbot gave them a narrow 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the deciding game of the best-of-seven series. The Penguins celebrate with the Stanley Cup after claiming a narrow game seven victory at Detroit. Talbot opened the scoring early in the second period and added a second on a two-on-one break midway through the session to help the Penguins to avenge their defeat to the Red Wings in last year's finals. Jonathan Ericsson pulled a goal back for the home side with just over six minutes remaining in the game but Detroit were unable to prevent Pittsburgh from becoming the first team in 38 years to claim the Stanley Cup with a game seven victory on the road. The Penguins, who last won the title in 1992, were depriving the Red Wings of becoming the first team since Detriot themselves (in 1998) to retain the Stanley Cup. "We're going to enjoy this one. We're going to sit back and relish the moment. We're going to get our names on the Cup, and we'll get our day with it," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma told their official Web site. The result proved a difficult pill to swallow for Red Wings winger Marian Hossa. Last summer, the Slovakian turned down a lucrative long-term contract with the Penguins, thought to be worth in the region of $50 million, to sign a one-year $7.5m deal with Detroit -- thinking they had a better chance of hoisting the Stanley Cup. However, he failed to score once in the finals and cast a lonely figure watching his former team-mates lift the trophy. | [
"Who did the Penguins defeat?",
"Who got two goals in the game?",
"Who lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the deciding game of the best-of-seven series",
"How many times have the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup?",
"What was the score of the deciding game?",
"When was the last time the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed the trophy?",
"Who scored two goals?",
"What did the Penguins secure?"
] | [
[
"Detroit Red Wings"
],
[
"Max Talbot"
],
[
"Detroit Red Wings"
],
[
"third"
],
[
"2-1"
],
[
"1992,"
],
[
"Max Talbot"
],
[
"Stanley Cup"
]
] | The Pittsburgh Penguins secure Stanley Cup for the third time in their history .
Penguins beat Detriot Red Wings 2-1 in deciding game of best-of-seven series .
Two Max Talbot goals ensures Penguins claim trophy for first time since 1992 . |
(CNN) -- The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), a body which represents soccer players in England and Wales, has sent ex-professionals a guide on how to handle mental health issues following the death of Wales manager Gary Speed.
Speed, who made over 500 appearances in the English Premier League during a 22-year playing career, was found dead at his home on Sunday, sending British football into mourning.
Although it is not known whether Speed was struggling with depression or any mental health issues, the PFA, which is linked to a similar body in Scotland, has taken the step of making "The Footballers' Guidebook" available to 50,000 former players.
The guide, which includes comic strip style drawings and case studies from former players, was sent to current players in July.
"Whether you're a king, a prince or a pauper, or a top sports star or the man in the street -- everybody is a human being and can have issues that they need help with," PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor told CNN.
The issue of depression in football was highlighted by the death of German national team goalkeeper Robert Enke, who took his own life in 2009 after a long struggle with the illness.
"The PFA are going to do even more work to try and make sure that people know they can turn to somebody in such times," explained Taylor. "We've got to do all we can."
"The death of Gary is so devastating , we've got to do all we can to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Speed represented Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers in England's top flight, before dropping into the second tier to play for, and later manage, Sheffield United.
The former midfielder is the most-capped outfield player in Welsh history, having played for his country on 85 occasions. As a manager, Speed guided Wales to 45th in the world rankings, their highest position.
A minutes applause will be held before all of this weekend's English Premier League matches in honor of Speed. | [
"What was unclear about the death of speed",
"Who's death has prompted this",
"How many people have been sent advice",
"Who died before the decision was made?",
"When was the guide issued for players?",
"How many members were sent advice on coping with mental illness?"
] | [
[
"struggling with depression or any mental health issues,"
],
[
"Gary Speed."
],
[
"50,000"
],
[
"Gary Speed."
],
[
"July."
],
[
"50,000"
]
] | The PFA have sent 50,000 members advice on coping with mental illness .
The decision comes in the wake of Wales' manager Gary Speed's recent death .
It is unclear whether Speed was experiencing depression or any mental illness .
The guide was issued to current professional players in July . |
(CNN) -- The Queen of the Blues is dead. Koko Taylor performs in Spain in 2005. Her last performance was in May of this year. Koko Taylor, a West Tennessee sharecropper's daughter who went to Chicago, Illinois, with "35 cents and a box of Ritz Crackers" at 24 and wound up an award-winning blues legend, died Wednesday at her Chicago home at 80. She died of complications from a May 19 surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding, her Web site reported. Just days before the surgery, Taylor won her 29th Blues Music Award, picking up the trophy for Traditional Female Blues Artist Of the Year. She performed her signature song, "Wang Dang Doodle," at the ceremony. Known for her powerful vocals, Taylor was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1997, won the Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Ward in 1999 and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship in 2004. She also won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1985 for her album "Queen of the Blues." Taylor was born Cora Walton and picked up the nickname "Koko" because of her love of chocolate as a child. She also displayed a love of singing from an early age. She and her future husband, the late Robert "Pops" Taylor, traveled to Chicago in 1952, where Pops Taylor worked for a packing company while Koko Taylor cleaned houses. By night, the two roamed Chicago's blues clubs, where Koko Taylor sat in with top bands and was soon a popular guest artist. But it took 10 years for Koko Taylor to record on her own, after Willie Dixon got her signed to Chess Records and produced several singles, including "Wang Dang Doodle." Taylor landed a permanent home with Alligator Records when Chess was sold in 1975. Her final performance was the May 7 blues award show, but earlier in the year she performed at the Kennedy Center Honors program honoring actor Morgan Freeman. Throughout her lengthy career, she shared the stage with nearly every blues performer imaginable, from Junior Wells and B.B. King to Taj Mahal and Muddy Waters. She was a strong influence to later performers, including Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin. Survivors include Taylor's husband, Hays Harris, daughter Joyce Threatt, son-in-law Lee Threatt, grandchildren Lee Jr. and Wendy, and three great-grandchildren. | [
"What type of surgery did he have?",
"who is taylor?",
"Where did the May 7 show take place?",
"what Her final performance was a May 7?",
"when Taylor dies at Chicago home of complications from?",
"did she win anything else?"
] | [
[
"gastrointestinal bleeding,"
],
[
"Queen of the Blues"
],
[
"Spain"
],
[
"blues award show,"
],
[
"died Wednesday"
],
[
"also won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album"
]
] | Taylor dies at Chicago home of complications from May 19 surgery .
Her final performance was a May 7 blues award show .
She sang her signature song, "Wang Dang Doodle," at the ceremony .
Taylor won Grammy in 1985 for her album "Queen of the Blues" |
(CNN) -- The Rancho Bernardo Inn, a San Diego luxury resort, is offering rooms for $19 a night. But there's a catch -- you have to sleep in a tent and bring your own toilet paper. "For $19 a night, a customer gets a shell with a tent inside," says Rancho Bernardo Inn's John Gates. The declining economy has taken a toll on the Rancho Bernardo, a 200,000 acre luxury resort which has three pools, a golf course, three restaurants and a spa that was named No. 1 by Conde Nast in 2008. "During a brainstorming session, we were talking about discounts and promotions and wanted to come up with something different than the same promotions and discounts," said Rancho Bernardo general manager John Gates. "We wanted to do something fun and clever. It's a way of making the best of these bad economic times and trying to give customers an experience." Rancho Bernardo's "Survivor Package" starts at $219 per night, but customers are allowed to customize and pick their price point. Guests can lower the cost by opting to give up breakfast and other luxury items, including toiletries. "For $19 a night, a customer gets a shell with a tent inside," said Gates. The bed, lighting, bed sheets, towels and toilet paper are all removed. "We ran a similar promotion in June which was very popular. About 100 people took the offer." Gates said he has received several phone calls, and 50 customers have already booked a reservation at the $19 price. The promotion will run from August 16 to 31. And don't forget your toilet paper and toothpaste! | [
"Who is the general manager?",
"How much is the package?",
"What is the promotion?",
"Whats the manager of the resort called?",
"What did John gates say?",
"What was named number 1 by Conde Naste?",
"How much doe s it cost to stay there?"
] | [
[
"John Gates."
],
[
"$219 per night,"
],
[
"\"For $19 a night, a customer gets a shell with a tent inside,\""
],
[
"John Gates."
],
[
"\"For $19 a night, a customer gets a shell with a tent inside,\""
],
[
"Rancho Bernardo,"
],
[
"$19 a night."
]
] | Rancho Bernardo Inn, a luxury resort, was named No. 1 by Conde Nast in '08 .
"We wanted to do something fun and clever," general manager John Gates says .
The San Diego resort's "Survivor Package" starts at $219 per night .
Fifty customers have already booked the promotion, which runs August 16 to 31 . |
(CNN) -- The Red River at Fargo, North Dakota, reached "major flood stage" early Wednesday as the National Guard and a small army of volunteers filled sandbags to keep the waters at bay.
"Everybody is just focused on battling it once again, and they're doing it with smiles on their faces," said Staff Sgt. Amy Wieser Willson of the North Dakota National Guard.
The river rose to a record 40.8 feet at Fargo in 2009. As of about 7 a.m. Wednesday (8 a.m. ET), the river stood at 30.34 feet, 12 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet and past major flood stage. Floodwaters are forecast to peak at 38 feet this weekend.
Are you there? Send photos, video to CNN iReport
"Major flood stage" is a term the National Weather Service uses to describe flooding causing "extensive inundation of structures and roads" and possibly the "significant evacuations of people and the transfer of property to higher elevations."
"[It's] very stressful for a lot of people, especially after seeing how much damage and how long the flood fight went on last year," Willson said. About 300 people were helping on the sandbag lines as the community raced to fill 1 million of them.
See local coverage of the flooding
Torrey Callies spent a couple of days helping shield his Fargo neighborhood from the rising waters.
"We're making some good headway here," he said at midday Wednesday, as volunteers finished a sandbag dike. The sandbag levee is meant to hold back what's known locally as Meadow Creek, which branches off from the rising Wild Rice River.
"Everybody that lives here went through it last year, so everybody is well-schooled in how to do this," Callies said.
Still, "there's not the sense of deathly emergency that there was last year," he said.
At least 150 volunteers -- most of them high school and college students -- helped in the neighborhood Tuesday, Callies said.
"God bless 'em for showing up, because without volunteer help, we'd never get this done," said Callies, 44, who owns a collection agency with his brother. "In my book, that's a pretty cool thing to do."
The mess it makes of back muscles and backyards is worth it, he said.
"You want to keep your house dry, and that's the main thing," Callies said. "The grass will grow back."
"It's tough because it's awful work and it's hard on the back and it's stressful, but what do you do? You just suck it up and start throwing sandbags."
Last week, warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota, causing the Red River to swell. Upstream, snow and ice have yet to melt, pushing water back toward the two cities.
Meanwhile, along the Eastern Seaboard, utility crews made steady progress restoring electricity after a powerful nor'easter whipped the region over the weekend.
About 125,000 customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut remained without power early Wednesday.
"We know how difficult this is for our customers, and we appreciate their patience," said John Miksad of Con Edison. "With each reconnection, we focus on restoring the greatest numbers of customers possible."
The outages were due mostly to power lines downed by Saturday's hurricane-force winds, which knocked over trees and utility poles. At least seven deaths were attributed to the storm, five caused by falling trees, authorities said.
CNN's Jim Kavanagh, Sean Morris and Ed Payne and CNN Radio's Michelle Wright and Richard Benson contributed to this report. | [
"who is without power",
"what river is rising",
"What work are making about 300 workers?",
"what River rises 12 feet above flood stage at Fargo?"
] | [
[
"About 125,000 customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut"
],
[
"Red"
],
[
"helping on the sandbag lines"
],
[
"Red"
]
] | NEW: River rises 12 feet above flood stage at Fargo, North Dakota .
NEW: About 300 workers scurry to fill 1 million sandbags to hold off waters .
Red River expected to peak at 38 feet this weekend .
About 125,000 customers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut still without power . |
(CNN) -- The Renault Formula One team have commenced legal proceedings against former driver Nelson Piquet Junior over allegations made by the Brazilian that he was asked by the team to deliberately crash his car in last year's Singapore Grand Prix. Renault boss Flavio Briatore has issued a statement confirming legal proceddings against Nelson Piquet Jr. It has been claimed that Renault boss, Flavio Briatore, in order to maximize the chances of Fernando Alonso winning the 2008 race, planned the crash of teammate Piquet Jr. Renault have hit back against the allegations concerning the event made by Piquet Jr in an official statement on their Web site. "Managing Director Flavio Briatore personally wish[es] to state criminal proceedings against Nelson Piquet Junior and Nelson Piquet Senior [have commenced] in France concerning the making of false allegations," the statement read. The statement added the three-times former world champion and his son had also attempted to "blackmail the team" into allowing Piquet Jr to continue to drive until the end of the 2009 season. Renault, who dismissed Piquet Jr as their driver in August, confirmed they have referred the matter to the British police. The French car constructor face being thrown out of Formula One if the allegations are proved by an investigation being conducted by the governing body of world motorsport, the FIA. The team will go before the FIA's World Motor Sport Council in Paris on September 21 to hear the findings of the probe. Double world champion Alonso won the race -- the first for Renault in two years -- despite starting from 15th on the grid. Intriguingly, Renault ran a light fuel load on Alonso's car -- thereby increasing the driver's speed. Just two laps after Alonso came in early to take on more fuel, Piquet's crash forced the deployment of the safety car and the subsequent pit stop of nearly all other drivers, an action that promoted Alonso to fifth from where he went onto to secure victory. Piquet attributed the crash to a simple error at the time. Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone recently warned "there is going to be a lot of trouble" if the allegations are found to be true. The FIA proved with the spygate saga only circumstantial evidence is required for them to impose strict penalties. On that occasion they fined McLaren $80 million for breaching the same article that is now now faced by Renault. | [
"What is Flavio Briatore accusing the driver of?",
"What date are the findings out?",
"Who is taking legal action against Nelson Piquet Jr?",
"Who did Renault commence legal battle with?",
"Who won the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008?",
"Who is the boss of Renault?"
] | [
[
"to deliberately crash his car in last year's Singapore Grand Prix."
],
[
"September 21"
],
[
"Renault Formula One team"
],
[
"Piquet Junior"
],
[
"Fernando Alonso"
],
[
"Flavio Briatore"
]
] | Renault commence legal action against Nelson Piquet Jr over race-fixing claim .
Team boss Flavio Briatore also accuses driver of "blackmailing" Renault .
Allegations refer to Fernando Alonso's 2008 Singapore Grand Prix victory .
Renault to face findings of FIA investigation into incident on September 21 . |
(CNN) -- The Republican National Convention is kicking off in full force Tuesday in the Twin Cities -- the first time the GOP has held a presidential convention there since 1892. Laura Bush and Cindy McCain speak at a shortened first day of the Republican National Convention Monday. The convention, delayed briefly when Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast, is also being held later in the year than any nominating convention in history. Check out these tidbits of convention history and political trivia. Location The Republican National Convention is being held in the Xcel Energy Center, the home of the National Hockey League team the Minnesota Wild. To prepare the Xcel center for the GOP convention, workers removed 3,000 seats and installed more than 25 miles of cable Sen. Barack Obama gave his first speech as the Democrats' presumptive 2008 presidential nominee at the Xcel Center on June 3. The Twin Cities and Denver have each received $50 million each in federal funds for convention security. No Republican since Richard Nixon has carried Minnesota in a presidential general election -- the longest Democratic streak of any state in the nation. The Delegates About 2,300 delegates and 2,200 alternates delegates are expected to journey to the twin cities for the event, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul economy is expected to benefit to the tune of $150 to $160 million. The Candidates, past and present John McCain turned 72 last week; if elected, he'll be the oldest president sworn in to a first term. Two GOP presidential nominees were older than McCain; Ronald Reagan was 73 in 1984 when he was running for his second term and Bob Dole was 73 in 1996. Dole lost that election to Bill Clinton. John McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam from 1967 to 1973; his service awards include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart. McCain's father and grandfather were both U.S. Navy admirals; they were the first father and son to achieve that rank. McCain represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987; he has served in the U.S. Senate since 1987. McCain was the presidential nominating speaker in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole. McCain clinched the Republican presidential nomination on March 4 after winning 26 primary season contests. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is the second woman to serve on a major party ticket -- in 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to serve on a major party ticket. Palin is the first woman to serve as Alaska governor; she was elected in 2006, winning the election to the governorship as a maverick reformer willing to distance herself from the Republican Party. McCain first met Palin at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington in February of 2008. Conventions National political conventions were covered on radio for the first time in 1924, and covered on television for the first time since 1948. 2008 marks the fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions; it also happened in 1912, 1916 and 1956. The longest convention in history was the 1924 Democratic convention in New York -- It lasted 17 days. The shortest convention in history was the 1872 Democratic convention in Baltimore -- it only lasted six hours. | [
"When was McCain the presidential nominating speaker?",
"Who will be the oldest president if elected?",
"How many times have the parties held back to back conventions?",
"If McCain is elected he'll be the oldest what?",
"2008 marks the fourth time what has happened involving parties?",
"What state did Nixon carry that many Republicans could not?",
"Who was the last Republican to carry Minnesota?",
"What does 2008 mark?",
"Who was McCain a speaker for in 1996?",
"Who would potentially be the oldest president to be in his first term?"
] | [
[
"in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole."
],
[
"John McCain"
],
[
"the fourth"
],
[
"president sworn in to a first term."
],
[
"have held back-to-back conventions;"
],
[
"Minnesota"
],
[
"Richard Nixon"
],
[
"fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions;"
],
[
"Sen. Robert Dole."
],
[
"John McCain"
]
] | McCain was the presidential nominating speaker in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole .
2008 marks the fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions .
No Republican since Nixon has carried Minnesota in a presidential general election .
If McCain is elected he'll be the oldest president sworn in to a first term . |
(CNN) -- The Rev. Billy Graham, the 88-year-old legendary Christian evangelist, was hospitalized in North Carolina early Saturday for evaluation and treatment of intestinal bleeding. Evangelist Billy Graham speaks at the Billy Graham Library dedication on May 31, 2007, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was admitted to the Mission Health and Hospitals in Asheville, North Carolina, near his home in Montreat, and is listed in fair condition, a hospital spokesman said in a written statement. "Mr. Graham's physicians said the illness does not appear to be life-threatening, as Mr. Graham's condition had stabilized over the hours following admission and treatment. "An upper endoscopy and a bleeding scan showed no areas of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. The physicians say the bleeding may have come from diverticuli, small pouches that can form in the lower intestine. These may become irritated and bleed. A diverticular bleed often begins suddenly and may stop on its own." Graham's wife, Ruth Bell Graham, died in June. E-mail to a friend | [
"who is in fair condition?",
"What did the physicians say?",
"What hospital was he admitted to?",
"Graham is how old?",
"where was he admitted?"
] | [
[
"Rev. Billy Graham,"
],
[
"the illness does not appear to be life-threatening, as Mr. Graham's condition had stabilized over the hours following admission and treatment."
],
[
"Mission Health"
],
[
"88-year-old"
],
[
"the Mission Health and Hospitals in Asheville, North Carolina,"
]
] | Christian evangelist Graham, 88, in fair condition .
Admitted to Mission Health and Hospitals in Asheville, North Carolina .
