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In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. CNN's Jay Kernis reports on what it was like inside the Kodak Theatre at the Academy Awards. Hugh Jackman, the host of the 81st Academy Awards, speaks to the audience at the Kodak Theatre on Sunday. LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When you're at home, you can sit back and be critical. When you're inside the theater, the whole show seems to work, especially the big production numbers. Maybe it was a particularly well-produced show this year, but when you're in the audience, you feel part of it -- even way up in the second mezzanine. I've been at the Oscars to cover them, but this is the first time I've ever been inside the ceremonies. I was there with my 17-year-old son, Noah. When you arrive on the red carpet, you enter a security tent and show your ticket and driver's license. You notice that the tent is bisected by red velvet ropes and, with a friendly and practiced technique, celebrities are moved to the left of the rope and others to the right. This way, celebs leave the tent closer to the cameras and the fantasy that you might have that everybody in a gown or tux are somehow equals on one night sort of disappears. View scenes from the Oscars » If you ever were curious about what happens during the commercial breaks: Stagehands with really powerful flashlights guide the changing of the sets and curtains; they make sure empty orchestra seats are filled; host Hugh Jackman introduces his parents; they show a short film about the power of the movies that got cut from the show in progress; Jackman hands his wife a plate of cookies, thinking she probably was hungry; and he later points out that the guy playing the cello on stage in the Academy Award Orchestra was actor Dermot Mulroney. Who knew? Watch a report on the night's big winners » The show was best when it demonstrated that Hollywood can still do what it has always done well: getting your attention and holding it -- seeing five Best Actors presenting Oscars on the same stage was pretty amazing. So is Best Actor Sean Penn's self-awareness. The Oscars can still astonish: They still know how to put on the big musical number, with a hundred dancing performers in top hats, moving with Busby Berkeley precision. They still know how to break your heart: Heath Ledger's parents and sister received his Academy Award and said that they did so in celebration. But I bet they'd rather have had him accept it. And for all of the breathtaking special effects that Hollywood can muster, for all the star power in the theater last night, there was something remarkable about seeing Philippe Petit in person -- the wire walker who, in 1974, hovered between the World Trade Center towers for 45 minutes. There was something joyous about watching him balance an Oscar statue on his chin. | [
"What was pretty amazing?",
"What happens when you're inside the theater?",
"What can still astonish?",
"What number of best actors presented Oscars?",
"Who guides the changing of the sets?",
"What do stagehands guide?",
"At what point are the sets changed?"
] | [
[
"seeing five Best Actors presenting Oscars on the same stage"
],
[
"the whole show seems to work, especially the big production numbers."
],
[
"The Oscars"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"Stagehands with really powerful flashlights"
],
[
"the changing of the sets and curtains;"
],
[
"during the commercial breaks:"
]
] | When you're inside the theater, the whole show seems to work, and you feel part of it .
Stagehands guide the changing of the sets during the commercial breaks .
Seeing five Best Actors presenting Oscars on the same stage was pretty amazing .
The Oscars can still astonish -- they still know how to put on the big musical number . |
In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. Keith Oppenheim is covering the controversy in Irving, Texas over authorities' efforts to find illegal immigrants. IRVING, Texas -- I certainly don't think I look like a cop. With a blue blazer, and scruffy khakis I take into the field, I have that look of a reporter who's trying to dress up just enough to be professional, but no more. Protesters in Irving, Texas, demonstrate against a program that checks the immigration status of anyone arrested. So, it came as a surprise to me when I learned some Latino men, day laborers who were standing around and hoping to get some work, thought I was a federal immigration officer. "You thought I was from immigration?" I asked one. "Si", the man replied. My producer, Patricia Pedraza, translated the rest. "The fear is with both immigration and the police. Now you cannot trust absolutely anybody." In Irving, Texas, a Dallas suburb of about 200,000 people, right next to the big airport, an estimated 40 percent of the city is Latino, and anecdotally, we're told there are a lot of undocumented workers here, people who are in the U.S. illegally, but clearly don't view themselves as criminals. "They take innocent people, they think we're all the same," another undocumented worker told me. The fear is a reaction to what's called the Criminal Alien Program. Since September of last year, Irving police started to refer anyone arrested in their community to federal authorities, who check their immigration status. "It's only for people who have violated Texas laws, and are arrested and brought into the Irving jail," said Larry Boyd, Irving's police chief. As a result, referrals for deportations have shot up to 1,600, more than 40 times the number from the year before. Statistics from police show that while some of those referrals were for people who committed serious crimes, the majority were a result of misdemeanors and traffic warrants. Many sources told me that a growing number of Latinos here are afraid to drive. The risk is being caught with a suspended license, going to jail and getting deported. See the effect the program has had on Irving » But if some in the Latino community are lying low, advocates for immigrants are speaking out -- accusing the city and police of targeting Latinos without cause. "We believe the Criminal Alien Program is fundamentally wrong," says Carlos Quintanilla, an activist. "That there is racial profiling going on." The city's mayor, Herbert Gears, disagrees. He says police are not taking on the role of immigration officers. "We will make sure people are being treated fairly," he said. "That people aren't being pulled over because of the color of their skin." As I spent more time in Irving, I came to realize that outside the large Latino community, there is broad support for the program. "You have to start somewhere," said Sheik Shah, an Irving resident who emigrated to the U.S. from India and is now an American citizen. "Because right now, we have so many loopholes for people to come in here and work illegally." Some were more direct. I read from two tall stacks of printed e-mail addressed to the City Council, which were overwhelmingly supported the Criminal Alien Program. One read: "Please help deport all illegals. What part of illegal do they not understand?" Another: "Thank God some people are doing something about this invasion." In the end, Irving is in the middle of a profound disagreement, between those who feel it's wrong to refer people to immigration authorities for nonviolent crimes and misdemeanors, and those who believe illegal immigration has gone too far -- that something has to be done. As Irving City Council member Beth Van Duyne told me: "We need to know who is in our city | [
"Who are Authorities running immigrations checks on?",
"When did the number of deportations increase?",
"What was percentage increase in deportations?",
"What do illegal immigrants fear?",
"Who is being checked?",
"What was up sharply after crackdown began?",
"where are the immigrants?"
] | [
[
"anyone arrested."
],
[
"Since September of last year,"
],
[
"more than 40 times the number from the year before."
],
[
"Criminal Alien Program."
],
[
"anyone arrested."
],
[
"referrals for deportations"
],
[
"Irving, Texas"
]
] | Illegal immigrants say they fear new crackdown .
Authorities running immigration checks on all people arrested in Irving .
Deportations up sharply since crackdown began . |
In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents, producers and photojournalists share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. CNN's Cliff Hackel talks about his experiences while on location for the documentary "Latino in America."
Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, resident Jaelynn Mackalonis wants people to know that her town is not racist.
SHENANDOAH, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Jaelynn Mackalonis was angry.
The upcoming trial in the killing of Luis Ramirez had rocked the town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, and Mackalonis urgently wanted to speak out.
She hung out on the street, overhearing CNN's interview of her neighbor Lou Ann Pleva. As Pleva recounted the various opinions around town about the street fight that killed Ramirez, Mackalonis' blood began to boil. She whistled and waved her arms to get our attention. Finally, she exploded.
"We just want to let you know, the neighbors around here, it's not fair that one person is going to speak for us," Mackalonis insisted. "This wasn't a racial crime."
Pleva stood up and tried to defuse the situation.
"I'm sorry; do I know you?" Pleva asked.
"I don't care if you know me or not," Mackalonis answered. "Do not say this town is racist."
"I didn't say that," Pleva said.
"Don't speak for anyone else," demanded Mackalonis.
"I promise you, I don't," Pleva said.
The exchange went on for minutes. It was highly unusual to have a formal interview interrupted in that way. But, the emotion of that moment typified the anxiety that gripped Shenandoah, a down-and-out former coal town in central Pennsylvania. Mackalonis interrupts CNN interview »
On July 12, 2008, a group of white high school students, out on the prowl after a night of drinking, encountered one of their female classmates in the company of Luis Ramirez, a 25-year-old migrant worker from Mexico.
Racial insults were exchanged, and, in no time, a fight ensued. Police reports claim that at least one kick was delivered to Ramirez's head while he was unconscious on the ground. He died two days later.
One of the boys was charged as a juvenile. Another teen pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations in a plea deal. The other two teens were charged with ethnic intimidation but were ultimately acquitted of those charges.
The crime cast an unwelcome spotlight on Shenandoah, according to Mackalonis.
"It's putting Shenandoah on the map for being a rotten town. It's not a rotten town," Mackalonis said. "I talk to people, and it's, 'Oh, yeah, you're from Shenandoah, where that illegal immigrant got beat.' "
Shenandoah has a rich cultural history. In its heyday, during the productive coal mining years of the 1920s, the town boasted nearly 30,000 residents. St. George's Roman Catholic Church became the nation's first Lithuanian parish. St. Michael's became the first Greek Catholic church in the country. There were so many diverse immigrant groups that the town was dubbed "Little New York."
When the coal mines dried up in the 1950s, Shenandoah began its economic slide. Today, the town's population is just over 5,000.
But immigrants still come to Shenandoah. The latest influx has been Latinos, who account for less than 10 percent of the town's population. It's inexpensive to rent or buy a house here, and most immigrants are able to send money home.
Although some in town accept the new residents, many of them from Mexico, others feel threatened by those who are here illegally. One person said that when he hears Spanish spoken, he "feels out of place. Like you're not in America no more."
Luis Ramirez was one of those illegal immigrants from Mexico. His death divided the town. One group wanted a long prison term for the boys. Another side called it "a street fight gone bad" | [
"What city was once called \"Little New York\" ?",
"Beating death of who , rocked town in 2008?"
] | [
[
"Shenandoah"
],
[
"Luis Ramirez"
]
] | Shenandoah, Pennsylvania was once called "Little New York" for its cultural diversity .
Beating death of Luis Ramirez, a Mexican immigrant, rocked town in 2008 .
Emotions ran high before trial of four white teens charged in case .
"This wasn't a racial crime," resident Jaelynn Mackalonis said . |
In the dining room's soft amber glow, dozens of patrons peruse the menu at Rock Creek restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland. From a health standpoint, making a smart choice is easy. Watch your portion size and inquire about the nutritional content of your meal when you eat out. Whether it's the slow-cooked salmon with sesame seeds, warm bok choy salad, and miso mustard dressing or the jumbo lump crab cakes with celeriac-apple slaw and lemon-caper aioli, each meal contains 600 or fewer calories -- nearly half the amount found in a typical restaurant entree. "We offer what you're supposed to eat -- proper portions, great flavor-and we use fresh, local ingredients as much as possible," says co-owner Tom Williams, who, with partner Judith Hammerschmidt, opened Rock Creek two years ago. The pair worked with Cynthia Payne Moore, R.D., a Baltimore, Maryland-based dietitian, to obtain nutritional analyses for every item on the menu, and they adjust recipes to avoid unnecessary fat and determine portion sizes. "We put the nutritional information in the back of the menu-people who want to look at it do, and those who don't, don't," Hammerschmidt says. The concept and execution have proved so successful that earlier this year, the pair opened another Rock Creek in Washington, D.C. Enjoying restaurant food like Rock Creek's -- tasty, good for you, and with a reasonable amount of calories -- was once a difficult order to fill. No longer. "The idea that eating healthy doesn't mean feeling deprived is something restaurants see as a vehicle for change, as a way to differentiate their offerings from their competitors," says Master Chef Mark Erickson, vice president for continuing education at the Culinary Institute of America. While some restaurants make it clear they offer more healthful fare -- by using symbols, calorie counts, and the like -- others practice what Erickson calls "stealth health," making some healthful changes on the menu without fanfare. "When restaurants make their menus more healthful, consumers benefit," Erickson says. And, in fact, eating well when dining out is a growing trend. Healthfulness on the menu Part of what's driving these positive changes is consumer demand. Nearly three out of four adults say they are trying to make healthier choices when eating out than they did just two years ago, according to the National Restaurant Association. "It's hard to refute that health is related to diet," Erickson says. "And restaurants are making up more and more of the daily diet -- the average American eats one out of three meals away from home." Increasingly, savvy consumers expect restaurants to have a conscious approach to food preparation similar to the one they use in their own kitchens -- using fruits and vegetables creatively or cooking with less saturated fat or salt. CookingLight.com: Secrets to eating out Legislative changes are also having an effect. The New York City-initiated ban on trans fats has become far-reaching; at least eight other major metropolitan areas have legislated similar bans, as have restaurants, hotels, theme parks, cruise lines, and many other businesses. Meanwhile, New York City recently took another stand on upgrading restaurant menus. In a move affecting mostly fast-food restaurants, the city's board of health recently asked food service establishments with standardized preparation methods that already have nutrition analyses to post calorie information on menus so customers can see it when deciding what to order. Many restaurants purposefully take their offerings to a more healthful level. Since he took over the kitchen at the highly regarded Gramercy Tavern in New York City last October, Executive Chef Michael Anthony has created lighter dishes, many of which feature vegetables rather than meat as the plate's centerpiece. "The goal is to leave consumers feeling invigorated, not lethargic because they've overindulged," Anthony says. Like Rock Creek, some restaurants are building their business around a more healthful model. Seasons 52, which has five locations in Florida and two in Atlanta, Georgia, takes a lighter approach to dining by | [
"What has New York City banned?",
"what are more high end restaurants offering",
"Did New York city initiate a ban on trans fat?"
] | [
[
"trans fats"
],
[
"Healthfulness on the menu"
],
[
"The New York City-initiated ban on trans fats has become far-reaching;"
]
] | More and more high-end restaurants are offering low-calorie, healthy menus .
The New York City-initiated ban on trans fats has become far-reaching .
Many national chains post nutrition analyses of menus on their Web sites .
You can often order a healthful side like broccoli or spinach . |
In this new weekly feature, CNN.com highlights five recommended Twitter feeds about a hot topic in the news. Despite her importance in the health care debate, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine is not on Twitter. (CNN) -- The U.S. Senate Finance Committee this week passed a 10-year, $829 billion health care reform bill -- partly because of a "yes" vote from a lone Republican, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine. Snowe doesn't appear to be on Twitter. Too bad. But plenty of other people are posting about health care reform and the U.S. health care system on the micro-blogging site. This list of health care twitterers is by no means comprehensive, so feel free to tell us about your favorites in the comments section below. 1. PolitiFact: The health care reform debate has been nothing if not confusing. "Death panels," "tea parties," Rep. Joe Wilson shouting "You lie!" at the president. It's a mess to sort through, especially on a vat of commentary and opinion like Twitter. Luckily, there are feeds like @PolitiFact to help. This Pulitzer-Prize-winning news group, which is part of the St. Petersburg Times, sorts fact from fiction on the health care debate and other topics. That "You lie!" comment, for instance? A lie, Politifact says. Followers: More than 4,800 Sample tweet: We fact-check whether the Baucus #healthcare bill would tax medical devices such as X-ray tests and surgical needles http://bit.ly/dzZdu 2. SusannahFox: Fox is a researcher at the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Doesn't sound very health-care-relevant, huh? But Fox's Twitter feed is packed with anecdotes and statistics about how social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are changing doctor-patient relationships and the state of health care at large. Followers: More than 2,150 Sample tweet: Pew Internet: 38% of internet users look online for information about hospitals or other medical facilities http://bit.ly/oS9mq 3. kevinmd: Blogger and doctor Kevin Pho offers up commentary on his life as a physician and the health care system. His random tidbits of medical information can be a riot, especially if you're looking in from outside the medical community. Followers: More than 15,300 Sample tweet: Should medical journals use the term nauseous, nauseated, or nauseating? http://bit.ly/1yffx 4. whitehouse: Buildings can type? Apparently. The official White House Twitter feed covers a slate of topics, but heath care has been especially big on the administration's recent tweeting agenda. Followers: More than 1.3 million Sample tweet: Jibber jabber on costs in reform from protectors of the status quo. Take it from the expert instead: http://bit.ly/4CGmMs 5. AmerMedicalAssn: This doctors' group tries to spice up the health care debate with its purple font! Oh, and tons of newsy updates on the latest votes, disputes and developments. Followers: More than 5,600 Sample tweet: Why do #healthcare costs keep rising? An in-depth analysis of America's health system. @ThisAmericanLife http://ow.ly/u0JX | [
"what does CNN.com recommend?",
"What is this week's topic?"
] | [
[
"Twitter feeds"
],
[
"five recommended Twitter feeds"
]
] | On "Follow Friday," CNN.com recommends Twitter feeds on a news topic .
This week's topic: The U.S. debate over health care .
SusannahFox comments on health care and social media .
kevinmd posts insights from his life as a physician . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The American accused of killing two Pakistani men isn't a diplomat, as U.S. officials have said, but rather a CIA contractor in the country providing security for CIA officers, a U.S. government official said Monday.
The revelation that Raymond Davis was working for the U.S. intelligence agency when he shot two men -- one of them in the back, according to Lahore police -- is a dramatic twist in a case that has already inflamed hard-line clerics and an angry public that wants the American tried in a Pakistani court.
In protests since Davis' arrest last month, hard-line Pakistani clerics have condemned the shootings and demanded that the government not release the American.
Despite the revelation of Davis' true line of work, U.S. officials on Monday renewed their argument that he enjoys diplomatic immunity and must be released.
U.S. officials notified Pakistan that Davis had been posted to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in January 2010, U.S. officials said. Pakistan's only recourse under international law is to order Davis out of the country, according to a senior U.S. official who briefed reporters on background Monday.
"Any other form of action, including a judicial action or any other proceeding, is inconsistent with his status," the official said.
Davis was jailed January 27 after fatally shooting two men who pulled up to him on a motorcycle in a bustling Lahore neighborhood.
U.S. officials and Lahore police said Davis told them he shot the men in self-defense. Evidence showed the two men may well have been robbers, according to police who found cash and cell phones linked to a robbery reported earlier that day.
But Lahore's police chief, Aslam Tareen, has said witnesses told police that Davis kept firing, even when one of the men was running away.
"It was clear-cut murder," Tareen told reporters.
That Davis was working for the CIA as a contract employee seems to explain the assortment of gear Lahore police reported finding in his rental car following his arrest.
According to a Lahore police report, Davis' car contained 9mm pistol, five ammunition magazines, two cell phones, an infrared light, a digital camera, a telescope, a long-range wireless set and a survival kit.
While acknowledging that Davis is a CIA contractor, the U.S. official said that Davis is not a case officer or paramilitary officer.
"Davis is a protective officer, someone who provides security to U.S. officials in Pakistan. Rumors to the contrary are simply wrong," the official said.
The U.S. official added "any suggestions that he was conducting covert operations or personally leading efforts to target militant groups is wrong."
But the official said Davis could have been providing security for CIA officers who were engaged in covert operations
Davis is part of the agency's "global response staff," which is responsible for protecting the safety of CIA operatives in other countries.
He was doing "advance work," scouting areas of Lahore at the time of the shooting, the official said. Davis' role required him to "know the environment."
He provided all facets of security for case workers including surveillance detection, route surveillance and protection in potentially hostile environments, said the official.
The 36-year-old Davis is a former member of the U.S. Army special forces and had been employed by security firm XE Services, previously known as Blackwater.
Davis began working for the CIA nearly 4 years ago. He was assigned to Pakistan in late 2009. He was living with other security personnel at a safehouse in Lahore before the shooting incident.
Until Monday, U.S. officials had described Davis only as an employee who was attached to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and who was working at the U.S. Consulate in Lahore at the time of the shootings.
Formally, they continue to describe him only as a member of the "technical and administrative staff" of the embassy.
The U.S. government has had ongoing conversations with Pakistan | [
"What did Davis provide?",
"What should Pakistan do?",
"Where is he being tried?",
"Who did he supposedly murder?",
"What is the American accused of?"
] | [
[
"security to U.S. officials in Pakistan."
],
[
"order Davis out of the country,"
],
[
"Pakistani court."
],
[
"two Pakistani men"
],
[
"killing two Pakistani men"
]
] | U.S. officials say Pakistan's only recourse under international law is to expel Raymond Davis .
The American. who is accused of murder in Pakistan, is a CIA contractor, a U.S. official said .
Davis provided security for officials, the official said .
Lahore police arrested Davis January 27 after shooting two men he said tried to rob him . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Five people arrested in Pakistan had been reported missing in the United States, and police are confident they were planning terrorist acts, a Pakistani police official told CNN.
It is too soon to link the men with any terrorist organizations, said Tahir Gujjrar, deputy superintendent of police in Sargodha, Pakistan, but preliminary investigations suggest they had sought to link up with the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Jamaat ud Dawa militant organizations. Neither group showed interest, however, Gujjrar said.
The five were from Virginia and their families had contacted the FBI soon after they went missing, he said. They include two Pakistani-Americans, two Yemeni-Americans and an Egyptian-American.
The arrests came after a raid on a home in Sargodha, about 120 miles south of Islamabad, Gujjrar said.
No U.S. officials have confirmed Gujjrar's information, and there was no evidence charges had been filed. The FBI had said earlier that it was trying to determine whether a link existed between the five missing men and the arrests in Pakistan.
A U.S. law enforcement official not authorized to speak for attribution said the five missing men were all American citizens. Asked if they are the same men arrested in Pakistan, the official said, "We think it is, but we don't have it firm ... The truthful answer is, we don't know."
The State Department said it does not have confirmation of the arrested individuals' identities or whether they are Americans. The U.S. embassy in Islamabad is seeking further information.
If the individuals are Americans, the United States will be seeking consular access, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.
"If they are American citizens, we are going to be very interested in the charges they have been detained on and the circumstances in which they are being held," he said. "That is something we would do anywhere and that is why the embassy is seeking further information."
Under the Geneva Conventions, Pakistan is required to notify the United States about any Americans arrested, Kelly said.
The U.S. law enforcement official said none of the five missing men had shown up on law enforcement's radar before they were reported missing. "These guys never surfaced with us before."
Authorities believe their intent was to wage jihad overseas rather than with terrorist acts in the United States, the official said, but "there is still a lot of uncertainty about what they were up to."
A Pakistani official said the men arrived in Karachi on November 30 and went on to Lahore and then Sargodha, where they were arrested Wednesday, the official said. The arrests came at the behest of local police. Preliminary investigations are ongoing, the official said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement Wednesday it was assisting in the investigation of "five Muslim young men from Virginia who left the country recently under mysterious circumstances."
The parents of the missing youths and local Muslim leaders approached the council about the disappearances and the organization "immediately informed the FBI," the council said.
Council spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said one of the missing youths was a student at Howard University, and all five knew each other.
One of the youths left a video behind, Nihad Awad, the council's executive director, told reporters. "I was disturbed by the content of it," he said.
One person appeared in it, and made references to "the ongoing conflict in the world, and that young Muslims have to do something," Awad said. He said the video "juxtaposed certain verses of the Quran," and he suggested there was a misunderstanding of those verses and their potential misuse.
The video is about 11 minutes long, he said, and is "like a farewell." Awad said it did not specify what the youths would be doing, but he has seen similar videos on the Internet, and "it just made me uncomfortable."
One source identified the missing Howard student as Ramy Zamzam, who was studying dentistry at the Washington college. No further details were immediately | [
"Who does not have confirmation that individuals are Americans?",
"Who was the missing student?",
"What is the mising student's name?",
"Where are 5 from?",
"What does the STate Department not have confirmation of?"
] | [
[
"The State Department"
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"Ramy Zamzam,"
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"Ramy Zamzam,"
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[
"Virginia"
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[
"the arrested individuals' identities or whether they are Americans."
]
] | NEW: One source identified the missing Howard student as Ramy Zamzam .
One of 5 left video mentioning "the ongoing conflict in the world," viewer says .
Five are from Virginia and their families had contacted the FBI soon after they went missing .
State Department does not have confirmation that individuals are Americans . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and remains in hiding, a spokesman for the group told CNN Thursday.
"Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and he is our chief," said spokesman Azim Tariq. "All the reports regarding his death are propaganda."
Tariq said Mehsud remains in hiding because he is being targeted by U.S. drone attacks but "is still in command of the mujahedeen."
Authorities have been looking into reports that Mehsud died after being wounded last month in a drone attack.
One news report, citing local sources and a correspondent, said he died and was buried. But Pakistani and U.S. officials said they have not been able to confirm Mehsud's status. | [
"What did Taliban spokesman Azid Tariq say about Mehsud?",
"who is targeted for u.s. drone attacks?",
"who is taliban spokesman?",
"What does Tariq say Mehsud is being targeted by?",
"Who was previously reported dead and buried?",
"who is reported dead?",
"What was reported"
] | [
[
"is alive and he is our chief,\""
],
[
"Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud"
],
[
"Azim Tariq."
],
[
"U.S. drone attacks"
],
[
"Hakimullah Mehsud"
],
[
"\"Hakimullah Mehsud"
],
[
"Mehsud died after being wounded last month in a drone attack."
]
] | Hakimullah Mehsud previously reported dead, buried .
He is "alive and he is our chief," Taliban spokesman Azim Tariq says .
Tariq: Mehsud remains in hiding because he is being targeted by U.S. drone attacks .
Pakistani and U.S. officials said they have been unable to confirm Mehsud's status . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The five Americans arrested in Pakistan amid suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks were transferred on Saturday from the small town where they were seized to a more secure location in a larger city, police said. The U.S. citizens were taken from the town of Sargodha, where they were arrested at a home on Wednesday, to Lahore. A police interrogation report dated Thursday focused on one of the suspects, identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni, a 20-year-old born in Virginia. The report said he regularly goes online to watch attacks on the U.S. military in Afghanistan and that he left comments praising the actions. That caught the attention of militants, and he was eventually contacted by a person named Saifullah, the report said. After contact had been made, a Yahoo! e-mail account was set up so the men and militants could communicate, the report says. E-mails were never sent from the account, but people would leave messages in the draft sections of the e-mail account and delete them after reading them, the Pakistani police report said. "This mode of communication enabled them to pass on messages without fear of interception by the FBI," the report said. It said the suspects made a plan with Saifullah to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan. They gathered in Karachi and left for Hyderabad on December 1. They tried to hook up with two militant groups -- Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa -- but neither of them showed interest. The FBI said Pakistani authorities detained the men -- four of whom it said were found to have American passports. Along with Minni, there were snapshots and brief profiles of only four others -- Umar Farooq, Aman Hassan Yemer, Waqar Hussain Khan, and Ramy Zamzam -- all from the Washington D.C. area. The five had been formally arrested. A sixth man -- Khalid Farouk, father of Umar -- had been taken into custody by police in Sargodha and was being questioned at a safe location. Authorities have said Khalid Farouk has not been considered a suspect. CNN's Nasir Habib contributed to this report. | [
"What did the report focus on?",
"Suspected terrorist plotters were moved to a more secure location in which city?",
"How many U.S. citizens were arrested?",
"How many citizens were arrested?",
"Where were they moved to?",
"Suspects planned with a contact to go from Pakistan to where?"
] | [
[
"Ahmed Abdullah Minni,"
],
[
"Lahore."
],
[
"five"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"Lahore."
],
[
"Afghanistan."
]
] | Suspected terrorist plotters were moved to a more secure location in Lahore, police said .
The 5 U.S. citizens were arrested Wednesday in the town of Sargodha .
Interrogation report focused on online postings and contacts of Virginia-born suspect .
According to report, suspects planned with a contact to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The militants behind Wednesday's deadly strike on a Pakistani marketplace that killed at least 90 people -- most of them women -- are "on the losing side of history," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at a joint news conference with her Pakistani counterpart. "If the people behind the attacks were so sure of their beliefs let them join the political process, let them come forth to the people and make their case that they don't want girls to go to school, that they want women to be kept back, that they believe they have all the answers," Clinton said in response to the car bombing in Peshawar. "They know they are on the losing side of history but they are determined to take as many lives with them as their movement is finally exposed for the nihilistic, empty effort that it is." Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also condemned the deadly attack, offering his condolences to the victims and their families and directly addressing the attackers. "We will not buckle, we will fight you because we want stability and peace in Pakistan," Qureshi said. "You are on the run and we know that. We defeated you in Swat and Malakand. You think by attacking innocent people and lives you will shake our determination? No, sir, you will not." The blast at the Meena Bazaar killed at least 90 people, most of them women, and injured more than 200 others, according to North West Frontier Province's information minister. The market is a labyrinth of shops popular with women in the Peepal Mandi section of the city. The attack is the deadliest ever carried out in Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province. Clinton arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a series of meetings with top Pakistani officials. Talking with reporters en route to the country, Clinton said she wants to "turn the page" on what has been, in the past few years, "primarily a security-anti-terrorist agenda." "We hold that to be extremely important, and it remains a very high priority," she said. "But we also recognize that it is imperative that we broaden our engagement with Pakistan." Clinton said there have been "a lot of misconceptions" about American intentions. "We have a relationship that we want to strengthen, but we don't want it to be lopsided. We don't want it to be just about security and just about our anti-terrorist agenda," she said. "It is unfortunate that there are those who question our motives, who perhaps are skeptical that we are going to commit to a long-term relationship, and I want to try to clear the air up on that while I am in the country," she said. | [
"Who condemed the bombing of Peshawar market?",
"Where was the U.S. Secretary of State?",
"How many people were killed in the bombing?",
"The attacks happened where?",
"who is clinton",
"Clinton said relationship is about more than what?"
] | [
[
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton"
],
[
"Pakistan"
],
[
"at least 90"
],
[
"the Meena Bazaar"
],
[
"U.S. Secretary of State"
],
[
"security"
]
] | Clinton condemns bombing of Peshawar market which killed at least 90 people Wednesday .
Of militants who carried out the attacks, she said: "They are on the losing side of history"
The U.S. Secretary of State is in Pakistan to shore up strained relations .
Clinton said relationship is about more than security and anti-terror campaign . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A Pakistani court Friday extended the custody of five Americans for an additional 10 days to allow time for police to complete investigations.
The men, suspected of plotting terror attacks, were arrested in the small city of Sargodha earlier this month and transferred to Lahore, police said.
Court officials extended the custody after a plea from the police, said Tahir Gujjar, a local police official.
The five are identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni, Umar Farooq, Aman Hassan Yemer, Waqar Hussain Khan and Ramy Zamzam. A sixth man -- the father of one of the five -- also was arrested, police said.
An order keeping the five in custody expired Friday. To keep them in jail after that, police had to get permission from a judge, said Usman Anwar, Sargodha police chief
Anwar, who heads the Joint Investigation Team, said the group plans to recommend that the five be charged under the country's anti-terrorism act. Conviction under that law can result in up to a life sentence.
Pakistani authorities have described the men as college students who "were of the opinion that a jihad must be waged against the infidels for the atrocities committed by them against Muslims around the world."
The suspects include two Pakistani-Americans, two Yemeni-Americans and an Egyptian-American.
CNN's Arwa Damon and Journalist Umar Aziz Khan contributed to this report. | [
"Where were the colege students from//",
"When were they arrested?",
"What did the police ask for?",
"How many were arrested for wanting to wear the jihad?",
"How many days was the order extended by?"
] | [
[
"Americans"
],
[
"earlier this month"
],
[
"To keep them in jail"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"10"
]
] | Pakistan says the five Americans are college students who wanted to wage jihad .
They were arrested earlier this month in small Pakistani city of Sargodha .
The order keeping them in custody expired Friday; now extended 10 more days .
Police asked for custody extension to have more time for investigation . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A blast at a busy market in northwest Pakistan killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 60 Tuesday, an official said.
The explosion occurred in the Jamrud Market in the Khyber Agency, one of seven districts in Pakistan's volatile tribal region, which borders Afghanistan.
The bomb was placed in a vehicle belonging to a local militia group fighting against militants in the area, said Jameel Khan, a government official.
The bomb was then remotely detonated, he said, citing the initial investigation.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad condemned the bombing. "By targeting innocent people going about their business, the extremists who plan and perpetrate these attacks show their contempt for the value of human life," an embassy statement said.
Journalist Saboor Khattak contributed to this report | [
"what is the khyber agency",
"What was placed in the vehicle?",
"what did the official say",
"What was remotely detonated?",
"How many districts in pakistans volitile tribal region?",
"where was the bomb placed"
] | [
[
"one of seven districts in Pakistan's volatile tribal region,"
],
[
"bomb"
],
[
"A blast at a busy market in northwest Pakistan killed at least 35 people"
],
[
"The bomb"
],
[
"seven"
],
[
"in a vehicle belonging to a local militia group"
]
] | The Khyber Agency is one of seven districts in Pakistan's volatile tribal region .
The bomb was placed in a vehicle and remotely detonated, an official says . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A blast hit near a building housing Pakistan's intelligence service, ISI, in the eastern city of Multan on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 20 others, police said.
The explosion took place at a security checkpoint, said Jamshed Akram of the city police.
Four soldiers and four children were among the dead, said Dr. Kaleem Ullah of Multan's emergency services.
Pakistan has blamed the violence on Islamic militants who have vowed to avenge a intense military offensive to rout them from their haven along the country's border with Afghanistan.
The nation has come under increasingly frequent attacks. On Monday, a blast at a crowded market in Lahore killed 54 and wounded more than 150 people.
The same day two other bombing attacks -- in Peshawar and Quetta -- killed at least 11 and wounded at least 41.
The attacks came three days after militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel. At least 36 were killed and 75 wounded.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing, but there were no immediately claims for Monday's attacks.
In an e-mail to CNN about the mosque attack, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan said: "We reconfirmed it, that the TTP has done it, and will do more which are already planned. We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces."
The United States has pressed Pakistan to rout out Taliban militants.
Fighting the war in Afghanistan is "inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan," President Barack Obama said Tuesday of U.S. strategy.
"We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country," he said in a speech at West Point. "But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border."
The United States says Pakistan looms large because Taliban and al Qaeda militants operating in Afghanistan also have had a presence in Pakistan's northwestern region near the Afghan border and have threatened the governments and troops in both countries. | [
"what is the amount of soldiers dead?",
"what is the number of killing?",
"who killing 54 and wounding more than 150?"
] | [
[
"Four"
],
[
"12"
],
[
"a blast at a crowded market in Lahore"
]
] | NEW: Four soldiers, four children among the dead, a doctor says .
Attack comes a day after three deadly attacks in Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta .
Lahore attack targeted crowded market, killing 54 and wounding more than 150 . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A blast hit near a building housing Pakistan's intelligence service, ISI, in the eastern city of Multan on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 20 others, police said. The explosion took place at a security checkpoint, said Jamshed Akram of the city police. Four soldiers and four children were among the dead, said Dr. Kaleem Ullah of Multan's emergency services. Pakistan has blamed the violence on Islamic militants who have vowed to avenge a intense military offensive to rout them from their haven along the country's border with Afghanistan. The nation has come under increasingly frequent attacks. On Monday, a blast at a crowded market in Lahore killed 54 and wounded more than 150 people. The same day two other bombing attacks -- in Peshawar and Quetta -- killed at least 11 and wounded at least 41. The attacks came three days after militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel. At least 36 were killed and 75 wounded. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing, but there were no immediately claims for Monday's attacks. In an e-mail to CNN about the mosque attack, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan said: "We reconfirmed it, that the TTP has done it, and will do more which are already planned. We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces." The United States has pressed Pakistan to rout out Taliban militants. Fighting the war in Afghanistan is "inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan," President Barack Obama said Tuesday of U.S. strategy. "We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country," he said in a speech at West Point. "But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border." The United States says Pakistan looms large because Taliban and al Qaeda militants operating in Afghanistan also have had a presence in Pakistan's northwestern region near the Afghan border and have threatened the governments and troops in both countries. | [
"what Attack comes a day after three deadly attacks in Lahore?",
"what Lahore attack targeted crowded market, killing 54?",
"who produced these attacks",
"How many soldiers and children were found among the dead?",
"Where the previous 3 deadly attacks?"
] | [
[
"A blast hit near a building housing Pakistan's intelligence service,"
],
[
"blast"
],
[
"Islamic militants"
],
[
"four"
],
[
"Peshawar"
]
] | NEW: Four soldiers, four children among the dead, a doctor says .
