text:
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Pop star Britney Spears was resting at UCLA Medical Center on Thursday, her mother said, hours after police escorted her to the hospital from her Hollywood home.

Britney Spears, left, and her mother Lynne Spears pose at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.

A long convoy of police and a Los Angeles Fire Department ambulance transported the 26-year-old singer to the hospital after midnight, acting on what the Los Angeles Times reported was a "mental evaluation hold."

It was the second hospitalization for Spears this month. The police operation was planned far in advance and, according to the L.A. Times, followed a phone call to police from Spears' psychiatrist.

Asked if her daughter was resting, mother Lynne Spears said "Yes" to a throng of reporters as she departed the medical center.  Watch scene at Spears' home Â»

The pop star's father Jamie Spears and her manager Sam Lufti also appeared at the hospital, neither choosing to speak to reporters.

The latest incident in the troubled performer's saga began about 12:55 a.m. on Thursday when the North Hollywood Police Department sent about eight officers to Spears' hilltop house in Studio City, California, according to a law enforcement official, who asked not to be identified because he's not authorized to comment publicly.  See Spears timeline Â»

The group at Spears' house included plainclothes officers, motorcycle police, ambulance crews and some police "brass," the official said.

It took the better part of the day to arrange the transport plan, the officer said.

On January 3, Spears was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she reportedly underwent a psychological evaluation.  Watch how mental evaluations work Â»

Andrew Blankstein, a Los Angeles Times reporter who was at the scene of Thursday's incident, told CNN that a police convoy, stretching the length of a football field, accompanied the ambulance as it drove down Coldwater Canyon Boulevard -- in part to keep the paparazzi from getting too close.  Watch police motorcade at Spears' home Â»

Spears was whisked out a side entrance to her house.

"You couldn't really see what was going on [when officers first swept into the residence] but on the police radio, there was some reference to 'The package is on the way out,' 'We're leaving now. Go, go, go,'" Blankstein said.

A few hours earlier, two officers were sent to investigate a report of a large group gathered outside the singer's home, said David Grimes, watch commander for the west division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The two officers found 20 to 25 people near the house around 11 p.m. Wednesday and they asked them to leave, he said.

ABC-TV host Barbara Walters reported on Monday's "The View" that she had been contacted by Spears' manager and "good friend," Lufti, who told her the pop star has seen a psychiatrist and "is suffering from what he describes as mental issues which are treatable," according to The Associated Press.  Watch experts discuss Spears' behavioral issues Â»

During Spears' earlier hospitalization, in addition to the psychological evaluation, she was examined for possible influence of alcohol or drugs. Police had been called to her home that night to mediate a custody dispute.  A day later, a California court refused to grant Spears visitation rights with her two children -- Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1 -- at least until mid-February.

Spears has been in a heated dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline over custody of their sons. Federline, Spears' former backup dancer, holds primary custody of the children.

Spears has been in trouble with the court earlier concerning her compliance with court orders in the custody case.

After filing for divorce in November 2006, Spears was frequently seen enjoying Hollywood nightlife. Her behavior became increasingly erratic; in February 2007, she shaved her head as paparazzi looked on, then spent a month in rehab. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Saeed Ahmed and Ninette Sosa contributed to this report.

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text: Blankstein

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text: Associated

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text: Spears

text: was

text: frequently

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text: Hollywood

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text: Her

text: behavior

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text: increasingly

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text: February

text: she

text: shaved

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text: head

text: as

text: paparazzi

text: looked

text: on

text: then

text: spent

text: a

text: month

text: in

text: rehab

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Saeed

text: Ahmed

text: and

text: Ninette

text: Sosa

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: WHo was placed on a hold?

answer: Britney Spears

text: Britney Spears

question: What did the mom say?

answer: Lynne Spears said "Yes"

text: Lynne Spears said "Yes"

question: What troubled pop star is resting?

answer: Britney Spears

text: Britney Spears

question: Who was placed on mental health evaluation hold?

answer: Britney Spears

text: Britney Spears

question: What was Spears placed on?

answer: "mental evaluation hold."

text: "mental evaluation hold."

question: Who is being held for a mental health evaluation?

answer: Spears

text: Spears

question: How many times has the singer has been taken to a hospital?

answer: second hospitalization

text: second hospitalization

question: Who called the police?

answer: Spears' psychiatrist.

text: Spears' psychiatrist.

question: Who made the call to police?

answer: Spears' psychiatrist.

text: Spears' psychiatrist.

question: How many times has she been taken to the hospital recently?

answer: second hospitalization

text: second hospitalization


text:
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The family of Michael Jackson has been told by state officials that it may be possible to bury the singer at Neverland Ranch -- if the county gives the green light.

Santa Barbara County says it hasn't yet been contacted about burying Michael Jackson at Neverland.

Officials with Santa Barbara County, the site of the ranch, said Thursday that they have not yet been approached, and it was not clear whether the family had decided to pursue that option.

A lawyer from the Jackson family contacted state officials recently about possibly burying Jackson at the ranch that was his home for almost two decades, said Amanda Fulkerson of California's State and Consumer Services Agency.

To bury someone on private land in California is a two-step process.

First, a certificate of authority is needed from the state Cemetery and Funeral Bureau -- easily obtainable by filling out a two-page application and paying $400. Next, the family needs approval from the county.

No one from the Jackson camp has contacted county authorities yet, said county spokesman William Boyer.

"We have had no formal application either from the Jackson family or from the property owner," said Boyer, the communications director for the county. "At that point, we would review the application and make a determination."

Boyer said Santa Barbara county has never been approached about burial on private land.

California has had burials outside cemeteries, most notably that of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan at his presidential library in Ventura County's Simi Valley.

Jackson's brother Jermaine said he'd like to see the singer buried at the ranch. But their father, Joe Jackson, said he opposes the site.

The rest of the family has expressed no preference about Jackson's final resting place. Michael Jackson died June 25 of a cardiac arrest. The exact cause of death is pending toxicology results.

Jackson purchased the Neverland Ranch -- named for the fictional world in J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan" -- in 1987 and filled it with animals and amusement rides.

Billionaire Tom Barrack Jr. gained control of the ranch through his company last year as part of a process to alleviate the singer's debts, believed to be in the millions.

Soon after Jackson's death, Barrack said the property's future would be discussed at a later time.

