text:
(CNN) -- The University of California San Diego has suspended a student who admitted to hanging a noose in a campus library, school officials announced Friday.

"We are feeling real pain, and we will take real action," said UCSD chancellor Marye Anne Fox told reporters. "The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is my primary concern."

The student, whose identity was not released, admitted Friday to police at the University of California San Diego that she hung a noose Thursday night in the library, police said.

"Detectives have interviewed the student and taken a statement," UCSD police said in a release. "The investigation is ongoing as we continue to identify and interview witnesses."

After Thursday's discovery, hundreds of people joined a campus rally to oppose racial intolerance. "It's OK to feel hurt and angry about this," said one participant. "We've been silent for too long."

Watch iReport of campus protest

One student said she feared for her safety.

The student's admission came the day after police were alerted to the presence of the noose in a library bookcase at the school. Fox said the admission was a result of "pressure from our UC San Diego community."

"This underscores the fact that our university is banding together," she said.

In a crime alert bulletin, police said they received several reports Thursday around 10:30 p.m. of the noose on the seventh floor of the Geisel Library. It was found hanging in an aisle facing windows.

"Officers spoke with people who were in the area, but no one witnessed the noose being placed on the bookcase," police said in a campus notice.

Hanging a noose with intent to terrorize is a crime, it noted.

On Friday, the school announced several measures it was taking in response to recommendations from its Black Student Union. They include the establishment of a task force on minority faculty recruitment, a new commission to addressing declining African-American enrollment and finding space for an African-American resource center.

"I want to emphasize these are the initial steps, and I realize we have a lot of work ahead of us," Fox said.

The noose incident occurred two weeks after Black History Month was mocked in an off-campus party that was condemned by the school.

It's unclear how long the student is suspended for.

text: CNN

text: The

text: University

text: of

text: California

text: San

text: Diego

text: has

text: suspended

text: a

text: student

text: who

text: admitted

text: to

text: hanging

text: a

text: noose

text: in

text: a

text: campus

text: library

text: school

text: officials

text: announced

text: Friday

text: We

text: are

text: feeling

text: real

text: pain

text: and

text: we

text: will

text: take

text: real

text: action

text: said

text: UCSD

text: chancellor

text: Marye

text: Anne

text: Fox

text: told

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text: The

text: safety

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text: our

text: students

text: faculty

text: and

text: staff

text: is

text: my

text: primary

text: concern

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text: student

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text: identity

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text: not

text: released

text: admitted

text: Friday

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text: police

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: California

text: San

text: Diego

text: that

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text: hung

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text: noose

text: Thursday

text: night

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text: library

text: police

text: said

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text: student

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text: taken

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text: statement

text: UCSD

text: police

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text: a

text: release

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text: investigation

text: is

text: ongoing

text: as

text: we

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text: identify

text: and

text: interview

text: witnesses

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text: Thursday

text: 's

text: discovery

text: hundreds

text: of

text: people

text: joined

text: a

text: campus

text: rally

text: to

text: oppose

text: racial

text: intolerance

text: It

text: 's

text: OK

text: to

text: feel

text: hurt

text: and

text: angry

text: about

text: this

text: said

text: one

text: participant

text: We

text: 've

text: been

text: silent

text: for

text: too

text: long

text: Watch

text: iReport

text: of

text: campus

text: protest

text: One

text: student

text: said

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text: feared

text: for

text: her

text: safety

text: The

text: student

text: 's

text: admission

text: came

text: the

text: day

text: after

text: police

text: were

text: alerted

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text: presence

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text: the

text: noose

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text: library

text: bookcase

text: at

text: the

text: school

text: Fox

text: said

text: the

text: admission

text: was

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: pressure

text: from

text: our

text: UC

text: San

text: Diego

text: community

text: This

text: underscores

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: our

text: university

text: is

text: banding

text: together

text: she

text: said

text: In

text: a

text: crime

text: alert

text: bulletin

text: police

text: said

text: they

text: received

text: several

text: reports

text: Thursday

text: around

text: p.m.

text: of

text: the

text: noose

text: on

text: the

text: seventh

text: floor

text: of

text: the

text: Geisel

text: Library

text: It

text: was

text: found

text: hanging

text: in

text: an

text: aisle

text: facing

text: windows

text: Officers

text: spoke

text: with

text: people

text: who

text: were

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: but

text: no

text: one

text: witnessed

text: the

text: noose

text: being

text: placed

text: on

text: the

text: bookcase

text: police

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: campus

text: notice

text: Hanging

text: a

text: noose

text: with

text: intent

text: to

text: terrorize

text: is

text: a

text: crime

text: it

text: noted

text: On

text: Friday

text: the

text: school

text: announced

text: several

text: measures

text: it

text: was

text: taking

text: in

text: response

text: to

text: recommendations

text: from

text: its

text: Black

text: Student

text: Union

text: They

text: include

text: the

text: establishment

text: of

text: a

text: task

text: force

text: on

text: minority

text: faculty

text: recruitment

text: a

text: new

text: commission

text: to

text: addressing

text: declining

text: African

text: American

text: enrollment

text: and

text: finding

text: space

text: for

text: an

text: African

text: American

text: resource

text: center

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: emphasize

text: these

text: are

text: the

text: initial

text: steps

text: and

text: I

text: realize

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: work

text: ahead

text: of

text: us

text: Fox

text: said

text: The

text: noose

text: incident

text: occurred

text: two

text: weeks

text: after

text: Black

text: History

text: Month

text: was

text: mocked

text: in

text: an

text: off

text: campus

text: party

text: that

text: was

text: condemned

text: by

text: the

text: school

text: It

text: 's

text: unclear

text: how

text: long

text: the

text: student

text: is

text: suspended

text: for

question: who is suspended

answer: in a campus library,

text: in a campus library,

question: What was mocked at the party?

answer: Black History Month

text: Black History Month

question: What was the rally opposing?

answer: racial intolerance.

text: racial intolerance.

question: how many people involved

answer: hundreds

text: hundreds

question: when is the incident

answer: Thursday

text: Thursday

question: was he punished

answer: suspended

text: suspended

question: Where did the student hang the noose?

answer: campus library,

text: campus library,

question: what was student attempting to accomplish

answer: intent to terrorize

text: intent to terrorize


text:
(CNN) -- Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said Saturday he will give in to a rebel demand that he impose Islamic law, or sharia, in an effort to halt fighting between Somali forces and Islamic insurgents.

President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed  says sharia law in Somalia will not be strict.

However, Ahmed told a news conference he won't agree to a strict interpretation of the law, which forbids girls from attending school, requires veils for women and beards for men, and bans music and television.

The president, speaking at his palace in the capital, Mogadishu, said local elders and religious leaders, acting as liaisons with the militants, brought him a message saying the rebels wanted a truce in the two-year-old fighting. He also asked African peacekeepers to stand down.

Ahmed, who was elected January 31, said he would ask the AU contingent to leave once there is a solid political solution to the conflict.

More than 40,000 Somalis have returned to abandoned neighborhoods in Mogadishu over the past six weeks, despite some of the heaviest fighting in months, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Friday.

They are part of the more than a million residents who have been displaced by fighting in Somalia, including 100,000 who fled to neighboring countries last year alone, according to the United Nations.

Ethiopian troops entered the country at its request in December 2006. The Ethiopians ousted the Islamic Courts Union, an Islamic movement that had claimed control of Mogadishu earlier that year.

Ethiopia's action had the blessing of the United States, which accused the Islamic Courts Union of harboring fugitives from al Qaeda. But various Islamist groups -- including al-Shabab, which the United States has designated a terror organization -- rejected the presence of Ethiopian forces and mounted an insurgent campaign against the Ethiopians and the transitional government.

From Mohamed Amiin Adow for CNN

text: CNN

text: Somali

text: President

text: Sheikh

text: Sharif

text: Sheikh

text: Ahmed

text: said

text: Saturday

text: he

text: will

text: give

text: in

text: to

text: a

text: rebel

text: demand

text: that

text: he

text: impose

text: Islamic

text: law

text: or

text: sharia

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: halt

text: fighting

text: between

text: Somali

text: forces

text: and

text: Islamic

text: insurgents

text: President

text: Sheikh

text: Sharif

text: Sheikh

text: Ahmed

text: says

text: sharia

text: law

text: in

text: Somalia

text: will

text: not

text: be

text: strict

text: However

text: Ahmed

text: told

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: he

text: wo

text: n't

text: agree

text: to

text: a

text: strict

text: interpretation

text: of

text: the

text: law

text: which

text: forbids

text: girls

text: from

text: attending

text: school

text: requires

text: veils

text: for

text: women

text: and

text: beards

text: for

text: men

text: and

text: bans

text: music

text: and

text: television

text: The

text: president

text: speaking

text: at

text: his

text: palace

text: in

text: the

text: capital

text: Mogadishu

text: said

text: local

text: elders

text: and

text: religious

text: leaders

text: acting

text: as

text: liaisons

text: with

text: the

text: militants

text: brought

text: him

text: a

text: message

text: saying

text: the

text: rebels

text: wanted

text: a

text: truce

text: in

text: the

text: two

text: year

text: old

text: fighting

text: He

text: also

text: asked

text: African

text: peacekeepers

text: to

text: stand

text: down

text: Ahmed

text: who

text: was

text: elected

text: January

text: said

text: he

text: would

text: ask

text: the

text: AU

text: contingent

text: to

text: leave

text: once

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: solid

text: political

text: solution

text: to

text: the

text: conflict

text: More

text: than

text: Somalis

text: have

text: returned

text: to

text: abandoned

text: neighborhoods

text: in

text: Mogadishu

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: six

text: weeks

text: despite

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: heaviest

text: fighting

text: in

text: months

text: the

text: U.N.