Attack comes a day after three deadly attacks in Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta .
Lahore attack targeted crowded market, killing 54 and wounding more than 150 . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A blast targeting a bus filled with Shiite religious observers in Karachi killed at least 12 people and another explosion in front of a hospital where attack victims were being treated killed six more Friday, a government official said. Motorcycles were used in both assaults, police said, and they came during the Shiite observance of Arbaeen, a commemoration that takes place 40 days after the anniversary of Iman Hussein's death, which is also known as Ashura. Sindh provincial health minister, Dr. Saghir Ahmed said that along with the 12 dead, 30 people were injured in the first blast. The second blast happened in front of the emergency room at Jinnah Hospital, where doctors treated people from the first attack and people on stretchers were waiting to be taken in to the crowded facility. Along with the six slain, five people were wounded. The last deadly blast in Karachi took place late December during Ashura, when more than 40 people were killed. | [
"Who was targetted by the attack ?",
"In which Shiite observance did the attacks come during?",
"How many were killed in the bus?",
"How many were killed in bomb blasts in Karachi?",
"How many were killed outside the hospital?",
"When did the attack took place ?",
"How many people were killed in Karachi ?"
] | [
[
"Shiite religious observers"
],
[
"Arbaeen,"
],
[
"12"
],
[
"at least 12 people"
],
[
"six"
],
[
"Friday,"
],
[
"at least 12"
]
] | Two bomb blasts kill at least 18 in Karachi; motorcycles used in both attacks .
12 killed in the first explosion which targeted Shiite religious observers on a bus .
6 killed in second attack which occurred outside a hospital treating victims of first blast .
Attacks came during the Shiite observance of Arbaeen . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A court order issued Monday blocks five Americans arrested in Pakistan last week from being deported or being handed over to the FBI, officials said. "All the government functionaries, including federal government or provincial governments are directed not to hand over the alleged detainees [Americans] to any American agencies, or any other foreign agencies," the order said, according to Faisal Zaman, attorney for the government of Pakistan's Punjab province. The five were arrested Wednesday amid suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks. They were transferred Saturday from Sargodha, a small town where they were seized, to a more secure location in Lahore, police said. The court order was a response to a petition from Khalid Khawaja, a former Pakistani intelligence official and founder of an organization called Defense of Human Rights of Pakistan. Under Pakistani law, any citizen can file a petition with a court. The Lahore High Court scheduled a hearing for Thursday and ordered the government to respond to Khawaja's petition. A police report on the interrogation of the American suspects, dated Thursday, focused on one identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni, a 20-year-old born in Virginia. The report said he regularly goes online to watch attacks on the U.S. military in Afghanistan and that he left comments praising the actions. That caught the attention of militants, and he eventually was contacted by a person named Saifullah, the report said. After contact had been made, a Yahoo e-mail account was set up so the men and militants could communicate, the report says. E-mails were never sent from the account, but people would leave messages in the draft section of the e-mail account and delete them after reading them, the Pakistani police report said. "This mode of communication enabled them to pass on messages without fear of interception by the FBI," the report said. It said the suspects made a plan with Saifullah to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan. They gathered in Karachi and left for Hyderabad on December 1. They tried to hook up with two militant groups, Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, but neither of them showed interest. The FBI said Pakistani authorities detained the men -- four of whom it said were found to have American passports. Along with Minni, there were snapshots and brief profiles of four others -- Umar Farooq, Aman Hassan Yemer, Waqar Hussain Khan and Ramy Zamzam -- all from the Washington area. Police in Sargodha took a sixth man -- Khalid Farooq, father of Umar -- into custody, and he was undergoing questioning at a safe location. Authorities have said Khalid Farooq has not been considered a suspect. CNN's Samson Desta and Nasir Habib contributed to this report. | [
"How many Americans are deported?",
"who were arrested on suspicion?",
"What reports police says?",
"How many were arrested?",
"Did the militants contact the Americans?",
"Where did these people get arrested?"
] | [
[
"five"
],
[
"five Americans"
],
[
"he regularly goes online to watch attacks on the U.S. military in Afghanistan and that he left comments praising the actions. That caught the attention of militants, and he eventually was contacted by a person named Saifullah,"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"could communicate,"
],
[
"Pakistan"
]
] | Pakistani court order bars deportation of five Americans .
Five arrested last week amid suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks .
Police report says one of the Americans left comments online praising militants .
Militant contacted American after noticing online comments, report says . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suicide bomber killed 26 people and injured 63 others during a funeral procession in northwestern Pakistan Thursday, a senior police official told CNN.
Saleem Murrawat, the police chief of the Lower Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said the ceremony was for a member of a pro-government anti-Taliban militia in the area of Jandol.
The chief said a suicide bomber blew himself up when he was standing with people at the procession. There are usually no security checks in such ceremonies. The chief said the bomber was around age 18.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the neighboring tribal region have been havens for militants and there have been many insurgent attacks in the area -- close to war-torn Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, a school bus loaded with children came under rocket and small arms fire near Peshawar. The driver and three children were killed and 16 others wounded, police said.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group's regional spokesman, Mohammad Talha, who said it was in response to growing support for local resistance groups against the Taliban in the region.
CNN's Nasir Habib contributed to this report | [
"what country the bomber belongs to?",
"how many kids were killed?",
"when was a school bus attacked?",
"Who was the ceremony for?",
"Where was the bomber standing?",
"Where was the suicide bomber?",
"whose ceremony was that?",
"What was the ceremony for?"
] | [
[
"Pakistan"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"Tuesday,"
],
[
"member of a pro-government anti-Taliban militia"
],
[
"with people at the procession."
],
[
"northwestern Pakistan"
],
[
"a member of a pro-government anti-Taliban militia"
],
[
"member of a pro-government anti-Taliban militia in the area of Jandol."
]
] | The suicide bomber was standing among mourners at a funeral .
The ceremony was for a member of an anti-Taliban militia .
On Tuesday, a school bus was attacked . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Dengue fever has killed 25 people and affected more than 6,000 over the past two months in Lahore, Pakistan, a health department spokesman said Monday.
In total, 6,400 cases of dengue fever have been documented, said Ikhlaq Ahmed, spokesman for the health department of Punjab province. Of those, 6,000 are in Lahore, a city of more than 6 million people known as Pakistan's cultural capital.
The 25 who died are all from Lahore, in eastern Pakistan. An average of 300 new cases of the virus-based disease, spread by mosquitoes, are being reported in the city daily.
"We prefer to stay at home rather than going shopping," because of the threat of disease, said Zainab Khan, a 25-year-old professional from Lahore.
Asim Hussain, who works in an office in Lahore, said, "I may lose my job," since he hasn't gone to work because of the outbreak.
All the schools in Lahore have been closed by the provincial government, Ahmed said.
The outbreak has created panic in the city, he said, as thousands of people crowd hospitals for testing. The city's poshest areas are among the hardest hit, he said. | [
"where did The outbreak has caused panic?",
"Where are most the the cases?",
"How many people have died?",
"What has the outbreak caused?",
"where did Most of the cases ?"
] | [
[
"in the city,"
],
[
"Lahore,"
],
[
"25"
],
[
"panic in the city,"
],
[
"Lahore,"
]
] | A health official says 25 people have died .
Most of the cases are in the city of Lahore .
The outbreak has caused panic in the city . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel, killing dozens of people Friday -- most of them children, the military said.
The attack is the latest to shake the garrison city since this year's launch of strong military offensives against Taliban insurgents in the Swat Valley and South Waziristan. Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army.
Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said Friday's assault killed 36 people and wounded 75.
Among the dead were 17 children, according to the military's Web site. Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials, six of them of senior rank. The remaining fatalities were adults.
"As soon as the mosque's security staff checked me, there was a blast and then a finger hit me, then there was another," Ishtiaq, a driver for a military officer, told GEO TV.
Ishtiaq, who uses only one name, was attending midday prayers.
Rawalpindi is near Islamabad, and the mosque is near national army headquarters. It is located inside a walled residential compound where many military families have homes.
A witness told GEO TV there were up to 300 worshippers at the mosque at the time of the attack.
The militants hurled grenades before opening fire, Rawalpindi Police Chief Aslam Tareen told CNN. He said all the militants died, but he doesn't know how.
"These are not militants," Abbas said. "These are terrorists who killed innocent worshippers."
Retired Gen. Muhammad Yousaf was killed in the attack, said Col. Baseer Haider, a military spokesman. He said Yousaf was a former vice chief of army staff who was second in command during the administration of President Pervez Musharraf.
Abbas said two of the attackers were suicide bombers who blew themselves up inside the Parade Lane mosque; the other two were shot and killed by security forces outside the mosque.
Several explosions were heard inside the mosque around 1:30 p.m. (3:30 a.m. ET), followed by gunfire, Abbas said. The militants entered the compound by climbing over a wall, Tareen said.
This is the first attack in Rawalpindi since a suicide bomber targeted a bank on November 2.
On October 10, militants stormed army headquarters in Rawalpindi, taking several people hostage before security forces killed them.
CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report. | [
"Where did armed militants attack a mosque during midday prayers?",
"Who is the mosque frequented by?",
"What did a suicide bomber target on November 2?",
"How many were injured?"
] | [
[
"Rawalpindi"
],
[
"military personnel,"
],
[
"a bank"
],
[
"75."
]
] | Armed militants attack mosque during midday prayers in Rawalpindi, killing dozens .
Mosque is frequented by retired and serving military officials .
November 2 attack in Rawalpindi saw suicide bomber target a bank . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel, killing dozens of people Friday -- most of them children, the military said. The attack is the latest to shake the garrison city since this year's launch of strong military offensives against Taliban insurgents in the Swat Valley and South Waziristan. Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army. Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said Friday's assault killed 36 people and wounded 75. Among the dead were 17 children, according to the military's Web site. Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials, six of them of senior rank. The remaining fatalities were adults. "As soon as the mosque's security staff checked me, there was a blast and then a finger hit me, then there was another," Ishtiaq, a driver for a military officer, told GEO TV. Ishtiaq, who uses only one name, was attending midday prayers. Rawalpindi is near Islamabad, and the mosque is near national army headquarters. It is located inside a walled residential compound where many military families have homes. A witness told GEO TV there were up to 300 worshippers at the mosque at the time of the attack. The militants hurled grenades before opening fire, Rawalpindi Police Chief Aslam Tareen told CNN. He said all the militants died, but he doesn't know how. "These are not militants," Abbas said. "These are terrorists who killed innocent worshippers." Retired Gen. Muhammad Yousaf was killed in the attack, said Col. Baseer Haider, a military spokesman. He said Yousaf was a former vice chief of army staff who was second in command during the administration of President Pervez Musharraf. Abbas said two of the attackers were suicide bombers who blew themselves up inside the Parade Lane mosque; the other two were shot and killed by security forces outside the mosque. Several explosions were heard inside the mosque around 1:30 p.m. (3:30 a.m. ET), followed by gunfire, Abbas said. The militants entered the compound by climbing over a wall, Tareen said. This is the first attack in Rawalpindi since a suicide bomber targeted a bank on November 2. On October 10, militants stormed army headquarters in Rawalpindi, taking several people hostage before security forces killed them. CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report. | [
"Who did the armed militants attack?",
"What led the armed militants to attack the mosque?",
"when did the attack occur?",
"What country was attacked in their mosque?",
"who frequented the mosque?",
"How many people were killed in the attack?",
"in what city did the attack occur?",
"What attacked mosque during prayers?"
] | [
[
"mosque in Rawalpindi"
],
[
"strong military offensives against Taliban insurgents in the Swat Valley and South Waziristan."
],
[
"Friday"
],
[
"Pakistan"
],
[
"military personnel,"
],
[
"36"
],
[
"Rawalpindi"
],
[
"Four militants armed with guns and grenades"
]
] | Armed militants attack mosque during midday prayers in Rawalpindi, killing dozens .
Mosque is frequented by retired and serving military officials .
November 2 attack in Rawalpindi saw suicide bomber target a bank . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani made a U-turn Saturday -- first declaring that the military offensive against Islamic militants in South Waziristan had ended, then saying there is no timeframe for its completion. The Pakistani army is conducting an intense operation to rout militants from their haven along the country's border with Afghanistan. The militants, in turn, have launched a series of deadly attacks in retaliation. Answering a question from a reporter who asked whether the government will engage in dialogue with the Taliban in South Waziristan, Gilani said the operation was over. "There was talk of dialogue even during the Malakand Operation. But now, the operation in South Waziristan is over. In fact, at the moment, there is talk of an operation in Orakzai Agency," he said. Malakand is another operation that the military is conducting in another region. Orakzai is one of seven districts that make up the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Like South Waziristan, it is also considered rife with militants. Gilani's comments, made in the eastern city of Lahore, were aired on national television. But hours later, he backtracked. "It could have been in a different context," he told reporters in Karachi. These remarks were also aired on television. Gilani also declined to say when the offensive might end. "We will take military action wherever we get information about the presence of militants," he said. When reached for clarification, the prime minister's office pointed CNN to the second statement. The army did not comment on Gilani's remarks. A release it sends out daily made no mention of an end to the offensive on Saturday. Instead, Saturday's release provided the usual breakdown of operations in various parts of the country, including South Waziristan. CNN's Samson Desta and journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report. | [
"What did he say on television hours later?",
"What does the Prime Minister say?",
"What is the army conducting?",
"What does Prime Minister decline?",
"What is Pakistani army doing?"
] | [
[
"\"We will take military action wherever we get information about the presence of militants,\""
],
[
"military offensive against Islamic militants in South Waziristan had ended, then saying there is no timeframe for its completion."
],
[
"an intense operation to rout militants from their haven along the country's border with Afghanistan."
],
[
"to say when the offensive might end."
],
[
"conducting an intense operation to rout militants from their haven along the country's border with Afghanistan."
]
] | Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani tells reporter operation against Taliban is over .
Hours later he backtracks on national television and declines to say when operation may end .
Pakistani army conducting an intense operation to rout militants along Afghan border . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's military said Tuesday that its forces have taken over a Taliban stronghold during the ongoing ground offensive in the tribal region of South Waziristan. Pakistani security forces have secured Sararogha and have started to clear the town of weapons and ammunition, the military said. It comes a day after its forces gained control of Kaniguram, another key Taliban stronghold, which the military says its forces have now completely secured. According to the military, 21 militants and one Pakistani soldier died in the past 24 hours of fighting -- most of them in the raid on Sararogha. The military is trying to rout Taliban insurgents operating along the Pakistan-Afghan border. The restive and largely ungoverned region of South Waziristan is the headquarters of the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistan's military suspects its leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, is still in the region backed by up to 8,000 militant fighters. Pakistan's army has launched three similar offensives in Kaniguram and Sararogha since 2004 without success, sometimes agreeing to peace deals that eventually fall apart. Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas recently told CNN that this time a peace deal is not an option. "Certainly there is no scope of a peace deal," Abbas told CNN. "It is a fight to the finish." The military began its ground offensive in South Waziristan three weeks ago, however the region has been affected by a broader anti-Taliban offensive that has uprooted more than 180,000 people this year, according to the United Nations. Many of those people -- more than 94,000 -- have fled South Waziristan since June, the U.N. said last week. In recent weeks, Pakistan has been relentlessly rocked by a wave of attacks as Islamic militants retaliate against the military campaign. On Monday, the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Rawalpindi were hit by separate suicide bombings. A suicide attacker believed to be on a motorcycle targeted people outside a bank in Rawalpindi who were lined up to pick up their monthly checks, police said. That attack killed 30 people, police said on Tuesday. The attack happened in the Cannt area of Rawalpindi, close to Pakistan's military headquarters where the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, was meeting with Pakistan's army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday. It was unclear if he was there at the time of the attack. Hours later, two suicide bombers detonated their explosives at a police checkpoint in Lahore, injuring 17 police and civilians. CNN's Samson Desta and Reza Sayah contributed to this report. | [
"What do Pakistani forces secure?",
"Where is the headquarters of Pakistani Taliban?",
"Who secures Saraogha?",
"Were other similar offensives successful in the past?",
"What town did Pakistani forces secure?",
"How many similar offensives have been launched?",
"How many offensives did Pakistan launch?",
"How many militants died?",
"How many militants died?",
"Where is the headquarters of the Pakistani Taliban?",
"How many Pakistani soldiers died?",
"What did Pakistani forces secure?",
"What was cleared from the town?",
"What town did Pakistani forces secure?",
"How many offensives has Pakistans's army launched?",
"How many deaths occurred in the past 24 hours of fighting?"
] | [
[
"Sararogha"
],
[
"South Waziristan"
],
[
"Pakistani security forces"
],
[
"without success,"
],
[
"Sararogha"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"21"
],
[
"21"
],
[
"South Waziristan"
],
[
"one"
],
[
"Sararogha"
],
[
"weapons and ammunition,"
],
[
"Sararogha"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"21 militants and one Pakistani soldier"
]
] | Pakistani forces secure Sararogha, clearing the town of weapons and ammunition .
Pakistan: 21 militants and one Pakistani soldier die in the past 24 hours of fighting .
Restive and largely ungoverned region of South Waziristan is headquarters of Pakistani Taliban .
Pakistan's army has launched three similar offensives in Kaniguram and Sararogha since 2004 without success . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar is free to travel outside the country, Pakistan's government said Friday a day after blocking his departure and sparking a national incident. There are 53 Pakistani individuals reinstated to an Exit Control List this week which prevents them from leaving the country -- but Mukhtar is not one of them, the National Accountability Bureau said. The confusion stems from a list, dating back several years, that prevented some government officials facing corruption charges from leaving the country. In October 2007, the country passed the National Reconciliation Ordinance, which provided amnesty to about 8,000 people facing various offenses, said Mohammed Afzl Sindhu, Pakistan's minister of state for law and justice. Among them were about 30 politicians. Those who had been on the Exit Control List were given amnesty and could travel. On Wednesday, Pakistan's Supreme Court struck down the ordinance. The 17-judge court said the amnesty "seems to be against the national interest" and "violates various provisions of the Constitution." Following that decision, the government restored the names of 53 people to the Exit Control List, said National Accountability Bureau spokesman Ghazni Khan. Mukhtar was among the officials protected by the ordinance -- but Pakistani officials say he was not among the 53 people on the Exit Control List. He was about to leave on an official trip to China on Thursday when immigration authorities told him he was on the Exit Control List. He said he raised the issue with the offices of the president and prime minister. "It is clarified that the name of Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was not included in that list of 53 persons," Khan said Friday. The National Reconciliation Ordinance, passed under then-President Pervez Musharraf, covered alleged wrongdoing between 1986 and 1999. Among those protected by the order -- which expired last month -- were Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Also on the list were bureaucrats, bankers, retired military officials, and low ranking government officials, Sindhu said Friday. With the order lifted, corruption charges against some officials will now proceed, Pakistani authorities said. An accountability court in Karachi summoned Interior Minister Rehman Malik to appear on January 8, 2010 regarding an outstanding corruption case against him, said Malik's attorney, Khawaja Naveed Ahmed. Ahmed added that 51 others have been summoned to court in Karachi. Atiq ur Rehman, spokesman for the National Accountability Bureau in Lahore, said the cases of 80 people accused of corruption and misuse of power have been reopened and sent to accountability court for further processing. They include include Jahamgir Badar, who is the secretary general of the Pakistan People's Party, and Nusrat Bhutto, mother of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. CNN's Samson Desta contributed to this report. | [
"What was Mukhtar wrongly put on?",
"Who is free to leave Pakistan?",
"What was he prevented from doing?",
"What did the confusion stem from?",
"What does confusion stem from?",
"Who is defence minister of Pakistan?",
"What list was Mukhtar put on?",
"Who are being prevented from leaving?",
"What is the name of the Defense Minister?"
] | [
[
"Exit Control List."
],
[
"Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar"
],
[
"leaving the country."
],
[
"leaving the country."
],
[
"a list, dating back several years, that prevented some government officials facing corruption charges"
],
[
"Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar"
],
[
"Exit Control"
],
[
"government officials facing corruption charges"
],
[
"Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar"
]
] | Defence Minister Mukhtar is free to leave Pakistan after initally being denied .
Mukhtar was wrongly put on an exit control list which prevented him from leaving the country .
Confusion stems from a list that prevented officials facing corruption charges from leaving. |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar was blocked from leaving the country Thursday after Pakistan's Supreme Court struck down an amnesty that had protected politicians from corruption charges, state media reported. Nearly 280 government officials and ministers have been placed on an exit control list by the high court, said Wajid Hasan, Pakistan's high commissioner in Britain. The 17-judge court invalidated the National Reconciliation Order on Wednesday, saying in its ruling that the amnesty "seems to be against the national interest" and "violates various provisions of the Constitution." The order, passed in October 2007 under then-President Pervez Musharraf, only covered alleged wrongdoing that occurred between 1986 through 1999. The order, which expired last month, protected thousands of bureaucrats and politicians, including President Asif Ali Zardari and his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, from corruption and criminal charges. Mukhtar, among the officials once protected by the order, was on an official trip to China when he was stopped at the Islamabad airport. Pakistan's Supreme Court said its ruling revived all cases that had been suspended or withdrawn under the amnesty. Zardari's government released a brief statement Thursday saying: "The government respects the judgment of the Supreme Court and is awaiting the detailed judgment. However, the government has already started consulting the legal experts for its implementation." CNN's Nic Robertson and Arwa Damon contributed to this report. | [
"what was the number of government officials on the court's exit list",
"What was it that the Supreme Court of Pakiston rule",
"The defense minster was on an official trip to where",
"What did Pakistan say about amnesty",
"How many people are on the court's exit control list?",
"Who killed the amnesty?"
] | [
[
"280"
],
[
"struck down an amnesty"
],
[
"China"
],
[
"\"seems to be against the national interest\" and \"violates various provisions of the Constitution.\""
],
[
"280"
],
[
"Pakistan's Supreme Court"
]
] | Supreme Court kills an amnesty protecting politicians from corruption charges .
Pakistani court rules amnesty "seems to be against the national interest"
Nearly 280 government officials, including defense minister, are on the court's exit control list .
Defense minister taking official trip to China when he is stopped at Islamabad airport . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired his defense secretary Wednesday, a move that spiked tensions between the South Asian nation's civilian government and its all-powerful military.
The prime minister's spokesman confirmed to CNN the firing of Naeem Khalid Lodhi. State media reported that it was for "gross misconduct and illegal action."
The move came after Pakistan's military issued a statement warning of "grievous consequences" of a Gilani interview in The People's Daily Online of China. In it, the military said, Gilani accused the army's chief of staff and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency of violating the constitution.
"There can be no allegation more serious than what the honorable prime minister has leveled," the statement said. "This has very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country."
The latest tension comes as Pakistan's Supreme Court investigates a controversial, unsigned memo allegedly drafted by the civilian leadership in which it asked the United States to help rein in the nation's powerful military.
The so-called Memogate scandal has unleashed waves of political intrigue in recent weeks, and the media has described a government on a collision course with its own army.
Last month, Gilani spoke provocatively of plots to topple the government.
Later, he accepted an army statement pledging support for the democratic process.
"We have been trying to remain on the same page (with the military) for the last four years," Gilani said in an attempt to temper his comments.
In its 64 years of existence, Pakistan has had to balance its civilian and military leadership. Pakistanis have lived through three military coups and decades of military dictatorship.
Memogate, wrote businessman Mansoor Ijaz, whose column in October touched off the scandal, publicly exposed the tensions.
A series of events have also added to the furor.
The U.S. killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden during a May raid on a compound located only about a mile from the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad enraged the Pakistani public and deeply embarrassed the military.
Relations became even more strained in November, after NATO forces said they mistakenly killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers in airstrikes near the Afghan border -- an attack the United States insists was an act of self-defense after its troops were fired upon.
Pakistan's government has formally disputed the findings of the U.S. investigation into the airstrike, saying the bombardment went on long after it reported its troops were under fire.
The United States launched its first drone attack in Pakistan Tuesday after more than a month-long lull, killing at least four suspected militants, CNN confirmed.
The drone fired two missiles Tuesday at a suspected militant compound near the provincial capital of Miranshah in the North Waziristan region, located in the country's volatile tribal belt that borders Afghanistan.
Abdul Basit, spokesman for Pakistan's foreign ministry, told CNN Wednesday that Pakistan did not allow for Tuesday's strike nor has it ever granted such permission to the United States.
"We have strong reservations on the drone strikes because this is a violation of our sovereignty. We can't accept violation of our sovereignty."
Journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this story. | [
"Who was fired?",
"For what reason was the Defense Secretary fired?",
"What was top military leaders accused of?",
"When was Naeem Khalid Lodhi fired?",
"When have tensions been running high since?",
"What is the name of the Defense Secretary who was fired?",
"When was the defense secretary fired?"
] | [
[
"Naeem Khalid Lodhi."
],
[
"\"gross misconduct and illegal action.\""
],
[
"violating the constitution."
],
[
"Wednesday,"
],
[
"Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired his defense secretary"
],
[
"Naeem Khalid Lodhi."
],
[
"Wednesday,"
]
] | Defense Secretary Naeem Khalid Lodhi was fired Wednesday .
The move comes after the military slammed reported remarks by the prime minister .
Yousuf Raza Gilani accused top military leaders of violating the constitution .
Tensions have been running high since the so-called Memogate scandal . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani officials have detained a 10th person in connection with the investigation into the failed May 1 car bombing of New York's Times Square, a Pakistani intelligence source told CNN Tuesday.
The intelligence source, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media, identified the man as Shoaib Mughal.
He is suspected of having served as an intermediary between the bombing suspect, Faisal Shahzad, and the Pakistani Taliban, the source said.
Mughal's uncle, who also asked not to be identified, told CNN that Mughal, who is married, owns and operates a computer parts store in Islamabad.
The uncle said six men dressed in civilian clothing detained Mughal, who has never been outside Pakistan, at his shop on May 6.
In addition, a Pakistani intelligence source told CNN that detainee Muhammad Shahid Hussain was a friend of Faisal Shahzad when the bombing suspect was studying in the United States.
The two men met frequently last year, when Shahzad returned to Pakistan, the source said.
Hussain's brother, Muhammad Khalid, told CNN that Hussain traveled to the United States in 2000 to participate in an MBA program and remained there until 2004.
Hussain's brother and father, Muhammad Ramzan, have denied he has any links to terrorist groups or the attempted bombing in Times Square.
The intelligence official added that another suspect, Major Adnan, resigned from the Pakistani Army last year. The official said Adnan contacted Shahzad by e-mail at least once but the official did not disclose when the e-mail was sent or what it contained.
This month, a senior administration official said Shahzad, a Pakistani-American, was looking for help from the Pakistani Taliban in carrying out a bomb attack during his last visit to Pakistan.
"The question is: Did he go there looking for help or did he fall in their lap? It seems the former. It appears he went seeking help for this attack," the official said. "He had an attack in mind when he went there."
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because this person wasn't allowed to speak publicly about the investigation.
Top advisers to President Barack Obama said early this month that Shahzad worked with the Taliban movement in Pakistan.
"The evidence that we have now developed shows the Pakistani Taliban directed this plot," Attorney General Eric Holder told NBC's "Meet the Press" on May 9.
John Brennan, assistant to the president for counterterrorism and homeland security, told CNN that the Pakistani Taliban -- also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban, or TTP -- is "closely allied with al Qaeda."
Shahzad was arrested while trying to fly out of New York on May 3, two days after federal authorities say he left a vehicle filled with explosive materials in Manhattan's Times Square. The makeshift bomb failed to detonate.
Shahzad had traveled to Pakistan several times in recent years, Brennan said.
CNN's Reza Sayah and Nasir Habib contributed to this story. | [
"How many people have been detained under accusations of a bomb plot?",
"Has Mughal ever left Pakistan?",
"What kind of store does Mughal own?",
"who was was an intermediary?",
"who says Mughal has never been outside Pakistan?",
"who detained 10th person accused of link to bomb plot?",
"who was intermediary for bombing suspect?"
] | [
[
"10th"
],
[
"never been outside"
],
[
"computer parts"
],
[
"Shoaib Mughal."
],
[
"uncle,"
],
[
"Pakistani officials"
],
[
"Shoaib Mughal."
]
] | Pakistani officials detain 10th person accused of link to bomb plot .
Shoaib Mughal was intermediary for bombing suspect, official says .
Mughal owns and operates a computer parts store in Islamabad, his uncle says .
Uncle says Mughal has never been outside Pakistan . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Tensions among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States jumped a notch Monday, with Pakistan's prime minister warning there would be "no more business as usual" with Washington after NATO aircraft killed two dozen Pakistan troops.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told CNN in an exclusive interview that Pakistan is re-evaluating its relationship with the United States in light of the airstrike, which NATO called a "tragic unintended" event. He said the South Asian nation wants to maintain its relationship with the United States so long as there is mutual respect and respect for Pakistani sovereignty.
Asked directly if Pakistan is getting that respect, Gilani said: "At the moment not."
"If I can't protect the sovereignty of my country, how can we say that this is mutual respect and mutual interest?" he asked.
The Pakistani Taliban urged Pakistan to respond in kind to the airstrike, while a top adviser to Afghan President Hamid Karzai warned that Afghanistan and Pakistan could be on a path to conflict.
In his CNN interview, Gilani highlighted incidents such as the killing of the Pakistani troops and a U.S. raid into Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden as violations of his country's sovereignty.
"You cannot win any war without the support of the masses ... and such sort of incidents makes people move away from this situation," he said.
Pakistan is a vital land supply route into Afghanistan for the United States and its allies, and a key partner in the battle against al Qaeda and its aligned jihadist movements. But Pakistani authorities turned back 300 trucks carrying NATO supplies and fuel into Afghanistan on Monday, and the prime minister said his government had not yet decided whether to boycott an upcoming Bonn conference on the future of Afghanistan.
Details of Saturday's deadly raid remained unclear Monday, and the chief of U.S. forces in the region named an Air Force general from the military's Special Operations Command to lead an investigation. Gen. James Mattis ordered the investigating officer, Brig. Gen. Stephen Clark, to report back to him by December 23.
According to two senior U.S. officials with direct knowledge of initial reporting on the incident, the probe is focusing on what coordination failures occurred before the airstrike.
One of the officials said initial reports indicate U.S. and Afghan forces said shots were fired across the border from Pakistan, noting that it is a known tactic of insurgents to fire into Afghanistan from very close to Pakistan border checkpoints because they believe it will give them sanctuary. The United States believes the Pakistanis "were called" before NATO opened fire, the official said, but he added that "at this point, we just don't know exactly what coordination was done."
A NATO official said Afghan troops were working with elements of U.S. Special Operations forces in a combined mission on the Afghan side of the border.
Pakistani military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas denied the reports that Pakistani troops had prompted the attack Saturday by firing on the NATO helicopters. Speaking by phone to Pakistan's Geo TV News, Abbas said NATO helicopters fired first on the Pakistani military checkpoints.
Abbas said the soldiers notified Pakistani military headquarters, which informed NATO authorities immediately. The spokesman said Pakistani soldiers fired at the NATO aircraft in retaliation.
Speaking in London, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, acknowledged that the U.S.-Pakistani relationship was "troubled." But he suggested it would survive once the two nations work through the "real tragedy" of the Pakistani deaths.
"We've had other moments before," Dempsey said. "I'm hopeful that with the relationships we've built leader-to-leader and worked at over the past years, that we can find our way forward. But I understand the anger. I understand the concern."
The White House offered its condolences to Pakistan, while State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington was concerned about the impact the incident could have on relations with Pakistan.
"The relationship is vitally important to both countries. We both face a shared threat from extremists. ... We're taking this very seriously | [
"What does the Pakistani Taliban say",
"When does he want the investigation complete by",
"When do they want the investigation complete by?",
"where was this event",
"What did pakistan deny?",
"who killed so many people",
"Who wants an investigation?"
] | [
[
"urged Pakistan to respond in kind to the airstrike,"
],
[
"December 23."
],
[
"December 23."
],
[
"Islamabad, Pakistan"
],
[
"reports that Pakistani troops had prompted the attack"
],
[
"NATO aircraft"
],
[
"Gen. James Mattis"
]
] | NEW: U.S. commander wants an investigation complete before Christmas .
Pakistan denies firing first at a NATO aircraft that killed two dozen Pakistanis .
The Pakistani Taliban say Pakistan must respond in kind to the attack .
A top Afghan official warns of possible conflict with Pakistan . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani Taliban are waiting the weather out and will take on the military when winter arrives in Pakistan's tribal region, said Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud in a phone call with CNN.
"We will wait till January for our offensive since we are stronger during the snowing season," Mehsud said.
He told CNN he remains confident despite the large-scale military operation currently targeting him and his fighters in the province of South Waziristan.
"We have conserved our energy and have not lost our morale," he said.
The leadership of his organization is safe, he said, but he didn't say where they are taking refuge.
He neither denied nor confirmed that the Pakistani Taliban was responsible for Monday's suicide blast outside the district courthouse in Peshawar.
"Being occupied in other matters, I have not been able to contact my colleagues there, so I will not be able to take responsibility at this time," Mehsud said.
Eleven people died and 36 were wounded in the Monday terror attack, according to a count by the hospital where victims were taken. Two of the dead were police officers.
Peshawar is the capital of the Northwest Frontier Province, where the Pakistani government has also waged its recent military offense against Taliban militants. | [
"Taliban plans what month offensive?",
"When do they feel strong",
"Who is the Taliban leader?",
"What day was the blast in Peshawar?",
"How many people were killed in Monday's blast?",
"How many were killed in Peshawar?",
"Do you know how many were killed"
] | [
[
"January"
],
[
"during the snowing season,\""
],
[
"Hakeemullah Mehsud"
],
[
"Monday's"
],
[
"Eleven"
],
[
"people"
],
[
"Eleven"
]
] | Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud: Leadership of organization is safe .
Group plans January offensive "since we are stronger during the snowing season," he says .
He neither denied nor confirmed responsibility for Monday's blast in Peshawar that killed 11 . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for an early Wednesday morning attack on a police station that killed two officers and injured seven others, a spokesman for the militant group told CNN.
Approximately 10 militants charged the police station, tossed grenades and then opened fire in the predawn attack, said senior police official Sohail Khalid.
The militants escaped after an hour-long firefight with police, Khalid said.
The attack took place in Dera Ismail Khan, a district that sits next to Pakistan's militant-plagued tribal region along the Afghan border.
It comes one day after Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan denied reports that the militant group had declared a cease-fire while holding peace talks with the government.
Wednesday morning's attack was proof that reports of the cease-fire were false, Ehsan told CNN by phone. | [
"How many militants stormed the police station?",
"how many militants storm police station",
"The attack comes a day after what?",
"who are pakistani taliban",
"who denied reports of a ceasefire?",
"when attack happened?",
"how many militants storm the police station?"
] | [
[
"10"
],
[
"10"
],
[
"Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan denied reports that the militant group had declared a cease-fire while holding peace talks with the government."
],
[
"militants"
],
[
"Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan"
],
[
"morning"
],
[
"Approximately 10"
]
] | About 10 militants storm the police station .
The attack comes a day after Pakistani Taliban denied reports of a ceasefire . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani military on Sunday was looking into a local report that the region's Taliban leader had died, officials said.
State broadcaster PTV reported that Hakimullah Mehsud, the Taliban commander in Pakistan, was wounded in a drone attack this month, and that he died and was buried last week. PTV cited local sources and its correspondent in North Waziristan.
A Taliban source denied the report to CNN, saying that Mehsud has simply gone "underground" after being targeted by drone attacks.
The source, who requested anonymity because he is not an authorized spokesperson for the Taliban, said Mehsud is alive and well and will release a taped recording to prove as much.
Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told CNN that "we cannot yet confirm" Mehsud's death.
Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik told CNN on Sunday that officials have received reports of the Taliban leader's death, but also could not immediately verify it.
