text:
(CNN) -- First it was the airlines, now it's the turn of hotels to take the budget concept into the mainstream. Demand is surging for cheaper hotel rooms, not just from thrifty tourists but also from business travelers in search of value. And budget brands are responding to the demand with ambitious expansion plans.

Not just for backpackers: easyGroup opened its first budget hotel in 2005 targeting short-stay tourists. Other brands are improving the

service to woo business travelers.

According to recent research from market analyst Mintel, the UK budget hotel market increased by 38 percent between 2002 and 2006, to reach Â£1 billion.

This growth was three times that of the overall UK hotel market. And while top-end establishments prepare for a decline as consumer spending falls, budget hotels are determined they are recession resilient.

Research from Melvin Gold Consulting for Travelodge last year predicted the budget sector will grow by a further 10 percent in the next five years. By 2027 it will account for over a quarter of the total supply of hotels in the UK with almost 850,000 rooms.

In the U.S., budget hotels already account for 33 percent of the supply and 24 percent in France, says the report.

Premier Inn, the 500-strong UK budget chain (that added 2,500 rooms to its portfolio last year and plans to add another 3,500 this year) is now taking the budget model further afield. In March the chain, owned by Whitbread, will unveil a hotel in Dubai and it is currently scouring India for sites.

The boom in budget hotels has been greatest in China. Here both businessmen and tourists, foreign and domestic, are relishing the arrival of rooms that cost less than $50 a night.

There are nearly 100 economic hotel chain brands in China, over 1,000 budget hotels with over 100,000 rooms. Brands are both local and from overseas including Accor's Ibis and Wyndham Hotel Group's Super 8. More budget rooms are likely to emerge this year in the build-up to the Olympic Games in Beijing in August.

Home Inns, the largest budget hotel chain in mainland China, has built 400 hotels in just five years. They plan to grow this to more than 1,000 hotels in three to four years in cities across China as well as further afield in Asia.

In Europe, Richard Cope, senior travel analyst at Mintel said the arrival of boutique and lifestyle brands such as The Big Sleep, the Hoxton Hotel and base2stay raised the game of the sector by providing an affordable but luxurious alternative. New capsule hotels such as Yotel and nitenite also helped boost the market, he added.

The increased interest from business travelers in value from hotels has been a further boost. According to a recent study by TRI/BDRC business travelers spent 1.5 million nights in budget hotels in the UK in 2006, up from 0.93 million in 2000 and only 0.38 million in 1994.

In the U.S., 74 percent of travel managers that responded to a Runzheimer International survey last year said their business travelers now frequently use economy-type hotels. And although first-class properties continue to be used most often, economy-type hotel use is up 31 percent from the previous four years.

Electronics firm, Royal Philips Electronics spends about $134 million globally on hotels every year. Currently three per cent of this is with budget chains, including Accor's Ibis and Holiday Inn Express. This may sound small, says Roman Asboth, Philips' senior sourcing specialist for hotels, but it adds up to an impressive $3.7 million every year. And that figure is rising, he adds.

Travelers choosing the budget option, says Asboth, are not just from lower down the organizational ranks. Managers and even executives conscious of cost are also making the switch.

As Asboth says, it all comes down to a perception of value. "Travelers come back from a trip to New York having paid more than $300 for a lousy room that hasn't been renovated in ages and they don't see the worth. But they come back from a Holiday Inn Express, which is brand new, and they are more than happy."

Phillips is also making increased use of serviced guest apartments -- particularly in countries such as India -- that offer the same level of quality as a four or five star property for a budget price.

Sally Rademaker, travel sourcing manager, sub-Saharan Africa at Ericsson says while budget may not be an option in Africa, where they pay a premium for security at top end hotels, the communications firm is considering budget options in Europe and the United States where quality is better.

"Of course business travelers would prefer to stay in a five or four star hotel given the choice," she acknowledges. "But if the reasons given are good enough, and we choose somewhere where the standard is acceptable and it is in a good location, then they accept it."

Gerard Tempest, marketing director at Premier Inn believes budget hotels offer a genuine alternative to mid-market hotels with the same convenience and quality but at better value.

"Every guest bedroom gets refurbished every 24 months which is extremely frequent compared to the wider hotel industry," says Tempest.

Premier Inn is also refurbishing rooms to a higher quality than some mid-market chains, he says. Following the acquisition of a chain of mid-market hotels last year, they invested a further $10 million to meet their "budget" standards.

All desks and chairs in rooms are ergonomically designed, desks are cleared of clutter and Wifi is available in every hotel. Some Premier Inns also feature meeting space for business travelers as well as branches of Costa Coffee also owned by parent company Whitbread. "Business customers are responding well to these and using them as meeting places," says Tempest.

So with recession looming could this be the end of Egyptian sheets and luxury saunas for business travelers? Perhaps not, but in cities where rates continue to increase even for poorest quality rooms, the budget option may not be as bad as all that. E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: First

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: airlines

text: now

text: it

text: 's

text: the

text: turn

text: of

text: hotels

text: to

text: take

text: the

text: budget

text: concept

text: into

text: the

text: mainstream

text: Demand

text: is

text: surging

text: for

text: cheaper

text: hotel

text: rooms

text: not

text: just

text: from

text: thrifty

text: tourists

text: but

text: also

text: from

text: business

text: travelers

text: in

text: search

text: of

text: value

text: And

text: budget

text: brands

text: are

text: responding

text: to

text: the

text: demand

text: with

text: ambitious

text: expansion

text: plans

text: Not

text: just

text: for

text: backpackers

text: easyGroup

text: opened

text: its

text: first

text: budget

text: hotel

text: in

text: targeting

text: short

text: stay

text: tourists

text: Other

text: brands

text: are

text: improving

text: the

text: service

text: to

text: woo

text: business

text: travelers

text: According

text: to

text: recent

text: research

text: from

text: market

text: analyst

text: Mintel

text: the

text: UK

text: budget

text: hotel

text: market

text: increased

text: by

text: percent

text: between

text: and

text: to

text: reach

text: Â£1

text: billion

text: This

text: growth

text: was

text: three

text: times

text: that

text: of

text: the

text: overall

text: UK

text: hotel

text: market

text: And

text: while

text: top

text: end

text: establishments

text: prepare

text: for

text: a

text: decline

text: as

text: consumer

text: spending

text: falls

text: budget

text: hotels

text: are

text: determined

text: they

text: are

text: recession

text: resilient

text: Research

text: from

text: Melvin

text: Gold

text: Consulting

text: for

text: Travelodge

text: last

text: year

text: predicted

text: the

text: budget

text: sector

text: will

text: grow

text: by

text: a

text: further

text: percent

text: in

text: the

text: next

text: five

text: years

text: By

text: it

text: will

text: account

text: for

text: over

text: a

text: quarter

text: of

text: the

text: total

text: supply

text: of

text: hotels

text: in

text: the

text: UK

text: with

text: almost

text: rooms

text: In

text: the

text: U.S.

text: budget

text: hotels

text: already

text: account

text: for

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: supply

text: and

text: percent

text: in

text: France

text: says

text: the

text: report

text: Premier

text: Inn

text: the

text: UK

text: budget

text: chain

text: that

text: added

text: rooms

text: to

text: its

text: portfolio

text: last

text: year

text: and

text: plans

text: to

text: add

text: another

text: this

text: year

text: is

text: now

text: taking

text: the

text: budget

text: model

text: further

text: afield

text: In

text: March

text: the

text: chain

text: owned

text: by

text: Whitbread

text: will

text: unveil

text: a

text: hotel

text: in

text: Dubai

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: currently

text: scouring

text: India

text: for

text: sites

text: The

text: boom

text: in

text: budget

text: hotels

text: has

text: been

text: greatest

text: in

text: China

text: Here

text: both

text: businessmen

text: and

text: tourists

text: foreign

text: and

text: domestic

text: are

text: relishing

text: the

text: arrival

text: of

text: rooms

text: that

text: cost

text: less

text: than

text: a

text: night

text: There

text: are

text: nearly

text: economic

text: hotel

text: chain

text: brands

text: in

text: China

text: over

text: budget

text: hotels

text: with

text: over

text: rooms

text: Brands

text: are

text: both

text: local

text: and

text: from

text: overseas

text: including

text: Accor

text: 's

text: Ibis

text: and

text: Wyndham

text: Hotel

text: Group

text: 's

text: Super

text: More

text: budget

text: rooms

text: are

text: likely

text: to

text: emerge

text: this

text: year

text: in

text: the

text: build

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: Olympic

text: Games

text: in

text: Beijing

text: in

text: August

text: Home

text: Inns

text: the

text: largest

text: budget

text: hotel

text: chain

text: in

text: mainland

text: China

text: has

text: built

text: hotels

text: in

text: just

text: five

text: years

text: They

text: plan

text: to

text: grow

text: this

text: to

text: more

text: than

text: hotels

text: in

text: three

text: to

text: four

text: years

text: in

text: cities

text: across

text: China

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: further

text: afield

text: in

text: Asia

text: In

text: Europe

text: Richard

text: Cope

text: senior

text: travel

text: analyst

text: at

text: Mintel

text: said

text: the

text: arrival

text: of

text: boutique

text: and

text: lifestyle

text: brands

text: such

text: as

text: The

text: Big

text: Sleep

text: the

text: Hoxton

text: Hotel

text: and

text: raised

text: the

text: game

text: of

text: the

text: sector

text: by

text: providing

text: an

text: affordable

text: but

text: luxurious

text: alternative

text: New

text: capsule

text: hotels

text: such

text: as

text: Yotel

text: and

text: nitenite

text: also

text: helped

text: boost

text: the

text: market

text: he

text: added

text: The

text: increased

text: interest

text: from

text: business

text: travelers

text: in

text: value

text: from

text: hotels

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: further

text: boost

text: According

text: to

text: a

text: recent

text: study

text: by

text: TRI

text: BDRC

text: business

text: travelers

text: spent

text: million

text: nights

text: in

text: budget

text: hotels

text: in

text: the

text: UK

text: in

text: up

text: from

text: million

text: in

text: and

text: only

text: million

text: in

text: In

text: the

text: U.S.

