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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The polite hush that descends on the crowd seconds before service is nowhere to be heard when it comes to the issue of equal prize money in women's tennis. Australian Open champion Serena Williams pocketed $1.3 million for the tournament, the same as male winner Rafael Nadal. It may be two years since Wimbledon and the French Open joined the other major tournaments in offering women the same cash prize as men, but for some tennis fans the issue is far from resolved. "Admit it sisters," screamed one recent headline on Australian Web site AdelaideNow, "this is not equal." The author went on: "Political correctness, sexual equality and feminism all prevent many commentators from stating the bleeding obvious ... no sports watcher in their right minds could honestly say female tennis players, or golfers for that matter, deserve as much money as their male counterparts." The writer -- a woman -- went on to lambaste the world's best female tennis players, describing world number one Serena Williams' defeat of Dinara Safina in the Australian Open final as "embarrassing, pitiful and pathetic." "Her humiliation of Dinara Safina was a terrible advertisement for a sport that has apparently disappeared up its own backside." Rather than provoking a tirade of abuse, many readers agreed with the author, outspoken Australian journalist and sports commentator, Rebecca Wilson. "Right on the money. Women's tennis is boring. Typical game. "Ugh. Grunt. Ugh. Grunt. Ugh. Grunt. Out. Love-Fifteen," one said. Another added: "It's about time someone said what everyone was thinking." More chimed in: "Everyone agrees, few will say it" and "totally agree. Women's tennis is pathetic." A couple of dissenters in the crowd urged Wilson to turn her attentions elsewhere: "The usual tripe that Wilson dishes up week after week," and "please go away and let someone with something important to say use your space." What do you think? Do women deserve equal prize money in tennis? Sound Off below. Billie Jean King has heard it all before. The former world number one has spent a good part of the last forty years campaigning for equal prize money, and equal status, for women. The decision by the All England Tennis and Croquet Club in February 2007, and then the French Open one day later, to award equal prize money to women marked the end of a fight that started in 1968, the first year of Open tennis. "When Rod Laver won Wimbledon, he got £2,000. And when I won Wimbledon in the same year, 1968, I got £750," she told CNN in an interview filmed for this month's edition of "Revealed." "I knew then that was going to be one of our next battles that we would have to fight over the years," she added. King hoped to put the matter to rest in 1973 when she took on self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs in now famous match known as "The Battle of the Sexes." Riggs, a former men's number one, claimed the women's game was so poor that even he, as a 55-year-old retiree from the sport, could beat the top female players. King accepted the challenge and thrashed Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in front of a television audience of millions. Those who argue for lower pay for women's tennis say they play fewer sets and attract a smaller television audience so they should receive less money. Campaigners for equal pay say that it's not an issue of time on the court, but an matter of fair and equal treatment As current world number six Venus Williams once argued in an open letter published in The Times, "we enjoy huge and equal celebrity and are paid for the value we deliver to broadcasters and spectators, not the amount of time we spend on the stage." What do you think? Should the top female | [
"Serena Williams match against Safina was described as what by journalists",
"Is the issue of equal prize money controversial?",
"what issue ignites debate?",
"when were equal prize pots introduced?",
"Which two grand slams introduced equal prise money in tennis in 2007",
"Which issue continues to ignite debate in tennis",
"who is serena williams?"
] | [
[
"\"embarrassing, pitiful and pathetic.\""
],
[
"for some tennis fans the issue is far from resolved."
],
[
"equal prize money in women's tennis."
],
[
"February 2007,"
],
[
"Wimbledon and the French Open"
],
[
"equal prize money in women's"
],
[
"Australian Open champion"
]
] | Issue of equal prize money for women's tennis continues to ignite debate .
Journalist describes Serena Williams' defeat of Safina as "pitiful and pathetic"
Wimbledon and the French Open introduced equal prize pots in 2007 .
What do you think? Should female tennis players earn as much as men? |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The renewable energy sector has received a boost with the inauguration of the world's first commercial wave power project off the Portuguese coast. It is hoped that the Pelamis Wave Energy Converters will provide energy for 15,000 homes. Developed by a Scottish engineering company, Pelamis Wave Power Limited, the Pelamis Wave Energy Converters (PWEC) have been towed into position three miles off the coast of Agucadoura in north Portugal. The first phase of the project is using three PWEC to generate 2.25 megawatts of power at a cost of nine million euros. If successful, a second phase will see energy generation rise to 21 megawatts from a further 25 machines providing electricity for 15,000 Portuguese homes. The project is a joint venture between Pelamis Wave Power Limited, Babcock and Brown Ltd -- a global specialist asset manager, Energias de Portugal (EDP) and Portuguese energy group EFACEC. Named after the sea snake Pelamis, each machine measures 140 meters in length, is 3.5 meters wide and sits partially submerged in the sea. Babcock and Brown's Anthony Kennaway explained to CNN how the PWEC work. "Effectively what you have is four long sections making up one machine. Between those sections are three small generating motors," he said. "The four sections are all joined by hydraulic rams. As the waves run through the machine it pushes the rams in and out. The action of the rams going to and fro pushes hydraulic fluid into a high-pressure reservoir. That high-pressure reservoir then releases the fluid at a steady rate through a generating motor." This power is fed down to a cable on the sea bed which then links back to a sub-station on shore where it is converted into useable electricity. The PWEC are, of course, reliant on the weather. Depending on the wave resource, Pelamis predict that the machines will on average produce 25-40 percent of their full power output over the course of a year. When the full array of 25 machines are in place it is calculated that around 60,000 tons of CO2 will be displaced. If wave power was fully exploited, the British Wind Energy Association estimates that one-two billion tons of CO2 could be displaced every year. Ian Fells, emeritus professor of energy conversion at Newcastle University in England, gave this latest development in wave power a cautious welcome. "It's extraordinarily difficult to design a machine that will cope with the extreme violence of waves. Some wave machines are under the surface all the time -- but they are not as well developed as yet. Pelamis lies in the surface and it remains to be seen how successful it will be," he told CNN. "But good luck to them. We'll just have to see how it operates over time and how it copes with serious weather conditions." Professor Fells, a founding chairman of the New and Renewable Energy Center (NaREC) at Blyth, Northumberland, is convinced of the potential of wave power engineering but says it is still in its infancy. "A few years ago when I was talking about a 500-kilowatt Wavegen machine, I was asked by a reporter how many of these we would need to replace the two nuclear power stations in Scotland, and the answer is 10,000. That puts things into perspective." | [
"The first commercial wave power project was inaugurated off what coast?",
"How much CO2 will be displaced?",
"The semi-submerged machines will initially provide how much power?",
"World's first commercial wave power project is inaugurated off the coast of which country?",
"How much power will the machines provide?",
"How many megawatts with the second phase produce?"
] | [
[
"the Portuguese"
],
[
"60,000 tons"
],
[
"energy for 15,000 homes."
],
[
"Portuguese"
],
[
"2.25 megawatts of"
],
[
"21"
]
] | World's first commercial wave power project is inaugurated off the Portuguese coast .
The semi-submerged machines will initially provide 2.25 megawatts of power .
A second phase will produce 21 megawatts and displace 60,000 tons of CO2 . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The sleek, dark wood has all the characteristics of endangered mahogany from Peru's Amazon rainforest. Kebony is targeting decking manufacturers and boat builders as potential clients of its modified sustainable wood. In reality, it was manufactured in Norway, in a five-day process that instills all the qualities of rare, tropical hardwood into sustainable softwood. The company that makes it, Kebony, says it comes with none of the environmental cost. "This is a mega turn, people have to act," Kebony CEO Christian Jebsen told CNN. "We have a green solution for the tropical wood market and we are there to take that market or at least be part of it." Christian Jebsen talks to CNN » The global market for wood products from tropical forests is estimated to be worth some $20 billion each year, according to the International Tropical Timber Organization. Most of the wood on the world market now comes from Southeast Asia and Africa, according to the Rainforest Foundation Norway. Tighter controls on logging in Brazil have reduced the amount of hardwood being shipped out of the Amazon, once a popular source for the finest quality mahogany, teak and cedar. "Each tree is worth maybe $25,000-$40,000 on the international market. And there are lots of trees being taken out [worldwide] -- so this is a large business, a huge business," said Lars Løvold, director of the Rainforest Foundation Norway. The United Nations estimates some 13 million hectares of forest are lost worldwide each year, equivalent to an area the size of Greece or Nicaragua. Their absence is said to contribute more carbon emissions each year than the global transport sector. Demand for luxury hardwood is by no means the main cause of deforestation. Clearing land for agriculture and the collection of wood for fuel are the main drivers, but Løvold said the lucrative market for hardwood provides a compelling incentive for loggers to move into previously untouched areas. "Almost all deforestation starts with the logging," Løvold told CNN. "The logging doesn't necessarily end up in the total clearance of an area, it just opens up the area, it takes out all the valuable trees and makes it much easier." Kebony's move into the global wood market follows more than a decade of research started in the late 1990s by Canadian scientist Marc Schneider of the University of New Brunswick. Rigorous testing took place before the first trial production in 2004. Strong demand for the product convinced the company to build a new plant with ten times the production capacity, which opened in January. "What we are doing with our technology is to permanently transform the wood so it doesn't change. Our process is 100 percent environmentally friendly," Jebsen told CNN. The process involves injecting softwood with a patented formula which includes Furfuryl alcohol, a waste by-product of sugar cane production. The wood is then subjected to pressure, heated and dried before being cured at high temperatures to create a product that the company says is stronger, more stable than untreated softwood and weather-proof. Kebony's environmental credentials have been endorsed with the receipt of the Nordic region's eco-label, the Swan. It's also received Norway's national environmental prize, the "Glass Bear." On a cost basis, the company says it can compete with the price of authentic teak on the European market. "You can buy a cubic meter of teak in Europe for anything between 3,000 euros ($4,000) up to 10,000 euros ($14,000), depending on the quality. I would say we are competitive with that," Jebsen said. Kebony is "slightly more expensive" when compared to pressure-treated wood, but it doesn't contain any of the potentially harmful metals or pesticides that are commonly used to improve the wood's durability. Jebsen sees some of the company's best opportunities in the boat-building industry, where rare teak from Myanmar is being used at the luxury end of the market. "We believe multiple boat manufacturers will start to use Kebony very soon | [
"Which country developed this?",
"Which country is the company from?",
"Which sustainable wood is used?",
"Where is the product used?",
"What kind of wood are they using?",
"Where is the company based?"
] | [
[
"Norway,"
],
[
"Norway,"
],
[
"Kebony"
],
[
"the boat-building industry,"
],
[
"sustainable softwood."
],
[
"Norway,"
]
] | Norwegian company has developed eco-friendly way to simulate hardwood .
Kebony uses sustainable wood including maple, pine and beech .
Wood is treated to give it the same look, performance as tropical hardwood .
Product widely used in Norway, now the company is expanding internationally . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The sole survivor of the crash that killed Princess Diana has told a court he still cannot remember the incident but does not support the conspiracy theories surrounding it. Bodyguard Trevor Rees and the back of Princess Diana's head are seen shortly before the car crash. Bodyguard Trevor Rees, formerly known as Trevor Rees-Jones, was the front-seat passenger in the Mercedes that carried Diana, her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. He sustained serious injuries in the August 31, 1997 crash and testified that he received anonymous phone calls and letters after the accident, threatening him to keep quiet. He said the caller told him to keep quiet, saying, "We know who you are, we know where you are, and we know where you live." Rees said he didn't take the calls or letters seriously. A lawyer also asked Rees about a supposed encounter with a woman in which he told her, "If I remember, they're going to kill me." Rees said he didn't recall the conversation and found it unlikely he ever made the remark. Rees, who still has a visible scar from the accident over his left eye, told the court he remembers nothing new about the crash, which, he has said, was an accident. He has said the last thing he remembers that night was leaving the Ritz Hotel in Paris, and that his next memory is more than a week later, in his hospital bed, when his parents told him everyone else in the car was dead. Rees suffered major injuries to his lower jaw, the base of his brain, and his pulmonary system and has had several surgeries and hospitalizations, some of which al Fayed paid for. Rees also testified that he did not support the allegations by Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed al Fayed, that British security services were behind the crash. He denied the security services paid him to change his story. At the time of the crash, Rees was working for al Fayed's security team and was assigned to guard Dodi Fayed. He was also protecting the princess because she was Fayed's companion on the trip. He no longer works on al Fayed's security team. Rees has said what was once a good relationship with his former employer has broken down, largely because he does into support al Fayed's conspiracy theories about the crash. "I am not a part of any conspiracy to suppress the truth at all," Rees testified. "All I have ever done is given the truth as I see it." In 2000, Rees published a book, "The Bodyguard's Story: Diana, the Crash, and the Sole Survivor," offering his account of the events surrounding the crash. He said al Fayed tried unsuccessfully to stop the book's publication in England. Rees told CNN he wrote the book to give a definitive account of what he remembered and knew, but also to counter al Fayed's accusations that his unprofessionalism caused the accident. Rees also said proceeds from the book helped pay his legal bills. During the morning session, Rees testified that he had two flashbacks in the months after the crash, but his psychiatrist told him they were false memories. In the first, Rees said, he recalled hearing the voice of a woman -- apparently Diana -- calling out, "Dodi" from the back seat of the car. In the second flashback, Rees said he recalled seeing a paparazzi motorbike next to the car. Lawyer Ian Burnett then read from a letter written by Al Fayed to Lord Stevens, who investigated the crash for the British police. In the letter, Al Fayed says Rees is lying about losing his memory. "He knows the detail which the security services are so eager to suppress," Al Fayed wrote, alluding to his belief that the crash was part of a murder plot. Rees testified that he was not lying about his memory loss: "I have no memory of -- after leaving the back of the hotel, that's | [
"Who did the crash kill?",
"Who employed Rees, the bodyguard?",
"Who is Dodi Fayed?",
"Who died in the accident with princess Diana",
"After the crash who received threatening calls and letters?",
"Who died in the accident?",
"Who was Rees employed by?"
] | [
[
"Princess Diana"
],
[
"Princess Diana"
],
[
"her boyfriend,"
],
[
"her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul."
],
[
"Trevor Rees,"
],
[
"Diana,"
],
[
"working for al Fayed's security team"
]
] | Dodi Fayed's bodyguard says can't remember crash that killed Princess Diana .
NEW: Trevor Rees received anonymous threatening phone calls, letters after crash .
Princess Diana, boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul all died in accident .
Rees was a bodyguard employed by Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed Al Fayed . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The swanky and exclusive super-yacht market is bracing itself for a storm -- off the water. Pondering his boats? Despite a softening of the super-yacht market, Roman Abramovich will likely keep his fleet. The industry has bucked trends of other sectors with massive growth in recent years, but, the current international financial woes mean the uber-rich are poised to leave the plain rich behind as the market tightens. With estimations that hundreds of billions, or even trillions, of dollars will be wiped from the assets of the world's wealthiest businessmen and women, the super-yacht industry is sure to be one market that suffers. Although it is reserved mainly for the wealthy, dire predictions for the super-yacht world should be of concern to many, given that Superyacht UK estimates the industry is worth more than £350 million and provides employment to over 3,500 people. So, could the credit crisis be enough to crunch the industry altogether? Superyacht UK's international development manager Tom Chant told CNN the answer was "no", but it could have an impact at the lower end of the market. Chant said there were some signs that demand was "softening" for smaller super-yachts -- boats in the range of 30 to 40 meters long and usually worth anywhere between £1 million and £5 million. "There has been a softening of demand for smaller super-yachts. These people are usually immune to these sorts of things. But now, maybe it has finally filtered all the way to the top," he said. The softening in this area of the market could also affect re-sale prices, which until now had been very stable, he said. The lower to middle market received a further blow recently when UK super-yacht building company Devonport Yachts, announced its closure. However, at the other end of the scale, things aren't looking so worrisome. Recent figures suggest that the top end of the super-yacht market is holding firm -- at least for now. A Super-yachting Index compiled by The Luxury Institute with yacht broker and charter company Camper & Nicholson's International, found that new orders for yachts over 130 feet are up nearly 20 percent in 2008. • See pictures of the world's top super-yachts These figures continue a longer-term trend within the market. Last year there were 254 new orders for super-yachts over 130-feet, up from 134 orders in 2005. This increase is even more drastic when looking back a decade to 1997. Then, there were just 241 yachts longer than 80 foot being built across the globe. By 2007 this number had soared to 916 vessels. Chant said the credit crisis wasn't an issue for the attendees of the Monaco Yacht Show in September. "At the Monaco show we had the first news of the credit crunch really hitting then. People didn't really raise an eyebrow," he said. And despite the weakening in the lower end of the market, Chant said the 60 meter-plus category was still "very strong", with most of the build slots at major ship-builders still full. So, it seems likely the super wealthy owners such as Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich, Microsoft's Paul Allen, and Oracle's Larry Ellison should be shielded. There's no greater evidence of this than Roman Abramovich's latest project. Reportedly named the Eclipse, the super-yacht is expected to be about 160 meters long and become the biggest on the planet. Although no firm details have been released about the project, rumors have included a £250 million price tag, and the inclusion of two helicopter pads. However, not all super-yacht owners possess the fortune Abramovich does, and those without such giant financial backing may be forced to leave the market. Chant said some owners of smaller vessels may look to share ownership or charter their vessel out more often in order to maintain possession. "Chartering is the big way to make money ...it | [
"What size yacht is a better seller?",
"Are sales of super-yachts or small yachts doing better?",
"How much is the yacht industry worth?",
"How can owners make money?",
"What industry is worth 350 million?",
"Who can profit by chartering or sharing vessels?",
"How much is the super yach industry worth?",
"What is the value of the super-yacht industry?",
"In which country are the sales of yachts worth 350 million?",
"What market is softening?"
] | [
[
"Recent figures suggest that the top end of the super-yacht market is holding firm"
],
[
"market is bracing itself for a storm"
],
[
"more than £350 million"
],
[
"\"Chartering"
],
[
"super-yacht market,"
],
[
"owners of smaller"
],
[
"more than £350 million"
],
[
"more than £350 million"
],
[
"UK"
],
[
"super-yacht"
]
] | The super-yacht industry is believed to be worth £350 million in the UK .
Sales of large super-yachts are steady while the smaller yacht market is softening .
Super-yacht owners can make money by chartering or sharing their vessels . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The view will be one unlike any other. Climbing up through the clouds at a rate faster than the speed of sound, the sky will darken to a deep blue and then to black. Below, entire mountain ranges, coastlines and cities will shift into focus as the horizon bends around the curvature of the Earth - the thin veil of its atmosphere shimmering against a backdrop of stars. An emerging space tourism industry may give thousands of travelers a new view of Earth. And then, of course, there will be the feeling of weightlessness. "It is just life changing," said Col. Richard Searfoss, a retired NASA shuttle commander."To be outside the atmosphere and see the curvature of the Earth and see so much land area at once, it gives you a sense of separateness but connectedness." The view of Earth from outer space is a sight that in the history of mankind only a few hundred people have ever seen. But that could soon change as what was once an almost nonexistent space tourism industry slowly matures into what some analysts predict could be a billion dollar enterprise with thousands of passengers by the end of the next decade. "This is just the beginning of the golden age of space flight," said Peter Diamandis, chairman of the X Prize Foundation, which awarded the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004 for the first privately funded human flight to the edge of space."Looking back a thousand years from now, this will be the period of time when the human race irrevocably moved off the planet." Look back roughly ten years, though, and the idea of sending tourists into space seemed more like science fiction than a viable business plan, said John Gedmark, executive director of the Personal Spaceflight Federation, a trade association representing the space travel industry. "No one ever thought this was real at all," said Gedmark."It was just completely unthinkable." But that perception began to change in 2001 when American multimillionaire Dennis Tito became the world's first so-called space tourist, traveling aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station for a price of around $20 million. Four more tourists have since made the trip. Another major milestone for the industry has been a growing interest and investment from entrepreneurs like Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who financed the development of SpaceShipOne, winner of the Ansari X Prize, and British billionaire Richard Branson, founder of the space tourism company, Virgin Galactic. "Since then the activity has been more evenly spread and steadier and more consistent and more determined," said Gedmark. "Now you have a number of companies working on multiple fronts to get people into space." There are now at least a dozen space tourism endeavors worldwide, offering experiences that range from a flight to the fringe of space to astronaut training on a tropical island. While the companies make up a varied landscape of technological know-how, financial wherewithal and enterprising ideas, they all share one common goal: The desire to conquer what is widely considered to be the final frontier of mankind -- the universe. "The human species is about evolution and is about moving forward," said Eric Anderson, president of Space Adventures Ltd., the Virginia-based company responsible for arranging civilian trips to the space station on the Soyuz. "Space is filled with infinite resources that can make our lives better." This October, Richard Garriott, a computer-game developer and son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, is scheduled to become Space Adventures' sixth client to leave the planet followed by a seventh yet-to-be identified passenger next April. Space Adventures is also planning to build commercial spaceports near Dubai and in Singapore. But Anderson said the next big step involves something slightly further afield - a trip to the Moon. With a price tag of $100 million per seat, two tourists and a pilot would spend around two weeks board a modified Russian spacecraft with the chance to see an Earth rise from lunar orbit and cruise around the far side of the Moon. The excursion will launch | [
"How much does space travel cost?",
"who projected to be billion dollar industry?",
"wads projects how many travelers ?",
"what is billion dollar business",
"how many space ventures operating worldwide?",
"What will space tourism be in the future?"
] | [
[
"$100 million per seat,"
],
[
"space"
],
[
"thousands of"
],
[
"space tourism industry"
],
[
"at least a dozen"
],
[
"a billion dollar enterprise with thousands of passengers by the end of the next decade."
]
] | Space tourism projected to be billion dollar industry by end of next decade .
More than a dozen commercial space ventures operating worldwide .
European aerospace company EADS projects 15,000 space travelers by 2021 . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The way professional golf is played may have changed for good after the U.S. PGA Tour decided to go along with a new rule that amounts to a rollback of golf technology, a move that world number one Tiger Woods has endorsed. Tiger Woods supports a rule change that will make it harder to play out of the rough. The rule, implemented by the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) and Royal and Ancient Golf Club (RA), means that from the start of 2010 the U-shaped grooves on wedges will be banned in favor of V-shaped grooves, with the intention of rewarding accurate driving over distance hitting. Research by the USGA has shown that U-shaped grooves allow top players to generate much more spin when playing the ball out of the rough, making the ball come to a quick stop on the green. The USGA and RA felt this meant that landing in the rough was no longer enough of a penalty for shots that strayed from the fairway. In recent years pro golfers have begun to drive for distance rather than accuracy, knowing they can spin their way out of the rough if they miss their target -- a style of play known as "bomb and gouge." Despite pressure from some players and golf equipment manufacturers, the U.S. PGA Tour has decided to go along with the rule change, meaning U.S. PGA Tour competitions, including the U.S. Open, will feature the club restriction from next year. Amateur competitions will not ditch the U-shaped grooves until 2014 and the new rule will not apply to recreational players until 2024. Gareth Taylor, Product Manager at leading golf club manufacturer Callaway, told CNN he believes the change will reward more skilful players. "At the moment players are getting a lot of spin on the ball so I think it will make people play better," he said. "They'll have to get their technique finely tuned and not rely on the club." He says club makers have been given ample notice to prepare for the switch. "I don't think the change is a regression, it just means research and development will have to come up with better ideas to help the players out." Taylor explained that as a golfer strikes the ball the grooves on the club face catch the coating on the ball's surface, producing back spin. He said that the rule change applies to five irons and up and requires the grooves on the club face to be more spaced out, which will make it harder for the grooves to catch the ball. Tiger Woods has supported the changes, saying: "I think it's great. We've had plenty of time to make our adjustments. All the companies have been testing and getting ready for this." To compensate for the loss of spin from the rough, tour players may use softer balls, which spin more but do not travel as far. That could favor players who already use the softer ball -- including Tiger Woods. | [
"what making it harder to play from the rough?",
"What should the rule award?",
"what The rule should reward accuracy by making it harder to play?",
"what should the rule do",
"what The PGA Tour has agreed to a rule that will ban U-groove?"
] | [
[
"a rule change"
],
[
"accurate driving over distance hitting."
],
[
"out of the rough."
],
[
"change that will make it harder to play out of the rough."
],
[
"from the start of 2010 the U-shaped grooves on wedges"
]
] | The PGA Tour has agreed to a rule that will ban U-groove clubs for tour players .
The rule should reward accuracy by making it harder to play from the rough .
Golf club designers are researching new technologies to replace the u-groove . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The wife of an Iranian pro-reformist activist detained as he tried to leave the country last week says she is "deeply concerned" for his safety. Fatemah Shams and Mohammadreza Jalaeipour are students together at the University of Oxford. Fatemeh Shams told CNN she hadn't heard from her husband Mohammadreza Jalaeipour since she watched him being escorted away after he was prevented from boarding a flight to Dubai on June 17. Both are students at the University of Oxford and had been returning to the UK from Iran after attending a family wedding, just as demonstrations escalated following presidential elections earlier this month which have plunged Iran into political chaos. Shams said she and her 27-year-old husband -- both activists for the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign -- planned to leave Iran on June 17. At first, everything appeared fine with Jalaeipour having his passport stamped as he passed through immigration. But he was then approached by a plain clothes official who told him to turn off his cellphone before ordering Jalaeipour to follow him. "We didn't get a chance to talk to each other -- I was watching what was happening and that was the last time I saw him," said Shams, 26, who flew to the UK via Doha in Qatar. Watch Shams speak about her husband's detention » Shams said she hadn't heard directly from her husband since his arrest but believed he was being held in prison. "It's a very difficult mental situation for me to understand what is going on and I am deeply concerned about his health and safety," she told CNN. Both Jalaeipour and Shams were members of the organizing committee of the Third Wave campaign, a reformist youth movement formed last year to back former president Mohammad Khatami's candidacy in this year's election. Following Khatami's withdrawal from contention, the Third Wave threw its support behind Mir Hossein Moussavi, who has disputed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, claiming that voting was rigged. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal Jalaeipour said he had advised Moussavi on using social-networking Web sites, such as Facebook, to reach young voters. "Third Wave was a totally legal campaign with reformist tendencies that was trying to get young people involved in the elections," said Shams. "We believed we should take part to make our country better and to have a better future. We were encouraging young people to not be indifferent about their country." Shams said she thinks he may have been detained because of his political activities. "Most of the activists who have been supporting the reformist candidate, all of them are in prison now. Why should the young people who want to do something for the sake of their country and their people, why are they in prison now?" Shams said she planned to return to Iran herself if there was no change in her husband's situation in the next week or so. But she but admitted her own safety could not be guaranteed if she went back. Following more than a week of daily demonstrations in Tehran, Iranian security forces have been cracking down on protests and arresting activists including Ebrahim Yazdi, a former deputy prime minister who headed a group supporting increased freedom and democracy. Yazdi, who is 76 and has suffered prostate cancer, was later released. Moussavi and former president Khatami have sent a letter to Iran's courts urging them to release arrested activists and protesters. | [
"Is Jalaeipour's wife concerned for his safety?",
"The couple are both activists for what?",
"What is the name of the activist detained?",
"When did Jalaeipour's wife last hear from him?",
"Which organisation are the couple involved with?",
"What nationality was the activist who was detained at the airport?"
] | [
[
"she is \"deeply concerned\""
],
[
"the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign"
],
[
"Mohammadreza Jalaeipour"
],
[
"June 17."
],
[
"pro-reformist Third Wave campaign"
],
[
"Iranian"
]
] | Iranian activist detained at airport as he tried to leave country .
Wife says she is deeply concerned for Mohammadreza Jalaeipour's safety .
Fatemeh Shams says she hasn't heard from Jalaeipour since his arrest .
Couple are both activists for pro-Moussavi Third Wave campaign . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world has lost almost one-fifth of its coral reefs according a new report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Coral reefs could be wiped out in 30-40 years according to a new report. Compiled by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, the report has brought together the work of researchers from 15 countries with data stretching back 20 years. It's not just climate change -- which raises ocean temperatures and increases seawater acidification -- which is damaging reefs. In some parts of the world overfishing, pollution and invasive species are proving equally harmful. Scientists are warning that reef destruction will have alarming consequences for around 500 million people who rely on coral reefs for their livelihood. Left unchecked, remaining reefs could be completely wiped out by 2050, the report says. Professor Olof Linden from the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden, told CNN: "We see a great and imminent threat of more reefs being lost." Speaking from the U.N. Climate Conference in Poznan, Poland, Professor Linden said that the 19 percent figure is an average. "For many developing countries like Sri Lanka and countries in East Africa the percentage of damage is much worse. Sometimes three times as high in some places," he said. "In these areas we have local effects like dynamite fishing and other destructive fishing techniques combined the threat of coral mining, unmanaged tourism and all kinds of pollution from agriculture." But overall the biggest threat to reef survival is climate change. "The most destructive climate event to impact the coral reefs so far," said Linden, "was the 1998 El Nino which caused major coral bleaching and disrupted ecosystems all over the planet." iReport.com: What little things are you doing to save the planet? Scientists say reefs have recovered somewhat from those bleaching events. But the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, coupled with coral disease and human effects, have slowed their recuperation. Coral reefs not only provide an income and food for those who live near them, but are also effective natural barriers against storm surges. Despite the report's pessimism, researchers see some encouraging signs. Forty-five percent of the world's reefs are currently in good health and the hope remains that damaged reefs can recover and adjust to the changing conditions. "We must focus on helping corals to adapt to climate change and on diverting people away from destructive practices such as overfishing," Linden said. | [
"lost almost one fifth of i?",
"What percentage of coral reefs have been lost?",
"How many coral reefs have been lost?"
] | [
[
"its coral reefs"
],
[
"one-fifth"
],
[
"one-fifth"
]
] | The world has lost almost one fifth of its coral reefs, according a new report .
Climate change, overfishing and coral mining all are contributing to destruction .
In some parts of Indian Ocean up to 60 percent of reef life has died . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world's largest, fastest fully solar-powered boat is being built in preparation for a round-the-world challenge. 'Planet Solar' would be the world's fastest fully solar-powered boat and is projected to cross the Atlantic in two weeks. The futuristic-looking "Planet Solar," which is 100 percent powered by sunlight, is the brainchild of Swiss engineer Raphael Domjan, a former paramedic with a passion for innovative design and renewable energies. The 30-meter vessel is currently being built in Kiel, Germany, and will be finished early next year. If all goes according to plan, the boat will begin sailing summer 2010 -- first in European waters and then around the world. The boat can travel at up to 14 knots (26k/m) and would be the first solar-powered boat to travel at such high speeds. It is projected to be able to cross the Atlantic in just two weeks. Domjan hopes his ambitious, $11.5 million (€8 million) project will prove that boats can travel at high speeds without emitting any carbon dioxide. "[I] want to show that we can change, that solutions exist and that it's not too late," Domjan writes on his Web site. "Using technology and our knowledge to better promote renewable energies is the way towards a lasting world." Planet Solar will be covered in 470 square meters of solar panels -- the equivalent of two tennis courts. This means it will have particularly high energy absorption. See more images of the solar-powered boat » Twenty-three percent of absorbed sunlight will be converted into energy that the boat can run on, compared with 17 percent for average panels, according to Planet Solar's project manager, Danny Faigaux of Grand Chelem Management. "The first man sailed around the world 500 years ago and Raphael thought it was about time we did it in a different way," Faigaux told CNN. But relying purely on solar energy may prove difficult in areas of the world where bad weather prevents sunlight from penetrating the clouds. Batteries on Planet Solar will be able to store enough energy gathered from the sun to allow the boat to sail in poor conditions for three days, said Faigaux. If cloudy weather persists for more than three days, the vessel will run into real difficulties. To avoid this eventuality, the team has partnered with the French meteorological institute, "Meteo France." The institute will update Planet Solar's skippers on which routes to avoid. Famous French sailor Gerard D'Abouville will skipper the boat alongside Domjan. D'Abouville is the first man to have rowed across both the Atlantic and the Pacific and has long been involved with sustainable development. In April 2011 after a short tour of Europe, Planet Solar will embark on a round-the-world tour, stopping in dozens of cities along the way. Wherever the boat goes, Domjan hopes to teach people about alternative ways of consuming energy. At each port-of-call he plans to set up a portable "educational village" made from inflatable material. Up to 500 people at any one time will be will be able to visit the village's three inflatable "spheres" to learn more about Planet Solar, ecology and economy. "This situation is also an opportunity," said Domjan. "The dilution of our resources and fossil fuels and climate change forces us to rethink our societies." | [
"What is the size of the solar panels?",
"What is the boat attempting?",
"What is time the boat can travel to cross the Atlantic?",
"who did this invention",
"maximum speed of this boat",
"what speed can it reach",
"what is the name of the boat"
] | [
[
"470 square meters"
],
[
"a round-the-world challenge."
],
[
"two weeks."
],
[
"Swiss engineer Raphael Domjan,"
],
[
"14 knots (26k/m)"
],
[
"14 knots (26k/m)"
],
[
"'Planet Solar'"
]
] | World's largest, fastest fully solar-powered boat is attempting round-the-world tour .
"Planet Solar" has 470 square meters of panels -- equivalent to two tennis courts .
Vessel can travel at up to 26 k/h and is projected to cross Atlantic in two weeks . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The worst snowstorm to hit Britain in 18 years forced the cancellation of more than 650 flights at London's Heathrow airport Monday and shut down the city's bus network, partially paralyzing the British capital.
A group of men push a giant snowball across Kensington Gardens, west London Monday.
Heathrow, one of the busiest transport hubs in the world, closed both its runways for more than two hours Monday morning and operated with just one for the rest of the morning, according to BAA, the company which runs it.
London City airport is also closed, while the British capital's other two airports, Stansted and Gatwick, were operating with severe delays, BAA said.
British Airways canceled all flights out of Heathrow until 5 p.m. except for Edinburgh and Lisbon routes. Send your iReport videos, stories
One of the city's largest cab companies was in such high demand it stopped taking cash and credit card bookings, serving only customers with accounts, it said.
Dial-a-Cab, which has a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles, served mainly blue-chip companies trying to get employees into work, said Keith Cain a Control Room manager for the company. Customers waited up to an hour and a half for a cab early in the morning, he said. See gallery of UK under snow »
Jochen Jaeger, 36, found himself stranded at Heathrow, unable to fly home to Zurich or to get back into the apartment he rented in London.
"I will stay here at the airport," he told CNN. "There is no other option. I may have to spend the night here."
American businessman Ken Plunkett, 60, from St. Paul, Minnesota, was trying to fly out from Heathrow Airport but found himself caught in the weather chaos. "I know England does not have the infrastructure to remove snow like we do in Minnesota," he said. Watch passenger stranded by snow »
Jenny Leslie, a shop worker at Heathrow's Terminal 2, said it was so quiet at the airport "you can hear a pin drop."
Southampton Airport, southwest of London, was also closed for several hours Monday morning, but re-opened by 1200 GMT.
But many people in the city were delighted by the unusual weather.
"Londoners of all ages are childishly happy to be making snowmen and having snowball fights. Bankers of all ages are throwing snowballs in the middle of the residential streets," Monica Majumdar told CNN in an iReport.
She lived in New York before moving to London four years ago, and was surprised by how little snow it took to bring the British capital to a standstill.
"I have seen snow like this. But somehow, it's more beautiful here. It's partly due to the fact that even Londoners are amazed by the snow -- so there is a general air of surrealism," she said via e-mail. " I do feel like I'm in a Christmas snowglobe, with all the iconic London monuments blanketed by the powdered snow."
London's famous red buses were pulled off the roads on Sunday night as the snow got deeper.
It was the first time "in living memory" that all city bus service had been suspended, including when London was being bombed during World War II, a spokesman for the city's transit agency, Transport for London, said.
"Bus services were suspended throughout London last night on the grounds of passenger safety due to the unsafe road conditions resulting in a large number of traffic incidents across London," the agency said in a statement Monday morning. Watch London grind to a halt »
About six million people ride London buses each day, said the spokesman, who asked not to be named.
Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday.
London Mayor Boris Johnson suspended the £8 ($11.30) daily congestion charge drivers normally pay to enter central London, the city transport authority said. Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday.
The city's subway | [
"Which major airports were badly affected by the weather?",
"What airports were affected?"
] | [
[
"Heathrow"
],
[
"London's Heathrow"
]
] | UK business spokesman: Disruptions would likely cost $1.7 billion .
Meteorologists said snow is worst in southeastern England in 18 years .
Major international airports including Heathrow, Gatwick badly affected .
