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Kettleman City, California (CNN) -- Spring in California's San Joaquin Valley is seemingly idyllic, with rolling hills and miles of fruit orchards. But what's happening in the small town of Kettleman City has people scared.
In the past three years, 10 babies in Kettleman City, California, have been born with birth defects, including cleft palates and heart problems. Four cases were reported in 2008 and there was another possible case that same year. According to the California Department of Public Health and California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, those four cases in Kettleman City are higher than expected. Nationally, the Birth Defects Monitoring Program lists one out of every 33 babies as born with a birth defect.
Three infants have died, including Maria Saucedo's daughter, Ashley.
"It's such a small town and such a large problem. We want to give our children life, not death," said Saucedo. "When Ashley was born, the doctors told me that there was something wrong with her. They told me that Ashley wouldn't live more than one or two months."
Despite a weak immune system, Ashley managed to live for almost 10 months. She died of a blood infection on January 24, 2009. Through tears, Saucedo said, "I apologized for not taking her earlier to the hospital, but the doctors told me that it wasn't my fault, that with babies like this, this is what happens."
But Saucedo wants to know why it happened to her and the other mothers living here.
Kettleman City is one of the poorest towns in the state. Maricela Mares Alatorre, who works as a teacher, grew up there.
"It's a really small town," said Alatorre. "Most people have been here for generations. I like to call it the Mayberry feeing with a Latino twist."
But unlike Mayberry, the 1,500 people of this farming community have no grocery store, no high school and few sidewalks. The town, which is surrounded by farms, is polluted. It is plagued with poor air quality, unsafe drinking water and exposure to pesticides. Kettleman City's water does not meet EPA standards, because of high levels of naturally occurring arsenic. . The state and EPA have found poor air quality throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Kettleman City is surrounded by agriculture and is exposed to heavy use of pesticides. Because of its location right off Highway 41, there also is a lot of emissions pollution.
The major concern for many people in Kettleman City, however, lies just four miles outside town. It is the largest toxic waste site west of the Mississippi. The site is operated by the waste disposal firm Waste Management, which said that last year 400,000 tons of hazardous waste -- including lead and cancer-linked PCBs found in plastics -- was dumped there. Every day, hundreds of trucks pour in and out.
Some residents believe the birth defects could be linked to the waste site.
Waste Management has said its Kettleman Hills facility operates safely and fully protects human health and the environment. The site has been inspected by four separate local, state and federal entities since 2007. All concluded the facility operates safely and does not affect local residents. Waste Management has agreed to cooperate with investigations into the community's concerns. Tension between Waste Management and the community goes back decades. Residents led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson waged a battle against Waste Management in 1991 to stop a toxic waste incinerator from being built. They won.
Now the residents of Kettleman City are fighting again, this time over a proposed waste site expansion, for which their local officials voted.
For Alatorre, environmental activism is in her genes.
"I'm a second-generation activist," she said. Alatorre has been fighting against the waste site expansion and fighting for a state health investigation into the birth defects for nearly two years. She and others are upset that the county voted to expand the waste site before a full investigation was completed.
"We don't want an expansion because we feel like there are a lot | [
"How many babies have birth defects?",
"What number of babies have eben born with defects?"
] | [
[
"10"
],
[
"one out of every 33"
]
] | In 3 years, 10 babies in Kettleman City, California, have been born with birth defects .
Residents blame a variety of pollution, including a toxic waste dump .
Government reports say the dump is not a hazard .
The latest on plans to expand the waste site on tonight's "Campbell Brown" 8 p.m. ET . |
Khartoum, Sudan (CNN) -- A major Darfur rebel leader and some of his top commanders have been killed, a Sudanese army spokesman announced on state-run radio Sunday.
"Our armed forces were able to destroy the renegade Khalil Ibrahim, who died along with members of (his group's) leadership that was with him," said Alswarmi Khalid, the army's spokesperson.
Khalid said Ibrahim and members of his group were surrounded and killed in the Wad Banda area -- along the border between North Darfur state and North Kordofan state -- as they attempted to escape to South Sudan.
Fighting between Darfur rebels and the Sudanese army broke out days ago in North Kordofan, as rebels announced an assault on Khartoum.
Ibrahim was the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), considered the most powerful Darfur rebel group. The JEM had refused to join the Doha Darfur peace document, signed between the Sudanese government and another rebel group, the Liberation and Justice Movement, this year.
A statement posted on JEM's website confirmed Ibrahim's death, but told a different narrative of events.
"JEM announces the martyrdom of its chair and head of its armed forces and offers its condolences to all Sudanese people," the statement read.
The JEM said Ibrahim was attacked from air by an unknown plane that hit with "with accuracy unusual for the regime's army's fighters which led to his martyrdom ... which points to the involvement of and a conspiracy by some in the regional and international circles with Khartoum's genocidal regime."
The rebel group reconfirmed its commitment to remove the government from power. | [
"What was he the leader of?",
"who was the leader of the JEM",
"who was killed?",
"members of who's group leadership were killed",
"what is the jem group?",
"where did the fighting break out?",
"What is the name of the leader?",
"What does the group allege?"
] | [
[
"Darfur rebel"
],
[
"Ibrahim"
],
[
"A major Darfur rebel leader and some of his top commanders"
],
[
"Justice and Equality Movement (JEM),"
],
[
"the most powerful Darfur rebel"
],
[
"North Kordofan,"
],
[
"Khalil Ibrahim,"
],
[
"Ibrahim was attacked from air"
]
] | NEW: The JEM rebel group alleges a conspiracy led to the death of its leader .
Sudanese army: Khalil Ibrahim and members of his group's leadership were killed .
Ibrahim was the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)
Fighting between Darfur rebels and the Sudanese army broke out days ago in North Kordofan . |
Khartoum, Sudan (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lashed out Monday at "the powers of arrogance," saying that both Sudan and Iran were subject to "pressures" from the West because of their political positions.
"They pressure Sudan and Iran; why? Because we stand against the powers of arrogance," Ahmadinejad said during a visit to Khartoum.
Speaking to a crowd of cheering youths, students and supporters in Khartoum's Friendship Hall, Ahmadinejad criticized Europe and the United States for what he described as the "stealing" of Africa's wealth.
"They stole the riches of Africa," he said.
"Despite this wealth, we see poverty and deprivation."
Ahmadinejad arrived in Khartoum Monday morning on his way back to Iran after speaking to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and after a brief stop in Mauritania.
Western delegates walked out of his speech at the U.N.after he repeatedly condemned the United States and said some countries use the Holocaust as an "excuse to pay ransom... to Zionists."
"They don't want to see Sudan strong so they pressured it into a referendum," he said, in reference to the South Sudan referendum that led to the independence of South Sudan last July.
"Could there be a referendum in Europe, in the Basque (region of Spain) and other areas?" he asked.
"I am sure if there was a neutral referendum in the U.S., some states would secede from the U.S.," he continued.
"The waves of consciences have started especially in the Muslim lands," he said, in reference to the popular revolutions that have sprung out in the Arab world.
Earlier, Ahmadinejad and Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir met, along with a large team of ministers from both countries.
"We are looking for more economic cooperation with sisterly Iran," al-Bashir said in a meeting.
"We confirm our support for Iran's right to develop its nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," he added.
In a joint statement by both governments, Iran stated that it was "ready to transfer its experience in the science and manufacturing sectors, especially technical and engineering services, to improve Sudan's infrastructure." | [
"Who \"stole the riches of Africa\"?",
"Where did they speak at the U.N.?",
"What does he visit?",
"Where did Mahmoud visit?",
"What did Mahmoud tell the Sudanese?",
"Where was he after speaking?"
] | [
[
"Europe and the United States"
],
[
"United Nations General Assembly in New York,"
],
[
"Khartoum."
],
[
"Khartoum."
],
[
"Sudan and Iran were subject to \"pressures\" from the West because of their political positions."
],
[
"on his way back to Iran"
]
] | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits Khartoum and speaks to supporters .
The Iranian presidents was traveling home after speaking at the U.N. in New York .
He tells the Sudanese that Europe and the U.S. "stole the riches of Africa"
Sudan's Omar al-Bashir supports Iran's nuclear program "for peaceful purposes" |
Khartoum, Sudan (CNN) -- On the heels of international condemnation of the bombing of a refugee camp, a satellite monitoring group said Friday that Sudan is enhancing its airstrike capabilities along its border with South Sudan.
The U.S.-based Satellite Sentinel Project said that since taking control of the border town of Kurmuk on November 2, the Sudanese Armed Forces appear to be upgrading military facilities. It said Sudan has started fortifying the airstrip and positioned armor nearby.
Digital imagery, analyzed by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, showed four new helicopter landing pads, three helicopter gunships and an Antonov, a plane often used in Sudanese bombing campaigns, on a newly improved airstrip in Blue Nile state's capital of Damazin.
The satellite project also reported a new 250-meter expansion of the Damazin airstrip.
The project's co-founder, John Prendergast, said the buildup is alarming.
"The airfield improvements suggest Sudan's readiness to widen its aerial bombing campaign in its border areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, as well as neighboring South Sudan," he said.
"If this buildup and bombing campaign isn't countered aggressively by the international community, it appears likely that Khartoum's actions will plunge Sudan even more deeply into internal war as well as ignite a full-scale war with South Sudan."
Charlie Clements, head of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School, said the analysis of the images underscored an "urgent threat to human security on both sides" of the border.
Conceived by actor George Clooney, the Satellite Sentinel Project combines satellite imagery analysis and field reports with Google's Map Maker technology to provide an early warning system to deter the resumption of war between north and south in Sudan.
The two sides fought a bitter, bloody civil war that cost as many as 2 million lives. Before the independence of South Sudan in July, human rights monitors expressed concerns that long-standing grievances could end in violence consuming the region again.
The United Nations human rights chief called Friday for an investigation into the bombing Thursday of the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan's oil-rich Unity state.
"The camp at Yida, which is close to the border with Sudan, is housing thousands of civilians, including women and children," said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.
"While the number of casualties is not yet clear, I understand that five or six bombs were dropped on the camp, and that at least one fell close to a school," she said, calling for an "independent, thorough and credible investigation to establish the precise circumstances of this aerial bombing."
The camp houses about 20,000 refugees who have fled the violence in the states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.
Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountain region straddle Sudan and South Sudan's ethnic and political lines. Although these territories are geographically part of Sudan, the population has faced "exclusion, marginalization and discriminatory practices that have resulted in their opposition to the Sudanese government," according to the U.N. human rights office.
Sudanese Armed Forces began launching aerial attacks against rebels in the region shortly after the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir ordered the dismantling of joint units that had integrated South Sudanese and Sudanese military fighters within Southern Kordofan.
Fighting between the Sudanese army and rebel groups has flared in border areas in the months since South Sudan became the world's newest nation.
Friday, the Sudanese state news agency SUNA reported that the Sudanese army had repelled an attack by the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement/Army-North in the South Kordofan town of Talodi.
Last month, hundreds of rebels were killed in fighting, according to government officials.
The SPLM/Army-North once represented the northern chapter of the SPLM, which now governs newly independent South Sudan. Many of its members come from the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
The rebels, however, said they were successful in thwarting a Sudanese attack.
"The fighting in Talodi is an extension of a government offensive everywhere in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state," said Yasser Arman, | [
"what is sudan fortifying",
"What do these recent images suggest, according to John Prendergast?",
"What do recent images show according to the Satellite Sentinel Project?"
] | [
[
"the Damazin airstrip."
],
[
"to widen its aerial bombing campaign"
],
[
"four new helicopter landing pads, three helicopter gunships and an Antonov,"
]
] | NEW: The Satellite Sentinel Project says images show a Sudanese military buildup .
NEW: The group said Sudan is fortifying an airstrip and positioning armor .
NEW: The images suggest Sudan may increase bombing, John Prendergast says .
NEW: The U.N. human rights chief calls for a probe into a refugee camp bombing . |
Khartoum, Sudan (CNN) -- South Sudan's government has gained control of a remote town that had been under attack by fighters from a rival tribe, the nation's information minister said Monday.
Some of the thousands who fled into the bush have begun to return to Pibor, said Barnaba Benjamin, South Sudan's minister of information and broadcasting.
Earlier Monday, a military official said that roughly 4,000 army and police reinforcements were on the way to Pibor after weekend attacks.
The United Nations also said it sent a battalion of peacekeepers to Pibor last week amid reports that members of the Lou Nuer tribe were marching toward the town, home to the Murle tribe, after attacking the village of Lukangol.
Ethnic tensions in the South Sudan state of Jonglei have flared as tribes fight over grazing lands and water rights, disagreements that have dissolved into cattle raids and abduction of women and children.
Fighters first struck Pibor on Saturday, attacking a portion that was out of the reach of U.N. peacekeepers, said Col. Philip Auger of the South Sudan army.
Benjamin said there were no casualties and no direct confrontation between the two tribes there, because most of the Murle had fled when they heard the Lou Nuer were approaching.
The nonprofit group Medecins sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, was still trying Monday to reach 117 of its 130 aid workers who fled into the bush along with the populations of Pibor and Lukangol before the attack, said Sarathy Rajendran, head of the group's South Sudan mission.
Rajendran said the organization was afraid for its workers' safety and "very concerned" for the people of Pibor and Lukangol.
"We believe tens of thousands are currently displaced without access to water, food and health care," he said. "The situation is tense. We don't know what is happening on the ground, so we are monitoring the situation."
The nonprofit's clinic in Lukangol was "burned and looted," spokeswoman Emily Linendoll said, adding that its Pibor clinic "has been targeted."
The attack on Pibor follows reports last week that Lou Nuer fighters raided Lukangol, burning it to the ground and forcing thousands to flee toward Pibor.
At least 50,000 people have fled the violence in the state that began last year, said Quade Hermann, chief of radio at Radio Miraya, a U.N.-backed radio station in South Sudan.
She similarly said that the town of Pibor is secure now, though the situation there remains fluid. The people who fled remain scattered, and the United Nations is working on a plan for how to distribute humanitarian aid, Hermann said.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week urged the groups to work with the government of South Sudan to find solutions.
South Sudan's vice president, Riek Machar, is leading an initiative to bridge the differences between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes, including encouraging the armed groups to disband and go home, the United Nations has said.
The violence in Jonglei state is the latest to rock South Sudan, which officially gained its statehood in July after separating from the north. | [
"Some have started to return to where?",
"How many reinforcements were being sent to Pibor?",
"Who were the attackers?",
"Who attacked the town?",
"How many people fled from Jonglei?",
"How many people fled the violence in Jonglei?",
"Where did they flee from?",
"Where have they returned to?"
] | [
[
"Pibor,"
],
[
"roughly 4,000"
],
[
"members of the Lou Nuer tribe"
],
[
"fighters from a rival tribe,"
],
[
"At least 50,000"
],
[
"thousands"
],
[
"Pibor,"
],
[
"Pibor,"
]
] | NEW: At least 50,000 people are said to have fled from the violence in Jonglei .
Information minister: Some of the thousands who fled have started to return to Pibor .
Earlier, an official said roughly 4,000 reinforcements were being sent to Pibor .
The town had been under attack by fighters from a rival tribe . |
Kiev, Ukraine (CNN) -- Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko refuses to concede defeat in Ukraine's presidential election and plans to demand a recount in some districts, officials from her party, Bloc Tymoshenko, said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, her rival, former Ukrainian prime minister Victor Yanukovich told CNN it is time for her to give up.
Yanukovich is leading Sunday's runoff election. With 99.98 percent of the votes counted, he has 48.96 percent, while Tymoshenko has 45.47 percent, according to the country's Central Election Commission.
Yanukovich's supporters rallied outside the commission Tuesday and vowed not to leave until the vote count was final and their candidate named the winner, Ukrainian news agencies and state media reported.
In an exclusive interview with CNN Tuesday, Yanukovich called on Tymoshenko to accept defeat and remember the pro-Western Orange Revolution that swept her to power.
"This country has been democratic for five years, and that's been proven again by this election," he said. "Yulia Tymoshenko is betraying the principles of her Orange Revolution" by failing to acknowledge defeat.
A Yanukovich win would put the finishing touches on a remarkable comeback for the former prime minister five years after he was ousted in a populist uprising.
Ukrainian voter Nikolay Gluhovskiy said he supported Yanukovich because Tymoshenko had been a disappointment.
"All the time Yulia Tymoshenko has been in power, we had no prospects," he said at a Yanukovich rally Monday. "Of course, she is a fighter, but in a bad sense. She shouldn't have promised us so much and done nothing."
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Yanukovich by telephone Tuesday, the Kremlin told CNN.
"Medvedev congratulated Yanukovich on the completion of the election campaign, which was highly rated by international observers, and the success achieved at the presidential election," the Kremlin's statement press statement said.
The Kremlin statement did not offer congratulations for a Yanukovich win, however.
During the 2004 presidential election, then-Russian President Vladimir Putin became the first world leader to congratulate Yanukovich on his victory, a full two days before the electoral commission declared him the winner.
Appearing on television after the polls closed Sunday night, Yanukovich said his opponent should begin preparations to step down.
But Tymoshenko has evidence of election fraud and intends to demand a recount in some districts where, she says, voting irregularities took place, officials from her party said Tuesday.
The two politicians have fought a bitter battle.
Yanukovich has strong links to Russia, and a checkered election history. In 2004, he was declared the winner of the presidential election before the ballot's legitimacy was questioned and he was accused of stealing the race.
"The country remembers times when there were presidents announced, they received congratulations, and then things changed," Tymoshenko said Sunday, referring to the 2004 race.
A pro-Western uprising, known as the Orange Revolution, followed. Yanukovich's win was annulled, and current President Victor Yushchenko won the re-vote.
Yushchenko ran for a second term this year, but, blamed for Ukraine's faltering economy, he did not make the runoff.
This year's elections, by contrast to those in 2004, got a clean bill of health from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent observers.
The OSCE hailed the process as "professional, transparent and honest," saying it should "serve as a solid foundation for a peaceful transition of power."
CNN's Matthew Chance, Mike Sefanov and Maxim Tkachenko contributed to this report. | [
"As percentage of votes had Yanukovich?",
"Who is Victor Yanukovich?",
"What percent of the ballots have been processed?",
"What does Tymoshenko refuse to concede?",
"What's Victor Yanukovich job?",
"Who refused to concede defeat in Ukraine's president election?"
] | [
[
"48.96"
],
[
"former Ukrainian prime minister"
],
[
"99.98"
],
[
"defeat in Ukraine's presidential"
],
[
"former Ukrainian prime minister"
],
[
"Yulia Tymoshenko"
]
] | Tymoshenko refuses to concede defeat in Ukraine's presidential election .
Former PM Victor Yanukovich tells CNN it is time for her to give up .
With 98 percent of ballots processed, Yanukovich had 48.94 percent .
Current Ukraine PM Yulia Tymoshenko has 45.48 percent . |
Killeen, Texas (CNN) -- The civilian police officer hailed as a heroine for ending the shooting rampage at Fort Hood Army Post said Wednesday she was washing her patrol car just before she headed to the bloody scene. Sgt. Kimberly Munley was cleaning the car and topping off the gas tank, routine duties at the end of her shift, when she heard the report last Thursday that shots had been fired at the Army post, she told Oprah Winfrey via teleconference. The brief interview was taped to air later in the day on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Police Senior Sgt. Mark Todd also responded to the scene, where he said they were directed to the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, where soldiers were preparing to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq. Both Munley and Todd didn't know what they were about to face. "The entire incident was very confusing and chaotic," Munley said. "There was many people outside pointing to the direction that this individual was apparently located, and as soon as I got out of my vehicle and ran up the hill was when things got pretty bad." Once inside, Munley, who has been trained in active-response tactics, began exchanging fire with the alleged gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a military psychiatrist, authorities said. They said her shots disabled Hasan and halted the attacks. Thirteen people -- 12 soldiers and one civilian -- were killed. Munley suffered three gunshot wounds, in both thighs and a knuckle, and remains at Metroplex Adventist Hospital in good condition, authorities said. "The training does take over," she said when asked about her quick reactions. "In that particular incident, we didn't have much time to think." "When I got shot, it felt like a muscle being torn out of my leg," she told Winfrey, and added, "I'm doing well." "Every day is a progress for me, and things are getting better day by day. And emotionally, I'm just hoping that the rest of the officers and the injured and the families of the deceased are healing as well." Winfrey showed a clip of Metroplex's Dr. Kelly Matlock saying that Munley's first words after the shooting were, "Did anybody die?" The 34-year-old mother of two said she recalled asking that, and she never lost consciousness after being shot. "I was very concerned as to who else had been injured," Munley said. Todd was not injured in the rampage. He said he has been a police officer for 25 years and, before that, was in the Army. This was the first time he had been forced to fire his weapon on the job, he said. He also said last Thursday began as a "typical day" for him, with only minor incidents. At first, when he heard the shots from Fort Hood, he thought the soldiers were practicing the traditional rifle volleys they do at memorial services. During the incident, Todd said he fired his gun over and over as he'd been trained to do. Munley, whose husband is in the Army, is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. Winfrey asked her where she got her nickname, "Mighty Mouse." Munley said her partner at a police department in North Carolina called her that after she was able to help when he was being wrestled for his weapon. The nickname stuck. Todd said he was grateful that he was able to return safely home to his family at the end of that day. "I just thank God he missed me," he said. | [
"What did Munley say about every day",
"How many gunshot wounds did Kimberly Munley suffer?",
"What condition is Munley in the hospital?",
"who is this sergeant",
"Who has three gunshot wounds as a result of the shootings"
] | [
[
"is a progress for me, and things are getting better"
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[
"suffered three"
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[
"good"
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"Kimberly Munley"
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[
"Sgt. Kimberly Munley"
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] | Pair who responded to gunfire at processing center say day of shooting started as a typical one .
Sgt. Kimberly Munley suffered three gunshot wounds in the November 5 shooting .
Oprah Winfrey spoke with her and another first responder, Sgt. Mark Todd .
"Every day is a progress for me," says Munley, who's in good condition at a hospital . |
Kuwait City (CNN) -- Kuwait's leaders met in emergency session Thursday, vowing to clamp down on violence after protesters forced their way inside Parliament.
"The adoption of such a chaotic approach by the rioters" risked the country's security and "is considered to be an unprecedented step on the path to anarchy and lawlessness," the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, said in comments quoted by state-run news agency KUNA.
The protests late Wednesday led to the injury of five police and Kuwait National Guard officers, the Interior Ministry said.
Members of the opposition vow to step up their protests.
"The popular opposition will escalate," Saad Alajmi, former minister of information and now a prominent opposition figure, told CNN. "This is a people's opposition," he added.
Alajmi called for the Parliament to dissolve.
U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Kuwait has a history of "political freedom and cooperation" and that it should respect peaceful protests.
Protests in Kuwait have taken place at times throughout the year, since before the Arab Spring brought about demonstrations throughout the Arab world. But the anti-corruption protests have turned more violent recently, after members of the Kuwaiti opposition saw revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, and fighting between protesters and government forces in Syria.
Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah has had six previous governments brought down by opposition elements over the years. The Kuwaiti opposition is now pushing not only for the downfall of his government, but for the prime minister himself to step down. Many chanted that they want to "overthrow" him, using iconic slogans of the Arab Spring.
The emir, however, is firmly committed to keeping al-Sabah, a member of the royal family, in office.
Government representative Ali Fahad Al-Rashid warned Thursday that the country will be taking new steps against the protesters.
"The actions witnessed yesterday are unfamiliar to the Kuwaiti society and threaten the security and stability of the country's general system," he said, according to KUNA. "Therefore, national responsibility calls for stricter measures to confront this chaotic behavior."
"Democracy in this country should not be contaminated or misused to serve questionable agendas," he said. "Kuwait will not be a place for pre-planned sabotage."
The Interior Ministry said the crowd of protesters Wednesday night "brawled with the police, the National Guard and other state agencies," and property was damaged.
A witness told CNN angry protesters broke into the Parliament demanding that the prime minister step down. The witness, a Kuwaiti journalist, asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Videos that appear to have been shot from cell phones and posted on YouTube show a throng of protesters at the Parliament chanting, "The people must remove the prime minister!"
One protester is also seen saying, "Leave Nasser," in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah.
Another video shows people entering the assembly building and shouting, "Let the people enter the people's assembly."
The country has no elections for the executive branch. The emir, whose position is hereditary, appoints the prime minister and the deputy prime ministers. The last parliamentary elections were held in 2009.
The prime minister's cabinet resigned in March.
The State Department's human rights report on Kuwait, published earlier this year, notes that the country has a population of 3.4 million, of whom 1.1 million are citizens. "Local observers and the press considered the May 16, 2009, parliamentary election generally free and fair. Security forces reported to civilian authorities," the report says.
"Principal human rights problems included limitations on citizens' right to change their government. There were reports of security forces abusing prisoners. Authorities limited freedoms of speech, press, assembly, association, and religion."
With an economy based mostly on its oil, Kuwait has relatively high per capita income and low | [
"When did protesters force their way into parliament?",
"Who forced their way into Parliament Wednesday night?",
"Who asked that peaceful protests be respected?",
"What does an opposition figure tell CNN?",
"Who told CNN \"The popular opposition will escalate\"?"
] | [
[
"Wednesday"
],
[
"protesters"
],
[
"Mark Toner"
],
[
"will escalate,\""
],
[
"Saad Alajmi,"
]
] | NEW: U.S. asks that peaceful protests be respected .
"The popular opposition will escalate," an opposition figure tells CNN .
The protests focus on complaints of corruption, rather than the economy .
Protesters forced their way into Parliament Wednesday night . |
L'AQUILA, Italy (CNN) -- Leaders of both industrialized powers and emerging economies have agreed to work together on setting a goal to limit global warming to levels recommended by scientists, U.S. President Barack Obama said at the G-8 summit. G-8 leaders wait for an aide to remove toe markers as they pose for a family photo in L'Aquila, Italy, on July 8. The G-8 countries -- comprising the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia -- agreed to a target of reducing their carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050 to try to prevent the Earth's atmosphere from warming by more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), Obama said. Thursday's meeting with emerging economies including China also secured a commitment from the developing countries to work for limiting global warming to the 2 degree Celsius threshold, Obama said. "Developing countries among us will promptly undertake actions whose projected effects on emissions represent a meaningful deviation from business as usual in the midterm, in the context of sustainable development, supported by financing, technology, and capacity-building," said the declaration from Thursday's Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. The declaration stopped short of setting targets for the developing nations. Obama said the emerging economies agreed to work toward setting specific targets. Watch report from CNN's Ed Henry » He called the commitment of the emerging economies "an important stride forward" in minimizing climate change, but acknowledged that the issue he called one of the most challenging of our times would be difficult to confront. Environment groups gave the announcement a cautious welcome. Joanne Green, head of policy at Cafod, told the Press Association: "Agreeing that average global temperatures should not rise by more than two degrees is forward movement but it is woefully inadequate compared to what was needed." And Oxfam spokesman Antonio Hill said: "Today 17 countries, responsible for more than 80 percent of the world's emissions, agreed for the first time that it'd be nice to take the road which stops the planet heating up by more than 2 degrees. "While G-8 countries continue to speed in the opposite direction, towards a cooked planet and climate catastrophe, poor people want to know whether rich coutries will now actually turn around before it's too late." The vast majority of climate change scientists warn that warming above the 2 degree Celsius threshold would mean potentially catastrophic impacts on Earth. U.N.-led negotiations on a new global climate change treaty are aiming to conclude with an agreement among 192 nations in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December. Obama said the G-8 targets and work with developing countries are intended to support the international climate change treaty that will succeed the Kyoto Protocol in 2012. In the United States, Congress is debating a new energy policy that could codify the G-8 target for emissions reductions in law. A House bill that recently passed has the same target of an 80 percent reduction by 2050, but Senate passage of a measure remains uncertain. Watch as leaders tour quake zone » Republican opponents contend the United States would put itself at a competitive disadvantage by setting firm targets when China and other emerging economies would be free to pollute without limits. Some Democratic senators also fear harmful effects on fossil fuel industries in their states. The Major Economies Forum led by Obama included the G-8 countries along with Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Australia, South Africa and others. The Forum nations account for 80 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Its declaration Thursday outlined a range of actions including funding mechanisms for both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping nations and ecosystems adapt to global warming, along with more money to pursue alternative energy sources. The declaration said the world's emissions should peak as soon as possible and then start going down. It acknowledged that industrial powers have emitted most of the pollution causing climate change and therefore have a greater responsibility in responding. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the creation of an institute to study and advance so-called clean coal technology intended to reduce the harmful pollution from coal-fired energy. In | [
"Where will the meeting take place?",
"Who attended the summit?",
"What did Obama say about climate change?",
"What is climate change?",
"What was the percentage by 2050?",
"Where was the summit held?",
"Who will come together on climate change?"
] | [
[
"L'AQUILA, Italy"
],
[
"Leaders of both industrialized powers and emerging economies"
],
[
"the emerging economies agreed to work toward setting specific targets."
],
[
"global warming"
],
[
"80 percent"
],
[
"L'Aquila, Italy,"
],
[
"Leaders of both industrialized powers and emerging economies"
]
] | U.S. President Barack Obama: Leaders will work together on climate change .
At Italy summit, leaders pledge to slash greenhouse gas emissions .
Leaders pledge aim to achieve a 50 percent reduction in global emissions by 2050 .
Meeting takes place in heart of quake zone where about 300 people died . |
L'AQUILA, Italy (CNN) -- Rescuers worked into the early morning hours Tuesday in hopes of finding survivors of a powerful earthquake that ripped through Italy's mountainous Abruzzo region, killing scores of people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
People cue in line to receive aid in L'Aqulia following Monday's earthquake.
Tearful survivors, many of them clad in pajamas and blankets, watched as bodies were pulled from the rubble in the medieval city of L'Aquila, about 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Rome. The quake killed more than 150 people, L'Aquila's fire department said late Monday.
Nearly 24 hours after the quake hit, authorities were still unsure how many people remained trapped in the wreckage.
"We think maybe 70 to 100," said Francesco Rocca, a spokesman for the Italian Red Cross. "We still don't know the exact number. This is why we are still working very, very hard at the moment."
Another body was found in the rubble of a student dormitory early Tuesday morning, and at least five other students were believed inside. But aftershocks hindered rescuers early Tuesday, and they have asked for additional equipment and expertise from Rome, authorities at the scene told CNN.
Italy's Civil Protection agency reported at least 1,500 injured and 50,000 without shelter.
"I can say there's hardly a building which was left without some sign of what has happened in the historical center of L'Aquila," Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said during a visit to the stricken region. "All the public buildings have been affected."
Berlusconi said 4,000 people were working on the rescue effort. Civil defense officials said they are prepared to house up to 30,000 people, but many of those displaced have gone to hotels.
Of the 150 dead, about 100 bodies have been identified, the officials said.
Monday's earthquake was about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep, the USGS said.
About 10:20 p.m. (8:20 p.m. GMT) Sunday, a 4.6-magnitude earthquake hit northern Italy, about 55 km (35 miles) southeast of Bologna, the agency said. That earthquake's depth was 6.4 km (4 miles).
The quake is the deadliest to strike Italy in decades, and the first major temblor to strike the country in almost seven years. Joshua Brothers, an American missionary, told CNN that the quake "sounded as if a 747 (jet) was actually coming in to land."
"That was the first thing that was on my mind," he said.
The quake left stone buildings in heaps, with rubble spilling over parked cars and into alleyways. Frightened residents rushed into the streets, many of them bringing luggage with them, Brothers said. See images of the destruction »
"If you look along the way, there are many palazzi that are cracked, walls have fallen in on some of them," he said. Watch Brothers describe devastation »
L'Aquila's hospital was damaged as well, forcing doctors to evacuate the most seriously hurt. Agostino Miozzo, the director-general of Italy's Civil Protection agency, called it "a disaster on a huge scale." iReport.com: 'The house shook for such a long time'
The magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck at 3:32 a.m. (1:32 p.m. GMT Sunday), Italy's . Berlusconi declared a state of emergency and canceled a trip to Russia to oversee the rescue efforts. Three significant aftershocks -- ranging from magnitude 4.3 to 4.8 -- shook the area within six hours of the quake, unnerving residents further. See a map showing the epicenter »
The earthquake followed less than six hours after another quake hit the northern part of the country, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Seismic activity is not uncommon in Italy, which is sandwiched between the European and African tectonic plates, and USGS geophysicist Amy Vaughan called the region geographically "complex." Learn more about how earthquakes are measured »
In 1997, an earthquake killed 10 people in the Umbria region, left tens of thousands homeless and seriously damaged monuments and artwork, including the town of Assisi's famed Basilica of St. Francis. | [
"what did the people do",
"how many people are without shelter?",
"where did the earthquake strike?",
"How many people are without shelter, according to Italy's Civil Protection agency.",
"what does prime minster say"
] | [
[
"cue in line to receive aid in L'Aqulia"
],
[
"50,000"
],
[
"Italy's mountainous Abruzzo region,"
],
[
"50,000"
],
[
"\"All the public buildings have been affected.\""
]
] | About 50,000 people without shelter, Italy's Civil Protection agency says .
Italian prime minister: Tents being provided for quake survivors .
People rush into streets, many buildings in L'Aquila destroyed .
6.3-magnitude quake strikes northeast of Rome . |
L'AQUILA, Italy (CNN) -- The youngest hadn't lived half a year. The oldest had lived nearly a hundred. A rescue worker Friday kisses the coffin of a child killed by this week's earthquake in central Italy. The official government list of victims from this week's earthquake in central Italy reached 287 on Friday, as Italians held a mass state funeral to lay the victims to rest. They included Antonio Loavan Ghiroceanu, who was born December 11. He would have been 6 months old on Saturday. The oldest-known victim of the quake was Evandro Testa, 96, who was born in 1913. More than 200 caskets were lined up at the funeral, draped with flowers. At least one small white coffin belonging to a child sat atop a larger coffin, a baby's pastel outfit hanging off the side. The funeral was being held outside a hangar in Coppito, a town adjacent to the earthquake's epicenter of L'Aquila. Officials elected to hold the Mass in the open air to avoid the risk of injury from falling debris. Aftershocks continue to shake the region more than four days after the earthquake, and some were even felt during Friday's funeral. All of the area's cardinals and bishops, along with 100 priests, attended the special funeral Mass. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was also there, greeting and embracing some of the thousands of mourners before the service. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone presided over the Mass as an envoy from Pope Benedict XVI, who plans to visit the region after Easter. Watch Italy bury its dead » Bertone said the funeral was a "precious moment" to understand the meaning of life and death. "Everything can stop in a second -- projects, plans -- everything finishes. All that remains is love," he said. Watch more on funeral Mourners, who were transported to the funeral on buses, dabbed their eyes and noses. Some stared at the ground or held each other. Few appeared focused on anything but remembering the victims. "I feel rebirth in the heart, because below that rubble there is a will to rebuild, to start again, to plan and to dream," Bertone said, offering a message of hope. The towns of L'Aquila and the surrounding region, he said, "will come back stronger, will have more courage and give life to these places with that power and strength and dignity of the soul that distinguishes them." As well as sending Bertone to deliver his message, the pope sent holy oils to L'Aquila and a chalice with which to take Communion. Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari of L'Aquila also planned to deliver a message. The 6.3-magnitude quake Monday morning left about 30,000 people without their homes. Almost 20,000 of them are braving chilly nights in tents while about 11,000 others are staying in hotels, said Agostino Miozzo, a spokesman for the Italian Civil Protection Agency. Watch more on the aftermath Recovering from such losses and rebuilding the city of L'Aquila will take several years, according to Miozzo. The medieval city is about 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Rome. Berlusconi has said rebuilding will cost several billion euros. Aftershocks have heightened anxiety in the area -- including a moderate 5.6 magnitude tremor that struck the area Tuesday. "The mood is a little bit afraid," said Marco Volponi of the Civil Protection agency. He was working in a tent camp, housing people whose homes were inhabitable. In the nearby village of Onna, 40 people -- more than one out of every eight residents in the town of 300 -- were killed in the earthquake. On some streets, every single home was destroyed. Anna Rita Difilice lost her son, Fabio, 20, to the quake -- the deadliest to strike Italy in decades and the first major quake in the country in seven years. She said she doesn't know what comes next for her. Her village has become populated with tents, fold-up beds and feeding stations handing out food, water and other supplies for survivors. But she said she knew one thing: she's not | [
"how many dead?",
"how many victims?",
"When did the earthquake take place?",
"Who has gathered to say farewell to victims?",
"how many in hotels?"
] | [
[
"287"
],
[
"287"
],
[
"this week's"
],
[
"All of the area's cardinals and bishops, along with 100 priests, attended the special funeral Mass."
],
[
"about 11,000"
]
] | Italians have gathered to farewell nearly 300 earthquake victims .
Almost 20,000 have braved chilly nights in tents, about 11,000 others in hotels .
Toll from Monday morning's earthquake continues to rise: 287 now dead . |
LA GLORIA, Mexico (CNN) -- Tucked away in this small mountain village in Mexico, off a dusty road flanked by pig farms, is where the earliest case of swine flu -- a virus spreading globally -- was confirmed.
Five-year-old Edgar Hernandez, known as "patient zero," survived the earliest documented case of swine flu.
Meet the child known as "patient zero" by his doctors -- 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez, who survived the earliest documented case of swine flu in an outbreak that, officials say, has now spread across four continents.
His family lives in the 3,000-population village of La Gloria in the state of Veracruz, where a flu outbreak was reported on April 2. State officials arrived and tested dozens of people.
Lab tests confirmed that Edgar was the only patient in Veracruz to test positive for the swine flu virus; the others had contracted a common flu. Health officials had returned to Edgar's sample only after cases of the new flu strain were spotted around the country. Watch Dr. Gupta meet little Edgar »
"In this case, there's a patient who turned out to be positive for the swine-flu virus, with the exception that at that time in no region of the world it had been established as an etiological, epidemic cause," said Mexico Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova.
Edgar has managed to bounce back from his symptoms and playfully credits ice cream for helping him feel better.
His mother blamed a huge pig farm in the neighborhood for the virus.
Officials have conducted tests at the farm owned by U.S. company Smithfield Foods, and those tests came back negative.
Swine influenza, or flu, is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs. When the flu spreads person to person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight, because people have no natural immunity. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it »
Common seasonal flu kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year worldwide, far more than the current outbreak of swine flu. But there is no vaccine for this new disease, and little natural immunity, an expert said.
"I think the reason to be concerned is ... we had a vaccine for regular flu," said Dr. Carlos del Rio of the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. "This is a totally new virus. ... You have a virus to which there's no pre-vaccination, there's no prior immunity. And, therefore, the mortality rate may be higher than other influenza viruses." Watch why swine flu is a "sloppy virus" »
Researchers do not know how the virus is jumping relatively easily from person to person, or why it's affecting what should be society's healthiest demographic.
Meanwhile, in hard-hit Mexico City, the government closed universities, postponed sporting events, asked restaurants to serve only take-out food, and canceled church services in an effort to try to stem the spread of the virus.
Worried residents continue to flood in night and day at hospitals, only to be turned away by armed guards. Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta inside a Mexico City hospital »
Two of the most common antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza -- which are effective against swine flu -- are in short supply in Mexico's capital. It also has become impossible to find protective surgical masks, which the government had handed out to one out of every five residents.
"I was looking for a mask at my local pharmacy, but they sold out," supermarket worker Rafael Martinez said as he rode the subway. "I know it's a risk, but I can't find one."
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta in La Gloria, Mexico, contributed to this report. | [
"What does the mom blame",
"What did mother blame for the virus",
"What was the boys age",
"What did the boy get",
"what was the documented case about?"
] | [
[
"a huge pig farm in the neighborhood"
],
[
"a huge pig farm in the neighborhood"
],
[
"Five-year-old"
],
[
"swine flu."
],
[
"swine flu."
]
] | Boy, 5, with first documented case and only in village, is recovering .
Mother blames a nearby pig farm for virus, but tests there came back negative .
Thousands flood Mexican hospitals, scramble for masks . |
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- An agreement aimed at ending violence and bloodshed that has erupted in Bolivian provinces has been reached between President Evo Morales and provincial governors, officials announced Tuesday.
