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NewsQA
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(CNN) -- Longtime talk show host Larry King says he's joined an effort to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"It would be a thrill of a lifetime to be a part owner, a partial owner, of a team I grew up rooting for as a child in Brooklyn," the former host of CNN's "Larry King Live" said Wednesday."
"To go to a ballpark and have an owner's box, to even have a say in a possible trade -- are you out of your mind?" he asked rhetorically.
King says he's part of group of investors interested in acquiring the franchise, despite its apparent financial troubles and unresolved contract issues with Fox Sports.
Major League Baseball, which took charge of the team in April, has been embroiled in legal battles over future media rights after baseball Commissioner Bud Selig rejected a $3 billion television deal with Fox.
The beleaguered club then filed for bankruptcy in June and has since drawn a number of high-profile buyers into the bidding process after team owner Frank McCourt agreed to sell.
A court hearing over the Dodgers' future media rights is scheduled for December 7.
King's investor group, meanwhile, is led by insurance agent Dennis Gilbert, who also works as a special assistant to Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.
"What bigger thrill?" asked King, a native of Brooklyn, New York, which the Dodgers once called home.
The team, formerly known as the Trolley Dodgers because of the maze of trolley cars that Brooklynites once dodged in the streets, eventually shortened its name, then and moved to California, kicking off its first L.A. season in 1958, to the dismay of many New Yorkers.
"The emotional part would be that they'd have to carry me out," King said of his possible part-ownership stake in the team.
|
4e29e721f06a41cda54f000fbbb19115
|
What did the club file for in June?
|
[
"bankruptcy"
] |
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|
BOGOTA, Colombia (CNN) -- "Easy money, fast and effective."
Investors protest outside the headquarters of DMG, one of many companies accused of defrauding the public.
That was the name of one of the businesses in which millions of Colombians deposited their life savings after being promised short-term returns of as much as 150 percent.
But government officials say the businesses were pyramid schemes that raked in at least $200 million from 3 million people.
The government has said it knows who most of those responsible are, but they have escaped. The government is tracking them down.
Sergio Munoz is among those who lost their savings.
"That was for my children," he said. "Now, it comes to light that they have robbed us. It was with complicity of the authorities who permit this -- knowing that it is illegal for it to be permitted."
The government says the businesses defrauded the public by offering false promises of a sure investment.
Wilson Rodriguez handed over the equivalent of $80,000 to a money man who offered him what he thought were assets in hotels and property in exchange.
Now, he doesn't know whom to approach.
"I don't even have enough to care for my family," he said. "I lent money and what I make from my salary goes to pay off debts. I have nothing. I lost everything."
Infuriated investors have demonstrated outside the headquarters of several companies in question across the nation.
Worried that the situation has already led to physical altercations and riots, President Alvaro Uribe asked that authorities act immediately to bring those responsible to justice.
"We are asking the public prosecutor to speed up the resolution of the cases," he said. "The national police has handed to the prosecution the power to intervene in pyramids."
Treasury Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga said the government is not to blame.
"The government had advertised all this time about the illegality of this operation, warning Colombians not to let themselves be defrauded, not to take their money to these illegal activities," he said.
Meanwhile, some observers complain that, though the investors may shoulder some blame, the government could have mitigated their losses by moving more quickly.
And, they note, some of the alleged pyramid schemes continue to stay in business.
|
05a15989128e4ca299d7fafe8cf28d61
|
What did the treasury minister say?
|
[
"the government is not to blame."
] |
NewsQA
|
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Up to 30,000 additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan next year, military officials said Saturday.
Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan, with its high mountain terrain.
Roughly 31,000 U.S. troops currently are in Afghanistan.
Of the additional troops, 20,000 will comprise four ground/maneuvering brigades, said Col. Gregory Julian, spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. That number is consistent with what Gen. David McKiernan, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, called for in October, he said.
The additional 10,000 likely refers to support personnel, Julian said.
McKiernan requested the additional 20,000 troops be sent to fight the increasing violence by the resurgent Taliban forces in the southern and eastern parts of the country.
On Friday, military officials said Defense Secretary Robert Gates signed a deployment order to move an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan next year. Those troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade, the latest approved by Gates for the expected buildup of U.S. troops in the country in 2009.
The brigade will send a number of much-needed helicopters to the region. Helicopters are the main mode of transportation for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, where high mountain roads and passes make it difficult for large transport vehicles to move troops and supplies.
The additional troops would nearly double the level of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Troop levels are likely to be maintained at this increased level for three to four years, Julian said Saturday, as U.S. forces continue to try to "clear and hold" more parts of Afghanistan from insurgents and militants and train Afghan military and police to be self-sufficient.
|
8bab7fc126e5405789ae8687a2fc1e79
|
What type of personnel are the additional 10,000?
|
[
"support"
] |
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|
(CNN) -- Ferrari have unveiled their new car, the F10, which the Italian manufacturer hopes will see them return to the front of the Formula One grid.
Last season saw Ferrari struggle to keep up with Brawn GP, McLaren and Red Bull and team boss Stefano Domenicali told the BBC that he believes the new car will be far more competitive than the 2009 version.
"We are coming off a season that was not competitive and this should mark a turning point. We want to win the world title once again," said Domeniciali.
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso's move to Ferrari was one of Formula One's worse-kept secrets but, now his move has been confirmed, the Spaniard admits he cannot wait to get started.
"This is my first presentation with a Ferrari and it's very exciting," he told the official Ferrari Web site. "I want to thank the team for their great work, but also the sponsors and everybody else."
Alonso will partner Brazilian Felipe Massa, who has now fully recovered from his life-threatening crash in Hungary last July, and chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo believes both drivers will compliment each other superbly.
"They know how to race for a team and not for themselves. I'm expecting a lot from them. Felipe is strong, stronger than he has ever been. In Budapest I told him: 'you'll be back even stronger'' and he has."
Formula One rules changes have been taken into account when constructing the new F10 and Luca Marmorini, head of engine and electronics, commented: "From a technical point of view reducing the consumption was one of the most interesting things this year. Consumption means performance.
"There won't be any refuelling anymore so consuming less means less petrol on board and therefore better lap times. Whoever consumes less will be faster on the track."
|
76ecc23cb9c34af6822784bc131172e5
|
What has Ferrari done?
|
[
"have unveiled their new car, the F10,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- A Tampa judge denied bail Wednesday for a Florida man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 3-month-old child, who authorities say was thrown out of a moving car.
Police say infant Emanuel Murray died after his mother's ex-boyfriend threw him from a car on a Florida interstate.
Richard Anthony McTear Jr., 21, was arrested Tuesday, hours after a confrontation at his former girlfriend's apartment in which he snatched the infant, Emanuel Wesley Murray, the Hillsborough County sheriff's office said.
The child's body was found about 4 .am. Tuesday on the side of Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida, by a local television photographer on his way to work. The photographer, WTVT's Jason Bird, said he stopped when he spotted something by the roadside
"It had to be a baby doll but it was too big to be a doll," Bird told CNN affiliate WFTS in Tampa. "I almost passed out, I started shaking," said Bird.
A preliminary autopsy determined the child died of blunt trauma to the head, the county medical examiner's office said.
Police were called to the apartment of McTear's former girlfriend about 3:15 a.m. Tuesday. The mother, Jasmine Bedwell, 17, told investigators that McTear had hit her several times and threatened "to kill the both of y'all," the sheriff's department said in a statement announcing the charges.
McTear threw a car seat containing the child across the room during the fight, causing the boy to fall onto the apartment's concrete floor, investigators said. He then picked up the boy and drove off in his blue Chevrolet Impala, throwing the child out while on the interstate, the sheriff's department said.
Video on CNN affiliate WFLA TV showed McTear being led out of a Tampa police squad car after his arrest. He ducked his head as TV cameras surrounded him on his walk into a police building.
When asked by reporters if he had thrown the child out of the car window, McTear answered, "It's a dirty game. A dirty game."
McTear is not related to the child, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter.
McTear is facing additional charges of burglary with battery, felony battery, aggravated child abuse and kidnapping, the sheriff's department said.
|
ffc2e45aa1a149f28ceed818c64e0904
|
What charges does McTear face
|
[
"burglary with battery, felony battery, aggravated child abuse and kidnapping,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Three inmates were shot and wounded by guards Friday during an escape attempt at a Livingston, Texas, prison, officials said.
The incident started about 9 p.m. (10 p.m. ET) when inmates were leaving a church service at a gymnasium in the prison, said Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
While walking back from the church service, five inmates jumped an interior fence in an attempt to flee, officials said.
Guards opened fire, wounding three of the inmates. All five were captured and the wounded inmates were taken to a hospital, Clark said.
CNN's Leslie Tripp contributed to this report.
|
fcd964abc04a4a2e84ee0d109d536cff
|
What is the number of inmates that got out?
|
[
"Three"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi has replaced David Beckham as the best-paid player in world football, according to France Football magazine's annual "rich list".
Beckham has topped the list for the last two years, but World Player of the Year Messi is now the highest earner.
The Barcelona star has estimated annual earnings of €33 million ($44.1m) with Beckham left trailing on €30.4 million ($40.64m).
Beckham suffered World Cup heartbreak when rupturing his Achilles tendon while on loan at AC Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy, dashing his hopes of appearing in the finals for the fourth time with England.
Blog: Is Messi better than Maradona ?
He has suffered a slight drop in income compared to 2009, partly due to the falling value of the dollar, but Beckham has been in the top two of the list for the past nine years to show his enduring appeal.
Messi, in outstanding form for reigning Spanish and European champions with successive La Liga hat-tricks, boosted his earnings through bonuses as Barcelona did the treble last year under Pep Guardiola.
According to France Football, Messi's annual wage is made up of a €10 million ($13.36m) basic salary, €4 million ($5.36m) in bonuses and €19 million ($25.4m) from endorsements and sponsorships, which include Adidas, Pepsi Cola and Gillette.
Messi's predecessor as World Player of the Year, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo is a close third in the list on €30 million ($40.08m) but there is a big gap to the fourth-placed player, Ronaldo's teammate Kaka on €18.8 million ($25.11m).
Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Carlos Tevez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Frank Lampard and Samuel Eto'o make up the rest of the top 10.
Inter Milan's Jose Mourinho tops the manager's rich list with €13 million ($17.36 m) ahead of Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini on €12 million ($16.02m).
|
89b5b22353da4a0db1cb32946406a6af
|
Who tops annual list of world's best-piad footballers?
|
[
"Lionel Messi"
] |
NewsQA
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of Michael Jackson on Thursday, showing the late entertainer in a pose from the concerts he had planned to hold this month.
The new waxwork of Michael Jackson -- only Queen Elizabeth II has been portrayed more times by Madame Tussauds.
Sculptors at the wax museum started working on the figure four months ago. They had intended to display it this month, to coincide with the start of Jackson's "This is It" comeback tour in London.
The new figure is modeled on a Jackson pose from the concert poster, the museum said. It shows him "arms outstretched, pelvis thrusting and tip-toed, with his trademark trilby angled forward," the museum said.
It is the 13th Jackson waxwork by Madame Tussauds, the museum said. Only Britain's Queen Elizabeth II -- who has been on the throne for almost 60 years -- has been portrayed more often.
"It is extremely unusual for a personality to have been portrayed so many times," said Madame Tussauds spokeswoman Liz Edwards.
"But Michael Jackson was totally unique and his iconic status made him one of the most popular stars here."
The London museum has two other Jackson waxworks -- one in a pose from "Thriller" and another from his "Dangerous" album. The other 10 Jackson waxworks are in other Madame Tussauds museums around the world.
The museum said it decided to proceed with the figure after Jackson's death last month "as a tribute to one of the greatest musicians of all time and to celebrate his amazing 40-year career."
|
dd3468c393704098a67bb6b858b831f9
|
Only who has been portrayed more often by the museum?
|
[
"Queen Elizabeth II"
] |
NewsQA
|
KARBALA, Iraq (CNN) -- A female suicide bomber apparently targeting Shiite worshippers killed at least 40 people and wounded at least 65 in Karbala on Monday, according to an Interior Ministry official.
Iraqi security forces gather around the site of a car bomb explosion in Baghdad on Monday.
The incident occurred one-half mile from the Imam Hussein shrine of Karbala.
Karbala is a Shiite holy city, and the Imam Hussein shrine is one of Shiite Islam's holiest locations. The shrine marks the burial spot of Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, who was killed in battle nearby in 680.
No more information was immediately available about the blast southwest of the capital city, Baghdad.
Earlier Monday, in Baghdad, a roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol, killing one officer and wounding another, the Interior Ministry told CNN.
A short time later, another roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol on Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad, wounding four bystanders, a ministry official said.
The first attack took place about 8:30 a.m. in the upscale Mansour neighborhood, where law enforcement officials have come under frequent attacks in recent weeks.
Also Monday, two American soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad, officials said.
The incident occurred about 12:20 p.m. as the soldiers were "conducting a route-clearance combat operation north of Baghdad," according to a news release.
The names of the soldiers were not immediately released.
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the Iraqi capital Monday on an unannounced visit.
Cheney told reporters that the five years in Iraq since the war's start has been "well worth the effort."
He said he met with top Iraqi officials. He appeared at a news conference with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to the country.
Cheney began a trip to the Middle East on Sunday with an official itinerary that listed stops in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel and the West Bank, according to the White House. E-mail to a friend
CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.
|
81fe1095030d47fba53b0b91061013c1
|
What is the death toll in Karbala?
|
[
"at least"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- The Wisconsin man accused of poisoning his wife with antifreeze and convicted of murdering her was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Mark Jensen's chin quivers as a letter from his sons is read in court Wednesday before his sentencing.
Mark Jensen, 48, was found guilty Thursday in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, of killing his wife, Julie Jensen, in 1998.
The prosecution said the murder culminated years of torment.
"Your crime is so enormous, so monstrous, so unspeakably cruel that it overcomes all other considerations," Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder said before pronouncing the sentence. Watch the judge lower the boom »
Prosecutors contended that Jensen poisoned his 40-year-old wife with antifreeze and then suffocated her in 1998, but the defense argued that Julie Jensen was a depressed woman who killed herself and framed her husband.
Julie Jensen had given a neighbor a letter pointing an accusing finger at her husband should anything happen to her.
She also made foreboding comments to police and to her son's teacher, saying she suspected her husband was trying to kill her.
Her letter, read aloud in court, said in part: "I pray I'm wrong + nothing happens ... but I am suspicious of Mark's suspicious behaviors + fear for my early demise." Read the letter »
The case turned on the admissibility of the letter, which would have been considered unusable "hearsay" evidence if Schroeder had not ruled that it was a "dying declaration." In such cases, the defendant has no opportunity to face his accuser.
After the verdict, jurors told reporters that the letter gave them "a clear road map" to conviction, as one female juror phrased it.
Another female juror said he believed Mark Jensen was trying to push his wife over the edge. "He tortured Julie hoping she could be classically diagnosed as a nutcase," she said.
Several of the jurors were in the court gallery for the sentencing hearing Wednesday.
Jensen, dressed in blue jail fatigues, sat stoically while Julie Jensen's four brothers asked for the harshest possible sentence.
"I hope the court shows the same mercy and compassion that the defendant showed our sister," Patrick Griffin, the victim's youngest brother, said. Watch brothers demand justice »
But Jensen's chin quivered and his eyes watered when his attorney read a letter from Jensen's two sons, David and Douglas.
"He never failed to support us throughout this ordeal," the sons wrote in requesting mercy for their father. "... If anyone in this world is the epitome of loyalty, it is our dad." E-mail to a friend
CNN's Jim Kavanagh contributed to this report.
|
5aeee4513bfe4e7f8a5e7dbb14c1587b
|
Whose posthumous letter led jurors to their verdict?
|
[
"Julie Jensen"
] |
NewsQA
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A letter penned by George Washington praising the new Constitution sold for $3.2 million at an auction, the highest price for a letter by America's first president.
The four-page letter in Washington's slanting penmanship was written to his nephew Bushrod Washington in November 1787, according to Christie's, the company that auctioned it.
It was in the possession of an unidentified British descendant of his family, Christie's said.
Washington led the Philadelphia Convention, at which the Constitution was drafted in 1787. After the Constitution was produced, a nationwide debate ensued on whether to ratify it.
In the letter written from Washington's Virginia estate, Mount Vernon, he endorses the Constitution and highlights the benefits of compromise and of states merging into one nation.
"The central issues must be consolidated -- and local views as far as the general good will admit, must be attended to," he says in the letter, according to Christie's.
The company said the president confided in his nephew.
"Washington professed neutrality in public, but to Bushrod expressed his unequivocal conviction that the new Constitution must be ratified, in spite of opposition from many special-interest groups," Christie's said.
The buyer was not identified.
Christie's had earlier estimated that the letter would fetch $1.5 million to $2.5 million at Friday's auction.
Washington served from 1789 to 1797, then died of a throat infection two years later. He died at his beloved Mount Vernon at age 67, plunging the nation into months of mourning.
Last year, a 1864 letter in which President Abraham Lincoln replies to the abolitionist pleas of youth sold for $3.4 million.
|
98270af92d474a669758c79708410125
|
How many pages long was the letter?
|
[
"four-page"
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- The only surviving gunman in the 2008 attacks on Mumbai that killed more than 160 people was sentenced to death by hanging on Thursday.
Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, a Pakistani, was convicted on Monday of murder, conspiracy, and waging war on India. He was sentenced to death on five separate counts, and life imprisonment on five others.
On receiving the sentence, Kasab lowered his head. He was silent when the judge asked him if he wanted to say anything.
Kasab is the only man to have been sentenced in connection with the three-day siege in November 2008. During the raids, 10 men attacked buildings including the luxury Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and Oberoi-Trident hotels, the city's Victoria Terminus train station, and the Jewish cultural center, Chabad House.
Kasab was photographed holding an assault weapon during the attacks.
India blamed the attacks on the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, a Pakistan-based terror group allied with al Qaeda.
Authorities said Kasab was trained by the organization, which was banned in Pakistan in 2002 after an attack on India's parliament. The group denied responsibility.
Indian forces killed nine suspects in the attack. Their bodies were embalmed and kept in a hospital morgue as some local Muslim groups refused to bury them in their graveyards, saying the attackers were not true followers of Islam.
An Indian official in Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, has said a burial took place in January this year. He did not give the date or the exact location of what he described as a secret funeral.
Two Indian nationals accused of conspiracy were acquitted in the trial.
The prosecutor said he would fight their acquittals.
|
3a36f4c414234374bbd65bb479e7de43
|
Where is Kasab from?
|
[
"Pakistani,"
] |
NewsQA
|
Newark, New Jersey (CNN) -- A security breach at Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday evening forced the closure of a terminal for hours while authorities rescreened thousands of passengers.
The incident happened at about 5:20 p.m. at Terminal C, when a man walked through an exit on the public side to the secure "sterile" side for passengers who had cleared screening, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
"Rescreening began after the Port Authority Police and TSA swept each of the concourses in the terminal with negative findings," said Ann Davis, a TSA spokeswoman.
"The man in question was never located; however, TSA's rescreening effort will ensure that every passenger boarding an aircraft tonight out of Newark's Terminal C has been fully screened."
Watch more about the situation in Newark
All passengers had been rescreened by early Monday, according to the TSA. Flights from Terminal C were grounded until the process was completed.
iReport: Passenger photographs massive crowd
Authorities reviewed video from airport cameras but were not sure whether the man was once on the sterile side and went back or if he never went through screening, Davis said.
The incident caused arrival delays and mainly affected Continental Airlines, which is the airport's largest tenant.
CNN's Alina Cho, who arrived at the airport Sunday night on a flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, described a hectic scene, saying many passengers who had already boarded outgoing flights had to get off planes to be rescreened.
Flying Continental? Important company notice
"I just saw one woman pleading with a gate agent, saying that she had two small children and a heart condition -- that she simply could not take this," Cho said. "But of course, there will be no exceptions."
Newark Liberty International Airport, which is about 15 miles from Manhattan, is the second-largest hub for Continental.
The airport handles about 35 million passengers a year.
