text:
(CNN) -- Iranian student Puyan Mahmudian scored the sixth highest marks in his year group in his entrance exam, but was rejected for a Masters degree in chemical engineering at Amirkabir University in Tehran.

The problem was not his academic record, but his political background, according to human rights groups, which note that Mahmudian had previously been jailed for being editor of a student magazine that was critical of the government.

Mahmudian, now 25, believes he is one of hundreds of so-called "starred students," whom campaigners claim are denied access to university or expelled because of their religious or political beliefs.

A report called "Punishing Stars" by the non-governmental organization International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran names 217 students who it says have been deprived of education because of their religion or political activism in the last five years. It says the real number is much higher as many did not want to be named.

Many of those listed are members of the Baha'i Faith, the largest religious minority in Iran, with around 300,000 members, according to the official website of the faith in the United States. It says Baha'is have been persecuted in Iran since the faith started there in the mid-19th century. The conservative clergy considers followers of the Baha'i faith to be part of a wayward sect and apostates.

Other "starred students" are human rights activists, supporters of women's rights, members of the political opposition and student journalists, campaigners claim.

Now, a grassroots campaign, which began in Germany and has spread to other countries around the world, is drawing attention to alleged denial of education in Iran.

The campaign, called "Can You Solve This?" publicizes a QR code which, when scanned by smart phones, directs people to a website with an animated video.

The QR code has been printed on flyers, banners, pavements and t-shirts in coffee shops, streets and university campuses. In Germany, the QR code was used without any other information to build up mystery around the campaign.

Ruha Reyani, a second generation Iranian living in Germany and one of the architects of the campaign, said: "We are at the start of the university year and there's a big push from the Iranian government to use denial of education as a tool of persecution.

"We want people to come to take action by sending letters to their political leaders." Events to support the campaign have already been held in Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, India and the Netherlands, and are planned for Canada, the United States, France, Italy and other countries.

Esra'a Al Shafei, founder of Mideast Youth, one of the organizations supporting the campaign, said: "It's a creative and dynamic campaign that appeals to young people everywhere. The video has had more than 70,000 views and more than 5,000 letters have been sent through the website."

Mahmudian, now living in Germany, was arrested and jailed in 2007 while editor of a student magazine at Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran.

In a case highlighted at the time by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists, Mahmudian and seven other students were arrested, accused of defaming Islam in their publications.

Mahmudian said the members of the information ministry had circulated forged editions of their publications containing offensive articles.

Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in a press release at the time: "The Iranian authorities are using the flimsiest of pretexts to arrests student journalists and activists.

"Even the Judiciary has admitted that these students had nothing to do with the forged publications."

Mahmudian said: "I spent more than 50 days in solitary confinement. They used physical and mental torture. I went on hunger strike for 11 days to be allowed to make one phone call to my mother to tell her I was okay.

"After 80 days of extreme pressure they got a videotaped confession from us inside prison. We apologized to the president and were released and allowed to go back to university."

It was after his undergraduate studies finished and he applied to do his Masters that the incident caused him more trouble.

He said he was called in to the information ministry for three interrogation sessions.

"They asked me to sign a guarantee that I wouldn't continue any political, social and cultural activities and that I would cooperate with the information ministry," he said. "I accepted to end my political activities but refused to collaborate with them," he said.

Mahmudian was told he had not passed the "general" qualification for the Masters course. He tried to make a legal appeal against the decision but was told there were no avenues.

He later moved to Berlin, Germany, to do his masters degree and has no immediate plans to return to Iran.

Repeated efforts to reach Iranian officials for comment were unsuccessful. Messages left with the Iranian consulate in London were not returned.

The report "Punishing Stars" released in December last year claims that the Ministry of Intelligence has used a system of three stars as a method of discrimination against students since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president in 2005.

It said that in 2007, in response to pressure from starred students and the media, the government announced that it would no longer use the star system. However, the report claims, the discrimination has continued as a de facto policy.