Mehsud has been the target of suspected U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan. The U.S. military routinely offers no comment on reported attacks by the pilotless aircraft.
The Taliban leader's status came into question following two drone attacks aimed at him this month.
U.S. counterterrorism officials contacted by CNN Sunday could not confirm whether Mehsud is dead or injured.
CNN's Kiran Khalid and Pam Benson contributed to this report. | [
"Pakistani military looking into reported death of who?",
"What type of attack was Mehsud injured in?",
"Who reports Mehsud was injured in drone attack and died last week?",
"When did Mehsud die?",
"Taliban source says commander is what?"
] | [
[
"Hakimullah Mehsud,"
],
[
"a drone"
],
[
"State broadcaster PTV"
],
[
"last week."
],
[
"was wounded in a drone attack this month, and that he died and was buried last week."
]
] | NEW: Taliban source says commander alive and well, will release tape soon .
Pakistani military looking into reported death of Hakimullah Mehsud .
State-run TV reports Mehsud was injured in drone attack and died last week .
Mehsud has been target of suspected U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Taliban in Pakistan have released a second audiotape purportedly containing the voice of their leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, who sources say was wounded in a suspected drone strike this week. The group also released an audiotape Friday, though CNN could not confirm that the voice on either tape belongs to Mehsud. It was unclear whether the first tape was recorded before or after Thursday's drone strike, but the voice on the second tape announced the date as Saturday. "Let me say this briefly, that I, Hakimullah Mehsud, today, on the 16th of January, with central spokesman Azam Tariq and Umar Khittab, want to give this message to all mujahedeen: that by the grace of Allah, I, Hakimullah Mehsud, am alive and in good health. Neither have I been martyred in a drone attack nor injured," the voice says on Saturday's tape. Tariq, a Taliban spokesman, denied Thursday and again Friday that Mehsud was hurt. Tariq said Mehsud had left the site of the attack -- a converted religious school -- before the missiles struck. He dismissed reports of an injury to Mehsud as propaganda. However, other Taliban and intelligence sources said doctors were treating Mehsud for wounds he sustained in the drone strike. Tariq delivered both audiotapes to local journalists. On the tape released Friday, the voice says, "The media right now is also part of the war. The enemy through the media wants to demoralize the Taliban. At times they spread the propaganda in the media that 'We have martyred Hakimullah.' At other times they say, 'We have completed the operation in South Waziristan,' but this will never happen." The drone strike hit a madrassa, or religious school, that local officials said had been converted into a militant training camp. Ten people were killed in the strike, Pakistani intelligence and local officials said. In the Friday tape, the speaker warns of what will happen if the drone strikes continue. "I want to inform the Pakistani people that the drone attacks that take place in the tribal areas endanger the politics, well-being and sovereignty of Pakistan," the speaker says. "From today onward, for any dangerous step that the Pakistani Taliban will take in Pakistan, those responsible will be Pakistan's rulers, not the Taliban. This is because the Pakistani rulers want to spill the blood of the innocent [tribesmen] in exchange for dollars." The U.S. military routinely offers no comment on reported attacks by drones, or unmanned aircraft. The United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the ability to launch missiles from remote-controlled aircraft. Last week, the Taliban released a video showing Mehsud sitting next to Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, the man who killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian army captain at an eastern Afghan base December 30. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack. It was carried out out to avenge the death of Mehsud's predecessor, Baitullah Mehsud, who died in a suspected U.S. drone strike last year, according to al Qaeda's commander of operations in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu Yazid. Baitullah Mehsud and Hakimullah Mehsud are from the same tribe, but not from the same family. CNN's Pierre Bairin contributed to this report. | [
"according to the reports, Mehsud was injured because of what?",
"what does the speaker declares?",
"What do reports conflict over?",
"Who issued another tape?",
"How many CIA employees were killed?",
"Who did they say the tape was by?"
] | [
[
"a suspected drone strike"
],
[
"\"I want to inform the Pakistani people that the drone attacks that take place in the tribal areas endanger the politics, well-being and sovereignty of Pakistan,\" the"
],
[
"an injury to Mehsud"
],
[
"The Taliban in Pakistan"
],
[
"seven"
],
[
"Mehsud."
]
] | NEW: Taliban in Pakistan issue another tape they say is by Hakimullah Mehsud .
NEW: Speaker declares he is "alive and in good health"
Reports conflict over whether Mehsud was injured in a drone strike this week .
Last week Taliban released video of Mehsud with the man who killed seven CIA employees . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The captors of a kidnapped 5-year-old British boy included someone who was close to the family, Pakistan's Interior Minister said Sunday.
"There is someone who is very close to the family because the way the situation happened; the way the entry was made," Minister Rehman Malik said.
Malik, who spoke to reporters after meeting the boy's father in the Pakistani town of Jhelum, said authorities were close to finding the kidnappers.
"We have certain leads which we would not like to disclose, but I have a warning to those who abducted the boy: leave the boy because we are very near to you," he said.
The boy, Sahil Saeed, is of Pakistani descent.
He was on the last day of a two-week vacation in Pakistan before he planned to return home to Oldham in northern England.
Gunmen barged into Sahil's grandmother's home in the eastern province of Punjab and took him at gunpoint Wednesday.
They have reportedly demanded a ransom of 10 million rupees ($118,000). | [
"The family was on holiday where?",
"What is the demanded ransom?",
"Who snatched a five-year-old?",
"Who was on a two week vacation is Punjab?",
"What was the five-year-old's name that got snatched?",
"Sahil Saeed is of what descent?",
"What is the amount that kidnappers have demanded as ransom?",
"$118,000 is the amount that who wants?",
"Who was on a two week vacation in Punjab?"
] | [
[
"Pakistan"
],
[
"10 million"
],
[
"Gunmen"
],
[
"Sahil Saeed,"
],
[
"Sahil Saeed,"
],
[
"Pakistani"
],
[
"10 million"
],
[
"They"
],
[
"Sahil Saeed,"
]
] | Five-year-old snatched by armed robbers while on holiday with family in Punjab .
Sahil Saeed, of Pakistani descent, was on a two-week vacation in Punjab .
Kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $118,000 . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The death toll from an explosion in the central Pakistani city of Dera Ghazi Khan climbed to at least 25 on Wednesday, a senior government official said. Another 56 people were wounded in Tuesday's attack, according to Hassan Iqbal Khan. The blast ripped through a market located near the house of a senior adviser to the chief minister of Punjab province, said Mohammed Hasnain, a rescue official. The adviser, Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa, is a former provincial governor and a senior opposition party politician. He said he was the target of the attack, though police initially said he was not the intended target. Khosa told CNN that none of his family members were in the house when the attack occurred. He also said that he had never before received any threats against his life. The attacker detonated his car in front of the main gate at Khosa's house, said Hassan Iqbal, a senior government official. About 20 shops in the market were reduced to rubble. CNN's Samson Desta and journalist Umar Aziz Khan contributed to this report. | [
"Who was the intended target?",
"Who is claiming he was the target of the attacks?",
"How many people were killed?",
"Where did the explosion occur?",
"What did the attacker do?",
"Where did the attack happen?",
"The attack left how many people dead?",
"Who was the target?"
] | [
[
"Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa,"
],
[
"Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa,"
],
[
"at least 25"
],
[
"Ghazi Khan"
],
[
"detonated his car in front of the main gate at Khosa's house,"
],
[
"Ghazi Khan"
],
[
"at least 25"
],
[
"Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa,"
]
] | NEW: Attack on market in Dera Ghazi Khan leaves 25 dead, 60 wounded .
Attacker detonated car in front of Sardar Zulfiqar Muhammad Khosa's home .
Former provincial governor claims he was intended target of attack . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The identity and nationality of an alleged al Qaeda operative arrested in Pakistan remained shrouded in mystery and conflicting information Monday, a day after Pakistani officials said one of the FBI's most wanted terrorists was in custody.
A Pakistani military official said Monday that the man arrested is a foreign operative linked to al Qaeda. The official did not specifically describe the man as American and gave no further details.
On Sunday, a senior Pakistani government official said that Adam Gadahn, a U.S.-born spokesman for al Qaeda, had been arrested. A second senior Pakistani government official later confirmed Gadahn's arrest.
But a U.S. intelligence official said there appeared to be no validity to the reports that Gadahn was in custody. Other U.S. officials also said they had no indication Gadahn had been captured.
U.S. counterterrorism officials said Monday they had received no indication from Pakistan that any American had been arrested. One official said there was "no validity" to reports that Gadahn was arrested. Another called the reports "bogus."
News reports Monday cited Pakistani officials as saying that a different man, believed to be an American member of al Qaeda, had been arrested.
But U.S. counterterrorism officials said the United States has not heard of the person, who was identified in some reports as Abu Yahya Mujahdeen al-Adam, an American born in Pennsylvania. One official said the reports coming out of Pakistan were a "real head scratcher."
Rick Snelsire, a spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Pakistan, said Monday that the embassy had not received any information about an American being detained by Pakistani security forces.
Gadahn, 31, also known as Azzam the American, was indicted on charges of treason and providing material support to terrorists in 2006. The U.S. government has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.
He is the first American charged with treason since 1952.
Reports of an arrest Sunday came hours after Islamist Web sites posted video of Gadahn praising a November massacre at Fort Hood, Texas. On the video, Gadahn said the Army major charged with gunning down 13 people "lit a path" for other Muslim service members to follow.
Authorities have targeted several key Islamist figures in Karachi -- the heavily populated port city and financial capital of Pakistan that, for some time, has functioned as a hideout for Taliban and al Qaeda sympathizers.
A city of 13 million -- with some estimates saying there are 100,000 new arrivals a month -- Karachi has seen an influx of Pashtuns from the tribal border region with Afghanistan. Many fled there during fighting and Pakistani military offensives in the Northwest Frontier Province and Waziristan, making Karachi a comfortable place for the Taliban to blend in and count on a network of supporters.
CNN's Reza Sayah, Nic Robertson and Adam Levine contributed to this report. | [
"Who was arrested?",
"What did US officials say about Gadahn being in custody?",
"What the Pakistani military said?",
"What terrorist activities is Gadahn accused of?"
] | [
[
"Adam Gadahn,"
],
[
"the man arrested is a foreign operative linked to al Qaeda."
],
[
"the man arrested is a foreign operative linked to al Qaeda."
],
[
"charges of treason and providing material support to"
]
] | On Monday, Pakistani military official said foreign operative linked to al Qaeda arrested .
Official didn't describe man as American, gave no further details .
On Sunday, officials from Pakistan government said Adam Gadahn had been arrested .
U.S. officials: Reports that Gadahn is in custody don't seem valid, are a "real head scratcher" |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The recent convictions of Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir brings to an end this sad chapter on corruption, however, the full story will continue as names of other players were also mentioned during the trial; they will be investigated and further action may also be taken.
Butt, Asif and Amir sold themselves for a relatively modest amount of money and in the process destroyed their careers and brought cricket and Pakistan into disrepute.
The fact that three players, possibly more, were involved is worrying; none of them considered that what they were doing was not only wrong but also dishonest and illegal.
In Pakistan, where cricket provides a welcome distraction from the internal security threats and the terrible natural disasters the country has faced in recent years, there is a sense of outrage and anger at being let down by people who were role models for hundred of thousands of fans.
I believe that the convictions for the players were correct. In addition to the jail sentences and fines they have all been banned for five years from any form of cricket.
I do feel sorry for teenager Amir; while I am not convinced that he was coerced or pressurized, he was naive and in all probability did not fully appreciate what he was doing or its consequences due to his background and education.
Butt and Asif must never again play for Pakistan; I would treat Amir's case with more sympathy but it will be very difficult for him to get back into international cricket in five years time. I am not happy with the sentence given to agent Mazhar Majeed; it should have been much tougher.
For me the important question is how did this happen; what lessons did we learn and what should the game do going forward?
It was very clear that the three players did not understand the ethos of the game or what the spirit of cricket means. They also callously ignored the ICC Code of Conduct on corruption and matching fixing.
The ICC has an excellent program for awareness and prevention of corruption; so where did the message fail to get through?
The ICC works in partnership with every cricket board to educate the players on corruption. In this case it is clear that the Pakistan Cricket Board did not do enough.
This was a major failing and the PCB should not only accept responsibility for this but undertake to ensure that it does not happen again.
The team management had concerns about the players' agent but failed to do anything about it. There had been rumors about the team's performance in Australia before the tour to England, yet no measures were taken to tighten the controls around the players and stop outside influences from having access to them.
When the News of the World broke the story, the PCB went into denial implying this was a conspiracy against the Pakistan team; this forced the ICC to take action against the players something the PCB should itself have done.
After the match fixing scandals in the late 1990s the PCB worked very hard to eradicate corruption from the game. Certainly, until 2006 when my term as President of the ICC came to an end, I was confident that the PCB and specifically its chairmen during my time, made great efforts to prevent and monitor corrupt practices in Pakistan cricket.
But things have gone dreadfully wrong in the past three to four years and Pakistan cricket has paid the price of a weak governance structure.
The chairman is appointed by the president of the country without a consultation process with any of the key stakeholders in the game.
The PCB chairman is not accountable to anyone; some years ago the PCB chairman also assumed the position of chief executive and downgraded the role of the CEO to chief operating officer; this destroyed whatever little checks and balances existed within the PCB.
Without a sound governance structure and professional management, corruption will remain a huge risk for Pakistan cricket.
I do not believe that corruption is endemic in cricket; almost all of the Test playing countries have a robust anti-corruption regime.
During my time with the ICC I met with Paul Condon, the then chairman of the | [
"What is the name of one of the cricketers?",
"whats Other players names were mentioned in the trial and they will also be investigated?",
"Who will accept full responsibility for what has happened?",
"What wil happen to other players mentioned in a trial?",
"What country convicted cricketers belong to?",
"What happened?"
] | [
[
"Salman Butt,"
],
[
"other players were also mentioned during the trial; they will be investigated and further action may also be taken."
],
[
"the PCB"
],
[
"they will be investigated and further action may also be taken."
],
[
"Pakistan"
],
[
"corruption,"
]
] | The convictions of three Pakistani cricketers is not the end of the story .
Other players names were mentioned in the trial and they will also be investigated .
The Pakistan Cricket Board should accept full responsibility for what has happened . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The three security guards and the driver of an American development expert who was abducted in Pakistan on Saturday have been detained for questioning, a police official said Monday.
The four men are not considered suspects at this point, said the official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Under Pakistani law, police can detain someone for up to 72 hours without charging them with a crime.
Investigators have no leads in the case and are not any closer to finding out what happened to the American, whom the U.S. Embassy identified as Warren Weinstein.
Weinstein was abducted early Saturday when gunmen, posing as neighbors offering food, pistol-whipped him and his driver and tied up his guards, U.S. Embassy and Pakistani officials said.
Weinstein works for J.E. Austin Associates Inc., a U.S. consulting firm based in Arlington, Virginia, a Pakistani official said. He's is a world-renowned development expert, with 25 years of experience, according to his company's website. The site says he was heading what the company described as the "Pakistan Initiative for Strategic Development and Competitiveness."
As Weinstein's security guards prepared for the meal before the Ramadan fast early Saturday, three men knocked at the front gate and offered food for the meal -- a traditional practice among Muslims during the Ramadan holy month, according to senior Lahore police official Tajamal Hussain.
Once the gate was opened, the three men forced their way in while five other suspects entered the house from the back, Hussain said. The men tied up the three security guards and duct-taped their mouths, he said. They pistol-whipped the driver and forced him to take them to Weinstein's room, where the men hit Weinstein in the head with a pistol, and forced him out of the house and into a waiting car, Hussain said.
He said Weinstein is in his 60s.
There has been no claim of responsibility nor any demands by any groups, according to senior police official Awais Ahmed.
Weinstein has lived in the residence in an upscale Lahore neighborhood for several years, Ahmed said.
Weinstein is a Fulbright Scholar in Belgium and is proficient in six languages, with a doctorate in international law and economics, according to his company website.
U.S. Embassy officials are working with Pakistani authorities on the case, Embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez said Saturday.
The U.S. State Department updated a travel advisory for Americans traveling and working in Pakistan this week, warning that extremist groups operating in the country were continuing to target U.S. and other Western citizens and interests.
It cited part of the reason for the advisory as "reported" abductions of U.S. citizens "for ransom or personal reasons," including the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Lahore in June. No further details about that incident were released.
Abductions are not unusual in Pakistan, though those targeted are typically Pakistani rather than American or Western.
In early July, a Swiss couple was grabbed at gunpoint while traveling in the town of Loralai in the volatile southwestern Balochistan province, provincial officials said at the time.
Three weeks after their abduction, Pakistani authorities said they believed the couple was still alive.
Weinstein's abduction follows another high-profile incident involving an American in Lahore.
Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor, was charged with killing two men in January but was released in March after compensation was paid to their families.
Journalists Nasir Habib and Shaan Khan and CNN's Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report. | [
"Who did gunmen abduct?",
"Who got abducted?",
"who is warren weinstein",
"What does the police official say?",
"Did anyone claimed responsibility?",
"Who was he identified as?"
] | [
[
"three security guards and the driver of an American development expert"
],
[
"three security guards and the driver of an American development expert"
],
[
"an American development expert"
],
[
"The four men are not considered suspects at this point,"
],
[
"There has been no claim of"
],
[
"Warren Weinstein."
]
] | The men are not considered suspects at this time, a Pakistani police official says .
Gunmen abducted an American from his Pakistan residence Saturday, authorities say .
He is identified as Warren Weinstein, the U.S. Embassy says .
There has been no claim of responsibility, or demands . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Thirty-six people were killed and dozens were injured in explosions at a market in Lahore, Pakistan, on Monday, an official said.
Rizwan Naseer, chief of Lahore's rescue service, also said 109 people were wounded.
The explosions did not appear to be a suicide attack but could instead have been bombs detonated by remote control, Punjab Police Chief Tariq Salim said.
The nation's state-run news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, said the blasts were the result of "bomb explosions."
The explosions occurred at Moon Market in the Iqbal Town neighborhood, the news agency said. It cited Iqbal Town Division's Ali Nasir Rizvi as saying most of the victims were women.
Khusro Pervaiz, a senior government official in Lahore, said in a television interview that 60 people had been taken to five Lahore hospitals.
The blasts happened around 8:45 p.m. at the popular market, said Rai Nazar Hayat, a spokesman for Lahore police.
Earlier, ten people were killed -- including two police officers -- when a suicide bomber detonated outside a district courthouse in Peshawar on Monday, officials said.
At least 36 were injured, six of them seriously, said Dr. Hameed Afridi, CEO of the Lady Reading Hospital.
The bomber got out of a rickshaw and detonated himself, according to witnesses.
The attacker was wearing a suicide jacket with about 6 kilograms of explosives, said Shafqat Malik, head of the North West Frontier Province bomb disposal unit.
Peshawar is the capital of the Northwest Frontier Province, where the Pakistani government waged a recent military offense against Taliban militants.
Meanwhile, five people were hurt in a bomb attack in Quetta on Monday morning, said Jamil Kakar, a Quetta police official. The explosives were placed in a car and destroyed two other cars and three motorbikes.
The courthouse attack comes three days after four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel. At least 36 were killed and 75 wounded.
Among the dead were 17 children, according to military officials. Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials, six of senior rank.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan reiterated its claim in an e-mail to CNN the next day, after media outlets quoted officials who doubted the group's participation.
"We reconfirmed it, that the TTP has done it and will do more which are already planned," the group said in the e-mail. "We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces."
Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army.
CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report. | [
"did the count of dead exceed 20",
"How many people were killed in Peshawar?",
"How many people were hurt in Lahore?",
"what is the nature of the explosions",
"How many people died in Lahore?",
"how many were killed"
] | [
[
"Thirty-six people were killed"
],
[
"Thirty-six"
],
[
"109"
],
[
"did not appear to be a suicide attack but could instead have been bombs detonated by remote control,"
],
[
"Thirty-six"
],
[
"Thirty-six"
]
] | 36 dead, dozens hurt following two explosions at market in Lahore .
Explosions could have been bombs detonated by remote control, police say .
Ten killed, including two police officers, in suicide attack in Peshawar . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Thirty-six people were killed and dozens were injured in explosions at a market in Lahore, Pakistan, on Monday, an official said. Rizwan Naseer, chief of Lahore's rescue service, also said 109 people were wounded. The explosions did not appear to be a suicide attack but could instead have been bombs detonated by remote control, Punjab Police Chief Tariq Salim said. The nation's state-run news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, said the blasts were the result of "bomb explosions." The explosions occurred at Moon Market in the Iqbal Town neighborhood, the news agency said. It cited Iqbal Town Division's Ali Nasir Rizvi as saying most of the victims were women. Khusro Pervaiz, a senior government official in Lahore, said in a television interview that 60 people had been taken to five Lahore hospitals. The blasts happened around 8:45 p.m. at the popular market, said Rai Nazar Hayat, a spokesman for Lahore police. Earlier, ten people were killed -- including two police officers -- when a suicide bomber detonated outside a district courthouse in Peshawar on Monday, officials said. At least 36 were injured, six of them seriously, said Dr. Hameed Afridi, CEO of the Lady Reading Hospital. The bomber got out of a rickshaw and detonated himself, according to witnesses. The attacker was wearing a suicide jacket with about 6 kilograms of explosives, said Shafqat Malik, head of the North West Frontier Province bomb disposal unit. Peshawar is the capital of the Northwest Frontier Province, where the Pakistani government waged a recent military offense against Taliban militants. Meanwhile, five people were hurt in a bomb attack in Quetta on Monday morning, said Jamil Kakar, a Quetta police official. The explosives were placed in a car and destroyed two other cars and three motorbikes. The courthouse attack comes three days after four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel. At least 36 were killed and 75 wounded. Among the dead were 17 children, according to military officials. Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials, six of senior rank. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the mosque bombing. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan reiterated its claim in an e-mail to CNN the next day, after media outlets quoted officials who doubted the group's participation. "We reconfirmed it, that the TTP has done it and will do more which are already planned," the group said in the e-mail. "We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces." Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army. CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report. | [
"How many are dead?",
"How many people are dead due to suicide attack?",
"How many people are dead due to explosions?",
"What could have been detonated by remote control?",
"How many killed in Peshawar suicide attack?"
] | [
[
"Thirty-six people"
],
[
"Thirty-six"
],
[
"Thirty-six"
],
[
"bombs"
],
[
"Thirty-six"
]
] | 36 dead, dozens hurt following two explosions at market in Lahore .
Explosions could have been bombs detonated by remote control, police say .
Ten killed, including two police officers, in suicide attack in Peshawar . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday she did not come to Pakistan for "happy talk." Her three-day trip is aimed at getting frank, open discussions going about the fight against terrorism, and that includes presenting U.S. concerns about how much success Pakistan is having, she said. In an interview with CNN, Clinton said it's time to "clear the air" with a key U.S. ally. She added, "I don't think the way you deal with negative feelings is to pretend they're not there." "I think it's important, if we are going to have the kind of cooperative partnership, that I think is in the best interest of both of our countries, for me to express some of the questions that are on the minds of the American people," Clinton told CNN's Jill Dougherty. The secretary's comments came a day after she seemed to question the commitment of some in the Pakistani government for going after the leaders of al Qaeda, who U.S. intelligence experts believe are taking refuge in Pakistan's remote tribal areas. "Al Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002," she told a group of Pakistani journalists Thursday. "I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to." She added, "Maybe they're not gettable. I don't know." In the CNN interview Friday, Clinton said she was not suggesting that someone inside the government might be complicit with al Qaeda or might be failing to follow through in fighting the terrorist group. "No, no," she said. "What I was responding to is what I have been really doing on this trip, which is there exists a trust deficit, certainly on the part of Pakistanis toward the United States, toward our intentions and our actions. And yet we have so much in common, we face a common threat. We certainly have a common enemy in extremism and terrorism, and so part of what I have been doing is answering every single charge, every question." Trust "is a two-way street," she added. While Pakistan's military operation has been "extremely courageous in both Swat and now in South Waziristan, success there is not sufficient," she said. "... I just want to keep putting on the table that we have some concerns as well. And I think ... that's the kind of relationship I'm looking to build here." Asked whether she had underestimated the level of anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, Clinton said, "No, because I've been following the research and the polling that's gone on for a couple of years. I knew that we were inheriting a pretty negative situation that we were going to have to address." That's why she wanted three days in the country, "a long trip for a secretary of state," she said. "I wanted to demonstrate that, look, we are not coming here claiming that everything we've done is perfect. I've admitted to mistakes by our country going back in time, but I've also reminded people that we've been partners and allies from the beginning of Pakistan's inception as a country. Pakistan has helped us on several important occasions, and we are very grateful for that. So let's begin to clear the air here." Clinton also commented on Iran, as the United States seeks clarification on whether the nation will agree to a deal brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency aimed at resolving a dispute about Iran's nuclear program. "I am going to let the process play out, but clearly we are working to determine exactly what they are willing to do," Clinton said. The secretary made a vow to Israeli and Palestinian leaders during the CNN interview as well. "We're going to do everything we can to try to clear away whatever concerns that the parties have, to actually get them into negotiations where they then can thrash out all of these | [
"what does hilary clinton aim to address?",
"what did clinton deny she suggested?",
"What did she say?",
"what does clinton want frank talk about?",
"Who is going to make the address?",
"When is she going to do this?"
] | [
[
"getting frank, open discussions going about the fight against terrorism,"
],
[
"was not suggesting that someone inside the government might be complicit with al Qaeda or might be failing to follow through in fighting the terrorist group."
],
[
"\"I don't think the way you deal with negative feelings is to pretend they're not there.\""
],
[
"fight against terrorism,"
],
[
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton"
],
[
"Friday"
]
] | Hillary Clinton says she aims to address questions that Americans are thinking about .
She says she wants frank talk about fight against terrorism, including U.S. concerns .
On Thursday, she said she wondered why terrorists hadn't been found and dealt with .
She said she wasn't suggesting Pakistan was complicit with al Qaeda or didn't want to fight it . |
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Under heavy criticism for a telling cell phone carriers to ban certain words in text messages, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority went into damage control mode Wednesday.
PTA spokesman Mohammed Younis Wednesday denied the existence of the plan, which has met with derision from mobile phone users in the country.
"If at all we finally decide to go for this process, then we will prepare a list in consultation with the mobile operators," Younis told CNN.
In another conversation with CNN two days earlier, however, Younis acknowledged that the telecommunications authority had sent out a notice to carriers -- but said that the agency was giving the operators more time to come up with a shorter list.
Earlier this week, three carriers -- Mobilink, Warid and Telenor -- received the notice, officials there confirmed.
In it, the PTA , which regulates cell phone and internet carriers in Pakistan, called on them to implement the ban within seven days.
This would mean blocking text messages containing the offending words.
Most of the 1,500 banned words were deemed sexually explicit or obscene by the PTA, the officials said.
The words include "taxi" -- often used to refer to prostitutes in Pakistan -- "gay," "tongue," "homosexual," "intercourse," "condom" and "hole."
CNN has obtained a copy of the list.
In the notice, which is available online, the PTA cited a law that bans the transmission of indecent and obscene messages.
The notice says the banned words are part of an effort to cut down on spam and unsolicited text messages, the officials said.
Last month, the PTA banned thousands of websites containing pornography.
But the latest about face on text messages appears to mean the PTA will not act on the notice -- at least, any time soon. | [
"What has Pakistan told phone companies?",
"How many words did Pakistan tell phone companies to block from text messages?",
"What words were banned?"
] | [
[
"words in text messages,"
],
[
"1,500"
],
[
"sexually explicit"
]
] | Pakistan tells phone companies to block 1,500 words from text messages .
Cell phone users respond with derision .
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority sends mixed messages on its plan .
The banned words list includes terms related to sex and prostitution . |
Istanbul (CNN) -- Several thousand opponents of new Internet filtering rules, set to take effect in Turkey in August, marched in protest in Istanbul on Sunday.
Demonstrators carried signs in Turkish and English reading "Don't touch my Internet" and "We don't need protection," while they chanted slogans against website censorship.
Internet users must choose among four filtering options, including family, children, domestic or standard settings, as a part of Turkey's "Safe Internet Service."
The regulations are designed to protect children from indecent online content, according to BTK, the prime minister's information technology board. Critics argue that it is not clear how the filtering system will work.
The marchers stopped several times to stage brief sit-ins during the two-hour route from the Taksim Square to the end of Istiklal Street.
Organizers claimed the marcher numbered in the "thousands," which appeared to be accurate to a CNN reporter on the scene.
The new filtering rules will be enforced beginning August 22, the government said.
A "Enemies of the Internet" report issued this month by Reporters Without Borders included Turkey on its 2011 list of "countries under surveillance."
The BTK was "not fooling anyone when it claims to be rendering a service to Internet users by giving them a choice between a lot of restrictions and fewer restrictions," the report said.
Turkey already blocks more than 7,000 websites, "in most cases without reference to any court," the report said. | [
"what do marchers signs say",
"What does the marcher's signs say?",
"What does the journalism group report say?",
"What country is trying to introduce filtering?",
"What do Turkish officials say?",
"What is not fooling anyone",
"Who needs protecting from web content?",
"Does everyone agree with this policy?"
] | [
[
"\"Don't touch my Internet\""
],
[
"\"Don't touch my Internet\" and \"We don't need protection,\""
],
[
"Turkey already blocks more than 7,000 websites,"
],
[
"Turkey"
],
[
"new filtering rules will be enforced beginning August 22,"
],
[
"The BTK"
],
[
"children"
],
[
"Several thousand opponents"
]
] | Turkish officials say filtering is needed to protect kids from Web content .
"We don't need protection," marchers' signs say .
Turkey rules "not fooling anyone," journalism group report says . |
Istanbul (CNN) -- Turkey's fiery prime minister ratcheted up rapidly-escalating tensions with Israel on Tuesday, comparing Ankara's once-close ally in the Middle East to a "spoiled boy" and announcing additional sanctions would soon be imposed.
"We are completely suspending all of these, trade relations, military relations, related with the defense industry," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to the semi-official Anatolian Agency. "All of these are completely suspended and other measures will follow this process."
Asked to clarify whether this meant Turkey will halt more than $3 billion in bilateral trade, an official in the Turkish prime ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity under government protocol, insisted Erdogan was not referring to trade relations.
"He was referring to the defense industry," the official said. "Nothing more than the measures that have been announced so far."
Last week, Turkey declared it was downgrading relations with Israel, suspending all military agreements between the two countries and giving senior Israeli diplomats less than a week to leave Turkish territory.
"If the current steps are regarded as 'plan B,' there will be a 'plan C,'" Erdogan said on Tuesday in his first public comments on the matter since Ankara imposed sanctions on Israel.
Erdogan's government is incensed that Israel refuses to apologize or pay compensation for eight slain Turks and one Turkish-American. The humanitarian workers and activists were shot dead by Israeli commandos in a botched 2010 raid on an aid convoy that was trying to bust Israel's sea blockade of Gaza.
But "Israel does not want to see a further deterioration in the relationship with Turkey," said a senior Israeli government official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. "There have been a number of proposals on the table to prevent a deterioration and unfortunately they have not been successful, but from our point of view a deterioration in the relationship serves neither side's interests."
Multiple Israeli sources said they are doing what they can to be responsible and reverse the negative dynamic. Some Israeli officials believe the current troubles between the two countries are minor bumps that can be smoothed out with time and the proper diplomacy.
Others believe the deteriorating relationship has little to do with Israel and more to do with a reorientation of Turkish foreign policy towards the Muslim world.
A possible Erdogan trip to Gaza is contributing to that school of thought. Diplomats in Cairo and Ankara tell CNN that Erdogan is tentatively scheduled to visit Cairo next week. There is growing speculation in local media that the Turkish prime minister may try to visit Gaza via Egypt's Rafah border crossing.
"This is a process that will continue until the last moment," Erdogan said Tuesday, according to Anatolian, when asked about a trip to Gaza. "We will make the final decision there, talking to our Egyptian friends and brothers. According to that, there may be a trip to Gaza."
Despite deteriorating political relations between Jerusalem and Ankara, trade has grown substantially between the two countries over the last year, according to Turkish government statistics.
On Monday, Stanley Fischer, governor of the Bank of Israel, gave a speech in which he highlighted the importance of Israel's economic ties with Turkey. He noted that Turkey's economy was the largest in the region, with a gross domestic product in excess of $700 billion, and that Turkey is becoming a key player in regional trade.
Turkey is a significant Israeli trading partner, Fischer said, and damage to the trade relationship between the two countries could have serious consequences for Israel.
Yigal Schleifer, Washington-based editor at Eurasianet and expert on Turkish-Israeli relations, argues the Middle Eastern "outsider" status that once drew Turkey and Israel together into an alliance during the 1990s has changed, as Turkey has grown economically and established closer political ties with Arab neighbors.
"The paths have diverged," Schleifer said. "What you have left is two countries with different visions currently for their position in the region. So Turkey wants to build a more | [
"what israel wants to say?",
"Will trade relations be suspended?",
"A raid in what year stemmed tensions?",
"what will not be suspended?",
"from what The tension stems?"
] | [
[
"deterioration in the relationship serves neither side's interests.\""
],
[
"completely"
],
[
"2010"
],
[
"trade relations,"
],
[
"for eight slain Turks and one Turkish-American."
]
] | Tensions between the two countries are rising .
An official says trade relations will not be suspended .
The tension stems from a 2010 raid on a Gaza aid convoy .
Israel says it does not want a further deterioration of relations with Turkey . |
Istanbul (CNN) -- Turkey's foreign ministry condemned Texas Gov. Rick Perry Tuesday for saying that Turkey was a "country that is being ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists."
Perry made the statement during a spirited debated between Republican presidential candidates in South Carolina Monday night.
Most of Turkey was fast asleep during the live broadcast, and Turkish newspapers had already gone to print by the time Perry declared that Turkey had moved "far away from the country I lived in back in the 1970s United States Air Force. That was our ally that worked with us, but today we don't see that."
The Texas governor also argued that it was time for Washington to cut foreign aid to Ankara.
A spokesman for Turkey's foreign ministry fired back Tuesday, accusing Perry of making "baseless and improper claims."
In a statement e-mailed to CNN, Selcuk Unal said presidential candidates should "be more informed about the world and be more careful their statements."
"The unfortunate views of Perry are not shared in any case by Republican party supporters, considering the weak support he has received in public polls and primary elections," Unal concluded.
U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the State Department "absolutely and fundamentally" disagrees with Perry's statements.
Turkey is "Islamic democracy in action," Toner added, calling Ankara a "stalwart ally" with which the United States has a "strong partnership."
"I am disappointed and concerned that Turkey and its time-tested ties of alliance, partnership and friendship with the United States became the object of misplaced and ill-advised criticism during last night's Republican candidates' debate. Needless to say, the Turkey described in the debate simply does not exist," Turkey's ambassador to the United States, Namik Tan, said in a statement Tuesday.
He also rejected the idea that Turkey receives significant sums of foreign aid from the United States.
"Indeed, Turkey is a strong and growing trading partner with the U.S. in general, and with Texas in particular, creating thousands of jobs throughout that state," Tan added.
Top Turkish government officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday, with many of them in Northern Cyprus for the funeral of veteran Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktas, but the country's largely-tabloid press wasted no time in responding to the comments on websites early Tuesday morning.
"The debate that the Republican candidate Rick Perry attended on American Fox TV turned into a scandal that contained very ugly statements about Turkey," announced TRT state television.
"Rick Perry: what an idiot," tweeted Mustafa Akyol, a columnist with the English-language Hurriyet Daily news. The Hurriyet newspaper also posted a video on its website of Perry drawing a blank in the middle of a prior debate, forgetting in mid-sentence which was the third of three government departments he would cut if elected president.
Perry's remarks came on the same day a Turkish foreign ministry spokesman announced that a new NATO radar station, manned by Turkish and American military personnel, went online this month in the Turkish province of Malatya. The radar station is part of a controversial U.S.-led missile defense shield that both Russia and Iran have publicly opposed.
