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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The office of Muqtada al-Sadr accused Iraqi and U.S. forces of attacking Sadr City on Friday, just hours after the Shiite cleric called for calm in the wake of the assassination of one of his top aides in the southern city of Najaf. Iraqi Sadrists march Friday in the Najaf funeral procession of Sayyed Riyadh al-Nuri, top aide to Muqtada al-Sadr. Witnesses and media in the heavily Shiite Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, home to the cleric's power base in the capital, reported heavy fighting between U.S.-backed Iraqi troops and al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia. The witnesses said U.S. aircraft had been bombarding the area for hours, and media reported rockets slamming into houses and many casualties. Witnesses and al-Sadr's office said mosques were making loudspeaker announcements about Mehdi Army attacks on U.S. military armored vehicles. U.S. troops working in support of Iraqi soldiers killed two snipers, two other men firing rocket-propelled grenades and "multiple others from a nearby building where soldiers were taking RPG and machine gun fire," the U.S. military said in a statement. At the same time -- about 9 p.m. -- at least six roadside bombs damaged vehicles in a U.S. Army convoy that was transporting barriers for a group of Iraqi Army soldiers establishing a checkpoint, the military said. Afterward, the military said, the Iraqi and U.S. soldiers were attacked by small-arms, machine-gun and RPG fire from buildings overlooking the road. The soldiers fired back at their attackers, killing at least four of them. More explosions from the buildings indicated possible arms and munitions stored there, the military said. But the small-arms attack continued until the U.S. forces fired two rounds from an M1A2 Abrams tank, killing two more attackers. Not long afterward, the U.S. Air Force, operating an unmanned aerial vehicle, fired a Hellfire missile at three men spotted setting roadside bombs, killing all three. Maj. John Gossart, executive officer of the American unit involved, said that no U.S. or Iraqi troops were seriously hurt. Earlier, al-Sadr issued remarks about the killing of Sayyed Riyadh al-Nuri, who was shot outside his house in Najaf's Adala neighborhood after returning from Friday prayers. "The hands of the occupiers and their collaborators have treacherously reached our beloved martyr Sayyed Riyadh al-Nuri," al-Sadr wrote in a statement on the Web. Al-Nuri is one of 17 people killed over 24 hours in airstrikes, fighting and attacks in areas wracked in recent weeks by fighting among Shiites. The assassination prompted an immediate vehicle ban in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, anger among mourners and an intensification of fighting in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki issued a statement deploring the killing and ordering an investigation. Al-Sadr issued remarks about the killing in a statement on a Web site. Spokesman Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi emphasized that the cleric is not accusing anyone in particular of the killing but believes that the killers "are the ones who are following the occupiers' steps and don't want stability for the country." But al-Obeidi called the killing an "act of provocation" after the "siege of Sadr City." He was referring to the battles since Sunday involving members of al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia and Iraqi security forces dominated by a rival Shiite political movement, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq. That fighting started with an offensive in Basra and spread to other Shiite regions, including Sadr City and the Babil provincial capital of Hilla. The al-Nuri assassination prompted officials to expand the daily curfew in Hilla. Police said a ban on all outside movement that usually begins at 11 p.m. and ends at 8 a.m. will instead start at 8:30 p.m. Violence continued Friday in several places in Iraq. Suicide bombings killed at least four people -- three of them police -- and wounded 15, officials said. The first bombing was in Ramadi, the provincial capital of the predominantly Sunni Anbar province west of Baghdad, an Interior
[ "where was this shooting?", "Where was the attack?", "Did the Iraqi patrol come under fire?" ]
[ [ "Najaf." ], [ "City" ], [ "Iraqi and U.S. soldiers were attacked by small-arms, machine-gun and RPG fire" ] ]
NEW: U.S. troops kill two snipers, two other men firing rocket-propelled grenades . Army says U.S., Iraqi patrol came under fire setting up checkpoint . Muqtada al-Sadr blames U.S., calls for calm after top aide killed in Najaf . Mortar attack kills three at Palestine Hotel across from International Zone .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The remains of two U.S. contractors who were kidnapped in Iraq have been found, FBI officials said Monday. The bureau identified the two as Ronald Withrow of Roaring Springs, Texas, abducted on January 5, 2007, and John Roy Young of Kansas City, Missouri, who was captured on November 16, 2006. Withrow worked for Las Vegas, Nevada-based JPI Worldwide Inc., and Young worked for Crescent Security Group. The FBI said it had notified the families of the contractors. Meanwhile, four U.S. soldiers died Sunday night in a roadside bombing in Iraq, military officials reported, bringing the American toll in the 5-year-old war to 4,000 deaths. The four were killed when a homemade bomb hit their vehicle as they patrolled in a southern Baghdad neighborhood, the U.S. military headquarters in Iraq said. A fifth soldier was wounded. The grim milestone comes less than a week after the fifth anniversary of the start of the war. "No casualty is more or less significant than another; each soldier, Marine, airman and sailor is equally precious and their loss equally tragic," said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, the U.S. military's chief spokesman in Iraq. "Every single loss of a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine is keenly felt by military commanders, families and friends both in theater and at home." Of the 4,000 U.S. military personnel killed in the war, 3,263 have died in attacks and fighting and 737 in nonhostile incidents, such as traffic accidents and suicides. Eight of those killed were civilians working for the Pentagon. The numbers are based on Pentagon data counted by CNN. Check out a company that makes headstones for fallen U.S. troops » President Bush made remarks about lives lost in Iraq at the State Department on Monday. "One day, people will look back at this moment in history and say, 'Thank God there were courageous people willing to serve, because they laid the foundations for peace for generations to come,' " he said. "I have vowed in the past and I will vow so long as I'm president to make sure that those lives were not lost in vain; that, in fact, there's an outcome that will merit the sacrifice that civilian and military alike have made." Also Sunday, at least 35 Iraqis died as the result of suicide bombings, mortar fire and the work of gunmen in cars who opened fire on a crowded outdoor market. Nearly 100 were wounded in the violence. Estimates of the Iraqi death toll since the war began range from about 80,000 to the hundreds of thousands. Watch an Iraqi family talk about faith in a war zone » Another 2 million Iraqis have been forced to leave the country, and 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes within Iraq, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Many of the Iraqis and U.S. troops killed over the years, like the four soldiers slain Sunday in Baghdad, have been targeted by improvised explosive devices -- the roadside bombs that have come to symbolize Iraq's tenacious insurgency. Watch how the bombs have become a deadly staple » The Pentagon's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization has been developed to counter the threat of roadside bombs in Iraq as well as Afghanistan. The group calls such bombs the "weapon of choice for adaptive and resilient networks of insurgents and terrorists." Nearly 160,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, and the war has cost U.S. taxpayers about $600 billion, according to the House Budget Committee. Senior U.S. military officials are preparing to recommend to Bush a four- to six-week pause in additional troop withdrawals from Iraq after the last of the so-called surge brigades leaves in July, CNN learned last week from U.S. military officials familiar with the recommendations but not authorized to talk about them. The return of all five brigades added to the Iraq contingent last year could reduce troop levels by up to 30,000 but still leave about 130,000 or more troops in Iraq. Also Monday, the U.S. military said six people killed in a weekend attack were "terrorists
[ "At least how many Iraqis were killed in attacks Sunday?", "what was found abducted in Iraq?", "what is the toll count of roadside bomb?", "where did the 35 Iraqis got killed?", "What was found of two US contractors?", "Where were the contractors abducted?", "At least how many Iraqis were killed?", "What happened when a roadside bomb hit vehicle?", "What is the death toll at?" ]
[ [ "35" ], [ "two U.S. contractors" ], [ "four" ], [ "crowded outdoor market." ], [ "remains" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "35" ], [ "four were killed" ], [ "4,000" ] ]
NEW: Remains found of two U.S. contractors who were abducted in Iraq, FBI says . U.S. death toll at 4,000 after four soldiers die when roadside bomb hits vehicle . At least 35 Iraqis killed in attacks Sunday . People killed in U.S. weekend strike were "terrorists," not allies, U.S. says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The trial of an Iraqi journalist charged with throwing his shoes at U.S. President George Bush has been postponed, Iraq's Council of Ministers and one of the journalist's lawyers said Tuesday. Amman protesters support Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist held for throwing his shoes at President Bush. Muntadhir Al-Zaidi was due to go on trial Wednesday, but the Criminal Court postponed it pending an appeal filed by his lawyers with the Federal Court of Appeal, a spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council, Abdul Sattar Bayrakdar, said. Dhiya al-Saadi, who leads Al-Zaidi's 25-member legal team, confirmed the postponement. Al-Zaidi threw both of his shoes at Bush two weeks ago during a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad. Neither shoe hit the president, and others in the room quickly knocked Al-Zaidi to the ground before security officials arrested him. Many Iraqis hail Al-Zaidi, who faces a prison term if convicted, as a hero. More than 1,000 lawyers have volunteered to defend him, al-Saadi said. The lawyers' appeal asked the Federal Court to change Al-Zaidi's case from assaulting Bush to insulting him. If Al-Zaidi is convicted of the former, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, al-Saadi said. The lawyers are trying to persuade the appeals court that Al-Zaidi did not want to harm Bush by throwing the shoes, but simply wanted to insult him. By tradition, throwing a shoe is the most insulting act in the Arab world. Al-Saadi said he met with his client several days ago but was having difficulty meeting with him again. He did not give the reason he was not allowed to see Al-Zaidi but said many lawyers have trouble meeting with detainees in Iraqi or U.S. custody. It will take at least two weeks for the court to set a new date for Al-Zaidi's trial, legal expert Tariz Harab said. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "When was the trial due to start?", "What is the name of the journalist who threw a shoe at Bush?", "Who faces jail?", "Trial of who is delayed?", "What happened to the trial?", "Whose trial is delayed?", "What country is journalist Muntadhir Al-Zaidi from?", "Who faces jail if convicted?", "How long before the new trials date?", "What did an Iraqi journalist throw at President Bush?" ]
[ [ "Wednesday," ], [ "Muntazer al-Zaidi," ], [ "Muntazer al-Zaidi," ], [ "Muntazer al-Zaidi," ], [ "has been postponed," ], [ "Muntazer al-Zaidi," ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Muntadhir Al-Zaidi" ], [ "at least two weeks" ], [ "his shoes" ] ]
Trial of Iraqi journalist who threw shoes at U.S. President Bush delayed . Muntadhir Al-Zaidi faces jail if convicted; trial was due to start Wednesday . Many Iraqis hail the shoe thrower has a hero; mass protests followed his arrest . At least two weeks before new trial date set, legal experts say .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates flew into Iraq on Monday to oversee a change of command of American forces. Robert Gates is greeted Monday at Baghdad International Airport by Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin. Gen. Ray Odierno will take over command Tuesday from Gen. David Petraeus, whose 20-month term in Iraq saw a significant decline in violence with the deployment of additional U.S. troops. U.S. forces are in "mission transition," Gates said Monday, with some troops going home and others backing up Iraqis. "There is no question we will still be engaged, but the areas in which we are seriously engaged will continue to narrow," Gates said during his flight to Iraq. "The challenge for Odierno is how do we work with the Iraqis to preserve the gains we've already achieved and expand on them even as the number of U.S. forces are shrinking." Odierno is expected to set the stage for an eventual U.S. withdrawal. Petraeus will become the new chief of U.S. Central Command, in charge of American forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Gates, who is making his eighth trip to Iraq, said Petraeus played a "historic role" during his tenure. "I think he would be the first to acknowledge that he has had a brilliant strategy," he said. "But it has been the brigade commanders and company commanders and the soldiers and Marines and others on the ground who have actually made it work. "We have lost a lot of lives, but it's really been an extraordinary effort of translations of a great strategy into a great success in a very difficult circumstance." At a dinner on the eve of the change-of-command ceremony, Gates presented Petraeus with the Defense Superior Service Medal. He also gave Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, the Distinguished Civilian Service Award -- the highest award given by the secretary of Defense to those not in uniform. "I have never seen a working relationship like this," Gates told the two men. "To find leaders to do what many considered impossible, you two are such men." Odierno will receive his fourth star on Tuesday in a separate ceremony ahead of the change-of-command ceremony. The defense secretary on Monday also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and told the Iraqi leader that he has seen a notable improvement in security since his first visit to the country nearly two years ago, according to a statement released by the prime minister's office. Gates said the cooperation between Iraqi security forces and coalition forces was responsible for the improvement in security, according to the statement, and al-Maliki praised the successes of the Iraqi armed forces. The prime minister said the gains have brought about a greater sense of normalcy in the country, allowing many internally displaced Iraqis to return to their homes. They also have spurred the economy, he said. The situation in Iraq is far different from that in past years, the prime minister noted. As Gates arrived in Iraq, three bombings -- two in Baghdad and one in Diyala province's Balad Ruz -- provided a rude counterpoint to that message. Two car bombs went off in central Baghdad. The blasts killed 12 people and wounded 36 in the commercial area of the Karrada district, an Interior Ministry official said. The U.S. blamed al Qaeda in Iraq, but gave a lower death toll, saying two "possible" car bombs killed six people and wounded 27. In Balad Ruz, a female suicide bomber detonated explosives at the house of a former U.S. detainee, killing at least 22 people and wounding 33, according to a Diyala security official. The U.S. military also blamed al Qaeda in Iraq for a car bombing Friday in Dujail, north of Baghdad. The Interior Ministry said at least 30 people were killed and 45 wounded; the U.S. said 31 were killed and 40 were wounded. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report.
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[ [ "U.S. Secretary of Defense" ], [ "an eventual U.S. withdrawal." ], [ "Gen. Ray Odierno" ], [ "David Petraeus," ], [ "Gen. Ray Odierno" ], [ "Gen. Ray Odierno" ], [ "forces are in \"mission transition,\"" ], [ "\"mission transition,\"" ], [ "eventual U.S. withdrawal." ], [ "U.S. forces are in \"mission transition,\"" ], [ "an eventual U.S. withdrawal." ] ]
Defense Secretary Robert Gates says U.S. troops in midst of "mission transition" Gen. Ray Odierno taking over command in Iraq from Gen. David Petraeus . Odierno expected to set stage for eventual U.S. withdrawal .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S.-led forces captured two men believed to be senior al Qaeda in Iraq leaders, including one suspected of planning the 2006 kidnapping of U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, a military statement said. Jill Carroll, seen here in an interview following her 2006 release, was held for nearly three months in Iraq. Coalition forces captured the suspects in Baghdad on August 11 and 17, according to the statement. The suspects were identified as Salim Abdallah Ashur al-Shujayri, also known as Abu Uthman, and Ali Rash Nasir Jiyad al-Shammari, also known as Abu Tiba. Abu Uthman is suspected of masterminding Carroll's abduction, the statement said. Carroll, a freelance reporter for The Christian Science Monitor, was abducted in January 2006 and freed unharmed in March of that year. Both men are suspected of overseeing car or suicide bombings targeting Iraqis with the intent of inciting sectarian violence, the statement said. Abu Tiba is suspected to have been in charge of as many 15 al Qaeda in Iraq "attack cells," providing them with money, weapons and explosives, according to the statement. The men were also suspected of being connected to other kidnappings, the statement said. "The capture of Abu Tiba and Abu Uthman eliminates two of the few remaining experienced leaders in the AQI [al Qaeda in Iraq] network," the statement said.
[ "Who were the suspects captured this month?", "What was Abu Uthman suspected of masterminding?", "What was the name of the journalist abducted in 2006?", "What year did the kidnapping take place?", "Who was captured?", "what was Abu Uthman suspected of", "Who was abducted?", "Who masterminded the kidnapping?", "Who is a suspect?", "What has happened to Abu Uthman?", "what was carroll's profession?", "when Abu Uthman suspected of masterminding Jill Carroll's?", "who was kidnapped?", "Who were the suspects captured?", "Who was abducted in 2006?", "who is the suspected mastermind?", "What is Abu Uthman suspected of doing?" ]
[ [ "Salim Abdallah Ashur al-Shujayri, also known as Abu Uthman, and Ali Rash Nasir Jiyad al-Shammari, also known as Abu Tiba." ], [ "Carroll's abduction," ], [ "Jill Carroll," ], [ "2006" ], [ "two men" ], [ "masterminding Carroll's abduction," ], [ "Jill Carroll," ], [ "Abu Uthman" ], [ "Salim Abdallah Ashur al-Shujayri, also known as Abu Uthman, and Ali Rash Nasir Jiyad al-Shammari, also known as Abu Tiba." ], [ "Coalition forces captured" ], [ "journalist" ], [ "January 2006" ], [ "U.S. journalist Jill Carroll," ], [ "Salim Abdallah Ashur al-Shujayri," ], [ "U.S. journalist Jill Carroll," ], [ "Abu Uthman" ], [ "planning the 2006 kidnapping of U.S. journalist Jill Carroll," ] ]
Abu Uthman suspected of masterminding Jill Carroll's 2006 kidnapping . Uthman and another al Qaeda in Iraq suspect captured this month, military says . Carroll, a U.S. journalist, was abducted in 2006 but released unharmed weeks later .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier fired on his fellow troops at a counseling center at a base outside Baghdad, Iraq, on Monday, U.S. officials said, killing five people in the worst such attack of the six-year-old Iraq war. U.S. Army troops get a safety briefing before departing Camp Liberty, Iraq, in December 2008. The shooting occurred at 2 p.m. at a stress clinic at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad International Airport, two senior defense officials said. Though initial reports indicated the attacker was killed in the incident, the U.S. command in Baghdad said late Monday a suspect in the killings was in custody. Neither the suspect nor any of the victims had been identified, but a defense official with access to the latest reports on the incident told CNN that the suspect had been a patient at the treatment center. "Any time we lose one of our own, it affects us all," Col. John Robinson, a U.S. military spokesman, said in a written statement. President Obama said that he was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the "horrible tragedy." "My heart goes out to the families and friends of all the service members involved," he said in a written statement. "I will press to ensure that we fully understand what led to this tragedy, and that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our men and women in uniform are protected." The president said he discussed the issue in a meeting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday afternoon. And Gates expressed his own "horror and deep regret" at a press briefing. Watch the defense secretary talk about the incident » "If the preliminary reports are confirmed, such a tragic loss of life at the hands of our own forces is a cause for great and urgent concern," Gates said. "And I can assure you that it will get this department's highest priority attention." Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added the incident shows a need to "redouble" efforts regarding troop stress levels. Camp Liberty is tightly guarded, and U.S. troops are required to clear their weapons of ammunition while on the base. The only service members who have loaded weapons are those guarding high-ranking officers and military police. Monday's attack marks the sixth incident in which a service member was killed by a fellow service member since the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Camp Liberty is part of the Camp Victory Complex, one of the largest U.S. military bases in Iraq. It lies just northeast of Baghdad International Airport and is also near the massive al-Faw palace of executed former dictator Saddam Hussein. Once known as Camp Victory North, the base was renamed Camp Liberty in September 2004, or Camp Al-Tahreer in Arabic, according to GlobalSecurity.org, a Web site that provides background on military and security issues. Like other American facilities in Iraq, Camp Liberty provides a host of amenities for the thousands of U.S. troops who call it home during their combat tours. The base resembles a giant trailer park, dotted with air-conditioned two- or three-person units that house thousands of service members. It boasts several dining facilities catered by a private company, fully equipped gymnasiums, recreation centers and a post exchange that rivals Wal-Mart. In recent years, a number of fast food restaurants such as Burger King and Pizza Hut have opened, as well as private stores and a bazaar that sells local wares. The military set up several chapels, and each unit operates stress-relief clinics -- such as the one at which the shootings occurred Monday -- where troops can request counseling. CNN's Cal Perry, Chris Lawrence and Mike Mount contributed to this report.
[ "What number of people were killed?", "How many were injured?", "With whom did Obama discuss the incident?", "What profession was the attacker?", "How many died?", "Where had the suspect been treated previously?", "Who will Obama discuss the incident with?" ]
[ [ "five" ], [ "five people" ], [ "Defense Secretary Robert Gates" ], [ "U.S. soldier" ], [ "five" ], [ "at a stress clinic at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad International Airport," ], [ "Defense Secretary Robert Gates" ] ]
Defense official: Suspect had been a patient at the treatment center . President Obama to discuss incident with defense secretary . Attack is the deadliest on soldiers by a fellow soldier during Operation Iraqi Freedom . Five killed and three others wounded in incident .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A bomb attached to a car carrying an Iraqi army general exploded Saturday afternoon, killing the driver and wounding the general and a bystander, an Interior Ministry official said. U.S. soldiers patrol the streets of Baghdad's central district on Saturday. The official said Gen. Abdul Karim Jabbar was seriously wounded when the bomb went off between al-Firdous Square and al-Andalus Square. The U.S. military refers to bombs attached to civilian vehicles without the driver's knowledge as "sticky bombs." Separately, a civilian was killed and five were wounded in afternoon clashes between gunmen and Iraqi National Police in the al-Shaab neighborhood of northeastern Baghdad, the ministry official said. In the same neighborhood, a roadside bomb exploded at an Iraqi army checkpoint Baghdad, killing a child, the Interior Ministry official said. The blast also wounded four Iraqi soldiers. Also Saturday, two Iraqi soldiers were killed and another was wounded when a roadside bomb struck an Iraqi army patrol on Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad.
[ "Where was the child killed at?", "In the explosion of the car how many were injured?", "What parties were involved in the clash?", "Where did the bomb explode?", "Where was the Iraqi army checkpoint?", "Number of people killed by bomb attached to vehicle?", "Who was killed at the Iraqi army checkpoint?", "Where did the clash with the Iraqi Police take place?", "How was the civilian killed?" ]
[ [ "Iraqi army checkpoint Baghdad," ], [ "five" ], [ "gunmen and Iraqi National Police" ], [ "between al-Firdous Square and al-Andalus Square." ], [ "Baghdad," ], [ "killing the driver and wounding the general and a bystander," ], [ "the driver" ], [ "al-Shaab neighborhood of northeastern Baghdad," ], [ "afternoon clashes between gunmen and Iraqi National Police" ] ]
Bomb attached to vehicle explodes in Baghdad, killing one and injuring two . Civilian killed in clash between gunmen and Iraqi National Police in Baghdad . Child killed by roadside bomb at Iraqi army checkpoint .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A female suicide bomber Friday detonated in a crowd of mostly women and children on their way to a religious festival, killing at least 38 people and wounding 50 others, an Interior Ministry official said. Devout Shia Muslims walk in Baghdad towards the holy city of Karbala. The attack took place around noon between the towns of Iskandariya and Mussayib, south of the capital, Baghdad, as hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims are making their way to Karbala for Arbaeen, one of the holiest Shiite events. Ten of those injured are in critical condition. The suicide attack comes on the heels of other bombings targeting Shiite pilgrims earlier in the week and are signs that the sectarian conflicts that devastated Iraq in recent years are not over. An explosion in Karbala on Thursday killed at least five Shiite pilgrims and wounded 50 near a shrine. On Wednesday, a double car bombing struck a Baghdad bus station where Shiite pilgrims gathered for the holy day. Sixteen people were killed and 43 were wounded. Also, two pilgrims were killed and 16 were wounded Wednesday in roadside bombings in Baghdad. The holy day commemorates the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and one of the most revered Shiite figures. He died in battle in the seventh century and is buried in Karbala. In recent years, insurgents have targeted Shiite pilgrims, who usually walk to Karbala from across Iraq as a demonstration of piety and as part of tradition. The city is about 60 miles (100 km) southwest of Baghdad. Last year, a flurry of attacks on pilgrims killed at least 48 people. In 2007, more than 180 pilgrims were killed in a series of attacks, most from suicide bombings in Babil province, through which the pilgrims pass. More than 30,000 Iraqi Security Forces troops have been deployed in and around Karbala this year to protect the anticipated millions of pilgrims heading there for Monday's commemoration, according to Karbala's military commander, Gen. Othman al-Ghanemi. CNN's Yousil Bassil contributed to this report.
[ "Who is targeting the Iraqi Shiite pilgrims?", "who has been targeted for recent attacks?", "Where did the bomb detonate?", "what gender was the suicide bomber?", "How many were killed?" ]
[ [ "insurgents have targeted" ], [ "Shiite pilgrims," ], [ "in a crowd of mostly women and children" ], [ "female" ], [ "at least 38 people" ] ]
Female suicide bomber detonates in a crowd on way to a religious festival . In recent years, insurgents have targeted Iraqi Shiite pilgrims walking to Karbala . 2 children killed in separate incident when unexploded mortar round exploded .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A female suicide bomber in northern Iraq targeted buoyant soccer fans who had just watched their national team win a big match against China, authorities told CNN. At least 29 people were wounded when the bomber detonated her suicide vest in a marketplace in the Diyala province town of Qara Tappa, a predominantly Shiite Kurdish town with a Shiite Turkmen population. Col. Ragheb al-Omairi, spokesman for Diyala Military operations command, who confirmed the account, said police on foot patrols were also in the area of bombing. Twenty-five civilians and four police were wounded, with at least 12 of the civilians in critical condition. The match, which Iraq won 2-1, was watched avidly across the country by Iraqis of all stripes -- united by their love of soccer. The game was part of the Asian qualifier for the 2010 South Africa World Cup, and Iraq and China are part of Group 1, along with Australia and Qatar. The match was played in China. The top two teams in the round advance to another stage of qualifying for the World Cup. Iraq eliminated China from competition and is in the running to advance. Celebratory gunfire also rang out across Baghdad, and the Baghdad Operations Command put an urgent message on state TV asking people to be careful and avoid shooting to celebrate. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki issued congratulations to the team, which last year won the Asia Cup. The bombing underscored the tensions that persist in a country where violence has dropped. Twenty females have carried out suicide bombings in Iraq this year, many more than in previous years. According to the U.S. military, women carried out eight bombings in all of 2007. Authorities said that al Qaeda in Iraq is recruiting women and that more women are offering themselves up for missions. The officials said the women are desperate and hopeless, most have pre-existing ties to the insurgency, and their main motive is revenge for a male family member killed by U.S. or Iraqi forces in the war. "We do see certain members of cells attempting to persuade women, specifically in many cases wives of those who have been killed as terrorists, to conduct suicide operations," U.S. Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling said recently. His area of operations includes Diyala province. Hertling's troops have targeted families of suspected female bombers in a bid to break up the rings that are recruiting the women and girls. Intelligence gathered from detainees indicates that al Qaeda in Iraq is looking for women who are illiterate, who are deeply religious or who have financial struggles, often because they've lost the male head of the household. Women and girls always have played a role in the insurgency in Iraq, helping feed militants, hiding them in their homes and helping to sneak weapons around the country. They have proved to be highly effective in their operations, because women are not searched by men for cultural and religious reasons. The U.S. military has created a program called the Daughters of Iraq, analogous to the Sons of Iraq, across the Sunni regions of the country. The Daughters of Iraq are being trained to conduct searches of women. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and Arwa Damon contributed to this report.
[ "Who is targeted by insurgent recruiters?", "How many are wounded?", "What did the attack strike?", "How many female suicide bombings occurred in Iraq?", "Who did the attack strike?", "What is the number of people wounded?", "How many were wounded?", "How many female suicide bombers this year?", "How many female suicide bombings were there this year in Iraq?" ]
[ [ "women" ], [ "At least 29 people" ], [ "a marketplace in the Diyala province town of Qara Tappa," ], [ "Twenty" ], [ "buoyant soccer fans" ], [ "At least 29" ], [ "At least 29 people" ], [ "Twenty" ], [ "Twenty" ] ]
NEW: Attack strikes people celebrating Iraq team's win in World Cup qualifier . 29 wounded in predominantly Kurdish town in Diyala province . Twenty female suicide bombings in Iraq this year, a sharp uptick . Insurgent recruiters target troubled women, authorities say .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A few months ago, it seemed liked nothing could stop Iraqi sprinter Dana Hussain from representing her country in the upcoming Summer Olympics. Iraqi sprinter Dana Hussain was devastated to learn she could not participate in the Beijing Summer Olympics. Then, the International Olympic Committee banned Iraq from competing because of what it says is the government's political interference in sports. Hussain cried for hours after hearing the news, which arrived in the form of a letter to Iraqi officials. "She hasn't stopped. It's like finding out that a close relative has died," said her coach, Yousif Abdul Rahman. Abdul Rahman attempted to console Hussain by assuring her that she could compete in the 2012 Olympics. Watch Hussain react to the news » "In this horrible situation," she said, "who can say I'll even be alive in 2012?" CNN received a copy of the letter sent to Jassim Mohammed Jaffer, Iraqi minister of youth and sports, and Ali Mohsen Ismail, acting secretary general of the Iraqi general secretariat of the Council of Ministers. "We deeply regret this outcome, which severely harms the Iraqi Olympic and Sports Movement and the Iraqi athletes, but which is unfortunately imposed by the circumstances," said the letter, signed by two IOC officials. Watch an official explain the decision » The move stems from an Iraqi government decision in May to suspend the nation's Olympic Committee and form a temporary committee to handle its duties. The Iraqi government thought the committee had not been operating properly and as a result undermined the sporting movement there. The government said the original committee held meetings without quorums and had officials serving in one-year posts for more than five years. Many of the officials also lived outside Iraq, the government said. iReport.com: See a cartoonist's take on the decision Emmanuelle Moreau, a spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee, said it suspended Iraq's national Olympic Committee in June after the government removed elected officials and put in people the IOC didn't recognize. She said the IOC proposed to the Iraqi government that officials come to the organization's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, "to discuss possible solutions." But she said they didn't respond. "We're extremely disappointed with the situation. The athletes have been ill-served by the government in Iraq," she said. Moreau said Iraq missed a Wednesday deadline for the entry of athletes to compete in archery, judo, rowing and weightlifting. Watch a historian discuss the Olympics in Iraq under Saddam Hussein » She said there is a chance that track and field athletes could compete if the original committee is reinstated. The deadline for the track team to register is at the end of the month. The Games begin August 8. A former official from the disbanded Iraq Olympic Committee said the IOC's decision was justified because the government interfered with the national committee by suspending it. The former official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. He said he believed that the government suspended the committee out of "jealousy." The national committee was making great strides, and the government, namely the Ministry of Youth and Sports, wanted control of it, he said. The seven Iraqi athletes who were to travel to China for the Games' start in August are disappointed by the decision, officials said. They include an archer, a weightlifter, a judoka, two rowers and two sprinters, one of whom is Dana Hussain. Her coach called the decision unfair and said he blames "everyone": the Iraqi government and the Iraqi and International Olympic committees. In the end, Abdul Rahman said, the athletes are paying the price. "It's a shame after all the efforts, ambitions, risks and dangers," he said. "I wish from the bottom of my heart they would reconsider this unjust decision for the sake of the athletes." CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "What was suspended in May?", "How many Iraqis were set to compete in these Olympics?", "How many Iraqi athletes were to compete in Beijing, China?", "What did the Olympic Committe accuse the Iraqi government of doing?", "When was the Iraqi Olympic Committee suspended?", "Who was going to compete in China?", "What group accuses Iraq of interference?", "When did the Iraqi government suspend the committee?", "Where were the seven iraqi athletes supposed to compete in?", "Where was the Olympics that was being described taking place?" ]
[ [ "Iraq's national Olympic Committee" ], [ "seven" ], [ "seven" ], [ "political interference in sports." ], [ "June" ], [ "seven Iraqi athletes" ], [ "the International Olympic Committee" ], [ "June" ], [ "Summer Olympics." ], [ "Beijing" ] ]
NEW: Iraqi government interference in Olympic committee attributed to "jealousy" International Olympic Committee accuses Iraqi government of interference in sports . Iraqi government suspended nation's Olympic Committee in May . Seven Iraqi athletes were to compete in Beijing, China .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A man in a wheelchair blew himself up Monday in a northern Iraqi police station, killing three National Police officers, including a commander, police said. Soldiers stand by as pilgrims gather Sunday in Karbala for al-Arbaeen, one of holiest days on the Shiite calendar. The attack also wounded nine officers on the police force, which the Iraqi Interior Ministry operates. The bombing in Samarra raises concern about the recent tactics employed by insurgents in Iraq. Bombs have been placed inside dead animals and hidden in carts. And in recent days, vagrants have been involved in bombings. "As a sign of desperation, some of those terrorists resorted to some new methods and techniques," said Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad's security plan. One of the tactics is the use of remote-controlled "sticky" bombs, small enough to tape under vehicles. A high-ranking Samarra police official said the disabled man came to meet with Brig. Gen. Abdul Jabbar Rabei Muttar, deputy commander of security, at the security operations building in Samarra. The pair met last week as well. The man was searched when he entered the building, but police didn't look under his wheelchair seat, where the explosives had been placed. The man, who police say was cogent, detonated the explosives when Muttar approached him. Also Monday, a roadside bomb exploded in the middle of a crowd of Shiite Muslims in Baghdad, killing three people and wounding 15, an Interior Ministry official said. The strike, in southeastern Baghdad's Zafaraniya district, is the latest attack against pilgrims trekking to Karbala for al-Arbaeen, one of the holiest days of the Shiite religious calendar. It falls on Wednesday. On Sunday, a suicide bomber in Iskandariya killed at least 45 people and wounded 68 others, and armed militants attacked pilgrims in southern Baghdad, killing three and wounding more than 30 others. Pilgrims traditionally make their way to Karbala on foot as a demonstration of piety, and those who head to the city from Baghdad go through Babil province, where Iskandariya is located. Joint forces have stepped up patrols during the pilgrimage to protect the thousands headed to Karbala. Last year, more than 180 pilgrims were killed in a series of attacks, most during twin suicide bombings in Hilla, Babil province's capital. Sunday's attack in Iskandariya, conducted by a bomber wearing an explosive vest, prompted authorities there to replace the police chief, Hilla police said. More National Police officers have been deployed to Babil to ensure the safety of pilgrims heading to Karbala, a police official said. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and American-led coalition forces condemned Sunday's "barbaric attacks in Baghdad and Iskandariya" against "innocent citizens participating in an important religious commemoration." Every year, thousands of pilgrims amass in Karbala for al-Arbaeen, which commemorates the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. Hussein, one of the most revered Shiite martyrs, is buried in Karbala, about 60 miles southwest of Baghdad. Karbala's main holy site is the gold-domed Imam Hussein Shrine. Other developments CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "What does the Iraqi major say is new about the attacks?", "How many people were killed in a roadside attack?", "how many people injured in roadside attack?", "What is the number of people who were killed?", "where the pilgrims are going?", "What is one of the holiest days on Shiite calendar?", "who had met at least twice with deputy security chief ?" ]
[ [ "methods and techniques,\"" ], [ "three" ], [ "15," ], [ "three" ], [ "Karbala" ], [ "al-Arbaeen," ], [ "the disabled man" ] ]
Iraqi major says attacks show how insurgents are resorting to new methods . Police: Bomber had met at least twice with deputy security chief before blast . Three people are killed, 15 injured in roadside attack in southeastern Baghdad . Pilgrims on way to Karbala for al-Arbaeen, one of holiest days on Shiite calendar .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A series of bombings rocked Iraq's capital within one hour Wednesday, killing at least 95 people and wounding 563 others, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. People gather outside the Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Wednesday in a residential area in Baghdad. The six explosions marked the country's deadliest day since the United States pulled its combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns nearly two months ago and left security in the hands of the Iraqis. In one attack, a truck bomb exploded outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The blast blew through the front of the building, sending some vehicles flying and leaving others in mangled twists of metal in the area, which is just outside the restricted International Zone, also known as the Green Zone. Nearby, Iraqi security forces stood with shocked expressions as ambulances screamed past. More photos of Baghdad's deadly day » Another truck bomb went off outside the Ministry of Finance building. In central Baghdad, a roadside bomb exploded on Kifa Street, and another bomb exploded in the Salhiya neighborhood, where on Tuesday security forces had avoided injuries by successfully defusing a truck bomb. Wednesday's other two bombs exploded in eastern Baghdad's Beirut Square, officials said. "The terrorism attacks that took place today require, without a doubt, the re-evaluation of our plans and our security mechanisms to face the challenges of terrorism," Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said in a written statement. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Chris Hill and Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, issued a joint statement condemning the bombings. "The horrific injuries and loss of life witnessed in Baghdad today are terrorist attacks that serve no legitimate purpose," they said. The attacks "will not deter Iraqis from continuing their efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous society and engage the international community, nor will they weaken our resolve to help them in their efforts," they added. Two people believed to be connected to the bombings have been arrested, an official with the Iraqi army told CNN. The two suspects were driving in a car rigged with explosives before they were arrested by Iraqi Security Forces, the official said. The two suspects were believed to be al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders, the official said. The United States pulled its combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns on June 30, leaving security responsibilities to the Iraqis. The U.S. military remains in a training and advisory capacity in those areas and continues to conduct combat operations outside cities and towns. Since then, al-Maliki has ordered his government to remove the concrete blast walls that line Baghdad's streets and surround whole neighborhoods. The order does not cover the Green Zone -- which houses Iraqi government buildings and the U.S. Embassy -- or military installations, government institutions, hotels and some private companies. The government has also removed some checkpoints, including one on the road where the bombing near the Ministry of Foreign Affairs occurred. That checkpoint had contained bomb-detection equipment. Major incidents of violence in Iraq since 2008 include: CNN's Arwa Damon and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "What positions did the arrested men hold?", "what did the pm say", "How many blasts were in Baghdad?", "when was the attack", "What prompted a re-evaluation of security plans in Iraq?", "how many men were involved", "What was the death toll?" ]
[ [ "al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders," ], [ "\"The terrorism attacks that took place today require, without a doubt, the re-evaluation of our plans and our security mechanisms to face the challenges of terrorism,\"" ], [ "six" ], [ "Wednesday," ], [ "terrorism attacks" ], [ "Two" ], [ "at least 95 people" ] ]
Iraqi prime minister says attacks require "re-evaluation" of security plans . Death toll from six Baghdad blasts rises to 95; hundreds injured . Attacks make Wednesday the deadliest day since Iraqis took charge of security . Two men believed to be al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders arrested, official says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A suicide bomber killed at least 40 people and injured 70 -- many of them women -- during a Shia pilgrimage in northwestern Baghdad Sunday, Iraqi officials told CNN. Pilgrims, pictured above, have gathered to celebrate the Shia holy period of Ashura. The dead included at least 16 Iranians who had come to mark the Shia holy period of Ashura, which commemorates a central event in the history of the movement. At least 32 Iranians were among the wounded. The other casualties were Iraqi, an Interior Ministry official said. The bomber was a woman wearing an abaya, a robe-like dress, said Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, military spokesman for Fardh al-Qanoon, an interagency domestic security body. She seems to have been targeting women, Atta and an interior ministry source said. The Interior Ministry official declined to be identified. The attack appears to be the single deadliest suicide bombing in Iraq since a bomber killed 47 people in Kirkuk in December 11. It took place in Baghdad's Kadhimiya neighborhood, not far from the Imam Moussa al-Kadhim holy shrine. Hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims are expected in Baghdad and the southern Iraqi city of Karbala for Ashura, which falls on January 7 this year. Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was killed in battle in Karbala in 680, one of the events that helped create the schism between Sunnis and Shiites, the two main Muslim religious movements. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq in Baghdad contributed to this report.