text: percent

text: of

text: travel

text: managers

text: that

text: responded

text: to

text: a

text: Runzheimer

text: International

text: survey

text: last

text: year

text: said

text: their

text: business

text: travelers

text: now

text: frequently

text: use

text: economy

text: type

text: hotels

text: And

text: although

text: first

text: class

text: properties

text: continue

text: to

text: be

text: used

text: most

text: often

text: economy

text: type

text: hotel

text: use

text: is

text: up

text: percent

text: from

text: the

text: previous

text: four

text: years

text: Electronics

text: firm

text: Royal

text: Philips

text: Electronics

text: spends

text: about

text: million

text: globally

text: on

text: hotels

text: every

text: year

text: Currently

text: three

text: per

text: cent

text: of

text: this

text: is

text: with

text: budget

text: chains

text: including

text: Accor

text: 's

text: Ibis

text: and

text: Holiday

text: Inn

text: Express

text: This

text: may

text: sound

text: small

text: says

text: Roman

text: Asboth

text: Philips

text: senior

text: sourcing

text: specialist

text: for

text: hotels

text: but

text: it

text: adds

text: up

text: to

text: an

text: impressive

text: million

text: every

text: year

text: And

text: that

text: figure

text: is

text: rising

text: he

text: adds

text: Travelers

text: choosing

text: the

text: budget

text: option

text: says

text: Asboth

text: are

text: not

text: just

text: from

text: lower

text: down

text: the

text: organizational

text: ranks

text: Managers

text: and

text: even

text: executives

text: conscious

text: of

text: cost

text: are

text: also

text: making

text: the

text: switch

text: As

text: Asboth

text: says

text: it

text: all

text: comes

text: down

text: to

text: a

text: perception

text: of

text: value

text: Travelers

text: come

text: back

text: from

text: a

text: trip

text: to

text: New

text: York

text: having

text: paid

text: more

text: than

text: for

text: a

text: lousy

text: room

text: that

text: has

text: n't

text: been

text: renovated

text: in

text: ages

text: and

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: see

text: the

text: worth

text: But

text: they

text: come

text: back

text: from

text: a

text: Holiday

text: Inn

text: Express

text: which

text: is

text: brand

text: new

text: and

text: they

text: are

text: more

text: than

text: happy

text: Phillips

text: is

text: also

text: making

text: increased

text: use

text: of

text: serviced

text: guest

text: apartments

text: particularly

text: in

text: countries

text: such

text: as

text: India

text: that

text: offer

text: the

text: same

text: level

text: of

text: quality

text: as

text: a

text: four

text: or

text: five

text: star

text: property

text: for

text: a

text: budget

text: price

text: Sally

text: Rademaker

text: travel

text: sourcing

text: manager

text: sub

text: Saharan

text: Africa

text: at

text: Ericsson

text: says

text: while

text: budget

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: an

text: option

text: in

text: Africa

text: where

text: they

text: pay

text: a

text: premium

text: for

text: security

text: at

text: top

text: end

text: hotels

text: the

text: communications

text: firm

text: is

text: considering

text: budget

text: options

text: in

text: Europe

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: where

text: quality

text: is

text: better

text: Of

text: course

text: business

text: travelers

text: would

text: prefer

text: to

text: stay

text: in

text: a

text: five

text: or

text: four

text: star

text: hotel

text: given

text: the

text: choice

text: she

text: acknowledges

text: But

text: if

text: the

text: reasons

text: given

text: are

text: good

text: enough

text: and

text: we

text: choose

text: somewhere

text: where

text: the

text: standard

text: is

text: acceptable

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: in

text: a

text: good

text: location

text: then

text: they

text: accept

text: it

text: Gerard

text: Tempest

text: marketing

text: director

text: at

text: Premier

text: Inn

text: believes

text: budget

text: hotels

text: offer

text: a

text: genuine

text: alternative

text: to

text: mid

text: market

text: hotels

text: with

text: the

text: same

text: convenience

text: and

text: quality

text: but

text: at

text: better

text: value

text: Every

text: guest

text: bedroom

text: gets

text: refurbished

text: every

text: months

text: which

text: is

text: extremely

text: frequent

text: compared

text: to

text: the

text: wider

text: hotel

text: industry

text: says

text: Tempest

text: Premier

text: Inn

text: is

text: also

text: refurbishing

text: rooms

text: to

text: a

text: higher

text: quality

text: than

text: some

text: mid

text: market

text: chains

text: he

text: says

text: Following

text: the

text: acquisition

text: of

text: a

text: chain

text: of

text: mid

text: market

text: hotels

text: last

text: year

text: they

text: invested

text: a

text: further

text: million

text: to

text: meet

text: their

text: budget

text: standards

text: All

text: desks

text: and

text: chairs

text: in

text: rooms

text: are

text: ergonomically

text: designed

text: desks

text: are

text: cleared

text: of

text: clutter

text: and

text: Wifi

text: is

text: available

text: in

text: every

text: hotel

text: Some

text: Premier

text: Inns

text: also

text: feature

text: meeting

text: space

text: for

text: business

text: travelers

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: branches

text: of

text: Costa

text: Coffee

text: also

text: owned

text: by

text: parent

text: company

text: Whitbread

text: Business

text: customers

text: are

text: responding

text: well

text: to

text: these

text: and

text: using

text: them

text: as

text: meeting

text: places

text: says

text: Tempest

text: So

text: with

text: recession

text: looming

text: could

text: this

text: be

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: Egyptian

text: sheets

text: and

text: luxury

text: saunas

text: for

text: business

text: travelers

text: Perhaps

text: not

text: but

text: in

text: cities

text: where

text: rates

text: continue

text: to

text: increase

text: even

text: for

text: poorest

text: quality

text: rooms

text: the

text: budget

text: option

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: as

text: bad

text: as

text: all

text: that

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: what is a budget hotel

answer: cheaper

text: cheaper

question: who is staying there

answer: not just from thrifty tourists but also from business travelers in search of value.

text: not just from thrifty tourists but also from business travelers in search of value.

question: What has been three time the growth of the overall hotel market?

answer: UK budget

text: UK budget

question: where is demand strong?

answer: cheaper hotel rooms,

text: cheaper hotel rooms,

question: What have boutique budget brands done?

answer: responding to the demand with ambitious expansion plans.

text: responding to the demand with ambitious expansion plans.

question: Where has demand been strong amongst tourists and business travelers?

answer: cheaper hotel rooms,

text: cheaper hotel rooms,

question: what is the growth?

answer: 38 percent

text: 38 percent


text:
(CNN) -- After her crowning in January, Katie Stam, Miss America 2009, went from beauty queen to traveling machine -- within minutes. "The moment they put that crown on my head I started work...literally," she told CNN.

Miss America Katie Stam is constantly on the road.

The Indiana native will spend a year crisscrossing the country promoting her platform of community service. "I change locations every two or three days, and that's exactly how it's going to be all year," Stam says.

From visiting children in hospitals in Pennsylvania to flipping pancakes for charity in California, Miss America lives a life on the road. And with such a hectic schedule, she has picked up a few tips on how to stay sane while traveling.

"The most important tip I could offer anybody who does a lot of traveling is to stay as organized as possible," Stam says. To keep from losing items on the road, Stam keeps everything in the same place in her suitcase, including her crown. "It's really funny, but it helps me kind of keep a clear mind," she explains.

She also unpacks a little as soon as she arrives in her hotel room. "You realize when you get on the road, and that's your life, your hotel becomes your home," Stam says. "And so you really need to feel that you're coming home to your room, to your place where all of your things are."

Stam also stresses the importance of a good night's sleep. "It's absolutely essential to get a full night's rest or at least quality rest," she says. However she also acknowledges the difficulties of sleeping a full eight hours while traveling.

But the ever chipper Miss America has a trick for getting around the wonky work hours: "If you know you only have 10 minutes, you take a quick 10 minute nap."

With airplanes being her primary mode of transportation, the beauty queen also has advice for the frequent flyer on how to stay fresh while on the go. "It's tricky," she says. "A lot of people lose their luggage and stuff. So I always keep my makeup with me, put on a little powder before I go somewhere."

And when you're Miss America, somewhere could be anywhere.