For more than 50 years, Turkey has been the only Muslim member of the NATO military alliance.
Ankara's relationship with Washington has been turbulent over the last decade, with sharp divisions emerging after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
But that relationship has improved dramatically over the last several years. Turkey has commanded the NATO mission in Afghanistan four times over the last decade, and the United States shares real-time intelligence from aerial drones for the Turkish military's ongoing war with rebels from the Kurdistan Workers Party, who operate along the mountainous border between Turkey and Iraq. | [
"What relationship has improved recently?",
"What did Perry suggest about Turkey rulers?",
"The relationship between Ankara and where has improved recently?",
"Who suggested that Turkey's rulers are perceived by some as Islamic terrorists?",
"Who said that Perry made baseless claims?",
"Which country is \"Islamic democracy in action\"?"
] | [
[
"with Washington"
],
[
"many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists.\""
],
[
"Washington"
],
[
"Texas Gov. Rick Perry"
],
[
"A spokesman for Turkey's foreign ministry"
],
[
"Turkey"
]
] | NEW: Turkey is "Islamic democracy in action," State Dept. spokesman says .
Perry suggested that Turkey's rulers are perceived by some as Islamic terrorists .
Turkey's foreign ministry says Perry made "baseless" claims .
The relationship between Ankara and Washington has improved recently . |
Istanbul (CNN) -- Turkey's judicial system faced an uproar this week after one of the country's highest courts upheld a decision to reduce sentences against 26 men convicted of having sex with a 13-year old girl. Public outrage stemmed from a court ruling that the 13-year old girl had willingly engaged in "consensual" sexual relations with the 26 men.
Among the growing chorus of critics was Turkey's President Abdullah Gul.
"I take particular care not to make any direct statements on issues that are in the judicial process," Gul wrote in a series of statements on his Twitter account on Friday. "[But] the decision about reducing the punishment related with what happened to a young child of ours made me deeply uncomfortable... there is still the possibility for an appeal. I am hoping for an outcome that will comfort the public conscience."
The case in question dates back to 2002, when 26 men from the southeastern Turkish town of Mardin were accused of repeatedly having sex with a 13-year old girl identified only by the initials "N.C." According to Turkish media reports, the men, who included village 'muhtars' [mayors] and a gendarme officer, were accused of paying money to two adult female intermediaries during a 7-month period for repeated access to the girl.
Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals has now found itself under fire from women's rights groups, lawyers' associations, and senior government officials.
In response, the head of the Supreme Court's 14th Criminal Office adopted a somewhat contradictory position.
"The evaluations of the court were correct. We made a decision. This decision is not definite, it is also not possible for this decision to be changed by making noise," said Fevzi Elmas of the Supreme Court of Appeals, in an interview with the semi-official Anatolian Agency on Friday.
The courts sentenced the 26 accused rapists' according to an earlier version of the country's penal code, which underwent significant revisions in 2005.
The older penal code entailed lesser punishments for defendants found guilty of sexually assaulting children.
"In the old penal code there was a very clear article which said it didn't matter if you were under 15 [years of age] or over 15... if any rape or sexual assault happened with the consent of the girl or the woman, then the sentence would be reduced," said Pinar Ilkkaracan of the group Women for Women's Human Rights, who lobbied for the 2005 revision of the Turkish criminal code.
"In the new Turkish penal code there is no question of consent, that is incredibly important for us," Ilkkaracan added. "In terms of girls and boys under 15 it says very clearly any violation of the body for sexual purposes is defined as sexual abuse in the new code. Which means that sexual assault or the violation of the body should have a higher sentence."
According to Turkish media reports, some of the 26 defendants were acquitted, while others received jail sentences of one to four years.
"This decision is an outright scandal," said Ilkkaracan, the women's rights advocate.
In his statement to Anatolian Agency, Elmas, the official from the Supreme Court of Appeals, argued that the court had no choice but to sentence the defendants according to the pre-2005 version of the penal code.
"We don't have any other option," Elmas said. "This is an undebatable rule of law."
But that decision was challenged by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations on Friday, which called the ruling "legally inappropriate."
Meanwhile, in a written statement released on her ministry's web-site, Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Sahin argued the ruling violated not only the current criminal code, but also the older version which had been in force in 2002 at the time when the 26 men were accused of having sex with the 13 year old.
"I find the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeals 14th Criminal Office to approve the verdict of the local court that a 13-year old child 'got together with the defendants of her own free will' unacceptable and | [
"who was made uncomfortable",
"what country's president said the ruling made him uncomfortable",
"What was the girl engaged in?",
"what did the ruling say",
"what men had sentences reduced for molesting a girl",
"What are the men convicted of",
"How many men were convicted?"
] | [
[
"Abdullah Gul."
],
[
"Turkey's"
],
[
"\"consensual\" sexual relations with the 26 men."
],
[
"that the 13-year old girl had willingly engaged in \"consensual\" sexual relations with the 26 men."
],
[
"26 accused rapists'"
],
[
"having sex with a 13-year old girl."
],
[
"26"
]
] | Sentences for 26 men convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old were reduced .
The ruling said the girl had engaged in "consensual" sex .
Turkey's president said the ruling made him "deeply uncomfortable" |
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Police have arrested Tarkan, Turkey's most famous pop music star, in a narcotics raid, Turkey's semi-official Anatolian Agency reported Friday.
Police, Tarkan's publicist and relatives could not be reached for comment on the reported arrest.
According to Anatolian, Tarkan was detained along with several other individuals who are "important figures from the art and magazine world."
Full coverage in Turkish: CNN Turk
Tarkan rose to international prominence in the late 1990s for singing playful hit songs like "Simarik" (Spoiled). The heartthrob has been described by some as a Turkish Ricky Martin, referring to the Latin pop singer from Puerto Rico who achieved popularity worldwide.
German-born Tarkan, who uses only one name, also has made the pop charts around the world.
In recent years, it was reported, he has been living in New York City. The arrest was carried out in Istanbul.
Turkey is a key stop on a drug smuggling transit route between Asia and Europe. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, it is a major hub for the trafficking of illegal heroin and opium from Afghanistan en route to European markets.
Drug operations involving Turkish celebrities, including artists and models, are often carried out in Istanbul.
Last month, Tarkan gave a concert in Istanbul's central Taksim square to celebrate the city's inauguration as Europe's 2010 Capital of Culture. Thousands watched as the artist performed along with a fireworks display. | [
"Who is Tarkan?",
"What charge was he arrested on?",
"Which singer was arrested in Istanbul?",
"Who is Turkeys biggest pop star?",
"Where was Tarkan arrested?",
"Since when has Tarkan been the biggest pop star?",
"Who else was detained?",
"What has happened to him?"
] | [
[
"Turkey's most famous pop music star,"
],
[
"narcotics"
],
[
"Tarkan,"
],
[
"Tarkan,"
],
[
"Istanbul."
],
[
"late 1990s"
],
[
"\"important figures from the art and magazine world.\""
],
[
"arrested"
]
] | Tarkan has been Turkey's biggest pop star since the 1990s .
Singer was arrested in narcotics raid in Istanbul, Anatolian Agency says .
Others detained were "important figures from the art and magazine world" |
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- Kurdish lawmakers announced Monday they would submit their resignations from Parliament, three days after Turkey's highest court banned their political party on charges that it was a "focal point for terrorism." Ahmet Turk, the co-chairman of the now-defunct Democratic Society Party -- known by its initials in Turkish, DTP -- made the announcement in a statement to the media Monday evening in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir. Last Friday's closure by the Constitutional Court stripped Turk and fellow co-chair, Aysel Tugluk, of their parliamentary seats and banned them both from politics for the next five years. The announcement that the remaining 19 elected lawmakers from their party would now resign in protest may exacerbate simmering tensions between the state and Turkey's minority of some 12 million ethnic Kurds. "The decision of the constitutional court might deprive a significant segment of Turkish voters from political representation," said a spokesman for the European Commission, in a dispatch from the French news agency AFP. Earlier Friday, Ahmet Turk denounced the court ban in a speech before a crowd of some 10,000 supporters in Diyarbakir, the unofficial political capital of Turkey's Kurds. "I know the mentality of the state and the politicians of this country," he said. "We did not expect anything different because they cannot tolerate the existence of the Kurds. They cannot tolerate our identity. They cannot tolerate our language." After the speech, several hundred Kurds took to the streets, throwing stones and clashing with Turkish riot police, who retaliated by firing tear gas and water cannons. The banning of the DTP came after more then a week of riots and clashes between police and Kurdish protesters in cities and towns across Turkey. Tensions have rapidly escalated, amid reports that the jailed leader of the Kurdish separatist movement -- the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK -- was moved to a smaller prison cell, and after the PKK claimed responsibility for a deadly ambush last week that killed seven Turkish soldiers. In Istanbul on Sunday, Kurdish protesters threw rocks and Molotov cocktails and clashed with police in a central commercial district. At one point, gun- and club-wielding Turkish ultranationalists joined the fray. Explosions of ethnic anger were not limited to Turkey's largest city. In the eastern Turkish town of Malatya, Turkish nationalists were filmed scuffling with Kurdish demonstrators Sunday. Police struggled to keep the two groups apart as they kicked and cursed at each other in the street. Clashes also erupted on Monday in the coastal city of Adana and in the border town of Dogubayazit, Turkey's official Anatolian news agency reported. Anatolian reported that nine demonstrators were detained and that one demonstrator and five police officers were injured in the Dogubayazit clash. Signs identifying the now-defunct DTP have been removed from the front of the 19th-century, four-story building where the party's Istanbul headquarters is located. Two prior incarnations of the DTP have been shut down by the Turkish state within the last decade. Mustafa Avci, the chairman of the party's Istanbul branch, said the Turkish state is forcing conflict on the country's Kurdish minority. "They are forcing this on us," Avci said in an interview with CNN on Monday. "Therefore, they are the ones who practice terrorism, not us. ...Those who want war are terrorists." | [
"what does the European commission says about the struggle?",
"where did this happen",
"what happened to the turkey's highest court last week?",
"What did turkeys highest court call a focal point of terrorism?",
"Who did police clash with",
"What did the European commission say?",
"What does the Kurdish lawmakers say according to the NEWS?"
] | [
[
"\"The decision of the constitutional court might deprive a significant segment of Turkish voters from political representation,\""
],
[
"the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir."
],
[
"banned their political party"
],
[
"political party"
],
[
"several hundred Kurds"
],
[
"\"The decision of the constitutional court might deprive a significant segment of Turkish voters from political representation,\""
],
[
"Parliament,"
]
] | NEW: Kurdish lawmakers say they'll resign seats, days after court banned their party .
NEW: Struggle may leave many voters without representation, European Commission says .
Turkey's highest court banned DTP last week, calling it "focal point for terrorism"
Police, Kurdish protesters, and Turkish nationalists have clashed in streets recently . |
Istanbul, Turkey (CNN) -- The man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 was released from prison in Turkey Monday, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported.
Mehmet Ali Agca, now 52, severely wounded the pontiff in Rome's St. Peter's Square on May 13, 1981. John Paul spent six hours on an operating table and survived.
Four days later he announced from his hospital bed he had forgiven the attempted assassin and urged the faithful to pray for Agca. The pope spent more than three weeks in Gemelli hospital recovering.
Agca was arrested a few minutes after the attack, tried, and sentenced to 19 years in prison.
He has never explained why he tried to kill the pope. There has long been suspicion that he was working for an eastern European Communist government angry at the Polish-born pope's vocal anti-Communism. But on a 2002 visit to Bulgaria -- a focus of much speculation -- the pope said he did not believe the Balkan state was behind the attempt on his life.
The pope visited Agca in prison on December 27, 1983, and reportedly forgave him in person.
Agca was granted clemency by the president of Italy in 2000, to John Paul's "satisfaction," according to the Vatican.
He was then transferred to his native Turkey, where he was re-arrested for the murder of a Turkish journalist in 1979.
Agca killed Abdi Ipekci in 1979, Anadolu said. Ipekci was editor-in-chief of the daily Milliyet.
Agca was due to be taken to a military facility to assess his fitness for military service after his release. In 2006, a military hospital ruled that he was not fit for the obligatory military service due to a severe anti-social personality disorder, but the Ministry of National Defense did not approve the exemption, the Turkish news agency said. | [
"what did the pope John Paul II reportedly forgave?",
"what was his sentence",
"who wounded the pope",
"where did this occur",
"in what year was attack?",
"who went severely wounded in 1981 attack?",
"who went to jail after being granted with clemency by Italy?"
] | [
[
"The man who shot"
],
[
"19 years"
],
[
"Mehmet Ali Agca,"
],
[
"Rome's St. Peter's Square"
],
[
"1981"
],
[
"John Paul"
],
[
"Agca"
]
] | Mehmet Ali Agca severely wounded the pope in 1981 attack .
Pope John Paul II reportedly forgave Acga during a 1983 prison visit .
Agca was granted clemency by Italy, but jailed again for another killing . |
It was hard to miss the bright yellow Student Driver bumper sticker on the back of the car driven by Tosha Mulligan. Tosha Mullgian, 19, has attention deficit disorder. She says her mind wanders when she drives. Getting a driver's license is a rite of passage for many teenagers, but the process was a bit more challenging for 19-year-old Mulligan of Acworth, Georgia. She has attention deficit disorder. When she gets behind the wheel, she said, "Sometimes my mind wanders off." She's not alone. Researchers reported driving can be a serious problem for teens with ADD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Motor vehicle accidents already are the leading cause of death among teenagers in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Experts such as Russell Barkley say ADD and ADHD compound the problem. Barkley, a psychiatry professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, is a widely recognized expert on ADD and driving. He has investigated the topic for 15 years and conducted a half-dozen studies, some of which have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Teen drivers with ADD or ADHD "are impulsive, highly distractible and clumsy, can't pay attention to the roadway and they get bored easily," he said. Health Minute: More on teens driving with ADD/ADHD » Mulligan's driving instructor, Jerry Thielemann of Freedom and Mobility Driver Training and Evaluation in Marietta, Georgia, experienced that firsthand. He works with teenagers with ADD three to four times a week. "A person with ADD pays attention to someone walking down the street rather than a car coming toward them," Mulligan said. "They don't know what to focus on." Barkley sees speeding as a key problem. "In general, people with ADHD speed four times more often than those without ADHD," he said. His research shows that those with ADD or ADHD are two to three times more likely to have an auto accident, three times more likely in the first five to eight years of driving to have their licenses revoked and five times more likely to get a parking ticket. In all three instances, Barkley pointed to the impatient and impulsive nature that is common among people with ADD or ADHD. Chris Zeigler Dendy, author of "Teenagers with ADD and ADHD," raised a son and a stepson with the condition. "We were worried sick about our kids when they started driving because both had ADHD," Dendy recalled. "They both started getting speeding tickets and having car wrecks. One of them even had his license suspended." That was nearly 20 years ago. Today, Dendy said, she understands what was behind their troubles. "I think the good news is that parents today are so much better informed than we were, plus laws have tightened up so you get one ticket or step out of line and your license is gone," she said. Dendy credited proper medication with helping get her sons back on track. "Research tells us that with medication they are more likely to pay attention to road signs and less likely to have road rage," Dendy explained. She worried about parents who may not be as vigilant when it comes to monitoring their teen's driving behavior, especially during high-risk times. "One is after school from 3 to 6 and the other is on weekend evenings," she said. She mentioned those are often the hours when medication starts to wear off or when teens may be more likely to skip a dosage. Barkley acknowledged the parents who decline to medicate their children who have ADD or ADHD, but he believes "Medication is more effective than any other treatment." Barkley also cautioned that people with ADD are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and are unable to drive safely after drinking. He told teens to put away their cell phones, MP3 players and other items that might distract them while driving. Barkley suggested parents closely monitor their teenagers and provide sign-in and sign-out sheets in the garage to track | [
"Who is sensitive to the effects of alcohol?",
"Who has a greater tendency to speed?",
"Who speeds more?",
"People with ADD are more sensitive to what?",
"What two disorders compound the problem of teen car accident deaths?"
] | [
[
"people with ADD"
],
[
"people with ADHD"
],
[
"people with ADHD"
],
[
"the effects of alcohol"
],
[
"ADD and ADHD"
]
] | ADD and ADHD compound the problem of teen car accident deaths, experts say .
Drivers with ADHD have a greater tendency to speed .
People with ADD are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol .
ADD or ADHD teens should stay in a learner's permit program longer, experts say . |
It's a disease that affects millions of women in Africa, yet talking about it has been considered a taboo, and that silence has been deadly. Nigeria's Princess Nikky Onyeri has dedicated her life to speaking out to raise awareness about breast cancer in Africa. Princess Nikky Onyeri is not a member of a royal family, "Princess" is a given name, but for many of Nigeria's cancer survivors she is their princess. It's a passionate cause that defines her life. Based in Abuja, Nigeria, Onyeri has lobbied the Government to do more to help women with cancer. The impetus behind her drive and persistence is a wrong diagnosis of cancer 15 years ago. | [
"Who was misdiagosed with cancer",
"The Nigerian Government was lobbied to do more for who?",
"who is campaigning?",
"Where is the health advocate from?",
"What happened 15 years ago?",
"what is she lobbying?",
"Which government is being lobbied"
] | [
[
"Princess Nikky Onyeri"
],
[
"women with cancer."
],
[
"Princess Nikky Onyeri"
],
[
"Nigeria's"
],
[
"wrong diagnosis of cancer"
],
[
"the Government to do more to help women with cancer."
],
[
"Nigeria,"
]
] | Health advocate from Nigeria campaigns for better awareness of breast cancer .
Lobbies Nigerian Government to do more for women with cancer .
Was misdiagnosed with cancer 15 years ago; issue still a taboo in Africa . |
Ithaca, New York (CNN) -- Two suspected cases of suicide on the Cornell University campus have officially been confirmed by the Tompkins County chief medical examiner, bringing the total number of suicides for the academic year to six.
Cornell officials had previously said authorities confirmed four other deaths at the school as suicides.
The medical examiner says his office has been in touch with the families of the latest suicide victims.
"They have all been made aware of the manner of death," Dr. Howard Socoff told CNN.
The rash of cases has rocked the highly competitive Ivy League school in central New York State.
The most recent suicides came on successive days and prompted the university's mental health initiatives director, Timothy Marchell, to declare a "public health crisis."
In February, a freshman jumped off a bridge over one of the area's well-known gorges. The body of a sophomore engineering major was found March 11 under similar circumstances. Police are also searching for a body in another suicide witnessed March 12.
David Skorton, who became president of Cornell in 2005, has been praised by counselors for encouraging openness on an issue that many schools try to cover up.
In an e-mail to students on Friday, he encouraged them to use available suicide-prevention resources.
Skorton placed full-page ads in the university newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun, every day this week, which read, "If you learn anything at Cornell, please learn to ask for help. It is a sign of wisdom and strength."
The message may be getting through. The first sentence of the quote has been written in chalk on one of the bridges where the suicides took place.
The cause of the wave of suicides is unclear, Marchell said.
The national average for school suicides is 7.29 per year for every 100,000 students, said Paula Clayton, medical director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. That means Cornell, with 19,639 students, should average fewer than two suicides a year.
Cornell had no suicides from 2005 to 2008, according to Marchell. And the school has consistently fallen within or below the national average, said Karen Carr, assistant dean of students at Cornell.
The school has been praised by psychologists such as Keith Anderson, chairman of the American College Health Association's Mental Health Best Practices Task Force, for counseling and prevention programs that confront the issue of student suicide with comprehensive training and understanding.
Cornell responded to a cluster of suicides in the late 1990s with comprehensive training for members of the university community.
Everyone on campus, including janitors, administrators, residential advisers and professors, is trained to look for symptoms of depression. Freshmen are screened for indicators of psychological disorders, and multiple counseling services are available for students in need.
"I know that they've been doing a lot of outreach efforts to educate the community. Cornell is kind of a model in some ways," said Anderson, a staff psychologist at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy, New York.
In response to the current wave of suicides, Cornell will "strengthen the capacity of the community to know what to do," Marchell said. "They will be showing nonmental health professionals what role they can play and help students and faculty get the kind of support that they need."
The school also has posted guards to monitor the bridges over the gorges.
On Wednesday, campus clubs such as Cornell Minds Matters took part in a schoolwide event to promote mental health awareness.
CNN's Cassie Spodak contributed to this report. | [
"Who says the office has been in touch with families of the latest suicide victims?",
"Who says the cause of the wave of suicide remains unclear?",
"What did mental health cheif say?",
"What has rocked the Ivy league school?",
"What was school praised for?",
"Who has the school been praised by?"
] | [
[
"The medical examiner"
],
[
"Marchell"
],
[
"\"They have all been made aware of the manner of death,\""
],
[
"cases of suicide"
],
[
"encouraging openness"
],
[
"psychologists"
]
] | Rash of cases has rocked the Ivy League school in central New York State .
Medical examiner: Office has been in touch with families of latest suicide victims .
School has been praised by psychologists for its openness about the suicides .
Cornell mental health chief says cause of the wave of suicides is unclear . |
JACKSON, Tennessee (CNN) -- Tornadoes and storms in the mid-South have killed 55 people since Tuesday evening in the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States in more than 20 years. A police officer walks past destroyed cars on the Union University campus in Jackson, Tennessee, Wednesday. The storms ripped apart homes and trapped residents of university dorms and a retirement home in debris. The trail of death stretched across four states, with four people killed in Alabama, 13 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and 31 in Tennessee. In some cases, there was almost no warning before the severe weather hit. James Baskin of Jackson, Tennessee, was driving a car when a twister "just picked us up and threw us," he said. Everyone in the car was injured, including his daughter's friend, who suffered a broken collarbone. "We'll get through it. Nobody's dead. That's the biggest thing," Baskin said. The storm system was becoming less intense as it moved east Wednesday, CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano said, but the National Weather Service issued tornado and severe storm warnings and said extreme weather still was possible. President Bush said Wednesday he had called the governors of the affected states to offer help and to tell them that "the American people hold those who suffered up in prayer." The Federal Emergency Management Agency was deploying teams to the area, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said Wednesday. "We're going to keep watching this," he said. See map of where storms hit » In Sumner County, Tennessee, two victims were found outside a house that had been blown away by the storm, said Jay Austin, the county's primary death investigator. Elsewhere in the area, a mother was found dead in a creek bed about 50 yards from where her house stood. Her baby was found alive 250 yards away. The child was taken to a local hospital, Austin said. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Highway Patrol reported looting in hard-hit Macon County, CNN affiliate WSMV reported. Macon County Mayor Shelvy Linville told CNN Thursday that the death toll in the county had risen to 13. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, who flew over the disaster area Wednesday, said he was stunned by the storm's power. Watch Bredesen describe a 'nightmare' » "I don't think that I have seen, since I've been governor, a tornado where the combination of the intensity of it and the length of the track was as large as this one," Bredesen said. "That track had to be 25 miles long. [The twister] didn't skip like a lot of them do. ... It's just 25 miles of a tornado sitting on the ground." In Jackson, Tennessee, a tornado trapped Union University students and retirees in collapsed buildings, said Julie Oaks, a spokeswoman for the state's Emergency Management Agency. Watch how the tornado devastated the campus » "It looks like a war zone," said university President David Dockery. "Cars and trucks thrown from one side of the campus to the other." Dockery said the women's dorms were destroyed, along with two academic buildings. Many other school buildings received lesser damage. See photos of chaos left by storm » Classes were canceled at least until February 18, he said. Nine students were hospitalized overnight, but there were no life-threatening injuries, according to university spokesman Tim Elsworth. To the west, a tornado swept through the southeastern section of Memphis in Shelby County. The storms yanked the roof off a hangar at Memphis International Airport, the National Weather Service said. Oaks said one person was killed at the Hickory Ridge Mall in Shelby County. Company officials believe a tornado hit a compressor station for the Columbia Gulf Transmission company in Hartsville, Tennessee, about 40 miles northeast of Nashville, setting off a spectacular natural gas fire. Watch flames leap hundreds of feet » The blaze could be seen in the night sky for miles around, | [
"Tornado outbreak was deadliest in U.S. in how long?",
"what was the deadliest in the u.s. in more than 20 years?",
"How many people died in Kentucky?",
"who much did the death toll rise in macon county, tennessee?",
"Where was the 13th death?",
"31 people were killed in what states?"
] | [
[
"more than 20 years."
],
[
"Tornadoes and storms"
],
[
"seven"
],
[
"13."
],
[
"Macon County,"
],
[
"Tennessee."
]
] | NEW: Death toll rises to 55 with report of a 13th death in Macon County, Tennessee .
Tornado outbreak was deadliest in the U.S. in more than 20 years .
31 people killed in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, 7 in Kentucky, 4 in Alabama . |
JACKSONVILLE, Florida (CNN) -- Four people were killed and several injured after an explosion Wednesday at a chemical plant sent a thick plume of smoke over a section of Jacksonville, authorities said.
A thick plume of smoke rises Wednesday at a chemical plant in Jacksonville, Florida.
"Literally, it's a hellish inferno. There is no other way to describe it," said Fire Department spokesman Tom Francis.
Fourteen people were hospitalized after the blast at the T2 Lab on Faye Road, in an industrial area on the waterfront in north Jacksonville, Francis said.
Officials initially ordered an evacuation of nearby businesses, but by 4 p.m. the order had been lifted after tests of the air found no toxicity, Francis said.
Firefighters were still battling hot spots, and the effort will be going on for "quite some time," he said. See an I-Report account about the blast »
Six of those injured were transported to Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, hospital spokeswoman Kelly Brockmeier said. A Shands official said the hospital incident command system had been activated -- something done to put the staff in high alert in anticipation of trauma patients.
A woman who answered the T2 Lab's 24-hour facility emergency phone said the plant manufactures ecotane, a gasoline additive that reduces tailpipe emissions, according to the laboratory's Web site. See a map of the site of the explosion »
The billowing black smoke could be seen from the city's downtown, said Florida Times-Union reporter Bridget Murphy. Murphy said she talked to several workers as they walked out of the area, and they were "shaken to the core."
"They described a hissing noise and then a sound wave," she said.
Antonio Padrigan was trying to get in touch with his son, who works in a plant in the area, but was having no luck reaching him on his cell phone.
"He was shook up when he called me, but I can't get through to him anymore," Padrigan said. "I don't know if he's in the hospital or what."
CNN I-Reporters Jonathan Payne and his son Calvin, 16, shot pictures of the explosion. They felt the blast shake their home, about 15 minutes away, and went to see what was going on.
Carlton Higginbotham, 63, was working at home on Townsend Boulevard in Jacksonville when a loud boom shook his house, he said.
"It was a gunshot-type explosion; it wasn't a rumble," he said.
Higginbotham, an insurance salesman, and his neighbor ran outside and noticed thick smoke billowing from the other side of the St. Johns River, which separates his neighborhood from the site of the blast.
"The cloud that came out of it was white, some would say mushroom-shaped," Higginbotham said. "It was followed by dark, dark smoke." E-mail to a friend | [
"where firefighters are fighting?",
"What did they say?",
"What are firefighters fighting?",
"What did the official say?",
"Who were taken to hospital?",
"which is the name of the spokesman for firefighters?",
"What are firefighters still doing at the scene?",
"Were many people hurt from the fire?",
"When did the fire begin?",
"What is happening now?",
"what is it similar to?",
"What number of people were hospitalized because of the fire?",
"what caused the fire?",
"Where did the injured people been taken to",
"What did the spokesman say?",
"What did the spokesman say to the reporter?",
"Who said that 14 people had been taken to hospital?",
"In what city did the fire take place?",
"What did spokesman tell reporters?",
"what is the amount of people that have been taken to hospitals?",
"What kind of description are fire officials giving the fire?",
"What were the firefighters doing on Wednesday?"
] | [
[
"Jacksonville, Florida."
],
[
"\"They described a hissing noise and then a sound wave,\""
],
[
"an explosion"
],
[
"\"Literally, it's a hellish inferno. There is no other way to describe it,\""
],
[
"Fourteen people"
],
[
"Tom Francis."
],
[
"battling hot spots,"
],
[
"Fourteen"
],
[
"Wednesday"
],
[
"Firefighters were still battling hot spots, and the effort will be going on for \"quite some time,\""
],
[
"hellish inferno."
],
[
"Fourteen"
],
[
"explosion"
],
[
"Shands Hospital in Jacksonville,"
],
[
"\"Literally, it's a hellish inferno. There is no other way to describe it,\""
],
[
"describe it,\""
],
[
"Tom Francis."
],
[
"Jacksonville, Florida."
],
[
"\"Literally, it's a hellish inferno. There is no other way to describe it,\""
],
[
"Fourteen"
],
[
"hellish inferno."
],
[
"still battling hot spots,"
]
] | NEW: Fire Department spokesman: 14 have been taken to area hospitals .
Firefighters still fighting hot spots Wednesday afternoon, official says .
"It's a hellish inferno," he tells reporters . |
JACKSONVILLE, Florida (CNN) -- Eduardo Gonzalez, a petty officer second class with the U.S. Navy, is about to be deployed overseas for a third time. Making his deployment even tougher is the fact his wife may not be around when he comes back.
Mildred and Eduardo Gonzalez worry about what would happen to their family if she is deported.
His wife faces deportation to Guatemala -- her home country that she hasn't seen since 1989. He also doesn't know what would happen to his young son, Eduardo Jr., if that happens.
"I like being in uniform and serving my country, but if she goes back I'm going to have to give it all up and just get out and take care of my son and get a job," he said.
"Defending the country that's trying to kick my family out is a thought that always runs through my mind."
Gonzalez, who works on helicopters that bring cargo, supplies and military personnel in and out of Iraq, testified before a House Judiciary Committee panel last month, detailing his situation and urging officials to consider some sort of policy to deal with cases like his, where military members' families could be deported while they're defending their country overseas. Watch "they're tearing families apart" »
"I want to serve my country 100 percent. But with this issue in the back of my mind, I feel I can't do that," he testified on September 6.
The U.S. military does not have a policy to deal with such cases. Each is handled case-by-case, not by the military, but by immigration authorities. The government doesn't have numbers on how many military members are in predicaments similar to Gonzalez's.
Immigration officials also said marrying a U.S. citizen does not mean the spouse is automatically entitled to U.S. citizenship or permanent legal status.
Lt. Col. Margaret Stock, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves who teaches immigration law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, said she believes there should be an overall policy dealing with the potential deportation of family members of active duty military members.
"You got to understand. When you're in a combat zone, you need to be focusing all of your energies on fighting the enemy. You can't be worried that your loved ones back home could be shipped off to a foreign country where you're never going to see them again," she said.
Stock also said the government is conflicted about how to treat such cases. On the one hand, the government is supposed to be providing military families with assistance, housing and other forms of benefits while their spouses are overseas. On the other hand, the same government is trying to deport the very same people.
"What's happening right now is, because of the dysfunction and complexity of our immigration laws, we've got people fighting overseas who are facing the impossible situation of having family members facing deportation back home," she said.
In Gonzalez's case, his wife, Mildred, came to the United States with her mother in 1989 when she was 5 years old. They were granted political asylum because of their status as war refugees from Guatemala.
In September 2000, Mildred's mother applied for legalization and included her daughter in that application. Her mother was granted legal status in July 2004, according to Gonzalez.
However, six weeks earlier, Gonzalez and Mildred got married, canceling Mildred's ability to apply for legal status through her mother because she was no longer an unmarried daughter under the age of 21. As a result, her legal status still remains in jeopardy.
A judge in June granted her a one-year extension to remain in the United States. If her legal status does not change by June 8, 2008, she will have 60 days to voluntarily leave the country or face deportation.
That's just fine, according to Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which lobbies for tougher laws on illegal immigration.
"What you're talking | [
"What does the sailor find tough",
"When could a sailor's wife be deported?",
"Whose wife could be deported while he's overseas?",
"What did the Sailor say?",
"What will the military do?",
"What is tough for the sailor?",
"Who wants to be safe?",
"What country is the sailor defending?",
"What could happen to the sailor's wife",
"what does US stand for?",
"What is the sailor's wife in risk of?",
"Who could be deported?",
"Does the military have a policy for such situations?"
] | [
[
"the fact his wife may not be around when he comes back."
],
[
"while they're defending their country overseas."
],
[
"Eduardo Gonzalez"
],
[
"\"Defending the country that's trying to kick my family out is a thought that always runs through my mind.\""
],
[
"does not have a policy to deal with such cases."
],
[
"his wife may not be around when he comes back."
],
[
"Mildred"
],
[
"U.S."
],
[
"deportation"
],
[
"United States."
],
[
"deportation"
],
[
"His wife"
],
[
"not"
]
] | Sailor's wife could be deported while he's overseas .
Sailor: "Defending the country that's trying to kick my family out" is tough .
U.S. military doesn't have overall policy to handle such situations .
Wife: "We just want to feel safe and have a home just like everybody else" |
JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) -- Christina Laurean has told authorities she was attending a Christmas party on the night her husband allegedly killed pregnant Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach, according to police. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean, wanted for murder, may have fled to his native Mexico. Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean is charged with first-degree murder. He remains at large, and authorities say he may have fled to Mexico. Also, an affidavit obtained Thursday by CNN states that Christina Laurean knew about the death one day before reporting it to authorities. The Marines were assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach was eight months pregnant when she was reported missing December 19. Authorities say she was killed four days earlier. A warrant allowed authorities to search Western Union records. Authorities said in the accompanying affidavit that Cesar Laurean and his wife received a transfer of money between December 10 and January 12. The affidavit provided no other details. Authorities requested the search warrant and all accompanying documents be sealed. The FBI says Laurean may have fled to his native country of Mexico. Cesar Laurean, 21, is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He mailed at least one letter from Houston, Texas, since his disappearance, CNN affiliate KPRC in Houston reported Thursday. According to the affidavit, Christina Laurean, 25 -- who also is a Marine -- went with her husband to a Jacksonville attorney on January 10, and the lawyer told Cesar Laurean he could face the death penalty. The next day, Christina Laurean reported Lauterbach's death to the Onslow County Sheriff's Office, where she appeared with an attorney and a sergeant from her former chain of command. She turned over to deputies several notes from her husband that she said she found at their home. In the notes, Cesar Laurean said Lauterbach committed suicide and he buried her. Lauterbach, 20, had accused Cesar Laurean of raping her and was to testify at a military hearing not long after her disappearance. According to a co-worker, she feared Cesar Laurean, although the military said she told prosecutors she did not. Lauterbach's allegations involved two encounters -- one on or about March 26 and one approximately two weeks later, the Marines told CNN. Lauterbach received two protective orders, one of which was in effect when she died. Christina Laurean on January 11 told authorities her husband had denied the rape allegations and said he was not the baby's father, according to the affidavit. In the document she says her husband told her: Dubois contends the facts show probable cause exists to show that Cesar Laurean "committed murder." The detective said he doesn't believe Lauterbach committed suicide, especially because she had told people she wanted the child. Christina Laurean told police she was at a Christmas party for her husband's Marine unit during the late afternoon and evening of December 15, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown told CNN. Her husband did not attend the party, she told authorities. Lauterbach's charred remains and those believed to be of her unborn child were found in a fire pit in the Laureans' backyard. Police have said blood spatters were found throughout the Laurean home on walls and ceilings, and evidence showed someone tried to clean them up and paint over them. DNA testing is being conducted to see if Lauterbach's unborn baby was fathered by Cesar Laurean, Brown said, adding there was no rush on the part of detectives to get those results. The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Cesar Laurean's arrest. Anyone in Mexico with information is asked to contact the legal attache at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Meanwhile, authorities have discovered the weapon likely used to kill Lauterbach, a spokesman for the Onslow County Sheriff's Office said Thursday. Authorities have said the woman died of blunt force trauma to the head. A man who had rented a room to Lauterbach, Sgt. Daniel Durham, told investigators he found a note from her December 14 -- the day she was last seen -- saying she was tired of | [
"DNA testing may prove who fathered the victim's child?",
"Where is the marine going?",
"The husband did not show up to what on the date of the killing?",
"What is the DNA test for?",
"Who did the marine speak to?",
"where Marine fled the next day?",
"The Marine is believed to be headed where?"