CNN's Susan Candiotti and Ross Levitt contributed to this report.
|
95f0b4f7ee2247da8fc6ce3043be8d16
|
Which terminal was forced to close following a security breach?
|
[
"at Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday evening"
] |
NewsQA
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The conviction of a terrorist doctor in the UK exposes how any section of society can become radicalized, a top police officer said Tuesday.
Bilal Abdulla is shown being arrested after the attack at Glasgow Airport.
Bilal Abdulla was well-educated and working as a doctor when he carried out his plot to plant car bombs in London -- rather than unemployed or with feelings of being outside or abandoned by society as has been seen before in the UK.
Born in southern England, his family moved to Iraq when he was a child. He grew up in the capital during Saddam Hussein's rule and went to the University of Baghdad before returning to Britain to attend Cambridge University.
The Cambridge-educated graduate became a doctor working in the National Health Service where the maxim is to treat anyone regardless of the ability to pay.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner John McDowall, who heads the Counter Terrorism Command, said Abdulla and Kafeel Ahmed -- who died from burn injuries after he crashed a jeep into Glasgow International Airport, Scotland -- reveal a new type of terrorist.
He told the UK's Press Association: "These individuals were not on our radar and that in itself is very interesting. When you look at the profile of these individuals they are very different from the terrorists we have dealt with in this country before - being professional people.
McDowell added they were probably inspired by al Qaeda in Iraq but developed their plan in Britain without help from abroad.
"I think this was a group that was largely self-motivated, came up with the ideas themselves, tutored themselves through the Internet. I don't think they received significant training elsewhere, which is unusual from what we have had in the past," he told PA.
Abdulla's motive, prosecutors said, was revenge for the bloodshed in Iraq. Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw said: 'There is no longer a conventional approach to terrorism. There are no rules to be broken any more, nothing can be taken for granted."
Abdulla was found guilty Tuesday of conspiracy to murder and conspiring to cause explosions. He will be sentenced to Woolwich Crown Court, London, on Wednesday.
The jury rejected his defense that he had planned only to set fire to cars in central London as a way of highlighting the plight of Iraqis.
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a684a7e99f8b47e6a0693fbcc9f3ee77
|
Where were car bomb attacks planned in June 2007?
|
[
"Glasgow Airport."
] |
NewsQA
|
Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- A motorcycle bomb killed 20 people and injured 117 others south of Baghdad on Wednesday, the Interior Ministry said.
The bombing in the holy city of Karbala was one of four attacks targeting Shiite pilgrims as they headed toward the shrine of Imam Hussein on Wednesday morning, a ministry official said.
Three people died and 23 were injured in the other attacks.
In those explosions, a roadside bomb in western Baghdad killed one person, and a roadside bomb in the city of Hilla in Babil province, south of Baghdad, killed two people. A roadside bomb in southwestern Baghdad caused only injuries.
Wednesday's attacks came two days after a suicide bomber killed 41 people and wounded 106 others in an assault on pilgrims in northeastern Baghdad.
Iraqi authorities are trying to provide security to thousands of Shiite worshipers who are making their way to Karbala to mark the Arbaeen -- the end of the 40-day mourning period at the close of Ashura.
Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed who was killed in battle in Karbala in 680 A.D. That event helped create the schism between Sunnis and Shiites, the two main Muslim religious movements.
CNN's Yousif Bassil contributed to this report.
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ca3e8b20a4e849adb1831242839fee05
|
Bombers target what type of pilgrims?
|
[
"Shiite"
] |
NewsQA
|
(PEOPLE.com) -- It's no secret that Kim Kardashian's personal life has recently taken a bumpy turn, but the reality star is still a big fan of marriage.
Asked whether she still considered marriage an attractive choice, Kardashian, who recently announced she's divorcing Kris Humphries, said, "Absolutely. I believe in love, always."
Looking fresh in Las Vegas at the opening of The Mirage Resort and Casino's Kardashian Khaos lifestyle boutique, Kardashian, 31, said she learned a lot of lessons in the past year and plans on being "a new me" in 2012.
One thing that she won't be having anytime soon: a copilot.
Asked whether she will find love again, she simply replied, "I'm not looking."
See the full article at PEOPLE.com.
© 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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6751fd189bbc494fbdf19ba293e393a9
|
what age is she
|
[
"31,"
] |
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|
(EW.com) -- "Real Steel" showed what it was made of, as the robot-boxing action drama won the weekend with an estimated $27.3 million. That's the strongest opening ever for a boxing-themed picture, beating "Rocky IV"'s $20 million debut in 1985 (when not adjusting for inflation).
DreamWorks' $110 million film, which was released by Disney's Touchstone Pictures, scored a superb "A" rating from CinemaScore graders. That bodes well for the movie's box-office stamina, especially since there are no other major family films hitting theaters until "Puss in Boots" pounces on October 28.
Unsurprisingly for a movie about mechanical fighters beating up one another, "Real Steel" skewed male -- 66 percent of the audience according to Disney. It also attracted a younger crowd, with 44 percent under the age of 25. The PG-13 movie's respectable opening must also come as a relief to star Hugh Jackman, who hasn't had a non-X-Men film open to more than $20 million since 2004′s "Van Helsing."
In second with $10.4 million was the political thriller "The Ides of March." The R-rated film -- which George Clooney directed, co-wrote, and co-stars in along with Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, and Marisa Tomei -- particularly appealed to older women. According to Sony, 58 percent of the audience was female and 60 percent was over the age of 35. The $12.5 million movie earned a "B" grade from CinemaScore participants, which is a bit lower than expected considering its awards buzz and positive reviews. "The Ides of March" will need to hold up well the next few weeks if it wants to keep its Oscar hopes alive.
The rest of the top five consisted of prior releases that all dropped around (a very commendable) 35 percent from last week. In third place, the family film "Dolphin Tale" slipped 34 percent for $9.2 million, pushing the film's cumulative tally to $49.1 million. The Brad Pitt baseball drama "Moneyball," a critical darling, grossed $7.5 million for a 38 percent decline. And the well-reviewed cancer comedy "50/50," starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen, fell 36 percent for $5.5 million.
In limited release, the why-does-this-movie-exist horror sequel "The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence" stitched together a decent $54,000 from 18 theaters, with most locations only offering late-night showings.
1. Real Steel -- $27.3 mil
2. The Ides of March -- $10.4 mil
3. Dolphin Tale -- $9.2 mil
4. Moneyball -- $7.5 mil
5. 50/50 -- $5.5 mil
See the full article at EW.com.
CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly
© 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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02b3c53855364f4a8182a83471317ee4
|
Which film took $10.4million?
|
[
"\"The Ides of March.\""
] |
NewsQA
|
San Bernardino, California (CNN) -- A man accused of shooting and paralyzing a U.S. Army soldier at a homecoming party pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment Thursday.
Ruben Jurado, 19, faces a charge of attempted murder in the shooting of Army Spc. Christopher Sullivan on Friday night at a homecoming party in Sullivan's native San Bernardino, California.
Jurado also faces four "special allegations involving premeditation and the use and discharge of a firearm, causing great bodily injury," said Christopher Lee, spokesman for the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office.
"Special allegations" can add to a convict's sentence in California.
Jurado entered court Thursday in an orange jail jumpsuit, with his hands and ankles shackled. The arraignment lasted only a few minutes.
Three of Sullivan's relatives attended.
The next court date is scheduled for January 9.
The defense team expects to receive "initial discovery of police reports and any other evidence that the district attorney has," defense attorney Michael Holmes said Wednesday. He noted that the court "allows video arraignment" but said Jurado "wanted to be present in court during the entire process."
The party in Sullivan's honor was to celebrate his recent return to California from Kentucky, where he was stationed while recovering from wounds sustained in a suicide bombing a year ago in Afghanistan. That bombing killed five members of his unit and left him with a cracked collarbone and brain damage, according to the San Bernardino County Sun. Sullivan received the Purple Heart.
At the party, Sullivan was shot twice after an argument and physical confrontation with Jurado, who fled the scene, according to police and witnesses.
The fight broke out after Jurado and Sullivan's younger brother began arguing about football, the brothers' mother, Suzanne Sullivan, said.
Jurado turned himself in to authorities in Chino Hills, California, on Monday afternoon, said Lt. Gwendolyn Waters.
Suzanne Sullivan said her family is having a difficult time coming to terms with what happened.
"He once told me that if defending this country takes his life, so be it," she said. "But to see he survived that, and now for this to happen to him, just breaks my heart."
CNN's Stan Wilson, Stella Chan, Adam Blaker, Carey Bodenheimer, and Josh Levs contributed to this report.
|
2ea5bbd35c984043a63a48516cef2842
|
Who pleaded not guilty
|
[
"Ruben Jurado,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Manor GP are to be rebranded Virgin Racing ahead of their Formula One debut next season.
Manor team chief John Booth and Virgin supremo Richard Branson are due to announce the long-awaited sponsorship tie-up on Tuesday.
The news has effectively been confirmed by motor sport's world governing body, the FIA, as they have announced the 2010 entry list for the F1 world championship.
Currently there are 12 teams, with the name Virgin Racing amongst the newcomers for 2010, joining Lotus F1 Racing, Campos Meta 1 and US F1 Team.
The issue of the 13th entry remains unresolved, although Sauber are widely expected to be granted a place on next year's grid following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Monaco on December 11.
Peter Sauber last week regained control of the team he sold to BMW four years ago after the German manufacturing giant's withdrawal from the sport.
"I am very relieved about that development," the 66-year-old Swiss, who is hopeful the FIA will now look favorably on the team's entry, told reporters.
"It would have been a crying shame had one of the best Formula One factories closed down. Regarding the slot on the grid, I am very confident we will be given a final confirmation very shortly."
The Formula One Commission are due to discuss Toyota's fate next week, again in Monaco on Wednesday.
The Japanese manufacturer pulled out of F1 at the end of last season, despite during the summer signing the new Concorde Agreement that bound them to the sport for the next three years.
Speculation has surfaced of late regarding a potential takeover, yet it is unclear whether a buyer would automatically be granted an entry on the basis of Toyota's signature on the Concorde.
In a statement, the FIA said: "Toyota Motorsport GmbH remains formally bound by the Concorde Agreement to put forward a team for participation, though it has indicated that it will not be in a position to do so.
"An announcement will be made regarding this entry in due course."
|
9afaac540bb24ca783ab98d94a328a04
|
What did the FIA confirm?
|
[
"GP are to be rebranded Virgin Racing ahead of their Formula One debut next season."
] |
NewsQA
|
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department called the expulsion of the second U.S. diplomat from Ecuador in just over a week "unjustified," rejecting charges the diplomats meddled in Ecuador's internal affairs.
First Secretary Mark Sullivan has been given 48 hours to leave the U.S. embassy in Quito, Ecuador.
On Wednesday, the Ecuadorian government expelled First Secretary Mark Sullivan, whom it accused of meddling in the government's internal police policies, giving him 48 hours to leave the country.
On February 7, the government expelled Armando Astorga, an attaché with the Department of Homeland Security working in the U.S. Embassy.
Acting Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid said the expulsions stem from the fact that certain Ecuadorian police were banned from taking part in U.S. counternarcotics training programs, but rejected "any suggestion of wrongdoing by embassy staff."
"Despite the government of Ecuador's unjustified actions, we remain committed to working collaboratively with Ecuador to confront narcotics trafficking," Duguid said.
Asked whether the State Department would reciprocate the expulsions by kicking out Ecuadorian diplomats from the United States, Duguid would say only, "We will respond as appropriate."
A senior State Department official suggested the police in Ecuador police did not meet the criteria to take part in the training, noting, "The United States does have procedures that require it to vet candidates for U.S.-funded training."
The official added, "In some countries this is seen as onerous. However, it is part of the legal accountability measures we must follow."
|
d3d21d6b859848bebbd8e4438f6a73ef
|
who calls action unjustified?
|
[
"Duguid"
] |
NewsQA
|
Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- A Spanish fishing boat repelled an attack by suspected pirates Sunday morning in the Indian Ocean off the African coast, Spain's ministry of defense said.
The Spanish Ortube Berria fishing vessel was in waters southwest of the Seychelles when pirates aboard two skiffs opened fire on the ship with light arms and a grenade shot from a launcher, according to a defense ministry news release. The Seychelles are a group of islands located north of Madagascar and southeast of Somalia, whose coastal waters have become known for piracy.
The attack happened at about 5:40 a.m., the ministry said.
A private security company aboard the fishing vessel returned fire and thwarted the attack, the statement said.
No one was injured, and the ship did not suffer any material damage.
Following the attack, the Ortube Berria was sailing southward away from the area, the defense ministry said.
Pirates have captured more than 50 ships this year off Somalia and are currently holding 11, according to information from Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon.
Earlier this month, the crew of another Spanish fishing boat, the Alakrana, was released by Somali pirates after 47 days in captivity.
The Alakrana was hijacked off the coast of Somalia.
On Sunday, the commander of a European Union anti-piracy operation, deployed a Portuguese frigate based in the area toward the site of the attack, Spanish authorities said.
CNN's Per Nyberg contributed to this report.
|
0f76e858662a4622a238eb84c32d1989
|
In what ocean did the attack occur?
|
[
"Indian"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Ferrari driver Felipe Massa will be in Brazil for his home Formula One grand prix on October 18 -- as a special guest to wave the chequered flag.
Felipe Massa is still hopeful of competing in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.
Massa is currently on the road to recovery after requiring life-saving surgery towards the end of July following his accident in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
After completing two days in the Ferrari simulator this week, the 28-year-old is scheduled to drive a 2007-spec car on Monday after undergoing a medical check-up in Paris on Friday, with governing body the FIA in attendance.
Massa, who has not ruled out the prospect of driving in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 1, will then return to Brazil for the penultimate round on the calendar.
Massa will become the third celebrity to wave the chequered flag at Interlagos in the past eight years, following in the footsteps of Pele and model Gisele Bundchen.
Hopefully, Massa will at least have his eyes on the conclusion of what could be the title decider, unlike Pele, who famously failed to carry out his duty.
The legendary footballer was looking the other way when Michael Schumacher beat his brother Ralf by half-a-second in 2002.
|
54b57d1e4c984d82a9a207ec646eac6e
|
when will felipe massa be in brazil?
|
[
"on October"
] |
NewsQA
|
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The world's population is forecast to hit 7 billion in 2011, the vast majority of its growth coming in developing and, in many cases, the poorest nations, a report released Wednesday said.
Riders cram into a train last month in New Delhi, India. India's population is expected to be 1.7 billion by 2050.
A staggering 97 percent of global growth over the next 40 years will happen in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Population Reference Bureau's 2009 World Population Data Sheet.
"The great bulk of today's 1.2 billion youth -- nearly 90 percent -- are in developing countries," said Carl Haub, a co-author of the report. Eight in 10 of those youth live in Africa and Asia.
"During the next few decades, these young people will most likely continue the current trend of moving from rural areas to cities in search of education and training opportunities, gainful employment, and adequate health care," Haub continued, calling it one of the major social questions of the next few decades.
In the developed world, the United States and Canada will account for most of the growth -- half from immigration and half from a natural increase in the population -- births minus deaths, according to the report.
High fertility rates and a young population base in the developing world will fuel most of the growth, especially in Africa, where women often give birth to six or seven children over a lifetime, the report says. The number is about two in the United States and 1.5 in Canada.
A stark contrast can be drawn between Uganda and Canada, which currently have about 34 million and 31 million residents, respectively. By 2050, Canada's population is projected to be 42 million, while Uganda's is expected to soar to 96 million, more than tripling.
"Even with declining fertility rates in many countries, world population is still growing at a rapid rate," said Bill Butz, president of the bureau. "The increase from 6 billion to 7 billion is likely to take 12 years, as did the increase from 5 billion to 6 billion. Both events are unprecedented in world history."
By 2050, India is projected to be the world's most populous nation at 1.7 billion, overtaking current leader China, which is forecast to hit 1.4 billion. The United States is expected to reach 439 million for No. 3 on the list.
|
eed4a77955434584ba691ffe5144d0bc
|
Where was the biggest growth in world population?
|
[
"India"
] |
NewsQA
|
London, England (CNN) -- Sherlock Holmes the movie has already made more than $300 million at the box office worldwide and British tourism officials are hoping it means money for them too.
Britain's tourism board has been promoting films for the past 15 years, so they know just how lucrative a movie like "Sherlock Homes" can be.
"To give you an example of a typical blockbuster film, it is normally seen by about 120 million people in the first three weeks of opening," Visit Britain official Laurence Bresh told CNN.
"Even if a small percentage of those come to visit Britain as a result of this particular film, that's going to have a huge boost in some of those tourism attractions featured in our promotion."
As much of "Sherlock Holmes" is set in London this means big business for museum officials and gift shop operators.
The Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221b Baker Street is the address where the fictional detective lived, according to the stories by Conan Doyle.
Nearby, a nine-foot statue of Holmes greets visitors at the Baker Street Underground station.
Inside the museum, visitors can check out Holmes' study, sit in his armchair by the fireside, examine his calabash pipe and observe his chemistry equipment.
"I think Hollywood has put its magic touch on the legend, and they've put, as it were, a magnifying glass over the character and of course things you could say are slightly exaggerated, but that's the wont of Hollywood and that's what makes these blockbusters successful," John Riley, Assistant Curator of the Sherlock Holmes Museum said.
"So any new perspective, any new angle always just helps to perpetuate the legend of Sherlock Holmes. And that indirectly will obviously benefit the museum."
About 70,000 visitors a year stop by the Victorian lodging house, though officials are expecting a spike of interest fueled by the new movie.
While thousands of tourists flock to visit the museum, many of its visitors are unaware that Sherlock Holmes was actually not real person.
"A few people do think he is a real character, particularly with the tour of his house on 'Baker Street' adding fuel to the fire so to speak," Mark Di-Toro from Visit Britain said.
"That is just testament to Doyle's brilliant writing with his true to nature locations in the books meaning tourist can really relate and visit all the fantastic locations."
A. Pawlowski and Phil Han contributed to this report.
|
d3b8fb61405649fc9971a462f05a99ea
|
How much has the movie already made worldwide?
|
[
"$300 million"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- More than a month after the Plastiki set sail from San Francisco, the six-person crew has made it to Christmas Island, nearly marking the halfway point of the ship's journey to cross the Pacific Ocean.
Upon their arrival, the crew was greeted at by local residents who performed cultural songs and dances, as well as offered them drinks and chocolate -- traditional treats on the Republic of Kiripbati island.
The vessel embarked from San Francisco on March 20. The arrival on Christmas Island is the first time since the ship left California that that the crew -- David de Rothschild, Jo Royle, David Thomson, Olav Heyerdahl, Vern Moen and Max Jourdan -- disembarked from their ship, constructed of more than 12,000 plastic bottles.
After participating in the arrival ceremony, the crew members spoke to 1,000 high school students about the importance of recycling, and led a discussion to address the challenges the students face in their own efforts to promote sustainable practices.
The crew had the additional opportunity to interact with the local community while the Plastiki was re-stocked and underwent a maintenance check and minor repairs.
Also on Christmas Island, filmmaker Moen will leave the Plastiki to return to California, where his wife gave birth to their son last month. In his place, Graham Hill, the founder of environmental website Treehugger, will be joining the crew.
The Plastiki has sailed 3,617 nautical miles of it 11,000-mile journey. Its final destination is Sydney, Australia.
|
35f50e620b7b45b79687875c6db5c08c
|
who interacts with the local community and promotes its sustainability message
|
[
"The crew"
] |
NewsQA
|
Washington (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration Wednesday proposed a $2.9 million fine against American Eagle Airlines for allegedly conducting more than 1,100 flights using planes with landing-gear doors that had not been repaired as prescribed by the FAA.
The proposed fine comes just weeks after the FAA proposed a $2.5 million fine against the airline for allegedly operating flights without adequately ensuring that the weight of baggage was properly calculated.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based American Eagle -- a regional affiliate of American Airlines -- flew four Bombardier regional jets on more than 1,100 flights between February and May 2008, with main landing-gear doors that had not been repaired as ordered by the FAA in August 2006, the FAA said.