[ "What gender was the suicide bomber?", "Who was the suicide bomber?", "What is the gender of the bomber ?", "What do officials believe motivated the Baghdad suicide bomber?", "How many people were killed?", "Where did the suicide bomber strike?", "How many people did the suicide bomber kill in Baghdad?", "How many people got killed in Baghdad ?" ]
[ [ "a woman" ], [ "a woman wearing an abaya, a robe-like dress," ], [ "woman" ], [ "women," ], [ "40" ], [ "northwestern Baghdad" ], [ "at least 40" ], [ "at least 40" ] ]
Suicide bomber kills at least 40 people and injures 70 in Baghdad . Dead included many Iranians who were marking Shia holy period of Ashura . The bomber was a woman wearing an abaya, a robe-like dress, official says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Al Qaeda in Iraq is trying to foment sectarian tensions by attacking and killing Iraqi civilians, a government spokesman said Monday. Iraqi women gather near the site of an attack in the village of al-Khazna, near Mosul, on Monday. Explosions across the country have killed 50 and wounded 231 others, most of them civilians in Shiite areas, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf. "Most of the terrorist attacks carried out by al Qaeda in Iraq were against civilians and not Iraqi security forces," Khalaf said. "This is an indication that al Qaeda in Iraq cannot face the Iraqi security forces." Monday's deadliest attack happened near the northern city of Mosul when two truck bombs destroyed 32 homes, killing 30 people and burying others in the rubble, officials said. The bombs targeted al-Khazna village, which is inhabited by a Shiite Shabak ethnic group. The village is an area disputed between Kurds and Arabs. Car bombings and a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed 18 others on Monday, most of them Shiites. "This is the card that al Qaeda in Iraq is now playing by targeting mostly Shiite areas and neighborhoods to agitate the sectarian violence," Khalaf said. "But this will not happen because Iraqi security forces and Iraqi people in general are aware of this losing game and they will not fall into this trap." On Monday afternoon, two children -- brothers aged 5 and 9 -- were killed when a roadside bomb detonated near them as they played in a yard in northern Tikrit, about 99 miles (160 km) north of Baghdad, a police official said. The attacks come after a series of bombings in Iraq on Friday, mostly aimed at Shiite targets, which killed 50 and wounded 154 others. Friday's deadliest attack happened when a suicide car bomb exploded near a Shiite mosque where a funeral was taking place, killing 38. Last week's attacks occurred at the end of a Shiite Muslim celebration marking the birthday of Imam Mohammed al-Mehdi, the last of 12 historic imams revered by Shiites. Pilgrims participating in such celebrations have been the target of similar attacks by Sunnis. The bombings sparked fears of sectarian violence and called into question the ability of Iraqi forces. The United States pulled back its combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns on June 30, leaving security responsibilities to the Iraqis and remaining only in a training and advisory capacity. The U.S. military continues to conduct combat operations in areas outside cities and towns. Khalaf said the recent attacks are part of "an escalation of violence" over the past two months ahead of national elections in January. "The enemy of Iraq wants to bring down political progress in the country," he said.
[ "who they are responsible for this attack", "Who did the bombings target?", "How many where wounded following the bombings", "Were houses destroyed?", "What is feared as a result of the attacks", "How many people were wounded?" ]
[ [ "al Qaeda in Iraq" ], [ "al-Khazna village, which is inhabited by a Shiite Shabak ethnic group." ], [ "231" ], [ "32 homes," ], [ "sectarian violence" ], [ "231" ] ]
Dozens dead, 231 wounded, houses destroyed from bombings . Series of bombings appears to target mostly day laborers . Most of attacks scattered across Baghdad; two truck bombs reported in Mosul . Attacks fuel fears sectarian violence could re-ignite in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- All vehicles were banned from the largely Shiite city of Amara Wednesday after three car bombs ripped through a market district, killing at least 27 people and wounded 151, officials said. Iraqis gather at the site of a car bomb in the city of Amara on Wednesday. The blasts detonated in close succession in a commercial area in the central section of Amara, the provincial capital of Maysan province and a city that has been the scene of fighting between rival Shiite factions. Baghdad was also hit by violence on Wednesday. A car bomb there killed five Iraqi civilians and wounded 15 others, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. The incident occurred in a Christian section of the largely Shiite New Baghdad district. Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf, head of the Interior Ministry's National Command Center, confirmed the casualty figures in the Amara bombing. He and a committee were headed to Amara to investigate the incident. He said the ministry fired the city's police chief in the aftermath of the attack. Maysan Gov. Adil Muhawdar Radhi announced the vehicle ban, which he said will be in place through Thursday. He said additional security measures have been put in place in the city. The first bomb, in a car parked in a commercial area, detonated about 9:30 a.m. As onlookers gathered, the second one exploded in a nearby garage a few minutes later. It was followed by a third bomb in the garage a few minutes after that. Ambulances and police raced to the scene. News footage showed burning vehicles and black smoke, and the clothing of victims scattered beside pools of blood. Iraqi state television showed hospitals packed with people. Al-Forat, an Iraqi TV station affiliated with the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq political movement, reported that most of the casualties were women and children. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, in a statement, denounced the attack. "The targeting of unarmed civilians today in the markets of Amara town by car bombs -- that is another ring in the chain of conspiracy against the Iraqi people that is aiming to destabilize the security and stability in this province," which he said endured cruelty under the Saddam Hussein regime. Maysan, which borders Iran, has been under Iraqi security control much of this year after control was transferred from the British military. It was not immediately known who was responsible for the blasts, but the violence is a reminder of the intense fighting between the Mehdi Army -- the militia of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr -- and the Badr Brigade, the militia of the SICI, which condemned the bombings and blamed "Saddamists and Takfiris." The two movements are bitter rivals and have been in the middle of local power struggles in Iraq's southern provinces and other Shiite areas. Watch how Shiite groups have been vying for power » Britain, which has been in command of the south since the Iraqi war began, has been working to withdraw its troops from the region, which, despite this latest violence, has always been more stable than Baghdad and other outlying regions. Britain's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that the British military will transfer security control of the southern province of Basra to Iraqi forces on Sunday. Ali al-Dabbagh, Iraq's government spokesman, confirmed the date and said the Maysan attacks will not affect the handover. E-mail to a friend CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "Where all vehicles are banned?", "what is the count of wounded reported by ministry?", "Who are the most victims?", "What does State television report on the casualties?", "Where are all vehicles banned through Thursday?", "what is the bann in the city of Amara?", "What is continuing to rise?", "who are the casualities?" ]
[ [ "Shiite city of Amara" ], [ "151," ], [ "women and children." ], [ "killing at least 27" ], [ "the largely Shiite city of Amara" ], [ "All vehicles were banned" ], [ "fighting between rival Shiite factions." ], [ "killing at least 27 people and wounded 151," ] ]
NEW: All vehicles banned in city of Amara through Thursday, provincial governor says . Death toll continues to rise as Interior Ministry reports 151 wounded . State television reports that many of the casualties are women, children . Amara has been scene of fighting between rival Shiite factions vying for power .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An American soldier in Iraq has been sentenced to two years in military prison on child pornography charges, the U.S. military said Tuesday. At a general court-martial Monday at Baghdad's Camp Victory, Army Pvt. James R. Bickerstaff pleaded guilty to attempted possession of child pornography and communicating indecent language to a child under 16. Bickerstaff also received a bad-conduct discharge. The soldier was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, in August 2006 when he "engaged in a discussion with a 12-year-old girl in an attempt to initiate physical contact of a sexual nature," the military said. In April and May, he downloaded pornographic videos to a personal laptop and an iPod and attempted to download child pornography, the military said. Bickerstaff is with Charlie Company, 1-16th Infantry Battalion, 787th Combat Service Support Battalion, 507th Corps Support Group, at Al Asad Air Base. E-mail to a friend
[ "How long did the soldier get in military prison?", "Where was the soldier stationed?", "What is the soldier convicted of?", "How many years does the soldier get?", "What is the girls age?", "What was the girl's age?", "What age is the girl in this story?", "What are the consequences for the soldier?", "Where were the soldiers stationed?" ]
[ [ "two years" ], [ "Fort Riley, Kansas," ], [ "child pornography charges," ], [ "two" ], [ "12-year-old" ], [ "12-year-old" ], [ "12-year-old" ], [ "two years in military prison" ], [ "Fort Riley, Kansas," ] ]
Soldier stationed in Iraq convicted in court-martial . Private solicited sexual contact with girl, 12, military says . Soldier gets two years in military prison, bad-conduct discharge .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An audio message attributed to Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the highest ranking former member of Saddam Hussein's regime still at large, salutes the "People of Palestine" and calls on them to fight back against Israel in Gaza. A 1999 file image of Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, who served under Saddam Hussien's regime and who is still at large. "We say to the people of Gaza, give more resistance and we will be with you in the field, and know that our victory in kicking out the invaders is your victory as well, because the main assailant on the nation and on Palestine is the American imperialism," the recording said. "A salute to the martyrs of the massacre, and our condolences to their families." Al-Douri's recording follows reports of a similarly defiant message from al Qaeda's deputy chief a day earlier. Ayman al-Zawahiri reportedly vowed revenge for Israel's air and ground assault on Gaza and called Israel's actions against Hamas militants "a gift" from U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. Israel is in the 12th day of a military operation against Hamas militants, who have been firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. Al-Douri's 30-minute recorded message was broadcast Wednesday on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television over an old picture of al-Douri, wearing his Iraqi military uniform. CNN has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the voice on the tape. This is not al-Douri's first purported audio message. There have been at least four others over the past three years in addition to a statement attributed to him. Al-Douri, 66, served as vice-chairman of Hussein's Revolutionary Command Council. He remains at large nearly six years after the war in Iraq began. He has previously been reported killed and captured, although those reports later turned out to be erroneous. He was the King of Clubs (No. 6) on the U.S. military's card deck of most wanted regime officials. The U.S. military says he has helped finance the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq with Iraqi funds he transferred to Syria before Hussein's government collapsed in April 2002. But it says his influence has waned while he has been in hiding. U.S. officials say al-Douri played key roles in the chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988 and in putting down Kurdish and Shiite revolts after the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
[ "what was Al-Douri", "who was vice chairman?", "how long was the broadcast?", "What was Al-Douri vice chairman of?", "what did the US say", "what length was the message", "What is CNN trying to do?", "who does the voice belong to?", "What does the U.S. claim Al-Douri has done?" ]
[ [ "highest ranking former" ], [ "Al-Douri," ], [ "30-minute" ], [ "Hussein's Revolutionary Command Council." ], [ "he has helped finance the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq with Iraqi funds he transferred to Syria before Hussein's government collapsed in April 2002." ], [ "30-minute recorded" ], [ "verify the authenticity of the voice on the tape." ], [ "Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri," ], [ "helped finance the insurgency against" ] ]
Al-Douri was vice-chairman of Hussein's Revolutionary Command Council . 30-minute recorded message broadcast on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television . CNN has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the voice . U.S. says he has helped finance the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- An audio message attributed to Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the highest ranking former member of Saddam Hussein's regime still at large, salutes the "People of Palestine" and calls on them to fight back against Israel in Gaza. A 1999 file image of Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, who served under Saddam Hussien's regime and who is still at large. "We say to the people of Gaza, give more resistance and we will be with you in the field, and know that our victory in kicking out the invaders is your victory as well, because the main assailant on the nation and on Palestine is the American imperialism," the recording said. "A salute to the martyrs of the massacre, and our condolences to their families." Al-Douri's recording follows reports of a similarly defiant message from al Qaeda's deputy chief a day earlier. Ayman al-Zawahiri reportedly vowed revenge for Israel's air and ground assault on Gaza and called Israel's actions against Hamas militants "a gift" from U.S. President-elect Barack Obama. Israel is in the 12th day of a military operation against Hamas militants, who have been firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. Al-Douri's 30-minute recorded message was broadcast Wednesday on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television over an old picture of al-Douri, wearing his Iraqi military uniform. CNN has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the voice on the tape. This is not al-Douri's first purported audio message. There have been at least four others over the past three years in addition to a statement attributed to him. Al-Douri, 66, served as vice-chairman of Hussein's Revolutionary Command Council. He remains at large nearly six years after the war in Iraq began. He has previously been reported killed and captured, although those reports later turned out to be erroneous. He was the King of Clubs (No. 6) on the U.S. military's card deck of most wanted regime officials. The U.S. military says he has helped finance the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq with Iraqi funds he transferred to Syria before Hussein's government collapsed in April 2002. But it says his influence has waned while he has been in hiding. U.S. officials say al-Douri played key roles in the chemical attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988 and in putting down Kurdish and Shiite revolts after the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
[ "Where was recorded message broadcast?", "What was Al-Douri vice-chairman of?", "How many minutes was the recorded message broadcast on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television?", "What does US say he helped finance?", "how long was the recorded message?", "who was vice-chairman?" ]
[ [ "on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television" ], [ "Hussein's Revolutionary Command Council." ], [ "30-minute" ], [ "the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq" ], [ "30-minute" ], [ "Al-Douri," ] ]
Al-Douri was vice-chairman of Hussein's Revolutionary Command Council . 30-minute recorded message broadcast on al-Raei Iraqi satellite television . CNN has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the voice . U.S. says he has helped finance the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 12 people have died in clashes between Iraqi police and members of an exiled Iranian opposition group at an Iraqi refugee camp, a group spokesman told CNN Friday. Iraqi police block entrances to Camp Ashraf in Diyala province on July 29. A police raid at Camp Ashraf in Diyala province Tuesday led to fighting with members of the group -- the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran. Along with the deaths, there have been reports of several hundred injuries. The PMOI was allied with Saddam Hussein in Iraq during the 1980s with a goal of toppling the Iranian regime. But since Hussein's overthrow in 2003, Iraq has established good relations with the Iranian government. Iran wants to see the camp shut down, and the Iraqi government has said it would close the facility after it got control of the camp from the United States this year. Residents in the camp are concerned about being forcibly turned over to Iran. People there said they would be willing to go back to Iran but only if there are assurances its members won't be mistreated. The PMOI official also said 35 people are missing, and there are fears that they were to be forcibly taken back to Iran. The fighting is over now, and Iraqi police have control of the entrances to the camp and its intersections and streets. It also has control of the camp's power station and water purification plant, the PMOI official said. Amnesty International, the human rights monitoring group, wants the Iraqi government "to investigate the apparent excessive use of force by its security forces." The group said "armed security forces used bulldozers to force their way into the camp" and they "used tear gas, water cannons and batons against unarmed residents who tried to stop them from entering the camp." The United States and Iran say the group is a terrorist organization. Amnesty International said in most cases the "terrorist" designation pinned on the PMOI by most entities -- such as the European Union and other governments -- has been shelved because the group "no longer advocates or engages in armed opposition to the government of Iran." Meanwhile, at least 29 civilians died in Baghdad on Friday when roadside bombs exploded near four Shiite mosques, an Interior Ministry official said. Police believe the attacks were coordinated. The explosions, after Friday prayers had ended, appeared to target worshipers leaving the mosques. The deadliest bombing occurred in the Shaab neighborhood of northern Baghdad, where 21 people were killed and 35 were wounded. Two others exploded in southeastern Baghdad. Two people were killed and seven others were wounded in Jisr Diyala and one person was killed and seven others were wounded in Zafaraniya. Four people were wounded in the eastern neighborhood of Kamaliya neighborhood, and three people were wounded in the southwestern neighborhood of I'lam neighborhood. CNN's Yousif Bassil contributed to this report.
[ "where were the bombs", "What organization allied with Saddam Hussein?", "how many dies in explosions", "What group allied with Saddam Hussein in 1980s?", "How many people are dead from teh bomb blast near mosques in Bagdad?", "Where did police raid?", "Where did bombs explode?", "How many mosques were involved in the bombings?", "which country want to see the camp shut down" ]
[ [ "near four Shiite mosques," ], [ "PMOI" ], [ "12 people" ], [ "PMOI" ], [ "29 civilians" ], [ "Camp Ashraf in Diyala province" ], [ "Baghdad" ], [ "four Shiite" ], [ "Iran" ] ]
Police raid at camp led to clashes with Iranian opposition group . People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran allied with Saddam Hussein in 1980s . Iran wants to see the camp shut down . 27 dead after bombs exploded near four Shiite mosques in Baghdad .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 14 people were killed and dozens more were wounded in explosions across Iraq on Saturday, officials said. A woman adjusts a memorial of plastic flowers this week at the bombed Foreign Affairs Ministry building. Nine police officers were killed and 19 wounded in a suicide bombing north of Baghdad on Saturday morning, local officials said. The incident occurred in the Salaheddin province town of al-Shirqat. Local police said the suspected bomber had been driving a minivan near the outer checkpoint of a police base. The bomber detonated when police opened fire, police said. Twenty shops and dozens of cars were damaged. Later in the evening, a motorcycle rigged with explosives detonated outside a busy coffee shop in a southeastern Baghdad district called New Baghdad, killing two and wounding 13 others, according to the Ministry of Interior. The attack occurred about 9 p.m. (2 p.m. ET) as people had gathered to break their fast for Islam's holy month of Ramadan. In other violence Saturday, at least three people were killed and 40 wounded when a roadside bomb detonated in a marketplace in northern Iraq, an Interior Ministry official said. The bomb detonated in the town of Sinjar, a predominantly Yazidi town west of Mosul near the Syrian border. Yazidis are a minority group mainly concentrated in Iraq's north and have been often targeted by insurgents. The deadliest attack since the start of the war was in August 2007, when coordinated truck bombs hit Yazidi villages, killing more than 500 and wounding hundreds. Despite the improved security situation across the country, there has been a spike in attacks in recent weeks. Last week, two massive suicide truck bombs hit the foreign and finance ministries in Baghdad, killing at least 100 people and wounding hundreds more. The attacks come at a time when Iraqi security forces have come under a lot of criticism after they took control of security in cities and towns after the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces two months ago. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "Where did it blow up?", "What killed three people near the Syrian border?", "How many police officers were hurt?", "What was driven into the police station?", "How many police were killed?", "How many police officers were killed?", "Where was the suicide attack?" ]
[ [ "north of Baghdad" ], [ "roadside bomb" ], [ "Nine" ], [ "minivan" ], [ "Nine" ], [ "Nine" ], [ "north of Baghdad" ] ]
Nine police officers killed, 19 hurt in suicide attack in Iraq . Interior Ministry official says bomber drove minivan into police station . Motorcycle blows up outside coffee shop, killing two . Roadside bomb kills three in marketplace near Syrian border .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 33 people were killed and 20 wounded in a suicide car bombing targeting a national reconciliation conference in Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. Abu Ghraib attack victim in Yarmouk Hospital in Baghdad, Amjad Hameed The attack -- which occurred outside the municipal building of Abu Ghraib in western Baghdad -- also wounded 46 others, the official said. The attacker was targeting the latest effort by the government to foster national reconciliation between religious and ethnic groups. Sunni Arab and Shiite tribal leaders were attending the meeting, backed by the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government. Another Interior Ministry official told CNN the attack occurred when people gathered outside as the conference in the building ended. Al-Baghdadiya TV said two of its journalists were killed in the explosion. An Iraqi journalists' group confirmed those deaths and said a number of journalists were also wounded. Along with meeting attendees and journalists, Iraqi soldiers were among the casualties. No one has claimed responsibility for the strike, but in the past, such gatherings have been targeted by al Qaeda in Iraq, the anti-American Sunni Arab militant group. Staffan de Mistura, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general for Iraq, deplored the attack and passed along condolences to grieving families. He said the bombing targeted the tribal leaders after their meeting, and called the strike a "horrible crime that is designed to sabotage reconciliatory efforts by the Iraqi people, who, I am confident, will continue on the road of dialogue." The blast follows another huge attack on Sunday, when a man wearing an explosives-laden vest drove a motorcycle rigged with bombs into a group of police recruits in eastern Baghdad. That attack killed 30 people and wounded 61 others. Most of the victims of Sunday's strike were police officers and recruits who had gathered outside a police academy on Palestine Street. The same academy was targeted on December 1 in a double bombing that killed 16 and wounded 46. The violence came after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Saturday rallied sheikhs of the nation's tribes to participate in Iraq's government. It was the latest official effort to further reconciliation among Sunnis, Shiites and tribes of different sects and bring some former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party into the political fold. After the invasion, the U.S.-led coalition decided to purge Iraqi institutions of Baathists, most of whom were Sunni Arabs. Al-Maliki, who is Shiite, has been criticized in the past by minority groups for not fairly representing Iraqi's ethnic groups. CNN's Yousif Bassil and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "Who was in charge of committing the bombing.", "Amount of people killed in suicide bombings at reconciliation conference in Baghdad?", "What was the death toll of the suicide bombing?", "Where did the tribal leaders come from", "Day the attacks took place?", "What did the Iraqi PM urge?", "When did the last bombing happen?", "What did IRAQI Pm urge nation's sheikhs to do?", "Who were attending a conference during the attack?", "What is the number of dead?", "How many were killed in the suicide bombing?", "When did the attack occur?", "In what manner did they die?", "How many were killed in Baghdad suicide bombing?" ]
[ [ "No one has claimed responsibility" ], [ "least 33" ], [ "At least 33" ], [ "Sunni Arab and Shiite" ], [ "Sunday," ], [ "the nation's tribes to participate in Iraq's government." ], [ "The blast follows another huge attack on Sunday," ], [ "participate in Iraq's government." ], [ "Sunni Arab and Shiite tribal leaders" ], [ "33" ], [ "At least 33 people" ], [ "Sunday's" ], [ "suicide car bombing" ], [ "At least 33 people" ] ]
33 killed in suicide bombing at reconciliation conference in Baghdad . Tuesday's attack came as tribal leaders were attending conference . Bombing came 3 days after Iraqi PM urged nation's sheikhs to join government .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least seven Iraqis were killed and 23 wounded when a bomb exploded near a Shiite holy shrine in northern Baghdad on Wednesday morning, an Interior Ministry official said. The Imam Musa al-Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, Iraq, seen in 2007, is holy to Shiite Muslims. The bomb detonated near the Imam Musa al-Kadhim shrine in the Kadhimiya district, the official said. The Kadhimiya shrine is one of the holiest shrines for Shiite Muslims around the world. On Tuesday, a parked car bomb killed at least nine people and wounded more than a dozen others, also in Kadhimiya. This is the third straight day of deadly attacks in the capital, striking mostly Shiite areas. On Monday, seven bombings in Baghdad left at least 32 people killed and more than 130 wounded. Iraqi officials have warned that they expect a rise in attacks. The country's president and his deputies urged security forces to intensify their efforts to secure the country. The government has blamed the ousted Baath party and al Qaeda in Iraq for Monday's attacks, saying they were meant to create sectarian divisions. The U.S. military also pointed the finger at al Qaeda. "The nature of the attacks and targets are consistent with past al Qaeda in Iraq attacks. We see this as coordinated attack by terrorists against predominantly Shia targets that they gauge as vulnerable to instigate sectarian violence," the U.S. military said.
[ "how many killed monday", "How many days of attacks have there been?", "What is the number of dead?", "Near what revered shrine was the bomb?", "When were at least 9 people killed?", "when did 32 die", "What type of bomb was set on Tuesday?", "What was the name of the shrine?" ]
[ [ "At least seven Iraqis" ], [ "third straight" ], [ "32" ], [ "Imam Musa al-Kadhim" ], [ "Tuesday," ], [ "On Monday," ], [ "car" ], [ "Imam Musa al-Kadhim" ] ]
Three days of attacks in mainly Shiite areas of Baghdad leave dozens dead . Bomb near revered Shiite shrine of Imam Musa al-Kadhim kills 7 on Wednesday . Parked car bomb in same area of Baghdad kills at least 9 people on Tuesday . At least 32 killed on Monday in seven bombings around Iraqi capital .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Attackers launched assaults across Iraq over the past 24 hours, killing 11 police recruits and six civilians, including a 7-year-old. Iraqi and U.S. troops conduct a joint patrol Monday in the northern city of Mosul during a push against insurgents. Also, the U.S. military said it killed an al Qaeda in Iraq leader in northern Iraq. The violence erupted as a peace agreement was taking hold in Baghdad's Sadr City, for weeks the scene of battles between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias. A suicide bomber exploded his vest outside the house of an Awakening Council leader, Sheikh Mutleb al-Nadawi, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Baquba in Diyala province, the military command in Diyala said. Al-Nadawi was in the house and escaped injury, but a 7-year-old was killed and two of al-Nadawi's bodyguards were wounded. Awakening Councils are the U.S.-backed Sunni groups that oppose al Qaeda in Iraq. A mortar round landed on a busy outdoor market in Balad Ruz, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Baquba. Three civilians were killed, and nine were wounded. A bomb exploded Tuesday inside a minibus in southeastern Baghdad's Rustumiya district, killing two passengers and wounding five, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. Insurgents also attacked a minibus filled with police recruits Monday in Baaj, a Nineveh province town near the Syrian border, killing 11 people, according to Mosul police. Iraqi security forces arrested 15 people in connection with the attack. Backed by U.S. soldiers, Iraqi forces have been conducting an offensive against al Qaeda in Iraq in Mosul and the rest of Nineveh province. American-led coalition troops killed a senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader east of Samarra in northern Iraq on Tuesday, the U.S. military said. Meanwhile, the agreement forged to end the weeks of fighting in the capital's Sadr City is taking hold, government officials and witnesses said. Thousands of soldiers and police officers have moved deep inside the restive neighborhood without resistance from Shiite militia members who have been fighting Iraqi and U.S. troops. The troops have been clearing mines and soon will begin the process of confiscating weapons, officials said. No violence has been reported in the area since Monday. Much of the earlier fighting involved the Mehdi Army militia of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and security forces dominated by a rival political party, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq. The latter is the leading party in the government's United Iraqi Alliance bloc. The agreement, hammered out between the United Iraqi Alliance and the Sadrists, is intended to clear the neighborhood of weaponry and outlaws and restore stability to the area. Tahseen al-Sheikhly, civilian spokesman for Baghdad's security plan, said there has been great cooperation among residents, Sadrist supporters and government forces. Gen. Qassim Atta, the military spokesman of Baghdad's security plan, said Tuesday that checkpoints and patrols have been established and coalition forces are ready to help Iraqi troops, but they have not entered Sadr City. Elsewhere in Baghdad, the trial of Saddam Hussein-era officials Tariq Aziz, Ali Hassan al-Majeed -- also known as Chemical Ali -- and six others resumed Tuesday. They are facing charges in connection with the executions of 42 Iraqi merchants in 1992. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "When did the attack happen?", "Where is the trial being held?", "What age was the boy killed?", "What kind of vehicle attacked Bagdad?", "what happened in the attack", "Who is the Leader?", "What part of Bagdad was attacked?" ]
[ [ "over the past 24 hours," ], [ "Baghdad," ], [ "7-year-old." ], [ "minibus" ], [ "killing 11 police" ], [ "Sheikh Mutleb al-Nadawi," ], [ "Sadr City," ] ]
Attack on Awakening Council official leaves 7-year-old dead . Al Qaeda in Iraq leader is killed, U.S. military says . Minibuses attacked in Baghdad, Nineveh province . Trial of Saddam Hussein-era officials resumes .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Bombs in Baghdad and Baquba killed four people, two police officers among them, and wounded seven others Sunday morning, an Interior Ministry official said. A wounded Iraqi woman cries at a Baquba hospital after being caught in a blast Sunday at a police building. One death came about 9 a.m. when a parked car bomb detonated near the Buratha Shiite mosque in northwestern Baghdad. The blast apparently targeted a convoy belonging to an endowment that manages Shiite mosques in the war-ravaged nation. Three people were wounded in the explosion. A roadside bomb attack an hour earlier struck a police patrol in western Baghdad's Mansour district, the Interior Ministry official said. Two police officers were killed and four others were wounded, he said. In another attack targeting authorities, a suicide car bomber slammed into the emergency police headquarters in central Baquba about 9:30 a.m., a Baquba police official said. Twelve people were hurt in the blast, including three police officers. The blast also damaged the police headquarters and three civilian automobiles, the police official said. The suicide bomber was the only person killed in the blast. The U.S. military told CNN it has no evidence of a reported attack by al Qaeda in Iraq militants on an Iraqi village near Baquba on Saturday. A Baquba police official said at least 10 people were killed when the AQI insurgents raided the village of Adwaila -- home to both Sunni and Shiite Iraqis -- who have opposed al Qaeda, making the village a target. "CF [coalition forces] and IA [Iraqi army] searched the area by air and by ground for several hours and found no evidence of this attack," Task Force Iron spokeswoman Maj. Peggy Kageleiry told CNN in an e-mail sent on Sunday. "An IA team that was called to investigate the alleged incident was attacked by small arms fire and not anywhere on the scale described in the original report from the media." The police official said al Qaeda in Iraq insurgents launched mortars into the village north of Baquba and then sent in dozens of fighters with small arms to storm the village. The police officials aid at least five homes were burned and destroyed. E-mail to a friend CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
[ "Who was killed in roadside bomb attack in Baghdad's Mansour district?", "Where did the car bomber die?", "Who was killed?", "What explodes outside an organization that manages mosques?", "Who dies after slamming into Baquba police building?", "What has exploded?", "Where were two police officers killed?", "Where was the bomb?" ]
[ [ "four people," ], [ "emergency police headquarters in central Baquba" ], [ "four people, two police officers" ], [ "a parked car bomb" ], [ "The suicide bomber was the only person killed in the blast." ], [ "a parked car bomb" ], [ "Baghdad and Baquba" ], [ "parked car" ] ]
A parked car bomb explodes outside an organization that manages mosques . Two police officers killed in roadside bomb attack in Baghdad's Mansour district . Suicide car bomber dies after slamming into Baquba police building, injuring 12 .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Coalition troops on Monday formally handed over security control of Iraq's Anbar province -- once the hub of the country's Sunni insurgency, to Iraqis on Monday. A U.S. soldier on patrol in Ramadi's market earlier this year. U.S. troops will remain in the province to support Iraqi forces. President George W. Bush described the transfer as a major victory against al-Qaeda extremists who once held sway in the area. "Today, Anbar is no longer lost to al Qaeda -- it is al Qaeda that lost Anbar," he said in a statement. Once dominated by Sunni insurgents, Anbar has been the scene of many attacks on U.S.-led troops in Iraq. Now a bastion of tribal opposition, it is also the scene of an internal Sunni political struggle between the Iraqi Islamic Party, one of Iraq's main Sunni parties, and the Awakening movement, the first anti-al Qaeda in Iraq movement established in the country. More than 25,000 U.S. troops serve in the sprawling Anbar province west of Baghdad; most of them Marines. They will remain for the time being but will shift their mission to supporting Iraqi forces, when needed The transfer is a "major progress" for all of Iraq, said Brigadier Gen. David Perkins, the spokesman for the Multi-National Force in Iraq. The transfer ceremony took place in Ramadi, the capital of the western province, and was attended by Iraqi officials and U.S. military brass. Watch U.S., Iraqi officials perform transfer » "We are all well aware of what the security situation was in Anbar even a year ago," Perkins said. "And the fact that that has been able to be turned around, that the Iraqi citizens that live there want to stand up on their own, [that] they want to take control of the province on their own ... it's a major progress not only for Anbar, but for all of Iraq." Anbar is the 11th of Iraq's 18 provinces to revert to local security control, but is the first Sunni-dominated one. The move comes amid a big drop in violence in Iraq and calls from Iraqis for the United States to come up with a troop withdrawal timetable. The other provinces that have transitioned to Iraqi security control are Duhuk, Irbil and Sulaimaniya in the Kurdish region, and Karbala, Najaf, Qadisiya, Muthanna, Thiqar, Basra, and Maysan in the Shiite south. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and Arwa Damon in Baghdad contributed to this report.