] | [
[
"Cesar Laurean,"
],
[
"Mexico."
],
[
"Christmas party"
],
[
"to see if Lauterbach's unborn baby was fathered by Cesar Laurean,"
],
[
"CNN."
],
[
"Mexico."
],
[
"Mexico."
]
] | NEW: Woman says husband didn't show up at a party on suspected date of killing .
NEW: DNA testing under way to see if Cesar Laurean fathered the victim's child .
Accused Marine and his wife spoke to lawyer after pregnant Marine slain .
Marine fled the next day, is believed to have headed to native Mexico . |
JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) -- Police believe they have found the remains of a missing Marine buried in the backyard of the prime suspect in the case and blood spatter evidence inside his home, authorities said Friday evening. Investigators search for the body of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach Friday. Tests found the "trace of violent activity in the house" and "evidence of an attempted cleanup," said Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown. Investigators are treating the death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach as a murder, Brown added. Lauterbach, 20 -- who was eight months pregnant -- was reported missing from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, by her mother December 19. Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean, whom Lauterbach had accused of rape, is the suspected killer, and is being sought, Brown said. He confirmed that Laurean had left a note, but did not divulge what it said. Investigators told CNN, however, that Laurean left a note to his wife saying Lauterbach had committed suicide and that he buried the body. "Evidence now is saying what he's claiming happened did not happen like he said it happened," Brown said. Authorities searching Laurean's home found a cavity in his backyard earlier Friday. A preliminary investigation indicated a "suspicious situation," prompting police to secure the scene and wait for daylight Saturday. Watch authorities search for a grave » "We think that we have found what would be the skeletal remains [of Lauterbach]," Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson told reporters. While authorities will not know for sure until Saturday, "there are certainly some strong indicators that there are human remains" buried in the cavity, he said. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand if there's a cavity out back and blood on the inside, that's probably going to be a key location for where this crime may have taken place," Brown said. He also hinted that investigators have uncovered more twists in the case. "I do think this case is going to be a bizarre ending, and when I say bizarre, more than just a death and a burial." Brown stunned reporters earlier in the day by opening a press conference with the announcement: "She is dead, and she is buried." Watch Brown describe the cavity » Laurean, a 21-year-old from Nevada, is believed to have left the Marine base about 4 a.m. Friday, driving a black Dodge pickup with North Carolina license plate TRR1522, Brown said. He repeatedly refused to meet with investigators, finally telling them that his attorney wouldn't let him. The sheriff was downcast at a midday news conference. "These cases, investigations, become personal. I just want to cry," he said. "I'm telling you, at this point, I'm down, way down." Watch sheriff announce that Marine is dead » Mary Lauterbach reported her daughter missing after being unable to contact her. She said she last spoke to her December 14. In a handwritten note, the Lauterbach family in Vandalia, Ohio, mourned their loss. "We would like to thank everyone for their prayers in this time of grieving," the note said. "Maria has been a gift for her family and friends. The outpouring of love from family, friends, neighbors and the general community has been very touching. "Please understand that the family needs time alone to deal with this tragedy. We wish to thank everyone for their love and concern." "They're having a very difficult time dealing with this," said Peter Steiner, a Kentucky psychiatrist who is Maria Lauterbach's uncle and Mary Lauterbach's brother. "They remained hopeful, and really, although everyone knew it was a possibility, it was very difficult when it became apparent." Brown said a witness came forward Friday morning with a statement and evidence that convinced authorities Lauterbach was dead. Brown wouldn't name the witness, or describe Lauterbach's cause of death, except to say she died | [
"Who left a note?",
"Who's remains were found?",
"Where was the trace of activity found?",
"Who is the suspect?",
"Who came forward?"
] | [
[
"Laurean"
],
[
"Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach"
],
[
"in the house\""
],
[
"Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean,"
],
[
"a witness"
]
] | NEW: Tests find "trace of violent activity in the house," sheriff says .
NEW: Investigators: Suspect left a note saying Marine had committed suicide .
NEW: Source: Witness who came forward Friday is suspect's wife .
Official: We think we have found Lauterbach's skeletal remains . |
JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina (CNN) -- The remains of an adult and a fetus were found Saturday in a shallow grave in the backyard of the primary suspect in the death of a pregnant Marine, Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown announced. Investigators search for the body of Marine Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach on Saturday. An arrest warrant has been issued for Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean in the death of Lance Cpl. Maria Lauterbach. He is charged with first-degree murder, although authorities have not positively identified the body as hers. "This is consistent with what we were looking for: A pregnant lady who is the victim Maria Lauterbach and her unborn child," Brown said. The body was charred, and the fetus was in the victim's abdomen, Brown said, describing the scene in gruesome detail. The fetus was developed enough that the "little hand was about the size of my thumb. The little fingers were rolled up," he said. "One of the things that will probably stick with me for a long time, and forever, is that little hand, the way those fingers were turned, that had been burned off the arm. That is bizarre. That is tragic. And it's disgusting." Watch Brown describe the scene » The remains were taken to the Onslow County medical examiner's office. They will next be sent to the chief medical examiner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for DNA testing and comparison with dental records. Lauterbach, 20, disappeared, when she was eight months pregnant, from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in mid-December, not long before she was to testify at a military hearing about her rape accusation against Laurean. Laurean is believed to have left the base at 4 a.m. Friday, and a nationwide manhunt is under way. Watch authorities search for a grave » Lauterbach's relatives believe her pregnancy was the result of the alleged rape, said Lauterbach's uncle, Peter Steiner, a Kentucky psychiatrist. Investigators told CNN that Laurean vanished four hours before his wife, Christina, approached Brown with a note from her husband claiming that Lauterbach had committed suicide and he buried the body. "We believe our suspect has fled the state of North Carolina; removed himself as far from here as he can get," Brown said Saturday. Watch Brown describe the cavity where the body was found » Brown said Friday that blood spatter evidence was found inside Laurean's home, even on a ceiling. There was evidence of "an attempted clean-up," including an attempt to paint over the blood spatter, he said. "Evidence now is saying what he's claiming happened did not happen like he said it happened," Brown said of Laurean. Lauterbach's mother, Mary Lauterbach, reported the young woman as missing from Camp Lejeune on December 19. Mary Lauterbach said she had not talked with her for five days. Watch police face unanswered questions » Laurean, 21, of Nevada, is believed to be driving a black Dodge pickup with North Carolina license plate TRR1522. Laurean repeatedly refused to meet with investigators, finally telling them that his attorney wouldn't let him. The sheriff described him as "dangerous," especially if cornered. Military officials said Laurean was not taken into custody after Lauterbach reported the alleged rape because there was information the two carried on "some sort of friendly relationship" after she filed the complaint against him. "The information ... leads us to believe that she still had some kind of contact" with him, said Paul Ciccarelli, agent in charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service at Camp Lejeune, this week. Because of that, Laurean wasn't considered a flight risk, he said. Steiner disputed that, and said his niece had no relationship with Laurean. Ciccarelli also said the rape investigation is still active. See a timeline of the case » On Friday, authorities questioned Lauterbach's roommate, Sgt. Daniel Durham, but said he had no apparent ties to her disappearance or death. Authorities have not | [
"What is the discovery consistent with?",
"What was found on the house and ceiling?",
"What rank is the accused?",
"What was Cpl...Cesar Armando Lauren charged with?",
"Who was charged with first degree murder?",
"Who said the find is \"consistent with hat we are looking for?",
"What crime did the missing marine charge her fellow marine with?",
"Who has been charged with first-degree murder?",
"What armed force was involved?"
] | [
[
"the victim Maria Lauterbach and her unborn child,\""
],
[
"blood spatter evidence"
],
[
"Cpl."
],
[
"first-degree murder,"
],
[
"Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean"
],
[
"Ed Brown"
],
[
"rape"
],
[
"Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean"
],
[
"Marine,"
]
] | NEW: The discovery is "consistent with what we were looking for," sheriff says .
NEW: Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean is charged with first-degree murder .
Sheriff says blood found in house, even on ceiling .
Missing pregnant Marine had accused suspect -- a fellow Marine -- of rape . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesia is no stranger to bombings such as the one that rocked two luxury hotels in Jakarta on Friday. Indonesian counter-terrorist police commandos secure the damaged Ritz-Carlton hotel in Jakarta. As authorities sift through the rubble of the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels, which were struck by bombs that killed at least eight people, some could not help but think about past bombings in the Southeast Asian country. In 2002, a bombing at two night clubs on the island of Bali killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. More than 300 people -- many of them young Australians on vacation -- were wounded by the massive blasts in the town of Kuta. Dozens of victims were burned beyond recognition or blown to pieces. The bombing was blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah -- a terror group with ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network. The group is suspected in other bombings. Many of those convicted in the plot were sentenced to death or life in prison. In August 2003, the same JW Marriott Hotel that was attacked Friday was bombed, killing 12. The Australian Embassy in Jakarta was targeted in 2004. A powerful car bomb shook Jakarta's central business district, blowing a hole through the embassy's security gate, killing at least eight people and wounding about 168. A year later, three suicide bombers targeted two tourist spots on the resort island of Bali. The bombings -- two at the cafes near Jimbaran Beach and one at a restaurant in Kuta's main square -- killed 19 people and wounded at least 132, according to hospital officials. Despite the string of bombings, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said Indonesia has made strides in addressing terrorist groups. Watch an eyewitness report of the blasts » "We have made significant progress in curbing the activities of terrorists," the spokesman said. Watch a report on suspects behind the blasts » "In recent years, we have several preventative successes in arresting terrorist cells just before they were able to make their attacks. And we have not had an attack since the Bali bombing several years ago. But this is a blow. This is a blow to us. But we will find out the perpetrators." | [
"What happen to the JW marriott Hotel in 2003?",
"Who was blamed for it?",
"what did the presidential spokesman say about Indonesia?",
"Who was the bombing blamed on?",
"Who said that Indonesia has made strides in addressing terrorism?",
"What does the spokesman say?",
"What year did the bombing of night clubs on the island of Bali take place?",
"What happened in Bali in 2002?",
"What happened in 2002?"
] | [
[
"was bombed, killing 12."
],
[
"Jemaah Islamiyah"
],
[
"has made strides in addressing terrorist groups."
],
[
"Jemaah Islamiyah"
],
[
"presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal"
],
[
"\"We have made significant progress in curbing the activities of terrorists,\""
],
[
"2002,"
],
[
"a bombing at two night clubs"
],
[
"a bombing at two night clubs on the island of Bali killed 202 people,"
]
] | In 2002, a bombing at two night clubs on the island of Bali killed 202 people .
Bombing blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah, a terror group with ties to al Qaeda .
In 2003 , the same JW Marriott Hotel attacked Friday was bombed, killing 12 .
Presidential spokesman says Indonesia has made strides in addressing terrorism . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- An Indonesian court has sentenced the alleged military commander of an al Qaeda-linked terror network to 15 years in prison. Abu Dujana is suspected of plotting attacks on the Australian Embassy and J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta. Abu Dujana is the alleged leader of the military wing of Jemaah Islamiyah, a group that is thought to be linked to al Qaeda. It aims to create a Muslim "superstate" across much of Southeast Asia. Dujana, a slight, wiry man, is accused of direct involvement in the Bali nightclub bombings of 2002 that killed more than 200, mostly Western, tourists. He is also suspected of plotting subsequent attacks on the Australian Embassy and J.W. Marriott hotel, both in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Furthermore, authorities say Dujana is behind the violence in Poso, on Indonesia's eastern Sulawesi island. Fighting between Muslims and Christians periodically breaks out in the region and sometimes turns deadly. Police have accused Jemaah Islamiyah of sending armed militants to Poso. The court found Dujana guilty Monday of illegally possessing firearms and explosives, and of harboring suspected terrorists. His lawyers said they may appeal the sentence. After his arrest last June following a four-year hunt, Dujana admitted to CNN that he was Jemaah Islamiyah's military chief. But he said that happened only after the attacks on Western targets. He described Jemaah Islamiyah to CNN as "an underground organization," saying "it will continue to exist and continue to move on with its plans" to create an Islamic state under Sharia law despite his capture. "When a part of it is cut off ...there will be a replacement, it's only natural," he said. Dujana denied being involved in the Marriott Hotel attack. He told CNN that he helped fugitive suspect Noordin Top plan the attack, meeting him both before and after the devastating blast that killed 12 people and injured 150. "It's true, I did have a meeting with Noordin before the Marriott bombing but that doesn't mean I was involved in the attack," he said. "In that meeting, we're just aligning our views with each other -- there was absolutely no discussion about planning any bombing." In his CNN interview, Dujana was quick with messages of hate, calling all Westerners legitimate targets because of the actions of leaders like U.S. President George W. Bush and then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who he says are not giving Muslims the chance to be in power. Dujana studied in Pakistan and fought in Afghanistan from 1988 to 1991. He told CNN that he met al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan during the fight against Soviet occupation. At the time, bin Laden was a field commander and he was an ordinary soldier, he said. Dujana said bin Laden was well respected then and helped him and others realize that it was permissible to kill people to defend Islam. "I didn't read it in the Quran," he said. " It's based on the teachings of our teachers, clerics, especially what Osama bin Laden first said." "Because of America's arrogance, many in the Muslim world know, believe, it's permissible to kill American soldiers. It's halal; it's permitted," he said. The court declared Jemaah Islamiyah a terrorist organization Monday and ordered it to pay 10 million rupiah ($1,088). Around the same time Dujana was captured last June, authorities also apprehended Jemaah Islamiyah's leader, known simply as Zarkasih. A verdict on his case is expected soon. Last week, two other top Jemaah Islamiyah leaders -- Dr. Agus Purwanto and Abdur Rohim -- were brought to Indonesia following their arrest in Malaysia. Both are being investigated for their possible role in fomenting violence in Poso. Terrorism expert Sidney Jones says Abdur Rohim is believed to have replaced Zarkasih as Jemaah Islamiyah leader. "It is another major blow to Jemaah Islamiyah, but difficult to tell what the impact will be," Jones told CNN via e-mail last week. "It could embolden a | [
"What did Dujana admit to?",
"What was Dujana accused of?",
"When were the Bali nightclub bombings?",
"What is Dujana accused of ?",
"What was Abu Dujana sentenced to?",
"Which military wing was Dujana the leader of?",
"What was Dujana's sentence",
"Who did the Indonesian court sentence to 15 years in prison?",
"When was Dujana arrested?",
"Who sentenced Abu Dujana to prison?",
"Who is the alleged leader of the military wing of Jemaah Islamiyah?"
] | [
[
"he was Jemaah Islamiyah's military chief."
],
[
"plotting attacks on the Australian Embassy and J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta."
],
[
"2002"
],
[
"plotting attacks on the Australian Embassy and J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta."
],
[
"15 years in prison."
],
[
"Jemaah Islamiyah,"
],
[
"15 years in prison."
],
[
"Abu Dujana"
],
[
"last June,"
],
[
"An Indonesian court"
],
[
"Abu Dujana"
]
] | Indonesian court sentences Abu Dujana to 15 years in prison .
Dujana is the alleged leader of the military wing of Jemaah Islamiyah .
Dujana is accused of direct involvement in the Bali nightclub bombings of 2002 .
After his arrest last June, Dujana admitted he was Jemaah Islamiyah's military chief . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- A U.S. mining company has denied a report by Indonesia's state media that a convoy of its buses came under fire in the province of Papua Wednesday. Indonesian soldiers provide security near a PT Freeport-owned gold mine in Timika, Papua province, on July 18. The state-run Antara News Agency had said that two people were reportedly killed when a 12-bus convoy carrying employees of PT Freeport was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the country's eastern-most province. The company clarified that a vehicle was wrecked in the province, killing one person and wounding several others. When police and mechanics drove to the area to assist, shots were fired at them. Three people were hurt in the shooting, the company said. "No shots were fired at the PT-FI bus convoy as earlier reported," the company said. Following the company's comments, Antara's Web site changed its report to reflect the new information. PT Freeport is the largest copper and gold mining company in the province. Attacks directed at the company killed an Australian mine technician and two Indonesians on July 11 and 12. And two directors of the company were wounded Friday in a twin attack at the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in the capital Jakarta. Papua residents have long resented the presence of PT Freeport in the province. They have criticized the environmental impact of the mining operations and the small share of revenues the province receives. In 2008, a separatist group claimed responsibility for a series of bomb attacks in the area. No one died in the attacks, Antara said. In 2002, two American teachers and an Indonesian colleague who worked at the mine were shot dead in an attack, the news agency said. Meanwhile, authorities on Wednesday released sketches of two men believed to have carried out the bombings at the luxury hotels in Jakarta. One was about 40; the other 17, officials said. Analysis of their DNA matched those obtained from a homemade explosive found in a room at the Marriott where they had checked in, police said. But authorities still do not know their identities. CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report. | [
"How many shots where fired at the convoy?",
"How many people where killed in the attack?",
"Who was transporting employees of the U.S mining company?",
"What news agency is quoted",
"What caused the deaths of the two people?",
"Where there gunshots fired at the convoy?",
"Antara News Agency reported how many deaths?",
"What did the convoy transport?"
] | [
[
"\"No shots were fired at the PT-FI bus convoy as earlier reported,\""
],
[
"two"
],
[
"PT Freeport"
],
[
"Antara"
],
[
"when a 12-bus convoy carrying employees of PT Freeport was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the country's eastern-most province."
],
[
"province of Papua"
],
[
"two people"
],
[
"employees of PT Freeport"
]
] | Antara News Agency said two people were killed when convoy was attacked .
Convoy was transporting employees of U.S. mining company PT Freeport .
Company clarified a vehicle was wrecked but no shots fired at convoy .
Papua residents resent firm's presence, criticize environmental impact, little benefit . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- A baby made his way into the world this week in Indonesia at 19.2 pounds (8.7 kg) -- about three times the weight of an average newborn. The giant baby lies next to a more typically-sized newborn. Muhammad Akbar Risuddin, born Monday, is thought to be the heaviest baby born to date in Indonesia. "I was very surprised. I thought it was twins," said Binsar Sitanggang, the lead doctor in the cesarean-section delivery at Abdul Manan Hospital in North Sumatra. "It needed a longer time than normal to deliver this baby," Sitanggang said. "He was hardly breathing when we took him out. But, thank God, he is healthy." His parents, Hananuddin and Ani, who like many Indonesians use only one name, have two other children. Both were big at birth but were not abnormally large. Their new addition is 24.4 inches (62 cm) long. "We can compare this giant baby with a 9- to 10-month-old baby," Sitanggang said. "Both his parents are tall and big, so there might be a genetic cause for this." Sitanggang said the baby has already developed a robust appetite, requiring instant milk as well as breast milk. The boy has become somewhat of a celebrity. Curious people streamed into the hospital Friday for a glimpse. Even the mayor came by and had the honor of naming the infant after himself. The world's heaviest baby was born in 1879 in Ohio and weighed 23.8 pounds (10.8 kg), but the baby died 11 hours later, according to Guinness World Records. The heaviest baby to survive was a boy born in 1955 in Aversa, Italy. He weighed 22.6 pounds (10.2 kg). | [
"What was the babies weight?",
"In which country was the baby born?",
"Indonesia Baby is three times",
"What did the doctor think he was delivering?"
] | [
[
"(8.7 kg)"
],
[
"Indonesia."
],
[
"the weight of an average newborn."
],
[
"twins,\""
]
] | Baby weighing 19.2 pounds (8.7 kg) born in Indonesia .
Baby is three times the typical size of a newborn infant .
Doctor who delivered baby: "I was very surprised. I thought it was twins" |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- A suspected terrorist linked to several Indonesian bombings in the past decade was killed in a protracted firefight Saturday in the Central Java town of Temanggung, two law enforcement sources told CNN. A poster in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, has under "dicari," or"wanted," Noordin Top. Another raid by police Saturday averted a planned assassination attempt on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, authorities said. Noordin M. Top was killed during a raid by the anti-terrorism unit Detachment 88 that began Friday and lasted 18 hours into Saturday, said a police source and a security analyst with close ties to the police. Official confirmation of Top's identity will come next week after DNA results, said Indonesia's National Police Chief, Bambang Hendarso. Indonesia's anti-terrorism forces had been hunting Top for the past six years. He is also the main suspect in last month's twin hotel bombings in Jakarta. A statement attributed to Top, 40, a Malaysian-born explosives expert, claimed responsibility for the attacks that targeted Jakarta's JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels. The coordinated bombings killed seven people and the two suspected bombers, and wounded more than 50. Watch more about the raid » It was the first major terrorist attack in Indonesia in more than three years. Top is reportedly an officer, recruiter, bomb-maker and trainer for a splinter group of the militant organization Jemaah Islamiyah, which has ties to al Qaeda. He allegedly was involved in a previous attack on the Marriott in Jakarta in August 2003, as well as attacks on a Bali nightclub in 2002 and the Australian embassy in Jakarta in 2004, according to the FBI. In February 2006, the FBI added Top to its list of 10 suspected terrorists who have not been charged in the United States, and are wanted only for questioning. The ramifications of Top's death were not immediately clear. "This is a huge advance in Indonesia's fight against terror," said Sidney Jones, a senior Asia adviser for the International Crisis Group, a global nonpartisan advisory organization. "But this is not the end of it because we still don't know the extent of the network and the funding source of Noordin's network." Three to four people were believed to be holed up in the house in Temanggung, police said. Security forces had launched a raid on the house after two people believed to be nephews of its owner were arrested earlier in the day, according to the official Antara News Agency. "Police officers entered the house and fired profusely inside the house while other policemen surrounded the house and opened its windows by force," Antara said. After the gunfire ended, local television showed police with their helmets off, shaking hands and carrying caskets into the house, suggesting that those inside the house had been killed or captured. Also on Saturday, in a house on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesian police killed two militants believed to be connected with a 2004 bombing and found a cache of explosives in an early morning raid, the national police chief said. Hendarso said that police found about 100 kg (220 lbs) of explosives along with bomb-making materials and a truck, which they did not immediately open for fear it might have been rigged to explode. Those bomb-making materials were going to be used in an attack on the president, Hendarso said. The two militants killed are believed to be connected with the 2004 bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta in which 16 people were killed and more than 200 were wounded, Hendarso said. Also, a man identified as Suryana, who uses the aliases Yayan and Gepeng, was arrested in north Jakarta on suspicion of terrorism charges, said Nanan Soekarna, police inspector general. Soekarna could not say whether Suryana was connected with last month's hotel bombings or other incidents. CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report. | [
"where is jakarta",
"What was averted by raid?",
"The two militants were allegedly linked to which other embassy bombing in 2004?",
"where two militants linked bombing",
"How long did the raid last?",
"The twin hotel bombings took place in which capital city?",
"What is Top suspected of?"
] | [
[
"Indonesia"
],
[
"a planned assassination"
],
[
"Australian"
],
[
"Indonesian"
],
[
"18 hours"
],
[
"Jakarta."
],
[
"several Indonesian bombings"
]
] | NEW: Another raid averted planned assassination attempt on Indonesian president .
Top was killed during the 18-hour raid, law enforcement sources say .
Top is the main suspect in the twin hotel bombings in Jakarta last month .
Also killed: Two militants allegedly linked to the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- About 50 students broke into a Dutch consulate compound in Indonesia Wednesday to protest a film by a Dutch lawmaker that many Muslims consider anti-Islamic. Protesters demonstrate against an anti-Islamic film in front of the Dutch embassy in Jakarta. The protesters tore off the gate of the embassy in the city of Medan and ripped down a flag, said Dutch Embassy spokeswoman Gonneke de Ridder. Local television carried pictures of police dispersing and rounding up demonstrators. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation. The 15-minute film, "Fitna," features disturbing images of terrorist acts juxtaposed over verses from the Quran to paint Islam as a threat to Western society. It has been posted on several Web sites, including Google Video and YouTube. Dutch Prime Minister Jan Beter Balkanende has said his government worried that Geert Wilders' film could provoke a violent backlash. The film has prompted protests in other parts of the Muslim world. Soon after its release last month, hundreds of angry Muslims rallied in Pakistan, where the government temporarily blocked access of YouTube over a trailer for Wilders' film. The protesters burned the Dutch flag and called on Pakistan to cut ties with the Netherlands. The Dutch government and others, including the European Union and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, have rejected the film. The OIC has 57 member states over four continents and claims on its Web site to be the second largest inter-governmental organization, after the United Nations. In its statement, it urged the international community to condemn the showing of the film and asked the Dutch government to prosecute the author of the documentary under Dutch law. Wilders has stood by his project. "My intention was not to offend in any way, but to show the truth -- at least the truth as I see it," Wilders told CNN. "And if the truth hurts and could be offensive, well, this of course is not my problem." Wilders is a member of the Dutch parliament from the conservative Party for Freedom and an outspoken critic of Islam. He said he has "big problems" with Islam's Prophet Mohammed, the Quran and "everything that is stated inside this terrible book." The title, "Fitna," translates in Arabic to "strife" or "conflict" of the type that occurs within families or any other homogenous group. The film opens with passages from the Quran, interspersed with graphic images of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States . The video also includes disturbing images of other terror attacks -- bloodied victims; beheadings of hostages; executions of women in hijab, the traditional Muslim attire; and footage, with subtitles, of Islamic leaders preaching inflammatory sermons against Jews and Christians. E-mail to a friend From CNN's Kathy Quiano | [
"What job does Geert Wilders do?",
"what country is Dutch from?",
"Where did the protesters break into?",
"Who breaks into Dutch consolate compound?",
"Who is a member of the Dutch Parliament?",
"Who broke into Dutch consolate?",
"Who said the flag was pulled down?",
"Who is a conservative member of Dutch parliament?",
"What was pulled down?"
] | [
[
"a member of the Dutch parliament"
],
[
"Netherlands."
],
[
"Dutch consulate compound in Indonesia"
],
[
"About 50 students"
],
[
"Wilders"
],
[
"About 50 students"
],
[
"Gonneke de Ridder."
],
[
"Geert Wilders'"
],
[
"a flag,"
]
] | Protesters break into Dutch consolate compound in Indonesian city of Medan .
Flag pulled down, gate ripped off embassy, Dutch spokeswoman tells CNN .
Protests prompted by a film juxtaposing images of terrorism with verses from Quran .
Filmmaker Geert Wilders is a conservative member of Dutch parliament . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Ahri's chin quivers, and his large dark eyes fill with tears the 11-year-old can't control. Holding Eka Jaya, Nuraini leads son Ahri, 11, to the orphanage with dad Joni Lubis and brother Mohammed. "Be tough. I am sorry you have to go," his grandmother whispers while hugging him. His parents are taking Ahri to live in an orphanage. They swear they are not abandoning their son. "I am not throwing my child away," says his mother, Nuraini, wiping away tears. "I just want him to get a proper education. I hope that one day he'll do something useful for this country and help his brothers, because we are living in poverty." The family lives crammed into a home that's 17 feet by 17 feet in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Jakarta. Nuraini runs a small shop the family opened to try to make ends meet. Ahri's father, Joni Lubis, collects bottles from the streets, selling them to plastic and glass factories. Watch Ahri say goodbye » Ahri's parents make $2 to $3 a day, with about half of that going toward their daily rent. With the increased cost of living, what's left just isn't enough to send Ahri to school and to feed him and his two brothers, 3-year-old Mohammed and 7-month-old Eka Jaya. "I never imagined it would come to this," Nuraini admits. But for many Indonesians, it has. More than 80 percent of children in child care institutions have both their parents, according to the most recent survey conducted in 2006 by the Indonesian government. A recent study by Save the Children, UNICEF and the government says Indonesia -- the world's fourth most populous nation -- has more orphanages than any other country. This year, orphanages are reporting even higher number of parents giving up their children because they can no longer afford to feed them or send them to school. In the past year, the cost of living increased beyond many people's reach. In May, a 30 percent fuel hike set off countrywide protests. Ahri peers intently as his mother signs off custody of him to the orphanage. The other children cram their faces up against the window to see the new arrival. At least half of them at the Putra Utama 1 orphanage have been through this before as well. "The prices have gone up. [Families] can't balance their income with the prices," orphanage staffer Utari says. "By putting their children here, they are hoping that their children's education will improve." It doesn't take long for Ahri to make new friends. Soon, he's stuffing rice into his mouth and chatting with the other boys. His parents stand against the doorway and watch their son playing soccer. Here at least, there's enough space to do so. "If my son can adapt, then I am happy," says Ahri's father, Joni Lubis. "I can see that it's calm and peaceful here. That makes me happy. So does the school -- my son can be educated." Nuraini adds, "There has to be a better chance for my two other sons." It's all they can hope for: that economic pressures will ease so they won't have to face such a decision again. | [
"What does the Indonesian study say?",
"Who took an 11-year old to the orphanage?",
"What does an Indonesian study say about 80 percent of those in orphanages?",
"What does she insist?",
"What does the mother of 3 insist she's not doing?",
"Who insists that she is not \"throwing away\" her first-born child?",
"What is the mother doing?",
"What did parents do with their 11-year-old?"
] | [
[
"More than 80 percent of children in child care institutions have both their parents,"
],
[
"Nuraini"
],
[
"of children in child care institutions have both their parents,"
],
[
"\"Be tough. I am sorry you have to go,\""
],
[
"abandoning their son."
],
[
"his mother, Nuraini,"
],
[
"\"I am not throwing my child away,\""
],
[
"taking Ahri to live in an orphanage."
]
] | Mother of three insists she is not "throwing away" her first-born child .
Parents take 11-year-old to orphanage because they say they can't make ends meet .
More than 80 percent in orphanages have two living parents, Indonesian study says . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- An Indonesian businessman known for publicity stunts dropped 100 million rupiah, or about $10,700, from an aircraft Sunday to promote his new book. Bank notes are dropped from a small airplane Sunday to promote Tung Desem Waringin's new book. Tung Desem Waringin circled eight times over a soccer field in the city of Serang, about 40 miles west of Jakarta, emptying bag after black bag of cash. Below, men snatched bills from the hands of young ones. Giddy schoolchildren jumped up and down in excitement, holding up notes they picked up. One man held a blue cap that he had stuffed with money. Another sat in a corner of the field, massaging his feet after a madcap dash for cash. Watch Waringin make it rain » The stunt was to promote Tung's book "Marketing Revolution," said Fajar Ramdani, the media coordinator for the event. Tung initially wanted to pull the stunt over the capital of Jakarta, but police, fearing large crowds and potential chaos, did not grant him permission, local media reported. Three years ago, the 42-year-old motivational speaker rode a horse along Jakarta's main streets dressed as one of the country's most celebrated war heroes to launch his first book. The book went on to become a best-seller. Millions of people in Indonesia live on fewer than $2 a day. The publicity stunt was expected to generate a tremendous response because the country is grappling with rising food and fuel prices. CNN's Kathy Quiano contributed to this report. | [
"who circles soccer field eight times?",
"what did he do",
"who wanted to pull stunt over Jakarta?",
"Where is Jakarta?",
"who snatch bills from youngsters?",
"When did he dump cash?"
] | [
[
"Tung Desem Waringin"
],
[
"dropped 100 million"
],
[
"Tung Desem Waringin's"
],
[
"Indonesia"
],
[
"men"
],
[
"Sunday"
]
] | Indonesian businessman circles soccer field eight times, dumping bags of cash .
Men snatch bills from youngsters; one man stuffs blue cap with money .
Businessman wanted to pull stunt over Jakarta, but police feared chaos .
Author once rode on horseback through Jakarta, dressed as war hero . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- An Indonesian military transport plane crashed into a residential area in East Java early Wednesday, killing 98 people, military officials said. Soldiers search for victims at the plane's crash site in East Java Wednesday. The death toll might rise, because the Air Force said 112 people were thought to be aboard when the Hercules transport plane crashed about 6:30 a.m. The crash destroyed four homes and killed two people who lived in at least one of the homes, said Suwardi, the village leader of Karas in East Java. The plane had a crew of 14 people and was carrying an additional 98 passengers, Major Gen. Suwarno said. Watch the latest on the crash » At least 15 people from the flight had been rescued, according to Bambang Sulistyo, an Indonesian air force spokesman. Wahyu Nuryanto, a staff member at the Iswahyudi hospital in nearby Madiun, told local media that 19 people were brought to the hospital -- several with serious injuries, including multiple fractures. The 19 included air force personnel, family members of air force personnel, and civilians, Nuryanto said. Rescue crews Wednesday were evacuating the crash area where local media showed plumes of smoke billowing from a rice field and rescuers scrambling to move victims on makeshift stretchers. The crash comes a day after another Indonesian Hercules transport plane crashed on a runway after touching down early. No one was killed in that crash in Papua province. | [
"How many people were rescued?",
"Where did the military transport plae crash?",
"What did the crash destroy ?",
"What is the new death toll?",
"What did the Karas village leader says?",
"Whose transport plane crashed into residential area in East Java ?",
"What plane crashed into residential area?",
"Which country owned the military transport plane?",
"How many people from the flight wererescued ?"
] | [
[
"At least 15"
],
[
"East Java"
],
[
"destroyed four homes"
],
[
"112 people"
],
[
"The crash destroyed four homes and killed two people who lived in at least one of the homes,"
],
[
"An Indonesian military"
],
[
"An Indonesian military transport"
],
[
"Indonesian"
],
[
"At least 15"
]
] | NEW: Death toll climbs .
At least 15 people from the flight rescued, says major general .
The crash destroys four homes and kills two residents, says Karas village leader .
Indonesian military transport plane crashed into residential area in East Java . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Another strong earthquake rocked Indonesia early Thursday as the Southeast Asian nation was reeling from an earlier jolt that killed more than 200 people.
A resident stands next to building that collapsed onto a car in Padang, Indonesia, on Wednesday.
The 6.8 magnitude quake Thursday hit southern Sumatra at 8:52 a.m. local time (0152 GMT), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Wednesday's earlier quake was 7.6 magnitude.
At least 236 people are dead and more than 500 injured, the Indonesian Social Ministry's Crisis Center said Thursday. It said it had little information on the missing and feared the death toll would climb into the thousands.
The second quake was on a smaller scale than the first, said meteorology official Fauzi, who uses only one name. There were no damage reports yet.
Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari expected "the casualties and the damage of this earthquake to be bigger than the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, given the intensity and the spread of the damage."
The magnitude-6.3 Yogyakarta quake in central Java in May 2006 killed more than 5,000 people, triggered fears of an eruption of a nearby volcano and caused significant damage to a 9th century Prambanan temple.
Thousands may be trapped by collapsed buildings and houses, Rustam Pakaya, the head of the Health Ministry's crisis center, told CNN on Wednesday.
State-run Antara news agency cited Pakaya as saying he had received reports that part of a hospital had collapsed and that people were buried under the debris.
The temblor struck around 5 p.m., about 33 miles (53 kilometers) from Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra and home to more than 800,000 people.
The quake caused widespread power and phone outages, making it difficult to assess damage.
Aid agencies kicked into gear to help those in need.
"We had aid ready because this area of Indonesia is susceptible to this type of tragedy," said Jane Cocking, humanitarian director for Oxfam. "Communications with the quake-zone are difficult and we are hoping for the best but having to plan for the worst."
"The situation is quite devastating," said Amelia Merrick, the operations director for World Vision Indonesia.
"Bridges have gone down, phone lines are in total disrepair. It's difficult for us to assess the situation," she said. The organization had said it would send assessment teams to the area Thursday morning.
"We know there's no electricity tonight... many of the families will be spending the night outdoors, in pitch black. I'm very afraid of what might happen next," she said, referring to the possibility of aftershocks.
Hundreds of houses have been damaged, Wayne Ulrich, the Red Cross disaster management coordinator in Indonesia, told CNN. "We do not know the [exact] numbers."
"We have concerns that a hospital has been partially damaged, a market has caught on fire, the airport was closed down for inspection because of the fear if they landed any planes," it might cause problems, Ulrich said. Watch Ulrich discuss the rescue efforts »
Access to the affected areas was obstructed in parts, he added.