text: CNN

text: Iranian

text: student

text: Puyan

text: Mahmudian

text: scored

text: the

text: sixth

text: highest

text: marks

text: in

text: his

text: year

text: group

text: in

text: his

text: entrance

text: exam

text: but

text: was

text: rejected

text: for

text: a

text: Masters

text: degree

text: in

text: chemical

text: engineering

text: at

text: Amirkabir

text: University

text: in

text: Tehran

text: The

text: problem

text: was

text: not

text: his

text: academic

text: record

text: but

text: his

text: political

text: background

text: according

text: to

text: human

text: rights

text: groups

text: which

text: note

text: that

text: Mahmudian

text: had

text: previously

text: been

text: jailed

text: for

text: being

text: editor

text: of

text: a

text: student

text: magazine

text: that

text: was

text: critical

text: of

text: the

text: government

text: Mahmudian

text: now

text: believes

text: he

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: hundreds

text: of

text: so

text: called

text: starred

text: students

text: whom

text: campaigners

text: claim

text: are

text: denied

text: access

text: to

text: university

text: or

text: expelled

text: because

text: of

text: their

text: religious

text: or

text: political

text: beliefs

text: A

text: report

text: called

text: Punishing

text: Stars

text: by

text: the

text: non

text: governmental

text: organization

text: International

text: Campaign

text: for

text: Human

text: Rights

text: in

text: Iran

text: names

text: students

text: who

text: it

text: says

text: have

text: been

text: deprived

text: of

text: education

text: because

text: of

text: their

text: religion

text: or

text: political

text: activism

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: five

text: years

text: It

text: says

text: the

text: real

text: number

text: is

text: much

text: higher

text: as

text: many

text: did

text: not

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: named

text: Many

text: of

text: those

text: listed

text: are

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Baha'i

text: Faith

text: the

text: largest

text: religious

text: minority

text: in

text: Iran

text: with

text: around

text: members

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: official

text: website

text: of

text: the

text: faith

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: It

text: says

text: Baha'is

text: have

text: been

text: persecuted

text: in

text: Iran

text: since

text: the

text: faith

text: started

text: there

text: in

text: the

text: century

text: The

text: conservative

text: clergy

text: considers

text: followers

text: of

text: the

text: Baha'i

text: faith

text: to

text: be

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: wayward

text: sect

text: and

text: apostates

text: Other

text: starred

text: students

text: are

text: human

text: rights

text: activists

text: supporters

text: of

text: women

text: 's

text: rights

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: opposition

text: and

text: student

text: journalists

text: campaigners

text: claim

text: Now

text: a

text: grassroots

text: campaign

text: which

text: began

text: in

text: Germany

text: and

text: has

text: spread

text: to

text: other

text: countries

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: is

text: drawing

text: attention

text: to

text: alleged

text: denial

text: of

text: education

text: in

text: Iran

text: The

text: campaign

text: called

text: Can

text: You

text: Solve

text: This

text: publicizes

text: a

text: QR

text: code

text: which

text: when

text: scanned

text: by

text: smart

text: phones

text: directs

text: people

text: to

text: a

text: website

text: with

text: an

text: animated

text: video

text: The

text: QR

text: code

text: has

text: been

text: printed

text: on

text: flyers

text: banners

text: pavements

text: and

text: t

text: shirts

text: in

text: coffee

text: shops

text: streets

text: and

text: university

text: campuses

text: In

text: Germany

text: the

text: QR

text: code

text: was

text: used

text: without

text: any

text: other

text: information

text: to

text: build

text: up

text: mystery

text: around

text: the

text: campaign

text: Ruha

text: Reyani

text: a

text: second

text: generation

text: Iranian

text: living

text: in

text: Germany

text: and

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: architects

text: of

text: the

text: campaign

text: said

text: We

text: are

text: at

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: university

text: year

text: and

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: big

text: push

text: from

text: the

text: Iranian

text: government

text: to

text: use

text: denial

text: of

text: education

text: as

text: a

text: tool

text: of

text: persecution

text: We

text: want

text: people

text: to

text: come

text: to

text: take

text: action

text: by

text: sending

text: letters

text: to

text: their

text: political

text: leaders

text: Events

text: to

text: support

text: the

text: campaign

text: have

text: already

text: been

text: held

text: in

text: Germany

text: the

text: United

text: Kingdom

text: Brazil

text: India

text: and

text: the

text: Netherlands

text: and

text: are

text: planned

text: for

text: Canada

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: France

text: Italy

text: and

text: other

text: countries

text: Esra'a

text: Al

text: Shafei

text: founder

text: of

text: Mideast

text: Youth

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: organizations

text: supporting

text: the

text: campaign

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: creative

text: and

text: dynamic

text: campaign

text: that

text: appeals

text: to

text: young

text: people

text: everywhere

text: The

text: video

text: has

text: had

text: more

text: than

text: views

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: letters

text: have

text: been

text: sent

text: through

text: the

text: website

text: Mahmudian

text: now

text: living

text: in

text: Germany

text: was

text: arrested

text: and

text: jailed

text: in

text: while

text: editor

text: of

text: a

text: student

text: magazine

text: at

text: Amirkabir

text: University

text: of

text: Technology

text: in

text: Tehran

text: In

text: a

text: case

text: highlighted

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: by

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Watch

text: Amnesty

text: International

text: and

text: the

text: Committee

text: to

text: Protect

text: Journalists

text: Mahmudian

text: and

text: seven

text: other

text: students

text: were

text: arrested

text: accused

text: of

text: defaming

text: Islam

text: in

text: their

text: publications

text: Mahmudian

text: said

text: the

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: information

text: ministry

text: had

text: circulated

text: forged

text: editions

text: of

text: their

text: publications

text: containing

text: offensive

text: articles

text: Sarah

text: Leah

text: Whitson

text: Middle

text: East

text: director

text: at

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Watch

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: press

text: release

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: The

text: Iranian

text: authorities

text: are

text: using

text: the

text: flimsiest

text: of

text: pretexts

text: to

text: arrests

text: student

text: journalists

text: and

text: activists

text: Even

text: the

text: Judiciary

text: has

text: admitted

text: that

text: these

text: students

text: had

text: nothing

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: the

text: forged

text: publications

text: Mahmudian

text: said

text: I

text: spent

text: more

text: than

text: days

text: in

text: solitary

text: confinement

text: They

text: used

text: physical

text: and

text: mental

text: torture

text: I

text: went

text: on

text: hunger

text: strike

text: for

text: days

text: to

text: be

text: allowed

text: to

text: make

text: one

text: phone

text: call

text: to

text: my

text: mother

text: to

text: tell

text: her

text: I

text: was

text: okay

text: After

text: days

text: of

text: extreme

text: pressure

text: they

text: got

text: a

text: videotaped

text: confession

text: from

text: us

text: inside

text: prison

text: We

text: apologized

text: to

text: the

text: president

text: and

text: were

text: released

text: and

text: allowed

text: to

text: go

text: back

text: to

text: university

text: It

text: was

text: after

text: his

text: undergraduate

text: studies

text: finished

text: and

text: he

text: applied

text: to

text: do

text: his

text: Masters

text: that

text: the

text: incident

text: caused

text: him

text: more

text: trouble

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: called

text: in

text: to

text: the

text: information

text: ministry

text: for

text: three

text: interrogation

text: sessions

text: They

text: asked

text: me

text: to

text: sign

text: a

text: guarantee

text: that

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: continue

text: any

text: political

text: social

text: and

text: cultural

text: activities

text: and

text: that

text: I

text: would

text: cooperate

text: with

text: the

text: information

text: ministry

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: accepted

text: to

text: end

text: my

text: political

text: activities

text: but

text: refused

text: to

text: collaborate

text: with

text: them

text: he

text: said

text: Mahmudian

text: was

text: told

text: he

text: had

text: not

text: passed

text: the

text: general

text: qualification

text: for

text: the

text: Masters

text: course

text: He

text: tried

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: legal

text: appeal

text: against

text: the

text: decision

text: but

text: was

text: told

text: there

text: were

text: no

text: avenues

text: He

text: later

text: moved

text: to

text: Berlin

text: Germany

text: to

text: do

text: his

text: masters

text: degree

text: and

text: has

text: no

text: immediate

text: plans

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: Iran

text: Repeated

text: efforts

text: to

text: reach

text: Iranian

text: officials

text: for

text: comment

text: were

text: unsuccessful

text: Messages

text: left

text: with

text: the

text: Iranian

text: consulate

text: in

text: London

text: were

text: not

text: returned

text: The

text: report

text: Punishing

text: Stars

text: released

text: in

text: December

text: last

text: year

text: claims

text: that

text: the

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Intelligence

text: has

text: used

text: a

text: system

text: of

text: three

text: stars

text: as

text: a

text: method

text: of

text: discrimination

text: against

text: students

text: since

text: Mahmoud

text: Ahmadinejad

text: became

text: president

text: in

text: It

text: said

text: that

text: in

text: in

text: response

text: to

text: pressure

text: from

text: starred

text: students

text: and

text: the

text: media

text: the

text: government

text: announced

text: that

text: it

text: would

text: no

text: longer

text: use

text: the

text: star

text: system

text: However

text: the

text: report

text: claims

text: the

text: discrimination

text: has

text: continued

text: as

text: a

text: de

text: facto

text: policy

question: What is the name of the campaign?

answer: "Can You Solve This?"

text: "Can You Solve This?"

question: What is the student's name?

answer: Puyan Mahmudian

text: Puyan Mahmudian


text:
KARBALA, Iraq (CNN) -- A female suicide bomber apparently targeting Shiite worshippers killed at least 40 people and wounded at least 65 in Karbala on Monday, according to an Interior Ministry official.

Iraqi security forces gather around the site of a car bomb explosion in Baghdad on Monday.

The incident occurred one-half mile from the Imam Hussein shrine of Karbala.

Karbala is a Shiite holy city, and the Imam Hussein shrine is one of Shiite Islam's holiest locations. The shrine marks the burial spot of Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, who was killed in battle nearby in 680.

No more information was immediately available about the blast southwest of the capital city, Baghdad.

Earlier Monday, in Baghdad, a roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol, killing one officer and wounding another, the Interior Ministry told CNN.

A short time later, another roadside bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol on Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad, wounding four bystanders, a ministry official said.

The first attack took place about 8:30 a.m. in the upscale Mansour neighborhood, where law enforcement officials have come under frequent attacks in recent weeks.

Also Monday, two American soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad, officials said.

The incident occurred about 12:20 p.m.  as the soldiers were "conducting a route-clearance combat operation north of Baghdad," according to a news release.

The names of the soldiers were not immediately released.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the Iraqi capital Monday on an unannounced visit.

Cheney told reporters that the five years in Iraq since the war's start has been "well worth the effort."

He said he met with top Iraqi officials.  He appeared at a news conference with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to the country.

Cheney began a trip to the Middle East on Sunday with an official itinerary that listed stops in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel and the West Bank, according to the White House. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

text: KARBALA

text: Iraq

text: CNN

text: A

text: female

text: suicide

text: bomber

text: apparently

text: targeting

text: Shiite

text: worshippers

text: killed

text: at

text: least

text: people

text: and

text: wounded

text: at

text: least

text: in

text: Karbala

text: on

text: Monday

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: Interior

text: Ministry

text: official

text: Iraqi

text: security

text: forces

text: gather

text: around

text: the

text: site

text: of

text: a

text: car

text: bomb

text: explosion

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: on

text: Monday

text: The

text: incident

text: occurred

text: one

text: half

text: mile

text: from

text: the

text: Imam

text: Hussein

text: shrine

text: of

text: Karbala

text: Karbala

text: is

text: a

text: Shiite

text: holy

text: city

text: and

text: the

text: Imam

text: Hussein

text: shrine

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: Shiite

text: Islam

text: 's

text: holiest

text: locations

text: The

text: shrine

text: marks

text: the

text: burial

text: spot

text: of

text: Hussein

text: bin

text: Ali

text: the

text: grandson

text: of

text: the

text: Prophet

text: Mohammed

text: who

text: was

text: killed

text: in

text: battle

text: nearby

text: in

text: No

text: more

text: information

text: was

text: immediately

text: available

text: about

text: the

text: blast

text: southwest

text: of

text: the

text: capital

text: city

text: Baghdad

text: Earlier

text: Monday

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: a

text: roadside

text: bomb

text: exploded

text: near

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: police

text: patrol

text: killing

text: one

text: officer

text: and

text: wounding

text: another

text: the

text: Interior

text: Ministry

text: told

text: CNN

text: A

text: short

text: time

text: later

text: another

text: roadside

text: bomb

text: exploded

text: near

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: police

text: patrol

text: on

text: Palestine

text: Street

text: in

text: eastern

text: Baghdad

text: wounding

text: four

text: bystanders

text: a

text: ministry

text: official

text: said

text: The

text: first

text: attack

text: took

text: place

text: about

text: a.m.

text: in

text: the

text: upscale

text: Mansour

text: neighborhood

text: where

text: law

text: enforcement

text: officials

text: have

text: come

text: under

text: frequent

text: attacks

text: in

text: recent

text: weeks

text: Also

text: Monday

text: two

text: American

text: soldiers

text: were

text: killed

text: by

text: a

text: roadside

text: bomb

text: north

text: of

text: Baghdad

text: officials

text: said

text: The

text: incident

text: occurred

text: about

text: p.m.

text: as

text: the

text: soldiers

text: were

text: conducting

text: a

text: route

text: clearance

text: combat

text: operation

text: north

text: of

text: Baghdad

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: news

text: release

text: The

text: names

text: of

text: the

text: soldiers

text: were

text: not

text: immediately

text: released

text: Meanwhile

text: U.S.

text: Vice

text: President

text: Dick

text: Cheney

text: arrived

text: in

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: capital

text: Monday

text: on

text: an

text: unannounced

text: visit

text: Cheney

text: told

text: reporters

text: that

text: the

text: five

text: years

text: in

text: Iraq

text: since

text: the

text: war

text: 's

text: start

text: has

text: been

text: well

text: worth

text: the

text: effort

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: met

text: with

text: top

text: Iraqi

text: officials

text: He

text: appeared

text: at

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: with

text: Gen.

text: David

text: Petraeus

text: the

text: top

text: U.S.

text: commander

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Ryan

text: Crocker

text: the

text: U.S.

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: Cheney

text: began

text: a

text: trip

text: to

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: on

text: Sunday

text: with

text: an

text: official

text: itinerary

text: that

text: listed

text: stops

text: in

text: Oman

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: Turkey

text: Israel

text: and

text: the

text: West

text: Bank

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Mohammed

text: Tawfeeq

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: what happened due toi the bomb

answer: killed at least

text: killed at least

question: what happened in karbala

answer: A female suicide bomber apparently targeting Shiite worshippers killed at least

text: A female suicide bomber apparently targeting Shiite worshippers killed at least

question: Where were the 2 US soldiers from?

answer: U.S.

text: U.S.

question: who died in roadside bomb

answer: at least

text: at least

question: where was the explosion

answer: Karbala

text: Karbala

question: Where was the roadside bomb?

answer: Baghdad,

text: Baghdad,

question: where is karbala

answer: Iraq

text: Iraq

question: What is the death toll in Karbala?

answer: at least

text: at least

question: what is the count of deaths

answer: 40 people

text: 40 people

question: What number of U.S. soldiers died?

answer: two

text: two

question: Who is behind the bombings and explosions?

answer: A female suicide bomber

text: A female suicide bomber


text:
(CNN) -- When Bertrand Piccard came up with his audacious plan to fly around the world in an aircraft powered only by the sun, he found that airplane manufacturers were skeptical such a plane could be built.