text: High

text: Commissioner

text: for

text: Refugees

text: said

text: Friday

text: They

text: are

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: million

text: residents

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: displaced

text: by

text: fighting

text: in

text: Somalia

text: including

text: who

text: fled

text: to

text: neighboring

text: countries

text: last

text: year

text: alone

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: Ethiopian

text: troops

text: entered

text: the

text: country

text: at

text: its

text: request

text: in

text: December

text: The

text: Ethiopians

text: ousted

text: the

text: Islamic

text: Courts

text: Union

text: an

text: Islamic

text: movement

text: that

text: had

text: claimed

text: control

text: of

text: Mogadishu

text: earlier

text: that

text: year

text: Ethiopia

text: 's

text: action

text: had

text: the

text: blessing

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: which

text: accused

text: the

text: Islamic

text: Courts

text: Union

text: of

text: harboring

text: fugitives

text: from

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: But

text: various

text: Islamist

text: groups

text: including

text: al

text: Shabab

text: which

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: has

text: designated

text: a

text: terror

text: organization

text: rejected

text: the

text: presence

text: of

text: Ethiopian

text: forces

text: and

text: mounted

text: an

text: insurgent

text: campaign

text: against

text: the

text: Ethiopians

text: and

text: the

text: transitional

text: government

text: From

text: Mohamed

text: Amiin

text: Adow

text: for

text: CNN

question: Who is the president?

answer: Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

text: Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

question: Who is fighting in Somalia?

answer: rebels

text: rebels

question: who won't agree to a strict interpretation of Islamic law?

answer: President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

text: President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed

question: What is the aim of the concession?

answer: to halt fighting between Somali forces and Islamic insurgents.

text: to halt fighting between Somali forces and Islamic insurgents.

question: who has asked African peacekeepers to stand down?

answer: The president,

text: The president,

question: What did he ask African peacekeepers to do?

answer: stand down.

text: stand down.

question: What will President Ahmed not agree to?

answer: a strict interpretation of the law, which forbids girls from attending school, requires veils for women and beards for men, and bans music and television.

text: a strict interpretation of the law, which forbids girls from attending school, requires veils for women and beards for men, and bans music and television.


text:
(CNN) -- The city of Fargo, North Dakota, largely completed flood preparations early Thursday as a surging Red River rose nearly 3 feet in 24 hours.

The waterway was well beyond its banks along the North Dakota-Minnesota line.

"Thanks to our volunteers, we've been able to fill a million sandbags and place 700,000 around our city," Fargo spokeswoman Karena Carlson said early Thursday. "We're just buttoning up a lot of our clay levees and putting a few more sandbags in place, and we hope to be protected up to 40 feet."

Several hundred volunteers worked with the National Guard in Fargo to fill those sandbags as the river rose.

Flooding where you are? Share pictures, video

Fargo set a record in 2009 when the Red River hit 40.8 feet. As of 9:15 a.m. Saturday, the river stood at 36.56 feet, more than 18 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet and past major flood stage.

"Fortunately, we started filling sandbags March 1st. We thought our crest was going to be the first or second week in April. It turns out our crest is going to be this week," Carlson said. "So we did it in just over two weeks."

Floodwaters are forecast to peak at 38 feet Sunday afternoon.

Last week, warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota, causing the Red River to swell. Upstream, snow and ice have yet to melt, causing water to accumulate near the two cities.

Across the river in Moorhead, Tom Holmgren spent Wednesday filling sandbags as Minnesota State University gave students time off to help with the effort.

"Most of my friends have put in at least a couple hours," said Holmgren, who said sandbagging has become a source of college pride. "I know there's a big push in just the college community that's like, 'Yeah, we're doing it. We're saving this town.'"

One man refuses to leave his home

About 90 miles south of Fargo in Browns Valley, Minnesota, Kathryn Bartz said Thursday that she's grateful that a 40-year water diversion project is nearly complete.

"Otherwise I believe we would have washed out a considerable amount of our town," said Bartz, a former town council member.

Browns Valley suffered severe flooding from the winding Little Minnesota River in 2007, 1993 and 1943, and lesser floods many other years. Funding and property acquisition problems kept the diversion project -- consisting mainly of a canal to carry overflow around the town -- from being completed, Bartz said.

A section of a new road that is part of the project washed out this week, but boulders and rocks were put in place to prevent further erosion, said Bartz, 66, who owns a hobby ranch outside of town.

"That will be repaired when the water goes down," she said. "It's an inconvenience, but we are grateful that it has worked as well as it has."

Meanwhile, in the Northeast, utility crews made steady progress restoring electricity after a nor'easter -- a powerful low-pressure system -- blasted the region over the weekend.

About 40,000 customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut remained without power early Thursday, down from a peak of more than 500,000.

"We recognize the hardship our customers face from being without power for days," said Jeff Butler, president of Connecticut Light & Power. "We appreciate everyone's patience as we continue to safely restore power as quickly as possible."

The outages were caused mostly by power lines downed by Saturday's hurricane-force winds, which knocked over trees and utility poles. At least seven deaths were attributed to the storm, authorities said.

CNN's Ed Payne and Jim Kavanagh and CNN Radio's Shelby Erdman contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: The

text: city

text: of

text: Fargo

text: North

text: Dakota

text: largely

text: completed

text: flood

text: preparations

text: early

text: Thursday

text: as

text: a

text: surging

text: Red

text: River

text: rose

text: nearly

text: feet

text: in

text: hours

text: The

text: waterway

text: was

text: well

text: beyond

text: its

text: banks

text: along

text: the

text: North

text: Dakota

text: Minnesota

text: line

text: Thanks

text: to

text: our

text: volunteers

text: we

text: 've

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: fill

text: a

text: million

text: sandbags

text: and

text: place

text: around

text: our

text: city

text: Fargo

text: spokeswoman

text: Karena

text: Carlson

text: said

text: early

text: Thursday

text: We

text: 're

text: just

text: buttoning

text: up

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: our

text: clay

text: levees

text: and

text: putting

text: a

text: few

text: more

text: sandbags

text: in

text: place

text: and

text: we

text: hope

text: to

text: be

text: protected

text: up

text: to

text: feet

text: Several

text: hundred

text: volunteers

text: worked

text: with

text: the

text: National

text: Guard

text: in

text: Fargo

text: to

text: fill

text: those

text: sandbags

text: as

text: the

text: river

text: rose

text: Flooding

text: where

text: you

text: are

text: Share

text: pictures

text: video

text: Fargo

text: set

text: a

text: record

text: in

text: when

text: the

text: Red

text: River

text: hit

text: feet

text: As

text: of

text: a.m.

text: Saturday

text: the

text: river

text: stood

text: at

text: feet

text: more

text: than

text: feet

text: above

text: the

text: flood

text: stage

text: of

text: feet

text: and

text: past

text: major

text: flood

text: stage

text: Fortunately

text: we

text: started

text: filling

text: sandbags

text: March

text: We

text: thought

text: our

text: crest

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: first

text: or

text: second

text: week

text: in

text: April

text: It

text: turns

text: out

text: our

text: crest

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: this

text: week

text: Carlson

text: said

text: So

text: we

text: did

text: it

text: in

text: just

text: over

text: two

text: weeks

text: Floodwaters

text: are

text: forecast

text: to

text: peak

text: at

text: feet

text: Sunday

text: afternoon

text: Last

text: week

text: warm

text: weather

text: and

text: rain

text: melted

text: snow

text: south

text: of

text: Fargo

text: and

text: Moorhead

text: Minnesota

text: causing

text: the

text: Red

text: River

text: to

text: swell

text: Upstream

text: snow

text: and

text: ice

text: have

text: yet

text: to

text: melt

text: causing

text: water

text: to

text: accumulate

text: near

text: the

text: two

text: cities

text: Across

text: the

text: river

text: in

text: Moorhead

text: Tom

text: Holmgren

text: spent

text: Wednesday

text: filling

text: sandbags

text: as

text: Minnesota

text: State

text: University

text: gave

text: students

text: time

text: off

text: to

text: help

text: with

text: the

text: effort

text: Most

text: of

text: my

text: friends

text: have

text: put

text: in

text: at

text: least

text: a

text: couple

text: hours

text: said

text: Holmgren

text: who

text: said

text: sandbagging

text: has

text: become

text: a

text: source

text: of

text: college

text: pride

text: I

text: know

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: big

text: push

text: in

text: just

text: the

text: college

text: community

text: that

text: 's

text: like

text: Yeah

text: we

text: 're

text: doing

text: it

text: We

text: 're

text: saving

text: this

text: town

text: One

text: man

text: refuses

text: to

text: leave

text: his

text: home

text: About

text: miles

text: south

text: of

text: Fargo

text: in

text: Browns

text: Valley

text: Minnesota

text: Kathryn

text: Bartz

text: said

text: Thursday

text: that

text: she

text: 's

text: grateful

text: that

text: a

text: water

text: diversion

text: project

text: is

text: nearly

text: complete

text: Otherwise

text: I

text: believe

text: we

text: would

text: have

text: washed

text: out

text: a

text: considerable

text: amount

text: of

text: our

text: town

text: said

text: Bartz

text: a

text: former

text: town

text: council

text: member

text: Browns

text: Valley

text: suffered

text: severe

text: flooding

text: from

text: the

text: winding

text: Little

text: Minnesota

text: River

text: in

text: and

text: and

text: lesser

text: floods

text: many

text: other

text: years

text: Funding

text: and

text: property

text: acquisition

text: problems

text: kept

text: the

text: diversion

text: project

text: consisting

text: mainly

text: of

text: a

text: canal

text: to

text: carry

text: overflow

text: around

text: the

text: town

text: from

text: being

text: completed

text: Bartz

text: said

text: A

text: section

text: of

text: a

text: new

text: road

text: that

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: project

text: washed

text: out

text: this

text: week

text: but

text: boulders

text: and

text: rocks

text: were

text: put

text: in

text: place

text: to

text: prevent

text: further

text: erosion

text: said

text: Bartz

text: who

text: owns

text: a

text: hobby

text: ranch

text: outside

text: of

text: town

text: That

text: will

text: be

text: repaired

text: when

text: the

text: water

text: goes

text: down

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: an

text: inconvenience

text: but

text: we

text: are

text: grateful

text: that

text: it

text: has

text: worked

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: it

text: has

text: Meanwhile

text: in

text: the

text: Northeast

text: utility

text: crews

text: made

text: steady

text: progress

text: restoring

text: electricity

text: after

text: a

text: nor'easter

text: a

text: powerful

text: low

text: pressure

text: system

text: blasted

text: the

text: region

text: over

text: the

text: weekend

text: About

text: customers

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: New

text: Jersey

text: and

text: Connecticut

text: remained

text: without

text: power

text: early

text: Thursday

text: down

text: from

text: a

text: peak

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: We

text: recognize

text: the

text: hardship

text: our

text: customers

text: face

text: from

text: being

text: without

text: power

text: for

text: days

text: said

text: Jeff

text: Butler

text: president

text: of

text: Connecticut

text: Light

text: Power

text: We

text: appreciate

text: everyone

text: 's

text: patience

text: as

text: we

text: continue

text: to

text: safely

text: restore

text: power

text: as

text: quickly

text: as

text: possible

text: The

text: outages

text: were

text: caused

text: mostly

text: by

text: power

text: lines

text: downed

text: by

text: Saturday

text: 's

text: hurricane

text: force

text: winds

text: which

text: knocked

text: over

text: trees

text: and

text: utility

text: poles

text: At

text: least

text: seven

text: deaths

text: were

text: attributed

text: to

text: the

text: storm

text: authorities

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Ed

text: Payne

text: and

text: Jim

text: Kavanagh

text: and

text: CNN

text: Radio

text: 's

text: Shelby

text: Erdman

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: where has the power being restored?