It's "blocked by all kinds of problems: frightened people out in the streets, cars, and people trying to get out of the city."
The earthquake was felt in nearby cities, such as Medan and Bengkulu, where people panicked and ran outside in search of higher ground, fearing a tsunami.
But it was also felt as far away as Singapore and Malaysia.
"I did feel the tremor in office today somewhere between 5 - 6 p.m.," said Ratna Osman, who works in a single-story office building in Petaling Jaya, just outside Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.
"I asked [a co-worker] if there's an earthquake somewhere -- either that or I was hallucinating."
"At first, I thought the chair I was sitting on had a screw loose or something," Osman said.
The region is accustomed to earthquakes, and locals | [
"What does World Vision say?",
"What did thousands fear?",
"How many are feared to be dead?",
"How many are feared to be trapped?",
"What do aid agencies kick into gear for?",
"What are aid agencies doing?",
"How much could death toll climb into?",
"What is the death toll?"
] | [
[
"\"The situation is quite devastating,\""
],
[
"an eruption of a nearby volcano"
],
[
"thousands."
],
[
"Thousands"
],
[
"to help those in need."
],
[
"kicked into gear to help those in need."
],
[
"the thousands."
],
[
"At least 236 people"
]
] | NEW: Aid agencies kick into gear to help those in need .
Second quake hits; thousands feared trapped by collapsed buildings .
Death toll could climb into thousands .
Bridges down, phone lines in disrepair, says World Vision Indonesia . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Another strong earthquake rocked Indonesia early Thursday as the Southeast Asian nation was reeling from an earlier jolt that killed more than 200 people. A resident stands next to building that collapsed onto a car in Padang, Indonesia, on Wednesday. The 6.8 magnitude quake Thursday hit southern Sumatra at 8:52 a.m. local time (0152 GMT), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Wednesday's earlier quake was 7.6 magnitude. At least 236 people are dead and more than 500 injured, the Indonesian Social Ministry's Crisis Center said Thursday. It said it had little information on the missing and feared the death toll would climb into the thousands. The second quake was on a smaller scale than the first, said meteorology official Fauzi, who uses only one name. There were no damage reports yet. Indonesian Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari expected "the casualties and the damage of this earthquake to be bigger than the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, given the intensity and the spread of the damage." The magnitude-6.3 Yogyakarta quake in central Java in May 2006 killed more than 5,000 people, triggered fears of an eruption of a nearby volcano and caused significant damage to a 9th century Prambanan temple. Thousands may be trapped by collapsed buildings and houses, Rustam Pakaya, the head of the Health Ministry's crisis center, told CNN on Wednesday. State-run Antara news agency cited Pakaya as saying he had received reports that part of a hospital had collapsed and that people were buried under the debris. The temblor struck around 5 p.m., about 33 miles (53 kilometers) from Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra and home to more than 800,000 people. The quake caused widespread power and phone outages, making it difficult to assess damage. Aid agencies kicked into gear to help those in need. "We had aid ready because this area of Indonesia is susceptible to this type of tragedy," said Jane Cocking, humanitarian director for Oxfam. "Communications with the quake-zone are difficult and we are hoping for the best but having to plan for the worst." "The situation is quite devastating," said Amelia Merrick, the operations director for World Vision Indonesia. "Bridges have gone down, phone lines are in total disrepair. It's difficult for us to assess the situation," she said. The organization had said it would send assessment teams to the area Thursday morning. "We know there's no electricity tonight... many of the families will be spending the night outdoors, in pitch black. I'm very afraid of what might happen next," she said, referring to the possibility of aftershocks. Hundreds of houses have been damaged, Wayne Ulrich, the Red Cross disaster management coordinator in Indonesia, told CNN. "We do not know the [exact] numbers." "We have concerns that a hospital has been partially damaged, a market has caught on fire, the airport was closed down for inspection because of the fear if they landed any planes," it might cause problems, Ulrich said. Watch Ulrich discuss the rescue efforts » Access to the affected areas was obstructed in parts, he added. It's "blocked by all kinds of problems: frightened people out in the streets, cars, and people trying to get out of the city." The earthquake was felt in nearby cities, such as Medan and Bengkulu, where people panicked and ran outside in search of higher ground, fearing a tsunami. But it was also felt as far away as Singapore and Malaysia. "I did feel the tremor in office today somewhere between 5 - 6 p.m.," said Ratna Osman, who works in a single-story office building in Petaling Jaya, just outside Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur. "I asked [a co-worker] if there's an earthquake somewhere -- either that or I was hallucinating." "At first, I thought the chair I was sitting on had a screw loose or something," Osman said. The region is accustomed to earthquakes, and locals | [
"where id dthe quake happen",
"what agencies helped",
"What is feared after the second quake?",
"What is the main subject of the article?",
"how many people died"
] | [
[
"southern Sumatra"
],
[
"Aid"
],
[
"the death toll would climb into the thousands."
],
[
"earthquake"
],
[
"more than 200"
]
] | NEW: Aid agencies kick into gear to help those in need .
Second quake hits; thousands feared trapped by collapsed buildings .
Death toll could climb into thousands .
Bridges down, phone lines in disrepair, says World Vision Indonesia . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Explosions tore through two luxury hotels Friday morning in south Jakarta, Indonesia, killing at least eight people, a presidential spokesman said. Counter-terrorist police commandos secure the damaged Ritz-Carlton hotel in Jakarta on Friday after the blasts. The number of injured was in the 40s, said Dino Patti Djalal, spokesman for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. They were taken to area hospitals. Hours later, local television reported a car bombing in north Jakarta, but that report was immediately contradicted by various other media sources. Police sealed off the area around both hotel blasts, one in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and the other at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, about 50 meters away. Djalal said the attacks were coordinated. Forensics experts are collecting evidence at the "disturbing scene," Djalal said. He said he had few details about the blasts, which occurred about 7:45 a.m. (8:45 p.m. Thursday ET) on Friday, Islam's holy day. "What I can say is one of the most damaged areas that we looked at, where the bodies were, was a lounge area in the Marriott near the lobby," he said. "That seems to be the epicenter of the bomb." "This is a blow to us, but I don't have any doubts that we will be able to uncover and find out the perpetrators," Djalal said. Police said the bomb at the Marriott likely came from the basement beneath the coffee shop on the ground floor, which would have been busy at breakfast time. In a Twitter post four hours after the blast, Marriott said: "Police responded immediately, sealed off the area. Guests @ both hotels have been evacuated & have been moved to a secure location." At the Ritz, windows were blown out on the second floor, as though the blast occurred from inside a hotel restaurant that would also have been crowded with a breakfast crowd, said witness Greg Woolstencroft. Another witness counted four foreigners among the wounded, according to state-run Antara New Agency. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel was to have accommodated soccer players from Britain's Manchester United, who were expected to arrive in Jakarta on Sunday. Watch a report on suspects behind the blasts » U.S. Embassy Press Attache Paul Belmont told CNN no U.S. casualties have been confirmed and that the embassy was monitoring the situation closely. The death toll may be higher than reported, said CNN contributor Tom Fuentes, a former FBI assistant director of international operations. He said two U.S. businessmen were treated for minor injuries. "There was a boom and the building shook, and then subsequently two more," said hotel guest Don Hammer, who was leaving his room in the Marriott when the blast occurred. "The shocking part was entering the lobby, where the glass at the front of the hotel was all blown out and blood was spattered across the floor, but most people were leaving calmly." Woolstencroft had just walked past the hotels and had gone to his nearby apartment when he heard an explosion. "I looked out my window and I saw a huge cloud of brownish smoke go up," he told CNN in a telephone interview. "I grabbed my iPhone to go downstairs ... and then the second bomb went off at the Ritz-Carlton, so I then ran around to the Ritz-Carlton and I was able to find that there had been a massive bomb that went off in this ... restaurant area and the explosion had blown out both sides of the hotel. "I found inside the body of what appears to be a suicide bomber, it looked like someone who had been a suicide bomber or someone who had been very, very close to the explosion. Watch an eyewitness report of the blasts » "I also noticed that there were a number of injured people being taken off to hospital, but I only noticed one dead person at this point and time, that's all I saw. There has been extensive damage to both buildings, and at this point and time of course all the | [
"where did this event happen",
"what is the death toll",
"What buildings were hit?",
"What floor had its windows blown out during the attack at the Ritz-Carlton?",
"Who was killed",
"Where did the explosions occur?",
"What is the number of dead?",
"In which city did explosions hit the Ritz-Carlton and the Marriott hotels?"
] | [
[
"Indonesia,"
],
[
"eight people,"
],
[
"Ritz-Carlton Hotel"
],
[
"second"
],
[
"at least eight people,"
],
[
"in south Jakarta,"
],
[
"eight people,"
],
[
"south Jakarta,"
]
] | NEW: Death toll rises to eight, a presidential spokesman says .
Explosions hit Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriott hotels in Jakarta .
At the Ritz, second floor windows blown out, as though blast occurred from within .
The Marriott was the site of a terrorist attack in August 2003 that killed 12 people . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Five Europeans rescued Saturday after an Indonesia diving trip went wrong had to fight off a Komodo dragon while they were waiting to be found, according to reports. Rescued diver Kath Mitchinso embraces fellow diver Ernest Lewandowsky as they arrive on Flores island. The group was found at Mantaolan, on the island of Rinca off the Komodo National Park, after going missing Thursday. The divers -- three Britons, a Frenchman and a Swede -- spent two nights on the deserted island, which is home to the large Komodo dragon, before rangers found them Saturday. Frenchman Laurent Pinel, 31, said the group had to fight off one dragon with rocks and scavenged for shellfish as they waited to be rescued, Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported. "On the beach a Komodo dragon came amongst us [Friday] afternoon," Pinel said, describing how the group had to pelt the dangerous reptile with rocks to scare it away. "We had nothing to eat. We ate some kind of mussels scraped from the rocks," Pinel told the newspaper. The husband of one of the other divers said he was told they were in good condition, although dehydrated. "I'm just so relieved," said Mats Kohler, husband of Helena Neva Lainen. They are both from Sweden. An official said they were being taken to a hospital for examination. Searchers using boats located the missing divers at 11 a.m. Saturday (11 p.m. ET Friday), the official said. They arrived at a hospital in Labuan Bajo, on the western tip of the island of Flores, about two hours later, an official said. Watch a report on the discovery of the missing group » They were one of two groups of divers who entered the water off Komodo National Park on Thursday and were supposed to be gone for an hour, said an employee of the dive company, Reef Seekers. The second group came back after the hour passed, but the first group failed to resurface, she said. Earlier, an official with the Komodo Divers Association said the group that returned comprised six snorkelers. Among those who went missing was one of the owners of the dive company, Kathleen Mitchinson, the employee said. The seas that the divers were in are known to be dangerous because of their strong tides, and that's one theory being investigated in the divers' disappearance, the employee said. | [
"Who rescued the diver?",
"What were the nationality of the divers?",
"Where was the group stranded?",
"Where were the divers found?",
"Where were the divers from?",
"What did the divers battle?"
] | [
[
"Searchers"
],
[
"Europeans"
],
[
"Mantaolan, on the island of Rinca off the Komodo National Park,"
],
[
"Mantaolan,"
],
[
"three Britons, a Frenchman and a Swede"
],
[
"Komodo dragon"
]
] | Five European divers battled Komodo dragon before rescue .
Group found at Mantaolan, on the island of Rinca off Komodo National Park .
Missing divers included three Britons, one Frenchwoman and a Swede . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Heavy rains smashed through a dam near Indonesia's capital Friday, unleashing a torrent of water that plowed into hundreds of homes and killed at least 52 people in what some survivors described as a suburban "tsunami." Members of a search and rescue team look for bodies around upended trees and vehicles near Jakarta Friday. Sleeping residents were taken by surprise by the powerful flash flood as it crashed through Jakarta's crowded Cirendeu suburb, in the early hours of the morning. Rescue crews suspended their search for survivors overnight Friday evening, the National Disaster Coordination Agency said. The agency put the death toll at 52 with 17 missing. It said 33 people were injured and 1,490 left homeless. The Indonesian Health Ministry put the death toll higher at 58 people. After the deluge, drenched, injured and shivering survivors took refuge on the rooftops of their homes as rescuers in rubber boats struggled to reach them. Social affairs spokesman official Mardjito, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said relief efforts were being hampered by debris from the dam. "We're still trying to get into the houses, but the problem is, mud is getting in our way," he said. Pictures from the scene showed the pulverized ruins of wooden buildings emerging as brown muddied waters subside. Watch scenes of the flood devastation » Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, currently on the campaign trail ahead of elections later this year, said he had ordered senior ministers to visit the scene of the disaster. "On behalf of the government, I express my condolences to the families of the dead victims and may their souls be accepted by God almighty," he said, according to the official Antara news agency. The rain obliterated a 255-meter-long section of the dam at around 4 am local time, releasing a wall of water from the 20-hectare lake that some survivors said reminded them of the tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004. "They said they had heard loud rumbling sounds like during a powerful earthquake. They later found out that the sounds came from the water rushing out from the dam's lake," Antara said. Survivors told stories of dead relatives and harrowing brushes with death as they struggled to escape rising waters. Dewi Masitoh, a 40-year-old housewife, told the AFP news agency that she escaped with her husband and two daughters after they saw rising water reach the door of their stilt house. "We were on the second floor but my daughter went back downstairs when the window broke and water gushed in. My husband jumped in and pulled her out of the water by her neck. "I punched a hole through the roof and we all climbed up through," she said, showing cuts and scratches on her arms." Floods from heavy rains are an annual occurrence around Jakarta, a low lying city on the northern coast of Java island, where poor infrastructure often results in polluted canals and rivers spilling their banks and spilling into thousands of homes. In 2007, 38 people were killed and 430,000 forced from their homes when storm waters three meters deep in some places swamped 75 percent of the capital, which is home to about 9 million people. With poor sanitation and a hot and humid climate, the risk of water-borne diseases is usually a major concern following floods in the city, where mosquito-transmitted malaria is also a threat. CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report. | [
"How many people died when the dam burst in Jakarta?",
"What caused 52 deaths in Jakarta",
"When did a dam burst in Jakarta?",
"Where is Jakarta located?",
"What sounded like an earthquake",
"Where was the dam burst?",
"How many people have died?"
] | [
[
"52"
],
[
"Heavy rains"
],
[
"Friday,"
],
[
"Indonesia"
],
[
"water rushing out from the dam's lake,\""
],
[
"near Indonesia's capital"
],
[
"killed at least 52"
]
] | Death at now at least 52 from dam burst in Jakarta .
Survivors say rumbling of waters rushing from dam sounded like earthquake .
Rescuers are having difficulties reaching people because of mud . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesia has temporarily grounded all Adam Air flights starting Wednesday because it says the discount airliner "failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft." Officers examine an Adam Air plane which halted suddenly in the middle of the runway in Surabaya in February 2007. "The operational specification of Adam Air will be revoked. In effect, Adam Air will not be allowed to operate any airplanes effective 12 a.m. Wednesday, 18 March 2008," according to a statement from Indonesia's civil aviation chief, Budhi Muliawan Suyitno. A year ago, a Garuda Airlines plane overshot the runway in Jakarta, careened into a rice patty field and burst into flames, killing more than 20 people on board. On January 1, 2007, Adam Air Flight 574 crashed, killing all 102 people on board. A day after the crash, there were reports that 12 survivors had been found. But those 12 survivors, it turned out later, were from an Indonesian ferry that sank four days earlier. For more than a week after the Adam Air flight disappeared off the radar screens, Indonesian authorities scoured the mountainous terrain of western Sulawesi province and the Java Sea for any sign of the missing aircraft, but found nothing. The suspension will last for three months, according to Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for Indonesia's Air Transport Directorate. Adam Air's permit was revoked because it "failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft, including pilot training and supervision in accordance with standard operational procedures," Ervan said. The directorate sent a letter to Adam Air regarding its decision, but has not received a reply. Adam Air CEO Adam Suherman told CNN the airline is not surprised by the Air Transport Office's announcement. He said the airline had to suspend its operations Tuesday morning because one of its main investors pulled out, causing the airliner financial problems. Indonesia's aviation authorities recently issued a report outlining a road map to safety, acknowledging that their track record on safety is unacceptable. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lowered its rating of Indonesia's safety record and the European Union banned all Indonesian airliners. E-mail to a friend CNN's Kathy Quiano in Jakarta and Arwa Damon contributed to this report | [
"what is adam air",
"what does indonesian government do",
"What will the Indonesian government do?",
"what country banned Adam Air",
"what did the airline do",
"In one major incident, how many people were killed?",
"Which carrier will no longer be allowed to fly?",
"Who will revoke the license?",
"What did the airline fail to do?",
"What were one of the major accidents?",
"Who revoked their licence",
"What caused their planes to crash"
] | [
[
"discount airliner"
],
[
"temporarily grounded all Adam Air flights"
],
[
"grounded all Adam Air flights"
],
[
"Indonesia"
],
[
"\"failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft.\""
],
[
"102"
],
[
"Adam Air"
],
[
"Indonesia's Air Transport Directorate."
],
[
"implement quality standards for its aircraft.\""
],
[
"Adam Air Flight 574 crashed,"
],
[
"Indonesia's civil aviation chief, Budhi Muliawan Suyitno."
],
[
"overshot the runway"
]
] | Accident-plagued low-cost carrier Adam Air will no longer be allowed to fly .
Indonesian government will revoke airline's license on Wednesday .
The airline "failed to implement quality standards for its aircraft"
It has had more than one major accident in last year, one killing 102 people on board . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesia will withdraw from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries at the end of the year, the country's energy minister told foreign journalists Wednesday. Indonesia has become a net importer of oil due to declining production levels. Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the move follows declining oil production levels in Indonesia that have left the country a net importer of oil. "In the future, if our production (comes) back again to the level that gives us a status as a net oil exporter, then I think we can go back to OPEC again," he said. "But today we decided that we are pulling out of OPEC." It was not immediately clear what effect Indonesia's decision will have on global oil prices. However the move was not unexpected. Indonesia, which joined OPEC in 1962, is the only southeast Asian country in the 13-nation oil cartel. Oil production there has steadily decreased in the last decade because of disappointing exploration efforts and declining production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Since 1996, total production has dropped by 32 percent. The country's current output quota for crude oil as set by OPEC is 1.45 million barrels a day -- well above its production capacity. In 2006, Indonesia imported more oil than it exported. CNN's Kathy Quiano contributed to this report | [
"What is indonesia to withdraw?",
"Who said , Indonesia more of an oil consumer than producer?",
"Whoi will withdraw from OPEC?",
"What does Purnomo Yusgiantoro say?"
] | [
[
"Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries"
],
[
"Purnomo Yusgiantoro"
],
[
"Indonesia"
],
[
"the move follows declining oil production levels in Indonesia that have left the country a net importer of oil."
]
] | Indonesia to withdraw from OPEC at end of the year, energy minister says .
Purnomo Yusgiantoro says Indonesia more of an oil consumer than producer .
Low production means Southeast Asia's only OPEC member is net oil importer . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a commanding lead in national elections Wednesday, according to the latest exit polls. A woman votes at a polling station in Indonesia. An average of six exit polls showed the incumbent holding about 60 percent of the vote compared to 27 percent for former President Megawati Sukarnoputri and 12 percent for Yudhoyono's vice president, Yusuf Kalla. Official results are expected no sooner than next week. Indonesia has 175 million registered voters spread over 17,000 islands. It was the country's second direct election since the authoritarian regime of dictator Suharto fell in 1998, in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. Analysts and polls, ahead of the vote, predicted Yudhoyono -- riding high on the country's economic strength -- would win a second term. Watch as incumbent expected to win election » In 2004, Yudhoyono defeated then-incumbent Megawati in a runoff election. Watch more on the election » Yudhoyono "has positive global image; relations with the American government have been the best in all the time that I have been here, the last 30 years," said James Castle, who analyzes Indonesia's politics and economy. "He's very popular in the foreign community and, to be honest, if he's not re-elected, the markets will react negatively for a month or so." Yudhoyono's Democratic Party was the only single party to get enough votes in April's legislative elections to nominate a candidate on its own. Kalla's Golkar Party came in second and Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, placed third. Kalla and Megawati had to form coalitions with other parties to run for president. Kalla had hoped voters would give him some of the credit for Indonesia's economic successes which occurred under his term as vice president. Kalla and Megawati had to form coalitions with other parties to run for president. See a photo slideshow of Indonesians talking about who they will vote for » Yudhoyono is known as "Mr. Clean" because of his anti-corruption efforts. He has gained popularity for his handling of the 2004 tsunami recovery and the country's battle against terrorism. Indonesia has had impressive economic growth over the past five years, though how much direct credit Yudhoyono can take for that is questionable. And despite Indonesia posting an average of 5.9 percent annual growth during his presidency, little of that has trickled down to the country's poor. Yudhoyono's opponents say he is too liberal, is too skewed toward the west, and doesn't pay enough attention to the 40 million Indonesians living below the poverty line. Still, the country is exhibiting surprising resilience in the face of the global economic downturn. Growth topped 6 percent last year, and Indonesia was the fastest-growing economy in southeast Asia in the first quarter of this year. "All off a sudden, everybody is contracting except for Indonesia," Castle said. "We've had more visiting regional heads and so on in the last six months than we had in the last six years." | [
"What name is Yudhoyono known by?",
"When are official results expected?",
"When are resulted expected?",
"who is tipped to win",
"when are the results expected",
"When are official results expected?",
"What is riding high on the country's economic strength?",
"What is SBY riding high on?",
"Who do analysts think will win a second term?",
"When are the official results expected?"
] | [
[
"\"Mr. Clean\""
],
[
"no sooner than next week."
],
[
"no sooner than next week."
],
[
"Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono"
],
[
"no sooner than next week."
],
[
"no sooner than next week."
],
[
"Analysts and polls,"
],
[
"the country's economic strength"
],
[
"Yudhoyono"
],
[
"no sooner than next week."
]
] | NEW: Polls close; Official results expected no sooner than next week .
Three familiar faces competed: current president, his deputy and an ex-president .
Analysts and polls have Yudhoyono (known as SBY) tipped to win a second term .
SBY is riding high on the country's economic strength . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesian authorities believe two suicide bombers checked into the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta and carried out coordinated bombings Friday morning, killing themselves and at least six victims and wounding more than 50 others. A body is removed following the blasts at the Ritz-Carlton and the nearby J.W. Marriott hotels in Jakarta on Friday. It is unclear what group is behind the attacks on the Marriott and the adjacent Ritz-Carlton hotel, Indonesia's National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso said at a news conference. He warned that the death toll could rise. Four of the six victims in Jakarta's hotel bombings were foreigners, the Indonesian Healthy Ministry said Saturday. The ministry identified two of the dead as Australian, one from New Zealand and one from Singapore. Another victim was Indonesian and the sixth remained unidentified. Eight American nationals were among the wounded, according to the U.S. State Department. Investigators are also analyzing closed-circuit television footage from the Marriott that shows a man, sporting a baseball cap and pulling a wheeled suitcase, heading toward the JW Marriott Hotel's lobby-level restaurant seconds before the deadly blast. Five victims and one suicide bomber were killed at the Marriott, according to police spokesman Inspector General Nanan Soekarna. Minutes later, another suicide bomber struck the adjacent Ritz-Carlton, killing one person and the bomber. Indonesian national police confirmed that the man seen in the CCTV video, distributed by Indonesian television, is being investigated in connection with the blast. "We are suspecting the man in the footage because the time frame matches with the time of the bombing," national police spokesman Nanan Soekarma said. "It is obviously premature to confirm it right now as we will have to wait for the lab results and the investigation to conclude." Indonesian authorities have detained several witnesses and others for questioning, and have sent forensic evidence from the scene for testing, a spokesman for Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said. "It's all being studied now," Dino Patti Djalal told CNN. Yudhoyono warned that it is still too early to determine who was behind the attacks. "This terrorist action is thought to be the work of a terrorist group, even though it is not certain whether this is the terrorism which we are familiar with up until now," the recently reelected president said. See images of the aftermath » The bombings at the two luxury hotels -- which are connected by an underground tunnel -- happened shortly before 8 a.m. (9 p.m. Thursday ET), first at the Marriott and then 10 minutes later at the Ritz-Carlton, police officials said. Both blasts struck the hotels' restaurants and several prominent international business leaders were among the casualties. Watch footage of the scene of the blasts » An unexploded bomb was found on the Marriott Hotel's 18th floor where several suspects believed to be linked to the bombings were staying, Hendarso said. Indonesian investigators believe the bombers checked into the Marriott on Wednesday and were scheduled to check out on Friday, he added. It is unclear how they got around the "robust security" at the hotels, according to Alan Orlob, security chief for Marriott Hotels. Ritz-Carlton is a subsidiary of Marriott. Orlob said there had been no indication of any "immediate threat in Jakarta." Watch Orlob describe security measures » Security has been extremely high at the Marriott hotel in Jakarta since it was struck by a car bombing in August 2003 that killed 12 people. Suspicion immediately fell on Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the Islamist terrorist network with ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network that was tied to the 2003 Marriott attack and the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists. Hendarso said the type of explosives found were similar to those found in a recent raid on a home in West Java that was linked to Noordin Top, a suspected leader of a small JI splinter group that espouses the use of large-scale terror attacks to push for the establishment of Islamic states in the region. So far, there | [
"The has been the number of dead?",
"Is it really possible to know who is behind the attacks?",
"Which hotel did the bombers check into?",
"What do the police say?",
"Who was behind the attacks?"
] | [
[
"at least six"
],
[
"is unclear what group is"
],
[
"JW Marriott"
],
[
"He warned that the death toll could rise."
],
[
"It is unclear what group is"
]
] | Police say bombers had earlier checked into Marriott hotel .
Death toll in bomb attacks now six with at least 50 injured .
Police defuse bomb found on 18th floor of JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta .
Indonesian president: Too early to determine who was behind the attacks . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Islamic parties in Indonesia will not get enough votes in the coming election to nominate a presidential candidate, according to polls, analysts and an Islamic party official. Supporters of Indonesia's Democratic Party of Struggle take part in a campaign event in Jakarta on March 24. Nevertheless, the influence of Islam on politics in Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim country -- has many nationalist parties changing their strategy. The April 9 national elections will determine the makeup of Indonesia's 550-seat parliament, as well as its regional representation council, provincial, county and city assemblies. More than 38 parties are vying for these seats, but very few are expected to get the 20 percent of parliamentary seats needed to nominate a presidential candidate in the July election. In fact, the only party expected to meet the 20 percent threshold is President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono's Democratic Party. Other parties will have to join alliances to nominate a president. Yudyohono's "charming" personality, and his government's ability to weather the current worldwide financial downturn, have kept him on top of the polls, according to James Castle, who analyzes Indonesian politics and economy. Castle said despite the influence of Islam on Indonesian politics, voters are more concerned about economic issues. "Like everywhere in the world, economics is the key factor," he said. "It's quite clear from all these surveys, when inflation was high, the president's popularity is low. Now that inflation has come down, the president's popularity is high, and he and his party are doing very well in the polls coming into the election." So far, Indonesia has not felt the impact of the global recession, partly because its economy is more isolated than other countries'. But the government has taken steps to protect the currency and the economy from the downturn, Castle said. "This will probably just be a speed bump for Indonesia," he said. Although financial issues are the main concern for voters in Indonesia -- where poverty is rampant -- Yudyohono's Democratic Party has recently had to bow to pressure from Islamic groups. Andi Mallarangang, a spokesman for the president, acknowledged that the party's support for an anti-pornography bill -- which was passed in October -- was a "symbolic gesture" to the Islamic groups that had called for the measure. "During the process of legislation, (the government) made sure we do not support pornography," Mallarangang said. "But there should be no limitation on freedom of arts and expression" He noted that the final law was not as strong as the initially proposed bill. Another issue that has made headlines in the Indonesian media is the government's position on Ahmadiyah, a Muslim sect that does not believe Mohammad is the last prophet. The government recently restricted the freedoms of the group, but has so far refused to ban the group. "In Indonesia, one group of Islamic radicals would like the government to ban Ahmadiyah ... so the government's using the middle approach in which we will not ban Ahmadiyah because they have a right," Mallarangang said. "But there are certain things that are sensitive to (their) operation that are regulated by government." One of those groups that has been outspoken in its rejection of Ahmadiyah is Indonesia's Ulama Council. The chairman of the council, Amidhan, disputed media reports that the council has given Yudyohono's government a deadline to ban the sect or it will issue an edict against voting for Yudyohono. Amidhan -- who goes by one name -- said the council's fatwa against Ahmadiyah was first issued in 1980, but it had to reissue the edict last year because of complaints that the sect was trying to convert other Muslims. "We agree Ahmadiyah must be a new religion, not part of Islam," Amidhan said. The council is an independent organization, but remains very influential. In January, it issued several new fatwas -- including bans on smoking for children and pregnant women, and chanting during yoga. A fatwa is a legal pronouncement for Muslims, but | [
"When is the election?",
"What do the analysts believe?",
"What party is expected to win the most seats?",
"When is the election for Indonesia's parliament?",
"What has many nationalist parties changing their strategy?",
"What is the size of Indonesia's parliament?",
"What do analysts say about Islamic parties?"
] | [
[
"April 9"
],
[
"Islamic parties in Indonesia will not get enough votes in the coming election"
],
[
"President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono's Democratic"
],
[
"April 9"
],
[
"the influence of Islam on politics in Indonesia"
],
[
"550-seat"
],
[
"not get enough votes in the coming election"
]
] | April 9 elections will determine the makeup of Indonesia's 550-seat parliament .
Few of over 38 parties expected to get enough seats for a candidate in July election .
Analysts: Islamic parties won't get enough votes to nominate a presidential candidate .
Influence of Islam on politics has many nationalist parties changing their strategy . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, warned Thursday of an indication of an attack to Bali on New Year's Eve. The Embassy said the warning initially came from the Bali governor, Mangku Pastika, and that it passed on his alert verbatim. The governor, however, said there was no information about a new terrorist threat. "We never release(d) any warning related to terror on New Year's Eve," the governor's office said in a statement after the Embassy released the warning. "We however encourage both domestic and foreign tourists to be cautious," the governor's office said. "The terrorists hit Bali twice. Who knows what they will do next." Pastika's office said there was only a general alert on the island because of the holiday. Terrorist groups, including Jemaah Islamiyah, have carried out repeated attacks in Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia since 2002. The Embassy did not elaborate on the governor's message, but the United States has a standing warning to U.S. citizens in Indonesia that extremists may target both official and private interests, including hotels, clubs, and shopping centers. "In their work and daily living activities, and while traveling, U.S. citizens should be vigilant and prudent at all times," the U.S. State Department warning states. "We urge U.S. citizens to monitor local news reports, vary their routes and times, and maintain a low profile. U.S. citizens must consider the security and safety preparedness of hotels, residences, restaurants, and entertainment or recreation venues that they frequent." Unknown attackers shot at foreigners in Banda Aceh, in northern Sumatra, last month, wounding a European development worker, the Embassy said. The attackers also targeted a house occupied by American teachers, but no U.S. citizens were hurt, it said. The most major recent attack was in July, when suspected Jemaah Islamiyah elements bombed two western hotels in Jakarta. The blasts at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels killed nine people -- including at least two presumed suicide bombers -- and wounded more than 50, including U.S. citizens. Also in July, armed assailants in Papua killed several people, including security personnel and one Australian national, the Embassy said. Jemaah Islamiyah, said to have links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network, is blamed for the 2002 Bali bomb attacks in which 202 people, mainly foreign tourists, were killed. More than 300 people -- many of them young Australians on vacation -- were wounded by the massive blasts in the town of Kuta. Dozens of victims were burned beyond recognition or blown to pieces. The bombing was blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah. The group was also said to be behind an attack on the Australian embassy in Jakarta in 2004 in which nine people died, and an attack on the same Marriott hotel that killed eight the same year. -- CNN's Atika Shubert in Bali and Andy Saputra in Jakarta contributed to this report. | [
"What was the source of his information?",
"What has been taking place in Indonesia since 2002?",
"What kind of attack?",
"Which groups are involved?",
"Where is the attack planned?",
"From whom did the Embassy say the warning initially came?",
"Where is the Embassy in Indonesia?",
"Where did the warning come from?",
"What does the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta warn of?"
] | [
[
"Bali governor,"
],
[
"repeated attacks in Bali and elsewhere"
],
[
"bomb"
],
[
"Jemaah Islamiyah,"
],
[
"Bali"
],
[
"Bali governor, Mangku Pastika,"
],
[
"Jakarta,"
],
[
"Bali governor, Mangku Pastika,"
],
[
"of an attack to Bali on New Year's Eve."
]
] | U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, warns of an indication of an attack on Bali on New Year's Eve .
Embassy said warning initially came from Bali governor .
Terrorist groups have carried out repeated attacks on Bali and elsewhere in Indonesia since 2002 . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- The death toll from a flash flood in Indonesia's capital grew to 98 people on Sunday as rescuers widened their search for more than 130 other people in the aftermath.
Members of a search and rescue team look for bodies near Jakarta.
The nation's health ministry said 62 women, 31 men and three students had been killed.
Of those, 12 bodies remained unidentified, ministry spokesman Rustam Pakaya said.
Another 13 people were missing. The search for the missing will be called off Sunday night, he said.
The flood started Friday morning after heavy rains caused waters to smash through a dam and rush into Jakarta. The breach unleashed a torrent of water that plowed into hundreds of homes in what some survivors described as a suburban "tsunami."
About 1,500 volunteers -- mostly students from two flooded universities in Jakarta -- are assisting in the search and rescue effort, said Mardjito, a social affairs ministry official who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name.
He said rescuers started using heavy machinery to lift debris. Still, the death toll is expected to rise.
At least 50 people were injured and nearly 1,500 have been displaced. Mardjito said a camp for survivors so far has adequate supplies as members of political parties continue to send food, blankets, flashlights and other items amid a major election year.
Sleeping residents were taken by surprise by the powerful flash flood as it crashed through the crowded Cirendeu district near Jakarta early Friday. Watch scenes of the flood devastation »
Drenched and shivering survivors were taking refuge on the rooftops of their homes as rescuers in rubber boats were struggling to reach them, said social affairs ministry official Mardjito.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, currently on the campaign trail ahead of the elections later this year, has said he had ordered senior ministers to visit the scene of the disaster.
"On behalf of the government, I express my condolences to the families of the dead victims and may their souls be accepted by God almighty," he said, according to the official Antara news agency.
The rain obliterated a 255-meter-long section of the dam, releasing a wall of water from a 20-hectare lake that some survivors said reminded them of the tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004.
"They said they had heard loud rumbling sounds like during a powerful earthquake. They later found out that the sounds came from the water rushing out from the dam's lake," according to Antara.
Floods from heavy rains are an annual occurrence in and around Jakarta, a low-lying city on the northern coast of Java island, where poor infrastructure often results in polluted canals and rivers overflowing their banks and spilling into thousands of homes.
In 2007, 38 people were killed and 430,000 forced from their homes when storm water 3 meters deep in some places swamped 75 percent of the capital, which is home to about 9 million people.
With poor sanitation and a hot and humid climate, the risk of water-borne diseases is usually a major concern following floods in the city, where mosquito-transmitted malaria is also a threat.
CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report. | [
"Who are having difficulties reaching people because of mud?",
"What sounded like an earthquake?",
"What is occurring in Jakarta?",
"What began after heavy rains caused waters to smash through a dam?"
] | [
[
"rescuers"
],
[
"water rushing out from the dam's lake,\""
],
[
"flash flood"
],
[
"The flood"
]
] | At least 98 dead, many more missing, from flash floods in Jakarta .
Flood began after heavy rains caused waters to smash through a dam .
Survivors say rumbling of waters sounded like an earthquake .
