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MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- The Mexican government has ordered 2,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in response to a wave of drug-related violence that is blamed for 200 deaths since January, officials announced Thursday.
Mexico has ordered troops to move near Juarez, shown here with El Paso, Texas, in the distance.
The troops are expected to depart Friday. The majority will be near the northern border of Mexico, in Juarez.
Juarez sits across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas.
Officials said the violence in Mexico has increased in large part to competing drug cartels.
"In this battle we will show that no criminal group is capable to resist the strength of the Mexican government," Interior Minister Juan Mourino said at a news conference Thursday.
Defense Secretary Guillermo Galvan said 2,026 soldiers, 180 military tactical vehicles, three airplanes and more than a dozen drug detection devices would be employed in the military operation.
"Violence, and this needs to be stressed, generates organized crime of drug trafficking," said Mexican Attorney General Medina Mora. "It's not in any way a sign of strength, but a sign of weakness, deterioration and decomposition." E-mail to a friend
CNN en Espanol's Ariel Crespo contributed to this report.
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500fe0402c044ac68ce9bf0ca12c2c3c
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what did the officials say
|
[
"the violence in Mexico has increased in large part to competing drug cartels."
] |
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Call it a case of high tech meeting low tech, really the lowest of tech.
Satellites are locating penguin waste, which is easier to find than the penguins themselves
British scientists are using pictures from high-powered satellites to pinpoint emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica.
The penguins are difficult to pick up on sea ice, because of their natural camouflage that helps them blend into the shadows -- so the British Antarctic Survey had to come up with another method.
Fortunately, penguin waste shows up nicely from space, staining the ice a light brown.
"We can't see actual penguins on the satellite maps because the resolution isn't good enough," said mapping expert Peter Fretwell. "But during the breeding season the birds stay at a colony for eight months. The ice gets pretty dirty and it's the guano stains that we can see."
The method helped scientists identify 38 penguin colonies -- of those, 10 were new. Of previously known colonies, six had re-located and six were not found.
"This is a very exciting development. Now we know exactly where the penguins are, the next step will be to count each colony so we can get a much better picture of population size," said penguin ecologist Phil Trathan.
"Using satellite images combined with counts of penguin numbers puts us in a much better position to monitor future population changes over time."
Estimates put the total number of penguins at between 200,000 and 400,000 breeding pairs.
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1c12f3f75997460e928c6b1ed49346b7
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What was the number of new colonies identified?
|
[
"10"
] |
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British new wave ska legends The Specials rounded off the Brixton leg of their 30th anniversary tour with an electric performance that threatened to bring the crumbling south London venue crashing to the ground.
The frenzied crowd at London's Brixton Academy
The six-piece 2-tone outfit originally from the English Midlands played a total of five dates at what is now the O2 Academy, such was the phenomenal demand for tickets.
It's no surprise really.
From the rarefied perspective of the VIP bar, the sea of bobbing heads and mobile phone displays (which seem to have replaced cigarette lighters) created a fantastic spectacle. But down among the rude boys and rude girls the carnival atmosphere seemed to ratchet up a notch with each song.
Balding, sweaty 40-something men in Fred Perry polo shirts were transported back to the late 1970s as they bounced around unselfconsciously, while post-Margaret Thatcher indie kids sloshed their pints in the air and enjoyed this unique experience for the first time. No one was standing with their arms folded here.
Despite songwriter Jerry Dammers' continued absence and Lynval Golding's lost voice, the band was as tight as it ever was, both musically and personally. As soon as the curtain rose the band wasted little time plugging into the hysteria that greeted them. If "Do The Dog" appeared to hit the spot, then tracks such as "Too Much Too Young," and "Gangsters" literally had the earth moving in this imposing old theatre.
Terry Hall, showing no sign of fatigue after a recent throat infection and the band's homecoming gig in Coventry the previous night, was in a chirpy mood. The Manchester United fan enjoyed reminding the London audience about his team's league success that afternoon.
Meanwhile, the irrepressible Neville Staple seemed to galvanize the rest of the band with his seemingly limitless energy -- he must have spent the entire gig running on the spot. The dapper singer has aged well and was clearly reveling in the band's return to the spotlight.
Despite only reforming recently, The Specials have rediscovered their mojo. They possess the kind of stage presence reserved for the truly great acts, while their lyrics still resonate today. "Ghost Town" encapsulated the gritty reality of Britain's urban landscape in 1981, and few in the audience would have argued that it remains a relevant portrait in today's troubled economic times.
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21865f8574f040e18f2169e29c442be6
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What hits did the band play?
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[
"\"Too Much Too Young,\""
] |
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(CNN) -- A Colorado woman is being pursued as a "person of interest" in connection with phone calls that triggered the raid of a Texas polygamist ranch, authorities said Friday.
Rozita Swinton, 33, has been arrested in a case that is not directly related to the Texas raid.
Texas Rangers are seeking Rozita Swinton of Colorado Springs, Colorado, "regarding telephone calls placed to a crisis center hot line in San Angelo, Texas, in late March 2008," the Rangers said in a written statement.
The raid of the YFZ (Yearning for Zion) Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, came after a caller -- who identified herself as a 16-year-old girl -- said she had been physically and sexually abused by an adult man with whom she was forced into a "spiritual marriage."
The release said a search of Swinton's home in Colorado uncovered evidence that possibly links her to phone calls made about the ranch, run by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"The possibility exists that Rozita Swinton, who has nothing to do with the FLDS church, may have been a woman who made calls and pretended she was the 16-year-old girl named Sarah," CNN's Gary Tuchman reported.
Swinton, 33, has been charged in Colorado with false reporting to authorities and is in police custody. Police said that arrest was not directly related to the Texas case.
Authorities raided the Texas ranch April 4 and removed 416 children.
Officials have been trying to identify the 16-year-old girl, referred to as Sarah, who claimed she had been abused in the phone calls. FLDS members have denied the girl, supposedly named Sarah Jessop Barlow, exists.
Some of the FLDS women who spoke with CNN on Monday said they believed the calls were a hoax.
While the phone calls initially prompted the raid, officers received a second search warrant based on what they said was evidence of sexual abuse found at the compound.
In court documents, investigators described seeing teen girls who appeared pregnant, records that showed men marrying multiple women and accounts of girls being married to adult men when they were as young as 13.
A court hearing began Thursday to determine custody of children who were removed from the ranch. E-mail to a friend
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40802b28d3b94c3bb7ad75ac510ae0c0
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Who was she calling?
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[
"crisis center hot line"
] |
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(CNN) -- Clashes were reported Friday in Bahrain's capital on the eve of parliamentary elections in the country.
Security forces were sent to rallies to deal with what the Interior Ministry called "illegal acts which resulted from demonstrations," the state news agency reported.
The ministry said that saboteurs and outlaws stormed the City Center mall in Manama Friday afternoon, "intent on sowing chaos and terrorizing shoppers," according to the Bahrain News Agency. Those arrested will face legal action, officials said. The ministry blamed the rallies on "instigative calls posted on social networking sites."
Unspecified arrests and injuries were reported in the clashes. It was not clear late Friday how many involved pro- or anti-government protesters. There also were unconfirmed reports of tear gas used by security forces on demonstrators.
City Center was back to normal late Friday, according to the Interior Ministry.
A march on the Lulu Square area of Manama brought a halt to traffic in much of the capital.
A heavy police presence was evident as people prepared to vote Saturday. Residents of some villages have vowed to boycott.
The elections are being held to replace 18 seats that were vacated by Al-Wefaq, the country's largest opposition party. The party vacated the seats to protest the treatment of demonstrators during February's unrest in Bahrain.
An opposition group called The February 14 Coalition said it planned to launch protests on Friday and Saturday in the newly named Martyr's Square, the site formerly known as Pearl Roundabout.
"Just like all other freedom-loving people living in real democracies across the globe, we, the people of Bahrain have the right to choose the way in which we are governed," the group said.
The Youth Coalition of February 14 announced it would be holding a sit-in demonstration at the same location.
Addressing an opposition rally in Tubli, a village south of Manama, Thursday, Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the Al-Wefaq party said, "when we talk about democracy we want democracy like that of Westminster, France, and America, not the democracy of Saddam Hussein, nor the democracy of Zine El Abidine, nor the democracy of Gadhafi."
Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, president of Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority, said he expected voter turnout to be encouraging Saturday, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency.
Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York. On Thursday he spoke about the need for reforms "aimed to provide decent living conditions, security and tranquility in a society of peaceful coexistence."
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a65967e5f17b43efb911fd31061a81c6
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Where have the clashes been reported
|
[
"Bahrain's capital"
] |
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- American radio talk-show host Michael Savage said he wants an apology from Britain's home secretary and his name removed from a list of people banned from entering the United Kingdom.
American radio talk-show host Michael Savage calls the British government's description of him "demented."
"I've heard from British attorneys who are salivating to set the record straight and win quite a large settlement should she not remove my name from the list," Savage said in an interview broadcast Thursday on CNN's "American Morning."
Savage was referring to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, whose office recently excluded 22 people from entering the country because the government feels they have been "stirring up hatred."
The British government has cited Savage -- who is on the list under his real name, Michael Alan Weiner -- for "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence."
Savage has made controversial statements against homosexuality, illegal immigrants from Mexico and Islam. He said that "borders, language and culture is the real message of 'The Savage Nation,' " his radio talk show.
"I'm a patriotic American, and if that's a crime in England, God help us all," he said. Watch as Savage says he wants to clear his name »
Savage's daily radio show does not air in Britain but is broadcast nationwide in the United States.
Savage rejected the British government's description of him, calling it "a demented attitude."
"She lumped me in with known murderers and terrorists, people who have been in prison for killing people," Savage said of Smith. "I've been on the air for 15 years, three hours a day, five days a week. I have never, ever promoted violence. There has never been one violent incident attached to my show."
Smith has said she is determined to keep those who "spread extremism, hatred and violent messages" out of the country.
"Coming to the UK is a privilege, and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life," Smith said. "Therefore, I do not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views, as I want them to know that they are not welcome here."
The Home Office has named 16 people on the list, saying it was not in the public interest to disclose the names of the other six.
Included on the list are:
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6c11c53f5f2848fba215129cad3a28b6
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what did he say
|
[
"wants an apology from Britain's"
] |
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(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal ended the Paris Masters run of defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Friday to help fellow-Spaniard Fernando Verdasco book his spot at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Tsonga needed to retain his title to deny Verdasco a place at the prestigious eight-man tournament later this month, but found Nadal far too consistent and fell to a 7-5 7-5 quarterfinal defeat.
The world number two struggled in his first two matches, saving five match points against Nicolas Almagro before edging out Tommy Robredo, but his form was much improved on Friday.
Tsonga dominated much of the first set with his blistering groundstrokes but could not take advantage of five break points and gradually Nadal took the sting out of his opponent before breaking in the 11th game.
The second set took on a similar pattern, although the errors were more frequent from the home favorite and Nadal again broke at 5-5 thanks to a poor game from Tsonga.
The 23-year-old confidently served out for victory and will now face third seed Novak Djokovic in a superb semifinal showdown on Saturday.
Djokovic was a 6-4 1-6 6-3 winner against Robin Soderling, who would needed to reach the final in Bercy to have a chance of reaching the London finals.
The Swede dominated the second set and created 14 break points on his opponent's serve during the match, but took only three of them.
Serb Djokovic admitted he was not at his best and was relieved to reach the last four after a fifth successive victory over Soderling.
He told Sky Sports: "I'm very pleased to go through, it was a big struggle for me. Mostly I was fighting myself. In the second set I was not moving well and I was letting him control the match but in the end I managed to hold the nerves and focus."
Nadal and Djokovic have met 19 times, with the Spaniard holding a clear lead at 14-5. However, Djokovic won their last encounter in Cincinnati in August for the loss of only five games.
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4515325ebbec4e1eadbfbacf7a609891
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Who will Nadal face in the semifinals?
|
[
"Novak Djokovic"
] |
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Four militants armed with guns and grenades stormed a mosque in Rawalpindi frequented by military personnel, killing dozens of people Friday -- most of them children, the military said.
The attack is the latest to shake the garrison city since this year's launch of strong military offensives against Taliban insurgents in the Swat Valley and South Waziristan. Rawalpindi is the headquarters of the Pakistani army.
Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said Friday's assault killed 36 people and wounded 75.
Among the dead were 17 children, according to the military's Web site. Also killed were an army general and eight other military officials, six of them of senior rank. The remaining fatalities were adults.
"As soon as the mosque's security staff checked me, there was a blast and then a finger hit me, then there was another," Ishtiaq, a driver for a military officer, told GEO TV.
Ishtiaq, who uses only one name, was attending midday prayers.
Rawalpindi is near Islamabad, and the mosque is near national army headquarters. It is located inside a walled residential compound where many military families have homes.
A witness told GEO TV there were up to 300 worshippers at the mosque at the time of the attack.
The militants hurled grenades before opening fire, Rawalpindi Police Chief Aslam Tareen told CNN. He said all the militants died, but he doesn't know how.
"These are not militants," Abbas said. "These are terrorists who killed innocent worshippers."
Retired Gen. Muhammad Yousaf was killed in the attack, said Col. Baseer Haider, a military spokesman. He said Yousaf was a former vice chief of army staff who was second in command during the administration of President Pervez Musharraf.
Abbas said two of the attackers were suicide bombers who blew themselves up inside the Parade Lane mosque; the other two were shot and killed by security forces outside the mosque.
Several explosions were heard inside the mosque around 1:30 p.m. (3:30 a.m. ET), followed by gunfire, Abbas said. The militants entered the compound by climbing over a wall, Tareen said.
This is the first attack in Rawalpindi since a suicide bomber targeted a bank on November 2.
On October 10, militants stormed army headquarters in Rawalpindi, taking several people hostage before security forces killed them.
CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report.
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4a72f2db35b84eb1a9eebada70525912
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in what city did the attack occur?
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[
"Rawalpindi"
] |
NewsQA
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Billionaire oil man T. Boone Pickens is shelving plans to build the world's largest wind farm.
T. Boone Pickens says the capital markets will not support his plans to build the world's largest wind farm.
The chairman of BP Capital Management announced Tuesday that his plans for the Pampa Wind Project, designed to generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity using thousands of wind turbines, is on hold.
"I had hoped that Pampa would be the starting point, but transmission issues and the problem with the capital markets make that unfeasible at this point," Pickens told CNN's Ali Velshi. "I expect to continue development of the Pampa project, but not at the pace that I originally expected."
The Pickens Plan was an attempt to wean the United States off foreign oil and switch to wind and natural gas. The project was to be set in four Texas Panhandle counties.
Pickens said he faced hurdles in routing the power from Texas to a distribution system. His plans were also stymied by a plunge in natural gas prices and a tightening credit market.
"The capital markets have dealt us all a setback, and I'm less aggressive with the Panhandle project than I have been," Pickens said. Watch Pickens respond to criticism that the U.S. can't shake it's oil addiction »
He said he was still committed to 667 wind turbines that he has already ordered and would find homes for them.
The Texas billionaire pushed The Pickens Plan in television commercials and lobbying efforts that started last summer. Pickens had hoped to complete his $12 billion plan in 2014 and provide enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes.
Renewable energy is the source of only a small portion of electricity used today, but in 2008, the United States became the world's leading provider of wind power.
Pickens, 81, made his fortune in oil production and trading and is listed in Forbes magazine as the 117th richest person in the United States with a net worth of about $3 billion in 2007.
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17c8200ff2354f4fa6b93d63b13c5f67
|
When did the US become the leader in wind power?
|
[
"2008,"
] |
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(CNN) -- No drawn butter will ever touch Fiona's tail. She's an extremely rare, seven-year-old "yellow" lobster.
Fiona's colorful hue makes her a one-in-30 million rarity.
Fiona belongs to Nathan Nickerson, the owner of Arnold's Lobster and Clam Bar in Eastham, Massachusetts, who has been in the restaurant business for 32 years.
The special lobster was caught off the coast of eastern Canada last week by a friend of Nickerson.
"In 57 years in Cape Cod, I have never seen a yellow lobster and I doubt that I will ever see one again," he said Thursday.
Experts say Fiona's colorful appearance makes her one in 30 million.
Fiona's not really yellow, but more of a bright orange, She's not quite the red color your typical lobster looks after it's been cooked.
Nickerson has plans for his new ocean-dwelling friend, but it has nothing to do with the boiling pot. He said he'll keep the 1.75-pound crustacean in a viewing tank at his restaurant, hoping to draw in a few extra customers.
CNN's Samuel Gardner contributed to this story.
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a0a92327a41b4c8db6cd654fa9805941
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What colour is the special lobster?
|
[
"\"yellow\""
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- Torrential rains and flooding since June have affected 600,000 people in 16 West African nations, the United Nations reported Tuesday.
People walk in the flooded streets of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, last week.
The worst hit have been Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ghana and Niger, said Yvon Edoumou, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. So far, 159 people have died, he said. Sierra Leone has also been hard hit, according to the U.N.
Edoumou said removing water from flooded areas is a top priority, but powerful pumps are in short supply.
"Some people refused to leave their homes so they are living in floodwaters," he said.
The United Nations has not yet received reports of waterborne diseases, but Edoumou said a real threat exists of diarrhea or, worse, cholera.
The U.N. World Food Programme said Tuesday it has begun distributing food to tens of thousands of homeless flood victims.
WFP has set a goal of feeding 177,500 people, mainly in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, where 150,000 people have been affected and key infrastructure -- including a central hospital, schools, bridges and roads -- has been damaged.
The flooding in Burkina Faso is the worst in 90 years, WFP said.
Many of those in Ouagadougou most needing help were already receiving aid from WFP, but those rations were lost in the floodwaters, the U.N. reported.
"It is always the poor and vulnerable who suffer the most from floods like these as their few remaining assets are swept away, leaving them hungry and destitute," WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said.
Roads and buildings have been ruined from Mauritania to Niger, the U.N. reported. In Agadez, Niger, a town about 458 miles (738 km) north of the capital, Niamey, close to 988 acres (400 hectares) of vegetable crops and hundreds of livestock were washed away.
Herve Ludovic de Lys, head of OCHA in West Africa, said natural disasters have a lasting effect that unravels years of progress against poverty.
"The situation is very worrying," he said in an OCHA statement issued Tuesday.
The rainy season in West Africa begins in June and continues through late September. In 2007, 300 people died and 800,000 were affected by the storms.
This year, fears abound that more heavy rain will fall in already waterlogged areas.
Despite the misery, Edoumou said the rains are a mixed blessing for countries dependent on agriculture. The harvest this year will be more bountiful, he said.
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811d9df73c8e4a50af34fa6fc1022fb3
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What does the UN distribute?
|
[
"food to tens of thousands of homeless flood victims."
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- What would you see if you could fly over Mars in a plane and look out the window?
Victoria Crater as seen by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The crater is about half a mile in diameter.
It must be something like the thousands of curious, intriguing and spectacular images taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera mounted on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The University of Arizona, Tucson, which operates HiRISE, has just released a new batch of these photos taken in the last several months.
You can check out the full set here.
They reveal an alien landscape of craters, valleys, ridges, channels, weird surface patterns and other features in incredible detail.
Take the stunning image on the left, which shows the muffin-cup-like Victoria Crater, a site once explored by the Mars rover Opportunity.
The camera isn't looking straight down, but is pointed 22 degrees east so we get a better view of the crater's slopes, "comparable to a view from an airplane window," the university says.
Looking at some of the photos, you feel like you're flying over the Grand Canyon or the Sahara. Others are distinctly extraterrestrial in nature. In all cases, the images reveal lots of details about the surface of our neighbor in the solar system.
"Each full image from HiRISE covers a strip of Martian ground 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) wide, about two to four times that long, showing details as small as 1 meter, or yard, across," according to NASA's Web site.
It might be the closest thing to visiting Mars without leaving your chair.