answer: Fargo, North Dakota,

text: Fargo, North Dakota,

question: How many sandbags did the National Guard fill?

answer: a million

text: a million

question: When did the River expect to crest?

answer: this week,"

text: this week,"

question: how many sand bags did the national guard fill?

answer: a million

text: a million

question: The river expected to crest at what height on Sunday?

answer: 38 feet

text: 38 feet

question: What does resident say?

answer: "Otherwise I believe we would have washed out a considerable amount of our town,"

text: "Otherwise I believe we would have washed out a considerable amount of our town,"

question: What did the volunteers do?

answer: fill a million sandbags and place 700,000 around our city,"

text: fill a million sandbags and place 700,000 around our city,"


text:
ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) -- Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian ministers met in Ankara on Thursday to discuss water shortages in the major Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which run through all three countries.

Iraqi fishermen ride their motor boat in the waters of the Tigris River in Baghdad.

The meeting comes amid a diplomatic spat over Iraqi accusations that Syria is harboring terrorists.

The Tigris River has plunged to record low levels, Iraqi farmers told CNN. Iraq is suffering a drought that its officials are calling a "catastrophe."

Baghdad and Damascus want Turkey, where the source of the Tigris and Euphrates is located, to increase the flow of water passing through its network of dams.

"Syria and Iraq are badly in need of water but our Iraqi brothers feel the need much more ... it is why this meeting is so important," Turkey's official Anatolian Agency quoted Syrian Irrigation Minister Nader al-Bounni as saying at the start of Thursday's tri-partite meeting to address water resources. "Our dams are empty and we have human needs."

Also attending the meeting was Iraq's Water and Natural Resources and Turkey's Environment and Forestry minister, as well as its Energy minister .

But at the start of the meeting at a hotel in the Turkish capital, Turkey's energy minister seemed to rule out delivering significant quantities of additional water to Iraq and Syria.

"We are aware of the water needs of Syria and Iraq," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told journalists at the entrance to the conference. "Water is not plenty in Turkey, and therefore we cannot exceed the determined amount too much."

Turkey provided Syria and Iraq 500 cubic meters of water a second, Yildiz said. But, he added, central and eastern Turkey had only received 350 cubic meters/second of water this year.

The Turkish government said rainfall over its part of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers plummeted by about 46 percent in the past three years.

Over the past decade, some environmental and political analysts have written about the scenario of a "water war" possibly breaking out in the Middle East as countries affected by climate change compete over dwindling access to fresh water.

However, there are more immediate political tensions complicating relations between the neighboring countries.

Syria and Iraq have withdrawn their ambassadors from each others' capitals after a series of deadly suicide truck bombings in Baghdad killed more than 100 people last month.

Iraq demanded Syria hand over several suspects it accuses of organizing the attacks. Damascus has denied charges that it is harboring insurgents.

This week, Turkey's foreign minister shuttled between Baghdad and Damascus, carrying messages between the two capitals in an effort to defuse tensions.

text: ISTANBUL

text: Turkey

text: CNN

text: Turkish

text: Iraqi

text: and

text: Syrian

text: ministers

text: met

text: in

text: Ankara

text: on

text: Thursday

text: to

text: discuss

text: water

text: shortages

text: in

text: the

text: major

text: Tigris

text: and

text: Euphrates

text: rivers

text: which

text: run

text: through

text: all

text: three

text: countries

text: Iraqi

text: fishermen

text: ride

text: their

text: motor

text: boat

text: in

text: the

text: waters

text: of

text: the

text: Tigris

text: River

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: The

text: meeting

text: comes

text: amid

text: a

text: diplomatic

text: spat

text: over

text: Iraqi

text: accusations

text: that

text: Syria

text: is

text: harboring

text: terrorists

text: The

text: Tigris

text: River

text: has

text: plunged

text: to

text: record

text: low

text: levels

text: Iraqi

text: farmers

text: told

text: CNN

text: Iraq

text: is

text: suffering

text: a

text: drought

text: that

text: its

text: officials

text: are

text: calling

text: a

text: catastrophe

text: Baghdad

text: and

text: Damascus

text: want

text: Turkey

text: where

text: the

text: source

text: of

text: the

text: Tigris

text: and

text: Euphrates

text: is

text: located

text: to

text: increase

text: the

text: flow

text: of

text: water

text: passing

text: through

text: its

text: network

text: of

text: dams

text: Syria

text: and

text: Iraq

text: are

text: badly

text: in

text: need

text: of

text: water

text: but

text: our

text: Iraqi

text: brothers

text: feel

text: the

text: need

text: much

text: more

text: it

text: is

text: why

text: this

text: meeting

text: is

text: so

text: important

text: Turkey

text: 's

text: official

text: Anatolian

text: Agency

text: quoted

text: Syrian

text: Irrigation

text: Minister

text: Nader

text: al

text: Bounni

text: as

text: saying

text: at

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: Thursday

text: 's

text: tri

text: partite

text: meeting

text: to

text: address

text: water

text: resources

text: Our

text: dams

text: are

text: empty

text: and

text: we

text: have

text: human

text: needs

text: Also

text: attending

text: the

text: meeting

text: was

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: Water

text: and

text: Natural

text: Resources

text: and

text: Turkey

text: 's

text: Environment

text: and

text: Forestry

text: minister

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: its

text: Energy

text: minister

text: But

text: at

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: meeting

text: at

text: a

text: hotel

text: in

text: the

text: Turkish

text: capital

text: Turkey

text: 's

text: energy

text: minister

text: seemed

text: to

text: rule

text: out

text: delivering

text: significant

text: quantities

text: of

text: additional

text: water

text: to

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Syria

text: We

text: are

text: aware

text: of

text: the

text: water

text: needs

text: of

text: Syria

text: and

text: Iraq

text: Energy

text: Minister

text: Taner

text: Yildiz

text: told

text: journalists

text: at

text: the

text: entrance

text: to

text: the

text: conference

text: Water

text: is

text: not

text: plenty

text: in

text: Turkey

text: and

text: therefore

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: exceed

text: the

text: determined

text: amount

text: too

text: much

text: Turkey

text: provided

text: Syria

text: and

text: Iraq

text: cubic

text: meters

text: of

text: water

text: a

text: second

text: Yildiz

text: said

text: But

text: he

text: added

text: central

text: and

text: eastern

text: Turkey

text: had

text: only

text: received

text: cubic

text: meters

text: second

text: of

text: water

text: this

text: year

text: The

text: Turkish

text: government

text: said

text: rainfall

text: over

text: its

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: Tigris

text: and

text: Euphrates

text: rivers

text: plummeted

text: by

text: about

text: percent

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: three

text: years

text: Over

text: the

text: past

text: decade

text: some

text: environmental

text: and

text: political

text: analysts

text: have

text: written

text: about

text: the

text: scenario

text: of

text: a

text: water

text: war

text: possibly

text: breaking

text: out

text: in

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: as

text: countries

text: affected

text: by

text: climate

text: change

text: compete

text: over

text: dwindling

text: access

text: to

text: fresh

text: water

text: However

text: there

text: are

text: more

text: immediate

text: political

text: tensions

text: complicating

text: relations

text: between

text: the

text: neighboring

text: countries

text: Syria

text: and

text: Iraq

text: have

text: withdrawn

text: their

text: ambassadors

text: from

text: each

text: others

text: capitals

text: after

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: deadly

text: suicide

text: truck

text: bombings

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: killed

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: last

text: month

text: Iraq

text: demanded

text: Syria

text: hand

text: over

text: several

text: suspects

text: it

text: accuses

text: of

text: organizing

text: the

text: attacks

text: Damascus

text: has

text: denied

text: charges

text: that

text: it

text: is

text: harboring

text: insurgents

text: This

text: week

text: Turkey

text: 's

text: foreign

text: minister

text: shuttled

text: between

text: Baghdad

text: and

text: Damascus

text: carrying

text: messages

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: capitals

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: defuse

text: tensions

question: Which river has plunged to record low levels?

answer: Tigris

text: Tigris

question: What does Iraq want Turkey to do?

answer: to increase the flow of water passing through its network of dams.

text: to increase the flow of water passing through its network of dams.

question: What river has plunged to record lows?

answer: Tigris

text: Tigris

question: What happened to the Tigris River?

answer: has plunged to record low levels,

text: has plunged to record low levels,

question: What country does Iraq and Syria want to increase its water flow?

answer: Turkey,

text: Turkey,

question: What did Turkey do?

answer: provided Syria and Iraq 500 cubic meters of water a second,

text: provided Syria and Iraq 500 cubic meters of water a second,

question: What have they withdrawn from each others' capitals?

answer: ambassadors

text: ambassadors

question: Where is the rivers' source located?

answer: Turkey,

text: Turkey,


text:
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Natalie Cole's search for a new kidney ended this week when someone with a compatible organ died and their family asked that it be given to the singer, according to the organ procurement group that handled the donation.