text: LOS

text: ANGELES

text: California

text: CNN

text: The

text: family

text: of

text: Michael

text: Jackson

text: has

text: been

text: told

text: by

text: state

text: officials

text: that

text: it

text: may

text: be

text: possible

text: to

text: bury

text: the

text: singer

text: at

text: Neverland

text: Ranch

text: if

text: the

text: county

text: gives

text: the

text: green

text: light

text: Santa

text: Barbara

text: County

text: says

text: it

text: has

text: n't

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text: been

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text: Michael

text: Jackson

text: at

text: Neverland

text: Officials

text: with

text: Santa

text: Barbara

text: County

text: the

text: site

text: of

text: the

text: ranch

text: said

text: Thursday

text: that

text: they

text: have

text: not

text: yet

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text: approached

text: and

text: it

text: was

text: not

text: clear

text: whether

text: the

text: family

text: had

text: decided

text: to

text: pursue

text: that

text: option

text: A

text: lawyer

text: from

text: the

text: Jackson

text: family

text: contacted

text: state

text: officials

text: recently

text: about

text: possibly

text: burying

text: Jackson

text: at

text: the

text: ranch

text: that

text: was

text: his

text: home

text: for

text: almost

text: two

text: decades

text: said

text: Amanda

text: Fulkerson

text: of

text: California

text: 's

text: State

text: and

text: Consumer

text: Services

text: Agency

text: To

text: bury

text: someone

text: on

text: private

text: land

text: in

text: California

text: is

text: a

text: two

text: step

text: process

text: First

text: a

text: certificate

text: of

text: authority

text: is

text: needed

text: from

text: the

text: state

text: Cemetery

text: and

text: Funeral

text: Bureau

text: easily

text: obtainable

text: by

text: filling

text: out

text: a

text: two

text: page

text: application

text: and

text: paying

text: Next

text: the

text: family

text: needs

text: approval

text: from

text: the

text: county

text: No

text: one

text: from

text: the

text: Jackson

text: camp

text: has

text: contacted

text: county

text: authorities

text: yet

text: said

text: county

text: spokesman

text: William

text: Boyer

text: We

text: have

text: had

text: no

text: formal

text: application

text: either

text: from

text: the

text: Jackson

text: family

text: or

text: from

text: the

text: property

text: owner

text: said

text: Boyer

text: the

text: communications

text: director

text: for

text: the

text: county

text: At

text: that

text: point

text: we

text: would

text: review

text: the

text: application

text: and

text: make

text: a

text: determination

text: Boyer

text: said

text: Santa

text: Barbara

text: county

text: has

text: never

text: been

text: approached

text: about

text: burial

text: on

text: private

text: land

text: California

text: has

text: had

text: burials

text: outside

text: cemeteries

text: most

text: notably

text: that

text: of

text: former

text: U.S.

text: President

text: Ronald

text: Reagan

text: at

text: his

text: presidential

text: library

text: in

text: Ventura

text: County

text: 's

text: Simi

text: Valley

text: Jackson

text: 's

text: brother

text: Jermaine

text: said

text: he

text: 'd

text: like

text: to

text: see

text: the

text: singer

text: buried

text: at

text: the

text: ranch

text: But

text: their

text: father

text: Joe

text: Jackson

text: said

text: he

text: opposes

text: the

text: site

text: The

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: family

text: has

text: expressed

text: no

text: preference

text: about

text: Jackson

text: 's

text: final

text: resting

text: place

text: Michael

text: Jackson

text: died

text: June

text: of

text: a

text: cardiac

text: arrest

text: The

text: exact

text: cause

text: of

text: death

text: is

text: pending

text: toxicology

text: results

text: Jackson

text: purchased

text: the

text: Neverland

text: Ranch

text: named

text: for

text: the

text: fictional

text: world

text: in

text: J.M.

text: Barrie

text: 's

text: Peter

text: Pan

text: in

text: and

text: filled

text: it

text: with

text: animals

text: and

text: amusement

text: rides

text: Billionaire

text: Tom

text: Barrack

text: Jr.

text: gained

text: control

text: of

text: the

text: ranch

text: through

text: his

text: company

text: last

text: year

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: process

text: to

text: alleviate

text: the

text: singer

text: 's

text: debts

text: believed

text: to

text: be

text: in

text: the

text: millions

text: Soon

text: after

text: Jackson

text: 's

text: death

text: Barrack

text: said

text: the

text: property

text: 's

text: future

text: would

text: be

text: discussed

text: at

text: a

text: later

text: time

question: What was Jackson's home for almost two decades?

answer: Neverland Ranch

text: Neverland Ranch

question: Who must fill out a two-page application and pay $400?

answer: the family

text: the family

question: Who wants to see him buried at the ranch?

answer: Jermaine

text: Jermaine

question: What was Jackson's home for almost 2 decades?

answer: Neverland Ranch

text: Neverland Ranch

question: Who must fill out the two-page application?

answer: the family

text: the family

question: How much must the Jackson family pay?

answer: $400.

question: who has to approve the burial?

answer: Santa Barbara County

text: Santa Barbara County

question: Who says Santa Barbara County has to approve burial on private property?

answer: Amanda Fulkerson

text: Amanda Fulkerson


text:
(Mental Floss) -- Almost everyone knows that each state of the Union has its own flag. State flags, however, are just the most visible elements of an elaborate, esoteric system of legalized symbols that characterize and codify our united states. It's time we were all exposed to the bizarre symbology of state identity-politics.

Texas' state flower, the bluebonnet, is celebrated in the Texas state song.

To begin with, some of the most well-known state symbols allude to lesser-known meanings and histories. I grew up in Wisconsin and only recently learned that the Badger State title originally refers not to Bucky, nor to the savage beast itself, but to lead miners in the 1820s and 30s.

These miners moved from prospect to prospect in southwestern Wisconsin, traveling light and often, with little money for luxury. When winter came and conditions worsened, those miners too far from home to migrate would dig themselves sheltering caves in the hills -- like badgers.

These temporary dwellings could be abandoned if a prospect proved fruitless, without much regret; and if the lead pickings were good, the lucky miner could fluff up his badger hole or upgrade to a more traditional Euro-American residence. For this practice Wisconsin miners were dubbed "badgers" -- a jibe that was soon appropriated as a proud, statewide nickname. Bucky didn't come along until 1949; the furry, quadruped badger, notoriously vicious when cornered, wasn't declared Wisconsin's state animal until 1957.

Other miners migrated south for the winter to the far end of Illinois, much like the region's sucker fish; which earned them the nickname of Suckers, and their state of Illinois its unenviable nickname, The Sucker State. Mental Floss: How 22 colleges got their nicknames

'Rebel' woodpecker

The state bird of Alabama has another tale behind it. They honor a little woodpecker they call the yellowhammer, which is known outside of Alabama as the northern flicker, the common flicker, or simply The Flicker. (It eats a lot of ants, and is not to be confused with the yellowhammer bunting of Europe and New Zealand.)

State birds are chosen for reasons many and varied, some meaningful and others frivolous -- from the pretty songs they sing to their proximity to extinction -- and I believe this is the only bird singled out for its resemblance to Confederate uniforms.

The story goes that a clean, trim, flashy bunch of new Confederate recruits one day passed by a weary, bedraggled, dusty pod of veterans, and their fresh uniforms, grey tinged with brilliant yellow, reminded some jokester vet of the woodpecker, so he let out a mocking call: "Yallerhammer, yallerhammer, flicker, flicker!" The jeer stuck, and the recruits were soon labeled the Yellowhammer Company.

Later, as these things go, all Alabama troops were known as Yellowhammers, the whole state as the Yellowhammer State, and Confederate veterans developed a habit of wearing yellow feathers in their caps and lapels to dress up for post-war reunions.

How entertaining and informative. But the real fun starts when these state symbols more shamelessly approach the ridiculous. Let us consider some of the finest specimens:

Eat and drink to the honor of the state

Most states have at least one form of official food. In Louisiana, the official doughnut is the beignet. (I'm unaware of any other state doughnuts -- and I'm disappointed.) New York's official muffin is made with apples; Minnesota's with blueberries; and none have yet found it fit to honor the vegan bran and raisin muffin, despite whatever strange wonders it works on the abdominal tubing.

Vermont is the only state with an official flavor: maple, as in maple syrup -- but because they've designated the "flavor," not the "syrup," we can assume the appointment includes everything from maple-glaze for ham to autumnal maple lattes.

