text:
(CNN) -- It seems no-one in South Africa can fail to be gripped by World Cup football fever.

The running, tackling, shooting, offside-appealing proof comes with a clutch of grannies who have been playing in a fiercely competitive league around the Nkowankowa township, 600 kilometers north of Johannesburg.

A squad of 35 nans down domestic duties twice a week to take to the field for their team Vakhegula Vakhegula, and compete against seven other teams in the region. Some of them even credit the beautiful game as having turned their lives around.

"I like to play soccer because it helps," said Nari Baloyi, who at 47-years-old, clocks in as one of the youngest players. "We were sick, but now our temperatures, our blood pressures... have gone down ...even our doctors are amazed when we go for a check-up."

One of the more elderly members, Nora Makhubela, is convinced that football has given her a new lease of life following the setback of suffering six strokes.

"My life has really changed...if I were to run with you I would beat you even though I'm much older," she said, throwing down the gauntlet to the likes of Ronaldo, Messi et al.

"My life has improved because of the football. I wish God could bless the person who came up with this great idea."

The women contribute around $1 a month each for footballs, kit, and travel to the bi-annual regional tournament.

Dozens of noisy fans cheer on the players, with the distinctive sound of the vuvuzelas -- a South African trumpet -- creating an atmosphere that would be welcome at any European Champions League tie.

Makhubela is hoping her new-found love of the game extends long enough for her to be able to watch some of the matches when the World Cup begins in June.

"I pray every day to God to keep me alive until 2010. I would really love to watch the games," she said.

The team was formed three years ago to offer older women a chance to exercise and come together as a group, says community worker Beka Ntsanwisi.

"Some of them couldn't even walk properly and if they did something in their free time they would be knitting or sewing and sitting all the time...here they run, shout, fight with you...it keeps them young," she said.

David Maake said his job coaching the team is the best he's ever had. "With young boys you need more money to achieve many things...here, I may come with my stress...but I will laugh so much until I forget everything," he said.

The team have even suggested they play a curtain raiser for the main event itself, a brainwave the footballing authorities have said they will give serious thought to.

If the women do manage to take part as an hors d'oeuvre to the World Cup proper one thing is for sure, what they lack in skill they will make up for in enthusiasm.

text: CNN

text: It

text: seems

text: no

text: one

text: in

text: South

text: Africa

text: can

text: fail

text: to

text: be

text: gripped

text: by

text: World

text: Cup

text: football

text: fever

text: The

text: running

text: tackling

text: shooting

text: offside

text: appealing

text: proof

text: comes

text: with

text: a

text: clutch

text: of

text: grannies

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: playing

text: in

text: a

text: fiercely

text: competitive

text: league

text: around

text: the

text: Nkowankowa

text: township

text: kilometers

text: north

text: of

text: Johannesburg

text: A

text: squad

text: of

text: nans

text: down

text: domestic

text: duties

text: twice

text: a

text: week

text: to

text: take

text: to

text: the

text: field

text: for

text: their

text: team

text: Vakhegula

text: Vakhegula

text: and

text: compete

text: against

text: seven

text: other

text: teams

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: Some

text: of

text: them

text: even

text: credit

text: the

text: beautiful

text: game

text: as

text: having

text: turned

text: their

text: lives

text: around

text: I

text: like

text: to

text: play

text: soccer

text: because

text: it

text: helps

text: said

text: Nari

text: Baloyi

text: who

text: at

text: old

text: clocks

text: in

text: as

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: youngest

text: players

text: We

text: were

text: sick

text: but

text: now

text: our

text: temperatures

text: our

text: blood

text: pressures

text: have

text: gone

text: down

text: even

text: our

text: doctors

text: are

text: amazed

text: when

text: we

text: go

text: for

text: a

text: check

text: up

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: more

text: elderly

text: members

text: Nora

text: Makhubela

text: is

text: convinced

text: that

text: football

text: has

text: given

text: her

text: a

text: new

text: lease

text: of

text: life

text: following

text: the

text: setback

text: of

text: suffering

text: six

text: strokes

text: My

text: life

text: has

text: really

text: changed

text: if

text: I

text: were

text: to

text: run

text: with

text: you

text: I

text: would

text: beat

text: you

text: even

text: though

text: I

text: 'm

text: much

text: older

text: she

text: said

text: throwing

text: down

text: the

text: gauntlet

text: to

text: the

text: likes

text: of

text: Ronaldo

text: Messi

text: et

text: al

text: My

text: life

text: has

text: improved

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: football

text: I

text: wish

text: God

text: could

text: bless

text: the

text: person

text: who

text: came

text: up

text: with

text: this

text: great

text: idea

text: The

text: women

text: contribute

text: around

text: a

text: month

text: each

text: for

text: footballs

text: kit

text: and

text: travel

text: to

text: the

text: bi

text: annual

text: regional

text: tournament

text: Dozens

text: of

text: noisy

text: fans

text: cheer

text: on

text: the

text: players

text: with

text: the

text: distinctive

text: sound

text: of

text: the

text: vuvuzelas

text: a

text: South

text: African

text: trumpet

text: creating

text: an

text: atmosphere

text: that

text: would

text: be

text: welcome

text: at

text: any

text: European

text: Champions

text: League

text: tie

text: Makhubela

text: is

text: hoping

text: her

text: new

text: found

text: love

text: of

text: the

text: game

text: extends

text: long

text: enough

text: for

text: her

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: watch

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: matches

text: when

text: the

text: World

text: Cup

text: begins

text: in

text: June

text: I

text: pray

text: every

text: day

text: to

text: God

text: to

text: keep

text: me

text: alive

text: until

text: I

text: would

text: really

text: love

text: to

text: watch

text: the

text: games

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: team

text: was

text: formed

text: three

text: years

text: ago

text: to

text: offer

text: older

text: women

text: a

text: chance

text: to

text: exercise

text: and

text: come

text: together

text: as

text: a

text: group

text: says

text: community

text: worker

text: Beka

text: Ntsanwisi

text: Some

text: of

text: them

text: could

text: n't

text: even

text: walk

text: properly

text: and

text: if

text: they

text: did

text: something

text: in

text: their

text: free

text: time

text: they

text: would

text: be

text: knitting

text: or

text: sewing

text: and

text: sitting

text: all

text: the

text: time

text: here

text: they

text: run

text: shout

text: fight

text: with

text: you

text: it

text: keeps

text: them

text: young

text: she

text: said

text: David

text: Maake

text: said

text: his

text: job

text: coaching

text: the

text: team

text: is

text: the

text: best

text: he

text: 's

text: ever

text: had

text: With

text: young

text: boys

text: you

text: need

text: more

text: money

text: to

text: achieve

text: many

text: things

text: here

text: I

text: may

text: come

text: with

text: my

text: stress

text: but

text: I

text: will

text: laugh

text: so

text: much

text: until

text: I

text: forget

text: everything

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: team

text: have

text: even

text: suggested

text: they

text: play

text: a

text: curtain

text: raiser

text: for

text: the

text: main

text: event

text: itself

text: a

text: brainwave

text: the

text: footballing

text: authorities

text: have

text: said

text: they

text: will

text: give

text: serious

text: thought

text: to

text: If

text: the

text: women

text: do

text: manage

text: to

text: take

text: part

text: as

text: an

text: hors

text: d'oeuvre

text: to

text: the

text: World

text: Cup

text: proper

text: one

text: thing

text: is

text: for

text: sure

text: what

text: they

text: lack

text: in

text: skill

text: they

text: will

text: make

text: up

text: for

text: in

text: enthusiasm

question: What are the Grannies playing?

answer: football

text: football

question: Who has taken up football?

answer: older women

text: older women

question: Who may play a match as a curtain raiser to the tournament?

answer: Vakhegula Vakhegula,

text: Vakhegula Vakhegula,

question: What inspired the women?

answer: soccer

text: soccer

question: Where are the Grannies located?

answer: the Nkowankowa township, 600 kilometers north of Johannesburg.

text: the Nkowankowa township, 600 kilometers north of Johannesburg.

question: What tournament?

answer: World Cup football

text: World Cup football

question: What has inspired the women?

answer: World Cup football

text: World Cup football


text:
(CNN) -- Sometimes, the effects of fame can ripple like a stone dropped in a pond.

A YouTube video shows a Minnesota wedding party dancing down the aisle.

Take the case of Minnesota residents Kevin Heinz and Jill Peterson. The couple had a fun idea for their wedding party to do a nontraditional procession to a catchy tune, "Forever" by Chris Brown.

The joyous video of the group busting their loosely choreographed moves down the aisle went viral after the newlyweds posted it on YouTube. Soon they were being deluged by the media and flown to New York to appear on national television.

Since then, millions have watched the funky wedding march and helped transform Heinz and Peterson into instant celebrities.

Amy Carlson Gustafson, a pop culture reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, reported on the story that she said has not only stirred up the hometown folks, but also showed a different side of Minnesota.

"I think people are loving it," she said. "It's really fun and it's especially fun in Minnesota where a lot of people think we are a bunch of uptight Scandinavians who sit around and say 'You betcha.' This video helps to debunk that a little bit."

That sense of fun and whimsy has enchanted many and led to Heinz and Peterson being sought for interviews by everyone from their local publications to the major networks.  Watch guests at the wedding discuss the experience Â»

But they have apparently also learned quickly about the downside of fame.

The New York Post reported the pair was caught in the crossfire of the battle of the morning shows.

According to the newspaper, ABC flew Heinz and Peterson to the Big Apple after booking them to appear on "Good Morning America."

Things soured, the paper's Page Six column reported, after ABC learned the couple had also taped a segment for the rival "Today" show, which aired before the couple's appearance on "Good Morning America."