Natalie Cole received a kidney transplant Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Cole, who underwent a successful kidney transplant at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Tuesday, was "responding well and recuperating" Thursday, her publicist said.

Cole had been on what she called "a very long list" of people waiting for an organ donation when she got word recently that OneLegacy, an organ procurement agency in Southern California, had a kidney that was a biological match.

It was a "directed donation" from a deceased organ donor, according to OneLegacy CEO Tom Mone.

"Having heard of Ms. Cole's need for a kidney, the family asked that one of their loved one's kidneys be transplanted to Ms. Cole if they were a match," Mone said.

Directed organ donations are rare, and rarer still are those directed to someone not related to or known personally by the deceased, he said.

The donor will remain anonymous until the family gives permission for the name to be made public, he said.

Cole's need for a kidney donation was highly publicized, including with an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live" on March 31.

"I'm on a very long list, which is why we are looking to donors," said Cole, the daughter of legendary crooner Nat King Cole.

Cole said her kidney troubles date to February 2008 when she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Cole said she attributes the Hepatitis C to her well-publicized struggles to stop using cocaine and heroin. Cole said she has been sober for some time now after two stints in a rehabilitation clinic.

Cole said she underwent chemotherapy in an aggressive way to fight the virus. Within four months of getting chemotherapy, both of Cole's kidneys failed.

"I couldn't breathe. I -- I went into -- literally, my kidneys stopped functioning. They stopped, you know, processing the fluid that was starting to build up in my body."

Since then Cole has been on dialysis three days a week and has been searching for a kidney, she told King in one of the first public interviews about the issue.

Cole won six Grammys for her 1991 critically acclaimed album "Unforgettable: With Love," a jazzy tribute to her father. She won a Grammy this year for her new album "Still Unforgettable" and another Grammy for her work on another album.

Cole was still able to tour this year even with her kidney ailment. She canceled a planned show last week in South Korea because of her illness, which meant she was in Los Angeles when the organ became available.

"I have been on dialysis in Istanbul, Milan, Indonesia, Manila, London. It's -- it's amazing," Cole said.

During King's show, dozens of people sent e-mails to CNN telling Cole that they would get tested to see if their kidney could be donated.

King handed a thick stack of paper to Cole.

"These are all e-mails from dozens -- dozens of people offering to be tested to see if they can match, who want to give you a kidney," King said.

Cole stared at the papers for a moment.

"There are some great human beings out there. That's all I can say," Cole said.

Cole is expected to return to the tour after three to four months of recovery.

CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report.

text: LOS

text: ANGELES

text: California

text: CNN

text: Natalie

text: Cole

text: 's

text: search

text: for

text: a

text: new

text: kidney

text: ended

text: this

text: week

text: when

text: someone

text: with

text: a

text: compatible

text: organ

text: died

text: and

text: their

text: family

text: asked

text: that

text: it

text: be

text: given

text: to

text: the

text: singer

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: organ

text: procurement

text: group

text: that

text: handled

text: the

text: donation

text: Natalie

text: Cole

text: received

text: a

text: kidney

text: transplant

text: Tuesday

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Cole

text: who

text: underwent

text: a

text: successful

text: kidney

text: transplant

text: at

text: Cedars

text: Sinai

text: Medical

text: Center

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Tuesday

text: was

text: responding

text: well

text: and

text: recuperating

text: Thursday

text: her

text: publicist

text: said

text: Cole

text: had

text: been

text: on

text: what

text: she

text: called

text: a

text: very

text: long

text: list

text: of

text: people

text: waiting

text: for

text: an

text: organ

text: donation

text: when

text: she

text: got

text: word

text: recently

text: that

text: OneLegacy

text: an

text: organ

text: procurement

text: agency

text: in

text: Southern

text: California

text: had

text: a

text: kidney

text: that

text: was

text: a

text: biological

text: match

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: directed

text: donation

text: from

text: a

text: deceased

text: organ

text: donor

text: according

text: to

text: OneLegacy

text: CEO

text: Tom

text: Mone

text: Having

text: heard

text: of

text: Ms.

text: Cole

text: 's

text: need

text: for

text: a

text: kidney

text: the

text: family

text: asked

text: that

text: one

text: of

text: their

text: loved

text: one

text: 's

text: kidneys

text: be

text: transplanted

text: to

text: Ms.

text: Cole

text: if

text: they

text: were

text: a

text: match

text: Mone

text: said

text: Directed

text: organ

text: donations

text: are

text: rare

text: and

text: rarer

text: still

text: are

text: those

text: directed

text: to

text: someone

text: not

text: related

text: to

text: or

text: known

text: personally

text: by

text: the

text: deceased

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: donor

text: will

text: remain

text: anonymous

text: until

text: the

text: family

text: gives

text: permission

text: for

text: the

text: name

text: to

text: be

text: made

text: public

text: he

text: said

text: Cole

text: 's

text: need

text: for

text: a

text: kidney

text: donation

text: was

text: highly

text: publicized

text: including

text: with

text: an

text: appearance

text: on

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Larry

text: King

text: Live

text: on

text: March

text: I

text: 'm

text: on

text: a

text: very

text: long

text: list

text: which

text: is

text: why

text: we

text: are

text: looking

text: to

text: donors

text: said

text: Cole

text: the

text: daughter

text: of

text: legendary

text: crooner

text: Nat

text: King

text: Cole

text: Cole

text: said

text: her

text: kidney

text: troubles

text: date

text: to

text: February

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: diagnosed

text: with

text: Hepatitis

text: C.

text: Cole

text: said

text: she

text: attributes

text: the

text: Hepatitis

text: C

text: to

text: her

text: well

text: publicized

text: struggles

text: to

text: stop

text: using

text: cocaine

text: and

text: heroin

text: Cole

text: said

text: she

text: has

text: been

text: sober

text: for

text: some

text: time

text: now

text: after

text: two

text: stints

text: in

text: a

text: rehabilitation

text: clinic

text: Cole

text: said

text: she

text: underwent

text: chemotherapy

text: in

text: an

text: aggressive

text: way

text: to

text: fight

text: the

text: virus

text: Within

text: four

text: months

text: of

text: getting

text: chemotherapy

text: both

text: of

text: Cole

text: 's

text: kidneys

text: failed

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: breathe

text: I

text: I

text: went

text: into

text: literally

text: my

text: kidneys

text: stopped

text: functioning

text: They

text: stopped

text: you

text: know

text: processing

text: the

text: fluid

text: that

text: was

text: starting

text: to

text: build

text: up

text: in

text: my

text: body

text: Since

text: then

text: Cole

text: has

text: been

text: on

text: dialysis

text: three

text: days

text: a

text: week

text: and

text: has

text: been

text: searching

text: for

text: a

text: kidney

text: she

text: told

text: King

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: first

text: public

text: interviews

text: about

text: the

text: issue

text: Cole

text: won

text: six

text: Grammys

text: for

text: her

text: critically

text: acclaimed

text: album

text: Unforgettable

text: With

text: Love

text: a

text: jazzy

text: tribute

text: to

text: her

text: father

text: She

text: won

text: a

text: Grammy

text: this

text: year

text: for

text: her

text: new

text: album

text: Still

text: Unforgettable

text: and

text: another

text: Grammy

text: for

text: her

text: work

text: on

text: another

text: album

text: Cole

text: was

text: still

text: able

text: to

text: tour

text: this

text: year

text: even

text: with

text: her

text: kidney

text: ailment

text: She

text: canceled

text: a

text: planned

text: show

text: last

text: week

text: in

text: South

text: Korea

text: because

text: of

text: her

text: illness

text: which

text: meant

text: she

text: was

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: when

text: the

text: organ

text: became

text: available

text: I

text: have

text: been

text: on

text: dialysis

text: in

text: Istanbul

text: Milan

text: Indonesia

text: Manila

text: London

text: It

text: 's

text: it

text: 's

text: amazing

text: Cole

text: said

text: During

text: King

text: 's

text: show

text: dozens

text: of

text: people

text: sent

text: e

text: mails

text: to

text: CNN

text: telling

text: Cole

text: that

text: they

text: would

text: get

text: tested

text: to

text: see

text: if

text: their

text: kidney

text: could

text: be

text: donated

text: King

text: handed

text: a

text: thick

text: stack

text: of

text: paper

text: to

text: Cole

text: These

text: are

text: all

text: e

text: mails

text: from

text: dozens

text: dozens

text: of

text: people

text: offering

text: to

text: be

text: tested

text: to

text: see

text: if

text: they

text: can

text: match

text: who

text: want

text: to

text: give

text: you

text: a

text: kidney

text: King

text: said

text: Cole

text: stared

text: at

text: the

text: papers

text: for

text: a

text: moment

text: There

text: are

text: some

text: great

text: human

text: beings

text: out

text: there

text: That

text: 's

text: all

text: I

text: can

text: say

text: Cole

text: said

text: Cole

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: the

text: tour

text: after

text: three

text: to

text: four

text: months

text: of

text: recovery

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Denise

text: Quan

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: When did the surgery occur?

answer: Tuesday

text: Tuesday

question: Who gave Cole a new kidney?

answer: someone

text: someone

question: When did she have her surgery?

answer: Tuesday

text: Tuesday

question: Where did the kidney come from?

answer: a deceased organ donor,

text: a deceased organ donor,

question: What did the singer receive when on CNN?

answer: new kidney

text: new kidney

question: When was her surgery?

answer: Tuesday

text: Tuesday

question: Who received a new kidney?

answer: Natalie Cole's

text: Natalie Cole's


text:
Beijing, China (CNN) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao greeted U.S. President Barack Obama in China's capital on Tuesday, with trade and the thorny issue of North Korea expected to be on their agenda.

The U.S. delegation was met by an honor guard at the Great Hall of the People, and Obama shook hands with Hu and other top Chinese officials before the two leaders went behind closed doors. It is their fifth meeting in the past year, and they made no public statements beforehand but are to issue a joint statement after their talks.

The United States imports billions of dollars in Chinese products each year, while China is a major purchaser of the U.S. Treasury bonds that finance America's budget deficit. Facing a global economic recession, Washington and Beijing are in "a mutual hostage situation," former Bush administration China analyst Victor Cha said.