Shockingly, Oklahoma has recognized a complete (and daunting) meal: fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbeque pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, chicken friend steak, black-eyed peas, strawberries, and pecan pies. Mental Floss: 6 food challenges for the super hungry

As for state drinks, Nebraska has Kool-Aid, Indiana has water (hubris!), and Alabama, the standout, has Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey -- a re-creation of some well-regarded illegal moonshine made in the backwoods by a man named Clyde May.

Silly, sentimental, and insulting songs

All states have songs, too, except New Jersey. Most states have more than one. There are state ballads, state marches, state waltzes, and so on. Connecticut has a state cantata (a narrative piece intermixed with solos and choruses); Louisiana has a state environmental song ("The Gifts of the Earth"); Massachusetts a polka ("Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts"); a couple states have lullabies; and Ohio has an official rock song, "Hang On Sloopy." Two state anthems, Maryland's and Iowa's, are set to the familiar tune of "O Tannenbaum!", or "O Christmas Tree!"; but no states have designated official Christmas songs.

And despite Texas' tough boy image (their official footwear is the cowboy boot), it's the only state with an official flower song -- in praise of its state flower, the bluebonnet.

Many of the traditional states songs are brazenly effusive. Arizona's begins, "I love you, Arizona," and continues, rather romantically, "You're the magic in me." California's is similar, without the magic: "I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all." South Dakotans use the superlative when singing to "The state we love the best."

Usually they're just hilarious, but a few of these songs bear some heinously outdated lyrics. With a nod to the old Eternal Feminine, North Carolina praises its women as Queens of the Forest, "So graceful, so constant, yet to gentlest breath trembling." The real trouble comes, though, with old minstrel tunes that portray humble "darkies" praising "old Massa" in song and romanticizing their cotton-picking servitude. Kentucky changed the language for "My Old Kentucky Home" in 1986 to glaze over such indiscretions. But Virginia still seems to have trouble acknowledging its error, and simply demoted its song, "Carry Me Back To Old Virginny," to the status of "state song emeritus." Virginia still seeks an adequate replacement, preferably one that doesn't idealize slavery.

Every state for itself

Besides these strange variations on common themes, many states have even more idiosyncratic symbols. Since 1962, the official sport of Maryland has been jousting, and more recently, the state's official "exercise" was declared to be walking. Not even mall-walking or speed-walking -- just "walking."

Kentucky doesn't have a "sport," but it does have an official tug-of-war: the Fordsville Tug-of-War Championship. Mississippi has a state toy, the teddy bear; Massachusetts a state bean, the navy bean; and Oklahoma proudly boasts the only state cartoon character, a gust of wind named Gusty that was used to report weather and news, between 1954 and 1989. Mental Floss: State nickname quiz

While many designations seem absurd, most aim to represent some definite aspect of a state's intended "character." Legislators want icons that mean something, that give you a sense of the land and its people -- something like the bolo tie. Arizona named the bolo tie its official neckwear back in 1971. And more recently, in 2007, New Mexico added the same to its list of emblems. Apparently, it was an Arizona silversmith who invented the string-and-buckle necktie when he took off his hatband to avoid losing the precious buckle during a high-wind horse ride, and hung it around his neck. This discovery occurred as late as 1940, but the bolo's become such an icon that it's hard to imagine a Wild West without it.

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text: mentalfloss.com

question: Who dug caves?

answer: miners

text: miners

question: What is the origin of the Badger State symbol?

answer: miners too far from home to migrate would dig themselves sheltering caves in the hills

text: miners too far from home to migrate would dig themselves sheltering caves in the hills

question: What is the state drink in Indiana?

answer: has water (hubris!),

text: has water (hubris!),

question: What is the state drink of Nebraska?

answer: Kool-Aid,

text: Kool-Aid,

question: What is Alabama's state bird?

answer: yellowhammer,

text: yellowhammer,

question: What state honors the navy bean?

answer: Massachusetts

text: Massachusetts

question: What is Nebraska's state drink?

answer: Kool-Aid,

text: Kool-Aid,


text:
(CNN) -- Iranian media outlets have "systematically stirred up" widespread contempt toward the country's 300,000-strong Baha'i religious minority, the group says.

The Baha'i International Community issued a report Friday entitled "Inciting Hatred: Iran's media campaign to demonize Baha'is."

The report "documents and analyzes more than 400 media items over a 16-month period." The result, the Baha'is say, is an "insidious state-sponsored effort" to discredit the Baha'is with "false accusations, inflammatory terminology, and repugnant imagery."

Iranians officials at the United Nations and in Tehran could not be reached for comment.

Among "recurring themes" in media coverage about Baha'is, the report said, is that they are "anti-Islamic," a "deviant" and "cult-like" sect, agents of Zionism, spies for Israel and the West, morally corrupt and an influence in the shah's government, toppled in 1979.

New themes have emerged in recent months, the report says.

The report says the Baha'is have instigated opposition to the regime, influenced "anti-regime" Iranian human rights activists, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, controls or influences foreign broadcasters, such as the BBC and Voice of America, and helped plan and participated in the 2009 Ashura protests against the presidential elections earlier that year.

The group also said the media "uses brainwashing to entice Muslims away from their faith," and "security attractive young women to lure converts."

"This anti-Baha'i propaganda is shocking in its volume and vehemence, its scope and sophistication," said Bani Dugal, Principal Representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.

"It's all cynically calculated to stir up antagonism against a peaceful religious community whose members are striving to contribute to the well-being of their society," she said. "The parallels between the campaign of anti-Baha'i propaganda in Iran today and other state-sponsored, anti-religious campaigns of the past are undeniable. History shows us that such campaigns are among the foremost predictors of actual violence against religious minorities -or, in the worst case, precursors of genocide."

The Baha'i faith, founded during the 19th century in Iran and now with 5 million to 6 million adherents worldwide, is a monotheistic religion that focuses on the spiritual unity of humanity.

But Iran's Shiite Muslim ruling ayatollahs regard the faith as blasphemous because its founder, Bahaullah, declared himself to be a prophet of God. Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed was the last prophet of God.

The group said the anti-Baha'i messages are "originates with and are sanctioned by the country's highest levels of leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei."

Iran, however, claims that international media are an arm of a Baha'i conspiracy.

Those claims are "both ludicrous and funny, if it wasn't so sad," said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, the program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists' Middle East and North Africa program.

"Any international media outlet that carries news that is not identical to the Iranian government's line is accused of being an agent of fill in the blank: The Baha'is, the Americans, the Mossad."

The U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom -- an independent, bipartisan federal agency -- regularly documents the Iranian regime's actions toward the Baha'is.

A USCIRF official said the Iranian government's media campaign to denigrate and vilify the Baha'i community is part of its long-standing policy to not only incite violence against Baha'is but also to seek a slow death of the community's very existence in the country.

"The longer you wear down a community by demonizing them, intimidating them, depriving them, and arresting and imprisoning them - the hope is that you achieve your goal of total eradication," said Dwight Bashir, deputy director for policy and research at USCIRF.

The Baha'i report cities more than 200 "specious and misleading articles" by the semi-official Kayhan newspaper. USCIRF also singles out Kayhan.

"Among those responsible for this media initiative has been Hossein Shariatmadari, managing editor of the government-controlled Kayhan newspaper, who was appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei himself," Bashir said.