text: CNN

text: After

text: her

text: crowning

text: in

text: January

text: Katie

text: Stam

text: Miss

text: America

text: went

text: from

text: beauty

text: queen

text: to

text: traveling

text: machine

text: within

text: minutes

text: The

text: moment

text: they

text: put

text: that

text: crown

text: on

text: my

text: head

text: I

text: started

text: work

text: literally

text: she

text: told

text: CNN

text: Miss

text: America

text: Katie

text: Stam

text: is

text: constantly

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: The

text: Indiana

text: native

text: will

text: spend

text: a

text: year

text: crisscrossing

text: the

text: country

text: promoting

text: her

text: platform

text: of

text: community

text: service

text: I

text: change

text: locations

text: every

text: two

text: or

text: three

text: days

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: exactly

text: how

text: it

text: 's

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: all

text: year

text: Stam

text: says

text: From

text: visiting

text: children

text: in

text: hospitals

text: in

text: Pennsylvania

text: to

text: flipping

text: pancakes

text: for

text: charity

text: in

text: California

text: Miss

text: America

text: lives

text: a

text: life

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: And

text: with

text: such

text: a

text: hectic

text: schedule

text: she

text: has

text: picked

text: up

text: a

text: few

text: tips

text: on

text: how

text: to

text: stay

text: sane

text: while

text: traveling

text: The

text: most

text: important

text: tip

text: I

text: could

text: offer

text: anybody

text: who

text: does

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: traveling

text: is

text: to

text: stay

text: as

text: organized

text: as

text: possible

text: Stam

text: says

text: To

text: keep

text: from

text: losing

text: items

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: Stam

text: keeps

text: everything

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: place

text: in

text: her

text: suitcase

text: including

text: her

text: crown

text: It

text: 's

text: really

text: funny

text: but

text: it

text: helps

text: me

text: kind

text: of

text: keep

text: a

text: clear

text: mind

text: she

text: explains

text: She

text: also

text: unpacks

text: a

text: little

text: as

text: soon

text: as

text: she

text: arrives

text: in

text: her

text: hotel

text: room

text: You

text: realize

text: when

text: you

text: get

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: your

text: life

text: your

text: hotel

text: becomes

text: your

text: home

text: Stam

text: says

text: And

text: so

text: you

text: really

text: need

text: to

text: feel

text: that

text: you

text: 're

text: coming

text: home

text: to

text: your

text: room

text: to

text: your

text: place

text: where

text: all

text: of

text: your

text: things

text: are

text: Stam

text: also

text: stresses

text: the

text: importance

text: of

text: a

text: good

text: night

text: 's

text: sleep

text: It

text: 's

text: absolutely

text: essential

text: to

text: get

text: a

text: full

text: night

text: 's

text: rest

text: or

text: at

text: least

text: quality

text: rest

text: she

text: says

text: However

text: she

text: also

text: acknowledges

text: the

text: difficulties

text: of

text: sleeping

text: a

text: full

text: eight

text: hours

text: while

text: traveling

text: But

text: the

text: ever

text: chipper

text: Miss

text: America

text: has

text: a

text: trick

text: for

text: getting

text: around

text: the

text: wonky

text: work

text: hours

text: If

text: you

text: know

text: you

text: only

text: have

text: minutes

text: you

text: take

text: a

text: quick

text: minute

text: nap

text: With

text: airplanes

text: being

text: her

text: primary

text: mode

text: of

text: transportation

text: the

text: beauty

text: queen

text: also

text: has

text: advice

text: for

text: the

text: frequent

text: flyer

text: on

text: how

text: to

text: stay

text: fresh

text: while

text: on

text: the

text: go

text: It

text: 's

text: tricky

text: she

text: says

text: A

text: lot

text: of

text: people

text: lose

text: their

text: luggage

text: and

text: stuff

text: So

text: I

text: always

text: keep

text: my

text: makeup

text: with

text: me

text: put

text: on

text: a

text: little

text: powder

text: before

text: I

text: go

text: somewhere

text: And

text: when

text: you

text: 're

text: Miss

text: America

text: somewhere

text: could

text: be

text: anywhere

question: When does she unpack a little?

answer: arrives in her hotel room.

text: arrives in her hotel room.

question: What is Miss America's name?

answer: Katie Stam,

text: Katie Stam,

question: What does Miss America like to do when she arrives at her hotel?

answer: unpacks a little

text: unpacks a little

question: What helps her stay organized?

answer: keeps everything in the same place in

text: keeps everything in the same place in

question: Who is miss america?

answer: Katie Stam,

text: Katie Stam,

question: Where is Miss America spending a year?

answer: crisscrossing the country promoting her platform of community service.

text: crisscrossing the country promoting her platform of community service.


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- His life has never been easy. Born into poverty and war, his ears and tail were chopped off when he was just a few months old in preparation for dog-fighting. He escaped to find a better life, only to be trapped in lonely, sterile quarantine for six months.

Bear plays for the first time out of quarantine after coming to Britain from Afghanistan.

But all that changed Monday when Bear the dog stepped out of British quarantine and through the doors of a London animal shelter.

"He's absolutely a loving dog," said former British Royal Marine Paul "Penny" Farthing, who helped bring Bear to England. "He just loves people. It's a good thing he was brought back to the U.K. when he was quite young, so he's never gone through having to fend for himself in the street and be made to dogfight."

An unknown soldier in Afghanistan first found Bear last year and brought him to a local Afghan animal shelter. The shelter wasn't able to care for Bear, so it contacted Farthing, who now runs a charity for stray and abandoned animals, primarily dogs from Afghanistan. Farthing's Nowzad Dogs is named for the Afghan town where he was based for a few months in 2006. He asked Mayhew International, an arm of London's Mayhew Animal Home, to help find Bear a new home.

Mayhew International says Bear is one of the few dogs it has brought back to Britain. Usually it tries to find animals new homes within their own countries.

"Although Mayhew International does not encourage people to bring dogs to the U.K. from abroad as a general policy, we made an exception in this case as it was the perfect opportunity to highlight the plight of thousands of stray animals in Afghanistan," the organization said in a statement.

Bear's story may be unique, but he is certainly not alone. Mayhew International, which works around the world to educate people about animal welfare, says there are countless dogs in Afghanistan that are homeless or trapped in a life of dogfighting -- an increasingly popular pastime in Afghanistan.

"Animal welfare is not looked so highly upon in Afghanistan," said Christopher Sainsbury, Mayhew's international projects officer.

"In war-torn areas, people tend to forget the animal welfare side of things. [We want to] make people aware that this is a key side of things that needs to be assessed, needs to be worked on."

Bear is a Koochi dog, a large breed common in Afghanistan, according to Dr. Mohammadzai Abduljalil, a Mayhew veterinarian from Afghanistan. While no one knows Bear's exact age, Abduljalil said they believe he is just about a year old.

You wouldn't know it by Bear's size. He's already a large dog nearly 3 feet high with large paws to match.

Stepping into the Mayhew play area Monday for the first time, Bear made sure to sniff every corner of the room and mark his territory a few times before settling in to play. He had a puppy's curiosity and quickly started playing fetch and tug-of-war with Farthing, wagging enthusiastically the small part of his tail which is left.

Bear is lucky. He escaped a violent and uncertain future in Afghanistan.  Not so for many other dogs left behind. It is those dogs that Farthing hopes to help with his charity.

"They need someone to look after them, so why not me?" Farthing said.

It began when the Royal Marines arrived in the war-torn town of Now Zad, in Afghanistan's Helmand province, in October 2006. They found stray dogs wandering the streets, scavenging for food, dodging bullets and seeking shelter from the hot days and cold nights. Many were also being used for dogfighting, with their ears and tails docked to make the fights last longer and give their opponents less to bite.

Farthing and other Marines began to feed and care for a few dogs that wandered into their camp. At first they had three dogs, but other strays soon figured out the camp was a source of food and shelter, and before long the Marines found themselves caring for seven dogs and 14 puppies.

Time was running out, however. The Marines were due to leave Now Zad in February 2007 and knew they couldn't take the dogs with them. They looked for some way to make sure the dogs would be taken care of after they left.

That's when Farthing first contacted Mayhew International. They put him in touch with a small shelter in northern Afghanistan that Mayhew had assisted since its inception, providing advice and veterinary support.

The shelter offered to take the dogs on one condition: The Marines had to arrange for the dogs' transfer to Kabul, a difficult and dangerous three days' drive away.

Finding a taxi willing to accept dogs was the first hurdle; the second was that the drivers refused to allow the dogs to be transported in Western-style cages, which would give away to the Taliban that the car was carrying foreigners.

Instead, the dogs had to be tied with ropes, the Afghan way, and the puppies had to be stashed in small crates -- in this case, a bird cage.

"A lot was done on trust," Farthing told CNN. "The Afghans did it as a favor to us. We paid for some of their fuel and their costs, but it was fantastic. It was them helping us out. They didn't have to do it. It shows that the people of Afghanistan and us, we can work together."

In the end, most of the dogs made it to Kabul, but not without casualties. Two were left behind for lack of room in the taxi, and two more escaped along the way when a car door was accidentally left open. Three of the largest puppies were stolen, probably for dog fighting.

Three dogs and eleven puppies finally made it to the shelter, but nine of the puppies later died due to an outbreak of disease and shortage of vaccines.

Sainsbury, of Mayhew International, says the story of the Now Zad dogs and of Bear shows their efforts can help animals, even if it's just one at a time.

Mayhew International works with organizations already established in developing countries to plan mass sterilization drives that reduce the number of unwanted animals. They also train veterinary surgeons in modern neutering techniques that are quick and humane.

"The way that war makes looking after animal welfare harder is quite clear," Sainsbury said. "Animal welfare gets forgotten and it becomes a back-burner because organizations ... that were working in those war-torn countries will probably be unable to operate any longer. They'll be unable to aid the populations of stray and community animals which would rely on their help originally."

Mayhew CEO Caroline Yates said staff have no idea how long it will take for Bear to find a new home. They hope the publicity surrounding his arrival in Britain will encourage people to think about adopting him.

Yates said they hope to have him adopted within a month.

Said Farthing, "To be able to help just one [dog] is a reward in itself and a huge step to highlighting the undocumented suffering that animals in all war zones are subjected to."

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: His

text: life

text: has

text: never

text: been

text: easy

text: Born

text: into

text: poverty

text: and

text: war

text: his

text: ears

text: and

text: tail

text: were

text: chopped

text: off

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: just

text: a

text: few

text: months

text: old

text: in

text: preparation

text: for

text: dog

text: fighting

text: He

text: escaped

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: better

text: life

text: only

text: to

text: be

text: trapped

text: in

text: lonely

text: sterile

text: quarantine

text: for

text: six

text: months

text: Bear

text: plays

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: out

text: of

text: quarantine

text: after

text: coming

text: to

text: Britain

text: from

text: Afghanistan

text: But

text: all

text: that

text: changed

text: Monday

text: when

text: Bear

text: the

text: dog

text: stepped

text: out

text: of

text: British

text: quarantine

text: and

text: through

text: the

text: doors

text: of

text: a

text: London

text: animal

text: shelter

text: He

text: 's

text: absolutely

text: a

text: loving

text: dog

text: said

text: former

text: British

text: Royal

text: Marine

text: Paul

text: Penny

text: Farthing

text: who

text: helped

text: bring

text: Bear

text: to

text: England

text: He

text: just

text: loves

text: people

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: good

text: thing

text: he

text: was

text: brought

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: U.K.

