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(CNN) -- As hosts of the largest carnival in world football, the pressure is on for South Africa's national football team to ignite the imagination of local fans by performing well at the 2010 World Cup.

If Bafana Bafana is to succeed in their mission, conventional wisdom would be that coach Carlos Alberto Parreira will turn to his best players to deliver results.

However, despite firing in 31 goals in 77 appearances to become South Africa's all-time record goal scorer, Benni McCarthy has had question marks hanging over his participation for his country come June.

The prolific striker, who plays for English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, has only recently returned from a period of international exile, just the latest incident in a stormy history with his country's football team.

He first angered Bafana Bafana fans by going into international retirement in 2002 aged just 25. The reason? Traveling to international games was hampering his ability to play European football for Celta Vigo and, later, Porto.

"The whole pattern was killing my career, that's why I quit international football," he told British newspaper The Independent in 2004. "African football needs the same calendar as Europe otherwise its best players are going to suffer."

He was talked into returning, only to quit again after the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations when the president of the South African FA, Mubarak Mahomad, made an uncomplimentary comment about his performance.

That period of self-imposed exile lasted 20 months, until new coach Carlos Alberto Parreira flew to Great Britain to talk to McCarthy, who was now at Blackburn Rovers. But after Parreira quit to care for his sick wife, McCarthy fell out with replacement boss Joel Santana after he refused to play in two warm up matches last March.

Despite pleas from South African President Jacob Zuma, Santana refused to pick him. But a run of eight defeats in nine games, which saw the team slump to 86th on the FIFA rankings, Santana was sacked. With goals being South Africa's biggest problem, it was no surprise that returning coach Parreira made persuading McCarthy to return, for a second time, his top priority.

Sure enough, McCarthy returned to the fray last month against Japan. The 32-year-old told local press: "I want to start afresh and help Bafana do well in the World Cup finals. It is every player's dream to play for his country... and I have matured."

"In the past I was a loose cannon and I apologize if I was wrong [but] I am still the best at what I do - and that is scoring goals," he added.

Few could argue with McCarthy's record. Born in Hanover Park, an impoverished township in Cape Town known for its high unemployment, poverty and gang-related violence, McCarthy escaped to become one of Africa's most successful football exports.

McCarthy started his career in 1995 aged 18 with Seven Stars of Cape Town, where 27 goals in 29 games earned him a move to Cape Town Spurs who soon merged with Ajax Cape Town, a feeder side to their famous Dutch namesake.

McCarthy's potential was enough for Ajax Amsterdam to sign him. Joining in 1997 he scored nine goals to help them win the Eredivisie in his first year, which eventually attracted the attentions of Spain's Celta Vigo.

Although it didn't work out in Spain, his move to Portugal's FC Porto was a roaring success. In the 2003/04 season he helped Jose Mourinho's side win the UEFA Champions League with McCarthy memorably grabbing two goals in the second round defeat of Manchester United.

McCarthy moved to Premier League outfit Blackburn Rovers in 2006 and scored plenty of goals - he was in the top three league scorers in his debut season - but first-team opportunities have been limited of late.

Yet ever since McCarthy made his international debut in a 2-0 home defeat to Holland 1997, South Africa has been a different side with him in it. Gloom has followed South Africa's footballing exploits before this summer's World Cup. But after his most recent 'comeback', Bafana Bafana fans will hope that McCarthy can help put the dark days under Joel Santana firmly behind them.

Hear what Benni has to say in CNN's coverage of the World Cup draw, live on Friday 4th December.

text: CNN

text: As

text: hosts

text: of

text: the

text: largest

text: carnival

text: in

text: world

text: football

text: the

text: pressure

text: is

text: on

text: for

text: South

text: Africa

text: 's

text: national

text: football

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text: to

text: ignite

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text: imagination

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text: local

text: fans

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text: World

text: Cup

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text: Bafana

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text: in

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text: wisdom

text: would

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text: Alberto

text: Parreira

text: will

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text: best

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text: deliver

text: results

text: However

text: despite

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text: in

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text: become

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text: whole

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text: sick

text: wife

text: McCarthy

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text: Joel

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text: refused

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text: Zuma

text: Santana

text: refused

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text: in

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text: team

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text: FIFA

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text: Santana

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text: goals

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text: South

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text: biggest

text: problem

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text: was

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text: surprise

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text: returning

text: coach

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text: persuading

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text: second

text: time

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text: enough

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text: fray

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text: want

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text: start

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text: help

text: Bafana

text: do

text: well

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text: World

text: Cup

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text: player

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text: country

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text: have

text: matured

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text: past

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text: was

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text: cannon

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text: I

text: apologize

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text: was

text: wrong

text: but

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text: best

text: at

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text: I

text: do

text: and

text: that

text: is

text: scoring

text: goals

text: he

text: added

text: Few

text: could

text: argue

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text: McCarthy

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text: record

text: Born

text: in

text: Hanover

text: Park

text: an

text: impoverished

text: township

text: in

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text: Town

text: known

text: for

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text: high

text: unemployment

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text: McCarthy

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text: Although

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text: Champions

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text: McCarthy

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text: second

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text: Manchester

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text: McCarthy

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text: to

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text: outfit

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text: and

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text: goals

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text: top

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text: league

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text: debut

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text: team

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text: limited

text: of

text: late

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text: ever

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text: McCarthy

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text: international

text: debut

text: in

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text: home

text: defeat

text: to

text: Holland

text: South

text: Africa

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: different

text: side

text: with

text: him

text: in

text: it

text: Gloom

text: has

text: followed

text: South

text: Africa

text: 's

text: footballing

text: exploits

text: before

text: this

text: summer

text: 's

text: World

text: Cup

text: But

text: after

text: his

text: most

text: recent

text: comeback

text: Bafana

text: Bafana

text: fans

text: will

text: hope

text: that

text: McCarthy

text: can

text: help

text: put

text: the

text: dark

text: days

text: under

text: Joel

text: Santana

text: firmly

text: behind

text: them

text: Hear

text: what

text: Benni

text: has

text: to

text: say

text: in

text: CNN

text: 's

text: coverage

text: of

text: the

text: World

text: Cup

text: draw

text: live

text: on

text: Friday

text: December

question: What other teams has McCarthy played for?

answer: Celta Vigo

text: Celta Vigo

question: Who does McCarthy currently play for?

answer: Blackburn Rovers

text: Blackburn Rovers

question: on what team McCarthy is playing for currently?

answer: South Africa's

text: South Africa's

question: In what day was World Cup Draw?

answer: Friday 4th December.

text: Friday 4th December.

question: how many goals did McCarthy scored?

answer: 31

question: on what date and day the south african legend Benni McCarthy is taking part of CNN's World cup Draw coverage?

answer: Friday 4th December.

text: Friday 4th December.

question: How many goals has McCarthy scored for Bafana?

answer: 31


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Blake Mycoskie is the founder and "chief shoe giver" of TOMS Shoes, a company that matches every pair of shoes it sells with a free pair to an impoverished child.

Blake Mycoskie started TOMS Shoes in 2006. The company is committed to giving free shoes to poor children around the world.

CNN caught up with the 32-year-old entrepreneur to talk about the inspiration behind his revolutionary business and what he has planned next.

CNN: Tell us about the TOMS model.

Mycoskie: The TOMS initiative is very simple: For every pair of shoes we sell, we give a pair away. When we know that say, we're going to sell 10,000 pairs this spring, we make another 10,000 to be given away.