"Kayhan's articles about the Baha'i community have been a combination of vitriol and falsified information that has served to justify many of the egregious actions taken by the government against members of the community. As a consequence, USCIRF has urged the U.S. government to add Shariatmadari to its sanctions list of Iranian officials responsible for severe violations of human rights, including religious freedom," said Bashir.

Faraz Sanei, Iran researcher with the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, said rights groups have long documented the government's "systematic campaign, both in law and practice, to target Baha'is and "deprive them of of their ability to freely manifest the beliefs and teachings of their faith."

Sanei said the "report provides valuable insight into the mechanics of a less documented and more insidious element of this campaign - anti-Baha'i propaganda propagated by official and semi-official media outlets, and the degree to which hate speech further exposes an already vulnerable minority group to discrimination and attacks by private actors."

text: CNN

text: Iranian

text: media

text: outlets

text: have

text: systematically

text: stirred

text: up

text: widespread

text: contempt

text: toward

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: Baha'i

text: religious

text: minority

text: the

text: group

text: says

text: The

text: Baha'i

text: International

text: Community

text: issued

text: a

text: report

text: Friday

text: entitled

text: Inciting

text: Hatred

text: Iran

text: 's

text: media

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text: demonize

text: Baha'is

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text: report

text: documents

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text: than

text: media

text: items

text: over

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text: The

text: result

text: the

text: Baha'is

text: say

text: is

text: an

text: insidious

text: state

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text: effort

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text: discredit

text: the

text: Baha'is

text: with

text: false

text: accusations

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text: terminology

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text: repugnant

text: imagery

text: Iranians

text: officials

text: at

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: and

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text: Tehran

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: reached

text: for

text: comment

text: Among

text: recurring

text: themes

text: in

text: media

text: coverage

text: about

text: Baha'is

text: the

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text: said

text: is

text: that

text: they

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text: like

text: sect

text: agents

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text: Zionism

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text: Israel

text: and

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text: morally

text: corrupt

text: and

text: an

text: influence

text: in

text: the

text: shah

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text: government

text: toppled

text: in

text: New

text: themes

text: have

text: emerged

text: in

text: recent

text: months

text: the

text: report

text: says

text: The

text: report

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text: the

text: Baha'is

text: have

text: instigated

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text: including

text: Nobel

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text: Shirin

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text: controls

text: or

text: influences

text: foreign

text: broadcasters

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: BBC

text: and

text: Voice

text: of

text: America

text: and

text: helped

text: plan

text: and

text: participated

text: in

text: the

text: Ashura

text: protests

text: against

text: the

text: presidential

text: elections

text: earlier

text: that

text: year

text: The

text: group

text: also

text: said

text: the

text: media

text: uses

text: brainwashing

text: to

text: entice

text: Muslims

text: away

text: from

text: their

text: faith

text: and

text: security

text: attractive

text: young

text: women

text: to

text: lure

text: converts

text: This

text: anti

text: Baha'i

text: propaganda

text: is

text: shocking

text: in

text: its

text: volume

text: and

text: vehemence

text: its

text: scope

text: and

text: sophistication

text: said

text: Bani

text: Dugal

text: Principal

text: Representative

text: of

text: the

text: Baha'i

text: International

text: Community

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: It

text: 's

text: all

text: cynically

text: calculated

text: to

text: stir

text: up

text: antagonism

text: against

text: a

text: peaceful

text: religious

text: community

text: whose

text: members

text: are

text: striving

text: to

text: contribute

text: to

text: the

text: well

text: being

text: of

text: their

text: society

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: parallels

text: between

text: the

text: campaign

text: of

text: anti

text: Baha'i

text: propaganda

text: in

text: Iran

text: today

text: and

text: other

text: state

text: sponsored

text: anti

text: religious

text: campaigns

text: of

text: the

text: past

text: are

text: undeniable

text: History

text: shows

text: us

text: that

text: such

text: campaigns

text: are

text: among

text: the

text: foremost

text: predictors

text: of

text: actual

text: violence

text: against

text: religious

text: minorities

text: -or

text: in

text: the

text: worst

text: case

text: precursors

text: of

text: genocide

text: The

text: Baha'i

text: faith

text: founded

text: during

text: the

text: century

text: in

text: Iran

text: and

text: now

text: with

text: million

text: to

text: million

text: adherents

text: worldwide

text: is

text: a

text: monotheistic

text: religion

text: that

text: focuses

text: on

text: the

text: spiritual

text: unity

text: of

text: humanity

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text: Iran

text: 's

text: Shiite

text: Muslim

text: ruling

text: ayatollahs

text: regard

text: the

text: faith

text: as

text: blasphemous

text: because

text: its

text: founder

text: Bahaullah

text: declared

text: himself

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: prophet

text: of

text: God

text: Muslims

text: believe

text: the

text: Prophet

text: Mohammed

text: was

text: the

text: last

text: prophet

text: of

text: God

text: The

text: group

text: said

text: the

text: anti

text: Baha'i

text: messages

text: are

text: originates

text: with

text: and

text: are

text: sanctioned

text: by

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: highest

text: levels

text: of

text: leadership

text: including

text: Supreme

text: Leader

text: Ayatollah

text: Ali

text: Khamenei

text: Iran

text: however

text: claims

text: that

text: international

text: media

text: are

text: an

text: arm

text: of

text: a

text: Baha'i

text: conspiracy

text: Those

text: claims

text: are

text: both

text: ludicrous

text: and

text: funny

text: if

text: it

text: was

text: n't

text: so

text: sad

text: said

text: Mohamed

text: Abdel

text: Dayem

text: the

text: program

text: coordinator

text: for

text: the

text: Committee

text: to

text: Protect

text: Journalists

text: Middle

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text: North

text: Africa

text: program

text: Any

text: international

text: media

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text: news

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text: identical

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text: the

text: Iranian

text: government

text: 's

text: line

text: is

text: accused

text: of

text: being

text: an

text: agent

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text: fill

text: in

text: the

text: blank

text: The

text: Baha'is

text: the

text: Americans

text: the

text: Mossad

text: The

text: U.S.

