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(CNN) -- Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee told Ling's sister they were treated humanely in North Korea, and they believe they weren't sent to hard-labor camps because they have medical conditions, Lisa Ling said Friday.
Lisa Ling, left, and her sister, Laura, center, speak to their father Wednesday after Laura arrived in California.
The sister, speaking on CNN's "American Morning," did not elaborate on the medical conditions, but said her sister will soon tell her story.
"Laura is eager to tell the story about what happened. I want to let her do so, but right now, she's really getting reacclimated. The processes are slow. She's very, very weak," Lisa Ling said, adding that the stories she's heard so far are "jaw-dropping."
Laura Ling and Lee were working for California-based Current TV, a media venture of former Vice President Al Gore, when they were arrested in March for crossing the border between China and North Korea. Watch Lisa Ling share her sister's story »
Lisa Ling said that before they left the United States, the pair never intended to cross into North Korea. They have acknowledged that they briefly did, however, and they were convicted of entering the country illegally to conduct a "smear campaign" against the reclusive Communist state.
They were sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor. North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, pardoned the women Tuesday after meeting with former President Bill Clinton. They arrived home the following day.
Lisa Ling said her sister was allowed to call the family on four occasions during her five months in captivity. On the last call, Laura Ling specifically requested that Clinton intervene.
"She said that in her opinion -- quote, unquote -- it would have to be President Clinton. It could only be President Clinton to secure the release of herself and Euna. We immediately jumped into action and alerted Vice President Gore," Lisa Ling said.
When their release was secured, they promptly boarded a plane home. Clinton wanted them to rest because they were clearly tired, "but the two of them were chatting away and comparing their experiences," Lisa Ling said.
Laura Ling and Lee went to see doctors Thursday, the sister added. Laura Ling is "doing well," and Lee is "skinny," Lisa Ling said, joking that her mother tried to force-feed Lee on Thursday "because she's just become so diminutive."
The women also are slowly working to assimilate to their freedom. They were kept at opposite ends of the same North Korean detention facility, and though Laura Ling had two guards in her room at all times, she would sometimes go weeks without talking to anyone. Watch as Lisa Ling describes the pair's condition »
"So even communicating is a challenge because she sometimes yesterday was even having a hard time getting full sentences out, so it's a slow adjustment," Lisa Ling said.
On Thursday, Lisa Ling told CNN that her sister was "incredibly emotional" and didn't want to be left alone after months of "relative isolation."
"Yesterday, she was so exhausted and she wanted to take a quick nap. She kept asking me: 'Are you going to be here when I come back?' " the sister said Thursday.
Emotions have run high in Lee's home as well, Lisa Ling said. Watch the journalists' family reunions »
"I hear from Euna's husband, Michael, that Hana, their 4-year-old daughter, has not wanted her mother to leave her sight," she said. "She just keeps following her around from room to room because she doesn't want her mom to leave."
Lee and her husband went to Laura Ling's house Thursday night for their first pizza since being released, Lisa Ling said Friday.
"The thing that was so wonderful to see was little Hana," she said. "I have never seen her so happy,
|
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question: What did laura tell her family?, answer: -- it would have to be President Clinton. It could only be President Clinton to secure the release of herself and Euna. | question: What is Euna Lee?, answer: Journalists | question: Who is Laura Ling?, answer: Journalists | question: Whose daughter keeps following Lisa Ling?, answer: Hana, their 4-year-old | question: What did lisa ling say?, answer: "Laura is eager to tell the story about | question: Who is struggling to talk because of isolation?, answer: Laura Ling and Euna Lee | question: What is the reason Laura Ling struggling to talk?, answer: She's very, very weak," | question: Who is struggling to talk?, answer: Laura Ling | question: Where were they isolated?, answer: North Korean detention facility, | question: Who is the president?, answer: Clinton. | question: Who is Laura Ling?, answer: Journalists | question: What did Laura Ling tell her family?, answer: Korea, | question: Who was isolated?, answer: Laura Ling | question: Which person keeps following Lisa Ling?, answer: Hana, their 4-year-old daughter,
|
(CNN) -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor knew she wanted to go into law from an early age.
Sonia Sotomayor says the nomination is the "most humbling honor " of her life.
As a child, she aspired to be like Nancy Drew, the detective in the popular children's mystery series. But at the age of 8, she was diagnosed with diabetes and told she would not be able to pursue that line of work.
Sotomayor said it was another fictional character that inspired her next choice.
"I noticed that [defense attorney] Perry Mason was involved in a lot of the same kinds of investigative work that I had been fascinated with reading Nancy Drew, so I decided to become a lawyer," Sotomayor told the American Bar Association publication in 2000. "Once I focused on becoming a lawyer, I never deviated from that goal." See Sotomayor's life in photos »
Sotomayor's parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II. Her father worked in a factory and didn't speak English.
She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project, not too far from the stadium of her favorite team -- the New York Yankees. Her father died when she was 9, leaving her mother to raise her and her younger brother on her own. Related: Sotomayor well known in sports
Her mother, whom Sotomayor describes as her biggest inspiration, worked six days a week to care for her and her younger brother, and instilled in them the value of an education. Background on Sotomayor »
Sotomayor later graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and went on to attend Yale law school, where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal.
In her three-decade career, she has worked at nearly every level of the judicial system, and on Tuesday she became President Obama's pick to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court. Watch Sotomayor accept the nomination »
Sotomayor thanked Obama for "the most humbling honor of my life."
"I hope that as the Senate and American people learn more about me, they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences," she said.
The 54-year-old judge, if confirmed, would become the first Hispanic to serve on the high court. She would also be the third female named to the Supreme Court, and the second on the current court. See who's already on the Supreme Court »
Sotomayor is touted by supporters as a justice with bipartisan favor and historic appeal.
She currently serves as a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The liberal-leaning justice was named a district judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and was elevated to her current seat by President Clinton.
Supporters say her appointment history, along with what they describe as her moderate-liberal views, will give her some bipartisan backing in the Senate.
Sotomayor presided over about 450 cases while on the district court. Prior to her judicial appointments, Sotomayor was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes.
Robin Kar, who clerked for Sotomayor from 1998 to 1999, described her as a "warm, extraordinarily kind and caring person." Watch Kar recall his work with Sotomayor »
"She has an amazing story, but she's also just an amazing person," he said, adding that she has a knack for getting to know those around her. "She was the judge who, in the courthouse for example, knew all of the doormen, knew the cafeteria workers, who knew the janitors -- she didn't just know all of the other judges and the politicians. She really went out of her way to get to know everyone and was well loved by everyone."
Conservatives argue Sotomayor has a "hard-left record" and believes that judges should consider experiences of women and minorities in their decision-making. They also described her as a "bully" who "abuses
|
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question: Who elevated them to their current seat?, answer: President Clinton. | question: What did Sotomayor say?, answer: the nomination is the "most humbling honor | question: What is Sotomayor's age?, answer: 54-year-old | question: Where was Sotomayor born?, answer: the Bronx | question: Where was she born?, answer: in the Bronx | question: Where was Sonia Sotomayor born?, answer: in the Bronx | question: Where did he grow up?, answer: in a public housing project,
|
(CNN) -- Judith Boutelle plopped herself down on Wednesday and prayed for a helicopter -- the only way out of town.
She's one of the hundreds of tourists stranded by days of heavy rain near the majestic Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, in the mountains of southern Peru.
The rain triggered mudslides that blocked a rail line leading out of a city near the ruins. Authorities have evacuated many by helicopter, but bad weather has posed challenges for them.
"There's stress," Boutelle said by phone to CNN, "but we're comfortable."
She and her husband, Jerry -- 65-year-olds from Petersburg, Illinois -- went to Peru to see the famous ruins. They've been stuck in a town near the ruins for the last three days, waiting for choppers to whisk them out.
News reports say the rain and floods have killed at least seven people in the region, including a tourist from Argentina.
An estimated 10,000 people have been affected by the rain and 2,000 homes have been ruined in and around Machu Picchu, authorities said.
James Fennell, spokesman of the U.S. Embassy in Lima, told CNN the Peruvians are saying about 2,000 people need to be evacuated from the region.
Several hundred tourists have been stranded in Aguas Calientes, a town at the base of popular tourist attraction. There also have been reports of stranded people on the Inca Trail, a popular hiking trail that leads to Machu Picchu.
Peru's Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Martin Perez said Wednesday that the elderly, children and pregnant women have priority for evacuation. He denied reports of preferential treatment for foreigners, saying 103 of 475 tourists evacuated Tuesday were Peruvian. Watch iReport account of Peru flooding
Quoted by state media, Perez said authorities were planning to evacuate 120 tourists an hour but need "the weather's help." He said authorities could evacuate 840 tourists if they could get seven hours of decent weather.
On Wednesday, poor weather threatened the ability of authorities to conduct evacuations, he said, and the forecast calls for rain through Friday.
Fennell said some Americans might have left by Peruvian aircraft on Monday and 50 were evacuated by U.S. and Peruvian choppers on Tuesday. He said that as of Wednesday, officials estimate about 200 U.S. citizens were in Aguas Calientes.
Fennell said four U.S. government helicopters arrived on Tuesday and two more were expected to help Peru in the evacuation.
The Peruvian helicopters can accommodate up to 20 people but the U.S. aircraft carry only five. Peru also is bringing in food and water to the region, Fennell said.
"The evacuation operations were planned to continue today, weather permitting. The embassy is totally focused on getting Americans out," he told CNN.
"We're very grateful for their efforts," Fennell said of the Peruvian government. "We're totally focused on working with them and getting everybody out quickly and safely."
The embassy says that the train to and from Cusco and Machu Picchu has been canceled because of landslides, and the roads in and out of Machu Picchu have been closed. One bridge had collapsed and water has covered the other.
"Peruvian authorities are working to open a route out of Machu Picchu," the embassy said in a message.
Cusco is the closest major city to Machu Picchu. That's where Pamela Alvarez, 29, works as a receptionist at the Royal Inka Hotel.
She said a Brazilian guest went to Machu Picchu, got stuck there with everyone else and has been unable to come back to the hotel for two days.
"All the people are in the train station, waiting for helicopters so they can get out to go to Cusco," she said.
Boutelle said she and her tour group visited Machu Picchu on Sunday and stayed overnight on Monday, but she hadn't been able to leave since then.
She said she and others have been been well-sheltered and well-fed at a hotel, but endured inconveniences. For example, people came to Machu Picchu for the day from their hotels in Cusco without the proper amount of clothing or medication
|
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question: What cut the train line to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Piccu?, answer: mudslides | question: How many tourist are stranded?, answer: Several hundred | question: Where have 10,000 people been affected and 2,000 homes ruined?, answer: around Machu Picchu, | question: How many people have been affected?, answer: 10,000 | question: Where are hundreds of tourists stranded after days of heavy rain?, answer: near the majestic Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, in the mountains of southern Peru.
|
(CNN) -- July is on track to be the deadliest month yet for British troops supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup says the sacrifices of British forces are worth it.
So far, 15 British servicemen have died in Afghanistan this month, mostly in connection with Operation Panther's Claw, the British-led offensive in Helmand province that is mirroring a similar operation by U.S. Marines in the same area.
Britain's deadliest month in Afghanistan so far has been September 2006, when 19 died -- 14 in a single incident, the crash of a Royal Air Force plane near Kandahar.
The sudden spike in British deaths has triggered an outcry in the United Kingdom over the mission there and whether it will be successful.
"Every casualty is sad, every casualty is deeply felt by us in the military. I mean, they are part of our military family. The losses, of course, are felt most by the real families of those involved and the bereavement is terrible," Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup, the chief of defense staff for Great Britain, told CNN in an exclusive interview.
But earlier, he pointed out, at the same time the 15 British troops had been killed, at least 197 Taliban forces had been confirmed killed in fighting. Watch questions being asked about the sacrifices »
"These casualties are pretty one-sided. Sad though our losses are, they are very small compared to the losses that the enemy is taking," he said in an interview at the British Embassy.
Stirrup, whose position is equivalent to Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the government wants people to know that the sacrifices are worth it.
"This is a military operation and on military operations, you engage in fighting. That's why we have militaries and, sadly, you take casualties. The real issue is, first of all, are we getting something of sufficient strategic benefit to justify the price that our people are paying?" he said.
"Secondly, are we doing everything we can to ensure that we achieve that strategic benefit with the minimum possible number of casualties? And those, I think, are the key arguments in which we have to engage."
The British military has been criticized for using vehicles that cannot withstand the blast of a roadside bomb. Stirrup told CNN that the British troops are conducting missions that forces them out of protective vehicles.
"You can't engage with the population of Helmand from inside several inches of steel. You have actually to get out on the ground," Stirrup said. "Our people have to get out there, they have to engage with the population and close with the enemy and that, alas, exposes them to risks and sometimes those risks materialize. Have we got the right equipment? Well, we have excellent equipment on the ground and our troops will tell you that."
But Stirrup admits that while the United Kingdom is constantly updating the equipment sent to Afghanistan, the results are delayed.
"It takes time for industry to produce the new equipment. It's ordered, it's being delivered, but it's delivered over time, so it's always that gap, if you like, between identifying that change requirement and being able to deliver it on the ground," Stirrup said.
He said there is one British serviceman who won't have to worry about the dangers of Afghanistan: Prince William.
"Prince William is second in line to the throne. That produces certain difficulties to his employment in a combat environment," he said. "I'm not going to say one way or the other what we will do for the future. What I will say is that he is training at the moment to be a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, which is a tremendously demanding occupation. It's professionally demanding. It also is at times pretty hazardous, and I think he is going to find that challenge enough and reward enough in the short term."
The prince's younger brother, Prince Harry,
|
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question: Where have most of the deaths occured, answer: Kandahar. | question: What is the number of dead in September?, answer: 19 | question: What is the number of dead servicemen?, answer: 15 British | question: What did the sudden spike triggers?, answer: an outcry in the United Kingdom | question: What province attributed most deaths?, answer: Helmand | question: What was compared in September 2006?, answer: Britain's deadliest month
|
(CNN) -- Jupiter is sporting a new scar after an unseen object hit the gaseous planet this week, NASA scientists say.
This NASA image shows a large impact near Jupiter's southern pole.
An amateur astronomer in Australia noticed the new mark -- seen through telescopes as a dark spot -- on the planet early Monday and tipped off scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, who then confirmed it was the result of a new impact, NASA said.
It's not clear what the object was that crashed into Jupiter's poisonous atmosphere.
Glenn Orton, a JPL scientist, told the magazine New Scientist that it could have been a block of ice from somewhere in Jupiter's neighborhood, or a wandering comet that was too faint for astronomers to have detected before impact.
The object created a mark on Jupiter that has the about same diameter as Earth, though the object itself was probably only 50 to 100 miles across, said Anthony Wesley, the amateur astronomer who first noticed the scar.
The mystery object was likely moving at speeds of about 50 to 100 kilometers (31 to 62 miles) per second when it struck near Jupiter's south pole, Wesley told CNN.
"That generates an unbelievable amount of energy when it collides with pretty much anything, but especially with something the size of Jupiter," he said.
It is only the second time scientists have been able to observe the results of such an impact on Jupiter. The first happened 15 years ago, when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 broke into 21 pieces and hit the planet's atmosphere.
"Given the rarity of these events, it's extremely exciting to be involved in these observations," JPL astronomer Leigh Fletcher said in a NASA interview.
Thermal images taken by NASA show the scar as a bright spot, which means the crash warmed the lower atmosphere in that area, New Scientist said.
Researchers also found hints of higher-than-normal amounts of ammonia in the upper atmosphere. The Shoemaker-Levy comet also churned up extra ammonia, the magazine said.
Jupiter's new spot isn't likely to last long -- probably just one to two weeks, Wesley said. He pointed out the impact scars from the Shoemaker-Levy debris lasted only two to three weeks before disappearing.
Seeing an Earth-sized spot appear so tiny on Jupiter's surface led to some to wonder Tuesday whether our planet might be in danger of a similar collision.
But Wesley said that shouldn't be a concern because Jupiter functions almost like a celestial vacuum cleaner, sucking up any objects that would be of danger to Earth and its neighbors.
"Jupiter is doing a very good job in scooping up a lot of this material that's still floating around in the solar system," he said.
"It's just got so much gravity as it swings around the outer part of the solar system, it can really pull in and swallow up many of the cometary objects and debris left over from the formation of the solar system.
"So it's doing a good job in keeping us safe by cleaning out a lot of these bits and pieces."
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest in our solar system.
Its colorful atmosphere is 86 percent hydrogen and 14 percent helium, with tiny amounts of methane, ammonia, phosphine, water, acetylene, ethane, germanium, and carbon monoxide. The chemicals are responsible for producing the different colors of Jupiter's clouds.
The temperature at the top of those clouds is about 230 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (145 degrees below zero Celsius), but it is far hotter near the planet's center. The core temperature may be about 43,000 degrees Fahrenheit (24,000 degrees Celsius), hotter than the surface of the sun.
The most outstanding feature on Jupiter's surface is the Great Red Spot, a storm of gas that swirls at a speed of about 225 miles (360 kilometers) per hour at its edge. The spot -- which has been shrinking -- has a diameter equal to about three times that of
|
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question: who discovers the object crashing into Jupiter's atmosphere, answer: An amateur astronomer in Australia | question: who discovers new brand in the largest planet in the solar system, answer: An amateur astronomer in Australia | question: What does NASA confirm?, answer: large impact near Jupiter's southern | question: Who spots new mark on solar system's?, answer: amateur astronomer in Australia | question: What does the astronomer spot?, answer: new scar | question: What does scientist say the object can be?, answer: block of ice from somewhere in Jupiter's neighborhood, or a wandering comet that was too faint for astronomers to have detected before impact.
|
(CNN) -- Jurors spared the life of a former Canton, Ohio, police officer who killed his pregnant girlfriend and tearfully asked them for mercy. A judge then sentenced him Wednesday to 57 years to life in prison.
Bobby Lee Cutts Jr. stared straight ahead as the jury announced its recommendation to spare him.
Bobby Lee Cutts Jr., 30, will be 87 by the time he becomes eligible for parole.
He stared straight ahead as the jury of six men and six women recommended that his life be spared.
He and his lawyer teared up as the jurors were polled about their decision. Watch Cutts react »
Judge Charles E. Brown added to the sentence, taking other counts into consideration after hearing victim impact statements from the parents and sisters of victim Jessie Marie Davis.
She was 26 and nine months pregnant when she disappeared last June. Her body, and that of her unborn child, were found 10 days later at a state park in northeastern Ohio.
Whitney Davis, Jessie's sister, directed her anger and grief at Cutts. "You got rid of someone that was an inconvenience. I hate you." Watch Davis' family lash out at Cutts »
She continued: ""You used and manipulated her over and over and still you sit there and you are not crying. I don't believe that you are sorry for what you did. I believe that you are sorry that you got caught up in all your lies. I don't know that you would know the truth."Watch sister tell Cutts she hates him
Cutts took off his eyeglasses as Davis' father, Ned, addressed him: "Don't even look at me."
"Your honor he violently murdered her," the anguished father continued. "Five-foot-four, nine months pregnant, that baby could have been delivered."
And, tears rolled down Cutts' face as Davis' mother, Patricia Porter, spoke of her grief. "There are mornings I have to cover her picture up, when I can't get out of bed."
She continued, "I serve an amazing God, Bobby. A God that forgives and heals and restores people. And all I know today is that I do forgive you, and I know it is only through him that I am able to do that."
But she turned the other cheek: "I may not have family to go home to after this, but I pray that you make a way for him to get out of there and begin a new life, and to be able to hold his son."
Porter, who is raising Blake, told Cutts the child "knows what you did. You would not believe the stories he has told us."
When his time came, Cutts offered no statement, no testimonials to his character.
On February 15, the same jury found Cutts guilty of murdering Jessie Davis and their baby, who was to be named Chloe.
It was Chloe's death that made Cutts eligible for the death penalty. Jurors convicted him of two counts of aggravated murder -- for terminating a pregnancy and taking her life during the commission of a felony.
All the members of the jury are white, as was Davis. Cutts is black.
Cutts, who has maintained Davis' death was the result of an accidental elbow to the neck, asked the jury to spare his life and offered a tearful apology at his sentencing hearing Tuesday. Watch Cutts' tearful plea »
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm asking you to spare my life," he said. "To imagine that I was responsible for the death of Jessie, the mother of my children and my unborn daughter, is beyond any words that I can express," Cutts added, reading from a handwritten statement.
"Words cannot bring them back, nor can they erase the pain I've caused, but I want to apologize," he said.
Cutts' lawyer, Fernando Mack, had urged jurors to recommend the lowest available penalty -- 25 years
|
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question: Did he apologize for his wrongdoings?, answer: I want to apologize," | question: What did Bobby Cutts Jr. asked from the jury?, answer: to spare his life | question: Of what was Cutts convicted?, answer: murdering Jessie Davis and their baby, | question: Who received maximum life sentence by judge?, answer: Bobby Lee Cutts Jr. | question: What sentence did Bobby Cutts Jr. receive?, answer: 57 years to life in prison. | question: Who received the maximum life sentence?, answer: Bobby Lee Cutts Jr. | question: What was recommended by the jury?, answer: his life be spared.
|
(CNN) -- Jury selection began Monday in Kentucky for the trial of a former high school coach charged with reckless homicide in the heat-exhaustion-related death of a player.
Pleasure Ridge Park football coach Jason Stinson has pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide.
A grand jury in January charged Pleasure Ridge Park football coach Jason Stinson in the death of Max Gilpin, 15, who collapsed during a practice in August 2008 and died several days later.
Stinson pleaded not guilty and was released without bail. The school has reassigned him to non-teaching duties.
The case has stirred strong feelings beyond the Louisville suburb where Gilpin died. Some say the teen's death was a tragic accident; others insist it was the result of a criminal act.
"The best example I can give you is like someone shooting into a building not knowing anyone is in there, then killing somebody," Commonwealth's Attorney R. David Stengel told CNN affiliate WHAS in January. "They didn't know they were in there, but they should have known that shooting into a building where people normally are is something dangerous."
Current and former students reacted with shock to the indictment of Stinson, a beloved coach and teacher.
"Coach is amazing," former player Casey Ford told WLKY earlier this year. "Coach truly cares about his players."
Stengel said investigators interviewed almost 100 players, eight coaches, school officials and bystanders before the grand jury convened earlier this year. A summary of the interviews was provided to the grand jury. The grand jury denied Stinson's request to give testimony.
Questions surrounding the case include what school officials did before and after the high school sophomore collapsed. Craig Webb, the school's athletic director, said in a deposition obtained by WLKY that he witnessed the incident and went over to assess Gilpin's condition.
"He was breathing," Webb said during the deposition, WLKY reported. "You know, he had a pulse. And we -- I automatically thought we might have had an exhaustion situation. He was sweating profusely."
Gilpin's body temperature reached 107 degrees, officials say.
Witnesses said Stinson had denied the student water on the hot August day, WLKY reported.
Gilpin was taken to a hospital where he later died. The parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against six coaches at the school. The suit claims they were negligent in their actions and that more than 20 minutes passed between the time Gilpin collapsed and the time one of the coaches called paramedics, according to WHAS.
Stinson is the only person who has been charged with a crime.
Days after he was charged, Stinson told supporters, who had gathered on his lawn to pray, that his "heart is broken."
"Part of my life has been taken away," he said, according to WHAS. "I no longer teach, and I no longer coach at the school that I love. ...
"The one thing people keep forgetting in this is that I lost one of my boys that day," he said. "It was a boy that I loved and a boy that I cared for and a boy that meant the world to me. That's the thing that people forget. And that's a burden I will carry with me for the rest of my life."
Gilpin's parents have released a statement saying they hope they will gain access to details of the investigation, including information they believe school officials have withheld from them citing confidentiality, the affiliate said.
"We intend to closely monitor the prosecution and expect anyone responsible for Max's death to be held accountable," the statement said, according to WHAS.
|
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"reckless homicide"
] |
question: What temperature did his body hit?, answer: 107 degrees, | question: What was the age of Max Gilpin?, answer: 15, | question: What did Max Gilpin die of?, answer: heat-exhaustion-related death | question: What charges were laid on the coach?, answer: with reckless homicide in the heat-exhaustion-related death of a player. | question: What player died of heat exhaustion?, answer: Max Gilpin, | question: what are charges against the coach?, answer: reckless homicide. | question: What is the high school coach being charged with?, answer: reckless homicide
|
(CNN) -- Jury selection in the case of a deadly 2007 Connecticut home invasion was postponed Monday because the suspect was hospitalized, his defense attorney said.
Steven Hayes was in intensive care, attorney Thomas Ullmann said.
Jury selection in Hayes' murder trial was delayed. A status conference was scheduled for Wednesday, Ullmann said.
"We have no idea how long this is going to take," the attorney added.
Hayes, 46, is one of two men charged with offenses including felony murder, kidnapping, sexual assault and arson in the July 2007 home invasion in Cheshire, Connecticut.
Prosecutors allege that Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, 29, broke into the home of the Petit family. They say the two beat up Dr. William Petit; strangled his 48-year-old wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit; and set the home ablaze. The couple's two daughters, 17-year-old Hayley Petit and 11-year-old Michaela Petit, died from smoke inhalation.
Trial's start stirs painful memories in Cheshire
Ullmann said he did not know why Hayes was hospitalized, but the Hartford Courant, citing unnamed sources, said he apparently overdosed on medication he receives daily. Superior Court Judge Jon C. Blue said in court Monday that Ullmann told him Hayes was found unconscious in his cell and may be in a medically induced coma.
The University of Connecticut Medical Center referred questions Monday to the Connecticut Department of Correction. The department declined comment, citing a court-imposed gag order in the case.
Authorities allege that during the Petit home invasion, one of the attackers drove Hawke-Petit to a bank to withdraw money. She was able to alert a bank teller that the family was being held captive, and the teller alerted police, authorities said.
Media reports said that Hawke-Petit and Michaela Petit were sexually assaulted during the seven-hour ordeal. Prosecutors have declined to confirm details because of the gag order.
The motive in the case remains unclear. Hayes and Komisarjevsky, who is set to be tried separately, could face the death penalty if convicted.
|
[
"Who is in a coma?",
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"What is he accused of?",
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] |
[
"Hayes",
"Steven Hayes",
"Wednesday,",
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"Steven Hayes"
] |
question: Who is in a coma?, answer: Hayes | question: Who is accussed of killing doctor's wife?, answer: Steven Hayes | question: When is the codefendant's trial scheduled?, answer: Wednesday, | question: What is he accused of?, answer: felony murder, kidnapping, sexual assault and arson | question: Who is the defendant in the home invasion case?, answer: Steven Hayes | question: Who is reportedly in a coma?, answer: Steven Hayes
|
(CNN) -- Jury selection was under way Thursday in the case of a man accused of sexually assaulting a toddler and capturing it on videotape years ago, a crime that triggered a nationwide manhunt and search for the girl when the tape surfaced in 2007.
Chester Arthur Stiles faces life imprisonment if convicted of videtaping a sexual assault on a child.
Chester Arthur Stiles, 38, faces 22 felony counts in connection with the videotape, including lewdness with a child, sexual assault with a minor and attempted sexual assault with a minor. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Thursday is the third day of jury selection, said Michael Sommermeyer, spokesman for Clark County, Nevada, courts.
Some 200 potential jurors were called, according to CNN affiliate KVBC. As of Thursday morning, only seven jurors had passed on to the next stage of selection, Sommermeyer said.
Prosecutors hope to seat 15 jurors eventually, Sommermeyer told CNN, meaning they'll want a pool of about 35 to pick from in the final stage.
Picking a jury in the case is challenging, according to KVBC, not only because of the media attention the case has drawn, but because of the crimes Stiles is accused of. A questionnaire given to potential jurors has one question addressing the videotape: "As a juror, despite the graphic nature of the videotape, can you promise to remain fair and impartial and objectively evaluate all evidence for returning a verdict?"
"One, you let them know what the case involves and they've heard it on the news, it's a little difficult to get over any preconceived notions that they had about the case," defense attorney Stacey Roundtree told KVBC.
"However, we do have faith in this community that they want to do the right thing," she said. "Most of the jury trials I've had, the jurors go out of their way to make the right decision. They go out of their way to follow the judge's rules, and we're confident we can have that happen in this case."
The tape was given to authorities in September 2007 by a man who said he had found it in the desert five months before. On it, police found images of the small girl being sexually assaulted.
After attempting unsuccessfully to find out the girl's identity, authorities turned to the media for help and released a picture of the girl, and the case drew nationwide attention. She was found in October 2007.
An attorney for the child's mother said she is 7 years old and safe and healthy. The rape occurred before her third birthday while she was in the care of a baby sitter her mother had hired, he said. The mother did not know the girl had been victimized.
After the girl was found, authorities asked CNN and other news organizations to stop showing her picture.
Stiles, a resident of Pahrump, Nevada, was arrested in a traffic stop in October 2007. Police said at the time they pulled Stiles' car over because it had no license plate and became suspicious when the driver displayed an expired California license with a photo that did not match his appearance.
"He finally told us, 'Hey, I'm Chester Stiles,'" said Henderson, Nevada, police Officer Mike Dye. "'I'm the guy you're looking for." Stiles told police he was "sick of running," Dye said.
The mother of the girl shown on the tape, meanwhile, went on "The Dr. Phil Show" after Stiles' arrest, saying that while she was "relieved," it would have been "better if they found him dead." She said her daughter remembers nothing about the alleged assault.
"Nothing that I have seen in my career comes close to what this girl has gone through," Nye County, Nevada, Sheriff Tony DeMeo said during the manhunt for Stiles.
The man who turned the tape over to authorities, Darrin Tuck, faced criminal charges because of the delay in turning it over, during which authorities alleged he showed
|
[
"Who faces 22 felony counts in connection with sex tape?",
"Who discovered the tape?",
"What is the evidence that shows a girl under 3 being assaulted?",
"How many felony counts does Stiles face?",
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"What did the tape show?",
"How many felony counts is Arthur Stiles facing?"
] |
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"Chester Arthur Stiles,",
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"images of the small girl being sexually assaulted.",
"22"
] |
question: Who faces 22 felony counts in connection with sex tape?, answer: Chester Arthur Stiles, | question: Who discovered the tape?, answer: Darrin Tuck, | question: What is the evidence that shows a girl under 3 being assaulted?, answer: videotape | question: How many felony counts does Stiles face?, answer: 22 | question: What group of people know about the case and hae strong feelings about it?, answer: a jury | question: What did the tape show?, answer: images of the small girl being sexually assaulted. | question: How many felony counts is Arthur Stiles facing?, answer: 22
|
(CNN) -- Jury selection was under way for a second day Tuesday in the trial of a man accused in the rape and beating death of an Arkansas television anchor a year ago.
Curtis Lavelle Vance, 29, would face the death penalty if convicted of charges including capital murder, rape, residential burglary and theft in the October 2008 death of Anne Pressly, 26. He has pleaded not guilty.
Pressly, the morning news anchor for Little Rock, Arkansas, television station and CNN affiliate KATV, was found badly beaten and unconscious in her home and died five days later.
Vance was linked to the killing through DNA, and police told CNN last year they are "110 percent" sure he killed Pressly.
Vance has given several statements to police, including one saying he was at her home and another admitting to her slaying. Defense attorney Steve Morley told CNN affiliate WREG that such evidence presents an obstacle for them to overcome, but he said he hopes an emotional closing argument will persuade jurors to spare Vance's life.
"Literally, you can affect an individual, and by affecting that individual you affect the outcome," Morley told the station.
Pressly's mother, Patti Cannady, told NBC last year her daughter fought for her life -- so much so that her left hand was broken.
"I found my daughter beyond recognition with every bone in her face broken, her nose broken, her jaw pulverized so badly that the bone had come out of it; I actually thought that her throat has possibly been cut," Cannady said. "Her entire skull had numerous fractures from which she suffered a massive stroke."
DNA evidence has also tied Vance to a rape in April 2008 in Marianna, Arkansas, about 90 miles east of Little Rock, police said in December.
Police have said they found no previous link between Vance and Pressly and do not believe her being on television played a role in the slaying.
"I think he saw her someplace, probably followed her home with the intention of robbing her," Lt. Terry Hastings, spokesman for Little Rock police, told CNN in December. "And then went from there."
Pressly's purse was taken, police have said.
Parties in the case are hoping to finish jury selection Tuesday, according to the Pulaski County Circuit Court clerk's office.
|
[
"What is the man accused of?",
"What age is Vance?",
"What did he plead?",
"What linked Vance to the killing?",
"What was the man's name?"
] |
[
"rape and beating death of an Arkansas television anchor a year ago.",
"29,",
"not guilty.",
"DNA,",
"Curtis Lavelle Vance,"
] |
question: What is the man accused of?, answer: rape and beating death of an Arkansas television anchor a year ago. | question: What age is Vance?, answer: 29, | question: What did he plead?, answer: not guilty. | question: What linked Vance to the killing?, answer: DNA, | question: What was the man's name?, answer: Curtis Lavelle Vance,
|
(CNN) -- Just after 7 a.m. Tuesday in the fifth district of Kabul, Afghanistan, a suicide bomber struck a bus carrying Afghan police and civilians.
Afghan I-Reporter S. Samimi sent this photo of a bus struck by a suicide bomber on Tuesday.
At least 10 people were killed, including four children. I-Reporter S. Samimi was in his car on his way to work, only 100 meters from where the blast went off.
He jumped from his car, unsure of what had happened. Samimi asked people around him what was going on. Finally, the truth dawned on him.
Samimi, 23, grabbed his camera and made his way to the site of the attack.
He said it was difficult taking pictures because his whole body was shaking. It was the first suicide bombing he had ever witnessed.
Hands and limbs were scattered about the ground. Within minutes a crowd of hundreds had gathered around the bus, some of them family members of victims.
"People were screaming and crying," Samimi said. "The situation was so bad. So tragic. I am so sad about it."
Samimi said security guards were quickly on the scene and ordered him to stop taking pictures. He said at that point he was ready to leave.
Samimi, who works as a secretary, said he was too shaken to concentrate on the job. "I couldn't work well, because my condition was so bad after having seen a scene like that for the first time. It was so tragic."
He said he returned home to learn that one of his neighbors, a policeman, had been killed in the bombing. "I saw his family screaming and crying over his death," he said.
He talked about the bombing with his family. "They were so sad when they heard about what had happened and when they saw my pictures. People in the neighborhood are still crying."
Samimi explained why he sent his photographs to CNN.
"The world should see what's happened in Afghanistan. The situation is not good in Afghanistan at the moment." E-mail to a friend
|
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"Where did the bomber strike?",
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"What day did a a suicide bomber struck a bus in Kabul, Afghanistan ?",
"WHat is the age of the witness named Samimi?",
"What does Samimi share with I-Report?"
] |
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question: Where did the bomber strike?, answer: fifth district of Kabul, Afghanistan, | question: Which vehicle did the bomber attack?, answer: a bus | question: Who witnessed the bombing?, answer: I-Reporter S. Samimi | question: What is the name of the 23-year-old resident of Kabul, witnessed the bombing ?, answer: Samimi, | question: What was the target of Tuesdays suicide bomber?, answer: a bus carrying Afghan police and civilians. | question: What day did a a suicide bomber struck a bus in Kabul, Afghanistan ?, answer: Tuesday | question: WHat is the age of the witness named Samimi?, answer: 23, | question: What does Samimi share with I-Report?, answer: photo of a bus struck by a suicide bomber
|
(CNN) -- Just as "Y2K" and its batch of predictions about the year 2000 have become a distant memory, here comes "Twenty-twelve."
The sun shines through the door of the Seven Dolls Temple, in the Maya ruins of Dzibilchaltun in Mexico.
Fueled by a crop of books, Web sites with countdown clocks, and claims about ancient timekeepers, interest is growing in what some see as the dawn of a new era, and others as an expiration date for Earth: December 21, 2012.
The date marks the end of a 5,126-year cycle on the Long Count calendar developed by the Maya, the ancient civilization known for its advanced understanding of astronomy and for the great cities it left behind in Mexico and Central America.
(Some scholars believe the cycle ends a bit later -- on December 23, 2012.)
Speculation in some circles about whether the Maya chose this particular time because they thought something ominous would happen has sparked a number of doomsday theories.
The hype also has mainstream Maya scholars shaking their heads.
"There's going to be a whole generation of people who, when they think of the Maya, think of 2012, and to me that's just criminal," said David Stuart, director of the Mesoamerica Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
"There is no serious scholar who puts any stock in the idea that the Maya said anything meaningful about 2012." Find out more about the history and culture of the Maya »
But take the fact that December 21, 2012, coincides with the winter solstice, add claims the Maya picked the time period because it also marks an alignment of the sun with the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and you have the makings of an online sensation.
Type "2012" into an Internet search engine and you'll find survival guides, survival schools, predictions and "official stuff" to wear, including T-shirts with slogans such as "2012 The End" and "Doomsday 2012."
Theories about what might happen range from solar storms triggering volcano eruptions to a polar reversal that will make the Earth spin in the opposite direction.
If you think all of this would make a great sci-fi disaster movie, Hollywood is already one step ahead.
"2012," a special-effects flick starring John Cusack and directed by Roland Emmerich, of "The Day After Tomorrow" fame, is scheduled to be released this fall. The trailer shows a monk running to a bell tower on a mountaintop to sound the alarm as a huge wall of water washes over what appear to be the peaks of the Himalayas.
'Promoting a hoax'
One barometer of the interest in 2012 may be the "Ask an Astrobiologist" section of NASA's Web site, where senior scientist David Morrison answers questions from the public. On a recent visit, more than half of the inquiries on the most popular list were related to 2012.
"The purveyors of doom are promoting a hoax," Morrison wrote earlier this month in response to a question from a person who expressed fear about the date.
A scholar who has studied the Maya for 35 years said there is nothing ominous about 2012, despite the hype surrounding claims to the contrary.
"I think that the popular books... about what the Maya say is going to happen are really fabricated on the basis of very little evidence," said Anthony Aveni, a professor of astronomy, anthropology and Native American studies at Colgate University.
Aveni and Stuart are both writing their own books explaining the Mayan calendar and 2012, but Stuart said he's pessimistic that people will be interested in the real story when so many other books are making sensational claims.
Dozens of titles about 2012 have been published and more are scheduled to go on sale in the coming months. Current offerings include "Apocalypse 2012," in which author Lawrence Joseph outlines "terrible possibilities," such as the potential for natural disaster.
But Joseph admits he doesn't think the world is going to end.
"I do, however
|
[
"on what basis theories are made?",
"What do people think about the date?",
"When exactly is end of the cycle on a Mayan calendar?",
"Which calendar ended on December 21, 2012?",
"How much evidence is there?"
] |
[
"doomsday",
"some see as the dawn of a new era, and others as an expiration",
"December 21, 2012.",
"developed by the Maya,",
"very little"
] |
question: on what basis theories are made?, answer: doomsday | question: What do people think about the date?, answer: some see as the dawn of a new era, and others as an expiration | question: When exactly is end of the cycle on a Mayan calendar?, answer: December 21, 2012. | question: Which calendar ended on December 21, 2012?, answer: developed by the Maya, | question: How much evidence is there?, answer: very little
|
(CNN) -- Just as there are many choices of drivers, putters, balls, and other equipment, there are just as many choices of golf instructors.
The process of how you choose your golf instructor is as unique as your finger prints.
However, just like there are certain things you want to know before choosing your doctor, there are certain items you should inquire of your instructor.
Compatibility - It is your responsibility to insure that there is a fit between you and your instructor on all levels, personality type, mutual goals, similar outlooks on the game, and your instructor's ability to relate to your individual needs.
Before throwing a dart in the phone book under "golf instruction", research the professionals in your area.