Physicians say the bleeding may be diverticulitis . |
(CNN) -- The Rev. Jeremiah Wright on Monday said the black church, not him, had been subjected to attacks in the 2008 presidential campaign. Speaking before the National Press Club, Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor sought to give insight into the black church and clarify some of his remarks that have sparked a firestorm. Earlier this year, some of Wright's sermons, circulated and widely discussed on the Internet and on television, became an issue in the Democratic presidential race because of the former pastor's ties to Obama. Wright is a retired pastor from the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois, where Obama worships. In one sermon, Wright said the U.S. had brought the September 11 attacks upon itself and said "America's chickens are coming home to roost." Asked to explain those remarks, Wright said, "Have you heard the whole sermon? ... No, you haven't heard the whole sermon. That nullifies that question." Watch as Wright explains his 9/11 comments » Wright said those who heard the entire sermon would have known that he was quoting the ambassador from Iraq and keeping in line with biblical principles. "Jesus said, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' You cannot do terrorism on other people and expect it never to come back on you. Those are biblical principles, not Jeremiah Wright bombastic principles," he said. Watch as Wright questions his critics' patriotism » Wright shot back at the notion that Obama has walked away from him, saying the candidate "distanced himself from some of my remarks. ... He had to distance himself, because he's a politician, from what the media was saying I had said, which was un-American." Obama, when asked what he could do to keep Wright's latest comments from dragging him down, replied: "I think people will understand that I am not perfect and that there are going to be folks in my past like Rev. Wright that may cause them some concern -- but that ultimately, my 20 years of service and the values that I've written about and spoken about and promoted are their values and what they're concerned about. And that's what this camp has been about and what it's going to continue to be about." Wright said sound bites from his sermons were taken out of context and said the black religious tradition, despite its long history, is in some ways "invisible to the dominant culture." The theology of the black church is a "theology of liberation, it is a theology of transformation and it is ultimately a theology of reconciliation," he said. Wright's remarks came a day after he addressed an audience of 10,000 at a dinner sponsored by the Detroit chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Watch as Wright answers his critics at the NAACP event » Reiterating some of the same points from that dinner, Wright said, "Being different does not mean one is deficient -- it simply means one is different, like snowflakes." Wright said reconciliation means "we embrace our individual rich histories." He said it also means rooting out "any teaching of superiority, inferiority, hatred or prejudice" and recognizing that each person "is one of God's children ... no better, no worse." "Only then will liberation, transformation and reconciliation become realities and cease being ever-elusive ideals," he said. At the height of the Wright controversy, Obama gave a speech on race relations, rejecting his ex-pastor's controversial comments but saying he could not repudiate the man himself. "I'm not here for political reasons," Wright said Sunday. "I am not a politician. I know that fact will surprise many of you because many in the corporate-owned media have made it seem as if I had announced that I'm running for the Oval Office. I am not running for the Oval Office. "I've been running for Jesus a long, long time, and I'm | [
"Who said criticisms come from those who have not heard his whole sermons?",
"What causes voter concern?",
"Who seeks to explain theology of black church?",
"Who may cause some voters concern?",
"What did Wright say?",
"Who seeks to explain the theology of his black church?",
"What is the theology of black church?",
"What does Obama say that may cause some voters concern?",
"Who says criticisms come from those who have not heard his whole sermons?"
] | [
[
"Rev. Jeremiah Wright"
],
[
"like Rev. Wright"
],
[
"Rev. Jeremiah Wright"
],
[
"Rev. Wright"
],
[
"\"America's chickens are coming home to roost.\""
],
[
"Rev. Jeremiah Wright"
],
[
"\"theology of liberation,"
],
[
"there are going to be folks in my past like Rev. Wright"
],
[
"Wright"
]
] | The Rev. Jeremiah Wright seeks to explain theology of black church .
Wright says criticisms come from those who have not heard his whole sermons .
NEW: Obama: "Folks in my past like Rev. Wright" may cause some voters concern . |
(CNN) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson ended a trip to the Ivory Coast on Friday, after he spoke to leaders from the nation's political parties and was honored as a prince by a tribe in the West African nation. Jesse Jackson says ceremony to name him a prince of the Agni people was "very exciting." Jackson said he met with President Laurent Gbagbo and leading members of two opposition parties, Henri Konan Bedie and Alassane Ouattara. Bedie is a former president of the nation and Ouattara is a former prime minister. Jackson said his mission was not to endorse a candidate, "but a process." "I wanted the three of them to agree ... [to] campaign vigorously ... not to create divisive language, to each agree to support the winner, [and] end the [U.N.] sanctions," he said. "I think there's a common agreement on these points. This country has so much to offer the world and Africa." The United Nations imposed sanctions on the nation in 2004, among them, a ban on arms and diamond trades, a travel ban and asset freezes for some individuals. The sanctions, renewed last year, are in effect until October 29. Earlier in Jackson's trip, Amon N'Douffou V, king of the Krindjabo kingdom, named Jackson a prince of the Agni people, news reports said. Jackson said it was a "very exciting ceremony." Jackson's wife, Jacqueline, suffered a broken leg during the trip when a stage she and her husband were on collapsed, Jackson told CNN in a telephone interview. "We had excellent medical care," the pastor said, adding that the collapse was "not the fault of the organizers," but that too many people had gathered on the stage. Official news agency Agence Ivoirienne de Presse reported that the stage collapse occurred in a sports complex in Yopougon, north of Abidjan. A doctor was to accompany them on their Friday night flight back to the United States, Jackson said. The coming elections in the Ivory Coast are being closely watched by U.N. officials. In a July 30 statement, the U.N. Security Council said "any postponement of the elections of 29 November would be inconsistent with a credible process" and with a peace agreement that had followed an armed rebellion in 2002 that had divided the country in two. The Security Council said it would review progress toward elections before October 15. In March, U.S. State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said the "United States believes that long-delayed presidential elections are still technically possible in 2009 and calls on all parties to take every step necessary to ensure that credible elections go forward as promised." The statement said more than 5.7 million people had been enrolled as voters on a "preliminary basis." | [
"Who did Jackson meet with?",
"What are U.N. officials watching closely?",
"who received \"excellent medical care\"?",
"who reportedly names Jackson a prince of the Agni people?",
"What reason did the stage collapse?",
"Who did the leader of Krindjabo kingdom reportedly name?",
"what are being closely watched by U.N. officials?",
"Where is the Ivory Coast?",
"What did Jackson's wife receive after breaking her leg?",
"What did Jacksons wife break?",
"Who meets with the president?",
"What group is closely watching the elections?",
"Where are the elections being held?",
"What Jackson's wife receive?",
"Where is the election taking place?",
"Jackson was named prince of what?"
] | [
[
"President Laurent Gbagbo"
],
[
"coming elections in the Ivory Coast"
],
[
"Jackson's wife, Jacqueline,"
],
[
"Amon N'Douffou V, king of the Krindjabo kingdom,"
],
[
"too many people had gathered on the"
],
[
"Rev. Jesse Jackson"
],
[
"coming elections in the Ivory Coast"
],
[
"Africa.\""
],
[
"excellent medical care,\""
],
[
"leg"
],
[
"Rev. Jesse Jackson"
],
[
"U.N. officials."
],
[
"Ivory Coast"
],
[
"excellent medical care,\""
],
[
"Ivory Coast"
],
[
"of the Agni people"
]
] | Coming elections in the Ivory Coast are being closely watched by U.N. officials .
Jackson meets with president, opposition leaders in trip to West African nation .
Leader of Krindjabo kingdom reportedly names Jackson a prince of the Agni people .
Jackson: Wife received "excellent medical care" after breaking leg in stage collapse . |
(CNN) -- The Rev. Rick Warren, often called America's most influential pastor, will be hosting Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain for what's being called the civil forum on the presidency. Rick Warren will be hosting the civil forum on the presidency Warren, who heads up the country's fourth largest church, is also an author whose books have sold more than 30 million copies. The candidates will appear together at Warren's 20,000-member Saddleback mega-church in southern California where they each will be interviewed for an hour. Warren spoke with John Roberts on CNN's American Morning about what he hopes to accomplish at the forum. John Roberts: What do you want to hear from candidates Saturday night? Rick Warren: You know, John, we're going to look at four different segments. One is a segment on leadership. What is the personal character, competence, and experience of each of these guys. One section will be on what I call stewardship -- the role and responsibility of presidency, what they believe about the constitution, the role of America. We're going to look at a section on world view -- all of the minefield questions that no matter how you answer them, somebody's not going to like it. Then we're going to look at America's role internationally. How we've been a blessed nation and how should we bless others. Roberts: Are you going to ask them about issues like abortion and same-sex marriage? Pro-life advocates are hoping you do. There has been some criticism in some corners you have been soft-pedaling political issues that are central to evangelicals. Warren: I think everybody will be surprised. I'm going to ask all of the tough questions. I just intend to ask them in a civil way. This is called a civil forum, which means you can disagree without demonizing the opposition. I think everybody wants to hear questions not just about those "moral issues," but also about a lot of other things, too. I'm trying to stake out a common ground for the common good. Roberts: When you take a look at the evangelical vote in 2004, George Bush captured more than 75 percent of people who identify themselves as either born again or evangelical. Our recent polling, CNN Opinion Research Corporation polls, found when it comes to John McCain, only 67 percent of evangelicals say they'll support him. Are you surprised at the shift? Warren: It's interesting to me. Both of these men have been around for some time. Obama's written two books. Still a lot of people say, I'd like to know the real person. What are they really like? I'm hoping that'll happen in this forum. Evangelicals have never been a monolithic voting base. Never. And the people who try to predict which way they're going to go in this election I think may be surprised after Election Day. You don't really know. I don't know, and I don't think anybody knows. Roberts: As you know, John McCain in 2000 during the primaries ran afoul of evangelicals when he criticized Pat Robinson. He's tried to repair the relationship. Has he gone far enough? Warren: The religious right, fundamentalists and evangelic evangelicals aren't synonyms for each other. I think John may have been talking about certain groups that he was worried about at that time. But he certainly rebuilt bridges among them today. It's just a question of whether they're going to vote on his issues or if they're going to vote on Obama's, and we'll see. Roberts: As for you yourself in the most recent edition of Time magazine on which you're the cover, they've suggested you're evolving into the "superpolitical." Others have suggested you're becoming a spiritual entrepreneur. What do you make of the titles people are ascribing to you? Warren: When you try to line out a middle ground -- common ground for the common good of America -- you get pot shots from both sides | [
"What does the pastor plan to ask candidates?",
"What kind of questions will be asked?",
"Whose vote does Rick Warren say may surprise predictions?",
"What kind of questions will be asked in a civil way?",
"Who may be surprised?",
"The forum won't just focus on what kind of issues?",
"What is the pastor's name?"
] | [
[
"all of the tough questions."
],
[
"all of the tough"
],
[
"Evangelicals"
],
[
"tough"
],
[
"everybody"
],
[
"\"moral issues,\""
],
[
"Rev. Rick Warren,"
]
] | Those who think they can predict the evangelical vote may be surprised, Rick Warren says .
Pastor plans to ask candidates about America's role internationally .
Warren: Forum won't just focus on "moral issues," but try to find a middle ground .
Tough questions will be asked, but in a civil way, pastor says . |
(CNN) -- The Rhode Island school superintendent who last week fired all the teachers and staff from a school whose students were performing poorly said Wednesday she is willing to negotiate now that the union has agreed to support changes. "It is with great excitement that I read the press release from the Central Falls Teachers' Union referencing their proposed comprehensive reform agenda," said Central Falls Schools Superintendent Frances Gallo in a news release. "It so closely mirrors my requests for assurances that I am pleased to reassure the union their place in the planning process. I do so with the belief that everyone has come to understand the meaning of comprehensive school reform." Gallo added the school district will press ahead with its plan for improving Central Falls High School. In a written statement, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said the union was pleased that Gallo has agreed to go back to the table. "The dedicated teachers and staff want nothing more than to continue and improve upon the progress they have made," Weingarten said. "Real, sustainable change will only happen when all stakeholders work together." Gallo's statement came a day after the Central Fall Teachers Union recommended a number of changes, including increasing instructional time for students, enhancing their support and increasing teaching quality. Last week, the school board approved Gallo's plan to discharge 93 people -- classroom teachers, administrators and other personnel -- at the high school. The school is in a low-income area, and many of its students are Latino with English as their second language. The firings, which were to have become effective at the end of the school year, came after the district failed to reach an agreement with the teachers' union on a plan for teachers to spend more time with students to improve test scores. A union spokesman said the firings were drastic and cited a 21 percent rise in reading scores and a 3 percent hike in math scores in the past two years. Another official also pointed to progress at the school. But Rhode Island's Education Commissioner Deborah Gist defended the mass firings, calling them "many years in coming." Gist pointed out that the school's graduation rate is 48 percent, and "only 7 percent of the students are proficient in mathematics." "More than half of the ninth-graders are failing more than two classes, which is an indication that they are frustrated, and what we know about student achievement, when students aren't successful in their class, they're much more likely to drop out of school," Gist said. In remarks Monday to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama appeared to express support for the firings. "If a school continues to fail its students year after year after year, if it doesn't show signs of improvement, then there's got to be a sense of accountability," he said. "And that's what happened in Rhode Island last week at a chronically troubled school, when just 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests -- 7 percent." The AFT said Obama's comments "do not reflect the reality on the ground and completely ignore the teachers' significant commitment to working with others to transform this school." | [
"how many teachers are fired?",
"who was fired?",
"How many teachers and staffers did she fire?",
"What percentage of the school's students are proficient in math",
"At which school were all the teachers sacked",
"Who is the Rhode Island school superintendent?",
"Who says she is willing to negotiate"
] | [
[
"93"
],
[
"all the teachers and staff from"
],
[
"93 people"
],
[
"7 percent"
],
[
"Central Falls High"
],
[
"Frances Gallo"
],
[
"The"
]
] | Rhode Island school superintendent Frances Gallo says she's willing to negotiate .
She fired all 93 teachers and staffers at Central Falls High over academic failures .
Gallo says she'll go back to table now that teachers' union willing to accept changes .
Only 7 percent of the school's students are proficient in math . |
(CNN) -- The Saudi lawyer who represented a woman kidnapped and raped by seven men said his license to practice has been reinstated. A protest appeared in India in November against the Saudi sentence. Lawyer and human rights activist Abdul Rahman al-Lahem told CNN's Nic Robertson that the Justice Ministry has reinstated his license. Al-Lahem had previously told CNN that the Saudi judge revoked his license as punishment for speaking to the media about his client's case, which attracted international attention. His client, an engaged teenager, was raped by seven men who found her alone with a man unrelated to her. She has said she was meeting with the man to retrieve a photograph. The attack took place in Qatif in March 2006. The seven rapists were sentenced to two to nine years in prison but she also was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison for having violated the kingdom's strict Islamic law by being alone with an unrelated man. The woman's sentence provoked outrage in the West and cast light on the treatment of women under Saudi Arabian law. Under Saudi law, women are subject to numerous restrictions, including a strict dress code, a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man's permission to travel or have surgery. In challenging what he said were his suspension and disbarment, al-Lahem said he had received threats on his life from the religious right. Last month, Minister of Justice Abdallah bin Mohammed al-Sheikh, in a phone call to a Saudi Television newscast, said the lawyer's license had never been revoked. "Such decisions are made through institutions in the kingdom," he said. "The punishment of the lawyer or any lawyer does not come from a reaction; it comes from a carefully examined procedure within a special council in the ministry." He said the council charged with deciding law license revocations had not issued any decisions in the case. E-mail to a friend | [
"Who is the Saudi lawyer?",
"What did Al-Lahem publicize?",
"What did the Saudi minister claim?",
"Who's license was revoked?",
"Who's license to practice is reinstated",
"What caused Al-Lahem license to be revoked?",
"Who had his license reinstated?",
"Who was the rape victim convicted of being with?",
"Who was convicted of being alone with an unrelated man?",
"What did the Saudi Minister say about his license?",
"What caused the rape victim to be convicted?"
] | [
[
"Abdul Rahman al-Lahem"
],
[
"his client's case,"
],
[
"the lawyer's license had never been revoked."
],
[
"Abdul Rahman al-Lahem"
],
[
"Abdul Rahman al-Lahem"
],
[
"as punishment for speaking"
],
[
"Abdul Rahman al-Lahem"
],
[
"an unrelated man."
],
[
"an engaged teenager,"
],
[
"had never been revoked."
],
[
"Islamic law"
]
] | Saudi lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Lahem says his license to practice is reinstated .
Al-Lahem says license revoked because he publicized rape victim's conviction .
Saudi minister last month denied license was ever revoked .
Rape victim was convicted of being alone with an unrelated man . |
(CNN) -- The Scottish Rugby Union has appointed Andy Robinson, formerly coach of bitter rivals England, as the new national team boss. Andy Robinson will be seeking to revive the fortunes of Scotland's struggling rugby side. The 45-year-old won eight caps as a flanker for England, and was assistant coach in Clive Woodward's 2003 World Cup-winning set-up before taking over for an ill-fated reign himself in 2004, winning just nine of 22 matches. Robinson returned to top-class coaching with Celtic League team Edinburgh in 2007, and has sufficiently impressed Scottish officials in the 20 months since then to win favor as the replacement for Frank Hadden. He had been part of Hadden's backroom staff, and had already been chosen to coach Scotland A this summer. Hadden resigned on April 2 after Scotland again struggled in the Six Nations, finishing second from bottom with just one win from five outings. Robinson was delighted to be given the chance to return to the international stage. "With the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011, I believe we have a crop of players who can really challenge the world's best, and preparation for that starts now," he told the SRU Web site. "I'm looking forward to leading Scotland A into the IRB Nations Cup in Romania next week and thereafter preparing for our Autumn Tests at Murrayfield against Fiji, Australia and Argentina." Robinson is believed to have headed off the likes of South Africa's World Cup-winning coach Jake White and former Australia boss Eddie Jones for the job. Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Gordon Bulloch was part of the interview panel that determined the appointment. "Andy was the outstanding candidate from a quite exceptional shortlist which underlines the allure of coaching the Scotland team," he told the SRU's Web site. "I know from having had the privilege of his coaching and guidance on Lions tours that he is passionate about his rugby, is a skilled communicator and has values and an ethos which are absolutely at one with developing a winning Scotland team." Scottish Rugby chief executive Gordon McKie said he was confident Robinson would prove to be successful. "Andy has proved himself at every level of the game and we are thrilled that he will now be leading the Scotland team as we look towards the challenges of the next three years, including the 2011 World Cup," McKie said. "He has been part of the Scottish Rugby family for the past two years and has brought success both to Edinburgh Rugby, with their highest ever Magners League finish in successive seasons, and has also guided the Scotland A team to notable successes." | [
"Who did he rebuild his career with?",
"Who is Scotlands new coach?",
"Who is Andy Robinson?",
"Who does Robinson replace?",
"The 45-year-old has played for and coached?",
"Robinson replaces?",
"Andy Robinson appointed new coach of?",
"Who is Robinson replacing?",
"Where was Robinson sacked from?",
"Who resigned in April?",
"What has Andy Robinson been appointed?",
"The new coach is how old?",
"What age is the new coach?",
"Who is the new coach of Scotland's national rugby team"
] | [
[
"Celtic League team Edinburgh"
],
[
"Andy Robinson,"
],
[
"new national team boss."
],
[
"Frank Hadden."
],
[
"England,"
],
[
"national team boss."
],
[
"Scottish Rugby Union"
],
[
"Frank Hadden."
],
[
"England,"
],
[
"Hadden"
],
[
"the new national team boss."
],
[
"45-year-old"
],
[
"45-year-old"
],
[
"Andy Robinson,"
]
] | Andy Robinson appointed new coach of Scotland's national rugby team .
Robinson replaces Frank Hadden, who resigned in April after poor results .
The 45-year-old has played for and coached England's national side .