CNN: Where did you get the idea to start TOMS?

Mycoskie: I decided to go back to some of the places that my sister and I had visited on "The Amazing Race." [Mycoskie and his sister participated in the reality TV show in 2002.]

I found myself going on to Argentina. I went to some of the villages and it was one of the defining moments of my life when I saw these kids not wearing shoes.

That's where I kind of had this 'ah ha' moment. I started thinking, what if I started a business where every time I sold a pair of shoes, I would guarantee that customer that I would give another pair to someone who does not have shoes?

CNN: How did you pursue your vision? Did you have any experience as a designer or shoemaker?

Mycoskie: I had absolutely no experience in shoes or fashion so I approached the business how I have done everything in my life, and that's with reckless ambition.

There were a lot of really cool styles of shoes in Argentina that we did not have in the United States so I picked one of them, the alpargata, and I started figuring out how to make shoes.

CNN: Did you expect the company to be a big success when you launched?

Mycoskie: I was not really looking to make any money on the deal. I wanted to be able to sell the shoes for enough money to give away another pair and to hire one or two people to administer it and keep it going once I went back to work.

But what I found was that not only did people find this concept just very intriguing - from a fashion perspective, people loved these shoes. All of a sudden I started selling in the top boutiques.

CNN: When did you realize that TOMS was going to be much more than a small project?

Mycoskie: I think the crowning moment was when Vogue magazine called and that was a few months after we started. That was when I was really like, 'Wow, this is not just some small little shoe philanthropy that I have created.'

This could be a real business and it could be a real player in the fashion industry and it could really set a tone for how fashion companies could give back.

CNN: Has philanthropy always been a priority for you?

Mycoskie: I always thought that I would spend the first half of my life making money so I can spend the second half of my life giving it all away. And one of the defining moments of my life was when I realized that I could do both at the same time with TOMS.

CNN: What are some of your proudest achievements?

Mycoskie: One thing that is most unique about TOMS and I think that I'm most proud of is that every single pair [of shoes] is hand placed onto a child's foot.

CNN: How has TOMS evolved since you started it in 2006?

Mycoskie: A big part of our business that has changed over the past year is that now we also have a travel organization that takes volunteers all over the world on these trips and [they] get the experience of giving away the shoes.

CNN: Tell us about the process of producing TOMS.

Mycoskie: A very big passion of mine and that of the people that run our production is finding factories that have fair labor practices and treating them more like partners in our family than people just who are going to produce for us.

One of the things we have always done with all of our factories is I personally visit them and we actually show our documentary film about what we do. When you connect with the factory like that, everything goes much better.

CNN: You've called yourself a serial entrepreneur. Do you have another business in the pipeline?

Mycoskie: I can honestly say that TOMS is my future. I mean I have no desire to start any other company for as long as I live because this is the perfect blend of business and philanthropy to me.

CNN: What's next for TOMS?

Mycoskie: The future of TOMS is really creating a whole new business model of this one-for-one giving and expanding the TOMS model from shoes into other products as well.

So while we are not committed to doing anything else right now, we are looking for partners out there who have great products and that want to find a way to incorporate giving back.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: Blake