UK weather service issues severe weather warnings for Monday, Tuesday . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The worst snowstorm to hit Britain in 18 years forced the cancellation of more than 650 flights at London's Heathrow airport Monday and shut down the city's bus network, partially paralyzing the British capital. A group of men push a giant snowball across Kensington Gardens, west London Monday. Heathrow, one of the busiest transport hubs in the world, closed both its runways for more than two hours Monday morning and operated with just one for the rest of the morning, according to BAA, the company which runs it. London City airport is also closed, while the British capital's other two airports, Stansted and Gatwick, were operating with severe delays, BAA said. British Airways canceled all flights out of Heathrow until 5 p.m. except for Edinburgh and Lisbon routes. Send your iReport videos, stories One of the city's largest cab companies was in such high demand it stopped taking cash and credit card bookings, serving only customers with accounts, it said. Dial-a-Cab, which has a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles, served mainly blue-chip companies trying to get employees into work, said Keith Cain a Control Room manager for the company. Customers waited up to an hour and a half for a cab early in the morning, he said. See gallery of UK under snow » Jochen Jaeger, 36, found himself stranded at Heathrow, unable to fly home to Zurich or to get back into the apartment he rented in London. "I will stay here at the airport," he told CNN. "There is no other option. I may have to spend the night here." American businessman Ken Plunkett, 60, from St. Paul, Minnesota, was trying to fly out from Heathrow Airport but found himself caught in the weather chaos. "I know England does not have the infrastructure to remove snow like we do in Minnesota," he said. Watch passenger stranded by snow » Jenny Leslie, a shop worker at Heathrow's Terminal 2, said it was so quiet at the airport "you can hear a pin drop." Southampton Airport, southwest of London, was also closed for several hours Monday morning, but re-opened by 1200 GMT. But many people in the city were delighted by the unusual weather. "Londoners of all ages are childishly happy to be making snowmen and having snowball fights. Bankers of all ages are throwing snowballs in the middle of the residential streets," Monica Majumdar told CNN in an iReport. She lived in New York before moving to London four years ago, and was surprised by how little snow it took to bring the British capital to a standstill. "I have seen snow like this. But somehow, it's more beautiful here. It's partly due to the fact that even Londoners are amazed by the snow -- so there is a general air of surrealism," she said via e-mail. " I do feel like I'm in a Christmas snowglobe, with all the iconic London monuments blanketed by the powdered snow." London's famous red buses were pulled off the roads on Sunday night as the snow got deeper. It was the first time "in living memory" that all city bus service had been suspended, including when London was being bombed during World War II, a spokesman for the city's transit agency, Transport for London, said. "Bus services were suspended throughout London last night on the grounds of passenger safety due to the unsafe road conditions resulting in a large number of traffic incidents across London," the agency said in a statement Monday morning. Watch London grind to a halt » About six million people ride London buses each day, said the spokesman, who asked not to be named. Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday. London Mayor Boris Johnson suspended the £8 ($11.30) daily congestion charge drivers normally pay to enter central London, the city transport authority said. Some bus service had been restored by lunchtime on Monday. The city's subway | [
"Which international airports were badly affected?",
"Who said that the snow was worst in southeastern England in 18 years?",
"What was one of the airports affected by the snow?",
"Which airports are affected?",
"What kind of weather was England experiencing?",
"What is the worst in 18 years?",
"Where is Gatwick?"
] | [
[
"London's Heathrow"
],
[
"(CNN)"
],
[
"London's Heathrow"
],
[
"London's Heathrow"
],
[
"snowstorm"
],
[
"snowstorm"
],
[
"London"
]
] | UK business spokesman: Disruptions would likely cost $1.7 billion .
Meteorologists said snow is worst in southeastern England in 18 years .
Major international airports including Heathrow, Gatwick badly affected .
UK weather service issues severe weather warnings for Monday, Tuesday . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- There are few things in the world shrouded with as much secrecy as the super-yacht industry. Maritime mysteries: the design and building processes for super-yachts are tightly guarded secrets. The boats are built and kept in exclusive locations, they're owned by the notoriously inaccessible super-wealthy, and for most of us the closest we'll get to them is in the pages of glossy magazines. In a bid to gain a stronger insight into the super-yacht world I've organised an interview with Dr William Collier, the owner of Liverpool's G.L. Watson & Co - the oldest yacht design company in the world. The company formed in 1873 and in its time has produced four America's Cup yachts and more presidential and royal yachts than any other yacht designer. It seems the logical business to profile. But, there's a catch. In this industry 'loose lips' really do 'sink ships'... or at least destroy business, anyway. Collier can't tell me anything about the projects the company is working on, the people he's working for, or how much these ocean-going beasts cost to produce. "We enter into very strict confidentiality agreements with our clients. We find it frustrating at times because we would like to approach people about doing a project because we have done a similar project - but we can't mention it. "These guys can get into the press whenever they want. Unfortunately in the United Kingdom due to the nature of the press they have nothing to gain from having their personal property displayed for all to see," Collier told CNN. And when most of G.L. Watson & Co's business comes from client referrals, the company is wise not to jeopardize confidentiality agreements. Collier confirmed the company would have less than 100 clients on its books and it tries to manage several projects on differing scales at the one time. He said a usual workload was to have one 200-feet plus project, one around 100-150 feet and a few smaller projects on the go simultaneously. The 'smaller' vessels Collier refers to are often in the range of 60-80 feet long. Just tiny. Though Collier declines to comment on the net worth of his clients, I infer from the discussion that most of them are multi-millionaires, if not billionaires. This is certainly not a place for someone with shallow pockets. He said the current 'credit crunch' hitting many consumers was unlikely to have too much impact on his business. "They would be generally insulated from that. Budget is always an issue for people but that is more because people don't like change. A lot of what we do is to protect the client's interests - to make sure they don't pay too much," he said. Collier said the company had two major strands: design and owner representation. While the first aspect is self-explanatory, the second involves the full management of entire building or restoration projects from the owner's point of view. The full process of building or restoring a boat usually took between three to five years and became quite an intimate affair, he said. "We have a very close relationship with the clients. Inevitably because we are designing someone's ideal home we are finding out a lot about them and what they like and don't like. You get to know them very well." However, it's not all fairytales. The privileged position his job places him in also has its downfalls. "Anyone who says these things go smoothly is lying," he laughed. Collier said although he had not experienced any disappointed clients, he had heard of cases where multi-million dollar vessels had not been to the satisfaction of the buyer. After buying the company in 2001 at a time when he had been personally working towards restoring a G.L. Watson & Co original, Collier -- a passionate sailor himself, said the market was changing. The company worked on both sailing and motor-powered yachts, and he | [
"How long do yachts take to complete?",
"When was the Nahlin made?",
"Who is the oldest yacht design company in the world?",
"How long do yachts typically take to complete?",
"What is the oldest yach design company in the world?"
] | [
[
"three"
],
[
"1873"
],
[
"G.L. Watson & Co"
],
[
"five years"
],
[
"G.L. Watson & Co"
]
] | G.L. Watson & Co. is the oldest yacht design company in the world .
The company is bound to tight confidentiality agreements about its projects .
The restoration of 1930s vessel 'Nahlin' will be the biggest of its kind .
Most yachts take three-to-five years to complete . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- There are some circuits that are cornerstones of the Formula 1 calendar: the Monacos and Silverstones whose every twist and turn are known intimately by the drivers and engineers. Then there are the newer circuits -- Malaysia and Bahrain, for instance -- but even these have become familiar to the drivers and their backroom boffins.
Fuji Speedway employees pose behind a scale model of the new circuit and in front of an overhead view.
Next week they have something completely new to contend with: a track that has yet to see a single F1 team put in a single lap. The Japan Grand Prix is to return to the Fuji Speedway, a circuit that hasn't seen an F1 race since 1977 (though now with a substantially different track layout).
The Fuji circuit will be familiar to fans of classic arcade games. The old Fuji Speedway was the setting for the 1982 arcade game Pole Position (released by Namco in Japan and Atari in the rest of the world). The most notable aspect of the circuit is the vision of Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain, looming in the distance. Though the move to this picturesque location is not without its controversies.
The Suzuka track -- which had held Japanese Grands Prix between 1987 and 2006 -- had been popular with drivers and fans alike, but for this year and the next the Japanese Grand Prix will be held at Fuji.
However an announcement by Formula One Management (FOM) this month revealed that Suzuka will return to the calendar for 2009 -- on the condition that the circuit makes some approved modifications -- with the location of the Japanese Grand Prix alternating yearly between Fuji and Suzuka after that.
Behind the scenes is a political battleground -- both circuits are owned by car manufacturers with F1 connections -- Honda owns Suzuka, Toyota owns Fuji. Toyota is a relative newcomer to F1 but, having this year surpassed General Motors as the world's number one automobile manufacturer, and reputedly having the best funded team in the paddock (a position that hasn't been reflected in sporting success), it is not without clout.
The redesign of the Fuji track was carried out by Hermann Tilke in 2003. Tilke, a German architect redesigned a number of F1 circuits in the 1990s and has since designed many new grand prix tracks including Malaysia, Istanbul, Bahrain and Shanghai, and the tracks for 2008's debut grands prix in Singapore and Valencia.
So how do F1 teams prepare for a new circuit such as Fuji without data from previous races to fall back on? The answer lies with computer simulation.
Computer-aided design (CAD) is as much a part of the design of a circuit these days as it is a part of the design of the high-tech cars. Every bend, every straight and every camber is fastidiously analyzed on screen before an ounce of dirt is shifted on the ground itself.
Despite never having raced on the circuit, the teams have been testing their cars on a virtual Fuji Speedway for some time. BMW Sauber's simulation experts received CAD data from the Japanese race organizers late last year. And when their cars arrive at Fuji for testing next week, their race set-up should be close to optimum.
The circuit was analyzed and broken up into between 500 and 800 segments. The radius of each individual segment was measured, allowing the engineers to exactly calculate the optimum racing line (the route around the circuit that covers the shortest possible distance).
Then the effects of factors such as gradients and inclines were calculated. The slightest change in angle of a gradient can have significant effects on the downforce and aerodynamic profile of a car.
"In order to avoid losing precious time during the race weekend, we need to have as accurate as possible a picture of downforce levels, gearbox ratios and brake specification in advance," says Willy Rampf, Technical Director of the BMW Sauber F1 Team.
Dieter Glass, Chief Race and Test Engineer with Toyota F1 explains:
"You start to determine what downforce level gives the best lap time on the new circuit. Once you know that, you look into | [
"What way are teams being prepared for familar circuit",
"Which is re designed?",
"when did fuji speedway host the first japanese grand prix",
"Which other circuit will alternate with Fuji?",
"When was the last time Fuji Speedway hosted the Japanese Grand Prix?",
"When is first Japanese Grand Prix hosted?",
"Who alternates with Fuji from 2009?",
"What is used to prepare teams for the unfamiliar circuit?",
"What is preparing teams?",
"Where will the first Japanese Grand Prix since 1977 be hosted?"
] | [
[
"computer simulation."
],
[
"the Fuji track"
],
[
"1977"
],
[
"Suzuka"
],
[
"1977"
],
[
"2009"
],
[
"Suzuka"
],
[
"computer simulation."
],
[
"computer simulation."
],
[
"Fuji Speedway,"
]
] | Re-designed Fuji Speedway to host its first Japanese Grand Prix since 1977 .
Suzuka to alternate with Fuji from 2009 .
Computer models used to prepare teams for the unfamiliar circuit . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are domestic relics of a bygone era when space travel was new and exciting and the world was buzzing with optimism about what could be.
This Coney Island playground climbing frame is one of the larger items clogging the Kleeman family's barn.
NASA's Apollo 11 moon landing 40 years ago reinvigorated demand for space-inspired mementoes that was stirring well before the start of the Space Age in the 1950s.
Shops offered everything from rocket-shaped lamps, to skateboards, biscuit tins and toys emblazoned with stars and futuristic astronauts.
Such was the excitement surrounding the momentous moon landing in 1969 that some were moved to create their own memorabilia in needlepoint and tin. See memorabilia of 1969 moon landing »
Many early examples of space-inspired design, both professional and homemade, can now be found in a 100ft hay barn at the Kleeman family home in the U.S. state of Connecticut.
They're not on display -- yet -- but the family hopes to soon show the world what they call the "Space Age Museum," a collection of as many as 10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space.
"Everything started with a toy ray gun Peter and I bought at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts 20 years ago for $10," John Kleeman said.
"We have never lost the excitement of that first find and since then we have continued our quest for cultural artifacts which tell the back story of the Space Age -- how ordinary folk like us experienced the magic, adventure and meaning of human space exploration."
Weekend trips to markets and auctions became more frequent and over time the collection grew to include more cumbersome items including a 40-foot promotional trailer based on the design of "Terra IV," a battle cruiser in the 1950s U.S. television series, "Space Patrol."
"They had a movie theatre inside so 40 people could sit inside it and watch a rocket launch," John's son Peter explained. "We had to adjust the doors to the barn to fit it, but it's in our barn now."
As the barn became more crowded, references to their "collection" morphed into "the museum" and their father-son hobby transformed into a potential business.
"It was kind of a 'some day' kind of thing," Peter said. "My dad had a day job as an attorney and I was in college and we said some day we'll create a museum so people can visit."
"Then three or four years ago I was at a point where I'd been working in the outdoors leading trips for youth at risk and thinking, "Do I want to do this forever? How am I going to fit this space museum into the picture some day?' I realized that I'd like to do it now."
Since then, they've been carefully peeling back layers of packaging and photographing their second-hand treasures for a digital catalogue.
"My mum is surprisingly and wonderfully supportive of all this," Peter said. "Because it's a family business she always gets consulted, especially on large acquisitions. I think there have been some vetoes but there's nothing that she's vetoed that we wish that we'd gotten."
Now 29, Peter Kleeman travels back and forth from his parents' house and his new home in New York to build the business.
"For now we'd like to contract out our exhibits to other museums and then if funding and the right sponsorship came in we'd be open to doing a permanent location so people could visit," he said.
For Peter, the Space Age Museum is not simply about nostalgia; it's an important reminder of the enthusiasm that once gripped the world about future frontiers that has slowly deflated with time.
"One of the questions I ask myself is, 'what would it take to turn that around and for us to have a more creative and adventurous optimism for the future, and get that pioneering spirit back in our culture?'"
A mission | [
"What do they collect?",
"What is included in the collection?",
"What did Kleeman say?",
"what space inspired items have they collected"
] | [
[
"10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space."
],
[
"10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space."
],
[
"\"Everything started with a toy ray gun Peter and I bought at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts 20 years ago for $10,\""
],
[
"rocket-shaped lamps, to skateboards, biscuit tins and toys emblazoned with stars and futuristic astronauts."
]
] | For more than 20 years the Kleeman family has collected space-inspired items .
Collection includes rocket-shaped lamps, old space toys, climbing frames .
Family preparing to launch the "Space Age Museum" to display exhibits .
Kleeman: "Knowing our place in the solar system helps give us perspective" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are domestic relics of a bygone era when space travel was new and exciting and the world was buzzing with optimism about what could be. This Coney Island playground climbing frame is one of the larger items clogging the Kleeman family's barn. NASA's Apollo 11 moon landing 40 years ago reinvigorated demand for space-inspired mementoes that was stirring well before the start of the Space Age in the 1950s. Shops offered everything from rocket-shaped lamps, to skateboards, biscuit tins and toys emblazoned with stars and futuristic astronauts. Such was the excitement surrounding the momentous moon landing in 1969 that some were moved to create their own memorabilia in needlepoint and tin. See memorabilia of 1969 moon landing » Many early examples of space-inspired design, both professional and homemade, can now be found in a 100ft hay barn at the Kleeman family home in the U.S. state of Connecticut. They're not on display -- yet -- but the family hopes to soon show the world what they call the "Space Age Museum," a collection of as many as 10,000 pieces inspired by humanity's adventures in space. "Everything started with a toy ray gun Peter and I bought at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts 20 years ago for $10," John Kleeman said. "We have never lost the excitement of that first find and since then we have continued our quest for cultural artifacts which tell the back story of the Space Age -- how ordinary folk like us experienced the magic, adventure and meaning of human space exploration." Weekend trips to markets and auctions became more frequent and over time the collection grew to include more cumbersome items including a 40-foot promotional trailer based on the design of "Terra IV," a battle cruiser in the 1950s U.S. television series, "Space Patrol." "They had a movie theatre inside so 40 people could sit inside it and watch a rocket launch," John's son Peter explained. "We had to adjust the doors to the barn to fit it, but it's in our barn now." As the barn became more crowded, references to their "collection" morphed into "the museum" and their father-son hobby transformed into a potential business. "It was kind of a 'some day' kind of thing," Peter said. "My dad had a day job as an attorney and I was in college and we said some day we'll create a museum so people can visit." "Then three or four years ago I was at a point where I'd been working in the outdoors leading trips for youth at risk and thinking, "Do I want to do this forever? How am I going to fit this space museum into the picture some day?' I realized that I'd like to do it now." Since then, they've been carefully peeling back layers of packaging and photographing their second-hand treasures for a digital catalogue. "My mum is surprisingly and wonderfully supportive of all this," Peter said. "Because it's a family business she always gets consulted, especially on large acquisitions. I think there have been some vetoes but there's nothing that she's vetoed that we wish that we'd gotten." Now 29, Peter Kleeman travels back and forth from his parents' house and his new home in New York to build the business. "For now we'd like to contract out our exhibits to other museums and then if funding and the right sponsorship came in we'd be open to doing a permanent location so people could visit," he said. For Peter, the Space Age Museum is not simply about nostalgia; it's an important reminder of the enthusiasm that once gripped the world about future frontiers that has slowly deflated with time. "One of the questions I ask myself is, 'what would it take to turn that around and for us to have a more creative and adventurous optimism for the future, and get that pioneering spirit back in our culture?'" A mission | [
"what is the families name",
"who has has collected space-inspired items?",
"Where are the Kleeman family from?",
"what is the number of years collecting",
"what are they hoping to launch",
"what is Family preparing to launch?"
] | [
[
"Kleeman"
],
[
"John Kleeman"
],
[
"Connecticut."
],
[
"40"
],
[
"a rocket launch,\""
],
[
"\"Space Age Museum,\""
]
] | For more than 20 years the Kleeman family has collected space-inspired items .
Collection includes rocket-shaped lamps, old space toys, climbing frames .
Family preparing to launch the "Space Age Museum" to display exhibits .
Kleeman: "Knowing our place in the solar system helps give us perspective" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- They are some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but even Susan Sarandon, Ethan Hawke and Dustin Hoffman have had their fair share of casting calamities they would rather forget. Mike Myers sabotaged some auditions for parts he didn't want. "Why not be nude even if it is a children's theatre?" CNN's The Screening Room has managed to persuade the cream of Hollywood to confess their tales of audition woe. The stars shudder at the memory of waiting in line, frantically trying to memorize lines handed to them moments before, all the while being assessed by critical strangers. Benicio del Toro recounts attending 50 or 60 auditions before getting a part and Quentin Tarantino told Eli Roth he "blew it" when he first auditioned for "Inglourious Basterds." While Catherine Keener remembers a cutting personal assessment: "You're not pretty enough." Here are some of their worst moments: Bill Nighy "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." "Love Actually" "There was one that started out terrible, which was where I had to go to a disused tax office in Harrow [near London, England] very early in the morning and put on very tight velvet flared loon pants and a pair of crocodile four-inch- heeled platform shoes, and wear a sort of very small top that didn't meet my trousers, hair extensions and I had to karaoke to 'Smoke on the Water' by Deep Purple. It's a very lonely place. And I was 45 at the time..." Ethan Hawke "Before Sunset," "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" "I have had so many bad auditions. I have fallen on my ass. I have made a complete fool of myself. I auditioned for Robert Redford once and I was so starstruck I couldn't even speak. I had a mic wire at a screen test clipped to me and then I got kind of nervous and I paced in a circle and then took a step and tripped and fell on my face. You just have to forgive yourself and keep going on." Mike Myers "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," "Shrek" "I've had some bad auditions for some TV movies that were shooting in England where I just didn't want to be in them and offered them more obtuse [performances] ... I like to think of it as performance art. I didn't sabotage it, I was just woefully inappropriate, you know? I just thought, 'Why not be nude even if it is a children's theatre?" Catherine Keener "Being John Malkovich," "Synecdoche, New York" "You wouldn't believe some of the comments, assessments. But, they're really not meant personally. Like for example, 'You're not pretty enough.' For them it's just a fact. But for you it's like, 'Oh my God! I have to live with this.' You get a thicker skin about it, which you should because it isn't meant personally, but it's such a personal profession that you kind of have to get used to getting critiqued on things that you shouldn't even care about." Dustin Hoffman "Marathon Man," "Meet the Fockers" "The most famous casting director from New York, I was lucky enough to get an audition with her in the '60s. She did all the plays, all the Broadway plays. She is sitting across the desk saying her lines, and I am saying mine, and she stops and says, 'Come here. Bring your chair here, right next to me.' And I say, 'Why?' And she says, 'Because I can't hear you, and you have never been on the stage or on Broadway, and you are going to have to reach the last row.' I said, 'Yeah, I know. I have been studying acting for about seven years now, but I'm not on Broadway now, I | [
"What did Eli Roth audition for?",
"Who confessed to falling on his ass?",
"who is confessing",
"Who screamed at a casting agent?",
"What did Ethan Hawke confess to?",
"Who \"blew it\" when he first auditioned for \"Inglourious Basterds\"?",
"Who did Dustin Hoffman scream at?",
"who screamed at a casting call",
"who fell on their casting"
] | [
[
"\"Inglourious Basterds.\""
],
[
"Ethan Hawke"
],
[
"cream of Hollywood"
],
[
"Dustin Hoffman"
],
[
"I had a mic wire at a screen test clipped"
],
[
"Eli Roth"
],
[
"\"The most famous casting director from New York,"
],
[
"Dustin Hoffman"
],
[
"Ethan Hawke"
]
] | Stars confess their casting calamities and tales of audition woe.
Dustin Hoffman remembers how he "lost it" and screamed at a casting agent .
Ethan Hawke confesses to falling "on his ass"
Eli Roth "blew it" when he first auditioned for "Inglourious Basterds" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- They first met in the autumn of 1979; she playing the role of the lovelorn terrorist, he dressed as a rather sloppy Ayatollah Khomeini. Pamela Stephenson first met Billy Connolly on the set of a comedy show in 1979. They married in Fiji in 1990. It may not have been love at first sight on the set of British comedy show "Not the Nine O'Clock News," but love, marriage and children eventually followed. Australian comedienne, now psychotherapist, Pamela Stephenson, describes being captivated by Billy Connolly's wildman looks, his mane of grey hair and devil-may-care demeanor. She tells CNN's Revealed about her first impressions of her husband, his unique ability to keep audiences entertained and what she learnt about his addictions and childhood abuse while writing his best-selling biography, "Billy." CNN: Take us back to the beginning. How did you meet Billy Connolly? Pamela Stephenson: I'm not quite sure what Billy's version of how we met is like because he was very drunk. I met him when I was a performer on "Not The Nine O'Clock News" and he was a guest. He was just shaggy and some kind of terrible beastie. But I was attracted to him immediately, maybe because he was so unusual. I think what I picked up on was his dichotomy -- that beastiness and the underlying sensitivity that he has. I think that's something that audiences relate to, you're aware of all the toughness, but underneath you just know that there's philosophy and this poetic, Celtic nature that speaks to people. Also his pain, his underlying sadness and the pain of his childhood ... when I first met him I think I connected with that. He played the Ayatollah Khomeini in a scene on "Not The Nine O'Clock News" and I played a demented fan singing a love song to him, it was in days when you could do stuff like that, I suppose. And then we did an interview, I pretending to be British TV personality Janet Street-Porter, with giant fake teeth which kept falling out. Of course, he could never keep a straight face; I thought he was dreadfully unprofessional because he just kept laughing, especially when my teeth fell out -- my fake teeth -- fell out. CNN: What's it like being married to him? PS: People always think that being married to Billy means that I get non-stop Billy Connolly concerts. It's not nearly as exciting as that, although he's adorable. But it's boring sometimes and he would say the same. There are moments when I wish he would go and make me a cup of tea, which he does very often. Actually, Billy is quite a quiet person. He's a little reclusive and I don't think it's necessarily his personality. With the highs he experiences on stage he needs to be very quiet when he's not. Billy Connolly takes CNN's Revealed on a tour of his home » CNN: What made you write a biography of his life? Was it the first time he opened up about his childhood? PS: When I wrote "Billy," it was the first time that Billy really looked at his childhood in a chronological order and with depth. It was a painful process, but cathartic. The book gave me the opportunity to understand a lot more about him. Just putting some of this together, the sexual abuse, for example, that he received from his father, the physical abuse he received from his aunts, helped me understand why there's a part of him that's very closed off. Watch Billy recall his troubled childhood » His learning disability was never understood. Now we'd call it an attention disorder. In those days, he had difficulty concentrating, for which he was beaten and taunted at school. People told him he was stupid and to this day there's a part of him that thinks that's he's not as clever as other people and yet he is absolutely brilliant. He's | [
"Who is Pamela Stephenson married to?",
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"Who married comic Billy Connelly?",
"Where did they meet?",
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"On what comedy show did they meet?",
"What is the name of Stephenson's biography?",
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] | [
[
"Billy Connolly"
],
[
"\"Billy.\""
],
[
"on the set of a comedy show"
],
[
"Billy Connolly"
],
[
"\"Billy.\""
],
[
"Pamela Stephenson"
],
[
"Pamela Stephenson"
],
[
"on the set of a comedy show in 1979."
],
[
"best-selling biography, \"Billy.\""
],
[
"understand why there's a part of him that's very closed off."
],
[
"the set of a comedy show in 1979."
],
[
"\"Not the Nine O'Clock News,\""
],
[
"\"Billy.\""
],
[
"\"Billy.\""
],
[
"Billy Connolly"
],
[
"Billy Connolly"
],
[
"\"Not the Nine O'Clock News,\""
],
[
"\"Billy.\""
],
[
"\"Billy.\""
],
[
"Billy Connolly"
],
[
"on the set of a comedy show"
],
[
"set of a comedy show"
]
] | Pamela Stephenson talks about marriage to Scottish comedian Billy Connelly .
They met on the set of British comedy show "Not the Nine O'Clock News"
She says writing his biography, "Billy," helped her understand him better .
Stephenson: "It's like he's got these comedy angels whispering in his ear" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Think of a bullwhip and fedora and one man immediately springs to mind: Indiana Jones, the sardonic archeologist played by Harrison Ford in Steven Spielberg's '80s trilogy which started with "Raiders of the Lost Ark." "If you learn how to talk I'm in deep trouble," quips Harrison Ford (right) to Vic Armstrong (left) on this photo which shows how similar the pair look. But if you were to venture on set during the filming of "Raiders" hoping to catch a few moments with the star you might have had a surprise. The tall, rangy man in the dented hat signing autographs could just as easily have been Ford's stunt double, Vic Armstrong. Back then, in the right light Armstrong could easily be mistaken for Ford -- both of them over six feet tall and bronzed with crinkly eyes. And it's this that is at the root of his success as Indy's "fall guy." In fact, Ford is a talented stuntman in his own right and Armstrong says that his biggest headache on set was trying to stop Ford from getting involved in action that was too risky. "The biggest stunt I always say on the Indiana Jones films was stopping Harrison doing the stunts because I had to fight nearly every time to stop him," Armstrong chuckles. An accomplished horseman (his first career choice was steeplechase jockey), it's Armstrong's Indy you see galloping along in the stained khaki shirt and jumping from his horse onto a tank in "The Last Crusade." "Technically very difficult," Armstrong says, "I had to rely on a horse, and horses have a sense of survival and they don't actually do what you tell them to do as they haven't read the script." It may have been his close resemblance to Ford that clinched the "Raiders" job but the pair developed a rapport that led Armstrong to work on the other two installments of the trilogy, "Temple of Doom" and "The Last Crusade." "It always works better if you do have a relationship with [the actor]. You can mimic how they move, how they work when you coordinate fights for them like I did with Harrison," Armstrong tells CNN. Armstrong was just 16 years old when he started in the stunt industry in 1965. He utilised his horseriding skills to double as Gregory Peck in spy movie "Arabesque." He had to jump a huge moat and then fall off his mount but it was the simple lifestyle and travel that hooked young Armstrong -- "Forty dollars a day and all you can eat. Fantastic living." After over 40 years and countless movies, his filmography reads like a who's who of Hollywood: he has doubled for Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland, John Voight and collaborated with directors like Ridley Scott, Paul Verhoeven, Michael Cimino and Sir Richard Attenborough. His work for three decades on classic Bond films like "You Only Live Twice" and "Live and Let Die" cemented his reputation as a stuntman who could pull off complicated of stunts with precision. "The films I've done I've been very lucky to have been very prolific in an area and a time when iconic films were being made. "My first stunt on a Bond film was in 1966 in the winter of "You Only Live Twice". I was one of the ninjas coming down firing guns into the volcano, which for me was sensational." He doubled for Roger Moore in "Live and Let Die" for a short while and was then propelled into working as a stunt coordinator and director of action units. Armstrong then added a superhero to his already impressive roster of action idols, standing in for Christopher Reeve in "Superman." Despite this, his allegiances lie solidly with cinema's 'real' heroes. "If you look at "Spiderman" and movies like that, or the "Incredible Hulk," they are far more computer-generated and so therefore slightly more cartoonish or video game-ish. " | [
"How long was Vic Armstrong in the business?",
"Vic Armstrong has been in the business how many years?",
"What was the name of Harrison Ford's stunt double in the Indiana Jones movies?",
"\"Harrison has to be the ultimate\" is a quote by which stuntman actor?",
"What was the name of Harrison Ford's stunt double?",
"Vic Armstrong stunt doubled in which series of movies?"
] | [
[
"40 years"
],
[
"40"
],
[
"Vic Armstrong."
],
[
"Vic Armstrong"
],
[
"Vic Armstrong."
],
[
"Indiana Jones films"
]
] | Vic Armstrong was Harrison Ford's stunt double in the Indiana Jones movies .
His physical similarity to Ford is at the root of his success as Indy's "fall guy"
After 40 years in the business, Armstrong is the authority on death defying stunts .
Armstrong on Ford as a stuntman actor: "Harrison has to be the ultimate" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- This month the U.S. government has introduced major changes that will affect millions of travelers to the U.S. who do not need a visa. Instead of filling in the green visa waiver form en route, short-term visitors must register their details online at least three days before they depart. The measure is designed tighten security and make it harder for terrorists who are citizens of the participating countries to easily obtain entry to the U.S. The new system, known as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), does not become compulsory until January 12, 2009. But travelers are urged to prepare for the new rules in advance. ESTA applies to citizens from the 27 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries that includes most of western Europe in addition to New Zealand, Japan, Brunei and Australia. Visitors are recommended to submit applications no later than 72 hours before departure in case further inquiry is necessary. But the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has assured travelers that the system can handle last-minute and emergency requests. Applications can be made at any time, even if travelers have no specific travel plans. And if itineraries change, information can be easily updated on the ESTA Web site. Once travelers are authorized, they can travel for up to two years or until their passport expires, whichever comes first. From mid-January, travelers who have not received approval may be denied boarding, delayed processing, or denied admission at a U.S. port of entry. Passengers must submit the same information that is currently required in the I-94 immigration form. This includes biographical data, travel information as well as questions regarding communicable diseases, arrests and convictions. Registration is possible through the U.S. government ESTA Web site. In most cases, eligibility for travel will be approved immediately. Applicants who receive an "Authorization Pending" response will need to check the Web site for updates. Applicants whose ESTA applications are denied will be referred to Travel.State.Gov for information on how to apply for a visa. ESTA does not change the rules for citizens from countries that require visas. But the U.S. is due to extend the visa waiver program and has signed agreements with eight countries including the Czech Republic, Hungary and South Korea. Travelers are advised that ESTA does not guarantee entry into the United States. The final decision rests with the immigration official at the port of entry. | [
"How long could the process take?",
"What do the new rulres require visa-free visitors to the U.S. to do?",
"How long can travelers travel once they are authorized?",
"What system debuted this month?",
"What do the new rules require visa-free visitors to do?",
"How many hours can the process take?",
"When does the system become mandatory?",
"When will the system become compulsory?",
"What do new rules require?",
"The process could take how many hours?",
"Is it possible to apply at the last minute?"
] | [
[
"most cases, eligibility for travel will be approved immediately."
],
[
"register"
],
[
"up to two years or until their passport expires,"
],
[
"for Travel Authorization"
],
[
"must register their details online at least three days before they depart."
],
[
"72"
],
[
"January 12, 2009."
],
[
"January 12, 2009."
],
[
"short-term visitors must register"
],
[
"72"
],
[
"the system can handle last-minute and emergency requests."
]
] | New rules require visa-free visitors to the U.S. to register details before departure .
The process could take 72 hours but last-minute applications are possible .
The system, introduced this month, will become compulsory next January .
Once authorized, travelers can travel for up to two years or until their passport expires . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- This year is the 50th birthday of the Copa Libertadores, South American football's equivalent of Europe's Champions League. Argentina's Boca Juniors salute their fans before a Copa Libertadores match against Uruguay's Defensor Sporting. The Libertadores is the most prestigious tournament in South American club football, seeing the best 32 teams in the continent battle for supremacy. It may not get as much attention as the Champions League, but for South American teams there is no bigger trophy. The tournament has reached semifinal stage, where Gremio and Cruzeiro from Brazil will clash with Argentina's Estudiantes and Uruguay's Nacional - a team captained by former Inter Milan star Juan Sebastian Veron. So with the action reaching a crescendo, it's high-time Fanzone explored what makes the compeition so great. History The competition was first held in 1960, its name referring to the "liberators" who led South American countries in their wars of independence. For years it was dominated by Argentina, with a team from the country making it to every final between 1963 to 1979, and Buenos Aires team Independiente winning six times in that period. Since the early '90s, it's been the Brazilian clubs that have excelled. Brazil has provided 10 Libertadores finalists in the last 10 years, but since the tournament's inception, every country except Peru and Mexico has supplied a winner. Qualification Under current quotas Brazil and Argentina both supply five teams for the tournament, while Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela are each represented by three teams, with the previous year's winner also qualifying. Each country has different qualifying criteria for its clubs but essentially, the winners of South America's top domestic leagues, as well as some runners up, qualify for the Libertadores. They are joined by three teams invited from Mexico (which is not a member of CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation). Better than Europe? In terms of football quality, most would agree that the Libertadores struggles to match the Champions League and the reason is simple -- South American clubs simply don't have the money to hold onto their best players. Despite this, the Libertadores is still the place where some of the world's best players cut their footballing teeth. The likes of Ronaldinho and Carlos Tevez once shone in the Libertadores, as did past masters like Pele and Zico. Which do you think is better, the Copa Libertadores or the Champions League? Sound Off below. While the tournament may lack big-name players, in other ways the Libertadores is as every bit as tough as the Champions League. Alexander Bellos is the author of "Futebol: the Brazilian Way of Life." He told CNN that in the Libertadores, teams often have to travel huge distances for away matches. It can take a Brazilian club 24 hours to get to a match in Mexico, leaving little time for pre-match preparation or training. Some teams play their matches at high altitude, which can be a grueling experience for visiting teams not used to the thin air. Bellos says these factors can combine to make the Libertadores less predictable than the Champions League, as can the fact that clubs regularly lose their best players to Europe, meaning their squads can change drastically from one season to the next. As in the Champions League, big clubs, like Argentina's Boca Juniors and Brazil's Sao Paolo, usually make the final stages, but last year's winners were unheralded Ecuadorian club LBS Quito. | [
"This year's semi finals include teams from where?",
"Which teams have dominating the competition?",
"Who dominates the competition?",
"What birthday is Copa Libertadores having?",
"Which is the number birthday of copa libertadores?",
"Which South American footballer is celebrating his 50th birthday this year?",
"The competition has been dominated by what teams?"
] | [
[
"Argentina's Estudiantes and Uruguay's Nacional"
],
[
"Argentina,"
],
[
"Argentina,"
],
[
"50th"
],
[
"50th"
],
[
"Copa Libertadores,"
],
[
"Argentina,"
]
] | This year is the 50th birthday of South American football's Copa Libertadores .
The competition has been dominated by Argentine and Brazilian teams .
Liberdatores tends to be less predictable than Europe's Champions League .
This year's semi finals include teams from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Thousands of documents about reported UFO sightings -- ranging from calm accounts by professional pilots to unhinged rants about the extraterrestrial menace -- have been released by the British Ministry of Defence.
Taiwan resident Lee Chun-hung took these pictures showing a ball of fire trailing across the sky.
The 4,500 pages cover sightings that were reported from 1986 through 1992. The British military released them to a curious public as part of a four-year project to transfer all such documents to the National Archives.
One highlight from the batch released Monday involves the captain of an Italian airliner. He shouted "Look out!" to his co-pilot in April 1991 after claiming to see a beige "missile-shaped object" shoot past the cockpit.
In that instance, the defence ministry ruled out a missile and "all the usual explanations," wrote David Clarke, a UFO expert and journalism instructor at Sheffield Hallam University, who worked with the National Archives to prepare the new materials for release.
"The end result was this was a genuine UFO and the file was simply closed," he wrote. "There was nothing more they could do."
The newly released documents also carry an account by a U.S. Air Force pilot who says he was told to shoot down an unidentified flying craft over eastern England. But before he could fire, the object disappeared.
The next day, a man arrived to debrief the pilot and "he was told in no uncertain terms that what he had seen on his radar was top secret and he wasn't to speak about it to anyone," Clarke wrote.
The first set of files was made available to members of the public in May. It covered reported UFO sightings from 1978 to 1987, and included hundreds of police reports taken from witnesses who described seeing lights or strange objects in the sky.
People who reported having seen UFOs typically describe various shapes and colors of lights, moving in formation or hovering in the sky. Witnesses reported orange, red, white and green lights that were diamond-shaped, square, or cigar-shaped.
They reported them to police, who have a standard 16-question form specifically for UFO sightings.