He rebuilt his career with Edinburgh after being sacked by England . |
(CNN) -- The Scottish woman who became an Internet singing sensation after her performance on a British talent show said Friday she doesn't want fame to change her. Susan Boyle at home with her piano. Susan Boyle, 47, has said she's still the same humble girl next door despite her knockout singing on "Britain's Got Talent." She shocked and inspired the audience, judges, and Web watchers with her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Misérables" in the first round of the show. "I wouldn't want to change myself too much because that would really make things a bit false," she told CNN's "American Morning" on Friday. "I want to receive people as the real me, a real person." Boyle's appearance belied her talent, but in the end it was the very reason she won over the audience. There is speculation TV producers might give Boyle a makeover for the rest of the show, but she refused to say whether she'd accept one. iReport.com: Have you been judged on looks? "I can't make a comment on that," she said. Watch Boyle sing a new song for CNN's Larry King » A clip of Boyle's performance on the talent show had more than 15 million views on YouTube by Friday, and the world's media have beaten a path to her door in Blackburn, Scotland. Watch Boyle's singing wow the world » While she said she's the same person -- the shy girl who has never been kissed -- it's clear that Boyle's life already is changing. In her home are heaps of fan mail and cards from well-wishers. Throngs of fans have been shrieking at her doorstep begging for her autograph. Boyle said she's still in shock and overwhelmed by her overnight stardom. Watch how Boyle sees herself » "I'm gobsmacked, absolutely gobsmacked," she told CNN on Friday morning. During an earlier interview with CNN's Atika Shubert, Boyle expressed amazement at people's reaction to her -- "the way everyone seems to have embraced me, the way they seem to have apparently fallen in love with me," she said. Watch young fans flock to Boyle's home » The singer acknowledged she noticed the initial sniggers when she got onstage for her performance on "Britain's Got Talent." But she said she didn't let it get to her. If nothing else, it fueled her motivation. "I just thought mentally, I'll show them, so I did," she said. "If people are cynical, you try and win them 'round and it worked. It must have been a miracle, but it worked." Boyle still has a long way to go -- having just gotten through to the second round of "Britain's Got Talent" after judge Simon Cowell described her first performance as "extraordinary." If she can make her way through the show's final rounds, she will get to sing for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show. Boyle has promised to be on her best behavior if she gets that far. "Whatever comes my way, I am ready. It would be lovely to sing for the queen. There would be less of the carry-on from me and more of the singing. "She is a very regal lady, very nice, so I would be nice, too, and just get up there and give it a bit of wellie [try]," Boyle told the show's Web site. Boyle began singing in school productions at 12. She had private lessons and won local competitions, but a professional career never took hold partly because of circumstances at home. Boyle said she cared for her aging parents, both of whom have died. Thoughts of her mother led Boyle to apply to be on the talent show, she said. "She was my inspiration, and she was the driving force behind my application," Boyle told CNN. " | [
"What show was Susan on?",
"What unexpected star grabs spotlight with more than 15 million Web views?",
"What was the YouTube sensation?",
"Which YouTube sensation credits late mother for inspiration to perform?",
"who wowed audience?",
"who is the inspiration?",
"what is the show name?"
] | [
[
"\"Britain's Got Talent.\""
],
[
"Susan Boyle,"
],
[
"A clip of Boyle's performance on the talent show"
],
[
"Boyle"
],
[
"Susan Boyle,"
],
[
"her mother"
],
[
"\"Britain's Got Talent.\""
]
] | NEW: YouTube sensation credits late mother for inspiration to perform .
Susan Boyle wowed audience, judges on "Britain's Got Talent"
Boyle says, "I wouldn't want to change myself too much"
Unexpected star grabs spotlight with more than 15 million Web views . |
(CNN) -- The September issue of Essence magazine features an interview with Sen. Barack Obama and his family inside their Chicago home. Angela Burt-Murray is editor-in-chief of Essence magazine. Essence editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray said it took a year for the magazine to gain access to the Obama's Illinois home for an intimate interview with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Sasha and Malia. Burt-Murray talked Thursday with CNN "American Morning" anchor Kiran Chetry about the interview and the Obama family. Chetry: You are the first African-American media outlet to get this inside look. Did your team get a chance to see the real Obamas? Burt-Murray: I think we did. We went to their home on the South Side of Chicago and it was wonderful to see them as a family interacting with each other, and see the girls skipping around the house, just acting like it's a normal, everyday occurrence to have a camera crew in their home and Secret Service at different points throughout the house and around the yard. But it didn't really seem to impact the girls in any way. Watch what Essence found inside the Obamas' home » Chetry: Much was made of an earlier televised interview they with their daughters and they said, looking back, they probably shouldn't have done that. There is so much interest about their family, and yet they want to protect their girls. How do they balance that? Burt-Murray: They try to take a look at who is around the family and make sure they try to keep things as structured as possible. But also, you have instances where magazines like Essence show up to take photographs, but the girls are very relaxed because they're in their home environment. And I think that's the difference between our photo shoot and what you saw on television. Taking the girls outside of their home and putting them in the spotlight is probably a bit more challenging for them as parents. Chetry: They have to deal with completing stereotypes, if you will: They were parodied as these angry black radicals and as these Ivy League elitists. In the magazine, Gwen Ifill wrote, "The Obamas pride themselves on creating a family picture that is authentically black with shades of Norman Rockwell." Explain that. How are they getting that image out. Burt-Murray: I think it's the idea that they're just an average American family. They have strong family values, they're deeply rooted in their community and they want to show their girls a great example of achievement. But they also want to be a model for the rest of their community. The Obamas talk about in our story how important it is for them to continue to live in their South Side Chicago neighborhood because it's a neighborhood in transition. So you have children who have the opportunity to see an African-American man run for the highest office in the nation right in their neighborhood. So they're modeling not only for their children but also for the larger community. Chetry: They do live in a gated community, a $1.6 million home, so it's out of reach for a lot of people. Burt-Murray: But it's so accessible. While we were there photographing them for Essence, you could see the cars going by and stopping and people getting out to take photographs. The girls were on the porch and people could see them. There is some normalcy there, but it's also obviously something very special and different. Chetry: They said race had been prominent on the campaign trail. Barack Obama told Gwen Ifill that he thinks race is a national obsession. He thinks the racial divide is not as big an issue in this country as it's made out to be. Burt-Murray: As evidenced by the success that he's had with his campaign, you can certainly see that attitudes are shifting. But there are still challenges, obviously, that need to be addressed. And it keeps | [
"Where did the interview happen?",
"Who said that Obamas have strong family values?",
"Which magazine did the interview?",
"What does editor say?",
"Who does magazine interview?"
] | [
[
"inside their Chicago home."
],
[
"Burt-Murray:"
],
[
"Essence"
],
[
"it took a year for the magazine to gain access to the Obama's Illinois home for an intimate interview with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Sasha and Malia."
],
[
"Sen. Barack Obama and his"
]
] | Essence magazine interviews senator, wife and children in Chicago home .
Editor says candidate, Michelle Obama try to keep daughters' life normal .
Obamas have strong family values, roots in community, Angela Burt-Murray says . |
(CNN) -- The South African Football Association (SAFA) have appealed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after the country failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations due to misinterpreting the tournament's rules.
South Africa celebrated on Saturday believing a 0-0 draw at home to Sierra Leone in Nelspruit had secured them top spot in qualification Group G due to their superior goal difference over their opponents and rivals Niger.
But it emerged Niger would advance to next year's tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea as a result of their superior head-to-head record against South Africa and Sierra Leone, despite suffering a 3-0 defeat to bottom side Egypt in Cairo.
"We have noted that CAF has announced that Niger has qualified in our group," read a letter sent by SAFA to CAF. "Despite South Africa finishing on top of the group in terms of goal difference, which is the universally recognized means of separating teams who are equal on points.
Big names miss out on 2012 Africa Cup of Nations
"We believe that the team finishing top of the log at the end of the competition is automatically determined at the end of 90 minutes play, and that the second place is determined by the other rules.
"We will lay out our objection more fully shortly, but in the meantime wish to signal that we intend to challenge this interpretation and application of the rules."
SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani was defiant after the match, insisting the organization would challenge a lack of clarity in the tournament's rules.
"Do not despair, all is not lost," said Nematandani. "We believe we have a case and we will carry this fight all the way.
"If CAF's rules are ambiguous then we need to challenge that and we are well within our rights to do so. In the meantime be positive, and leave everything in our hands."
South Africa hosted football's biggest tournament last year when they became the first African country to stage a World Cup, but the team known as Bafana Bafana have now failed to reach two consecutive Cup of Nations.
It also proved to be a shocking qualifying campaign for Egypt, with the Pharaohs missing out on next year's event having won the last three tournaments in a row.
Egypt, the most successful team in the history of the Cup of Nations having won it seven times, recently appointed former U.S. coach Bob Bradley in an attempt to reverse their current fortunes.
Two-time winners Nigeria have also missed out on the 2012 competition after Guinea scored a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw on Saturday, to book their place in next year's tournament at the expense of the Super Eagles. | [
"Who finished bottom in Group G?",
"How many times has Egypt won championship?",
"Who did South Africa miss out to?",
"What are they competing in?",
"Who is appealing?",
"who are the seven time champions?"
] | [
[
"Egypt"
],
[
"seven"
],
[
"Niger"
],
[
"2012 Africa Cup of Nations"
],
[
"South African Football Association"
],
[
"Egypt,"
]
] | South Africa have appeal after missing out on 2012 African Cup of Nations .
South Africa topped group of goal difference, but missed out to Niger on head-to-head .
Seven-time champions Egypt finished bottom of qualification group G .
Nigeria, winners in 1980 and 1994, also fail to qualify . |
(CNN) -- The South Korean military suspended its search for missing sailors Wednesday because of high winds spawned by stormy weather, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
Searchers have been looking for 46 missing sailors from the 1,200-ton ship Cheonan, a naval ship that sank Friday in the Yellow Sea near the maritime border of North and South Korea.
Fifty-eight crew members were rescued, and the intense search led to the death of a military diver and the hospitalization of two others.
Diver dies in rescue effort near sunken ship
Yonhap reported that divers have injected "air through a crack in the stem of the 88-meter-long corvette, hopeful that the latter section of the ship, about 45 meters underwater, is holding crew members alive." But high winds and strong currents have been working against the rescue effort.
"We are temporarily suspending operations. We cannot expect to get near the ship in this condition," defense ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae told reporters.
Military officials say an explosion tore a hole in the rear of the ship, but the cause of the blast is not known.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion, and the country's defense minister, Kim Tae-young, has raised the possibility that one of the many North Korean sea mines placed during the 1950-53 Korean War could have triggered the blast.
He said the military was "trying its best" to find survivors and that the cause of the incident will be made public "at the soonest possible time."
Rescuers find rear section of ship where sailors could be trapped
The navy plans to salvage the vessel, which was carrying missiles and torpedoes, to determine what caused the incident, Yonhap reported. Kim said work to hoist the ship above water could start next week and he said the government is mulling the formation of a fact-finding group to look into the incident.
"We will explain anything to answer questions and address rumors concerning the incident," Kim said. "We have nothing to hide and no reason to hide. So many lives are involved in this case."
Monday evening was the end of a 69-hour window during which rescuers believed the sailors could survive. Divers have knocked on the hulls of different parts of the ship with hammers, but raised no response.
Baengyeong Island, the Seoul-administered island near the scene of the accident, is a flash point maritime border area between the Koreas. Given Baengyeong Island's proximity to North Korea, North Korean involvement had been feared, but South Korean officials have continued to play down that scenario.
North Korea's official media has yet to mention the incident, according to Yonhap, but accused the United States and South Korea of conducting a maritime drill for the purpose of invading North Korea. | [
"All together, how many seaman has been rescued?",
"who say an explosion opened a hole in the back of the ship",
"How many sailors are missing?",
"What caused the delay on the search?",
"how many miners were rescued shortly after the explosion",
"What caused mission abortion in a search for South Korean sailors?",
"How many seamen have been rescued?",
"In the accident, how many sailors has been missing?"
] | [
[
"Fifty-eight"
],
[
"Military officials"
],
[
"46"
],
[
"high"
],
[
"Fifty-eight"
],
[
"high"
],
[
"Fifty-eight"
],
[
"46"
]
] | High winds caused by stormy weather delay search for missing South Korean sailors .
46 sailors missing after explosion sank a naval ship Friday in the Yellow Sea .
58 seamen were rescued soon after blast; no bodies or survivors found since then .
Military officials say an explosion tore a hole in the rear of the ship; cause of the blast not known . |
(CNN) -- The Southeast is among the areas of the United States with the highest concentration of cases of HIV and AIDS, according to a new online tool called the National HIV/AIDS Atlas.
In this map of AIDS prevalence rates in the Southeast, red represents the highest (0.593 percent or greater).
AIDS experts in the region say that access to health care, especially when it comes to screening, is a major problem in rural communities.
In the Southeast, people with HIV tend to get tested late, after they have become sick, partly because of stigma, said Kathie Hiers, executive director of AIDS Alabama in Birmingham.
"If you look at access to health care and almost any kind of health care report card, the South is the worst," she said.
With little or no public transportation, people in non-metropolitan areas are at a disadvantage when they need to see a particular kind of doctor, experts say. There is also a shortage of doctors who deal with HIV in the region, Hiers said.
These problems also resonate with Georgia's rural communities, which represent 39 percent of the HIV/AIDS burden in the state, said Raphael Holloway, director of the HIV Unit at the Georgia Division of Public Health. The remaining 61 percent of people living with HIV or AIDS are in the metro Atlanta area.
"In some districts, for example, there may be 10 counties within that health district but only one infectious disease doctor that people can access for care and services," he said.
It is also difficult to get HIV education to people in rural areas, he said.
Of the 29 states reporting county-level data for the National HIV/AIDS Atlas, Georgia had more counties than any other state with the highest levels of HIV and AIDS prevalence.
Although this does not represent a comprehensive national assessment, Georgia ranked fifth in reporting of new AIDS cases in 2007, behind Texas (fourth), Florida (third), New York (second) and California (first), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Northeast also has a heavy burden of HIV/AIDS cases nationally, atlas collaborators said. Other states with high numbers of counties with high HIV prevalence included Florida, New York and South Carolina.
The atlas, the first of its kind to map out HIV and AIDS at the level of counties, launched in time for Saturday's HIV/AIDS Testing Day. The National Institutes of Health is encouraging everyone age 13 to 64 to get tested for HIV as part of routine health care.
"Not knowing one's HIV status endangers one's health and the health of one's sexual partners. By getting tested for the virus and learning one's HIV status soon after infection, treatment can begin early, substantially delaying the development of HIV-related illness and prolonging life," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.
The National HIV/AIDS Atlas allows users to explore the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in any region of the United States. The map, a project of the National Minority Quality Forum, encompasses all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The more red a region appears, the greater the prevalence, which is the ratio of the number of people living with the disease at a given time to the total number of people living there at that time.
Users can look at rates of disease by gender, race/ethnicity and age group in regions where this information is available. The map also has different settings for HIV and AIDS, the more severe illness caused by the HIV virus. They can also zoom into counties and, for New York City only, ZIP codes.
About 33 million people have HIV/AIDS worldwide as of 2007, according to the World Health Organization. The CDC estimates that 1.1 million Americans have HIV and that 56,300 new infections occurred in the United States in 2006. Nearly 75 percent of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adolescents | [
"what Atlas is based on data from public health departments?",
"where is the epidemic"
] | [
[
"the National HIV/AIDS"
],
[
"Southeast"
]
] | HIV epidemic is not uniformly distributed throughout the U.S.
Disproportionate number of African-Americans have HIV/AIDS .
Atlas is based on data from public health departments from 2006 . |
(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan army launched an operation against Tamil rebels in the country's north early Monday, the military said, claiming to have rescued thousands of civilians trapped in a government safe zone. The Sri Lankan army has relaunched its attacks on Tamil rebels in the country's north. A rebel Web site, TamilNet, said government forces were engaged in a fresh ground offensive. A TamilNet correspondent in Vanni reported heavy shelling, rocket fire and gunfire. Thirty civilians died in shelling Sunday, rebels said. The government of Sri Lanka has been battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebels in a civil conflict that has lasted nearly 25 years. "Thousands of civilians who had been forcibly held by the LTTE terrorists in the government declared No Fire Zone (NFZ) were rescued early hours this morning, 20 April, as the troops engaged in a massive scale rescue mission, were able to open a safe passage for the civilians," the Ministry of Defense Web site said. More than 10,000 civilians are trying to seek refuge with soldiers, the military said. The upsurge in hostilities follows a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year. The U.S. State Department on Thursday called for a cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to allow civilians to escape the fighting. "We call upon the government and military of Sri Lanka, and the Tamil Tigers, to immediately stop hostilities until the more than 140,000 civilians in the conflict area are safely out," acting spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement. "Both sides must immediately return to a humanitarian pause and both must respect the right of free movement of those civilian men, women and children trapped by the fighting." Watch the heavy toll of fighting on civilians » A brief cessation of hostilities announced by the Sri Lankan government on April 12 allowed the United Nations and its partners to bring in aid, but a renewed government offensive has left civilians trapped in a war zone. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his humanitarian chief John Holmes called the brief halt in fighting inadequate and have pushed for a longer humanitarian pause in fighting. The most pressing concern now, according to Holmes, is the fact that more than 100,000 people are crowded in a "very small pocket of land" that is about five square miles, or about twice the size of New York's Central Park. "It is a very small area indeed for what we believe is a very large number of people," Holmes told reporters Wednesday. Overcrowding is also a problem in camps housing displaced people, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). As of Monday, some 65,000 displaced people were crammed into camps in Vavuniya, Jaffna and Mannar, with 35,000 more expected to arrive within 48 hours, the organization said in a statement. ' UNICEF said it feared for children trapped in the escalating fighting and is worried that the worst is yet to come. The group appealed for donations to help cover "the most immediate needs of the affected population in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection and education." The crowded population, primarily comprised of Tamil civilians, is subject to the continuing Sri Lankan government assaults. The British and French foreign ministers released a joint statement as well on Wednesday, saying that the Tamil Tigers are using Tamil civilians as human shields. The Tigers have been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the United States and the European Union. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the conflict officially began in 1983. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday that it has helped evacuate more than 10,000 sick and injured patients, and their caregivers, from Putumattalan in rebel-held territory since February. "These evacuations have saved many lives," said Morven Murchinson, the Red Cross medical coordinator in Sri Lanka. "It is vital that they continue, because more sick and wounded people are arriving every day at the makeshift medical facilities in Putumattalan." The Red Cross says there's an acute | [
"How long has the conflict been going on?",
"Where is the upsurge in hostilities taking place?",
"what Upsurge in hostilities follows cessation for New Year?",
"What was crowded in a very small area?",
"Who voiced fears for children trapped in fighting?",
"When did the hostilities increase?",
"How long did the Sri Lanka government conflict last?",
"What did the upsurge in hostilities follow?",
"Who voiced fears?",
"When did the conflict start/",
"For how long has the conflict lasted?"
] | [
[
"25 years."
],
[
"in the country's north."
],
[
"Sri Lankan army launched an operation against Tamil rebels"
],
[
"100,000 people"
],
[
"Robert Wood"
],
[
"last week"
],
[
"nearly 25 years."
],
[
"a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year."
],
[
"UNICEF"
],
[
"officially began in 1983."
],
[
"nearly 25 years."
]
] | NEW: Fears voiced by UNICEF for children trapped in the escalating fighting .
Upsurge in hostilities follows cessation for New Year .
U.N. humanitarian chief: Large number of people crowded in very small area .
Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka government locked in conflict lasting nearly 25 years . |
(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan government said Thursday it has made more inroads into the remaining territory held by ethnic Tamil Tiger rebels after troops seized their command center in the north of the country. Sri Lankan workers bury the bodies of some 38 suspected Tamil Tiger rebels killed in recent fighting. The defense ministry's announcement, also reported by the country's Lankapuvath national news agency, could not be independently verified. Military jets pounded the rebel's "transit camp" in the district of Mullaittivu Wednesday evening, the agency said. The defense ministry said rebels were firing at and killing civilians who were trying to flee the fighting. "In the face of humiliating defeat, LTTE terrorists are tailoring a civilian tragedy," it said on its Web site. The LTTE, or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, are commonly known as the Tamil Tigers. They have fought for an independent homeland for the country's Tamil minority since 1983 in a civil war has left more than 65,000 people dead. In recent days, the military has made significant progress in its campaign to recapture rebel strongholds. Earlier this month, troops regained control of the northern town of Elephant Pass, the point at which mainland Sri Lanka links to the northern Jaffna peninsula. It had been in rebel hands for more than nine years. The re-capture enabled the government to use a highway linking the mainland to the peninsula to move troops and supplies. Previously, it was done by air and sea. | [
"what does defence ministry say",
"What are the rebels doing per the defense ministry?",
"What did the Sri Lanka news agency say?"
] | [
[
"rebels were firing at and killing civilians who were trying to flee the fighting."
],
[
"firing at and killing civilians who were trying to flee the fighting."
],
[
"Military jets pounded the rebel's \"transit camp\" in the district of Mullaittivu Wednesday evening,"
]
] | Sri Lanka news agency says government jets bombarded rebel transit camp .
Defense ministry says rebels killing civilians .