text: Mycoskie

text: is

text: the

text: founder

text: and

text: chief

text: shoe

text: giver

text: of

text: TOMS

text: Shoes

text: a

text: company

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text: matches

text: every

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text: sells

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text: child

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text: Mycoskie

text: started

text: TOMS

text: Shoes

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text: is

text: committed

text: to

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text: free

text: shoes

text: to

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text: children

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: CNN

text: caught

text: up

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text: old

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text: TOMS

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text: initiative

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text: For

text: every

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text: we

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text: away

text: CNN

text: Where

text: did

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text: get

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text: idea

text: to

text: start

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text: Mycoskie

text: I

text: decided

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text: some

text: of

text: the

text: places

text: that

text: my

text: sister

text: and

text: I

text: had

text: visited

text: on

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text: Amazing

text: Race

text: Mycoskie

text: and

text: his

text: sister

text: participated

text: in

text: the

text: reality

text: TV

text: show

text: in

text: I

text: found

text: myself

text: going

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text: I

text: went

text: to

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: villages

text: and

text: it

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: defining

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text: my

text: life

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text: I

text: saw

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text: kids

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text: wearing

text: shoes

text: That

text: 's

text: where

text: I

text: kind

text: of

text: had

text: this

text: ah

text: ha

text: moment

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text: started

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text: what

text: if

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text: started

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text: business

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text: sold

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text: I

text: would

text: guarantee

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text: customer

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text: I

text: would

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text: another

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text: shoes

text: CNN

text: How

text: did

text: you

text: pursue

text: your

text: vision

text: Did

text: you

text: have

text: any

text: experience

text: as

text: a

text: designer

text: or

text: shoemaker

text: Mycoskie

text: I

text: had

text: absolutely

text: no

text: experience

text: in

text: shoes

text: or

text: fashion

text: so

text: I

text: approached

text: the

text: business

text: how

text: I

text: have

text: done

text: everything

text: in

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text: life

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: with

text: reckless

text: ambition

text: There

text: were

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: really

text: cool

text: styles

text: of

text: shoes

text: in

text: Argentina

text: that

text: we

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: so

text: I

text: picked

text: one

text: of

text: them

text: the

text: alpargata

text: and

text: I

text: started

text: figuring

text: out

text: how

text: to

text: make

text: shoes

text: CNN

text: Did

text: you

text: expect

text: the

text: company

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: big

text: success

text: when

text: you

text: launched

text: Mycoskie

text: I

text: was

text: not

text: really

text: looking

text: to

text: make

text: any

text: money

text: on

text: the

text: deal

text: I

text: wanted

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text: able

text: to

text: sell

text: the

text: shoes

text: for

text: enough

text: money

text: to

text: give

text: away

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text: pair

text: and

text: to

text: hire

text: one

text: or

text: two

text: people

text: to

text: administer

text: it

text: and

text: keep

text: it

text: going

text: once

text: I

text: went

text: back

text: to

text: work

text: But

text: what

text: I

text: found

text: was

text: that

text: not

text: only

text: did

text: people

text: find

text: this

text: concept

text: just

text: very

text: intriguing

text: from

text: a

text: fashion

text: perspective

text: people

text: loved

text: these

text: shoes

text: All

text: of

text: a

text: sudden

text: I

text: started

text: selling

text: in

text: the

text: top

text: boutiques

text: CNN

text: When

text: did

text: you

text: realize

text: that

text: TOMS

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: much

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: small

text: project

text: Mycoskie

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: crowning

text: moment

text: was

text: when

text: Vogue

text: magazine

text: called

text: and

text: that

text: was

text: a

text: few

text: months

text: after

text: we

text: started

text: That

text: was

text: when

text: I

text: was

text: really

text: like

text: Wow

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: just

text: some

text: small

text: little

text: shoe

text: philanthropy

text: that

text: I

text: have

text: created

text: This

text: could

text: be

text: a

text: real

text: business

text: and

text: it

text: could

text: be

text: a

text: real

text: player

text: in

text: the

text: fashion

text: industry

text: and

text: it

text: could

text: really

text: set

text: a

text: tone

text: for

text: how

text: fashion

text: companies

text: could

text: give

text: back

text: CNN

text: Has

text: philanthropy

text: always

text: been

text: a

text: priority

text: for

text: you

text: Mycoskie

text: I

text: always

text: thought

text: that

text: I

text: would

text: spend

text: the

text: first

text: half

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: making

text: money

text: so

text: I

text: can

text: spend

text: the

text: second

text: half

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: giving

text: it

text: all

text: away

text: And

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: defining

text: moments

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: was

text: when

text: I

text: realized

text: that

text: I

text: could

text: do

text: both

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: with

text: TOMS

text: CNN

text: What

text: are

text: some

text: of

text: your

text: proudest

text: achievements

text: Mycoskie

text: One

text: thing

text: that

text: is

text: most

text: unique

text: about

text: TOMS

text: and

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: I

text: 'm

text: most

text: proud

text: of

text: is

text: that

text: every

text: single

text: pair

text: of

text: shoes

text: is

text: hand

text: placed

text: onto

text: a

text: child

text: 's

text: foot

text: CNN

text: How

text: has

text: TOMS

text: evolved

text: since

text: you

text: started

text: it

text: in

text: Mycoskie

text: A

text: big

text: part

text: of

text: our

text: business

text: that

text: has

text: changed

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: year

text: is

text: that

text: now

text: we

text: also

text: have

text: a

text: travel

text: organization

text: that

text: takes

text: volunteers

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: world

text: on

text: these

text: trips

text: and

text: they

text: get

text: the

text: experience

text: of

text: giving

text: away

text: the

text: shoes

text: CNN

text: Tell

text: us

text: about

text: the

text: process

text: of

text: producing

text: TOMS

text: Mycoskie

text: A

text: very

text: big

text: passion

text: of

text: mine

text: and

text: that

text: of

text: the

text: people

text: that

text: run

text: our

text: production

text: is

text: finding

text: factories

text: that

text: have

text: fair

text: labor

text: practices

text: and

text: treating

text: them

text: more

text: like

text: partners

text: in

text: our

text: family

text: than

text: people

text: just

text: who

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: produce

text: for

text: us

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: things

text: we

text: have

text: always

text: done

text: with

text: all

text: of

text: our

text: factories

text: is

text: I

text: personally

text: visit

text: them

text: and

text: we

text: actually

text: show

text: our

text: documentary

text: film

text: about

text: what

text: we

text: do

text: When

text: you

text: connect

text: with

text: the

text: factory

text: like

text: that

text: everything

text: goes

text: much

text: better

text: CNN

text: You

text: 've

text: called

text: yourself

text: a

text: serial

text: entrepreneur

text: Do

text: you

text: have

text: another

text: business

text: in

text: the

text: pipeline

text: Mycoskie

text: I

text: can

text: honestly

text: say

text: that

text: TOMS

text: is

text: my

text: future

text: I

text: mean

text: I

text: have

text: no

text: desire

text: to

text: start

text: any

text: other

text: company

text: for

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: I

text: live

text: because

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: perfect

text: blend

text: of

text: business

text: and

text: philanthropy

text: to

text: me

text: CNN

text: What

text: 's

text: next

text: for

text: TOMS

text: Mycoskie

text: The

text: future

text: of

text: TOMS

text: is

text: really

text: creating

text: a

text: whole

text: new

text: business

text: model

text: of

text: this

text: one

text: for

text: one

text: giving

text: and

text: expanding

text: the

text: TOMS

text: model

text: from

text: shoes

text: into

text: other

text: products

text: as

text: well

text: So

text: while

text: we

text: are

text: not

text: committed

text: to

text: doing

text: anything

text: else

text: right

text: now

text: we

text: are

text: looking

text: for

text: partners

text: out

text: there

text: who

text: have

text: great

text: products

text: and

text: that

text: want

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: incorporate

text: giving

text: back

question: What does he want to provide in a sustainable way to children?

answer: shoes

text: shoes

question: What idea does Mycoskie want other firms to incorporate?

answer: giving back.

text: giving back.

question: Who talks about his innovative business, TOMS Shoes?

answer: Blake Mycoskie

text: Blake Mycoskie

question: Who talks about his business TOMS Shoes?

answer: Blake Mycoskie

text: Blake Mycoskie

question: What does he want to provide?

answer: free shoes

text: free shoes

question: What does Blake want to provide children with?

answer: free shoes

text: free shoes

question: What is the idea Blake wants to incorporate?

answer: giving free shoes

text: giving free shoes

question: What is the idea behind TOMS Shoes?

answer: we sell, we give a pair away.

text: we sell, we give a pair away.

question: Who owns TOMS Shoes?

answer: Blake Mycoskie

text: Blake Mycoskie

question: What is Mycoskie's business?

answer: TOMS Shoes,

text: TOMS Shoes,


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An extensive federal report released Monday concludes that roughly one in four of the 697,000 U.S. veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War suffer from Gulf War illness.

A U.S. soldier wears protection against chemical weapons during the Gulf War in a February 1991 photo.

That illness is a condition now identified as the likely consequence of exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides and a drug administered to protect troops against nerve gas.

The 452-page report states that "scientific evidence leaves no question that Gulf War illness is a real condition with real causes and serious consequences for affected veterans."

The report, compiled by a panel of scientific experts and veterans serving on the congressionally mandated Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, fails to identify any cure for the malady.

It also notes that few veterans afflicted with Gulf War illness have recovered over time.

"Today's report brings to a close one of the darkest chapters in the legacy of the 1991 Gulf War," said Anthony Hardie, a member of the committee and a member of the advocacy group Veterans of Modern Warfare.

"This is a bittersweet victory, [because] this is what Gulf War veterans have been saying all along," Hardie said at a news conference in Washington. "Years were squandered by the federal government ... trying to disprove that anything could be wrong with Gulf War veterans."

The committee's report, titled "Gulf War Illness and the Health of Gulf War Veterans," was officially presented Monday to Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake.

Noting that overall funding for research into Gulf War illness has declined dramatically since 2001, it calls for a "renewed federal research commitment" to "identify effective treatments for Gulf War illness and address other priority Gulf War health issues."  Watch CNN's Elizabeth Cohen report more on Gulf War illness Â»

According to the report, Gulf War illness is a "complex of multiple concurrent symptoms" that "typically includes persistent memory and concentration problems, chronic headaches, widespread pain, gastrointestinal problems, and other chronic abnormalities."

The illness may also be potentially tied to higher rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) -- more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease -- among Gulf War veterans than veterans of other conflicts.

The illness is identified as the consequence of multiple "biological alterations" affecting the brain and nervous system. iReport.com: Do you know someone affected by Gulf War illness?

While it is sometimes difficult to issue a specific diagnosis of the disease, it is, according to the report, no longer difficult to identify a cause.

The report identifies two Gulf War "neurotoxic" exposures that "are causally associated with Gulf War illness." The first is the ingestion of pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills, given to protect troops from effects of nerve agents. The second is exposure to dangerous pesticides used during the conflict.

The report does not rule out other possible contributors to Gulf War illness -- including low-level exposure to nerve agents and close proximity to oil well fires -- though it fails to establish any clear link.

The report concludes there is no clear link between the illness and a veteran's exposure to factors such as depleted uranium or an anthrax vaccine administered at the time.

"Gulf War illness isn't some imaginary syndrome," said Ken Robinson, the senior intelligence officer for the initial Department of Defense investigation into Gulf War illness in 1996-97.