Adding fuel to the fire was a planned live re-creation of the dance by the wedding party scheduled for Saturday morning on "Today."

When it appeared that Heinz and Peterson weren't adhering to the age-old "dance with who brung ya" rule, their ABC-sponsored hotel and flight home were canceled, the paper said.

"We've been kicked out of our room," Heinz told the Post after the incident. "New York is cutthroat. That's what we've learned."

"Today" reportedly stepped in and secured a new room and flight for Heinz and Peterson.

Reporter Gustafson said she spoke with mother-of-the-bride Marge Peterson, who said her daughter and new son-in-law were done talking to the media.

"They are not used to this type of publicity," Gustafson said.

Shane Mercado can relate.

The 27-year-old from New York posted a video last year of himself mimicking step-for-step Beyonce's dance moves from her "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" music video.

Mercado said he did it at the suggestion of a friend and before he knew it, he was a YouTube sensation.

"Once I did it I thought 'What did I just do?' " he recalled. "The response was overwhelming."

Soon, Mercado was a minor celebrity being asked for autographs and dancing his routine on the "Bonnie Hunt Show."

"Extra" even arranged for him to surprise Beyonce on the red carpet during the premier of her film "Cadillac Records"

Not only did the superstar singer know who he was, Mercado said, but so did other celebs.

"The actress Gabrielle Union knew who I was," Mercado said. "That just blew me away.'

Mercado said he doesn't consider himself famous and finds the notoriety humbling.

The loss of anonymity is challenging, he said. Suddenly, the number of people "in your business" dramatically increases. He said he can imagine how Heinz and Peterson are feeling: overwhelmed.

"That was their [wedding] and it was probably very private to them," Mercado said. "It can be a bit much to handle and if they were not ready to handle it, then it's not a good thing."

Being sucked into a vortex of whirlwind publicity can be a heady experience, said Atlanta, Georgia-based photographer Ross Oscar Knight.

Two years ago, Knight photographed an elaborately staged engagement planned by Robert Gray Jr. to surprise his girlfriend, Keisha Williams.

Gray rented 10 rooms at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, and filled them with rose petals, candles, and music.

As Gray led Williams to each room, friends and family were waiting with well wishes and prayers, all leading up to his proposal.

A slide show of Knight's pictures of the moving event scored millions of hits and crashed several sites linking to it, the photographer said.

"I immediately started getting calls from all over the world," Knight said. "We got an extra phone line because so many calls were coming in."

Not only were people touched, but many also wanted to have their engagements documented, Knight said, so there are sure to be dancing-down-the-aisle videos to come.

Knight said Gray and Williams, whose fairy-tale engagement attracted the attention of national publications like Essence Magazine, have married but decided to do so quietly after shutting down a Web site they had started to keep fans updated.

"They did a private ceremony because they didn't want any of that released to the media," Knight said. "I think they got to see stardom and what can happen when there is so much of a focus put on you."

Someone else who has also been thrust into the spotlight, albeit again, is singer Chris Brown, whose song the Heinz-Peterson wedding party danced to.

Despite increased demand on iTunes for the single "Forever" and speculation by media outlets like Gawker.com that the wedding video could help rehabilitate Brown's image, US Weekly staff editor Lindsay Powers said she doesn't believe all will be forgiven.

Brown, who has publicly apologized for assaulting his girlfriend, the singer Rihanna, has a long way to go before the tide of public opinion can be swayed, Powers said.

"I think that Chris Brown has had considerable career damage over these past couple of months," she said. "I think that people are going to say that's a catchy song, they'll go to iTunes and download it to their iPods, but I don't think that because people like the song they are going to like Chris Brown."

text: CNN

text: Sometimes

text: the

text: effects

text: of

text: fame

text: can

text: ripple

text: like

text: a

text: stone

text: dropped

text: in

text: a

text: pond

text: A

text: YouTube

text: video

text: shows

text: a

text: Minnesota

text: wedding

text: party

text: dancing

text: down

text: the

text: aisle

text: Take

text: the

text: case

text: of

text: Minnesota

text: residents

text: Kevin

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Jill

text: Peterson

text: The

text: couple

text: had

text: a

text: fun

text: idea

text: for

text: their

text: wedding

text: party

text: to

text: do

text: a

text: nontraditional

text: procession

text: to

text: a

text: catchy

text: tune

text: Forever

text: by

text: Chris

text: Brown

text: The

text: joyous

text: video

text: of

text: the

text: group

text: busting

text: their

text: loosely

text: choreographed

text: moves

text: down

text: the

text: aisle

text: went

text: viral

text: after

text: the

text: newlyweds

text: posted

text: it

text: on

text: YouTube

text: Soon

text: they

text: were

text: being

text: deluged

text: by

text: the

text: media

text: and

text: flown

text: to

text: New

text: York

text: to

text: appear

text: on

text: national

text: television

text: Since

text: then

text: millions

text: have

text: watched

text: the

text: funky

text: wedding

text: march

text: and

text: helped

text: transform

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Peterson

text: into

text: instant

text: celebrities

text: Amy

text: Carlson

text: Gustafson

text: a

text: pop

text: culture

text: reporter

text: for

text: the

text: St.