Reported capture is latest in a series of claimed government successes . |
(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan government should immediately release more than 280,000 displaced Tamil civilians living in detention camps, a leading human rights group said Wednesday. Tamil civilians are at Menik Farm refugee camp on the outskirts of the northern town of Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. Human Rights Watch said the displaced Sri Lankans were already victims of a protracted and bloody civil war. Now they are victims again, confined against their will, like criminals, the global watchdog group said. "Keeping several hundred thousand civilians who had been caught in the middle of a war penned in these camps is outrageous," said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Right Watch. "Haven't they been through enough?" But a Sri Lankan Defense Ministry spokesman said the Human Rights Watch report is overstated, and he defended the government's handling of the displaced. "Those are not detention camps," said the spokesman, Lakshman Hulugalle. "They are relief villages. All the basic facilities are being given to the people." Sri Lanka declared victory in May in its 25-year battle with the Tamil Tiger rebels, but concerns remain about how the island nation can heal visceral war wounds. The rebels -- formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -- waged war for an independent state for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka since July 1983. As many as 70,000 people were killed in the conflict. With the cease-fire, the question of how to resettle Tamil refugees, many of whom were living among the rebels, has wrought intense criticism of the government from international humanitarian agencies. The United Nations reported that as of July 19, Sri Lanka was detaining 281,621 people in 30 military guarded camps in the four northern districts of Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna and Trincomalee. Human Rights Watch said humanitarian workers are prohibited from discussing abuses or the final months of the ethnic conflict and that camp residents are allowed to leave only for emergency medical care, often only with military escort. In some camps, people have to register with the military twice a day, the rights group said. If they fail, they are subject to punitive measures such as being forced to stand still under the sun for extended periods of time. The group reported health problems created by inconsistent water supply and a shortage of bathroom facilities. But Hulugalle, the Defense Ministry spokesman, said barbed wire around the compounds is a common way to define barriers in Sri Lanka and that military guards were being utilized out of security concerns. The government fears that rebels are hiding in the camps and screening people living in them. "These are people who were kept for months in LTTE clutches," Hulugalle said, referring to the displaced civilians. He said the government has a 180-day plan to resettle most people but that a lot of work was needed in the northern districts as far as rebuilding infrastructure and basic services destroyed in the fighting. The human rights activists say, however, that the government is not working fast enough. Human Right Watch said Sri Lanka's goal now is only to resettle 60 percent of the refugees by the end of the year. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Eric Schwartz visited a camp this week in Vavuniya, after which he announced an additional $8 million in humanitarian aid for the northern districts. But even in handing out dollars, Schwartz was critical of Sri Lanka's handling of the displaced. In a statement, he acknowledged that providing food, shelter and medical care for the displaced people was a "formidable task." But Schwartz said the United States remains "deeply concerned" about the confinement of people to camps and the hardships they endure within those camps. He also criticized the restrictions placed on humanitarian workers visiting the camps. "The government of the United States believes the focus now must be on the prompt return of the displaced in safety and dignity, and we want to accelerate this process," Schwartz said. In addition to global humanitarian aid, the International Monetary Fund has approved a $2.6 billion loan to Sri Lanka to mend the country. Adams of | [
"What caused the health problems?",
"What created health problems",
"What are workers prohibited from discussing?",
"What number of Tamil civilians live in detention camps?",
"How many Timil civilians are living in detention camps?",
"What is overstated?",
"How many civilians were displaced?"
] | [
[
"inconsistent water supply and a shortage of bathroom facilities."
],
[
"inconsistent water supply and a shortage of bathroom facilities."
],
[
"abuses or the final months of the ethnic conflict"
],
[
"more than 280,000"
],
[
"more than 280,000"
],
[
"the Human Rights Watch report"
],
[
"280,000"
]
] | Group: More than 280,000 displaced Tamil civilians living in detention camps .
Sri Lanka says the Human Rights Watch report is overstated .
Human Rights Watch says aid workers are prohibited from discussing abuses .
Group reported health problems created by inconsistent water supply . |
(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan military claimed it has struck a decisive blow against Tamil rebels in the taking of a rebel naval base at Chalai. Troops at Elephant Pass, the isthmus connecting the Jaffna peninsula to the rest of Sri Lanka. The "capture of Chalai by army troops several hours ago drove a decisive blow to the entire Tiger organization, now in its death throes with the loss of the biggest Sea Tiger base in the eastern coastal belt," said a statement posted on the military's Web site. The military also said it had killed at least four rebel leaders and 10 other rebels in the fighting Thursday evening in Chalai, a community known for its bazaars. Government troops and Tamil rebels are locked in a battle for the remaining rebel strongholds in the north of Sri Lanka, where the the country's ethnic Tamil minority has been fighting for an independent homeland since 1983. Watch a report on risks facing journalists in Sri Lanka » Humanitarian groups say as many as 250,000 unprotected civilians are trapped in the area where the fighting is taking place, and the onslaught has intensified as government forces have closed in on the rebels. The aid agencies have asked for increased access to northern Sri Lanka, calling it a nightmarish situation. Earlier this week, the conflict forced the closure of Pudukkudiyiruppu hospital in the Vanni region, the last functioning medical facility in the area of fighting. Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse rejected calls Wednesday for a negotiated end to the fighting. He said there would be no political solution, the online edition of The Island reported. Some in the international community have suggested negotiations to give the rebels an opportunity to surrender. | [
"What year did the Tamil minority start fighting for an independent homeland?",
"How many civilians were trapped?",
"How many civilians are trapped?",
"How many people are trapped?",
"How many did military kill?",
"Who was fighting?",
"Since when have they been fighting?",
"How many people were killed?"
] | [
[
"1983."
],
[
"250,000"
],
[
"as"
],
[
"250,000"
],
[
"at least four rebel leaders and 10 other rebels"
],
[
"Sri Lankan military"
],
[
"1983."
],
[
"at least four rebel leaders and 10 other rebels"
]
] | Military says it killed at least 14 rebels in the fighting .
Government troops, rebels battling for remaining rebel strongholds in north .
Aid groups say as many as 250,000 civilians are trapped in the area .
Ethnic Tamil minority fighting for an independent homeland since 1983 . |
(CNN) -- The St. Louis Cardinals finished their improbable run Friday night with a convincing 6-2 win, beating the Texas Rangers and giving the franchise another World Series championship.
Instead of the furious comebacks the Cards have been known for this year, the Cards grabbed a commanding lead in the fifth inning Friday and held on.
"We got it. It is unbelievable," outfielder Allen Craig said. "This is an unbelievable group of guys. I am just glad to be a part of this."
Craig, who caught the last out of the game, was more than a part of it. He hit a home run in the third inning of Friday's game and stole a home run from Ranger Nelson Cruz leaping over the wall to bring the ball back.
Another one of the stars of Friday's game was Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who had two hits and knocked in two RBIs. Another St. Louis star was hurler Chris Carpenter, who continued his undefeated postseason run by stymieing the Rangers for six innings Friday.
Rangers pitchers were plagued with wildness Friday and throughout the series.
In the fifth inning, the Cardinals were able to get two runs and jump to a commanding 5 to 2 lead without getting a hit, capitalizing on Rangers' walks.
The win gives the Cards their 11th World Series championship. The Cardinals last won the championship in 2006.
Friday's win may have seemed a little melodramatic compared to the instant-classic World Series game Thursday, when the Cardinals displayed their never-say-die attitude.
The Cardinals were pushed to within their last strike in the ninth and 10th innings only to come back and erase two-run deficits both times.
They finished the comeback in the 11th inning beating the Rangers 10 to 9 on David Freese's walk-off home run.
Freese was named the most valuable player of the series.
"This is a dream come true," Freese said. "This is why you keep battling."
Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa said the fans, cheering and supporting, helped his team to the muster the strength to comeback so many times.
"It is amazing, incredible," La Russa said. "This is for you, fans. Thank you so much."
Comebacks are nothing new for the Cards, who made a furious dash just to reach the postseason. The team erased a 10.5-game deficit with the Atlanta Braves in the last month of the regular season just to make it to the playoffs. They punctuated that comeback by taking the must-win last two games of the season and stealing the National League wild card from the Braves.
Once in the playoffs, the Cards defeated division champs Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies. Both feats defied oddsmakers. | [
"Who won the game 6-2?",
"who did The St. Louis Cardinals win?",
"Who is named World Series MVP?"
] | [
[
"St. Louis Cardinals"
],
[
"Texas Rangers"
],
[
"Freese"
]
] | The St. Louis Cardinals win 6-2 in Game 7 .
The win gives the Cardinals 11 World Series championships .
Cardinals' David Freese named World Series MVP .
"This is a dream come true," Freese says . |
(CNN) -- The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday morning that child rapists cannot be given the death penalty, effectively reserving the punishment only for murderers. CNN's Jeffrey Toobin said the court's ruling falls in line with other decisions on the death penalty. The 5-4 decision stems from a Louisiana case in which Patrick Kennedy, 43, was sentenced to die in 2003 for the sexual assault of his 8-year-old stepdaughter. Proponents of Louisiana's law, which allowed child rapists to be eligible for the death penalty, say that besides murder, no crime is more deserving of the death penalty than child rape. Kennedy would have been the first rapist in 44 years to be executed for a crime in which the victim was not killed. In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy said "evolving standards of decency" forbid capital punishment for any crime other than murder. CNN's senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, spoke with CNN's Heidi Collins outside the Supreme Court about the impact of the ruling. Collins: This is a huge decision here. What do you make of it? Toobin: It was just high drama in the court today. It's always dramatic at the end of the Supreme Court term. Here it was literally life and death, one of the big open questions in constitutional law about the death penalty: Can you execute someone for a crime other than murder? Anthony Kennedy, the swing vote on so many cases, decided this case, it was 5-4. ... He didn't diminish the seriousness of the crime, but he said the risks of expanding the death penalty are simply too great. He pointed out that there are more than 5,000 child rapes every year in the United States. All of them would raise the possibility of the death penalty. There are only a handful of states -- I think it was six -- that allow the death penalty for child rape. Forty-four states and the federal government say no. He said there is a national consensus that this is not an appropriate punishment. So, this really rules out not just the death penalty for child rape, but any crime other than murder. So it's a major, major decision. See more about the reach of the decision » Collins: A national consensus except those six states. It's interesting when you look at the court of public opinion. How do you think this decision is going to go down in public? Toobin: Well, I think it's a tough call because support for the death penalty nationwide in the past 10 years has actually been going down. But child rape is such a horrendous crime and all of us have such a natural revulsion towards it that you're never going to get a lot of support for any sort of reduction in sentence. But I think, given the fact that this is a Supreme Court that said no death penalty for murderers under 18, no death penalty for the mentally retarded, this decision is consistent with a certain restriction on the death penalty, which is reflected in the court but also in a kind of national change that's going on. Collins: And in Sean Callebs' piece that we had, I don't know if you heard it. Toobin: I saw it, yeah. Collins: One woman, who actually brought up a very interesting point, when you think about all of this and when you think about the child, the victim, she said, you know, if they know they're going to die for this crime, why would they leave a living witness? Toobin: Justice Kennedy made precisely that point in the opinion. He said, allowing the death penalty here would create a perverse incentive for child rapists to murder their victims. He also pointed out what a difficult moral choice it would put child victims in testifying, giving children literally the power of life and death in their testimony over their attackers. That is something that he wanted to relieve children of -- that burden. Collins: Will they always have to testify? Toobin: Yeah | [
"What did Toobin say about the ruling?",
"Who said it would not be fair to place the burden on a child victim?",
"What did Justice Kennedy say?",
"What did Justice Kennedy say in the decision?",
"Who said it would not be fair to place burden on the child victim?",
"What does ruling fall in line with?",
"What falls in line with recent court decisions on the death penalty?",
"Who's support for executions has been down?",
"What is down in recent years?"
] | [
[
"falls in line with other decisions on the death penalty."
],
[
"Justice Kennedy"
],
[
"\"evolving standards of decency\" forbid capital punishment for any crime other than murder."
],
[
"said \"evolving standards of decency\" forbid capital punishment for any crime other than murder."
],
[
"Justice Kennedy"
],
[
"other decisions on the death penalty."
],
[
"child rapists cannot be given"
],
[
"nationwide"
],
[
"support for the death penalty"
]
] | Toobin: Ruling falls in line with recent court decisions on death penalty .
Justice Kennedy, in decision, said it would not be fair to place burden on child victim .
Public support for executions down in recent years, Toobin said . |
(CNN) -- The Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka said Sunday they have "decided to silence our guns" as government forces closed in on their last stronghold. Sri Lanka's defense ministry says this handout photo shows troops with a captured Tamil Tiger craft Thursday. It is not the first time the rebels have called for an end to fighting when backed into a corner by the Sri Lankan military. But should they follow through on their announcement, the decision would potentially end a bloody 25-year civil war in the country. "This battle has reached its bitter end," Selvarasa Pathmanathan, a spokesman for the rebels said in an "urgent statement" posted Sunday on Tamilnet.com, a pro-rebel Web site. "It is our people who are dying now from bombs, shells, illness and hunger. We cannot permit any more harm to befall them. We remain with one last choice -- to remove the last weak excuse of the enemy for killing our people. We have decided to silence our guns," he said. Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to announce that "military operations" against the Tiger rebels have ended in an address to the nation from Parliament on Tuesday, the government said Sunday. The rebels -- formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) (LTTE) -- have fought for an independent state for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka since July 1983. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began. Government forces have trapped the remaining rebels in a small stretch of land in the north of the country -- and possibly thousands of civilians with them, an international aid worker in the country told CNN. The civilians are "under intense fire" and "essentially on their own" in the area, which the government says contains only rebels, the aid worker said. The Tigers themselves claim 25,000 civilians are dead or dying, a rebel identified as Col. Soosai said in a statement on Tamilnet.com. Independent confirmation was not possible since media are not allowed into the area. Reports indicated fighting had intensified as troops scrambled to clear a remaining 1.2 square kilometers before the government could announce that military operations had ended. The army destroyed six Tamil Tiger boats and killed 70 rebels in a lagoon on the western edge of a no-fire zone early Sunday, Sri Lanka's Media Center for National Security said. Sri Lanka's prime minister warned Saturday that his country "stands on the brink," as its soldiers cornered Tamil Tiger fighters in an assault which the United Nations fears is trapping more than 50,000 civilians on a small plot of coastal land. Government troops seized the last remaining coastal stretch under the control of Tamil Tiger rebels, the Ministry of Defense said Saturday. The seizure marks the total capture of coastline territory previously controlled by the rebels, it said, after army divisions advanced from the north and south to link up. An international aid worker said the United Nations was expecting about 20,000 of them to arrive in refugee camps Sunday. There were no medical services in the no-fire zone, the aid worker said. Watch aid agencies fear for Sri Lanka » The Media Center for National Security claims 50,097 have come out of battle zones. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned from Amman, Jordan, on Sunday. Rajapaksa was attending a summit of developing nations and the World Economic Forum. In an address to the summit in Amman on Saturday, Rajapaksa said the Sri Lankan armed forces had defeated the rebels. "I will be going back to my country Sri Lanka that has been totally freed from the barbaric acts of terrorism of the LTTE. This freedom comes after 30 long years," Rajapaksa said. Journalist Iqbal Athas contributed to this report. | [
"who have they cornered",
"Rebels have fought for an independent state since when?",
"How many people have been killed since the civil war?",
"what have rebels fought for",
"in the last 25 years approximately how many people have died due to the civil war?",
"how long has the civil war been going on?",
"what have Tamil fighters called for",
"Who called for an end to fighting?",
"How many civillians are trapped?"
] | [
[
"Tamil Tiger fighters"
],
[
"July 1983."
],
[
"70,000"
],
[
"an independent state"
],
[
"70,000"
],
[
"25-year"
],
[
"an end to fighting"
],
[
"Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka"
],
[
"50,000 civilians"
]
] | Soldiers have cornered rebels in assault that has trapped 50,000-plus civilians .
Tamil fighters have called for an end to fighting before when backed into a corner .
Rebels have fought for an independent state for minority Tamils since 1983 .
As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began 25 years ago . |
(CNN) -- The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to modify or overturn a lower court's ruling allowing Mary Winkler, convicted of killing her minister husband, visitation rights with the couple's three daughters.
Holding baby Brianna, Mary Winkler stands next to Matthew. In the foreground are Mary Alice and Patricia.
Charles and Diane Winkler, parents of slain minister Matthew Winkler, had asked the court to intervene and either revoke Mary Winkler's visitation rights or allow them to proceed only under supervision of a counselor.
The children -- Patricia, Mary Alice and Brianna -- have been living with their grandparents since their mother was arrested last year.
Winkler has not seen the children in 15 months, said Kay Farese Turner, her attorney. She said her client was "absolutely elated about the news and believes this will be her best Christmas ever."
Turner said she believes the visit may come before Christmas.
A jury convicted Winkler earlier this year of voluntary manslaughter in the shotgun death of Matthew Winkler -- not the first-degree murder conviction prosecutors had wanted. She said the slaying came after years of abuse, including physical violence and being forced to dress "slutty" for undesirable sex acts.
Winkler received a three-year sentence, but a judge required her to serve only 210 days, gave her credit for the five months she had already served and allowed her to serve the remaining 60 days in a mental health facility. She was released in August.
At the time of their father's death in March 2006, Patricia was 8, Mary Alice was 6 and Brianna was 1.
Charles and Diane Winkler have moved to terminate Mary Winkler's rights and have filed a $2 million wrongful death suit against her for their son's slaying.
The termination issue has not been decided in court. Turner said the court may want to determine what, if any, bond Winkler has with her children before making a decision.
Attempts by CNN to contact attorneys for the Winklers were not immediately successful Wednesday.
In September, a lower court granted Winkler visitation with her daughters pending the outcome of the custody battle. The court specified the visits be supervised by a guardian ad litem appointed to represent the children's interests and supervised by members of the couple Winkler is living with or by her sister. A subsequent appeal by the grandparents was denied, leading to their Supreme Court appeal.
The Winklers said if their former daughter-in-law got visitation with the children at all, it should be under the supervision of a professional counselor. At a September hearing, according to court documents, they said the children "exhibit fear and confusion" toward their mother "and her role in their father's death."
One expert, in testimony, quoted Patricia as saying her mother had killed her father and, "I don't know if she will kill me. I want to ask her if she would do that to me. It scares me, kind of; if she did, well, I guess I would see my father."
The Winklers also said that after telephone calls with their mother, the children experienced "urination accidents, sleeping problems, graphic nightmares and sleepwalking."
They said the lower court erred by failing to appoint the guardian ad litem until after the September hearing.
Turner, however, said she believes terminating Winkler's parental rights would not be in the children's best interest.
"She has a faith rarely seen, and she loves those children," Turner said.
After Matthew Winkler's death, Winkler fled with the girls to the Alabama coast, where she was arrested. She said during a September appearance on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" that she never expected to get away with killing her husband, but that she fled to be with her daughters and "have some good times." E-mail to a friend
CNN's Rusty Dornin contributed to this report. | [
"Who served time and was released?",
"Who has Winkler not seen in 15 months?",
"Shouldn't she hang?",
"What was the reason for that?",
"with who live the children?",
"For what reason should she see her kids?",
"which was the probable cause of the murder of her husband?",
"Who lives with their grandparents?",
"Who do their children live with?",
"that plea was released Maria Winkler?",
"When was Winkler convicted?",
"who convicted earlier this year of shooting her husband to death?",
"What was Mary Winkler convicted of?",
"Where do Winkler's children live?",
"What happened to the kids?",
"What did Mary Winkler do?",
"for how many months has winkler not seen his childrens?",
"Who has not seen her children in 15 months?",
"With whom do Mary Winklers' children live",
"When did Mary Winkler last see her children?",
"Who do the children live with?",
"Where do the children live?",
"What is the number of children the couple have",
"What was Winkler convicted of?"
] | [
[
"Mary Winkler,"
],
[
"the children"
],
[
"was released in August."
],
[
"subsequent appeal by the grandparents"
],
[
"their grandparents"
],
[
"loves those children,\""
],
[
"shotgun"
],
[
"Patricia, Mary Alice and Brianna"
],
[
"grandparents"
],
[
"revoke Mary Winkler's visitation rights"
],
[
"earlier this year"
],
[
"Mary Winkler,"
],
[
"killing her minister husband,"
],
[
"with their grandparents"
],
[
"the children experienced \"urination accidents, sleeping problems, graphic nightmares and sleepwalking.\""
],
[
"convicted of killing her minister husband,"
],
[
"15"
],
[
"Winkler"
],
[
"their grandparents"
],
[
"in 15 months,"
],
[
"their grandparents"
],
[
"with their grandparents"
],
[
"three daughters."
],
[
"killing her minister husband,"
]
] | Mary Winkler convicted earlier this year of shooting her husband to death .
Winkler served time and was released; the couple had three children .