So who built the first model of "Solar Impulse," Piccard's $72-million solar-powered craft? A company that makes ships.

Piccard, who won the first transatlantic balloon race and commanded the first balloon flight around the world, told CNN, "Each time we asked the aeronautical industry to build that airplane, they told us it's impossible. We cannot make an airplane so light and so big. So who did we ask for some help? A boat manufacturer. They had no idea it was impossible, so they built the pieces in carbon fiber and now we have an airplane."

The plane is made by the Swiss company Decision SA, which made the America's Cup-winning Alinghi.

"People put limitations on their creativity, believing they have to rely on what they know and what they have done," Piccard says. He sees the Solar Impulse venture as a way to dramatically demonstrate that it's possible to make a sharp break with the past -- in this case, by showing that renewable energy can replace fossil fuel.

"A lot of industries say we have a society based on oil dependency, so let's continue. ... We know how to deal with oil. The result is General Motors and Chrysler going bankrupt. It's a typical example of people who did not make the turnaround early enough. If GM made engines with much lower fuel consumption, they would not have gone bankrupt."

"We have to get rid of certainties, habits, paradigms, common assumptions," Piccard says. "These are the limits to creativity."

Piccard, who is 51, spoke about his new venture at the TED Global conference in July 2009 and elaborated on it in a recent interview with CNN.com.

CNN: Why are you interested in attempting to fly around the world in a solar airplane?

Bertrand Piccard: My life and the life of my family has to do with exploration, with adventure. My grandfather was the first man in the stratosphere, and my father was the first to touch the deepest point in the ocean. ... For me adventure and exploration is something in the blood. So that's why I flew around the world in a balloon in 1999. ... It was considered to be impossible, I said, "Let's try it."

I succeeded after two failures, and I came to the middle of my life, thinking now that adventure has to go on, and a pioneering sprit has to go on, but how can the adventure be useful -- not a personal dream like flying around the world in a balloon -- but really useful?

I came up with idea of a solar airplane flying around the world with no fuel -- that would be a beautiful message in terms of technology, the energy of the future and the environment.

CNN: So what is the status of the effort right now?

Piccard: So the airplane is built. The first flight was achieved on the third of December and in the spring and summer this year, we're going to make the high-altitude flights and the cycle of [flying] one day, one night and one day.

We take off in the morning. We climb to 27,000 feet, and at the same time we load the batteries and run the engines on solar power only. Then we fly through the night on the batteries in order to reach the next sunrise and continue the following day. So this makes a complete cycle, with no fuel. When this will be achieved, we will build a second airplane that will be able to cross the Atlantic and fly around the world.

The first airplane has to prove that it's possible to fly a complete cycle, one day, one night, one day. ... This little airplane is not a Piper or Cessna with a couple of solar cells. It's a really high-tech carbon fiber airplane which is 200 feet in wingspan. It weighs 1.6 tons.

So it has basically the wingspan of a jumbo jet 747, it has the weight of a little car, and on average it can fly with the energy of a little motorcycle -- which is only provided by the sun. ...

If an airplane like this can fly day and night with no fuel, then nobody can say in the future that it is impossible to use the same technology for cars, for heating systems, for air conditioning, for electronics and so on.

CNN: How fast will the plane travel?

Piccard: The plane will travel very slowly. Otherwise it would take too much energy. The average speed will be 40 knots, roughly 55 miles per hour.

CNN: And so a flight around the world will take how long?

Piccard: It would take around 20 days and because there is only one pilot at a time in the cockpit, we're going to land every five days and change the pilot. ... When Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic in 1927, he was alone on board, and the airplane was full of gasoline and nobody thought than an airplane could take passengers over the Atlantic. And 30 years later, airplanes were taking 200 passengers across the Atlantic. So now we start the same thing over again, but with no fuel.

We need an airplane that is very big, that is very light, and full of batteries, lithium polymer batteries, and it can take only one person. We have to see afterward if the technology can improve -- and transport people.

But our goal is more to bring about a revolution in behavior than to bring a revolution in aviation. The goal is really to have people on ground who will follow this adventure and will start to use the same technologies, to save energy and to rely on renewable energy.

CNN: What is the biggest technical challenge in building this airplane?

Piccard: There are several challenges. One challenge is to have this airplane light enough despite its huge wingspan. The construction has to be done with carbon fiber with completely new technologies. The structure of Solar Impulse ... is 10 times lighter than the normal glider. It's a breakthrough in construction technologies.

The second challenge is energy. It has to fly through the night with a battery that has been loaded the previous day. So it has to be extremely energy efficient.

Another challenge is that it's difficult to ... control such a huge airplane that flies so slowly and is so light.

CNN: Do you intend to be one of the pilots?

Piccard: I will be one of the pilots, and Andre Borschberg will also be a pilot.

CNN: What's the greatest risk on the flight?

Piccard: The greatest risk is bad weather. If we cannot remain in sunny areas, we may have to land somewhere or ditch in the ocean. But we have very, very good weathermen, and I'm confident that it will work.

CNN: So you will not be flying above the cloud cover?

Piccard: We will be flying above the cloud cover, but during the night we have to fly lower because the efficiency of the batteries on the market is not yet sufficient for us to stay at high altitudes.

So during the day we climb to 27,000 feet and then during the night, we go down to 10,000 feet to save energy. When we have sunlight, we go up again. Which means that in the morning we absolutely have to be clear of clouds, otherwise we cannot go up again.

CNN: Why can't you go up through clouds?

Piccard: Because we will have almost empty batteries every morning ... so if we have clouds in morning, we cannot load the batteries to go back up. ... This will be the big weather challenge for the team.

CNN: Where will you land the plane?

Piccard: We need an airport with a large runway. We don't need a long runway. We'll have one stop in the U.S. ... We have not yet decided where it will be.

We'll have five legs, and each leg will be five days and five nights on average. So we'll stop in China, Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, Europe and one stop probably in the Arab Emirates and then back in China.

CNN: What's your projected date for takeoff?

Piccard: The schedule is like this: In 2010, we fly day and night. In 2011, we'll make international flights, several days and nights. In 2012, we'll cross the Atlantic, and in 2012 or 2013, we'll go around the world.

CNN: How much does this project cost and who's paying for it?

Piccard: The entire budget is 100 million U.S. dollars, coming from private sponsors.

CNN: Do you have children?

Piccard: Yes I have three kids.

CNN: And are they adventurous?

Piccard: Well, they fly with me with hang gliders, with balloons, paragliders, micro-lights. They like it very much. But I'd say they're a little too young to show really what they're going to do, they're 15, 17 and 19. ...

CNN: Are you hoping your children will take on adventures the way you have?

Piccard: No, I hope they will take on the challenge of improving the quality of life, bringing a pioneering spirit and new ways to think about political issues, environmental issues, technological issues, charity issues.

In the 20th century, the heroes were the ones who went to the North Pole, the South Pole, Everest, the bottom of the ocean, space and the moon.

In the 21st century I think the heroes will be the people who will improve the quality of life, fight poverty and introduce more sustainability.