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3f72645e687f40e289f0c0aee07074b8
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When were the photos taken?
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[
"in the last several months."
] |
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The A&E network quickly backed away from an earlier assurance that Michael Jackson's three children "are not part of" a reality show it is taping with four of the pop star's brothers.
Before their father's death, Michael Jackson's children, Paris, Prince and "Blanket" were not often seen in public.
The network said late Wednesday it was "entirely possible" that "other members of the Jackson family" could appear on the show, but it is too soon to know.
US Weekly magazine quoted an unidentified source as saying that despite a sharp division in the Jackson family over the matter, Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7, would be included in the show.
"The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty," which focuses on the lives of four of the Jackson brothers -- Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon -- was in the works before the singer's June 25 death.
"Filming is taking place right now," A&E said in the late Wednesday statement. "As production moves forward, it is entirely possible that the brothers' paths will intersect with other members of the Jackson family, who may or may not be included in the finished series. However, we cannot at this point definitively know who else may make an appearance in the series."
Earlier Wednesday, however, the network had seemed to rule out their appearance, saying, "They are not part of the series."
Jackson went to great lengths for years to keep his children out of the public eye, including covering their faces with masks and scarves.
It was only at the public memorial service for Jackson that the world got a close look at them -- and began learning about their personalities.
The magazine's source is quoted as saying that the oldest Jackson sister, Rebbie, "feels Michael would spin in his grave if he knew his kids would be on this show."
The public relations firm hired by the Jackson family soon after Michael Jackson's death issued a short statement Wednesday morning that did not dispute the US Weekly report.
"We are not going to comment," the statement said.
The decision would be left to Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, according to the lawyer appointed in August to represent the children in the probate of their father's will. Katherine Jackson was given guardianship over the children by a Los Angeles judge.
The reality show is tentatively set to begin airing in December.
CNN's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report.
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47298666945e4826ac90ba7b82fa6dd2
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what does the network say
|
[
"\"entirely possible\" that \"other members of the Jackson family\" could appear on the show, but it is too soon to know."
] |
NewsQA
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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A bomb inside a van exploded in northeastern Madrid Monday, after a warning call by the Basque separatist group ETA. The blast caused damage but there were no immediate reports of injury.
Policemen inspect the area after a van loaded with a bomb exploded in northeast Madrid.
The Red Cross received a call at 7:37 a.m. (1:37 a.m. ET), in the name of ETA, warning of the bomb. The Red Cross immediately contacted police, who cordoned off the area, a Red Cross spokeswoman told CNN.
The blast occurred shortly after 9 a.m. (3 a.m. ET) outside the building of a construction company, CNN partner network CNN+ reported.
The company, Ferrovial Agroman, is involved in building a high-speed train line in the Basque region, which ETA opposes.
The attack came just hours after Spain's Supreme Court declined to allow two new leftist Basque parties to compete in the March 1 Basque regional elections in northern Spain. Authorities allege the new parties are simply new names for other leftist Basque parties already outlawed for their links to ETA.
"What ETA did this morning ratifies the Supreme Court decision last night," Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba told reporters, at the scene of the explosion.
At least 30 vehicles parked in the street were damaged, as well as the construction company offices, the Spanish police said in a statement. The bomb, it added, was placed in a van stolen last night in the Madrid area.
Exactly four years ago, on Feb. 9, 2005, ETA placed a bomb in the same Madrid neighborhood that was hit on Monday. That attack caused dozens of injuries, and damaged a different glass-façade office building.
ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its long fight for Basque independence. It is listed as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States.
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5c7d9c8ee7af413fb24c7f01af122084
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Where did a bomb explode?
|
[
"northeastern Madrid"
] |
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Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- France's President Nicolas Sarkozy made a landmark visit to Haiti Wednesday, announcing more than $100 million of additional aid to the former French colony where 212,000 people were killed by an earthquake five weeks ago.
Sarkozy is the first French president ever to visit the country which has in the past demanded huge reparations from France to compensate for slavery-era exploitation before Haitian independence two centuries ago
He told a news conference that an extra €100 million ($136 million) was being made available to help reconstruction efforts, bringing France's contribution to the the aid effort to €320 million.
Sarkozy was scheduled to meet with Haitian President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and take a helicopter tour of earthquake-devastated zones, Sarkozy's office said.
He also planned to tour a French Civil Security hospital and meet with French teams and injured Haitians, his office said. He planned to meet members of the government involved in reconstruction and members of the United Nations mission in Haiti.
Sarkozy's trip was scheduled to last less than five hours, after which he planned to go to the French island of Martinique for an overnight stay. Thursday, Sarkozy planned to visit French Guiana on South America's northeastern coast before returning home, his office said.
Sarkozy is the first European head of state to visit Haiti since the January 12 earthquake, Agence France-Presse reported.
France has had close cultural ties with its former colony since independence, but diplomatic relations have sometimes been fraught, with Paris occasionally expressing concerns over instability in the Caribbean nation.
In 2004, France called for the resignation of then president Jean Bertrand Arstide, who was subsequently ousted in a 2004 rebellion, after his government demanded that France pay $21 billion in reparations.
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5edf5f907055451593a03d78af7b2220
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Who is Satkozy expected to meet?
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[
"Haitian President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive"
] |
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(CNN) -- Somalia needs international help to fight Islamist extremists battling for power in the lawless Horn of Africa nation, the country's moderate Islamist president said Monday.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was recently appointed Somalia's transitional president.
"I am calling on the international community to help Somalia defend against foreign militants who have invaded the country," President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said.
Speaking at a news conference in Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu, Ahmed called several times for international help in fighting foreign militants whom he claims are the same fighters who have fought the "international community" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Wherever they come, they fuel violence," the president said. "The Somali people cannot and should not accept that their countries should be a launching pad for these militants to attack."
Ahmed told local journalists that he feared these foreign fighters would turn Somalia into another Iraq or Afghanistan, where U.S.-led forces are fighting Islamic extremist groups.
He also praised local militias in the two regions of Hiiran and Middle Shabelle for struggling against the foreign militias.
Last week, al-Shabab militants advanced to the presidential palace in Mogadishu, sparking sporadic fighting and shelling in the Somali capital. The recent fighting has killed more than 40 civilians and wounded about 150 others, according to sources at the scene.
Al-Shabab -- once the armed wing of the Islamic Courts Union -- has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, which says it is affiliated with the al Qaeda terrorist network.
Ahmed participated in seizing control of Mogadishu in 2006 along with the Islamic Courts Union before it was ousted by Ethiopian forces later that year.
He has since split from Somali jihad movements and was recently appointed Somalia's transitional president through a process shepherded by the United Nations.
Journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report.
|
96440ebee4ba4c2ca907001fc8250dd1
|
What is the name of the President?
|
[
"Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Italy's Valentino Rossi gave his bid to seal a seventh Moto GP world title at the Malaysian Grand Prix a boost after qualifying for the race in pole position.
The defending champion set a name lap-record time of 2 minutes 00.518 seconds despite sweltering conditions on Saturday.
The time smashed Casey Stoner's 2007 lap record of 2 minutes 02.108 seconds.
The Yamaha rider celebrated his seventh pole of the season by pulling a wheelie as he drove into the pit lane at the Sepang circuit.
The 5.5-kilometer track that is situated south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, is a notoriously tought test for rider and machine alike with its combination of tight corners, long straights and tough high-speed bends.
The 30-year-old currently leads the world championship by 38 points, a position that means a top-four finish at Sepang would seal the title on Sunday.
Rossi's teammate Jorge Lorenzo qualified in second place, just 0.569sec behind -- a result that prompted Rossi to pay tribute to the hard work of his team.
"The team worked well, the bike performed well, hence I was able to go faster.
"Starting from pole is important since the (first) corner is far away," he added.
Spaniard Dani Pedrosa (Honda) was 0.736sec behind Rossi while Australian Stoner was fourth at 0.937sec.
Ducati rider Stoner, who finished ahead of Rossi in last weekend's Australian Grand Prix to take the win, is third in the world championship standings, with Pedrosa fourth on a Honda.
|
6cdce4433285484f8867299b469a11a8
|
What number of points does Rossi currently lead?
|
[
"38"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Spanish Primera Liga side Atletico Madrid have got one foot in the Champions League group stage after claiming a crucial 3-2 success at Greek side Panathinaikos in a tough qualifying round first leg encounter on Wednesday.
Maxi Rodriguez celebrates scoring the opening goal in Atletico Madrid's 3-2 win in Greece.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute when Diego Forlan set up Maxi Rodriguez who took the ball around Panathinaikos goalkeeper Mario Galinovic to score.
Panathinaikos levelled in the 47th minute when Dimitris Salpingidis, who had an earlier goal disallowed, flicked the ball over Atletico keeper Sergio Asenjo.
However, Forlan restored the Spaniards' lead in the 63rd minute when he followed-up Rodriguez's blistering drive which had come back off the post.
In-demand Argentine striker Sergio Aguero made it 3-1 in the 70th minute but Panathinaikos substitute Sebastian Leto closed the gap four minutes later to give the Greek side some hope.
In the night's other matches, French side Lyon stormed closer to a 10th successive group stage appearance with a tumping 5-1 victory over Anderlecht.
The Ligue 1 outfit had the match sewn up before half-time with Miralem Pjanic, a Lisandro Lopez penalty, Michel Bastos and Bafetimbi Gomis giving them a four-goal cushion.
Anderlecht, beaten in Champions League qualifying for the last two seasons, pulled one back through Matias Suarez in the 58th minute, but Claude Puel's Lyon side restored their four-goal advantage inside five minutes with Gomis grabbing his second of the night.
Swiss side FC Zurich took a giant step closer to playing in the competition for the first time in 28 years by claiming a 3-0 lead at Latvian side Ventspils.
Goals from Johan Vonlathen, Sylvan Aegerter and Dusan Djuriuc look almost certain to put Zurich into the last 32 of the competition.
Debrecen edged closer to becoming Hungary's first Champions League group stage participants since 1996 when they claimed a 2-1 advantage at Levski Sofia in Bulgaria.
Laszlo Bodnar gave the Hungarians the lead but Levski levelled at the start of the second period with a fine strike from Cedric Bardon. However, 14 minutes from time, Peter Czvitkovics claimed Debrecen's winner.
Israeli champions Maccabi Haifa were also winners on the road with a goal six minutes from time from substitute Shlomi Arbeitman earning a 2-1 win at Salzburg.
Georgian striker Vladimer Dvalishvili headed Haifa in front before Alexander Zickler equalized on 57 minutes for the Austrians.
|
4881e5ab225a48a6b9736809ca880e15
|
What league did Atletico Madrid beat Panathinaikos?
|
[
"Champions"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Police arrested 46 people Saturday morning after they swept through a downtown city square in Boston, Massachusetts, evicting "Occupy" protesters encamped there since late September, officials said.
CNN affiliate WCVB broadcast images of handcuffed demonstrators being led away by police, who first offered the group the option of leaving before making arrests, according to police spokesman Eddy Chrispin.
"The city is in the process of clean-up and trying to restore Dewey Square to its prior state," said Chrispin. "For the most part, it was nonviolent."
By late Saturday morning, an "Occupy Boston" twitter feed was abuzz with news of the eviction.
"Occupy Boston is NOT done! You can't evict an idea! :) The camp may be gone but the people, ideas & passion isn't," read one post.
Another post promised to offer "details about the plan as soon as we know."
"For now, get some rest. It will be a big afternoon!"
On Wednesday, a judge ruled that demonstrators' First Amendment rights do not extend to seizing and holding areas on which they sit.
Authorities are "obligated by law to preserve Dewey Square as a space open to the public," wrote Superior Court Judge Frances A. McIntyre.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, who in the past appeared to tolerate his city's chapter of the nationwide movement, later signaled that the area could be a safety hazard as winter weather rolled in, imposing a Thursday deadline for the group to clear out or face eviction.
By Friday, however, protesters remained firmly entrenched in more than 100 tents.
Saturday's arrests was the city's second large-scale action against demonstrators since the movement began there in late September.
In October, 129 people were arrested during a march in which protesters allegedly blocked traffic and refused to disperse.
The movement, which first sprang up in a Lower Manhattan park, seeks to highlight what it sees as corruption and growing income disparities between the nation's richest 1% and the rest of the country.
CNN's Dan Verello contributed to this report
|
18dc7f3dab28424d90e71f8540dfd133
|
Who did the police arrest?
|
[
"46 people"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- All five members of a family found slain inside a Beason, Illinois, home early this week were beaten to death, police said Thursday.
Police officers stand patrol outside the Gee household late Monday evening.
A pathologist determined that the five -- Raymond Gee, 46; Ruth Gee, 39; and three children -- had been beaten, Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols told reporters. "All the injuries at the scene were from blunt-force trauma."
The three children were identified as Justina Constant, 16, Dillen Constant, 14, and Austin Gee, 11.
A 3-year-old girl remained in critical but stable condition Thursday at a hospital, Nichols said.
He said he would not divulge or speculate what the family was beaten with, and remained tight-lipped about many aspects of the deaths, including when authorities believe they occurred.
Beason is in central Illinois, about 45 miles northeast of Springfield, the state capital.
A task force has been formed with officers from several different agencies to investigate the homicides, the sheriff said. Processing of the crime scene concluded Wednesday afternoon, and "hundreds of seized items" are being processed, he said. "Forensic evidence in this case is significant."
The sheriff has said authorities received a 911 call about a possible shooting at the home shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday.
Nichols said authorities are looking for a gray-primer-painted pickup truck that was seen in the area Sunday night. "We'll take any tip that anybody has," he said.
A tip line has been set up at 217-732-3000, Nichols said.
|
58d38c6f5188458785bca771e2d78b65
|
Two adults and three children died of what?
|
[
"blunt-force trauma.\""
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Women were dismissed from the military for being gay at a greater rate than men last year, according to new statistics obtained by a California research group.
Women were dismissed from the military for being gay at a greater rate than men last year.
All the services kicked out a disproportionate number of women under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, according to Department of Defense data obtained by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The center studies gender and sexuality in the military.
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, implemented in 1994, bans troops who are openly gay from serving in the military.
In the Air Force, a majority of those removed were women, the first time a service has had such a record since the implementation of the controversial law in 1994, according to Palm Center senior research fellow Nathaniel Frank. Watch CNN's Randi Kaye report on Obama's promises »
In fiscal year 2008, the Air Force dismissed 56 women and 34 men.
In addition, the Army removed more women under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy at a greater rate than men when compared with the ratio of women to men in each service.
Of those discharged under the policy, 36 percent were women, although women make up only 14 percent of troops in the Army, the data showed.
|
deae731846fa45ecbd2093ba79661607
|
What group obtained the statistics?
|
[
"a California research"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- AC Milan coach Leonardo has admitted his relationship with club owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is "difficult."
Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport reported Berlusconi as saying the former Brazil international would be leaving at the end of a season in which Milan failed to make a title bid and were thrashed in the second round of the European Champions League by English club Manchester United.
Although Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani refuted the quotes from Berlusconi on Italian television, a denial from the prime minister has not yet been forthcoming.
At a news conference on Friday Leonardo told reporters: "I don't know what Berlusconi said but, aside from this, I can't deny that our relationship is difficult.
"We are very different, perhaps we are incompatible, but the important thing is the next three games and I care about them too much.
"I believe I am headstrong. I believe in my ideas and I do so with passion. It's an incompatibility on a style level and a way of being.
"If someone says that I have said something that I haven't said, I deny it. But the relationship will go forward.
"I have never spoken about the future because I have never considered it to be the moment for obvious reasons, and I don't consider it to be today either."
Leonardo has been linked with a return to South America but he insisted he has received no offers to return to Brazil.
He said: "I can say that I have never spoken with anyone at Flamengo, the Brazilian FA and the 2014 World Cup organizing committee. I have no official offer from anyone."
AC Milan play Fiorentina at the San Siro in Serie A on Sunday.
|
5ad3e9258d684a6085c357602628b667
|
Which Prime Minister is "incompatible" with Leonardo?
|
[
"Silvio Berlusconi"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- A large ice shelf is "imminently" close to breaking away from part of the Antarctic Peninsula, scientists said Friday.
Scientists are investigating whether the ice breakup is caused by global climate change.
Satellite images released by the European Space Agency on Friday show new cracks in the Wilkins Ice Shelf where it connects to Charcot Island, a piece of land considered part of the peninsula.
The cracks are quickly expanding, the ESA said.
Scientists are investigating the causes for the breakups and whether it is linked to global climate change.
The Wilkins Ice Shelf -- a large mass of floating ice -- would still be connected to Latady Island, which is also part of the peninsula, and Alexander Island, which is not, said professor David Vaughan, a glaciologist at the British Antarctic Survey.
The ice shelf experienced a great amount of changes last year, the ESA said.
In February 2008, the shelf dropped 164 square miles (425 square kilometers) of ice. In May it lost a 62-square-mile chunk.
That meant the "bridge" of ice connecting Wilkins to the islands was just 984 yards wide at its narrowest location, the ESA said.
Further rifts developed in October and November, said Angelika Humbert of the Institute of Geophysics at Germany's Muenster University.
"During the last year the ice shelf has lost about 1800 square kilometers (694 square miles), or about 14 percent of its size," Humbert said.
Antarctica's ice sheet was formed over thousands of years by accumulated and compacted snow. Along the coast, the ice gradually floats on the sea, forming massive ledges known as ice shelves, the ESA says.
Several of these ice shelves, including seven in the past 20 years, have retreated and disintegrated.
The Wilkins Ice Shelf had been stable for most of the past century before it began retreating in the 1990s.
"It had been there almost unchanged since the first expeditions which mapped it back in the 1930s, so it had a very long period of real stability, and it's only in the last decade that it's started to retreat," Vaughan said.
Wilkins is the size of the state of Connecticut, or about half the area of Scotland. It is the largest ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula yet to be threatened.
If the ice shelf breaks away from the peninsula, it will not cause a rise in sea level because it is already floating, scientists say. Some plants and animals may have to adapt to the collapse.
The Antarctic Peninsula is the piece of the continent that stretches toward South America.
|
e1c84692b27249d1974b1c1e7389d722
|
Where is the ice shelf?
|
[
"Antarctic Peninsula,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- In recent seasons, "Dancing With the Stars" has given exposure to such unlikely dancers as "Cheers" and Pixar favorite John Ratzenberger, magician Penn Jillette and Oscar-winning octogenarian actress Cloris Leachman.
Kathy Ireland is among the contestants who will take part in the "Dancing With the Stars'" ninth season.
But this year, the show is adding an even more unusual guest: A Hammer.
Former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay -- known as "the Hammer" for his tough-minded tactics -- is among the contestants for the show's ninth edition, ABC announced Monday.
Host Tom Bergeron and contestant Donny Osmond appeared on the network's "Good Morning America" to make the announcement.
"This is the season where we have a cast that is as big as some of your family reunions," Bergeron joked to Osmond, a member of the Osmond family of entertainers. Blog: Are these really 'Stars'?
Joining Osmond and DeLay will be Kelly Osbourne; former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin; models Kathy Ireland and Joanna Krupa; singers Macy Gray, Mya and Aaron Carter; actresses Melissa Joan Hart and Debi Mazar; Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin; ex-UFC fighter Chuck Liddell; snowboarder Louie Vito; and actors Mark Dacascos and Ashley Hamilton.
Bergeron said this season will be a bit different as the show will have double elimination in the middle of the season.
"It will be a ballroom bloodbath," Bergeron said.
The new season of "Dancing With the Stars" begins September 21. Last season's winner was gymnast Shawn Johnson.
|
1fc2ec097d56433aac77075a1c801121
|
Name one other contestant scheduled to appear on this season of DWTS.
|
[
"Kathy Ireland"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- At 44 meters long (145 ft), Hemisphere is the largest sailing catamaran in the world. The makers of Hemisphere believe this is first catamaran superyacht to hit the water and could revolutionize the way people think about sailing.