The children live with their grandparents, who oppose visitation .
Winkler has not seen her children in 15 months . |
(CNN) -- The Tennessee man accused of selling the gun used to kill former NFL quarterback Steve McNair is in custody facing a federal charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, authorities said Friday. Police say Adrian Gilliam admitted he sold Sahel Kazemi the gun she used to kill NFL quarterback Steve McNair. "This is another example of what can happen with a gun when a felon is selling it on the street with little to no interest other than just selling it for 100 bucks," said Nashville, Tennessee, Police Chief Ronal Serpas. Authorities said federal agents traced the gun used in the Fourth of July murder-suicide to Household Pawn in Nashville, which sold it in January 2002. "Further investigation revealed the 9 mm pistol was later sold for approximately $100 to Adrian Gilliam approximately one to one and a half years ago," Nashville police said in a news release. Gilliam, 33, of LaVergne, Tennessee, told detectives that on July 2 he sold the gun for about the same price to Sahel Kazemi outside a shopping mall. Police said Kazemi, McNair's 20-year-old girlfriend, used the gun two days later to fatally shoot McNair -- a former Tennessee Titans quarterback and married father of four -- and herself in McNair's condominium in downtown Nashville. Gilliam had been convicted of second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery in Florida in 1993, according to the new release, and those felony convictions meant that he could not legally be in possession of a firearm. Along with Serpas, the announcement of the arrest was made by Edward M. Yarbrough, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee; James M. Cavanaugh, the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives' Nashville Division; and Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. CNN's Shelby Lin Erdman contributed to this report | [
"Where did Gilliam have prior felony convictions from?",
"When did McNair's girlfriend acquire the gun?",
"Who sold the gun?",
"When did he have convictions from?",
"Who sold McNair's girlfriend the gun?"
] | [
[
"Florida"
],
[
"January 2002."
],
[
"Adrian Gilliam"
],
[
"1993,"
],
[
"Adrian Gilliam"
]
] | Police say Adrian Gilliam told them he sold gun to McNair's girlfriend on July 2 .
On July 4, Sahel Kazemi shot the quarterback to death, then killed herself .
Gilliam had felony convictions in Florida from 1993, police say . |
(CNN) -- The Texas attorney general sued a hotel and a motel Thursday, accusing them of price gouging during September's exodus of more than 1 million Gulf Coast residents ahead of Hurricane Ike.
Attorney General Greg Abbott filed suit against the Hotel Nacogdoches in Nacogdoches and the Super 8 Brookshire Motel near Katy, accusing them of illegally raising room rates after Gov. Rick Perry had issued a declaration of disaster on September 8.
"Although Texas law clearly prohibits profiteering during declared disasters, these defendants are charged with increasing room rates for evacuees during Hurricane Ike," Abbott said in a news release. "The law imposes strict penalties on vendors that attempt to increase their profits after the governor issues a disaster declaration.
"Despite today's price-gouging charges, the vast majority of Texas businesses complied with the law and are to be commended for working with authorities to provide crucial assistance to hurricane victims."
In Texas, the state attorney general can sue, but not file criminal charges. A district attorney would need to file any such charges.
An estimated 1.2 million Gulf Coast residents heeded officials' recommendations that they move inland until the storm had passed.
Hotel Nacogdoches, located north of Houston along a major evacuation route, charged evacuees more than double its usual rate, the statement said, citing complaints from guests whose receipts showed the hotel charged $99.99 for a room that had cost $49.99 two days before Ike.
It told a similar tale about Super 8 Brookshire Motel, west of Katy, which also housed evacuees. The motel charged up to $125 for a room that ordinarily cost $99, the statement said.
The businesses also charged state and local hotel and motel taxes, even though the governor had issued a declaration waiving them, according to the statement.
The office of the attorney general is seeking civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation and up to $250,000 per violation for victims over the age of 65.
Managers from neither hotel immediately returned calls seeking comment. | [
"What were evacuees fleeing?",
"What did Greg Abbott file?",
"How much was the original cost of the hotel room?",
"What is the motel accused of?",
"How many people moved inland to avoid Ike?",
"What were hotels and motels accused of doing?",
"What hurricane were people fleeing in the reading?",
"How many Gulf Coast residents moved?",
"Who is filing a lawsuit against the two businesses?",
"What did the hotel charge?",
"What is Greg Abbott's position?",
"What are a hotel and motel accused of doing as evacuees fled?"
] | [
[
"Hurricane Ike,\""
],
[
"filed suit against the Hotel Nacogdoches in Nacogdoches and the Super 8 Brookshire Motel near Katy, accusing them of illegally raising room rates after Gov. Rick Perry had issued a declaration of disaster on September 8."
],
[
"$49.99"
],
[
"price gouging"
],
[
"more than 1 million"
],
[
"price gouging"
],
[
"Ike."
],
[
"estimated 1.2 million"
],
[
"Attorney General Greg Abbott"
],
[
"$99.99 for a room that had cost $49.99 two days before Ike."
],
[
"Attorney General"
],
[
"price gouging"
]
] | Hotel, motel accused of illegally raising prices as evacuees fled Hurricane Ike .
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott files lawsuit against the two businesses .
Attorney general: Hotel charged $99.99 for room that had cost $49.99 days earlier .
About 1.2 million Gulf Coast residents moved inland to avoid worst of Ike . |
(CNN) -- The Toyota-owned Fuji International Speedway circuit will stop hosting the Japanese Grand Prix from next year -- the track operators have announced. The Toyota-owned Fuji circuit will not be hosting the Japanese Grand Prix due to financial concerns. Fuji Speedway hosted the Formula One race in 2007 and 2008. The race is set to return to the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit this year, and was due back at Fuji for the 2010 race -- as the 16th leg of the 18-race Formula One series. The two venues were originally due to alternate hosting the Japanese Grand Prix but, due to the current downturn in the global economy, Fuji Speedway have confirmed they will no longer host the event. Fuji Speedway opened in 1965. It staged F1 races in 1976 and in 1977, when a spectator and steward died after a Ferrari driven by Gilles Villeneuve ploughed into the crowd. "We decided it would be extremely difficult to continue holding the F1 Japanese Grand Prix in view of sharply deteriorating business conditions and few signs of a rapid economic recovery," Fuji International Speedway said in a statement. "I apologize deeply for being unable to live up to expectations. It is truly heartbreaking," Hiroaki Kato, president of the the company that runs the circuit, told reporters. Kato said the economic downturn was causing a dramatic fall in the number of people attending motor sports events as the world's second-largest economy struggles through its worst recession since World War II. "We are afraid that unless we circuit operators and promoters grit our teeth and support domestic motorsports, it will not be able to keep on going," he added. Toyota's decision to pull outcomes as the global economic crisis forces Japanese automakers to slash costs. Honda has sold its Formula One team while Suzuki and Subaru have withdrawn from the world rally championship. Motorcycle maker Kawasaki has exited the MotoGP and Mitsubishi is quitting the Dakar Rally despite a dozen victories. Toyota overtook American rival General Motors in 2008 as the world's top selling automaker but fell into the red for the first time in the year to March with a net loss of 436.9 billion yen ($4.6 billion). It expects a bigger net loss of 550 billion yen this year. | [
"What will be the scene of the race?",
"Will Fuji International Speedway continue to host the Japanese Grand Prix?",
"Who will stage the race this year?",
"Which company owns the track?"
] | [
[
"the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit"
],
[
"stop hosting the"
],
[
"Honda-owned Suzuka circuit"
],
[
"Toyota-owned"
]
] | Fuji International Speedway circuit will stop hosting the Japanese Grand Prix .
The Toyota-owned track staged the Formula One race in both 2007 and 2008 .
Suzuka will stage the race this year but it was due to return to Fuji in 2010 . |
(CNN) -- The Turkish Airlines plane that crashed this week in Amsterdam fell almost vertically to the ground, making only a short track in the muddy farmer's field where it went down, Dutch investigators said Friday. Dutch investigators continue to probe the crash site for more clues. That sudden drop indicates the aircraft did not have enough forward speed when it crashed, a spokesman for the Dutch Safety Board said, but the reasons for that are still unclear. It is too early to speculate on the cause of the crash, spokesman Fred Sanders told CNN. Reports that it was caused by engine failure are premature, he said. "There must have been ... reasons why the plane did not get enough speed," Sanders said. "We don't know yet why this came about, and that's the main thing that will have to be investigated." Wednesday's crash of Flight 1951 from Istanbul, Turkey, to Amsterdam killed nine and injured more than 60 of the 135 people on board. The crash, less than 500 yards short of the runway, split the plane into three parts. Watch crash survivors return home » Weather conditions at the time were favorable. Passengers described feeling the plane suddenly drop before impact, and at least one passenger said he heard the pilot trying to give more power to the engines before the plane went down. Safety Board specialists are analyzing the flight data and voice recorders and expect to finish their work at the crash site this weekend, Sanders said. Pieces relevant to the probe will be brought to a hangar at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for further analysis. Watch how survivors described crash » The Safety Board may release preliminary findings next week, Sanders said. The nine dead included five Turks and four Americans, said Theo Weterings, the mayor of Haarlemmermeer municipality, where the airport is located. See where 737-800 has been involved in previous incidents » There were four Boeing employees on the flight, and three were killed, the company said Friday in a posting on its Web site, citing the U.S. Embassy in Amsterdam as its source. The fourth employee is hospitalized. The flight's pilot, Captain Hasan Tahsin Arisan, with more than 12,000 hours in the cockpit of Boeing 737s, also died. Before becoming the pilot of passenger planes, Arisan was a Turkish Air Force squadron commander and F-4 Phantom Fighter pilot, famed for engaging in mock dog-fights with rival Greek pilots over the Aegean Sea. An airline workers union mired in an ugly labor dispute with Turkish Airlines called Friday for the resignation of the company's top management, as well as the sacking of top government ministers. Atilay Aycin, the chairman of Hava-Is which claims to represent 12,000 workers, denounced Turkish Airlines executives at a news conference Friday, accusing them of "failing to manage a crisis" and calling Wednesday's plane crash "work-related murder." A week before the accident, Hava-Is published a statement that accused Turkish Airlines management of "inviting a disaster" by "ignoring the most basic function of flight safety, which is plane maintenance services." After the crash, Turkish newspapers reported the Boeing 737 had had a series of malfunctions in the days and weeks before the fatal flight. Turkish Airlines defended its maintenance record. "Turkish Airlines, which strictly follows its work on flight safety, followed all the maintenance procedures of the plane manufacturer [and] national and international authorities' directives for this plane," an airline statement said. In its news release, Turkish Airlines noted a signal light and a wing-flap had recently been replaced on the aircraft. Turkey's flagship airline is well-rated internationally for its overall safety record. Some aviation industry experts in Turkey have played down the critical comments coming from Hava-Is, calling them overheated rhetoric. "These are just political slogans," said Savas Sen, a Turkish Airlines pilot and the head of Turkey Airline Pilots' Association. "It's just like an argument between a child and his father." | [
"What is the pilot's name?",
"Where did the crash occur?",
"How many people were killed?",
"What measures are Turkish airlines taking to prevent this type of accident in the future?",
"Where was the pilot previously employed?",
"What caused the plane to drop suddenly?",
"What happened to the plane?"
] | [
[
"Captain Hasan Tahsin Arisan,"
],
[
"in Amsterdam"
],
[
"nine"
],
[
"strictly follows its work on flight safety, followed all the maintenance procedures of the plane manufacturer [and] national and international authorities' directives for"
],
[
"Turkish Air Force"
],
[
"did not have enough forward speed"
],
[
"crashed"
]
] | NEW: Dead pilot used to engage in mock dog fights when in Turkish air force .
Investigators: Turkish Airlines plane fell almost vertically to ground .
Sudden drop indicates aircraft did not have enough forward speed, official says .
Three Boeing employees killed, one remains hospitalized, company says . |
(CNN) -- The Turkish military bombed PKK rebel targets Saturday in northern Iraq in response to clashes that left at least 15 Turkish troops dead, the PKK and the military said Sunday.
Members of Turkey's honor guard carry flag-draped coffins of two soldiers killed in clashes with the PKK.
The PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party, said it sustained no casualties in the operation.
The Turkish military said the air operation was conducted on the PKK's "hiding positions" in the Avasin-Basyan area of northern Iraq near the border with Turkey.
During the operation, steps were taken to avoid civilian casualties, the Turkish military said. Watch inside the PKK's hidden camps »
The military said the operation was carried out Saturday. The PKK's military wing said the military operation began after Friday's clash and lasted for two days.
At least 15 Turkish soldiers were killed and 20 wounded in the clashes, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Saturday. Two others were missing, and the Turkish military said Sunday they were feared dead. The military said 23 PKK members were also killed in the attacks, launched from northern Iraq.
In its statement on Sunday, however, the PKK said more than 60 Turkish troops were killed and at least 30 injured. Nine PKK members were killed, the organization said.
Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency said the clashes occurred in Semdinli, a town in Turkey's southeastern province of Hakkari.
On Tuesday, the Turkish government is scheduled to vote on whether to extend the authority of the Turkish military to launch attacks on PKK positions in northern Iraq.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh on Saturday condemned the clashes, calling them a "terrorist act" that "creates a serious threat to the security of the border areas and the joint security of Iraq and Turkey."
He called on the Turkish government to deal with this "criminal act wisely and with self restraint."
"The Iraqi government expresses its support for the measures the Turkish government will take within Turkish territory to guarantee its [Turkey's] security and stability," he said.
Saturday night, Iraq's Presidency Council, made up of President Jalal Talabani -- himself a Kurd -- and his two vice-presidents, condemned what it called "a vicious attack against Turkish troops."
"What makes the attack more horrific is the fact that it happened during the days of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, where Muslims should be celebrating, rejoicing and befriending each other ... instead of fighting and bloodshed," the council said. It pledged to "continue its joint efforts with the Turkish side to prevent the recurrence of such attacks and to put an end to the illegal presence of all foreign militants in Iraq."
The central Iraqi government has labeled the PKK a terrorist organization, banning its activities and shutting its offices in the country two years ago.
But the PKK continues to operate in the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq bordering Turkey and Iran. The separatist faction has been fighting for self-rule in southeastern Turkey.
In an interview held last month in the group's mountain hideout, the PKK's military commander, Bahoz Erdal, told CNN's Arwa Damon and Yousif Bassil that the PKK is defending Kurdish rights and attacks only military targets.
"We are ready for a political solution," Erdal said, adding that the PKK would lay down its arms if Kurds were guaranteed equal rights within Turkey.
But the Turkish government told CNN in response that it does not negotiate with "terrorists."
In February, Turkish military ground forces launched a weeklong offensive against the rebels in northern Iraq. | [
"Who had hiding positions?",
"Who conducted the air operation?",
"Who said that they didn't sustain any casualties during the operation?",
"How many Turkish soldiers were killed?",
"What is the PKK?",
"Why was the air operation conducted?",
"Who has labeled the PKK a terrorist organization?",
"How many Turkish soldiers did the PKK kill?",
"What has the central Iraqi government label the PKK as?",
"What kind of military operation was used against the PKK?"
] | [
[
"the PKK."
],
[
"Turkish military"
],
[
"The PKK, or Kurdistan Workers' Party,"
],
[
"15"
],
[
"Kurdistan Workers' Party,"
],
[
"in response to clashes"
],
[
"The central Iraqi government"
],
[
"15"
],
[
"a terrorist organization,"
],
[
"bombed"
]
] | Air operation was conducted on the PKK's "hiding positions"
PKK, Kurdistan Workers' Party, said it sustained no casualties in the operation .
Air attack follows clashes blamed on PKK that killed at least 15 Turkish soldiers .
The central Iraqi government has labeled the PKK a terrorist organization . |
(CNN) -- The U.N. Council for Human Rights began debate Thursday over whether to adopt the recommendations of a controversial U.N. report examining the three-week winter war between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza. An Israeli soldier sits on a tank on the Israel-Gaza border just before fighting began in December 2008. The report, based on a fact-finding mission led by former South African jurist Richard Goldstone, was released last month and concluded that Israel and Hamas had both committed "actions amounting to war crimes, possibly crimes against humanity." Speaking at the start of the meeting, Israeli Ambassador Aharon Leshno Yaar blasted the United Nations for even holding the special session. Yaar said it "had nothing to do with human rights and everything to do with Palestinian politics." He said adoption of the "biased" recommendations of the Goldstone report, which calls for further action by the General Assembly and Security Council if both sides do not conduct credible investigations, would constitute a "reward for terror" that "will set back hopes for peace in the region." Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Palestinian Authority that pushing action on the Goldstone report would deal "a mortal blow" to the peace process. The council received the report September 29 but took no action, after a request by the Palestinian Authority to defer discussion for six months. The Palestinian Authority government of Mahmoud Abbas came under withering domestic criticism for the move and was accused of succumbing to Israeli and American pressure to drop the issue. Abbas reversed course Sunday and in a televised address told Palestinians that he was seeking immediate debate within the Human Rights Council and vowed to work "to punish everyone who was responsible for the hideous crimes committed against our children, our men and women -- especially in our dear Gaza." Ibrahim Khraishi, the Palestinian Authority's U.N. ambassador in Geneva, said Israel had rebuffed the Palestinian Authority's conciliatory move to defer debate on the report and instead had answered "with even more grave violations of the rights of Palestinians" in the form of restrictions of movement and housing demolitions in East Jerusalem. The 47-member Human Rights Council is expected to vote on the resolution on Friday. The draft resolution goes beyond the Gaza conflict. It "strongly condemns" measures taken by Israel limiting Palestinians' access to their properties and holy sites "on the basis of national origin, religion, sex, age or any other discriminatory ground." It further condemns "Israeli violations of human rights in Occupied East Jerusalem, particularly the confiscation of lands and properties, the demolishing of houses and private properties, the construction and expansion of settlements, the continuous construction of the separation wall, changing the demographic and geographic character of East Jerusalem, the restrictions on the freedom of movement of the Palestinian citizens of East Jerusalem, as well as the continuous digging and excavation works in and around Al-Aqsa mosque and its vicinity." There is an ongoing dispute about the number of people killed in the three-week military offensive that Israel called Operation Cast Lead, which began December 27 and ended January 18. The Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights put the death toll at 1,419 and said 1,167 of those were non-combatants. The Israeli military released its own figures earlier this year, saying that 1,166 people were killed, 60 percent of whom were "terror operatives." | [
"Who is accused of war crimes?",
"When did this start",
"What war is the report looking at?",
"What institution calls for further actions?",
"In what area did the war take place?"
] | [
[
"Israel and Hamas"
],
[
"December 2008."
],
[
"three-week winter"
],
[
"General Assembly and Security Council"
],
[
"between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza."
]
] | Report says both Israel and Hamas took "actions amounting to war crimes"
Fact-finding mission looked at the three-week war last winter in Gaza .
Report calls for further action by U.N. unless both sides conduct investigations .
Israel blasts the report; Palestinians call for immediate U.N. debate . |
(CNN) -- The U.N.'s forest carbon scheme which has formed part of the negotiations at the climate talks in Copenhagen has been one of the few areas where countries are broadly in agreement. The U.N.'s REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries) program is a collaboration between the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Environmental (UNEP) and Development (UNDP) programs. Yemi Katerere, head of the U.N.-REDD program explained to CNN how the REDD program proposals would work. "In theory REDD is a system to provide incentives for countries not to cut their forests," Katerere said. "The incentive system is essentially that your trees are worth more standing than they are cut. You get a reward for not cutting your forests." The idea is straightforward; If the function of rainforests -- capturing carbon, water catchment, weather regulators and biodiversity -- is recognized their value will rise. The destruction of the world's rainforests is estimated to contribute to as much as 20 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. REDD envisages a situation whereby "different services can be marketed and paid for, boosting the incomes of other wise marginalized communities". Many pilot schemes are already underway. Back in 1997 when the Kyoto Protocol was adopted, the part rainforests play in carbon storage wasn't recognized. Proposals to reduce emissions from deforestation were first introduced by the governments of Papua New Guinea in December 2005 at the COP11 talks in Canada. Talks at Copenhagen are hoping to build on the progress made since. REDD say that more than 30 models of how the program should work have been put forward by countries, groups of countries and NGOs. Katerere wouldn't be drawn on the outcome of negotiations at Copenhagen when CNN spoke to him on Thursday. Critics of the REDD program argue that it allows richer countries to meet -- to buy essentially -- some of their emissions obligations without cutting them at all. Others argue trying to measure what is being preserved and how much carbon is being stored will prove incredibly hard to quantify. But Katerere said an imperfect program which can be improved is better than none at all. "We should stop focusing on the negatives issues of REDD and start looking at the positives. In the short term, REDD offers use the greatest mitigation potential at an affordable price and is the most cost effective." | [
"Where are the talks taking place?",
"Where were the talks?",
"What do the letters of the acronym \"U.N.-REDD\" stand for?",
"Who does REDD aid in meeting targets inregards to cutting emissions?",
"What item is worth more standing than cut?",
"What would the incentive system mean?"