"The vast majority of them are just ordinary people who've seen something unusual and thought that they ought to tell someone about it," Clarke has said.
The Ministry of Defence said it examined the reports solely to determine whether enemy aircraft had infiltrated British airspace. Once it was determined that no enemy aircraft were in the sky, it did not investigate further.
"The Ministry of Defence has no other interest or role regarding UFO matters and does not consider questions regarding the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial life-forms," it said in May.
That left many incidents unexplained. | [
"what did the pages cover?",
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"what were documents about?",
"What did airliner captain see?",
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] | [
[
"sightings that were reported from 1986 through 1992."
],
[
"Thousands of documents about reported UFO sightings"
],
[
"1986 through 1992."
],
[
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[
"included hundreds of police reports taken from witnesses who described seeing lights or strange objects in the sky."
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],
[
"a beige \"missile-shaped object\" shoot past the cockpit."
],
[
"4,500"
],
[
"reported UFO sightings"
]
] | Documents about reported UFO sightings released by UK defense officials .
Includes account by airliner captain who saw beige "missile-shaped object"
4,500 pages cover sightings that were reported from 1986 through 1992 . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Thousands of mourners and well-wishers gathered Saturday at a church east of London for the funeral of controversial reality TV star Jade Goody. Jade Goody's coffin is carried into church for the funeral service in Essex Saturday. The 27-year-old lost a public battle with cervical cancer last month, prompting sympathy and headlines around the world. As Goody's white coffin was carried into the church at Buckhurst Hill, Essex, east of London, a gospel choir began singing "Amazing Grace." Pallbearers included her husband Jack Tweed, whom she married in February. Send your tributes to Jade Goody. Inside the church the congregation heard Tweed read a poem as well as watching a multimedia tribute to Goody's life. View image gallery of Jade Goody's funeral » Outside thousands of well-wishers gathered in the spring sunshine to watch the funeral service on large TV screens, breaking into spontaneous applause throughout the service. TV pictures showed one young girl with "R.I.P. Jade" drawn on her cheek. Read blog from her funeral Addressing the congregation Max Clifford, Goody's publicist, said: "She achieved in seven months what doctors, politicians and medical experts can only dream of achieving. Her legacy is a wonderful one. Because of Jade Goody, lots of women have had their lives saved." Watch family and fans pay their last respects » After the service congregation member Peter Holmes, 28, from St. Albans, north of London, told CNN: "The service was lovely. The funeral was just what Jade was all about. She was a fun-loving person who always lit up a room with a funny comment." Flowers thrown by well-wishers covered the front of the vintage hearse carrying Goody's coffin as it arrived at the church. Crowds earlier applauded as the cortege slowly made its way through Bermondsey, south London, where Goody grew up amid deprivation and drug abuse. At one point the procession stopped to release a white dove. Wreaths included one in the shape of a pink heart, another that resembled a blue handbag and another shaped like a camera -- reflecting Goody's love of the limelight. After the funeral friends and family left for a private burial. Goody had burst into the spotlight in the British version of "Big Brother" in 2002 but attracted global notoriety five years later when she made racist comments -- for which she later apologized -- to Indian actress Shilpa Shetty. Well-wisher Vicky Scott, a security consultant from Bedfordshire, central England, waiting outside the church before the service, told CNN: "She had very much to live for and she had achieved so much. She had a tough life and she gave us so much. "I think she was an inspiration to many women, the way she brought cervical cancer to many women's minds." Clifford said in comments reported by the Press Association that Goody's mother Jackiey Budden was "distraught" and Tweed was "heartbroken." Goody's two sons, Bobby, 5, and Freddie, 4, did not attend the service and are believed to have gone to Australia with their father, TV host Jeff Brazier, according to media reports. Medical officials have reported a big rise in the number of screenings for cervical cancer after Goody's diagnosis was announced live on India's version of "Big Brother" last August, a phenomenon some have dubbed the "Jade Goody effect." Images of her shrinking frame and bald head dominated the pages of British media after she announced she had just weeks to live. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown had previously praised Goody's work in raising awareness of cervical cancer. "In many years to come, there will be an awful lot of women who've got an awful lot to thank Jade Goody for," he said. Despite her weakening state Goody continued to open her door to the media, saying she needed to keep selling her story to help secure the future of her sons. With Clifford's help, she organized her wedding to boyfriend Tweed, who had | [
"What reality TV stars funeral takes place east of London?",
"where is the service?",
"when did she die?",
"What is the name of reality TV star ?",
"what was thrown?",
"What did Goody die from?",
"Who threw flowers?"
] | [
[
"Jade Goody."
],
[
"in Essex"
],
[
"last month,"
],
[
"Jade Goody."
],
[
"Flowers"
],
[
"cervical cancer"
],
[
"well-wishers"
]
] | Funeral service of reality TV star Jade Goody takes place east of London .
Earlier well-wishers threw flowers, applaud funeral procession as it passes .
Procession, including Goody's white coffin, traveled from southeast London .
Goody died last month aged 27 after losing her battle with cervical cancer . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Tino Schaedler is an architect-turned-digital design artist whose groundbreaking work has been seen in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Tino Schaedler, Jean-Lucien Gay and Michael J. Brown talk about design, virtuality and the future Schaedler's next film project is "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," a fantasy epic starring Jake Gyllenhaal and due in 2010. In 2007 he joined with Michael J. Brown and Jean-Lucien Gay to found NAU, a cross-disciplinary design collective positioned between architecture and film. CNN talked to Schaedler and his NAU colleagues, as well as collaborator Ken Leung, a graphic designer. CNN: You have said that graphic design is very powerful. Can you explain why? TS: I think graphic design, for us, is very important as it helps to break down very complex information into digestible, easy-to-understand buttons or whatever. In the world we're living in, we're flooded with information and need someone to almost kind of channel it and create signs that we can read. That's why I think graphic design becomes more important, the more complex our world becomes. CNN: Can you explain the work that NAU does? TS: NAU is a company that I founded with Michael and Jean-Lucien, friends from the architect firm I worked at. I guess we all wanted to collaborate, and me being interested in drifting back from the world of architecture to the world of film, I guess Michael and Jean-Lucien had something to offer. They usually take over the architectural side of things and I can be more free and visionary. I push them further with the kind of ideas I come up with and at the same time they make my ideas real. JLG: The idea was really to create a label, a structure that could cope with all the different locations that we're working from. It's also about the idea of remote collaboration. CNN: How important is it for you to collaborate with people? TS: For me, working with Ken has been like adding a whole new layer to the 3D worlds that I'm designing. I always liked the combination of high-end 3D graphics and subtle 2D graphics. I think for me, collaboration is also about creating situations that we'll both profit from. Also there are new tools we use that are a combination of Skype, video conferencing and Photoshop which allow you to do a video conference, which allow me to use a sketchpad that the other person can see. We can sketch correspondingly with each other and create something although we are not sitting in the same office. KL: Working with Tino, I've seen my work transformed into 3D. My background is print and magazines, so in this sense, things come alive, they move, it makes it real. CNN: How does architecture tie in with digital or 3D design? TS: You need two images and through the images you can interpolate the architectural spatial design which creates a 3D model... that technique also comes into film because it is photogrammetry, (a way of measuring 2D or 3D objects from photo-grammes or photographs as well as electronic imagery.) CNN: Didn't the makers of "The Matrix" use similar technology? TS: They basically just have the actress [Carrie-Ann Moss] up in the air and they take a photograph each at the same time so that's why she's in that movement... the camera moves around her but she doesn't move because its all different shots so you stretch the whole experience in two or three seconds. We're doing something similar on [the film] "Prince of Persia" that I've just finished. We record some action with five cameras... from these five images they recreate the actors as 3D objects and then project according to which angle. It's fascinating what kind of technology is out there. CNN: Can you define the relationship between working as | [
"What did Schaedler and colleagues discuss?",
"did they discuss anything",
"what did Tino Schaedler say",
"What are colleagues talking about?",
"What kind of project is NAU?"
] | [
[
"the future"
],
[
"design, virtuality and the future"
],
[
"I think graphic design, for us, is very important as it helps to break down very complex information into digestible, easy-to-understand buttons or whatever. In the world we're living in, we're flooded"
],
[
"design, virtuality and the future"
],
[
"a cross-disciplinary design collective positioned between architecture and film."
]
] | Tino Schaedler, colleagues talk about NAU, a remote collaboration project .
They discuss the concept of virtual reality, 3D design and the Internet .
Cocoon project is about being entertained in our own virtual world . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Top flight golf is a high-stakes, high-stress sport -- but it's not just the pros who are feeling the strain. Stress can affect golfers of all abilities. Swede Robert Karlsson returned from a four-month layoff recently with an eye condition that's thought to be stress-related, while England's Ian Poulter defended his decision not to play in the Vivendi Trophy by saying that he wanted to avoid fatigue -- mental as well as physical. While professional sport is bound to have its pressures, recreational golf is usually regarded as a way to unwind and relieve stress. But it seems that weekend players are having to deal with anxieties of their own. Victor Thompson, a London-based sports psychologist, told CNN that golf is a much more psychological sport than most. "It can be particularly stressful because, unlike team sports, you very much have the spotlight on you while you're playing," he said. "You've got a lot of time between your shots for you to think, time for other people to watch you and time for you to think about what people will think of you if you don't play well." That doesn't just apply when there's an audience of millions watching on TV -- it's just as true when you're playing at your local municipal course with your friends. "It can actually be tougher playing against your mates and people you know because they can ridicule you or laugh at you, or you might worry about disappointing them if you're playing on their team," said Thompson. That would appear to be borne out by a 2004 study on the moods of older recreational golfers. The subjects reported being no happier or calmer after playing golf -- in fact, they reported feeling more angry and depressed. One of the researchers, Haydn Jarrett, senior lecturer in sport and exercise science at the University of Worcester, told CNN that the study also showed that golfers reported feeling more fatigued and less vigorous after playing golf, as most players walked an average 10.2 km during a game. Jarrett's study was carried out on "senior" golfers, with an average age of 68, but he said the findings on mood change tied in with other studies carried out on younger recreational golfers. "Golf does appear to be stressful for recreational players," he told CNN. "If we wanted golfers to enjoy it more fully it might be nice to engage with golfers and bring potential negative moods to their attention." While those negative feelings probably don't last for long, they can have disastrous effects on your golf. Thompson says negative thoughts on the golf course can make you tense and frustrated, giving you an adrenaline rush that can affect your swing and timing. As you start dropping shots you can overanalyze your game, which just make things worse. The secret of dealing with golf stress is to get on top of your thoughts, says Thompson. Rather than thinking in terms of how badly you're playing or what other people will think of you, you need to realize that your emotions are getting the better of you and that anxiety is the problem, not your technique. So with all that stress, could playing golf actually be bad for you? "If you're beating yourself up emotionally and getting angry that's not very good for your health," said Thompson. "But it's all a matter of attitude. Somebody might go out and enjoy it, see it as a chance to get away from work, have a nice stroll and catch up with their mates." And Jarrett has encouraging news when it comes to golf and health. He has carried out unpublished work showing that a round of golf can give a significant reduction in blood pressure. "My gut feeling is that golf is incredibly positive for health," he told CNN. "The positives of the distance walked, the heart-rate increase and the blood-pressure suppression will outweigh any negative mood states. But it might be that we need | [
"Who can make playing tougher when you play golf?",
"What professional field is Victor Thompson apart of?",
"Who is the sports psychologist?",
"What sport is stressful?",
"What does Victor Thompson say is especially stressful?",
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] | [
[
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[
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] | Golf is especially stressful, says sports psychologist Victor Thompson .
Thompson says that it can be even tougher playing with your friends .
Study shows recreational golfers feel more angry and depressed after playing .
Stress may be bad for you, but golf can still be good for your health . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Troubled pop star Amy Winehouse spent the night in a London hospital after suffering a reaction to a medication she was taking at home Monday night, according to her spokeswoman. Amy Winehouse's husband was recently jailed for 27 months. Tracey Miller said she could not say what medication was involved. A statement from University College Hospital said Winehouse had been kept in overnight for observation. She had a comfortable night and was released Tuesday morning, the statement said. London Ambulance Service said it transported the singer after being notified of "an adult female taken unwell." Winehouse's spokesman in London, Chris Goodman, told the British Press Association that he had not been told what was wrong with the 24-year-old singer, who is well known for her song "Rehab," describing the singer's reluctance to enter a clinic. The pop singer was investigated this year after a London tabloid made public a leaked home video that showed her smoking something in a glass pipe minutes after she was heard saying she had just taken six tablets of the anti-anxiety drug Valium. Police declined to file charges. The singer has battled drug addiction and spent about two weeks in a rehabilitation clinic in January. Winehouse won five Grammy awards this year -- three for "Rehab" as well as Album of the Year and Best New Artist. Winehouse's Grammy winning album, "Back to Black," is still a big seller, recently charting at No. 12 in the UK more than 19 months after its release. Madame Toussaud's London wax museum recently unveiled a wax statue of Winehouse alongside Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce and other musicians in the museum's "Music Zone" exhibit. On July 21, Winehouse's husband was jailed for 27 months. He admitted to brawling with a pub manager and then offering him $400,000 to not talk about the incident. | [
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] | Amy Winehouse leaves hospital after spending the night under observation .
Spokesperson says singer had reaction to medication she was taking at home .
Ambulance took 24-year-old Winehouse from London home to emergency room .
Singer has struggled with drugs and alcohol . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has been admitted to a London hospital after suffering a bad reaction to medication, her representative said Tuesday.
Amy Winehouse has undeniable talent, but has become better known for her wild behavior.
Winehouse, 25, went to the private London Clinic on Sunday, said her spokesman, Chris Goodman. He said Winehouse's medication made her ill and her doctors asked her to come in so they could investigate.
Goodman did not disclose what type of medication was involved, saying only it is part of her "ongoing treatment." It was not clear Tuesday whether she had been discharged.
Yesterday Winehouse's husband Blake Fielder-Civil lost his appeal against his 27-month jail term for assault and perverting the course of justice.
Earlier this month he was moved from prison to a drug rehabilitation unit.
The Grammy-winning Winehouse has suffered a string of health problems in recent years, many related to her battles with drug addiction.
She spent two weeks in a drug rehabilitation clinic in January. See a timeline of Winehouse's career »
One of her biggest hits is the song "Rehab," describing her reluctance to enter a clinic.
Another bad reaction to medication prompted Winehouse to enter a London hospital in July, but she was discharged the next day.
Winehouse won five Grammy awards earlier this year -- three for "Rehab," as well as Album of the Year and Best New Artist. | [
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] | Amy Winehouse representative: Singer has had bad reaction to medication .
Another bad reaction to medication prompted Winehouse to enter hospital in July .
Grammy-winning Winehouse has suffered a string of health problems . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Two Americans banned from entering the United Kingdom because the government feels they have been "stirring up hatred" responded by slamming the country's home secretary, and one of them threatened to sue her. Jacqui Smith said she did not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views. Radio talk show host Michael Savage and the anti-gay Rev. Fred Phelps were listed Tuesday among white supremacists and radical Islamic clerics who will not be allowed into the country. Savage, whose conservative daily show can be heard on radio stations across America, lashed out in an audio clip on his Web site and devoted seven stories on his main page to the ban. He is listed under his real name, Michael Alan Wiener. Britain's Home Office said it decided to exclude the 22 people on the list after measures by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith last year targeting people "who have engaged in spreading hate." "She has painted a target on my back, linking me with people who are in prison for killing people," Savage said. "How could they put Michael Savage in the same league as mass murderers when I have never avowed violence?" Watch more about Savage's reaction » According to the British Home Office, Savage is on the list for "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence." Smith said she is determined to keep those who "spread extremism, hatred and violent messages" out of the country. "Coming to the UK is a privilege, and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life," Smith said. "Therefore, I do not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views, as I want them to know that they are not welcome here. The Home Office named only 16 people on the list, saying it was not in the public interest to disclose the names of the other six. Savage called Smith a "witch" in the audio clip and asked why six names on the list weren't released. He also questioned why North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez didn't make the list. Savage said he has seven attorneys working on a defamation lawsuit against Smith and encouraged his listeners to call off any travel plans to England and boycott all British products. Savage's show is not syndicated in England. The outspoken Kansas Rev. Fred Phelps and his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, also made the list for "engaging in unacceptable behavior and fostering hatred." Phelps did not issue a response on his Web site. However, the site linked to a British news story on the ban and the link called Smith a "neo-Nazi dyke" and "filthy God-hater." Phelps and his followers at Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church oppose homosexuality. They picket the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, saying their deaths are God's way of punishing the United States for supporting homosexuals. They have expressed similar views about the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks and Hurricane Katrina. The church's slogan is "God Hates Fags." Also on the list: • Former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Don Black, who established the white supremacist Web site Stormfront, which the Home Office called one of the oldest and largest hate group sites. • Eric Gliebe, chairman of the National Alliance, one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the United States. The Home Office accused Gliebe of "justifying terrorist violence, provoking others to commit serious crime and fostering racial hatred." • Samir al Quntar, a Lebanese man who spent three decades in prison for killing four Israeli soldiers and a 4-year-old girl in 1979. Al Quntar is listed for "engaging in unacceptable behavior by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence" in order to provoke terrorist acts, the Home Office said. • Nasr Javed, a leader of the Kashmiri militant group, Lashkar e Taiba. • Islamic | [
"How many people were banned?",
"Is Hugo Chavez on the list?",
"What did talk show host ask?",
"How many were named by Home Office?",
"The Home Office named how many on the list?",
"Britain banned how many people for stirring up hatred?",
"Did UK Home Office ban 22 people?"
] | [
[
"Two Americans"
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[
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[
"16"
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[
"only 16 people"
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[
"Two Americans"
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[
"exclude the"
]
] | Talk show host asks why Hugo Chavez, Kim Jong Il not on list .
UK Home Office: 22 people banned from Britain for "stirring up hatred"
Home Office named only 16 of those on the list .
Ex-Ku Klux Klansman, Russian skinheads, radical Islamic clerics also on list . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Two British men were convicted Thursday of torturing and killing two French students in London last June, London's Metropolitan Police said.
Gabriel Ferez (left) and Laurent Bonomo were graduate biochemistry students at London's Imperial College.
Nigel Farmer, 34, and Daniel "Dano" Sonnex, 23, were also found guilty of arson, false imprisonment and burglary.
The bodies of Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, were found in Bonomo's burned apartment in southeast London last summer.
Ferez's mother, Francoise Villemont, told the judge that her son's killing was "indescribable and inexcusable."
"No human being deserves such a death," she said. "My life stopped on the 29th June 2008. I feel battered and bruised as a mother forever scarred."
The lead detective in the case, Mick Duthie, said at the time that the two had fallen victim to a "frenzied, brutal, horrific attack."
During a five-week trial, the jury heard details of how the two students were tied up for hours, tortured for their credit-card personal identification numbers and repeatedly stabbed in an early morning attack June 29, 2008.
Farmer went back to the apartment that night and set fire to it in an attempt to destroy the evidence, police said. Emergency services were called to the address after neighbors heard an explosion and saw flames leaping from the premises.
Investigators initially believed the French men died in the fire, but an autopsy showed each had been stabbed dozens of times in the head, neck and torso -- 196 times, in Bonomo's case and 47 times for Ferez.
Police believe they were bound during the assault and an accelerant was used to start the fire after they were killed.
Hand-held Sony portable games, mobile phones and credit cards were missing, police said.
Bonomo's card was used to withdraw £360 (about $580) in seven transactions. A bank machine seized Ferez's card when someone tried to use it.
Farmer turned himself in to police in the early hours of July 7, 2008, "demanding to be seen and claiming to have committed a double murder. After hospital treatment, he was questioned for three days but chose to say nothing to police," Duthie said.
Police appealed to the public for tips, prompting someone to name Sonnex as someone "with a propensity to use violence and whose family lived very close by," the police said in a statement.
Farmer and Sonnex were arrested in July.
Bonomo's father, Guy Bonomo, said he is "tormented" by images of his son's suffering. "Not only have you taken Laurent's life, you've taken my heart and soul," he told Farmer and Sonnex.
"I wish from the bottom of my heart that you will stay in prison for the rest of your lives. I can't bear to think that someone so evil will walk the streets again, that my daughter or a member of my family could encounter you again."
In court, each blamed the other for killing the two men, police said.
"Throughout the case, neither has had the decency or courage to admit any part in the fatal assault on the two students with both men telling different stories and ultimately blaming each other," Duthie said. "I'm sad to say that we have not yet heard what did happen that early morning."
The two men are due to be sentenced later Wednesday.
The victims were biochemistry graduate students on a three-month course at Imperial College, London, studying genetic developments. They were planning to return to France in July. | [
"Who was killed?",
"What did investigators initially believe?"
] | [
[
"students"
],
[
"the French men died in the fire,"
]
] | Daniel Sonnex, Nigel Farmer convicted of killing Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez .
Also found guilty of arson, false imprisonment and burglary .
Bodies found in burned-out London flat last July after "frenzied, brutal attack"
Investigators initially believed the two French students died in a fire . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Two men accused of failed car bomb attacks in London and a car bombing at Glasgow International Airport last year went on trial Thursday. Mohammed Asha, a doctor, is accused of conspiracy to murder and cause explosions. Bilal Abdulla and Mohammed Asha, both doctors, are charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. Their trial at London's Woolwich Crown Court is expected to last up to 12 weeks. The case stems from the discovery in June 2007 of two explosives-filled Mercedes sedans in central London. One of the cars was parked across the street from a packed nightclub near Piccadilly Circus and the other was towed from an underground car park at Hyde Park. An ambulance crew notified police about the first car after they saw smoke coming from it. The second car was towed for a parking offense but drew suspicion because it smelled of gasoline. Officials said both cars cars were filled with fuel, gas canisters, and nails. Police managed to defuse them. The following day, with attention still focused on the averted attacks in the capital, a Jeep sped through the barriers outside Glasgow International Airport and slammed head on into the terminal. The Jeep, filled with propane gas, burst into flames and created a fireball. The driver and passenger jumped out of the car. One set himself on fire and later died in the hospital; the other was identified as Abdulla, an Iraqi doctor who had been practicing medicine in Scotland. Later that day, police arrested Asha as he was driving with his wife on a highway in Cheshire, England. Police said Asha, a doctor of Palestinian descent who grew up in Jordan, conspired with Abdulla to carry out the explosions. The incidents happened just days after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown took office. A third man charged in the case, Sabeel Ahmed, pleaded guilty in April to failing to disclose information about an act of terrorism. He was ordered to be deported to India. | [
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] | Men accused of failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow go on trial .
Bilal Abdulla and Mohammed Asha charged with conspiracy to murder .
The men, both doctors, also charged with conspiracy to cause explosions . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Valentino Rossi is one of only a handful of champions in the modern era whose popularity has transcended their sport. As the Italian maestro closes in on an eighth world title, CNN charts the rise of the charismatic king of two wheels. Valentino Rossi celebrates his 102nd victory at the Brno Grand Prix in the Czech Republic. Born in Urbano, Italy in 1979, Valentino Rossi's achievements in the sport are nothing short of extraordinary. Eight world titles, 102 wins and over 150 podium finishes have already made him the most successful rider of all time. Rossi began racing karts as a ten-year-old, before moving to two wheels in 1992. Four years later in his first Grand Prix season he won -- aged seventeen -- at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic in the 125cc World Championship. The following year he clocked up a record 321 points in winning his first 125cc World Championship title. 1998 was meant to be a learning year on the more powerful 250cc bikes, but Rossi finished second overall before going on to take the title the following season. His progress in the 500cc class in 2000 and 2001 followed an identical trajectory to that in Rossi's two seasons racing 250cc bikes. In 2002, he was crowned MotoGP champion in his first season, finishing 140 points clear of his nearest rival, one-time fight opponent and fellow countryman Max Biaggi. Click here to view Rossi's career highlights » Three more MotoGP titles -- including two for his new team Yamaha -- followed in succession. But when it seemed as if he was going to dominate MotoGP for the rest of the decade, Rossi experienced the first real blip in his career, crashing out of the final race of the 2006 season in Valencia. In the process, Rossi handed his rival -- American Nicky Hayden -- the title. A year later Rossi finished third. A poor season by his standards was compounded by the split from his long-term girlfriend Arianna Matteuzzi, a fall out with his manager Gibo Badioli and the Italian government chasing him for eye-watering amounts of unpaid taxes -- Rossi eventually coughed up an estimated $42 million. Rossi returned to winning ways in 2008 notching up his fifth world title and is on course for a sixth this year. He is affectionately known as "The Doctor" by his fans on account of his clinical overtaking maneuvers out on the track, but it's his wit and easy charm off it that have also helped propel him into the super league of sport's rich list. Rossi is famous for a succession of colorful and often playful helmet motifs which he rotates almost as much as his hairstyle underneath. His post race celebrations have taken in all manner of bizarre antics including chicken costumes -- he gave a lift to a man wearing one -- blow-up dolls and porta loos -- he visited one on a victory lap at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez this year. His skills on two wheels haven't gone unnoticed by the bosses at Ferrari's Formula One team. Rossi first tested a Ferrari in 2004 and he revealed this week that he spoke with Ferrari about the possibility of him replacing Luca Badoer in the upcoming Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 13. But Rossi told Ferrari that he would prefer to concentrate on this year's MotoGP. With five rounds to go, Rossi is where he likes to be. In front. With 25 points separating him from his young rival and Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo, few would back against the great man relinquishing his title come the season's end. | [
"Who is closing in on a ninth world title in 2009 and sixth in MotoGP crown?",
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"Who is the Doctor",
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] | [
[
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[
"Valentino Rossi"
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] | Italian legend is closing in on a ninth world title in 2009 and sixth MotoGP crown .
"The Doctor" is the greatest ever rider in MotoGP with 102 victories to date .
Famed for his post-race antics, Rossi visited a portable loo on a victory lap this year . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Valerie Gooding is in the top five most powerful businesswomen in Europe as named by the Financial Times. She runs global health and care organization BUPA and under her leadership it has grown to over 8 million customers in over 190 countries and record revenues. CNN's Todd Benjamin spoke to her in London and began by asking her why there are so few women at the top. She said it goes beyond family issues. Gooding: Women sometimes don't put themselves forward for things. And one of the things I think about and talk about a lot is that women often lack confidence to go for the next job, the top job. They sometimes don't wish to compete or they don't think they're good enough for the next thing. Benjamin: Why do you think that is? Gooding: Partly a lack of role models, partly it may be conditioning from a very early age about what the role of women is in society and the family, in work. But also I think there is still -- I don't like to call it a glass ceiling, but I think there is still an unseen barrier for women, which is that, if you ask most business people, would they like to promote more women, they would all say yes, they'd love to: "Where are these women, I want to promote them," will be the answer. But often they don't really automatically think of a woman first for a top job. Benjamin: And what advice would you give to women who want to try and make it to the top? Gooding: Well, first of all, to learn as much as you can and to make sure you've got the right experience, the right qualifications, and to enjoy each job for its own interest and job satisfaction. But I think another piece of advice I would give to women is not to be afraid to put themselves forward and say what it is they want, because I think one thing that happens with women, which perhaps is a gender difference, is that women often hang back and think "I will be noticed for my results, everybody will see how great I am because I've delivered these exceptional outcomes". But actually life isn't like that, you have to tell people about your results and your achievements, and men are often better at doing that than women are. Benjamin: What do you think separates good leadership from great leadership? Gooding: Well, I think good leaders should be judged on their results. And I think of a good leader you should be able to say "she transformed the business," "she upped the performance," "she exceeded the expectations of the stakeholders." I think of a great leader I would go to that old Chinese saying, "of a great leader the people will say "we did it ourselves"". Benjamin: Do you think that women in general as managers are more inclusive than men? Gooding: No, I don't. In fact, I sometimes find these gender differences, when sort of represented in the business environment, are actually just not very useful. I think men and women have very different styles of leadership as individuals and I don't think it goes down to straightforward gender divide. Because I have seen women who are more autocratic and more leading from the front and more dictatorial, and I've equally seen men who are very consultative. So, I don't just think it divides that way. Benjamin: You clearly love what you do. What is it about business that you think is such a buzz? Gooding: It's the constant challenge, there's always something new, there's a new competitor, there's a new pressure, there's a new opportunity, there's a new challenge, I think that's what keeps us all going. I think it's the thrill of the chase, basically. E-mail to a friend | [
"Who has 8 million customers in 190 countries?",
"Who is the CEO of BUPA?",
"Who did Gooding speak to?",
"Who is one of FT's top five most powerful businesswomen in Europe?",
"what does the company do?",
"Who is this BUPA?",
"what did the speak about?",
"What can i do about this?",
"Who spoke to CNN's Todd Benjamin?",
"Who is FT's top five most powerful businesswomen in Europe?"
] | [
[
"BUPA"
],
[
"Valerie Gooding"
],
[
"CNN's Todd Benjamin"
],
[
"Valerie Gooding"
],
[
"global health and care organization"
],
[
"global health and care organization"
],
[
"why there are so few women at the top."
],
[
"learn as much as you can and to make sure you've got the right experience, the right qualifications, and to enjoy each job for its own interest and job satisfaction."
],
[
"Valerie Gooding"
],
[
"Valerie Gooding"
]
] | Valerie Gooding, CEO of BUPA, speaks to CNN's Todd Benjamin .
BUPA has over 8 million customers in 190 countries .
Valerie is one of FT's top five most powerful businesswomen in Europe . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Vera Lynn, who made her name entertaining troops in World War II after recording her first song 70 years ago, has become the oldest living artist to have a number one album. At 92, Vera Lynn is the oldest person to have a number one album. The 92-year-old's album "We'll Meet Again -- The Very Best of Vera Lynn" took the top spot in the British charts on Sunday, even outselling much-hyped re-mastered versions of the Beatles' back catalogue, according to the UK's Official Charts Company. The previous oldest living artist to top the charts was Bob Dylan, who at 67 saw his album "Together Through Life" become number one in the UK earlier this year. "I am extremely surprised and delighted, and a big 'thank you' to all my fans for putting me there," Lynn said, according the UK Press Association. During the war, Lynn was known as the "Forces' Sweetheart" for hits such as "The White Cliffs of Dover" which struck a chord with British soldiers fighting overseas and audiences at home. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II awarded the veteran singer the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1959 and in 1975 made her a dame. According to the Official Charts Company, the reissued Beatles albums took in the fifth, sixth, ninth, 10th, 21st, 24th, 29th, 31st, 33rd, 37th and 38th spots. | [
"What has Vera Lynn done?",
"What songs did she sing?",
"Who is the oldest living artist to have a number one album?",
"What are her hits?",
"What is Vera Lynn's age?"
] | [
[
"become the oldest living artist to have a number one album."
],
[
"\"The White Cliffs of Dover\""
],
[
"Vera Lynn,"
],
[
"\"The White Cliffs of Dover\""
],
[
"92,"
]
] | Vera Lynn is oldest living artist to have a number one album .
92-year-old made her name as "Forces' Sweetheart" during World War II .
Hits include "We'll Meet Again," and "White Cliffs of Dover" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Videos of the chaos and horrified reactions after the July 7, 2005, London transit bombings were shown to jurors Thursday in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy in the case. Smoke and dust fill the platform area at Liverpool Street Station on July 7, 2005, after a bomb exploded. One of the videos shows the explosion of a train seconds after it leaves the Liverpool Street Station heading for Aldgate East. As dust and smoke fill the tunnel, people on the platform rush away, and police head toward the blast. Another shows bystanders running and ducking for cover after one of the bombers detonated his rucksack on the No. 30 bus. Riders on a nearby bus jump from their seats. Four bombs were detonated on underground trains at Liverpool Street, Russell Square and Edgware Road, and on a double-decker bus at Tavistock Square. Fifty-two people and the four bombers were killed, and at least 900 people were injured. Watch commuters flee as the bombs explode » Links to the edited videos were posted on the Web site of London's Metropolitan Police, and were played in Kingston Crown Court where Mohammed Shakil, 31, Waheed Ali, 24, and Sadeer Saleem, 27, are accused of aiding the bombers A series of videos show three of the bombers -- Siddique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer and Jermaine Lindsay -- practicing their moves in various locations on June 28, 2005. The fourth bomber was Hasib Hussain. One video shows Tanweer and Khan meeting Lindsay outside Luton Station, where the three linger near the ticket counter and one of them stands in line. Security cameras also captured images of the three men at other blast locations. Two weeks after the July bombings, an attempted second wave of bombings struck other trains and a bus, but the devices failed to explode properly. More than a dozen people were arrested afterward. Metropolitan Police said some clips were not released, to protect the identities of members of the public. E-mail to a friend | [
"What station did the train leave from?",
"What number of suspects are in the videos?",
"Where does the train leave?",
"What did the jurors see?",
"What did videos also show?",
"What does the video show?",
"What will the jurors see?",
"What number of men were charged with conspiracy?"
] | [
[
"Liverpool Street"
],
[
"three"
],
[
"Liverpool Street Station"
],
[
"transit bombings"
],
[
"the explosion of a train seconds after it leaves the Liverpool Street Station heading for Aldgate East."
],
[
"transit bombings"
],
[
"Videos of the chaos and horrified reactions after the July 7, 2005, London"
],
[
"three"
]
] | Jurors see video evidence in the trial of three men charged with conspiracy .
One video shows explosion seconds after train leaves Liverpool Street Station .
Videos also show three of four suspects in London transport bombings . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Vladimir Putin spent the Russian New Year boogying to the hits of ABBA after spending $30,000 to fly a tribute band to a lake town north of Moscow.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin flew an ABBA tribute band to Russia for a private concert.
According to Bjorn Again founder, Rod Stephen, Putin disco pointed to the ABBA classics "Super Trouper" and "Mamma Mia" at a gathering of only eight guests.
Stephen said he received a phone call from the Kremlin prior to Christmas.
"It was pretty mad. It was the type of phone call everyone gets everyday from Moscow. I thought someone was taking the piss."
Stephen said an agent in Moscow then set the gig up, and he was told it was for Russia's "number two."
He said the band were flown to Moscow and then had a nine-hour bus trip to Lake Valdai -- where Putin has held high-level meetings in the past -- on January 22 (the traditional date of Russian New Year's eve).
"The band and crew were searched at checkpoints by people with appropriately sized weapons," Stephen said.
He said the band played behind a heavy gauze curtain, which made it hard for them to see the audience.
However, the could make out Putin's profile and that of the other seven guests.
Stephen said it was initially "roaring" at the venue.
"When the band started people were sitting on sofas. But then Putin was up and dancing to Super Trouper and Mamma Mia, pointing fingers up and down."
The band played for an hour before being shown out as the guests went to watch a fireworks display.
Stephen said they were paid $30,000 and their expenses covered.
He described it as the "weirdest" gig the band had done.
"I've had phone calls from the agency saying 'don't talk to anyone else we are getting grief from the Kremlin,' but there was no non-disclosure contract." | [
"What is the name of the band the prime minister likes?",
"Where did the ABBA tribute band play a private concert?",
"What does Putin love?",
"What is the name of the Russian Prime Minister?",
"Where did the ABBA tribute band fly to for a private concert?",
"Who gave a private concert?",
"How many were in the audience?",
"Who revealed a love for ABBA's hits?",
"Were there a lot of people in the audience?"
] | [
[
"ABBA"
],
[
"lake town north of Moscow."
],
[
"ABBA"
],
[
"Vladimir Putin"
],
[
"Russia"
],
[
"ABBA tribute band"
],
[
"eight"
],
[
"Vladimir Putin"
],
[
"only eight guests."
]
] | Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has revealed a love for ABBA's hits .
ABBA tribute band founder says he flew group to Russia for private concert .
Rod Stephen says there were only eight people in the audience . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Watching and playing golf is par for the course for most fans of the game -- but how about owning a piece of the sport's history?
Golf memorabilia is very collectable and clubs in mint condition can go for a lot of money at auction.
A Chinese businessman recently splashed out almost $200,000 on the largest collection of hickory golf clubs ever made.
But golf memorabilia is not just the preserve of the very wealthy.
Bonhams Auctioneers in Chester, England will auction off golf items which appeal to fans with large and small budgets at an auction in the city on July 25.
Do you collect golf memorabilia? What kind of items are interested in? Add your comments in the Sound Off box below.
Kevin McGimpsey, who is an expert in golfing memorabilia at Bonhams, admitted a number of fans remain keen to invest in items despite the current economic climate.
"There is still a healthy appetite for golf memorabilia at auction, the most popular items tend to be programs -- those from the majors and also the Ryder Cup are particularly collectable and ones from the 1930s and 1940s can fetch upwards of $800.
"In terms of the more modern stuff -- anything Tiger Woods-related tends to sell well and items which aren't necessarily available to the general public tend to be very collectable.
"For example a signed menu from a Ryder Cup dinner would fetch a good price.
"Sometimes the most valuable items can be found tucked away in an uncle's attic or shed and not discovered for years.
Check out the golfing memorabilia gallery for some of the items up for auction. »
"And as for the most valuable piece of memorabilia it is probably a spur iron club which was used in the 1600s. The last time one of these came up for auction it went for $350,000 -- although it would probably be nearer to $500,000 today," McGimpsey added.
The record price for a club sold in Britain was $170,000 paid in 1998 at Christie's for a metal-headed, blade putter. A figure that eclipsed the amount an early 18th-century Scottish club raised when it went under the hammer for $150,000 at Sotheby's annual golfing memorabilia auction held in Musselburgh near Edinburgh.