Leopoldo Fernandez Ferreira, governor of Pando province, talks to reporters a day before his arrest.
The announcement on Bolivian television came just hours after the military arrested the governor of one of five provinces where violent clashes have occurred in the past three weeks, saying he had committed genocide in the deaths of 30 peasants.
Gov. Leopoldo Fernandez Ferreira of Pando province was picked up at his office in Cobija and placed on a military plane for La Paz, the Bolivian capital. He did not resist.
Groups in Pando and four other Bolivian provinces, backed by the local governors, have demanded greater autonomy and clashed with supporters of the federal government. Federal authorities say the 30 people who were killed Friday were federal supporters.
Bolivian President Evo Morales said the arrest was legal and constitutional.
"This arrest is within the framework of the state where it happened, within the constitutional framework and no one can oppose it," Morales said at a news conference at the presidential palace.
Officials said more arrests are possible.
"We will work day and night to avoid any more deaths or terrorist acts," presidential minister Juan Ramon Quintana said in another news conference. "We will do everything we can to arrest those who have committed terrorist acts."
As news of Fernandez's arrest spread across the country, many citizens talked about who else could be on the government's "black list," as they were calling it.
Besides demanding greater autonomy, opposition leaders in the five provinces want the cancellation of a constitutional referendum that would give the president more power.
The opposition also is angry over tax money that Morales is diverting from the provinces to fund programs for the elderly. Learn more about the Republic of Bolivia »
Morales has said the opposition leaders are trying to overthrow the government.
"This is a coup in the past few days by the leaders of some provinces, with the takeover of some institutions, the sacking and robbery of some government institutions and attempts to assault the national police and the armed forces," Morales previously said.
Opposition leaders say they merely want their demands met.
On Tuesday, they warned that Fernandez's arrest could destroy a shaky truce with the government.
The arrest came hours after Morales returned Monday night from a quick trip to Chile, where presidents of the 12-nation Union of South American Countries met to discuss the Bolivian crisis. Watch leaders meet to discuss Bolivia »
Confronting its first crisis, the four-month-old UNASUR voted to create a commission to support Morales' democratically elected government, said Chile's president, Michelle Bachelet.
She read a nine-point statement on Chilean TV that calls for the support of human rights and democracy and the preservation of Bolivia's territorial integrity. The statement condemns any attempts to overthrow the government.
It also said the new commission will investigate the peasants' deaths.
UNASUR is modeled on the European Union and aims to politically and economically integrate South American countries.
On Tuesday, the United States announced it is organizing emergency evacuation flights for Americans in Bolivia and urged them to leave if the situation permits. A statement from the U.S. Embassy in La Paz said U.S. citizens need to sign an agreement to pay later for the cost of the flight.
The embassy said some commercial flights are still available, although American Airlines suspended some flights until Sunday.
The United States also continued to urge Americans to delay traveling to Bolivia.
Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador last week, accusing the American government of inciting the violence. The expelled ambassador, Philip Goldberg, called the charges "false and baseless" and said Bolivia was making a "grave mistake."
On Monday, the Peace Corps temporarily suspended operations in Bolivia because of "growing instability" there. All Peace Corps volunteers in the country have been moved to Peru.
"Our first priority is the safety and security of our volunteers | [
"Where were the peasants killed?",
"What is the deal aimed at?",
"What governor was accused?",
"What has the governor been accused of?",
"Who accuses governor?",
"Who killed friday?",
"Who was killed on Friday?",
"Who created the Deal?"
] | [
[
"Pando province"
],
[
"ending violence and bloodshed"
],
[
"Gov. Leopoldo Fernandez Ferreira"
],
[
"he had committed genocide in the deaths of 30 peasants."
],
[
"President Evo Morales"
],
[
"federal"
],
[
"federal"
],
[
"President Evo Morales and provincial governors,"
]
] | NEW: Deal aimed at ending weeks of violence .
Bolivian military accuses governor of genocide .
30 peasants killed Friday in clashes in Pando province .
U.S. urges its citizens to leave Bolivia, announces emergency evacuation flights . |
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalized the Chaco petroleum company Friday, taking over the BP subsidiary with the military on standby. Bolivian leader Evo Morales speaks before parliament Thursday in the capital, La Paz. "With this decree," Morales said in a nationally televised address from an oil field in Cochabamba, "we nationalize all the petroleum business in Chaco for all Bolivians." Chaco is jointly owned by Pan American Energy and the Bolivian Pension Fund, each with a 50 percent stake, BP spokesman David Nicholas said from Great Britain. BP owns 60 percent of Pan American Energy, and Bridas Corp. owns the other 40 percent, Nicholas said Nicholas declined comment on the nationalization. "We are aware of the presidential decree but cannot comment," he said. "We support Pan America's energies with any discussions they have with the Bolivian government." Morales wore a white safety helmet with the words "Chaco nationalized" printed on the front when he made his announcement. The Bolivian president guaranteed the petroleum workers that their jobs will be safe. Formed in 1997, Chaco employs about 90 Bolivians, the company says on its Web site. Chaco is dedicated to the exploration and production of hydrocarbons, BP says. Morales decreed in 2007 and 2008 that the government should nationalize various petroleum companies. His actions Friday came less than 48 hours before Bolivians vote Sunday on a new constitution that would give the central government more power and control. | [
"Chaco is a subsidiary of which company?",
"Name the Bolivian President",
"What is the name of the Bolivian President?",
"Which company has the Bolivian President nationalized?",
"What mode is the military in?",
"Which petroleum company was nationalized?",
"What did President Evo Morales do?",
"What is on standby?"
] | [
[
"BP"
],
[
"Evo Morales"
],
[
"Evo Morales"
],
[
"Chaco petroleum"
],
[
"standby."
],
[
"Chaco"
],
[
"nationalized the Chaco petroleum company"
],
[
"the military"
]
] | Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalizes Chaco petroleum company .
Morales guarantees petroleum workers that their jobs will be safe .
Military on standby in nationalization of BP subsidiary .
Move comes 48 hours before Bolivian vote on new constitution . |
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Bolivian officials have declared a health emergency after three deaths attributed to dengue hemorrhagic fever, the often-lethal form of a mosquito-borne disease that more than 1,000 Bolivians are thought to have contracted since November. Brazilian soldiers pour insecticide to fight dengue fever in 2008. Bolivia also is battling the mosquito-borne disease. At least 12 unconfirmed instances of dengue hemorrhagic fever have been reported in the first 17 days of 2009, the official ABI news agency said. About 250 cases of dengue fever, the milder, nonlethal form of the disease, have been confirmed in the past two weeks, said Health Minister Ramiro Tapia in the Los Tiempos de Cochabamba newspaper. Authorities said they have committed more than 20,000 military personnel and 2.5 tons of insecticide to combat the disease. A preteen boy died last week at Children's Hospital of La Paz, a few days after arriving with internal bleeding, hospital director Christian Fuentes told La Razon newspaper in La Paz, the nation's capital. "By that time, there was nothing we could do. He had multiple internal hemorrhages," Fuentes said. A 17-year-old boy and a 30-year-old woman also died last week, the ABI news agency said, citing the national director of epidemiology, Juan Carlos Arraya. Cases of dengue fever usually spike from November through January, which is Bolivia's hot and rainy season. Alberto Nogales, the country's vice minister of health, said the fight against mosquitoes will last until April. Dengue occurs in tropical and subtropical parts of the world, transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with one of four dengue viruses, the World Health Organization says. Symptoms, which appear three to 14 days after the bite, can include mild to high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain and a rash, the WHO says. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially fatal complication that affects mainly children, the WHO says. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and bleeding. The disease cannot be transmitted directly from one person to another. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are up to 100 million cases worldwide each year. "It actually is quite common," Dr. Ali Khan of the CDC told CNN last year. "And unfortunately, over the last 30 years or so we've seen an increase in the number of countries infected with dengue fever." Khan attributes the increase in part to population growth. Mosquitoes that carry dengue typically breed in areas near humans. "This is a disease that occurs where there's lots of population," he said. The WHO says mosquitoes carrying dengue viruses breed in exposed water, including places as shallow as jars, discarded bottles and plant saucers. Last year, 55,000 people in southeastern Brazil contracted the disease. The outbreak was confirmed as causing the deaths of at least 67 people -- almost half of them children under 13 -- and another 58 deaths were under investigation last summer, the Rio de Janeiro state's ministry of health reported at the time. Final statistics on the outbreak were not immediately available. | [
"How many contracted disease in Brazil last year?",
"What season do cases of dengue fever spike?",
"How many unconfirmed instances of dengue hemorrhagic fever were reported in Bolivia?",
"How much insecticide is used?",
"When do cases spike?",
"How many instances fo the hemoorhagic were reported?",
"When dies dengue fever usually spike?",
"12 unconfirmed instances of what were reported in Boliviia?",
"What did Bolivia used to fight disease?"
] | [
[
"55,000 people"
],
[
"November through January,"
],
[
"At least 12"
],
[
"2.5 tons"
],
[
"from November through January,"
],
[
"At least 12 unconfirmed"
],
[
"November through January,"
],
[
"dengue hemorrhagic fever"
],
[
"insecticide"
]
] | At least 12 unconfirmed instances of dengue hemorrhagic fever reported in Bolivia .
Bolivia fights disease with 20,000-plus in military, 2.5 tons of insecticide .
Cases of dengue fever usually spike in Bolivia's hot and rainy season .
At least 55,000 contracted disease last year in Brazil . |
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- An air of anxiety clutches Bolivia this weekend amid high-stakes talks designed to end bloodshed and keep the country whole. Bolivian President Evo Morales says opposition leaders are trying to overthrow the government. The central government of leftist President Evo Morales, Bolivia's first leader from an Indian majority centered in the western highlands, is conducting talks with governors of largely white provinces in the east who want autonomy. Tension between the two sides erupted into violence that killed at least 30 people in September. In addition, differences about the country's future have threatened to split the country. Julian Torrico, a peasant leader, said he and other Morales supporters will storm the eastern city of Santa Cruz if the talks, which started Thursday, do not yield progress. "We will go into Santa Cruz and respond with force because they have (marginalized) us and massacred us, so we will massacre them and we will take their land away from them," he said. Watch protesters march in Santa Cruz » "The fight here is between poor and rich. The government of Evo Morales took power by a majority and now these opposition governors don't want to let him govern," Torrico said. Anyelo Cespedes, president of the Santa Cruz Youth Union, which opposes Morales, said they don't want a dictatorship or a communist regime. "We have our way of life and we don't want that changed," he said. The central government and eastern governors are discussing topics that include the distribution of natural-gas revenues, autonomy for several eastern provinces and the president's plan for a new constitution. Those negotiations may offer one of the final chances to reverse Bolivia's slide toward violent instability, according to Gonzalo Chavez, an analyst. "This is probably one of the few opportunities that we're going to have to solve the problems of the country," he said. Four of nine provinces in Bolivia have declared autonomy from the central government in referendums this year. Morales, an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former Cuban President Fidel Castro, said the moves could cause Bolivia to disintegrate. The eastern opposition leaders have long opposed a decision of the Morales government to divert some revenue from oil and gas produced in the region to pay for government programs for the elderly. They have also opposed his plans to revise the constitution to give greater rights to the indigenous majority. The differences flared into violence with opposition protesters occupying government buildings and energy installations. Morales has said the opposition leaders are trying to overthrow the government. He expelled U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg on the grounds that he urged anti-government protesters to get violent, an assertion the United States has denied. "This is a coup in the past few days by the leaders of some provinces, with the takeover of some institutions, the sacking and robbery of some government institutions and attempts to assault the national police and the armed forces," Morales has said. Opposition leaders said they merely want their demands met. Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza of the Organization of American States arrived in Bolivia on Friday to encourage dialogue. He expressed optimism based on the "preliminary results" from the talks. Representatives of the Organization of American States and the 12-nation Union of South American Countries are among a group of international observers that has come to Bolivia for the negotiations. Ivan Canelas, a government spokesman, said the talks provide a critical opportunity to break an impasse that has split the country for months. "We understand that making peace requires the suspension of all forms of pressure," he said. Gov. Mario Cossio of the eastern Tarija state said he and other opposition leaders hope to reach a final agreement. He said they hope "to build a national agreement that Bolivia needs, that the Bolivians want." He said the goal is to "give peace back to our country and give certainty to Bolivia." CNN's Karl Penhaul and Gloria Carrasco contributed to this story. | [
"What did provinces in Bolivia declare?",
"What do Bolivian leaders plan to hold?",
"In what month did 30 or more deaths occur?",
"How many provinces in Bolivia declared autonomy?",
"When are the peace talks planned by Bolivian leaders?",
"Ho many people died in September?",
"How any provinces in Bolivia have declared autonomy?",
"Who are planning to hold talks?",
"How many provinces in Bolivia have declared autonomy?",
"What country's leaders plan to hold talks?",
"How many people have died in September?"
] | [
[
"autonomy"
],
[
"talks with governors of largely white provinces in the east"
],
[
"September."
],
[
"Four of nine"
],
[
"this weekend"
],
[
"30"
],
[
"Four"
],
[
"President Evo Morales,"
],
[
"Four of nine"
],
[
"Bolivia"
],
[
"30"
]
] | Bolivian leaders plan to hold talks designed to bring peace to country .
Four provinces in Bolivia have declared autonomy from the central government .
At least 30 people have died in September . |
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Five of Bolivia's nine states staged a civic strike Tuesday, protesting against President Evo Morales and demanding a larger share of the country's natural gas revenues. Members of Santa Cruz's Juvenile Union burn wood during protests Tuesday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Officials in Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Tarija -- states in the wealthy, eastern lowland known as the "Media Luna," or half-moon -- and Chuquisaca, also in the eastern part of the country, instructed residents not to leave their homes until the end of the one-day strike, Bolivian newspaper El Diario reported. The five departments contain much of the Andean country's natural gas deposits, and their leaders are asking for natural gas revenue that Morales has earmarked to increase funding for pension plans, the five regions said in a statement on the strike posted on Santa Cruz's Web site. They said they were "sorry that the inflexibility of the government forced the prefectures to take this type of resolution." Confrontations between government supporters and pro-autonomy groups in a Santa Cruz neighborhood appeared to be the day's most violent. Police fired tear gas three times at demonstrators. In the other four departments where the strike was being observed, there were no disturbances. The 24-hour strike was called by civil committees of the departments to demand that the government give back the money it has collected by taxing hydrocarbons in order to fund the pension plan. The president of Santa Cruz's civic committee, Branco Marincovick, said the tax is constraining regional development. The government condemned acts of violence during the day and said that the strike was limited. The strike comes nine days after Morales garnered more than 67 percent of votes in a recall referendum, which he had proposed in May to break a power struggle long simmering between him and the conservative leadership in the Media Luna states. Despite the solid show of support for Morales, the vote also endorsed the leaders in Santa Cruz, Pando, Beni and Tarija, making it impossible to reach a solution to the stalemate. Morales, a former labor organizer and the country's first indigenous president, was elected in 2005 on promises to reform Bolivia's constitution for the benefit of its indigenous majority. But his proposals have been hampered by his rivals in the Media Luna states. Since taking office, all four have pushed for greater autonomy, saying the individual departments have the right to control their own affairs, including increased access to gas revenues. In speaking about the revenues earmarked for increased pensions, Morales emphasized that it was for the good of the people, a refrain he often uses. "Some authorities believe that this money is theirs, and it is not so, this silver is of the people and should benefit the people," the president said last year, shortly after he announced the measure. Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Washington-based Center for Economic and Policy Research, a nonpartisan think-tank, said Morales' overwhelming victory at the polls strengthens his hand at achieving his goal of redistributing wealth. Less than one percent of landowners in Bolivia own two-thirds of the country's farmland, he said in an article published in The Nation magazine. "Bolivia is South America's poorest country, with 60 percent of the population living below the poverty line, and 38 percent in extreme poverty," he said. "The voters have overwhelmingly decided that they want their government to do something about that. This should be possible, even if it means redistributing some of the country's most important natural resources." CNN's Gloria Carrasco contributed to this report. | [
"Who has increased funding?",
"Who demanded a larger share of natural gas?",
"Who did they fire tear gas at?",
"Where did police fire tear gas?",
"What is the increase funding for?",
"What do five of Bolivia's 9 states demand?",
"Who fired tear gas?",
"Who fired tear gas at demostrators?"
] | [
[
"Morales"
],
[
"Five of Bolivia's nine states"
],
[
"demonstrators."
],
[
"a Santa Cruz neighborhood"
],
[
"pension plans,"
],
[
"a larger share of the country's natural gas revenues."
],
[
"Police"
],
[
"Police"
]
] | Five of Bolivia's 9 states demand larger share of nation's natural gas revenues.
President has earmarked gas profits to increase funding for pension plans .
Police fire tear gas three times at demonstrators in Santa Cruz . |
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Heads of South American nations lent support Monday night to President Evo Morales of Bolivia, who says opposition leaders are trying to overthrow his government. Indigenous people from El Alto, Bolivia, take part in an anti-U.S. demonstration in La Paz on Monday. Confronting their first crisis, members of the four-month-old Union of South American Countries voted to create a commission to support Morales' democratically elected government, said President Michelle Bachelet of Chile. She read a nine-point statement on Chilean TV that calls for the support of human rights and democracy and the preservation of Bolivia's territorial integrity. The statement condemns any attempts to overthrow the government. It also said the new commission would investigate a reported massacre in the Bolivian state of Pando, where violent clashes killed 30 people last week. Those clashes pitted supporters of eastern governors who want autonomy against the central government. The South American leaders also urged dialogue to address disputes in Bolivia. Morales attended the emergency meeting of the union, which is modeled on the European Union and aims to politically and economically integrate South American countries. The president is poised to approve the start of negotiations between his leftist government and opposition leaders of five provinces who demand greater autonomy and the cancellation of a constitutional referendum that would give the president more power. The opposition also is angry over tax money that Morales is diverting from the provinces to fund elderly programs. Morales said the opposition leaders are trying to overthrow the government. "This is a coup in the past few days by the leaders of some provinces, with the takeover of some institutions, the sacking and robbery of some government institutions and attempts to assault the national police and the armed forces," Morales said. Opposition leaders say they merely want their demands met. Police kept order Monday during a march by about 2,000 pro-government groups opposed to the violence in the provinces. The demonstrators marched past the U.S. Embassy in La Paz. Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia last week, blaming the American government for inciting the violence. The United States called the accusations "false and baseless" and said Bolivia was making a "grave mistake." Most of South America's leaders attended Monday's emergency summit, with the exception of President Alan Garcia of Peru. Protest leaders asked to attend the summit in Santiago, Chile, but it was limited to heads of state. The protests started 21 days ago in Pando, Beni, Santa Cruz, Tarija and Chuquisaca provinces. The opposition groups have blockaded major roads and threaten to disrupt the nation's natural gas shipments, particularly to Brazil and Argentina. Anti-government protesters also have clashed with police and taken over offices and buildings in the five provinces. Watch some of the violent demonstrations across Bolivia » Much of the violence has taken place in Pando -- Morales declared martial law there Friday. On Monday, supporters of Morales, or his so-called militias, were gathering in Santa Cruz, and threatening to encircle the city, stoking fears that blood could be shed there. In Pando, it was reported that arbitrary arrests were taking place as the military took to the streets. Houses had been broken into and shot up, and civic leaders were fleeing to Brazil. It was uncertain, meanwhile, whether the Bolivian military remained solely behind Morales. Some signs of divisions had been seen within the military. Opposition leaders say they will not negotiate if there are any more deaths. Vice President Alvaro Garcia said the government will not negotiate about the dead citizens but will rigorously pursue those responsible for the killings. There are conflicting reports over who killed the 30 peasants. Opposition leaders say the peasants were ambushed by local forces. The government says the peasants were armed and initiated the firefight. The opposition has offered to lift the blockades as a goodwill gesture, but the government demanded that the protesters also relinquish the buildings and other property they have seized. Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, was elected in December 2005. CNN's Ione Molinares and Journalist Martin Arostegui contributed | [
"Where is the violence centered?",
"What happened during protest?",
"What did the South American nation do?",
"who is bolivian president?",
"when did protets occur?"
] | [
[
"Pando"
],
[
"opposition groups have blockaded major roads and threaten to disrupt the nation's natural gas shipments, particularly to Brazil and Argentina."
],
[
"lent support"
],
[
"Evo"
],
[
"21 days ago"
]
] | NEW: Bolivian president to return home to approve negotiations with provinces .
South American nation have met to discuss violence in Bolivia .
At least 30 people killed during past week of protests .
Violence is centered in the eastern province of Pando . |
LAFAYETTE, Tennessee (CNN) -- James Kruger was watching election results Tuesday night in Lafayette, Tennessee, when a warning appeared on his TV screen: A tornado was headed straight toward his town. Then the lights went out. James Kruger survived after Tuesday night's storm blew his house away above him in Lafayette, Tennessee. He put on sweat pants, grabbed a flashlight, drank a shot of whiskey, "and then I heard this noise," Kruger said Thursday. He headed for a door, "and all of a sudden I heard the glass breaking and it was sucking," he said. "When I tried to shut the door, [it] seemed like the door was lifting up. So I just dove and I lay flat on the floor." Lying there, everything in the house flew over him, scraping and banging his back, Kruger said. Then the chaos stopped. "I was laying in the dirt. There was no floor. No nothing." Watch Kruger tell his story » The house was gone, but Kruger says he believes there's reason why he survived. "I think God was holding my leg, beating my ass, teaching me that I hadn't been doing everything he wanted me to do," he said. Pam Whitaker was volunteering at a hospital in Lafayette that night as dozens came in with injuries from the tornadoes and storms that raked across the South. Whitaker was cleaning one man's feet to check for cuts when the patient told her the address of a house that had been destroyed. "I just went white. I said, 'That's my house!'" Whitaker recalled Thursday. "And he said, 'Hon, you don't even have a toothpick or splinter left.' " Watch Whitaker describe her frightening night » Kruger, Whitaker and others across the region tried Thursday to put their lives back together in a swath of the South where tornadoes killed at least 56 people. It was the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States in more than 20 years. The storms ripped apart houses and trapped residents of university dorms and a retirement home in debris. The trail of death stretched across four states, with four fatalities in Alabama, 13 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and 32 in Tennessee. Macon County, Tennessee, which includes Lafayette, was one of the worst-hit areas, with 14 deaths and overwhelming damage. Whitaker lost her home and everything in it, including the money from cashing her disability check. She had 15 cents left, she said Thursday, and was staying at a National Guard shelter. "We don't have a home to go to," Whitaker said. "I don't know where we're going to end up." In some cases, there was almost no warning before the severe weather hit. James Baskin of Jackson, Tennessee, said he was driving when a twister "just picked us up and threw us." 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. Watch tornado survivors' stories » 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, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday. "We're going to keep watching this," he said. See a map of where the storms hit » In Sumner County, Tennessee, two victims were found outside a house the storm had blown away, 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 discovered alive 250 yards away. The child was taken to a local hospital, Austin said. Tennessee | [
"What state reported the highest number of deaths?",
"where Tornado outbreak was?",
"what about the tornado",
"A Tennessee man dove to the floor as what?",
"what did he do",
"What was the cause of the tragedy?",
"what Deaths include 32 in Tennessee?",
"What number is the death toll in the Kentucky?",
"The death toll stands at what?"
] | [
[
"Tennessee."
],
[
"Tennessee,"
],
[
"It was the deadliest"
],
[
"Tuesday night's storm blew his house away above him"
],
[
"put on sweat pants, grabbed a flashlight, drank a shot of whiskey,"
],
[
"A tornado"
],
[
"tornado outbreak"
],
[
"seven"
],
[
"56"
]
] | NEW: Tennessee man describes diving to the floor as his house blows away .
The tornado death toll in the South stands at 56 .
Tornado outbreak was deadliest in the U.S. in more than 20 years .
Deaths include 32 in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky, four in Alabama . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) -- A rebel group that has been attacking oil pipelines in southern Nigeria claimed responsibility on Monday for another strike and said it killed 11 government soldiers in fighting that followed the sabotage. A fire burns following an attack on a pipeline in Nigeria in December 2006. The Nigerian military confirmed an attack on an oil pipeline and an explosion, but called the claim that 11 soldiers were killed a "lie" and "pure propaganda." The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, issued a statement saying it "successfully sabotaged another major trunk pipeline" belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company in the country's Rivers State. "Minutes after the sabotage, our fighters encountered a military gunboat which opened fire blindly on the advance guard. We flanked them in a counter-attack and killed in close combat all the drunken soldiers numbering eleven, collecting their weapons, ammunitions and bullet-proof vests before using dynamite to sink the gunboat with its dead occupants," MEND said. MEND also said they found two "traumatized, adolescent girls" who were gang-raped by Nigerian soldiers. "They were dropped off in the neighboring village by our men who have since returned safely to camp," the statement said. The military had no immediate response to that claim. Analysts say that one reason for record high gas prices in the United States is a spate of attacks on oil pipelines in Nigeria, the fourth largest supplier of oil to the United States. Exxon and Shell are two of several companies that had been extracting two million barrels of oil a day in Nigeria. Yet rebel attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta have cut overall production by roughly 10 percent -- meaning 200,000 fewer barrels of oil on some days. The rebel group hopes to secure a greater share of oil wealth for people in the Niger Delta, where more than 70 percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day. MEND has bombed pipelines and kidnapped hundreds of foreign oil workers, typically releasing them unharmed, sometimes after receiving a ransom payment. The Nigerian government has proposed a peace summit to find a solution to the region's problems, but an immediate resolution does not appear in sight. | [
"Who killed government soldiers?",
"Who claims responsibility for another strike on a gas pipeline?",
"Who owns the pipeline?",
"Who says it killed 11 government soldiers?",
"What belongs to Shell Petroleum Development Company?",
"what does MEND stand for?",
"Who claimed responsibility another strike on a gas pipeline?",
"what Group says?",
"what MEND group say it killed?"
] | [
[
"A rebel group"
],
[
"the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND,"
],
[
"Shell Petroleum Development Company"
],
[
"A rebel group"
],
[
"major trunk pipeline\""
],
[
"Movement"
],
[
"A rebel group"
],
[
"\"successfully sabotaged another major trunk pipeline\""
],
[
"11 government soldiers"
]
] | Rebel group claims responsibility another strike on a gas pipeline .
MEND group say it killed 11 government soldiers in fighting following sabotage .
Group says pipeline belongs to Shell Petroleum Development Company . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- A man "angered" by Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Champions League killed four people when he drove a minibus into a crowd celebrating the Spanish side's victory, police in Nigeria have told CNN. Barcelona fans celebrate in the city's Las Ramblas thoroughfare early Thursday morning. Ten people were also injured in the incident in the town of Ogbo, where the driver was subsequently arrested, a Port Harcourt Police spokesperson said. "He was displaying his anger at his team losing the match. The driver had passed the crowd then made a U-turn and ran into them," spokesperson Rita Inomey-Abbey said. Both Manchester United and Barcelona have a large fan base across the African continent, with millions tuning in to watch European football on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, more than 100 people were arrested in Barcelona city center in the early hours of Thursday morning following the Catalan team's 2-0 victory in Rome in the final of Europe's top club competition. Police arrested 119 young people after violence flared at a special celebration party in Place de Catalunya near the Las Ramblas thoroughfare, while 238 people suffered minor injuries. City officials estimated the damage at up to 100,000 euros ($140,000) as the youths attacked police with bottles and damaged shops, parks and public utilities such as lamp-posts. The trouble took some of the gloss off the achievement of Barcelona, who became the first team to win the Champions League, Spanish League and Spanish Cup titles in one season. Manager Josep Guardiola led the club to glory in his first season in charge, ending a period of three years without a trophy. | [
"how many were injured",
"Where was the man arrested?",
"where does a man drive his minibus?",
"For what reason did the man drive a minibus into a crowd?",
"How many people were injured in the attack?",
"who lost in the league?"
] | [
[
"Ten"
],
[
"Ogbo,"
],
[
"into a crowd"
],
[
"\"angered\" by Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona in the final of"
],
[
"Ten"
],
[
"Manchester United's"
]
] | Man drives minibus into a crowd celebrating Barcelona's Champions League win .
The Manchester United supporter was angry after his team's defeat in final .
Nigerian police confirm that 10 people were also injured in the attack .
Man was arrested after incident that took place in the town of Ogbo . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Militants in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta region said they killed six government soldiers after the military attacked one of its camps on Thursday.
Heavily armed Nigerian rebels pose a constant threat to oil pipelines in the country.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, in an e-mail, said three military gunboats attacked one of its camps around the Ke River in the country's Rivers state.
The group said the gunboats were repelled, with six soldiers dying and three militant fighters wounded in the skirmish.
There was no immediate reaction from the government.
Nigeria is Africa's largest crude oil producer and the fourth-largest supplier of oil to the United States. MEND has demanded that more of the country's oil wealth be pumped into the region instead of enriching foreign investors, and the militants have been attacking oil pipelines in retaliation against government forces, limiting the amount of crude oil that can leave the country.
MEND -- the largest rebel group -- has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006. It has bombed pipelines and kidnapped hundreds of foreign oil workers, typically releasing them unharmed, sometimes after receiving a ransom payment.
MEND hopes to secure a greater share of oil wealth for people in the delta, where more than 70 percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day.
Its attacks on oil facilities have taken a toll.
"Anytime a pipeline is affected, anytime any production gets shut down, you see oil prices jump up one or two dollars a barrel just because there is no slack in the system," said Jim LeCamp, a senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management, which manages assets for wealthy clients worldwide.
Exxon and Shell are two of several companies that have been extracting 2 million barrels of oil a day in Nigeria. Recent rebel attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta have cut overall production by roughly 10 percent -- meaning 200,000 fewer barrels of oil on some days.
That decrease in production comes at a time of increased demand from oil-hungry regions such as China, Russia and Latin America.
"Anytime there's a disruption there, it really affects the system," LeCamp said in a recent interview with CNN. | [
"since when Largest rebel group has targeted foreign oil companies?",
"Who say they killed 6 soldiers?",
"What came after military attacked one of militants' camps?",
"Who has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006?"
] | [
[
"2006."
],
[
"Militants in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta region"
],
[
"they killed six"
],
[
"the largest rebel group"
]
] | Militants in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta region say they killed 6 soldiers .
Deaths came after military attacked one of militants' camps .
Largest rebel group has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006 . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- More than 200 people have died of meningitis in the past week alone in Niger and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization. A health care worker vaccinates a child during an earlier outbreak of meningitis in Niger. The disease is an epidemic in 76 areas of the two countries, the health agency reported Wednesday. A spokesman for W.H.O. in Nigeria, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said Saturday that the outbreak is bigger than usual and stretches across the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa. The outbreak began around the start of the year, Soyinka told CNN. It usually peaks in the dry season because of dust, winds and cold nights, before dipping around May when the rains come, he said. A shortage of vaccines means officials are relying on "effective prevention," in which they watch for outbreaks and then vaccinate people in the epicenter and surrounding areas, Soyinka told CNN. There have been nearly 25,000 suspected cases and more than 1,500 deaths in the meningitis belt in the first 11 weeks of the year, W.H.O. reported. More than 85 percent of those cases happened in northern Nigeria and Niger. Nigeria's Ministry of Health has reported 17,462 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 960 deaths, the world health agency said. In the past week, it reported 4,164 suspected cases with 171 deaths. Sixty-six local government areas in Nigeria have crossed the epidemic threshold. Epidemic thresholds are a way the W.H.O. confirms the emergence of an epidemic so it can step up vaccinations and other management measures. Niger's Ministry of Health has reported 4,513 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 169 deaths, since the start of the year. In the past week, 1,071 suspected cases and 30 deaths have been reported, the W.H.O. said. Ten of Niger's 42 districts have crossed the epidemic threshold. By comparison, other countries are reporting fewer than 50 cases a week. Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the thin lining that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. Several different bacteria can cause meningitis but Neisseria meningitidis -- which is to blame for this outbreak -- is one of the most significant because of its potential to cause epidemics. Health authorities have released 2.3 million doses of vaccine to Nigeria and 1.9 million doses to Niger, the W.H.O. said. CNN's Christian Purefoy in Lagos, Nigeria, contributed to this report. | [
"How many suspected cases were there in the first 11 weeks of 2009?",
"Where is the outbreak?",
"How many deaths were reported in the first 11 weeks of 2009?",
"What has killed more the 200 people?",
"How many suspected cases were there in the first 11 weeks of 2009?",
"What disease killed more than 200 people in the past week?",
"What does \"W.H.O.\" stand for?",
"What is the number of suspected cases?",
"What is forcing an \"effective prevention\" approach?",
"What killed more than 200 people in Niger and Nigeria?",
"Where is the outbreak at epidemic levels in 76 areas?",
"What does the outbreak stretch across?",
"What killed more than 200 people in the past week?",
"What kind of an approach does a vaccine shortage force?",
"Epidemic levels were in how many areas?",
"What killed more than 200 people during the past week in Niger and Nigeria?",
"What is there a shortage of?"
] | [
[
"25,000"
],
[
"across the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa."
],
[
"more than 1,500"
],
[
"meningitis"
],
[
"25,000"
],
[
"meningitis"
],
[
"World Health Organization."
],
[
"4,513"
],
[
"A shortage of vaccines"
],
[
"meningitis"
],
[
"and Nigeria,"
],
[
"the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa."
],
[
"meningitis"
],
[
"\"effective prevention,\""
],
[
"76"
],
[
"meningitis"
],
[
"vaccines"
]
] | W.H.O.: Meningitis killed more than 200 people in the past week in Niger and Nigeria .
Outbreak stretches across African "meningitis belt," at epidemic levels in 76 areas .
Vaccine shortage forces an "effective prevention" approach .
25,000 suspected cases, 1,500 deaths in the belt in the first 11 weeks of 2009 . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Royal Dutch Shell said Tuesday that it may not be able to meet its oil supply obligations in Nigeria after an attack on its major pipeline. Heavily armed Nigerian rebels pose a constant threat to oil pipelines in the country. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a rebel group, said "detonation engineers backed by heavily armed fighters" sabotaged two of Shell's pipelines early Monday. After a helicopter flyover of the area, Shell confirmed that parts of its large Nembe Creek "trunk line" were damaged, company spokeswoman Caroline Wittgen said. The company shut down some production "to limit the amount of crude that will spill into the environment," she said. Hours later, it declared "force majeure," a legal term meaning it could not meet its supply obligations in the region because of the attack. "[Shell] is working hard to repair the line and restore production," Wittgen said. Nigeria is the fourth-largest supplier of oil to the United States, and attacks by rebels have helped fuel the year-long spike in crude oil prices. It's one of many factors pushing up the price of gas in the U.S., where one in every 10 barrels of oil comes from Nigeria. MEND -- the largest rebel group -- has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006. It has bombed pipelines and kidnapped hundreds of foreign oil workers, typically releasing them unharmed, sometimes after receiving a ransom payment. MEND hopes to secure a greater share of oil wealth for people in the delta, where more than 70 percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day. Its attacks on oil facilities have taken a toll. "Anytime a pipeline is affected, anytime any production gets shut down, you see oil prices jump up one or two dollars a barrel just because there is no slack in the system," said Jim LeCamp, a senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management, which manages assets for wealthy clients worldwide. Exxon and Shell are two of several companies that have been extracting 2 million barrels of oil a day in Nigeria. Recent rebel attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta have cut overall production by roughly 10 percent -- meaning 200,000 fewer barrels of oil on some days. That decrease in production comes at a time of increased demand from oil-hungry regions such as China, Russia and Latin America. "Anytime there's a disruption there, it really affects the system," LeCamp said in a recent interview with CNN. | [
"What rebel group was responsible for this?",
"What company was affected by what happened?",
"What product does Shell provide?",
"When were the pipelines sabotaged?",
"Whose pipelines were sabotaged?",
"How many pipelines were sabotaged?",
"What corporation says it may not be able to meet supply contracts after the Nigerian attack?",
"Where did the attack happen?",
"What reason can Shell not meet supply contracts?",
"Who sabotaged two of Shell's oil pipelines?",
"What will cause Shell to not be able t omeet supply contracts?"
] | [
[
"the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND),"
],
[
"Shell"
],
[
"oil"
],
[
"early Monday."
],
[
"Shell's"
],
[
"two"
],
[
"Royal Dutch Shell"
],
[
"Nigeria"
],
[
"after an attack on its major pipeline."
],
[
"The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a rebel group,"
],
[
"an attack on its major pipeline."
]
] | Shell says it may not be able to meet supply contracts after Nigerian attack .
Two of Shell's oil pipelines sabotaged by rebel groups on Monday .
Company is working to repair the lines and get production running normally . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- The imprisoned leader of the Nigerian militant group MEND has accepted an unconditional amnesty offer from the government, his lawyer said Friday. "The president has ordered his release, and we are hoping he will be released very soon," Wilson Ajuwaand said, referring to his client, Henry Okah. "We have briefed him on the amnesty and are now working out the details." CNN could not independently verify the lawyer's information, and Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua could not be reached for comment. Yar'Adua made the amnesty offer to Okah in June. Okah, who had been MEND's main arms smuggler, was arrested in September 2007 in the Angolan capital, Luanda. He was later extradited to Nigeria and has been in prison since then. "We support Henry Okah's decision to accept any deal that will ensure his early release to attend to his failing health under the current circumstances," said Jomo Gbomo, a MEND spokesman. "Since he has no weapons to surrender, the deal should be a straightforward one." An International Crisis Group report in April about the conflict between government forces and militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta said Okah is accused of treason, terrorism and kidnapping. His lawyers and relatives say he needs kidney treatment not available in Nigeria, the report said. MEND has declared an "all-out war" on the government, demanding a fairer distribution of oil wealth in the Niger Delta. The group wants oil revenue reinvested in the region instead of enriching those the militants consider corrupt politicians. Many of MEND's attacks have been aimed at oil and gas installations in the region. Okah's release had been a key demand of MEND before they accept any government amnesty offer. After receiving news of Okah's acceptance of the government officer, MEND issued a statement. "The recent appointment of Mr. Timi Alaibe as the special adviser to the president on Niger Delta-Nigeria-MEND-Amnesty affairs by the Nigerian government is a humble and welcome development that is in line with the two-pronged approach of our current campaign," the statement said. "With this channel of communication finally opened, MEND will put together its ... team of frank negotiators to pass our demands and expectations to the president through Mr. Alaibe, a man we respect and can work with." From CNN's Christian Purefoy. | [
"What treatment does Okah need?",
"Who was arrested?",
"Who was MEND's main arms smuggler?",
"what treatment does he need",
"when were they arrested",
"What is Okah accused of?",
"What is not available in Nigeria?"
] | [
[
"kidney"
],
[
"Henry Okah."
],
[
"Henry Okah."
],
[
"kidney"
],
[
"September 2007"
],
[
"of treason, terrorism and kidnapping."
],
[
"kidney treatment"
]
] | Henry Okah, MEND's main arms smuggler, was arrested in September 2007 .
Okah is accused of treason, terrorism and kidnapping .