] | [
[
"Copenhagen"
],
[
"Copenhagen"
],
[
"(Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries)"
],
[
"The U.N.'s"
],
[
"trees"
],
[
"trees are worth more standing than they are cut."
]
] | U.N.-REDD program has received widespread support from countries at Copenhagen talks .
The incentive system would mean that trees are worth more standing than cut .
Critics argue that REDD allows rich countries to meet targets with cutting emissions . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Army's official history of the Iraq war shows military chiefs made mistake after mistake in the early months of the conflict. Iraqis watch as a statue of Saddam Hussein is toppled in Baghdad in 2003. Failures to recognize the chaos engulfing the country and to send in enough troops to restore order after the 2003 invasion have long been highlighted by critics, but a new report shows the Army assessing itself. Frank opinions from officers serving in the 18 months from the start of war to Iraqi elections in January 2005 reveal there were concerns at the time, not just about assumptions made by planners but at decisions taken once U.S.-led coalition forces had control of Iraq. "I flipped," Gen. Jack Keane, then the Army's deputy chief of staff, told the historians of his reaction to a June 2003 decision to transfer control of all coalition troops away from the land forces command that had been preparing for the mission. He recounted a conversation with Gen. John Abizaid, who succeeded the invasion's architect, Gen. Tommy Franks. "I said, 'Jesus Christ, John, this is a recipe for disaster. We invested in that headquarters. We have the experience and judgment in that headquarters." Keane said it took the U.S. command between six and eight months to get the new headquarters up and running. During that time, troops in the field saw the mood of ordinary Iraqis turn against Americans and watched the insurgency take root. "By the time we got a plan together to resource everything, the insurgents had closed that window of opportunity quickly," Col. David Perkins, a brigade commander in the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, told the historians. "What we started doing in September was probably a good idea to have done in April 2003." Franks, who would soon retire and be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, said he ordered the transition to force the Pentagon to get leaders into the field to work with civilian occupation officials. "That is a task that John Abizaid and I very simply laid on Washington and said, 'Figure it out. Do it fast. Get me a joint headquarters in here. We have a lot of work to do and [civilian administrator of Iraq] Jerry Bremer has a lot of responsibility and he needs help,' " he recalled. The 720-page report compiled by the Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, details the effects of having too few coalition troops on the ground when the reality after the fall of Baghdad was "severely out of line" with the anticipated conditions. Previous experience "should have indicated that many more troops would be needed for the post-Saddam era in Iraq," historians wrote in the report, "On Point II: Transition to a New Campaign." "The coalition's inability to prevent looting, to secure Iraq's borders and to guard the vast number of munitions dumps in the early months after Saddam's overthrow are indicative of the shortage," the study found. About 150,000 U.S. and allied troops were in Iraq after the invasion, at a time when war planners were assuming that Iraq's government would remain functional after Hussein's ouster and that there would be no mass insurgency. "These factors were in line with prewar planning for a quick turnover of power to Iraqis and a quick withdrawal of U.S. forces, leaving Iraqis to determine their own political future -- options that proved impossible to execute," the historians wrote in the report released over the weekend. "We had the wrong assumptions, and therefore, we had the wrong plan to put into play," Gen. William Wallace, who commanded the Army's V Corps during the invasion, told the authors. But some of the most critical decisions were made between May and August 2003, which some participants called a "window of opportunity that could have been exploited to produce the conditions for the quick creation of a new Iraq." Among those decisions were the frequently criticized dissolution of the Iraqi army and the order that barred former members of Hussein's Baath Party from public life as well | [
"What did the general say?",
"What was the recipe for disaster?",
"What Army history said this?",
"What did the report say?",
"Who was unprepaired?",
"what was the general's name?"
] | [
[
"\"I flipped,\""
],
[
"decision to transfer control of all coalition troops away from the land forces command that had been preparing"
],
[
"Iraq war shows military chiefs made mistake after mistake"
],
[
"Frank opinions from officers serving in the 18 months from the start of war to Iraqi elections in January 2005 reveal there were concerns at the time, not just about assumptions made by planners but at decisions taken once U.S.-led coalition forces had control of Iraq."
],
[
"military chiefs"
],
[
"Jack Keane,"
]
] | Army history of Iraq war's first two years says U.S. was unprepared for chaos .
U.S.-led coalition didn't have enough troops after Saddam Hussein's fall, report says .
"This is a recipe for disaster," one general recalls saying of one decision . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking parents to immediately stop using a series of inflatable floats for babies in swimming pools, announcing a voluntary recall of about 4 million floats Thursday. The Squirtin' Tootin' Tugboat is among the floats covered by the recall. The items -- which inflate to seat babies and toddlers as they float on water -- are manufactured by Massachusetts-based Aqua Leisure Industries. The company has voluntarily recalled 14 models because the leg straps in the seat of the float can tear, causing children to slip into the water, posing a drowning risk, the commission said in a statement. There have been 31 reports of float seats tearing, though no injuries have been reported, the commission said. The floats were sold from December 2002 through June 2009 at retailers nationwide, including Target, Toys "R" Us, Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart, Walgreens, Ace Hardware and Bed, Bath & Beyond. The commission is asking consumers to stop using the floats and to send them back to the company. Aqua Leisure officials could not be immediately reached for comment, but the company's Web site has posted the commission's recall advisory. CNN's Gerri Willis contributed to this report. | [
"Which company recalled products?",
"What could happen to the leg straps?",
"What type of products were they?",
"Where were the floats sold?",
"How many models were recalled?",
"how many models does aqua leisure recalls?",
"What faults were found in the products?",
"how many reports does the agency says they have about seats tearing?",
"How many reports have there been?",
"what can happen when leg straps tear?",
"How many models did Aqua Leisure recall?",
"How many models were recalled?",
"Where were the floats sold?",
"How many reports have there been of seats tearing?",
"Who recalled 14 models?",
"What can happen if leg straps tear?"
] | [
[
"Aqua Leisure Industries."
],
[
"tear,"
],
[
"inflatable floats for babies in swimming pools,"
],
[
"Target, Toys \"R\" Us, Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart, Walgreens, Ace Hardware"
],
[
"14"
],
[
"14"
],
[
"leg straps in the seat of the float can tear,"
],
[
"31"
],
[
"31"
],
[
"causing children to slip into the water, posing a drowning risk,"
],
[
"14"
],
[
"14"
],
[
"at retailers nationwide, including Target, Toys \"R\" Us, Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart, Walgreens, Ace Hardware"
],
[
"31"
],
[
"Aqua Leisure Industries."
],
[
"slip into the water, posing a drowning risk,"
]
] | Aqua Leisure Industries recalls 14 models .
Leg straps can tear, allowing children to slip into the water .
Agency says there have been 31 reports of seats tearing .
Floats were sold nationwide at many chain retailers . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development distributed $400 million in emergency aid Friday to eight states that experienced the biggest natural disasters in 2011.
New York received $93,213,963 for flooding from Hurricane Irene that pummeled the East Coast last August and for damages from Tropical Storm Lee in Schoharie, Tioga, Broome, Greene, and Orange counties. In particular, Orange County will receive $11,422,029 and Union Township $10,137,818 to support recovery efforts.
North Dakota was awarded $79,358,648 to recover from severe flooding. Most of the money will go to Minot, which was hit the hardest by the flooding.
Alabama was given $55,566,078 for losses from last year's severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding in Tuscaloosa, Marion, Jefferson and DeKalb counties and in Birmingham.
Missouri received $53,985,768 for recovery from last spring's tornado, severe storms and flooding in Jasper County and in Joplin.
Pennsylvania was awarded $49,297,140 for damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in Bradford, Dauphin, Columbia, Wyoming and Luzerne counties.
Texas was given $31,319,686 for a series of wildfires from late summer through autumn in Bastrop County.
Vermont secured $21,660,211 for the destruction caused by Tropical Storm Irene in Washington and Windsor counties.
New Jersey garnered $15,598,506 to help Passaic County recover from the damage of Hurricane Irene.
Each state will spend the funds for housing, business and infrastructure repairs, federal authorities said.
CNN's Michael Martinez contributed to this story. | [
"Texas is awarded cash relief for what?",
"What are the funds based on?",
"What states receive aid for tornadoes?",
"Which states received aid for tornadoes?",
"What year's disasters are the basis for the funds?",
"what were The funds are based on?",
"Alabama and Missouri receive aid for what?",
"What is Texas receiving aid for?"
] | [
[
"a series of wildfires"
],
[
"housing, business and infrastructure repairs,"
],
[
"New York"
],
[
"Alabama"
],
[
"2011."
],
[
"natural disasters"
],
[
"natural disasters"
],
[
"a series of wildfires"
]
] | The funds are based on 2011's biggest natural disasters .
Several states receive funds to recover from Hurricane Irene .
Alabama and Missouri receive aid for tornadoes .
Texas is awarded cash relief for wildfire damage . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation slapped United Airlines with a $30,000 fine Friday for violating price advertising rules, and the airline also will have to pay the balance for a previous infraction.
Under DOT rules, airlines must disclose the full price of air travel to consumers.
"Our fare advertising rules are designed to ensure that consumers know how much they will pay for a ticket and are able to compare prices when choosing which carrier to fly," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
The department found that United failed to disclose a 7.5 percent federal excise tax for 60 hours on the initial results page of its Web site.
United said it is committed to advertising its fares clearly.
"In this unique case, due to a programming error, the initial fare display inadvertently placed the 7.5 percent federal excise tax in the 'taxes and fees' section, rather than in the base fare," said spokeswoman Sarah Massier in an e-mail.
"Immediately upon learning of the programming error United took action to move the tax to the base fare."
Government taxes and fees per passenger are the only charges that are not required to be included in the published fare, according to the DOT.
The new penalty means United also will have to pay the balance on a fine for a violation over the summer.
In August, the DOT fined United $75,000 for not disclosing taxes and fees in the initial advertised fares on its Web site and for showing one-way fares that were only applicable for round-trip travel.
The airline was required to pay $37,500 of that penalty, with the understanding that half would be forgiven if it had no further violations within the next 12 months.
United now is required to pay the other half of the $75,000 fine. | [
"what did United do with price advertising rules?",
"What must airlines do under the DOT rules?",
"who violated price advertising rules twice in five months?",
"What did United violate?",
"who must disclose the full price of air travel to consumers?",
"what are the only exeptions to the rules?",
"What are the only execption to the rules?",
"what must do the airlines under the DOT rules?"
] | [
[
"violating"
],
[
"disclose the full price of air travel to consumers."
],
[
"United Airlines"
],
[
"price advertising rules,"
],
[
"airlines"
],
[
"fees per passenger"
],
[
"Government taxes and fees per passenger"
],
[
"disclose the full price of air travel to consumers."
]
] | Under DOT rules, airlines must disclose the full price of air travel to consumers .
United violated price advertising rules twice in five months .
Government taxes and fees per passenger are the only exception to the rules . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Beirut is asking for assistance in locating two missing American journalists who were on vacation in Lebanon and have not been heard from since they left the Lebanese capital last week.
Holli Chmela, 27, was last heard from when she and a fellow journalist left Beirut, Lebanon, on October 1.
Holli Chmela, 27, and her male companion, Taylor Luck, 23, arrived in Lebanon on September 29 from Amman, Jordan, the embassy said.
They left Beirut on October 1, telling friends they were headed for the northern Lebanese cities of Byblos and Tripoli that day.
No one has reported any contact with them since then, the embassy said.
"They were then to cross by land to Syria before returning to Jordan," the embassy said. "Chmela and Luck were due to report to work in Jordan on October 4."
Luck is an editor with The Jordan Times in Amman, and Chmela had been working as a freelancer for the newspaper, said Sameer Barhoum, the paper's editor.
After flying into Beirut last week, the two planned to travel by land to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo before returning to Jordan -- also by land -- by Saturday, Barhoum said.
Luck's mother called Barhoum on Sunday after not hearing from her son in three days, he said. She also said the last time Luck used his credit card was October 1 in Lebanon.
"We are hoping that both are safe and looking forward to see them with us soon," Barhoum said.
Abdul Wahab Zugaylat, the head of Jordan's press association, said, "We are waiting to hear officially from the U.S. Embassy that they did not depart the Lebanese borders."
The U.S. Embassy said it is working with the Lebanese Internal Security Force to investigate the whereabouts of the pair.
"In addition, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut is coordinating efforts with the U.S. embassies in Amman and Damascus [Syria] as well as with the Department of State in Washington," the embassy said.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he had no details about the missing Americans.
CNN's Caroline Faraj in Dubai contributed to this report. | [
"What newspaper is being referred to?",
"How many disappeared while on vacation in Lebanon?",
"What country are Byblos and Tripoli in?",
"How old was the missing son?",
"What cities were the two headed to in Lebanon when they disappeared?",
"What is the name of the missing son?",
"How long had it been since the mother heard from her son?",
"Who called the newspaper?",
"Who hasn't been heard from in a week?",
"Where were the missing pair vacationing?"
] | [
[
"The Jordan Times in Amman,"
],
[
"two"
],
[
"Lebanese"
],
[
"23,"
],
[
"Byblos and Tripoli"
],
[
"Taylor Luck,"
],
[
"three days,"
],
[
"Luck's mother"
],
[
"Holli Chmela, 27, and her male companion, Taylor Luck, 23,"
],
[
"Lebanon"
]
] | NEW: Mom called newspaper after she hadn't heard from son in three days .
Two on vacation in Lebanon and haven't been heard from since a week ago .
They reportedly were headed for northern Lebanese cities of Byblos and Tripoli . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Yemen, which was closed over the weekend because of security concerns, reopened Tuesday, a day after Yemeni forces conducted successful security operations. A statement posted on the embassy's Web site said "successful counter-terrorism operations" conducted by Yemeni security forces on Monday, north of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, addressed "a specific area of concern and have contributed to the Embassy's decision to resume operations." Yemen's state-run news agency, SABA, reported Monday that two al Qaeda suspects were killed and two others were injured in clashes with a Yemeni anti-terrorism unit However, Mohamed Ahmed al-Haniq, the al Qaeda unit's leader, and an unknown number of his "companions" were able to escape during the clashes, SABA reported, citing Yemen's Interior Ministry. The U.S. Embassy said the threat of terrorist attacks against American interests in Yemen "remains high," and it urged American citizens in the country "to be vigilant and take prudent security measures." Yemen fertile ground for terror groups A senior State Department official, who did not want to speak on the record because of the sensitive nature of the information, said Yemeni authorities have helped the United States with additional security precautions at the embassy site. The United States' decision to close its embassy came after intelligence suggested that four al Qaeda operatives were planning an attack on the compound, a senior administration official said Monday. The official said the United States had information that a group of eight terrorists had been planning an attack. Yemeni forces killed three in recent days and another was captured wearing a suicide vest, but the other four were believed to be at large, the official said. It was not immediately clear if the same al Qaeda members in Monday's clashes were among the group of eight suspected terrorists. U.S. lawmakers have highlighted what they say are the threats posed by terrorists in Yemen. "As we commit ourselves to the fight in Afghanistan, some of the what I'll call the enemy forces, the extremist forces, move to new bases of operation such as Yemen, from which they strike us," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut, at a news conference with Sen. John McCain in Iraq Tuesday. "I've been quoting something that was said to us by an American working in Yemen when Sen. McCain and I visited in August, which was perhaps a bit overstated but it makes a point. He said to me: 'Iraq was yesterday's war. Afghanistan is today's war. And if we do not act preemptively now, Yemen will be tomorrow's war.'" McCain noted that on the visit he had a "very strong impression" about the nation's difficulties, particularly the presence of al Qaeda. "The government of Yemen is going to need our help in combatting al Qaeda," McCain, R-Arizona, said. "There needs to be significant effort made in improving their economy, and we cannot allow Yemen to be a base for al Qaeda to mount attacks on other countries in the region as well as the U.S." On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the situation in Yemen a possible threat to regional and global security, but commended Yemen for taking action against al Qaeda networks. The United States and Britain closed their embassies Sunday. Britain's Foreign Office also cited security concerns and its embassy remained closed Tuesday. "The British Embassy in Yemen will remain closed to the public today," a statement from the embassy said. "Some embassy personnel will be in and whoever needs to contact the embassy can do it via the phone or e-mail but people won't be able to walk into the embassy." Several other nations also made changes at their Yemen-based embassies Monday, including Japan, France, Spain and Germany. Each cited the need for increased security measures. France closed its embassy to the public, although French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said Tuesday that embassy employees will continue their work. Valero said | [
"what reopened?",
"What did the Secretary of State call the Yemen situation?",
"where did great britain close an embassy?",
"who made changes?",
"which embassy was closed?",
"who made changes to enhance security?",
"what did great britain close?",
"Which embassy reopened?"
] | [
[
"U.S. Embassy in Yemen,"
],
[
"a possible threat to regional and global security,"
],
[
"Yemen"
],
[
"including Japan, France, Spain"
],
[
"United States and Britain"
],
[
"Yemeni forces"
],
[
"British Embassy in Yemen"
],
[
"U.S."
]
] | U.S. Embassy in Yemen reopens after being closed due to threats by al Qaeda .
U.S. Secretary of State calls Yemen situation a possible threat to regional, global security .
Great Britain closed its embassy in Yemen .
France, Spain, Japan and Germany made changes to enhance embassy security . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is battling a large grass fire in the marshlands of Jefferson County, Texas, an agency official told CNN on Tuesday.
The fire began Monday afternoon about 12 miles west of Sabine Pass and about 200 yards from the Intracoastal Waterway, Jim Stockie, spokesman for the fish and wildlife service said. He estimated the area burned by Tuesday afternoon to be between 10,000 and 12,000 acres, but he said the fire was not threatening any structures.
Smoke from the blaze was drifting into the Houston/Galveston area more than 100 miles from the fire.
Just a dozen firefighters were working the blaze, Stockie said.
"We don't like to put firefighters out in a sea of grass. We retreat to levies and burn off the fuel," Stockie said.
Texas has suffered its worst fire season in state history with more than 3.5 million acres burned, according to state officials.
In October, the Bastrop Complex Fire torched more than 1,500 homes and 34,000 acres of land north of Austin before officials were able to contain it, the Texas Fire Service said.
An unusual La Nina weather pattern led to a nearly 11-month fire season in the state, fire service spokeswoman April Saginor said.
A survey released last month by the Texas Forest Service estimated between 100 million and 500 million trees, or 2% to 10% of the state's 4.9 billion trees, were killed by the severe drought and consequent fires. The dry spell that began in 2010 was the worst the state has seen since 1895, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has said.
The drought conditions also caused concern for the state's water supply, especially in smaller towns.
CNN's Dave Alsup and Chandler Friedman contributed to this report. | [
"How many miles has the smoke drifted",
"When did the fire begin",
"What number of firefighters are working the blaze?",
"How far away has smoke drifted?",
"How many firefighters are working?",
"What did the official say?",
"What day did the fire begin?"
] | [
[
"100"
],
[
"Monday afternoon"
],
[
"a dozen"
],
[
"more than 100 miles from the fire."
],
[
"a dozen"
],
[
"The"
],
[
"Monday afternoon"
]
] | The fire began Monday afternoon .
Smoke has drifted to the Houston/Galveston area 100 miles away .
No structures are threatened; only a dozen firefighters are working the blaze .