text: CNN

text: When

text: Bertrand

text: Piccard

text: came

text: up

text: with

text: his

text: audacious

text: plan

text: to

text: fly

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: in

text: an

text: aircraft

text: powered

text: only

text: by

text: the

text: sun

text: he

text: found

text: that

text: airplane

text: manufacturers

text: were

text: skeptical

text: such

text: a

text: plane

text: could

text: be

text: built

text: So

text: who

text: built

text: the

text: first

text: model

text: of

text: Solar

text: Impulse

text: Piccard

text: 's

text: solar

text: powered

text: craft

text: A

text: company

text: that

text: makes

text: ships

text: Piccard

text: who

text: won

text: the

text: first

text: transatlantic

text: balloon

text: race

text: and

text: commanded

text: the

text: first

text: balloon

text: flight

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: told

text: CNN

text: Each

text: time

text: we

text: asked

text: the

text: aeronautical

text: industry

text: to

text: build

text: that

text: airplane

text: they

text: told

text: us

text: it

text: 's

text: impossible

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: make

text: an

text: airplane

text: so

text: light

text: and

text: so

text: big

text: So

text: who

text: did

text: we

text: ask

text: for

text: some

text: help

text: A

text: boat

text: manufacturer

text: They

text: had

text: no

text: idea

text: it

text: was

text: impossible

text: so

text: they

text: built

text: the

text: pieces

text: in

text: carbon

text: fiber

text: and

text: now

text: we

text: have

text: an

text: airplane

text: The

text: plane

text: is

text: made

text: by

text: the

text: Swiss

text: company

text: Decision

text: SA

text: which

text: made

text: the

text: America

text: 's

text: Cup

text: winning

text: Alinghi

text: People

text: put

text: limitations

text: on

text: their

text: creativity

text: believing

text: they

text: have

text: to

text: rely

text: on

text: what

text: they

text: know

text: and

text: what

text: they

text: have

text: done

text: Piccard

text: says

text: He

text: sees

text: the

text: Solar

text: Impulse

text: venture

text: as

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: dramatically

text: demonstrate

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: possible

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: sharp

text: break

text: with

text: the

text: past

text: in

text: this

text: case

text: by

text: showing

text: that

text: renewable

text: energy

text: can

text: replace

text: fossil

text: fuel

text: A

text: lot

text: of

text: industries

text: say

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: society

text: based

text: on

text: oil

text: dependency

text: so

text: let

text: 's

text: continue

text: We

text: know

text: how

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: oil

text: The

text: result

text: is

text: General

text: Motors

text: and

text: Chrysler

text: going

text: bankrupt

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: typical

text: example

text: of

text: people

text: who

text: did

text: not

text: make

text: the

text: turnaround

text: early

text: enough

text: If

text: GM

text: made

text: engines

text: with

text: much

text: lower

text: fuel

text: consumption

text: they

text: would

text: not

text: have

text: gone

text: bankrupt

text: We

text: have

text: to

text: get

text: rid

text: of

text: certainties

text: habits

text: paradigms

text: common

text: assumptions

text: Piccard

text: says

text: These

text: are

text: the

text: limits

text: to

text: creativity

text: Piccard

text: who

text: is

text: spoke

text: about

text: his

text: new

text: venture

text: at

text: the

text: TED

text: Global

text: conference

text: in

text: July

text: and

text: elaborated

text: on

text: it

text: in

text: a

text: recent

text: interview

text: with

text: CNN.com

text: CNN

text: Why

text: are

text: you

text: interested

text: in

text: attempting

text: to

text: fly

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: in

text: a

text: solar

text: airplane

text: Bertrand

text: Piccard

text: My

text: life

text: and

text: the

text: life

text: of

text: my

text: family

text: has

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: exploration

text: with

text: adventure

text: My

text: grandfather

text: was

text: the

text: first

text: man

text: in

text: the

text: stratosphere

text: and

text: my

text: father

text: was

text: the

text: first

text: to

text: touch

text: the

text: deepest

text: point

text: in

text: the

text: ocean

text: For

text: me

text: adventure

text: and

text: exploration

text: is

text: something

text: in

text: the

text: blood

text: So

text: that

text: 's

text: why

text: I

text: flew

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: in

text: a

text: balloon

text: in

text: It

text: was

text: considered

text: to

text: be

text: impossible

text: I

text: said

text: Let

text: 's

text: try

text: it

text: I

text: succeeded

text: after

text: two

text: failures

text: and

text: I

text: came

text: to

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: thinking

text: now

text: that

text: adventure

text: has

text: to

text: go

text: on

text: and

text: a

text: pioneering

text: sprit

text: has

text: to

text: go

text: on

text: but

text: how

text: can

text: the

text: adventure

text: be

text: useful

text: not

text: a

text: personal

text: dream

text: like

text: flying

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: in

text: a

text: balloon

text: but

text: really

text: useful

text: I

text: came

text: up

text: with

text: idea

text: of

text: a

text: solar

text: airplane

text: flying

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: with

text: no

text: fuel

text: that

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: beautiful

text: message

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: technology

text: the

text: energy

text: of

text: the

text: future

text: and

text: the

text: environment

text: CNN

text: So

text: what

text: is

text: the

text: status

text: of

text: the

text: effort

text: right

text: now

text: Piccard

text: So

text: the

text: airplane

text: is

text: built

text: The

text: first

text: flight

text: was

text: achieved

text: on

text: the

text: third

text: of

text: December

text: and

text: in

text: the

text: spring

text: and

text: summer

text: this

text: year

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: high

text: altitude

text: flights

text: and

text: the

text: cycle

text: of

text: flying

text: one

text: day

text: one

text: night

text: and

text: one

text: day

text: We

text: take

text: off

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: We

text: climb

text: to

text: feet

text: and

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: we

text: load

text: the

text: batteries

text: and

text: run

text: the

text: engines

text: on

text: solar

text: power

text: only

text: Then

text: we

text: fly

text: through

text: the

text: night

text: on

text: the

text: batteries

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: reach

text: the

text: next

text: sunrise

text: and

text: continue

text: the

text: following

text: day

text: So

text: this

text: makes

text: a

text: complete

text: cycle

text: with

text: no

text: fuel

text: When

text: this

text: will

text: be

text: achieved

text: we

text: will

text: build

text: a

text: second

text: airplane

text: that

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: cross

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: and

text: fly

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: first

text: airplane

text: has

text: to

text: prove

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: possible

text: to

text: fly

text: a

text: complete

text: cycle

text: one

text: day

text: one

text: night

text: one

text: day

text: This

text: little

text: airplane

text: is

text: not

text: a

text: Piper

text: or

text: Cessna

text: with

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: solar

text: cells

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: really

text: high

text: tech

text: carbon

text: fiber

text: airplane

text: which

text: is

text: feet

text: in

text: wingspan

text: It

text: weighs

text: tons

text: So

text: it

text: has

text: basically

text: the

text: wingspan

text: of

text: a

text: jumbo

text: jet

text: it

text: has

text: the

text: weight

text: of

text: a

text: little

text: car

text: and

text: on

text: average

text: it

text: can

text: fly

text: with

text: the

text: energy

text: of

text: a

text: little

text: motorcycle

text: which

text: is

text: only

text: provided

text: by

text: the

text: sun

text: If

text: an

text: airplane

text: like

text: this

text: can

text: fly

text: day

text: and

text: night

text: with

text: no

text: fuel

text: then

text: nobody

text: can

text: say

text: in

text: the

text: future

text: that

text: it

text: is

text: impossible

text: to

text: use

text: the

text: same

text: technology

text: for

text: cars

text: for

text: heating

text: systems

text: for

text: air

text: conditioning

text: for

text: electronics

text: and

text: so

text: on

text: CNN

text: How

text: fast

text: will

text: the

text: plane

text: travel

text: Piccard

text: The

text: plane

text: will

text: travel

text: very

text: slowly

text: Otherwise

text: it

text: would

text: take

text: too

text: much

text: energy

text: The

text: average

text: speed

text: will

text: be

text: knots

text: roughly

text: miles

text: per

text: hour

text: CNN

text: And

text: so

text: a

text: flight

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: will

text: take

text: how

text: long

text: Piccard

text: It

text: would

text: take

text: around

text: days

text: and

text: because

text: there

text: is

text: only

text: one

text: pilot

text: at

text: a

text: time

text: in

text: the

text: cockpit

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: land

text: every

text: five

text: days

text: and

text: change

text: the

text: pilot

text: When

text: Charles

text: Lindbergh

text: crossed

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: in

text: he

text: was

text: alone

text: on

text: board

text: and

text: the

text: airplane

text: was

text: full

text: of

text: gasoline

text: and

text: nobody

text: thought

text: than

text: an

text: airplane

text: could

text: take

text: passengers

text: over

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: And

text: years

text: later

text: airplanes

text: were

text: taking

text: passengers

text: across

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: So

text: now

text: we

text: start

text: the

text: same

text: thing

text: over

text: again

text: but

text: with

text: no

text: fuel

text: We

text: need

text: an

text: airplane

text: that

text: is

text: very

text: big

text: that

text: is

text: very

text: light

text: and

text: full

text: of

text: batteries

text: lithium

text: polymer

text: batteries

text: and

text: it

text: can

text: take

text: only

text: one

text: person

text: We

text: have

text: to

text: see

text: afterward

text: if

text: the

text: technology

text: can

text: improve

text: and

text: transport

text: people

text: But

text: our

text: goal

text: is

text: more

text: to

text: bring

text: about

text: a

text: revolution

text: in

text: behavior

text: than

text: to

text: bring

text: a

text: revolution

text: in