One way is to ask friends and playing partners for referrals of good instructors in your area.
Ask them about pricing, reputation, location, and their improvement under the instructor's tutelage.
If you get along with your playing partners and the instructor does too, odds are you have found a fit.
Then, call the instructor and ask if they have time to talk to you about your game and improvement goals.
A good instructor will be happy to talk to you about your game, and get to know you as an individual, prior to helping you with your golf game.
Accreditation and Experience - Does your golf instructor have the education and experience to take your game to any level you desire?
Many individuals claim to be golf instructors. Many of these individuals are self-proclaimed "experts," or had enough money to take a one to two week course on how to teach golf and make more money.
In seeking a golf professional to help you with your game, insure that the individual has an active accreditation with the PGA or LPGA, or, has demonstrated an inarguable ability to help players of many levels improve through many years of practice.
Other associations claim they produce golf instructors. However, these organizations have one focus, to make money, not to produce solid golf instructors.
Inquire of your instructor their accreditation, as well as their education both on and off the golf course.
Check with the LPGA or PGA websites to confirm your potential golf instructor's accreditation with that organization, and, how much experience the instructor possesses. Inquire of the instructor's philosophy and past success stories.
If needed, ask for references of students from all skill levels that you can contact.
Video - Video swing analysis has become a staple for all golf instruction. It is no longer an option.
If you are paying for instruction that does not include video review of your game, you should reconsider why you are paying for golf instruction.
Video, when used correctly, is a third pair of eyes (you and your instructor are first and second). This is similar to a doctor using an X-Ray or M.R.I, to diagnosis a health issue.
Your golf instructor should be using video in the same manner. Video should confirm the diagnosis to you, not the instructor.
A good golf instructor has the ability to see the flaw first, and use his or her knowledge of that flaw to diagnose a cure or drill for you to practice to realize improvement.
If your golf instructor is relying solely on video to tell what is happening in your swing, you will eventually lose trust in the instructor's ability to help you.
You would second guess a doctor's ability to help you if he or she did not use their ability first and confirm their thoughts with tests.
Then why would you rely on an instructor who is not "practicing" golf instruction in the same manner?
Follow-up Communication - Your golf instructor should have a program available for you to utilize to ask questions, give feedback, receive follow-up instructions, schedule lessons, or make other inquiries after your lesson.
Some instructors offer their phone numbers after hours. Others utilize the internet for follow-up and communication purposes.
Regardless of what form of communication is available to you
|
[
"What apart from personality type are crucial to get the best from a coach",
"What is crucial to getting the best from a coach?",
"What should you check your instructor has?",
"What should you chceck that your instructor has?"
] |
[
"\"practicing\"",
"Compatibility",
"personality type, mutual goals, similar outlooks on the game, and",
"Accreditation and Experience"
] |
question: What apart from personality type are crucial to get the best from a coach, answer: "practicing" | question: What is crucial to getting the best from a coach?, answer: Compatibility | question: What should you check your instructor has?, answer: personality type, mutual goals, similar outlooks on the game, and | question: What should you chceck that your instructor has?, answer: Accreditation and Experience
|
(CNN) -- Just days after giving birth to her second child, Dr. Jane Dimer drove herself home from the hospital to find her then-husband in bed with another woman. He threw Dimer down the stairs, and she never saw him again until court.
Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, before the Grammys on February 8.
Dimer, now an obstetrician-gynecologist at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, Washington, had been in an abusive relationship with her husband in Germany for 4½ years until he pushed her out 11 years ago.
"Emotionally, the remnants of that stay for a long time," she said.
Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44, according to the National Institutes of Health. With the entertainment world buzzing about pop sensation Rihanna, whose boyfriend Chris Brown has been formally charged with assaulting her, public interest in domestic violence has been reinvigorated.
Abuse can influence a victim's future behavior in relationships and even in friendships, depending on whether the victim stays or leaves, said Mark Crawford, a clinical psychologist based in Roswell, Georgia. Those who stay are likely to stop trusting their own perceptions and become passive in both romantic and nonromantic relationships.
Victims who do leave -- which is the healthier choice, Crawford said -- often become over-accommodating because they want to avoid conflict, even verbal disputes, at all costs. Some women won't trust people easily, if at all, and won't be able to handle even normal expressions of anger. Visit CNNHealth.com, your connection to better living
"What they need to do when they get out of the relationship is make sure they're aware of their own anger, and then they can learn how to freely express it in a healthy, normal way," he said. "If somebody's still having issues 10 years later, they just haven't worked through it. They haven't healed; they need to do that."
New research shows that abuse victims feel the impact of violence long after it occurred. A recent study in the Journal of Women's Health found that older African-American women who were exposed to high levels of family violence at some point in their lifetimes -- whether by a partner or family member -- are at a greater risk of poor mental and physical health status.
"Not just ongoing violence, which everybody thinks about, but even when it's over, there's something about what happens that seems to have a lingering effect that we don't quite understand yet," said Dr. Anuradha Paranjape, co-author of the study and associate professor at Temple University School of Medicine.
It makes sense that abused women would report worse health, given that people in stressful situations have higher levels of stress hormones, which interfere with immune function, Crawford said.
Other studies show a clear connection between depression and abuse. Adult women who have been abused in a relationship in the past five years have rates of depression 2½ times greater than women who have never been abused, according to a different study of more than 3,000 women. They are also more likely to be socially isolated, said author Amy Bonomi, associate professor at The Ohio State University.
Women who have been abused prior to, but not during, the past five years had depression rates 1½ times greater than those without abuse experience, said Bonomi, who has collaborated with Dimer on research on abused women.
"People like to sort of think that, 'Well, abuse is just when you have a black eye, you sustain a broken bone,' " Bonomi said. "But we see lots of different effects in other areas, like depression and social isolation, and we've actually proven that with the data."
Women who have suffered violence also seem to have a greater likelihood of substance abuse, but it's unclear how the two are related -- one doesn't necessarily cause the other, and there could be other factors involved, Bonomi said.
A 2008 study of 3,333 women, which Bonomi worked on, found that middle-
|
[
"What are abused women more likely to have?",
"What is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44?",
"What does the NIH say is the most common cause of injury to women between 15 and 44?"
] |
[
"rates of depression 2½ times greater",
"Domestic violence",
"Domestic violence"
] |
question: What are abused women more likely to have?, answer: rates of depression 2½ times greater | question: What is the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44?, answer: Domestic violence | question: What does the NIH say is the most common cause of injury to women between 15 and 44?, answer: Domestic violence
|
(CNN) -- Just days before he was sworn in, President Obama was giving his daughters a tour of the Lincoln Memorial when one of them pointed to a copy of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address carved into the wall.
President Obama strides into history as the nation's first black president.
Obama's 7-year-old daughter, Sasha, told her father that Lincoln's speech was really long. Would he have to give a speech as long? Obama's answer was completed by his older daughter, 10-year-old Malia.
"I said, 'Actually, that one is pretty short. Mine may even be a little longer,' " Obama told CNN recently. "At which point, Malia turns to me and says, 'First African-American president, better be good.' "
The story is light-hearted, but it touches on a delicate question: Will people hold Obama to a different standard because he is the first African-American president?
Americans appear split by race on that answer. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll, 53 percent of blacks say the American public will hold Obama to a higher standard than past presidents because he is black. Most whites -- 61 percent -- say Obama's race will not matter in how he will be judged.
The question divided several people who were racial pioneers themselves.
Alexander Jefferson was one of the first blacks allowed to become a fighter pilot. He was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of black pilots who escorted bombers in World War II.
"We had to be twice as good to be average," he says.
Obama won't face the same pressures he did because his presidential predecessor was so inept, Jefferson says.
"No, the world is ready for him," he says. "The [George W.] Bush debacle was so depressing."
Jefferson was shot down by ground fire on his 19th mission and spent a year in German prison camps. He wrote about his POW experiences in "Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman and POW."
Jefferson says he dealt with the pressures of being a racial pioneer by drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors for him.
"I sit on the backs of everyone who came before me," says Jefferson, who attended Obama's inauguration with other Tuskegee Airmen.
Jefferson says he would have emotionally imploded if he'd thought too much about the pressures of representing all blacks and dealing with the racism he encountered when he returned home to a segregated America after the war.
"I did what I had to do so I didn't go stark-raving mad," he says. "There wasn't all this self-analysis and back and forth. I was too damn busy with a wife, a child and a mortgage."
Michele Andrea Bowen couldn't avoid a bout of constant self-analysis. She was one of the first African-American students admitted to a doctorate program in history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
"I know Obama is going to be held to a different standard," says Bowen, author of "Up at the College" and books such as "Holy Ghost Corner," which celebrate black faith and culture.
Bowen says she faced relentless scrutiny, and so will Obama.
"You know that it was hard for you to get in it, and you know they're watching you," Bowen says. "And you know that they're judging you by a critical standard that's sometimes not fair."
Bowen says a white classmate, her partner in dissertation, once confided to her that he received the same grades as she did, even though he knew his work was inferior.
"It toughened me up," Bowen says. "It can give you headaches and stomachaches. I learned you have to be thankful that God blessed you with that opportunity. At some point, you stop worrying, and you trust God."
'Would Bush have
|
[
"What poll shows about Obama race?",
"what percentage poll shows americans split by race?",
"who conducted the polls?",
"What Racial pioneers say about extraordinary?",
"What does one racial pioneer say about pressure?",
"what is the reason for pressure?"
] |
[
"CNN/Opinion Research Corp.",
"CNN/Opinion Research Corp.",
"CNN/Opinion Research Corp.",
"drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors for him.",
"by drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors for him.",
"being a racial pioneer by drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors"
] |
question: What poll shows about Obama race?, answer: CNN/Opinion Research Corp. | question: what percentage poll shows americans split by race?, answer: CNN/Opinion Research Corp. | question: who conducted the polls?, answer: CNN/Opinion Research Corp. | question: What Racial pioneers say about extraordinary?, answer: drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors for him. | question: What does one racial pioneer say about pressure?, answer: by drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors for him. | question: what is the reason for pressure?, answer: being a racial pioneer by drawing on the strength of black leaders who opened doors
|
(CNN) -- Just imagine, for a moment, a world in which Steve Jobs had never lived. How might daily life be different?
Computers are still around, but not as you know them. They're complex, hateful things, mostly used in the office for spreadsheets and other business applications. Nobody bothered to sell a good-looking user interface with a desktop and mouse, because nobody could be sure there was a mass market for it.
Thousands of people use PCs at home, but they're mostly hobbyists and amateur programmers. If you want to have fun with electronics, you hook up a videogame console to your TV. The Internet still exists, but it never really had as much of a platform to take root on.
There's a thriving market in trading MP3s online, but all of it is illegal. The record labels never got their act together on selling digital copies of songs. MP3 players are large, clunky things with too many buttons. No movie studio makes really good computer-animated films. Smartphones are bulky bricks with thick keyboards. Touchscreen tablets exist -- as prototypes in a few computer labs.
Okay, so maybe things wouldn't have been quite that bad without Jobs. Perhaps Xerox PARC's management would have figured out it was sitting on a goldmine in its Graphical User Interface and early-model mouse. Microsoft might have come up with Windows without the example of the Macintosh. Maybe Steve Wozniak would have found another compadre to help him design, sell and market the Apple II, the PC that started it all.
But none of that seems very likely.
Many words have been written attempting to distill the magic of Steve Jobs. To my mind, it boils down to this: He saved technology from itself. He stopped it from being scary to a mass audience. He took the excitement and optimism that Silicon Valley already felt about computing, and never ceased to find new ways to communicate that to the world.
For all of his celebration of crazy revolutionaries who liked to "think different," Jobs was a champion of the mainstream. His business idols, he liked to say, were the Beatles. That wasn't just because the way their four personalities balanced each other was a good model for management. It was also because what they made was accessible -- and enjoyed by everyone on the planet.
I've written about my experiences interviewing Jobs for Time magazine here, but the first time I ever spoke to him was a prime example of his mainstream approach. This was shortly after his return to Apple, in an interview for a now-defunct supplement called Time Digital. After a handful questions, Jobs suddenly lost his temper. "I know hundreds of people who read Time Magazine," he fumed. "I don't know anyone who reads Time Digital." With that, the interview was over.
Thankfully, we had dozens of pleasant encounters after that. But I would always understand that he knew exactly who he was talking to, and that he was always laser-focused on reaching as wide a readership as he could. He gave great quotes -- quotes that didn't talk down to the reader, but rather let them peek behind the scenes at Apple. "The dirty little secret of the iTunes store is that there's no way to make money," he told me when it launched on the PC. "We do it because we're selling iPods."
iPods, iPhones, iPads -- Jobs had his product road map worked out way in advance, and it was all about getting supremely easy-to-use products into the hands of as many users as possible. Compromised, committee-designed devices, such as the ho-hum Motorola Rockr iTunes phone, only served as examples of what Apple shouldn't make.
So what now? Is there another visionary in the world with that kind of drive, ambition, focus and zeal? Plenty of pundits have said we'll never see the likes of Jobs again -- but I hope they're wrong, and I think Jobs would hope that too. Because who
|
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"Who Apple genius always kept in mind?",
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question: Who Apple genius always kept in mind?, answer: Steve Jobs | question: Has Jobs always been in knowledge of whom he was addressing?, answer: knew exactly who
|
(CNN) -- Just like some U.S. officials looking into the mystery, the man who captured video of an apparent fireball plunging from the sky over Texas on Sunday is perplexed about what it was.
Video captured in Austin, Texas, shows a meteor-like object in the sky Sunday morning.
"I don't know what I saw in the sky. It was something burning and falling really fast," Eddie Garcia, a videographer for News 8 Austin, told CNN Monday.
"I'm looking in the viewfinder and I see, just, something flying through the sky. And it kind of looks like it could be dust, it could be something, and then I look up and, no, it was something burning in the sky," he said.
"And you know, this is something that you see at night clearly during a meteor shower or something like that, but you don't see something like that during the day."
Authorities in Texas said there were reports of sonic booms in the area Sunday as well. Watch video of meteor-like fireball »
Early speculation was that it might have been debris from two satellites -- one American, one Russian -- that rammed into each other in space a week ago.
But the U.S. Strategic Command, which tracks satellite debris, said it was not. "There is no correlation between those reports and any of that debris from the collision," command spokeswoman Maj. Regina Winchester told CNN Monday.
So what was it? "I don't know," she responded. "It's possible it was some kind of natural phenomenon, maybe a meteor."
Meteor fireballs bright enough to be seen in the daytime are rare but not unheard of. Two of the most recent fell in October in the Alice Springs region of Australia and last June just west of Salt Lake City, Utah.
The one over Australia was unique because the asteroid that caused it was discovered and tracked before it reached Earth's atmosphere, according to the Sydney Observatory's Web site. It says the asteroid was about 6.5 feet wide.
A sonic boom also was heard in connection with that event, the Australian observatory says.
On Friday, the National Weather Service reported that its office in Jackson, Kentucky, had received calls about "possible explosions" or "earthquakes" in that area.
"The Federal Aviation Administration has reported to local law enforcement that these events are being caused by falling satellite debris," the service said Friday. "These pieces of debris have been causing sonic booms, resulting in the vibrations being felt by some residents, as well as flashes of light across the sky. The cloud of debris is likely the result of the recent in-orbit collision of two satellites on Tuesday February 10, when Kosmos 2251 crashed into Iridium 33."
CNN's call Monday to NASA to get its take on the fireball over Texas was not immediately returned. Garcia said he had been told NASA may have called him.
The FAA had asked pilots Saturday to keep an eye out for "falling space debris," warning that "a potential hazard may occur due to re-entry of satellite debris into the Earth's atmosphere."
FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said Sunday there had been no reports of ground strikes or interference with aircraft in flight. He said the FAA had received no reports from pilots in the air of any sightings, but had gotten "numerous" calls from people on the ground in Texas, from Dallas south to Austin.
As of Monday morning, Herwig said his agency had no information about what the fireball was. iReport.com: Did you see the fireball? Send photos, video
He also said the FAA had rescinded its warning to pilots to look out for space debris.
Garcia, the videographer, was out covering a marathon race Sunday morning when he caught a glimpse of the blaze. In the video, it appear as a meteor-like white fireball blazing across the clear sky.
"I remember shooting it and wondering what I shot, and then looking around and
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|
(CNN) -- Just three weeks after Jon and Kate Gosselin announced their separation, there is speculation of a new plus-one in the mix for "Jon & Kate Plus 8."
Jon Gosselin, here with his sons, was photographed on vacation with another woman.
Fans of the show are buzzing about photos of Jon Gosselin apparently on vacation in Saint-Tropez, France, with a young woman who is definitely not his wife and reality TV co-star.
People.com identified her as Hailey Glassman, the daughter of Dr. Lawrence Glassman, a surgeon who famously performed a tummy tuck on Kate that was documented for the Gosselins' hit TLC show.
Gosselin and Glassman appeared to be the guests of designer Christian Audigier, creator of the Ed Hardy line, and the pair was spotted holding hands, smoking together and lounging aboard Audigier's yacht.
The Gosselins' marriage became the focus of their reality show -- which had followed the adventures of the pair raising a set of twins and sextuplets -- amid allegations that Jon was cheating on Kate with 23-year-old teacher Deanna Hummel.
Jon repeatedly denied that he had strayed. But after much speculation and tension on the show, the couple announced in June that they had separated. The same day, Kate filed for divorce.
Given the media spotlight, dating coach Patti Feinstein said, it's not a good idea for Gosselin to be out with another woman so soon after the marital rift.
"You need to take a little time off from dating, because there is this rebound period," Feinstein said. "He's probably feeling that he wasn't getting enough attention from his wife, so he's all lonely, and he needs to be stroked up.
"Once he gets the feeling that 'I'm loveable; I'm worthy; someone loves me for me and wants to put me first,' " Feinstein theorized, "then that person he is dating, either he will dump her, or she will dump him."
Relationship expert Nancy Slotnick said the unfortunate ones in the high-profile tabloid fodder are the Gosselin children: 8-year-old twins Cara and Mady and 5-year-old sextuplets Aaden, Collin, Joel, Alexis, Hannah and Leah.
"Their whole TV show is based on them being parents and caring for all of these kids they have, and both of them seem totally wrapped up in themselves," Slotnick said. "It's strange that [Jon] feels like he has to deny the whole thing, then at the same time he is flaunting it."
Psychotherapist M. Gary Neuman advises that parents should wait about a year after a separation before introducing a relationship to their children.
"Children need about a year at least to adjust to the new sense of family and to develop individual relationships with each parent," said Neuman, the author of "Helping Your Kids Cope With Divorce the Sandcastles Way." "When Dad has a girlfriend, then kids can see that as an intrusion on their time and their situation."
Neuman, whose Sandcastles program for children of divorce is mandatory through the court system in several states, said children go through a great deal of emotional turmoil in the wake of a broken marriage.
Couples should wait at least six months to even let their kids know that they are actively dating, Neuman said.
"It is hurtful to children to think that their parents are dating when it is done so soon after a separation," Neuman said. "Because what it says is that it is minimizing the marriage, and the marriage is crucial to children because they came from this union, and they want to know that their parents were in love when [the children] were born.
"The idea that there could be such a quick move to dating that the children are aware of could devalue their parents' relationship and therefore themselves."
Neuman noted that parents going through a divorce can date privately but said they should also consider counseling before entering another serious relationship to guard against the high divorce rate for second marriages.
Jon Gosselin has
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question: what announced Gosselins?, answer: their separation, | question: When did the Gosselins announce their divorce?, answer: June | question: About what are the speculation?, answer: new plus-one in the mix for "Jon & Kate Plus 8." | question: what are the speculations arises for?, answer: "Jon & Kate Plus 8." | question: who was photographed?, answer: Jon Gosselin, | question: Where was Gosselin photographed with a woman?, answer: Saint-Tropez, France, | question: where was the Reality Star photographed?, answer: on vacation
|
(CNN) -- Just weeks before a Continental Connection commuter plane crashed near Buffalo, another airline had reminded its pilots about safety issues with instrument approaches at the airport.
Only a few pieces of the Continental Connection Dash 8 turboprop were recognizable after the crash.
However, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday said it was extremely unlikely the February 12 crash and the warning were related.
Instrument approaches are those in which pilots use cockpit displays to line up their aircraft with the runway when visibility is low.
The alert, initially issued by Southwest Airlines and reissued Wednesday by the airline's pilot association, warned there was a "potentially significant hazard" concerning the instrument landing system's glide slope guidance signal for runway 23.
The airline advised, "Pilots who are preparing to configure and land have the potential to experience abrupt pitch up, slow airspeed, and approach to stall if conditions present themselves in a certain manner."
Southwest Airlines spokesperson Linda Rutherford said an earthen dam at the end of the runway was interfering with the signal being sent to inbound flights. Rutherford would not confirm if any of Southwest's recent flights into Buffalo experienced problems on approach.
"We often put out alerts on obstructions to a navigation aid," Rutherford told CNN.
She also pointed out, though landing on the same runway, Southwest Airlines flights approach runway 23 from the north, turning right, while the Colgan Air flight that crashed was approaching from the south turning left. Rutherford called that distinction important. View a Google Earth image of runway 23 »
The National Transportation Safety Board told CNN the agency was "aware" of the Southwest Airlines alert, but would not comment further.
The issue is caused by a geographic feature at the airport, a valley, "something we can't do anything about," said FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown. She said the "altitude reading makes it look like you're a lot higher than you are, because there is a valley there."
The feature has been noted on FAA charts for years, she said.
"As far as we can tell, there is no way this had any role in the accident," Brown told CNN. "It's not a navigation aid that would have applied to the approach."
The alert from Southwest Airlines advises pilots that the problem could cause the planes navigational system to interpret data "in such a way as to result in a nose-up pitch and loss of airspeed."
Flight data recorders obtained by the NTSB of the crashed Colgan air Flight 3407 show during its approach to runway 23, the twin turbo prop Dash-8 pitched up 31 degrees before going into a stall due to lack of airspeed.
Southwest Airlines Pilot Association told its pilots the "issue is being addressed on several levels in an attempt to address procedures, facilities, and communication regarding this matter."
The alert advises any pilots experience trouble to contact the association's safety office.
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question: What did Airline advise possibility of?, answer: "Pilots who are preparing to configure and land have the potential to experience abrupt pitch up, slow airspeed, and approach to stall | question: What did the airline advise was a possibility?, answer: pilots that the problem could cause the planes navigational system to interpret data "in such a way as to result in a nose-up pitch and loss of airspeed." | question: Was the issue related to the crash?, answer: "As far as we can tell, there is no way this had any role in the accident," | question: What runway was under warning and concern?, answer: 23. | question: What is the number of the runway?, answer: 23. | question: What was interfering with signals?, answer: earthen dam | question: What did the airline advise the possibility of?, answer: safety issues with instrument approaches at the airport. | question: According to Southwest an earthen dam was interfering with what?, answer: the signal
|
(CNN) -- Just west of Seville in Spain, a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's energy to provide "concentrated solar power" (CSP) while illuminating the path to a new wave of green energy projects.
Shining beacon: The concentrated solar power plant in Sanlucar, Spain is the first of its kind.
The 624 carefully positioned mirrors reflect the sun's heat towards a 50 meter-tall central tower where it is concentrated and used to boil water into steam.
The superheated steam is then used to turn a turbine that can produce up to 11 megawatts of electricity -- enough power for 6,000 homes -- according Solucar, the Spanish company that has built the power plant.
While traditional solar panels, photovoltaic cells, convert the sun's power directly into electricity, CSP focuses power from a wide area and uses the vast heat generated to make electricity in a similar way to that produced from coal or oil.
The Spanish tower, known as PS10, is the first phase of an ambitious development. By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm" with an output of 300 megawatts, which would be enough power for 180,000 homes, or equivalent to the entire population of nearby Seville.
This $1.5 billion project is the largest commercial CSP station in the world -- so far.
But many believe the technology will soon take off in areas of continuous hot sun and clear skies, offering a cheaper and more efficient alternative to photovoltaic cells, and bringing jobs and money to arid, often depressed areas.
CSP also produces no greenhouses gasses and the only pollution is visual. The European Union has invested over $31 million in CSP research over the last ten years.
At least 50 CSP projects have been given permission to begin construction across Spain. By 2015 the country may be producing two gigawatts of electricity from CSP, and employing thousands in the industry.
One of the strengths of CSP is that it allows the construction of power stations on a scale that can match many fossil fuel based plants, and for an investment far less than that required to install the equivalent wattage of photovoltaic cells.
There is also the possibility that production can keep going around the clock -- even when the sun has gone down.
Solucar is currently testing technology at a plant near Granada that will pump 50 percent of the electricity generated in the day into the Spanish national grid, and use the other 50 percent to melt salt, which will then act as a kind of battery, storing the sun's power. When dusk falls, the heat stored in the molten salt can be used to generate power through the night.
"These technologies excite me," says Dr Jeff Hardy, Network Manager at the UK Energy Research Council.
"One of the real advantages is that you can get a decent sized power plant.
"The main challenge with the technology is working with extreme heat, but then a lot of the back-end is very similar to a traditional fossil-fuel generation; you are after all just dealing with water heated to make steam and drive a turbine."
Concentrating on promoting CSP worldwide
As America looks to increase the contribution of renewables to its overall energy mix -- a key part of the Obama plan before the recession turbocharged Government funding for such "green" infrastructure projects -- the potential of CSP technology is obvious.
The Spanish company responsible for the Sanlucar la Mayor plant has seen the potential and created Solucar Power, Inc., a subsidiary aiming to develop the market in the USA.
There is already a huge Solar Energy Generating Systems' CSP station in the Mojave Desert, California; Spanish firm Acciona has built a plant near Las Vegas. Many more are surely on their way.
One bold projection estimates that a single plant 100 miles by 100 miles located in the American South West could generate enough electricity for the whole country.
It would obviously be a huge undertaking -- politically, financially and scientifically -- but it's not hard to imagine such a scheme finding a home in the nation's vast, empty quarter.
Other
|
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question: Concentrated solar power projects are based in what country?, answer: Spain, | question: What project in Spain is leading the field?, answer: green energy | question: What is the potential of CSP?, answer: could generate enough electricity for the whole country. | question: What projects in Spain are eading field in that form of green energy?, answer: "concentrated solar power" | question: What has more benefits than power?, answer: "concentrated solar power" (CSP) | question: Where are the leading solar power projects?, answer: Sanlucar, Spain | question: What plans would involve huge costs?, answer: "concentrated solar power" | question: Where is there potential for CSP around the world?, answer: Sanlucar, Spain | question: Who benefits from the power?, answer: Spain. | question: Are there plans to expand solar power in Spain?, answer: By 2013 it is hoped that additional towers will create a "solar farm" | question: What is green energy?, answer: a sea of giant mirrors is reflecting the sun's
|
(CNN) -- Justine Henin booked her place in the third round of the Australian Open after she claimed a 7-5 7-6 (8-6) victory over fifth seed Elena Dementieva in Melbourne on Wednesday.
The Belgian, who won the tournament in 2004, came through an enthralling clash which lasted two hours 50 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.
Henin, who is playing in her first Grand Slam event since she ended her 20-month retirement from tennis, took the first set but Russian Dementieva hit back in an enthralling second set to take a 4-2 advantage.
Wildcard Henin then broke back to take the next three games and the match went to tie-break but Dementieva was unable to take the match into a third set as Henin clinched victory with a fierce volley.
After the match Henin admitted it was exactly the kind of match which vindicated her decision to return to competitive tennis.
"It's great feeling. It's magical to win this kind of match in this kind of atmosphere," Henin told reporters in the post-match press conference.
"It was a great match. It was very emotional for me on the court at the end because there was so much intensity. To play this kind of match in the second round, for me, after two years off in a Grand Slam, it's just the kind of situation that I needed,
"The crowd gave me so much. So respectful at the end. It was a special night tonight. That's why I probably came back on the tour, was to live this kind of matches."
Blog: Belgians lead the way in Melbourne
Henin will now play another Russian in 27th seed Alisa Kleybanova with a potential quarterfinal on the horizon against compatriot Kim Clijsters who came through in straight sets - 6-3, 6-3 - against Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Fellow Belgian Wickmayer continued her recent good form by knocking out Italian 12th seed Flavia Pennetta 7-6 (7-2) 6-1.
Elsewhere, third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova recorded a 6-2 6-2 victory over fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova while Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki overcome a nervy first set against Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak to win 6-4 6-2.
Seventh seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus cruised to a routine 6-2 6-0 victory over France's Stephanie Cohen-Aloro while Russian Vera Zvonareva eased past Slovakian Kristina Kucova by the same margin.
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question: who came through in straight sets, answer: Kim Clijsters | question: Who came through in straight sets in her clash with Thai?, answer: Kim Clijsters | question: in what round?, answer: third | question: who booked her place, answer: Justine | question: Who booked her place in the third round?, answer: Henin | question: Who was her fellow Belgian?, answer: Wickmayer | question: What seed was Svetlana Kuznetsova, answer: third | question: Which round did Justine Henin book her place?, answer: in the third
|
(CNN) -- Juventus are back on top of the Italian Serie A table after a comfortable 3-0 home win over Palermo on Sunday maintained their unbeaten start to the season.
Goals from Simone Pepe, Alessandro Matri and Claudio Marchisio put Juve ahead of Lazio, who drew 0-0 at Napoli on Saturday, on goal difference -- with Antonio Conte's side also having a vital game in hand.
Pepe opened the scoring in the 20th minute when he was left unmarked to head home Giorgio Chiellini's cross.
Andrea Pirlo then hit the post with a curling effort before Matri doubled the advantage three minutes into the second half when finishing from a tight angle.
And the points were sealed in the 65th minute when Marchisio netted from close range after a smart dummy from Matri deceived the Palermo defense.
Although Juventus are back on top of the table, the race for this year's Scudetto promises to be the tightest for years with just one point separating the top four teams.
Champions AC Milan are third, a point behind the top two, after their goalless draw at Fiorentina on Saturday, while former leaders Udinese are now in fourth place -- level on points with Milan -- after losing 2-0 at Parma.
A Jonathan Biabiany header and a Sebastian Giovinco penalty gave Parma a victory that lifted them up to ninth place in the table.
Despite their defeat to Juventus, Palermo remain fifth, although they are five points behind Udinese.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the table, Marco Parolo scored seven minutes from time to give Cesena their first win of the season, 1-0 at fellow strugglers Bologna.
Despite that win, Cesena remain bottom on six points, one behind Novara who were beaten 1-0 at Genoa.
Two matches were played in the German Bundesliga, with Thorsten Fink collecting his first win as Hamburg coach with a 2-0 success at Hoffenheim.
Jose Guerrero and Marcel Jansen secured Fink's maiden success after three successive draws as Hamburg moved out of the relegation zone and into 14th place.
The day's other match saw Austrian striker Martin Harnik score both of Stuttgart's goals in a 2-1 win over bottom club Augsburg, who are three points adrift at the foot of the table.
The victory lifts Stuttgart up to sixth place in the table, seven points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.
|
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question: Who is back on the top?, answer: Juventus | question: what happed at parma, answer: former leaders Udinese are now in fourth place -- level on points with Milan -- after losing 2-0 | question: who are back on top of the Serie A table after a 3-0 home win, answer: Juventus | question: what rank is udinese, answer: fourth place | question: What was the score?, answer: 3-0 | question: Who is the previous leader?, answer: Udinese | question: who slumpto a 2-0 defeat at Parma, answer: Udinese | question: what is juventus on top of, answer: Italian Serie A table
|
(CNN) -- Juventus came from behind to defeat Bologna 4-1 on Saturday to put pressure on Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table.
Alessandro Del Piero celebrates the first of his two goals in Juventus' 4-1 victory over Bologna.
Massimo Mutarelli put Bologna ahead in the 24th minute, but a dominant second half display from the Bianconeri gave them all three points.
Hasan Salihimidzic equalised in the 49th minute before Sebastian Giovinco put the home side ahead in the 71st minute.
A brace from Alessandro Del Piero in the 75th and 88th minutes sealed a win which takes Juve to within four points of leaders Inter, who face a tricky home match against Fiorentina on Sunday.
In Saturday's other match, Genoa boosted their hopes of playing in the Champions League next season thanks to a 1-0 win at 10-man Cagliari to move above Fiorentina into fourth place.
Cagliari lost Andrea Cossu to a red card in the 39th minute but held out until five minutes from the end when Ruben Olivera grabbed the decisive goal.
Meanwhile, veteran striker Filippo Inzaghi scored his 300th career goal to help Milan crush Siena 5-1 on Sunday to consolidate third place in the table.
The 35-year-old scored twice, while Alexander Pato also netted a brace and Andrea Pirlo scored the opener from the penalty spot, as Milan proved too strong for their opponents -- for whom Massimo Maccarone was on target.
Roma lost further ground in the race for the fourth Champions League place as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Sampdoria.
Julio Baptista gave the visitors a seventh-minute lead but Giampaolo Pazzini headed home an equalizer before the same player put the home side ahead after a mistake from goalkeeper Doni.
But Baptista levelled from the spot after Marco Padalino was penalized for fouling Max Tonetto -- the player who missed the decisive spot-kick in the midweek Champions League defeat by Arsenal.
|
[
"Who defeated Bologna on Saturday?",
"Filippo Inzaghi has how many career goals?",
"Who reached 300 career goals?",
"Who reached 300?",
"What was the score of the Juventus - Bologna game?",
"Who recovered?",
"What was the score of the Juventus versus Bologna game on Saturday?",
"Which team does Filippo Inzaghi play for?"
] |
[
"Juventus",
"300th",
"Filippo Inzaghi",
"Filippo Inzaghi",
"4-1",
"Juventus",
"4-1",
"Milan"
] |
question: Who defeated Bologna on Saturday?, answer: Juventus | question: Filippo Inzaghi has how many career goals?, answer: 300th | question: Who reached 300 career goals?, answer: Filippo Inzaghi | question: Who reached 300?, answer: Filippo Inzaghi | question: What was the score of the Juventus - Bologna game?, answer: 4-1 | question: Who recovered?, answer: Juventus | question: What was the score of the Juventus versus Bologna game on Saturday?, answer: 4-1 | question: Which team does Filippo Inzaghi play for?, answer: Milan
|
(CNN) -- Kajal Kumar knows the value of a good education. She's a career woman who poured years of her life into studying to become a certified public accountant with an MBA.
But after nearly two decades climbing the corporate ladder in New York, the 46-year-old stopped managing employees and began micromanaging her two daughters.
Instead of overseeing company accounts, Kumar organizes piano lessons, SAT preparation courses and Advanced Placement class homework assignments. She wants to give her daughters a shot at a top-notch college education.
"I had a very good, promising career," Kumar said. "But it wasn't as important as making sure my kids did well and just setting them up for the future."
Stay-at-home parenting is nothing new. About 5.1 million mothers stay at home full time, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But Kumar's decision to quit her job came at an unconventional time -- when her children were grown teenagers and had entered high school. Unlike maternity leave, think of Kumar's time off as a college-prep leave, say college admissions counselors.
She represents a group of highly educated mothers who are sacrificing careers to usher their children through the increasingly competitive college admissions process.
There are no statistics counting how many mothers compromise their careers to help their teens with college admissions, but college counselors say they've witnessed more cases of mothers pausing their jobs or completely quitting their jobs. Over the past five years, Jeannie Borin, president of College Connections, says she saw a 10 percent uptick in mothers who quit or postponed their career to get their teens into college. Her counseling company offers services in 32 states.
These mothers, who can afford to quit their jobs, may stop working for months, a year or several years leading up to the admission process, say researchers and college admissions counselors. They reduce their full-time hours to part time or request a temporary leave. Because many of them have jobs that require advanced degrees and specific skills, it's usually easier for them to transition back into the work force.
"They know it's going to be an intense year and they take a leave to that effect," Borin said. "The college frenzy has affected the entire family."
Since the mid-1990s, there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of time college-educated mothers are spending with their older children, according to a March study from the University of California, San Diego. Women spent six hours a week on child care in the mid-1990s, but that number jumped to about 12 hours a week after 2005, the study said.
Economics professors Garey and Valerie Ramey, who headed the UCSD study, theorized the rising amount of time spent on child care by a parent likely is associated with difficulty in the college admission process and juggling college preparatory activities. They found that college-educated parents have more resources and are better equipped to help their children with the process.
"We were shocked to find other mothers who had graduate degrees and had given up their careers and devoted their time to their children," said Valerie Ramey.
The panic of getting her 17-year-old daughter into a highly ranked university hit Rebecca Marder hard.
Marder, 56, of Los Angeles, California, holds two master's degrees in counseling that took her nearly 5½ years to earn. But a year-and-a-half ago, during daughter's junior year in high school, she put her private counseling practice on hold to help her through the college application process. Junior year is a crunch time for high schoolers, as they compile college wish lists and tour campuses.
She became her daughter's college applications manager, scheduling campus tours and researching academic programs. She also became a videographer, recording her 17-year-old at each college visit as she weighed the pros and cons in front of each school.
Marder has three older children, ages 25, 23, and 19, but she said this is the first time she stopped working, because she saw that expectations of high school students had
|
[
"Who did a study on moms?",
"What has gotten more competitive?",
"What has gotten more competitive for high school students?",
"Where was the study done?"
] |
[
"Economics professors Garey and Valerie Ramey,",
"college admissions",
"college admissions process.",
"University of California, San Diego."
] |
question: Who did a study on moms?, answer: Economics professors Garey and Valerie Ramey, | question: What has gotten more competitive?, answer: college admissions | question: What has gotten more competitive for high school students?, answer: college admissions process. | question: Where was the study done?, answer: University of California, San Diego.
|
(CNN) -- Kaka converted a penalty in time added on to give holders Brazil a dramatic 4-3 win over Egypt who filed an official complaint after their Confederations Cup opener at Bloemfontein on Monday.
Kaka celebrates after his last-gasp penalty gives holders Brazil an opening win in their Confed Cup victory.
Substitute Ahmed al-Muhamadi was red-carded after handling on the goalline in a desperate attempt to deny Brazil -- and Real Madrid's recent $92million signing Kaka rifled home from the spot for his second goal of the game.
But the decision by English referee Howard Webb to award the penalty upset African Nations Cup winners Egypt.
They were unhappy that Webb initially blew for a corner but changed his mind after the fourth official, Australia's Matthew Breeze, spoke to him after reportedly seeing television replays.
"Since when do the regulations say it is a penalty based on the monitors or on the television?" asked Egypt's deputy coach Shawki Gharib. "Egypt is going to file a complaint against the penalty."
Brazil coach Dunga saw nothing wrong with the decision. "It was a clear case of a penalty," he said, adding that his team let a two-goal lead slip because they were tired.
"We had two tough (World Cup) qualifiers, 23 hours of travel and the time difference. The players have not been sleeping well so obviously we are quite happy with the win."
Substitute Giuseppe Rossi scored a brace to help world champions Italy stage a second-half recovery against 10-man United States and claim a 3-1 victory in their tournament debut in Pretoria.
South Africa are staging the tournament as a warm-up for next year's World Cup finals -- with Egypt struggling to qualify for 2010 after their recent 3-1 defeat against Algeria.
But it looked as though Egypt were going to deny five-times world champions Brazil an opening victory in their defense of the Confederations crown after a fightback that saw Mohamed Zidan also score twice.
Brazil were leading 3-1 at halftime with first-half strikes from Kaka (5 minutes), Luis Fabiano (12) and Juan (37) with Zidan heading home Wael Gomaa's cross on nine.
It was all change early in the second half when Egypt drew level with two goals inside a minute.
The first came when Sayed Moawad pulled the ball back from the left to Mohamed Shawky who blasted a superb strike beyond Julio Cesar. And Brazil were left reeling when Zidan pulled Egypt level seconds later.