"Following Airworthiness Directives [repair orders] is not optional," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement. "The FAA does not hesitate to levy fines if maintenance standards are violated."
American Eagle responded that it was disappointed in the FAA's actions, saying the airline did not endanger the public and it considered a fine unwarranted.
The repair order required airlines to inspect landing-gear doors and take necessary action, fixing the doors or replacing them with new ones. In this case, American Eagle found damage on four aircraft, but rather than removing the doors as required, the airline repaired them while they remained on the planes.
American Eagle said it self-disclosed to the FAA that repairs were performed while the landing-gear doors remained on the aircraft, a process that the FAA and the aircraft manufacturer subsequently approved, the company said. American Eagle subsequently removed the landing-gear doors on each of the affected aircraft and repaired them in accordance with the Airworthiness Directive.
The airline said it will meet with the FAA to discuss the matter.
The proposed fines are the latest in a string of multimillion dollar fines the FAA has proposed against airlines for failing to follow repair orders. In October, the FAA proposed to fine US Airways $5.4 million and United $3.8 million for other maintenance violations.
In March, Southwest Airlines agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a complaint that it flew unsafe planes.
|
d07a10b3d0a44adfab69875d4050df85
|
What would the fine be for improper baggage weight check?
|
[
"$2.5 million"
] |
NewsQA
|
BREMEN, Germany -- Carlos Alberto, who scored in FC Porto's Champions League final victory against Monaco in 2004, has joined Bundesliga club Werder Bremen for a club record fee of 7.8 million euros ($10.7 million).
Carlos Alberto enjoyed success at FC Porto under Jose Mourinho.
"I'm here to win titles with Werder," the 22-year-old said after his first training session with his new club. "I like Bremen and would only have wanted to come here."
Carlos Alberto started his career with Fluminense, and helped them to lift the Campeonato Carioca in 2002.
In January 2004 he moved on to FC Porto, who were coached by José Mourinho, and the club won the Portuguese title as well as the Champions League.
Early in 2005, he moved to Corinthians, where he impressed as they won the Brasileirão,but in 2006 Corinthians had a poor season and Carlos Alberto found himself at odds with manager, Emerson Leão.
Their poor relationship came to a climax at a Copa Sul-Americana game against Club Atlético Lanús, and Carlos Alberto declared that he would not play for Corinthians again while Leão remained as manager.
Since January this year he has been on loan with his first club Fluminense.
Bundesliga champions VfB Stuttgart said on Sunday that they would sign a loan agreement with Real Zaragoza on Monday for Ewerthon, the third top Brazilian player to join the German league in three days.
A VfB spokesman said Ewerthon, who played in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund from 2001 to 2005, was expected to join the club for their pre-season training in Austria on Monday.
On Friday, Ailton returned to Germany where he was the league's top scorer in 2004, signing a one-year deal with Duisburg on a transfer from Red Star Belgrade. E-mail to a friend
|
83b0e81562294f16bd476566475f9703
|
which was his last teaM?
|
[
"Fluminense."
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- The news editor of the Zambian newspaper The Post has gone on trial for allegedly circulating obscene material to politicians, the newspaper states on its Web site.
Zambia President Rupiah Banda has branded the childbirth photos pornographic.
In early June, Chansa Kabwela wrote to the country's vice president, health minister and several non-governmental organizations to highlight problems in the country's health-care system -- especially the problems pregnant women faced during a strike by health-care workers.
In her letter, Kabwela included several photos of a woman giving birth in a parking lot outside a hospital from which she had been turned away, according to Reporters Without Borders.
The country's president, Rupiah Banda, branded the photos pornographic and called for Kabwela's arrest and prosecution, according to the press freedom organization.
"Kabwela's arrest is shocking and the grounds are ridiculous," the organization said in a statement on its Web site after the arrest.
Now the trial into the alleged obscene photos has begun in the Lusaka magistrate's court, the newspaper Web site says.
One of the first witnesses, Kenneth Ngosa, a senior private secretary to the vice president, told the court he was immediately disturbed by the pictures he found inside the letter, according to the paper.
The Post described the courtroom as "packed to capacity" and said "people from all works of life including musicians and opposition political party members" had come to support Kabwela.
Defense lawyer George Chisanga has asked the court to look into whether the president's order to arrest and prosecute Kabwela could influence the course of justice.
A joint statement from several Zambian media organizations, published on The Post's Web site, calls for the government to amend the law on obscenity to clarify what constitutes obscenity and material that can corrupt morals.
The statement concedes that the pictures were in bad taste, but notes that they were sent on behalf of a good cause: to end the strike.
CNN efforts to obtain comment from both The Post and the Zambian government have been unsuccessful.
According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization, in 2004 the mortality rate of children under 5 years old in Zambia was 182 per 1,000 live births. In the United States, under-5 mortality rate was 8 per 1,000 live births in 2006.
Skilled health personnel attended only 43 percent of childbirths in Zambia in 2002, according to the health organization.
|
9c65c8a11e164defb780942a6b1b6d3e
|
What she said for the reason she did that?
|
[
"highlight problems in the country's health-care system"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Armored cars patrolled the streets of Zimbabwe's capital and residents flocked to banks Thursday after limits on cash withdrawals were lifted in the inflation-ravaged African nation.
With prices rising even more than once a day, shopping is a mathematical proficiency test for Zimbabweans.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had capped maximum daily withdrawals at 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars -- about 25 U.S. cents, and about a quarter of the price of a loaf of bread. But faced with mounting chaos in a country already in economic free fall, the bank decided last week to raise that limit to 100 million dollars ($50 U.S.) per week.
Soldiers were deployed to all banks in anticipation of throngs of people lining up to withdraw money Thursday, when the increase took effect. Wednesday, police chased depositors away and arrested union leaders who planned to protest the limits.
Zimbabwe's inflation rate of 231 million percent is the world's highest. In addition, the country is faced with a growing outbreak of cholera that its government declared a national emergency Thursday.
The outbreak has killed at least 565 people and sickened more than 11,000, the U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office said. Medical professionals blame the resurgence of the water-borne disease on the lack of safe water in many parts of the country.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said 69 people were arrested across the country during Wednesday's demonstrations. Amnesty International has demanded to know the whereabouts of human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, whom it said was abducted at dawn Wednesday by armed men in plainclothes posing as police.
And angry, unpaid soldiers clashed with foreign currency exchangers and some civilians Monday, three days after troops who had failed to get cash from their banks looted shops they suspected to be illegally dealing in foreign currency.
|
d1152878d6c8423a94635fb00405491e
|
How much is 100 million dollars in Zimbabwe's currency worth?
|
[
"($50 U.S.)"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- The United Nations is urging countries to invest in green jobs working with "sustainable forest management" to address the growing problem of unemployment worldwide.
A deforested area appears in a rain forest in Brazil's Para state in October.
At least 10 million such jobs could be created, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization will say in a report to be released this week.
The report does not mention any countries but is aimed at "mainly regions with substantial rural unemployment and degraded land areas," said C.T.S. Nair, chief economist in the U.N. Forestry Department and one of the authors of the report.
While all countries could benefit from investing in these green jobs, Nair said, Asia and Africa -- and to some extent Latin America -- could benefit the most. India, China and almost all countries in Africa stand to benefit, he added.
The United Nations said it already is seeing indications that some countries -- such as the United States, India and South Korea -- are interested and taking action to invest in sustainable forest management by making it part of their economic stimulus plans.
Sustainable forestry aims to prevent depletion of forests by managing them and making sure their use does not interfere with natural benefits or the local environment.
For example, in forests where wood is being removed, the United Nations is suggesting that people be hired to monitor and manage how much wood is taken out to ensure the forest does not become depleted and can grow back fully. Managers also would make sure the wood harvest wouldn't affect biodiversity and the water supply.
The report will be discussed and analyzed next week at the U.N. Committee on Forestry meeting in Rome, Italy. The Food and Agriculture Organization has designated next week as World Forest Week.
|
0175fcc09b3e467cbda2b952442a7e78
|
Where will the report be discussed?
|
[
"in Rome, Italy."
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- "Chief curiosity officer" and the architect of the Plastiki voyage, David de Rothschild is only worried about sea sickness but will be armed with a copy of "The Complete Sailor" on the journey. Read the rest of David's CNN quiz answers, below.
CNN: What did you want to be when you were young?
de Rothschild: A pirate
CNN: What's the one characteristic that has led you to where you are today?
de Rothschild: Being curious and not taking no for an answer.
CNN: Who inspires you?
de Rothschild: Family, friends and Buckminster Fuller.
CNN: What's the most important lesson you've learned about yourself from the Plastiki project?
de Rothschild: Nobody is as smart as everybody.
CNN: What's your biggest hope for the expedition?
de Rothschild: To capture the imagination of as many people as possible in order to inspire, engage and activate them!
CNN: At what point would you define the Plastiki a success?
de Rothschild: When we no longer produce and carelessly throw away single-use plastics.
CNN: What is your favorite sea creature?
de Rothschild: Sharks and seahorses.
CNN: When is the last time you personally used a plastic bottle?
de Rothschild: A month ago.
CNN: What do you most value about nature?
de Rothschild: Everything , especially how humble, inspiring and raw she is!
CNN: What's the one creature comfort you'll miss most when you're at sea?
de Rothschild: A fresh water shower.
CNN: Name 3 books you will bring with you on the expedition.
de Rothschild: "Blessed Unrest" by Paul Hawken; "The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One" by Sylvia A. Earle and Bill McKibben; "The Complete Sailor" by David Seidman.
CNN: If you had to choose a theme song for the expedition, what would it be?
de Rothschild: "Message in a Bottle" by Sting.
CNN: What's your favorite adventure film / book?
de Rothschild: "The Lorax" by Dr Seuss; "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransom.
CNN: What's your green motto?
de Rothschild: Green is just a color that's really only salving the consciousness! It's now time to focus on acting on the solutions in front of us!
CNN: What's the most important thing you've done to prepare for life at sea?
de Rothschild: Spend time with Jo Royle and David Thomson.
CNN: What's the main emotion you're feeling right now days?
de Rothschild: Ready to leave!
CNN: What's your biggest fear for the expedition?
de Rothschild: Sea sickness.
CNN: What's the first thing you'll do when you reach Sydney?
de Rothschild: Have a long sleep!
|
4bd432a98fdf4d4fb3c74c851d29af6e
|
Who answers the CNN quiz?
|
[
"David de Rothschild"
] |
NewsQA
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The family of a British soldier serving in Afghanistan has been forced from their home after a poisonous spider hitched a ride back with him and apparently killed their pet dog.
The camel spider's bite is not deadly to humans but can kill small animals.
Lorraine Griffiths and her three children, aged 18, 16, and 4, moved out of their house in Colchester, southeast England, and are refusing to return until the spider is apprehended, the UK Press Association reported.
Griffiths told the East Anglian Daily Times that the spider appeared after her husband, Rodney, returned from a four-month tour of duty in Helmand province, the arid southern Afghan frontline in the fight against Taliban extremists.
"My son Ricky was in my bedroom looking for his underwear, and he went into the drawer under my bed, and something crawled across his hand," she told the paper.
She said their pet dog Cassie confronted the creature, which they identified on the Internet as a camel spider, but ran out whimpering when it hissed at her. Watch the family that has been terrorized by the spider »
"It seems too much of a coincidence that she died at the same time that we saw the spider," she said.
The desert-dwelling camel spider, actually an insect rather than an arachnid, can run up to 25 kilometers (15 miles) an hour and reach 15 centimeters (6 inches) in length. Its bite is not deadly to humans but can kill small animals.
|
5f5a7bb3f5754de78d349065f1a3569e
|
What are camel spiders?
|
[
"poisonous"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Contrary to a report in a British newspaper, Michael Jackson does not have skin cancer, says Randy Phillips, president and CEO of AEG Live, the promoter of the King of Pop's upcoming concerts at London's 02 Arena.
Michael Jackson gestures to the crowd at the March announcement for his series of London concerts.
"He's as healthy as he can be -- no health problems whatsoever," the executive told CNN.
Phillips said he asked Jackson point-blank about the skin cancer rumor yesterday, and the entertainer just brushed it off and laughed.
"He's used to rumors like this. He's been famous ever since he was 5. He doesn't read the newspapers or watch news reports," Phillips explained.
He also had an answer for an item in the British tabloid The Sun that said Jackson had been "making regular trips to a dermatologist in Beverly Hills wearing a mask and surgical cap."
"Michael is very close friends with his dermatologist. It's as simple as that," said Phillips.
According to Phillips, the 50-year-old pop star had passed a stringent physical exam before he and AEG inked their deal for Jackson to headline a 50-show residency at 02 beginning July 8. "And he'll have to take another before the shows start," he offered.
Phillips also told CNN a tour with sister Janet Jackson and other performing members of the Jackson family was "never in the works, at least from Michael Jackson's side."
He added, "Never say never, but right now, he's focusing on his own show. It's not about his family."
"He's working out every day with his choreographers and his dancers. He's in better shape at 50 than I was at 30," Phillips laughed.
Phillips took the opportunity to knock down a couple of other rumors. "For now, he has no plans for his kids to be in the show. And there are no elephants. No elephants in the show, and he's not dying of cancer."
Phillips said the London shows were the first step in a multi-phase package with Jackson that he called "more than a 360-degree deal."
He said there are also plans for recorded music and movies, including a 3-D live concert film and a 3-D movie based on Jackson's 1983 "Thriller" music video.
Phillips didn't rule out a tour or a concert residency in another city, stating it would most likely start in Europe, then roll out to Asia, North America and South America.
|
5e5625d10c81471cb0dea9c4d5392249
|
Does Michael Jackson supposedly have skin cancer?
|
[
"not"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- EU border patrol missions are scouring the Italian shore in search of yet another missing vessel carrying North Africans attempting to reach Europe, a Maltese commander told CNN Thursday.
Many immigrants from Africa attempt to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in overcrowded boats.
On Friday, a French patrol frigate operating under Frontex, a EU border patrol mission, alerted Italian officials of new incoming vessels after sighting six corpses floating in the Mediterranean.
Maltese army officials were unable to recover the corpses because of poor weather conditions.
"Unrelated to these corpses cited, last Friday, we monitored a fiberglass boat that originated from North Africa carrying about 30 to 35 people on board," said Major Ivan Consiglio from Valletta, the Maltese capital.
"Its fate is uncertain," he said. "We have lost track of this boat."
Malta is a hub for immigrants from Africa trying to reach Europe.
Approximately 20,000 would-be immigrants have been apprehended on European shores just this year alone, according to Frontex figures.
But many do not survive the trek.
"These waters are like the American Wild West," Consiglio said. "So many boats try to cross with families and children and some never make it."
Humanitarian groups such the Dutch-based UNITED against Racism, which keeps records on immigration, say thousands of Africans have died trying to cross the Mediterranean and the Adriatic.
The trek between Sicily and Tunisia has been dubbed "a floating cemetery for African immigrants."
In August, 70 people died off the cost of Malta attempting to cross the Mediterranean.
On Wednesday, about 300 would-be immigrants were rescued during a storm in the Italian island of Lampedusa.
Consiglio said that a growing number of would-be immigrants are braving the waters of the Atlantic in overcrowded dingy boats -- a dangerous mission this time of the year.
"It's fall here, waters are choppy and covered with fog," he said. "Trips are becoming even riskier and these locally-manufactured fiberglass boats don't have the same rigidity."
|
41c6e32a04324a9887189337edfb1b2c
|
What Africans are trying to reach Europe?
|
[
"North"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- A mine exploded Monday on a road in southern Somalia, killing four people -- three members of the medical humanitarian group Medecins Sans Frontieres and a journalist.
Ongoing violence in Somalia has devastated the capital Mogadishu.
The incident occurred Monday along a road in Kismayo, the group said.
Victor Okumu, 51, a Kenyan doctor; Damien Lehalle, 27, a French logistician; and a Somali driver named Billan were the MSF workers who were killed.
Another member of the team was slightly wounded, the group said in a posting on its Web site.
"The exact circumstances of this fatal incident are not yet clear," the posting said.
Also killed was journalist Hassan Kafi Hared, 36. The remote-controlled mine erupted as he was walking to a news conference in Siyad Village in northern Kismayu, said the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).
He was working for the government-run Somali National News Agency and a Somali Web site called gedonet.com. He is survived by a wife and three children.
"This is a targeted attack and we declare that this brutal killing on the journalist and the aid workers is an attack on the society itself," said NUSOJ Secretary General Omar Faruk Osman, in a news release.
"We demand that transitional government and the authorities in Kismayu to identify the culprits of this crime and bring them to justice" he said.
The medical humanitarian organization said it was evacuating remaining international members of it staff from Kismayu.
Hared is the second journalist to be killed this year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The first, 38-year-old Norwegian reporter Carsten Thomassen, died Jan. 15 in a suicide bomb attack in Kabul.
In a written statement, a representative of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said he condemned the killings and "demands a thorough investigation by the authorities." E-mail to a friend
|
4f681d8175764552984a74098822e171
|
Who was killed?
|
[
"four people"
] |
NewsQA
|
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Rapper Kanye West and his business manager must complete 50 hours of community service in exchange for the dismissal of charges stemming from a Los Angeles airport scuffle with paparazzi last year.
Kanye West must complete 50 hours of community service by December 23.
West has already attended 12 hours of anger management classes and paid for the camera that was broken during the incident, his lawyer told the judge during a hearing Friday morning.
Police arrested West and Don Crawley on September 11, 2008, after an altercation with a photographer and a cameraman who were taking their photos, airport police said.
West and Crawley were later charged with three misdemeanors counts: vandalism, battery and grand theft.
"There was not a situation where there was a lot of time for either defendant to reflect on what they were doing," said Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Mark Zuckman.
Zuckman, who presided over Friday's hearing, said he could take the position that "a brief impulsive response" by West and Crawley "doesn't necessarily demonstrate a severe character flaw that needs to be addressed in a criminal case."
Still, he said, he did not want "to send a message that ripping the camera from someone's hand and destroying it [in] an act of vandalism is acceptable, no matter what kind of provocation caused them to be angry. There are other remedies."
Zuckman said if anyone had been injured in the incident, his decision would have been different.
West and Crawley have until December 23 to complete 50 hours of community service, Zuckman said. If they do, he will dismissed the charges.
If convicted, West could have faced up to two years and six months in jail, while Crawley could have faced up to five years, according to Frank Mateljan, the spokesman for the city attorney.
|
6eb471eda72a402688403f014855702e
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Which airport did the scuffle take place?
|
[
"Los Angeles"
] |
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|
(CNN) -- Caroline Wozniacki has earned a career-high world No. 2 tennis ranking after winning through to the final of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California.
The second-seeded Dane will move above the injured Dinara Safina and close the gap on No. 1 Serena Williams when the latest standings are released on Monday.
The 19-year-old will play former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic in the final of the Californian outdoor hardcourt tournament after defeating close friend Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-3 on Friday night.
Wozniacki, who reached the U.S. Open final last year before losing to comeback queen Kim Clijsters, will be seeking her seventh title on the WTA Tour.
She dominated against fifth seed Radwanska, winning the first five games of the opening set and then taking the final four points off the Pole's serve in the match-clinching game.
"We know each other so well. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses," Wozniacki told the tournament's official Web site.
"Agnieszka is a great fighter. She doesn't give up. I knew that I had to fight till the last point to win this match.
"She actually owes me an ice cream. She thought we were going to play first match, and I said, 'No, we're going to play late, or 7:30.' Then we made a bet, as well, and I won, so at least I get an ice cream. But I have to buy dinner."
Wozniacki has lost all four previous encounters with sixth seed Jankovic, who defeated Australian eighth seed Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-4 earlier on Friday.
The Serbian, now ranked ninth, has reached the final at Indian Wells for the first time in nine appearances, and will be looking to emulate compatriots Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic by clinching the title there.
"I thought the key to today's match was my return," Jankovic said. "Samantha has an unbelievable serve, one of the best serves in women's game, and I was able to return a lot of her first serves.
"I was putting a lot of pressure on her second serve. So I think that was the key, because I was able to break her quite a few times. And then it made everything easier for me."