Rescuers are having difficulties reaching people because of mud . |
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- The death toll from a flash flood in Indonesia's capital grew to 98 people on Sunday as rescuers widened their search for more than 130 other people in the aftermath. Members of a search and rescue team look for bodies near Jakarta. The nation's health ministry said 62 women, 31 men and three students had been killed. Of those, 12 bodies remained unidentified, ministry spokesman Rustam Pakaya said. Another 13 people were missing. The search for the missing will be called off Sunday night, he said. The flood started Friday morning after heavy rains caused waters to smash through a dam and rush into Jakarta. The breach unleashed a torrent of water that plowed into hundreds of homes in what some survivors described as a suburban "tsunami." About 1,500 volunteers -- mostly students from two flooded universities in Jakarta -- are assisting in the search and rescue effort, said Mardjito, a social affairs ministry official who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. He said rescuers started using heavy machinery to lift debris. Still, the death toll is expected to rise. At least 50 people were injured and nearly 1,500 have been displaced. Mardjito said a camp for survivors so far has adequate supplies as members of political parties continue to send food, blankets, flashlights and other items amid a major election year. Sleeping residents were taken by surprise by the powerful flash flood as it crashed through the crowded Cirendeu district near Jakarta early Friday. Watch scenes of the flood devastation » Drenched and shivering survivors were taking refuge on the rooftops of their homes as rescuers in rubber boats were struggling to reach them, said social affairs ministry official Mardjito. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, currently on the campaign trail ahead of the elections later this year, has said he had ordered senior ministers to visit the scene of the disaster. "On behalf of the government, I express my condolences to the families of the dead victims and may their souls be accepted by God almighty," he said, according to the official Antara news agency. The rain obliterated a 255-meter-long section of the dam, releasing a wall of water from a 20-hectare lake that some survivors said reminded them of the tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004. "They said they had heard loud rumbling sounds like during a powerful earthquake. They later found out that the sounds came from the water rushing out from the dam's lake," according to Antara. Floods from heavy rains are an annual occurrence in and around Jakarta, a low-lying city on the northern coast of Java island, where poor infrastructure often results in polluted canals and rivers overflowing their banks and spilling into thousands of homes. In 2007, 38 people were killed and 430,000 forced from their homes when storm water 3 meters deep in some places swamped 75 percent of the capital, which is home to about 9 million people. With poor sanitation and a hot and humid climate, the risk of water-borne diseases is usually a major concern following floods in the city, where mosquito-transmitted malaria is also a threat. CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report. | [
"Where did flooding occur?",
"How many are dead?",
"What caused the flooding to occur?",
"What did the rumbling waters sound like?",
"Where was the flash floods located at?",
"Is there major flooding in Jakarta often?"
] | [
[
"JAKARTA, Indonesia"
],
[
"98 people"
],
[
"heavy rains"
],
[
"a powerful earthquake."
],
[
"JAKARTA,"
],
[
"Floods from heavy rains are an annual occurrence in and around"
]
] | At least 98 dead, many more missing, from flash floods in Jakarta .
Flood began after heavy rains caused waters to smash through a dam .
Survivors say rumbling of waters sounded like an earthquake .
Rescuers are having difficulties reaching people because of mud . |
JALOZAI REFUGEE CAMP, Pakistan (CNN) -- It's an exodus on an almost biblical scale. And it has produced a mosaic of plastic and canvas that is now home to more than 93,000 people -- with more arriving each day. These children are among the thousands of refugees this month at the Jalozai camp in western Pakistan. This is Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar, suddenly almost a city in its own right as thousands flee the violence raging between the Pakistani army and Taliban fighters. The United Nations estimates that it's the biggest movement of people in Pakistan since the country was formed in 1947. Officials say up to 1.8 million people have been forced from their homes. Food is available at this camp -- fruit traders work their way through the avenues of tents. But people here can't afford to buy much. They make bread with flour handed out by the United Nations, but they say it's not enough. "It's very difficult, there's lots of jostling," says Mehboob Shah, a man at the camp. When there is food, he says, "it's very poor quality -- even the cows won't eat it." Sar Bari Khan arrived 15 days ago with his wife and three children. He says his family walked almost 62 miles to escape the fighting. They had to leave his father behind. Watch a report on the plight of refugees » There are eight field hospitals in this camp. On a recent morning, 380 new patients registered for treatment -- most of them women and children, suffering from diarrhea and heat stroke. Some have signs of mental trauma. "They are complaining of fear, phobias, palpitations and all symptoms seem to have started since they arrive in this camp," said Abid Farooqi, with the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik underlined the seriousness of the situation. "I feel that this is even worse than the earthquake in Kashmir," he said, referring to the 2005 disaster. He noted that most of the people are from an area with relatively cold weather, and are unprepared for the heat here. Officials, he said, "are making all possible arrangements" to help. Water tankers provide a lifeline in the stifling heat. And on the edge of the camp, workers are clearing the ground for more tents. There is no sign of this influx ending any time soon. | [
"What is the refugee camp called?",
"Thousands of people are fleeing from what?",
"What does a man from the camp say about the quality of food?",
"What two groups is the conflict between?",
"What is the quality of the food?",
"In what year did Pakistan form?",
"What camp is located near Peshawar?"
] | [
[
"Jalozai"
],
[
"the violence raging between the Pakistani army and Taliban fighters."
],
[
"\"it's very poor"
],
[
"Pakistani army"
],
[
"very poor"
],
[
"1947."
],
[
"Jalozai refugee"
]
] | Thousands flee south to escape conflict between military and Taliban .
Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar suddenly almost a city in its own right .
The U.N. says it's the biggest movement of people since Pakistan formed in 1947 .
Food is "very poor quality -- even the cows won't eat it," says man at camp . |
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- Saudi King Abdullah confirmed Sunday that his country will increase daily oil production from 9 million barrels to 9.7 million in the near future to counter the sharp rise in international oil prices. Saudi Arabia has announced an increase in oil production in a bid to ease the pressure on oil prices. The Saudi petroleum minister, Ali I. Al-Naimi, said the country will reach the 9.7 million level by July. The announcement comes after Saudi officials announced modest increases. It would be Saudi Arabia's highest production rate since 1981. White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto praised the step, saying, "Any increase in production in today's oil market is welcome. It is important that we also take steps to increase domestic production and our refining capacity." Meanwhile, the average price of gasoline in the U.S. rose nearly 10 cents in the past two weeks to almost $4.10 a gallon for self-serve regular, according to a national survey released Sunday. The survey showed the national average was just a fraction of a cent under $4.10 a gallon, said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg. That is up 9.7 cents a gallon from the same survey two weeks ago, Lundberg said. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, downplayed the Saudi increase. "Nice try, but no cigar. When gas is at $4 per gallon, demand increases almost daily, and the Saudis have millions of barrels per day more in spare capacity," he said. "This isn't nearly good enough." Al-Naimi, the petroleum minister, also said the Saudi government will invest in oil projects that would allow Saudi Arabia to have the capacity to produce 12.5 million barrels per day by the end of next year. King Abdullah's announcement came at the end of the Jeddah energy summit, where he also called for OPEC to set aside $1 billion for a strategy to ease the oil price crisis. He said $500 million should be given to developing nations to help them get the energy they need. King Abdullah said there are "many factors that made oil prices high." Along with increased demand, he also cited oil speculators and an increase in taxes in consumer nations. "Now we see a lot of people point the finger at OPEC as it is solely responsible for this," he said. The king's statement came a day after U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, attending the summit, blamed the record oil prices on lack of production. "All nations must be better at conservation, and the U.S. is at the top of that list," said Bodman, who met with journalists ahead of the international meeting of oil producing and consuming nations focusing on high oil prices. Some observers have blamed speculators for driving up oil prices. A key adviser to Saudi Arabia's oil minister said Friday that a number of factors, including speculators and currency fluctuations, are to blame for rising oil prices. "We need stability," Dr. Ibrahim al Muhanna said, adding that Saudi Arabia would like to see producers, consumers and distributors cooperate. But Bodman said he did not believe that they are the cause. Since 2003, he said, global demand for oil has increased because of industry in China, India and the Middle East. But from 2005 to 2007, there was very little increase in supply. Nations need an additional supply of energy to market, whether that energy is nuclear, coal, fossil fuels, solar or wind power, Bodman said. "We spent 30 years digging ourselves into this hole," he said. "It won't be solved soon." On Wednesday, President Bush asked Congress to permit drilling for oil in deep water off the U.S. coast to combat rising oil prices. He also renewed his demand that Congress allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, clear the way for more refineries and encourage efforts to recover oil from shale in areas like the Green River Basin, which encompasses parts of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. "In | [
"what is the highest level produced",
"where will the summit be held",
"What type of production is at its highest level since 1981?",
"What monetary value should OPEC contribute to strategy according to the Saudis?",
"when will the increase start?",
"what is the oil production",
"where was the summit?",
"how much will they increase production?"
] | [
[
"9.7 million"
],
[
"Arabia"
],
[
"oil"
],
[
"$1 billion"
],
[
"near future"
],
[
"9.7 million"
],
[
"Jeddah"
],
[
"from 9 million barrels to 9.7 million"
]
] | Saudis will increase daily oil production from 9 million barrels to 9.7 million .
Increase from July, boosting production to highest level since 1981 .
Announcement at Jeddah energy summit to help ease pain of oil price hike .
Saudis: OPEC should give $1B for strategy, $500M of which for developing nations . |
JENA, Louisiana (CNN) -- Charges against Bryant Purvis, one of the six black students accused of being involved in beating a white student, were reduced to second degree aggravated battery during his arraignment Wednesday morning.
Bryant Purvis says he is focusing on his studies and practicing basketball.
Purvis, who was facing charges of second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy, entered a not guilty plea to the reduced charges in the LaSalle Parish Courthouse in Jena.
Charges have now been reduced against at least five of the students in the racially charged "Jena 6" case. Charges against Jesse Ray Beard, who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime, are unavailable because he's a juvenile.
Civil rights leaders Martin Luther King III and Al Sharpton led more than 15,000 marchers to Jena -- a town of about 3,000 -- in September to protest how authorities handled the cases against Purvis and five other teens accused of the December 2006 beating of fellow student Justin Barker.
After the arraignment, Purvis said he has moved to another town to complete high school. He said he is focusing on his studies and practicing basketball, which he hopes to play in college.
Mychal Bell, 17, is the only one of the "Jena 6" teens still in jail. Although he was released in September after his adult criminal conviction for the beating was overturned, he was ordered two weeks later to spend 18 months in a juvenile facility for a probation violation relating to an earlier juvenile conviction.
A district judge tossed out Bell's conviction for conspiracy to commit second-degree battery, saying the matter should have been handled in juvenile court. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles, Louisiana, did the same with Bell's battery conviction in mid-September.
Prosecutors originally charged all six black students accused of being involved in beating Barker with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy. E-mail to a friend | [
"What were the original charges levied against Purvis?",
"What was the protest in September about?",
"When was the protest?",
"What charges did Purvis face?",
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"what are Purvis charges?",
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"What were charges against Bryant Purvis reduced to?",
"What month was the case highlighted by protests?",
"Who was charged?",
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"What number of people had their charges reduced?",
"What month did the Jena 6 protest occur in",
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"What chargaes had Purvis faced?",
"What charge is Bryant Purvis facing?",
"What case drew national spotlight during the September protest?",
"What was the case known as?",
"What were the charges brought against Purvis reduced to?",
"What have the charges been reduced to?",
"What are the charges against Bryant Purvis?",
"what was the reduction of charges against Bryant?",
"What were the reduced charges against Bryant Purvis?"
] | [
[
"second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy,"
],
[
"how authorities handled the cases against Purvis and five other teens accused of the December 2006 beating of fellow student Justin Barker."
],
[
"in September"
],
[
"second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy,"
],
[
"\"Jena 6\""
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"September"
],
[
"Bryant Purvis,"
],
[
"December 2006"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"September"
],
[
"\"Jena 6\""
],
[
"Justin Barker."
],
[
"second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy,"
],
[
"second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy,"
],
[
"\"Jena 6\""
],
[
"\"Jena 6\""
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"reduced to second degree aggravated battery"
],
[
"second degree aggravated battery"
]
] | Charges against Bryant Purvis reduced to second degree aggravated battery .
Purvis had faced attempted murder, conspiracy charges .
Charges reduced against at least five of six blacks charged in beating .
Case of "Jena 6" drew national spotlight during September protest . |
JENA, Louisiana (CNN) -- Thousands of protesters clogged the tiny town of Jena, Louisiana, Thursday to show their indignation over what they consider unjust, unequal punishments meted out in two racially charged incidents. Officers lead Al Sharpton, center, through Jena, Louisiana, during Thursday's protest. They swarmed over the grounds of Jena High School, where nooses were hung from a tree in early August 2006, about three months before six black teens known as the "Jena 6" were accused of beating a white classmate. While the tension was palpable, news broke Thursday afternoon that the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal ordered a hearing within 72 hours to determine if the only one of the six still behind bars can be released. The order has "got to be good," Mychal Bell's attorney, Bob Noel, told CNN. "It means we have a day in court. Any day in court is going to be a good day." Earlier, there was an aura of a pilgrimage at the site where the controversial tree once stood before school administrators had it removed. Many people touched the ground and some retrieved a lump of dirt, said CNN's Eric Marrapodi. He said the part of the town he was in was ill-prepared for the crowds -- no water or toilets were available. In the background, groups shouted "Black power" and "No justice, no peace." The estimated 15000 to 20,000 demonstrators shut down the town of 3,000 in central Louisiana. Many residents left for the day, and government agencies, businesses and schools were closed. Sgt. Tim Ledet of the Louisiana State Police said protesters in buses were still bringing people to town at midday because of the gridlock, but many protesters got off and walked into town on foot. "There is just no room to maneuver in this small town," he said. Jena resident Terry Adams disagreed with any accusations that there might be a black-white divide in the area. "We are not a racial town. We get along with each other, we get along fine. This is something that got out of proportion. It really has." Jena's racial tensions were aggravated in August 2006, when three white teens hung the nooses the day after a group of black students received permission from school administrators to sit under the tree -- a place where white students normally congregated. The guilty students were briefly suspended from classes, despite the principal's recommendation they be expelled, according to Donald Washington, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. A member of the LaSalle Parish School Board -- which had a role in supporting suspension instead of expulsion -- insisted the board is not prejudiced. The panel felt it took the appropriate action, Jonny Fryar said. "I talked to one of the parents, who called me and said their son thought it was a prank and naive to the fact of what it meant and he was sorry," he said. "I hate to see people label us as something we are not. Because we have black students and white students playing football together. They shake hands, get along. This is an unfortunate incident. We hope that the community can heal." Although Washington acknowledged the FBI and other investigators thought the noose incident bore the markings of a hate crime, a decision was made not to press federal charges because the case didn't meet federal criteria. The students were under 18 and had no prior records, and no group such as a Ku Klux Klan was found to be behind their actions. On December 4, about three months after the nooses were discovered, six teens, dubbed the Jena 6, were accused of beating classmate Justin Barker. The six -- Mychal Bell, Robert Bailey Jr., Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis, Theo Shaw and Jesse Ray Beard -- were originally charged with attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy, according to LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters. Bell, the only one of the six who remains in jail, was to be sentenced Thursday after convictions for aggravated | [
"On what did the court of appeal order hearing withing 72 hours?",
"where did the crowds touch ground?",
"What amount of protesters do the police estimate?",
"what is jena 6",
"What is the name of the group charged with beating a white classmate?",
"what is happening in jena",
"what is the estimate count of protestors by police?",
"Who orders hearing within 72 hours on teen's fate?",
"where is jena?"
] | [
[
"to determine if the only one of the six still behind bars can be released."
],
[
"Jena High School,"
],
[
"15000 to 20,000"
],
[
"six black teens"
],
[
"\"Jena 6\""
],
[
"Thousands of protesters clogged the tiny town of"
],
[
"15000 to 20,000"
],
[
"3rd Circuit Court of Appeal"
],
[
"Louisiana,"
]
] | Third Circuit Court of Appeal orders hearing within 72 hours on teen's fate .
NEW: Police estimate up to 20,000 protesters in Jena, population 3,000 .
Crowds touch ground where oak tree from which nooses were hung once stood .
Jena 6 is a group of teens charged with beating a white classmate . |
JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (CNN) -- Alfa Demmellash grew up on less than a dollar a day, and against the backdrop of torture and murder. But these days she's living the American dream and helping others do the same. Alfa Demmellash helps low-income entrepreneurs in New Jersey start or grow their businesses. "Entrepreneurs are at the very heart of what the American dream is all about," says Demmellash, a native of Ethiopia. And from her small office in Jersey City, her nonprofit, Rising Tide Capital, is helping small businesses flourish. Robin Munn, who runs a flower shop in Jersey City, says the skills she learned through Demmellash helped her transform the way she operates her business. "I was thinking about closing, but once I started taking the classes I found that the fire came back." Kim Bratten, a 39-year-old painter and mother of six, says she's seen her yearly income increase by 50 percent since she started working with Demmellash and her team. "They put hope back into the community," Bratten says. Watch small business owners describe how Demmellash has helped them » Demmellash's own struggle began in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, amid instability and unrest. Thousands of Ethiopians -- including her aunt -- disappeared or were tortured and/or killed under the ruling military regime. When Demmellash was 2, her mother fled the country, leaving the toddler in the care of her grandmother and aunt. Demmellash lived on less than a dollar a day but never considered herself poor. Watch Demmellash talk about her childhood » Nearly a decade later, Demmellash and her mother reunited in Boston, Massachusetts. But Demmellash found her mother wasn't living the American dream she'd envisioned. "I [thought] I would find my mom in a beautiful mansion with trees [and] gold everywhere," recalls Demmellash, now 29. "I was shocked when I found her in her tiny apartment ... working very, very hard." Her mother had worked as a waitress during the day and a seamstress at night to earn money to bring her daughter to the United States. Watching her mother sew beautiful gowns for low profits, Demmellash thought there had to be a way for her to increase what she was making as a seamstress. "Even though she had the skills, she did not necessarily have the business skills," she says, adding that her mother's pricing "was completely off." Still, her mother worked tirelessly to keep her daughter adequately fed, clothed and in school. Demmellash was later admitted to Harvard University, which she was able to attend with the help of "wonderful financial aid." At Harvard, Demmellash and classmate Alex Forrester discussed what their generation could do to alleviate poverty on a local level. They set out to learn what resources people needed -- or as Demmellash says, "to find people like my mom." In 2004, the pair started Rising Tide Capital (RTC) to help those who had ideas and abilities but needed the education and support to launch or grow their businesses. "You hear a lot of talk about Main Street and Wall Street, but no one really talks about how exactly you go about helping the Mom-and-Pops," says Demmellash. The group runs the Community Business Academy, an intensive training session coupled with year-round coaching and mentorship to help individuals "really work on the hands-on management side of their business," Demmellash says. The organization supports underserved populations, including women, the formerly incarcerated, minorities, unemployed and working poor, and immigrants and refugees. Demmellash and Forrester -- now married -- have helped 250 entrepreneurs and small-business owners in New Jersey so far, 70 percent of whom are single mothers. RTC raises money from corporations and works with local governments for funding in order to provide classes and support its participants at affordable costs. Participants pay a small materials and registration fee based on their income range: either $100 or $225 for the course that Demmellash says would cost thousands of dollars otherwise | [
"What is the name of her non-profit?",
"What does Alfa Demmellash do?",
"What is the name of her non profit?",
"Where is Demmellash from?",
"Where is she from?",
"What group does the non profit primarily serve?",
"Who helps low income enterpreneurs?",
"What does Alfa help low-income entrepreneurs do?"
] | [
[
"Rising Tide Capital,"
],
[
"Jersey start or grow their businesses."
],
[
"Rising Tide Capital"
],
[
"Ethiopia."
],
[
"Ethiopia."
],
[
"low-income entrepreneurs"
],
[
"Alfa Demmellash"
],
[
"start or grow their businesses."
]
] | Alfa Demmellash helps low-income entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses .
Her nonprofit, Rising Tide Capital, primarily serves single mothers .
Demmellash, an Ethiopia native, was inspired by her mother's struggle .
Do you know a hero? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A fugitive American white supremacist was arrested Monday in Israel, ending an international manhunt that began in 2007, Israeli and U.S. officials said. Micky Louis Mayon, pictured in a 2007 mug shot, entered Israel in 2008, authorities say. Micky Louis Mayon, one of the 100 most wanted people in the United States, was taken into custody in southern Tel Aviv after Israel received information from Interpol indicating he was there. The Ku Klux Klan member was located during a secret operation by Israeli immigration authorities, said Sabin Hadad, a spokeswoman for the country's Interior Ministry. He arrived in Israel in January 2008 on a one-month tourist visa, frequently changed apartments, and earned money by working part time at several restaurants, the ministry said. Mayon, 32, is being held at Israel's Maasiyahu prison and is in the process of being deported, Hadad said. "The search for Mayon came to a successful conclusion ... with the actions in Israel," Michael Regan, a U.S. marshal in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, said Monday. "Locating and identifying Mayon in a foreign country sends a strong message that you can run, but you cannot hide." Two U.S. marshals are being sent to Israel to escort him back to the United States. Mayon was featured on the television program "America's Most Wanted." He is a convicted felon and is accused of setting a judge's car on fire in Pennsylvania, the show's Web site said. | [
"What was the fugitive's name?",
"Where was the fugitive apprehended?",
"What is the fugitive's name?",
"Who apprehended the fugitive?",
"Who did Israeli authories apprehend?",
"What is the Klan member accused of?",
"Who is Micky Louis Mayon?"
] | [
[
"Micky Louis Mayon,"
],
[
"Israel,"
],
[
"Micky Louis Mayon,"
],
[
"Israeli immigration authorities,"
],
[
"Micky Louis Mayon,"
],
[
"of setting a judge's car on fire in Pennsylvania,"
],
[
"one of the 100 most wanted people in the United States,"
]
] | Israeli authorities apprehend fugitive American white supremacist .
Micky Louis Mayon was one of the 100 most wanted people in the United States .
Ku Klux Klan member accused of burning judge's car in Pennsylvania . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A rocket fired by Palestinian militants fell on a Gaza home and killed two children, Palestinian sources said Friday, the same day Israel opened three Gaza border crossings for the first time in 10 days.
A truck carrying grain enters Gaza from Israel on Friday at the Karni crossing point, one of three Israel reopened.
A third child was in critical condition. The children, all girls, were cousins -- the two who died were 7 and 12, and the injured child is 5, Hamas security and Palestinian medical sources said.
The rocket struck a house north of Gaza City.
In a separate development, the Israeli military said it allowed a Palestinian who was badly wounded by rocket fire Wednesday to enter Israel for treatment. The Palestinian entered Israel through the Erez Crossing between northern Gaza and Israel.
Israel closed the crossing for all but humanitarian reasons because of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel by Palestinian militants. But it opened three other crossings Friday, allowing fuel and commodities into the Palestinian territory for the first time in more than a week.
About 80 trucks filled with commodities were expected to cross into Gaza. Among the goods were 400,000 liters of fuel and 120 tons of cooking gas.
The decision to open the crossings at Kerem Shalom, Karni and Nahal Oz came after requests from international aid groups and Egypt, said Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. In addition, he said, Israel has no desire to hurt the civilian population in Gaza.
Lerner said whether to keep the crossings open would be a daily decision.
United Nations assistance programs in Gaza have run out of flour and several essential pharmaceuticals, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
A tenuous six-month truce between the Hamas government in Gaza and Israel expired a week ago. Under the Egyptian-brokered deal, Hamas agreed to end militant attacks on Israel from Gaza, and Israel agreed to halt raids inside the territory and ease its blockade on humanitarian goods.
In reality, the truce started breaking down two months ago. Rocket attacks by militants became more frequent, and Israel resumed airstrikes inside Gaza.
Since then, dozens of rockets have been fired by Palestinian militants into Israel. Israel Defense Forces said about nine rockets have been launched from Gaza since midnight, pushing the three-day total to more than 110. There are no reports of casualties in Israel.
The crossings opened a day after Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met in Cairo and Egypt expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Livni criticized Hamas after her meeting with Mubarak.
"Hamas needs to understand that Israel's basic desire to live in a tranquil region doesn't mean that Israel is willing to accept ongoing shooting at its population," she said, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
"Enough is enough. We cannot accept this situation, and the situation will change."
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has threatened to respond to the escalating violence. He warned Hamas again Thursday in an interview on the Al Arabiya television network and seemed to suggest that time was running out.
"We do not want to fight the Palestinian people, but we will not allow Hamas to strike our children," Olmert said.
"I did not come here to declare war," he continued. "But Hamas must be stopped -- and so it will be.
"I will not hesitate to use Israel's strength to strike at Hamas and Islamic Jihad. How? I do not wish to go into details here." | [
"What hit the Gaza house",
"How many rockets have militants fired",
"What did military allow?",
"Who died from the rocket",
"how many dead there were",
"What did military rockets hit?",
"What number of rockets were fired since wednesday?"
] | [
[
"rocket"
],
[
"dozens"
],
[
"a Palestinian who was badly wounded by rocket fire Wednesday to enter Israel for treatment."
],
[
"two children,"
],
[
"two"
],
[
"a house north of Gaza City."
],
[
"more than 110."
]
] | NEW: Militants' rocket hits Gaza house, killing Palestinian cousins .
NEW: Military says it allowed wounded Palestinian into Israel despite blockade .
Trucks filled with commodities cross into Gaza at three locations .
Militants have fired 110 rockets since Wednesday, Israel says . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A rocket fired by Palestinian militants fell on a Gaza home and killed two children, Palestinian sources said Friday, the same day Israel opened three Gaza border crossings for the first time in 10 days. A truck carrying grain enters Gaza from Israel on Friday at the Karni crossing point, one of three Israel reopened. A third child was in critical condition. The children, all girls, were cousins -- the two who died were 7 and 12, and the injured child is 5, Hamas security and Palestinian medical sources said. The rocket struck a house north of Gaza City. In a separate development, the Israeli military said it allowed a Palestinian who was badly wounded by rocket fire Wednesday to enter Israel for treatment. The Palestinian entered Israel through the Erez Crossing between northern Gaza and Israel. Israel closed the crossing for all but humanitarian reasons because of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel by Palestinian militants. But it opened three other crossings Friday, allowing fuel and commodities into the Palestinian territory for the first time in more than a week. About 80 trucks filled with commodities were expected to cross into Gaza. Among the goods were 400,000 liters of fuel and 120 tons of cooking gas. The decision to open the crossings at Kerem Shalom, Karni and Nahal Oz came after requests from international aid groups and Egypt, said Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. In addition, he said, Israel has no desire to hurt the civilian population in Gaza. Lerner said whether to keep the crossings open would be a daily decision. United Nations assistance programs in Gaza have run out of flour and several essential pharmaceuticals, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. A tenuous six-month truce between the Hamas government in Gaza and Israel expired a week ago. Under the Egyptian-brokered deal, Hamas agreed to end militant attacks on Israel from Gaza, and Israel agreed to halt raids inside the territory and ease its blockade on humanitarian goods. In reality, the truce started breaking down two months ago. Rocket attacks by militants became more frequent, and Israel resumed airstrikes inside Gaza. Since then, dozens of rockets have been fired by Palestinian militants into Israel. Israel Defense Forces said about nine rockets have been launched from Gaza since midnight, pushing the three-day total to more than 110. There are no reports of casualties in Israel. The crossings opened a day after Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met in Cairo and Egypt expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Livni criticized Hamas after her meeting with Mubarak. "Hamas needs to understand that Israel's basic desire to live in a tranquil region doesn't mean that Israel is willing to accept ongoing shooting at its population," she said, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. "Enough is enough. We cannot accept this situation, and the situation will change." Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has threatened to respond to the escalating violence. He warned Hamas again Thursday in an interview on the Al Arabiya television network and seemed to suggest that time was running out. "We do not want to fight the Palestinian people, but we will not allow Hamas to strike our children," Olmert said. "I did not come here to declare war," he continued. "But Hamas must be stopped -- and so it will be. "I will not hesitate to use Israel's strength to strike at Hamas and Islamic Jihad. How? I do not wish to go into details here." | [
"who killed Palestinian cousins?",
"Where did rockets hit?",
"Whose rocket hit a Gaza house, killing Palestinian cousins?",
"How many rockets have militants fires since Wednesday?",
"Who did the military allow in?",
"Who said 110 rockets have been fired since Wednesday?"
] | [
[
"militants"
],
[
"Gaza home"
],
[
"militants"
],
[
"more than 110."
],
[
"a Palestinian"
],
[
"Israel Defense Forces"
]
] | NEW: Militants' rocket hits Gaza house, killing Palestinian cousins .
NEW: Military says it allowed wounded Palestinian into Israel despite blockade .
Trucks filled with commodities cross into Gaza at three locations .
Militants have fired 110 rockets since Wednesday, Israel says . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Israel of Germany's "Holocaust shame," and asserted its support for the Jewish state during an unprecedented speech to the Knesset on Tuesday. Germany and Israel are linked "in a very special way" by the memory of the Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews were killed under Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II, she said in the first address a German chancellor has ever made to the Knesset. "The Holocaust fills us with shame," she said. "I bow my head before the survivors and I bow my head before you in tribute to the fact that you were able to survive." Anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia "must never take root again in Germany or in Europe," she said, and vowed to battle any flare-ups. Speaking to the Knesset, Angela Merkel also spoke of Germany's unwavering support for Israel calling the Iranian president's nuclear ambitions "a major danger" not only to Israel, but to the world as well. The German Chancellor called on him to prove that he does not want a nuclear bomb. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said his country's nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes only, but Merkel told the Israeli parliament that he needs to provide clear evidence supporting that assertion. "It is not the world that has to prove that Iran is building a bomb," she said. "Rather, Iran has to prove to the world that it does not want the nuclear bomb." Ahmadinejad has also said Israel should not exist as a sovereign nation, but Merkel said Israel's right to exist is not open to negotiation. "These are not just empty words," she said, adding that Germany would support further sanctions on Iran if it fails to cooperate. "What do we do when a majority says the greatest threat to the world comes from Israel and not from Iran?" she asked. "Do we bow our heads? Do we give up our efforts to combat the Iranian threat? However inconvenient and uncomfortable the alternative is, we do not do that." "If we were to do that, then we would not have understood our historical responsibility, nor would we be able to properly develop a way to deal with the challenges of our day, and both options would be lethal." Watch German Chancellor Angela Merkel address the Knesset » Merkel said she supports the two-state solution to the Mideast conflict, discussed last November by the key parties in Annapolis, Maryland. It calls for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in separate states. She called rocket attacks by Palestinians into Israel "a crime," and said they do nothing to solve the conflict. But she noted that effecting a two-state solution would require "strength to make painful compromises." E-mail to a friend | [
"what told german chancellor",
"who is angela merkel",
"Merkel said she supports what solution to the Mideast conflict?",
"Who told the Knesset of Germany's \"Holocaust shame\"?",
"Angela called on Iran to prove what?",
"Who became the first German chancellor to address Israeli parliament?",
"Merkel said she supports what in the Middle East conflict?",
"what merkel said"
] | [
[
"Israel of Germany's \"Holocaust shame,\""
],
[
"German Chancellor"
],
[
"further sanctions on Iran"
],
[
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel"
],
[
"that it does not want the nuclear bomb.\""
],
[
"Angela Merkel"
],
[
"the two-state solution to the Mideast"
],
[
"\"The Holocaust fills us with shame,\""
]
] | German Chancellor has told the Knesset of Germany's "Holocaust shame"
Angela Merkel became first German chancellor to address Israeli parliament .
She called on Iran to prove it did not want the bomb .
Merkel said she supports the two-state solution to the Mideast conflict . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel on Monday restated its long-standing policy regarding Iran after Russia's president indicated that Israel had taken the military option off the table. The Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, says, "Israel has the right to defend itself." "Contrary to reports, all options [are] on the table on the issue of preventing Iranian nuclear weapons capability," Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon posted on his Twitter account. The Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, also weighed in, telling Israel Army Radio that "Israel has the right to defend itself, and all options are open." "The IDF's working premise is that we have to be prepared for that possibility, and that is exactly what we are doing," he said. The issue stems from reports that Israel may have struck a deal with Russia regarding Iran and its controversial nuclear program. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told CNN's Fareed Zakaria last week that Israeli President Shimon Peres told him in a recent visit to the Russian leader's vacation home that "Israel doesn't intend to deliver any strike against Iran." "[Peres] said we are a peaceful country, we will not deal such a blow," Medvedev said in the interview, broadcast Sunday on "Fareed Zakaria GPS." "Therefore any deliveries of systems -- defensive systems -- which are aimed at protecting cannot increase danger, they should reduce it." Medvedev was referring to Russia's agreement to sell Iran its S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, which he said is in keeping with international law. The Israeli newspaper Maariv reported Monday that Peres used his influence to persuade Washington to abandon its plans to base a missile defense shield system in Poland and the Czech Republic, a proposal that had rankled Moscow. In exchange, Moscow agreed to support "imposing sanctions on Iran," Maariv reported. The United States and Russia have disagreed over Iran and over possible steps the U.N. Security Council may take -- including imposing sanctions -- to push Tehran to comply with U.N. demands concerning its nuclear program. President Obama told CBS' "Face the Nation" that his objective in revamping the U.S. defense shield plan "was not to negotiate with the Russians." "The Russians don't make determinations about what our defense posture is," Obama said in the CBS interview shown Sunday. "If the byproduct of it is that the Russians feel a little less paranoid and are now willing to work more effectively with us to deal with threats like ballistic missiles from Iran or the nuclear development in Iran, you know, then that's a bonus." CNN's Kevin Flower and Michal Zippori contributed to this report. | [
"According to an Israeli paper, whose defense plans did Israel help change?",
"What do Israeli officials say about the options on Iran?",
"What are options open on?",
"What does Isreaeli paper say?",
"What did the Russian president say?",
"What did Israel take off the table?",
"What option has Israel taken off the table?"
] | [
[
"Washington"
],
[
"\"Israel has the right to defend itself.\""
],
[
"the issue of preventing Iranian nuclear weapons capability,\""
],
[
"\"Israel has the right to defend itself.\""
],
[
"that Israel had taken the military option off the table."
],
[
"the military option"
],
[
"the"
]
] | Reports surface that Israel has taken military option off the table regarding Iran .
Russian president says Israeli official tells him, "We will not deal such a blow"
But Israeli officials say "all options are open" on Iran to prevent nuclear capability .