text: aviation

text: The

text: goal

text: is

text: really

text: to

text: have

text: people

text: on

text: ground

text: who

text: will

text: follow

text: this

text: adventure

text: and

text: will

text: start

text: to

text: use

text: the

text: same

text: technologies

text: to

text: save

text: energy

text: and

text: to

text: rely

text: on

text: renewable

text: energy

text: CNN

text: What

text: is

text: the

text: biggest

text: technical

text: challenge

text: in

text: building

text: this

text: airplane

text: Piccard

text: There

text: are

text: several

text: challenges

text: One

text: challenge

text: is

text: to

text: have

text: this

text: airplane

text: light

text: enough

text: despite

text: its

text: huge

text: wingspan

text: The

text: construction

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: with

text: carbon

text: fiber

text: with

text: completely

text: new

text: technologies

text: The

text: structure

text: of

text: Solar

text: Impulse

text: is

text: times

text: lighter

text: than

text: the

text: normal

text: glider

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: breakthrough

text: in

text: construction

text: technologies

text: The

text: second

text: challenge

text: is

text: energy

text: It

text: has

text: to

text: fly

text: through

text: the

text: night

text: with

text: a

text: battery

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: loaded

text: the

text: previous

text: day

text: So

text: it

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: extremely

text: energy

text: efficient

text: Another

text: challenge

text: is

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: difficult

text: to

text: control

text: such

text: a

text: huge

text: airplane

text: that

text: flies

text: so

text: slowly

text: and

text: is

text: so

text: light

text: CNN

text: Do

text: you

text: intend

text: to

text: be

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: pilots

text: Piccard

text: I

text: will

text: be

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: pilots

text: and

text: Andre

text: Borschberg

text: will

text: also

text: be

text: a

text: pilot

text: CNN

text: What

text: 's

text: the

text: greatest

text: risk

text: on

text: the

text: flight

text: Piccard

text: The

text: greatest

text: risk

text: is

text: bad

text: weather

text: If

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: remain

text: in

text: sunny

text: areas

text: we

text: may

text: have

text: to

text: land

text: somewhere

text: or

text: ditch

text: in

text: the

text: ocean

text: But

text: we

text: have

text: very

text: very

text: good

text: weathermen

text: and

text: I

text: 'm

text: confident

text: that

text: it

text: will

text: work

text: CNN

text: So

text: you

text: will

text: not

text: be

text: flying

text: above

text: the

text: cloud

text: cover

text: Piccard

text: We

text: will

text: be

text: flying

text: above

text: the

text: cloud

text: cover

text: but

text: during

text: the

text: night

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: fly

text: lower

text: because

text: the

text: efficiency

text: of

text: the

text: batteries

text: on

text: the

text: market

text: is

text: not

text: yet

text: sufficient

text: for

text: us

text: to

text: stay

text: at

text: high

text: altitudes

text: So

text: during

text: the

text: day

text: we

text: climb

text: to

text: feet

text: and

text: then

text: during

text: the

text: night

text: we

text: go

text: down

text: to

text: feet

text: to

text: save

text: energy

text: When

text: we

text: have

text: sunlight

text: we

text: go

text: up

text: again

text: Which

text: means

text: that

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: we

text: absolutely

text: have

text: to

text: be

text: clear

text: of

text: clouds

text: otherwise

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: go

text: up

text: again

text: CNN

text: Why

text: ca

text: n't

text: you

text: go

text: up

text: through

text: clouds

text: Piccard

text: Because

text: we

text: will

text: have

text: almost

text: empty

text: batteries

text: every

text: morning

text: so

text: if

text: we

text: have

text: clouds

text: in

text: morning

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: load

text: the

text: batteries

text: to

text: go

text: back

text: up

text: This

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: big

text: weather

text: challenge

text: for

text: the

text: team

text: CNN

text: Where

text: will

text: you

text: land

text: the

text: plane

text: Piccard

text: We

text: need

text: an

text: airport

text: with

text: a

text: large

text: runway

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: need

text: a

text: long

text: runway

text: We

text: 'll

text: have

text: one

text: stop

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: We

text: have

text: not

text: yet

text: decided

text: where

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: We

text: 'll

text: have

text: five

text: legs

text: and

text: each

text: leg

text: will

text: be

text: five

text: days

text: and

text: five

text: nights

text: on

text: average

text: So

text: we

text: 'll

text: stop

text: in

text: China

text: Hawaii

text: the

text: U.S.

text: mainland

text: Europe

text: and

text: one

text: stop

text: probably

text: in

text: the

text: Arab

text: Emirates

text: and

text: then

text: back

text: in

text: China

text: CNN

text: What

text: 's

text: your

text: projected

text: date

text: for

text: takeoff

text: Piccard

text: The

text: schedule

text: is

text: like

text: this

text: In

text: we

text: fly

text: day

text: and

text: night

text: In

text: we

text: 'll

text: make

text: international

text: flights

text: several

text: days

text: and

text: nights

text: In

text: we

text: 'll

text: cross

text: the

text: Atlantic

text: and

text: in

text: or

text: we

text: 'll

text: go

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: CNN

text: How

text: much

text: does

text: this

text: project

text: cost

text: and

text: who

text: 's

text: paying

text: for

text: it

text: Piccard

text: The

text: entire

text: budget

text: is

text: million

text: U.S.

text: dollars

text: coming

text: from

text: private

text: sponsors

text: CNN

text: Do

text: you

text: have

text: children

text: Piccard

text: Yes

text: I

text: have

text: three

text: kids

text: CNN

text: And

text: are

text: they

text: adventurous

text: Piccard

text: Well

text: they

text: fly

text: with

text: me

text: with

text: hang

text: gliders

text: with

text: balloons

text: paragliders

text: micro

text: lights

text: They

text: like

text: it

text: very

text: much

text: But

text: I

text: 'd

text: say

text: they

text: 're

text: a

text: little

text: too

text: young

text: to

text: show

text: really

text: what

text: they

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: do

text: they

text: 're

text: and

text: CNN

text: Are

text: you

text: hoping

text: your

text: children

text: will

text: take

text: on

text: adventures

text: the

text: way

text: you

text: have

text: Piccard

text: No

text: I

text: hope

text: they

text: will

text: take

text: on

text: the

text: challenge

text: of

text: improving

text: the

text: quality

text: of

text: life

text: bringing

text: a

text: pioneering

text: spirit

text: and

text: new

text: ways

text: to

text: think

text: about

text: political

text: issues

text: environmental

text: issues

text: technological

text: issues

text: charity

text: issues

text: In

text: the

text: century

text: the

text: heroes

text: were

text: the

text: ones

text: who

text: went

text: to

text: the

text: North

text: Pole

text: the

text: South

text: Pole

text: Everest

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: the

text: ocean

text: space

text: and

text: the

text: moon

text: In

text: the

text: century

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: heroes

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: people

text: who

text: will

text: improve

text: the

text: quality

text: of

text: life

text: fight

text: poverty

text: and

text: introduce

text: more

text: sustainability

question: what did he say?

answer: "We have to get rid of certainties, habits, paradigms, common assumptions,"

text: "We have to get rid of certainties, habits, paradigms, common assumptions,"

question: What did Bertrand Piccard do?

answer: won the first transatlantic balloon race and commanded the first balloon flight around the world,

text: won the first transatlantic balloon race and commanded the first balloon flight around the world,

question: What type of plane does he want to fly around the world?

answer: solar-powered

text: solar-powered

question: What does Piccard  want to demonstrate?

answer: I came up with idea of a solar airplane flying around the world with no fuel

text: I came up with idea of a solar airplane flying around the world with no fuel

question: What does Piccard say we have to get rid of?

answer: certainties, habits, paradigms, common assumptions,"

text: certainties, habits, paradigms, common assumptions,"

question: What reason is given for flying a solar plane?

answer: would be a beautiful message in terms of technology, the energy of the future and the environment.

text: would be a beautiful message in terms of technology, the energy of the future and the environment.

question: What did Piccard say in a TED Talk?

answer: spoke about his new venture

text: spoke about his new venture

question: What does Piccard want fly around the world in?

answer: solar-powered craft?

text: solar-powered craft?


text:
(CNN) -- The world's top pound-for-pound fighter, Manny Pacquiao, will attempt to win a world title in a fourth division by taking on three-time world champion Miguel Cotto in his next bout.

Manny Pacquiao will take on Miguel Cotto in his next fight scheduled for Novermber 18.

The Filipino boxer will fight the 28-year-old Puerto Rican for the WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, America on November 14 it has been confirmed.

Promoter Bob Arum, who represents both fighters, announced that although contracts still need to be signed, verbal agreements have been given: "I'm very excited about this because it's a good fight for boxing [and] it wasn't difficult to do, because they both wanted the fight," Arum told the Los Angeles Times.

Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines but has seen his popularity grow around the world since his comprehensive victory over British fighter Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas.

The man dubbed the "National Fist" is currently rated by The Ring, the sport's most respected trade magazine, as the best boxer in the world. His career earnings stand at an estimated $50M and he stands to bank further millions with the Cotto fee, however, Arum has yet to announce how the purse will be split.

Pacquiao has been in devastating form in recent times, racking up a string of victories in four different weight divisions.

Mexico's super-featherweight Juan Manuel Marquez was dispatched by the "Pac Man" before the 30-year-old secured further wins against America's David Diaz (lightweight) and Oscar de la Hoya (welterweight) before a devastating show of force against British light-welterweight Ricky Hatton.

Cotto survived a recent split decision result against Ghana's Joshua Clottey despite suffering a bad cut over one of his eyes during the bout and has only lost once in his career thus far to 31-year-old Mexican Antonio Margarito.

Arum said a press tour with the fighters will start Sept. 9 in Los Angeles.