But you'll need deep pockets to afford this kind of luxury -- the "supercat" costs more than $250,000 a week to lease.
It took more than three years for the first sketch of the vessel to become a reality. Hemisphere made her debut on the world stage last week with Monaco as the appropriately lavish backdrop.
While it has taken longer than anticipated to build, those behind the project insist she is worth the wait. "The level of finishing and luxury of Hemisphere brings her to the category of a superyacht," says chief naval architect Marc Van Peteghem.
Peteghem believes those in the superyacht market are increasingly conscious of their environmental image and are turning to sailing vessels as a greener solution to luxury travel. He says the catamaran is far greener than motor boats, making the most of nature, rather than fuel, to move.
Hemisphere's interior has been tailored specifically to the luxury market; 17 different types of granite have been used inside and 16 leather finishes have been applied, according to Burgess, the yacht's charterers.
There are also five spacious ensuite cabins to accommodate passengers with the main cabin featuring complete 360-degree views.
Hemisphere is decked out with a host of toys for the discerning seafarer to play with -- smaller speed boats to go water skiing and wake boarding, water scooters and diving gear, as well as a jacuzzi on the fly bridge.
It also comes fully equipped with the latest in diving gear to make the most of the boat's shallow waters capabilities. The catamaran only has a draft of 3.1 meters, meaning it can explore areas previously out of bounds for superyachts.
|
683dcfeebc2b4c3a9d4eecbb7798ea6f
|
To what standard has the interior been tailored?
|
[
"specifically to the luxury market;"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- A collision involving two big-rigs and a car Wednesday caused an explosion that sent flames and clouds of smoke billowing and collapsed a highway overpass just north of Detroit, Michigan.
Fire rages at the site of a tanker crash and overpass collapse on I-75 north of Detroit, Michigan, Wednesday.
One of the tankers was traveling on the Interstate 75 about 8:30 p.m. in Hazel Park, near the Nine-Mile overpass, when the collision caused an explosion, said Lt. Shannon Simms of the Michigan State Police.
It was headed northbound, said Bill Shreck of the Department of Transportation. Hazel Park is about 10 miles north of downtown Detroit.
The explosion erupted upward, causing the overpass, carrying two lanes in each direction, to collapse, Simms said. Watch footage of fire »
Firefighters put out the blaze late Wednesday and were able to locate all three drivers of the vehicles involved in the crash. The three suffered minor injuries.
One of the tankers was filled with thousands of gallons of fuel, Simms said.
"I just saw a huge ball of flame go up when I was at the red light, just went up in flame," said witness Mary Greib. "I took off running."
Said another witness, who did not want to be identified: "We had a woman in a light-colored, midsized vehicle of some sort that was hesitant to pass the tanker. A number of vehicles were attempting to go around her in different directions."
He said he was one of them, and passed her on the right, after which the explosion occurred.
"We are not sure what happened," he said.
Vince Brennan said he was on the eighth floor of a nearby building when he heard the explosion coming from where "a vicious curve" exists on the highway.
"I heard a whole bunch of boom, boom, boom," he said. He ran to the window and looked down on a McDonald's restaurant. "You couldn't even see it, it was so black with smoke," he said. "The flames had to be 30, 40 feet in the air."
|
532777a716d94e7bb0925ec7eea7cc19
|
How many drivers were involved?
|
[
"three"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- Arizona reported its fourth death from the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, health officials said Wednesday.
The H1N1 strain is relatively mild, but it's being closely watched for mutations that might become severe.
The victim was the second child in the Pima County area to die of flu complications, health officials said. The age of child who died Wednesday was not released, but the patient's health was "medically compromised."
Earlier, officials in Cook County, Illinois, recorded their second death from H1N1. The latest victim, from suburban Chicago, died within the past couple of days and had "significant underlying medical conditions," said spokeswoman Kelly Jakubek.
The first fatality occurred in a Chicago resident over the weekend. That victim also had underlying medical conditions, Jakubek said.
Citing family privacy, she would not reveal the victims' ages or genders.
By late Wednesday, the most-recent deaths in Arizona and Illinois had not been included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's official tally of 11 U.S. deaths from the disease. They are in Arizona (three), Missouri (one), New York (two), Texas (three), Utah (one) and Washington (one).
Nor did the CDC's count include two more deaths reported by the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene.
The World Health Organization has counted 14,557 cases of H1N1 -- 96 of them fatal -- in 48 countries.
Seasonal flu typically kills 36,000 Americans in any given year, though such cases usually have tapered off by this time of year, according to the CDC.
Though the H1N1 strain is considered relatively mild, public health officials have been scrutinizing its spread since it was first identified in April in Mexico because they are concerned it could mutate and become more severe.
|
42bc9ff4f15848a29c4565ca194ebf9e
|
To what virus is the death linked?
|
[
"H1N1"
] |
NewsQA
|
Dallas (CNN) -- Severe weather hit the Houston area Monday, flooding streets and homes and leaving thousands of people without power, emergency officials said.
Torrential rain fell across the area, causing flash flooding that left streets and highways impassable and submerged some vehicles.
"We have a lot of roadways closed, and some evacuations are going on," said Alan Spears of the Fort Bend County office of emergency management.
In the city of Richmond, rescues were conducted by boat and on foot. Spears said he believes a tornado touched down in the area.
"We had 7,000 people without power in the county," he said.
iReport: Are you there? Send in your stories, videos, photos
Sixty miles southeast, in Texas City, a law enforcement officer witnessed what appeared to be a tornado strike near the Mall of Midland, the National Weather Service reported.
The Houston/Galveston weather forecast office will examine the area and two other reported areas on Tuesday to confirm reported strikes, said Timothy Oram, an emergency response meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
As much as 6.3 inches of rain had fallen in the past day, nearly all of it during the previous 12 hours, Oram said late Monday afternoon.
At Houston Hobby Airport, 4.05 inches of rain fell, which douses the previous January 9 record of 2.54 inches set in 1955, according to Oram.
Though flash flood warnings were still in effect for Chambers County and Galveston County, the worst was over, he said. "It's moved off to the northeast; things should be improving here," he told CNN.
Video from Fort Bend County showed wind damage, including debris from building roofs and broken glass, and people trapped by the storm described terrifying moments.
One resident said he felt the wind pushing into his home just before the garage door fell in and the front door of his home was blown open.
"It just kept getting louder and louder and louder," Umair Sayyed told CNN affiliate KPRC.
Sayyed said he and his mother and sister sheltered inside a closet moments before the roof fell and rain poured into his home.
Michael Walter, spokesman for the Houston Office of Emergency Management, said the city conducted 20 to 30 high-water rescues.
The rain was falling so hard and fast in Houston that the weather service recorded 1.6 inches in just 10 minutes. No injuries were reported.
CNN's Dave Alsup and Carma Hassan contributed to this report.
|
0655882c98454def9ab90495789e9a05
|
What number of high water rescues were conducted?
|
[
"20 to 30"
] |
NewsQA
|
HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe urgently needs to form a new government in order to address a food crisis in the nation and prevent starvation, newly designated Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told reporters Saturday.
At least 80 percent of the population of Zimbabwe are living below the poverty line.
Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said there was a "deepening food insecurity" in the country.
"We need to respond to this crisis with utmost urgency," he said. "It is therefore imperative that a government be formed in the next few days and begins to implement plans to insure that our people have food and do not die of starvation."
Zimbabwe industries are operating at about 10 percent of capacity, and the food and manufacturing industry will not be able to deliver sufficient food supplies to markets.
Tsvangirai signed a power sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe on September 15 but the two have not yet agreed on the distribution of Cabinet posts.
Earlier this week, Mugabe told the press that only four posts were still to be agreed on. But Tsvangirai said in response, "I think to minimize the remaining issues to only four issues, it is to underplay the whole process. The issue is that the negotiation must be concluded I think the matter will be solved once all the principals are back in the country."
Mugabe has been in the United States for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. He is expected back in the country after Saturday.
Zimbabwe has been facing a collapsing economy for nearly a decade, and is plagued with high unemployment, food shortages and at least 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line.
This has been accompanied by dizzying levels of inflation -- now officially at 11.2 million percent, the highest in the world.
Once an exporter of food, Zimbabwe has been a net importer of food since 2000, when Mugabe's government embarked on a controversial and violent land reform program that displaced some experienced commercial farmers, most of them of European origin.
Tsvangirai said he has consulted with food security experts and was told the country needs to import 800,000 tons of maize (corn) to avoid starvation until the next harvest in April.
|
669dfcb6afdd423d95e47f89934406aa
|
What country is this in?
|
[
"Zimbabwe"
] |
NewsQA
|
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A suicide bomber killed at least 40 people and injured 70 -- many of them women -- during a Shia pilgrimage in northwestern Baghdad Sunday, Iraqi officials told CNN.
Pilgrims, pictured above, have gathered to celebrate the Shia holy period of Ashura.
The dead included at least 16 Iranians who had come to mark the Shia holy period of Ashura, which commemorates a central event in the history of the movement. At least 32 Iranians were among the wounded. The other casualties were Iraqi, an Interior Ministry official said.
The bomber was a woman wearing an abaya, a robe-like dress, said Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, military spokesman for Fardh al-Qanoon, an interagency domestic security body. She seems to have been targeting women, Atta and an interior ministry source said. The Interior Ministry official declined to be identified.
The attack appears to be the single deadliest suicide bombing in Iraq since a bomber killed 47 people in Kirkuk in December 11.
It took place in Baghdad's Kadhimiya neighborhood, not far from the Imam Moussa al-Kadhim holy shrine.
Hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims are expected in Baghdad and the southern Iraqi city of Karbala for Ashura, which falls on January 7 this year. Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was killed in battle in Karbala in 680, one of the events that helped create the schism between Sunnis and Shiites, the two main Muslim religious movements.
CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq in Baghdad contributed to this report.
|
e852923b81c945ffb08069f947dd6f1e
|
How many people were killed?
|
[
"40"
] |
NewsQA
|
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Polish authorities in Pakistan say they are monitoring local reports that Taliban militants have executed a kidnapped Polish engineer.
Pakistani Taliban militants offer prayers in Mamouzai area of
Orakzai Agency in November.
Piotr Stancza was kidnapped September 28 from the city of Attock in Punjab province. Stancza had been based there for a Polish survey company searching for natural gas.
Local reports and TV station Dawn News reported Stancza's execution Saturday.
Polish Embassy spokesman Peter Adams said his offices were aware of local media reports but were waiting to hear officially from Pakistani authorities. He said all efforts had been made by Polish authorities to pressure the Pakistani government to do whatever it could to secure Stancza's release.
"From the Polish side, we did whatever we could, pressuring the Pakistani government on the presidential and prime minister level," Adams said. "Problem was, this was solely Pakistan's responsibility. Demands were only towards [the] Pakistan government."
Adams said there had been no demands for ransom. The Taliban had demanded the release of Taliban prisoners being held by the government and a pullout of government security forces from the tribal areas.
Although there were assurances that the Pakistani government was doing everything it could and that Stancza would be freed soon, Adams said it was never clear what the government was actually doing to secure his release.
"We are waiting for confirmation and waiting for any answer [about] how this happened and why did this happen," Adams said.
A spokesman for Pakistan's interior ministry said that the reports of Stancza's death have yet to be confirmed and that the case of his kidnapping was a high priority for the government. Shahid Ullah Baig said the government had been working hard to retrieve Stancza unharmed but did not give details.
"The Pakistan government is doing its level best to secure his release," he said, adding, "Human life is more important to us than anything else."
Kidnappings and attacks against foreigners have risen sharply in recent months throughout the country. Most recently, an American working for the United Nations was kidnapped in Quetta, and Peshawar has been the scene of various attacks against foreign diplomats and journalists.
|
e66cd0362caf42de91b44f2636176844
|
When was Stancza kidnapped?
|
[
"September 28"
] |
NewsQA
|
Japan has long been the world leader in robotics research, but in recent years it's also been leading the way when it comes to cutting-edge medical technology.
A prototype "Finger Rehabilitation Glove," designed to aid recovery from paralysis.
From robot nurses that can lift hospital patients in and out of their beds, to intelligent toilets that can dispense medical advice, Japanese researchers are developing radical new approaches to health care.
While many of these technologies are still at the prototype stage, it may not be long before they turn up in a hospital near you.
|
9845ce7982084a018a67a9b1f944593d
|
Which country is leading the way with advances in cutting-edge medical technology?
|
[
"Japan"
] |
NewsQA
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Reuters is a global information company providing material tailored for professionals in the financial services, media and corporate markets. Its information is trusted and drives decision making across the globe.
In October 1851 Paul Julius Reuter, a German-born immigrant, opened an office in the City of London which transmitted stock market quotations between London and Paris via the new Calais-Dover cable. 18 months earlier he had used pigeons to fly stock prices between Aachen and Brussels, a service which operated for a year until the gap in the telegraph link was closed.
Reuters, as the agency soon became known, eventually extended its service to other European countries. It also expanded the content to include general and economic news from all around the world. In 1865 Reuters was first in Europe with news of President Lincoln's assassination in the United States.
As overland telegraph and undersea cable facilities developed, the business expanded beyond Europe to include the Far East in 1872 and South America in 1874. In 1883 Reuters began to use a "column printer" to transmit messages electrically to London newspapers and in 1923 pioneered the use of radio to transmit news internationally. In 1927 it brought in the teleprinter to distribute news to London newspapers.
Today Reuters has over 16,900 staff in over 94 countries across the globe, and is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, with 196 bureaux serving approximately 131 countries.
In 2006 Reuters filed over two and a half million news items, including 656,500 alerts, from 209 countries around the world, published in 18 languages.
Although Reuters is best known as the world's largest international multimedia news agency, more than 90% of its revenue derives from its financial services business. Some 370,000 financial market professionals working in the equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, money, commodities and energy markets around the world use Reuters products.
The company supplies news -- text, graphics, video and pictures -- to media organizations across the globe. It also provides news to businesses outside the financial services sector, as well as direct to consumers. E-mail to a friend
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4bd7b75d7fb649868b7ce4b8e8d8df79
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who founded reuters
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[
"Paul Julius"
] |
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(CNN) -- Real Madrid moved six points clear in Spain after winning a fiery derby match against nine-man Atletico on Saturday and then seeing defending champions Barcelona suffer a shock first La Liga defeat this season.
Real marched to a 13th successive victory in all competitions, while Barca lost 1-0 at lowly Getafe -- who had won just once in seven games.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties as Jose Mourinho's side came from behind to win 4-1 at the Bernabeu, with Atletico having teenage goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois sent off in the 23rd minute for bringing down Karim Benzema when the French striker tried to go around him.
The 19-year-old was replaced by substitute keeper Sergio Asenjo, whose first job was to pick the ball out of the net after being beaten by Ronaldo.
Angel Di Maria made it 2-1 four minutes after the break when Ronaldo's intended pass to Benzema fell in his path, and fellow Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain pounced on a mistake by Diego Godin in the 65th minute.
Godin was also sent off for an 81st-minute foul on Higuain, who had been put through by Ronaldo's clever pass -- and the Portugal forward sent Asenjo the wrong way from the spot to make it 4-1.
Atletico had not beaten Real for 12 years, but started the match promisingly as Adrian finished off a fine move to give the mid-table visitors the lead in the 15th minute.
Barcelona, seeking to win the league for the fourth season in a row, succumbed to a 67th-minute header from Getafe defender Juan Valera after being caught napping at a corner.
The Catalan side poured forward in search of a last-gasp equalizer, but Lionel Messi had an injury-time effort ruled out when substitute Seydou Keita was judged to be offside and then the Argentina star hit the post as he failed to match Ronaldo's leading tally of 16 league goals.
Pep Guardiola's team will be hoping to reduce Real's lead in the first Clasico clash in the league this season in Madrid on December 10.
Third-placed Valencia bounced back from last weekend's home defeat by Real by winning 2-1 at mid-table Rayo Vallecano.
Brazilian striker Jonas put Valencia ahead in the 21st minute and Argentine midfielder Tino Costa made it 2-0 on 56, while Raul Talmudo scored a late consolation.
The win left Valencia one point behind Barca after 13 rounds.
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ca0cc88f992a421ebe9c86ac79cd798b
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Who is six points up on Barcelona?
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[
"Madrid"
] |
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(CNN) -- A double strike from Welsh winger Gareth Bale helped Tottenham to a 3-1 English Premier League win over QPR on Sunday, a result that lifts them up to fifth place in the table and keeps their unbeaten run going.
Dutchman Rafael Van der Vaart was also on target for Harry Redknapp's side, who have not lost in 11 matches since their 5-1 home defeat by Manchester City back in August.
Bale put the home side ahead in the 19th minute when he fired home an angled drive after a long ball from the back was headed on by Emmanuel Adebayor.
And a rampant Tottenham doubled their advantage 13 minutes later when Van der Vaart picked up a mis-hit shot from Ledley King to place the ball inside the far post.
QPR fought back after the break and halved the arrears on the hour mark when Jay Bothroyd nodded home from close range.
But Tottenham sealed their victory with a superb goal 18 minutes from time, with Aaron Lennon and Bale exchanging a series of passes outside the box before Bale curled home a shot that gave keeper Paddy Kenny no chance.
Manchester City still blaze a trail at the top of the table, with nine wins and a draw from 10 matches. They lie on 28 points, five clear of rivals Manchester United.
Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham are all level on 19 points but Chelsea have played a game more and unbeaten Newcastle will move up to third position if they get at least a draw against Stoke on Monday night.
Meanwhile, in Sunday's two German Bundesliga matches, Lukas Podolski netted twice in a 3-0 win over 10-man Augsburg.
Poland midfielder Slawomir Peszko added a third for the home side, while the visitors had Torsten Oehrl sent off for a dangerous tacle with 14 minutes remaining.
The win moves Cologne up to 11th place in the table with five wins and five defeats, but Augsburg are second bottom with just one win and eight points.
Hamburg are just one point and one place above Augsburg after they drew 1-1 with Kaiserslautern on Sunday.
The home side had Slobodan Rajkovic sent off in the 21st minute for elbowing Kaiserslautern captain Christian Tiffert and the visitors went ahead seven minutes before half-time through Pierre De Wit.
But Peru striker Jose Paolo Guerrero levelled for the hosts in the second-half, although the point was enough to lift Kaiserslautern up a place to 13th in the table.
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8d41f88d1f4d433dad0ed7d00ab7f130
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Who scores twice as Tottenham defeat QPR 3-1 on Sunday?
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[
"Gareth Bale"
] |
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NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India's lower house of parliament elected a woman as its speaker Wednesday, a first in the male-dominated chamber's history.
Meira Kumar was nominated by the ruling Congress party.
Meira Kumar is also a member of the "untouchable" Dalit class, the lowest rung in the centuries-old caste system in the country.
The speaker conducts the proceedings of the house. She will preside over 543 elected members, of which 58 are women.
Kumar, 64, was elected to the position unopposed. She was nominated by the ruling Congress party but also had the backing of the alliance led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Women play a prominent role in the politics of India, the world's largest democracy. The South Asian country of 1.1 billion people has a female president, Pratibha Devisingh Patil.
And four of the country's political parties, including the Congress Party, are led by women.
Hindus believe there are five main groups of people. The last group is the Dalits. They're considered impure and are often forced to work in menial jobs. They drink from separate wells and use different entry ways to come and go from buildings.
Dalits number about 250 million in India, about 25 percent of the population, according to the Colorado, U.S.-based Dalit Freedom Network.
India's constitution outlaws caste-based discrimination, and barriers have broken down in large cities. Prejudice, however, persists in some rural areas of the country.
CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report.
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8cc82ed7f62d41c9b4d174a26e3e3e65
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How many elected members are women?
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[
"58"
] |
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has blocked further consideration of a federal law designed to keep sexual material from underage users of the Web.