Lawyers, relatives say he needs kidney treatment not available in Nigeria . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- A group of Nigerian rebels who wrote a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush, stating that they attacked two oil pipelines Monday, have asked for former President Jimmy Carter and actor George Clooney to help solve issues in the oil-rich Niger-delta. Military policemen patrol the creeks of the Omadino community in Warri South district of the Niger Delta. In a letter written by a group called Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, the group said they attacked two pipelines they believed are owned by Chevron Corp. and Shell oil. A spokesman for Royal Dutch Shell said its pipeline was damaged last week. The attack will temporarily cut shipments by 169,000 barrels a day as workers try to repair the damage, the spokesman said. The pipeline is owned jointly by Shell and Nigerian, French and Italian oil companies, the spokesman said. Chevron spokesman Kurt Glaubitz told CNN that "No Chevron pipelines have been vandalized in Nigeria." There was no immediate comment from the Nigerian government. In the letter the group called themselves "commandos" and stated that their aim was "the crippling of the Nigerian oil export industry." Watch how Nigeria attacks help hike gas prices » "Today's attack was prompted by the continuous injustice in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where the root issues have not been addressed by the illegal and insincere government," the letter stated. The letter stated that two other letters had been sent to Bush and also actor George Clooney, and the group also asked for President Jimmy Carter to help. Clooney is one of the United Nations' Messengers of Peace, and has campaigned for an end to the long-standing conflict in Darfur, as well as further humanitarian relief efforts in the region. Carter is currently in the Middle East, where he has met with the exiled militant Hamas leader Khalid Meshaal, on what he calls a "study mission" to support peace, democracy, and human rights in the region. "MEND is prepared for talks and will prefer Ex President Jimmy Carter to mediate. Mr. Carter is not in denial as the rest of you who brand freedom fighters as terrorists," the letter stated. "The ripple effect of this attack will touch your economy and people one way or the other and hope we now have your attention." The organization also said they attack was in response to one of the arrest of one of their members, Henry Okah, who was arrested last year and according to local reports, is charged with treason. Since late 2005, MEND militants have carried out numerous attacks on Nigeria's oil sector and abducted dozens of foreign workers, releasing nearly all of them unharmed. In the past the organization has said it had ratcheted up its attacks to redress what it says is the unequal distribution of the nation's oil wealth. E-mail to a friend | [
"Who did rebels write to?",
"Who has written to President Bush",
"Who owned the pipelines that were attacked?",
"When did rebels attack oil pipelines?",
"What was their aim?",
"which actor was appealed too?",
"Who will help mediate?",
"Which actor has been asked to mediate?",
"What was the name of the Nigerian rebel group?",
"What did the group say it attacked?",
"Who attacked the oil pipelines?"
] | [
[
"U.S. President George W. Bush,"
],
[
"A group of Nigerian rebels"
],
[
"Chevron Corp. and Shell oil."
],
[
"Monday,"
],
[
"\"the crippling of the Nigerian oil export industry.\""
],
[
"George Clooney,"
],
[
"Ex President Jimmy Carter"
],
[
"George Clooney"
],
[
"Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta,"
],
[
"two oil pipelines"
],
[
"Nigerian rebels"
]
] | Nigerian rebels write to U.S. President George W. Bush, say they attacked oil pipelines .
Appeal for former U.S. President Carter, actor George Clooney to help mediate .
Group say they attacked two pipelines believed owned by Chevron Corp., Shell oil.
Adds that their aim was "the crippling of the Nigerian oil export industry" |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- A militant group operating in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria said Monday that it had destroyed several major oil pipelines in response to a military offensive. File image shows Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta fighters. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said it had "put out of operation" a Chevron storage facility by destroying several pipelines that fed into it. "This will henceforth become our standard mode of operation," the group said in a statement. The U.S.-based Chevron Corporation could not be immediately reached for an assessment of the damage. Nigeria's military has been clearing the western Niger Delta region in a major operation against MEND. The armed militant group demands that more of Nigeria's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those whom they consider corrupt politicians. The group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks. At that time, MEND destroyed several oil facilities, forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day, or 40 percent. The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria, Africa's largest producer. "We will continue our cat-and-mouse tactics with them (the military) until oil export ceases completely," the MEND statement said. | [
"Where is the militant group based?",
"Which army has been trying to clear the area?",
"what was destroyed?",
"What did the group declare?",
"Who has been fighting the militant group?",
"what has the military been trying to clear?"
] | [
[
"in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria"
],
[
"Nigeria's"
],
[
"several major oil pipelines"
],
[
"declared war against the government in September for"
],
[
"Nigeria's military"
],
[
"the western Niger Delta region"
]
] | Militant group operating in oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria destroys oil pipelines .
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has declared "all-out war"
Nigeria's military has been trying to clear the western Niger Delta . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Kashi Shodeinde turned the ignition and his battered truck convulsed as black fumes poured from the exhaust. His precious cargo of bottled Guinness beer rattled as he set off into the gauntlet of Lagos' potholed roads and traffic.
Nigeria consumes more Guinness beer than Ireland, the company says.
Working for a foreign company to send his three children to school, Shodeinde is on the frontline of private investors' struggle to gain a foothold in Nigeria.
"In the whole of Nigeria, Guinness is No. 1!" he exclaimed.
Brewed in Nigeria since 1962, the country's thicker-tasting "Foreign Extra" is not just supporting Shodeinde and his family, but helped Guinness Nigeria defy the global recession with 6 percent annual growth this year, according to the company.
Nigeria now drinks more Guinness than Ireland -- making it the second-biggest consumer in the world, after Britain, according to Guinness Nigeria.
A success story like Guinness in Nigeria highlights the potential for trade and foreign investment in Africa that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about last week when she addressed an African trade convention in Kenya.
"Africa is capable, and is making economic progress. In fact, one doesn't have to look far to see that Africa is ripe with opportunities, some already realized, and others waiting to be seized together if we determine to do so," Clinton said.
She is on a tour of Africa to promote development and good governance, and to underscore the Obama administration's commitment to Africa. Nigeria is one of several countries on her itinerary.
But many challenges keep foreign businesses from coming to Nigeria.
Regarded as a frontier market, Nigeria is ranked 118 out of 187 in the World Bank's "Doing Business" rankings. Failing infrastructure, irregular electricity and erratic government policies have caused foreign investors to shy from Nigeria's relatively untapped market of 150 million people.
"Nigeria remains an information dark spot and therefore does itself no advantage in terms of trying to attract foreign investment," said Doyin Salami, an economist at Lagos Business School.
The Dunlop and Michelin tire companies have in recent years closed their factories in Nigeria, because of the rising cost of production.
Yet, Nigeria Guinness is expanding its facilities to increase production.
"Business is really growing," said Afebuameh Cephas, the plant manager for Guinness' Benin factory, saying production was up almost 30 percent in a year.
All the ingredients are produced locally -- except for Guinness extract, a secret ingredient added to Guinness brewed anywhere in the world.
But there's no secret to Guinness' Nigeria success, said Chairman Tunde Savage.
"The most important thing here is you have to be very transparent in what you do. Your governing principle must be very clear here. You must ensure you do things correctly and rightly."
Fortunately for competitors, Guinness is not to everyone's taste.
Bottles of all shapes and flavors rattled on a bar table in Lagos one recent night as a band struck a deep bass note in the humidity of the night.
"It's too harsh! It's too harsh!" one regular exclaimed.
"It tastes good for an African man!" argued another. | [
"What country is Guinness expanding to?",
"What are problems with Nigerian government, that make foriegn investors hesitate to invest?",
"Which foriegn companies have pulled out of Nigeria?",
"What does this story highlight?",
"What was their reason for pulling out?",
"What are the problems with investing in Nigeria?",
"Who's expanding?",
"What is expanding its facilities?"
] | [
[
"Nigeria"
],
[
"Failing infrastructure, irregular electricity and erratic"
],
[
"Dunlop"
],
[
"potential for trade and foreign investment"
],
[
"rising cost of production."
],
[
"Failing infrastructure, irregular electricity and erratic government policies"
],
[
"Nigeria Guinness"
],
[
"Guinness Nigeria"
]
] | Guinness beer plant in Nigeria expanding facilities as business thrives .
Guinness success story highlights potential for foreign investment in Africa .
But other foreign companies have pulled out of Nigeria, citing rising production costs .
Problems with infrastructure, government make some hesitate to invest in Nigeria . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- More than 2,500 Nigerians caught in the fighting between Islamic militants and government forces have fled their homes in the northern part of the country, a Red Cross spokeswoman said Wednesday. Mothers and their children take refuge this week at a police office in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri. More than 400 people have been killed, and 150 bodies were lying in the general hospital at Maiduguri, according to Aliyu Maikanu, a Red Cross disaster officer in the northeast. Most of the violence has been on the outskirts of the city, officials said. "It's a terrible situation for me. It's a very serious battle -- something I have not seen in my life," Maikanu said. She said only security personnel were free to move around due to the risks. Up to 1,000 militants are holed up at their base of operations in Maiduguri, and police have cordoned off the area, she said. National police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said Wednesday that police were able to free 187 women and children whom they claim were being held in the compound of the Islamic militants' leader, Mohammed Yusuf. Under the sect's strict form of sharia law, the group that was released was shielded from public view, Ojukwu said. He said 100 arrests have been made across the north. Shehu Sani, president of the Civil Rights Congress, a human rights organization based in northern Nigeria, said people were seeking refuge in police and military barracks and in hospitals. The militants disagree with the government's teaching of Islam in the region, maintaining that the government allows itself to be influenced by Western values. They have been targeting high-profile government institutions, police and Islamic clergy, Ojukwu said. The operation to defeat the militants is ongoing, he said, and police have been deployed in all northeast and northwestern states. There is a history of religious violence in central Nigeria, where majority-Muslim North Africa meets largely Christian sub-Saharan Africa. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 1,000 people were killed there in riots in 2001. Last week the human rights organization alleged that police and soldiers killed at least 133 people during two days of riots last year between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. Most of the victims were young Muslim men, often unarmed, the group said in testimony before a state commission. CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report. | [
"How many people were killed in Nigerian violence?",
"who was freed?",
"How many people did the Red Cross say were killed?",
"what did the red cross say",
"Maiduguri is in which country?",
"How many women were freed from the militants' compound?",
"where are the militants holed up",
"How many women and children were freed from the militants' compound?",
"Where is military base located in Nigeria?"
] | [
[
"More than 400"
],
[
"187 women and children"
],
[
"More than 400"
],
[
"\"It's a terrible situation for me. It's a very serious battle -- something I have not seen in my life,\""
],
[
"Nigeria"
],
[
"187"
],
[
"Maiduguri,"
],
[
"187"
],
[
"Maiduguri,"
]
] | NEW: More than 180 women, kids freed from militants' compound, official says .
More than 2,500 flee fighting between militants, government in northern Nigeria .
More 400 people killed in Nigerian violence, Red Cross official says .
Militants holed up at base of operations in Maiduguri, Nigeria . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- More than 400 people have been killed in a spate of violence in northern Nigeria, the president of a human rights group said Tuesday. More than 150 alleged militants were arrested by Nigerian police after clashes. The violence has pitted Islamic militants against government police and troops in the north-central part of the nation, officials said. Attacks continued Tuesday in the suburbs of the northern city of Maiduguri, said Shehu Sani, president of the Civil Rights Congress, a human rights organization based in northern Nigeria. People there are seeking refuge in police and military barracks and in hospitals, he said. Police and troops were dispatched to the militants' hideouts after they began attacks on government establishments Sunday, said police spokesman Moses Anegbode. As authorities exchanged fire with the militants, 41 people, including a soldier and a policeman, were killed, Anegbode said Monday. In addition, some 176 people were arrested in Bauchi, he said. Besides Bauchi, militants also staged attacks on the nearby states of Yobe and Borno on Sunday and Monday, said Emmanuel Ojukwu, spokesman for the national police. Yobe's police commissioner, Alhaji Muhammed Abbas, said that 23 suspected militants were arrested in connection with a bomb attack at a police station in Potiskum that killed a policeman and a civilian and wounded seven people. The official News Agency of Nigeria reported that as many as 100 members of a religious sect led by Sheikh Mohammed Yusuf may have been killed in a confrontation with police. In Borno, police spokesman Isa Azare said that two policemen were killed in an attack on police headquarters late Monday. "The religious fanatics took the police unawares," Azare told the government-affiliated New Nigerian newspaper. "That was why they succeeded in killing all the officers on night duty." Panicked residents stayed inside in all three states, and businesses shut down, even though officials said the situation was under control. The militants used guns, bows and arrows and machetes in the attacks, officials said. The militants disagree with the government's teaching of Islam in the region, maintaining that the government allows itself to be influenced by Western values, and have been attacking government offices and Islamic clergy. There is a history of religious violence in central Nigeria, where majority-Muslim north Africa meets largely Christian sub-Saharan Africa. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 1,000 people were killed in riots in 2001. The human rights organization alleged last week that police and soldiers killed at least 133 people during two days of riots between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria last year. Most of the victims were young Muslim men, often unarmed, the group charged in testimony before a state commission examining the riots and in a separate report. More than 700 people died in the violence, the organization said, citing local religious authorities on both sides of the divide. CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report. | [
"How many were killed in Nigerian violence?",
"how many people were arrested",
"how many people were killed",
"How many were arrested?",
"Who disagrees with the government's teaching of Islam?",
"what do militants disagree about",
"Who was arrested?",
"What number has been killed?",
"What religion do the militants adhere to?",
"How many Nigerians have been died in recent violence?",
"How many have been killed in Nigerian violence?"
] | [
[
"More than 400 people"
],
[
"150 alleged militants"
],
[
"More than 400"
],
[
"More than 150"
],
[
"The militants"
],
[
"with the government's teaching of Islam in the region,"
],
[
"More than 150 alleged militants"
],
[
"-- More than 400 people have"
],
[
"Islamic"
],
[
"More than 400 people"
],
[
"400 people"
]
] | As many as 400 people killed in Nigerian violence, group says .
Militants disagree with the government's teaching of Islam .
176 people also arrested, according to police . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nigeria's military has rescued 18 hostages held by militants in its oil-rich Niger Delta region, a military spokesman said Monday. File image shows Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta fighters. The first group -- nine Filipinos and five Nigerians -- were released on Saturday, while four Ukrainians were released on Sunday, according to Col. Rabe Abubakar, spokesman for the Nigerian military's joint task force. Nigeria's military began clearing the western Niger Delta region last week, its first major operation against the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, an armed militant group that demands a better distribution of the country's oil wealth. Both the Nigerian military and the militants have said the ongoing fighting has resulted in a high number of casualties. As many as 1,000 have been killed, according to Victor Burubo, a spokesman for the Ijaw National Council which represents the region's largest ethnic group. However, aid groups and journalists have been unable to verify that figure. "We want the international community to know that we are getting rid of criminals and terrorists in our communities so foreigners who come here to work and invest are safe," Abubakar said. Four villages near the militants' camps have been destroyed in the fighting, Burubo said. However, the military spokesman stressed that Nigerian forces are not targeting civilians, blaming such attacks on the militants. "We are not attacking villages -- just (militant) camps," Abubakar said. On Friday, MEND declared "an all-out war" on the government after what it said was a deadly bombing raid on civilians. It is not the first declaration of war by MEND, which demands that more of Nigeria's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those the militants consider corrupt politicians. The militant group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks. At that time, MEND destroyed several oil facilities, forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day, or 40 percent. The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria, Africa's largest producer. MEND has threatened to blockade oil vessels, and has warned oil companies in the region to leave and "cease oil production until further notice." The militant group said Friday the country's armed forces conducted "indiscriminate aerial bombardment on the defenseless civilians in the Gbaramatu area of Delta state." It said the strikes were punishment "for the humiliating defeat" of the army in raids on two militant camps Wednesday. "Casualties are mostly women, children and the elderly who could not get away quickly into the bush or high sea," the militant group said. The military says it is responding to the militants' attacks on troops, hijackings of vessels, and threats to innocents, such as the "expatriates who were given ultimatum to leave the region by the militants." It characterized the various claims by the militants as "propaganda." "We are not at war with any individuals or groups in the region," Abubakar said. "Ours is to protect lives and property and also to rid the region of criminals who hide under the guise of struggle agenda to perpetrate crime." CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report. | [
"How many Ukrainians were released Sunday?",
"What are the miltants demanding?",
"How many Nigerians were released Saturday?",
"What were their nationalities?",
"What region has begun to be cleared by the Nigerian military?",
"Movement for the Emancipation of which Delta has declared \"all-out war\"?",
"How many Nigerians were released on Saturday?",
"What is the total number of people released?",
"What region did the military begin clearing out?"
] | [
[
"four"
],
[
"a better distribution of the country's oil wealth."
],
[
"five"
],
[
"nine Filipinos and five Nigerians"
],
[
"western Niger Delta"
],
[
"Niger"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"18 hostages"
],
[
"western Niger Delta"
]
] | 9 Filipinos and 5 Nigerians released Saturday, 4 Ukrainians released Sunday .
Nigeria's military began clearing the western Niger Delta region last week .
Operation against militants demanding better distribution of country's oil wealth .
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has declared "all-out war" |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Nneka and Chimezie Ononaku unwittingly poisoned their own four-month-old son Chinonso. A television image of Chinonso Ononaku, who died after being given the medicine "My Pikin." Giving him what they thought was a baby teething medicine, they were in fact dosing him with anti-freeze. The bottle had been contaminated with a toxic chemical called diethylene glycol. More than 30 Nigerian children are thought to have died recently after taking the medicine. Nneka is angry. "It's not easy carrying a pregnancy for nine months, [and] after that getting a drug from a pharmacy to kill your own child," she says. When Nigeria's Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) tested the medicine, "My Pikin," the results were terrifying. It found the medicine contained almost 90ml of diethylene glycol per 100ml. "It's a bottle of poison," the NAFDAC laboratory said. The "My Pikin" factory's managing director and eight others have been charged with negligence. The company could not be reached for comment. Nigeria is on the frontline in the global fight against counterfeit drugs. Undercover NAFDAC officers have taken to the streets in order to combat unregistered and often harmful drugs. Hawkers are charged with selling counterfeit drugs and forced to pay a fine. Watch more on the poisonings » NAFDAC claims most of the counterfeit drugs come from India and China. And it's big business -- America's Centre for Medicines in the Public Interest predicts counterfeit drug sales will reach $75 billion in 2010. NAFDAC's director-general Dora Akunyili warns counterfeiting is not just a Nigerian problem. "These criminals are cooperating, so we too need to cooperate if we can face them. Not only in Nigeria but internationally, because drug counterfeiting involves a trans-national criminal network and can only be dismantled through international co-operation." | [
"What counterfeit drug was given to the children?",
"How many children died from the medicine?",
"When are counterfeit drug sales predicted to reach $75 billion?",
"What were the children given?",
"What is predicted to reach $75 billion in 2010?",
"What is the global fight against?",
"What is expected to reach $75 billion in 2010?",
"Who is on the frontline in the global fight against counterfeit drugs?"
] | [
[
"\"My Pikin,\""
],
[
"30"
],
[
"2010."
],
[
"the medicine \"My Pikin.\""
],
[
"counterfeit drug sales"
],
[
"counterfeit drugs."
],
[
"counterfeit drug sales"
],
[
"Nigeria"
]
] | More than 30 Nigerian children have died after being given poisoned medicine .
Nigeria is on the frontline in the global fight against counterfeit drugs .
Counterfeit drug sales predicted to reach $75 billion in 2010 . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- Police and soldiers killed at least 133 people during two days of riots between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria last year, Human Rights Watch alleged Monday. Anti-riot policemen patrol the streets in Jos, Nigeria, following riots between Christians and Muslims. Most of the victims of violence by security forces were young Muslim men, often unarmed, the group charged in testimony before a state commission examining the riots and in a separate report. More than 700 people died in the violence last November, the group said, citing local religious authorities on both sides of the divide. A 26-year-old mechanic described seeing anti-riot police known as MOPOLs hunting down people near where he worked. "I saw them enter one house just across the street from us," the unnamed witness said. "We heard shots and later we saw five bodies there. Anyone they found hiding in the garage, they shot them. They combed the garage hunting for people. This went on for about 10 minutes or so. Then they returned to their truck and left." Another witness described police units going from house to house, summarily executing unarmed men and boys. A third said he saw an unarmed shopkeeper plead for his life. Police ordered him to lie down on the ground, the witness said. "He kept saying, 'Please God, allow me to live.'... One of them said, 'Today you go die,' and then he shot him in the side. Then the same MOPOL shot him again. As he was going to shoot him a third time, the other MOPOL said ... 'Leave it, he's already dead.'" The shopkeeper managed to drag himself to a neighbor's house, where the neighbor tried to stop the bleeding from wounds to the back and abdomen. Police then returned and shot tear gas into the neighbor's house, he testified. The shopkeeper "died a short time later," the neighbor said. In the report, released Monday, Human Rights Watch says it "documented 133 of these killings but believes that the actual number of arbitrary killings by security forces may be substantially higher than these figures." James Manook, a spokesman for Plateau State where the violence occurred, said the Human Rights Watch claims are "one of the issues that the commission has under inquiry, and given that - I do not want to comment while it's under investigation." However, he added, " I assure you that we remain respectful of the rule of law." The clashes followed a dispute over an election that pitted a Christian candidate against a Muslim one in late November 2008. Police and soldiers responded to the riots with deadly force, on the same day the governor of the state issued a "shoot-on-sight" order, Human Rights Watch said. The group based its allegations on 151 interviews in the city of Jos in Nigeria's Plateau State, it says in the report. It withheld the names of many of the people it interviewed over the course of 18 days in December 2008 and February 2009. The report includes photographs of burned-out mosques, Christian boarding schools, and homes and businesses. The rights group said the state commission examining the riots should investigate and call for the prosecution of security forces involved. "At least 130 men were killed by members of the very institutions charged with protecting them," said Corinne Dufka, senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "These investigative bodies owe it to the victims and their families to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into these extremely serious allegations." Eric Guttschuss, a Human Rights Watch researcher, testified before the commission Monday. There is a history of religious violence in central Nigeria, where majority-Muslim north Africa meets largely Christian sub-Saharan Africa. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 1,000 people were killed in riots in 2001. Local religious leaders in Jos have been trying to bridge the differences, including setting up a soccer league with teams on which Christians and | [
"How many people are soldiers accused of killing during the November 2008 riots?",
"Did witnesses say police units executed unarmed men and boys?",
"What do officials speculat about the death toll?",
"What group composed the majority of victims?"
] | [
[
"at least 133"
],
[
"going from house to house, summarily executing"
],
[
"substantially higher"
],
[
"Muslim men,"
]
] | Nigerian police, soldiers accused of killing 133 during riots in November 2008 .
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch says main victims were young Muslim men .
Witnesses say police units summarily executed unarmed men and boys .
HRW says death toll could be "substantially higher" than documented cases suggest . |
LAGOS, Nigeria (Reuters) -- Nigeria's television survival show has been suspended after a contestant drowned in preparation for the program, said Dutch brewer Heineken's local unit which is sponsoring the show.
Anthony Ogadje, 25, and nine other contestants had gone to Shere Hills Lake in Nigeria's hilly Plateau State to prepare for the "Gulder Ultimate Search," which sets a variety of physical challenges for participants.
A statement from Nigerian Breweries on Monday said Ogadje died suddenly and he was thought to have drowned.
"All attempts to revive him by the attendant medical team and the lifeguards, including his fellow contestants, failed," said Nigerian Breweries, which is majority-owned by the Dutch giant. Broadcasting had been due to start on Thursday.
In the show, the weakest contestants are evicted one by one until a winner emerges. The prize money is a big attraction in a country where most people live in extreme poverty and benefit little from Nigeria's oil wealth.
The winner was to get 5 million naira (about $39,000) in cash, a four-wheel drive jeep and another 500,000 naira (about $3,900) to buy clothes. The winner could also have expected to become an instant celebrity, attracting sponsorship deals.
The Ultimate Search, which started in 2004, gets high ratings. E-mail to a friend | [
"Which country is Heineken from?",
"WHERE DID ANTHONY OGADJE REPORTEDLY DROWN?",
"What age was Mr Ogadje",
"What was his age?",
"what is heineken?",
"What was he doing?",
"What happened?",
"Which Dutch brewer sponsored the program",
"Who sponsors the show \"Gulder Ultimate Search\"?",
"What show was he preparing for?",
"Who were the sponsors of his show?",
"WHAT WAS HE PREPARING FOR?",
"Who sponsors the program",
"Where did Anthony Ogadje drown",
"What was Anthony Odagje doing at the time of his death?",
"where did anthony drowned?",
"What program does Heineken sponsor?",
"What age was Anthony Ogadje when he died?",
"What age was Anthony Ogadje?",
"Who drowned in Shere HIlls Lake?",
"who was the sponsor?",
"WHAT COMPANY SPONSORS THE PROGRAM?",
"Which company sponsors the show Gulder Ultimate Search?"
] | [
[
"Dutch"
],
[
"Shere Hills Lake in Nigeria's hilly Plateau State"
],
[
"25,"
],
[
"25,"
],
[
"Dutch brewer"
],
[
"drowned in preparation for the program,"
],
[
"drowned in preparation for the program,"
],
[
"Heineken's local unit"
],
[
"Heineken's"
],
[
"\"Gulder Ultimate Search,\""
],
[
"Heineken's"
],
[
"\"Gulder Ultimate Search,\""
],
[
"Dutch brewer Heineken's local unit"
],
[
"Shere Hills Lake"
],
[
"had gone to Shere Hills Lake in Nigeria's hilly Plateau State to prepare for the \"Gulder Ultimate Search,\""
],
[
"Shere Hills Lake in Nigeria's hilly Plateau State"
],
[
"\"Gulder Ultimate Search,\""
],
[
"25,"
],
[
"25,"
],
[
"Anthony Ogadje,"
],
[
"Nigerian Breweries"
],
[
"Dutch brewer Heineken's"
],
[
"Heineken's"
]
] | Anthony Ogadje, 25, reportedly drowned in Shere Hills Lake .
He was preparing for the show, "Gulder Ultimate Search"
Dutch brewer Heineken's local unit sponsors the program . |
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Incident details: "Armed pirates chased, boarded and hijacked a fishing trawler underway" southeast of Mogadishu, Somalia. "Several persons armed with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machetes attempting to climb onboard with use of rope" at Lagos anchorage, Nigeria.
The Yemeni coast guard patrols the Gulf of Aden in March.
Reading the International Maritime Bureau's Live Piracy Report a catalog of piracy reports from around the world, two names crop up with disturbing frequency: Somalia and Nigeria.
The list reads like a history book telling tales of the buccaneers of old -- daring raids, kidnappings and ransoms. But these days, Africa's pirates are using automatic weapons and grenades.
Thousands of miles apart, Somalia's and Nigeria's pirates have no communication, and their circumstances are very different.
Somalia is a barren, dusty failed state, and Somali pirates operate in the vast Gulf of Aden. Pirates in Nigeria operate from the sprawling metropolis of Lagos harbor to the riverine creeks of the Niger Delta region.
But they're after the same thing: money. Watch how negotiations with pirates take place »
And to get it they seem to be feeding off each other's ideas.
"One of the interesting things about piracy offshore West Africa is that it has started to mimic piracy trends off the Horn of Africa, places like Somalia," explained Rolake Akinola, West Africa analyst at Control Risks.
"Some of the tactics used are increasingly sophisticated. Sophisticated weaponry is used by some of those pirate groups, and it's becoming much more violent."
The tactics employed often involve small speedboats pulling up alongside their target, boarding and, often resorting to violence, kidnapping the crew or cargo. Watch a shipping company chief describe being hijacked »
Ransoms can run into the millions of dollars.
In Somalia last year, the hijacked Saudi oil tanker Sirius Star was released after a $3 million ransom was dropped by helicopter to the pirates.
Local governments in Nigeria's Niger Delta often keep a special fund to pay kidnappers. Hundreds have been kidnapped in the past few years, with American and British hostages in particular considered "high-value."
In countries where the majority of the population lives on less than $2 a day, the ransoms are considerable amounts of money.
And the money is often splashed out on flashy Humvees, flat-screen TVs and more weapons.
Visiting pirates in the swamps of the Niger Delta, we were taken to the commander's new home.
Surrounded by mud huts in the mangroves, a generator powered a refrigerator filled with bottles of champagne that the men drank as they played on their imported pool table.
They were all young men who complained about the lack of job opportunities and were enticed into piracy by promised riches on show at the commander's house.
Off Somalia's coast, a NATO-led task force is trying to crack down on Somali pirates. And the U.S. Navy is making frequent visits to West Africa to train local navies to combat pirates.
"The task force are doing a fantastic job, and they are very much welcome," said Michael Howlett, divisional director of the International Maritime Bureau. He pointed out that in February, for every eight attacks, there was only one hijacking.
But the bureau also says 2009 has seen a spike in pirate attacks, particularly off the east coast of Somalia. More than 15 attacks were reported by March.
With their attacks, pirates are challenging not just international shipping lanes but Africa's rule of law.
The pirates are now operating hundreds of miles from their bases.
Somali pirates operate freely along the coastlines of Kenya and Tanzania, with the potential to threaten tourists on the beaches. In March, Somalis hijacked a yacht and its crew of seven off the Seychelles.
Earlier this year, unknown Nigerian gunmen attacked the presidential palace in Equatorial Guinea. They were eventually chased away by a military helicopter.
To combat the problem, analysts like Akinola are agreed: More is needed than military force.
" | [
"What are the pirates after?",
"What is money spent on?",
"What is becoming more sophisticated?",
"What is the ransom money spent on?",
"What is ransom money spent on?",
"What year has seen a spike in pirate attacks?",
"What are pirates after?"
] | [
[
"money."
],
[
"flashy Humvees, flat-screen TVs and more weapons."
],
[
"\"Some of the tactics used"
],
[
"flashy Humvees, flat-screen TVs and more weapons."
],
[
"flashy Humvees, flat-screen TVs and more weapons."
],
[
"2009"
],
[
"money."
]
] | Risk experts say pirates in East and West Africa are after the same thing .
Tactics and weapons are becoming more sophisticated .
Ransom money is spent on luxury cars, more weapons .
International Maritime Bureau says 2009 has seen a spike in pirate attacks . |
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- Angry protests are a common sight in Pakistan. Crowds often gather to denounce the United States or the Pakistani government, which critics accuse of being an American puppet.
AntiTaliban protesters in Lahore.
But in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore this week, several hundred protesters gathered on a scorching day to take on a very different target: the Taliban.
"I will fight them to my last breath and the last drop of my blood in my body. I'm not scared," vowed newspaper publisher Jugnu Mohsin.
She was leading a crowd of several hundred students, artists, writers and others, chanting "the Taliban is the enemy of Islam" in Urdu.
Public protests against the Taliban started cropping up in various Pakistani cities after a video emerged showing militants publicly flogging a teenage girl. The Taliban's recent declaration that the Pakistani government and judicial system are "unIslamic" has also outraged many educated Pakistanis.
Neha Mehdi moved to Lahore to study. Now, she fears her way of life is being threatened by the Taliban.
"I cannot give up my education, and I cannot give up the way I'm living," the 23-year-old student said. "These Talibans have ruined the reputation of Islam."
"There were threats here also from the Taliban that if we gather they might just bomb us," Mehdi said. Watch how the anti-Taliban movement is growing »
More than 250 miles away, Pakistan's military continued its assault against Taliban militants who want to impose a radical interpretation of Islamic law in the country's northwestern tribal regions.
Pakistan's government recently signed a deal that would allow Islamic law, or sharia, in the tribal belt as long as the law was imposed in accordance with the country's constitution.
Mehdi and others in Lahore fear that the Taliban's version of sharia -- which forbids girls from attending school, as well as music, poetry and dance -- is slowly creeping into Lahore, the center of Pakistani culture.
"Our way of life is being threatened," said Kamiar Rokni, a fashion designer who took part in the protest. "And if we don't do anything about it, then you're just going to be sitting around and one day the way you live and what this country's all about is going to stand for nothing."
Rokni said he fears the Taliban "want to change the way we exist."
Lahore may be hundreds of miles away from the Taliban-held areas outside Islamabad, but it is no stranger to militant attacks.
"Last year we lost 39 people in acts of terrorism and this year we have lost 17 people in Lahore alone," Lahore police Chief Parvez Rathore said.
As he speaks, a heavily armed escort is one step behind the police chief even as he walks outside the walls of the city's police headquarters.
In March, gunmen attacked a bus carrying the Sri Lankan national cricket team in Lahore, killing six Pakistani police officers and the team's driver.
Weeks later, militants dressed in police uniforms stormed a police training center in the city, prompting an eight-hour stand-off with police. Eight cadets were killed during the March 30 siege, which the government blamed on Pakistan's Taliban.
Police in Lahore said the attacks would not have been possible without local support. Residents say there is no doubt that the Taliban have support in Pakistan's second largest city.
"They're here in Lahore, this is the thing," said Jamal Rahman, who plays guitar for the Lahore-based band, "Lal" which means "Red."
"Little groups of the Taliban are going around and intimidating people, causing fear, telling women to cover up and if they don't they'll shoot them."
Rahman and his cousin, Aider -- who plays flute for "Lal" -- are using their music to rally society against what he says is a growing threat by the Taliban.
"We want to try to get people aware, and try | [
"What were the protests against?",
"what did the residents say",
"what are they afraid of",
"Where is the Taliban exerting influence?",
"Where did the protests occur?",
"what happened in lahore",
"Where are the protests?"
] | [
[
"the Taliban."
],
[
"there is no doubt that the Taliban have support in Pakistan's second largest city."
],
[
"Taliban \"want to change the way we exist.\""
],
[
"Lahore,"
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[
"Pakistan."
],
[
"several hundred protesters gathered"
],
[
"Pakistan."
]
] | Protests in Lahore, Pakistan, against Taliban .
Lahore residents say the Taliban has support in the Pakistan's second city .
Students, artists, musicians fear their way of life at threat .
Taliban is exerting influence in parts of Pakistan . |
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- It's hot and sweaty in a rat-infested room in Lahore's historic red light district, a neighborhood of narrow alleyways lined with brothels. A dancer does the "mujra," a traditional dance banned by a judge for being "vulgar," in Lahore, Pakistan. A barefoot, long-haired woman is gyrating and twirling on the carpet, to the beat of a four-man band whose drummer sweats profusely as he pounds out a furious rhythm. The dancer, who only gives her first name, Beenish, is performing a kind of Pakistani belly-dance called the mujra. Her harmonium player, a skinny bald man who squints through coke-bottle glasses, has been performing like this for the past 50 years. But he says the art form is dying out. "That spark, the way it was in the past, is no more," said Ghulam Sarwar. Last fall, a judge in Lahore's high court declared the mujra dance "vulgar" and banned it from being performed on stage. Some here say the government is cracking down on easy, "immoral" targets in an attempt to appease religious hard-liners like the Taliban. Islamist militants are believed to be responsible for a recent wave of bomb attacks in Lahore, targeting cinemas, theaters and cafes where young men and women fraternize together. "It is a gesture of good will to pacify the mullahs and the Taliban," said Samia Amjad, a lawmaker in the provincial assembly. Though she is a member of an opposition political party, she said she supported the crackdown on vulgarity. "I see it as an essential part of Islam." Dancers aren't the only targets of the court censors. In late March, the Lahore high court banned two female singers from recording new albums after ruling that they sang sexually explicit lyrics. "If the current circumstances persist in Pakistan," said Noora Lal, one of the banned singers, "then singing will die out in this country." Pakistan is a deeply conservative Muslim nation, where the punishment for blasphemy is the death sentence. But there is one person in Lahore who openly mocks the conservative establishment: painter and restaurant owner Iqbal Hussain. Though he said he has received multiple death threats from Islamist fundamentalists, Hussain continues to be Pakistan's most vocal defender of prostitutes. All of the models portrayed in his paintings are sex workers. "I portray them on canvas, portray them as human beings," Hussain said, "They feel pain. They want their children to be educated." Hussain knows the industry intimately. He was born to a family of sex workers. His mother, a former prostitute, passed away last month at the age of 98. The small, soft-spoken painter has turned the house he grew up in, an old four-story building with ornate wooden balconies, into a popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis. On one side of the house there is a brothel, on the other side, the 17th century Badshahi Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. In his subversive paintings, which Hussain said sell for more than $10,000 each, he highlights the overlap between Lahore's sex industry and its religious community. In one canvas, hundreds of worshippers are depicted prostrating themselves around the mosque, while in the foreground, two women apply lipstick and makeup on a balcony. Hussain explained that the prostitutes in the painting were preparing to receive new customers as soon as the prayers in the mosque were over. Watch the dance being called "immoral" in Pakistan » The painter claimed that on religious festivals, the brothels and dance halls in his neighborhood overflow with customers. "They come from the northern areas with their turbans," Iqbal said, laughing. "All coming to this area. They're not going to the mosque ... but to the brothels!" Nevertheless, the rising tide of the Taliban in northwestern Pakistan has some residents of Lahore's red light district worried. | [
"In what district does Iqbal Hussain mock Pakistan's religious establishment?",
"What does Iqbal Hussain paint?",
"What did Hussain Mock?",
"What are some residents worried about?",
"Who is Iqbal Hussain?",
"Who mocks Pakistan's religious establishment?",
"What has the painter turned his home into?",
"What did the painter turn his home into?",
"What does Hussain portray on canvas?",
"What has residents worried?",
"What did Hussain do?",
"What threat worries residents?",
"Hussain mocks what establishment?",
"Hussain paints what subjects?",
"where is this located?",
"What was home turned into?"
] | [
[
"Lahore's historic red light"
],
[
"sex workers."
],
[
"conservative establishment: painter and restaurant owner"
],
[
"the rising tide of the Taliban"
],
[
"Pakistan's most vocal defender of prostitutes."
],
[
"Iqbal Hussain."
],
[
"a popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis."
],
[
"a popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis. On one side"
],
[
"human beings,\""
],
[
"the rising tide of the Taliban in northwestern Pakistan"
],
[
"continues to be Pakistan's most vocal defender of prostitutes."
],
[
"from Islamist fundamentalists,"
],
[
"the conservative"
],
[
"sex workers."
],
[
"Lahore, Pakistan."
],
[
"a popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis."
]
] | In Lahore's red light district, Iqbal Hussain mocks Pakistan's religious establishment .
"I portray [sex workers] on canvas, portray them as human beings," Hussain said.
Painter has turned home into popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis .
Rising tide of Taliban and threat of violence has some residents worried . |
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- Police raided an Islamic school and arrested seven students hours after a blast in a mosque in northern Pakistan left at least 50 dead and dozens injured, according to an Associated Press report. A man, right, mourns the death of his two sons in a suicide attack near Peshawar that killed at least 50. A bomb, packed with ball-bearings and nails, tore through Eid prayers at a mosque packed with hundreds of worshippers northeast of Peshawar on Friday, targeting Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, former Pakistani interior minister, local police told CNN. The blast left blood-stained clothes, hats and shoes as well as body parts and pieces of flesh scattered across the mosque, according to reports. The attack is the most recent in a series of attacks in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province and occurred near Sherpao's residence in Charsadda -- an area approximately 28 miles (45 kilometers) northeast of the city of Peshawar. Watch what's known about the blast » Police investigators say Taliban or al Qaeda elements could have been involved and they believe the former minister was targeted over his supervision of operations against militants in Pakistan's tribal areas including the restive NWFP. This attack is the deadliest in Pakistan since 136 people were killed in the southern port city of Karachi on October 18 in a suicide bombing targeting the convoy of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's former prime minister. See photos from the blast's aftermath » Bhutto returned to the country after eight years in self-imposed exile ahead of January parliamentary elections. The attack comes in the midst of continued operations by the Pakistani army to rout out militants in the swat valley in the north of the country, an area the government considers a front-line in the so-called global war on terror. A former tourist destination about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Islamabad, The Swat Valley has been plagued by violence and has become a hotbed for militants. Earlier this month, the army said it has retaken towns seized by militants over the summer, killing 290 and capturing 140. The attack also comes less than a week after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country's stability but that critics said was a move to stifle the country's judiciary, curb the media and secure more power. While Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections, continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country's political process. Campaigners from various political parties say fewer people are coming out to show their support. The president -- who survived two assassination attempts in December 2003 -- denounced Friday's attack, speaking out against what he said was a small number of Muslim extremists who would carry out such an act, according to a report from the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan. He ordered security and intelligence agencies to find those responsible. A spokesperson for the U.N. said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemns the attack and he "urges all political forces in Pakistan to unite against the scourge of terrorism and to act together to create a peaceful environment ahead of the Parliamentary elections." This is the second attempt on Sherpao's life since April, when a suicide bomber blew himself up just a few feet from Sherpao during a political rally, injuring him and killing at least 28 people. The APP reported that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber inside the mosque, as people were gathering for religious observances of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim celebration of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. "We were saying prayers when this huge explosion occurred," said Shaukat Ali, a 26-year-old survivor of the blast whose white cloak and pants were torn and spattered with blood, an AP report said. Despite security measures at the mosque, the bomber was praying in a row of worshippers when he detonated the explosive, provincial police chief Sharif Virk said, the report added. A Peshawar hospital was wracked with chaos as the injured | [
"who was the target?",
"how many died?",
"At least how many are dead?",
"Where is the mosque?",
"where was a bomb?",
"what was the reason for the bomb",
"Where was the bomb detonated?"