Brazil coach Dunga took off Manchester City pair Robinho and Elano soon after and replaced them with Benfica midfielder Ramires and Milan striker Alexandre Pato.
And Kaka had the final say in a match played in front of thousands of empty seats despite FIFA president Sepp Blatter's criticism that organisers had not done enough to sell tickets for Spain's game with New Zealand on Sunday.
Brazil next face CONCACAF Gold Cup winners United States on Thursday before facing world champions Italy on June 21.
Egypt play Italy on Thursday before meeting the U.S with the top two from each group go through to the semifinals.
Italy were trailing 1-0 against the U.S. at the interval after Galaxy forward Landon Donovan fired his side ahead from the penalty spot after 41 minutes.
The Americans were already down to 10 men following the dismissal of Ricardo Clark who was given a straight red card after 33 minutes for a foul on Gennaro Gattuso.
But the introduction of Rossi just before the hour mark turned the game. The Villarreal striker blasted home from 30 yards to equalise on 59 minutes before Daniele De Rossi put Italy in front with 18 minutes left.
Rossi then added the finishing touch in injury time as the Azzurri moved joint top of Group B alongside Brazil.
|
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"Italy",
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"Ahmed al-Muhamadi",
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"Kaka",
"Egypt",
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] |
question: Which team are the world champions?, answer: Italy | question: who was red-carded?, answer: Substitute Ahmed al-Muhamadi | question: who complained with FIFA?, answer: Egypt | question: What was the name of the substitute who red-carded after handling on the goalline?, answer: Ahmed al-Muhamadi | question: Who are the World Champions?, answer: Italy | question: who converts penalty?, answer: Kaka | question: Which country lodged complaint with FIFA?, answer: Egypt | question: What did Kaka do?, answer: converted a penalty
|
(CNN) -- Kaka underlined his commitment to AC Milan with two goals in a 4-1 Serie A win at Bologna on Sunday when on-loan David Beckham claimed his first goal in Italian football.
Kaka scored twice for AC Milan days after rejecting a world record transfer to Manchester City.
Brazilian star Kaka, playing his first match since the collapse of a proposed world record transfer to Premier League Manchester City, converted from the penalty spot after 17 minutes and added a spectacular second two minutes before half-time.
Kaka's double took the limelight away from former England captain Beckham who made his mark on the hour as Milan kept up the pressure on top two, city rivals Inter and Turin-based Juventus.
Beckham moved to Milan from Los Angeles Galaxy earlier this month and found the target as coach Carlo Ancelotti marked 400 games in charge of the club.
The former Mancherster United star is clearly enjoying his stay in Italy and there have been suggestions he could extend his stay.
"I can't say what will happen," PA Sport quoted him as saying on Sunday. "Even if my contract says that I'll be here until March. We'll have to see.
"At the moment I'm enjoying this experience. I'm at one of the biggest clubs in the world. And having won gives us confidence to continue."
He added: "It's great to score my first goal -- I will keep this jersey. It's special to play for Milan and also to score, but what's most important is that we won."
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with Beckham's performance, but insists the club can do nothing to keep him at the San Siro.
However, he claims the 33-year-old holds his future in his own hands. "If he said 'we'll see' it means he's thinking about staying," Ancelotti told Sky Italia. "However, our hands are tied as he has a clear contract."
Bologna took the lead through a Marco Di Vaio penalty after nine minutes and Clarence Seedorf equalised after Kaka's effort had been spilled by goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.
AS Roma closed to within three points of fourth, the final Champions League qualifying position, with a stunning 3-0 win at Napoli.
Centre-backs Philippe Mexes (18) and Juan (32) gave Roma a two-goal lead at the interval and Montenegro forward Mirko Vucinic added the third four minutes into the second half.
Roma are now only three points behind Genoa who were surprisingly held to a 1-1 home draw by Catania who led through a 67th-minute goal from Jorge Martinez. Diego Milito replied six minutes later.
Roma have won eight of their last 10 Serie A matches following an awful start to the season where they won only two and lost six of their first 10 games.
Fabio Simplicio scored twice as Palermo defeated Udinese 3-2 while strugglers Lecce and Torino shared six goals.
|
[
"Who scored twice in serie a?",
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"Who is the Brazil star?"
] |
[
"Kaka",
"Kaka",
"David Beckham",
"claimed his first goal in Italian football.",
"Sunday",
"Kaka,"
] |
question: Who scored twice in serie a?, answer: Kaka | question: Who scored twice?, answer: Kaka | question: Who hits first goal?, answer: David Beckham | question: What did beckham do this week?, answer: claimed his first goal in Italian football. | question: When did the goals come?, answer: Sunday | question: Who is the Brazil star?, answer: Kaka,
|
(CNN) -- Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in Tuesday night as secretary of Health and Human Services.
Kathleen Sebelius dives into discussing the swine flu at the White House after being sworn in.
She was sworn after she was confirmed by the Senate in a 65-31 vote.
The timely vote puts Sebelius in office as the Obama administration is up against its first public health outbreak.
She steps into the role as swine flu numbers climb worldwide. As of Tuesday morning, at least 90 cases had been confirmed, including 50 in the United States.
Until her confirmation, the White House, which declared a public health emergency Sunday, was dealing with its first crisis without a secretary. But the administration said it was equipped to handle the situation.
There are still no appointees in place for any of the department's 18 key positions. Related: White House health team not complete
In most cases where a position is awaiting Senate confirmation, that job is filled by a career civil servant in an interim capacity. The Obama administration has named five nominees for the open positions.
Sebelius met several obstacles during her confirmation hearings. The Kansas governor came under fire for her ties to Dr. George Tiller, a late-term abortion provider.
Tiller and his staff attended a 2007 reception Sebelius held at the governor's mansion in Topeka.
Sebelius originally failed to account for donations she received from the doctor.
Sebelius also revealed in March that she recently paid nearly $8,000 in back taxes and interest. She said she had errors in her 2005, 2006 and 2007 tax returns.
Sebelius, 60, is the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, who led that state from 1971 to 1975. A two-term Democratic governor in a Republican-leaning state, she previously served as a state insurance commissioner and oversaw Kansas' Medicaid program.
She has been credited with boosting health care assistance for the poor during her tenure. A number of leading social conservatives have criticized Sebelius for her record on abortion, citing, among other things, her veto as governor of legislation that would have tightened abortion regulations in Kansas.
In vetoing the measure last April, Sebelius wrote that the bill was problematic because it included no exceptions for pregnancies that endanger a woman's life and it allowed individuals to seek court orders preventing a woman from obtaining an abortion, even if the procedure was necessary to save her life.
Some Republicans, however, have strongly defended Sebelius. Former Senate GOP leader Bob Dole, also from Kansas, testified on Sebelius' behalf in March, arguing that her record had proven her ability to work in a bipartisan manner. "Sebelius' strength is that she understands health care [and is] willing and able ... to bring parties together in very critical areas," he said.
Kansas GOP Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, as well as Republican Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Jon Huntsman of Utah commended her selection.
Former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota, Obama's first choice for secretary of health and human services, withdrew on February 3 after controversy erupted over his tax records and over his work in a field that some consider lobbying.
|
[
"who was sworn in",
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] |
[
"Kathleen Sebelius",
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"declared a public health emergency",
"Kathleen Sebelius"
] |
question: who was sworn in, answer: Kathleen Sebelius | question: how many vote have?, answer: 65-31 | question: what does white house say, answer: declared a public health emergency | question: Who was sworn in after the vote?, answer: Kathleen Sebelius
|
(CNN) -- Kansas leaders Wednesday ended a standoff that had delayed tax refunds and state paychecks by agreeing to borrow $225 million from various state accounts, a spokeswoman for the governor's office said.
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius approved $300 million in budget cuts Wednesday.
Republican lawmakers approved moving money into the state's main account to pay the bills after budget cuts agreed to by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, spokeswoman Brittany Stiffler said.
The state resumed processing income tax refunds on Wednesday -- they had been suspended last week because of low funds -- and state employees' paychecks will be paid on time Friday, Department of Administration spokesman Gavin Young said.
Republicans earlier this week denied the Democratic governor's request to move the money, saying they could not approve the certificate of indebtedness, also known as internal borrowing, until they knew the state could repay the money by June 30, the end of the fiscal year.
However, Republicans said they would be likely to approve the internal borrowing if Sebelius agreed to the Legislature's proposed budget cuts for the 2009 fiscal year. On Wednesday, she approved about $300 million in budget cuts.
"She blinked, and that's helpful," Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, a Republican, said Wednesday.
"I'm just sorry we had to have high drama and worry a lot of Kansans about our ability to pay our obligations," Sebelius said Wednesday.
Kansas was one of several states to meet this week to address budget concerns in a time when 43 states are starting the year short on funds, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
"This is an equal-opportunity recession. States in virtually every part of the country are suffering... even the energy states are starting to report problems," Corina Eckl of the National Conference of State Legislatures said. iReport.com: What you'd fix first
"For most, it has only gone downhill. They have tried to make up the difference with expanded gambling, with delays of construction projects, with hiring freezes, with fee and tax increases. But almost all of this has failed to regain lost ground, merely serving as a firebreak against worse troubles," she said.
California faces a $42 billion deficit that prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a fiscal emergency in December. California lawmakers worked into early Wednesday but couldn't pass a budget.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued 10,000 layoff notices Tuesday, affecting a wide spectrum of state agencies and employees, in an effort to deal with the budget crisis, a spokesman said.
Another 10,000 layoff notices might be sent Wednesday, the spokesman said. All the layoffs would take effect July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.
The Republican governor has butted heads for months with the Democratic majority over easing the $11.2 billion revenue shortfall this fiscal year alone. Cuts would save California $750 million for the year. The $42 billion deficit is for the current and next fiscal years. Interactive: See projected state budget gaps »
Last month, the state began delaying $3.5 billion in payments to taxpayers, contractors, counties and social service agencies so the state could continue funding schools and making debt payments. Watch more on California's budget woes »
Also today, New Jersey's governor announced that all state employees will be forced to take two unpaid furlough days, a move that will save $35 million, part of the nearly $4 billion in budget cuts that state is making.
In Maryland, tax collections in nearly every category are falling short of expectations, with dismal revenue projects putting more pressure on state legislators to balance the budget without relying on the federal stimulus package, CNN affiliate WBAL reported.
State workers in Colorado may face unpaid time off in an effort to spare the state's colleges and universities millions of dollars in budget cuts, KUSA-TV in Denver reported Tuesday. Interactive: Estimated job growth across the country
Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, announced plans recently to furlough some state workers to balance the budget. Roughly $600 million in budget cuts need to be made by the end of this
|
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question: How much money was borrowed, answer: $225 million | question: who apporved the cuts, answer: Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius | question: What is the number of furlough days given?, answer: two | question: What budget year are the cuts approved for?, answer: 2009 | question: from who did they borrow the money, answer: various state accounts, | question: What cuts did Sebelius approve?, answer: budget
|
(CNN) -- Kate Hudson's ex, Black Crowes rocker Chris Robinson, is going to be a dad again, a representative for the band confirmed in a statement Tuesday.
Chris Robinson and girlfriend Allison Bridges will be having a child in early 2010.
Robinson and girlfriend Allison Bridges, who have been dating for two years, are expecting their first child in early 2010, the statement said.
The baby will be the 42-year-old frontman's second child -- he and Hudson have a 5 1/2-year-old son, Ryder Russell, together.
Hudson and Robinson were married for six years and their divorce was finalized in October 2006. They were granted joint custody of their son.
Robinson and his brother Rich formed the band that would eventually become the Black Crowes in the 1980s.
The Crowes' new album, "Before the Frost . . . Until the Freeze," is in stores now.
|
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question: Who is having a baby with his girlfriend?, answer: Chris Robinson | question: who is the frontman, answer: Chris Robinson, | question: How long have Bridges and Robinson been dating?, answer: for two years, | question: Who is his ex?, answer: Hudson's | question: how long have they been dating, answer: two years, | question: How long have Robinson and Bridges been dating?, answer: two years, | question: how long have they been dating, answer: two years, | question: how many children does he have, answer: second child | question: Who is having a baby?, answer: Chris Robinson and girlfriend Allison Bridges | question: How long has Robinson and girlfriend been dating?, answer: two years, | question: Who is Robinson's ex-girlfriend?, answer: Kate | question: What is the 5 1/2 year old's name?, answer: Ryder Russell,
|
(CNN) -- Kate Meinhardt felt like a clown jammed into a Volkswagen bug when she lived in a 21-square-foot room aboard a circus train.
Kate Meinhardt crammed her life into a 21-square-foot room while she lived aboard a circus train.
Bungee cords crisscrossed her walls once a week to prevent an avalanche of items from raining down. A microwave, mini refrigerator, her laptop and baskets of personal items lined the dorm-like room.
Showering, going to the bathroom and even doing laundry became racing contests on the train, Meinhardt said. The 13 people on board shared one shower, two toilets and one washer and dryer.
"It's a pretty tough life living in such a small space," she said. The 23-year-old spent almost a year as an animal handler for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
While most iReporters haven't run off to join the circus, some have traded in their homes for smaller digs. One iReporter even opted for a floating lifestyle, where he could sail away at a moment's notice. iReport.com: Living in tight quarters
Living on a 25-foot boat was only supposed to be temporary, but Jim Smith loved it so much he stayed there for a year.
"I have lived in a 25-foot sailboat, a 28-foot motor home, a 32-foot sailboat and now an 800 square-foot apartment," Smith said in his iReport. "I was happiest with the 25-foot sailboat."
While docked in Panama City, Florida, Smith kept his expenses to a minimum. The marina slip rent was only $200 and electricity was included in the rent, he said.
The boat did not have refrigeration so Smith kept his food inside an insulated ice box. For 79 cents at the discount grocery store, he could buy a 10-pound bag of ice that would last him several days, even during the summer.
Air conditioning wasn't a luxury Smith had either, but fans and sea breezes kept him cool.
"Sometimes the less you have, the more you like it," he said.
The portable lifestyle also charmed a father-son duo who set out on a yearlong European vacation. A camper van took them wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted.
Spencer Pearson and his 15-year-old son, Bryce, bought a 150-square-foot van in Germany for their European excursion. Living out of the van meant "no reservations, no packing and unpacking of suitcases, no strange beds," Pearson said.
Modern amenities weren't amiss on the van, which included everything from the Internet and entertainment to a complete bath and kitchen, and there were occasional hotel stays and meals out that made the trip more pleasant.
The simple life also enticed Deborah Greant and her husband to trade in their Calgary, Canada, home for an RV.
Both she and her husband have neuromuscular problems and needed extra help taking care of their large home. Since moving into a 240-square-foot RV, they can manage the house themselves.
"We didn't want to be owned by our things," Greant said. "We jettisoned pretty much everything except things from former generations."
While two people living in an RV can be tight, imagine a family of six trying to do the same.
Mounting living expenses and a job relocation prompted the Chervenkas to sell their home and move into a 32-foot RV. Two pets came along, too.
The Chervenkas weren't forced to do this. Their goal was to become debt-free and save money for their children's college educations.
When pilot Tim Chervenka got transferred to Charlotte, North Carolina, the family set up camp in a 32-foot RV. The temporary situation turned into a permanent one.
The family said goodbye to paying a first and second mortgage and pricey utilities. They now pay only $500 a month, utilities included.
"It's made such an adjustment in our personal life without the juggling," Cindy Chervenka said. "We have so much more family time. It's a good feeling."
Cindy
|
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question: What did IReporters share their experience on?, answer: traded in | question: Who shares their experiences of living in a small space?, answer: iReporters | question: Who traded his home for a sailboat?, answer: Jim Smith | question: Where did Kate live?, answer: aboard a circus train. | question: Who lived aboard in a circus train?, answer: Meinhardt | question: Who traded in his home for a 25 foot sailboat?, answer: Jim Smith | question: Who traded in his home for a sailboat?, answer: Jim Smith | question: Name of person who worked as animal handler?, answer: Kate Meinhardt | question: Who lived aboard a circus train?, answer: Meinhardt | question: What are the iReporters sharing their experience of?, answer: living in such a small space," | question: What did iReporters share?, answer: traded in their homes for smaller digs.
|
(CNN) -- Katie Callaway Hall trembled for four hours when she heard Phillip Garrido was arrested.
Katie Callaway Hall said she wanted to scream when she heard that Phillio Garrido kidnapped someone else.
His name sent a flurry of emotion running through her mind.
"I screamed," she told CNN's Larry King on Monday night. "I started screaming 'Oh my god, Oh my god, it's him.' "
She has thought about him every day since November 22, 1976 when he asked her for a ride at a supermarket in California, before handcuffing her, binding her and taking her to a mini-warehouse in Reno, Nevada, where he raped her. Watch victim describe her terror »
Garrido was convicted for kidnapping and raping Hall, but was released after serving just over 10 years of a 50-year sentence. He was labeled a sex offender and put on lifetime parole.
"In many ways, the capture of Phillip Garrido has closed a chapter in my life," Hall wrote for a Larry King blog. "I don't have to hide anymore. I don't have to live every day of my life wondering if he is looking for me. I am finally free from the fear I have lived with since the day I learned he was paroled." Read what Hall wrote on the blog
Garrido and his wife, Nancy, were charged last week with crimes relating to the abduction of 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard in 1991 and her captivity in a hidden shed-and-tent compound in the couple's backyard in Antioch, California.
"With all the joy I should feel, I want to scream from the depths of my soul," she said. "Scream because my fears turned out to be justified -- he struck again."
While Hall has tried to suppress some of the memories of what happened to her that night, Garrido's arrest took her mind back to that night in November.
"A man tapped on my window and asked for a ride," she said. "I agreed."
When she stopped the car to drop him off, Garrido took the keys out of the ignition, according to court documents from Garrido's appeal in the case.
Garrido, then 25, "told [Hall] it wasn't intentional that he had taken her, but that it was her fault because she was attractive," according to the documents.
"Soon after, I was cuffed, bound, gagged, and taken to a warehouse," Hall told CNN.
She was kept in the 6 by 12-foot storage facility, which Hall remembers was stacked with half-opened boxes with China-type dishes inside.
Large, heavy carpets were hanging from the ceiling, spaced apart every few feet.
"It was like a maze," she said. "And in the back of the mini warehouse where he had me, he had it set up to keep someone for awhile."
"Most of the details about what happened to me after I entered that warehouse have been repressed."
She told Larry King that she feared for her life.
"I thought I was dead," she said.
Hall was held in the small storage facility for five hours before she heard a noise.
"My recollections begin around 3 a.m. Someone banged on the door. I remember thinking, 'Oh my God, his friends are coming,' " she said. "Garrido said, 'Do I have to tie you up or are you going to be good.' "
She told him she would be good, but she knew if it was the police banging outside, she was going to "have to try something."
"I barreled my way out of the warehouse completely naked. I could see the officer and Garrido standing there. They both looked at me like I was crazy," she said. "I couldn't see the officer's car. I thought 'Oh God, he's not a real cop.' My state of mind
|
[
"Who did he kidnap and rape?",
"What was Phillip convicted of?",
"Where was Hall kept?",
"Who did Garrido kidnap and rape?",
"What was Garrido convicted of?",
"What did Hall say?"
] |
[
"Jaycee Lee Dugard",
"kidnapping and raping",
"in the 6 by 12-foot storage facility,",
"Katie Callaway Hall",
"kidnapping and raping Hall,",
"she wanted to scream when she heard that Phillio Garrido kidnapped someone else."
] |
question: Who did he kidnap and rape?, answer: Jaycee Lee Dugard | question: What was Phillip convicted of?, answer: kidnapping and raping | question: Where was Hall kept?, answer: in the 6 by 12-foot storage facility, | question: Who did Garrido kidnap and rape?, answer: Katie Callaway Hall | question: What was Garrido convicted of?, answer: kidnapping and raping Hall, | question: What did Hall say?, answer: she wanted to scream when she heard that Phillio Garrido kidnapped someone else.
|
(CNN) -- Katy Brown is an Internet-savvy college freshman with conservative perspectives who worries about the future of the Republican Party.
Katy Brown, Kevin Neugebauer, Barbara Rademacher and Chuck Burkhard discuss the future of the GOP.
Brown, a student at Kent State University in Ohio, joined other Republicans and conservative independent iReporters in an online roundtable discussion.
The Republican National Committee selected Michael Steele to become its chairman Friday during its annual winter meeting after the decisive victory of President Obama in November.
Over the next four years, Republicans must regroup and establish a strategy, and the new GOP leader must navigate a political landscape where the Democrats control the White House and both houses of Congress.
"I think we'll come with somebody who has experience, knows what they're talking about, is good with both liberals and conservatives, both Democrats and Republicans," Brown said of a future Republican presidential nominee. iReport.com: Watch Brown respond to one of Obama's Cabinet picks
Kevin Neugebauer of Katy, Texas, a Republican who voted for Sen. John McCain in the election, said during the chat that he thinks the majority of Americans are conservative and that he wants to see the party head in a more conservative direction. iReport.com: 'McCain wasn't conservative enough to win'
Neugebauer thinks that abiding by conservative principles, especially fiscally, is the only way to solve the country's financial problems.
"I don't want to have to mortgage my kids' future to get us out of the things we're doing today," he said.
Another panel participant, Chuck Burkhard of Windber, Pennsylvania, voted for McCain as a registered Republican but plans to become an independent. Watch the iReporters talk over a Web chat »
He feels that the Bush administration failed at making government smaller and reducing spending, which he thinks Republicans should make a top priority. He hopes that the party will take a new direction and reach out to more people.
"I really think the Republicans will reach out with a grass-roots campaign," he said. iReport.com: 'I choose Sen. McCain'
Neugebauer said he thinks the Republican Party needs a "fresh new face" who can set the agenda. He says the government needs to be smaller and thinks politicians waste money on "stuff that the government has no business being in."
The fourth panel participant, Barbara Rademacher, said she had a difficult time making her decision during the 2008 election. She finally settled on McCain but says she is very much an independent voter. Social issues such as abortion are what swung her to the right, but she said the party focused too much on attacks.
"I hate the Republican Party the way it is right now. I hated the way they acted during the election and some of the ideas they came up with as election strategies," she said.
Rademacher said she thinks former Gov. Mike Huckabee, a candidate in the 2008 race, would be a good president because of his experience. She says he has integrity, intelligence and charisma, as well as the ability to manage money. iReport.com: How will Huckabee reform the party?
"I think he may be the only hope for the Republican Party," she said.
Burkhard, Brown and Neugebauer all agreed that Huckabee would be a good presidential candidate. Neugebauer said he also likes former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and advocated for a return to strong Republican politics.
"I just think what we need to do is, we need to concentrate on the core values that the Republican Party was started on," he said. "There's too many fence-huggers. They'll say one thing just to get votes, and they actually are thinking the other way. You really need someone in there that can rally the troops and somebody with good morals and a good record."
Paul A. Beck, a political science professor at Ohio State University, said that although Obama is president, there is a large number of conservative people in the country, and they will want their say.
"We have
|
[
"Who was named chairman of the Republican National Committee?",
"What is the name of the new chairman?",
"What did Katy Brown advocate?",
"Who advocates bipartisan cooperation during iReport roundtable chat?",
"Which committee named a new chairman?",
"What did Kevin Neugebauer suggest?",
"What does Neugebauer recommend?",
"Who was named chairman?",
"Who suggests Republicans need to return to conservative roots?"
] |
[
"Michael Steele",
"Michael Steele",
"somebody who has experience,",
"Newt Gingrich",
"Republican National",
"abiding by conservative principles, especially fiscally, is the only way to solve the country's financial problems.",
"Republican Party needs a \"fresh new face\"",
"Michael Steele",
"Kevin Neugebauer"
] |
question: Who was named chairman of the Republican National Committee?, answer: Michael Steele | question: What is the name of the new chairman?, answer: Michael Steele | question: What did Katy Brown advocate?, answer: somebody who has experience, | question: Who advocates bipartisan cooperation during iReport roundtable chat?, answer: Newt Gingrich | question: Which committee named a new chairman?, answer: Republican National | question: What did Kevin Neugebauer suggest?, answer: abiding by conservative principles, especially fiscally, is the only way to solve the country's financial problems. | question: What does Neugebauer recommend?, answer: Republican Party needs a "fresh new face" | question: Who was named chairman?, answer: Michael Steele | question: Who suggests Republicans need to return to conservative roots?, answer: Kevin Neugebauer
|
(CNN) -- Kawasaki have announced they will run Marco Melandri in a one-bike team in the 2009 MotoGP world championship.
Italian Melandri will be the sole Kawasaki rider in the 2009 MotoGP championship.
The news comes just weeks after the Japanese manufacturer confirmed it was to end its MotoGP activities due to the economic downturn.
A statement confirmed the team's return to the sport comes in the wake of "constructive talks between Kawasaki, MotoGP organisers and other involved parties".
"This decision was made after negotiations that followed Kawasaki's January 2009 announcement to suspend its MotoGP activities due to the economic crisis," the statement continued.
"The rider for the new MotoGP team will be Marco Melandri. The team will be equipped with Kawasaki motorcycles and supporting materials.
"That Kawasaki have come to this new team approach is the result of, on the one hand, the need for a strong reduction of MotoGP racing investments and, on the other hand, the necessity to come to constructive solutions for all related parties."
Melandri moved to Kawasaki from Ducati at the end of what was a dismal 2008 season for the Italian, but shortly afterwards was told his new team would not be on the grid in 2009.
While the 26-year-old has earned a welcome reprieve, the man who would have been Melandri's team-mate this season, American John Hopkins, appears set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
|
[
"What teams did Melandri move from?",
"What is the name of the event?",
"What year did Italian Melandri move to Kawasaki from Ducati?",
"What nationality is Marco Melandri?",
"What company is ending MotoGP involvement?",
"What is the name of the company that will run Marco Melandri?",
"Who will be run in a one-bike team?",
"What brand of bike did Melandri used to ride?"
] |
[
"Ducati",
"2009 MotoGP",
"2008",
"Italian",
"Kawasaki",
"Kawasaki",
"Marco Melandri",
"Kawasaki"
] |
question: What teams did Melandri move from?, answer: Ducati | question: What is the name of the event?, answer: 2009 MotoGP | question: What year did Italian Melandri move to Kawasaki from Ducati?, answer: 2008 | question: What nationality is Marco Melandri?, answer: Italian | question: What company is ending MotoGP involvement?, answer: Kawasaki | question: What is the name of the company that will run Marco Melandri?, answer: Kawasaki | question: Who will be run in a one-bike team?, answer: Marco Melandri | question: What brand of bike did Melandri used to ride?, answer: Kawasaki
|
(CNN) -- Kazakh cyclist Alexander Vinokourov will be free to launch his competitive comeback before the end of next month following a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling in Switzerland on Tuesday.
Kazakh rider Vinokourov will be free to resume competitive cycling before the end of next month.
Vinokourov was originally suspended for one year by his federation (KCF) after the pre-race favorite was thrown out of the 2007 Tour de France for blood doping.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) disputed the length of the ban which should have been for two years under their rules.
Parties involved agreed the issue should go to arbitration and Vinokourov, who 'retired' after being banned, has now been told his ban will be for two years.
This year's Tour de France runs from July 4-26 while Vinokourov has been told by CAS he can resume competitive action two days before the race ends in Paris.
Vinokourov has said he wants to launch a comeback, preferably with Astana alongside Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador.
"My dream would be to win the world championship and wear the rainbow shirt for my last year in 2010," he said last month.
Swiss-based CAS issued its preliminary decision in the arbitration between the UCI, Vinokourov and the KCF in a Web site statement on Tuesday
CAS said: "The decision adopted on 5 December 2007 by the Anti-Doping Commission of the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation is set aside.
"Mr Vinokurov committed an anti-doping rule violation under Articles 15.2 of the Anti-Doping Regulations of the Union Cycliste Internationale and, according to Articles 261, 268 and 275 of the Anti-Doping Regulations, is declared ineligible for a period of two years commencing on 24 July 2007.
"Mr Vinokurov will be eligible to compete in international competitions as of 24 July 2009."
|
[
"Who was told his doping ban is for two years?",
"When can Alexander Vinokourov resume cycling?",
"How long is Vinokourov's doping ban?",
"What was the reason for the pre-race favorite being thrown out?",
"What reason was the pre race favorite thrown out for?",
"How long is Alexander Vinokourov's doping ban?",
"What date can Vinokourov resume cycling?",
"Who is Alexander Vinokourov?"
] |
[
"Vinokourov,",
"before the end of next month.",
"one year",
"blood doping.",
"blood doping.",
"two years.",
"24 July 2009.\"",
"Kazakh"
] |
question: Who was told his doping ban is for two years?, answer: Vinokourov, | question: When can Alexander Vinokourov resume cycling?, answer: before the end of next month. | question: How long is Vinokourov's doping ban?, answer: one year | question: What was the reason for the pre-race favorite being thrown out?, answer: blood doping. | question: What reason was the pre race favorite thrown out for?, answer: blood doping. | question: How long is Alexander Vinokourov's doping ban?, answer: two years. | question: What date can Vinokourov resume cycling?, answer: 24 July 2009." | question: Who is Alexander Vinokourov?, answer: Kazakh
|
(CNN) -- Keith Felch is admittedly a big guy, but more than a few super-fit cyclists in Southern California have been left wondering how that dude just went flying by.
Keith Felch calls his electric bike a "hill eraser" because he can ride it to work without breaking a sweat.
And then his wife, Mary, comes motoring past.
"They stare, like how can a girl go past me," she says, laughing. It takes the other riders a few seconds but then they figure it out.
They have electric motors.
The Felches, who live in Aliso Viejo, California, used to drive everywhere, except when they used their bikes for recreation.
That changed when they got their new e-bikes, made by a company called Optibike. Now, they ride to go shopping and to go to breakfast -- but mostly they ride to work.
Keith Felch says the couple has cut 50 percent of their car-use since they started electric biking.
And there are other benefits. Keith Felch dropped 30 pounds and his blood pressure fell 10 points in the first six months he owned the bike, he says.
The Felches don't exactly classify themselves as "environmentalists," although Mary said it is important to have a positive effect on the planet.
"I learned that the worst amount of smog that you put out [in an automobile] is in the first mile, so if we can make even some of those shorter trips on our bicycles, it makes a big difference," she says.
Who wants one?
Brent Meyers, director of sales for Ultra Motor US, says electric bikes attract different types of buyers.
Many are looking to make a green imprint.
Some are "active adults" who have ridden bicycles for years who -- as they get older -- are unable to do the same kind of riding they did when they were young.
Other buyers want to ride their bikes to work quickly -- and avoid a sweaty entrance into the office.
Oddly -- or perhaps not -- Ultra Motor US sees its strongest sales when the price of oil skyrockets, says Meyers.
Two wheels, a motor and 100 million riders
Electric bikes are still somewhat of a novelty in the United States, but in China they're everywhere.
In fact, Chinese electric bikes number more than 100 million -- which is about four times the number of Chinese private cars, according to Electric Bikes Worldwide Reports. The bikes are popular in Europe as well.
Sales figures for the United States are hard to pinpoint.
In the United States, about 200,000 electric bicycles were sold last year, said Ed Benjamin of the Light Electric Vehicle Association -- about twice the number sold in 2005.
But the industry has hit a bump in the road from the recession, as sales were down about 10 percent in 2009, he said.
E-bikes are mostly made by specialty companies, but the growing sales trend has been noticed by the big boys.
Trek, a worldwide leader in bike sales, has been making electric bikes for three years, but only introduced them in the United States in the past year.
Other well-known companies like Schwinn and Giant are increasing their presence in the e-bike field.
At Interbike, the biggest bicycle industry convention in the United States, there were more than 20 companies displaying e-bikes this year. Meyers said only a few years ago, it was about five.
Prices range from a few hundred dollars -- the E-Zip Trailz Hybrid costs $398 at Wal-Mart -- to more than $13,000 for OptiBike's top-end model.
Prices increase as battery technology and components get better.
Steve Roseman of The Electric Bike Network in San Francisco, California, said most buyers he sees don't balk at the price, which can be as much as a good road or mountain bike. They are mostly concerned with how far they can go on a battery charge and how fast.
What's an 'e-bike
|
[
"How many electric bikes does china have?",
"How many electric bikes are in China?",
"What can electric bikes run on?",
"How many more bikes than cars does China have?"
] |
[
"more than 100 million",
"more than 100 million",
"motors.",
"four times"
] |
question: How many electric bikes does china have?, answer: more than 100 million | question: How many electric bikes are in China?, answer: more than 100 million | question: What can electric bikes run on?, answer: motors. | question: How many more bikes than cars does China have?, answer: four times
|
(CNN) -- Kellee Santiago wants to tap into the kinder, gentler side of gaming.
The player takes flight in "Cloud," a video game distributed by thatgamecompany.
The president and co-founder of thatgamecompany is finding success in the video game industry with titles like "Flower," "Flow" and "Cloud."
The mellow interactive experiences are definitely different from the more violent "spray-and-slay" video games on the market and are designed to encourage emotion, innovation and creativity.
In "Flower," the player journeys through an imaginary landscape where they can blow breezes, collect flower petals and enjoy the colorful landscape of what Santiago says is a "video game version of a poem."
Such creativity seems to be in perfect harmony with the 30-year-old video game developer, who has a background in the performing arts.
A graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Santiago worked with incorporating digital and interactive media with live performance before she discovered another passion.
It was while completing a master's in fine arts at the Interactive Media program at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts that Santiago realized she could marry her love of the arts with video game creation.
"That attraction I had to working on original theater works was very similar," she said. "I had grown up with video games; I was definitely a gamer all my life, and I had just never thought about it as a creative medium.
"As soon as I did, it was just really exciting, because I saw this huge, untapped potential and a lot of things that hadn't been done before," she added. "That excited me."
While at USC, she worked on a student project called "Cloud," a downloadable PC game, which only a few months after release online had been played by 350,000 people.
"In comparison to every single play I probably ever worked on in combination never saw that large an audience," said Santiago, whose company released "Cloud" as one of its games. "That was really exciting."
Santiago is returning to her alma mater Monday as a speaker for TEDx USC, an independently organized TED event, which has CNN.com as one of its supporters. TED stands for technology, entertainment and design and began 25 years ago as a conference to bring together some of the world's greatest minds.
Krisztina "Z" Holly is vice provost and executive director of the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation as well as the curator of TEDx USC. She said USC is an ideal location for the event, which has a theme of "Ideas Empowered," because of its diverse, entrepreneurial and innovative environment.
"It's a great opportunity to bring together leading minds both from on-campus and off-campus to share ideas, to hear new ideas and be inspired to come up with their own ideas to make a real impact," she said.
Making an impact is exactly what Santiago had in mind when she and fellow USC graduate Jenova Chen launched thatgamecompany.
The company, though small and independent, has received many positive reviews of its games and last year was honored as one of the "20 Breakthrough Developers" of the year by Gamasutra. Two of its games have been released on the Sony PlayStation 3 platform.
Although the gaming industry is mostly dominated by men, Santiago said, she has always been treated as an equal among her peers. And although the main demographic for video games is young men, Santiago said, there is another audience.
"The average gamer now is 35 years old," she said. "Because the audiences are maturing and simultaneously we have a generation of people who've grown up with games who are entering the industry, it's sort of now our turn to create."
Scott Steinberg, publisher for Digitaltrends.com and author of "Get Rich Playing Games," said Santiago is one of several women making a splash in the world of gaming.
Steinberg said Santiago, who is also an
|
[
"What are the games an alternative to?",
"What are some titles of the games?",
"who produces the games",
"what kind of games are they",
"What are alternatives to violent games?"
] |
[
"\"spray-and-slay\" video",
"\"Cloud.\"",
"thatgamecompany",
"kinder, gentler",
"\"Flower,\" \"Flow\""
] |
question: What are the games an alternative to?, answer: "spray-and-slay" video | question: What are some titles of the games?, answer: "Cloud." | question: who produces the games, answer: thatgamecompany | question: what kind of games are they, answer: kinder, gentler | question: What are alternatives to violent games?, answer: "Flower," "Flow"
|
(CNN) -- Kenya has enjoyed a reputation as one of East Africa's most stable nations since achieving independence from the UK in 1963.
Residents of the Mathare slum in Nairobi shout at demonstrators during violent clashes.
But a booming tourism industry, impressive economic growth -- currently six percent a year according to The Economist -- and decades of peace in a region scarred by conflict have served to disguise widespread poverty, violent crime and corruption and simmering ethnic tensions.
Tribal bonds remain stronger than national identity in Kenya, with the country's 36 million people claiming allegiance to around 40 different tribes.
Last week's election pitched incumbent President Mwai Kibaki, a member of Kenya's largest Kikuyu tribe, against opposition leader Raila Odinga of the Luo tribe.
The Kikuyu make up about 22 percent of Kenya's population. Mostly originating from Kenya's central highlands, the Kikuyu have long wielded strong economic and political power within the country.
Kenya's first post-independence leader, Jomo Kenyatta, president from 1964 until 1978, was a Kikuyu.
Kibaki, a government minister from 1965 until winning power as head of the Party of National Unity in elections five years ago, also enjoys the support of Kenyatta's successor, Daniel Arap Moi, a member of the Kalenjin tribe who ruled Kenya for 24 years from 1978 to 2002.
The Luo make up around 13 percent of the population, mostly in the west of the country. But they also form a sizeable community in some of Nairobi's most notorious slums, such as the vast Kibera shantytown where Odinga enjoys strong support and where some of this week's fiercest violence has occurred.
Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement is also backed by many members of the Luhya tribe, Kenya's second largest ethnic group, after Odinga promised to make a leading Luhya his deputy if elected.
This week's violence came as election officials declared victory for Kibaki with 51.3 percent to 48.7 percent for Odinga in the closest presidential vote in Kenyan electoral history.
But the result has been questioned by international election observers, throwing the country's political future into doubt.
Kibaki's first election success in 2002 -- declared free and fair by international observers -- was hailed at the time as a step forward for Kenyan democracy. However, his term has been dogged by allegations of corruption and graft. E-mail to a friend
|
[
"what is tribe president Kibaki belongs to?",
"What is the Challenger's name?",
"what is the kenya' s 36 million population made up of?",
"What are Kenya's slums dogged by?",
"Who is challenging President Kibaki?",
"Who belongs to the Kikuyu Tribe?",
"who forms sizeable group in west?",
"What is the President's name?"
] |
[
"Kenya's largest Kikuyu",
"Raila Odinga",
"people claiming allegiance",
"allegations of corruption and graft.",
"opposition leader Raila Odinga",
"President Mwai Kibaki,",
"The Luo",
"Mwai Kibaki,"
] |
question: what is tribe president Kibaki belongs to?, answer: Kenya's largest Kikuyu | question: What is the Challenger's name?, answer: Raila Odinga | question: what is the kenya' s 36 million population made up of?, answer: people claiming allegiance | question: What are Kenya's slums dogged by?, answer: allegations of corruption and graft. | question: Who is challenging President Kibaki?, answer: opposition leader Raila Odinga | question: Who belongs to the Kikuyu Tribe?, answer: President Mwai Kibaki, | question: who forms sizeable group in west?, answer: The Luo | question: What is the President's name?, answer: Mwai Kibaki,
|
(CNN) -- Kenya is known for producing some of the world's greatest runners and now a company wants to get them noticed wearing a brand from their country.
A group of young entrepreneurs have launched what they say is the nation's first running brand and they have high hopes of one day transforming Nairobi into the running apparel capital of the world.
"There are a lot of Kenyan athletes and you always see them wearing Nike and Adidas and not something from their own country," said Hussein Kurji, who designs the clothing and heads up the Kenyan operation of Kourage Athletics.
"We do have quite a good track record when it comes to running, so why not match that with an equally big clothing brand," he added.