text: Commission

text: for

text: International

text: Religious

text: Freedom

text: an

text: independent

text: bipartisan

text: federal

text: agency

text: regularly

text: documents

text: the

text: Iranian

text: regime

text: 's

text: actions

text: toward

text: the

text: Baha'is

text: A

text: USCIRF

text: official

text: said

text: the

text: Iranian

text: government

text: 's

text: media

text: campaign

text: to

text: denigrate

text: and

text: vilify

text: the

text: Baha'i

text: community

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: its

text: long

text: standing

text: policy

text: to

text: not

text: only

text: incite

text: violence

text: against

text: Baha'is

text: but

text: also

text: to

text: seek

text: a

text: slow

text: death

text: of

text: the

text: community

text: 's

text: very

text: existence

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: The

text: longer

text: you

text: wear

text: down

text: a

text: community

text: by

text: demonizing

text: them

text: intimidating

text: them

text: depriving

text: them

text: and

text: arresting

text: and

text: imprisoning

text: them

text: the

text: hope

text: is

text: that

text: you

text: achieve

text: your

text: goal

text: of

text: total

text: eradication

text: said

text: Dwight

text: Bashir

text: deputy

text: director

text: for

text: policy

text: and

text: research

text: at

text: USCIRF

text: The

text: Baha'i

text: report

text: cities

text: more

text: than

text: specious

text: and

text: misleading

text: articles

text: by

text: the

text: semi

text: official

text: Kayhan

text: newspaper

text: USCIRF

text: also

text: singles

text: out

text: Kayhan

text: Among

text: those

text: responsible

text: for

text: this

text: media

text: initiative

text: has

text: been

text: Hossein

text: Shariatmadari

text: managing

text: editor

text: of

text: the

text: government

text: controlled

text: Kayhan

text: newspaper

text: who

text: was

text: appointed

text: by

text: Supreme

text: Leader

text: Ayatollah

text: Khamenei

text: himself

text: Bashir

text: said

text: Kayhan

text: 's

text: articles

text: about

text: the

text: Baha'i

text: community

text: have

text: been

text: a

text: combination

text: of

text: vitriol

text: and

text: falsified

text: information

text: that

text: has

text: served

text: to

text: justify

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: egregious

text: actions

text: taken

text: by

text: the

text: government

text: against

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: community

text: As

text: a

text: consequence

text: USCIRF

text: has

text: urged

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: to

text: add

text: Shariatmadari

text: to

text: its

text: sanctions

text: list

text: of

text: Iranian

text: officials

text: responsible

text: for

text: severe

text: violations

text: of

text: human

text: rights

text: including

text: religious

text: freedom

text: said

text: Bashir

text: Faraz

text: Sanei

text: Iran

text: researcher

text: with

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: and

text: North

text: Africa

text: division

text: of

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Watch

text: said

text: rights

text: groups

text: have

text: long

text: documented

text: the

text: government

text: 's

text: systematic

text: campaign

text: both

text: in

text: law

text: and

text: practice

text: to

text: target

text: Baha'is

text: and

text: deprive

text: them

text: of

text: of

text: their

text: ability

text: to

text: freely

text: manifest

text: the

text: beliefs

text: and

text: teachings

text: of

text: their

text: faith

text: Sanei

text: said

text: the

text: report

text: provides

text: valuable

text: insight

text: into

text: the

text: mechanics

text: of

text: a

text: less

text: documented

text: and

text: more

text: insidious

text: element

text: of

text: this

text: campaign

text: anti

text: Baha'i

text: propaganda

text: propagated

text: by

text: official

text: and

text: semi

text: official

text: media

text: outlets

text: and

text: the

text: degree

text: to

text: which

text: hate

text: speech

text: further

text: exposes

text: an

text: already

text: vulnerable

text: minority

text: group

text: to

text: discrimination

text: and

text: attacks

text: by

text: private

text: actors

question: Whose faith is blasphemous?

answer: The Baha'i

text: The Baha'i

question: what is the media impact?

answer: "systematically stirred up" widespread contempt toward the country's

text: "systematically stirred up" widespread contempt toward the country's

question: Who said the Iranian media are demonizing them?

answer: 300,000-strong Baha'i religious minority,

text: 300,000-strong Baha'i religious minority,

question: who is being demonized?

answer: Baha'is."

text: Baha'is."

question: What do they believe?

answer: the media "uses brainwashing to entice Muslims away from their faith," and "security attractive young women to lure converts."

text: the media "uses brainwashing to entice Muslims away from their faith," and "security attractive young women to lure converts."

question: What do Iran's rulers believe

answer: international media are an arm of a Baha'i conspiracy.

text: international media are an arm of a Baha'i conspiracy.


text:
(CNN) -- A ferry crammed with people capsized late Friday night in Bangladesh, killing at least 28 passengers, police said.

The boat had a capacity of 1,500, but was overcrowded with about 2,000 people, said Nazrul Islam, the police chief of Bangladesh's southern Bhola district. They were traveling from the capital, Dhaka, to their homes in Bhola for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.

The boat toppled as passengers weighted down one side to disembark, Islam said.

The dead included eight women and 15 children. About 50 more people were injured.

Police and firefighters rushed to aid passengers, many of whom were trapped in the lower deck. The number of people missing remained unclear and rescue teams feared the death toll would rise.

CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: A

text: ferry

text: crammed

text: with

text: people

text: capsized

text: late

text: Friday

text: night

text: in

text: Bangladesh

text: killing

text: at

text: least

text: passengers

text: police

text: said

text: The

text: boat

text: had

text: a

text: capacity

text: of

text: but

text: was

text: overcrowded

text: with

text: about

text: people

text: said

text: Nazrul

text: Islam

text: the

text: police

text: chief

text: of

text: Bangladesh

text: 's

text: southern

text: Bhola

text: district

text: They

text: were

text: traveling

text: from

text: the

text: capital

text: Dhaka

text: to

text: their

text: homes

text: in

text: Bhola

text: for

text: the

text: Muslim

text: festival

text: of

text: Eid

text: al

text: Adha

text: The

text: boat

text: toppled

text: as

text: passengers

text: weighted

text: down

text: one

text: side

text: to

text: disembark

text: Islam

text: said

text: The

text: dead

text: included

text: eight

text: women

text: and

text: children

text: About

text: more

text: people

text: were

text: injured

text: Police

text: and

text: firefighters

text: rushed

text: to

text: aid

text: passengers

text: many

text: of

text: whom

text: were

text: trapped

text: in

text: the

text: lower

text: deck

text: The

text: number

text: of

text: people

text: missing

text: remained

text: unclear

text: and

text: rescue

text: teams

text: feared

text: the

text: death

text: toll

text: would

text: rise

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Harmeet

text: Shah

text: Singh

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Which festival were they hoping to celebrate?

answer: Eid al-Adha.

text: Eid al-Adha.

question: What was the boat's capacity?

answer: 1,500,

question: Where did the ferry capsize?

answer: Bangladesh,

text: Bangladesh,

question: how many people was killed in bangladesh

answer: at least 28

text: at least 28

question: How many were onboard?

answer: 2,000

question: Where has an overcrowded ferry capsized?

answer: Bangladesh,

text: Bangladesh,

question: Where was the boat travelling from and to?

answer: Dhaka,

text: Dhaka,


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Pete Sampras and Roger Federer are two of the modern era's greatest tennis players. Between them, they have won a staggering 27 Grand Slam singles titles -- and yet, neither player has ever won the French Open.

Tennis great Pete Sampras won 14 Grand Slam tournaments but never managed a French Open victory.

That legendary players like Sampras and Federer have somehow failed to win at Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros is just one of the reasons why this Grand Slam tournament holds such a special place on the tennis calendar.

The French Open is notably the only Grand Slam event contested on clay -- a factor that separates it from the other three majors, and more than anything else defines the tournament.

The layers of crushed brick that constitute the orange-red clay courts of Roland Garros are what brought Sampras -- and still bring Federer -- so much grief. Fellow greats John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg also failed to win the coveted title.

The reason clay may have affected the natural games of these players is because the surface slows the ball and produces a slightly higher, loopier bounce than grass or hard courts. This means the high-power serve of someone like Sampras is negated, opening the way for players with a different style of game.

To this extent, the French Open helped create the legend of one of the finest players of all time -- Swedish star Bjorn Borg. Borg won a record six times at Roland Garros. He also won five Wimbledon titles -- but never managed an Australian or U.S. Open crown, both tournaments fought out on hard courts.

Describing what makes the French Open so special in an rare one-on-one interview with Indian Web site Rediff.com in 2001, Borg said: "It is toughest to win on clay. It is easily the most draining, the toughest Slam."