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: quite

text: young

text: so

text: he

text: 's

text: never

text: gone

text: through

text: having

text: to

text: fend

text: for

text: himself

text: in

text: the

text: street

text: and

text: be

text: made

text: to

text: dogfight

text: An

text: unknown

text: soldier

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: first

text: found

text: Bear

text: last

text: year

text: and

text: brought

text: him

text: to

text: a

text: local

text: Afghan

text: animal

text: shelter

text: The

text: shelter

text: was

text: n't

text: able

text: to

text: care

text: for

text: Bear

text: so

text: it

text: contacted

text: Farthing

text: who

text: now

text: runs

text: a

text: charity

text: for

text: stray

text: and

text: abandoned

text: animals

text: primarily

text: dogs

text: from

text: Afghanistan

text: Farthing

text: 's

text: Nowzad

text: Dogs

text: is

text: named

text: for

text: the

text: Afghan

text: town

text: where

text: he

text: was

text: based

text: for

text: a

text: few

text: months

text: in

text: He

text: asked

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: an

text: arm

text: of

text: London

text: 's

text: Mayhew

text: Animal

text: Home

text: to

text: help

text: find

text: Bear

text: a

text: new

text: home

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: says

text: Bear

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: few

text: dogs

text: it

text: has

text: brought

text: back

text: to

text: Britain

text: Usually

text: it

text: tries

text: to

text: find

text: animals

text: new

text: homes

text: within

text: their

text: own

text: countries

text: Although

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: does

text: not

text: encourage

text: people

text: to

text: bring

text: dogs

text: to

text: the

text: U.K.

text: from

text: abroad

text: as

text: a

text: general

text: policy

text: we

text: made

text: an

text: exception

text: in

text: this

text: case

text: as

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: perfect

text: opportunity

text: to

text: highlight

text: the

text: plight

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: stray

text: animals

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: the

text: organization

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Bear

text: 's

text: story

text: may

text: be

text: unique

text: but

text: he

text: is

text: certainly

text: not

text: alone

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: which

text: works

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: to

text: educate

text: people

text: about

text: animal

text: welfare

text: says

text: there

text: are

text: countless

text: dogs

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: that

text: are

text: homeless

text: or

text: trapped

text: in

text: a

text: life

text: of

text: dogfighting

text: an

text: increasingly

text: popular

text: pastime

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: Animal

text: welfare

text: is

text: not

text: looked

text: so

text: highly

text: upon

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: said

text: Christopher

text: Sainsbury

text: Mayhew

text: 's

text: international

text: projects

text: officer

text: In

text: war

text: torn

text: areas

text: people

text: tend

text: to

text: forget

text: the

text: animal

text: welfare

text: side

text: of

text: things

text: We

text: want

text: to

text: make

text: people

text: aware

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: a

text: key

text: side

text: of

text: things

text: that

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: assessed

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: worked

text: on

text: Bear

text: is

text: a

text: Koochi

text: dog

text: a

text: large

text: breed

text: common

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: according

text: to

text: Dr.