Stosur, who knocked out defending champion in the fourth round, will break into the top-10 following her exploits this week.
"Today was a bit disappointing, but it's still my best result in a tournament like this. I think there's a lot to build on," she said.
|
f3769d465a054134ab353b98665ae7eb
|
who was a former number 1
|
[
"Jelena Jankovic"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Flash floods and landslides triggered by a weekend tropical storm have killed at least 100 people in Vietnam, the country's news agency said Monday.
Vietnamese villagers look at the rubble where 19 houses stood before a flash-flood ripped away the hamlet of Tung Chin in Lao Cai province.
Forecasters fear additional casualties as more rain was expected Monday.
The floods in the the country's northern mountain provinces damaged tens of thousands of homes, swept away thousands of cattle and submerged crops, the Vietnam News Agency said. More than two dozen people remained missing.
Officials mobilized thousands of rescue workers to look for survivors and to carry relief to the areas hardest hit by the storm.
Tropical Storm Kammuri struck the northern provinces on Friday.
The southeast Asian country is prone to heavy rainfall during the May through September monsoon season. The resulting landslides and floods have killed hundreds in past years.
|
eca6c3d0655743db97730d6917619f9e
|
What caused the floods?
|
[
"Tropical Storm Kammuri"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Typhoon Morakot dumped heavy rain on Taiwan early Saturday and threatened to further soak the recently drought-stricken island.
A man fights against strong winds in Hsintien, Taipei county, Taiwan, on Friday.
As of 3 a.m. local time, the storm's eye was over the northern part of the island, CNN forecaster Kevin Corriveau reported, although he noted that slow-moving Morakot is so large it encompassed the entire island.
Journalist Andrew Lee in Taipei, citing local media, said the storm had blown off roofs and washed out some bridges.
Corriveau said the island has received more than 39 inches (99 centimeters) of rain from the storm, which he said was expected to dump another 39 to 47 inches (99 to 119 centimeters) of rain on Taiwan.
The storm made landfall carrying winds of up to 92 mph (148 km/h), with gusts up to 115 mph (185 km/h), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said. iReport.com: See balcony view of heavy rains
Corriveau said the storm was expected to linger over the island for several more hours, and the southern portion of Morakot would likely be passing over Taiwan for hours after that.
The storm's impact had already been felt by Friday morning, with mudslides and landslides occurring on the island.
The area has been severely affected by drought in recent months, leaving the ground so hard that it does not absorb the rainfall, Corriveau said.
Taiwan's Central News Agency, acknowledging the drought, cited the Water Resources Agency as saying that the storm had replenished the island's reservoirs and would put an end to water rationing in several areas. Watch more about the typhoon's impact »
The storm prompted airlines to cancel flights. Schools and government offices were closed ahead of Morakot's arrival, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.
Trading at the Taiwan Stock Exchange was also postponed until Monday, the news agency reported.
In China, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that governments in coastal provinces were readying themselves for the storm and had ordered fishing boats to seek shelter before Thursday night.
In Fujian province, about 8.4 million text messages had been sent to citizens warning them to prepare for the typhoon, Xinhua reported.
More than 900 people, including Chinese and foreign tourists, have been evacuated from the resort of Nanji Island off east China, the news agency reported.
CNN's Brandon Miller contributed to this report.
|
0d133a23220748d0a9ae58b83bf631b8
|
What has been closed?
|
[
"Schools and government offices"
] |
NewsQA
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is writing a prequel to her best-selling series to be auctioned for charity -- but at just 800 words, it may lack some of the magic fans of the boy wizard might be hoping for.
Autographed copies of J.K. Rowling's work have fetched millions of dollars at auction.
Rowling's hand-written prequel, signed by the author, will be auctioned alongside works by other famous writers to raise cash for a dyslexia charity.
Despite the brevity of the piece, experts believe it could fetch big money, since other autographed works by the blockbuster author have sold for millions of dollars.
"We never dreamed that J.K. Rowling would donate something so precious, and we're incredibly grateful," said Gerry Johnson, managing director of Waterstone's, the UK book chain organizing the auction.
"I can't begin to guess how much it will raise at auction."
A previous 93-word storycard from Rowling, which referred to the book "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," sold in 2002 for $53,000. Rowling later produced seven hand-written copies of a new work, "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," one of which sold for $3.9 million in 2007.
"Given the enormous interest we have seen in recent times for autograph work by J.K. Rowling, the prospects for her storycard are good to say the least," said Philip Errington, a specialist at Sotheby's auction house, which is helping to organize the sale.
The card on which the story is written -- measuring 14.6 by 20.9 centimeters (5.75 by 8.25 inches) -- is signed "JK Rowling 2008." The author signs off with the message: "From the prequel I am not working on -- but that was fun!"
Alongside Rowling, 13 other authors invited to contribute to the June 10 auction include Margaret Atwood, Sebastian Faulks, Nick Hornby, and Tom Stoppard. A book featuring all 13 cards will go on sale in August.
All profits from the book will benefit Dyslexia Action and English PEN, a writers' association, Waterstone's said.
|
f2d80d520d884a468d7dd351d2bdc4a3
|
What did Rowling write for a charity event?
|
[
"prequel to her best-selling series"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Somalia is facing life-threatening food and water shortages leaving millions at risk for starvation, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday.
A growing percentage of Somalia's population has become dependent on humanitarian aid.
"The Somali people are going through unbearable hardship," said Pascal Hundt, head of the ICRC's delegation for Somalia, in a written statement. "We are witnessing the worst tragedy of the past decade in Somalia."
Somalia's last severe famine, from 1991 to 1993, devastated crops, killed between 240,000 and 280,000 people and displaced up to 2 million, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Humanitarian workers view Somalia's food crisis as one of the worst in the world. With winds ripping though the country, hundreds of thousands of Somalis are finding their crops as dry as the surrounding landscape, preventing harvests, killing livestock and leading to a mass risk of starvation.
The continual armed conflicts in central and south Somalia have aggravated the situation, hindering people from accessing shelter and medical attention.
A growing percentage of the population has become dependent on humanitarian aid. The ICRC, World Food Program and CARE plan to deliver four months worth of food to 435,000 Somalis within the next few weeks.
International donors are being asked by the ICRC to provide some of the emergency money. Aid includes giving blankets, kitchen sets and other shelter supplies to 150,000 people.
The WFP will be increasing the amount it spends in Somalia to $163 million in food assistance, the group said at a U.N. conference in Rome Wednesday.
In addition to drought and armed conflict, high inflation on food and fuel have also exacerbated the situation. Similar factors have affected other developing nations in Africa and other parts of the world.
Ethiopia's food crisis has affected 4.5 million people, said the United Nations Children's Fund.
As a result of widespread food shortages and little rainfall, an estimated 126,000 children are in need of medical assistance to combat severe malnutrition, while the WFP projects $193 million will be needed for urgent food distributions.
|
84426e5cdb074c45b4750a66b68aeac8
|
What is the ICRC?
|
[
"International Committee of the Red Cross"
] |
NewsQA
|
London, England (CNN) -- The fashion brand created by Alexander McQueen is to survive despite the designer's suicide last week, the label's majority stakeholder Gucci Group has confirmed.
"I believe strongly in the Alexander McQueen brand and its future," Gucci Group CEO Robert Polet said in a statement carried on the Web site of Gucci parent PPR.
The future of McQueen's 11-store, 180 employee fashion house had been uncertain following the 40-year-old's death, with industry experts speculating it was not successful enough to endure without its figurehead.
PPR on Thursday revealed a company-wide net profit rise of 6.9 percent to €984.6 million ($1,328 million) but a 4 percent revenue fall to €16.52 billion. It did not break down figures to reveal McQueen's turnover, but reports speculate the brand is running at a loss despite heavy celebrity endorsements.
The Times of London reported on Thursday that the label had struggled to make a profit and analysis of recent accounts showed it had liabilities of more than £32 million ($49 million).
PPR boss Francois-Henri Pinault said in a statement: "Lee Alexander [McQueen] was a pure genius and a poet who was imaginative and original. His art went beyond the fashion world. The Alexander McQueen trademark will live on. This is the best tribute that we could offer to Lee."
McQueen's death last week shocked the world of fashion, with many in the industry paying tribute to a man they described as a unique talent capable of becoming a major name.
A coroner on Wednesday said McQueen hanged himself in his wardrobe and left a suicide note
McQueen, who had dressed stars from Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole Kidman to Rihanna and Sandra Bullock, killed himself nine days after the death of his mother. He expressed his devastation at her death on his Twitter account days before he died.
McQueen was born in 1970 in London's East End, the son of a taxi driver and trained in London's Savile Row, going on to study fashion at college before making his name with his own extravagant designs.
French luxury brand Gucci Group acquired a 51 percent stake in McQueen in 2001.
|
0ba5ee7f7a2f4a799bbeedcc9042663d
|
What company says the McQueen label will survive despite his death?
|
[
"Gucci Group"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- When Kellogg's dumped its endorsement of Michael Phelps after a photograph surfaced of the Olympic gold medalist using a bong, the company was stuck with thousands of boxes of cereal featuring the swimmer's image.
Kellogg's ended its Michael Phelps endorsement, so it sent two tons of cereal with his face on it to a food bank.
No problem. The company, based in Battle Creek, Michigan, made short order of the already-printed and filled boxes, donating two tons of cereal to the San Francisco Food Bank late last month.
With food banks across the country reporting shortages of food, the donation was a welcome one, said the food bank's director of development, Christopher Wiley. It took only two weeks for about 3,000 boxes to move through warehouse.
"Thousands of families benefited from the donation" Wiley said. "It was a surprise to us. We were lacking a lot of cereal. It is a great product many low-income families really need."
"The real story for us was not the box but what's inside the box. The food is so valuable for the community. It's making good from bad," Wiley said.
The food bank has seen a 6 percent increase in its customer base since the beginning of the year, he said.
Phelps, 23, won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
He admitted "regrettable behavior" after a British newspaper published the controversial photograph in early February. The tabloid News of the World showed Phelps using the bong during what it said was a November party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
A bong is a device commonly used to smoke marijuana.
The Phelps box attracted considerable attention to the food bank. Administrators received several calls from people wanting to get the box as a novelty item. But, said Wiley, all the cereal went to food bank customers.
Kellogg's was the only one of Phelps sponsors to drop the athlete, although U.S.A. Swimming, the nation's governing body for competitive swimming, suspended him for three months, withdrew financial support and barred him from competition during the period of his "reprimand."
CNN's Jackie Castillo and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report.
|
d2c422d77afa47f9ab5fbd6c6d70bf41
|
What did the company do afterward?
|
[
"it sent two tons of cereal with his face on it to a food bank."
] |
NewsQA
|
Washington (CNN) -- A new report, due Thursday, raises questions about the Transportation Security Administration's ability to keep airports safe from terrorists.
The report by the Government Accountability Office casts doubts on TSA's ability to adequately perform its security mission, said U.S. Rep. John Mica of Florida.
Mica specifically wanted the GAO to determine how effective the TSA's behavior detection program, or SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques), has been in deterring potential acts of terrorism.
Mica will unveil the results of the report at a press conference, he said.
As chairman of the subcommittee on aviation after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Mica was instrumental in establishing the TSA. Now, he says he is a critic of its ballooning bureaucracy.
|
9088752b5ace449fa2bbee1f5393a9c1
|
what did they create the agnecy for
|
[
"to keep airports safe from terrorists."
] |
NewsQA
|
Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- An evacuation order was lifted Wednesday morning for more than 500 California homes on hillsides vulnerable to mudslides, authorities said.
With the sun shining over much of Los Angeles, officials told people who live in the foothill areas of La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge and Acton that they could return to their homes at 8 a.m. PT (11 a.m. ET).
Officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for those residents Tuesday morning as a precaution when heavy rains were predicted.
The dangerous mudslides did not develop, but this area was especially hit hard after a downpour Saturday unleashed a river of mud that damaged dozens of homes.
Several of the homes were declared uninhabitable.
A massive wildfire in the Angeles National Forest last summer burned hillsides where these homes are located.
|
4af4fb1bd3f246b9a5843c20ed668ad3
|
How many homes can be returned to?
|
[
"500"
] |
NewsQA
|
Beijing (CNN) -- Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has confirmed Russia is close to sealing an energy supply agreement with China worth $1 trillion.
"It's fair to say that we're very close to reach an agreement on the natural gas deal," Putin told the journalists at a joint press conference after meeting with Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao.
Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day visit. He also met with President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders on Wednesday.
The negotiations over the natural gas supply had stalled for more than a year due to disagreements over price.
If an agreement can be reached, the deal would see Russia supply China with up to 68 billion cubic meters of gas every year.
"The trade volume will increase significantly, and this will change the fact that the economic cooperation between the two countries lags behind the political cooperation," said Zhao Huasheng, director of the Center for Russia and Central Asia Studies at Fudan University.
"Together with cooperation in other economic fields, China and Russia will become real strategic partners in economic terms," he added.
Recent years have seen a steady increase in trade between the two countries.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade volume in the year to July increased by 37.4% to a record $42.2 billion. The ministry forecasts that this will reach a new record in 2011-- possibly in excess of $70 billion.
"The economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has reached to an unprecedented level," Putin said in an interview with the state-run Xinhua agency.
But energy cooperation stands out as the main focus between Russia, a major energy exporter, and China, the world's biggest energy consumer, according to a 2010 report from the International Energy Agency.
Putin has also brought along a group of 160 Russian business leaders for the visit, including the CEOs of Russian energy giants Gazprom, Rosneft and aluminum producer UC RUSAL.
During Putin's visit, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan also met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin to discuss energy needs.
"We're discussing opening new energy transportation routes," explained Putin at the joint press conference.
On January 2011, China and Russia opened an oil pipeline from Daqing, northeast China, to Skovorodino in eastern Russia.
The line is 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) and aims to provide 15 million metric tons of oil annually to China.
|
c1efc18e4c5f4677a24f483ff97364cf
|
Which countries are involved in the deal?
|
[
"Russia"
] |
NewsQA
|
(PEOPLE.com) -- Don't mess with Gina!
That's the lesson Gina Carano's costars learned while they were filming Steven Soderbergh's "Haywire." After all, Carano isn't just another new face in a Hollywood action thriller. She's a former mixed martial arts star, who is making her movie debut in Soderbergh's latest flick, which opens Friday.
"I got to be physical with some of the hottest guys in Hollywood," Carano, who tussles with Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender in the film, told PEOPLE at the BlackBerry-sponsored Cinema Society screening this week.
Fassbender, in particular, was the recipient of a vase to the face when the two were filming a fight scene and he accidentally KO'd Carano.
"When Fassbender slammed my head into the wall, that's the only time I went black," Carano, 29, said about the shoot, during which she also reportedly knocked out a stuntman. "And then I slammed a vase right into his face when he wasn't expecting it."
"He didn't get cut," Carano clarified, before adding, "maybe a little bit."
McGregor, for his part, said he also emerged "sore" from his scenes with Carano but called the fight scenes "good fun."
But Tatum, whom she describes as "like a bro," is one actor Carano says she wouldn't want to fight in real life. "I'd probably want to choke him out real quick," she said. "Because he's actually very athletic."
Return to MMA?
Carano has officially retired from MMA but says she hasn't ruled out a return. To prepare for the role as a Black Ops agent in "Haywire," she worked with a Hollywood stunt crew and attended a two-month training camp with a former Israeli intelligence operative.
According to Soderbergh, it was his intention to have Carano -- who is a 5-feet 8-inches tall and 143 pounds. -- rather than one of her male costars, be the toughest character in the film.
"There was something transgressive about having the woman being the one who is attacked first," Soderbergh recently told Sports Illustrated.
"There's sort of, in movie terms, a popular conception that women are weaker than men and that the only way that they can triumph in a hand-to-hand situation is if they somehow have an advantage from the beginning. ... [Carano's character] is attacked in an unprovoked manner and has to work her way back into winning the fight. With someone like Gina, you can pull that off and have it be believable. She can really break you in half."
See the full article at PEOPLE.com.
© 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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2e8efe71e3f8420a9ebc7d0402c9dfa9
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With who did Carano get to be physical?
|
[
"Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor and Michael Fassbender"
] |
NewsQA
|
New Delhi, India (CNN) -- Seventeen people died after drinking a toxic, illegal home-brewed liquor over the New Years weekend in southern India, authorities said Monday.
At least 18 people were also poisoned by what authorities have described as contaminated moonshine in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district, P.V.S. Ramkrishna, the district police chief, said.
Police in India have been cracking down recently on businesses selling the illegally-made alcohol, Ramkrishna said.
In December, authorities arrested 10 people for making contaminated moonshine that left at least 168 people dead in the Indian state of West Bengal. Hundreds more were sickened by it, authorities said.
Moonshine is not uncommon in poverty-stricken communities in India because it is cheap to make.
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a8ac54dd7bfa41dd9df49df932dfddbb
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What country is poverty-stricken?
|
[
"India"
] |
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|
HAVANA, Cuba (CNN) -- Former Cuban President Fidel Castro says he is open to the idea of meeting with U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has largely been out of the political scene since falling ill in 2006.
"With Obama, one can talk whenever he wants, because we're not preachers of violence or war," the communist leader wrote in an essay published Thursday on a state-run Web site. "He must be reminded that the carrot-and-stick theory cannot be applied in our country."
Friday's missive marked the second time in recent weeks that a Cuban leader has said he is open to meeting with Obama.
In the latest issue of The Nation, actor Sean Penn writes of his recent conversation in Havana with Raúl Castro, who took over as president this year from his ailing brother.
According to Penn, Raúl Castro told him, "Perhaps we could meet at Guantanamo. We must meet and begin to solve our problems, and at the end of the meeting, we could give the president a gift. ... We could send him home with the American flag that waves over Guantanamo Bay."
Obama has called for the U.S. detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay naval base on the island of Cuba to be closed.
Despite the indications that the Cuban leadership is open to warmer relations with its neighbor to the north after 47 years of a U.S.-imposed trade embargo, some in Havana expressed skepticism that the impending change in leadership in the United States will translate in to a changed Cuban policy.
"Obama is a product of the American empire," Carlos Pose said.
But Elisany, a high school student, said she's hopeful. "We've got to wait and see. I hope things change."
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7d30f8bfd8d74c608adbd0391b483b5e
|
Which actor writes that Castro's brother is open to a meeting?
|
[
"Penn,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- A plane crash in eastern Guatemala on Sunday killed 10 people, including eight Americans, a Guatemalan official told CNN.
A Cessna Caravan 208 carrying 14 people was en route from Aurora to El Estor when the pilot started making distress calls about engine failure about 45 minutes after takeoff, said Jose Carlos, Guatemala's director of civil aeronautics.
The air traffic tower in Guatemala City lost communication with the plane at 9:45 a.m.
The plane crashed in Zacapa, an agricultural hub about 115 kilometers (71 miles) east of Guatemala City, killing the pilot Monica Bonilla, co-pilot Luis Fernando LanFiesta and the Americans.
Four other passengers were injured and taken to a local hospital.
"It seems like the pilot tried her best to make a safe landing in a open field, but was not successful," said Ricardo Lemus, a Zacapa firefighter at the scene of the crash told reporters.
"On impact, the aircraft was split into pieces."
The charter flight was operated by Aero Ruta Maya.
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3e4f48cd34a541a999adf457b6dcaa20
|
Whene did the pilot make distress calls?
|
[
"about 45 minutes after takeoff,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Search crews have recovered the bodies of the flight captain and a steward from the Air France flight that crashed off the coast of Brazil.
A Brazilian diver floats on wreckage of Flight 447 earlier this month. The search for more debris continues.
The two flight members are among the victims that have been identified, Air France said in a statement Thursday.
About a dozen victims have been identified among roughly 50 bodies recovered from the crash of Flight 447, which killed 228 people on June 1, authorities in Brazil said this week.
Crews continue to search for bodies, wreckage and flight-data recorders that apparently rest deep on the ocean floor. Data from the recorders may be crucial in helping investigators determine what caused the plane to crash. Watch more wreckage recovered from crash »
Autopsies conducted on some of the 50 bodies found so far show they suffered broken bones, including arms, legs and hips, Brazilian authorities have told French investigators, according to Paul-Louis Arslanian, head of the French accident investigation board.
