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Tenino, Washington (CNN) -- Authorities in Alaska are examining two wolves to see if they are the animals that killed a jogger last week, said a wildlife biologist investigating the attack. The two gray wolves were tracked down Monday and shot to death from a helicopter near the town of Chignik Lake, Alaska, said wildlife biologist Lem Butler. The wolves are suspected of killing special-education teacher Candice Berner last week. Berner, 32, was attacked while jogging near the town, authorities said. "We had a systematic search," he said. "These were the only two wolves we could find tracks for." The wolves appeared to be the same ones that left tracks at the scene of the attack, and they matched witnesses' descriptions of the animals seen near Berner's body, Butler said. Officials will conduct tests on the wolves' carcasses to determine whether they killed Berner, Butler said. The carcasses will also be examined to see whether the animals were rabid or starving, or suffering from some condition that led them to attack a human, he said. The rare wolf attack shook Chignik Lake, population 105. "We see wolves a lot," said Johnny Lind, president of the Village Council. "But we've never had anything like this happen." The killing is thought to be only the second fatal wolf attack in North America in more than a century. In 2005, a wolf pack killed a geology student in Saskatchewan, Canada. Wolves typically avoid human contact and do not threaten people, said John Blankenship, executive director of Wolf Haven. "They are not human predators. It's healthy to have awareness of them, for sure. But to be afraid of them is too strong an emotion," he said. Wolf Haven in Tenino educates the public about wolves and serves as a haven for about 50 rescued wolves, many of them once kept as pets.
[ "What was teacher killed by", "Where did the attacks occur?", "How many wolves were shot?", "What do wolves normally do?", "How many wolves were shot by wildlife officials?", "Who was killed by wolves while jogging?", "For what will the bodies be tested?" ]
[ [ "two wolves" ], [ "near the town of Chignik Lake, Alaska," ], [ "two" ], [ "avoid human contact and" ], [ "two" ], [ "Candice Berner" ], [ "conduct tests on the wolves' carcasses to determine whether they killed Berner," ] ]
Teacher was killed by wolves last week while jogging near Alaska town . Wildlife officials tracked and shot 2 wolves they believe are the killers . Carcasses will be tested for rabies, other conditions that might have led to attack . Wolves normally avoid humans and do not attack them, experts say .
Thanks to the flu, a broken ankle, a staph infection, and bronchitis, plus several school cancellations, my three children were at home -- hurting, vomiting, coughing, or tracking muddy water into our house -- all but seven days last February. (Shall I pause to let the horror of that number sink in? All but seven.) I'm normally an efficient, organized person who thrives on plans and checklists, but by the end of that month, I'd accomplished almost nothing beyond reading aloud the entire fifth book of Harry Potter. I felt so anxious that I was on the verge of hyperventilation. Originally a form of self-defense, the ancient Chinese art of tai chi promotes serenity through gentle movement. "You need to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine yourself surrounded by an egg of light," a Buddhist friend said. But when I closed my eyes and took a breath, I was surrounded by used tissues and dirty laundry. Obviously, I was in need of some inner peace. Studies have shown that learning to still the mind, if only for a few minutes, can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, limit stress hormones, and enhance immune function. But traditional forms of meditation don't work for me. If I sit still and close my eyes, I fall asleep or think about my to-do list. So, I gave myself a new task: Find an activity that calms my mind without giving my weary body a chance to nod off. Does such a thing exist? Health.com: Making time for me Tai chi This ancient Chinese practice -- believed to offer all the health benefits of silent meditation while giving you something to do with your hands and feet -- seemed like an obvious place to start for an antsy, toe-tapping sort like me. The thing is, I have a poor sense of balance and tai chi often requires standing on one foot. To avoid the not-so-peaceful experience of looking like a dork in front of a group of total strangers, I opted for a DVD, with only the tiniest hope of success. I surprised myself. The quiet music and the calm voice of the middle-aged woman demonstrating the moves were so reassuring that I forgot I looked like an idiot. The effort it took to follow along in what resembles the slow-motion version of a beautiful dance was literally mesmerizing. If I didn't feel peaceful, exactly, at least I was filled with quiet concentration, the kind that banishes all thoughts of picky eaters, mortgage payments, and unreliable co-workers. I emerged from the first lesson feeling refreshed and rested. Health.com: A new prescription for happiness Knitting I have friends who are passionate about knitting. Don't they know that it's possible to buy an immediately wearable sweater for less than the cost of the yarn it takes to knit one? Nonetheless, stressed-out 21st-century workingwomen are returning in droves to the craft. It made no sense to me ... until I tried it, that is. Knitting, it turns out, is the perfect example of active stillness. In fact, 20 minutes of knitting can lower your heart rate and blood pressure -- the same physical response triggered by yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation. Some hospitals have even begun to offer knitting courses for stress release. The secret seems to lie in the soothing combination of rhythm and repetition. By the end of my first lesson, I'd become proficient enough that my hands could make the motions almost automatically. The sound of the needles had a metronomic quality, a calming pace that automatically slowed my thoughts. And the feel of the wool sliding through my fingers was almost like a caress. Health.com: Boost your mood with color Walking in the woods I'd read somewhere that exposure to nature can boost a person's general well-being and sense of calm -- and I certainly needed a dose of that. So I headed to some nearby woods where the redbuds and crab apples were in full bloom. Birds called piercingly, squirrels quarreled,
[ "What number of minutes of knitting can lower your heart rate ?", "What should you try If traditional meditation leaves you sleepy?", "what does stilling your mind do", "What does knitting for 20 mins. do", "Tai chi believed to offer what?", "what other thing can you try when traditional meditation leaves you sleepy?", "What can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, limit stress hormones?" ]
[ [ "20" ], [ "Tai chi" ], [ "can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, limit stress hormones, and enhance immune function." ], [ "lower your heart rate and blood pressure" ], [ "do with your hands and feet" ], [ "Find an activity that calms my mind without giving my weary body a chance to nod off." ], [ "tai chi" ] ]
Stilling your mind can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, limit stress hormones . If traditional meditation leaves you sleepy, try mind-calming activities . Tai chi believed to offer benefits of silent meditation but with movement . 20 minutes of knitting can lower your heart rate and blood pressure .
The Hague, Netherlands (CNN) -- After Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic's failure to appear at the start of his trial on genocide and war crimes charges CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson explains what happens next. Q: How does the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) differ from the International Criminal Court (ICC)? A: The ICTY was set up by the United Nations in 1993 specifically to try people for crimes committed during the break up of the former Yugoslavia. The ICC is the first permanent, treaty-based, international criminal court established to prosecute the most serious crimes of concern to the global community including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Q: Why did Karadzic fail to show up in court on Monday? A: Karadzic failed to show up because he wrote to the court several weeks ago telling judges he had not had sufficient time to prepare his defense. He is a "self-representing accused," meaning he is defending himself. But he is backed by a large number of lawyers supported by a bevy of interns from U.S. law schools. Despite all this legal support, Karadzic says there has been too much evidence for him to go through. Prosecutors say they have 490 hours of evidence to present. The judge wrote back to Karadzic last week telling him he doesn't need to present his defense yet, he can do it after the prosecution. But Karadzic still refused to show. The court cannot compel him to come even though he is held in a detention facility about seven minutes drive from the court run exclusively for those awaiting or on trial at the tribunal. The detention facility is a lot more comfortable than a conventional jail. Karadzic will be able to watch TV when he wants, he has access to books and can mix with other defendants. Indeed, detention facility staff report that members of all three ethnic groups -- Serbs, Croats and Bosnians -- mingle freely, even playing games together. Q: Can the trial proceed without a defendant in the dock? A: The trial can go ahead without Karadzic present because there is no legal reason that says he needs to be there, even though he is defending himself. But the court is bound to give him a fair trial so if the prosecution begins without him the judges may give Karadzic a video feed so he can watch proceedings unfold. Q: How long is the trial expected to last? A: The trial could last at least two years and possibly three. The court allows at least one year for the prosecution and one year for the defense as a minimum. Q: What measures have been put in place to prevent a repeat of the delays and obfuscation seen during the trial of the former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic? A: Milosovic's trial dragged on because he defended himself, refused to accept the legitimacy of court and because of the complexity of the case and lengthy charge list -- 66 counts -- against him. Karadzic's case is less complex and this is one of the lessons prosecutors have learned from the Milosevic trial: make cases simpler and only go for those that can be readily proved. But with Karadzic defending himself and refusing to accept the court's legitimacy, the judges are still struggling to figure out how to deal with tactics designed to delay the trial. They are likely to be less lenient than they were with Milosevic.
[ "Can the court compel them?", "Against who has the court siplified it's case against?", "How long will the trial last?", "Can the court compel Karadzic to attend?", "What did Karadzic say?", "What can the court not compel?", "Who says he has not had time to prepare his defense?", "DId he have time to prepare?" ]
[ [ "cannot" ], [ "Radovan Karadzic's" ], [ "at least two years and possibly three." ], [ "cannot" ], [ "he had not had sufficient time to prepare his defense." ], [ "him to come" ], [ "Radovan Karadzic's" ], [ "had not had sufficient" ] ]
Karadzic says he has not had sufficient time to prepare his defense . Court cannot compel Karadzic to attend bur could put video link in cell . Court has simplified case against Karadzic to avoid repeat of Milosevic trial . Still, trial will last at least two -- and possibly three -- years .
The Hague, Netherlands (CNN) -- Bosnian war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic launched a full-throated attack on the International War Crimes Tribunal Tuesday, as he appeared at a hearing to discuss his refusal to appear for trial. He said he "cannot take part in something that has been bad from the start, and where my fundamental rights have been violated." Karadzic, who is accused of responsibility for the worst massacre in Europe since World War II, says he has had insufficient time to prepare his defense. He is representing himself. But Judge O-Gon Kwon told Karadzic it was the court, not the defendant, who decides when the case is ready for trial. He advised Karadzic to participate in order to get a fair trial. The judges will decide by the end of the week how to deal with the former Bosnian leader's boycott of the proceedings, Judge Kwon said before adjourning the trial for the day. Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb leader during the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, faces 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Memories of the massacre remain raw. Watch the video The charges stem partly from the massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys at the town of Srebrenica, in what is know Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1995. Karadzic has been insisting he has not had enough time to prepare for the trial, saying there are 1.3 million pages of documents to study. He denied stalling, and said imposing a lawyer on him would not help. "It is with joy that I am preparing for these proceedings," he said through a translator. "Nobody can get through this material better than I can, no lawyer. The best possible solution would be that the defense be given sufficient time" to prepare. He rejected prosecutor Hildegard Uertz-Retzlaff's assertion that Tuesday's proceedings constituted part of the trial. "I hope that this is not some kind of a trick," he said. "I am attending a status conference hearing." The court cannot force a defendant to appear. Karadzic, as a "self-representing accused," is the only one who can cross-examine witnesses and speak in court about the substance of the charges against him. However, judges can impose a lawyer on Karadzic if he continues to refuse to cooperate. The trial began without his presence on October 26, more than a year after Karadzic was captured in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. He had been on the run for more than 13 years and was living in disguise in Belgrade, practicing alternative medicine at a clinic. Karadzic faces life in prison if he is convicted. The court cannot impose the death penalty. The 1992-95 Bosnian conflict was the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations. Karadzic was removed from power in 1995, when the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war barred anyone accused of war crimes from holding office. Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague.
[ "what is he planning to do", "what is he accused of", "Where did Radovan Karadzic apear?", "Who is representing Radovan?", "What is ex-Bosnian Serb leader accused of?", "what happened last year" ]
[ [ "\"self-representing" ], [ "worst massacre in Europe since World War II," ], [ "a hearing to discuss his refusal to appear for trial." ], [ "He is" ], [ "of responsibility for the worst massacre in Europe since World War II," ], [ "Karadzic was captured in Belgrade," ] ]
Radovan Karadzic appears at hearing at International Criminal Tribunal to discuss his refusal to appear for war crimes trial . Ex-Bosnian Serb leader is accused of responsibility for worst massacre in Europe since World War II . Karadzic, who is representing himself, says he has had insufficient time to prepare his defense . Karadzic was arrested last year in Belgrade after more than a decade on the run .
The Hague, Netherlands (CNN) -- Prosecutors in the long-awaited war crimes trial of Radovan Karadzic said they will push ahead Tuesday, though the Bosnian Serb leader is expected to be a no-show once again. On Monday -- the opening day of the trial -- the court was forced to adjourn after Karadzic refused to appear, saying he did not have enough time to prepare. Karadzic, who is accused of masterminding the worst massacre in Europe since World War II, is representing himself. "Obviously, it is the court's preference for Karadzic to attend," said Nerma Jelacic, spokeswoman for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. "But if he chooses not to attend, then some facility will be provided to him to allow him to watch the court's proceedings from his prison cell." The court cannot force a defendant to appear. Karadzic, as a "self-representing accused," is the only one who can cross-examine witnesses and speak in court about the substance of the charges against him. However, judges can impose a lawyer on Karadzic if he continues to refuse to cooperate. Karadzic faces 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against Bosnian Muslims, Bosnian Croats and other non-Serbian civilians during the brutal and bloody dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Bosnia and Herzegovina were a part of Yugoslavia at the time. The conflict introduced the phrase "ethnic cleansing" into the lexicon describing war crimes, as different factions in multi-ethnic Yugoslavia sought to kill or drive out other groups. Karadzic was arrested last year after more than a decade on the run and was found to have been living in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and practicing alternative medicine in disguise. In a letter dated Wednesday and made public Thursday, Karadzic complained to the International Criminal Tribunal that he had not received the relevant case material on time. He also said there was too much material to go through, even had he received it promptly. "I ask Your Excellencies -- why and how is it possible that the prosecution is allowed to literally bury me under a million of pages, only to start disclosing relevant material many months after my arrest?" he wrote. "Why and how is it possible that the prosecution is allowed to file its final indictment against me on the eve of the planned trial date?" He promised to continue his preparations in "the most intensive way" and inform the court when he is ready. The genocide charges against Karadzic stem partly from killings in Srebrenica, the most notorious massacre of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Memories of the massacre remain raw. Watch the video Prosecutors at the U.N. war crimes tribunal accuse Karadzic of responsibility. "On 8 March 1995, Karadzic instructed Bosnian Serb forces under his command to create an unbearable situation of total insecurity with no hope of further survival for the inhabitants of Srebrenica, amongst other places," the tribunal said in a statement this month. The Hague indictment also said Karadzic committed genocide when forces under his command killed non-Serbs during and after attacks in more than a dozen Bosnian municipalities early in the war. Karadzic, who faces life in prison if he is convicted, denies the charges. The court cannot impose the death penalty. The 1992-95 Bosnian war was the longest of the wars spawned by the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Backed by the government of then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb forces seized control of more than half the country and launched a campaign against the Muslim and Croat populations. Karadzic was removed from power in 1995, when the Dayton Accords that ended the Bosnian war barred anyone accused of war crimes from holding office. Milosevic died in 2006 while on trial at The Hague.
[ "How long had Karadzic been on the run for?", "Who was the court spokeswoman?", "Where was Karadzic arrested?", "What were the charges at International Criminal Tribunal?", "can Radovan Karadzic watch trial from cell?", "Where can Radovan Karadizic watch the trial?", "What did the Court spokeswoman say?" ]
[ [ "a decade" ], [ "Nerma Jelacic," ], [ "Belgrade," ], [ "11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity" ], [ "some facility will be provided to him to allow him to" ], [ "from his prison cell.\"" ], [ "preference for Karadzic to attend,\"" ] ]
Court spokeswoman: Radovan Karadzic can watch trial from cell . Ex-Bosnian Serb leader on genocide charges at International Criminal Tribunal . Prosecutors seek to impose lawyer on Karadzic if he refuses to cooperate . Karadzic was arrested last year in Belgrade after more than a decade on the run .
The U.N. Security Council and U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday called for both sides in Sri Lanka's civil war to protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid into the conflict zone, where tens of thousands are trapped. President Obama criticized the Tamil Tigers for using civilians as "human shields." In a statement at the White House, Obama urged Sri Lankan government troops to halt the "indiscriminate" shelling of civilians trapped with the remnants of the country's Tamil Tiger rebels and demanded the rebels stop using civilians as "human shields." Security Council members issued a statement demanding "that all parties respect their obligations under international humanitarian law." Though the rebels once controlled much of northeastern Sri Lanka, government troops have forced them from all but a small portion of the island since November. The remaining rebel force is pinned down on a narrow strip on the island's northern coast, but more than 50,000 civilians are trapped there as well, the United Nations estimates. Anna Neistat, of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, told CNN that both sides in the conflict are guilty of "egregious violations" of humanitarian law. "I think the government claims that they're not using heavy weapons do not pass the laugh test any more," she said. "Witnesses are telling us about the shelling. We also get photos of remnants of the shells that hit the areas." U.N. spokesman Gordon Weiss told CNN on Monday that hundreds of civilians died during weekend fighting because the Sri Lankan army had put residents in the crossfire, and Obama and the Security Council urged the government to live up to its commitment to stop using heavy weapons. Neistat said at least 30 hospitals had been attacked in the conflict zone as well. Meanwhile, the Tigers -- who have been branded a terrorist organization by the United States, more than 30 other countries and the European Union -- are refusing to let the civilians who surround them evacuate, Neistat said. "Witnesses are telling us that they were not allowed to leave, that those who tried to leave were shot at by the Tamil Tigers," she said. The group, formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, have fought for an independent state in Sri Lanka since 1983. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began, and nearly 200,000 people are now sheltering in camps across the country's north. Obama called on the remaining rebels "to lay down their arms and let civilians go." "Their forced recruitment of civilians and their use of civilians as human shields is deplorable. These tactics will only serve to alienate all those who carry them out," he said. Obama also said government troops "should stop the indiscriminate shelling that has taken hundreds of innocent lives" in recent days. A Red Cross worker was killed Wednesday during shelling in the conflict zone in Sri Lanka -- the third aid worker killed in six weeks -- the International Committee of the Red Cross said. The fighting between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers has intensified in the conflict area to the point that the Red Cross cannot get food to that area or help the sick and wounded, said Sarasi Wijeratne, a Red Cross spokeswoman. "Without urgent action, this humanitarian crisis could turn into a catastrophe," Obama said. "Now's the time, I believe, to put aside some of the political issues that are involved and to put the lives of the men and women and children who are innocently caught in the crossfire, to put them first."
[ "What is demanded of all parties?", "What are Tamils fighting for?", "What is the security council demanding?", "What should be respected?", "Who called on the government?", "who are the tamil", "What made Obama criticize the Tamil Tigers?" ]
[ [ "respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.\"" ], [ "an independent state in Sri Lanka" ], [ "\"that all parties respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.\"" ], [ "their obligations under international humanitarian law.\"" ], [ "Obama and the Security Council" ], [ "Tiger rebels" ], [ "using civilians as \"human shields.\"" ] ]
NEW: Security Council demands all parties respect international humanitarian law . Obama criticizes the Tamil Tigers for using civilians as "human shields" He also calls on government to stop using heavy weapons, allow aid in . Tamil Tigers have been fighting for an independent state for ethnic Tamil minority .
The company that owns a cash depot targeted in a daring helicopter raid this week said Friday it is offering a reward of more than $1 million for information about the heist. A police Swat team enter a G4S cash depot in Vastberga, Stockholm. G4S said it is offering up to 7 million Swedish kronor ($1.01 million) for information leading directly to the arrest and conviction of the offenders or the recovery of the stolen money. G4S also said the circulation of cash in Stockholm would not be adversely affected by the heist, which occurred just days before Sweden's monthly payday, when the depot would have been rife with cash. The company did not disclose how much money had been lost, but the thieves could have gotten as much as the equivalent of several millions of U.S. dollars, according to CNN affiliate TV4. A group of heavily-armed thieves used a helicopter early Wednesday to land on the roof of the cash depot in Vastbarga, Stockholm, which serves automatic teller machines all across the capital, TV4 reported. They used explosives to get into the building, witness Bjorn Lockstrom told TV4, and later hoisted bags of money to the waiting chopper. TV4 later reported that the blueprints of the building were public documents which anybody could request to see. G4S had never asked for the blueprints to be classified. The helicopter had been stolen earlier during the night, police said. The thieves had also placed a bag marked "bomb" outside the police heliport, meaning Swedish police couldn't immediately pursue the thieves because they had to first deal with the bag. TV4 later reported that the bag never contained a bomb. The thieves had also blocked the roads around the cash depot with metal spikes, TV4 reported. No one was hurt during the heist, police said, even though several employees had been in the building when the robbers entered. Stockholm police said the heist had been elaborate. "The robbery was very well planned. They brought a lot of firepower with them, among other things automatic weapons," Anders Bjargard from the Stockholm police, told TV4. Two people have been questioned in relation to the heist, but no one has been arrested. Police are still hopeful they will find the perpetrators. "We have a lot of traces after the perpetrators, both where the robbery took place and where we found the helicopter," Bjargard said. The investigation is the biggest operation the Swedish police have mounted since the murder of Sweden's then-Foreign Minister Anna Lindh in 2003. "It's an enormous piece of puzzle, and we don't want to miss anything," Anders Buren, head of police operations, told TV4. Since the heist, Swedish police have been criticized for storing their helicopters at an unguarded heliport in the Stockholm archipelago, which enabled the thieves easily to put the police helicopter out of commission. Swedish media also criticized police for not shooting at the thieves as they escaped in their helicopter. But Bengt Svensson, the head of Swedish police, defended the police officers' actions. "Just because we now have criminals who act like they do in the movies doesn't mean that we can do it as well," Svensson told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
[ "How much money is believed to have been stolen?", "What did the thieves use during the raide?", "What did armed thieves use during the raid?", "How much money I'd being offered for information on the heist?", "What country did the heist occur in?", "How much did the owners of the depot offer?", "What was stolen?", "Who stole the helicoptor?", "What reward is being offered?", "Thieves stole the equivalent of how much?", "What mode of transportation was used during the raid?", "What amount of money did the thieves steal?", "What did the armed thieves use during the raid?", "What reward did owners offer for information on the heist?", "Who offered £1M reward for information on heist?" ]
[ [ "The company did not disclose" ], [ "helicopter" ], [ "helicopter" ], [ "more than $1 million" ], [ "Sweden's" ], [ "$1 million" ], [ "The company did not disclose how much money had been lost, but the thieves could have gotten as much as the equivalent of several millions of U.S. dollars," ], [ "group of heavily-armed thieves" ], [ "7 million Swedish kronor ($1.01 million)" ], [ "($1.01 million)" ], [ "helicopter" ], [ "several millions of U.S. dollars," ], [ "explosives" ], [ "$1 million" ], [ "G4S" ] ]
Owners of Swedish cash depot offer £1M reward for information on heist . Thieves believed to have stolen the equivalent of several million dollars . Armed thieves used a stolen helicopter during the raid .
The father of missing child Haleigh Cummings' married his 17-year-old-girlfriend, who was the last one known to have seen the child alive, the girl's grandmother told Nancy Grace producers. Ronald Cummings proposes to Misty Croslin Sunday at a local Chili's restaurant. On Sunday Ronald Cummings asked his teenage girlfriend, Misty Croslin, for her hand in marriage at a local Chili's restaurant. While he was with several family members, Cummings got down on one knee, asked Croslin to marry him and gave her Haleigh's grandmother's diamond ring. Because Croslin is only 17 years old, her mother filled out the paperwork so the two could be married. On Thursday, the pair tied the knot, after the three-day waiting period required by Florida law. Croslin, who was beaming earlier in the week after the engagement, told CNN affiliate WJXT-TV that while she knows there will be critics of the marriage and the timing, "everything is still about Haleigh." Croslin said she wanted to be together as a family, just as Haleigh would have wanted. "Everybody is probably going to take this marriage thing the wrong way," Croslin told WJXT. "This is what Haleigh wanted. She has always talked about it, and even if she's not with us, she is still with us." Croslin told police she tucked Haleigh and her 4-year-old brother into bed about 8 p.m. February 9 in their Satsuma, Florida, home. She said she went to sleep herself about 10 p.m. but woke at 3 a.m. to find Haleigh missing and a back door propped open by bricks. Police are still actively searching for the girl, with a new search happening this week, and investigators Wednesday took the back door that was found propped open. In the middle of the search for the girl, the newlyweds will fly to New York Thursday night for their honeymoon and an exclusive appearance on the Today show. Haleigh's grandmother, Teresa Neves, also acknowledged the timing might seem "unusual." "Well, it is unusual for some onlookers, but those people didn't live with my two grandchildren," she told Nancy Grace. "My grandchildren, both Haleigh and Junior, have very often said that they would love for their daddy to marry Misty and that they wanted Misty to be their mommy. And so I feel like they are just trying to fulfill a wish for Haleigh so that when she comes home she will have that extra happiness to come home to." Before the wedding, Neves told CNN affiliate WKMG-TV the wedding would be difficult without Haleigh. "It's an event that Haleigh really should be at, but when she comes home, we'll have a great big wedding so she can be the flower girl and see it all again," Neves said.
[ "Where did the engagement of Ronald Cummings took place?", "who is haleigh?", "isnt 17 too young to marry?", "Who acknowledges critics?" ]
[ [ "local Chili's restaurant." ], [ "missing child" ], [ "Because Croslin is only" ], [ "Misty Croslin" ] ]
Ronald Cummings, Misty Croslin, 17, wed after getting engaged at Chili's Sunday . Croslin acknowledges critics, but says "this is what Haleigh wanted" Grandma Theresa Neves says Haleigh, brother, both wanted the pair to get married . Neves: "When she comes home she will have that extra happiness to come home to"
The mother of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor has died of a suspected heart attack, The Press Association reported Wednesday. Gloria Taylor outside London's Central Criminal Court with Damilola's older brother Tunde in 2006. Gloria Taylor, 57, collapsed while walking with her husband Richard in south-east London Tuesday, the agency reported. Efforts to revive her at hospital failed and she was pronounced dead moments later, according to London police headquarters Scotland Yard. Damilola, 10, bled to death after being attacked on his way home from Oliver Goldsmith Primary School in November 2000. He staggered 100 yards with blood pouring from a sliced artery in his leg after being stabbed. Nigerian-born Damilola had been in Britain for only a few months when he was attacked while walking home from an after school computer club. Damilola's killing was front-page news in Britain, and prompted soul-searching on topics ranging from the deprivation of inner cities to school bullying. A year after their son's death, the Taylors established the Damilola Taylor Trust, aimed at improving the lives of underprivileged young people. The trust offers scholarships for medical students from poor backgrounds, and also set up the Damilola Taylor Center, in Peckham, south-east London, which provides sports and community activities. At the time, Gloria said the trust aimed to provide hope and opportunities for Britain's "downtrodden and underprivileged youth". "Damilola lost his life because of enormous problems in this society. Our son wanted to be a doctor. "He was a leader, and we are sure he would have been extraordinary. We would like the trust to heal many of the ills faced by today's youth," The Guardian newspaper reported her saying at the time. In August 2006, two teenage brothers were convicted of his manslaughter and given eight-year youth custody sentences. Danny and Ricky Preddie, who were 12 and 13 at the time of the killing, were convicted at a retrial. The conviction came after three trials and two police investigations, parts of which were strongly criticized, The Guardian reported. PA quoted a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman as saying: "Police were called at about 7.45pm on April 8 by London Ambulance Service to reports of a woman taken ill on the street in Shooters Hill. "Local officers and London Ambulance Service were in attendance and a woman in her 50s was taken by ambulance to hospital suffering a suspected heart attack and was pronounced life extinct at 8.29pm. "A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. "The incident is being investigated by local borough officers and is currently being treated as non suspicious." E-mail to a friend
[ "What did Damilola die of?", "Who was the murdered schoolboy?", "When did Gloria Taylor collapse?", "What did Taylor's mother die of?", "Who was stabbed?", "When did the child die?", "Who was she walking with?", "What was the age of the child at her death?" ]
[ [ "bled to death" ], [ "Damilola Taylor" ], [ "Tuesday," ], [ "suspected heart attack," ], [ "Damilola," ], [ "2000." ], [ "her husband Richard" ], [ "10," ] ]
Mother of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor dies of suspected heart attack . Gloria Taylor, 57, collapsed while walking with her husband Richard Tuesday . Damilola, 10, was stabbed in 2000, death prompted soul-searching in Britain .
The second most-dreaded question for new parents after "Is your baby sleeping?" (Answer: "Well, yes, for forty-five-minute stretches, but not during the night, and only after I conduct a two-hour-long routine including feeding, swaddling, singing, rocking, and an ancient tribal sleep dance") is "Where does he sleep?" Some say a baby should never sleep in the same bed as you, while others say it's the only way to go. That's because the response is usually just as complicated and the people who ask are often ready to pass judgment on it. At least, that's what more than 6,000 of you told us in our national survey about sleep habits, in which we set out to determine the differences between parents who put their babies down to sleep at night in a crib (for convenience's sake, we're calling them "crib-sleepers") and those who share a family bed with their children (co-sleepers). Here, an illuminating peek into the night lives of new families: "Now, that's crazy!" When we were creating this survey, we imagined a giant pillow fight, with moms on one side of the bed yelling "Safety!" and a posse on the other shouting "Bonding!" And we did hear those battle cries: Nearly half of all crib-sleepers admitted that they think co-sleepers are "irresponsible" and that parents who share a family bed are "putting their baby's life at risk." Parenting.com: Guide to baby sleep Another 39 percent think that co-sleeping parents are spoiling their baby. "I know people who still have a three-year-old in bed with them because the kid won't sleep alone. Now, that's crazy!" exclaims Patty Queen, a mom of two in Marion, North Carolina. "Come on, people, you are only making it hard on the kids by keeping them in the bed with you." Another crib proponent, Esther Tune of Henderson, Nevada, considers co-sleeping to be "the easy option." "I never brought my kids into my bed -- even though it would have been easier. I believe they're safer in their own crib." So what about the safety issue? In a 2005 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warned that bed-sharing was associated with an increase in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and strongly recommended against the practice. "There is no evidence that co-sleeping can be done safely," adds John Kattwinkel, M.D., chairperson of the AAP's Task Force on SIDS. Parenting.com: Baby sleep strategies No wonder moms who co-sleep are twice as likely to feel judged compared with crib-sleepers. In their defense, co-sleepers cite the work of James McKenna, Ph.D., an anthropologist whose research shows SIDS rates to be lower in countries where co-sleeping is the norm, and the attachment-parenting theories of Babytalk contributing editor William Sears, M.D. (Both experts believe parents can -- and must -- co-sleep safely; see Askdrsears.com for guidelines.) Parenting.com: Why are infants still dying from SIDS? In fact, co-sleepers were just as likely to choose their sleeping arrangement for safety reasons as crib-sleepers. And they also slung some arrows: 40 percent of moms who planned to co-sleep believe that parents who use a crib won't have as close a bond with their babies as they do; another 20 percent feel that crib-sleepers are "selfish" and "only thinking of their own sleep." "Babies grow up more secure when they sleep with their moms for the first year of their lives," contends Phasinee Brown of Kansas City, Kansas. Parenting.com: Learning to sleep solo Giving up control The majority of parents agreed, however, that in the quest for rest, one size does not fit all babies. "After having three children," Trenny Suggs of Spring Hill, Tennessee
[ "What is associated with an increase in sudden infant death syndrome?", "What is associated with an increase in SIDS?", "What is the norm for countries where SIDS rates are lower?" ]
[ [ "bed-sharing" ], [ "bed-sharing" ], [ "co-sleeping" ] ]
AAP: Bed-sharing associated with an increase in sudden infant death syndrome . Study: SIDS rates to be lower in countries where co-sleeping is the norm . Survey: Few moms planned on co-sleeping, but 42 percent ended up doing so . There is no perfect sleep solution .
The state you live in may affect your state of mind, according to new report that shows that rates of stress, depression, and emotional problems vary by geographic region. Where you live may affect your state of mind, according to a new mental health report. That's good news if you live in Hawaii, where only 6.6 percent of people report frequent mental distress. Not-so-good news for those in Kentucky: In the Bluegrass State, 14.4 percent of people said they frequently experienced mental distress -- the highest prevalence in the country. Frequent mental distress is defined as having 14 or more mentally unhealthy days during the previous 30-day period. The researchers were surprised that the study, which will be published in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, showed such a broad range in mental distress depending on geographic location. "The occurrence of frequent mental distress in adults differs much more than expected among the residents of U.S. states and counties," said lead researcher Dr. Matthew M. Zack, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. People who have frequent mental distress may have treatable and preventable mental illnesses or problems, and social programs or interventions may help, Zack said. Health.com: How stress may affect psoriasis In the study, the researchers looked at rates of mental distress by state among 2.4 million adults across two time periods -- 1993 through 2001 and 2003 through 2006 -- as part of the ongoing Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System study. Overall, the prevalence for frequent mental distress across both time periods was 9.4 percent, with the lowest rate in Hawaii and the highest rate in Kentucky. Why the difference? It may be because residents in some areas of the country are more likely than others to have health conditions such as disability or diabetes, untreated mental conditions like anxiety or depression, high unemployment rates, risky behaviors including cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse, and/or social circumstances such as lower incomes. Health.com: Manic spending puts bipolar patients at risk for financial woes An area centered on Kentucky showed high levels of frequent mental distress that remained elevated over time, while in other parts of the country (such as the upper Midwest) low levels of frequent mental distress remained low over time, the study showed. Health.com: Secrets to a stress-free home Overall, though, frequent mental distress seems to be on the rise. The rate of frequent mental distress increased by at least 1 percentage point in 27 states, and by more than 4 percentage points in Mississippi, Oklahoma, and West Virginia from the first time period to the second time period. "In some areas, normal or low frequent-mental-distress levels increased over time, implying the introduction of influences that increased levels of frequent mental distress," Zack said. Health.com: Stress-reduction therapy may hike breast cancer survival rates The new state-by-state breakdown of rates of mental distress should have ramifications as the Obama Administration takes on health care reform, said Chuck Holzer, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. "From a public health standpoint, it's great to be aware of places with high rates of frequent mental distress so we can help make sure that access to care is increasing in those areas," he said. Many of the states with high rates of frequent mental distress are struggling economically, as are their residents. As a result, they may not be able to afford health insurance that includes mental health services. "The big message is that you need to monitor the health and mental health of the country because it will lead to greater equity in mental health services," Holzer said. And Zack said, "Community mental health agencies, social service agencies, and public health agencies in counties where frequent mental distress is increased should recognize that such increases may indicate unmet health and social service needs." Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com
[ "What is the rate in Kentucky?", "What are residents likely to have?", "What differs amoung US?", "What differs among residents of U.S. States?", "How many percent report in hawaii?", "What is the rate in Hawaii?" ]
[ [ "14.4 percent" ], [ "health conditions" ], [ "\"The occurrence of frequent mental distress in adults" ], [ "stress, depression, and emotional problems" ], [ "6.6" ], [ "6.6 percent" ] ]
Mental distress differs among residents of U.S. states and counties . Hawaii: 6.6 percent of people report frequent mental distress; Kentucky: 14.4 percent . Residents in some areas are more likely to have health conditions or disabilities .
The swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, is all over the news. A string of cases have been reported across the United States, as well as across the globe, with Mexico the hardest hit country, so far. Older kids, who may be scared but hide it, should be reassured that parents and health officials are on top of it. It's easy to freak out amid these disturbing reports, but the truth is you're probably doing everything you need to do to protect your family. "Parents should be aware of what public health officials are saying, and then just be extra vigilant about the precautions they'd normally take to prevent the spread of germs," says Joseph Bocchini, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases and pediatrics chair of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. No. 1 on the list: washing hands more frequently. So take a deep breath, put down the surgical mask, and read on for all information you need to know. Parenting.com: Cold and flu old wives' tales Signs and symptoms Indicators of swine flu are not unlike those for regular old run-of-the-mill flu. What makes this virus different from typical flu is that more serious complications, such as pneumonia, might occur more often. Also, says Bocchini, this is a new strain of flu, and no one in the population would be expected to be immune. One of the biggest concerns for officials is simply that a lot of people could get sick at the same time. Take heart in knowing that our government health officials are doing everything they can to make sure the country's prepared. In the mean time, your job is to know how to spot the signs. If you or your child are experiencing any of the following, call your doctor. He or she may want you to come in and be tested. Parenting.com: Interactive symptom checker • fever (above 100.4 for babies 3 months and younger, and 101.1 for everyone else), plus • cough • sore throat • intense body aches • headache • chills • fatigue Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting, too. Pregnant women are at extra risk for complications even with regular flu, according to Bocchini, and small children have a higher rate of hospitalization. Both expectant women and moms of kids under 2 should be extra careful about taking action quickly. Parenting.com: How to keep nosy, germy strangers away from your baby When to head to the ER If your child demonstrates any of the following symptoms, it's time to seek emergency care: • Fast or troubled breathing • Bluish skin color • Refusal to drink fluids • Difficulty waking up and/or interacting • Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held * Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough • Fever with a rash, especially one that does not blanch In adults, the following symptoms deserve an ER trip as well: • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath • Pain or pressure in the chest • Abdominal pain • Sudden dizziness • Confusion • Severe or persistent vomiting How to talk to your kids about It As always, you'll want to explain to kids that germs can make us sick, and that's why it's important to wash your hands. You can say, "Soap and water rinse away the little buggers so they can't make us feel bad." If they've caught wind of swine flu in particular, it's important to project an image of calm (even if you're internally flipping out) and make them feel safe. Small kids should be soothed with a simple explanation that there are different kinds of flu, and we should just keep up with washing up. Older kids, who may be scared but hide it, can be given a few more details but should still be reassured that their parents and our health officials are on top of it. Easing symptoms and treatment
[ "What needs to be explained to children?", "What is being spread?", "What precautions should we take?", "What should parents tell their kids about the swine flu?", "What do germs do?" ]
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What parents should tell children about swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus . Explain to kids that germs can make us sick, so it's important to wash hands . Project an image of calm to make them feel safe. Tailor explanation to age . Take common flu-season precautions .