It is no coincidence that items from the history of the sport litter auction houses around the world, as the sport has many wealthy collectors and centuries of play from which to quarry objects.
King James II of Scotland documented the first official record of golf in 1457 when he banned the game because it had proved distracting to his soldiers who played the game as an alternative to archery practice.
The earliest set of woods and irons are thought to date from the early 1600s, though it has proved hard to accurately date the equipment thus far. | [
"What are the most collectible programs?",
"what is the most collectable",
"what remains popular",
"What price can be sold the most valuable items?",
"how much can they be sold for",
"What types of items are valuable"
] | [
[
"majors and also the Ryder Cup are particularly collectable and ones from the 1930s and 1940s"
],
[
"Golf memorabilia"
],
[
"those from the majors and also the Ryder Cup are particularly collectable"
],
[
"$500,000"
],
[
"$800."
],
[
"Golf memorabilia"
]
] | Golf memorabilia remains popular with fans despite tough economic times .
The most valuable items can be sold at auction for as much as $500,000 .
Programs from golf's majors and the Ryder Cup are the most collectable . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- We're in Hollywood on this month's CNN Business Traveller where we look at style on the road. As travelers of the world, we want to express our own individuality, we want to fit in and look the part but at the same time stand out. Hollywood is the perfect place to look get to grips with style because in this city - image is everything. Watch the show. » Why style matters If we live in a particular way, we want the same when we travel; and the airline and hotel industry are more in tune with what we want than ever before. We look at why style matters on the road and in the air. Attire to suit every occasion We get some golden rules from Hollywood stylist Negar Ali who shows Richard Quest how to co-ordinate and downsize his wardrobe, and a secret weapon - equivalent to the 'little black dress'. Bags of style Your suitcase travels as much as you do and is often the next thing people look at after your clothes. For some, making a statement with their luggage is important, for others functionality is the key. Two business travelers road test some stylish pieces whilst on their business trip to Maastricht. Smart Traveller This month's Smart Traveller focuses on tagging services that reunites lost property with the owner. Richard Quest found out that it really does work when he left his Treo PDA in the back of a New York taxi and only realized he'd lost it when he got an email from Zreturn once in LA. Sunrise to Sunset Award-winning documentary maker Morgan Neville shows us round his hometown -- giving us ideas on how to enjoy our spare time in LA from Sunrise to Sunset. E-mail to a friend | [
"Where did the business travelers take a trip to?",
"Where did CNN go to?",
"Who shared tips on how to co-ordinate a wardrobe on the road?",
"Who tested luggage?",
"Who shared tips?"
] | [
[
"Maastricht."
],
[
"Hollywood"
],
[
"Negar Ali"
],
[
"Two business travelers"
],
[
"Hollywood stylist Negar Ali"
]
] | CNN goes to Hollywood to get to grips with traveling in style .
Top Hollywood stylist shares tips on how to co-ordinate a wardrobe on the road .
Two business travelers road test some stylish luggage on a trip to Malta . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Western cinema's relationship with martial arts has been a rocky one. Like many genres, kung fu has drifted in and out of fashion, but it has never regained the same popularity as its glorious heyday in the early 1970s. There's nothing funny about either Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris. And they've got the fists to prove it. After breaking into the United States and Britain with TV hardmen like The Saint and The Green Hornet duffing up the occasional bad guy, the revolution really kicked in at the cinema. When Bruce Lee -- who had already made waves in America as the Green Hornet's karate chopping sidekick, Kato -- appeared in the Chinese-made "Jing wu men," or "Fist of Fury," he established himself as the genre's poster boy. Lee found initial success in his native China, but with his next movies, "Meng long guo jiang" ("The Way of the Dragon"), which pitted him against U.S. karate champion Chuck Norris, and the classic "Enter the Dragon," he became an international star. The plots of his films all followed a set structure: our gifted hero pursues a path of revenge or tough justice, accompanied by a stiff dose of morality. In this way his characters became representatives and protectors of the less powerful who have been unjustly treated. At the same time, the U.S. TV show "Kung Fu," which started in 1972, raised the profile of martial arts, and, through the lead character Caine, built an image of the patient, wise man, who uses his skills in combat as a last resort when reasoning fails, and again, is motivated entirely by his unshakeable morals. The reluctant hero isn't a new concept: he's shared by the Far East and Wild West. The lone gunman in a western, too, tends to be loath to kill, and acts as the moral enforcer in a lawless place. But while the gunman in an isolated western town still commands the same respect from movie audiences as he lays down the law, our wise eastern mystic has almost entirely disappeared from Hollywood. The biggest martial arts stars today -- with the notable exception of Jet Li, who continues to take on a mix of serious art movies in China and gang-war films set on the streets of urban America -- are either laughed at or laughed with by western audiences. Kung fu superstar Jackie Chan has the impressive reputation of being almost indestructible. He does his own stunts and puts himself in some incredibly dangerous situations. But Chan is essentially a comedian. His stunts are used, in a very similar way to Chan's cinematic hero Harold Lloyd, to amaze and amuse an audience. We are shocked that someone could do the things he does, hanging off moving buses with a walking stick, leaping across buildings. He is almost superhuman, but it's done mainly for laughs. The other major kung fu stars have become figures of mockery. The Internet was awash with Chuck Norris gags pointing out just how strong he is ("Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.") while Steven Seagal has done himself no favors by appearing in some of the worst films ever made. Hollywood doesn't take them seriously -- and nor do we. Directors have also mocked the 70s obsession with kung fu that gripped the western world, with heroes from films such as "Boogie Nights," "Austin Powers" and "Starsky and Hutch" fighting with cod seriousness while displaying laughable skills. So what has changed? Kung fu is not inherently funny. No matter how many times you watch "Enter the Dragon," it never ceases to be awe-inspiring. Perhaps the answer is simple: we Hollywood film junkies have grown cynical. There is no room in our modern world for an unexplained, almost supernatural power against pointlessly evil adversaries. Have we have lost our ability to suspend our disbelief? So what can a real fan do? Are we condemned to trawling the movies of the 1970s in order to | [
"what The genre has been mocked in movies like \"Austin Powers,\"?",
"What genre has been mocked in movies like \"Austin Powers\"?",
"What was popular in the 1970's?"
] | [
[
"kung fu"
],
[
"kung fu"
],
[
"kung fu"
]
] | Kung fu has never regained its 1970s popularity in the West .
The genre has been mocked in movies like "Austin Powers," "Starsky and Hutch"
But fans know the genre is alive and flourishing in Asia . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- What are reigning world champions Italy, European champions Spain, and football giants Brazil doing taking on teams like New Zealand and Iraq this month? Robinho (left) and Ronaldinho (right) celebrate Brazil winning the Confederations Cup in 2005. It sounds like a complete mismatch, but the eight-team FIFA Confederations Cup which starts in South Africa on Sunday, will see these teams pitted against one another in what is a dress-rehearsal of sorts for next year's World Cup. Dubbed by FIFA, world football's governing body, the "festival of champions", the tournament involves primarily the winning teams from regional competitions in each of the world's six football federations -- Spain from Europe (UEFA), Brazil from South America (CONMEBOL), Iraq from Asia (AFC), U.S. from the Americas (CONCACAF), New Zealand from Oceania (OFC), and Egypt from Africa (CAF). These sides qualified for the tournament by winning their respective regional competitions, while South Africa gained automatic entry as the tournament hosts, and Italy as World Cup holders. The tournament format sees the eight teams split into two groups of four for a round-robin stage, before the top two teams from each group progress to knock-out semi-finals and then the final on June 28. In-form Spain head to the tournament as favorites, while a resurgent Brazil side and World Cup holders Italy also can't be discounted. Egypt could be the dark horses of the event -- but they do have a tough group with games against both Brazil and Italy. The scrap for second in Spain's pool could well be the other interesting storyline from the competition, as South Africa, Iraq and New Zealand fight it out for a place in the final four. • See profiles of the eight teams involved in the 2009 Confederations Cup. » While the tournament doesn't carry with it the same prestige as a World Cup, it is essentially a trial run of the main event for the host nation, and for the lower-ranked countries involved it offers invaluable experience playing against the world's best. Ricky Herbert, coach of New Zealand's national team the "All Whites", told the NZ Soccer Web site the tournament is always hugely attractive to the South Pacific nation as it offers a great opportunity for the national team. Herbert's side narrowly lost 4-3 to World Cup holders Italy in a friendly on Wednesday, and he said the big-game experience is excellent. "It's a fantastic opportunity. It may be mammoth gap between where they are and where we are but it gives a chance on that world stage to put a good foot forward, and I think we can." "Whilst it'll be great for the players on the pitch to play the best players and the best teams in the world, football fans can switch that on and watch their own team play the likes of Fabio Cannavaro or Fernando Torres or whoever," Herbert said. | [
"How many teams are involved in the Confederations Cup tournament?",
"Where does the Confederations Cup tournament take place ?",
"How many teams are involved in the tournament ?",
"In what country does the Confederations Cup tournament take place?",
"Where does the tournament take place?",
"When does the tounament take place ?",
"How many teams are participating?",
"Are there limits in who can participate in the tournament?"
] | [
[
"eight-team"
],
[
"South Africa"
],
[
"eight"
],
[
"South Africa"
],
[
"South Africa"
],
[
"Sunday,"
],
[
"eight"
],
[
"involves primarily the winning teams from regional competitions in each of the world's six football federations"
]
] | The Confederations Cup tournament takes place in South Africa this month .
Eight teams are involved in the tournament including Spain, Italy and Brazil .
Entry is limited to regional champions, the World Cup holders and the hosts . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- What recession? Christie's, the famed auction house, this week sold a nearly 36-carat diamond for $24.3 million, which it said was the highest price for a diamond sold at auction. The 35.56-carat diamond dates back to the 17th century. The previous record was a mere $16.5 million for a 100-carat diamond in 1995, Christie's said. "In the midst of these challenging times, we were thrilled to achieve an historic price for an historic diamond," said Francois Curiel, chairman of Christie's Europe and auctioneer for Wednesday's sale. The 35.56-carat Wittelsbach blue diamond, dating to the 17th century, was purchased by international jeweler Laurence Graff, the auction house said in a release. Graff was bidding against Aleks Paul of Essex Global Trading, a professional of Russian origin based in New York, Christie's said. "Known as 'Der Blaue Wittelsbacher' since 1722, it is one of very few diamonds which can claim 17th century heritage, incredible rarity and exceptional beauty." The diamond, mined in India nearly 400 years ago, has been privately owned since 1964. Until 1723, Christie's said, all diamonds worn by European royalty came from India. The diamond has a royal lineage. Christie's traces it thus: King Philip IV of Spain (1605-1665) selected the diamond in 1664 as part of a dowry for his daughter, the Infanta Margarita Teresa (1651-1673). She had become engaged to Leopold I of Austria (1640-1705), who later became Holy Roman Emperor. When she died in 1673, her husband retained the diamond, which was passed on to his heirs. In 1722, the diamond entered the Wittelsbach family when the Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria (1701-1756) married the Bavarian Crown Prince, Charles Albert (1697-1745). It was worn by successive rulers until the abdication of King Ludwig III (1845-1921) in 1918. The world's largest deep blue diamond is the "Hope Diamond," a 45.52-carat stone housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Diamonds apparently are recession-proof. Christie's reported jewelry sales of $226 million for the first half of 2008, calling it "the best jewelry season ever seen at auction." Sales for the first six months of this year marked a 32 percent increase over the same period in 2007, Christie's said. According to Christie's, key diamonds the company sold in the first half of 2008 included a 13.39-carat fancy intense blue diamond that fetched $8.9 million in Geneva on May 14 and the pear-shaped potentially flawless 38-carat Onassis diamond, which sold for $7.1 million on June 11 in London. | [
"what did christie sell",
"What was the size of the diamond?",
"What was the carat weight of the diamond?",
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"what was said about the amount",
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"when was it mined",
"Where was the jewel mined?",
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"When was it discovered?",
"How much did the diamond sell for?",
"When was the diamond mined?",
"Who sold the diamond?",
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] | [
[
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[
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[
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],
[
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]
] | Christie's sells nearly 36-carat diamond for $24.3 million .
Amount said to be highest price for a diamond sold at auction .
Jewel was mined in India nearly 400 years ago . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- What to do with 50,000 used, possibly smelly and dirty prison mattresses that need to be disposed of every year? Discarded mattresses pile up alongside trash in London in January of this year. Britain's Prison Service won praise Thursday for its innovative solution to the problem: recycle the mattresses for carpet underlay, or break them down for fencing or even roof tiles. Most of the mattresses are sent to landfills. There are enough of them each year to fill 30 double-decker buses, the National Audit Office said Thursday. The Prison Service wanted to find a better way to dispose of the mattresses -- a "zero-waste" solution that also cost less money, the NAO said. It worked with suppliers and launched a competition to find the best solution. They ended up coming up with several proposals to reuse the mattresses, and the Prison Service is now testing them out, the NAO said. Thursday's report highlighted several other examples of ways that government departments have used innovation to their advantage. "We have selected them as good examples of innovative approaches which have lessons for how innovation can be managed in government," the report said. | [
"What is the UK's Prison Service sought?",
"What program won them praise?",
"What number of double decker buses could the mattresses fill?",
"What type of solution do they want?",
"What types of waste was created?",
"What did the UK prison system win praise for?"
] | [
[
"wanted to find a better way to dispose of the mattresses"
],
[
"Britain's Prison Service"
],
[
"30"
],
[
"innovative"
],
[
"prison mattresses"
],
[
"carpet underlay, or break them down"
]
] | UK's prison system wins praise for recycling mattresses .
Prison mattresses sent to landfills could fill 30 double-decker buses .
UK's Prison Service sought a "zero-waste" solution to tossed mattresses . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When Danish auteur Lars von Trier presented his gothic thriller, "Antichrist" at Cannes Film Festival last month, it was greeted with cat-calls, jeers and, at times, disbelieving laughter. Danish auteur Lars von Trier has been making films that shock, provoke and impress for over 40 years. Filmmakers are expected to give audiences a hard time at Cannes and the two-hander starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a couple grieving the loss of a child is no exception. But it was the level of pornographic sex and visceral brutality that outraged some and astonished many. Von Trier was labeled a woman-hater for the wince-inducingly horrific final scene in which female lead Charlotte Gainsbourg takes a pair of rusty scissors to her genitals and performs a DIY clitoridectomy right to camera. An Ecumenical Jury that normally hands out a prize at Cannes celebrating spiritual values felt moved to award "Antichrist" an "anti-prize" for being "the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world." "Lars von Trier, we get it," wrote film critic Wendy Ide in UK paper The Times. "You really, really don't like women." Misogyny couldn't be further from the truth, according to Von Trier, who says he sees himself up there on the screen: "I mostly see myself as the female character," the 53-year-old director told CNN in Cannes. Do you think that Lars von Trier is a woman-hater? Tell us below in the SoundOff box The director says that he shot the film as a form of therapy after recovering from a serious mental illness. Indeed, a few years ago, it was questionable whether von Trier, who is famously multi-phobic, would be able to make another film. In the winter of 2006, he fell victim to depression and checked into hospital, the aftermath of which left him "like a blank sheet of paper," he told Danish paper Politiken at the time. Today, if not fully recovered -- the most terrifying thing he can think of is still "myself" -- he is able to function once more and is receiving cognitive behavioral therapy to help him face up to his psychological issues. Despite, or perhaps because of, what he describes as his "sensitive" nature, von Trier is one of today's great contemporary European auteurs, considered responsible for spearheading a revival in the fortunes of Scandinavian filmmaking. "I think that if you are, shall we say, sensitive, then there is a good side and a bad side about it," said von Trier. "The good side is that you can sometimes achieve something creatively. But, of course, it always also allows some of these negative thoughts in." Watch Lars von Trier talking to CNN's The Screening Room about "Antichrist" » He has been nominated for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme D'Or, a staggering eight times, winning once in 2000 for the harrowing operatic tragedy, "Dancer in the Dark," starring Icelandic musician, Bjork, who also took home the Best Actress prize that year. It is rumored Bjork became so unhinged filming "Dancer in the Dark" she ate her own cardigan. Von Trier claimed each morning she would say "Mr von Trier, I despise you," and spit at him. In pictures: The wierd world of Lars von Trier » Von Trier has a reputation for being tough on his actors. His friend and long-time collaborator, actor Stellan Skarsgard describes von Trier as "not uncomplex." "I was scared," admitted Gainsbourg who won Best Actress at Cannes for her performance. "I had heard stories about him as a director ... maybe he's cruel and vicious." But she now describes him as her "guide" and "the greatest director I've ever worked with." Fueled by his unconventional approach and upbringing, the mythology surrounding von Trier looms large over everything he touches. Brought up in Copenhagen by | [
"what was Von Trier accused of?",
"Which characters in `Antichrist` was played by Charlotte Gainsbourgh and Willem Dafoe?",
"What shocked early audiences?",
"On what Von Trier was accused?",
"Who was stars of \"Antichrist\"?",
"Who is Von Treir?"
] | [
[
"labeled a woman-hater"
],
[
"a couple grieving the loss of a child"
],
[
"the level of pornographic sex and visceral brutality"
],
[
"woman-hater"
],
[
"Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg"
],
[
"Danish auteur"
]
] | Pornographic sex and visceral violence in "Antichrist" shocked early audiences .
Von Trier was accused of misogyny but claims to identify with the female character .
"Antichrist" stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe as a bereaved couple .
Von Trier's "The Idiots" (1998) was first mainstream film to show non-simulated sex . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When David Whitney traveled to Pakistan to shoot his film about a man forced to flee Afghanistan after falling foul of the Taliban he didn't expect fiction to turn into reality. A still from "Kandahar Break." Production of the film was halted after the crew were fired upon by suspected Taliban militia. But that's exactly what happened three weeks into shooting political thriller "Kandahar Break" in late 2008. Gunmen attacked the first-time director and his crew near the Afghan border. Four Pakistani crew members were shot and wounded in the incident and the entire crew was forced to flee the region. Pakistani authorities later told Whitney that the gunmen were affiliated with the Taliban and were in fact targeting the Western members of the team. "I was very upset. It was terrifying to know that somebody was trying to attack us, trying to shoot us," Whitney told CNN. With the help of local security forces the team was immediately evacuated to Islamabad and put on a flight out of the country in 24 hours. Whitney had only managed to film three-quarters of the script and the film's future lay in the balance. "When I heard that the crew members who had been shot were going to be fine I started to think like the businessman and the producer," says Whitney. "I thought, 'How are we going to finish this film? We're not just going to give up.' And to a man everybody involved agreed to finish it." After six months spent organizing financial backing, the original cast and crew flew to Tunisia to complete the movie and has been attracting interest from distributors. Despite the danger caused by shooting so close to the actual conflict zone, Whitney says he would shoot in the region again if he had the chance. "Every place you point a camera there's a great shot. You don't have to go very far to find fantastic authentic Afghan architecture and beautiful landscapes. "All the people are in the same sort of authentic costumes, so you don't have the problem of trying to find authenticity -- it's all around you." Whitney hopes the authenticity will help "Kandahar Break" enjoy the same level of success as Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" -- the first film about the Iraq war to make a profit at the U.S. box office. Bigelow's thriller tells the story of an elite army EOD bomb squad who battle insurgents and each other, as they disarm a innumerable roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad. Bigelow shot "The Hurt Locker" in Jordan, as close as she could get to the actual conflict zone. She also made use of local actors. The film is based on screenwriter Mark Boal's first-hand experiences gathered whilst embedded with a bomb unit in Iraq. "Because it was based on real life, we wanted to keep it as realistic as possible and keep it accurate," Bigelow told CNN. "I mean this is a conflict that's still on-going so we felt responsible to the troops still there and the situation on the ground." The cast faced grueling shooting conditions: Temperatures ranged between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit (46 and 49 degrees Celsius). It was even hotter in the authentic bomb suit worn by Jeremy Brenner, who plays Staff Sergeant James. The suit weighed 60 pounds. "You really can't explain the heat and the weight of the suit," Brenner told CNN. "That certainly helped the realism of it all. There were a few moments I felt like ... I've been as close as I could've come to war without actually being in the military. "The heat was real, the dust was real, the costumes and everything was so real that the tension [was already there]," Anthony Mackie who plays Sergeant JT Sanborn told CNN. "Kathryn would come to us before every scene and say, 'Remember at any moment you can die.' And we kept that in mind | [
"What is the name of the movie being filmed?",
"Who was the director?",
"What was the name of the film?",
"How many crew members were shot during filming?",
"What is the name of the movie?",
"How many Pakistani crew members where shot?",
"How many were shot during filming?",
"What did David Whitney say the filming in Afghanistan was like?",
"What is the name of the director?",
"what did whitney say",
"Who says despite difficulties it was a great film location?",
"What did the star of Hurt Locker say was similar to being in the military?",
"What is the name of the movie",
"What nationality were the shot crew members",
"What number of crew members were shot during filming of \"Kandahar Break\"?",
"Who is the director",
"how many were shot"
] | [
[
"\"Kandahar Break\""
],
[
"David Whitney"
],
[
"\"Kandahar Break.\""
],
[
"Four"
],
[
"\"Kandahar Break.\""
],
[
"Four"
],
[
"Four Pakistani crew members"
],
[
"the crew were fired upon by suspected Taliban militia."
],
[
"David Whitney"
],
[
"\"I was very upset. It was terrifying to know that somebody was trying to attack us, trying to shoot us,\""
],
[
"David Whitney"
],
[
"the heat and the weight of the suit,\""
],
[
"\"Kandahar Break.\""
],
[
"Pakistani"
],
[
"Four"
],
[
"David Whitney"
],
[
"Four"
]
] | Four Pakistani crew members shot during filming of "Kandahar Break"
Despite difficulties, director David Whitney says it was a great film location .
Star of "The Hurt Locker" says filming was similar to being in the military . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When HIV-positive Winnie Sseruma was invited to speak on the subject at the United Nations in New York last June, she never expected that her condition would prevent her from obtaining a visa. HIV positive Winnie Sseruma was repeatedly questioned before being allowed into the United States. Winnie Sseruma has been living with the disease for over 20 years. Preparing for her trip, UK-based Winnie discovered that the United States was one of 70 countries worldwide that either banned or restricted inbound travel for people with HIV. "I was told I needed to come to the U.S. embassy for an interview and bring a doctor's letter stating I was fit to travel," Sseruma, HIV coordinator for charity Christian Aid, told CNN. "At first, the embassy told me that the first available appointment for my interview would be at a date past the U.N. High-level Meeting I was meant to attend." Only when the U.N. intervened on Sseruma's behalf was she granted an earlier interview date. Sseruma was relieved when she finally received her visa on time. But the hurdles were far from over. At the airport in New York, Sseruma was detained twice for further questioning. "It was so humiliating," Sseruma said. "The immigration officers were asking me very personal questions about my health." A month after Sseruma's ordeal, the U.S. Senate passed the re-authorization of President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), including an amendment to the ban on travel and immigration for HIV-positive non-citizens. But the United States travel ban still remains in effect, and will continue to be the law until the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) modifies its regulations. Fifty-eight Members of Congress have sent a letter to the HHS, urging them to take action. Russia also places restrictions on travelers with HIV. Affected visitors are not permitted to stay in the country for more than three months. Anyone applying for a visa for long-term stay must present a certificate stating that they are HIV negative. The Russian embassy's spokesperson in London told CNN no changes to the ban were currently being considered and declined to comment further. Crusading against these bans is "Ctrl.Alt.Shift," a UK-based organization that attempts to engage youth to combat global and social injustices. The organization argues that there is no public health rationale for "restricting liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV status." Are these laws outmoded? What do you think? Tell us in the Sound Off below. The fight against stigmas associated with HIV and AIDS has been widely adopted by the organization's young members. Many are joining Ctrl.Alt.Shift's protests across London. Last week, following two protests at the embassies of Saudi Arabia and South Korea -- both countries ban HIV positive travelers from entering their borders -- the organization launched its third protest in front of the Russian embassy in London. "The level of proliferation of the HIV virus in countries that do not implement bans on HIV travelers is proof that these bans have no impact whatsoever, except for reinforcing the stigma," said Neil Boorman, Ctrl.Alt.Shift's project manager. Boorman told CNN that the bans and restrictions further the spread of the epidemic by driving the issue underground and force people to lie about their health on visa applications. Tinchy Strider, a 22-year-old British rap artist, was also present at the protest. "I'm here because many young people are not aware of these issues, but if they knew these bans existed, they would want to do something about it," Tinchy explained. Eighteen-year-old Sian Anderson agrees. Anderson believes it is bad enough to live with HIV and that these regulations make life "even harder." "Some people are completely not at fault, they might have gotten the virus through blood transfusion and Russia doesn't take that into consideration," Anderson said. "Science has moved | [
"what is the reason for the restriction",
"HIV positive visitors are restricted by how many countries worldwide?",
"what does the ban do?",
"What does Russia restrict?",
"what country restricts HiV positive visitors?",
"what is the enforcement"
] | [
[
"HIV."
],
[
"70"
],
[
"restricted inbound travel for people with HIV."
],
[
"travelers with HIV."
],
[
"United States."
],
[
"United States was one of 70 countries worldwide that either banned or restricted inbound travel for people with HIV."
]
] | Russia is one of 11 countries worldwide that restricts HIV positive visitors .
The U.S. lifted similar ban last July, but has not yet been implemented .
Protesters argue that ban forces people to lie about health to gain entry . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When a woman dates a much older man, bystanders often speculate that she has only the most superficial of motives. French actress Ludivine Sagnier stars in veteran New Wave filmmaker Claude Chabrol's "The Girl Cut in Two." In "The Girl Cut in Two," veteran French filmmaker Claude Chabrol tells the story of one young woman for whom just the opposite is true. It stars French starlet Ludivine Sagnier as a young woman who rejects the amorous advances of a flashy, wealthy man her age, in favor of a sleazy affair with a fickle, 60 year-old father figure. Sagnier's desire to take on the role was also motivated by the allure of a much older man: Chabrol. "The idea of working with Claude Chabrol was the main attraction at the beginning," she told CNN. "He is a great French director, one of the pioneers of the French New Wave." "The guy has so much experience. I felt like I was a journalist, always asking things," continues Sagnier. "He's very old ... he's been through many, many things. This was his 66th movie, or something like that." Sagnier describes her character, Gabrielle de Neige, a charming, 20-something television weather girl, as "very naive." "She falls in a trap like a poor little lamb and she gets eaten by wolves. "The thing is, she doesn't have a dad, so she lacks affection, and sometimes that lack of affection can drive you to make mistakes. "I'd say I'm stronger than that," says 29 year-old Sagnier, who is perhaps best-known for her provocative portrayal of a highly-sexualized teenager opposite Charlotte Rampling in Francois Ozon's 2003 drama, "Swimming Pool." Sagnier who is often compared with screen sirens like Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve, drew international acclaim for a series of films in 2002 and 2003, but has recently has been taking smaller roles. Many of the qualities that attracted Sagnier to Chabrol are similar to those that draw her on-screen alter-ego Gabrielle to writer Charles Saint-Denis (Francois Berleand) -- Charles' knowledge of life, literature and his ability to treat her like a little girl, not as an equal. Sagnier says of working with Chabrol: "It was like opening a cinema book, because when you work with him he talks to you about Hitchcock, he talks to you about Kubrick. "He met everyone, so he's full of anecdotes, so you want to know more." Chabrol began his career in 1956, earning his stripes alongside fellow New Wave directors Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut. He became famous in the late 1960s for suspense thrillers such as "La Femme Infidele" (1969) and "Le Boucher" (1971). He has continued working prolifically in film and television ever since. Chabrol co-wrote the screenplay for the heartbreak drama, in which Sagnier character is consistently disappointed in love and let down by the men around her, with his step-daughter, Cecile Maistre, who also served as assistant director on the film. At the end of "The Girl Cut In Two," Sagnier appears on stage as a magician's assistant, smiling in the spotlight as she hears applause rise from the audience, the attention perhaps curing her depression over lovers lost. She lies in a box, appearing to be cut in half, the trick functioning as an almost literal embodiment of the film's title -- but clearly there's more to it than meets the eye. "She cuts into two men first of all, and she's also cut in two different sides of her personality," said Sagnier. "She has a part of shade and a part of lightness." Sagnier's fate since her collaboration with Chabrol has, thankfully, been a decidedly rosier affair: Since finishing "The Girl Cut in Two," she has starred in Jean-Francois Richet's, " | [
"who directed it?",
"who stars in the movie?",
"Who directed the movie?",
"Who starred in \"The Girl Cut in Two?\"",
"what is the movie called?",
"Who had an affair with an older man?",
"what is the story about",
"who is the lead actor"
] | [
[
"Claude Chabrol"
],
[
"French actress Ludivine Sagnier"
],
[
"Claude Chabrol"
],
[
"French actress Ludivine Sagnier"
],
[
"\"The Girl Cut in Two.\""
],
[
"Gabrielle de Neige,"
],
[
"young woman who rejects"
],
[
"Ludivine Sagnier"
]
] | French starlet Ludivine Sagnier stars in "The Girl Cut In Two"
It tells the story of a young woman who embarks on an affair with an older man .
It was directed by prolific French New Wave veteran Claude Chabrol .
Sagnier on Chabrol: "He is a great French director, one of the pioneers" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When it comes to bagging the best jobs behind the camera, Hollywood A-lister Charlize Theron says that women have to make their own luck. Charlize Theron in "The Burning Plain," which she both stars in and executive produces. Indeed, the 33 year-old's career could be seen as a template for what women can achieve in the industry. As an actress, Theron is famous for roles in films as diverse as serial killer biopic "Monster" and Will Smith superhero movie "Hancock," switching with apparent ease between small independent movies and big-budget blockbusters. Theron also represents a small minority of women who work behind the camera in Hollywood. During the 15 years she has worked in the U.S. film industry she has also produced four films. The latest is Guillermo Arriaga's "The Burning Plain," which she both stars in and executive produces. At a time when women are picking up increasingly varied roles in front of the camera, statistics show they are failing to make the same headway behind the scenes. Last year, women made up just 16 percent of all directors, producers, writers and cinematographers who worked on the 250 top grossing films in the U.S. But, says Theron, there is no point in complaining about the tough time women have getting work behind the scenes in the movies. Do you think breaking through through the glass ceiling is still an issue for women in Hollywood?? "I try not to kind of bitch and complain about what [women] don't have," Theron told CNN. "It's a tricky thing because, I think, if you want to find that lynchpin, you can, in anything. "I look at the work that I've done and I feel incredibly proud that I've had the chance and the opportunity to work on the material that I have." Originally born in South Africa, Theron is best-known for her harrowing depiction of prostitute turned serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster." "Monster" was also the first film Theron produced, taking a huge risk on a low-budget project with a script penned by a first-time director -- and with no previous experience of producing herself. Theron saw the film as an opportunity to move away from the lighter roles that are often thrown in the direction of a starlet with looks to spare. "It's what I've been dying to do with my career," she told UK paper The Observer at the time. "The work I've been doing the last couple of years is not really what I wanted. If you're not careful, you get typecast. I was getting stuck." She was awarded a Best Actress Oscar for her role in 2004 and "Monster," which was made for just $8 million went on to gross over $60 million worldwide. It is unsurprising, then, that Theron's attitude towards women in Hollywood is one of stand-up-and-be-counted. Although, she says that she will only produce films she feels she can bring something to. "The things that I've produced have been because I really feel like I can lend some kind of knowledge to making a certain film. "When I meet a certain director and there's a certain amount of chemistry and we see the same film, and we just kind of feel like we want to set out and make a film together, it just kind of happens." Like "Monster" -- and Theron's other producing credits, Cuban rap documentary "East of Havana," and indie drama "Sleepwalking" -- her latest film "The Burning Plain" is also by a first-time director. The difference this time is that Arriaga is already a well-established, Oscar-nominated Hollywood screenwriter. The Mexican filmmaker first came to prominence through his close relationship with fellow Mexican Alejandro González Iñárritu. Arriaga wrote the screenplays for "Amores Perros," Oscar-nominated "Babel" and "21 Grams | [
"How many films has she produced?",
"Which film did she win an Oscar for?",
"How many films has Theron produced?",
"What film did she produce?",
"Who is the producer of the film \"Monster\"?",
"How many years has Theron been working in Hollywood?"
] | [
[
"four"
],
[
"\"Monster,\""
],
[
"four"
],
[
"\"The Burning Plain,\""
],
[
"Charlize Theron"
],
[
"15"
]
] | Theron says women must make their own success behind the camera .
In her 15 years working in Hollywood, she has produced four films .
She produced "Monster," for which she was awarded a Best Actress Oscar .
Theron on being a woman working in Hollywood: "I try not to bitch and complain" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When man first walked on the moon 40 years ago, it was not only a "giant leap for mankind" but also a boon for everyday items. A NASA-inspired tracking system is helping monitor endangered whale sharks. Sports shoes, for example, took a huge leap forward in the late 1980s when AVIA Group International, then a subsidiary of Reebok, turned to space technology to make them more flexible and durable. Freeze-dried food, artificial limbs, cordless vacuum cleaners and edible toothpaste were also developed using research that can be linked to NASA's forays into space. They are listed in detail in "Spinoff," a NASA magazine first compiled in 1976 as a definitive guide to the commercialized products whose development can be tied to space technology. "We are fairly liberal with our application of the term spinoff," said editor Daniel Lockney. "The product has to contain a component that was developed for NASA, some aspect of it or it could just be NASA's know-how that helped the commercialization of the product," he said. More than 1,660 articles on space-related products have been published since the magazine's first edition. Watch some of the spin-offs developed from space technology » What you won't find on the list is the bright orange powered drink, Tang, or Teflon, or Velcro -- all products that have over time been erroneously linked to NASA's space mission. "Tang was developed by General Foods before NASA was even made a federal agency, but it was popularized during astronaut tasting experiments," Lockney said. "Velcro was invented by a Swiss engineer in the 1940s," he said, adding "Teflon was created by Dupont. It has many applications within NASA but is not a NASA technology." Infant formula makes the grade due to an ingredient discovered during NASA research into algae as a source of food supplements. "Different experiments led to the discovery of a nutrient substance that has previously only been found in breast milk. [This is] believed to be important in the development in the eyes and the brain." It's now in 95 percent of infant formula sold in the U.S. and in 65 countries around the world, Lockney said. It may have been 40 years since NASA put the first man on the moon, but the number of products that use space technology doesn't seem to be diminishing. "Spinoff" publishes articles on 40 to 50 new space-related products every year but receives many more submissions for inclusion. The next edition due out in October will feature a new tracking system for endangered animals, including polar bears and whale sharks, which was derived from an algorithm developed for tracking star patterns. "Tracing theses animals is something that previously a small core group of scientists would go out and do. We're now able to have ordinary citizens upload their pictures of these animals that have been spotted through Flickr and Facebook. Logging times and dates will significantly increase the level of monitoring of these endangered species," Lockney said. For more space-related products see NASA's "Spinoff" Web site. | [
"what other products can be traced back?",
"What are some examples of products developed or researched by Nasa?",
"what was tang invented for?",
"How long has it been since Nasa took a man to the moon?"
] | [
[
"Freeze-dried food, artificial limbs, cordless vacuum cleaners and edible toothpaste"
],
[
"Freeze-dried food, artificial limbs, cordless vacuum cleaners"
],
[
"astronaut tasting experiments,\""
],
[
"40 years"
]
] | Many common products can be traced back to research conducted by NASA .
Freeze-dried food, artificial limbs, edible toothpaste are among NASA spin-offs .
Contrary to rumors, Tang, Velcro and Teflon not developed for space travel .
It has been 40 years since NASA's Apollo 11 mission took man to the moon . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When the economy gets tough, the tough come out fighting. For some businesses, that means bringing out a fighter brand -- a cut-price version of a flagship product, marketed under a new name, and intended to fight back against budget competitors. "Jetstar" is a fighter brand that worked, beating the competition and creating a lasting, money-making brand. When it's done right it can destroy cut-price competition, but done badly it can drive a business to the brink of bankruptcy. Mark Ritson, associate professor at Melbourne Business School, has written an article for the October issue of Harvard Business Review discussing the benefits and pitfalls of launching a fighter brand. He says that over the next six months a number of new fighter brands are likely to appear in response to the recession. "Fighter brands are very unusual but they are becoming increasingly common," he told CNN. "It's high risk and high reward, and when it works it can have astonishing results." Ritson gives the example of Intel, which launched its budget "Celeron" chip in the late 1990s to in response to AMD's low-priced chips, which were threatening Intel's premium "Pentium" brand. Read more business features With "Celeron," Intel came up with a budget alternative to "Pentium" for the lower end of the market and cemented its position as market leader. But Intel's success is the exception rather than the rule. "The majority of fighter brands not only haven't worked, but have gone on to do significant damage to the companies that launched them," said Ritson. General Motors' (GM) "Saturn," United Airlines' "Ted," and Kodak's "Funtime" film range are all high-profile fighter brands that failed. Despite the appeal of taking on the competition in a fist fight, launching a successful fighter brand is easier said than done. "The problem is that fighter brands are almost always a knee-jerk reaction to a problem and are not always well thought out," Neil Saunders, consulting director with Verdict Research, told CNN. Ritson says one element in building a fighter brand is to avoid creating a low-price product that is so attractive that it steals customers who would otherwise be buying that company's premium-brand product. On the other hand, if the fighter brand is too expensive or too low quality, it won't put up much of a fight against the opposition it's designed to attack. Another complication is that even the biggest companies don't have the money and managerial time to distract themselves with a new brand at a time when they should be concentrating on their core products, and then there is the difficulty in operating at an unfamiliar low price level. "The airline industry is a prime example, where people have launched fighter brands to combat the budget airlines and have been notoriously unsuccessful," said Saunders. "If it's not your business model it's not easy to operate, and it's not usually these airlines' business model." United's "Ted," and Delta Air Lines "Song" were launched to combat budget carriers, but they weren't up to the challenge. In fact, Ritson says those fighter brands contributed to United and Delta's bankruptcy. But with its budget "Jetstar" airline, Qantas managed to find the holy grail for fighter brands -- beating the competition and creating a lasting, money-making brand in its own right. So what was different about the Qantas model? "One thing was that Qantas took a long, hard look at the numbers and decided if they could be profitable," said Ritson. "One of the problems with fighter brands is that they are oriented towards destroying a competitor and because of that managers pay a lot less attention to the bottom line." He gives the example of GM's "Saturn," a car designed to take on fuel-efficient, affordable Japanese cars. "Saturn" sold plenty | [
"What are fighter brands designed to do?",
"Which of GM's fighter brands failed?",
"What is likely to be launched in response to the recession?",
"What is likely to be launched in response to the recession?",
"What are the Fighter brands designed to do?",
"When is the new launch?"