The justices without comment Wednesday rejected an appeal from the federal government to reinstate the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), passed by Congress in 1998. The high court and subsequent federal courts said the law -- which has never taken effect -- had serious free speech problems.
The Bush administration was a strong supporter of the law and the Justice Department led the fight in court to revive it.
The justices issued their ruling a day after all nine were on hand for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor also attended the ceremony.
The case tested the free speech rights of adults against the power of Congress to control Internet commerce. The Supreme Court twice ruled against COPA, arguing that it represented government censorship rather than lawful regulation of adult-themed pornography businesses. The law would have prevented private businesses from creating and distributing "harmful" content that minors could access on the Internet.
Free speech advocates said adults would be barred access to otherwise legal material and that parental-control devices and various filtering technology are less intrusive ways to protect children.
The high court in 2004 upheld a preliminary injunction against the law and sent the case back to lower courts for consideration of the arguments. In their opinion at the time, the 5-4 majority concluded COPA "likely violates the First Amendment."
"The government has not shown that the less restrictive alternatives proposed ... should be disregarded," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the 2004 decision. "Those alternatives, indeed, may be more effective" than the law passed by Congress. "Filters are less restrictive" he said, and thus pose less risk of muzzling free speech. "They impose selective restrictions on speech at the receiving end, not universal restrictions at the source."
He added, "There is a potential for extraordinary harm and a serious chill upon protected speech" if the law takes effect."
In reconsidering the law, a federal appeals court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, again ruled the law unconstitutional.
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91af1b350c1b4ffba1631034cbcde1e4
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What caused them to reject the appeall?
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[
"serious free speech problems."
] |
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(CNN) -- Utah is the nation's fastest growing state, increasing 2.5 percent from July 2007 to July 2008, according to new population estimates from the Census Bureau.
Barack Obama greets one of the newest members of the U.S. population this year on the campaign trail.
The main reason for Utah's growth is a "natural increase" -- births minus deaths -- said Census Bureau demographer Greg Harper.
"Utah has a strong rate of natural increase and domestic migration, where more people move into the state and [are] not moving out," he said.
"Second is Arizona," Harper said. "It grew by 2.3 percent, and the increase is due to domestic migration, meaning more people are moving into the state than moving out. Also, it's a natural increase, more people were born there than died."
Arizona is followed by Texas, North Carolina and Colorado, each with a 2.0 percent growth rate.
Texas added more people than any other state -- about 500,000 -- making it the third-fastest growing state. Because it has a larger population size, its percentage growth was less than Utah.
"Nevada was last year's fastest-growing state, but it fell to eighth," said Harper. "Overall, that state had been among the four fastest-growing states each of the past 23 years."
Only two states lost population: Michigan and Rhode Island, losing 0.5 and 0.2 percent respectively. Overall, Northeastern states are not growing as fast as other parts of the country, but they have been on the increase since 2005.
The South added the most people during the period, 1.4 million. But Western states, with a 1.4 percent increase, saw the fastest growth rate.
One state that has reversed its course of growth is Florida. A few years ago more than 250,000 people per year were moving there. But for 2007-2008, the state's 0.7 percent increase was below the nation's 0.9 percent overall increase.
According to the estimates, the United States had a net gain of just over 2.7 million people from July 2007 to July 2008.
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89ae6f0a6bd4426d8d94aa47e770ae0c
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Which state's population grew the most?
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[
"Utah is the nation's fastest growing"
] |
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Workers using blowtorches accidentally started a weekend fire at Universal Studios, Los Angeles County spokeswoman Judy Hammond told CNN Monday.
The fire burns buildings and movie sets at Universal Studios on Sunday.
The fast-moving, early morning blaze destroyed several movie sets and the King Kong exhibit. It also damaged a video vault but copies of reels and videos are kept at another location, said Ron Meyer, chief operating officer of Universal Studios.
"Fortunately, nothing irreplaceable was lost," he said. "The video library was affected and damaged, but our main vault of our motion picture negatives was not."
While firefighters were battling the blaze Sunday, a pressurized cylinder exploded at Universal Studios on Sunday, injuring two firefighters, officials said. Eight other firefighters were injured during much of Sunday as they fought back enormous flames.
Universal Studios officials resumed normal business hours Monday, including the studio tour.
The fire destroyed an area called New York street, which includes movie set-style buildings designed to look like the cityscape of New York City.
Hours after the blaze was reported, the roughly two-block area appeared charred and resembled a "disaster movie," said Los Angeles Councilman Tom LaBonge.
LaBonge said he could see the smoke from his Silver Lake home Sunday morning. "It looked like a bomb had exploded," he said.
The fire began around 4:45 a.m. and was contained initially by 9 a.m. Throughout the morning, large plumes of black smoke rose as the fire burned the vault containing hundreds of videos, said Meyer.
The set of "The Changeling," a film recently directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie, was "completely destroyed," Meyer said.
Another area called "Courthouse Square" also was destroyed, he said. Numerous movies have been shot in that area, including several scenes of the 1985 hit "Back to the Future."
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0736334ae8ed4a2d8cddcbc490a52136
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When was the fire?
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[
"weekend"
] |
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AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Children will be admitted to the Masters for free starting in 2008 and the Par-3 contest will be televised, said Augusta National Golf Club chairman Billy Payne.
Children will have the chance to see Tiger Woods in action at the Masters for nothing next year.
The aim is to boost youth interest in golf and Payne said they were the first initiatives of a multi-year plan to use the Masters to promote the sport worldwide.
"We want to inspire the next generation of golfers now. We're serious about exposing youngsters to golf and the Masters," Payne said.
"These initiatives are important first steps and a great kickoff to our ongoing mission of growing the game."
Children aged eight to 16 will be admitted free to Augusta National for tournament rounds starting next year, but only when they are accompanied by an accredited ticket holder, one whose name appears on the badge application.
A new television deal to show the Wednesday Par-3 event on ESPN will give the world a chance to see someone play themselves out of winning the first major championship of the year, if tradition holds.
No winner of the Par-3 competition has ever captured the Masters in the same year since it began in 1960. It is played over a par-27 layout measuring 1,060 yards on the Augusta National grounds.
"The Par 3 Contest is fun and exciting for the entire family. It's an event everyone enjoys and we think it will demonstrate to kids just how fun golf can be," Payne said. E-mail to a friend
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326abe82b4cc46329e6a5437de4ed6a6
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Who can watch the Masters free of charge?
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[
"Children"
] |
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(CNN) -- An Islamic militia took over two strategic towns in Somalia Tuesday in a territory grab by the strengthening insurgency, a regional commander told CNN.
Islamist fighters from Al-Shabaab group in Somalia display their flag.
The al-Shabaab militia seized the cities of Bulo Marer and Quryoley from the U.N.-backed government and its Ethiopian allies. The move gives the group a strategic base in central Somalia, where it also controls Kismayo, the country's third-largest city.
Al-Shabaab is an offshoot of an Islamic party that ruled much of the country in the second half of 2006 and aims to impose Islamic sharia law in Somalia.
Nur Shekoy Jabril, the commander of government forces in Quryoley, said his troops withdrew from the two towns after they faced being overwhelmed by the al-Shabaab force.
He said al-Shabaab forces were moving toward Merka, another major town in the region where the Untied Nations uses an air strip to fly in supplies for the World Food Programme.
Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991, is in the throes of an Islamic insurgency which is battling for control of the country and the ouster of Ethiopian forces.
A cease-fire between the some of the Islamic fighters and the Somali transitional government takes effect on Wednesday.
The agreement was brokered by the United Nations and the African Union and signed late last month in Djibouti.
It calls for Ethiopian forces -- who are supporting the transitional government forces -- to withdraw starting on November 21.
It is unclear if the cease-fire will hold as it has already been rejected by Al Shabaab.
Somalia's lawlessness also spilled onto the seas off the Horn of Africa, where international vessels are routinely hijacked by suspected Somali pirates who demand large ransoms.
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5673c8e7cfe543c6844717df013a7444
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What move gives it a central base in Somalia
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[
"al-Shabaab militia seized the cities of Bulo Marer and Quryoley"
] |
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. military plans to help the Afghanistan government recruit, train and arm local Afghans to fight a resurgent Taliban, U.S. military officials say.
U.S. soldiers patrol near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan on Wednesday.
U.S. officials describe the proposal as a "community-based" security effort.
The main job of the local units is to be an "early warning system" and be armed mainly for defensive operations, a U.S. military official said.
Participants will get uniforms so they can be readily identified, officials said.
The first phase of the program is expected to begin next year in Wardak province, where the Taliban have overrun many local government institutions.
For the United States, the most sensitive part of the proposal will be the use of American military funds to purchase small arms, most likely AK-47 rifles, that will be given to local Afghans, according to a U.S. military official.
U.S. commanders acknowledge concerns that arming local groups is risky, as it could lead to new armed conflicts between tribes, putting American troops in the middle of unexpected firefights.
The Afghan government will select men for the new security program. It will train them and technically arm them, although the funds will come from the U.S. military.
The Afghans will be responsible for ensuring the loyalty of people in the program, but the United States will oversee the effort and collect biometric information, such as eyeprints and fingerprints, on all participants, according to the U.S. military official.
U.S. officials are emphasizing that because of tribal diversity, the Afghan program differs from the Awakening Councils in Iraq, which include tens of thousands of Sunni gunmen and was credited with helping reduce violence there.
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53e3a3302fe54ae8a6b36e4496ef13f0
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When will the program begin?
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[
"next year"
] |
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Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- For the first time in more than 40 years, dawn in Libya rose on Friday without the dictator and his shadow.
Libyans awoke to empty Friday streets, typical for the holy day of the Muslim week, and engaged in somber reflection about Moammar Gadhafi's life and death. That solemnity followed a wave of unbridled joy Thursday as people exulted over the news of Gadhafi's death and fired their guns in celebration.
After Friday prayers at the Salahaddin Mosque in Tripoli, worshippers said their imam had given thanks during his sermon for Gadhafi's downfall.
"Today is a special day at the mosque," said Sala Mersal after prayers. "Since 42 years, we cannot say anything. ... Nobody could say anything inside the mosque. Today it is free, and anybody can say anything they want."
A small crowd gathered outside the mosque, with bullet casings littering the streets, and chanted "God is great" and "One, two, three ... Libya is free!"
Amid the smiles and victory signs, Hisham Boaishi conceded that he did not approve of the "un-Islamic way" that Gadhafi was killed.
"We would have liked to take him to court and have his judgment," said Boaishi, 33, an information technology specialist who sported a long beard. "But not this way. We are Muslims; we don't support this way."
Not all residents of Tripoli welcomed Gadhafi's bloody death.
One young man, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal from anti-Gadhafi forces, said he was "ashamed" at the way the former dictator died. He said his mother cried in front of the television Thursday night upon seeing images of the bleeding leader.
"He should have been taken to court," the man said.
"I'm not ashamed. I'm proud that we captured him ... no matter how many soldiers he hired," said Mohamed Saya, a member of the media committee for Libya's new governing National Transitional Council.
NTC officials insist shortly after his capture by rebel forces, the ousted leader was killed in a crossfire between pro- and anti-Gadhafi fighters.
With Gadhafi dead, Saya said Libya's de facto government was preparing to hold a "Liberation Day" celebration in the eastern city of Benghazi this weekend. Benghazi was the launching point of Libya's uprising in February.
In the meantime, some Libyans continued to hold their own smaller festivities.
On one Tripoli street, fighters and residents gathered beneath the tri-color banner of Libya's anti-Gadhafi flag next to a camel they planned to slaughter in honor of the dictator's death.
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90291a97740a4bfa89404af0d5adcb7b
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At one mosque in Tripoli, who gives thanks for the dictator's downfall?
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[
"imam"
] |
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(CNN) -- Fernando Torres rediscovered his scoring touch with a double at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea romped to a 5-0 win over Genk in their Champions League Group E match Wednesday.
The Spanish international striker had not scored in European club football for over two years, but looked dangerous throughout and might easily have had a hat-trick.
The Belgian visitors were up against it from the start and after Torres hit the post, Raul Mereiles scored with a thumping shot from outside the penalty area.
Torres was soon on the score sheet with a neat side foot effort and added his second with a well-placed header from a Mereiles cross.
Branislav Ivanovic headed home from a Florent Malouda free kick for the fourth just before halftime.
Torres, who was rested at the weekend, looked sharp as he went in search of his third and he was denied by Genk keeper Laszlo Koteles only for Salomon Kalou to grab the fifth from the rebound.
Chelsea lead Bayer Leverkusen by a point after the German side beat Valencia 2-1 in the other Group E match.
Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack was the inspiration for Leverkusen, who fell behind to a goal from Brazil striker Jonas.
But they hit back through goals by midfielders Andre Schuerrle and Sidney Sam after the break, with ex-Germany captain Ballack setting up the winner with a superb defense-splitting pass.
Meanwhile in Group F, Arsenal made sure it was a good night for English Premier League sides with a last-gasp victory over Marseille in the Stade Velodrome.
The game was headed for a 0-0 draw when substitute Aaron Ramsey cropped up for the precious winner as Arsenal go top of the group by a point from their French opponents.
Olympiakos of Greece beat German champions Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in the other match in the group to keep alive their hopes of qualification for the knockout stages.
Jose Holebas, a German player of Greek descent, headed the opener for the home side after just eight minutes.
Dortmund deservedly leveled through Polish striker Robert Lewandowski midway through the first half, but five minutes before the break Rafik Djebbour restored the Olympiakos lead.
With the visitors pressing, Olympiakos broke upfield to win a free kick and defender Francois Modesto headed home from Ariel Ibagaza's delivery to seal the victory.
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7d397dfaa72a469ea5f9d096145ceb4b
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Who scored for Arsenal?
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[
"Aaron Ramsey"
] |
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Coca-Cola, the world's largest soft drinks group, has bought a minority stake in Innocent, the British fruit drink and "smoothie" maker that boasts of its ethical stance.
Coca-Cola faces allegations about labor abuses as well as health and environmental concerns.
Innocent said on its Web site the U.S. firm had paid £30 million ($44 million) for a stake of "between 10 and 20 percent" to fund plans to expand in Europe.
Innocent employs 275 people, has a turnover of more than £100 million and sells about two million smoothies each week.
Its three founders, who set up the company 10 years by selling smoothies at a London music festival, insisted its ethical stance would not be compromised and they would continue to run and manage the business. Are ethics and business compatible? Tell us what you think
"Every promise that Innocent has made -- about making only natural healthy products, pioneering the use of better, socially and environmentally aware ingredients, packaging and production techniques, donating money to charity and having a point of view on the world -- will remain," co-founder Richard Reed said.
"We'll just get to do them even more."
Coca-Cola "has been in business for over 120 years, so there will be things we can learn from them. And in some small ways we may be able to influence their thinking too."
James Quincey, group business unit president for Coca-Cola Europe, said: "We are delighted to have the opportunity to invest in Innocent's future. We have long admired their brand, their products and their unique approach to business."
But the investment is sure to open up Innocent to charges that its ideals are being diluted.
Coca-Cola has been criticized over negative health effects resulting from consumption of its products. It has also faced allegations about labor abuses in Colombia and environmental concerns in India, among other places.
Sales of Coke are holding up well amid the global economic crisis thanks to strong growth in China and India. In February the company reported a 4 percent rise in sales volumes in the last three months of 2008 and a 10 percent increase in comparable earnings.
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463280b97b824055a3a68247e74f86ab
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who insists its ethical stance will not be compromised?
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[
"Coca-Cola,"
] |
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(Mashable) -- On Sunday, Skype 2.0 was launched for the iPhone 3G, bringing a long-sought feature to the table: making calls over 3G.
By now, 5 million users have downloaded the application from the iTunes Store, showing just how important this feature is to users.
Unfortunately, the new feature was accompanied by an unpleasant announcement; after August 2010, Skype will start charging a monthly fee for the 3G calling feature on top of whatever fee you're already paying your mobile operator for data transfer.
Skype promises the fee will be reasonable. "We're not going to want to price ourselves out of the market. I can't ignore the fact that consumers (currently) use us for free," said Russ Shaw, Skype's general manager for mobile.
Still, one cannot help but wonder how the users will react when faced with a double fee for mobile VoIP calls.
How do you feel about it? Will you continue using Skype over 3G after the fee is introduced?
© 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.
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37b7f23e533d412abc278297f6d8d751
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What are you already paying your mobile operator?
|
[
"data transfer."
] |
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Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- Richard Waltzer has a pitch for Cuba: Miller beer and Häagen-Dazs ice cream.
If he has his way, those products soon will be available at supermarkets and beach resorts on the communist island.
"This is one of the things people are going to pay premium for," Waltzer said, "especially the tourists that have the dollars. It's going to be a phenomenal product."
This week, dozens of Americans are in Havana, peddling their wares at an international trade fair: apples, pears, grapes, raisins, nuts out of California.
U.S.-Cuba relations appear to be thawing.
In Havana, billboards depicting the U.S. president as Adolf Hitler have disappeared. In Washington, President Obama has lifted restrictions on Cuban-American travel and money transfers.
The new political climate has prompted companies such as Chicago Foods to come to Havana's trade fair for the first time. They're hoping to break into the little-known market and go home with a contract.
Despite a trade embargo imposed against Cuba in 1962, the United States is the No. 1 supplier of food to that country and has been for more than five years. A law passed in 2000 allows the United States to export agricultural products and medicine.
But this year, the global economic crisis is taking its toll.
"Cuba has not been an exception," said Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, minister of foreign trade and investment. "At the end of the third quarter in 2009, our trade fell by 36 percent."
The country is slashing imports of U.S. food by one-third, which means some vendors will go home empty-handed.
But vendors are betting U.S.-Cuba relations will only get better. They said they're also hoping the next step could be bills in the U.S. Congress that would eliminate restrictions on all Americans traveling to Cuba.
"We're in this for the long haul as well," said Paul Johnson of Chicago Foods. "Like I said before, we're thinking about today as well as tomorrow."
A tomorrow that would have U.S. tourists sipping American beer on Cuban beaches.
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0b5d65794a014d5e907badcc9244aa6e
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What do US companies what to do?
|
[
"break into the little-known market and go home with a contract."
] |
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(CNN) -- While all eyes seem to be on "Slumdog Millionaire" for the Oscars, one very courageous little girl will be focused on another India-based film at the ceremony.
Pinki, like millions in developing countries, had to live with her deformity and suffer the social consequences.
It's called "Smile Pinki," and it's up for an Oscar, too -- nominated for best short documentary, which it won on Sunday.
The little girl watching it from inside the Oscar ceremony has traveled all the way to Los Angeles, California, from her small Indian village with her dad -- and it has been an incredible journey for Pinki Sonkar.
"Smile Pinki" tells the story of her transformation from a sad outcast to a vibrant 8-year-old with plenty of spunk.
Pinki was born with a cleft lip, and her impoverished family did not have the money for corrective surgery.
Like millions of other children born with the lip deformity in developing countries, Pinki simply had to live with it and suffer the social consequences.
Her father Rajendra Sonkar says: "She used to go to school and the kids would not befriend her. She would say, 'I don't want to go to school.'" Watch how Pinki was transformed by the operation »
"Pinki was a depressed, sad, lonely, shy, young little girl, growing up on the periphery of the society in a little village," said Satish Kalra, director of Smile Train's South Asian region, after meeting with Pinki.
The little girl's own family was ashamed of her, Kalra says.
But all of that has changed. Pinki is now a real pistol, full of energy and confidence, and she has a fantastic smile too -- thanks to the Smile Train charity.
Smile Train teaches doctors in their own countries to operate on cleft lips, a deformity afflicting up to four million children across the world. iReport: Share your Oscar predictions
Pinki just happened to be one of the chosen candidates for surgery and was also chosen to be the subject of the documentary.
The film chronicles her transformation, following her from her village to the hospital and home again.
