text:
BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN)  -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Lebanon on Sunday to pledge U.S. support for the country and its push for free elections.

Lebanon President Michel Sleiman greets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday.

"The people of Lebanon must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections, without the specter of violence or intimidation, and free of outside interference," Clinton said during an unannounced visit to Beirut.

It was Clinton's first time visiting the country since taking office.

Lebanon is preparing for legislative elections in June that analysts say could bring the militant group, Hezbollah, to power.

The Obama administration backs the unity government of Sleiman, while Syria is allied with Hezbollah.

"Both of us are committed to supporting President (Michel) Sleiman's efforts to build a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign and democratic Lebanon."

Clinton is expected to meet with Sleiman and lay a wreath at the tomb of former Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a bomb attack in 2005.

Many Lebanese, as well as the United States, accused Syria of orchestrating the assassination of Hariri, an outspoken opponent of Syria. Damascus denied responsibility.

But massive popular protests after Hariri's death led to the pullout of thousands of troops that Syria maintained in Lebanon from the 1970s.

A senior state department official said Clinton's visit is intended to reassure Lebanon that the United States will not forgo its support of the country as it opens dialogues with Syria and Iran.

"Beyond the election, we will continue to support the voices of moderation in Lebanon, and the responsible institutions of the Lebanese state they are working hard to build," Clinton said.

CNN's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.

text: BEIRUT

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text: 's

text: Jill

text: Dougherty

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text: to

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text: report

question: What did Clinton say people of Lebanon should vote  ?

answer: must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections, without the specter of violence or intimidation, and free of outside interference,"

text: must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections, without the specter of violence or intimidation, and free of outside interference,"

question: What did Hillary Clinton say about the people of Lbanon?

answer: "The

text: "The

question: What country did Clinton visit?

answer: Lebanon

text: Lebanon

question: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes unannounced visit to what country /

answer: Lebanon

text: Lebanon

question: Where did Hillary Clinton visit unannounced?

answer: Beirut.

text: Beirut.

question: What should the Lebanon people do?

answer: choose their own representatives in open and fair elections,

text: choose their own representatives in open and fair elections,

question: What did Clinton offer Lebanon?

answer: U.S. support for the country and its push for free elections.

text: U.S. support for the country and its push for free elections.

question: What did she ressure people about?

answer: the United States will not forgo its support of the country

text: the United States will not forgo its support of the country

question: Clinton also reassures U.S. support of what country ?

answer: Lebanon

text: Lebanon


text:
East Rutherford, New Jersey (CNN) -- From nuclear weapons to human rights, the image of Iran is quite negative in America. But with little fanfare, one Iranian man has won hearts and cheers battling Americans on the court in basketball arenas around the country.

Hamed Haddadi is the NBA's first Iranian basketball player. At 7-foot-2, Haddadi began playing for Tennessee's Memphis Grizzlies in August 2008. His final game of this season was set for Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.

Despite U.S.-Iran tensions in the political arena, any strains appear absent with teammates and fans alike.

"It seems like he's the most popular Grizzly. When we go on the road ... he has a lot of support from a lot of people, a lot of people come out to watch him and watch us play," said teammate Mike Conley, who accompanied Haddadi to a "kebab fest."

The kebab fest was held in Las Vegas in 2009. Haddadi was accompanied by Conley and fellow Grizzly Hakim Warrick to a Persian restaurant. The event served to introduce the teammates to Persian food. Grizzlies' forward Rudy Gay turned the tables when he took Haddadi for a taste of American ribs at a Memphis restaurant.

It wasn't as easy getting permission to play in the United States. Current U.S. sanctions on Iran prohibit "a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals," stated the NBA legal counsel.

The NBA had to apply to the U.S. government for a license that granted Haddadi permission to play for the NBA.

The reception has been positive courtside. But problems arose from game announcers once.

Ralph Lawler and Mike Smith, L.A. Clippers announcers on local Fox Sports, were suspended for a game for insensitive comments about Haddadi. When the Grizzlies faced the Clippers, the two joked about the Iranian center.

"You're sure it's not Borat's older brother?" said Smith. "If they ever make a movie about Haddadi, I'm going to get Sacha Baron Cohen to play the part."

Mayar Zokaei, Haddadi's Iranian-American manager, said the Iranian basketball player has brought lots of media attention to the middle-of-the-standings Grizzlies.

"He's gotten more press then any of his teammates this year and the past couple of years just for the sole reason that he's Iranian-American," said Zokaei. "Iranian playing basketball in America ... that's rare. [There aren't many]) Iranians doing anything in bona fide sports arenas in the U.S."

Haddadi faces big challenges. One is speaking and learning English.

Furthermore, his family is almost 7,000 miles away in Iran. The political turmoil back home is something he can't control. He worries about his family.

"It affects him because he misses them, he's not able to keep up to date with them because he's so busy ... he's always concerned about their well-being and such," said Zokaei.

Off the court, Haddadi has been working to bridge the gap between Iranian-Americans and basketball. Haddadi was at the forefront of creating the Hamed Haddadi Javanan Foundation. The charity organization aims to award college scholarships to student athletes.

The foundation has not been his only initiative.

In 2009, with Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest and manager Zokaei, Haddadi hosted a weekend basketball camp for 100 children.

The camp was held on the campus of California State University at Northridge and was aimed mainly at the Iranian-American community.

Haddadi's team did not make the NBA playoffs, which start within the week. His next test on the court -- playing for Iran against the United States in the world championships in September in Turkey. Haddadi and teammate Rudy Gay agree the United States will win.

"Tell you the truth ... we can't beat the United States you know," said Haddadi. "We're [The U.S.] gonna win, of course," boasted Gay.

But his two years in America have been a personal victory for Haddadi, who just wants to play more when he returns to America.

text: East

text: Rutherford

text: New

text: Jersey

text: CNN

text: From

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: to

text: human

text: rights

text: the

text: image

text: of

text: Iran

text: is

text: quite

text: negative

text: in

text: America

text: But

text: with

text: little

text: fanfare

text: one

text: Iranian

text: man

text: has

text: won

text: hearts

text: and

text: cheers

text: battling

text: Americans

text: on

text: the

text: court

text: in

text: basketball

text: arenas

text: around

text: the

text: country

text: Hamed

text: Haddadi

text: is

text: the

text: NBA

text: 's

text: first

text: Iranian

text: basketball

text: player

text: At

text: Haddadi

text: began

text: playing

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text: Tennessee

text: 's

text: Memphis

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text: August

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text: final

text: game

text: of

text: this

text: season

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text: Wednesday

text: night

text: in

text: Oklahoma

text: City

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text: U.S

text: Iran

text: tensions

text: in

text: the

text: political

text: arena

text: any

text: strains

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text: absent

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text: seems

text: like

text: he

text: 's

text: the

text: most

text: popular

text: Grizzly

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text: we

text: go

text: on

text: the

text: road

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text: lot

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text: support

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text: of

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text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: people

text: come

text: out

text: to

text: watch

text: him

text: and

text: watch

text: us

text: play

text: said

text: teammate

text: Mike

text: Conley

text: who

text: accompanied

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text: kebab

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text: kebab

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text: held

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text: Vegas

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text: was

text: accompanied

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text: Conley

text: and

text: fellow

text: Grizzly

text: Hakim

text: Warrick

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text: Persian

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text: event

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text: Rudy

text: Gay

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text: he

text: took

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text: taste

text: of

text: American

text: ribs

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text: a

text: Memphis

text: restaurant

text: It

text: was

text: n't

text: as

text: easy

text: getting

text: permission

text: to

text: play

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Current

text: U.S.

text: sanctions

text: on

text: Iran

text: prohibit

text: a

text: person

text: or

text: organization

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: from

text: engaging

text: in

text: business

text: dealings

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text: Iranian

text: nationals

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text: NBA

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text: apply

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text: U.S.

text: government

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text: license

text: that

text: granted

text: Haddadi

text: permission

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text: play

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text: NBA

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text: reception

text: has

text: been

text: positive

text: courtside

text: But

text: problems

text: arose

text: from

text: game

text: announcers

text: once

text: Ralph

text: Lawler

text: and

text: Mike

text: Smith

text: L.A.