There's always something happening in the city that never sleeps, but if you're in New York at the right time you'll get to see New Yorkers coming together for one of the city's big annual events. Giant inflatables are the highlight of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. St Patrick's Day Parade (17 March) St Patrick's Day is when New York's sizeable Irish-American community celebrates its long association with the city, with thousands joining a flag-waving parade of traditional marching pipe bands. Dating back to 1762, it's far more traditional than New York's other parades. There are no floats or corporate sponsors involved -- just vast numbers of green-clad revelers. Indeed, it's the one day of the year when shamrock-adorned hats and stick on ginger beards are considered appropriate attire. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at 44th Street, making its way past St. Patrick's Cathedral at 50th Street and the American Irish Historical Society at 83rd, finishing at 86th Street at around 5:00 p.m. Needless to say, New York's Irish bars get pretty crowded in the evening. Watch Candace Bushnell take CNN on a tour of New York. » Met in the Parks (June) An al fresco treat for opera lovers, every summer New York's Metropolitan Opera Company lays on free outdoor performances in the city's parks. The 2009 program will feature performances in each of the five boroughs, at Staten Island's Tappan Park, Crotona Park in The Bronx, Queensbridge Park in Queens; Coffey Park in Brooklyn, East River Park in Manhattan and at SummerStage in Central Park. If that's whet your appetite for evenings of outdoor classical music, "New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks" takes place in July at parks around the city. Take a blanket and a well-stocked picnic hamper for maximum enjoyment. What do you think are New York's seasonal highlights? Sound Off below. Independence Day (July 4) The day America declared its independence from Britain in 1776 is a national holiday celebrated in style throughout the country. But, naturally, New York is where the celebrations become a full-blown extravaganza. The highlight of New York's Independence Day celebrations is the Macy's fireworks display. Usually, fireworks are launched from the East River, but the 2009 fireworks will be launched from barges positioned between 24th and 50th Streets on the Hudson River. That means Manhattan's West Side and New Jersey will provide prime viewing spots and will consequently be packed to the gills with tens of thousands of rubbernecking New Yorkers. See photos of Candace Bushnell in New York. » Village Halloween Parade (31 October) Halloween is a big deal in America and the nation's biggest and best Halloween parade takes place along New York's Sixth Avenue. Greenwich Village's "anything goes" attitude is what makes this event special, translating into eye-popping costumes, heaps of audience interaction and dazzling giant puppets, brought to life by showboating puppeteers. The parade begins at 6.30 p.m., starting on Spring Street and making its way to 23rd Street. You'll need to stake your roadside spot early if you want to see more than the backs of other spectators. Better still, wear a costume and you're entitled to join in the parade -- nothing is too outrageous. Even if you're cheering from the sidelines, you should get into the spirit of things by donning a ghoulish mask at the very least, thousands of which suddenly appear in local shops in the days leading up to the parade. http://www.halloween-nyc.com Macy's Thanksgiving Parade (fourth Thursday in November) A New York institution, the inaugural parade in 1924 included live animals on loan from from Central Park Zoo. The zoo animals have long been retired, replaced by floats that act as moving anchors for enormous helium balloons of various colorful cartoon characters. These floating colossi are the highlight of the event and attract annual crowds of around three million New Yorkers. The parade runs from 9 a.m. to midday and follows a two-and-a-half mile route through Central Park West to Herald
[ "Which characters are in the parade?", "What city turns green for the traditional St Patty's Day Parade?", "What is the highlight of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?", "Wearing a costume will let you join what?", "What do you do to join the celebration?" ]
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New York turns green for the city's traditional St Patrick's Day Parade . Wearing a costume lets you join in the the Village Halloween celebrations . Inflatable cartoon characters are the highlight of Macy's Thanksgiving Parade .
They're bigger, brawnier, and faster than the typical male, but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age? Justin Bannan, who plays for the Baltimore Ravens, participated in the study on NFL players. Yes and no, according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes. The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s, and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier. However, they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who aren't professional athletes. "It's a step in the right direction to have this study," says Justin Bannan, 30, who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research. "I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do, the better." The study, published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association, is important, particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds. The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete's heart in youth or even after retirement, and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths. Health.com: Eat right advice: Fiber, starch, fats, serving sizes In particular, the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players. Herrion, who was 6'3" and 330 pounds, had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005. "He's sort of the prototype of the bigger, stronger linemen that populates the NFL now, as compared with 20 or 30 years ago," says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker, the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens. "We have so many big, strong guys over 300 pounds. I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation." Other heavy players-- such as defensive end Reggie White-- have also died at an early age. White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004. In the study, Tucker, who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health, and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007. The researchers measured the players' height, weight, percentage of body fat, and other factors, and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults). Health.com: 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men (only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men) and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same. However, 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension, or borderline high blood pressure, compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men, respectively. Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure. "But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension," says Tucker, who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men-- regardless of the size of the player or his position. "So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver, they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line," says Tucker. "So there's something that we're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone-- there's got to be something else." Health.com: Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions That "something else"
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Death of Thomas Herrion has raised worries over the heart health of big players . Researchers looked at 504 active NFL players from 12 teams in 2007 . Players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men . NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men .
This Mother's Day, skip the flowers and forget the chocolate (unless it's dark)! Give your mom something she really needs -- the gift of good health. Do something good for mom this Mother's Day by getting her healthy food and investing in her wellness. No, you don't have to buy her a treadmill. There are many other things you can do to give your mom a boost in terms of her physical (or mental) well-being. Most moms will truly appreciate that your Mother's Day gift is aimed at keeping her happy, healthy, and in your life for a long time. In case you are drawing a blank, we came up with a list of healthy -- and relatively inexpensive -- gift ideas for every mom. 1. Give the gift of (your) time and support at the doctor's office. "Offer to be your mom's health buddy," says Philadelphia-based women's health expert Dr. Marie Savard, author of several books, including Ask Dr. Marie: Straight Talk and Reassuring Answers to Your Most Private Questions. "Promise to be there for any and all doctor's visits whether a mammogram or routine appointment," she said. "Most moms always say 'don't bother,' but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor's visit." The best part? This one is free. Health.com: A mammogram may have saved my life 2. Give the gift of healthy eating. Rather than an expensive, artery-clogging brunch, you can spring for a visit with the nutritionist and follow it with a healthy meal. "Mother's Day is a great reason to get your mom to see a nutritionist," said Dana Greene, a nutritionist in private practice in Boston. "Nutritionists can really tailor their advice to whatever issues mom is having with her diet, including losing weight or learning how to eat to reduce her risk of certain diseases such as breast cancer or osteoporosis," Greene says. "An appointment lasts about an hour and is relatively inexpensive. Take mom out for a healthy brunch afterward and watch her put all she learned into practice." Health.com: How to eat out without getting fat Greene also suggests subscribing to a healthy-cooking magazine to keep your mom in the healthy-eating mindset all year. Savard added: "Make and freeze healthy foods in individual containers for your mom." She suggested making healthy versions of your mother's fave foods. 3. Give the gift of organization. Instead of making a photo album of family snapshots (although that's nice too), make your mom a folder containing all of her medical records, Savard said. "Put a folder together of test results and vital information so it is all in one place," she said. Make sure to include a list of all of her medications and what times she takes them. "Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mom's life," Savard said. 4. Give the gift of a good night's sleep. Adequate sleep is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as other health conditions. "Buy your mom satin sheets, a new mattress, a mattress cover, or a luxurious pillow to encourage better sleep," Savard said. "We know that restorative sleep is critical to our immune system and heart health." For new mothers, offer to watch the baby while she takes a nap. This will also allow you to spend quality time with the kids, so "it's a win-win," she said. Health.com: 10 Risk factors for heart disease 5. Give the gift of healthful goodies. Instead of a gourmet gift basket filled with cheese and crackers or sweets, make your own healthy gift basket for your mom, suggests Savard. Not sure what to put in it? Start with a multivitamin, calcium supplements, and vitamin D supplements. "If you know your mom is trying to get more fiber, put some fiber supplements
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Forget conventional flowers and chocolate, try healthy gifts for Mother's Day . Give the gift of (your) time and support at the doctor's office . Rather than artery-clogging brunch, spring for a visit with nutritionist .
This story is part of an ongoing series of profiles by CNN about economic survival in this time of financial crisis. Jean Lindsay records a video telling people to get out of their nightgowns and look for work. (CNN) -- Jean Lindsay, a spunky 67-year-old with two masters' degrees, panicked after she failed to land a job in the garden center of a Lowe's home-improvement store. She started to wonder whether a woman of her age ever would be able to find work. She worried about her debt, and weeks of unemployment were turning into months. After the job interview, she stayed up most of the night in the fits of an anxiety attack -- vomiting and huddling under the bedcovers with her two dogs. "God, I felt like I was falling off the ends of the earth," she said. A few days later, though, she tossed on a red sweater, plopped down in front of her computer, flipped on her Web camera -- and, suddenly, while streaming her story onto the Internet, things seemed OK. "I know I can count on you to send me great letters of support and cheer," Lindsay told viewers on CNN's iReport.com. "And remember, if you're going through this, I'm going through it too. There are lots of us going through this." Watch Lindsay's post For Lindsay, like many people these days, the Internet has become both a tool for economic recovery and a cure for isolation. iReport.com: Share your survivor story At a time when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 1.07 million people 55 and older are unemployed and looking for work, the Internet is an increasingly useful tool for older people looking for jobs and a sense of community, said Deborah Russell the AARP's director of workforce issues. "It's a great way of being able to network with people who are either in a similar situation or who may have some resources to help you," she said. The number of people who need this help is on the rise. Some older people are delaying retirement because of the economic recession; and, according to an analysis by the AARP Public Policy Institute, those who are looking for work typically search for about a third longer than people younger than 55. Watch how one senior goes back to school for a living » Lindsay had been out of work for about three months before her brother gave her a Web camera for Christmas last year. Almost immediately, she was hooked. Her brother intended her to use the Web cam mostly to communicate with family members who are spread out across the country, she said. But Lindsay didn't stop there. She got a creative jolt from filming quirky videos of her own. So, she started posting video monologues for the Internet world to see. In the past three weeks, she's posted nearly 40 videos on iReport. Her most popular video -- in which she talks about depression while wearing a plaid nightgown -- has been viewed by more than 140,000 people. "I was in my nightgown at noon, and I wasn't getting at the job search very fast, and I thought, 'this is instructive,' " she said, laughing. She signs off from the video simply: "Get up, and get out!" Watch Lindsay's tips for getting out of the house Her own advice compelled her to do the same. Lindsay says sharing her failures as well as successes online is cathartic, but she also hopes it's helpful for people in similar circumstances. She's not shy about saying that she suffers from mild bipolar disorder. This economy can push people into depression and mental illness, she said, and she wants people to know they're not alone. The same goes for her job search. "This has really invigorated me," she said of her forays with a virtual persona. "It's something where I've had success. And the job search is not always successful -- it's dealing with a lot of
[ "What is Jean Lindsay's advice to unemployed older people?", "What was her advice?", "Who is Jean Lindsay?" ]
[ [ "get out of their nightgowns and look for work." ], [ "get out of their nightgowns and look for work." ], [ "a spunky 67-year-old with two masters' degrees, panicked after she failed to land a job in the garden center of a Lowe's home-improvement store." ] ]
Jean Lindsay, 67, uploads videos about her struggles finding a job . Lindsay says support from her online viewers keeps her moving . Her advice to depressed older people who are out of work: "Get up, and get out!" Web skills are increasingly important in today's job market, AARP says .
This week in iReport we're celebrating a couple anniversaries. It's been 20 years since the world watched the Berlin Wall fall. And, that children's television favorite "Sesame Street" turned the big 4-0. Meanwhile, Hurricane Ida stormed ashore, slamming the Gulf Coast. We've got all this and more in this week's video wrap-up. Berlin Wall anniversary -- Twenty years ago this week, the Berlin Wall came tumbling down in a decisive moment in a revolution that ultimately ended decades of Communist rule and signaled the end of the Cold War. For many iReporters, the fall of the wall holds personal significance. They dug into their photo albums to share memories of this historic event. Bracing for Ida -- iReporters updated on preparations and conditions as Hurricane Ida approached the Gulf Coast. Two iReporters shared several photos of preparations in Pensacola Beach, Florida, including closed roads, sandbags and high tides, saying it "packed a pretty good punch." Another in New Orleans compared the rising waters from Ida with those of Gustav last year. Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? -- The classic children's television show 'Sesame Street' turned 40 this week. CNN producers collaborated with iReporters to create a fun video alphabet that would make Jim Henson proud. iReporters of all ages also shared their memories of "Sesame Street" and how the show made an impact on their lives.
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[ [ "iReport" ], [ "iReporters," ], [ "They dug into their photo albums to share memories" ], [ "40" ], [ "Ida" ], [ "Hurricane Ida" ], [ "20 years" ] ]
iReporters remember the fall of the Berlin Wall, 20 years later . The Gulf Coast braces for Hurricane Ida . 'Sesame Street' celebrates 40 years . Tell your stories at CNN iReport .
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino which led to the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRC is using the date to launch an awareness campaign of its work in conflict-affected countries, featuring photos taken by five award-winning photojournalists. This week we're bringing you stories from some of the world's most troubled countries, as told by the ICRC. CITÉ SOLEIL, Haiti (ICRC) -- Roudeline Lamy was 23 when she was shot in the stomach. The impact of the bullet sent the small baby she was holding tumbling to the ground. Roudeline Lamy shows the scar from her bullet wound. At 26, she's a widow after losing her husband to gangland violence. Roudeline still suffers from stomach pains and her daughter, now three years old, is paralyzed from the waist down. The mother and child sleep on the concrete floor of a shack that floods every time it rains. Since Roudeline's husband was killed by the gangs, she has had to rely on the charity of friends and her faith that God will not abandon her. With very few State services, God is all the poor in Haiti's sprawling seaside slum of Cité Soleil can believe in. Two schools and one state hospital serve the ever-expanding population, with aid agencies and religious groups trying to plug the gap. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been in Haiti since 1994 and in Cité Soleil since 2003. Rob Drouen, head of the ICRC delegation, explains, "Haiti is a fragile state where armed gangs can be used to stir up trouble for political reasons and abject poverty fuels discontent." See photos taken by award-winning photojournalist Ron Haviv » Even among the children. In Cité Soleil, a dozen street children start pummeling a young girl. It's not known why. But within seconds word has spread that a fight is on. Hordes of children with matted hair and ragged clothes race to the scene, glad of anything to relieve the monotony of yet another day with nothing to do. Weary parents pull their children away, leaving the shaken girl to escape. This is a far cry from the days when families ran for cover from daily gun battles. A few years ago, Cité Soleil was one of the most dangerous and destitute places on earth -- a shanty town torn apart by a vicious gang war for control of the area. United Nations troops have stabilized the security situation in Haiti, the western world's poorest country, and many gang members are either dead or behind bars. Nevertheless, violence still surrounds the 300,000 residents of Cité Soleil, fueled by hunger and the frustration of trying to survive on less than a dollar a day. I sidestep the brawling children and enter the home of a woman who has suffered more than most. A long-standing resident of Cité Soleil, 83 year old Elevanise Tidor was first caught in gangland crossfire in 1993. In 2004 she stepped into harm's away again when she was shot in the breast and stomach. As she undoes her faded dress to show the scars from her mastectomy, she tells me she was later hit by a car and now can hardly walk. Watch Elevanise Tidor tell her story » Confined to a sparsely furnished corrugated iron shack, she worries about how her children and grandchildren are going to make ends meet. "My body took the bullets, but my family has been hit the hardest," she says. "I can't work or do anything for them. My grandchildren often go to bed crying with hunger." That the victims of violence can suffer for years after the event is well-known, but in Cité Soleil the suffering can last a lifetime. With the help of the ICRC, a group of victims of the violence is aiding fellow sufferers. In 2007, Pierre Wilber founded REVICIS (Regroupement des victimes de Cité Soleil) after gang members beat him up for political reasons. REVICIS has already identified 300 victims and is now trying to get funds for social, psychological and legal help. "There
[ "Where are residesnts still bearing scars of gang related warfare?", "Who has stabilized the situation?", "Where was the violence?", "Which city suffered hardest from gang related warfare?", "What have UN troops done?" ]
[ [ "CITÉ SOLEIL, Haiti" ], [ "United Nations troops" ], [ "Cité Soleil" ], [ "Cité Soleil" ], [ "stabilized the security situation in Haiti," ] ]
Many members of Liberia's amputee football team had lost the will to live . They were recruited by a counselor working to rehabilitate former fighters . Coach Paul Tolbert: "They are men who bring pride to this nation" Photos were taken by war photographer Christopher Morris for the ICRC .
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Solferino which led to the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The ICRC is using the date to launch an awareness campaign of its work in conflict-affected countries, featuring photos taken by five award-winning photojournalists. This week we're bringing you stories from some of the world's most troubled countries, as told by the ICRC. MONROVIA, Liberia (ICRC) -- On a dusty pitch in the middle of the capital of Monrovia limbless young men play football as though their lives depended on it. Coach Paul Tolbert says many members of Liberia's amputee football team had lost the will to live. Football has given them hope. They are members of the Liberian National Amputee Football Team and for the most part, victims of the war. Some participated in cruel acts against civilians during the fighting and face a daily struggle to live with both their disability and the past. "I was at church when armed men came in and killed hundreds of us," says 18 year old Richard Duo, who is now a star infield attacker and one of the highest goal-scorers on the team. "I lost my mother, father and one of my brothers. My other siblings were wounded and I lost my leg. "Now that there is peace, I have decided not to think about that anymore. I only want to look forward, to see what I can do to help myself and my family in the future. Those terrible things have already happened. I just want to focus on the future," he says. See photos of Richard Duo and his team mates » Tens of thousands of people were killed or injured in Liberia's 14-year civil war. The fighting brought rape and mutilation, children were abducted and forced to become fighters and untold numbers had to flee their homes. Since 2003, peace has returned and while efforts are underway to rebuild the country the emotional and physical scars of war remain. Amputee football began in Liberia as a means of therapy and healing. It was an initiative of the National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Rehabilitation, which is responsible for assisting former fighters. The team's coach, 30 year old Paul Tolbert, began recruiting members when he worked for the commission as a counseling coordinator. "When you ask them how they felt after they were amputated, most of them wanted to kill themselves," says Tolbert. "Life no longer had meaning for them. Amputee football restores their hope. Take the example of the guy who won Most Valuable Player in the recent African Cup of Nations. He was a very good player before he was amputated, but gave up hope when he lost his leg. "When I went to recruit him, I told him 'You can make it, there is still a chance for you.' He since has regained a sense of hope.'" In 2008, the Liberian team hosted the African Cup of Nations and won the tournament. The team has been to Russia and Turkey for international competitions and will travel to England in June for the Amputee World Cup, where they have a very good chance of making it to the final. The President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, is their number one fan, ensuring support for travel and profiling the team in her speeches. Tolbert says the healing effects go well beyond the players. "I tell my team they are bringing a sense of victory to the country. In my eyes, they are not disabled. They are men who bring pride to this nation." The players themselves say they are motivated by a desire to leave the war behind and to make something of themselves for their families. They're also looking for a sense of belonging and brotherhood among those who know what it's like to live with the horrors of war and to struggle just to survive. "I love the sport because I can experience friendship again," says Joseph Allen, 21, who was named the best goalkeeper in the Russian tournament
[ "who had lost the will to live?", "what did the coach say?", "What happened to the liberia football team?", "What coach Paul mention?", "what is the name of the coach?" ]
[ [ "Liberia's amputee football team" ], [ "many members of Liberia's amputee football team had lost the will to live." ], [ "hosted the African Cup of Nations and won the tournament." ], [ "many members of Liberia's amputee football team had lost the will to live." ], [ "Paul Tolbert" ] ]
Many members of Liberia's amputee football team had lost the will to live . They were recruited by a counselor working to rehabilitate former fighters . Coach Paul Tolbert: "They are men who bring pride to this nation" Photos were taken by war photographer Christopher Morris for the ICRC .
Tim Welch was never the kind of guy who worried about his weight. Tim Welch topped 260 pounds at his heaviest weight, before his cousin convinced him to join Weight Watchers. In fact, the 37-year-old accounts manager from Seattle, Washington, ate a fairly balanced diet and loved participating in sports while growing up. "I was thin and fit my whole life," Welch remembers. "I was always active in sports such as running cross-country in high school and swimming on the swim team in college." Things started to change in 1995 after he graduated from college. Welch got a job, moved out of his parents' house and began indulging in late-night meals with his friends. "I remember specifically in 1995, my waist size went from a 34 [inches] to a 38 in a matter of months," Welch said. "I got a size 36 pants to accommodate my waist size and I had to ask for a bigger size for Christmas because they were too tight." Welch was in total disbelief when he stepped on the scale and realized he was carrying 200 pounds on his 5-foot-10-inch frame. Despite the initial shock, he continued to gain weight. Even though he fit the medical definition of obese, Welch stayed physically active. He joined a master's swim team, hiked and walked regularly. Because he was physically active, Welch thought he could keep eating whatever he wanted. As his weight crept up, his desire to exercise waned. By the winter of 2005, the extra calories and his now-sedentary lifestyle caught up with him. During a doctor's visit, Welch discovered that his weight had skyrocketed. "That was pretty depressing to see that 262 [pounds] on the physical. Just knowing that I had become that heavy," said Welch. About the same time, Welch started walking with a cousin who had lost 70 to 80 pounds on Weight Watchers. During their walks, she would gently encourage him to give the program a try, he says. She also tried to calm his fears that he'd have to stop eating all of the foods he loved in order to lose weight. "I kept expressing a really persistent fear I had of restricting my comfort foods. I felt to truly lose weight, I couldn't ever eat the things I loved -- hamburgers, ice cream, chocolate, bacon, cheese [and] cookies," said Welch. "I felt like in order to lose weight I would have to give up those things." Welch started to become depressed and ashamed of his increasing waist size. Embarrassing moments such as asking for a bigger pants size and having a homeless man yell, "Hey, big guy!" on the street -- began to take a toll on him. As a new year approached, Welch reached his breaking point. In January 2006, as part of his New Year's resolution, Welch reluctantly attended his first Weight Watchers meeting, but not before making one last stop for what Welch called his "last meal." "I had a double-cheeseburger, onion rings and milkshake at Johnny Rockets right before the meeting," said Welch. "I weighed 252.6 at my first meeting." During the first week on Weight Watchers, he dropped 7 pounds. Welch also learned how to enjoy his favorite foods through portion control, eating in moderation and choosing healthier foods first. Welch, who was already walking 3.5 miles a day roundtrip to work, started taking water aerobics three times a week and swimming again competitively. The weight continued to come off, about 2-3 pounds a week. CNN iReporters before-and-after weight loss photos » "When I got to 200 pounds, I decided, well, 'Why don't I go for a weight that's a healthy weight range for my height,'" said Welch. "So I did, and by that point the weight had slowed down. It doesn't come off as quickly as you get closer to your goal weight.
[ "What did Welch say?", "What was he battling?", "What did he do to lose 87 pounds?", "How much did Tim Welch weigh at his heaviest?", "At what weight was Tim Welch at his heaviest?" ]
[ [ "\"I was thin and fit my whole life,\"" ], [ "weight" ], [ "Weight Watchers." ], [ "topped 260 pounds" ], [ "260 pounds" ] ]
At his heaviest, Tim Welch tipped the scales at 262 pounds . Battling depression, he reluctantly joined Weight Watchers . He lost 87 pounds through exercise, portion control and better food choices . Welch says he's become a more optimistic person .
To celebrate our 20th year of publication, Cooking Light wanted to know what places best fit our philosophy to eat smart, be fit, and live well. Using statistics from such organizations as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Zagat Survey, we ranked major metropolitan areas on 15 criteria. The result, we think, is a ranking of U.S. cities that best provide the resources people need to live healthful lives. Seattle appears to be a place where healthful living comes easily and naturally, Cooking Light says. "Each city reflects the full spectrum of living well in its own unique way -- innovative restaurants and markets with nutritious local foods, abundant spaces for walking and other exercise, and a population that takes advantage of both," says senior editor Phillip Rhodes, who headed up the project. "It's great to know that so many people all over the country have the tools they need to eat smart, be fit, and live well," Rhodes says. Click on each city link below to learn why the city made our list and find details about the healthiest restaurants, freshest markets, and liveliest activities in the area. 1. Seattle, Washington An abundance of fresh local foods, walker-friendly streets, and inclusive attitudes helps make Seattle America's best city for healthy living. 2. Portland, Oregon Life is good in our second-ranked city, thanks to its seemingly endless supply of outdoor activities, cutting-edge restaurants, and vibrant environmental consciousness. Watch more on Cooking Light's Top 20 » 3. Washington, D.C. Our capital city sets an accommodating agenda with farm-fresh dining, diverse cultures, and ample opportunity for exploration on foot. 4. Minneapolis, Minnesota In our fourth-ranked best city, lush parks and shimmering lakes provide a natural backdrop to a rich cultural landscape. 5. San Francisco, California Our fifth-ranked city steps up with one of the world's most unforgettable settings--along with great cuisine and an energetic spirit. 6. Boston, Massachusetts Strolling historic parks and swanning around the water are but two of the pastimes that make summer prime time to enjoy our sixth-ranked city. 7. Denver, Colorado The Mile-High City ranked seventh on our list for an outdoorsy Western lifestyle that makes living well accessible and irresistible. 8. Milwaukee, Wisconsin Our eighth-ranked city proves a worthy destination for food lovers, adventure seekers, and culture aficionados alike. 9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania In America's fifth-largest city, the historic past provides a backdrop for a present that's healthful and happening. 10. Tucson, Arizona Tucson offers a taste of the authentic Southwest in a desert setting that's ideal for a warm winter getaway. 11. Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore, it turns out, has lots of people who eat five or more servings of fruits and veggies a day--27 percent. 12. Colorado Springs, Colorado Graced with bountiful trail systems, no wonder 91 percent of the city's population claims to be in good health. 13. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Skies, once dark with factory smoke, open above crystal-towered downtown Pittsburgh, bound on three sides by the rivers Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio. 14. St. Louis, Missouri A love for local produce and healthful activities keeps this urban center well fed and on the move. 15. New York, New York New Yorkers walk far more than most Americans, and they do it quickly. But they slow down for green markets--25 in Manhattan alone. 16. Atlanta, Georgia Approximately 55,000 people gather on the Fourth of July at the Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10k in the world. 17. Austin, Texas You can't swing a yoga mat in Austin without hitting a cool place to exercise--whether it's inside a gym or outdoors in a natural, spring-fed pool. 18. Chicago, Illinois The city's environmentally friendly mentality is one
[ "Criteria were grouped into how many categories?", "Which magazine celebrates a 20th anniversary?", "Which city tops the list?", "what anniversary is the magazine celebrating?", "which city tops in the list of fresh local foods and pedestrian friendly streets?" ]
[ [ "15" ], [ "Cooking Light" ], [ "Seattle" ], [ "20th year of publication," ], [ "Seattle, Washington" ] ]
Cooking Light magazine marks 20th anniversary by naming top 20 U.S. cities . 15 criteria were grouped into categories--eat smart, be fit, live well . Seattle tops list with lots of fresh local foods, pedestrian-friendly streets .
Tokyo (CNN) -- A Japanese power company restarted a nuclear reactor this week, the first to come back online since a March earthquake and tsunami in the nation. The March 11 disasters sparked a nuclear crisis and a backlash that postponed plans to reopen reactors shut down because of damage, inspections or unrelated technical problems. Kyushu Electric Power Co. said it has started generating electricity from the No. 4 reactor late Tuesday at the Genkai nuclear power plant in western Japan. The reactor was taken offline in October after technical problems. Company officials won approval from a local governor and a mayor to bring the reactor online, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported. Nuclear safety critics criticized the reopening, with the power company receiving more than 200 calls Tuesday from citizens who opposed the move. Another power company said it may have suffered a setback in its efforts to handle damaged nuclear reactors. Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday it detected the chemical element xenon in a nuclear reactor at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, a sign that nuclear fission may have occurred. The power company said it began injecting boric acid into the cooling system and has not seen a temperature change that would suggest nuclear fission has occurred. The reactor, No. 2, was one of several damaged in the wake of the historic March 11 disaster. Recently, Japanese officials said it may take 30 years to decommission the four damaged reactors at the power plant. A draft report, released by Japan's Atomic Energy Commission of the Cabinet Office last week, said the removal of debris -- or nuclear fuel -- should begin by the end of 2021.
[ "Is this move welcomed?", "what concerned the move?", "When did the disaster occur?", "when did the reactor went offline", "what happened on march11", "what was criticized", "When did the reactor go offline?", "What month did the reactor went offline?" ]
[ [ "opposed" ], [ "Nuclear safety critics criticized the reopening, with the power company receiving more than 200 calls" ], [ "March 11" ], [ "March" ], [ "March earthquake" ], [ "the reopening," ], [ "March 11" ], [ "October" ] ]
The reactor went offline in October after technical problems . It is the first reactor brought back online since the March 11 disaster in Japan . The move is criticized by some who are concerned about nuclear safety .
Tokyo (CNN) -- Japan is prepared to gradually reduce the amount of oil it imports from Iran, Finance Minister Jun Azumi said Thursday, as the United States seeks to muster international support to put fresh pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program. Japan imports 10% of its crude oil from Iran at the moment, Azumi said at a news briefing after meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The country is ready to decrease that level "in a planned manner," he said. "What I told the secretary is that we have already reduced Iranian oil imports by 40% in the past five years," Azumi said, standing next to Geithner. "The nuclear development issue is an issue that the international community cannot overlook, so we very much understand the U.S. action." The United States is exploring ways to cut off Iran's central bank from the global financial system and reduce the country's oil revenues, Geithner said at the briefing. Washington is in "the initial stages of consulting with allies around the world about how best to achieve those goals," he said, adding that Japan's support was appreciated. "We are working very closely with Europe and Japan and countries around the world to substantially increase the pressure we bring on Iran," Geithner said. The announcement is a plus for Geithner, after his efforts on Iran were rebuffed by senior Chinese officials during his visit to Asian countries this week. "I think 'small victory' is a fair categorization," said Michael Levi, a Council on Foreign Relations' expert on energy policy and national security. From January to September 2011, Iran exported 13% of its crude oil to Japan, according to the International Energy Agency. Levi said Iran is likely to absorb this and find alternatives -- unless those drop out as well. "As long as Iran has a substantial set of potential buyers, it's going to make as much money as it made before," Levi said. Levi said Japan wants to phase out its imports from Iran slowly so it can smoothly transition to other sources. "That same slow speed gives Iran the opportunity to transition to other customers," he said. Geithner had made a similar push for China to reduce its Iranian oil imports. But Beijing said that its imports have nothing to do with Tehran's nuclear program and rejected new U.S. sanctions on foreign financial institutions that conduct business with the Iranian central bank. There was notably little mention of Iran in the comments made by Geithner and Chinese leaders Wednesday. China relies on imports for half of the oil it consumes. Iran exported 22% of its crude oil to China from January to September last year, the IEA said. Japan's government faces a difficult balancing act, trying to meet the needs of its closest ally and at the same time fuel its energy-strained country. Japan has been facing an energy crisis since last March's earthquake and tsunami, which triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. While making the announcement of plans for a gradual decrease in Iranian oil imports, Azumi did not specify how quickly his country would carry out the action. He said that Japan also needed more time to deal with how to reduce non-crude oil imports. Iran threatened in late December to block the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions were imposed on its oil exports. France, Britain and Germany have all proposed such sanctions to punish Iran for lack of cooperation on its nuclear program. Those countries and others believe Tehran may be trying to develop nuclear weapons, but Iran says its nuclear program is solely for civilian energy production. The strait is a critical shipping lane, through which 17 million barrels of oil passed per day in 2011, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. CNN's Jethro Mullen and Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
[ "what will japan do in a planned manner", "where does janpan import 10% of it's oil from", "How much of it crude oil is from Iran?", "what will iran do if sanctions are imposed", "What did the US Treasury secretary say?", "What has Iran threatened to block?", "What percentage of its oil does it import from Iran?", "What has Iran threatened to do if sanctions are imposed?", "What did the U.S Treasury secretary say?" ]
[ [ "phase out its imports from Iran" ], [ "Iran" ], [ "10%" ], [ "block the Strait of Hormuz" ], [ "\"We are working very closely with Europe and Japan and countries around the world to substantially increase the pressure we bring on Iran,\" Geithner said." ], [ "the Strait of Hormuz" ], [ "10%" ], [ "to block the Strait of Hormuz" ], [ "\"in a planned manner,\"" ] ]
Japan imports 10% of its crude oil from Iran . Japan is ready to reduce that amount "in a planned manner," the finance minister says . U.S. Treasury secretary says he appreciates Japan's support of efforts to pressure Tehran . Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions are imposed .
Tokyo (CNN) -- Japan's 77-year-old emperor was hospitalized on Sunday, several days after coming down with a fever, a spokesperson with the Imperial Household Agency said. Emperor Akihito, a ceremonial but revered figure in the Japan, was suffering from a worsening case of bronchitis and the fever he contracted Thursday, according to the spokesperson, who declined to be identified due to the agency's media protocol. "He appears to be fatigued and has lost some resistance to fight against sickness," the spokesperson said. "To be on the safe side, he was hospitalized (Sunday night) at University of Tokyo Hospital." It is the emperor's second time in a hospital this year, after getting medical treatment in February for extensive tests of his coronary arteries. Japan's Cabinet on Sunday approved a measure to temporarily elevate Crown Prince Naruhito to the role of emperor and give him power over all the responsibilities that position entails, according to a person at the Cabinet office, who also was not named per policy. Akihito: The 125th Emperor of Japan Born in Tokyo in December 1933 into a family that eventually consisted of seven children, Akihito became crown prince in 1952 -- the same year he enrolled at Gakushuin University, according to his official biography. Seven years later, he married then-crown princess, and now Empress Michiko, and together they raised three children. On January 7, 1989, following the death of his father Hirohito, Akihito became emperor. The position, per Japan's constitution, is defined as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." That said, the office's involvement in day-to-day government affairs tends to be minimal. Yet Emperor Akihito broke from precedent following Japan's epic 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami earlier this year, when he gave a historic, televised speech. In it, he encouraged citizens to put forth their "best effort to save all suffering people" and he applauded his countrymen's handling of the crisis. "I truly hope the victims of the disaster never give up hope, take care of themselves, and live strong for tomorrow," he said in a calm and poignant oration delivered from the Imperial Palace. "Also, I want all citizens of Japan to remember everyone who has been affected by the devastation, not only today but for a long time afterwards -- and help with the recovery."
[ "When was Emperor Akihito born?", "who is Emperor Akihito?", "What is he suffering from?", "who did has been suffering from a worsening case of bronchitis?", "What happened to Emperor Akihito?" ]
[ [ "December 1933" ], [ "Japan's 77-year-old" ], [ "bronchitis" ], [ "Emperor Akihito," ], [ "he was hospitalized (Sunday night) at University of Tokyo Hospital.\"" ] ]
Emperor Akihito, 77, came down with a fever Thursday, an imperial spokesperson says . He also has been suffering from a worsening case of bronchitis . He appeared "fatigued and lost some resistance," adds the spokesperson . Born in 1933, Akihito became emperor in 1989 .
Tokyo (CNN) -- Journalists got their first ground-level glance Saturday around Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility -- eying shells of reactor buildings, tons of contaminated water and workers scurrying still to mitigate damage from a crisis that began eight months ago. An epic 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami March 11 wreaked havoc around Japan, killing more than 15,000 people. While many of those died instantly, the East Asian nation was on edge for weeks as utility and government employees scrambled to prevent a worsening nuclear catastrophe at the Daiichi plant, located about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Tokyo. Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency eventually categorized the accident as a level-7 event on the international scale for nuclear disasters -- the highest level -- putting it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. It took months, but the Tokyo Electric Power Company (the plant's operator) eventually indicated that its workers were gaining control in the crisis. Throughout the summer and fall, there were no longer reports of explosions, nor stories about new leaks of radioactive material into the ground and sea. But the facility still remained off-limits to reporters and, for a 20-kilometer radius around the plant, to the general public due to the continued high levels of radiation and ongoing efforts to prevent yet more blasts and leaks. That temporarily changed Saturday, when about three dozen journalists traveled by bus through abandoned towns en route to the nuclear facility. They passed, for instance, withered plants at an abandoned nursery, a shattered car dealership and a gas station that had been taken over by crows. Radiation readings rose steadily as they neared the plant, including 6.7 microsieverts in Okuma. There, those on board put on respirator masks, adding to an ensemble of a protective suit, two pairs of gloves, two sets of plastic booties over their shoes and a radiation detector. At the plant's gate, the radiation reading was 20 microsieverts. The reading is still well below the threshold to mandate an immediate health risk -- 1,000 microsieverts equals 1 millisievert, and South Carolina-based medical physicist G. Donald Frey previously told CNN that radiation workers in the U.S. typically aim to be exposed to less than 5 millisieverts per year. Yet it was the cumulative effect that has prompted the continued evacuations of thousands around the Fukushima Daiichi facility. A half-dozen large cranes dominated the skyline inside the gates, while the grounds were pockmarked with vessels containing what the Tokyo Electric Power Company has said is 90,000 tons of water laced with radiation. They were visible in tanks that filled a field, as well as dozens of large, four-story tall silver tanks filled with tainted seawater. U.S., French and Japanese flags hung near a water decontamination facility, which appeared as a cluster of white tents surrounded by black sand bags. The presence of toxins didn't appear to prevent pine trees from standing, and seemingly thriving, all around the facility. Last spring was marked by regular reports of explosions, leaks and other problems at the plant. Those accounts, and radiation readings, in June led Japan's Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters to confirm that three reactors -- Nos. 1, 2 and 3 -- had experienced full meltdowns. A meltdown is a catastrophic failure of the reactor core, with a potential for widespread radiation release. The damage became starkly evident the closer one got to the heart of the nuclear facility. From afar, a new structure surrounded the No. 1 reactor building, which had lost its roof due to a massive hydrogen explosion related to overheating the day after the quake. No. 2 appeared to be intact, painted blue and white, despite a reported hydrogen detonation on March 15. The No. 3 building, meanwhile, had been diminished to a skeletal concrete frame and large pile of rubble, which crews were cleaning up with cranes ahead of it being covered by its own structure. And the No. 4 building -- whose reactor was inactive at the time of the tsunami -- also had significant damage, with one side entirely blown out, exposing the nuclear spent fuel pool. Crumpled trucks and cars, twisted
[ "When did the quake take place?", "What is the name of the plant?", "when was the earthquake?", "what is the name of the plant where the quake occurred", "what plant was shut down?" ]
[ [ "March 11" ], [ "Daiichi nuclear facility" ], [ "March 11" ], [ "Daiichi" ], [ "Daiichi nuclear facility" ] ]
Journalists haven't been to the Fukushima Daiichi plant since the March 11 quake . About 3 dozen traveled there by bus Saturday, seeing the damage and recovery firsthand . A Japanese official says, "I feel conditions have improved" The plant's chief says a cold shutdown is likely, though it's still dangerous for workers .