"She has absolutely and totally changed," said Pinki's surgeon, Dr. Subodh Kumar.
The film's director is Megan Mylan. She has won several awards but not an Oscar -- until now.
For Pinki and her dad, being able to see the film's director win an Oscar would be a thrill.
But they know they already have the greatest prize: Pinki's new smile.
"I am so happy that my daughter's lips have been repaired," her dad Rajendra said with a smile, expressing hope that the movie will inspire people to help children whose families can't afford the surgery.
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dfb53d2691504ab189a93fe78da2d174
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Who was once an outcast?
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[
"Pinki Sonkar."
] |
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(CNN) -- Climate protesters demonstrating against Donald Trump's plans for a sports resort broke into a Scottish airport Tuesday, setting up a small golf course and scaling the roof of a terminal building.
Climate protesters broke into Aberdeen Airport in the early hours of Tuesday to demonstrate against plans for expansion.
Flights at Aberdeen airport were returning to normal by midday after the activists breached the security fence overnight, the airport authority said.
Nine members of Plane Stupid, which campaigns against airport expansion and aviation-related climate change, entered the airport grounds at about 2:15 a.m. Tuesday (9:15 p.m. Monday ET), the group said. A spokesman for the airport called the protest "dangerous and highly irresponsible."
By mid-morning, the seven members on the ground had been arrested, but the two protesters remained on the roof, group spokesman Leo Mullay told CNN.
He explained that the group is against plans to expand the one-runway airport for the American millionaire's planned golf resort in the region.
"It's going to cause a huge increase in emissions," Mullay said. "There's simply no capacity within our carbon budget for more flying."
Trump's plans call for a golf resort to be built on 1,400 acres along Scotland's northeast coast, just north of Aberdeen, according to the resort's Web site. Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, is to feature two championship-caliber golf courses and a five-star luxury hotel.
Trump's resort is in the planning stages, project director Neil Hobday told CNN. But he rejected the idea that the airport is expanding because of the Trump resort.
"The runway issue has been going on long before we got here," Hobday told CNN. It's "nothing to do with us. They were going to lengthen the runway whether we were here or not."
The protest caused a backlog of flights at the airport, a major gateway for Scotland and one of Europe's busiest heliports, airport officials said.
Outbound flights resumed just after 9 a.m. (4 a.m. ET), but there remained some delays and cancellations, according to the airport's Web site.
"Despite the runway being open and available for use, the earlier protest is likely to cause some knock-on disruption during the course of the day and passengers are being asked to check the status of their flight," an airport statement said.
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bf297e2288d84a45a457d52f734e5c88
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What did the protest cause at the airport?
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"backlog of flights"
] |
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(PEOPLE.com) -- Though the couple went public with their engagement in October, little is known about the relationship between the daughter of the late grunge god Kurt Cobain, Frances Bean, and her fiancé, Isaiah Silva, frontman of rock band the Rambles.
"We're each other's everything," Silva, 26, tells PEOPLE about Cobain, 19, and himself. "We're homebodies. We don't go out to clubs so you won't find us stumbling out of them with Lindsay Lohan. We stay at home, read books and watch 'Arrested Development.'"
Adds bandmate Mark Kuchell, "They're quiet and shy. They're a great couple. Frances comes to most of our shows that she can get into."
One of the last was the band's December set at the Viper Room, where Cobain and Silva were seen looking very loving and affectionate before and after the show.
"I love strong, opinionated, intelligent women," says Silva, who spent the first 18 years of his life in the Fullerton Assembly of God group, a faction focused on strict Christian values and the second coming of Christ. "Women in the [group] were totally oppressed, but I am very pro-woman."
Silva and his family severed ties with the group when he was 18. Despite Silva's unconventional upbringing, he fought for his individuality when he gravitated toward punk music, learned to play the guitar with pals and "always had long hair and always dyed it."
"I had to grow up much faster than I would have liked," he adds. "I've been through a lot. But now, I'm totally happy."
Catch the Rambles at SXSW in Texas in March and look out for their upcoming EP, recorded with producer Keith Stegall (Zac Brown Band).
See the full article at PEOPLE.com.
© 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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8d61cfa3d4054a02be58949f6ef9f7ea
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When did the couple become engaged?
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"October,"
] |
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(CNN) -- Football players are pushing for the sport's world governing body FIFA to bring in technology to decide whether the ball has crossed the goalline.
In a poll by international players' union FIFpro, 90 percent of respondents said they wanted to see goalline technology introduced.
FIFpro has submitted the findings to the International Football Association Board, FIFA's lawmaking body, which is meeting on Saturday, March 6, to discuss possible changes to the laws of the game.
Tijs Tummers, secretary of FIFpro's technical committee, said players have had enough of games being blighted by incorrect decisions over goals.
"The ultimate aim of football is scoring goals, and there's no greater injustice than when you have scored and it's not allowed because they say it did not cross the line," Tummers told CNN.
"Every weekend you see a situation like this in one of the top European leagues.
"There are no buts. It's very simple. The only argument against is that you say we want to keep a human feel but in the opinion of FIFpro and the players that is nonsense."
German sportswear giant Adidas has been working on a form of technology involving a microchip in the ball, while other options include a version of the Hawk-Eye system of computerized cameras currently used in tennis.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has called for a system which is accurate but doesn't disrupt the flow of the game.
FIFA has tested goalline technology in junior tournaments but has recently moved away from further trials in favor of a simpler system involving two extra assistant referees stationed at each end.
The scheme, favored by UEFA President Michel Platini, has been tested in the Europa League this season but has proved unpopular with coaches and players.
FIFpro polled the 48 captains who have played in the Europa League this season, with 70 percent of the 31 who responded saying they saw no improvement in decision-making.
The row between extra referees and technology is on the agenda for the IFAB meeting, with any changes to be implemented next season, after the World Cup.
Other issues under review include whether players who concede penalties through professional fouls should also be sent off, and whether players should continue to be allowed to feint their run-ups when taking penalties.
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b183ed01dc9c4815aa1f2a9405ad8b12
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when does FIFA meet?
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"Saturday, March 6,"
] |
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PARIS, France -- Goals from Juninho and Sidney Govou gave Lyon a 2-0 home win over Valenciennes and enabled the six-time champions to stay four points ahead at the top of the French league.
Juninho opened the scoring for Lyon five minutes before the break.
Brazilian midfielder Juninho nudged in a Karim Benzema cross five minutes before the break and Govou lobbed in the second three minutes from time.
Lyon, who are at home to German champions VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday, have 31 points from 13 matches.
Second-placed Nancy celebrated their 40th anniversary with a 1-0 win over Girondins Bordeaux.
Nancy, who have a game in hand, scored in the 29th minute when midfielder Chris Malonga headed in a cross from Youssouf Hadji.
Bordeaux stay fourth with 22 points from 13 games after their first away defeat of the season.
Third-placed Stade Rennes slumped to a 1-0 home defeat against Monaco, who had only picked up a point from their six previous league outings.
Frederic Piquionne headed home from a Nene corner kick for the visitors two minutes into the second half.
Troubled Paris St Germain clinched a 2-1 victory at Racing Strasbourg thanks to a Rodrigo own goal and 20-year-old midfielder Loris Arnaud's effort after 19 minutes.
Olympique Marseille were held to an embarrassing goalless draw by Lorient and remain third from bottom.
Coach Eric Gerets said:"The public have a right to be unhappy as the level of play in the second half wasn't worthy of Marseille.
"Taking the match as a whole you can have a harsh judgement. We made a few chances in the first half but we had a problem constructing moves from the back.
"In the second half we should have lost the match with the counter-attacks.
"We have to look at ourselves in the mirror, fight and work." E-mail to a friend
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3795de48df884c6e98ec397668114316
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Which team was defeated by Lyon?
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"Valenciennes"
] |
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(PEOPLE.com) -- Rock that body, Kirstie!
When Kirstie Alley cleared the 100 lb. weight-loss hurdle this summer, it was time for a big, fat celebration.
"When I hit that mark, I went, 'That's it!' " Alley tells PEOPLE during her stay in a villa outside Florence, Italy. "I have more energy than I've ever had in my whole life."
While Alley's weight has famously fluctuated in recent years, the actress, now 60, hit a wall two years ago.
PHOTOS: Hollywood's On-the-Go Fitness Tricks!
"My body had gotten really weak," says Alley, whose weight at that time hovered around 230 lbs. "There was nothing positive about being fat."
By dancing daily after her dazzling appearance on "Dancing with the Stars," where she finished second, changing to an organic diet and following Organic Liaison, her own weight-loss program, she's turned her life around.
"I feel back to normal," says Alley, now a proud size 6. "I have my game again."
And she's ready for her next challenge: "What I'm looking for is to be madly, deeply in love," says Alley, who will also star in the upcoming ABC pilot, "The Manzanis."
"For the first time in my life, I know exactly what I want in a man," she says. "I want someone who has my back, who is courageous and brave."
See full article at PEOPLE.com.
© 2011 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
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64e1376ac62f47cbbfea4ece480969e0
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"ABC"
] |
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(CNN) -- A 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit near the Greek island of Crete on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
It struck at 12:30 p.m. (5:30 a.m. ET), the USGS said. It was centered about 80 miles (130 kilometers) off the city of Iraklion on Crete, the USGS said.
An earthquake with a 6.7 magnitude is capable of causing significant damage, especially in areas of poor construction.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
A staff member at Iraklion Airport told CNN they didn't feel the earthquake. Similar reports came from staff members at hotels just outside Iraklion and in western Crete.
A spokesman at the Greek Ministry of Health in Athens, 450 kilometers (280 miles) from the epicenter, also said he didn't feel the quake.
David Booth, a seismologist at the British Geological Survey, explained that the earthquake happened deep below the sea, leading to little risk of tsunami and reducing the likelihood that people would feel tremors.
-- CNN's Claudia Rebaza and Krsna Harilela in London, England, contributed to this report.
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3e5b1220928a4d2d99c2c946be34508d
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What's there no immediate word of?
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"damage or injuries."
] |
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama will place tariffs on imports of some Chinese tires for three years in an effort to curb a surge in exports that has rocked the U.S. tire industry.
The White House announced plans to impose tariffs on some tires entering the United States from China.
The new tariffs will be on passenger car and light truck tires, the White House said in a statement Friday night.
"The president decided to remedy the clear disruption to the U.S. tire industry based on the facts and the law in this case," the statement said.
The tariffs will start at 35 percent in the first year, then would decline to 30 percent in the second year and 25 percent in the third.
Chinese leaders have in the past expressed displeasure about a possible tire tariff.
"We hope the U.S. government will refrain from taking action, for the long-term healthy and stable development of U.S.-Chinese relations," Fu Ziying, China's vice commerce minister, told local media in August.
"The case is neither supported by facts nor does it have valid legal grounds," he added.
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fed4c64fee25464b8764d8ce7cd425cf
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U.S. to impost tariffs on what?
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[
"some Chinese tires"
] |
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(CNN) -- Ten-man Ghana overcame Brazil 4-3 on penalties in the Under-20 World Cup final in Cairo to become the first African side to win the tournament.
Daniel Addo (left) is sent off but Ghana still became the first African side to win the U-20 World Cup.
Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu scored the winning penalty after Brazil's Maicon had fired over the bar when a successful spot-kick would have handed Brazil the title for a record fifth time.
In a match of few chances, Ghana, who are also African champions, defied the odds to take the trophy out of Europe and South America for the first time ever after Daniel Addo was sent off in the 37th minute for a late tackle on Alex Teixeira.
Goalkeeper Daniel Aygei kept Ghana in the game earlier in extra-time with a point-blank save from Maicon, who had been teed-up 10 yards out by Alex Teixeira's cut-back.
Douglas Costa twice went close in the additional 30 minutes, while Aygei was also called into action to save from Wellington Junior.
Meanwhile, penalties were also needed to separate Hungary and Costa Rica in the third place playoff earlier in the day, but it was the European nation who eventually triumphed after the match ended 1-1 in 90 minutes.
Despite being outplayed for the majority of the game, Costa Rica went ahead with nine minutes remaining when Marcos Urena was allowed to run at the Hungarian defence before cutting inside and firing a right-footed shot which left goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi with no chance.
However, with the match entering injury time, Hungary were awarded a penalty when Jose Mena fouled Krisztian Nemeth in the box.
Vladimir Koman made no mistake from the spot to take the match into a shoot-out.
Liverpool's Gulacsi was the hero of the hour -- keeping out efforts from Cristian Gamboa, Esteban Luna and Adam Simon while Nemeth and Roland Varga both scored to hand Hungary a 2-0 victory on penalties.
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71bafe83bcef44f7a09230e02aaa7870
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What country took third place?
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[
"Hungary"
] |
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- A federal judge on Monday ruled against a Web site operator who was seeking to publish an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels, blocking publication of "The Harry Potter Lexicon" after concluding that it would cause author J.K. Rowling "irreparable injury."
Steven Vander Ark speaks to the media outside the U.S. District Court on April 15, 2008 in New York City.
U.S. District Judge Robert P. Patterson awarded Rowling and her publisher $6,750 in statutory damages and permanently blocked publication of the reference guide.
Harry Potter fan Steven Vander Ark sought to publish the book, a reference guide to the Harry Potter series, through a small Michigan-based publishing house called RDR Books. Vander Ark operates a Web site called "Harry Potter Lexicon."
Rowling sued RDR Books in 2007 to stop publication of material from Vander Ark's Web site.
Vander Ark and RDR Books claimed the book should not be blocked from publication because it was protected by the "fair use" doctrine, which allows for commentary and critique of literary works.
Patterson, in his ruling, said the defendants failed to demonstrate fair use.
Rowling issued a statement after Monday's ruling, saying, "I took no pleasure at all in bringing legal action and am delighted that this issue has been resolved favorably."
Vander Ark did not immediately return calls from CNN on Monday. "We are obviously disappointed with the result, and RDR is considering all of its options, including an appeal," attorney David S. Hammer said.
Rowling, who said she has long planned to publish her own encyclopedia, and Warner Brothers Entertainment, producer of the Potter films, filed suit to stop RDR from publishing the book. Warner Brothers is owned by Time Warner, CNN's parent company.
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3c616b207eba4d858eff00100a151d44
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Who won a monetary award?
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[
"Rowling and her publisher"
] |
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(CNN) -- Coca Cola was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886. Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the syrup for Coca-Cola. It was put on sale at the nearby Jacobs' Pharmacy for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink.
An international organization, The Coca-Cola Company's first soda fountain sales to Canada and Mexico were recorded in 1897. Its first international bottler -- in Panama -- was established in 1906.
The company entered China in 1927 and its 100th country -- Sierra Leone -- in 1957.
Today, The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company with the most extensive distribution system in the world, operating in more than 200 countries across the world.
The company currently has over 400 different brands under its control, and is one of the most recognizable names in the commercial world.
The Coca-Cola Company, including the bottling entities it owns, employs approximately 71,000 people. More than 58,000 of those employees work for the company outside of the U.S.
They are the largest private-sector employer across all of Africa. And in South Africa, for every one job created by the Coca-Cola system, 16 jobs are created in the informal retail sector.
The company was placed in the top 25 places to work by Essence magazine and was named Wal-Mart's International Supplier of the Year in 2006. E-mail to a friend
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43a358ccc5494daf98d67f12a6afe65a
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Where does the company operate?
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[
"in more than 200 countries across the world."
] |
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(CNN) -- Iceland and Sweden plan to take in about 200 Palestinian refugees from Iraq who have been living in refugee camps along the Iraqi-Syrian border, the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday.
More than two dozen refugees stranded at the Al Waleed refugee camp for the last two years will be headed to Iceland in the next few weeks, the agency said. In addition, 155 Palestinians in the Al Tanf refugee camp have been accepted for resettlement in Sweden, it said.
Many Palestinians living in Iraq have gotten caught up in the violence that has engulfed the country since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and have had to flee their homes. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said that out of the estimated 34,000 Palestinians who lived in Iraq since 2003, about 10,000 to 15,000 remain.
The UNHCR says about 2,300 Palestinians "are living in desperate conditions along the Iraq-Syria border." They are, the UNHCR says, "unable to return to Iraq or to cross the borders to neighboring countries." It says the Al Waleed camp has 1,400 people and Al Tanf about 900.
"UNHCR has repeatedly called for international support for the Palestinians but with few results. Few Palestinians in the border camps have been accepted for resettlement or offered shelter in third countries; 223 Palestinians left to non-traditional resettlement countries such as Brazil and Chile.
"Some urgent medical cases were taken by a few European countries, but this is a very small number out of the 2,300 Palestinians stranded in the desert," the UNHCR said in a statement.
It noted that Sudan has made an offer to take in some of those Palestinians, and said "UNHCR and Palestinian representatives are finalizing an operations plan that will enable this to take place."
Refugees International recently asked the United States government to intervene and resettle the Palestinians in the United States instead of Sudan, which itself is engulfed in sectarian fighting and whose government has been condemned for atrocities.
"The Palestinians being resettled in Sudan is obviously not an ideal or preferred solution," State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper told CNN last month. "But we accept the judgment of the UNHCR that it is preferable to the Palestinians continuing to be stranded in the border area in extremely dire circumstances."
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b32b998a6fbd449bacfc67bbce24cb63
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What is under way?
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[
"200 Palestinian refugees from Iraq"
] |
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Congressman Jared Polis
(D) Colorado: District 02
Congressman Jason Chaffetz
(R) Utah: District 03
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797fa137d6624077927dac0b8ce38523
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Name of the representative for Colorado's Second district?
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[
"Congressman Jared Polis"
] |
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(CNN) -- Mourners packed into a church in Illinois Monday to remember a woman whose death made headlines worldwide.
At the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicago, a funeral was held for Dawn Brancheau, a SeaWorld trainer who died last week after a killer whale dragged her underwater at Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
A memorial service for the 40-year-old will take place in Orlando, Florida, at a future date, according to the Blake Lamb Funeral Home.
Brancheau had wanted to be an animal trainer from the time she visited SeaWorld as a 9-year-old, her sister Diane Gross said last week.
"It was her dream job," Gross said. "She loved the animals like they were her own children. ... She loved what she did."
Brancheau was pulled underwater Wednesday at SeaWorld Orlando, when a 6-ton killer whale named Tilikum grabbed her ponytail. A source at SeaWorld said the whale dove deep underwater after seizing Brancheau. Trainers had to wrangle the animal into a smaller pool before they could retrieve her body about 40 minutes later.
The same whale was linked previously to two other human deaths.
Tilikum and two other whales were involved in the 1991 drowning of a trainer at a marine park in Victoria, British Columbia. The trainer fell into the whale tank at Sealand of the Pacific and was dragged underwater as park visitors watched.
In 1999, Tilikum was blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found floating in a tank at SeaWorld, the apparent victim of the whale's "horseplay," authorities said then.
Labor Department spokesman Mike Wald said the safety and health agency is looking into whether Occupational Safety and Health Administration workplace standards were violated in Brancheau's death. The agency will complete a report within six months, he said.
If workplace infractions are found, OSHA will propose financial penalties, Wald said. If that happens, the company could accept the penalties and make needed workplace changes or appeal the penalties before an OSHA review commission.
Inspectors also are looking into the incident from an animal-welfare perspective, said David Sacks, an Agriculture Department spokesman.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service wants to know whether federal standards were violated in the exhibiting of warm-blooded mammals.
SeaWorld shows with killer whales resumed on Saturday.
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7443e9c1e45a46c995583d7aa72b1d7e
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Where did the funeral take place?
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[
"St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicago,"
] |
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- The daughter of a man who died after falling four stories at Shea Stadium said her father was not sliding down the escalator when the accident happened, as police reported.
A statement from the New York Police Department on Tuesday said witnesses saw 36-year-old Antonio Nararainsami of Brooklyn sitting on the banister of the escalator when he lost his balance and fell.