text: Paul

text: Pioneer

text: Press

text: reported

text: on

text: the

text: story

text: that

text: she

text: said

text: has

text: not

text: only

text: stirred

text: up

text: the

text: hometown

text: folks

text: but

text: also

text: showed

text: a

text: different

text: side

text: of

text: Minnesota

text: I

text: think

text: people

text: are

text: loving

text: it

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: really

text: fun

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: especially

text: fun

text: in

text: Minnesota

text: where

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: people

text: think

text: we

text: are

text: a

text: bunch

text: of

text: uptight

text: Scandinavians

text: who

text: sit

text: around

text: and

text: say

text: You

text: betcha

text: This

text: video

text: helps

text: to

text: debunk

text: that

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: That

text: sense

text: of

text: fun

text: and

text: whimsy

text: has

text: enchanted

text: many

text: and

text: led

text: to

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Peterson

text: being

text: sought

text: for

text: interviews

text: by

text: everyone

text: from

text: their

text: local

text: publications

text: to

text: the

text: major

text: networks

text: Watch

text: guests

text: at

text: the

text: wedding

text: discuss

text: the

text: experience

text: Â

text: But

text: they

text: have

text: apparently

text: also

text: learned

text: quickly

text: about

text: the

text: downside

text: of

text: fame

text: The

text: New

text: York

text: Post

text: reported

text: the

text: pair

text: was

text: caught

text: in

text: the

text: crossfire

text: of

text: the

text: battle

text: of

text: the

text: morning

text: shows

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: newspaper

text: ABC

text: flew

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Peterson

text: to

text: the

text: Big

text: Apple

text: after

text: booking

text: them

text: to

text: appear

text: on

text: Good

text: Morning

text: America

text: Things

text: soured

text: the

text: paper

text: 's

text: Page

text: Six

text: column

text: reported

text: after

text: ABC

text: learned

text: the

text: couple

text: had

text: also

text: taped

text: a

text: segment

text: for

text: the

text: rival

text: Today

text: show

text: which

text: aired

text: before

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: appearance

text: on

text: Good

text: Morning

text: America

text: Adding

text: fuel

text: to

text: the

text: fire

text: was

text: a

text: planned

text: live

text: re

text: creation

text: of

text: the

text: dance

text: by

text: the

text: wedding

text: party

text: scheduled

text: for

text: Saturday

text: morning

text: on

text: Today

text: When

text: it

text: appeared

text: that

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Peterson

text: were

text: n't

text: adhering

text: to

text: the

text: age

text: old

text: dance

text: with

text: who

text: brung

text: ya

text: rule

text: their

text: ABC

text: sponsored

text: hotel

text: and

text: flight

text: home

text: were

text: canceled

text: the

text: paper

text: said

text: We

text: 've

text: been

text: kicked

text: out

text: of

text: our

text: room

text: Heinz

text: told

text: the

text: Post

text: after

text: the

text: incident

text: New

text: York

text: is

text: cutthroat

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: we

text: 've

text: learned

text: Today

text: reportedly

text: stepped

text: in

text: and

text: secured

text: a

text: new

text: room

text: and

text: flight

text: for

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Peterson

text: Reporter

text: Gustafson

text: said

text: she

text: spoke

text: with

text: mother

text: of

text: the

text: bride

text: Marge

text: Peterson

text: who

text: said

text: her

text: daughter

text: and

text: new

text: son

text: in

text: law

text: were

text: done

text: talking

text: to

text: the

text: media

text: They

text: are

text: not

text: used

text: to

text: this

text: type

text: of

text: publicity

text: Gustafson

text: said

text: Shane

text: Mercado

text: can

text: relate

text: The

text: old

text: from

text: New

text: York

text: posted

text: a

text: video

text: last

text: year

text: of

text: himself

text: mimicking

text: step

text: for

text: step

text: Beyonce

text: 's

text: dance

text: moves

text: from

text: her

text: Single

text: Ladies

text: Put

text: A

text: Ring

text: On

text: It

text: music

text: video

text: Mercado

text: said

text: he

text: did

text: it

text: at

text: the

text: suggestion

text: of

text: a

text: friend

text: and

text: before

text: he

text: knew

text: it

text: he

text: was

text: a

text: YouTube

text: sensation

text: Once

text: I

text: did

text: it

text: I

text: thought

text: What

text: did

text: I

text: just

text: do

text: he

text: recalled

text: The

text: response

text: was

text: overwhelming

text: Soon

text: Mercado

text: was

text: a

text: minor

text: celebrity

text: being

text: asked

text: for

text: autographs

text: and

text: dancing

text: his

text: routine

text: on

text: the

text: Bonnie

text: Hunt

text: Show

text: Extra

text: even

text: arranged

text: for

text: him

text: to

text: surprise

text: Beyonce

text: on

text: the

text: red

text: carpet

text: during

text: the

text: premier

text: of

text: her

text: film

text: Cadillac

text: Records

text: Not

text: only

text: did

text: the

text: superstar

text: singer

text: know

text: who

text: he

text: was

text: Mercado

text: said

text: but

text: so

text: did

text: other

text: celebs

text: The

text: actress

text: Gabrielle

text: Union

text: knew

text: who

text: I

text: was

text: Mercado

text: said

text: That

text: just

text: blew

text: me

text: away

text: Mercado

text: said

text: he

text: does

text: n't

text: consider

text: himself

text: famous

text: and

text: finds

text: the

text: notoriety

text: humbling

text: The

text: loss

text: of

text: anonymity

text: is

text: challenging

text: he

text: said

text: Suddenly

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: people

text: in

text: your

text: business

text: dramatically

text: increases

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: can

text: imagine

text: how

text: Heinz

text: and

text: Peterson

text: are

text: feeling

text: overwhelmed

text: That

text: was

text: their

text: wedding

text: and

text: it

text: was

text: probably

text: very

text: private

text: to

text: them

text: Mercado

text: said

text: It

text: can

text: be

text: a

text: bit

text: much

text: to

text: handle

text: and

text: if

text: they

text: were

text: not

text: ready

text: to

text: handle

text: it

text: then

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: a

text: good

text: thing

text: Being

text: sucked

text: into

text: a

text: vortex

text: of

text: whirlwind

text: publicity

text: can

text: be

text: a

text: heady

text: experience

text: said

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: based

text: photographer

text: Ross

text: Oscar

text: Knight

text: Two

text: years

text: ago

text: Knight

text: photographed

text: an

text: elaborately

text: staged

text: engagement

text: planned

text: by

text: Robert

text: Gray

text: Jr.

text: to

text: surprise

text: his

text: girlfriend

text: Keisha

text: Williams

text: Gray

text: rented

text: rooms

text: at

text: the

text: Ritz

text: Carlton

text: Buckhead

text: and

text: filled

text: them

text: with

text: rose

text: petals

text: candles

text: and

text: music

text: As

text: Gray

text: led

text: Williams

text: to

text: each

text: room

text: friends

text: and

text: family

text: were

text: waiting

text: with

text: well

text: wishes

text: and

text: prayers

text: all

text: leading

text: up

text: to

text: his

text: proposal

text: A

text: slide

text: show

text: of

text: Knight

text: 's

text: pictures

text: of

text: the

text: moving

text: event

text: scored

text: millions

text: of

text: hits

text: and

text: crashed

text: several

text: sites

text: linking

text: to

text: it

text: the

text: photographer

text: said

text: I

text: immediately

text: started

text: getting

text: calls

text: from

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: world

text: Knight

text: said

text: We

text: got

text: an

text: extra

text: phone

text: line

text: because

text: so

text: many

text: calls

text: were

text: coming

text: in

text: Not

text: only

text: were

text: people

text: touched

text: but

text: many

text: also

text: wanted

text: to

text: have

text: their

text: engagements

text: documented

text: Knight

text: said

text: so

text: there

text: are

text: sure

text: to

text: be

text: dancing

text: down

text: the

text: aisle

text: videos

text: to

text: come

text: Knight

text: said

text: Gray

text: and

text: Williams

text: whose

text: fairy

text: tale

text: engagement

text: attracted

text: the

text: attention

text: of

text: national

text: publications

text: like

text: Essence

text: Magazine

text: have

text: married

text: but

text: decided

text: to

text: do

text: so

text: quietly

text: after

text: shutting

text: down

text: a

text: Web

text: site

text: they

text: had

text: started

text: to

text: keep

text: fans

text: updated

text: They

text: did

text: a

text: private

text: ceremony

text: because

text: they

text: did

text: n't

text: want

text: any

text: of

text: that

text: released

text: to

text: the

text: media

text: Knight

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: they

text: got

text: to

text: see

text: stardom

text: and

text: what

text: can

text: happen

text: when

text: there

text: is

text: so

text: much

text: of

text: a

text: focus

text: put

text: on

text: you

text: Someone

text: else

text: who

text: has

text: also

text: been

text: thrust

text: into

text: the

text: spotlight

text: albeit

text: again

text: is

text: singer

text: Chris

text: Brown

text: whose

text: song

text: the

text: Heinz

text: Peterson

text: wedding

text: party

text: danced

text: to

text: Despite

text: increased

text: demand

text: on

text: iTunes

text: for

text: the

text: single

text: Forever

text: and

text: speculation

text: by

text: media

text: outlets

text: like

text: Gawker.com

text: that

text: the

text: wedding

text: video

text: could

text: help

text: rehabilitate

text: Brown

text: 's

text: image

text: US

text: Weekly

text: staff

text: editor

text: Lindsay

text: Powers

text: said

text: she

text: does

text: n't

text: believe

text: all

text: will

text: be

text: forgiven

text: Brown

text: who

text: has

text: publicly

text: apologized

text: for

text: assaulting

text: his

text: girlfriend

text: the

text: singer

text: Rihanna

text: has

text: a

text: long

text: way

text: to

text: go

text: before

text: the

text: tide

text: of

text: public

text: opinion

text: can

text: be

text: swayed

text: Powers

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: Chris

text: Brown

text: has

text: had

text: considerable

text: career

text: damage

text: over

text: these

text: past

text: couple

text: of

text: months

text: she

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: people

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: say

text: that

text: 's

text: a

text: catchy

text: song

text: they

text: 'll

text: go

text: to

text: iTunes

text: and

text: download

text: it

text: to

text: their

text: iPods

text: but

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: think

text: that

text: because

text: people

text: like

text: the

text: song

text: they

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: like

text: Chris

text: Brown

question: Where do the couple live?

answer: Minnesota

text: Minnesota

question: Whose tune was featured on the video?

answer: "Forever" by Chris Brown.

text: "Forever" by Chris Brown.

question: What draws media attention?

answer: Knight said Gray and Williams, whose fairy-tale engagement attracted the

text: Knight said Gray and Williams, whose fairy-tale engagement attracted the

question: Who became instant stars?

answer: Kevin Heinz

text: Kevin Heinz

question: What type of video is it?

answer: YouTube

text: YouTube

question: What state is the couple from?

answer: Minnesota

text: Minnesota

question: Which type of video went viral.

answer: Minnesota wedding party dancing down the aisle.

text: Minnesota wedding party dancing down the aisle.


text:
(CNN) -- The world has a new alliance to save vanishing frogs, toads and salamanders.

A frog swims in a pond in Munich, Germany, in June.

A coalition of organizations established the Amphibian Survival Alliance this month to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus, habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change. The scientists said amphibians are the world's most threatened group of animals.

Though they thrived on Earth for more than 360 million years, one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian species are now at risk of extinction and as many as 122 species have gone extinct since 1980, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's amphibian specialist group.

"The world's amphibians are facing an uphill battle for survival," said James Collins of Arizona State University, co-chairman of the group.

He said the new alliance, formed at the Amphibian Mini Summit at the Zoological Society of London, will focus efforts on the biggest threat to amphibians: infectious disease and habitat destruction. The group includes amphibian specialists working in the wild as well as those in zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens worldwide.

"Amphibians have so much to offer humans," said amphibian specialist Simon Stuart. "Many have an arsenal of compounds stored in their skin that have the potential to address a multitude of human diseases."

But as amphibians die out, so do opportunities to develop new medicines, he said. The southern gastric brooding frog, for instance, could have led to the development of a treatment for human peptic ulcers had it not gone extinct, Stuart said.

"We simply cannot afford to let this current amphibian extinction crisis go unchecked," he said.

Andrew Blaustein, who began documenting amphibian declines two decades ago, said the loss of species was part of an overall biodiversity crisis.

"Amphibians seem to have been hit the hardest of all vertebrate species," said Blaustein, a professor of zoology at Oregon State University. "The long-term ecological repercussions of their decline could be profound, and we have to do something about it."