Tokyo (CNN) -- Norio Ohga, the former president and chairman of Sony Corporation who helped to develop the compact disc, died Saturday of multiple organ failure, the company said. He was 81. Ohga worked for what is now Sony as a consultant and adviser while still a music student in Tokyo, before joining the company full time in 1959. He rose to the ranks of chairman and president and is credited with driving the company's growth in movies, video games and music. Ohga saw the potential of the compact disc early and spearheaded Sony's efforts in that area, the company said. His training as a musician led him to push for a 12-centimeter format, providing enough storage to allow listeners to hear all of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony without interruption, according to Sony. Those specifications are still in use today. The company sold the world's first CD in 1982 and within five years, CD sales overtook LP record sales in Japan. Ohga is also credited with launching Sony's game business and was head of Sony when it bought Columbia Pictures in 1989. He was a senior adviser to Sony at the time of his death. "By redefining Sony as a company encompassing both hardware and software, Ohga-san succeeded where other Japanese companies failed. It is no exaggeration to attribute Sony's evolution beyond audio and video products into music, movies and games, and subsequent transformation into a global entertainment leader to Ohga-san's foresight and vision," Sony Chief Executive Howard Stringer said in a statement. "I offer my deepest condolences on his passing and pray that he may rest in peace."
[ "What is Ohga credited with?", "What did Ohga die from?", "What did Ohga help to develop?", "What growth did the company experience?", "What age was Ohga when he died?" ]
[ [ "driving the company's growth in movies, video games and music." ], [ "multiple organ failure," ], [ "the compact disc," ], [ "in movies, video games and music." ], [ "81." ] ]
Ohga is credited with helping to develop the compact disc . He led the company's growth in music, games and movies . Ohga died of multiple organ failure at 81 .
Tokyo is a huge and often confusing city for travelers, but with these tips you needn't be daunted by the Japanese capital. 100 Yen shops are great value for money. Subway Tokyo has an incredibly efficient subway, but the 13 lines are run by two different companies, Toei Subways and Tokyo Metro, meaning a bewildering variety of day passes are available. A good bet is the Toei and Tokyo Metro One-Day Economy Pass, which costs ¥1,000 and gives you a day of unlimited travel on all subway lines. During rush-hour the subway becomes an unbearable crush. All social niceties go out the window in a free for all that's best avoided completely. Taxis During the day traffic can be gridlocked, but in the evening, when traffic is lighter, taxis are reasonably alternative to the subway. Enter and exit taxis by the back left-hand door. Don't make the novice's error of trying to open or close the door -- your white-gloved driver will do that from the front seat. Ideally, have a map of your destination, or at least an address written in Japanese. Tipping is not expected. ATMs Although Tokyo is ultra-modern, you may have to revert to carrying travelers' checks for the duration of your stay. Few ATMs accept foreign cards, although you should have more luck at post offices and branches of Citibank. ATMs in busy areas stay open until 9 p.m. and most are closed at weekends, although Citibank has 24-hour ATMs. Credit cards are still not accepted as widely as you might expect, so travelers' checks are your best bet -- and make sure you're carrying cash if you're planning a night out away from the city center. What's on The best way to keep up with events and entertainment is with one of Tokyo's English language magazines. Metropolis and Tokyo Notice Board are two of the best -- and they're both free. 100 Yen shops These bargain stores are hugely popular in Tokyo, selling everything from food to toiletries for ¥100 plus ¥5 tax -- about $1. They are also a great place to pick up an inexpensive, kitschy souvenir. Daiso 100-Yen Shop in Takeshita-dori (Village 107 Building, 1-19-24 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku) has four floors of cheap thrills. Etiquette As a foreigner, having a generally courteous demeanor will cover a multitude of sins, but there are a few rules you should try to remember: - Never use your chopsticks to take food from someone else's and don't stick your chopsticks upright in your food when you've finished -- both of these denote funerary customs. - If you're eating with other people, don't pour your own drink. Fill your neighbor's glass and wait for them to reciprocate. - The Japanese don't pour sauces onto their rice. Leave any sauces in their serving dish and dip your food in lightly. - It's a faux pas be seen eating in public -- especially on a train. And blowing your nose in public is an absolute no-no. .................................. What are your tips for a great stay in Tokyo? Where have you found the "real" Tokyo? Send us your suggestions in the "Sound Off" box below and we'll print the best.
[ "What are 100 Yen shops?", "When should you avoid the Tokyo subway?", "What is a great value for money in Tokyo?", "How many ATMs accept foreign cards?", "What should you take with you instead of cards?" ]
[ [ "bargain stores" ], [ "During rush-hour" ], [ "100 Yen shops" ], [ "Few" ], [ "travelers' checks" ] ]
Tokyo has a fantastic subway system -- just don't use it during rush hour . Few ATMs accept foreign cards, so you should take travelers' checks . 100 Yen shops are hugely popular in Tokyo and are great value for money .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- A body was found in the landing gear bay of an airplane that arrived at Tokyo's Narita Airport Sunday, the airport announced. The dead man was not carrying a passport or personal belongings, airport police said. The man was of dark complexion and dressed in blue jeans and a red and dark blue long-sleeved shirt, police told CNN. Police said he possibly froze to death and suffered a shortage of oxygen at high altitude, but did not provide a definite cause of death pending an autopsy. A mechanic found the body in the landing gear bay, which was impossible to enter from the cabin, the airport said. The Boeing 777, Delta Flight 59, which departed New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at 12:53 p.m. ET Saturday arrived at Narita at 4:46 p.m. local time Sunday, the airport said. "Delta is fully co-operating with the Japanese authorities, and there is (an) on-going investigation which is being led by the Japanese authorities. The airline has not issued an official statement at this time," a Delta representative told CNN. CNN's Junko Ogura and Ayesha Durgahee contributed to this report.
[ "What is the name of the airport?", "When did the flight leave?", "Where did the flight set off from?", "Did he have any belongings?" ]
[ [ "Narita" ], [ "12:53 p.m. ET Saturday" ], [ "New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport" ], [ "was not carrying a passport or personal" ] ]
Flight left New York's John F. Kennedy airport Saturday afternoon . Police believe man froze to death, suffered shortage of oxygen . Dead man had no passport or personal belongings .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- An anti-whaling activist jumped aboard a Japanese security ship on Monday in a bid to make a citizen's arrest of its skipper over the sinking of their boat, an animal rights group said. Pete Bethune was captain of the "Ady Gill" boat, which sank after a Japanese whaler rammed into it in January, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which owned the boat, said on its Web site. The New Zealander climbed aboard the Japanese ship "Shonan Maru 2" in the middle of the night from a jet ski to arrest its skipper, the animal rights group said. "His first attempt failed when he fell into the frigid waters," the group said. "But despite this, the crew of the 'Shonan Maru 2' failed to see him and he successfully boarded the whaler without detection." After the incident, Bethune complained of a minor injury to his thumb, according to Japan's ministry of fisheries. The 20 crew members of the Japanese ship were not harmed and their vessel was not damaged, the ministry said. Japanese authorities called the incident the latest "publicity stunt" from the animal rights group and said they have not decided what to do with the activist. Two years ago, Sea Shepherd activists boarded another Japanese ship and handcuffed themselves to the vessel with plastic ties, according to the Institute of Cetacean Research, a branch of Japan's fisheries ministry that deals with whaling. At the time, an Australian vessel helped return the two activists back to the Sea Shepherd, ICR said. Sea Shepherd has accused the Japanese ship "Shonan Maru 2" of destroying their vessel during the skirmish in the Southern Ocean -- a term used to describe parts of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround Antarctica. However, Japanese authorities deny their ship intentionally hit the catamaran and have said the activists were harassing their whaling fleet. The incident highlights an ongoing feud between Japanese whaling fleets and conservation agencies -- especially Sea Shepherd. CNN's Kyung Lah contributed to this report
[ "Who made a citizens arrest onboard the Japanese ship?", "What does the incident highlight?", "What happened to the man boat ?", "What did the man do to make a citizen's arrest ?", "What happened to the boat that collided with the Japanese whaler?", "What groups are feuding over whales ?", "Where did the New Zealand man try to make a citizen's arrest?", "What happened the man's boat?" ]
[ [ "Pete Bethune" ], [ "an ongoing feud between Japanese whaling fleets and conservation agencies" ], [ "sank" ], [ "jumped aboard a Japanese security ship" ], [ "sank" ], [ "Japanese whaling fleets and conservation agencies" ], [ "Japanese ship \"Shonan Maru 2\"" ], [ "sank after a Japanese whaler rammed into it in January," ] ]
Sea Shepherd: New Zealand man climbs aboard Japanese ship to make citizen's arrest . Man was captain of a boat that sank after colliding with a Japanese whaler . Japan: Incident a "publicity stunt;" no decision on what to do with man . Incident highlights feud between Japanese whaling fleets and conservation groups .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Four American teenagers, all children of U.S. military personnel, have been arrested on charges of attempted murder after a woman was knocked off her motorbike with rope strung across two poles, Japanese police said. The four suspects -- two 15-year-old boys, a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man -- were taken into custody on Saturday, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said. They are accused of causing a severe head injury to a 23-year-old restaurant employee by stringing a rope between poles across a road. U.S. Forces Japan was informed of the August incident in late October, a public information officer said. There was no clear explanation for the delay in the handover of the suspects to police, other than it involved rules between Washington and Tokyo covering U.S. forces and their dependents in Japan. The U.S. military presence and its impact on Japanese residents have been a thorny issue over the years. Most recently, residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa, where the U.S. maintains a large military presence, have blamed American troops for crime and noise. In 2008, a 14-year-old Okinawa girl alleged that a Marine had raped her. The prosecutor released the Marine after the girl decided not to pursue charges. In 1995, a 12-year-old girl was gang-raped by three servicemen. A Japanese court convicted all three men. Both incidents caused a furor in Japan. Then-Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda called the 2008 incident "unforgivable ... It has happened over and over again in the past and I take it as a grave case." It is unclear what, if any, role the military can take in the case. The 1960 Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Japan gives Japan jurisdiction over "the members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents" in cases of offenses committed in Japan and punishable under Japanese law. The agreement also says the United States must cooperate in investigating such offenses. CNN's Kyung Lah and Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report.
[ "who rceived a head injury", "where was this located", "what are they accused of", "what they are accused of?", "what is the age range of the suspects", "what are they suspected for", "what is the age of A restaurant employee?" ]
[ [ "23-year-old restaurant employee" ], [ "Tokyo, Japan" ], [ "attempted murder" ], [ "attempted murder" ], [ "17-year-old" ], [ "attempted murder" ], [ "23-year-old" ] ]
Suspects range in age from 15 to 18 years of age . They are accused of stringing a rope between poles across a road . A restaurant employee, 23, received a severe head injury . Incident occurred in August, follows other crimes connected to U.S. military personnel .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Four American teenagers, all children of U.S. military personnel, have been arrested on charges of attempted murder after a woman was knocked off her motorbike with rope strung across two poles, Japanese police said. The four suspects -- two 15-year-old boys, a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man -- were taken into custody on Saturday, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said. They are accused of causing a severe head injury to a 23-year-old restaurant employee by stringing a rope between poles across a road. U.S. Forces Japan was informed of the August incident in late October, a public information officer said. There was no clear explanation for the delay in the handover of the suspects to police, other than it involved rules between Washington and Tokyo covering U.S. forces and their dependents in Japan. The U.S. military presence and its impact on Japanese residents have been a thorny issue over the years. Most recently, residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa, where the U.S. maintains a large military presence, have blamed American troops for crime and noise. In 2008, a 14-year-old Okinawa girl alleged that a Marine had raped her. The prosecutor released the Marine after the girl decided not to pursue charges. In 1995, a 12-year-old girl was gang-raped by three servicemen. A Japanese court convicted all three men. Both incidents caused a furor in Japan. Then-Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda called the 2008 incident "unforgivable ... It has happened over and over again in the past and I take it as a grave case." It is unclear what, if any, role the military can take in the case. The 1960 Status of Forces Agreement between the United States and Japan gives Japan jurisdiction over "the members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents" in cases of offenses committed in Japan and punishable under Japanese law. The agreement also says the United States must cooperate in investigating such offenses. CNN's Kyung Lah and Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report.
[ "What body part was injured?", "What is the age range of the suspects?", "What type of injury did the restaurant employee receive?", "What are the suspects accused of?", "Who received a severe head injury?", "What are they accused of?", "What is the age range of suspects?" ]
[ [ "head" ], [ "two 15-year-old boys, a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man" ], [ "severe head" ], [ "attempted murder" ], [ "23-year-old restaurant employee" ], [ "of causing a severe head injury to a 23-year-old restaurant employee by stringing a rope between poles across a road." ], [ "teenagers," ] ]
Suspects range in age from 15 to 18 years of age . They are accused of stringing a rope between poles across a road . A restaurant employee, 23, received a severe head injury . Incident occurred in August, follows other crimes connected to U.S. military personnel .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Japanese authorities arrested an activist from New Zealand on Friday for illegal trespassing after he boarded a whaling ship last month in waters off the Antarctic. Peter James Bethune, 44, is accused of jumping from a Jet Ski onto the Shonan Maru 2, the security ship of a Japanese whaling fleet, after the Ady Gil boat, of which Bethune was captain, sank. Bethune belongs to the activist group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The group said the New Zealander was attempting to make a citizen's arrest of the Shonan Maru 2 skipper for the collision that sank the Ady Gil, a futuristic vessel used to intercept and block harpoon ships, in January. Hirotaka Akamatsu, Japan's minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, said Japan would take a firm stance against Bethune. He said Sea Shepherd's acts were not acceptable. "Their violent acts are escalating," Akamatsu said. Bethune was taken into custody a month ago aboard the Shonan Maru 2, which arrived from Antarctic waters -- where Japan conducts its annual whale hunt -- back to Japan on Friday. He was formally arrested then. Bethune has legal representation in Japan, said Sea Shepherd spokeswoman Traci Walter. A spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government was providing consular assistance to Bethune on his arrival in Japan. The Bethune case highlights an ongoing feud between Japanese whaling fleets and conservation agencies, especially the hardline Sea Shepherd. Activists have used butyric acid -- found in rancid butter and vomit -- and fired paint guns at Japanese whaling ships, which in turn have repelled protesters with water cannons. Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, a branch of the fisheries ministry that deals with whaling, accuses Sea Shepherd of jeopardizing the safety of fleets that are conducting research legally. Sea Shepherd uses its boats to interfere with whaling and fishing boats, and its efforts have included ramming a Portuguese whaler in 1979. Two years ago, Sea Shepherd activists boarded a Japanese ship and handcuffed themselves to the vessel with plastic ties. Japanese authorities had called the Shonan Maru 2 incident the latest "publicity stunt" by Sea Shepherd activists. Sea Shepherd has accused the Shonan Maru 2 of destroying the Ady Gil during the skirmish in the Southern Ocean -- a term used to describe parts of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans that surround Antarctica. However, Japanese authorities deny their ship intentionally hit the high-tech catamaran and have said the activists were harassing their whaling fleet. In the early 1980s, the International Whaling Commission determined that there should be a moratorium on commercial whale hunting. But whaling is allowed under international law when done for scientific reasons, which Japan cites as the legal basis for its hunts. The country's annual hunt kills up to 1,000 whales a year.
[ "What does Bethune belong to?", "Where does Bethune have legal representation?", "Does Bethune have legal representation?", "What society does Bethune belongs to?", "What was Bethune trying to do?", "What did Ady Gil target?" ]
[ [ "the activist group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society." ], [ "Japan," ], [ "has" ], [ "Sea Shepherd Conservation" ], [ "make a citizen's arrest of the Shonan Maru 2 skipper for the collision that sank the Ady Gil," ], [ "harpoon ships," ] ]
Bethune belongs to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society . Group: Bethune was trying to make citizen's arrest of Shonan Maru 2 skipper . Skipper was involved in collision that sank Ady Gil, which targets harpoon ships . Sea Shepherd: Bethune has legal representation in Japan .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- The Japanese government has ordered repairs to seats aboard planes operating in several countries after accusing the manufacturer of falsifying safety test results. Koito Industries Ltd. falsified fire- and shock-resistance test results in the design and manufacturing of its aircraft seats, the Japanese Transport Ministry said in a news release. The company also failed to obtain the necessary approval from transportation authorities for the material it used in the back of seats, near the food tray drop-down, the ministry said. The problem affects 150,000 seats. The ministry has ordered Koito to fix the seats and establish quality-control measures. The affected airlines operate in Japan, the United States, China and Singapore. The seats are mainly aboard Boeing and Airbus planes, The New York Times quoted Koito President Takashi Kakewaga as saying Monday in Tokyo. Several airlines, including Continental Airlines, Singapore Airlines and All Nippon Airways, have postponed introducing aircraft recently because of delays in getting seats from Koito, the newspaper said. Koito is Japan's largest supplier of aircraft seats, manufacturing them for 32 carriers worldwide. Koito also manufactures and sells electrical equipment and is involved in housing construction. Toyota owns 20 percent of the shares of Koito Industries' parent company. The aircraft seat problem follows troubles with Toyota automobiles that have tarnished the company's image. On Tuesday, Toyota's president apologized as he announced the global recall of more than 400,000 of the automaker's 2010 hybrid models, including the popular Prius, for problems in their anti-lock braking systems. In addition, two problems involving gas pedals caused Toyota to recall 8.1 million vehicles worldwide since November. CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report.
[ "What is the accusation for the seat manufacturer ?", "How many seats were affected?", "What has Koito Industries been ordered to do ?", "Were the materials approved?", "What measures has the company been ordered to do?", "How many seats are affected ?" ]
[ [ "falsifying safety test results." ], [ "150,000" ], [ "fix the seats and establish quality-control measures." ], [ "The company also failed to obtain the necessary approval" ], [ "repairs to seats aboard planes" ], [ "150,000" ] ]
Airline seat manufacturer accused of false test results, use of unapproved materials . Problem affects 150,000 seats; government has ordered seats be fixed . Koito Industries also ordered to establish quality-control measures .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Touting himself as America's "first Pacific president," Barack Obama called on his own connections with Asia Saturday as he pledged a renewed engagement with Asia Pacific nations based on "an enduring and revitalized alliance between the United States and Japan." The U.S. president, in his first Asia trip since taking office in January, told a packed house at Tokyo's Suntory Hall that all Americans should know that what happens in Asia "has a direct effect on our lives at home." "This is where we engage in much of our commerce and buy many of our goods," he said. "And this is where we can export more of our own products and create jobs back home in the process. "This is a place where the risk of a nuclear arms race threatens the security of the wider world, and where extremists who defile a great religion plan attacks on both our continents. And there can be no solution to our energy security and our climate challenge without the rising powers and developing nations of the Asia Pacific." Obama met with new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama Friday after his arrival in Tokyo as well as with the Japanese emperor and empress. Obama touched on nearly every part of the Asia Pacific region during his speech, and talked about a boyhood visit to Japan with his mother, his birth in Hawaii, a childhood spent partly in Indonesia and the United States' position as a Pacific nation. "There must be no doubt: as America's first Pacific president, I promise you that this Pacific nation will strengthen and sustain our leadership in this vitally important part of the world," he said. He stressed that the United States was not interested in containing the emerging economic growth in China. "The rise of a strong, prosperous China can be a source of strength for the community of nations," he said. "And so, in Beijing and beyond, we will work to deepen our strategic and economic dialogue." Obama also called on Myanmar to make more definitive moves toward democracy, including releasing all political prisoners; urged North Korea to return to the Six-Party Talks so that the reclusive nation could be reintegrated into the world stage and pledged America's support for eliminating nuclear weapons and efforts to reduce the global effects of climate change. His trip is to include stops in Singapore, China and South Korea, during which Obama will hold formal talks with Asian leaders as a group and individually. The president plans to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Russia President Dmitry Medvedev and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and will take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. APEC's 21 member nations represent more than half of the world's economic output. The forum sees its goal as "facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region." During a busy day in Singapore, Obama also will become the first U.S. president to take part in a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic alliance. In China, Obama will continue efforts to define and strengthen the United States' relationship with the world's largest emerging economy, which has a growing influence in Asia, said Jeffrey Bader, the National Security Council's senior director for East Asian affairs. "We see it as a relationship where we're obviously going to have differences, where we are going to be competitors in certain respects," he said. "But we want to maximize areas where we can work together, because the global challenges will simply not be met if we don't." Bader cited North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the economy, climate change, human rights and Afghanistan as among the top issues for the China swing. On human rights, Bader said Obama is likely to address "freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of religion, rule of law and, certainly, Tibet." Obama will make clear to Hu that
[ "Where did Obama's Asia tour include?", "Who did Obama renews ties with?", "Which countries did Obama's Asia tour include?", "What does Obama urge North Korea to do?", "what did the tour include", "To which country did Obama reach out in his speech?", "what did obama renew" ]
[ [ "Singapore, China" ], [ "Asia Pacific nations" ], [ "Singapore, China" ], [ "the Six-Party Talks" ], [ "stops in Singapore, China and South Korea," ], [ "Japan.\"" ], [ "engagement with Asia Pacific nations" ] ]
In speech, Obama renews U.S. ties with Japan, reaches out to China . Obama: Rise "of a strong, prosperous China can be a source of strength" U.S. president urges North Korea to return to Six-Party denuclearization talks . Obama's Asia tour includes Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Toyota has added the brake systems of the latest Lexus hybrid vehicles to a growing list of problems with various models, the company said Friday. The company said it was checking the brakes on the Lexus vehicle model HS250h -- as well as a Japanese model called the Sai -- because they use the same system as that used on the 2010 Toyota Prius. Toyota has announced no recall of these vehicles, however, and said it has not received any complaints about the brakes from consumers. But the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Thursday it is opening a formal investigation into problems with the Prius, Toyota's fourth-best selling model in the United States and the best-selling model in Japan. The company has acknowledged a software glitch that is causing problems with its braking. It said it is looking further at the best way to repair the problem. On Thursday, Ford announced that it was changing the software in the braking system for its Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids to correct an occasion glitch in the old software. Ford said no injuries had been reported involving the problem. The Fusion/Milan's issue seemed less serious than that of the Prius, said David Champion, the head of auto testing at Consumer Reports. The NHTSA investigation involves only 2010 model year Prius hybrids, which went on sale in the middle of last year. There are only 37,000 of those vehicles on the road, according to the agency. The Prius, which is built in Japan, is not one of the eight models affected by two recent recalls -- covering several million vehicles -- to fix problems with sticking gas pedals. All of those models were built at North American plants. NHTSA said its Office of Defects investigation has received 124 reports from consumers about problems with the Prius brakes, including four reports that involved crashes and two that resulted in injuries. No fatalities have been reported. Investigators have spoken with consumers and conducted preliminary field work. Late Wednesday, Toyota President Akio Toyoda spoke with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, reassuring him that Toyota takes U.S. safety concerns seriously and puts safety at the top of the company's priorities, according to NHTSA's statement. Toyota had only limited comment on the probe. "We have heard about NHTSA's intention to begin an investigation. Toyota will cooperate fully with NHTSA's investigation," the company said in a statement. Even if the solution ends up being a relatively simple and inexpensive software adjustment, the Prius braking problems come at a bad time for Toyota, which has seen its prized reputation for quality and safety badly damaged by the recalls and the news attention given to them. The company has estimated that the problem with the gas pedals will cost it about 100,000 sales this year and $2 billion in repair costs and lost revenue. Other experts say the problem could be more long-lasting if consumers who once trusted the Toyota brand decide to shop elsewhere. The Prius problem is a "disconnect" in the vehicle's complex anti-lock brake system that causes less than a one-second lag before the brakes start to work, Toyota said Thursday. At 60 mph, though, a vehicle will have traveled nearly another 90 feet before the brakes begin to take hold. The company also said it changed the braking system software in January for vehicles built since then. But it has yet to determine how to fix the brakes of vehicles already on the road. CNN's Kyung Lah and CNNMoney.com's Peter Valdes-Dapena and Chris Isidore contributed to this report.
[ "Toyota has admitted what?", "What was the cause of the problems?", "What does Toyota estimate the cost of the problem will be to them?", "Which is not one of the eight models not affected by the recall?", "What has Toyota admitted caused the problems with braking?", "What is the estimated cost of the problem?", "What is the problem estimated to cost?", "What number of models have been involved in the two recent recalls?" ]
[ [ "a software glitch that is causing problems with its braking." ], [ "a software glitch" ], [ "and lost revenue." ], [ "The Prius," ], [ "a software glitch" ], [ "100,000" ], [ "will cost it about 100,000 sales this year and $2 billion in repair costs and lost revenue." ], [ "eight" ] ]
Toyota has admitted to a software glitch that is causing problems with braking . Toyota: Prius "disconnect" in anti-lock brake system causes less than a second lag . Prius is not one of the eight models affected by two recent recalls . Toyota estimates the problem with gas pedals will cost it $2 billion, 100,000 sales .
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Without issuing a recall of its iconic Prius hybrid vehicles, Toyota said Thursday a software glitch is to blame for braking problems in the 2010 model. "We would want to be given a little time," Hiro Yuki Yokoyama, Toyota's managing officer, said when reporters asked whether a recall was in the works. The company changed its braking system software in January as part of what it called "constant quality improvements," but did not say what it would do about vehicles manufactured before then. Toyota officials described the problem as a "disconnect" in the vehicle's complex anti-lock brake system (ABS) that causes less than a one-second lag. With the delay, a vehicle going 60 mph will have traveled nearly another 90 feet before the brakes begin to take hold. Brakes in hybrids such as the Prius operate differently from brakes in most cars. In addition to standard brakes, which use friction from pads pressed against drums or rotors, the electric motors in hybrids help slow them. The process also generates electricity to recharge the batteries. The Japanese government has warned Toyota to take seriously mounting complaints with the Prius. Toyota Vice President Shinichi Sasaki met with Japan's transport minister on Wednesday. iReport: How are Toyota's problems affecting you? In Japan, 14 complaints about brakes in the Prius have been lodged since July. Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has asked Toyota to investigate, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association. "The complaints received via our dealers center around when drivers are on a bumpy road or frozen surface," said Paul Nolasco, a Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman in Japan. "The driver steps on the brake, and they do not get as full of a braking feel as expected." Full coverage of Toyota recall In the United States, more than 100 complaints alleging poor brake performance have been lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration against the 2010 Prius, a newly designed version of the car that was introduced last summer. "NHTSA has received a number of complaints about a potential defect affecting the brake system in Toyota's Prius hybrid and is conducting field work to examine the issue," the agency said Wednesday. A search of NHTSA's complaint database turned up many similar-sounding complaints in the United States. "I have been driving my 2010 Prius for 6 months and have experienced the following nearly 10 times," one owner wrote. "When braking, if a pothole or bump in the road is hit, the car seemingly jerks forward/accelerates for a split second." The Prius is Toyota's third best-selling model in the United States, ranking behind the Camry mid-size sedan and the Corolla compact car. Toyota's public image, and its sales, have been hit by recent recalls involving unintended acceleration. The automaker recalled 2.3 million vehicles on January 21 because of problems with sticking gas pedals and later halted the sale of the eight models involved in the recall. Toyota's U.S. sales plunged 16 percent in January as a result, even as sales of other automakers rose. Toyota announced third-quarter results Thursday, posting a 10.2 percent rise in net revenue from the year before. The quarter ended December 31, three weeks before Toyota stopped selling the recalled models. In a separate recall, about 4.2 million vehicles were called back in November for a problem in which the cars' gas pedals could get stuck in some floor mats. The last-generation version of the Prius was included in that recall, which was expanded to include an additional 1.1 million cars last week. CNNMoney's Peter Valdes-Dapena and Kyung Lah contributed to this report.
[ "Who will not issue a recall?", "Who is under fire?", "What else is happening with Toyotas?", "What is happening to the brakes?", "will they issue recall on 2010 Prius models over braking issue?", "What does the software glitch cause?", "Is there a recall for the 2010 Prius?", "what causes cars to move even if brakes are engaged?" ]
[ [ "Toyota" ], [ "Toyota" ], [ "for a problem in which the cars' gas pedals could get stuck" ], [ "software glitch" ], [ "Without issuing a" ], [ "braking problems" ], [ "Without issuing a" ], [ "a software glitch" ] ]
NEW: Toyota will not issue recall on 2010 Prius models over braking issue . Officials: Software glitch causes cars to move even if brakes are engaged . Toyota is already under fire for issues surrounding sticking gas pedals in several vehicles .
Tottenham Hotspur humiliated Wigan 9-1 with England striker Jermain Defoe scoring five to move into the Champions League spots in the English Premier League. The incredible rout sees them draw level on points with North London rivals Arsenal and into fourth place ahead of Aston Villa, who they visit next weekend. Defoe's five equaled a Premier League record and, along with Manchester United's 9-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town in the 1994/95 season, it is the most goals scored by a Premier League side in a single game. The highest tally recorded by a team in English football league history is 13. Fellow England striker Peter Crouch scored the only goal in the first half before the floodgates opened, Defoe grabbing his first two before Wigan's Paul Scharner replied with what looked a handball. Defoe completed his hat-trick only a minute later on the 58th before Aaron Lennon made it 5-1, with Defoe then adding his fourth. A final blitz from Tottenham gave Defoe his fifth, with David Bentley's deflected effort off Chris Kirkland and Niko Kranjcar completing the rout with double figures looking on the cards when the referee ended the misery for the visitors. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said Defoe, who was returning after a suspension, was a "fantastic talent" and paid tribute to his side's eight-goal salvo after the break. "We came out in the second half fantastic, pressed them worked them and took the opportunities," he told Sky Sports News. In other English Premier League action on Sunday, Blackburn Rovers beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 away to climb up to 11th in the table. Without manager Sam Allardyce who is to undergo a heart operation, Blackburn went in front through a David Dunn curled effort before a mix-up with his goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen saw Bolton's Sam Ricketts head into his own net. In the late kickoff, Portmouth stayed bottom after losing 1-0 at Stoke, who grabbed a 74th minute winner through Ricardo Fuller after great work by winger Matthew Etherington. Pompey, who lost England goalkeeper David James to injury in the warm up, missed an eighth-minute penalty through Kevin-Prince Boateng and had chances to secure at least a point at the Britannia Stadium.
[ "Who did Blackburn Rovers and Stoke secure wins over?", "How many goals were scored by Jermain Defoe?", "how many goals did jermain defoe score", "Which team won the game?", "Who did Tottenham Hotspur beat?", "what did tottenham hotspur do", "What other players also scored goals?" ]
[ [ "Portmouth" ], [ "five" ], [ "five" ], [ "Tottenham Hotspur humiliated" ], [ "Wigan" ], [ "humiliated Wigan" ], [ "Aaron Lennon" ] ]
Tottenham Hotspur beat Wigan Athletic 9-1 to go back into the Champions League places . Jermain Defoe scored five goals, with Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon, David Bently and Niko Krancjar also scoring . Defoe and Tottenham's goal feats equal Premier League records . Blackburn Rovers and Stoke secure wins over Bolton and Portsmouth .
Toyota City, Japan (CNN) -- The head of Toyota Motor Corp. told his employees on Friday that the company must begin again if it is to regain its legacy of quality that helped make it the world's largest automotive company. "We must make February 24, the day of U.S. congressional hearing, as the day of restart for Toyota," said Akio Toyoda, referring to his appearance in Washington before a U.S. congressional committee investigating the recall of Toyota vehicles for problems related to stuck brakes and accelerator pedals. "We should throw away all our past success and review our value of existence once more," he told an assembly of 2000 employees, while 7000 more watched by video. "I'd like to revisit, not only with words but with action what our real duties are. We must go forward step by step. We must unite and do our best." The speech was part of an aggressive charm offensive by Toyoda to bolster the company's image after 8.5 million cars were recalled in North America, Europe, China and Japan in recent months. Toyoda was widely criticized for not appearing in public for two weeks in January as the global recall crisis spiraled. The morale-boosting talk to employees comes a week after his trip to Washington and a visit to Beijing earlier this week to apologize to customers there. "The quality problems we face now have not been solved yet. And a mountain of work has to be done," he said. "But what I can reconfirm (through the U.S. visit) was not only remorse, but also our strength ... the strength of the bond that all of the Toyota family share," he said. The meeting was dubbed "Urgent meeting for all Toyota --towards the new start of Toyota" and was organized by Toyota's middle managers, many of whom packed the hall of Toyota's world headquarters wearing their gray work uniforms. They applauded often during the speeches by all five Toyota executives who participated at the U.S. congressional hearings, including Jim Lentz, head of Toyota Motor Sales USA. "We are confident that Toyota vehicles are safe, and we will do everything we can to ensure that our customers are satisfied with repairs that we are making," Lentz said. Lentz added, "We are going to continue to face with criticisms, and that's going to be a long road ahead." Mitsuru Kawai, a Toyota factory head who has worked for the company for 44 years, said after the meeting that it was good "we could share what the executives went through in their own words. We would like to work as one to serve the customers' demands."