] | [
[
"fight back against budget"
],
[
"General Motors' (GM) \"Saturn,\" United Airlines' \"Ted,\" and Kodak's \"Funtime\" film range are all high-profile"
],
[
"new fighter brands"
],
[
"new fighter brands"
],
[
"fight back against budget competitors."
],
[
"next six months"
]
] | Fighter brands are designed to fight back against low-priced competition .
Done wrong, fighter brands can drive a company to the brink of bankruptcy .
GM's "Saturn" is a fighter brand that failed, while Intel's "Celeron" succeeded .
New fighter brands are likely to be launched in response to the recession . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- When they set sail from harbor most yachtsmen leave only their worries behind. But when Hilary Lister goes out to sea, she sheds an entire way of life. Hilary Lister says she feels "a thousand times" more free when she sails. The 36-year-old Briton is a quadriplegic who can only move her head, eyes and mouth and needs to rely on carers for almost every need. In spite of these restrictions she became the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain Monday scoring a victory against the rare degenerative illness she has suffered from since age 11. The inventive technology behind her voyage is called "sip and puff" -- a system of three pneumatic straws positioned near Lister's mouth that allow her to control the boat through a series of semaphore-like commands she can give by either blowing or sucking through the straws. Developed by a Canadian engineer, the system let Lister alter course and trim the sails of her 20ft long keel boat to complete the record-breaking trip over two summers. Lister's passion for sailing is all-consuming and, considering what it has given her, unsurprising. "When you leave the quayside, you leave behind the stresses of everyday life," she told CNN. "Any sailor will tell you that. "If you multiply that sense of freedom a thousand times, that's how I feel. I leave behind my wheelchair, a team of carers and suddenly it's just me." An Oxford University graduate and talented sportswoman in her youth, by 2003 Hilary's illness had laid her so low she was a virtual recluse, never leaving the home she shared with her husband Clifford, and by her own admission deeply depressed. A friend suggested she go to Westbere Sailing. The center specializes in helping disabled people on to the water, but Hilary almost never made the 20-minute trip from her home near Canterbury in southern England. "I was ill and running a temperature and I was about to cancel it, but something stopped me from backing out," she said. She credits the decision to go to the center with saving her life. "[The staff]treated me like an intelligent, capable person and not like an object to be pitied," she said. Her illness is called reflex sympathetic dystrophy. It makes it difficult for her to breathe -- the media interviews she has done since her latest achievement have exhausted her, she said. It also puts her in near-constant agony, a situation that is only manageable with the use of powerful drugs. Despite these hardships, or perhaps because of them, Hilary has no fear when she is out at sea. Her aim is to help other disabled people feel empowered in the same way and to that end she has set up her own charity, Hilary's Dream Trust. The charity exists to provide assistance to disabled and disadvantaged adults who dream of sailing. "It is difficult to do all the press, my diaphragm is in a bad way and I get tired easily with the interviews. But I want people to know my story because it's important they realize disabled people can accomplish anything, given the right tools." Her own accomplishment she began last summer with the help of a support boat and a specially adapted motor home that she returned to after each day's sailing to recuperate. Last August she was forced to abandon the attempt due to bad weather and strong winds. She took up the gauntlet again in May and was rewarded with some transcendent moments. "When I was in the Irish Sea I saw something that looked like a blow hole on my starboard side," she said. "I wasn't sure what I'd seen then suddenly out of the water this huge whale emerged like an Exocet missile. Next thing a pod of them -- we think they were humpbacks -- were all around my boat. "I remember thinking, 'I wonder if this is safe' but I was enjoying the moment so much. It was so exhilarating." | [
"What is her charity called?",
"What does she suffer from?",
"Who has become the first disabled woman to sail around Britain?",
"What kind of a disease does Hilary suffer from?",
"Who became the first disabled woman to sail around Britain?"
] | [
[
"Hilary's Dream Trust."
],
[
"reflex sympathetic dystrophy."
],
[
"Hilary Lister"
],
[
"reflex sympathetic dystrophy."
],
[
"Hilary Lister"
]
] | Hilary Lister has become the first disabled woman to sail around Britain .
She navigated with a special technology using only her mouth and a straw .
Hilary suffers from a rare degenerative disease that has made her paraplegic .
She wants to help other disabled sailors through her charity Hilary's Dream Trust . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- While the Oscars is without doubt the grandest of all the awards ceremonies, it doesn't have the world stage to itself. "Persepolis" won the French nomination -- but failed to make the Academy's shortlist In London, the Brits have their BAFTAs; Spain has the Goyas; and France celebrates the Cesars, where "La Vie En Rose" won six out of its "magnifique" 11 nominations. And it was this foreign fare that gave rise to the biggest controversy at Hollywood's big event. "La Vie En Rose" amassed an impressive eleven nominations at the French Cesar Awards. Marion Cotillard's astonishing transformation into Edith Piaf won her Best Actress gongs at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and the Academy Awards. But "La Vie En Rose" was not among the contenders for Best Foreign Film. Another French language film, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," was on many critics' top ten lists for the films of 2007. It won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film and its American director Julian Schnabel was nominated for an Oscar. But like "La Vie En Rose," this film was not among the contenders for Best Foreign Film. A third French film, "Persepolis" won the special jury prize at Cannes and it received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, but yet again, this was not a nominee for Best Foreign Film. France suffered through an abundance of riches this year, with three potential Oscar winners. But to enter the race for Best Foreign film, France, like every other country, had to nominate just one. So "La Vie En Rose" and "Diving Bell" were rejected by the French film authorities in favor of "Persepolis." But "Persepolis" didn't sufficiently impress the Oscar judges: so France had no films among the final five nominees. French frustration at the Oscar process was echoed in Taiwan, which chose Ang Lee's film, "Lust Caution," as its official entry. The film won both critical acclaim and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. But Oscar judges ruled there was too little Taiwanese involvement -- none of the lead actors are from Taiwan. The double Oscar winning director watched in disbelief as his film was banned and Taiwan was told to pick another film instead: Oscar caution triumphing over Ang Lee's lust for a third Academy Award. And the list goes on: the Israeli film, "The Band's Visit" was excluded for having too much English -- but it's the only way the Israeli and Egyptian protagonists can communicate in the film and is a key part of the plot. But Israel submitted "Beaufort" instead -- and made the final five. "The Kite Runner" may have proved an international success at the box office, but it didn't fly with Oscar watchdogs. Set in Afghanistan with Farsi as its main language, it fell foul of the rulebook by having too little Afghan involvement and a Swiss-American director. But for most critics, the most inexplicable omission from the shortlist of nominees was Romania's "4 Months, 3 weeks & 2 Days," winner of the Palme D'Or in Cannes and considered by many to be a sure-fire Oscar winner. Some feel its challenging subject of a back-street abortion in communist Romania was too testing for conservative members of the Academy's Foreign Film Committee, whose volunteers tend to include many retirees -- who else has time to attend screenings of 63 foreign language films? Even Marc Johnson, the Chairman of the Academy's Foreign Language Film Committee, acknowledged that some of the criticism levelled against the Academy this year was "justifiable". He told CNN: "We took quite a beating, and I think quite justifiably, not for the films that we selected but for the films that we DIDN'T select. "And I felt very passionately about it and spoke out about it more than I should have done, but there was a part of me saying "wait a minute I didn't sign on for this -- I didn't sign on to | [
"What institution were these movies being submitted to?",
"Who directed \"Lust, Caution\"?",
"What films did France dismiss?",
"What film did Taiwan choose?",
"Which films failed to make the shortlist?",
"Which film was France's choice?",
"Which movie failed to make the Oscars shortlist?"
] | [
[
"French Cesar Awards."
],
[
"Ang Lee's"
],
[
"\"La Vie En Rose\""
],
[
"\"Lust Caution,\""
],
[
"\"Persepolis\""
],
[
"\"Persepolis\""
],
[
"\"Persepolis\""
]
] | Academy rules mean each country can only submit one film .
France dismissed "La Vie En Rose" and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Its choice, "Persepolis," failed to make the Oscars shortlist .
Taiwan's choice, Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution," was also blocked by the Academy . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- White supremacists, Islamic clerics, a controversial Kansas pastor and a U.S. talk show host are on a list of 22 people banned from Britain for "stirring up hatred," the British government said Tuesday. Jacqui Smith said she did not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views. Britain's Home Office said it decided to exclude the 22 in the last several months. The decision follows measures introduced by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith last year against people "who have engaged in spreading hate," the Home Office said. The Home Office named only 16 of those on the list; it said it was not in the public interest to disclose the names of the other six. A spokeswoman declined to elaborate on why the Home Office would not publicly identify six of the 22. One of the most recognized names on the list may be U.S. radio talk show host Michael Savage, who is listed under his real name, Michael Alan Wiener. The conservative's daily show can be heard nationwide in the United States. Savage is on the list for "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence." Savage lashed out at Smith on his Web site, calling her a "witch" and asking how she knew of his show when it isn't syndicated in England. He also questioned why six names on the list weren't released and why North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez didn't make the list. In an audio clip on his Web site, Savage said he had seven attorneys working on a defamation lawsuit against Smith and encouraged his listeners to call off any travel plans to England and boycott all British products. "She has painted a target on my back, linking me with people who are in prison for killing people," he said. "How could they put Michael Savage in the same league as mass murderers when I have never avowed violence?" Outspoken Kansas Rev. Fred Phelps and his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, are also listed for "engaging in unacceptable behavior and fostering hatred." Phelps and his followers at Westboro Baptist Church oppose homosexuality. They picket the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, saying their deaths are God's way of punishing the United States for supporting homosexuals. They have expressed similar views about the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks and Hurricane Katrina. The church's slogan is "God Hates Fags." Phelps did not issue a response on his Web site. However, he linked to a British news story on the ban and wrote his own headline, calling Smith a "neo-Nazi dyke" and "filthy God-hater." Former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Don Black, who has said he despises U.S. President Barack Obama, is also on the list. Black established the white supremacist Web site Stormfront, which the Home Office called one of the oldest and largest hate group sites. Eric Gliebe, chairman of the National Alliance, one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the United States, is on the list for "justifying terrorist violence, provoking others to commit serious crime and fostering racial hatred." The Home Office cited Gliebe's "Web-radio broadcasts in which he vilifies certain ethnic groups and encourages the download and distribution of provocative racist leaflets and posters." Several Islamic clerics are also on the list, including Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal, Amir Siddique, Yunis Al Astal and Safwat Hijazi. Prolific speaker and writer Wadgy Abd El Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim is also listed. The list includes Mike Guzofsky, the leader of a militant Jewish group. He has ties to Kahane Chai, a group that the U.S. State Department lists as a foreign terrorist organization. Russian skinheads Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky are also on the list. The Home Office says they are "leaders of a violent gang that beat migrants and posted films of their attacks on the Internet." Samir al Quntar, a Lebanese man who spent three decades in prison for killing four Israeli soldiers | [
"What did the home secretary get called?",
"For what reason were 22 people banned from Britain?",
"What did the talk host call the home secretary?",
"How many people are banned?",
"Who stirred up the hatred?",
"How many people got banned?",
"What types of people are also on the list?",
"Who is KKK's full name?"
] | [
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"\"witch\""
],
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"\"stirring up hatred,\""
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"22"
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"White supremacists, Islamic clerics, a controversial Kansas pastor and a U.S."
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"Ku Klux Klan"
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] | NEW: Talk show host calls home secretary "witch"; reverend calls her "neo-Nazi"
UK Home Office: 22 people banned from Britain for "stirring up hatred"
Home Office named only 16 of those on the list .
Ex-Ku Klux Klansman, Russian skinheads, radical Islamic clerics also on list . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Who's the greatest driver of all-time? Michael Schumacher? Maybe Alain Prost? Ayrton Senna perhaps? In an exclusive interview with CNN, three-time Formula One world champion, Jackie Stewart had no hesitation in naming his choice for the greatest driver of all-time. Three-time F1 champion, Jackie Stewart back in his heyday. "My hero, and the man I most respected and probably still do is Juan Manuel Fangio." Stewart told CNN. It's not misty-eyed nostalgia for a bygone era that persuades "The Flying Scot," as Stewart became known. And it wasn't just Fangio's tally of world titles that convinced Stewart; it is the manner in which the Argentine legend saw off his rivals. Who do you think is the greatest? "Fangio won five world championships almost in a different car every year. He had the dignity, the style and the ability," Stewart explained. What's more, as Stewart points out, Fangio didn't start racing in Formula One until he was 39-years-old, and whether driving a Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati or Mercedes, he kept on winning races. Though Fangio was the greatest, Stewart rated fellow countryman Jim Clark as the best driver he raced against. "His batting average was very good and he didn't race in too many grands prix." Clark -- who was tragically killed racing at Hockenheim in 1968 -- won 25 of his 73 Formula One races. Stewart's record is comparable, winning 27 from 100 starts. It's this win to race ratio that really separates the good from the great Stewart believes. "I'm on record as saying winning is not enough, it's easy to win. Most people win. To be successful, like a Fangio or a Jim Clark is more difficult." See our photo gallery of Formula One's greatest drivers » As much as Stewart admires seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, he's finds it hard to put the German in the same league as Fangio or Clark. "Not to take anything away from him [Schumacher], but his car was so dominant and his team had so much in terms of money and resources," Stewart said. "Although he has won more, his batting average isn't as good -- from starts to wins -- as Fangio or Clark." Stewart, who retired from Formula One in 1973, is a great admirer of the current crop of drivers and he singled out Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel as potential legends of the future. But they have a long way to match Stewart's record of three Drivers' Championships, let alone Fangio or Schumacher. Do you agree with Jackie Stewart? Or do you think that Michael Schumacher is the greatest? Have we missed anyone you think deserves special mention? Use the Sound Off box to have you say. | [
"What is a determining factor of greatness?",
"What does he say determines greatness?",
"which sport is legent jackie steward?",
"What did Jackie Stewart tell CNN?",
"Who do you think is the best F1 driver?",
"What does Jackie Stewart tell CNN?"
] | [
[
"win to race ratio"
],
[
"win to race ratio"
],
[
"Formula One"
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[
"naming his choice for the greatest driver of all-time."
],
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"Juan Manuel Fangio.\""
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[
"\"My hero, and the man I most respected and probably still do is Juan Manuel Fangio.\""
]
] | F1 legend Jackie Stewart tells CNN who he thinks is the sport's greatest driver .
Win to race ratio is determining factor of greatness according to Stewart .
Schumacher? Senna? Have your say on who you think the best F1 driver . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- With Manchester United continuing their top form from last season and aiming for what would be a remarkable clean sweep of trophies this year, it's only appropriate that we should profile a blog somehow linked to the Red Devils.
Fan focus: The Republik of Mancunia blog is popular with Manchester United supporters.
The Republik of Mancunia blog focuses on the Old Trafford club and is updated daily with a keen following among thousands of Manchester United fans.
Authored by Manchester-born and raised 25-year-old Scott (who prefers to remain anonymous), the blog began in the 2005-2006 season.
Scott, also known as "Scott the Red," told CNN that before starting the blog he had been published on several football sites, and then "fell into" creating the Republik of Mancunia web site.
"I love talking about United and I'm an argumentative guy, so getting to write my opinions down about the latest goings on is something I really enjoy doing.
"(In 2005-2006) I was also getting on soapbox about the fact we were not in decline, which the current media at the time seemed to think we were," he said.
Scott said running a blog was a very difficult and time-consuming task, though he enjoyed the interaction with other fans.
"I imagine if I wasn't in love with the club, I'd have given up on it long before now. It takes up a lot of time and you get people who support other teams having a go at you on a daily basis, sometimes United fans and all!"
Scott said the readership of his blog, and also contributions to his Manchester United forum came from areas as widely spread as Europe, Africa and even as far as Asia and South America -- with a strong base at home in the United Kingdom.
"I find it odd thinking of some lads thousands of miles away and hours apart sat at a computer and reading my latest rant. I like it though!" | [
"The Republik of Mancuia is a blog dedicated to which team?",
"What fanzone profiles a football blog every month?"
] | [
[
"Manchester United"
],
[
"The Republik of Mancunia"
]
] | CNN's Football Fanzone profiles a football blog every month .
In March the profiled site is the Republik of Mancunia blog .
The Republik of Mancunia is a dedicated blog for Manchester United fans . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- With every click of his camera, Japanese photographer and activist Shuuichi Endou hopes to draw attention to the plight of Tuvalu, a remote nation of people whose home is slowly disappearing.
Tuvalu is the world's fourth smallest country behind Vatican City, Monaco and Pacific Ocean neighbor Nauru.
He's taking 10,000 photos, one of each person who lives there, to show the world the human face of climate change.
"Tuvaluans do not ask much, neither goods nor money," he says.
"In Japan, people sacrifice their time and life to get more goods and money. I hope the viewers see the contrast by looking at the photos. We're sacrificing peaceful Tuvalu."
At first glance, Tuvalu is an island paradise, 26 square kilometers of white sand and lush foliage in the Pacific Ocean, north of Fiji.
But the sea level is rising, so much so that the nation's water has become too salty to drink and to grow vegetables, especially taro, a vegetable that was once the island's staple food.
"As they don't have water and food, they began to import food from overseas, says Endou, who set up the NGO Tuvalu Overview to highlight their cause.
"As they began to import, their consumption has been increasing. As a result, more and more products began to be imported. This changed Tuvaluans' diet and increased the amount of waste."
A global appeal
Tuvalu's government considers the situation so urgent it has allocated some of the nation's meager budget to pay for its own permanent ambassador to the United Nations in New York.
Afelee Pita took up the job in December 2006 and within months had given perhaps the most important speech ever made by a Tuvaluan: an address to a Special Session of the United Nations Security Council on Energy, Climate and Security.
"That was my very first statement that I issued and it was also a challenging one because it had never been done before, particularly at that level at the Security Council," Pita says.
He told the assembled dignitaries: "The world has moved from a global threat once called the Cold War, to what now should be considered the 'Warming War'. Our conflict is not with guns and missiles but with weapons from everyday lives -- chimney stacks and exhaust pipes." click here for the full speech
New York is a long way from home for the native Tuvaluan.
Back on the island he'd be more likely to go for an early morning canoe ride than negotiate thousands of commuters on the subway.
"Living in New York is totally different compared to where we come from. Life is not that easy of course. You have so many strangers. At home, you know everybody [and] whatever you do everybody knows," he laughs.
Securing a future
While he'd much rather be at home -- "Definitely there's nothing like home" -- Pita feels that his time in New York is vital in helping to secure the future of the islands.
"My ultimate objective is to contribute as much as I can in terms of trying to establish relations with as many member states in the UN as possible, and more importantly to secure some sort of commitment from the international community in terms of development projects and any kind of assistance they can provide to us."
The Tuvalu nation wants to invest in renewable energy projects, to reduce the island's own reliance on fossil fuels for energy.
"Sometimes you have to clean your own house first before you look outside," Pita says.
In English, Tuvalu means "eight standing together". On the issue of climate change, Tuvalu hopes the world will stand together with them.
"To me it's not an easy issue to solve, particularly in terms of trying to get the commitment of rich countries," Pita says.
"I can, of course, understand their reasoning and how they look at the issue but I think what we need to do is to continue raising our concerns | [
"What happens to Tuvalu?",
"who sent the ambassador",
"what Island nation seeking aid to invest in renewable energy?",
"who drawing attention to its plight by taking photos of islanders?",
"what are the effects of climate change"
] | [
[
"home is slowly disappearing."
],
[
"Tuvalu's government"
],
[
"Tuvalu"
],
[
"Japanese photographer and activist Shuuichi"
],
[
"sea level is rising,"
]
] | Pacific nation Tuvalu feeling the effects of climate change, sea level rising fast .
Japanese activist drawing attention to its plight by taking photos of islanders .
Tuvalu sent its own ambassador to the United Nations to raise awareness .
Island nation seeking aid to invest in renewable energy, infrastructure . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- With irresponsible banking practices taking the blame for bringing about the global economic crisis, there has been a surge of interest in Islamic finance. Islamic finance is estimated to be worth $700 billion and has been growing by 15 to 20 percent per year. Now, a slew of academic courses are springing up to meet the demand of those wanting to break into an expanding market. According to ratings agency Moody's, the global Islamic finance sector is worth $700 billion and has the potential to be worth $4 trillion. What's more, the ethical principles underpinning Islamic finance are seen by some as offering a more sustainable alternative to profit-oriented conventional banking. The result is that academic institutions are lining up to offer formal training in the area. "There is a huge demand for Islamic finance courses now, so large that it's difficult to cope with," Professor Habib Ahmed, Sharjah chair in the school of government and international affairs at Durham University, England, told CNN. Durham will launch a Masters degree in Islamic finance from October, becoming one of a number of European institutions to offer Islamic finance programs. "Islamic finance has been growing by 15 to 20 percent per year for some time and there is a lot of interest at the moment. People are looking for alternatives after the economic crisis." "Islamic economists believe that if the principles of Islamic finance were followed the crisis wouldn't have happened. We are seeing a lot of non-Muslim countries, including the UK, France, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore encouraging Islamic finance," he said. There are many differences between Islamic and conventional banking practices. One fundamental difference is that Islamic banks do not charge interest. Rather than borrowers and lenders, the system is based on buyers and sellers. "Conventional banking is biased to the seller. Islamic finance is trying to level the ethics between the two parties," Aly Khorshid, an Islamic finance scholar who writes for Islamic Banking and Finance magazine, told CNN. "People think the Islamic system is based on faith, but it's based on justice. The system is based on justice for the two parties and how you get to the justice is extracted from Islamic faith," he said. Khorshid said that there are similarities between "ethical investment" schemes and Islamic finance, in that the Islamic system does not allow investment that harms people or the environment. He credits the rapid growth of the Islamic finance sector on the success of "sukuk" -- Islamic bonds. In the West, banks including Lloyds TSB, HSBC, Deutsche Bank and Citibank all offer Islamic finance products, catering to a niche market of Muslim borrowers. But while Islamic banks allow Muslims to take advantage of financial services that are consistent with their religious beliefs, it is the ethics underpinning Islamic finance that are attracting the interest of conventional finance institutions keen to learn lessons from the banking crisis. Although Islamic banks have suffered from the global repercussions of the economic downturn, they emerged largely unscathed from the initial banking meltdown that brought about that financial turmoil. Ahmed told CNN that is because Islamic banks are not allowed to deal in mortgage-backed securities or credit-default swaps, two of the practices accused of helping bring about the banking crisis. Khorshid said that although it's too early to say if Islamic finance has dealt with economic downturn better than conventional finance, the Islamic system has many more layers of risk assessment and management, which could help protect it from the problems afflicting conventional banks. But the growth of Islamic finance has brought its own problems. Critics say some banks use Islamic finance to package what are essentially conventional products. "Islamic banks are also driven by the profit motive and sometimes that can dominate the ethics," Ahmed told CNN. While Europe is catching up with the demand for these banking products, the U.S. is lagging behind. Ahmed says that regulatory and legal changes are needed for Islamic finance to grow in the U.S., but he adds there are signs that Canada may become a North American center | [
"Who believe Islamic finance principles?",
"Are Islamic banks non-profit?",
"Which banks do not charge interest?",
"What would have avoided banking crisis?",
"What are the principles similar to?",
"What do Islamic banks not charge?",
"What do some people believe would have avoided the banking crisis?",
"Which finance principles could have avoided crisis?"
] | [
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] | There is an increase in demand for academic courses in Islamic finance .
Some believe Islamic finance principles would have avoided banking crisis .
Islamic banks do not charge interest or deal in mortgage-backed securities .
Some principles are similar to those used for ethical investments . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Without seeing the water, the weather, or even his own boat, Dick Lancaster steered a 25-foot yacht to a silver medal at a sailing world championships this month.
Crews from Italy and Australia do battle in the recent Blind Sailing World Championships in New Zealand.
Lancaster's remarkable feat came at the recent Blind Sailing World Championships on Lake Rotorua, New Zealand. His silver medal added to two golds he has won at previous championships.
The New Zealander, who gradually lost sight until he became completely blind in the last couple of years, is also the chairman of Blind Sailing New Zealand.
Lancaster told CNN that sailing for the blind and visually-impaired is growing around the world. There is also hope that the sport may get its own category at the Paralympics.
"This year's event was as big as it has ever been. We had ten countries represented and most countries sent three teams."
Attendance would have been stronger had it not been for the challenging financial climate, which had prevented some nations from traveling to New Zealand for the event, he said.
Since the inaugural world championships in 1992, events have been held in Australia, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Italy and New Zealand.
At this world championships Lancaster was sailing in the "B1" class which is for the blind, while the "B2" and "B3" classes have lesser levels of visual impairment.
So, how exactly do blind and visually-impaired people manage to sail a large racing boat?
Lancaster explained that it is not as difficult as it may sound.
"We sail with a four man crew. There is a blind person at the helm and another blind person on the mainsheet. There is also a sighted tactician, who's not allowed to touch anything, and a fourth sighted crew member.
"The most challenging thing for me has been the last few years when I have gone from B2 to B1 (blind). You have to rely on your feel a lot more now,"he said.
Even though he is unable to see, Lancaster says it's not impossible.
"There are plenty of people who sail at night-time -- so it's not too difficult."
Contrary what many may presume, Lancaster said there were not too many crashes during races, though some areas of the course were challenging.
"At the start line and when you're going around a mark it gets pretty exciting at times. There's inevitably a few prangs on the water -- but I don't know if there's any more than in other sailing."
New Zealand won the overall team trophy at the event. | [
"Who is working with the sighted crew?",
"Where is the championship being held?",
"what Blind and visually impaired sailors work with sighted crew?",
"Who won the competition?",
"where The competition has been running since 1992?",
"when The Blind Sailing World Championships were held in New Zealand?"
] | [
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[
"this month."
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] | The Blind Sailing World Championships were held in New Zealand this month .
Blind and visually impaired sailors work with sighted crew aboard the vessels .
The competition has been running since 1992 . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Worldwide tributes for U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, who has died after a long battle with brain cancer, poured in Wednesday, led by politicians hailing his role in securing a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Senator Edward Kennedy, right, pictured with Northern Irish politician Gerry Adams in 1996 Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose administration presided over the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which led to an end to decades of sectarian violence in the province and established a united ruling Assembly, praised Kennedy's commitment to the process. "I saw his focus and determination first hand in Northern Ireland where his passionate commitment was matched with a practical understanding of what needed to be done to bring about peace and to sustain it," Blair said. Kennedy, of Irish Catholic ancestry, was initially an outspoken opponent of British military deployment to the province during the violence of the 1970s and 80s in which more than 3,600 people were killed, but later moderated his views to support negotiations that brought all sides to the table. The senator is credited with getting an American visa for Gerry Adams -- leader of the pro-Irish nationalism Sinn Fein party accused of links to Irish Republican Army militants -- allowing him to attend a pivotal U.S. conference on Northern Ireland's future. Sound off: Your reactions to Sen. Kennedy's death Kennedy was awarded an honorary knighthood in March 2009, for his contribution to Northern Irish peace, which included a landmark speech in the province in 1998 urging mainly pro-British Protestants and mainly pro-Irish Catholics to work together. Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen described Kennedy "a great friend of Ireland." "He has used his considerable influence in the world's most powerful parliament for the betterment of this island," he said. "In good days and bad, Ted Kennedy worked valiantly for the cause of peace on this island. He played a particularly important role in the formative days of the Northern Ireland peace process in the early to mid-1990s." iReport.com: Share your tributes Irish President Mary McAleese added: "He will be remembered here in Ireland as a hugely important friend to this country during the very difficult times. "His death will be greeted with a great sense of sadness here because of his long-standing affection for this country, not just with the peace process, but on many other issues, including emigration," McAleese said. "His outstanding and remarkable personal contribution was made, despite the sacrifice and sorrow that was part of the overall contribution of the entire Kennedy family." Sinn Fein president Adams greeted Kennedy's death with great sadness, according to the UK Press Asscociation. "He has served the American people with courage and commitment for nearly 50 years. His service to Ireland through his role in the peace process was exceptional and contributed significantly to its progress." Irish former policitician John Hume, a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in ending Northern Irish violence, described Kennedy as a close personal friend who took the Northern Ireland issue onto the world state. "Ted Kennedy was at the forefront of persuading the British government to talk to the Irish government," he told CNN. Shaun Woodward, the British government's Northern Ireland minister, said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of Kennedy's death. "Ted Kennedy was a true and constant friend of the peace process in Northern Ireland whose huge influence in engaging the United States in that process cannot be over estimated," he said. "In every sense he was an immense figure whose part in transforming Northern Ireland will be a lasting memorial. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Kennedy's achievements on the wider world stage, describing him as the "senator of senators." "He led the world in championing children's education and health care, and believed that every single child should have the chance to realize their potential to the full," Brown said. "Even facing illness and death he never stopped fighting for the causes which were his life's work. I am proud | [
"who is Brian Cowen?",
"what was he commited to?",
"who is a friend of ireland",
"who is a good friend",
"who was influential?"
] | [
[
"Irish Prime Minister"
],
[
"process."
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[
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[
"Edward Kennedy,"
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[
"U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy,"
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] | Sen. Edward Kennedy praised as influential in Northern Ireland peace process .
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair says Kennedy "committed" to peace .
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen: Kennedy "a great friend of Ireland" |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Would you still watch your favorite television program if you had to cycle for an hour before you could view it? A computer-generated image of Club Watt, Rotterdam's human-powered club. Couch potatoes will be horrified, but fresh advances in human-powered technology -- where users power appliances through their own motion -- could one day see a 'workout-to-watch' scenario become reality. Human power is rapidly gaining in popularity worldwide as businesses seek 'greener' methods of operating. The profile of the technology is set to receive a further boost this month when a human-powered gym opens in Portland, Oregon, and again in September when the human-powered 'sustainable dance club', Club Watt, opens its doors in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Human power is already being used to run the 'California Fitness' gym in Hong Kong, and to power the recently opened 'Club Surya' in London. iReport.com: Can you predict what the future will be like? Beyond all of this, further concepts have been developed for human-powered 'river gyms' for the waterways of New York. But, how does your sweat and strain turn into power for lights, music and machines? The general concept is known as energy harvesting, which simply refers to the gathering of energy from one source and applying it to power an object. Italian inventor Lucien Gambarota, who designed California Fitness's method of storing energy and using it to power lights and music in the gym, told CNN the concept is straightforward. "One of the oldest types of energy used by people is muscular energy -- so this is nothing new." Gambarota said machines such as exercycles created a load, used as a counter-force by means of a resistor. "I disconnected the resistor and started storing the energy into a battery... that is then used as power. It was a way to show there can be very simple solutions. It doesn't always have to be high-tech," he said. Portland's 'green' gym will have spinning bikes connected to wind-generator motors. The users should generate enough electricity to power the gym's music system or run personal DVD players on the machines, the gym's manager Adam Boesel predicts. While harnessing the energy from people working out at a gym seems logical, utilising the movement of clubbers at dance clubs is a little more complex. Two methods have developed -- the first of which is piezoelectricity, used by Club Surya, where crystals in blocks under the dance-floor rub together with the assistance of dancers on the floor. This generates an electrical charge which is then fed into batteries. A second method using wheels to generate energy under a slightly moving floor will be used at the soon-to-be-opened Club Watt. This model involves coils and magnets which move under the dance-floor to create a charge. Vera Verkooijen, spokeswoman for Sustainable Dance Club, the company which is behind the floor for Club Watt and produces smaller, portable floors, said the human power would be enough to power about 30 percent of the club's requirements. Verkooijen admitted the first floors were not very efficient, and said the designers were already working on new models to improve the amount of energy captured. "This is just the first version. We are willing to take it further," she said. At Club Surya the power shortfall is made up by solar panels and a wind turbine. Putting the current buzz aside, how far could this human-powered technology develop? And how widely can it be applied? Verkooijen told CNN she already had some indications of where the technology was heading. "We receive a lot of requests from other companies for people who want to use the floors. We get many of these for bus and train stations -- places where there are lots of people." Lights and display boards at those spaces could be powered applying the same concept as that being used in Club Watt, she said | [
"Which inventor supports human power?",
"What are a Hong Kong gym and London dance club powered by?",
"What applications could benefit from human power?",
"What Italian inventor says human power is simple to use?",
"What Hong Kong gym and London dance club are part powered by human power?",
"What did Lucien Gambarota say?"
] | [
[
"Lucien Gambarota,"
],
[
"Human power"
],
[
"appliances"
],
[
"Lucien Gambarota,"
],
[
"'California Fitness'"
],
[
"said machines such as exercycles created a load, used as a counter-force by means of"
]
] | A Hong Kong gym and London dance club are part powered by human power .
Italian inventor Lucien Gambarota says human power is simple to use .
The concept could be taken to busy places like train stations or into homes .
There are some questions about the economic sense of human power . |
LONDON, England (CNN) -- You don't want to monkey around on a blind date, especially if your friends are also taking an interest in the same dark, handsome stranger. Jookie, as she is known, studies a poster of French gorilla Yeboah, who is heading for London Zoo. So when three female gorillas at London Zoo heard that they would soon be visited by a brooding French hunk -- well, they went a bit bananas. The latest development in Anglo-French relations sees Yeboah, a 20-stone 12-year-old, leave his current home at La Boissiere Du Dore Zoo, Pays de la Loire, northwest France and head for the British capital by the end of the year. There he will be greeted by gorilla trio Zaire, Effie and Mjukuu, who were given posters of their prospective boyfriend for the first time Thursday. One female gorilla shrieked in delight, while another wedged the poster in a tree to stare at it. A third, clearly overcome by emotion, held the photo close to her chest -- then ate it. Their reception was somewhat unsurprising. The zoo has been without a male gorilla since the demise of Bobby, a silverback, in December. Tracey Lee, team leader at London Zoo, put in a good word for the hirsute lothario on the London Zoo Web site, saying Yeboah is "a very charming, fun loving and intelligent gorilla." But whom will Yeboah choose to charm first? Zaire, at 34, is the oldest female gorilla and has been at London Zoo since 1984. The zoo says she's "happiest when she's taking down and rebuilding her nest in various spots around the island. She loves to play with fabric and often drags it around with her all day. " Then there's Effie, 16, who "enjoys seeing toddlers and often makes her way over to the glass when they come to see her," according to the zoo Web site. Finally there's 10-year-old Mjukuu, or "Jookie." Dan Simmonds, a keeper at the zoo's Gorilla Kingdom, says she "has this 'butter wouldn't melt look' to her, and she gets away with murder." "The other two females get along with her very well; she seems to have them all wrapped around her little finger." Bridget Fallon contributed to this story. | [
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] | London Zoo has been without a male gorilla since December .
French gorilla Yeboah is being sent from La Boissiere Du Dore Zoo, NW France .
Female gorillas at London have been shown posters of their new guest . |
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe gains access to a reported £20 million ($41.1 million) fortune as he turns 18 on Monday, but he insists the money won't cast a spell on him.
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"
To the disappointment of gossip columnists around the world, the young actor says he has no plans to fritter his cash away on fast cars, drink and celebrity parties.
"I don't plan to be one of those people who, as soon as they turn 18, suddenly buy themselves a massive sports car collection or something similar," he told an Australian interviewer earlier this month. "I don't think I'll be particularly extravagant.
"The things I like buying are things that cost about 10 pounds -- books and CDs and DVDs."
At 18, Radcliffe will be able to gamble in a casino, buy a drink in a pub or see the horror film "Hostel: Part II," currently six places below his number one movie on the UK box office chart.
Details of how he'll mark his landmark birthday are under wraps. His agent and publicist had no comment on his plans.
"I'll definitely have some sort of party," he said in an interview. "Hopefully none of you will be reading about it."
Radcliffe's earnings from the first five Potter films have been held in a trust fund which he has not been able to touch.