text: CNN

text: The

text: world

text: has

text: a

text: new

text: alliance

text: to

text: save

text: vanishing

text: frogs

text: toads

text: and

text: salamanders

text: A

text: frog

text: swims

text: in

text: a

text: pond

text: in

text: Munich

text: Germany

text: in

text: June

text: A

text: coalition

text: of

text: organizations

text: established

text: the

text: Amphibian

text: Survival

text: Alliance

text: this

text: month

text: to

text: conserve

text: species

text: threatened

text: by

text: deadly

text: fungus

text: habitat

text: loss

text: pollution

text: pesticides

text: and

text: climate

text: change

text: The

text: scientists

text: said

text: amphibians

text: are

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: most

text: threatened

text: group

text: of

text: animals

text: Though

text: they

text: thrived

text: on

text: Earth

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: years

text: one

text: in

text: three

text: of

text: the

text: recognized

text: amphibian

text: species

text: are

text: now

text: at

text: risk

text: of

text: extinction

text: and

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: species

text: have

text: gone

text: extinct

text: since

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: International

text: Union

text: for

text: the

text: Conservation

text: of

text: Nature

text: 's

text: amphibian

text: specialist

text: group

text: The

text: world

text: 's

text: amphibians

text: are

text: facing

text: an

text: uphill

text: battle

text: for

text: survival

text: said

text: James

text: Collins

text: of

text: Arizona

text: State

text: University

text: co

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: group

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: new

text: alliance

text: formed

text: at

text: the

text: Amphibian

text: Mini

text: Summit

text: at

text: the

text: Zoological

text: Society

text: of

text: London

text: will

text: focus

text: efforts

text: on

text: the

text: biggest

text: threat

text: to

text: amphibians

text: infectious

text: disease

text: and

text: habitat

text: destruction

text: The

text: group

text: includes

text: amphibian

text: specialists

text: working

text: in

text: the

text: wild

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: those

text: in

text: zoos

text: aquariums

text: and

text: botanical

text: gardens

text: worldwide

text: Amphibians

text: have

text: so

text: much

text: to

text: offer

text: humans

text: said

text: amphibian

text: specialist

text: Simon

text: Stuart

text: Many

text: have

text: an

text: arsenal

text: of

text: compounds

text: stored

text: in

text: their

text: skin

text: that

text: have

text: the

text: potential

text: to

text: address

text: a

text: multitude

text: of

text: human

text: diseases

text: But

text: as

text: amphibians

text: die

text: out

text: so

text: do

text: opportunities

text: to

text: develop

text: new

text: medicines

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: southern

text: gastric

text: brooding

text: frog

text: for

text: instance

text: could

text: have

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: development

text: of

text: a

text: treatment

text: for

text: human

text: peptic

text: ulcers

text: had

text: it

text: not

text: gone

text: extinct

text: Stuart

text: said

text: We

text: simply

text: can

text: not

text: afford

text: to

text: let

text: this

text: current

text: amphibian

text: extinction

text: crisis

text: go

text: unchecked

text: he

text: said

text: Andrew

text: Blaustein

text: who

text: began

text: documenting

text: amphibian

text: declines

text: two

text: decades

text: ago

text: said

text: the

text: loss

text: of

text: species

text: was

text: part

text: of

text: an

text: overall

text: biodiversity

text: crisis

text: Amphibians

text: seem

text: to

text: have

text: been

text: hit

text: the

text: hardest

text: of

text: all

text: vertebrate

text: species

text: said

text: Blaustein

text: a

text: professor

text: of

text: zoology

text: at

text: Oregon

text: State

text: University

text: The

text: long

text: term

text: ecological

text: repercussions

text: of

text: their

text: decline

text: could

text: be

text: profound

text: and

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: about

text: it

question: what is the aim of Amphibian Survival Alliance?

answer: to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus, habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change.

text: to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus, habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change.

question: What are at risk of extinction?

answer: one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian species

text: one in three of the 6,000 recognized amphibian species

question: how many amphibians species are at risk?

answer: one in three of the 6,000 recognized

text: one in three of the 6,000 recognized

question: What is the aim of the Amphibian Survival Alliance?

answer: to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus, habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change.

text: to conserve species threatened by deadly fungus, habitat loss, pollution, pesticides and climate change.

question: how many species have gone extinct?

answer: 122

question: What have gone extinct since 1980?

answer: 122 species

text: 122 species

question: Who aims to save threatened frogs?

answer: Amphibian Survival Alliance

text: Amphibian Survival Alliance


text:
(CNN) -- Gulf Coast chefs and fishing advocates claim, "Come on in; the water's fine!" but find themselves facing a public awash in apprehension over potentially oil-tainted seafood.

When New Orleans, Louisiana, chef John Besh recently urged people to choose U.S. shrimp over imports during an interview about the state of seafood in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico spill, commenters responded negatively, writing, "What's a little tar or mercury in your system anyways?!" and "I hope you enjoy the petrol in your fish."

Another commented, "You eat the fish from down there, don't complain to anyone when you get cancer in 10-15 years. I can't even believe a responsible human being would advocate for eating seafood slathered in oil first."

A tweet in their response to CNN's query about diners' feelings on New Orleans seafood declared all post-spill offerings "a no-geaux." Similar sentiments abound online, despite authorities' assurances as to the safety of seafood currently on the market.

Maps and apps track spill

The supply of Gulf Coast food -- and the cost of it -- fluctuates on a daily basis, with the NOAA Fisheries Services map of safe and affected fishing waters constantly being redrawn. ABC reports that in light of the reduced amount of seafood on the market, "Fish that normally sold for $2.50 a pound were going for $3.25."

On Tuesday, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a commercial fisheries failure to trigger aid for commercial fishermen from the Economic Development Administration.

In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, the governor wrote, "The waters offshore Louisiana's coast supply nearly one-third of all commercial seafood harvested in the lower 48 states, with values in excess of $2.85 billion annually. As the largest provider of domestic seafood in the continental United States, protection of Louisiana's fisheries, habitats and catch are critical to our nation's economy and food supply. In addition to the potential biologic and ecologic impacts in these coastal communities, we must not overlook the crippling effect that this event will have on the commercial and sport fisheries in Louisiana. The seafood industry is not only a large economic driver, but a defining element of the unique culture, and a crucial tourist draw to the state."

While the impact of the Gulf Coast oil spill on the future of shellfish harvesting is unknown, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is closely monitoring conditions and sampling water at oyster beds and fishing docks to determine whether the haul is suitable for public consumption. It has the authority to order closures of areas that are deemed unsafe.

The department's daily assessments and harvesting closures are distributed to restaurants and seafood purveyors, and agency Secretary Alan Levine has released a statement declaring, "Oysters exposed to the spill will not be permitted to be harvested, and thus are not available for consumer purchase. DHH stands by the quality of Louisiana seafood as a healthy and delicious choice for consumers."

On the other side of the Gulf, groups like the Florida Sea Grant, which operates as a partnership between the Florida Board of Education and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, echo that sentiment.

Steve Otwell, a seafood specialist with the Florida Sea Grant College Program, writes in an Oil Spills and Seafood Safety FAQ on the group's website, "All seafood sold in Florida retail stores, supermarkets and restaurants will remain safe to consume prior to and during any potential exposure to contamination from the pending oil spill."

Michael Herdon of the Food and Drug Administration backed that claim in a statement, writing, "The FDA is closely monitoring the developing situation in the Gulf Coast region to help ensure that seafood potentially impacted by the oil spill is not making its way into commerce. Fish and shellfish harvested from areas unaffected by the closures are considered safe to eat. There is no reason to believe that any contaminated product has made its way to the market."

For the proprietor of several New Orleans restaurants and author of the award-winning cookbook "My New Orleans," Besh's livelihood hinges on their assessments being correct.

He said, "We have the best and the brightest working for us on the state level, out there testing the waters every day to make sure they know exactly where this oil is and what effect it's having. As the oil shifts and moves with currents and we get a list from Health and Hospitals telling us what fisheries have opened or closed, and we buy accordingly."

He and some other well-known chefs are putting their time and money where diners' mouths are.

Besh and TV star and celebrity chef Paula Deen will participate in a seafood cooking demo at the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience on May 29 and then join Food Network star Aaron Sanchez and James Beard Award-winning chef John Currence for a fundraising dinner at Besh's flagship restaurant August that evening. All the proceeds will go to aid the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation.

The help is surely needed, as the situation in the Gulf worsens and the financial future of multigenerational oyster and shrimp families hangs in the balance.

"Right now, it's a really sad sight," Besh said.

"We had Catholic Charities of the New Orleans area started putting together food baskets and goods and a little bit of cash for the shrimping and oyster families of southeast Louisiana, because now they've been out of work for a long time. Many of our local fishermen, their only hope of getting work right now is helping out with oil mitigation."

Dennis O'Hern of the Fishing Rights Alliance echoes Besh's fears that a way of life hanging by a thread is even more deeply imperiled by the spread of misinformation. "The further you get away from the coast, the greater the perception that the fish is tainted. People will shy away from the line-caught grouper sandwich and opt for tilapia."

He continued, "That will absolutely ruin fishing for my generation as well as my daughter's generation. I put my roots down here; my daughter may not be able to dive again. I recommend anybody that comes down here to fish, to do it while they can."

Even avid eaters without a stake in the business have stepped forward to offer their support. CNN contributor Donna Brazile took to Twitter to declare, "The Louisiana Seafood Festival will be held in June. Paula Deen from the Food Network will come down for the contest. Buy Louisiana seafood."

She told CNN, " It's still the best seafood in the world. And I know Ewell [Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board] is working nonstop to ensure the best quality hits our marketplace."

text: CNN

text: Gulf

text: Coast

text: chefs

text: and

text: fishing

text: advocates

text: claim

text: Come

text: on

text: in

text: the

text: water

text: 's

text: fine

text: but

text: find

text: themselves

text: facing

text: a

text: public

text: awash

text: in

text: apprehension

text: over

text: potentially

text: oil

text: tainted

text: seafood

text: When

text: New

text: Orleans

text: Louisiana

text: chef

text: John

text: Besh

text: recently

text: urged

text: people

text: to

text: choose

text: U.S.

text: shrimp

text: over

text: imports

text: during

text: an

text: interview

text: about

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: seafood

text: in

text: the

text: wake

text: of

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Mexico

text: spill

text: commenters

text: responded

text: negatively

text: writing

text: What

text: 's

text: a

text: little

text: tar

text: or

text: mercury

text: in

text: your

text: system

text: anyways

text: and

text: I

text: hope

text: you

text: enjoy

text: the

text: petrol

text: in

text: your

text: fish

text: Another

text: commented

text: You

text: eat

text: the

text: fish

text: from

text: down

text: there

text: do

text: n't

text: complain

text: to

text: anyone

text: when

text: you

text: get

text: cancer

text: in

text: years

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: even

text: believe

text: a

text: responsible

text: human

text: being

text: would

text: advocate

text: for

text: eating

text: seafood

text: slathered

text: in

text: oil

text: first

text: A

text: tweet

text: in

text: their

text: response

text: to

text: CNN

text: 's

text: query

text: about

text: diners

text: feelings

text: on

text: New

text: Orleans

text: seafood

text: declared

text: all

text: post

text: spill

text: offerings

text: a

text: no

text: geaux

text: Similar

text: sentiments

text: abound

text: online

text: despite

text: authorities

text: assurances

text: as

text: to

text: the

text: safety

text: of

text: seafood

text: currently

text: on

text: the

text: market

text: Maps

text: and

text: apps

text: track

text: spill

text: The

text: supply

text: of

text: Gulf

text: Coast

text: food

text: and

text: the

text: cost

text: of

text: it

text: fluctuates

text: on

text: a

text: daily

text: basis

text: with

text: the

text: NOAA

text: Fisheries

text: Services

text: map

text: of

text: safe

text: and

text: affected

text: fishing

text: waters

text: constantly

text: being

text: redrawn

text: ABC

text: reports

text: that

text: in

text: light

text: of

text: the

text: reduced

text: amount

text: of

text: seafood

text: on

text: the

text: market

text: Fish

text: that

text: normally

text: sold

text: for

text: a

text: pound

text: were

text: going

text: for

text: On

text: Tuesday

text: Louisiana

text: Gov.