Nararainsami's daughter, Emily, told CNN affiliate WABC on Tuesday that her father was walking down the escalator, not sliding on its banister, as fans left the stadium after the New York Mets-Washington Nationals game. She said she and another relative saw what happened.
"He wasn't moving or nothing; he was just walking down. I guess he tried to say something to us or something, and I guess he just lost his balance and flipped over," she said.
Nararainsami died at Booth Memorial Hospital about 25 minutes after the 10 p.m. incident.
Police are investigating the death as an accident. E-mail to a friend
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973134394ac946f7a70cfede248fea54
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Who are investigating it?
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[
"Police"
] |
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- More than 100 Romanians fled their homes Tuesday night in Belfast, Northern Ireland, following what politicians called "racist attacks and intimidation."
A Romanian woman and her child are escorted by police in Belfast on Wednesday.
"On Tuesday evening, when the Romanians saw their windows starting to be smashed, they felt the threats were very real and contacted the police," said Trish Morgan, the media relations manager at the Belfast City Church, which took them in.
A church member was advised by the police that "the situation was getting too tense," and that the group -- 113 people in all -- needed to find a safe place that could accommodate them quickly. The member contacted the church, and that's where they went, Morgan said.
The Romanians were "quite scared" upon arrival at the church but "relieved to be out of the situation," she added.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Wednesday condemned what one member of Parliament called "appalling racist attacks," and said he hoped the authorities would be able to "take all the action necessary to protect them."
Martin McGuinness, the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland -- a province of the United Kingdom -- visited the families on Wednesday, his party Sinn Fein announced.
"People are shocked and completely disgusted by this incident," he said in a statement "I came here this morning to show very clearly my commitment to facing up to any form of intimidation in our community, no matter where it may come from.
"I met with numerous families who are genuinely fearful for their lives and those of their families; I held a five-day-old baby girl in my arms today. She was born in Belfast and now forced to leave her home as a result of attacks by racist, criminal thugs," McGuinness said.
He was speaking at the O-Zone leisure center, where the families have moved because the space is larger than the church.
Race-hate crime in south Belfast has increased in the past six months, Sinn Fein equality and human rights expert Vincent Parker said.
The incident came only a day after violence broke out at an anti-racism rally in support of Romanians in Belfast.
Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long called Monday's scuffles "totally unacceptable."
"A small minority of people have sadly taken away from an event which had been organized by the local community to show solidarity for their Romanian neighbors, and to express their abhorrence at their homes being subjected to racist attacks," she said Tuesday.
CNN's Eve Bower contributed to this report.
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ec8bc41c612f4da9bba21327ee33123f
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What does UK PM Brown encourage?
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[
"\"take all the action necessary to protect them.\""
] |
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- The Phenomenon is back. You may not have recognized him when he came on as a substitute for Corinthians in a Brazilian Cup match, though. After all, he's a few kilos heavier than the Ronaldo we grew to know and love in the last decade.
Comeback Brazilian: Ronaldo is playing competitive football again -- but will he reach his former glory?
However, at 32 years of age, Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima is attempting another comeback. Will it be a successful one?
As far as I am concerned, it won't.
Debate: Do you think Ronaldo can return to his former glory? Tell us in the Sound Off box below.
I have had the privilege of interviewing Ronaldo various times, and spent some one-on-one time with him in Italy and France. He's a great guy, friendly, humble and fun-loving.
However, that last personality trait has contributed to a turbulent career and lifestyle. Wherever he has gone, the striker has always made his mark, on and off the field. While he was helping Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Brazil win a multitude of titles, he also found himself in the headlines a multitude of times for all the wrong reasons.
It's true that Ronaldo has always been unfortunate with injuries - he has undergone three major knee operations. However, his love for a night out and for a playboy lifestyle may have also contributed to the breakdown of his body.
In my opinion, this is the reason he will struggle to stay fit and motivated for Corinthians this season. There are too many temptations for him in Brazil, and I don't see him being able to resist all of them.
Furthermore, he has won practically everything there is to win in the world of football, with the exception of the Champions League.
So it would be fair to say that he's not going to bend over backwards to make sure his new team wins some silverware this season. He will score the odd goal and make the odd highlight, but I don't expect his latest comeback to be a success.
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734e0e722567464b8b4a75172c24fa01
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Will Ronaldo reach his former glory according to Pedro Pinto?
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[
"it won't."
] |
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(CNN) -- Somalia's president escaped an opportunistic attack by Islamic militants Wednesday as deadly fighting erupted in the center of Mogadishu, officials said.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was returning from a trip to Yemen when insurgents began firing mortars, resulted in a clash with African Union peacekeepers, the president's director of communications told CNN.
"The Islamic insurgents were just guessing the arrival of the president so they started firing mortars, just to send a kind of their regular violent message that they are around," said Abdulkadir Barnamij.
The heaviest of the fighting was centered on Maka Al Mukarama, which links the airport to the presidential palace but it is heavily guarded by forces from the African Union Mission in Somalia.
Meanwhile Ali Muse, head of an emergency group in the city, confirmed to CNN that three people died and 16 others were wounded in the fighting.
"The casualty (number) is small because people deserted the streets soon after the fighting started," said Ali Muse.
-- Journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report
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0f090374ece846dba5bd32db650fc406
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[
"three people died and 16 others were wounded"
] |
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(CNN) -- This month, Just Imagine focused on the future of nature and the ways in which it can inspire solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing humanity today.
A digital representation of the human genome.
Yet as scientists gain a greater understanding of biological processes, they're also learning how to manipulate them, including the very essence of what makes us human -- our DNA.
Biotechnology advances are already helping scientists find groundbreaking ways to create personalized medicine, detect illnesses and eradicate disease.
And this, according to futurist Ray Kurzweil, is only the beginning. In the future, humans will be able to reverse the aging process, replace dying organs with younger ones grown from an individual's own DNA and even genetically engineer unborn children, he said.
But some, like the UK-based group Human Genetics Alert, worry the ability to reprogram our biochemistry could lead mankind into unknown territory with dangerous ramifications for the future, including genetic discrimination and even a redefinition of what it means to be human.
We want to hear your views. To what extent should we be able to alter our genetic makeup? Should there be a limit? And how should it be determined exactly what that limit is?
Post your comments in the Sound Off box below. We'll publish the best.
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c4701fe4c59a49379f38dfe5da1e4bd0
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What might be able to expand human potential?
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[
"Biotechnology advances"
] |
NewsQA
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MACAU, China -- Pete Sampras rolled back the years to upset current world number one Roger Federer in an exhibition match in Macau on Saturday.
Sampras enjoyed the spoils of victory in Macau after two previous defeats to Federer.
Federer had one the two previous clashes in an Asian series in straight sets but was handed a 7-6 6-4 defeat in the finale.
American ace Sampras downplayed his victory, noting Federer was coming off a long season and that he was helped by his big serve and the fast indoor carpet surface.
He had only aimed to win one set during the three-match series.
"Let's not get carried away," he said at a news conference.
Sampras ruled out a comeback from retirement, telling the audience after the match, "I had my time in the 90s."
Federer tried to put on a positive spin on the loss, saying he wasn't embarrassed to lose to his idol, but still showed some disappointment.
"It's been tough beating my idol the last two times. I'm happy that he got me at least once," he said, but adding, "I hope we can do it again in the future. I'd like to get him back."
The two players have won a combined 26 Grand Slam titles, but Sampras, 36, retired five years ago after winning the U.S. Open in 2002.
Federer is coming off another outstanding season in which he won three grand slams and last week's Masters Cup in Shanghai.
"I'm sort of surprised. This guy can play tennis, you know," the Swiss player said after his loss Saturday.
Federer beat Sampras 6-4 6-3 in Seoul on Tuesday and edged the American 7-6 7-6 in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
In Macau, Federer was never able able to force a break point on the powerful Sampras serve, but had set points at 6-5 and 8-7 in the tiebreak.
But Sampras saved both and a run of three points, capped by a forehand winner, gave him the opener.
The ninth game of the second second proved vital as a forehand error by Federer gave Sampras a break point which he gratefully took with another fine forehand.
Sampras closed out the match as a Federer backhand return sailed long.
Federer said he thought Sampras could still beat the world's top five players on a fast surface.
Sampras then predicted that Federer could beat his record of most grand slam wins (14) "if not next year, pretty soon."
"He's a great, great player. He's got things in his game that I couldn't do," he said. E-mail to a friend
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b23ed8aae98345fb9d59e1b600c5312d
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Who rules out comeback to ATP tour?
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[
"Sampras"
] |
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(CNN) -- Canada's House of Commons voted Thursday to extend the country's military mission in Afghanistan until 2011, with the stipulation that NATO send reinforcements to the volatile Kandahar province.
Canadian soldiers walk along a track at the Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan last month.
Most of Canada's 2,500 troops in Afghanistan are in Kandahar as part of the NATO-led mission to stabilize the war-torn country.
Their presence has sparked controversy in Canada, with the Bloc Quebecois and the New Democratic Party calling for an immediate troop withdrawal.
Supporters of the mission argued that Canadians have made progress in providing schools, health care and clean water for thousands of Afghans.
They said the improving conditions would be impossible without troops ensuring a secure environment for aid workers and local residents.
"The military needs to be there," said Harold Albrecht, a conservative member of Parliament. "The military provides the civil order we would expect from police here."
The Canadian mission in Afghanistan was to end next February. It has claimed the lives of 80 soldiers and a diplomat, according to The Associated Press.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has endorsed a panel's recommendation to keep troops in place only if another NATO nation dispatches additional troops to Kandahar.
Canada wants a minimum of 1,000 reinforcements, The Globe and Mail reported.
Thursday's motion, passed with a 198-77 vote, brought Harper's Conservative party and the opposition Liberals together on the issue.
Other parties, however, noted that the cost of maintaining a troop presence in Afghanistan has not been disclosed to Parliament or the public.
"We must provide clarity to the Canadian people," said Nathan Cullen of the New Democratic Party. "We believe it to be wrong for our country." E-mail to a friend
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7702d5668b084682bbb7c936c1d7ccd3
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Who is to stay until 2011?
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[
"country's military"
] |
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(CNN) -- The death of Hannover 96 and Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke from an apparent suicide has stunned the football world.
The German media reaction to the death of a man many tipped to represent the country at the 2010 World Cup, has been one of shock.
Berlin based newspaper Der Tagesspiegel reported "Robert Enke is dead."
Despite his absence from the German squad for the upcoming friendlies, they wrote manager Joachim Löw had "clearly signaled that he would continue to be favourite for the number one spot in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa."
"He threw himself before the train" was the headline in the Hamburger Morgenpost, the newspaper going onto recall the death of his two-year-old daughter Lara in 2006.
"This difficult time greatly influenced Robert Enke."
They added that he and his wife had adopted a two-month-old girl earlier this year and Enke had been "shining with happiness, confidence written on his face."
Der Bild said it had been revealed "Enke wrote a departure letter."
"Goalkeeper Robert Enke is dead. On November 10 at 18.17 the 32-year-old threw himself under a train.
"Now the police have confiemd: Enke wrote a farewell letter. Thus there is no doubt a sucicide of the player."
Süddeutsche Zeitung was in agreement, writing "Enke leaves suicide note."
The Munich paper also wrote of the shock of the "colleagues and fans who appreciated him very much.
"But Robert Enke had many setbacks in his career to cope with of a private and professional nature."
The football world has also been quick to express their condolences too.
Barcelona, who Enke played for between 2002 and 2004 wrote on their official Web site:
"The club deeply regrets his death and would like to pass on their sympathies to his current club and his family."
Enke enjoyed a more successful spell at Benfica, making his reputation before the Barca move.
Chairman Luís Filipe Vieira said: "Nobody is ever prepared to face the loss of someone with whom they have lived together and enjoyed good memories.
"When a tragedy reaches someone with the age of Robert Enke the frustration is still bigger."
Enke's former team-mate Nuno Gomes added: "I remember how he was just a young kid when he came here but, from day one, he made a great effort to learn our language and did it very quickly.
"He was a young kid with a huge desire to reach his goals and learn, a man with a capital M."
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60960e98a8c64696aa33ea097a121342
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Who died in an apparent suicide?
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[
"Hannover 96 and Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke"
] |
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(CNN) -- The United States successfully tested a sea-based component of its missile defense shield Thursday evening, intercepting a ballistic missile with a dummy warhead over the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said.
A dummy missile is launched from a ship during a 2008 test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program.
The exercise was the 19th successful test in 23 attempts of the system -- known as the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program -- since 2002.
A target missile was fired from Hawaii about 5:40 p.m. (11:40 p.m. ET) and was tracked by Navy ships hundreds of miles away.
The USS Hopper, one of three Navy ships tracking the launch, fired an interceptor missile, which struck the target about 100 miles above the Earth. The process -- from launch to shoot-down -- took less than five minutes, according to the U.S. military.
The United States plans to use the sea-based system on Navy Aegis-class ships to protect against incoming short- to medium-range missiles fired from hostile countries. Eighty-six of the ships eventually will have the capability.
Another part of the missile defense protection -- ground-based midcourse defense -- is designed to strike at long-range missiles.
Both the sea-based and ground-based systems are part of the Pentagon's "layered" missile defense plan.
Much of the missile defense program is still under development, including lasers fired from a plane that the military hopes would destroy an enemy missile during launch.
Other parts of the missile defense would fire short-range missiles at incoming warheads that are close to hitting their targets.
Over the past seven years, the U.S. military has spent billions of dollars on the missile defense program. Pentagon officials have said that each missile defense test costs about $85 million.
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77568af36abe400c8b7e820bedec0b8d
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how many tests were made
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[
"in 23 attempts"
] |
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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Two coalition U.S. soldiers were killed along with three Afghans, including a police official, while trying to disable a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan Sunday, the U.S. military said.
Afghan police destroy poppy fields in Helmand province.
The explosion was under investigation, the military said.
The soldiers were part of a convoy of coalition troops accompanying Gulab Mangal, the governor of Helmand province, to a village where he intended to talk to residents about alternatives to opium farming.
The convoy came upon two bombs stacked on top of each other, said local journalist Abdul Tawab Qureshi.
When the soldiers tried to disable the bombs, the second one went off, added Qureshi, saying the blast killed the police chief of the province's Nad Ali district, Mohammed Nader; a police officer; and a translator.
Over the years, opium and heroin -- both derivatives of the poppy -- have served as a major source of revenue for the insurgency, most notably the Taliban movement that once ruled Afghanistan.
Though southern Afghanistan still provides about two-thirds of the world's opium and heroin, poppy cultivation has dropped by 20 percent -- to the lowest level since 2006.
CNN's Atia Abawi contributed to this report.
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077a9615f86d4580851827032162442d
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Who were the soldiers accompanying in the convoy?
|
[
"Gulab Mangal,"
] |
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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Back-to-back suicide bombings killed at least five people at a university here Tuesday and wounded nearly two dozen, authorities said.
Police investigators collect evidence at the suicide blast site at Islamic International University in Islamabad.
The explosions occurred at the International Islamic University in the Pakistani capital, said police official Bin Yamin.
Naeem Iqbal, Islamabad police spokesman, said three men and two female students were killed, and 22 people were injured.
At least four of the injured were in critical condition, said Altaf Hussein, a doctor at a hospital. All the victims are between the ages of 18 and 25.
Usman Virk, a student, said he heard one explosion in the men's section of the university, followed by a blast in the cafeteria in the women's section of the university. Watch more about the attacks »
Virk said he saw several injured students with blood-soaked clothes being taken away by rescue crews.
More than 12,000 foreign and local students, including 5,500 women, are enrolled in the 29-year-old university.
The university Web site describes the school as a "unique center of learning in the Muslim world which strives to combine the essentials of the Islamic faith with the best of modern knowledge."
In recent weeks, Pakistan has been relentlessly rocked by a wave of suicide attacks as Islamic militants retaliate against a military offensive to rout insurgents operating along the Pakistan-Afghan border.
On Friday, a suicide car bomber detonated near a police station in Peshawar, the capital of the North West Frontier Province. The blast killed at least 13 people, most of them civilians.
A day earlier, militants attacked two police training centers and the country's Federal Investigation Agency in Lahore in eastern Pakistan.
At least 30 Pakistani police officers and civilians were killed in those attacks. At least 10 attackers also died.
And on October 10, militants held dozens of hostages for 22 hours inside an army headquarters in Rawalpindi, which neighbors Islamabad. Eleven military personnel, three civilians, and nine militants were killed in the siege.
CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report.
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25a668b13f1341b2b33585653767fea9
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How many students are enrolled at International Islamic University?
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[
"12,000 foreign and local"
] |
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Washington (CNN) -- Flights transporting critically injured Haitians to the United States are set to resume Monday morning, according to a spokeswoman for a University of Miami team of volunteers in Port-au-Prince.
The flights are scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. Monday, said Nery Ynclan, a spokeswoman for the university's R. Barth Green, who is leading the team.
The flights were temporarily suspended because of logistical issues including space to care for the injured, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said Saturday.
"Having received assurances that additional capacity exists both here and among our international partners, we determined that we can resume these critical flights," he said in a statement Sunday. The statement, released Sunday afternoon, said flights would resume "in the next 12 hours."
The evacuated patients are those whose medical needs could not be met by doctors working in Haiti. Nearly 23,000 people have been seen by U.S. personnel since the January 12 earthquake, Vietor said.
The missing, the found, the victims
Airlifts stopped after there were "concerns about the strain on domestic health capacity," Vietor said. But officials have increased the ability to care for patients through a network of nonprofits and U.S. hospitals, he said.
Earlier reports also cited questions over who would pay for patients' care.
The flights stopped Wednesday when some states refused to allow entry to Haitians needing care, according to Navy Capt. Kevin Aandahl, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Command. He would not say which states objected.
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius obtained by CNN, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist asked that the federal government activate the National Disaster Medical System to provide reimbursement to Florida and other states for taking in the patients, who have no insurance.
Share your stories from Haiti
Florida's health facilities were already strained by winter tourism and seasonal residence migration, Crist said in the letter. But Florida officials said Saturday that the state was committed to assisting Haitian quake victims and had not asked the airlifts be halted.
Full coverage
Florida will play a role in caregiving once flights resume. The state has identified medical facilities that could take in victims, Vietor said in Sunday's statement.
CNN's Susan Candiotti and Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.
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99e1b84ff5eb46c786b866d58108bea7
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who are these support groups
|
[
"a network of nonprofits and U.S. hospitals,"
] |
NewsQA
|
(CNN) -- The Chinese government has lifted a 20-year-old rule that banned foreigners with HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and leprosy from entering the country, according to the country's state news agency.
State-run news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday that China's State Council decided to repeal the ban after realizing it did little to prevent the spread of disease and caused problems when the country was hosting international events.
The revision came days before the opening of the six-month Shanghai World Expo, which organizers expect will draw 70 million people. The government had previously lifted the ban temporarily for other large-scale events, including the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Xinhua said the health ministry estimates the number of people living with HIV in China had reached 740,000 by October 2009, with deaths caused by AIDS totaling 49,845 since the first case was reported in 1985.
China's decision comes several months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed HIV infection from the list of diseases that prevent non-U.S. citizens from entering the country.
Until January, the U.S. was one of seven countries with laws barring entry of people with HIV, according to amfAR, an AIDS research organization.
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a93718a532954a85916d3cc97908a978
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In what way did the Ban cause problems?
|
[
"when the country was hosting international events."
] |
NewsQA
|
LYON, France -- Inter Milan have agreed to the transfer of Italian World Cup winning defender Fabio Grosso to six-time French champions Lyon.
Grosso made 23 Serie-A appearances for Inter Milan last season.
"The player arrived late on Friday evening and passed his medical test before signing his contract with the club on Saturday morning, all three parties involved are in agreement," said Olivier Blanc, communications director of the French club.
The 29-year-old Italian will be present at a ceremony at Lyon's Town Hall to launch the French champions 2007-08 season.