Israeli paper says Israel played role in U.S. changing missile defense plans on Iran . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli media are buzzing with reports that right-wing nationalist Avigdor Lieberman may become Israel's next foreign minister. Avigdor Lieberman is loathed by ultra-orthodox parties because of his support for a Palestinian state. The appointment of Lieberman, a polarizing figure in Israeli politics, could complicate the stalled peace talks with the Palestinians. It could also further strain relations between Israel and moderate Arab countries. Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu is still in the process of forming Israel's next government. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported this week that it is likely that he will select Lieberman as foreign minister. The paper quoted a source close to the negotiations between Netanyahu's Likud Party and Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu. Lieberman would replace outgoing Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, head of the moderate Kadima party, which secured the most number of parliament seats in last month's election -- but not enough to form a coalition government. Netanyahu has been unable to woo moderate parties, including Kadima, into his government. He may be forced to concede some key ministerial posts to Lieberman's party, which would be the second largest faction in the new coalition government behind Likud. Netanyahu has vowed to form a broad-based government, but it is unclear how he can keep that promise since Kadima and the moderate Labor Party have indicated that they plan to form an opposition to a Likud-led government. "Although Netanyahu has reportedly largely agreed to making Lieberman his foreign minister, he is thought to still be weighing the potential political damage the appointment of the hawkish politicians would do to the image of his government," Haaretz reported. The Jerusalem Post, quoting unnamed diplomatic sources, reported that although Israel's ties with western Europe may suffer if Lieberman becomes foreign minister, he may help improve the Jewish state's ties with Russia and eastern Europe. Lieberman is in a peculiar spot on the Israeli political spectrum He is routinely categorized as a right-wing hawk. But as a secularist who supports an independent Palestinian state, he is loathed by Israel's ultra-orthodox parties, including Shas, which holds 11 seats in the Knesset and is another potential member of Netanyahu's coalition. It is unclear how moderate Arab countries, who are still outraged over Israel's recent military operation in Gaza, would react to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Egypt, one of only four Muslim countries that have full diplomatic ties with Israel, has been trying to negotiate a broader cease-fire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas leadership. It is unclear whether those indirect negotiations would continue under the new Israeli government. Lieberman has said he is unwilling to directly or indirectly negotiate with Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by Israel for its refusal to recognize Israel and renounce violence against the Jewish state. Lieberman does support "the creation of a viable Palestinian state," which is the bedrock of U.S. policy in the region. He restated that support in a Jewish Week article, written shortly after last month's election. That puts him at odds with Netanyahu, who does not support a two-state solution. However, Lieberman's support of a Palestinian state comes at a high price. He has stated that he would oppose any peace agreement that would divide Jerusalem as a shared capital between Israel and a Palestinian state. Lieberman, who migrated from the former Soviet Union to Israel in 1978, has also called for Israel's boundaries to be redrawn to exclude much of Israel's Arab minority, a move that would strip them of their citizenship. Palestinians with Israeli citizenship make up about 20 percent of the Jewish state's population. Lieberman frequently clashes with Arab members of the Knesset and has called for them to be tried and executed for meeting with leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas. He wants all Knesset members, both Arabs and Jews, to prove their loyalty by swearing allegiance to the Israeli flag and national anthem. Arab Knesset member Ahmed Tibi has warned that Lieberman's rising popularity reflects a dangerous trend. "We are talking about a pure and obvious fascist phenomena invading the Israeli society," Tibi said. | [
"Who frequently clashes with Arab members?",
"Who might Benjamin Netanyahu pick?",
"Name of the Prime Minister?",
"What role is Lieberman being considered for?",
"Who might select Lieberman?",
"What is the name of the Prime Minister?",
"Where are the Arab members from?",
"Who has Lieberman clashed with often?"
] | [
[
"Lieberman"
],
[
"right-wing nationalist Avigdor Lieberman"
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[
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[
"Israel's next foreign minister."
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[
"Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu"
],
[
"Benjamin Netanyahu"
],
[
"Palestinian state."
],
[
"Arab members of the Knesset"
]
] | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may pick Avigdor Lieberman .
Media say he might hurt ties with West but improve ties with Russia .
It is unclear whether talks over Gaza cease-fire would continue .
Lieberman frequently clashes with Arab members of Knesset . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Palestinian militants fired a long-range rocket from Gaza into southwestern Israel on Tuesday morning. It was the first such attack into the city of Ashkelon since the two sides declared a cease-fire, the Israeli military said.
This aerial view shows the power station and industrial zone of Ashkelon, Israel, in March of 2008.
The missile fired from a Grad rocket launcher did not cause any injuries or damage in the coastal city, said a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces.
Rockets fired from a Grad have a longer range than the crude, home-made Qassams that Palestinian militants in Gaza fire more frequently. Militants have used Grads to strike farther into Israel.
Ashkelon lies 12 miles (19 km) north of Gaza.
Israel and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007, declared separate, tentative cease-fires two weeks ago after more than three weeks of fighting in Gaza.
Israel launched the attack on Hamas in Gaza on December 27 with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks on southern Israel.
More than 1,300 Palestinians died and about 5,400 others were wounded. Thirteen Israelis, including 10 soldiers, were also killed in the fighting.
Since the two sides declared a cease-fire on January 21, militants have sporadically fired rockets into Israel. Israel has responded with air strikes.
CNN's Igor Krotov contributed to this report. | [
"Who attacked Hamas?",
"How far away from Gaza is Ashkelon?",
"What did Israeli Defense Forces say?",
"What is 12 miles North of Gaza?",
"Where is Ashkelon?",
"Who died in recent attacks?",
"How many died after attacks on Hamas?",
"Where is Ashkelon located?",
"How many deaths did the Palestinians report?",
"How many Palestinians were killed in recent Israeli attacks?"
] | [
[
"Israel"
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[
"12 miles (19 km)"
],
[
"It was the first such attack into the city of Ashkelon since the two sides declared a cease-fire,"
],
[
"Ashkelon"
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[
"Israel,"
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[
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[
"More than 1,300"
],
[
"12 miles (19 km) north of Gaza."
],
[
"1,300"
],
[
"More than 1,300"
]
] | It's the first attack into Ashkelon since cease-fire two weeks ago .
Coastal city of Ashkelon is about 12 miles north of Gaza .
Israeli Defense Forces say missile didn't cause any damage or injuries .
Palestinians say more than 1,300 died after recent Israeli attacks on Hamas . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI completed his eight-day tour of the Holy Land on Friday with an exhortation to both Israelis and Palestinians to work through their decades-old conflict. Pope Benedict XVI prays in Jerusalem on Friday at what's believed to be the burial site of Jesus. "No more bloodshed! No more fighting! No more terrorism! No more war! Instead let us break the vicious circle of violence. Let there be lasting peace based on justice, let there be genuine reconciliation and healing," the pontiff said. Benedict made the comments at a farewell ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv before Israeli President Shimon Peres and other religious and secular leaders. In his concluding remarks, Benedict called his visit to Israel's Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem and his conversations with survivors a "deeply moving encounter." He seemed to address some criticism he received within the country for not speaking in stronger terms about anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. Referring to the Holocaust, Benedict spoke of the victims who "were brutally exterminated under a godless regime that propagated an ideology of anti-Semitism and hatred." After Benedict's Monday speech at Yad Vashem, the memorial's chairman, Holocaust survivor Rabbi Yisrael Lau, criticized the pope, saying the pontiff did not "participate in the pain of the Jewish people" and "used the term 'killed' when talking about Holocaust victims and not the word 'murdered' as his predecessor did." Benedict drew the ire of Jews and German Catholics earlier this year by rehabilitating an excommunicated bishop who had disputed the number of Jews killed in concentration camps during World War II. The bishop's excommunication was unrelated to his Holocaust denial. Friday, Benedict repeated his call for Palestinians to enjoy a "sovereign independent homeland" and "to live in dignity and to travel freely." He remarked that "one of the saddest sights for me during my visit to these lands was the wall" -- a reference to the 20-foot concrete barrier he saw in Bethlehem during his visit to a Palestinian refugee camp. Israel says the structure, which it calls a security fence, was built to prevent terrorist attacks; Palestinians consider it an illegal land grab. Benedict began the day with a busy morning in Jerusalem's Old City, including meeting the patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches. Between sessions with the patriarchs, Benedict toured and prayed at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, believed to be located on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried. On his Middle East visit, the pope has navigated the region's treacherous political landscape, which often pits Jew against Muslim and Muslim against Christian. Benedict has repeatedly called for reconciliation between the peoples of the region during his visit, urging Israelis and Palestinian to put aside their grievances and divisions. "Just and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the Middle East can only be achieved through a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect, in which the rights and dignity of all are acknowledged and upheld," the pope said. Celebrating Mass on Thursday, Benedict covered similar territory in his message to over 30,000 parishioners gathered at the Mount of the Transfiguration, outside Nazareth. Watch the reaction of one visitor who attended Mass » "Christians readily join Jews, Muslims, Druze and people of other religions in wishing to safeguard children from fanaticism and violence, while preparing them to be builders of a better world," he said. Benedict's trip marks the first papal visit to some of Christianity's most holy places since Pope John Paul II made the pilgrimage in 2000. | [
"When did Pope John Paul visit the Holy Land?",
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"who winds up mideast trip",
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"What day did the pope visit the old city on?",
"What did the Pope call for?",
"when was the last papal visit?"
] | [
[
"Friday"
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"reconciliation between the peoples of the region"
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[
"2000."
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[
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[
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],
[
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[
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[
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[
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"Palestinians to enjoy a \"sovereign independent homeland\" and \"to live in dignity and to travel freely.\""
],
[
"Pope John Paul II made the pilgrimage in 2000."
]
] | NEW: Benedict XVI winds up Mideast trip with call for "peace based on justice"
Pope revisits Old City after similar outing on Tuesday .
Pope calls for spirit of cooperation and mutual respect in the Middle East .
Trip marks first papal visit to Holy Land since Pope John Paul II in 2000 . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI will not visit Israel's Holocaust museum when he makes his first trip to the region as pope in May, though he will visit a memorial that is part of the site, his ambassador to Israel said Tuesday.
Pope Benedict XVI, shown at the Vatican during a prayer Sunday, has spoken out forcefully against the Holocaust.
He will also become the first pontiff to visit the Dome of the Rock, one of the holiest sites in Islam, said the envoy, papal nuncio Antonio Franco.
Foreign heads of state normally visit the Holocaust museum, which is part of the Yad Vashem complex in Jerusalem. But it includes controversial wording describing the role of Pope Pius XII during World War II, which is why Pope Benedict balked, an Israeli official said.
Critics have accused Pope Pius of doing too little to prevent the mass murder of European Jews by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler. A caption in the museum says he maintained a neutral position during the years of mass extermination of Europe's Jews.
The Vatican defends him and is gradually opening its archives in an effort to show that he acted behind the scenes.
Franco gave the news of Pope Benedict's visit to Yad Vashem at a news conference in Jerusalem.
Pope John Paul II also did not visit the museum section on his historic pilgrimage to Israel in 2000, Father Federico Lombardi, a papal spokesman, said as he confirmed that Pope Benedict will not do so.
An official with Israel's Foreign Ministry said the decision was made jointly because of the sensitivity of the matter. Yigal Palmor conceded that there is an argument over the wartime pope's actions during the Holocaust and noted that the museum has a sign stating that the facts are in dispute.
He said that Pope Benedict may visit other parts of the Yad Vashem complex, which is divided into several compounds, and that the pontiff will lay a wreath at the site's Hall of Remembrance, which is part of the protocol for visiting heads of state.
The announcement that Pope Benedict will visit only part of Yad Vashem also follows international outrage over his rehabilitation of a rebel bishop who denied the Nazis systematically murdered 6 million Jews in the Holocaust.
The Vatican ordered the bishop, Richard Williamson, to recant, and said the pope was not aware of Williamson's views on the Holocaust when he lifted the excommunication of the bishop.
Pope Benedict, who was born in Germany and forced to join the Hitler Youth as a teenager, has spoken out forcefully against the Holocaust on a number of occasions, including on a visit to the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Pope Benedict will make his pilgrimage to the Holy Land May 8-15 with stops in Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth, according to the itinerary released by the Vatican.
He will be celebrating Mass in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth, the city where Christians believe Jesus preached and lived. Some 50,000 pilgrims are expected to attend that event, the bishop of Nazareth said.
In Jerusalem, a city holy to all three of the major monotheistic faiths, Pope Benedict will visit the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which Catholics believe is the site of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The pope will also meet Israel's chief rabbis and enter the Dome of the Rock with the chief Muslim cleric in the Holy Land, the grand mufti of Jerusalem.
He will also meet Jordan's King Abdullah and Israeli President Shimon Peres, as well as Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, Franco said.
CNN's Guy Azriel in Jerusalem and Alessandro Gentile in Rome contributed to this report. | [
"Who is the first pontiff to visit the Dome of the Rock?",
"Where will he be visiting?",
"Which Pontiff will be the first to reach Dome of the Rock?",
"Where will the pontiff visit in Jerusalem?",
"When will the trip take place?",
"What memorial will he visit in Jerusalem?",
"In which month will the trip take place?",
"For what was he critized?"
] | [
[
"Pope Benedict XVI,"
],
[
"with stops in Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem"
],
[
"Pope Benedict XVI"
],
[
"Holy Land May 8-15 with stops in Amman,"
],
[
"in May,"
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[
"that is part of the site,"
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[
"May,"
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[
"Critics have accused Pope Pius of doing too little to prevent the mass murder of European Jews by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler."
]
] | NEW: Benedict XVI to be first pontiff to visit the Dome of the Rock .
NEW: Trip to be May 8-15 with stops in Amman, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth .
In Jerusalem, he'll visit Yad Vashem's memorial section, will skip museum .
Pope Pius XII criticized for WW II actions; Vatican says he acted behind the scenes . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Terrorism groups are using Facebook and other social networking sites to recruit Israeli citizens as spies, the Israeli government warned Monday. Israel says its citizens have been targeted by terrorist groups seeking to recruit spies on Facebook. Shin Bet, Israel's security agency, issued a statement warning Israelis about the dangers of trading confidential information for money. "The Shin Bet has gotten many reports about cases where terrorist elements are using the Internet to get in touch with Israelis with proposals to enlist in terror activity or to pass classified information in exchange for payment," the statement said. Not only could the leaked information hurt Israeli security, citizens traveling to other countries to exchange the information for money "might lead to them being kidnapped by terror organizations," Shin Bet said. The government did not reveal any examples of Israelis becoming spies through Facebook, but it did describe one attempt. "Lately, an Israeli citizen contacted the Shin Bet and complained about a request in Facebook from a person that presented himself as a Lebanese merchant, who asked him to give him classified information for money," the statement said. Shin Bet said this was just one example "among many incidents that were identified by the security services." "It is initiated contacts, concrete and direct to Israeli citizens, with emphasis on the social networks, that offers them to enlist to terror activity or to pass classified information in exchange for payment," it said. Shin Bet said terror groups are combing Facebook and other networks "for business or personal matters like names, addresses, Internet addresses and phone numbers that are being used to find and contact Israeli citizens in Israel and also abroad." CNN's Michal Zippori and Kevin Flower contributed to this report. | [
"In which country is the security agency based?",
"What are terrorists using social networks for?",
"who are looking for personal information?",
"What are subjects offered?",
"Who uses social networking sites to recruit spies?"
] | [
[
"Israel"
],
[
"Facebook"
],
[
"terror groups"
],
[
"to enlist to terror activity or to pass classified information in exchange for payment,\""
],
[
"Terrorism groups"
]
] | Terrorist groups using social networking to recruit spies, Israel says .
Subjects are offered money to pass along secrets, security agency says .
Groups looking for personal information to contact Israeli citizens . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The international group Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of firing weapons containing white phosphorus into Gaza. The group demands that the alleged practice cease. Israel is declining to say whether bursts like this over Gaza involve white phosphorus. The group's researchers in Israel "observed multiple air-bursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over what appeared to be the Gaza City/Jabaliya area" on Friday and Saturday, the organization said on its Web site. "Israel appeared to be using white phosphorus as an 'obscurant' [a chemical used to hide military operations], a permissible use in principle" under the laws of war, the HRW posting said. "However, white phosphorus has a significant, incidental, incendiary effect that can severely burn people and set structures, fields, and other civilian objects in the vicinity on fire," the posting said. "The potential for harm to civilians is magnified by Gaza's high population density, among the highest in the world." HRW said the use of white phosphorus in Gaza would violate "the requirement under international humanitarian law to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injury and loss of life." Last week, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman told CNN: "I can tell you with certainty that white phosphorus is absolutely not being used." Now, however, Israeli officials have a different response to questions about the possible use of phosphorus: "Any munitions that Israel is using are in accordance with international law. Israel does not specify the types of munitions or the types of operations it is conducting." Still, a doctor familiar with the material said it is not possible to tell, based on pictures of burns, whether white phosphorus was responsible. "Dead tissue pretty much looks the same," said Dr. Peter Grossman, president of the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks, California. The chemical "can burn down houses and cause horrific burns when it touches the skin," said Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch. Since January 3, when Israel began its ground offensive in Gaza, news reports have circulated about the possible use of white phosphorus by the IDF. HRW's assertion was supported by munitions experts and some Palestinian doctors, including Nafiz Abu Sha'aban, who said the burns it caused were unlike anything he has seen in 27 years of practice. Watch footage of burn patients in Gaza Though most severely burned patients have been sent to Egypt, the ongoing fighting has made it impossible to evacuate all of them, including one man with deep burns over 47 percent of his body, the doctor said. White phosphorus is known to burn flesh down to the bone. It's intended to provide illumination or to create a smokescreen in battle. Under an international protocol ratified by Israel in 1995, the use of such incendiary weapons is allowed when "not specifically designed to cause burn injury to persons." There is no prohibition per se against white phosphorus in conflict. But the timing and location of its use are restricted. For example, it is illegal under the protocol to use white phosphorus against any personnel, civilian or military. It can be directed only against military targets. International law says incendiary weapons cannot be used where civilians are concentrated. A house north of Gaza City was hit Sunday by something that observers contend may have been white phosphorus. "It's been burning since one o'clock in the morning," Munir Hammada told CNN 11 hours later. "If you move it with your feet, it reignites. You can't put it out with water, only sand." Those characteristics match the properties of white phosphorus, which ignites on contact with air. | [
"When does protocol allow its use?",
"What was seen over Gaza?",
"What can white phosphorous do?",
"What did researchers in Israel see?",
"What did the researchers witness?",
"Can white phosphorus burn people?",
"When does the protocol allow the use of white phosphorus?"
] | [
[
"\"not specifically designed to cause burn injury to persons.\""
],
[
"multiple air-bursts of artillery-fired"
],
[
"severely burn people and set structures, fields, and other civilian objects in the vicinity on fire,\""
],
[
"multiple air-bursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus"
],
[
"multiple air-bursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over"
],
[
"severely"
],
[
"\"not specifically designed to cause burn injury to persons.\""
]
] | Researchers in Israel saw bursts of white phosphorus over Gaza, group says .
White phosphorus can burn people, set structures on fire .
Protocol allows use when "not specifically designed to cause burn injury to persons"
Group: Use in densely populated Gaza would violate international humanitarian law . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A U.N. team entered Gaza on Monday to investigate possible human rights abuses by Israel and Hamas during a three-week conflict that ended January 18. Palestinians run from an Israeli airstrike on a U.N. school in northern Gaza on January 17. Richard Goldstone, a former Rwanda and Yugoslavia war crimes prosecutor, is leading the Human Rights Council investigation of the conflict that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. Goldstone and three other investigators entered Gaza via Egypt for a five-day visit. Upon crossing into the Palestinian territory, Goldstone told reporters, "We've come here to see. We've come here to learn. We've come here to talk to people in all walks of life, ordinary people, governmental people, administrative people, obviously nongovernmental organizations that are so important in this sort of situation." The Geneva, Switzerland-based Human Rights Council established the fact-finding mission April 3 "to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that might have been committed at any time in the context of the military operations that were conducted in Gaza during the period from 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, whether before, during or after." Israel launched its offensive in Gaza with the stated intent of stopping a barrage of rockets -- primarily short-range homemade Qassam rockets -- fired from the territory into southern Israel by Hamas fighters. The Israeli government is not assisting the investigators, who are not scheduled to visit Israel as part of the inquiry. Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said that "there is not a chance we will cooperate with this mission" under the terms of the Human Rights Council mandate. "The resolution was adopted by a vote of non-Democratic countries, and the democratic countries either abstained or rejected the resolution," Palmor said. Israel has been long been a critic of the Human Rights Council, arguing that it is one-sided in its approach to the Jewish state. The Israeli military conducted an investigation of its actions in the Gaza conflict and concluded in a report released in April that it "operated in accordance with international law." An Israeli human rights group called that conclusion problematic since an impartial external body did not lead the investigation. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights has said that 1,417 Palestinians were killed in the fighting, of which 236 were active combatants. The Israeli military put the death toll at 1,166 and has maintained that more than half were "Hamas terror operatives" The Hamas movement welcomed the arrival of the investigators. Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said, "We are ready to help these committees and encourage them to unveil the truth and bring out all the hidden details of what took place during the war, hoping to show the entire world the truth." Barhoum went on to say that Israel's lack of cooperation was evidence that it was trying to cover up crimes committed in Gaza. The U.S. State Department has labeled Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization, a terrorist group. Its military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians as well as attacks against the Israeli military. | [
"What is being investigated?",
"How many Isrealis were killed?",
"When did conflict end?",
"How many Israeli and Palestinians were killed?",
"Who entered Gaza?",
"When did the three-week conflict end?"
] | [
[
"Israel and Hamas"
],
[
"13"
],
[
"January 18."
],
[
"13"
],
[
"A U.N. team"
],
[
"January 18."
]
] | Human Rights Council enters Gaza to investigate possible abuses by Israel, Hamas .
Three-week conflict between the two sides ended January 18 .
Thirteen Israelis and more than 1,000 Palestinians were killed .
Israeli government is not assisting investigators . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An archaeological dig in Jerusalem has turned up a 3,700-year-old wall that is the largest and oldest of its kind found in the region, experts say. The wall is built of enormous boulders, confounding archaeologists as to how ancient peoples built it. Standing 8 meters (26 feet) high, the wall of huge cut stones is a marvel to archaeologists. "To build straight walls up 8 meters ... I don't know how to do it today without mechanical equipment," said the excavation's director, Ronny Reich. "I don't think that any engineer today without electrical power [could] do it." Archaeologist Eli Shukron of the Israel Antiquities Authority added, "You see all the big boulders -- all the boulders are 4 to 5 tons." The discovered section is 24 meters (79 feet) long. "However, it is thought the fortification is much longer because it continues west beyond the part that was exposed," the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a news release. It was found inside the City of David, an archaeological excavation site outside the Old City of East Jerusalem on a slope of the Silwan Valley. The wall is believed to have been built by the Canaanites, an ancient pagan people who the Bible says inhabited Jerusalem and other parts of the Middle East before the advent of monotheism. Watch report on the discovery of the ancient wall » "This is the most massive wall that has ever been uncovered in the City of David," Reich and Shukron said in a joint statement about the find. It marks the first time "that such massive construction that predates the Herodian period has been discovered in Jerusalem." It appears to be part of a "protected, well-fortified passage that descends to the spring tower from some sort of fortress that stood at the top of the hill," according to the joint statement. The spring "is located in the weakest and most vulnerable place in the area. The construction of a protected passage, even though it involves tremendous effort, is a solution for which there are several parallels in antiquity, albeit from periods that are later than the remains described here." Such walls were used primarily to defend against marauding desert nomads looking to rob the city, said Reich, a professor at the University of Haifa. "We are dealing with a gigantic fortification, from the standpoint of the structure's dimensions, the thickness of its walls and the size of the stones that were incorporated in its construction," the joint statement said. Water from the spring is used by modern inhabitants of Jerusalem. "The new discovery shows that the picture regarding Jerusalem's eastern defenses and the ancient water system in the Middle Bronze Age 2 is still far from clear," Reich said. "Despite the fact that so many have excavated on this hill, there is a very good chance that extremely large and well-preserved architectural elements are still hidden in it and waiting to be uncovered." CNN's Kevin Flower contributed to this report | [
"What was the purpose of the wall?",
"What is the age of the wall",
"What is made of boulders?",
"Who do they think built the wall?",
"Who is believed to have built the wall",
"What is the wall in question made of?",
"What do the boulders weigh"
] | [
[
"defend against marauding desert nomads"
],
[
"3,700-year-old"
],
[
"3,700-year-old wall"
],
[
"The wall is believed to have been built by the Canaanites,"
],
[
"Canaanites,"
],
[
"enormous boulders,"
],
[
"4 to 5 tons.\""
]
] | Made of boulders weighing 4 to 5 tons, the 3,700-year-old wall is 26 feet high .
Archaeologist: "I don't know how to do it today without mechanical equipment"
The wall appears to have been used to defend path that led to spring .
Wall is believed to have been built by Canaanites . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Citing security concerns, the U.S. State Department has revoked the visas it recently issued to three Gaza students who were awarded Fulbright scholarships to study in the United States.
Sari Bashi, who advocates freedom of movement for Palestinians, says their access to education is restricted.
It marks the second time in two months that the United States has gone back on its offer to the Palestinian students to take part in the American government-sponsored scholarship program.
The three students who had their visas revoked were sent a letter from the American Consulate in Jerusalem, dated August 4.
"The Department of State has revoked your nonimmigrant visa" because "information has come to light that you may be inadmissible to the United States and ineligible to receive a visa under Section 212 (A) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits issuance of a visa to aliens for security and related grounds," the letter said.
The letter did not elaborate on what the security concerns were. A State Department official told CNN that the agency could not disclose any information about the reason for the visa revocation, but that the students would be allowed to reapply for a visa at some point in the future.
The three students are among seven Gaza-based Fulbright scholars who made headlines when in May the State Department sent them e-mail notifications saying their scholarships could not be completed because the Israeli government would not issue them exit visas from Gaza.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack admitted that the U.S. authorities had not taken up the matter with Israel until after the matter became public. The scholarships were only reinstated after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed her unhappiness with the situation and the State Department spokesman admitted that a "faulty decision-making process" led to the communication.
According to Sari Bashi, the executive-director of Gisha, an Israeli non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of movement for Palestinians and has been working closely with the students, four of the seven Fulbright students were cleared for travel out of Gaza by Israel, but the remaining three were prevented from leaving Gaza by the Israeli government, citing security concerns.
In an unusual move, the American Consulate in Jerusalem processed the remaining three students' visa applications with mobile fingerprinting equipment at the Israel- Gaza border and granted the visas three weeks later at the end of July.
Bashi said on Tuesday that one of the three students, Fidaa Abed, had already left Gaza for the United States and upon arrival at the airport in Washington was informed that his visa had been revoked and was sent back to Amman, Jordan, with instructions to return to Gaza. The other two Fulbright students remain in Gaza.
Bashi said that while the situation of the three students is one of "tremendous concern," it only underscores what she says is the larger problem of lack of access to higher education for hundreds of Gaza students who have been accepted into universities outside of Gaza but are prevented from leaving due to Israeli restrictions.
Bashi said that "alongside the few students denied visas for procedural, technical, or undisclosed security reasons, there are hundreds of students with valid visas in danger of losing their places at foreign universities because Israel refuses to even consider their requests to leave Gaza.
"Denying talented young people their right to access education does not contribute to building a better future in the region," Bashi said.
Israeli government officials have long maintained that its restrictions on allowing students to travel outside of Gaza are based only on security considerations.
"We do act to facilitate students wishing to study at Western universities where they are exposed to liberal and democratic values," an Israeli government official said on Tuesday.
But, the official said, Israel distinguishes between students wanting to study in the West and those wanting to study in places like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or Syria or the West Bank.
In the case of the West Bank, the official said Hamas could use this as a way of strengthening its activist base in the West Bank, which would be detrimental to Israel's security.
"There is no reason why we should | [
"What does U.S. State Department cite?",
"How many students had their visas pulled",
"What did the State Department say?",
"What does advocacy group say?",
"How many students lost their visas?",
"How many Palestinian students had their visas pulled?",
"Who cited security concerns"
] | [
[
"security concerns,"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"and ineligible to receive a visa under Section 212 (A) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits issuance of a visa to aliens for security and related grounds,\""
],
[
"their access to education is restricted."
],
[
"three"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"U.S. State Department"
]
] | U.S. State Department cites security concerns as reason visas were withdrawn .
Three Palestinian students were among seven who had earlier had visas pulled .
Israel reportedly acts to prevent the students from leaving Gaza .
Advocacy group says Palestinians need more access to higher education . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police in east Jerusalem stretched into Sunday evening after a visit by a Jewish group to one of the city's holiest sites. Israeli border police charge towards Palestinian protesters during clashes in Jerusalem's Old City. Street battles began in the Old City on Sunday morning, when Palestinians praying at the site -- known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or "Noble Sanctuary," and to Jews as Temple Mount -- began to throw rocks at the visiting Jews, said Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Police responded with stun grenades and arrested eight demonstrators, he said. Rosenfeld also said two Palestinians and two police officers were wounded in the melee, but Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, a former grand mufti of Jerusalem, said nine Palestinians were hurt. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat called the visit a deliberate provocation by hardliners opposed to a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and criticized the police response to the protests. Erakat compared the visit to the 2000 trip by Ariel Sharon -- before he was elected prime minister -- to the al-Aqsa mosque that Palestinians blame for touching off three years of violence. "We've seen this before, and we know what the consequences are," Erakat said in a statement issued Sunday evening. He said the visit was "deliberately timed" on the eve of the anniversary of Sharon's September 28, 2000 visit. There was no immediate response from the Israeli government to Erakat's statement. The demonstration was broken up about 1:30 p.m., but Palestinians continued battling police with rocks and Molotov cocktails for several hours in other parts of east Jerusalem. Erakat said Israel was "deliberately escalating tensions" in Jerusalem at the same time that U.S. President Barack Obama is trying to coax the two sides into restarting talks aimed a permanent settlement of the decades-old conflict. "Providing a police escort for settlers who are against peace at all costs, and whose presence is deliberately designed to provoke a reaction, are not the actions of someone who is committed to peace, but of someone who will go to extraordinary lengths to scuttle all hopes of peace," Erakat said. CNN's Shira Medding contributed to this report | [
"When did the battles began?",
"When did street battles begin?",
"Where did street battles begin on Sunday?",
"What did Saeb Erakat call the visit?",
"How many people are hurt?",
"What began on Sunday morning?",
"What did Palestinians do?",
"Who are throwing rocks at visitors?",
"Who is Saeb Erakat?"
] | [
[
"Sunday morning,"
],
[
"Sunday morning,"
],
[
"in the Old City"
],
[
"deliberate provocation by hardliners"
],
[
"nine"
],
[
"Street battles"
],
[
"began to throw rocks at the visiting Jews,"
],
[
"Palestinians"
],
[
"Chief Palestinian negotiator"
]
] | Street battles began in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday morning .
Police: Clashes begin when Palestinians praying there start to throw rocks at visitors .
Police says 2 Palestinians, police officer hurt; former mufti says 9 Palestinians hurt .
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat calls the visit a deliberate provocation . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel agreed to release a notorious killer Sunday in order to bring closure to the families of three missing military men, a government spokesman said. An Israeli woman stands in front of posters of captured soldiers Sunday in Jerusalem. "It's not an easy decision," Mark Regev told CNN. "One of the people being released is a brutal murderer, a man that with his own hands killed infants -- a terrible crime, but this is a nasty business." He was referring to Samir Kuntar, the longest-serving Lebanese prisoner in Israel, who is hailed as a hero by Hezbollah. Kuntar was convicted for a 1979 attack in which he shot and killed an Israeli man in front of his 4-year-old daughter before smashing her head against a rock and tossing her into the sea. The victim's 2-year-old daughter was accidentally smothered by her mother, who tried to keep her quiet as they hid from the attackers. Kuntar was convicted for murdering both children in the attack, which the Palestine Liberation Front orchestrated to protest the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty at Camp David the previous year. Kuntar is one of five Lebanese prisoners who Israel will release in exchange for two Israeli soldiers, Ehud "Udi" Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. The Lebanon-based Shiite militant group kindapped the two in a July 2006 raid into northern Israel that left three other Israeli soldiers dead. Hezbollah never gave Israel any indication whether they survived the attack, which sparked a 34-day war, leaving the families in limbo. Before the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told his Cabinet that the two soldiers are not alive, "as far as we know." "We'll have a final answer when they are returned," Regev said. Goldwasser and Regev are at the center of the landmark agreement, which has been years in the making, with both sides using the prisoners and intelligence as bartering chips. Under the deal, which the Cabinet approved 22-3 on Sunday, Hezbollah will also release information about Ron Arad, an Israeli navigator who has been missing since he was forced to eject from his plane over Lebanon in October 1986. "We have an obligation, a moral obligation to their families to bring finality," Regev said. "That if they are in fact no longer living, that their families can have a funeral, that they can have a grave, that they can know that this is over." Israel has repeatedly attempted to get information about Arad and other missing airmen by using Lebanese detainees as leverage. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised the Arad family that Kuntar will not be released unless Hezbollah provides information on Arad. In addition to Kuntar and other Lebanese prisoners, Israel will also release Palestinian prisoners and return the remains of dozens of border infiltrators and eight Hezbollah members to Lebanon, according to a statement from the government. Israel will also provide information to the United Nations about four Iranian diplomats who disappeared in Beirut during the 1982 Israeli invasion, the statement said. Earlier this month, Israel deported a Lebanese-born man who served six years in jail on charges of spying for Hezbollah. In exchange, Hezbollah handed over a brown coffin containing the remains of Israeli soldiers killed during the 2006 war. The move was seen as a prelude to a possible prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah. CNN's Shira Medding and and Ben Wedeman contributed to this report. | [
"Who says two soldiers likely not alive?",
"Who agreed to swap prisoners?",
"What will Israel swap for captured soldiers?",
"Who are the two soldiers thought to be dead?",
"What is the number of Lebanese prisoners that will be released?",
"Who will release five Lebanese prisoners?",
"How many prisoners will be released?",
"What is the Israeli Cabinet willing to swap prisoners for?",
"What nationality are the prisoners about to be released?",
"What does the prime minister say?",
"What does the Israeli Cabinet agree to do?"
] | [
[
"Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert"
],
[
"Israel"
],
[
"five Lebanese prisoners"
],
[
"Ehud \"Udi\" Goldwasser and Eldad Regev."
],
[
"five"
],
[
"Israel"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"soldiers,"
],
[
"Lebanese"
],
[
"told his Cabinet that the two soldiers are not alive, \"as far as we know.\""
],
[
"release a notorious killer"
]
] | Israeli Cabinet agrees to swap prisoners for two captured soldiers .
Israeli prime minister says two soldiers most likely not alive .
Israel will release five Lebanese prisoners, including convicted killer . |
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel has expelled Venezuela's ambassador in response to Venezuela's expulsion of an Israeli envoy and the rupture of diplomatic relations earlier this month.
A pro-Palestinian mural in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
Venezuelan head of mission Roland Betancourt and two other diplomats were given until Friday to leave.
"Due to the decision of Venezuela to cut relations with us a few weeks ago, we told the Venezuelan charge d'affaires that he and his staff should leave Israel," Foreign Ministry official Lior Hayat said. "We told them they are declared persona non grata in Israel."
Venezuela expelled Israeli Ambassador Shlomo Cohen and staff on January 6 and broke off diplomatic relations on January 14 in protest of Israel's attack on Gaza. Bolivia also broke off relations with Israel that day.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro defended his country's actions, saying Israel violated basic human rights with its military action.
"Our decisions were just, correct, aligned with and adjusted with the spirit of our constitution, which mandates that we seek international peace," Maduro said in a statement on the foreign ministry's Web site.
Maduro said Venezuela's actions are compatible with its support for the creation of a Palestinian state.
He has not spoken, he said, with any Israeli officials over this week's expulsion of the Venezuelan diplomats.
"The response of the state of Israel is weak, late, and in any case for us it's an honor," Maduro told the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera. "We're proud that the state of Israel that exists today, led by these criminals, made this decision."
Israel and Venezuela have had diplomatic tensions before. Israel recalled its ambassador to Venezuela in August 2006 "in protest against the one-sided policy of the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, in light of his outrageous defamatory remarks against the state of Israel, and in reaction to the recalling of the Venezuela ambassador to Israel," the foreign ministry said at the time.
A January 21 cease-fire put an end to fighting between Hamas militants in Gaza and Israel, which had launched a three-week offensive, saying its goal was to stop missile strikes into southern Israel.
More than 1,200 Palestinians, many of them civilians, were killed. Israel lost about 10 soldiers and three civilians. | [
"What caused the expulsion?",
"Who has been expelled from Israel?",
"who is Venezuelan ambassador?",
"Who is proud of the expulsion from israel?",
"who did Move in response to?",
"Who broke diplomatic relations?",
"Who was expelled?"
] | [
[
"an Israeli envoy and the rupture of diplomatic relations"
],
[
"Venezuela's ambassador"
],
[
"Roland Betancourt"
],
[
"Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro"
],
[
"Venezuela's ambassador"
],
[
"Venezuela's"
],
[
"Venezuela's ambassador"
]
] | Venezuelan ambassador to Israel and two others expelled .
Move in response to Venezuela breaking diplomatic relations over Gaza attack .
Venezuelan foreign minister says country is proud of the expulsion from Israel . |
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