text: Bobby

text: Jindal

text: declared

text: a

text: commercial

text: fisheries

text: failure

text: to

text: trigger

text: aid

text: for

text: commercial

text: fishermen

text: from

text: the

text: Economic

text: Development

text: Administration

text: In

text: a

text: letter

text: to

text: Secretary

text: of

text: Commerce

text: Gary

text: Locke

text: the

text: governor

text: wrote

text: The

text: waters

text: offshore

text: Louisiana

text: 's

text: coast

text: supply

text: nearly

text: one

text: third

text: of

text: all

text: commercial

text: seafood

text: harvested

text: in

text: the

text: lower

text: states

text: with

text: values

text: in

text: excess

text: of

text: billion

text: annually

text: As

text: the

text: largest

text: provider

text: of

text: domestic

text: seafood

text: in

text: the

text: continental

text: United

text: States

text: protection

text: of

text: Louisiana

text: 's

text: fisheries

text: habitats

text: and

text: catch

text: are

text: critical

text: to

text: our

text: nation

text: 's

text: economy

text: and

text: food

text: supply

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: the

text: potential

text: biologic

text: and

text: ecologic

text: impacts

text: in

text: these

text: coastal

text: communities

text: we

text: must

text: not

text: overlook

text: the

text: crippling

text: effect

text: that

text: this

text: event

text: will

text: have

text: on

text: the

text: commercial

text: and

text: sport

text: fisheries

text: in

text: Louisiana

text: The

text: seafood

text: industry

text: is

text: not

text: only

text: a

text: large

text: economic

text: driver

text: but

text: a

text: defining

text: element

text: of

text: the

text: unique

text: culture

text: and

text: a

text: crucial

text: tourist

text: draw

text: to

text: the

text: state

text: While

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: the

text: Gulf

text: Coast

text: oil

text: spill

text: on

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: shellfish

text: harvesting

text: is

text: unknown

text: the

text: Louisiana

text: Department

text: of

text: Health

text: and

text: Hospitals

text: is

text: closely

text: monitoring

text: conditions

text: and

text: sampling

text: water

text: at

text: oyster

text: beds

text: and

text: fishing

text: docks

text: to

text: determine

text: whether

text: the

text: haul

text: is

text: suitable

text: for

text: public

text: consumption

text: It

text: has

text: the

text: authority

text: to

text: order

text: closures

text: of

text: areas

text: that

text: are

text: deemed

text: unsafe

text: The

text: department

text: 's

text: daily

text: assessments

text: and

text: harvesting

text: closures

text: are

text: distributed

text: to

text: restaurants

text: and

text: seafood

text: purveyors

text: and

text: agency

text: Secretary

text: Alan

text: Levine

text: has

text: released

text: a

text: statement

text: declaring

text: Oysters

text: exposed

text: to

text: the

text: spill

text: will

text: not

text: be

text: permitted

text: to

text: be

text: harvested

text: and

text: thus

text: are

text: not

text: available

text: for

text: consumer

text: purchase

text: DHH

text: stands

text: by

text: the

text: quality

text: of

text: Louisiana

text: seafood

text: as

text: a

text: healthy

text: and

text: delicious

text: choice

text: for

text: consumers

text: On

text: the

text: other

text: side

text: of

text: the

text: Gulf

text: groups

text: like

text: the

text: Florida

text: Sea

text: Grant

text: which

text: operates

text: as

text: a

text: partnership

text: between

text: the

text: Florida

text: Board

text: of

text: Education

text: and

text: the

text: National

text: Oceanic

text: and

text: Atmospheric

text: Association

text: echo

text: that

text: sentiment

text: Steve

text: Otwell

text: a

text: seafood

text: specialist

text: with

text: the

text: Florida

text: Sea

text: Grant

text: College

text: Program

text: writes

text: in

text: an

text: Oil

text: Spills

text: and

text: Seafood

text: Safety

text: FAQ

text: on

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: website

text: All

text: seafood

text: sold

text: in

text: Florida

text: retail

text: stores

text: supermarkets

text: and

text: restaurants

text: will

text: remain

text: safe

text: to

text: consume

text: prior

text: to

text: and

text: during

text: any

text: potential

text: exposure

text: to

text: contamination

text: from

text: the

text: pending

text: oil

text: spill

text: Michael

text: Herdon

text: of

text: the

text: Food

text: and

text: Drug

text: Administration

text: backed

text: that

text: claim

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: writing

text: The

text: FDA

text: is

text: closely

text: monitoring

text: the

text: developing

text: situation

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: Coast

text: region

text: to

text: help

text: ensure

text: that

text: seafood

text: potentially

text: impacted

text: by

text: the

text: oil

text: spill

text: is

text: not

text: making

text: its

text: way

text: into

text: commerce

text: Fish

text: and

text: shellfish

text: harvested

text: from

text: areas

text: unaffected

text: by

text: the

text: closures

text: are

text: considered

text: safe

text: to

text: eat

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: reason

text: to

text: believe

text: that

text: any

text: contaminated

text: product

text: has

text: made

text: its

text: way

text: to

text: the

text: market

text: For

text: the

text: proprietor

text: of

text: several

text: New

text: Orleans

text: restaurants

text: and

text: author

text: of

text: the

text: award

text: winning

text: cookbook

text: My

text: New

text: Orleans

text: Besh

text: 's

text: livelihood

text: hinges

text: on

text: their

text: assessments

text: being

text: correct

text: He

text: said

text: We

text: have

text: the

text: best

text: and

text: the

text: brightest

text: working

text: for

text: us

text: on

text: the

text: state

text: level

text: out

text: there

text: testing

text: the

text: waters

text: every

text: day

text: to

text: make

text: sure

text: they

text: know

text: exactly

text: where

text: this

text: oil

text: is

text: and

text: what

text: effect

text: it

text: 's

text: having

text: As

text: the

text: oil

text: shifts

text: and

text: moves

text: with

text: currents

text: and

text: we

text: get

text: a

text: list

text: from

text: Health

text: and

text: Hospitals

text: telling

text: us

text: what

text: fisheries

text: have

text: opened

text: or

text: closed

text: and

text: we

text: buy

text: accordingly

text: He

text: and

text: some

text: other

text: well

text: known

text: chefs

text: are

text: putting

text: their

text: time

text: and

text: money

text: where

text: diners

text: mouths

text: are

text: Besh

text: and

text: TV

text: star

text: and

text: celebrity

text: chef

text: Paula

text: Deen

text: will

text: participate

text: in

text: a

text: seafood

text: cooking

text: demo

text: at

text: the

text: New

text: Orleans

text: Wine

text: Food

text: Experience

text: on

text: May

text: and

text: then

text: join

text: Food

text: Network

text: star

text: Aaron

text: Sanchez

text: and

text: James

text: Beard

text: Award

text: winning

text: chef

text: John

text: Currence

text: for

text: a

text: fundraising

text: dinner

text: at

text: Besh

text: 's

text: flagship

text: restaurant

text: August

text: that

text: evening

text: All

text: the

text: proceeds

text: will

text: go

text: to

text: aid

text: the

text: Louisiana

text: Wildlife

text: and

text: Fisheries

text: Foundation

text: The

text: help

text: is

text: surely

text: needed

text: as

text: the

text: situation

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: worsens

text: and

text: the

text: financial

text: future

text: of

text: multigenerational

text: oyster

text: and

text: shrimp

text: families

text: hangs

text: in

text: the

text: balance

text: Right

text: now

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: really

text: sad

text: sight

text: Besh

text: said

text: We

text: had

text: Catholic

text: Charities

text: of

text: the

text: New

text: Orleans

text: area

text: started

text: putting

text: together

text: food

text: baskets

text: and

text: goods

text: and

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: of

text: cash

text: for

text: the

text: shrimping

text: and

text: oyster

text: families

text: of

text: southeast

text: Louisiana

text: because

text: now

text: they

text: 've

text: been

text: out

text: of

text: work

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: Many

text: of

text: our

text: local

text: fishermen

text: their

text: only

text: hope

text: of

text: getting

text: work

text: right

text: now

text: is

text: helping

text: out

text: with

text: oil

text: mitigation

text: Dennis

text: O'Hern

text: of

text: the

text: Fishing

text: Rights

text: Alliance

text: echoes

text: Besh

text: 's

text: fears

text: that

text: a

text: way

text: of

text: life

text: hanging

text: by

text: a

text: thread

text: is

text: even

text: more

text: deeply

text: imperiled

text: by

text: the

text: spread

text: of

text: misinformation

text: The

text: further

text: you

text: get

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: coast

text: the

text: greater

text: the

text: perception

text: that

text: the

text: fish

text: is

text: tainted

text: People

text: will

text: shy

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: line

text: caught

text: grouper

text: sandwich

text: and

text: opt

text: for

text: tilapia

text: He

text: continued

text: That

text: will

text: absolutely

text: ruin

text: fishing

text: for

text: my

text: generation

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: my

text: daughter

text: 's

text: generation

text: I

text: put

text: my

text: roots

text: down

text: here

text: my

text: daughter

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: dive

text: again

text: I

text: recommend

text: anybody

text: that

text: comes

text: down

text: here

text: to

text: fish

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: while

text: they

text: can

text: Even

text: avid

text: eaters

text: without

text: a

text: stake

text: in

text: the

text: business

text: have

text: stepped

text: forward

text: to

text: offer

text: their

text: support

text: CNN

text: contributor

text: Donna

text: Brazile

text: took

text: to

text: Twitter

text: to

text: declare

text: The

text: Louisiana

text: Seafood

text: Festival

text: will

text: be

text: held

text: in

text: June

text: Paula

text: Deen

text: from

text: the

text: Food

text: Network

text: will

text: come

text: down

text: for

text: the

text: contest

text: Buy

text: Louisiana

text: seafood

text: She

text: told

text: CNN

text: It

text: 's

text: still

text: the

text: best

text: seafood

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: And

text: I

text: know

text: Ewell

text: Smith

text: executive

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: Louisiana

text: Seafood

text: Promotion

text: Marketing

text: Board

text: is

text: working

text: nonstop

text: to

text: ensure

text: the

text: best

text: quality

text: hits

text: our

text: marketplace

question: What do chefs and fishermen fear?

answer: oil-tainted seafood.

text: oil-tainted seafood.

question: who heads to louisiana

answer: chef John Besh

text: chef John Besh