] | [
[
"former minister"
],
[
"at least 50"
],
[
"50"
],
[
"northern Pakistan"
],
[
"mosque in northern Pakistan"
],
[
"targeting Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao,"
],
[
"mosque in northern Pakistan"
]
] | Bomb detonated at mosque northeast of Peshawar, Pakistan .
Local police: At least 50 dead in attack on Eid prayers .
Reports: Former interior minister was target, escapes blast, one son injured .
Minister supervised military operations in tribal areas against militants . |
LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- Two Pakistani television networks that transmit from Dubai in United Arab Emirates were ordered off the air Friday at the request of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, officials from the networks said.
Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has been under pressure to lift a state of emergency.
GEO-TV and ARY Digital offer a variety of programming, including news, entertainment, sports and music.
Both networks had been banned from Pakistan's cable television system -- along with other networks, including CNN and BBC -- since Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3.
This latest action prevents the two Pakistani networks from broadcasting worldwide via satellite.
"This was basically our window to the world, GEO President Imran Aslan said. "In Pakistan, we've been shut down since the 3rd."
The action was not wholly unexpected, but surprising nevertheless, Aslan said.
"We uplink from Dubai, never having had a license to uplink from Pakistan," he said. "Dubai is a media city which seemed to be a haven and a sanctuary."
Aslan said network officials have been in discussions with Pakistani government officials and "it seemed very obvious that they were going to do this. We were ready for it to a certain extent."
"Eventually they decided to put their feet on the pipe, as it were."
The government has made numerous demands of the network, although none of them official, Aslan said.
"It's done through intermediaries," he said. "[Dulling] down the content, not having certain anchors, some of the hosts of our programs and talk shows."
Musharraf's emergency order put several restrictions on the media, preventing journalists from expressing opinions prejudicial to "the ideology ... or integrity of Pakistan."
Journalists are also restricted from covering suicide bombings and militant activity and could face three-year jail terms if they "ridicule" members of the government or armed forces.
Almost a dozen journalists have been arrested.
Musharraf has denied that his restrictions bar criticism, saying they only ask for responsibility in reporting.
But last week, Pakistan expelled three print journalists for using language in an editorial that a Pakistani official called offensive to Musharraf.
The editorial criticized Musharraf and the United States and Britain for continuing to support him.
While many Pakistani journalists have protested the restrictions, some smaller television channels have complied with the government's restrictions.
GEO and ARY have refused.
"It seems most of the other channels have kowtowed in order to survive," Aslan said.
Musharraf has said the emergency order improves stability and will foster peaceful parliamentary elections, which he has said he would like to see take place before January 9.
The exact date will be set by Pakistan's Election Commission.
Opposition leaders have accused Musharraf of declaring emergency rule to keep his hold on power and avoid an expected court ruling that would have nullified his election victory in October. E-mail to a friend | [
"What sort of programming does GEO-TV and ARY Digital offer",
"Who requested the order?",
"Where do GEO-TV and ARY Digital transmit from?",
"What did GEO-TV president say?",
"Where do both networks transmit from?",
"What did GEO-TV president state",
"Where do they transmit from",
"What is the name of the Pakistani President?",
"From where did the networks transmit?",
"What is one kind of programming GEO-TV and ARY offer?",
"Who requested order?",
"What is the name of the two networks?",
"Who is the President of Pakistan?"
] | [
[
"news, entertainment, sports"
],
[
"Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf,"
],
[
"Dubai"
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[
"\"This was basically our window to the world,"
],
[
"Emirates"
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[
"The government has made numerous demands of the network, although none of them official,"
],
[
"Emirates"
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"Pervez Musharraf,"
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[
"Dubai"
],
[
"news,"
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[
"Gen. Pervez Musharraf,"
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[
"ARY Digital"
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[
"Pervez Musharraf,"
]
] | NEW: GEO-TV president: "It seemed very obvious that they were going to do this"
Order comes on the request of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf .
GEO-TV and ARY Digital offer varied programming, including news .
Both networks transmit from the United Arab Emirates . |
LAKE LANIER, Georgia (CNN) -- Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a water supply emergency in north Georgia on Saturday as its water resources dwindled to a dangerously low level after months of drought.
But an Army Corps of Engineers official denied there is a water crisis.
Perdue, who signed an executive order Saturday, asked for President Bush's help in easing regulations that require the state to send water downstream to Alabama and Florida.
He also asked the president to declare 85 counties as federal disaster areas.
Perdue blasted what he called the "silly rules" governing the water supplies, noting that even if the state got replenishing rains, it could not by law conserve those, but must release 3.2 billion gallons a day downstream.
"The actions of the Corps of Engineers and Fish and Wildlife Service are not only irresponsible, I believe they're downright dangerous and Georgia cannot stand for this negligence," Perdue said.
The Army Corps of Engineers, however, presented a different assessment.
If there were nine months without rain, water supplies still would be adequate, said Maj. Daren Payne, the Army Corps' deputy commander for the Mobile, Alabama, District.
The corps sent a letter to Perdue assessing the situation and pointing out that they are "not going to run out [of water] any time soon," Payne said.
The corps -- under an agreement reached in the 1980s with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state and downstream users -- releases 5,000 feet of water per second from the dam between Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee River.
The figure was based on a Florida hydroelectric power plant's needs, as well as concern for endangered species in the river, including mussels and sturgeon.
On Friday, Georgia filed a motion seeking to require the Army Corps of Engineers to restrict water flows from the lake and other north Georgia reservoirs. Watch Gov. Perdue blast a "disaster of federal bureaucracy" »
The corps said it needs 120 days to review its water policies, according to Perdue.
The Bush administration has been in contact with the Georgia congressional delegation on the matter, the White House said Saturday afternoon
"We have already begun drafting interim rules to ... address the endangered species requirements, and the Army Corps has started the process of revising the operations manual for the river basin," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
Months of drought
Rainfall in north Georgia, which includes the Atlanta metropolitan area, is far below normal for this time of year.
That was evident as Perdue addressed reporters on packed red clay on the shore of Lake Lanier -- the main water source for the Atlanta area's 5 million residents.
Normally, he'd be standing in water, but levels have dropped to historically low levels. The drought is hurting businesses and scaring away tourists.
Efforts are under way to try to reduce the flow from Lake Lanier by looking into requirements for endangered species and demands downstream for power plants and industries, Payne said.
A new biological review of endangered species needs will end in November and will be examined by officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to see if water requirements can be reduced, he added.
"The corps is not opposed to reducing the flow, if it can do it legally," Payne said.
Georgia, Alabama and Florida have been wrangling over how to allocate water from the Chattahoochee watershed for years as metro Atlanta's population has doubled since 1980.
"No one is sacrificing, no one is sharing the pain like the people in north Georgia are," Perdue said, noting there are no water restrictions in Florida or southern Alabama.
Georgia has imposed a mandatory ban on outdoor water use by homeowners in the region, but Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle warned this is a situation "we cannot conserve our way out of."
Meanwhile, individual counties are monitoring illegal water use.
In Douglas County, violators will have their water supply turned off and may have to pay up to $1,000 to get it turned back on.
Cobb County, just north of | [
"What did the Army Corps official deny?",
"Who releases millions of gallons daily from the lake?",
"Who denies there is a Lake Lanier crisis?",
"What does the Army Corps deny?",
"What will Georgia seek?",
"Who ask the president to declare North Georgia a disaster area?",
"What state will seek an injunction?",
"What did the governor ask the president to do?",
"What does the governor declare?",
"What did the governor ask?"
] | [
[
"water crisis."
],
[
"Perdue"
],
[
"Army Corps of Engineers official"
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[
"there is a water crisis."
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[
"to require the Army Corps of Engineers to restrict water flows from the lake and other north"
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[
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[
"Georgia"
],
[
"help in easing regulations"
],
[
"water supply emergency"
],
[
"help in easing regulations"
]
] | Governor asks president to declare North Georgia a disaster area .
Army Corps official denies there is a Lake Lanier water crisis .
Army Corps releases millions of gallons daily from the lake .
Georgia will seek injunction to stop water releases from reservoir . |
LAKE WALES, Florida (CNN) -- Does jumping out of a plane show love? For one family in Florida it does. Trevor Muir (left), 23; Darcy Shepard, 18; Harriett Shepard, 94; and Dave Shepard, 74, are ready to jump. Last Saturday, four generations of Darcy Shepard's family went skydiving for her 18th birthday. The oldest jumper was Shepard's 94-year-old great-grandmother, Harriett Shepard. Skydiving is becoming a Shepard family rite of passage. Two members of the family had jumped before -- including family matriarch Harriett. Harriett Shepard jumped three years ago, at age 91, because she wanted to know what it felt like. She is an inspiration to her great-granddaughter. "If she can do it at 91, then I could, too," Darcy says, explaining that she wasn't allowed to jump three years ago because she hadn't reached age 18. As Darcy planned the adventure, her brother, cousins, father and grandfather decided to join her in skydiving. At first, the family invited 94-year-old Harriett to watch everyone skydive in central Florida. But Harriett, known to the family as "Honeynun," didn't want to watch. She wanted to jump. Watch Harriett and kin soar across the sky » Adventure isn't new to this bunch. In the past the family has gone scuba diving and hang gliding together. Jumping out of the plane were Harriett; Darcy; Harriett's 74-year-old son Dave; Dave's 45-year-old son Dallas, who is Darcy's dad; two cousins; a girlfriend; and a future father-in-law. As she suited up, Harriett said she found it "exciting to be doing this with the family." The eight uncertified skydivers were trained and paired with tandem instructors at Florida Skydiving Center at the Lake Wales Airport. The center required Harriett to be cleared by a doctor prior to jumping. Florida Skydiving says Harriett Shepard is the oldest person to jump at the center. As jump time nears, Harriett is fearless. "I'm never scared up there," she says. "My husband and I had a plane. I'm never afraid." See photos of the family's skydiving day » Great-grandson Trevor Muir, another of the jumpers, says he has water-skied, jumped on a trampoline and climbed giant tree forts with his great-grandmother. "So what's skydiving? Just another notch in the pole," says the 23-year-old Trevor. "We've done a lot of crazy things." The plane, a DeHavilland Twin Otter, takes the group to an altitude of 14,000 feet. The rear door opens. Pilot Eric Weaver announces over the radio: "Attention any traffic in the Lake Wales area. There will be skydiving over the Lake Wales Airport." First to jump is 94-year-old Harriett, with her instructor David "Pip" Perry. The skydivers free-fall at speeds between 120 and 150 mph before deploying their parachute. "Honeynun" slowly floats to the ground, wearing her cozy buckle-up sandals that she feels are more comfortable than closed-toe shoes. After landing, Harriett -- who has battled skin cancer -- is more fearful of the sun than jumping from the plane. One skydiver after the other lands safely to fanfare from anxious family members on the ground. Eighteen-year-old Darcy is greeted with a chorus of "Happy Birthday." There are lots of high-fives, family photos and exclamations of "awesome." Darcy hugs her great-grandmom: "Yay, Honeynun." Darcy's father, Dallas Shepard, deems it "an incredible jump that was a lot of fun." Dallas says that skydiving with his grandmother was "kind of neat, just being able to do it with her -- but she is living life, and that's the best part." His father, Dave Shepard, calls it an | [
"What number of generations participated?",
"What age was the oldest jumper?",
"Was it the great-grandmother's maiden jump?",
"What was the altitude of the plane?",
"What is the name of the oldest jumper?",
"Where did the multi-generational group jump?",
"What was the age range of the jumpers?"
] | [
[
"four"
],
[
"94;"
],
[
"Two members of the family had jumped before -- including family matriarch Harriett."
],
[
"14,000 feet."
],
[
"Harriett Shepard,"
],
[
"central Florida."
],
[
"94;"
]
] | Four generations, in age from 18 to 94, jump out of plane at 14,000 feet .
Great-grandmother Harriett Shepard jumped once before -- at age 91 .
Jumpers included family members age 94, 74, 45 and 18 .
"I'm never scared up there," great-grandmother says . |
LANCASTER, California (CNN) -- The sound of pounding hooves thunders in the high desert air. A cloud of dust marks the trail of a herd of wild horses as they race across the arid plain. This is Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, a shelter for wild mustangs and unwanted horses near Lancaster, California.
Jill Starr, president of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, vows to do right by the horses: "I will take care of them."
Lifesavers President Jill Starr says she and other shelter operators are witnessing an equine crisis.
"People have lost their homes, their jobs, their hope," she said. "And they are giving up their animals."
"We've had horses come onto the property in a horse trailer, unannounced, and just offloaded and [owners] ask us, beg us, if we could take these skinny horses," she said.
Starr says she has taken in so many unwanted horses in the past year that her resources are stretched to the breaking point. Watch rescue center that cares for horses »
"All of a sudden it's like somebody flipped a switch and people started bringing back the horses they adopted from us," she said.
"There are no hard numbers on this," said Michael Markarian of the Humane Society of the United States. "The states don't seem to be keeping numbers. The economy has been hard on everybody, and animals are no exception."
Shannon Bonfanti is a case in point. A freelance fashion industry worker, Bonfanti says that jobs have dried up, and so has her income.
"When I was working I was able to take care of all the expenses," she said. But she has since decided to sell three of the six horses in her stable -- to save her family as much as $800 a month.
"How do you sell your kids?" a tearful Bonfanti asked.
So far, Bonfanti has found no buyers. Not even for Hunni, a horse that has won trophies and ribbons in national riding competitions.
"I'm willing to take almost any offer," Bonfanti said. "I know my trainer would say I'm crazy. 'You can't give that horse away. She is valuable.' "
Bonfanti even considered the county animal shelter as a possible solution.
"I had contacted a few people," she said. "And the factor that there is the possibility that a horse could be put down made me look further."
Last year, the Los Angeles County shelter took in 188 abandoned or abused horses -- up 600 percent from the previous year.
Veterinarian David Byerly says the numbers are even worse this year.
"It has not leveled off in any way," Byerly said. "It just keeps going up."
Byerly says that for the first time, the county has had to euthanize abandoned horses because its facilities are full.
Horses considered likely adoption candidates are spared. Even so, the Los Angeles County animal shelter is killing abandoned horses at a rate of three or four a week.
That is not a fate that James Gulledge wants for his horse, Rico.
Gulledge says he first met Rico at the Lifesavers shelter. "I was volunteering over there and just fell in love with him," he said.
But now the economy is forcing some hard choices.
"I'm very conflicted about it," Gulledge said. "It's just a decision about paying for him or having some money to help some important people make it through all this."
Gulledge chose to return Rico to Lifesavers.
For Starr, the horse is one more mouth to feed, and she intends to.
"I'm hoping that this is the worst of this, that we are going to climb out of this pretty soon," she said.
In the meantime, she said, "I will take care of them and won't let anything bad happen to them. ... They're basically family members." | [
"What is stretched to the limit?",
"Which shelter has been killing the horses?",
"For what reason are the horses being abandoned?"
] | [
[
"resources"
],
[
"Lifesavers Wild"
],
[
"\"People have lost their homes, their jobs, their hope,\""
]
] | Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, a shelter for unwanted horses, stretched to the limit .
Hard times have forced owners to return horses they adopted, shelter president says .
Los Angeles County animal shelter killing some abandoned horses as owners leave . |
LAREDO, Texas (CNN) -- Rosalio Reta sits at a table inside a Laredo Police Department interrogation room. A detective, sitting across the table, asks him how it all started.
Gabriel Cardona, who shows his tattooed eyelids, worked as a hit man for a Mexican cartel.
Reta, in Spanish street slang, describes his initiation as an assassin, at the age of 13, for the Mexican Gulf Cartel, one of the country's two major drug gangs.
"I thought I was Superman. I loved doing it, killing that first person," Reta says on the videotape obtained by CNN. "They tried to take the gun away, but it was like taking candy from kid."
Rosalio Reta and his friend, Gabriel Cardona, were members of a three-person cell of American teenagers working as cartel hit men in the United States, according to prosecutors. The third was arrested by Mexican authorities and stabbed to death in prison there three days later.
In interviews with CNN, Laredo police detectives and prosecutors told how Cardona and Reta were recruited by the cartel to be assassins after they began hitting the cantinas and clubs just across the border. Watch how the teens turned into drug cartel hitmen »
CNN has also obtained detailed court records as well as several hours of police interrogation videos. The detective sitting across the table from Reta and Cardona in those sessions is Robert Garcia. He's a veteran of the Laredo Police Department and one of the few officers who has questioned the young men.
"One thing you wonder all the time: What made them this way?" Garcia told CNN. "They were just kids themselves, waiting around playing PlayStation or Xbox, waiting around for the order to be given."
Over a nearly one-year period starting in June 2005, the border town of Laredo, Texas, saw a string of seven murders. At first glance, the violence looked like isolated, gangland-style killings. But investigators started suspecting something more sinister.
Then Noe Flores was gunned down in a clear case of mistaken identity. Investigators found a fingerprint on a cigarette box inside the suspected shooter's get-away car. That clue unraveled the chilling reality and led police to arrest Gabriel Cardona and Rosalio Reta.
Prosecutors say they quickly discovered these two teenagers were homegrown assassins, hired to carry out the dirty work of the notorious Gulf Cartel.
"There are sleeper cells in the U.S.," said Detective Garcia. "They're here, they're here in the United States."
The cases against Cardona and Reta -- both are in prison serving long prison sentences for murder -- shed new light into the workings of the drug cartels.
Prosecutor and investigators say Reta and Cardona were recruited into a group called "Los Zetas," a group made up of former members of the Mexican special military forces. They're considered ruthless in how they carry out attacks. "Los Zetas" liked what they saw in Cardona and Reta.
Both teenagers received six-month military-style training on a Mexican ranch. Investigators say Cardona and Reta were paid $500 a week each as a retainer, to sit and wait for the call to kill. Then they were paid up to $50,000 and 2 kilos of cocaine for carrying out a hit.
The teenagers lived in several safe houses around Laredo and drove around town in a $70,000 Mercedes-Benz.
As the teens became more immersed in the cartel lifestyle, their appearance changed. Cardona had eyeballs tattooed on his eyelids. Reta's face became covered in tattoo markings. (Prosecutors say during his trial Reta used make-up to cover the facial markings.) And both sported tattoos of "Santa Muerte," the Grim Reaper-like pseudo-saint worshipped by drug traffickers.
"These organizations, these cartels, they function like a Fortune 500 company," Webb County, Texas, prosecutor Uriel Druker said. "We have to remember that the United States is the market they are trying to get to."
In Cardona's interrogation tape, there are | [
"Who are accused of acting as Mexican cartel hit men in Laredo, Texas?",
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"Where did U.S. teens act as Mexican cartel hit men?",
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] | U.S. teens are accused of acting as Mexican cartel hit men in Laredo, Texas .
One allegedly told police: "I loved ... killing that first person"
Police detective: "One thing you wonder all the time is what made them be this way?"
Prosecutors say both teens were given military-style training in Mexico . |
LAS MANOS, Nicaragua (CNN) -- Ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya returned to Nicaragua late Friday night after briefly entering his home country from which he was removed in a military coup nearly a month ago. Supporters cheer as deposed leader Jose Manuel Zelaya crosses into Honduras on Friday. Zelaya crossed a few yards into Honduras on Friday afternoon and then hunkered down while he carried on extensive telephone conversations and press interviews. The Honduran government said it would arrest Zelaya if he pushed further into the nation and would ask the International Red Cross to monitor his treatment. Provisional President Roberto Micheletti, who was sworn in hours after Zelaya was removed from office on June 28, said Friday night his country was willing to continue negotiations. Two previous rounds hosted by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias were deadlocked over the Honduran government's refusal to allow Zelaya to return to power. Watch Zelaya cross the border » "I offered several days ago to give up my position if Mr. Zelaya would stop inciting his followers to violence," Micheletti told CNN en Español. Micheletti said Zelaya had no intention of returning to Honduras, where he faced certain arrest by the national police. Zelaya went back to Nicaragua, Micheletti said, to keep causing problems. "We have received information that they want to continue with these type of actions that only incite the public," he said. Asked in an interview with CNN en Español late Friday night why he did not go farther into Honduras, as he had vowed to do, Zelaya said he did not want to cause any violence. "You have a correspondent here who can tell you how aggressive the military has been acting," Zelaya said. The latest events unfolded live and in front of a multitude of TV cameras as Zelaya led a 20-vehicle convoy over two days from the Nicaraguan capital of Managua to the Honduran border. Along the way, he held news conferences and conducted numerous telephone interviews. The highlight occurred Friday afternoon when Zelaya walked under a border chain and returned to his home soil. "I am not afraid when I work for a just and noble cause," Zelaya said to someone on a cell phone moments after crossing the border, surrounded by scores of reporters and cheering supporters. Honduran soldiers pulled back about 25 meters (80 feet) from the border as Zelaya stopped and continued talking on the phone. He stopped in front of a large white sign that says, "Bienvenidos a Honduras" (Welcome to Honduras). Zelaya remained in the area for several hours, saying he was waiting for his wife to join him. She stayed in Honduras when the military flew Zelaya out of the country during the coup. His wife, Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, told CNN en Español that she was being kept from joining her husband. Asked what she was feeling, she said, "Anguish. Anguish is what we feel at this moment because he is a man of peace." Moments before crossing the border, Zelaya talked briefly face to face with army Lt. Col. Luis Roicarte, with whom he had been previously talking on the phone, said CNN's Karl Penhaul. The army officer cut off the conversation with Zelaya because he had to take a call, likely from one of his superiors. Zelaya later recounted the conversation. "The colonel told me, 'You can't cross the border.' I said, 'I can cross.' I crossed, shook his hand and asked for communications with his higher-ups," Zelaya said. In Washington, the State Department issued a travel alert for Honduras and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Zelaya's actions. "We have consistently urged all parties to avoid any provocative action that could lead to violence," Clinton said. "President Zelaya's effort to reach the border is reckless. It does not contribute to the broader efforts to restore democratic and constitutional order in the Honduras crisis." The State Department warning "alerts American citizens to the current unstable political and security situation in Honduras, and recommends that American citizens defer all non | [
"What did Clinton call Zelaya's actions?",
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"what were zelaya's actions called?",
"Did Zelaya go further into Honduras?",
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"Where did Zelaya not go?",
"What were Zelaya's words upon their return?",
"Zelaya says what?"
] | [
[
"reckless."
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[
"scores of reporters and cheering supporters."
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[
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[
"\"You have a correspondent here who can tell you how aggressive the military has been acting,\""
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[
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] | NEW: Zelaya says he did not go further into Honduras to avoid violence .
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls Zelaya's actions "reckless"
"I am not afraid when I work for a just and noble cause," Zelaya says upon return .
Deposed leader walks under border chain Friday surrounded by supporters . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- A jury of nine women and three men -- none of them black -- was seated Thursday for the trial of O.J. Simpson on kidnapping and armed robbery charges. Judge Jackie Glass decided prosecutors had a "race-neutral" reason for dismissing the potential juror. The judge made no official mention of the jury's makeup, but prosecutors revealed in court that no blacks were on the jury. A black man and black woman, however, are among six alternate jurors. Defense attorneys had argued the prosecutors were deliberately trying to exclude blacks, but Judge Jackie Glass denied their challenges. Opening arguments are scheduled to begin Monday in the case against Simpson and a co-defendant, Clarence Stewart. Prosecutors say Simpson and five other men stormed into a Las Vegas hotel room on September 13, 2007 to recover sports memorabilia that Simpson said belonged to him. Prosecutors say at least two men with Simpson had guns as they robbed a pair of sports memorabilia dealers. If convicted on all counts, Simpson faces a possible sentence of life in prison. He has pleaded not guilty and has told CNN he was trying to get his property back. Four of five Simpson's original co-defendants have struck deals with the prosecution to testify against Simpson. One testified in a pre-trial hearing that "O.J. Simpson wanted me to have a weapon." Another testified that Simpson "wanted me to help him acquire some guns." An attorney for Simpson, Yale Galanter, has disputed that. "O.J. Simpson did not know that there were guns in that room," Galanter said. | [
"How many of Simpson's co-defendants will testify against him?",
"What did the prosecutors reveal in court?",
"What demographic was missing from the jury?",
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"What is the number of original co-defendants that have struck deals?",
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[
"Four"
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[
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] | NEW: Prosecutors revealed in court that no blacks were on the jury .
NEW: Opening arguments are scheduled to begin Monday .
Four of Simpson's original co-defendants have struck deals to testify against him .
Simpson faces robbery, kidnapping charges . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- A young girl shown on video being sexually assaulted was raped while in the care of a baby sitter her mother hired, the mother's attorney said Tuesday.
Chester Arthur Stiles, 37, of Nevada is being sought as a suspect in the videotaped rape of a young girl.
The mother did not know her daughter had ever been victimized and was apparently oblivious to efforts to find her until last Friday, Jerry T. Donohue said.
"A family friend called her and said, 'My God, you need to turn on the TV. I believe that is your daughter,'" he said.
Donohue said the mother recognized the suspect, Chester Arthur Stiles, 37, a former animal trainer.
The abuse most likely occurred while the mother - a single woman working six days a week - was at work, Donohue said.
The attorney said he knows who the baby sitter is, but would not release that information because of the ongoing investigation.
Earlier, officials had said the girl, who is now 7, was 3-years-old at the time the video was made. But Donohue said Tuesday, "To my understanding, the abuse occurred before she was 3 years old."
The mother of the girl asked that the news media leave the family alone.
"I want to ask you, the press, to respect my family's privacy and to not attempt to contact my daughter or myself," the mother said in a written statement read by her attorney. Watch Donohue read the mother's statement »
The mother also said she is cooperating with investigators and that her daughter "is safe and healthy."
The girl's videotaped rape set off a nationwide search last week. She was found Friday with family in Las Vegas, Nevada, after thousands of tips poured in.
Professionals have since evaluated her and she appears to be "healthy and fine and happy," the lawyer said.
The lawyer said neither he nor the mother has watched the videotape.
Asked whether the mother is thankful to the news media for having published the girl's picture so that authorities were able to identify her, Donohue said, "Not really ... there's some things maybe you don't want to know."
Still, he said, he hopes the man in the tape is brought to justice.
"Speaking as a father myself, I wish the guy would dig a hole in the desert and put a gun in his mouth," he said, referring to such an outcome as "Wild-West justice."
Meanwhile, the intense manhunt for Stiles continued Tuesday.
On Monday, Stiles' former girlfriend, Tina Allen, told CNN she thinks she is the reason Stiles came in contact with the girl and is "mortified" by the allegations against him.
Allen said she and Stiles were in an on-again, off-again relationship for 10 years until recently, when she called it off.
"He said he'd been in the Navy and, you know, I was looking for a strong guy to represent to my sons what I thought they needed to be," Allen said.
Allen said she took Stiles to a crowded apartment where her son and daughter lived. Also living in the apartment were a family friend and her daughter, who allegedly was victimized by Stiles.
"I'm disgusted. I'm ashamed, embarrassed, mortified," Allen said of the alleged rape. "I regret every, every step I ever took, I feel bad for the baby."
The FBI is also seeking Stiles, a resident of Pahrump, Nevada, in a separate matter involving state charges of sexual assault and lewdness with a minor under the age of 14. Pahrump is about 60 miles west of Las Vegas.
A man who said he found the tape in the desert and held it for at least five months before handing it over to authorities turned himself in Sunday to Nye County officials.
Darren Tuck, a Nevada resident who allegedly showed the tape to others | [
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] | Mom thinks girl was abused while in the care of a baby sitter, attorney says .
Mother had no idea daughter had been abused, attorney says .
Girl, now 7, shown being raped on videotape made years ago .
Manhunt underway for suspect, Chester Arthur Stiles, 37 . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Former football great O.J. Simpson, convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping, deserves leniency in sentencing as he is a first-time offender who showed no criminal intent, his attorney says in court papers.
O.J. Simpson should receive a six-year sentence in a 2007 hotel room confrontation, his attorney says.
Attorney Gabriel Grasso argued that Simpson should receive the minimum sentence, six years.
Grasso acknowledged in court papers, "Clearly Simpson was not using good judgment" during a 2007 hotel room confrontation over sports memorabilia.
Simpson could receive a maximum life sentence from Judge Jackie Glass on Friday. A pre-sentencing report recommended an 18-year sentence.
On October 3, a jury convicted Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart of 12 charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon. Watch Stewart talk about the night they were arrested »
Their convictions stem from a September 13, 2007, fracas at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Prosecutors alleged that Simpson led a group of men who used threats, guns and force to take sports memorabilia from dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley.
Simpson said he was attempting to recover items that belonged to him.
Four men charged with Simpson cut deals with the prosecution and testified against him. One testified that Simpson asked him to bring a gun to the encounter.
"These were not crimes committed on strangers, but were acts stemming from prior relationships with the individuals in the room at the Palace Station," Grasso wrote in the memorandum.
"There was overwhelming evidence at trial that Simpson's intent was to recover property that was his and only his," the lawyer argued. "The trial testimony showed Simpson's intent was to return anything that did not belong to him. This intention can be heard throughout the recordings of the Palace Station incident."
He added, "However, there is nothing in the record to show that Simpson evinced a criminal mind or showed the requisite criminal intent." Because of that and other factors, Grasso wrote, Simpson's sentence should fall on the low end of the minimum sentencing range.
In a sentencing brief for Stewart, 54, defense attorney E. Brent Byron said his client also should be sentenced to six years, noting he "did not kill anyone, nor did he bind or gag anyone." He had no weapon and "no witness testified that Mr. Stewart knew that weapons were going to be used," the brief said.
Both sentencing memorandums note that one of the victims, Beardsley, did not even want the case prosecuted.
Attorneys for both Simpson and Stewart have filed motions seeking a new trial.
Simpson's lawyers cite seven reasons why a new trial should be granted in their brief, including that he was denied a fair hearing when two African-Americans were dismissed from the potential jury pool. An all-white jury convicted the men. | [
"What was O.J Simpson convicted of doing?",
"What is Simpson convicted of?",
"What does the probation report recommend?",
"What did the probation report recommend?",
"What was Simpson convicted of?",
"When was Simpson sentenced?",
"What did the defense ask for?",
"Years recommended by probation report?",
"What was O.J. Simpson convicted of?"
] | [
[
"armed robbery and kidnapping,"
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[
"armed robbery and kidnapping,"
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[
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[
"an 18-year sentence."
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[
"armed robbery and kidnapping,"
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[
"2007"
],
[
"minimum sentence, six years."
],
[
"an 18-year sentence."
],
[
"armed robbery and kidnapping,"
]
] | NEW: Probation report recommends 18 years; defense asks for six .
O.J. Simpson convicted of robbery, kidnapping in October .
Judge to sentence Simpson on Friday in Las Vegas sports memorabilia case . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Former football star O.J. Simpson will be held without bail after his arrest on robbery and assault charges, police announced late Sunday.
Police released this mug shot of O.J. Simpson after his arrest.
Simpson is accused of having directed several other men in an alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia in a room at a Las Vegas hotel room.
Las Vegas authorities said they have no information leading them to believe Simpson was carrying a firearm during the alleged incident at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino.
Police said Simpson and other men burst into the room and walked out with the memorabilia, including some that was unrelated to Simpson, police said.
"We don't believe that anyone was roughed up, but there were firearms involved," Lt. Clint Nichols told reporters.
Nichols said the firearms were pointed at the victims.
A reporter asked Nichols: Was "O.J. was the boss in that room?"
Nichols responded, "That is what we believe, yes." Watch Simpson transferred Sunday in handcuffs »
The alleged victims were identified as Bruce Fromong, a sports memorabilia collector who described the incident as "a home invasion-type robbery," and Alfred Beardsley, who has been quoted by celebrity Web site TMZ.com as saying that Simpson later apologized to him and told him he regretted the incident.
Acting on a tip, police met over the weekend at McCarran International Airport with 46-year-old Walter Alexander, of Mesa, Arizona, who told them about the alleged robbery and validated the tipster's information, Capt. James Dillon told reporters.
Alexander was arrested Saturday night on two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary with a deadly weapon.
He was released on his own recognizance and returned to Mesa either Saturday night or early Sunday morning, Dillon said.
In addition, investigators are seeking four other men they believe accompanied Simpson into the hotel room, Nichols said.
Nichols said, "There is a social relationship between the individuals that we identified and O.J. Simpson."
Though Simpson is not accused of having brandished a gun himself, two firearms that police said were used were recovered early Sunday in one of three searches. Investigators would would not divulge where the weapons were found.
Nichols dismissed an initial report that the men may have been off-duty police.
"There is no truth to that whatsoever," he said. "That came as a result of some language that was used when the individuals burst into the room that led our victims to believe that they may have been police."
Simpson, 60, has acknowledged taking some items that belonged to him, but he has denied that any weapons were involved.
"Whether the property belonged to Mr. Simpson or not is still in debate," Nichols said. "We are still in the process of sorting that out."
Nichols also said that some of the property taken had Simpson's signature. But "there was some other property taken as well," he said. "I believe there were some Joe Montana cleats and some signed baseballs and other stuff."
The latest charges against Simpson mean he faces the prospect of another prosecution, more than a decade after the June 1994 stabbing deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman.
Simpson was acquitted of murder the following year. The trial riveted much of the United States.
But in 1997, a jury found him liable for the deaths in a civil case brought by the Goldman family. Simpson was ordered to pay the families a total of $33.5 million for the deaths
Goldman had gone to Nicole Simpson's Los Angeles home to return a pair of glasses the day of the slayings.
Goldman's sister, Kim Goldman, said she wasn't surprised by the robbery allegations, since Simpson "thinks he can do no wrong."
"He's capable of stabbing people to death, so I think robbery is nothing surprising," she said. " | [
"What charges did Simpson face?",
"What is Simpson charged with?",
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] | [
[
"robbery and assault"
],
[
"robbery and assault charges,"
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[
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[
"robbery and assault"
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[
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[
"LAS VEGAS,"
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[
"Saturday night"
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[
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] | No bail for ex-NFL star accused of directing men in alleged armed robbery .
Simpson faces charges of robbery, assault, burglary and conspiracy .
Alleged robbery involved sports-related items, police say .
Simpson arrested Sunday in Las Vegas, but he says items were his . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- An intense manhunt was under way Monday for Chester Stiles, a 37-year old man whom police say is a suspect in the videotaped rape of a 3-year-old girl four years ago. Chester Arthur Stiles, 37, of Nevada is being sought as a suspect in the videotaped rape of a 3-year-old girl. Also Monday, Stiles' former girlfriend told CNN she believes she put him in contact with the girl. Tina Allen said she is "disgusted" and "mortified" at her role in bringing them together. Nye County Sheriff Tony De Meo said Friday the girl has been found and is safe. He said the child's mother was cooperating with authorities. De Meo addressed Stiles directly: "Turn yourself in to your local law enforcement agency. Understand this: Law enforcement not only has a long arm but a long memory. You will not be forgotten by members of this agency or any other law enforcement agency." Stiles' former girlfriend said she is stunned by the allegations. Watch Allen describe her first impression of Stiles » Allen said she and Stiles had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for 10 years and that he was good with her children. "He said he'd been in the Navy and, you know, I was looking for a strong guy to represent to my sons what I thought they needed to be," Allen said. Allen took Stiles to a crowded apartment where her son and daughter lived. Also living in the apartment were a family friend and her 3-year-old daughter, who allegedly was victimized by Stiles. "I'm disgusted. I'm ashamed, embarrassed, mortified," Allen said. "I regret every, every step I ever took; I feel bad for the baby." Todd Allen, Tina Allen's son, told CNN he recognized his old apartment from scenes in the video. He said his mother and Stiles spent time together there. Todd Allen said nobody realized the child may have been abused. "She's what you'd expect a little girl in elementary school to be like," he said. He said he never witnessed Stiles physically assault anyone. "But I have seen him verbally and mentally assault many people," Todd Allen told CNN. Looking back, Tina Allen said there were some warning signs. She said Stiles hit her once but she didn't file a police report. She said she blames herself. "How could I not know? Why couldn't I have recognized something? Why are all these people going through this torture now because of me?" Allen asked. Allen ended her relationship with Stiles a few months ago. She said she believes it will be difficult for police to find him. "He will hide out in mountains if that's what it takes, he will hide out in a crowd, he'll find somebody who hasn't heard anything and stay there," she said. "He has skills. He knows how to hunt, I mean hunt with a gun, a knife, a bow." Allen said Stiles stopped by her house last week for a friendly visit before his name was linked to the videotape. She said his appearance had changed. She said his hair was longer and he had put on weight. Stiles, a resident of Pahrump, Nevada, is a former animal trainer, authorities said. De Meo said the FBI also is seeking him in a separate matter involving state charges of sexual assault and lewdness with a minor under 14. The man who claimed to have found the tape in the desert and held it for at least five months before handing it over to authorities turned himself in Sunday to Nye County officials. Darren Tuck, a Nevada resident who allegedly showed the tape to others before giving it to police, faces a possible sentence of 10 years to life for exhibiting pornography and another one to six years for possession of child pornography, according to De Meo. Tuck's attorney, Harry Kuehn, | [
"What was the age of the rape victim",
"Who is Chester Stiles?",
"what is he being charged with?",
"What crime is Stile''s a suspect for",
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"What is Chester Stiles ex girlfriends name",
"Who was sought by police in 3 year old girls videotaped rape?"
] | [
[
"3-year-old"
],
[
"a suspect in the videotaped rape of a 3-year-old girl four years ago."
],
[
"rape of a 3-year-old girl."
],
[
"videotaped rape of a 3-year-old girl"
],
[
"3-year-old"
],
[
"Tina Allen"
],
[
"Tina Allen"
],
[
"Chester Stiles,"
]
] | Chester Stiles' ex-girlfriend says she's "disgusted" she helped him meet child .
Stiles sought by police as suspect in 3-year-old girl's videotaped rape .
Ex-girlfriend Tina Allen says he seemed good with kids when she dated him .
Allen says the girl lived in same apartment with her children . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Christina Aguilar sits in a converted storage room of a Las Vegas medical center, the best hope for underinsured cancer patients to get the treatment they need. Christina Aguilar, 28, is being treated for advanced-stage ovarian cancer in Nevada. Drip by drip, Aguilar, 28, watches as chemo enters her body to fight advanced-stage ovarian cancer. She is here because her insurance company wouldn't pay for her chemotherapy or her surgeries. "I thought, 'Why am I getting insurance if it's not going to pay for the most important thing?' " she says, recalling the day she learned her insurance wouldn't cover treatment. Getting chemo in an old storage space isn't the most ideal situation, but it's her only choice. Watch chemo in a closet » Earlier this year, state budget cuts in Nevada resulted in the slashing of the outpatient cancer center at the University Medical Center's oncology clinic, forcing patients to find treatment on their own. "We're supposed to be the safety net for patients, and yet obviously the safety net has holes in it," says Kathleen Silver, the CEO of University Medical Center. Oncologist Nick Spirtos found a solution. He persuaded his partners to take on the patients pro bono, converted a storage area in his office into a chemotherapy room and got Clark County to pay for the expensive chemo drugs. One treatment can cost upwards of $10,000. He's also sought more primitive ways to cover costs. He holds up a clear plastic box bearing the label "Cash for Chemotherapy." Dollar bills and loose change jingle. There are 380 boxes placed throughout the county. "It helps," says Spirtos, the director of the Women's Cancer Center of Nevada. "If these boxes pay for one more patient's chemo, that's one lady who in the overall context wouldn't be able to have her treatment." With the nation debating health care reform, Spirtos says he does favor universal health care, but not without trepidation. Learn more about America's health care debate » He says Medicaid reimburses doctors at a fraction of their costs, and he believes other government programs are poorly run. He wrote an open letter to President Obama and Congress earlier this month. "[I] respectfully suggest that instead of rushing headlong into ill-thought out proposals, you and your staff along with Congress take some time and thoughtfully review the issues facing us and formulate a plan that might actually meet our needs," Spirtos said. But on this day, he's focused on his patients. Decked out in a blue doctor's gown, Spirtos makes the rounds to see the women at his clinic. Aguilar's ovaries were recently removed and she is getting her latest chemo regimen. She's reclined in a chair, a red blanket draped over her legs. She opens a laptop and flips through digital pictures of her mother, who died of lymphatic cancer 10 years ago. Aguilar says her cancer was detected almost by accident. She went in for a checkup and a small acorn-sized cyst was discovered. A month later, it was the size of a grapefruit. She broke down in tears just after her ovaries were removed. "I started crying. I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm not going to be able to have kids,' " she says. Aguilar was a cashier at Toys R Us, making $8.76 an hour. She had insurance through work, but it wouldn't cover her costs. Her salary made her inelgible for Medicaid. With the slashing of the county hospital's oncology unit, her bills were racking up and she had few options. Luckily, her doctor referred her to Spirtos. Spirtos says cases like hers are becoming all too common, especially in the down economy. He treats 75 to 85 women per month; about 20 percent are in a similar situation as Aguilar. "If you're recently unemployed, you have no insurance benefits and you don't qualify for any | [
"What was Christina Aguilar getting treated fo",
"Christina Aguilar, 28, is getting treated for?",
"Who treats cancer patients pro bono after state funds were slashed?"