Such injuries suggest that the plane broke apart in midair, experts have said.
Asked about that theory, Air France Chief Executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told France's RTL radio this week that he would not go that far.
"What I know is that the investigators would like to know the causes of death," Gourgeon said. "That knowledge of causes of death will better clarify what exactly happened. Were the victims killed before the impact, or during impact?"
Searchers have found dozens of pieces of debris in the water and think they know the general location of the wreck, but Arslanian said this week that there is a chance the entire aircraft may never be found.
Air France plans to pay relatives of the victims an initial compensation equivalent to about $24,500, or 17,500 euros, for each victim, Gourgeon has said.
The airliner said this week that it has been in touch with about 1,800 relatives of the people who died when the Airbus A330 crashed, but that it has been difficult tracing the relatives of all 228 victims.
"The modern world is different and we often have only a cell phone, and as you can imagine, this cell phone is unfortunately in the aircraft," Gourgeon said. "So we probably (will put in) more hours to access all the relatives."
The company is also providing families with counseling, he said.
The were 32 different nationalities present on Flight 447.
|
68930950167c4d65b88a4a681e16bc9b
|
How many people were onboard?
|
[
"228"
] |
NewsQA
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- An $80 million research project aimed at giving people 50 active years after the age of 50 was launched by scientists at the University of Leeds in northern England Tuesday.
The challenge is to ensure old people stay as fit as Brisbane centenarian Ruth Frith, seen competing at shot put during World Masters Games in Sydney this month.
About half of the babies born in Western countries today will live until they are 100 years old, according to recent research published in the medical journal The Lancet, so the challenge is to ensure they remain active throughout their old age.
While most of us will live longer than our parents and grandparents, the aging population means that in coming decades more people will suffer from age-related conditions such as osteoarthritis, heart disease and chronic back pain. Obesity and increased physical activity also put more pressure on our joints, causing them to wear out faster.
Scientists at Leeds University envisage that many of the body parts that flounder with age could be upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants. This will mean artificial hips, knees and heart valves, for example, lasting far longer than the current 20-year typical lifespan.
"Our work is driven by the concept of 50 more years after 50 -- that is, making our second 50 years of life as healthy, comfortable and active as our first, so we can enjoy a higher quality of life," explains Professor John Fisher, who is an expert in artificial joints and tissue regeneration.
"We now have the technology available to do astonishing things, such as repairing the body by growing healthy new tissue through biological scaffolds and stem cell therapy. And a new generation of prosthetic hip and knee joints that last longer will avoid the need for further replacements."
Fisher says the center also hopes to gain a better understanding of degenerative diseases to allow for early diagnosis, rather than having to treat someone when they are already in crippling pain.
"For example, we're developing biosensor tools that can detect the presence of antibodies and proteins in the blood. All of these technologies will ultimately reduce suffering in patients through more timely interventions, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery times."
So how do you feel about this. Are you looking forward to your old age? Do you believe you will remain active? Click here to send us your comments and we will try to use as many as possible in tonight's show.
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81f0ffb20fa54984bdcff048d824d002
|
Scientists believe many body parts could be what?
|
[
"upgraded using own-grown tissues and more durable implants."
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- A judge ordered mediation Thursday for all parties wanting access to videos showing the death of a SeaWorld trainer, court documents say.
Florida Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Kirkwood last week granted a temporary injunction against release of the footage, which was captured on February 24 at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. It was not immediately clear for how long the injunction would last.
Trainer Dawn Brancheau, 40, was interacting with an orca named Tilikum when it grabbed her ponytail and pulled her underwater in front of shocked onlookers at Shamu Stadium. She died of multiple traumatic injuries and drowning, authorities said.
Jon Mills, the attorney for Brancheau's family, argued that their right to privacy outweighs other concerns.
"The potential harm to this family is incredibly severe," Mills said. "There is no constitutional right to voyeurism and there is a constitutional right to privacy, and the court is being asked to balance those."
Coverage from CNN affiliate WKMG
Court mediation will weigh privacy concerns against the public's right to know under Florida law. One potential agreement during mediation could allow the parties in the case to view the videos, but not have copies of them, a court document says.
Interested parties have until April 5 to request to join the mediation. No date has been set for the mediation. The Orlando Sentinel, The Tampa Tribune, The Lakeland Ledger and WFLA-TV have filed in the case.
Parts of last month's incident were captured on two cameras at the park -- one that shows a view from underwater and another from the park's Sky Tower, according to the family's complaint.
"The underwater view does not show Mrs. Brancheau until after she had entered the water. The overhead camera was not aimed at the scene until after the incident had begun," the complaint says.
"Significantly, neither camera shows what occurred in the moments prior to and including Mrs. Brancheau being pulled into the water and offer no insight into the cause of this tragic event."
Brancheau's family filed the complaint against the Orange County Sheriff Office and District Nine Medical Examiner's Office, which possess the footage.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has joined the lawsuit filed by Brancheau's family.
"This is a video of someone's death," Mills said last week. "There's nothing you can learn from the video other than what a tragic, horrible, traumatic attack it was."
An attorney for the sheriff's office has said it does not take a position about any video release, but it needs to keep copies so that its case file is complete.
|
7ec78fb7793d46e1b634a90bbc05c770
|
what was granted last week
|
[
"a temporary injunction against release of the footage, which"
] |
NewsQA
|
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton's chief presidential campaign strategist is quitting his post amid criticism of his public relations firm's contacts with the Colombian government over a pending free-trade deal, Clinton's campaign announced.
Mark Penn will continue to advise Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
Mark Penn and his political consulting firm will continue to advise the New York senator's Democratic presidential bid, but Penn will give up his job as chief strategist, campaign manager Maggie Williams said.
"After the events of the last few days, Mark Penn has asked to give up his role as chief strategist of the Clinton campaign," Williams said.
Clinton did not answer reporters' questions about Penn's exit during a campaign stop in New Mexico on Sunday.
Penn is CEO of public relations giant Burson-Marsteller and is president of Penn, Schoen and Berland, his political consulting firm.
Friday, he acknowledged he had met with the Colombian ambassador to the United States earlier in the week in his role as Burson-Marsteller's chief to discuss the pending U.S.-Colombia trade pact, which Clinton has criticized on the campaign trail.
Penn called the meeting "an error in judgment that will not be repeated," and apologized. That prompted Colombia's government to fire the company Saturday, calling the remarks "a lack of respect to Colombians."
Clinton and top aides were sharply critical of rival Democrat Barack Obama in February when reports indicated that his top economic adviser had suggested to a Canadian official that Obama was not as supportive of changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement as the Illinois senator claimed to be on the campaign trail.
Penn said Friday that Clinton's opposition to the U.S.-Colombia pact, which the Bush administration is trying to push through Congress, "is clear and was not discussed" during his meeting with the ambassador. And Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said Penn's meeting was "not in any way done on behalf of the campaign."
But Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell -- a key Clinton backer in his state's April 22 primary -- suggested Sunday that Penn needed to go.
"I think you've got to make it very clear for someone who is a consultant, who you are representing and who you are not representing, and I would hope that Mr. Penn, when he talked to the Colombians, made that clear. And it doesn't sound to me like he did, and that's something the campaign should take into question," Rendell told NBC's "Meet the Press."
Sources in the Clinton campaign said that Penn realized this weekend that he needed to step aside, and that Clinton was disappointed that he had met with the Colombians. E-mail to a friend
|
45eb64d7fd4140968197d142fd9b5d4e
|
Who has an advisory role?
|
[
"Mark Penn"
] |
NewsQA
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A construction company and three supervisors were indicted Monday on manslaughter and related charges in the deaths of two firefighters battling a 2007 blaze at the Deutsche Bank building in lower Manhattan.
Firefighters Joseph Graffagnino, left, and Robert Beddia died in the Deutsche Bank building blaze.
Prosecutors also reached an agreement with the city of New York requiring the implementation of new fire safety measures.
"Our goal is to put in place procedures which will prevent a disaster of the magnitude of the Deutsche Bank fire and to make sure that firefighters are never again exposed to the risks they faced in that fire," Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.
The indictments against the John Galt Corp., Jeffrey Melofchik, Mitchel Alvo and Salvatore DePaola also allege negligent homicide and reckless endangerment.
The indictment is the result of an investigation into an August 18, 2007, blaze that consumed nine floors of the Deutsche Bank building.
The building had been scheduled for demolition after being contaminated by debris, asbestos and other hazardous substances after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings.
The two firefighters killed in the blaze -- Robert Beddia, 53, and Joseph Graffagnino, 33 -- were caught in a smoke-filled stairwell that prosecutors say was improperly blocked off by barriers erected to seal off floors being stripped of contaminants.
In addition to the deaths of Beddia and Graffagnino, 105 other firefighters were injured combating the blaze.
The agreement with the city of New York mandates the creation of a new civilian inspection unit at the city's fire department, the sole purpose of which will be to perform inspections at construction sites throughout the city.
"The regulatory measures we have put in place and the additional reforms set out today are designed to prevent any firefighter again confronting the conditions that firefighters faced at the Deutsche Bank building that tragic day," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a written statement.
The father of one of the firefighters killed in the blaze, Joseph Graffagnino Sr., said the indictments did not go far enough.
"I don't understand if the [city] agency can't be indicted, why can't individuals be indicted who we already know should have been responsible for doing their jobs and did not do their jobs," he said to reporters.
Graffagnino was referencing the lack of criminal charges brought against employees of the city fire department, the city's department of buildings and the building's landlord, the Lower Manhattan Development Corp.
|
e3369caf11924231a5f72e51b7b44032
|
Who had been killed?
|
[
"Firefighters Joseph Graffagnino,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will take a one-pound advantage over Filipino Manny Pacquiao into Saturday night's superfight in Las Vegas.
Puerto Rico's Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds in front a 5,000 strong crowd at the MGM Grand Arena, with Pacquiao tipping the scales at 144 pounds.
Pacquiao is bidding for a world title at a fifth different weight and was backed by vociferous supporters ahead of the eagerly-anticipated bout.
He looked relaxed and smiled as he stripped to his boxer shorts, while Cotto looked more intense.
There was a brief, angry exchange between Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach and the Cotto camp after the champion got off the scales but order was quickly restored and both fighters addressed the crowd in their native languages.
Pacquiao, who is rated the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by many boxing experts, has previously won recognized belts at fly, super-bantam, super-feather and lightweight during his remarkable career.
It is his first fight since a stunning knockout of Britain's Ricky Hatton sixth months ago at the same venue.
Pacquiao, who's won 49 fights, lost 3 and drawn 2, is being lined up for a money spinning fight with American Floyd Mayweather, but first must get past the determined Cotto, who has held a world title every year since 2004.
Pacquiao is rated as favorite by Las Vegas oddsmakers, but Cotto has just one defeat in 35 fights with 27 knockouts.
|
48cc664c8321449eb4b4a96808132f6b
|
What does Miguel Cotto have over Manny Pacquiao?
|
[
"a one-pound advantage"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Arsenal and Hull City were charged with failing to control their players by the English Football Association (FA) on Wednesday after their fiery Premier League match on December 19.
The match at the Emirates Stadium, won 3-0 by title-chasing Arsenal, became heated just before halftime when Arsenal's Samir Nasri clashed with Hull's Richard Garcia.
Stephen Hunt then had a confrontation with Nasri and a mass brawl ensued, with home goalkeeper Manuel Almunia running the length of the field to get involved.
Referee Steve Bennett had to battle to get things under control and then showed yellow cards to both Hunt and Nasri.
The clubs have until January 13 to launch any appeal.
In other Premier League news on Wednesday, Liverpool could give Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani his full debut for the crucial Boxing Day clash with Wolves.
Aquilani, a big summer signing from AS Roma, has yet to start a league game for Liverpool, having battled to recovery from an ankle injury.
Manager Rafael Benitez has been criticized for his reluctance to play Aquilani, but with the player recovering from a calf injury which kept him out of last weekend's match all the indicators are that he will take his place at Anfield.
Premier League champions Manchester United have been clearance to play Senegal striker Mame Biram Diouf after he was granted a work permit.
United signed Diouf from Molde in July before loaning him back to the Norwegian club.
He scored 16 goals in 29 games in Norway and with Senegal failing to qualify for the African Cup of Nations, United have pressed to get him the proper clearances.
|
19dc40d5768f4e8190be5129a426777f
|
who face fa charges?
|
[
"Arsenal and Hull City"
] |
NewsQA
|
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) -- The light from the cell phone screens allowed surgeons to complete an emergency appendix operation during a blackout in a city in central Argentina, reports said on Saturday.
Leonardo Molina, 29, was on the operating table on July 21, when the power went out in the Policlinico Juan D. Peron, the main hospital in Villa Mercedes, a small city in San Luis province.
"The generator, which should have been working correctly, didn't work," a hospital spokesman, whose name was not given, told TN television news station.
"The surgeons and anesthetists were in the dark... A family member got some cell phones together from people in the hallway and took them in to provide light," he said.
Ricardo Molina, 39, Leonardo's brother, told La Nacion newspaper that the lights were out for an hour and his brother's anesthesia was wearing off. E-mail to a friend
|
2cd1b7aa41c640679eae95b5d0190bd2
|
Where did the power go out?
|
[
"Policlinico Juan D. Peron, the main hospital in Villa Mercedes,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Four boys ages 9 to 14 have been charged with sexually assaulting an 8-year old girl, police in Phoenix, Arizona, said Wednesday.
The girl was lured into a vacant storage shed by the suspects, who offered her chewing gum, police said at a news conference.
The girl was restrained while the boys -- ages 9, 10, 13 and 14 -- sexually assaulted her, police said of the July 16 incident.
All the suspects except for the 14-year-old live in the same apartment complex, according to Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill. The 14-year-old has been charged as an adult, Hill said.
Detectives said the girl was placed in the custody of Phoenix child protective services after the attack because of her parents' attitude toward her.
The girl and the boys charged are all from families that have come to the United States from the West African nation of Liberia, police said.
|
67aaa9b5f6d840f3b8d3d4b2caeb2d55
|
What was the 8-year old girl from Phoenix, AZ lured into the shed with?
|
[
"chewing gum,"
] |
NewsQA
|
London, England (CNN) -- The former vice president of Bosnia was arrested Monday in London on a request from Serbia, where he is wanted for conspiracy to murder and breach of the Geneva Convention.
Metropolitan police arrested Ejup Ganic at Heathrow Airport on Monday afternoon, and he appeared at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, the United Kingdom Foreign Office said in a news release.
The British authorities were awaiting the full extradition paperwork before a court date for an extradition hearing can be set, the Foreign Office said.
Citing the ongoing case, authorities declined to comment further.
Ganic was the vice president of Bosnia during the bloody civil war there between 1992 and 1995, and he was twice president of the Bosnian-Croat Federation in the years after the Dayton peace agreement in 1995. Ganic was regarded by many independent commentators at the time as a relative moderate in the war-time Bosnian leadership.
An engineer by profession, Ganic studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. He would regularly brief journalists during the three-year civil war from his often-shelled office in the Bosnian presidency building in the heart of Sarajevo.
On Sunday, Bosnia and Serbia signed an agreement on extraditions for war crimes committed during the war that would let Bosnians be tried in Bosnia and Serbs in Serbia.
Ganic was in Britain attending a graduation ceremony at the University of Buckingham, which partners with a university in Sarajevo in which Ganic is reported to have a significant financial interest.
CNN's Nic Robertson contributed to this report.
|
3ee57c7dcbec4d2d81d2db1f3e528dd1
|
Who is wanted in Serbia on charges of conspiracy to murder?
|
[
"Ejup Ganic"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- At least 200 people were evacuated from their homes, including 84 residents of an apartment building for the elderly, after a tanker truck carrying 9,000 gallons of gasoline erupted early Wednesday in a northern Boston suburb.
Firefighters battle a blaze Wednesday north of Boston after a tanker overturned carrying 9,000 gallons of gas.
No serious injuries were reported in the Everett, Massachusetts, blast, but witnesses recounted close calls to a local television station. One man said he narrowly escaped from his car before it exploded.
"In consideration of everything that firefighters had to deal with, I think it's a miracle that we haven't seen some serious injuries," Everett Fire Chief David Butler said.
The tanker overturned and caught fire at a traffic circle in the town of about 37,000 outside Boston. Officials are investigating whether the driver was speeding, Butler said.
"Our major concerns right now are we still have an ongoing fire operation in the family dwellings, and we are still heavily engaged in those operations, and we have some concerns environmentally," Butler said. Watch residents of an elderly housing complex describe their shock »
Flames from the truck engulfed at least 40 cars and three buildings, two of them houses, fire officials said. The truck was destroyed, but the driver was not seriously injured, the officials said.
WCVB-TV in Boston identified the driver as Chad LaFrance of Dover, New Hampshire.
Seven hours after the truck caught fire, firefighters were still battling a blaze in one of the homes, according to the television station.
Evacuees were taken to an armory converted into a shelter, Red Cross official Amelia Aubourg told CNN. Local streets were closed temporarily, and a nearby school was shut down for the day, WCVB reported.
One evacuee who fled a high-rise building told the television station he saw at least 15 cars burning.
"And popping, they were popping. I don't know if it was tires that were blowing, but they were completely gone, the cars," Dan Savage told WCVB.
Nearby resident Chris Barrow awoke to the sound of a "big bang," he told WCVB. At first, he thought it was a car accident, but when he went outside to investigate the noise, he saw fire "just coming down the hill toward the houses as fast as you could think."
Barrow tried to escape in his car, but fire quickly surrounded the vehicle, he told the TV station.
"I rode over the fire and my car caught fire," he told WCVB. "I got out just in time, and I ran a couple feet just before it blew up." E-mail to a friend
CNN's Michelle Cumbo and Saundra Booker contributed to this report.
|
edab54e77c4842118c06a0e19e7dccdb
|
is the speed of the truck being investigated
|
[
"Officials are investigating whether the driver was speeding,"
] |
NewsQA
|
Miami (CNN) -- Rapper Rick Ross suffered medical emergencies aboard two separate flights, forcing both back to the ground, officials said Friday.
Ross was taken to a Florida hospital after he suffered an unidentified medical emergency on a Delta flight to Memphis a law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the situation told CNN.
A Broward County Sheriff's Office fire rescue team met Delta Flight 1310 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, said the source, who was not authorized to speak to the media.
"Ross was breathing and conscious and alert when we reached the passenger on the plane," said the source. "He was conscious on transport. He was assessed and transported to Broward General Medical Center."
The rapper later wrote on his Twitter account that he was headed to Memphis and posted a video with him on a plane, getting ready to take off.
His flight, however, was diverted to Birmingham, Alabama, according to CNN Memphis affiliate WMC.
The station reported that Ross had suffered a seizure and was hospitalized.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital confirmed that it had an emergency room patient under the name of William Leonard Roberts.
Ross, born William Leonard Roberts II, is famous for songs such as "9 Piece."
He was scheduled to perform Friday night in Memphis, at the FedExForum, for the "Memphis Madness" event. The rapper missed that appearance, according to WMC.
CNN's Joe Sutton contributed to this report.
|
8f8819c08b944074a0740974c4c51029
|
Who suffers seizures
|
[
"Rapper Rick Ross"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Real Mallorca's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League were dented by a 1-0 defeat away to Spanish strugglers Tenerife on Monday night.
Gregorio Manzano's islanders dropped out of the top four following the weekend's games, and Nino's early goal for relegation-threatened Tenerife meant they stayed fifth, two points behind Sevilla.
Tenerife moved up to third from bottom, still a point away from safety as they seek to avoid an immediate return to the second division, after doubling their points tally earned from the previous eight matches.
Last season's top scorer Nino netted his sixth goal of the 2009-10 campaign in the 14th minute as he ran onto Mikel Alonso's pass and buried his shot from the edge of the area despite claims of offside from the visitors.
Nino missed a chance from a similar position soon after, and in the second half he was denied by Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate, who also did well to save Julian Omar's rising shot.