"This is real, and it has devastated families. Now is the time to restore the funding cuts that have been made in the Veterans Administration. Our mission has to be to ensure that these veterans get help and become whole again."

Robinson noted that soldiers in the field today are not at risk for Gulf War illness, because the military is no longer using the PB pills or pesticides that led to the illness in 1990 and 1991.

The report backs Robinson's conclusion, noting that no problem similar to Gulf War illness has been discovered among veterans from the conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s or in the current engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The committee report also backs Robinson's call for more effective treatments among veterans suffering from Gulf War illness.

Noting that overall funding for research into Gulf War illness has declined dramatically since 2001, it calls for a "renewed federal research commitment" to "identify effective treatments for Gulf War illness and address other priority Gulf War health issues."

Specifically, the report calls for at least $60 million in new annual federal funding on research committed to improving the health of Gulf War veterans.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: An

text: extensive

text: federal

text: report

text: released

text: Monday

text: concludes

text: that

text: roughly

text: one

text: in

text: four

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: veterans

text: of

text: the

text: Gulf

text: War

text: suffer

text: from

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: A

text: U.S.

text: soldier

text: wears

text: protection

text: against

text: chemical

text: weapons

text: during

text: the

text: Gulf

text: War

text: in

text: a

text: February

text: photo

text: That

text: illness

text: is

text: a

text: condition

text: now

text: identified

text: as

text: the

text: likely

text: consequence

text: of

text: exposure

text: to

text: toxic

text: chemicals

text: including

text: pesticides

text: and

text: a

text: drug

text: administered

text: to

text: protect

text: troops

text: against

text: nerve

text: gas

text: The

text: report

text: states

text: that

text: scientific

text: evidence

text: leaves

text: no

text: question

text: that

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: is

text: a

text: real

text: condition

text: with

text: real

text: causes

text: and

text: serious

text: consequences

text: for

text: affected

text: veterans

text: The

text: report

text: compiled

text: by

text: a

text: panel

text: of

text: scientific

text: experts

text: and

text: veterans

text: serving

text: on

text: the

text: congressionally

text: mandated

text: Research

text: Advisory

text: Committee

text: on

text: Gulf

text: War

text: Veterans

text: Illnesses

text: fails

text: to

text: identify

text: any

text: cure

text: for

text: the

text: malady

text: It

text: also

text: notes

text: that

text: few

text: veterans

text: afflicted

text: with

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: have

text: recovered

text: over

text: time

text: Today

text: 's

text: report

text: brings

text: to

text: a

text: close

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: darkest

text: chapters

text: in

text: the

text: legacy

text: of

text: the

text: Gulf

text: War

text: said

text: Anthony

text: Hardie

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: committee

text: and

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: advocacy

text: group

text: Veterans

text: of

text: Modern

text: Warfare

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: bittersweet

text: victory

text: because

text: this

text: is

text: what

text: Gulf

text: War

text: veterans

text: have

text: been

text: saying

text: all

text: along

text: Hardie

text: said

text: at

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: in

text: Washington

text: Years

text: were

text: squandered

text: by

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: trying

text: to

text: disprove

text: that

text: anything

text: could

text: be

text: wrong

text: with

text: Gulf

text: War

text: veterans

text: The

text: committee

text: 's

text: report

text: titled

text: Gulf

text: War

text: Illness

text: and

text: the

text: Health

text: of

text: Gulf

text: War

text: Veterans

text: was

text: officially

text: presented

text: Monday

text: to

text: Secretary

text: of

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: James

text: Peake

text: Noting

text: that

text: overall

text: funding

text: for

text: research

text: into

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: has

text: declined

text: dramatically

text: since

text: it

text: calls

text: for

text: a

text: renewed

text: federal

text: research

text: commitment

text: to

text: identify

text: effective

text: treatments

text: for

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: and

text: address

text: other

text: priority

text: Gulf

text: War

text: health

text: issues

text: Watch

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Elizabeth

text: Cohen

text: report

text: more

text: on

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: Â

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: report

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: is

text: a

text: complex

text: of

text: multiple

text: concurrent

text: symptoms

text: that

text: typically

text: includes

text: persistent

text: memory

text: and

text: concentration

text: problems

text: chronic

text: headaches

text: widespread

text: pain

text: gastrointestinal

text: problems

text: and

text: other

text: chronic

text: abnormalities

text: The

text: illness

text: may

text: also

text: be

text: potentially

text: tied

text: to

text: higher

text: rates

text: of

text: amyotrophic

text: lateral

text: sclerosis

text: ALS

text: more

text: commonly

text: known

text: as

text: Lou

text: Gehrig

text: 's

text: Disease

text: among

text: Gulf

text: War

text: veterans

text: than

text: veterans

text: of

text: other

text: conflicts

text: The

text: illness

text: is

text: identified

text: as

text: the

text: consequence

text: of

text: multiple

text: biological

text: alterations

text: affecting

text: the

text: brain

text: and

text: nervous

text: system

text: iReport.com

text: Do

text: you

text: know

text: someone

text: affected

text: by

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: While

text: it

text: is

text: sometimes

text: difficult

text: to

text: issue

text: a

text: specific

text: diagnosis

text: of

text: the

text: disease

text: it

text: is

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: report

text: no

text: longer

text: difficult

text: to

text: identify

text: a

text: cause

text: The

text: report

text: identifies

text: two

text: Gulf

text: War

text: neurotoxic

text: exposures

text: that

text: are

text: causally

text: associated

text: with

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: The

text: first

text: is

text: the

text: ingestion

text: of

text: pyridostigmine

text: bromide

text: PB

text: pills

text: given

text: to

text: protect

text: troops

text: from

text: effects

text: of

text: nerve

text: agents

text: The

text: second

text: is

text: exposure

text: to

text: dangerous

text: pesticides

text: used

text: during

text: the

text: conflict

text: The

text: report

text: does

text: not

text: rule

text: out

text: other

text: possible

text: contributors

text: to

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: including

text: low

text: level

text: exposure

text: to

text: nerve

text: agents

text: and

text: close

text: proximity

text: to

text: oil

text: well

text: fires

text: though

text: it

text: fails

text: to

text: establish

text: any

text: clear

text: link

text: The

text: report

text: concludes

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: clear

text: link

text: between

text: the

text: illness

text: and

text: a

text: veteran

text: 's

text: exposure

text: to

text: factors

text: such

text: as

text: depleted

text: uranium

text: or

text: an

text: anthrax

text: vaccine

text: administered

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: is

text: n't

text: some

text: imaginary

text: syndrome

text: said

text: Ken

text: Robinson

text: the

text: senior

text: intelligence

text: officer

text: for

text: the

text: initial

text: Department

text: of

text: Defense

text: investigation

text: into

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: in

text: This

text: is

text: real

text: and

text: it

text: has

text: devastated

text: families

text: Now

text: is

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: restore

text: the

text: funding

text: cuts

text: that

text: have

text: been

text: made

text: in

text: the

text: Veterans

text: Administration

text: Our

text: mission

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: to