[ "What was once the hub of the country's Sunni insurgency?", "What country is this in?", "What number of troops serve in Anbar?", "Where is Anbar located?", "Who is in control now?", "Where is Anbar?", "Who handed over security to Iraqis?", "Where did 25.000 US troops serve in?", "What province do coalition troops hand over to Iraqis?" ]
[ [ "Iraq's Anbar" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "More than 25,000 U.S." ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Iraqis" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Coalition troops" ], [ "Anbar province" ], [ "Anbar" ] ]
Coalition troops hand over security control of Iraq's Anbar province to Iraqis . Anbar was once the hub of the country's Sunni insurgency . More than 25,000 U.S. troops serve in Anbar, west of Baghdad .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Court proceedings in the trial against Tariq Aziz, one of the best-known faces of Saddam Hussein's former regime in Iraq, and several co-defendants have ended after being in session only briefly Tuesday. The trial of Tariq Aziz, pictured here in a Baghdad courtroom in July 2004, has begun. The trial, which is to resume May 20, was delayed because one of the defendants, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, also known as "Chemical Ali," was not present because he was ill. Iraqi procedural codes require that all defendants be in court for the first session. Chief Judge Raouf Abdul Rahman read a U.S. medical report signed by three doctors that said al-Majeed is in critical condition after suffering a heart attack two weeks ago. He has been released from the hospital but still requires daily treatment and doctor visits. The report said that traveling to court from his detention facility could worsen his health. He cannot walk up stairs or sit in court for long hours, it said. He will need three weeks to recover and may need some sort of surgery, the report said. It added he is diabetic and suffers from "acute heart failure." Treatment includes clearing of the arteries followed by either open heart surgery or stents in the arteries, but neither option is available at this time, the report said. Ali Hasan al-Majeed, who was a top Baathist official during the Saddam Hussein era, is awaiting execution after being convicted of genocide in connection with the killing of Kurds during the Anfal campaign in the late 1980s. Aziz, al-Majeed and six others are now facing trial for having a role in the execution of 42 Iraqi merchants in 1992. A former deputy prime minister, Aziz was the first to be called into court, followed by six other defendants. Aziz appeared frail, walked slowly with a cane, and was coughing and blowing his nose. He was sitting in the seat Saddam Hussein used during his appearances in court and was represented by a private attorney. The court was sorting out which defendants did not have attorneys present. This is the fourth major trial of former Hussein regime officials since his government was overthrown. The most prominent was the 2006 trial that led to the execution of Hussein and three lieutenants for a crackdown in the Shiite town of Dujail in which more than 140 men allegedly plotting Hussein's assassination were executed. Aziz's lead attorney, Badie Aref -- who was an attorney for Hussein in that trial -- is charged with contempt of court in Iraq and has been in Jordan since a warrant for his arrest was issued last year. He said he would return to Baghdad for this trial only if he were assured he would not be arrested. Meanwhile, amid a swirling, blanketing sandstorm, fierce fighting in Baghdad Tuesday saw U.S. troops kill 32 "enemy forces" in a gunbattle, according to the U.S. military. Iraqi authorities reported 16 people were killed in a residential area in the same clash. The Iraqi Interior Ministry said the fighting was in the predominantly Shiite Sadr City neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. Five suspected insurgents dressed in Iraqi army uniforms attacked the home of a human rights worker in Diyala on Tuesday, killing the resident of the home and an Iraqi soldier who lived in the neighborhood, according to the U.S. military. Two Iraqi civilians also were injured in the small-arms attack. "Attacking civilians in their homes is both criminal and barbaric," said Major Peggy Kageleiry, spokeswoman for the military's Multi-National Division - North. Insurgents have been attempting to exploit the harsh conditions, which have curtailed flights coming into Baghdad International Airport. Sandstorms make it easier for militants to screen their activities and harder for U.S. air power to be deployed effectively. A U.S. military spokesman said fighting began around 9:30 a.m. when militants fired at a U.S. patrol and wounded an American soldier. When the soldier was being evacuated, a U.S. vehicle was struck by two roadside bombs and peppered with small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. That left two more soldiers
[ "Who appeared in court over executions?", "Who appears in court?", "He and five others were charged with what?", "Who are they charged with executing?", "Who is Tariq Aziz?", "What is Tariq Aziz charged with?" ]
[ [ "Aziz, al-Majeed and six others" ], [ "Tariq Aziz," ], [ "having a role in the execution of 42 Iraqi merchants in 1992." ], [ "42 Iraqi merchants" ], [ "of Saddam Hussein's former regime in Iraq," ], [ "execution of 42 Iraqi merchants" ] ]
Tariq Aziz, former Iraqi deputy PM, appears in court over executions . He and five others charged with execution of 42 merchants . This is the fourth major trial of ex-Hussein officials since invasion . Violence continues in Baghdad as U.S. troops kill insurgents in gunbattle .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Darryl Mathis waits in his Pensacola, Florida, home for the body of his 24-year-old son to return home from Iraq. Mathis, a military veteran himself, was seething with anger Thursday as he spoke about the death of Army Staff Sgt. Darris J. Dawson. An unnamed U.S. soldier is accused of killing Army Staff Sgt. Darris J. Dawson in Iraq on Sunday. Dawson, and Sgt. Wesley Durbin, 26, are said to have been shot and killed by another U.S. soldier on Sunday at a base south of Baghdad. Darryl and his wife, Maxine (Dawson's stepmother), say the military has told them nothing about the incident: no details on his death, no information at all. His voice shakes as he says he believes that the military has let him down. "I'm very disappointed -- very," he said. "If I would get a straight answer, if they would actually tell me what's going on, I would have something to work on; but right now, I have nothing to work on. Everything I'm getting, I'm getting from the media." His wife sobs as she says her stepson's death was foreshadowed by a phone call he made to her from Iraq. "He said that he was more shaky sometimes of the soldiers than of the enemy, because of the young guys over there." She said she asked him, "What in the world do you mean? You're afraid of your own soldiers?" " 'These kids are trying to fight a war they know nothing about. ... They're jumpy. ... They're more scary than the enemy,' " she said he told her. "And I said, 'Oh, God,' " said Maxine Mathis. On any given day, CNN receives dozens of detailed news releases from the U.S. military, including those announcing U.S. military casualties. In the cases of Dawson and Durbin, there was no mention of their names, and the releases were terse. "A multi-national division center soldier died this morning of non-combat related causes," the first release read. "The cause of death is under investigation." A second release came later in the day. "A second multi-national division center soldier died this morning of non-combat related causes. The solider died of wounds September 14 at a coalition forces combat Army support hospital," it read. "The incident is under investigation." Inquiries Thursday from CNN were met with a news release that a press officer said had been drafted Wednesday. However, the release had not been e-mailed to reporters Wednesday, as is customary. After naming the two soldiers and giving their rank and unit, it reads, "A U.S. soldier is in custody in connection with the shooting deaths. He is being held in custody pending review by a military magistrate. The incident continues under investigation." The release gives no other details. The U.S. military is classifying the death of Sgt. Dawson as "non-hostile," something Dawson's father finds puzzling. "I don't know. I really don't know," he said. "I just can't get it together with that. I had never heard that before. 'Non-hostile' in a war zone?" Lt. Col. Paul Swiergosz is a public affairs officer for the area in Iraq where the incident took place. He says the "non-hostile" death classification was given "because the deaths were not the result of hostile enemy action." But details on what happened remain scarce. After asking, CNN received an e-mail press release from Gen. Tony Cucolo, commanding general of the Third Infantry Division that a press officer said had been drafted on Wednesday. The release, however, had not been e-mailed to reporters, as is customary. "We do know one soldier, a fellow noncommissioned officer, allegedly opened fire and mortally wounded his squad leader
[ "who is being held in connection with the killings?", "Who was killed in Iraq this week?", "who were killed in Iraq this week?", "What is the U.S. military's classification of the death?", "what Dawson's father says?" ]
[ [ "An unnamed U.S. soldier" ], [ "Sgt. Wesley Durbin," ], [ "Dawson, and Sgt. Wesley Durbin," ], [ "non-combat related causes,\"" ], [ "\"I just can't get it together with that. I had never heard that before. 'Non-hostile' in a war zone?\"" ] ]
Army Staff Sgt. Darris J. Dawson and another soldier were killed in Iraq this week . Another U.S. soldier is being held in connection with the killings . Dawson's father says he can't get a "straight answer" from the U.S. military . The U.S. military has classified the death as "non-hostile"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Dressed in a Superman shirt, 5-year-old Youssif held his sister's hand Friday, seemingly unaware that millions of people across the world have been touched by his story. Nearby, his parents talked about the new future and hope they have for their boy -- and the potential for recovery from his severe burns. Youssif holds his sister's hand Friday. He's wearing a facial mask often used to help burn victims. It's the best birthday present the Iraqi family could ever have imagined for their boy: Youssif turns 6 next Friday. "I was so happy I didn't know what to do with myself," his mother, Zainab, told CNN, a broad smile across her face. "I didn't think the reaction would be this big." His father said he was on the roof of his house when CNN called him with the news about the outpouring of support for his son. "We just want to thank everyone who has come forward," he said. "We knew there was kindness out there." Like his wife, he couldn't stop smiling. He talked about how he tried in vain to get help for his son in Baghdad, leaving "no stone unturned" on a mission to help his boy. There were many trips to the Ministry of Health. He says he even put in a request to Iraq's parliament for help. The family eventually told CNN their story -- that Youssif was grabbed by masked men outside their home on January 15, doused in gasoline and set on fire. Simply by coming forward, his parents put themselves in incredible danger. No one has been arrested or held accountable in Youssif's case. Watch CNN's Arwa Damon describe 'truly phenomenal' outpouring » Shortly after Youssif's story aired Wednesday, the Children's Burn Foundation -- a nonprofit organization based in Sherman Oaks, California, that provides support for burn victims locally, nationally and internationally -- agreed to pay for the transportation for Youssif and his family to come to the United States and to set up a fund for donations. You can make a donation at the foundation's site by clicking here. There's a drop-down menu under the "general donation" area that is marked "Youssif's fund." The foundation says it will cover all medical costs -- from surgeries for Youssif to housing costs to any social rehabilitation that might be needed for him. Surgeries will be performed by Dr. Peter Grossman, a plastic surgeon with the affiliated Grossman Burn Center who is donating his services for Youssif's cause. Officials are still trying to get the appropriate visas for the family's travels. "We are prepared to have them come here, set them up in a housing situation, provide support for them and begin treatment," said Barbara Friedman, executive director of the Children's Burn Foundation. "We expect that the treatment will be from between six months to a year with many surgeries." She added, "He will be getting the absolute best care that's available." Youssif's parents said they know it's going to be a lengthy and difficult process and that adjusting to their stay in America may not be easy. But none of that matters -- getting help for their boy is first and foremost. "I will do anything for Youssif," his father said, pulling his son closer to him. "Our child is everything." His mother tried to coax Youssif to talk to us on this day. But he didn't want to; his mother says he's shy outside of their home. The biggest obstacle now is getting the visas to leave, and the serious security risks they face every day and hour they remain in Iraq. But this family -- which saw the very worst in humanity on that January day -- has new hope in the world. That is partly due to the tens of thousands of CNN.com users who were so moved by the story and wanted to act. CNN Iraqi staff central to bringing this story together were also overwhelmed with
[ "Where will treatment be administered?", "what did parents feel?", "Where is the Burn center located?", "Where is the burn center?", "What is the name of the burn center that offered treatment?", "What is Burn centre U.S. famous for?", "What did the mother say?", "what did mom say?", "What kind of surgety was offered?", "Which country is the burn center in?", "What was mom happy about?", "What is the son's name?", "What was the reaction from the parents?", "Who is Youssif?", "Which burn center in the US has offered reatment for reconstructive surgeries?", "What made parents feel pride?", "Do we know the name of the young burn victim?", "From whom was the outpouring of support?" ]
[ [ "Grossman Burn Center" ], [ "happy" ], [ "Sherman Oaks, California," ], [ "Sherman Oaks, California," ], [ "Foundation" ], [ "provides support" ], [ "\"I didn't think the reaction would be this big.\"" ], [ "\"I was so happy I didn't know what to do with myself,\"" ], [ "plastic" ], [ "Sherman Oaks, California," ], [ "birthday" ], [ "Youssif" ], [ "couldn't stop smiling." ], [ "5-year-old" ], [ "Foundation" ], [ "potential for recovery from his severe burns." ], [ "Youssif" ], [ "Children's Burn Foundation" ] ]
Parents beam with pride, can't stop from smiling from outpouring of support . Mom: "I was so happy I didn't know what to do" Burn center in U.S. has offered to provide treatment for reconstructive surgeries . Dad says, "Anything for Youssif"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Edwin Salau knew coming back would be hard. But he had to do it. The retired U.S. Army first lieutenant needed to know that his sacrifice was worth it. Retired Army 1st Lt. Edwin Salau says he sees progress in Iraq since he left five years ago. "I wanted to make sure I didn't bleed in vain for the Iraqi people," Salau said. "And what I found is I did not. I see the progress over five years. I see free Iraqis doing what Iraqis want to do in their country, and I see the U.S. taking a back seat." Salau left the battlefield in November 2004, after being hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire during an ambush close to the town of Tuz. Those injuries cost him most of his left leg; it was amputated above the knee and he now wears a prosthesis. Recently, he and seven other wounded American veterans returned to Iraq so they could heal emotionally. It was part of a nonprofit pilot program called Operation Proper Exit, an initiative started a little over a year ago by the Troops First Foundation, based in Maryland. The USO supports the mission. Watch Salau describe his feelings on returning » Rick Kell, head of Troops First, traveled to Iraq with the soldiers and said the idea came from American troops. "After spending much time at Walter Reed and Brooke Army medical centers, inevitably in any conversation, something reminds somebody that they want to go back. And the soldiers don't hesitate to tell you that," Kell said. "They are soldiers and they want to come back primarily for several reasons, but they want to come back and let the troops here on the ground know that they are still part of them, they support them, and they would very much like to be with them, although they can't." It's an emotional journey for the returning veterans, a chance to visit bases where they were stationed, and, in some cases, the sites where they were wounded. Though other programs have allowed wounded American soldiers to return to the scene of their service and sacrifice, this is the first to allow them to do so while a war is still being waged. All in all, 13 soldiers have participated in the program so far -- eight this trip and five on a previous trip, which took place in June. The earlier trip was kept quiet because of fears that the experience would be too overwhelming for the participants. According to Kell, he encounters many soldiers who would like to return, but those who are selected are chosen carefully. "Well, first of all, when we come in contact with someone who wants to come back -- and that's somebody who is thriving, that is mentally and physically moving forward in their life, they've demonstrated that they have a plan for what's next and they've begun to implement that plan," he said. "So we feel pretty good about this person being squared away. And there are concerns, but it's a very personal decision. We only ask for one of three answers: yes, no or not now." Salau, who now works with other wounded soldiers at Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, thinks he's become an ambassador for them. When Salau departed Iraq the first time, he couldn't do it on his own. That's why this trip was so important to him. "My purpose for this trip was for my soldiers to have that last memory of me in Iraq walking out of here on my own power," he said. "And I achieved that and it was closure." Salau and Kell think the program has been a success so far. According to them, the main reason for that is the support they've gotten from the military command in Iraq, particularly Gen. Raymond Odierno, the top U.S. commander there. Odierno's experiences with his son, who lost his arm in Iraq, helped the general better understand these soldiers' plight,
[ "On what date did the \"Operation Proper Exit\" program start?", "What is the retired lieutenants name?", "What is the reason why the eight wounded U.S. veterans returned to Iraq, instead of being sent home?", "Which program is run by the troops and backed by the USO?", "What number of U.S. veterans return to Iraq through \"Operation Proper Exit\"?" ]
[ [ "over a year ago" ], [ "Edwin Salau" ], [ "so they could heal emotionally." ], [ "Operation Proper Exit," ], [ "13 soldiers" ] ]
Eight wounded U.S. veterans return to Iraq through "Operation Proper Exit" program . Veterans want troops on the ground to know they're still part of them, organizer says . Retired lieutenant says progress in Iraq shows he didn't "bleed in vain" Program is run by Troops First Foundation, backed by USO .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Five American security contractors were detained in connection with the killing of another American contractor last month inside Baghdad's Green Zone, sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN Saturday. The body of James Kitterman was found in a car in Baghdad's heavily protected Green Zone. Iraqi and U.S. personnel took the five into custody in an operation inside the Green Zone before dawn on Friday, according to an Iraqi official involved in the investigation into the killing of James Kitterman. The five, who have not yet been charged, were being held by Iraqi security forces Saturday at a jail inside the heavily protected zone, he said. The troops also confiscated weapons during the raid on the suspects' firm at about 4 a.m. (11 a.m. ET), said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The names of the suspects and the company they work for were not released. The U.S. military declined comment and referred questions to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Embassy officials did not immediately respond to request for comments. Kitterman was found bound, blindfolded and fatally stabbed in a car in the district, formally known as the International Zone, on May 22. The 60-year-old Houston, Texas, resident owned a construction company that operated in Iraq. The five suspects knew the victim, a source inside the Green Zone familiar with the investigation said. Both the Iraqi and the Green Zone sources noted that the FBI has been involved in the investigation from the start. Once the suspects are charged and referred to trial, the case would be sent to Iraq's Central Criminal Court, the Iraqi official said. If that happens, it would be the first time U.S. citizens were tried in Iraq since the United States returned the country's government to the Iraqis. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Alan Duke contributed to this report.
[ "What was confiscated in the raid of the firm?", "What kind of company did the victim own?", "How many were arrested in death of James Kitterman?", "What confiscated in raid of suspects' firm?", "How many people were arrested in connection with the death?", "Where was James Kitterman's construction company located?", "What was confiscated in the raid?", "How many arrested in death of fellow contractor James Kitterman?", "Who found bound, blindfolded and fatally stabbed?" ]
[ [ "weapons" ], [ "construction" ], [ "Five" ], [ "weapons" ], [ "Five" ], [ "Iraq." ], [ "weapons" ], [ "Five" ], [ "James Kitterman" ] ]
NEW: Weapons confiscated in raid of suspects' firm, official says . Five arrested in death of fellow contractor James Kitterman . Kitterman found bound, blindfolded and fatally stabbed . Victim owned a construction company that operated in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Five U.S. soldiers were killed Friday in a suicide bombing in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul -- the single deadliest attack on U.S. troops in more than a year, the U.S. military said. A suicide truck bomber breached the outer security barrier of Iraqi National Police headquarters in southern Mosul, and detonated his explosives, killing eight people and wounding 60 others, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. A U.S. soldier was also among the wounded, the U.S. military said. The ministry said those killed include five Americans, two Iraqi policemen and an Iraqi soldier. At least two individuals suspected of being involved in the attack were detained, the U.S. military said. It is the deadliest attack on U.S. forces since March 10, 2008, when five U.S. soldiers were killed in a suicide attack in Baghdad. Despite a number of military operations in this volatile city during the past year, Mosul remains one of the most violent places in Iraq. Last year the U.S. military said Mosul was the last urban stronghold of al Qaeda in Iraq. Mosul is the provincial capital of Nineveh and is about 260 miles, or 420 kilometers, north of Baghdad. Watch a suicide bomb attack kills 5 U.S. soldiers » U.S. and Iraqi military forces plan to pull out of Mosul to allow Iraqi police to control security in the city. But police are not quite ready yet, according to an Iraqi general. "We need to bring the police to the required level. The deadline is the end of July, and it's not enough time to prepare the police," said Gen. Hassan Karim, commander of Nineveh operations for the Iraqi army. "(That) means we'll need U.S. forces to stay in Mosul." CNN's Nic Robertson contributed to this report
[ "how many were killed?", "Where did the truck explode?", "what does this mean for the soliders?", "What is significant about the attack?", "Where is Mosul?", "what is deadliest to US forces?" ]
[ [ "eight people" ], [ "Mosul" ], [ "we'll need U.S. forces to stay in Mosul.\"" ], [ "It is the deadliest attack on U.S. forces since March 10, 2008," ], [ "northern Iraqi" ], [ "suicide bombing" ] ]
NEW: Attack is deadliest on U.S. forces in more than a year . Suicide bomber explodes truck at national police headquarters in Mosul . Five Americans among eight dead; 60 others wounded . Mosul, 260 miles north of Baghdad, called last urban stronghold of al Qaeda in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Four Americans -- two soldiers and two civilians from the Defense and State departments -- were killed Tuesday in a blast that rocked a municipal building in Baghdad's Sadr City, the U.S. Embassy said. The attack also killed six Iraqis and wounded 10 others, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. A second employee from the U.S. Defense Department also died, but that person wasn't an American. The employee was a dual Italian-Iraqi national, the Italian Foreign Ministry said. The U.S. military said the blast struck a meeting of a district advisory council, a neighborhood group that looks at local needs and passes on its assessments to the provincial government. The deputy head of the council was seriously injured, the Interior Ministry official said. The U.S. military blamed Iranian-backed militants it calls Special Groups for the blast and detained three people in connection with the attack, including a suspect "fleeing the scene [who] tested positive for explosive residue." "We believe the target of the attack was a high-ranking [district advisory council] member as well as the U.S. soldiers," said Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a U.S. military spokesman. "We believe the Special Groups criminals were upset that the DAC member was working with coalition forces to improve the quality of life for the southern Sadr City residents." A statement from Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, identified the slain State Department employee as Steve Farley. "Mr. Farley was a member of our embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team for the Sadr City and Adhamiya districts of Baghdad City," the statement said. "We extend our deepest condolences to their families and friends, and our profound appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice that they made in service to their country and for the people of Iraq. This is a tragic loss and one we all mourn." The U.S. Embassy statement didn't identify the other victims. The blast dramatizes the perils the war still poses for Americans despite a Pentagon report Monday that touted a sharp decrease in violence in Iraq in recent months. The explosion also marked the third strike in two days involving local politicians and political institutions in Baghdad. A city councilman on Monday fired on U.S. forces at a municipal building southeast of the capital in the Salman Pak area and killed two soldiers. Separately, the head of Abu Dsheer City Council in Baghdad's southern Dora area was gunned down at his home later Monday. Last week, a bomb ripped through Baghdad's Hurriya district near a neighborhood advisory council meeting where U.S. troops were stationed, killing 63 people and wounding 71 others. The U.S. military also blamed that attack on a Special Groups cell, but Stover couldn't say whether it was connected to Tuesday's blast. "Last week's event was an attempt to incite sectarian violence and hatred against the Iraqi Sunni population in an effort to keep them from returning to Hurriya," Stover said. Sadr City, the scene of Tuesday's deadly blast, is a stronghold of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and where some of the capital's most intense fighting in recent months has occurred between Shiite militia members and Iraqi security forces. A truce deal was reached last month between the Iraqi government and al-Sadr's followers, ending weeks of fighting and allowing the Iraqi army to enter Sadr City, but violence persists. Al-Sadr recently announced his intention to develop a new fighting force that would battle U.S.-led forces in Iraq. Many followers in al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia have heeded a long-standing cease-fire, but some rogue forces are thought to be involved in violence. "This was the fourth meeting of this district council, led by hard-working Iraqis determined to make a difference and set Sadr City off on the right path. Special Groups are afraid of progress and afraid of empowering the people," Lt. Col. John Digiambatista of the 4th Infantry Division said in a news release, referring to Tuesday's attack. Twenty-five U.S. troops have died in Iraq to date this month. There
[ "where was the blast", "Who was killed in the Mosul suicide bomb?", "How many americans died", "How many were killed in the bombing?", "Who was killed in Mosul?", "Who did the victim work for?" ]
[ [ "a municipal building in Baghdad's Sadr City," ], [ "two soldiers and two civilians from the Defense and State departments" ], [ "Four" ], [ "Four" ], [ "two soldiers and two civilians from the Defense and State departments" ], [ "U.S. Defense Department" ] ]
NEW: Another victim identified as Italian-Iraqi working for U.S. Defense Department . NEW: Child and policeman killed, dozens wounded in Mosul suicide car bomb . Four Americans and six Iraqis among 11 dead in blast in Baghdad's Sadr City . U.S. military will transfer security responsibilities in Anbar province to Iraqi military .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- From a distance, it looks like an apparition: a huge multi-colored hot-air balloon floating in the Baghdad sky, bearing a large poster of Jesus Christ. Below it, an Iraqi flag. Santa and his helpers stand under palm trees at Baghdad's first public Christmas festival. Welcome to the first-ever public Christmas celebration in Baghdad, held Saturday and sponsored by the Iraqi Interior Ministry. Once thought to be infiltrated by death squads, the Ministry now is trying to root out sectarian violence -- as well as improve its P.R. image. The event takes place in a public park in eastern Baghdad, ringed with security checkpoints. Interior Ministry forces deployed on surrounding rooftops peer down at the scene: a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments and tinsel; a red-costumed Santa Claus waving to the crowd, an Iraqi flag draped over his shoulders; a red-and-black-uniformed military band playing stirring martial music, not Christmas carols. On a large stage, children dressed in costumes representing Iraq's many ethnic and religious groups -- Kurds, Turkmen, Yazidis, Christians, Arab Muslims not defined as Sunni or Shiite -- hold their hands aloft and sing "We are building Iraq!" Two young boys, a mini-policeman and a mini-soldier sporting painted-on mustaches, march stiffly and salute. Watch the celebration in Baghdad » Even before I can ask Interior Ministry spokesman Major-General Abdul Karim Khalaf a question, he greets me with a big smile. "All Iraqis are Christian today!" he says. Khalaf says sectarian and ethnic violence killed thousands of Iraqis. "Now that we have crossed that hurdle and destroyed the incubators of terrorism," he says, "and the security situation is good, we have to go back and strengthen community ties." In spite of his claim, the spokesman is surrounded by heavy security. Yet this celebration shows that the security situation in Baghdad is improving. Many of the people attending the Christmas celebration appear to be Muslims, with women wearing head scarves. Suad Mahmoud, holding her 16-month-old daughter, Sara, tells me she is indeed Muslim, but she's very happy to be here. "My mother's birthday also is this month, so we celebrate all occasions," she says, "especially in this lovely month of Christmas and New Year." Father Saad Sirop Hanna, a Chaldean Christian priest, is here too. He was kidnapped by militants in 2006 and held for 28 days. He knows firsthand how difficult the lot of Christians in Iraq is but, he tells me, "We are just attesting that things are changing in Baghdad, slowly, but we hope that this change actually is real. We will wait for the future to tell us the truth about this." He just returned from Rome. "I came back to Iraq because I believe that we can live here," he says. "I have so many [Muslim] friends and we are so happy they started to think about things from another point of view and we want to help them." The Christmas celebration has tables loaded with cookies and cakes. Families fill plates and chat in the warm winter sun. Santa balloons hang from trees. An artist uses oil paint to create a portrait of Jesus. In the middle of the park there's an art exhibit, the creation of 11- and 12-year-olds: six displays, each about three feet wide, constructed of cardboard and Styrofoam, filled with tiny dolls dressed like ordinary people, along with model soldiers and police. They look like model movie sets depicting everyday life in Baghdad. Afnan, 12 years old, shows me her model called "Arresting the Terrorists." "These are the terrorists," she tells me. "They were trying to blow up the school." In the middle of the street a dead "terrorist" sprawls on the asphalt, his bloody arm torn from his body by an explosion. Afnan tells me she used red nail polish to paint the blood.
[ "what art wAs shown?", "What did they decorate with?", "For what purpose was the celebration put on by the Interior Ministry?", "What did the priest say at the celebration?", "Where was the party held?" ]
[ [ "portrait of Jesus." ], [ "ornaments and tinsel;" ], [ "trying to root out sectarian violence" ], [ "\"We are just attesting that things are changing in Baghdad, slowly, but we hope that this change actually is real. We will wait for the future to tell us the truth about this.\"" ], [ "Baghdad," ] ]
Iraq's first public Christmas party decorated with Jesus, Santa, Christmas tree . Celebration put on by Interior Ministry to "strengthen community ties" Kids' art projects show Baghdad scenes, including one with toy as dead "terrorist" Christian priest at celebration says Baghdad changes give him hope .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Hundreds of gay men have been tortured and killed in Iraq in recent months, some by the nation's security forces, Human Rights Watch said Monday. Iraqi clerics say homosexuality must be eradicated but warn against anti-gay violence. Interviews with doctors indicate hundreds of men had been killed, but the exact number was unclear because of the stigma associated with homosexuality in Iraq, the New York-based watchdog group said in its report. "Iraq's leaders are supposed to defend all Iraqis, not abandon them to armed agents of hate," said Scott Long, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "Turning a blind eye to torture and murder threatens the rights and life of every Iraqi." Four victims who spoke to CNN gave accounts of the attacks, which they say have intensified in the past few months. "In 2004, militias and unknown groups started to go after the gays ... but the peak was six months ago," said Qaisar, who uses a pseudonym for fear of reprisal. "It has become wide scale war against gays in Iraq." Iraqi officials acknowledged that the nation's culture stigmatizes homosexuality, but said the government does not condone such attacks. Authorities are unable to provide homosexuals with special protection, said government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh. According to Human Rights Watch, which is urging a government crackdown, attackers target people on the streets or storm homes, where they conduct interrogations and demand names of suspected gay men. Many end up in hospitals and morgues, the organization said, basing its conclusion on reports from doctors. Men have been threatened with "honor killings" by relatives worried that their "unmanly behavior" will ruin the family's reputation, Human Rights Watch said. Watch Iraqi men discuss attacks » Killings, kidnappings and torture of those suspected of homosexual conduct have intensified in areas such as the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, the watchdog said. "The Shiite people started this war and especially what happened in Sadr City," Qaisar said, adding that his sister-in-law had warned him against going to the area. Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which is active in Sadr City, has joined in the attacks and defends its actions as a way to stop the "feminization" of Iraqi men, the report said. "We have testimony that indicates that the nation's security forces are taking part in the attacks," Long said. The group interviewed more than 50 people who gave accounts of abuses, beatings and stops at security checkpoints, he said. "When the gay killings started and when they started go(ing) after them at checkpoints ... we started to change our look," said Basim, who also used a pseudonym. "These killings point to the continuing and lethal failure of Iraq's post-occupation authorities to establish the rule of law and protect their citizens," said Rasha Moumneh, Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch. A provision from the Saddam Hussein era endorses crimes committed "with honorable motives," according to the organization. The government spokesman said the provision was popular during the Saddam era, but is not used today. He added that there is a push to educate police about human rights. Attacks against civilians, including homosexuals, are not allowed, al-Dabbagh said.
[ "What are escalating?", "Where is the attacks located?", "Human Rights Watch says what?", "What did the Iraq spokesman say?", "What is escalating?" ]
[ [ "Killings, kidnappings and torture of those suspected of homosexual conduct have intensified" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Hundreds of gay men have been tortured and killed in Iraq" ], [ "Authorities are unable to provide homosexuals with special protection," ], [ "Killings, kidnappings" ] ]
Human Rights Watch says people are targeted on the streets and interrogated . Group: Killings, kidnappings and torture of suspected homosexuals are escalating . Attacks against civilians, including homosexuals, not allowed, Iraq spokesman says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Imams delivering their Friday sermons in Iraq are denouncing the shooting of a Quran, the holy book of Islam, by a U.S. soldier. Col. Ted Martin kisses a copy of the Quran before presenting it to tribal leaders Saturday. "If we were strongly united from the beginning, that silly-minded American soldier wouldn't have used the Quran as a target," said Sheikh Ahmed Abdul-Ghafour al-Samarie, delivering a sermon at Um al-Qura Sunni Mosque in Baghdad. The U.S. military and President Bush have apologized, but it did not stem the violent protests in Afghanistan and calls from both Sunni and Shiite Iraqis for the soldier to be severely punished. Muslims around the world were angered when it came to light last week that an American staff sergeant -- a sniper section leader -- had used a Quran for target practice in Iraq. Imams at mosques in the largely Sunni cities of Falluja and Mosul, and in Baghdad, condemned the act. The Baghdad mosque prayer was broadcast live on state TV. "This soldier put the head of his state in embarrassment that he had to apologize to the prime minister. We call upon this soldier to be punished. This act, we reject and we stand against it," al-Samarie said. He said if a similar incident happened again, "the world will turn upside down and things will not go back to how they were." Watch residents of Baghdad protest » Sayyed Muhanned al-Mossawi, a Shiite imam at al-Hakma mosque, said: "We condemn and denounce the criminal act by the American soldier in Radhwaniya in tearing the Holy Quran and using it as a shooting target." Friday's prayer service is the most important Muslim event of the week. The U.S. commander in Baghdad issued a formal apology Saturday and read a letter of apology from the shooter. Watch the U.S. military formally apologize » The sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader, officially reprimanded by his commanding general, dismissed from his regiment and reassigned to the United States, the U.S. military said. Iraq's most powerful Sunni Arab party, the Iraqi Islamic Party, has demanded the "severest of punishments" for the American soldier. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Saad Abedine contributed to this report.
[ "what is quran?", "what did shiite imam say", "What did American staff sergeant use for target practice?", "What did the sergeant use as target?", "What did the Shiite imam say on Fridays sermon?", "What did sunni imam call the soldier?", "what did sunni imam say", "Which is the most significant prayer of the week?" ]
[ [ "the holy book of Islam," ], [ "\"We condemn and denounce the criminal act by the American soldier in Radhwaniya in tearing the Holy Quran and using it as a shooting target.\"" ], [ "Quran" ], [ "Quran" ], [ "\"If we were strongly united from the beginning, that silly-minded American soldier wouldn't have used the Quran as a target,\"" ], [ "silly-minded" ], [ "\"We condemn and denounce the criminal act by the American soldier in Radhwaniya in tearing the Holy Quran and using it as a shooting target.\"" ], [ "Friday's" ] ]
"We condemn and denounce the criminal act," Shiite imam says in Friday sermon . Sunni imam calls soldier "silly-minded American" who embarrassed leader . American staff sergeant had used a Quran for target practice in Iraq . Friday prayers most significant event of the week for Muslims .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq awarded a lucrative oil contract to BP and China National Petroleum Corp., government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Wednesday, while rejecting other companies' offers for other oil fields. BP and China National Petroleum Corporation have won a lucrative oil contract in Iraq. The joint BP-CNPC bid was for the al-Rumeila oil field, one of the largest in the world. The energy companies are expected to increase production at the oil field by 50 percent, to 285,000 barrels a day, for a service charge of $2 for each additional barrel produced, al-Dabbagh said in a statement. The Iraqi government rejected bids for five other oil fields and a natural gas field because the bidders did not agree to the service charge set by the Ministry of Oil, he said. The Ministry of Oil rejected the idea that the failure to award more than one contract made the much-anticipated auction a flop. Iraq did not say how much the BP-CNPC bid was worth. It runs for 20 years. Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani chaired the government-sponsored auction for the oil and natural gas field contracts Tuesday, after a day's delay due to a sandstorm. Much of the auction was broadcast live on state television, which Ministry of Oil spokesman Assem Jihad told CNN was a sign of the transparency of the process. He said the government was satisfied with the auction, even though only one contract was awarded, because the contract was for Iraq's largest oil field. Iraq plans to open bidding this year on 10 more oil fields and one natural gas field, all of which are undeveloped, Jihad said. The companies whose bids were rejected Tuesday have been given time to review their offers, he said. Iraq has some of the largest oil reserves in the world, with an estimated 115 billion barrels -- tying Iran for second place, behind Saudi Arabia's 264 billion barrels, according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration in the United States. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh in Baghdad contributed to this report.
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[ [ "BP-CNPC" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "The Iraqi government" ], [ "50" ], [ "oil" ], [ "al-Rumeila" ], [ "to increase production at the oil field by 50 percent, to 285,000 barrels a day," ], [ "for the al-Rumeila oil field," ], [ "the al-Rumeila oil field, one of the largest in the world." ], [ "the al-Rumeila" ], [ "BP and China National Petroleum Corp.," ], [ "al-Rumeila" ], [ "are" ], [ "BP and China National Petroleum Corp.," ], [ "increase production at the oil field by 50 percent," ], [ "50 percent," ], [ "BP and China National Petroleum Corporation" ] ]
Iraq awards lucrative oil contract to BP, China National Petroleum Corporation . The joint BP-CNPC bid was for the giant al-Rumeila oil field . Energy companies expected to increase production at the field by 50 percent .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq will not grant an operating license to security firm Blackwater Worldwide, an Interior Ministry official said Thursday. Heavily armed Blackwater guards scan downtown Baghdad, Iraq, from a helicopter in 2003. Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf said the ministry denied the request mainly because of a September 2007 shooting incident in which security guards employed by Blackwater fired on a crowd and killed 17 Iraqis, according to the government. A U.S. Embassy official in Baghdad, who asked not to be named, confirmed the report. "We have been informed that Blackwater's ... operating license will not be granted," the official said. "We don't have specifics about dates. We are working with the government of Iraq and our contractors to address the implications of this decision." Blackwater has one of the biggest security contracts in Iraq. The U.S. State Department, which contracted the company to protect American diplomats and other employees, is also "looking at the implications" of the decision, said Robert Wood, the department's acting spokesman. Wood didn't say what specific plans the State Department has to protect its employees, but he told reporters that State will encourage contractors to abide by Iraqi law, as required under the recently approved U.S.-Iraqi security agreement, and will make sure its personnel are protected. "We're formulating how to go forward," he said. Watch report on Iraq's refusal to grant license to Blackwater » Wood refused to say whether two other security companies working in Iraq, Triple Canopy and Dyncorp, would take over security operations, but did say those options were being considered. Earlier this month, five former Blackwater security guards pleaded not guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and other serious crimes stemming from their involvement in the September 16, 2007, shootings in a Baghdad square. A sixth former security guard has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. Blackwater says its employees were returning fire after they were attacked by armed insurgents, but an Iraqi investigation concluded that the guards randomly fired at civilians without provocation. The company does not face any charges. But the Baghdad incident exacerbated the feelings of many Iraqis that private American security contractors have operated since 2003 with little regard for Iraqi law or life. The indictment of the five men represents the first prosecution of non-Defense Department contractors under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA). The act was amended in 2004 to allow the Justice Department to prosecute such personnel providing services "in support of the mission of the Department of Defense overseas." A security agreement approved in December 2008 specifies U.S. civilian contractors will no longer be immune from Iraqi prosecution for crimes committed in Iraq. Iraq has required the licensing of private security companies since 2004, but the provision was not strictly enforced. Last year, the State Department renewed Blackwater's contract over strong objections from the Iraqi government. Starting January 1, the Iraqi government has mandated that all contractors obtain licenses to operate. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "What were they operating in Iraq", "What did they plead?", "What did the State Department do?", "What was the incident" ]
[ [ "security companies" ], [ "pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and attempted manslaughter." ], [ "which contracted the company to protect American diplomats" ], [ "September 2007 shooting" ] ]
NEW: State Department looking at options for protection of diplomats . American security contractor loses right to operate in Iraq . 2007 shooting of 17 civilians led to decision, Interior Ministry spokesman says . Five ex-Blackwater guards have pleaded not guilty to charges related to incident .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's deputy minister of transport has been arrested after investigators taped him taking a $100,000 bribe, the Iraqi Integrity Commission said Monday. It's the latest sting aimed at what many Iraqis say is rampant corruption in the country. The anti-corruption body said Monday this was the first time such a high-level Iraqi official was caught in the act of taking a bribe. The announcement, made on the commission's Web site, said investigators detained Deputy Minister Adnan al-Obaidi last Wednesday. A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport, Aqeel Kawthar, told CNN on Monday that the deputy minister took office August 10, and his arrest came as a surprise to the ministry. He said there were no indications that al-Obaidi might be corrupt before this incident, but he said the Ministry of Transport "supports and congratulates" the Integrity Commission's work. A foreign security firm had approached the Integrity Commission alleging that al-Obaidi had asked for a bribe of $500,000 to renew the firm's contract, the commission said. "The deputy minister was supposed to receive the full amount first, but the scenario was changed into him receiving $100,000 [in U.S. dollars] as a down payment, and the rest of the money would be delivered after the renewal of the contract," according to the commission's account. "Orders were issued to security forces to deploy undercover in Karrada district" in central Baghdad. Watch more about Iraq's war against corruption » The statement said the security forces did not know who the target was and their orders were in coordination with the Integrity Commission's operations room. The commission said that five minutes before the arrest, the head of the commission, Judge Rahim al-Agili, informed Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that a high-ranking government official had taken a bribe. The commission said al-Maliki responded by saying: "I do not want to know his name, carry out the operation even if the wanted individual is Nuri al-Maliki. ... Whether he is from the Dawa party, a Sadrist, or a member of ISCI [all Shiite political parties, including that of the prime minister], he is only known to me as a bribe taker ... " The Integrity Commission said the sting was caught on videotape, which it said would be posted soon on its Web site. "The arrest of of the deputy minister of transport was a professional operation with no political dimensions to it, and we have not heard any political or parliamentary bloc objecting to it ... " the commission's account said. "The operation was carried out within 56 hours of continuous, nonstop, work. The head of the secret informant department and the men of the special operations branch [of the Integrity Commission] played a major role ... and the commission dedicated all its advanced capabilities to document and follow this." According to the monitoring group Transparency International, Iraq is one of the top three most corrupt countries in the world, along with Somalia and Myanmar. A recent report from the group said almost half the people it surveyed in Iraq had paid a bribe in the previous year. When CNN talked to people coming and going from Iraq's Interior Ministry, complaints were frequent. "The employee inside said he will only finish my ID for an extra $40," one man said. Another said, "You can't even talk to the janitor in a government office unless you're paying a bribe." Judge al-Agili told CNN his office is kept busiest by the Interior Ministry, but it is investigating 8,000 allegations of corruption against people through all departments and all levels of government. Al-Agili said he believes corruption is part of Iraq's culture, stretching back long before Saddam Hussein's regime. But he said he believes it can be beaten slowly, and that's why he set up the undercover special operations unit to carry out sting operations. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and Phil Black contributed to this report.
[ "who calls for arrest?", "Who took the bribe?", "what says iraqis?", "What say Iraqis about corruption in the country?", "How much money did the transport official take?", "Is there rampant corruption in the country?" ]
[ [ "The head of the secret informant department and the men of the special operations branch [of the Integrity Commission] played a major role" ], [ "Iraq's deputy minister of transport" ], [ "is rampant corruption in the country." ], [ "rampant" ], [ "$100,000" ], [ "many Iraqis say is" ] ]
Integrity Commission says videotape shows Transport official taking $100,000 bribe . Sting is latest aimed at what many Iraqis say is rampant corruption in the country . Transport spokesman calls arrest a surprise, congratulates integrity panel's work . Integrity panel chief says Iraqi prime minister strongly backed operation .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's government has authorized Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to submit to Washington amendments to a draft security agreement with the United States, an Iraqi government spokesman said Tuesday. Students protest the status-of-forces agreement Tuesday at Baghdad's Mustansiriya University. Ali al-Dabbagh said the Iraqi government approved several amendments that were "necessary, essential and appropriate" to the draft status-of-forces agreement, which would set the terms for U.S. troops in Iraq after the United Nations mandate on their presence expires at the end of this year. "The Iraqi government authorizes the prime minister to bring up these amendments to the U.S. side in order to reach a draft agreement that will preserve the fundamental principles and the sovereignty of Iraq and its high interests," al-Dabbagh said. It is unclear when al-Maliki will submit the changes to the draft document. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently said that there was "great reluctance" to make any more changes to the agreement. However, senior U.S. officials -- speaking under the condition of anonymity -- are not ruling out possibly renegotiating parts of the deal with Iraq if the country's parliament does not approve it. The most vocal opponent of the draft security deal in Iraq has been the political party of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, which opposes any U.S. military presence in Iraq. U.S. military helicopters Tuesday flew over Baghdad's Mustansiriya University, where hundreds of students took part in a demonstration organized by the Sadr movement against the status-of-forces deal. "We are against this agreement between the Iraqi government and between the American government because it is against Iraqi sovereignty," said law student Ahmed Fadhil Abbas, one of the demonstrators. Fellow demonstrator and law student Hisham Mohammed said the students plan to organize a sit-in and a strike across universities in Iraq to protest the agreement. The draft status-of-forces agreement, according to a copy obtained by CNN, calls for U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraqi cities and villages by July 30, 2009, and out of the country entirely by December 31, 2011. The agreement allows for an earlier withdrawal or an extension of the U.S. forces' stay in Iraq, by agreement of both parties. It also allows the Iraqi government to ask "the United States government to leave certain forces for training and for support purposes for the Iraqi forces." Legal jurisdiction over U.S. forces in Iraq has been a sticking point in the negotiation, with the U.S. side preferring that its troops and contractors remain immune from Iraqi law. Baghdad had sought the power to arrest and try Americans accused of crimes not related to official military operations, plus jurisdiction over troops and contractors who commit major crimes in the course of their duties. Under the draft agreement, U.S. forces or contractors who commit "major and premeditated murders" while off duty and outside U.S. facilities would fall under Iraqi jurisdiction, according to the copy obtained by CNN. All other crimes -- and murders committed inside U.S. facilities or by on-duty forces -- would fall under American jurisdiction, the agreement says.