Offering advice to Sampras, who was at the time still playing for a French Open title, Borg added, "I would advise him to concentrate on mental strength, to build it up, to hold that strength over the course of the fortnight.

"Along with that, you also need a great deal of physical strength. And most importantly, you have to believe that you can win on clay."

It is not surprising therefore, that Spanish players -- who are generally well-accustomed to playing on clay -- have come to dominate the tournament in recent years. Nine of the last 12 French Open finals have featured at least one Spaniard.

The tournament is still held in high regard by France's population. A record crowd of more than 450,000 people came to watch the action at Roland Garros in 2008, and according to the tournament organizers, it is the most-watched French event in the world.

First played in 1891 as a national tournament, it became an international event in 1925, and in 1928 moved to the Roland Garros facility at Porte d'Auteuil in Paris, where it remains today.

Its chosen title, Roland Garros, was the name of a legendary World War One French aviator, who had frequented the tennis venue when he studied in Paris.

The 2009 edition of what Borg called "the toughest Slam" promises to be just as entertaining and draining as those that have gone before.

World number one Rafael Nadal is searching for his fifth consecutive title to usurp Borg's record of four in a row, which he currently equals. Meanwhile, world number two Roger Federer is looking to avenge three consecutive final defeats at the hands of Nadal.

In the women's draw, the tournament appears wide open. Last year's champion Ana Ivanovic has slipped to eighth in the world rankings, while the top four ranked players have only one French Open title between them.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: Pete

text: Sampras

text: and

text: Roger

text: Federer

text: are

text: two

text: of

text: the

text: modern

text: era

text: 's

text: greatest

text: tennis

text: players

text: Between

text: them

text: they

text: have

text: won

text: a

text: staggering

text: Grand

text: Slam

text: singles

text: titles

text: and

text: yet

text: neither

text: player

text: has

text: ever

text: won

text: the

text: French

text: Open

text: Tennis

text: great

text: Pete

text: Sampras

text: won

text: Grand

text: Slam

text: tournaments

text: but

text: never

text: managed

text: a

text: French

text: Open

text: victory

text: That

text: legendary

text: players

text: like

text: Sampras

text: and

text: Federer

text: have

text: somehow

text: failed

text: to

text: win

text: at

text: Les

text: Internationaux

text: de

text: France

text: de

text: Roland

text: Garros

text: is

text: just

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: reasons

text: why

text: this

text: Grand

text: Slam

text: tournament

text: holds

text: such

text: a

text: special

text: place

text: on

text: the

text: tennis

text: calendar

text: The

text: French

text: Open

text: is

text: notably

text: the

text: only

text: Grand

text: Slam

text: event

text: contested

text: on

text: clay

text: a

text: factor

text: that

text: separates

text: it

text: from

text: the

text: other

text: three

text: majors

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: anything

text: else

text: defines

text: the

text: tournament

text: The

text: layers

text: of

text: crushed

text: brick

text: that

text: constitute

text: the

text: orange

text: red

text: clay

text: courts

text: of

text: Roland

text: Garros

text: are

text: what

text: brought

text: Sampras

text: and

text: still

text: bring

text: Federer

text: so

text: much

text: grief

text: Fellow

text: greats

text: John

text: McEnroe

text: Boris

text: Becker

text: and

text: Stefan

text: Edberg

text: also

text: failed

text: to

text: win

text: the

text: coveted

text: title

text: The

text: reason

text: clay

text: may

text: have

text: affected

text: the

text: natural

text: games

text: of

text: these

text: players

text: is

text: because

text: the

text: surface

text: slows

text: the

text: ball

text: and

text: produces

text: a

text: slightly

text: higher

text: loopier

text: bounce

text: than

text: grass

text: or

text: hard

text: courts

text: This

text: means

text: the

text: high

text: power

text: serve

text: of

text: someone

text: like

text: Sampras

text: is

text: negated

text: opening

text: the

text: way

text: for

text: players

text: with

text: a

text: different

text: style

text: of

text: game

text: To

text: this

text: extent

text: the

text: French

text: Open

text: helped

text: create

text: the

text: legend

text: of

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: finest

text: players

text: of

text: all

text: time

text: Swedish

text: star

text: Bjorn

text: Borg

text: Borg

text: won

text: a

text: record

text: six

text: times

text: at

text: Roland

text: Garros

text: He

text: also

text: won

text: five

text: Wimbledon

text: titles

text: but

text: never

text: managed

text: an

text: Australian

text: or

text: U.S.

text: Open

text: crown

text: both

text: tournaments

text: fought

text: out

text: on

text: hard

text: courts

text: Describing

text: what

text: makes

text: the

text: French

text: Open

text: so

text: special

text: in

text: an

text: rare

text: one

text: on

text: one

text: interview

text: with

text: Indian

text: Web

text: site

text: Rediff.com

text: in

text: Borg

text: said

text: It

text: is

text: toughest

text: to

text: win

text: on

text: clay

text: It

text: is

text: easily

text: the

text: most

text: draining

text: the

text: toughest

text: Slam

text: Offering

text: advice

text: to

text: Sampras

text: who

text: was

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: still

text: playing

text: for

text: a

text: French

text: Open

text: title

text: Borg

text: added

text: I

text: would

text: advise

text: him

text: to

text: concentrate

text: on

text: mental

text: strength

text: to

text: build

text: it

text: up

text: to

text: hold

text: that

text: strength

text: over

text: the

text: course

text: of

text: the

text: fortnight

text: Along

text: with

text: that

text: you

text: also

text: need

text: a

text: great

text: deal

text: of

text: physical

text: strength

text: And

text: most

text: importantly

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: believe

text: that

text: you

text: can

text: win

text: on

text: clay

text: It

text: is

text: not

text: surprising

text: therefore

text: that

text: Spanish

text: players

text: who

text: are

text: generally

text: well

text: accustomed

text: to

text: playing

text: on

text: clay

text: have

text: come

text: to

text: dominate

text: the

text: tournament

text: in

text: recent

text: years

text: Nine

text: of

text: the

text: last

text: French

text: Open

text: finals

text: have

text: featured

text: at

text: least

text: one

text: Spaniard

text: The

text: tournament

text: is

text: still

text: held

text: in

text: high

text: regard

text: by

text: France

text: 's

text: population

text: A

text: record

text: crowd

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: came

text: to

text: watch

text: the

text: action

text: at

text: Roland

text: Garros

text: in

text: and

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: tournament

text: organizers

text: it

text: is

text: the

text: most

text: watched

text: French

text: event

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: First

text: played

text: in

text: as

text: a

text: national

text: tournament

text: it

text: became

text: an

text: international

text: event

text: in

text: and

text: in

text: moved

text: to

text: the

text: Roland

text: Garros

text: facility

text: at

text: Porte

text: d'Auteuil

text: in

text: Paris

text: where

text: it

text: remains

text: today

text: Its

text: chosen

text: title

text: Roland

text: Garros

text: was

text: the

text: name

text: of

text: a

text: legendary

text: World

text: War

text: One

text: French

text: aviator

text: who

text: had

text: frequented

text: the

text: tennis

text: venue

text: when

text: he

text: studied

text: in

text: Paris

text: The

text: edition

text: of

text: what

text: Borg

text: called

text: the

text: toughest

text: Slam

text: promises

text: to

text: be

text: just

text: as

text: entertaining

text: and

text: draining

text: as

text: those

text: that

text: have

text: gone

text: before

text: World

text: number

text: one

text: Rafael

text: Nadal

text: is

text: searching

text: for

text: his

text: fifth

text: consecutive

text: title

text: to

text: usurp

text: Borg

text: 's

text: record

text: of

text: four

text: in

text: a

text: row

text: which

text: he

text: currently

text: equals

text: Meanwhile

text: world

text: number

text: two

text: Roger

text: Federer

text: is

text: looking

text: to

text: avenge

text: three

text: consecutive

text: final

text: defeats

text: at

text: the

text: hands

text: of

text: Nadal

text: In

text: the

text: women

text: 's

text: draw

text: the

text: tournament

text: appears

text: wide

text: open

text: Last

text: year

text: 's

text: champion

text: Ana

text: Ivanovic

text: has

text: slipped

text: to

text: eighth

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: rankings

text: while

text: the

text: top

text: four

text: ranked

text: players

text: have

text: only

text: one

text: French

text: Open

text: title

text: between

text: them

question: What legendary players have failed to win French Open title?