"China needs to purchase these Treasuries in order to maintain a strong dollar. Otherwise, the value of their foreign currency holdings goes down dramatically," Cha told CNN. "We need China in order to finance a lot of the deficit spending we're doing now. It's very much intertwined in a way that two countries in the history of international relations have not been intertwined."

China is also an important player in the diplomatic showdowns over nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea and holds one of five permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council. China is North Korea's closest ally and has played a key role in the six-party talks aimed at convincing Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday found 71 percent of Americans consider China an economic threat to the United States, with two-thirds considering it a source of unfair competition for U.S. companies.

The survey also found 51 percent of the U.S. public consider China a military threat, with 47 percent disagreeing. That 4-point margin is within the poll's 4.5 percent sampling error.

But Obama told students at a town hall-style meeting in Shanghai that the two nations don't have to be at odds with each other.

"Our relationship has not been without disagreement and difficulty, but the notion that we must be adversaries is not predestined," Obama said. But he said there are certain core principles that all people must share -- including equal rights for everyone, a government that reflects the will of the people, open commerce, free access to information, and the rule of law.

"We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation, but we also don't believe that the principles that we stand for are unique to our nation," he told the gathering.

The issue of human rights has often been a sticking point between Beijing and Washington. China regularly cracks down on its religious and ethnic minorities, keeps tight reins on the media and censors the Internet. Obama told the students that he is against censorship and is a believer in the free flow of information, calling it a "source of strength" in a democracy, despite the sting that sometimes comes with it.

He told the students he welcomes a strong China, saying there are very few global challenges -- specifically referring to climate change -- that can't be solved if the United States and China work together.

The town hall meeting was shown locally on Shanghai's Phoenix TV, but it was not broadcast nationally on any of China's state-run networks. The Xinhua news agency posted a translated running transcript of the event on its Web site.

The United States also streamed the forum live on WhiteHouse.gov. Chinese censors did not block the event to those with Internet access.

The final stop of Obama's trek is Seoul, where he will meet with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, and deliver a speech to U.S. troops at Osan Air Base.

Obama is on an eight-day journey that is taking him to Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea. He'll return to the United States on Friday.

The president left for China from Singapore, where he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic forum. He met on the sidelines with world leaders, including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

text: Beijing

text: China

text: CNN

text: Chinese

text: President

text: Hu

text: Jintao

text: greeted

text: U.S.

text: President

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: in

text: China

text: 's

text: capital

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: with

text: trade

text: and

text: the

text: thorny

text: issue

text: of

text: North

text: Korea

text: expected

text: to

text: be

text: on

text: their

text: agenda

text: The

text: U.S.

text: delegation

text: was

text: met

text: by

text: an

text: honor

text: guard

text: at

text: the

text: Great

text: Hall

text: of

text: the

text: People

text: and

text: Obama

text: shook

text: hands

text: with

text: Hu

text: and

text: other

text: top

text: Chinese

text: officials

text: before

text: the

text: two

text: leaders

text: went

text: behind

text: closed

text: doors

text: It

text: is

text: their

text: fifth

text: meeting

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: and

text: they

text: made

text: no

text: public

text: statements

text: beforehand

text: but

text: are

text: to

text: issue

text: a

text: joint

text: statement

text: after

text: their

text: talks

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: imports

text: billions

text: of

text: dollars

text: in

text: Chinese

text: products

text: each

text: year

text: while

text: China

text: is

text: a

text: major

text: purchaser

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Treasury

text: bonds

text: that

text: finance

text: America

text: 's

text: budget

text: deficit

text: Facing

text: a

text: global

text: economic

text: recession

text: Washington

text: and

text: Beijing

text: are

text: in

text: a

text: mutual

text: hostage

text: situation

text: former

text: Bush

text: administration

text: China

text: analyst

text: Victor

text: Cha

text: said

text: China

text: needs

text: to

text: purchase

text: these

text: Treasuries

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: maintain

text: a

text: strong

text: dollar

text: Otherwise

text: the

text: value

text: of

text: their

text: foreign

text: currency

text: holdings

text: goes

text: down

text: dramatically

text: Cha

text: told

text: CNN

text: We

text: need

text: China

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: finance

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: the

text: deficit

text: spending

text: we

text: 're

text: doing

text: now

text: It

text: 's

text: very

text: much

text: intertwined

text: in

text: a

text: way

text: that

text: two

text: countries

text: in

text: the

text: history

text: of

text: international

text: relations

text: have

text: not

text: been

text: intertwined

text: China

text: is

text: also

text: an

text: important

text: player

text: in

text: the

text: diplomatic

text: showdowns

text: over

text: nuclear

text: programs

text: in

text: Iran

text: and

text: North

text: Korea

text: and

text: holds

text: one

text: of

text: five

text: permanent

text: seats

text: on

text: the

text: U.N.

text: Security

text: Council

text: China

text: is

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: closest

text: ally

text: and

text: has

text: played

text: a

text: key

text: role

text: in

text: the

text: six

text: party

text: talks

text: aimed

text: at

text: convincing

text: Pyongyang

text: to

text: dismantle

text: its

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: program

text: A

text: CNN

text: Opinion

text: Research

text: Corporation

text: survey

text: released

text: Monday

text: found

text: percent

text: of

text: Americans

text: consider

text: China

text: an

text: economic

text: threat

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: with

text: two

text: thirds

text: considering

text: it

text: a

text: source

text: of

text: unfair

text: competition

text: for

text: U.S.

text: companies

text: The

text: survey

text: also

text: found

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: public

text: consider

text: China

text: a

text: military

text: threat

text: with

text: percent

text: disagreeing

text: That

text: margin

text: is

text: within

text: the

text: poll

text: 's

text: percent

text: sampling

text: error

text: But

text: Obama

text: told

text: students

text: at

text: a

text: town

text: hall

text: style

text: meeting

text: in

text: Shanghai

text: that

text: the

text: two

text: nations

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: to

text: be

text: at

text: odds

text: with

text: each

text: other

text: Our

text: relationship

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: without

text: disagreement

text: and

text: difficulty

text: but

text: the

text: notion

text: that

text: we

text: must

text: be

text: adversaries

text: is

text: not

text: predestined

text: Obama

text: said

text: But

text: he

text: said

text: there

text: are

text: certain

text: core

text: principles

text: that

text: all

text: people

text: must

text: share

text: including

text: equal

text: rights

text: for

text: everyone

text: a

text: government

text: that

text: reflects

text: the

text: will

text: of

text: the

text: people

text: open

text: commerce

text: free

text: access

text: to

text: information

text: and

text: the

text: rule

text: of

text: law

text: We

text: do

text: not

text: seek

text: to

text: impose

text: any

text: system

text: of

text: government

text: on

text: any

text: other

text: nation

text: but

text: we

text: also

text: do

text: n't

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: principles

text: that

text: we

text: stand

text: for

text: are

text: unique

text: to

text: our

text: nation

text: he

text: told

text: the

text: gathering

text: The

text: issue

text: of

text: human

text: rights

text: has

text: often

text: been

text: a

text: sticking

text: point

text: between

text: Beijing

text: and

text: Washington

text: China

text: regularly

text: cracks

text: down

text: on

text: its

text: religious

text: and

text: ethnic

text: minorities

text: keeps

text: tight

text: reins

text: on

text: the

text: media

text: and

text: censors

text: the

text: Internet

text: Obama

text: told

text: the

text: students

text: that

text: he

text: is

text: against

text: censorship

text: and

text: is

text: a

text: believer

text: in

text: the

text: free

text: flow

text: of

text: information

text: calling

text: it

text: a

text: source

text: of

text: strength

text: in

text: a

text: democracy

text: despite

text: the

text: sting

text: that

text: sometimes

text: comes

text: with

text: it

text: He

text: told

text: the

text: students

text: he

text: welcomes

text: a

text: strong

text: China

text: saying

text: there

text: are

text: very

text: few

text: global

text: challenges

text: specifically

text: referring

text: to

text: climate

text: change

text: that

text: ca

text: n't

text: be

text: solved

text: if

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: China

text: work

text: together

text: The

text: town

text: hall

text: meeting

text: was

text: shown

text: locally

text: on

text: Shanghai

text: 's

text: Phoenix

text: TV

text: but

text: it

text: was

text: not

text: broadcast

text: nationally

text: on

text: any

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: state

text: run

text: networks

text: The

text: Xinhua

text: news

text: agency

text: posted

text: a

text: translated

text: running

text: transcript

text: of

text: the

text: event

text: on

text: its

text: Web

text: site

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: also

text: streamed

text: the

text: forum

text: live

text: on

text: WhiteHouse.gov

text: Chinese

text: censors

text: did

text: not

text: block

text: the

text: event

text: to

text: those

text: with

text: Internet

text: access

text: The

text: final

text: stop

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: trek

text: is

text: Seoul

text: where

text: he

text: will

text: meet

text: with

text: South

text: Korean

text: President

text: Lee

text: Myung

text: bak

text: and

text: deliver

text: a

text: speech

text: to

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: at

text: Osan

text: Air

text: Base

text: Obama

text: is

text: on

text: an

text: eight

text: day

text: journey

text: that

text: is

text: taking

text: him

text: to

text: Japan

text: Singapore

text: China

text: and

text: South

text: Korea

text: He

text: 'll

text: return

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: on

text: Friday

text: The

text: president

text: left

text: for

text: China

text: from

text: Singapore

text: where

text: he

text: attended

text: the

text: Asia

text: Pacific

text: Economic

text: Cooperation

text: summit

text: and

text: Association

text: of

text: Southeast

text: Asian

text: Nations

text: economic

text: forum

text: He

text: met

text: on

text: the

text: sidelines

text: with

text: world

text: leaders

text: including

text: Russian

text: President

text: Dmitry

text: Medvedev

question: Who does Obama hold formal talks with?

answer: Chinese President Hu Jintao

text: Chinese President Hu Jintao

question: Who is Obama holding formal talks with?

answer: Chinese President Hu Jintao

text: Chinese President Hu Jintao

question: How much does the US import in Chinese products every year?

answer: billions of dollars

text: billions of dollars

question: What does the new poll show?

answer: 71 percent of Americans consider China an economic threat to the United States,

text: 71 percent of Americans consider China an economic threat to the United States,

question: How much does the US import?

answer: billions of dollars in Chinese products each year,

text: billions of dollars in Chinese products each year,

question: how many dollars does US import in Chinese products each year?

answer: billions of

text: billions of


text:
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel makes no secret that it sees Iran is its biggest threat but the scale of the threat is less clear cut.