] | [
[
"advanced-stage ovarian cancer"
],
[
"advanced-stage ovarian cancer"
],
[
"Oncologist Nick Spirtos"
]
] | Dr. Nick Spirtos of Nevada treats cancer patients pro bono after state funds slashed .
Christina Aguilar, 28, is getting treated for ovarian cancer .
If Aguilar went untreated, "her cancer would progress and she'd pass away" |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Former Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr clowned around and marveled at their band's amazing impact in an interview Tuesday on CNN's "Larry King Live."
Larry King, left, poses with (l-r) Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison and Ringo Starr Tuesday in Las Vegas.
"We were just kids from Liverpool," McCartney said. "And, yes, it is quite amazing, because as time goes on, it kind of becomes more and more of a phenomenon."
McCartney said the early Beatles knew they were a good band and were pretty sure of themselves, but Starr said, "We thought we'd be really big in Liverpool."
"I think the most exciting thing is that, you know, we expect people our age to know the music. But actually, a lot of kids know the music," Starr said. "And if anything is left, we have left really good music, and that's the important part, not the moptops or whatever."
The pair appeared relaxed in sneakers and almost matching black suits and joked frequently -- often at each other's expense.
"They were nothing," Starr said of his former bandmates. "And then I joined and then they got this record deal and look what happened."
"No, we were good," McCartney retorted. "You wanted to join us. You begged to join us."
"I didn't beg," Starr said. Watch Paul and Ringo talk about the Beatles' magic »
McCartney and Starr were in Las Vegas with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison, to celebrate the anniversary of Cirque du Soleil's "Love," which uses the Beatles' music.
Harrison said her husband was friends with Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and came up with the idea before he died of cancer in 2001.
"George was around just long enough to transmit that to all of us," Harrison said.
Ono said she wasn't sure at first what her husband would have thought about the project. John Lennon was shot near the couple's New York apartment in 1980.
"Now I really know that John would be very happy with this," she said.
Neither woman has remarried and they both said it was still sometimes difficult to deal with their losses.
"We feel so strongly about our husbands that sometimes it's hard for us, isn't it?" Ono said.
"It's hard, you know," Harrison said. "I mean their presence is very powerful and very strong. But the incredible thing about them is that they -- everything they left the world and left us is uplifting and joyful."
The Beatles' music received a bit of a facelift for the show and has been remixed in 5.1 surround sound. (An album, "Love," came out last year.)
"Paul and I went to listen to the music in 5.1 and we go 'Whoa, listen to that,' " Starr said. "You know you can hear everything now. Things that we buried a lot. It's all very clear, so it's really great to hear it."
"Most historic stuff goes down with age, you know?" McCartney added. "Winston Churchill's old papers go brown and crinkly, while our music gets brighter and shinier."
"Next year, it will be 10.1," Starr joked.
McCartney's latest solo album, "Memory's Almost Full," is No. 3 on the album charts and Starr is scheduled to release a greatest hits album in August. E-mail to a friend | [
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"Did Larry King talk with former Beatles?",
"When did Paul say his music is better?",
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"Whose widows also appeared",
"What CNN host interviewed the former Beattle",
"Who's widows also appeared?",
"Who is paul mcCartney?",
"Which former Beatles spoke with Larry King?",
"Who did Larry King interview",
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"Where is Paul from?",
"what company does larry king work for?",
"What do the wives of the Beatles think about the band?",
"Who do the former beatles talk to?",
"Where did the Beatles appear?",
"What did Harrison and Ono say?",
"What was the name of the talk show host?",
"Who said their music sounds better"
] | [
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[
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[
"Liverpool,\""
],
[
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[
"everything they left the world and left us is uplifting and joyful.\""
],
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[
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],
[
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],
[
"Larry King,"
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"Starr"
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] | Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr say their music sounds better .
The former Beatles talk to CNN's Larry King .
Widows of John Lennon and George Harrison also appeared .
Harrison, Ono say their husbands still have strong presence . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Former gridiron great O.J. Simpson will serve at least nine years in prison for his role in an armed confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel in 2007.
O.J. Simpson told the judge Friday that he was sorry for what he did but didn't think it was wrong.
Simpson was sentenced to a maximum of 33 years with the possibility of parole after nine. Before the sentence, he offered a rambling, emotional apology in which he told District Judge Jackie Glass, his voice shaking, that he was sorry for his actions but believed he did nothing wrong. Glass, however, brushed his apology aside, saying his actions amounted to "much more than stupidity," and calling him both arrogant and ignorant.
"Earlier in this case, at a bail hearing, I said to Mr. Simpson, I didn't know if he was arrogant, ignorant or both," Glass said. "During the trial and through this proceeding, I got the answer, and it was both."
She stressed that the sentence was not "payback for anything else," apparently referring to Simpson's acquittal 13 years ago in the slayings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. Watch the judge say the sentence isn't about the past »
Grimacing, Simpson was escorted from the courtroom in shackles.
Defense attorneys said Glass' sentence was appropriate.
"It could have been a lot worse," Yale Galanter said, noting that Simpson and co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart both could have been sentenced to life in prison.
A jury convicted Simpson, 61, and Stewart, 54, on 12 charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon stemming from a September 13, 2007, incident at Las Vegas' Palace Station hotel and casino.
Prosecutors alleged that Simpson led a group of men who used threats, guns and force to take sports memorabilia from dealers Bruce Fromong and Al Beardsley. Simpson claimed that he was attempting to recover items that belonged to him. All the men except Stewart made deals with prosecutors in exchange for their testimony.
"We're happy that this case is coming to an end," Clark County district attorney David Roger said. "We're satisfied that we presented a good case to a jury, that the jury listened to all the evidence, particularly the audiotapes, and came to the resolution that we asked them to come to." He said he thought the sentence was fair.
Simpson's conviction came October 3, the 13th anniversary of his controversial acquittal in the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Goldman. Follow a timeline of Simpson's legal woes »
Glass said, "I'm not here to sentence Mr. Simpson for what's happened in his life previously in the criminal justice system. ... The jury decided. There are many people who disagree with that verdict, but that doesn't matter to me."
Goldman's father and sister were in the courtroom for Friday's sentencing.
"The back of his head looks the same as it did every day that we watched him in the criminal case, and we feel very proud of our efforts," Kim Goldman said. "We feel very strongly that because of our pursuit of him for all these years, that it did drive him to the brink of this."
Although Simpson was acquitted in the deaths, a civil jury later found him liable, slapping him with a $33 million judgment. Attorneys for the Goldman family have doggedly pursued Simpson's financial assets to pay the judgment.
In sentencing Simpson on Friday, Glass noted that he can be heard on tapes of the incident referring to the Goldmans as "gold-diggers" and saying he doesn't want them to get his property. See how his sentence breaks down »
"If that pushed him over the edge, great," Fred Goldman said afterward. "Put him where he belongs." Watch Fred and Kim Goldman react »
Galanter said | [
"What was OJ Simpson convicted of?",
"What was O.J. Simpson convicted of in October?",
"What do the charges stem from?",
"Where did Simpson's latest criminal actions take place?",
"Who was the Judge of the case?",
"What is Jackie Glass' job?",
"What was Simpson convicted of in October?",
"What year do the charges stem from?",
"Who was convicted of robbery, kidnapping and assault in October?"
] | [
[
"conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault"
],
[
"conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon"
],
[
"a September 13, 2007, incident"
],
[
"Las Vegas"
],
[
"Jackie Glass,"
],
[
"District Judge"
],
[
"12 charges including conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon"
],
[
"2007."
],
[
"O.J. Simpson"
]
] | O.J. Simpson was convicted of robbery, kidnapping, assault in October .
Judge Jackie Glass said evidence in case was overwhelming .
Charges stem from 2007 confrontation in Las Vegas hotel room .
Defense attorneys say they will appeal judge's sentence . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Investigators searched the Las Vegas home and office of Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, on Tuesday morning, a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman said. Investigators arrive at the Las Vegas, Nevada, home of Michael Jackson's personal physician. Los Angeles police and DEA agents, carrying search warrants, were "looking for a lot of things," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Flanagan. Aerial cameras showed investigators leaving Murray's home, three hours after they entered, carrying several containers. The searches came a day after a source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to CNN that Murray administered a powerful drug that authorities believe killed the singer. Flanagan said that while he could not disclose details of the search warrants, because a judge had ordered them sealed, he confirmed they were looking for documents and computer records. Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, issued a statement saying that officers from the DEA, Los Angeles police and "various local agencies" executed a search warrant at Murray's home and office beginning about 8 a.m. (11 a.m. ET) Tuesday. "The search warrant authorized investigators to look for medical records relating to Michael Jackson and all of his reported aliases," the statement said. "Dr. Murray was present during the search of his home and assisted the officers." Investigators left Murray's home about noon, he said, taking cell phones and a computer hard drive. "As of 2 p.m., the search at Dr. Murray's office continues," the statement said. Murray, a Texas-based cardiologist, allegedly gave Jackson the anesthetic propofol -- commonly known by the brand name Diprivan -- in the 24 hours before he died, said the source, who asked not to be named because the individual was not authorized to speak to the news media. Watch a profile of Murray » In a statement Monday, the doctor's attorneys said they wouldn't comment on "rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources." In the past, they have said Murray never prescribed or administered anything that could have killed Jackson. Watch CNN's Ted Rowlands report on drug allegation » Last week, Texas authorities searched Murray's Houston medical office and storage unit, looking for "evidence of the offense of manslaughter," according to court documents. Among the items removed from Murray's office were a computer; 27 tablets of phentermine, a prescription-strength appetite suppressant; 1 tablet of clonazepam, an anti-anxiety medication; and some Rolodex cards. From Murray's storage unit, authorities removed two computer hard drives; an "important contact list"; a suspension notice from Houston's Doctor Hospital; notices from the Internal Revenue Service; and a laundry list of medical and hospital documents. Chernoff, a Houston lawyer hired by Murray soon after Jackson's death, confirmed at the time that Los Angeles police detectives and federal DEA agents used a search warrant to enter Murray's office in northeast Houston on Wednesday morning. Chernoff said members of Murray's legal team were at the medical office during the search, which he said "was conducted by members of the DEA, two robbery-homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Houston Police officers." Police have interviewed Murray twice since Jackson's death. A third interview was scheduled for July 24, but was postponed after the search warrants were executed. It's unknown when the next interview will take place. Among those who have indicated that Jackson may have been using dangerous prescription medication are nutritionist Cherilyn Lee, who said Jackson pleaded for the powerful sedative Diprivan despite being told of its harmful effects. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County coroner's office continues to investigate the cause of Jackson's death on June 25. It has been waiting on toxicology lab results, but a final autopsy report is expected as soon as this week, a coroner's spokesman has said. CNN's Ted Rowlands and Paul Vercammen contributed to this report. | [
"What is believed to have killed the singer?",
"What did the attorney say?",
"What did Dr. Murray allegedly give Jackson in the 24 hours before his death?",
"What did Murray give Jackson",
"What did Murray allegedly give Jackson?",
"What did investigators search",
"Investigators seach whose home?",
"Whose home was searched by investigators?"
] | [
[
"a powerful drug"
],
[
"officers from the DEA, Los Angeles police and \"various local agencies\" executed a search warrant at Murray's home and office beginning about 8 a.m."
],
[
"a powerful drug"
],
[
"anesthetic propofol"
],
[
"the anesthetic propofol"
],
[
"the Las Vegas home and office of Michael Jackson's"
],
[
"Dr. Conrad Murray,"
],
[
"Dr. Conrad Murray,"
]
] | NEW: Doctor was "present during the search of his home," attorney says .
Investigators search Dr. Conrad Murray's Las Vegas home, office .
Murray allegedly gave Jackson propofol in the 24 hours before death, source says .
Source close to family says doctor administered drug believed to have killed singer . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Police executed a search warrant at a Las Vegas pharmacy Tuesday morning in connection with the investigation into Michael Jackson's death, a federal drug agent said. A Las Vegas pharmacy was searched Tuesday in connection with Michael Jackson's death. Applied Pharmacy on Flamingo Road in Las Vegas sold the anesthetic propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson's doctor, a source familiar with the investigation said. Another source close to the investigation said last month that Murray, a Texas-based cardiologist, is said to have given Jackson propofol, commonly known by the brand name Diprivan, in the 24 hours before he died. The search of Applied Pharmacy came two weeks after searches of Murray's home and clinic in Las Vegas. The search warrant served Tuesday authorized investigators to seize documents -- both on computers and paper -- related to the Jackson investigation, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Flanagan said. The warrants used for those earlier searches, which were filed in a Clark County, Nevada, court, imply that investigators looking into Jackson's death believe that the singer was a drug addict. The warrants, signed by District Judge Timothy Williams and given to CNN by Las Vegas affiliate KTNV, say that "there is probable cause to believe" that the searches would uncover evidence at Murray's home and office of excessive prescribing, prescribing to an addict, prescribing to or treating an addict and manslaughter. They cite "probable cause to believe" that the premises contained "records, shipping orders, distribution lists, use records relating to the purchase, transfer ordering, delivery and storage of propofol (Diprivan)." Murray was with Jackson on June 25 when he was rushed to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and when he was pronounced dead, according to Murray's lawyer. A source involved with the inquiry into Jackson's death has said that investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in his $100,000-a-month rented mansion in Holmby Hills, California. The items taken from Murray's home included copies of his computer and cell phone hard drives. They were to be turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department, which is leading the investigation into Jackson's death at age 50. A "thorough and comprehensive" report into the death of Michael Jackson is complete, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said Monday, but police have requested that the report not be released because of the ongoing investigation. The coroner's office said it would abide by the request that "the cause and manner of death remain confidential" and referred all questions to the Los Angeles Police Department. CNN's Ted Rowlands contributed to this report. | [
"who sold propfol?",
"what does the coroner says about the autopsy?",
"who did they sell it to?",
"on what clinic did the warrant took place of?",
"applied pharmacy sold propofol to who?",
"what drug was sold?",
"Where did they search?"
] | [
[
"Applied Pharmacy"
],
[
"A \"thorough and comprehensive\" report into the death of Michael Jackson is complete,"
],
[
"Dr. Conrad Murray,"
],
[
"Las Vegas pharmacy"
],
[
"Dr. Conrad Murray,"
],
[
"anesthetic propofol"
],
[
"Las Vegas pharmacy"
]
] | Applied Pharmacy sold propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray, source says .
Warrant part of follow-up to searches of home, clinic of Jackson doctor .
Autopsy results held because of investigation, coroner says . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was released from a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday, a source close to the case told CNN. Jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, seen in September, has been hospitalized in Las Vegas. Authorities took Jeffs from an Arizona jail to a Nevada hospital on Tuesday after he saying he looked feverish and was "acting in a convulsive manner, and looked in a very weakened state." Doctors there determined he should go to a larger facility, so Jeffs was flown to the Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas. Sheriff Tom Sheahan of Mohave County, Arizona said before Jeffs' release that his condition was not believed to be life-threatening. Further details about his release on Wednesday were unavailable. Sheahan said he is trying to get information about Jeffs' condition. Watch how authorities are mum about Jeffs » Jeffs' attorney in Arizona, Michael Piccarreta, also declined comment on his client's hospitalization. The 52-year-old is the leader and so-called prophet of the estimated 10,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church. The FLDS openly practices polygamy at its Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado, Texas, along with two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona state line -- Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. The charges against Jeffs are Class 6 felonies under Arizona law, Piccarreta said, meaning that a judge -- upon conviction -- will determine whether the charges are misdemeanors or felonies. Other charges Jeffs initially faced in Arizona have been dismissed, said Piccarreta. In November, Jeffs was sentenced in Utah to two consecutive terms of five years to life in prison after his conviction on two charges of being an accomplice to rape in connection with a 2001 marriage he performed between a girl, 14, and her cousin, 19. According to unsealed court documents, Jeffs refused food and drink for a month in January 2007 and developed ulcers on his knees from kneeling in prayer for hours as he awaited trial. On January 28, 2007, he attempted to hang himself in his cell, the documents said. In the days afterward while on suicide watch, Jeffs on separate occasions banged his head and threw himself against a wall. He has been in custody since August 2006, when he was arrested during a routine traffic stop after spending months on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives list. In April, authorities removed more than 400 children from the YFZ Ranch. Child protection officials said they found a "pervasive pattern" of sexual abuse on the ranch through forced marriages between underage girls and older men. In June, however, the Texas Supreme Court ruled the state had no right to remove the children. The court also said the state lacked evidence to show that the children faced imminent danger of abuse. The children were returned to their families. CNN's Saeed Ahmed and Gary Tuchman contributed to this report. | [
"Who was released from LA Hospital on Wednesday?",
"Who was released?",
"Where was he flown?",
"Who was flown to Las Vegas hospital from Arizona jail?",
"When was Warren JEffs released?",
"What is Jeffs the leader of?",
"When was polygamist sect leader flown to a Las Vegas hospital?",
"What is Jeffs leader of?",
"What is he the leader off?"
] | [
[
"Warren Jeffs"
],
[
"Warren Jeffs"
],
[
"Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas."
],
[
"Warren Jeffs,"
],
[
"Wednesday,"
],
[
"Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,"
],
[
"Tuesday"
],
[
"Polygamist sect"
],
[
"Polygamist sect"
]
] | NEW: Warren Jeffs was released from a Las Vegas hospital on Wednesday .
Polygamist sect leader flown to Las Vegas hospital from Arizona jail on Tuesday .
Court documents say Jeffs previously has tried to hurt, hang and starve himself .
Jeffs is leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . |
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- The theater was packed as Garth Brooks shared stories about why he decided to officially step out of retirement after nine years. Garth Brooks played two secret concerts in Vegas earlier this summer. Now he's signed on for an engagement. Camera crews and journalists filled the front section. Executives flanked the sides. And then smack dab in the middle of the audience was a row of chefs, enthusiastically applauding in their toques and kitchen whites. Yes, the media was buzzing about the much-anticipated announcement, but hotel employees at the Wynn Encore in Las Vegas were equally excited -- maybe even more so, because of the part they played in persuading the country music superstar to enter into a five-year weekend residency at the establishment beginning December 11. This summer, as the media threw itself head-first into the death of Michael Jackson, the Oklahoma native quietly took the stage at the 1,500-seat Encore Theater in two hush-hush shows attended by hotel workers. One was an intimate acoustic performance; the other a concert with his full band. He sang. He charmed. He won over staffers who never thought they'd be caught dead tapping their toes to country music. And that, ladies and gentleman, exemplifies the uncanny ability of Garth Brooks to connect with human beings, and explains why he -- not Michael Jackson -- is the best-selling solo artist of all time in any genre. (You can look it up.) "I think my gift truly is I'm an average guy. What I like, an average guy likes. It's that simple. The music that I love, I find that most guys around me love, too," he told CNN in his dressing room after Thursday's news conference in Las Vegas. There's a big old-fashioned star on the door that says "Garth Brooks." It suits him. Even though he's pushed boundaries and rewritten rules in the music industry, he's still an old-fashioned guy with old-fashioned values -- work hard, stay humble and family first. It's the latter that led to his decision to hang up his mic and his Stetson in 2000. "We were retiring because I gotta get back to Oklahoma and raise my girls. Sandy and I were getting a divorce at the time, so I couldn't expect her to do my job for me any longer," he said. "We told the people that's what I'm going to do, and the people -- 99 percent of them -- said, 'Go. Go do what you gotta do. We'll be here when you get back,' and we'll see if they are." Watch Brooks talk about new course » Brooks' three daughters -- Taylor, August and Allie -- are now 17, 15 and 13. When he retired, he famously stated that he wanted to be able to drive his kids to school every day. His new Friday-through-Sunday gig will allow him to keep his pledge of seeing them off to class until they head to college. Of course, the commute from his farm in Owasso, Oklahoma, to Vegas will be made a little faster with his new private jet -- an 11-seat Challenger, courtesy of Steve Wynn, the billionaire CEO of Wynn Hotels. "I don't know anything about jets," Brooks downplayed with a shrug. "It's got a cool interior, cool paint job, I don't know. But it gets me here (to Vegas), and it gets me home to see my girls. And so in that case, it's fabulous." "He's been happy being at home, attending every soccer game and knowing what his kids like to eat for breakfast," said singer Trisha Yearwood, whom he married in 2005. "We both came from a family where our parents were there every single day, and so we don't know any other way." On most weekends, Yearwood will be making the two-hour trip to Sin | [
"He's been given what to travel?",
"Who is coming out of retirement?",
"who was the one who did that",
"When did he retire",
"Who describes himself as an average guy?"
] | [
[
"an 11-seat Challenger, courtesy of Steve Wynn,"
],
[
"Garth Brooks"
],
[
"Garth Brooks"
],
[
"2000."
],
[
"Garth Brooks"
]
] | Garth Brooks coming out of retirement to play special Las Vegas engagement .
Brooks describes himself as "an average guy"
To go back and forth from Oklahoma to Vegas, he's been given a jet .
Wife Trisha Yearwood: She and Brooks like being at home for kids . |
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Toiling in what is the opium capital of the world, farmers in southern Afghanistan are swapping out their poppy plants for wheat crops. A farmer harvests wheat in a field on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, last summer. The farmers are participating in programs sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is offering seeds, fertilizers and improved irrigation to the region in an effort to stop poppy crops and, ultimately, the production of opium and heroin. Observers have noticed a significant decline in the opium trade in Afghanistan, with the number of poppy-free provinces increasing from 13 in 2007 to 18 in 2008, according to a U.N. report released last year. Opium cultivation in the country, which has 34 provinces, dropped by about 20 percent in a year, the U.N. reported in August. "It's a challenge to deliver assistance in a war zone -- you can hear fighter jets flying above us right now," said Rory Donohoe, a USAID development officer. "At the end of the day, what we found is successful is that we work in areas that we can work," he told CNN in a recent interview in Helmand province. "We come to places like this demonstration farm where Afghans can come here to a safe environment, get training, pick up seeds and fertilizer, then go back to districts of their own." Watch Afghans speak about the change in their farming practices » Many of Afghanistan's northern and eastern provinces have already benefited from USAID alternative farming programs, which have doled out more than $22 million to nearly 210,000 Afghans to build or repair 435 miles (700 kilometers) of roads and some 2,050 miles (3,300 kilometers) of irrigation and drainage canals. Giving Afghan farmers improved access to markets and improved irrigation is successfully weaning them away from poppy production, according to officials at USAID. Over the years, opium and heroin -- both derivatives of the poppy -- have served as a major source of revenue for the insurgency, most notably the Taliban movement that once ruled Afghanistan. "If you can just help the people of Afghanistan in this way, the fighting will go away," said Abdul Qadir, a farmer in Lashkar Gah. "The Taliban and other enemies of the country will also disappear." | [
"What do poppy plants help produce?",
"What is agency trying to do?",
"Who is offering seeds?",
"What is the agency trying to do?",
"What has been a major revenue source for the Taliban?",
"What is the agency doing?",
"What is USAID offering?",
"What is used to make drugs?"
] | [
[
"opium and heroin"
],
[
"stop poppy crops and, ultimately, the production of opium and heroin."
],
[
"U.S. Agency for International Development,"
],
[
"stop poppy crops and, ultimately, the production of opium and heroin."
],
[
"opium and heroin"
],
[
"offering seeds, fertilizers and improved irrigation to the region"
],
[
"seeds, fertilizers and improved irrigation"
],
[
"poppy crops"
]
] | USAID offering seeds, other help to encourage Afghan farmers to grow wheat .
Agency trying to wean Afghan farmers from poppy production .
Poppy plants used to produce opium and heroin .
Opium, heroin has been a major source of revenue for the Taliban . |
LAVONIA, Georgia (CNN) -- Sonya Savage's back door opens to a cozy wooden porch that serves as a shelter for her 9-year-old son's bicycles and spare parts. Residents of Beaver Creek in Lavonia, Georgia, say they had no idea a neighbor was holding his family captive. A 30-foot tract of red clay and splotchy crab grass separates her mobile home from the home of Raymond Daniel Thurmond, a residence so rank and squalid that it forced a seasoned police investigator to vomit upon entering. Another officer donned a gas mask just to walk inside. Savage and her neighbors say they had no clue that Thurmond, 36, had a wife, let alone four kids; they were also oblivious that Thurmond may have held the five hostage in the three-bedroom mobile home for three years. "My son, he's a little bicycle mechanic. He's always in the backyard, and he don't recall ever seeing nobody over here," said Savage, 29, who also has a 4-year-old daughter. "Usually I've got a yard full of kids, but I've never seen any of those kids come out and play." Savage recalls speaking to Thurmond once, after someone stole one of her son's bike tires. Thurmond kindly told Savage he hadn't seen anything suspicious. "He was nice, polite, seemed like a normal guy," she said. Watch a walk-through of the filth » Alma Medina, the property manager for the 100-unit Beaver Creek mobile home park, lives three doors from what is now a crime scene. She remembers Thurmond was a polite fellow. He always called her "Miss Alma" when he dropped by the office to explain that his rent was late, a routine occurrence that eventually led Medina's maintenance man to a foul discovery. She occasionally saw Thurmond mingling with other tenants, but she never saw his family. The only indication that one existed, Medina said, was that he and his wife both signed a lease August 22, 2005, and noted on their application that they had three sons and a daughter. "I never saw them outside, never," she said. See what the trailer looked like » Lavonia, a city of about 2,000 on Interstate 85, about five miles from South Carolina and the sprawling Lake Hartwell, is not the best place to keep secrets. The locals know each other, if only by face, and the police chief personally directs school traffic and walks the entire town daily to check on local businesses. The self-professed "big-time small town" has its share of crime, but hasn't seen a murder in six years. Lt. Missy Collins, the investigator who had Thurmond arrested Tuesday after a two-week investigation, said her husband used to work with Thurmond at a pump-manufacturing facility in nearby Toccoa. Chief Bruce Carlisle remembers seeing the burly 6-foot-4 Thurmond around town, at hardware and grocery stores. He generally wore shorts, work boots and a tank top or sleeveless shirt. Carlisle and Thurmond weren't acquainted, but the chief heard he was always cordial. "You never saw anybody with him," the chief said. Authorities never had a problem with Thurmond until August 4, when Collins received a call from a women's shelter. "They said they had a mother and four kids, and apparently they'd been kept at home, and there was some abuse allegations and the dad wouldn't let them leave," Collins said. Collins interviewed the women and children, who all gave the same story: Thurmond had forced the wife, three sons (9, 13 and 14 years old) and his 12-year-old daughter to remain inside. Police are still investigating how. Medina on Wednesday provided CNN a tour of the trailer that revealed a hasp, used to secure a door with a padlock, that had been fastened to the mobile home's back door. Holes on the inside of the front door and on one of the children's bedroom doors indicate hasps had been placed there | [
"Who said they never saw Daniel Thurmond's wife or kids?",
"Where did this happen?",
"Who or whom did the neightbours say they never saw",
"In which small town did Thurmond and his wife live"
] | [
[
"Savage and her neighbors"
],
[
"Beaver Creek in Lavonia, Georgia,"
],
[
"had no clue that Thurmond, 36, had a wife, let alone four kids;"
],
[
"Beaver Creek in Lavonia, Georgia,"
]
] | Neighbors say they saw Daniel Thurmond on occasion but never his wife, kids .
Investigator says wife, children fled after Thurmond said he had a mistress .
Lavonia a small town where police chief directs school traffic, patrols town on foot .
Thurmond charged with rape, cruelty to children, false imprisonment . |
LAWRENCE, Kansas (CNN) -- It started with a sore throat. Then her chest was burning. Arielle Spiridigliozzi is one of 350 students who have contracted H1N1 at the University of Kansas. University of Kansas freshman Arielle Spiridigliozzi said she thought her symptoms were signs of allergies, or maybe even a sinus infection. It couldn't be H1N1, she thought. But it was. "I mean, I'd never, ever guessed that coming into freshman year I would get the friggin' swine flu," Spiridigliozzi said. Now she accessorizes her royal blue T-shirt with a mask. A stuffy nose, body aches, fever and coughing make up the litany of symptoms, Spiridigliozzi, 18, and her roommate, Kaitlyn Perry, 18, said they have suffered. For more than a day, the girls have been stuck in their suite, on what they call "lockdown." Watch more about life on "lockdown" » University officials have asked the girls to stay in their dorm suite to limit exposure to other students. The school provides door-to-door delivery from the campus dining hall, giving the girls one less reason to have to leave their immediate four walls. Spiridigliozzi has abided by the the university's request, worried that she could infect another. But she doesn't understand how she ended up in this situation in the first place. "We took all the necessary precautions. Like, we really did. It wasn't like I was licking the handlebars of the bus or anything," she said. "I was hand sanitizing. I was being very careful. I don't know how this happened." But she only has to look to her roommates for an answer, as illness has rapidly made its way through her suite. When Perry became ill it struck her suddenly. While shopping, she came down with a fever and started feeling like she didn't have the strength to stand, she said. Perry's flu hasn't been confirmed as an H1N1 strain, but a third roommate, the first to get sick, they said, was diagnosed with H1N1. Then a fourth roommate got sick, illustrative of a spreading flu pattern the girls said is obvious from the empty seats in classes. The university estimates about 340 students, or 1 percent of the student body, have flu they suspect is H1N1, said Patricia Denning, medical chief of staff at Watkins Health Center. The number of cases could be higher if students were not seeking care from campus doctors and nurses, she added. She said she has not heard of any students being hospitalized because of the flu. Vaccines are unlikely to help much this year, because supplies are not expected until late October and require about five weeks from the first inoculation -- two are required -- before they become effective. So, to make life easier for the sick, the school's medical center has distributed what it calls a "flu kit," which includes a mask and a home-care instruction sheet, Denning said. The tip sheet borrows from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's information on H1N1. It says to drink lots of fluids, eat three small meals a day and get plenty of rest, Denning said. "And so it just goes through simple common-sense things that we all know we need to do that sometimes, when mothers and dads aren't around to remind them, this will help remind them," she said. Spiridigliozzi and Perry will get to wander outdoors again once their fevers have dissipated for at least 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medications, they said. They are eager to get back to their normal lives. Spiridigliozzi is tired of the soup and Jell-O, and Perry looks forward to playing Frisbee again. "So boring" is how Spiridigliozzi described their isolation. With all this free time, at least the freshmen -- on campus for only two weeks -- aren't falling too far behind in their school work. "I got all my homework done | [
"What percent of the University of Kansas student body has H1N1?",
"When can a student be cleared from quarantine?",
"HOw long were girls quarantined",
"What percent of the student body has H1N1?",
"What percentage of the human bodies has H1N1",
"What is spread among roommates"
] | [
[
"1"
],
[
"at least 24 hours"
],
[
"more than a day,"
],
[
"1"
],
[
"1 percent of the student body,"
],
[
"H1N1"
]
] | Spread of H1N1 among roommates illustrates how quickly virus jumps around .
"It wasn't like I was licking the handlebars of the bus," freshman says .
Girls quarantined in room, doing homework, until fever dissipates for 24 hours .
The University of Kansas estimates about 1 percent of student body has H1N1 . |
LEBANON, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- A hostile crowd shouted questions and made angry statements Tuesday at a town hall meeting on health care in Pennsylvania led by Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter. Sen. Arlen Specter, left, answers questions Tuesday during a forum in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The meeting drew an overflow of about 250 people, with more gathered outside the hall to demonstrate for and against President Obama's push to expand health insurance for 46 million people without coverage while bringing down costs. It was the latest in a series of emotional public meetings on the health care issue that have prompted Obama and Democratic leaders to complain of a campaign by opponents to drown out the debate with unruly disruptions. At one point, Specter shouted into his microphone that demonstrators disrupting the proceedings would be thrown out. "We're not going to tolerate any demonstrations or any booing," he said after one audience member shoved another making an unsolicited speech. "So it's up to you." Watch the shouting and shoving » Many in the crowd identified themselves as conservative Republicans, with one man noting they had voted for Specter before the senator switched parties this year. One woman prompted a standing ovation by telling Specter: "I don't believe this is just health care. This is about the systematic dismantling of this country. ... I don't want this country turning into Russia, turning into a socialized country. What are you going to do to restore this country back to what our founders created, according to the Constitution?" See a comparison of different countries' plans » Specter responded by noting his support for the Constitution as a past chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee on issues such as warrantless wiretaps. "When you ask me to defend the Constitution, that's what I've been doing," Specter said. Specter said that overhauling the health care system is about America taking care of all of its people. "In our social contract, we have provisions that see to it that you take care of people who need some help," he said. Several people asked if a health care bill would mean taxpayer dollars would pay for others to get abortions. Specter responded that any measure passed by Congress would allow people to choose a plan that didn't cover abortions. The senator agreed with the crowd on some issues, saying he opposes mandatory counseling on end-of-life issues called for in a House of Representatives version of health care legislation. Specter also vowed he would never support any bill that increased the federal deficit or took away a person's right to choose their health care coverage. "I am opposed to anybody making a decision for you or me or anybody else about what health care plan we should have," he said. Emotions ran high, with questioners complaining of government intrusion in their lives on health care and other issues. One man implored Specter and the government to "leave us alone," while another said the message Specter should take back to Washington is that he and others "want our country back." The shoving incident occurred early in the 90-minute session when a man started shouting that he had been told by Specter's staff that he could speak, but he didn't get one of the 30 cards distributed to people allowing them to ask questions. Another man stood up and shoved the protester, and Specter approached the men shouting for calm. "You and your cronies in government do this kind of stuff all the time," the protester shouted before leaving the hall. "I'm not a lobbyist with all kinds of money to stuff in your pockets. I'll leave you so you can do whatever the hell you do." Specter remained calm most of the time, except when a woman asked if the bill meant a 74-year-old man with cancer would be written off by an overhauled health care system. "Nobody 74 is going to be written off because they have cancer," he responded angrily. "That's a vicious, untrue rumor." See an overview of the issue » One | [
"What is senator angered b y?",
"Who addressed a raucous crowd?"
] | [
[
"\"Nobody 74 is going to be written off because they have cancer,\" he responded angrily. \"That's a vicious, untrue rumor.\""
],
[
"Sen. Arlen Specter,"
]
] | Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania addresses raucous crowd's concerns .
One man storms out after he says he failed to obtain card allowing him to speak .
Senator angered by "vicious, untrue rumor" that sick seniors will be "written off" |
LEBANON, Tennessee (CNN) -- A tumultuous home life forced country music star Gretchen Wilson to grow up quickly. Bernadine Nelson, left, and Gretchen Wilson want to raise awareness about the importance of adult education. "I was one of those kids that was brought up in kind of a crazy environment in the home, and I just thought I'd be better off if I could get out there and start doing it my way," said Wilson, 35. So at 15, she quit school and became a bartender in her Illinois hometown. From that point on, Wilson focused her attention solely on surviving and making music. In 1996, she moved to Nashville to pursue her dream of being a country music singer. Despite setbacks along the way, she found success in 2004 with the release of her first single, "Redneck Woman." "I had big dreams like most local musicians do, but the chances of this having happened for me were slim to none," said the Grammy Award winner. "Without [an] education, I'd have been pouring drinks for the rest of my life." Until earlier this year, Wilson was one of the millions of Americans who haven't finished their high school education. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 43 million people have dropped out of high school, and one in five Americans are functionally illiterate. Though she was a successful musician, Wilson said she became more determined than ever to finish her education. So, at age 34, she decided to get her GED -- and it was educator Bernadine Nelson who helped her. "I didn't have to go back and get my GED, but it was something I really needed to complete me as a person," Wilson said. Wilson reached out to the local adult education center in Lebanon, Tennessee, where she met Nelson, the center's director. "[She] greeted me with a huge smile on her face and welcome arms," Wilson said. "She promised me above all that I'd be able to stand in that line and be proud of myself. She became an instant hero in my eyes." Nelson held true to her word. A year later, Wilson received her GED, crediting the achievement to Nelson's support and encouragement. Together, they're now raising awareness about the importance of an education and encouraging people to say, "I can do that too." Though she had been a teacher for decades, Nelson, 62, didn't realize the scope of under-education in America until she began working in adult education roughly six years ago. "It was an emotional thing to me because I kept thinking, 'What can I do? How can my little job help?' " Nelson said. "But I know it does, because every single person I've helped helps the big problem." Watch Wilson describe why Nelson is her hero » In addition to overseeing the center, Nelson has become an outspoken advocate for adult education in Tennessee, speaking to community groups and holding a weekly guest spot on a local radio show. She believes the benefits of an education are priceless. "Having a GED or high school diploma gives you more self-esteem and a better opportunity for a better job," Nelson said. Since 2002, Nelson has helped more than 1,050 students receive their GEDs. And she said she knows that many others will follow in Wilson's footsteps. "Gretchen came to the program because she wanted to fulfill this void that had been missing for all these years for her," Nelson said. "I don't think she realized how much this would speak to other people. Her fans are legion. If their role model, the Redneck Woman, could get her GED, then ... maybe they could too." Since Wilson received her GED in May 2008, Nelson said, several people have already called her, citing the singer's achievement as inspiration for obtaining theirs. For Wilson, Nelson's dedication to bringing the importance of | [
"When did Gretchen wilson leave school",
"What were Wilson and Nelson promoting?",
"How long after quitting school did Wilson earn her GED?",
"who helped Wilson along the way?",
"who helped Wison get her GED",
"Wilson's archievement has inspired others to get what?",
"what genre does the singer Gretchen Wilson sings?"
] | [
[
"at 15,"
],
[
"awareness about the importance of adult education."
],
[
"at age 34, she decided to get"
],
[
"Bernadine Nelson"
],
[
"Bernadine Nelson"
],
[
"students receive their GEDs."
],
[
"country music"
]
] | Country singer Gretchen Wilson earned her GED 20 years after quitting school .
Educator Bernadine Nelson helped Wilson along the way .
Wilson and Nelson promote the importance of adult education .