"We don't like to put firefighters out in a sea of grass," says an official . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday ordered the makers of certain antibiotics to add a "black box" label warning -- the FDA's strongest -- to alert patients of possible tendon ruptures and tendonitis. Cipro is one of the drugs for which the FDA will require a "black box" label warning about tendon problems. "The new language will strengthen the existing warnings," said Dr. Edward Cox, director of the FDA's Office of Antimicrobial Products. The FDA is requiring the label warnings and a medication guide for fluoroquinolone drugs, which include Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Noroxin and Floxin. The consumer group Public Citizen asked the FDA in August 2006 to put the "black box" warning on Cipro and other fluoroquinolones, and also to warn doctors. Earlier this year, Public Citizen filed a lawsuit to force the FDA to take those actions. Public Citizen said Tuesday it was "pleased" with the FDA's order but added "there is still more that the FDA must do." "The FDA is silent on our request that it also send a warning letter to physicians clearly describing possible adverse reactions, such as tendon pain, so that patients can be switched to alternative treatments before tendons rupture," the group said. "We are troubled that the FDA is not doing everything within its power to prevent more people from needlessly suffering disabling tendon ruptures." When asked about the lawsuit and why it didn't order the "black box" label warning until now, Cox stressed that the FDA included warning information with the drugs from 2001 until 2004, and updated the information last year. Dr. Gupta explains more on antibiotic risks » "There has been ongoing work to update the labeling of the fluoroquinolone drug products," Cox said. "We have been working on this issue and making progress over time." The companies that make the fluoroquinolone drugs will be required to submit label safety changes and the medication guide within 30 days of receiving the notification from the FDA or provide a reason why they do not believe such labeling changes are necessary, Cox said. Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc., which holds licenses for Cipro and Avelox, said it would make the changes requested by the FDA but defended the drugs as "well-tolerated and effective in all approved indications." Schering-Plough markets Cipro and Avelox in the United States under agreement with Bayer. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which markets Levaquin in the United States, also said it would abide by the FDA's request. Merck & Co., the maker of Noroxin, said it, too, would update the drug's label. But Merck noted it has stopped promotion of Noroxin because of the widespread availability of its generic form. Oscient Pharmaceuticals (Factive), Daiichi Sankyo (Floxin) and Dipomed (Proquin) did not immediately respond to CNN's requests for comment. The fluoroquinolones drugs can increase the risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture -- which is about 1 in 100,000 -- by three to four times, according to the FDA's Dr. Renata Albrecht. "This risk is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy," the FDA said in a statement. Albrecht said that sometimes patients have no symptoms before they experience a rupture in their tendon -- commonly their Achilles tendon. "Sometimes it's been reported on the first day of taking a fluoroquinolone ... a sudden snap or popping sound that is tendon rupture with no preceding warning," she said. Normally, she added, that patients experience some pain or inflammation "a week or two before the patient will rupture." Public Citizen, founded in 1971 by consumer activist Ralph Nader, said more than 400 cases of tendon rupture and more than 300 cases of tendonitis in patients using fluoroquinolones were reported between November 1997 and December 2007. "Because only a small fraction of cases are typically reported to the FDA, the actual number of ruptures and other tendon injuries attributable to the antibiotic is much higher," the group said | [
"What organization ordered warning to be put on certain antibiotics?",
"What box will alert patients of possible tendon problems?",
"Which drugs are included in the black box labeling?",
"What has the FDA ordered?",
"What other drug is relevent besides Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and Noroxin?",
"What does the \"black box\" label do?",
"What order is the consumer group happy about?",
"What drugs were included in the FDA warning to put the strongest warning on their labels?",
"What does the black box label mean?",
"Do groups believe that the FDA has done enough?",
"What is the cause of the tendon problems?"
] | [
[
"U.S. Food and Drug Administration"
],
[
"\"black box\" label warning"
],
[
"include Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Noroxin and Floxin."
],
[
"add a \"black box\" label warning"
],
[
"Floxin."
],
[
"alert patients of possible tendon ruptures and tendonitis."
],
[
"put the \"black box\" warning on Cipro and other fluoroquinolones,"
],
[
"Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Noroxin and Floxin."
],
[
"to alert patients of possible tendon ruptures and tendonitis."
],
[
"is not doing everything within its power to prevent more people from needlessly suffering disabling tendon ruptures.\""
],
[
"Cipro"
]
] | NEW: Consumer group pleased with order but says FDA must do more .
The FDA ordered its strongest warning to be put on certain antibiotics .
The "black box" label will alert patients of possible tendon problems .
Relevant drugs include Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Noroxin and Floxin . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday it has approved a new vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza. Agriflu, made by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, is not intended to protect against the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. The vaccine was approved using an accelerated approval process, the FDA said. Novartis demonstrated that the vaccine induces levels of antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza, but it still needs to conduct further studies. Agriflu, for ages 18 and older, is administered as a single injection in the upper arm and is available in single-dose, prefilled syringes, according to the FDA. Novartis produces another licensed vaccine for seasonal influenza, Fluvirin, approved for ages 4 and older. Although no vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing disease, vaccination is the key to flu prevention, according to the FDA. Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff said Agriflu is made in Siena, Italy, with eggs, and it has been available in Europe under the brand name Aggripal. This approval, he said, will add to future seasonal vaccine supplies. | [
"what is H!NI virus",
"What is the AGRIFLU?",
"According to the FDA, how was AgriFlu approved?",
"What do flu vaccines do?",
"What is AgriFlu NOT designed to do?"
] | [
[
"swine flu."
],
[
"vaccine to prevent"
],
[
"using an accelerated approval process,"
],
[
"induces levels of antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza,"
],
[
"protect against the H1N1 virus,"
]
] | Agriflu, made by Novartis, is not intended to protect against the H1N1 virus .
The vaccine was approved using an accelerated approval process, the FDA said .
Vaccine induces antibodies in the blood that are effective in preventing seasonal influenza . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the revised version of $700 billion bank bailout plan intended to bolster the ailing U.S. financial system.
Wall Street traders had been watching developments in Washington closely.
The House rejected the original bill on Monday, sending stocks tumbling around the world.
But lawmakers approved the rescue package, backed by U.S. President George W. Bush and Treasury chiefs, Friday after the U.S. Senate passed it by a large majority on Wednesday.
Congress voted 263 to 171 in favor of the bailout bill.
President Bush signed the bill into law Friday afternoon.
Stocks on Wall Street slumped Friday, as the brutal week ended. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 1.5 percent, according to early tallies. For the week, the Dow ended down 818 points, the biggest weekly point loss in seven years and the third-biggest weekly loss on a point basis ever.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 1.4 percent Friday and the Nasdaq composite lost 1.5 percent.
Bush thanked all those involved and said the bill was essential to stopping the crisis on Wall Street becoming a crisis in the wider economy.
Bush said it sent a message to the rest of the world that the U.S. was ready to take action to ease the credit crunch.
He said it would take sometime for the bill to have an impact on the American economy.
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said he applauded the vote.
"It demonstrates the government's commitment to do what it takes to support and strengthen our economy. The legislation is a critical step toward stabilizing our financial markets and ensuring an uninterrupted flow of credit to households and businesses.
"The Federal Reserve will continue to work closely with the Treasury as it undertakes these new initiatives. We will continue to use all of the powers at our disposal to mitigate credit market disruptions and to foster a strong, vibrant economy," Bernanke said.
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, the author of the plan, said Americans would appreciate the leadership of their elected representatives.
"We will move rapidly to implement the new authorities, but we will also move methodically," he said.
Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after the vote that hearings would be held into how the U.S. economy end up needing the bailout.
Pelosi said the U.S. needed regulatory reform to prevent the same situation being repeated in the future.
She said a much better bill may have been achievable in different circumstances, but the situation was urgent and middle class needed to be protected.
Stock markets around the world have endured days of turmoil as a consequence of uncertainty over Washington's response to the credit crisis.
U.S. markets opened brightly Friday, following heavy losses the previous day, amid fresh expectation that the bailout plan would go through. By 11.50 a.m. (1550 GMT) the Dow Jones was up 1.79 percent and the Nasdaq was up 2.80 percent.
Asian markets slipped earlier in the day with Japan's Nikkei Exchange closing the week down 215.05 points, or about 1.9 percent at 10,939.71 -- a new three-year low. Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 2.9 percent to 17,682.40 and key indexes across the region were all down.
European markets were flat in morning trading, but rallied after Wall Street opened with London's FTSE 100 up 2.15 percent, Paris' CAC up 2.96 percent and Frankfurt's DAX up 2.55 percent.
The banking world has been in turmoil in recent weeks with many institutions scrambling for survival as credit has dried up, leaving many holding "toxic" subprime debt following the collapse in U.S. house prices.
In the latest development Friday, troubled U.S. bank Wachovia announced it would merge with Californian banking giant Wells Fargo in a deal valued at approximately $15.1 billion. (Full story)
The merger will include all of Wachovia's banking operations, Well Fargo said. Wachovia had looked set to be sold to Citigroup in a deal brokered by the federal government.
The core of the Senate financial bailout bill is a plan to buy troubled assets from banks, but the proposal includes a number of new provisions aimed at ordinary people struggling under the | [
"Who rejected rescue plan?",
"What is the amount that the U.S. House of Representatives in the bill?",
"What companies benefited from the bailout?",
"What did lawmakers reject?",
"Who backs the bill?",
"When was the rescue plan rejected?",
"What did the bailout enable?",
"What does bailout enable?",
"How large was the bank bailout bill?",
"What does the bailout enable?",
"Who backed this bailout?"
] | [
[
"The House"
],
[
"$700 billion"
],
[
"Well Fargo"
],
[
"the original bill"
],
[
"U.S. President George W. Bush and Treasury chiefs,"
],
[
"Monday,"
],
[
"bolster the ailing U.S. financial system."
],
[
"to buy troubled assets from banks,"
],
[
"$700 billion"
],
[
"a plan to buy troubled assets from banks,"
],
[
"President George W. Bush and Treasury chiefs,"
]
] | U.S. House of Representatives backs revised $700 billion bank bailout bill .
Lawmakers rejected rescue plan Monday; passed by Senate Wednesday .
Wall Street stocks rallied on expectation bill would be passed .
Bailout enables U.S. Treasury to buy up bad debts to ease credit crisis . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Navy has captured seven suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the first arrests by a U.S.-led task force set up to curb rampant piracy off the Horn of Africa, a Navy spokesman said Wednesday. Seven men suspected of trying to pirate a tanker raise their hands before their arrest in the Gulf of Aden. Sailors from the cruiser USS Vella Gulf arrested the men Wednesday in the western Gulf of Aden -- a waterway between Africa and the Middle East -- after a distress call from the 420-foot (128-meter) tanker Polaris. The tanker reported that men aboard a small skiff were attempting to board the ship using ladders, but its crew removed them before the would-be hijackers could get aboard, the Navy said. The Vella Gulf found and boarded the skiff, and the tanker's crew identified the men aboard the skiff as their would-be hijackers. The skiff's men were taken aboard the Vella Gulf, the flagship of the task force now patrolling the western Gulf of Aden, and eventually will be transferred to Kenya for trial, said Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. 5th Fleet. Piracy has become a chronic problem off the Horn of Africa in recent years, with some pirates operating from largely lawless Somalia. Pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 in the waters off the coast of Somalia in 2008, according to the International Maritime Bureau. The task force led by the Vella Gulf was set up in January in an effort to clamp down on the attacks in the region, the southern approach to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. | [
"Who is part of the antipiracy task force?",
"Where did the attack occur?",
"what Men tried to board tanker from skiff?",
"what Cruiser was patrolling Gulf of Aden as part of U.S?",
"What kind of tanker was it?",
"how many mens captured?"
] | [
[
"The"
],
[
"western Gulf of Aden"
],
[
"would-be hijackers."
],
[
"USS Vella"
],
[
"Polaris."
],
[
"seven"
]
] | Seven men captured after failed attack on ship, U.S. Navy says .
Men tried to board tanker from skiff, but crew removed ladders, Navy says .
Navy cruiser found skiff after tanker made distress call .
Cruiser was patrolling Gulf of Aden as part of U.S.-led, antipiracy task force . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee are expected to ask a federal judge Monday to shut down Web sites they allege scam customers trying to buy Olympic tickets, according to court documents. The Web site www.beijingticketing.com is accused in a lawsuit of scamming Olympic ticket buyers. The IOC and the USOC filed lawsuits on July 22 against several Web sites -- primarily www.beijingticketing.com and www.beijing-2008tickets.com -- for illegally using Olympic trademarks to dupe customers into giving them credit card, passport and banking information. Lawyers for the IOC and USOC are expected to petition U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White on Monday to permanently shut down several sites listed in the lawsuit. The lawsuit names the company XL & H Ltd, known as Xclusive Leisure & Hospitality Ltd. and six other Web sites believed to be fraudulent. Several consumers who purchased tickets from the site contacted the USOC when they did not receive tickets, despite numerous calls and e-mails to the Web sites founder, according to a USOC press release. The scam has hit Olympic fans in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England, Japan, China and Norway, according to media reports. Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates told local media that relatives of the country's softball team had been victims of the site. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the New South Wales Government set up a hotline for those duped out of tickets. The hotline has received hundreds of calls from around the globe with consumers detailing losses as high as $57,000. The IOC and USOC successfully secured a restraining order on July 23 in federal court in Phoenix, Arizona, that shut down www.beijing-2008tickets.com, according to court documents. That site is now shut down and no contact information is available. The site www.BeijingTicketing.com priced tickets for Friday's Olympic opening ceremony at about $2,000, with events such as swimming selling for between $300 and $500. The site is the first entry that comes up for a Google search for "Olympic tickets," second only to the authorized dealer of Olympic tickets, www.cosport.com. The Web site ww.beijingticketing.com site lists a London phone number, which rang unanswered. The site lists an office address in Arizona. The site boasts tickets for nearly every Olympic event, with some events showing sell-outs already. The site also looked to assure ticket buyers of its authenticity with a note at the bottom of the site. "Beijing 2008 Ticketing is a well known tickets agent and a trusted market place for buyers to find book Olympic tickets," the note stated. "We assure 100% guaranteed tickets delivery." | [
"What site besides www.BeijingTicketing.com was named in suit?",
"What kind of ticket sites have bilked customers?",
"What did the fake ticket sites do as claimed by USOC and IOC?",
"What sites were involved?",
"what did USOC, IOC claim",
"What is the scandal?",
"Which 2 Chinese travel sites are named in a suit?",
"what are the sites named in suit"
] | [
[
"www.beijing-2008tickets.com"
],
[
"www.beijingticketing.com"
],
[
"scam customers"
],
[
"primarily www.beijingticketing.com and www.beijing-2008tickets.com"
],
[
"Web sites they allege scam customers"
],
[
"scamming Olympic ticket buyers."
],
[
"www.beijing-2008tickets.com"
],
[
"primarily www.beijingticketing.com and www.beijing-2008tickets.com"
]
] | USOC, IOC claim fake ticket sites have bilked customers using their trademark .
Sites www.BeijingTicketing.com and www.beijing-2008tickets.com named in suit .
One site claims "We assure 100 % guaranteed tickets delivery" |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service has just entered "The Twilight Zone." "The Honeymooners" is one of 20 classic TV stamps that will soon find its way on the corner of envelopes. The classic show appears on one of 20 stamps released this week, featuring 1950s hit television shows. The first-class stamps include images of "Dragnet," "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Honeymooners," "I Love Lucy," "Lassie," "The Lone Ranger," "Ozzie and Harriet" and "Perry Mason." "All of the classic television shows represented on these stamps represent the collective memory of a generation well deserving of entertainment," said James C. Miller III, a Postal Service board member. "It was a generation that survived the Great Depression and fought World War II. They were pioneers -- creative geniuses -- who brought television shows of the 1950s into our homes, breaking new ground to provide entertainment for everyone." The retro-style stamps, featuring black-and-white images of the shows, were designed by Carl Herrman, an artist from Las Vegas, Nevada. The Postal Service releases several commemorative stamps annually. This year's releases have included civil rights pioneers, President Abraham Lincoln and author Edgar Allan Poe. | [
"Who designed the stamps?",
"How many classic TV shows will be honoured?",
"What age of tv will the new postage stamps commemorate?",
"What are the stamps commemorating?",
"How many classic TV shows will be honored?",
"Which artist designed the stamps?",
"What artist designed the retro-style stamps?",
"New postage stamps will commemorate what?"
] | [
[
"Carl Herrman,"
],
[
"20"
],
[
"1950s"
],
[
"civil rights pioneers, President Abraham Lincoln and author Edgar Allan Poe."
],
[
"20"
],
[
"Carl Herrman,"
],
[
"Carl Herrman,"
],
[
"1950s hit television shows."
]
] | New postage stamps will commemorate "Golden Age of TV"
"The Honeymooners," "I Love Lucy" among 20 classic TV shows honored .
Retro-style stamps were designed by artist Carl Herrman . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service spent more than $792,000 "without justification" on meals and events in one five-month period even as it reported losing $3.8 billion this year, the agency's inspector general says in a report. Employees spent $792,022 on meals and external events "without justification for food purchases, purchased alcohol without officer approval and exceeded the dollar limit for meals," the report says. Among the purchases were crab cakes, beef Wellington and scallops at an installation ceremony for one of several postmasters in the United States, the report says. Despite the Postal Service's mandate to curtail spending, its inspector general found that "imprudent spending continues to occur, including continued purchases of gift cards from unauthorized vendors and expensive items purchased as employee recognition awards and retirement gifts." Read the full report (PDF) Such purchases conflict with the agency's goal to drive down costs, according to the report, which covered spending during several months in late 2008 and early 2009. The Postal Service reported a $3.8 billion net loss for the 2009 fiscal year, despite cost-cutting and reductions in retiree health benefit payments. Asked about the expenses, a Postal Service spokesman pointed to an agency response included in the report. In that response, the agency's vice president and controller, Vincent Devito, agreed to enforce a spending limit on events and recognition awards as well as make sure employees justify business meal expenses. "We agree that further policy enforcement is essential to ensure that the policy is followed and imprudent spending is no longer an issue," Devito wrote. "It appears there is still work to be done in curtailing spending even further during this time of economic uncertainty." Among the report's findings: • There was "no business justification" for $355,451 of food provided at a September 2008 national sales educational conference; it included a $96-per-person dinner and a $500 "bartender charge." • An installation celebration for one postmaster -- the report didn't say where -- included "unallowable food purchases" totaling more than $17,000. The menu included "crab cakes, beef Wellington, shrimp and scallops" even though Postal Service guidelines allow for only "light snacks" at such events. • There was "no business necessity or justification" provided for $77,757 in breakfast meals for events between September 2008 and February 2009. The report, issued December 3, documented purchases for lodging, table linens, flowers and other items "that we consider excessive during this challenging economic time." "Such purchases are in direct conflict with the Postal Service's objective of driving down costs in all operations and processes," the report said. "Moreover, the public's image of such purchases could have a detrimental effect on the Postal Service's public image." The report cited two Postal Service districts that purchased movie tickets for $14,140 to give incentives to employees after the postmaster general "issued a memo directing a curtailment of spending." It also documented the purchase of 30 retirement watches, costing $216 each, in another district. A CNN investigation this year revealed that the Postal Service spent $1.2 million to buy the lakefront home of an employee who was relocating. The purchase was part of a policy that allowed the Postal Service to pay for employee homes when they moved, whatever the cost. Months after the story, the Postal Service changed its policy to limit home purchases to $800,000. | [
"What financial loss amount was reported in 2009 fiscal year?",
"what does the agency's vice president say?",
"What employee incentive did districts spend $14,140 on?",
"what do the purchases conflict with goal?",
"How much was spent on movie tickets?",
"In what year did was a $3.8 billion loss reported?",
"What did the purchases for the ceremony include?",
"What were crab cakes, beef Wellington and scallops purchased for?"
] | [
[
"$3.8 billion"
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[
"\"We agree that further policy enforcement is essential to ensure that the policy is followed and imprudent spending is no longer an issue,\""
],
[
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[
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],
[
"$14,140"
],
[
"2009"
],
[
"crab cakes, beef Wellington and scallops"
],
[
"an installation ceremony"
]
] | Purchases included crab cakes, beef Wellington, scallops for postmaster installation ceremony .
Report cites districts for buying $14,140 in movie tickets as employee incentives .
Purchases conflict with goal to cut costs after reporting $3.8 billion loss in 2009 fiscal year .