text: Mohammadzai

text: Abduljalil

text: a

text: Mayhew

text: veterinarian

text: from

text: Afghanistan

text: While

text: no

text: one

text: knows

text: Bear

text: 's

text: exact

text: age

text: Abduljalil

text: said

text: they

text: believe

text: he

text: is

text: just

text: about

text: a

text: year

text: old

text: You

text: would

text: n't

text: know

text: it

text: by

text: Bear

text: 's

text: size

text: He

text: 's

text: already

text: a

text: large

text: dog

text: nearly

text: feet

text: high

text: with

text: large

text: paws

text: to

text: match

text: Stepping

text: into

text: the

text: Mayhew

text: play

text: area

text: Monday

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: Bear

text: made

text: sure

text: to

text: sniff

text: every

text: corner

text: of

text: the

text: room

text: and

text: mark

text: his

text: territory

text: a

text: few

text: times

text: before

text: settling

text: in

text: to

text: play

text: He

text: had

text: a

text: puppy

text: 's

text: curiosity

text: and

text: quickly

text: started

text: playing

text: fetch

text: and

text: tug

text: of

text: war

text: with

text: Farthing

text: wagging

text: enthusiastically

text: the

text: small

text: part

text: of

text: his

text: tail

text: which

text: is

text: left

text: Bear

text: is

text: lucky

text: He

text: escaped

text: a

text: violent

text: and

text: uncertain

text: future

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: Not

text: so

text: for

text: many

text: other

text: dogs

text: left

text: behind

text: It

text: is

text: those

text: dogs

text: that

text: Farthing

text: hopes

text: to

text: help

text: with

text: his

text: charity

text: They

text: need

text: someone

text: to

text: look

text: after

text: them

text: so

text: why

text: not

text: me

text: Farthing

text: said

text: It

text: began

text: when

text: the

text: Royal

text: Marines

text: arrived

text: in

text: the

text: war

text: torn

text: town

text: of

text: Now

text: Zad

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: 's

text: Helmand

text: province

text: in

text: October

text: They

text: found

text: stray

text: dogs

text: wandering

text: the

text: streets

text: scavenging

text: for

text: food

text: dodging

text: bullets

text: and

text: seeking

text: shelter

text: from

text: the

text: hot

text: days

text: and

text: cold

text: nights

text: Many

text: were

text: also

text: being

text: used

text: for

text: dogfighting

text: with

text: their

text: ears

text: and

text: tails

text: docked

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: fights

text: last

text: longer

text: and

text: give

text: their

text: opponents

text: less

text: to

text: bite

text: Farthing

text: and

text: other

text: Marines

text: began

text: to

text: feed

text: and

text: care

text: for

text: a

text: few

text: dogs

text: that

text: wandered

text: into

text: their

text: camp

text: At

text: first

text: they

text: had

text: three

text: dogs

text: but

text: other

text: strays

text: soon

text: figured

text: out

text: the

text: camp

text: was

text: a

text: source

text: of

text: food

text: and

text: shelter

text: and

text: before

text: long

text: the

text: Marines

text: found

text: themselves

text: caring

text: for

text: seven

text: dogs

text: and

text: puppies

text: Time

text: was

text: running

text: out

text: however

text: The

text: Marines

text: were

text: due

text: to

text: leave

text: Now

text: Zad

text: in

text: February

text: and

text: knew

text: they

text: could

text: n't

text: take

text: the

text: dogs

text: with

text: them

text: They

text: looked

text: for

text: some

text: way

text: to

text: make

text: sure

text: the

text: dogs

text: would

text: be

text: taken

text: care

text: of

text: after

text: they

text: left

text: That

text: 's

text: when

text: Farthing

text: first

text: contacted

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: They

text: put

text: him

text: in

text: touch

text: with

text: a

text: small

text: shelter

text: in

text: northern

text: Afghanistan

text: that

text: Mayhew

text: had

text: assisted

text: since

text: its

text: inception

text: providing

text: advice

text: and

text: veterinary

text: support

text: The

text: shelter

text: offered

text: to

text: take

text: the

text: dogs

text: on

text: one

text: condition

text: The

text: Marines

text: had

text: to

text: arrange

text: for

text: the

text: dogs

text: transfer

text: to

text: Kabul

text: a

text: difficult

text: and

text: dangerous

text: three

text: days

text: drive

text: away

text: Finding

text: a

text: taxi

text: willing

text: to

text: accept

text: dogs

text: was

text: the

text: first

text: hurdle

text: the

text: second

text: was

text: that

text: the

text: drivers

text: refused

text: to

text: allow

text: the

text: dogs

text: to

text: be

text: transported

text: in

text: Western

text: style

text: cages

text: which

text: would

text: give

text: away

text: to

text: the

text: Taliban

text: that

text: the

text: car

text: was

text: carrying

text: foreigners

text: Instead

text: the

text: dogs

text: had

text: to

text: be

text: tied

text: with

text: ropes

text: the

text: Afghan

text: way

text: and

text: the

text: puppies

text: had

text: to

text: be

text: stashed

text: in

text: small

text: crates

text: in

text: this

text: case

text: a

text: bird

text: cage

text: A

text: lot

text: was

text: done

text: on

text: trust

text: Farthing

text: told

text: CNN

text: The

text: Afghans

text: did

text: it

text: as

text: a

text: favor

text: to

text: us

text: We

text: paid

text: for

text: some

text: of

text: their

text: fuel

text: and

text: their

text: costs

text: but

text: it

text: was

text: fantastic

text: It

text: was

text: them

text: helping

text: us

text: out

text: They

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: It

text: shows

text: that

text: the

text: people

text: of

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: us

text: we

text: can

text: work

text: together

text: In

text: the

text: end

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: dogs

text: made

text: it

text: to

text: Kabul

text: but

text: not

text: without

text: casualties

text: Two

text: were

text: left

text: behind

text: for

text: lack

text: of

text: room

text: in

text: the

text: taxi

text: and

text: two

text: more

text: escaped

text: along

text: the

text: way

text: when

text: a

text: car

text: door

text: was

text: accidentally

text: left

text: open

text: Three

text: of

text: the

text: largest

text: puppies

text: were

text: stolen

text: probably

text: for

text: dog

text: fighting

text: Three

text: dogs

text: and

text: eleven

text: puppies

text: finally

text: made

text: it

text: to

text: the

text: shelter

text: but

text: nine

text: of

text: the

text: puppies

text: later

text: died

text: due

text: to

text: an

text: outbreak

text: of

text: disease

text: and

text: shortage

text: of

text: vaccines

text: Sainsbury

text: of

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: says

text: the

text: story

text: of

text: the

text: Now

text: Zad

text: dogs

text: and

text: of

text: Bear

text: shows

text: their

text: efforts

text: can

text: help

text: animals

text: even

text: if

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: one

text: at

text: a

text: time

text: Mayhew

text: International

text: works

text: with

text: organizations

text: already

text: established

text: in

text: developing

text: countries

text: to

text: plan

text: mass

text: sterilization

text: drives

text: that

text: reduce

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: unwanted

text: animals

text: They

text: also

text: train

text: veterinary

text: surgeons

text: in

text: modern

text: neutering

text: techniques

text: that

text: are

text: quick

text: and

text: humane

text: The

text: way

text: that

text: war

text: makes

text: looking

text: after

text: animal

text: welfare

text: harder

text: is

text: quite

text: clear

text: Sainsbury

text: said

text: Animal

text: welfare

text: gets

text: forgotten

text: and

text: it

text: becomes

text: a

text: back

text: burner

text: because

text: organizations

text: that

text: were

text: working

text: in

text: those

text: war

text: torn

text: countries

text: will

text: probably

text: be

text: unable

text: to

text: operate

text: any

text: longer

text: They

text: 'll

text: be

text: unable

text: to

text: aid

text: the

text: populations

text: of

text: stray

text: and

text: community

text: animals

text: which

text: would

text: rely

text: on

text: their

text: help

text: originally

text: Mayhew

text: CEO

text: Caroline

text: Yates

text: said

text: staff

text: have

text: no

text: idea

text: how

text: long

text: it

text: will

text: take

text: for

text: Bear

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: new

text: home

text: They

text: hope

text: the

text: publicity

text: surrounding

text: his

text: arrival

text: in

text: Britain

text: will

text: encourage

text: people

text: to

text: think

text: about

text: adopting

text: him

text: Yates

text: said

text: they

text: hope

text: to

text: have

text: him

text: adopted

text: within

text: a

text: month

text: Said

text: Farthing

text: To

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: help

text: just

text: one

text: dog

text: is

text: a

text: reward

text: in

text: itself

text: and

text: a

text: huge

text: step

text: to

text: highlighting

text: the

text: undocumented

text: suffering

text: that

text: animals

text: in

text: all

text: war

text: zones

text: are

text: subjected

text: to

question: Who found Bear?

answer: unknown soldier

text: unknown soldier

question: Who was born into poverty?

answer: Bear

text: Bear

question: where was the dog found

answer: Afghanistan.

text: Afghanistan.

question: Who found Bear last year?

answer: former British Royal Marine Paul "Penny" Farthing,

text: former British Royal Marine Paul "Penny" Farthing,

question: Whose ears were chopped off?

answer: Bear

text: Bear

question: what happened to the dog

answer: brought back

text: brought back

question: what did the marine say

answer: "He's absolutely a loving dog,"

text: "He's absolutely a loving dog,"


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- The Director of National Intelligence is replacing the agency's inspector general just days after the public release of a blistering report critical of the DNI's office.

DNI head Dennis Blair announced Friday Justice Department official Roslyn Mazer will replace Inspector General Edward McGuire as the DNI's internal watchdog. The inspector general's role is to examine the operations of the office and investigate any allegations of waste, fraud or misconduct.

Earlier this week, Maguire testified before Congress about his report on the state of the DNI's office, outlining rampant communication problems, continuing turf battles within the intelligence community and financial mismanagement.

All of those problems were supposed to be addressed when the position of DNI was created by Congress in 2004 to look at the intelligence failures associated with the 9/11 terrorism attacks and the claims of Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction.

The classified inspector general report was completed in November 2008, but was not made public until this week.

DNI spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said Maguire's departure has nothing to do with his report. She claimed Blair, who assumed his position two months ago, wanted to bring his own leadership team.

"The director appreciates the efforts and work of the previous inspector general and will continue to build on some of the suggested reforms," Morigi said.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: The

text: Director

text: of

text: National

text: Intelligence

text: is

text: replacing

text: the

text: agency

text: 's

text: inspector

text: general

text: just

text: days

text: after

text: the

text: public

text: release

text: of

text: a

text: blistering

text: report

text: critical

text: of

text: the

text: DNI

text: 's

text: office

text: DNI

text: head

text: Dennis

text: Blair

text: announced

text: Friday

text: Justice

text: Department

text: official

text: Roslyn

text: Mazer

text: will

text: replace

text: Inspector

text: General

text: Edward

text: McGuire

text: as

text: the

text: DNI

text: 's

text: internal

text: watchdog

text: The

text: inspector

text: general

text: 's

text: role

text: is

text: to

text: examine

text: the

text: operations

text: of

text: the

text: office

text: and

text: investigate

text: any

text: allegations

text: of

text: waste

text: fraud

text: or

text: misconduct

text: Earlier

text: this

text: week

text: Maguire

text: testified

text: before

text: Congress

text: about

text: his

text: report

text: on

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: the

text: DNI

text: 's

text: office

text: outlining

text: rampant

text: communication

text: problems

text: continuing

text: turf

text: battles

text: within

text: the

text: intelligence

text: community

text: and

text: financial

text: mismanagement

text: All

text: of

text: those

text: problems

text: were

text: supposed

text: to

text: be

text: addressed

text: when

text: the

text: position

text: of

text: DNI

text: was

text: created

text: by

text: Congress

text: in

text: to

text: look

text: at

text: the

text: intelligence

text: failures

text: associated

text: with

text: the

text: terrorism

text: attacks

text: and

text: the

text: claims

text: of

text: Iraq

text: possessing

text: weapons

text: of

text: mass

text: destruction

text: The

text: classified

text: inspector

text: general

text: report

text: was

text: completed

text: in

text: November

text: but

text: was

text: not

text: made

text: public

text: until

text: this

text: week

text: DNI

text: spokeswoman

text: Wendy

text: Morigi

text: said

text: Maguire

text: 's

text: departure

text: has

text: nothing

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: his

text: report

text: She

text: claimed

text: Blair

text: who

text: assumed

text: his

text: position

text: two

text: months

text: ago

text: wanted

text: to

text: bring

text: his

text: own

text: leadership

text: team

text: The

text: director

text: appreciates

text: the

text: efforts

text: and

text: work

text: of

text: the

text: previous

text: inspector

text: general

text: and

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: build

text: on

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: suggested

text: reforms

text: Morigi

text: said

question: Who is being replaced as DNI's internal watchdog?

answer: Inspector General Edward McGuire

text: Inspector General Edward McGuire

question: What is the name of the Inspector General?

answer: Edward McGuire

text: Edward McGuire

question: What does Magure's Departure come after?

answer: just days after the public release of a blistering report

text: just days after the public release of a blistering report

question: Who is being replaced?

answer: Inspector General Edward McGuire

text: Inspector General Edward McGuire

question: Who was his blistering report critical of?

answer: DNI's office.

text: DNI's office.


text:
DOVER, Delaware (CNN) -- It was a very public goodbye for Joe Biden on Friday as the Delaware senator addressed the deployment ceremony of his son's National Guard unit as they prepare to leave for a tour of duty in Iraq.

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden addresses the deployment ceremony Friday.

Following Thursday night's debate with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in St. Louis, Missouri, Biden flew back to Delaware to spend the day with his 39-year-old son before his deployment to Iraq.

Beau Biden -- a captain in the National Guard and Delaware's attorney general -- will be a trial counselor in the 261st Signal Brigade, a unit that specializes in providing communications for the military in Iraq.

"I've come here many times before as a Delawarean, as a United States senator," he told a crowd in Dover. "But today I come, as you prepare to deploy, as a father -- a father who had some sage advice from his son this morning: 'Dad, keep it short, we're in formation.' "

"My heart is full of love and pride. ... You are the best demonstration of both our nation's greatness and ... our people's goodness," he added.  Watch more of Biden's comments ÃÂ»

Biden joined the rest of Delaware's congressional delegation and the state's Gov. Ruth Ann Minner in speaking to the 110 members of the unit.

"Let me simply say, thank you, thank you for answering the call of your country. ... So stay strong, stand together, serve honorably ... may God bless you and may he protect you," Biden added, later saluting the crowd.

Beau Biden doesn't ship out right away. Instead, he heads to Fort Bliss, Texas, this weekend, where his National Guard unit completes assigned tasks and receives additional training specific to the conditions in Iraq. Then, in six to eight weeks, they ship out to Iraq.

Despite increased interest and security because Biden is now a vice presidential nominee, the public affairs officer for the unit had insisted the ceremony would be no different, and not political.

Lt. Col. Len Grattieri said Wednesday that the last time Biden -- who has often spoken at deployment ceremonies -- addressed a departing unit was 18 months ago, and that he usually roots his remarks in foreign policy, offering his perspective on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Grattieri couldn't say where Beau Biden will be based, but his role will be that of a prosecutor enforcing the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He added that positions aren't clearly defined, and the unit will do whatever the Army needs it to.

In the past week, Biden had been trying to balance debate prep with family time. On Tuesday afternoon, he took a break and went out to lunch with Beau, Beau's wife, Hallie, and the couple's young daughter.

Aides say it's been a tough week for Biden, with Beau's departure weighing on him. Biden said in an interview Tuesday that he is proud of his son, but wishes he weren't going.

Palin, along with Biden, brought up their respective sons' deployment to Iraq during the debate.

Palin's son Track, 19, an infantry soldier, was deployed to Iraq with his Army unit September 11. Palin spoke at her eldest son's deployment ceremony in Alaska, which honored the 4,000 Alaska-based troops to be deployed from Fort Wainwright to Iraq in the coming weeks.

Track Palin, who was standing in formation among members of the 1st Stryker Brigade's 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright, went unmentioned by the governor in her brief remarks. Palin had agreed to speak at the deployment ceremony several months ago, before she was tapped as Sen. John McCain's running mate.

Though the speech wasn't a political event -- media credentials were issued by the military base -- that didn't stop dozens of national reporters and photographers from descending on the military base in Fairbanks, home to nearly 12,000 soldiers and their families.

"As you depart today," Palin told the infantrymen, "don't mind us -- your parents, your friends, your family -- if we allow for a few tears, or if we hold you just a little close once more before you're gone. Because were going to miss you. We can't help it. We are going to miss you."

Palin said victory in Iraq is "within sight."

"You and others like you will be there to see the mission through," she said. "You will be there to win. You will see victory.

Track Palin signed up to join the Army on September 11, 2007. During his 12-month deployment, his unit will protect reconstruction teams that are rebuilding the country, said Maj. Chris Hyde, the public affairs officer for the brigade.