Despite his growing fame and riches, the actor says he is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
"People are always looking to say 'kid star goes off the rails,'" he told reporters last month. "But I try very hard not to go that way because it would be too easy for them."
His latest outing as the boy wizard in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is breaking records on both sides of the Atlantic and he will reprise the role in the last two films. Watch I-Reporter give her review of Potter's latest »
There is life beyond Potter, however.
The Londoner has filmed a TV movie called "My Boy Jack," about author Rudyard Kipling and his son, due for release later this year. He will also appear in "December Boys," an Australian film about four boys who escape an orphanage.
Earlier this year, he made his stage debut playing a tortured teenager in Peter Shaffer's "Equus."
Meanwhile, he is braced for even closer media scrutiny now that he's legally an adult: "I just think I'm going to be more sort of fair game," he told Reuters. E-mail to a friend | [
"What was the value of the fortune Daniel Radcliffe received when he turned 18?",
"What age is Daniel?",
"Where was the money held?",
"What is he going to do?",
"What happens when Daniel Radcliffe turns 18?",
"Which earnings were held?",
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"\"I don't plan to be one of those people who, as soon as they turn 18, suddenly buy themselves a massive sports car collection or something similar,\""
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] | Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe gets £20M fortune as he turns 18 Monday .
Young actor says he has no plans to fritter his cash away .
Radcliffe's earnings from first five Potter films have been held in trust fund . |
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- The "bongs" of London's Big Ben stopped on Saturday for up to six weeks as the clock's chimes were shut down for maintenance work. The London landmark is undergoing maintenance work ahead of its 150th anniversary in 2009. At 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) the bells of the landmark Westminster clock tower were silenced for the final phase of a program of work ahead of the clock's 150th anniversary in 2009. An hour later, Londoners and tourists saw the unusual spectacle of workers abseiling down the south clock face to clean and repair it. Both hands of the clock were turned to 12. An electric system will keep the clock moving while work takes place on the mechanism. The stoppage will be the longest suspension of Big Ben since 1990. There were previous stoppages of both the hour and quarter bells in 1956 and 1934. The 96 meter (315 ft) clock tower of Britain's parliament is popularly known as Big Ben, although the name actually refers to the 13.5 tonne Great Bell inside. E-mail to a friend | [
"What stopped on Saturday?",
"What have been shut down for maintenance work?",
"When is the anniversary of Big Ben?",
"What is meant by bong?",
"How long is the maintenance for?",
"How long are the chimes off?",
"What will be the longest suspension of Big Ben since 1990?"
] | [
[
"The \"bongs\" of London's Big Ben"
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"The \"bongs\" of London's Big Ben"
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"2009."
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[
"clock's chimes"
],
[
"up to six weeks"
],
[
"up to six weeks"
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[
"six weeks"
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] | "Bongs" of London's Big Ben stopped on Saturday for up to six weeks .
Clock's chimes have been shut down for maintenance work .
Work being carried out ahead of clock's 150th anniversary in 2009 .
The stoppage will be the longest suspension of Big Ben since 1990 . |
LONDON, England (UK) -- Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologized on behalf of parliamentarians of all parties for a series of revelations about their expenses claims, revelations which have seriously damaged the authority of government and parliament. UK PM Gordon Brown, pictured here in north-east England Monday, apologized Monday on behalf of all lawmakers. Brown's words have been echoed by David Cameron, the leader of the opposition Conservatives and currently the favorite to win the next general election by a large margin. Cameron acknowledges all MPs must say sorry and that the whole system must be changed. The scandal has come to light because The Daily Telegraph newspaper obtained copies of all the receipts for MPs expenses, which were due to be published in two months time under Freedom of Information legislation. The newspaper has been devoting several pages every day to the details of how the system has been milked, with MPs claiming that expenditure on bath plugs and lawn mowers, silk cushions and television sets, potted plants and dog food, was "wholly and necessarily incurred for the purpose of performing their parliamentary duties." Do you think politicians in your country are paid enough? In Britain, as in many other countries, parliamentarians are compensated for the expense of living both in the parts of the country they represent and in the capital where parliament meets. There is help too with travel costs and staffing their offices. But the so-called "additional costs allowance," designed to help them with the additional costs of a second home has, by common consent, been particularly abused. This is not an "expenses scandal" about a couple of notepads and pens taken home from the office stationery cupboard for the kids' school project; or the annual phone call to an aged aunt in Australia, made on an office line rather than from home -- although doubtless politicians will have been doing that too. Watch more on the expenses row » We are talking about the deliberate exploitation of a poorly-policed system by a large number of parliamentarians, who appear to many of their constituents to have come close to enriching themselves corruptly at public expense. There is particular horror at the practice which has emerged of so-called "flipping." MPs have, in a number of cases, designated one residence as their second home for the purpose of the allowance. Having drawn heavily on public funds for redecorating, refurbishing and refurnishing it, they have then switched and named a different house or flat -- only to do the same with that. In some cases they have sold these properties on for a significant profit. I spent more than 30 years at Westminster as a political correspondent. Much of my time off duty was spent explaining to skeptical neighbors, barbers and taxi drivers that MPs did a much better job than outsiders thought. I knew and respected MPs whom I saw imperil their health or their marriages or their bank balances by working extremely hard on behalf of their constituents. I argued constantly that we underpaid our politicians. Now, when I hear them call each other "honorable members" I am constantly reminded of Ralph Waldo Emerson's dictum: "The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted the spoons." The truth is that the good ones are still underpaid. They could earn far more outside the House of Commons. But the poor ones are overpaid -- and sadly there is no way of differentiating between the two categories. It was never the right time, certainly in the eyes of the media, for MPs to have a decent pay rise; and they never had the guts to stand up and argue their case. So parliamentarians instead built themselves, while nobody was watching, a generous and poorly policed expenses system which allowed them to make up the difference between what they got and what they thought they should be paid. What they seem unable to grasp, even now, is that in picking taxpayers' pockets by subterfuge they have all but destroyed parliament's moral authority. Cynically, they have led us all into a "help yourself to what you can get" mockery of public service which may | [
"What PM apologized on behalf of parliament.",
"Who did Gordon Brown apologize on behalf of?",
"Who is the PM of UK?",
"Who is UK's PM?",
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"What are UK lawmakers accused of?"
] | [
[
"Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown"
],
[
"parliamentarians"
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[
"Gordon Brown"
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[
"Gordon Brown"
],
[
"MPs"
],
[
"Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown"
],
[
"picking taxpayers' pockets by subterfuge"
]
] | UK lawmakers have been accused of over-milking the system for claiming expenses .
Newspaper revelations have sparked anger at a time of economic uncertainty .
MPs say that nothing they have done was outside the rules, which they set up .
UK PM Gordon Brown has apologized on behalf of parliamentarians of all parties . |
LONDON, England -- "Ocean Emerald" is a superyacht with added wow-factor. Her startling appearance has made sure of that and in real life she is every bit as dramatic as she appears in these photographs. "Ocean Emerald" is the second time Lord Foster has designed a superyacht. We were among the guests invited to the superyacht's official launching in La Spezia, in northern Italy, when her celebrity designer and his team walked down the red carpet to cast his eyes upon his latest masterpiece. Lord Foster of Thameside is no stranger to eye-catching and dramatic design. His architectural firm Norman Foster + Partners is responsible for iconic London landmarks such as 30 St Mary Axe, better known as the Gherkin, and the Millennium Bridge. Foster is the master of the curved line. Imagine for a moment a photograph of the Gherkin split in two lengthwise and laid flat, recall the sweeping curves of the Millennium Bridge and you will see how he has managed to combine the drama of those two creations into what is arguably the most visually stunning superyacht of the year. Ocean Emerald is not the first of Foster's forays into the world of superyacht design. It was he who drew the lines for the Lürssen-built Izanami, a 58-metre yacht now called Ronin and owned by Larry Ellison. Launched in 1993, she is also a head-turner. Design and external appearance aside, Ocean Emerald is different from every other 41-metre superyacht in that she is not to be the sole property of any one owner. This perhaps is one of the reasons for her radical look as she is designed to appeal to those who are new to the concept of superyacht ownership. Unlike the traditional form of ownership, where one person, sometimes through an anonymous corporation, is the owner of all 64 shares of the yacht, the shares in Ocean Emerald are split either into eight or sixteen parts. These fractions -- one-eighth or one-sixteenth -- of Ocean Emerald have been sold to different individuals by the London-based company YachtPlus. When engaged to design the yacht, the Foster team were initially told to work within the confines of an existing hull designed by yacht builders Intermarine, part of Rodriquez Cantieri Navale. But after discussions, Rodriquez has produced a new 41-metre hull three metres longer than the original concept. Walking around Ocean Emerald, it is clear that Foster has taken all the traditional rules of yacht design, torn them up and started again. The public rooms benefit from abundant natural light, which floods in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, in addition to the copious artificial lights. Coupled with the use of pale-coloured woods, soft furnishings and white high-gloss, wipe-clean surfaces they create a wonderfully bright, modern feel. Unusually for a motor yacht, the natural teak decking extends right the way through from the aft deck to the saloon, ensuring a seamless visual transition between the outside and inside spaces. To join the Ownership Lifestyle Programme will cost an initial payment of €1.875 million. This buys you a one eighth share of the yacht and guarantees 30 nights per year on board -- ten nights peak season in the Mediterranean, ten nights peak season in the Caribbean, and two five-night cultural tours such as sightseeing, shopping, golf, Formula 1, vineyard visits and museums. Each year there will be an annual service charge of €200,000 to cover overheads, including marine and hotel operations, permanent crew, mooring and berthing fees, year-round maintenance and mechanical upkeep, marine and port charges and cruise itineraries management. Lord Foster said: "With my team we have given a new emphasis to such issues as quality and quantity of space, outdoor terraces, light and views. Our commission is for the total design concept of the fleet, with an eye on beauty, function and luxury, down to the smallest detail. We believe that there is great potential in the concept of luxury cruisers to think afresh such issues as views, light, privacy and the quality of spaces -- both inside and outdoors." The concept of fractional ownership is fast | [
"What did Norman Foster design?",
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"Who designed a new superyacht?",
"How much will be invested in the new superyacht?",
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] | [
[
"a superyacht."
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[
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],
[
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] | Famous architect Norman Foster has designed a new superyacht .
"Ocean Emerald" has a top speed of 17.5 knots .
It will be co-owned by investors laying down an initial $2.6 million payment . |
LONDON, England -- A Colombian sculptor has created a mystery at London's Tate Modern gallery by refusing to reveal how she seemingly managed to crack open a concrete floor. "Shibboleth" is Colombian artist Doris Salcedo's first public commission in the United Kingdom. The work by Doris Salcedo begins as a hairline crack then widens and deepens as it snakes across the full 167 meters (548 feet) of the former power station's Turbine Hall. Salcedo said "Shibboleth," a statement about racism, took her more than a year to make but has revealed little else about its construction. She apparently created it elsewhere and spent the past five weeks installing it in the Tate, on the south bank of the River Thames. She refused to say how she managed seemingly to crack open a concrete floor. "What is important is the meaning of the piece. The making of it is not important," she said. Asked how deep the crack goes, she replied: "It's bottomless. It's as deep as humanity." Visitors meanwhile are warned not to trip on the crack. Tate director Nicholas Serota insisted the work was no optical illusion. "This sculpture has been made in the most painstaking, meticulous way by Doris and her team before it was slowly inserted into the Turbine Hall," he told the Press Association. "It has taken five weeks of work here with very considerable disruption to the hall. It's not an illusion - it's there, it's real. "From the Tate's point of view, there were only two questions: could we realize it in the way Doris envisaged? And once the piece was created, would it damage the structural integrity of the building forever? "The answer to the first was yes, and to the second was no." He declined to elaborate further. The installation will be removed next April by filling in the crack. Serota said: "There is a crack, there is a line, and eventually there will be a scar and that scar will remain. It will remain as a memory of the work and also as a memorial to the issues Doris touches on." The artist said the work of art represents the gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity. Wire mesh is on show because it is "the most common means of control used to define borders and divisions." Salcedo said of the work: "It represents borders, the experience of immigrants, the experience of segregation, the experience of racial hatred. "It is the experience of a Third World person coming into the heart of Europe. "For example, the space which illegal immigrants occupy is a negative space. And so this piece is a negative space." E-mail to a friend | [
"What is the name of the art piece that represents the gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity?",
"Who refuses to reveal how she created the work of art?",
"What is the gap between?",
"What is Doris refusing to do?",
"what was the work by colombian sculptor?",
"Where is the Colombian sculptor's work on show?",
"What did Shibboleth represent?",
"Who is the sculptor at Tate?",
"Who refuses to reveal how she made her work of art?",
"Where is the work by Colombian sculptor?",
"Did Salcedo reveal the secret of her art?",
"What is the sculpture's title?"
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"\"Shibboleth\""
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"the gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity."
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[
"Doris Salcedo's"
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[
"\"Shibboleth\""
]
] | Work by Colombian sculptor at London's Tate Modern is crack in concrete floor .
Doris Salcedo refuses to reveal how she created the huge work of art .
"Shibboleth" represents gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity . |
LONDON, England -- A huge crowd gathered in London, UK on Friday for a mass "moonwalk" -- paying tribute to Michael Jackson by dancing to his most iconic songs and replicating his famous walk. Two young fans who say Michael Jackson meant a lot to them donned self-made T-shirts at the event in London. The horde of people gathered on the streets outside Liverpool Street train station, one of the city's major transport hubs, and burst out into cheers, chants and dances to the tunes of "Billie Jean," "Bad" and "Thriller." Life-long Jackson fan Milo Yiannopoulos organized the moonwalk, the singer's trademark backwards shuffle, by sending messages via Twitter and Facebook. His messages went "viral" --spreading like wildfire around the Internet -- as the number of people wanting to join his impromptu "flash mob" event far exceeded his expectations: "I don't know what I've unleashed here," Yiannopoulos, who said he doesn't even know how to moonwalk, told CNN. He came up with the ideas "because of all of the stuff people are saying about Michael Jackson -- surgeries, molestation etc. -- I wanted to do something to remind people how great he really is and remind them of his music." But those who were there did not seem to need much reminding of Jackson's greatness. "He is the biggest idol in my life. Unfortunately, I did not grow up with all his best hits, but he has been so important for me. I am very sad," said 13-year-old Paul Graham, who wore a self-made Michael Jackson "Rest in Peace" T-shirt. See images of Jackson fans at the moonwalk event » Another of the many young fans there was 17-year-old George Webster, who spontaneously performed a perfect Michael Jackson dance routine for a cheering audience. He told CNN: "This is a celebration. We are here to remember Michael Jackson's best moments." And the laughing crowd did indeed seem to be celebrating, rather than mourning: Hanging off lampposts and standing atop telephone booths, people were brandishing everything from white paper gloves to black hats and face masks. Watch video of the crowd singing to Billie Jean » British television presenter Gail Porter was also at the tribute: "As soon as I saw it on Twitter, I thought 'let's go and have a dance'," she told CNN while twittering away on her cell phone. The gathering started off to a rocky start, as the short notice had left London city police unsure about how to handle it and what to expect. They were overheard telling organizer Yiannopoulos that they would not allow him to do the moonwalk outside the station and that he had to limit his gathering to 300 people. Eventually the crowd was allowed to gather outside, attracting many more tourists, commuters and passers-by to join in the event. "I want to thank the police for being so cool," Yiannopoulos told the audience. "You guys are great, let's continue dancing." More tributes are now expected to take place around the world and Austria has already replicated London's moonwalk event with their own on Friday. | [
"What was the reason for the gathering?",
"Who is famous for doing the Moonwalk?",
"Who was the crowd paying tribute to?",
"When was the mass \"moonwalk held\"",
"Where did the crowd gather?",
"Through what way was the event organized?",
"What person was the tribute for?",
"The celebratory event was organized through what?"
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"mass \"moonwalk\""
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] | A huge crowd gathered in London, UK on Friday for a mass "moonwalk"
The crowd paid tribute to the Michael Jackson by dancing to his famous tunes .
The celebratory event was organized through Twitter and Facebook . |
LONDON, England -- A mother is seeking to have the womb of her severely disabled daughter removed to prevent the 15-year-old from feeling the pain and discomfort of menstruation. Doctors in Britain are now taking legal advice to see if they are permitted to carry out the hysterectomy on Katie Thorpe, who suffers from cerebral palsy. But a charity campaigning for the disabled said on Monday the move could infringe human rights and would set a "disturbing precedent." Andy Rickell, executive director of disability charity Scope, told the Press Association: "It is very difficult to see how this kind of invasive surgery, which is not medically necessary and which will be very painful and traumatic, can be in Katie's best interests. "This case raises fundamental ethical issues about the way our society treats disabled people and the respect we have for disabled people's human and reproductive rights. Watch why the surgery is so controversial » "If this enforced sterilization is approved, it will have disturbing implications for young disabled girls across Britain." Katie's mother Alison Thorpe, who lives in Billericay, southern England, said the operation was in her daughter's best interests. "First of all, this is not about me. If it was about me, I would have given up caring for Katie a long, long while ago," she told GMTV. "It is about quality of life and for Katie to not have the associated problems of menstruation adds to her quality of life. It means she can continue with the quality of life we can give her now. "Katie wouldn't understand menstruation at all. She has no comprehension about what will be happening to her body. All she would feel is the discomfort, the stomach cramps and the headaches, the mood swings, the tears, and wonder what is going on." Thorpe said an operation would be best for Katie, despite the initial pain it would cause. She added: "The short-term pain and discomfort we can manage with painkillers. We will be able to manage that pain much better than menstruation once a month, when Katie cannot tell us 'I'm in pain.'" E-mail to a friend | [
"what are the human rights this would infringe?",
"Who wants to do this?",
"Who seeks permission to preform hysterectomy?",
"What did charity for disabled say?",
"What does the charity think?",
"What is the mother seeking to have removed?",
"What are UK doctors seeking?"
] | [
[
"disabled"
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[
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[
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[
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],
[
"the move could infringe human rights and would set a \"disturbing precedent.\""
],
[
"the womb of her severely disabled daughter"
],
[
"legal advice"
]
] | Mother seeks to have womb of severely disabled daughter, 15, removed .
Briton wants to prevent cerebral palsy sufferer feeling pain of menstruation .
UK doctors seek legal advice to see if they can perform hysterectomy .
Charity for disabled says move could infringe human rights . |
LONDON, England -- A severe rabies epidemic has claimed the lives of at least 83 children within three months in Angola's capital, Luanda, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Luanda, which has a large population of stray dogs, also has some of the world's worst slums. Describing the situation as "very worrying," WHO rabies expert Francois Meslin told CNN: "This is a huge number and could be the tip of the iceberg." A doctor working at the country's biggest referral hospital Hospital Pediatrico David Bernardino said staff were unable to save any of the children as rabies vaccines had run out. Some of the children were also brought into the hospital too late to be saved, Luis Bernardino, head of the hospital told UN humanitarian organization IRIN. He warned that the number of deaths could be much higher. "The children were brought to our hospital and are the only ones we know of, so the number could be higher," Bernardino told IRIN. "It is a sad moment for us," he added. "I think it was probably that no one was prepared for such a high case load." The number of cases has now started declining, however, said Bernardino. According to Meslin, this could be because the current infected pack of dogs has died. Meslin told CNN that the Angolan government needed to embark on a dog rabies control program urgently to prevent further outbreaks. Angola's capital, where most of the population live in slums, has a large number of stray dogs who are said to have caused the epidemic. "We have had some sporadic cases in other provincial capitals in the country; we think the virus was brought into Luanda and then spread through the dogs -- Angolans love dogs," Bernardino said. "When the first 10 deaths were reported in December 2008 we alerted the authorities, but we do not have veterinary services in the city, no kennels [to keep and observe the animals] and vaccinate them," he added. Another problem contributing to the crisis is that vaccines are too expensive for the average family. "One dose of vaccine costs about $10 and five of those have to be administered, which makes the total cost of treatment $50 which is more than a month's salary for families in most developing countries," Meslin added. In 2008 the WHO wrote that rabies, a disease transmitted from animals with infected saliva to humans, is present on nearly every continent of the world but more that 95 per cent of human deaths occur in Asia and Africa. It can be prevented by vaccination, either prior to exposure or as part of post-exposure treatment. But once symptoms of the disease develop, rabies is fatal. According to the WHO, rabies can affect the lungs, stomach and central nervous systems. In the critical stage, a victim slips into a coma and death, usually due to breathing failure. More than 55,000 people die of rabies each year, the WHO wrote, with 30 to 60 per cent of the victims of dog bites being children under the age of 15. | [
"What does the WHO say about rabies?",
"Who is the rabies expert at the WHO?",
"What is always fatal according to WHO?",
"What happens once rabies symptoms develop?",
"What did Francois Meslin say?",
"What has killed at least 83 children in Angola?",
"What has killed 83 children in 3 months in Angola?"
] | [
[
"\"This is a huge number and could be the tip of the iceberg.\""
],
[
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[
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],
[
"\"This is a huge number and could be the tip of the iceberg.\""
],
[
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],
[
"A severe rabies epidemic"
]
] | A severe rabies epidemic has killed at least 83 children in 3 months in Angola .
Francois Meslin, rabies expert at the WHO says this is cause for serious concern .
Once symptoms develop, rabies is always fatal, according to the WHO . |
LONDON, England -- A yellow smiley-face badge, smeared with blood, has become the trademark for "Watchmen," the most critically revered of all comic-books -- but it could also represent its troubled journey from page to big screen. "Watchmen" opens with the unexplained murder of The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Note smiley badge. The subject of fervent debate in the geekosphere for more than two decades, "Watchmen," finally rolls out in the U.S. and other territories from the first week of March onward. But it's not as well known to wider audiences, who may puzzle at all this heat about a superhero movie with no A-list star attached. Instead, they may simply ask: "Watch-what?" Are you looking forward to "Watchmen?" Or think it's just hype? Tell us your views "Watchmen," created by the UK comic-book team of writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, surfaced in 1986 as a monthly 12-issue series published by DC Comics (part of Time-Warner, which owns CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting). It was a defining year for the medium: aside from "Watchmen," '86 also saw Pulitzer-prize winning holocaust drama "Maus," from The New Yorker contributor Art Spielgeman; and Frank Miller's hyperviolent Batman reworking "The Dark Knight Returns." "Watchmen," set in 1985, sets up a parallel world in which America never lost Vietnam, Russia is about to invade Afghanistan and Nixon still holds power (Bernstein and Woodward were murdered). Meanwhile a superhero team -- only one of whom has special powers -- reforms after a fellow operative is mysteriously slain. So far, so what. But what lifts "Watchmen" is a complex, multi-layered narrative and depth of characterization that ensured it was the only comic-book to make Time's 100 best novels since 1923. A dark, downbeat work with a heady 11th-hour twist, it puts as much store on subsidiary characters like a newspaper seller as its does blue-skinned man-god Dr Manhattan. Watch "Watchmen" trailer. » Perfect fodder, one might think, for the multiplex -- but "Watchmen" has been lodged in Development Hell for the best part of two decades. At various times Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel were mooted to play Manhattan; Mickey Rourke and Ed Norton suggested for right-wing vigilante Rorschach. Directors set to shoot have included Terry Gilliam, Darren Aronofsky, Paul Greengrass and David Hayter (whose script has been retained for much of the final film). Several planned shoots failed to materialize due to studio fears about the budget (locations include Antarctica and Mars as well as New York) and how the ending might be perceived in a post-9/11 world. But film-makers such as Gilliam and Guillermo del Toro also believed that the complex material would be better treated as a TV mini-series (as the "Pan's Labyrinth" film-maker told IGN: "I just couldn't get my head around 'Watchmen' being two or three hours long.") Whoever made "Watchmen" would also do so without Moore's blessing. Still resident in his hometown of Northampton, central England, Moore cuts an imposing figure. At least six-and-a-half feet tall, with chest-length beard and hair, talon-like rings on his fingers and the skull of a centuries-old Buddhist monk in his study, he resembles Doctor Who as reimagined by Edgar Allan Poe. (In person he's gracious and affable, as this writer will attest from a few years back). Moore has had a mixed relationship with both the mainstream comic-book industry (which he accuses of over-commercialization and exploiting creators' rights) and Hollywood. The comic-book series "From Hell," in which Moore uses the Jack the Ripper killings as a precursor to 20th-century violence, runs to about 500 pages, including 40-plus pages of footnotes. On film it became a melodramatic pad around Victorian | [
"What is Gillam's job?",
"How long did it take for the movie to reach cinemas?",
"Who objected to the idea of the story being made into a movie?",
"Who is directing the movie?",
"How many decades did it take for the comic-book movie to reach cinemas?",
"Who was the co-creator?",
"Which directors have been previously attached to the film?"
] | [
[
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[
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[
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[
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],
[
"two"
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[
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],
[
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] | Comic-book movie, directed by Zack Snyder, took two decades to reach cinemas .
Directors Terry Gilliam, Darren Aronofsky, Paul Greengrass, previously attached .
Source material regarded by many as the best comic-book ever written .
Co-creator Alan Moore has objected to the idea of story being made into movie . |
LONDON, England -- Britain's Princess Eugenie has been reprimanded by her school after being caught frolicking naked on college grounds, it was reported Saturday.
Princess Eugenie is sixth in line to the British throne.
The 18-year-old daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson, was apprehended for her involvement in end of term "high jinks" at the exclusive Marlborough College, west of London, the UK Press Association said.
A royal source told the Press Association, "It was nothing more than high jinks at the end of term in May. A group of them were reprimanded and that's the end of the matter."
The tabloid Sun newspaper reported that a college staff member woke to playful shrieks and found several young women dancing around without clothes.
It said there was no suggestion boys were present or that drugs were involved but claimed a pupil said the students had been drinking.
Princess Eugenie, the sixth in line to the British throne, is studying art, history of art and English at the $46,000-a-year college, PA said.
It said the princess was expected to be among guests celebrating the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday.
A spokesman for the princess made no comment about the claims, PA reported. | [
"Name of Britain's Princess who was reprimanded?",
"Who was reprimanded for a naked frolic?",
"Who's birthday was soon to be celebrated?",
"Princess Eugenie is sixth in line to what throne?",
"Who is having a birthday that Princess Eugenie is expected to attend?",
"What will the Princess attend?",
"Why was Princess Eugenie under scrutiny?",
"What country is Princess Eugenie from?",
"Who is due to attend the queen's official birthday?",
"Which British Princess was reprimanded for nakekd school frolic?",
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
"Eugenie"
],
[
"Princess Eugenie"
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] | Britain's Princess Eugenie reprimanded for naked school frolic, reports say .
Sixth in line to British throne involved in end of term "high jinks," insiders say .
Princess due to attend queen's official birthday celebrations . |
LONDON, England -- Britain's Princess Eugenie has been reprimanded by her school after being caught frolicking naked on college grounds, it was reported Saturday. Princess Eugenie is sixth in line to the British throne. The 18-year-old daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson, was apprehended for her involvement in end of term "high jinks" at the exclusive Marlborough College, west of London, the UK Press Association said. A royal source told the Press Association, "It was nothing more than high jinks at the end of term in May. A group of them were reprimanded and that's the end of the matter." The tabloid Sun newspaper reported that a college staff member woke to playful shrieks and found several young women dancing around without clothes. It said there was no suggestion boys were present or that drugs were involved but claimed a pupil said the students had been drinking. Princess Eugenie, the sixth in line to the British throne, is studying art, history of art and English at the $46,000-a-year college, PA said. It said the princess was expected to be among guests celebrating the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday. A spokesman for the princess made no comment about the claims, PA reported. | [
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"Who is Princess Eugenie",
"Who will attend the queen's official birthday celebrations?",
"where is she going to be",
"Who was involved in end of term \"high jinks\"?",
"What did the princess do",
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[
"official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II"
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[
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],
[
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[
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],
[
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],
[
"frolicking naked on college grounds,"
],
[
"frolicking naked on college grounds,"
],
[
"frolicking naked on college grounds,"
]
] | Britain's Princess Eugenie reprimanded for naked school frolic, reports say .
Sixth in line to British throne involved in end of term "high jinks," insiders say .
Princess due to attend queen's official birthday celebrations . |
LONDON, England -- Chelsea are waiting on the fitness of John Terry ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match with Valencia, but Frank Lampard has been ruled out.
John Terry tries out his protective mask during training for Chelsea on Tuesday.
Center-back Terry suffered a broken cheekbone during Saturday's 0-0 draw with Fulham, and Chelsea manager Avram Grant will see how he fares during training on Tuesday before making a decision on his availability.
Terry trained at Valencia's Mestalla stadium with a face mask on after surgery on Sunday.
"John Terry wants to play which is very good. Now we need to wait for training and then we will speak with the medical department and decide," said Grant.
Grant has confirmed that Lampard will definitely sit the game out though as the midfielder continues to recover from his thigh injury.
Midfielder Michael Essien, who scored a last-minute winner for Chelsea to knock Valencia out of last season's Champions League, has also been battling a leg injury but he took part in training on Tuesday and is expected to play. E-mail to a friend | [
"Chelsea waits for whom?",
"What did Terry train in?",
"What is John Terry rank?",
"What did the defender have surgery on?",
"Who underwent surgery on a broken cheekbone on Saturday?",
"Who trained in face mask?",
"when did terry undergo surgery?",
"What position does he play in?",
"Which team are waiting on john terry?",
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"what did terry wear in training?",
"Who is waiting on the fitness of John Terry?",
"Who is waiting on the fitness of England captain?",
"Who is waiting for fitness of cpt John Terry?",
"Who is Chelsea still waiting on the fitness of?",
"Which team are awaiting fitness of John Terry",
"What surgery did Captain undergo?",
"Who trained in a mask?",
"What did the central defender undergo surgery for?",
"Who trained in a face mask?",
"When did John Terry undergo surgery on broken cheekbone?",
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] | [
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
"broken cheekbone"
],
[
"John Terry"
],
[
"Sunday."
],
[
"John Terry"
],
[
"Chelsea"
]
] | Chelsea are still waiting on the fitness of England captain John Terry .
Terry trained in a face mask ahead of the Champions League tie in Valencia .
The central defender underwent surgery on a broken cheekbone on Sunday . |
LONDON, England -- Cocaine-abusing celebrities are glamorizing the use of narcotics and encouraging more young people to use illegal substances, the United Nations drug control agency has warned. Model Kate Moss faced allegations of cocaine use in 2005 but was never charged for over the claims. The annual report from the International Narcotics Control Board warns that treating stars "leniently" by allowing them to get away with drug crimes undermines faith in the criminal justice system and has a damaging effect on adolescents. "They get more lenient responses by the judiciary and law enforcement, and that is regrettable," Professor Hamid Ghodse, a member of the INCB, told the UK's Press Association Wednesday. "There should not be any difference between a celebrity who is breaking the law and non-celebrities. "Not only does it give the wrong messages to young people, who are quite impressionable, but the wider public becomes cynical about the responses to drug offenders," Ghodse said. Watch Ghodse explain how celebrity offenders are being given an easy ride » Last month, acclaimed singer Amy Winehouse was questioned by police after a video emerged which appeared to show her smoking crack. Last fall she was arrested and fined in Norway for possessing marijuana. Winehouse was due to appear in a Norwegian courtroom to contest the drug charges at the end of February. The hearing was postponed indefinitely, PA said, after the court approved a request from Winehouse's lawyer. Watch how celebrity drug scandals affect children » Supermodel Kate Moss also faced cocaine-snorting allegations in 2005. The Crown Prosecution Service later said she would not be charged over the claims. Despite losing modeling contracts in the wake of the revelations, she later won fresh jobs and remains one of the world's top models. Singer Pete Doherty, the former boyfriend of Moss, also has had a well-publicized drug abuse problem but has so far managed to avoid jail time. Earlier this month he was named by music magazine NME as its Hero of the Year. And Paul McCartney and his late wife Linda were open about their marijuana habit. The former Beatle was arrested for possession in 1980 in Japan. After 10 days in jail, he was released without charges. The report found that Britain, along with Spain and Italy, have some of the highest rates of cocaine abuse in the world. The report also expressed concerns on rising opium production in Afghanistan. E-mail to a friend | [
"what does U.N. say",
"What did the report about celebrities say?",
"what did the report find",
"What did the U.N. say about celebrities?",
"What hurt the criminal justice system?",
"what did the un say",
"What did the report find about Britain, Italy and Spain?",
"What does the UN say about celebrity drug use?",
"what does report say"
] | [
[
"Cocaine-abusing celebrities are glamorizing the use of narcotics and encouraging"
],
[
"are glamorizing the use of narcotics and encouraging"
],
[
"Britain, along with Spain and Italy, have some of the highest rates of cocaine abuse in the world."
],
[
"more young people to use illegal substances,"
],
[
"treating stars \"leniently\" by allowing them to get away with drug crimes undermines faith in the criminal justice system"
],
[
"Cocaine-abusing celebrities are glamorizing the use of narcotics and encouraging"
],
[
"have some of the highest rates of cocaine abuse in the world."
],
[
"glamorizing"
],
[
"warns that treating stars \"leniently\" by allowing them to get away with drug crimes undermines faith in the criminal justice system and has a damaging effect on adolescents."
]
] | U.N. says celebrity drug use encourages adolescent substance abuse .
Report says leniency towards celebrities hurts criminal justice system .
Report finds Britain, Italy, Spain have among highest rates of cocaine use . |
LONDON, England -- Evander Holyfield has raised the prospect of a rematch of his infamous world heavyweight title fight with Mike Tyson despite both men being into their 40s.
Holyfield (right) grimaces after being bitten by Tyson in their 1997 fight.
Holyfield took Tyson's crown in an epic bout in 1996, but it was their second fight a year later that is remembered for all the wrong reasons with Tyson disqualified for biting a chunk out of his opponent's ear.
Holyfield, 45, has revealed he is considering an offer from 41-year-old Tyson's camp to meet in the ring for a third time. "There has been some talk between us," Holyfield told The Guardian newspaper on Thursday.
"Mike had Jeff Fenech, who's been training him, call me a few months ago. Jeff says Mike wants to fight me again - but he needs to know if I would agree to it.
"I said, 'It all depends on what they are going to give us - because I'm gonna catch a lot of flak if I say I'm fighting Mike Tyson again.
I've already said I don't want to fight Mike no more'. "Jeff says, 'What if Mike gets in proper shape?' I told him that's OK but I can't be part of it if Mike's going to pull out.
Jeff said, 'The main thing Mike wants to know is if you would be willing to fight him again?' I said, 'Yeah, if the price is right, I probably would'."
Both fighters have made largely unsuccessful attempts at comebacks in recent years with Holyfield continuing his pursuit of an unlikely fifth title against the advice of boxing experts.
He is believed to have held on to a large portion of his career earnings, but, by contrast, Tyson has suffered well-publicized financial problems. E-mail to a friend | [
"on what year did Holyfield took the world heavyweight title?",
"What was Tyson disqualified for?",
"what does Evander Holyfield says about Mike Tyson?",
"who was disqualified?",
"Tyson was disqualified for what reason?",
"What take Holyfield?",
"Who took the tiltle of heavyweight champion?",
"What says holyfield?"
] | [
[
"1996,"
],
[
"biting a chunk out of his opponent's ear."
],
[
"\"There has been some talk between us,\""
],
[
"Tyson"
],
[
"biting a chunk out of his opponent's ear."
],
[
"took Tyson's crown"
],
[
"Holyfield"
],
[
"\"There has been some talk between us,\""
]
] | Evander Holyfield says he has held talks over a rematch with Mike Tyson .
Tyson was disqualified for biting off a chunk of Holyfield's ear in 1997 bout .
Holyfiield had taken world heavyweight title from Tyson in 1996 . |
LONDON, England -- Extra-time goals from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba gave Chelsea a 3-2 victory over Liverpool to send the London side into a Champions League final showdown against English Premier League rivals Manchester United, 4-3 on aggregate.
Didier Drogba (right) and Frank Lampard both found the net as Chelsea secured their final place in Moscow.
Lampard, playing his first game since the death of his mother last week, coolly slotted home a 98th-minute penalty and Drogba, who had opened the scoring in the first-half, sent Chelsea to the final in Moscow on May 21 with a timely second goal.
Fernando Torres had given Liverpool hope with a second-half equaliser but they failed to finish the job and Chelsea made them pay in a pulsating extra period which also saw Ryan Babel grab a late consolation goal for the visitors.
Drogba, who Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez had accused of being a 'diver' prior to the match, looked like a man on a mission to ram the Spaniards words down his throat.
The Ivory Coast striker forced Jose Reina to turn his skidding 15-meter effort around the post in the fifth minute.
Four minutes later, Liverpool put together their only meaningful move of the opening half when a quick Steven Gerrard pass put Fernando Torres in behind the Chelsea defense.
However, the Spanish striker's first touch was not deft enough and although he bore down on Petr Cech, the Chelsea goalkeeper did well to close down his space and options.
The wet conditions hampered both sides but it was Chelsea who mastered them quicker. In the 18th minute, Lampard despatched a delightful pass into the path of Drogba but the striker was a meter wide with his shot.
Chelsea were in the ascendancy and their supremacy was underlined by Michael Essien's 20-meter effort which had to be collected by Reina at the foot of his right-hand post.
Liverpool were struggling to keep pace with the home side and their worries increased when central defender Martin Skrtel was forced off with a knee injury in the 21st minute to be replaced by Sami Hyypia.