"It appears there is still work to be done in curtailing spending," agency's vice president says . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged businessman Robert Allen Stanford with orchestrating an $8 billion fraudulent investment program. Stanford presents a trophy to the winners of his Twenty20 cricket tournament in November 2008. Stanford is the tycoon who bankrolled the Twenty20 Super Series cricket competition in the West Indies last year. The Texan has also contributed millions of dollars to the West Indies Cricket Board in an attempt to boost their flagging fortunes. Rose Romero, Regional Director of the SEC's Fort Worth Regional Office in Texas, said, "We are alleging a fraud of shocking magnitude that has spread its tentacles throughout the world." Stanford allegedly fabricated historical return data to prey on investors. The SEC says the investigation is on-going. Reuters.com reports three of Stanford's companies are involved in the SEC probe including Texas-based Stanford Group Co, Antigua-based Stanford International Bank and investment adviser Stanford Capital Management. The SEC Web site said Stanford International Bank CFO James Davis and Stanford Financial Group chief investment officer Laura Pendergest-Holt also face charges. It added that U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor granted a temporary restraining order freezing the defendants' assets and appointed a receiver to marshal those assets, as part of a request for emergency relief for the benefit of defrauded investors. The SEC's complaint alleges that the fraud centered on a program in which Stanford International Bank promised "improbable and unsubstantiated high interest rates." SIB allegedly acted through a network of Stanford Group Company financial advisers to sell approximately $8 billion of "certificates of deposit" to investors. The bank boasted a unique investment strategy that it said allowed it to receive double-digit returns on its investments for the past 15 years, the SEC said. Early Tuesday, CNBC reported federal marshals were seen entering the offices of Stanford Financial Group in Houston. Reuters reported an eyewitness saw a sign taped to the window stating the company is now "under the management of a receiver." Stanford Financial Group could not immediately be reached for comment. According to the SEC's complaint, a close circle of Stanford's family and friends operates SIB. Its investment committee, responsible for managing the bank's multi-billion dollar portfolio of assets, includes Stanford; Stanford's father, who lives in Mexia, Texas; another Mexia resident with business experience in cattle ranching and car sales; Pendergest-Holt, who had no financial or securities experience prior to joining SFG; and Davis, Stanford's college roommate. The SEC alleges an additional scheme relating to $1.2 billion in sales. Stanford Group Company advisers are accused of using materially false historical performance data to create a mutual fund program called Stanford Allocation Strategy, the release said. According to the complaint, the false data helped grow the program from less than $10 million in 2004 to more than $1 billion, generating SGC - and ultimately, Stanford - about $25 million in 2007 and 2008. In the UK, the Press Association news agency reported that the England and Wales Cricket Board has ceased negotiations with Stanford, who was expected to become a major backer of a proposed tournament in England from 2010. | [
"Who alleges fraud?",
"Who is charged in alleged multi-billion dollar fraud?",
"Which probe is continuing?",
"Who is the tycoon who bankrolled the cricket Twenty20 Super Series?",
"Who is continuing the probe?",
"Who was charged?"
] | [
[
"The"
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[
"$8 billion fraudulent investment program."
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[
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"U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission"
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[
"Robert Allen Stanford"
]
] | Robert Allen Stanford charged in alleged multi-billion dollar fraud .
Securities and Exchange commission says probe is continuing .
SEC alleges fraud of 'shocking magnitude that spread tentacles throughout world'
Stanford is the tycoon who bankrolled the cricket Twenty20 Super Series . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Senate gave final approval Friday to a $787 billion recovery package that President Obama hopes will help boost an economy in freefall with a combination of government spending and tax cuts and credits.
Sen. Sherrod Brown speaks to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at right on the Senate floor Friday.
Approved earlier by the House, the plan -- which went through multiple permutations as it bounced back and forth on Capitol Hill over the past week -- now goes to Obama's desk, where he plans to sign it into law by Presidents Day.
Spending in the package includes about $120 billion for infrastructure -- new projects repairing bridges, roads, government buildings and the like -- more than $100 billion for education and $30 billion on energy-related projects that Obama says will create "green jobs."
More than $212 billion goes to tax breaks for individuals and businesses, and another $267 billion is in direct spending like food stamps and unemployment benefits.
The Congressional Budget Office has predicted that the plan will create between 1 million and 3 million jobs.
Most individuals will get a $400 tax credit, and couples will get $800.
The vote by the Senate took several hours longer than a simple roll call of its 100 members generally would. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, attended a wake for his mother until about 8 p.m. Friday.
Voting began about 5:30 p.m. Then, the Senate chamber sat nearly empty until Brown arrived to vote about five hours later.
He was flown from Ohio to Washington on a plane provided by the White House, which said no commercial flights were available that would have allowed Brown to cast a vote and return to Ohio in time for his mother's funeral Saturday.
As had been the case when the original version of the package passed, the stimulus package garnered no Republican support in the House. The compromise legislation, which was hammered out by House and Senate leaders and White House staff over the past several days, passed in the House on a 246-183 vote.
Three Republicans -- Susan Collins and Olympia Snow of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania -- supported it in the Senate. Their support was needed to give the plan the 60 votes needed to keep it from being shut down by Republican parliamentary procedures.
All Democrats in the Senate supported the plan. Seven House Democrats opposed it.
Although the package was signed off on by leadership Thursday, a written version wasn't available to most lawmakers until about 11 p.m.
Some Republicans in the House expressed frustration over how little time they had to read the 1,000-plus-page bill, and others predicted ruin if it passed. Watch the stimulus pass without GOP support »
"Just because Republicans spent too much money after September 11 and lost our way on financial matters doesn't mean the Democratic party should be allowed to wreck our ship of state," said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tennessee. "This is taking us quickly down the wrong road. Vote no." Watch the GOP say 'Americans deserve better' »
Other lawmakers, however, said they were hopeful the stimulus plan would get the economy back on track.
"We know this bill alone will not solve all of our economic woes overnight. We know that the road back to economic stability and prosperity will require hard work over time," said Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colorado. "But this bill is the right size and scope necessary to truly help us turn things around."
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, who returned to Capitol Hill for votes this week, was not present for the final vote because he returned to Florida to continue his recovery from brain cancer.
The bill passed the Senate 60-38.
Here's how the compromise bill is expected to affect individuals:
Most individuals will get a $400 tax credit, and most couples will get an $800 credit. That amounts to an extra $13 a week in a person's paycheck, starting in June. That's less than what Obama campaigned on: $ | [
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[
"Sen. Sherrod Brown,"
]
] | Senate approves bill with vote of 60-38 .
Sherrod Brown casts deciding vote after being flown from mother's wake .
House approves bill 246-183; no Republicans back measure . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. State Department said Sunday it was "deeply disturbed" at the deportation of 20 Uyghur asylum seekers from Cambodia back to China. The deportation "will affect Cambodia's relationship with the U.S. and its international standing," said acting State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid in a statement. It occurred on Saturday at the request of China, the U.S. said. "The United States is deeply concerned about the welfare of these individuals, who had sought protection under international law," Duguid said. "We are also deeply disturbed that the Cambodian government decided to forcibly remove the group without the benefit of a credible process for determining refugee status and without appropriate participation by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees." Kitty McKinsey, a coordinator with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees agency in Asia, told CNN on Saturday that the refugees had been seeking asylum. China's northwestern region was wracked by ethnic violence between Han Chinese and Uyghur Muslims earlier this year, and the Uyghurs fled to Cambodia to escape the unrest. McKinsey said the UNHCR considers the deportation a breach of international law, and Uyghur human rights activists have expressed concern about the move. The Uyghur American Association also expressed concern in a statement. The 20 were held in handcuffs and leg shackles and were not given any food to eat on Friday, according to the association. They were part of a group of 22 Uyghurs seeking refuge in Cambodia, all of whom were under UNHCR protection when taken into custody. "The United States strongly opposed Cambodia's involuntary return of these asylum seekers before their claims have been heard," the State Department said. Duguid urged the Chinese government to "uphold international norms and to ensure transparency, due process and proper treatment of persons in its territory" now that the Uyghurs have been returned. Cambodian and Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for a response. But a Cambodian state media outlet, Agence Kampuchea Presse, reported that Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is to arrive in Cambodia on Sunday for a three-day visit. | [
"What is the reason the Uyghurs felled to Cambodia?",
"Where do Uyghurs come from?",
"How many Uyghurs where deported back to China?",
"What is the U.S. condemning?"
] | [
[
"escape the unrest."
],
[
"Cambodia"
],
[
"20"
],
[
"asylum seekers from Cambodia back to China."
]
] | U.S. condemns deportation of 20 Uyghur asylum-seekers from Cambodia back to China .
Uyghurs fled to Cambodia to escape ethnic violence in China's northwestern region earlier this year .
The 20 refugees were held in handcuffs and leg shackles and not given food, said Uyghur American Association . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. Treasury Department will begin selling bonds Wednesday to help the Federal Reserve, which has had to loan out an unprecedented amount of money to businesses because of the credit crisis.
CNN's Ali Velshi says the Fed needs access to large amounts of cash to keep Wall Street confident.
The Fed announced Tuesday it would authorize the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to lend up to $85 billion over two years to insurance giant American International Group. In return, the government will receive a 79.9 percent stake in the company, which has 74 million clients in 130 countries.
The first Treasury auction for the central bank will be for $40 million. The Treasury bills will mature in 35 days, allowing the Fed access to quick cash.
But what does this mean to American taxpayers and an ailing U.S. economy? CNN senior business correspondent Ali Velshi breaks it down.
Q: What does this mean in layman's terms?
A: The Federal Reserve keeps a lot of money in supply to help banks, and basically, when they help them, it means they loan them money. As this credit crisis intensified, the Fed invited more and more banks to come and borrow from it and would accept collateral that was not as high-quality as it would typically accept. The Fed was the lender of last resort for a bank; you paid a premium to borrow money from the Fed, and you had to give them your best collateral.
What's happening now is you still pay a premium, but you can go with lower collateral. The thinking behind that is the more banks feel free to go to the Fed to borrow money, the less likely they are to get money at higher interest from other sources and the less likely they are to fail as a result. In other words, if they feel that there is an ability to borrow money from the Fed -- if they absolutely have to to stay afloat -- that facility is there.
Well, the number of banks that have taken advantage of this has caused the reserve at the Federal Reserve to go from about $800 billion to, by some estimates, as low as $200 billion. And when they do things like the bailout of AIG, that's where that money comes from. Watch experts discuss what the bailout means for consumers »
So you do the math, and there's some sense that the Fed could run out of money to finance these banks, to give loans. And just the idea that the Fed could run out of that money causes Wall Street to panic because it says, "If four more banks were to fail, the Fed wouldn't have money to bail them out, so we're in a bad situation."
So the thinking is: Let's increase the Federal Reserve's reserve, and that's what this auction is. It's the first in a series of auctions -- this one will be for $40 billion -- where the Treasury on behalf of the Federal Reserve issues bonds that they will sell at auction, the way they normally do, and they'll be for 35-day periods. So the Fed gives out those bonds, and in exchange, gets cash and the Fed sits on that cash and uses it for whatever it needs.
Q: Why would the government bail out a company like AIG but let Lehman Brothers file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection?
A: Speaking frankly, the world can do without another investment firm. If an investment bank fails, any remaining investment bank can hire more people and take their jobs. AIG is not an investment bank. As a principal insurer, it insures consumers, it insures businesses and it insures business ventures, so it's not just that your corner store needs insurance.
AIG insures things like rigs and Hollywood movies and those subprime mortgage-backed securities. The utter failure of business that would ensue from a failure of AIG would be catastrophic and would actually leave the government having to pick up a few things along the way.
The best analogy I've been able to come up with is to use an | [
"Who is auctioning off this bond?",
"When is this bond auction going to happen?",
"Who said the Fed needs more money?",
"When did the US Treasury hold its first bond auction?",
"How much is the loan?",
"Who said the Feds need more money?",
"What would keep Wall Street confident?",
"What does \"AIG\" stand for?",
"How much was the loan that the government gave to AIG",
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] | [
[
"U.S. Treasury Department"
],
[
"Wednesday"
],
[
"Ali Velshi"
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[
"Wednesday"
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[
"$85 billion"
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[
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[
"the Fed needs access to large amounts of cash"
],
[
"American International Group."
],
[
"$85 billion"
],
[
"U.S. Treasury Department"
]
] | U.S. Treasury to hold its first bond auction Wednesday, for $40 billion .
CNN's Ali Velshi says the Fed needs more money to keep Wall Street confident .
AIG has so many "tentacles," allowing it to go under could've been catastrophic .
High interest on $85B loan, government stake in AIG could bode well for taxpayers . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan has a unique résumé: he served two tours in the country as a general, training Afghan police and troops, before trading his uniform for a diplomat's business suit. His career history may give Karl Eikenberry's word particular weight as President Obama struggles to come up with a way forward in Afghanistan. Eikenberry sent private cables to Obama last week, urging the president not to rush to send more troops to Afghanistan -- although the top U.S. military commander there, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, wants 40,000 more pairs of boots on the ground. Initial reports about the cables sent by Eikenberry appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times. All three newspapers attributed the reports to senior U.S. officials, without identifying them. Two U.S. officials confirmed to CNN that Eikenberry sent two cables to Washington expressing reservations about troop increases amid uncertainty over President Hamid Karzai's government. Neither Eikenberry nor the White House would comment on the contents of private advice between the envoy and the president, but the reports alarmed Karzai enough that his office sought confirmation from the U.S. Embassy about them, a Karzai spokesman told CNN. Karzai's office did not get the information it sought, the spokesman said. Whatever Eikenberry told the president, the ambassador is unusually well versed in the military problems facing Afghanistan. He retired from the Army after nearly 40 years of service with the rank of lieutenant general on April 28 -- one day before he was sworn in as ambassador, according to his State Department biography. His long military career included time in Kabul as U.S. security coordinator and chief of the Office of Military Cooperation. "Afghanistan has been at the center of my career since 9/11, when the terrorist-commandeered aircraft crashed into the Pentagon just below the office in which I was working," Eikenberry said at his Senate confirmation hearing in March. "There is no silver bullet and no quick, cheap or easy solutions. There is no substitute for more resources and sacrifice," he said then. But, he added: "There is no exclusively military solution to the issues we and our partners confront in Afghanistan." He also advised the U.S. secretary of defense on China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mongolia, and was deputy director for strategy, plans and policy on the Army staff. But he's not new to embassy life, having served as defense attache at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. Eikenberry has a master's degree in east Asian studies from Harvard, an advanced degree in Chinese history from Nanjing University in China, and is a certified translator from Mandarin Chinese. He's also clearly attached to his wife, Ching, insisting in his Senate confirmation hearing that she accompany him to Kabul even though State Department rules barred spouses because the country is so dangerous. He prevailed. He and his wife are hosting a dinner Saturday night in Kabul for a visiting U.S. lawmaker. | [
"What title did Eikenberry hold whilst he served time in Kabul",
"When did Eikenberry advise the secretary of defense?",
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"What did Eikenberry do?",
"what did he advise US secretey of defense",
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] | [
[
"U.S. security coordinator"
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[
"for strategy, plans and policy on the Army staff."
],
[
"nearly 40"
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[
"sent private cables to Obama last week,"
],
[
"China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mongolia,"
],
[
"China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mongolia,"
],
[
"Eikenberry"
]
] | Eikenberry retired from the Army after nearly 40 years of service .
Military career included time in Kabul as chief of Office of Military Cooperation .
He advised U.S. secretary of defense on China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mongolia . |
(CNN) -- The U.S. diplomatic courtship with Iraq in the 1980s continued despite Saddam Hussein's use of chemical weapons. Click on the links to read once-classified documents from the Reagan administration.
Once-classified documents show the U.S. continued its courtship with Iraq despite use of chemical weapons.
Date: December 5, 1986 Subject: U.S.-Iraqi Relations: Picking Up the Pieces Summary: After disclosures that the United States was secretly providing weapons to Iraq's enemy, Iran, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy recommends strengthening commercial ties with Saddam Hussein because "U.S.-Iraqi relations are in crisis." Read the document (pdf)
Date: March 3, 1988 Subject: Iraq's Foreign Policy: Deeper into the Mainstream Summary: Anticipating an end to the Iran-Iraq war, a State Department official is optimistic that continued ties between the United States and Iraq will lead Saddam Hussein "deeper into the mainstream." The author concludes that "fears of Iraq's aggression seem exaggerated." Two weeks later, Iraqi forces attack Kurdish civilians in Halabja with poisonous gas. Read the document (pdf)
Date: December 29, 1988 Subject: Export-Import Financing for Iraq Summary: In the closing days of the Reagan administration, the State Department's top human rights official argues that continued financial aid to Iraq "can simply not be squared with our worldwide human rights policy." However, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy counters that U.S. financial ties with Iraq have "far greater use with Baghdad as a carrot than as a stick." A year and a half later, Iraq invades Kuwait. Read the document (pdf) | [
"What continued?",
"Who did diplomatic courtship continue with?",
"What do the subjects include?",
"From which administration are the once-classified documents?",
"What administration are the documents from?",
"What continues despite use of chemical weapons?",
"From what adminstration did the once-classified documents come from?"
] | [
[
"U.S. diplomatic courtship with Iraq in the 1980s"
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[
"Iraq"
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[
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[
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[
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],
[
"the Reagan administration."
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] | Diplomatic courtship with Iraq continued despite use of chemical weapons .
Read once-classified documents from the Reagan administration .
Subjects include "Export-Import Financing for Iraq" and "Iraq's Foreign Policy" |
(CNN) -- The U.S. government Thursday announced its highest penalty for coal mine safety violations, $1.85 million, for a collapse that killed six miners in Utah last year. Supervisory Mining Engineer Joe Zelanko on Thursday describes the earth movements at Crandall Canyon mine. Insufficient pillar support and activity in areas that should not have been mined caused the August Crandall Canyon mine collapse, federal investigators found. The government fined the mine operator, Genwal Resources, $1.34 million "for violations that directly contributed to the deaths of six miners last year," plus nearly $300,000 for other violations. The government also levied a $220,000 fine against a mining consultant, Agapito Associates, "for faulty analysis of the mine's design." The mine's owner had insisted that earth movement detected at the time of the collapse had caused the disaster. But investigators found instead that the collapse caused the earth movement. "It was not -- and I repeat, it was not -- a natural occurring earthquake," said the government's top mine safety official, Richard E. Stickler. Stickler, the acting assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, said, "pillars failed under excessive load and ejected coal very violently." Stickler also said the mine's operator "was taking more coal than allowed from the barrier pillars and the floor." "This dangerously weakened the strength of the roof support," Stickler said. In addition to the six miners killed in the initial cave-in August 6 in northwest Emery County, three would-be rescuers died 10 days later in a subsequent collapse. The bodies of the six miners killed in the initial collapse were never recovered. Richard Gates, the lead investigator for the government, said the pillars in the mine "simply were not large enough to support the load." That resulted in a "catastrophic failure of pillars over a broad area," as large as half a mile, he said. University of Utah scientists said in June that the collapse was not the result of an earthquake. "As seismologists, we're as certain as we can be that the seismic event registered as a magnitude-3.9 shock was due to the collapse of the mine and not a naturally occurring earthquake," said Walter Arabasz, director of the university's Utah Seismograph Stations, in a written statement. Earlier this year, a Labor Department report criticized Mine Safety and Health Administration officials for approving plans for a risky mining technique, known as retreat mining, that was in use before the collapse. In the process, miners remove pillars of coal that support the roof of a chamber one by one, allowing the roof to collapse behind them. Mine owner Bob Murray repeatedly denied in the days after the disaster that his company practiced retreat mining at Crandall Canyon. He later admitted that the practice had been used at the mine but said it was not being done at the time of the disaster. | [
"What led to Crandall Canyon collapse?",
"Who was fined for the collaspe?",
"What caused the collaspe?",
"What was the operator charged with?",
"What led up to the collapse?",
"Where was the mine collapse?",
"Who was blamed for the mine collaspe?",
"Who was fined more than $1.5 million?"
] | [
[
"Insufficient pillar support and activity in areas that should not have been mined"
],
[
"Genwal Resources,"
],
[
"Insufficient pillar support and activity in areas that should not have been mined"
],
[
"\"for violations that directly contributed to the deaths of six miners last year,\""
],
[
"Insufficient pillar support"
],
[
"Utah"
],
[
"Genwal Resources,"
],
[
"Genwal Resources,"
]
] | Feds: Violations by Utah mine's operator led to 2007 collapse that killed six .
Bad design, improper mining led to Crandall Canyon collapse, feds say .
Mine operator fined more than $1.5 million . |
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