Hyde, who called Track Palin "a low-profile individual," said he had not heard any security concerns about having the son of a prominent political figure in the brigade.

"The decision to put him in that role was made before Gov. Palin was picked by McCain," he said. "If anything comes down from headquarters, we will comply, but I wouldn't even want to speculate. I wouldn't say yes or no. That's just my opinion. We will do well with Track Palin whether he's there or he's not."

CNN's Peter Hamby, Ed Hornick and Alexander Marquardt contributed to this report.

text: DOVER

text: Delaware

text: CNN

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: very

text: public

text: goodbye

text: for

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: on

text: Friday

text: as

text: the

text: Delaware

text: senator

text: addressed

text: the

text: deployment

text: ceremony

text: of

text: his

text: son

text: 's

text: National

text: Guard

text: unit

text: as

text: they

text: prepare

text: to

text: leave

text: for

text: a

text: tour

text: of

text: duty

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Democratic

text: vice

text: presidential

text: candidate

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: addresses

text: the

text: deployment

text: ceremony

text: Friday

text: Following

text: Thursday

text: night

text: 's

text: debate

text: with

text: Alaska

text: Gov.

text: Sarah

text: Palin

text: in

text: St.

text: Louis

text: Missouri

text: Biden

text: flew

text: back

text: to

text: Delaware

text: to

text: spend

text: the

text: day

text: with

text: his

text: old

text: son

text: before

text: his

text: deployment

text: to

text: Iraq

text: Beau

text: Biden

text: a

text: captain

text: in

text: the

text: National

text: Guard

text: and

text: Delaware

text: 's

text: attorney

text: general

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: trial

text: counselor

text: in

text: the

text: Signal

text: Brigade

text: a

text: unit

text: that

text: specializes

text: in

text: providing

text: communications

text: for

text: the

text: military

text: in

text: Iraq

text: I

text: 've

text: come

text: here

text: many

text: times

text: before

text: as

text: a

text: Delawarean

text: as

text: a

text: United

text: States

text: senator

text: he

text: told

text: a

text: crowd

text: in

text: Dover

text: But

text: today

text: I

text: come

text: as

text: you

text: prepare

text: to

text: deploy

text: as

text: a

text: father

text: a

text: father

text: who

text: had

text: some

text: sage

text: advice

text: from

text: his

text: son

text: this

text: morning

text: Dad

text: keep

text: it

text: short

text: we

text: 're

text: in

text: formation

text: My

text: heart

text: is

text: full

text: of

text: love

text: and

text: pride

text: You

text: are

text: the

text: best

text: demonstration

text: of

text: both

text: our

text: nation

text: 's

text: greatness

text: and

text: our

text: people

text: 's

text: goodness

text: he

text: added

text: Watch

text: more

text: of

text: Biden

text: 's

text: comments

text: ÃÂ

text: Biden

text: joined

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: Delaware

text: 's

text: congressional

text: delegation

text: and

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: Gov.

text: Ruth

text: Ann

text: Minner

text: in

text: speaking

text: to

text: the

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: unit

text: Let

text: me

text: simply

text: say

text: thank

text: you

text: thank

text: you

text: for

text: answering

text: the

text: call

text: of

text: your

text: country

text: So

text: stay

text: strong

text: stand

text: together

text: serve

text: honorably

text: may

text: God

text: bless

text: you

text: and

text: may

text: he

text: protect

text: you

text: Biden

text: added

text: later

text: saluting

text: the

text: crowd

text: Beau

text: Biden

text: does

text: n't

text: ship

text: out

text: right

text: away

text: Instead

text: he

text: heads

text: to

text: Fort

text: Bliss

text: Texas

text: this

text: weekend

text: where

text: his

text: National

text: Guard

text: unit

text: completes

text: assigned

text: tasks

text: and

text: receives

text: additional

text: training

text: specific

text: to

text: the

text: conditions

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Then

text: in

text: six

text: to

text: eight

text: weeks

text: they

text: ship

text: out

text: to

text: Iraq

text: Despite

text: increased

text: interest

text: and

text: security

text: because

text: Biden

text: is

text: now

text: a

text: vice

text: presidential

text: nominee

text: the

text: public

text: affairs

text: officer

text: for

text: the

text: unit

text: had

text: insisted

text: the

text: ceremony

text: would

text: be

text: no

text: different

text: and

text: not

text: political

text: Lt

text: Col

text: Len

text: Grattieri

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: the

text: last

text: time

text: Biden

text: who

text: has

text: often

text: spoken

text: at

text: deployment

text: ceremonies

text: addressed

text: a

text: departing

text: unit

text: was

text: months

text: ago

text: and

text: that

text: he

text: usually

text: roots

text: his

text: remarks

text: in

text: foreign

text: policy

text: offering

text: his

text: perspective

text: on

text: the

text: conflicts

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Afghanistan

text: Grattieri

text: could

text: n't

text: say

text: where

text: Beau

text: Biden

text: will

text: be

text: based

text: but

text: his

text: role

text: will

text: be

text: that

text: of

text: a

text: prosecutor

text: enforcing

text: the

text: Uniform

text: Code

text: of

text: Military

text: Justice

text: He

text: added

text: that

text: positions

text: are

text: n't

text: clearly

text: defined

text: and

text: the

text: unit

text: will

text: do

text: whatever

text: the

text: Army

text: needs

text: it

text: to

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: week

text: Biden

text: had

text: been

text: trying

text: to

text: balance

text: debate

text: prep

text: with

text: family

text: time

text: On

text: Tuesday

text: afternoon

text: he

text: took

text: a

text: break

text: and

text: went

text: out

text: to

text: lunch

text: with

text: Beau

text: Beau

text: 's

text: wife

text: Hallie

text: and

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: young

text: daughter

text: Aides

text: say

text: it

text: 's

text: been

text: a

text: tough

text: week

text: for

text: Biden

text: with

text: Beau

text: 's

text: departure

text: weighing

text: on

text: him

text: Biden

text: said

text: in

text: an

text: interview

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: he

text: is

text: proud

text: of

text: his

text: son

text: but

text: wishes

text: he

text: were

text: n't

text: going

text: Palin

text: along

text: with

text: Biden

text: brought

text: up

text: their

text: respective

text: sons

text: deployment

text: to

text: Iraq

text: during

text: the

text: debate

text: Palin

text: 's

text: son

text: Track

text: an

text: infantry

text: soldier

text: was

text: deployed

text: to

text: Iraq

text: with

text: his

text: Army

text: unit

text: September

text: Palin

text: spoke

text: at

text: her

text: eldest

text: son

text: 's

text: deployment

text: ceremony

text: in

text: Alaska

text: which

text: honored

text: the

text: Alaska

text: based

text: troops

text: to

text: be

text: deployed

text: from

text: Fort

text: Wainwright

text: to

text: Iraq

text: in

text: the

text: coming

text: weeks

text: Track

text: Palin

text: who

text: was

text: standing

text: in

text: formation

text: among

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Stryker

text: Brigade

text: 's

text: Infantry

text: Division

text: at

text: Fort

text: Wainwright

text: went

text: unmentioned

text: by

text: the

text: governor

text: in

text: her

text: brief

text: remarks

text: Palin

text: had

text: agreed

text: to

text: speak

text: at

text: the

text: deployment

text: ceremony

text: several

text: months

text: ago

text: before

text: she

text: was

text: tapped

text: as

text: Sen.

text: John

text: McCain

text: 's

text: running

text: mate

text: Though

text: the

text: speech

text: was

text: n't

text: a

text: political

text: event

text: media

text: credentials

text: were

text: issued

text: by

text: the

text: military

text: base

text: that

text: did

text: n't

text: stop

text: dozens

text: of

text: national

text: reporters

text: and

text: photographers

text: from

text: descending

text: on

text: the

text: military

text: base

text: in

text: Fairbanks

text: home

text: to

text: nearly

text: soldiers

text: and

text: their

text: families

text: As

text: you

text: depart

text: today

text: Palin

text: told

text: the

text: infantrymen

text: do

text: n't

text: mind

text: us

text: your

text: parents

text: your

text: friends

text: your

text: family

text: if

text: we

text: allow

text: for

text: a

text: few

text: tears

text: or

text: if

text: we

text: hold

text: you

text: just

text: a

text: little

text: close

text: once

text: more

text: before

text: you

text: 're

text: gone

text: Because

text: were

text: going

text: to

text: miss

text: you

text: We

text: ca

text: n't

text: help

text: it

text: We

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: miss

text: you

text: Palin

text: said

text: victory

text: in

text: Iraq

text: is

text: within

text: sight

text: You

text: and

text: others

text: like

text: you

text: will

text: be

text: there

text: to

text: see

text: the

text: mission

text: through

text: she

text: said

text: You

text: will

text: be

text: there

text: to

text: win

text: You

text: will

text: see

text: victory

text: Track

text: Palin

text: signed

text: up

text: to

text: join

text: the

text: Army

text: on

text: September

text: During

text: his

text: deployment

text: his

text: unit

text: will

text: protect

text: reconstruction

text: teams

text: that

text: are

text: rebuilding

text: the

text: country

text: said

text: Maj

text: Chris

text: Hyde

text: the

text: public

text: affairs

text: officer

text: for

text: the

text: brigade

text: Hyde

text: who

text: called

text: Track

text: Palin

text: a

text: low

text: profile

text: individual

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: not

text: heard

text: any

text: security

text: concerns

text: about

text: having

text: the

text: son

text: of

text: a

text: prominent

text: political

text: figure

text: in

text: the

text: brigade

text: The

text: decision

text: to

text: put

text: him

text: in

text: that

text: role

text: was

text: made

text: before

text: Gov.