[ "Who applauded Speech by Toyota executives?", "what number of cars have been recalled?", "what is the company name?", "How many cars did Toyota have to recall?", "How many million cars did Toyota have to recall?", "What is Toyota doing to bolster its image?" ]
[ [ "middle managers," ], [ "8.5 million" ], [ "Toyota Motor Corp." ], [ "8.5 million" ], [ "8.5" ], [ "aggressive charm offensive" ] ]
Employees applaud often during speeches by all five Toyota executives . Toyoda doing aggressive charm offensive to bolster company's image . Toyota has had to recall 8.5 million cars in North America, Europe, China and Japan .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- As fighting continued in the Libyan cities of Ajdabiya and Misrata Sunday, a rebel spokesman questioned the commitment of NATO's mission there. Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi were bombing Ajdabiya from 40-50 kilometers (25-31 miles) away, Libyan rebel spokesman Shamsiddin Abdulmolah told CNN. The loyalists who were bombing the city "have no problem with the weather conditions there," referring to unconfirmed reports that NATO airstrikes were halted in the area due to weather conditions. Gadhafi's forces are using Grad missiles and mortars, "and sometimes we feel that NATO wants to use any excuse out there so they don't carry out their duties," he said. NATO did not immediately respond to a CNN inquiry about its operations Sunday. Earlier, however, the NATO press office told CNN that it does not discuss ongoing operations and would not confirm or deny any reports. The most official report from NATO states that it conducted 142 sorties on Saturday, of which 42 were strike sorties. U.S. allies face unease without U.S. at helm Meanwhile, in Misrata, six people were killed and 47 injured in Sunday fighting, Abdulmolah said. Misrata remains in control of the rebels, he said, though they are still fighting some 200 to 300 Gadhafi troops inside the city. "We are confident that we will be able to liberate the city completely and rescue our civilians who are being targeted by the madness of Gadhafi's death squads," he said. The rebel spokesman also criticized NATO's role in Misrata. "We still need NATO's assistance, but we don't understand what they are up to," he said. In one instance, rebel fighters pushed back Gadhafi's squads to a shoe factory, from where they were bombing residential areas in the city, he said. NATO refused to bomb the shoe factory because it is a civilian facility, he said. In the end, the rebels pushed the loyalists out of the shoe factory, which they burned after abandoning. "We can't understand (NATO's) excuses," Abdulmolah said. "We want to save our population from being murdered by these merciless death squads. Earlier, an opposition member said loyalists were using bombs that look like perfume bottles. Photographs indicated they were shells fired from a grenade launcher that either did not explode on impact or were deliberately masked and placed in populated areas. The lethal weapons have blown off people's limbs and killed children, the council member said Saturday. The report came a day after Human Rights Watch reported its members saw three cluster bombs explode Thursday night in a Misrata neighborhood. The activist group said it inspected debris and interviewed witnesses about two other apparent cluster bombings. The Libyan government has denied the use of such bombs, which are banned internationally because of their indiscriminate nature and ability to harm civilians after a conflict ends. In the Lubyan capital, Tripoli, hundreds of chanting supporters waved green flags and pledged loyalty to Gadhafi after thunderous explosionsbelieved to be NATO airstrikes pounded targets in the capital. "I have a message to NATO and to the United Kingdom and France," a man wrapped in a green flag said Saturday night. "We say to them, we will kill you if you come to our land." Others chanted, "go go Sarkozy," referring to French President Nicolas Sarkozy. France is one of the nations taking part in the coalition airstrikes. "Everyone here will die for Moammar Gadhafi," a young man said. The supporters gathered at Gadhafi's compound in the capital hours after NATO apparently hit targets in Tripoli and its outskirts Saturday night. Libyan forces reacted with anti-aircraft fire. With no signs of an end to the war, immigrants have scrambled to flee the nation. International Organization for Migration said Saturday that a boat rescued 1,200 migrant workers and their families who had been stranded around the port cit of Misrata. The area has been bombarded daily by Gadhafi's forces, according to witnesses. Witnesses have reported dire conditions in the city
[ "where attacks continue?", "where is the Libyan ruler's compound?", "Where is the Libyan rulers compound?", "Where is the fighting continuing?", "who reacts with fire?", "Where is Misrata?", "What did Libyan forces use to react?" ]
[ [ "in the Libyan cities of Ajdabiya and Misrata Sunday," ], [ "the capital" ], [ "Tripoli" ], [ "Libyan cities of Ajdabiya and Misrata" ], [ "Libyan forces" ], [ "Libyan" ], [ "anti-aircraft fire." ] ]
Fighting continues in Misrata, Ajdabiya . Hundreds gather at the Libyan ruler's compound in Tripoli . The rally comes after explosions believed to be NATO airstrikes hit targets . Libyan forces react with anti-aircraft fire .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Doctors completed an autopsy of Moammar Gadhafi on Sunday, with the chief pathologist confirming the former Libyan leader died of a gunshot wound to the head. Dr. Othman el-Zentani would not disclose whether findings revealed if Gadhafi suffered the wound in crossfire or at close-range -- a key question that has prompted the United Nations and international human rights groups to call for an investigation into the final moments of the late Libyan strongman's life. Doctors performed the autopsy at a Misrata hospital in the presence of officials from the prosecutor's office, Zentani said. Autopsies were also conducted on the bodies of Gadhafi's son, Mutassim, and his former defense minister, Abu Baker Yunis. No foreign or independent officials were present, Zentani said. The autopsy report will go to the attorney general's office before it is released to the public, he said. Meanwhile, the three bodies would likely return to a cold storage unit at a Misrata meat market for public viewing, Zentani said. Long lines of people turned up all weekend long to view the corpses. Gadhafi's family issued a statement Friday calling on the United Nations and Amnesty International to push Libya's new leadership "to hand over the bodies of the martyrs of their tribe so they can be buried according to Islamic rites," a pro-Gadhafi TV station reported. Gadhafi's death Thursday solidified the power of the National Transitional Council, which marked the country's liberation on Sunday in the eastern city of Benghazi, where the uprising started. But uncertainty was still swirling Sunday about the death of the Libyan leader, who Libyan and world powers wanted to capture and prosecute for war crimes. Leaders of Libya's interim government have said Gadhafi was killed in crossfire after fighters captured him Thursday. But others have questioned that account. Peter Bouckaert, Human Rights Watch's emergencies director, told CNN that fighting had ended when Gadhafi was cornered in a drainage ditch. He said crowds beat Gadhafi in what was a "humiliating end" for the former dictator. "When he left the area, he was very much alive," Bouckaert said. "There's no reason why he should have been subjected to this kind of mob justice." An amateur video distributed by the Reuters news agency Sunday showed NTC fighters congratulating a man the fighters say killed Gadhafi. CNN could not independently verify that claim. The video, purportedly recorded near an ambulance carrying Gadhafi's body, shows a jubilant group of fighters pouring water on a man's head. "He is the one who killed him," one man says, pointing. "He killed him in front of me, I swear to God," another man chimes in. A lawyer for Gadhafi's son Saadi, who fled in September to Niger, issued a statement Sunday saying, "Saadi Gadhafi is shocked and outraged by the vicious brutality which accompanied the murders of his father and brother." "The contradictory statements issued by the NTC excusing these barbaric executions and the grotesque abuse of the corpses make it clear that no person affiliated with the former regime will receive a fair trial in Libya nor will they receive justice for crimes committed against them," the statement said. Mahmoud Jibril, chairman of the NTC's executive board, has said Gadhafi's right arm was wounded when a gunbattle erupted between the fighters and Gadhafi loyalists as his captors attempted to load him into a vehicle. More shooting erupted as the vehicle drove away, and Gadhafi was shot in the head, dying moments before arriving at a hospital in Misrata, Jibril said, citing the city's coroner. The United Nations human rights office and activist groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have called for a probe into Gadhafi's death. The United States supports those investigation requests, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday. "As Libyans move into the future once again, they need to do so with a sense of unity and reconciliation. They need to hold each other accountable. Those who do not have
[ "Who is supporting calls for an investigation into Gadhafi's death?", "Gadhafi's son Saadi is \"outraged\" over circumstances surrounding what?", "What is the name of Gadhafi's son?", "On which day of the week did Gadhafi die?", "Doctors have not revealed additional details about their what?", "Gadhafi was killed on which day?" ]
[ [ "United Nations and international human rights groups" ], [ "the vicious brutality which accompanied the murders of his father and brother.\"" ], [ "Mutassim," ], [ "Thursday" ], [ "findings" ], [ "Thursday" ] ]
NEW: Gadhafi's son Saadi is "outraged" over circumstances surrounding his death . Gadhafi was killed Thursday but questions remain how he died . Doctors have not revealed additional details about their autopsy . Clinton says the United States supports calls for an investigation into Gadhafi's killing .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Fighters loyal to Libya's new leaders say they have "reached the final stages of the fight" to take control of former leader Moammar Gadhafi's hometown. About 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the fighting overnight, said Al Zubair Al Kadi, a field commander on the frontline in Sirte, on Sunday. Troops loyal to the National Transitional Council also entered the pro-Gadhafi stronghold of Bani Walid for the first time on Sunday, said Abdulla Kenshill, an NTC spokesman there. NTC forces "liberated" nearby the villages of Teninai and Shuwaikh overnight, and advanced to within a kilometer (about three-fifths of a mile) of Bani Walid's main market, he said. They also took control of the airport in the southwest of the city, he said. Five fighters were badly injured, he added. In Gadhafi's hometown, NTC fighters "took over Sirte University last night and all the residential buildings around it, including the student dormitories," Al Kadi said. Troops loyal to the National Transitional Council "caught many African mercenaries, mostly from Mauritania, while our men were combing the buildings for snipers," he said. At least one hospital held out but fell to the new authorities on Sunday, he said. "Our fighters now have full control of the Ibn Sina main hospital in Sirte after fierce clashes," he said, adding that 17 pro-Gadhafi fighters had been captured. "You can say that we have reached the final stages of the fight," he said before the hospital was taken. The fall of Sirte cannot come soon enough for Libya's new leaders, eager to declare liberation once the birthplace of Gadhafi is under their control. But battles for the coastal city southeast of Tripoli have raged for weeks as Gadhafi loyalists dug in and put up stiff resistance. The NTC lost 26 men Friday, said Mohammed Sayeh, a senior council member. But he said he was confident that Sirte would be under the council's control within days. That is what the council's military commanders told U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Friday, according to a senior U.S. defense official traveling with him. Panetta met with the commanders at the naval base that hosts the U.S. Sixth Fleet in Italy, the official said. The commanders said they have no reason to believe Gadhafi has any control of those militia members who remain loyal to him, the official said. They further believe that, although the anti-Gadhafi forces are gaining the ability to exercise control, they will likely need training to develop their capabilities, the official said. Still, no timetable has been drawn up for when commanders will recommend that NATO forces end their involvement, the official said. Gadhafi, wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, for on charges of crimes against humanity, has not been seen in public in months. Syrian-based television aired an audio message Thursday that was purportedly from the deposed leader. In it, the speaker urged Libyans to protest the nation's new leadership. CNNs Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report.
[ "whats About 10 are killed and more than 100 wounded in the fighting for Sirte?" ]
[ [ "people" ] ]
NEW: A hospital in Sirte, one of the last bastions of pro-Gadhafi troops, falls, the NTC says . NEW: Troops loyal to Libya's new leaders enter Bani Walid for the first time . About 10 are killed and more than 100 wounded in the fighting for Sirte . The NTC has been battling hard to take control of Gadhafi's hometown .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- In an effort to hold onto the few remaining places they still control in Libya, Moammar Gadhafi's forces put up stiff resistance again Saturday as revolutionaries fought to wrest control of the loyalist strongholds of Sirte and Bani Walid. Fierce fighting erupted in the coastal city of Sirte, the birthplace of Gadhafi and home to his tribe. At least eight anti-Gadhafi fighters were killed and 31 others were wounded, said Ali Gheliwan, a spokesman for the Misrata Military Council. NATO planes, meanwhile, bombed targets in the Sirte area Friday. Gadhafi's forces unleashed hails of gunfire, using snipers in tall buildings to target their enemies. Expected support from Sirte residents for the anti-Gadhafi forces did not materialize, as loyalists fought house to house with unexpected intensity. The revolutionaries were forced to retreat after the chaotic urban warfare. Despite such challenges, Col. Ahmed Bani of the National Transitional Council predicted it will not take long for all of Libya to be under the anti-Gadhafi forces' control. He claimed, for instance, that Sirte's airport and the nearby Ghardabiya air base already have switched hands. "I can say that things will change drastically in the upcoming days in Sirte and Bani Walid," the group's spokesman said in his first press conference Saturday from Tripoli. Bani claimed that part of Bani Walid, another loyalist hub located in a mountainous area southeast of Tripoli, is also under anti-Gadhafi forces' control despite stiff opposition. City residents had been fleeing ahead of the offensive, which followed a 48-hour warning. "We were attacked by rocket-propelled grenades and snipers from the mountains," he said. "We repositioned, and we can say that the north is under control of our revolutionaries." However, Salah Beniran, a field commander for anti-Gadhafi forces in Bani Walid, said Gadhafi loyalists have taken some residents hostage, "and they are heavily armed with missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun-mounted trucks." "They encircled us from the eastern front," Beniran said. The clashes contrasted with the scene in several Sahara Desert towns more sympathetic to the revolution, where people cheered the anti-Gadhafi forces as they made their way toward the southern city of Sabha. In Shati, there was no combat; only a peaceful transfer of power, perhaps the first in the eight-month uprising. In the morning the tiny town had been under Gadhafi's grip. By afternoon, no more. Residents fired their guns in celebration and burned the green flags of the former regime. They welcomed the ordinary Libyans -- teachers, doctors, engineers -- who dropped everything to join the fight against Gadhafi. They were rebels once. Now they were the armed wing of Libya's new governing body, the National Transitional Council. But the situation was different in Sabha, a diehard pro-Gadhafi city in southwestern Libya. Anti-Gadhafi forces took control of the Al-Birak air base in the city Saturday, but the battle was far from over, Bani said. "There has been fierce fighting for a while now," the spokesman said. "The people in Sabha are from different tribes. There are a big number of loyalists who escaped from other cities, and they are still fighting." Bani issued what he called a "final call" for all Gadhafi loyalists to switch sides and join his group, warning that -- if they do not -- they risk being charged with treason." He added he hopes Gadhafi is in one of the three cities -- Sirte, Bani Walid and Sabha -- still in the throes of heavy fighting Saturday and not yet held by his forces, so that he can be taken into custody. "We hope he is ... so we can arrest him and give the world a break from his evils," the colonel said. "(Up) until now, there is no certain information about his location." As these battles continued to rage in Libya, the international community came together to pledge support
[ "What is ongoing in Sabha?", "which is the hometown of Gaddafi?", "which is the southwestern city?", "who predicted anti-Gaddafi?" ]
[ [ "fierce fighting" ], [ "Sirte," ], [ "Sabha," ], [ "Col. Ahmed Bani" ] ]
An anti-Gadhafi official predicts "drastic" changes soon in Sirte and Bani Walid . He says loyalists no longer control parts of Sirte, Gadhafi's birthplace . "Fierce fighting" is ongoing in the southwestern city of Sabha, he adds . A "final call" is issued for pro-Gadhafi forces to switch or face "treason" charges .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Libya's interim leaders will declare liberation on Sunday and hold elections in the coming months as the war-torn country works toward building a new society in the post-Moammar Gadhafi era. Mahmoud Jibril, chairman of the National Transitional Council executive board, said elections "should be within a period of eight months, maximum." He spoke at the World Economic Forum in Jordan. The first vote will be for a National Congress that will draft a constitution. After that, parliamentary and presidential elections will be held. Jibril said that oil-rich Libya is currently producing around 300,000 barrels per day, up from near zero during the depths of the conflict. The country should be back at its prewar output of 1.6 million barrels of oil per day within 15 months, he said. Gadhafi's death Thursday solidified the power of the NTC, which will mark the country's liberation on Sunday in the eastern city of Benghazi, where the uprising started. NATO, which launched an operation to protect Libyan citizens against the Gadhafi regime during the Libyan war, plans to ends its operations by October 31. Speaking in his weekly address Saturday, Obama said Gadhafi's death "showed that our role in protecting the Libyan people, and helping them break free from a tyrant, was the right thing to do." "Our brave pilots and crews helped prevent a massacre, save countless lives, and give the Libyan people the chance to prevail. Without putting a single U.S. service member on the ground, we achieved our objectives. Soon, our NATO mission will come to a successful end even as we continue to support the Libyan people, and people across the Arab world, who seek a democratic future." Questions persist about what would happen to Gadhafi's body, which was on public display Saturday at a Misrata meat market cooler. Queues of people lined up to view the corpse, which appeared to have a bullet hole on the left temple. His family issued a statement Friday calling on the United Nations and Amnesty International to push Libya's new leadership "to hand over the bodies of the martyrs of their tribe so they can be buried according to Islamic rites," a pro-Gadhafi TV station reported. Libyan and world powers wanted to capture Gadhafi and prosecute him for war crimes. The U.N. human rights office and activist groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have called for a probe into his death amid questions over the final moments of the late Libyan strongman's life. They want to know whether Gadhafi was killed in crossfire or executed by fighters. "There are at least two cell-phone videos, one showing him alive and one showing him dead. Taken together, these videos are very disturbing," human rights office spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva on Friday. "We believe there is a need for an investigation and more details are needed to ascertain whether he was killed in the fighting or after his capture." Human Rights Watch, which is also calling for an internationally supervised autopsy and an investigation into the death, said it is unlikely that Gadhafi was killed in crossfire. Peter Bouckaert, the group's emergencies director, told CNN that fighting had ended when Gadhafi was cornered in a drainage ditch. He said crowds beat Gadhafi in what was a "humiliating end" for the former dictator. "When he left the area, he was very much alive," Bouckaert said. "There's no reason why he should have been subjected to this kind of mob justice." CNN's Dan Rivers and Victoria Brown contributed to this report
[ "When will leaders declare Liberation Day?", "Who is scaling back operations?", "Which country will approach its prewar oil output in 15 months?", "When will Liberation Day be?", "What organization is scaling back operations?", "When will Libya reach its prewar oil output?" ]
[ [ "Sunday" ], [ "NATO," ], [ "Libya" ], [ "Sunday" ], [ "NATO," ], [ "within 15 months," ] ]
NEW: Libya will approach its prewar oil output in 15 months, an official says . Interim leaders will declare Liberation Day on Sunday . Libya is seeking a new constitution . NATO is scaling back operations .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Libyans celebrated late into the evening Saturday the reported capture of Moammar Gadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam, nabbed in a desert gunbattle after an 18-day stakeout. Senior Libyan military officials said they believe the potential Gadhafi successor was trying to make his way to neighboring Niger, where a brother, Saadi, was granted asylum. Revolutionary fighters caught the man wanted by the International Criminal Court between the southwestern oasis town of Obari and southern town of Sabha, military commanders in Tripoli told CNN. The 39-year-old, the last Gadhafi fugitive, was taken to the city of Zintan in the western mountains. Top officials in the town rejoiced over the development. Saif al-Islam had been on the run since shortly after the fall of his father's Bab al-Aziziya compound in the capital in August. "I hope that this is the beginning of a state of freedom, transparency and lawfulness," acting Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib told reporters in Zintan. "In the name of the great nation, we would like to allay your fears and tell you that Saif and those who were with him will be tried fairly. They are ensured all their rights under the law. These are the same rights that our nation didn't have for 42 years." The ICC in the Netherlands wants Saif al-Islam for alleged crimes against humanity, including murder, committed during the uprising this year. But officials in Libya also indicated they would like to put Saif al-Islam on trial. Although he held no high-level government office, Saif al-Islam was considered by ICC prosecutors to be Moammar Gadhafi's "unspoken successor and the most influential person with his inner circle," according to an arrest warrant issued in June. The Gadhafi regime formulated a state policy that included quelling demonstrations by lethal force, attacking civilians and imprisoning hundreds, according to the warrant. Saif al-Islam "exercised control over crucial parts of the state apparatus, including finances and logistics and had the powers of a de facto prime minister." ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said the arrest was "good news." "That is very important because we consider him -- the judges consider him -- the principal, with his father Moammar, of the crimes committed in Libya after February 13," he said. "He's arrested, he's alive, and now he will face justice and that is the most important news." Moreno-Ocampo will travel to Libya next week to coordinate efforts to bring Saif al-Islam to justice, an ICC spokeswoman said Saturday. Who is Saif al-Islam Gadhafi? "The ICC has had indirect contact with Saif al-Islam Gadhafi through intermediaries during which they discussed what would happen if he surrendered. The last contact was 25 days ago," spokeswoman Florence Olara told CNN. ICC spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah told CNN that Libya has an obligation to surrender Saif al-Islam to the ICC. If Libya wants to conduct a trial, it needs to submit a request to judges and show its legal system is capable of properly handling such a proceeding. El-Keib emphasized that "we will deal with this under our legal system," but he said the country intends to communicate and work with the ICC. "We'll get to a point where we can take care of this issue easily," El Keib said. "We definitely are interested in respecting the will of our people and also the national interests that we trust that the world will also appreciate." Justice Minister Mohammad Al-Alagy said he doubts Libyan courts would want to try Saif al-Islam for crimes against humanity. "We will weigh out the accusations against Saif Al Islam al-Gadhafi. Afterward, we will know what crimes to try him with. He's charged with killing and taking the nation's money and ... hiring mercenaries. Those are crimes the Libyan nation will currently try him for. We can't move ahead of ourselves with inaccurate accusations. We will move forward with this
[ "The PM says what about Saif?", "what says ICC about lybia", "what says justice minister", "What is Libya planning?", "Libya needs to submit what to the conduct trial?", "What does it need to submit?", "What did PM say?" ]
[ [ "\"I hope that this is the beginning of a state of freedom, transparency and lawfulness,\"" ], [ "Libya has an obligation to surrender Saif al-Islam to the" ], [ "he doubts Libyan courts would want to try Saif al-Islam for crimes against humanity." ], [ "put Saif al-Islam on trial." ], [ "a request to judges and show its legal system is capable of properly handling such a proceeding." ], [ "a request to judges" ], [ "\"I hope that this is the beginning of a state of freedom, transparency and lawfulness,\"" ] ]
Libya is planning to try Saif at home . ICC says Libya needs to submit request to conduct trial . Justice minister said Libya will "weigh out" accusations . PM says Saif will be "tried fairly"
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Over the past few days, anti-Gadhafi forces have made "significant advances" -- in the northwest and in the regions of Misrata and al-Brega -- a spokesman for NATO's military operation told reporters Tuesday. "Anti-Gadhafi forces are now assuming control of the key approaches to Tripoli," said Col. Roland Lavoie, who described the advances as "the most significant anti-Gadhafi territorial gain we have seen in months." Since the end of July, as the threat from pro-Gadhafi forces has diminished, thousands of people have returned to their homes in the western Nafusa mountains, he said. Since Friday, the northwest coastal city of Misrata has been free of pro-Gadhafi forces, he said. And the threat from nearby Zlitan has diminished as pro-Gadhafi forces are being pushed farther west, he added. Over the last week, NATO warplanes have damaged or destroyed some 150 military targets as part of Operation Unified Protector, Lavoie said. "Our assessment, without going into details, is that the Gadhafi regime does not have anymore an effective operational capability," he said. Lavoie said that rebels had occupied Surman and Sabratha west of Tripoli, but added that the regions were "still contested." However, Libyan state television reported that pro-Gadhafi forces and tribal fighters were "cleansing the city of Sabratha from the gangs of traitors" and had secured the coastal road, a key supply pipeline into Tripoli. Though the center of Zawiya was under rebel control, "there's still reports of fighting also in the suburbs," Lavoie said. Still, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed optimism. "I think the sense is that Gadhafi's days are numbered," she told reporters in Washington. But a spokesman for the Gadhafi government offered a different view. "We are doing very well," Ibrahim Musa told reporters. "It's true that it's a bit slow -- people are still saying that we're not acting immediately and that we're having problems in Surman and Sabratha and whatnot because of armed gangs. That's true but, God willing, we are able to lead this battle successfully. We will achieve peace and victory." He added, "We are fighting NATO -- not the tens or hundreds of armed gang members. Our war is with the crusaders." If rebels gain control of Zawiya, that would be a major stride in putting a stranglehold on the Gadhafi-controlled seat of power. "We will be very careful entering Tripoli, which we hope to do by the end of this month," said Col. Ahmed Banni, military spokesman for the opposition National Transitional Council. Banni said there is intelligence that some Gadhafi forces are moving to Tripoli from other fronts -- Terhouna in the southeast and Sirte farther east. He said those forces have taken off their uniforms to blend in with the population, a "dangerous" sign those troops are preparing for a "bloody war." He said rebels in Tripoli recently were supplied with arms. But, he said, "We asked them to stay put until the zero hour." Col. Jumma Ibrahim, a spokesman for the rebels' western command, said Gadhafi forces controlled most of the eastern part of the city and were shelling rebels with Grad missiles and artillery. "There are still skirmishes with the brigades in the city center, with snipers taking positions," Col. Ibrahim said. "The fight is now urban warfare there at the moment. There have been a lot injured among our ranks but it is hard to give a number." The rebels claim control of towns west of Zawiya to near Ras Jedeir. These include Surman and Subratha. "It is a huge deal and a decisive defeat for his forces in that region. All these areas are liberated," Banni said. Col. Ibrahim said Garyan, south of Tripoli's city center, had been taken by rebels but Gadhafi loyalists were shelling them from a nearby town. There has
[ "What does Clinton think about the situation?", "Who in Tripoli are awaiting the \"zero hour\"?", "Some Gadhafi forces are going to Tripoli from where?", "Where are some Gadhafi forces going from other fronts?", "What are rebel forces in Tripoli waiting for?" ]
[ [ "the sense is that Gadhafi's days are numbered,\"" ], [ "Banni" ], [ "Terhouna in the southeast and Sirte farther east." ], [ "Tripoli" ], [ "zero hour.\"" ] ]
The battle for Zawiya is called "urban warfare" Rebel forces in Tripoli are awaiting the "zero hour," a spokesman says . Some Gadhafi forces are going to Tripoli from other fronts . Secretary of State Clinton expresses optimism .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Troops loyal to Libya's new leaders maintained strong momentum Tuesday against pro-Moammar Gadhafi holdouts as they planned an assault on one loyalist city and moved into another without resistance. A National Transitional Council official said fighters were planning a major assault on Bani Walid, a northern town still held by Gadhafi loyalists. "Our fighters are planning a massive attack today to bring the siege to an end," Abdallah Kenshil said. Meanwhile, NTC fighters moved into Sabha, a southern town long regarded as a pro-Gadhafi stronghold, and have met no resistance so far, according to a CNN team that accompanied the forces. This comes as an audio message purported to be from the deposed Libyan leader said the Gadhafi political system represented the people's will and could not be overthrown. The message -- broadcast Tuesday on Al-Rai TV, a Syrian-based, pro-Gadhafi television station -- said Gadhafi supporters are mocking the belief that the longtime ruler and his government can be overthrown. "This wonderful system is impossible to be overthrown," the speaker said. "There is a regime that is being forced on the Libyan people by air and naval bombardment. This is a joke, and its legitimacy is hanging in the air, tied up with bombs and NATO planes that will not last." In Bani Walid, forces loyal to the deposed Libyan leader are creating a humanitarian disaster, the NTC said. Col. Ahmed Bani told reporters Monday that Gadhafi forces are robbing food stores, leaving civilian residents to starve. He also charged that Gadhafi loyalists are shooting everyone trying to join the revolution, including men, women and children. "They are carrying out mass killings," said Bani, the NTC military spokesman. "This proves they are trying to destroy the town before it is liberated," he added, calling the Gadhafi forces "criminals" and "killers." Asked by CNN why, if there is such a humanitarian disaster, NTC forces do not immediately enter the city, the colonel said the problem is "geography." There are tactics the forces must follow to reduce casualties, he said. Bani Walid is surrounded by anti-Gadhafi forces, he said. Asked to comment on assertions by Gadhafi spokesman Musa Ibrahim that loyalist forces in Bani Walid had captured a group of 17 mercenaries fighting for the NTC, including some British, Qatari, French and Asians, the spokesman dismissed the claim, saying, "Don't listen to him, he's from another planet." The rebel spokesman's remarks at a news conference came after rebel fighters suffered a sizable blow. More than 20 were killed in the northern city of Sirte on Sunday, the country's transitional government said Monday. Another 31 fighters were injured, said Abdel Rahman Busin, an NTC spokesman. Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown, is among a handful of pro-Gadhafi strongholds left in the country. "The injured revolutionaries in Sirte have all been hit with RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) fired from areas congested with civilians where Gadhafi loyalists are hiding," Adel Ghulaek, spokesman for the NTC in Misrata, said Monday. "Our men are not even firing back because they do not want to kill any innocent people. Two helicopters evacuated the injured fighters last night." Dibeh Fakhri,a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, called the situation in Bani Walid and Sirte "deteriorating." "We have not been able to enter yet," Fakhri said. "We have surgical and medical supplies ready in Misrata in case we are able to deliver them into Sirte shortly. Our teams have positioned supplies in the town of Tarhuna close to Bani Walid but we have not been able to contact the authorities to be able to enter the town itself. Our teams are monitoring the situation very closely."
[ "Where do they plan their assault?", "which promotes the message of Gaddafi", "Who moved into Sabha?", "which is planned against Bani Walid" ]
[ [ "Bani Walid," ], [ "Al-Rai TV," ], [ "NTC fighters" ], [ "major assault" ] ]
NTC fighters move into Sabha without resistance . Pro-Gadhafi forces are leaving Bani Walid residents to starve, an NTC spokesman says . Purported Gadhafi message touts his political system . Libya's revolutionary fighters plan an assault on Bani Walid .
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Tripoli on Tuesday, making her the first Cabinet-level American official to go to Libya since the ouster of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi. She landed under tight security in a country where forces loyal to the transitional government are still battling Gadhafi loyalists. She met with officials of the National Transitional Council and visited those wounded in the fighting. NTC fighters toppled Gadhafi's nearly 42-year-old government in August after six months of battles. Gadhafi, his son Saif al-Islam Gadhafi and his brother-in-law and intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Sanussi, are wanted on war crimes charges and remain fugitives. Regarding Moammar Gadhafi, Clinton told reporters: "We hope he will be captured or killed soon." As Clinton boarded the military plane to leave for Malta on Tuesday evening, she saw several Libyan fighters, who gave her a warm welcome. After a short meet-and-greet at the airport with Malta Embassy employees, Clinton was headed for Oman. At a news conference Tuesday with Clinton, interim Libyan Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril expressed appreciation for political, humanitarian and moral support from the United States. He said he does not plan to be part of Libya's new government. Asked if she was concerned about civil war continuing in Libya, Clinton said she is encouraged that steps are being taken to address reconciliation and get the Libyan army and police under one command, but noted that action cannot be taken with fighting still under way. On whether the United States will cooperate with Islamists, Clinton said democracy must reflect the aspirations of the Libyan people. America will support a democratic process that respects the rule of law, she said, and includes renouncing violence and giving up arms. Women in Libya should have equal rights, she said, as they sacrificed in the revolution and deserve to be part of the new Libya. Clinton then attended a town hall meeting, telling residents: "Don't spend your time settling scores of the past. Keep an eye on the future. ... You can't drive forward when looking in the rearview mirror." She also visited a hospital and met wounded fighters, many of whom need surgeries to save their limbs. The operations are being held up by red tape and processing necessary to get out of the country for transport. She said she will try to help them. "There are three main purposes to the secretary's visit," a senior State Department official said in a briefing to reporters Monday before Clinton's arrival. "First is simply to offer on behalf for the United States, on behalf of the American people and government, our congratulations, our best wishes to the Libyan people for what, through great hardship, sacrifice and courage, they have achieved in opening the door to a more promising future for Libya after 42 years of the Gadhafi dictatorship." The official said Clinton and her counterpart were to announce the restarting of the Fulbright Program, an educational exchange, and English Access, an English-language program. They were to talk about a new program with Oberlin College in Ohio and archaeologists in Libya to map, document and do risk assessments of archaeological sites in eastern Libya. "We also want to be talking to the Libyans about how to integrate Libya fully into the 21st-century world economy in transparent ways where Libya's oil wealth is used for the benefit of all of Libya's citizens," the official said. In discussing economic diversification, the official mentioned "privatizing some of the state monopolies, because much of the economy is state-owned." "The NTC sees privatization as being one of the engines to diversification and growth. Now many of these decisions have to wait a more permanent governing structure. The NTC is being very careful about not taking significant decisions on dismantling this or dismantling that until they are able to assure themselves of a more popular base. They've very mindful of the fact that that T in NTC stands for transition." The official said conventional and nonconventional weaponry in Libya is fully
[ "Who did National Transtional Council toppled?", "Where Hillary Clinton is heading to?", "Clinto is the first what?" ]
[ [ "Gadhafi's nearly 42-year-old government" ], [ "Oman." ], [ "Cabinet-level American official to go to Libya since the ouster of longtime strongman Moammar Gadhafi." ] ]
NEW: Hillary Clinton heads to Oman after brief stopover in Malta . Clinton on Moammar Gadhafi: "We hope he will be captured or killed soon" Clinton is the first Cabinet-level U.S. official to visit Libya since Gadhafi's ouster . National Transitional Council fighters toppled Gadhafi's 42-year-old government in August .
Tucson, Arizona (CNN) -- Last week during the day, some kids in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, were playing soccer in a park when a car slowed down, guys got out and executed a 13-year-old boy. And then they drove away, unmolested in a city with 11,000 army and police officers. The Mexican government repeatedly states that 90 percent of the deaths in the current drug war are of people who are dirty; that is, criminals involved in the drug business. The killings of reporters and of innocent women, men and children continually belie that statement. The child was not a cartel member in disguise. Nor were the 15 high school kids killed at a party in a small house in a poor barrio. Their parents had made them hold the celebration of a sports victory at home because it was too dangerous to be out in the city. I went to Juarez in June of 1995 and never seem to escape the pull of the place. The city then was controlled by Amado Carrillo Fuentes, then the head of the Juarez cartel. Drug Enforcement Agency intelligence told me he was raking in $250 million a week. American factories were erupting out of the ground in the wake of the passage of NAFTA. Huge districts of shacks made out of stolen pallets and cardboard boxes were growing faster than the city could map. These shacks were filled with people working full time in those American-owned factories. Murders ran around 250 a year and sometimes the cartel left bodies on the street wrapped in yellow ribbon. Carrillo ran the city and yet his name never appeared in the newspapers nor was mentioned on radio and television. I thought I'd stumbled into hell. Now the city is dying. About 5,000 people have been slaughtered in Ciudad Juarez in 27 months. It is a destroyed city where 25 percent of the houses are abandoned and 40 percent of the businesses have closed. There were 2,600 murders last year and killings are going on at a faster clip this year. At night, no one is on the streets. I realize that I was a fool in 1995. I had not stumbled into hell. That was the golden age. But one constant remains: No matter how many die in Juarez, no matter how low the pay in the American factories, the U.S. government insists the War on Drugs is being won and that NAFTA is a big success. The Mexican War on Drugs is not lost: it never seriously began. The drug industry is an essential prop under a faltering Mexican economy and has been so for more than 20 years, since the peso crisis of the early 1980s. The money flows into the hands of countless government officials, into the banking industry and into many investments in Mexico. More people die each day as the government of President Felipe Calderon uses the Mexican army and the federal police to try to get the illegal drug industry under control. Calderon was elected by a razor-thin margin and followed the custom of Mexican presidents by immediately making a show of force. But he badly underestimated the power of the drug industry. The profits are estimated by many analysts to be between $30 billion and $50 billion a year, although it's notoriously difficult to track. But it is not a piddling sum in a country where oil is the official highest earner of foreign currency and supplies 40 percent of the federal budget. But the oil is running out. Calderon has publicly stated that the oil fields will be gone in 10 years or less. The next big earner is human flesh, the millions of Mexicans who have fled the economic doom of their nation and send more than $20 billion a year home from the United States. But the recession and job losses in the U.S. have cut into that source. Tourism ranks third in legitimate sources of money for Mexico, but in a nation where heads keep getting lopped off, tourism isn't thriving. The illegal drug industry in Mexico employs hundreds of thousands of people. No one knows the payroll, but certainly it includes many people in the army, the 3,500 separate police forces and
[ "What did Charles Bowden call one of the most violent cities on Earth?", "How many people were killed in Juarez in 27 months?", "What is a source of money for the Mexican economy?", "How many were killed in Juarez?" ]
[ [ "Ciudad Juarez," ], [ "5,000" ], [ "drug business." ], [ "2,600" ] ]
Charles Bowden: 5,000 killed in Juarez in 27 months, one of most violent cities on Earth . Bowden: Innocents die in crossfire among cartels, army, police . He says drug trade is a source of money for the Mexican economy . Bowden: U.S. must face NAFTA's failures and the lethal results of "war on drugs"
Tukwila, WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Dude was in the house. Winners of the Seattle Lebowski Fest best-costume prizes pose at a bowling alley. Actually there were 11 Dudes, all dressed in the bathrobe-paired-with-sunglasses look made famous by actor Jeff Bridges in the movie "The Big Lebowski." The venue, a bowling alley outside Seattle, Washington, was the setting for the Lebowski Fest, the unofficial celebration of the Coen brothers classic. When the film -- with its story of an aging hippie bowler turned bumbling detective -- opened in 1998, "The Big Lebowski" fell flat at the box office and with many critics. Since then, however, the movie has developed a distinct cult following. "These guys are not the 'Star Trek' fans, they are not the 'Star Wars' fans, they are a different class. They are not the nerds. They are the slackers," said attendee Scott Glancy. Dressed like a wide range of characters from the film, about 200 attendees of Seattle Lebowski Fest watched the movie yet again, bowled, drank the film's signature white Russians and quoted each other their favorite lines. Watch highlights from the Fest » There were plenty of Jeff "the Dude" Lebowskis, but also a handful of people dressed like his addled Vietnam vet sidekick Walter Sobchak, and sex offender nemesis from the bowling alley, Jesus Quintana. Others dressed up as lines of dialogue or set pieces, like the tumbleweed blowing across Los Angeles in the opening of the film. Most of the attendees stay in character the entire night with a dedication that would make Russell Crowe or Robert DeNiro jealous. "There's a certain community thing that goes on when you hang out and watch your favorite film," said Lebowski Fest co-founder Scott Shuffitt. "When you are watching it with 700 people who love it just as much as you do and everyone's quoting from it, it's just a really nice community." Shuffitt and fellow founder Will Russell came up with the idea in 2002 while quoting lines from the movie during a slow day selling T-shirts at a tattoo expo in Louisville, Kentucky, where they live. "People we didn't know jumped in and started quoting lines with us," Russell said. "We realized we are not alone with our obsession for this movie, and we thought, 'Hey man, let's have a party in a bowling alley for "The Big Lebowski" ' and never thought anything would come of it, and here we are eight years later doing it all over the country." Since then, Lebowski Fest has been held 25 times in the United States and overseas. This year, the roving celebration of the movie will visit 15 cities, including Chicago, Illinois, New York and Washington. Rachel Life, who dressed as Maude Lebowski, the film's eccentric artist and love interest for the Dude, said the fest brings a sense of community. "I love hanging out with freaks that are like me," she said. "We are letting our freak flags fly!" Dude look-alike Kurt Michaels came for the feeling of being in on the joke. "It's just this cult following," he said. "So many people are in on something that the general public is not aware of." And for Scott Glancy, it's about getting something -- anything -- out of an otherwise unfortunate natural resemblance to a character played by actor John Goodman. "It's my destiny," he said. "Where else can I come where I can be a superstar for four hours?"
[ "Was the movie a success?", "What is the film about?", "What is the name of the movie?" ]
[ [ "fell flat at the box office" ], [ "story of an aging hippie bowler turned bumbling detective" ], [ "\"The Big Lebowski.\"" ] ]
"The Big Lebowski" fell flat at the box office, but has developed a cult following . Film tells story of an aging hippie bowler turned bumbling detective . Lebowski Fest attendees dress like characters from the film, bowl, quote lines . Most of the fans stay in character the entire night .
Tunis, Tunisia (CNN) -- The number of people killed during riots in Tunisia recently is about 21, the government said Wednesday, rejecting international media reports that the figure is higher. Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has fired Interior Minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem, the government announced Wednesday, in the wake of the deadly protests over high unemployment and poor living conditions. Tunisian protests fueled by social media networks Ahmad Freaa will be his replacement, Minister of Information Samir Abidi announced. Meanwhile, the government announced a curfew for the greater Tunis area from 8 p.m. Wednesday (2 p.m. ET) until 6 a.m. Thursday (midnight ET). Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi declined to answer a CNN question about whether live ammunition or snipers were used against demonstrators, saying those matters will be part of an investigation into the conduct of the security forces. Everyone arrested in the past few days has been released other than those accused of looting and vandalism, he said. Ghannouchi also announced that the government will begin providing a monthly grant and social security coverage to every unemployed person, providing they do nonprofit or volunteer work while looking for jobs. Sources with the Union of Tunisian Workers said eight people were killed Wednesday in demonstrations in the towns of Dkash and Douz in the southern part of the country. The union says more than 50 people have died since the demonstrations erupted. Lofti al Ahwal, a member of the union, said the organization is waiting for further action by the government before determining its next step. The union rejects government claims that members of al Qaeda have infiltrated the rioters, he said. Al Ahwal said violence will be met with violence, and cautioned that shooting at demonstrators will escalate the situation. The union is unable to control the angry crowds, he acknowledged, and some of the actions and statements from enraged rioters do not comply with union policy. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, urged the Tunisian government in a statement "to ensure that its security forces cease using excessive force against demonstrators, and to launch transparent and credible investigations into the deaths." While the situation escalated over the weekend, deaths were also previously reported in preceding weeks, the statement said. "Whatever the precise total (of deaths), I am extremely concerned about the very high number of people killed in Tunisia in recent weeks," Pillay said. "It is essential that basic international human rights norms and guidelines governing the use of firearms are urgently and strictly adhered to." Reports suggest that most protests have been peaceful and that security forces used excessive force, she said in the statement. A leading human rights group, Amnesty International, condemned Friday what it called a violent crackdown by Tunisian authorities on the recent protests. The wave of demonstrations was sparked by the suicide of an unemployed college graduate in early December. Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in front of a government building in the town of Sidi Bouzid after police confiscated his fruit cart, saying he was selling without a permit, according to Amnesty International. He died January 4 from his injuries. The protests grew in size and sometimes turned violent. Human rights groups said last week at least three others have died since the protests started -- two demonstrators shot by police and another man who electrocuted himself by touching a 30,000-megawatt pole and shouting, "No to misery! No to unemployment!" Amnesty reported that 10 other protesters have been injured in confrontations with security forces and that lawyers have been singled out for beatings and arrest after a nationwide sit-in on December 31. If there is evidence that members of the security forces have used excessive force or conducted extra-judicial killings, they should be arrested, tried and -- if convicted -- punished, Pillay said in the statement. She also expressed concern about reports of widespread arrests, including those of human rights advocates and bloggers advocating human rights, as well as reports that those detained are being mistreated and tortured. "While it is correct that people should be arrested if there is evidence they have committed crimes such as violence or arson
[ "what does the UN human rights commissioner say?", "where is a curfew established?", "About how many people died in the riots according to the government?", "where was a curfew established?", "how many people died in the riots?", "what was the number of fatalities?", "Where is a curfew is established?" ]
[ [ "\"to ensure that its security forces cease using excessive force against demonstrators, and to launch transparent and credible investigations into the deaths.\"" ], [ "greater Tunis area" ], [ "21," ], [ "greater Tunis area" ], [ "about 21," ], [ "21," ], [ "greater Tunis area" ] ]
NEW: A curfew is established in the greater Tunis area . The U.N. human rights commissioner says the deaths should be investigated . The prime minister will not say if police used live ammunition on demonstrators . About 21 people died in the riots, the government says, rejecting higher claims .