text: ensure

text: that

text: these

text: veterans

text: get

text: help

text: and

text: become

text: whole

text: again

text: Robinson

text: noted

text: that

text: soldiers

text: in

text: the

text: field

text: today

text: are

text: not

text: at

text: risk

text: for

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: because

text: the

text: military

text: is

text: no

text: longer

text: using

text: the

text: PB

text: pills

text: or

text: pesticides

text: that

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: illness

text: in

text: and

text: The

text: report

text: backs

text: Robinson

text: 's

text: conclusion

text: noting

text: that

text: no

text: problem

text: similar

text: to

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: has

text: been

text: discovered

text: among

text: veterans

text: from

text: the

text: conflict

text: in

text: Bosnia

text: in

text: the

text: or

text: in

text: the

text: current

text: engagements

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: Iraq

text: The

text: committee

text: report

text: also

text: backs

text: Robinson

text: 's

text: call

text: for

text: more

text: effective

text: treatments

text: among

text: veterans

text: suffering

text: from

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: Noting

text: that

text: overall

text: funding

text: for

text: research

text: into

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: has

text: declined

text: dramatically

text: since

text: it

text: calls

text: for

text: a

text: renewed

text: federal

text: research

text: commitment

text: to

text: identify

text: effective

text: treatments

text: for

text: Gulf

text: War

text: illness

text: and

text: address

text: other

text: priority

text: Gulf

text: War

text: health

text: issues

text: Specifically

text: the

text: report

text: calls

text: for

text: at

text: least

text: million

text: in

text: new

text: annual

text: federal

text: funding

text: on

text: research

text: committed

text: to

text: improving

text: the

text: health

text: of

text: Gulf

text: War

text: veterans

question: What did the officer say?

answer: "Gulf War illness isn't some imaginary syndrome,"

text: "Gulf War illness isn't some imaginary syndrome,"

question: which is the disease Gulf ?

answer: War illness.

text: War illness.

question: what are the consequences?

answer: Gulf War illness.

text: Gulf War illness.

question: What was the illness termed?

answer: Gulf War

text: Gulf War

question: One in four Gulf War veterans suffer from what?

answer: illness.

text: illness.

question: what illness befell them?

answer: "complex of multiple concurrent symptoms"

text: "complex of multiple concurrent symptoms"

question: who reported this illness

answer: Anthony Hardie,

text: Anthony Hardie,


text:
(CNN) -- Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez continues to shuffle his top military commanders as he tries to make good on his recent promise to cleanse the government of corruption.

Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez has faced political pressure to act on government corruption.

After firing 700 police officers and forcing the retirement of 31 military and police generals Sunday, Fernandez on Monday removed more generals and reassigned others.

The government also has announced that more than 535 members of the nation's 24,000-strong military have been forced out in the past six months due to their suspected involvement in the drug trade.

Among the generals forced to retire was the former head of the nation's top anti-drug agency, the Dominican National Drug Control, known by its Spanish acronym DNCD.

In his state-of-the-nation speech Friday, Fernandez said, "In the Dominican Republic -- listen well -- narcotrafficking will not pass."

Despite the president's strong words, many Dominican citizens and outside analysts said narcotrafficking already has taken hold.

"The situation in the Dominican Republic is that organizations that are supposedly involved in fighting corruption and narcotrafficking are involved in it," said Tomas Castro Monegro, an anti-corruption attorney for 25 years in Santo Domingo, the capital.

Tobias Friedl, a regional manager for Latin America at Washington-based iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, which helps companies assess and deal with dangers abroad, said, "The security forces -- the army and the police -- have been corrupted."

The Dominican government generally carries out military promotions and retirements on February 27, the day in which the nation celebrates its 1844 declaration of independence from Haiti. But this year's numbers are unprecedented, Castro said.

In 1978, he said, 48 generals were let go -- some for perceived corruption, others for political reasons. But Castro said he never has seen 700 police officers fired or more than 500 military personnel relieved of their duties.

"In the majority of cases," he said, "there has to be something linking that person to narcotrafficking or corruption in general."

National police chief Rafael Guzman addressed his force Monday, admonishing them not to cave in to the many temptations they face.

"Today, more than ever, harassed by increasingly demanding challenges that jump out from all sides, just when drug trafficking persists in crippling society, it's time for all police agents and officers, the men and women of our dear institution ... to raise our chest, since this is the moment to define ourselves. We're with the nation or we're against it," he was quoted as saying in the Dominican Today and Listin Diario newspaper Web sites.

Castro and others said police and the military have been involved in organized crime "for a long time." The evidence lies in the lavish lifestyles many of these officials are able to sustain on a public salary, they said.

"They live in contradiction with their salaries," Castro said. "They live in houses that cost millions of pesos and drive big vehicles."

Corrupt officials prefer to work in customs, at the airport and the border and in anti-drug units, the lawyer said. They receive bribes from traffickers, Castro said, and also profit by arresting people involved in the drug trade and taking their possessions.

Castro, a well-known attorney in a nation of less than 10 million, has represented drug suspects and has argued cases before the Dominican Supreme Court. In 2000, a published report said, he filed a suit against Fernandez alleging padded road-construction contracts.

Friedl, the risk analyst, notes that Caribbean routes for drug shipments have diminished due to strong interdiction efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard. The majority of shipments now travel through Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama, he said.

However, Friedl and others said, the drug trade still flourishes in the Dominican Republic.

"The Dominican Republic is not a major drug-producing country, but it acts as a transit point for cocaine, heroin, marijuana and ecstasy bound for the United States and Europe," said Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment, a publication that offers country-by-country risk analysis. "The main trafficking routes are by sea from South America, and the drugs are then transferred by go-fast boats to islands such as Puerto Rico and St. Martin, on the way to the U.S."

The indexmundi Web site, which offers analyses on nations worldwide, said the Dominican Republic has become "a trans-shipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for the U.S. and Canada."

Jane's and indexmundi point out that substantial money-laundering also takes place in the Dominican Republic.

Deteriorating conditions in Haiti, with which the Dominican Republic shares a 193-mile border, have led traffickers to go next door.

"Haiti was the place where drugs used to come through," Friedl said. "Some of this now has shifted to the Dominican Republic."

Drug use in the Dominican Republic also has shifted.

Ramon Cruz Benzan, a reporter for the Listin Diario newspaper who has been covering corruption cases, relates what many Dominicans say: "Before, it used to come in and it would go. Now, it's not like that. It comes in and it stays."

Friedl points out that tourism creates a demand for drugs. "Tourism is a huge thing in the Dominican Republic. Local consumption has definitely gone up."

And large Dominican communities in the United States and Puerto Rico "create a natural connection" for drug smuggling into those countries, Friedl said.

Federal officials in New York have been battling -- and indicting -- Dominican natives on drug charges for years.

Some observers see Fernandez's crackdown as a sign that he is getting serious.

"Fernandez is trying to weed out corruption," said Chris Kimble, a Latin America analyst also with iJET Intelligent Risk Systems.

Others, such as the lawyer Castro, said Fernandez was forced to act after public outcry concerning the shootings deaths in August of seven Colombians in a drug-related case. A high-level commission appointed by Fernandez concluded that low- and midlevel officials from the national police were involved.