[ "Which pact would set terms for U.S. troops in Iraq after U.N. mandate ends?", "what are the changes", "What did the official call the changed to the draft agreement?", "The pact would set terms for what?", "Despite \"great reluctance\" to change pact, what hasn't the U.S ruled out?", "Where did students protest on Tuesday?" ]
[ [ "draft status-of-forces agreement," ], [ "calls for U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraqi cities and villages by July 30, 2009, and out of the country entirely by December 31, 2011." ], [ "\"necessary, essential and appropriate\"" ], [ "U.S. troops in Iraq" ], [ "possibly renegotiating parts of the deal with Iraq if the country's parliament does not approve it." ], [ "at Baghdad's Mustansiriya University." ] ]
Official calls changes "necessary, essential and appropriate" to the draft agreement . Status-of-forces pact would set terms for U.S. troops in Iraq after U.N. mandate ends . U.S. has shown "great reluctance" to change pact but hasn't ruled out renegotiations . Hundreds of students protest status-of-forces deal Tuesday at university in Baghdad .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's main political parties Sunday reached a deal designed to allow non-U.S. foreign troops to stay in the country past the end of the year, when a United Nations resolution authorizing their presence expires. Iraqi and British soldiers during an Iraqi army training session in Basra last week. The deal would set a deadline of July 31, 2009, for all non-U.S. foreign troops to withdraw, according to Abdul Hadi al-Hassani, a lawmaker with the main Shiite parliamentary bloc, who spoke to Iraqi state television on Sunday. The agreement awaits approval by Iraq's Parliament, which is expected to vote on the measure on Monday, several Iraqi lawmakers said. The emergency negotiations came after lawmakers Saturday rejected a similar proposal that would have been law. Sunday's proposal, by contrast, was drafted as a resolution that would empower the Cabinet to authorize international troop presence without requiring Parliament to pass a law. Washington and Baghdad have already worked out a separate agreement that will keep U.S. troops in Iraq but tighten restrictions on them. Countries other than the United States that have troops in Iraq could be left with no legal cover for their presence there if Baghdad does not act swiftly. Iraq's Cabinet had approved a draft law authorizing non-U.S. foreign troops Tuesday, the first step in passing legislation, but it fell at the next hurdle -- Parliament. That left lawmakers scrambling Sunday for a way to give foreign troops legal cover quickly. Lawmakers expect Sunday's agreement to cut through the problem, because a resolution can be passed in a single day, while it takes at least a week to pass a law. British government lawyers, meanwhile, are studying "all possible options" to legally extend the presence of British troops in Iraq beyond New Year's Day in case Iraq's Parliament rejects the new compromise. Britain has the second-largest contingent of foreign troops in Iraq -- about 4,100 -- after the United States, which has about 142,500. All other countries combined have only several hundred troops in the country. Britain and Iraq announced last week that British troops would begin leaving Iraq in May 2009, while a "handful" of British military personnel would remain after that date to continue naval training for Iraqi sailors, primarily to protect oil platforms. The United States reached a security agreement with Iraq in November. That deal, which was ratified by the Iraqi Parliament, calls for American troops to leave Iraqi cities by June 2009, and to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. Beginning New Year's Day, U.S. commanders will have to get prior Iraqi government approval for any operations. American military personnel who commit crimes while not on duty or who commit grave crimes while on duty would be subject to Iraqi legal jurisdiction under the new agreement. The U.S. security agreement does not govern the presence of troops from other coalition countries. The Parliament's rejection of the Cabinet's proposed law allowing foreign forces to remain in Iraq after January 1 came after heated arguments that lasted for days. The session became so contentious that Parliament's speaker threatened to resign, lawmakers said. Some political blocs, notably the Sadrists, oppose any extension of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq. That group, headed by Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr -- an anti-Western cleric -- is demanding an immediate withdrawal of foreign forces. CNN's Jill Dougherty and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "What would the deadline be for withdrawal?", "who will examine options?", "What would deal permit?", "Who opposed the extension?", "who would permit non-U.S. troops to stay?", "who will oppose any extension of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq?", "What is Iraqi parliament's deal?" ]
[ [ "July 31, 2009," ], [ "British government lawyers," ], [ "foreign troops to stay in the country past the end of the year," ], [ "Sadrists," ], [ "Iraq's main political parties" ], [ "Some political blocs, notably the Sadrists," ], [ "allow non-U.S." ] ]
NEW: Deal would permit non-U.S. troops to stay into 2009 . NEW: Agreement would set July 31 withdrawal deadline for those troops . U.K. examining options in case Iraqi Parliament doesn't OK deal . Sadrists oppose any extension of the presence of foreign troops in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's most powerful Sunni Arab political party on Monday said a U.S. soldier's desecration of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, requires the "severest of punishments," not just an apology and a military reassignment. Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond apologizes after a U.S. soldier admitted using the Quran for target practice. The Iraqi Islamic Party, the movement of Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, condemned what it said was a "blatant assault on the sanctities of Muslims all over the world." An American staff sergeant who was a sniper section leader used a Quran for target practice on May 9. The U.S. commander in Baghdad on Saturday issued a formal apology and read a letter of apology from the shooter. The sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader "with prejudice," officially reprimanded by his commanding general, dismissed from his regiment and redeployed -- reassigned to the United States. But the Iraqi Islamic Party -- which said it reacted to the news "with deep resentment and indignation" -- wants the "severest of punishments" for the action. "What truly concerns us is the repetition of these crimes that have happened in the past when mosques were destroyed and pages of the Holy Quran were torn and used for disgraceful acts by U.S. soldiers," al-Hashimi said. "I have asked that first this apology be officially documented; second a guarantee from the U.S. military to inflict the maximum possible punishment on this soldier so it would be a deterrent for the rest of the soldiers in the future." A tribal leader said "the criminal act by U.S. forces" took place at a shooting range at the Radhwaniya police station on Baghdad's western outskirts. After the shooters left, an Iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled Quran. Read how the soldier could have provoked a crisis Copies of the pictures of the Quran obtained by CNN show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages. On Saturday, Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad, appeared at an apology ceremony flanked by leaders from Radhwaniya. Watch as the U.S. formally apologizes » "I come before you here seeking your forgiveness," Hammond said to tribal leaders and others gathered. "In the most humble manner, I look in your eyes today, and I say please forgive me and my soldiers." Another military official kissed a Quran and presented it as "a humble gift" to the tribal leaders. Hammond also read from the shooter's letter: "I sincerely hope that my actions have not diminished the partnership that our two nations have developed together. ... My actions were shortsighted, very reckless and irresponsible, but in my heart [the actions] were not malicious." Hammond said, "The actions of one soldier were nothing more than criminal behavior. I've come to this land to protect you, to support you -- not to harm you -- and the behavior of this soldier was nothing short of wrong and unacceptable." The soldier reportedly claimed he wasn't aware the book was the Quran, but U.S. officials rejected his assertion. Tribal leaders, dignitaries and local security officials attended the ceremony, while residents carried banners and chanted slogans, including, "Yes, yes to the Quran" and "America out, out." Watch as villagers protest the Quran incident » Sheikh Hamadi al-Qirtani, in a speech on behalf of all tribal sheikhs of Radhwaniya, called the shooting "aggression against the entire Islamic world." The Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq also condemned the shooter's actions and the U.S. military's belated acknowledgment of what happened. "As the Association of Muslim Scholars condemns this heinous crime against God's holy book, the constitution of this nation, a source of pride and dignity," the group's statement said, "they condemned the silence by all those who are part of the occupation's agenda and holds the occupation and the current government fully responsible for this violation and reminds everyone
[ "Who used Quran for target practice?", "Soldier relieved of duty will be reassigned after what?", "Who was relieved of duty?", "Where did U.S. commander issue a formal apology?", "Who used it for target practice?", "What did the U.S. commander issue?", "What was called a blatant assault?", "What did the Iraqi Islamic Party call the Quran incident?", "U.S. soldier used Quran for what?" ]
[ [ "An American staff sergeant" ], [ "desecration of the Quran," ], [ "The sergeant" ], [ "Baghdad" ], [ "a U.S. soldier" ], [ "formal apology and read a letter of apology from the shooter." ], [ "desecration of the Quran," ], [ "\"blatant assault on the sanctities of Muslims all over the world.\"" ], [ "target practice." ] ]
Iraqi Islamic Party calls Quran incident "blatant assault" on Muslim holy book . U.S. soldier used Quran for target practice, military investigation found . U.S. commander in Baghdad has issued formal apology . Soldier relieved of duty, will be reassigned after sending letter of apology .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's oil minister Monday opened international bidding on six oil fields that could increase the country's oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day. Iraqi flags flutter during the opening ceremony of a new oil refinery plant in the Shiite holy city of Najaf. But the oil ministry continues to negotiate short-term no-bid contracts with several U.S. and European oil companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, Chevron Corp., and BP -- a step recently criticized by two U.S. lawmakers. Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani announced Monday that 35 international oil companies can bid on long-term contracts for redeveloping the six oil fields, as well as two natural gas fields. "It is a unique event and a significant feature in the new Iraq that we declare the first bidding course for developing the Iraq oil fields publicly and fully in a transparent way," the minister said at Monday's news conference. It marks the first time in more than 35 years that Iraq has allowed foreign oil companies to do business inside its borders. Shahrastani said the fee-based contracts will not give the winning companies a share in the revenue from oil sales "because this wealth belong to Iraq only and thus we will not allow anyone to share the Iraqis' oil." Iraq has among the largest oil reserves in the world, with an estimated 115 billion barrels -- tying Iran for the No. 2 status behind Saudi Arabia's 264 billion barrels, according to estimates from the Energy Information Administration. Iraq's current oil production is 2.25 million barrels a day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is close to its status before the U.S.-led war that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, but below its levels prior to the first Persian Gulf War in 1991. The six oil fields that will be open to development are in the Kirkuk oil fields and the neighboring Bai Hassan fields in northern Iraq, Shahrastani said. They are al-Rumeila, al-Zubair, al-Qurna West, and three fields in the Maysan oil fields -- Bazirqan, Abu Gharab and Fakah. The two gas fields are Akas and Mansouriya gas fields in western Iraq. The fields have already been explored and are producing oil and gas, but the equipment is old and outdated, Shahrastani said. He hopes that the new infrastructure provided by the international oil companies will mean "the production can be increased in less cost and less time." Iraq's oil minister said the ministry will invite the 35 qualified international companies --- which includes BP, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron -- to prepare their bids over the next two weeks. The contracts could go into effect by next year, but Shahrastani said it will take several more years before oil production is increased. "We hope in 2013 through this first bidding course to increase production in these fields by 1.5 million barrels per day, in addition to our daily average production rate during the last five years," he said. Meanwhile, Iraq hopes to wrap up its talks regarding short-term, no-bid contracts that would allow the U.S. and European oil companies -- including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, Chevron, and BP -- to service those oil fields as soon as possible. Last week, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressing concerns about the no-bid contracts that the government of Iraq is negotiating with the U.S. and European companies. The senators, who released the letter, said they are worried that unfair distribution of oil revenue could inflame the violence between the warring religious and political groups of Iraq. "We urge you to persuade the (government of Iraq) to refrain from signing contracts with multinational oil companies until a hydrocarbon law is in effect in Iraq," read the letter from Schumer and Kerry. "At this time, the (government of Iraq) currently does not have in place a revenue-sharing law that could fairly allocate any revenue gained from
[ "What an Iraqi minister said?", "New contracts would raise Iraq's production by how much?", "How many companies qualified to bid on service contracts for oil fields?" ]
[ [ "35 international oil companies can bid on long-term contracts" ], [ "1.5 million barrels per day." ], [ "35" ] ]
Iraqi oil minister: 35 companies qualified to bid on service contracts for oil fields . New contracts would raise Iraq's production by 1.5 million barrels per day . Reduction in violence has boosted production to highest level since 2003 . Reports: 5 companies close to signing short-term oil service contracts no-bid basis .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi Security Forces captured 66 people believed to be connected to al Qaeda in Iraq terror cells, the U.S. military said Thursday. Members of the Iraqi Security Forces are working in Iraq to capture terrorists and insurgents. The suspects were captured during separate operations in northern Iraq this week, according to a military news release. The suspects included 45 men from al Qaeda in Iraq and 21 suspected terrorists from an umbrella group of al Qaeda in Iraq known as The Islamic State of Iraq, the statement said. The suspects are believed to be part of terror cells responsible for bombings, torturing of civilians, conducting attacks and warning insurgents about upcoming Iraqi and U.S. military operations, the military said. One of the suspects is believed to have conducted more than 12 attacks since July. "These operations show the ability of Iraqi Security Forces to repeatedly capture criminals who undermine the security of Iraq," said Lt. Col. Neil Harper, a U.S. military spokesman.
[ "What are suspects blamed for?", "What is one of the suspects believed to have done?", "how many attacks have been done since July?", "How many attacks is one of the suspects believed to have conducted?", "Who do the suspects include?" ]
[ [ "bombings, torturing of civilians, conducting attacks and warning insurgents about upcoming Iraqi and U.S. military operations," ], [ "conducted more than 12 attacks since July." ], [ "12" ], [ "12" ], [ "45 men from al Qaeda in Iraq and 21 suspected terrorists from an umbrella group of al Qaeda in Iraq known as The Islamic State of Iraq," ] ]
Suspects blamed for bombings, civilian torture, warning insurgents about operations . Suspects include 45 men from al Qaeda in Iraq, 21 from the Islamic State of Iraq . One of the suspects is believed to have conducted more than 12 attacks since July .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi representatives will meet with the International Olympic Committee on Monday to try to reach an agreement that would allow now-banned Iraq to participate in next month's games, an official said Friday. Iraq fans cheer during an Olympic qualifying soccer match against Australia in November. Jassim M. Jaffer, Iraq's minister of youth and sports, told CNN he is "optimistic that we will participate." Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh and the ministry's adviser, Basil Abdul Mahdi, are on their way to Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet with IOC officials, Jaffer said. The IOC barred Iraq from participating in the Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China, citing what it said was government interference with Iraq's Olympic movement. The IOC's charter does not allow political interference. The ban stems from the Iraqi government decision in May to suspend the country's existing Olympic committee and form a new entity. Watch an official explain the decision » But even as government representatives traveled to Switzerland, Jaffer said Iraq was considering legal action against the IOC. "We will revert to international courts with a complaint against the IOC ... to get Iraq's rights and the rights of the athletes," Jaffer said. On Friday, another Iraqi government official said the country was doing what it could to reverse the ban, but acknowledged that "chances are slim" for a change. Basam Ridha al-Husseini, an adviser to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, told CNN the government has been in "heavy negotiations" with IOC officials through the Asian Olympic Committee. "The Iraqi government will not give up on our participation, which is still needed by our people," he said in a phone interview from Dubai. "We are doing our best to stop the ban. ... The chances of that are slim, but we will persevere and hope it will happen." Repeated attempts by CNN to reach the IOC press office in Switzerland for comment were unsuccessful. But on Thursday, IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said the IOC in June suspended Iraq's national Olympic committee after the government removed elected officials and put in people not recognized by the IOC. She said the IOC had proposed to the Iraqi government that officials come to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, "to discuss possible solutions." "We're extremely disappointed with the situation," Moreau said. "The athletes have been ill-served by the government in Iraq." Iraq missed a Wednesday deadline for the entry of athletes to compete in archery, judo, rowing and weightlifting, Moreau said. She said there is a chance that track and field athletes could compete if the original committee is reinstated. The deadline for the track team to register is at the end of the month. Jaffer, Iraq's sports minister, told CNN on Friday that the IOC's decision was "unjust" because it did not take into consideration the Iraqi government's reasons for the May suspension. The minister called on the IOC to come to Iraq and talk to the sports federation to investigate the political interference accusations, and then act accordingly. "Looking at this from far away, without going into the details, not reading the Iraqi government's reports, not hearing Iraq's side of the story and accusing Iraq of many things is really unfortunate," he said. Several Iraqi athletes were to travel to China for the games' start in August. Iraqi sprinter Dana Hussain cried for hours after hearing the news of the ban on Thursday, which arrived in the form of a letter to Iraqi officials. "She hasn't stopped. It's like finding out that a close relative has died," said her coach, Yousif Abdul Rahman. Abdul Rahman attempted to console Hussain by assuring her that she could compete in the 2012 Olympics. Watch Hussain react to the news » "In this horrible situation," she said, "who can say I'll even be alive in 2012?" Al-Husseini said Iraq had the right as a sovereign
[ "What was the reason IOC ban Iraqi athletes?", "Who is banned from the summer games?", "Where are the officials going?", "Who said Iraq was banned from the summer games?", "Where are Iraqi officials going to?", "Who said they are optimistic?", "Where are Iraqi officials going?", "When do the summer games start?" ]
[ [ "government interference with Iraq's Olympic movement." ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Lausanne, Switzerland," ], [ "IOC" ], [ "Lausanne, Switzerland," ], [ "Jassim M. Jaffer," ], [ "to Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet with IOC" ], [ "August." ] ]
Iraqi officials head to Switzerland to make case to International Olympic Committee . IOC said Thursday Iraq was banned from summer games, which start next month . IOC charged political interference, cited Iraq's suspension of its Olympic committee . Iraqi official says he's "optimistic" Iraq will be allowed to take part in games .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi soldiers have found a mass grave of mutilated bodies in a restive region north of Baghdad, a local security official told CNN Thursday. Mourners with the coffin of a relative killed by a triple car bombing Wednesday in the city of Amara. Elsewhere an Iraqi was killed and five people were wounded Thursday when a car bomb detonated near the Italian Embassy in northern Baghdad's Adhamiya neighborhood, an Interior Ministry official said. And 11 people were detained in coalition raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and those who help foreign insurgents, the U.S. military said. Iraqi soldiers said 12 of the bodies found north of Baghdad were beheaded and four others were mutilated. The corpses, all male, were discovered Wednesday near Muqdadiya in Diyala province north of the capital, the official, from Diyala province, said on Thursday. He said police believe al Qaeda in Iraq left behind the mass grave. Diyala province -- which stretches north and east of the capital and borders Iran -- has been a major scene of fighting during the U.S. and Iraqi troop escalations this year. It is one of the Baghdad "belts" with a strong insurgent presence that have been targeted by coalition and Iraqi forces over the year. It is not the first mass grave found in and near Baghdad this autumn. Others include a mass grave of 17 Iraqi civilians believed kidnapped at fake police checkpoints, found under a house used by insurgents near Baquba, Diyala's provincial capital -- an area where al Qaeda in Iraq has had a strong presence. The decomposed bodies of 16 Iraqi civilians believed killed by al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists were found in early December in a shelter in central Baghdad's Fadl neighborhood. And U.S. and Iraqi troops found 22 corpses buried in the region around Iraq's Lake Tharthar, northwest of Baghdad, in both Anbar and Salaheddin provinces. Meanwhile the Italian Embassy confirmed the bombing in northern Baghdad's Adhamiya neighborhood which killed one person but had no further details about the incident. Three police were among the wounded when the parked car blew up, the official said. A predominantly Sunni neighborhood, Adhamiya is one of the areas in Baghdad where an "awakening" movement has been created to maintain security. The awakening movement is the name for the anti-al-Qaeda in Iraq Sunni groups that have emerged in Iraq over the year. The detention of the 11 people in coalition raids targeting netted, the U.S. military said, an al Qaeda in Iraq leader north of Hawija, believed to be responsible for facilitating finances and logistics for the terrorist network in the area". Five others were detained. A "wanted individual" and three others were detained in Mosul and another person was seized in Samarra. "Foreign terrorists who come to Iraq to support al Qaeda will find no safe haven from which they can operate," said Cmdr. Scott Rye, a Multi-National Forces-Iraq spokesman. "While they struggle to rebuild their networks, we will continue to dismantle them." E-mail to a friend
[ "How many people were wounded?", "Where was the mass grave found?", "Number of people detained by coalition raids?", "How many were wounded by the car bomb?", "Who mutilated remains of at least 16 men?", "Who was detained in a countrywide raid?", "Number of people killd by the car bomb?", "How many were detained?", "Who was killed in northern Baghdad?" ]
[ [ "five" ], [ "restive region" ], [ "11" ], [ "five people" ], [ "al Qaeda" ], [ "11 people" ], [ "an Iraqi" ], [ "11 people" ], [ "Iraqi civilians" ] ]
Mass grave found north of Baghdad, includes mutilated remains of at least 16 men . One Iraqi killed and five people wounded by a car bomb in northern Baghdad . Eleven people detained in countrywide coalition raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Mothers cradle children in their arms. Fathers smile softly at the helpless bodies they hold. Other parents are bent over from the weight of their teenage kids whose legs fall limp, almost touching the ground. In the absence of basic medical equipment, these parents do this every day. An Iraqi boy gives a thumbs up after receiving his wheelchair. Brad Blauser, center, created the program. Khaled is a father of three. On this day, his young daughter, Mariam, is getting fitted for her new wheelchair. Her arms and legs are painfully thin, little more than skin and bone. She's 7 years old, but looks barely half that. She and both her siblings, a sister and brother, suffer from varying degrees of polio. None of them can walk. Asked how he and his family cope, Khaled chokes up, fighting back tears. "I am sick of life -- what can I say to you?" he says after a long pause. One man, Brad Blauser, has vowed to try to make life a little easier for these families by organizing the distribution of wheelchairs, donated and paid for by his charity, Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids. He first came to Iraq in 2004 as a civilian contractor. Struck by the abject chaos surrounding him and seeing helpless children scooting along the ground, he pledged to find a way to help. Watch dads, moms carry kids; tears flow when wheelchairs arrive » His first step was to consult an Army medic to find out what hospitals really needed. "He surprised me with his answer about pediatric wheelchairs. We've got so many children out in the city that the ones who can get around are following their friends by dragging themselves around on the ground, which is heartbreaking to see," he says. "I was surprised. It took me aback." Enlisting the help of generous supporters and an Iraqi humanitarian group Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids was born in August of 2005. Thirty days later its first 31 chairs were delivered. To date more than 250 Iraqi families have received the wheelchairs. Blauser has partnered with a nonprofit group called Reach Out and Care Wheels, which sells him the chairs at a manufacturing price of about $300. The chairs are made by prisoners at the South Dakota State Penitentiary and ultimately delivered in Iraq by the U.S. military. "Getting these prisoners involved, it just means the world to them," said Andrew Babcock, the executive director of Reach Out and Care Wheels. "Even the prisoners, I've been there and visited, and they're so excited. They come up with different design ideas and ways to make things better for the kids. They want to know where the chairs are going and what kids we're helping." Blauser said it's unbelievable to be there when the chairs are delivered. "The most affecting thing about this whole wheelchairs for children is when the parents realize the gift that is being given to their children and they reach out to hug you." he said. "The tears are running from their eyes and they say, 'We never thought that you could do this.' " Blauser is helped on the Iraqi missions by the civil affairs division of the U.S. military, which helps organize the safe transport of the families to the distribution point and adjustment of the wheelchairs to fit each child. He said it gives "the troops something when they go home, something good to remember where they know they have contributed, they know they have done a good thing." Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Jurack agrees. "It brings a smile to your face. It really gives a different image to the Army as a whole -- helping people out, putting a smile on local nationals' faces, little kids that need our help." It's a sentiment that is echoed by Samira Al-Ali, the head of the Iraqi group that finds the children in need. On this day, she tells the soldiers she hopes that this humanitarian act will give
[ "Who makes wheelchairs?", "Where are wheelchairs made that are delivered by the U.S. military?", "What did the Dad of three disabled children say?", "What was the vision of Brad Blauser?", "What was the vision of American contractor Brad Blauser?", "Who make the wheelchairs in South Dakota?", "Who makes the wheelchairs distributed by the U.S. military?" ]
[ [ "prisoners at the South Dakota State Penitentiary" ], [ "prisoners at the South Dakota State Penitentiary" ], [ "can I" ], [ "organizing the distribution of wheelchairs," ], [ "make life a little easier" ], [ "prisoners" ], [ "prisoners at the South Dakota State Penitentiary" ] ]
Wheelchair distribution was the vision of American contractor Brad Blauser . Humanitarian group brings the kids to a safe area so they can get the wheelchairs . "I am sick of life," says Dad who has three children disabled from polio . Wheelchairs are made by prisoners in South Dakota, delivered by U.S. military .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Nineteen U.S. troops were killed in Iraq in May, the fewest killed in any month since the war started. Baghdad saw a lull in violence in May, as a cease fire agreement has so far been maintained. The second-lowest month for American deaths was in February 2004, when 20 were killed. May's toll was a significant decrease from April, when 50 were killed -- the highest monthly figure since September. The U.S. military death toll spiked last year as the U.S. troop escalation, dubbed the "surge," was unfolding. In 2007, there were 104 deaths in April, 126 in May and 101 in June. Numbers began dropping when the "surge" strategy took hold and Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr suspended the activities of his militia, the Mehdi Army. There were 78 American deaths in July, 2007; 84 in August; 65 in September; 38 in October; 37 in November; 23 in December; 40 in January; 29 in February; and 38 in March. May's death numbers appeared to support Senate testimony last month from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq. Petraeus said recent operations in three Iraqi cities have "contributed significantly to the reduction in violence." The month of June may not bring such optimistic news. A suicide car bomb struck an Iraqi police checkpoint outside police headquarters in Mosul on Monday, killing nine people, including four police officers, and wounding 46 people, a Mosul police official said. Eight of the wounded were police officers, the official said. The incident took place in southern Mosul's Dawasa commercial area at about 7 p.m. the official said. Mosul is about 260 miles (420 km) north of Baghdad.
[ "How many U.S. troops were killed in Iraq in May?", "What is \"surge\" strategy?", "How many deaths were there last April?", "Where were 19 US troops killed?", "What did a suicide car bomb strike?", "How many people were killed by the suicide car bomb at an Iraqi police checkpoint on Monday?", "When were they killeld?" ]
[ [ "Nineteen" ], [ "U.S. troop escalation," ], [ "50" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "an Iraqi police checkpoint" ], [ "nine" ], [ "May," ] ]
19 U.S. troops were killed in Iraq in May, the fewest killed in any month of the war . Death toll spiked in 2007, with 104 deaths last April, 126 in May, 101 in June . Numbers dropped after the "surge" strategy took hold . A suicide car bomb struck an Iraqi police checkpoint Monday killing nine people .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- None of the 1,000-plus Iraqi detainees freed in recent weeks have broken a pledge not to return to the insurgency, according to the Marine general who oversees the U.S. detention centers in Iraq. A U.S. military panel reviews a detainee's case at Camp Cropper near Baghdad. Speaking in Arabic, Maj. Gen. Doug Stone on Wednesday reassured Iraqis about how the 25,000 detainees -- mostly Sunnis -- are treated after being taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the insurgency. Stone described the detention system as "open and transparent," saying it makes the detainees better citizens and helps break the cycle of violence and poverty in the country. Stone said detainees get free medical care equal to what he gets as a general, food and water made to Islamic standards, educational opportunities, jobs skills and contact with families. The U.S. detention centers -- at Camp Bucca near the southern port city of Basra and in Camp Cropper near Baghdad -- are political sore points for Sunnis, who make up 83 percent of the detainees held. The main Sunni political coalition -- the Iraqi Accord Front -- cited the centers as one reason for quitting the government during the summer. Last month, the U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Lion's Paw in which between 50 and 70 detainees would be released daily during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan after taking a pledge not to rejoin the insurgency against the Shiite-led government. "This pledge is an Iraqi pledge, a pledge before an Iraqi judge, frequently with a family member present," Stone said. "I am pleased to tell you that in the more 1,000 that have gone through this program and taken the pledge, not one has returned to threaten Iraqi or coalition forces." Stone said the releases would continue at the same pace beyond Ramadan. Stone's description seems a far cry from the Abu Ghraib prison operated by the U.S. military in the first years after the invasion. That prison was closed down and razed in the wake of an international scandal over prisoner abuse. "There are no secrets that go on in detention," Stone said. "Our facilities are open to inspection by any agency that we in the federal government believe is credible. These agencies are welcomed because they are windows for the world." See what life's like inside Camp Cropper's walls » By the time of their release, "detainees grow in terms of working in an inter-sectarian environment," he said. Each detainee has a chance to take classes up to a sixth-grade level, and high school classes are being planned, Stone said. About one-third -- or 8,000 -- are in school, with 7,000 having passed the fifth-grade level, he said. The 860 detainees who are 17 or younger are all in school, Stone said. The average stay for a detainee is 300 days, but some have been detained for two years or longer, he said. A review board interviews detainees to decide if they are a threat to security, he said. If they are deemed not to be, they are offered freedom in exchange for taking the pledge. Only 280 detainees are foreigners, mostly from Syria, Egypt, Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia, he said. Other developments
[ "Who were they targeting?", "Whose strike kills 13 suspected terrorists west of Baghdad?", "What number of detainees were freed?", "What did the US general try to reassure Sunnis of?", "Where did the airstrike take place?", "who has been freed?", "what is a detainee?", "what nationality are the detainees?", "What proportion of detainees are Sunni?", "whats was the percentage of detainees?", "what has the us done?", "What number of detainees kept the pledge not to rejoin insurgency?", "Who are the detainees?", "Who might face abuse?", "more than 1000 freed detaines repotedly what?", "Who are 80% of detainees?", "Who tries to reassure Sunnis that detainees face no abuse?" ]
[ [ "Shiite-led government." ], [ "developments" ], [ "1,000-plus" ], [ "are treated after being taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the insurgency." ], [ "at Camp Cropper near Baghdad." ], [ "1,000-plus Iraqi detainees" ], [ "taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the insurgency." ], [ "Iraqi" ], [ "83 percent" ], [ "83 percent" ], [ "the U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Lion's Paw" ], [ "1,000-plus" ], [ "mostly Sunnis" ], [ "prisoner" ], [ "have broken a pledge" ], [ "Sunnis," ], [ "Maj. Gen. Doug Stone" ] ]
More than 1,000 freed detainees reportedly keep pledge not to rejoin insurgency . U.S. general tries to reassure Sunnis that detainees face no abuse . More than 80 percent of detainees are Sunnis . U.S. airstrike kills 13 suspected terrorists west of Baghdad .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie is visiting Iraq to boost what she sees as lagging efforts to deal with the problems of 2 million "very very vulnerable" internally displaced people in the wartorn country. Angelina Jolie has been working to focus attention on problem of refugees in Iraq. "There doesn't seem to be a real coherent plan to help them," said Jolie, speaking in an exclusive interview with CNN's Arwa Damon Thursday. "There's lots of goodwill. Lots of discussion, but there seems to be a lot of talk at the moment, and a lot of pieces that need to be put together. I'm trying to figure out what they are." A goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Jolie wants to find ways to help the agency be more active inside war-torn Iraq. Watch CNN's exclusive interview with Jolie » Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence in the country has sparked a displacement crisis that is considered the most significant in the Middle East since the 1948 creation of Israel. More than 4.2 million Iraqis have fled their homes, around 2 million to neighboring states, mostly Syria and Jordan, and another 2.2 million displaced inside Iraq. The flight was aggravated by the February 2006 bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra, an attack that stoked pitched sectarian warfare. Many of the internally displaced live precarious lives amid conditions of squalor, crowded into camps and slums that often lack basic necessities, such as proper food, health care and shelter. "How Iraq settles in the years to come is going to affect the entire Middle East," said Jolie. "It's in our best interest to address a humanitarian crisis on this scale because displacement can lead to a lot of instability and aggression." Read transcript of interview Jolie has been working to help draw attention to the problem and has called for governments to bolster their support of the U.N.H.C.R. In August, Jolie first visited Iraq and Syria to get a sense of the problem. She heard stories from refugees about their plight. Watch as Jolie lunches with troops » This visit to Iraq is focusing on the problems of the internally displaced, 58 percent of whom are under age 12. A top issue for the agency is getting better security. Jolie is talking with U.S. officials, including top U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, about that issue, and are willing to provide such security which she said "needs to be addressed and solved." The Iraqi government needs to empower agencies that deal with migration to address the concerns of the displaced -- but that has not happened yet, she said. Jolie said it was crucial that the government prepare a plan to deal with refugees who return home from Syria and Jordan and find that their homes are "occupied" by others or "bombed out." She emphasizes the way in which these people are resettled will have "broad implications" in the region. Jolie also is talking to people about moving forward the U.S. effort to resettle Iraqi refugees in the United States, which has set a goal of taking in 12,000 of those people by September. Only 375 have been admitted so far. "I have to believe there are people working toward that goal," she said. International agencies, such as the United Nations and the Arab League, and many countries in the region and in Europe are addressing the refugee and the internally displaced persons' crisis, and money is being allocated to Iraq and host countries to help clothe, feed and house people. Most of the refugees are in Syria and Jordan, and they reside in big cities like Damascus and Amman. The U.N.C.H.R. is trying to help governments in Syria and Jordan to cope with the influx, which has stretched the resources of institutions like schools and health systems. It is also attempting to help 41,000 non-Iraqi refugees in Iraq, such as Palestinians and Iranians. Last month, the UNHCR announced a plan to seek $261 million this year for its work to help these refugees. It has almost 350 staffers "directly engaged in
[ "Where did the fleeing Iraqis go?", "Who visited Iraq?", "what does she tell", "By what method did she help the refugees?", "What did the actress say to CNN?", "What did she tell CNN?", "For what reason did Angelina Jolie visit Iraq?", "Who visits Iraq?", "What number of Iraqis have fled their homes?", "what is her position at U.N.", "what did jolie do" ]
[ [ "neighboring states," ], [ "Angelina Jolie" ], [ "\"There doesn't seem to be a real coherent plan to help them,\"" ], [ "draw attention to the problem and has called for governments to bolster their support of the U.N.H.C.R." ], [ "be a real coherent plan" ], [ "real coherent plan to help them,\"" ], [ "as lagging efforts to deal with the problems of 2 million \"very very vulnerable\" internally displaced people in the wartorn country." ], [ "Angelina Jolie" ], [ "More than 4.2 million" ], [ "goodwill ambassador" ], [ "working to focus attention on problem of refugees in Iraq." ] ]
Angelina Jolie visits Iraq to boost efforts to help internally displaced refugees . Actress tells CNN: "There doesn't seem to be real coherent plan to help them" Jolie is goodwill ambassador for U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees . More than 4.2 million Iraqis have fled homes, 2 million to neighboring states .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has ordered his government to take down concrete blast walls that line Baghdad's streets and surround whole neighborhoods, the Iraqi military announced Thursday. The walls split Baghdad along sectarian lines, shielding some from Shiite militias and Sunni insurgents. "The concrete walls will be taken off from the main roads and side streets in all Baghdad areas, with no exceptions and within 40 days," a statement from Iraqi military's Baghdad Operations Command read. The massive concrete barriers, typically 3 meters (10 feet) tall, were quickly erected around many Baghdad buildings after the U.S. invasion in 2003. They mushroomed during the sectarian warfare that followed the 2006 bombing of a Shiite Muslim shrine in Samarra, when they were put up to separate Shiite and Sunni districts across Baghdad. While they split the city along sectarian lines, they also managed to protect neighborhood residents from Shiite militias and Sunni insurgents and helped U.S. troops and Iraqi government forces manage security within them. The order does not cover the Green Zone, which houses Iraqi government buildings and the U.S. Embassy, or military installations, government institutions, hotels or some private companies. The order came after meeting Wednesday with high-ranking security officials, according to the command. Iraqi forces are now calling the shots on issues related to security in their homeland since June 30, the date U.S. combat troops were mandated to leave Iraqi cities and towns pursuant to a joint security agreement.