Tuwaitha, Iraq (CNN) -- The shell of former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein's efforts to produce a nuclear bomb is being slowly dismantled along the banks of the Tigris River, but its radioactive legacy lingers on. The Tuwaitha research complex, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) southeast of Baghdad, was bombed by Israel in its 1981 airstrike on Iraq's Tammuz 1 research reactor. It was bombed again during the Persian Gulf War of 1991, and it was looted extensively after the 2003 U.S. invasion that ousted Hussein. Now, engineers and technicians are working to dismantle the laboratories and equipment at the site, but the extensive contamination left behind complicates their work. "It is difficult because of the destruction," said Anwar Ahmed, the project manager at Tuwaitha. "This facility was bombed in 1991. Now, finally the decision was made to decommission all the destroyed facilities." Workers and visitors have to wear protective suits and masks around the facility, where about 20 people are at work so far. Iraq's ministry of Science and Technology said it is training more specialists to decommission the facility, but acknowledged the cleanup could take decades. "We have 18 facilities in Tuwaitha," said Fuad al Musawi, Iraq's deputy science and technology minister. "We have another 10 facilities around the country. So you can imagine how long it will take." Iraq's nuclear ambitions date back to the 1960s, when it obtained a Soviet-built research reactor. It built another, French-designed reactor in the 1970s. Israel's concerns about the program led to the 1981 raid, in which Israeli pilots flew across then-hostile Jordan and a corner of Saudi Arabia to strike the facility. Despite the damage inflicted by that attack, Iraq began attempting to produce enriched uranium -- a step toward producing a nuclear weapon -- during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the U.S.-led Iraq Survey Group reported in 2004. It accelerated that program after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait left it facing an international military coalition that ultimately drove out the Iraqi forces. The bombardment that accompanied the 1991 war inflicted extensive damage to the Tuwaitha plants. The U.N. sanctions and inspections imposed after 1991 forced Hussein's government to abandon its nuclear program, the ISG concluded. After the 2003 invasion, which was launched after the United States incorrectly accused Iraq of having restarted its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs, nearby Iraqis inflicted further damage by looting the unguarded facility. Villagers nearby complained of symptoms that local doctors attributed to radiation sickness, particularly from using containers taken from the plant to store drinking water. The Iraq Survey Group found basements full of radioactive water in some of the buildings, and the U.S. military later spent $70 million ensuring the safe transportation of 550 metric tons of non-weapons grade uranium oxide -- known as "yellowcake" -- to Canada. Some Iraqi scientists still hope to start a civilian nuclear energy program in the future. But for now, Iraq is still grappling with the shadow of its past.
[ "What made the dismantling more difficult ?", "How many facilities does the complex have?", "How long will the cleanup take?", "How many time could cleanup take ?", "Whats the name of the complex?", "What is slowly dismantled ?" ]
[ [ "the extensive contamination left behind" ], [ "18" ], [ "decades." ], [ "decades." ], [ "The Tuwaitha research" ], [ "bomb" ] ]
Complex at the center of Saddam Hussein's nuclear efforts slowly being dismantled . Cleanup could take decades: Tuwaitha complex has 18 facilities . Dismantling at Tuwaitha made more difficult because of bombing, looting . Iraq began attempting to produce enriched uranium during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s .
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (CNN) -- Standing slightly more than 4 feet tall, 9-year-old Tuguldur proudly stated the greatest challenge he faced in a horse race across the Mongolian plains in the country's annual Naadam Festival was serenading his horse. Young wrestlers cheer on teammates during the opening round at the Naadam Festival. "The hardest part of the race was singing to my horse while riding," said Tuguldur, wiping perspiration from the July sun off his face. The long-distance horse race is exclusively for children, ranging in ages from 6 to 12. Riding up to 30 kilometers (19 miles), these children maneuver their galloping steeds on a thin saddle pad that often does not have stirrups. "Mongolians believe they can communicate with their horses through singing, and their horse will go faster," said Tamir, a senior at Mongolian University. "This is why the kids must keep singing during the race." Singing to racing horses is just one part of Mongolia's Naadam Festival, an annual event believed to have existed for centuries, and rivaling the Olympics as the premier sporting event in the central Asian nation. "For us Mongolians, the Naadam Festival is what we look forward to all year," said Dashtsogtsol Erdenetuya, who has competed in the Naadam Festival for the past 22 years. "It is our tradition and a reminder of an ancient way of life. Getting gold in this festival brings as much honor as any Olympic medal." Held every July, the Naadam Festival was possibly founded as long ago as 800 years ago by Genghis Khan. The festival is believed to have started as a way for Mongols to train for military and hunting expeditions. Today, it formally commemorates the 1921 revolution when Mongolia declared itself a free country. Many of Naadam's customs, which include wearing traditional clothes and singing hymns once sung in battle, are still followed, a sign of the importance of the festival. "In the Naadam Festival, everyone knows who you are; many companies will sponsor you, and if you win, you can become the face of the country," said Nasanbat Oyunbat, director of the Mongolian Olympic National Team. "The Olympics are only now becoming popular in Mongolia and were televised for the first time in the 2004 Games in Athens." "The horses in the Naadam Festival have higher endurance than the horses that will compete in the Olympic Equestrian events in August," bragged Edward Rochette, an American lawyer who married a Mongolian woman and is living in Ulaanbaatar. "Most thoroughbreds would die if you ran them for 30 km. The Mongolian horses have been running across these plains for hundreds of years and have developed the correct body type for this kind of sport." Rochette's wife's family lives in a yurt (round animal skin tent), owns more than 1,500 and entered 20 horses in the three-day race competition this year, which was visited by thousands of tourists. "I was overwhelmed watching the clouds of dust rise across the prairie as the horses galloped to the finish line," explained Miep Thulijls, a tourist from Holland. "I could not believe these tiny kids could ride for so long and was terrified when I saw one of the children fall off his horse like a rag doll." The age limit was raised from 4 to 6 after a child was killed in a race a few years ago. Only small children are allowed to compete in this event because they are particularly light. The kids are generally rewarded with warm mare's milk and candy while the horse owners get money and sometimes even cars. Wrestling without weight limits Mongolian wrestling has no weight divisions; a time limit was only introduced after a match went on for more than four hours. Wrestlers compete in single elimination events and are weeded down from 512 participants during nine rounds of competition. "It is more difficult to wrestle the little guys because they are so quick," complained Gantogtokh, who at 130 kilos (286 pounds) is an eighth-generation wrestler. His father placed second in Judo in the 1968
[ "In what month is Naadam Festival held?", "What are the origins of the competition's events?", "What month is the Festival held?", "In what month is the festival held?", "In what country is the festival held?", "Where is the Naadam Festival held?" ]
[ [ "July" ], [ "believed to have started as a way for Mongols to train for military and hunting expeditions." ], [ "every July," ], [ "July," ], [ "Mongolia" ], [ "ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia" ] ]
Naadam Festival is held every July in Mongolia . Competition's events have origins in military, hunting training . Naadam in the most widely watched festival in Mongolia .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Coca cultivation and cocaine production have decreased in Colombia but increased in Bolivia and Peru, the United Nations reported. Workers help eradicate coca plantations in northwest Colombia in May. Colombian cultivation was down 18 percent, and production decreased 28 percent in 2008, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime said in a report issued Friday. But cultivation increased 6 percent in Bolivia and 4.5 percent in Peru, the report said. Likewise, production went up 9 percent in Bolivia and 4.1 percent in Peru. "The increases for Bolivia and Peru show a trend in the wrong direction," said Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the U.N. drug office. Much of the decline in Colombia resulted from the manual eradication of 237 acres of coca, an increase of 44 percent over 2007, and the spraying of another 328 acres with herbicide, the U.N. said. The production level is at a 10-year-low, the report said, and the cultivation amount is down to 2004 to 2006 levels. "This is a remarkable achievement," Costa said in a release. "It means that more coca bush was eradicated in Colombia than was grown in all of Bolivia and Peru." The value of coca leaf in Colombia is decreasing, making it less attractive for farmers -- 20,000 fewer households grew coca in 2008 than in 2007, a decrease of 26 percent. The drug trade also is being disrupted, the report said. In Colombia, the U.N. said, authorities seized 200 tons of cocaine in 2008, a 57 percent increase in seizures over 2007, the report said. Peru reported an 86 percent increase in seizures of coca base and a 100 percent increase in the seizure of cocaine. Bolivia, likewise, reported a 45 percent uptick in seizures of coca base and a 145 percent increase in the seizure of cocaine. "Cocaine supply is shrinking, as is demand in major markets of North America while cocaine use in Western Europe has stopped growing," Costa said. "This may explain why prices are up, and purity is down. This may also explain why cartels are becoming so violent."
[ "Whats at a 10 year low?", "What is on the rise in Peru and Bolivia?", "Which countries did coca cultivation and cocaine production decrease in?", "What decreased in Columbia?", "What is at a 10-year low?" ]
[ [ "cocaine production" ], [ "Coca cultivation" ], [ "Colombia" ], [ "Coca cultivation and cocaine production" ], [ "Coca cultivation and cocaine production" ] ]
Coca cultivation, cocaine production decrease in Colombia, U.N. report says . But both on rise in Peru and Bolivia, report finds . U.N. official: "Increases for Bolivia and Peru show a trend in the wrong direction" Production level is at a 10-year low, report says .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Former U.S. President Clinton has been tapped as a United Nations special envoy to Haiti, a senior U.N. official said Monday. Former President Clinton has been chosen to serve as a United Nations special envoy to Haiti. An official announcement will be made Tuesday, the official said. The two-term president has traveled to Haiti on several occasions, most recently in March with his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. At the time, the Clintons voiced optimism at Haiti's potential because of political stability and economic growth after decades of chaos. The Caribbean country is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
[ "What were the results?", "nation in March with his wife and U.N. chief", "When is the official announcement coming?", "When did Clinton visit?", "country in the Western hemisphere", "In which hemisphere is it the poorest country?" ]
[ [ "Former President Clinton has been chosen to serve as a United Nations special envoy to Haiti." ], [ "Haiti" ], [ "Tuesday," ], [ "March" ], [ "Haiti." ], [ "Western" ] ]
Official announcement is coming Tuesday . Clinton visited nation in March with his wife and U.N. chief . It is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday delivered a lengthy, rambling address in his first appearance before the United Nations -- slamming both the U.N. Security Council and the United States. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi addresses the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday. He broached conspiracy theories, urged probes into U.S. military activities, and took aim at the structure and the actions of the Security Council, in a one-hour and 36-minute speech at the U.N. General Assembly's annual session. Gadhafi called for world unity in confronting various world crises, such as climate change and food shortages, but he aimed his ire at the world body and the United States. Dressed in a traditional Libyan cap and robe, he elaborated on what he believes is the unfairness of the structure of the U.N. Security Council, which has five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain, each with veto power. In his One hour and 36 minute ramble, Gadhafi:
[ "What requires unified action?", "what does Gadhafi say UN security council brings?", "What does Gadhafi say?", "What is unfair?", "what did Libyan leader tell UN general assembly?", "What were the five nations?" ]
[ [ "confronting various world crises, such as climate change and food shortages," ], [ "crises, such as climate change and food shortages," ], [ "called for world unity in confronting various world crises, such as climate change and food shortages," ], [ "the structure of the U.N. Security Council," ], [ "He broached conspiracy theories, urged probes into U.S. military activities, and took aim at the structure and the actions of the Security Council," ], [ "United States, Russia, China, France" ] ]
Gadhafi says U.N. Security Council brings not security, but terror . Five nations' veto power unfair, Libyan leader tells U.N. General Assembly . Global challenges require unified action, U.N. secretary-general says . Climate change, disarmament, poverty, war among issues addressed .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Murder and justice have always been hallmarks of the "Law & Order" stable of TV shows, but never before have the fictional New York City crimes guided the show's detectives and attorneys to the United Nations -- until now. "Law & Order: SVU" co-star Christopher Meloni says the show's intent is to "shine light in the dark places." The U.N. recently opened the gates of its New York headquarters to the NBC Universal show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for the filming of an episode scheduled to air Tuesday. The taping marked the first time in its nearly 60-year history that the United Nations has allowed its iconic location to be used as a setting in a major network television production. Previously, the United Nations granted permission for the 2005 motion picture "The Interpreter" to film on location, making it the first feature film to shoot on the grounds of the U.N. Series stars Stephanie March, who plays Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot, and Christopher Meloni, along with nearly 200 other cast and crew members, came to the U.N. on March 7 to film an episode revolving around child soldiers, refugees, warlords and the International Criminal Court. "Law & Order: SVU" traditionally involves difficult subject matter such as kidnapping, rape and homicide. Emmy-nominated actor Meloni, who plays Detective Elliot Stabler on the show, explained that the intent behind the issues raised on the program has always been to "shine light in the dark places that no one wants to go or talk about because there's usually a lot of shame and denial about it." Meloni described how the U.N. episode "really does kind of revolve around child soldiers, how they've been brainwashed, the horrible journeys that they've had to endure and how they can be assimilated back and be productive. And I think in this particular episode, we're trying to carry on with whatever clout we may possess. We have the medium to shine the light out there and tell this story." Considering the "ripped-from-the-headlines" and complicated themes regarding conflict in Africa and the ICC, "Special Victims Unit" writers and actors relied on Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast as a consultant throughout the filming. The Enough Project is an advocacy group committed to preventing genocide, crimes against humanity and other atrocities in six historically tumultuous African nations. Prendergast explained that he perceived the episode as "one where reality dovetailed quite neatly with fiction, and hopefully more people will understand now what is happening in real life with President Bashir and Sudan, and then the accountability for war crimes because they saw it on 'Law & Order.' " On March 4, the International Criminal Court indicted Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, with war crimes and crimes against humanity. This was the first time such charges have been leveled against a sitting head of state. The "Special Victims Unit" filming was the first official project within Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's newly formed Creative Community Outreach Initiative. The intent of the program is to establish a relationship with international film and television industries to enhance the image of the United Nations and to "raise the profile of critical global issues," according to a U.N. representative. Eric Falt, director of the U.N.'s outreach initiative, elaborated: "We're starting a program where we're going to say to filmmakers, people who produce television series, that we are essentially open for business. You want to come to the U.N.? Talk to us. We'll make it happen." In addition to the "Law & Order" film shoot, the United Nations has hosted two other high-profile events in March through the initiative. Celebrities and recording artists including Akon, Phylicia Rashad, Peter Buffet and Whoopi Goldberg commemorated victims of the of the trans-Atlantic slave trade March 25 with a concert in the U.N. General Assembly Hall. The show was directed by celebrated musician Nile Rodgers and was the first such event held at the United Nations. Goldberg also moderated
[ "What does Tuesday's episode center on?", "what is SVU meaning?", "Whose guidance did the writers and cast rely on?", "Where was the show filmed?", "what is the name of TV show?", "What advocacy group helped guide the writers?", "Where are U.N.'s headquarters?" ]
[ [ "child soldiers, refugees, warlords and the International Criminal Court." ], [ "Special Victims Unit\"" ], [ "Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast as a consultant throughout the" ], [ "the United Nations" ], [ "\"Law & Order: SVU\"" ], [ "The Enough Project" ], [ "New York" ] ]
TV show is the first to film at U.N.'s New York headquarters . Tuesday's episode centers on child soldiers . It's first project in U.N.'s Creative Community Outreach Initiative . "SVU" writers, cast relied on guidance from advocacy group .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Murder and justice have always been hallmarks of the "Law & Order" stable of TV shows, but never before have the fictional New York City crimes guided the show's detectives and attorneys to the United Nations -- until now. "Law & Order: SVU" co-star Christopher Meloni says the show's intent is to "shine light in the dark places." The U.N. recently opened the gates of its New York headquarters to the NBC Universal show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for the filming of an episode scheduled to air Tuesday. The taping marked the first time in its nearly 60-year history that the United Nations has allowed its iconic location to be used as a setting in a major network television production. Previously, the United Nations granted permission for the 2005 motion picture "The Interpreter" to film on location, making it the first feature film to shoot on the grounds of the U.N. Series stars Stephanie March, who plays Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot, and Christopher Meloni, along with nearly 200 other cast and crew members, came to the U.N. on March 7 to film an episode revolving around child soldiers, refugees, warlords and the International Criminal Court. "Law & Order: SVU" traditionally involves difficult subject matter such as kidnapping, rape and homicide. Emmy-nominated actor Meloni, who plays Detective Elliot Stabler on the show, explained that the intent behind the issues raised on the program has always been to "shine light in the dark places that no one wants to go or talk about because there's usually a lot of shame and denial about it." Meloni described how the U.N. episode "really does kind of revolve around child soldiers, how they've been brainwashed, the horrible journeys that they've had to endure and how they can be assimilated back and be productive. And I think in this particular episode, we're trying to carry on with whatever clout we may possess. We have the medium to shine the light out there and tell this story." Considering the "ripped-from-the-headlines" and complicated themes regarding conflict in Africa and the ICC, "Special Victims Unit" writers and actors relied on Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast as a consultant throughout the filming. The Enough Project is an advocacy group committed to preventing genocide, crimes against humanity and other atrocities in six historically tumultuous African nations. Prendergast explained that he perceived the episode as "one where reality dovetailed quite neatly with fiction, and hopefully more people will understand now what is happening in real life with President Bashir and Sudan, and then the accountability for war crimes because they saw it on 'Law & Order.' " On March 4, the International Criminal Court indicted Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, with war crimes and crimes against humanity. This was the first time such charges have been leveled against a sitting head of state. The "Special Victims Unit" filming was the first official project within Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's newly formed Creative Community Outreach Initiative. The intent of the program is to establish a relationship with international film and television industries to enhance the image of the United Nations and to "raise the profile of critical global issues," according to a U.N. representative. Eric Falt, director of the U.N.'s outreach initiative, elaborated: "We're starting a program where we're going to say to filmmakers, people who produce television series, that we are essentially open for business. You want to come to the U.N.? Talk to us. We'll make it happen." In addition to the "Law & Order" film shoot, the United Nations has hosted two other high-profile events in March through the initiative. Celebrities and recording artists including Akon, Phylicia Rashad, Peter Buffet and Whoopi Goldberg commemorated victims of the of the trans-Atlantic slave trade March 25 with a concert in the U.N. General Assembly Hall. The show was directed by celebrated musician Nile Rodgers and was the first such event held at the United Nations. Goldberg also moderated
[ "What group gave advice to those involved in \"SVU\"?", "What did the writers and cast of SVU rely on?", "What is the episode about?", "What is the first TV show to film at the UN?", "What does Tuesday's episode center on?", "What is this the first project of?", "What network broadcasts \"SVU\"?" ]
[ [ "Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast" ], [ "Enough Project co-founder John Prendergast as a consultant throughout the filming." ], [ "child soldiers, refugees, warlords and the International Criminal Court." ], [ "\"Law & Order: SVU\"" ], [ "revolving around child soldiers, refugees, warlords and the International Criminal Court." ], [ "The \"Special Victims Unit\"" ], [ "NBC Universal" ] ]
TV show is the first to film at U.N.'s New York headquarters . Tuesday's episode centers on child soldiers . It's first project in U.N.'s Creative Community Outreach Initiative . "SVU" writers, cast relied on guidance from advocacy group .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Friday to expand and tighten sanctions on North Korea after that nation's recent nuclear test. The U.N. Security Council votes for a resolution imposing sanctions against North Korea on Friday. The 15-0 vote on U.N. Resolution 1874 imposes an embargo on the shipment of arms from the communist regime and broadens a ban on the import of weapons. "This resolution provides a strong and united international response to North Korea's test of a nuclear device," said U.S. Deputy Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo. The agreement comes amid rising tension surrounding North Korea, which recently conducted a nuclear test, fired test rockets and threatened U.S. and South Korean ships near its territorial waters. The nuclear test and the firing of six short-range rockets occurred in late May. Pyongyang's actions violated existing U.N. resolutions. The Security Council's five permanent members had already passed a draft resolution Wednesday that condemned North Korea's nuclear test "in the strongest terms." The permanent members -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States -- reached the agreement in consultation with Japan and South Korea. The draft resolution reaffirmed that the "proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security." That resolution provided a "strong, very credible, very appropriate response to the provocative nuclear test that North Korea launched and its subsequent activities," Susan E. Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters at the time. "And we think that the message that the council will send ... is that North Korea's behavior is unacceptable, they must pay a price, they ought to return without conditions to a process of negotiations and that the consequences they will face are significant," Rice said. Provisions already existing in U.N. Resolution 1718, passed in 2006, are strengthened by the new measure, but others are new, Rice said. The new resolution requires states to "exercise vigilance" over the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to North Korea of small arms or light weapons. Nations would be required to notify the sanctions committee at least five days prior to selling, supplying or transferring small arms or light weapons to North Korea. The resolution calls on all states to inspect vessels suspected of containing contraband. If a ship refuses, it is to proceed to the closest port for a mandatory inspection. A new regulation would prohibit nations from providing bunkering services, such as fuel, to North Korean ships believed to be carrying contraband. The draft also broadens authority to prevent the flow of funds that could benefit North Korea's missile, nuclear or proliferation activities. Late last month, two Defense Department officials said U.S. satellite imagery spotted "vehicle activity" at a North Korean ballistic missile facility. The officials said the images showed vehicles used to transport Taepodong-2 missiles, but no missile parts. The Taepodong-2 is a long-range missile North Korea tested in April. That test showed a significant improvement in range from North Korea's initial long-range missile test in 2006. This week, a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak on the record told CNN that Washington had "indications" that North Korea may be planning another test. The official would not provide any details, however. President Obama's special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, called "simply groundless" accusations by Pyongyang that its nuclear and rocket tests were in response to American aggression. Washington officials have said the United States' goal is for North Korea to return to nuclear negotiations with the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, known as the six-party talks.
[ "What country recently did a nuclear test?", "What does U.N. Resolution 1874 impose?", "What does the resolution require?", "what does U.N Resolution 1874 impose?", "What did Pyongyang violate?", "What has North Korea recently done?", "What did North Korea recently do?", "What violated existing U.N. resolutions?" ]
[ [ "North Korea" ], [ "U.N. Resolution 1874 imposes an embargo on the shipment of arms from the communist regime" ], [ "states to \"exercise vigilance\"" ], [ "an embargo on the shipment of arms from the communist regime and broadens a ban on the import of weapons." ], [ "existing U.N. resolutions." ], [ "nuclear test." ], [ "nuclear test." ], [ "Pyongyang's" ] ]
U.N. Resolution 1874 imposes arms embargo, broadens weapons import ban . N. Korea recently did nuclear test, fired rockets, threatened ships near its waters . Resolution requires arms sales notifications, inspection of suspect vessels . Pyongyang's actions violated existing U.N. resolutions .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales said Wednesday he does not regret expelling the U.S. ambassador last year, maintaining again that the envoy was plotting with opposition politicians. Bolivian President Evo Morales maintains the U.S. ambassador was plotting against Morales' government. Bolivia declared U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg persona non grata in September and ordered him to leave. Goldberg denied that he encouraged anti-government demonstrators to commit violent acts. "I don't regret having expelled the ambassador, Mr. Goldberg," Morales said in an exclusive interview Wednesday with CNN en Español. "And now, with the events we are seeing and we are finding, it is confirmed that he was conspiring against the government, conspiring against the national territory. He is an expert in dividing countries, with external groups and in Bolivia." Morales also expelled a lower-level U.S. diplomat last month, accusing him of contacting opposition groups. Morales indicated Wednesday, however, that he is open to reviewing the issue since President Obama is in office. "With the new times," he said, "we expect to improve diplomatic relations. So we have to revise our politics. You can't conspire against us nor blackmail us. But if there's mutual respect, welcome." Morales also said an assassination plot against him and other government officials that he alleged last week was real. Three gunmen were killed and two others were arrested Thursday after a 30-minute firefight in the city of Santa Cruz. At least two of the gunmen were foreigners, Bolivian authorities said. Morales said last week he had been aware of the assassination plot, which was verified after the arrest of the gunmen. Opposition politicians expressed doubt about the plot, saying Morales had made similar allegations in the past based on flimsy evidence. The gunmen, he said Wednesday, wanted "to take power violently and also undemocratically. But also, if they could not take power, divide a region of the country. ... And for that, they had to take lives." Morales did not mention who might want to divide the country, but five resource-rich eastern regions and the eastern province of Gran Chaco have been seeking greater autonomy. Earlier Wednesday, Morales addressed the United Nations in observance of Earth Day. He called for the nations of the world to accept a set of principles that would protect the planet's resources and "right to life." Morales, the first indigenous president in Bolivia's history, told the U.N. General Assembly that people cannot put their interests above those of the Earth. "Not just human beings have rights, but the planet has rights," he said. "What's happening with climate change is that the rights of Mother Earth are not being respected." Telling the U.N. delegates that "we have the challenge to agree on a universal declaration for the rights of Mother Earth," Morales outlined four principles that he asked them to consider: Morales pointed out how indigenous people in Bolivia have rites and rituals to honor the Earth. "We now must begin to realize that the Earth does not belong to us," he said. "It's the other way around. We belong to the Earth." Earth Day was started in 1970 in the United States as a way to bring awareness to the ecological problems plaguing the planet. It is celebrated in many parts of the world.
[ "Ordering who to leave was the right move?", "Who is president?", "What is he now open to?", "What is not being respected?" ]
[ [ "U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg" ], [ "Evo Morales" ], [ "is" ], [ "Mother Earth" ] ]
NEW: Bolivia's Evo Morales says ordering ambassador to leave was right move . NEW: Morales open to reviewing stances now that Barack Obama is president . Morales speaking on Earth Day: People can't put their interests above Earth . With climate change, "rights of Mother Earth are not being respected," Morales says .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Drawing on 2006 remarks in which he compared former U.S. President George Bush to the devil, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, speaking at the United Nations Thursday, said, "It doesn't smell like sulfur anymore." Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez spoke highly of President Obama at the United Nations on Thursday. In a rambling speech at the U.N. General Assembly, Chavez spoke highly of current President Obama, saying he is an "intelligent man" and comparing him to President John F. Kennedy. "I hope God will protect Obama from the bullets that killed Kennedy," he said. "I hope Obama will be able to look and see, genuinely see, what has to be seen and bring about a change." Three years ago, Chavez spoke at the gathering the day after Bush spoke, and said the lectern "still smells of sulfur." But on Thursday he looked around the podium and said, "It doesn't smell of sulfur. It's gone. No, it smells of something else. It smells of hope." He did, however, criticize some U.S. policies, questioning whether there are "two Obamas." Watch Chavez speak at the U.N. General Assembly » Chavez accused the Pentagon of being behind the ousting of Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya in a military-backed coup in June. "American soldiers knew about the coup and supported it," he said. "Hence the contradiction that Obama has to face. Are there two Obamas? Obama spoke here yesterday. Does he have a double? ... Let's hope the one we heard yesterday will prevail. Let us hope. That's what the world needs." The United States and Brazil have said they support dialogue between Zelaya and de facto President Roberto Micheletti, centered on the San Jose Accord brought about through the mediation of Costa Rican President Oscar Arias and the Organization of American States mission. That deal calls for Zelaya to be restored to office. "The U.S. government, and this is strange, has not recognized the fact that a military coup d'etat has occurred," Chavez said. "There is some friction between the State Department and the Pentagon." He said the coup was engineered by the Honduran bourgeoisie, "four or five wealthy, powerful families." Chavez also called for the United States to lift what he called the "savage, murderous blockade" on Cuba, and was critical of plans to open U.S. military bases in Colombia, saying what the nation needs instead is aid to lift itself out of its civil war. In addition, Chavez criticized capitalism and extolled the virtues of socialism, saying it is "the road to salvation for this planet." He spoke for almost exactly an hour, less than the hour and 36 minutes Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi used on Wednesday. The Venezuelan president joked that he would not speak as long as Gadhafi, but said he planned to speak as long as Obama. Asked to expand on his "two Obamas" comment at a news conference after his speech, Chavez said, "I think that one of the serious failures of the United States has been that, for a long time, it has underestimated and undervalued Latin America and the Caribbean. ... I hope that Obama turns around the vision of the White House and the Department of State of Latin America. They cannot continue to mistreat us." He said one Obama spoke about peace in addressing the General Assembly, yet has seven U.S. military bases in Colombia. "There's a double somewhere," he said. Asked by a reporter about the closures of television stations in Venezuela, Chavez said it was "a big lie" and asked her to provide an example. She asked about RCT, or Radio Caracas Television. Chavez told her the station broadcasts every day, but that a contract, or concession, had expired for its "open signal" and was not renewed. "Never in Venezuela do we have as much freedom of expression as we do now," he said. But, he asked, "
[ "What did Chavez call for the U.S. to lift?", "Who spoke highly of Obama?", "when did Chavez talk about Obama?", "What did Chavez say about Obama?", "Who did Chavez say was responsible for ousting the Honduran president?" ]
[ [ "\"savage, murderous blockade\"" ], [ "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez" ], [ "Thursday." ], [ "saying he is an \"intelligent man\" and comparing him to President John F. Kennedy." ], [ "accused the Pentagon of being behind the" ] ]
Three years ago, Chavez said it "still smells of sulfur," referring to President Bush . Chavez spoke highly Obama, saying he is an "intelligent man" Chavez said Pentagon behind ousting of Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya . Chavez called for U.S. to lift "savage, murderous blockade" on Cuba .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- More than one million people in Darfur are at risk of losing food, water and shelter in coming months, following the expulsion of international aid groups by Sudan's government, the United Nations' chief humanitarian coordinator said Tuesday. A Doctors without Borders medic helps a sick child in a Darfur refugee camp. The statement by coordinator John Holmes comes after a joint U.N.-Sudanese assessment of the situation. The information was gathered from March 11-18 in hopes of stemming further troubles in Darfur after Sudan's government expelled 13 international relief organizations from the wartorn region. The announcement came on the same day that President Omar al-Bashir, now an indicted war criminal, ignored the threat of arrest by traveling abroad to Eritrea. Also Tuesday, a Sudanese staffer working for a Canadian relief group was shot dead in Darfur. A full report of the assessment will be released soon, according to the U.N., but an executive summary and recommendations were made available on Tuesday. "While a significant effort is being made by the government, by the U.N., by the NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] which are left, to plug some of the immediate gaps in these areas, these are at the same time, 'Band-Aid' solutions, not long term solutions," Holmes said. The U.N. estimates that 1.5 million people in Darfur are dependent on healthcare support, 1.1 million need regular food aid, and another 1 million are in need of clean drinking water. The summary released Tuesday said the World Food Programme, which is still allowed to operate in Sudan, is carrying out a one-time-only distribution program in March and April, but that new partners will be needed to continue delivering food after April. After the International Criminal Court charged Bashir with war crimes and crimes against humanity on March 4, Khartoum expelled 13 international aid agencies and revoked the permits of three organizations in the country. Bashir -- the first sitting head of state to be charged with war crimes by the court -- has continued to say that humanitarian efforts in the country should be "Sudanized." "Within a year, we don't want to see any foreign aid group dealing with a Sudanese citizen," he said at a rally a week after his arrest warrant was issued. Holmes said that 13,000 to 14,000 aid workers in the region already were Sudanese nationals. Holmes said the cooperation and technical help from the Sudanese government on the assessment was a good step forward. But he called it "only the first of many steps if the people in Darfur are not going to suffer major consequences from these expulsions." Sudan's U.N. Ambassador, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, has repeatedly said he has information implicating the ousted organizations in activities contrary to their humanitarian missions. He has yet to make any of that information public. One claim is that some organizations acted as spies for the International Criminal Court. Holmes denied those allegations, saying they remain unfounded. "Despite claims that there are dossiers of evidence, we have not been given any of that evidence," he said. "In the absence of that, no meaningful investigation can be done." The British aid organization, Oxfam, one of the agencies expelled from Sudan, released a statement in response to Tuesday's findings. "Current stop-gap measures will only be effective for a short time," the statement said. "As the rainy season arrives within the next two months, people living in weak temporary shelters, in flood-prone locations where latrines can fill and overflow, will become at extreme risk of disease and death. "With the humanitarian capacity reduced by nearly 50 percent, responding to such emergency scenarios will be an enormous challenge for others to tackle," Oxfam said.
[ "What president was charged with war crimes", "What number of people need food and water?", "What number of aid groups was expelled?", "Where is Darfur?", "Who was indicted on war crimes?", "which aid groups were expelled", "What country is Omar al-Bashir President of?", "who conducted the assessment", "who conducted assessment", "how many need water", "how many aid groups were expelled", "Where is Darfur located?" ]
[ [ "Omar al-Bashir, now" ], [ "1.1 million" ], [ "13" ], [ "Sudan," ], [ "Omar al-Bashir," ], [ "13 international relief organizations" ], [ "Sudan," ], [ "joint U.N.-Sudanese" ], [ "joint U.N.-Sudanese" ], [ "More than one million people" ], [ "13" ], [ "Sudan's" ] ]
Assessment of humanitarian needs in Darfur conducted by UN and Sudan . Info collected in bid to stem further troubles after Sudan expelled 13 aid groups . Aid groups kicked out after President Omar al-Bashir indicted on war crimes by ICC . The U.N. estimates 1.1 million need regular food aid; 1 million need drinking water .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Rapes targeting girls as young as seven are on the increase in Afghanistan where conditions for women are little better than under the Taliban, the U.N. and rights groups say. Conditions for women are little better than they were under the hardline Taliban regime, the U.N. says. In its annual report on human rights, the U.N. warned conditions were deteriorating in the war-ravaged country despite U.S.-led efforts after the 2001 removal from power of the hardline militia. "Violence is tolerated or condoned within the family and community, within traditional and religious leadership circles, as well as the formal and informal justice system," said Navi Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights. The "Afghan government has failed to adequately protect the rights of women despite constitutional guarantees." With a resurgent Taliban targeting NATO forces, government security forces and civilians, violence has been on the increase in Afghanistan.. The number of civilian casualties in 2008 totaled 2,118 -- the highest number recorded since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001, the U.N. said, urging greater protecting for ordinary Afghans. Violence against women comes in the form of rape, "honor killings," early and forced marriages, sexual abuse and slavery, the report says. "The security is the big issue," said Suraya Pakzad, founder of the Voice of Women Organization, which promotes education and awareness of women's rights and protects women and girls at risk in Afghanistan. "Because of security we, unfortunately, day by day, we have to pull out of areas where last year we operated, we have our operations. We were able to work with the women, but this year we cannot," she said. "We have to leave the area because security is getting worse day by day." "Rapes in the country have been growing tremendously, particularly child rapes within the ages of 9, 8, 7, even lesser than that," said Wazhma Frogh, director of Global Rights Afghanistan. "So these are the issues that are all born by this lack of security where women have no place in ... security decisions." Domestic violence against child brides is widespread, said Suraya Pakzad, the founder of the Voice of Women organization, who was married at age 14 and has six children. She said girls as young as 10 face "violation" by husbands 40 years their senior. "By the end ... women, or girls, run away." But women without husbands, especially widows, may have it even worse in Afghanistan, the report says. Without a spouse, the women are reduced to begging to feed their children. Options outside the home are limited where the Taliban holds sway in Afghanistan. The Taliban's interpretation of strict Islamic law, or sharia, has included banning girls from school and the workplace. Even in areas not overrun by the Taliban, women face risks outside the home. "The assassination of the most prominent national female senior police officer, in Kandahar in September 2008, underscores the tremendous risks faced by women in public life," the report says.