Mallorca substitute Pierre Webo headed wide with 12 minutes to go as his team, who have a 100 percent home record, extended a poor away run of just one win in 12 trips.
Champions Barcelona lead Real Madrid by two points following Sunday's shock defeat by Atletico Madrid, while Valencia are third a further 10 points adrift.
|
f0eb4d02e38148018a5466b160386548
|
where do tenerife mve up to
|
[
"third from bottom,"
] |
NewsQA
|
MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A Spaniard has died from the human form of mad cow disease, the fifth such death in Spain since 2005, the Ministry of Health said in a statement late Friday.
The victim died in January in the northern city of Santander, according to the statement, which did not provide further details.
The victim was a woman who was hospitalized last fall, according to Juan Jose Badiola, director of Spain's national research center for mad cow disease.
The ministry reiterated that there is no danger from eating meat in Spain.
"The appearance of these sporadic cases is within the predictions that were made at the European level more than nine years ago," the ministry statement said.
Ten years can pass between eating contaminated tissue and the appearance of the human form of the disease also called variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease, health officials say.
The steps to avoid the disease, taken after the first cases of mad cow disease appeared in the United Kingdom, include isolating infected animals and prohibiting cattle feed of animal origin or with animal proteins, the ministry said.
Three of Spain's five deaths from the disease were in the northern province of Leon. The city of Santander is in the nearby Cantabria province.
Last September, officials reported the death of a woman from the human form of mad cow disease. Officials also said her son had died earlier from the same disease.
It was believed to have been the first case in the world where two members of the same family have died from the disease, Badiola told CNN at the time.
The mother, in her early 60s, died in August 2008. Her son, 41, died in February 2008, Badiola said.
Badiola said it was the mother and son likely contracted the disease before stricter controls against mad cow disease began in Spain in 2001.
The mother and son had similar eating habits, Badiola said, which included eating animal organs, such as kidneys and livers, and they may also have eaten animal brains.
The mother and son were from a village in Leon province. The third fatality in that province was a woman, 50, a local government worker, who died in December 2007.
The first confirmed death from mad cow disease in Spain was in 2005, when a young woman died near Madrid.
|
0f4704050bbc432ea90b816b07e41ee4
|
How many have died since 2005?
|
[
"fifth"
] |
NewsQA
|
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN) -- More than 200 people have died of meningitis in the past week alone in Niger and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization.
A health care worker vaccinates a child during an earlier outbreak of meningitis in Niger.
The disease is an epidemic in 76 areas of the two countries, the health agency reported Wednesday.
A spokesman for W.H.O. in Nigeria, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said Saturday that the outbreak is bigger than usual and stretches across the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa.
The outbreak began around the start of the year, Soyinka told CNN. It usually peaks in the dry season because of dust, winds and cold nights, before dipping around May when the rains come, he said.
A shortage of vaccines means officials are relying on "effective prevention," in which they watch for outbreaks and then vaccinate people in the epicenter and surrounding areas, Soyinka told CNN.
There have been nearly 25,000 suspected cases and more than 1,500 deaths in the meningitis belt in the first 11 weeks of the year, W.H.O. reported. More than 85 percent of those cases happened in northern Nigeria and Niger.
Nigeria's Ministry of Health has reported 17,462 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 960 deaths, the world health agency said. In the past week, it reported 4,164 suspected cases with 171 deaths.
Sixty-six local government areas in Nigeria have crossed the epidemic threshold. Epidemic thresholds are a way the W.H.O. confirms the emergence of an epidemic so it can step up vaccinations and other management measures.
Niger's Ministry of Health has reported 4,513 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 169 deaths, since the start of the year. In the past week, 1,071 suspected cases and 30 deaths have been reported, the W.H.O. said.
Ten of Niger's 42 districts have crossed the epidemic threshold.
By comparison, other countries are reporting fewer than 50 cases a week.
Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the thin lining that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. Several different bacteria can cause meningitis but Neisseria meningitidis -- which is to blame for this outbreak -- is one of the most significant because of its potential to cause epidemics.
Health authorities have released 2.3 million doses of vaccine to Nigeria and 1.9 million doses to Niger, the W.H.O. said.
CNN's Christian Purefoy in Lagos, Nigeria, contributed to this report.
|
69fe95ce71f64aa6afaaf868dc78e924
|
What is there a shortage of?
|
[
"vaccines"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Two top Iranian opposition leaders have called on supporters to protest on February 11, the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, an opposition Web site reported.
According to The Green Way Web site, a meeting took place Saturday between opposition leaders Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Moussavi at Karroubi's home.
They discussed the two executions that happened last week and the cases of 16 protesters who went on trial Saturday, the site reported.
"The widespread arrests of political activists and university students, the silencing of the media, and the forced confessions of prisoners are against the principles of Islam and the constitution of Iran," the leaders said in a statement.
They also called for people to take to the streets on February 11 to demand their rights back as citizens of Iran, The Green Way reported.
Meanwhile, state-run Press TV quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday as saying that the nation will deliver a harsh blow to "global arrogance" on February 11.
Press TV offered no details on or explanation of the statement.
Opposition protests were launched after the disputed June 12 presidential election that gave hardline Ahmadinejad a second term. The government denies accusations of fraud.
About 4,000 people have been arrested in the post-election crackdown. As of January 24, the government had confirmed the deaths of at least 37 people in the protests or in detention, seven of those deaths happening on the religious holiday of Ashura.
On Thursday, authorities hanged Mohammed Reza Ali Zamani, 37, and Arash Rahmanipour, 20, who had been convicted of being enemies of God and plotting to topple the Islamic regime.
The two were convicted in mass trials of opposition supporters in August, but Rahmanipour's lawyer said the young man was arrested two months before the election.
|
a724b8051ce94be7aa2c106f86396107
|
when was the protest?
|
[
"February 11,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi netted a double as Barcelona moved ever closer to retaining the Spanish league title with a 4-1 win over Tenerife at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night.
The strikes were the 30th and 31st for the La Liga top scorer and the victory puts the pressure on arch-rivals Real Madrid for their tricky trip to Real Mallorca on Wednesday.
It left Barcelona four points clear of Real, who must win their game in hand to keep their own title hopes alive.
Argentina ace Messi put Barcelona ahead after 17 minutes and added a second in the final minute to seal victory against relegation-threatened Tenerife, who stunned the champions by equalizing just before half-time through Roman Martinez.
It followed a mistake by home captain Carles Puyol, but Barca upped the pace after the break with goals from Bojan Krkic just after the hour mark and substitute Pedro Rodriguez giving them a comfortable cushion.
Messi's late goal gave the scoreline a flattering look in a match played in driving rain, as Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes conceded.
"It was a difficult night due to the weather and the fixture list is already taking its toll but we gave our all," Valdes told AFP.
"It is a very competitive league and we have won our game and now we just have to wait."
Barcelona will be hoping Mallorca can come up trumps with their strong home record because they face a tough trip to Champions League hopefuls Sevilla on Saturday.
Meanwhile in other action on Tuesday, Valencia clinched their place in the Champions League qualifying round, by clinching third spot, with a 3-1 home win over bottom club Xerez.
Spanish international Juan Mata equalized a first half goal for Xerez with a superb free kick then added a second after the break.
Mata then set up David Silva for Valencia's third.
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36af4bdf67144c8bbd7743e97ea462bc
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What was the score?
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[
"4-1"
] |
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(CNN) -- What can 40 goats and 20 cows buy a Kenyan man? Chelsea Clinton's love, if you ask Godwin Kipkemoi Chepkurgor.
Hillary Clinton says she would let her daughter Chelsea know about a Kenyan man's unique marriage offer.
The Kenyan man first offered the dowry nine years ago to then-President Bill Clinton in asking for the hand of his only child. He renewed it Thursday after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked about the proposal at a Nairobi town hall session.
CNN's Fareed Zakaria, the session's moderator, commented that given the economic crisis at hand, Chepkurgor's dowry was "not a bad offer."
However, Clinton said her daughter was her own person.
"She's very independent," she said. "So I will convey this very kind offer." Watch Clinton's response to dowry offer »
The audience laughed, but Clinton's comments were no joke to Chepkurgor, who described the younger Clinton as a "beautiful, disciplined and well-natured woman."
"Of course I have never met her, but I like her family and how they stick together," Chepkurgor told CNN. "I've waited for a long time. I'm still waiting to meet her and express my love for her."
Chepkurgor operates a small electronics and computer shop in Nakuru, a major city northwest of Nairobi. He may still be waiting for Chelsea, but he's not exactly single. He married his wife Grace, a college classmate, in 2006.
"My wife has no problem with this," he insisted. "She listened to the answers given by Hillary and did not complain."
Polygamy is legal in Kenya, so Chelsea would be Chepkurgor's second wife.
"Is that allowed in your side of the world?" he laughed.
In Kenya, a man proposes with dowry for the prospective bride, Chepkurgor explained. He said he stands by his initial livestock offer until someone makes a counteroffer.
Chepkurgor, now 39, first made his intentions known when all three Clintons visited East Africa in 2000. He wrote a letter to the former president, offering himself as his only child's suitor. He said he had not expected the secretary of state to address the issue during her visit to Kenya this week.
However, he admits his chances might be rather slim.
"Unfortunately, I don't have their contact information," he said.
"I just want to convey my message of goodwill to the Clintons," he said. "And to all of America."
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ab3c0fa3e20b43c1939e8b792403c0ce
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In 2000 a Kenyan man offered what for Chelsea Clinton's hand in marriage?
|
[
"40 goats and 20 cows"
] |
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(CNN) -- Eos Airlines, the all business-class carrier, has declared bankruptcy and stopped operations Sunday.
The New York-based airline reconfigured 220-seater Boeing 757s to 48 seats that could extend into fully flat beds. The seats also allowed passengers -- or "guests" as they airline prefered to describe them -- to sit face-to-face to dine or hold business meetings.
The tickets carried a hefty price tag -- up to $9,000 roundtrip from New York to London -- but the luxuries were aimed toward more discriminating business travelers.
The privately-held airline, in a news release Sunday, said it had secured additional financing. But "some issues arose that prevented the parties from moving forward," it said. The airline immediately began the process of eliminating the positions of most of its employees.
"There are times in business when even though you execute your business plan and even though your employees do their jobs beautifully, external forces prevent you from controlling your own destiny," Eos CEO Jack Williams said in a statement.
The airline becomes the latest in a number of small carriers that have gone out of business in recent month. Analysts blame the high cost of fuel, a slowing economy and a credit crunch.
Other carriers that have declared bankruptcy recently include Skybus and ATA airlines.
Eos asked passengers to contact their credit card companies or travel agents to find out how to obtain refunds for unused tickets. It said frequent-flier program participants will not be able to redeem their points. Any value related to membership will be determined by the bankruptcy court. E-mail to a friend
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415d6e42a84c439c94525ad91601ef6f
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What did analysts blame?
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[
"Analysts blame the high cost of fuel, a slowing economy and a credit crunch."
] |
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(CNN) -- These satellite photos taken before and after recent floods in Thailand show how the landscape has been transformed.
The first slide contrasts two identical areas of Southeast Asia taken on November 12 2008 and November 1 2011.
Captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA's Terra satellite, the images show Thailand (left), Cambodia (middle) and Vietnam (far right).
One hundred kilometers north of the Thai capital, Bangkok lies the historic city of Ayutthaya.
Founded in the 14th century on the confluence of three rivers -- the Chao Phraya, the Lopburi and the Pasak -- it was an important trade center, once known as the "Venice of the East."
After the rains, baby elephant brings hope
Today, that old moniker takes on a new meaning. Streets have become small rivers with surrounding farmland and floodplains submerged as images taken in July and October this year by NASA's Advanced Land Imager graphically illustrate.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that around 200,000 hectares of farmland have been affected by the floods across the country.
The urban economy has also been thrown into flux with an estimated 1,000 factories affected.
The country is a manufacturing hub for hundreds of electronics companies; the IUCN expects total economic losses from the disaster to exceed $3 billion.
Thailand floods could create laptop shortage
On the northern outskirts of Bangkok, the Don Muang Airport -- the city's old international airport which now handles mostly domestic flights -- closed at the end of October after its runways became inundated with water.
Perversely, Bangkok's new international Suvarnabhumi Airport (opened in 2006) occupies an area called Nong Ngu Hao (meaning Cobra Swamp) which used to be a floodplain. It is protected by a dike and remains open.
The IUCN says natural floodplains are important in storing water during floods and in combination with wetlands and natural river channels can limit the impact of flooding.
"It's a classic case of urbanization being done blindly," says Ganesh Pangare, head of IUCN's water program in Asia.
"The drains have gone, the floodplains have gone, the plants that soak up the water have gone. This is a wake-up call to unplanned growth," he said.
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344457c68b8e42078245df5e6dac2feb
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Which satellites provided images?
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[
"NASA's Terra"
] |
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JALOZAI REFUGEE CAMP, Pakistan (CNN) -- It's an exodus on an almost biblical scale. And it has produced a mosaic of plastic and canvas that is now home to more than 93,000 people -- with more arriving each day.
These children are among the thousands of refugees this month at the Jalozai camp in western Pakistan.
This is Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar, suddenly almost a city in its own right as thousands flee the violence raging between the Pakistani army and Taliban fighters.
The United Nations estimates that it's the biggest movement of people in Pakistan since the country was formed in 1947. Officials say up to 1.8 million people have been forced from their homes.
Food is available at this camp -- fruit traders work their way through the avenues of tents. But people here can't afford to buy much.
They make bread with flour handed out by the United Nations, but they say it's not enough. "It's very difficult, there's lots of jostling," says Mehboob Shah, a man at the camp. When there is food, he says, "it's very poor quality -- even the cows won't eat it."
Sar Bari Khan arrived 15 days ago with his wife and three children. He says his family walked almost 62 miles to escape the fighting. They had to leave his father behind. Watch a report on the plight of refugees »
There are eight field hospitals in this camp. On a recent morning, 380 new patients registered for treatment -- most of them women and children, suffering from diarrhea and heat stroke. Some have signs of mental trauma.
"They are complaining of fear, phobias, palpitations and all symptoms seem to have started since they arrive in this camp," said Abid Farooqi, with the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik underlined the seriousness of the situation. "I feel that this is even worse than the earthquake in Kashmir," he said, referring to the 2005 disaster. He noted that most of the people are from an area with relatively cold weather, and are unprepared for the heat here. Officials, he said, "are making all possible arrangements" to help.
Water tankers provide a lifeline in the stifling heat.
And on the edge of the camp, workers are clearing the ground for more tents. There is no sign of this influx ending any time soon.
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39f53e537ecb4983994c4686f91897cc
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What two groups is the conflict between?
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[
"Pakistani army"
] |
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Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- In patches across the Haitian capital, many earthquake survivors are not waiting for an international clearing and rebuilding effort to begin. They are pulling out shovels, wood and cement to slowly repair and rebuild themselves.
"This is what we have to do now," Jean-Fritznel St. Claire said as he hammered away at huge, fallen slabs of a Digicel office building, breaking them into chunks to be shoveled into a truck and taken away. Digicel is a telecommunications company.
St. Claire and three friends working with him at Digicel expected the company to pay them for their hard labor, but the group insists that they and others who stayed in the earthquake zone are eager to start clearing rubble and building what they can.
"The people who left [Port-au-Prince] have no hope," he said, his face dripping with sweat. "We have hope. So we're here."
Elsewhere in Port-au-Prince, businesses and families repaired cinderblock walls and pounded new beams into fractured roofs. One work crew near the airport replaced several broken sewer pipes that were part of a system set up for their neighborhood.
But this individual rebuilding alarms teams of engineers studying the damage in Haiti after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake January 12.
"It worries me," said Reginald Desroches, a Haitian-American engineer from Georgia Tech who is part of a volunteer assessment team working with the United Nations' mission in Haiti.
Desroches and his crew say many Haitians are using broken pieces of buildings as construction material, including the metal rebar, or reinforcement bars, that critically strengthen concrete but now lie twisted and bent in the rubble. That makes the bars weak and potentially unsafe.
But Haitians are turning to what's available -- even though the materials might be deemed unsafe -- to rebuild structures that ultimately may be declared unsound.
"This is a problem," fellow engineer Jean-Philippe Simon said. "These things can just collapse all over again."
Indeed, the Digicel building where St. Claire is working contains massive cracks, is missing a two-story wall and leans over the area he's cleaning up.
Asked if he's worried that the place could collapse, undermining his backbreaking work, St. Claire responds, "We can't control that. That is up to God."
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f865b2e0d8a947ea9a39202b6f864067
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What worries team of engineers?
|
[
"many Haitians are using broken pieces of buildings as construction material,"
] |
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(CNN) -- A new national poll suggests Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich could be on the top of Santa's naughty list.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich tops new CNN poll of which politician has been the naughtiest of 2008.
Fifty-six percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday said Blagojevich, who has been arrested on corruption charges, was the naughtiest politician in 2008.
Blagojevich, accused of attempting to sell President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat, has said he has done nothing wrong and plans to fight the allegations.
The poll also found 23 percent believed former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer should get the nod, followed by 19 percent for former presidential candidate John Edwards.
Spitzer resigned in March after it was revealed he was Client No. 9 in a high-end prostitution ring. In November, prosecutors announced they would not be bringing criminal charges against Spitzer.
Edwards, who had been considered a major contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, admitted in August to having an extramarital affair with former campaign staffer Rielle Hunter. The former North Carolina senator also denied he was the father of Hunter's then-newborn baby.
CNN polling director Keating Holland said while Blagojevich's top spot in the survey may be due to his arrest occurring more recently than the transgressions of the others, there may be another reason. iReport.com: Do you trust your political leaders?
"Americans typically take a much dimmer view of corruption than of sex scandals, since the former is a violation of the public trust and the latter is usually considered more of a private matter," he said.
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5503d64f64a84c3e86e7569b0afdf5d2
|
Who came second in the poll?
|
[
"John Edwards."
] |
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|
(CNN) -- Hundreds of people were evacuated Sunday amid flood concerns after a long-dormant volcano erupted beneath a glacier in south Iceland.
It was the first time since 1821 that the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier has erupted.
More than 600 people were evacuated as scientists monitored a fissure in the volcano from which lava was erupting. The fissure measured about 1,640 to 3,281 feet (500 to 1,000 meters).
Despite the remote location of the eruption, if the fissure "develops further towards the glacier, the melting floodwater ... will create dangerous floods in a populated area in south Iceland," said Gudrun Johannesdottir, a project manager for Iceland's Joint Rescue and Coordination Center.
The country's civil protection agency did not immediately record any injuries or damage.
Eyjafjallajokull is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of the capital, Reykjavik.
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daa2f7d3eb684d04a482efbd26e87e06
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Where is the volcano?
|
[
"south Iceland."
] |
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|
(PEOPLE.com) -- And baby makes 22!
Polygamist reality television star Kody Brown and his fourth wife, Robyn, welcomed their first child together -- a son named Solomon -- at 2:02 a.m. Wednesday morning at the couple's home in Las Vegas, they tell PEOPLE exclusively.
The baby boy weighed in at 9 lbs., 10.5 oz., and is 22 inches long.
"He's perfect and we couldn't be happier," Kody tells PEOPLE. "We are so thrilled."
Brown, 43, and Robyn, 33, married during last year's season finale of the TLC reality show "Sister Wives" and now work to blend a family that includes three other wives and 16 additional children, some from previous marriages.
The family -- including Brown's first and only legal wife Meri, 40, their daughter, Meriah, 16; wife Janelle, 42, and their children Logan, 17, Madison, 15, Hunter, 14, Garrison, 13, Gabriel, 10, and Savanah, 6; and wife Christine, 39, and their children Aspyn, 16, Mykelti, 15, Paedon, 13, Gwendyln, 10, Ysabel, 8, and Truely, 1 -- added Robyn and her three children from a previous marriage, Dayton, 11, Aurora, 9, and Breanna, 7, to the expansive Brown clan, and moved from Utah to Nevada after police launched an investigation into the family last year. (The Browns have since filed a federal lawsuit in July challenging the constitutionality of Utah's bigamy law.)