Israel's recent military exercises are seen by some as a show of strength to Iran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not missed an opportunity to name Iran as the number one threat, and like his predecessors he has said Israel will not tolerate a nuclear Iran.

Tests are ongoing for Israel's arrow missile system, designed to intercept incoming rockets -- although Israel does not openly say which direction they'd come from.

Last week, CNN filmed Netanyahu aboard an F15 fighter-bomber jet while touring the Hatzerim air force base near Beersheva. He said: "My biggest impression today is the obligation to carry out the mission of defending Israel."

Last month, two Israeli warships and a submarine made a rare journey through Egypt's Suez canal. Last year, the Israeli air force tested its fighter jets and helicopters on a 870-mile sortie -- roughly the distance between Israel and Iran's main uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.

The official line... Israel's security is a continuing concern. The common perception is that some, if not all of these exercises were a show of strength for Iran.

Estimates of when Iran could have a nuclear bomb differ widely.

In February, the Institute for Science and International Security released a report that concluded Iran does not have a nuclear weapon but does have enough low-enriched uranium for a single nuclear weapon.

But an official at the International Atomic Energy Agency cautioned about drawing such conclusions. The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Iran's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium to be weapons-grade material.

The official said in February that Iran has not done so, and the agency's monitors and surveillance equipment at the Natanz facility would be able to detect any such activity.

Dore Gold, former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations said, "The IAEA has inspected the known nuclear sites of Iran. But it's believed they still have other clandestine nuclear sites where they may be enriching uranium or they may be pursuing a plutonium route like the North Koreans. So there's a certain amount of uncertainty in any assessment in the timeline of an Iranian bomb.

Iran says its nuclear ambitions are for peaceful means, and Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons itself.

But Israel's Defense Secretary Ehud Barak, at a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently, made it clear he believes U.S. attempts at negotiations with Iran have a shelf-life.

"We clearly believe that no option should be removed from the table and this is our policy. We recommend to others to take the same position, but we cannot dictate it to anyone."

Efraim Kam, an Israeli analyst on Middle East affairs and author of "From Terror to Nuclear Bombs: The Significance of the Iranian Threat," estimates that "theoretically" Iran could develop a nuclear bomb within the next year.

But even if Israel's conviction is correct that Iran wants a nuclear weapon and it is close to achieving that desire, does that mean it would use it against Israel?

Kam said: "My personal view is that Iran would not do it because they understand that Israel does have a nuclear arsenal. It has to take that into account and because the U.S. will deter Iran as well.

"If you ask me, can you guarantee they will not use it, then no I can't."

But that question is a step too far for Israel. It is far more concerned with what a nuclear Iran could do to the balance of the Middle East and the likely nuclear race that would follow with many of Israel's neighbors.

As Gold says: "What is a prime minister of Israel supposed to do when he sees that threat growing to his east?"

text: JERUSALEM

text: CNN

text: Israel

text: makes

text: no

text: secret

text: that

text: it

text: sees

text: Iran

text: is

text: its

text: biggest

text: threat

text: but

text: the

text: scale

text: of

text: the

text: threat

text: is

text: less

text: clear

text: cut

text: Israel

text: 's

text: recent

text: military

text: exercises

text: are

text: seen

text: by

text: some

text: as

text: a

text: show

text: of

text: strength

text: to

text: Iran

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Benjamin

text: Netanyahu

text: has

text: not

text: missed

text: an

text: opportunity

text: to

text: name

text: Iran

text: as

text: the

text: number

text: one

text: threat

text: and

text: like

text: his

text: predecessors

text: he

text: has

text: said

text: Israel

text: will

text: not

text: tolerate

text: a

text: nuclear

text: Iran

text: Tests

text: are

text: ongoing

text: for

text: Israel

text: 's

text: arrow

text: missile

text: system

text: designed

text: to

text: intercept

text: incoming

text: rockets

text: although

text: Israel

text: does

text: not

text: openly

text: say

text: which

text: direction

text: they

text: 'd

text: come

text: from

text: Last

text: week

text: CNN

text: filmed

text: Netanyahu

text: aboard

text: an

text: fighter

text: bomber

text: jet

text: while

text: touring

text: the

text: Hatzerim

text: air

text: force

text: base

text: near

text: Beersheva

text: He

text: said

text: My

text: biggest

text: impression

text: today

text: is

text: the

text: obligation

text: to

text: carry

text: out

text: the

text: mission

text: of

text: defending

text: Israel

text: Last

text: month

text: two

text: Israeli

text: warships

text: and

text: a

text: submarine

text: made

text: a

text: rare

text: journey

text: through

text: Egypt

text: 's

text: Suez

text: canal

text: Last

text: year

text: the

text: Israeli

text: air

text: force

text: tested

text: its

text: fighter

text: jets

text: and

text: helicopters

text: on

text: a

text: sortie

text: roughly

text: the

text: distance

text: between

text: Israel

text: and

text: Iran

text: 's

text: main

text: uranium

text: enrichment

text: plant

text: at

text: Natanz

text: The

text: official

text: line

text: Israel

text: 's

text: security

text: is

text: a

text: continuing

text: concern

text: The

text: common

text: perception

text: is

text: that

text: some

text: if

text: not

text: all

text: of

text: these

text: exercises

text: were

text: a

text: show

text: of

text: strength

text: for

text: Iran

text: Estimates

text: of

text: when

text: Iran

text: could

text: have

text: a

text: nuclear

text: bomb

text: differ

text: widely

text: In

text: February

text: the

text: Institute

text: for

text: Science

text: and

text: International

text: Security

text: released

text: a

text: report

text: that

text: concluded

text: Iran

text: does

text: not

text: have

text: a

text: nuclear

text: weapon

text: but

text: does

text: have

text: enough

text: low

text: enriched

text: uranium

text: for

text: a

text: single

text: nuclear

text: weapon

text: But

text: an

text: official

text: at

text: the

text: International

text: Atomic

text: Energy

text: Agency

text: cautioned

text: about

text: drawing

text: such

text: conclusions

text: The

text: U.N.

text: nuclear

text: watchdog

text: agency

text: said

text: Iran

text: 's

text: stock

text: of

text: low

text: enriched

text: uranium

text: would

text: have

text: to

text: be

text: turned

text: into

text: highly

text: enriched

text: uranium

text: to

text: be

text: weapons

text: grade

text: material

text: The

text: official

text: said

text: in

text: February

text: that

text: Iran

text: has

text: not

text: done

text: so

text: and

text: the

text: agency

text: 's

text: monitors

text: and

text: surveillance

text: equipment

text: at

text: the

text: Natanz

text: facility

text: would

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: detect

text: any

text: such

text: activity

text: Dore

text: Gold

text: former

text: Israeli

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: said

text: The

text: IAEA

text: has

text: inspected

text: the

text: known

text: nuclear

text: sites

text: of

text: Iran

text: But

text: it

text: 's

text: believed

text: they

text: still

text: have

text: other

text: clandestine

text: nuclear

text: sites

text: where

text: they

text: may

text: be

text: enriching

text: uranium

text: or

text: they

text: may

text: be

text: pursuing

text: a

text: plutonium

text: route

text: like

text: the

text: North

text: Koreans

text: So

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: certain

text: amount

text: of

text: uncertainty

text: in

text: any

text: assessment

text: in

text: the

text: timeline

text: of

text: an

text: Iranian

text: bomb

text: Iran

text: says

text: its

text: nuclear

text: ambitions

text: are

text: for

text: peaceful

text: means

text: and

text: Israel

text: is

text: widely

text: believed

text: to

text: have

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: itself

text: But

text: Israel

text: 's

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: Ehud

text: Barak

text: at

text: a

text: meeting

text: with

text: U.S.

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: Robert

text: Gates

text: recently

text: made

text: it

text: clear

text: he

text: believes

text: U.S.

text: attempts

text: at

text: negotiations

text: with

text: Iran

text: have

text: a

text: shelf

text: life

text: We

text: clearly

text: believe

text: that

text: no

text: option

text: should

text: be

text: removed

text: from

text: the

text: table

text: and

text: this

text: is

text: our

text: policy

text: We

text: recommend

text: to

text: others

text: to

text: take

text: the

text: same

text: position

text: but

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: dictate

text: it

text: to

text: anyone

text: Efraim

text: Kam

text: an

text: Israeli

text: analyst

text: on

text: Middle

text: East

text: affairs

text: and

text: author

text: of

text: From

text: Terror

text: to

text: Nuclear

text: Bombs

text: The

text: Significance

text: of

text: the

text: Iranian

text: Threat

text: estimates

text: that

text: theoretically

text: Iran

text: could

text: develop

text: a

text: nuclear

text: bomb

text: within

text: the

text: next

text: year

text: But

text: even

text: if

text: Israel

text: 's

text: conviction

text: is

text: correct

text: that

text: Iran

text: wants

text: a

text: nuclear

text: weapon

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: close

text: to

text: achieving

text: that

text: desire

text: does

text: that

text: mean

text: it

text: would

text: use

text: it

text: against

text: Israel

text: Kam

text: said

text: My

text: personal

text: view

text: is

text: that

text: Iran

text: would

text: not

text: do

text: it

text: because

text: they

text: understand

text: that

text: Israel

text: does

text: have

text: a

text: nuclear

text: arsenal

text: It

text: has

text: to

text: take

text: that

text: into

text: account

text: and

text: because

text: the

text: U.S.

text: will

text: deter

text: Iran

text: as

text: well

text: If

text: you

text: ask

text: me

text: can

text: you

text: guarantee

text: they

text: will

text: not

text: use

text: it

text: then

text: no

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: But

text: that

text: question

text: is

text: a

text: step

text: too

text: far

text: for

text: Israel

text: It

text: is

text: far

text: more

text: concerned

text: with

text: what

text: a

text: nuclear

text: Iran

text: could

text: do

text: to

text: the

text: balance

text: of

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: and

text: the

text: likely

text: nuclear

text: race

text: that

text: would

text: follow

text: with

text: many

text: of

text: Israel

text: 's

text: neighbors

text: As

text: Gold

text: says

text: What

text: is

text: a

text: prime

text: minister

text: of

text: Israel

text: supposed

text: to

text: do

text: when

text: he

text: sees

text: that

text: threat

text: growing

text: to

text: his

text: east

question: Who is at the top of Isreal's threat list?

answer: Iran

text: Iran

question: What does an analyst think of Iran developing a nuclear bomb?

answer: could develop a

text: could develop a

question: Who believes Iran still has secret sites?

answer: Israel

text: Israel


text:
London, England (CNN)  -- A British man who strangled his wife in his sleep while dreaming that she was an intruder walked free from court Friday after the case against him was withdrawn, prosecutors said.