Grosso is Lyon's highest-profile summer signing and will come as much sought after relief by a club who saw the departure of France international left back Eric Abidal to Barcelona.
Lyon, chasing a record seventh consecutive League One title, have also signed Nadir Belhadj from French first division rivals Sedan and Mathieu Bodmer and Kadar Keita both from Lille.
The Italian League champions Inter Milan decided to release Grosso after a below-par season and just one year at the club.
The imposing defender played 23 matches in the league last term, scoring two goals.
He will be bitterly remembered in France for scoring Italy's winning penalty in the final shootout that denied France their second World Cup success.
Grosso will be the third Italian to play for the club since it was founded, following Orenzo Dito and Aridex Caligaris in the 1950s. E-mail to a friend
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6daac35e18bc470b9e216b765382e6e2
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Who signed Grosso?
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[
"Lyon."
] |
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(CNN) -- The gigolo former lover of Germany's richest woman has been jailed for six years after confessing to blackmailing her and other women out of millions of dollars, a court official said Monday.
Helg Sgarbi has admitted blackmailing Germany's richest woman, Susanne Klatten.
Susanne Klatten, the BMW heiress, complained to police last year that Helg Sgarbi had threatened to release pictures of them if she did not pay him nearly $60 million.
Munich's state prosecutor Anton Winkler said Sgarbi, who was accused of blackmailing several wealthy women, had made a written confession which was read by his lawyer to the court.
"He confessed that he blackmailed the victims, told them untrue stories," Winkler told CNN.
However, Sgarbi had not revealed what had happened to the estimated $12.5 million he had taken from his victims nor where the pictures had gone.
"It is really only half a confession. We asked him about where the money is, about accomplices and videos... and he refused to say anything about that," Winkler said.
Authorities said Klatten, who is married with three children, had an affair with Sgarbi.
He started to ask her for money, and she paid several million at first, but when she refused to provide more he threatened to send compromising videos to her husband and the media.
Klatten went to the police in January 2008, telling them she was the victim of a fraud and blackmail.
At the time, her spokesman, Joerg Appelhans, told CNN that Sgarbi's goal had always been to con her.
"She rigorously notified authorities even in light of the uncomfortable public repercussions this would have for her," Appelhans said.
Sgarbi's lawyer, Egon Geis, said he was surprised by all the media attention.
"This is all because of Mrs. Klatten, take the same amount of money and any other person and no one would care."
Sgarbi allegedly maintained relationships with a number of women, telling them he was a special Swiss representative in crisis zones.
Klatten, the daughter of the late BMW chief Herbert Quandt, holds a 12.5-percent stake in the German carmaker and a 51.1-percent share of chemical company Altana.
Forbes magazine lists her as the world's 55th richest person, with a personal fortune of $13.2 billion.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen contributed to this report.
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4ca93032650045299d841ab5375148da
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What did Germany's richest woman tell police?
|
[
"Helg Sgarbi had threatened to release pictures"
] |
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(CNN) -- Three people died Thursday when a medical helicopter crashed in western Tennessee, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The helicopter had dropped off a patient in Jackson, Tennessee, and was returning to Brownsville, Tennessee, about 30 miles west of Jackson, when the crash was reported, said FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jeremy Heidt said the crash occurred shortly after 6 a.m.
Three people were initially reported to be on board the helicopter, Lunsford said. All three were believed to be fatalities, as the aircraft -- a Eurocopter AS350 -- was burned, he said.
Investigators were en route to the scene of the crash, a field near Brownsville, Lunsford said.
CNN affiliate WMC-TV said the helicopter was operated by Hospital Wing. The organization identifies itself on its Web site as the Memphis Medical Center's air ambulance service.
Hospital Wing said in a statement, reported by WMC-TV, that the crash occurred just east of Brownsville, and that three crew members and no patients were on board. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating, the statement said.
"Nothing like this has ever happened in our history," Allen Burnette, Hospital Wing's director and chief operating officer, said in the statement.
"A weather report said there were thunderstorms in the area, but that they had passed, Lunsford said. "The big weather system moving through had stopped a few moments before."
Officials believe the helicopter was operating under a visual flight rules plan and not communicating with air traffic controllers, he said. Visual Flight Rules, or VFR, mean a flight is conducted under visual conditions.
"There are operating guidelines in any aviation operation, but ultimately the pilot is responsible for (the) safety of (the) aircraft and deciding whether to go forward or not," Lunsford said.
Hospital Wing was founded in 1985, the group's statement said, and is a nonprofit air medical transport service with direct alliances with the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial Hospital, The MED, St. Francis Hospital in Memphis and Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis, Arkansas.
CNN's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report.
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2b7d690fa209405c9c935bf444268c25
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Who was on board the copter?
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[
"three crew members"
] |
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(CNN) -- A Utah man trapped for more than 26 hours in a crevice of a popular cave tourist attraction died as rescuers struggled to save him, authorities said Thursday.
John Edward Jones, 26, of Stansbury Park was stuck in the Nutty Putty Cave, which sits west of Utah Lake near Cedar Valley, according to the sheriff's office of Utah County.
The cave is 55 to 60 miles south of Salt Lake City.
Sheriff's officials said Jones entered the cave at around 6 p.m. Tuesday with a group of about 11 people and became stuck about 8:45 p.m. in a "tightly confined" feature inside Nutty Putty Cave called "Bob's Push."
Utah County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Spencer Cannon told CNN affiliate KSL that Jones was trapped upside down in a crevice that was about 18 inches wide and about 10 inches high. The crevice is about 150 feet below the surface and about 700 feet from the cave entrance, according to the sheriff's department.
"They had him to a level spot where he wasn't heading downhill with his head below his feet," Cannon said. "During the course of that, they have a raising system to hold him in position, and one of the devices of that system failed, and Mr. Jones actually fell back to the area where he had been stuck for so long."
Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, rescuers got close enough to Jones to conclude that he was not breathing and he had no pulse. Rescue officials were meeting Thursday to determine how to recover Jones' body.
Rescuers had tried to reach Jones for more than 24 hours, but had problems navigating the treacherous terrain, Cannon said.
"Getting people to him is very difficult," Cannon told KSL before Jones died. "It is a tightly confined space. When there is movement, it is literally millimeters at a time."
There are narrow areas of the cave where visitors have to crawl on their bellies to get through, according to the attraction's Web site. Up to 5,000 people visit each year, the site said.
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2e4be585711348ebb8d59d5f0e2191a1
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who was in charge of the rescue
|
[
"the sheriff's office of Utah County."
] |
NewsQA
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SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Hyundai Chairman Chung Mong-koo escaped a prison sentence for embezzlement after a South Korean court ruled Thursday to instead impose a suspended five year sentence, according to a company spokesman.
Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-Koo, center, leaves the High Court after his trial in Seoul in June.
In February, the 68-year-old executive was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of embezzling money from the South Korean conglomerate. He appealed that verdict and on Thursday the company said Chung will now only be required to undertake community service.
Chung was accused of funneling $106 million in company money into a slush fund to seek favors from the government and with breach of trust for incurring more than $300 million in damages to the company.
Hyundai is the world's sixth-largest automaker and a pillar of South Korea's economy.
Chung spent two months in jail after his arrest last April before being released on $1 million bail. He admitted using affiliated companies to set up slush funds, but said he knew no details of the arrangements. E-mail to a friend
CNN's Eunice Yoon contributed to this report.
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2994ada99cf8420b8fe5907b2fde0a3e
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Who is Hyundai Chairman?
|
[
"Chung Mong-koo"
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- A cop killer and child molester who has been on the U.S. Marshals Service's 15 most-wanted fugitive list for nearly four years was captured early Wednesday, authorities said.
Paul Clouston, 73, was taken into custody at a men's group home in Merced, California, said Deputy U.S. Marshal Kevin Connolly.
Agents with the fugitive task force "observed a man resembling Clouston seated in a chair and reading a newspaper," said the Marshals Service in a statement.
"He provided a false name three times before he said, 'I'm Paul Clouston and I'm tired of running,' " Connolly told CNN.
"We always say we go after the worst of the worst, and it doesn't get much worse than this type of predator, " Connolly added. "We're happy he's off the streets."
Connolly said a viewer tip to the TV program "America's Most Wanted" led agents to the killer.
Clouston murdered a police detective in Buena Park, California, in 1972. He was convicted a year later. After serving 10 years in prison for the slaying, Clouston was released in 1982.
In 1991, he was indicted on 17 counts of sexually abusing children in the Williamsburg, Virginia, area, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Clouston pleaded guilty to the charges and was sent back to prison. He was paroled in 2005 but was placed on the fugitive list after he failed to register as a convicted sexual offender in Virginia.
"The capture of Paul Clouston is a testament to the effectiveness of our 15 most wanted list and the partnerships we maintain with other law enforcement agencies," said John F. Clark, director of the U.S. Marshals Service in a statement. "It also speaks volumes to the value of someone doing the right thing and reporting a suspicious individual."
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9b7714f153514432b729922edf4187e9
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who was convicted
|
[
"Paul Clouston,"
] |
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the wake of a highly publicized chimpanzee attack, the U.S. House made its first official move to ban humans from owning primates as pets.
Travis, seen here as a younger chimp, was fatally shot by police after attacking a woman, authorities say.
The House overwhelmingly voted in favor of passing the Captive Primate Safety Act on Tuesday, which prohibits people from buying or transporting primates across state lines to keep as pets. This legislation amended the Lacey Act, which had only applied to wildlife and fish.
The Humane Society of the United States applauded the bill, which passed by a vote of 323 to 95.
"There is no reason for any private citizen to keep a primate as a pet, and this trade is driven by unscrupulous dealers who sell primates across state lines for thousands of dollars," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS.
Last week, Charla Nash, 55, was left with severe trauma to her face, scalp and hands after her neighbor's pet chimpanzee, Travis, mauled her in Stamford, Connecticut.
Police shot Travis to halt the attack, and he later died of gunshot wounds.
Nash was brought to the famed Cleveland Clinic, where the nation's first face transplant was performed. Doctors there are contemplating whether to offer her a similar procedure.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, and Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, who said it would protect animals and humans from similar attacks.
"As the tragic attack in Connecticut shows us, The Captive Primate Safety Act is necessary, common-sense legislation for the welfare of humans and animals," Blumenauer said. "Make no mistake, this bill will protect communities and ensure the humane treatment of these animals."
"It is inhumane to cage primates in private homes. Besides the animal cruelty concerns, the interstate movement of pet primates creates serious public health and safety risks. The Captive Primate Safety Act takes important steps to address these concerns," Kirk said.
As cute as they can be, primates can inflict serious injuries and spread life-threatening disease, according to the Humane Society.
The average pet owner cannot provide for their basic social and physical needs in captivity, says the organization, which estimates 15,000 monkeys and other primates are living as either pets or in private zoos.
"As infants, they are fascinating," said Beth Preiss, who directs the organization's Exotic Pet Campaign. "But they grow up and become dangerous to manage."
The bill moves now to the Senate, where Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana will lead the effort to pass the legislation.
CNN's Lauren Kornreich contributed to this report.
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facac4a188f944718fda6bb82e990cf6
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What does the Bill prohibit?
|
[
"people from buying or transporting primates across state lines to keep as pets."
] |
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(CNN) -- Floyd Mayweather Jr will have to pay Juan Manuel Marquez a reported $600,000 after weighing in two pounds too heavy ahead of Saturday night's welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.
Floyd Mayweather Jr, left, faces off with Juan Manuel Marquez ahead of Saturday night's fight.
Fight promoters Golden Boy confirmed after Friday's weigh-in that there had been a contractually agreed weight of 144 pounds for Mayweather's comeback bout, and that the American would pay a stipulated -- but undisclosed -- amount for every pound over that amount.
As it was, Mayweather tipped the scales at 146 pounds and Mexican Marquez, whose usual weight is around 135 pounds, was weighed at 142 as he stepped up from lightweight for the fight. The maximum for a welterweight is 147 pounds.
"The fight was contracted as a welterweight fight with an agreed upon weight of 144 pounds. However, there were pre-negotiated weight penalties built in," Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com.
The website also reported sources who stated that each extra pound would cost Mayweather $300,000, thus giving Marquez an additional $600,000 on top of his $3.2 million guarantee for the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The 32-year-old Mayweather, who returns to the boxing ring for the first time since December 2007 when he beat Ricky Hatton to retain his WBC world welterweight championship, has a reported minimum guarantee of $10 million before pay-per-view TV revenues are added.
Mayweather is undefeated with a career record of 39-0, while the 36-year-old Marquez, who holds the WBA and WBO world lightweight belts, has 50 victories from 55 fights, 37 by knockout.
Meanwhile, Nikolai Valuev will defend his WBA heavyweight title against British boxer David Haye in Germany on November 7.
The fight, originally announced in July, had been in doubt as American John Ruiz lodged a legal challenge claiming that he was the giant Russian's mandatory challenger.
However, the 36-year-old's promoters have clinched a deal with Ruiz, meaning the bout can go ahead as planned at Nuremberg's Arena Nurnberger Versicherung, where Valuev beat Sergei Liakhovich in February 2008.
The 7' 1" Valuev, the tallest and heaviest boxing champion of all time who has a record of 50 wins from 52 fights, will dwarf the 6' 3" Haye, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion.
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b01b25961fd54c11940b5470a598cf55
|
How much does Mayweather weigh?
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[
"146 pounds"
] |
NewsQA
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A 19-year-old Jordanian bent on committing "violent jihad" was arrested Thursday after undercover FBI agents foiled his attempt to bomb an office tower in Dallas, Texas, authorities announced late Thursday.
Authorities say a suspect tried to set off a bomb attached to a vehicle at the base of the Fountain Plaza tower.
Federal officials said Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, who entered the U.S. illegally and lived in Texas, tried to set off an improvised explosive device attached to a vehicle at the base of the 60-story Fountain Plaza office tower.
Counterterrorism officials arrested Smadi on Thursday before publicly disclosing a similar, but unrelated, terrorism sting arrest in Springfield, Illinois, Wednesday. A federal law enforcement official familiar with the cases said authorities feared word of the Illinois arrest could tip off the Texas suspect of an undercover sting operation.
In a criminal complaint filed with Smadi's arrest, counterterrorism officials said the suspect had been under "continuous surveillance" because of oft-stated determination to inflict damage and death against the United States, which he deemed to be an enemy of Islam.
"The identification and apprehension of this defendant, who was acting alone, is a sobering reminder that there are people among us who want to do us grave harm," said James Jacks, the top federal prosecutor in Dallas.
After casing a Wells Fargo Bank in the office tower in July, Smadi told an undercover agent he would target the facility, according to authorities. Initially Smadi told the agent he wanted to conduct the bombing on September 11, but decided to wait until Ramadan ended September 20, authorities said.
"Unbeknownst to Smadi, the FBI ensured the [vehicle-borne IED] contained only an inert/inactive explosive device, which contained no explosive materials," the Justice Department said in a written statement.
Smadi will make his first court appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Dallas on Friday.
The charge of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Justice Department officials said the Dallas case was unrelated to the similar FBI sting in Springfield, Illinois, a day earlier when FBI undercover agents foiled a plot to bomb that city's federal building.
In neither case did authorities find ties to known terrorist groups.
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25c0282d0f964f9298a88f881475b939
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where was the bomb
|
[
"vehicle at the base of the Fountain Plaza tower."
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- The Marines have been making children's Christmas dreams come true for nearly 60 years, but the corps may be seeing fewer smiles this year.
Volunteer Betty Whelan sorts donated toys in a Toys for Tots center in Boston, Massachusetts.
With demand up due to the poor economy and toy donations down, Toys for Tots, the Marine Corps' program that distributes Christmas toys to children in need, is facing one of its toughest years, according to Bill Grein, the Toys for Tots Foundation vice president.
Grein said the program last year distributed approximately 16.6 million toys and books, but this year he doesn't think they will be able to reach that number.
"We always run out of toys before we run out of children," he said, but this year "it's a major problem."
Grein said that the program is getting more requests than in previous years and cities like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Miami, Florida; Fresno, California; Atlanta, Georgia, and many others are hurting for donations.
"Every kid deserves a present," said Marine Sgt. Daniel Sampson of the Toys for Tots program in Boston, Massachusetts. "Right now, we're not sending out as much as we should be."
In the Washington area, the Marines need to find toys for 82,000 children, but "we are tens of thousands of toys behind," Master Sgt Timothy Butler said.
If they can't fill the need and get every child on the list a toy for Christmas, Butler said, "It's gonna break my heart."
Last year, the Marines were able to raise $13,000 in donations from people at Union Station, a major commuter hub in downtown Washington, but this year the Marines will be "lucky to get half that," Staff Sgt. Johnny Noble said.
In Atlanta, Toys for Tots administration chief Edward Barrett said they had received 241,814 donations, well short of their goal of 800,000.
Barrett understands that the economy has a lot to do with the lack of contributions, and he estimates that donations are down by about 30 percent this year.
In San Francisco, California, Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Anthamatten said the Toys for Tots program there was also seeing a 30 percent decrease in toy and monetary donations.
In Boston, last minute donations came to the rescue. According to volunteer Kay Carpenter, the Boston Toys for Tots program used money that came in last week to buy $15,000 worth of toys, hopefully, enough to fill all of their orders.
But, nationally, Toys for Tots bins are still empty.
"We're Marines and we set goals," Edwards said, "and when we can't achieve those goals that's frustrating."
CNN's Bethany Swain contributed to this report.
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f97c3305635048aeb2949ed22601a2c4
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how long did the program survive
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[
"60 years,"
] |
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(CNN) -- Same-sex couples in California may be able to obtain marriage licenses on June 17, state officials said Wednesday.
Marriage licenses for same-sex couples may be available in June, officials said.
The California Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional in a May 15 ruling, clearing the way for the state to become the second to legalize such marriages.
The state Department of Public Health -- which serves as State Registrar and oversees vital records -- said in an announcement that June 16 is the last day the state Supreme Court can rule on any requests for re-hearing. It released new marriage license forms for counties to use beginning the following day.
The new forms, which were also released, have lines for "Party A" and "Party B."
However, the "general information" page for California marriage licenses still stated as of Wednesday that "only an unmarried male and an unmarried female may marry in California."
The California Supreme Court issued the ruling in a consolidated case involving several gay and lesbian couples, along with the city of San Francisco and gay rights groups. A lower court had ruled San Francisco acted illegally in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004.
In its 4-3 ruling, the state Supreme Court called marriage a "basic civil right."
Opponents of same-sex marriage have said a constitutional marriage amendment should be placed on the November ballot, and that national efforts should be made to generate a federal marriage amendment.
A constitutional amendment initiative that would specify marriage is only between a man and a woman is awaiting verification by the California Secretary of State's office after its sponsors said they had gathered enough signatures to place it on a statewide ballot.
Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriages in 2004, and gay couples need not be state residents there to wed. However, then-Gov. Mitt Romney resurrected a 1913 law barring non-resident marriages in the state if the marriage would be prohibited in the partners' home state.
Subsequent court and agency decisions have determined that only residents of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Mexico may marry in Massachusetts, unless the parties say they plan to relocate there after the marriage.
New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey and Connecticut permit civil unions, while California has a domestic-partner registration law. More than a dozen other states give same-sex couples some legal rights, as do some other countries.
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a207a7679152426faf87b075661eac5d
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what struck down Supreme Court?
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[
"ban on same-sex marriage"
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- The ambush by up to a dozen gunmen of a bus carrying members of the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore is the realization of fears long held by the sport's leading players.
Pakistani policemen outside The National Stadium after masked gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore on March 3, 2009.
The Sri Lankan team had agreed to tour Pakistan after India pulled out in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last November when more than 160 people died in a three-day siege.
The England team was in India -- but not in Mumbai -- during the attacks and promptly cut their tour short and returned home.