Kourage says it creates running apparel that's 'designed, manufactured and managed in Kenya by Kenyans.'
The name of the brand forms the backbone of the company's ethos.
"Kourage is all about having the courage to do new things, try new things, be brave and go out and do what you would not normally do," Kurji said.
The brand officially launched in July producing just over 1,000 t-shirts. While initial orders are still low the team plans to eventually make everything from running shorts to hooded sweatshirts once they have more capital.
But they are quick to point out that they're not just selling apparel.
"Our shirts are beautiful. We use the softest fabric available; employ a modern fit and fantastic graphics, but what sets us apart are our ideals," said Chris Markl, the brains behind Kourage.
"By purchasing a Kourage shirt one is investing in Kenya's future. A future that is built upon business and international trade not foreign aid," he continued.
Africa growth vision
Florida-based economics professor and running enthusiast, Markl spent years getting Kourage off the ground. He even rode 1,800 miles on his bike from Canada to Mexico to raise the initial start-up funds.
Markl first became interested in the idea of producing an ethical clothing line when he was researching textiles factories in Honduras as part of his Ph.D.
"I always wondered why 'ethical' clothing lines were so focused on concentrating operations in America or Europe. There are incredible designers and entrepreneurs in impoverished countries," he said.
"To create real economic development, an apparel company needs to create as many economic linkages in a poor country as possible," he continued.
Kenya's 'silent crisis'
The Kourage team pride themselves on being one of the most ethical athletic apparel company in the world, according to Markl.
The clothes are produced by Viva Africa, a Kenyan-owned and operated factory, employing around 200 people, mostly women. The factory makes everything from police uniforms to high-end fashion.
However, the most important thing Markl says is that working conditions are fair and the employees are happy.
But the small team, who all hold down a variety of other day jobs, dream of one day opening up their own factory and headquarters in Nairobi.
While Kourage haven't approached any athletes yet, they hope that in 10 to 20 years Kenyan runners in the Olympics and other major sporting events will be wearing their brand.
They also have plans to approach smaller youth organizations in the country who have a focus on sports.
The group says there aren't many Kenya-based fashion outlets and that most clothing comes from South Africa.
Kourage hopes their industry model could help change the face of business in Kenya by inspiring the younger generation.
"It shows that you don't have to go to India or China to be successful. This could help boost the economy and generate income and jobs," Kurji said.
"We hope the entrepreneurship spirit of Kourage will show other young talent that if you have the courage and you persevere you can achieve what you want to."
|
[
"when did The brand officially launched ?",
"What do Kourage say?",
"What do they pride themselves on?",
"What do Kourage pride themselves on?",
"When did the branch launch?",
"When was the brand launched?",
"What do the brand hope to do?"
] |
[
"July",
"it creates running apparel that's 'designed, manufactured and managed in Kenya by Kenyans.'",
"being one of the most ethical athletic apparel company in the world,",
"being one of the most ethical athletic apparel company in the world,",
"July",
"July",
"transforming Nairobi into the running apparel capital of the world."
] |
question: when did The brand officially launched ?, answer: July | question: What do Kourage say?, answer: it creates running apparel that's 'designed, manufactured and managed in Kenya by Kenyans.' | question: What do they pride themselves on?, answer: being one of the most ethical athletic apparel company in the world, | question: What do Kourage pride themselves on?, answer: being one of the most ethical athletic apparel company in the world, | question: When did the branch launch?, answer: July | question: When was the brand launched?, answer: July | question: What do the brand hope to do?, answer: transforming Nairobi into the running apparel capital of the world.
|
(CNN) -- Kevin Pearce One of the country's top snowboarders, who was considered a favorite to make the U.S. Olympic team, was in critical but stable condition Sunday after an accident while training last week at Park City, Utah.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the 22-year-old from Norwich, Vermont, was wearing a helmet while attempting a twisting double back flip on an icy halfpipe. Pearce hit his head, was knocked unconscious and was then airlifted to the University of Utah hospital for surgery. He sustained severe traumatic brain injury, one of his doctors said in a statement. Pearce, a beloved athlete, was one of the few snowboarders who experts thought could challenge top contender Shaun White, who has won almost every top snowboarding medal.
Los Angeles Times: Snowboarder in critical condition
Adrian Smith One of the world's most widely recognized architects is one of the principal designers of the world's tallest tower, the Burj Dubai, which opens today in the emirate of Dubai. The 160-plus-story structure has already been hailed as a monumental architectural achievement but is seen by some as a symbol of the city's unbridled excess. The majestic silvery construction houses a luxury hotel, apartments and offices. Six years in the making, the Burj Dubai reaches 818 meters, or half a mile, into the sky above Dubai, with dizzying views of the ambitious building program that has transformed the emirate and left it swamped by debt.
Smith worked for four decades at the structure's architecture firm, Chicago, Illinois-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which called the Burj "a bold global icon that will serve as a model for future urban centers." Declaring that "tall buildings are back," the company predicts that the groundbreaking techniques it used to push the Burj to new heights should enable the construction of even taller towers in the future.
CNN: Debt-hit Dubai opens world's tallest tower
Kurt Westergaard The Danish political cartoonist was threatened by a Somali man wielding an ax and knife. According to Westergaard, the man tried to enter the house by breaking through a glass door Friday night. Westergaard took his 5-year-old granddaughter into a specially built "panic room" when he realized what was happening, Chief Superintendent Ole Madsen said. Police said a home alarm alerted them to the scene in the city of Aarhus, and they were attacked by the suspect when they responded. Police shot the suspect and he was taken into custody. Westergaard, who has been threatened for drawing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005, is ordinarily accompanied by bodyguards, but there were no guards at the house when the break-in occurred.
The New York Times quoted a Danish newspaper report that Denmark's security and intelligence agency knew that the accused Somali man was held in Kenya in September for allegedly helping to plot an attack against Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who visited Kenya in August. The man was released earlier this fall by Kenyan authorities due to lack of evidence, the newspaper Politiken reported. Denmark's ambassador to Kenya told the news agency Ritzau, however, that the Somali man was arrested in Kenya for incomplete travel documents, adding that Kenyan authorities never told the embassy that he was a suspect in a terror plot.
CNN: Cartoonist hid in 'panic room' during attack
Annise Parker Houston's first openly gay mayor will be sworn in today. Parker's election last month also makes her the second woman to become mayor of Houston. Other cities such as Providence, Rhode Island, and Portland, Oregon, have picked openly gay mayors. Houston is the fourth-largest U.S. city.
Parker's victory is also remarkable because a few years ago, Houston rejected a referendum to offer benefits to same-sex partners of city workers. Also, the city sits in a state where gay marriage is against the law. Parker, 53, has never shied away from, nor made an issue of, her sexual orientation. She has been with her partner for 19 years and they have two adopted children.
CNN: Houston elects first openly gay mayor
What makes a person intriguing
|
[
"Where is the tallest tower in the world?",
"Where is the world's tallest tower?",
"When were injured top U.S. snowboard?",
"Which fourth-largest U.S. has openly gay mayor?",
"Who is openly gay?",
"Where is the world's tallest tower opening?",
"What is the fourth-largest city in the U.S.?",
"When was the snowboarder injured?",
"What is the name of the top U.S. snowboarder?"
] |
[
"of Dubai.",
"Burj Dubai,",
"Sunday",
"Annise Parker",
"Annise Parker",
"of Dubai.",
"Houston",
"Sunday",
"Shaun White,"
] |
question: Where is the tallest tower in the world?, answer: of Dubai. | question: Where is the world's tallest tower?, answer: Burj Dubai, | question: When were injured top U.S. snowboard?, answer: Sunday | question: Which fourth-largest U.S. has openly gay mayor?, answer: Annise Parker | question: Who is openly gay?, answer: Annise Parker | question: Where is the world's tallest tower opening?, answer: of Dubai. | question: What is the fourth-largest city in the U.S.?, answer: Houston | question: When was the snowboarder injured?, answer: Sunday | question: What is the name of the top U.S. snowboarder?, answer: Shaun White,
|
(CNN) -- Key West's historic Duval Street reopened Monday morning after a fire swept through a building housing three well-known businesses and temporarily shut down other popular spots on the island city's main street.
A fire broke out late Sunday night on Duval Street in Key West.
The fire, which started at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and was contained by 1 a.m. Monday, wiped out a crepe shop, an art gallery and a sign shop. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, city spokeswoman Alyson Crean said.
The fire department was working Monday to determine the cause of the blaze, Crean said.
Singer Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant and store was one of the businesses initially shut down, halting late-night festivities at the popular watering hole in mid-pour.
"I was hoping to go back in, finish off my shift and clean up, but they wouldn't let us back in," said waitress Patricija Hambrook. "It became bigger than we thought.
"We couldn't close out checks, and the drinks we made were never served."
Margaritaville's restaurant reopened Monday afternoon, and its adjacent retail store reopened a few hours later, the fire department said.
In addition to protecting Margaritaville, firefighters kept flames away from the historic San Carlos theater, although the facility's administrator said that a large broken out window and about 2 inches of water on the floor of the lobby would keep it closed for a few days.
Alex Pascual said he anticipated the theater would reopen by Thursday, in time for a concert scheduled for that evening.
The San Carlos was founded in 1871 and was the site of Cuban patriot Jose Marti's 1892 speech launching his drive for Cuban independence.
Fire officials initially shut down Duval Street to vehicular traffic but allowed pedestrians to stroll the sidewalks. Traffic restrictions prompted some business owners to be concerned about their livelihoods, at least for the short term.
Robert Porter, assistant manager of Crazy Shirts, was concerned early Monday "because there aren't any cars driving through."
But Banana Republic general manager Darren Paugh said the foot traffic and onlookers curious to see the aftermath of the fire "should increase business for the day." Plus, he said, three cruise ships were in port Monday morning.
And Crean indicated life for tourists won't stop in Key West because of the fire.
"We have a lot of spring breakers on vacation and bikers coming from Bike Week in Daytona," Crean said.
All the concern proved unfounded when officials reopened Duval Street at about 10 a.m. Monday morning.
For the owners of the three businesses that took the brunt of the fire, however, it will be some time before it's business as usual.
"It's a big loss for us. And we worked so hard, it's not fair," said La Creperie Cafe owner Yolande Findlay in a story published on the Keynoter newspaper's Web site Monday. Findlay, according to the paper's Web site, opened the popular crepe shop with her partner, Sylvie Lenouail, six years ago. Both are from Brittany, France.
The American Royal Art gallery, which specialized in entertainment art, and the sign shop Montage were destroyed in the fire.
|
[
"What day were several businesses damaged?",
"What was damaged late Sunday night?",
"What caused damage to several businesses?",
"What initially opened to only pedestrians?",
"Where is Duval Street?",
"What was initially open just to pedestrians?",
"What opened only to pedestrians?",
"Who is working to determine the cause of the blaze?"
] |
[
"Sunday",
"a crepe shop, an art gallery and a sign shop.",
"fire",
"Duval Street",
"in Key West.",
"Duval Street",
"Duval Street",
"fire department"
] |
question: What day were several businesses damaged?, answer: Sunday | question: What was damaged late Sunday night?, answer: a crepe shop, an art gallery and a sign shop. | question: What caused damage to several businesses?, answer: fire | question: What initially opened to only pedestrians?, answer: Duval Street | question: Where is Duval Street?, answer: in Key West. | question: What was initially open just to pedestrians?, answer: Duval Street | question: What opened only to pedestrians?, answer: Duval Street | question: Who is working to determine the cause of the blaze?, answer: fire department
|
(CNN) -- Key structural changes have been identified in the brain images of some patients with mild cognitive impairment which could help determine who's at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, studied MRI scans of 84 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 175 patients with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, and 139 images of healthy brains.
"Our initial goal was to locate similarities in the patients with Alzheimer's disease to those with MCI, in the hopes of finding a method to predict [MCI patients'] likelihood of developing the disease," said lead study author Linda McEvoy, assistant project scientist at UCSD's department of radiology.
Neuroimaging results for the patients with Alzheimer's disease were as expected, according to the study, which was published online in the journal Radiology. Atrophy, which is loss of brain tissue, was visible throughout the brain. The temporal and parietal lobes, which affect cognitive function, saw the most damage.
What surprised researchers were the differences in images from the MCI patients. More than 50 percent of the brains in the MCI group showed atrophy similar to the Alzheimer's disease patients. The other half of the MCI patients showed only small amounts of tissue damage. Watch Dr. Gupta explain the findings »
"Although the symptoms for the entire MCI group were primarily memory problems, other parts of the brain were impacted in over half the group," McEvoy said. "And even though these patients [with Alzheimer's-like atrophy] don't have problems with their cognitive function now, their MCI will likely develop to that in the future."
Researchers also evaluated the brains of the MCI group one year after initial testing. They found that patients who earlier had mild cognitive impairment plus signs of atrophy were getting worse. Twenty-nine percent of the group had since been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and the others had begun to show signs of more serious cognitive decline.
The condition of patients in the MCI group whose scans showed minimal signs of atrophy the previous year remained about the same. "Only 8 percent of this group had developed Alzheimer's disease. The rest of the patients were stable and their symptoms had not increased," McEvoy said.
Bill Thies, chief medical and scientific officer for the Alzheimer's Association, underscored the significance of these findings. "What this study really shows is how different people with MCI can be, despite having similar symptoms. We can now use this information to create new treatments," he said.
There are several drugs on the market that treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but none that prevent its progression.
Clinical trials may be able to use this data to select a better pool of candidates when testing new drugs. "If they use a MCI patient with loss of brain tissue, someone who we now know is progressing fast towards Alzheimer's disease, we'd be able to quickly figure out if drug 'X' is slowing things down or not helping at all," Thies added.
In addition, researchers hope that within the next few years patients could regularly be tested by their physicians to determine their risk of developing Alzheimer's. "If nothing else it would be good information for their family members to have early on, to be better prepared for the future." McEvoy said.
Over 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and an estimated three and a half million have mild cognitive impairment.
|
[
"What mental condition is being discussed here?",
"What could brain scans do?",
"What is seen in brain scans?",
"Where have key structural changes been found in those with memory loss?",
"What could identify who gets Alzheimer's?",
"How long does it take for many patients with brain changes to develop Alzheimer's?",
"What did many patients have one year later?",
"What kind of scan could identify those who will get Alzheimers?"
] |
[
"Alzheimer's disease.",
"help determine who's at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.",
"structural changes",
"in the brain images of some patients",
"brain images",
"one year after",
"mild cognitive impairment plus signs of atrophy were getting worse.",
"MRI"
] |
question: What mental condition is being discussed here?, answer: Alzheimer's disease. | question: What could brain scans do?, answer: help determine who's at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. | question: What is seen in brain scans?, answer: structural changes | question: Where have key structural changes been found in those with memory loss?, answer: in the brain images of some patients | question: What could identify who gets Alzheimer's?, answer: brain images | question: How long does it take for many patients with brain changes to develop Alzheimer's?, answer: one year after | question: What did many patients have one year later?, answer: mild cognitive impairment plus signs of atrophy were getting worse. | question: What kind of scan could identify those who will get Alzheimers?, answer: MRI
|
(CNN) -- Key structural changes have been identified in the brain images of some patients with mild cognitive impairment which could help determine who's at greatest risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, studied MRI scans of 84 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 175 patients with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, and 139 images of healthy brains.
"Our initial goal was to locate similarities in the patients with Alzheimer's disease to those with MCI, in the hopes of finding a method to predict [MCI patients'] likelihood of developing the disease," said lead study author Linda McEvoy, assistant project scientist at UCSD's department of radiology.
Neuroimaging results for the patients with Alzheimer's disease were as expected, according to the study, which was published online in the journal Radiology. Atrophy, which is loss of brain tissue, was visible throughout the brain. The temporal and parietal lobes, which affect cognitive function, saw the most damage.
What surprised researchers were the differences in images from the MCI patients. More than 50 percent of the brains in the MCI group showed atrophy similar to the Alzheimer's disease patients. The other half of the MCI patients showed only small amounts of tissue damage. Watch Dr. Gupta explain the findings »
"Although the symptoms for the entire MCI group were primarily memory problems, other parts of the brain were impacted in over half the group," McEvoy said. "And even though these patients [with Alzheimer's-like atrophy] don't have problems with their cognitive function now, their MCI will likely develop to that in the future."
Researchers also evaluated the brains of the MCI group one year after initial testing. They found that patients who earlier had mild cognitive impairment plus signs of atrophy were getting worse. Twenty-nine percent of the group had since been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and the others had begun to show signs of more serious cognitive decline.
The condition of patients in the MCI group whose scans showed minimal signs of atrophy the previous year remained about the same. "Only 8 percent of this group had developed Alzheimer's disease. The rest of the patients were stable and their symptoms had not increased," McEvoy said.
Bill Thies, chief medical and scientific officer for the Alzheimer's Association, underscored the significance of these findings. "What this study really shows is how different people with MCI can be, despite having similar symptoms. We can now use this information to create new treatments," he said.
There are several drugs on the market that treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but none that prevent its progression.
Clinical trials may be able to use this data to select a better pool of candidates when testing new drugs. "If they use a MCI patient with loss of brain tissue, someone who we now know is progressing fast towards Alzheimer's disease, we'd be able to quickly figure out if drug 'X' is slowing things down or not helping at all," Thies added.
In addition, researchers hope that within the next few years patients could regularly be tested by their physicians to determine their risk of developing Alzheimer's. "If nothing else it would be good information for their family members to have early on, to be better prepared for the future." McEvoy said.
Over 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and an estimated three and a half million have mild cognitive impairment.
|
[
"What changes were seen in scans?",
"When can they be done?"
] |
[
"structural",
"one year after initial testing."
] |
question: What changes were seen in scans?, answer: structural | question: When can they be done?, answer: one year after initial testing.
|
(CNN) -- Khaled Abdel Nasser, son of late Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and a key figure during a 1980s Egyptian revolt, is dead, a spokesman for the Egyptian general prosecutor said Sunday. He was 62.
Nasser was battling liver disease and went into a coma two weeks before his death on September 15, said Adel Saeed, the prosecutor's spokesman.
He was accused of organizing a revolt against Egypt's peace treaty with Israel, signed in 1979, and also grabbed headlines after being tried in connection with the deaths of two Israeli diplomats in Egypt. He was eventually acquitted.
The late president's eldest son was an engineering professor at Cairo University and had lived in Yugoslavia.
Nasser was married to Dalia Fahmy, the sister of former oil minister Sameh Fahmy, who is currently facing trial for alleged corruption involving the exportation of gas to Israel.
|
[
"What was he accused of",
"What was he tried and acquitted of",
"What was he acquitted of",
"Who was Khaled Abdel Nasser the son of",
"Who is the oldest son of the president",
"Who was tried and acquitted",
"What was he accused of doing?",
"Who was the oldest son of President Gamal Abdel Nasser?",
"When was the revolt in egypt"
] |
[
"organizing a revolt against Egypt's peace treaty with Israel,",
"deaths of two Israeli diplomats",
"the deaths of two Israeli diplomats in Egypt.",
"Egyptian president Gamal",
"Abdel Nasser,",
"Abdel Nasser,",
"organizing a revolt against Egypt's peace treaty with Israel,",
"Khaled",
"1980s"
] |
question: What was he accused of, answer: organizing a revolt against Egypt's peace treaty with Israel, | question: What was he tried and acquitted of, answer: deaths of two Israeli diplomats | question: What was he acquitted of, answer: the deaths of two Israeli diplomats in Egypt. | question: Who was Khaled Abdel Nasser the son of, answer: Egyptian president Gamal | question: Who is the oldest son of the president, answer: Abdel Nasser, | question: Who was tried and acquitted, answer: Abdel Nasser, | question: What was he accused of doing?, answer: organizing a revolt against Egypt's peace treaty with Israel, | question: Who was the oldest son of President Gamal Abdel Nasser?, answer: Khaled | question: When was the revolt in egypt, answer: 1980s
|
(CNN) -- Khloe Kardashian and her new husband, basketball player Lamar Odom, have found themselves a newlywed love nest.
Kardashian, star of the E! network's reality show "Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami" and Odom, a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, have purchased a seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom mansion in Tarzana, California, for nearly $4 million.
The pair, who married after a two-month-long courtship, have been looking for a place to call their own since their September 27 wedding.
Finding a home was one of the stipulations Kardashian, 25, wanted met before the couple started thinking about growing a family.
"I would be over the moon if I was having a baby, but right now, our focus is on finding a house. They say it's a buyers' market, but no one is selling, and I think it would be very stressful to have a baby in a condo downtown," Kardashian told CNN earlier this month.
When asked by talk show host Chelsea Handler earlier this month if Khloe is pregnant yet, Odom, 30, responded, "Soon." And when Handler pushed and asked, "You planning on having a baby soon? You want to do that right away?" Odom responded, "I do."
Kardashian was even more candid with CNN, saying, "We are not planning to have a baby, but we're not doing anything to not have a baby right now."
|
[
"Who hs purchased a home?",
"how many bedrooms and bathrooms are in the mansion?",
"How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it have?",
"what's the name of the famous people who purchases a home?",
"The mansion cost nearly how much?",
"how much did the mansion cost?"
] |
[
"Kardashian and her new husband, basketball player Lamar Odom, have found themselves a",
"seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom",
"seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom",
"Lamar Odom,",
"$4 million.",
"nearly $4 million."
] |
question: Who hs purchased a home?, answer: Kardashian and her new husband, basketball player Lamar Odom, have found themselves a | question: how many bedrooms and bathrooms are in the mansion?, answer: seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom | question: How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it have?, answer: seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom | question: what's the name of the famous people who purchases a home?, answer: Lamar Odom, | question: The mansion cost nearly how much?, answer: $4 million. | question: how much did the mansion cost?, answer: nearly $4 million.
|
(CNN) -- Kids dig in the sand at the beach all the time, but the fun nearly turned fatal for an 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy this week.
The 11-year-old was given CPR and revived before being taken to a local hospital.
The boy was digging a tunnel with friends on a beach in Ocean City, Maryland, on Tuesday when part of it collapsed on top of him, authorities said.
Lifeguards rushed to pull him out, but it first appeared that they were too late. The boy was not breathing, and he had no pulse, Beach Patrol Capt. Butch Arbin told CNN on Wednesday.
But rescue crews revived the boy by performing CPR, said Arbin, who was at the scene.
There was a lot of emotion on the beach when the boy's pulse came back, he said.
"He basically went from dead to life," Arbin said, adding that the boy's mother called the rescue a "miracle."
As he was being rolled into an ambulance on a stretcher, the boy -- perhaps not realizing the trauma he had just survived -- complained to his mother that he had sand in his eyes, Arbin said.
The child, whose family did not want to be identified, was initially taken to Atlantic General Hospital and later flown to the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Delaware, he said.
He's recovering there and probably will be released later Wednesday, Arbin said.
|
[
"What did the Beach Patrol captain say?",
"Lifeguards rushed to help; boy had no pulse and?",
"Beach Patrol captain: He basically went from?",
"What happened to boy?",
"Where was the boy digging the tunnel?",
"Boy, 11, was digging a tunnel with?",
"Where is Ocean City?",
"When is the boy expected to be released?",
"When is the boy expected to be released?",
"Who was digging a tunnel?",
"where was that accident",
"Who rushed to help?",
"Where is the boy recovering?",
"What was the boy digging?"
] |
[
"The boy was not breathing, and he had no pulse,",
"was not breathing,",
"dead to life,\"",
"was digging a tunnel with friends on a beach in Ocean City, Maryland, on Tuesday when part of it collapsed on top of him, authorities said.",
"on a beach in Ocean City, Maryland,",
"friends",
"Maryland,",
"later Wednesday,",
"Wednesday,",
"11-year-old",
"beach in Ocean City, Maryland,",
"Lifeguards",
"A.I. DuPont Hospital",
"a tunnel"
] |
question: What did the Beach Patrol captain say?, answer: The boy was not breathing, and he had no pulse, | question: Lifeguards rushed to help; boy had no pulse and?, answer: was not breathing, | question: Beach Patrol captain: He basically went from?, answer: dead to life," | question: What happened to boy?, answer: was digging a tunnel with friends on a beach in Ocean City, Maryland, on Tuesday when part of it collapsed on top of him, authorities said. | question: Where was the boy digging the tunnel?, answer: on a beach in Ocean City, Maryland, | question: Boy, 11, was digging a tunnel with?, answer: friends | question: Where is Ocean City?, answer: Maryland, | question: When is the boy expected to be released?, answer: later Wednesday, | question: When is the boy expected to be released?, answer: Wednesday, | question: Who was digging a tunnel?, answer: 11-year-old | question: where was that accident, answer: beach in Ocean City, Maryland, | question: Who rushed to help?, answer: Lifeguards | question: Where is the boy recovering?, answer: A.I. DuPont Hospital | question: What was the boy digging?, answer: a tunnel
|
(CNN) -- Kim Clijsters continued her successful return to tennis by demolishing American third seed Venus Williams in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Saturday.
The Belgian, a former world No. 1 but seeded 14th for this event following her two-year absence from the women's circuit, will move up to 10th in the rankings next week following her one-sided 6-2 6-1 triumph at Key Biscayne.
Williams had been hoping for a fourth title at the event, having won her last two tournaments, but was well below par as Clijsters added to her 2005 victory in Miami in just 58 minutes.
The 26-year-old claimed her third title since making her comeback last year after giving birth to baby daughter Jada, who was watching her mum from the stands again on Saturday.
The 2009 U.S. Open champion notched up her 37th triumph in WTA Tour events, 28 of those now on hardcourt surfaces.
She passed $17 million in career earnings after taking home the $700,000 first prize -- which is almost $100,000 more than the winner of Sunday's men's final between Andy Roddick and Tomas Berdych will receive.
Clijsters, who defeated fellow comeback queen Justine Henin in an epic semifinal on Friday, broke Williams to love to seal the title.
"It took a lot of hard work to get back into shape and I have a few people to thank, including my fitness coach and husband," Clijsters said on-court after the match.
"It feels really good to be back here, having won the title in 2005. It's always nice to come back to a place you have done well before, and to such a beautiful stadium."
Williams, cheered on by injured younger sister and current No. 1 Serena, made 29 unforced errors to Clijsters' 12 as she struggled to continue her recent good run of form.
"Sometimes when you hit a few bad shots it's not as easy to reel it in, and things start to go a little bit quicker," said Williams, who will rise to fourth in the rankings.
"Obviously against a player like Kim, if you make too many errors, the match can go quickly. I mean, I think she hit eight winners, so it wasn't that she played extremely solid -- it's not like I was blown off the court. Unfortunately I was my own worst enemy today."
|
[
"What did 26 year old return from doing?",
"How long did the final last and what was the score",
"What did Belgian defeat American in?",
"Who did Kim demolish?",
"who beat williams",
"what was the score",
"How many titles has the winner of the tournament collected on the tour",
"Which player did Venue Williams lose to in the Miami final",
"who had a baby"
] |
[
"after giving birth to baby daughter Jada,",
"6-2 6-1",
"final of the Sony Ericsson Open",
"Venus Williams",
"Kim",
"6-2 6-1",
"third",
"Kim",
"Kim"
] |
question: What did 26 year old return from doing?, answer: after giving birth to baby daughter Jada, | question: How long did the final last and what was the score, answer: 6-2 6-1 | question: What did Belgian defeat American in?, answer: final of the Sony Ericsson Open | question: Who did Kim demolish?, answer: Venus Williams | question: who beat williams, answer: Kim | question: what was the score, answer: 6-2 6-1 | question: How many titles has the winner of the tournament collected on the tour, answer: third | question: Which player did Venue Williams lose to in the Miami final, answer: Kim | question: who had a baby, answer: Kim
|
(CNN) -- Kim Clijsters defeated fellow comeback queen Justine Henin in the final of the Brisbane International on Saturday, saving two match-points and wasting three as she won an epic clash.
Henin, playing her first tournament since May 2008, fought back from a set and 4-1 down against her fellow Belgian before losing 6-3 4-6 7-6 (8-6) in almost two and a half hours.
However, Henin sustained an injury to her left leg and later confirmed on her Web site that she will miss next week's Sydney Invitational, where she faced a possible second-round clash with Serena Williams, in order to recover in time for the decade's first Grand Slam event, the Australian Open.
Clijsters, who made history in September as the first unseeded player to win the U.S. Open in her third event back on the WTA Tour following her own short-lived retirement, took control as she won eight straight games.
But fellow former world No. 1 Henin dug deep to level the match and then take a 3-0 lead in the deciding set.
The 26-year-old Clijsters battled back to tie it up at 3-3, and then both players squandered potentially match-winning break opportunities to ensure a tie-break.
Clijsters raced to a 5-1 lead, helped by her first ace of the match -- coming off a second serve -- but then missed three match-point chances at 6-3.
Henin again fought back to level at 6-6 but then her 11th double-fault gave Clijsters the chance to finally close out for victory, her 11th in 23 meeting between the two players.
Clijsters clinched her 36th WTA Tour title, leaving Henin stuck on 41.
"What a match!" Clijsters said. "I think we set the bar pretty high for ourselves for the rest of the year. Justine played at a really high level for the whole tournament, so congratulations."
Meanwhile, top seed Andy Roddick will play defending champion Radek Stepanek in Sunday's men's final at the Pat Rafter Arena.
Roddick came from behind to beat Stepanek's fellow Czech Tomas Berdych in the semifinals on Saturday, with the American winning 1-6 6-3 6-4 despite being broken for the first time in the tournament in his opening service game.
Second seed Stepanek won 6-2 6-1 against Frenchman Gael Monfils, who was struggling with a shoulder problem.
The world No. 13 told the tournament's Web site that he was unsure if he would take part in next week's Sydney International.
In New Zealand, third seed Yanina Wickmayer shrugged off her difficult end to 2009 by winning the ASB Classic in Auckland on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Belgian, who won her appeal against a one-year ban for failing to report her whereabouts for doping tests, defeated top seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-2 to clinch her third WTA Tour title.
|
[
"What does Kim beat?",
"What were the scores in this game?",
"Who beat Justine Henin in the final of the Brisbane International?",
"Who is defending the championship?",
"Who has suffered a leg injury?"
] |
[
"Justine Henin",
"6-3 4-6 7-6 (8-6)",
"Kim",
"Andy Roddick",
"Justine Henin"
] |
question: What does Kim beat?, answer: Justine Henin | question: What were the scores in this game?, answer: 6-3 4-6 7-6 (8-6) | question: Who beat Justine Henin in the final of the Brisbane International?, answer: Kim | question: Who is defending the championship?, answer: Andy Roddick | question: Who has suffered a leg injury?, answer: Justine Henin
|
(CNN) -- Kim Jong Il was a source of misery for North Korea's impoverished people and of fear for a world wary of his belligerent rhetoric -- but as an enduringly bizarre presence on the global stage, he was also an unexpected source of entertainment.
While the reputedly ruthless leader was revered by a population weaned on propaganda, outside the hermetic Asian country what were seen as grandiose attempts at myth-making were seized on by popular culture.
Online, Kim's death generated Twitter trends that referenced the movies or shows that caricatured him as a villainous clown trapped in the bathos of his own cruel isolation.
Kim did little to help his own international image. His eccentric appearances sporting bouffant hair, over-sized sunglasses and a succession of drab boiler suits were frequently viewed as comical counterpoints to the rights abuses of his regime.
Meanwhile, as his country's nuclear activities sparked diplomatic tensions, his media mouthpieces -- such as the Korean Central News Agency -- created their own unintentional humor as they swung wildly between angry invective and surreal flatteries of their "Dear Leader."
Kim's defining moment in recent popular culture appears to have been his portrayal in the 2004 film "Team America: World Police," a satire on U.S. President George W. Bush's foreign policy.
The film's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone paint the dictator as a foul-mouthed but misunderstood Bond villain whose plans for global chaos are constantly frustrated by incompetent underlings or bothersome international officials.
In the hours after his death, "Team America" references were trending on Twitter, particularly "Hans Brix," a nod to puppet Kim's mispronunciation of Hans Blix, a real-life U.N. weapons inspector who, in the film, is fed to Kim's man-eating sharks.
Another key "Team America" moment, when Kim ruefully bemoans his isolation in an opulent palace by singing about how he is lonely -- or "ronrey" -- was also being heavily referenced on social media.
Parker and Stone were no strangers to Kim-based satire. Their "South Park" cartoon series cast him as part of a villainous gang that included Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and, incongruously, magician David Blaine.
In an appearance on media satire "30 Rock," comedian Margaret Cho played Kim as a North Korean weatherman, delivering the disingenuously upbeat forecast: "North Korea, everything sunny all the time always, good time, beach party."
Fellow comic Bobby Lee plays the dictator as host of the "Kim Jong Il Show" on MADtv, shooting dead audience members who fail to cheer and delivering punchlines such as: "Don't cry because I kill your wife and enslave your children."
Post-death, there was renewed interest in websites that have sought to highlight the strange picture of North Korea created by its propaganda machine.
"Kim Jong-Il Looking at Things," is an online gallery of photographs showing the dictator staring at banal objects. The images draw unintentional bleak humor from their repeated and blatant misrepresentation of life under a dictatorship.
Among recent entries, Kim can be seen looking at a pink sweater, pointing at a persimmon tree in full fruit, glumly inspecting a statuette of knights on horseback and grinning at a supermarket shelf packed with sausages.
Another website has trawled news bulletins on the official Korean Central News Agency to create a "random insult generator" that neatly encapsulates the peculiar version of the English language favored by Kim's regime.
As regular KCNA watchers can confirm, typical generator exhortations such as "You bourgeois stooge," and "You reckless human scum, you will be dealt a thousandfold retaliatory blow!" are eerily close to the real thing.
|
[
"what film features a puppet kim",
"what inspired comedians in north korea",
"What country does Kim Jong II rule?"
] |
[
"\"Team America: World Police,\"",
"Jong Il",
"North Korea's"
] |
question: what film features a puppet kim, answer: "Team America: World Police," | question: what inspired comedians in north korea, answer: Jong Il | question: What country does Kim Jong II rule?, answer: North Korea's
|
(CNN) -- Kim Jong Un, successor to his father's dictatorship over North Korea, will have to find ways to balance political factions and generate revenue -- or he may not remain in power for long, analysts said Tuesday.
Shrouded in mystery and believed to be only in his late 20s, Kim marks the third generation in his family to officially reign over the so-called Hermit Kingdom.
"It's unprecedented in modern times," said John Park, an expert on the region with the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
A popular expression, Park said, summarizes one central reason that third-generation dynasties don't occur. "The first generation makes the wealth; the second generation manages the wealth; the third generation squanders the wealth," he said.
Kim Jong Il inherited power from his father, a military leader who built a new North Korean economy. Kim Jong Il maintained a fierce grip, partly through building his country's nuclear arsenal.
It is unknown whether Kim Jong Un has the skills, knowledge or training to lead his country through the next era.
North Korea does not function as a "normal nation state" through imports, exports and taxes, Park said. "Kim Jong Il ran a system that was based on competition among senior officials" who controlled economic institutions such as trading companies.
"The way to view Kim Jong Un is almost as a CEO of North Korea Inc.," Park said. "He either makes money on a recurring basis or he's out. The fact that he's the youngest son won't matter if he can't produce the cash."
Christian Caryl, an editor of foreignpolicy.com, said the younger Kim's lack of experience does not bode well.
"I personally put the odds fairly low" that he will succeed in power, he said.
North Koreans "know much more about the world than they did" when Kim Jong Il came to power, said Caryl, who last visited a few years ago. "They've watched DVDs of South Korean soap operas. People know about China -- and China is light years ahead of North Korea."
"You can no longer expect people to believe in the Kim name the way they used to," he said.
The government still deprives its citizens of basic rights and freedoms, and there is little risk of any popular protest against a leader, Park said. If something were to end Kim Jong Un's time in power, it would be battling forces within the North Korean power structure.
"There are different factions and interest groups," Caryl said. "I wouldn't say organized power blocs, but groups that have big business interests now because they've also been trading with China."
"These things begin to get complicated very quickly" for a new leader at the helm, Caryl said.
Jayshree Bajoria of the Council on Foreign Relations writes that "even with a successor, North Korean observers have for some time feared a behind-the-scenes power struggle or nuclear instability after Kim Jong-Il's death." Still, "some experts doubt that Kim's death will lead to chaos," Bajoria writes, noting that the country has shown resilience in the past.
In the region, analysts and government leaders are looking at early indications in an effort to read the tea leaves.
"Over the span of some 50 hours, North Korea was very effectively able to conceal the death of Kim Jong Il, successfully make the announcement of his death. Seeing that it has gone smoothly so far without any bumps, we can relatively carefully speculate that the leadership is relatively well-grounded," South Korean intelligence committee chairman Kwon Young-se said Tuesday in an interview with CNN.
"But at the same time, Kim Jong Un is still very young and has only gone through a short period of time for grooming as an heir. Also, Kim Jong Il died all of a sudden without having been able to fully accelerate the process of the succession. Depending on the
|
[
"What could end the younger Kim's reign?",
"What can Kim Jong Un be veiwed as",
"What has not happened in modern times?",
"Who can be viewed \"almost as a CEO of North Korea Inc.\"?",
"What will end the younder kim's reign"
] |
[
"lack of experience",
"almost as a CEO of North Korea Inc.,\"",
"third-generation dynasties",
"Kim Jong Un",
"lack of experience"
] |
question: What could end the younger Kim's reign?, answer: lack of experience | question: What can Kim Jong Un be veiwed as, answer: almost as a CEO of North Korea Inc.," | question: What has not happened in modern times?, answer: third-generation dynasties | question: Who can be viewed "almost as a CEO of North Korea Inc."?, answer: Kim Jong Un | question: What will end the younder kim's reign, answer: lack of experience
|
(CNN) -- Kimberley Locke knows a thing or two about singing competitions.
"American Idol" finalist Kimberley Locke is the new co-host of "Gospel Dream."
Having placed third during season two of "American Idol" -- just behind winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken -- the singer is back in reality show action as the new co-host of "Gospel Dream."
The Gospel Music Channel's talent search is going into its fourth season, and Locke joins fellow host Mike Kasem (son of Casey Kasem) and the judges -- gospel artist J. Moss, Destiny's Child member Michelle Williams and industry executive Mitchell Solarek -- on the show.
Locke has worked steadily since she first burst onto the "Idol" scene in 2003.
She has modeled, served as a spokesperson for plus-sized clothier Lane Bryant and Jenny Craig and appeared on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club."
All the while, she has continued to pursue her music. Her "8th World Wonder" was a big hit, making the Top 10 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary charts. She's had three dance chart No. 1s.
Locke recently spoke with CNN about the "Gospel Dream," life after "American Idol" and the one reality show she really wants to appear on next.
CNN: How did you get involved with "Gospel Dream?"
Kimberley Locke: Funny enough, I've been wanting to do more hosting, and I had been talking to my manager about it. They contacted me out of the blue, and I was like "Oh, I put it out to the universe, and here it is."
CNN: Are you a gospel music fan?
Locke: I am a gospel music fan. Of course I grew up in the church singing gospel music. I don't listen to as much as I used to, but I used to sing in a girl a cappella group and that's how we started, performing in church.
CNN: Why do you think so many performers in the music industry come out of the church?
Locke: I think a lot of people become stars in their church. ... The church environment is so supportive.
When you are first starting out and learning how to sing in front of an audience, that's the kind of audience you want to be in front of.
Even if you mess up and you sound horrible, they kind of let you stand there and collect yourself while the pianist keeps playing. Then they plow through it with you.
That's a part of the business, a professionalism that really comes in handy when you get to this level.
CNN: You've had some experiences with singing competitions. How is "Gospel Dream" different?
Locke: It's different in that the contestants are very focused on where they want to be and the type of music they want to sing.