text: CNN

text: The

text: world

text: 's

text: top

text: pound

text: for

text: pound

text: fighter

text: Manny

text: Pacquiao

text: will

text: attempt

text: to

text: win

text: a

text: world

text: title

text: in

text: a

text: fourth

text: division

text: by

text: taking

text: on

text: three

text: time

text: world

text: champion

text: Miguel

text: Cotto

text: in

text: his

text: next

text: bout

text: Manny

text: Pacquiao

text: will

text: take

text: on

text: Miguel

text: Cotto

text: in

text: his

text: next

text: fight

text: scheduled

text: for

text: Novermber

text: The

text: Filipino

text: boxer

text: will

text: fight

text: the

text: old

text: Puerto

text: Rican

text: for

text: the

text: WBO

text: welterweight

text: title

text: at

text: the

text: MGM

text: Grand

text: Garden

text: Arena

text: in

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: America

text: on

text: November

text: it

text: has

text: been

text: confirmed

text: Promoter

text: Bob

text: Arum

text: who

text: represents

text: both

text: fighters

text: announced

text: that

text: although

text: contracts

text: still

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: signed

text: verbal

text: agreements

text: have

text: been

text: given

text: I

text: 'm

text: very

text: excited

text: about

text: this

text: because

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: good

text: fight

text: for

text: boxing

text: and

text: it

text: was

text: n't

text: difficult

text: to

text: do

text: because

text: they

text: both

text: wanted

text: the

text: fight

text: Arum

text: told

text: the

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Times

text: Pacquiao

text: is

text: a

text: national

text: hero

text: in

text: the

text: Philippines

text: but

text: has

text: seen

text: his

text: popularity

text: grow

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: since

text: his

text: comprehensive

text: victory

text: over

text: British

text: fighter

text: Ricky

text: Hatton

text: in

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: The

text: man

text: dubbed

text: the

text: National

text: Fist

text: is

text: currently

text: rated

text: by

text: The

text: Ring

text: the

text: sport

text: 's

text: most

text: respected

text: trade

text: magazine

text: as

text: the

text: best

text: boxer

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: His

text: career

text: earnings

text: stand

text: at

text: an

text: estimated

text: M

text: and

text: he

text: stands

text: to

text: bank

text: further

text: millions

text: with

text: the

text: Cotto

text: fee

text: however

text: Arum

text: has

text: yet

text: to

text: announce

text: how

text: the

text: purse

text: will

text: be

text: split

text: Pacquiao

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: devastating

text: form

text: in

text: recent

text: times

text: racking

text: up

text: a

text: string

text: of

text: victories

text: in

text: four

text: different

text: weight

text: divisions

text: Mexico

text: 's

text: super

text: featherweight

text: Juan

text: Manuel

text: Marquez

text: was

text: dispatched

text: by

text: the

text: Pac

text: Man

text: before

text: the

text: old

text: secured

text: further

text: wins

text: against

text: America

text: 's

text: David

text: Diaz

text: lightweight

text: and

text: Oscar

text: de

text: la

text: Hoya

text: welterweight

text: before

text: a

text: devastating

text: show

text: of

text: force

text: against

text: British

text: light

text: welterweight

text: Ricky

text: Hatton

text: Cotto

text: survived

text: a

text: recent

text: split

text: decision

text: result

text: against

text: Ghana

text: 's

text: Joshua

text: Clottey

text: despite

text: suffering

text: a

text: bad

text: cut

text: over

text: one

text: of

text: his

text: eyes

text: during

text: the

text: bout

text: and

text: has

text: only

text: lost

text: once

text: in

text: his

text: career

text: thus

text: far

text: to

text: old

text: Mexican

text: Antonio

text: Margarito

text: Arum

text: said

text: a

text: press

text: tour

text: with

text: the

text: fighters

text: will

text: start

text: Sept.

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

question: What title is on the line?

answer: the WBO welterweight

text: the WBO welterweight

question: Who will fight Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto in his next fight?

answer: Manny Pacquiao,

text: Manny Pacquiao,

question: was is the weight class?

answer: welterweight

text: welterweight


text:
(CNN)  -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will decide this week whether to allow gays and lesbians who are not celibate to serve as clergy members and lay leaders, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Current Evangelical Lutheran Church policy allows gay and lesbian clergy, lay people to serve only if celibate.

Spokesman John Brooks said the church's 1,045 voting members, who are at a weeklong Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will vote Friday on whether to change its policy regarding gay clergy members.

The policy allows gays and lesbians to serve as clergy members and lay leaders if they are celibate, Brooks said. Heterosexual clergy are allowed to have sex within marriage.

The new policy would allow gays and lesbians in "publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships," to serve as clergy and lay leaders, according to the proposal.

Lay leaders are people other than clergy members who are on the professional rosters of the church.

A simple majority will decide the vote, Brooks said. He said there is a "wide range of opinions" on changing the policy.

The body is also scheduled to vote Wednesday on a social statement on sexuality that has been eight years in the making, he said.

"It's important for us because it informs the basis for policy," he said.

According to its Web site, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has 4.6 million members.

The church is not the only denomination that has dealt with the issue of gay clergy.

Last month, the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops voted by a wide margin to allow gays and lesbians to become bishops, Episcopal Life reported.

In April, the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted against allowing openly gay pastors to serve, according to the Presbyterian News Service.

text: CNN

text: The

text: Evangelical

text: Lutheran

text: Church

text: in

text: America

text: will

text: decide

text: this

text: week

text: whether

text: to

text: allow

text: gays

text: and

text: lesbians

text: who

text: are

text: not

text: celibate

text: to

text: serve

text: as

text: clergy

text: members

text: and

text: lay

text: leaders

text: a

text: spokesman

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: Current

text: Evangelical

text: Lutheran

text: Church

text: policy

text: allows

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: clergy

text: lay

text: people

text: to

text: serve

text: only

text: if

text: celibate

text: Spokesman

text: John

text: Brooks

text: said

text: the

text: church

text: 's

text: voting

text: members

text: who

text: are

text: at

text: a

text: weeklong

text: Churchwide

text: Assembly

text: in

text: Minneapolis

text: Minnesota

text: will

text: vote

text: Friday

text: on

text: whether

text: to

text: change

text: its

text: policy

text: regarding

text: gay

text: clergy

text: members

text: The

text: policy

text: allows

text: gays

text: and

text: lesbians

text: to

text: serve

text: as

text: clergy

text: members

text: and

text: lay

text: leaders

text: if

text: they

text: are

text: celibate

text: Brooks

text: said

text: Heterosexual

text: clergy

text: are

text: allowed

text: to

text: have

text: sex

text: within

text: marriage

text: The

text: new

text: policy

text: would

text: allow

text: gays

text: and

text: lesbians

text: in

text: publicly

text: accountable

text: lifelong

text: monogamous

text: same

text: gender

text: relationships

text: to

text: serve

text: as

text: clergy

text: and

text: lay

text: leaders

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: proposal

text: Lay

text: leaders

text: are

text: people

text: other

text: than

text: clergy

text: members

text: who

text: are

text: on

text: the

text: professional

text: rosters

text: of

text: the

text: church

text: A

text: simple

text: majority

text: will

text: decide

text: the

text: vote

text: Brooks

text: said

text: He

text: said

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: wide

text: range

text: of

text: opinions

text: on

text: changing

text: the

text: policy

text: The

text: body

text: is

text: also

text: scheduled

text: to

text: vote

text: Wednesday

text: on

text: a

text: social

text: statement

text: on

text: sexuality

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: eight

text: years

text: in

text: the

text: making

text: he

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: important

text: for

text: us

text: because

text: it

text: informs

text: the

text: basis

text: for

text: policy

text: he

text: said

text: According

text: to

text: its

text: Web

text: site

text: the

text: Evangelical

text: Lutheran

text: Church

text: in

text: America

text: has

text: million

text: members

text: The

text: church

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: only

text: denomination

text: that

text: has

text: dealt

text: with

text: the

text: issue

text: of

text: gay

text: clergy

text: Last

text: month

text: the

text: Episcopal

text: Church

text: 's

text: House

text: of

text: Bishops

text: voted

text: by

text: a

text: wide

text: margin

text: to

text: allow

text: gays

text: and

text: lesbians

text: to

text: become

text: bishops

text: Episcopal

text: Life

text: reported

text: In

text: April

text: the

text: Presbyterian

text: Church

text: USA

text: voted

text: against

text: allowing

text: openly

text: gay

text: pastors

text: to

text: serve

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Presbyterian

text: News

text: Service

question: How many members are needed to reach a decision about the issue

answer: A simple majority

text: A simple majority

question: Where did the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America meet?

answer: Minneapolis, Minnesota,

text: Minneapolis, Minnesota,

question: Who is  meeting in Minneapolis this week?

answer: Evangelical Lutheran Church

text: Evangelical Lutheran Church

question: What does the policy allow?

answer: gay and lesbian clergy,

text: gay and lesbian clergy,

question: What would gays and lesbians required to be to serve as clergy?

answer: celibate.

text: celibate.

question: How many members will vote to decide the issue?

answer: 1,045 voting

text: 1,045 voting

question: Are gays and lesbians allowed to serve as clergy?

answer: only if celibate.

text: only if celibate.

question: What would the new policy allow?

answer: lesbians who are not celibate to serve as clergy members

text: lesbians who are not celibate to serve as clergy members

question: Who is meeting in Minneapolis this week?

answer: church's 1,045 voting members,

text: church's 1,045 voting members,


text:
LYON, France  -- Inter Milan have agreed to the transfer of Italian World Cup winning defender Fabio Grosso to six-time French champions Lyon.

Grosso made 23 Serie-A appearances for Inter Milan last season.

"The player arrived late on Friday evening and passed his medical test before signing his contract with the club on Saturday morning, all three parties involved are in agreement," said Olivier Blanc, communications director of the French club.

The 29-year-old Italian will be present at a ceremony at Lyon's Town Hall to launch the French champions 2007-08 season.

Grosso is Lyon's highest-profile summer signing and will come as much sought after relief by a club who saw the departure of France international left back Eric Abidal to Barcelona.

Lyon, chasing a record seventh consecutive League One title, have also signed Nadir Belhadj from French first division rivals Sedan and Mathieu Bodmer and Kadar Keita both from Lille.

The Italian League champions Inter Milan decided to release Grosso after a below-par season and just one year at the club.

The imposing defender played 23 matches in the league last term, scoring two goals.

He will be bitterly remembered in France for scoring Italy's winning penalty in the final shootout that denied France their second World Cup success.