Reina was forced to punch clear a long-range effort from Ballack but the goal Chelsea had threatened for most of the half arrived in style in the 33rd minute.
The architect was England midfielder Lampard. He cleverly split the Liverpool defense to give Salomon Kalou the chance to run on and fire a shot that Reina could only palm into the path of the onrushing Drogba.
The Ivorian does not miss such gifts and he sent a low drive fizzing into the net at the near post to give London side a 2-1 aggregate lead.
Drogba, clearly hurt by Benitez's criticism of his 'diving', then ran the length of the half to celebrate his goal in front of the Liverpool manager.
Chelsea's domination almost brought them a second four minutes before the interval but Michael Ballack's measured free-kick veered just the wrong side of the post.
Dirk Kuyt almost hauled Liverpool back into the tie three minutes after the restart but his shot met the outstretched leg of Cech before Ashley Cole cleared.
After Lampard's 53rd-minute volley was well held by Reina, Liverpool finally broke their goalscoring hoodoo when Yossi Benayoun carved out a chance for Torres.
The Spaniard collected the ball in his stride just inside the penalty area before sliding it beyond the exposed Cech to make it 2-2 on aggregate -- the 64th-minute effort was Liverpool's first at Stamford Bridge in nine games under Benitez.
Both sides sought a winner -- but the 90 minutes ended all-square and the contest went into extra-time.
Liverpool almost snatched the lead within minutes of the restart but Hyypia's header fell wide of the post with Cech beaten.
Chelsea then thought they had done enough when Essien sent a 15-meter effort into the net -- but it was rightly disallowed for offside.
However, in the 98th minute, Ballack was brought down by Hyypia inside the box and referee Roberto Rosetti pointed to the spot.
Lampard kept his composure to send Reina the wrong way and was in tears | [
"Who managed to score two times?",
"What team beat Liverpool?",
"Who is Chelsea facing in the finals?",
"What was the result of the Chelsea-Liverpool game?",
"Where will Chelsea play Manchester United?",
"Who is Chelsea going to face?",
"Who will Chelsea face?",
"Who beat Liverpool?",
"What was the final score?",
"What was the final score of Chelsea vs Liverpool?",
"Who scored twice?"
] | [
[
"Didier Drogba"
],
[
"Chelsea"
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[
"Manchester United,"
],
[
"3-2"
],
[
"Moscow."
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[
"Manchester United,"
],
[
"Manchester United,"
],
[
"Chelsea"
],
[
"3-2"
],
[
"3-2"
],
[
"Didier Drogba"
]
] | Chelsea beat Liverpool 3-2 to reach Champions League final 4-3 on aggregate .
Didier Drogba scores twice and an emotional Frank Lampard is also on target .
Chelsea to face title rivals Manchester United in an all-English final in Moscow . |
LONDON, England -- Football will pay its tribute to the legend of Manchester United's Busby Babes on Wednesday in moments of remembrance on the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster. A memorial stone recalls the place of the Munich air disaster in Kirchtrudering near Munich. Eight players lost their lives on February 6, 1958, when Flight 609 ZU crashed on the third attempt to take off after re-fuelling in Germany as United returned from knocking Red Star Belgrade out of the European Cup. Sir Matt Busby's side, back-to-back English champions and well positioned for a hat-trick attempt, were arguably on course to become the best United team. The United players killed at Munich were Geoff Bent, aged 25, Roger Byrne(28), Eddie Colman (21), Mark Jones (24), David Pegg (22), Tommy Taylor (26), Liam Whelan (22) and 21-year-old Duncan Edwards who died in hospital 15 days after the crash. They and the other 15 people who lost their lives will be remembered with a commemorative service at Old Trafford while a short ceremony, organised by supporters, will also take place at the memorial site in Kirchtrudering, on the outskirts of Munich. In keeping with tradition, United supporters will also gather under the memorial plaque at Old Trafford where the clock is fixed at the exact time of the final fateful take-off attempt. Later in the day, a minute's silence will take place ahead of England's friendly with Switzerland at Wembley as a further mark of respect. As he bows his head during this week's Munich commemorations, survivor Harry Gregg's mind will understandably flash back to that snow-laden runway, but only briefly. The 75-year-old Ulsterman prefers not to remember the afternoon he lost so many friends among the victims, but instead the days when the dream of the 'Busby babes' was still vibrant and alive. Goalkeeper Gregg, hailed a hero in the wake of the crash after returning to the wreckage to pull out survivors, is adamant those are the times which always burn brightest in his memory. "I was part of something that was a very, very beautiful thing at that time," said Gregg, who cost United a record 23,000 pounds sterling when he joined from Doncaster Rovers two months before the disaster. "I'll always be proud of that. The fact there's going to be a minute's silence after 50 years is a tribute to the people I played with, but one must remember as well there were other people on board that aircraft, a lot more people. "I want the minute's silence to be over and then I want to remember the happy times, that's what I want the world to remember, that's what I want the families to remember." E-mail to a friend | [
"What sport pays tribute to the Munich air disaster?",
"What was the tribute for?",
"What caused eight Manchester United players to die?",
"What was the total killed?",
"What team were the eight players that died from?"
] | [
[
"Football"
],
[
"remembrance on the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster."
],
[
"Flight 609 ZU crashed on the third attempt"
],
[
"Eight players"
],
[
"Manchester United's Busby Babes"
]
] | Football pays tribute on the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster .
Eight Manchester United players died when plane crashed on take-off .
A total of 23 people were killed as Utd returned from cup tie in Belgrade . |
LONDON, England -- Former Culture Club singer Boy George has been convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort. The judge told Boy George he faced jail. Norwegian Audun Carlsen, 29, said the frontman with the 1980s band beat him with a metal chain as he tried to flee his London flat after a naked photo shoot. A jury at a London court found on Friday that the case was proven against the 46-year-old musician -- tried under his real name of George O'Dowd. The singer declined to give evidence during the trial but the jury heard he told police he handcuffed Carlsen to his bed while he investigated alleged tampering with his computer. Carlsen told the court O'Dowd invented the story about computer tampering so he could punish him for not having sex at a previous meeting. He said: "I think he couldn't handle the refusal -- me not having sex with him." O'Dowd looked grim as the verdict was delivered, according to the Press Association. The singer was bailed until sentencing on January 16. Judge David Radford warned him that he was likely to face jail. "The fact that your bail is being continued does not imply that this will be dealt with by a non-custodial sentence. I don't want any false expectations created," he said. | [
"What was Boy George's side of the story?",
"What was Boy George convicted of?",
"What were the allegations against Boy George?",
"What is Boy George convicted of ?",
"Where was George convicted?",
"What did Carlsen say?",
"What was George accused of by Carlsen ?",
"What was Carlsen doing when he was handcuffed ?",
"What did the singer investigate?"
] | [
[
"he investigated alleged tampering with his computer."
],
[
"falsely imprisoning a"
],
[
"falsely imprisoning a"
],
[
"male escort."
],
[
"London court"
],
[
"\"I think he couldn't handle the refusal -- me not having sex with him.\""
],
[
"beat him with a metal chain"
],
[
"alleged tampering with his computer."
],
[
"alleged tampering"
]
] | Boy George convicted by jury in London of falsely imprisoning male escort .
Norwegian Audun Carlsen said star beat him with metal chain after photo shoot .
Singer told police he handcuffed Carlsen while he investigated tampered computer . |
LONDON, England -- France coach Raymond Domenech has again omitted striker David Trezeguet from his squad for this month's friendly against Morocco and the Euro 2008 qualifier against the Ukraine.
Happier times: David Trezeguet celebrates after scoring for Juventus against Torino.
Trezeguet has scored scored 10 goals in 11 Serie A matches for Juventus this season -- including two hat-tricks -- but has failed to win his way back into the 24-man party.
The 29-year-old, who last played for France in the 1-0 home defeat by Scotland in September, was furious after being dropped for the games against Lithuania and the Faroe Islands.
He played no part as Domenech's team overtook the Scots at the top of Group B with comfortable victories last month.
The coach said: "David is having a great start to the season with Juventus, but he's in competition for a place. If we qualify, the Euro 2008 will be in eight months. A lot of things can happen in between.
"I hope David will help Juventus win the Italian league title and that he will be at the Euro 2008 with us, and that he will find his form again for France."
Domenech has again included young Lyon forward Hatem Ben Arfa, who made his debut as a substitute against the Faroes and scored the final goal in a 6-0 victory.
Ben Arfa is joined in the squad by club-mate Karim Benzema, while Bolton's Nicholas Anelka is also among the forwards named despite still recovering from an injury.
Captain Patrick Vieira is ruled out due to injury, but the Inter Milan midfielder will join up with the squad anyway.
"A player of Patrick's dimension is going to be missed, but we just have to accept it and get on with it. Pat should be coming to see us because he's a leader, and he's the captain," Domenech added.
France face the Moroccans on November 16 and then travel to the Ukraine on November 21.
Domenech's team will qualify for the finals if Italy beat Scotland at Hampden on November 17. If the Glasgow game ends in a draw, France will need at least a point in Kiev to book their ticket.
France squad: Goalkeepers: M Landreau (Paris St Germain), S Frey (Fiorentina), U Rame (Bordeaux). Defenders: E Abidal (Barcelona, P Evra (Manchester United), W Gallas (Arsenal), B Sagna (Arsenal), L Thuram (Barcelona), S Squillaci (Lyon), F Clerc (Lyon). Midfielders: A Diarra (Bordeaux), L Diarra (Arsenal), M Flamini (Arsenal), C Makelele (Chelsea), J Rothen (PSG), J Toulalan (Lyon), S Nasri (Marseille). Strikers: N Anelka (Bolton), H Ben Arfa (Lyon), K Benzema (Lyon), S Govou (Lyon), T Henry (Barcelona), F Malouda (Chelsea), F Ribery (Bayern Munich). E-mail to a friend | [
"Who was emitted from french squad",
"What squad was David Trezeguet omitted from to,play Morocco and the Ukraine?",
"What was the last game Juventus striker played for his country?",
"Who was not in the France squad for game with Morocco?",
"when did he played the last time?",
"When did he last play",
"Who was dropped from the team for the wins against Lithuania and the Faroe Islands?",
"What game did the Juventas striker last play for his country?"
] | [
[
"David Trezeguet"
],
[
"France"
],
[
"France"
],
[
"David Trezeguet"
],
[
"September,"
],
[
"September,"
],
[
"David Trezeguet"
],
[
"September,"
]
] | David Trezeguet omitted from France squad to play Morocco and the Ukraine .
The Juventus striker last played for his country in the 1-0 defeat by Scotland .
He was dropped for the wins against Lithuania and the Faroe Islands . |
LONDON, England -- Graffiti artist Banksy, famed for infiltrating museum collections without their knowledge and spray-painting public buildings around the world, is holding his first major exhibition in years. A Banksy painting of the British House of Commons at England's Bristol museum. This time, however, the anonymous artist worked in tandem with the director of Bristol museum in the UK. CNN's Max Foster got a preview of his largest project to date. The artist's anonymity gained him notoriety and he became one of the art world's biggest names with his works selling at auction for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The exhibition's range, while very varied, remained true to Banksy form with his usual unconventional take on art. See pictures from Banksy's exhibition » "I think we might have dragged them down to our level rather than being elevated to theirs" Banksy, who is thought to be from Bristol, said about the museum. He filled three stories of the building with his art in 36 hours under tight security, as only a few museum staff were aware of the shows' imminent arrival. His work is hidden among the museum's usual exhibits and is split into different rooms, including installations, paintings and sculptures. In one of the paintings, a character has been cut out and is instead sitting on the painting's frame, perhaps taking a break from posing? Another piece, which at first glance, looks like a copy of an ancient classical statue, is in fact a woman over-loaded with countless shopping bags as she browses for yet another item. Perhaps the most controversial, yet equally light-hearted piece, is a painting of the British Parliamentary House of Commons, filled with chimpanzees who are looking surprisingly "ministerial." "You paint a hundred chimpanzees and they call you a guerilla artist," Banksy said. While one of the more poignant installations is that of Tweety, the Warner Bros. animated character famous for his upbeat personality and energy, looking old and life-less. "This show is my vision of the future," the artist said . Banksy is unlikely to show up at the exhibition as he attempts to retain his anonymity. But while we may never know his identity, with this latest show, Banksy has definitely shown yet another facet of his personality. CNN's Max Foster contributed to this report | [
"What is Banksy's form?",
"What will Banksy unveil?",
"What is Banksy unveiling?",
"Where is the show being held?",
"What has Banksy remained true to?"
] | [
[
"unconventional take on art."
],
[
"painting of the British House of Commons"
],
[
"his first major exhibition in years."
],
[
"at England's Bristol museum."
],
[
"form with his usual unconventional take on art."
]
] | Banksy, the world-famous British graffiti artist will unveil his largest project to date .
A surprise show is held from June 13 until August 31 at the Bristol museum, UK .
Banksy has remained true to form with his unconventional take on art . |
LONDON, England -- In his autobiography, Eric Clapton admits that he enjoys nothing more than sitting in a deck chair on a white sandy beach watching his children playing in the sea. Private getaway: Eric Clapton enjoys spending time relaxing on his superyacht Va Bene. It's the perfect antidote to a punishing tour schedule, and with gigs in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Scandinavia and Europe so far this year, getting away from it all is an experience he values. He found that he was particularly at ease aboard the 157 ft (47.8m) motor yacht Va Bene, which he chartered in 2005 and cruised with friends around the Mediterranean. The sheltered port of Bonifacio at the southern end of Corsica became one of his favorite haunts. In fact, Clapton enjoyed Va Bene so much that he bought her. It was the first time he'd ever had to borrow money to buy something, but he had fallen for the yacht, despite her 13 years and slightly dated looks. Besides there was always the possibility of updating her to give her a new lease of life. Va Bene came with an interesting pedigree. She had originally been commissioned by a Greek ship owner in 1992 to a design by Richard Hein (of Oceanco fame) and built by Kees Cornelissen in Holland. She was then purchased by F1 motor racing supremo Bernie Ecclestone before being sold to an American. A steel-hulled displacement yacht with a cruising speed of about 14 knots, Va Bene can accommodate 12 guests in six separate sleeping cabins and has a crew complement of 13. Having lived with Va Bene for a couple of years, Eric Clapton finally felt the time was right for a refit. Clapton was particularly keen for the work to be carried out in the UK, partly because he wanted to buy British but also because he could keep a close eye on proceedings. Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, Cornwall, was an obvious choice. Roger Taylor, the drummer with Queen has his yacht Tiger Lilly refitted regularly in Falmouth and Pete Townsend of the Who is another famous client. Pendennis Shipyard representative Alastair Heane was first introduced to the yacht during the charter show in Antigua in December 2006. Eric Clapton has a house on the island and Va Bene is based here during the winter season. Heane quickly established a detailed proposal of work. The plan was to get Va Bene to Falmouth after Clapton had finished his 2007 summer holiday so that the work could be carried out during the winter. The initial time frame was three months but like most complex refits this quickly extended to six as the work list grew. The target was to have Va Bene ready and waiting in Porto Cervo Sardinia on July 1 this year in time for Eric Clapton's month-long family holiday -- a date that was set in stone to fit around his tour schedule. We caught up with Va Bene during a photo shoot at the end of June 2008 on the very day she was setting sail from Palma, Mallorca, to meet up with the boss in Sardinia. With the final last-minute touches still being applied and the crew busily unpacking everything from the owner's precious guitar to his children's cuddly toys, it was a close run thing but Pendennis had met the deadline in style. The first thing that strikes you on boarding Va Bene is the calm, informal atmosphere of what is clearly a much-loved family yacht rather than a glitzy monument to success. Eric Clapton may be one of the world's greatest living rock stars but he is also an unpretentious family man who wants a yacht that he can relax on. The saloon encapsulates this perfectly. Rather than a single formal space with designer furniture that look so immaculate you hardly dare sit down, Va Bene's saloon is divided into four separate areas with clusters of contrasting chairs, sofas, tables and cabinets. One group of guests can be relaxing round the card table and matching leather chairs, while others stretch out on the big taupe corduroy sofa to watch a movie. That still leaves room for him to sneak off into another corner and perch on one of the special armless low | [
"What year did Eric Clapton buy his 48 meter superyacht Va Bene?",
"What does Clapton enjoy on the boat?",
"What is the size of the yacht?",
"What length is Eric Clapton's yacht?",
"When did Bernie Ecclestone buy the vessel?",
"Who owned the vessel prior to Clapton?"
] | [
[
"2005"
],
[
"spending time relaxing"
],
[
"157 ft (47.8m)"
],
[
"157 ft (47.8m)"
],
[
"2005"
],
[
"Bernie Ecclestone"
]
] | Eric Clapton owns the 48 meter superyacht Va Bene .
Bernie Ecclestone had owned the vessel before Clapton bought it .
Clapton enjoys spending time on the boat to get away from his work . |
LONDON, England -- John Symons lost his wife Jo to a mysterious cancer two years ago. But he isn't done battling the disease. The CUP Foundation was founded in memory of Jo Symons, who died in 2006 of the mysterious disease. Jo suffered from cancer of unknown primary, or CUP, a diagnosis that is given when doctors find cancer in the body but aren't able to identify where it began. That inevitably complicates treatment, as doctors are at a loss as to whether they are dealing with breast, lung or countless other types of cancer. "Any cancer diagnosis is devastating for patients and loved ones. But not knowing where in the body the cancer has originated and what type of cancer we are dealing with is a double blow, it's double agony," Symons told CNN. After his wife died in 2006, Symons abandoned his career as a business school professor to set up the Cancer of Unknown Primary Foundation, also known as "Jo's friends." The charity aims to raise awareness of CUP and campaigns for more research in the hope that it will lead to better treatment. Symons said he also wanted to help others faced with the challenging diagnosis. People from 35 countries visit the foundation's Web site. "Most of them say there's nowhere else [for them to turn to]," he said. It is unclear how many people are faced with the cancer of unknown primary worldwide, but according to Symons, 3 to 5 percent of all cancers are CUP. The CUP Foundation estimates that in the UK alone, more than 10,000 people are diagnosed with the mystery disease annually, giving it a higher incidence than pancreatic and ovarian cancers. Find out more about rare conditions » Cancer needs to be treated by identifying the anatomical location of where the cancer has started, and therapy is always based on where that cancer starts in the body, Symons explained. In the case of CUP, the cells lose their unique features as the cancer spreads. "So if you don't know where the cancer has started, it is very difficult to treat it," he told CNN. Many CUP sufferers have just weeks or months to live after the cancer has spread. Jo died at the age of 46, only eight months after being diagnosed. Jo discovered she had cancer when she developed a lump in her neck, according to Symons. But it was only a secondary tumor, and doctors believed the primary tumor was too small to locate or possibly had already disappeared. At first, the Symons were hopeful: "We kept thinking it's only a matter of time before someone figures out where this comes from and are able to treat it, that we'd have good news and that while she might not be cured, she would be able to live with the cancer." But as time went by, they realized this wasn't going to be possible. Doctors first thought Jo might have ovarian cancer, but ruled that out after several tests. Subsequently they thought it might be breast cancer, so Jo underwent grueling chemotherapy treatment for several months. That didn't help, and further tests were conducted to try and identify the genetic profile of the tumor where the cancer originated. These tests suggested Jo might be suffering from pancreatic cancer. For the last months of her life, Jo was treated for pancreatic cancer. "But sadly, that was too late, even if it had been the correct diagnosis, to turn the tables," Symons recalled. He never found out what cancer his wife had suffered from. "It has been difficult for me," Symons said. But faced with the choice of putting the ordeal behind him or trying to do something about it, he picked the latter. "In a sense this charity has been therapeutic." But at the same time, "I'm living daily with a reminder of what it is like for people to go through this terrible disease." | [
"What do doctors have a hard time determining if a person has CUP?",
"Who doesn't know what type of cancer they are dealing with?",
"What don't doctors know?",
"What is CUP considered to be?",
"Who casts light on the challenging diagnosis?",
"What is a mystery disease?"
] | [
[
"whether they are dealing with breast, lung or countless other types of cancer."
],
[
"doctors"
],
[
"where the cancer has started,"
],
[
"cancer of unknown primary,"
],
[
"John Symons"
],
[
"cancer of unknown primary,"
]
] | "Cancer of unknown primary," or CUP, is a mystery disease .
With CUP, doctors don't know what type of cancer they are dealing with .
CUP Foundation casts light on the challenging diagnosis . |
LONDON, England -- Malaria is one of the world's worst health problems and one of its biggest killers, with half a billion people affected every year, according to the Roll Back Malaria partnership.
Around half a billion people are infected with malaria every year. Ninety percent of those cases are in Africa.
Saturday marks World Malaria Day, when the world commemorates global efforts to eradicate the disease.
Below CNN's Vital Signs has produced a complete A - Z guide to how malaria spreads, the symptoms to look out for and how to protect yourself.
A is for Anti-malarial drugs The history of anti-malarial medicine has been marked by a constant struggle between evolving drug-resistant parasites and the search for new drugs. Currently, anti-malaria experts are focusing on therapies that combine several drugs for better effects.
B is for Blood stream Once a mosquito has bitten and the malaria parasites reach the liver, the parasites divide and create thousands of mature parasites. These are released into the blood and infect red blood cells. At that point, typical malaria symptoms such as fever and anemia develop.
C is for Chloroquine Until recently, Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, was the first option for many people because of its relatively low price and effectiveness. However, resistance to Chloroquine in many parts of the world has rendered the drug ineffective.
D is for Diagnosis After noting your symptoms and travel history, your doctor will likely obtain a sample of your blood for observation. Two blood samples, taken at six- and 12-hour intervals, can usually confirm the presence of the malaria parasite and its type. It is possible to be infected by more than one parasite at the same time.
E is for Epidemic According to the World Health Organization (WHO), large and devastating epidemics can occur when the mosquito-borne parasite is introduced into areas where people have had little prior contact with the infecting parasite. These epidemics can be triggered by wet weather conditions and further aggravated by floods or mass population movements driven by conflict.
F is for Fever The most common symptom of all types of malarias is high fever, which is why doctors often misdiagnose malaria for flu. The fever is a reaction to toxins in the blood. It is therefore advised to tell your doctor you have been to a malaria affected zone, even if symptoms arise months after the trip.
G is for Genome In 2002, -- hundred years after it was discovered that mosquitoes transmit the malaria parasite -- the complete genetic codes of both the human malaria parasite and the mosquito that spreads it was cracked. This development brought scientists a step closer to developing drugs and vaccines to fight the disease, Nature magazine reported.
H is for Hotspots Most cases and deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, many of them occurring among children. However, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected. In 2006, malaria was present in 109 countries and territories.
I is for Immunity Travelers from malaria-free regions such as Europe and the United States, with little or no immunity, who go to areas with high disease rates, are particularly vulnerable. It is essential to take precautions by taking anti-malarial drugs prescribed by your doctor.
J is for Julius Wagner-Jauregg Julius Wagner-Jauregg, a Viennese doctor, was the first to intentionally infect syphilis patients with malaria parasites. By controlling the subsequent malaria-related fever with an anti-malaria drug, the effects of both syphilis and malaria could be minimized. Jauregg received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1927.
K is for Killer Malaria is a life-threatening disease but it is preventable and curable if the right steps are taken. Education in recognizing the symptoms has reduced the number of cases in some areas by 20 percent. Recognizing the disease in the early stages can stop the disease from becoming a killer.
L is for Laser gun U.S. scientists say they are developing a laser gun that could kill millions of mosquitoes in minutes. The laser fires at mosquitoes once it detects the audio frequency created by the beating of wings, | [
"Where are most cases of malaria?",
"What is a preventable and curable disease?"
] | [
[
"Africa."
],
[
"Malaria"
]
] | World Malaria Day on April 25 highlights the danger of malaria and calls for action .
According to the WHO there were 247 million cases of malaria in 2006 .
880,000 people died of malaria in 2006, a preventable and curable disease . |
LONDON, England -- Malaria is one of the world's worst health problems and one of its biggest killers, with half a billion people affected every year, according to the Roll Back Malaria partnership. Around half a billion people are infected with malaria every year. Ninety percent of those cases are in Africa. Saturday marks World Malaria Day, when the world commemorates global efforts to eradicate the disease. Below CNN's Vital Signs has produced a complete A - Z guide to how malaria spreads, the symptoms to look out for and how to protect yourself. A is for Anti-malarial drugs The history of anti-malarial medicine has been marked by a constant struggle between evolving drug-resistant parasites and the search for new drugs. Currently, anti-malaria experts are focusing on therapies that combine several drugs for better effects. B is for Blood stream Once a mosquito has bitten and the malaria parasites reach the liver, the parasites divide and create thousands of mature parasites. These are released into the blood and infect red blood cells. At that point, typical malaria symptoms such as fever and anemia develop. C is for Chloroquine Until recently, Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, was the first option for many people because of its relatively low price and effectiveness. However, resistance to Chloroquine in many parts of the world has rendered the drug ineffective. D is for Diagnosis After noting your symptoms and travel history, your doctor will likely obtain a sample of your blood for observation. Two blood samples, taken at six- and 12-hour intervals, can usually confirm the presence of the malaria parasite and its type. It is possible to be infected by more than one parasite at the same time. E is for Epidemic According to the World Health Organization (WHO), large and devastating epidemics can occur when the mosquito-borne parasite is introduced into areas where people have had little prior contact with the infecting parasite. These epidemics can be triggered by wet weather conditions and further aggravated by floods or mass population movements driven by conflict. F is for Fever The most common symptom of all types of malarias is high fever, which is why doctors often misdiagnose malaria for flu. The fever is a reaction to toxins in the blood. It is therefore advised to tell your doctor you have been to a malaria affected zone, even if symptoms arise months after the trip. G is for Genome In 2002, -- hundred years after it was discovered that mosquitoes transmit the malaria parasite -- the complete genetic codes of both the human malaria parasite and the mosquito that spreads it was cracked. This development brought scientists a step closer to developing drugs and vaccines to fight the disease, Nature magazine reported. H is for Hotspots Most cases and deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, many of them occurring among children. However, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected. In 2006, malaria was present in 109 countries and territories. I is for Immunity Travelers from malaria-free regions such as Europe and the United States, with little or no immunity, who go to areas with high disease rates, are particularly vulnerable. It is essential to take precautions by taking anti-malarial drugs prescribed by your doctor. J is for Julius Wagner-Jauregg Julius Wagner-Jauregg, a Viennese doctor, was the first to intentionally infect syphilis patients with malaria parasites. By controlling the subsequent malaria-related fever with an anti-malaria drug, the effects of both syphilis and malaria could be minimized. Jauregg received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1927. K is for Killer Malaria is a life-threatening disease but it is preventable and curable if the right steps are taken. Education in recognizing the symptoms has reduced the number of cases in some areas by 20 percent. Recognizing the disease in the early stages can stop the disease from becoming a killer. L is for Laser gun U.S. scientists say they are developing a laser gun that could kill millions of mosquitoes in minutes. The laser fires at mosquitoes once it detects the audio frequency created by the beating of wings, | [
"What is the date of World Malaria Day?",
"How many cases of malaria were there in 2006?",
"What does \"WHO\" stand for?",
"When is World Malaria Day?",
"how many cases of malaria"
] | [
[
"Saturday"
],
[
"was present in 109 countries and territories."
],
[
"World Health Organization"
],
[
"Saturday"
],
[
"half a billion people affected every year,"
]
] | World Malaria Day on April 25 highlights the danger of malaria and calls for action .
According to the WHO there were 247 million cases of malaria in 2006 .
880,000 people died of malaria in 2006, a preventable and curable disease . |
LONDON, England -- Milan goalkeeper Dida has been cleared to play in next month's Champions League match at Shakhtar Donetsk after partially winning his appeal to UEFA against a two-match ban.
Dida has had one game of his two-match ban suspended for a year following an appeal to UEFA.
Brazilian Dida was also fined 60,000 Swiss francs by European football's ruling body following an incident involving a supporter during the Champions clash against Celtic in Scotland on October 3.
The 34-year-old Brazilian was initially banned for two games for his theatrics following a Celtic fan's encroachment onto the pitch during the 2-1 defeat at Celtic Park.
"Following Monday's appeals hearing, Dida is suspended for two matches, but one of the matches will now be deferred for a probationary period of one year," said a stement on UEFA's Web site.
Dida sits out the home tie against Shakhtar on Wednesday after an inquiry based on Article 5, paragraph 1 of the UEFA disciplinary regulations (Principles of conduct), under which "member associations, clubs, as well as their players, officials and members, shall conduct themselves according to the principles of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship".
However, Dida will only serve the second match of his ban if he commits a similar offense -- a theatrical over-reaction --during the next 12 months, freeing him for the trip to Ukraine.
UEFA said that their Appeals Body "took note that Dida expressed his sincere regrets as regards his conduct during the match."
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani was satisfied with UEFA's decision. "I believe it is fair -- I was against the two-game suspension but one seems OK.
"Dida has made a mistake but his error did not hinder anyone, not Celtic, nor any player," said Galliani. E-mail to a friend | [
"What Milan goalkeeper was partially successful against two-match UEFA ban?",
"What game was suspended for one year freeing Dida to return to Ukraine?",
"Which country will free him to go to?",
"what happend on wednesday?",
"What match will Dida miss?",
"What game player will be available for after ban suspension was lifted?",
"What was the result of Dida appeal",
"What is the benefit of the second game ban being dismissed",
"Which Milan player is partially successful against two-match UEFA ban?",
"Which player is partially successful against two-match UEFA ban?"
] | [
[
"Dida"
],
[
"European football's"
],
[
"Ukraine."
],
[
"Dida sits out the home tie against Shakhtar"
],
[
"Shakhtar"
],
[
"Dida"
],
[
"is suspended for two matches, but one of the matches will now be deferred for a probationary period of one year,\""
],
[
"to play in next month's Champions League match"
],
[
"Dida"
],
[
"Dida"
]
] | Milan goalkeeper Dida is partially successful against two-match UEFA ban .
Dida misses Wednesday's home Champions League tie against Shakhtar .
Second game of ban suspended for one year freeing him for return in Ukraine . |
LONDON, England -- Nihat Kahveci sent Turkey into the Euro 2008 finals behind defending champions and Group C winners Greece with the only goal in a narrow 1-0 victory over battling Bosnia-Herzegovina. Goalscorer Nihat gets a kiss from team-mate Altintop after Turkey sealed their place with a 1-0 win over Bosnia. The result ended Norway's hopes of snatching qualification despite their 4-1 victory away to Malta with Steffen Iversen scoring a first half hat-trick. Nihat struck at the end of a first half that Fatih Terim's Turkey dominated, yet the hosts were unable to build on that lead and had to endure some tense moments. Just a point had separated the third-placed Scandinavians from Terim's men -- and Turkey needed to win to progress. Nihat led the charge forcing early saves from goalkeeper Adnan Guso and finally making the breakthrough two minutes before half-time. Hamit Altintop found space down the left and crossed for the Villarreal forward who finished from 12 meters. Iversen broke the deadlock in Malta after 25 minutes and fired a second from the penalty spot three minutes later -- completing his treble on the stroke of half-time. Michael Mifsud hit back for Malta after the re-start, but Andre Schembri was red-carded after 67-minutes before Morten Gamst Pedersen's strike wrapped it up all to no avail. Portugal went through from Group A after a goalless home draw against qualification rivals Finland while group winners Poland completed their program with a 2-2 draw away to Serbia E-mail to a friend | [
"what was turkeys score",
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"who struck at the end of the first half",
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] | Nihat Kahveci put Turkey into Euro 2008 with 1-0 win over Bosnia/Herzegovina .
Nihat struck at the end of a first half as Turkey joined holders Greece in finals .
Portugal joined Poland in qualifying from Group A with 0-0 draw with Finland . |
LONDON, England -- Savers at a leading UK mortgage bank lined up for a second day to empty their accounts Saturday, a day after the lender was bailed out by the Bank of England after heavily slashing profit forecasts.
Fearful customers line up to withdraw cash from a Northern Rock branch in southeast London on Friday.
Long lines formed before counters opened at the Northern Rock building society, one of the UK's top five lenders, as worried customers ignored reassurances from the bank and the government.
Customers are believed to have already withdrawn about £1 billion ($2 billion) since the bank's woes were revealed, prompting speculation that the global credit crunch made raising funds through commercial borrowing difficult.
Shares in Northern Rock dropped up to 30 percent in Friday trading, with problems spilling over the European banking sector
The British Bankers' Association has urged customers to "calm down," according to the UK Press Association.
It said: "Northern Rock is a sound and safe bank and there is absolutely no reason for either mortgage customers or savers to worry."
Meanwhile, finance minister Alistair Darling said the Bank of England had stepped in "to create a stable banking system".
He said: "People can use their accounts in the usual way, they can carry on making their mortgage payments in the usual way. Northern Rock will be able to carry on its business."
Northern Rock chief executive Adam Applegarth said yesterday that the bank had yet to draw on the emergency cash, which he called "a backdrop in case we need to use it", according to PA. E-mail to a friend | [
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] | Savers at leading UK mortgage bank lined up to empty their accounts .
Northern Rock was bailed out by the Bank of England a day earlier .
Reassurances that banks was safe have gone unheeded by many . |
LONDON, England -- UEFA has punished Benfica midfielder Augustin Binya with a six-match European ban following his horror tackle on Celtic's Scott Brown last week.
Augustin Binya, right, lunges towards Celtic midfielder Scott Brown during Benfica's 1-0 defeat in Glasgow.
The Cameroon international was sent off for the challenge in his side's 1-0 defeat in the Champions League match in Glasgow last Wednesday.
Scotland international Brown avoided injury, but claimed Binya had tried to break his leg with the tackle in the 85th minute -- and demanded that Europe's governing body take further action.
Binya, 24, apologized for the challenge -- described by officiating referee Martin Hansson of Sweden as one of the worst he had ever seen -- on the day after the match.
But UEFA's control and disciplinary body announced their sanction on Friday morning, having deliberated on the case on Thursday.
In a statement on uefa.com, Binya's challenge was described as one which "seriously endangered the physical health of the opposing player".
Benfica can appeal against the ban, which rules Binya out of the Portuguese club's remaining Group D matches against AC Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk.
If unsuccessful, he will also miss any matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League or UEFA Cup.
The suspension will also carry over to future seasons if, as seems likely, Benfica finish bottom of Group D and bow out of Europe for this campaign.
Brown, who has been passed fit for Scotland's Euro 2008 qualifier against Italy, said straight after the Benfica match: "He obviously tried to do me as hard as possible."
It is the second time that UEFA has had to intervene following an incident involving Celtic this season.
AC Milan keeper Dida was handed a two-match ban, subsequently reduced to one on appeal, after collapsing theatrically when a fan of the Scottish club invaded the pitch and lightly slapped the Brazilian in the face.
Celtic were fined $50,000 and barred the supporter for life. E-mail to a friend | [
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] | UEFA has punished Benfica midfielder Augustin Binya with a six-match ban .
The Cameroon international was sent off for bad tackle on Celtic's Scott Brown .
Brown was lucky to escape injury in incident during Champions League match . |
LONE GROVE, Oklahoma (CNN) -- A scene of devastation emerged Wednesday as circling helicopters broadcast images of housing developments smashed by tornadoes and severe storms that killed at least eight people in south-central Oklahoma Tuesday.
Rescue personnel search for potential trapped victims Wednesday in Lone Grove, Oklahoma.
Storms ripped roofs off several homes and left twisted metal and other debris scattered across the area.
Firefighters and emergency personnel were working with distressed residents.
"It just happened really quickly. The sky darkened up and turned really, really green," truck driver Bruce Mundy told CNN from a truck stop in Oklahoma City early Wednesday morning. Watch aerial footage of destruction »
"It was just, like, one after another. As soon as you get calmed down there were more," he said.
The storms had moved out of the state Wednesday morning after at least three tornadoes touched down in central and southern Oklahoma Tuesday, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
The one that hit Lone Grove at about 7:30 p.m. had an intensity of EF4 and winds of around 170 mph.
The Enhanced Fujita scale measures the intensity of a tornado and its wind speeds based on the type of damage caused and rates it between EF0 and EF5.
The first tornado, which hit Edmond between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., had an intensity ranging between EF0 and EF2, the NWS said. The service has not been able to determine an intensity for another tornado that hit near Langston about an hour later.
In the aftermath of the storms, authorities acknowledged a heavy task ahead as emergency personnel and private citizens began the cleanup effort. iReport.com: Are you there? Share photos, video
"We're just trying to get stuff in people's hands," store owner Matt Wilson told CNN while handing out pry bars and flashlights to residents at his hardware store in Lone Grove, where heavy damage occurred. "But just about all of Lone Grove is without power." View a map of where tornadoes touched down »
Lone Grove, near the Texas line about 90 miles south of the capital, Oklahoma City, had all of the fatalities and most of the approximately 50 injuries caused by the storms, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. Watch funnel cloud touch down »
Also hit hard by the storms were the towns of Pawnee and Edmond, both north of the capital.
Dramatic television footage of one storm showed large funnel clouds that darkened the sky as the storm approached. It mangled homes, snapped trees and crushed cars with debris as it touched down. Watch town where tornado leveled buildings »
"The wind started blowing really hard and then died down," a Lone Grove man told CNN affiliate KOCO-TV. Then, "all heck broke loose. I mean, it just broke loose. The whole house shook."