question: Where are celebrity chefs heading to?

answer: New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

text: New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

question: What are experts sampling?

answer: water

text: water


text:
KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The war in Afghanistan may no longer be forgotten but the true victims always are.

Having been denied healthcare and education under the Taliban, Afghan women are now training as midwives

Women and children in the landlocked Asian country have continuously paid the ultimate price throughout the decades of conflict and war.

It is their lives that are considered not precious enough to save.

A woman here dies every 29 minutes due to childbirth complications, according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) -- one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

One in four children die before they reach the age of five because of the lack of health care and medical facilities in their cities and villages.

But ignorance is also deadly.

Misguided cultural pride prevents men from allowing their women to see a doctor, merely because the doctor could be male.

And in many cases, it's not just women who die from childbirth-related issues. It is young girls forced into marriage before they even reach puberty. Their still-forming bodies cannot handle the complications of childbirth.

But there are women in Afghanistan stepping up within the crowds of the forgotten and pushing past the barriers. They are training as midwives across the country to help bring change and save lives.

"A woman can help a woman more," midwifery student Fariha Ibrahimi told CNN.

"We have to introduce them with what to do, what foods to eat, how to take care of themselves.

"[We] tell their husbands how to treat them. There are some husbands who beat their wives to the point where they can no longer even get pregnant."

At the Ibni Sina Balkhi Midwifery Training Center in Kabul, dozens of future midwives study and practise in the hope of bringing a brighter future to their countrywomen.

"It's very heartbreaking," Ibrahimi said of the situation women face. "Afghanistan has gone through so much war and most girls were not allowed to get an education, so I want to study and bring forth something new."

Sympathy for Afghan women is the strongest motivating force among students in this field: Many know personally what is like to live in a society where pregnant women are ignored and forgotten.

"We live in an area where we are far from any clinic or hospital and there are a lot of difficulties there for pregnant women," Nourzia, a student and mother, told CNN.

"It's very difficult for them to reach a hospital. This is why I was so keen in learning this profession and helping these women; so in the future they are in less danger."

All the women here are training with the permission and support of their families.

They are leading the way to a brighter tomorrow for Afghan women -- one that may one day catch up with the rest of the world.

"The world is moving forward and he didn't want me to sit around jobless," said future midwife, Maurina whose husband is supportive of her new career.

"He wanted me to push ahead in this field, especially a field in which our people need help in."

There are still many obstacles left and these women are still in the minority.

According to the World Health Organization there are only about 2,000 trained midwives servicing Afghanistan's population of just under 33 million.

But that is a giant leap from just eight years ago when most women were denied an education, medical care and the basic necessities of survival under the Taliban regime.

It will take many years to change mindsets instilled by decades of brutality. But these women prove that maybe, just maybe, the next generation can fix the mistakes of the last.

text: KABUL

text: Afghanistan

text: CNN

text: The

text: war

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: may

text: no

text: longer

text: be

text: forgotten

text: but

text: the

text: true

text: victims

text: always

text: are

text: Having

text: been

text: denied

text: healthcare

text: and

text: education

text: under

text: the

text: Taliban

text: Afghan

text: women

text: are

text: now

text: training

text: as

text: midwives

text: Women

text: and

text: children

text: in

text: the

text: landlocked

text: Asian

text: country

text: have

text: continuously

text: paid

text: the

text: ultimate

text: price

text: throughout

text: the

text: decades

text: of

text: conflict

text: and

text: war

text: It

text: is

text: their

text: lives

text: that

text: are

text: considered

text: not

text: precious

text: enough

text: to

text: save

text: A

text: woman

text: here

text: dies

text: every

text: minutes

text: due

text: to

text: childbirth

text: complications

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: Development

text: Fund

text: for

text: Women

text: UNIFEM

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: highest

text: maternal

text: mortality

text: rates

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: One

text: in

text: four

text: children

text: die

text: before

text: they

text: reach

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: five

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: lack

text: of

text: health

text: care

text: and

text: medical

text: facilities

text: in

text: their

text: cities

text: and

text: villages

text: But

text: ignorance

text: is

text: also

text: deadly

text: Misguided

text: cultural

text: pride

text: prevents

text: men

text: from

text: allowing

text: their

text: women

text: to

text: see

text: a

text: doctor

text: merely

text: because

text: the

text: doctor

text: could

text: be

text: male

text: And

text: in

text: many

text: cases

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: just

text: women

text: who

text: die

text: from

text: childbirth

text: related

text: issues

text: It

text: is

text: young

text: girls

text: forced

text: into

text: marriage

text: before

text: they

text: even

text: reach

text: puberty

text: Their

text: still

text: forming

text: bodies

text: can

text: not

text: handle

text: the

text: complications

text: of

text: childbirth

text: But

text: there

text: are

text: women

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: stepping

text: up

text: within

text: the

text: crowds

text: of

text: the

text: forgotten

text: and

text: pushing

text: past

text: the

text: barriers

text: They

text: are

text: training

text: as

text: midwives

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: to

text: help

text: bring

text: change

text: and

text: save

text: lives

text: A

text: woman

text: can

text: help

text: a

text: woman

text: more

text: midwifery

text: student

text: Fariha

text: Ibrahimi

text: told

text: CNN

text: We

text: have

text: to

text: introduce

text: them

text: with

text: what

text: to

text: do

text: what

text: foods

text: to

text: eat

text: how

text: to

text: take

text: care

text: of

text: themselves

text: We

text: tell

text: their

text: husbands

text: how

text: to

text: treat

text: them

text: There

text: are

text: some

text: husbands

text: who

text: beat

text: their

text: wives

text: to

text: the

text: point

text: where

text: they

text: can

text: no

text: longer

text: even

text: get

text: pregnant

text: At

text: the

text: Ibni

text: Sina

text: Balkhi

text: Midwifery

text: Training

text: Center

text: in

text: Kabul

text: dozens

text: of

text: future

text: midwives

text: study

text: and

text: practise

text: in

text: the

text: hope

text: of

text: bringing

text: a

text: brighter

text: future

text: to

text: their

text: countrywomen

text: It

text: 's

text: very

text: heartbreaking

text: Ibrahimi

text: said

text: of

text: the

text: situation

text: women

text: face

text: Afghanistan

text: has

text: gone

text: through

text: so

text: much

text: war

text: and

text: most

text: girls

text: were

text: not

text: allowed

text: to

text: get

text: an

text: education

text: so

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: study

text: and

text: bring

text: forth

text: something

text: new

text: Sympathy

text: for

text: Afghan

text: women

text: is

text: the

text: strongest

text: motivating

text: force

text: among

text: students

text: in

text: this

text: field

text: Many

text: know

text: personally

text: what

text: is

text: like

text: to

text: live

text: in

text: a

text: society

text: where

text: pregnant

text: women

text: are

text: ignored

text: and

text: forgotten

text: We

text: live

text: in

text: an

text: area

text: where

text: we

text: are

text: far

text: from

text: any

text: clinic

text: or

text: hospital

text: and

text: there

text: are

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: difficulties

text: there

text: for

text: pregnant

text: women

text: Nourzia

text: a

text: student

text: and

text: mother

text: told

text: CNN

text: It

text: 's

text: very

text: difficult

text: for

text: them

text: to

text: reach

text: a

text: hospital

text: This

text: is

text: why

text: I

text: was

text: so

text: keen

text: in

text: learning

text: this

text: profession

text: and

text: helping

text: these

text: women

text: so

text: in

text: the

text: future

text: they

text: are

text: in

text: less

text: danger

text: All

text: the

text: women

text: here

text: are

text: training

text: with

text: the

text: permission

text: and

text: support

text: of

text: their

text: families

text: They

text: are

text: leading

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: a

text: brighter

text: tomorrow

text: for

text: Afghan

text: women

text: one

text: that

text: may

text: one

text: day

text: catch

text: up

text: with

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: world

text: is

text: moving

text: forward

text: and

text: he

text: did

text: n't

text: want

text: me

text: to

text: sit

text: around

text: jobless

text: said

text: future

text: midwife

text: Maurina

text: whose

text: husband

text: is

text: supportive

text: of

text: her

text: new

text: career

text: He

text: wanted

text: me

text: to

text: push

text: ahead

text: in

text: this

text: field

text: especially

text: a

text: field

text: in

text: which

text: our

text: people

text: need

text: help

text: in

text: There

text: are

text: still

text: many

text: obstacles

text: left

text: and

text: these

text: women

text: are

text: still

text: in

text: the

text: minority

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: World

text: Health

text: Organization

text: there

text: are

text: only

text: about

text: trained

text: midwives

text: servicing

text: Afghanistan

text: 's

text: population

text: of

text: just

text: under

text: million

text: But

text: that

text: is

text: a

text: giant

text: leap

text: from

text: just

text: eight

text: years

text: ago

text: when

text: most

text: women

text: were

text: denied

text: an

text: education

text: medical

text: care

text: and

text: the

text: basic

text: necessities

text: of

text: survival

text: under

text: the

text: Taliban

text: regime

text: It

text: will

text: take

text: many

text: years

text: to

text: change

text: mindsets

text: instilled

text: by

text: decades

text: of

text: brutality

text: But

text: these

text: women

text: prove

text: that

text: maybe

text: just

text: maybe

text: the

text: next

text: generation

text: can

text: fix

text: the

text: mistakes

text: of

text: the

text: last

question: Which country has one of the highest rates of infant mortality?