The UK's Crown Prosecution Service requested that the case against Brian Thomas, who killed wife Christine while they were on vacation in 2008, be dropped due to a "unique set of circumstances."

Thomas, 59, of Neath, South Wales, had been on trial for murder at Swansea Crown Court, with prosecutors seeking a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity that would have resulted in psychiatric custody.

But they said a closer study of evidence led them to believe the defendant should be released without further action.

"We have duty to keep cases under continuous review, and following expert evidence from a psychiatrist it was suggested no useful purpose would be served by Mr Thomas being detained and treated in a psychiatric hospital," prosecutor Iwan Jenkins said in a statement.

Jenkins said that there had never been any doubt that Thomas caused his wife's death, but the prosecution accepted evidence from experts on sleep disorders that indicated he should not be convicted of murder or manslaughter.

"We therefore have offered no further evidence and asked the jury to return a simple verdict of not guilty."

The court erupted in shouts of "yes" as family members greeted the outcome with jubilation, according to the UK Press Association.

"The death of Christine Thomas was thoroughly investigated by Dyfed Powys Police. Investigations continued after Mr Thomas was charged and involved the instruction of experts in several fields," Jenkins said.

"I must emphasize that the circumstances of this case are almost unique in the UK and there have been fewer than 50 instances recorded worldwide. It is only because of highly sophisticated tests carried out by sleep experts that Mr Thomas's condition could be confirmed.

"Our thoughts remain with the family of Brian and Christine Thomas, who have remained dignified throughout this difficult time."

The brief trial, which opened Tuesday, heard that Thomas killed his wife while the pair were taking a camper van vacation in western Wales, PA reported.

One night, Thomas -- who experts said may have been suffering worsening dreams due to withdrawal from anti-depressants -- experienced a violent nightmare in which he attacked and fought an intruder and got him in a headlock, only to wake and find he had strangled his wife.

Dismissing the charges, High Court Judge Justice Davis described Thomas as a "decent man and devoted husband" who bore no responsibility for his wife's death, PA reported.

Thomas's brother Raymond Thomas said the family were "delighted" by the outcome, the news agency said.

"He has always been a loving husband and a family man," he said. " This was a tragic, tragic episode and we are all very emotional."

text: London

text: England

text: CNN

text: A

text: British

text: man

text: who

text: strangled

text: his

text: wife

text: in

text: his

text: sleep

text: while

text: dreaming

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: an

text: intruder

text: walked

text: free

text: from

text: court

text: Friday

text: after

text: the

text: case

text: against

text: him

text: was

text: withdrawn

text: prosecutors

text: said

text: The

text: UK

text: 's

text: Crown

text: Prosecution

text: Service

text: requested

text: that

text: the

text: case

text: against

text: Brian

text: Thomas

text: who

text: killed

text: wife

text: Christine

text: while

text: they

text: were

text: on

text: vacation

text: in

text: be

text: dropped

text: due

text: to

text: a

text: unique

text: set

text: of

text: circumstances

text: Thomas

text: of

text: Neath

text: South

text: Wales

text: had

text: been

text: on

text: trial

text: for

text: murder

text: at

text: Swansea

text: Crown

text: Court

text: with

text: prosecutors

text: seeking

text: a

text: verdict

text: of

text: not

text: guilty

text: by

text: reason

text: of

text: insanity

text: that

text: would

text: have

text: resulted

text: in

text: psychiatric

text: custody

text: But

text: they

text: said

text: a

text: closer

text: study

text: of

text: evidence

text: led

text: them

text: to

text: believe

text: the

text: defendant

text: should

text: be

text: released

text: without

text: further

text: action

text: We

text: have

text: duty

text: to

text: keep

text: cases

text: under

text: continuous

text: review

text: and

text: following

text: expert

text: evidence

text: from

text: a

text: psychiatrist

text: it

text: was

text: suggested

text: no

text: useful

text: purpose

text: would

text: be

text: served

text: by

text: Mr

text: Thomas

text: being

text: detained

text: and

text: treated

text: in

text: a

text: psychiatric

text: hospital

text: prosecutor

text: Iwan

text: Jenkins

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Jenkins

text: said

text: that

text: there

text: had

text: never

text: been

text: any

text: doubt

text: that

text: Thomas

text: caused

text: his

text: wife

text: 's

text: death

text: but

text: the

text: prosecution

text: accepted

text: evidence

text: from

text: experts

text: on

text: sleep

text: disorders

text: that

text: indicated

text: he

text: should

text: not

text: be

text: convicted

text: of

text: murder

text: or

text: manslaughter

text: We

text: therefore

text: have

text: offered

text: no

text: further

text: evidence

text: and

text: asked

text: the

text: jury

text: to

text: return

text: a

text: simple

text: verdict

text: of

text: not

text: guilty

text: The

text: court

text: erupted

text: in

text: shouts

text: of

text: yes

text: as

text: family

text: members

text: greeted

text: the

text: outcome

text: with

text: jubilation

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: UK

text: Press

text: Association

text: The

text: death

text: of

text: Christine

text: Thomas

text: was

text: thoroughly

text: investigated

text: by

text: Dyfed

text: Powys

text: Police

text: Investigations

text: continued

text: after

text: Mr

text: Thomas

text: was

text: charged

text: and

text: involved

text: the

text: instruction

text: of

text: experts

text: in

text: several

text: fields

text: Jenkins

text: said

text: I

text: must

text: emphasize

text: that

text: the

text: circumstances

text: of

text: this

text: case

text: are

text: almost

text: unique

text: in

text: the

text: UK

text: and

text: there

text: have

text: been

text: fewer

text: than

text: instances

text: recorded

text: worldwide

text: It

text: is

text: only

text: because

text: of

text: highly

text: sophisticated

text: tests

text: carried

text: out

text: by

text: sleep

text: experts

text: that

text: Mr

text: Thomas

text: 's

text: condition

text: could

text: be

text: confirmed

text: Our

text: thoughts

text: remain

text: with

text: the

text: family

text: of

text: Brian

text: and

text: Christine

text: Thomas

text: who

text: have

text: remained

text: dignified

text: throughout

text: this

text: difficult

text: time

text: The

text: brief

text: trial

text: which

text: opened

text: Tuesday

text: heard

text: that

text: Thomas

text: killed

text: his

text: wife

text: while

text: the

text: pair

text: were

text: taking

text: a

text: camper

text: van

text: vacation

text: in

text: western

text: Wales

text: PA

text: reported

text: One

text: night

text: Thomas

text: who

text: experts

text: said

text: may

text: have

text: been

text: suffering

text: worsening

text: dreams

text: due

text: to

text: withdrawal

text: from

text: anti

text: depressants

text: experienced

text: a

text: violent

text: nightmare

text: in

text: which

text: he

text: attacked

text: and

text: fought

text: an

text: intruder

text: and

text: got

text: him

text: in

text: a

text: headlock

text: only

text: to

text: wake

text: and

text: find

text: he

text: had

text: strangled

text: his

text: wife

text: Dismissing

text: the

text: charges

text: High

text: Court

text: Judge

text: Justice

text: Davis

text: described

text: Thomas

text: as

text: a

text: decent

text: man

text: and

text: devoted

text: husband

text: who

text: bore

text: no

text: responsibility

text: for

text: his

text: wife

text: 's

text: death

text: PA

text: reported

text: Thomas

text: 's

text: brother

text: Raymond

text: Thomas

text: said

text: the

text: family

text: were

text: delighted

text: by

text: the

text: outcome

text: the

text: news

text: agency

text: said

text: He

text: has

text: always

text: been

text: a

text: loving

text: husband

text: and

text: a

text: family

text: man

text: he

text: said

text: This

text: was

text: a

text: tragic

text: tragic

text: episode

text: and

text: we

text: are

text: all

text: very

text: emotional

question: what was the verdict

answer: of not guilty

text: of not guilty

question: who says "decent man and devoted husband"?

answer: High Court Judge Justice Davis

text: High Court Judge Justice Davis

question: where was the trial

answer: Swansea Crown Court,

text: Swansea Crown Court,

question: what was he accused of

answer: murder

text: murder

question: what do prosecutors say

answer: "We have duty to keep cases under continuous review, and following expert evidence from a psychiatrist it was suggested no useful purpose would be served by Mr Thomas being detained and treated in a psychiatric hospital,"

text: "We have duty to keep cases under continuous review, and following expert evidence from a psychiatrist it was suggested no useful purpose would be served by Mr Thomas being detained and treated in a psychiatric hospital,"

question: when were they on vacation

answer: 2008,


text:
(CNN) -- The question is starting to feel a little old: Whom will Barack Obama pick as his vice president?

Sen. Barack Obama has a big event scheduled Saturday. Will his No. 2 man (or woman) be by his side?

With the clock ticking (the Democratic VP candidate delivers a big speech next Wednesday) the announcement is at most days and at least a few hours away.

Everyday seems to be "the day," the day the guessing game will finally end.

In a poke at all of the VP buzz, the Obama campaign sent an e-mail to reporters Wednesday with the subject line "Vice presidential ..."

The first line of the e-mail: "Just kidding."