[ "in how many days will be removed the walls?", "what is not cover by the order?", "THe concrete barriers are how high", "WHen will walls be removed" ]
[ [ "within 40 days,\"" ], [ "the Green Zone," ], [ "3 meters (10 feet) tall," ], [ "within 40 days,\"" ] ]
Walls will be removed from main roads, side streets within 40 days, statement says . The massive concrete barriers about 10 feet tall went up after U.S. invasion . Order does not cover Green Zone, military installations, government institutions . The walls helped U.S. troops, Iraqi forces manage security within them .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Ramadan, the holy month of Islam, began Saturday with Iraqis hoping for tranquility but fearful after recent attacks that have shaken the country. Plastic flowers and banners hang on cars destroyed in Wednesday's bombings in Baghdad. Al-Iraqia state TV interrupted regular programming Saturday afternoon to broadcast Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's address to Iraqis on the occasion of the start of the holy month. The prime minister said that as he congratulates Iraqis, his "heart is full of sadness and sorrow." Four Iraqi soldiers and a government worker were killed Saturday in attacks in Baghdad and Mosul, according to an official of the Interior Ministry. Gunmen opened fire earlier in the day on an army checkpoint in the Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiya in northeastern Baghdad, killing two soldiers and wounding one. Two more soldiers died and two were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi army patrol in Zummar, about 50 miles northwest of Mosul. Mosul is 260 miles north of Baghdad. A bomb left inside the district manager's office in the Qahira neighborhood in eastern Mosul killed the manager and two children. A roadside bomb also exploded near a car and wounded two people in the Saidiya district of southeastern Baghdad. The holy month of Ramadan, considered to be a time of peace and giving, is when Muslims across the world fast from dawn until dusk, and its observance is one of the five pillars of Islam. But since the start of the war, Iraqis every year brace for an uptick in violence during the holy month. Some years have seen a rise in suicide attacks. Extremist attacks during Ramadan are sometimes "fueled by a belief that to carry out violence -- 'jihad,' a suicide bombing -- during a holy month such as this one will gain them more credibility with the Lord," said CNN Correspondent Arwa Damon in Baghdad. Ramadan "is meant to be a time to show one's devotion to God, a time of sacrifice," said Damon, "Unfortunately, even though it is very much intended to be a time of peace ... it has proven over the last few years in places like here in Iraq to be a time of increased violence." On Wednesday, more than 100 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded in a series of truck bombings in Baghdad. It was the deadliest day since the United States pulled its combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns nearly two months ago and left security in the hands of the Iraqis. Watch report on bombings of Iraqi ministries » At least four people were killed and 76 were wounded Thursday in a string of bombings in Babil province, according to the Iraqi government. It is not just Iraq where extremists see Ramadan as a time of opportunity. Kuwait's state-run news agency reported earlier in August that security forces had arrested six Kuwaitis linked to al Qaeda who had planned to attack a U.S. military installation. The suspects had planned to bomb Camp Arifjan in Kuwait during Ramadan, Kuwaiti security sources told CNN. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "What has been a time of increased violence in Iraq?", "where have dozens died this week?", "when has been time of increased violence?", "what do Iraqis hope for?", "What are Iraqis hoping for?" ]
[ [ "Ramadan," ], [ "Baghdad." ], [ "last few years" ], [ "tranquility" ], [ "tranquility" ] ]
Iraqis hope for peace but fearful with start of Muslim holy month . In recent years, Ramadan in Iraq has been time of increased violence . This week, dozens have died in series of bombings in Iraqi capital .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday discussed a "general time horizon" for any American troop withdrawals from Iraq, al-Maliki's office said. Sen. Barack Obama rides in a helicopter Monday with Gen. David Petraeus in Baghdad, Iraq. Obama -- who has made ending the Iraq war a cornerstone of his run for office -- engaged in what were described as productive talks with al-Maliki during a trip to Iraq. The Iraqi government has been pushing for the United States to set a general timetable to spell out troop withdrawals. Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi also met with Obama Monday and told reporters afterward they discussed the security agreement. "I told Sen. Obama (that) Iraqi and American negotiations regarding this are ongoing, and today new Iraqi-American negotiations on this agreement have started with Iraqi written proposals and have a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq," he said. The Bush administration has opposed timetables for troop withdrawals. But al-Maliki and President Bush last week agreed to a "general time horizon for meeting aspirational goals" on troop cuts. The prime minister reiterated that principle with Obama, according to a statement from al-Maliki's office. "Developments of the situation and the circumstances is what will decide the presence of foreign troops in Iraq, but without keeping open-ended dates," al-Maliki said, according to a statement from his office. "With the developments on the ground, we can set a vision and clear horizons regarding this issue, and this is a view both sides agree on in the ongoing negotiations." Al-Maliki's office quoted Obama as saying he is "supportive and committed to preserving the gains achieved by the Iraqi government" under al-Maliki's leadership and that he admires the prime minister's courage. Obama has proposed withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office. Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the Iraqi government's "vision" is that most U.S. combat troops would be out of Iraq by 2010. Asked if that stance is part of the current negotiations, al-Dabbagh said, "No. This is the Iraqi vision." iReport.com: Tell us the most important thing the next president needs to know about Iraq A German magazine on Saturday quoted al-Maliki as saying he backed Obama's proposal, but al-Dabbagh has said that his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately." In a statement Sunday, the magazine, Der Spiegel, said it "stands by its version of this interview." In the magazine interview, al-Maliki did not indicate that he was endorsing Obama over Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee. McCain does not think American troops should return to the United States until Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining a safe, democratic state. He has been a strong advocate of the "surge" -- the 2007 escalation of U.S. troops -- and has said troops should stay in Iraq as long as needed. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal -- who's been mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick for McCain -- on Monday criticized Obama's push to remove troops in 16 months as an "arbitrary timetable based on politics versus a plan based on the actual results on the ground." "One of the reasons I'm supporting [McCain] -- he has made it clear he would rather lose an election than lose a war. He's made it very clear -- let's listen to the commanders on the ground," Jindal said on CNN's "American Morning." McCain last week chided Obama for laying out his plans for Iraq and Afghanistan before talking to Gen. David Petraeus, the head of U.S. troops in Iraq. Obama met with Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, in Baghdad on Monday. He also met with Tariq al-Hashimi, a Sunni Arab who is one of Iraq's two vice presidents; Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of Multi-National Corps-Iraq;
[ "who is going with obama", "who is going to be at the talks" ]
[ [ "Gen. David Petraeus" ], [ "Sen. Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki" ] ]
NEW: Sen. Barack Obama, Iraqi prime minister reportedly hold "productive" talks . Sens. Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel accompany Obama on trip . Obama has talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday . Obama says part of his strategy is "taking the fight to al Qaeda in Afghanistan"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Shada's back aches more and more each day as she literally bears her family's burden. Clothed in a black robe, she strains under her husband's weight. Shada now carries her husband around the house. His legs were blown off in a bombing. Murtada, a 29-year-old taxi driver, was once a proud husband and father. But one morning last October, he kissed his family good-bye and set off to work. Within hours, their world was shattered. A bomb blew off both his legs above the knee. "I lost consciousness for a bit. I knew I was wounded," he says. "I was under the car. I saw my legs were severed, just flesh and skin. I was holding my legs, bleeding." Watch Shada strain to carry her husband » Helpless, the daily burden is now on Shada. She carries Murtada when he needs to be moved. She can't even leave the house because of the constant care she provides her husband. "I want to work, but I can't really because then who will stay with my husband?" she says. "Who will take him to the bathroom? My first concern every morning is my husband." See the struggles of Iraqi women » The attack did to Murtada what roadside bombs, rocket fire, and sniper shootings have done to thousands of Iraqis. Since the war began, the estimates of wounded Iraqis have ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of people. Go inside Iraq with CNN's Arwa Damon » According to Iraq's Health Ministry, 25 percent of the wounded have lost at least one limb. Murtada is one of these grim stats, and his life is now a nightmare. He has stumps where his legs used to be and hasn't been able to get prosthetics. He moves around by lifting himself with his arms, riding in a wheelchair or being carried by his wife. Life has forced Shada to tap into a physical and emotional strength she did not know she possessed. Their 3-year-old son helps care for his father. One time, Murtada admits his thoughts turned dark. "I was thinking, 'Is this really going to be my life?' And then I was thinking about my son and how I can't provide for him, and then I began thinking about poisoning myself." This small family lives in a small rented house in a Shiite neighborhood in western Baghdad. Shada has endured many tough times amid war and conflict. Her brother was shot dead and her father died because of poor health care. Neighbors have helped the family financially, and Shada tries to make ends meet by selling gasoline on the street. But the circumstances have forced the man she relied on to rely on her. "I look at him like a baby, with the needs of a baby," she says. "Nobody but me can help him. I cannot go to the markets because of him. I am asking people for help because I cannot leave him alone in the house." E-mail to a friend
[ "Who does the Iraqi woman care for?", "What is the wife asking people for?", "Where are they?", "What has husband been unable to get?", "Who is asking people for help because she can not leave her husband alone in the house?", "What did her husband lose in the bombing?", "Who devoted herself to caring for her injured husband?", "What is he suffering from?", "Who is the woman?", "Who devotes herself to caring for her injured husband?", "Who said; I saw my legs were severed, just flesh and skin?" ]
[ [ "her husband" ], [ "help" ], [ "Shiite neighborhood in western Baghdad." ], [ "prosthetics." ], [ "Shada" ], [ "His legs" ], [ "Shada" ], [ "His legs were blown off" ], [ "Shada" ], [ "Shada" ], [ "Murtada, a 29-year-old taxi driver," ] ]
Iraqi woman devotes herself to caring for injured husband . Her husband lost both legs in bombing, has been unable to get prosthetics . "I saw my legs were severed, just flesh and skin," he says . Wife: "I am asking people for help because I cannot leave him alone in the house"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- She's been called the "mother of the believers," a middle-aged woman possibly responsible for recruiting more than 80 female suicide bombers in Iraq and involvement in at least 28 terrorist operations. Television picture reportedly showing Samira Ahmed Jassim during her alleged confession. Now she's in jail, arrested on January 21 in what an Iraqi commander called "heroic" security force operations that unfolded without "any losses." Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for the Baghdad command, identified the suspect as Samira Ahmed Jassim, also known as Umm-al-Moumineen, or "the mother of the believers." The arrest is considered a major stride in confronting the challenge of female suicide bombers, more than 30 of whom detonated themselves last year. Atta couldn't say where she was detained for intelligence reasons. That's because the authorities are after more targets. The bombers were recruited in Baghdad and Diyala province for the Ansar al-Sunna militant group, said Atta, who added police were aware of the identities of the women, including their fake names on fake IDs, and were on the hunt for them. They said they were also trying to verify Jassim's confessions. Atta played a DVD for reporters with excerpts of the confessions of Jassim, who is in her 40s or 50s. Wearing a black robe and veil, she said she was asked by a man named "Shaker" to recruit women for an Ansar al-Sunna operative named Hareth, also known as Abu Rami. She spoke about a number of the women she recruited, spending days talking to prospective operatives and persuading them to carry out attacks. Jassim said she would deliver a recruit to Shaker. Later, she returned and picked up the recruit, dropping them at locations like the Muqdadiya police station, a Sons of Iraq office and a Baghdad car park. One woman she recruited didn't even look at Jassim when she was picked up for a job. She just whispered Quranic verses en route to a bombing. Another woman -- described as psychologically challenged -- came from a financially hard-up family. In November, 18 would-be female suicide bombers turned themselves in to coalition forces in northern Iraq. The women, whose ages and names were not released by the military, gave themselves up after being persuaded by religious leaders and family members to "cease their training in suicide operations and reconcile," the U.S. military said. The women were connected to al Qaeda in Iraq suicide bombing cells, but it was not clear where they had been training or operating. The statement also did not say where the women turned themselves in, though the northern city of Mosul and surrounding parts of northern Iraq are still a hotbed for insurgent activity and considered the last stronghold for al Qaeda in Iraq. Troops have launched operations targeting members of families of suspected female bombers trying to break up the rings that are recruiting the women and girls. Intelligence gathered from detainees indicates that al Qaeda in Iraq is looking for women with three main characteristics: those who are illiterate, are deeply religious or have financial struggles, most likely because they've lost the male head of the household. Females always have played a role in the insurgency in Iraq, helping feed militants, hiding them in their homes and helping to sneak weapons around the country. They have proven to be highly effective in their operations, because of the cultural convention that women are not to be searched by men for cultural and religious reasons. The U.S. military has created a program called the Daughters of Iraq, analogous to U.S. backed Sons of Iraq, to conduct searches of women.
[ "What is Jassim also known as?", "Who are troops targeting?", "What have troops launched?", "Who was arrested on Jan 21", "What is Jassim known as?", "When was she arrested?" ]
[ [ "Umm-al-Moumineen, or \"the mother of the believers.\"" ], [ "members of families of suspected female bombers" ], [ "operations targeting members of families of suspected female bombers trying to break up the rings that are recruiting the women and girls." ], [ "Samira Ahmed Jassim" ], [ "Umm-al-Moumineen, or \"the mother of the believers.\"" ], [ "January 21" ] ]
Jassim also known as Umm-al-Moumineen, or mother of the believers . Arrested on Jan. 21 in what an Iraqi commander called "heroic" security operation . Considered a major stride in confronting challenge of female suicide bombers . Troops have launched operations targeting families of suspected bombers .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Six U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday in Iraq when a bomb exploded in a booby-trapped house while they were on patrol north of Baghdad, the military announced. U.S. soldiers conduct a house-to-house assessment mission in Baghdad on Wednesday. Four soldiers were also wounded in the attack and evacuated to a coalition forces hospital, Multi-National Corps-Iraq said. The troops were taking part in Operation Iron Harvest -- a new drive against Islamic militants in northern Iraq after a spate of attacks on local anti-insurgent groups. The operation is part of a nationwide push against jihadists loyal to al Qaeda in the provinces of Diyala, Salaheddin, Nineveh, and Tameem. "It will be a difficult fight, but we will continue to execute simultaneous operations in each one of our four provinces," said Maj. Gen. Michael Hertling, commander of U.S. troops in northern Iraq. But resistance in the "breadbasket" region in eastern Diyala so far is "less than anticipated," he said. The offensive -- which has been centered near Muqdadiya -- has left 20 to 30 suspected insurgents dead in the area around that city, Hertling said. About 24,000 U.S. troops, 50,000 Iraqi soldiers and 80,000 local police are based in the region. In addition, about 15,000 Iraqis are taking part in anti-insurgent groups known as Concerned Local Citizens or Awakening Councils. The groups will perform defensive security tasks during the operation, the U.S. military said. The new push comes just short of a year since President Bush ordered almost 30,000 additional troops to Iraq to secure Baghdad and its surrounding provinces. Al Qaeda in Iraq has been deeply rooted in Muqdadiya, about 62 miles north of Baghdad, since about 2004. Wednesday's deaths occurred in an agricultural area on the north side of the Diyala River from the city. The U.S. military has conducted operations there in the past and has frequently come under fire. One recent operation ended with several insurgents killed and a large amount of weapons and explosives seized, a military source told CNN. The bombing Wednesday was the first incident involving multiple deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since September 10, when seven Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldiers died and 11 were injured in a vehicle accident in western Baghdad. The last attack in which so many U.S. troops died from hostile action happened May 28, when six Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed by explosions near their vehicles during operations in Diyala province. Awakening Councils Iraq's concerned-citizens groups began forming in the country's predominantly Sunni Arab regions in late 2006, and their cooperation with U.S. forces against the jihadists has been credited with much of the decline in violence in Iraq since summer. But that cooperation has made them an increasing target for al Qaeda in Iraq, which Hertling said has launched a campaign of intimidation against the locals. Monday, five severed heads were left on a road leading to Baquba "with Arabic writing in blood on the forehead which said, 'Join the Concerned Citizens and you will end up like this,' " Hertling said. And he played video from an aerial surveillance drone that showed three people in Diyala assassinating another person -- pulling the victim from a vehicle, shooting him and leaving him in a ditch. They were eventually captured, and information was found linking them to al Qaeda in Iraq, he said. Hertling said that even though there has been a reduction in attacks across the country, there has been an increase in "high-profile, spectacular" events in his region, citing a suicide vest attack and a bridge bombing that sparked media attention and made the region look as if it were "reeling." But he said attacks like those will prove to be the jihadists' "Achilles' heel," turning the population against them and driving them toward the concerned citizens' groups. "It's sort of a reverse counterintuitive logic," Hertling said. "They are trying to intimidate people that join them by killing them, and it's causing more people to go against them."
[ "how many were killed", "where Six soldiers die when bomb explodes in booby-trapped house?", "The blast left how many U.S soldiers wounded?", "Who was killed in the explosion?", "What is Operation Iron Harvest?" ]
[ [ "Six" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "Four" ], [ "Six U.S. soldiers" ], [ "a new drive against Islamic militants in northern Iraq" ] ]
NEW: Troops were taking part in new offensive, dubbed Operation Iron Harvest . Six soldiers die when bomb explodes in booby-trapped house . Blast also leaves 4 U.S. soldiers wounded . It's the first incident involving multiple deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since September .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Six U.S. troops were killed in Iraq on Monday, making 2007 the deadliest for the American military in the Iraq war. The grim record came despite lower death rates in recent months, which were not enough to offset death tolls that topped 100 during three months in the spring. Four soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in northern Iraq's Tameem province; another died in combat in Anbar province. A sailor was killed in Salaheddin province "as a result of injuries sustained from an explosion while conducting operations," the military said. According to a CNN count of Pentagon figures, 853 U.S. service members have died so far in 2007. The next highest death toll was in 2004, when 849 were killed. The total number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq stands at 3,856, including seven civilian contractors of the Defense Department. The high number of deaths this year corresponds with the U.S. troop buildup called the "surge" and a crackdown on insurgents in and near Baghdad. Monthly death tolls were highest in the first part of the year: 83 deaths in January, 81 in February and 81 in March. Numbers peaked in the next three months, with 104 deaths in April, 126 in May and 101 in June. The numbers have dropped from that level since -- with 78 in July, 84 in August, 65 in September, 38 in October and 12 so far in November. Civilian deaths have also dropped in recent months, U.S. and Iraqi authorities say. The Iraq war began in March of 2003 and in that year there were 486 U.S. military deaths. In 2004, major offensives were responsible for many fatalities, including the massive operation in Falluja in November and fighting between U.S. troops and Shiite militants in Najaf. The number of deaths in 2005 was 846 and in 2006 it was 822. The U.S. military also announced on Tuesday that it intends to release nine detained Iranians in Iraq "in the coming days," a move that dovetails with the American hope that Iranian authorities are honoring a recent pledge to stop Iranian help to insurgents in Iraq. "These individuals have been assessed to have no continuing value" and don't pose a "further threat" to Iraqi security, said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith. Two of them are from the "Irbil 5" detained in January. Irbil is the largest city in the Kurdish area of Iraq. The U.S. military had accused the five Iranians arrested in Irbil of having links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard-Quds Force, a military unit accused of aiding insurgent activity -- including the distribution of roadside bombs. Smith said Tuesday that materials for roadside bombs "do not appear to have arrived into Iraq after the Iranians have made their pledge to stop arming, funding and training extremists." "We hope in the coming weeks and months to confirm that Iran has indeed honored its pledge through further verification that the flow of ammunitions and other lethal aid has indeed stopped," said Smith, who noted that Iran, Iraq and the United States plan to hold another round of security talks. Last month, Gen. David Petraeus, the top-ranking U.S. military official in Iraq, told CNN the Iranian ambassador had given assurances to his Iraqi counterpart that such training and supplying of insurgents would end. Meanwhile, a Kurdistan Regional Government official on Tuesday confirmed to CNN that two Iranian consulates had been established in the region, offices created in the wake of the arrests in Irbil. At the time of the arrests, Iran insisted the arrested officials were "diplomats" working in a diplomatic mission, while Iraq's Foreign Ministry and the U.S. military said it was a "liaison" office which did not have diplomatic status. One of the new consulates is in a building in Irbil that had been closed down during the January raid, the Kurdistan official said. Also Tuesday, the U.S. military reported that U.S. and Iraqi troops found 22 corpses buried in Iraq's Lake Tharthar region. The Iraqi Army and local security forces "are investigating the mass grave to determine the
[ "When were the detainees released?", "what does US stand for?", "What is the death toll?", "Who are going to be released?", "Bodies were found where?", "When did the Sailor die?", "What did they find in a mass grave?" ]
[ [ "\"in the coming days,\"" ], [ "United States" ], [ "853 U.S. service members" ], [ "nine detained Iranians in Iraq" ], [ "buried in Iraq's Lake Tharthar region." ], [ "2007" ], [ "22 corpses" ] ]
NEW: Sailor's death brings Monday's U.S. death toll in Iraq to six . U.S. military says nine detained Iranians to be released in "coming days" U.S. and Iraqi troops find 22 bodies in mass grave .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Six gay men were shot dead by members of their tribe in two separate incidents in the past 10 days, an official with Iraq's Interior ministry said. In the most recent attack, two men were killed Thursday in Sadr City area of Baghdad after they were disowned by relatives, the official said. The shootings came after a tribal meeting was held and the members decided to go after the victims. On March 26, four additional men were fatally shot in the same city, the official said, adding that the victims had also been disowned by their relatives. The official declined to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Witnesses told CNN that a Sadr City cafe, which was a popular gathering spot for gays, was also set on fire.
[ "What is the name of the city?", "When were the two men killed?", "What did witnesses tell CNN?", "What was set on fire?", "What did the shootings come after?", "What way were the men killed?" ]
[ [ "Sadr" ], [ "Thursday" ], [ "that a Sadr City cafe, which was a popular gathering spot for gays, was also set on fire." ], [ "a Sadr City cafe," ], [ "a tribal meeting was held" ], [ "shot dead by members of their tribe in two separate incidents" ] ]
In the most recent attack, two men were killed Thursday in Sadr City area of Baghdad . Witnesses tell CNN a Sadr City cafe, also popular with gay men, was set on fire . Shootings came after tribal meeting when members decided to go after the victims .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Suicide bombers killed 60 people near a holy Shiite shrine in Baghdad on Friday and a car bomber left seven people dead in Diyala, according to security and medical officials. A little girl whose parents are missing in the Baghdad bombings Friday rests in a hospital. Along with the 60 dead, many of whom were Iranian pilgrims, at least 125 others were wounded when two female suicide bombers struck on roads leading to the Imam Musa al-Kadhim shrine, one of the holiest in Shiite Islam, the Interior Ministry said. The Iranians who were killed and wounded were on a pilgrimage to holy sites in Iraq, an Interior Ministry official said. The bombers hit the Kadhimiya neighborhood of Baghdad, where the shrine is located, on the Muslim day of prayer. Iraqi State TV reported that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has ordered an investigation. The top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Raymond Odierno, told CNN's "American Morning" on Friday he believes Iraqis won't be "intimidated by the attack" and "they will not let this stand in their way of moving forward." Watch the scene at the hospital as victims of the shrine attacks arrive » Later on Friday, a suicide car bomber detonated explosives in Diyala province, killing at least seven people and wounding 29 others. The bomber attacked a car dealership in Jawlawla, a town that has been the center of a territorial dispute between the central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government. Fridays attacks follow the deadliest day in Iraq this year, in which 87 people were killed in attacks, after months of plummeting violence. Many of the dead on Thursday were also Shiite pilgrims from Iran. Friday's bombings were the third attack on Kadhimiya this month. Reaction was swift in predominantly Shiite Iran. The media reported that Reza Moussavi, spokesman of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, announced a ban on Iranians crossing into Iraq via the Khosrawi border for pilgrimage until further notice. Javad Jahangirzadh, a member of Iran's parliament, was quoted as saying the aim of the attackers "was to show that the Iraq government was not successful and not performing well. "There must be a plot behind all of this aimed at damaging the growing relationship between Iran and Iraq." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamedinejad earlier issued condolences for the Iranian pilgrims killed on Thursday. "The report on martyrdom and injury of a group of dear compatriots, who were on their way to holy sites [in Iraq], has caused deep sorrow," he said. "The incident once again showed that the results and gift of occupation and terrorism for regional nations are insecurity and innocent people's bloodshed," he said. Odierno said "this spike in suicide attacks that we've seen over the last couple of days, frankly, is another tragic event caused by al Qaeda and their links. They are killing many innocent people. They are killing pilgrims going to pray. They're killing women and children. They're killing homeless." The violence erupted as the Obama administration plans to withdraw American troops from Iraq. The U.S.-Iraqi security agreement negotiated last year set a June 30 deadline for combat troops to be pulled out of urban areas. The Iraqi government could request that combat forces remain in some cities and the agreement could be amended. The agreement calls for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. Odierno was asked what effect the violence will have on that deadline and whether the volatile city of Mosul -- where al Qaeda in Iraq has had a potent presence -- would be included in the combat withdrawals. "The one area I'm still not sure about is Mosul," Odierno said.Most of the 87 people who died Thursday were killed in a bombing in Diyala province, in which 55 died, and an attack in Baghdad that killed 28. Many of the dead in the Diyala attack were also Shiite pilgrims from Iran. In the Baghdad attack, a female suicide bomber struck as national police were helping distribute Red Crescent aid to displaced families in
[ "who attacked the shrine", "What kind of attack was it?", "how many were killed", "What caused the death of 60 people in Baghdad?", "What caused the ban on Iranian pilgrims crossing into Iraq?", "Where were the pilgrims from?", "who were killed", "What killed 87 people ?", "What is the number of dead in the attack?" ]
[ [ "Suicide bombers" ], [ "Suicide bombers" ], [ "60" ], [ "Suicide bombers" ], [ "Suicide bombers" ], [ "Iranian" ], [ "60 people" ], [ "attacks," ], [ "60" ] ]
NEW: 60 dead in Baghdad shrine attack, car bomber kills seven in Diyala . Many dead, wounded in attack near Baghdad shrine were Iranians on pilgrimage . Many of the 87 killed on Thursday were also Shiite pilgrims from Iran . Iran condemns attacks; Iranian pilgrims banned from crossing into Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Syria and Iraq each recalled their ambassadors from the other country Tuesday, after Baghdad demanded that Damascus hand over two suspects in last week's deadly bombings in the Iraqi capital. Plastic flowers decorate a car destroyed in last week's bombings in Baghdad, Iraq. Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported the government was ordering its ambassador home after the Iraqi government summoned its envoy from Syria and demanded that Damascus turn over two Iraqis living in Syria who played "direct roles in the execution of the terror attack," last Wednesday, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in a statement. A string of bombings struck Iraq's capital August 19, with two truck bombs ripping through the Iraqi Finance Ministry and Foreign Ministry. At least 100 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded in Baghdad's bloodiest day since U.S. troops handed over security control to Iraqi forces and moved outside Iraqi cities nearly two months ago. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki visited the Foreign Ministry bombing site Tuesday. "We know it was the Baath Party, known for its heinous crimes throughout history, along with al Qaeda, who did this," he said, according to his office. The Islamic State of Iraq, the umbrella group for al Qaeda in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for the attack, which Syria condemned. "Syria felt pain over those bombings and strongly condemned them, describing those explosions as painful terrorist bombings and reiterating the Syrian support to the security, stability, safety and unity of Iraq," SANA reported. "But what is regretful is the hastiness of the Iraqi government to arbitrarily accuse Syria while analysts say the issue was internal political or, perhaps, foreign disagreements." The Iraqi government asked Tuesday that Syria "hand over all those wanted [by the Iraqi judiciary] for committing crimes of murder and destruction against the Iraqi people," al-Dabbagh's statement said. It further demanded that Syria expel "terrorist organizations that use Syria as a headquarters and launchpad to plan terrorist operations against the Iraqi people." SANA reported that the Syrian government was willing to help the Iraqis investigate the bombings. "Syria informed the Iraqi side of its readiness to receive an Iraqi delegation to inspect the evidence available to them concerning the bombings' perpetrators," a Syrian official said, according to SANA. "Otherwise Syria considers what has been broadcast through the Iraqi media as mere fabricated evidence intended to serve internal political goals, and the conflicting and contradicting statements by the Iraqi officials are proof of that." The official added, "Syria, which has frequently repeated its keenness on the unity, independence, security and stability of Iraq, expresses its regret that relations between Syria and Iraq have become subject to internal disagreements and perhaps foreign agendas." In its claim of responsibility for the attacks, the Islamic State of Iraq said, "The earth shook under their feet and their hearts were torn in fear and horror. ... And the weakness and fragility of their state became apparent to everyone." The statement was posted on Web sites typically used by the group. The Iraqi government released on Sunday what it said was a confession from a man who said he received orders for the bombing of the Finance Ministry building from a member of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's Baath Party who now lives in Syria. The videotaped statement from Wissam Ali Kadhim Ibrahim, who was identified as a former Baathist police official, aired on Iraqi television. Ibrahim said he received orders from Sattam Farhan, who he said was a Baath Party leader in Syria. Farhan and Mohammed Younis al-Ahmed, a former senior member of Hussein's regime, are the two men Iraq demands Syria turn over. The Iraqi government put al-Ahmed as the No. 2 man on a most wanted list it released in 2006, and the U.S. government announced a $1 million reward for him two years earlier. The spokesman for al-Ahmed's wing of the Baath Party in Syria contended Monday that the videotaped statement was fabricated and alleged that the man could have been paid to
[ "Iraqi PM says the bombing were done by who?", "What was Syria's response to Iraq's demands?", "How many people were killed?", "How many people did the bombings kill?", "Who did the bombings according to the Iraqi PM?", "Who was responsible for the attacks?", "What does Iraq demand Syria to do?" ]
[ [ "Baath Party," ], [ "recalled their ambassadors" ], [ "At least 100" ], [ "At least 100" ], [ "Baath Party," ], [ "the Islamic State of Iraq" ], [ "hand over two suspects in last week's deadly bombings in the Iraqi capital." ] ]
Iraqi PM says "we know" bombings were done by al Qaeda and Baath Party . Syria recalls its ambassador to Iraq, state news agency says . Iraq recalls ambassador to Syria amid furor over bombings, which killed 100 . Iraq demands Syria turn over 2 Iraqis living in Syria, who are suspects in the attacks .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi government said Friday it has arrested members of a cell believed responsible for Wednesday's truck bombings in which more than 100 people were killed. Workers clear the site outside the ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs in Baghdad. Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad Operations Command, appeared on Iraqi state television Friday night to announce the arrests, which he said were made within two hours of the bombings in the capital city. Those arrested include people believed to have planned and executed the attacks, Atta said. It was not immediately clear how many people were arrested. Initial investigations show a link between the cell and the ousted Baath regime of Saddam Hussein, Atta said. Authorities are also seeking people thought to have provided cell members with logistical support and identification, he said. Iraq Security Forces recovered a truck Friday with five tons of C-4 explosives in the Abu Ghraib area, on the western outskirts of Baghdad, Atta said Friday night. More than 500 people were wounded Wednesday in the six explosions in Baghdad. In one attack, a truck bomb exploded outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The blast blew through the front of the building, sending some vehicles flying and leaving others in mangled twists of metal in the area, which is just outside the restricted International Zone, also known as the Green Zone. Another truck bomb went off outside the Ministry of Finance building. Authorities said Thursday that 11 high-ranking security officials from the Iraqi army and police were detained for investigation. The Iraqi government in the past has made claims of arrests that did not hold up. In April, it said it had captured Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the head of al Qaeda in Iraq's umbrella group, the Islamic State of Iraq. The Islamic State of Iraq denied it, and the capture was never confirmed by the U.S. military. The explosions made Wednesday the country's deadliest day since the United States pulled its combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns nearly two months ago and left security in the hands of the Iraqis. The U.S. military remains in a training and advisory capacity in those areas and continues to conduct combat operations outside cities and towns. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered increased security measures, including more checkpoints and more stringent vehicle searches across the capital, government officials said on Thursday. The Iraqi government has been trying to restore what it described as normalcy to the streets of the capital in recent weeks. Al-Maliki ordered his government to take down within 40 days the concrete blast walls that line Baghdad's streets and protected neighborhoods at the height of the war. Many Iraqis have criticized the move as premature.
[ "How many officials from the Iraqi army and police were detained?", "How many people were killed by the Wednesday bombings of Finance, Foreign Affairs ministries?", "Who did he say was detained?", "When were suspects arrested?", "How many high-ranking security officials were detained?", "Were there any fatalities in the Wednesday bombings?", "Where were the bombings?" ]
[ [ "11" ], [ "more than 100" ], [ "11 high-ranking security officials" ], [ "Friday" ], [ "11" ], [ "more than 100 people" ], [ "Baghdad." ] ]
Wednesday bombings of Finance, Foreign Affairs ministries killed more than 100 . Iraqi official says suspects were arrested two hours after attacks . 11 high-ranking security officials from the Iraqi army and police detained, he says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military coalition in Iraq confirmed Tuesday that a business jet -- not a U.S. military aircraft -- was recently forced down in Iran due to an airspace violation. A Falcon business jet is shown in an undated file photo. "The airplane is now being confirmed as a light transport plane with no Americans onboard," Multi-National Forces-Iraq said in a statement issued Tuesday. "From what we have been seeing, it was a Falcon business jet. We have accounted for all our aircraft and none are missing." The U.S. coalition in Iraq had no information on who owned the aircraft, stressing that it was not a registered American plane. Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency initially reported that five American military officials were on board the U.S. aircraft. But other Iranian media reports -- quoting Iranian officials -- said the aircraft was Hungarian and no Americans were on the plane. Iranian officials told Iran's state-run Arabic language channel Al-Alam that the incident happened a week ago and that the plane was carrying humanitarian workers. Fars later changed its Farsi language report, citing other Iranian and Arab media as saying the plane was not an American aircraft Fars also initially reported that aircraft, which it called a "Falcon fighter," entered Iranian airspace at a low altitude from Turkey to avoid radar detection, despite repeated warnings by the Islamic Republic Air Force. It said the plane also carried three civilians. Washington is monitoring the reports, but White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said "as far as we know (they are) totally bogus." U.S. National Security Council Spokesman Gordon Johndroe also said there is no indication that the reports are accurate. "We're looking into the various and conflicting reports coming from the Iranian 'news' agencies, but do not have any information at this time that would lead us to believe they are correct," he said. Fars said the aircraft, which was en route to Afghanistan, was forced to land at an Iranian airport that it did not name. Fars reported that the eight people aboard were released "after daylong interrogations" that revealed the aircraft had "unintentionally" violated Iran's airspace. Fars said the aircraft was later allowed to continue on to Afghanistan. Two top U.S. military officials told CNN's Barbara Starr that no U.S. military aircraft has been forced down. The U.S. military has an F-16 Fighting Falcon, but it is a one-seat jet fighter aircraft that is used by the U.S. Air Force for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. The Dassault Falcon is a European-made private passenger business jet that resembles a Lear jet. It can seat a crew of two and as many as 10 passengers. It's used for passenger transport, but also has military uses. CNN's Saad Abedine in Baghdad, Iraq; Shirzad Bozorgmehr in Tehran, Iran; Caroline Faraj in Dubai; and Mike Mount in Washington contributed to this report
[ "When was the aircraft downed?", "What did Iran claim about the U.S?", "What country claimed they downed the aircraft?", "Why did the Iranians down the plane?", "What was said about the aircraft?", "Why did the force the plane down?", "How many Americans were on the aircraft?", "What country has \"Falcon fighters\"?", "What was forced down a week ago?" ]
[ [ "recently" ], [ "aircraft." ], [ "Iran" ], [ "due to an airspace violation." ], [ "business jet" ], [ "airspace violation." ], [ "five" ], [ "U.S." ], [ "business jet" ] ]
NEW: Iran now says aircraft was forced down a week ago . There were no Americans on board the aircraft, U.S. says . Iranians say they forced down plane after it violated Iranian airspace . Iran had claimed aircraft was a U.S. "Falcon fighter"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. military formally handed authority over Baghdad's "Green Zone" to Iraqis on Thursday as new pacts governing the mission of international troops replaced a U.N. mandate. An Iraqi honor guard parades outside the former palace of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on Thursday. Iraqi troops took over checkpoints around the heavily protected district, formally known as the International Zone, which houses Iraqi government offices and the U.S. Embassy. Saddam Hussein's Republican Palace, which served as U.S. headquarters in Baghdad after the 2003 invasion that ousted Iraq's longtime strongman, was among the facilities handed over in Thursday's ceremony. "This day is a great day in the history of the Iraqi people," Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta said. Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a U.S. military spokesman, noted the significance of turning over the former Republican Palace. Watch what goes on in the "Green Zone" » "The palace was handed back to the Iraqi people, significant as symbol of the head of the government and a sign for increased sovereignty," he said at a news conference with Atta. Thursday marked the first day of a U.S.-Iraqi pact that allows U.S. forces to remain in the country until 2011, under tighter restrictions. Similar agreements have been signed with other coalition countries that remain in Iraq. A U.N. mandate that authorized international forces in the country expired Wednesday. Perkins said American troops will continue to fight alongside Iraqis -- "but the Iraqis will be in the lead." "When you come up to a checkpoint, the Iraqis will check your identification. They will make the decision if you come in or go out," he said. "We will continue to be there to provide some technical capacity, to provide some mentoring, but you will see less and less American forces and more and more Iraqi forces -- and they will have the majority of the responsibility for making those key decisions which determine the security of the capital." Iraq's three-member Presidency Council ratified the new pact in December. Under the deal, U.S. troops will withdraw from Iraqi cities and towns by June 30, and all American troops will leave the country by the end of 2011, more than eight years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Hussein. The agreement authorizes the "temporary assistance" of U.S. forces but severely restricts their role. It requires Iraqi approval for all military operations and gives Iraqi courts the right to try U.S. troops and contractors for "grave premeditated felonies."