[ "Whose rights have not improved under the Taliban?", "Who says girls as young as seven are raped?", "Whose rights are little better under the Taliban?", "Who says that girls as young as seven are raped?", "Who says says girls as young as seven are regularly raped ?", "Afghan women's rights are little better than under what ?", "Who calls for better protection for civilians ?", "What organization is calling for better protection of civilians?" ]
[ [ "Conditions for women" ], [ "U.N. and rights groups" ], [ "women" ], [ "the U.N. and rights groups" ], [ "the U.N. and rights groups" ], [ "the hardline Taliban regime," ], [ "Suraya Pakzad, founder of the Voice of Women Organization," ], [ "the U.N." ] ]
Afghan women's rights are little better than under Taliban, report says . Rights group says girls as young as seven are regularly raped . United Nations calls for better protection for civilians .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Rebel forces have declared a cease-fire after four days of fighting in the North Kivu province of eastern Congo, the French ambassador to the United Nations said after Security Council talks on the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Congolese soldiers and displaced civilians move into Goma on Wednesday, fleeing advancing rebels. Laurent Nkunda, the Congolese Tutsi general who leads troops of the National Congress for the Defense of the People, ordered the cease-fire, Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters. "We hope that it will stand, and we hope that tomorrow Mr. Nkunda will announce that he stops his offensive," Ripert said, adding that he expected the the council would condemn the military operation. He called the humanitarian situation "very alarming," said more than 50,000 people "are on the road," and expressed hope that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would send a high-level envoy to the region for talks "as soon as possible." Representatives of European countries "are talking together" about how best to ease the situation, Ripert said. "We are looking into the most effective and fastest way of helping MONUC," he said, using the French acronym for the U.N. mission in Congo. Nkunda has accused the Congolese government of failing to protect the Tutsi tribe from Rwandan Hutu militia in Congo. Ripert cited reports of fighting at the DRC's border with Rwanda and called on neighboring countries "to use restraint and not to interfere." News of the cease-fire was embraced by Samuel Nagbe, a representative of the relief agency Oxfam, in the eastern Congolese city of Goma. "We are very happy that, at least, the fighting is going to stop," he told CNN. He called for the factions to meet "to find a lasting situation to the crisis." Nkuda's troops were advancing after fighting between the rebels and government forces led thousands of people to flee south toward Goma, capital of North Kivu province in eastern Congo. Conditions in the region were "continuing to deteriorate rapidly," the medical charity Doctors Without Borders said in a statement posted on its Web site. Madnodje Mounoubai, spokesman for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, said government troops were leaving the city, which wasn't on the front lines. He said he didn't know where the soldiers were going, but suspected they were headed to areas of heavy fighting. Ban said at midday he was "alarmed at the escalation of violence" over the prior 24 hours and warned of a "humanitarian crisis." In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters the agency was sending Assistant Secretary Jendayi Frazer to the region as an envoy. "We're working as best we can to minimize or defuse the situation, get more troops in there," McCormack said. Attacks by CNDP rebels have uprooted hundreds of thousands of displaced people from camps run by the United Nations and other organizations. "The humanitarian situation is quite dire," Mounoubai told CNN by phone from Kinshasa, Congo's capital. "We have internally displaced people streaming out of camps. Both parties are blocking the U.N. from reaching desperately needy people to evacuate," he added. "I cannot emphasize how desperate the situation on the ground is." The region's instability endangers aid workers, some of whom have joined the exodus. Michael Arunga, a spokesman for World Vision, told CNN the organization's workers had fled to the Rwandan border, where they were assessing the situation and caring for civilians crossing into the area. Arunga said he himself had fled from Goma, where he could hear shootings at night. "For agencies to operate on the ground, we need a peaceful environment," he said. Doctors Without Borders said that on Sunday, medical teams in Rutshuru treated 70 wounded, and had been working round the clock since. Some of the people who sought help had been on the run for weeks, said the group, which described the situation as "extremely volatile." Doctors have been working mostly
[ "What did the U.N. say?", "Who fled refugee camp?", "What did the UN say about rebel troops?", "Amount of refugees fleeing camp?" ]
[ [ "peacekeeping mission in Congo, said government troops were leaving the city, which wasn't on the front lines. He said he didn't know where the soldiers were going, but suspected they were headed to areas of heavy fighting." ], [ "more than 50,000 people" ], [ "\"extremely volatile.\"" ], [ "50,000" ] ]
NEW: U.N. says rebel troops to adhere to cease-fire . 45,000 flee refugee camp in matter of hours . U.N. says its peacekeepers still in charge of Goma . Congo says Rwandan forces join fight with minority Tutsi rebels .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution Friday that would have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe's longtime president, Robert Mugabe, and 11 senior members of his government. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe meets this week with Arthur Mutambara, an opposition leader. According to a draft of the resolution, the measure would have instituted a travel ban on Mugabe and others in his government, frozen many of their assets and imposed an international arms embargo on the regime. The measure received nine votes -- the minimum for it to pass. However, two of the five negative votes were from Russia and China, who as permanent members of the Security Council have veto power. One Security Council member abstained. The resolution was pushed by the United States after Mugabe ignored the Security Council's appeal to postpone the June 27 presidential runoff election. The vote initially was intended to be a runoff between Mugabe and opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai. But Tsvangirai withdrew days before, saying Mugabe's supporters had orchestrated a campaign of beatings, intimidation and murders against his supporters. With their votes, ambassadors for China and Russia said they wanted to give the rival political parties a chance to resolve the election matter on their own terms without undue interference from the Security Council. Representatives from Mugabe's party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), have been meeting in Pretoria, South Africa, with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change this week. Tsvangirai said Wednesday the talks, which are being mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki, are focusing on "how to move forward." Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said his nation believes the international community should allow the talks in South Africa on the Zimbabwe situation a chance to progress before imposing sanctions. Wang said the adoption of the resolution would "unavoidably interfere with the negotiation process and lead to the further deterioration of the situation." "Many countries, including China, repeatedly called upon the Security Council to respect the position of the African countries on this question and give more time," Wang said. "China has always maintained the best approach to solve a problem is negotiation and dialogue," Wang said. "To use or threaten to use sanctions lightly is not conducive to solving the problem." Wang's comments echoed those of Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who said the Security Council would have overstepped its responsibilities had it approved the resolution. "Recently, in the positions of a number of council member states, we have seen an ever-more-obvious attempt to take the council beyond its chartered prerogatives and beyond maintaining international peace and security," Churkin said. "We believe such practices to be illegitimate and dangerous, leading to a realignment of the entire U.N. system." Churkin also noted that, had the resolution been approved, council members would have ignored appeals from the African Union to let the South African talks take place. He also accused the council of missing an opportunity to coordinate a response that would have "promoted the success of the political dialogue" in Zimbabwe. Speaking before the vote, Zimbabwean Ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku said his nation has been a victim of "incessant meddling" from the international community. Chidyausiku blamed sanctions already imposed on Zimbabwe for its underperforming economy and the suffering of its people. South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo also urged the Security Council to give the South African talks a chance to bring about a resolution. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said the United States was disappointed at the veto. "China and Russia have stood with Mugabe against the people of Zimbabwe ... for reasons that we think are not borne out by the facts on the ground," he said. "The U-turn on the Russian position is particularly surprising and disturbing," he said, noting that a few days ago, the Russian Federation was supportive of a statement adopted at the Group of Eight meeting in Japan expressing "grave concern" about the situation in Zimbabwe. "The Russian performance here today raises questions about its reliability as a G-8 partner," Khalilzad said. The
[ "What would sanctions have imposed on an international basis?", "What country pushed for measures after Mugabe refused to postpone elections?", "Who vetoed the resolution?", "Who refused to postpone runoff elections?", "Who were the sanctions meant for?", "When were the runoff elections scheduled to occur?", "What regime was considered for sanctioning?", "What nations vetoed the sanctions?", "What did Mugabe refuse to do?" ]
[ [ "a travel ban" ], [ "United States" ], [ "Russia and China" ], [ "Mugabe" ], [ "Zimbabwe's longtime president, Robert Mugabe, and 11 senior members of his government." ], [ "June 27" ], [ "the measure would have instituted a travel ban on Mugabe and others in his government, frozen many of their assets and imposed an international arms embargo on the" ], [ "Russia and China" ], [ "postpone the June 27 presidential runoff election." ] ]
China, Russia veto resolution that would have meant sanctions for Mugabe regime . United States pushed for measure after Mugabe refused to postpone runoff elections . Sanctions would have meant travel bans, frozen assets for Mugabe and others . Proposed sanctions also would have imposed an international arms embargo .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The 15th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda brought American U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice to tears as she reflected on her personal memories surrounding the slaughter. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice recalls her time in Rwanda working for the Clinton administration. Rice visited Rwanda as a staff member in former President Bill Clinton's National Security Council six months after the ethnic cleansing. She explained how even months after the violence she encountered decomposing bodies at one of the massacre sites. "For me, the memory of stepping around and over those corpses will remain the most searing reminder imaginable of what our work here must aim to prevent," she said Tuesday at a special commemorative event at United Nations headquarters in New York. She emotionally concluded her remarks, expressing how "We bow our heads to mark the memory of those who were slain. And we bow our heads to mark the sorrow of all who stood by." The mass killings began on April 6, 1994, when tribal Hutu militia members attacked their tribal Tutsi countrymen after the plane of then-President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down. Within 100 days, some 800,000 people were murdered. In addition to Rice, various dignitaries, ambassadors, artists, U.N. officials and genocide survivors gathered Tuesday to mark the tragic circumstances that began 15 years ago. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reminded the audience how the Rwandan genocide continues to haunt "our collective conscience" and that "the prevention of genocide is a collective responsibility." Ban encouraged the world community to remember its shared duty to prevent future catastrophes in the name of humanity and in honor of the memory of those who died. The United Nations created a Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities in 2004. President Obama also released a statement coinciding with Tuesday's anniversary. Obama praised survivors for their remarkable strength, but emphasized the tragedy should always be remembered because each victim "had their own story, their own family, and their own dreams."
[ "When were the mass killings?", "What does Susan Rice recall?", "Where did the mass killings occur?", "Where were the corpses?" ]
[ [ "April 6, 1994," ], [ "her time in Rwanda working for the Clinton administration." ], [ "Rwanda" ], [ "Rwanda" ] ]
U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice recalls stepping over corpses in Rwanda . United Nations ceremony recalls 1994 mass killings in Rwanda . Obama says tragedy must always be remembered .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Friday expressing its intent to, eventually, send U.N. peacekeeping forces back to the fractured, unstable nation of Somalia. Islamist insurgents display their weaponry Friday in Mogadishu during a parade. The resolution was sponsored by the U.S., in one of the final Bush Administration initiatives at the United Nations. The passage of the resolution follows the exit of a U.N.-backed, Ethiopian peacekeeping force that completed a two-year deployment in Somalia Thursday. There is wide-spread concern among diplomats and regional leaders in the Horn of Africa that, with the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces, a power vacuum will be filled in Somalia by regional Islamic extremist groups, some with links to al-Qaeda. The U.N. resolution sets forth a process that aims to bring stability and sovereignty to Somalia, which has been racked by violence and lawlessness since the government was overthrown in 1991. First, the resolution expresses renewed support that an African Union force currently deployed in Somalia -- known as AMISOM -- remains on the ground. The A.U. contingent is currently comprised of 2,600 troops. The U.N. resolution calls on the African Union to strengthen those levels to 8,000. The resolution then requests that U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, submit a report by April 15, 2009 updating the situation in Somalia, and it asks that he develop the mandate for a U.N. peacekeeping force. Finally, a decision on U.N. peacekeeping is requested by June 1, 2009. However, the process is off to a rocky start. Last month, Ban said that requests to U.N. member nations for peacekeeping forces for Somalia were received negatively. Also, throughout, one of the key players in the Somalia decisions will likely be Susan Rice, President-Elect Obama's nominee for new U.S.- U.N. Ambassador, and a specialist on African issues. At her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington on Thursday, Rice told senators that she is "skeptical about the wisdom of a United Nations peacekeeping force in Somalia at this time."
[ "Who sponsored the resolution?", "who completed two-year deployment in Somalia?", "How long were the peacekeepers deployed?", "who sponsored resolution?", "who feared vacuum will be filled?", "Who will fill the vacuum?", "Where will the peacekeepers go?", "Where will the peacekeeping forces send to?", "Who sponsered the resolution?" ]
[ [ "the U.S.," ], [ "a U.N.-backed, Ethiopian peacekeeping force" ], [ "two-year" ], [ "U.S.," ], [ "diplomats and regional leaders" ], [ "regional Islamic extremist groups, some with links to al-Qaeda." ], [ "Somalia." ], [ "fractured, unstable nation of Somalia." ], [ "The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a" ] ]
Resolution expresses intent to send U.N. peacekeeping forces to Somalia . The resolution in war-torn country was sponsored by the United States . Ethiopian peacekeeping force completed two-year deployment in Somalia . Regional leaders fear vacuum will be filled by Islamic extremist groups .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The United Nations humanitarian chief Wednesday criticized a two-day pause in the fighting between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels as "inadequate." U.N. Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes said he would have liked a "proper humanitarian pause." John Holmes, the under secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, told reporters that the 48-hour break in hostilities was not sufficient, even as fighting resumed in the northeast of the country. The brief cessation of hostilities was announced by the Sri Lankan government on April 12 and allowed the U.N. and its partners to bring in necessary aid, said Holmes. He said he would have liked a "proper humanitarian pause" that lasted longer than two days, but hoped the break allowed for some progress to occur. Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon had originally welcomed the announcement by the Sri Lankan government. However, Ban also expressed his concern that, "This is less than the full humanitarian pause of several days I had pressed for." But Ban added that the pause "is nevertheless a useful first step and an opportunity to move towards the peaceful and orderly end to the fighting now so badly needed." The government of Sri Lanka has been battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebels in a civil conflict that has lasted nearly 25 years. The LTTE has been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the United States and the nations of the European Union. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the conflict officially began in 1983. The most pressing concern now, according to Holmes, is the fact that over 100,000 people are currently crowded in a "very small pocket of land" that is about five square miles, or about twice the size of New York's Central Park. "It is a very small area indeed for what we believe is very large number of people" Holmes explained. The crowded population, primarily comprised of Tamil civilians, is subject to the continuing Sri Lankan government assaults. The British and French foreign ministers released a joint statement as well on Wednesday, claiming that the LTTE is also using Tamil civilians as human shields. Holmes also called attention to the fact that the press has been barred from covering the civil strife in Sri Lanka. Ultimately, Holmes and the United Nations would like to see a peaceful end to the hostilities, but "its pretty clear, frankly, that a ceasefire as such is not something available at present circumstances."
[ "How long was the pause?", "how long is the cessation", "how long has the government been battling the rebels", "What day was it announced?", "What did it allow the UN to do?", "How long have they been battling?" ]
[ [ "two-day" ], [ "two-day" ], [ "nearly 25 years." ], [ "April 12" ], [ "bring in necessary aid," ], [ "nearly 25 years." ] ]
U.N. humanitarian chief criticizes a two-day pause in fighting as "inadequate" 48-hour cessation of hostilities announced by Sri Lankan government on April 12 . Ceasefire allowed the U.N. and its partners to bring in necessary aid . Sri Lankan government has been battling LTTE rebels for nearly 25 years .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The United Nations is calling on NATO to do more to stop the Afghan opium trade after a new survey showed how the drug dominates Afghanistan's economy. Afghan villagers tend to opium poppies in Taliban-controlled Helmand province in April 2007. The report from the U.N.'s Office on Drugs and Crime shows the export value of this year's poppy harvest stood at around $4 billion, a 29 per cent increase over 2006. Despite Afghan security forces' efforts to curb the trade, 660 tons of heroin and morphine were trafficked out of the country in 2007, the report said. Opium is derived from poppies, and the data on cultivation was collected by examining satellite images and by assessments on the ground. The report said opium has accounted for more than half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product in 2007. InvestorWords.com defines GDP as the total market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time, usually a calendar year. According to the U.N. survey, about a quarter of the earnings from opium go to farmers. The rest goes to district officials who collect taxes on the crop, to drug traffickers and to the insurgents and warlords who control the trade. Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, urged NATO to take a more active role in countering the spread of the drug trade, which has increased dramatically since the American-led invasion to remove the hard-line Islamist government of the Taliban in October 2001. "Since drugs are funding the insurgency, NATO has a self-interest in supporting Afghan forces in destroying drug labs, markets and convoys," Costa said in a written statement to coincide with the release of the survey. "Destroy the drug trade and you cut off the Taliban's main funding source." James Appathurai, a NATO spokesman, said coalition forces were equally concerned by the rapid growth in the narcotics trade. "We share the U.N.'s concerns," Appathurai told CNN. "Drugs not only poison people, but they poison economies and governments, and it is in everyone's interest to stop this proliferation." He said NATO forces were providing assistance to Afghan police through training and transport but he said there were no plans to deploy coalition troops to intervene directly. "The issue of whether we can do more is certainly a live discussion for NATO, but at the moment this is a matter for the Afghan government," Appathurai said. Farming of opium poppies has been almost eradicated in the north and west of the country, Appathurai said. However, he said, in the lawless southern provinces and especially in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand, poppy production was going on largely unchecked. According to the report, U.N. observers have noticed a proliferation of heroin labs in neighboring countries and along trafficking routes. Costa said the labs are dependent on precursor chemicals, like acetic anhydride, that must be smuggled into the region. He called for tighter controls in chemical-producing countries and stronger intelligence-sharing between Afghanistan and its neighbors. "Drug trafficking is a transnational threat, and therefore national initiatives have their limitations," the U.N. drug chief said. Appathurai said the most effective way to curb the drug trade was tackling the insurgency head-on. He also said it was important to provide alternative work for poor Afghan farmers to encourage them to give up opium production. "You cannot have eradication in isolation. If we don't give them the support to produce alternative crops, then by wiping out their opium fields, you are only creating enemies for the future," he said. E-mail to a friend
[ "What are the findings of the study?", "What is the agency pushing NATO forces for?", "What narcotic makes up half of Afghanistan's GDP?", "what is the skyrocketing problem?", "What drug makes up half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product?", "what NATO forces will attack?", "Which military force does the agency push to attack the problem?", "Who advocates providing income alternative for poppy farmers", "What flower do the Taliban trade in?", "What do drugs fund?", "Which country did the study find opium made up half of it's GDP?", "What is the U.N. drug chief advocating?", "what is unchecked in Taliban strongholds?", "What makes up half of Afghanistans GDP?", "What makes up half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product", "What does the U.N drug chief advocate?", "What makes half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product?", "Where is poppy trade unchecked?", "What do the drugs fund", "Where is the trade unchecked?", "What is funding the insurgency?", "What does UN Drug chief advocate?", "What does the U.N. drug chief advocate?" ]
[ [ "export value of this year's poppy harvest stood at around $4 billion," ], [ "stop the Afghan opium trade" ], [ "opium" ], [ "the narcotics trade." ], [ "opium" ], [ "Afghan opium trade" ], [ "NATO" ], [ "Appathurai" ], [ "opium poppies" ], [ "the insurgency," ], [ "Afghanistan's" ], [ "urged NATO to take a more active role in countering the spread of the" ], [ "poppy production" ], [ "opium" ], [ "opium" ], [ "\"Drug trafficking is a transnational threat, and therefore national initiatives have their limitations,\"" ], [ "opium" ], [ "Taliban stronghold of Helmand," ], [ "the insurgency," ], [ "in the lawless southern provinces and especially in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand," ], [ "drugs" ], [ "\"Drug trafficking is a transnational threat, and therefore national initiatives have their limitations,\"" ], [ "urged NATO to take a more active role in countering the spread of the" ] ]
Study finds opium makes up half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product . Agency pushes NATO forces to attack skyrocketing problem aggressively . Drugs funds insurgency; poppy trade unchecked in Taliban strongholds . U.N. drug chief advocates providing income alternative for poppy farmers .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The United Nations is calling on NATO to do more to stop the Afghan opium trade after a new survey showed how the drug dominates Afghanistan's economy. Afghan villagers tend to opium poppies in Taliban-controlled Helmand province in April 2007. The report from the U.N.'s Office on Drugs and Crime shows the export value of this year's poppy harvest stood at around $4 billion, a 29 per cent increase over 2006. Despite Afghan security forces' efforts to curb the trade, 660 tons of heroin and morphine were trafficked out of the country in 2007, the report said. Opium is derived from poppies, and the data on cultivation was collected by examining satellite images and by assessments on the ground. The report said opium has accounted for more than half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product in 2007. InvestorWords.com defines GDP as the total market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time, usually a calendar year. According to the U.N. survey, about a quarter of the earnings from opium go to farmers. The rest goes to district officials who collect taxes on the crop, to drug traffickers and to the insurgents and warlords who control the trade. Antonio Maria Costa, executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, urged NATO to take a more active role in countering the spread of the drug trade, which has increased dramatically since the American-led invasion to remove the hard-line Islamist government of the Taliban in October 2001. "Since drugs are funding the insurgency, NATO has a self-interest in supporting Afghan forces in destroying drug labs, markets and convoys," Costa said in a written statement to coincide with the release of the survey. "Destroy the drug trade and you cut off the Taliban's main funding source." James Appathurai, a NATO spokesman, said coalition forces were equally concerned by the rapid growth in the narcotics trade. "We share the U.N.'s concerns," Appathurai told CNN. "Drugs not only poison people, but they poison economies and governments, and it is in everyone's interest to stop this proliferation." He said NATO forces were providing assistance to Afghan police through training and transport but he said there were no plans to deploy coalition troops to intervene directly. "The issue of whether we can do more is certainly a live discussion for NATO, but at the moment this is a matter for the Afghan government," Appathurai said. Farming of opium poppies has been almost eradicated in the north and west of the country, Appathurai said. However, he said, in the lawless southern provinces and especially in the Taliban stronghold of Helmand, poppy production was going on largely unchecked. According to the report, U.N. observers have noticed a proliferation of heroin labs in neighboring countries and along trafficking routes. Costa said the labs are dependent on precursor chemicals, like acetic anhydride, that must be smuggled into the region. He called for tighter controls in chemical-producing countries and stronger intelligence-sharing between Afghanistan and its neighbors. "Drug trafficking is a transnational threat, and therefore national initiatives have their limitations," the U.N. drug chief said. Appathurai said the most effective way to curb the drug trade was tackling the insurgency head-on. He also said it was important to provide alternative work for poor Afghan farmers to encourage them to give up opium production. "You cannot have eradication in isolation. If we don't give them the support to produce alternative crops, then by wiping out their opium fields, you are only creating enemies for the future," he said. E-mail to a friend
[ "What makes up half of Afghanistan's GDP?", "What does UN chief advocate?", "What does the U.N. drug chief advocate?" ]
[ [ "The report said opium has accounted for more than half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product" ], [ "do more to stop the Afghan opium trade" ], [ "NATO to take a more active role in countering the spread of the" ] ]
Study finds opium makes up half of Afghanistan's gross domestic product . Agency pushes NATO forces to attack skyrocketing problem aggressively . Drugs funds insurgency; poppy trade unchecked in Taliban strongholds . U.N. drug chief advocates providing income alternative for poppy farmers .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The rift between Russia and Western powers over Georgia burst back into full view on the U.N. Security Council when Russia vetoed a resolution that would have extended the U.N. observer mission in Georgia. The observer force had been in existence since 1993, but Russia claims that the mission was invalidated by last year's conflict over breakaway regions in Georgia. "The U.N. mission's previous mandate has actually ceased to exist in the wake of Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia last August," said Vitaly Churkin, Russia's U.N. ambassador, who said it was "unacceptable" to extend the mission. After the veto Monday night, a statement from the office of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. would "take all measures required to cease the operations of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia effective 16 June." Ban "will consult with his senior advisors and his special representative on the immediate next steps," the statement said. Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war last August over the breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- the first time Russia sent troops abroad in anger since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Both sides blame the other for starting the conflict. Western powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom and France backed the Georgian government in a conflict that rekindled Cold War sentiments. The European Union launched a probe to determine how the war began that is due to be completed by the end of next month. The crux of the controversy remains Georgia's territorial integrity. As a result of last year's war, Russia now considers South Ossetia and Abkhazia sovereign nations independent from Georgia. Russia has no international support for that position aside from the nation of Nicaragua. The Georgian ambassador to the United Nations, Kakha Lomaia, addressed the Security Council following the vote, saying his nation deeply regrets the apparent end of the mission. He called Russia's position "unconstructive." The statement from Ban's office added, "the Secretary-General regrets that the Security Council has been unable to reach agreement on the basis of a package of practical and realistic proposals he submitted to the Security Council aimed at contributing to a stabilization of the situation on the ground."
[ "who supports the position?", "What has ceased to exist?", "Only which country supports the position?", "what is independent?", "Which areas do Russia consider as independent?" ]
[ [ "Western powers, including the United States," ], [ "\"The U.N. mission's previous mandate" ], [ "Nicaragua." ], [ "South Ossetia and Abkhazia sovereign nations" ], [ "South Ossetia and Abkhazia" ] ]
Russia: "The U.N. mission's previous mandate has actually ceased to exist" Russia considers South Ossetia and Abkhazia independent nations from Georgia . Only Nicaragua supports that position .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Three independent United Nations human rights experts have accused Iran of torturing confessions from detainees charged with fomenting political unrest, the international organization said Thursday. Iranian opposition suspects cover their faces at a Revolutionary Court hearing in Tehran last week. "No judicial system can consider as valid a confession obtained as a result of harsh interrogations or under torture," said Manfred Nowak, who is the U.N. special rapporteur on torture. The treatment of detainees at Iran's prisons has increasingly become a divisive issue within Iran's Islamic leadership, as reformists continue to accuse the hardline government of allowing abuse and torture in attempts to coerce false confessions. Iranian officials have denied the allegations. "These confessions for alleged crimes such as threats against national security and treason must not, under any circumstances, be admitted as evidence by the Revolutionary Court," said El Hadji Malick Sow, vice chairman of the U.N.'s working group on arbitrary detention. The United Nations, in a news release, said the statements also reflect the position of Margaret Sekaggya, special U.N. rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. Iran is conducting a mass trial of about 100 Iranian defendants in its Revolutionary Court. Reformist politicians, lawyers and journalists are among those accused of protesting in an attempt to overturn government leadership. Among the defendants are Seyyed Mohammad Abtahi, a former Iranian vice president; Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian reporter for Newsweek magazine; and Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American scholar. Street protests and a brutal government crackdown followed the June 12 presidential election, leading to the arrests of more than 1,000 people. The official death toll from the post-election unrest is 30, although opposition leaders have reportedly said it's more than twice that figure. On Wednesday, Iran's influential parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, dismissed allegations by Iran's opposition that post-election detainees were raped while in custody, according to state-run media. Larijani said that a special panel of Iran's parliament, or Majlis, conducted a "precise and comprehensive inquiry" into the treatment at Tehran's Evin and Kahrizak prisons, and found "no cases of rape or sexual abuse," government-funded Press TV reported. A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry also denied that prisoners had been tortured. "What kind of talk is this? There was never any pressure used against these people," Hassan Qashqavi said Monday, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency. They were responding to accusations made by opposition candidate Mehdi Karrubi who, along with opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi, ran against hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 election. Iran's election authority declared Ahmadinejad the overwhelming winner of the race, sparking hundreds of thousands of Iranians to take to the streets in protest. Iranian opposition figures such as Karrubi have compared the treatment of the detainees to political prisoners abused under the "oppressing regime" of the Shah of Iran, who was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979. In an open letter to former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani posted Saturday on his party's Web site, Karrubi says an "impartial committee" is needed to "investigate these tragedies with transparency until they are resolved." He said he is willing to lead the investigation in a "truthful, unbiased fashion." "Some of the former detainees have told of such brutal and violent, repeated rapes of the young women [in detention] that have caused irreparable damage to their reproductive systems," Karrubi says in the letter. "Others have raped our detained young men with such brutality that they have been afflicted by depression and are no longer speaking with anyone and refuse to leave the dark corners of their houses." Larijani on Wednesday challenged Karrubi to "present evidence of such outrages" for the Majlis to investigate, according to Press TV. Iranian media has reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has ordered one prison, Kahrizak, shut down amid reports it did not measure up to the required standards. Kahrizak's chief was fired and arrested over allegations of detainee mistreatment,
[ "What is the number of people arrested?", "What does the U.N. human rights experts say?", "The government denies what?", "which country conducting a trial", "how many people was arrested", "What country did a trial?", "What number of people where arrested?" ]
[ [ "1,000" ], [ "accused Iran of torturing" ], [ "the allegations." ], [ "Iran" ], [ "more than 1,000" ], [ "Tehran" ], [ "more than 1,000" ] ]
3 U.N. human rights experts say government tortured detained protesters . Government denies opposition detainees were abused into confessions . Iran conducting a trial of about 100 Iranian defendants in its Revolutionary Court . 1,000 people arrested, accused of fomenting unrest after June 12 election .
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is "urgently dispatching" a special envoy to Myanmar, a statement from his office said Wednesday, following reports of violent clashes in that country between security forces and protesters. Protests at the crackdown have taken place overseas, including one outside the Myanmar embassy, London. "He calls on the senior leadership of the country to cooperate fully with this mission in order to take advantage of the willingness of the United Nations to assist in the process of a national reconciliation through dialogue," said a U.N. statement. The envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, is scheduled to lead a briefing on the situation in Myanmar for the U.N. Security Council Wednesday afternoon. "Noting reports of the use of force and of arrests and beatings, the secretary-general calls again on authorities to exercise utmost restraint toward the peaceful demonstrations taking place, as such action can only undermine the prospects for peace, prosperity and stability in Myanmar," Ban's statement said. There's been no official word yet if the military junta ruling Myanmar will accept the offer from the U.N. secretary-general. Speaking at the Labour Party conference Wednesday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown underscored that any trampling on human rights would not be accepted. "The whole world is now watching Burma and this illegal and oppressive regime should know that the whole world will hold it to account," he said. U.S. President George W. Bush, speaking to the U.N. General Assembly's annual session Tuesday before the crackdown, said his administration would impose stiffer sanctions against the country's military regime. "The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. We will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights, as well as their family members," he said. "We will continue to support the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma (the country's traditional name) and urge the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom." His comments were echoed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, also at the U.N. General Assembly. "I'm deeply concerned about the situation in Burma and Myanmar, and I would like to appeal for the peaceful, spontaneous demonstrations which are expressing just political and social concerns that they not be repressed by force in any way," Sarkozy said. Soe Aung, National Council of the Union of Burma spokesman, called for the world to take action. "There should be some action -- decisive action -- taken by the international community. At least there should be an urgent meeting of the Security Council level," he said. Aung also commented that the demonstrators do not seem content to back down. "The monks are very determined that they are going to go ahead with the demonstrations unless their demands are met," he said. Such demands include an apology from ministry authorities for the mistreatment of monks in central Myanmar, a reduction in the price of gasoline -- which originally sparked protests in late August -- and the release of protesters detained since demonstrations began, Aung said. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad. "We are concerned about the situation, particularly now, because we see a worsening of the political situation and that is affecting the well-being of the people of Burma. "We have urged Mr. Gambari and he plans to visit Burma as soon as possible," Khalilzad said, referring to Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N. special envoy to Burma. E-mail to a friend
[ "What did President Bush say?", "What is unacceptable according to Brown?", "Who is sending a special envoy to Myanmar?", "What did the world leaders condemn?", "When did this occur?", "Where are special envoy being sent?", "Who is the UK Prime Minister?", "What did Pres. Bush say?", "What is U.N. sending to Myanmar?" ]
[ [ "his administration would impose stiffer sanctions against the country's military regime." ], [ "trampling on human rights" ], [ "U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon" ], [ "trampling on human rights" ], [ "Wednesday," ], [ "Myanmar," ], [ "Gordon Brown" ], [ "his administration would impose stiffer sanctions against the country's military regime." ], [ "special envoy" ] ]
U.N. to send special envoy to Myanmar amid reports of crackdown . World leaders condemn events in Myanmar, call on regime to desist from force . UK PM Brown underscores that any trampling on human rights not acceptable . Pres. Bush says Tuesday that the U.S. will increase sanctions .
UNITY, New Hampshire (CNN) -- The day began with a kiss. Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama leave Washington on Friday for a rally in New Hampshire. Sen. Barack Obama, on the tarmac at Reagan Washington National Airport, reached out to shake Sen. Hillary Clinton's hand and leaned down to kiss her cheek. It went on from there. Wearing a tie that matched her suit, he put his hand on her back, guiding the way up the plane steps. They sat side-by-side for the flight up to Manchester, New Hampshire, chatting amiably. One overheard conversation was about the plane. Clinton had used it during the primary season. They hopped on a souped-up bus for the 1½-hour ride to Unity, New Hampshire. The honorary mayor of Unity introduced the pair, admitting that he was a Republican who voted for John McCain in the primary. He didn't seem so sure about the general election. They walked onstage to the tune of "Beautiful Day." Arms around each other's waists, they smiled and waved at the crowd. Every camera angle had UNITY signs, big and little, in the backdrop. She said she wants to help elect him president. He gave an ode to Hillary: "She rocks." Watch more from Unity » One woman stood at the back, periodically yelling, "Hillary for VP!" A few others, older women, stubbornly held up tattered Hillary For President placards. But the vast majority cheered her, "Thank you, Hillary!" and him, "Yes, we can!" They held new signs for the new times: "UNITY FOR CHANGE." As the dynamic duo glowed onstage, a Clinton staffer circulated through the press corps with word that Hillary and Bill Clinton had gone online to give the maximum contribution allowed by law to the Obama for President campaign. It was the picture-perfect day of togetherness that Barack Obama had wanted. It was not entirely believable, but politics is the art of pragmatism.
[ "what is the art of pragmatism?", "Where did Clinton and Obama hold the unity rally?", "What do sens. Clinton and Obama hold?", "where clinton and obama hold a unity rally in?" ]
[ [ "politics" ], [ "New Hampshire." ], [ "rally" ], [ "New Hampshire." ] ]
Sens. Clinton and Obama hold a unity rally in Unity, New Hampshire . Crowley: A "day of togetherness that Barack Obama had wanted" "It was not entirely believable, but politics is the art of pragmatism," Crowley adds .
URUMQI, China (CNN) -- Reports of alleged syringe stabbings in a restive western Chinese city are generating a bit of panic, but doctors say some people have incorrectly concluded they were attacked with needles. People's Armed Police units equipped with armored personnel carriers take positions in Urumqi on Saturday. "In the patients we have seen in the last couple of days, there are many which we believe were not actually punctured with needles," Wang Hanbin, a Peoples' Liberation Army doctor examining people in Urumqi, told reporters on Saturday at a briefing. Wang said about 20 cases are being investigated closely and samples were being taken to laboratories in Beijing for more testing. But, he said, "many of the patients we have seen were mainly influenced by psychological factors." Wang, a member of a six-person military medical panel reviewing the syringe-stabbing claims, attributes the false reports to widespread fear and lack of medical knowledge. "Many of the patients did not actually see their attacker or the act of others attacking them with needles. Some patients who had needle puncture wounds experienced some discomfort in the area of the wound, and showed some symptoms, but couldn't give an accurate account of what they perceived to have been a needle attack." This is the latest crisis plaguing Xinjiang province and its capital city of Urumqi, where tensions have boiled over between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. The Han Chinese are the country's dominant ethnic group, and the Uyghurs are a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority who consider Xinjiang their homeland. Ethnic Uyghurs have been blamed for the alleged syringe stabbings, and demonstrators clashed with police in Urumqi for two days this week over the issue. Protesters were demanding better police protection and a crackdown on the Uyghurs. The latest unrest left five people dead and 14 injured, according to Urumqi's deputy mayor, and the Communist party chief in the city has been dismissed from his job amid the crisis, according to state-run media reported. Watch report on unrest in Urumqi from CNN's John Vause » The Urumqi Public Prosecutors Office on Saturday said four ethnic Uyghurs were arrested in connection with three syringe-wielding incidents. At the press conference held by military medical personnel, the doctors said puncture wounds could not be found "in a large percentage of the patients." "Some could have been bitten by insects such as mosquitoes, and in other cases there were moles, or skin pigmentation, and we couldn't find a needle puncture wound," said Wang, speaking at the news conference. "Maybe they heard something from someone, then they discovered that they had a growth on their body. So, then they suspect that they may have been attacked with a needle and came to seek treatment. Some patients who came to seek treatment had some red marks or rash on their skin, but we didn't find any needle puncture wounds." Wang urged people not to panic and urged them to immediately seek medical treatment if they think they were stabbed. He also said people need to educate themselves about medical care. Rumors have abounded in Urumqi of recent syringe stabbers trying to spread AIDS and other diseases. But another doctor, Duan Qing, explained at the briefing that would be impossible for there to be any such cases of AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or syphilis because there is a lengthy incubation period. "Even if there are cases of such illnesses, they are unrelated to incidents. This is basic medical knowledge," she said. The three incidents that led to the arrests occurred in late August. A man admitted stabbing a female shopper with a pin on August 28. Authorities said a man and woman on August 29 stole money from a taxi driver after threatening him with a syringe. And in the third incident, a man resisting arrest stabbed a police officer with a syringe on August 31.
[ "How many have been killed in riots?", "How many were killed in the riots?", "What did the army doctor say?", "How many cases are being investigated closely?", "how many cases are being investigated" ]
[ [ "five people dead" ], [ "five people dead" ], [ "\"many of the patients we have seen were mainly influenced by psychological factors.\"" ], [ "20" ], [ "20" ] ]
NEW: Many "we believe were not actually punctured with needles," army doctor says . NEW: About 20 cases are being investigated closely, including testing, doctor says . Five killed in riots between predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and Han Chinese . Communist Party chief for Urumqi dismissed after deadly unrest .
URUMQI, China (CNN) -- Several hundred people staged a new protest in Urumqi on Tuesday, demanding the release of relatives detained in connection with weekend demonstrations by ethnic Uyghur residents in China's far western Xinjiang region. Ethnic Uyghur women grab the arm of a policeman as they protest in Urumqi on July 7. The crowd of 200 to 300 -- mostly women and elderly -- quickly formed as local authorities were taking members of the media on a tour of a neighborhood that was heavily damaged during riots over the weekend, witnesses said. Riot police quickly moved in to defuse the standoff as the demonstrators shouted the names of family members they wanted released. The protest is the latest sign that tensions are still simmering in the Xinjiang capital, where violent demonstrations have left 156 people dead and more than 1,000 injured, according to the regional public security department. In southern China, police have detained 15 suspects in connection with an incident that may have spurred the deadly rioting in Urumqi, state-run media reported. There is speculation that Sunday's protest, which took place in the predominantly Uyghur-populated Bazaar district, may have been a reaction to ethnic violence in southern China. The violence took place late last month at a toy factory in Guangdong province, where many migrants, including Uyghurs, have moved in search of work. A massive brawl reportedly broke out between workers of Uyghur and Han nationalities. Two Uyghurs reportedly died. The unrest in Urumqi had been brought under control with a massive presence of soldiers and anti-riot squads, the government said Tuesday. Curfews were in force in major districts of the capital. At least 1,434 suspects had been detained by Tuesday morning, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing government officials. "The police have started interrogations with the suspects," said Li Yi, a spokesman for the Communist Party in Xinjiang. Those convicted would be dealt with severely, he said. Watch more on violence in Xinjiang » In a rare public display of dissatisfaction, thousands of Uyghurs -- many of whom feel they are treated as second-class citizens by the majority Han Chinese -- took to the streets Sunday chanting and screaming, prompting a police lockdown of the city. State-run media reported that protesters attacked passersby, burned public buses and blocked traffic. The report did not say how many people took part or what their grievances were. But a witness in Urumqi told CNN that, soon after the protest started about 5 p.m., hundreds of demonstrators "grew into easily over 1,000 -- men, women and children, all ethnic Uyghurs -- screaming and chanting." Police arrived quickly and tried to control the swelling crowd by erecting barriers in the street, but "people pushed them over," the witness said. "They were throwing rocks at passing cars and buses." As the violence escalated, hundreds of riot police arrived, the witness said. "They used tear gas and fire hoses to disperse the crowd. I saw fire trucks, ambulances, armed personnel carriers and what looked like tanks. I heard random gunshots." iReport.com: Are you there? Share photos, video, commentary Late Sunday, the witness said, Urumqi was in a lockdown, with hundreds of People's Liberation Army soldiers in the streets. He reported seeing riot police chasing protesters into alleys and rounding up many of them. Xinjiang is home to many Uyghurs. China's constitution guarantees ethnic minorities equal rights and limited autonomy. However, ethnic tensions run deep. Minority groups such as the Uyghurs complain that they are subjected to discrimination by the majority Han. See a map of Xinjiang » Tensions also ran high in Han communities in the capital on Tuesday as neighbors organized to protect themselves and their businesses. Groups of men carrying pipes, sticks and cleavers milled in front of shops before police dispersed them. "The Uyghurs will attack any Han they see," one man said. The World Uyghur Congress, a dissident Uyghur group based in Munich, Germany, condemned the crackdown on what it described in a written statement as Sunday's "peaceful protest"
[ "where was the protest held", "In what area did the protests occur?", "What is the number of people arrested?", "How many people were killed in the violence?", "How many were held by Chinese police?", "Which region were hundreds protesting in?", "how many were killed", "What is the total killed/", "who were protesting" ]
[ [ "Urumqi" ], [ "Urumqi" ], [ "15" ], [ "dead" ], [ "15" ], [ "Urumqi" ], [ "156 people" ], [ "156 people" ], [ "Several hundred people" ] ]
Hundreds protest mass arrests following ethnic unrest in China's Xinjiang region . Protesters -- mostly women and elderly -- shouted names of relatives being held . At least 1,434 held by Chinese police following weekend Uyghur protests . 156 people killed and more than 800 others injured in violence .