In September 2008, Cricket Australia decided to push ahead with a tour of India despite a series of bomb attacks in the country's capital New Delhi.
In March of the same year, they had pulled out of a tour of Pakistan after a spate of suicide bombings. Before that, the Australian team had not played in Pakistan for 10 years.
Such was the concern about the security risks presented to players in Pakistan that in August 2008 the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the biennial Champions Trophy would be postponed until October 2009.
The ICC announced last month that it was investigating other venues after three countries -- England, New Zealand and Australia -- expressed reservations about touring Pakistan. South Africa pulled out of the 2008 competition citing security concerns.
Long before that, in 2002, a suicide bomb blast outside the New Zealand team's hotel prompted them to pack up and abandon the second Test series in Pakistan. The explosion injured the team physiotherapist and killed 11 French navy experts as well as two Pakistanis.
The previous year, the New Zealand team cancelled a scheduled tour of Pakistan in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the U.S.
Most of the team stayed on to play, though under increased security, when a suicide attack closed Colombo's international airport in July 2001.
In February 1996, Australia and the West Indies refused to play in preliminary World Cup matches in Sri Lanka after a huge bomb blast killed 80 people and injured 1,200 in Colombo.
In November 1992, also in Colombo, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb outside a hotel where the New Zealand team was having breakfast, killing four people. Five players and the coach were allowed to return home on compassionate grounds.
Five years earlier, in April 1987, the New Zealand team cut short a three-test tour of Sri Lanka after a car bomb killed 100 people at a bus station in Colombo.
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090200f890824977a0cf9213c72b2586
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Who is investigating?
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[
"The ICC"
] |
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States will allow Americans to send mobile phones to relatives in Cuba under a change in policy that President Bush announced Wednesday.
President Bush announces the U.S. policy allowing cell phones to Cuba at the White House on Wednesday.
Bush said he is making the change since President Raúl Castro "is allowing Cubans to own mobile phones for the first time."
"If he is serious about his so-called reforms, he will allow these phones to reach the Cuban people," Bush said.
Bush urged the Cuban government to loosen restrictions further, saying if Cubans can be allowed to own mobile phones, "they should be trusted to speak freely in public."
They should be allowed to watch uncensored movies and have free access to the Internet, he said.
And he called for the government to implement major free-market reforms.
Relations between the United States and Cuba remain tense nearly 50 years after Fidel Castro overthrew the pro-American government in Havana. The United States has maintained an embargo against Cuba for decades.
Cuban officials on Monday accused the top U.S. diplomat in Havana of delivering money from private anti-Castro groups in Florida to dissidents in Cuba.
U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said that "the U.S. government has programs to provide humanitarian assistance to people that are essentially forgotten by the Cuban government and that we ... do not stand in the way of private groups doing that as well."
As to how that is done, he said, "I'm not aware of the mechanics; I don't steep myself in these things."
Fidel Castro, beset with health problems, handed day-to-day governing power over to Raúl, his younger brother, earlier this year.
After being elected president in February, Raúl Castro announced that Cubans who can afford them could buy cell phones and DVD players and stay in hotels previously reserved for foreign tourists -- overturning bans from the Fidel era.
The goods and services remain out of reach for most people on the island, where $120 cell phones plus $10.80 calling cards cost about six times the average monthly salary.
Bush said Wednesday it is "the height of hypocrisy to claim credit to allow Cubans to purchase appliances that virtually none of them can afford."
Though the price may put mobile phones out of the reach of most Cubans, they are affordable for many of those who have access to U.S. dollars -- typically either sent from relatives abroad or earned internally by tourist workers.
Bush on Wednesday marked what the White House called a Day of Solidarity with the Cuban People, which the president said he hopes will be an annual event.
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1b60bf8abf194d3ab0375f15539fac4b
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how long has the U.S. maintained an embargo
|
[
"for decades."
] |
NewsQA
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A suicide bomber killed at least 40 people and injured 70 -- many of them women -- during a Shia pilgrimage in northwestern Baghdad Sunday, Iraqi officials told CNN.
Pilgrims, pictured above, have gathered to celebrate the Shia holy period of Ashura.
The dead included at least 16 Iranians who had come to mark the Shia holy period of Ashura, which commemorates a central event in the history of the movement. At least 32 Iranians were among the wounded. The other casualties were Iraqi, an Interior Ministry official said.
The bomber was a woman wearing an abaya, a robe-like dress, said Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, military spokesman for Fardh al-Qanoon, an interagency domestic security body. She seems to have been targeting women, Atta and an interior ministry source said. The Interior Ministry official declined to be identified.
The attack appears to be the single deadliest suicide bombing in Iraq since a bomber killed 47 people in Kirkuk in December 11.
It took place in Baghdad's Kadhimiya neighborhood, not far from the Imam Moussa al-Kadhim holy shrine.
Hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims are expected in Baghdad and the southern Iraqi city of Karbala for Ashura, which falls on January 7 this year. Ashura commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was killed in battle in Karbala in 680, one of the events that helped create the schism between Sunnis and Shiites, the two main Muslim religious movements.
CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq in Baghdad contributed to this report.
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7d502c0765fa4386bc258bda4683d07b
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What do officials believe motivated the Baghdad suicide bomber?
|
[
"women,"
] |
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LONDON, England -- A Colombian sculptor has created a mystery at London's Tate Modern gallery by refusing to reveal how she seemingly managed to crack open a concrete floor.
"Shibboleth" is Colombian artist Doris Salcedo's first public commission in the United Kingdom.
The work by Doris Salcedo begins as a hairline crack then widens and deepens as it snakes across the full 167 meters (548 feet) of the former power station's Turbine Hall.
Salcedo said "Shibboleth," a statement about racism, took her more than a year to make but has revealed little else about its construction.
She apparently created it elsewhere and spent the past five weeks installing it in the Tate, on the south bank of the River Thames. She refused to say how she managed seemingly to crack open a concrete floor.
"What is important is the meaning of the piece. The making of it is not important," she said.
Asked how deep the crack goes, she replied: "It's bottomless. It's as deep as humanity." Visitors meanwhile are warned not to trip on the crack.
Tate director Nicholas Serota insisted the work was no optical illusion. "This sculpture has been made in the most painstaking, meticulous way by Doris and her team before it was slowly inserted into the Turbine Hall," he told the Press Association.
"It has taken five weeks of work here with very considerable disruption to the hall. It's not an illusion - it's there, it's real.
"From the Tate's point of view, there were only two questions: could we realize it in the way Doris envisaged? And once the piece was created, would it damage the structural integrity of the building forever?
"The answer to the first was yes, and to the second was no." He declined to elaborate further.
The installation will be removed next April by filling in the crack.
Serota said: "There is a crack, there is a line, and eventually there will be a scar and that scar will remain. It will remain as a memory of the work and also as a memorial to the issues Doris touches on."
The artist said the work of art represents the gap between white Europeans and the rest of humanity. Wire mesh is on show because it is "the most common means of control used to define borders and divisions."
Salcedo said of the work: "It represents borders, the experience of immigrants, the experience of segregation, the experience of racial hatred.
"It is the experience of a Third World person coming into the heart of Europe.
"For example, the space which illegal immigrants occupy is a negative space. And so this piece is a negative space." E-mail to a friend
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2fcd6b44191f4cf59cfd38b2210f02f2
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Who refuses to reveal how she created the work of art?
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[
"Doris Salcedo's"
] |
NewsQA
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(CNN) -- Three people died Thursday when a medical helicopter crashed in western Tennessee, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The helicopter had dropped off a patient in Jackson, Tennessee, and was returning to Brownsville, Tennessee, about 30 miles west of Jackson, when the crash was reported, said FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford. Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jeremy Heidt said the crash occurred shortly after 6 a.m.
Three people were initially reported to be on board the helicopter, Lunsford said. All three were believed to be fatalities, as the aircraft -- a Eurocopter AS350 -- was burned, he said.
Investigators were en route to the scene of the crash, a field near Brownsville, Lunsford said.
CNN affiliate WMC-TV said the helicopter was operated by Hospital Wing. The organization identifies itself on its Web site as the Memphis Medical Center's air ambulance service.
Hospital Wing said in a statement, reported by WMC-TV, that the crash occurred just east of Brownsville, and that three crew members and no patients were on board. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are investigating, the statement said.
"Nothing like this has ever happened in our history," Allen Burnette, Hospital Wing's director and chief operating officer, said in the statement.
"A weather report said there were thunderstorms in the area, but that they had passed, Lunsford said. "The big weather system moving through had stopped a few moments before."
Officials believe the helicopter was operating under a visual flight rules plan and not communicating with air traffic controllers, he said. Visual Flight Rules, or VFR, mean a flight is conducted under visual conditions.
"There are operating guidelines in any aviation operation, but ultimately the pilot is responsible for (the) safety of (the) aircraft and deciding whether to go forward or not," Lunsford said.
Hospital Wing was founded in 1985, the group's statement said, and is a nonprofit air medical transport service with direct alliances with the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Baptist Memorial Hospital, The MED, St. Francis Hospital in Memphis and Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis, Arkansas.
CNN's Carolina Sanchez contributed to this report.
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54dc67b9d0e94651bc7ba98056bf146e
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Where was the patient dropped off?
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[
"Jackson, Tennessee,"
] |
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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
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6ffe6b15270a46d6a935c3e82e05592f
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what are the expectations about carlos alberto Werder Bremen?
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[
"to win titles"
] |
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For a city of its size, Copenhagen has a remarkable range of shops that ooze class and individuality.
The Georg Jensen store has some exquisite silver jewelry.
The city's main shopping hub is Strøget, a collection of pedestrianized streets that lead from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv; you can easily spend hours, and a small fortune, browsing its boutiques and chain stores.
Don't miss Illums Bolighus (Amagertorv 10), with its four floors of contemporary Scandinavian design. Once you've got a taste for stylish home accessories, make your way to Normann Copenhagen (Strandboulevarden 98) or Hay Cph (Pilestraede 29-31) for a masterclass in simplicity and elegance.
When you've finished kitting out the house you might want to work on your wardrobe. Kronprinsensgade is full of hip boutiques, among them Bruuns Bazaar (Kronprinsensgade 8-9), with its collection from the ever-so-trendy, and suitably pricey, Bruuns label. Nearby, Designers Remix (Pilestraede 8) offers sophisticated styles for women, while Könrøg (Hyskenstræde 11) has cutting-edge fashions from a collective of Danish designers.
For something more traditional, but no less beautiful, head to the Georg Jensen store in Amagertorv, for silverware that ranges from intricate jewelry to timeless tableware. If that's not exclusive enough for you, Peter Hertz in Købmagergade is jeweler to Danish royalty.
Pick up something for the kids at Aniel (Frederiksberg Allé 70), which has too-cute baby grows, children's clothes and wooden toys made from organic and natural materials. Frydendahl (Store Regnegade 1) has some unusual hand-knitted toys among the selection of homeware strewn along the pavement outside.
If your eyes are bigger than your wallet, then you might be interested in the flea market held on Saturdays in Israels Plads, where high-street stores are said to unload the goodies they can't sell in their shops. If it's raining you might prefer Det Blå Pakhus (113 Holmbladsgade), the city's biggest indoor flea market and a treasure trove of bargains begging to be hunted.
......................
Copenhagen city guide:
Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop
......................
Do you agree with our Copenhagen picks? Send us your comments and suggestions in the "Sound Off" box below and we'll print the best.
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56fab10257cb4aae8f1c46a6d6c87772
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waht label does buuns bazaar sell?
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[
"Bruuns"
] |
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(CNN) -- Two high-profile political officials linked to Guinea-Bissau's recently assassinated president were killed Friday, according to a statement from the West African country's interim army chief. The killings raised fears that a military coup may be under way.
Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr, left, and interim President Raimundo Pereira are currently out of the country.
The military confirmed the killings of former Defense Minister Helder Proenca and presidential candidate Baciro Dabo, saying the men were killed because they were plotting a coup against the current government.
The military said several members of the ruling party have been arrested on allegations of taking part in the plot, which included a plan to assassinate the current prime minister and the interim president, according to the statement from interim army chief Zamora Induta.
However, the move by the military has raised fears that the military itself is plotting to take over the government, particularly since the arrests and killings took place while Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr., interim President Raimundo Pereira, and defense minister Artur Da Silva are out of the country.
President Joao Bernardo Vieira, 69, was assassinated on March 2 during an attack on the presidential palace. The attack happened a day after Gen. Tagme Na Waie, chief of Guinea-Bissau's military, was killed in a bomb explosion in his office.
The army and Guinea-Bissau's president clashed in the months prior to Vieira's assassination. Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony, has a history of military coups.
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41b58628eb2b44dfa58716f0c6af3d93
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Who killed him?
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[
"The military"
] |
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(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.
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a14c1d9d828b4e33b15cd38524f4beef
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What triggered the disaster?
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[
"tropical storm"
] |
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Amman, Jordan (CNN) -- Clashes broke out between citizens and anti-riot police during a visit by King Abdullah to southern Jordan on Monday.
According to eyewitnesses, festivities welcoming the monarch in the southern city of Tafileh, 180 kilometers (111 miles) south of Amman, turned violent when pro-reform activists were denied access to a royal event to launch a development initiative.
Youths threw stones at security services who responded with force, according to eyewitnesses in the city, home to anti-government protests in recent weeks.
Taher Odwan, Jordanian minister of communications and government spokesman, downplayed the clashes, denying media reports that the king's motorcade came under attack.
"A group of citizens attempted to greet the king and started shoving security personnel who responded back. This is something you would find at any event," Odwan said.
The incident comes a day after King Abdullah's royal address to the nation announcing sweeping political reforms that political observers see as steps to place the country on the path to a constitutional monarchy.
In a speech designated to mark the anniversary of the Great Arab Revolt, the monarch announced a number of reforms, including relinquishing his power to form a government to the parliament, a greater separation of powers and further constitutional amendments.
King Abdullah's Monday visit came to announce $21.1 million worth of development projects in Tafileh, where protesters have recently called for the government's dismissal, the dissolution of parliament and greater efforts to combat corruption.
Unlike other Arab states witnessing popular uprisings, weekly demonstrations that have taken place in Jordan -- a moderate state and key U.S. ally -- have called for regime reform, not regime change.
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5aa44520965f4beab2ab2c297842b6c7
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Where did the king appear>?
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[
"southern Jordan"
] |
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(CNN) -- Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar have confirmed Dick Advocaat as their new head coach until the end of the season.
AZ sought permission from the Belgian FA (KBVB) over the possibility of their national-team coach joining them for the rest of the campaign after sacking Ronald Koeman on Saturday.
A statement posted on the club's official Web site said: "AZ and Dick Advocaat reached agreement on Tuesday on a contract for him to be head coach until the end of the current season.
"The 62-year-old will combine the role with the job of Belgium coach and will be on the bench against PSV on Saturday."
The Alkmaar club won the Eredivisie under Louis van Gaal last season but have struggled this term and currently find themselves in seventh place, 19 points behind leaders FC Twente.
The former Netherlands, PSV Eindhoven and Rangers coach has already set out his goal for the season.
"We need to get European football at AZ," Advocaat told AZ TV. "If we do not get that, then I have done something wrong."
AZ face Standard Liege in Belgium in their final Champions League Group Group H game on Wednesday.
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901f2d5e5a9b44229f136eb25d85f427
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Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar have confirmed Dick Advocaat as their new what ?
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[
"head coach"
] |
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(CNN) -- This month, Just Imagine has looked at the future of space, and the potential it holds for humanity.
Should humanity aim for the stars ...
The proponents of the NewSpace movement, like our featured commentator Bob Richards, hold that humanity must expand into space if we are to survive. They say that the limitless resources held by the stars will help humanity seek a bold new future.
But some say that we should fix Earth's problems, especially the challenge of global warming, before we set our eyes on the stars. They say space travel is too expensive, and its carbon footprint too great, to be a priority for us right now.
We want to hear your views. Should space be our next frontier? Or should we focus on fixing things here on Earth first?
Post your comments in the Sound Off box below, and we'll publish the best.
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717443a72c744d3596f0252fa66d0806
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What do those in the NewSpace movement say?
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[
"that the limitless resources held by the stars will help humanity seek a bold new future."
] |
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen married National Football League star Tom Brady Thursday in an "intimate" sunset ceremony, US Weekly magazine reported on its Web site.
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen attend a Metropolitan Museum of Art gala May 5, 2008, in New York City.
The couple wed at a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California, in front of mostly immediate family members, the entertainment magazine reported.
The two had dated since 2006.
The bride wore a Dolce & Gabbana gown. Her three dogs, which attended the ceremony, wore matching Dolce & Gabbana floral lace collars, the Web site said.
Bundchen, 28, is the highest-paid model in the world, the business Web site Forbes.com reported last year.
New England Patriots quarterback Brady has gone to the Super Bowl four times, winning three of those games.
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0af416d6fd17481d8f6dea1ded7ae70d
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what did the bride wear
|
[
"a Dolce & Gabbana gown."
] |
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(CNN) -- The New Zealand All Blacks secured a narrow 14-10 victory over France in Wellington on Saturday to square their rugby Test series at 1-1, but France still secured the Dave Gallaher Cup for the first time since it was introduced in 2000 by virtue of their five-point victory in Dunedin last week.
Ma'a Nonu goes over for New Zealand's only try in their narrow victory over France in Wellington.
Having been out-muscled and out-played 27-22 in the opening Test, the New Zealanders played with far greater intensity, physicality and urgency at a cold, wet and windy Westpac Stadium.
A Ma'a Nonu try midway through the first half opened the scoring for the host nation before Stephen Donald slotted home a penalty for an 8-0 advantage at the break.
The French reply was swift after the restart, with wing Cedric Heymans crossing the line with a superb solo effort and then Julien Dupuy's conversion getting them back into the game.
But another Donald penalty and one from substitute Luke McAlister edged the All Blacks further ahead before a late three-pointer from Dimitri Yachvili kept things interesting.
Meanwhile, a much-changed Australia side comfortably accounted for Italy 34-12 in Melbourne on Saturday.
Man-of-the-match Adam Ashley-Cooper, who started on the bench, finished with two tries, one in each half, after coming on initially when Peter Hynes was blood-binned, then as a replacement for James O'Connor at full-back.
Three first-half tries gave the Wallabies a 20-6 lead at the break and that was a fair reflection of the difference between the teams, but the hosts were held at bay for much of the second half before late tries by Lachie Turner and Ashley-Cooper.
Australian-born full-back Luke McLean landed four penalties for Italy for whom fellow-Aussie Craig Gower was effective and creative in his second start at fly-half.
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2cc18057dc8e42b39e48b6e0c6a0fb19
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Who defeated France?
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[
"The"
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NewsQA
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Paris (CNN) -- A Paris prosecutor has asked for corruption charges against former President Jacques Chirac to be dropped, courthouse press representative Sylvie Polack confirmed Tuesday.
Chirac was accused of misuse of public funds when he was mayor of Paris, from 1977 to 1995, before he became president.
The prosecutor also asked for nine other people charged along with Chirac to be acquitted Tuesday. The judge has yet to give his verdict in the case and could still find the accused guilty.
Chirac, now 78, had immunity from prosecution during the 12 years he was president of France, from 1995 to 2007.
He was accused -- along with the other defendants -- of using public money to pay people to work for his political party, the RPR, and to pay others to perform jobs that did not really exist.
"There are elements missing to show both the intentional and material aspect of an offense, so I ask that the charges be dropped against the 10 defendants," said Michel Maes, an aide to the prosecutor.
The judge's verdict is expected before the end of the year, the courthouse press representative said.
Former French Prime Minister Alain Juppe was sentenced in December 2004 for his role in the affair.
After Chirac left office as president, he made it known he was available to answer any questions on the matter. He always denied wrongdoing.
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493e586b1e9f4934beb081b96efc5689
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When did this happen?
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[
"1977 to 1995,"
] |
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