This season, the Browns are residing in four separate homes in Las Vegas and dealing with the emotional, financial and physical strain that comes from living a "plural" lifestyle. Sister Wives airs Sunday nights (9 p.m. ET) on TLC. Solomon's birth will air on the show's season finale on November 27.
See the full article at PEOPLE.com.
© 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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fd8ca63b64014a67b06c10ad89691893
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whats the age of robyn
|
[
"33,"
] |
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|
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Relations between Cambodia and Thailand took a further turn for the worse Tuesday, after ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Phnom Penh to begin his new job there.
Thaksin arrived in Cambodia Tuesday to begin his first day as an economic adviser, a move that has infuriated Thailand.
In response to the relationship with Thaksin, Thailand has suspended its cooperation with Cambodia, a Thai government official said Tuesday.
Thailand has also suspended a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia, an agreement that governs an overlapping waterway between the two countries, said Panitan Wattanayakorn, a Thai government spokesman.
Thai officials also plan to send out an extradition request to Cambodia for Thaksin, the spokesman said.
The actions are the latest moves in worsening relations between the southeast Asian countries that were sparked by Cambodia's hiring of Thaksin.
Last week, Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Cambodia and, in response, Cambodia pulled its top diplomat to Thailand.
Cambodian officials said Thaksin arrived Tuesday and had a welcome luncheon with Prime Minister Hun Sen and the two were expected to have a friendly dinner later.
Cambodia had not received extradition papers from Thailand, government spokesman Phay Siphan said.
Thaksin, a billionaire businessman who served two terms as prime minister, was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006. Thaksin fled Bangkok last year while facing trial on corruption charges that he said were politically motivated.
Though he has fled the country, he remains a controversial figure in Thailand, and there have been violent clashes in the country between pro and anti-Thaksin groups.
CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
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6368777c2f8649deb924e6417ec5a884
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Did he flee Thailand?
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[
"has fled"
] |
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(CNN) -- A second runner missing since Monday was found alive near a ravine on a rugged mountain trail in Southern California hours after her running partner was found, an Orange County Sheriff's spokesman told CNN.
Runner Maria "Gina" Natera-Armenta, 34, is severely dehydrated and in serious condition, officials said.
Authorities and fellow runners had been looking for Maria "Gina" Natera-Armenta, 34, and her brother-in-law, Fidel Diaz, 50, since Monday.
Diaz was found about 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, but the search for Natera-Armenta continued as police questioned him.
Orange County Sheriff's officials, searching the area by helicopter, eventually spotted Natera-Armenta waving from the ravine, which was about five miles from the sheriff's command post, Orange County Sheriff spokesman Lt. Jim Amormino.
"She was lying in the shady area," Amormino said. "She did see the helicopter before, but didn't have enough energy to get up."
Natera-Armenta is in serious condition, and was severely dehydrated when she was found, Amormino said. She is currently in the intensive care unit at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California.
The pair had set out at 5:30 a.m. Sunday. According to their spouses, they planned to do an eight- to 10-hour run on a remote mountain trail in the Cleveland National Forest near San Diego.
But it wasn't until Monday night that their spouses individually reported to police that the two were missing.
Natera-Armenta and Diaz are ultrarunners, devotees of an endurance sport in which it's common to trek and run for many hours over rugged terrain. Natera-Armenta is an experienced ultrarunner and was a top finisher at a 100-mile race in San Diego.
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c816d2c07c2342ce89ea51d654f732b6
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Maria "Gina" Natera-Armenta and Fidel Diaz planned what
|
[
"eight- to 10-hour run"
] |
NewsQA
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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Police tightened security Wednesday in India's Punjab for the funeral of a preacher whose killing in Vienna, Austria sparked violent protests in the Sikh majority state last week.
The body of Rama Sand lies in state in Vienna before being transported to India.
Top-ranking officers are camping in Jalandhar district, where Rama Nand will be cremated Thursday, said Parag Jain, Punjab's inspector-general of police.
"Security arrangements are elaborate," he told CNN.
Nand's body is due to arrive from Vienna early Thursday in Sachkhand Ballan, a monastery dedicated to Guru Ravidass, a 14th-century low-caste Hindu spiritual figure.
Guru Ravidass' writings are predominantly found in the primary Sikh scriptures called the Guru Granth Sahib, placed in the sect temples as in the Sikh houses of worship.
Sect head Niranjan Dass, who was injured in the Vienna assault, will also be arriving Thursday, Sachkhand Ballan secretary S.R. Heer said.
The sikh guru's death led to widespread violence across the Punjab region, which resulted in the army and federal security forces being called in to restore order.
Thousands took part in demonstrations across the Doaba region, where protesters attacked public transportation, knocking out train service in some areas. They also blocked a national highway to Jammu, CNN sister network CNN-IBN reported.
A number of businesses were ransacked as well. Police reported one death.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, himself a Sikh, appealed for calm, in a statement.
"There is no place for violence in a secular society like India's and certainly no excuse whatsoever for the violation of the sacred premises of a (Sikh temple) for narrow sectarian or other purposes," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
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a5edb4f1a0fc43c09d5980eb0ee79d0d
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Who was killed
|
[
"Rama Sand"
] |
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(CNN) -- A shadowy figure in the back seat of an SUV in surveillance photos is a second "person of interest" in the slaying of the University of North Carolina student body president, police said Monday.
Investigators say a second male appears in the back seat in this ATM photo, which has been colorized.
Police on Saturday released photos taken by an ATM camera that show a young man driving a sport utility vehicle possibly using one of student Eve Carson's ATM cards in the Chapel Hill area.
A large, shadowy form appears in the back seat of the vehicle, which police say may have been Carson's.
Carson, 22, was found shot to death early Wednesday in a suburban neighborhood near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. Her Toyota Highlander was found the next day in another neighborhood to the west, close to where she lived with roommates.
"We do believe there is a second unidentified male seated in the rear seat," the Chapel Hill Police Department said in a statement. "We have been exploring ways to enhance the quality of this photo in an effort to learn more about this person."
Police have not identified the pictured driver, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a vintage Houston Astros baseball cap.
Chapel Hill Police Chief Brian Curran said Saturday that Carson's killing "feels like a random crime."
The medical examiner told police that there were no injuries to Carson's body besides gunshot wounds and no signs of sexual assault, Curran said.
On Sunday, more than 1,000 people crowded the First United Methodist Church in Carson's hometown of Athens, Georgia, for her funeral, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.
The University of North Carolina will hold a memorial service for Carson after students return from this week's spring break, Chancellor James Moeser said in a statement on the school's Web site.
On Saturday, the school's top-ranked men's basketball team wore reminders of the popular student president on their jerseys as they took on Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Watch as students remember the slain campus leader »
The North Carolina players wore patches on the jerseys that simply read "Eve," and many of Duke's fans donned small light-blue ribbons as a show of support.
A moment of silence for Carson also was held before tipoff.
The UNC-Chapel Hill board of trustees has pledged $25,000 to the Crime Stoppers program in the area for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible in Carson's slaying. Carson was a student member of the board. E-mail to a friend
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cf96216c3a48422097da3504efae9105
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Who was the student body president?
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[
"Eve Carson's"
] |
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(CNN) -- Houston Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada is expected to plead guilty Wednesday in federal court to a count of lying to Congress about his knowledge of Major League Baseball players using performance-enhancing drugs, according to officials familiar with the case.
Miguel Tejada, a shortstop for the Houston Astros, has been charged with lying to Congress.
In a document filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Tejada is charged in a criminal "information," a document that routinely signals a plea bargain agreement. The document does not directly accuse Tejada of using steroids or other substances.
However, the court document says that in 2003 Tejada gave another player more than $5,000 in checks "for substances which he believed to be HGH [human growth hormone]."
The document says Tejada lied to congressional investigators when he told them on August 26, 2005, that he had never heard discussions about steroids by other players, and that he never knew of any other player using steroids.
After the December 2007 Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball, which appeared to contradict Tejada, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Tejada "made knowingly false statements to the committee." The investigators concluded he had lied.
"Defendant Tejada unlawfully withheld pertinent information from the committee because defendant Tejada before and during his interview with the committee staff, then and there well knew that Player #1 [unidentified], one of his teammates on the Oakland Athletics, had used steroids and HGH," the document says.
Tejada played for the Athletics from 1997 to 2003.
He is scheduled to appear at 11 a.m. Wednesday before a magistrate judge, indicating the charge against him will be a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of a year in jail. However, a government official familiar with the case said that under sentencing guidelines, Tejada could get from zero to 6 months, which means he may receive probation without jail time.
Tejada, who started his MLB career in 1997, hit at least 30 home runs from 2000 through 2004 with the exception of 2003, when he hit 27.
He won the American League's most valuable player award in 2002, when he hit a career-best 34 home runs. He matched that total in 2004, his first year with the Baltimore Orioles. He began playing with Houston in 2008.
The information came one day after MLB star Alex Rodriguez -- the New York Yankees' third baseman since 2004 -- admitted that he had used a "banned substance" during the 2001-2003 seasons. Sports Illustrated had reported that Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 2003, when he was playing for the Texas Rangers.
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20e243ff14b44c21a2496994b0937fbb
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When did Tejada lie?
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[
"August 26, 2005,"
] |
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JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Five Europeans rescued Saturday after an Indonesia diving trip went wrong had to fight off a Komodo dragon while they were waiting to be found, according to reports.
Rescued diver Kath Mitchinso embraces fellow diver Ernest Lewandowsky as they arrive on Flores island.
The group was found at Mantaolan, on the island of Rinca off the Komodo National Park, after going missing Thursday.
The divers -- three Britons, a Frenchman and a Swede -- spent two nights on the deserted island, which is home to the large Komodo dragon, before rangers found them Saturday.
Frenchman Laurent Pinel, 31, said the group had to fight off one dragon with rocks and scavenged for shellfish as they waited to be rescued, Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.
"On the beach a Komodo dragon came amongst us [Friday] afternoon," Pinel said, describing how the group had to pelt the dangerous reptile with rocks to scare it away.
"We had nothing to eat. We ate some kind of mussels scraped from the rocks," Pinel told the newspaper.
The husband of one of the other divers said he was told they were in good condition, although dehydrated.
"I'm just so relieved," said Mats Kohler, husband of Helena Neva Lainen. They are both from Sweden.
An official said they were being taken to a hospital for examination.
Searchers using boats located the missing divers at 11 a.m. Saturday (11 p.m. ET Friday), the official said.
They arrived at a hospital in Labuan Bajo, on the western tip of the island of Flores, about two hours later, an official said. Watch a report on the discovery of the missing group »
They were one of two groups of divers who entered the water off Komodo National Park on Thursday and were supposed to be gone for an hour, said an employee of the dive company, Reef Seekers. The second group came back after the hour passed, but the first group failed to resurface, she said.
Earlier, an official with the Komodo Divers Association said the group that returned comprised six snorkelers.
Among those who went missing was one of the owners of the dive company, Kathleen Mitchinson, the employee said.
The seas that the divers were in are known to be dangerous because of their strong tides, and that's one theory being investigated in the divers' disappearance, the employee said.
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3c4a2ec294c2413696615c852cb2dc9a
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What were the nationality of the divers?
|
[
"Europeans"
] |
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London, England (CNN) -- Spanish banking giant Santander on Monday began its campaign to rename hundreds of Abbey and Bradford and Bingley bank branches across Britain.
The banking group acquired Abbey in 2004, before it purchased Bradford & Bingley and the Alliance & Leicester in 2008.
The first of 300 official Santander branches in the south-east of England was launched in London Monday morning by Banco Santander Chairman Emilio Botín, with a further 700 branches across the UK expected to follow suit by the end of January.
In a statement Botin said: "This is a historic day for Santander as its name is firmly established on the UK high street.
"When Santander acquired Abbey in 2004, there were some who doubted we could make it a success. Today, there can be no doubts.
"Over the last five years we have transformed our UK business into one of the most successful banks in the country. The decision to become Santander will put us in an even stronger position the UK."
António Horta-Osório, Chief Executive of Santander UK, added: "The success of our UK business has given us the confidence to move to the Santander name now and with it deliver the next phase of our transformation program and make 1,300 branches available to our 25 million customers in the UK.
"I am confident that this is a very positive move - both for our customers and our employees."
Over the next few years, Santander says it aims to increase the number of products each of its customers hold through increasingly competitive and market-leading products to its customer base.
At the end of 2008, Santander, which was founded in 1857, was the largest bank in the euro zone by market capitalization and third in the world by profit. It has has 90 million customers, around 14,000 branches -- more than any other international bank -- and over 170,000 employees.
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a38c952929d441fa957d7ab242ec7096
|
What does the CEO say?
|
[
"\"The success of our UK business has given us the confidence to move to the Santander name now and with it deliver the next phase of our transformation program and make 1,300 branches available to our 25 million customers in the UK."
] |
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(CNN) -- Somalia's president on Wednesday declared three days of national mourning for the victims of a suicide truck bomb that killed more than 70 people in Mogadishu, the nation's capital.
According to the Health Ministry, 72 were killed Tuesday and 103 remained injured, 38 of those in serious condition. A majority of the victims were students and their parents who were registering for an education program at a government complex.
Al-Shabaab, an Islamist movement that has links to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility.
President Sharif Ahmed visited the scene and some of the hospitals where the victims were, the government said in a statement. Some of the injured who cannot be treated in Somalia will be flown to other countries.
"At this time, when the country is in the midst of a worsening humanitarian crisis, the terrorists could not have attacked the Somali people at a worse time," said Abdulkadir Hussein Mohamed, the country's minister of information.
According to the government, Tuesday's bombing was the second Al-Shabaab attack in two years that specifically targeted students. In December 2009, a suicide bomber attacked a university graduation ceremony in Mogadishu, killing more than 20 people.
Al-Shabaab is a group in Somalia that was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States government in March 2008. It is waging a war against Somalia's government to implement a stricter form of Islamic law, or Sharia.
Federal and African Union forces in the impoverished and chaotic nation have battled the group for years. Many analysts believe that Al-Shabaab has been severely weakened by the African Union Mission in Somalia, targeted strikes against foreign members and the weakening of al Qaeda.
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e0137f43a6fb47089c0638a42a9e947e
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Who claimed responsibility?
|
[
"Al-Shabaab, an Islamist movement that has links to al Qaeda,"
] |
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|
HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- In Hong Kong, where the alert level has been raised to "emergency" after reporting its first case of swine flu, authorities are trying to keep the H1N1 virus from spreading through the metropolis of 7 million people through quarantine, stepped-up border measures and surveillance.
Quarantined guests and hotel employees wave through the glass of the main entrance of Hong Kong's Metro Park Hotel.
The quarantine has extended beyond the single confirmed case, a 25-year-old Mexican man, to include more than 340 people.
They include: two taxi drivers, two fellow taxi passengers, a local friend, 36 passengers within a three-row vicinity of the patient aboard a China Eastern flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong, and 300 guests and staff at the Metropark Hotel he checked into.
All have been put on the antiviral drug, Tamiflu.
Among the two cab drivers, one was suspected of taking the patient from the airport to the hotel, and another was believed to have taken him from the hotel to the hospital.
Authorities are seeing another 40 to 50 guests whose names are on the hotel's guest list. Some of them left their luggage behind.
"They are gambling with their health, jeopardizing public health safety," said Dr. York Chow, secretary for Food and Health, appealing to the guests to come forward.
In addition to the Metropark Hotel in Wanchai district, the Lady Maclehose Holiday Village is being used as an isolation center during the one-week quarantines.
The government has assured that people under quarantine will have their visas automatically extended, their hotel lodging fees waived and their onward journeys prepared. The Wanchai hotel is providing guests $200 worth of free overseas telephone calls daily.
The isolation order, which went into effect Friday night, is to expire Friday at 8:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. ET) -- the length of an incubation period for swine flu.
The isolation order did not extend to the air crew or remaining passengers aboard the China Eastern flight.
An airplane's air exchange rate is high compared to that in an office or hotel, explained Yuen Kwok-yung, chair of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong. "Risk is very low on a plane," he said.
So far, there have been no further confirmed cases of swine flu, and no Hong Kong pigs have tested positive for the virus, Yuen said.
|
e29fbb7a80924c1e976a172fa432bc44
|
Who is included among confined persons?
|
[
"They include: two taxi drivers, two fellow taxi passengers, a local friend, 36 passengers within a three-row vicinity of the patient aboard a China Eastern flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong, and 300 guests and staff at the Metropark Hotel he checked into."
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Grammy-winning trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, a leading figure in jazz during a five-decade career, has died at age 70, about a month after suffering a heart attack, his publicist said Tuesday.
In the 1970s, Freddie Hubbard made a series of funk- and fusion-oriented albums, such as the 1970 hit "Red Clay."
Hubbard died Monday morning in Sherman Oaks, California, outside Los Angeles, after a long battle with heart disease, spokesman Don Lucoff told CNN. He had been hospitalized since suffering a heart attack the day before Thanksgiving and took a turn for the worse last week, Lucoff said.
"Freddie Hubbard, in terms of the advent of modern jazz, the birth of bebop, was probably among the five greatest trumpet players that has ever lived ... He's really right up there with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Roy Eldridge, an innovator and great composer," Lucoff said.
A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Hubbard moved to New York in the late 1950s. By the mid-1960s, he was playing alongside such major jazz figures as Art Blakey, Oliver Nelson, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.
In the early 1970s, he made a series of funk- and fusion-oriented albums, such as the 1970 hit "Red Clay" and 1972's Grammy-winning "First Light."
"The thing that set Freddie Hubbard apart was he played rapidly, he played soulfully and he really set the pace for a lot of the trumpet players who have come after him in the last 20 or 30 years," Lucoff said.
Hubbard was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2006. He is survived by wife, Briggie, and son Duane.
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cd89acf6f1dc40a68c9eb251fde85488
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What award did the trumpeter win?
|
[
"Grammy-winning"
] |
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|
(CNN) -- A bird struck an Arkansas hospital's helicopter Saturday, tearing a hole into the aircraft's nose and prompting the pilot to land early, according to officials and pictures taken after the landing.
A medical helicopter landed near Forrest City, Arkansas, on Saturday after striking a bird.
The chopper's pilot made a "safe landing" in that state after hitting a bird while returning to Baptist Health Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, hospital spokesman Mark Lowman said.
"I think the pilot just made a judgment call to set it down," Lowman said of the landing, which happened at 6:15 p.m. Saturday near Forrest City, Arkansas.
Video footage taken by CNN affiliate WREG showed a bird hanging out of a hole torn into the paneling on the chopper's nose. Part of the helicopter's windshield also was broken.
The pilot was slightly injured during the landing, and the other two crew members on board were uninjured, Lowman said.
Federal aviation officials are investigating, and the helicopter is not expected to be grounded for long, he said.
The helicopter was returning from a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where the crew had taken a patient.
The incident came two days after a US Airways jetliner was forced to land in New York's Hudson River, apparently after striking a flock of birds.
Shortly after the jet took off from New York's LaGuardia airport on Thursday, the crew reported seeing a flock of birds. Seconds later, the cockpit voice recorder captured the sounds of loud "thumps" and both of the plane's engines failed.
The pilot, C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger, landed the Airbus A320 in the Hudson, where all 155 people aboard were rescued.
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806bdcc53d4a4f159b0f3bfca0796728
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What did the pilot suffer during landing?
|
[
"was slightly injured"
] |
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|
Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt (CNN) -- Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, under investigation in the deaths of protesters, remained Saturday in a Sharm el-Sheikh hospital where he has been receiving treatment since Tuesday, officials said.
Earlier, a military official told CNN that Mubarak had been transferred to a military facility in Cairo. However, later in the day, an official with the military in Cairo said the former leader is still in the hospital in the Red Sea resort town.
Hospital and police personnel had insisted that Mubarak was still being treated at the facility and hadn't moved from a heavily guarded section of the building.
"As long as Mr. Mubarak is here, we will stay here," said police Capt. Karim Yusuf, one of the dozens of riot police standing in a human chain outside the Sharm el-Sheikh hospital.
Justice Minister Mohamed Abdel Aziz had earlier said that when the former leader's health improves, he will be imprisoned.