text: Palin

text: was

text: picked

text: by

text: McCain

text: he

text: said

text: If

text: anything

text: comes

text: down

text: from

text: headquarters

text: we

text: will

text: comply

text: but

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: even

text: want

text: to

text: speculate

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: say

text: yes

text: or

text: no

text: That

text: 's

text: just

text: my

text: opinion

text: We

text: will

text: do

text: well

text: with

text: Track

text: Palin

text: whether

text: he

text: 's

text: there

text: or

text: he

text: 's

text: not

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Peter

text: Hamby

text: Ed

text: Hornick

text: and

text: Alexander

text: Marquardt

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: When was Track deployed?

answer: t September 11

text: t September 11

question: Where did Sarah Palin's son recently go?

answer: s deployed to Ira

text: s deployed to Ira

question: What does Beau Biden do?

answer: captain in the National Guard and Delaware's attorney general

text: captain in the National Guard and Delaware's attorney general

question: What did Biden tell the crowd?

answer: "I've come here many times before as a Delawarean, as a United States senator,"

text: "I've come here many times before as a Delawarean, as a United States senator,"

question: What is Joe Biden's son's name?

answer: Beau

text: Beau

question: Where did Joe Biden speak?

answer: Delaware

text: Delaware

question: Who served as captain in the National Guard ?

answer: Beau Biden

text: Beau Biden

question: Who spoke at his son's deployment?

answer: Joe Biden

text: Joe Biden

question: Where was Biden's ceremony held?

answer: Delaware

text: Delaware

question: What did Joe Biden tell the crowd?

answer: "I've come here many times before as a Delawarean, as a United States senator,"

text: "I've come here many times before as a Delawarean, as a United States senator,"


text:
(CNN) -- Ronaldinho's participation in this summer's World Cup finals now appears in serious doubt after the AC Milan playmaker was not named in Brazil coach Carlos Dunga's 22-man squad for next month's friendly international against Ireland in London.

The 29-year-old former Barcelona star has been in outstanding form for the Italian giants this season -- but he has still not done enough to force his way into Dunga's thinking for the match at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Ronaldinho is not the only high-profile player not selected for the match, with Chelsea central defender Alex also left out of the squad.

Manchester City forward Robinho, who is currently on loan for the rest of the season with Brazilian club Santos, is in the squad -- while there is also a place for full-back Dani Alves, although the Barcelona defender is currently sidelined with a calf injury that is expected to keep him out for around three weeks.

Brazil squad to face Ireland:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Doni (Roma).

Defenders:  Maicon (Inter Milan), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Lucio (Inter Milan), Juan (Roma), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Luisao (Benfica), Michel Bastos (Lyon).

Midfielders: Gilberto (Cruzeiro), Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Felipe Melo (Juventus), Josue (Wolfsburg), Kleberson (Flamengo), Ramires (Benfica), Elano (Galatasaray).

Forwards: Kaka (Real Madrid), Robinho (Santos), Nilmar (Villarreal), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Adriano (Flamengo), Julio Baptista (Roma).

text: CNN

text: Ronaldinho

text: 's

text: participation

text: in

text: this

text: summer

text: 's

text: World

text: Cup

text: finals

text: now

text: appears

text: in

text: serious

text: doubt

text: after

text: the

text: AC

text: Milan

text: playmaker

text: was

text: not

text: named

text: in

text: Brazil

text: coach

text: Carlos

text: Dunga

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text: squad

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text: next

text: month

text: 's

text: friendly

text: international

text: against

text: Ireland

text: in

text: London

text: The

text: old

text: former

text: Barcelona

text: star

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: outstanding

text: form

text: for

text: the

text: Italian

text: giants

text: this

text: season

text: but

text: he

text: has

text: still

text: not

text: done

text: enough

text: to

text: force

text: his

text: way

text: into

text: Dunga

text: 's

text: thinking

text: for

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text: match

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text: Arsenal

text: 's

text: Emirates

text: Stadium

text: Ronaldinho

text: is

text: not

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text: only

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text: profile

text: player

text: not

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text: match

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text: Chelsea

text: central

text: defender

text: Alex

text: also

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text: the

text: squad

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text: City

text: forward

text: Robinho

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text: is

text: currently

text: on

text: loan

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text: the

text: rest

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text: season

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text: club

text: Santos

text: is

text: in

text: the

text: squad

text: while

text: there

text: is

text: also

text: a

text: place

text: for

text: full

text: back

text: Dani

text: Alves

text: although

text: the

text: Barcelona

text: defender

text: is

text: currently

text: sidelined

text: with

text: a

text: calf

text: injury

text: that

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: keep

text: him

text: out

text: for

text: around

text: three

text: weeks

text: Brazil

text: squad

text: to

text: face

text: Ireland

text: Goalkeepers

text: Julio

text: Cesar

text: Inter

text: Milan

text: Doni

text: Roma

text: Defenders

text: Maicon

text: Inter

text: Milan

text: Daniel

text: Alves

text: Barcelona

text: Lucio

text: Inter

text: Milan

text: Juan

text: Roma

text: Thiago

text: Silva

text: AC

text: Milan

text: Luisao

text: Benfica

text: Michel

text: Bastos

text: Lyon

text: Midfielders

text: Gilberto

text: Cruzeiro

text: Gilberto

text: Silva

text: Panathinaikos

text: Felipe

text: Melo

text: Juventus

text: Josue

text: Wolfsburg

text: Kleberson

text: Flamengo

text: Ramires

text: Benfica

text: Elano

text: Galatasaray

text: Forwards

text: Kaka

text: Real

text: Madrid

text: Robinho

text: Santos

text: Nilmar

text: Villarreal

text: Luis

text: Fabiano

text: Sevilla

text: Adriano

text: Flamengo

text: Julio

text: Baptista

text: Roma

question: Who has an outstanding form?

answer: The 29-year-old former Barcelona star

text: The 29-year-old former Barcelona star

question: Who is left out of Brazil's squad?

answer: Ronaldinho

text: Ronaldinho

question: What happened with Ronaldinho?

answer: the AC Milan playmaker was not named in Brazil coach Carlos Dunga's 22-man squad for next month's friendly international against Ireland in London.

text: the AC Milan playmaker was not named in Brazil coach Carlos Dunga's 22-man squad for next month's friendly international against Ireland in London.


text:
LAGOS, Nigeria (CNN)  -- More than 200 people have died of meningitis in the past week alone in Niger and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization.

A health care worker vaccinates a child during an earlier outbreak of meningitis in Niger.

The disease is an epidemic in 76 areas of the two countries, the health agency reported Wednesday.

A spokesman for W.H.O. in Nigeria, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, said Saturday that the outbreak is bigger than usual and stretches across the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa.

The outbreak began around the start of the year, Soyinka told CNN. It usually peaks in the dry season because of dust, winds and cold nights, before dipping around May when the rains come, he said.

A shortage of vaccines means officials are relying on "effective prevention," in which they watch for outbreaks and then vaccinate people in the epicenter and surrounding areas, Soyinka told CNN.

There have been nearly 25,000 suspected cases and more than 1,500 deaths in the meningitis belt in the first 11 weeks of the year, W.H.O. reported. More than 85 percent of those cases happened in northern Nigeria and Niger.

Nigeria's Ministry of Health has reported 17,462 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 960 deaths, the world health agency said. In the past week, it reported 4,164 suspected cases with 171 deaths.

Sixty-six local government areas in Nigeria have crossed the epidemic threshold. Epidemic thresholds are a way the W.H.O. confirms the emergence of an epidemic so it can step up vaccinations and other management measures.

Niger's Ministry of Health has reported 4,513 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 169 deaths, since the start of the year. In the past week, 1,071 suspected cases and 30 deaths have been reported, the W.H.O. said.

Ten of Niger's 42 districts have crossed the epidemic threshold.

By comparison, other countries are reporting fewer than 50 cases a week.

Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the thin lining that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. Several different bacteria can cause meningitis but Neisseria meningitidis -- which is to blame for this outbreak -- is one of the most significant because of its potential to cause epidemics.

Health authorities have released 2.3 million doses of vaccine to Nigeria and 1.9 million doses to Niger, the W.H.O. said.

CNN's Christian Purefoy in Lagos, Nigeria, contributed to this report.

text: LAGOS

text: Nigeria

text: CNN

text: More

text: than

text: people

text: have

text: died

text: of

text: meningitis

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: week

text: alone

text: in

text: Niger

text: and

text: Nigeria

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: World

text: Health

text: Organization

text: A

text: health

text: care

text: worker

text: vaccinates

text: a

text: child

text: during

text: an

text: earlier

text: outbreak

text: of

text: meningitis

text: in

text: Niger

text: The

text: disease

text: is

text: an

text: epidemic

text: in

text: areas

text: of

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: the

text: health

text: agency

text: reported

text: Wednesday

text: A

text: spokesman

text: for

text: W.H.O.

text: in

text: Nigeria

text: Dr.

text: Olaokun

text: Soyinka

text: said

text: Saturday

text: that

text: the

text: outbreak

text: is

text: bigger

text: than

text: usual

text: and

text: stretches

text: across

text: the

text: African

text: meningitis

text: belt

text: from

text: east-

text: to

text: west

text: sub

text: Saharan

text: Africa

text: The

text: outbreak

text: began

text: around

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: Soyinka

text: told

text: CNN

text: It

text: usually

text: peaks

text: in

text: the

text: dry

text: season

text: because

text: of

text: dust

text: winds

text: and

text: cold

text: nights

text: before

text: dipping

text: around

text: May

text: when

text: the

text: rains

text: come

text: he

text: said

text: A

text: shortage

text: of

text: vaccines

text: means

text: officials

text: are

text: relying

text: on

text: effective

text: prevention

text: in

text: which

text: they

text: watch

text: for

text: outbreaks

text: and

text: then

text: vaccinate

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: epicenter

text: and

text: surrounding

text: areas

text: Soyinka

text: told

text: CNN

text: There

text: have

text: been

text: nearly

text: suspected

text: cases

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: deaths

text: in

text: the

text: meningitis

text: belt

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: weeks

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: W.H.O.