answer: Afghanistan

text: Afghanistan

question: How many children die before age 5?

answer: One in four

text: One in four

question: What are dozens of women studying in Kabul?

answer: midwives

text: midwives

question: Where is the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the world?

answer: Afghanistan

text: Afghanistan

question: Where are women becoming midwives?

answer: Afghanistan

text: Afghanistan

question: How many women are studying?

answer: dozens

text: dozens

question: where are the women studying for this?

answer: At the Ibni Sina Balkhi Midwifery Training Center in Kabul,

text: At the Ibni Sina Balkhi Midwifery Training Center in Kabul,

question: what is causing the high rates of death?

answer: childbirth complications,

text: childbirth complications,


text:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi leaders are applauding President Obama's plan to withdraw most U.S. troops from the country by August 2010.

U.S. troops will cede security measures to Iraqi security forces including the police, shown here, and the army.

Iraq's Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi's office released a statement Saturday saying he received a call from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informing him of Obama's announcement of the withdrawal.

"Mr. al-Hashimi welcomed the American administration's commitment to withdrawing its troops from Iraq according to the agreed-on schedule and stressed that every possible effort should be exerted to increase the readiness of Iraqi security forces and improve their performance," the statement said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Obama called him to tell him about the plan Friday.

The prime minister said Iraqi security forces have proven their ability to provide security across Iraq "which qualifies them to take over full security responsibilities from American forces."

Obama said Friday he plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010.  Watch Obama say "Our combat mission will end" Â»

Between 35,000 and 50,000 troops will remain to help execute a drawdown plan under which all U.S. forces will be out of Iraq by December 31, 2011.

That was a deadline set under an agreement the Bush administration signed with the Iraqi government last year.

"Let me say this as plainly as I can: By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end," Obama said in a speech at the Marine Corps'  Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Meanwhile, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani visited neighboring Iran, where the supreme leader warned him that the United States is planning a prolonged stay in Iraq.

"Occupying military forces are laying the groundwork for a long-lasting stay in Iraq, and that is a great danger," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Talabani on Saturday, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

"Occupying military forces should leave Iraq as soon as possible," Khamenei said, according to IRNA. "Every day their exit is delayed will be a detriment to the Iraqi nation."

On Friday, Talabani met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who described Tehran's ties with Iraq as "growing and deep," according to IRNA. The two leaders vowed to expand their political, cultural and security relationships.

text: BAGHDAD

text: Iraq

text: CNN

text: Iraqi

text: leaders

text: are

text: applauding

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: plan

text: to

text: withdraw

text: most

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: from

text: the

text: country

text: by

text: August

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: will

text: cede

text: security

text: measures

text: to

text: Iraqi

text: security

text: forces

text: including

text: the

text: police

text: shown

text: here

text: and

text: the

text: army

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: Sunni

text: Vice

text: President

text: Tariq

text: al

text: Hashimi

text: 's

text: office

text: released

text: a

text: statement

text: Saturday

text: saying

text: he

text: received

text: a

text: call

text: from

text: U.S.

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: informing

text: him

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: announcement

text: of

text: the

text: withdrawal

text: Mr.

text: al

text: Hashimi

text: welcomed

text: the

text: American

text: administration

text: 's

text: commitment

text: to

text: withdrawing

text: its

text: troops

text: from

text: Iraq

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: agreed

text: on

text: schedule

text: and

text: stressed

text: that

text: every

text: possible

text: effort

text: should

text: be

text: exerted

text: to

text: increase

text: the

text: readiness

text: of

text: Iraqi

text: security

text: forces

text: and

text: improve

text: their

text: performance

text: the

text: statement

text: said

text: Iraqi

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Nuri

text: al

text: Maliki

text: said

text: Obama

text: called

text: him

text: to

text: tell

text: him

text: about

text: the

text: plan

text: Friday

text: The

text: prime

text: minister

text: said

text: Iraqi

text: security

text: forces

text: have

text: proven

text: their

text: ability

text: to

text: provide

text: security

text: across

text: Iraq

text: which

text: qualifies

text: them

text: to

text: take

text: over

text: full

text: security

text: responsibilities

text: from

text: American

text: forces

text: Obama

text: said

text: Friday

text: he

text: plans

text: to

text: withdraw

text: most

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: from

text: Iraq

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: August

text: Watch

text: Obama

text: say

text: Our

text: combat

text: mission

text: will

text: end

text: Â

text: Between

text: and

text: troops

text: will

text: remain

text: to

text: help

text: execute

text: a

text: drawdown

text: plan

text: under

text: which

text: all

text: U.S.

text: forces

text: will

text: be

text: out

text: of

text: Iraq

text: by

text: December

text: That

text: was

text: a

text: deadline

text: set

text: under

text: an

text: agreement

text: the

text: Bush

text: administration

text: signed

text: with

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: government

text: last

text: year

text: Let

text: me

text: say

text: this

text: as

text: plainly

text: as

text: I

text: can

text: By

text: August

text: our

text: combat

text: mission

text: in

text: Iraq

text: will

text: end

text: Obama

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: speech

text: at

text: the

text: Marine

text: Corps

text: Camp

text: Lejeune

text: North

text: Carolina

text: Meanwhile

text: Iraqi

text: President

text: Jalal

text: Talabani

text: visited

text: neighboring

text: Iran

text: where

text: the

text: supreme

text: leader

text: warned

text: him

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: is

text: planning

text: a

text: prolonged

text: stay

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Occupying

text: military

text: forces

text: are

text: laying

text: the

text: groundwork

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: lasting

text: stay

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: that

text: is

text: a

text: great

text: danger

text: Ayatollah

text: Ali

text: Khamenei

text: told

text: Talabani

text: on

text: Saturday

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: state

text: run

text: Islamic

text: Republic

text: News

text: Agency

text: Occupying

text: military

text: forces

text: should

text: leave

text: Iraq

text: as

text: soon

text: as

text: possible

text: Khamenei

text: said

text: according

text: to

text: IRNA

text: Every

text: day

text: their

text: exit

text: is

text: delayed

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: detriment

text: to

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: nation

text: On

text: Friday

text: Talabani

text: met

text: with

text: Iranian

text: President

text: Mahmoud

text: Ahmadinejad

text: who

text: described

text: Tehran

text: 's

text: ties

text: with

text: Iraq

text: as

text: growing

text: and

text: deep

text: according

text: to

text: IRNA

text: The

text: two

text: leaders

text: vowed

text: to

text: expand

text: their

text: political

text: cultural

text: and

text: security

text: relationships

question: Who is qualified to take over?

answer: Iraqi security forces

text: Iraqi security forces

question: How many troops will remain?

answer: Between 35,000 and 50,000

text: Between 35,000 and 50,000

question: Who said troops will remain?

answer: Obama

text: Obama

question: What does the Iraqi Prime Minister say?

answer: said Obama called him to tell him about the plan

text: said Obama called him to tell him about the plan

question: When will most troops be withdrawn?

answer: by August 2010.

text: by August 2010.

question: how many support troops will remain

answer: Between 35,000 and 50,000

text: Between 35,000 and 50,000

question: Who supports the withdrawal?

answer: Iraqi leaders

text: Iraqi leaders


text:
Jerusalem (CNN)  -- Israeli authorities discovered and disarmed an explosive barrel Wednesday, the third to wash up on an Israeli beach this week, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The barrel was found Wednesday afternoon at Palmachim beach south of Tel Aviv.

On Monday, Islamic Jihad, the Fatah Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and the Nasser Salah A din Brigades issued a leaflet in Gaza claiming responsibility for sending three explosive devices to the coastal cities Ashkelon and Ashdod.

The other two barrels packed with explosives -- one found at Ashkelon and one at Ashdod -- were discovered Monday and disposed of.

In response, the IDF said, the Israeli Air Force attacked "two Hamas terrorist targets" in southern Gaza.

"One of the targets was a terror tunnel, used for the infiltration of terrorists into Israel, while the other was used for smuggling of weapons. Direct hits were identified," the IDF said.

Hamas, the movement controlling Gaza, has been vowing retaliation against Israel since one of the founding members of its military wing, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, died last week in Dubai.

Al-Mabhouh's brother, Fayek al-Mabhouh, said that preliminary results of Hamas' investigation of the death showed his brother was killed by electrocution and strangulation with a piece of cloth.