Wilson's achievement has inspired others to get their GED, Nelson said . |
LEESBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- The clock is ticking for Ray O'Bryhim: he has less than a week to sell his last 40 cars. This Virginia dealership cannot legally sell any new Chryslers, Dodges or Jeeps after June 9. His ads for Pohanka Chrysler-Dodge scream, "Everything must go, regardless of profit!" On June 9, his franchise to sell new Chryslers and Dodges will be terminated, along with those of almost 800 other Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealers nationwide. This comes as a result of Chrysler's announcement last month that they would shrink their dealer base in the United States. O'Bryhim cannot legally sell any new cars he has left after June 9 -- and because the manufacturer is in bankruptcy protection it isn't obligated to take them back. A customer comes out of his showroom with the keys in her hand for a new Dodge Nitro SUV she just bought. She won't give her name, because she took the day off work to pounce on the discount. But she says she has been monitoring new-car prices for months, and they just took a steep dive, so she came in and made off like a bandit. O'Bryhim points to a new Nitro he has discounted 40% off the sticker: $17,510 instead of the MSRP of $29,170. Soon, he says, he may mark it down even further. "As we get closer to June 9," he says, "we're going to have to do what we have to do to move these cars." Watch how dealerships are making record price cuts » His salesmen have sold 80 cars in the 19 days since their termination letter arrived, with the cars and minivans selling faster than the trucks. Nationwide, Chrysler's terminated dealers had about 44,000 cars sitting on their lots when they got their notifications May 14. Chrysler spokeswoman Kathy Graham says the company plans to help redistribute any leftover inventory to the 2,400 surviving dealers, who could otherwise run low while factories are idled. "Our manufacturing facilities have been shut down since May 1," she said. "We have dealers that are looking for inventory." Down the street at Dulles Motor Cars, Hamid and Kevin Saghafi have sold off about half their $1.5 million inventory of Jeeps. Hamid says they are "taking a beating," asking $10,000 less than the invoice price for high-end models like the Jeep Commander. But he still worries they won't be able to sell them all in time. "Chrysler has told us they're going to help us send these cars to other dealers' inventories," he says. "But we don't know what kind of prices we're going to be offered." The affected dealerships are not only furiously trying to sell off their inventory; at the same time, they are trying to figure out what they will do once they stop selling new Chryslers, and how they can save the jobs of their employees. Pohanka will focus on service and used-car sales, or maybe switch to another brand; Dulles will focus on the two other brands they already sell, Subaru and Kia. How much do the Saghafi brothers stand to lose in shutting their Jeep showroom? "Millions," says Kevin. CNN's Brian Todd contributed to this report. | [
"Who offered to help find surviving dealerships?",
"Who has offered to help find surviving dealerships?",
"What isn't the company doing due to bankruptcy?",
"Are the owners suffering huge losses?",
"When must the dealerships stop selling the cars?",
"Who must stop selling new cars by June 9?"
] | [
[
"Chrysler spokeswoman Kathy Graham"
],
[
"Chrysler"
],
[
"O'Bryhim cannot legally sell any new cars he has left after June 9"
],
[
"\"Millions,\""
],
[
"after June 9."
],
[
"Ray O'Bryhim:"
]
] | Nearly 800 Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealerships must stop selling new cars by June 9 .
The company isn't buying the inventory back because it is bankrupt .
Chrysler has only offered to help find surviving dealerships willing to buy the cars .
As a result, the owners of the closing dealerships are suffering huge losses . |
LEONE, American Samoa (CNN) -- Another earthquake struck Wednesday near the Samoan islands, an area already devastated by earthquake and tsunami damage which killed more than 130 people. A traditional Samoan fale is destroyed Wednesday in the devastated village of Leone. The 5.5-magnitude earthquake occurred at 6:13 p.m. Wednesday evening (1:13 a.m. Thursday ET), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake's epicenter was 10 km (6 miles) deep in the Pacific Ocean about 121 miles (194 km) from the city of Apia, Samoa. The quake did not trigger a tsunami warning, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. It followed an 8.0-magnitude earthquake which hit the small cluster of Samoan islands early Tuesday triggering a tsunami. At least 139 people are confirmed dead as a consequence of Tuesday's quake and tsunami. They include 22 people killed in American Samoa, 110 in Samoa and seven in Tonga, according to officials on the islands. A huge emergency effort was continuing late Wednesday in the Samoan islands and officials warned that the death toll could rise as rescue workers start to reach outlying villages and discover new casualties. Watch the tsunami take over the street » Survivors like Ropati Opa were trying to find ways to cope. The massive waves had destroyed his home, store and gas station in the village of Leone on the southwest coast of American Samoa. With tears in his eyes, he said "I don't have a house. I don't have a car. I don't have money. I lost everything yesterday. But thank God I am alive." iReport.com: Witness describes tsunami hitting land U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the disaster at an event Wednesday in Washington. "To aid in the response," he said, "I've declared this a major disaster to speed the deployment of resources and FEMA ... is working closely with emergency responders on the ground, and the Coast Guard is working to provide immediate help to those in need. "We also stand ready to help our friends in neighboring Samoa and throughout the region, and we'll continue to monitor this situation closely as we keep the many people who have been touched by this tragedy in our thoughts and in our prayers," Obama said. Journalist Jeff DePonte contributed to this report. | [
"Latest death toll from Tuesday's quake, tsunami stands at how many?",
"How many were killed by the quake?",
"where did it happen?",
"Where is the rescue effort underway?",
"what was the magnitude?",
"What was not triggered?",
"What was the magnitude of the second quake?",
"How many people died in the quake?",
"What is the death toll from tuesdays quake?",
"What is the death toll from Tuesday's quake so far?",
"Is a tsunami warning in place?",
"When did the second quake occur?",
"Where did the rescue effort take place?"
] | [
[
"139"
],
[
"At least 139 people"
],
[
"near the Samoan islands,"
],
[
"Samoan islands"
],
[
"5.5-magnitude"
],
[
"tsunami warning,"
],
[
"5.5-magnitude"
],
[
"130"
],
[
"139"
],
[
"At least 139 people"
],
[
"not trigger a"
],
[
"6:13 p.m. Wednesday evening"
],
[
"Samoan islands"
]
] | Latest death toll from Tuesday's quake, tsunami stands at 139 .
Second quake -- magnitude 5.5 -- shook Samoan islands region Wednesday .
Quake does not trigger a tsunami warning, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says .
Huge rescue effort under way in Samoan islands amid fears death toll could rise . |
LEONE, American Samoa (CNN) -- Taitasi Fitiao was holding her six-year-old daughter's hand when a tsunami wave crashed onto their coastal village in American Samoa.
A man stands on the remains of what was once a tourist resort in Samoa's capital of Apia.
"I held her hand. The wave got us and that's when her hand just left mine and I could hear her say, 'Mom, please.' And then I saw her, I saw her floating away. And I knew right then that she was gone, she was taken from us."
Taitasi Fitiao ran to her daughter's school after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the small cluster of Samoan islands early Tuesday, triggering a tsunami.
The teacher had let the students go home after the temblor struck. Fitiao had felt some relief when she briefly united with her daughter, but then the wave came.
"I can't believe she's gone. She's only six years old," she said of her youngest child, Valjorefa Uputaua Fitiao.
The villagers of Leone --one of the largest towns in American Samoa with a population of more than 2,000 -- searched for Valjorefa. They found her about one day after the waves took her from her mother.
"When they found her, she still had her backpack on and school uniform," Fitiao said.
The Fitiao family plan to bury her with her gray-and-black backpack because she loved school so much. Watch a family mourns the loss of their daughter »
At the family home on Thursday, Valjorefa's backpack was drying on a clothing line and some crayons and a notebook with her school work were on the ground. They plan to bury her in the front yard, as is the custom here.
"We really miss our daughter," said her father, Faataui Fitiao.
Ten people, including Valjorefa, died in Leone. Villagers and the U.S. Army reserves are looking for one person still missing: a six-year-old boy, whose family wants to bury him in the front yard, too. Samoa's prime minister talks about the devastation »
At least 168 people are confirmed dead in the aftermath of Tuesday's quake and tsunami. They include 22 people killed in American Samoa, 139 in Samoa and seven in Tonga, according to officials on the islands. Watch the tsunami take over a street » | CNN visits a destroyed fishing village »
A second quake, a 5.5-magnitude temblor struck near the Samoan islands at 6:13 p.m. Wednesday evening (1:13 a.m. Thursday ET), according to the U.S. Geological Survey, while a 6.3-magnitude quake rattled Tonga on Friday.
U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the disaster at an event Wednesday in Washington.
"To aid in the response," he said, "I've declared this a major disaster to speed the deployment of resources and FEMA ... is working closely with emergency responders on the ground, and the Coast Guard is working to provide immediate help to those in need.
"We also stand ready to help our friends in neighboring Samoa and throughout the region, and we'll continue to monitor this situation closely as we keep the many people who have been touched by this tragedy in our thoughts and in our prayers," Obama said. | [
"When was the quake?",
"what happened in leone",
"Who lost her six year old daughter in the tsunami?",
"Where will the Fitiao family bury their daughter?"
] | [
[
"6:13 p.m. Wednesday evening (1:13 a.m. Thursday ET),"
],
[
"tsunami"
],
[
"Taitasi Fitiao"
],
[
"in the front yard,"
]
] | Latest death toll from Tuesday's quake, tsunami stands at 168 .
Taitasi Fitiao loses her six-year-old daughter in the tsunami .
Ten people died in Leone from the tragedy .
The Fitiao family will bury their daughter in the front yard, as is the custom here . |
LEXINGTON, Georgia (CNN) -- A pack of dogs brought down and killed an animal-loving couple last weekend in rural northeastern Georgia, and a similar tragedy could occur anywhere dogs roam freely, authorities say. Two dogs from the pack that killed two people await euthanasia Tuesday at a shelter in northeast Georgia. Sheriff's deputies, code enforcement officers and other officials spent most of Monday and Tuesday rounding up 11 adult dogs and five puppies, Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Capt. Shalon Huff said. One more was trapped Wednesday morning, leaving one still to be captured, she said. "We're just lucky this hasn't happened before," said Susan Fornash, director of the Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter in Danielsville, where the captured dogs were held before being euthanized Tuesday under orders from a local judge. "We've had people bring in a dog because it killed a goat or chased their horses or something like that. And to me, that was just the forerunner of something like this." Investigators say they believe that University of Georgia librarian Sherry Schweder, 65, went for her usual morning walk Saturday down Howard Thaxton Road, the narrow dirt lane that runs alongside the couple's property. The dogs were familiar in the area, investigators say, having been left behind when the person who had been caring for some of them moved out of a home at the end of the lane. Authorities theorize that halfway down the lane, about a quarter-mile from her home, Sherry Schweder was confronted by the dogs, which knocked her down and killed her. Her husband, retired UGA language professor Lothar Schweder, became concerned when she didn't return and went out in their Honda CRX to look for her. When he found her lying in the lane and got out to shoo away the dogs, they attacked and killed him too, investigators believe. Although no blood was seen on the dogs, other evidence and autopsy results convince authorities that the pack killed the Schweders, said Jim Fullington, special agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's office in nearby Athens. Watch what investigators learned » Black bears occasionally pass through the area, but none have been reported recently, said Sgt. Doyte Chaffin, a wildlife officer with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Investigators found no prints other than those of dogs and humans, Fullington added. Humans can appear threatening to dogs that run in packs, said Bonnie Beaver, a professor in the department of small animal clinical sciences at Texas A&M University and an expert in pack behavior. "From their perspective, a person is an alien, if you will," Beaver said. "It would be the same as we would relate to a grizzly bear." Dogs kill an average of 10 to 20 people each year in the United States, Beaver said. The vast majority of those cases involve a single dog attacking a small child, she said. As few as two or three dogs, whether urban, suburban or rural, can behave like a pack, Beaver said. And when pack mentality takes over, "they do insane things that they would not do" under normal circumstances, she said. "My bet is there was one ringleader who kind of started it" in the Georgia case, Beaver said. Something as simple as making eye contact may have made one dog in the group feel threatened, and its body language put the other dogs on edge, triggering an "escalation," she said. Even though none of the dogs weighed more than about 40 pounds, their numbers would have overwhelmed the victims. Screaming, flailing or trying to run would only make things worse, Beaver said. "To be slight people, as I'm told they both were, and the ages that they were, I don't know what they could have done. I don't know what I would do," Fornash said. Jehovah's Witnesses walking up the lane to visit the lone house found the Schweders' mutilated bodies lying next to the car and called 911, Fullington said | [
"Who did the dogs attack?",
"In which state did the dog attack take place?",
"What was the cause of the attack?"
] | [
[
"animal-loving couple last weekend"
],
[
"Georgia,"
],
[
"pack of dogs"
]
] | Dogs attacked woman, husband who tried to help her, Georgia authorities say .
Sixteen animals euthanized; couple's pets to be adopted at same shelter .
Pack instincts make untamed dogs dangerous, expert says .
Spaying and neutering of pets might have prevented tragedy, shelter director says . |
LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Doctors in Peru started a 48-hour strike Tuesday over pay and other benefits they say the government agreed to last year but has not delivered.
The Medical Federation of Peru's Julio Vargas says, "The stoppage ... will require the cooperation of all doctors."
The doctors' union, the Medical Federation of Peru, called the strike after meeting Monday with Prime Minister Yehude Simon, news sources reported.
"The stoppage that we will implement ... will require the cooperation of all doctors and that they suspend their external consults, although we will reinforce intensive and emergency care," union President Julio Vargas was quoted as saying in El Comercio newspaper.
Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said the government has complied with all the agreements reached last year and the doctors have no reason to strike, RPP radio reported.
Ugarte also warned doctors they will not be paid while on strike, the Andina news agency and El Comercio said.
"You can't stop working and later come and say, 'Pay me,' " Ugarte said in El Comercio. "That is immoral and does not conform with professional ethics."
At issue are pay for special work and more equal pay among state doctors, the news reports said.
Salaries for doctors in Peru have decreased to one-fourth of 1976 levels, The Lancet professional medical journal reported in May 2008. As a result, physicians often hold two or more jobs to make ends meet.
An average doctor's salary in Lima, the capital, is the equivalent of $670 a year, The Lancet said.
A 2007 survey of 202 interns in Lima showed that 38 percent were thinking about migrating to a developed country to practice medicine, the publication said. Salary was one of the main reasons given. | [
"How long is the strike?",
"Who had failed to deliver?"
] | [
[
"48-hour"
],
[
"the government"
]
] | Doctors' union calls for 48-hour strike after meeting with Peru's prime minister .
Doctors say government has failed to deliver on agreements last year .
Health minister says doctors have no reason to go on strike .
Medical journal: Salaries for doctors have decreased to one-fourth of 1976 levels . |
LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Peru's Congress voted overwhelmingly to revoke two decrees that indigenous groups had said would result in the exploitation of their native lands for oil drilling, mining and logging. A man shouts slogans at a demonstration in Lima against the Garcia government on June 11. The 82-14 vote on Thursday with no abstentions came after five hours of intense debate. "Today is a historic day," said Daysi Zapata, vice president of the Interethnic Association for Development of the Peruvian Jungle, in a statement on the group's Web site. She repeated the group's call this week to its members to abandon further opposition efforts, including blockades of rivers and roads. "My brothers from Yurimaguas affirmed that they will return to their communities as soon as the legislative decrees are repealed," she said. "We are thankful because the will of the indigenous people has been heard and we only hope that, in the future, government will pay attention to and listen to the people and not legislate behind their backs." However, despite praising President Alan Garcia for supporting the revocation of the decrees, Zapata said that had he done so earlier, lives might have been saved. She called for the repealing of seven remaining legislative decrees and the immediate lifting of the state of emergency and curfew in the city of Bagua. And she asked the government to stop the political persecution of her group's leaders, including Alberto Pizango, who faces charges in Peru related to the clashes. He flew this week to Nicaragua where he was granted asylum. The vote came a day after Garcia's cabinet chief, Yehude Simon, called on lawmakers to repeal the laws which have created tension between the government and indigenous communities in the Amazon. Striking the contentious Forestry and Wildlife Law and a related decree -- laws that Congress had voted last week to suspend indefinitely -- "will prevent more blood from being spilled," Simon said Wednesday. "The government must have the wisdom to know when its best to back down," Andina cited him as saying. He announced this week that he will resign once peace is restored. Simon's call marked a turnaround, considering that last week, he called the repealing of laws in response to the protest the equivalent of bowing to extortion. Violence earlier this month in northwest Peru left more than 30 dead and more than 50 wounded, according to reports. Indian rights advocates put the number of dead and missing higher, with some groups saying more than 100 were killed or missing. The controversial laws were part of numerous decrees that Garcia passed through special powers awarded to him by Congress last year with the goal of having Peru meet rules set in a free trade agreement with the United States. The decrees made it easier for companies to gain concessions for oil drilling, mining and logging, including on indigenous lands. The forestry law, in particular, removed some 45 million hectares (more than 170,000 square miles) of Peruvian jungle from the government's list of protected lands. The government is taking three major steps to address protesters' concerns, Vicki Gass, senior associate for rights and development at the Washington Office on Latin America told CNN. Those include requesting to repeal the controversial laws, ending a state of emergency in the Amazon area and forming a working group with the indigenous groups, she said. The government's responses have diffused tensions, but "had the government done this process of consultation earlier, we wouldn't have seen the blockades, and avoided the violence," Gass said. The real test for the Garcia government will be how seriously officials listen to the concerns of indigenous citizens, Gass said. "These are positive steps, but the question is the process -- will they really allow for detailed debate?" she said. CNN's Mariano Castillo and Maria Elena Belaunde contributed to this report. | [
"What did Zapata call for?",
"What is the name of the indigenous leader who called for end of political persection",
"What did laws lead to?",
"Where was Pizango granted asylum",
"What does Zapata call for?",
"What did decrees make it easier to do?",
"What makes it easier to gain concessions",
"What did the laws lead to?"
] | [
[
"the repealing of seven remaining legislative decrees and the immediate lifting of the state of emergency and curfew in the city of Bagua."
],
[
"Daysi Zapata,"
],
[
"tension between the government and indigenous communities in the Amazon."
],
[
"Nicaragua"
],
[
"abandon further opposition efforts, including blockades of rivers and roads."
],
[
"gain concessions for oil drilling, mining and logging, including on indigenous lands."
],
[
"decrees"
],
[
"which have created tension between the government and indigenous communities in the Amazon."
]
] | NEW: Indigenous leader Zapata calls for end of political persecution of other leaders .
Indigenous leader Pizango faces charges in Peru, is granted asylum in Nicaragua .
Laws led to violence between government, indigenous .
Decrees made it easier for firms to gain concessions for oil drilling, mining, logging . |
LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- Seven children and two teachers were killed Monday when a bridge collapsed in southern Peru, according to a health department official. Fifty-five others were injured in the incident, which occurred near a school in Peru's Ayacucho province, said Director Maria Torrealba. Further details were not immediately available, nor were the conditions of those injured in the incident. Journalist Maribel Salas contributed to this report | [
"What happened in the collapse?",
"What is not immediately available?",
"How many were injured?",
"What occurred near a school in Peru's Ayacucho province?",
"What is not immediately available?"
] | [
[
"Seven children and two teachers were killed"
],
[
"Further details"
],
[
"Fifty-five"
],
[
"a bridge collapsed"
],
[
"Further details"
]
] | Fifty-five others were injured in the collapse .
The incident has occurred near a school in Peru's Ayacucho province .
The conditions of those injured in the incident is not immediately available . |
LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- The government of Peru on Friday declared a state of emergency in a remote northern area after a clash between police and indigenous people protesting what they say is the exploitation of their native lands left a number of people dead. Alberto Pizango, a leader of the protesters, says his followers did not kill police officers. Police and indigenous protesters said separately that at least eight police and 22 protesters died. The clash took place at dawn outside the northern province of Bagua in the Department of Amazonas as police attempted to break up a roadblock on the 59th day of protests. Foreign Minister Jose A. Garcia Belaunde told CNN en Español that the state of emergency was ordered to give the government the opportunity to re-establish order and reopen talks with the protesters. Under the state of emergency, the army can be called on to maintain order. "Look, the use of force is legitimate," he said. "Today, what we have received in response were gunshots -- directed at police helicopters, killing eight or nine police." But Alberto Pizango, the principal leader of the indigenous group, said his followers could not have been responsible for killing any police, because they were armed only with stones and arrows. He said the demonstrators had been pursuing a peaceful protest. Authorities have not confirmed the number of civilian deaths. The director general of the police, Jose Sanchez Farfan, said government buildings in Bagua had been looted and set aflame. Though a congressional commission has recommended the repeal of the laws rejected by the native communities, President Alan Garcia supports those that allow using the lands, maintaining that the richness of the Amazon belongs to all Peruvians and that a significant percentage of natural areas are already protected. "These people don't have crowns," he said about the protesters. "These people aren't first-class citizens who can say -- 400,000 natives to 28 million Peruvians -- 'You don't have the right to be here.' No way. That is a huge error." Garcia called Pizango a criminal. Several days ago, Garcia announced an arrest warrant had been issued for Pizango, who is accused of inciting his followers to violence. Journalist Maria Elena Belaunde contributed to this story from Lima. | [
"the police is attemting to break up a what?",
"Who attempted to break up a roadblock?",
"what does the goverment declares?",
"What did the Peruvian president say?",
"what does the indigenous people protest for?",
"When did violence flare?",
"Who declared a state of emergency?"
] | [
[
"a roadblock"
],
[
"police"
],
[
"state of emergency in a remote northern"
],
[
"'You don't have the right to be here.' No way. That is a huge error.\""
],
[
"exploitation of their native lands"
],
[
"at dawn"
],
[
"The government of Peru"
]
] | Violence flares as police attempt to break up a roadblock .
Government declares state of emergency in remote northern area .
Indigenous people protest what they call the exploitation of their native lands .
Peruvian president says land belongs to all the people of the country . |
LINCOLN, Nebraska (CNN) -- Lincoln Industries looks like a typical blue-collar plant: workers cutting, bending, plating and polishing steel for products such as motorcycle tailpipes and truck exhausts amid the din of machinery.
Howard Tegtmeier, right, leads co-workers in stretching before their shift starts at Lincoln Industries.
But the 565-employee Nebraska company is different.
Lincoln Industries has three full-time employees devoted to "wellness" and offers on-site massages and pre-shift stretching.
Most unusual of all: The company requires all employees to undergo quarterly checkups measuring weight, body fat and flexibility. It also conducts annual blood, vision and hearing tests.
"When you get the encouragement from somebody to help you with nutrition and to help with a more active lifestyle, it makes it easier to be able to attain a lifestyle that most people want to attain anyway," says Hank Orme, president of Lincoln Industries.
The program has been in place 16 years.
The company ranks workers on their fitness, from platinum, gold and silver down to "non-medal." To achieve platinum, they must reach fitness goals and be nonsmokers -- and the company offers smoking cessation classes.
For employees, reaching platinum means a three-day, company-paid trip each summer to climb a 14,000-foot peak in Colorado. This year, 103 qualified, the most ever. And 70 made the climb.
For the company, the payoff is significantly lower health-care costs. The company pays less than $4,000 per employee, about half the regional average and a savings of more than $2 million. That makes the $400,000 Lincoln Industries spends each year on wellness a bargain. Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta on wellness at work »
"The return on investment is extraordinary," Orme says.
The investment in "wellness" pays other dividends, according to Orme. He says fitter workers are more productive, have better morale and are safer. As evidence, he points to worker's compensation claims. Ongoing safety training and an increasingly fit work force have pushed worker's comp costs down from $500,000 five years ago to less than $10,000 so far this year.
Seven years ago, shift leader Howard Tegtmeier was in the non-medal category. The 49-year-old smoked, drank, was overweight and took 12 pills a day to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
"I just made the decision it was time to change my life, and the wellness program showed me ways to do that," Tegtmeier says.
Tegtmeier says he no longer smokes or drinks. His weight is down from 230 to 180, thanks to diet and exercise. His cholesterol and blood pressure are also down, and he says he no longer needs medication.
Tonya Vyhlidal, Wellness and Life Enhancement director, says Lincoln Industries doesn't pressure workers who don't want to participate. But sooner or later, she says, the company's "culture" attracts most employees to live healthier lives.
The company sponsors races, helps with gym memberships or exercise equipment, offers healthy choices in the vending machines and hosts classes on health and nutrition.
"There's a way to engage everyone. Even those that are really resistant," Vyhlidal says, adding that she'll offer employees suggestions based on what makes them feel fulfilled: "Do you like to ride a bike? Ride a bike. Do you like to cook? You may need a different cookbook."
This month, Tegtmeier and 69 co-workers climbed Mount Bierstadt, a 14,060-foot mountain. All of them reached the summit. It was Tegtmeier's fourth climb with the company.
"The view up here is wonderful," he said. | [
"What does the company president believe",
"What does the company grade employees on?",
"all the employees have quarterly checks of what?",
"What basis does the Nebraska company grade employees on?",
"What is the firm's per-employee health-care cost?",
"What frequency are the employees checked",
"What is quarterly checked?"
] | [
[
"\"When you get the encouragement from somebody to help you with nutrition and to help with a more active lifestyle, it makes it easier to be able to attain a lifestyle that most people want to attain anyway,\""
],
[
"fitness,"
],
[
"checkups measuring weight, body fat and flexibility."
],
[
"ranks workers"
],
[
"less than $4,000 per employee,"
],
[
"quarterly checkups"
],
[
"weight, body fat and flexibility."
]
] | Nebraska company grades employees on how healthy they are .
All employees have quarterly checks of weight, body fat and flexibility .
Firm's per-employee health-care cost is $4,000 annually, about half regional average .
Company president: Fitter workers more productive, have better morale, are safer . |
LINKENHOLT, England (CNN) -- Hidden away in the hills of Hampshire lies the village of Linkenholt. This idyllic community, home to just 50 people comes complete with grand Edwardian manor house, cricket pavilion and grounds, blacksmith's forge, rectory, shooting grounds, 22 houses and grade 2 listed cottages.
The current owner has ensured that houses are not sold off in the near future.
It's all one could ever want from a quintessential English village, and now it is on sale for $33 million.
Once owned by English cricketer Herbert Blagrave, the estate was left to his own charitable trust which has now put the entire village -- church not included -- up for sale. "That," joked local estate agent Tim Sherston, "is owned by God."
In times of financial downturn and falling house prices, the decision to sell up is curious. The trust says though it wants to free up the capital tied up in the estate so it can give more to charity on an annual basis.
Sherston maintains that Linkenholt is not only a rare opportunity; it is a sound buy. "Big time investors will look upon it as a safe haven to place their money because in five years you're going to see a great deal of appreciation here, so this is perfect." The new owner could also take away a significant income from the rent of the houses. Watch as village goes on sale »
Likely buyers are private individuals interested either in farming or the shoot, regarded as one of the finest in the south of England, according to Sherston. There has also been some foreign interest though he adds "the village is run very much as it has been for the last 200 to 300 years and it is the trustees' hope that the new owner will continue to run it in the same manner."
Provisions have been made by the trust to ensure the houses are not sold off in the near future. Only the manor house will be vacant for the new owner.
But locals do worry about their new landlord. The village thatcher Paul Raynsford told CNN: "I'd sooner not see a banker or someone who's going to asset strip it. I'd like to see a film star, pop star, footballer, someone who just wants to buy it so they can say 'I'm the lord of the manor.'"
Ray Smith, known locally as "the Sheriff," has worked as the estate's manager for 50 years. He says: "I'd like to see an Englishman live in the manor, run the farm and the shoot like it used to be."
Indeed, Linkenholt is idyllic; within the beautiful surroundings classified as an area of outstanding beauty, this is a village full of characters and local tales.
Ray's wife Elsie talks of how they met as teenagers cycling past each other everyday on the way to work along the same path. Stopping one day to help with her broken bike, they have been together ever since. He made the permanent move to Linkenholt when the keeper before him caused a local scandal when caught illegally shooting the ground's deer.
Two doors down lives Elsie's sister, who is married to Ray's brother. The sisters were born here, christened and later married in the church here, worked in the cricket club, and though their own children have moved further afield, they would never leave. Their father even died on Linkenholt's cricket ground during a game in the 1930s.
Having dedicated their lives to the village, the Smiths and childhood friend Alan Dewey, another original local, were given the houses in which they live by the trust. Ray adds: "I'm on holiday all the time. With a place like this to sit in the sun and look at all the views, I don't think you'd want to go anywhere else."
Though the media has shone a temporary light on Linkenholt, the hope after the arrival of the new owner is that the village will revert back to times of old, unspoilt and wonderfully English. | [
"What is the sale price of the village?",
"What is the name of the village?",
"What country is the village located in?",
"Where is up for sale!",
"What village is up for sale?",
"At what price is the village being sold for?",
"Who put village on market?"
] | [
[
"$33 million."
],
[
"Linkenholt."
],
[
"England"
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[
"Linkenholt."
],
[
"Linkenholt."
],
[
"$33 million."
],
[
"charitable trust"
]
] | Village of Linkenholt, in southern England, up for sale for $33 million .
Estate was left to a charitable trust that has put entire village on market .
Trust, villagers hope new owner will continue to run it in same manner . |
LITHIA SPRINGS, Georgia (CNN) -- As Zack Stephney stepped into the floodwaters last week, history washed over him. Thirty years after his father drowned in a rescue attempt, Zack Stephney helped save a woman whose car sank. The youngest of five children, he was only 8 when his father died. For three decades, he'd carried with him mere snapshots of memories: Family time at Christmas. Riding on the back of Dad's motorcycle. Tommie Stephney's love for drag-racing. But as the 37-year-old Douglasville, Georgia, man set out September 22 to try and save a woman whose car was swept away by rushing waters, he thought of his father's drowning. He, too, had fought to rescue people struggling against currents. That was in 1979. Tommie Stephney, a City of Atlanta employee, dove into the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, Georgia, to save canoeists who'd flipped their boat, his son said. He safely brought two to shore. The third, he said, panicked -- forcing them both under. It would be a week before his father's body was found. Dying in the massive floodwaters couldn't be Zack's fate. Certainly not this day. It was his mother Eva's 72nd birthday. Lord knows she didn't deserve news like that. 'All in a blink of an eye' Melissa Brooks was heading east en route to Dunwoody, Georgia, for an important morning meeting with her boss. She doesn't know why, but it simply didn't register with the Douglasville woman that she was the only one traveling along that stretch of I-20. No signs or barriers told her she shouldn't be there. The water up ahead? It simply looked like a puddle, albeit a big one, the kind that would send a huge spray flying. "I got halfway through it, and it took control of my car. It started taking me backwards -- all in a blink of an eye," she said Tuesday. "I knew I was in serious trouble." The Atlanta-area terminal for Werner Enterprises, a large trucking company off I-20 on Blairs Bridge Road, was abuzz that morning. Floodwater from nearby Sweetwater Creek had taken over a large swathe of the property, worse than they had ever seen. Nearly 30 mechanics had scrambled down to the lower lot to move about 100 semis, the water topping their tires. Some guys, including Stephney, a shop foreman who's been with Werner for nearly 19 years, looked out in wonder at the green space next to the lot, which had turned into a wide moving river. When they first saw the silver Mazda coming through the trees from the interstate, they laughed, thinking it had been carried out of someone's driveway. But after it hit a submerged fence and spun around, they spotted Brooks, 40, frantically waving. "My eyes zoomed in to see her fear," said Stephney. And as the car started to go under, he thought, "This woman is going to drown in front of us." Taking charge Brooks thought back to the movies she'd seen, kept the car running and hit the power button to lower the window before it was too late. She was a good swimmer, she knew that much, and with this knowledge -- and purse in hand, of course, she would recall with a laugh -- Brooks pushed herself into the torrent. The current, however, was stronger than she was. It pulled her where it wanted. She grabbed on to what appeared to be a small tree. "Hold on! Hold on!" Brooks heard their voices and held herself together. She wasn't crying, but she was scared for her life. The tree branches began breaking. Stephney had taken off running, back up to the parts room to grab a spool of 1,000-foot yellow nylon rope, the sort used to tie tarps over flatbeds. He threw on a fluorescent safety vest, so the men on shore could easily spot him in the filthy water | [
"What did the man rescue the woman from?",
"who enters flood to rescue woman?",
"In what state did the woman's car wash off I-20?",
"who hold rope to save woman?",
"which car is washed off?"
] | [
[
"drowning."
],
[
"Zack Stephney"
],
[
"Georgia,"
],
[
"Zack Stephney"
],
[
"Mazda"
]
] | Man enters flood to rescue woman, 30 years after father drowned saving others .
Woman's car washes off I-20 in Georgia, 'in a blink of an eye,' she says .
Co-workers hold rope while he goes in, trying to keep everyone calm .
Thoughts of his father and the 'what ifs' stay with him . |
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) -- Carlotta Walls LaNier points out the only two African-Americans in her senior class as she flips through her high school yearbook. She pauses when she sees the picture on a page dedicated to "Integration."
Carlotta Walls LaNier and eight other members of the Little Rock Nine are invited to Obama's inauguration.
It's been nearly five decades since LaNier graduated from Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.
"It shows how the 101st were on the grounds of the school," says LaNier.
In 1957, soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, an elite Army unit, escorted LaNier and eight other African-American students into the all-white public high school. The students, who became known as the Little Rock Nine, were taunted and threatened by an angry mob.
"We knew we could not participate in extracurricular activities," recalls LaNier. "There was one who could have been in the band, one who could have been on track. I was the one who played basketball ... I couldn't do that."
Back then, LaNier thought once the doors of equality were open it wouldn't be long before an African-American became president.
"I had hoped to see something like that in the next 10 or 15 years when I was in high school but that didn't happen," says LaNier.
What has happened is a new generation of students walks the halls at Central High. Even though the exterior looks the same as it did during integration -- the interior would be almost unrecognizable to LaNier and the other Little Rock Nine. Student: I can't believe it happened here, but I'm glad it did »
Today, the sea of mostly white faces has disappeared. The hallways are now filled with a more racially diverse student body. Students take a class to learn about the school's history and many say it's given them a greater appreciation for racial tolerance.
"Now it's definitely hard to imagine -- you walk into the halls and you see people of all different races are in the hallway. And in addition, the majority of our school is African-American now," points out Afshar Sanati, student body president. "It is hard for me to walk inside the school every day and see how this place could have been such a hostile environment for nine African-American students."
LaNier is still humble when she reflects on her experience.
"We all knew that we were giving up something for a bigger cause and [we were] happy that we did it," says LaNier. "Because it has been 51 years, I think they were baby steps now. But they were big steps then."
The steps taken by the Little Rock Nine were so big, in fact, they received personal invitations to attend President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.
"I think the Little Rock Nine set the foundation," says student Sarah Karney. "I don't think [Obama's election] could have happened without them."
Today, many students at Central High see themselves as the beneficiaries of an Obama presidency.
"Him being president means there actually is a chance for anyone to do what they want to do if they work hard enough," says Helena Liu, who says she doesn't see race when she looks at Obama.
"It doesn't depend on your race -- it depends on who you are, the quality of your character," says DeIvory Howard.
"[We've] got to get past just the color of our skins being newsworthy. It's really about all the things we knew we could do for this country and now we have the opportunity to show it and it's going to come through his leadership," says LaNier. "And, we're looking forward to that."
Senior Chris Bell couldn't agree more.
"This election proves that this America is just not the old America. It shows that America is ready for something different," says Bell. "I just | [
"In what year was the school mostly white?",
"in what year school was all white?",
"what is little rock nine"
] | [
[
"1957,"
],
[
"In 1957,"
],
[
"students,"
]
] | Carlotta Walls LaNier, eight others integrated Little Rock Central High School .
In 1957 school was all-white; today it's predominantly African-American .
"Little Rock Nine set the foundation" student says of Obama presidency .
LaNier hopes Americans will focus on a person's ability; not their race . |
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) -- Carlotta Walls LaNier points out the only two African-Americans in her senior class as she flips through her high school yearbook. She pauses when she sees the picture on a page dedicated to "Integration." Carlotta Walls LaNier and eight other members of the Little Rock Nine are invited to Obama's inauguration. It's been nearly five decades since LaNier graduated from Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. "It shows how the 101st were on the grounds of the school," says LaNier. In 1957, soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, an elite Army unit, escorted LaNier and eight other African-American students into the all-white public high school. The students, who became known as the Little Rock Nine, were taunted and threatened by an angry mob. "We knew we could not participate in extracurricular activities," recalls LaNier. "There was one who could have been in the band, one who could have been on track. I was the one who played basketball ... I couldn't do that." Back then, LaNier thought once the doors of equality were open it wouldn't be long before an African-American became president. "I had hoped to see something like that in the next 10 or 15 years when I was in high school but that didn't happen," says LaNier. What has happened is a new generation of students walks the halls at Central High. Even though the exterior looks the same as it did during integration -- the interior would be almost unrecognizable to LaNier and the other Little Rock Nine. Student: I can't believe it happened here, but I'm glad it did » Today, the sea of mostly white faces has disappeared. The hallways are now filled with a more racially diverse student body. Students take a class to learn about the school's history and many say it's given them a greater appreciation for racial tolerance. "Now it's definitely hard to imagine -- you walk into the halls and you see people of all different races are in the hallway. And in addition, the majority of our school is African-American now," points out Afshar Sanati, student body president. "It is hard for me to walk inside the school every day and see how this place could have been such a hostile environment for nine African-American students." LaNier is still humble when she reflects on her experience. "We all knew that we were giving up something for a bigger cause and [we were] happy that we did it," says LaNier. "Because it has been 51 years, I think they were baby steps now. But they were big steps then." The steps taken by the Little Rock Nine were so big, in fact, they received personal invitations to attend President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. "I think the Little Rock Nine set the foundation," says student Sarah Karney. "I don't think [Obama's election] could have happened without them." Today, many students at Central High see themselves as the beneficiaries of an Obama presidency. "Him being president means there actually is a chance for anyone to do what they want to do if they work hard enough," says Helena Liu, who says she doesn't see race when she looks at Obama. "It doesn't depend on your race -- it depends on who you are, the quality of your character," says DeIvory Howard. "[We've] got to get past just the color of our skins being newsworthy. It's really about all the things we knew we could do for this country and now we have the opportunity to show it and it's going to come through his leadership," says LaNier. "And, we're looking forward to that." Senior Chris Bell couldn't agree more. "This election proves that this America is just not the old America. It shows that America is ready for something different," says Bell. "I just | [
"how many integrated it?",
"what In 1957 school was all-white; today?",
"what school was integrated?",
"How many people integrated Little Rock Central High School?",
"where LaNier hopes Americans will focus?",
"In what year was the school all-white?",
"who integrated the high school?"
] | [
[
"two"
],
[
"Little Rock Central High"
],
[
"Little Rock Central High"
],
[
"Nine"
],
[
"got to get past just the color of our skins being newsworthy. It's really about all the things we knew we could do for this country and now we have the opportunity to show it and it's going to come through his leadership,\""
],
[
"In 1957,"
],
[
"Carlotta Walls LaNier and eight other members of the Little Rock Nine"
]
] | Carlotta Walls LaNier, eight others integrated Little Rock Central High School .
In 1957 school was all-white; today it's predominantly African-American .
"Little Rock Nine set the foundation" student says of Obama presidency .