text: Clippers

text: announcers

text: on

text: local

text: Fox

text: Sports

text: were

text: suspended

text: for

text: a

text: game

text: for

text: insensitive

text: comments

text: about

text: Haddadi

text: When

text: the

text: Grizzlies

text: faced

text: the

text: Clippers

text: the

text: two

text: joked

text: about

text: the

text: Iranian

text: center

text: You

text: 're

text: sure

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: Borat

text: 's

text: older

text: brother

text: said

text: Smith

text: If

text: they

text: ever

text: make

text: a

text: movie

text: about

text: Haddadi

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: get

text: Sacha

text: Baron

text: Cohen

text: to

text: play

text: the

text: part

text: Mayar

text: Zokaei

text: Haddadi

text: 's

text: Iranian

text: American

text: manager

text: said

text: the

text: Iranian

text: basketball

text: player

text: has

text: brought

text: lots

text: of

text: media

text: attention

text: to

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: the

text: standings

text: Grizzlies

text: He

text: 's

text: gotten

text: more

text: press

text: then

text: any

text: of

text: his

text: teammates

text: this

text: year

text: and

text: the

text: past

text: couple

text: of

text: years

text: just

text: for

text: the

text: sole

text: reason

text: that

text: he

text: 's

text: Iranian

text: American

text: said

text: Zokaei

text: Iranian

text: playing

text: basketball

text: in

text: America

text: that

text: 's

text: rare

text: There

text: are

text: n't

text: many

text: Iranians

text: doing

text: anything

text: in

text: bona

text: fide

text: sports

text: arenas

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Haddadi

text: faces

text: big

text: challenges

text: One

text: is

text: speaking

text: and

text: learning

text: English

text: Furthermore

text: his

text: family

text: is

text: almost

text: miles

text: away

text: in

text: Iran

text: The

text: political

text: turmoil

text: back

text: home

text: is

text: something

text: he

text: ca

text: n't

text: control

text: He

text: worries

text: about

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text: family

text: It

text: affects

text: him

text: because

text: he

text: misses

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text: 's

text: not

text: able

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text: keep

text: up

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text: date

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text: he

text: 's

text: so

text: busy

text: he

text: 's

text: always

text: concerned

text: about

text: their

text: well

text: being

text: and

text: such

text: said

text: Zokaei

text: Off

text: the

text: court

text: Haddadi

text: has

text: been

text: working

text: to

text: bridge

text: the

text: gap

text: between

text: Iranian

text: Americans

text: and

text: basketball

text: Haddadi

text: was

text: at

text: the

text: forefront

text: of

text: creating

text: the

text: Hamed

text: Haddadi

text: Javanan

text: Foundation

text: The

text: charity

text: organization

text: aims

text: to

text: award

text: college

text: scholarships

text: to

text: student

text: athletes

text: The

text: foundation

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: his

text: only

text: initiative

text: In

text: with

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Lakers

text: forward

text: Ron

text: Artest

text: and

text: manager

text: Zokaei

text: Haddadi

text: hosted

text: a

text: weekend

text: basketball

text: camp

text: for

text: children

text: The

text: camp

text: was

text: held

text: on

text: the

text: campus

text: of

text: California

text: State

text: University

text: at

text: Northridge

text: and

text: was

text: aimed

text: mainly

text: at

text: the

text: Iranian

text: American

text: community

text: Haddadi

text: 's

text: team

text: did

text: not

text: make

text: the

text: NBA

text: playoffs

text: which

text: start

text: within

text: the

text: week

text: His

text: next

text: test

text: on

text: the

text: court

text: playing

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text: Iran

text: against

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: championships

text: in

text: September

text: in

text: Turkey

text: Haddadi

text: and

text: teammate

text: Rudy

text: Gay

text: agree

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: will

text: win

text: Tell

text: you

text: the

text: truth

text: we

text: ca

text: n't

text: beat

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: you

text: know

text: said

text: Haddadi

text: We

text: 're

text: The

text: U.S.

text: gon

text: win

text: of

text: course

text: boasted

text: Gay

text: But

text: his

text: two

text: years

text: in

text: America

text: have

text: been

text: a

text: personal

text: victory

text: for

text: Haddadi

text: who

text: just

text: wants

text: to

text: play

text: more

text: when

text: he

text: returns

text: to

text: America

question: what did the nba apply for

answer: a license that granted Haddadi permission to play

text: a license that granted Haddadi permission to play

question: when did he join the Grizzlies?

answer: August 2008.

text: August 2008.

question: Who had to apply to the US Government?

answer: NBA

text: NBA

question: Which team did he play for

answer: Tennessee's Memphis Grizzlies

text: Tennessee's Memphis Grizzlies

question: Who began playing for Tennessee's Memphis Grizzlies in 2008?

answer: Hamed Haddadi

text: Hamed Haddadi

question: What bridge has he been trying to gap?

answer: between Iranian-Americans and basketball.

text: between Iranian-Americans and basketball.

question: Who did they have to apply for license from?

answer: U.S. government

text: U.S. government

question: what sport does he play?

answer: basketball

text: basketball

question: which country is he from

answer: Iranian

text: Iranian


text:
(CNN) -- When Maggie Sorrells looks at her husband, Andy, she doesn't see the man she married. In fact, most days, she doesn't even recognize herself.

Maggie and Andy Sorrells weighed 440 pounds and 505 pounds, respectively, at their heaviest.

Before the Franklin, Tennessee, couple met online, both had endured lifelong struggles with weight and emotional overeating. Together, they had a combined weight of nearly 1,000 pounds.

Maggie, who had a family history of heart disease and diabetes, had been warned by her doctor at the age of 27 that she wouldn't live to see 30. But her real moment of truth came when she visited her mother in the hospital.

"The biggest shock of my entire life was stepping on a hospital scale and realizing I weighed 440 pounds," she recalls.

Until that moment, Maggie says she never knew how much she weighed, because she was too heavy to register on a household scale.

Andy, like Maggie, tried countless diets but failed to keep the weight off. At his heaviest, he was 505 pounds and had to have most of his size 64 clothing made by his mother to fit his 6-foot-3-inch frame.  See before-and-after photos of CNN.com I-Reporters Â»  Obesity took an emotional and physical toll on the couple.

Andy says people constantly teased him about his weight and he eventually withdrew. He battled depression and took anti-depressants for seven years.

Maggie, on the other hand, tried to conceal her misery by making other people laugh.

"I was so depressed and so miserable. I was always the funny fat girl, but on the inside I was miserable," recalls Maggie. "It held me back in many ways and I started to accept it as being genetic and felt this was just the way I was going to be."

Though she never let her obesity keep her from traveling or socializing, it had affected her quality of life. Maggie had to use a seatbelt extension on airplanes and was once asked to get off a roller-coaster at an amusement park.

In August 2002, the couple was married and they soon made a decision that would forever change their lives.

Before getting married, a friend introduced Maggie to The Weigh Down Workshop, a faith-based weight loss program, which teaches people to conquer their addiction to food, as well as other substances and vices, by turning to God.

Maggie says she was never consistent or committed enough to stick with the program. But shortly after their wedding, the couple started packing on the pounds and while Andy tried another diet, Maggie gave Weigh Down another try.

"At the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003, I called Weigh Down and started taking the classes," says Maggie. "My whole life, I had always wanted somebody to [lose weight] with me. But I knew if I wanted it bad enough, I would have to do it alone."

She began to lose weight.

"I ate whatever I craved, but only when I was truly hungry and then I ate a lot more slowly, so I could tell when to stop," Maggie says.

In February 2003, after seeing his wife's results, Andy stopped counting calories, gave up the low-fat foods and reduced his portion sizes. Fifteen months later, he had lost 257 pounds.

"Once I started this program, it changed my outlook on my entire life. I realized that being happy is a choice. I can either be filled with hate and despair or I can be happy," says Andy, who realized he no longer needed the anti-depressants.

Maggie's weight loss was more gradual. Shortly after starting the program, Maggie became pregnant with the couple's first child. Sadly, she lost the baby when she was seven months pregnant.

"Many of our family members were afraid that we would turn back to food after we lost our first daughter, since we had turned to food to solve our problems our whole lives," remembers Maggie.   Faith, she says, helped her overcome the loss and continue on the program. Three years later, she had not only lost 300 pounds but she also gave birth to another daughter, Lily. Last week, the couple welcomed their son, Jacob.

How has the weight loss changed their lives? Maggie, who now weighs 140 pounds and wears a size six, and Andy, who weighs 220 pounds and wears a size 36, say they had no idea their lives could be this good.  "It blows my mind that we look the way we do," says Maggie.

The couple shares their success and strategy for weight loss by leading online classes for Weigh Down. Maggie believes if just one person's life can be changed by her story then her struggle will have been worth it.  "I want people to know there is hope. I looked for hope my whole life," says Maggie. "I want that person who is just like the old me to look at where I am now and know that you want to be here!"  iReport.com: Have you lost weight? Send your story, photos and video E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: When