answer: Pete Sampras and Roger Federer

text: Pete Sampras and Roger Federer

question: Who have failed to win the title?

answer: Sampras and Federer

text: Sampras and Federer

question: What is the only Grand Slam tennis event held on clay courts?

answer: The French Open

text: The French Open

question: What have legendary players like Sampras and Federer have failed to do?

answer: won the French Open.

text: won the French Open.

question: What did Four-time winner Bjorn Borg on the French Open say?

answer: "It is toughest to win

text: "It is toughest to win

question: Who said "it is toughest to win on clay"?

answer: Borg

text: Borg


text:
(CNN) -- Walking into the Khatmul Nabeen Masjid (mosque), you can for a moment forget that you're in Afghanistan. Beautiful buildings, walkways, flowerbeds and even a grass soccer pitch.

Mohammed Asif Mohseni is said to be behind the law.

Young men and women, dressed in Muslim attire, walk around freely and with smiles.

Smiles are a bit of a rarity in today's Kabul, a polluted city of survival and despair, so this was both shocking and refreshing to me.

We didn't have an appointment but we were hoping to interview Mohammed Asif Mohseni, a conservative Shia cleric. He is said to be the man behind the controversial Shia state law, a law critics say strips Afghan Shia women of many rights.

While security was checking our bags, one guard said that Mohseni had been waiting for us. I tried explaining that we did not have an appointment.

Nonetheless, we were sent back to where Mohseni was waiting. Before entering the room I was cautioned by a guard to make sure none of my hair was showing below my headscarf. They were apologetic; one even asked me to zip up my sweater higher because too much of my neck was exposed.

I complied, tucking in my hair and zipping my sweater as high as it could go. Now paranoid about the design holes in my scarf that exposed parts of my hair, I took off my shoes to enter.

As we walked in, Mohseni, an older man with a white beard wearing a Shia-style turban called a "dulband" was sitting on a brown couch.

He looked at the two men who brought us in and said, "These aren't the two I was waiting for." I explained that we just showed up for an interview because we did not have a number to reach him.

He smiled and said, "I guess you are in luck."

Mohseni welcomed us and asked me to translate his warm welcome to our Scottish cameraman.

As the interview started, I noticed that Mohseni avoided my eyes. I wondered if it was because I was female. I was also prepared for verbal attacks; a journalist friend told me that when he brought a western journalist to interview Mohseni a few days ago, the journalist ended up having more questions thrown at him than he was able to ask.

But it didn't take long for Mohseni to warm up and explain why Shia state law is just and a part of Islam. Those who don't agree don't understand it, he said.

"The law ... which I created I see as correct for both men and women," he said. "We have given rights to both men and women, even better than rights given to women in the West. We give women more in this law."

I asked him about reports that if a woman does not comply in having sexual relations with her husband, then the husband can refuse to feed her. "Yes, I said that," Mohseni said looking me in the eye. "When a couple marries, sex is a part of marriage, and they agree to that."

He went on to explain that a woman isn't obliged to have sexual relations every single night or if she is told by her doctor to refrain. But otherwise it is her obligation and something she signed up for when she got married. He calls it the wife's duty.

Mohseni added that a wife wearing makeup "prevents a man from thinking about other women on the streets and he can just think of his wife."

He continued: "It is natural that women (wear makeup). Don't they in the West? Their women wear it on the streets and in shops. Women should put make-up on for their husbands as it will increase the love and attraction between the two."

The cleric also explained that a woman is not required to ask the permission of a man to leave the house if she has a job and needs to go to work. But they do need to get permission if they are leaving for other reasons.

More importantly, he said, a couple needs to make clear the day they marry whether or not she will need permission to leave the home. If they disagree then they should not get married.

"Like, you are working for CNN," he said. "If your boss tells you, you'll be working for 8 hours a day, then you're responsible for that. It's the same here. They both have to agree on it."

According to Mohseni, the West is imposing its beliefs on the Muslim world because they don't understand.

However, it's not just people in the West who are opposed to this law. Many Afghans, men and women, have vehemently resisted it. They fear it will set women back after the progress that has been made in the last seven years.

Sima Samar, head of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission, has been working for a year now, trying to amend certain articles within the law.

"I feel discriminated. Clear-cut. I don't feel equal in this country," she told us.

Samar said the law does not represent Islam. It blatantly contradicts the constitution of Afghanistan, which states that men and women are equal.

Critics have labeled the law as "Talibanistic," but Samar says even many of the Taliban's actions were not enshrined in law.

She admitted that a law for Shias is necessary but that it should be what is stated in Sharia or Islamic Law. "One of the very important pillars in Islam is justice, there is no justice in this law," she said.

Samar also pointed out the absurdities in the law, such as the edict on makeup.

"If she doesn't (put on make-up), will the husband go complain to the police that she didn't put (on) the lipstick? Or, 'I like red but she put on pink.'"

However, Samar didn't blame the clerics alone for creating the new law; she blamed various parts of the government for allowing it to pass.

"I think they -- all of them -- took the whole issue very superficially. And none of the state institutions, ministry of justice, parliament, senate and the office of the president, really didn't look at the law as serious as they should," she said.