LaNier hopes Americans will focus on a person's ability; not their race . |
LOCKERBIE, Scotland (CNN) -- Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi's fate hangs in the balance. The Libyan man convicted for the 1988 Lockerbie bombings has terminal prostate cancer and, according to his lawyers, just weeks to live. Mourners at the 20th anniversary memorial service for the victims of the Lockerbie bombing. Scotland's Justice Minister Frank MacAskill is weighing up whether to release him on compassionate grounds so he can die at home; to transfer him to a Libyan jail under a prisoner transfer agreement drawn up between Libya and the UK; or whether to keep him in a Scottish jail for the rest of his days. That is certainly the preferred option of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who last week wrote to Mr MacAskill urging him not to send Al Megrahi home. In Lockerbie itself, matters of politics seem far removed. George Stobbs was one of the first policemen on the scene when the Boeing 747 crashed into Sherwood Crescent. "I've never talked about the politics of the thing because I had no interest," he says. "People here aren't interested in the politics, they just want to carry on with their lives." Stobbs has vivid memories of the night of December 21, 1988 -- the "shortest and darkest night of the year," he says. "The houses were just slowly burning and more houses were catching fire. The windows were popping, the gutters were burning, everything was burning. It was like hell. I remember seeing a wrought iron gate in the distance and I remember it was dripping like molten butter, drip drip dripping away." At first Stobbs thought it was a military aircraft which had crashed into the town. Then he heard that the nose cone of a 747 had landed in a field three miles from Lockerbie and he knew that he was dealing with far greater numbers of dead. "We were told about the 747," he says, "and we realized we weren't looking for twenty people but for 300. But where were they?" There is a small memorial room beside the little church of Tundergarth, across the road from where the nose cone landed. Inside are inscriptions from visitors commemorating the huge loss of life and photographs of each of the 270 people who died in the Lockerbie bombing. "Gentle Lockerbie" reads one of the inscriptions from a family member who lost a loved one. "Some say the land there is now tainted, I say it is blessed." In the field itself there are no marks to suggest where the nose cone landed. The local farmer points to the horizon across the rolling Scottish hills. "Between here and the top of the hill, here on my father's farm, we found 120 bodies," he says. The force of the explosion and the wind that night blew bits of the plane, personal possessions and body parts across a vast area. Stobbs, and hundreds of policemen and other volunteers combed 845 square meters of land looking for clues as to what brought the plane down. Documents from the plane were even discovered in the North Sea, 60 miles away. The crucial piece of evidence that implicated Al Megrahi was a scrap of clothing wrapped around a part of the device used to detonate the suitcase bomb. It was traced back to a Maltese boutique whose shop-owner recognized Al Megrahi. Lockerbie local John Gair said he was never entirely convinced of Al Megrahi's guilt. "I did feel that some of the evidence was circumstantial," he says. "I think partly out of compassion and partly out of a possible element of doubt, he should be allowed out." As he looks down Sherwood Crescent at the neat rows of houses, not yet twenty years old, he says: "Life goes on and once a tragedy like this is over people pick up the threads of their lives. And they don't forget but they don't dwell on it. Because there's no earthly point in dwelling on any of this." 270 people from 21 nations lost their lives in the beautiful hills around Lockerbie | [
"what is the retired police inspector's name",
"How many square meters of land had to be combed?",
"did John Gair think Al Megrahl's guilty",
"Who was never entirely convinced of Al Megrahi's guilt?",
"Who recalls the scene of devastation?",
"How many years has it been since the air tagedy?"
] | [
[
"George Stobbs"
],
[
"845"
],
[
"he was never entirely convinced of"
],
[
"John Gair"
],
[
"George Stobbs"
],
[
"20th"
]
] | CNN's Diana Magnay travels to Lockerbie, Scotland 20 years on from the air tragedy .
Retired police inspector George Stobbs recalls the scene of devastation .
Hundreds of policemen and other volunteers combed 845 square meters of land .
Lockerbie local John Gair said he was never entirely convinced of Al Megrahi's guilt . |
LOGANVILLE, Georgia (CNN) -- The crowd cheered as Morgan Lawless faced her first pitch of the fall baseball season. Morgan Lawless, who has cerebral palsy, plays baseball at Bay Creek Park near Atlanta, Georgia. The 14-year-old middle-school student clenched her teeth as she swung the bat into a single. Instead of running to first base, Lawless zoomed over in her motorized wheelchair. Lawless has cerebral palsy. She's among nearly 300 children who play in a special-needs baseball league at Bay Creek Park in the Atlanta, Georgia, suburb of Loganville. "It's actually fun because we get to be kids and we can play like regular people," Lawless said. What's different about this ballpark is that the field is made of a rubberized material that allows for easier movement in wheelchairs. "We started out on a dirt field," said league founder Cathy Smith. "But power wheelchairs and dirt don't mix." Smith helped raise some of the half-million dollars in private and county funding needed to build the field in 2004. She said she gets goosebumps whenever she watches the young players come across home plate. "The grin and smile on their faces just says it all." Coach Tom Estes joined the program eight years ago with his now-15-year-old son, Justin, who has cerebral palsy. Estes noted that some of the players, like his son, use a wheelchair, but others with autism, Down syndrome and multiple sclerosis are ambulatory. Health Minute: Watch more on special needs baseball » During a game, the children are paired with young helpers from another local baseball league. No special skills are required to participate, Estes said. "If we have to help them hit, help them run, help them catch, we are simply here to let them play baseball." The coaches have taken extra precautions to make sure no one gets hurt. The players wear batting helmets, and a coach feeds large, softball-sized rubber balls into a pitching machine to control the direction. There are no umpires, and no one really keeps score. "We have a lot of tie ball games," Estes chuckled. The games are short, just two innings, but everyone gets to play. "It's not about competition as much as it is about the ability to just do what other kids do," said Mike Lawless, Morgan's father. He said his daughter looks forward to the games all week. So does Estes' son. "Until you get involved, you don't realize the closed life they live," Tom Estes said. Being part of the team gives the players a sense of independence and self control and gets them outside in the fresh air, he said. "They're out here doing the same thing as the other kids. They really don't do that on a normal basis." The weekly games also give the kids something to brag about in school on Monday morning, Estes said. "They hear everyone else talking about it...and my son can say, 'Yeah, I hit a home run yesterday, too. It was great.' " Justin Estes seemed to take all the attention in stride. And what does he think is the best part about playing baseball? Pointing past his wheelchair to the smooth surface of the field, he said simply, "No ruts." | [
"300 children are in what league?"
] | [
[
"special-needs baseball"
]
] | Special-needs baseball league near Atlanta has nearly 300 children .
Some players use a wheelchair, but others are ambulatory .
Field is made of a rubberized material that allows wheelchairs to move more easily .
There are no umpires, and no one really keeps score . |
LONDON (CNN) -- Did President Obama land a Nobel peace prize at such an early stage of his presidency simply because he's not George W. Bush? A "surprised and humbled" Obama said he would accept the Nobel peace prize as a "call to action." Diplomatic circles are certainly not dismissing such a notion and a "surprised and humbled" Obama has himself agreed that the award (for which nominations had to be submitted only two weeks after his inauguration) can hardly have been a recognition of anything he has yet accomplished. It is a prize for aspiration rather than achievement. One of the best deliberate laughs Bush obtained in his last days in office came when he expressed himself pleased at the street reception during his attendance at a NATO summit in Romania. "A lot of the crowd were waving... some of them with all five fingers," he said. Bush was acknowledging that many in Old Europe at least could not wait to say goodbye to a man whom they saw as a Cold Warrior at heart, the president who had led the world into a disastrous intervention in Iraq and a man heading a gas-guzzling nation who was not prepared to help the world cope with climate change. For many Europeans, the chief concern through the long, drawn-out race for the Democratic nomination and through the presidential election was that the result should give them anybody but Bush. Watch reaction in Europe to Obama's award They were uneasy about his missile defense shield plans to base U.S. military installations in Poland and the Czech Republic. They felt he had never lived up to his pledge to work as hard on the Middle East peace process as Tony Blair had done on bringing peace to Northern Ireland. Especially they felt that the internment camp at Guantanamo Bay and the "extraordinary rendition" to countries where terror suspects might have been tortured was an affront to democracy which besmirched the reputation not only of the U.S. but of its allies, too. Europeans were alarmed that Bush seemed to be encouraging the climate change deniers. And although he became readier to listen to his European allies during his second term, they never really took to the man whose instinctive response was to use America's military might in the world's trouble spots rather than to stay at the negotiating table and who had little time for the United Nations. Couple that with the words in the Norwegian Nobel Committee's citation that the peace prize is being awarded to Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples" and that they have "attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons," and the message is clear. Unusually, this is a world statesman being rewarded not for what he has done but for representing a new beginning. As Mikhail Gorbachev was quick to point out, the Obama presidency is a big signal -- "He has given hope." By commenting approvingly that Obama has created a new climate in international politics, with emphasis on the role of diplomacy and of the United Nations, the Nobel Committee is clearly encouraging the new president, after just eight months in office, to continue with a style that Europeans find much more comfortable than that of Bush and the neo-conservatives. Those who worked with Bush are likely to feel aggrieved and to maintain that they, too, were working for the extension of democracy for which Obama is now being commended. As Europe digested the news of the prize, nobody wanted to go public with critical comment on a man who is still seen across Europe as a beacon of hope. But there were off-the-record mutters that this was all somewhat premature. Cool heads were noting that while intentions have been expressed, there has been no significant progress yet on the Middle East peace process. The proposed closedown of Guantanamo Bay has been announced but it has not happened. There are still large numbers of American troops in Iraq and the numbers in Afghanistan are likely to be increased. While Obama has spoken of his hope of agreeing with Russia on a reduction in the number of nuclear warheads | [
"what did obama receive",
"Who said Obama had created favorable international political climate?",
"what should obama be saluted for",
"What prize did Obama earn?",
"who hoped bush's successor would be different",
"What did Nobel committee say?",
"Who's Nobel prize was an award for aspiration rather than achievement?"
] | [
[
"Nobel peace prize"
],
[
"the Norwegian Nobel Committee's"
],
[
"\"for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples\""
],
[
"Nobel peace"
],
[
"Europeans,"
],
[
"the peace prize is being awarded to Obama \"for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples\""
],
[
"Obama"
]
] | Oakley: Obama's Nobel an award for aspiration rather than achievement .
Europeans had hopes that Bush's successor would be different .
Nobel committee said Obama had created favorable international political climate .
Some commentators say Obama should be saluted for effort but not yet a Nobel . |
LONDON (CNN) -- Iran offered to stop attacking coalition troops in Iraq nearly four years ago in an attempt to get the West to accept Tehran's nuclear program, a British diplomat told the BBC in an interview aired Saturday.
John Sawers, British ambassador to the U.N., told BBC of Iran approaching Western nations with offer.
"The Iranians wanted to be able to strike a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear program -- 'We stop killing you in Iraq, stop undermining the political process there, you allow us to carry on with our nuclear program without let or hindrance," said John Sawers, now the British ambassador to the United Nations, in the documentary, "Iran and the West: Nuclear Confrontation."
The United States and other Western nations believe Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, but Iran says it is developing nuclear capability to produce energy. Iran also has been accused of sponsoring terrorists and supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents. The latter prompted a warning from the United States that such behavior by Tehran "would be regarded by us as enemy action," Philip Zelikow, a State Department counselor, told the BBC.
Then, Iran began shopping its offer around Europe, Sawers said.
Sawers, Britain's political director at the time, reveals the behind-the-scene talks from 2005 -- when roadside bombing against British and American soldiers in Iraq peaked -- were held with British, French and German diplomats at hotels in London, Paris and Berlin.
"And then we'd compare notes among the three of us," Sawers told the BBC.
The British government dismissed the offer and Iran's nuclear enrichment program restarted once again, the BBC reports
Iran has denied offering any such deal and reiterated its position Saturday.
"Iran's high officials have repeatedly stated that Iran has not had any part in attacks against American and British forces, and there is no evidence to support these baseless accusations," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency.
Interviews with top brass from former President Bush's administration and British envoys indicate that Iran and the West had neared agreements several times in the past few years, but never reached success.
Nick Burns, who was in charge of the Bush administration's State Department policy with Iran, said taking a tough approach with Iran didn't seem effective.
"We had advocated regime change," Burns told the BBC. "We had a very threatening posture towards Iran for a number of years. It didn't produce any movement whatsoever."
The documentary aired a day after the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report stating that Iranian scientists have reached "nuclear weapons breakout capability." The report analyzed the finding of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
However, an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data, saying Iran's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium (HEU) in order to be weapons-grade material. That hasn't been done, the official said.
Meanwhile, Iran's relationship with the West continues to be strained, though both sides have indicated interest in holding direct talks.
President Obama, in his first prime-time news conference held earlier this month, said the United States is looking for opportunities for "face-to-face" talks with Iran after an absence of diplomatic ties for nearly three decades.
"There's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it's not going to happen overnight," he said.
And Iran's powerful parliament speaker and former nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has called the Obama administration "an exceptional opportunity for Americans." | [
"When did Iran approach diplomats with an offer?",
"What does Iran deny?",
"Who has hinted at direct talks?",
"What nationality are the diplomats?",
"When Iran approached diplomats nearly four years ago, what terms did they discuss?",
"Where did the allegations come from that Iran was involved in the fighting in Iraq?",
"Who made the allegations?"
] | [
[
"nearly four years ago"
],
[
"denied offering any such deal"
],
[
"both sides have indicated interest in holding"
],
[
"British, French and German"
],
[
"a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear program"
],
[
"United States and other Western nations"
],
[
"The United States and other Western nations"
]
] | Iran approached diplomats with offer nearly four years ago, BBC told .
Diplomat: Iran offered to stand down in Iraq if West would accept its nuke program .
Iran denies involvement in fighting in Iraq, says allegations are "baseless"
Despite strained relations, Obama administration has hinted at direct talks . |
LONDON (CNN) -- Iran offered to stop attacking coalition troops in Iraq nearly four years ago in an attempt to get the West to accept Tehran's nuclear program, a British diplomat told the BBC in an interview aired Saturday. John Sawers, British ambassador to the U.N., told BBC of Iran approaching Western nations with offer. "The Iranians wanted to be able to strike a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear program -- 'We stop killing you in Iraq, stop undermining the political process there, you allow us to carry on with our nuclear program without let or hindrance," said John Sawers, now the British ambassador to the United Nations, in the documentary, "Iran and the West: Nuclear Confrontation." The United States and other Western nations believe Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, but Iran says it is developing nuclear capability to produce energy. Iran also has been accused of sponsoring terrorists and supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents. The latter prompted a warning from the United States that such behavior by Tehran "would be regarded by us as enemy action," Philip Zelikow, a State Department counselor, told the BBC. Then, Iran began shopping its offer around Europe, Sawers said. Sawers, Britain's political director at the time, reveals the behind-the-scene talks from 2005 -- when roadside bombing against British and American soldiers in Iraq peaked -- were held with British, French and German diplomats at hotels in London, Paris and Berlin. "And then we'd compare notes among the three of us," Sawers told the BBC. The British government dismissed the offer and Iran's nuclear enrichment program restarted once again, the BBC reports Iran has denied offering any such deal and reiterated its position Saturday. "Iran's high officials have repeatedly stated that Iran has not had any part in attacks against American and British forces, and there is no evidence to support these baseless accusations," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. Interviews with top brass from former President Bush's administration and British envoys indicate that Iran and the West had neared agreements several times in the past few years, but never reached success. Nick Burns, who was in charge of the Bush administration's State Department policy with Iran, said taking a tough approach with Iran didn't seem effective. "We had advocated regime change," Burns told the BBC. "We had a very threatening posture towards Iran for a number of years. It didn't produce any movement whatsoever." The documentary aired a day after the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report stating that Iranian scientists have reached "nuclear weapons breakout capability." The report analyzed the finding of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data, saying Iran's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium (HEU) in order to be weapons-grade material. That hasn't been done, the official said. Meanwhile, Iran's relationship with the West continues to be strained, though both sides have indicated interest in holding direct talks. President Obama, in his first prime-time news conference held earlier this month, said the United States is looking for opportunities for "face-to-face" talks with Iran after an absence of diplomatic ties for nearly three decades. "There's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it's not going to happen overnight," he said. And Iran's powerful parliament speaker and former nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has called the Obama administration "an exceptional opportunity for Americans." | [
"Which country is there fighting happening?",
"What country has a nuke program?",
"What was the condition upon which Iran offered to stand down?",
"What does Iran want West to accept?",
"What did Iran offer to do?",
"When did Iran approach diplomats with the offer?",
"What did Iran approach?"
] | [
[
"Iraq"
],
[
"Tehran's"
],
[
"carry on with our nuclear program without let or hindrance,\""
],
[
"Tehran's nuclear program,"
],
[
"stop attacking coalition troops in Iraq"
],
[
"nearly four years ago"
],
[
"Western nations"
]
] | Iran approached diplomats with offer nearly four years ago, BBC told .
Diplomat: Iran offered to stand down in Iraq if West would accept its nuke program .
Iran denies involvement in fighting in Iraq, says allegations are "baseless"
Despite strained relations, Obama administration has hinted at direct talks . |
LONDON (CNN) -- The latest video from Somalia's al Qaeda-backed Al-Shabaab wing is as slickly produced as a reality TV show but with a startling message -- complete with a hip-hop jihad vibe. Experts think Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, dubbed "The American" by al Qaeda, speaks in the Somali video. "Mortar by mortar, shell by shell, only going to stop when I send them to hell," the unidentified voice raps on the video, which runs at least 18 minutes. The video also shows a man reported to be Abu Mansoor al-Amriki, dubbed "The American" by al Qaeda. He apparently is now in Somalia training and counseling Somalis from North America and Europe. He speaks in American English. "Away from your family, away from our friends, away from ice, candy bars, all those things is because we're waiting to meet the enemy," says the man believed to be al-Amriki. Watch part of the video » Intelligence experts say the video was probably made in recent weeks and comes on the heels of an audio message in March purportedly from Osama bin Laden. In that recording, the al Qaeda leader calls on his "Muslim brothers in Mujahid Somalia" to overthrow President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed for cooperating with the West. Al-Shabaab is the militant Islamic wing in Somalia. It means "Youth" in Arabic. "We're seeing perhaps their most sophisticated attempt so far to really reach an audience of potential recruits in America, and that's one of the things that made that video very significant," said Ben Venzke of the IntelCenter, a Washington-based research group that tracks al Qaeda's development and messages. "They're casting it in a way that's going to speak to the youth of today," Venzke said. "Most of the time, what we're seeing in their videos directly parallels what the groups are doing operationally, what they are targeting, where they're recruiting." Sheik Ahmed Matan knows that firsthand. A respected member of Britain's Somali community, Matan said he knows of hundreds of young Somali men who have returned to Somalia for terrorist training. "A lot of young people from here, from America, from Canada, from everywhere from Europe -- they went there," he said. He added that these men are capable of being sent back home to conduct terrorist operations, even suicide bombings. "It can be, they can train anytime and send them here, anytime," Matan said. Somalis from North America and Europe are beginning to come to terms with the problem of recruitment, he said. The United States and British governments say Somalia is an emerging terror hot spot, which could pose a threat beyond its borders. Matan said he often challenges "recruiters" at mosques and elsewhere in Britain, demanding that they stop brainwashing younger Somalis about Islam. He said the government should play a greater role in monitoring what is said and done at these mosques -- but, he concedes, doing so has proved highly controversial in Britain and throughout Europe. There is some evidence that al Qaeda is successfully preying on some of those with Western backgrounds. One of them was a business student from London who suddenly left for Somalia. He surfaced about 18 months ago on a martyrdom video, just before blowing himself up in southern Somalia, killing at least 20 people, officials say. U.S. Defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said months ago that one of their worst nightmares would be al Qaeda operating freely in Somalia. Now that nightmare continues, with Somalis in North America and Europe admitting that al Qaeda's reach is spreading. Venzke said Al-Shabaab has put out more videos than ever before in the past year. "If that's what they're doing publicly, we can only assume how their operations have developed," he said. | [
"What is Al Qaeda's group goal?",
"who is group trying to reach",
"What musical genre are they using to reach people?",
"Who sent a purported message to Somalia?",
"What is Bin Laden's message on Somalia?",
"Who is involved in the hip-hop jihad rap?",
"what did the video come on the heels of",
"Where is Al Qaeda's Somali arm trying to get recruits?"
] | [
[
"overthrow President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed for cooperating with the West."
],
[
"audience of potential recruits in America,"
],
[
"hip-hop jihad vibe."
],
[
"Abu Mansoor al-Amriki,"
],
[
"\"Mortar by mortar, shell by shell, only going to stop when I send them to hell,\""
],
[
"Somalia's al Qaeda-backed Al-Shabaab wing"
],
[
"in March purportedly from Osama bin Laden."
],
[
"America,"
]
] | Al Qaeda's Somali arm has hip-hop jihad rap and message from "American"
Intel expert says group is trying "to reach audience of potential recruits in America"
Video comes on the heels of purported bin Laden message on Somalia . |
LONDON (England) -- CNN -- When CSKA Moscow lifted the UEFA Cup in 2005, becoming the first Russian team to win a European trophy, manager Valeri Gazzaev described it as "a landmark victory for Russian football." Andrei Arshavin has become Russia's first football superstar since the Soviet era. Three years later, Zenit St Petersburg matched the achievement a month before the Russian national team reached the semifinals of Euro 2008. After years on the margins, Russian football was back in the limelight. Jonathan Wilson, author of "Behind the Curtain, Travels in Eastern European Football," told CNN that recent successes mark a renaissance of Russian football. A far-cry from the early years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, when teams previously funded by state bodies -- such as the police force or the army -- were left chronically short of money. Wilson said that under communist rule Spartak Moscow had been funded by a trade union representing catering workers and were less directly dependant on state support than other Russian clubs. Consequently, when the Russian Premier League was formed in 1992, Spartak found themselves in a better position than many of their rivals and stormed on to win nine of the first 10 titles up for grabs. See photos of Russia's post-Soviet football stars. » While Spartak flourished, the rest of the division remained in desperate need of money; that is, until a new source of funding came in the shape of Russia's rising force of oligarchs -- men who had amassed fortunes buying cheap but highly profitable energy companies These oligarchs and energy corporations now play a vital role in funding the game. Zenit St Petersburg is backed by Gazprom, the world's biggest producer and exporter of natural gas and Spartak Moscow has oil and gas company Lukoil as its primary sponsor. CSKA Moscow's 2005 UEFA Cup triumph was financed by Sibneft, whose majority shareholder at the time was Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, currently the 51st richest man in the world according to Forbes.com. Abramovich's cash meant the club could afford to sign quality foreign players, including Brazilian internationals Daniel Carvalho and the free-scoring Vagner Love. Other examples of imported talent includes Dynamo Moscow's signing of Champions League winners Maniche and Costinha from FC Porto in 2005, and Zenit St Petersburg capturing Portuguese midfielder Danny for a reported league record of $40 million. There are so many foreign players in Russia that Premier League regulations now limit clubs to fielding no more than six foreign players at a time. What are your views of Russian football? Sound off below. But the injection of money into the Russian game isn't only useful for buying foreign talent, Wilson says the national game is also having a revival because of the oligarchs' money. Abramovich funds Russia's National Football Academy, which, along with providing plastic pitches and coaches for young footballers, is also responsible for paying the wages of national team coach Guus Hiddink. Dutchman Hiddink led Russia to the semifinals of Euro 2008, with the team having never made it past the first round of international competition prior to his appointment in 2006. Marc Bennetts, author of "Football Dynamo", about the state of Russian football, is based in Moscow. He told CNN that Hiddink's arrival was a turning point in the national team's fortunes. "Hiddink really shook up the national football team. He left out some of the veterans and began picking players who were young and fresh, like Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko," he said. In Arshavin Russia has found its first football superstar since the Soviet era. He signed for English club Arsenal in February 2009 and has made an instant impact in the English Premier League. Bennetts says one cloud on the horizon is that Russian football's dependence on energy companies means the global economic crisis and low oil prices could have a negative impact on the sport. But if the oligarchs keep supplying the Roubles, there's no reason why Russian football won't continue to blossom. | [
"What sport are Oligarchs supporting?",
"What is a new era for?",
"Name Russia's newest stars",
"When did Russian clubs face a funding crisis?",
"What is brought into the game?",
"What did Russians clubs face?"
] | [
[
"Russian football.\""
],
[
"Russian football?"
],
[
"Andrei Arshavin"
],
[
"after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,"
],
[
"the injection of money"
],
[
"desperate need of money;"
]
] | Recent UEFA Cup successes mark a "new era" for Russian football .
When the Soviet Union broke up, Russian clubs faced a funding crisis .
Oligarchs now back many Russian teams, bringing money into the game .
Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko are Russia's newest stars . |
LONDON, (England) CNN -- Natalia Vodianova is best known as the supermodel who has graced the cover of Vogue, walked the catwalk for the likes of Chanel and Versace. Supermodel Natalia Vodianova's charity plans to build hundreds of play parks for children in her native Russia. But Vodianova has a dream that couldn't be further from the glitzy world of fashion -- to build 500 play parks in her native Russia. Vodianova, born and raised in Russia, was in the country during the 2004 Beslan school siege, in which at least 339 hostages, around half of them children, were killed. Deeply affected by the tragedy she returned to New York, where she was living at the time, determined to do something to help the surviving children. Vodianova organized a fundraising event that generated $350,000 to build the children a playground and she founded her charity, the "Naked Heart Foundation." With an ethos that play is not only therapeutic for children, but a necessity, the foundation aims to provide playgrounds for Russia's urban youth. So far the charity has built 23 playgrounds around the country, starting in her home town of Nizhnii Novgorod, and there are 15 more in the pipeline. "For me, since I started my charity, it has been a very different way of life," Vodianova told CNN. Watch Vodianova take CNN around Moscow » "Giving back just feels so great. I always try to open each play park with myself present for the children, because it makes it more special for them. I go to very remote parts of Russia are far from Moscow and it gives these children an extra message of love." For Vodianova, this is just the start. She told CNN that her dream is to build 500 play parks in Russia. The charity's play parks can cost anywhere between $27,000 and $400,000, depending on their size and range of play equipment. Vodianova admits, "It's a big dream -- an expensive one!" When it comes to fundraising, Vodianova's secret weapon is her connections in the fashion world. Last year she organized a "Love Ball" in Moscow -- a Valentine's Day fundraiser that counted among the guests the likes of designer Valentino, actress Lucy Liu, singer Natalie Imbruglia, and supermodel Eva Herzigova. See photos of "The Love Ball." » The event was held in a former royal residence, Moscow's 16th century Tsaritsino Estate. It featured an ice palace made from 220 tons of ice and music provided by British band Razorlight, among others. The highlight was a Valentine's-themed auction, with lots including a private performance from rock star Bryan Adams, bought for $120,000, and a painting by British artist Damien Hirst called "Love is All Around," which sold for $1.6 million. The auction alone raised $6.7 million for the charity. Vodianova admits that the global economic crisis is making it harder to get sponsorship for this year's event and says it will be more low-key than last year. "We are not going to make it a very extravagant event; it's very disrespectful of what's going on in the world right now, with the recession and a lot of people losing their jobs. "We're not gong to spend a lot of money on it, but it's important to keep going," she told CNN. With a husband and three young children, Vodianova says it can be hard to divide her time between family, career and her charity. She describes her charity work as a 24-hour job. "I feel a huge sense of responsibility for my foundation because it's really very important to me. Somehow it became my most difficult baby to raise," she says. But she has no doubt about the value of her work, both for Russia's children and herself. "The biggest thing I can do for my soul is to hear that laughter and to see all these children that come and play on the play parks that my foundation built." CNN Producer Deborah | [
"Who runs the Naked Heart Foundation?",
"What is her dream?",
"what was the love ball",
"What does Vodianova run?",
"Where was the Love Ball held?",
"What is Vodianova's dream?",
"What was the name of the fundraising event?",
"where is the event held?",
"what is her dream?",
"What was the \"Love Ball\"?",
"What is Natalia Vodianova's dream?",
"what is the supermodel name?",
"What is the aim of the foundation?",
"Where was the \"Love Ball\" held?",
"Who runs the \"Naked Heart Foundation\"?"
] | [
[
"Natalia Vodianova's"
],
[
"to build 500 play parks in"
],
[
"Valentine's Day fundraiser"
],
[
"\"Naked Heart Foundation.\""
],
[
"Moscow"
],
[
"to build 500 play parks in her native Russia."
],
[
"\"Naked Heart Foundation.\""
],
[
"Tsaritsino Estate."
],
[
"to build 500 play parks in"
],
[
"Valentine's Day fundraiser"
],
[
"to build 500 play parks in her native Russia."
],
[
"Natalia Vodianova"
],
[
"to provide playgrounds for Russia's urban youth."
],
[
"Moscow"
],
[
"Natalia Vodianova"
]
] | Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova runs the "Naked Heart Foundation"
Her dream is for the foundation to build 500 play parks across Russia .
The "Love Ball" was a celebrity-filled fundraising event held in Moscow . |
LONDON, England -- A new drug for melanoma has been shown to rapidly shrink malignant tumors in an early trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York. New drug inhibits BRAF, the main driver of mutation in over 50 percent of melanomas. Among 27 patients whom the experimental new drug was tested on, "19 showed a 30 percent or greater reduction in tumor size," Dr. Paul Chapman, the lead researcher told CNN from a cancer conference in Berlin. Melanoma develops in cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color, and is the most serious type of skin cancer. Currently the standard treatment for metastatic malignant melanoma is chemotherapy, which has only a 15 percent success rate, Chapman explained. In his trial using PLX4032 over 70 percent of patients had a response to the drug. "Without reservation we can say this is a breakthrough in melanoma. We haven't seen a major breakthrough in this disease in the last 40 years," said Professor Alexander Eggermont, President of the European Cancer Organization. Seventy-five percent of the patients who were treated with PLX4032 had already received multiple treatments of other cancer drugs, all of which had failed. Two-thirds of those patients also already had what Eggermont described as "very widespread metastatic disease." "There were patients who were on oxygen or on continuous morphine who were off the morphine after one or two weeks of treatment," Eggermont told CNN. Two patients, he said, even showed complete remission, such that all detectable melanoma "melted away." The other two major benefits of PLX4032 are that it can be taken orally as a pill and seems to have very mild side effects. The PLX4032 complex works by blocking the activity of cancer-causing mutation of the BRAF gene, which is implicated in more than half of all melanomas. Eggermont praised the drug for being highly-selective unlike traditional "dirty" cancer drugs that have a wide range of side-effects. "The side effect profile looks very mild and we think it's because it's such a clean, super selective molecule and it's an oral drug, and that's a great asset," he said. Peter Hirth, CEO of the drug's maker Plexxikon explained that it is because PLX4032 is such a highly selective compound that "doctors can adjust the dosage to really shut down tumors," whereas other cancer treatment drugs are frequently limited from working to their full potential because patients cannot tolerate their toxicity levels. PLX4032 is not a cure, but offers hope for alleviating symptoms and extending life. "I've never seen this before in melanoma," Chapman said referring to the successful findings. "One thing we don't know is how long these response are going to last," he added. The next step will now be to test the drug in a larger trial of almost 700 people, scheduled to begin this month and to be completed by the end of the year. Then a randomized test comparing chemotherapy treatment with PLX4032 therapy will need to occur before. Currently that is slated to take place across North American, Europe and Australia in the first quarter of 2010. "We are working to make sure that within the shortest time possible we will satisfy the needs of FDA to get this drug available to melanoma patients as quickly as possible," Eggermont said. Early responses from peers have been supportive. In a statement Dr. Kat Arney said that "Cancer Research UK and others have been investigating drugs that can block faulty BRAF, so it is interesting to see the results from a small-scale trial of such a drug. Melanoma is a very difficult cancer to treat and the results of this early-stage trial are promising, but larger trials need to be done before we know for sure how effective this treatment is." | [
"What is PLX4032?",
"What is needed to confirm results?",
"What is the treatment for?",
"What is the result of the experiment of the new skin cancer treatment?"
] | [
[
"cancer drugs,"
],
[
"larger trials"
],
[
"melanoma"
],
[
"rapidly shrink malignant tumors"
]
] | Experimental new skin cancer treatment shows 70 percent effectiveness .
PLX4032 inhibits BRAF, the driving mutation in more than half of melanomas .
Unlike chemotherapy the drug can be taken orally and has mild side effects .
Larger trials are needed to confirm results and test safety . |
LONDON, England -- Almost 25,000 people will die this year of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar unless lifesaving treatment is significantly increased, according to a new report.
A Doctors Without Borders worker handing out HIV/AIDS drugs in Myanmar.
The study produced by leading international humanitarian organization, Doctors Without Borders said the failure by the government to provide HIV/AIDS treatment to its people is putting the population at risk.
An estimated 240,000 people are thought to have HIV/AIDS in Myanmar with 76,000 of those people facing death unless they receive antiretroviral (ART) drug, the report published Tuesday said.
Fewer than 20 percent of the people are are able to access ART, according to the organization.
Currently, Doctors Without Borders says it is almost the sole provider of these lifesaving drugs --providing them to more than 11,000 people.
"It is unacceptable that a single NGO is treating the vast majority of HIV patients in a crisis of this magnitude," the charity's Operations Manager Joe Belliveau, said in a press release.
The pressure on its resources means the charity has been forced to turn away patients.
"Sometimes I wake up at midnight and dream of my patients. Women who come in are HIV positive --they have three children at home and the husband has passed away and we cannot provide any treatment for them," a doctor quoted in the research said.
The government and international communities have provided very little to the crisis, Belliveau added.
The government of Myanmar allocated just $200,000 for HIV/AIDS in 2008, which is one of the lowest amount spent worldwide, according to Doctors Without Borders.
Drugs that are not provided by aid organizations or the government cost a patient $29 per month. With most people in Myanmar living on an average of $1.20 per day, the cost of drugs is unaffordable for most.
The charity also appealed for intervention by the international community to avert the crisis. Myanmar currently receives around $3 per person in aid-- one of the lowest rates worldwide.
One reason for this may be that international donor groups are reluctant to send aid to Myanmar, a country run by a strict military junta widely criticized for its atrocious human rights record.
The report states aid agencies may be put off by challenges Myanmar imposes such as strict constraints and difficult bureaucratic procedures.
Earlier this year when a deadly cyclone hit Myanmar that killed almost 100,000 people and left millions homeless, the government turned away international aid to the frustration of many organizations.
Doctors Without Borders has been providing essential healthcare services in Myanmar since 1993 and began an integrated program in 2003 to support people living with HIV/AIDS. | [
"What will happen if peple do not get treatment?",
"How many people will die if they don't get treatment?",
"What does the report say?",
"What do Doctors Without Borders need?",
"how many people will die this year?",
"What does a report say?"
] | [
[
"die"
],
[
"25,000"
],
[
"treatment is significantly increased,"
],
[
"intervention by the international community to avert the crisis."
],
[
"Almost 25,000"
],
[
"Almost 25,000 people will die this year of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar"
]
] | HIV/AIDS treatment in Myanmar needs to improve drastically says a report .
More than 25,000 people will die this year if these people don't get treatment .
Doctors Without Borders is almost the sole supplier of aid and need funding .
Government and international community need to give more money . |
LONDON, England -- American basketball is planning to create up to five new European franchises who would compete for the NBA Championship, according to a report by Sports Illustrated. NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant may soon be seen on a regular basis in Europe. The astonishing claims come hard on the heels of plans by the football's English Premier League to play matches overseas and underline the growing trend of globalization in major sports leagues. This was further evidenced by Super Bowl champions New York Giants playing a regular NFL season game against the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, but the NBA's leaked plans go far beyond that. A report on the Sports Illustrated Web site, says NBA commisioner David Stern will reveal his proposals on the eve of the All-Star Game in New Orleans this weekend. The plans are understood to include the formation of a European division with five new teams in major markets. The teams would play a full 82-game schedule and compete for the NBA championship. It is not the first time that Stern has entertained the concept of overseas expansion. He broached the idea in 2003, saying at the time that the league would look into European expansion within a decade. Those plans were scrapped, however, with the NBA instead focusing on developing its relationship with China and other emerging basketball markets. The number of European and overseas players has steadily increased in the NBA and basketball enjoys a particularly high profile in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and the Balkans. The NBA has played regular-season games in Japan and Mexico, and played exhibition contests this season in London and Rome. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is doubtful for Sunday's All-Star game with a damaged finger. Bryant, who dislocated his right pinkie last week, scored 29 points in 35 minutes in Wednesday's 117-92 win at Minnesota. Bryant sat out the fourth quarter and had the finger X-rayed after the game. E-mail to a friend | [
"When will David Stern make the announcement?",
"what will david stern announce?",
"Who are the prospective NBA teams?",
"What person is the NBA commissioner ?",
"Where has the NBA played internaionally?",
"what country is opening a new division of the nba?",
"Who does Sports Illustrated claim will announce expansion plans?",
"Up to how many teams more is the NBA planning to expand?",
"Will the NBA be planning a European division?",
"Where have the nba played exhibition games in the past?"
] | [
[
"on the eve of the All-Star Game in New Orleans this weekend."
],
[
"his proposals"
],
[
"European franchises"
],
[
"David Stern"
],
[
"Mexico,"
],
[
"England"
],
[
"David Stern"
],
[
"five"
],
[
"American basketball is planning to create up to five new European franchises"
],
[
"London"
]
] | The NBA is planning a European division of up to five teams claims a report .
Sports Illustrated say commissioner David Stern will announce expansion plan .
NBA has previously played exhibition games in overseas countries . |
LONDON, England -- Lewis Hamilton has escaped punishment after allegations of erratic driving behind the safety car in the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend. Vettel ran into the back of Webber when they were racing behind Hamilton. The FIA ruled that Hamilton would suffer no penalty after inquiring into the accident when Sebastian Vettel crashed into Mark Webber in Fuji. Vettel's original 10-place penalty on the Chinese Grand Prix starting grid was replaced with a reprimand. The stewards studied film of the incident, including amateur video footage, before announcing their verdict. They said: "Having heard the explanation of all concerned and viewed both the original film of the incident which was available to stewards at Fuji as well as the new film, what has become apparent is the view clearly expressed by all drivers and team managers alike that the conditions at Fuji were exceptionally bad and worse than those experienced when the race starts behind the safety car. "Because of those views, the stewards accept that it may be inappropriate to impose the penalty normally applied for an offence such as this. "In the circumstances the stewards will reduce the penalty imposed on Vettel to a reprimand. "The involvement of Lewis Hamilton in this incident has also been considered in the light of evidence given by him, his team manager and in particular all other parties present and no penalty is imposed upon him." The 22-year-old British rookie, who drives for McLaren-Mercedes, leads the race for the world championship by 12 points, with two rounds left, and there had been speculation that he might lose some of those points if the FIA found him culpable. Hamilton had strengthened his title bid with a superb victory at Fuji in appalling conditions which twice saw the safety car deployed. As the field trailed behind the safety car on the second occasion, Toro Rosso's Sebastien Vettel drove into the back of Red Bull's Mark Webber, causing them both to retire. The drivers, who were lying in second and third places behind Hamilton a the time of the accident, both criticized Hamilton for driving erratically and slowing up and down. The incident was missed by television cameras but footage, taken from the grandstand, was shown on the YouTube Web site. It appeared to show Hamilton pulling over to the right-hand side of the track and slowing down markedly, in turn forcing Webber to slow down, which caught Vettel on the hop. Webber said: "It definitely contributed to Sebastian hitting me up the back because he (Hamilton) wasn't doing what he was supposed to be doing, clearly. "He spoke in the drivers' meeting about how good a job he was going to do and he did the opposite. Still, we know for next time," added the Australian. Webber stressed, however, that he had not complained to the stewards about the incident. On Friday he issued a statement saying: " I would just like to make it clear that, although I criticized Hamilton's driving in yesterday's FIA Press Conference, at no time have I made any official complaint about anyone's driving following Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix." Hamilton, speaking at practice for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, had protested his innocence before the verdict was announced. "I had a good weekend, I didn't put a foot wrong. I didn't do anything to put anyone else in danger," he said. "I've come away to China and all of a sudden I'm going to be punished for something. "I just think it's a real shame for the sport. Formula One's supposed to be about hard, fair competition. That's what I've tried to do this year, just be fair. "There's been some real strange situations this year where I'm made to look the bad person and, by the looks of it, this weekend be given a penalty. "If this is the way it's going to keep going, it's not somewhere I really want to be." E-mail to a friend | [
"where was hamilton during the accident?",
"what was the FIA probing about?",
"was lewis hamilton cleared of the driving?",
"Who probed a crash?",
"Behind what had Hamilton been ahead?",
"Who does he drive for?",
"Who was involved in the crash?",
"Who is cleared of erratic driving?",
"Where was Hamilton accused of erratic driving?",
"What was Hamilton cleared of?",
"Where was Hamilton?",
"Who was the crash between?"
] | [
[
"the safety car"
],
[
"inquiring into the accident when Sebastian Vettel crashed into Mark Webber in Fuji."
],
[
"would suffer no penalty"
],
[
"FIA"
],
[
"the safety car"
],
[
"McLaren-Mercedes,"
],
[
"Sebastien Vettel"
],
[
"Lewis Hamilton"
],
[
"Japanese Grand Prix"
],
[
"allegations of erratic driving"
],
[
"Shanghai,"
],
[
"Vettel ran into the back of Webber"
]
] | Lewis Hamilton is cleared of erratic driving in the Japanese GP .
The FIA probed a crash between Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber .
Hamilton had been ahead behind the safety car . |
LONDON, England -- UEFA banned Poland's Legia Warsaw from European competition for two seasons on Wednesday in response to "ugly and shocking" crowd scenes during an Intertoto Cup match.