Grosso will be the third Italian to play for the club since it was founded, following Orenzo Dito and Aridex Caligaris in the 1950s. E-mail to a friend

text: LYON

text: France

text: Inter

text: Milan

text: have

text: agreed

text: to

text: the

text: transfer

text: of

text: Italian

text: World

text: Cup

text: winning

text: defender

text: Fabio

text: Grosso

text: to

text: six

text: time

text: French

text: champions

text: Lyon

text: Grosso

text: made

text: Serie

text: A

text: appearances

text: for

text: Inter

text: Milan

text: last

text: season

text: The

text: player

text: arrived

text: late

text: on

text: Friday

text: evening

text: and

text: passed

text: his

text: medical

text: test

text: before

text: signing

text: his

text: contract

text: with

text: the

text: club

text: on

text: Saturday

text: morning

text: all

text: three

text: parties

text: involved

text: are

text: in

text: agreement

text: said

text: Olivier

text: Blanc

text: communications

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: French

text: club

text: The

text: old

text: Italian

text: will

text: be

text: present

text: at

text: a

text: ceremony

text: at

text: Lyon

text: 's

text: Town

text: Hall

text: to

text: launch

text: the

text: French

text: champions

text: season

text: Grosso

text: is

text: Lyon

text: 's

text: highest

text: profile

text: summer

text: signing

text: and

text: will

text: come

text: as

text: much

text: sought

text: after

text: relief

text: by

text: a

text: club

text: who

text: saw

text: the

text: departure

text: of

text: France

text: international

text: left

text: back

text: Eric

text: Abidal

text: to

text: Barcelona

text: Lyon

text: chasing

text: a

text: record

text: seventh

text: consecutive

text: League

text: One

text: title

text: have

text: also

text: signed

text: Nadir

text: Belhadj

text: from

text: French

text: first

text: division

text: rivals

text: Sedan

text: and

text: Mathieu

text: Bodmer

text: and

text: Kadar

text: Keita

text: both

text: from

text: Lille

text: The

text: Italian

text: League

text: champions

text: Inter

text: Milan

text: decided

text: to

text: release

text: Grosso

text: after

text: a

text: below

text: par

text: season

text: and

text: just

text: one

text: year

text: at

text: the

text: club

text: The

text: imposing

text: defender

text: played

text: matches

text: in

text: the

text: league

text: last

text: term

text: scoring

text: two

text: goals

text: He

text: will

text: be

text: bitterly

text: remembered

text: in

text: France

text: for

text: scoring

text: Italy

text: 's

text: winning

text: penalty

text: in

text: the

text: final

text: shootout

text: that

text: denied

text: France

text: their

text: second

text: World

text: Cup

text: success

text: Grosso

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: third

text: Italian

text: to

text: play

text: for

text: the

text: club

text: since

text: it

text: was

text: founded

text: following

text: Orenzo

text: Dito

text: and

text: Aridex

text: Caligaris

text: in

text: the

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: When did Grosso sign his contract?

answer: on Saturday morning,

text: on Saturday morning,

question: what team did he sign with?

answer: French champions Lyon.

text: French champions Lyon.

question: Who signed Grosso?

answer: Lyon.

text: Lyon.

question: who signed a new contract?

answer: Grosso

text: Grosso


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama and top aides have quietly stepped up talks with moderate Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine on a scaled-back health care bill, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations.

Sen. Olympia Snowe is part of the bipartisan so-called "Gang of Six" negotiating on health care.

The compromise plan would lack a government-run public health insurance option favored by Obama, but would leave the door open to adding that provision down the road under an idea proposed by Snowe, the sources said.

One of the sources said White House officials are "deep in conversations" with Snowe on a much smaller health care bill than Obama originally envisioned.

The modified proposal would include insurance reforms, such as preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, according to the source.

The potential deal would give insurance companies a defined period to make such changes in order to help cover more people and drive down long-term costs. But if those changes failed to occur within the defined period, a so-called "trigger" would provide for creating a public option to force change on the insurance companies, the source said.

Snowe is pivotal to the debate because she may be Obama's last possibility for getting a Republican senator to support his push for a health care overhaul.

She is one of the so-called "Gang of Six" members of the Senate Finance Committee, three Democrats and three Republicans, involved in separate negotiations on the only bipartisan health care proposal in Congress so far.

However, the slow pace of those talks and recent partisan attacks by the other two Republicans in the negotiations have dimmed hopes for a breakthrough, leaving Snowe as the only Republican senator that White House aides believe they can work with on the issue.

Snowe first proposed the so-called "trigger" idea for a public option months ago, and has talked to Obama about it on several occasions, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

The source told CNN that the White House staffers increased their phone calls to Snowe aides and their interest in her trigger idea this week.

Obama and Democratic leaders seek a solution that could win support from a Republican or two, and more importantly, help bridge a divide among Democrats on the public option issue.

Allies of the president hope that if Snowe accepts a health care agreement, she might also bring along her Republican colleague from Maine, moderate Sen. Susan Collins.

Getting some Republicans to sign onto a proposal would improve Obama's chances of gaining the support of key moderate Democratic senators such as Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. All three are skeptical of a government-run public option supported by their more liberal fellow Democrats.

Despite the flurry of direct talks this week between Snowe and White House staff, Snowe aides insist she remains engaged in the "Gang of Six" bipartisan talks that have been going on for months. Those talks have focused on creating nonprofit health insurance cooperatives instead of a public option to force competition and lower medical rates.

The source familiar with Snowe's discussions with the White House said Snowe's trigger idea isn't being considered in the bipartisan negotiations because of early resistance from fellow Republican negotiators, especially Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming.

Enzi and the other Republican negotiator, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, insist they are still committed to the bipartisan negotiations. However, their recent sharp criticism of Democratic health care proposals favored by Obama has caused tense relations with the White House.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: President

text: Obama

text: and

text: top

text: aides

text: have

text: quietly

text: stepped

text: up

text: talks

text: with

text: moderate

text: Republican

text: Sen.

text: Olympia

text: Snowe

text: of

text: Maine

text: on

text: a

text: scaled

text: back

text: health

text: care

text: bill

text: according

text: to

text: two

text: sources

text: familiar

text: with

text: the

text: negotiations

text: Sen.

text: Olympia

text: Snowe

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: bipartisan

text: so

text: called

text: Gang

text: of

text: Six

text: negotiating

text: on

text: health

text: care

text: The

text: compromise

text: plan

text: would

text: lack

text: a

text: government

text: run

text: public

text: health

text: insurance

text: option

text: favored

text: by

text: Obama

text: but

text: would

text: leave

text: the

text: door

text: open

text: to

text: adding

text: that

text: provision

text: down

text: the

text: road

text: under

text: an

text: idea

text: proposed

text: by

text: Snowe

text: the

text: sources

text: said

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: sources

text: said

text: White

text: House

text: officials

text: are

text: deep

text: in

text: conversations

text: with

text: Snowe

text: on

text: a

text: much

text: smaller

text: health

text: care

text: bill

text: than

text: Obama

text: originally

text: envisioned

text: The

text: modified

text: proposal

text: would

text: include

text: insurance

text: reforms

text: such

text: as

text: preventing

text: insurance

text: companies

text: from

text: denying

text: coverage

text: to

text: people

text: with

text: pre

text: existing

text: conditions

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: source

text: The

text: potential

text: deal

text: would

text: give

text: insurance

text: companies

text: a

text: defined

text: period

text: to

text: make

text: such

text: changes

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: help

text: cover

text: more

text: people

text: and

text: drive

text: down

text: long

text: term

text: costs

text: But

text: if

text: those

text: changes

text: failed

text: to

text: occur

text: within

text: the

text: defined

text: period

text: a

text: so

text: called

text: trigger

text: would

text: provide

text: for

text: creating

text: a

text: public

text: option

text: to

text: force

text: change

text: on

text: the

text: insurance

text: companies

text: the

text: source

text: said

text: Snowe

text: is

text: pivotal

text: to

text: the

text: debate

text: because

text: she

text: may

text: be

text: Obama

text: 's

text: last

text: possibility

text: for

text: getting

text: a

text: Republican

text: senator

text: to

text: support

text: his

text: push

text: for

text: a

text: health

text: care

text: overhaul

text: She

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: so

text: called

text: Gang

text: of

text: Six

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Senate

text: Finance

text: Committee

text: three

text: Democrats

text: and

text: three

text: Republicans

text: involved

text: in

text: separate

text: negotiations

text: on

text: the

text: only

text: bipartisan

text: health

text: care

text: proposal

text: in

text: Congress

text: so

text: far

text: However

text: the

text: slow

text: pace

text: of

text: those

text: talks

text: and

text: recent

text: partisan

text: attacks

text: by

text: the

text: other

text: two

text: Republicans

text: in

text: the

text: negotiations

text: have

text: dimmed

text: hopes

text: for

text: a

text: breakthrough

text: leaving

text: Snowe

text: as

text: the

text: only

text: Republican

text: senator

text: that

text: White

text: House

text: aides

text: believe

text: they

text: can

text: work

text: with

text: on

text: the

text: issue

text: Snowe

text: first

text: proposed

text: the

text: so

text: called

text: trigger

text: idea

text: for

text: a

text: public

text: option

text: months

text: ago

text: and

text: has

text: talked

text: to

text: Obama

text: about

text: it

text: on

text: several

text: occasions

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: source

text: familiar

text: with

text: the

text: discussions

text: The

text: source

text: told

text: CNN

text: that

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: staffers

text: increased

text: their

text: phone

text: calls

text: to

text: Snowe

text: aides

text: and

text: their

text: interest

text: in

text: her

text: trigger

text: idea

text: this

text: week

text: Obama

text: and

text: Democratic

text: leaders

text: seek

text: a

text: solution

text: that

text: could

text: win

text: support

text: from

text: a

text: Republican

text: or

text: two

text: and

text: more

text: importantly

text: help

text: bridge

text: a

text: divide

text: among

text: Democrats

text: on

text: the

text: public

text: option

text: issue

text: Allies

text: of

text: the

text: president

text: hope

text: that

text: if

text: Snowe

text: accepts

text: a

text: health

text: care

text: agreement

text: she

text: might

text: also

text: bring

text: along

text: her

text: Republican

text: colleague

text: from

text: Maine

text: moderate

text: Sen.