[ "What year does the pact cover till?", "How long will the new bilateral pact last?", "When will U.S. troops be leaving Iraqi cities by?", "When did the mandate expired?", "What expired on Wednesday?", "Who will leave Iraqi cities by end of June?", "What covers U.S presence until 2011", "When are US troops expected to leave Iraq?", "What does the U.N. mandate do?" ]
[ [ "2011," ], [ "until 2011," ], [ "June 30," ], [ "Wednesday." ], [ "mandate that authorized international forces in the country" ], [ "U.S. troops" ], [ "U.S.-Iraqi pact" ], [ "by the end of 2011," ], [ "that authorized international forces in the country" ] ]
U.N. mandate authorizing foreign troop presence expired Wednesday . New bilateral pact covers U.S. presence until 2011 . U.S. troops to leave Iraqi cities by end of June .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The head of Iraq's main humanitarian group said an 18-year-old approached him with a baby suffering from leukemia. The desperate mother said she'd do "anything" for treatment for her child -- and then offered herself up for sex. Baha, 12, waits for treatment in an Iraqi Red Crescent center after shrapnel pierced his left eye. Said Ismail Hakki breaks down in tears as he recalls that story. Leukemia can be treatable to a degree in much of the world, but not in Iraq. The baby died two months later. "It shook me like hell," said Hakki, the president of the Iraqi Red Crescent. "All my life I've been a surgeon. I've seen blood; I've seen death. That never shook me -- none whatsoever. But when I see the suffering of those people, that really shook me." The plight of Iraq's children is nearing epidemic proportions, he said, with mothers and fathers abandoning their children "because they're becoming a liability." The parents don't do it out of convenience, they do it out of desperation. Watch the plight of Iraq's children » "When you become so desperate, you tend to just throw everything up and go," Hakki said. "Every time I look at those children, I ask myself first, 'What crime have those children committed?'" Hakki says Red Crescent has the monumental task of treating and feeding more than 1.6 million children under the age of 12 who have become homeless in their own country. That's roughly 70 percent of the estimated 2.3 million Iraqis who are homeless inside Iraq. How to help the Iraqi Red Crescent With 95,000 volunteers and 5,000 employees, the Iraqi Red Crescent is the last line of defense for the country's poor, sick and displaced. They try to blend in as best they can, with Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds working in the neighborhoods distinct to their ethnicities. Six employees of the Iraqi Red Crescent have been killed over the last four years. Eight have been wounded, including six left disabled by the severity of their wounds. Hakki says the spike in numbers of abandoned children is especially alarming, the result of sectarian violence and drastic socio-economic problems. The majority of parents in Iraq, he says, leave their children with a single relative who often has about 20 to 30 children to look after. Some parents just leave their kids altogether. Many of the families are living in areas without basic needs, like water and electricity, and there are no jobs available. "It's a desperate situation," he said. "Children are becoming a liability for both the father and the mother." The greatest concern is the ripple effect it will have in the long term -- an entire generation lacking basic life skills, surviving with no education, no income and no families. See wounded Iraqi children get help in neighboring Jordan » "The trauma of what's happening to those children is enormous," he said. "If somebody is injured by a bullet or shrapnel, it takes a week or two and he's fine. ... The psycho-social injury is pretty deep and can take months, if not years, to heal. "That's the task -- the mammoth task -- the Iraq Red Crescent is facing." The group gets some financial support from the central government. It's also negotiating with the U.S. Embassy, he said, to see if it can offer financial aid. But funds are low. Just recently, the group closed 18 camps for the winter and is trying to house those thousands of people in abandoned government buildings. At a waiting room at an Iraqi Red Crescent treatment center in Baghdad's Mansour district, CNN came across several young children in desperate need of care. But they were among the lucky ones -- if that term can even be applied -- because their parents remain with them. Baha, a 12-year-old boy, was waiting to see a doctor, recalling the exact date
[ "What are parents said to be doing?", "Where is this going on?", "What does the Head of Iraqi Red Crescent say?", "Who are parents abandoning?", "What is the greatest concern?" ]
[ [ "abandoning their children" ], [ "Iraqi Red Crescent" ], [ "an 18-year-old approached him" ], [ "their children" ], [ "the ripple effect it will have in the long term" ] ]
Head of Iraqi Red Crescent says parents abandoning their kids at alarming rates . Sometimes he wonders: "Oh my God, how are we going to solve it?" The greatest concern is the long-term effect on an entire generation . "Trauma of what's happening to those children is enormous"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The highly fortified International Zone in Baghdad came under fire the same day that Vice President Joe Biden paid a surprise visit, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. Vice President Joe Biden talks to the media Tuesday in Baghdad's fortified International Zone. Biden was not injured, according to CNN's Chris Lawrence, who was traveling with the vice president. But at least one round seems to have landed in the U.S. Embassy grounds, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill said. The zone houses the embassy and many government buildings. Lawrence said he heard the blasts but saw no damage. CNN's Cal Perry said he heard four loud "booms." Warning alarms were sounded, and security was stepped up in the International Zone, which is informally known as the Green Zone. It is not clear what weapons were fired or if Biden was near the location where the rounds hit. For security reasons, reporters traveling with the vice president are not allowed to report his location. Watch as Lawrence reports on the attack » A U.S. military spokesman said he could confirm only that one round hit, and he said it did not land in the International Zone. "Initial reports indicate one round of indirect fire impacted near the International Zone, not in it," Lt. Col. Phillip Smith, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Baghdad, told CNN. But Hill told reporters that some sort of projectile landed in the east end of the embassy complex. He said the projectile was the reason for a "duck-and-cover" alarm that journalists traveling with Biden heard during a briefing by top U.S. officials in Baghdad. The alarm sounded intermittently throughout almost the entire 35-minute briefing by Hill and the top U.S. general in Iraq, Ray Odierno, Lawrence said. Odierno and Hill did not seem concerned, he said. No one jumped up or tried to run out of the building. They paused if they were talking when the alarm sounded, and picked up when it stopped. There was an "all-clear" as the briefing ended. Hill said it is kind of unusual to get this type of attack now. He said they used to happen 10 to 12 times a day, but now are few and far between. Biden's visit was widely reported on Iraqi television, Perry said. He is in Iraq to meet with the country's leaders and visit U.S. troops, his office said. Journalists on the plane with the vice president were not told where they were going until after they were on the way. Biden was due to sit down with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, as well as Massoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and other officials. He was greeted at the airport at dusk by Gen. Odierno, Ambassador Hill and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. Watch Biden arrive in Iraq, greet troops » He flew by helicopter to the International Zone. Biden, Hill, Odierno and Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg, who is traveling with Biden, then went into a meeting. They did not speak to reporters. This is Biden's third trip to Iraq this year, after visits in July and January. "The president has asked the vice president to provide sustained, high-level focus from the White House on Iraq, and this trip is part of that mission," the White House said in a statement issued as Biden arrived. The United States is less than a year away from its goal of withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq. Hill has said the next 12 months are "very critical" to establishing security in Iraq, but the goal of withdrawing most U.S. troops by August 2010 is "absolutely achievable." Biden said Odierno is "optimistic" that Iraqi forces will be ready in time to allow U.S. withdrawals to go ahead as planned, according to Lawrence. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "Where did the projectile land?", "Who says projectile landed near embassy?", "What says military Zone?", "What is not clear?", "What was common in past, but has become much rarer?", "What isn't clear?", "Who was on a surprise visit and not injured?", "Who according to pool report on a surprise visi?" ]
[ [ "east end of the embassy complex." ], [ "U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill" ], [ "he could confirm only that one round hit, and he said it did not land in the International" ], [ "weapons were fired or if Biden was near the location where the rounds hit." ], [ "this type of attack" ], [ "weapons were fired or if Biden was near the location where the rounds hit." ], [ "Vice President Joe Biden" ], [ "Vice President Joe Biden" ] ]
NEW: Zone not hit, military says; ambassador says projectile landed near embassy . VP Joe Biden, on a surprise visit, not injured, according to pool report . It's not clear what arms were fired or if Biden was near location where round hit . Rocket, mortar fire aimed at area was common in past, but has become much rarer .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The one-star general almost yells when asked to talk about the infamous Abu Ghraib photos showing U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi detainees. An Iraqi detainee grips a fence at Camp Cropper, one of the few U.S. detention centers remaining in Iraq. "If we had had a company commander doing what he was supposed to be doing, a battalion commander doing what he was supposed to be doing ...," Brig. Gen. David Quantock said. He carried on -- growing more and more angry. So the next obvious question was, "It makes you angry?" "It does make me angry," he said. "Because I think we lost a lot of American lives because of those photos." And there it is -- the issue of detainee abuse and what the U.S. military struggles with, and has struggled with, since the release of those photos in 2004, some of which showed naked prisoners being humiliated, stacked in piles or subjected to mock torture. Quantock, the head of detainee operations in Iraq, is echoing a debate raging in Washington. Another round of photos allegedly showing further abuse of prisoners was to be released by the end of this month. But President Obama asked that the photos be held back. Obama said he believed the release of the pictures could put American lives in danger. That is Catch-22 situation No. 1: on one hand transparency; on the other, the safety of U.S. troops. Quantock agreed with his commander in chief. "The jihadists have used those pictures. And it has spurred some of the violence," he said. Walking through Camp Cropper -- one of the last remaining U.S. detention centers in Iraq -- it is clear the damaging photos have forced the United States to become more transparent in its dealings with prisoners. Detainees are now checked before and after interrogations to ensure the guards have not abused them. Officers who walk the catwalk, the long metal walkway that surrounds the sprawling yard housing the detainees, have more oversight. These institutional checks reduce the possibility that abuse could reach the same scale as it did in Abu Ghraib in 2003. The camp itself has a strange feeling to it. Visitors are told to put on sunglasses before entering some of the holding areas. Many of the detainees spit and even throw their own fecal matter at the guards, officials said. Inmates in American detention with arrest warrants against them will be turned over to Iraqi authorities under the terms of the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement. All others will be released. But the United States has signed the international treaty against torture, which compels a nation to keep suspects detained rather than send them to another country if that other country might ill-treat them. "Iraqi detention facilities are not good; they are not like American facilities," said a woman who had just visited her detainee husband at Camp Cropper. "There is a lot of witness testimony from detainees who suffered maltreatment in Iraqi detention facilities." A U.N. report examining the second half of 2008 agreed, saying that detention centers run by Iraqis are using torture and physical abuse to extract confessions. The lingering questions about Iraqi detention facilities create Catch-22 situation No. 2. The United States very much wants not only to get out of Iraq, but to get out of the detainee operation business. But it has a legal bar to satisfy. For its part, the U.S. military said it is inspecting and monitoring nine of the Iraqi facilities where its detainees will go. Iraqi government authorities maintain that they are treating all prisoners in accordance with international law. But when the United States pulls its last troops form Iraq, the monitoring is likely to stop. Nongovernmental organizations have been denied access, and CNN recently has not been allowed into any Iraqi prison.
[ "what did the pictures show", "what were the photos about" ]
[ [ "naked prisoners being humiliated, stacked in piles or subjected to mock torture." ], [ "U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi detainees." ] ]
U.S. head of detainee operations in Iraq is angered by Abu Ghraib photos . The pictures showing abuse of Iraqi prisoners continue to cause problems . U.S. military faces tough choices over future of detainees in Iraq .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The top court in Iraq sentenced two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers to death Wednesday for crimes against humanity. Tariq Aziz, seen in 2002, was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in jail for crimes against humanity. The court also sentenced former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and a former senior official known as "Chemical Ali" -- Ali Hassan al-Majeed -- to 15 years in custody for crimes against humanity, an official with the Iraq High Tribunal told CNN. The men were sentenced for their roles in the 1992 execution of 42 merchants. In an unrelated trial last week, Al-Majeed was sentenced to death for his role in putting down an uprising in Baghdad a decade ago, Iraqi state TV reported. It was the third death sentence for al-Majeed, a cousin of Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq who was toppled from power by the U.S.-led coalition in 2003. Al-Majeed and other former members of Hussein's regime remain in U.S. custody. His execution has been delayed for political rather than legal reasons. In last week's trial, Aziz was acquitted. Aziz, one of the best-known faces of the Hussein regime, was Iraq's deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and also served as minister of foreign affairs for part of that time. He was captured by U.S. forces in April 2003, shortly after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Meanwhile, car bombs in the northern Iraqi cities of Mosul and Kirkuk killed six people on Wednesday, officials told CNN. The Mosul car bomb, which targeted troops, killed four people and wounded 14 others, an Interior Ministry official said. The car, parked near the city's medical college, blew up near an Iraqi army patrol. Of the dead, three were soldiers. Four other soldiers were among those wounded. Mosul, which has long been a volatile city, has had a strong militant presence. In Kirkuk, a parked car bomb exploded near a police patrol, killing two civilians and wounding seven others. The oil-rich and ethnically diverse city is known for sectarian and political tension. People were injured in wo other incidents in Iraq on Wednesday. In Baghdad, mortar fire in a residential area wounded four civilians. And a roadside bomb in the largely Kurdish town of Jalawla in Diyala province wounded four police officers. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this story
[ "Who currently faces multiple death sentences?", "What number of people were killed by car bombs?", "What sentence did Saddam Hussein's half-brothers receive?", "What is the nickname of Hussein's cousin?", "What length of sentences did the court give?", "Where did car bombs cause half a dozen deaths?", "What were the half brothers sentenced to?", "What is Chemical Ali's relation to Saddam Hussein?", "What caused the deaths of six people in Mosul and Kirkuk?" ]
[ [ "Ali Hassan al-Majeed" ], [ "six" ], [ "death" ], [ "\"Chemical Ali\"" ], [ "15 years in custody for crimes against humanity," ], [ "northern Iraqi cities of Mosul and Kirkuk" ], [ "death" ], [ "a cousin of" ], [ "car bombs" ] ]
NEW: Car bombs in northern Iraqi cities of Mosul and Kirkuk kill six people . Two Saddam Hussein half-brothers sentenced to death for crimes against humanity . Court gives 15-year sentences to former Deputy PM Tariq Aziz and "Chemical Ali" "Chemical Ali," Hussein's cousin, already faces three death sentences .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The women are too afraid and ashamed to show their faces or have their real names used. They have been driven to sell their bodies to put food on the table for their children -- for as little as $8 a day. Suha, 37, is a mother of three. She says her husband thinks she is cleaning houses when she leaves home. "People shouldn't criticize women, or talk badly about them," says 37-year-old Suha as she adjusts the light colored scarf she wears these days to avoid extremists who insist women cover themselves. "They all say we have lost our way, but they never ask why we had to take this path." A mother of three, she wears light makeup, a gold pendant of Iraq around her neck, and an unexpected air of elegance about her. "I don't have money to take my kid to the doctor. I have to do anything that I can to preserve my child, because I am a mother," she says, explaining why she prostitutes herself. Anger and frustration rise in her voice as she speaks. "No matter what else I may be, no matter how off the path I may be, I am a mother!" Watch a woman describe turning to prostitution to "save my child" » Her clasped hands clench and unclench nervously. Suha's husband thinks that she is cleaning houses when she goes away. So does Karima's family. "At the start I was cleaning homes, but I wasn't making much. No matter how hard I worked it just wasn't enough," she says. Karima, clad in all black, adds, "My husband died of lung cancer nine months ago and left me with nothing." She has five children, ages 8 to 17. Her eldest son could work, but she's too afraid for his life to let him go into the streets, preferring to sacrifice herself than risk her child. She was solicited the first time when she was cleaning an office. "They took advantage of me," she says softly. "At first I rejected it, but then I realized I have to do it." Both Suha and Karima have clients that call them a couple times a week. Other women resort to trips to the market to find potential clients. Or they flag down vehicles. Prostitution is a choice more and more Iraqi women are making just to survive. "It's increasing," Suha says. "I found this 'thing' through my friend, and I have another friend in the same predicament as mine. Because of the circumstance, she is forced to do such things." Violence, increased cost of living, and lack of any sort of government aid leave women like these with few other options, according to humanitarian workers. "At this point there is a population of women who have to sell their bodies in order to keep their children alive," says Yanar Mohammed, head and founder of the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq. "It's a taboo that no one is speaking about." She adds, "There is a huge population of women who were the victims of war who had to sell their bodies, their souls and they lost it all. It crushes us to see them, but we have to work on it and that's why we started our team of women activists." Her team pounds the streets of Baghdad looking for these victims often too humiliated to come forward. "Most of the women that we find at hospitals [who] have tried to commit suicide" have been involved in prostitution, said Basma Rahim, a member of Mohammed's team. The team's aim is to compile information on specific cases and present it to Iraq's political parties -- to have them, as Mohammed puts it, "come tell us what [they] are ... going to do about this." Rahim tells the heartbreaking story of one woman they
[ "Who is the aid group working with?", "Where are the aid workers from?", "Who are the mothers trying to support?", "What problems are faced?", "What did the mothers say?", "Which group is working to raise awareness about the problems with Iraqi political leaders?", "What TV station talked to Iraqi mothers?", "What was told to CNN by iraqi mothers?", "What turned them to prostitution?", "What is everthing for?", "What is driving women to prostitution?", "for what did iraqi mothers turn to prostitution?", "What did two women have to do to help feed their children?", "What drives women to prostitution?", "What increased the cost of living in Iraq?", "What proffession are Iraq women turning too?", "Is the issue affecting women with children?", "What has high cost of living done to women in Iraq?" ]
[ [ "Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq." ], [ "Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq." ], [ "their children" ], [ "Prostitution" ], [ "They have been driven to sell their bodies" ], [ "Organization for Women's Freedom" ], [ "(CNN)" ], [ "\"People shouldn't criticize women, or talk badly about them,\"" ], [ "put food on the table for their children" ], [ "their children" ], [ "put food on the table for their children" ], [ "put food on the table" ], [ "sell" ], [ "put food on the table" ], [ "Violence," ], [ "prostitution" ], [ "They have been driven to sell their bodies to put food on the table for their children" ], [ "sell their bodies" ] ]
Aid workers: Violence, increased cost of living drive women to prostitution . Group is working to raise awareness of the problem with Iraq's political leaders . Two Iraqi mothers tell CNN they turned to prostitution to help feed their children . "Everything is for the children," one woman says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- They're paid to watch for suspicious activity, to prevent bloody attacks. But employees at Baghdad's surveillance center often watch helplessly as death and destruction unfold before their eyes, on camera. Security cameras watch the streets of Baghdad, but the center's director says it has a long way to go. The center was set up a year and a half ago, with employees on the lookout for trouble, as police officers in a back room listen to the traffic on their radios. But there are not enough cameras to cover all of Baghdad -- only 5 percent of the city is surveilled under the current system. The cameras picked up suspicious activity last Wednesday, but within 20 seconds -- before any action could be taken -- a truck blew up in front of the Foreign Ministry building. By day's end, bombings had killed nearly 100 people in the city. The fledgling security surveillance operation has a long way to go, its director acknowledges. The center is understaffed and not yet open around the clock. Watch security camera video of attacks » Though overall attacks have decreased in Iraq, the images on screen serve as undeniable evidence of the ongoing violence the Iraqi government is struggling to prevent. That effort includes 113 security cameras placed mainly around government buildings throughout the city, though not all are functioning at any given time. Each work station at the surveillance center monitors the feeds from 10 cameras. After last week's bombings -- which made Wednesday the bloodiest day in Iraq since U.S. combat troops withdrew from Iraqi cities at the end of June -- the center's managers met with Iraqi security forces in an effort to increase the number of cameras. "We should all admit responsibility for this major breach of security," the director said. "And we have to fix the system." For now, as the carnage fills the screen like a violent movie, employees cringe with guilt. They know that every time there is a blast on screen, it's because they were not able to prevent it.
[ "In what type of buildings are they in?", "What is the number of cameras the city has?", "what percent of the capital is covered by security cameras?", "how many security cameras are there around government buildings?", "what does the director say?", "What does the Center's managers want?", "What percent of te Iraqi capital are covered with security cameras?", "what is the percentage of the city covered?" ]
[ [ "Foreign Ministry" ], [ "113" ], [ "5" ], [ "113" ], [ "it has a long way to go." ], [ "increase the number of cameras." ], [ "5" ], [ "5 percent" ] ]
Baghdad has 113 security cameras around government buildings . But workers often see attacks occurring that they don't have time to prevent . Only 5 percent of the Iraqi capital covered by security cameras . Center's managers want more cameras; "We have to fix the system," director says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Thousands of people marched in central Baghdad on Saturday to protest a proposed U.S.-Iraqi security agreement that would extend the presence of U.S. troops in the country after the end of the year. Thousands staged a mass march through Baghdad, Iraq, on Saturday to protest a planned U.S.-Iraq security deal. The political party of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for the rally. At one point, several speakers at a podium addressed the mass of people, urging the Iraqi government to reject the proposal. "End the U.S. occupation of Iraq!" one speaker shouted in English. Hazem al-Araji, a senior al-Sadr aide, told protesters their voices would be heard in America. "Thanks to you, to these voices and the millions of voices, George Bush will hear these millions of calls in his 'Black House' -- in which you shouted out, 'No, no, America!'" he said. Watch protesters wave flags, swarm street » "This talk and these words are that of the leader, Muqtada al-Sadr: Baghdad is free, free! America, get out. This voice does not reach the Green Zone. We want to hear everyone who is occupied in that area saying Baghdad is free, free, America get out!" al-Araji exclaimed. Protesters clogged several streets in the capital, waving Iraqi flags and kicking up dust. The demonstration, the largest in Baghdad in several months, was largely peaceful. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said in Washington on Thursday a draft status-of-forces agreement authorizing the U.S. troop presence in Iraq had "been agreed upon by U.S. and Iraqi negotiators" and was being reviewed by the two governments. A U.N. mandate authorizing the U.S. troop presence in Iraq expires December 31, and U.S. officials are examining "contingencies" in case the Iraqi government is unable to sell the status-of-forces deal to the country's various factions, a senior Bush administration official said this week. The same official said negotiations on the pact had finished and the text was final. The official said the "final" draft calls for U.S. troops to be out of Iraqi cities by June 2009 and out of Iraq by the end of 2011 unless the Iraqis ask the United States to stay. The U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, said negotiators had also "reached a compromise" on the issue of U.S. troops remaining immune from Iraqi law -- an issue that was a major hurdle in the talks. Baghdad has sought the power to arrest and try Americans accused of crimes not related to official military operations, plus jurisdiction over troops and contractors who commit grave mistakes in the course of their duties. The United States has insisted its troops and contractors remain immune from Iraqi law. CNN State Department Producer Elise Labott contributed to this report.
[ "what did the U.N. do" ]
[ [ "mandate authorizing the U.S. troop presence in Iraq" ] ]
Proposed deal would extend U.S. troop presence in Iraq after end of the year . Thousands of protesters urged Iraqi government to reject the proposal . U.N. mandate authorizing U.S. troops in Iraq expires December 31 .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed and 31 others wounded in two rocket attacks Sunday afternoon in Baghdad, the U.S. military said. Mehdi Army militiamen celebrate after attacking an Iraqi Army vehicle in Baghdad's Sadr City on Sunday. Earlier Sunday, fighting between U.S. troops and the Mehdi Army militia loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr left at least 20 dead and 52 wounded in Baghdad's Sadr City, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official. The U.S. military said it had no information about the Sadr City fighting. Sunday's violence came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki demanded al-Sadr disband his Mehdi Army and threatened to bar al-Sadr's followers from the political process if the cleric refused. Watch a report from the front line in Sadr City » "A decision was taken yesterday that they no longer have a right to participate in the political process or take part in the upcoming elections unless they end the Mehdi Army," al-Maliki said. Sunday's American fatalities bring the death toll of U.S. troops in the Iraq war to 4,022; that toll includes eight civilian contractors working for the Pentagon. Nearly 30,000 others have been wounded in action. An attack involving a "couple of rounds" of fire on the International Zone, also known as the Green Zone, killed two soldiers and wounded 17 others about 3:30 p.m., a military official said, declining to give the specific location of the attack for security reasons. A separate attack about 30 minutes earlier killed one soldier and wounded 14 at a U.S. military outpost in Rustamiya in southeastern Baghdad, the military said. Responding to al-Maliki's comments, a spokesman for al-Sadr, Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi, said that any effort to bar Sadrists from participation in politics would be unconstitutional -- and that any decision to disband the Mehdi Army is not the government's to make. "It is up to the side that established it," he said. Al-Maliki spoke in an exclusive interview with CNN after a weeklong military offensive against what Iraqi officials called gangs and militia members in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Hundreds were killed or wounded in the fighting across Iraq, which reportedly ended when Iranian and Iraqi Shiite officials held talks in Iran with al-Sadr. Asked about Iran's role in ending the Basra conflict, al-Maliki attributed the cease-fire to the work of his security forces. Haidar al-Abadi, an Iraqi lawmaker who belongs to al-Maliki's Dawa Party, said last week that Iranian officials participated in the discussions, and another source close to the talks said the Iranians pressured al-Sadr to craft an agreement. "I am not aware of such an attempt," al-Maliki said Sunday. "What happened on the ground and the breakdown in the structure of this militia is what made Muqtada al-Sadr issue his statement to withdraw his militants from the streets. What happened was something to save Muqtada, not to help us." Watch al-Maliki talk about issues that concern Iraq » In northern Iraq, security forces detained a suspect Sunday and were searching for others in connection with the kidnapping of 42 college students, authorities said. Gunmen seized the male students in northern Iraq before releasing them several hours later, according to a military spokesman and police in Nineveh province. None was harmed, according to the U.S. military. Gunmen stopped two buses loaded with students who were on their way to college, but one bus managed to escape, police said. Four students on the bus that escaped were wounded by gunfire, police said. Students on the other bus were released Sunday afternoon after coalition military forces spotted the bus during an air patrol on the western outskirts of Mosul, according to a U.S. military news release. The kidnappers fled the vehicle after it was stopped, according to a military press release. Other developments • A Christian priest was shot and killed in eastern Baghdad's Wihda neighborhood around noon Saturday, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official. The priest
[ "Where are militia fighting U.S. troops?", "What killed 3 U.S. troops, wounded 31?", "What killed 3 U.S. troops?", "who was killed in the attack?", "Who was arrested for kidnapping?", "Who bans Sadrists from politics if Mehdi Army not disbanded?", "What is the prime minister to ban?" ]
[ [ "Baghdad's Sadr City," ], [ "two rocket attacks" ], [ "two rocket attacks" ], [ "Three U.S. soldiers" ], [ "a suspect" ], [ "Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki" ], [ "bar al-Sadr's followers from the political process" ] ]
Rocket attacks kill 3 U.S. troops, wound 31 . Prime minister to ban Sadrists from politics if Mehdi Army not disbanded . One arrested in kidnapping of a busload of college students, police say . Interior Ministry official says militia fighting U.S. troops in Sadr City .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three bombings killed an Iraqi official and three police officers and wounded 14 other Iraqis on Sunday evening and Monday morning, according to an official with the Iraqi Interior Ministry. A U.S. soldier plays with a boy Monday while on patrol in Babil province, Iraq. An Iraqi police captain was killed when a bomb attached under his vehicle exploded as he drove to work Monday morning in Baghdad, the Interior Ministry official said. Seven people, including three Iraqi soldiers, were wounded by the "sticky bomb" blast, which happened as the captain drove to a checkpoint in eastern Baghdad's Zafaraniya neighborhood. The military refers to bombs attached to vehicles without the driver's knowledge as "sticky bombs." The deputy head of the Iraqi National Dialogue Front was killed Sunday evening by a suicide bomb blast in the town of Al-Qaiyara, south of Mosul, according to Mosul police. The bomber entered Sheikh Hassan Zaidan al-Luhaibi's guest house and detonated an explosives vest, killing the sheikh and two other police officers, police said. Another bomb blast on Sunday evening wounded seven people who were putting up campaign posters and banners for candidates along Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad, the official said. The people were campaigning for candidates in Iraq's provincial council elections set for January 31, the official said. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "What were the people putting up when they were killed?", "How many people were wounded?", "Who is killed by a car bomb?", "An Iraqi police captain was killed by what?", "What kind of bomb was responsible for this damage?", "How many people were wounded but not killed?", "Where was the bomb?", "Who is killed in a suicide bomb blast?", "Number of people wounded by blast?", "Who was killed by a suicide bomb blast?", "Who was killed by a bomb blast?" ]
[ [ "campaign posters and banners" ], [ "14" ], [ "an Iraqi official and three police officers" ], [ "when a bomb attached under his vehicle exploded as he drove to work" ], [ "\"sticky bomb\"" ], [ "14" ], [ "under his vehicle" ], [ "Iraqi official" ], [ "14" ], [ "The deputy head of the Iraqi National Dialogue Front" ], [ "an Iraqi official and three police officers" ] ]
The deputy head of the Iraqi National Dialogue Front is killed by a suicide bomb blast . An Iraqi police captain is killed when a bomb attached under his vehicle explodes . Bomb blast wounds seven people putting up campaign posters and banners .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Three of five Americans contractors detained in Baghdad have been ordered released by an Iraqi judge, because of insufficient evidence, a court spokesman said Thursday. In a CNN exclusive, video shows U.S. contractors taken into custody by Iraqi authorities. The other two other contractors remain in custody, according to Judge Abdul Sattar al-Beeraqdar, a spokesman for Iraq's Higher Judicial Council. One of the men has been released on bond, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad confirmed Thursday. The embassy did not identify the man, who was released Wednesday. However, a spokesman for his employer, Corporate Training Unlimited, said it was Donald Feeney. Judy Feeney, Donald's wife, also confirmed his release. The contracting company said the release of the others has been delayed because of a procedural issue. Judy Feeney said her son, Donald Feeney III, and Mark Bridges were to be released Thursday morning, but it may take more time to release the other two, Jason Jones and Micah Milligan. But al-Beeraqdar said, without naming names, that two contractors were being held on charges involving "illegal substances" found on the men when they were taken into custody. Those who have been released are not allowed to leave the country because of an ongoing investigation and the judge may want to question them again, according to al-Beeraqdar. Except for Jones, the detained contractors work for the Fayetteville, North Carolina-based CTU, a security firm headed by the elder Feeney. An Iraqi judge decided earlier on Wednesday that charges against the five contractors were not warranted and that they could be released, according to an Iraqi security source and a source close to the five. The sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, in which the contractors have been detained since last week for reasons that remain unclear. The contractors initially had been told they were being held in connection with the May death of another contractor, James Kitterman, said the source close to the five. But on Monday, according to a judicial source, the men were told they were being held on suspicion of having unregistered weapons. Still, they were asked about their activities around the time Kitterman was killed, and Iraqi government officials told CNN Monday the five were detained as suspects in connection with Kitterman's slaying. Kitterman was found bound, blindfolded and fatally stabbed in a car in Baghdad's Green Zone on May 22. The 60-year-old Houston, Texas, resident owned a construction company that operated in Iraq. The Green Zone is the high-security area in central Baghdad that contains the U.S. Embassy and key Iraqi government buildings. Access to the area, formally known as the International Zone, is tightly controlled. The five contractors were taken into custody on June 3 in a pre-dawn Green Zone raid by Iraqi and U.S. personnel, the security source told CNN on Sunday. During the raid, troops also confiscated weapons, the Iraqi security source said. Three of the contractors were suspected of being directly involved in Kitterman's death, the Iraqi source said. A U.S. Embassy spokesman said the search was an Iraqi operation, but FBI representatives were present at the request of Iraqi authorities. The five were transferred to a prison within the Green Zone on Friday. "After this murder inside the Green Zone, a joint investigation committee from U.S. and Iraq sides has been formed to investigate this incident," Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Karim Khalaf told CNN, "and this committee managed to collect a number of indications that those five are linked to this murder." Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh also said the men were detained based on information linking them to the Kitterman slaying. Under Iraqi law, after a person is detained, an investigative judge questions the accused and assesses the evidence. The judge then decides whether there is sufficient evidence, and either refers the case to trial or dismisses it. The Iraqi source said the five had been held in a separate holding area and not with other Iraqi detainees, but spent time in
[ "What do charges involve?", "What did the judge order?", "Who is Donald Feeney?", "Where are the contractors held?", "What were the men detained for?", "What was the name of the contractor?", "What is the name of the contractor released on bond?", "What is the number of U.S. contractors held in Iraq?", "Who did the judge order free?", "what did the judge rule on the contractors", "How long were they detained?", "What was the charges?", "what are the men being detained for" ]
[ [ "\"illegal substances\"" ], [ "Americans contractors detained in Baghdad have been ordered released" ], [ "U.S. contractors taken into custody by Iraqi authorities." ], [ "Baghdad" ], [ "on suspicion of having unregistered weapons." ], [ "Donald Feeney." ], [ "Donald Feeney." ], [ "five" ], [ "Three of five Americans contractors detained in Baghdad have been ordered released" ], [ "ordered released" ], [ "since last week" ], [ "\"illegal substances\"" ], [ "suspects in connection with Kitterman's slaying." ] ]
Judge orders three of five U.S. contractors held in Iraq to be freed . Two others remain in custody on charges involving "illegal substances" Contractor already released on bond; wife, employer identify him as Donald Feeney . Men detained in connection with slaying of another U.S. contractor, sources say .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Turkish troops fired artillery shells into northern Iraq on Wednesday nearly a week after Turkey completed its eight-day ground offensive targeting Kurdish militants, an Iraqi official told CNN. Turkish troops patrol near the border with Iraq during the February offensive. Jabbar Yawer, spokesman for Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government security forces, said at least 16 rounds were fired on Dashti Barzji -- an uninhabited area in Iraq's Irbil province located about 12 miles from Iraq's border. Irbil is one of the three provinces compromising Iraq's Kurdish region. The Turkish military in Ankara had no immediate comment about the report. Yawer said Turkish helicopters were seen in the area during the strike but said that the choppers were not involved in the attack. The border conflict has wider implications for the Middle East and Asia, with the United States concerned that prolonged cross-border fighting would serve to destabilize the region, where Kurdish separatists pose challenges to power in Iran and Syria, as well as Turkey » and Iraq ». The Turkish military for months has been conducting cross-border airstrikes and artillery fire in northern Iraq against members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK -- militants who have been launching attacks against Turkey from bases in northern Iraq. Turkish troops launched a ground offensive on the evening of Feb. 21 "to prevent the region from being used as a safe haven by the terrorists and to contribute to the internal peace and stability of Iraq in the long run." It was the first significant Turkish ground offensive into Iraq since the 2003 overthrow of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, and it ended after Iraqi and U.S. officials urged Turkey to make the foray as brief as possible. A total of 240 rebels, 24 troops, and three village guards were killed, the Turkish military said. The PKK has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey, with some of its attacks launched from inside northern Iraq. Turks regard the PKK militants as terrorists and point to indiscriminate PKK attacks against civilians as well as police and military targets over the years. The United States and the European Union also label the PKK a terrorist organization. U.S. officials have shared intelligence with Turkey. The Iraqi government opposes the PKK presence, but it views the Turkish military incursion as a violation of its sovereignty. E-mail to a friend CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq in Baghdad and Talia Kayali in Atlanta contributed to this report
[ "Where did Turkish troops fire artilery into?", "What does the latest action come a week after?", "When did Turkish troops fire the shells?", "What is the name of the targeted province ?", "Who completed an eight-day ground offensive?", "What did Turkish troops fire on?", "What was fired on uninhabited area in Iraq's Irbil province?", "Who fire shells into northern Iraq?", "What is the number of rounds fired?" ]
[ [ "northern Iraq" ], [ "Turkey completed its eight-day ground offensive targeting Kurdish militants," ], [ "Wednesday" ], [ "Irbil" ], [ "Turkey" ], [ "northern Iraq" ], [ "at least 16 rounds" ], [ "Turkish troops" ], [ "16" ] ]
Turkish troops fire artillery shells into northern Iraq . At least 16 rounds fired on uninhabited area in Iraq's Irbil province . Latest action comes a week after Turkey completes eight-day ground offensive .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Twelve-year-old Mohammed Rasoul, his right leg severed below the knee, maneuvers on crutches over the dirt and loose stones through the Falluja graveyard. Mohammed Rasoul sitting with his mother, Jinan Khalifa, eagerly awaits his trip to the United States. Row after row of headstones stand as the deadly reminder of the tragedy the city went through as insurgents battled for control of the city. Mohammed stops at his cousin's grave. "I feel an ache when I think of her. Every time I remember her, I cry," he told CNN at a visit to the grave a few months ago. As he spoke, he poured water on a tree he planted next to it. The headstone reads: "Martyr 643, the child Hajer Ismael Khalil, 13 October 2006." Clutching her photograph, Mohammed says, "My cousin died on the scene. I still remember her screams." The same explosion cost him his leg and his childhood. "A car came out of nowhere. My cousin was playing with her friend," he says. "I remember [the car] was green. It detonated." Watch Mohammed tell his story » His mother, Jinan Khalifa, remembers that day all too well. She was in the kitchen when she heard a deafening explosion. "There was shattered glass from the windows falling all over us. I went outside and saw my son covered in blood from head to toe," she says. Her son endured 11 operations before doctors amputated his leg below the knee. Khalifa says her son put forward a tough face, but when he finally went back home the shock hit him. "That's where his personality started to change. He stopped laughing," she says. "It was tearing me up," Mohammed says "It was hard for me to watch others play. And I couldn't, I couldn't walk, it agitated me." CNN first broadcast his story in May where it caught the attention of an American charity, the Global Medical Relief Fund, which offered to help. "I cannot put my feelings into words," Khalifa says. "An entire book would not be enough. They gave my son his hope back. The America we knew was one that came, bombed, harmed. But when this organization came forward, we saw another face of America." The Global Medical Relief Fund, a small charity based in New York that helps children of war and natural disasters, has arranged for surgery and treatment at the Shriners Children Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Elissa Montanti, the founder and director of the organization, says she was inspired to act when she first heard of Mohammed's tragic story. "I said, 'Oh, please, let me help this boy.' " Mohammed will arrive in the United States on Thursday afternoon. He will be fitted for a prosthetic leg in coming weeks and examined to see if he needs additional surgery. Montanti said her organization has a list of other young Iraqi children in need of help. "The word needs to get out." Asked how it makes her feel to help Mohammed, she says, "It makes me cry with joy." Mohammed, too, is ecstatic. "I didn't think this act of human kindness would be presented to me," he says. "I didn't have hope in Iraq -- hope that I would ever get my hope back. I didn't have a future." He adds, "I want to go to America and meet this person that gave me my future back." When he comes back home, he wants to help rebuild Falluja, starting with his school, which was bombed during the 2004 Falluja offensive. "I will never leave school and, God willing, I will continue my education and become an architect and build all the schools," he says, standing on his crutches. But first, he says, he wants to walk
[ "charity director says helping the boy makes her what", "What type of leg will the boy get?", "what caused the boy to loose a leg", "where is he heading to get the prosthetic leg", "Where is boy going?", "What boy that was 12 lost his leg in a car bombing in Iraq?", "What caused a boy 12 to lose his leg?", "What did the boy lose in the car bombing?", "What happen to the boy?", "What boy quoted \"I want to... meet this person that gave me my future back\"?", "What happened to his cousin?", "What is the boy's age?" ]
[ [ "me cry with joy.\"" ], [ "prosthetic" ], [ "explosion" ], [ "United States." ], [ "United States." ], [ "Mohammed Rasoul," ], [ "explosion" ], [ "his leg and his childhood." ], [ "right leg severed below the knee," ], [ "Mohammed," ], [ "died on the scene." ], [ "Twelve-year-old" ] ]
Boy, 12, lost leg to car bombing in Iraq; cousin was killed by blast . He is now heading to the United States to get a prosthetic leg . Boy: "I want to ... meet this person that gave me my future back" Charity director says helping the boy makes her "cry with joy"
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided Saturday night while landing in northern Baghdad, killing one Iraqi soldier, a U.S. military spokesman said. Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, similar to this, crashed Saturday in northern Baghdad, the U.S. military says. Two U.S. troops and two Iraqi soldiers were injured, said military spokesman Lt. Patrick Evans. Enemy fire is not suspected, he said. However, two Interior Ministry officials said that a U.S. helicopter crashed in northeastern Baghdad as a result of clashes between U.S.-backed Iraqi forces and gunmen. The Iraqi officials said the area was sealed off, so they did not know casualty figures. One Iraqi official said the gunfight continued late into the night. U.S. officials said they did not know how many people were onboard. The crash occurred at Combat Outpost Ford in Adhamiya, a northern Baghdad neighborhood on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, the U.S. spokesman said. An Iraqi official said the helicopter went down in Talbiya, a stronghold of Shiite militia.