When you are on "Idol," you are forced to fit into all of these different genres you may or may not want to do and you may or may not even be familiar with them.
The "Gospel Dream" contestants' direction is really clear and defined, so they are picking songs that really speak to them on a personal level. Watch Locke talk about the show »
CNN: How has life been for you post-"Idol?"
Locke: Life has been great post-"Idol." So many opportunities, so many things I would have never imagined. Things that I didn't even associate with singing, like modeling, hosting, being a spokesperson, owning a restaurant. It just opened so many doors.
CNN: You were a plus-sized model and spokesperson for Lane Bryant, but now you are way too small to do that.
Locke: That really opened me up to bond with my fans. I tell people I'm still a big girl at heart.
CNN: When is your next album coming out?
Locke: I just started working on the next album. We are in the very
|
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"Who is the singer?",
"What is the show?",
"What show is Locke co-hosting?",
"Who finished first during season two of \"American Idol\"?",
"What place did Locke finish in?",
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"Locke",
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"\"Gospel Dream.\"",
"Ruben Studdard",
"placed third",
"2003."
] |
question: Who finished third in season 2 of American Idol?, answer: Kimberley Locke | question: Who is a co-host on Gospel Dream?, answer: Kimberley Locke | question: Who is Kimberley Locke?, answer: "American Idol" finalist | question: What has Locke worked as since appearing on Idol?, answer: new co-host of "Gospel Dream." | question: What place did Locke finish on American Idol?, answer: third | question: Who is cohosting Gospel Dream?, answer: Kimberley Locke | question: Singer Kimberley Locke was a spokesperson for what show?, answer: "Gospel Dream." | question: Who is the singer?, answer: Locke | question: What is the show?, answer: "Gospel Dream." | question: What show is Locke co-hosting?, answer: "Gospel Dream." | question: Who finished first during season two of "American Idol"?, answer: Ruben Studdard | question: What place did Locke finish in?, answer: placed third | question: On what date did the fourth season of the talent competition "Gospel Dream" begin?, answer: 2003.
|
(CNN) -- Kimi Raikkonen will return to Formula One in 2012, after Renault announced on Tuesday that the 2007 world champion has signed a two-year deal with the team.
The Finn won the drivers' championship with Ferrari in 2007 before leaving the sport in 2009, but he will return next season after spending time in the World Rally Championship and NASCAR.
"I'm delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I'm grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity," the 32-year-old told the team's official website.
"My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can't deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming.
Final F1 2011 season standings
"It was an easy choice to return with Lotus Renault GP as I have been impressed by the scope of the team's ambition. Now I'm looking forward to playing an important role in pushing the team to the very front of the grid."
Raikkonen entered F1 with Sauber in 2001 before going on to enjoy a successful five-season spell with McLaren between 2002 and 2006, winning nine grands prix and twice finishing runner-up in the world championship.
Speaking to CNN World Sport, Renault team principal Eric Boullier said he was delighted to have secured Raikkonen's services and insisted the Finn would soon be challenging the sport's top echelon of drivers.
"His motivation is huge and clearly the talent he has will maybe need a little bit of time to get back on track and to adapt to the new car and the new tires but I'm very confident he will get back," he said.
"I hope we push as much as we can, as much as we did at the beginning of the season. It is difficult to set up a competitive Formula One team, it takes time, but we learn every year from the experience.
"Kimi's experience is huge, he has been world champion, he has won many races, he has been working and driving for great constructors like Sauber and McLaren. It will be a huge boost for us and his determination will be a big boost for the team."
Ferrari's Alonso eyes 2012 charge
Boullier said Renault, who will compete under the Lotus name in 2012, were still yet to decide who would partner Raikkonen after they were represented by three drivers last season.
Russian Vitaly Petrov initially partnered Nick Heidfeld before Brazilian Bruno Senna replaced the German in August. Polish driver Robert Kubica raced for the team in 2010, but missed all of last season following a rally crash in Italy in February.
It had been hoped Kubica would return in time for the 2012 season, but the 26-year-old announced last week that his recovery from serious arm injuries was not yet complete.
Boullier said he did not yet know if Kubica would be fit to race: "It's a little bit early to answer this question," he added. "If we can bring him back into F1 we will try our best."
The 2011 season came to an end at last Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel finishing the race second behind teammate Mark Webber having already sealed a second consecutive championship.
The 2012 season will is see a total of six former world champions line-up on the grid, with Raikonnen and Vettel being joined by Mercedes' seven-time winner Michael Schumacher, Ferrari's two-time champion Fernando Alonso and McLaren's championship-winning duo of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.
|
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"Who did Finn sign a 2 year deal with?",
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"what year was Kimi RFaikkonen world champion"
] |
[
"Renault",
"Raikkonen",
"two-year",
"two-year",
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] |
question: Who did Finn sign a 2 year deal with?, answer: Renault | question: who left F1 in 2009?, answer: Raikkonen | question: What kind of deal does Finn have, answer: two-year | question: how many years is the deal?, answer: two-year | question: Who was the 2007 world champion?, answer: Raikkonen | question: What kind of motivation does Raikkonen have, answer: hunger for F1 | question: who will return?, answer: Raikkonen | question: what year was Kimi RFaikkonen world champion, answer: 2007
|
(CNN) -- Kitty Kelley, biographer of the rich and famous, is getting ready to release an unauthorized biography on talk show queen Oprah Winfrey.
The 544-page book, "Oprah: A Biography," will be released on April 13, with a first printing of 500,000 copies, according to the Crown Publishing Group.
"We are excited to be publishing the first comprehensive biography of one of the most influential, powerful and admired public figures of our time, by the most widely read biographer of our era," said Tina Constable, a vice president with Crown.
The author spent three years researching for the book and conducted 850 interviews, Crown said.
Kelley's previous books have chronicled the Bush family political dynasty, the British royal family, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Nancy Reagan.
Winfrey's Harpo Productions had little to say about the book.
"Oprah hasn't participated in or read Kitty Kelley's book, so she is unable to comment," said Winfrey spokeswoman Lisa Halliday.
|
[
"When will the book be released?",
"Who else has the author written biographies on?",
"What is the name of Oprah Winfrey's tell- all?",
"its authorized or not?",
"Who will write the biography?",
"What other biographies has Kelley written?"
] |
[
"April 13,",
"the Bush family political dynasty, the British royal family, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Nancy Reagan.",
"\"Oprah: A Biography,\"",
"unauthorized",
"Kelley,",
"the Bush family political dynasty, the British royal family, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Nancy Reagan."
] |
question: When will the book be released?, answer: April 13, | question: Who else has the author written biographies on?, answer: the Bush family political dynasty, the British royal family, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Nancy Reagan. | question: What is the name of Oprah Winfrey's tell- all?, answer: "Oprah: A Biography," | question: its authorized or not?, answer: unauthorized | question: Who will write the biography?, answer: Kelley, | question: What other biographies has Kelley written?, answer: the Bush family political dynasty, the British royal family, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Nancy Reagan.
|
(CNN) -- Known for lederhosen, weisswurst and its beer festival, Munich is a city that counters these brassy cliches with a mix of art, history and style.
From onion domes to beer halls, the city of Munich also has more than its fair share to entrance culture vultures.
Don't be fooled by the chocolate box architecture in parts of the Altstadt (old town): Munich is the biggest city in the state of Bavaria with an ego to match -- no other state in Germany boasts its own "national museum." Yet the city manages to mix regional traditions with a slice of urban savvy and sophistication.
Visitors can take their pick from the cultural attractions and blend a little low and high culture together for a flying visit.
The Altstadt is walkable and the place to begin a day with its mix of baroque and gothic architecture. The green onion domes of the Frauenkirche remain visible over the low-rise city center.
Mostly destroyed during the Second World War, the Frauenkirche was rebuilt from its rubble and is worth a quick look inside for the peculiar windowless nave -- so designed after the architect made a pact with the devil, apparently. Nearby is Marienplatz and the fine gothic architecture of the new town hall with its ever-so-twee glockenspiel and animated chiming clock.
From the Karlsplatz U-Bahn station to Marienplatz you'll find some "any-town, anywhere" shopping options, but push on towards Maximilianstrasse and you'll discover where the Munich money goes to splash the cash, although gaudy ostentation isn't a very Muenchner trait.
For more down-to-earth shopping a few steps from Marienplatz is the Viktualienmarkt and Schrannenhalle, the former offering food and drink from across Europe and the re-built Schrannenhalle housing a buzzy mix of shops and places to grab a bite to eat. Alternatively the city is dotted with snack bars where you can grab a würst and hope for the best.
From the boutiques and brands to the beer cellers. The city becomes a beer-lover magnet every autumn, when international boozers stagger into the city for the annual Oktoberfest beer festival. Things can get messy, but you can get a taste of the beer hall experience any time of year.
There are a number of beer halls around the city, one on Marienplatz itself, although the most famous is the Hofbrauhaus a few minutes to the north. But if a darkened, boozy room with an oompah band and the sight of some ill-fitting lederhosen isn't your preferred choice for lunch, there are many cafes and restaurants around the Altstadt to cater for all tastes.
Away from the traditional aspects of the city, Munich is a hub for high tech, high art and high rollers. BMW has its HQ here -- auto fans should motor over to its museum. The city also has more than its fair share of world-class cultural attractions. The Residence Museum, National Theater and Museum of Egyptian Art are just a few to be found between Marienplatz and the Hofgarten.
Just to the north is one of Europe's largest city parks, the Englischer Garten, scene of the German tradition of the post-prandial walk. The park stretches about 5 km away from the city center. View photos of the Englischer Garten and more of Munich »
As you're walking through you can duck off to the west and you'll be close to Munich's cultural big hitters, the Pinakothek museums. The Pinakothek triumvirate have enough art and history to span hundreds of years, and take almost as long to see in their entirety. If you've only got a few hours it's a better idea to pick one.
The latest edition is the Pinakothek der Moderne, which opened in 2002 and houses an impressive collection of 20th century and contemporary art in an almost equally impressive interior.
If you've had your fill of art, take a short walk north and you'll hit the formerly bohemian residential area of Schwabing. Now more well-to-do, the area retains a bit of cultural mix, with the nearby university providing some youthful energy. Independent shops,
|
[
"What is the main characteristics of Bavaria?",
"Which city in Germany?",
"Is this the biggest city in Bavaria?",
"What is unique characteristic for city of Bavaria?",
"When do tourists come?"
] |
[
"for lederhosen, weisswurst and its beer festival,",
"Munich",
"Munich is the",
"no other state in Germany boasts its own \"national museum.\"",
"every autumn,"
] |
question: What is the main characteristics of Bavaria?, answer: for lederhosen, weisswurst and its beer festival, | question: Which city in Germany?, answer: Munich | question: Is this the biggest city in Bavaria?, answer: Munich is the | question: What is unique characteristic for city of Bavaria?, answer: no other state in Germany boasts its own "national museum." | question: When do tourists come?, answer: every autumn,
|
(CNN) -- Korean Air was established as a private airline in March 1969. In nearly 35 years, it has grown 150 times and is poised to continue that growth into the next millennium.
With a fleet of 124 aircraft, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, and operates almost 400 passenger flights per day to 115 cities in 37 countries.
Korean Air was named the Best First/Business Class Airline and the Best Frequent Flyer Program in TIME Readers' Travel Choice Awards 2006.
In April and July 2007 respectively, the carrier was named the Best Economy Class in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards and the Skytrax 2006/7 World Airline Awards.
It is a founding member of SkyTeam, the global airlines alliance partnering Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM and Northwest Airlines. E-mail to a friend
|
[
"What is Korean Air a founding member of?",
"How many passenger flights per day are operated?",
"when was it established",
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"How many passenger flights per day?",
"Which airline was established as private?",
"What is it a founding member of?"
] |
[
"SkyTeam,",
"almost 400",
"March 1969.",
"124 aircraft,",
"Air",
"400",
"Air",
"SkyTeam,"
] |
question: What is Korean Air a founding member of?, answer: SkyTeam, | question: How many passenger flights per day are operated?, answer: almost 400 | question: when was it established, answer: March 1969. | question: what does it have in its fleet, answer: 124 aircraft, | question: What was established as a private airline, answer: Air | question: How many passenger flights per day?, answer: 400 | question: Which airline was established as private?, answer: Air | question: What is it a founding member of?, answer: SkyTeam,
|
(CNN) -- Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, or the "Snow Leopard" as he has been dubbed, is making his final preparations for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
A skier preparing to take part in the Games at this point in the calendar is not the most sensational news, until it is understood the 31-year-old grew up in Accra, Ghana (where the annual average temperature is around 79 degrees Fahrenheit) and learnt to ski only six years ago on a dry slope.
Nkrumah-Acheampong hopes his remarkable and unconventional rise to prominence -- he achieved the strict qualifying criteria set by the world governing body of his sport from his training base at an artificial snow dome in Milton Keynes, England, where he was a former employee -- can act as inspiration to his countrymen.
"The response that I get from emails and phone calls, that more people are going to come into snow sports, that's what I'm hoping to achieve and 10 years from now Ghana should have a ski racer who is 10 times better than me," he told CNN.
The "Snow Leopard" first sprung to prominence after announcing his intention to qualify and compete in the downhill at the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006, despite only having taken up the sport in 2003.
"It took 30 minutes for me to be able to just go in a straight line, slow myself down and stop, and the instructor who was my friend, told me: 'You know something, just go and train yourself now, just carry on.' And that's when I started falling down," he said.
After becoming hooked on downhill and pleased with his natural ability he set about trying to qualify -- a feat that involved traveling around the world.
He narrowly missed qualifying for the Turin-based Games but came back stronger to insure his place in Canada, an achievement the 34-year-old is exceptionally proud of.
"I think it was like sending a Ghanaian to the moon, [but] apart from it being really cool -- I still wake up and still think to myself -- this is going to be really tough, people are going to be watching you -- you can't just go to the Olympics and just have fun," he added.
The father of two will compete in two events, the giant slalom and slalom, and is anxious not to be a figure of fun like British ski-jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, who notoriously captured the headlines at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary.
He prefers to take his cue from the Jamaican bob sleigh team who also competed in Calgary and inspired the popular film "Cool Runnings".
"The Jamaican bob sleigh team did actually try really hard to have really fast push off times, really moving down the course -- not all the factors were right for them -- and they crashed -- if they didn't crash, they would have done a really good time," he said.
"So I love being compared to Cool Runnings but not Eddie the "Eagle" or Eric the "Eel" (swimmer from Equatorial Guinea) because to me, sports is a serious thing.
"If you want to be a sportsman, be a sportsman. If you want to have fun then do sports for leisure. Don't take the seriousness of sport and make a mockery of it."
There is another serious point to the Ghanaian's participation, his efforts on behalf of the charity which attempts to protect the rare animal from which he gleans his nickname.
"I'm working with the Snow Leopard Trust, they protect the endangered snow leopard," he said.
"I'm also working with Sabre which is a registered charity in Britain, taking kids in tough areas out of London and out to the Alps, showing them a different side to life."
Nkrumah- Acheampong's ambition is to return with his family, who live in Milton Keynes, to Ghana and to open a dry ski slope.
In the meantime, his attentions are fully on next month where he will pit his skills
|
[
"Winter Games appearance comes after how many years?",
"Which charity does the athlete support?"
] |
[
"six",
"Snow Leopard Trust,"
] |
question: Winter Games appearance comes after how many years?, answer: six | question: Which charity does the athlete support?, answer: Snow Leopard Trust,
|
(CNN) -- Kyrgyzstan's president signed a bill Friday to close an air base that the U.S. military uses as a route for troops and supplies heading into Afghanistan, the president announced on his Web site.
Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan.
The news came as two other central Asian nations -- Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- reportedly agreed to let U.S. cargo pass through their countries on the way to Afghanistan.
Such deals, if confirmed, could help fill the void left by the closing of the Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan.
The Kyrgyz order became effective on Friday when President Kurmanbek Bakiyev reportedly signed legislation that the parliament in Bishkek backed on Thursday, the Pentagon said.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry on Friday officially notified the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek that a 180-day withdrawal process is under way.
Embassy spokeswoman Michelle Yerkin told CNN the United States hopes to retain the base. Officials in Washington and Bishkek signed a deal three years ago allowing the United States to renew the arrangement annually through July 2011.
"We do remain in contact with the government of Kyrgyzstan," Yerkin said. "The Manas Air Base continues to operate under existing agreements, as per the coalition's efforts in Afghanistan."
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday the United States will continue to work with Kyrgyzstan on keeping the base open. Watch why Kyrgyzstan wants to close the base »
"I continue to believe that this is not a closed issue and that there remains the potential at least to reopen this issue with the Kyrgyz and perhaps reach a new agreement," Gates said at a NATO meeting in Krakow, Poland. "If we are unable to do that on reasonable terms then, as I have suggested, we are developing alternative methods to get resupply and people into Afghanistan."
The Manas Air Base outside Bishkek is the only U.S. base in Central Asia and is a major resupply hub for the war in Afghanistan.
Its closing could deal a significant blow to the U.S. military effort there, especially following President Barack Obama's announcement of additional troops to halt a resurgence of the country's former Taliban rulers.
The United States pays $17.4 million a year to use Manas, a major logistical and refueling center that supports troops in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said. About 15,000 troops and 500 tons of cargo reportedly move through Manas monthly, it said.
The air base currently employs more than 1,000 servicemen, 95 percent of whom are Americans, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.
"This is an important facility, it has been an important facility, but it's not irreplaceable and, if necessary, we will find other options," Whitman said. How far is Manas from Afghanistan? View our map »
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, two other Central Asian nations that border Afghanistan, have agreed to allow U.S. cargo to be transported to Afghanistan through their countries, the Russian news agency Interfax reported Friday.
The agency said Rear Adm. Mark Harnitchek, U.S. transportation command director for strategy, policy, programs and logistics, held a meeting with Tajik Foreign Minister Kharokhon Zarifi, after which he said he had also secured Uzbekistan's consent.
A Tajik government statement said only that the two sides discussed the issue, but a spokesman for the Tajik foreign ministry told CNN that "practically all issues" to allow U.S. cargo transit through the country have been resolved.
If confirmed, success would still depend on how much access the United States would have to those countries for flights and cargo, and even then, it may not totally replace the capacity lost in Kyrgyzstan.
U.S. General David Petraeus, who oversees the war in Afghanistan, was in Uzbekistan this week for talks on Afghanistan and other regional issues. A Pentagon spokesman told CNN that his discussions included the regional supply network into Afghanistan.
The U.S. military leased a base in Uzbekistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. But after Uzbek troops were accused of killing at least 150 people during a demonstration in 2005, the autocratic government of President Islam Karimov came under
|
[
"what is the manas base",
"What is the name of the U.S. base?",
"Where are the military supplied send to?",
"how many soldiers there in afghanistan",
"Which country will close U.S. base?"
] |
[
"serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan.",
"Manas Air",
"Afghanistan,",
"15,000",
"Kyrgyzstan"
] |
question: what is the manas base, answer: serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. | question: What is the name of the U.S. base?, answer: Manas Air | question: Where are the military supplied send to?, answer: Afghanistan, | question: how many soldiers there in afghanistan, answer: 15,000 | question: Which country will close U.S. base?, answer: Kyrgyzstan
|
(CNN) -- Kyrgyzstan's president signed a bill Friday to close an air base that the U.S. military uses as a route for troops and supplies heading into Afghanistan, the president announced on his Web site.
Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan.
The news came as two other central Asian nations -- Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- reportedly agreed to let U.S. cargo pass through their countries on the way to Afghanistan.
Such deals, if confirmed, could help fill the void left by the closing of the Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan.
The Kyrgyz order became effective on Friday when President Kurmanbek Bakiyev reportedly signed legislation that the parliament in Bishkek backed on Thursday, the Pentagon said.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry on Friday officially notified the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek that a 180-day withdrawal process is under way.
Embassy spokeswoman Michelle Yerkin told CNN the United States hopes to retain the base. Officials in Washington and Bishkek signed a deal three years ago allowing the United States to renew the arrangement annually through July 2011.
"We do remain in contact with the government of Kyrgyzstan," Yerkin said. "The Manas Air Base continues to operate under existing agreements, as per the coalition's efforts in Afghanistan."
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday the United States will continue to work with Kyrgyzstan on keeping the base open. Watch why Kyrgyzstan wants to close the base »
"I continue to believe that this is not a closed issue and that there remains the potential at least to reopen this issue with the Kyrgyz and perhaps reach a new agreement," Gates said at a NATO meeting in Krakow, Poland. "If we are unable to do that on reasonable terms then, as I have suggested, we are developing alternative methods to get resupply and people into Afghanistan."
The Manas Air Base outside Bishkek is the only U.S. base in Central Asia and is a major resupply hub for the war in Afghanistan.
Its closing could deal a significant blow to the U.S. military effort there, especially following President Barack Obama's announcement of additional troops to halt a resurgence of the country's former Taliban rulers.
The United States pays $17.4 million a year to use Manas, a major logistical and refueling center that supports troops in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said. About 15,000 troops and 500 tons of cargo reportedly move through Manas monthly, it said.
The air base currently employs more than 1,000 servicemen, 95 percent of whom are Americans, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.
"This is an important facility, it has been an important facility, but it's not irreplaceable and, if necessary, we will find other options," Whitman said. How far is Manas from Afghanistan? View our map »
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, two other Central Asian nations that border Afghanistan, have agreed to allow U.S. cargo to be transported to Afghanistan through their countries, the Russian news agency Interfax reported Friday.
The agency said Rear Adm. Mark Harnitchek, U.S. transportation command director for strategy, policy, programs and logistics, held a meeting with Tajik Foreign Minister Kharokhon Zarifi, after which he said he had also secured Uzbekistan's consent.
A Tajik government statement said only that the two sides discussed the issue, but a spokesman for the Tajik foreign ministry told CNN that "practically all issues" to allow U.S. cargo transit through the country have been resolved.
If confirmed, success would still depend on how much access the United States would have to those countries for flights and cargo, and even then, it may not totally replace the capacity lost in Kyrgyzstan.
U.S. General David Petraeus, who oversees the war in Afghanistan, was in Uzbekistan this week for talks on Afghanistan and other regional issues. A Pentagon spokesman told CNN that his discussions included the regional supply network into Afghanistan.
The U.S. military leased a base in Uzbekistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. But after Uzbek troops were accused of killing at least 150 people during a demonstration in 2005, the autocratic government of President Islam Karimov
|
[
"Who is the President of Kyrgyzstan?",
"What is the Kyrgyzstan president doing?",
"Who is working to keep the operation open?",
"What is the Manas baseusedfor?",
"Who may allow US Military supplies?",
"What country is acting similarly to Tajikistan?",
"Who was used to transport key supplies?",
"Where is the Manas base?",
"Who will allow U.S military supplies to head to Afghanistan?",
"What countries may allow U.S. supplies?",
"Which base is used for key supplies and troops?"
] |
[
"Kurmanbek Bakiyev",
"signed a bill",
"the United States",
"Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan.",
"Tajikistan and Uzbekistan,",
"Uzbekistan",
"Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan",
"Kyrgyzstan",
"Tajikistan and Uzbekistan",
"Tajikistan and Uzbekistan",
"Manas Air"
] |
question: Who is the President of Kyrgyzstan?, answer: Kurmanbek Bakiyev | question: What is the Kyrgyzstan president doing?, answer: signed a bill | question: Who is working to keep the operation open?, answer: the United States | question: What is the Manas baseusedfor?, answer: Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan serves as a U.S. supply route for troops and supplies into Afghanistan. | question: Who may allow US Military supplies?, answer: Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, | question: What country is acting similarly to Tajikistan?, answer: Uzbekistan | question: Who was used to transport key supplies?, answer: Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan | question: Where is the Manas base?, answer: Kyrgyzstan | question: Who will allow U.S military supplies to head to Afghanistan?, answer: Tajikistan and Uzbekistan | question: What countries may allow U.S. supplies?, answer: Tajikistan and Uzbekistan | question: Which base is used for key supplies and troops?, answer: Manas Air
|
(CNN) -- Landslides unleashed by tropical depression Parma across the Philippine province of Benguet have killed at least 122 people and left 31 missing, officials said Friday.
A boatman transports three empty wooden coffins on the edge of Laguna Lake east of Manila on Thursday.
Four people had been found alive in debris, and at least 22 had been injured by landslides that started Thursday afternoon and continued all night, affecting several municipalities, said Elmer Foria, police senior superintendent.
Parma, which had been downgraded from a typhoon, poured more rain onto sodden and already weakened ground.
Flooding had inundated 32 towns and two cities, Dagupan and Urdaneta, according to Rocky Baraan, provincial administrator of Pangasinan. Some 35,000 people had fled to evacuation centers, the official Philippines News Agency reported, citing the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council.
The worst-hit areas included Bayambang, Alcala and Basista, the news agency reported.
People clambered onto rooftops as floodwaters rose, calling and texting for help. Rescue trucks were hampered by floodwaters that reach the roofs of single-story houses, Baraan said. About 16 rubber rescue boats had been deployed.
Since the rains started in central Luzon, three dams in the Pangasinan area have been releasing vast amounts of water -- up to 10 million cubic meters per hour at one dam, dam officials said.
Water passing through the three dams -- the Ambuklao, the Binga and the San Roque -- is rushing into the Agno River, which has been swollen since Thursday and affects seven towns in eastern Pangasinan, dam officials said.
Water released from the San Roque dam has contributed to the flooding in eastern Pangasinan, acknowledged Alex Palada, division manager for flood forecasting and warning of the National Power Corporation. Dam officials had no choice but to maintain safe water levels, he added, noting that he alerted Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino. The governor started to evacuate residents Thursday when the Agno River started to rise, Palada said.
In the last several days, water has become the Philippines' biggest enemy, as Parma, locally known as "Pepeng," dumped as much as 36 inches (91.4 centimeters) of rain in some parts of the nation of islands, compounding misery in areas already flooded by earlier storm Ketsana.
Parma was forecast to have winds of no greater than 39 mph (63 kph) by Friday.
The U.S. Navy was expected to join rescue operations in Pangasinan, according to the agency.
Journalist Lilibeth Frondoso and CNN's Judy Kwon contributed to this report.
|
[
"Which are the worst-hit areas in Pangasinan province?",
"How many dams are in Pangasinan?",
"Three dams where are releasing vast amounts of water?",
"How many towns were affected?",
"How many towns are inundated with flooding?",
"What did the Pangasinan administrator say?",
"Where are the worst hit areas?",
"What were the worst hit areas?",
"Flooding effected how many towns?"
] |
[
"Bayambang, Alcala and Basista,",
"three",
"in the Pangasinan area have been",
"32",
"32",
"Flooding had inundated 32 towns and two cities, Dagupan and Urdaneta,",
"Basista,",
"Bayambang, Alcala and Basista,",
"32"
] |
question: Which are the worst-hit areas in Pangasinan province?, answer: Bayambang, Alcala and Basista, | question: How many dams are in Pangasinan?, answer: three | question: Three dams where are releasing vast amounts of water?, answer: in the Pangasinan area have been | question: How many towns were affected?, answer: 32 | question: How many towns are inundated with flooding?, answer: 32 | question: What did the Pangasinan administrator say?, answer: Flooding had inundated 32 towns and two cities, Dagupan and Urdaneta, | question: Where are the worst hit areas?, answer: Basista, | question: What were the worst hit areas?, answer: Bayambang, Alcala and Basista, | question: Flooding effected how many towns?, answer: 32
|
(CNN) -- Last August, then-Republican presidential nominee John McCain introduced to the nation his surprise pick for vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has a strong base of supporters, as well as a steady supply of vocal critics.
At the time, little was known about the fresh-faced, first-term governor, but within days, Palin's face was on newspapers, magazines and tabloids.
Since then, Palin has become a polarizing figure in the Republican Party. Her passionate supporters are countered with equally fervent critics.
And even though it's been nearly a year since she ventured onto the national stage and more than eight months since the Republican ticket lost the election, as Palin prepares to leave office, the public's interest in her has yet to wane. Palin explains why she's stepping down
"She's kind of a shooting star that caught fire and kept burning," said Lorenzo Benet, an assistant editor for People magazine and author of "Trailblazer: An Intimate Biography of Sarah Palin."
"When she walks into a room, she definitely commands attention and she gets more than most. She's definitely a star," said Benet, who was the only national journalist to have spent much time with Palin in the weeks before she was announced as McCain's running mate.
Palin, a mother of five, "caught the imagination" of the public because there is no one else like her, Benet said. "Particularly for conservative America, there hasn't been a rallying figure of this type," he noted.
In the days leading up to Palin's debut speech at the Republican National Convention last September, Palin revealed that her 17-year-old daughter Bristol was pregnant. The announcement followed Internet rumors that Sarah Palin's 4-month-old baby was actually Bristol's.
The instant fascination with Palin and her family was just a glimpse of what was to come. The public wanted to know everything it could about the Alaska governor, whose resume also included beauty queen, high school basketball star, TV sportcaster and mayor of the small Alaska town of Wasilla.
Amid all the rumors and negative press, Palin showed herself to be a fierce attack dog and came out throwing punches in her speech at the RNC.
The self-described "hockey mom" tore into then-candidate Barack Obama as two-faced, inexperienced and intoxicated by the sound of his own voice. Even her critics recognized the spirit she brought to the GOP.
Palin continued to throw flames on the campaign trail, energizing her supporters and outraging her adversaries.
"She yelled fire in a crowded theater. She really did, in some of her speeches --'palling around' with terrorists and some of the other slurs she was hurling in the way of Obama and the Democrats," said Larry Persily, a former Palin staffer and Alaskan journalist.
"That turned off an equally big chunk of the American public that found it distasteful, destructive, divisive, mean and ignorant. Whereas others said, 'Way to go girl. You stick it to them," he said.
But Palin hasn't always been such a divisive figure. Before entering the national scene, Palin, who knocked out incumbent Republican Frank Murkowski in the gubernatorial primary, was touted as one of the most popular governors in the country, with approval ratings nearing 90 percent. She was seen as a champion of ethics, determined to root out corruption and challenge the status quo.
For those in Alaska, Palin's Reaganesque appeal was nothing new. She secured her role as a local hero back in 1982 when she led Wasilla High School's basketball team to a state championship. And in a small community like Wasilla, that was a big deal.
Alaskans liked her "combativeness and feistiness," Benet said, and resurrected her nickname of "Barracuda" during her successful 1996 campaign to be Wasilla's mayor.
But when Palin's "Barracuda" side hit the national stage, it was met with mixed reactions. Evangelia Souris, the president of Optimum International Center for Image
|
[
"What is the name of the Alaska Gov?",
"Who is Alaska's governor?",
"Who will be stepping down from office on Sunday?",
"Who is stepping down from office on Sunday?",
"What did Sarah Palin become since her national debut?",
"What are people drawn to and threatened by Sarah Palin?"
] |
[
"Sarah Palin.",
"Sarah Palin.",
"Gov. Sarah Palin",
"Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin",
"a polarizing figure in the Republican Party.",
"\"Barracuda\" side"
] |
question: What is the name of the Alaska Gov?, answer: Sarah Palin. | question: Who is Alaska's governor?, answer: Sarah Palin. | question: Who will be stepping down from office on Sunday?, answer: Gov. Sarah Palin | question: Who is stepping down from office on Sunday?, answer: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin | question: What did Sarah Palin become since her national debut?, answer: a polarizing figure in the Republican Party. | question: What are people drawn to and threatened by Sarah Palin?, answer: "Barracuda" side
|
(CNN) -- Last Wednesday, a Twitter fight erupted between technology experts Michael Arrington, founder and former editor of TechCrunch, and Vivek Wadhwa, a technology researcher and writer, after a screening of CNN's documentary, "The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley."
Arrington said a few very clear things about his view of the state of diversity in Silicon Valley. Among them: There may be very few African-Americans in Silicon Valley, but despite this Silicon Valley is a pure meritocracy, and one becomes successful because he or she has a "big brain." Vivek disagreed. As an Indian-American entrepreneur, he said he sees significant bias in Silicon Valley, and even recounted a specific instance where he was told, "You people don't make good CEOs."
First, let me say, I think Arrington truly believes everything he has said about the tech world being a meritocracy. Lots of people believe it.
But not me. I would more properly say that tech markets are a meritocracy. There are very few businesses where an individual in his or her bedroom can create a piece of software that can potentially touch millions of people, and do this without seeking any additional capital. No matter how talented you are, if you want to open a hot new restaurant or a shoe factory, you need lots of money before you start. Not necessarily so with software.
Consumers and businesses, for the most part, don't care about the ethnicity of their software or Internet service vendor. Users want solutions. So if an entrepreneur can get a great product completed cheaply, he or she can often compete on a totally even footing with anyone else. Even if the entrepreneur ultimately needs capital, explosive initial success knocks down all known barriers.
But the market makers operate in a world that is not particularly evenhanded. The market makers are the folks who help new young companies and entrepreneurs by providing insight, mentoring, capital and relationships. This part of the tech world is driven by all the same biases that exist in the nontech world. And it is much harder for even the most talented African-Americans in the tech world to gain access to influential, insightful, connected mentors, let alone investors.
Why is this? For the most part, people want to work with people who are "like them" or who fit a pattern that appeals to them. There is an actual term for this among tech investors called "pattern matching." It's the idea that, without objective facts, one can decide whether someone is likely to be successful based on indirect criteria. In other words, when they see a particular pattern of "personhood," they are excited.
Watch trailer for CNN documentary "The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley"
These patterns are discussed openly in the tech industry around issues like age. Since it is only moderately politically incorrect to suggest that younger entrepreneurs are "better," it is done all the time. The best example of this might be Mike Moritz from Sequoia Capital, perhaps the most influential of all venture funds, admitting in a Building 43 interview that they have a strong bias toward very young entrepreneurs.
But if you believe that age is the only criteria that venture capitalists use for pattern matching, I wanna smoke some of what you've got.
To be clear, I am not saying any venture capitalist says at a partner meeting, "You know I really like this company's product, but did you notice he's a Negro?"
Never happens.
But I firmly believe, based on my 25 years in this industry, that market makers, both investors and the people who help you get ready to approach them, seek out entrepreneurs who appeal to them on some less than objective, visceral level, who feel "comfortable" to them. They don't need to actively filter out undesirable profiles. They just focus on what does appeal to them.
Soledad O'Brien: Michael Arrington is right (about one thing)
They focus on the "patterns" they find appealing -- age is arguably a part of
|
[
"What did the Tech crunch founder call silicone valley?",
"What Hank Williams said about founder of TechCrunch?",
"Who has been involved in a Twitter spat?",
"Who called Silicon Valley a meritorcracy?",
"Who said it was not so?"
] |
[
"a pure meritocracy,",
"I think Arrington truly believes everything he has",
"Michael Arrington,",
"Michael Arrington,",
"Vivek Wadhwa,"
] |
question: What did the Tech crunch founder call silicone valley?, answer: a pure meritocracy, | question: What Hank Williams said about founder of TechCrunch?, answer: I think Arrington truly believes everything he has | question: Who has been involved in a Twitter spat?, answer: Michael Arrington, | question: Who called Silicon Valley a meritorcracy?, answer: Michael Arrington, | question: Who said it was not so?, answer: Vivek Wadhwa,
|
(CNN) -- Last year's world champion Lewis Hamilton has claimed pole position for Sunday's inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while his successor as Formula One's top driver, Jenson Button, qualified fifth.
Hamilton will be looking to end a disappointing year for McLaren with victory in the season finale at the new Yas Marina circuit, but even with a win can do no better than hold onto his fifth overall placing in F1's first day-night event.
The 24-year-old will start a race from the front of the grid for the 17th time in his career, and the fourth in the last seven races, after setting the fastest time in all three sessions.
He clocked a best lap of one minute 40.948 seconds as the sun set on Saturday evening to head off the Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.
Vettel, whose bid to prevent Button clinching the world title ended last time out in Brazil, timed 1:41.615 while Webber recorded 1:41.726.
"The car is the best it has been all year. It was a smooth lap, and it just kept getting better and better," Hamilton told reporters.
"The place is just stunning. They all said it would be a great event, but it's mind-blowing. It's a great place to come to, a great country. The weather has been great and the people are so respectful and so welcoming. I hope we can put on a great show tomorrow."
Button's bid to ensure the first all-British front row since 1995 came to nothing as he was out-qualified by teammate Rubens Barrichello for the 10th time this season.
The Brazilian is expected to be making his final race outing for world champions Brawn, who are expected to sign Nico Rosberg from Williams.
The German, who announced during the week that he will be leaving the British team, qualified ninth as Toyota's Jarno Trulli and BMW Sauber duo Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld took sixth, seventh and eighth places.
Kimi Raikkonen, who will be making his final race appearance for Ferrari, finished outside the top-10 for only the third time this season, and will start in 11th behind Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi.
Heikki Kovalainen's chances of keeping his drive with McLaren took a blow as he finished 15th after suffering gearbox problems.
The Finn, fastest in Friday's practice sessions, was just ahead of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who along with Renault teammate Romain Grosjean failed to make it beyond the opening 20-minute session.
Alonso, at least, can look forward to joining Ferrari as Raikkonen's replacement, but Frenchman Grosjean faces an uncertain future as he has failed to take his chance since taking over from the sacked Nelson Piquet Jr.
Former world champions Ferrari will prop up the grid as veteran Giancarlo Fisichella again struggled ahead of what could be the final race of his career as he will be the team's reserve driver next year when the injured Felipe Massa returns.
|
[
"Who is Jenson Button?",
"What did Lewis Hamilton do?",
"Who is in the lead going into the final race?",
"Where is the final race?",
"Who was last year's world champion?",
"What is Vettel's teams name?",
"Who starts from the pole position in Abu Dhabi?"
] |
[
"Formula One's top driver,",
"Abu Dhabi Grand Prix",
"Lewis Hamilton",
"Yas Marina circuit,",
"Lewis Hamilton",
"Red Bull",
"Lewis Hamilton"
] |
question: Who is Jenson Button?, answer: Formula One's top driver, | question: What did Lewis Hamilton do?, answer: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | question: Who is in the lead going into the final race?, answer: Lewis Hamilton | question: Where is the final race?, answer: Yas Marina circuit, | question: Who was last year's world champion?, answer: Lewis Hamilton | question: What is Vettel's teams name?, answer: Red Bull | question: Who starts from the pole position in Abu Dhabi?, answer: Lewis Hamilton
|
(CNN) -- Lately it's hard to tell the difference between a presidential debate and "The Jerry Springer Show." Yeah, I know. Some of you have been saying this for months. But my comment isn't a criticism of the candidates, but the live audience. I was hoping this audience "whoop" factor would go away over the long debate season, but it has only grown worse.
Are they serving alcohol at the debates? It seems like it. In last night's Republican presidential debate, held in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in South Carolina, the chaotic audience once again played an awkward role in the questions and answers.
Why does this matter? On these presidential debates, the vocal live audiences have shown themselves to be more disruptive than productive. And I've seen debate judges (people who should know better) in intercollegiate tournaments have their decisions influenced by a noisy audience — even judges trained to be impartial and objective.
In this case, the judges are you, the audience. I know everyone believes they can't be swayed like this, but it still happens (even to me, which is one of the reasons I watch the presidential debates alone. I don't want anyone influencing my analysis). There is even a name for it in the literature. Emotional contagion.
And it was apparent Monday night -- fanboys (and fangirls) who were every bit as rabid as a football crowd. The only people missing were face-paint girl and shirtless guy. (Of course, it's hard to tell on television how much of the crowd participated in the cheering and booing.)
It was especially annoying because the live audience was booing their disapproval at inappropriate times. Two examples. Juan Williams, one of the moderators, was asking Mitt Romney about his immigration policies when he was interrupted in mid-question. Williams had begun the question by stating that Mitt Romney's father was born in Mexico. "Boo!" came the shouts from the audience. What? What in the world were they booing? I still have no idea. It could have been Juan Williams, the question, Romney's father, or Romney's position on immigration. It made no sense.
Then the live audience ganged up on Ron Paul. Remember, Paul has some of the more unconventional foreign policy positions for a conservative Republican audience. And Paul was not at his best last night (I've heard him defend his argument much more effectively) when explaining his position on the military operation that killed Osama bin Laden.
But the audience mistimed its reaction and used most of its vitriol immediately after Paul said the American people wouldn't like it if the United States were treated the same way it treated other countries. Paul reiterated his stance that we should use the golden rule -- do unto others as you would have them do unto you -- when the boos rang out. I couldn't believe it. I was indeed hearing this correctly. The crazed audience at the presidential debate actually booed the golden-freaking-rule. What's next? Helping old women cross the street? "Boo! ... Villain!" Puppies? "Hiss ... Shame!"
And the audience was equally annoying when applauding. Remember: Cheering should prove nothing to you in a debate except that some candidates are better than others at stacking the live audience with supporters. I'm also beginning to wonder if there is an "applause" sign that lights up so some of the slower audience operatives will remember when to react.
For their part, the candidates handled the live audience pretty well. After all, politicians are used to verbal feedback in public speeches and town hall meetings.
My advice today is for the general viewing public at home. Simply keep in mind that the opinions of the live audience are not necessarily reflective of anything, including logic. And try to resist being influenced by overzealous fools watching the debate from the cheap seats. If this continues, we're in danger of letting the loud few influence the silent many watching at home. I certainly hope we can reverse this trend
|
[
"What can sway opinions?",
"who was born in Mexico?",
"What where causes of loud boos?",
"What does Todd Graham complain about?"
] |
[
"Emotional contagion.",
"Mitt Romney's father",
"stating that Mitt Romney's father was born in Mexico.",
"the live audience."
] |
question: What can sway opinions?, answer: Emotional contagion. | question: who was born in Mexico?, answer: Mitt Romney's father | question: What where causes of loud boos?, answer: stating that Mitt Romney's father was born in Mexico. | question: What does Todd Graham complain about?, answer: the live audience.
|
(CNN) -- Latin American nations overwhelmingly rejected nearly 50 years of U.S. policy toward Cuba on Wednesday, voting at a meeting of the Organization of American States in Honduras to revoke the communist nation's 1962 suspension from the multinational group.
Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales says farewell to Hillary Clinton at Wednesday's OAS meeting.
Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales said at the end of the two-day meeting in the city of San Pedro Sula that the OAS had rectified a serious error.
The United States led the push to suspend Cuba from the OAS at the height of the Cold War, also breaking diplomatic relations with the island nation in 1961 and establishing an economic embargo the next year.
"This is an important message to the whole world, not just our continent," Zelaya said, later adding, "The Cold War ended today in San Pedro Sula."
The United States sought to obtain concessions from Cuba this year in exchange for readmission to the 35-nation group. In particular, the United States wants greater political and personal freedoms for the island's 11 million citizens.
Cuba rejected any preconditions, with former President Fidel Castro saying this week Cuba had no interest in rejoining the OAS.
Although the OAS lifted Cuba's suspension, Latin leaders did not automatically welcome the nation back. Instead, the OAS set up a mechanism by which Cuba could rejoin. Much of that dialogue will center on human rights.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was "pleased" with the outcome, which came on a voice vote with no opposition.
"The member nations of the OAS showed flexibility and openness today, and as a result we reached a consensus that focuses on the future instead of the past: Cuba can come back into the OAS in the future if the OAS decides that its participation meets the purposes and principles of the organization, including democracy and human rights," Clinton said in a statement.
She attended the two-day meeting but left before the vote to travel to Egypt, where President Obama was to make a major address to the Muslim world Thursday.
Some analysts agreed with Clinton's assessment.
"The OAS emerged from a heated debate with a constructive compromise that revokes an obsolete Cold War resolution suspending Cuba," said Robert Pastor, who was a Latin America national security adviser for President Carter in the late 1970s. "But rather than invite Cuba to join the OAS, which Cuba said it would not do, it invited Cuba to initiate a dialogue on the purposes and principles of the OAS."
Others saw the vote as an outright rebuke for an outdated U.S. policy.
"I wouldn't say it was inevitable, but it was almost so," said Wayne Smith, who worked as a top level official at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba from 1958 to 1961 during the Cuban Revolution that brought Castro to power.
"The U.S. was totally isolated on this," said Smith, who also was the chief of mission at the U.S. interests section in Havana from 1979-82.
"The United States had some legitimate points on readmitting Cuba," Smith said, but went about it wrong.
Larry Birns, director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs policy institute, saw the vote as a personal defeat for Clinton.
"This will be presented in Latin America as a big defeat for Hillary Clinton because people are not ready to take a swat at Obama yet," Birns said. "It was hers to win, but she managed to lose it."
The United States is being "hypercautious," he said, rather than taking imaginative and bold steps toward normalizing relations.
Analysts said many people in Latin America expected more from the newly elected Obama, who ran on a mantra of "change."
Said Smith: "The Obama policy has reflected so little change that the other countries are just fed up."
And many Latins gauge the United States -- long considered with suspicion, if not outright hostility -- by its stance toward Cuba.
"The road to rehabilitating relations with Latin
|
[
"What does the OAS revoke?",
"Who says she's pleased?",
"What decision has been revoked?",
"Who met this week in Honduras?",
"Who is pleased with the outcome?",
"Who met in Honduras?"
] |
[
"an obsolete Cold War resolution suspending Cuba,\"",
"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton",
"suspension from the",
"Organization of American States",
"Hillary Clinton",
"Organization of American States"
] |
question: What does the OAS revoke?, answer: an obsolete Cold War resolution suspending Cuba," | question: Who says she's pleased?, answer: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton | question: What decision has been revoked?, answer: suspension from the | question: Who met this week in Honduras?, answer: Organization of American States | question: Who is pleased with the outcome?, answer: Hillary Clinton | question: Who met in Honduras?, answer: Organization of American States
|
(CNN) -- Launched in 1995, the Airbus A330-200 is the newest member of the European aircraft manufacturer's twinjet family.
The incident involves an Air France Airbus A330-200.
With a range of 12,500 km (6,750 nautical miles) and the capacity to carry 253 passengers, the A330-200 is extremely well-regarded as a medium to long-range airliner.
There are 600 currently in service with 82 airlines, including Air France, worldwide.
Airbus has a further 300 orders for the aircraft.
According to aviation expert Kieran Daly, the A330-200 is a "reliable, ultra-modern, state-of-the-art airplane," with an impeccable safety record.
He told CNN that there has only been one reported incident when an aircraft of this type has crashed.
"The incident took place in 1994 before the aircraft came into service," he said. "It was being flown in test-mode by pilots who were putting it through some extreme maneuvers before it came down.
"Therefore the crash was not caused by the plane itself.
"It is very well-designed and well-equipped, with equally modern and reliable General Electric CF-6 engines."
Air France has said that Flight AF 447 sent an automatic signal indicating electrical problems while going through strong turbulence early in its 11-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Why it took so long to report the aircraft missing »
However, Daly said that it would take extremely violent weather conditions to cause the catastrophic failure of an aircraft of this size.
"These planes are extremely robust and widely used on transatlantic routes and across Asia," he said.
"They are equipped with an array of sophisticated communication equipment, so it must have been something extremely sudden to cause the loss of contact."
There has also been speculation that the Paris-bound flight was struck by lightning, but that should not bring down a modern airliner, former Airbus pilot John Wiley told CNN.
According to Air France, the captain of Flight AF 447 had a record of 11,000 flight hours and had already flown 1,700 hours on Airbus A330/A340 aircraft. Of the two first officers, one had flown 3,000 flight hours (800 of which on the Airbus A330/A340) and the other 6,600 (2,600 on the Airbus A330/A340).
The aircraft had totaled 18,870 flight hours and went into service on 18 April 2005. Its last maintenance check in the hangar took place on 16 April 2009.
The larger A330-300 aircraft from Airbus entered service in 1993 and has a capacity of up to 335 passengers. It too has an impressive safety record, despite a couple of incidents in the last 10 years.
In August 2001, a Canadian airliner operated by Air Transat experienced double engine failure while traveling to Portugal. Miraculously the captain was able to perform an emergency landing in the Azores by gliding the powerless plane for almost 18 minutes.
Last year, an A330-303 was forced to make an emergency landing in Australia after a sudden change in altitude injured 74 passengers. Qantas Flight 72 was flying from Singapore to the western Australian city of Perth when a sudden change of altitude caused abrasions, contusions, fractures and other injuries. The cause of the sudden drop remains under investigation.
|
[
"What flight reported electrical problems?",
"When was the Airbus launched?",
"How many A330-200 planes are currently in service?",
"What was the problem with Flight AF 477?",
"What year was the Airbus A330-200 launched?"
] |
[
"AF 447",
"1995,",
"600",
"electrical",
"1995,"
] |
question: What flight reported electrical problems?, answer: AF 447 | question: When was the Airbus launched?, answer: 1995, | question: How many A330-200 planes are currently in service?, answer: 600 | question: What was the problem with Flight AF 477?, answer: electrical | question: What year was the Airbus A330-200 launched?, answer: 1995,
|
(CNN) -- Law enforcement authorities have recovered 52 children and arrested 60 pimps allegedly involved in child prostitution, the FBI announced Monday.
More than 690 people in all were arrested on state and local charges, the FBI stated.
The arrests were made over the past three days as part of a nationwide law enforcement initiative conducted on the federal, state and local levels, the bureau said.
"Child prostitution continues to be a significant problem in our country, as evidenced by the number of children rescued through the continued efforts of our crimes against children task forces," Kevin Perkins, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, said in a written statement.
"There is no work more important than protecting America's children and freeing them from the cycle of victimization."
The three-day operation, tagged Operation Cross Country IV, included enforcement actions in 36 cities across 30 FBI divisions nationwide. It is part of the FBI's ongoing Innocence Lost National Initiative, which was created in 2003 with the goal of ending sex trafficking of children in the United States.
The initiative, conducted with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has so far resulted in the recovery of almost 900 children, according to the FBI. It has also led to more than 500 convictions.
|
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"How many people were arrested in the operation?",
"How many people were arrested?",
"Which country was involved",
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"How long was the operation?"
] |
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"three-day",
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] |
question: How many people were arrested in the operation?, answer: More than 690 | question: How many people were arrested?, answer: More than 690 people in all were arrested on state and local charges, | question: Which country was involved, answer: United States. | question: How many days did the operation last?, answer: three-day | question: How long did the operation last, answer: three-day | question: What was the name of the operation?, answer: Cross Country IV, | question: What does the FBI say about child prostitution?, answer: continues to be a significant problem in our country, | question: How long was the operation?, answer: three-day
|
(CNN) -- Law enforcement officials arrested more than 500 people, and took custody of 48 juveniles in a coordinated 29-city weekend sweep aimed at combating child prostitution, the FBI announced Monday.
Task forces made up largely of state and local police officers arrested and booked what authorities said were 464 adult prostitutes, 55 pimps and 55 customers on state charges. While most faced local charges, a senior FBI official said he expected there were would be some federal charges as well.
The FBI Monday said 19 searches were conducted, netting a total of $438,000 in cash, plus illegal drugs, cars and computers.
The four dozen juveniles were recovered in the third phase of Operation Cross Country, an initiative that seeks to help child prostitutes and crack down on people who control them and patronize them.
In the previous coordinated operations, authorities recovered 21 alleged child prostitutes last June and 47 in October.
In 2003 the FBI, Department of Justice prosecutors, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children launched what was called the Innocence Lost National Initiative to address what had become a growing problem of children forced into prostitution. Many were young runaways.
Officials say the 32 Innocence Lost task forces formed nationwide have now recovered about 670 children in the six years, and seized more than $3 million in cash.
The most recent operation involved law enforcement agencies in several states including California, Alaska, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon, Alabama, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Minnesota and Arizona.
|
[
"How much money did 19 searches yield?",
"What number of searches were conducted?",
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"What is the name of the special task force that is mentioned?",
"Which group helped in the recovery of about 670 children?",
"How many pimps were arrested?",
"Police booked how many adult prostitutes?",
"How many children did the FBI recover?",
"What kind of criminals were arrested on state charges?",
"What did officials say was recovered?"
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"four dozen juveniles"
] |
question: How much money did 19 searches yield?, answer: $438,000 | question: What number of searches were conducted?, answer: 19 | question: What was the sum of money that the FBI seized?, answer: $438,000 in cash, | question: What is the name of the special task force that is mentioned?, answer: Innocence Lost | question: Which group helped in the recovery of about 670 children?, answer: Innocence Lost task forces | question: How many pimps were arrested?, answer: 55 | question: Police booked how many adult prostitutes?, answer: 464 | question: How many children did the FBI recover?, answer: 48 | question: What kind of criminals were arrested on state charges?, answer: 464 adult prostitutes, 55 pimps and 55 customers | question: What did officials say was recovered?, answer: four dozen juveniles
|
(CNN) -- Law enforcement officials in southern California searched urgently Wednesday for a 3-year-old boy who was kidnapped at gunpoint during a weekend home invasion.
Briant Rodriguez, 3, was taken by armed men during a home invasion in San Bernardino, Caifornia, police say.
Two men broke into a house in the San Bernardino area on Sunday and tied up the boy, Briant Rodriguez, his mother and other siblings.
They ransacked the house and fled with the boy, authorities said.
One of the children freed himself and untied the rest of the family, CNN affiliate KTLA reported. The boy's father was at work at the time, KTLA said.
An Amber Alert was issued late Sunday. Sheriff's deputies in San Bernardino County released composite sketches of the suspects during a news conference on Tuesday. Watch how the boy was taken at gunpoint »
Sheriff's officials said they placed the boy's picture on billboards along the U.S.-Mexican border and have followed up on half of 80 or so leads from the Amber Alert tip-line.
Federal, state and local authorities are working the investigation, which is sparing no expense, Sgt. Doug Hubbard. said. "Every type of known technology is working on this case," he added.
Officials said the kidnappers have not contacted authorities or the parents.
At the news conference, the boy's mother, Maria Millan, held her son's T-shirt and begged that he be released.
"My son, my son, my pretty son," she said. Millan said she told the kidnappers "I don't owe you a thing" and has said she didn't know the men.
There has been speculation that the boy's abduction was a case of mistaken identity or carried out by people involved with organized crime. Authorities say they have found no motive in the case, and they are not ruling out any possibility. They said the parents are not suspects.
Hubbard, the sheriff's department's lead investigator in the case, said "the family obviously has been very distraught."
"Every second that goes by for us is critical," Hubbard said of the round-the-clock and robust investigation. He also added that in his 20-year career he has never experienced a case where a home-invasion robbery resulted in a kidnapping.
Briant is described in the Amber Alert as a Hispanic male who was last seen wearing a yellow shirt with blue sleeves and blue-striped shorts with two different colors of blue. The boy's hair is longer than shoulder length.
Both suspected kidnappers are Hispanic males -- one 5-feet, 5 inches tall, between the ages of 18 and 20 with a thin build, unknown hair and eye color, last seen wearing a black baseball hat, blue jeans and green T-shirt. The other is 5-foot-10, around age 24 with a thin build, black boots, a black shirt and a bandanna.
|
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"What haven't abductors tried to do?",
"What the police said?"
] |
[
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"along the U.S.-Mexican border",
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"have not contacted authorities or the parents.",
"Briant Rodriguez, 3, was taken by armed men during a home invasion in San Bernardino, Caifornia,"
] |
question: Where did the home invasion take place?, answer: San Bernardino, Caifornia, | question: Who posted billboards along U.S.-Mexico border?, answer: Sheriff's deputies in San Bernardino | question: Where were billboards placed?, answer: along the U.S.-Mexican border | question: Who was taken during home invasion?, answer: Briant Rodriguez, 3, | question: When was the boy taken?, answer: during a home invasion in San Bernardino, | question: When was Briant Rodriguez taken from his home?, answer: Sunday | question: What haven't abductors tried to do?, answer: have not contacted authorities or the parents. | question: What the police said?, answer: Briant Rodriguez, 3, was taken by armed men during a home invasion in San Bernardino, Caifornia,
|
(CNN) -- Lawmakers in Ukraine scuffled with each other, throwing punches and eggs, as parliament met Tuesday to ratify a treaty with Russia that extends the latter's navy presence in the Ukraine's Crimean peninsula until 2042.
The ruling Regions party eventually ratified the treaty but not before howls of protest from the opposition.
Someone set off a smoke bomb inside the building, while Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn sought refuge behind an umbrella as he was pelted with eggs.
During a rally attended by thousands on Saturday, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko -- the former prime minister who lost to Viktor Yanukovych in the presidential election run-off in February -- said the ratification must be prevented at all costs.
She claimed that Yanukovych is "selling out" Ukraine, has "openly embarked on the path of destruction of (Ukraine's) national interests, and has actually begun the process of eliminating the state's sovereignty."
The deal was signed last week by Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Tymoshenko said it violated part of the Ukrainian Constitution, which forbids the country from hosting foreign military bases after 2017.
The deal extends Russia's lease of a major naval base in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol for an additional 25 years, in exchange for a 30 percent cut in the price of natural gas that Russia sells to Ukraine.
The agreement may bring an end to years of disputes over natural gas prices, which culminated in Russia turning off the pipeline to Ukraine.
The dispute affected not only Ukrainians, but many Europeans who depend on Russian gas pumped through Ukraine.
The two countries had been at odds ever since the "Orange Revolution" swept Yanukovych's fiercely anti-Russian predecessor Viktor Yushchenko to power in 2005.
Throughout his time in office, Yushchenko repeatedly threatened to expel Russia's Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol. The Russian military lease there was scheduled to expire in 2017.
Yanukovych said the new deal added a "concrete and pragmatic dimension" to centuries of relations between Ukrainians and Russians.
Opposition groups in Ukraine, however, were quick to denounce the agreement. Yuschenko's "Our Ukraine" party said the treaty would lead to the "Russification" of Ukraine.
|
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] |
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"throwing punches and eggs,"
] |
question: Which factions were fighting in the Ukraine parliament?, answer: The ruling Regions party | question: What will the treaty do?, answer: extends the latter's navy presence in the Ukraine's Crimean peninsula until 2042. | question: What was thrown in the parliament?, answer: punches and eggs, | question: What country does the treaty involve?, answer: Russia | question: What year would the treaty end?, answer: 2042. | question: When did the scuffle happen?, answer: Tuesday | question: What happened in the parliament?, answer: throwing punches and eggs,
|
(CNN) -- Leading jockey Frankie Dettori may have spent most of his life on a diet, but when it comes to his favorite pastimes food is right up there with racing.
Around five years ago Dettori met Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White and asked him where he could go out with his young family to eat.
"I couldn't answer the question," Marco Pierre White told CNN, "and that's how Frankie's was born. That simple."
They opened their first restaurant in London in 2004. Now there are four in London, one in Shanghai and one in Dubai.
This March, a cookbook followed: "Frankie Dettori's Italian Family Cookbook." This is his favorite recipe. Enjoy!
Frankie: "My father loved this particular dish as, although it's vegetarian, it has the meaty and slightly smoky texture of a good steak. To this day it makes me think of childhood Sunday lunches."
Parmigiana di Melanzane / Aubergine Parmigiana
INGREDIENTS
1 kg aubergines
extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 x 400g cans of good quality tinned tomatoes, sieved and chopped
a small handful of fresh basil leaves
a large handful of finely grated Parmesan
1½ kg fresh Mozzarella, cubed
Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4.
Cut the aubergines in ½cm strips, lengthwise. Sprinkle each slice with salt and layer on a plate. Cover with a plate of the same size and add a heavy weight on top (such as a large bottle of water) so that water can be squeezed out of the aubergines. Set aside for 2-3 hours.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and fry until slightly golden. Add the tomatoes and basil, and cook over a medium heat for 25 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season to taste.
Remove the weight from the aubergine, thoroughly rinse the slices and pat dry. Generously cover the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil and place over a high heat. In batches, brown the aubergine slices on both sides, lowering the heat and adding oil as required. Drain the slices on kitchen roll as you go along.
Cover the bottom of a 23cm x 30cm ovenproof dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce; add a layer of aubergine slices, then top with a handful of the cheeses. Ladle some tomato sauce over this and continue layering, finishing with one of tomato sauce and a sprinkling of cheeses.
Bake for 15-20 minutes to heat through and melt the Mozzarella, then set aside for a few minutes to cool. Cut into squares and serve warm.
Serves 8
Preparation time: 3 hours
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Courtesy: Harpercollins Publishers E-mail to a friend
|
[
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"When did the first Frankie's restaurant open?",
"What is Frankie Dettori's favorite recipe?",
"When was the Italian family cookbook released?",
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"When was the restaurant opened?",
"What does leading jockey love?"
] |
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"2004.",
"2004.",
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"\"Frankie",
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] |
question: When did the first of Frankie's restaurant open?, answer: 2004. | question: When did the first Frankie's restaurant open?, answer: 2004. | question: What is Frankie Dettori's favorite recipe?, answer: Aubergine Parmigiana | question: When was the Italian family cookbook released?, answer: March, | question: Where is Dettori's favorite recipe from?, answer: "Frankie | question: When was the restaurant opened?, answer: 2004. | question: What does leading jockey love?, answer: food
|
(CNN) -- Lebanon stunned traditional regional powerhouses South Korea 2-1 in Beirut on Tuesday to boost their hopes of qualifying for the last stage of Asia's 2014 World Cup qualifying.
Lebanon lost 6-0 to the Koreans in in September's away fixture in the first game under new coach Theo Bucker, but the German has overseen a big improvement since then.
Central defender Ali Al Saadi put the Middle East side ahead after just five minutes, but the visitors leveled on 20 from the spot as Koo Ja-Cheol slotted home.
But the Wolfsburg midfielder blotted his copybook by tripping Mahmoud el Ali, and Abbas Atwi converted the winning penalty just after half an hour.
Lebanon now trail 2002 World Cup semifinalists South Korea only on goal difference, with Kuwait two points further back ahead of the final round of Group B matches after beating United Arab Emirates 2-1.
Australia booked passage to the second round of qualifying with an unconvincing 1-0 win in Thailand.
Blackburn's Brett Emerton set up Brett Holman for his second-half headed winner as the Socceroos went through as Group D winners.
Saudi Arabia and Oman fought to a 0-0 draw and will battle it out with Thailand to decide the second qualifying place in the final round.
Iran also progressed with a game to spare, beating Indonesia 4-1 before a goalless draw in Doha between Qatar and Bahrain confirmed their qualification.
Bahrain must win against Indonesia in the concluding matches on February 29, while the Qataris need a point against Iran to go through.
Iraq ended China's hopes of qualifying from Group A by beating leaders Jordan 3-1 to claim the second spot.
China had earlier won 4-0 against Singapore with a late Zheng Zheng double.
Japan had already gone through from Group C, but the Blue Samurai's 20-match unbeaten run ended with a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals North Korea in Pyongyang.
Pak Nam Chol's 50th-minute header secured the victory, but in a bad-tempered game the home side had Jong Il Gwan sent off in the 77th minute.
"It was a physical match in a tough environment," Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni told broadcaster TBS. Uzbekistan beat Tajikistan 3-0 to go three points clear at the top of the group.
The top two teams from each of five groups reach the final stage, where a round-robin is played to decide on four places for the 2014 finals in Brazil. The fifth-placed team go into an intercontinental playoff.
In the first round of Africa qualifying, Emmanuel Adebayor returned to international action as Togo beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0 to progress to the second stage after a first-leg draw.
The Tottenham striker had retired from representing his country after the January 2010 gun attack on the Togo team bus before the African Cup of Nations.
Serge Gakpe, who scored in the opening 1-1 draw, netted a second-minute winner for the Sparrowhawks.
The Democratic Republic of Congo also went through after beating Swaziland 5-1 to win 8-2 on aggregate, while Congo progressed 6-1 on aggregate despite being held 1-1 by Sao Tome e Principe.
Lesotho and Tanzania triumphed by virtue of the away-goals rule at the expense of Burundi and Chad respectively, despite both nations losing the second legs.
Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda and 2012 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Equatorial Guinea also made it to the second stage.
|
[
"Who did lebanon beat?",
"Which team thrashed Indonesia 4-1?",
"What country beat South Korea?",
"What team beat South Korea?",
"What was the score of the Lebanon game?",
"Which team did Iran beat 4-1?",
"Which countries played?"
] |
[
"South Korea",
"Iran",
"Lebanon",
"Lebanon",
"2-1",
"Indonesia",
"South Korea"
] |
question: Who did lebanon beat?, answer: South Korea | question: Which team thrashed Indonesia 4-1?, answer: Iran | question: What country beat South Korea?, answer: Lebanon | question: What team beat South Korea?, answer: Lebanon | question: What was the score of the Lebanon game?, answer: 2-1 | question: Which team did Iran beat 4-1?, answer: Indonesia | question: Which countries played?, answer: South Korea
|
(CNN) -- Lectures, slide shows and notes are often boring, but people are using technology to find entertainment in these unlikely places.
Spoof notes of "Star Wars" are scribbled into a fun online "pencast."
Some use high-tech pens to track presentations. Others share PowerPoints in slide show form online. These technologically spiced-up presentations seem to be getting more attention these days.
They're also creating buzz about what the future of presentations might hold.
Consider "pencasts," which are made using the Pulse SmartPen and specially gridded paper, both sold by the California startup Livescribe. The pen writes like an ordinary pen but also has a voice recorder, and it "notes" (so to speak) which notes were taken at which point in the recording.
Some quirky SmartPen presentations come off as comedy sketches. One popular presentation muses about how George Lucas might have come up with the idea for Star Wars.
Some university students love the technology because they can record and play back what their professor was saying at an exact point in their notes -- which is especially useful when you can't read your own writing. And many professors are all for it, too.
"I feel like this is one of those 'Rear View Mirror' moments in which a new technology comes into our lives with enormous potential and we just don't know what to do with it yet," blogs Michael Wesch, a cultural anthropology and digital ethnography professor at Kansas State University.
"We think of it in terms of what we know (pen and paper) and fail to recognize the potential."
That potential -- for entertainment and serious uses alike -- can be gleaned from pencasts posted on the Livescribe Web site's community section, which is about a year old. The pencasts posted there have collectively received more than 1.5 million views.
Soon, it will be easier to embed pencasts on other sites, like personal blogs, the company says.
Slide shows are further along in popularity.
A startup called SlideShare launched in late 2006 with the idea of allowing people to easily share their PowerPoint presentations. Its site had more than 15 million visitors last month, and its 2008 contest for the best presentations showed off the form's potential.
The best are far removed from the dull bullet-point presentations you might have fallen asleep to. Many use dramatic images, striking design and memorable phrases.
Former Vice President Al Gore developed his presentation on the planet's environmental challenges into the Academy Award-winning documentary and best-selling book "An Inconvenient Truth."
Last year's top SlideShare presentation, called "Thirst," highlights the looming water crisis and has nearly 200,000 views.
Others are more light-hearted. The No. 2 spot (with more than 60,000 views) went to a presentation called "Foot Notes." It shows pictures of the narrator's feet in various places she's been (like on cobblestone corridors in Prague and a dance floor in Chicago), interspersed with inspiring quotes related to feet and walking.
Finally, for many people, the most dreaded, boring form of communication of all is the lecture. But then, how to explain the popularity of the TED videos?
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. The conference started in the mid-'80s and has become a networking event of sorts for the world's best and brightest. Dozens of speakers give presentations of about 20 minutes each -- the perfect duration for a juicy "media snack."
TED.com started introducing TEDTalks to the public for free in July 2006, and by the following year, there were more than a hundred talks dating back to 2002. Broken down into dozens of themes, today they're popular fodder for video iPods.
In one, the amputee athlete and model Aimee Mullins talks about how her many pairs of artificial legs often beat having a single pair of regular ones -- some make her taller, others are works of art. In another, Jill Tarter, an astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research, discusses how insanely large the
|
[
"What makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?",
"What is a TED lecture?"
] |
[
"technology",
"Technology, Entertainment, Design."
] |
question: What makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?, answer: technology | question: What is a TED lecture?, answer: Technology, Entertainment, Design.
|
(CNN) -- Lectures, slide shows and notes are often boring, but people are using technology to find entertainment in these unlikely places.
Spoof notes of "Star Wars" are scribbled into a fun online "pencast."
Some use high-tech pens to track presentations. Others share PowerPoints in slide show form online. These technologically spiced-up presentations seem to be getting more attention these days.
They're also creating buzz about what the future of presentations might hold.
Consider "pencasts," which are made using the Pulse SmartPen and specially gridded paper, both sold by the California startup Livescribe. The pen writes like an ordinary pen but also has a voice recorder, and it "notes" (so to speak) which notes were taken at which point in the recording.
Some quirky SmartPen presentations come off as comedy sketches. One popular presentation muses about how George Lucas might have come up with the idea for Star Wars.
Some university students love the technology because they can record and play back what their professor was saying at an exact point in their notes -- which is especially useful when you can't read your own writing. And many professors are all for it, too.
"I feel like this is one of those 'Rear View Mirror' moments in which a new technology comes into our lives with enormous potential and we just don't know what to do with it yet," blogs Michael Wesch, a cultural anthropology and digital ethnography professor at Kansas State University.
"We think of it in terms of what we know (pen and paper) and fail to recognize the potential."
That potential -- for entertainment and serious uses alike -- can be gleaned from pencasts posted on the Livescribe Web site's community section, which is about a year old. The pencasts posted there have collectively received more than 1.5 million views.
Soon, it will be easier to embed pencasts on other sites, like personal blogs, the company says.
Slide shows are further along in popularity.
A startup called SlideShare launched in late 2006 with the idea of allowing people to easily share their PowerPoint presentations. Its site had more than 15 million visitors last month, and its 2008 contest for the best presentations showed off the form's potential.
The best are far removed from the dull bullet-point presentations you might have fallen asleep to. Many use dramatic images, striking design and memorable phrases.
Former Vice President Al Gore developed his presentation on the planet's environmental challenges into the Academy Award-winning documentary and best-selling book "An Inconvenient Truth."
Last year's top SlideShare presentation, called "Thirst," highlights the looming water crisis and has nearly 200,000 views.
Others are more light-hearted. The No. 2 spot (with more than 60,000 views) went to a presentation called "Foot Notes." It shows pictures of the narrator's feet in various places she's been (like on cobblestone corridors in Prague and a dance floor in Chicago), interspersed with inspiring quotes related to feet and walking.
Finally, for many people, the most dreaded, boring form of communication of all is the lecture. But then, how to explain the popularity of the TED videos?
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. The conference started in the mid-'80s and has become a networking event of sorts for the world's best and brightest. Dozens of speakers give presentations of about 20 minutes each -- the perfect duration for a juicy "media snack."
TED.com started introducing TEDTalks to the public for free in July 2006, and by the following year, there were more than a hundred talks dating back to 2002. Broken down into dozens of themes, today they're popular fodder for video iPods.
In one, the amputee athlete and model Aimee Mullins talks about how her many pairs of artificial legs often beat having a single pair of regular ones -- some make her taller, others are works of art. In another, Jill Tarter, an astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research, discusses how insanely large the
|
[
"What can be used to link audio and written notes?",
"Technology injects new life into what type of medium?",
"What type of content is contained in a TED lecture?",
"What makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?",
"Growth in what makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?",
"What is the name of the technology that brings audio and written notes together?"
] |
[
"the Pulse SmartPen",
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"Technology, Entertainment, Design.",
"\"pencast.\"",
"technology",
"Pulse SmartPen"
] |
question: What can be used to link audio and written notes?, answer: the Pulse SmartPen | question: Technology injects new life into what type of medium?, answer: Lectures, | question: What type of content is contained in a TED lecture?, answer: Technology, Entertainment, Design. | question: What makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?, answer: "pencast." | question: Growth in what makes slide shows and lectures more interesting?, answer: technology | question: What is the name of the technology that brings audio and written notes together?, answer: Pulse SmartPen
|
(CNN) -- Left-leaning Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega easily won re-election with more than double the votes of his closest rival, election officials said on Monday, amid complaints of voting irregularities.
With 85% of the ballots counted, the incumbent had 62.6% of the vote, versus Fabio Gadea's 30.9%.
"I want to congratulate the current president," Roberto Rivas, president of the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), told reporters.
Opposition leaders have criticized Sunday's vote and Gadea, Ortega's closest rival, refused to accept the results.
He was known until recently as a radio-station owner and journalist and as creator of the popular Nicaraguan radio character "Pancho Madrigal."
"We can't accept the results presented by the CSE as they don't reflect the will of the people," Gadea said.
According to opposition leader Eliseo Nunez of the Liberal Independent Party, 20% of election observers had been stopped from entering polling stations.
"This has been a process plagued with irregularities," he said.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland similarly weighed in Monday on reports of procedural irregularities and voter intimidation.
"Frankly, if the Nicaraguan government had nothing to hide, it should have allowed a broad compliment of international monitors," she told reporters in Washington.
Placing third, with 6% of votes, was former President Arnoldo Aleman. He was convicted of corruption during his term and sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2003, but in a controversial 2009 decision, the nation's top court overturned the conviction.
Nicaragua's constitution bars presidents from being re-elected, but that did not stop Ortega from running in his sixth straight presidential race. Supporters of the president celebrated what was then his apparent re-election victory in the streets of the country's capital Sunday night.
He was first elected as president in 1984, and ran unsuccessfully in 1990, 1996 and 2001 before being elected again in 2006.
Ortega is known as an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and was a public supporter of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi during the Libyan uprising.
But recently he has reached for the middle, making overtures to the business class and promising to lure foreign investors into the country.
"Our government program is the one in practice now and the one we have to improve, strengthen (and) develop," Ortega said recently.
For his supporters, re-election guarantees that social and economic programs will continue. They want to see more investment in infrastructure and technology, and more public housing, projects often financed through Venezuela.
Ortega came to power as part of the Sandinista rebels who overthrew the Somoza dynasty in 1979. He represents the Sandinista National Liberation Front.
His detractors accuse Ortega of having too much influence over the Supreme Electoral Council and the Supreme Court of Justice, which allowed his candidacy.
Yet his popular support remains high, particularly among the country's youth.
"The level of support shows a bit of a new generation that does not know the experience of the past, of 30 years ago, of the war that happened in Nicaragua," said Manuel Orozco, a senior associate at the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue.
CNN's Lucia Navarro and Jack Maddox contributed to this report.
|
[
"What did an opposition leader say about the electoral process?",
"Who is Daniel Ortega?",
"Who said the electoral process was plagued with irregularities?",
"What did an opposition leader say about the process?",
"Who has refused to accept the results?",
"Who refused to accept the results?",
"Who refuses to accept the results?",
"Who is declared the winner?",
"Who was declared the winner?"
] |
[
"\"We can't accept the results presented by the CSE as they don't reflect the will of the people,\"",
"Nicaraguan President",
"election officials",
"plagued with irregularities,\"",
"Gadea,",
"Fabio Gadea's",
"Gadea,",
"Daniel Ortega",
"Daniel Ortega"
] |
question: What did an opposition leader say about the electoral process?, answer: "We can't accept the results presented by the CSE as they don't reflect the will of the people," | question: Who is Daniel Ortega?, answer: Nicaraguan President | question: Who said the electoral process was plagued with irregularities?, answer: election officials | question: What did an opposition leader say about the process?, answer: plagued with irregularities," | question: Who has refused to accept the results?, answer: Gadea, | question: Who refused to accept the results?, answer: Fabio Gadea's | question: Who refuses to accept the results?, answer: Gadea, | question: Who is declared the winner?, answer: Daniel Ortega | question: Who was declared the winner?, answer: Daniel Ortega
|
(CNN) -- Left-leaning Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, leading the polls in a three-man race, looked poised to win re-election on Sunday.
Ortega cast his ballot shortly after polls opened. They closed at 7 p.m. ET , with early results expected Sunday night.
Nicaragua's constitution bars presidents from being re-elected, but that did not stop Ortega from running in his sixth straight presidential race.
He was first elected as president in 1985, and ran unsuccessfully in 1990, 1996 and 2001 before being elected again in 2006.
Ortega is known as an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and was a public supporter of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi during the uprising there.
But recently, he has reached for the middle, making overtures to the business class and promising to lure foreign investors into the country.
"Our government program is the one in practice now and the one we have to improve, strengthen (and) develop," Ortega said recently.
For Ortega's backers, continuity will guarantee that social and economic programs will keep on. They want to see more investment in infrastructure, technology and more public housing, projects often financed through Venezuela.
He came to power as part of the Sandinista rebels who overthrew the Somoza dynasty in 1979, and he represents the Sandinista National Liberation Front.
His detractors accuse Ortega of having too much influence over the Supreme Electoral Council and the Supreme Court of Justice, which allowed for his candidacy.
Yet his popular support remains high.
"From my point of view, it has been a good government and we hope to keep working in this way," said one voter, Julio Lara, ahead of the election.
Another voter, Magdalena Miranda said, "I think he has done much to help the poor."
Ortega's closest challenger is Fabio Gadea, who until recently was known as a radio-station owner and journalist, and as creator of the popular Nicaraguan radio character "Pancho Madrigal."
Gadea ran on the Independent Liberal Party, which includes support from former Sandinista backers who in the past may have supported Ortega.
"We have proclaimed that we are going to make an honest government, a revolution of honesty that will end corruption, and with the end of corruption we can start to fix all the problems," Gadea said before the vote.
Those who consider Ortega's candidacy unconstitutional say they found a strong candidate in the 80-year-old Gadea.
"He is the man who all Nicaraguans can confide in to defeat" Ortega's party, resident Marlene Castillo said.
"He is the one who respects our rights, now we don't have fear like before," said Wilfredo Treminio.
Running third in polls ahead of the election was Arnoldo Aleman, a former president who represents another liberal party. But some of those supporters have joined the ranks of Gadea's party.
After leaving office, Aleman was convicted of corruption during his term and sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2003, but in a controversial 2009 decision, the nation's top court overturned the conviction.
|
[
"in that year he was elected ortega?",
"NEW: Early results are expected",
"who supported Ortega's opponents?"
] |
[
"1985,",
"Sunday night.",
"former Sandinista backers"
] |
question: in that year he was elected ortega?, answer: 1985, | question: NEW: Early results are expected, answer: Sunday night. | question: who supported Ortega's opponents?, answer: former Sandinista backers
|
(CNN) -- Legendary American boxer Muhammad Ali has visited the birth place of his ancestors in Ireland, prompting thousands of well-wishers to line the streets of the town.
Muhammad Ali on a nine-day visit to Europe that included a stopover to his ancestoral home in Ireland.
The scenes were reminiscent of a presidential visit as the 67-year-old former three-times world heavyweight champion traveled to Ennis, County Clare to see the hometown of his forebear.
The visit was commemorated by the town council with the unveiling of a plaque at the home of his great grandfather and by making Ali the first honorary "freeman" of the town.
Abe Grady -- the grandfather of Ali's mother Odessa Lee Grady -- lived in the town of Ennis, before emigrating to the United States in 1860 where he married an African-American emancipated slave. Watch as Muhammad Ali visits Ireland »
Ali -- who was crowned Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated in 1999 -- had his Irish heritage uncovered by genealogists in 2002.
"Now that we know Muhammad is an Ennis man, we will be back," Ali's wife Lonnie told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
The small County Clare- town of 23 thousand put on an open-air concert, closed schools early and had special screenings of the Ali v George Foreman documentary "When We Were Kings" to welcome the "Louisville Lip."
Ali -- who has been a Parkinson's Disease sufferer since 1984 -- did not speak to those who had gathered but shadow-boxed to spectators and cameras before meeting his distant relatives.
"It was incredible. We've had so much rain and yet today it was beautiful. The rain held off wherever Muhammad Ali went." Frankie Neylon, the town's mayor said.
Ali fought in Ireland only once during his career, beating Al Blue Lewis in a non-title bout at Dublin's Croke Park in 1972.
The visit to Ireland was part of a nine-day tour of Europe that Ali had undertaken to raise money to fight Parkinson's Disease and for the Ali Center.
|
[
"When did his great-grandfather emigrate?",
"where does Muhammad Ali visit?",
"What does Ali's wife say?",
"when did Ali's great grandfather emigrate?",
"what did he unveil in the town?",
"Where is Ali's ancestral home?"
] |
[
"1860",
"Ireland,",
"\"Now that we know Muhammad is an Ennis man, we will be back,\"",
"1860",
"a plaque at the home of his great grandfather",
"Ireland,"
] |
question: When did his great-grandfather emigrate?, answer: 1860 | question: where does Muhammad Ali visit?, answer: Ireland, | question: What does Ali's wife say?, answer: "Now that we know Muhammad is an Ennis man, we will be back," | question: when did Ali's great grandfather emigrate?, answer: 1860 | question: what did he unveil in the town?, answer: a plaque at the home of his great grandfather | question: Where is Ali's ancestral home?, answer: Ireland,
|
(CNN) -- Legendary American boxer Muhammad Ali has visited the birthplace of his ancestors in Ireland, prompting thousands of well-wishers to line the streets of the town.
Muhammad Ali on a nine-day visit to Europe that included a stopover to his ancestral home in Ireland.
The scenes were reminiscent of a presidential visit as the 67-year-old former three-times world heavyweight champion traveled to Ennis, County Clare to see the hometown of his forebear.
The visit was commemorated by the town council with the unveiling of a plaque at the home of his great-grandfather and by making Ali the first honorary "freeman" of the town.
Abe Grady -- the grandfather of Ali's mother Odessa Lee Grady -- lived in the town of Ennis, before emigrating to the United States in 1860 where he married an African-American emancipated slave. Watch as Muhammad Ali visits Ireland »
Ali -- who was crowned Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated in 1999 -- had his Irish heritage uncovered by genealogists in 2002.
"Now that we know Muhammad is an Ennis man, we will be back," Ali's wife Lonnie told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
The small County Clare town of 23 thousand put on an open-air concert, closed schools early and had special screenings of the Ali versus George Foreman documentary "When We Were Kings" to welcome the "Louisville Lip."
Ali -- who has been a Parkinson's Disease sufferer since 1984 -- did not speak to those who had gathered but shadow-boxed to spectators and cameras before meeting his distant relatives.
"It was incredible. We've had so much rain, and yet today it was beautiful. The rain held off wherever Muhammad Ali went," Frankie Neylon, the town's mayor said.
Ali fought in Ireland only once during his career, beating Al Blue Lewis in a non-title bout at Dublin's Croke Park in 1972.
The visit to Ireland was part of a nine-day tour of Europe that Ali had undertaken to raise money to fight Parkinson's Disease and for the Ali Center.
|
[
"Name Ali's wife?",
"What did Ali have to say?",
"What did Ali unveil in town?",
"Where is Muhammad Ali's ancestral town?"
] |
[
"Lonnie",
"not speak",
"plaque",
"Ennis, County Clare"
] |
question: Name Ali's wife?, answer: Lonnie | question: What did Ali have to say?, answer: not speak | question: What did Ali unveil in town?, answer: plaque | question: Where is Muhammad Ali's ancestral town?, answer: Ennis, County Clare
|
(CNN) -- Legendary Austrian skier Hermann Maier has ended his illustrious career at the age of 36 despite having recovered from knee surgery.
Hermann Maier is known for his spectacular all-action style -- and crashes -- on the piste.
The two-time Olympic champion, winner of three world titles and four World Cup overall crowns, has fought back to full fitness after his operation at the end of March, but decided he was ready to bow out after a 13-season career.
"I have decided that I will draw a line and end my career as a ski racer as of today," Maier told reporters in Vienna on Tuesday.
"My big goal was to get back in shape physically, and I have achieved exactly that.
"With regard to my future life, my health was paramount for me and that's why I'm calling it quits now."
Maier, who won gold in the super-G and giant slalom events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, is known for his spectacular crashes on the piste -- and he overcame a near-fatal motorcycle accident in August 2001 which ruled him out of skiing for a year.
He bounced back to win a World Cup event two weeks after his return in January 2003, and the next year reclaimed his super-G and overall World Cup titles.
Nicknamed "The Herminator" for his physical, all-action style, Maier is the second-most successful male skier after Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark with 54 World Cup race victories to his name.
He won two world titles in super-G and downhill at Vail, Colorado in 1999, and claimed gold in the giant slalom in Bormio, Italy in 2005.
|
[
"Hermann Maier ends his illustrious career at age of 36 in what field?",
"Maier had how many word cup race wins?",
"How many times was he an Olympic champion?",
"who is hermann maier"
] |
[
"skier",
"four",
"two-time",
"Austrian skier"
] |
question: Hermann Maier ends his illustrious career at age of 36 in what field?, answer: skier | question: Maier had how many word cup race wins?, answer: four | question: How many times was he an Olympic champion?, answer: two-time | question: who is hermann maier, answer: Austrian skier
|
(CNN) -- Legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith is confirming the latest buzz: She's been laid off from the New York Post.
Legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith, 86, has been a fixture of New York tabloids for more than three decades.
Confronted with "economic gales," New York Post Editor Col Allan said in a letter sent to Smith that the newspaper would not renew her contract, which expires at the end of the month.
"The Post is grateful to have been able to publish Liz Smith's legendary column for so many years. We wish her the very best for the future," Allan said in a statement Tuesday.
In an interview with CNN affiliate WABC-TV in New York, Smith noted that Friday "will be the first time in 33 years that there hasn't been a Liz Smith column in a New York paper."
"That hurts my heart. I would hate to see another newspaper fail. ... When I came to New York, there were nine newspapers. I've worked for seven of them. They just disappear out from under you," she added.
Often referred to as the "Diva of Dish," the 86-year-old Smith has been a presence in New York tabloids for more than three decades. She's written for the New York Post, New York Daily News and Newsday.
Smith was also a fixture on local television, appearing on WNBC-TV for more than 10 years. In 2000, she published a memoir, "Natural Blonde," and wrote a nonfiction work in 2005 combining food and gossip, "Dishing."
Though her titillating and often penetrating look at the New York social scene may be gone from tabloid pages, Smith will continue to publish, writing five times a week for wowOwow.com, an online community created and run by women for women.
In an online statement, WowOwow.com co-founder Joni Evans said that Smith will begin posting next week.
|
[
"Where will Liz Smith write now?",
"What will Smith do now?",
"What does the letter cite?",
"Why did Liz Smith not get a new contract?",
"Whose column won't be in the New York paper for the first time in 33 years?",
"What happened for the first time in 33 years?",
"Smith will write for what website?",
"A Liz Smith column won't run in a New York paper for the first time in how many years?",
"Number of times Smith will write a week for the site?",
"What is the reasoning for Smith's contract not being renewed?",
"What paper is Col Allan with?"
] |
[
"wowOwow.com,",
"continue to publish, writing five times a week for wowOwow.com,",
"sent to Smith that the newspaper would not renew her contract,",
"\"economic gales,\"",
"Liz Smith",
"there hasn't been a Liz Smith column in a New York paper.\"",
"WowOwow.com",
"33",
"five",
"\"economic gales,\"",
"New York Post"
] |
question: Where will Liz Smith write now?, answer: wowOwow.com, | question: What will Smith do now?, answer: continue to publish, writing five times a week for wowOwow.com, | question: What does the letter cite?, answer: sent to Smith that the newspaper would not renew her contract, | question: Why did Liz Smith not get a new contract?, answer: "economic gales," | question: Whose column won't be in the New York paper for the first time in 33 years?, answer: Liz Smith | question: What happened for the first time in 33 years?, answer: there hasn't been a Liz Smith column in a New York paper." | question: Smith will write for what website?, answer: WowOwow.com | question: A Liz Smith column won't run in a New York paper for the first time in how many years?, answer: 33 | question: Number of times Smith will write a week for the site?, answer: five | question: What is the reasoning for Smith's contract not being renewed?, answer: "economic gales," | question: What paper is Col Allan with?, answer: New York Post
|
(CNN) -- Legendary singer, dancer, actress and civil rights activist Lena Horne, 92, died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.
No other details of her death were made public.
Horne was the first African-Americans to sign a long-term movie contract with a major Hollywood studio when she joined MGM in 1942.
Horne's expressive and silky voice made her a singing star, known best for her hit "Stormy Weather," after Hollywood failed to give her roles that might have made her a big screen starlet.
Horne complained she was used as "window dressing" in white films, mostly limited to singing performances that could be easily edited out for play in southern theaters.
The light-complexioned Horne refused to go along with studio plans to promote her as a Latin American.
She later said she did not want to be "an imitation of a white woman."
Horne, whose parents divorced when she was 3, lived a nomadic childhood traveling with her actress mother. She spent much of her time growing up in Brooklyn, New York, where she was born in 1917.
Horne was 16 when she began her show business career as a dancer at Harlem's Cotton Club. She later became a singer there, playing to packed houses of white patrons, with band leaders Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.
She began taking singing lessons in 1935, and eventually landed a part in the all-black Broadway production "Dance With Your Gods."
Her work as a feature singer with touring bands and in nightclubs increased. She became the first African-American singer to tour with a white group in 1940, according to her official biography.
Her first film role came in 1938 in "The Duke is Tops," but her next movie didn't come along for another four years.
She was given a screen test by MGM and signed to a seven-year movie contract after a studio scout saw her performing in a New York club.
Her stepfather, Miguel Rodriguez, negotiated with MGM head Louis B. Mayer for her to never be cast as a maid or "Tarzan extra."
"I think the black boy that cleaned the shoes and me were the only two black people except the maids who were there working for the stars," Horne said in a CNN interview. "And it was very lonely and I wasn't very happy."
Still, Horne said she was grateful that her World War II era films -- including black musicals "Cabin in the Sky" and "Stormy Weather" -- were seen by black and white soldiers.
"But after I realized I would only go so far, I went on the stage," Horne said.
With only subservient roles available for a black actress in Hollywood in the 1940s, Horne turned to recording top-selling songs.
Horne said performing for live audiences was what she loved most.
"I'm always happy when I'm surrounded by people to react and feel and touch," she said.
While traveling with a USO tour during the World War II, she walked out on a show because German war prisoners were seated in front seats, ahead of African-American troops. After the USO withdrew her from the tour, she used her own money to travel to sing for the troops.
She has a son and daughter from a first marriage that ended in 1944.
Horne married again in 1947 to Lennie Hayton, who was then MGM's music director. She kept the marriage secret for several years, since Hayton was white. When it was made public, the couple received hate mail and threats of violence, according to her biography.
Radio, television, film and nightclub jobs were harder for Horne to find in the McCarthy era of the 1950s when she was blacklisted. That ended in 1956 when RCA gave Horne a new recording contract and she earned a guest spot in the movie "Meet Me in Las Vegas."
Horne returned to Broadway in 1957 for her first starring role there. "
|
[
"What did Horne love the most?",
"What was she the first African-American to do ?",
"What was she grateful in WW II for ?",
"Which actress were one of the firs to sign a long contract?"
] |
[
"performing for live audiences",
"sign a long-term movie contract with a major Hollywood studio",
"her World War",
"Lena Horne,"
] |
question: What did Horne love the most?, answer: performing for live audiences | question: What was she the first African-American to do ?, answer: sign a long-term movie contract with a major Hollywood studio | question: What was she grateful in WW II for ?, answer: her World War | question: Which actress were one of the firs to sign a long contract?, answer: Lena Horne,
|
(CNN) -- Legendary singer/songwriter Aretha Franklin sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the inauguration Tuesday.
Aretha Franklin says cold weather affected her voice during her performance at the inauguration on Tuesday.
CNN's Larry King talks with "The Queen of Soul" about the reality of the nation's first black president, singing at the inauguration and the much-talked-about hat she wore.
Larry King: Where'd you get that hat?
Aretha Franklin: Well, I bought it at a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit.
King: What was that like for you (Tuesday)?
Franklin: Oh. What a tremendous, mammoth morning, evening, the ball, everything, from one event to the other, was just too much.
King: How did you find out you were singing?
Franklin: My agent called me and he told me that he had received an invitation and a telephone call, asking for my presence and performance at the swearing-in and the inauguration.
King: Did you choose the song?
Franklin: Yes, I did.
King: Is that a tough song to sing?
Franklin: No, not at all, but (Tuesday) it was. Mainly because of the temperature outside. I don't have to tell you, it was freezing, if you were there. Some singers it doesn't bother, and others it does. I don't care for it. It affected my voice. Watch Franklin sing at inauguration »
King: You sang at Martin Luther King's funeral. What do you remember about that?
Franklin: There were very, very long lines, of course. I recall walking in the street behind the bier, somewhere maybe about 200, 300 feet from the bier, I think. I recall Leontyne Price being there, as well as Eartha Kitt. They shuttled us from one point to the other. The passing of a great man was at hand.
King: How did you feel yesterday about seeing a young black man elected president?
Franklin: Oh boy, how do you put it into words? There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack. I think it's the age of Barack. People have just fallen head over heels in love with him. His ascent to the presidency was miraculous. But we have to remember that he's not going to work miracles right off the top. It's going to take time. Watch Franklin discuss joy of seeing nation's first black president »
(There's) a lot of problems, and there's a plethora of things to deal with for he and his administration.
King: One thing, with your magnificent voice, is it hard to sing outdoors?
Franklin: It depends on the temperature. Yesterday, Mother Nature was not very kind to me. I'm going to deal with her when I get home. It, by no means, was my standard. I was not happy with it, but I just feel blessed because it could have been five above zero or five below zero like it is in Detroit.
I was still blessed to be able to pretty much just sing the melody, but I wasn't happy with it, of course.
King: It was great to listen to.
Franklin: I was delighted and thrilled to be there. That was the most important thing, not so much the performance, but just to be there and to see this great man go into office -- the promise of tomorrow coming to pass.
|
[
"What affected Aretha Franklin's rendition?",
"Where did Franklin buy the inauguration hat?",
"What did she buy at Detroit millinery?",
"What did she sing?",
"What affected rendition of \"My country 'Tis of Thee\"?",
"What did Franklin say about Obama's presidency?",
"Where did Aretha Franklin sing?"
] |
[
"cold weather",
"a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit.",
"hat",
"\"My Country 'Tis of Thee\"",
"cold weather",
"There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack.",
"at the inauguration"
] |
question: What affected Aretha Franklin's rendition?, answer: cold weather | question: Where did Franklin buy the inauguration hat?, answer: a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit. | question: What did she buy at Detroit millinery?, answer: hat | question: What did she sing?, answer: "My Country 'Tis of Thee" | question: What affected rendition of "My country 'Tis of Thee"?, answer: cold weather | question: What did Franklin say about Obama's presidency?, answer: There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack. | question: Where did Aretha Franklin sing?, answer: at the inauguration
|
(CNN) -- Legendary singer/songwriter Aretha Franklin sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the inauguration Tuesday.
Aretha Franklin says cold weather affected her voice during her performance at the inauguration on Tuesday.
CNN's Larry King talks with "The Queen of Soul" about the reality of the nation's first black president, singing at the inauguration and the much-talked-about hat she wore.
Larry King: Where'd you get that hat?
Aretha Franklin: Well, I bought it at a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit.
King: What was that like for you (Tuesday)?
Franklin: Oh. What a tremendous, mammoth morning, evening, the ball, everything, from one event to the other, was just too much.
King: How did you find out you were singing?
Franklin: My agent called me and he told me that he had received an invitation and a telephone call, asking for my presence and performance at the swearing-in and the inauguration.
King: Did you choose the song?
Franklin: Yes, I did.
King: Is that a tough song to sing?
Franklin: No, not at all, but (Tuesday) it was. Mainly because of the temperature outside. I don't have to tell you, it was freezing, if you were there. Some singers it doesn't bother, and others it does. I don't care for it. It affected my voice. Watch Franklin sing at inauguration »
King: You sang at Martin Luther King's funeral. What do you remember about that?
Franklin: There were very, very long lines, of course. I recall walking in the street behind the bier, somewhere maybe about 200, 300 feet from the bier, I think. I recall Leontyne Price being there, as well as Eartha Kitt. They shuttled us from one point to the other. The passing of a great man was at hand.
King: How did you feel yesterday about seeing a young black man elected president?
Franklin: Oh boy, how do you put it into words? There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack. I think it's the age of Barack. People have just fallen head over heels in love with him. His ascent to the presidency was miraculous. But we have to remember that he's not going to work miracles right off the top. It's going to take time. Watch Franklin discuss joy of seeing nation's first black president »
(There's) a lot of problems, and there's a plethora of things to deal with for he and his administration.
King: One thing, with your magnificent voice, is it hard to sing outdoors?
Franklin: It depends on the temperature. Yesterday, Mother Nature was not very kind to me. I'm going to deal with her when I get home. It, by no means, was my standard. I was not happy with it, but I just feel blessed because it could have been five above zero or five below zero like it is in Detroit.
I was still blessed to be able to pretty much just sing the melody, but I wasn't happy with it, of course.
King: It was great to listen to.
Franklin: I was delighted and thrilled to be there. That was the most important thing, not so much the performance, but just to be there and to see this great man go into office -- the promise of tomorrow coming to pass.
|
[
"Where di Franklin bring her hat to?",
"What was the weather on the morning of the Obama inauguration like?",
"Where did Aretha Franklin buy her hat?",
"What song did Aretha Franklin sing?",
"Who sang at the inauguration?",
"What did Franklin say about the presidency?",
"What did Franklin say she bought?",
"What did she sing?",
"What did Franklin say about Obama's presidency?",
"What did Aretha Franklin claim about the cold weather?",
"What did Aretha Franklin say about cold weather?"
] |
[
"the inauguration",
"cold",
"a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit.",
"\"My Country 'Tis of Thee\"",
"Aretha Franklin",
"was miraculous.",
"hat?",
"\"My Country 'Tis of Thee\"",
"There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack.",
"affected her voice",
"affected her voice"
] |
question: Where di Franklin bring her hat to?, answer: the inauguration | question: What was the weather on the morning of the Obama inauguration like?, answer: cold | question: Where did Aretha Franklin buy her hat?, answer: a little millinery that I frequent out in Detroit. | question: What song did Aretha Franklin sing?, answer: "My Country 'Tis of Thee" | question: Who sang at the inauguration?, answer: Aretha Franklin | question: What did Franklin say about the presidency?, answer: was miraculous. | question: What did Franklin say she bought?, answer: hat? | question: What did she sing?, answer: "My Country 'Tis of Thee" | question: What did Franklin say about Obama's presidency?, answer: There's a love affair going on with the country and Barack. | question: What did Aretha Franklin claim about the cold weather?, answer: affected her voice | question: What did Aretha Franklin say about cold weather?, answer: affected her voice
|
(CNN) -- Len Gengel cries between sentences. "It's my daughter's birthday today," he says, choking back tears.
"We should be celebrating," he says. "Instead, I'm talking to people all day long, making sure they continue on the search and rescue. That's my objective today: to keep that search and rescue going."
Gengel's daughter, Britney, is one of four students from South Florida's Lynn University who are missing amid the rubble of Haiti's Hotel Montana. Two faculty members from the university also remain missing.
Britney, a sophomore journalism major with jet black hair and a bright smile, turned 20 Thursday. She had traveled to Haiti with 12 Lynn University students on a humanitarian mission to feed the poor. Eight of the students were rescued last week.
An hour before the magnitude-7.0 quake, Britney called her mother. "Brit said she found her calling, that she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life," her father said, pausing to catch his breath.
"Who knew an hour later that was going to happen? It's so hard to talk about. ... Think of the worst day of your life and then times that by 1,000."
Crews have spent days searching mounds of rubble, 30 feet high in places, that was the Hotel Montana, popular with tourists and visiting officials.
Lynn University, which hired a search crew immediately after the quake, initially told the Gengel family that their daughter had been rescued. The family then flew from their Massachusetts home to South Florida for what they thought was going to be a reunion.
"We have spent a week here in Florida in a living hell," the father said. "It's just one of the dirtiest tricks life can play on you, to take someone from you and then call and say they found her and she's on a helicopter and she's gonna be OK. And then to be told 10 hours later ... that they had bad intel -- they don't have her."
Lynn President Kevin M. Ross said Thursday evening that he is still optimistic "that a miracle is found."
"We still have hope at Lynn University," he said. "The search and rescue will continue."
He also called upon the U.S. government to ensure that every person "lost in this tragedy are returned to their loved ones."
"We need a commitment to return the missing to the families," Ross said.
The university has been updating families regularly on the search efforts. Students have also rallied on campus, raising money for relief efforts in Haiti. T-shirts for sale have a simple message: "Lynn United."
Len Gengel said that his daughter was in Room 300 and that a CBS news crew showed him photographs of what was believed to be the room.
"She's in the back right-hand corner," Len Gengel said. "Her roommate was at the pool when this happened. My daughter was either showering or resting."
On a Facebook page dedicated to Britney, one message says, "Everyday miracles happen, I think today would be a perfect day to have one."
Her father says his family has been touched by the thousands of messages they have received: "The outpouring of support and love has just been amazing."
He says he's heartened that eight of the Lynn students were rescued. He continues to pray for others missing at Hotel Montana and across Haiti. But on this day, his thoughts are focused on the girl who brought him so much joy when she entered this world 20 years ago today.
"At this moment, we're trying to prepare ourselves for the worst, but we're hoping and praying for the best," he said. "We're devastated. Our hearts are broken. They're just broken."
|
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question: How many students were on the trip?, answer: 12 | question: How many college students came on the trip?, answer: 12 | question: Which birthday would Britney be celebrating?, answer: 20 | question: How many college students were on the humanitarian trip?, answer: 12 | question: What did Britney's father say?, answer: "It's my daughter's birthday today," | question: What was the family initially told?, answer: that their daughter had been rescued. | question: Who is missing?, answer: four students from South Florida's Lynn University | question: What was Britney's family initially told?, answer: their daughter had been rescued.
|
(CNN) -- Les Paul never stopped tinkering, said Henry Juszkiewicz.
Les Paul was constantly making recommendations on how to improve guitars, says the CEO of Gibson.
Juszkiewicz, the chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitars, remembers getting calls from his company's partner (and famed client), offering recommendations on how to change or market his eponymous Gibson guitars.
Sometimes, Juszkiewicz recalls, the two would go out for Chinese food. Paul was very particular, desiring a dish called Chicken Subgum. The two would have to search Chinatown for a restaurant that knew how to cook it, he says with a chuckle.
Les Paul died Thursday of pneumonia. He was 94.
Juszkiewicz talked about his friend and colleague Thursday afternoon. The following is an edited version of the interview. Watch how Les Paul helped invent modern music »
CNN: Tell me about working with Les Paul.
Henry Juszkiewicz: I've been with Gibson about 25 years and known Les pretty much through that entire period. ... Les was a very kind person. He was a visionary.
In the early days, Gibson was doing very poorly as a company, and I got involved essentially to turn the company around. ... We had many, many conversations about the guitar business and what to do. ... A lot of the things we talked about and implemented were very successful.
CNN: What was distinctive about the Gibson Les Paul when it came out, and what remains distinctive about it? Gallery: Guitarists pay tribute to Les Paul »
Juszkiewicz: When it first came out, it was extremely controversial, and it was not really successful. It took years for Gibson to actually come to terms with Les. He had been pitching the head of what was Gibson's parent company, CMI, for three or four years until they finally decided to give it a try -- and only then when he became very famous and a television personality.
And they were right, actually, because a solid-body guitar was considered silly. ... It really wasn't until 1965, '66 that the guitar took off and became popular. In fact, in the early '60s, the guitar was discontinued for several years. One of the [prized] Les Pauls was the 1959 Les Paul -- that's sort of the holy grail of Les Pauls -- and one of the reasons is there were only 300 units made in 1959. And 300 units was not really that successful for Gibson; it was a powerhouse guitar builder in 1959.
So Les was always ahead of his time. He was someone who could see what was going to happen 50 years in advance, and very often, he was able to bring his vision to reality and share it with the entire musical community. ...
The [Les Paul] guitar shines in modern music. ... In the '50s and before the '50s, the [standard] guitar was amplified, but it was just louder. In other words, it still sounded just like an acoustic guitar, but you could turn it up. What Les did was turn it into a whole new instrument. When he was playing ... you will hear this rich context that's kind of normal today. ...
CNN: Les Paul being Les Paul, I assumed he continue to play with things over the years.
Juszkiewicz: Yeah, he would call me all the time and give me suggestions. It's really hard to answer your original question, what makes it [distinctive]. ... As a guitar player, when I pick it up, I know it's a Les Paul. I can feel the sustain. It's got a certain feeling. ... There's a lot of things in it. But it's the package that's kind of magic. In the modern world, working with modern equipment, it's incomparable.
CNN: How many Les Pauls do you sell nowadays?
Juszkiewicz: A lot. Many, many thousands.
I'll share with you: We had a big debate when we first got involved in the business. When I was a young guitar
|
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"when does paul died?",
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] |
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"how to improve guitars,"
] |
question: when does paul died?, answer: Thursday | question: what wasn't particularly popular when introduced?, answer: the Gibson Les Paul | question: Who made recommendations on how to improve guitars?, answer: Les Paul | question: What wasn't popular when introduced?, answer: Gibson Les Paul | question: Who died on thursday at 94, answer: Les Paul | question: What was Paul's age at death?, answer: 94. | question: what was the recommendations of les paul?, answer: how to improve guitars,
|
(CNN) -- Lessons learned from previous successful airliner ditchings helped pilot C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger save 155 lives when he put his US Airways A320 jetliner down in the Hudson River, a fellow pilot told CNN.
An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 is seen just before it crashes into the sea off the Comoro Islands in 1996.
Twenty-three people died when an Overseas National Airways DC-9 ditched off the Caribbean island of St. Croix in 1970, and 123 were killed in the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 off the Comoro Islands near Africa in 1996.
But Emilio Corsetti, an Airbus 320 pilot and aviation author, said those ditchings were actually successful "because people were able to get out" -- 40 in the 1970 crash and 52 in the 1996 incident.
More may have survived if those planes were equipped like the Airbus 320 and if passengers followed standard evacuation procedures, Corsetti told CNN. Watch how to survive a plane crash »
In fact, Corsetti said, the 1970 crash helped lead to a redesign of seat belts.
The belts aboard the DC-9 were "metal-to-fabric," Corsetti said, depending upon tension to keep passengers strapped in their seats.
"Those things gave out... People were thrown out of their seats 10 rows up," said Corsetti, who has written a book, "35 Miles from Shore," about the 1970 crash.
On the Hudson River on Thursday, the impact was like "being inside a car that crashes," passenger Alberto Panero said.
Corsetti also said that the DC-9 didn't have life raft capacity for all those aboard. Unlike the A320's escape slides, which helped dozens of passengers get out, the DC-9s rafts could hold only three or four.
In the 1996 crash, the Ethiopian Airlines 767 was attempting a water landing off the Grand Comoro Island during a hijacking. The plane had run out of fuel.
While it is uncertain whether there was a struggle in the cockpit, video shows the 767 nearing the ocean's surface. As it does, the plane's left engine hits a reef, Corsetti said, sending it into a cartwheel.
He said the majority of the 123 who died drowned. They had put on life vests and inflated them before they could get out of the splintered fuselage, he said, and were trapped against the bulkheads as water filled the wreckage.
Sullenberger had other advantages, too, Corsetti said. Putting the jetliner down into the placid Hudson River probably helped him keep the plane level. The DC-9 pilot faced 8- to 15-foot seas in the 1970 ditching and the Ethiopian jet was dealing with offshore waves. Watch a pilot describe how plane went down »
The A320 also is equipped with a ditching button, Corsetti said, which closes all valves below the waterline, enabling it to float more easily.
No matter the lessons learned from the earlier crashes, US Airways passengers were happy Sullenberger was in the cockpit Thursday.
"He's the man! He's absolutely the man!" passenger Vince Spera said. "If you want to talk to a hero, get a hold of him because that is the hero in this whole deal."
CNN's Wayne Drash contributed to this report.
|
[
"What caused the crash?",
"How many survived ?",
"what allows the jet to float longer?",
"what didn't the jet have enough of?"
] |
[
"run out of fuel.",
"155",
"ditching button,",
"life raft capacity for all those aboard."
] |
question: What caused the crash?, answer: run out of fuel. | question: How many survived ?, answer: 155 | question: what allows the jet to float longer?, answer: ditching button, | question: what didn't the jet have enough of?, answer: life raft capacity for all those aboard.
|
(CNN) -- Leszek Balcerowicz, Poland's former finance minister, recently said his country is enjoying "its best period in 300 years." CNN looks at how the country emerged from communism to become one of eastern Europe's most stable and thriving democracies.
Solidarity leader Lech Walesa addresses striking workers in Gdansk, Poland in 1989.
Modern Poland gained independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Almost six million Poles, including the majority of the country's large Jewish population, died during the devastating six-year conflict.
The shadow of Stalin continued to loom large over Poland after the war, when the communist-dominated government ensured that Poland would become a Soviet satellite state for the next 40 years.
The following decades were punctuated by revolts against the repressive authoritarian regime in Warsaw, but none had a greater impact on Poland's political future than events in 1980 at a shipyard in western Poland.
With a struggling economy and rumors of corruption and mismanagement within the state causing widespread discontent, a series of strikes by workers paralyzed the country.
Eventually the government was forced to negotiate and on August 31, 1980, workers at the massive Lenin shipyard in Gdansk, led by an electrician named Lech Walesa, signed a deal giving workers the right to strike and form trade unions. This heralded the creation of the Solidarity movement, which would ultimately be instrumental in bringing Poland's communist era to an end.
The presence in the Vatican at the time of Polish-born Pope John-Paul II was also a significant influence on the movement throughout the 1980s, as the Catholic church had remained a very potent force in Polish life. The Pope even made a visit to the country in 1979.
Despite Soviet-endorsed attempts to slow the erosion of the regime's grip on power -- including the declaration of martial law by General Wojciech Jaruzelski in 1981 which outlawed Solidarity -- Poland's worsening economic situation, compounded by further nationwide strikes, meant that the government had no alternative but to negotiate a date for free elections with Walesa and the Solidarity movement.
Solidarity members won a stunning victory in the election of 1989, taking almost all the seats in the Senate and all of the 169 seats they were allowed to contest in the Sejm or parliament. This gave them substantial influence in the new government. Activist and journalist Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed prime minister, while Lech Walesa was elected as president the following year. Were you in Poland in 1989? Send us your memories
After years of economic mismanagement under the communists, Poland embarked on a painful reform program under finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz -- especially in traditional heavy industries such as coal and steel -- which moved away from the inefficient state-controlled system of economic planning.
Despite growing unemployment and a dilapidated infrastructure, Poland was slowly transformed into an investment-friendly, market economy.
Banking and lending policies were reformed, while newly reshaped ownership relations, independent enterprises and strengthened domestic competition all had a massive impact.
Over a relatively short period of time, Poland had become one of the most dynamically developing economies in Europe and by the mid-1990s, it became known as the "Tiger of Europe."
Poland also liberalized its international trade during this period. The national currency -- the zloty -- became convertible to other currencies and internal convertibility was also established, providing another platform for dynamic economic growth.
New markets in countries that had been treated not so long before as ideological as well as economic enemies were opened up to Polish companies. The EU and U.S. were now the key markets for Polish goods.
This realignment of policy was emphasized by its accession into the European Union in 2004. It had also joined NATO in 1999.
Unfortunately the continuing problem of high unemployment and the promise of better salaries encouraged many Poles to work in other EU countries after 2004. However this trend started to reverse in 2008 as the Polish economy enjoyed a boom period.
Politically, Poland has also successfully transformed itself into a fully democratic country. Since 1991 the Polish people have voted in parliamentary elections and four presidential elections -- all free
|
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question: When was Poland ruled by the soviet regime?, answer: during the Second World War. | question: What was replaced by the free market economy?, answer: communists, | question: When did Poland join the European Union?, answer: 2004. | question: Who ruled Poland after the end of world war two, answer: Stalin | question: In what year did Poland join the European Union, answer: 2004. | question: What became a key factor in the fall of communist regime?, answer: creation of the Solidarity movement, | question: What was the centrally planned economic system replaced with?, answer: investment-friendly, market economy. | question: When did Poland join the EU?, answer: 2004. | question: What replaced the centrally-planned economic system?, answer: an investment-friendly, market economy. | question: who ruled poland before, answer: Germany and the Soviet Union | question: when did poland join the european union?, answer: 2004. | question: what was the movement called?, answer: the Solidarity | question: Who was Poland ruled by after WWII?, answer: Soviet | question: what made communism fall, answer: the creation of the Solidarity movement, | question: What happened in 2004?, answer: accession into the European Union
|
(CNN) -- Let me begin by saying that if Mr. Martin so much as breathes a word about George Blanda, Earl Campbell or Warren Moon, I win this debate.
Seriously, they are Tennessee Titans (aka ex-Houston Oilers) and, thus, completely off limits when speaking of the Houston Texans.
You may be thinking, "That's an unsporting way to begin an argument."
Well, I'm in a pretty unsporting mood after my Cowboys -- again -- choked down the backstretch, looking more like a team playing Five-Mississippi Rush than one of the greatest sports franchises on Earth.
But they are still Texas' team. Hell, they're America's team. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Since the glorious days (and hair) of Jimmy Johnson, when Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin owned the NFL -- tallying three Super Bowl victories in the '90s -- the headline has been the same: "Playoff victory escapes Cowboys."
There are two unremarkable exceptions, of course, one being when we pounded Philly by 20 in a 2010 NFC Wild Card bout. That's irrelevant to this conversation, but I wanted to take a shot at those ornery Eagles fans so they'll write hyperbolically nasty things about me below. It's how they roll.
Back to the conversation at hand ... Mr. Martin argues from a relative vantage point. The Cowboys, quite simply, suck lately.
Read why Martin believes Houston is the new face of Texas football
The running backs are like delicate, porcelain dolls. The secondary and o-line look like sieves. Dez Bryant thinks wide receivers get new contracts for spending everything from their first one. Our quarterback ticked off some voodoo priest who now spends his Decembers stabbing the daylights out of his Tony Romo doll.
And the team is owned by a megalomaniac who believes prowess as a college football player and oilman qualify him to be the only NFL owner with a general manager title. This, after two playoff wins in 15 years.
Yet all this negativity does nothing to tilt the Cowboys' crown. It doesn't even scuff the throne. The Cowboys rule Texas, and no 2002 upstarts from Houston enjoying their first playoffs can take that away.
That doesn't mean the Texans haven't done something impressive. Most fans (especially I) would be thrilled to see their team lose its top quarterback, running back, wide receiver, linebacker and cornerback for various stints yet still make the postseason.
It's commendable, but I'm afraid it will come to a Cowboys-esque ending Saturday versus the Bengals. I could be wrong, but Las Vegas isn't exactly inspired when you're favored by three at home.
Win or lose, Houston has a long road to rival the Cowboys, whose eight Super Bowl appearances are tied for most ever. Our five Super Bowl wins are second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers (hurt to write that).
Did I mention Saturday will mark the Texans' first playoff game? Ever? The franchise isn't old enough to have a Hall of Famer.
Our Ring of Honor -- What? No Ring of Honor in Houston? -- is rife with legends. In addition to the aforementioned Triplets of the 1990s, there's Landry, Schramm, Lilly, Renfro, Dorsett, Hayes, Staubach and White.
Those are just the HOFers. I'm not counting Larry Allen, Drew Pearson, Chuck Haley, Cliff Harris, Don Perkins or Don Meredith (and if anyone has a clue how Ed "Too Tall" Jones isn't in the Ring, let me know.)
Though down now, the 'Boys used to be mainstays in the playoffs. In the '70s, it was more common to see them in the NFC Championship than not.
That's when they became America's Team. I know the moniker riles folks up, and it should. If you aren't a Cowboys fan, then your squad isn't America's Team. I'd be sad and envious, too.
Before Packers and Steelers fans start
|
[
"How many super bowls does the Cowboys have?",
"Which team is called America's team?"
] |
[
"three Super Bowl",
"Tennessee Titans"
] |
question: How many super bowls does the Cowboys have?, answer: three Super Bowl | question: Which team is called America's team?, answer: Tennessee Titans
|
(CNN) -- Let's face it, if you're on holiday in Miami you'll want to be based near the beach, which, fortunately, is where the city's most glamorous hotels are located.
South Beach is known for its Art Deco hotels, like The Delano, left.
South Beach is known for its distinctive Art Deco hotels, mostly built in the 1920s and 30s and often painted in bright pastel colors. South Beach's Art Deco originals have been protected since the 1970s, and many have since been renovated to the highest specifications.
Collins Avenue is home to more than its fair share of boutique hotels. The Delano (1685 Collins Avenue, doubles from $400) dates back to the 1940s and is crowned with streamlined fins that are pure Deco.
It has been re-imagined by Ian Schrager, with a white, minimal Philippe Starck-designed interior that is sophisticated and hip. The Delano's Rose Bar is one of the best places in town for a poolside cocktail.
The Shore Club (1901 Collins Avenue, doubles from $300) is another Schrager revival of a Deco hotel and, if anything, it's even cooler than The Delano. Rooms are high-tech, welcoming and often occupied by visiting celebrities. The attached sushi restaurant Nobu is top notch and the stylish Skybar, with its four bars and tropical gardens, is one of the city's hottest nightspots.
Do you have a favorite hotel or place to stay in Miami?
If you've just won the lottery, you'll want to stay at the Setai (2001 Collins Avenue, doubles from $785). Another conversion of an Art Deco hotel, albeit augmented by a 40-storey tower, the Setai adds tasteful Asian influences. Its cool, dark interior is a refreshingly tasteful oasis among the South Beach excess, and is both unashamedly luxurious and frighteningly expensive.
Back in the real world, The Standard (40 Island Avenue, Miami Beach, doubles from $250) is a little stranded in its Biscayne Bay locale, but is great value. The real draw is the superb spa, with its infinity pool and open-air mud lounge. But this is no austere health retreat; it's relaxing and fun, and all the better for it. This is Miami after all...
A cheaper, quirkier option is Pelican (826 Ocean Drive, doubles from $200). Owned by Italian fashion label Diesel, this is a colorful, kitschy place, with individually themed rooms, such as the ornate and floral 'Power Flower' room. The hotel's Pelican Café has an outstanding wine list and is surprisingly good value.
Away from the beach altogether, the Biltmore (1200 Anastasia Avenue, doubles from $310), over in Coral Gables, is an absolute gem. The rooms aren't exceptional but the building is a beauty, modeled on the Giralda bell tower in Seville, with ornate Moorish-inspired touches. Al Capone was a big fan back in the 1920s and these days there's a massive pool, an 18-hole golf course and rumors of resident ghosts...
......................
Miami City Guide:
Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop
Do you agree with our Miami picks? Send us your comments and suggestions in the "Sound Off" box below and we'll print the best
|
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question: Who have influenced?, answer: Asian | question: What beach is known for its distinctive and stylish Art Deco hotels?, answer: South | question: What is The Standard known for?, answer: The real draw is the superb spa, with its infinity pool and open-air mud lounge. | question: What type of interior has The Setai?, answer: cool, dark | question: What is South Beach known for?, answer: Art Deco hotels, | question: What hotel has an Asian-influenced interior?, answer: Setai | question: For what its knowing South Beach?, answer: Art Deco hotels,
|
(CNN) -- Let's face it; most awards shows can be pretty dull. It's not that we don't tune in to every single one, of course, but it's always a pleasant surprise when the ceremony is actually fun to watch.
Last night's Emmy Awards hosted by Jane Lynch not only honored Emmy shoo-ins like "The Daily Show," "Mad Men" and "Modern Family" and fan favorite "Friday Night Lights" alike, but also brought the laughs.
Here are our top five funniest moments.
1. Leading ladies storm the stage
As soon as Sofia Vergara and Rob Lowe presented the nominees for outstanding lead actress in a comedy, Amy Poehler, whose name was read first for "Parks and Recreation'" smiled at the camera and then promptly ran up onto the stage before any of the other nominees -- let alone the winner -- was announced.
As Vergara and Lowe continued to read names, each of Poehler's fellow funny women, Melissa McCarthy ("Mike and Molly"), Martha Plimpton ("Raising Hope"), Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie"), Tina Fey ("30 Rock") and Laura Linney ("The Big C") joined her on stage. The group lined up and held hands in their best beauty pageant re-enactment while waiting for the big reveal -- a bit which received a standing ovation from the audience.
To top off an already stellar and hilarious display of female solidarity, when McCarthy won the Emmy she not only received genuine smiles and big hugs from the rest of the women, but also walked away with a bouquet of roses and a tiara as a bonus.
"Wow, it's my first and best pageant ever!" McCarthy said.
2. All-star 'Office'
Back from commercial break, viewers were treated to a sketch where characters from different shows all popped up at the Dunder-Mifflin office to discuss their least favorite thing about their jobs.
There was Tom Haverford from "Parks and Recreation," Tracy Jordan from "30 Rock," Roger Sterling from "Mad Men" and Jesse Pinkman from "Breaking Bad" (who we learn is Creed's crystal meth dealer) and more. Kim Kardashian showed up, but even she was a little confused as to why. "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I get the question," she deadpanned. "What do you mean by work? Am I saying that word right? Work?"
Finally, we see Ashton Kutcher in Michael Scott's old office, but the rest of the staff is sure this is a mistake. "I'm pretty sure that I'm taking over as the new lead," Kutcher said. When Ed Helms tells him that's for a different show and this isn't Warner Brothers lot, it all clicks for Kutcher. "Oh, I was wondering where the half man was!"
3. Jane Lynch's shortest, sweetest zinger
"A lot of people are curious why I'm a lesbian. Ladies and gentleman ... the cast of Entourage."
4. Steven Levitan's wife
When Steve Levitan and Jeffrey Rich of "Modern Family" won for outstanding writing in a comedy series, it was a safe bet that the speech would be funny. But viewers weren't expecting Levitan's wife Krista's perfect, comedic timing to steal the show.
When Levitan explained that the inspiration for the winning episode was when his children walked in on him and his wife "in the act," Krista looked directly at the camera and rolled her eyes. Later in the speech when Levitan went back to the mic to thank his "somewhat-satisfied wife," she reprised the disgruntled eye roll and forever cemented a place in our hearts.
5. Remote Ricky Gervais
Just when we thought all the joke mileage that could be gotten out of Ricky Gervais' Golden Globes hosting controversy had run out ages ago, he once again faced some of the celebs he slammed -- albeit in an Emmy pre-recorded message.
|
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question: Where is the office in the show?, answer: Dunder-Mifflin | question: Who faced some celebs he had slammed?, answer: Ricky Gervais' | question: Who ran onto the stage?, answer: Amy Poehler, | question: Which office did the sketch take place in?, answer: Dunder-Mifflin | question: What show does Amy Poehler star in?, answer: "Parks and Recreation'" | question: who ran on to stage, answer: Amy Poehler, | question: Who face some celebs that he slammed?, answer: Ricky Gervais | question: which office was used, answer: Dunder-Mifflin
|
(CNN) -- Let's just say it. The whole thing sounds insane.
Despite blisters and 130-degree heat, Canadian Sandy McCallum pulls ahead on a grueling day in the desert.
For six days, people from across the world -- accountants, school teachers, farmers, CEOs -- will run 150 miles, the equivalent of five consecutive marathons, across one of southern Africa's most remote landscapes.
Without showers, toilets or beds, the racers must fend for themselves by carrying in their backpacks all the food they will need for the week. Water is rationed, despite 120-degree heat. And the racers will wear whistles to summon help should they encounter a wild animal that seems inclined to make them into dinner.
Oh, and to have this... adventure... each person pays $3,100, not including travel costs. Listen to racers say why they do it »
"Nothing has ever made more sense to me," said Jim Molaschi, a 46-year-old South Florida engineer, who escapes from his cubicle as often as possible to do adventure races that make "Survivor" contestants look like pageant queens.
Molaschi is among the 214 racers who will, beginning May 17, traverse Namibia. It's the latest footrace staged by Racing the Planet Limited, which has hosted 18 similarly styled races, known as the "4 Deserts," since the mid 1990s.
The first three courses -- each about 150 miles -- run across Chile's Atacama Desert, where it hasn't rained in 200 years; China's Gobi Desert, where the first dinosaur eggs were discovered; and North Africa's Sahara Desert, where camels have been known to eat Racing the Planet's pink flag race markers.
Sahara racers were asked: What happens if you're racing and stop seeing pink flags along the way? Wear a GPS, they say, and hope you find the next pink flag. Watch racers lance blisters, eat mush and run across the Sahara »
Only those who complete the first three are allowed to participate in a walk across Antarctica known as the Last Desert. Racing the Planet is the first group to stage an endurance event across Namibia.
Mary Gadams, Racing the Planet's director, was stunned this year as more people registered than ever before.
"It's the worst economy in years, and the world seems like it's falling apart, yet there is this real thirst out there to do this," she said. "Maybe when everything that you defined yourself by in the 'normal' world isn't so stable, some people want to rediscover who they are outside of 'normal.' They want an incredible experience."
Racing the Planet competitors include a Mount Kilimanjaro summiteer from Germany, a British insurance broker, a Spanish government official, a Canadian physician and an American architect. There are Ironman competitors in the mix with a few people who have never run more than 13 miles.
The oldest woman in the race is a 68-year-old grandmother from Australia, Jennifer Murray, who set a record in 1997 by becoming the first woman to circumnavigate the earth in a helicopter.
Most racers compete for charity, and over the years they have collectively raised about $500,000, said Gadams. In 2008 Racing the Planet teamed with Operation Smile to provide 97 villagers in Egypt with free reconstructive surgery, she said.
Physicians and trained volunteers ride in all-terrain vehicles along the route, distributing water and medical aid. No one has been seriously hurt during past races. Helicopters -- including one provided by the Namibian government -- are at the ready. Competitors, as in any endurance event, sign off on the risks.
Letting go of their vanity is something most racers learn after a couple of hours on the course.
"When you've got a CEO of a major company copping a squat in the desert, you are seeing them in a way their board members would never dream of," said Sandy McCallum, a 47-year-old former reporter turned record-setting fulltime runner who won Sahara among women in 2007.
"Out there, you
|
[
"What must the races do?",
"What should the racers carry?",
"Who is the oldest female racer?",
"Who is the oldest racer?",
"What number of marathons is it like?",
"Where is the footrace?"
] |
[
"run 150 miles,",
"all the food they will need for the week.",
"a 68-year-old grandmother",
"Jennifer Murray,",
"five consecutive",
"Namibia."
] |
question: What must the races do?, answer: run 150 miles, | question: What should the racers carry?, answer: all the food they will need for the week. | question: Who is the oldest female racer?, answer: a 68-year-old grandmother | question: Who is the oldest racer?, answer: Jennifer Murray, | question: What number of marathons is it like?, answer: five consecutive | question: Where is the footrace?, answer: Namibia.
|
(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton extended his Formula One drivers' championship lead after finishing fourth at the German Grand Prix.
The British driver moved 14 points clear of McLaren teammate Jenson Button, who was fifth at Hockenheim.
Red Bull's Mark Webber retained third after placing sixth, but was caught on 136 points by teammate Sebastian Vettel after the German finished third on his home track after starting from pole position.
Ferrari kept their title hopes alive as Fernando Alonso claimed his second victory of the season ahead of teammate Felipe Massa, mirroring their 1-2 at Bahrain in the opening race of the season.
Third-placed Ferrari trail leaders McLaren by 92 points with eight races left, with Red Bull in second a further 64 ahead of the Italians.
Drivers' Championship (after 11 rounds):
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren 157 points
2. Jenson Button (GB) McLaren 143
3. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 136
4. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 136
5. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 123
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP 94
7. Robert Kubica (Pol) Renault 89
8. Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari 85
9. Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes 38
10. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 35 Constructors' Championship:
1. McLaren 300 points
2. Red Bull 278
3. Ferrari 208
4. Mercedes GP 132
5. Renault 96
6. Force India 47
7. Williams 31
8. Sauber 15
9. Toro Rosso 10
|
[
"Who is Hamilton's team mate?",
"who won the game",
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"In which position did Hamilton finish in the German Grand Prix",
"Who drives for Red Bull?"
] |
[
"Jenson Button,",
"Lewis Hamilton",
"Formula One",
"Formula One",
"fourth",
"Mark Webber"
] |
question: Who is Hamilton's team mate?, answer: Jenson Button, | question: who won the game, answer: Lewis Hamilton | question: what game is being played, answer: Formula One | question: what sport is being referencesd, answer: Formula One | question: In which position did Hamilton finish in the German Grand Prix, answer: fourth | question: Who drives for Red Bull?, answer: Mark Webber
|
(CNN) -- Lewis Hamilton won his first Formula One grand prix in almost four months as world champion Sebastian Vettel spun out of the race in Abu Dhabi during the opening lap.
McLaren's British driver took full advantage of Vettel's slip up -- the first time the 2010 and 2011 title holder has retired from a race since the Korean Grand Prix last year.
Hamilton fended off the challenge of Fernando Alonso's Ferrari while Jenson Button clung onto third in the face of fierce competition initially from Red Bull's Mark Webber and then from Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa.
Vettel, who secured the 2011 crown last month, had his lead at the top of the drivers' championship cut to 119 points by Button, who sits on 255. Hamilton stays fifth on 227 points but closed on Alonso in third (245) and Webber (233).
Latest F1 standings after Abu Dhabi GP
It marked Hamilton's third victory in what has been a difficult season for the 2008 world champion, who admitted before the race that personal problems had contributed to his below-par campaign.
"I feel fantastic," Hamilton said in a post-race press conference. "It was one of my best races. To hold off one of the best drivers in the world is very tough to do.
"I'm just happy. This is great. It's early days but this is definitely the start of something. We've got another great race ahead of us in Brazil. I've just got to keep my mind on the game."
Starting second on the grid, Hamilton watched Vettel beat him into the first corner but at the second a puncture to the German's back right tire sent him spinning off the track.
Vettel trundled round the circuit and made it back to the pit lane but Red Bull's mechanics decreed the damage too severe for him to rejoin the battle.
After the race he told reporters: "I don't know what happened. We lost pressure all of a sudden out of the exit of turn one. I don't why. There is nothing that I did differently to any of the other laps.
"We need to find out why, maybe I cut the kerb at a funny angle. It is tough, but I used the opportunity to learn a bit on the pit wall."
In his absence Hamilton maintained a two-second gap over Alonso for most of the race, while Webber and Button's battle saw them swap third and fourth place regularly.
Alonso did hold the lead for four laps after Hamilton's second pit stop but he couldn't build up enough of a cushion to rejoin the race ahead of his former McLaren teammate.
The Spaniard said: "It was a fantastic race for me as well. We fight most of the race three-five seconds distance to Lewis.
"We were close but we had some traffic in the pit entry behind a HRT and in the last stint they had a little bit more pace so it would have been difficult to win the race even if we had got into the lead.
"I'm happy with second."
|
[
"Who retired after the first lap?",
"How many grand prix has Hamilton won?",
"Who is the world champion?",
"world champion name?",
"Who won in Abu Dhabi?",
"Who is in third?",
"What was the lead reduced to?"
] |
[
"Sebastian Vettel",
"third",
"Sebastian Vettel",
"Sebastian Vettel",
"Lewis",
"Jenson Button",
"119 points"
] |
question: Who retired after the first lap?, answer: Sebastian Vettel | question: How many grand prix has Hamilton won?, answer: third | question: Who is the world champion?, answer: Sebastian Vettel | question: world champion name?, answer: Sebastian Vettel | question: Who won in Abu Dhabi?, answer: Lewis | question: Who is in third?, answer: Jenson Button | question: What was the lead reduced to?, answer: 119 points
|
(CNN) -- Libya celebrated wildly Thursday with the news of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi's death.
But in the aftermath of that party, the country's new leaders will awaken Friday morning to the nation-building equivalent of a huge pile of dirty and broken dishes in the kitchen, not to mention a few bitter guests who aren't quite ready to leave, experts say.
Although Gadhafi's death will probably end the possibility of an insurgency that could have sapped the new government's time and energy, it will do little to heal the myriad divisions within the country, said Fawaz Gerges, director of the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics.
"The challenges are much greater than basically the celebration we are seeing today in western capitals," he said. "And I think the morning after, we will wake up to a Libya that has changed very little in terms of really mending the rifts inside the country itself."
Libyans celebrate death of longtime dictator
Those rifts include sharp divisions among rebel groups, such as leaders in the western city of Misrata who have refused to recognize the eastern-based National Transitional Council as the country's new government, Gerges said.
And with Gadhafi dead, the primary unifying force that held the rebels together is gone, according to Stratfor analyst Kamran Bokhari.
"The one thing that held all the rebels together was the presence of Moammar Gadhafi, even though the rebels had taken the capital and the focus was to essentially put down any form of pro-Gadhafi resistance wherever it may be, especially in his hometown, Sirte," Bokhari said.
With that accomplished, the question for the rebels becomes whether they will be able to stick together and not "descend into a situation of chaos and civil war," he said.
As for what could happen to Libya after Gadhafi, Gerges said, look no farther than Egypt. The world celebrated with that nation's people in February when intense demonstrations against the rule of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak forced him to relinquish power.
Several months later, the country is ruled by a military council, and fierce political struggles dominate.
"The same thing applies to Libya," Gerges said. "In fact, Libya is much more divided than Egypt or even Yemen," another Arab state that has witnessed protests against its leaders' rule.
The National Transitional Council has achieved remarkable progress since taking power, said Daniel Serwer, a senior fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
"It got the electricity and water flowing; they've got the (financial) markets open. They've got police on the street and even garbagemen collecting the garbage," Serwer said. "That is brilliant."
But many challenges remain.
Figuring out how to create a sense of national reconciliation in a country where few civil institutions survived Gadhafi's rule is but one urgent task for the country's new government, experts said.
It must also deal with armed militias, restore basic services nationwide, make sure things such as Gadhafi's chemical weapons stores are secured and tackle the mammoth tasks of creating a new constitution and government and scheduling elections.
Leaders also have to figure out how to deal with the trials of Gadhafi regime members suspected of being involved in war crimes and address concerns of international human rights groups who fear that former rebels are mistreating and torturing prisoners.
The National Transitional Council has put off dealing with many of those issues since toppling Gadhafi's regime, said Fadel Laman, president of the American-Libyan Council.
But with the former ruler dead and the last city loyal to him under government control, the nation's new leaders can no longer use war to explain any lack of progress to the Libyan people, Laman said.
"There is no Gadhafi for them to use as a crutch," he said.
CNN's Melissa Gray contributed to this report.
|
[
"What does his death remove?",
"What is new Libya's government is facing?",
"Who must tackle rebuilding?",
"What Libya expert says about Gadhafi's death influences?",
"Gadhafi's death reduces the risk of what?",
"What must the new leaders tacke?",
"What awaits the new government?",
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] |
[
"the possibility of an insurgency that could have sapped the new government's time and energy,",
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"myriad divisions within the country,",
"the nation-building equivalent of a huge pile of dirty and broken dishes in the kitchen, not to mention a few bitter guests who aren't quite ready to leave,",
"Moammar Gadhafi's"
] |
question: What does his death remove?, answer: the possibility of an insurgency that could have sapped the new government's time and energy, | question: What is new Libya's government is facing?, answer: Figuring out how to create a sense of national reconciliation | question: Who must tackle rebuilding?, answer: Libya | question: What Libya expert says about Gadhafi's death influences?, answer: will probably end the possibility of an insurgency | question: Gadhafi's death reduces the risk of what?, answer: insurgency that could have sapped the new government's time and energy, | question: What must the new leaders tacke?, answer: myriad divisions within the country, | question: What awaits the new government?, answer: the nation-building equivalent of a huge pile of dirty and broken dishes in the kitchen, not to mention a few bitter guests who aren't quite ready to leave, | question: What leader died?, answer: Moammar Gadhafi's
|
(CNN) -- Libyans erupted in jubilation Thursday from the very first incomplete reports that ousted leader Moammar Gadhafi was dead.
A "cacophony of celebration" could be heard in Tripoli as ships and cars blasted their horns and shots were fired into the air, said CNN's Dan Rivers.
"It is very, very loud -- a lot of excitement," Rivers said.
"It's a great moment," said Mahmoud Shammam, information minister for Libya's National Transitional Council. "I've been waiting for this moment for decades, and I'm thanking God that I'm alive to see this moment."
Video footage showed a Tripoli street where people embraced and jumped in joy and crowds ran alongside vehicles. Other rejoicing people were hanging out of car windows and sunroofs and gathered in the beds of pickup trucks.
The sound of cheering could be heard, along with a call to prayer.
Outside a hotel, staff including chefs wearing their white hats gathered, dancing and waving Libyan flags.
"They're breathing a huge sigh of relief here," Rivers said. Many Libyans were concerned that a free Gadhafi might play a role in destabilizing Libya in the future, he said.
In Sirte -- Gadhafi's hometown and the city where he was discovered -- video showed people gathering in celebration, some riding on the tops of cars waving Libyan flags and shooting guns in the air as horns honked.
One man, dressed in fatigues and carrying a weapon, ran up and kissed a television camera. Others chanted, danced and waved their hands in the air, some flashing the "peace" sign.
Many had suspected Gadhafi was hiding in Sirte after revolutionary forces took Tripoli in August. He had not been seen in public in months.
A former regime loyalist who did not want to be identified said in an e-mail to CNN that Gadhafi's death was "good for the Libyan people" because both his supporters and opponents "can see a valid point in his death that they can relate to, although for different reasons."
His supporters, he said, can find "remedy for their belief that he was on the right side of history defending his country" from NATO occupation. Gadhafi's death "will end morally and practically the NATO involvement."
In addition, he said, "his supporters see him as a martyr, and this gives them (a) sense (of) pride, which provides a psychological remedy" for many of them.
His opponents can find justification for their belief that they fought "a liberation battle for a better future, better democratic society, better Libya generally." Gadhafi's death will bring them "the heights of their sense of satisfaction for what they did," he wrote.
If Gadhafi had been captured alive, this former regime loyalist wrote, it would have "intensified (supporter's) effort to destabilize society further, for the hope that either they might be able to liberate him, or get one of his sons to power."
That, he said, "would bring more destruction and devastation to society in general at all levels; including the death of many people."
If the ousted leader had been put on trial, the former loyalist added, it "would have open(ed) many doors of disagreement that might lead to fight(ing), if not mass civil war."
Social media sites such as Twitter showed users expressing support for the Libyans and noting that Gadhafi's death would be another victory in a year that has seen the ouster of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as well as the death of Osama bin Laden.
Those from countries that participated in the so-called Arab Spring issued messages of support for Libyans.
CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report.
|
[
"Who sounded their horns",
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] |
[
"ships and cars",
"jubilation",
"jubilation",
"Libyan",
"Tripoli",
"staff including chefs wearing their white hats"
] |
question: Who sounded their horns, answer: ships and cars | question: What erupts in the Libyan cites of Tripoli and Sirte?, answer: jubilation | question: What erupts in Libyan cities, answer: jubilation | question: What kind of flags were waved, answer: Libyan | question: What city did celebrations erupt, answer: Tripoli | question: Who dances and wave Libyan flags?, answer: staff including chefs wearing their white hats
|
(CNN) -- Life goes on for people who jump out of airplanes, even a day after two fellow parachutists died when their canopies apparently became entangled.
Jumps continue at the Parachute Center, where two parachutists died Sunday.
On Monday, the Parachute Center near Lodi, California, was open, just like it is any other day. The two jumpers who died Sunday had taken off from the parachute facility in central California.
"Everybody's sad. Everybody's unhappy," said Parachute Center owner Bill Dause. "But everybody here is here because they enjoy jumping. Neither one of them would have wanted us to shut the doors," he said, referring to the jumpers who died Sunday.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call for assistance at 12:53 p.m. Sunday, said Deputy Les Garcia. The sheriff's spokesman confirmed there were two deaths, but referred questions to the Federal Aviation Administration.
"We're investigating," said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor, adding that two investigators were on their way to the jump center.
The inquiry could take months, Gregor said.
"One of the main things we want to do is get a hold of a video that was supposedly taken," Gregor said.
The FAA has purview over such issues as how the parachutes were packed -- by whom, when and how -- and whether weather conditions were correctly considered.
"Obviously, in a situation like this, we certainly want to look at how the parachutes were packed," he said. "But it's possible that what happened is beyond our regulatory capability."
Garcia said he could not identify the two victims.
"The ID and notification of next of kin is pending," he said, because "one of the victims has two names."
Parachute Center owner Dause and media reports have identified the victims as Robby Bigley and Barbara Cuddy.
They were among eight parachutists from a competition team who jumped from an airplane at 9,000 feet to practice making a "canopy-relative formation," a maneuver in which they stacked parachutes near each other to form a wedge, Dause said.
"The last two individuals docking experienced canopy problems," Dause said.
One jumper's chute rotated into another jumper's canopy and they smacked into a third parachutist, Dause said. The third parachutist managed to wriggle free, Dause said, but the other two remained entangled and spiraled down from 5,000 feet. They were unable to deploy their reserve chutes.
They landed in a vineyard, Dause said.
One victim was dead at the scene and the other died at a local hospital, reports said.
Bigley and Cuddy are listed on the United States Parachute Association Web site as national record holders for formation jumps. Bigley's record jump occurred this year and Cuddy's in 2007.
The jump team was preparing for a national competition in October.
According to the United States Parachute Association, there were 30 skydiving fatalities last year. No figures were available for this year.
The most fatalities occurred in 1998, when 44 people died. The fewest in recent years was in 2007, with 18, according to the association.
Dause said there have been previous fatalities at the Parachute Center, but he did not elaborate.
"We've been open for a long time," he said.
|
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"Who will lead the invetigation?"
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question: What was the cause of the jumpers' deaths?, answer: their canopies apparently became entangled. | question: What happended with the parachutes?, answer: canopies apparently became entangled. | question: How many people were killed?, answer: two | question: How many person were part of the team?, answer: eight | question: Who will investigate?, answer: FAA | question: How many parachutists were on the team?, answer: eight | question: What did the FAA say?, answer: "We're investigating," | question: Parachutists were killed as a result of what?, answer: when their canopies apparently became entangled. | question: Who will lead the invetigation?, answer: Ian Gregor,
|
(CNN) -- Lighthouse keeper J.A. Eckerman was the last person to see World War II Soviet submarine S-2 before it sank in January 1940 between Sweden and Finland.
A team of Swedish and Finnish divers had been searching for the Soviet submarine S-2 since 1999.
As the submarine dove near the island of Market, northwest of Aland, Eckerman heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rise from the water.
The long-lost wreck was missing for 69 years until a team of Swedish and Finnish divers -- including Eckerman's grandson Ingvald -- discovered it this year.
What remains of the sub was found between the Swedish coast and the Finnish island of Aland, northeast of Stockholm, in late February, the divers announced Tuesday.
The submarine was very badly damaged by the explosion, said Marten Zetterstrom, one of the divers. The front gun is still there, and a torpedo is still in one of the tubes, but about 20 meters (about 65 feet) of the vessel is missing.
The search had been going on for nearly 10 years, the divers said in a news release.
The sub had a crew of 46 and four passengers when it sank.
Sweden and Finland claim credit for sinking the submarine with mines. Russia has contacted Swedish and Finnish authorities to clarify what caused the submarine to sink, the divers said.
Finland was at war with the Soviet Union at the time the sub sank. A deal between Germany and the Soviets had put the Nordic nation within the Soviet "sphere of influence," and Soviet troops had invaded Finland late in 1939.
The fighting was mostly confined to Finland's eastern border. Just two months after the submarine's sinking, a temporary peace agreement was reached.
Sweden remained neutral in World War II.
CNN's Per Nyberg contributed to this report.
|
[
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"How many where onboard the submarine when it sank",
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] |
[
"crew of 46 and four passengers",
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"Sweden and Finland",
"between Sweden and Finland.",
"Sweden and Finland",
"crew of 46 and four passengers",
"crew of 46 and four passengers",
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] |
question: How many people were on Soviet submarine s-2?, answer: crew of 46 and four passengers | question: WHere were remains found?, answer: between the Swedish coast and the Finnish island of Aland, | question: Who claims credit for sinking submarine with mines?, answer: Sweden and Finland | question: Where did it sink?, answer: between Sweden and Finland. | question: Which countries claim credit for the sinking of the submarine, answer: Sweden and Finland | question: What was the number on board?, answer: crew of 46 and four passengers | question: How many where onboard the submarine when it sank, answer: crew of 46 and four passengers | question: Which countries claim to have sunk it?, answer: Sweden and Finland
|
(CNN) -- Lights went off across the world Saturday as millions of homes and businesses went dark for one hour in a symbolic gesture highlighting concerns over climate change.
The lights go off Saturday at the Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben clock tower in central London.
More than 2,800 cities and towns worldwide dimmed their lights at 8:30 p.m. local time for the third annual Earth Hour -- a day-long energy-saving marathon spanning 83 countries and 24 time zones.
In New York, the Empire State Building, Central Park and the George Washington Bridge went dark at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Philippines topped this year's participation for Asia, with more than 650 communities taking part in the event, according to Earth Hour's Web site.
The light illuminating the face of the landmark Big Ben clock tower in London, England, went out at 8:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET).
In Dubai, iReporter Sharad Agarwal turned out the lights and sat down to a candlelit dinner with his family.
"I personally believe in going green and everything that goes with it," Agarwal told CNN.
In Australia, floodlights of the Sydney Opera House were extinguished as the city's iconic harbor kicked off events for Earth Hour. The event's Web site reported that hundreds of people lined the harbor for a glimpse of the dimming skyline at 8:30 pm.
Sydney became the birthplace of the Earth Hour campaign in 2007 when 2.2 million turned off their lights, igniting a grass-roots movement that has become a global phenomenon.
In China, illuminations at major buildings including the "Bird's Nest" Olympic Stadium and the Water Cube were extinguished as 20 cities joined in, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Other landmarks around the world expected to join the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event were the Egyptian pyramids, Vatican, Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Acropolis in Athens and the Las Vegas casino strip.
CNN iReporter Marie Sager of Los Angeles, California, said she planned to hike up to the Griffith Observatory to experience the massive lights-out event.
"A good portion of the city is participating. We'll see the Capital Records sign go out. A lot of these places haven't turned out their lights in awhile," Sager said.
Event sponsors hoped participating U.S. cities would set an example for the rest of the world. Watch actor Edward Norton and Carter Roberts of the World Wildlife Fund discuss event »
"We think we are going to have 100 million people around the world sending a message that climate change is real, and we need to take action now," World Wildlife Fund CEO Carter Roberts told CNN.
"The world is watching to see what America is going to do," he said, "because if America acts on climate change, the world will follow."
Earth Hour events got off to an unofficial start in the remote Chatham Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean where locals switched off their diesel generators, organizers said. Shortly afterward, 44 New Zealand cities and town joined in the event.
Organizers say they hope this year's event will send a message to world leaders meeting Copenhagen, Denmark, in December for a major summit on climate change.
"We are asking one billion people to take part in what is essentially the first global vote for action on climate change by turning off their lights for one hour and casting a vote for earth," said executive director Andy Ridley.
|
[
"what is the message of this event?",
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] |
[
"climate change is real, and we need to take action now,\"",
"floodlights of the",
"100 million people",
"Egyptian pyramids, Vatican, Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Acropolis in Athens and the Las Vegas casino strip.",
"Australia,",
"650"
] |
question: what is the message of this event?, answer: climate change is real, and we need to take action now," | question: What go out over Sydney Harbor?, answer: floodlights of the | question: Who will send message on climate change?, answer: 100 million people | question: Who were expected to join event?, answer: Egyptian pyramids, Vatican, Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Acropolis in Athens and the Las Vegas casino strip. | question: where is sydney harbor?, answer: Australia, | question: how many communities in the phillipines?, answer: 650
|
(CNN) -- Like the neighbors of a new kid who just moved into the big fancy house down the block, many Latin American leaders are curious about President Obama.
Latin America expert Otto Reich says the summit is an "opportunity, but also a risk for U.S. policy."
The heads of 34 nations will get a chance to see him up close next month at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. What he says will be closely watched.
"The spotlight will be entirely on Barack Obama," said Peter Hakim, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue.
Hakim will be one of three people who will on Wednesday address the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the summit. Otto Reich, who served Presidents Reagan and both Bushes in a number of high-level Latin American posts, also will speak. Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, will be the third person.
Reich has some advice for Obama: Be careful.
"The summit is an opportunity, but also a risk for U.S. policy," Reich said. "Not all the neighbors there are good. Why do we recognize this reality when we lock our doors at night but don't recognize it in our foreign policy?"
Reich said the United States must differentiate between its friends, primarily Colombia and Mexico, which are under attack from drug traffickers and organized crime, and hostile countries, particularly Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua.
Cuba, which was expelled from the Organization of American States, is not allowed to attend the summit.
"Obama can't look at this group of people and think he's among a group of friends," Reich said. "Let's not look at this as a community of 34 countries. They are very different people."
Hakim said Obama must ask Latin American leaders to share the burden.
"He shouldn't simply say what the United States is going to do," Hakim said. "He should say what he expects Latin America to do."
Hakim pointed out several areas Obama needs to address.
First, he said, "He must make clear he's trying to fix the U.S. economy."
He said Obama also will have to deal with the one nation that won't be there -- Cuba. The United States broke diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 and imposed an economic embargo in 1962. President Bush increased some restrictions in the past eight years.
Obama has signaled that he's ready to start relaxing some of the prohibitions.
"This is the issue of greatest symbolic importance," Hakim said. "It will be seen as a test of real U.S. readiness to change in the hemisphere. What he says about Cuba will make headlines."
But Reich warns that the United States should extract some conditions from Cuba before making any allowances.
"There's a way it can be done to advance the conditions of the people in Cuba," he said. "I don't approve of the unilateral way it's being done. The embargo is a negotiating tool. We should not negotiate with ourselves, and that's what we're doing."
Hakim also said Obama must address "the pandemic of criminal violence" destroying many parts of Latin America. U.S. aid is focused primarily on Mexico and Colombia.
"Is the United States going to go beyond Mexico and Colombia?" he asked. "Is the United States ready to rethink it's drug strategy, which has done so little?"
A new approach to the drug war has received increased support and attention recently.
The former presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil called last month for the decriminalization of marijuana for personal use and a change in tactics on the war on drugs.
Ex-presidents Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico, Cesar Gaviria of Colombia and Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil made their announcement at a meeting in Brazil of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy.
"The problem is that current policies are based on prejudices and fears and
|
[
"What should Obama address?",
"Who will not be at the summit?",
"What should Obama recognize?",
"Where will Obama go?",
"Where is Obama going next month?"
] |
[
"\"He must make clear he's trying to fix the U.S. economy.\"",
"Cuba,",
"United States must differentiate between its friends, primarily Colombia and Mexico,",
"Trinidad and Tobago.",
"Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago."
] |
question: What should Obama address?, answer: "He must make clear he's trying to fix the U.S. economy." | question: Who will not be at the summit?, answer: Cuba, | question: What should Obama recognize?, answer: United States must differentiate between its friends, primarily Colombia and Mexico, | question: Where will Obama go?, answer: Trinidad and Tobago. | question: Where is Obama going next month?, answer: Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago.
|
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi ended his international goal drought to help Argentina make the perfect start to the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign under new coach Alejandro Sabella on Friday.
Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 victory over Chile but of similar importance was Messi's first strike in 16 games for La Albiceleste.
Handed the captain's armband by Sabella, Messi made it 2-0 in the 26th minute after combining with Higuain to end a run going back two years and seven months.
Messi replied in kind to set up Higuain's hat-trick in the 63rd minute, while Angel Di Maria laid on his clubmate's other two goals.
Chile, missing injured key players Alexis Sanchez and Gary Medel, had pulled it back to 3-1 through Matias Fernandez on the hour.
"It was important to get off on the right foot and we did just that," Higuain said in quotes reported by AFP, having also scored a treble in his last match for Real. "I liked a lot of what we did tonight. Now we have to keep this up."
Sabella took over from Sergio Batista after Argentina lost in the Copa America quarterfinals on home soil in July, and his next task is a trip to Venezuela on Tuesday.
Venezuela's campaign began with a 2-0 defeat at Ecuador on Friday, with the Copa semifinalists' most-capped player Jose Manuel Rey sent off with 12 minutes to play for a second yellow card.
Strikers Jaime Ayovi and Christian Benitez gave Ecuador a commanding lead inside the opening 30 minutes.
Copa champions Uruguay made a perfect start with a 4-2 victory at home to Bolivia.
Strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani helped make it 3-1 at halftime, while defender captain Diego Lugano netted his second goal with 18 minutes to play before Marcelo Martins' late consolation penalty.
Copa runners-up Paraguay crashed to a 2-0 defeat away to Peru, who built on their third-place finish as striker Jose Paolo Guerrero netted both goals in the second half.
Paraguay host Uruguay on Tuesday, while Peru visit Chile and Bolivia are at home to Colombia.
Brazil, assured of a place as hosts of the 2014 tournament, beat Costa Rica in a friendly on Friday.
Striker Neymar netted a 60th-minute winner before the home team had Heiner Mora sent off late in San Jose.
|
[
"what gonzalo do?",
"who is ginzalo higuain"
] |
[
"scored a hat-trick",
"Real Madrid striker"
] |
question: what gonzalo do?, answer: scored a hat-trick | question: who is ginzalo higuain, answer: Real Madrid striker
|
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi has been hailed as the greatest soccer player the world has ever seen following his extraordinary exploits for European champions Barcelona.
The 22-year-old has scored 10 goals in his past four games, including two hat-tricks in consecutive Spanish league matches.
The diminutive Argentina forward has kept Barcelona in the hunt for a second successive La Liga title, and his two goals against Stuttgart last Wednesday helped put the Champions League titleholders into the quarterfinals of Europe's premier club competition.
Blog: Is Messi better than Maradona?
Sunday's treble against Zaragoza was his third this season, and his fifth since making his debut in 2004, taking him to 25 league goals this campaign -- five more than closest rival Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid, and two past his tally from last season with 11 games still to play.
Messi is now third on Barcelona's all-time scoring list, and has the chance to net his 200th goal for the club in Wednesday's league game against Osasuna.
After the Zaragoza game, Barcelona president Joan Laporta compared Messi -- who was named 2009's best player in the world -- with the club's legendary former stars Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff.
"He's the best player in the world right now and the best ever," Laporta told Barcelona's Web site. "Together with Cruyff and Maradona, he's the best we've seen at the club.
"He's a player who can change everything in a game, but he also works for the rest of the team. He's a real leader."
Coach Pep Guardiola said he had run out of superlatives to describe the performances of Messi, who has scored 11 of Barcelona's last 15 goals.
"He's been more than decisive, and you can tell he's feeling fit the way he gets involved in everything. I've run out of adjectives -- you'll have to put your own," Guardiola said.
"That he's capable of doing everything that he does at his age is something impressive. It doesn't make any sense."
Guardiola revealed that Messi had been in doubt for the Zaragoza game due to a gum infection in his mouth.
"He was in a lot of pain. But in the morning I asked him how he was and he told me that he was better. Before the game I asked if he wanted to play and he said yes, I asked him how many minutes and he told me the whole game," Guardiola told reporters.
"He always wants to play, whether it's the Champions League final or against a third-division side. For me it's difficult to leave him out, seeing the form he's in. He's an amateur in this sense, he always wants to play."
Messi has not always carried his amazing club form onto the international stage with Argentina, but he has the chance to redress that situation in June at the World Cup in South Africa.
"The person who most wants to see him succeed for Argentina is Messi himself, nobody should doubt that," Guardiola said.
|
[
"What does Pep Guardiola say?",
"Who is the president of Barcelona?",
"Messi has scored how manyy goals?"
] |
[
"run out of superlatives to describe the performances of Messi,",
"Joan Laporta",
"10"
] |
question: What does Pep Guardiola say?, answer: run out of superlatives to describe the performances of Messi, | question: Who is the president of Barcelona?, answer: Joan Laporta | question: Messi has scored how manyy goals?, answer: 10
|
(CNN) -- Lionel Messi inspired Argentina as the two-time world champions came from behind to defeat Colombia 2-1 in a South American World Cup qualifying clash on Tuesday.
Argentina went 1-0 down in Barranquilla after 44 minutes, when midfielder Javier Mascherano inadvertently deflected Dorlan Pabon's shot into his own net.
But La Albiceleste rallied in the second half, with two-time world player of the year Messi equalizing after 60 minutes when Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina failed to gather Jose Sosa's cross.
Substitute Sergio Aguero stole all three points for Argentina with six minutes remaining. The Manchester City striker was first to react when Ospina parried a shot from Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain, with Barcelona star Messi involved in the build-up.
How should football tackle racism?
The result kept Argentina second in the nine-team South American qualifying group, level on seven points with 2011 Copa America winners Uruguay and third-placed Venezuela.
Uruguay have a game in hand over both rivals, having played only three qualifiers.
"It was hard," Messi, who was awarded the inaugural FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010 and is nominated for the accolade again this year, said after the match. "We did not deserve to go a goal behind, as they were not better than us.
"Sometimes you play better, and other times you have to fight harder. This game was one of those days."
Ronaldo nets double as Portugal reach Euro 2012
Venezuela joined Argentina on two wins, a draw and a defeat after beating Bolivia 1-0, with defender Oswaldo Vizcarrondo heading the only goal in the 23rd minute.
The defeat left visiting Bolivia rock bottom with just one point from four matches.
Ecuador moved into the fourth and final automatic qualifying spot courtesy of a 2-0 win over Peru in Quito.
Midfielder Edison Mendez broke the deadlock in the 69th minute after being set up by striker Christian Benitez.
Benitez, who plays his club football with Mexican outfit America, sealed Ecuador's triumph with a close-range strike in the closing minutes to keep his side unbeaten for 34 years in World Cup ties against Peru.
Chile climbed above Colombia into fifth place and the one playoff berth after a 2-0 success against Paraguay.
Claudio Borghi's team lost 4-0 to Uruguay last week, but Chile responded positively and took the lead through defender Pablo Contreras on 27 minutes.
Fullback Matias Campos sealed victory with five minutes left, as Chile moved onto six points.
The qualifying group usually has 10 countries, but Brazil's place is already guaranteed as the hosts of the 2014 tournament, when Mano Menezes' team will seek a sixth title.
|
[
"Who won the World cup qualifier?",
"where it was this match",
"when did come from behind to beat Colombia 2-1 in 2014 World Cup?",
"Who is fourth placed?"
] |
[
"Argentina",
"Barranquilla",
"Tuesday.",
"Ecuador"
] |
question: Who won the World cup qualifier?, answer: Argentina | question: where it was this match, answer: Barranquilla | question: when did come from behind to beat Colombia 2-1 in 2014 World Cup?, answer: Tuesday. | question: Who is fourth placed?, answer: Ecuador
|
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