Hamas officials accused Israel of assassinating Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. Israeli officials have not responded to that allegation.

text: Jerusalem

text: CNN

text: Israeli

text: authorities

text: discovered

text: and

text: disarmed

text: an

text: explosive

text: barrel

text: Wednesday

text: the

text: third

text: to

text: wash

text: up

text: on

text: an

text: Israeli

text: beach

text: this

text: week

text: the

text: Israel

text: Defense

text: Forces

text: said

text: The

text: barrel

text: was

text: found

text: Wednesday

text: afternoon

text: at

text: Palmachim

text: beach

text: south

text: of

text: Tel

text: Aviv

text: On

text: Monday

text: Islamic

text: Jihad

text: the

text: Fatah

text: Al

text: Aqsa

text: Martyrs

text: Brigade

text: and

text: the

text: Nasser

text: Salah

text: A

text: din

text: Brigades

text: issued

text: a

text: leaflet

text: in

text: Gaza

text: claiming

text: responsibility

text: for

text: sending

text: three

text: explosive

text: devices

text: to

text: the

text: coastal

text: cities

text: Ashkelon

text: and

text: Ashdod

text: The

text: other

text: two

text: barrels

text: packed

text: with

text: explosives

text: one

text: found

text: at

text: Ashkelon

text: and

text: one

text: at

text: Ashdod

text: were

text: discovered

text: Monday

text: and

text: disposed

text: of

text: In

text: response

text: the

text: IDF

text: said

text: the

text: Israeli

text: Air

text: Force

text: attacked

text: two

text: Hamas

text: terrorist

text: targets

text: in

text: southern

text: Gaza

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: targets

text: was

text: a

text: terror

text: tunnel

text: used

text: for

text: the

text: infiltration

text: of

text: terrorists

text: into

text: Israel

text: while

text: the

text: other

text: was

text: used

text: for

text: smuggling

text: of

text: weapons

text: Direct

text: hits

text: were

text: identified

text: the

text: IDF

text: said

text: Hamas

text: the

text: movement

text: controlling

text: Gaza

text: has

text: been

text: vowing

text: retaliation

text: against

text: Israel

text: since

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: founding

text: members

text: of

text: its

text: military

text: wing

text: Mahmoud

text: al

text: Mabhouh

text: died

text: last

text: week

text: in

text: Dubai

text: Al

text: Mabhouh

text: 's

text: brother

text: Fayek

text: al

text: Mabhouh

text: said

text: that

text: preliminary

text: results

text: of

text: Hamas

text: investigation

text: of

text: the

text: death

text: showed

text: his

text: brother

text: was

text: killed

text: by

text: electrocution

text: and

text: strangulation

text: with

text: a

text: piece

text: of

text: cloth

text: Hamas

text: officials

text: accused

text: Israel

text: of

text: assassinating

text: Mahmoud

text: al

text: Mabhouh

text: Israeli

text: officials

text: have

text: not

text: responded

text: to

text: that

text: allegation

question: who sent the devices

answer: Islamic Jihad, the Fatah Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and the Nasser Salah A din Brigades

text: Islamic Jihad, the Fatah Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and the Nasser Salah A din Brigades

question: What answer gave the Israeli army?

answer: "One of the targets was a terror tunnel, used for the infiltration of terrorists into Israel, while the other was used for smuggling of weapons. Direct hits were identified,"

text: "One of the targets was a terror tunnel, used for the infiltration of terrorists into Israel, while the other was used for smuggling of weapons. Direct hits were identified,"

question: who died last week in dubai?

answer: Mahmoud al-Mabhouh,

text: Mahmoud al-Mabhouh,

question: where was issue a leaflet by islamic groups?

answer: Gaza

text: Gaza

question: what israeli air force attacked?

answer: "two Hamas terrorist targets"

text: "two Hamas terrorist targets"

question: who was attacked

answer: "two Hamas terrorist targets"

text: "two Hamas terrorist targets"


text:
(CNN) -- Twenty-three suspects, including nine American Airlines employees, were arrested Tuesday for allegedly transporting nearly $20 million worth of cocaine on flights into and out of Puerto Rico, federal authorities said.

Manuel Santiago-Alvarado, an American Airlines control crew chief, is among the suspects arrested Tuesday.

Most of the commercial flights carrying suitcases stuffed with illicit drugs came into San Juan, which was a transshipment point for drugs bound for cities on the U.S. mainland, authorities said.

The drug trafficking organization headed by defendant Wilfredo Rodriguez Rosade had been operating since 1999, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI, which participated in the long-running investigation.

In a September 9 indictment unsealed Tuesday, Justice Department officials also moved to seize $18 million worth of property owned by the suspects, including seven homes, three businesses and an apartment complex.

All but one of the arrests occurred in Puerto Rico. The lone arrest on the U.S. mainland was in Miami, Florida.

Drug Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Javier Pena said the airline industry cooperated in the investigation.

"By denying the drug traffickers alternate smuggling routes, we disrupt the flow of drugs into Puerto Rico and discourage the use of the island as a transshipment point in the Caribbean," he said in a news release.

The agency said that if they are convicted, the defendants taken into custody would face sentences ranging from 10 years to life in prison and personal fines of up to $4 million.

American Airlines issued a statement confirming some employees had been arrested, but could not confirm the number because of its privacy policy, spokesman Tim Wagner said in an e-mail. The airline has been working with authorities, he said.

"As a company, we hope that the actions of a few employees don't reflect negatively on the tens of thousands of ethical American Airlines employees who work hard to serve the public daily," Wagner wrote.

text: CNN

text: Twenty

text: three

text: suspects

text: including

text: nine

text: American

text: Airlines

text: employees

text: were

text: arrested

text: Tuesday

text: for

text: allegedly

text: transporting

text: nearly

text: million

text: worth

text: of

text: cocaine

text: on

text: flights

text: into

text: and

text: out

text: of

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: federal

text: authorities

text: said

text: Manuel

text: Santiago

text: Alvarado

text: an

text: American

text: Airlines

text: control

text: crew

text: chief

text: is

text: among

text: the

text: suspects

text: arrested

text: Tuesday

text: Most

text: of

text: the

text: commercial

text: flights

text: carrying

text: suitcases

text: stuffed

text: with

text: illicit

text: drugs

text: came

text: into

text: San

text: Juan

text: which

text: was

text: a

text: transshipment

text: point

text: for

text: drugs

text: bound

text: for

text: cities

text: on

text: the

text: U.S.

text: mainland

text: authorities

text: said

text: The

text: drug

text: trafficking

text: organization

text: headed

text: by

text: defendant

text: Wilfredo

text: Rodriguez

text: Rosade

text: had

text: been

text: operating

text: since

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Drug

text: Enforcement

text: Administration

text: and

text: the

text: FBI

text: which

text: participated

text: in

text: the

text: long

text: running

text: investigation

text: In

text: a

text: September

text: indictment

text: unsealed

text: Tuesday

text: Justice

text: Department

text: officials

text: also

text: moved

text: to

text: seize

text: million

text: worth

text: of

text: property

text: owned

text: by

text: the

text: suspects

text: including

text: seven

text: homes

text: three

text: businesses

text: and

text: an

text: apartment

text: complex

text: All

text: but

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: arrests

text: occurred

text: in

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: The

text: lone

text: arrest

text: on

text: the

text: U.S.

text: mainland

text: was

text: in

text: Miami

text: Florida

text: Drug

text: Enforcement

text: Special

text: Agent

text: in

text: Charge

text: Javier

text: Pena

text: said

text: the

text: airline

text: industry

text: cooperated

text: in

text: the

text: investigation

text: By

text: denying

text: the

text: drug

text: traffickers

text: alternate

text: smuggling

text: routes

text: we

text: disrupt

text: the

text: flow

text: of

text: drugs

text: into

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: and

text: discourage

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: the

text: island

text: as

text: a

text: transshipment

text: point

text: in

text: the

text: Caribbean

text: he

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: news

text: release

text: The

text: agency

text: said

text: that

text: if

text: they

text: are

text: convicted

text: the

text: defendants

text: taken

text: into

text: custody

text: would

text: face

text: sentences

text: ranging

text: from

text: years

text: to

text: life

text: in

text: prison

text: and

text: personal

text: fines

text: of

text: up

text: to

text: million

text: American

text: Airlines

text: issued

text: a

text: statement

text: confirming

text: some

text: employees

text: had

text: been

text: arrested

text: but

text: could

text: not

text: confirm

text: the

text: number

text: because

text: of

text: its

text: privacy

text: policy

text: spokesman

text: Tim

text: Wagner

text: said

text: in

text: an

text: e

text: mail

text: The

text: airline

text: has

text: been

text: working

text: with

text: authorities

text: he

text: said

text: As

text: a

text: company

text: we

text: hope

text: that

text: the

text: actions

text: of

text: a

text: few

text: employees

text: do

text: n't

text: reflect

text: negatively

text: on

text: the

text: tens

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: ethical

text: American

text: Airlines

text: employees

text: who

text: work

text: hard

text: to

text: serve

text: the

text: public

text: daily

text: Wagner

text: wrote

question: How long has it been running?

answer: since 1999,

text: since 1999,

question: What dollar amount of cocaine did 9 airline employees smuggle?

answer: $18 million worth

text: $18 million worth

question: Where were most flights?

answer: San Juan,

text: San Juan,

question: When had the operation been running since?

answer: 1999,

question: Where did most of the flights originate and depart from?

answer: Puerto Rico,

text: Puerto Rico,

question: How many airline employees were accused?

answer: nine

text: nine

question: What are the airlines accused of smuggling?

answer: nearly $20 million worth of cocaine

text: nearly $20 million worth of cocaine

question: When did the Dea and FBI say the operation began running?

answer: since 1999,

text: since 1999,

question: How many dollars was seized in property?

answer: $18 million

text: $18 million