Donetta Singleton, manager of Bill's Fish House in Lone Grove, said one tornado's path took it right past the restaurant. She said the post office was gone and a church was damaged. Lone Grove police said a trailer park was hit. Watch post-tornado damage »
Mercy Memorial Health Center in Ardmore, about eight miles east of Lone Grove, received 46 people with injuries -- seven considered major -- after the storms passed, said Shana Hammond, a hospital spokeswoman.
About 6,000 OG&E customers are without power, including nearly 3,500 in Lone Grove, according to a statement released by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management on Wednesday.
CNN's Robyn Sidersky contributed to this report. | [
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] | NEW: Cleanup begins after tornadoes reaching 170 mph tear through Oklahoma .
Storms rip off roofs, scatter sheets of metal, other debris .
Hardest hit is Lone Grove, about 90 miles south of the capital, Oklahoma City .
Resident says post office is gone and a church is damaged . |
LONG ISLAND, New York (CNN) -- The death of a temporary Wal-Mart worker trampled by customers amid frantic Black Friday shopping could have been avoided, the union that represents retail workers said Saturday.
Customers rushing to get into a Valley Stream, New York, Wal-Mart damaged doors and trampled a worker.
Jdimytai Damour, 34, was crushed as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a Long Island, New York, store at 5 a.m. Friday, police said.
"This incident was avoidable," said Bruce Both, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, the state of New York's largest grocery worker's union.
"Where were the safety barriers? Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner?
"This is not just tragic; it rises to a level of blatant irresponsibility by Wal-Mart," he said. Watch father of trampled worker react »
Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar said Saturday that the company had no response to the union's comments, referring CNN to a written statement the retailer released Friday.
The statement said the store added internal security, brought in outside security, erected barricades and worked with Nassau County police in anticipation of heavy crowds.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased," Wal-Mart Senior Vice President Hank Mullany said in the statement. "We are continuing to work closely with local law enforcement, and we are reaching out to those involved."
Damour's death was one of two high-profile violent incidents on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and traditionally one of the year's busiest shopping days.
Police say two men shot each other dead in a Toys "R" Us in Palm Desert, California, after they argued in the store. The fight did not appear to be related to shopping, according to authorities.
At the Wal-Mart, police say that a line began forming at 9 p.m. Thursday and that, by 5 a.m. Friday, there were as many as 2,000 customers outside. A video showed about a dozen people knocked to the ground as the doors were opened and the crowd surged, breaking the doors.
Minutes later, police trying to give Damour first aid were jostled by customers still running into the store, authorities said.
The union is calling for an investigation "by all levels of government" to ensure justice for Damour's family and make sure that such an incident never happens at Wal-Mart again. Watch reaction to the incident »
"If the safety of their customers and workers was a top priority, then this never would have happened," said Patrick Purcell, a projects director for the local UFCW. "Wal-Mart must step up to the plate and ensure that all those injured, as well as the family of the deceased, be financially compensated for their injuries and their losses. Their words are weak."
The UFCW has long been a harsh critic of Wal-Mart's, arguing that the world's largest retailer offers low wages and poor health care for its workers and pushes competitors and suppliers to do the same or go out of business.
The group has had only marginal success in organizing Wal-Mart workers in the United States and Canada, citing aggressive anti-union efforts by Wal-Mart.
The UFCW has 1.3 million members working largely in the retail, food and food-processing industries.
CNN's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report. | [
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"What holiday is mentioned?",
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] | Retail workers union says Wal-Mart showed "blatant irresponsibility"
Discount chain said it made many preparations for Black Friday .
Temporary worker was trampled as he unlocked doors at 5 a.m.
Union has been one of Wal-Mart's harshest critics . |
LONGMONT, Colorado (CNN) -- A Colorado solar-energy company has high hopes for the economic stimulus bill that President Barack Obama will sign Tuesday in Denver.
AVA Solar CEO Pascal Noronha holds one of the solar panels his company produces.
Obama touts that the stimulus bill will help create up to a half a million so-called "green" jobs in the field of alternative energy. Colorado has a growing green energy industry.
Executives of AVA Solar, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, are among green energy industry representatives invited to the bill signing.
AVA Solar has its plant in Longmont, about 30 minutes north of Denver. The plant, set to begin production in the spring, will construct solar panels for solar power plants.
Once production is up to speed, CEO Pascal Noronha says, the plant should create enough solar panels a year to power 40,000 U.S. homes.
Noronha says AVA Solar needs two things: Government loans to expand its factory, and more government assistance to help power companies commit to building large solar power plants in the United States. iReport.com: What would you fix first?
Noronha says those two moves would help AVA Solar create 1,000 to 2,000 new jobs in its factory, plus added employment for its suppliers.
The company, founded in 2007, currently has 175 employees. Without the stimulus, Noronha said, AVA Solar is on track to create 420 new jobs by the end of this year.
AVA Solar currently operates on $175 million in U.S.-based private venture capital. In 2007 the company also received $3 million in seed money from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Noronha says Obama is on the right track in terms of the stimulus bill.
"What everybody needs is a little seed money because five years from now there's no question [that] solar has to replace the oil that we import," Noronha says. "What the government needs to do is provide the traction that is needed to get the first few projects on the ground."
"We need money from the federal government ... to facilitate production immediately," the CEO adds. "Otherwise, we will be sitting and waiting for projects in the U.S., and if we have to wait one year or two years -- when we're able to produce a solution for this country today -- that is a really good reason for the government to say, 'Here it is, let's go.' "
Noronha says his company's biggest customer base is in Germany, a country that is far ahead of the United States in embracing solar energy.
Obtaining U.S. customers is a priority, he explains.
"As a company we would very much like to have customers here in the U.S.," Noronha says. "The government needs to be able to facilitate these customers by making it possible for them to put large-scale power plants up."
Noronha is optimistic about the stimulus bill and the direction of the Obama administration.
"If you look at the vision of the president, you know he is looking out in the future and saying we've got to reduce our dependence on foreign oil," Noronha says.
"Well, to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, there is only renewable energy. And there are two forms that are promising -- one is wind and the other is solar. And solar, you've got the sun's resources all over the world." | [
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[
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] | Solar-panel company has high interest in stimulus bill .
Creation of "green" energy jobs is among hallmarks of stimulus bill .
AVA Solar of Colorado says it needs seed money to expand, hire more employees .
Obtaining customers in the United States is a priority for the company . |
LONGYEARBYEN, Norway (CNN) -- A vast underground vault storing millions of seeds from around the world took delivery of its first shipment Tuesday. The inside of one of the vaults at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, on a remote island near the Arctic Ocean. Dubbed the "Doomsday Vault," the seed bank on a remote island near the Arctic Ocean is considered the ultimate safety net for the world's seed collections, protecting them from a wide range of threats including war, natural disasters, lack of funding or simply poor agricultural management. Norwegian musicians performed Tuesday as part of an elaborate opening ceremony marking the opening of the vault, located 130 meters (427 feet) inside a frozen mountain. Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental and political activist who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, placed the first seeds inside the vault, followed by other dignitaries. The inaugural shipment represent 268,000 distinct samples of seeds, with each sample containing a hundred-plus seeds and originating from a different farm or field around the world. In all, the shipment of seeds secured in the vault Tuesday weighed approximately 10 tons, filling 676 boxes. The shipment amounts to a 100 million seeds in total, ranging from major African and Asian food staples like maize, rice, and wheat to European and South American varieties of eggplant, lettuce, barley, and potato, according to the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which is paying to collect and maintain the seeds. Watch as "Doomsday" seed vault opens » Eventually the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, as it is officially known, will hold as many as 4.5 million distinct samples of seeds -- or some 2 billion seeds in total -- encompassing almost every variety of most important food crops in the world, the Global Crop Diversity Trust said. The Norwegian government paid to build the vault in a mountainside near Longyearbyen, in the remote Svalbard islands between Norway and the North Pole. Building began last year. The United Nations founded the trust in 2004 to support the long-term conservation of crop diversity, and countries and foundations provide the funding. "The seed vault is the perfect place for keeping seeds safe for centuries," said Cary Fowler, executive director of the trust. "At these temperatures, seeds for important crops like wheat, barley and peas can last for up to 10,000 years." The vault's location deep inside a mountain in the frozen north ensures the seeds can be stored safely no matter what happens outside. "We believe the design of the facility will ensure that the seeds will stay well-preserved even if such forces as global warming raise temperatures outside the facility," said Magnus Bredeli Tveiten, project manager for the Norwegian government. The vault sits at the end of a 120-meter (131-yard) tunnel blasted inside the mountain. Workers used a refrigeration system to bring the vault to -18 degrees Celsius (just below 0 degrees Fahrenheit), and a smaller refrigeration system plus the area's natural permafrost and the mountain's thick rock will keep the vault at at least -4 C (25 F). The vault at Svalbard is similar to an existing seed bank in Sussex, England, about an hour outside London. The British vault, called the Millennium Seed Bank, is part of an scientific project that works with wild plants, as opposed to the seeds of crops. Paul Smith, the leader of the Millennium Seed Bank project, said preserving the seeds of wild plants is just as important as preserving the seeds of vital crops. "We must give ourselves every option in the future to use the whole array of plant diversity that is available to us," Smith told CNN. The idea for the Arctic seed bank dates to the 1980s but only became a possibility after the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources came into force in 2004, the Norwegian government said. The treaty provided an international framework for conserving and accessing crop diversity. Svalbard is designed to store duplicates of seeds from seed collections around the world. The Norwegian government says it has paid 50 million Norwegian Kroner ($9.4 million) to build the seed | [
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"who built the vault?",
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
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[
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] | Ultimate safety net for the world's seed collections has opened in Norway .
The vault received inaugural shipments of 100 million seeds .
Norwegian govt. built vault in glacial mountain between Norway and North Pole . |
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Pop singer Britney Spears must submit to random drug tests, a judge has ordered after finding she engaged in "habitual, frequent, and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol." Kevin Federline and Britney Spears are in the middle of a bitter custody battle over their two sons. The ruling by Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon provided no details and did not name any specific drugs, stating only that the findings were "based on the evidence presented." Spears must also spend eight hours a week working with a parenting coach who will observe her interactions with her children, according to the ruling released Tuesday. Efforts to contact the singer's lawyers, Marci Levine and Mel Goldman, were unsuccessful late Tuesday. The ruling comes during Spears' custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline. The documents underscore the bitter nature of the fight over their two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden. The two have split custody equally, but Federline is asking for the arrangements to be shifted to 70-30 in his favor. After a closed hearing Monday, Gordon ordered Spears, 25, to undergo random drug tests twice a week. He told both parents to avoid alcohol or "other non-prescription controlled substances" 12 hours before taking custody of the children. He also barred the exes from making "derogatory remarks about the other party and the other party's family or significant other" during the case, ordered them to go through "joint co-parenting counseling" and barred them from using corporal punishment on the boys. Spears and Federline were married for two years before their divorce was finalized in July. Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told reporters on Monday he didn't see the custody battle being resolved before scheduled hearings in November and December. Tuesday's order comes amid a career freefall for Spears, who has a new album due in stores November 13. Critics said her September 9 "comeback" performance on the MTV Video Music Awards was lackluster and said she appeared overweight in her sequined, two-piece costume. Her former divorce lawyer, Laura Wasser, resigned as her legal representative in the past few days after defending her outside the courthouse on Friday, telling reporters the singer "just wants to be a mom." And Spears' management company, the Firm, has quit after representing the singer for a little more than a month. "It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears," the company announced Monday. "We believe Britney is enormously talented and has made a terrific record, but current circumstances have prevented us from properly doing our job. We wish Britney the best." E-mail to a friend | [
"What does Spears have due in November?",
"What kind of battle is Spears in?",
"What does Spears have to do twice a week?",
"Who is she in a custody battle with?",
"Who must submit to random drug tests?",
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[
"new album"
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[
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[
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] | Britney Spears must submit to random drug tests twice a week, judge orders .
Spears is in bitter custody battle with ex-husband, Kevin Federline .
Pop singer has a new album due out in November .
Spears, Federline were married for two years; divorce was finalized in July . |
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- The man whose investigation of President Clinton provided reams of tabloid fodder is now working to help crack down on photographers working for the very publications his efforts once filled. Photographers surround singer Britney Spears' car in Los Angeles, California, in October. Kenneth Starr -- the independent counsel whose open-ended investigation of a Clinton land deal veered into an intimately detailed report on the president's affair with intern Monica Lewinsky -- is helping California lawmakers craft laws to crack down on celebrity-hunting packs of paparazzi. Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich contacted Starr, now a law school dean at Pepperdine University in Malibu. Local governments in Los Angeles and West Hollywood are also part of the effort to curb what they call a dangerous and expensive problem. "Just imagine you're a motorist driving down the street and Britney Spears parks next to you; all of a sudden you're swarmed by these people," Los Angeles city Councilman Dennis Zine said. "They've got cameras; they're jumping on the hood of my car. "You don't know if you're getting carjacked. You don't know what's happening." The idea of a "safe zone" around celebrities has been kicked around by L.A.-area lawmakers for years. The push became more intense in the wake of multiple mob scenes around pop star Spears last year, including a virtual siege of her Studio City, California, home and similar scenes during her trips to hospitals. Starr has been in contact with the officials but is "not ready to publicly comment" on any plan he may have, according to a Pepperdine spokesperson. Lawmakers have set no timetable for when they'd like to have laws drafted. Police Chief William J. Bratton has argued that there's no need for new laws to deal with the problem. But Zine and others argue that police resources are stretched thin by the current state of things, citing $25,000 shelled out last year for a police escort for Spears. To some, Starr -- the man vilified by liberals for a lengthy and costly Clinton investigation that turned up Clinton's personal foibles but no major wrongdoing in the Whitewater land deals -- seems an odd partner for politicians in the notoriously left-leaning Los Angeles area. "The irony is that he was so criticized, so vilified by Hollywood liberals 10 years ago during the Monica Lewinsky impeachment saga," said David Mark, a senior editor at Politico. "Now he's kind of aligned himself with a lot of Malibu residents who probably disagree with him politically." But Zine, who has been a prime backer of laws curbing the "Pap Packs," said Starr's expertise will be valuable as lawmakers try to strike a balance between public safety and First Amendment freedom of the press concerns. "I have a lot of respect for Ken Starr," Zine said. "We don't want to violate any rules. We don't want to violate the Constitution. "We believe that the Constitution needs to be upheld [but] at the same time, we need to protect our celebrities." CNN's Carol Costello contributed to this report. | [
"what Malibu mayor asked for former independent counsel's do?",
"Who asked for former independent counsel's help?",
"What bands together to fight celebrity chasers?",
"what is a celebrity chaser?",
"Who says no new laws are needed?"
] | [
[
"Pamela Conley Ulich"
],
[
"Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich"
],
[
"Local governments in Los Angeles and West Hollywood"
],
[
"paparazzi."
],
[
"Police Chief William J. Bratton"
]
] | Southern California governments band together to fight celebrity chasers .
Malibu mayor asked for former independent counsel's help drafting law .
Los Angeles police chief says no new laws are needed .
Some officials say situation is stretching police resources thin . |
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Dolores Hope, the widow of actor-comedian Bob Hope, died of natural causes at her Los Angeles home Monday, her family said. She was 102.
"I had such a huge admiration for both of them," actress Julie Newmar said. "The quality it takes to get just one year older, says a lot about that fact that she lived to 102. What a glorious woman and life!"
Although she put her singing career on hold after her marriage to Hope, Dolores Hope was active as a philanthropist, involved in her own causes as well as her husband's.
Military troops entertained by her husband's USO shows knew Dolores Hope because she would usually close the shows with a rendition of "Silent Night," according to a biography provided by her family.
"She was the First Lady of the USO," Carol Channing said. "They didn't come any more patriotic, caring or talented than Dolores."
Her last USO show performance came at age 84, when she sang "White Christmas" to Operation Desert Storm troops from the back of a truck in the Saudi desert.
She restarted her singing career at the age of 83 by recording several albums. She performed with Rosemary Clooney at Rainbow and Stars in New York for several weeks.
Born in Harlem in New York on May 27, 1909, Dolores DeFina was a singer at Manhattan's Vogue Club when she met Bob Hope in 1933. It was "love at first song," the biography quotes Bob Hope as saying.
The couple married the next year and later adopted four children.
The couple moved in the late 1930s from New York to California, where he pursued a movie and radio career.
Bob Hope was 100 when he died July 27, 2003.
"Dolores once said that their longevity could be credited to laughter and they certainly had a lot of that in their lives," said actress Alison Arngrim.
The family will hold a private funeral at burial at the Bob Hope Memorial Garden, San Fernando Mission, California, where her husband was interred. | [
"When did she meet Bob Hope?",
"What year met Bob Hope?",
"Who was the First Lady of the USO?",
"When did Bob Hope die?",
"What says Carol Channing?",
"At what age Bob Hope died?",
"When did she met Bob Hope?",
"What age was Bob Hope when he died?"
] | [
[
"1933."
],
[
"1933."
],
[
"Dolores Hope,"
],
[
"July 27, 2003."
],
[
"\"She was the First Lady of the USO,\""
],
[
"100"
],
[
"1933."
],
[
"100"
]
] | NEW: "She was the First Lady of the USO," Carol Channing says .
She met Bob Hope in 1933 when she was singing at a New York club .
Dolores Hope put her singing career on hold to raise four adopted children .
Bob Hope was 100 when he died in 2003 . |
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Former baseball great Lenny Dykstra reached a deal with prosecutors, pleading no contest Wednesday to three counts of grand theft auto and filing a false financial statement, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.
Dykstra, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star who led the New York Mets to a World Series championship, was released pending sentencing Jan. 20, 2012, the office said in a statement. The former athlete, who faces up to four years in prison, admitted the loss was more than $100,000, according to a statement from the district attorney's office.
In exchange for Dykstra's plea, 21 charges against him, including attempted grand theft auto, identity theft, possession of a controlled substance and unauthorized possession of a syringe, will be dismissed at sentencing, according to the statement.
Beginning in January, Dykstra, 48, and two co-defendants tried to lease various high-end automobiles from several area dealerships by providing fraudulent information and claiming credit through a phony business, prosecutors said.
A criminal complaint contended that Dykstra and Robert Hymers, 27, his accountant, provided information from a man they claimed was a co-signer, but who had not authorized his name to be used.
Leases were not approved at two dealerships, but the pair and Christopher Gavanis, 30, a friend of Dykstra's, drove off with three cars at one company by providing fraudulent information to a dealer, Deputy District Attorney Alex Karkanen said.
When Dykstra was arrested in April, Los Angeles police detectives allegedly found cocaine and ecstasy along with somatropin, a synthetic human growth hormone, when they searched his Encino home.
In September, Hymers pleaded no contest to one felony count of identity theft. Gavanis pleaded no contest to one felony count of filing a false financial statement, prosecutors said.
In a separate case, Dykstra was indicted in May on federal charges, including obstruction of justice for allegedly taking more than $400,000 in property that should have gone to his bankruptcy creditors and then lying about it under oath, prosecutors claim.
Dykstra's stellar professional baseball career began in 1981, when the New York Mets drafted him out of high school.
During his second year in the majors, the player nicknamed "Nails" for his tenacity, hit a lead-off home run in Game 3 of the 1986 World Series at Boston's Fenway Park, after the Mets lost the first two games. That spark rallied the Mets to a seven-game series victory over the Boston Red Sox.
CNN's Stan Wilson contributed to this report. | [
"Who pleads no contest to several charges?",
"Does he face prison?",
"What does the complaint say?",
"What does complaint say?",
"When is sentencing?",
"How long does he face in prison?",
"What does former baseball star plead?"
] | [
[
"Lenny Dykstra"
],
[
"up to four years in"
],
[
"Dykstra and Robert Hymers, 27, his accountant, provided information from a man they claimed was a co-signer, but who had not authorized his name to be used."
],
[
"that Dykstra and Robert Hymers, 27, his accountant, provided information from a man they claimed was a co-signer, but who had not authorized his name to be used."
],
[
"Jan. 20, 2012,"
],
[
"up to four years"
],
[
"no"
]
] | Former baseball star pleads no contest to several charges .
He faces up to four years in prison at January sentencing .
Complaint says Dykstra, two friends fraudulently drove off with luxury cars from dealership . |
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- President Barack Obama addressed a broad range of political topics during an appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Tuesday, insisting among other things that he's not spending too much time yet focused on next year's potential GOP campaign rivals.
"I'm going to wait until everybody's voted off the island," Obama joked. "Once they narrow it down to one or two (candidates), I'll start paying attention."
Obama is currently on a three-day trip to Nevada, California and Colorado. The trip includes several fundraisers for his re-election bid.
During a wide-ranging interview, Obama criticized Washington's harsh political climate, telling Leno that "the things that folks across the country are most fed up with, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, (or) independent, is putting party ahead of country or putting the next election ahead of the next generation."
The two men discussed several foreign policy topics, including the situation in Libya and the impending withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Regarding Libya, Leno asked the president for his reaction to the death of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi.
"This is somebody who for 40 years has terrorized his country and supported terrorism," Obama said. Gadhafi "had an opportunity during the Arab Spring to finally let loose of his grip on power and to peacefully transition into democracy. We gave him ample opportunity, and he wouldn't do it."
Obama said Gadhafi's demise sent "a strong message around the world to dictators" that "people long to be free," and that "universal rights" and aspirations should be respected.
The bloodied Gadhafi's televised jostling with his captors was not something Americans "should relish," the president said
"There was a reason after (Osama) bin Laden was killed, for example, we didn't release the photograph," the president said. "I think that there's a certain decorum with which you treat the dead -- even if it's somebody who has done terrible things."
The president hit back at GOP critics of the American role in the NATO-led Libya campaign, insisting that the United States did not, as many have claimed, "lead from behind."
"We lead from the front," Obama asserted, highlighting the U.S. role in pushing a U.N. resolution backing NATO's intervention, as well as the U.S. military's role in establishing a no-fly zone over Libya.
"The difference here is we were able to organize the international community," Obama said. "There was never this sense that somehow we were unilaterally making a decision to take out somebody. Rather, it was the world community."
The Libya operation "is a recipe for success in the future," the president declared.
Obama also defended his choice to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year -- a decision blasted by GOP critics concerned the move will imperil U.S. gains in the region.
"I don't know exactly how they are thinking about it," Obama said. "We've been in there for years, over 4,000 young men and women killed, tens of thousands injured, some of them for life, (and) spent close to $1 trillion on this operation. I think the vast majority of the American people feel as if it is time to bring this war to a close, particularly because we still have ... work to do in Afghanistan."
The president noted the importance of the recent death of Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born cleric killed in Yemen by a U.S. drone strike. Al-Awlaki played a critical role with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, heading up external operations and focusing on attacking the United States, officials said.
Al-Awlaki was "probably the most important al Qaeda threat that was out there after bin Laden was taken out," Obama said. "It was important that working with the enemies, we were able to remove him from the field." | [
"What did Obama say about Gadhafi's death?",
"Which show was Obama on ?",
"What did Obama joke about ?",
"What did Obama tell Jay Leno ?",
"What did Obama say about the GOP primary?"
] | [
[
"sent \"a strong message around the world to dictators\" that \"people long to be free,\" and that \"universal rights\" and aspirations should be respected."
],
[
"with Jay Leno\""
],
[
"\"I'm going to wait until everybody's voted off the island,\""
],
[
"\"I'm going to wait until everybody's voted off the island,\""
],
[
"\"I'm going to wait until everybody's voted off the island,\""
]
] | NEW: Obama jokes White House may get egged if first lady hands out fruit and raisins on Halloween .
Obama appears on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"
Obama says he won't pay attention to the GOP primary until it's down to one or two candidates .
Obama tells Leno that Gadhafi's death sends "a strong message" to other dictators . |
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Since he opened his first restaurant in the heart of Beverly Hills in the early eighties, Wolfgang Puck has gone on to become a household name in the U.S.
Puck says L.A. has perfect weather, "fabulous light and very little rain"
His chain of airport restaurants stretch across the states while his brand adorns everything from pizzas to non-stick pans. He lives in Los Angeles with his second wife and their two young children.
CNN: What first drew you to L.A.?
Wolfgang Puck: I came to the U.S. when I was 24. I spent a month in New York and a year in Indianapolis but I always dreamt about the beaches in California. I had a blue 1967 Cadillac. In 1974 I packed my suitcases, put them in a trailer and drove straight to L.A. It took me five days to drive from Indianapolis. Watch Wolfgang Puck take CNN on a tour of L.A. »
CNN: What has kept you here all these years?
Wolfgang Puck: In L.A. you live in a big city, but you feel like you're in the countryside. For example, I can be at home in the swimming pool and be five minutes from everything. It has the perfect weather -- the movie industry started here because of the fabulous light and very little rain. See pictures of Wolfgang Puck's Los Angeles
CNN: Does everyone in L.A. want to be an actor?
Wolfgang Puck: It's a city of dreams. It's nice to dream but a lot of people forget it's very difficult. They think you become Cate Blanchett or Jack Nicholson just like that, but these people paid their dues. They forget how much time it took them to get there and how good they really are.
CNN: You are the official caterer to the Oscars. It must an exciting event to be part of.
Wolfgang Puck: When we cater the Governor's Ball, we have 300 people in the kitchen and 600 in the dining room. It goes very fast and it's done the right way. I remember Michael Caine came to Spago (Puck's flagship Beverly Hills eaterie) the Monday after the awards with his family and said could he get the same dish that he ate at the awards, which means we really nailed it.
CNN: How has the city inspired your cooking?
Wolfgang Puck: For me, cooking is an expression of the land where you are and the culture of that place. L.A. is a melting pot of many different cultures and we have fabulous ingredients here. If you go to San Diego, San Francisco you can get the best vegetables, the best fruits, sea food -- all these wonderful ingredients.
CNN: How does L.A. compare with New York?
Wolfgang Puck: New Yorkers think they have everything, all the best art and music. But really L.A. is a better place. Some of the most famous artists in the world work right here.
CNN: You're a big fan of modern art. How did that start?
Wolfgang Puck: I got interested in contemporary art because I worked in a restaurant right across the street from a gallery where they made prints for people like David Hockney. The artists came for lunch at the restaurant so I used to talk to them. Hockney made the first cover of my cook book; I had Andy Warhol do the label for our wine. I feel that painting is in some way like cooking -- if you add a little more blue, a little less blue it doesn't matter.
The same thing with cooking: a little of this, a little bit more of that. As long as the end result is beautiful, that's what counts.
CNN: If L.A. was personified, what would they be like?
Wolfgang Puck: A person who enjoys themselves. They do a great job at work but also can have a good time. To me that's what life is all about. | [
"What car did Puck drive",
"What did Puck arrive in L.A. in?",
"What has helped inspire his cuisine?",
"What year Puck came to Los Angeles?"
] | [
[
"blue 1967 Cadillac."
],
[
"1967 Cadillac."
],
[
"L.A. is a melting pot of many different cultures and we have fabulous ingredients here. If you go to San Diego, San Francisco you can get the best vegetables, the best fruits, sea food"
],
[
"1974"
]
] | Puck arrived in L.A. in a blue 1967 Cadillac, driving five days from the Midwest .
The city's melting pot of cultures has helped inspire his cuisine .
Many of Hollywood's biggest names come to dine in his restaurants . |
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The shoe phone on TV's "Get Smart" wasn't just a sneaky spy gadget, it was a technological marvel: a wireless, portable telephone that could be used anywhere -- though it did require a dime to make a call. Today, almost everyone has a pocket-sized version that also takes photos, shoots video, sends e-mail and surfs the Internet. About the only thing it doesn't do is protect your feet. "Get Smart" comes to the big screen next week, along with a spate of new spy gadgets to help Maxwell Smart, Agent 99 and the other spies at CONTROL. The gadgets are just as goofy as they were in the original TV series, but because technology has caught up with the writers' imaginations, there's a big difference: many of the movie's doo-dads actually exist. "Our favorite thing is to take something that does sort of exist and just exaggerate it a little bit," said Matt Ember, who co-wrote the script. The film shows a tiny iPod alongside spy-worthy stuff such as a two-way tooth radio and a digital "spy fly" -- all of which are available now. "It's pushed to a level of success that perhaps it hasn't achieved in the real world, but it's real, it's out there, so that's fun" added co-writer Tom J. Astle, a self-described science nut. Director Peter Segal said he originally couldn't believe such devices were real. "I said, `That's too silly. I don't think people will buy it,"' he recalled telling the writers. "Then they Googled it and it came up as an actual thing." Astle and Ember saw the tooth radio in a magazine and thought it was a perfect fit for the film. "That's an example of taking inspiration from the old series in spirit," Astle said. "The inherent comedy of having a microphone in your mouth -- it's really close to your voice and it's easy to yell and be too loud." The inextricable link between gadgets and spy movies began with James Bond in 1962, said TV historian Tim Brooks, author of "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows." The often-preposterous devices Bond used added levity to a genre that "had always been deadly serious" during the early years of the Cold War, Brooks said. Back in the day, "Get Smart" ratcheted up the goofiness level with bulletproof pajamas, a Bunsen-burner phone and other wacky gadgets that often didn't work. When the show debuted in 1965, the nation was future-focused and obsessed with the promise of technology. The show played on that obsession, Brooks said, introducing dozens of covert gadgets and props designed to make life easier for Cold War-era secret agents. A cigarette lighter doubled as a .22-caliber gun. A lipstick could record conversations or release poisonous gas. Then there was the famous shoe phone and the always-dysfunctional "cone of silence" that could (theoretically) keep conversations private, even in a crowded room. "It's nothing that you would expect to find or would even make sense in real life, and that's the gag," Brooks said. "It was part of what the show was about. You'd watch wondering what's next, where's the phone going to be next time. ... It was like a satire of our fixation with gadgets." The movie also takes liberties with some familiar devices, such as portable lasers, retinal scanners and a tricked-out Swiss Army Knife equipped with a flame-thrower and a mini crossbow. Despite living in a high-tech world, movie fans still love spy gadgets, the filmmakers said: Just look at the success of the Bond franchise, which will soon introduce its 22nd installment, and spy spoofs such as "Austin Powers." Part of it is the undercover element, | [
"Who said it exaggerates many gadgets?",
"Who said it was America's fixation with gadgets?",
"What film is opening next week?",
"What does a tv historian say?",
"What is the title of the new film?",
"What comes to the big screen next week?",
"when did it debut?",
"What is the newest film?"
] | [
[
"Matt Ember,"
],
[
"Brooks"
],
[
"\"Get Smart\""
],
[
"The inextricable link between gadgets and spy movies began with James Bond in 1962,"
],
[
"\"Get Smart\""
],
[
"\"Get Smart\""
],
[
"in 1965,"
],
[
"\"Get Smart\""
]
] | New film "Get Smart" comes to the big screen next week .
Co-writer says the film exaggerates many gadgets that can be bought online .
The original TV show debuted in 1965, when the nation was "future-focused"
TV historian says the show was a satire of America's fixation with gadgets . |
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Dry conditions and strong winds in California left much of the state vulnerable to massive fires, with blaze-starters ranging from a cooking fire at a drug trafficking operation to a bird flying into a power line. Drop in humidity, high temperatures could hamper efforts to contain the Lockheed Fire in Santa Cruz County. "It really goes to show you that it doesn't take much with these dry conditions to start a fire," CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant told CNN Sunday. The fire sparked by a bird hitting a power line ignited a series of blazes in Yuba County, forcing some 1,300 firefighters to the scene and officials to declare evacuations in the town of Dobbins, he said. Authorities have battled the Yuba fire since Friday and expect containment by Thursday. In Southern California's Santa Barbara County, a weeklong blaze has charred more than 84,000 acres, investigators said. The fire originated at an illegal marijuana camp believed to be run by a Mexican drug organization, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Narcotics Unit said in a news release Saturday night. "I haven't heard of any other fire starting that way," said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Carol Underhill, referring to the so-called La Brea Fire. More than 2,000 firefighters are fighting the blaze, which is 35 percent contained, authorities said. Some homes around the Los Padres National Forest have been evacuated. Narcotics investigators have secured the area after working for the past month to eradicate marijuana operations in the remote and steep terrain, the release said. "It is also believed that the suspects are still within the San Rafael wilderness trying to leave the area on foot," officials said. Twenty firefighters sustained minor injuries while trying to contain a complex of smaller fires in Northern California's Shasta County that have burned nearly at least 17,623 acres, authorities said. Watch fire in Santa Cruz Mountains » CalFire spokesman Brent Saulsbury said 37 of the 40 fires -- known as the Shasta Lightning Complex -- are under control. The area is dense with timber, giving the fires serious fuel. Rugged terrain, limited access to fire trucks and the length of time it takes to reach wildfires have hindered firefighters in recent days, he said. CNN's Nick Valencia contributed to this report. | [
"How many firefighters battle blazes in steep terrain across the state?",
"Who said, \"it doesn't take much to start a fire\"?",
"How many firefighters battled blazes across the state?",
"What includes blaze-starters?",
"What did the firefighters do?",
"What did CalFire spokesman say?",
"Who does the spokesman work for?"
] | [
[
"More than 2,000"
],
[
"CalFire spokesman Daniel Berlant"
],
[
"2,000"
],
[
"ranging from a cooking fire at a drug trafficking operation to a bird flying into a power line."
],
[
"fighting the blaze,"
],
[
"\"It really goes to show you that it doesn't take much with these dry conditions to start a fire,\""
],
[
"CalFire"
]
] | Blaze-starters include cooking fire at drug trafficking camp, bird flying into power line .
CalFire spokesman: "It doesn't take much with these dry conditions to start a fire"
Thousand of firefighters battle blazes in steep terrain across the state . |
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A 1965 Volkswagen van stolen 35 years ago in Spokane, Washington, was found by customs agents in a shipping container in the Los Angeles port last month, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official said. The blue van, in pristine condition, was bound for Germany along with several vintage Volkswagens, Customs and Border Protection Port Director Todd Hoffman said. The Arizona company that was shipping the van had no idea the vehicle was stolen from a Spokane auto shop in 1974, Hoffman said. Customs and Border Protection agents routinely run vehicle identification numbers through the National Insurance Crime Bureau database for all vehicles being loaded on ships for export, he said. They recover stolen vehicles about once a week, but they usually are high-end late-model luxury cars, he said. While it was likely worth just a few hundred dollars when it was stolen, the VW is now valued at about $27,000, he said. Allstate Insurance Company, which paid the original owner for the loss decades ago, now owns the van, according to Allstate spokeswoman Megan Brunet. The insurance company has not decided if it will sell the van at auction -- which is the routine -- or put it to other use because of it's history, she said. | [
"what was stolen",
"How much is the van currently worth?",
"Where was the van found?",
"how much is the van",
"In what year was the van stolen?"
] | [
[
"1965 Volkswagen van"
],
[
"$27,000,"
],
[
"in a shipping container in the Los Angeles port"
],
[
"$27,000,"
],
[
"1974,"
]
] | Van stolen in Spokane found in Los Angeles shipping container .
Customs checks VIN, finds van was stolen from an auto shop in 1974 .
Van now worth about $27,000; insurance company is owner . |
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A Georgia man suspected of shooting to death a 21-year-old up-and-coming rapper at a ritzy Los Angeles shopping center Monday afternoon is being held on $1 million bail, Los Angeles Police said. Rap artist Dolla arrives at the Soul Train Music Awards in Pasadena, California, on March 10, 2007. Dolla, whose real name is Roderick Anthony Burton II, was shot in the head about 3:10 p.m. at the Beverly Center, his publicist said. Police later arrested Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, at Los Angeles International Airport, a Los Angeles Police statement said. No other details were given about Berry, who was arrested on suspicion of murder. Dolla, who was based in Atlanta, Georgia, was in Los Angeles recording his debut album. He caught the attention of multiplatinium R&B singer Akon when the then-12-year-old Dolla was performing with friends at showcases around Atlanta. The two collaborated on Dolla's first single, "Who the F--- is That?" which also featured another high-profile singer, T-Pain. Another Dolla song, "Feelin' Myself," appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 movie "Step Up." According to his MySpace page, Dolla was born in Chicago, Illinois. His twin sister died at birth due to complications from an enlarged heart. The family moved to Atlanta after Dolla's father committed suicide -- while Dolla, then 5, and another sister watched from their parents' bed, the Web page said. Dolla began composing rhymes in elementary school and decided to pursue a career in music. A source close to the record company said Dolla had just arrived in Los Angeles to work on his debut album. Funeral services, which will be held in Atlanta, will be announced later, publicist Sue Vannasing said. | [
"How much is the bail",
"Whose real name is Roderick Anthony Burton II?",
"Who is being held on bail",
"Where was Dolla",
"what its the name of girl with 23 years old?",
"Who is being held on $1 million bail?"
] | [
[
"$1 million"
],
[
"Dolla,"
],
[
"Aubrey Louis Berry,"
],
[
"Beverly Center,"
],
[
"Aubrey Louis Berry,"
],
[
"Aubrey Louis Berry,"
]
] | NEW: Aubrey Louis Berry, 23, of Georgia, being held on $1 million bail in shooting .
The rapper Dolla, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is shot in the head and killed .
Dolla was at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, his publicist said .
Dolla, whose real name is Roderick Anthony Burton II, was 21 . |
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