The e-mail contained details about Obama's schedule with no mention of any of the potential vice presidential candidates.

But if the top contenders have any inside information, they're doing a good job of keeping quiet.

Sen. Joe Biden told reporters camped outside his Delaware home Tuesday that it's not him.

"You got better things to do, guys; I'm not the guy," he said.

Asked where he would be Saturday -- when Obama is reportedly scheduled to hold a campaign event in Springfield, Illinois, that may feature his new running mate -- Biden replied, "here," pointing to his driveway.

He softened up a little later that night, telling reporters, "I promise you, I don't know anything."

Along with Biden, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine are considered to be among the top tier of VP contenders.  Watch the latest on Obama's VP selection Â»

Bayh has managed to stay out of the spotlight this week. Does that mean he's dodging the question?

He hit the Sunday talk show circuit this weekend and tried out the attack dog role, criticizing Republican John McCain for his stance on Georgia, Iraq and national security.

When asked about the veepstakes, the former governor said he had "nothing to report today."

Kaine, on the other hand, seems to have no qualms about taking the main stage this week.

A relative newcomer to national politics, Kaine is scheduled to appear alongside Obama on Thursday as the presumptive Democratic nominee campaigns in central Virginia. Could he be introduced as Obama's No. 2 man?

The pair will host an invitation-only town hall meeting Thursday in Chesterfield County, a suburb of Richmond. Kaine's sturdy performance in the traditionally conservative Richmond suburbs helped vault him to the governorship in 2005.

Obama has stops scheduled in Virginia on Wednesday and Thursday before returning home to Illinois for the Springfield event, which takes place where he first kicked off his presidential run.

The event marks the beginning of a tour of battleground states leading into next week's convention in Denver, Colorado.

The Obama campaign has kept the details on both the timing and selection of the running mate under wraps. They would neither confirm or deny whether Obama would appear with his VP candidate this weekend. iReport.com: Whom do you think Obama should pick?

Although the focus in recent days has been on Bayh, Biden and Kaine, there are quite a few other serious contenders, and a curveball pick could always be in the works.

Other big names thought to be in the running include retired Gen. Wesley Clark, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, Texas Rep. Chet Edwards, Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Obama's campaign says that when he makes up his mind, he'll send a text message and e-mail to his supporters to let them know who his sidekick will be.

text: CNN

text: The

text: question

text: is

text: starting

text: to

text: feel

text: a

text: little

text: old

text: Whom

text: will

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: pick

text: as

text: his

text: vice

text: president

text: Sen.

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: has

text: a

text: big

text: event

text: scheduled

text: Saturday

text: Will

text: his

text: No

text: man

text: or

text: woman

text: be

text: by

text: his

text: side

text: With

text: the

text: clock

text: ticking

text: the

text: Democratic

text: VP

text: candidate

text: delivers

text: a

text: big

text: speech

text: next

text: Wednesday

text: the

text: announcement

text: is

text: at

text: most

text: days

text: and

text: at

text: least

text: a

text: few

text: hours

text: away

text: Everyday

text: seems

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: day

text: the

text: day

text: the

text: guessing

text: game

text: will

text: finally

text: end

text: In

text: a

text: poke

text: at

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: VP

text: buzz

text: the

text: Obama

text: campaign

text: sent

text: an

text: e

text: mail

text: to

text: reporters

text: Wednesday

text: with

text: the

text: subject

text: line

text: Vice

text: presidential

text: The

text: first

text: line

text: of

text: the

text: e

text: mail

text: Just

text: kidding

text: The

text: e

text: mail

text: contained

text: details

text: about

text: Obama

text: 's

text: schedule

text: with

text: no

text: mention

text: of

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: potential

text: vice

text: presidential

text: candidates

text: But

text: if

text: the

text: top

text: contenders

text: have

text: any

text: inside

text: information

text: they

text: 're

text: doing

text: a

text: good

text: job

text: of

text: keeping

text: quiet

text: Sen.

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: told

text: reporters

text: camped

text: outside

text: his

text: Delaware

text: home

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: him

text: You

text: got

text: better

text: things

text: to

text: do

text: guys

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: the

text: guy

text: he

text: said

text: Asked

text: where

text: he

text: would

text: be

text: Saturday

text: when

text: Obama

text: is

text: reportedly

text: scheduled

text: to

text: hold

text: a

text: campaign

text: event

text: in

text: Springfield

text: Illinois

text: that

text: may

text: feature

text: his

text: new

text: running

text: mate

text: Biden

text: replied

text: here

text: pointing

text: to

text: his

text: driveway

text: He

text: softened

text: up

text: a

text: little

text: later

text: that

text: night

text: telling

text: reporters

text: I

text: promise

text: you

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: anything

text: Along

text: with

text: Biden

text: Sen.

text: Evan

text: Bayh

text: of

text: Indiana

text: and

text: Virginia

text: Gov.

text: Tim

text: Kaine

text: are

text: considered

text: to

text: be

text: among

text: the

text: top

text: tier

text: of

text: VP

text: contenders

text: Watch

text: the

text: latest

text: on

text: Obama

text: 's

text: VP

text: selection

text: Â

text: Bayh

text: has

text: managed

text: to

text: stay

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: spotlight

text: this

text: week

text: Does

text: that

text: mean

text: he

text: 's

text: dodging

text: the

text: question

text: He

text: hit

text: the

text: Sunday

text: talk

text: show

text: circuit

text: this

text: weekend

text: and

text: tried

text: out

text: the

text: attack

text: dog

text: role

text: criticizing

text: Republican

text: John

text: McCain

text: for

text: his

text: stance

text: on

text: Georgia

text: Iraq

text: and

text: national

text: security

text: When

text: asked

text: about

text: the

text: veepstakes

text: the

text: former

text: governor

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: nothing

text: to

text: report

text: today

text: Kaine

text: on

text: the

text: other

text: hand

text: seems

text: to

text: have

text: no

text: qualms

text: about

text: taking

text: the

text: main

text: stage

text: this

text: week

text: A

text: relative

text: newcomer

text: to

text: national

text: politics

text: Kaine

text: is

text: scheduled

text: to

text: appear

text: alongside

text: Obama

text: on

text: Thursday

text: as

text: the

text: presumptive

text: Democratic

text: nominee

text: campaigns

text: in

text: central

text: Virginia

text: Could

text: he

text: be

text: introduced

text: as

text: Obama

text: 's

text: No

text: man

text: The

text: pair

text: will

text: host

text: an

text: invitation

text: only

text: town

text: hall

text: meeting

text: Thursday

text: in

text: Chesterfield

text: County

text: a

text: suburb

text: of

text: Richmond

text: Kaine

text: 's

text: sturdy

text: performance

text: in

text: the

text: traditionally

text: conservative

text: Richmond

text: suburbs

text: helped

text: vault

text: him

text: to

text: the

text: governorship

text: in

text: Obama

text: has

text: stops

text: scheduled

text: in

text: Virginia

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: and

text: Thursday

text: before

text: returning

text: home

text: to

text: Illinois

text: for

text: the

text: Springfield

text: event

text: which

text: takes

text: place

text: where

text: he

text: first

text: kicked

text: off

text: his

text: presidential

text: run

text: The

text: event

text: marks

text: the

text: beginning

text: of

text: a

text: tour

text: of

text: battleground

text: states

text: leading

text: into

text: next

text: week

text: 's

text: convention

text: in

text: Denver

text: Colorado

text: The

text: Obama

text: campaign

text: has

text: kept

text: the

text: details

text: on

text: both

text: the

text: timing

text: and

text: selection

text: of

text: the

text: running

text: mate

text: under

text: wraps

text: They

text: would

text: neither

text: confirm

text: or

text: deny

text: whether

text: Obama

text: would

text: appear

text: with

text: his

text: VP

text: candidate

text: this

text: weekend

text: iReport.com

text: Whom

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: Obama

text: should

text: pick

text: Although

text: the

text: focus

text: in

text: recent

text: days

text: has

text: been

text: on

text: Bayh

text: Biden

text: and

text: Kaine

text: there

text: are

text: quite

text: a

text: few

text: other

text: serious

text: contenders

text: and

text: a

text: curveball

text: pick

text: could

text: always

text: be

text: in

text: the

text: works

text: Other

text: big

text: names

text: thought

text: to

text: be

text: in

text: the

text: running

text: include

text: retired

text: Gen.

text: Wesley

text: Clark

text: New

text: York

text: Sen.

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: Connecticut

text: Sen.

text: Chris

text: Dodd

text: Texas

text: Rep.

text: Chet

text: Edwards

text: Nebraska

text: Sen.

text: Chuck

text: Hagel

text: Virginia

text: Gov.

text: Tim

text: Kaine

text: former

text: Georgia

text: Sen.

text: Sam

text: Nunn

text: Rhode

text: Island

text: Sen.

text: Jack

text: Reed

text: New

text: Mexico

text: Gov.

text: Bill

text: Richardson

text: and

text: Kansas

text: Gov.

text: Kathleen

text: Sebelius

text: Obama

text: 's

text: campaign

text: says

text: that

text: when

text: he

text: makes

text: up

text: his

text: mind

text: he

text: 'll

text: send

text: a

text: text

text: message

text: and

text: e

text: mail

text: to

text: his

text: supporters

text: to

text: let

text: them

text: know

text: who

text: his

text: sidekick

text: will

text: be

question: who is giving a speech?

answer: Democratic VP candidate

text: Democratic VP candidate

question: What did Barack Obama's campaign do?

answer: sent an e-mail to reporters Wednesday with the subject line "Vice presidential

text: sent an e-mail to reporters Wednesday with the subject line "Vice presidential

question: Who is considered top tier contenders?

answer: Biden, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine

text: Biden, Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine

question: What day does Obama have a big campaign event?

answer: Saturday.

text: Saturday.

question: who has a big event?

answer: Sen. Barack Obama

text: Sen. Barack Obama

question: Who is giving a big speech at the convention?

answer: Democratic VP candidate

text: Democratic VP candidate

question: what is the subject of the email?

answer: "Vice presidential

text: "Vice presidential

question: What will the Democratic VP candidate do next Wednesday?

answer: delivers a big speech

text: delivers a big speech