text: reported

text: More

text: than

text: percent

text: of

text: those

text: cases

text: happened

text: in

text: northern

text: Nigeria

text: and

text: Niger

text: Nigeria

text: 's

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Health

text: has

text: reported

text: suspected

text: cases

text: of

text: meningococcal

text: disease

text: including

text: deaths

text: the

text: world

text: health

text: agency

text: said

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: week

text: it

text: reported

text: suspected

text: cases

text: with

text: deaths

text: Sixty

text: six

text: local

text: government

text: areas

text: in

text: Nigeria

text: have

text: crossed

text: the

text: epidemic

text: threshold

text: Epidemic

text: thresholds

text: are

text: a

text: way

text: the

text: W.H.O.

text: confirms

text: the

text: emergence

text: of

text: an

text: epidemic

text: so

text: it

text: can

text: step

text: up

text: vaccinations

text: and

text: other

text: management

text: measures

text: Niger

text: 's

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Health

text: has

text: reported

text: suspected

text: cases

text: of

text: meningococcal

text: disease

text: including

text: deaths

text: since

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: week

text: suspected

text: cases

text: and

text: deaths

text: have

text: been

text: reported

text: the

text: W.H.O.

text: said

text: Ten

text: of

text: Niger

text: 's

text: districts

text: have

text: crossed

text: the

text: epidemic

text: threshold

text: By

text: comparison

text: other

text: countries

text: are

text: reporting

text: fewer

text: than

text: cases

text: a

text: week

text: Meningitis

text: is

text: an

text: infection

text: of

text: the

text: meninges

text: the

text: thin

text: lining

text: that

text: surrounds

text: the

text: brain

text: and

text: the

text: spinal

text: cord

text: Several

text: different

text: bacteria

text: can

text: cause

text: meningitis

text: but

text: Neisseria

text: meningitidis

text: which

text: is

text: to

text: blame

text: for

text: this

text: outbreak

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: significant

text: because

text: of

text: its

text: potential

text: to

text: cause

text: epidemics

text: Health

text: authorities

text: have

text: released

text: million

text: doses

text: of

text: vaccine

text: to

text: Nigeria

text: and

text: million

text: doses

text: to

text: Niger

text: the

text: W.H.O.

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Christian

text: Purefoy

text: in

text: Lagos

text: Nigeria

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What is forcing an "effective prevention" approach?

answer: A shortage of vaccines

text: A shortage of vaccines

question: What killed more than 200 people in Niger and Nigeria?

answer: meningitis

text: meningitis

question: Where is the outbreak at epidemic levels in 76 areas?

answer: and Nigeria,

text: and Nigeria,

question: What does the outbreak stretch across?

answer: the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa.

text: the African meningitis belt from east- to west-sub-Saharan Africa.

question: What killed more than 200 people in the past week?

answer: meningitis

text: meningitis

question: What kind of an approach does a vaccine shortage force?

answer: "effective prevention,"

text: "effective prevention,"

question: Epidemic levels were in how many areas?

answer: 76

question: What killed more than 200 people during the past week in Niger and Nigeria?

answer: meningitis

text: meningitis

question: What is there a shortage of?

answer: vaccines

text: vaccines


text:
(CNN) -- China is continuing to speak out against a multibillion-dollar U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, with the Chinese foreign minister telling U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday that the Obama administration should reconsider the deal.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Clinton in New York, where the United Nations General Assembly is in session, according to a senior State Department official who spoke on background.

Yang "was making very serious representations to Secretary Clinton, asked the Obama administration to reconsider this decision and indicated that it would harm the trust and confidence that was established between the two sides," the official said.

Chinese officials "have indicated that they're going to suspend or to cancel or postpone a series of ... military-to-military engagements," the official said.

Clinton "responded very clearly" that the United States has a strategic interest in stability in the region, and that the Taiwan Relations Act "provides for a strong rationale for the provision of defensive capabilities and weapons to Taiwan as part of a larger context to preserve that peace and stability," the official said.

Clinton also told Yang that the United States supports improved relations between mainland China and Taiwan.

The $5.3 billion arms package includes upgrades to Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet, a five-year extension of F-16 pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and spare parts for the upkeep of three different planes currently in use by the Taiwanese, according to the State Department. The deal is part of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.

China voiced strong opposition to the deal when it was announced last week, with the state-run Xinhua news agency quoting China's vice foreign minister, Zhang Zhijun, as saying, "The wrongdoing by the U.S. side will inevitably undermine bilateral relations as well as exchanges and cooperation in military and security areas."

China regards Taiwan as a renegade province. Taiwan began as the remnant of the government that ruled over mainland China, until a Communist uprising proved victorious in 1949.

The Taiwan Strait separates the mainland from the island.

In 1979, the United States carried out its "one China" policy by switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. But the Taiwan Relations Act obligates the United States to help defend the island if needed. The United States also is Taiwan's main arms supplier.

Beijing broke off military contacts with Washington last year to protest another arms sale to Taiwan. The sale included more than $6 billion in Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and communications equipment, which Taiwan said it needed for self-defense.

text: CNN

text: China

text: is

text: continuing

text: to

text: speak

text: out

text: against

text: a

text: multibillion

text: dollar

text: U.S.

text: arms

text: sale

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: with

text: the

text: Chinese

text: foreign

text: minister

text: telling

text: U.S.

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: Monday

text: that

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: should

text: reconsider

text: the

text: deal

text: Chinese

text: Foreign

text: Minister

text: Yang

text: Jiechi

text: met

text: with

text: Clinton

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: where

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: General

text: Assembly

text: is

text: in

text: session

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: senior

text: State

text: Department

text: official

text: who

text: spoke

text: on

text: background

text: Yang

text: was

text: making

text: very

text: serious

text: representations

text: to

text: Secretary

text: Clinton

text: asked

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: to

text: reconsider

text: this

text: decision

text: and

text: indicated

text: that

text: it

text: would

text: harm

text: the

text: trust

text: and

text: confidence

text: that

text: was

text: established

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: sides

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: Chinese

text: officials

text: have

text: indicated

text: that

text: they

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: suspend

text: or

text: to

text: cancel

text: or

text: postpone

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: military

text: to

text: military

text: engagements

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: Clinton

text: responded

text: very

text: clearly

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: has

text: a

text: strategic

text: interest

text: in

text: stability

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: and

text: that

text: the

text: Taiwan

text: Relations

text: Act

text: provides

text: for

text: a

text: strong

text: rationale

text: for

text: the

text: provision

text: of

text: defensive

text: capabilities

text: and

text: weapons

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: larger

text: context

text: to

text: preserve

text: that

text: peace

text: and

text: stability

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: Clinton

text: also

text: told

text: Yang

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: supports

text: improved

text: relations

text: between

text: mainland

text: China

text: and

text: Taiwan

text: The

text: billion

text: arms

text: package

text: includes

text: upgrades

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: 's

text: fighter

text: fleet

text: a

text: five

text: year

text: extension

text: of

text: pilot

text: training

text: at

text: Luke

text: Air

text: Force

text: Base

text: in

text: Arizona

text: and

text: spare

text: parts

text: for

text: the

text: upkeep

text: of

text: three

text: different

text: planes

text: currently

text: in

text: use

text: by

text: the

text: Taiwanese

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: State

text: Department

text: The

text: deal

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Foreign

text: Military

text: Sales

text: program

text: China

text: voiced

text: strong

text: opposition

text: to

text: the

text: deal

text: when

text: it

text: was

text: announced

text: last

text: week

text: with

text: the

text: state

text: run

text: Xinhua

text: news

text: agency

text: quoting

text: China

text: 's

text: vice

text: foreign

text: minister

text: Zhang

text: Zhijun

text: as

text: saying

text: The

text: wrongdoing

text: by

text: the

text: U.S.

text: side

text: will

text: inevitably

text: undermine

text: bilateral

text: relations

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: exchanges

text: and

text: cooperation

text: in

text: military

text: and

text: security

text: areas

text: China

text: regards

text: Taiwan

text: as

text: a

text: renegade

text: province

text: Taiwan

text: began

text: as

text: the

text: remnant

text: of

text: the

text: government

text: that

text: ruled

text: over

text: mainland

text: China

text: until

text: a

text: Communist

text: uprising

text: proved

text: victorious

text: in

text: The

text: Taiwan

text: Strait

text: separates

text: the

text: mainland

text: from

text: the

text: island

text: In

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: carried

text: out

text: its

text: one

text: China

text: policy

text: by

text: switching

text: diplomatic

text: recognition

text: from

text: Taipei

text: to

text: Beijing

text: But

text: the

text: Taiwan

text: Relations

text: Act

text: obligates

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: to

text: help

text: defend

text: the

text: island

text: if

text: needed

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: also

text: is

text: Taiwan

text: 's

text: main

text: arms

text: supplier

text: Beijing

text: broke

text: off

text: military

text: contacts

text: with

text: Washington

text: last

text: year

text: to

text: protest

text: another

text: arms

text: sale

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: The

text: sale

text: included

text: more

text: than

text: billion

text: in

text: Patriot

text: missiles

text: Black

text: Hawk

text: helicopters

text: and

text: communications

text: equipment

text: which

text: Taiwan

text: said

text: it

text: needed

text: for

text: self

text: defense

question: Who met with Clinton in New York?

answer: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

text: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

question: where did they meet

answer: New York,

text: New York,

question: What will be updated with the package?

answer: Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet, a five-year extension of F-16 pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and spare parts for the upkeep of three different planes currently in use by the Taiwanese,

text: Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet, a five-year extension of F-16 pilot training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and spare parts for the upkeep of three different planes currently in use by the Taiwanese,

question: who met with secretary of state clinton

answer: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

text: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

question: how much was the package

answer: $5.3 billion

text: $5.3 billion

question: who calls on the U.S. to reconsider an arms sale to a country called Taiwan

answer: China

text: China

question: who meets with the Secretary of State in New York

answer: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

text: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi

question: Who voiced strong opposition to the deal?

answer: China

text: China

question: what did china do to the deal when it was announced last week

answer: voiced strong opposition

text: voiced strong opposition