UTTAR PRADESH, India (CNN) -- An Indian police office grabs two fists-full of a suspect's hair; twists and then lifts until the suspect's feet dangle off ground. The suspect: A 6-year-old girl accused of stealing 280 rupees or about 6 dollars. The incident resulted in one officer being fired, another suspended. Charges against the girl were dropped. It was all caught on tape in February of this year. Harcharand Singh and his wife. Mr Singh says their son, accused of thief, died in police custody. Two years earlier in another Indian state another caught on tape moment. A police officer watches as a crowd beats an accused thief. Then the policeman binds the suspect and ends up dragging him behind a motorcycle leaving large raw patches of skin on the suspect's body. The accused survived the thrashing. Two officers were fired in the incident but were later reinstated by a panel that blamed the crowd. Brutal police tactics are all too common in India according to the latest report by Human Rights Watch in India. Naureen Shah with Human Rights Watch says the report is based on interviews with 80 police, 60 alleged victims and other experts. "The police are taking the law into their own hands." Shah says. "They are acting as a vigilante force and they're saying this is a bad guy instead of building a case against him we're going to kill him, we're going to take these harsh measure cause it has to get done." "Police administration are meant to protect, but they are becoming predators." Harcharand Singh says. He is the father of a suspect he says died in police custody. Singh and his wife are dirt poor and partially blind. They sit on a bed with tears in their eyes as they speak about losing their son Pradeep. They say police hauled Pradeep away one night accusing him of being involved in a car theft and shooting. Days later they say he died in police custody. Police refused to comment on the case or the report. "We are scared." Mother Ram Vati Singh says through tears. "What else can we do? We have no money so that we can leave or put up a fight with the police." The case was one of dozens highlighted in the Human Rights Watch report used as yet another example of what they say is out of control police behavior. Watch a report on abuse cases » But the report also revealed something else. The terrible conditions police work and live in. Many live in police stations for days even months at a time unable to go home to see their families because they are expected to be on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Some work and live in tents in scorching temperatures. Their bathroom facilities are often wretched. Their cooking facilities sometimes made up of bricks with fire wood. The number of cases and pressure to solve them is intense. Police also say they are short staffed. One police official told us in his jurisdiction there are 70 police for a population of 250-thousand people, something CNN is unable to independently confirm. There are no computers for reports so police officers fill everything out by hand. Some departments even run out of paper to write the reports according to the Human Rights Watch report. Former Delhi Police Commissioner Ved Marwah says the conditions are dire. "The policemen are treated very inhumanly and that's why he gets desensitized and brutalized by his living and working conditions an by his interaction with the common citizen and with his superiors and that desensitization is reflected in the way an average policeman deals with the public at large." Marwah says. Marwah says there is also interference from politicians in police investigations. "Politics plays a very negative role." He says. Today's politicians, every politician there are good politicians and bad politicians, every politician looks upon it as a profession and he's there to make a quick buck and when he gets that control over the police, he uses an misuses not to ensure that the police enforces the rule of law,
[ "Who claims some police are becoming vigilantes?", "What did the video show?", "What does the video show?", "Who says police are becoming vigilantes?" ]
[ [ "Naureen Shah with Human Rights Watch says" ], [ "A police officer watches as a crowd beats an accused thief. Then the policeman binds the suspect and ends up dragging him behind a motorcycle leaving large raw patches of skin on the suspect's body." ], [ "An Indian police office grabs two fists-full of a suspect's hair;" ], [ "Naureen Shah" ] ]
Video shows girl being physically abused by police, rights group says . Human Rights Watch says some police are becoming vigilantes . Report also shows poor conditions that police are expected to work under . The government has promised changes .
Unheralded American Doug Barron has become the first player to be banned by the PGA Tour for taking performance-enhancing drugs. The 40-year-old has been given a one-year suspension. He is the first professional to fail a drugs test since the PGA and European Tours began their anti-doping programs in July 2008. "I would like to apologize for any negative perception of the Tour and its players resulting from my suspension," Barron said in a statement on the PGA Tour official Web site www.pgatour.com. "I want my fellow Tour members and the fans to know that I did not intend to gain an unfair competitive advantage or enhance my performance while on Tour." In common with their policy, the PGA Tour did not release details of the drug taken by Barron to fail the test. Barron, who turned professional in 1992, was a PGA Tour regular for eight seasons, with his best finish a tie for third at the Byron Nelson Classic in 2006. He has won over $3 million but campaigned in recent seasons on the second-tier Nationwide Tour, playing just one event on the main tour this year. He is also reported to have had health problems. The last time Barron captured the headlines was in very different circumstances at the 2006 Transistions Championship in Florida, where he removed his shirt to play a shot out of the water on the 16th hole at Innisbrook. The incident was captured on television and was greeted with amusement by his fellow players. Neither the PGA Tour or the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have yet to comment further on the suspension. Golf bowed to pressure from WADA to introduce drug testing in the sport last year. PGA Tour testing is administered by The National Center for Drug Free Sport every week of the season, with all samples analyzed by WADA-accredited laboratories.
[ "How much money did Barron win?", "\\What did Barron get?", "Since 1992, how much money has this athlete won?", "What did Barron do?", "Who is Doug Barron?", "Who became the first golfer to be banned?", "How long is the ban?", "When were anti-doping programs introduced?" ]
[ [ "over $3 million" ], [ "one-year suspension." ], [ "over $3 million" ], [ "performance-enhancing drugs." ], [ "first player to be banned by the PGA Tour" ], [ "Doug Barron" ], [ "one-year" ], [ "July 2008." ] ]
Doug Barron becomes the first golfer to be banned for doping by PGA Tour . Barron gets one-year ban for taking unspecified performance-enhancing drug . Barron, 40, has won over $3 million prize money since turning pro in 1992 . PGA and European Tours introduced anti-doping programs in 2008 .
United Nations (CNN) -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will address the U.N. General Assembly in July, the British Mission to the United Nations announced Friday. Queen Elizabeth last addressed the General Assembly in 1957, it said. The queen's July 6 speech will come at the conclusion of a nine-day trip to Canada with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. She will address the United Nations in her capacity as head of state of 16 U.N. member states, the mission said in a news release. Queen Elizabeth is head of state for the United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
[ "What is the queen to do?", "head of state of 16 U.N?", "When was the last address to the UN by Queen Elizabeth?", "How many countries have the queen as head of state?", "What number of countries does she represents?", "When did she last speak?", "Who will address the UN in July?" ]
[ [ "address the U.N. General Assembly" ], [ "Queen Elizabeth II" ], [ "1957," ], [ "16" ], [ "16" ], [ "1957," ], [ "Queen Elizabeth II" ] ]
Queen Elizabeth II to address U.N. General Assembly in July . Queen last addressed U.N. in 1957 . Queen is head of state of 16 U.N. member states .
United Nations (CNN) -- Confronted with the prospect of a Palestinian bid for full U.N. membership, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a sharp rebuke Wednesday to those pressing for statehood -- a rebuke likely to bring criticism from the Arab world. "Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the U.N.," Obama said, addressing delegates at the 66th annual session of U.N. General Assembly. "If it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now." The United States has vowed to block a Palestinian membership application should it reach the Security Council, but is likely eager to head off a scenario that would involve an American veto -- a move widely seen as unpopular across the Middle East. A formal request for full U.N. membership is expected to be submitted Friday. "One year ago, I stood at this podium and called for an independent Palestine," Obama added. "I believed then -- and I believe now -- that the Palestinian people deserve a state of their own. But what I also said is that genuine peace can only be realized between Israelis and Palestinians themselves." A year later, despite extensive U.S. efforts, "the parties have not bridged their differences," Obama said. The American president met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and declared the bonds between their two countries "unbreakable," a move likely to play well at home in an increasingly volatile U.S. political landscape. Though Netanyahu was not in attendance at the General Assembly during Obama's speech, he called the U.S. position a "badge of honor," and has pushed for a resumption of talks, beginning in New York and continuing in Ramallah and Jerusalem. Peace negotiations broke down last year. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with Obama later Wednesday, part of a whirlwind of diplomatic wrangling that has accompanied his proposed move. Obama reiterated his stance on the need for a two-state solution, officials said. Abbas met earlier with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who promised the request would be taken "very seriously," according to Nabeel Shaath, a senior negotiator for the Palestine Liberation Organization. Shaath told CNN it had not been decided if the formal application would be submitted the U.N. secretary-general before or after Abbas addresses the General Assembly early Friday afternoon. Ban said it will "not take long" to get Security Council consideration. Shaath added that settling for a lesser status -- such as being recognized as a non-member state -- is one option under consideration if the push for full membership is blocked. But the Palestinians do not want "anybody to suspect a lack of seriousness," he said. Palestinians' current status at the United Nations is as an observer "entity." Observers can speak in the General Assembly but not vote. While a veto by the United States in the Security Council would block any effort to gain full U.N. membership, a "yes" vote in the General Assembly -- where only a majority would be needed -- would raise Palestinians to the status of permanent observer "state," the status the Vatican currently holds. Abbas' effort to gain U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state is opposed by Hamas, the Palestinian organization that controls Gaza. It has warned Abbas against making the request, saying it would show a willingness to acknowledge and negotiate with Israel, which would "deprive the Palestinian people from their right to come back to their homeland." As national leaders took to rostrum Wednesday to spell out their visions for global peace and security, attention at the U.N. General Assembly seemed to center on the potential membership bid. French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged the body to recognize Palestine as a non-member state, calling for a more definitive timetable for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But he also warned that a U.S. veto of the bid for full membership in the Security Council could be dangerous and might spark violence. Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner seemed to agree, adding that "non-inclusion of Palestine (at the United Nations) this year will create greater insecurity." The Palestinian leader said he
[ "What did the French president say?", "What did Obama do?", "Who did Obama meet with?", "What did Frances President say?", "What could spark violence?", "What did Argentina's president say?" ]
[ [ "urged the body to recognize Palestine as a non-member state, calling for a more definitive timetable for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But he also warned that a U.S. veto of the bid for full membership in the Security Council could be dangerous and might spark violence." ], [ "issued a sharp rebuke" ], [ "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu" ], [ "urged the body to recognize Palestine as a non-member state, calling for a more definitive timetable for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. But he also warned that a U.S. veto of the bid for full membership in the Security Council could be dangerous and might spark violence." ], [ "a U.S. veto of the bid for full membership in the Security Council" ], [ "\"non-inclusion of Palestine (at the United Nations) this year will create greater insecurity.\"" ] ]
NEW: Obama completes meeting with Abbas . The Palestinian leader says he does not expect the U.N. to act immediately . Argentina's president: "Non-inclusion of Palestine ... will create greater insecurity" France's president says a veto could spark violence .
United Nations (CNN) -- Delegates from the United States and other nations walked out of the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a fiery speech that criticized Washington, capitalism and the world body itself. Though incendiary statements from Ahmadinejad are nothing new, tension in the hall grew as the Iranian leader recounted various conspiracy theories about the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. "Some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack," Ahmadinejad told the General Assembly. He followed with the claim that the attacks were aimed at reversing "the declining American economy and its scripts on the Middle East in order to save the Zionist regime. The majority of the American people, as well as most nations and politicians around the world, agree with this view." That appeared to be the last straw for many of the diplomats. Representatives from the United States, Britain, Sweden, Australia, Belgium, Uruguay and Spain walked out while Ahmadinejad asserted that U.S. government was involved in the attacks or allowed them to happen as an excuse to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. President Barack Obama already had delivered his address to the General Assembly and had left the grounds before Ahmadinejad spoke. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president "found the comments to be outrageous and offensive, given how close we are to ground zero," the New York site of the attacks. And Mark Kornblau, a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the U.N., said in a statement, "Rather than representing the aspirations and goodwill of the Iranian people, Mr. Ahmadinejad has yet again chosen to spout vile conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slurs that are as abhorrent and delusional as they are predictable." A European Union diplomat said that all 27 member nations had agreed to walk out if Ahmadinejad made inflammatory statements during his address. The exits did not deter the Iranian leader from his line of attack, however. Ahmadinejad went on to compare the death toll in the September 11 attacks to the casualty count in the wars in Afghanistan in Iraq. "It was said that some 3,000 people were killed on September 11th, for which we are all very saddened," he said. "Yet, up until now in Afghanistan and Iraq, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, millions wounded and displaced, and the conflict is still going on and expanding." Ahmadinejad also continued the attack on capitalism that he began during a Monday address at the Millennium Global Development Summit. He linked the U.S.-led conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan with wars for colonial expansion in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The Iranian president also touched on the recent controversy over a Florida pastor's plans to burn copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, by waving copies of a Bible and a Quran as he declared his respect and reverence for both. And he concluded his address with a defense of Iran's nuclear ambitions, discussing a recently submitted statement to the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. CNN's Richard Roth and Joe Vaccarello contributed to this report.
[ "What conspiracy theories were included?", "whose speech was outrageous?", "Delegates from which five countries walked out?", "Wars in which countries were linked to colonial expansion", "how many walked out?", "The speech was found to be offensive by whom?", "Who linked wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to colonial expansion?", "where was the speech held?", "Who found the speech outrageous and offensive?" ]
[ [ "the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington." ], [ "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad" ], [ "Sweden, Australia, Belgium, Uruguay and Spain" ], [ "Africa, Latin America and Asia." ], [ "27" ], [ "the president" ], [ "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad" ], [ "Assembly" ], [ "President Barack Obama" ] ]
NEW: Obama found the speech "outrageous and offensive," the White House says . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's address included 9/11 conspiracy theories . Delegates from U.S., Britain, Sweden, Australia and Spain walked out on the speech . The Iranian president also linked wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to colonial expansion .
United Nations (CNN) -- The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor reported Friday to the U.N. Security Council that violence continues in Darfur and that the Sudanese president and his government are not cooperating with investigators. Luis Moreno-Ocampo noted positive developments in judicial proceedings and "fruitful" cooperation with international bodies, but said there still remain many setbacks. He explained that crimes continue in the region, including "indiscriminate bombings of civilians ... rapes and sexual violence" and the "use of child soldiers." Moreno-Ocampo also highlighted Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's role in the situation. "Any leader committing crimes will face justice. Power does not provide immunity." Al-Bashir has refused to appoint a lawyer to represent his position in court and, because of the ICC-issued warrant for his arrest, has not risked traveling to attend high-level events such as the U.N. General Assembly or a meeting held by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, or to other countries where it had been thought he might go, such as Uganda, Nigeria and Venezuela. Moreno-Ocampo said respect for the International Criminal Court's decision to issue the warrant would send a clear message that al-Bashir "will face justice." "There was no immunity for President [Slobodan] Milosevic [of the former Yugoslavia], there was no immunity for Prime Minister [Jean] Kambanda [of Rwanda], there was no immunity for President [Charles] Taylor [of Liberia]," he said. Instead of complying with the Security Council, al-Bashir has used the Sudanese state apparatus "to commit massive crimes" and has attempted to "exacerbate" the conflict in the South as means of shifting the international community's attention away from Darfur, Moreno-Ocampo said. He also accused al-Bashir of "stopping information about the crimes" rather than stopping the crimes themselves. Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Rosemary DiCarlo called on the Sudanese government to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court and its investigations as called for in Security Council Resolution 1593. "The United States believes that those responsible for the atrocities in Darfur must be held accountable" as they "affect the stability of Sudan as a whole," she said. DiCarlo said the ongoing violence in Darfur undermines "an already fragile humanitarian situation" and urged all states "to refrain from providing political or financial support" to those charged by the International Criminal Court . Moreno-Ocampo said his office was considering holding responsible Sudanese officials "who actively deny and dissimulate crimes." "Since Nuremberg, due obedience is no longer a legal excuse" for the facilitation of such criminal acts, he said. Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad responded by calling Moreno-Ocampo a "mercenary of death and destruction," back once more to spread his "illusions" and "catastrophic vision." "This is a big lie. The war in Darfur is over," he said. Mohamad turned to those in the Security Council who asked for justice, and said they "should feel ashamed" and that their "credibility is at stake, if they have any." The Sudanese ambassador said Moreno-Ocampo "would like to prolong the suffering of our people," and said, "We will charge him with political prostitution." Reiterating his role as prosecutor is "to investigate and prosecute to contribute to the prevention of future crimes," Moreno-Ocampo said he is "ready to answer any challenge in court." However, he acknowledged he would need the Security Council's full support "to end the current crimes against the people from Darfur."
[ "When did International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor give the report?", "What does Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo say?", "Where is the voilence continuing?", "What is the name of the prosecutor?" ]
[ [ "Friday" ], [ "that the Sudanese president and his government are not cooperating with investigators." ], [ "Darfur" ], [ "Luis Moreno-Ocampo" ] ]
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor reported Friday to the U.N. Security Council . Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo says violence continues in Darfur . Moreno-Ocampo also highlighted Sudanese president's role in the situation . International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrant for Sudan's president .
United Nations (CNN) -- The U.N. Security Council met Monday to consider the Palestinians' bid for full membership in the world body and decided to meet again Wednesday morning, when they will send the matter to the admissions committee, said Security Council President Nawaf Salam of Lebanon. Salam said the decision was made to take the matter to the committee as required by Article 59 of the United Nations' rules of procedure. "So, we have to wait until Wednesday morning," he said outside the Security Council. Though the debate is expected to be largely symbolic in the face of a promised American veto, the permanent observer of the Palestinian Authority to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, held out hope prior to Monday's Security Council meeting that the bid would be accepted. "We hope that the Security Council will shoulder its responsibility and address this application with a positive attitude, especially since we have 139 countries that have recognized the state of Palestine so far, meaning more than two-thirds majority," he said. "We are ready to govern ourselves." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made the bid for the United Nations to recognize an independent state of Palestine on Friday, a move Israel says is premature without direct talks that address its longstanding security concerns. Abbas drew applause when the Palestinian leader raised the document at the podium during his speech at the 66th annual session of the General Assembly. The time has come for a "Palestinian Spring" to join the Arab Spring in reshaping the Middle East, he said. "My people desire to exercise their right to enjoy a normal life like the rest of humanity." But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, later taking his turn to address the General Assembly, said Palestinians are looking for a "state without peace," ignoring security concerns important to Israel. He said Palestinians are armed not only with their "hopes and dreams," a phrase Abbas had used in his speech, but with "10,000 missiles, and Grad rockets supplied by Iran, not to mention the river of lethal weapons flowing into Gaza." "Palestinians should first make peace with Israel and then get their state," he said, adding that peace must arrive through a two-state solution that recognizes Israel as a Jewish state. If that occurs, Israel "will be the first" to recognize Palestinian statehood, the prime minister said. Abbas' move prompted a call from the Middle East "Quartet" for new peace talks intended to come up with a breakthrough by the end of next year. Representatives from the United Nations, the United States, Russia and the European Union discussed the request Friday and issued a statement saying the bid is before the U.N. Security Council. The group called for a "preparatory meeting" to take place within one month to outline how peace might be negotiated. Each side would then be tasked with producing a comprehensive proposal on territory and security issues within three months and "to have made substantial progress with six months," the statement said. Abbas' speech provoked cheers and chants from flag-waving Palestinians who watched the address on a big-screen television in a square in Ramallah, the West Bank. His speech was closely watched across the Middle East. The hundreds who gathered in Ramallah greeted the news that he had formally filed the request with cheers, song and dance. Demonstrations took place Friday in New York and in cities across the Middle East as demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in shows of solidarity. On Friday, a Palestinian was killed and 17 were wounded in clashes with Israeli settlers and Israeli forces in the village of Qusra, Palestinian officials reported. The Israel Defense Forces said they had gone to the village after receiving a report that settlers and Palestinians were hurling stones at each other; when they arrived, about 300 Palestinians began attacking the IDF soldiers, who responded with riot-control methods and live fire. The IDF said it was investigating the incident. Also Friday, an Israeli man and his year-old son were killed when their car drove off the road near
[ "What does the security council president say?" ]
[ [ "we have to wait until Wednesday morning,\"" ] ]
"We have to wait until Wednesday morning," Security Council president says . The United States vows to veto the Palestinian request . Israel says negotiations are the only way forward .
United Nations (CNN) -- The United Nations Security Council has approved a proposal to send an additional 2,000 soldiers and 1,500 police officers to quake-ravaged Haiti, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday. By its approval of the plan Monday, "the council sends a clear signal: The world is with Haiti," Ban said. He said he was confident that member states would respond quickly in order to get the troops on the ground as soon as possible. "I believe that the deployment of additional troops and police forces will be done quite quickly," Ban said. "... In every aspect of our operation there, we are running against time." Look for missing loved ones The forces will bolster the approximately 7,000 U.N. soldiers and 2,200 police already assigned there, at least 22 of whom were killed in the January 12 earthquake. About 150 people affiliated with the U.N. remain unaccounted for. Although Tuesday marks a week since the magnitude 7.0 temblor struck, "there are still lives to be saved," Ban said. Some 90 victims have been saved by 43 international rescue teams, made up of about 1,700 people. Relief operations and delivery of aid are increasing and becoming better organized, Ban said, although he added, "For those who have lost everything, of course, help cannot come soon enough." Despite logistical challenges, the situation is improving, he said. New corridors have been cleared on land. Capacity at Port-au-Prince's airport is improving. And a main port -- rendered unusable by earthquake damage -- is expected to be reopened next week. "There have been some difficulties and some bottlenecks in delivering our relief items," Ban said. "... The situation is overwhelming." But U.N. personnel are working day and night to overcome hurdles and increase the delivery of aid to Haitians, he said. "On the ground, we have seen some difficulties when it comes to deliver[ing] actual relief items, because of the over-demand and the extraordinary situation. I have seen for myself how many people are without homes and shelters, and we have to work very hard, according to this cluster system," Ban said. He was referring to the U.N. Cluster System set up for disasters, under which the World Health Organization plays a lead coordinating role for health, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees or the Red Cross for shelter, and the World Food Programme for food. Watch how UNICEF is trying to help children Twelve cluster systems are up and functioning, Ban said Tuesday, "so you will see a much improved situation in terms of coordination, in terms of delivering aid to people who need it." On Monday, daily food rations for 200,000 people were distributed. The World Food Programme's goal is to reach 1 million people within a week and 2 million within two weeks, he said. "Our chief priority right now is to get the relief distribution system in Port-au-Prince fully operational so that we may more efficiently distribute supplies -- food, water, medicine, tents and other essential items," Ban said. How you can help Ban appealed to international nongovernmental organizations and aid groups to work closely with the U.N. in delivering aid. "We are concerned ... that numbers of unsolicited and uncoordinated supplies and personnel entering the country will stretch limited logistical resources and interfere with the delivery of vital aid," he said. "We have already turned our attention to outlying regions, as well as the capital city. As you know, in certain areas, such as Leogane, the situation is every bit as critical, if not more so, than in Port-au-Prince." See images of the need and relief efforts Asked about a report that fuel for U.N. trucks was scarce, Ban said 10,000 gallons of fuel arrived from the Dominican Republic on Monday night. Alain Le Roy, U.N. peacekeeping director, was asked about reports of looting. It is occurring, Le Roy said, but is not widespread. "Of course there
[ "How many police offices were sent to the quake zone", "How many soldiers were sent to the quake zone", "how many soldiers and police officers are being sent to quake zone?", "What is improving?", "how many people is the World Food Programme hoping to reach within a week?", "How many soldiers are to be sent?", "How many people does the World Food Programme hope to reach within a week" ]
[ [ "1,500" ], [ "2,000" ], [ "2,000" ], [ "Capacity at Port-au-Prince's airport" ], [ "1 million" ], [ "2,000" ], [ "1 million" ] ]
2,000 soldiers, 1,500 police officers to be sent to quake zone . Relief operations' efficiency is improving, secretary-general says . World Food Programme hopes to reach 1 million people within a week . Ban Ki-moon asks other relief groups to coordinate with U.N.
United Nations (CNN) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon handed President Clinton additional responsibility Wednesday for earthquake-ravaged Haiti, charging him with overseeing aid efforts as well as reconstruction. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the impoverished nation January 12, devastating parts of the country. More than 200,000 people died from the quake, a spokesman for the country's prime minister told CNN Wednesday. Ban asked Clinton "to assume a leadership role in coordinating international aid efforts, from emergency response to new construction of Haiti." "You have demonstrated extremely important leadership," Ban told Clinton, who is already the United Nations' special envoy to Haiti. Clinton will work with the Haitian government and the people of Haiti in recovery and reconstruction efforts, according to a statement released by Clinton's U.N. office. He will help coordinate the work of U.N. agencies and other international partners in Haiti, including government donors, private investors and non-governmental organizations, the statement said. "I cannot find any other better suited leader than yourself, Mr. President," Ban told Clinton at the United Nations on Wednesday morning. Clinton thanked Ban. "I will do the best I can," he said. "I think the challenges are great; we still have a lot of emergency problems to deal with," he said. "Almost all the infrastructure (is) gone there, so the trick is to get the Haitian people back where they can stop living from day-to-day and start living week-to-week or month-to-month." Clinton added, "The leaders there want to build a functioning modern state for the first time."
[ "who serves as special envoy of the United Nations to Haiti", "who accused him of overseeing relief efforts", "Who charging him with overseeing aid efforts?", "who many people died from the quake?", "Who already serves as United Nations special envoy to Haiti?", "How many people died from quake?", "who servers as a United Nations special envoy to Haiti?" ]
[ [ "Clinton," ], [ "United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon" ], [ "United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon" ], [ "200,000" ], [ "Clinton," ], [ "More than 200,000" ], [ "President Clinton" ] ]
NEW: More than 200,000 people died from quake, prime minister's office says . President Clinton already serves as United Nations special envoy to Haiti . Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon charging him with overseeing aid efforts, reconstruction, as well . Ban: "I cannot find any other better suited leader"
United Nations (CNN) -- World leaders kicked off a historic two-day meeting at the United Nations on Monday by unanimously approving a "political declaration" meant to stem a rising tide of noncommunicable diseases, now the world's leading killer. It is only the second time a health issue has been debated at a special meeting of the General Assembly after the group's pledge to take on AIDS a decade ago. "This is a landmark meeting," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "Three out of every five people on Earth die from the diseases that we gather here to address." Illnesses that range from diabetes to heart disease to cancer are increasingly reaching developing nations, Ban said, which are often ill-equipped to provide the kinds of medicines and levels of treatment to offset their effects. "More than a quarter of all people who die from (such diseases) succumb in the prime of their lives," he added. "The vast majority live in developing countries." The measure is expected to be adopted in full after a second day of discussion Tuesday. But it will then depend on cooperation from companies that produce food, alcohol and tobacco products to implement broad-sweeping policy shifts to achieve lasting changes that U.N. members say they are hoping for. World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan called the issue a "slow-motion disaster," citing one study that put the cost of noncommunicable diseases to the global economy at $30 trillion by 2030. The effect on individual households, analysts say, is often manifest in reduced physical capacities, long-term treatment and high health care costs. On the national scale, the effect is more clear. Associated costs for heart disease, stroke and diabetes in China alone amounted to $18 billion in 2005, according to a U.N. statement. Russia expended $11 billion that year, while India spent $9 billion and Brazil spent $3 billion. A year later, 36 million people died from noncommunicable diseases worldwide, representing nearly two-thirds of all reported global deaths. Chan said the rise of these diseases is being driven by urbanization and "unhealthy lifestyles," prompted by systemic use of alcohol, tobacco and readily available processed foods. "For a growing number of people, (those foods) are the quickest ways to fill their stomachs," she said. Meanwhile, global obesity levels have doubled since 1980, according to a recent report. "Obesity is the signal that something is terribly wrong," said Chan, who urged a systemic approach among world governments to combat those diseases. Traditionally more widespread in developed nations, obesity -- which, according to reports, is often a product of poor health practices and available food choices -- has increasingly spread to developing nations. Death and illness from noncommunicable diseases are greater threats than transmissible diseases like malaria and HIV in every region except Africa, where they are on the rise, according to a U.N. report. Ban on Monday called for a more comprehensive intervention plan to help reduce the threat, asking for "tobacco-control measures, including raising taxes and bans on advertising and smoking in public places; raising taxes on alcohol and enforcing bans on alcohol advertising; reducing salt intake," as well as replacing trans fats in foods with polyunsaturated fats. He called on member countries to promote public awareness about diet and physical activity, deliver hepatitis B vaccinations and encourage preventive care through counseling. "It is our collective responsibility to make this meeting a success for all mankind," said Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who attended Monday's meeting.
[ "How many people died?", "What are U.N. members vowing to do?", "What did the UN head say?", "How many people have died because of non-communicable diseases in 2006?", "What have UN members vowed to reduce?", "What are greater disease threats?" ]
[ [ "36 million" ], [ "stem a rising tide of noncommunicable diseases," ], [ "\"This is a landmark meeting,\"" ], [ "36 million" ], [ "noncommunicable diseases," ], [ "noncommunicable" ] ]
U.N. members vow to reduce diabetes, heart disease, cancer . 36 million people died from noncommunicable diseases worldwide in 2006 . Such diseases are greater threats than transmissible diseases in nearly every region . 3 of every 5 people die from noncommunicable diseases, U.N. head says .
University Park, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Tens of thousands packed Penn State's football stadium Saturday, cheering the Nittany Lions for the first time since graphic child sexual abuse allegations rocked the university and led to the ouster of its president and iconic football coach. The Nittany Lions lost the game -- the first in 46 years without Joe Paterno as head coach -- 17-14 to Nebraska. But the man who replaced Paterno said that the actions of fans and players Saturday sent a message against sexual abuse and helped them personally come to grips after an emotional week. "It was a day of solidarity for the children, for the victims -- it was a touching moment," interim coach Tom Bradley said of the crowd's demeanor and emotional pre-game ceremonies focused on child abuse. "I felt that today, just maybe, the healing process started to begin." A moment of silence was held before the game in honor of the alleged victims. Current and former players from Penn State and Nebraska locked arms amid thunderous applause from more than 100,000 fans -- many of them wearing blue, to focus attention on child abuse -- in attendance. Interim Penn State President Rodney Erickson said Saturday that it was important for the Penn State community, led by the team's players, to "show unity" for one another and in opposition to child sex abuse. Doing so, he said, is particularly important in the wake of the flood of emotions, including on-campus rioting, that followed Paterno's firing. "We ... want to demonstrate not just to the Penn State community, but to the rest of the world, that Penn State is a caring community, that Penn State is moving forward with a sense of purpose, and that hopefully there are elements of good that can come out of this situation," Erickson told reporters after the game. Sports Illustrated: Despite defeat, healing process begins Paterno's son Jay Paterno, a current Penn State assistant coach, told ESPN on Saturday that "the world ... turned upside down" exactly one week earlier with the arrest of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. A 23-page grand jury report described crimes that Sandusky allegedly committed against young boys between 1994 and 2009 -- some of them on campus, both during and after his tenure at at Penn State. Sandusky's attorney, Joseph Amendola, has said that his client disputes the report. In addition to Sandusky, Penn State Athletic Director Timothy Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz were charged for failing to report the abuse to authorities and misleading authorities. Joe Paterno, the winningest coach in top-level college football history, was not criminally charged. Still, he was dismissed Wednesday by Penn State's board of trustees for failing to do more when a then-graduate assistant told him in 2002 that he had seen Sandusky allegedly rape a boy in the showers of a campus athletics facility. Paterno alerted Curley, his immediate boss, but it was years before law enforcement first learned about the allegation. The graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, who was later promoted to a full-time assistant coach, eventually described the alleged incident in graphic detail to a grand jury. McQueary was placed on administrative leave Friday. Scores of people gathered outside Paterno's home early Saturday evening to show their support. The former coach wasn't home during the game -- later pulling up in a minivan -- but his wife, Sue, did come out briefly to thank those who "propped me up" after the turbulent week. Jay Paterno said Saturday that he had a simple message for his father before the Nittany Lions took to the field Saturday. "Dad, I wish you were here (and) we love you," the younger Paterno recalled to ESPN, breaking into tears. Many questions remain unanswered in the case, with several investigations launched by the school and the state to probe further possible wrongdoing by team, athletic department and administrative officials. Whatever those investigations find, Erickson has said it is imperative to promote dialogue about sexual abuse and change the "culture" at Penn State so
[ "when they will start the healing?", "Where fans meet?" ]
[ [ "today," ], [ "Penn State's football stadium" ] ]
NEW: The interim coach says "today, just maybe, the healing process started to begin" NEW: The interim president says he wants to show Penn State is a "caring community" NEW: Scores of fans gather outside Joe Paterno's home to show support . Fans hold moment of silence before game, many wearing blue .
University Park, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- The Penn State football coach who alerted head coach Joe Paterno in 2002 that he'd seen a former defensive coordinator sexually assault a boy -- an allegation authorities didn't learn of until years later -- was placed Friday on indefinite leave, the school's interim president said. With that, Mike McQueary became the latest casualty in a scandal that began with last week's arrest of the man he allegedly witnessed commit the crime. The arrest set off a chain of events, including the ouster of the university's president and of longtime coach Paterno, a move that sparked on-campus riots after it was announced Wednesday. McQueary in recent months told a grand jury that, when he was a graduate assistant, he saw Jerry Sandusky, now 67, sexually assault a young boy at the campus' football complex. He said he reported the incident to Paterno, who alerted Athletic Director Timothy Curley, Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly said earlier this week. Neither Paterno, 84, nor McQueary is criminally charged. Kelly has said that the alleged failure of Curley and Gary Schultz, the university's senior vice president for finance and business, to tell authorities about McQueary's abuse claim "likely allowed a child predator to continue to victimize children for many, many years." On Friday, acting President Rodney Erickson announced that he and newly named Athletic Director Mark Sherburne had decided to put McQueary on administrative leave. A day earlier, the school athletic department said McQueary would not coach in Saturday's game against Nebraska due to "multiple threats" against him. "It became clear that Coach McQueary could not function in this role, under these circumstances," Erickson said of the decision. Sandusky, the football team's defensive coordinator between 1977 and 1999, was taken into custody Saturday for allegedly sexually assaulting children. Sandusky, who is free on $100,000 bail, disputes the 23-page grand jury summary of graphic testimony describing the alleged crimes between 1994 and 2009, his attorney, Joseph Amendola, has said. On Friday, the lawyer told CNN that a rock had been thrown through a window at Sandusky's home. The scandal has stirred an uproar and a flurry of action over how Penn State athletic and administrative officials handled the matter. Erickson said Friday that he'll appoint an ethics officer to report directly to him. He added that he wants to encourage openness and dialogue among the school's 96,000 students so that they do not hesitate to report such allegations. "Never again should anyone at Penn State -- regardless of their position -- feel scared to do the right thing," he said. Earlier, he announced the creation of a committee to review sexual abuse allegations at the school -- an inquiry that its chairman, Kenneth Frazier, promised Friday would be "rigorous, objective and impartial." State Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis will serve as vice chairman, it was announced at a board meeting. Erickson's predecessor was Graham Spanier, who initially had voiced support for Curley and Schultz and later was removed from office by a unanimous vote of the board of trustees. A senior Navy official told CNN on Friday that, "based on the events this week at Penn State, Navy officials are reviewing" Spanier's membership on the board of advisers at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. The 18 members of the federal advisory committee are nominated to four-year terms. A recommendation to renominate Spanier had been in the works, but will likely be pulled back, the Navy official said. Meanwhile, students held a candlelight vigil Friday night on the University Park campus -- the same place where, two days earlier, others rioted after the university's trustees fired Paterno. The vigil is one of several efforts aimed at bringing attention to child sexual abuse. "We are just as horrified, if not more, than a lot of people," said senior Kyle Harris, 21, a vigil organizer. "We want to make an impact. We want to show these kids we care." Friday's event, which began at 9:30 p.m., included
[ "Over what time was Sandusky accused of carrying out sexual assault?", "what is the name of person on indefinite leave?" ]
[ [ "between 1994 and 2009," ], [ "Mike McQueary" ] ]
Psychologist of alleged victim notes "power differential" between the accuser, accused . Penn State asks fans at Saturday's game to wear blue and donate to charities . Penn State Assistant Coach McQueary is on indefinite leave . Former coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of sexually assaulting kids between 1994 and 2009 .
University Park, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- The fatal explosions at the Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia and the Deepwater Horizon oil rig off the Louisiana coast drive home important truths about our country's energy supplies. The first is that energy extracted from these sources is so valuable for our society that companies can afford to pay their workers premiums to risk their lives in dangerous circumstances. Massey Coal was extracting coal at Upper Big Branch at a cost of $35 per ton, and selling it for $60 per ton. BP and Transocean were extracting oil from Deepwater Horizon at a cost of $50 per barrel and selling it for $80 per barrel The second is that there are no simple solutions to U.S. energy challenges. Wherever we get our energy, the price we pay for it is high. We should consider this seemingly obvious fact when we talk about moving toward an economy that uses less carbon in order to combat climate change. Make no mistake: This move will be costly and is not likely to happen any time soon. Scholars at Resources for the Futures, a Washington, D.C., environmental think tank, estimate that enactment of the Waxman-Markey bill (the American Clean Energy and Security Act) currently pending before the Senate will cost the average ratepayer anywhere from $136 to $413 per year. The reality is our economy is set up to burn coal for electricity and gasoline for cars, and moving away from this will be difficult, time consuming, and will compel consumers to decide whether they think it is worth it. Almost half of the electricity produced in the United States comes from coal, which is cheap, plentiful and secure. Yet besides the dangers to coal miners, coal comes with its own costs. Burning it for electricity creates sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. Scientists and engineers are working on making coal cleaner. One promising approach is carbon sequestration, in which carbon is separated out after burning coal. But once the carbon is separated, it is not clear what will be done with it. The best ideas involve storing it underground in former natural gas reservoirs. Making such storage facilities viable, however, will involve laying pipelines to transport highly compressed carbon dioxide hundreds of miles, likely against strong local opposition. Thus, for the foreseeable future, we are going to be using a lot of dirty coal. Oil has its own deficiencies in terms of pollution and safety of extraction. Burning oil creates a variety of noxious chemicals, as well as carbon dioxide. And, as the oil spill from Deepwater Horizon demonstrates, we will never be able to eliminate environmental threats from drilling. But right now, it is the only thing we have to propel most of our cars. Someday, electric cars may be able to take us farther than the local shopping mall. But even then, we'll have to get the needed power from an already overburdened electricity grid. Many have held up wind and solar power as the saving solutions for our energy future. But these energy sources, which provide about 2 percent of the nation's electricity, have their own drawbacks and hurdles. For example, promising offshore wind projects have been canceled because of local environmental concerns. Indeed, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is scheduled to make a decision on a wind power project off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts this week that has faced opposition from fisherman, local Indian tribes and tourism concerns. After years of discussion, there have still been no offshore wind turbines built in the U.S. And by itself, solar power is clean. But the needed rare-earth elements (such as dysprosium and terbium) are extracted through processes that are less than green. For example, extracting the elements from the raw materials mined requires a great deal of difficult-to-dispose-of and highly dangerous acids. (Rare-earth elements are also used in hybrid car motors.) Further, these elements come from China, giving the Chinese government power over our energy policies. But beyond that, there may be limits -- at least for the foreseeable future -- to how much our
[ "what are the costs" ]
[ [ "$35 per ton," ] ]
Andrew Kleit says recent coal and oil extraction disasters point up truth of our energy needs . Coal mining, oil drilling are costly, dangerous, but economy bound to it, he says, for cars, electricity . Switch to low-carbon sources not imminent, he says; it's expensive, has own problems . Kleit: Americans should face energy facts: Switching to clean energy will cost us.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (CNN) -- When Canadian cocaine smuggler Charles Lai was being sentenced in a Seattle federal courtroom last month, the judge sending him to prison for 13 years offered a small item of good news. A suspected gang member in Vancouver is taken out of a bar in handcuffs. At least behind bars, Judge James Robart said, drug smuggler Lai would not become another fatality in Vancouver's gang wars. Authorities in Vancouver, just 30 miles from the border, are struggling to deal with the boom in the drug trade between the United States and Canada, along with the violence that has come with it. Cocaine from Mexico -- and many of the guns that fuel the violence -- come north via the United States. Canadian smugglers then bring south high-quality marijuana known as "BC Bud" and synthetic drugs like methamphetamine. A recent U.N. drug report named Canada as the "primary" supplier of Ecstasy to the United States. The gang killings are blamed in part over who will control which areas of this estimated $6 billion-a-year narcotics trade. Beyond the string of slayings and shootings that have taken place over the last two years are the new modes in which the violence is carried out. "It's the type of murders, the more brazen public shootings, the shootings in front of the grocery store with automatic weapons," said superintendent Pat Fogarty of the Royal Mounted Police, who oversees a special multi-jurisdictional unit that is taking on the gangs and larger criminal organizations behind them. "It's common now for gangsters to carry body armor and wear it, to have bulletproof cars," Fogarty said. "What that does is when one gang is shooting up another gang, their .40-calibers aren't able to pierce the body armor of the vehicle or the body armor of the vests. So what we've seen is an elevation in firepower, which is a scary process." Watch how authorities are fighting the gangs » Some of the incidents have already become legend: the car radio repairman killed while fixing a gangster's stereo, thugs shooting up the parking garage of a mall with machine guns, the postal worker refusing to deliver mail to a street where a family with well-known gang ties live. The gangs -- police estimate there at least 120 different groups operating in Vancouver and the surrounding area -- have names like the UN, the Red Scorpions, the Big Circle Boys and the Independent Soldiers. They are mostly homegrown operations or recruits from immigrant communities. Some gang members come from middle-class families and join up expecting the Hollywood version of criminal life. "These guys act like rock stars," said Sgt. Kieron McConnell of the British Columbia Integrated Gang Task Force. It's McConnell's job to remove what he calls "the mystique of being a gangster." A 20-year police veteran with a looming frame and completely bald head, McConnell and the officers who patrol with him act as a buzzkill to many gang members' night on the town. The Gang Task Force slowly winds through bars and clubs known for their gangster clientele. Until closing time, the police check for identification and run names. Through an agreement with most of the bars in the city, when police find anyone with a history of violence or drug peddling, they can bounce them from the establishment -- no questions asked. The police's goal is not to harass the gang members, they say, but to remove a potential target from an area full of bystanders. "We are encouraging them not to bring violence with them to where they socialize," McConnell said. Chris Mohan's son did not need to go far, however, to become an innocent victim of the gangs. The violence literally came to his doorstep. In October 2007, Mohan, 22 years old, was walking out of the apartment where he lived with his parents when gang hit men came to murder a neighbor police believe was involved in the drug trade. Mohan was one of six people killed in the shooting. "They killed Chris,
[ "what has been the result for some bystanders", "what is the reason for the increase in violence", "how far from the U.S border were authorities confronting gang warfare?", "in what city were authorities confronting gang warfare", "where are authorities confronting gang warfare", "which city is 30 miles from the border?" ]
[ [ "innocent victim of the gangs." ], [ "the boom in the drug trade between the United States and Canada," ], [ "just 30 miles" ], [ "Vancouver" ], [ "in Vancouver" ], [ "Vancouver," ] ]
Thirty miles from U.S. border, authorities in Vancouver confronting gang warfare . Violence the result of turf wars over increased narcotics trade . Innocent bystanders have fallen victim to gangsters' heavy firepower . Drug dealers sometimes tried in the U.S., where sentencing is stiffer .
VATICAN CITY, Vatican (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI called for peace in the Middle East and an end to the exploitation of children in the homily he delivered early Thursday during the annual Christmas Eve Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Benedict XVI calls for a "conversion of hearts" to help children. He later delivered the traditional Christmas address in St. Peter's Square, sending Christmas greetings in languages including English, Spanish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Slovak and many others. The address is known as "Urbi et Orbi" -- Latin for "To the City and the World." Benedict, 81, called for the faithful to pray for peace to come to "the land in which Jesus lived, and which he loved so deeply." "Let us pray for mutual understanding, that hearts will be opened, so that borders can be opened," he said. The pontiff also called for special consideration for suffering children who are homeless, forced to serve as soldiers or exploited in pornography "and every other appalling form of abuse." "The Child of Bethlehem summons us once again to do everything in our power to put an end to the suffering of these children; to do everything possible to make the light of Bethlehem touch the heart of every man and woman," he said. Watch Pope Benedict deliver his message during midnight Mass » "Only through the conversion of hearts, only through a change in the depths of our hearts can the cause of all this evil be overcome." Thousands heard the pope, in white and gold robes, speak inside the basilica at St. Peter's -- although Vatican cameras captured some sleeping children who had been unable to stay awake for the late ceremony. Those who could not get inside watched on giant television screens outside in the square. As Benedict was leaving down the main aisle, someone wearing red jumped the barrier. The person was swiftly tackled by security. The pope appeared to slow his step momentarily and take a slight step back as the action took place, but he quickly resumed the processional, waving to the audience. Watch as security steps in » Vatican spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi told CNN she did not appear to pose any risk.
[ "What did Pope Benedict XVI call for?", "who tackles the person?", "Who quickly tackled a person as the Pope was leaving?", "Who calls for an end to exploitation of children?", "Who seeks end to violence?", "The Pope seeks to end what?", "Who jumps barrier?", "who seeks to end violence?" ]
[ [ "exploitation of children" ], [ "security." ], [ "security." ], [ "Pope Benedict XVI" ], [ "Pope Benedict XVI" ], [ "exploitation of children" ], [ "someone wearing red" ], [ "Pope Benedict XVI" ] ]
Pope Benedict XVI also calls for an end to exploitation of children . Pope seeks end to violence in to "the land in which Jesus lived" Person jumps barrier as Pope leaves; security quickly tackles person .
VERACRUZ, Mexico (CNN) -- The dead always tell a story. And in Mexico that story is the fight for the right to meet U.S. demand for illegal drugs -- a war becoming more violent and ruthless, mostly because of one group. Suspected members of Los Zetas drug cartel are presented to reporters in Mexico City in April. Its name is Los Zetas. Imagine a band of U.S. Green Berets going rogue and offering their services and firepower to drug cartels. That's what happened in Mexico in the 1990s. Commandos from the Mexican army deserted and set up a cartel, known as Los Zetas. The U.S. government says Los Zetas is "the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and dangerous cartel operating in Mexico." Los Zetas are blamed for last week's brutal killings of the police chief in the southern Mexican city of Veracruz, his wife and four children. The way in which the killers carried out their crime sent a message. At 5 a.m. on July 29, two cars pulled up in front of the police chief's house, and eight or nine gunmen got out, armed with assault rifles and 40 mm grenade launchers. They blasted their way into the house, and it took them less than five minutes to execute Jesus Antonio Romero, his wife, also a police officer, and their son. The gunmen then set the house on fire, killing the remaining three children, all girls. Watch scenes of the escalating drug war in Veracruz » With their fierce weaponry and military expertise, Los Zetas are considered the most formidable enemy in the drug war. "The Zetas have obviously assumed the role of being the No. 1 organization responsible for the majority of the homicides, the narcotic-related homicides, the beheadings, the kidnappings, the extortions that take place in Mexico," said Ralph Reyes, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's chief for Mexico and Central America. The fight against Los Zetas will take years, Reyes said. "They continue to train new recruits through several campaigns. One of them is the very open and public narco banners that they post around the country of Mexico, specifically tailored to the military and [saying] that they will offer better pay and better benefits if they join the ranks of the Zetas," Reyes said from his Washington office, where he directs the U.S. battle against Los Zetas. With its mastery of combat, Reyes said, the organized crime network operates more like a U.S. infantry company patrolling the streets of Falluja, Iraq, than a street gang. Newspapers in Veracruz have headlines almost every day about drug cartels' bloody violence, more often than not linked to Los Zetas. The DEA said that although the group originally was based on military lines, the cartel has been built into a business structure, with quarterly meetings, business ledgers, even votes on key assassinations. And now Los Zetas are taxing businesses beyond their drug reach -- from human trafficking across the U.S. border to, as one recent scandal showed, imposing a kind of tax on the Mexican government. The state oil company has been bleeding billions to corrupt officials linked to Los Zetas. And, as a DEA agent recently said, the American border makes no difference to Los Zetas. It doesn't matter if violence is perpetrated on the Mexican or U.S. side of the border. Inside the United States, one of the instruments of assassination Los Zetas unleashed was teenager Rosalio Reta. Given six months of military training in Mexico, he was sent across the border to target rival drug gangs. He was 13 years old when he committed his first killing. "I loved doing it," Reta says in a police interrogation tape. "Killing that first person, I loved it. I thought I was Superman." U.S. officials have said there are many more like him.
[ "What makes no difference, according to Los Zetas?", "What label has the U.S. given Los Zetas", "What was labeled as the most sophisticated and dangerous cartel?", "What was formed by commandos who deserted the Mexican army?", "What country does Los Zetas come from", "What dangerous cartel?" ]
[ [ "American border" ], [ "\"the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and dangerous cartel operating in Mexico.\"" ], [ "Los Zetas" ], [ "Los Zetas drug cartel" ], [ "Mexico" ], [ "Los Zetas drug cartel" ] ]
U.S. labels Los Zetas as Mexico's most "sophisticated and dangerous cartel" Los Zetas cartel formed by commandos who deserted from Mexican army in '90s . Los Zetas blamed for last week's brutal killings of police chief and family . American border makes no difference to Los Zetas, DEA agent says .
VERO BEACH, Florida (CNN) -- The Rev. Michael Massaro says he has a few aches and pains, but a good night's sleep has done him some good as he recovers from being attacked Saturday with a knife in a confessional at his church. The Rev. Michael Massaro is recovering from two stab wounds that required 14 staples to close. It was one of the most harrowing weekends in the 28 years he's been a Roman Catholic priest, Massaro said. But it won't stop him from hearing confessions. "We're at the mercy of the people we serve," Massaro told CNN. "We can't live in fear. God has asked us to live in trust. If it's going to happen again, it's going to happen again, but that's not going to prevent me from doing God's work." Massaro had just finished hearing confessions in his Florida church when he was stabbed twice in the back by a woman who later told police Massaro is the Antichrist. "It was paralyzing, like a nightmare, and I just feel like I woke up from it. It was so quick and sudden," Massaro said in a telephone interview. Vero Beach police arrested Josephine Gatchell in connection with the attack. The 57-year-old suspect is being held in the Indian River County Jail. She is being held without bail. Gatchell is scheduled to be arraigned on June 12. She has not yet been appointed a lawyer, prosecutors and the public defender said. "She believed [Massaro] was the Antichrist and it was her duty to go there and injure him," police spokesman John Morrison said. Massaro said he thought he had one last confession to hear at about 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. A woman was waiting for him, apparently wanting to be be the last one in. "I was in the confessional, putting my coat on, and felt a piercing sensation in my back left side," the priest recalled. "I looked up and she was standing there, and I felt it again in my back. Then I realized I was stabbed and my hand was covered with blood." Massaro said his alleged attacker stared at him but never said a word. "I ran and got to the car and hoped I could make it to the hospital before I passed out. I was worried about becoming unconscious. Thanks be to God that I didn't hurt anyone driving," he said. An emergency room doctor told police that the knife "went through muscle, a few veins and chipped a rib," according to an arrest affidavit. The blade missed vital organs by two to three centimeters, the affidavit said. Massaro underwent surgery to repair the damage. Doctors used 14 staples to close the "T"-shaped wounds. The priest feels compassion for the woman who attacked him, and he is turning the other cheek. "We have to continue to pray to do the church's work. To love, and most of all to forgive," he said. "To be sure she doesn't do this again, she needs proper medical care. No one in their right mind would do this." It was the second run-in with Gatchell at Holy Cross Catholic Church, according to police and church workers. She was arrested in January, records show, accused of breaking off a piece of a religious statue inside the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. She also allegedly resisted arrest and reached for the officer's weapon. She was confronted by Deborah True, the parish manager. "I took it away from her and asked her why she did that," True told CNN. "She said she did it because it was from her husband's funeral, forty years ago, and Father Massaro stole it, and he was the Antichrist," she said. Massaro said he recognized Gatchell as he ran from the attack. "As I was running away from her, I realized who she was," he said. "She didn't make any efforts to come after
[ "what Police say his alleged attacker called Massaro?", "when The Rev. Michael Massaro was stabbed ?", "where Knife's blade missed vital organs by centimeters?", "who was stabbed?", "What happened to the Reverend?", "what says Massaro?" ]
[ [ "Antichrist." ], [ "Saturday" ], [ "two to three" ], [ "Rev. Michael Massaro" ], [ "attacked" ], [ "night's sleep has done him some good as he recovers from being attacked Saturday with a knife in a confessional at his church." ] ]
The Rev. Michael Massaro was stabbed after hearing confessions . Police say his alleged attacker called Massaro the Antichrist . Massaro says he forgives the woman, who appears to be troubled . Knife's blade missed vital organs by centimeters .
VIENNA, Virginia (CNN) -- The acting chief financial officer of mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac was found dead Wednesday morning at his home, police said. David Kellermann, acting CFO of Freddie Mac, was found dead on Wednesday, police said. David Kellermann was found dead of an apparent hanging, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN. There were no signs of foul play when officers arrived at the home in Vienna shortly before 5 a.m., said Lucy Caldwell, a spokeswoman for police in Fairfax County, Virginia. She said the death "may have been an apparent suicide." A second Fairfax County police spokesman, Eddie Azcarate, said Kellermann's body was found in the basement. "The exact cause of death ... we're going to wait for the medical examiner," he said. Police were called by someone inside the home, he said, but he didn't know who made the report. Watch why police don't suspect foul play » Family members remained in the home, and several visitors went inside. Freddie Mac has been immersed in financial problems since last year, when the government took it over in the midst of the escalating subprime-mortgage loan crisis. Federal prosecutors in New York and Virginia have been investigating it, as has the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a March 11 company filing. Sharon McHale, Freddie Mac's vice president for public relations, issued a statement at midday, saying, "Freddie Mac knows of no connection between David Kellermann's death and the regulatory inquiries that were discussed in our recent SEC filing." Neighbors indicated there was no sign that Kellermann had problems. "They were very friendly with all the young families in the neighborhood ... terrific people," said neighbor Paul Unger. "We saw him when he was out working in the yard. ... We didn't spend a lot of time together." "We're beyond shocked," he said. "He was a great family guy with a beautiful young child." They had the most decorated home at Christmas, Unger added. "I cannot imagine what has happened. ... This is a nightmare." "I asked the policeman what was going on and he told me. I was stunned, silent, shed tears. I feel terrible," Unger said. "This is a solid, salt-of-earth kind of family ... and I just cannot imagine what would have driven him to it." Another neighbor said the family was very "community-oriented," and liked hosting parties at their house. "We're very, very upset right now," said the woman, whose daughter baby-sat for the Kellermanns' 5-year-old daughter. "This is just too much for us." "They were a very happy, happy couple. So it was a shock when we came upon it." Kellermann, 41, was a man "of great talents," Freddie Mac's interim CEO, John Koskinen, said in a written statement. "He dedicated those talents to Freddie Mac for more than 16 years, serving in many business and finance capacities before recently taking the reins as acting chief financial officer. "His extraordinary work ethic and integrity inspired all who worked with him. But he will be most remembered for his affability, his personal warmth, his sense of humor and his quick wit." Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner offered his condolences in a written statement: "On behalf of the Treasury family, we are deeply saddened by the news this morning of David Kellermann's death. Our deepest sympathies are with his family and his colleagues at Freddie Mac during this difficult time." Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. It supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Kellermann, who served as a senior vice president in addition to acting CFO, was named to those posts in September. He was responsible for the company's financial
[ "What was the cause of death?", "Who is Kellermann?" ]
[ [ "\"may have been an apparent suicide.\"" ], [ "acting CFO of Freddie Mac," ] ]
NEW: Freddie Mac says no known link between CFO's death, regulatory probe . Neighbors describe Kellermann and wife as friendly, happy, "terrific people" Freddie Mac CFO died by hanging, according to source familiar with the case . No signs of foul play at home where David Kellermann found dead, police say .
Vacaville, California (CNN) -- You might think green eggs are only found in a Dr. Seuss classic. But at a small, family-run and highly regarded chicken farm on the outskirts of the San Francisco, they're a relatively common sight. "Isn't that beautiful?" said Soul Food Farm owner Alexis Koefed as she held one of the green gems. "The thing about farm eggs is, once you've had them you can't go back to the store and buy eggs again," she said. Chickens at the Soul Food Farm roam freely around the farm's 50 acres. They enjoy vast fields of natural grass and generally live a stress-free life, feasting freely. It's a philosophy unlike that of the industrial chicken farm, and Koefed and her loyal customers believe it produces better eggs and chicken. Soul Food Farm's rise to popularity wasn't limited to locals and the farmer's market regulars. Instead, Koefed's methods attracted the attention of many of the Bay Area's top restaurants and their celebrity chefs, including Alice Waters of the nationally renowned Chez Panise in Berkeley. But an overnight fire in September 2009 raced down the rolling hills surrounding the farm nearly put an end to it. By the time it was extinguished, much of the farm and some 1,200 chicks had perished. With the existence of Soul Food Farm at stake, determined friends, neighbors and loyal customers of the Koefeds came to the rescue. "It was so inspiring and heartwarming, Koefed said. "It was a wonderful feeling to know that people cared about the farm as much as I did." Friend Bonnie Powell organized a fundraising effort of raffles, silent auctions, and dinners. She helped raise $30,000 to build new coops and replace the chicks killed in the fire. "You can't hear something like that and just go, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry that this thing you have worked so hard for is done and there's nothing anyone can do about it,'" Powell said. Through the intrepid determination and loyal commitment of a true community, Soul Food Farm is back on the map.
[ "What killed chicks in 2009?", "It happened in September 2009?", "How much did friends raise to help save farm?", "how many chickens died in the fire?", "How many chicks were killed in 2009?" ]
[ [ "overnight fire" ], [ "overnight fire" ], [ "$30,000" ], [ "1,200" ], [ "1,200" ] ]
Soul Food Farm is highly prized by customers, including fine restaurants . Chickens raised there feed in vast fields and live a relatively stress-free existence . A fire in September 2009 killed more than 1,200 chicks at the farm . Friends got together to raise more than $30,000 to help save the farm .
Vancouver, British Columbia (CNN) -- Holding the Olympic medal she and her mom always wanted, Joannie Rochette finally smiled and talked about when she was a young skater and desperately wanted to make her mother proud. Her mom, Therese, was her biggest supporter and sometimes her biggest critic, she said. She wasn't the best "coach," and she was kind of picky, but she had such a good eye, Rochette said. She was always encouraging, too, even when she was finding fault. "And even though she's not here anymore, I'm not afraid to say it, sometimes she was a pain in the ass," Rochette said laughing, probably for the first time in days. Rochette made her mom very proud Thursday night, winning a bronze medal in the women's figure skating final, just four days after Therese Rochette died of a heart attack. Without her mother to support her, Joannie Rochette skated into Canada's collective heart by relying on all those years of training, all those years of committing jumps and spins to muscle memory. And when she needed it most, she relied on the memory of how her mom would always convince her that she was going to be on the Olympic medals podium. "It feels good for me to talk about her," she said, joyfully recounting the many times her mom took her to practice and stay when the other moms left. She laughed when she told how her mom would assess a school test score of 98 with a "What about those other two points?" "She was my biggest fan, my best friend. She was with me every step of the way," she said. When things weren't going so well in the first week Rochette was here for Olympics training, she called her mom, seeking her advice on what to do about her triple Lutz. Her mom assured her it would be all right, that she just needed to visualize doing it well in her head, that this was something she had done for years. But doing what she did this week was something no person can ever be prepared for. To compete in the spotlight of the Olympics' marquee event, in front of an expectant and hopeful home crowd, with the heartache of her mother's death so present would take strength most of us cannot imagine. But the people closest to her knew she had that strength. Her coach, Manon Perron, said there was never any doubt that Rochette would skate and never a doubt that she wouldn't be standing on the medals podium. "Never ... because she was so ready and the goal was so strong," Perron said, just like a proud mom. "I've been with her since she was 12 so we just have to look into each other's eyes and we know right away. It was really hard on her because her mom was the biggest thing in her life, but she's not a quitter." Rochette said she struggled more than she showed during Tuesday night's short program that captivated the skating world. When she stepped on the ice, her legs were shaking, she said. With mom in 'heart and soul,' Rochette goes for medal "I don't know how I ever got through this whole program. I'm sure my mom was there with me," she said. Rochette was third after the short program -- 7.14 points behind Kim Yu-Na of South Korea and 2.42 points behind Mao Asada of Japan -- who skated just before her. The free skate scores are weighted more and account for roughly two-thirds of a skater's total. Kim made it impossible for Rochette to dream of gold with an amazing free skate that was the best ever under the 6-year-old scoring system -- 150.06. The score was so high it would have beaten seven skaters' combined marks on its own. Her total of 228.56 is also a record. Asada then put up a 131.72, virtually clinching silver. Rochette came on the ice, looking determined, to
[ "What did she win?", "What has Joannie Rochelle earn?", "what does rochette says abouth her mother?", "What does Rochette say of her mother?", "When did she skate?", "What is her sport?" ]
[ [ "Olympic medal" ], [ "bronze medal in the women's figure skating final," ], [ "She wasn't the best \"coach,\" and she was kind of picky, but she had such a good eye," ], [ "She wasn't the best \"coach,\" and she was kind of picky, but she had such a good eye," ], [ "Tuesday night's" ], [ "women's figure skating" ] ]
Joannie Rochette earns bronze medal in women's figure skating . She skated four days after mother had heart attack and died . "It feels good for me to talk about her," Rochette says of her mother . Kim Yu-Na of South Korea won the gold medal with best free skate score ever .
Vancouver, British Columbia (CNN) -- Calling it the most painful injury she has ever had to face, American skier Lindsey Vonn, a medal favorite in five events, has cast doubt on whether she will be able to compete in the upcoming Winter Olympics. "Yeah, that's a possibility," she said when asked at a news conference on Wednesday as to whether a shin injury might keep her out of action. Vonn, a two-time World Cup champion, said she injured her right shin when she fell in practice while in Austria recently. The top of the boot hit her shin at "pretty much the worst place" it could, she said. "It's just a matter of dealing with the pain," she added, indicating there was no structural damage. "We have to see how it is this week," confirmed Vonn -- who added she had not taken any pain medicines while in Vancouver.
[ "What is she recovering from?", "What was the injury ?", "Will she compete ?", "What invite does she compete in?", "what is her nationality", "Where is she from ?", "what is the injury", "Who casts doubts about competing in Winter Olympics?", "what is the competition" ]
[ [ "shin injury" ], [ "shin" ], [ "has cast doubt on whether" ], [ "Winter Olympics." ], [ "American" ], [ "American" ], [ "her right shin" ], [ "Lindsey Vonn," ], [ "Winter Olympics." ] ]
Lindsey Vonn cast doubts on whether she will be able to compete in the Winter Olympics . The American Alpine skier is struggling to recover from a shin injury . Vonn said she injured her right shin when she fell in practice while in Austria .
Vancouver, British Columbia (CNN) -- The tragic death of a trainer at Sea World last week revived a number of long simmering questions. While we still grapple with "how did this happen?" the central question for many revolves around the role of large mammals -- like Tilikum the killer whale -- in zoos and aquariums: Should they be there or not? Animals in zoos, aquariums and museums play an important and powerful part in our cultural and formal educational processes. Humans are inherently interested in nature. We are not very far removed from a time when being knowledgeable about nature was vital to life; you either knew how to find your dinner or you were dinner. Today, with well over 50 percent of our populations living in cities, we are rapidly becoming divorced from the realities of the animal world. The dialogue we see in the media, read on blogs and hear in conversation makes it clear that many people have lots of ideas about what's happening in our natural world, much of it not correct. This lack of knowledge is concerning in a world beset by environmental problems, where species are disappearing at an alarming rate. We need people to understand the changes taking place in our natural systems and appreciate that each of our actions has an impact. More interest and knowledge, not less, is essential. Zoos and aquariums provide access and a vital connection to the world of wildlife and our environment, helping to foster an understanding of nature and how it works, and an appreciation for why it matters. Most professionally operated zoos and aquariums, such as those accredited by the Canadian or American Associations of Zoos and Aquariums, are dedicated to increasing engagement and raising awareness and participation in conservation issues. They conduct active programs that aid species survival, research and conservation, both at their public display facilities and in the field. The Vancouver Aquarium has operated our Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) program since the mid 1960s. Each year, hundreds of marine mammals are rescued from situations of distress and rehabilitated by our dedicated team of staff and volunteers, led by our veterinarian. Their goal is to return marine mammals to good health so they can be released back to the ocean. The Vancouver Aquarium has not had killer whales on exhibit since 2001. However, our orca research continues in the field with experts working off the British Columbia coast to observe and study social interaction, behaviors, migrations, and feeding patterns. We do have beluga whales, including two calves born recently. Belugas are ideally suited to an aquarium environment. The calves' births have allowed researchers to study the social structure of a beluga family, and in collaboration with the University of British Columbia we have conducted beluga vocalization studies since 2002 to understand contact calls and other forms of communication between these beautiful and communicative animals. As our visitors see beluga whales and learn about their communication, natural history and the challenges they face due to climate change in the Arctic, a unique chain is created, moving from initial amazement of observing these creatures to the inspiration to care about them and finally to take action, in large or small ways, to protect their future by conserving their natural environment. We see our role as more important now than ever before. The time of simply displaying animals merely as curiosities is, thankfully, over. Our aquarium, and many others like it, represents often the only -- and the best -- opportunity for urbanites (particularly youth) to establish a connection with the natural world of animals. Sadly, many of us will never experience the joy and wonder of encountering animals in their natural habitat. But can get learn about them up close and personal in a modern and reputable aquarium or zoo. If you have had the good fortune to spend time in such an institution, and have seen the sense of awe and wonder on the faces of youngsters meeting a sea otter, for example, for the first time, you'll know what this is all about. What's more, having access to, and learning about, Tilikum and other whales in aquariums and marine parks since such amazing creatures were first displayed
[ "What is vital to education", "What does the death of a whale trainer raise questions about?", "what does he says about zoos and aquariums?", "what raised questions" ]
[ [ "Animals in zoos, aquariums and museums" ], [ "Should they be there or not?" ], [ "a vital connection to the world of wildlife" ], [ "The tragic death of a trainer at Sea World last week" ] ]
John Nightingale says death of whale trainer raises questions about displaying captive animals . Urbanization make zoos, aquariums vital to education, understanding, he says . Such institutions show why preserving environments is important, he says . Nightingale: Seeing creatures up close makes people more inclined to conservation .
Vancouver, British Columbia (CNN) -- Thousands of Canadians turned the streets of Vancouver into rivers of red on Sunday in jubilant celebration of the country's Olympic gold-medal win in men's ice hockey. Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime, with national hero Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal in the hard-fought game. The win capped off a historic Winter Olympics for the host nation just hours before the closing ceremonies. The country took home a record 14 gold medals -- the most in Winter Olympics history. Fans spilled out of the exits at Canada Hockey Place after the medal ceremony, "clanging cowbells and screaming like madmen," according to Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn. "I'll remember this day for the rest of my life as will all Canadians who are here tonight," one fan at a Vancouver viewing told CNN affiliate CTV in Canada. Watch fans celebrate in a sea of red and white Police told liquor stores in Vancouver to close early at 2 p.m. -- about an hour before the game ended -- ahead of the celebrations. Lines of people were seen at one store 30 minutes before the game even started. In Toronto, officials were forced to close down streets due to swelling masses of revelers waving Canadian flags and standing shoulder-to-shoulder in some of the city's main intersections, video showed. And in downtown Vancouver, people swamped the city's main Robson Square. Strangers high-fived each other in the street and fans were seen jumping onto cars, hugging each other, singing the country's national anthem and chanting "Ole!" and "This is our game." The celebrations were the culmination of a Winter Games that got off to a rocky start, with warmer-than-usual weather that forced delays in some early contests, and the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run hours before the opening ceremony. The feeling of celebration and resiliency was being carried into the night's closing ceremonies. Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette -- whose mother died of a heart attack just days before her bronze-medal-winning performances -- was set to carry the nation's flag before thousands in attendance at BC Place. CNN's Steve Almasy contributed to this report.
[ "who won the gold medal", "what sport was it in", "What happen in Vancouver and Toronto?", "Are canadians clanging cowbells and screaming?", "What do Canadians celebrate?" ]
[ [ "Canada" ], [ "ice hockey." ], [ "celebration of the country's Olympic gold-medal win in men's ice hockey." ], [ "like madmen,\"" ], [ "Olympic gold-medal win in men's ice hockey." ] ]
Canadians celebrate Olympic gold-medal win in men's ice hockey . Win caps off historic Olympics for host nation just hours before closing ceremonies . Witness to jubilation: Canadians "clanging cowbells and screaming like madmen" In host city of Vancouver and in Toronto, happy throngs pour into streets .
Venice, Louisiana (CNN) -- President Obama said Sunday his administration has mounted a "relentless response" to the oil spill unleashed by the sinking of an offshore drill rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Obama met with local, state and federal officials involved in the cleanup in southeastern Louisiana, the closest stretch of coastline threatened by the massive spill. Afterward, he said that despite "the most advanced technology available," the spill may not be stopped for many days. "I'm not going to rest, and none of the gentlemen and women who are here are going to rest or be satisfied, until the leak is stopped at the source, the oil on the Gulf is contained and cleaned up and the people of this region are able to go back to their lives and their livelihoods," he said. "We will spare no resource to clean up whatever damage is caused." Obama met with the commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Thad Allen; EPA administrator Lisa Jackson; Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal; and the presidents of several parish governments after arriving, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said. The president's briefing included an update on the procedures being attempted to cap the well and the economic and environmental impact of the spill, Gibbs said. After landing in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday, Obama joined Jindal on a two-hour drive to Venice, a staging ground for efforts to fight the growing slick. Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Allen warned that the leaking oil from a rig explosion could continue for weeks with dire consequences. "It potentially is catastrophic," Salazar said. "I think we have to prepare for the worst." That would mean oil damaging sensitive coastal wetlands and industries, including a vital fishing sector that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Obama initially planned to fly over the affected area by helicopter, but weather conditions prevented the flight. Before his trip, Cabinet officials warned he would find a dire situation. Officials warn of possible catastrophe Salazar blamed the explosion that caused the spill on a failure in rig technology intended to prevent so-called blowouts. "There is no doubt at all here that what has happened is the blowout prevention mechanism at the bottom of the well ... is defective," Salazar said. "While there have been blowouts in the past, we have never seen anything that has been quite of this magnitude." The well is owned by oil company BP. Lamar McKay, president of BP America, told ABC's "This Week" that the company doesn't know why the blowout preventer failed. All three officials interviewed by CNN repeatedly emphasized that BP is legally responsible for spill and clean-up efforts. They avoided direct criticism of the company, but said BP must do more to try to cap the gushing well. Allen called the spill "one of the most complex things we've ever dealt with," and said it was impossible so far to predict how much oil will eventually leak. "If we lost a total well head, it could be 100,000 barrels or more a day," he said. BP said two Louisiana communities, Venice and Port Fourchon, will likely be the first places hit by the oil slick. Nearly 1 million feet of booms have been deployed in an effort to protect precious estuaries and wildlife, even as thousands of barrels of crude oil continued gushing into the water. Drilling new wells to stop the flow would take a month or two, and it was unclear if the leak could be contained or slowed before then. WDSU: Rush to save Lake Pontchartrain McKay said the company is building a containment system to prevent the leaking oil from spreading, but it may take another six to eight days to deploy it. Meanwhile, the company is working to battle the slick offshore and to clean up any oil that reaches the coast. "We're still working hard, still working hard on the blowout preventer and see if we can actuate this piece
[ "who briefed on procedures?", "Who could not contain the spill?", "Obama said we will spare no resource to clean up, what?", "what caused the spill" ]
[ [ "The president's" ], [ "BP." ], [ "whatever damage is caused.\"" ], [ "sinking of an offshore drill rig in the Gulf of Mexico." ] ]
NEW: President Obama briefed on procedures used to cap well, impact of the spill . NEW: "We will spare no resource to clean up whatever damage is caused," Obama says . Gov. Bobby Jindal: Residents can see the spill, which BP could not contain last week . Venice and Port Fourchon expected to be the first areas affected .
Venice, Louisiana (CNN) -- Seven oil spill recovery workers who were hospitalized in New Orleans after complaining of feeling ill were properly trained and had protective gear on, according to the the federal on-scene coordinator for the oil spill response effort in the Gulf of Mexico. "The heat and humidity in Louisiana can be challenging," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry told reporters Thursday afternoon. She said the workers were treated for several symptoms, including headaches, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath. Safety officials from the Coast Guard, BP and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration had responded to the incident, Landry. "Basically, these folks all had the proper personal protective equipment on, and they all received the required training," she said. "Fortunately, everyone is fine." An investigation is under way "to make sure what we can do to ensure that these workers are all working in safe conditions," Landry said. "We will continue to monitor this situation very carefully so that nobody is put in harm's way as they respond to this spill," she added. A BP spokesman, John Curry, said the company takes "worker safety seriously." The company also said it has provided spill recovery workers with protective equipment, such as suits, steel-toed boots, gloves, hard hats and safety glasses. In addition, BP said, workers are conducting about 250 air-quality tests a day. They also are testing workers for exposure to irritants and other substances that could be harmful, BP said. The company also noted that testing has shown that "airborne contaminants are well within safe limits." The seven workers were at West Jefferson Medical Center in suburban New Orleans, said spokeswoman Taslin Alfonzo said. Five were discharged Thursday afternoon, she said. Based on their symptoms, the workers appeared to have come into contact with some type of irritant, Alfonzo said. However, the hospital doesn't have a toxicology department, so it couldn't identify the irritant. About 10 workers complained of feeling ill on Wednesday, prompting officials to recall more than 100 boats from an area adjacent to the Mississippi River delta. Lisa Faust with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said she believes as many as five were treated at the scene. Six of the seven were brought to the Marrero, Louisiana, hospital Wednesday night by ambulance, and the seventh was flown in. No additional patients have been admitted, Alfonzo said. The Unified Command -- a coalition of agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of the Interior and the National Parks Service -- said Wednesday it recalled 125 vessels from Breton Sound, which lies about 50 miles southeast of New Orleans. The vessels were involved in cleaning up oil that has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico since April, when an oil rig sank about 40 miles south of Louisiana, opening up a leak that has been gushing crude oil into the water. U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Louisiana, again called on the federal government to deploy temporary clinics to south Louisiana to screen workers and relatives possibly affected by the oil. "As I first alerted the federal government over a week ago, our workers and residents in the oil-affected areas of south Louisiana are facing a looming health crisis," Melancon said in a written statement. "People are being exposed to hazardous oil fumes and potentially dangerous dispersants every day, and there is no health care infrastructure in place to treat them and monitor the situation." Melancon said he will personally ask President Barack Obama to take action when Obama visits south Louisiana on Friday.
[ "What type of clinics is the congressman urging the government to set up?", "What company takes worker safety seriously?", "What does BP say?", "What did Congressman urge government to do?", "Near which state were the 125 commercial vessels recalled?" ]
[ [ "temporary" ], [ "BP" ], [ "\"worker safety seriously.\"" ], [ "deploy temporary clinics to south Louisiana" ], [ "Louisiana" ] ]
NEW: BP says it takes worker safety seriously . NEW: BP says it conducts safety tests and provides safety gear . 125 commercial vessels recalled from water near Louisiana . Congressman urges government to set up mobile clinics .