text: Susan

text: Collins

text: Getting

text: some

text: Republicans

text: to

text: sign

text: onto

text: a

text: proposal

text: would

text: improve

text: Obama

text: 's

text: chances

text: of

text: gaining

text: the

text: support

text: of

text: key

text: moderate

text: Democratic

text: senators

text: such

text: as

text: Ben

text: Nelson

text: of

text: Nebraska

text: Mary

text: Landrieu

text: of

text: Louisiana

text: and

text: Blanche

text: Lincoln

text: of

text: Arkansas

text: All

text: three

text: are

text: skeptical

text: of

text: a

text: government

text: run

text: public

text: option

text: supported

text: by

text: their

text: more

text: liberal

text: fellow

text: Democrats

text: Despite

text: the

text: flurry

text: of

text: direct

text: talks

text: this

text: week

text: between

text: Snowe

text: and

text: White

text: House

text: staff

text: Snowe

text: aides

text: insist

text: she

text: remains

text: engaged

text: in

text: the

text: Gang

text: of

text: Six

text: bipartisan

text: talks

text: that

text: have

text: been

text: going

text: on

text: for

text: months

text: Those

text: talks

text: have

text: focused

text: on

text: creating

text: nonprofit

text: health

text: insurance

text: cooperatives

text: instead

text: of

text: a

text: public

text: option

text: to

text: force

text: competition

text: and

text: lower

text: medical

text: rates

text: The

text: source

text: familiar

text: with

text: Snowe

text: 's

text: discussions

text: with

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: said

text: Snowe

text: 's

text: trigger

text: idea

text: is

text: n't

text: being

text: considered

text: in

text: the

text: bipartisan

text: negotiations

text: because

text: of

text: early

text: resistance

text: from

text: fellow

text: Republican

text: negotiators

text: especially

text: Sen.

text: Mike

text: Enzi

text: of

text: Wyoming

text: Enzi

text: and

text: the

text: other

text: Republican

text: negotiator

text: Sen.

text: Charles

text: Grassley

text: of

text: Iowa

text: insist

text: they

text: are

text: still

text: committed

text: to

text: the

text: bipartisan

text: negotiations

text: However

text: their

text: recent

text: sharp

text: criticism

text: of

text: Democratic

text: health

text: care

text: proposals

text: favored

text: by

text: Obama

text: has

text: caused

text: tense

text: relations

text: with

text: the

text: White

text: House

question: What is the last possibility?

answer: for getting a Republican senator to support his push for a health care overhaul.

text: for getting a Republican senator to support his push for a health care overhaul.

question: who is considered last possibility for democrats?

answer: Snowe

text: Snowe

question: Who is considered last possibility?

answer: Snowe

text: Snowe

question: What will trigger the public option?

answer: But if those changes failed to occur within the defined period,

text: But if those changes failed to occur within the defined period,

question: What does Snowe's plan not include?

answer: government-run public health insurance option favored by Obama,

text: government-run public health insurance option favored by Obama,


text:
London, England (CNN) -- Simon Cowell's stranglehold on the British Christmas record charts looks as though it might be coming to an end.

The talent show judge's latest protege and winner of British TV talent show "The X Factor," Joe McElderry is currently lagging behind heavy-rock group Rage Against The Machine in the battle for the UK Christmas number-one slot.

With just over two days to go before the winner is announced, Rage Against The Machine's re-release of their 1992 song "Killing in the Name" is narrowly beating "The Climb," McElderry's cover of a Miley Cyrus hit.

The winner of "The X Factor" -- which Cowell produces and judges -- has held the top spot over the festive season in the UK for the past four years.

The popularity of the talent show -- this year's final was watched by around 20 million viewers -- has meant the race to the number-one slot in recent years has been, in effect, a non-contest because of the publicity the "X Factor" winner has enjoyed.

But a campaign on the social networking site "Facebook" to make the U.S. rock group number-one ahead of "The X Factor" winner has received massive support from the British record buying public who have been snapping up "Killing in the Name" in their thousands.

Whoever ends up on top of the UK charts this Christmas, the Rage/Cowell battle has enlivened what has become a rather dull and predictable procession to the top of the charts by the winner of the UK talent show.

In an appearance on BBC radio station "5 live" Thursday, Rage's front man Zach De La Rocha swore several times during a live performance, forcing the BBC to issue an apology to listeners.

And on Friday, Sir Paul McCartney, came out in support of the U.S. rock group, despite performing on the final show of "The X Factor" this year. Speaking to Sky News McCartney said: "It would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it."

Meanwhile, Simon Cowell has been raging against, well, just about anyone in defense of McElderry telling the UK tabloid newspaper "The Sun" that "musical snobs have ganged up against Joe." He also called the Facebook campaign "a huge hate mob" -- a claim which the Facebook group have denied.

All will be revealed this Sunday when the final UK singles chart before Christmas is announced. Will the talent judge be celebrating his fifth "Christmas Cowell" in a row or will he be overcome by Rage? We'll have to wait and see.

text: London

text: England

text: CNN

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: 's

text: stranglehold

text: on

text: the

text: British

text: Christmas

text: record

text: charts

text: looks

text: as

text: though

text: it

text: might

text: be

text: coming

text: to

text: an

text: end

text: The

text: talent

text: show

text: judge

text: 's

text: latest

text: protege

text: and

text: winner

text: of

text: British

text: TV

text: talent

text: show

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: Joe

text: McElderry

text: is

text: currently

text: lagging

text: behind

text: heavy

text: rock

text: group

text: Rage

text: Against

text: The

text: Machine

text: in

text: the

text: battle

text: for

text: the

text: UK

text: Christmas

text: number

text: one

text: slot

text: With

text: just

text: over

text: two

text: days

text: to

text: go

text: before

text: the

text: winner

text: is

text: announced

text: Rage

text: Against

text: The

text: Machine

text: 's

text: re

text: release

text: of

text: their

text: song

text: Killing

text: in

text: the

text: Name

text: is

text: narrowly

text: beating

text: The

text: Climb

text: McElderry

text: 's

text: cover

text: of

text: a

text: Miley

text: Cyrus

text: hit

text: The

text: winner

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: which

text: Cowell

text: produces

text: and

text: judges

text: has

text: held

text: the

text: top

text: spot

text: over

text: the

text: festive

text: season

text: in

text: the

text: UK

text: for

text: the

text: past

text: four

text: years

text: The

text: popularity

text: of

text: the

text: talent

text: show

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: final

text: was

text: watched

text: by

text: around

text: million

text: viewers

text: has

text: meant

text: the

text: race

text: to

text: the

text: number

text: one

text: slot

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: effect

text: a

text: non

text: contest

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: publicity

text: the

text: X

text: Factor

text: winner

text: has

text: enjoyed

text: But

text: a

text: campaign

text: on

text: the

text: social

text: networking

text: site

text: Facebook

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: U.S.

text: rock

text: group

text: number

text: one

text: ahead

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: winner

text: has

text: received

text: massive

text: support

text: from

text: the

text: British

text: record

text: buying

text: public

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: snapping

text: up

text: Killing

text: in

text: the

text: Name

text: in

text: their

text: thousands

text: Whoever

text: ends

text: up

text: on

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: UK

text: charts

text: this

text: Christmas

text: the

text: Rage

text: Cowell

text: battle

text: has

text: enlivened

text: what

text: has

text: become

text: a

text: rather

text: dull

text: and

text: predictable

text: procession

text: to

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: charts

text: by

text: the

text: winner

text: of

text: the

text: UK

text: talent

text: show

text: In

text: an

text: appearance

text: on

text: BBC

text: radio

text: station

text: live

text: Thursday

text: Rage

text: 's

text: front

text: man

text: Zach

text: De

text: La

text: Rocha

text: swore

text: several

text: times

text: during

text: a

text: live

text: performance

text: forcing

text: the

text: BBC

text: to

text: issue

text: an

text: apology

text: to

text: listeners

text: And

text: on

text: Friday

text: Sir

text: Paul

text: McCartney

text: came

text: out

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: rock

text: group

text: despite

text: performing

text: on

text: the

text: final

text: show

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: this

text: year

text: Speaking

text: to

text: Sky

text: News

text: McCartney

text: said

text: It

text: would

text: be

text: kind

text: of

text: funny

text: if

text: Rage

text: Against

text: The

text: Machine

text: got

text: it

text: Meanwhile

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: has

text: been

text: raging

text: against

text: well

text: just

text: about

text: anyone

text: in

text: defense

text: of

text: McElderry

text: telling

text: the

text: UK

text: tabloid

text: newspaper

text: The

text: Sun

text: that

text: musical

text: snobs

text: have

text: ganged

text: up

text: against

text: Joe

text: He

text: also

text: called

text: the

text: Facebook

text: campaign

text: a

text: huge

text: hate

text: mob

text: a

text: claim

text: which

text: the

text: Facebook

text: group

text: have

text: denied

text: All

text: will

text: be

text: revealed

text: this

text: Sunday

text: when

text: the

text: final

text: UK

text: singles

text: chart

text: before

text: Christmas

text: is

text: announced

text: Will

text: the

text: talent

text: judge

text: be

text: celebrating

text: his

text: fifth

text: Christmas

text: Cowell

text: in

text: a

text: row

text: or

text: will

text: he

text: be

text: overcome

text: by

text: Rage

text: We

text: 'll

text: have

text: to

text: wait

text: and

text: see

question: What 1992 song is set to beat Simon Cowell's latest protege?

answer: "Killing in the Name"

text: "Killing in the Name"

question: Who is number one in the UK?

answer: Rage Against The Machine

text: Rage Against The Machine

question: Paul McCartney says U.S. rock group chart success "would be" what?

answer: "It would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it."

text: "It would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it."

question: In what country is Rage Against the Machine approaching number one>

answer: UK

text: UK

question: Which famous UK singer thinks the situation is funny?

answer: Sir Paul McCartney,

text: Sir Paul McCartney,

question: What year was "Killing in the Name" from?

answer: 1992

question: What song takes to beat Simon Cowell?

answer: "Killing in the Name"

text: "Killing in the Name"

question: What is heading for UK Christmas number-one?

answer: Rage Against The Machine

text: Rage Against The Machine