Police horses have to disperse the crowd during Sunday's unsavory scenes.
UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body announced that Legia would be thrown out of this season's competition and also barred from an additional European campaign should they qualify within the next five years.
Legia were trailing 2-0 away to Lithuanian team Vetra Vilnius in Sunday's second round, first leg match when Polish fans embarked on a halftime rampage, attacking police with metal bars and stones and causing damage to the stadium.
European football's governing body said the abandoned match would be turned into a 3-0 victory for Vetra who will go on to face English side Blackburn Rovers in the third round.
Legia have also been ordered by to arrange compensation with Vetra in regard to the stadium damage.
Although Legia have promised to crack down on fans involved in Sunday's violence, the disciplinary body noted that this was not the first time it had dealt with the Polish club.
The latest incidents occurred just 10 weeks after Poland were awarded the right by UEFA to co-host the 2012 European championship finals with Ukraine.
"Legia must react quickly and firmly if the club wishes to participate in UEFA competition in future," the disciplinary body concluded.
"With Legia's considerable disciplinary record for away matches, the duty of playing matches against Legia becomes a tall order that UEFA cannot afford to support any longer."
The club has until Saturday to appeal against the UEFA decision. E-mail to a friend | [
"Who was thrown out of the Intertoto Cup?",
"Legia was also handed a what?",
"Who will play Blackburn in the next round?",
"Vilnius is a team of which country?",
"Legia Warsaw was thrown out of what?",
"Who was given a year's suspension by UEFA?",
"Who will play Blackburn in next round of the competition?",
"Who gave Legia a year's suspension?"
] | [
[
"Poland's Legia Warsaw"
],
[
"barred from an additional European campaign"
],
[
"Vetra"
],
[
"Lithuanian"
],
[
"this season's competition"
],
[
"Legia Warsaw"
],
[
"Vetra"
],
[
"UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body"
]
] | Legia Warsaw are thrown out of Intertoto Cup after crowd trouble .
Lithuanian side Vilnius will play Blackburn in next round of the competition .
Legia are also handed a further year's suspension by UEFA . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Up to 1,000 human rights campaigners demonstrated Saturday in front of No. 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, calling on the British government to demand that full democracy be restored in Pakistan.
Jemima Khan, center, ex-wife for former Pakistani cricket star Imran Khan, joins protesters in London.
Protesters waved placards and chanted in support of the resignation of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, a week after he imposed a state of emergency in the country.
The crowd of demonstrators massed behind barriers and included Jemima Khan, the ex-wife of former Pakistani cricket star turned politician Imran Khan.
The demonstrators carried placards saying "Free the innocent" and "End Musharraf's Regime" and waved Pakistani flags.
Imran Khan, who heads the the Movement for Justice Party, has been under house arrest since the emergency declaration.
His ex-wife delivered a petition to a doorman at Downing Street, calling on Britain to use its influence to ensure that all institutions are in place well in advance of Pakistani elections originally scheduled for early next year. The petition also demands that Pakistan restore democracy and the judiciary and calls on Musharraf to release all political prisoners, including lawyers, journalists and opposition politicians. E-mail to a friend | [
"what did the campaigners do?",
"What were the goals of the campaigners?",
"What are protesters urging the government to do?",
"Who demonstrated in fron of No. 10 Downing Street?",
"Whose ex-wife was among the protestors?",
"What did the protests consist of?",
"What did protests urge the UK government to do?",
"Who is among the protesters?",
"What famous cricketer's ex-wife was one of the protesters?",
"Who is Imran Khan's ex-wife?",
"What were the protesters urging the UK government to do?",
"Where did the demonstration take place?",
"Whose wife was among the protesters?",
"What was Imran Khan's previous occupation?",
"Was anyone arrested?",
"In what country were they protesting?",
"what happened to the wife?",
"Who was among the protesters?",
"What do they care about Pakistan?"
] | [
[
"demonstrated"
],
[
"calling on the British government to demand that full democracy be restored in Pakistan."
],
[
"full democracy be restored in Pakistan."
],
[
"Up to 1,000 human rights campaigners"
],
[
"Imran Khan,"
],
[
"Up to 1,000 human rights campaigners"
],
[
"full democracy be restored in Pakistan."
],
[
"Jemima Khan,"
],
[
"Jemima Khan,"
],
[
"Jemima Khan,"
],
[
"demand that full democracy be restored in Pakistan."
],
[
"No. 10 Downing Street,"
],
[
"Imran Khan,"
],
[
"Pakistani cricket star"
],
[
"Imran Khan,"
],
[
"London."
],
[
"ex-wife delivered a petition"
],
[
"Jemima Khan,"
],
[
"full democracy be restored in"
]
] | Human rights campaigners demonstrate in front of No. 10 Downing Street .
Protests urged UK government to demand full democracy restored in Pakistan .
Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan's ex wife Jemima among protesters . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A British woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis has lost her appeal to clarify Britain's laws on assisted suicide, a charity working with the woman said Thursday. Debbie Purdy and husband Omar Puente pictured outside the High Court in October 2008. But the woman did get a strong hint that anyone who helped her travel to a country where assisted suicide is legal would not be prosecuted. Debbie Purdy, 45, had asked the Court of Appeal to clarify Britain's laws on assisted suicide -- an option she has said she wants if her pain one day becomes unbearable. Under the current laws, Purdy says, it is not clear at which point her husband would be breaking the law if he helped her to travel to an assisted suicide clinic. Purdy was appealing an October ruling by the High Court, which also refused to clarify the laws. Purdy suffers from primary progressive multiple sclerosis, in which symptoms become progressively worse over time. She has said she wants the option to travel abroad to have an assisted death should her condition deteriorate. Under Britain's current law, Purdy's husband, Omar Puente, could face 14 years in prison if he accompanies her to a country, such as Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal. Purdy had asked the High Court judges to tell her at what point Puente would be subject to prosecution -- whether it would include helping her into a car, sitting with her on the plane to the clinic, or helping her with her bags. In its judgment Thursday, the appeal court did imply Puente would be safe from prosecution. The judges referred to the earlier case of Dan James, a 23-year-old British rugby player who died in an assisted suicide last year. James had been paralyzed from the neck down in a rugby accident. James' parents, Mark and Julie James, flew with their son to an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland. They faced questions on their return to Britain but were not prosecuted. The court said the decision not to prosecute the Jameses "is illustrative not only of the care with which the issue in these cases would be approached, but also an extremely helpful example of the kind of broad circumstances in which ... the ultimate decision would be that a prosecution should not be mounted," according to an excerpt released by Dignity in Dying, the charity that worked on Purdy's case. "If the prosecution amounts to an abuse of process, the court will dismiss it," the court said in its judgment. Purdy said that wording made her feel like she had won her argument, even though she lost the appeal. "I am very grateful for, and respect the ruling of the appeal court," she said in a statement. "They have done everything they can do to clarify that, given the Dan James judgment, Omar would be unlikely to be prosecuted if he were to accompany me abroad for an assisted death, and we are therefore one step closer to the clarification I need." Dignity in Dying has said it is important for the British government to distinguish between people who maliciously encourage suicide and those who accompany a loved one abroad to die. Under current law, the 1961 Suicide Act, assisting a suicide is a crime punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment. Anyone who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or an attempt by another to commit suicide, is liable. Dignity in Dying has said it ultimately wants British law changed to allow the terminally ill the choice of assisted death. To date, no one who has accompanied a loved one to the Swiss clinic Dignitas has been prosecuted, but they have been questioned by police and threatened with prosecution, according to Dignity in Dying. "The courts have done all they can," said Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying. "They make quite clear that only Parliament has the authority to change the law. If there's no public interest in prosecuting, there must be a public interest in updating the law to remove doubt." | [
"Courts of which country rejected appeal calling for clarification of laws on assisted suicide?",
"What was the name of the MS sufferer who wants the option to travel abroad for assisted death?",
"UK courts rejected appeal calling for clarification of which laws?",
"What does Debbie purdy suffer from?",
"From what disease does Purdy suffer?",
"Where did the rugby player die?",
"What did the UK court reject?"
] | [
[
"Britain's"
],
[
"Debbie Purdy"
],
[
"on assisted suicide,"
],
[
"multiple sclerosis"
],
[
"multiple sclerosis"
],
[
"Switzerland."
],
[
"\"If the prosecution amounts to an abuse of process, the"
]
] | UK court rejects appeal calling for clarification of laws on assisted suicide .
But verdict hints anyone helping another go elsewhere to die wouldn't be prosecuted .
MS sufferer Debbie Purdy wants option to travel abroad for assisted death .
Parents of rugby player who died in Switzerland last year were not prosecuted . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A Russian naval ship rescued a Dutch container vessel under attack by suspected Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the head of the International Maritime Bureau said Wednesday.
The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Sirius Star was recently released by pirates off Somalia.
Two or three pirate speedboats were chasing the Dutch ship, with the goal of boarding it, when the Russians intervened, said Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau in London.
He said the pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship, but no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred about midday Tuesday.
The Russians chased one of the speedboats but the pirates got away, Mukundan said. He said he did not know where the Dutch ship was headed.
"It is important that the naval vessels continue to respond robustly to these pirates," he said. Watch how attacks peaked in 2008 »
Hijackings off the coast of East Africa have become a growing international concern, prompting a number of foreign navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas.
The Gulf of Aden links the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. About 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route near Somalia each year.
Most of the attacks are blamed on pirates based in largely lawless Somalia, a country racked by poverty and conflict. Watch CNN's exclusive interview with a pirate
According to the United Nations, there were 115 reported pirate attacks off the Somali coast in 2008, including 46 successful hijackings. Read blog on how CNN contacted a pirate
The troubling rise in Somali piracy has led the United Nations to step up efforts to tackle the crime.
The first U.N. group to address piracy met Wednesday in New York.
Mark Kimmitt, U.S. assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs chaired the "contact group" of two dozen nations and five multi-national organizations.
He said the group was formed to "establish a counter-piracy coordination mechanism," and the members believe more can be done to halt piracy.
Still, Kimmitt noted that less than one percent of manifests off the Somali coast are attacked by pirates and only 50 percent of those have crew and passengers taken hostage.
The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution in December expanding counter-piracy measures off the Horn of Africa, including a stipulation that allows national and regional military forces to chase pirates onshore in Somalia when in "hot pursuit." | [
"Where is the meeting taking place?",
"Where do navies patrol?",
"Where did the container ship originate from?",
"What was fired at ship?",
"Where does group meet?",
"Where do the hijackings usually occur?"
] | [
[
"New York."
],
[
"Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas."
],
[
"Dutch"
],
[
"two rocket-propelled grenades"
],
[
"New York."
],
[
"off the coast of East Africa"
]
] | NEW: First United Nations group to address piracy meets in New York .
Two or three speedboats were chasing the Dutch container ship, IMB says .
IMB: The pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship .
Hijackings off East Africa have led international navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A Russian naval ship rescued a Dutch container vessel under attack by suspected Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the head of the International Maritime Bureau said Wednesday. The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Sirius Star was recently released by pirates off Somalia. Two or three pirate speedboats were chasing the Dutch ship, with the goal of boarding it, when the Russians intervened, said Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau in London. He said the pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship, but no injuries were reported. The incident occurred about midday Tuesday. The Russians chased one of the speedboats but the pirates got away, Mukundan said. He said he did not know where the Dutch ship was headed. "It is important that the naval vessels continue to respond robustly to these pirates," he said. Watch how attacks peaked in 2008 » Hijackings off the coast of East Africa have become a growing international concern, prompting a number of foreign navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas. The Gulf of Aden links the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. About 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route near Somalia each year. Most of the attacks are blamed on pirates based in largely lawless Somalia, a country racked by poverty and conflict. Watch CNN's exclusive interview with a pirate According to the United Nations, there were 115 reported pirate attacks off the Somali coast in 2008, including 46 successful hijackings. Read blog on how CNN contacted a pirate The troubling rise in Somali piracy has led the United Nations to step up efforts to tackle the crime. The first U.N. group to address piracy met Wednesday in New York. Mark Kimmitt, U.S. assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs chaired the "contact group" of two dozen nations and five multi-national organizations. He said the group was formed to "establish a counter-piracy coordination mechanism," and the members believe more can be done to halt piracy. Still, Kimmitt noted that less than one percent of manifests off the Somali coast are attacked by pirates and only 50 percent of those have crew and passengers taken hostage. The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution in December expanding counter-piracy measures off the Horn of Africa, including a stipulation that allows national and regional military forces to chase pirates onshore in Somalia when in "hot pursuit." | [
"Where were the hijackings?",
"Speedboats were chasing what?",
"Who fired the rocket propelled grenades?",
"Who addressed piracy?",
"Who fired grenades?",
"Who is to address piracy at UN?",
"Where was the un group meeting?"
] | [
[
"off the coast of East Africa"
],
[
"the Dutch ship,"
],
[
"Somali pirates"
],
[
"United Nations"
],
[
"pirates"
],
[
"\"contact group\" of two dozen nations and five"
],
[
"New York."
]
] | NEW: First United Nations group to address piracy meets in New York .
Two or three speedboats were chasing the Dutch container ship, IMB says .
IMB: The pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship .
Hijackings off East Africa have led international navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A Web designer in London was amazed to discover that Iranian election protesters are attacking the Iranian president's Web site using software he developed in his spare time, he told CNN Wednesday. Ryan Kelly: "I suppose I am taking sides but I have no problems with it being used in this way." With anti-government activists in Iran sidestepping official attempts to silence them on the Internet by posting photos, videos and blogs on sites like Facebook and Twitter, others are using a site that automatically refreshes a Web page every few seconds, potentially overloading the host server. The page reboot software means that dissidents can "attack" sites with a barrage of hits -- known as a denial of service attack -- causing them to appear to users as "unobtainable." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Web sites was one of those displaying this message on Monday, according to Britain's Channel 4 News, although on Tuesday it was loading correctly. The freely available page refresh site was partly developed by Ryan Kelly for use with sports results sites and eBay. He said he was unaware it was being used by Iranian protesters to stop the government from getting out its message until Tuesday when he received an email from an unknown source asking him to take the site down. "Can you please shout (sic) down the website for few weeks. Currently they are using that website to attack other websites," stated the anonymous e-mail seen by CNN. Kelly, who works for contract publisher Wardour, then discovered that hits on his own site had risen from 700 on a normal day to 41,000 on Monday. "I was shocked when I heard my site was being used in this way," the 25-year-old told CNN. "This exemplifies the power of the Internet that something happening in London can affect events thousands of miles away in Tehran. It's great it's being used in this way." The heavy traffic forced Kelly to temporarily suspend his site, but only because it was exceeding the volume of traffic on his server. He said he later received dozens of e-mails requesting him to restore the site, and he did so. One message seen by CNN said: "Please bring your site back up as fast as you can. We need your help in Iran against Ahmadinejad." Kelly said he supported the protesters in their battle to have the results of the disputed presidential election overturned. "I suppose I am taking sides because I've put the site back up, but I have no problems with it being used in this way." | [
"Who is responsible for developing the software that Iranian protesters used to refresh web page to hack official sites?",
"What does page reboot software mean?",
"what forced ryan kelly to temporarily suspend it?",
"What is actually happens to a web site when page reboot software sends a barrage of hits to it?"
] | [
[
"Ryan Kelly:"
],
[
"automatically refreshes a Web page every few seconds,"
],
[
"heavy traffic"
],
[
"users as \"unobtainable.\""
]
] | Iranian protesters use site that refreshes Web page to hack official sites .
Page reboot software means dissidents can "attack" sites with barrage of hits .
Heavy traffic forced Ryan Kelly to temporarily suspend it, but he later restored it . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A giant oil-trading company is offering to pay thousands of Africans a settlement after a contractor illegally dumped toxic waste in West Africa three years ago. Parents say their child's body is covered in lesions as a result of toxic waste dumped in Ivory Coast in 2006. The United Nations says the 2006 dumping in Ivory Coast killed 15 people and sickened about 100,000 others. Trafigura is offering $1,536 (or 950 British pounds) per person to settle a lawsuit stemming from the dumping of 500 tons of toxic waste off Ivory Coast, or Cote d'Ivoire, a company spokeswoman said Monday. The law firm representing the claimants has said in the past it represents up to 30,000 people, making the settlement potentially worth about $46 million. A judge still must approve the deal before it becomes final. The Trafigura spokeswoman, Alex Nelless of the public relations firm Bell Pottinger, said she did not know if a court date had been set. The Dutch-based company does not admit liability in the settlement and aggressively fought the suit. It threatened to sue media outlets, including the BBC, for its reporting of the case. The British law firm representing the victims Monday refused to comment on any aspect of the case or to confirm the existence of a settlement. Nisha Patel, a spokeswoman for Leigh Day and Co. in London, said she did not know when the firm would be able to comment. Trafigura also sued Leigh Day for libel, a suit that Trafigura said had been "resolved." Last week, the United Nations said that Trafigura caused death and injury when the cargo ship Probo Koala dumped 500 tons of toxic waste belonging to the company at sites around Abidjan, Ivory Coast's largest city. "According to official estimates, 15 people died, 69 people were hospitalized and over 100,000 others, complaining of nausea and vomiting after inhaling fumes, sought medical treatment after the incident," said the report released Wednesday by Okechukwu Ibeanu, an unpaid investigator for the Geneva, Switzerland-based U.N. Human Rights Council. The areas where the toxic waste was dumped still have not been decontaminated and continue to threaten residents' health, Ibeanu said last month. Many people, he said, report headaches, skin lesions, digestive difficulties and nose, throat and lung problems, according to a U.N. statement. Trafigura rejects the U.N. findings and said the investigator ignored repeated offers to see the results of the company's own studies. It said 20 experts it had hired did not find a link between "exposure to the chemicals released from the slops [toxic waste] and deaths, miscarriages, stillbirths, birth defects, loss of visual acuity or other serious and chronic injuries." It admits that a contractor dumped the toxic waste but denies responsibility. "It remains Trafigura's position that it did not foresee, and could not have foreseen, the reprehensible acts of Compagnie Tommy in dumping the slops in and around Abidjan in August and September 2006, and that Compagnie Tommy acted entirely independently of, and without any authority from, Trafigura," the company said in a statement Saturday. "Nevertheless, Trafigura regrets that this incident occurred and is pleased that the matter has now been resolved," it said. Trafigura said the statement was being issued jointly with Leigh Day and that a court had ordered the law firm to publish the statement on its Web site. CNN could not find the statement on Leigh Day's site, and the firm's spokeswoman declined to say if it was there. "While we certainly do not accept legal liability, Trafigura regrets the Probo Koala incident and in particular the distress that it caused the local population," company director Eric de Turckheim said in a statement. Trafigura says on its Web site that it has "access to approximately $17 billion in credit facilities and investments ... around the world of more than $1 billion." | [
"how many people were killed by dumping in Ivory Coast ?",
"how much is the compensation per person?",
"what is the name of the Dutch firm involved?",
"What was the number of people who fell ill?",
"What was the number of dead people?",
"What was the cause of the deaths and sicknesses?"
] | [
[
"15"
],
[
"$1,536"
],
[
"Bell Pottinger,"
],
[
"100,000"
],
[
"15"
],
[
"toxic waste"
]
] | U.N. says 2006 dumping in Ivory Coast killed 15 people, sickened about 100,000 .
Firm offers $1,536 per person to settle suit stemming from dumping of toxic waste .
Settlement potentially could be worth $46 million; judge must still approve deal .
Dutch firm Trafigura says contractor dumped toxic waste, but it denies responsibility . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A glimpse of something shiny on the ocean floor nine years ago led a Welsh diver to uncover a piece of local history that had been forgotten for more than a century. The silver pocket watch was found off the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales. Diver Rich Hughes was exploring a shallow shipwreck off the Pembrokeshire coast in April 2000 when he noticed the object embedded in sediment. He thought at first that he had found a coin, but he found it was actually an intact silver pocket watch, still bearing the inscription of its owner. Hughes said he was determined to trace the history of the watch, believing such a prized object deserved to belong to family members or a local museum. But that led Hughes on a nine-year search with lots of dead ends and few leads. Now, months after enlisting the help of a local researcher, Hughes has finally tracked down a family member and will be presenting the watch to him next week. "I'm very happy and satisfied that we found out who he was," Hughes told CNN by phone Wednesday. "It sort of brings the story to a close. It's quite rewarding that it hasn't just sat in the back of somebody's garage." The watch inscription reads "Richard Prichard, Abersoch, North Wales, 1866." That was the only information Hughes had to go on for most of the past nine years; even the name of Prichard's ship was a mystery at the time. Over the years, Hughes searched records in person and online, contacting everyone from county records offices to Lloyd's of London. Nothing turned up any information about Richard Prichard. "It becomes a bit of a bug, really," Hughes said. "It's hard to describe. If you find something like that -- it's a very personal item, and one of my biggest bugbears is if somebody pulls something off a shipwreck and it just sits in the back of their garage. "It's just a lost opportunity and it's tragic when that happens, that history is just put in a corner," Hughes said. "You're obligated to find something out about it. It's your duty to do it." Earlier this year, out of frustration, Hughes said he turned his attention again to the place name inscribed on the pocket watch, Abersoch, a coastal town in north Wales. "I just kept doing searches on Google to find out whether any historical societies at all had any information on it," he said. That led Hughes to a couple that runs the Web site for a nearby village, Rhiw, and they put Hughes in touch with researcher and historian David Roberts. Roberts searched the graveyards of local churches and found two references to Richard Prichard. He also found a reference to Prichard on the Welsh Mariners' Web site, showing that Prichard was captain of an iron-clad barque called the Barbara. The pocket watch was probably a gift to Prichard when he was promoted to mate in 1866, from his fellow sailors or his parents. Prichard became captain of the ship and died in 1881 while the Barbara was en route to Rangoon, which is modern-day Yangon, in Myanmar. He was buried at sea. The watch was lost on the Barbara's return trip to Wales with a cargo of rice later that year. Roberts believes the man who took over from Prichard, Captain Jones, was probably bringing the watch home in order to present it to Prichard's widow. Jones probably intended to sail through St. George's Channel, between Ireland and Wales, on his way to Liverpool, Hughes said. But on a dark November night, in driving rain and gale-force winds, Jones took a wrong turn and found himself stuck in the Bristol Channel, along Wales' south coast. "These ships couldn't turn around -- they could only go 90 degrees to the winds," Hughes said. "He wouldn't have known where he was." Hughes said the captain would probably have been | [
"When did Prichard die at sea?",
"Who did the watch belong to?",
"How long was the watch underwater?",
"What kind of things can be found in the sea?",
"To whom did the watch originally belong?",
"When did the watch get lost?",
"What does a diver find off the Welsh coast?",
"What did the diver find off the sea floor?"
] | [
[
"1866.\""
],
[
"\"Richard Prichard,"
],
[
"more than a century."
],
[
"silver pocket watch,"
],
[
"\"Richard Prichard,"
],
[
"Barbara's return trip to Wales with a cargo of rice later that year."
],
[
"silver pocket watch"
],
[
"silver pocket watch"
]
] | Diver finds watch on sea floor off Welsh coast, spends years tracing its history .
Diver discovers watch originally belonged to Richard Prichard, captain of the Barbara .
Prichard died at sea in 1881; watch was probably being returned to his widow .
Watch was lost when Barbara was shipwrecked in driving rain, gale-force winds . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A new shoe outfitted with a GPS chip aims to offer peace of mind to Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers. It's common for people with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia to wander from their homes. The embedded GPS tracking system will allow the wearer of the shoe to be located instantly online and for their whereabouts to be monitored in real time. The shoe may offer hope to the growing number of people with Alzheimer's disease. More than 26 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer's, and the figure is set to exceed 106 million by 2050, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health. "This could not only save lives but potentially save governments billions in search and rescue operations," Andrew Carle, a professor at George Mason University who was an adviser for the project, told CNN. Patients of Alzheimer's, the leading cause of dementia, can easily become confused or disoriented, and it's common for them to wander from their home and not be able to find their way back. The shoe is the latest in a wave of assisted-living devices, from home sensor systems to pill boxes that remind people to take their medication, targeted at keeping Alzheimer's patients safe. Kathi Cordsen, an iReporter from Fullerton, Calif., whose aunt has Alzheimer's, welcomed the development of the shoes. "It's really sad how this illness creeps up on a person out of the blue," she said. "I think these shoes could help quite a few families to be able to keep [their loved ones home] instead of putting them in a home." What do you think about GPS-outfitted shoes? Tell us in the SoundOff below Carle, an expert in aging and assistive technologies, said businesses are honing in on ways technology can improve the quality of life for older adults. The market for microchip-based technology alone is worth an estimated $5 billion, he said. While tracking devices may help those with dementia live independently, they have also raised ethical concerns about informed consent and personal privacy, according to Gayle Willis of the Alzheimer's Society in the UK. "As long as people with dementia are involved in the decision-making progress, assisted living technologies can play an important role to help people live well with dementia," she told CNN. But, Willis noted, they cannot be a substitute for good quality care and more research needs to be done to see what products work best for people. The shoe is a collaboration between GTX Corp., a firm that specializes in miniaturized GPS tracking devices, and footwear company Aetrex. Details are still being worked out, but GTX Chief Executive Patrick Bertagna expects the shoe to retail for around $200 to $300. For a monthly fee of about $20, caregivers will also have the option to subscribe to a GTX service that automatically alerts them when the wearer of the shoe leaves a designated boundary. Sixty percent of Alzheimer's patients will get lost at least once, said Carle. Because they often will not seek help or respond to assistance, nearly half of them risk death if not found within 24 hours, he said. Electronic wristbands and ankle bracelets have been used to track sufferers of dementia before, but those devices tend to be bulky and uncomfortable. The shoes, on the other hand, are designed to be unobtrusive. Testing of a prototype is expected to be completed by the end of the year and the shoe will likely be rolled out in 2010. | [
"is the shoe fitted with gps?",
"in what way would this device help the patients and caregivers",
"Whom does the new device cater to?",
"what does the shoe aim to do?",
"what does the device do",
"What is considered to be inserted in shoes of seniors with dementia",
"What reason is given for the idea of GPS survillance"
] | [
[
"A new shoe outfitted with a GPS chip"
],
[
"The embedded GPS tracking system will allow the wearer of the shoe to be located instantly online"
],
[
"Alzheimer's"
],
[
"offer peace of mind"
],
[
"The embedded GPS tracking system will allow the wearer of the shoe to be located instantly online and for their whereabouts to be monitored in real time."
],
[
"GPS chip"
],
[
"people with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia to wander from their homes."
]
] | Shoe with GPS system aims to improve safety of seniors with dementia .
Alzheimer's patients often wander from home and can't find their way back .
Device would locate them if they get lost and allow caregivers to monitor them . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A veteran of over 20 years of mountain climbing, Dave Bunting has been in some pretty tight scrapes. Soldier mountaineer Dave Bunting on Mount Everest. His team tried to summit via the mountain's notorious West Ridge in 2006. He and his climbing partner once watched in terror as a huge avalanche careered down a Himalayan mountainside straight for them. They were miraculously spared when the wall of snow parted on either side of the promontory where they were standing at a distance of just 50 meters. On another occasion he spent an agonizing night hanging precariously over a 3,000-foot (900 meter) drop during an electrical storm in the Alps. He estimates he was electrocuted "half a dozen times" during the course of the night. Faced with the fearsome power of nature mountaineers like Bunting rely on one indispensable ally -- other mountaineers. Teamwork is essential in climbing. The first successful ascent of Everest was as much about the bond of trust that existed between modest New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and his diminutive Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, as their individual talents. To illustrate this point, when Bunting -- a warrant officer in the British Army -- was compiling a team of soldiers to attempt an ascent of Everest's notorious West Ridge the first quality he and the rest of the selection panel looked for was not climbing expertise, but compatibility. "A lot of people think that when you go and do something like that, you immediately look for all the best climbers in the army," he says. "But what we based our selection process on, compatibility was first." Of course, all team sports rely upon a strong dynamic between the individual members. But there can be few disciplines in which the stakes are as high as in mountain climbing, where your life often literally rests in someone else's hands. Bunting, 40, led the expedition of 21 army mountaineers to Everest's West Ridge two years ago. It was a daunting undertaking. Of over 2,200 climbers who have made it to the top of the world's tallest peak since it was first conquered, only 19 have done so via this route. The ridge is rarely attempted because of its steepness and because its position leaves it exposed to high winds and the risk of avalanche. The army's summit attempt took three and half years in the planning and preparation and was the subject of a documentary, 'Everest: Man v Mountain.' Much of this build-up involved establishing strong bonds between team members. Practice climbs, social events and corporate-style teambuilding days were all employed to try to instil an atmosphere of mutual trust within the group. An essential factor on a mountain as significant as Everest, Bunting says. "You are massively wrapped up in emotions there because you've spent three and a half years preparing for it," says Bunting, who now runs his own outdoor events company in the Bavarian Alps. The prestige of getting to the top of Everest can sometimes blur a climber's moral judgement, leading to acts of single-mindedness that border on the downright callous. During the same season as Bunting's army expedition, David Sharp, a 34-year-old British climber died of cold, exhaustion and lack of oxygen on his descent from the summit. As details of Sharp's death became public it emerged that 40 climbers had passed him, making no attempt to save the stricken climber as he lay stranded in the scant shelter of a rock alcove on the mountain's northeast ridge. The incident drew much soul-searching in the mountaineering world, with Sir Edmund Hillary complaining to New Zealand's Otago Daily Times of the "horrifying" attitudes it revealed. "(On Everest) a lot of people are out for themselves completely," says Bunting. He says this selfish streak is exacerbated by the fast turnover of commercial climbing expeditions, which often meet for the first time just a couple of weeks before a summit attempt, meaning there is little opportunity to build team morale. By contrast, among Bunting's army mountaineers the needs of the | [
"What did Army officer Dave Bunting do?",
"How many years did they spend preparing?",
"What was the name of the Army officer?",
"When was their last attempt?",
"In 2006, what was attempted?",
"What are they going to summit?",
"How many years were spent preparing by building cameraderie and team spirit?"
] | [
[
"led the expedition of 21"
],
[
"three and half"
],
[
"Dave Bunting"
],
[
"2006."
],
[
"His team tried to summit via the mountain's notorious West Ridge"
],
[
"Mount Everest."
],
[
"half"
]
] | Army officer Dave Bunting recruited a team of 21 soldiers to summit Everest .
The 2006 attempt was via the mountain's notoriously dangerous West Ridge .
They spent over three years preparing by building cameraderie and team spirit .
Bunting says personal ambition can sometimes get the better of climbers on Everest . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A wicked opportunity is brewing at Wookey Hole Caves in western England. Aspiring witches audition for the job Tuesday at Wookey Hole Caves in England. Applicants are flocking to the town of Wells in Somerset Tuesday in the hopes of being selected as the caves' new resident witch. With the promise of £50,000 ($82,000) per year, and a spacious cave to boot, more than 2,000 candidates are stashing their wart remover and grabbing their broomsticks to persuade a panel of judges to choose them. The winner will portray the notorious witch that is said to have haunted the caves in the Dark Ages. The witch lived in the cave with goats until an abbot threw holy water on her, turning her to stone, legend says. Locals say her frozen figure can still be seen in the caves today. Legend has it that the witch cursed crops, caused disease and soured milk in the area, audition organizers say. Today, the caves at Wookey Hole are part of a tourist attraction with rides, a circus, theme parks and restaurants. The company that runs it, Wookey Hole Ltd., pays the witch's salary on a year-long contract. The would-be witches have one minute to perform for the panel Tuesday, employing their best cackle and whatever props they can carry, organizers say. The position won't necessarily go to a woman; male and transgender witches are also invited to apply. Applicants are told they must, however, be knowledgeable in the history of witchcraft, be willing to travel, sleep overnight in caves, and cannot be allergic to cats. Organizers say they've had applications from men, women and 230 mothers-in-law. | [
"What is the salary?",
"Who are Wookey Hole Caves trying to hire",
"To apply for the position, you must be knowledgeable in the history of what?",
"How much is the salary per year?",
"Apart from money, what else is promised",
"Who is looking to hire a witch?"
] | [
[
"£50,000 ($82,000) per year,"
],
[
"witches"
],
[
"of witchcraft,"
],
[
"£50,000 ($82,000)"
],
[
"spacious cave to boot,"
],
[
"Wookey Hole Caves"
]
] | Wookey Hole Caves in western England looking to hire a witch .
Role promises $82,000 per year salary and a spacious cave .
Applicants must be knowledgeable in the history of witchcraft . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Actress Keira Knightley released a violent commercial Thursday highlighting the problem of domestic violence. In the two-minute film, Knightley is beaten by an abusive boyfriend after she arrives home from a day of filming.
Actress Keira Knightley's public service spot was directed by Joe Wright of "Atonement."
The commercial, made for the charity Women's Aid, was launched online. It will be shown on television and in movie theaters, the group said.
The film, called "CUT," was directed by Joe Wright, who directed Knightley in "Atonement." At the end, the words "Isn't it time someone called cut?" appear on screen.
According to the Web site for Women's Aid, two women are killed by a current or former partner in the United Kingdom in an average week.
In a statement on the charity's Web site, Knightley said, "I wanted to take part in this advert for Women's Aid because while domestic violence exists in every section of society, we rarely hear about it."
"We may not think we know someone who has experienced domestic violence, but this does not mean that it is not happening," she said. | [
"what does ad depict?",
"where will charity's spot be?",
"what does the ad show",
"what did women's aid say?",
"what did woman's aid say"
] | [
[
"problem of domestic violence."
],
[
"on television and in movie theaters,"
],
[
"the problem of domestic violence."
],
[
"\"Isn't it time someone called cut?\""
],
[
"two women are killed by a current or former partner in the United Kingdom in an average week."
]
] | Two-minute ad shown in U.K. depicts actress being beaten by boyfriend .
Charity's spot will be on television and in movie theaters .
Women's Aid says two women in U.K. killed by current or ex-partner each week . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- An elderly British couple who died together at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland died "peacefully" after receiving "wonderful and humbling care" from their doctors, the couple's family said. Peter and Penelope Duff from Bath, England, died in Zurich on February 27, according to a statement released Thursday by their family and reported by Britain's Press Association. Both had terminal cancer, the statement said. "Penny had fought a rare cancer, GIST, since 1992 and Peter's colon cancer had spread to his liver," the statement said. "Their decision in no way reflected on the wonderful and humbling care they have received from their consultant, doctors and nurses, for which the family, and they, were so appreciative." Peter Duff, who was reported to be 80, was the executive chairman of Alcohol in Moderation, a nonprofit group that advocates a "sensible drinking ethos." His daughter, Helena Conibear, is executive director of AIM Digest, a monthly publication. Conibear and AIM could not be reached for comment Friday. The Press Association said Penelope Duff was 70. Her condition, GIST, stands for gastrointestinal stromal tumor, a rare type of cancer found in the digestive system. Dignity in Dying, a British charity that advocates the choice of assisted death for terminally ill patients, said it was "extremely sad" that the Duffs had to travel abroad to die. "Had they had the option of an assisted death in this country they may still be alive, as their physical ability to travel would not have been a factor," said Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying. Wootton called on Parliament to modernize laws on suicide to allow for assisted dying. Phyllis Bowman, executive director of Right to Life, which opposes euthanasia, also said the Duffs' case was sad. "I think it's very sad, particularly as they could have gone together into a hospice. A hospice with cancer -- there is not uncontrollable pain," Bowman told CNN. "I think that with the euthanasia lobby, they feed on despair and they encourage despair rather than hope." | [
"Who died in Zurich on February 27?",
"What type of illness did Peter have?",
"What charity said it was extremely sad?",
"What cancer did Penny suffer from?",
"What did they want suicide laws to allow for?",
"What type of cancer did she have?",
"When did the Duffs die?",
"What type of laws did they want changed?"
] | [
[
"Peter and Penelope Duff"
],
[
"colon cancer"
],
[
"Dignity in Dying,"
],
[
"gastrointestinal stromal tumor,"
],
[
"assisted dying."
],
[
"GIST,"
],
[
"February 27,"
],
[
"suicide"
]
] | Peter and Penelope Duff from Bath, England, died in Zurich on February 27 .
Penny had fought a rare cancer, GIST, since 1992 and Peter had colon cancer .
Dignity in Dying charity: "Extremely sad" the Duffs had to travel abroad to die .
They called on UK to modernize laws on suicide to allow for assisted dying . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- As Zimbabwe battles a cholera epidemic that has already killed hundreds, one company thinks it may have found a potential solution to the world water crisis. A shortage of clean drinking water has unleashed a cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe. Element Four, a small Canadian firm, has applied its water technology to create the WaterMill, a novel electricity-powered machine that draws moisture from the air and purifies it into clean drinkable water. The compact WaterMill, which goes on sale in the spring, is designed for household use. More crucially for countries such as Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Element Four is also working on another device, the WaterWall, which could potentially supply an entire village in the developing world. The team at Element Four shares an ambitious goal: to quench the world's growing thirst for water. Now the 10-person company is taking on a challenge that global multinationals have struggled to meet. Rick Howard, the CEO of the company, says it was at a U.N. conference on water in New York last summer that he realized just how revolutionary Element Four's technology might be. "There we were on the same stage as GE, Dow Chemical and Siemens, and it was a complete shock to us when we heard the solutions they were offering. We realized we had something that could effect change," Howard tells CNN. The WaterMill draws in air through a filter and then cools it into water droplets. This water then passes through a special filter and is exposed to ultraviolet light, which rids it of bacteria. The product Element Four is designing for the developing world is called the WaterWall and is constructed by taking several of the water-making cells of the consumer appliance and hooking them up in series on a wall. The U.N., which has declared 2005-2015 the International Decade for Water, expects 1.8 billion people to live in regions with absolute water scarcity by 2025. It's no wonder then that Element Four is being closely watched by the tech world. The WaterMill is being displayed at the Wired Store in New York, a temporary store the magazine opens every holiday season that showcases the future of technology. About one in five people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, and shortages pose serious health problems for much of the developing world. Lack of clean water, coupled with poor sanitation practices, can lead to outbreaks of water-borne diseases, such as cholera and dysentery, which in turn, can cause life-threatening forms of diarrhea. More than 500 people have died in Zimbabwe. Diarrheal disease is the third leading cause of death from infectious diseases, and the majority of those deaths are among children under the age of 5, according to the WHO and UNICEF. Most of those deaths could be prevented if improvements to sanitation and drinking water were made. But can an invention like the WaterWall really help ease the world's water shortage and help prevent health disasters like the outbreak in Zimbabwe from occurring in the future? "There are some brilliant inventions out there, but they are expensive and difficult to get hold of," says Paul Jawor, an emergency water and sanitation consultant with international aid organization Doctors Without Borders. The WaterMill retails for about $1,300, but Howard estimates that a pared down version -- without the bells and whistle -- for use in places like Africa would cost about $300. The biggest challenge of a product like the WaterWall, Howard says, is the power consumed by the water-making cells. To counter that, the product is designed to turn on in stages so it doesn't overload fragile power grids. In comparison to solutions like desalination, which can cost billions of dollars to develop, that's cheap. "For about $300 we can start saving lives. Ours is a very scalable product," Howard says. But there are skeptics. Frank Lawson, an engineering adviser at international charity WaterAid, said the solution Element Four is devising wouldn't be appropriate for the charity's projects. For one, the technology does | [
"What has Element Four developed?",
"Due to Zimbabwe's water crisis, what devastating epidemic do they face?",
"What has Zimbabwe's water shortage caused?",
"Does the shortage of clean water pose health challenges to developing worlds?",
"what has zimbabwe's water crisis done"
] | [
[
"WaterMill,"
],
[
"cholera"
],
[
"cholera epidemic"
],
[
"problems for much of the"
],
[
"unleashed a cholera epidemic"
]
] | Element Four has developed a machine that creates clean water out of air .
Growth of water use has been outpacing the rate of population increase .
Shortages of clean water pose health challenges in the developing world .
Zimbabwe's water crisis has unleashed a devastating cholera epidemic . |
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