[ "Number of Blackhawk helicopters that crashed?", "What did the Interior Ministry official say?", "In what city were the helicopters landing?", "What kind of helicopters crashed?", "What crashed while landing in Baghdad?", "What type of helicopters crashed?", "Who was among the injured?", "Which country's Interior Ministry was quoted?", "What did the Interior Ministry say?", "Where were the helicopters trying to land in Iraq?", "How many Iraqi soldiers were killed?", "How many people were killed in this incident?" ]
[ [ "Two" ], [ "a U.S. helicopter crashed in northeastern Baghdad as" ], [ "Baghdad," ], [ "UH-60 Blackhawk" ], [ "Two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters" ], [ "UH-60 Blackhawk" ], [ "Two U.S. troops and two Iraqi soldiers" ], [ "Iraqi" ], [ "that a U.S. helicopter crashed in northeastern Baghdad as a result of clashes between U.S.-backed Iraqi forces and gunmen." ], [ "Baghdad," ], [ "one" ], [ "one" ] ]
Two Blackhawk helicopters crashed while landing in Baghdad, U.S. military says . Iraqi soldier killed; coalition soldiers, Iraqi troops are among the injured . Interior Ministry officials say one helicopter crashed during military clashes .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two attacks on Christian families in the city of Kirkuk on Sunday evening left three people dead and two others wounded, police said. Due to persecution, Christians in Iraq have had to rely on Iraqi security forces, as shown here on Easter Sunday. The first occurred in a neighborhood in southern Kirkuk when a Christian woman and her daughter-in-law were murdered in their home late night Sunday. Police told CNN the attackers slit the women's throats. In a neighborhood close by, gunmen attacked a Christian family in their home, shooting a father and his three sons, police said. One of the sons died instantly and the other son and the father were wounded. Many of Iraq's estimated 1 million Christians have fled the country after targeted attacks by extremists. In October, more than a thousand Iraqi families fled the northern city of Mosul after they were reportedly frightened by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists, who apparently ordered them to convert to Islam or face possible death. At least 14 Christians were killed in Mosul in the first two weeks of October. Kirkuk is 150 miles (240 km) north of Baghdad.
[ "Who did gunmen shoot in Kirkuk?", "Who were they targeted by?", "How many Christians have fled the country?", "Who had their throats slit in their home?", "How many Christians have fled Iraq?", "What neighborhood did the shooting take place?", "What religion was the woman?", "What was the religion of the woman and daughter who were killed?", "Who had their throats slit?" ]
[ [ "Christian family in their home," ], [ "extremists." ], [ "of Iraq's estimated 1 million" ], [ "Christian families" ], [ "1 million" ], [ "southern Kirkuk" ], [ "Christian" ], [ "Christian" ], [ "a Christian woman and her daughter-in-law were murdered in" ] ]
Christian woman and her daughter-in-law's throats slit in their home late Sunday . In nearby neighborhood in Kirkuk, gunmen shoot father and three sons; one dies . Targeted by extremists, many of Iraq's 1 million Christians have fled country .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two bombings in separate Iraq provinces on Monday killed eight U.S. troops, the U.S. military said. A boy with a machine gun weeps Monday at the site of a suicide bombing in Kanan that killed a sheik. A roadside bomb killed three U.S. soldiers and an interpreter in Diyala province, which has been a major front in the war during the "surge" of U.S. troops fighting insurgents near the capital. Earlier in the day, at least five U.S. soldiers on foot patrol were killed and three others wounded in a suicide bombing in Baghdad. In addition, suicide bombers killed five Iraqis in two bombings in Diyala province Monday morning, including a sheik who helped battle Sunni extremists and his 5-year-old niece. Watch new suicide tactics in Iraq » Four U.S. soldiers died at the scene Monday's Baghdad blast and one more died later of wounds, the military said. They were with Multi-National Division-Baghdad. An Iraqi interpreter also was wounded in the explosion, the officials said. Initial reports indicate the bomber was wearing an explosive vest. "Five soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the Iraqi and American people. I ask you remember these fallen heroes and their families as well as their wounded brethren in your thoughts and prayers," said Col. Allen Batschelet, chief of staff for Multi-National Division-Baghdad. "We remain resolute in our resolve to protect the people of Iraq and kill or capture those who would bring them harm." The explosion marks the deadliest attack against the U.S. military since five soldiers were killed January 28 in a roadside bombing in Mosul. Troops killed a Saudi insurgent whose network was responsible for that attack. Earlier, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said one person was killed and eight people were wounded in a suicide bomb attack targeting a U.S. military convoy in western Baghdad. It is not clear if the U.S. and Iraqi reports are about the same incident. Monday's attacks would bring the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq this month to 10. A total of 3,983 military personnel have died in the nearly 5-year-old war. The attack came after a bomber near Baquba targeted the leader of a security group assisting U.S. troops. The teen suicide bomber killed a sheik and a 5-year-old, a day after she went to the sheik's Kanan home claiming to need help finding her husband, police and family members said. The female suicide bomber, 18, blew herself up at the sheik's home Monday morning, police said. The tribal leader was the head of a local citizens group that has been working with U.S. forces to rout out insurgents. The largely Sunni security groups are known as Awakening Councils. Kanan is east of Baquba, situated in the volatile Diyala province, which has been a major front for the "surge" of U.S.-led troops targeting militants near Baghdad. According to one of the sheik's cousins, the teen bomber went to the sheik's house Sunday to ask him for help finding her husband -- thought to be kidnapped or detained. The 18-year-old was told to return Monday, the cousin said. She returned Monday and staged the attack, killing the sheik, his 5-year-old niece and one of his security guards, police said. The attack reflects both the growing use of females as suicide bombers in Iraq and the targeting of Awakening Councils, which are also known as Concerned Citizens Groups or Sons of Iraq. The grass-roots groups, which are sometimes led by former insurgents, have drawn more than 90,000 volunteers to their ranks, military spokesman Rear Adm. Gregory said Sunday. Since November, there have been at least five attacks carried out by female suicide bombers, including a twin bombing at Baghdad pet markets last month that killed almost 100 people. Insurgent groups, particularly al Qaeda in Iraq, are increasingly using women as suicide bombers because they are less likely to be searched, the U.S. military has said. About an hour after the attack at the sheik's home, another suicide bomber approached Iraqi security forces in
[ "What number of US soldiers died on patrol?", "Who was killed in the Diyala province?", "What killed U.S. soldiers?", "When was the last comparably deadly attack?", "Where was a sheik killed?", "Where did the bomb explode?", "What killed 3 soldiers?", "What gender was the suicide bomber?", "Who was killed by the roadside bomb?", "Who did the female bomber kill?", "Where was the foot patrol?" ]
[ [ "at least five" ], [ "three U.S. soldiers and an interpreter" ], [ "Two bombings in separate Iraq provinces" ], [ "January 28" ], [ "Kanan" ], [ "Diyala province," ], [ "roadside bomb" ], [ "female" ], [ "eight U.S. troops," ], [ "a sheik and a 5-year-old," ], [ "Baghdad." ] ]
NEW: Roadside bomb kills 3 U.S. soldiers and an interpreter in Diyala province . Earlier, at least 5 U.S. soldiers on foot patrol die in Baghdad suicide bombing . Baghdad blast marks deadliest attack on U.S. troops since January 28 . Female suicide bomber kills sheik, 5-year-old niece and guard at Iraqi home .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid a visit to Baghdad on Friday to congratulate its citizens for last weekend's "remarkable" Iraq-led provincial elections, a process he said "augurs well for the transition process and the solidifying of Iraq's national reconciliation." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, meets Friday in Baghdad with Iraq President Jalal Talabani. On a tour that also has taken him to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Ban met with Iraqi leaders and appeared at a news conference with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, whose allies won big in nine of the 14 provinces where the local elections were held. "I have been following the electoral process closely from the early days of the parliamentary debate over the elections law last summer to the final stages of adjudication of the complaints and yesterday evening's release of the provisional results," Ban said at the news conference, according to prepared remarks issued by the United Nations. "It will be some days before final results are known, but current indications are that the elections have been successfully carried out." Ban last visited Iraq in 2007. In March of that year, he got a taste of the violence that often rocks the Iraqi capital. An explosion rattled Baghdad's International Zone, where he was holding a televised news conference with al-Maliki. Apparently used to such blasts, al-Maliki remained stoic, while Ban briefly ducked before regaining his composure and continuing. Now, he said, he's "very much impressed to have witnessed myself the great success and progress the Iraqi government and people have made under the leadership of Prime Minister Maliki, and I congratulate you," he said, emphasizing the improvements in security. The secretary-general praised the turnout of millions of voters in "an environment free of violence," a development he called a "remarkable achievement" in a strife-torn nation. "Iraq has come a long way in taking their own affairs in hand, this being the first Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned electoral process. It is a tribute to the growing effectiveness of the Iraqi security forces, and testifies to the increasing stability in the country," he said. Ban praised Iraqi election officials, the local U.N. office and its special representative, Staffan de Mistura, and election workers. Voters in 14 of 18 provinces turned out last weekend to elect provincial councils. The nation's three Kurdish provinces will hold elections in May, and voting in Tameem province has been suspended because of political disputes in Kirkuk. "This marks an important event, these being the first polls to affect the day-to-day lives of Iraqi voters," Ban said. "In fact, these elections are about real power, in the sense that local leaders are nominated to be accountable for the delivery of basic services." The United Nations helped Iraq with logistics in its election process and plans to help in this year's parliamentary elections and to deal with sticky disputes, such as the status of Kirkuk and disputes over some internal boundaries. Al-Maliki thanked the United Nations for the supportive role it played. He noted that the provincial elections "changed the political map" of Iraq, but he said the elections were successful for all Iraqis. He said he was proud people voted for blocs based on political goals and not along sectarian and ethnic lines. Ban also met with the three members of the presidency council -- Kurdish President Jalal Talabani, Shiite Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi and Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report.
[ "Where did the secretary visit?", "Who thanked the UN?", "What number of provinces turned out to cast ballots?", "Where did the UN secretary - general visit", "Who did the Iraq Prime Minister thank?", "U.N. secretary-general visits which location?", "When did Ban Ki-Moon last visit Iraq?", "Who is the secretary general?" ]
[ [ "Baghdad" ], [ "Al-Maliki" ], [ "14" ], [ "Baghdad" ], [ "the United Nations" ], [ "Baghdad" ], [ "2007." ], [ "Ban Ki-moon" ] ]
U.N. secretary-general visits Iraq, lauds "remarkable" elections there . Ban Ki-Moon last visited Iraq in 2007, when violence was still raging . Voters in 14 of 18 provinces turned out last weekend to cast ballots . Iraq prime minister thanks United Nations for assistance, support .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. troops or contractors who commit "major and premeditated murders" in Iraq while off-duty and outside U.S. facilities would fall under Iraqi jurisdiction, according to a copy of a draft U.S.-Iraq agreement obtained by CNN. Shiite demonstrators protest a proposed U.S.-Iraqi security pact Saturday in Baghdad. All other crimes -- including murders committed inside U.S. facilities or by on-duty forces -- would fall under American jurisdiction, according to the draft, which would govern U.S. troops' presence in Iraq. The issue of whether U.S. troops would remain immune from Iraqi prosecution has been a sticky one for negotiators crafting the Status of Forces Agreement draft, which Iraqi lawmakers are reviewing. The United States had preferred its troops and contractors retain immunity. The draft also calls for U.S. combat troops to be out of Iraqi cities by July 30, 2009, and out of the country entirely by December 31, 2011. The agreement allows for an earlier withdrawal or an extension of the U.S. forces' stay in Iraq, by agreement of both parties. It also allows the Iraqi government to "request from the United States government to leave certain forces for training and for support purposes for the Iraqi forces." The governments have been trying to get a deal before December 31, when a U.N. mandate authorizing the U.S. troop presence in Iraq expires. Iraq's ruling Shiite parliamentary bloc said Sunday it needs more time before it can approve the draft. The United Iraqi Alliance bloc found several "points" in the draft that "need more time for discussion, dialogue and amendments [to] some of its articles," according to the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq, the most powerful party in the bloc. It was unclear what specific "points" the parliamentary bloc was questioning. Thousands of people marched in central Baghdad on Saturday to protest the draft U.S.-Iraqi security agreement. The political party of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for the rally. Watch marchers protest the agreement » Baghdad had sought the power to arrest and try Americans accused of crimes that are not related to official military operations, plus jurisdiction over troops and contractors who commit grave mistakes in the course of their duties. The United Iraqi Alliance on Sunday night discussed the draft, which was presented by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, whose Dawa Party is also a member of the ruling bloc. Iraq's Political Council for National Security needs to approve the draft before al-Maliki sends it to his cabinet. The council includes the leaders of various political blocs -- including the United Iraqi Alliance -- as well as Iraq's president, prime minister, vice presidents, and speaker of parliament. If the cabinet passes the draft by a two-thirds majority, al-Maliki will submit it to the Iraqi parliament for approval. A senior Bush administration official said last week that the U.S. is examining "contingencies" in case the Iraqi government is unable to sell the status-of-forces deal to the country's various factions. If Iraq does not approve the deal, fallback options include "a new U.N. Security Council resolution legally authorizing the extension of the U.S. footprint" or an "informal agreement between the United States and the Iraqis," the official told CNN last week. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. Other points covered in the draft agreement include Iraqi ownership of "all the buildings, facilities and structures that cannot be transported and are connected to the ground" and used by American forces. Such facilities will be returned to Iraq when the agreement expires, it says. Further, the agreement requires the United States to immediately return to Iraq any "historic or cultural site" it discovers at facilities it is using. The agreement allows the United States to use whatever defensive systems it deems necessary in areas under its control. Yet it bars "systems of weapons of mass destruction (chemical, nuclear, radiological, biological weapons and waste related to these weapons)." The United States is to transfer control of Iraqi airspace to Iraq when the agreement
[ "Who finds points needing more discussion?", "What did the United Iraqi Alliance find?", "What did Ruling bloc did not make clear?", "What did Iraq's ruling found for discussion?" ]
[ [ "United Iraqi Alliance bloc" ], [ "several \"points\" in the draft that \"need more time for discussion, dialogue and amendments [to] some of its articles,\"" ], [ "specific \"points\"" ], [ "several \"points\" in the draft that \"need more time" ] ]
NEW: U.S.-Iraq draft: Troops committing murder in Iraq could face Iraqi prosecution . Iraq's ruling United Iraqi Alliance found several "points" needing more discussion . Ruling bloc did not make clear what issues they had regarding troop agreement .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Voting in Iraqi provincial elections ended peacefully Saturday evening, and the mood was festive in some places, unlike the violence, intimidation and apathy that marked the balloting in 2005. An Iraqi casts his vote Saturday in Ramadi. Preliminary results are expected in a week. "There is a new norm of politics. ... It is truly a proud moment," Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh told CNN. "The distance that we have come is truly inspiring." Faraj al-Haidari, who chairs the Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq, and Staffan de Mistura, special U.N. representative for Iraq, issued statements saying the election went smoothly. "Hundreds of thousands of IHEC staff worked dutifully according to procedures," said Mistura, who also said he was pleased at the number of women who turned out to vote. Preliminary results from the electoral commission are expected within five days, de Mistura said. Final numbers are due at the end of February. "Some security incidents were reported during the day, but we didn't have any confirmation on serious security incidents that might effect the total electoral process," al-Haidari said. President Obama congratulated the Iraqis on the elections. "Millions of Iraqi citizens from every ethnic and religious group went peacefully to the polls across the country to choose new provincial councils," Obama said in a statement released by the White House. "It is important that the councils get seated, select new governors and begin work on behalf of the Iraqi people who elected them." He said the United States "is proud to have provided technical assistance, along with the United Nations and other international organizations, to Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, which performed professionally under difficult circumstances." CNN's Arwa Damon, who toured polling stations with UN observers, said she noticed an increased sense of awareness and optimism among voters, who felt that their participation would have an impact on their lives and country. Watch Iraqis head to polls » Political analysts said this election could correct some of the political imbalances that resulted from the 2005 election. Saturday's voting also was seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. "We are trying to build a new system of government in the heart of the Islamic Middle East," Saleh said. The last provincial elections were in January 2005, after the ousting of Saddam Hussein, and most Sunnis did not vote. "This time, happening four years after the first elections, means that this process is on track to building a functioning democracy," Saleh said. "I think the election results will point to the real political map of Iraq. "The overwhelming majority of the people of Iraq are having a stake in this process, are buying into this democratic process." He added that politics "is no longer defined by violence" and is now transcending "sectarian and ethnic dimensions." Voting was extended by one hour, partly because a curfew had been lifted, allowing more Iraqis to go to the polls, said Judge Qassim al-Aboudi, a member of the Electoral Commission. He described turnout as "good." Those elected will have regional power over the essentials Iraqis have been desperate for: basic services and jobs, Damon reported. She said there was a sense of jubilation in Anbar province, the Sunni heartland west of Baghdad. The sprawling desert area was dominated largely by al Qaeda in January 2005, when the first provincial elections after the fall of Hussein were held. In 2005, fearing retribution from the terrorist group, only about 2 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. In Najaf, the Shiite center south of Baghdad, voters also were eager to let their voices be heard, Damon said. Watch Arwa Damon on the importance of these elections » At a polling station in Baghdad, 80-year-old Ibrahim Saleh, a retired lawyer, said this election "is completely different from previous elections." When asked how, he replied, "because it is open for all the society components
[ "When will the results be expected?", "Preliminary results are expected after how many days?", "There is a new norm of what, according to the deputy prime minister?", "What deputy prime minister was quoted?", "Obama praises what?", "What is Obama proud of?", "Number of days that the election results are expected?", "Who says there is a new norm of politics?", "What country's elections are being discussed?", "What did Obama say he was proud of?", "Who praised the election?" ]
[ [ "in a week." ], [ "week." ], [ "politics." ], [ "Barham Saleh" ], [ "the Iraqis on the elections." ], [ "to have provided technical assistance, along with the United Nations and other international organizations, to Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, which performed professionally under difficult circumstances.\"" ], [ "within five" ], [ "Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh" ], [ "Iraq" ], [ "to have provided technical assistance, along with the United Nations and other international organizations, to Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, which performed professionally under difficult circumstances.\"" ], [ "President Obama" ] ]
NEW: President Obama praises election, says he's "proud" of collaborative efforts . Preliminary results of provincial elections expected within five days . Polls close after one-hour extension; no serious violence reported . "There is a new norm of politics," deputy prime minister says .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- When British forces fully withdraw from Iraq on Friday, it will be the second time in a century that Britain will leave this nation with a legacy of war dead. Mechanics prepare a tank ready to shipped back to the UK from Basra. In the Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery rest thousands of British soldiers killed in a protracted military campaign during World War I, after which Britain established an occupying regime in Iraq. In the peak of the latest war that began in 2003, about 46,000 British troops were stationed in and around Iraq. Now, almost all British troops are being pulled out because an agreement that allows them to remain in Iraq expires Friday, according to the British Ministry of Defence. Britain leaves Iraq this time with 179 of its own dead. "It's been a tough six years, no doubt about that," said Jon Wilks, the deputy head of the British mission. "But I think what we left behind is a solid base on which to build." The British were based in southern Iraq, primarily in Basra, Iraq's second largest city that sits close to the Persian Gulf. "We have in many sectors left Basra in a better state than when we arrived in 2003." Then, after the U.S.-led invasion, Iraqis welcomed British troops. They were hailed as the force that would save the area's predominantly Shiite population from Saddam Hussein's persecution. But the mood turned when liberation was not followed by a quick withdrawal. "It became the opposite of what we were wishing for," said Mustafa Atia, a member of the Basra provincial council." Hope started to turn to fear. By the end of 2004, extreme Shiite militias were gaining control of Basra. It seemed British forces had been sidelined as the militias enforced their own brand of laws. In September 2007, British troops withdrew completely from Basra and southern Iraq was touted as the coalition forces' success story. But Basra was left reeling. The British-trained Iraqi police had been infiltrated by militiamen; the Iraqi Army struggled to keep them in check. Women bore the brunt of the militia's brutal rule -- executed for "un-Islamic" acts like wearing tight jeans and lipstick. Or in the case of one woman, living alone. Sabriya, identified only by her first name for security reasons, recalled her sister's plight. "They said, 'Why don't you have a husband?'" Sabriya said. "They came in at night and put a pillow on her face and shot her in the head." In March 2008, the Iraqi government launched Operation "Charge of the Knights" to battle Basra's lawlessness. The city was flooded with Iraqi soldiers and their U.S. advisers. The British were drawn back into the thick of the fight, their Mastiff and Warrior armored vehicles once again on the streets of the southern port city. "The situation was awful, mainly because militias controlled the security forces," said Iraqi Gen. Aziz Swady, who was dispatched to Basra as part of the operation. "But after this operation, the citizens started to trust the Iraqi security forces." Basra began piecing itself back together. On Friday, as the British leave Iraq behind for a second time, they are left to ponder the fragility of Basra's situation -- and their own sacrifices. The question that could linger is: Was it worth it?
[ "How many British troops were stations in and around Iraq?", "How many British troops were stationed in and around Iraq in 2003?", "Where were most of the British troops stationed?", "Where are the British troops stationed?", "How many soldiers did British forces loose in Iraq?", "How many were left dead?", "How many British troops were in Iraq in 2003?", "Which Iraq city were they stationed in?", "What year were 46,000 troops stationed in Iraq?" ]
[ [ "46,000" ], [ "about 46,000" ], [ "Basra," ], [ "in and around Iraq." ], [ "179" ], [ "179" ], [ "about 46,000" ], [ "Basra." ], [ "2003," ] ]
In 2003 about 46,000 British troops were stationed in and around Iraq . British forces leave Iraq with 179 dead . Stationed in southern city of Basra, Iraq's second largest city .
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- While violence decreases across Iraq, women in the war-ravaged country face worsening hardships as warfare has thrust them into the role of family breadwinners, an aid group's survey said. An Iraqi woman who sells incense and candles to support her children says, "to work is to preserve your honor." In a release dated Sunday coinciding with International Women's Day, Oxfam International issued, "In Her Own Words: Iraqi Women Talk About Their Greatest Concerns and Challenges." Many women have been widowed and have had to run their families because their husbands "had been killed, disappeared, abducted or suffered from mental or physical abuse," the survey says. As a result, many have been unable to earn a decent living. While there are no precise numbers, there are now an estimated 740,000 widows in Iraq, Oxfam says. "Women are the forgotten victims of Iraq," said Oxfam International Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs, in quotes included in the survey. See pictures of women working in Iraq » The survey found that largely because of the conflict in Iraq, 35.5 percent of participants were acting as head of the household and that "nearly 25 percent had not been married." "If this reflects Iraq as a whole, it is the highest rate in the larger region, a result of the loss of men of marrying age as a result of the conflict," the survey said. Oxfam and its Iraqi partner group Al-Amal Association, conducted the survey in five provinces -- Baghdad, Basra, Tameem, Najaf and Nineveh. Questioners interviewed 1,700 respondents starting last summer. While the survey doesn't represent the situation facing all Iraqis, it provides "a disturbing snapshot of many women's lives and those of their children and other family members." "A quarter of the women interviewed still do not have daily access to water, a third cannot send their children to school and, since the war started, over half have been the victim of violence," Hobbs said. "And to add further insult more than three-quarters of widows, many of whom lost their husbands to the conflict, get no government pension which they are entitled to." The report urges Iraq to invest in social welfare essential services. "A whole generation of Iraqis are at risk. Mothers are being forced to make tough choices, such as whether to pay for their children to go to school and receive health care, or to pay for private power and water services. These are choices no mother should have to make. And they are not only threatening individual families, they are also threatening the future of Iraq itself," Hobbs said. Here are some of the survey results. • Security and safety are the top concerns of nearly 60 percent of women. • More than 40 percent of respondents said their security situation worsened last year. • 55 percent had been victims of violence since 2003. • Some 45 percent of women said their income was worse in 2008 than in 2007 and 2006. • 69 percent said access to water was worse or the same as in in 2006 and 2007. • 80 percent said access to electricity was more difficult than or the same as in 2007. • Nearly half of the women said access to quality health care was more difficult in 2008 compared with 2006 and 2007. • 40 percent of women with children reported that their sons and daughters were not attending school.
[ "How many widows are estimated to struggle in new roles as heads of house?", "What did a report urge Iraq to invent in?", "What do widows not have access to?", "What percent said security worsened for them?", "Who didn't have daily access to water?", "Who cannot send children to school?", "Who is struggling as heads of house?" ]
[ [ "740,000" ], [ "social welfare essential services." ], [ "water," ], [ "More than 40" ], [ "\"A quarter of the women interviewed" ], [ "\"A quarter of the women interviewed" ], [ "women in the war-ravaged country" ] ]
An estimated 740,000 widows struggle in new roles as heads of house, survey says . Many women don't have daily access to water and cannot send children to school . More than 40 percent of respondents said security situation worsened last year . Report urges Iraq to invest in essential social welfare services .
BAIDOA, Somalia (CNN) -- Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed Tuesday appointed a new prime minister -- but the previous prime minister is refusing to accept his dismissal. Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, in a photo from August, could face sanctions from Kenya. The Somali parliament on Monday backed Nur Hassan Hussein, who has been prime minister for about 13 months, in his power struggle with the president. Tuesday, the president named Mohamed Mohamud Guled, a close ally of the transitional federal government, as the new Somali prime minister. The move is likely to deepen the political impasse in a country already struggling with an Islamist revolt, a refugee crisis and rampant lawlessness that has fueled a wave of piracy off the Horn of Africa. Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991. The United Nations-backed transitional government took office after Ethiopian troops ousted an Islamist government at the end of 2006, but controls little of the country outside the southwestern city of Baidoa. Yusuf said Sunday he was firing Hussein for being ineffective. Hussein said the president did not have the power to fire him. The vast majority of members of parliament backed Hussein Monday in a vote of confidence. But Tuesday Yusuf announced he had "decided to appoint the new premier to pull the country out of the current violence and non-functioning government." He said Guled would form a Cabinet, which the president would appoint without asking parliament to confirm it. Kenya warned it could impose sanctions against Yusuf on Tuesday, saying the power struggle between him and Hassan endangers peace efforts in Somalia. Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula singled out Yusuf in a sharply worded statement that called his current standoff with Hassan "totally destructive, unhelpful to the region and to Somali society in general." Wetangula said Yusuf and his family could face targeted sanctions over his Sunday decision to sack Hassan. "President Abdullahi Yusuf is a party to the summit deceleration and the Djibouti peace process and should not therefore take any unilateral decisions which hinder the attainment of peace in Somalia," Wetangula said. "The current peace initiatives are at a critical stage and require support of all the peace loving Somalis and the region as a whole. The deviation from this path is certainly to bound to jeopardize the peace process." Kenya is a major player in international efforts to stabilize Somalia. The chaos in Somalia has driven sharply higher numbers of desperate people to seek passage across the Gulf of Aden, with smugglers packing as many as 150 people into boats as small as 25 feet (8 meters) for the crossing, according to a spokesman for the aid group Doctors Without Borders. "It is a very, very dangerous journey and the smugglers are very, very cruel with the refugees," Andreas Koutepas, a field coordinator for the group in Yemen, told CNN's "Inside Africa." "We have many incidents of stabbing or people suffocating and just being thrown in the sea." In addition, smugglers want to avoid detection by the Yemeni coast guard -- "So sometimes they just disembark people in deep water," Koutepas said. "And since most of the people cannot swim, they just drown." At least 24 people have drowned off Yemen in December so far, he said, and another half-dozen are unaccounted for. But since many of the refugees "consider themselves already dead" if they remain, "They take their chances with this trip, no matter how dangerous the trip is. It's a quite tragic situation." CNN correspondent David McKenzie and journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report.
[ "Who did the Somali president fire?", "Who is threatening sanctions?", "Who was fired on Sunday?", "Who is the Somali president?", "What did the PM refuse to do?", "Who refuses to leave?", "Who was apointed new PM?", "When did they have. Government?" ]
[ [ "Nur Hassan Hussein," ], [ "Kenya." ], [ "Nur Hassan Hussein," ], [ "Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed" ], [ "accept his dismissal." ], [ "Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed" ], [ "Mohamed Mohamud Guled," ], [ "1991." ] ]
Somali president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed fired country's prime minister on Sunday . PM refuses to leave; parliament backs him; Yusuf appoints new PM . Kenya threatens sanctions on Yusuf, says he's undermining peace efforts . Somali has been without effective central government since 1991 .
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Kim Mickens, 49, has always been the caregiver among her eight brothers and sisters. So when her mother, Delphine Mickens, was told she had Alzheimer's disease, Mickens took care of all the arrangements for her mother's care -- among them, she chose a nursing home not far from her place in Baltimore. Kim Mickens, right, moved her mother, Delphine, in with her after unsuccessful stints at two nursing homes. But Mickens didn't like the way her mother was treated, so she moved Delphine to a second facility. That one didn't work out either. Mickens eventually concluded that the only way Delphine was going to receive acceptable care was to move her mother in with her. Moving Delphine into her house wasn't so easy: She needed medical equipment including a wheelchair, medication and round-the-clock care. "She can't walk," Mickens says. "So we bathe her, we feed her, we do everything for her." Because Mickens works two jobs, she also needed someone to provide in-home care. Because Delphine is in her 80s, Medicare covers a lot of the costs -- but Mickens didn't know where to start; the logistics were overwhelming. Medicare personnel helped her get some of the medical supplies she needed and also recommend a new Web site called Ask Medicare. Designed to give easy access to people taking care of elderly relatives, Ask Medicare provides information and links to services that are important to caregivers. Mickens says it was invaluable. "The Web site tells you how to get Medicare assistance," she says. "It also gives you information on how to contact people that you need to get the equipment and supplies for your parents." The Department of Health and Human Services says at least 44 million Americans provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or elderly family member or friend. Of those family caregivers, 7 percent -- like Mickens -- provide 40 hours or more of care a week. The new Web site designed by HHS is meant to be a navigational tool for caregivers -- for whom time is valuable -- that cuts through all the bureaucratic red tape. Listen to Kim Mickens talk about caring for her mother » "We call it a GPS for Medicare," says Rima Cohen, a special adviser at HHS. "It's meant to make information readily available, and presented in a format that is easy to understand." According to the Center on an Aging Society at Georgetown University, family caregivers provide approximately 80 percent of long-term care services in the United States. "We know that family caregivers are really the backbone of a long-term care giving system in the U.S.," says Cohen. "You might be surprised to note that about $375 billion worth of services are provided by family caregivers -- if they were paid." So helping the caregiver is key. Watch more on the Ask Medicare Web site » Mickens says she first used the Web site to set up the living space for her mother. Through a social worker and Ask Medicare, she ordered a special bed, supplies, a new wheelchair, and even filled Delphine's prescriptions. Because Delphine had previously suffered two strokes, she couldn't walk -- a very big problem, since Mickens lives in a two-story home. But through the site, she was able to order an elevator chair that takes Delphine up and down the stairs. Now that her mother is settled comfortably in her daughter's home, Mickens says she needs some emotional support and "me time." That's not unusual: A study in the American Journal of Public Health finds family caregivers who provide 36 or more hours of care per week are more likely than noncaregivers to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. Mickens found support in a chat room that was linked to Ask Medicare. "The Web site has helped me read other people's stories," she says. "And now I know I'm not going through this by myself." Today, Mickens and her mother
[ "What percent is provided?", "What would the cost be?", "What is the number of Americans who care for chronically ill, disabled and elderly family members?", "What is the cost if family caregivers would be paid?", "What is the new website?" ]
[ [ "7" ], [ "$375 billion" ], [ "least 44 million" ], [ "$375 billion" ], [ "Ask Medicare." ] ]
Ask Medicare is new Web site designed to help caregivers cut through red tape . At least 44 million Americans care for chronically ill, disabled, elderly family members . Eighty percent of long-term care is provided by family caregivers . The cost -- if family caregivers were paid -- would be $375 billion .
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Dr. Carnell Cooper, a Baltimore surgeon, is saving lives inside and outside the operating room. Dr. Carnell Cooper's Violence Intervention Program provides training and support to trauma victims. Since becoming a trauma surgeon 16 years ago, he has dedicated himself to treating the many young African-American men who've been shot, stabbed or beaten, only to see them return to the ER with another severe injury just months later. But when one of his patients was readmitted with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in 1996, it changed Cooper's life. "The night that we pronounced that young man dead and my colleagues said there's really nothing we can do in these situations. ... I just didn't believe that," said Cooper, 54. "From that day forward, I said, 'Let's see what we can do.' " Cooper created the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at the Shock Trauma Unit of the University of Maryland Medical Center, the state's busiest hospital for violent injuries. It became one of the country's first hospital-based anti-violence programs. "We approached this problem like any public health crisis, like heart disease or smoking," he said. "We tried to work on the root causes." Since 1998, VIP has provided substance abuse counseling, job skills training and other support services to nearly 500 trauma victims. "Using that scalpel blade to save their life is the first step," Cooper said. "The next step is to try to keep them from coming back." A 2006 study by Cooper and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Trauma, showed that people in the program were six times less likely to be readmitted with a violent injury and three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime. The issue hits close to home for Cooper. Born to unwed teenagers in Dillon, South Carolina, he grew up in a neighborhood where violent crime was commonplace; he had friends and relatives who ended up dead or in jail. But his grandparents made sure he stayed on the right path. As a straight-A student, he attended a prestigious high school in Massachusetts, then Yale University and Duke University School of Medicine. But while Cooper rose above his circumstances, he felt sympathy for the young men who rotated in and out of his operating room. "They could be my friends, my family," he said. Cooper's program attempts to help patients from the moment they arrive because victims of violence face a greater risk of receiving another violent injury. Everyone treated for violent wounds at the hospital is seen by a VIP case worker, often at bedside. For Cooper, approaching patients at this early stage is crucial. "We may get them in a moment when they are thinking, 'I just almost died,' " he said. "We say, 'We're going help you find a way to get out of the game.' " Watch Cooper talk to a victim of violence at his bedside » VIP helps connect its members with additional support services, such as GED classes, conflict resolution, mentoring and parenting skills. A peer support group also meets at the hospital once a week. The success of Cooper's program has made it a model for others around the country and inspired the doctor to develop a larger initiative, the Violence Prevention Program, which includes other hospital-based efforts targeting young people in at-risk communities. Howard McCray, 29, turned his life around with help from VIP. He joined the program in 2001 after he was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the arm. Nicknamed "Pooh" for his resemblance to Winnie the Pooh, McCray's demeanor and lifestyle were once vastly different from the storybook bear's. "Before, I was into shooting people, robbing [them]," he recalled. "I've been in many gunbattles and been through the ER many times." Through VIP, McCray earned his GED and received job training and
[ "What does the program aim to do?", "What does a study show about participants?", "What does the Violence Intervention Program do?", "Whose program will help victims?" ]
[ [ "provides training and support" ], [ "showed that people in the program were six times less likely to be readmitted with a violent injury and three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime." ], [ "provides training and support to trauma victims." ], [ "Dr. Carnell Cooper's Violence Intervention" ] ]
Dr. Carnell Cooper's Violence Intervention Program helps trauma victims . The program aims to break the cycle of violence by targeting its root causes . Study: Participants are three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime . Do you know a hero? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes .
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- You know you've arrived at Bengies Drive-In Theatre when you first see the giant movie marquee, announcing the features showing that weekend. Each letter has to be placed and adjusted by hand, as it did when the theater first opened. Bengies Drive-In Theatre has been owned by the same family since it opened in 1956. "As far as the operation of the drive-in goes, I'm kind of a die-hard. I try to make it run the way it did, to bring a little bit back of the '50s. ... the integrity and the innocence of that age," says Bengies owner D. Edward Vogel, who claims to have the largest outdoor movie screen in the country at 52 feet by 120 feet. Vogel has spent most of his life trying to maintain the feel and charm of the Baltimore, Maryland, drive-in movie theater that his family opened in 1956. Vogel wants moviegoers to have the same experience as he did when he went to his family's outdoor theater as a child, although he knows that people today have many more entertainment options. "Sometimes I'm actually taken aback with the amount of children that are fascinated with this," says Vogel. "Thinking of what their options are, with modern devices and videos and all that, that they are so taken aback . with what happens here." Vogel started learning, at age 9, the secrets of running a movie theater from his father, Jack Vogel. He has worked tirelessly since to maintain the theater as it was in its glory days. Vogel even operates the same machines that he did as a child; the projection room is filled with the original projectors, which Vogel cleans and cares for each night. And for each movie, threading the film is a complex process far removed from the simplicity of inserting a DVD into the player that we know today. Once threaded, the film spins around as each frame follows an intricate path from the tray, to the projector, until it is shown on the gigantic screen. Watch the drive-in come to life » The scene immediately invokes a feeling of nostalgia, reminding us why they were called "motion pictures" way back when. Yet, Vogel is quick to tell you that keeping the 53-year-old business alive hasn't always been easy. At Bengies, each night is a double feature, so guests can see at least two movies for $8 a person. Vogel estimates that Bengies makes 60 percent of its revenue from ticket sales, and the rest comes from concession purchases. There's a strict "no outside food" policy, and he's open about the fact that the food sales help keep the business open. The waterfront property would be more profitable as condos, he says, and his father planned to build them before Vogel took over the theater in the 1980s. He was only able to avoid closing by cutting costs and staff. "My parents had a union operator in the booth, they had a manager, they had a concessionaire. I am all of those things, so that has changed," Vogel says. Vogel even acts as the host. Known only as "the voice" to his audiences, he starts each night by using the theater's speaker system to welcome everyone to his venue. "When you see the sun setting, and the shadow being cast on that screen, no matter what has happened during that day, good, bad or indifferent, I become a different person when I turn the microphone on." Besides the challenges of being a small business owner, Vogel's efforts to maintain the integrity of the movie-going experience is challenged by another intrusion of this modern world -- light pollution. Between car headlights and brightly lit businesses nearby, a once-dark sky is now polluted with obtrusive light. Bengies asks that drivers turn their headlights off when entering the grounds of the theater. But over the years, it has been the outside light from other businesses that bleeds into the surrounding
[ "How much is the admission per person?", "How much is a double feature?", "what has been a challenge", "What is the owner suprised by?", "what happens each night", "How long has Bengies Drive-In Theatre been around?", "What has been a challenge to the theater owner?", "what hasn't changed much", "Bengies Drive-In Theatre has been running for how many years?" ]
[ [ "$8" ], [ "$8" ], [ "of being a small business owner," ], [ "amount of children that are fascinated" ], [ "Vogel cleans and cares" ], [ "1956." ], [ "maintain the feel and charm of the Baltimore," ], [ "the feel and charm of the Baltimore, Maryland, drive-in movie theater" ], [ "53-year-old business" ] ]
Bengies Drive-In Theatre hasn't changed much in its 53-year history . Owner says he's often surprised by children's fascination with drive-in . Each night features a double feature; admission is $8 a person . Onslaught of light pollution has been challenge to theater owner, moviegoers .