text: Maggie

text: Sorrells

text: looks

text: at

text: her

text: husband

text: Andy

text: she

text: does

text: n't

text: see

text: the

text: man

text: she

text: married

text: In

text: fact

text: most

text: days

text: she

text: does

text: n't

text: even

text: recognize

text: herself

text: Maggie

text: and

text: Andy

text: Sorrells

text: weighed

text: pounds

text: and

text: pounds

text: respectively

text: at

text: their

text: heaviest

text: Before

text: the

text: Franklin

text: Tennessee

text: couple

text: met

text: online

text: both

text: had

text: endured

text: lifelong

text: struggles

text: with

text: weight

text: and

text: emotional

text: overeating

text: Together

text: they

text: had

text: a

text: combined

text: weight

text: of

text: nearly

text: pounds

text: Maggie

text: who

text: had

text: a

text: family

text: history

text: of

text: heart

text: disease

text: and

text: diabetes

text: had

text: been

text: warned

text: by

text: her

text: doctor

text: at

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: that

text: she

text: would

text: n't

text: live

text: to

text: see

text: But

text: her

text: real

text: moment

text: of

text: truth

text: came

text: when

text: she

text: visited

text: her

text: mother

text: in

text: the

text: hospital

text: The

text: biggest

text: shock

text: of

text: my

text: entire

text: life

text: was

text: stepping

text: on

text: a

text: hospital

text: scale

text: and

text: realizing

text: I

text: weighed

text: pounds

text: she

text: recalls

text: Until

text: that

text: moment

text: Maggie

text: says

text: she

text: never

text: knew

text: how

text: much

text: she

text: weighed

text: because

text: she

text: was

text: too

text: heavy

text: to

text: register

text: on

text: a

text: household

text: scale

text: Andy

text: like

text: Maggie

text: tried

text: countless

text: diets

text: but

text: failed

text: to

text: keep

text: the

text: weight

text: off

text: At

text: his

text: heaviest

text: he

text: was

text: pounds

text: and

text: had

text: to

text: have

text: most

text: of

text: his

text: size

text: clothing

text: made

text: by

text: his

text: mother

text: to

text: fit

text: his

text: frame

text: See

text: before

text: and

text: after

text: photos

text: of

text: CNN.com

text: I

text: Reporters

text: Â

text: Obesity

text: took

text: an

text: emotional

text: and

text: physical

text: toll

text: on

text: the

text: couple

text: Andy

text: says

text: people

text: constantly

text: teased

text: him

text: about

text: his

text: weight

text: and

text: he

text: eventually

text: withdrew

text: He

text: battled

text: depression

text: and

text: took

text: anti

text: depressants

text: for

text: seven

text: years

text: Maggie

text: on

text: the

text: other

text: hand

text: tried

text: to

text: conceal

text: her

text: misery

text: by

text: making

text: other

text: people

text: laugh

text: I

text: was

text: so

text: depressed

text: and

text: so

text: miserable

text: I

text: was

text: always

text: the

text: funny

text: fat

text: girl

text: but

text: on

text: the

text: inside

text: I

text: was

text: miserable

text: recalls

text: Maggie

text: It

text: held

text: me

text: back

text: in

text: many

text: ways

text: and

text: I

text: started

text: to

text: accept

text: it

text: as

text: being

text: genetic

text: and

text: felt

text: this

text: was

text: just

text: the

text: way

text: I

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: Though

text: she

text: never

text: let

text: her

text: obesity

text: keep

text: her

text: from

text: traveling

text: or

text: socializing

text: it

text: had

text: affected

text: her

text: quality

text: of

text: life

text: Maggie

text: had

text: to

text: use

text: a

text: seatbelt

text: extension

text: on

text: airplanes

text: and

text: was

text: once

text: asked

text: to

text: get

text: off

text: a

text: roller

text: coaster

text: at

text: an

text: amusement

text: park

text: In

text: August

text: the

text: couple

text: was

text: married

text: and

text: they

text: soon

text: made

text: a

text: decision

text: that

text: would

text: forever

text: change

text: their

text: lives

text: Before

text: getting

text: married

text: a

text: friend

text: introduced

text: Maggie

text: to

text: The

text: Weigh

text: Down

text: Workshop

text: a

text: faith

text: based

text: weight

text: loss

text: program

text: which

text: teaches

text: people

text: to

text: conquer

text: their

text: addiction

text: to

text: food

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: other

text: substances

text: and

text: vices

text: by

text: turning

text: to

text: God

text: Maggie

text: says

text: she

text: was

text: never

text: consistent

text: or

text: committed

text: enough

text: to

text: stick

text: with

text: the

text: program

text: But

text: shortly

text: after

text: their

text: wedding

text: the

text: couple

text: started

text: packing

text: on

text: the

text: pounds

text: and

text: while

text: Andy

text: tried

text: another

text: diet

text: Maggie

text: gave

text: Weigh

text: Down

text: another

text: try

text: At

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: and

text: the

text: beginning

text: of

text: I

text: called

text: Weigh

text: Down

text: and

text: started

text: taking

text: the

text: classes

text: says

text: Maggie

text: My

text: whole

text: life

text: I

text: had

text: always

text: wanted

text: somebody

text: to

text: lose

text: weight

text: with

text: me

text: But

text: I

text: knew

text: if

text: I

text: wanted

text: it

text: bad

text: enough

text: I

text: would

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: alone

text: She

text: began

text: to

text: lose

text: weight

text: I

text: ate

text: whatever

text: I

text: craved

text: but

text: only

text: when

text: I

text: was

text: truly

text: hungry

text: and

text: then

text: I

text: ate

text: a

text: lot

text: more

text: slowly

text: so

text: I

text: could

text: tell

text: when

text: to

text: stop

text: Maggie

text: says

text: In

text: February

text: after

text: seeing

text: his

text: wife

text: 's

text: results

text: Andy

text: stopped

text: counting

text: calories

text: gave

text: up

text: the

text: low

text: fat

text: foods

text: and

text: reduced

text: his

text: portion

text: sizes

text: Fifteen

text: months

text: later

text: he

text: had

text: lost

text: pounds

text: Once

text: I

text: started

text: this

text: program

text: it

text: changed

text: my

text: outlook

text: on

text: my

text: entire

text: life

text: I

text: realized

text: that

text: being

text: happy

text: is

text: a

text: choice

text: I

text: can

text: either

text: be

text: filled

text: with

text: hate

text: and

text: despair

text: or

text: I

text: can

text: be

text: happy

text: says

text: Andy

text: who

text: realized

text: he

text: no

text: longer

text: needed

text: the

text: anti

text: depressants

text: Maggie

text: 's

text: weight

text: loss

text: was

text: more

text: gradual

text: Shortly

text: after

text: starting

text: the

text: program

text: Maggie

text: became

text: pregnant

text: with

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: first

text: child

text: Sadly

text: she

text: lost

text: the

text: baby

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: seven

text: months

text: pregnant

text: Many

text: of

text: our

text: family

text: members

text: were

text: afraid

text: that

text: we

text: would

text: turn

text: back

text: to

text: food

text: after

text: we

text: lost

text: our

text: first

text: daughter

text: since

text: we

text: had

text: turned

text: to

text: food

text: to

text: solve

text: our

text: problems

text: our

text: whole

text: lives

text: remembers

text: Maggie

text: Faith

text: she

text: says

text: helped

text: her

text: overcome

text: the

text: loss

text: and

text: continue

text: on

text: the

text: program

text: Three

text: years

text: later

text: she

text: had

text: not

text: only

text: lost

text: pounds

text: but

text: she

text: also

text: gave

text: birth

text: to

text: another

text: daughter

text: Lily

text: Last

text: week

text: the

text: couple

text: welcomed

text: their

text: son

text: Jacob

text: How

text: has

text: the

text: weight

text: loss

text: changed

text: their

text: lives

text: Maggie

text: who

text: now

text: weighs

text: pounds

text: and

text: wears

text: a

text: size

text: six

text: and

text: Andy

text: who

text: weighs

text: pounds

text: and

text: wears

text: a

text: size

text: say

text: they

text: had

text: no

text: idea

text: their

text: lives

text: could

text: be

text: this

text: good

text: It

text: blows

text: my

text: mind

text: that

text: we

text: look

text: the

text: way

text: we

text: do

text: says

text: Maggie

text: The

text: couple

text: shares

text: their

text: success

text: and

text: strategy

text: for

text: weight

text: loss

text: by

text: leading

text: online

text: classes

text: for

text: Weigh

text: Down

text: Maggie

text: believes

text: if

text: just

text: one

text: person

text: 's

text: life

text: can

text: be

text: changed

text: by

text: her

text: story

text: then

text: her

text: struggle

text: will

text: have

text: been

text: worth

text: it

text: I

text: want

text: people

text: to

text: know

text: there

text: is

text: hope

text: I

text: looked

text: for

text: hope

text: my

text: whole

text: life

text: says

text: Maggie

text: I

text: want

text: that

text: person

text: who

text: is

text: just

text: like

text: the

text: old

text: me

text: to

text: look

text: at

text: where

text: I

text: am

text: now

text: and

text: know

text: that

text: you

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: here

text: iReport.com

text: Have

text: you

text: lost

text: weight

text: Send

text: your

text: story

text: photos

text: and

text: video

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: What type of program helped the Sorrells lose 580 pounds?

answer: The Weigh Down Workshop,

text: The Weigh Down Workshop,

question: What doctors warned Maggie?

answer: at the age of 27 that she wouldn't live to see 30.

text: at the age of 27 that she wouldn't live to see 30.

question: What was the combined weight of Maggie and Andy Sorrells?

answer: nearly 1,000 pounds.

text: nearly 1,000 pounds.

question: Before what age was Maggie was expected to die?

answer: 30.

question: How many pounds did Maggie and Andy Sorrells combined, approximately weigh?

answer: nearly 1,000

text: nearly 1,000

question: What age was Maggie Sorrell not expected to reach?

answer: 30.

question: What was it that helped bring down?

answer: Faith,

text: Faith,


text:
A Nigerian politician has been arrested for trying to smuggle almost five pounds of cocaine in his stomach in a scheme to finance his election campaign, authorities said Monday.

Eme Zuru Ayortor, a 52-year-old pharmacist and a hopeful for Nigeria's Edo State House of Assembly, was arrested at the international airport in Lagos, drug officials said.

Officials became suspicious of the politician when a scanning machine in the airport revealed that he was carrying 2.120 kilograms (4.7 pounds) of cocaine in his stomach, according to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Ayortor was trying to fly to Frankfurt, Germany, the agency said.

"After undergoing observation, the pharmacist turned politician excreted 100 pieces of powdery substance that tested positive to cocaine," the agency said in a statement.

"Preliminary check on him revealed that he was preparing himself financially for the forthcoming election into the Edo State House of Assembly."

The suspect told authorities that he was hoping his status as a politician would help him avoid being arrested.

"We do not look at faces in conducting drug screening and we are not moved by credentials. Whoever is dealing in narcotics shall be exposed and prosecuted," said Ahmadu Giade, chairman of the Nigerian drug agency.

text: A

text: Nigerian

text: politician

text: has

text: been

text: arrested

text: for

text: trying

text: to

text: smuggle

text: almost

text: five

text: pounds

text: of

text: cocaine

text: in

text: his

text: stomach

text: in

text: a

text: scheme

text: to

text: finance

text: his

text: election

text: campaign

text: authorities

text: said

text: Monday

text: Eme

text: Zuru

text: Ayortor

text: a

text: old

text: pharmacist

text: and

text: a

text: hopeful

text: for

text: Nigeria

text: 's

text: Edo

text: State

text: House

text: of

text: Assembly

text: was

text: arrested

text: at

text: the

text: international

text: airport

text: in

text: Lagos

text: drug

text: officials

text: said

text: Officials

text: became

text: suspicious

text: of

text: the

text: politician

text: when

text: a

text: scanning

text: machine

text: in

text: the

text: airport

text: revealed

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: carrying

text: kilograms

text: pounds

text: of

text: cocaine

text: in

text: his

text: stomach

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: National

text: Drug

text: Law

text: Enforcement

text: Agency

text: Ayortor

text: was

text: trying

text: to

text: fly

text: to

text: Frankfurt

text: Germany

text: the

text: agency

text: said

text: After

text: undergoing

text: observation

text: the

text: pharmacist

text: turned

text: politician

text: excreted

text: pieces

text: of

text: powdery

text: substance

text: that

text: tested

text: positive

text: to

text: cocaine

text: the

text: agency

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Preliminary

text: check

text: on

text: him

text: revealed

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: preparing

text: himself

text: financially

text: for

text: the

text: forthcoming

text: election

text: into

text: the

text: Edo

text: State

text: House

text: of

text: Assembly

text: The

text: suspect

text: told

text: authorities

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: hoping

text: his

text: status

text: as

text: a

text: politician

text: would

text: help

text: him

text: avoid

text: being

text: arrested

text: We

text: do

text: not

text: look

text: at

text: faces

text: in

text: conducting

text: drug

text: screening

text: and

text: we

text: are

text: not

text: moved

text: by

text: credentials

text: Whoever

text: is

text: dealing

text: in

text: narcotics

text: shall

text: be

text: exposed

text: and

text: prosecuted

text: said

text: Ahmadu

text: Giade

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: Nigerian

text: drug

text: agency

question: What was the smuggler trying to finance?

answer: election campaign,

text: election campaign,

question: What did the politician try to smuggle?

answer: five pounds of cocaine

text: five pounds of cocaine

question: Authorities said he was trying to finance what ?

answer: election campaign,

text: election campaign,

question: Who tried to smuggle cocaine in his stomach?

answer: Eme Zuru Ayortor,

text: Eme Zuru Ayortor,

question: What did Eme Zuru Ayortor say?

answer: he was hoping his status as a politician would help him avoid being arrested.

text: he was hoping his status as a politician would help him avoid being arrested.

question: What politician tried to smuggle almost five pounds of cocaine in his stomach ?

answer: Eme Zuru Ayortor,

text: Eme Zuru Ayortor,

question: Who told officials he thought his status as a politician would help him?

answer: Ayortor,

text: Ayortor,

question: What did the authorities say?

answer: politician

text: politician

question: Who told officials he thought his status as politician would help him avoid arrest ?

answer: Eme Zuru Ayortor,

text: Eme Zuru Ayortor,


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Throughout her career, singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper has promoted gay and lesbian rights. She has a personal connection to this cause -- her sister is a lesbian -- but she also believes it's a matter of fairness.

Cyndi Lauper worked with Cathy Nelson of the Human Rights Campaign to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

"It's always wrong to discriminate," the Grammy Award winner said. "I grew up in the civil rights movement. It was wrong then, and it is wrong now."

With her 2007 and 2008 "True Colors" tours, Lauper has helped raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights around the country. She said fellow LGBT activist Cathy Nelson especially motivates her.

Nelson worked at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a national LGBT civil rights organization, and her dedication to those issues runs deep. Fighting for fairness and equality, she said, drives her.

"I'm a lesbian, and I see the issues very personally," Nelson said. "When it deep-down resonates that you don't have the same rights and responsibilities, or people don't view you the same, it can be demoralizing and empowering at the same time."

Nelson's passion for the cause has enabled her to inspire thousands of people across the country to get involved.

When she was growing up in rural Illinois, Nelson said, she hadn't imagined following this path.

She trained to be a teacher, but on a whim, became a flight attendant with Eastern Airlines to fulfill her "intense desire to travel."

In the 1980s, she became involved with labor issues through her flight attendant union. That led to working on women's issues with the National Organization of Women in Washington.

In 1989, she started working for the HRC. Since then, she has helped bring LGBT rights out of the closet and onto the national stage.

Hired to increase the group's membership, Nelson built a strong volunteer network in communities across the nation. HRC had just 12,000 members when Nelson started. Today it has more than 725,000, making it the largest gay and lesbian rights organization in the country.

"Part of my job is getting people to be vocal," Nelson said. "It's important that everyone has an understanding that discrimination is happening every single day against a certain segment of society. And that's just wrong."

In 2007, when Lauper worked with HRC for the "True Colors" tour, she and Nelson teamed up to bring gay and straight audiences together on fairness and equality issues.

Nelson realized it was also an opportunity to shine the spotlight on an issue she'd worked on for almost a decade -- the passage of a hate crimes bill that would make attacks based on sexual orientation, disability, or gender a federal crime.

For Nelson, crimes against LGBT people -- such as the murder of Matthew Shepard -- represent the darkest side of ignorance on these issues.

In 2006, more than one in six hate crimes were committed against LGBT individuals, an 18 percent rise over the previous year, according to the FBI.

"I learned from Cathy that hate crimes send fear through a community," Lauper said. "You could die just because of who you are."  Watch Lauper and Nelson talk about the "True Colors" tour to raise awareness Â»

At every concert, Lauper spoke passionately about the need to pass the bill, and her song, "True Colors," was used in a public service announcement about the legislation.

HRC volunteers distributed information at each venue and had postcards on hand for people to send to their legislators.

In the end, more than 15,000 people signed postcards, and both houses of Congress passed the bill by wide margins.

Although President Bush never signed the bill, Nelson and Lauper have high hopes for it to soon become law. For Nelson, getting so many people engaged was a key achievement.

"The biggest reward for me is when I've played some part in empowering someone to get involved," she said.

Lauper knows first-hand how convincing Nelson can be.

"The fact that you can actually succeed and help people -- you really get that from her," she said. "People like Cathy get all of us motivated."

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Throughout

text: her

text: career

text: singer

text: songwriter

text: Cyndi

text: Lauper

text: has

text: promoted

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: rights

text: She

text: has

text: a

text: personal

text: connection

text: to

text: this

text: cause

text: her

text: sister

text: is

text: a

text: lesbian

text: but

text: she

text: also

text: believes

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: matter

text: of

text: fairness

text: Cyndi

text: Lauper

text: worked

text: with

text: Cathy

text: Nelson

text: of

text: the

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Campaign

text: to

text: raise

text: awareness

text: of

text: LGBT

text: issues

text: It

text: 's

text: always

text: wrong

text: to

text: discriminate

text: the

text: Grammy

text: Award

text: winner

text: said

text: I

text: grew

text: up

text: in

text: the

text: civil

text: rights

text: movement

text: It

text: was

text: wrong

text: then

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: wrong

text: now

text: With

text: her

text: and

text: True

text: Colors

text: tours

text: Lauper

text: has

text: helped

text: raise

text: awareness

text: about

text: lesbian

text: gay

text: bisexual

text: and

text: transgender

text: rights

text: around

text: the

text: country

text: She

text: said

text: fellow

text: LGBT

text: activist

text: Cathy

text: Nelson

text: especially

text: motivates

text: her

text: Nelson

text: worked

text: at

text: the

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Campaign

text: HRC

text: a

text: national

text: LGBT

text: civil

text: rights

text: organization

text: and

text: her

text: dedication

text: to

text: those

text: issues

text: runs

text: deep

text: Fighting

text: for

text: fairness

text: and

text: equality

text: she

text: said

text: drives

text: her

text: I

text: 'm

text: a

text: lesbian

text: and

text: I

text: see

text: the

text: issues

text: very

text: personally

text: Nelson

text: said

text: When

text: it

text: deep

text: down

text: resonates

text: that

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: the

text: same

text: rights

text: and

text: responsibilities

text: or

text: people

text: do

text: n't

text: view

text: you

text: the

text: same

text: it

text: can

text: be

text: demoralizing

text: and

text: empowering

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: Nelson

text: 's

text: passion

text: for

text: the

text: cause

text: has

text: enabled

text: her

text: to

text: inspire

text: thousands

text: of

text: people

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: to

text: get

text: involved

text: When

text: she

text: was

text: growing

text: up

text: in

text: rural

text: Illinois

text: Nelson

text: said

text: she

text: had

text: n't

text: imagined

text: following

text: this

text: path

text: She

text: trained

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: teacher

text: but

text: on

text: a

text: whim

text: became

text: a

text: flight

text: attendant

text: with

text: Eastern

text: Airlines

text: to

text: fulfill

text: her

text: intense

text: desire

text: to

text: travel

text: In

text: the

text: she

text: became

text: involved

text: with

text: labor

text: issues

text: through

text: her

text: flight

text: attendant

text: union

text: That

text: led

text: to

text: working

text: on

text: women

text: 's

text: issues

text: with

text: the

text: National

text: Organization

text: of

text: Women

text: in

text: Washington

text: In

text: she

text: started

text: working

text: for

text: the

text: HRC

text: Since

text: then

text: she

text: has

text: helped

text: bring

text: LGBT

text: rights

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: closet

text: and

text: onto

text: the

text: national

text: stage

text: Hired

text: to

text: increase

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: membership

text: Nelson

text: built

text: a

text: strong

text: volunteer

text: network

text: in

text: communities

text: across

text: the

text: nation

text: HRC

text: had

text: just

text: members

text: when

text: Nelson

text: started

text: Today

text: it

text: has

text: more

text: than

text: making

text: it

text: the

text: largest

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: rights

text: organization

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: Part

text: of

text: my

text: job

text: is

text: getting

text: people

text: to

text: be

text: vocal

text: Nelson

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: important

text: that

text: everyone

text: has

text: an

text: understanding

text: that

text: discrimination

text: is

text: happening

text: every

text: single

text: day

text: against

text: a

text: certain

text: segment

text: of

text: society

text: And

text: that

text: 's

text: just

text: wrong

text: In

text: when

text: Lauper

text: worked

text: with

text: HRC

text: for

text: the

text: True

text: Colors

text: tour

text: she

text: and

text: Nelson

text: teamed

text: up

text: to

text: bring

text: gay

text: and

text: straight

text: audiences

text: together

text: on

text: fairness

text: and

text: equality

text: issues

text: Nelson

text: realized

text: it

text: was

text: also

text: an

text: opportunity

text: to

text: shine

text: the

text: spotlight

text: on

text: an

text: issue

text: she

text: 'd

text: worked

text: on

text: for

text: almost

text: a

text: decade

text: the

text: passage

text: of

text: a

text: hate

text: crimes

text: bill

text: that

text: would

text: make

text: attacks

text: based

text: on

text: sexual

text: orientation

text: disability

text: or

text: gender

text: a

text: federal

text: crime

text: For

text: Nelson

text: crimes

text: against

text: LGBT

text: people

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: murder

text: of

text: Matthew

text: Shepard

text: represent

text: the

text: darkest

text: side

text: of

text: ignorance

text: on

text: these

text: issues

text: In

text: more

text: than

text: one

text: in

text: six

text: hate

text: crimes

text: were

text: committed

text: against

text: LGBT

text: individuals

text: an

text: percent

text: rise

text: over

text: the

text: previous

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: FBI

text: I

text: learned

text: from

text: Cathy

text: that

text: hate

text: crimes

text: send

text: fear

text: through

text: a

text: community

text: Lauper

text: said

text: You

text: could

text: die

text: just

text: because

text: of

text: who

text: you

text: are

text: Watch

text: Lauper

text: and

text: Nelson

text: talk

text: about

text: the

text: True

text: Colors

text: tour

text: to

text: raise

text: awareness

text: Â

text: At

text: every

text: concert

text: Lauper

text: spoke

text: passionately

text: about

text: the

text: need

text: to

text: pass

text: the

text: bill

text: and

text: her

text: song

text: True

text: Colors

text: was

text: used

text: in

text: a

text: public

text: service

text: announcement

text: about

text: the

text: legislation

text: HRC

text: volunteers

text: distributed

text: information

text: at

text: each

text: venue

text: and

text: had

text: postcards

text: on

text: hand

text: for

text: people

text: to

text: send

text: to

text: their

text: legislators

text: In

text: the

text: end

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: signed

text: postcards

text: and

text: both

text: houses

text: of

text: Congress

text: passed

text: the

text: bill

text: by

text: wide

text: margins

text: Although

text: President

text: Bush

text: never

text: signed

text: the

text: bill

text: Nelson

text: and

text: Lauper

text: have

text: high

text: hopes

text: for

text: it

text: to

text: soon

text: become

text: law

text: For

text: Nelson

text: getting

text: so

text: many

text: people

text: engaged

text: was

text: a

text: key

text: achievement

text: The

text: biggest

text: reward

text: for

text: me

text: is

text: when

text: I

text: 've

text: played

text: some

text: part

text: in

text: empowering

text: someone

text: to

text: get

text: involved

text: she

text: said

text: Lauper

text: knows

text: first

text: hand

text: how

text: convincing

text: Nelson

text: can

text: be

text: The

text: fact

text: that

text: you

text: can

text: actually

text: succeed

text: and

text: help

text: people

text: you

text: really

text: get

text: that

text: from

text: her

text: she

text: said

text: People

text: like

text: Cathy

text: get

text: all

text: of

text: us

text: motivated

question: What did Lauper and Nelson lobby for?

answer: Human Rights Campaign to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

text: Human Rights Campaign to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

question: Who campaigned with Lauper for gay and lesbian rights?

answer: Cathy Nelson

text: Cathy Nelson

question: What organization did Nelson help get 725,000 members?

answer: HRC

text: HRC

question: What did Lauper and Nelson campaign for?

answer: to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

text: to raise awareness of LGBT issues.

question: What did Lauper & Nelson lobby for?

answer: raise awareness of LGBT issues.

text: raise awareness of LGBT issues.

question: Who helped the human rights campaign increase to 725,000 members?

answer: Cathy Nelson

text: Cathy Nelson


text:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN)  -- The incessant banging on the door finally roused Ted Jackson from a deep sleep.

Floodwaters roar across the highway in Paulding County, one of the hardest-hit in Georgia.

He hustled out of bed and rushed to the door. There were his neighbors, surrounded by floodwaters the neighborhood is supposed to experience only once every 100 years.

Jackson raced to his basement and the water level -- submerging nine of the 13 steps to the floor -- filled him with dread. His dog, a 2-year-old pomeranian, slept in a kennel down there.

"My first initial thought was my dog is dead ... he didn't have a chance," said Jackson of Powder Springs, Georgia, where he and the rest of the residents in the metro Atlantan subdivision spent Monday stranded by acres and acres of water. The dog, named J.J., died in the flooded basement.

Jackson is just one of thousands of Georgia residents trying to salvage their homes after days of rain rushed deadly flood waters to their part of the world. Counties west of Atlanta, including Douglas, Paulding and Cobb, were among the worst hit.

The National Guard was poised to enter the area if necessary.  See photo gallery of flooding Â»

Aerial video of Powder Springs, near the Paulding-Douglas county line, showed scores of homes swallowed by muddy waters as the rain refused to subside. In one Powder Springs neighborhood, a fire truck floated near a cluster of two-story homes, with the charred remnants of one house smoldering a few yards from the failed response.  Watch home burn, surrounded by water Â»

Cars, trucks, buses and campers were flung into the currents, sinking near bent signs, fallen trees and downed power lines. Rescuers started rowing through affected areas in inflatable boats.

After flying over the disastrous scenes in Paulding and Douglas counties, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency in those and 15 other counties hit by floods.

At least five flood-related deaths were reported across Atlanta-area counties -- three fatalities in Douglas, one in Gwinnett and one, a child, in Carrollton.

A Douglas County hospital reported no running water. Just across the line, in Cobb County, the entrance of Georgia's largest amusement park, Six Flags, was sitting in water.  Watch the flooding in Georgia Â»

Powder Springs resident Kim Harp woke up at about 4 a.m. Monday as her brother bounded up the stairs from his basement room, reporting water spilling into the home. The family scrambled to save photo albums and other personal valuable, but the water reached a depth of 2 feet in the basement less than two hours later.

"It just came so fast," Harp said, adding that the water was at head-level by midday. "It really terrified us."

Harp, who lives next door to Jackson, said she and her husband, three children and brother went to bed Sunday after another day of Georgia rains with little worry. After all, she said, the family has a 7-foot retaining wall in the backyard, and it's never even come close to a breach.  Watch flooding victims flee Â»

"It really wasn't a concern," she said.

Now, without flood insurance, Harp has only one thing on her mind: Clean up.

Still, "where do you start?" she asked. "Where does the family go from here?"

text: ATLANTA

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: The

text: incessant

text: banging

text: on

text: the

text: door

text: finally

text: roused

text: Ted

text: Jackson

text: from

text: a

text: deep

text: sleep

text: Floodwaters

text: roar

text: across

text: the

text: highway

text: in

text: Paulding

text: County

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: hardest

text: hit

text: in

text: Georgia

text: He

text: hustled

text: out

text: of

text: bed

text: and

text: rushed

text: to

text: the

text: door

text: There

text: were

text: his

text: neighbors

text: surrounded

text: by

text: floodwaters

text: the

text: neighborhood

text: is

text: supposed

text: to

text: experience

text: only

text: once

text: every

text: years

text: Jackson

text: raced

text: to

text: his

text: basement

text: and

text: the

text: water

text: level

text: submerging

text: nine

text: of

text: the

text: steps

text: to

text: the

text: floor

text: filled

text: him

text: with

text: dread

text: His

text: dog

text: a

text: old

text: pomeranian

text: slept

text: in

text: a

text: kennel

text: down

text: there

text: My

text: first

text: initial

text: thought

text: was

text: my

text: dog

text: is

text: dead

text: he

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: a

text: chance

text: said

text: Jackson

text: of

text: Powder

text: Springs

text: Georgia

text: where

text: he

text: and

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: residents

text: in

text: the

text: metro

text: Atlantan

text: subdivision

text: spent

text: Monday

text: stranded

text: by

text: acres

text: and

text: acres

text: of

text: water

text: The

text: dog

text: named

text: J.J.

text: died

text: in

text: the

text: flooded

text: basement

text: Jackson

text: is

text: just

text: one

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: Georgia

text: residents

text: trying

text: to

text: salvage

text: their

text: homes

text: after

text: days

text: of

text: rain

text: rushed

text: deadly

text: flood

text: waters

text: to

text: their

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: Counties

text: west

text: of

text: Atlanta

text: including

text: Douglas

text: Paulding

text: and

text: Cobb

text: were

text: among

text: the

text: worst

text: hit

text: The

text: National

text: Guard

text: was

text: poised

text: to

text: enter

text: the

text: area

text: if

text: necessary

text: See

text: photo

text: gallery

text: of

text: flooding

text: Â

text: Aerial

text: video

text: of

text: Powder

text: Springs

text: near

text: the

text: Paulding

text: Douglas

text: county

text: line

text: showed

text: scores

text: of

text: homes

text: swallowed

text: by

text: muddy

text: waters

text: as

text: the

text: rain

text: refused

text: to

text: subside

text: In

text: one

text: Powder

text: Springs

text: neighborhood

text: a

text: fire

text: truck

text: floated

text: near

text: a

text: cluster

text: of

text: two

text: story

text: homes

text: with

text: the

text: charred

text: remnants

text: of

text: one

text: house

text: smoldering

text: a

text: few

text: yards

text: from

text: the

text: failed

text: response

text: Watch

text: home

text: burn

text: surrounded

text: by

text: water

text: Â

text: Cars

text: trucks

text: buses

text: and

text: campers

text: were

text: flung

text: into

text: the

text: currents

text: sinking

text: near

text: bent

text: signs

text: fallen

text: trees

text: and

text: downed

text: power

text: lines

text: Rescuers

text: started

text: rowing

text: through

text: affected

text: areas

text: in

text: inflatable

text: boats

text: After

text: flying

text: over

text: the

text: disastrous

text: scenes

text: in

text: Paulding

text: and

text: Douglas

text: counties

text: Georgia

text: Gov.

text: Sonny

text: Perdue

text: declared

text: a

text: state

text: of

text: emergency

text: in

text: those

text: and

text: other

text: counties

text: hit

text: by

text: floods

text: At

text: least

text: five

text: flood

text: related

text: deaths

text: were

text: reported

text: across

text: Atlanta

text: area

text: counties

text: three

text: fatalities

text: in

text: Douglas

text: one

text: in

text: Gwinnett

text: and

text: one

text: a

text: child

text: in

text: Carrollton

text: A

text: Douglas

text: County

text: hospital

text: reported

text: no

text: running

text: water

text: Just

text: across

text: the

text: line

text: in

text: Cobb

text: County

text: the

text: entrance

text: of

text: Georgia

text: 's

text: largest

text: amusement

text: park

text: Six

text: Flags

text: was

text: sitting

text: in

text: water

text: Watch

text: the

text: flooding

text: in

text: Georgia

text: Â

text: Powder

text: Springs

text: resident

text: Kim

text: Harp

text: woke

text: up

text: at

text: about

text: a.m.

text: Monday

text: as

text: her

text: brother

text: bounded

text: up

text: the

text: stairs

text: from

text: his

text: basement

text: room

text: reporting

text: water

text: spilling

text: into

text: the

text: home

text: The

text: family

text: scrambled

text: to

text: save

text: photo

text: albums

text: and

text: other

text: personal

text: valuable

text: but

text: the

text: water

text: reached

text: a

text: depth

text: of

text: feet

text: in

text: the

text: basement

text: less

text: than

text: two

text: hours

text: later

text: It

text: just

text: came

text: so

text: fast

text: Harp

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: the

text: water

text: was

text: at

text: head

text: level

text: by

text: midday

text: It

text: really

text: terrified

text: us

text: Harp

text: who

text: lives

text: next

text: door

text: to

text: Jackson

text: said

text: she

text: and

text: her

text: husband

text: three

text: children

text: and

text: brother

text: went

text: to

text: bed

text: Sunday

text: after

text: another

text: day

text: of

text: Georgia

text: rains

text: with

text: little

text: worry

text: After

text: all

text: she

text: said

text: the

text: family

text: has

text: a

text: retaining

text: wall

text: in

text: the

text: backyard

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: never

text: even

text: come

text: close

text: to

text: a

text: breach

text: Watch

text: flooding

text: victims

text: flee

text: Â

text: It

text: really

text: was

text: n't

text: a

text: concern

text: she

text: said

text: Now

text: without

text: flood

text: insurance

text: Harp

text: has

text: only

text: one

text: thing

text: on

text: her

text: mind

text: Clean

text: up

text: Still

text: where

text: do

text: you

text: start

text: she

text: asked

text: Where

text: does

text: the

text: family

text: go

text: from

text: here

question: What happened to entrance to Six Flags?

answer: s sitting in water

text: s sitting in water

question: What does Kim Harp say?

answer: "It just came so fast

text: "It just came so fast

question: What is "sitting in water"?

answer: f Georgia's largest amusement park, Six Flags, was sitting in water

text: f Georgia's largest amusement park, Six Flags, was sitting in water

question: What happened to scores of homes?

answer: swallowed by muddy waters as the rain refused

text: swallowed by muddy waters as the rain refused

question: where does kim harp live

answer: Powder Sprin

text: Powder Sprin

question: What are scores of homes swallowed by?

answer: muddy waters

text: muddy waters

question: what is georgia's largest amusement park

answer: , Six Flags

text: , Six Flags

question: what did Kim Harp say?

answer: y. "It really terrified us

text: y. "It really terrified us

question: what did the rain refuse to do

answer: subside.

text: subside.


text:
(CNN) -- A Seattle man has been charged with insurance fraud for allegedly sinking his own yacht because of "financial pressure and frustration with the maintenance" of the vessel, authorities said.

The Jubilee sank in Puget Sound Bay last year.

On March 22, 2008, Brian Lewis, 50, scuttled the Jubilee in the Puget Sound Bay, then rowed a borrowed dinghy back to shore, according to court documents filed in February by prosecutors in King County, Washington.

Later that day, Lewis boarded a flight to take him to his job in Kodiak, Alaska, as a petty officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to court documents.

Three days later, Lewis filed an insurance claim with USAA Insurance reporting the Jubilee sank accidentally "due to unknown causes."

However, due to environmental concerns, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources salvaged the vessel at a cost to the state of $2,866.

An inspection found a hole was drilled into the bottom of the Jubilee, and that two main engine sea strainers appeared to have been broken with a hammer.

"The vessel appeared to have been deliberately sunk," authorities said in their probable cause affidavit.

Confronted by investigators, Lewis admitted he intentionally sank his vessel, saying the financial strain "caused him extreme anxiety and frustration."

Lewis told investigators "the engine trouble he experienced caused him to lose his temper. In his rage, he smashed the sea strainers with a hammer and drilled the hole to sink the vessel," the affidavit said.

"[He] wanted to clarify that his motive for sinking the vessel was anger and frustration, not greed," it added.

Prior to its sinking, the Jubilee had been listed for sale with Mahina Yachts for $28,500.

Jack Bateman, a broker with Mahina, remembers the Jubilee as a "beautiful" 1967 Chris Craft Cavalier. He said the Mahina has only seen this type of case one other time in its 30 years of operation.

"This is a very rare, not common occurrence" he says. Bateman added that Mahina has yet to see any real distress sales due to the bad economy.

The King County Prosecutor's Office has charged Lewis with making a fraudulent insurance claim.

Lewis filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2004. Messages left for him were not returned.

text: CNN

text: A

text: Seattle

text: man

text: has

text: been

text: charged

text: with

text: insurance

text: fraud

text: for

text: allegedly

text: sinking

text: his

text: own

text: yacht

text: because

text: of

text: financial

text: pressure

text: and

text: frustration

text: with

text: the

text: maintenance

text: of

text: the

text: vessel

text: authorities

text: said

text: The

text: Jubilee

text: sank

text: in

text: Puget

text: Sound

text: Bay

text: last

text: year

text: On

text: March

text: Brian

text: Lewis

text: scuttled

text: the

text: Jubilee

text: in

text: the

text: Puget

text: Sound

text: Bay

text: then

text: rowed

text: a

text: borrowed

text: dinghy

text: back

text: to

text: shore

text: according

text: to

text: court

text: documents

text: filed

text: in

text: February

text: by

text: prosecutors

text: in

text: King

text: County

text: Washington

text: Later

text: that

text: day

text: Lewis

text: boarded

text: a

text: flight

text: to

text: take

text: him

text: to

text: his

text: job

text: in

text: Kodiak

text: Alaska

text: as

text: a

text: petty

text: officer

text: with

text: the

text: National

text: Oceanic

text: and

text: Atmospheric

text: Administration

text: according

text: to

text: court

text: documents

text: Three

text: days

text: later

text: Lewis

text: filed

text: an

text: insurance

text: claim

text: with

text: USAA

text: Insurance

text: reporting

text: the

text: Jubilee

text: sank

text: accidentally

text: due

text: to

text: unknown

text: causes

text: However

text: due

text: to

text: environmental

text: concerns

text: the

text: Washington

text: State

text: Department

text: of

text: Natural

text: Resources

text: salvaged

text: the

text: vessel

text: at

text: a

text: cost

text: to

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: An

text: inspection

text: found

text: a

text: hole

text: was

text: drilled

text: into

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: the

text: Jubilee

text: and

text: that

text: two

text: main

text: engine

text: sea

text: strainers

text: appeared

text: to

text: have

text: been

text: broken

text: with

text: a

text: hammer

text: The

text: vessel

text: appeared

text: to

text: have

text: been

text: deliberately

text: sunk

text: authorities

text: said

text: in

text: their

text: probable

text: cause

text: affidavit

text: Confronted

text: by

text: investigators

text: Lewis

text: admitted

text: he

text: intentionally

text: sank

text: his

text: vessel

text: saying

text: the

text: financial

text: strain

text: caused

text: him

text: extreme

text: anxiety

text: and

text: frustration

text: Lewis

text: told

text: investigators

text: the

text: engine

text: trouble

text: he

text: experienced

text: caused

text: him

text: to

text: lose

text: his

text: temper

text: In

text: his

text: rage

text: he

text: smashed

text: the

text: sea

text: strainers

text: with

text: a

text: hammer

text: and

text: drilled

text: the

text: hole

text: to

text: sink

text: the

text: vessel

text: the

text: affidavit

text: said

text: He

text: wanted

text: to

text: clarify

text: that

text: his

text: motive

text: for

text: sinking

text: the

text: vessel

text: was

text: anger

text: and

text: frustration

text: not

text: greed

text: it

text: added

text: Prior

text: to

text: its

text: sinking

text: the

text: Jubilee

text: had

text: been

text: listed

text: for

text: sale

text: with

text: Mahina

text: Yachts

text: for

text: Jack

text: Bateman

text: a

text: broker

text: with

text: Mahina

text: remembers

text: the

text: Jubilee

text: as

text: a

text: beautiful

text: Chris

text: Craft

text: Cavalier

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: Mahina

text: has

text: only

text: seen

text: this

text: type

text: of

text: case

text: one

text: other

text: time

text: in

text: its

text: years

text: of

text: operation

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: rare

text: not

text: common

text: occurrence

text: he

text: says

text: Bateman

text: added

text: that

text: Mahina

text: has

text: yet

text: to

text: see

text: any

text: real

text: distress

text: sales

text: due

text: to

text: the

text: bad

text: economy

text: The

text: King

text: County

text: Prosecutor

text: 's

text: Office

text: has

text: charged

text: Lewis

text: with

text: making

text: a

text: fraudulent

text: insurance

text: claim

text: Lewis

text: filed

text: for

text: Chapter

text: bankruptcy

text: in

text: Messages

text: left

text: for

text: him

text: were

text: not

text: returned

question: who filed claim due to unknown causes?

answer: Lewis

text: Lewis

question: Is it illegal to sink your own boat?

answer: Seattle man has been charged with insurance fraud for allegedly sinking his

text: Seattle man has been charged with insurance fraud for allegedly sinking his

question: Who filed the fraudulent claim?

answer: Lewis

text: Lewis

question: What has Brian Lewis been charged with?

answer: insurance fraud

text: insurance fraud

question: what were filed against Seattle man?

answer: insurance fraud

text: insurance fraud

question: what did he do to the yacht?

answer: sinking

text: sinking

question: what was discovered in inspection?

answer: a hole

text: a hole


text:
(CNN)  -- Being the leader and second-richest person in one of the most beautiful and cultured nations on Earth might sound cushy, but Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is having a rough year.

Already the subject of intense criticism over his personal life and management style, Berlusconi took another blow Sunday when a man police are calling "mentally unstable" smacked the Italian prime minister in the face with a souvenir replica of a cathedral.

Berlusconi, 73, who was in his hometown of Milan stumping for a political ally, suffered broken teeth and a fractured nose. His alleged assailant, Massimo Tartaglia, is being held by Milanese authorities, who believe he acted alone.

As he has done in the past after nonphysical attacks, Berlusconi blamed political opponents.

"What I can tell you is that there has been such a buildup of hatred toward the premier, and this is not good," Berlusconi spokesman Paolo Buonaiuti said. "This campaign of hatred has been building quite rapidly recently, and I am not surprised that what happened tonight took place."

The prime minister scores highly in polls gauging Italian popular opinion, though he has been tried on various charges 17 times since taking office in 1994. The charges include corruption, false accounting and tax fraud.

Berlusconi has said he did nothing wrong and accused magistrates of conducting a witch hunt. He also noted that he has never been convicted. In some cases, he was found guilty but won on appeal.

Berlusconi was elected to his third term as premier in April 2008, about two months after his trial on corruption charges was postponed until after the election.

His ability to maneuver through political crises has prompted a prominent journalist to liken him to a puppeteer, saying he is popular because he's a skilled populist.

Berlusconi is "a man who pulls the most elementary strings of the public opinion -- a public opinion, which in Italy in these times, prefers simple paths," said Giulio Anselmi, chairman of ANSA, Italy's leading news wire.

Even by Berlusconi's standards, 2009 has been a tumultuous year, as his second wife has filed for divorce and allegations of corruption and infidelity continue to surface.

This month's Rolling Stone Italy cheekily declared him "Rock Star of the Year." Editor Carlo Antonelli released a statement saying the prime minister made rockers Keith Richards and Rod Stewart look like "schoolboys."

"This year the choice was unanimous for his obvious merits due to a lifestyle for which the words, rock 'n' roll, fall short," Antonelli's statement said.

Watch how Berlusconi was hit at a rally

The prime minister's second wife, Veronica Lario, whom he married in 1990, filed for divorce in May after news reports that he attended a birthday party for 18-year-old Neapolitan model Noemi Letizia, with whom he was accused of having an improper relationship.

Berlusconi called the allegations "slander" and the girl's family, longtime friends of the prime minister, also deny there was anything improper.

Lario, the mother of three of Berlusconi's five children, is asking for about $70 million a year from the prime minister, whom Forbes magazine ranked this year as No. 70 on its list of richest people, with an estimated net worth of $6.5 billion.

More allegations followed the divorce filing, including claims that women were paid to attend parties at the prime minister's various homes. Berlusconi denied those allegations, telling the Italian magazine "Chi" he would never pay for sex because it would dampen the "the pleasure of the conquest."

In June, he went to court to block the publication of hundreds of photos from his seaside villa in Sardinia, saying they posed "an aggressive intrusion into my private life."

A Spanish paper ran some of the photos, showing scantily clad women at Berlusconi's villa and reporting that the premier was the subject of an investigation into whether he used official Italian aircraft to ferry guests to his villa. Berlusconi admitted using government airplanes to ferry guests, but an investigation found no wrongdoing on the premier's part.

In October, old allegations of political scandal re-emerged when Italy's Constitutional Court overturned a law that shielded presidents, prime ministers and the leaders of both houses of parliament from prosecution. The court said the constitution requires all Italians to be equal before the law.

Berlusconi had pushed for the immunity law after his 2008 re-election, and the court's action opened Berlusconi to prosecution on allegations that he paid British tax attorney David Mills $600,000 to provide false testimony in two court cases in the 1990s. Mills was convicted, but is appealing.

The Constitutional Court's ruling also lifted Berlusconi's immunity from prosecution on charges that his company, Mediaset, failed to pay $45 million in taxes between 2000 and 2003.

The latter case was postponed until January because the prime minister was unable to attend hearings, but Berlusconi has been outspoken in his defense against all of the allegations.

He said he believes he is on trial for political reasons and has called magistrates "communist bullies." He also has declared himself the most persecuted man "in the entire history of the world."

The Italian leader has often blamed Italy's ills on the left wing. He doesn't enjoy leading the country, he said, "because very often there is a lot of dirty dealing." He leads out of a sense of sacrifice and duty and because he is the "only leader able to hold the center-right together," he has told CNN.

But Berlusconi seems aware that his popularity and populism allow him to continue to hold sway in this nation of about 58 million. Though his popularity recently has seen a slight dip among women, he routinely garners approval ratings of 50 percent or higher.

"When I go around, it's embarrassing to see the affection showered upon me," Berlusconi told CNN in October. "I know that people can change their opinions ... but I must say that I just note the fact that I am close to the heart of many Italians and they show this to me very often."

text: CNN

text: Being

text: the

text: leader

text: and

text: second

text: richest

text: person

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: beautiful

text: and

text: cultured

text: nations

text: on

text: Earth

text: might

text: sound

text: cushy

text: but

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Silvio

text: Berlusconi

text: is

text: having

text: a

text: rough

text: year

text: Already

text: the

text: subject

text: of

text: intense

text: criticism

text: over

text: his

text: personal

text: life

text: and

text: management

text: style

text: Berlusconi

text: took

text: another

text: blow

text: Sunday

text: when

text: a

text: man

text: police

text: are

text: calling

text: mentally

text: unstable

text: smacked

text: the

text: Italian

text: prime

text: minister

text: in

text: the

text: face

text: with

text: a

text: souvenir

text: replica

text: of

text: a

text: cathedral

text: Berlusconi

text: who

text: was

text: in

text: his

text: hometown

text: of

text: Milan

text: stumping

text: for

text: a

text: political

text: ally

text: suffered

text: broken

text: teeth

text: and

text: a

text: fractured

text: nose

text: His

text: alleged

text: assailant

text: Massimo

text: Tartaglia

text: is

text: being

text: held

text: by

text: Milanese

text: authorities

text: who

text: believe

text: he

text: acted

text: alone

text: As

text: he

text: has

text: done

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: after

text: nonphysical

text: attacks

text: Berlusconi

text: blamed

text: political

text: opponents

text: What

text: I

text: can

text: tell

text: you

text: is

text: that

text: there

text: has

text: been

text: such

text: a

text: buildup

text: of

text: hatred

text: toward

text: the

text: premier

text: and

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: good

text: Berlusconi

text: spokesman

text: Paolo

text: Buonaiuti

text: said

text: This

text: campaign

text: of

text: hatred

text: has

text: been

text: building

text: quite

text: rapidly

text: recently

text: and

text: I

text: am

text: not

text: surprised

text: that

text: what

text: happened

text: tonight

text: took

text: place

text: The

text: prime

text: minister

text: scores

text: highly

text: in

text: polls

text: gauging

text: Italian

text: popular

text: opinion

text: though

text: he

text: has

text: been

text: tried

text: on

text: various

text: charges

text: times

text: since

text: taking

text: office

text: in

text: The

text: charges

text: include

text: corruption

text: false

text: accounting

text: and

text: tax

text: fraud

text: Berlusconi

text: has

text: said

text: he

text: did

text: nothing

text: wrong

text: and

text: accused

text: magistrates

text: of

text: conducting

text: a

text: witch

text: hunt

text: He

text: also

text: noted

text: that

text: he

text: has

text: never

text: been

text: convicted

text: In

text: some

text: cases

text: he

text: was

text: found

text: guilty

text: but

text: won

text: on

text: appeal

text: Berlusconi

text: was

text: elected

text: to

text: his

text: third

text: term

text: as

text: premier

text: in

text: April

text: about

text: two

text: months

text: after

text: his

text: trial

text: on

text: corruption

text: charges

text: was

text: postponed

text: until

text: after

text: the

text: election

text: His

text: ability

text: to

text: maneuver

text: through

text: political

text: crises

text: has

text: prompted

text: a

text: prominent

text: journalist

text: to

text: liken

text: him

text: to

text: a

text: puppeteer

text: saying

text: he

text: is

text: popular

text: because

text: he

text: 's

text: a

text: skilled

text: populist

text: Berlusconi

text: is

text: a

text: man

text: who

text: pulls

text: the

text: most

text: elementary

text: strings

text: of

text: the

text: public

text: opinion

text: a

text: public

text: opinion

text: which

text: in

text: Italy

text: in

text: these

text: times

text: prefers

text: simple

text: paths

text: said

text: Giulio

text: Anselmi

text: chairman

text: of

text: ANSA

text: Italy

text: 's

text: leading

text: news

text: wire

text: Even

text: by

text: Berlusconi

text: 's

text: standards

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: tumultuous

text: year

text: as

text: his

text: second

text: wife

text: has

text: filed

text: for

text: divorce

text: and

text: allegations

text: of

text: corruption

text: and

text: infidelity

text: continue

text: to

text: surface

text: This

text: month

text: 's

text: Rolling

text: Stone

text: Italy

text: cheekily

text: declared

text: him

text: Rock

text: Star

text: of

text: the

text: Year

text: Editor

text: Carlo

text: Antonelli

text: released

text: a

text: statement

text: saying

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: made

text: rockers

text: Keith

text: Richards

text: and

text: Rod

text: Stewart

text: look

text: like

text: schoolboys

text: This

text: year

text: the

text: choice

text: was

text: unanimous

text: for

text: his

text: obvious

text: merits

text: due

text: to

text: a

text: lifestyle

text: for

text: which

text: the

text: words

text: rock

text: n

text: roll

text: fall

text: short

text: Antonelli

text: 's

text: statement

text: said

text: Watch

text: how

text: Berlusconi

text: was

text: hit

text: at

text: a

text: rally

text: The

text: prime

text: minister

text: 's

text: second

text: wife

text: Veronica

text: Lario

text: whom

text: he

text: married

text: in

text: filed

text: for

text: divorce

text: in

text: May

text: after

text: news

text: reports

text: that

text: he

text: attended

text: a

text: birthday

text: party

text: for

text: old

text: Neapolitan

text: model

text: Noemi

text: Letizia

text: with

text: whom

text: he

text: was

text: accused

text: of

text: having

text: an

text: improper

text: relationship

text: Berlusconi

text: called

text: the

text: allegations

text: slander

text: and

text: the

text: girl

text: 's

text: family

text: longtime

text: friends

text: of

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: also

text: deny

text: there

text: was

text: anything

text: improper

text: Lario

text: the

text: mother

text: of

text: three

text: of

text: Berlusconi

text: 's

text: five

text: children

text: is

text: asking

text: for

text: about

text: million

text: a

text: year

text: from

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: whom

text: Forbes

text: magazine

text: ranked

text: this

text: year

text: as

text: No

text: on

text: its

text: list

text: of

text: richest

text: people

text: with

text: an

text: estimated

text: net

text: worth

text: of

text: billion

text: More

text: allegations

text: followed

text: the

text: divorce

text: filing

text: including

text: claims

text: that

text: women

text: were

text: paid

text: to

text: attend

text: parties

text: at

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: 's

text: various

text: homes

text: Berlusconi

text: denied

text: those

text: allegations

text: telling

text: the

text: Italian

text: magazine

text: Chi

text: he

text: would

text: never

text: pay

text: for

text: sex

text: because

text: it

text: would

text: dampen

text: the

text: the

text: pleasure

text: of

text: the

text: conquest

text: In

text: June

text: he

text: went

text: to

text: court

text: to

text: block

text: the

text: publication

text: of

text: hundreds

text: of

text: photos

text: from

text: his

text: seaside

text: villa

text: in

text: Sardinia

text: saying

text: they

text: posed

text: an

text: aggressive

text: intrusion

text: into

text: my

text: private

text: life

text: A

text: Spanish

text: paper

text: ran

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: photos

text: showing

text: scantily

text: clad

text: women

text: at

text: Berlusconi

text: 's

text: villa

text: and

text: reporting

text: that

text: the

text: premier

text: was

text: the

text: subject

text: of

text: an

text: investigation

text: into

text: whether

text: he

text: used

text: official

text: Italian

text: aircraft

text: to

text: ferry

text: guests

text: to

text: his

text: villa

text: Berlusconi

text: admitted

text: using

text: government

text: airplanes

text: to

text: ferry

text: guests

text: but

text: an

text: investigation

text: found

text: no

text: wrongdoing

text: on

text: the

text: premier

text: 's

text: part

text: In

text: October

text: old

text: allegations

text: of

text: political

text: scandal

text: re

text: emerged

text: when

text: Italy

text: 's

text: Constitutional

text: Court

text: overturned

text: a

text: law

text: that

text: shielded

text: presidents

text: prime

text: ministers

text: and

text: the

text: leaders

text: of

text: both

text: houses

text: of

text: parliament

text: from

text: prosecution

text: The

text: court

text: said

text: the

text: constitution

text: requires

text: all

text: Italians

text: to

text: be

text: equal

text: before

text: the

text: law

text: Berlusconi

text: had

text: pushed

text: for

text: the

text: immunity

text: law

text: after

text: his

text: re

text: election

text: and

text: the

text: court

text: 's

text: action

text: opened

text: Berlusconi

text: to

text: prosecution

text: on

text: allegations

text: that

text: he

text: paid

text: British

text: tax

text: attorney

text: David

text: Mills

text: to

text: provide

text: false

text: testimony

text: in

text: two

text: court

text: cases

text: in

text: the

text: Mills

text: was

text: convicted

text: but

text: is

text: appealing

text: The

text: Constitutional

text: Court

text: 's

text: ruling

text: also

text: lifted

text: Berlusconi

text: 's

text: immunity

text: from

text: prosecution

text: on

text: charges

text: that

text: his

text: company

text: Mediaset

text: failed

text: to

text: pay

text: million

text: in

text: taxes

text: between

text: and

text: The

text: latter

text: case

text: was

text: postponed

text: until

text: January

text: because

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: was

text: unable

text: to

text: attend

text: hearings

text: but

text: Berlusconi

text: has

text: been

text: outspoken

text: in

text: his

text: defense

text: against

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: allegations

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: believes

text: he

text: is

text: on

text: trial

text: for

text: political

text: reasons

text: and

text: has

text: called

text: magistrates

text: communist

text: bullies

text: He

text: also

text: has

text: declared

text: himself

text: the

text: most

text: persecuted

text: man

text: in

text: the

text: entire

text: history

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: Italian

text: leader

text: has

text: often

text: blamed

text: Italy

text: 's

text: ills

text: on

text: the

text: left

text: wing

text: He

text: does

text: n't

text: enjoy

text: leading

text: the

text: country

text: he

text: said

text: because

text: very

text: often

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: dirty

text: dealing

text: He

text: leads

text: out

text: of

text: a

text: sense

text: of

text: sacrifice

text: and

text: duty

text: and

text: because

text: he

text: is

text: the

text: only

text: leader

text: able

text: to

text: hold

text: the

text: center

text: right

text: together

text: he

text: has

text: told

text: CNN

text: But

text: Berlusconi

text: seems

text: aware

text: that

text: his

text: popularity

text: and

text: populism

text: allow

text: him

text: to

text: continue

text: to

text: hold

text: sway

text: in

text: this

text: nation

text: of

text: about

text: million

text: Though

text: his

text: popularity

text: recently

text: has

text: seen

text: a

text: slight

text: dip

text: among

text: women

text: he

text: routinely

text: garners

text: approval

text: ratings

text: of

text: percent

text: or

text: higher

text: When

text: I

text: go

text: around

text: it

text: 's

text: embarrassing

text: to

text: see

text: the

text: affection

text: showered

text: upon

text: me

text: Berlusconi

text: told

text: CNN

text: in

text: October

text: I

text: know

text: that

text: people

text: can

text: change

text: their

text: opinions

text: but

text: I

text: must

text: say

text: that

text: I

text: just

text: note

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: I

text: am

text: close

text: to

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: many

text: Italians

text: and

text: they

text: show

text: this

text: to

text: me

text: very

text: often

question: What has court lifted immunity for?

answer: from prosecution on charges that his company, Mediaset, failed to pay $45 million in taxes between 2000 and 2003.

text: from prosecution on charges that his company, Mediaset, failed to pay $45 million in taxes between 2000 and 2003.

question: What is the spokesperson not surprised at?

answer: happened tonight took place."

text: happened tonight took place."

question: who is Italian PM?

answer: Silvio Berlusconi

text: Silvio Berlusconi

question: What is the name of the prime minister?

answer: Silvio Berlusconi

text: Silvio Berlusconi

question: Who was not surprised PM was attacked?

answer: Berlusconi spokesman Paolo Buonaiuti

text: Berlusconi spokesman Paolo Buonaiuti

question: What magazine is making the quotes?

answer: Rolling Stone Italy

text: Rolling Stone Italy

question: what has Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi blamed political opponents for?

answer: nonphysical attacks,

text: nonphysical attacks,

question: Who has Berlusconi has blamed for attacks?

answer: political opponents.

text: political opponents.

question: what does spokesman say?

answer: "What I can tell you is that there has been such a buildup of hatred toward the premier, and this is not good,"

text: "What I can tell you is that there has been such a buildup of hatred toward the premier, and this is not good,"