Despite his health issues, Mubarak has been questioned and been under investigation by the Egyptian prosecutor-general's office since Tuesday.
He is being investigated in connection with the deaths of hundreds of activists during the recent uprising that led to his departure from office February 11. He is also under investigation for allegations of corruption and misuse of state funds.
Mubarak has been treated at the hospital since Tuesday for heart palpitations and blood pressure problems and is listed in stable condition, officials said.
He and his sons were taken into 15-day detainment Tuesday, according to a Justice Ministry spokesman. His sons are in custody in Cairo.
Aziz also said Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, will be questioned by the ministry's Office of Illicit Profiteering.
CNN's Ivan Watson, Mohammed Fadel Fahmy and Dina Amer contributed to this report.
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8645325355d1417ca93fff626a5f10a2
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what is also the subject of a corruption probe?
|
[
"Mubarak"
] |
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|
(CNN) -- A Buffalo, New York-area man accused of beheading his estranged wife made his first appearance in court Wednesday to face murder charges, according to the district attorney.
Muzzammil Hassan has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Aasiya Zubair Hassan.
Muzzammil Hassan, 44, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 37-year-old wife, Aasiya Zubair Hassan, days after she filed for divorce and was granted a restraining order against him.
In court Wednesday, Hassan waived his right to a felony hearing, according to Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita III. The case will go before a grand jury in the next 45 days. In the meantime, Hassan will be jailed without bond.
If convicted, he faces a sentence of 15 years to life, WKBW reported, citing prosecutors.
Muzzammil Hassan went to the police station in the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park on Thursday and told officers that his wife was dead, authorities have said. He also led them to her body at the offices of Bridges TV.
The couple began the network in 2004 to counter negative Muslim stereotypes; Muzzammil Hassan is its chief executive officer, and Aasiya Hassan was general manager.
Aasiya Hassan filed for divorce February 6, police said, and Muzzammil Hassan was served with divorce papers at the station. That night, he showed up at the couple's home, she notified authorities, and he was served with a restraining order.
Police had responded to several domestic violence calls at the couple's address, but no one was arrested, Orchard Park Police Chief Andrew Benz said Tuesday. However, two women claiming to be Aasiya Hassan's sisters -- one in Pakistan and one in South Africa -- told reporters and posted in a blog that she lived in fear of him.
Bridges TV released a statement Monday saying its staff members were "deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya Hassan and the subsequent arrest of Muzzammil Hassan. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victim."
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435140f84eb041b4bf77765026f802c5
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If convicted what sentence does Hassan face?
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[
"15 years to life,"
] |
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|
(CNN) -- Pharmaceuticals giants Merck and Schering-Plough are planning to merge their operations under the name Merck in a deal worth $41.1 billion.
Merck chairman and CEO Richard T. Clark will head the combined company.
Under the terms of the agreement, Schering-Plough shareholders will receive just over half a Merck share and $10.50 in cash for each Schering-Plough share they own. Each Merck share will automatically become a share of the combined company.
Merck shareholders are expected to own approximately 68 percent of the combined company, and Schering-Plough shareholders are expected to own approximately 32 percent.
Merck Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Richard T. Clark will lead the combined company.
"We are creating a strong, global healthcare leader built for sustainable growth and success," Clark said in a media statement Monday. "The combined company will benefit from a formidable research and development pipeline, a significantly broader portfolio of medicines and an expanded presence in key international markets, particularly in high-growth emerging markets.
"We look forward to joining forces with an outstanding partner we know well and that shares our commitment to patients, employees and the communities where we work and live."
Merck added that its 2009 outlook has not changed, and it is committed to keeping its annual dividend at its current level of $1.52 per share.
Both drug-makers reported better-than-expected quarterly results in early February, but announced steep job cuts. On a conference call with investors on February 3, Clark said the drug-maker was open to a takeover of a large pharmaceutical company.
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a718d983fca94b2585f6da41feb35f87
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What drug-makers reported promising quarterly results?
|
[
"Merck"
] |
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|
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- John Travolta, still in mourning over the death of his teenage son earlier this year, issued a rare public statement urging fans to see his latest movie, "The Taking of Pelham 123," which he filmed last year.
John Travolta stars as a villainous ex-inmate in "The Taking of Pelham 123," which opens in theaters Friday.
"I promise, you won't be disappointed," said Travolta, who plays a deranged ex-inmate who takes hostages on a New York subway.
Travolta did not join co-star Denzel Washington in the promotional tour for the movie -- which hits theaters Friday -- because he said his family needed "additional time to reconcile our loss."
His son Jett, 16, was found unconscious on January 2 while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas. The teen was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, local police said.
Washington, who plays a subway train dispatcher forced to face down Travolta's character, said he talked to the actor about three weeks ago.
"Needless to say, he's struggling," Washington said in an interview last week.
Travolta's statement, which can be read on his official Web site, said Washington, director Tony Scott and the producers "stepped up without hesitation to help promote this wonderful film, and their unselfish efforts have allowed my family the additional time to reconcile our loss."
Making the movie was "a labor of love," Travolta said.
"Tony gave me the freedom to define, and then to become, the ultimate evil mastermind," he said. "This role as an actor gave me the chance to dispense with all moral and ethical limitations, and explore just how bad this character could really be. I believe you will like the result."
Much of the movie is a dialogue between Washington and Travolta's character over a two-way radio.
Many of the action shots were filmed in New York subway tunnels.
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4d801311bf004524b48667e007ab2b20
|
Where did John Travolta post his statement?
|
[
"official Web site,"
] |
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|
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S., Turkish and Iraqi leaders all held talks Monday about Kurdish rebels using northern Iraq as a launchpad for cross-border attacks into Turkey.
Turkish troops patrol near the border with Iraq on Monday.
President Bush chatted by phone with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while separately two senior Iraq national government figures met with the head of the country's Kurdish region.
The diplomatic moves came after Turkish warplanes pounded Kurdish separatist targets in northern Iraq on Saturday and Sunday as well as last week.
Bush and Erdogan talked about the dangers of the Kurdish separatist rebels along the Turkish-Iraqi border, the White House confirmed.
National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said they discussed their common efforts to fight terrorism, and the importance of the United States, Turkey and Iraq working together to confront the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.
Bush has vowed to help Turkey fight PKK rebels.
The PKK has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey, with some of its attacks launched from inside northern Iraq. The United States and European Union consider the group a terrorist organization.
Last week, Turkey's ambassador to the United States, Nabi Sensoy, said his country's maneuvers against Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq were based on intelligence provided by the United States.
In the Kurdish Iraq city of Sulaimaniya, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is Kurdish, and Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is Sunni Arab, met with Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani.
Iraqi Kurdish officials, while critical of the PKK, have denounced the Turkish bombing campaign. Last week, Barzani snubbed visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in protest of the attacks.
"We have vehemently condemned the bombardment. The bombing targeted safe and secure areas and innocent people. Several people were either killed or wounded," Barzani said on Monday at a press conference with the others.
"We held consultations with President Jalal Talabani and we will continue our consultations with other concerned parties to put an end to these aggressions and put to an end the shelling of villages."
The three Iraqi officials also dealt with national unity. They signed a "memorandum of understanding" to deepen relations further with their three parties: Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and al-Hashimi's Iraqi Islamic Party, a Sunni Arab entity. E-mail to a friend
CNN's Kathleen Koch, Talia Kayali and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report
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64c218520cfe480db7187f8a51806622
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When was the bombing?
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[
"Turkish warplanes pounded Kurdish separatist targets in northern Iraq on Saturday and Sunday as well as last week."
] |
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(CNN) -- ZipRealty is a full-service residential real estate brokerage firm which uses the Internet, proprietary technology and employee real estate agents to provide home buyers and sellers with value-added online service.
ZipRealty's Web site provides users with access to comprehensive home listings data.
ZipRealty's Web site provides users with access to comprehensive local Multiple Listing Services home listings data, as well as other relevant market and neighborhood information. Its proprietary business management system and technology platform help to reduce costs, allowing the company to pass on savings to consumers.
ZipRealty was launched on August 29, 1999. Three weeks later, on September 21, the company celebrated the acceptance of its first real estate offer. ZipRealty completed its initial public offering on November 10, 2004. It currently operates in 34 major metropolitan areas in 19 states and the District of Columbia with over 2,000 sales agents.
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5d8e98c5931d436aac03afcf60f81efd
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What does ZipRealty used?
|
[
"proprietary technology and employee real estate agents"
] |
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(CNN) -- A plane crashed early Sunday in the southern port city of Karachi, killing at least eight people on board and sending flames shooting through the night sky, a Pakistani official said.
The cargo plane took off at 1:45 a.m. from the Jinnah Karachi International Airport for Khartoum, Sudan, said Pervez George, a spokesman for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority. It went down a few minutes later in the Gulistan-e Johar section of Karachi, an area where many Pakistani naval officers live.
Masood Raza, a Karachi district government official, told CNN affiliate GEO News in Pakistan that the pilot appeared to deliberately bring the plane down in a less densely populated residential area in order to save lives.
"If the plane would have crashed in a (more crowded) residential area, it would have been a very big disaster for the city of Karachi," Raza said.
All eight people confirmed dead were members of the downed aircraft's crew and all are Russian nationals, said George.
A local hospital spokesman told CNN that the hospital had received five bodies by 4 a.m.
The Russian-made cargo plane was carrying relief supplies, including tents, to Africa before it went down. The plane arrived in Karachi on Saturday from Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, George said.
An eyewitness told CNN that he saw fire on one of the plane's wings before it crashed.
Firefighters, rescue personnel and area residents rushed to the scene, with jet fuel fanning the large flames and huge plumes of smoke.
The blaze was put out by 4 a.m., according to George, at which point rescue personnel continued to comb through the rubble looking for other people possibly killed or hurt.
The plane appeared to hit several buildings under construction.
Hospital sources told GEO News that Mohammed Raees had burns over 60 percent of his body, resulting from the crash and subsequent fire. Raees told GEO News that he was hurt after flaming parts of a building hit him and the motorcyle he was preparing to ride.
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8a218c867e73461dbf03e3325e764675
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What nationality were killed crew members?
|
[
"Russian"
] |
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Atlanta (CNN) -- Nearly 700 patients and 100 employees at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta have been exposed to tuberculosis after coming in contact with a hospital employee carrying the disease, a hospital spokesman said Thursday.
The Georgia Department of Community Health and the hospital have identified 680 patients who were exposed to tuberculosis between November and February, said hospital spokesman Lance Skelly.
Patients will begin getting tested for tuberculosis next week, Skelly said. To date, no patients or employees have reported symptoms of tuberculosis, he said.
The hospital and the department began notifying people about the exposure this month, after an Emory employee was diagnosed in April with the infectious disease, he said. The employee did not know he had tuberculosis when he came in contact with employees and patients, the hospital said.
The hospital took extra precautions by contacting patients who were in the hospital for 90 days before the day the employee is known to have developed the disease, Skelly said. "That is a major reason the numbers are so much higher."
All hospital employees are screened for the disease and must receive screenings each year, it added. A hospital statement did not say whether the employee had been screened.
About 11 million people in the United States are infected with latent tuberculosis, which is symptom-free and is not contagious.
Of those, 5 to 10 percent go on to develop active tuberculosis, which can be spread to others through the air, such as through coughing or sneezing. It can be fatal if not properly treated.
Symptoms of tuberculosis include chest pain, a bad cough (possibly with blood), weakness and a fever. While tuberculosis usually impacts the lungs, the kidneys, brain and spine may also be affected.
Both the number and rate of tuberculosis cases has been on the decline since 1993, according to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The number of reported deaths nationwide dropped from 644 in 2006 to 544 in 2007, the most recent year for which such data is available, the CDC said.
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7c9bd937e22f403b88c48994261ae42f
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Who unknowingly exposed patients and staff to TB, the hospital says?
|
[
"employee carrying the disease,"
] |
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(CNN) -- Thousands of mourners filled a Tracy, California, high school gym Thursday to remember slain 8-year-old Sandra Renee Cantu.
Sandra Cantu, 8, had been missing almost two weeks before her body was found.
The little girl made national headlines after she went missing March 27 from a mobile home park in Tracy where she lived with her family.
She was on her way to a friend's home and her playful skipping down an alley was caught by a surveillance camera. Police later found her body stuffed into a suitcase and submerged in a pond at a nearby dairy farm.
Photos of Sandra, flowers and stuffed animals covered the front of the stage. Family members, friends and state dignitaries memorialized the child during a ceremony that lasted just over an hour.
The printed program called the memorial service "A Celebration of Life," and organizers said they hoped the service would help ease the pain the community has suffered since Sandra's disappearance.
"We are left with the haunting image of her skipping on the streets of Tracy. But today she is skipping on the streets of gold, into the arms of a loving God", said Brent Ives, mayor of Tracy.
Cindy Sasser, principal at Jacobsen Elementary School told mourners, "We should all strive to be like Sandra -- always smiling, wanting to help, to look out for others and to be caring."
The service included a video that showcased some of the family's favorite photos.
People from across California attended, filling the gymnasium, cafeteria and the football stadium at West High School.
Melissa Huckaby, 28, a Sunday school teacher who lived in the same mobile home park as Sandra's family, has been charged with murder, kidnapping, the performance of a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 14, and rape by instrument.
If convicted, she would face the death penalty or life in prison without parole, San Joaquin County District Attorney James Willett said this week.
A private memorial service for Sandra was held Wednesday. Her casket, signed by classmates, was taken to a nearby burial site by a horse-drawn carriage.
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2cf987f54a5a4d888c9fabd3b0029096
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When did she disappear?
|
[
"March 27"
] |
NewsQA
|
Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN) -- The effort to rescue hundreds of trekkers stranded for six days in a town near Nepal's iconic Mount Everest due to bad weather continued Monday.
With weather conditions improving Monday, the process of transporting the tourists to the nation's capital was fully under way, the tourism ministry said.
"The target is to transport 1,500 tourists to Kathmandu today," Hari Basyal, spokesman of the Nepal Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation told CNN.
More than 2,200 tourists have been stranded in the village of Lukla since last week where food supplies are limited, Basyal said.
Lukla, a popular starting point for people on their way to the world's tallest peak, is located in northeast Nepal.
Stranded tourists took 48 flights and helicopter rides out of Lukla on Monday. A day earlier, at least 500 trekkers were flown to the capital.
Last week, some of the tourists began a four-day walk to the town of Jiri to take buses to Kathmandu.
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78a67bcba2004e93bbc759559d140735
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What kind of weather conditions?
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[
"bad"
] |
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two U.S. Air Force F-15s escorted two Russian Bear long-range bombers out of an air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.
Two U.S. Air Force F-15s were dispatched to meet the Russian bombers.
U.S. radar picked up the Russian turbo-prop Tupolev-95 planes about 500 miles off the Alaska coast.
The U.S. fighters from Elmendorf Air Force Base were dispatched to meet the bombers and escorted them out of the area without incident, the officials said.
The United States maintains the air exclusion zone off the coast of Alaska, barring unidentified aircraft or aircraft that don't file flight plans inside that area.
The last case of Russian aircraft approaching the U.S. coastline or ships in the Pacific was in February.
Then, four Bear bombers flew near the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, with one of them flying about 2,000 feet from the Nimitz's deck.
Russia's Defense Ministry said at the time there was no violation of flight regulations during the incident. A ministry official described the flights as standard operating procedure for air force training.
Meanwhile, U.S. military officials say the incidents are not a concern. They say it's the Russian military flexing its ability and presence. E-mail to a friend
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dcf949e3126845d98635a010bd216bb1
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Where did the Russian planes come near?
|
[
"Alaska"
] |
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|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax figure of Michael Jackson on Thursday, showing the late entertainer in a pose from the concerts he had planned to hold this month.
The new waxwork of Michael Jackson -- only Queen Elizabeth II has been portrayed more times by Madame Tussauds.
Sculptors at the wax museum started working on the figure four months ago. They had intended to display it this month, to coincide with the start of Jackson's "This is It" comeback tour in London.
The new figure is modeled on a Jackson pose from the concert poster, the museum said. It shows him "arms outstretched, pelvis thrusting and tip-toed, with his trademark trilby angled forward," the museum said.
It is the 13th Jackson waxwork by Madame Tussauds, the museum said. Only Britain's Queen Elizabeth II -- who has been on the throne for almost 60 years -- has been portrayed more often.
"It is extremely unusual for a personality to have been portrayed so many times," said Madame Tussauds spokeswoman Liz Edwards.
"But Michael Jackson was totally unique and his iconic status made him one of the most popular stars here."
The London museum has two other Jackson waxworks -- one in a pose from "Thriller" and another from his "Dangerous" album. The other 10 Jackson waxworks are in other Madame Tussauds museums around the world.
The museum said it decided to proceed with the figure after Jackson's death last month "as a tribute to one of the greatest musicians of all time and to celebrate his amazing 40-year career."
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74baeb295ffd42d4a45f1a9a204a9194
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How many waxworks of Jackson have been displayed in the tourist attraction?
|
[
"13th"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Two British soldiers and a Spanish soldier were killed in separate incidents in Afghanistan, the British and Spanish Defense Ministries said.
The British soldiers died in roadside bomb explosions Monday, a part of southern Afghanistan that has been the site of fierce fighting between the Taliban and coalition troops, the ministry said in a written statement.
The soldiers were on foot patrol at the time, said Lt. Col. David Wakefield, a spokesman for Task Force Helmand, a predominantly British military command that conducts operations in Helmand province.
They were identified as belonging to the 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment but were not identified by name.
In the other Monday incident, a Spanish military vehicle struck a mine while on a mission to distribute aid, and the explosion killed one soldier and wounded six others, a Spanish Defense Ministry spokesman told CNN.
Killed was a Colombian national, Jon Felipe Romero Meneses, in his early twenties, serving with Spain's armed forces.
The identities and conditions of the wounded soldiers were not immediately available, said the spokeswoman, who by custom is not identified.
The blast happened in Qala-i-Naw province in Afghanistan, where the Spanish troops were escorting a U.N. World Food Programme convoy to distribute aid.
Spain has more than 800 troops in Afghanistan serving in the NATO-led mission, and the government has recently committed to send several hundred more, partly in response to the Obama administration's request for more troops from allied nations.
Spain has had troops in Afghanistan since 2002, and more than 22 Spanish soldiers have died there, including two in November 2008 when a suicide bomber rammed their convoy, and 17 in a helicopter crash in August 2005.
CNN's Al Goodman contributed to this report
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060dd503f20f4f9b9f6290e67aafe26e
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Where did the bomb explode?
|
[
"Afghanistan,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- The pilot and co-pilot aboard a FedEx cargo plane were killed when the plane burst into flames Monday while landing at Tokyo's Narita airport in Japan, airport and hospital officials said.
Smoke rises from a FedEx cargo plane that crash landed on the tarmac of the Narita International Airport, Tokyo.
Both crew members were American men, an official at Narita Red Cross Hospital told CNN.
Video from the landing showed the plane bouncing at least twice on the runway and veering left as it turned on its side before bursting into flames. The fire destroyed the aircraft, which was identified by FedEx as a McDonnell Douglas MD-11.
Japan's Ministry of Transport said it was the first fatal crash at Narita, which opened in 1978.
Strong winds may have played a role in the crash, said Masaru Fujisaki, an airport official.
FedEx Express Flight 80 took off from Guangzhou, China, and crashed at Narita about 7 a.m. Monday (6 p.m. Sunday ET), said FedEx spokesman Matt Ceniceros. Watch more about the cargo plane accident »
According to observations at the airport, wind gusts were reported to be between 30 to 50 mph around the time if the crash.
Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that Narita firefighters had worked through the flaming wreckage to try to rescue two people believed to be the crew.
The news agency said the cargo plane was landing on Runway A, the longer of the two runways at Narita, a major international airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board in Washington said Sunday night it was sending a team to Japan to assist in the investigation of the crash.
CNN's Kyung Lah in Tokyo contributed to this report.
|
e954608168834dcf98af338c8e129cc5
|
Where did the FedEx plane crash?
|
[
"Tokyo's Narita airport in Japan,"
] |
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