BANGALORE, India (CNN) -- Two-year-old Lakshmi Tatma, an Indian toddler born with four arms and four legs, made her first public appearance Tuesday, a week after surgeons in India successfully removed her additional limbs. Doctors said Lakshmi was recovering well as she appeared Tuesday at a news conference. Lakshmi, wearing a plaster cast on her legs to keep her feet up and her legs together to help her wounds heal, was carried into a news conference Tuesday as her doctors announced she was being released from intensive care. "She is coping very well," lead surgeon Dr. Sharan Patil said. "She is being carried around by her mother and her father." Several of her doctors, all of them smiling, described her recovery over the past week "very steady and good progress," one saying she is "out of the woods" as far as serious medical issues are concerned. Watch the recovering little girl meet the media » The operation a week ago lasted 27 hours and involved a team of some 30 surgeons, all specialists in pediatrics, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and plastic surgery, working in eight-hour shifts. Lakshmi's extra limbs were part of a conjoined twin which stopped developing in the womb. It had a torso and limbs but no head, and was joined to Lakshmi at the pelvis. Doctors said that without the surgery, Lakshmi would have been unlikely to survive beyond early adolescence. The surgery involved the removal of the extra limbs and the repositioning of Lakshmi's organs. When Lakshmi was born into her poor, rural Indian family, villagers in the remote settlement of Rampur Kodar Katti in the northern state of Bihar believed she was sacred. As news of her birth spread, locals queued for a blessing from the baby. Her parents, Shambhu and Poonam Tatma, named the girl after the Hindu goddess of wealth who has four arms. However, they were forced to keep her in hiding after they were approached by men offering money in exchange for putting their daughter in a circus. The couple, who earn just $1 a day as casual laborers, wanted her to have the operation but were unable to pay for the rare procedure, which had never before been performed in India. After Patil visited the girl in her village from Narayana Health City hospital in Bangalore, the hospital's foundation agreed to fund the $200,000 operation. Planning for the surgery took a month, Patil said, and Lakshmi spent that month in the hospital. Many villagers, however, remained opposed to surgery and were planning to erect a temple to Lakshmi, whom they still revere as sacred. E-mail to a friend
[ "when is she going to appear", "when was she released", "what did the surgeaons say" ]
[ [ "Tuesday at a news conference." ], [ "Tuesday" ], [ "\"She is coping very well,\"" ] ]
Girl born with eight limbs makes first public appearance since surgery . Surgeons say Lakshmi Tatma, two, "coping very well," making good progress . Lakshmi released from intensive care Tuesday; appears at press conference . Operation lasted 27 hours and involved 30 surgeons working eight-hour shifts .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A Bangkok Airways plane crashed at an airport at a resort island in Thailand, killing the pilot and injuring 37 people Tuesday, aviation officials said. Rescue workers inspect the Bangkok Airways plane at Samui airport on Thailand's Ko Samui. The plane carrying 68 people and four crew members skidded and then crashed after landing at Koh Samui airport, officials with the civil aviation department said. The ATR-72 turboprop had taken off from the town of Krabi on the west coast Thailand for its trip to the resort island of Koh Samui. Air traffic control warned the pilot of volatile winds before the plane landed, aviation officials said. Seven people were seriously injured and emergency officials were working to free the plane's co-pilot who was trapped in the plane, officials said. CNN's Dan Rivers contributed to this report.
[ "what did air traffic control warn the pilot of?", "What made the Air traffic control warned the pilot?", "What plane skidded and then crashed?", "How many people was Bangkok Airways ATR-72 carrying?", "What happened to the passengers on the plane that skidded at Koh Samui airport?", "how many people was the plane carrying?", "where did the plane crash land?", "Did air traffic control warn the pilot of volatile winds?", "What airport did the plane crash occur?", "How many passengers were on the plane?", "What was the plane carrying?", "Where did the plane land?", "What were wind conditions at the time of the crash?", "How many people was the plane carrying", "Where did the plane crash?", "what did the air traffic control warn of?" ]
[ [ "volatile winds" ], [ "volatile winds" ], [ "ATR-72 turboprop" ], [ "68" ], [ "injured" ], [ "68" ], [ "an airport at a resort island in Thailand," ], [ "before the plane landed," ], [ "Samui" ], [ "68 people and four crew members" ], [ "68 people and four crew members" ], [ "Koh Samui airport," ], [ "volatile" ], [ "68" ], [ "Thailand," ], [ "volatile winds" ] ]
Officials: Plane skidded and then crashed after landing at Koh Samui airport . Bangkok Airways ATR-72 turboprop carrying 68 people, four crew members . Air traffic control warned the pilot of volatile winds before the plane landed .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A pregnant British woman facing possible execution in Laos will go on trial this week, the country's foreign affairs ministry said Monday. Samantha Orobator became pregnant in prison, according to a spokeswoman for rights group Reprieve. Samantha Orobator "is facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking," said Clare Algar, executive director of Reprieve, a London-based human rights group. Orobator, 20, was arrested on August 5, said Khenthong Nuanthasing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman. She was alleged to have been carrying just over half a kilogram (1.1 pounds) of heroin, Reprieve lawyer Anna Morris told CNN by phone from Vientiane, the Laotian capital. "For that amount of heroin the sentence is normally the death penalty," she said. Orobator's mother Jane found out in January her daughter was pregnant -- more than four months after she was arrested, her mother said. Jane Orobator heard the news from the British Foreign Office, which has been monitoring the case, the mother told CNN by phone from Dublin, where she lives. She cannot believe her daughter was involved in drug trafficking, and was surprised to learn she was in Laos, she said. "I don't know" what she was doing there, she said. "The last time she spoke with me, she said she was on holiday in London and she would come to see us in Dublin before returning to the U.K. in July. "She is not the type of person who would be involved in drugs," she added. Reprieve is worried about her health, especially given her pregnancy, Anna Morris said. "She became pregnant in prison. We are concerned that it may not have been consensual and we are concerned that someone who finds herself in prison at 20 is subject to exploitation," she said. She is due to give birth in September, the lawyer added. Reprieve sent Morris from London to Laos to try to help Orobator, Algar said. The lawyer arrived there on Sunday and is hoping to visit Orobator on Tuesday, her boss at Reprieve said. A British consul has also arrived in the country. "Reprieve heard about her case two weeks ago. We had thought yesterday the trial was going to start today," Algar said Monday. "We have now heard from Anna that it is not going to." "I am the first British lawyer who has asked for access to her," Morris said. "She needs to have a local lawyer appointed to her. We are pressing very hard for the local authorities to appoint one." She said it was normal in the Laotian justice system for a defendant to get a lawyer only days before a trial. The last execution in Laos was in 1990, the foreign affairs spokesman said. British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell issued a statement about Orobator on Saturday. "The British Government is opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. We have made the Laos authorities aware of this at the highest levels in Samantha's case," he said. "We are paying close attention to her welfare and are in regular contact with the Laotian authorities about her case. British Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, have visited her six times since her arrest," he said. "In addition, Britain's consular representatives in Laos, the Australian Embassy, including the Australian Embassy doctor, have visited Samantha 10 times on our behalf," he said. There is no British Embassy in Laos. A British vice-consul arrived in the country this weekend, the Foreign Office said Monday. Rammell plans to raise the Orobator case with the Laotian deputy prime minister this week, he said. Samantha Orobator was born in Nigeria and moved to London with her family when she was 8, her mother said. CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "Who will be facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking?", "When was the last execution in Laos?", "When was Orabator arrested?", "When was Orobator arrested?", "What happened to her while in prison?", "What is Orobator facing?", "Who faces death by firing squad?" ]
[ [ "Samantha Orobator" ], [ "1990," ], [ "August 5," ], [ "August 5," ], [ "became pregnant" ], [ "death by firing squad" ], [ "Samantha Orobator" ] ]
Samantha Orobator facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking . Official: Orabator was arrested on August 5 . She became pregnant while in prison, rights group spokeswoman says . The last execution in Laos was in 1990 .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- After 17 hours, Kerri Gannon and her husband were still stranded in an airport in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, trying to find a way home to the United States after the facility was occupied by crowds of protesters and closed. Anti-government protesters gather in front of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport early Wednesday. The newly married husband and wife, in Thailand for their honeymoon, were struggling to find a way home to California after explosions at two Bangkok airports wounded four people and both airports were shut down. The day before, thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the airports to protest the return of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from an economic summit in Peru. "The upper level outside is really crowded with protesters and for the most part they're kind of quiet and polite," Gannon said from the airport. "They're roaming the airport, they're cheering and clapping and walking around, but it's clearly their domain." Watch protesters clash » It was not clear which of the two occupied airports she was speaking from, but tourists were stranded in both. The People's Alliance for Democracy , which is leading the protests, said it will not end its occupation of the airports until the prime minister resigns. They accuse his government of being a front for ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Ongoing protests caused authorities to cancel all incoming and outgoing flights at the main hub, Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which handles 60,000 incoming passengers daily, an assistant to airport director Serirat Prasutanond told CNN. Pro- and anti-government protesters also exchanged gunfire Tuesday, a Thai police official said. Protesters with golf clubs and long wooden sticks clashed with airport taxi drivers, with each side throwing objects at the other. Watch what's causing the protests » Protesters blockaded people trying to get to one of the airports. They directed travelers to exit onto the access roads. See more photos » "I'm trying to get out of this place, but I'm stuck," iReporter Arjan Sing, who was on a two-week vacation to India and stopped in Bangkok to visit a friend's family. "When we took the exit there were lots of tourists standing around wondering what they were going to do." Gannon said the situation started off fairly relaxed, but tensions were escalating. "As more and more tourists leave [the airport], the fact that we don't have any information and there's no one to give us information, now we feel stranded here and we don't know where to go," Gannon said. "It seems a little bit more hostile than it was earlier." Gannon said she's heard nothing from airport personnel and her quest for answers is hurt even more by the fact that many people in the airport speak no English. "I don't know what happened to my flight," one woman waiting in an airport told CNN. "They won't talk to us and I'm angry and sad because I have two small children and they're sick so we want to go home." The airlines have also been mum on the situation, Gannon said, making it difficult for them to decide whether to wait it out at the airport or try to find a hotel. "We've had absolutely no contact from our air carrier," Gannon said. "But that seems to be universal across the board." One traveler said the wait was frustrating. "They've started coming through and telling us that we possibly might be out of here in the morning," he told CNN. "But either way, there's no problem. We just sit here and relax and enjoy the ride." Gannon said she and her new spouse just hope to get home sometime in the near future. "We've been gone for 17 days and [the honeymoon] was good -- until now," she said. "We are just trying to go home, get back to work and Thanksgiving."
[ "How long was Kerri Gannon stuck for?" ]
[ [ "17 hours," ] ]
Airports closed after blasts, and thousands of protesters taking over . Kerri Gannon, husband, on honeymoon in Thailand, stuck for 17 hours . Protesters swarmed the airports, said they won't leave until prime minister resigns . Continuing protests; travelers have no information about what's going on .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- At least 59 people were killed and more than 200 others injured early Thursday after a fire broke out at an upscale Bangkok nightclub where about 1,000 revelers were ringing in the new year, Thai police said. Rescue officials survey the scene of the nightclub fire in Bangkok, Thailand. Most of the victims died from smoke inhalation or were trampled in a rush to get out of the club. Thirty bodies have been identified: 29 Thai nationals and one Singaporean, according to police. The fire began at the nightclub Santika about 12:35 a.m., police said. Rescue officials said 226 others were injured, including several foreigners. Two Americans were injured in the blaze, a U.S. State Department official said. The official did not release the victims' names or the extent of their injuries but said the department was in contact with them. Steven Hall, a British national who was hurt in the fire, told CNN that flames began to spread along the ceiling above the stage where a band and DJ were performing. But some people appeared to believe that it was part of the performance. "At the same time there were people rushing to get out, there were other people who seemed to be lacking a sense of urgency and didn't seem to realize what was going on," Hall said. The blaze started near a stage where fireworks were being used as part of a performance on the club's closing night, said police Maj. Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit. Watch the fire engulf the building » "It may have been caused from sparks, but we don't know if it was sparks from guests or from the nightclub's countdown display on the nightclub stage," he said. iReport.com: Eyewitness captures scene of deadly aftermath Hall said his wife escaped ahead of him, but he got caught in a crowd. "The lights went out, and at that moment, my back started burning, and I was breathing in hot air," he said. Watch Steven Hall describe his experience » British citizen Andrew Jones said he was celebrating in the area when he walked up on the fire. He said he saw victims being rushed out on stretchers and spoke to witnesses, including a fellow Briton who saw fireworks being lit onstage. "He immediately ran out of the building, but immediately when he'd done that, the lights went out, and he couldn't see," Jones said. The club is in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts. Its Web site features images of bands and DJs performing on both indoor and outdoor stages, and says that it "innovatively blends the comfort of nature with the excitement of the Bangkok nightlife." The site advertises the club's New Year's party, which was named "Goodbye Santika." CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "What caused most of the deaths?", "What caused the blaze?", "Where is the club located?", "Number the Thai police say died in the nightclub fire?", "What was used as part of the performance?", "What killed 59 people?", "What number of people died in the nightclub fire?", "What was used as a part of the performance?" ]
[ [ "of the victims died from smoke inhalation or were trampled in a rush to get out of the club." ], [ "sparks," ], [ "Bangkok, Thailand." ], [ "At least 59" ], [ "fireworks" ], [ "fire" ], [ "At least 59" ], [ "fireworks" ] ]
Thai police say that 59 died in nightclub fire, another 226 injured . Fireworks were used as part of a performance, authorities say . Most of those who died suffered smoke inhalation or were trampled, authorities say . Club is located in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- At least 59 people were killed in a fire that broke out early Thursday at one of Bangkok's most upscale nightclubs, where about 1,000 revelers were ringing in the new year, Thai police said. Rescue officials work at the scene of the fire in Thailand. Most of the dead were Thai, but foreigners have been identified, among them from Australia, the Netherlands, Nepal and Japan, police said. Another 100 people were believed injured. The fire, at a club called Santika, started at about 12:35 a.m. (1735 GMT), police told CNN. The blaze started near a stage where fireworks were being used as part of a performance, according to authorities. Watch the fire engulf the building » Most of those who died in the building suffered smoke inhalation or were trampled in a rush to get out of the club, they said. British citizen Andrew Jones said he was celebrating in the area when he walked up on the fire. He said he saw victims being rushed out of the fire on stretchers and spoke to witnesses, including a fellow Briton who saw fireworks being lit onstage. "He immediately ran out of the building, but immediately when he'd done that the lights went out and he couldn't see," Jones said. The club is located in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts. Its Web site features images of bands and DJs performing on both indoor and outdoor stages, and says that it "innovatively blends the comfort of nature with the excitement of the Bangkok nightlife." The site advertises the club's new year's party, which was named "Goodbye Santika." CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "What did the others die of?", "When did the accident occur?", "What caused people to die?", "Where was the club located?", "How many people were killed?", "What was the number of people that died?", "What wedre used as a part of the performance?", "What is the name of the Bangkok club?", "What kind of club is it?" ]
[ [ "smoke inhalation or were trampled in a rush to get out" ], [ "at about 12:35 a.m. (1735 GMT)," ], [ "fire" ], [ "in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts." ], [ "At least 59" ], [ "59" ], [ "fireworks" ], [ "Santika," ], [ "upscale nightclubs," ] ]
Fireworks were used as part of a performance, authorities say . Most of those who died suffered smoke inhalation or were trampled, authorities say . Club is located in one of Bangkok's busiest commercial districts .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A Thai court has found deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty of corruption, and sentenced him in absentia to two years imprisonment. Thaksin Shinawatra lives in self-imposed exile in London. The case stemmed from a Bangkok land deal while Thaksin was in office. He was convicted of violating a law that bans ministers or their wives from conducting business with government agencies. Thaksin, who now lives in the United Kingdom, is unlikely to serve any jail time. He fled from Thailand in August just as he was to appear in court. In the land deal, Thaksin's wife, Pojama, is accused of using her husband's political influence to buy undeveloped land from a government agency for about a third of its estimated value. Watch more about the verdict » The case is one of several corruption cases against Thaksin and his family that are winding their way through the legal system. The billionaire is accused of abusing the country's system of checks and balances and bending government policy to benefit his family's business. Thaksin has consistently denied that he or his family was involved in any wrongdoing. In August, Thaksin and his wife skipped a court appearance and fled to the United Kingdom rather than testify in the real-estate case. He said he did so because he did not think he would get a fair trial in Thailand. Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, once owned the English Premier League Manchester City Football Club but sold his stake this year. His party won two landslide victories before he was deposed in a bloodless military coup in September 2006 after massive anti-government street protests. He returned to Thailand after his allies in the People Power Party won nearly half the seats in the lower house in December's parliamentary elections and formed the ruling coalition. In recent weeks, the country has seen daily demonstrations from anti-government protesters who want PPP leaders purged from the Cabinet. They have laid siege to the Government House -- the seat of the Thai government -- since August 26. The protesters -- led by the People's Alliance for Democracy -- contend that the PPP is trying to amend the constitution so Thaksin does not have to face charges. In September, Thailand's Constitutional Court stripped then-Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej of his position, ruling that he had violated the constitution by appearing as a paid guest on a television cooking show. The PPP responded by picking Thaksin's brother-in-law as Samak's replacement -- further inflaming the protesters. CNN's Dan Rivers contributed to this report.
[ "Where does Thaksin live?", "Who was convicted of corruption?", "What did Thaksin's wife buy in 2003?", "What did the court rule Thaksin facilitated in 2003?", "What was Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra convicted of?", "Where does exiled Thaksin live?", "Where does Thaksin live in exile?", "What did the court rule?" ]
[ [ "London." ], [ "Thaksin Shinawatra" ], [ "undeveloped land from a government agency for about a third of its estimated value." ], [ "corruption," ], [ "violating a law that bans ministers or their wives from conducting business with government agencies." ], [ "London." ], [ "London." ], [ "prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty of" ] ]
Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra convicted of corruption, sentenced to jail . Court rules Thaksin facilitated wife's purchase of Bangkok real estate in 2003 . Thaksin, who lives in exile in UK, unlikely to serve time in jail .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A Thai judge fined dozens of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of illegal entry after escaping from their own country a month ago -- amid allegations that other Rohingya have been dumped at sea by the Thai army. Male refugees show scars they say were caused by beatings at the hands of the Myanmar navy. The Ranong Provincial Court judge ordered each of the 66 ethnic Muslim refugees to pay 1,000 Thai baht (less than $30). He imposed the fines via a closed-circuit television link to Ranong Provincial Prison, where the refugees will continue to be held until they can pay the court. Twelve additional refugees, all teenagers, were being detained at a police station and are exempt from prosecution. The 78 refugees will be handed over on January 31 to immigration police, who will deport them. It is unclear where they will be sent. The refugees arrived by boat on the Thai shore, and Thai police said many had severe burns from a fire that broke out on board their craft after it left neighboring Myanmar, also known as Burma. Members of Myanmar's Rohingya minority have been fleeing the country for years, saying they are persecuted by its military government. One refugee, who called himself Mohamed, told CNN that their boat had been at sea for a month, and that Myanmar's military had detained and attacked them before setting their boat on fire. The refugees are unwelcome in Thailand, where authorities say about 20,000 have settled illegally. Other boatloads of Rohingya have allegedly been set adrift after being towed out to sea by Thai authorities. A recent CNN investigation found evidence of such activity. Photos obtained by CNN include one that shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees. Watch Dan Rivers' BackStory on the investigation » CNN also interviewed a refugee who said he was one of the few who had survived after a group of six rickety boats was towed back to sea and abandoned by Thai authorities earlier this month. The Thai government has launched an inquiry. The Thai army has denied the allegations. But after extensive questioning by CNN, one source in the Thai military confirmed that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy. The source defended it, saying that each boatload of refugees is given sufficient supplies of food and water. That source said Thai villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month, and they had accused the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them. The Thai government has said that "there is no reasonable ground to believe" that the Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar because of persecution. "Their profile and their seasonal travel further support the picture that they are illegal migrants, and not those requiring international protection," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued Tuesday. One of the refugees who came ashore Tuesday said they will be killed if returned to Myanmar because of their minority status. He said the Rohingya are stateless because they lack bribe money to obtain identification cards in Myanmar. In Tuesday's statement, the Thai government said it deals with all illegal migrants in accordance with its laws and international guidelines. It said "basic humanitarian needs" such as food and water are met among the migrants before they are returned home. Their boats also are fixed, officials said. The Thai government said that "accepting those arriving in an irregular manner would simply encourage new arrivals." The government denied media reports alleging that Thai authorities mistreat the illegal migrants and intentionally damage their boats. CNN's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "What did the army tow to sea?", "Who will be handed over to immigration?", "Who has the Thai army mistreated?", "What number of refugees were in the boat?", "What number of refugees were fined by the Thai court?", "What type of refugees have alleged mistreatment by the Thai army?", "Which court fined the refugees?", "Who is the court handing the refugees over to?" ]
[ [ "boatloads of Rohingya" ], [ "78 refugees" ], [ "Male refugees" ], [ "78" ], [ "66" ], [ "Rohingya" ], [ "Ranong Provincial" ], [ "immigration police," ] ]
Sixty-six Rohingya refugees from Myanmar fined by Thai court . They will be handed over to immigration police with 12 others . Rohingya refugees are at center of allegations of mistreatment by Thai army . Photos obtained by CNN show army towing boatload of 190 refugees to sea .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A new boatload of Rohingya refugees washed up on the shores of Thailand early Tuesday, raising questions about the type of treatment they would receive. Male refugees show scars they say were caused by beatings at the hands of the Myanmar navy. The boat was carrying about 78 people, Thai police said, and many had severe burns from a fire that broke out on board. Most were members of neighboring Myanmar's Rohingya minority, which has been fleeing persecution by the country's hard-line government for years. Other members of the Rohingya have allegedly been abandoned at sea after being rounded up by Thai authorities. A recent CNN investigation found evidence that the Thai military towed hundreds of refugees into open waters only to abandon them. CNN obtained several photos of this activity including one photo that shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea. CNN also interviewed a refugee who said he was one of the few that survived after his group of six rickety boats were towed back to sea and abandoned by Thai authorities in January. Watch Dan Rivers' BackStory on the investigation » The Thai army has denied this allegation, while the Thai government has launched an inquiry. But one source in the Thai military, after extensive questioning, did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy. The source defended it, insisting that each boatload of refugees was given sufficient supplies of food and water. That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month, accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them. That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month, and that they were accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them. The Rohingya, a minority in Myanmar, have been fleeing their country in make-shift boats for years in search of a better life, and maintain that they are fleeing persecution by the regime in Myanmar, formerly Burma. The Thai government maintains that "there are no reasonable grounds to believe" that the Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar out of fear of persecution. "Their profile and their seasonal travel further support the picture that they are illegal migrants, and not those requiring international protection," it said in a statement released Tuesday by the foreign ministry. In that statement, the Thai government maintained that its policies in dealing with all illegal migrants are in accordance with its laws and international guidelines. It said "basic humanitarian needs" are given to the migrants before they are returned home. "We have upheld our humanitarian tradition and ensured that new arrivals are adequately provided with food, water and medicines, with necessary repairs to their boats," the ministry's statement said. The government noted that Thailand has already been inundated with as many as 20,000 illegal migrants -- most of them Rohingyas -- and "accepting those arriving in an irregular manner would simply encourage new arrivals." The government "categorically denied" media reports blaming Thai authorities for mistreating the illegal migrants, and intentionally damaging their boats. It said it would seriously investigate such cases if any "concrete evidence" is presented. -- CNN's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "What is number of people on the boat?", "who was fleeing the country", "What is being given to the migrants?", "How many people were on the boat?", "What is the Thai army denying?", "What are they fleeing from?" ]
[ [ "78" ], [ "Rohingya refugees" ], [ "sufficient supplies of food and water." ], [ "78" ], [ "towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea." ], [ "persecution by the country's hard-line government" ] ]
The latest boat was carrying about 78 people, Thai police say . Thai army denies setting refugees adrift; government has launched an inquiry . Thailand: No grounds to believe Rohingya fleeing Myanmar out of fear of persecution . Statement added that "basic humanitarian needs" are given to the migrants .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- An Australian author imprisoned last month for insulting the king and crown prince of Thailand was on his way home Saturday after receiving a pardon from the king. Harry Nicolaides behind the bars of a Thai holding cell. Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested last August over his 2005 book titled "Verisimilitude." The book includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that authorities deemed a violation of a law that makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten the crown. CNN has chosen not to repeat the language because it could result in CNN staff being prosecuted in Thailand. Mark Dean, a lawyer for Nicolaides, said he was released Friday and taken to the Australian embassy in Bangkok, where he stayed until leaving for Australia at about midnight. "He is obviously very relieved and grateful that the pardon was granted," Dean said. Nicolaides was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty last month. He faced a term of up to six years before the plea. Watch shackled Nicolaides at court » His lawyers then requested the pardon. King Bhumibol Adulydej had pardoned foreigners in similar cases in the past. Dean said Nicolaides was deported from Thailand, but that he did not know of any other stipulations related to the pardon. In an interview with CNN International, Dean avoided repeating what Nicolaides wrote, but said the passage was presented as a rumor, not a fact. "This is probably not the best time to repeat the passage that was found to be offensive," Dean said. "But it concerned the crown prince of Thailand and a rumor that was being circulated in Thailand about the crown prince." Nicolaides had been living in Thailand since 2003, lecturing at two universities about tourism. He was about to leave Thailand when he was arrested on August 31. It is not clear why the authorities waited three years after the publication of his book to bring charges against him. Fifty copies of the book were published, and only seven were sold. Thailand's king is highly revered in the Buddhist nation. But even he has said in the past that he can be criticized. Thailand's prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, also has told CNN he is concerned about what he called misuse of the law. Still, other cases of violating the law are pending before the Thai Criminal Court, involving both Thais and foreigners.
[ "What does the book include?", "who was arrested?", "what did authorities consider it as", "When was Harry Nicolaides arrested over his 2005 book?", "what age was Harry Nicolaides", "what does book include?", "what did Man's lawyer say", "what did authorites deem?" ]
[ [ "a paragraph about the king and crown prince" ], [ "Harry Nicolaides," ], [ "illegal to defame, insult or threaten the crown." ], [ "August 31." ], [ "41," ], [ "a paragraph about the king and crown prince" ], [ "he was released Friday and taken to the Australian embassy" ], [ "a violation of a law that makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten the crown." ] ]
Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested last August over his 2005 book . The book includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince . Authorities deemed it a violation of a law that makes it illegal to insult the crown . Man's lawyer says he was relieved and left for Australia at about midnight .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Bedraggled, hungry and dazed, the refugees arrived on the shores of Thailand after fleeing one of the most repressive governments in the world -- the hard-line military regime in Myanmar, also known as Burma. This picture provided to CNN is said to show refugees being towed out to sea by the Thai army. But a CNN investigation has uncovered evidence that for hundreds of Rohingya refugees -- members of a Muslim minority group -- abuse and abandonment at sea were what awaited them in Thailand, at the hands of Thai authorities. Extraordinary photos obtained by CNN from someone directly involved in the Thai operation show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose and abandoned. One photo shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea. Watch the backstory on the investigation » For days, accusations have been carried in several regional papers that the Thai army has been systematically towing boat-loads of Rohingya refugees far out to sea and setting them adrift. The army denied it, and the Thai government has launched an inquiry. CNN's investigation -- based on accounts from tourists, sources in Thailand and a Rohingya refugee who said he was on a boat towed back out to sea -- helps to piece together a picture of survival thwarted by an organized effort not just to repel arriving refugees, but to hold them prisoner on shore, drag them in flimsy boats far out to sea and then abandon them. Watch CNN's investigation into reports of refugees being set adrift » Three tourists recently voiced concern to CNN over what they had seen -- and in some cases photographed -- near Thailand's tourist areas. One tourist provided CNN with photos last week of refugees detained by Thai authorities on a beach near a tourist site, with the refugees prone on the sun-bleached sand while guards stood nearby. "Whenever someone raised their head or moved, they [guards] would strike them with a whip," said Australian tourist Andrew Catton. A CNN crew traveled to a remote stretch of the Thai coast four hours north of the tourist island of Phuket to investigate the growing reports that the Thai military was secretly detaining Rohingya refugees before towing them out to sea and setting them adrift. In an isolated beach area, debris including sandals and campfire remnants indicated that large numbers of people had been there but were nowhere to be seen. The crew then traveled to a nearby island, where residents reported that refugees who had escaped were living in the jungle. In one hamlet, villagers had captured a Rohingya man they believed had been living in the jungle for days. The refugee, who identified himself as Iqbal Hussain, told CNN he was on one of six boats in a makeshift refugee fleet that arrived in Thailand in December. He said all six boats with their refugee cargo were towed back out to sea in January, and five of the six boats sank. His boat made it back to shore, and he hid in the jungle for days until nearby villagers captured him. In broken English and using sign language and drawings, he described what happened to the other men on the boats: "All men dead," he said, putting the number of dead at several hundred. The Rohingya, a persecuted minority in Myanmar, have been fleeing their country in rickety boats for years, in search of a better life. In Thailand, many instead have found deprivation and the possibility of desertion far off shore, according to the CNN investigation. The source who provided CNN with photos of refugees in a boat being towed out to sea stressed that the Thai army had given the refugees food and water, but he also confirmed that the boats had been pulled for more than two days into international waters before they were set adrift. His account directly contradicts briefings by senior Thai army sources who denied any such operation was undertaken. A source in the Thai military, after extensive questioning, did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy. But the source defended
[ "Who found evidence of hundreds of Rohingya refugees abandoned at sea?", "What has CNN found evidence of?", "What do photos show?", "What do photos show happening to the refugees?", "Who is denying what?", "Who have the Rohingya being fleeing persecution from?", "What do the photos show?" ]
[ [ "CNN investigation" ], [ "abuse and abandonment at sea" ], [ "refugees being towed out to sea" ], [ "on their rickety boats being towed out" ], [ "the Thai army has been systematically towing boat-loads of Rohingya" ], [ "the hard-line military regime in Myanmar, also known as Burma." ], [ "refugees being towed out to sea by the Thai army." ] ]
CNN finds evidence hundreds of Rohingya refugees abandoned at sea by Thai army . Photos show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose . The army denies setting refugees adrift; Thai government has launched an inquiry . Rohingya have been fleeing persecution of the hard-line military regime in Myanmar .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Bedraggled, hungry and dazed, the refugees arrived on the shores of Thailand after fleeing one of the most repressive governments in the world -- the hard-line military regime in Myanmar, also known as Burma. This picture provided to CNN is said to show refugees being towed out to sea by the Thai army. But a CNN investigation has uncovered evidence that for hundreds of Rohingya refugees -- members of a Muslim minority group -- abuse and abandonment at sea were what awaited them in Thailand, at the hands of Thai authorities. Extraordinary photos obtained by CNN from someone directly involved in the Thai operation show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose and abandoned. One photo shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea. Watch the backstory on the investigation » For days, accusations have been carried in several regional papers that the Thai army has been systematically towing boat-loads of Rohingya refugees far out to sea and setting them adrift. The army denied it, and the Thai government has launched an inquiry. CNN's investigation -- based on accounts from tourists, sources in Thailand and a Rohingya refugee who said he was on a boat towed back out to sea -- helps to piece together a picture of survival thwarted by an organized effort not just to repel arriving refugees, but to hold them prisoner on shore, drag them in flimsy boats far out to sea and then abandon them. Watch CNN's investigation into reports of refugees being set adrift » Three tourists recently voiced concern to CNN over what they had seen -- and in some cases photographed -- near Thailand's tourist areas. One tourist provided CNN with photos last week of refugees detained by Thai authorities on a beach near a tourist site, with the refugees prone on the sun-bleached sand while guards stood nearby. "Whenever someone raised their head or moved, they [guards] would strike them with a whip," said Australian tourist Andrew Catton. A CNN crew traveled to a remote stretch of the Thai coast four hours north of the tourist island of Phuket to investigate the growing reports that the Thai military was secretly detaining Rohingya refugees before towing them out to sea and setting them adrift. In an isolated beach area, debris including sandals and campfire remnants indicated that large numbers of people had been there but were nowhere to be seen. The crew then traveled to a nearby island, where residents reported that refugees who had escaped were living in the jungle. In one hamlet, villagers had captured a Rohingya man they believed had been living in the jungle for days. The refugee, who identified himself as Iqbal Hussain, told CNN he was on one of six boats in a makeshift refugee fleet that arrived in Thailand in December. He said all six boats with their refugee cargo were towed back out to sea in January, and five of the six boats sank. His boat made it back to shore, and he hid in the jungle for days until nearby villagers captured him. In broken English and using sign language and drawings, he described what happened to the other men on the boats: "All men dead," he said, putting the number of dead at several hundred. The Rohingya, a persecuted minority in Myanmar, have been fleeing their country in rickety boats for years, in search of a better life. In Thailand, many instead have found deprivation and the possibility of desertion far off shore, according to the CNN investigation. The source who provided CNN with photos of refugees in a boat being towed out to sea stressed that the Thai army had given the refugees food and water, but he also confirmed that the boats had been pulled for more than two days into international waters before they were set adrift. His account directly contradicts briefings by senior Thai army sources who denied any such operation was undertaken. A source in the Thai military, after extensive questioning, did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy. But the source defended
[ "What does the evidence suggest the Thai army has been doing?", "What has CNN found evidence of?", "What do photos show?", "Which countries government has launched an inquiry?", "What does the army deny?", "What ethnicity are the refugees?" ]
[ [ "secretly detaining Rohingya refugees before towing them out to sea" ], [ "hundreds of Rohingya refugees -- members of a Muslim minority group -- abuse and abandonment at sea were" ], [ "refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose and abandoned." ], [ "Thai" ], [ "towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea." ], [ "Rohingya" ] ]
CNN finds evidence hundreds of Rohingya refugees abandoned at sea by Thai army . Photos show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea, cut loose . The army denies setting refugees adrift; Thai government has launched an inquiry . Rohingya have been fleeing persecution of the hard-line military regime in Myanmar .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Demonstrators stormed a hotel Saturday where Asian leaders were to meet, forcing the indefinite postponement of the Association of South East Asian Nations summit. Thousands of anti-government protesters block a busy intersection during rush hour in Bangkok. Participating Asian leaders were on their way out of the country, according to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. He declared a state of emergency in Chonburi province and the southern coastal city of Pattaya, where the summit was to be held, but rescinded the order hours afterward. Thousands of "red shirt" protesters, named for the color of their attire, have rallied for days to demand Abhisit's resignation. The demonstrators flooded into the summit site after smashing through the hotel's glass doors, but were otherwise nonviolent. Hundreds of them streamed in, without police interference. Protesters hugged the officers and shook their hands. The red shirts have given the prime minister repeated deadlines to resign, but those have come and gone. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon he was disappointed by the summit's delay. "I understand the circumstances that led the Thai government to take this difficult decision. While I had hoped to have exchanges with the leaders of ASEAN and its dialogue partners, I continue to look forward to engaging again with them in the near future," Ban said. "I strongly value the long-standing relationship between ASEAN and the United Nations, and their cooperation in various fields. I hope for an early restoration of normalcy in Thailand and for the settlement of differences through dialogue and peaceful means," he added. The protesters are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup. Thaksin now lives outside of Thailand. The protesters have said Abhisit's government was not democratically elected and want him to resign and schedule elections. Abhisit, who has held the position for four months, has rejected calls for him to step down. Lawmakers named the 44-year-old, Oxford University-educated Abhisit prime minister in December in the wake of months of demonstrations against Thaksin and his ruling party, People Power Party. On Tuesday, protesters rushed Abhisit's motorcade while it was struck in traffic. He escaped unharmed. Protesters opposed to Thaksin took to the streets last year wearing yellow shirts, occupied the Government House and blockaded Bangkok's major international airport, stranding throngs of tourists who provide much of the country's revenue. The demonstrations ended in early December when a court ruled that the People Power Party was guilty of electoral fraud and threw Thaksin's brother-in-law out of the prime minister's seat. The red shirt protesters said this week they would not take over the airports. Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "What is a red shirt?", "where was state of emergency declared?", "how many red shirt protesters?", "what made them so violent?", "What were they protesting?", "what was the demonstration?", "Who was meeting in the hotel?", "who are protesters loyal to?" ]
[ [ "protesters" ], [ "Chonburi province" ], [ "Thousands of \"red shirt\"" ], [ "demand Abhisit's resignation." ], [ "demand Abhisit's resignation." ], [ "demand Abhisit's resignation." ], [ "Asian leaders" ], [ "former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra," ] ]
Demonstrators storm a hotel Saturday where Asian leaders were to meet . Thousands of "red shirt" protesters demand resignation of Thai Prime Minister . State of emergency declared in Chonburi province and coastal city of Pattaya . Protesters are loyal to ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006 coup .
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie has asked Thailand to permit greater freedom for thousands of refugees stuck in camps after fleeing neighboring Myanmar, according to a U.N. statement released Friday. Angellina Jolie and Brad Pitt visited refugees in northern Thailand on Wednesday. Jolie and actor Brad Pitt traveled to a refugee camp in northern Thailand on Wednesday in effort to draw international attention to what the U.N. has called "restricted" movement of roughly 111,000 refugees housed in nine camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, the statement said. Jolie has spent several years as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. She said her passion for helping refugees, whom she calls "the most vulnerable people in the world," was sparked in 2001 during visits to Cambodia." The U.N. estimates more than 5,000 people have fled to northern Thailand's Mae Hong Son province between 2006 and 2007. A recent CNN investigation found evidence of the Thai army towing an apparent boatload of 190 Rohingya refugees -- a Muslim minority group from Myanmar -- out to sea, prompting Thai authorities to launch an investigation. CNN's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
[ "How many refugees are stuck in camps?", "Who calls on Thai leaders?" ]
[ [ "111,000" ], [ "Angelina Jolie" ] ]
Angelina Jolie calls on Thai leaders to grant more freedom to refugees . Thousands of refugees are stuck in camps after fleeing Myanmar . Jolie is currently goodwill ambassador for U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees .