text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- In 1981, Dr Mohga Kamal-Yanni was preparing to leave Egypt for a clinical attachment in England when her father had a heart attack. He fell in the street, and was taken to a public hospital, where Dr Kamal-Yanni kept vigil at his bedside until he regained his strength.

A doctor at a hospital in India where health indicators have showed no significant improvement  in seven years.

During his stay in the hospital, she was appalled at the low level of healthcare available to him. "It was awful. There was no medicine," she told CNN.

As a doctor, Kamal-Yanni was able to watch over her father's progress. Her professional opinion on his recovery was striking. "My father survived that heart attack for two reasons," she said. "One, because of God's will, and two, because he had a strong will. It was nothing to do with the health service."

The following year, Kamal-Yanni came to England to do a clinical attachment. She found herself deeply affected by the stark contrast between the healthcare available in Britain, on the publicly funded National Health Service, and the healthcare available at home in Egypt. She found herself slipping into depression.

"I couldn't talk to the patients; I couldn't talk to the doctors. I just couldn't cope with it," she revealed to CNN. "I couldn't understand why every time I saw a monitor next to a patient I was so upset."

It dawned on her that the gulf in care was troubling her. "I kept thinking why on earth my dad didn't have that. The only reason was that he happened to be born in Egypt and these people had the luck to be born [in England]."

Kamal-Yanni is now a senior health & HIV policy advisor at third-world charity Oxfam. Her first-hand experience of the divide between the healthcare available in richer countries, and that on offer in poorer ones, has given her the impetus to try and narrow the gap.

While Western countries are pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge, discovering the potential of nanotechnology and other high-tech solutions to the developed world's diseases, like diabetes, cancer and obesity, poor countries are struggling to combat health problems such as HIV, malaria and TB.

Lack of infrastructure

And it's not as simple as shipping medicines and supplies in bulk quantities. Oxfam's "Paying for People" report, published in February this year, said that poor countries are suffering because they lack the infrastructure of a health service. The WHO's 2006 "World Health Report" also indicates that 4.25 million doctors, nurses and health workers are needed across 57 countries. Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, has 600,000 health workers: one million more are required.

Without these key workers, it is questionable whether healthcare in poor countries can be improved. Nicky Wimble, a spokesperson for Oxfam, told CNN, "There is money coming in for drugs now, but there's no commitment to long-term aid."

Governments are unable to give healthcare workers with job security and doctors and nurses, where they do exist, are largely poorly paid: so people choose other careers. "They're either becoming taxi drivers, or working for private businesses," Wimble says. This double brain-drain (one internal, one external as those who do train are tempted away by higher salaries and brighter futures in developed countries) means that even if drugs make it to poorer areas, there can be no one to administer them. "Drugs are sitting in cupboards," Wimble told CNN. "Or they're available in cities but people in rural areas don't have the bus fares to get to them."

Vulnerable to disease

Dr Kamal-Yanni backs this up. She told CNN, "There is no public investment in health systems so people have to pay for it. If you're poor you can't buy your healthcare and if you're a woman who happens to be poor you might as well forget it."

And in countries where no healthcare system exists, people are extremely vulnerable to diseases, which can spread rampantly and unchecked through communities.

Dr Kamal-Yanni paints a worrying picture. "Particularly in Africa, they're not equipped to face anything -- not HIV, let alone avian flu. If something like avian flu hit Africa with no health system, no health workers and no money, it would spread. We can't contain it in Africa. The world would wake up and realize that, but in the meantime, it would have wiped out goodness knows how many millions of people."

It's not just in Africa. HIV is a known crisis there, but it is anticipated that more people will be infected in India than anywhere else, as the disease spreads quickly through its billion-strong population.

Increasingly, countries like these are having to deal with a boom in incommunicable diseases, like diabetes and cancer. Chronic diseases like diabetes have the additional problem that they require long-term care, and therefore long-term funding. Dr Kamal-Yanni explained the difficulties of that situation. "You buy the pills today, but maybe tomorrow you don't have enough money so you're never cured and develop complications."

What lies ahead?

Dr Kamal-Yanni sees three possible outcomes for health in poor countries. The first, as she explained, is bleak.

She told CNN, "If things continue as they are, with rising infection, increasing resistance to drugs, HIV and malaria run unchecked, chronic and non-communicable diseases are ignored and no money is spent on a health system, then the gap will just increase and the situation will get worse and worse."

Dr Kamal-Yanni is hopeful, however, that the situation will improve somewhat. She explained a second scenario, the one she feels is most likely to happen.

"If the international community invests a little bit, things will be slightly better," she told CNN. "More people with HIV will get treatment, as will people with TB and malaria. But non-communicable chronic diseases [like diabetes] will be ignored."

But large-scale epidemics like avian flu or SARS would still remain a huge threat in this scenario, as would diseases like cancer.

"Who's going to pay for medicine for cancer, which is increasing like anything in developing countries?" asks Dr Kamal-Yanni. "Nobody."

Hope for the future

But there is a third scenario, which holds out more hope for people in developing countries. Dr Kamal-Yanni says, "If public pressure is high, southern governments, donors and the international community will decide that health is really a priority. We'll put our money where our mouth is and we'll fulfil the commitments that we've made before."

She says that in the first instance, African countries need to be encouraged to divert 16 percent of their budget to health. (Currently, nearly a third allocate less than five percent.) "Then they will realize that this is not enough, so they'll put in more," she continues.

If this money were to be added to the $50 billion promised by G8, the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations, in Gleneagles in 2005, it would have a huge impact on health and education, particularly in Africa. And education is the key, Dr Kamal-Yanni believes.

She explained, "You can't separate health and education because unless you educate doctors and nurses, and midwives and pharmacists, you can't run a health service."

Working together

It's also important for donors and governments to work together to provide a cohesive service, she says. "They really need to start coordinating their work so it's not a series of vertical programs that don't relate to each other and waste resources."

Oxfam's Nicky Wimble agrees. She told CNN, "Over the last 100 years, countries like France, Britain and America have developed by giving their people free education and healthcare. It's a major way to bring people out of poverty."

Wimble cites the example of education, where the number of children not in school worldwide has fallen from around 120 million to around 80 million.

"The key is getting governments to commit to it as a part of their aid package, and monitoring the aid package so that the money is tracked to ensure that it gets to where it's intended," she said. "It's working for education, and they think it'll work for healthcare too, but it needs committed investment."

And in the meantime, people like Mohga Kamal-Yanni will continue their work to pressure governments to encourage positive change.

She says, "That's my motivation to do this work. It's not for me; it's a life thing. My dream in life is for everybody in Africa to have access to a publicly financed, publicly run healthcare service with strong regulation, quality, care and equity." E-mail to a friend

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: In

text: Dr

text: Mohga

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: was

text: preparing

text: to

text: leave

text: Egypt

text: for

text: a

text: clinical

text: attachment

text: in

text: England

text: when

text: her

text: father

text: had

text: a

text: heart

text: attack

text: He

text: fell

text: in

text: the

text: street

text: and

text: was

text: taken

text: to

text: a

text: public

text: hospital

text: where

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: kept

text: vigil

text: at

text: his

text: bedside

text: until

text: he

text: regained

text: his

text: strength

text: A

text: doctor

text: at

text: a

text: hospital

text: in

text: India

text: where

text: health

text: indicators

text: have

text: showed

text: no

text: significant

text: improvement

text: in

text: seven

text: years

text: During

text: his

text: stay

text: in

text: the

text: hospital

text: she

text: was

text: appalled

text: at

text: the

text: low

text: level

text: of

text: healthcare

text: available

text: to

text: him

text: It

text: was

text: awful

text: There

text: was

text: no

text: medicine

text: she

text: told

text: CNN

text: As

text: a

text: doctor

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: watch

text: over

text: her

text: father

text: 's

text: progress

text: Her

text: professional

text: opinion

text: on

text: his

text: recovery

text: was

text: striking

text: My

text: father

text: survived

text: that

text: heart

text: attack

text: for

text: two

text: reasons

text: she

text: said

text: One

text: because

text: of

text: God

text: 's

text: will

text: and

text: two

text: because

text: he

text: had

text: a

text: strong

text: will

text: It

text: was

text: nothing

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: the

text: health

text: service

text: The

text: following

text: year

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: came

text: to

text: England

text: to

text: do

text: a

text: clinical

text: attachment

text: She

text: found

text: herself

text: deeply

text: affected

text: by

text: the

text: stark

text: contrast

text: between

text: the

text: healthcare

text: available

text: in

text: Britain

text: on

text: the

text: publicly

text: funded

text: National

text: Health

text: Service

text: and

text: the

text: healthcare

text: available

text: at

text: home

text: in

text: Egypt

text: She

text: found

text: herself

text: slipping

text: into

text: depression

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: talk

text: to

text: the

text: patients

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: talk

text: to

text: the

text: doctors

text: I

text: just

text: could

text: n't

text: cope

text: with

text: it

text: she

text: revealed

text: to

text: CNN

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: understand

text: why

text: every

text: time

text: I

text: saw

text: a

text: monitor

text: next

text: to

text: a

text: patient

text: I

text: was

text: so

text: upset

text: It

text: dawned

text: on

text: her

text: that

text: the

text: gulf

text: in

text: care

text: was

text: troubling

text: her

text: I

text: kept

text: thinking

text: why

text: on

text: earth

text: my

text: dad

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: that

text: The

text: only

text: reason

text: was

text: that

text: he

text: happened

text: to

text: be

text: born

text: in

text: Egypt

text: and

text: these

text: people

text: had

text: the

text: luck

text: to

text: be

text: born

text: in

text: England

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: is

text: now

text: a

text: senior

text: health

text: HIV

text: policy

text: advisor

text: at

text: third

text: world

text: charity

text: Oxfam

text: Her

text: first

text: hand

text: experience

text: of

text: the

text: divide

text: between

text: the

text: healthcare

text: available

text: in

text: richer

text: countries

text: and

text: that

text: on

text: offer

text: in

text: poorer

text: ones

text: has

text: given

text: her

text: the

text: impetus

text: to

text: try

text: and

text: narrow

text: the

text: gap

text: While

text: Western

text: countries

text: are

text: pushing

text: the

text: boundaries

text: of

text: scientific

text: knowledge

text: discovering

text: the

text: potential

text: of

text: nanotechnology

text: and

text: other

text: high

text: tech

text: solutions

text: to

text: the

text: developed

text: world

text: 's

text: diseases

text: like

text: diabetes

text: cancer

text: and

text: obesity

text: poor

text: countries

text: are

text: struggling

text: to

text: combat

text: health

text: problems

text: such

text: as

text: HIV

text: malaria

text: and

text: TB

text: Lack

text: of

text: infrastructure

text: And

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: as

text: simple

text: as

text: shipping

text: medicines

text: and

text: supplies

text: in

text: bulk

text: quantities

text: Oxfam

text: 's

text: Paying

text: for

text: People

text: report

text: published

text: in

text: February

text: this

text: year

text: said

text: that

text: poor

text: countries

text: are

text: suffering

text: because

text: they

text: lack

text: the

text: infrastructure

text: of

text: a

text: health

text: service

text: The

text: WHO

text: 's

text: World

text: Health

text: Report

text: also

text: indicates

text: that

text: million

text: doctors

text: nurses

text: and

text: health

text: workers

text: are

text: needed

text: across

text: countries

text: Sub

text: Saharan

text: Africa

text: for

text: example

text: has

text: health

text: workers

text: one

text: million

text: more

text: are

text: required

text: Without

text: these

text: key

text: workers

text: it

text: is

text: questionable

text: whether

text: healthcare

text: in

text: poor

text: countries

text: can

text: be

text: improved

text: Nicky

text: Wimble

text: a

text: spokesperson

text: for

text: Oxfam

text: told

text: CNN

text: There

text: is

text: money

text: coming

text: in

text: for

text: drugs

text: now

text: but

text: there

text: 's

text: no

text: commitment

text: to

text: long

text: term

text: aid

text: Governments

text: are

text: unable

text: to

text: give

text: healthcare

text: workers

text: with

text: job

text: security

text: and

text: doctors

text: and

text: nurses

text: where

text: they

text: do

text: exist

text: are

text: largely

text: poorly

text: paid

text: so

text: people

text: choose

text: other

text: careers

text: They

text: 're

text: either

text: becoming

text: taxi

text: drivers

text: or

text: working

text: for

text: private

text: businesses

text: Wimble

text: says

text: This

text: double

text: brain

text: drain

text: one

text: internal

text: one

text: external

text: as

text: those

text: who

text: do

text: train

text: are

text: tempted

text: away

text: by

text: higher

text: salaries

text: and

text: brighter

text: futures

text: in

text: developed

text: countries

text: means

text: that

text: even

text: if

text: drugs

text: make

text: it

text: to

text: poorer

text: areas

text: there

text: can

text: be

text: no

text: one

text: to

text: administer

text: them

text: Drugs

text: are

text: sitting

text: in

text: cupboards

text: Wimble

text: told

text: CNN

text: Or

text: they

text: 're

text: available

text: in

text: cities

text: but

text: people

text: in

text: rural

text: areas

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: the

text: bus

text: fares

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: them

text: Vulnerable

text: to

text: disease

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: backs

text: this

text: up

text: She

text: told

text: CNN

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: public

text: investment

text: in

text: health

text: systems

text: so

text: people

text: have

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: it

text: If

text: you

text: 're

text: poor

text: you

text: ca

text: n't

text: buy

text: your

text: healthcare

text: and

text: if

text: you

text: 're

text: a

text: woman

text: who

text: happens

text: to

text: be

text: poor

text: you

text: might

text: as

text: well

text: forget

text: it

text: And

text: in

text: countries

text: where

text: no

text: healthcare

text: system

text: exists

text: people

text: are

text: extremely

text: vulnerable

text: to

text: diseases

text: which

text: can

text: spread

text: rampantly

text: and

text: unchecked

text: through

text: communities

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: paints

text: a

text: worrying

text: picture

text: Particularly

text: in

text: Africa

text: they

text: 're

text: not

text: equipped

text: to

text: face

text: anything

text: not

text: HIV

text: let

text: alone

text: avian

text: flu

text: If

text: something

text: like

text: avian

text: flu

text: hit

text: Africa

text: with

text: no

text: health

text: system

text: no

text: health

text: workers

text: and

text: no

text: money

text: it

text: would

text: spread

text: We

text: ca

text: n't

text: contain

text: it

text: in

text: Africa

text: The

text: world

text: would

text: wake

text: up

text: and

text: realize

text: that

text: but

text: in

text: the

text: meantime

text: it

text: would

text: have

text: wiped

text: out

text: goodness

text: knows

text: how

text: many

text: millions

text: of

text: people

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: just

text: in

text: Africa

text: HIV

text: is

text: a

text: known

text: crisis

text: there

text: but

text: it

text: is

text: anticipated

text: that

text: more

text: people

text: will

text: be

text: infected

text: in

text: India

text: than

text: anywhere

text: else

text: as

text: the

text: disease

text: spreads

text: quickly

text: through

text: its

text: billion

text: strong

text: population

text: Increasingly

text: countries

text: like

text: these

text: are

text: having

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: a

text: boom

text: in

text: incommunicable

text: diseases

text: like

text: diabetes

text: and

text: cancer

text: Chronic

text: diseases

text: like

text: diabetes

text: have

text: the

text: additional

text: problem

text: that

text: they

text: require

text: long

text: term

text: care

text: and

text: therefore

text: long

text: term

text: funding

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: explained

text: the

text: difficulties

text: of

text: that

text: situation

text: You

text: buy

text: the

text: pills

text: today

text: but

text: maybe

text: tomorrow

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: enough

text: money

text: so

text: you

text: 're

text: never

text: cured

text: and

text: develop

text: complications

text: What

text: lies

text: ahead

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: sees

text: three

text: possible

text: outcomes

text: for

text: health

text: in

text: poor

text: countries

text: The

text: first

text: as

text: she

text: explained

text: is

text: bleak

text: She

text: told

text: CNN

text: If

text: things

text: continue

text: as

text: they

text: are

text: with

text: rising

text: infection

text: increasing

text: resistance

text: to

text: drugs

text: HIV

text: and

text: malaria

text: run

text: unchecked

text: chronic

text: and

text: non

text: communicable

text: diseases

text: are

text: ignored

text: and

text: no

text: money

text: is

text: spent

text: on

text: a

text: health

text: system

text: then

text: the

text: gap

text: will

text: just

text: increase

text: and

text: the

text: situation

text: will

text: get

text: worse

text: and

text: worse

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: is

text: hopeful

text: however

text: that

text: the

text: situation

text: will

text: improve

text: somewhat

text: She

text: explained

text: a

text: second

text: scenario

text: the

text: one

text: she

text: feels

text: is

text: most

text: likely

text: to

text: happen

text: If

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: invests

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: things

text: will

text: be

text: slightly

text: better

text: she

text: told

text: CNN

text: More

text: people

text: with

text: HIV

text: will

text: get

text: treatment

text: as

text: will

text: people

text: with

text: TB

text: and

text: malaria

text: But

text: non

text: communicable

text: chronic

text: diseases

text: like

text: diabetes

text: will

text: be

text: ignored

text: But

text: large

text: scale

text: epidemics

text: like

text: avian

text: flu

text: or

text: SARS

text: would

text: still

text: remain

text: a

text: huge

text: threat

text: in

text: this

text: scenario

text: as

text: would

text: diseases

text: like

text: cancer

text: Who

text: 's

text: going

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: medicine

text: for

text: cancer

text: which

text: is

text: increasing

text: like

text: anything

text: in

text: developing

text: countries

text: asks

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: Nobody

text: Hope

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: But

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: third

text: scenario

text: which

text: holds

text: out

text: more

text: hope

text: for

text: people

text: in

text: developing

text: countries

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: says

text: If

text: public

text: pressure

text: is

text: high

text: southern

text: governments

text: donors

text: and

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: will

text: decide

text: that

text: health

text: is

text: really

text: a

text: priority

text: We

text: 'll

text: put

text: our

text: money

text: where

text: our

text: mouth

text: is

text: and

text: we

text: 'll

text: fulfil

text: the

text: commitments

text: that

text: we

text: 've

text: made

text: before

text: She

text: says

text: that

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: instance

text: African

text: countries

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: encouraged

text: to

text: divert

text: percent

text: of

text: their

text: budget

text: to

text: health

text: Currently

text: nearly

text: a

text: third

text: allocate

text: less

text: than

text: five

text: percent

text: Then

text: they

text: will

text: realize

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: enough

text: so

text: they

text: 'll

text: put

text: in

text: more

text: she

text: continues

text: If

text: this

text: money

text: were

text: to

text: be

text: added

text: to

text: the

text: billion

text: promised

text: by

text: the

text: Group

text: of

text: Eight

text: leading

text: industrialized

text: nations

text: in

text: Gleneagles

text: in

text: it

text: would

text: have

text: a

text: huge

text: impact

text: on

text: health

text: and

text: education

text: particularly

text: in

text: Africa

text: And

text: education

text: is

text: the

text: key

text: Dr

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: believes

text: She

text: explained

text: You

text: ca

text: n't

text: separate

text: health

text: and

text: education

text: because

text: unless

text: you

text: educate

text: doctors

text: and

text: nurses

text: and

text: midwives

text: and

text: pharmacists

text: you

text: ca

text: n't

text: run

text: a

text: health

text: service

text: Working

text: together

text: It

text: 's

text: also

text: important

text: for

text: donors

text: and

text: governments

text: to

text: work

text: together

text: to

text: provide

text: a

text: cohesive

text: service

text: she

text: says

text: They

text: really

text: need

text: to

text: start

text: coordinating

text: their

text: work

text: so

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: vertical

text: programs

text: that

text: do

text: n't

text: relate

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: and

text: waste

text: resources

text: Oxfam

text: 's

text: Nicky

text: Wimble

text: agrees

text: She

text: told

text: CNN

text: Over

text: the

text: last

text: years

text: countries

text: like

text: France

text: Britain

text: and

text: America

text: have

text: developed

text: by

text: giving

text: their

text: people

text: free

text: education

text: and

text: healthcare

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: major

text: way

text: to

text: bring

text: people

text: out

text: of

text: poverty

text: Wimble

text: cites

text: the

text: example

text: of

text: education

text: where

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: children

text: not

text: in

text: school

text: worldwide

text: has

text: fallen

text: from

text: around

text: million

text: to

text: around

text: million

text: The

text: key

text: is

text: getting

text: governments

text: to

text: commit

text: to

text: it

text: as

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: their

text: aid

text: package

text: and

text: monitoring

text: the

text: aid

text: package

text: so

text: that

text: the

text: money

text: is

text: tracked

text: to

text: ensure

text: that

text: it

text: gets

text: to

text: where

text: it

text: 's

text: intended

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: working

text: for

text: education

text: and

text: they

text: think

text: it

text: 'll

text: work

text: for

text: healthcare

text: too

text: but

text: it

text: needs

text: committed

text: investment

text: And

text: in

text: the

text: meantime

text: people

text: like

text: Mohga

text: Kamal

text: Yanni

text: will

text: continue

text: their

text: work

text: to

text: pressure

text: governments

text: to

text: encourage

text: positive

text: change

text: She

text: says

text: That

text: 's

text: my

text: motivation

text: to

text: do

text: this

text: work

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: for

text: me

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: life

text: thing

text: My

text: dream

text: in

text: life

text: is

text: for

text: everybody

text: in

text: Africa

text: to

text: have

text: access

text: to

text: a

text: publicly

text: financed

text: publicly

text: run

text: healthcare

text: service

text: with

text: strong

text: regulation

text: quality

text: care

text: and

text: equity

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: Who won't be able to cope with SARS and avian flu?

answer: Kamal-Yanni

text: Kamal-Yanni

question: What did Oxfam say of lack of infrastructure?

answer: "Paying for People" report, published in February this year, said that poor countries are suffering because they

text: "Paying for People" report, published in February this year, said that poor countries are suffering because they

question: What is the greatest danger to health?

answer: low level of healthcare

text: low level of healthcare

question: What did WHO say is needed worldwide?

answer: 4.25 million doctors, nurses and health workers

text: 4.25 million doctors, nurses and health workers

question: What is needed worldwide?

answer: 4.25 million doctors, nurses and health workers

text: 4.25 million doctors, nurses and health workers


text:
(CNN) -- The driver of a Toyota Prius says he was taken on a wild ride Monday after the car's accelerator became stuck, reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph on a winding, hilly portion of a southern California interstate.

It took the California Highway Patrol to bring the car safely to a stop.

The driver, Jim Sikes, said he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle.

"I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car, and it just did something kind of funny ... and it just stuck there," he said at a news conference outside a Highway Patrol office. "As I was going, I was trying the brakes ... and it just kept speeding up."

Sikes said he called 911 for help, and dispatchers talked him through instructions on how he might be able to stop the car. But nothing worked.

At one point, Sikes said he reached down to try to pull the accelerator up, but it "stayed right where it was."

Alerted by emergency dispatchers, a California Highway Patrol officer was able to catch up to Sikes' Prius and used the patrol car's public address system to instruct Sikes to apply the brakes and the emergency brake at the same time.

The tactic worked, and the car slowed to about 50 mph. Sikes said he was able to shut off the car, and it rolled to a stop. The responding officer, Todd Neibert, positioned his patrol car in front of the Prius as a precaution to prevent it from moving again.

Toyota recently issued widespread recalls due to problems related to the accelerator pedal in several of its auto models. One theory behind the sticky accelerators is the vehicles' floor mats.

But Sikes said "my mat was perfect. There was nothing wrong with my mat."

Sikes said he took his 2008 Prius into a local Toyota dealership about two weeks ago for service and gave workers there his recall notice. He said he was told his car wasn't on the recall list.

"I'll be back there tomorrow," he said Monday, visibly shaken up.

CHP spokesman Brian Pennings said the ordeal lasted just over 20 minutes.

"We are extremely thankful that there was a safe end to this," Pennings said.

A Toyota spokesman issued a statement Monday night saying the automaker had been notified of the incident.

"Toyota has dispatched a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the report and offer assistance," the statement said.

text: CNN

text: The

text: driver

text: of

text: a

text: Toyota

text: Prius

text: says

text: he

text: was

text: taken

text: on

text: a

text: wild

text: ride

text: Monday

text: after

text: the

text: car

text: 's

text: accelerator

text: became

text: stuck

text: reaching

text: speeds

text: in

text: excess

text: of

text: mph

text: on

text: a

text: winding

text: hilly

text: portion

text: of

text: a

text: southern

text: California

text: interstate

text: It

text: took

text: the

text: California

text: Highway

text: Patrol

text: to

text: bring

text: the

text: car

text: safely

text: to

text: a

text: stop

text: The

text: driver

text: Jim

text: Sikes

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: traveling

text: east

text: on

text: Interstate

text: outside

text: of

text: the

text: San

text: Diego

text: area

text: when

text: he

text: attempted

text: to

text: pass

text: a

text: slower

text: vehicle

text: I

text: pushed

text: the

text: gas

text: pedal

text: to

text: pass

text: a

text: car

text: and

text: it

text: just

text: did

text: something

text: kind

text: of

text: funny

text: and

text: it

text: just

text: stuck

text: there

text: he

text: said

text: at

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: outside

text: a

text: Highway

text: Patrol

text: office

text: As

text: I

text: was

text: going

text: I

text: was

text: trying

text: the

text: brakes

text: and

text: it

text: just

text: kept

text: speeding

text: up

text: Sikes

text: said

text: he

text: called

text: for

text: help

text: and

text: dispatchers

text: talked

text: him

text: through

text: instructions

text: on

text: how

text: he

text: might

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: stop

text: the

text: car

text: But

text: nothing

text: worked

text: At

text: one

text: point

text: Sikes

text: said

text: he

text: reached

text: down

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: pull

text: the

text: accelerator

text: up

text: but

text: it

text: stayed

text: right

text: where

text: it

text: was

text: Alerted

text: by

text: emergency

text: dispatchers

text: a

text: California

text: Highway

text: Patrol

text: officer

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: catch

text: up

text: to

text: Sikes

text: Prius

text: and

text: used

text: the

text: patrol

text: car

text: 's

text: public

text: address

text: system

text: to

text: instruct

text: Sikes

text: to

text: apply

text: the

text: brakes

text: and

text: the

text: emergency

text: brake

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: The

text: tactic

text: worked

text: and

text: the

text: car

text: slowed

text: to

text: about

text: mph

text: Sikes

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: shut

text: off

text: the

text: car

text: and

text: it

text: rolled

text: to

text: a

text: stop

text: The

text: responding

text: officer

text: Todd

text: Neibert

text: positioned

text: his

text: patrol

text: car

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: the

text: Prius

text: as

text: a

text: precaution

text: to

text: prevent

text: it

text: from

text: moving

text: again

text: Toyota

text: recently

text: issued

text: widespread

text: recalls

text: due

text: to

text: problems

text: related

text: to

text: the

text: accelerator

text: pedal

text: in

text: several

text: of

text: its

text: auto

text: models

text: One

text: theory

text: behind

text: the

text: sticky

text: accelerators

text: is

text: the

text: vehicles

text: floor

text: mats

text: But

text: Sikes

text: said

text: my

text: mat

text: was

text: perfect

text: There

text: was

text: nothing

text: wrong

text: with

text: my

text: mat

text: Sikes

text: said

text: he

text: took

text: his

text: Prius

text: into

text: a

text: local

text: Toyota

text: dealership

text: about

text: two

text: weeks

text: ago

text: for

text: service

text: and

text: gave

text: workers

text: there

text: his

text: recall

text: notice

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: told

text: his

text: car

text: was

text: n't

text: on

text: the

text: recall

text: list

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: back

text: there

text: tomorrow

text: he

text: said

text: Monday

text: visibly

text: shaken

text: up

text: CHP

text: spokesman

text: Brian

text: Pennings

text: said

text: the

text: ordeal

text: lasted

text: just

text: over

text: minutes

text: We

text: are

text: extremely

text: thankful

text: that

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: safe

text: end

text: to

text: this

text: Pennings

text: said

text: A

text: Toyota

text: spokesman

text: issued

text: a

text: statement

text: Monday

text: night

text: saying

text: the

text: automaker

text: had

text: been

text: notified

text: of

text: the

text: incident

text: Toyota

text: has

text: dispatched

text: a

text: field

text: technical

text: specialist

text: to

text: San

text: Diego

text: to

text: investigate

text: the

text: report

text: and

text: offer

text: assistance

text: the

text: statement

text: said

question: What did Jim Sikes say?

answer: he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle.

text: he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle.

question: Who did Sikes get help from?

answer: Todd Neibert,

text: Todd Neibert,


text:
(CNN) -- The United Nations' refugee agency said Tuesday that more Africans have fled poverty and conflict on the continent during the first 10 months of this year than in all of 2007.

A woman who has been displaced by the current fighting in the Congo.

The bulk of the more than 96,000 African refugees headed to Yemen and Italy, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees office.

The rest sought refuge in Malta, Greece, Spain and the Canary Islands, the agency said.

Last weekend, at least 60 refugees died en route to Yemen, a frequent destination for Somali and Ethiopian refugees, according to Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF.

UNHCR said most of those who died were forced overboard in deep water off Yemen's coast by smugglers who demanded more money than the $100 they paid for the journey.

"Those who did not or could not pay extra were severely beaten by the smugglers," UNHCR said in a news release Tuesday. "Up to 40 -- mainly Ethiopians -- [were] thrown overboard despite their pleas for mercy."

Andreas Koutepas, MSF's field coordinator in southern Yemen, said such a high number of refugee deaths in a short period of time "is not usual at all."

"For the whole of September until now, we've had 27 dead and now suddenly we reach this number," Koutepas told CNN from MSF's base in Ahwar, Yemen.

"We are quite shocked here."

About 30,000 African refugees arrived on boats on Italy's shores during the first 10 months of this year compared with 19,900 refugees last year, according to UNHCR.

In Malta, an estimated 2,600 boat people arrived in the first nine months of this year from North Africa, compared with 1,800 last year, UNHCR said..

The agency said that from January to October this year, 509 of those attempting to make the journey to Italy and Malta died, compared with last year's death toll of 471.

More than 38,000 people have made the perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen during the first 10 months of this year, a "considerable increase from the 29,500 who made the same journey during the whole of last year," UNHCR said Tuesday.

However, the death toll on that route has remained lower so far this year: more than 600 have died or disappeared en route to Yemen compared to 1,400 killed last year.

In late September, at least 52 Somalis died when the boat smuggling them across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen broke down, and they were left adrift with no food or water for 18 days, according to the U.N.

Many are fleeing the war in Somalia, but Koutepas of MSF told CNN on Monday that he has noticed a recent increase in the number of refugees from Ethiopia.

"It used to be 10 percent of total arrival, and now it's around 50-50," he said.

Yemen is a common destination for Somalis fleeing economic hardship and war because of its proximity. It is also an attractive location because Somalis receive automatic refugee status in the fellow Muslim country.

New smuggling routes, including some based out of Djibouti -- which lies north of Somalia and is much closer to Yemen -- have also led to the increase in refugees, according to the UNHCR.

But according to the Yemen Post, Yemen is just a stopping point for most of the refugees, who then travel on to the wealthier Persian Gulf states or Europe and the United States.

Earlier this year, Yemen's coast guard stepped up patrols of its coastline in an attempt to deter the smugglers. Some of the smuggling boats seized by Yemen's coast guard are given to Somali fishermen who suffered losses in the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

As part of a $19 million operation, UNHCR operates shelters and reception centers for the refugees in Yemen and has increased its efforts to discourage people from making the illegal crossing to Yemen. It has also sponsored training programs for coast guard personnel and other officials.

MSF said the plight of the refugees has been overshadowed by the dozens of pirate attacks off Somalia's coast that have grabbed international headlines in recent months.

"A lot of attention has been paid lately to tackling the issue of piracy in the waters off the Horn of Africa," said MSF Yemen mission leader Francis Coteur. "Unfortunately, little attention is paid to the drama of the refugees crossing the same waters in horrific conditions. Much more needs to be done to address this issue."

text: CNN

text: The

text: United

text: Nations

text: refugee

text: agency

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: more

text: Africans

text: have

text: fled

text: poverty

text: and

text: conflict

text: on

text: the

text: continent

text: during

text: the

text: first

text: months

text: of

text: this

text: year

text: than

text: in

text: all

text: of

text: A

text: woman

text: who

text: has

text: been

text: displaced

text: by

text: the

text: current

text: fighting

text: in

text: the

text: Congo

text: The

text: bulk

text: of

text: the

text: more

text: than

text: African

text: refugees

text: headed

text: to

text: Yemen

text: and

text: Italy

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: U.N.

text: High

text: Commissioner

text: for

text: Refugees

text: office

text: The

text: rest

text: sought

text: refuge

text: in

text: Malta

text: Greece

text: Spain

text: and

text: the

text: Canary

text: Islands

text: the

text: agency

text: said

text: Last

text: weekend

text: at

text: least

text: refugees

text: died

text: en

text: route

text: to

text: Yemen

text: a

text: frequent

text: destination

text: for

text: Somali

text: and

text: Ethiopian

text: refugees

text: according

text: to

text: Doctors

text: Without

text: Borders

text: known

text: by

text: its

text: French

text: acronym

text: MSF

text: UNHCR

text: said

text: most

text: of

text: those

text: who

text: died

text: were

text: forced

text: overboard

text: in

text: deep

text: water

text: off

text: Yemen

text: 's

text: coast

text: by

text: smugglers

text: who

text: demanded

text: more

text: money

text: than

text: the

text: they

text: paid

text: for

text: the

text: journey

text: Those

text: who

text: did

text: not

text: or

text: could

text: not

text: pay

text: extra

text: were

text: severely

text: beaten

text: by

text: the

text: smugglers

text: UNHCR

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: news

text: release

text: Tuesday

text: Up

text: to

text: mainly

text: Ethiopians

text: were

text: thrown

text: overboard

text: despite

text: their

text: pleas

text: for

text: mercy

text: Andreas

text: Koutepas

text: MSF

text: 's

text: field

text: coordinator

text: in

text: southern

text: Yemen

text: said

text: such

text: a

text: high

text: number

text: of

text: refugee

text: deaths

text: in

text: a

text: short

text: period

text: of

text: time

text: is

text: not

text: usual

text: at

text: all

text: For

text: the

text: whole

text: of

text: September

text: until

text: now

text: we

text: 've

text: had

text: dead

text: and

text: now

text: suddenly

text: we

text: reach

text: this

text: number

text: Koutepas

text: told

text: CNN

text: from

text: MSF

text: 's

text: base

text: in

text: Ahwar

text: Yemen

text: We

text: are

text: quite

text: shocked

text: here

text: About

text: African

text: refugees

text: arrived

text: on

text: boats

text: on

text: Italy

text: 's

text: shores

text: during

text: the

text: first

text: months

text: of

text: this

text: year

text: compared

text: with

text: refugees

text: last

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: UNHCR

text: In

text: Malta

text: an

text: estimated

text: boat

text: people

text: arrived

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: nine

text: months

text: of

text: this

text: year

text: from

text: North

text: Africa

text: compared

text: with

text: last

text: year

text: UNHCR

text: said

text: The

text: agency

text: said

text: that

text: from

text: January

text: to

text: October

text: this

text: year

text: of

text: those

text: attempting

text: to

text: make

text: the

text: journey

text: to

text: Italy

text: and

text: Malta

text: died

text: compared

text: with

text: last

text: year

text: 's

text: death

text: toll

text: of

text: More

text: than

text: people

text: have

text: made

text: the

text: perilous

text: journey

text: across

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Aden

text: from

text: Somalia

text: to

text: Yemen

text: during

text: the

text: first

text: months

text: of

text: this

text: year

text: a

text: considerable

text: increase

text: from

text: the

text: who

text: made

text: the

text: same

text: journey

text: during

text: the

text: whole

text: of

text: last

text: year

text: UNHCR

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: However

text: the

text: death

text: toll

text: on

text: that

text: route

text: has

text: remained

text: lower

text: so

text: far

text: this

text: year

text: more

text: than

text: have

text: died

text: or

text: disappeared

text: en

text: route

text: to

text: Yemen

text: compared

text: to

text: killed

text: last

text: year

text: In

text: late

text: September

text: at

text: least

text: Somalis

text: died

text: when

text: the

text: boat

text: smuggling

text: them

text: across

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Aden

text: to

text: Yemen

text: broke

text: down

text: and

text: they

text: were

text: left

text: adrift

text: with

text: no

text: food

text: or

text: water

text: for

text: days

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: U.N.

text: Many

text: are

text: fleeing

text: the

text: war

text: in

text: Somalia

text: but

text: Koutepas

text: of

text: MSF

text: told

text: CNN

text: on

text: Monday

text: that

text: he

text: has

text: noticed

text: a

text: recent

text: increase

text: in

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: refugees

text: from

text: Ethiopia

text: It

text: used

text: to

text: be

text: percent

text: of

text: total

text: arrival

text: and

text: now

text: it

text: 's

text: around

text: he

text: said

text: Yemen

text: is

text: a

text: common

text: destination

text: for

text: Somalis

text: fleeing

text: economic

text: hardship

text: and

text: war

text: because

text: of

text: its

text: proximity

text: It

text: is

text: also

text: an

text: attractive

text: location

text: because

text: Somalis

text: receive

text: automatic

text: refugee

text: status

text: in

text: the

text: fellow

text: Muslim

text: country

text: New

text: smuggling

text: routes

text: including

text: some

text: based

text: out

text: of

text: Djibouti

text: which

text: lies

text: north

text: of

text: Somalia

text: and

text: is

text: much

text: closer

text: to

text: Yemen

text: have

text: also

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: increase

text: in

text: refugees

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: UNHCR

text: But

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Yemen

text: Post

text: Yemen

text: is

text: just

text: a

text: stopping

text: point

text: for

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: refugees

text: who

text: then

text: travel

text: on

text: to

text: the

text: wealthier

text: Persian

text: Gulf

text: states

text: or

text: Europe

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Earlier

text: this

text: year

text: Yemen

text: 's

text: coast

text: guard

text: stepped

text: up

text: patrols

text: of

text: its

text: coastline

text: in

text: an

text: attempt

text: to

text: deter

text: the

text: smugglers

text: Some

text: of

text: the

text: smuggling

text: boats

text: seized

text: by

text: Yemen

text: 's

text: coast

text: guard

text: are

text: given

text: to

text: Somali

text: fishermen

text: who

text: suffered

text: losses

text: in

text: the

text: December

text: Indian

text: Ocean

text: tsunami

text: As

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: million

text: operation

text: UNHCR

text: operates

text: shelters

text: and

text: reception

text: centers

text: for

text: the

text: refugees

text: in

text: Yemen

text: and

text: has

text: increased

text: its

text: efforts

text: to

text: discourage

text: people

text: from

text: making

text: the

text: illegal

text: crossing

text: to

text: Yemen

text: It

text: has

text: also

text: sponsored

text: training

text: programs

text: for

text: coast

text: guard

text: personnel

text: and

text: other

text: officials

text: MSF

text: said

text: the

text: plight

text: of

text: the

text: refugees

text: has

text: been

text: overshadowed

text: by

text: the

text: dozens

text: of

text: pirate

text: attacks

text: off

text: Somalia

text: 's

text: coast

text: that

text: have

text: grabbed

text: international

text: headlines

text: in

text: recent

text: months

text: A

text: lot

text: of

text: attention

text: has

text: been

text: paid

text: lately

text: to

text: tackling

text: the

text: issue

text: of

text: piracy

text: in

text: the

text: waters

text: off

text: the

text: Horn

text: of

text: Africa

text: said

text: MSF

text: Yemen

text: mission

text: leader

text: Francis

text: Coteur

text: Unfortunately

text: little

text: attention

text: is

text: paid

text: to

text: the

text: drama

text: of

text: the

text: refugees

text: crossing

text: the

text: same

text: waters

text: in

text: horrific

text: conditions

text: Much

text: more

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: to

text: address

text: this

text: issue

question: Where did they head?

answer: Yemen and Italy,

text: Yemen and Italy,

question: What did Africans flee?

answer: fled poverty and conflict

text: fled poverty and conflict

question: How many refugees are there?

answer: 96,000

question: How many headed to Yemen and Italy?

answer: 96,000

question: What have more Africans fled this year than in 2007?

answer: poverty and conflict

text: poverty and conflict

question: Where did the bulk head to?

answer: Yemen and Italy,

text: Yemen and Italy,

question: What did the Africans flee?

answer: poverty and conflict

text: poverty and conflict


text:
(CNN) -- WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto will take a one-pound advantage over Filipino Manny Pacquiao into Saturday night's superfight in Las Vegas.

Puerto Rico's Cotto weighed in at 145 pounds in front a 5,000 strong crowd at the MGM Grand Arena, with Pacquiao tipping the scales at 144 pounds.

Pacquiao is bidding for a world title at a fifth different weight and was backed by vociferous supporters ahead of the eagerly-anticipated bout.

He looked relaxed and smiled as he stripped to his boxer shorts, while Cotto looked more intense.

There was a brief, angry exchange between Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach and the Cotto camp after the champion got off the scales but order was quickly restored and both fighters addressed the crowd in their native languages.

Pacquiao, who is rated the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by many boxing experts, has previously won recognized belts at fly, super-bantam, super-feather and lightweight during his remarkable career.

It is his first fight since a stunning knockout of Britain's Ricky Hatton sixth months ago at the same venue.

Pacquiao, who's won 49 fights, lost 3 and drawn 2, is being lined up for a money spinning fight with American Floyd Mayweather, but first must get past the determined Cotto, who has held a world title every year since 2004.

Pacquiao is rated as favorite by Las Vegas oddsmakers, but Cotto has just one defeat in 35 fights with 27 knockouts.

text: CNN

text: WBO

text: welterweight

text: champion

text: Miguel

text: Cotto

text: will

text: take

text: a

text: one

text: pound

text: advantage

text: over

text: Filipino

text: Manny

text: Pacquiao

text: into

text: Saturday

text: night

text: 's

text: superfight

text: in

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: 's

text: Cotto

text: weighed

text: in

text: at

text: pounds

text: in

text: front

text: a

text: strong

text: crowd

text: at

text: the

text: MGM

text: Grand

text: Arena

text: with

text: Pacquiao

text: tipping

text: the

text: scales

text: at

text: pounds

text: Pacquiao

text: is

text: bidding

text: for

text: a

text: world

text: title

text: at

text: a

text: fifth

text: different

text: weight

text: and

text: was

text: backed

text: by

text: vociferous

text: supporters

text: ahead

text: of

text: the

text: eagerly

text: anticipated

text: bout

text: He

text: looked

text: relaxed

text: and

text: smiled

text: as

text: he

text: stripped

text: to

text: his

text: boxer

text: shorts

text: while

text: Cotto

text: looked

text: more

text: intense

text: There

text: was

text: a

text: brief

text: angry

text: exchange

text: between

text: Pacquiao

text: 's

text: trainer

text: Freddie

text: Roach

text: and

text: the

text: Cotto

text: camp

text: after

text: the

text: champion

text: got

text: off

text: the

text: scales

text: but

text: order

text: was

text: quickly

text: restored

text: and

text: both

text: fighters

text: addressed

text: the

text: crowd

text: in

text: their

text: native

text: languages

text: Pacquiao

text: who

text: is

text: rated

text: the

text: best

text: pound

text: for

text: pound

text: fighter

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: by

text: many

text: boxing

text: experts

text: has

text: previously

text: won

text: recognized

text: belts

text: at

text: fly

text: super

text: bantam

text: super

text: feather

text: and

text: lightweight

text: during

text: his

text: remarkable

text: career

text: It

text: is

text: his

text: first

text: fight

text: since

text: a

text: stunning

text: knockout

text: of

text: Britain

text: 's

text: Ricky

text: Hatton

text: sixth

text: months

text: ago

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: venue

text: Pacquiao

text: who

text: 's

text: won

text: fights

text: lost

text: and

text: drawn

text: is

text: being

text: lined

text: up

text: for

text: a

text: money

text: spinning

text: fight

text: with

text: American

text: Floyd

text: Mayweather

text: but

text: first

text: must

text: get

text: past

text: the

text: determined

text: Cotto

text: who

text: has

text: held

text: a

text: world

text: title

text: every

text: year

text: since

text: Pacquiao

text: is

text: rated

text: as

text: favorite

text: by

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: oddsmakers

text: but

text: Cotto

text: has

text: just

text: one

text: defeat

text: in

text: fights

text: with

text: knockouts

question: who is miguel cotto

answer: welterweight champion

text: welterweight champion

question: Who is aiming for the world title?

answer: Manny

text: Manny

question: Who is defending the WBO Welterweight title against Pacquiao?

answer: Miguel Cotto

text: Miguel Cotto

question: who defending wbo welterweight

answer: Miguel Cotto

text: Miguel Cotto

question: What does Miguel Cotto have over Manny Pacquiao?

answer: a one-pound advantage

text: a one-pound advantage

question: who is filipino hero pacquiao

answer: the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world

text: the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world


text:
(CNN) -- Three people were killed and 10 wounded when a hospital treating victims of Sri Lanka's civil war was shelled for a fourth time in two days, the International Committee of the Red Cross told CNN Tuesday.

A civilian, injured during fighting in rebel territory, lies on a bed at a hospital in Vavuniya on January 16, 2009.

Artillery shells slammed into the hospital in the northern district of Mullaittivu on Monday evening. Strikes on the hospital on Sunday -- including one that hit the pediatric ward -- left 11 people dead, including some children, according to an aid worker who spoke to witnesses.

Government forces and Tamil rebels are locked in a battle for the remaining rebel strongholds in northern Sri Lanka, where the the country's ethnic Tamil minority has been fighting for an independent homeland since 1983.

Humanitarian groups say as many as 250,000 unprotected civilians are trapped in the area. The civil war has left more than 70,000 people dead.

International humanitarian aid agencies have asked for increased access to the region, calling conditions in northern Sri Lanka a "nightmarish situation."

Sarah Crowe of UNICEF told CNN Monday that aid from the United Nations was getting into the war zone only every few days.  Watch video an aid  group says shows civilians suffering Â»

"We need open access," she said. "These children and families need to be protected and they need to get out fast." Hundreds of civilians, including children, have been wounding in fighting since the end of last week.

Government officials have accused aid organizations and foreign media of sensationalizing civilian casualties.

"It looks as if it's convenient for certain agencies to exaggerate the numbers so that this can be converted to a humanitarian crisis in the public eye, " Secretary of Foreign Affairs Dr. Palitha Kohona told CNN.

Over the weekend, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised to "continue with the military offensive until we liberate the remaining area under LTTE (the rebel group's) control," according to Sri Lanka's state-run news agency.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has promised to allow safe passage to trapped civilians and urged the Tamil Tigers, as the rebels are commonly known, to promise the same.

A handful of U.N. staff are working round the clock to save a growing number of children caught in the crossfire, a U.N. spokesman said Saturday.

Children as young as 4 months old were being treated in area hospitals for shrapnel injuries and other wounds of war, spokesman James Elder told CNN.

"There is just intense fighting in a small area where children and other civilians are," Elder said. "The space [where conflict is taking place] is shrinking and the fighting is augmenting."

Last Thursday, U.N. aid workers rescued 50 critically injured children and 105 adults, he said.

"We are trying to get as many people out of there as we can," Elder said.

CNN's Sara Sidner contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Three

text: people

text: were

text: killed

text: and

text: wounded

text: when

text: a

text: hospital

text: treating

text: victims

text: of

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: 's

text: civil

text: war

text: was

text: shelled

text: for

text: a

text: fourth

text: time

text: in

text: two

text: days

text: the

text: International

text: Committee

text: of

text: the

text: Red

text: Cross

text: told

text: CNN

text: Tuesday

text: A

text: civilian

text: injured

text: during

text: fighting

text: in

text: rebel

text: territory

text: lies

text: on

text: a

text: bed

text: at

text: a

text: hospital

text: in

text: Vavuniya

text: on

text: January

text: Artillery

text: shells

text: slammed

text: into

text: the

text: hospital

text: in

text: the

text: northern

text: district

text: of

text: Mullaittivu

text: on

text: Monday

text: evening

text: Strikes

text: on

text: the

text: hospital

text: on

text: Sunday

text: including

text: one

text: that

text: hit

text: the

text: pediatric

text: ward

text: left

text: people

text: dead

text: including

text: some

text: children

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: aid

text: worker

text: who

text: spoke

text: to

text: witnesses

text: Government

text: forces

text: and

text: Tamil

text: rebels

text: are

text: locked

text: in

text: a

text: battle

text: for

text: the

text: remaining

text: rebel

text: strongholds

text: in

text: northern

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: where

text: the

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: ethnic

text: Tamil

text: minority

text: has

text: been

text: fighting

text: for

text: an

text: independent

text: homeland

text: since

text: Humanitarian

text: groups

text: say

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: unprotected

text: civilians

text: are

text: trapped

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: The

text: civil

text: war

text: has

text: left

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: dead

text: International

text: humanitarian

text: aid

text: agencies

text: have

text: asked

text: for

text: increased

text: access

text: to

text: the

text: region

text: calling

text: conditions

text: in

text: northern

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: a

text: nightmarish

text: situation

text: Sarah

text: Crowe

text: of

text: UNICEF

text: told

text: CNN

text: Monday

text: that

text: aid

text: from

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: was

text: getting

text: into

text: the

text: war

text: zone

text: only

text: every

text: few

text: days

text: Watch

text: video

text: an

text: aid

text: group

text: says

text: shows

text: civilians

text: suffering

text: Â

text: We

text: need

text: open

text: access

text: she

text: said

text: These

text: children

text: and

text: families

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: protected

text: and

text: they

text: need

text: to

text: get

text: out

text: fast

text: Hundreds

text: of

text: civilians

text: including

text: children

text: have

text: been

text: wounding

text: in

text: fighting

text: since

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: last

text: week

text: Government

text: officials

text: have

text: accused

text: aid

text: organizations

text: and

text: foreign

text: media

text: of

text: sensationalizing

text: civilian

text: casualties

text: It

text: looks

text: as

text: if

text: it

text: 's

text: convenient

text: for

text: certain

text: agencies

text: to

text: exaggerate

text: the

text: numbers

text: so

text: that

text: this

text: can

text: be

text: converted

text: to

text: a

text: humanitarian

text: crisis

text: in

text: the

text: public

text: eye

text: Secretary

text: of

text: Foreign

text: Affairs

text: Dr.

text: Palitha

text: Kohona

text: told

text: CNN

text: Over

text: the

text: weekend

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: Gotabaya

text: Rajapaksa

text: promised

text: to

text: continue

text: with

text: the

text: military

text: offensive

text: until

text: we

text: liberate

text: the

text: remaining

text: area

text: under

text: LTTE

text: the

text: rebel

text: group

text: 's

text: control

text: according

text: to

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: 's

text: state

text: run

text: news

text: agency

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: President

text: Mahinda

text: Rajapaksa

text: has

text: promised

text: to

text: allow

text: safe

text: passage

text: to

text: trapped

text: civilians

text: and

text: urged

text: the

text: Tamil

text: Tigers

text: as

text: the

text: rebels

text: are

text: commonly

text: known

text: to

text: promise

text: the

text: same

text: A

text: handful

text: of

text: U.N.

text: staff

text: are

text: working

text: round

text: the

text: clock

text: to

text: save

text: a

text: growing

text: number

text: of

text: children

text: caught

text: in

text: the

text: crossfire

text: a

text: U.N.

text: spokesman

text: said

text: Saturday

text: Children

text: as

text: young

text: as

text: months

text: old

text: were

text: being

text: treated

text: in

text: area

text: hospitals

text: for

text: shrapnel

text: injuries

text: and

text: other

text: wounds

text: of

text: war

text: spokesman

text: James

text: Elder

text: told

text: CNN

text: There

text: is

text: just

text: intense

text: fighting

text: in

text: a

text: small

text: area

text: where

text: children

text: and

text: other

text: civilians

text: are

text: Elder

text: said

text: The

text: space

text: where

text: conflict

text: is

text: taking

text: place

text: is

text: shrinking

text: and

text: the

text: fighting

text: is

text: augmenting

text: Last

text: Thursday

text: U.N.

text: aid

text: workers

text: rescued

text: critically

text: injured

text: children

text: and

text: adults

text: he

text: said

text: We

text: are

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: as

text: many

text: people

text: out

text: of

text: there

text: as

text: we

text: can

text: Elder

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Sara

text: Sidner

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: How many people were injured?

answer: 10

question: Who is fighting the battle?

answer: Government forces and Tamil rebels

text: Government forces and Tamil rebels

question: What needs increased access?

answer: humanitarian aid agencies

text: humanitarian aid agencies

question: Who wants access to Sri Lanka?

answer: humanitarian aid agencies

text: humanitarian aid agencies

question: How many people were dead?

answer: Three

text: Three

question: Who is locked in battle?

answer: Government forces and Tamil rebels

text: Government forces and Tamil rebels

question: Who wants to call for increased access?

answer: humanitarian aid agencies

text: humanitarian aid agencies

question: How many were killed?

answer: Three

text: Three

question: What was shelled for the fourth time?

answer: a hospital treating victims of Sri Lanka's civil

text: a hospital treating victims of Sri Lanka's civil


text:
LONDON, England (CNN)  -- A Russian naval ship rescued a Dutch container vessel under attack by suspected Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the head of the International Maritime Bureau said Wednesday.

The Liberian-flagged oil tanker Sirius Star was recently released by pirates off Somalia.

Two or three pirate speedboats were chasing the Dutch ship, with the goal of boarding it, when the Russians intervened, said Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau in London.

He said the pirates fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Dutch ship, but no injuries were reported.

The incident occurred about midday Tuesday.

The Russians chased one of the speedboats but the pirates got away, Mukundan said. He said he did not know where the Dutch ship was headed.

"It is important that the naval vessels continue to respond robustly to these pirates," he said.  Watch how attacks peaked in 2008 Â»

Hijackings off the coast of East Africa have become a growing international concern, prompting a number of foreign navies to patrol the Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas.

The Gulf of Aden links the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. About 20,000 oil tankers, freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route near Somalia each year.

Most of the attacks are blamed on pirates based in largely lawless Somalia, a country racked by poverty and conflict. Watch CNN's exclusive interview with a pirate

According to the United Nations, there were 115 reported pirate attacks off the Somali coast in 2008, including 46 successful hijackings. Read blog on how CNN contacted a pirate

The troubling rise in Somali piracy has led the United Nations to step up efforts to tackle the crime.

The first U.N. group to address piracy met Wednesday in New York.

Mark Kimmitt, U.S. assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs chaired the "contact group" of two dozen nations and five multi-national organizations.

He said the group was formed to "establish a counter-piracy coordination mechanism," and the members believe more can be done to halt piracy.

Still, Kimmitt noted that less than one percent of manifests off the Somali coast are attacked by pirates and only 50 percent of those have crew and passengers taken hostage.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution in December expanding counter-piracy measures off the Horn of Africa, including a stipulation that allows national and regional military forces to chase pirates onshore in Somalia when in "hot pursuit."

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: A

text: Russian

text: naval

text: ship

text: rescued

text: a

text: Dutch

text: container

text: vessel

text: under

text: attack

text: by

text: suspected

text: Somali

text: pirates

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Aden

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: the

text: International

text: Maritime

text: Bureau

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: Liberian

text: flagged

text: oil

text: tanker

text: Sirius

text: Star

text: was

text: recently

text: released

text: by

text: pirates

text: off

text: Somalia

text: Two

text: or

text: three

text: pirate

text: speedboats

text: were

text: chasing

text: the

text: Dutch

text: ship

text: with

text: the

text: goal

text: of

text: boarding

text: it

text: when

text: the

text: Russians

text: intervened

text: said

text: Capt

text: Pottengal

text: Mukundan

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: International

text: Maritime

text: Bureau

text: in

text: London

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: pirates

text: fired

text: two

text: rocket

text: propelled

text: grenades

text: at

text: the

text: Dutch

text: ship

text: but

text: no

text: injuries

text: were

text: reported

text: The

text: incident

text: occurred

text: about

text: midday

text: Tuesday

text: The

text: Russians

text: chased

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: speedboats

text: but

text: the

text: pirates

text: got

text: away

text: Mukundan

text: said

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: did

text: not

text: know

text: where

text: the

text: Dutch

text: ship

text: was

text: headed

text: It

text: is

text: important

text: that

text: the

text: naval

text: vessels

text: continue

text: to

text: respond

text: robustly

text: to

text: these

text: pirates

text: he

text: said

text: Watch

text: how

text: attacks

text: peaked

text: in

text: Â

text: Hijackings

text: off

text: the

text: coast

text: of

text: East

text: Africa

text: have

text: become

text: a

text: growing

text: international

text: concern

text: prompting

text: a

text: number

text: of

text: foreign

text: navies

text: to

text: patrol

text: the

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Aden

text: and

text: neighboring

text: coastal

text: areas

text: The

text: Gulf

text: of

text: Aden

text: links

text: the

text: Indian

text: Ocean

text: and

text: the

text: Red

text: Sea

text: About

text: oil

text: tankers

text: freighters

text: and

text: merchant

text: vessels

text: pass

text: along

text: the

text: crucial

text: shipping

text: route

text: near

text: Somalia

text: each

text: year

text: Most

text: of

text: the

text: attacks

text: are

text: blamed

text: on

text: pirates

text: based

text: in

text: largely

text: lawless

text: Somalia

text: a

text: country

text: racked

text: by

text: poverty

text: and

text: conflict

text: Watch

text: CNN

text: 's

text: exclusive

text: interview

text: with

text: a

text: pirate

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: there

text: were

text: reported

text: pirate

text: attacks

text: off

text: the

text: Somali

text: coast

text: in

text: including

text: successful

text: hijackings

text: Read

text: blog

text: on

text: how

text: CNN

text: contacted

text: a

text: pirate

text: The

text: troubling

text: rise

text: in

text: Somali

text: piracy

text: has

text: led

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: to

text: step

text: up

text: efforts

text: to

text: tackle

text: the

text: crime

text: The

text: first

text: U.N.

text: group

text: to

text: address

text: piracy

text: met

text: Wednesday

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: Mark

text: Kimmitt

text: U.S.

text: assistant

text: secretary

text: of

text: state

text: for

text: political

text: military

text: affairs

text: chaired

text: the

text: contact

text: group

text: of

text: two

text: dozen

text: nations

text: and

text: five

text: multi

text: national

text: organizations

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: group

text: was

text: formed

text: to

text: establish

text: a

text: counter

text: piracy

text: coordination

text: mechanism

text: and

text: the

text: members

text: believe

text: more

text: can

text: be

text: done

text: to

text: halt

text: piracy

text: Still

text: Kimmitt

text: noted

text: that

text: less

text: than

text: one

text: percent

text: of

text: manifests

text: off

text: the

text: Somali

text: coast

text: are

text: attacked

text: by

text: pirates

text: and

text: only

text: percent

text: of

text: those

text: have

text: crew

text: and

text: passengers

text: taken

text: hostage

text: The

text: U.N.

text: Security

text: Council

text: adopted

text: a

text: resolution

text: in

text: December

text: expanding

text: counter

text: piracy

text: measures

text: off

text: the

text: Horn

text: of

text: Africa

text: including

text: a

text: stipulation

text: that

text: allows

text: national

text: and

text: regional

text: military

text: forces

text: to

text: chase

text: pirates

text: onshore

text: in

text: Somalia

text: when

text: in

text: hot

text: pursuit

question: Where is the meeting taking place?

answer: New York.

text: New York.

question: Where do navies patrol?

answer: Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas.

text: Gulf of Aden and neighboring coastal areas.

question: Where did the container ship originate from?

answer: Dutch

text: Dutch

question: What was fired at ship?

answer: two rocket-propelled grenades

text: two rocket-propelled grenades

question: Where does group meet?

answer: New York.

text: New York.

question: Where do the hijackings usually occur?

answer: off the coast of East Africa

text: off the coast of East Africa


text:
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A new boatload of Rohingya refugees washed up on the shores of Thailand early Tuesday, raising questions about the type of treatment they would receive.

Male refugees show scars they say were caused by beatings at the hands of the Myanmar navy.

The boat was carrying about 78 people, Thai police said, and many had severe burns from a fire that broke out on board.

Most were members of neighboring Myanmar's Rohingya minority, which has been fleeing persecution by the country's hard-line government for years.

Other members of the Rohingya have allegedly been abandoned at sea after being rounded up by Thai authorities.

A recent CNN investigation found evidence that the Thai military towed hundreds of refugees into open waters only to abandon them.

CNN obtained several photos of this activity including one photo that shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea. CNN also interviewed a refugee who said he was one of the few that survived after his group of six rickety boats were towed back to sea and abandoned by Thai authorities in January.  Watch Dan Rivers' BackStory on the investigation Â»

The Thai army has denied this allegation, while the Thai government has launched an inquiry.

But one source in the Thai military, after extensive questioning, did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy. The source defended it, insisting that each boatload of refugees was given sufficient supplies of food and water.

That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month, accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them.

That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month, and that they were accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them.

The Rohingya, a minority in Myanmar, have been fleeing their country in make-shift boats for years in search of a better life, and maintain that they are fleeing persecution by the regime in Myanmar, formerly Burma.

The Thai government maintains that "there are no reasonable grounds to believe" that the Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar out of fear of persecution.

"Their profile and their seasonal travel further support the picture that they are illegal migrants, and not those requiring international protection," it said in a statement released Tuesday by the foreign ministry.

In that statement, the Thai government maintained that its policies in dealing with all illegal migrants are in accordance with its laws and international guidelines. It said "basic humanitarian needs" are given to the migrants before they are returned home.

"We have upheld our humanitarian tradition and ensured that new arrivals are adequately provided with food, water and medicines, with necessary repairs to their boats," the ministry's statement said.

The government noted that Thailand has already been inundated with as many as 20,000 illegal migrants -- most of them Rohingyas -- and "accepting those arriving in an irregular manner would simply encourage new arrivals."

The government "categorically denied" media reports blaming Thai authorities for mistreating the illegal migrants, and intentionally damaging their boats. It said it would seriously investigate such cases if any "concrete evidence" is presented.

-- CNN's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.

text: BANGKOK

text: Thailand

text: CNN

text: A

text: new

text: boatload

text: of

text: Rohingya

text: refugees

text: washed

text: up

text: on

text: the

text: shores

text: of

text: Thailand

text: early

text: Tuesday

text: raising

text: questions

text: about

text: the

text: type

text: of

text: treatment

text: they

text: would

text: receive

text: Male

text: refugees

text: show

text: scars

text: they

text: say

text: were

text: caused

text: by

text: beatings

text: at

text: the

text: hands

text: of

text: the

text: Myanmar

text: navy

text: The

text: boat

text: was

text: carrying

text: about

text: people

text: Thai

text: police

text: said

text: and

text: many

text: had

text: severe

text: burns

text: from

text: a

text: fire

text: that

text: broke

text: out

text: on

text: board

text: Most

text: were

text: members

text: of

text: neighboring

text: Myanmar

text: 's

text: Rohingya

text: minority

text: which

text: has

text: been

text: fleeing

text: persecution

text: by

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: hard

text: line

text: government

text: for

text: years

text: Other

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Rohingya

text: have

text: allegedly

text: been

text: abandoned

text: at

text: sea

text: after

text: being

text: rounded

text: up

text: by

text: Thai

text: authorities

text: A

text: recent

text: CNN

text: investigation

text: found

text: evidence

text: that

text: the

text: Thai

text: military

text: towed

text: hundreds

text: of

text: refugees

text: into

text: open

text: waters

text: only

text: to

text: abandon

text: them

text: CNN

text: obtained

text: several

text: photos

text: of

text: this

text: activity

text: including

text: one

text: photo

text: that

text: shows

text: the

text: Thai

text: army

text: towing

text: a

text: boatload

text: of

text: some

text: refugees

text: far

text: out

text: to

text: sea

text: CNN

text: also

text: interviewed

text: a

text: refugee

text: who

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: few

text: that

text: survived

text: after

text: his

text: group

text: of

text: six

text: rickety

text: boats

text: were

text: towed

text: back

text: to

text: sea

text: and

text: abandoned

text: by

text: Thai

text: authorities

text: in

text: January

text: Watch

text: Dan

text: Rivers

text: BackStory

text: on

text: the

text: investigation

text: Â

text: The

text: Thai

text: army

text: has

text: denied

text: this

text: allegation

text: while

text: the

text: Thai

text: government

text: has

text: launched

text: an

text: inquiry

text: But

text: one

text: source

text: in

text: the

text: Thai

text: military

text: after

text: extensive

text: questioning

text: did

text: confirm

text: to

text: CNN

text: that

text: the

text: Thai

text: army

text: was

text: operating

text: a

text: dump

text: at

text: sea

text: policy

text: The

text: source

text: defended

text: it

text: insisting

text: that

text: each

text: boatload

text: of

text: refugees

text: was

text: given

text: sufficient

text: supplies

text: of

text: food

text: and

text: water

text: That

text: source

text: claimed

text: local

text: villagers

text: had

text: become

text: afraid

text: of

text: the

text: hundreds

text: of

text: Rohingya

text: arriving

text: each

text: month

text: accusing

text: the

text: refugees

text: of

text: stealing

text: their

text: property

text: and

text: threatening

text: them

text: That

text: source

text: claimed

text: local

text: villagers

text: had

text: become

text: afraid

text: of

text: the

text: hundreds

text: of

text: Rohingya

text: arriving

text: each

text: month

text: and

text: that

text: they

text: were

text: accusing

text: the

text: refugees

text: of

text: stealing

text: their

text: property

text: and

text: threatening

text: them

text: The

text: Rohingya

text: a

text: minority

text: in

text: Myanmar

text: have

text: been

text: fleeing

text: their

text: country

text: in

text: make

text: shift

text: boats

text: for

text: years

text: in

text: search

text: of

text: a

text: better

text: life

text: and

text: maintain

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: fleeing

text: persecution

text: by

text: the

text: regime

text: in

text: Myanmar

text: formerly

text: Burma

text: The

text: Thai

text: government

text: maintains

text: that

text: there

text: are

text: no

text: reasonable

text: grounds

text: to

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: Rohingya

text: are

text: fleeing

text: Myanmar

text: out

text: of

text: fear

text: of

text: persecution

text: Their

text: profile

text: and

text: their

text: seasonal

text: travel

text: further

text: support

text: the

text: picture

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: illegal

text: migrants

text: and

text: not

text: those

text: requiring

text: international

text: protection

text: it

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: released

text: Tuesday

text: by

text: the

text: foreign

text: ministry

text: In

text: that

text: statement

text: the

text: Thai

text: government

text: maintained

text: that

text: its

text: policies

text: in

text: dealing

text: with

text: all

text: illegal

text: migrants

text: are

text: in

text: accordance

text: with

text: its

text: laws

text: and

text: international

text: guidelines

text: It

text: said

text: basic

text: humanitarian

text: needs

text: are

text: given

text: to

text: the

text: migrants

text: before

text: they

text: are

text: returned

text: home

text: We

text: have

text: upheld

text: our

text: humanitarian

text: tradition

text: and

text: ensured

text: that

text: new

text: arrivals

text: are

text: adequately

text: provided

text: with

text: food

text: water

text: and

text: medicines

text: with

text: necessary

text: repairs

text: to

text: their

text: boats

text: the

text: ministry

text: 's

text: statement

text: said

text: The

text: government

text: noted

text: that

text: Thailand

text: has

text: already

text: been

text: inundated

text: with

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: illegal

text: migrants

text: most

text: of

text: them

text: Rohingyas

text: and

text: accepting

text: those

text: arriving

text: in

text: an

text: irregular

text: manner

text: would

text: simply

text: encourage

text: new

text: arrivals

text: The

text: government

text: categorically

text: denied

text: media

text: reports

text: blaming

text: Thai

text: authorities

text: for

text: mistreating

text: the

text: illegal

text: migrants

text: and

text: intentionally

text: damaging

text: their

text: boats

text: It

text: said

text: it

text: would

text: seriously

text: investigate

text: such

text: cases

text: if

text: any

text: concrete

text: evidence

text: is

text: presented

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Dan

text: Rivers

text: and

text: Kocha

text: Olarn

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What is number of people on the boat?

answer: 78

question: who was fleeing the country

answer: Rohingya refugees

text: Rohingya refugees

question: What is being given to the migrants?

answer: sufficient supplies of food and water.

text: sufficient supplies of food and water.

question: How many people were on the boat?

answer: 78

question: What is the Thai army denying?

answer: towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea.

text: towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea.

question: What are they fleeing from?

answer: persecution by the country's hard-line government

text: persecution by the country's hard-line government