But many Dominicans said they believe higher-ranking officers were responsible and the political pressure has been mounting on Fernandez to act. And many observers don't expect this will be the last of it.

text: CNN

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: President

text: Leonel

text: Fernandez

text: continues

text: to

text: shuffle

text: his

text: top

text: military

text: commanders

text: as

text: he

text: tries

text: to

text: make

text: good

text: on

text: his

text: recent

text: promise

text: to

text: cleanse

text: the

text: government

text: of

text: corruption

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: President

text: Leonel

text: Fernandez

text: has

text: faced

text: political

text: pressure

text: to

text: act

text: on

text: government

text: corruption

text: After

text: firing

text: police

text: officers

text: and

text: forcing

text: the

text: retirement

text: of

text: military

text: and

text: police

text: generals

text: Sunday

text: Fernandez

text: on

text: Monday

text: removed

text: more

text: generals

text: and

text: reassigned

text: others

text: The

text: government

text: also

text: has

text: announced

text: that

text: more

text: than

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: military

text: have

text: been

text: forced

text: out

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: six

text: months

text: due

text: to

text: their

text: suspected

text: involvement

text: in

text: the

text: drug

text: trade

text: Among

text: the

text: generals

text: forced

text: to

text: retire

text: was

text: the

text: former

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: top

text: anti

text: drug

text: agency

text: the

text: Dominican

text: National

text: Drug

text: Control

text: known

text: by

text: its

text: Spanish

text: acronym

text: DNCD

text: In

text: his

text: state

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: speech

text: Friday

text: Fernandez

text: said

text: In

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: listen

text: well

text: narcotrafficking

text: will

text: not

text: pass

text: Despite

text: the

text: president

text: 's

text: strong

text: words

text: many

text: Dominican

text: citizens

text: and

text: outside

text: analysts

text: said

text: narcotrafficking

text: already

text: has

text: taken

text: hold

text: The

text: situation

text: in

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: is

text: that

text: organizations

text: that

text: are

text: supposedly

text: involved

text: in

text: fighting

text: corruption

text: and

text: narcotrafficking

text: are

text: involved

text: in

text: it

text: said

text: Tomas

text: Castro

text: Monegro

text: an

text: anti

text: corruption

text: attorney

text: for

text: years

text: in

text: Santo

text: Domingo

text: the

text: capital

text: Tobias

text: Friedl

text: a

text: regional

text: manager

text: for

text: Latin

text: America

text: at

text: Washington

text: based

text: iJET

text: Intelligent

text: Risk

text: Systems

text: which

text: helps

text: companies

text: assess

text: and

text: deal

text: with

text: dangers

text: abroad

text: said

text: The

text: security

text: forces

text: the

text: army

text: and

text: the

text: police

text: have

text: been

text: corrupted

text: The

text: Dominican

text: government

text: generally

text: carries

text: out

text: military

text: promotions

text: and

text: retirements

text: on

text: February

text: the

text: day

text: in

text: which

text: the

text: nation

text: celebrates

text: its

text: declaration

text: of

text: independence

text: from

text: Haiti

text: But

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: numbers

text: are

text: unprecedented

text: Castro

text: said

text: In

text: he

text: said

text: generals

text: were

text: let

text: go

text: some

text: for

text: perceived

text: corruption

text: others

text: for

text: political

text: reasons

text: But

text: Castro

text: said

text: he

text: never

text: has

text: seen

text: police

text: officers

text: fired

text: or

text: more

text: than

text: military

text: personnel

text: relieved

text: of

text: their

text: duties

text: In

text: the

text: majority

text: of

text: cases

text: he

text: said

text: there

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: something

text: linking

text: that

text: person

text: to

text: narcotrafficking

text: or

text: corruption

text: in

text: general

text: National

text: police

text: chief

text: Rafael

text: Guzman

text: addressed

text: his

text: force

text: Monday

text: admonishing

text: them

text: not

text: to

text: cave

text: in

text: to

text: the

text: many

text: temptations

text: they

text: face

text: Today

text: more

text: than

text: ever

text: harassed

text: by

text: increasingly

text: demanding

text: challenges

text: that

text: jump

text: out

text: from

text: all

text: sides

text: just

text: when

text: drug

text: trafficking

text: persists

text: in

text: crippling

text: society

text: it

text: 's

text: time

text: for

text: all

text: police

text: agents

text: and

text: officers

text: the

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: of

text: our

text: dear

text: institution

text: to

text: raise

text: our

text: chest

text: since

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: moment

text: to

text: define

text: ourselves

text: We

text: 're

text: with

text: the

text: nation

text: or

text: we

text: 're

text: against

text: it

text: he

text: was

text: quoted

text: as

text: saying

text: in

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Today

text: and

text: Listin

text: Diario

text: newspaper

text: Web

text: sites

text: Castro

text: and

text: others

text: said

text: police

text: and

text: the

text: military

text: have

text: been

text: involved

text: in

text: organized

text: crime

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: The

text: evidence

text: lies

text: in

text: the

text: lavish

text: lifestyles

text: many

text: of

text: these

text: officials

text: are

text: able

text: to

text: sustain

text: on

text: a

text: public

text: salary

text: they

text: said

text: They

text: live

text: in

text: contradiction

text: with

text: their

text: salaries

text: Castro

text: said

text: They

text: live

text: in

text: houses

text: that

text: cost

text: millions

text: of

text: pesos

text: and

text: drive

text: big

text: vehicles

text: Corrupt

text: officials

text: prefer

text: to

text: work

text: in

text: customs

text: at

text: the

text: airport

text: and

text: the

text: border

text: and

text: in

text: anti

text: drug

text: units

text: the

text: lawyer

text: said

text: They

text: receive

text: bribes

text: from

text: traffickers

text: Castro

text: said

text: and

text: also

text: profit

text: by

text: arresting

text: people

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: drug

text: trade

text: and

text: taking

text: their

text: possessions

text: Castro

text: a

text: well

text: known

text: attorney

text: in

text: a

text: nation

text: of

text: less

text: than

text: million

text: has

text: represented

text: drug

text: suspects

text: and

text: has

text: argued

text: cases

text: before

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: In

text: a

text: published

text: report

text: said

text: he

text: filed

text: a

text: suit

text: against

text: Fernandez

text: alleging

text: padded

text: road

text: construction

text: contracts

text: Friedl

text: the

text: risk

text: analyst

text: notes

text: that

text: Caribbean

text: routes

text: for

text: drug

text: shipments

text: have

text: diminished

text: due

text: to

text: strong

text: interdiction

text: efforts

text: by

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: The

text: majority

text: of

text: shipments

text: now

text: travel

text: through

text: Mexico

text: Costa

text: Rica

text: and

text: Panama

text: he

text: said

text: However

text: Friedl

text: and

text: others

text: said

text: the

text: drug

text: trade

text: still

text: flourishes

text: in

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: The

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: is

text: not

text: a

text: major

text: drug

text: producing

text: country

text: but

text: it

text: acts

text: as

text: a

text: transit

text: point

text: for

text: cocaine

text: heroin

text: marijuana

text: and

text: ecstasy

text: bound

text: for

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Europe

text: said

text: Jane

text: 's

text: Sentinel

text: Security

text: Assessment

text: a

text: publication

text: that

text: offers

text: country

text: by

text: country

text: risk

text: analysis

text: The

text: main

text: trafficking

text: routes

text: are

text: by

text: sea

text: from

text: South

text: America

text: and

text: the

text: drugs

text: are

text: then

text: transferred

text: by

text: go

text: fast

text: boats

text: to

text: islands

text: such

text: as

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: and

text: St.

text: Martin

text: on

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: The

text: indexmundi

text: Web

text: site

text: which

text: offers

text: analyses

text: on

text: nations

text: worldwide

text: said

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: has

text: become

text: a

text: trans

text: shipment

text: point

text: for

text: ecstasy

text: from

text: the

text: Netherlands

text: and

text: Belgium

text: destined

text: for

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Canada

text: Jane

text: 's

text: and

text: indexmundi

text: point

text: out

text: that

text: substantial

text: money

text: laundering

text: also

text: takes

text: place

text: in

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: Deteriorating

text: conditions

text: in

text: Haiti

text: with

text: which

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: shares

text: a

text: border

text: have

text: led

text: traffickers

text: to

text: go

text: next

text: door

text: Haiti

text: was

text: the

text: place

text: where

text: drugs

text: used

text: to

text: come

text: through

text: Friedl

text: said

text: Some

text: of

text: this

text: now

text: has

text: shifted

text: to

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: Drug

text: use

text: in

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: also

text: has

text: shifted

text: Ramon

text: Cruz

text: Benzan

text: a

text: reporter

text: for

text: the

text: Listin

text: Diario

text: newspaper

text: who

text: has

text: been

text: covering

text: corruption

text: cases

text: relates

text: what

text: many

text: Dominicans

text: say

text: Before

text: it

text: used

text: to

text: come

text: in

text: and

text: it

text: would

text: go

text: Now

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: like

text: that

text: It

text: comes

text: in

text: and

text: it

text: stays

text: Friedl

text: points

text: out

text: that

text: tourism

text: creates

text: a

text: demand

text: for

text: drugs

text: Tourism

text: is

text: a

text: huge

text: thing

text: in

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: Local

text: consumption

text: has

text: definitely

text: gone

text: up

text: And

text: large

text: Dominican

text: communities

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: create

text: a

text: natural

text: connection

text: for

text: drug

text: smuggling

text: into

text: those

text: countries

text: Friedl

text: said

text: Federal

text: officials

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: have

text: been

text: battling

text: and

text: indicting

text: Dominican

text: natives

text: on

text: drug

text: charges

text: for

text: years

text: Some

text: observers

text: see

text: Fernandez

text: 's

text: crackdown

text: as

text: a

text: sign

text: that

text: he

text: is

text: getting

text: serious

text: Fernandez

text: is

text: trying

text: to

text: weed

text: out

text: corruption

text: said

text: Chris

text: Kimble

text: a

text: Latin

text: America

text: analyst

text: also

text: with

text: iJET

text: Intelligent

text: Risk

text: Systems

text: Others

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: lawyer

text: Castro

text: said

text: Fernandez

text: was

text: forced

text: to

text: act

text: after

text: public

text: outcry

text: concerning

text: the

text: shootings

text: deaths

text: in

text: August

text: of

text: seven

text: Colombians

text: in

text: a

text: drug

text: related

text: case

text: A

text: high

text: level

text: commission

text: appointed

text: by

text: Fernandez

text: concluded

text: that

text: low-

text: and

text: midlevel

text: officials

text: from

text: the

text: national

text: police

text: were

text: involved

text: But

text: many

text: Dominicans

text: said

text: they

text: believe

text: higher

text: ranking

text: officers

text: were

text: responsible

text: and

text: the

text: political

text: pressure

text: has

text: been

text: mounting

text: on

text: Fernandez

text: to

text: act

text: And

text: many

text: observers

text: do

text: n't

text: expect

text: this

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: last

text: of

text: it

question: Who shuffled up the commanders?

answer: Republic President Leonel Fernandez

text: Republic President Leonel Fernandez

question: How many police officers does he fire?

answer: 700

question: Who shuffles more commanders after forcing retirement of 31 military, police generals ?

answer: Republic President Leonel Fernandez

text: Republic President Leonel Fernandez

question: President Leonel Fernandez fires 700 police officers in what county ?

answer: Dominican

text: Dominican

question: Who was the president in the Dominican Republic?

answer: Leonel Fernandez

text: Leonel Fernandez

question: Who vows in a state-of-the-nation speech to rid the government of corruption ?

answer: Republic President Leonel Fernandez

text: Republic President Leonel Fernandez

question: Who fired the police officers?

answer: President Leonel Fernandez

text: President Leonel Fernandez

question: How many military retirements were forced?

answer: 31

question: What will not pass?

answer: narcotrafficking

text: narcotrafficking


text:
(CNN) -- Tokyo may not be traditionally beautiful and it has few historic sights, but it is undeniably spectacular. You'll want to walk around the city, feeding off the incredible energy, rubbernecking at the skyscrapers and marveling at the sheer "Tokyoness" of it all.

Get to Tsukiji fish market by 5 a.m. for an unforgettable experience.

Ginza is the most stylish stretch of the city-- all flagship stores and pricey restaurants. It's a great place to window shop and tech-heads shouldn't miss the Sony Building, where they can get excited over the latest gadgets and marvel at a whole floor devoted to the PlayStation.

For something more traditional, visit the Kabukiza Theatre. The ornate theater only dates back to 1949, but Kabuki plays have been around for at least 400 years. There are two performances a day and shows can last up to five hours, but you can buy tickets for a single act.

Down by the Sumida River the Tsukiji fish market is an absolute must see -- unfortunately, you absolutely must see it at around 5 a.m. The early morning auction sees a rowdy crowd of restaurateurs battling to outbid each other for the best of the day's catch. Visitors aren't officially allowed, but as long as you don't get in the way and don't take any flash photos, your presence will be tolerated.

Shibuya is the futuristic Tokyo that's inspired countless sci-fi films. The intersection in front of Shibuya Station is a sprawl of gleaming office blocks adorned with illuminated billboards and surrounded by relentless surging crowds. In the north of Shibuya, the Meiji Shrine Inner Gardens contain some 125,000 trees and shrubs, providing a suitably peaceful setting for the Shinto Meiji-jingu Shrine.

Like Shibuya, Shinjuku is a bustling entertainment hub and virtually a city in itself. A world away from the bright lights of Nishi Shinjuku, and the red lights of Kabukicho, Golden Gai is an atmospheric ghetto of alleyways crammed with ramshackle bars, evoking a bygone Tokyo of the 1960s.

Traditionally Tokyo's straight-laced business district, Marunouchi has recently developed into one of the city's most exciting areas, with swanky department stores, upmarket restaurants and sophisticated bars. You can find all of those inside the vast Shin-Marunouchi building.

The glass and steel Tokyo International Forum is a glittering post-modern masterpiece that functions as a convention center and art gallery, housing various shops and eateries.

Nearby, the Imperial Palace East Gardens are an immaculate oasis in the historic and geographical heart of the city. The gardens are open all year but the Imperial Palace itself is only open to the public on 2 January and 23 December, the Emperor's Birthday.

If the streets of Tokyo aren't enough of an adrenaline rush, head to the Suidobashi area of Kanda, where Korakuen Amusement Park and La Qua boast high-octane thrill rides. La Qua's Thunder Dolphin is an unbelievable roller coaster that loops among rooftops and takes a short cut through the center of a Ferris wheel.

For thrills of a more sophisticated nature, the Mori Art Museum on the 53rd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower combines contemporary art with fantastic views, while Ueno Park is home to Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Western Art, both highly recommended.

Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop

......................

Do you agree with our Tokyo picks? Send us your comments and suggestions in the "Sound Off" box below and we'll print the best.

text: CNN

text: Tokyo

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: traditionally

text: beautiful

text: and

text: it

text: has

text: few

text: historic

text: sights

text: but

text: it

text: is

text: undeniably

text: spectacular

text: You

text: 'll

text: want

text: to

text: walk

text: around

text: the

text: city

text: feeding

text: off

text: the

text: incredible

text: energy

text: rubbernecking

text: at

text: the

text: skyscrapers

text: and

text: marveling

text: at

text: the

text: sheer

text: Tokyoness

text: of

text: it

text: all

text: Get

text: to

text: Tsukiji

text: fish

text: market

text: by

text: a.m.

text: for

text: an

text: unforgettable

text: experience

text: Ginza

text: is

text: the

text: most

text: stylish

text: stretch

text: of

text: the

text: city--

text: all

text: flagship

text: stores

text: and

text: pricey

text: restaurants

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: great

text: place

text: to

text: window

text: shop

text: and

text: tech

text: heads

text: should

text: n't

text: miss

text: the

text: Sony

text: Building

text: where

text: they

text: can

text: get

text: excited

text: over

text: the

text: latest

text: gadgets

text: and

text: marvel

text: at

text: a

text: whole

text: floor

text: devoted

text: to

text: the

text: PlayStation

text: For

text: something

text: more

text: traditional

text: visit

text: the

text: Kabukiza

text: Theatre

text: The

text: ornate

text: theater

text: only

text: dates

text: back

text: to

text: but

text: Kabuki

text: plays

text: have

text: been

text: around

text: for

text: at

text: least

text: years

text: There

text: are

text: two

text: performances

text: a

text: day

text: and

text: shows

text: can

text: last

text: up

text: to

text: five

text: hours

text: but

text: you

text: can

text: buy

text: tickets

text: for

text: a

text: single

text: act

text: Down

text: by

text: the

text: Sumida

text: River

text: the

text: Tsukiji

text: fish

text: market

text: is

text: an

text: absolute

text: must

text: see

text: unfortunately

text: you

text: absolutely

text: must

text: see

text: it

text: at

text: around

text: a.m.

text: The

text: early

text: morning

text: auction

text: sees

text: a

text: rowdy

text: crowd

text: of

text: restaurateurs

text: battling

text: to

text: outbid

text: each

text: other

text: for

text: the

text: best

text: of

text: the

text: day

text: 's

text: catch

text: Visitors

text: are

text: n't

text: officially

text: allowed

text: but

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: get

text: in

text: the

text: way

text: and

text: do

text: n't

text: take

text: any

text: flash

text: photos

text: your

text: presence

text: will

text: be

text: tolerated

text: Shibuya

text: is

text: the

text: futuristic

text: Tokyo

text: that

text: 's

text: inspired

text: countless

text: sci

text: fi

text: films

text: The

text: intersection

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: Shibuya

text: Station

text: is

text: a

text: sprawl

text: of

text: gleaming

text: office

text: blocks

text: adorned

text: with

text: illuminated

text: billboards

text: and

text: surrounded

text: by

text: relentless

text: surging

text: crowds

text: In

text: the

text: north

text: of

text: Shibuya

text: the

text: Meiji

text: Shrine

text: Inner

text: Gardens

text: contain

text: some

text: trees

text: and

text: shrubs

text: providing

text: a

text: suitably

text: peaceful

text: setting

text: for

text: the

text: Shinto

text: Meiji

text: jingu

text: Shrine

text: Like

text: Shibuya

text: Shinjuku

text: is

text: a

text: bustling

text: entertainment

text: hub

text: and

text: virtually

text: a

text: city

text: in

text: itself

text: A

text: world

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: bright

text: lights

text: of

text: Nishi

text: Shinjuku

text: and

text: the

text: red

text: lights

text: of

text: Kabukicho

text: Golden

text: Gai

text: is

text: an

text: atmospheric

text: ghetto

text: of

text: alleyways

text: crammed

text: with

text: ramshackle

text: bars

text: evoking

text: a

text: bygone

text: Tokyo

text: of

text: the

text: Traditionally

text: Tokyo

text: 's

text: straight

text: laced

text: business

text: district

text: Marunouchi

text: has

text: recently

text: developed

text: into

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: most

text: exciting

text: areas

text: with

text: swanky

text: department

text: stores

text: upmarket

text: restaurants

text: and

text: sophisticated

text: bars

text: You

text: can

text: find

text: all

text: of

text: those

text: inside

text: the

text: vast

text: Shin

text: Marunouchi

text: building

text: The

text: glass

text: and

text: steel

text: Tokyo

text: International

text: Forum

text: is

text: a

text: glittering

text: post

text: modern

text: masterpiece

text: that

text: functions

text: as

text: a

text: convention

text: center

text: and

text: art

text: gallery

text: housing

text: various

text: shops

text: and

text: eateries

text: Nearby

text: the

text: Imperial

text: Palace

text: East

text: Gardens

text: are

text: an

text: immaculate

text: oasis

text: in

text: the

text: historic

text: and

text: geographical

text: heart

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: The

text: gardens

text: are

text: open

text: all

text: year

text: but

text: the

text: Imperial

text: Palace

text: itself

text: is

text: only

text: open

text: to

text: the

text: public

text: on

text: January

text: and

text: December

text: the

text: Emperor

text: 's

text: Birthday

text: If

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Tokyo

text: are

text: n't

text: enough

text: of

text: an

text: adrenaline

text: rush

text: head

text: to

text: the

text: Suidobashi

text: area

text: of

text: Kanda

text: where

text: Korakuen

text: Amusement

text: Park

text: and

text: La

text: Qua

text: boast

text: high

text: octane

text: thrill

text: rides

text: La

text: Qua

text: 's

text: Thunder

text: Dolphin

text: is

text: an

text: unbelievable

text: roller

text: coaster

text: that

text: loops

text: among

text: rooftops

text: and

text: takes

text: a

text: short

text: cut

text: through

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: a

text: Ferris

text: wheel

text: For

text: thrills

text: of

text: a

text: more

text: sophisticated

text: nature

text: the

text: Mori

text: Art

text: Museum

text: on

text: the

text: floor

text: of

text: the

text: Roppongi

text: Hills

text: Mori

text: Tower

text: combines

text: contemporary

text: art

text: with

text: fantastic

text: views

text: while

text: Ueno

text: Park

text: is

text: home

text: to

text: Tokyo

text: National

text: Museum

text: and

text: the

text: National

text: Museum

text: of

text: Western

text: Art

text: both

text: highly

text: recommended

text: Where

text: to

text: stay

text: What

text: to

text: see

text: Where

text: to

text: be

text: seen

text: Where

text: to

text: eat

text: Where

text: to

text: shop

text: Do

text: you

text: agree

text: with

text: our

text: Tokyo

text: picks

text: Send

text: us

text: your

text: comments

text: and

text: suggestions

text: in

text: the

text: Sound

text: Off

text: box

text: below

text: and

text: we

text: 'll

text: print

text: the

text: best

question: What is the fish market called?

answer: Tsukiji

text: Tsukiji

question: Which place has flagship stores?

answer: Ginza

text: Ginza

question: Who has quality restaurants?

answer: Ginza

text: Ginza

question: When is the Tsukiji fish market in full swing?

answer: 5 a.m.

text: 5 a.m.

question: What is the shrine called?

answer: Shinto Meiji-jingu

text: Shinto Meiji-jingu

question: Where is the place to go for flagship stores?

answer: Ginza

text: Ginza

question: What is a winning combination of modern art and stunning views?

answer: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower

text: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower

question: Where is a winning combination of modern art?

answer: Tokyo

text: Tokyo