text: CNN

text: Walking

text: into

text: the

text: Khatmul

text: Nabeen

text: Masjid

text: mosque

text: you

text: can

text: for

text: a

text: moment

text: forget

text: that

text: you

text: 're

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: Beautiful

text: buildings

text: walkways

text: flowerbeds

text: and

text: even

text: a

text: grass

text: soccer

text: pitch

text: Mohammed

text: Asif

text: Mohseni

text: is

text: said

text: to

text: be

text: behind

text: the

text: law

text: Young

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: dressed

text: in

text: Muslim

text: attire

text: walk

text: around

text: freely

text: and

text: with

text: smiles

text: Smiles

text: are

text: a

text: bit

text: of

text: a

text: rarity

text: in

text: today

text: 's

text: Kabul

text: a

text: polluted

text: city

text: of

text: survival

text: and

text: despair

text: so

text: this

text: was

text: both

text: shocking

text: and

text: refreshing

text: to

text: me

text: We

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: an

text: appointment

text: but

text: we

text: were

text: hoping

text: to

text: interview

text: Mohammed

text: Asif

text: Mohseni

text: a

text: conservative

text: Shia

text: cleric

text: He

text: is

text: said

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: man

text: behind

text: the

text: controversial

text: Shia

text: state

text: law

text: a

text: law

text: critics

text: say

text: strips

text: Afghan

text: Shia

text: women

text: of

text: many

text: rights

text: While

text: security

text: was

text: checking

text: our

text: bags

text: one

text: guard

text: said

text: that

text: Mohseni

text: had

text: been

text: waiting

text: for

text: us

text: I

text: tried

text: explaining

text: that

text: we

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: an

text: appointment

text: Nonetheless

text: we

text: were

text: sent

text: back

text: to

text: where

text: Mohseni

text: was

text: waiting

text: Before

text: entering

text: the

text: room

text: I

text: was

text: cautioned

text: by

text: a

text: guard

text: to

text: make

text: sure

text: of

text: my

text: hair

text: was

text: showing

text: below

text: my

text: headscarf

text: They

text: were

text: apologetic

text: one

text: even

text: asked

text: me

text: to

text: zip

text: up

text: my

text: sweater

text: higher

text: because

text: too

text: much

text: of

text: my

text: neck

text: was

text: exposed

text: I

text: complied

text: tucking

text: in

text: my

text: hair

text: and

text: zipping

text: my

text: sweater

text: as

text: high

text: as

text: it

text: could

text: go

text: Now

text: paranoid

text: about

text: the

text: design

text: holes

text: in

text: my

text: scarf

text: that

text: exposed

text: parts

text: of

text: my

text: hair

text: I

text: took

text: off

text: my

text: shoes

text: to

text: enter

text: As

text: we

text: walked

text: in

text: Mohseni

text: an

text: older

text: man

text: with

text: a

text: white

text: beard

text: wearing

text: a

text: Shia

text: style

text: turban

text: called

text: a

text: dulband

text: was

text: sitting

text: on

text: a

text: brown

text: couch

text: He

text: looked

text: at

text: the

text: two

text: men

text: who

text: brought

text: us

text: in

text: and

text: said

text: These

text: are

text: n't

text: the

text: two

text: I

text: was

text: waiting

text: for

text: I

text: explained

text: that

text: we

text: just

text: showed

text: up

text: for

text: an

text: interview

text: because

text: we

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: a

text: number

text: to

text: reach

text: him

text: He

text: smiled

text: and

text: said

text: I

text: guess

text: you

text: are

text: in

text: luck

text: Mohseni

text: welcomed

text: us

text: and

text: asked

text: me

text: to

text: translate

text: his

text: warm

text: welcome

text: to

text: our

text: Scottish

text: cameraman

text: As

text: the

text: interview

text: started

text: I

text: noticed

text: that

text: Mohseni

text: avoided

text: my

text: eyes

text: I

text: wondered

text: if

text: it

text: was

text: because

text: I

text: was

text: female

text: I

text: was

text: also

text: prepared

text: for

text: verbal

text: attacks

text: a

text: journalist

text: friend

text: told

text: me

text: that

text: when

text: he

text: brought

text: a

text: western

text: journalist

text: to

text: interview

text: Mohseni

text: a

text: few

text: days

text: ago

text: the

text: journalist

text: ended

text: up

text: having

text: more

text: questions

text: thrown

text: at

text: him

text: than

text: he

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: ask

text: But

text: it

text: did

text: n't

text: take

text: long

text: for

text: Mohseni

text: to

text: warm

text: up

text: and

text: explain

text: why

text: Shia

text: state

text: law

text: is

text: just

text: and

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: Islam

text: Those

text: who

text: do

text: n't

text: agree

text: do

text: n't

text: understand

text: it

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: law

text: which

text: I

text: created

text: I

text: see

text: as

text: correct

text: for

text: both

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: he

text: said

text: We

text: have

text: given

text: rights

text: to

text: both

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: even

text: better

text: than

text: rights

text: given

text: to

text: women

text: in

text: the

text: West

text: We

text: give

text: women

text: more

text: in

text: this

text: law

text: I

text: asked

text: him

text: about

text: reports

text: that

text: if

text: a

text: woman

text: does

text: not

text: comply

text: in

text: having

text: sexual

text: relations

text: with

text: her

text: husband

text: then

text: the

text: husband

text: can

text: refuse

text: to

text: feed

text: her

text: Yes

text: I

text: said

text: that

text: Mohseni

text: said

text: looking

text: me

text: in

text: the

text: eye

text: When

text: a

text: couple

text: marries

text: sex

text: is

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: marriage

text: and

text: they

text: agree

text: to

text: that

text: He

text: went

text: on

text: to

text: explain

text: that

text: a

text: woman

text: is

text: n't

text: obliged

text: to

text: have

text: sexual

text: relations

text: every

text: single

text: night

text: or

text: if

text: she

text: is

text: told

text: by

text: her

text: doctor

text: to

text: refrain

text: But

text: otherwise

text: it

text: is

text: her

text: obligation

text: and

text: something

text: she

text: signed

text: up

text: for

text: when

text: she

text: got

text: married

text: He

text: calls

text: it

text: the

text: wife

text: 's

text: duty

text: Mohseni

text: added

text: that

text: a

text: wife

text: wearing

text: makeup

text: prevents

text: a

text: man

text: from

text: thinking

text: about

text: other

text: women

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: and

text: he

text: can

text: just

text: think

text: of

text: his

text: wife

text: He

text: continued

text: It

text: is

text: natural

text: that

text: women

text: wear

text: makeup

text: Do

text: n't

text: they

text: in

text: the

text: West

text: Their

text: women

text: wear

text: it

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: and

text: in

text: shops

text: Women

text: should

text: put

text: make

text: up

text: on

text: for

text: their

text: husbands

text: as

text: it

text: will

text: increase

text: the

text: love

text: and

text: attraction

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: The

text: cleric

text: also

text: explained

text: that

text: a

text: woman

text: is

text: not

text: required

text: to

text: ask

text: the

text: permission

text: of

text: a

text: man

text: to

text: leave

text: the

text: house

text: if

text: she

text: has

text: a

text: job

text: and

text: needs

text: to

text: go

text: to

text: work

text: But

text: they

text: do

text: need

text: to

text: get

text: permission

text: if

text: they

text: are

text: leaving

text: for

text: other

text: reasons

text: More

text: importantly

text: he

text: said

text: a

text: couple

text: needs

text: to

text: make

text: clear

text: the

text: day

text: they

text: marry

text: whether

text: or

text: not

text: she

text: will

text: need

text: permission

text: to

text: leave

text: the

text: home

text: If

text: they

text: disagree

text: then

text: they

text: should

text: not

text: get

text: married

text: Like

text: you

text: are

text: working

text: for

text: CNN

text: he

text: said

text: If

text: your

text: boss

text: tells

text: you

text: you

text: 'll

text: be

text: working

text: for

text: hours

text: a

text: day

text: then

text: you

text: 're

text: responsible

text: for

text: that

text: It

text: 's

text: the

text: same

text: here

text: They

text: both

text: have

text: to

text: agree

text: on

text: it

text: According

text: to

text: Mohseni

text: the

text: West

text: is

text: imposing

text: its

text: beliefs

text: on

text: the

text: Muslim

text: world

text: because

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: understand

text: However

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: just

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: West

text: who

text: are

text: opposed

text: to

text: this

text: law

text: Many

text: Afghans

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: have

text: vehemently

text: resisted

text: it

text: They

text: fear

text: it

text: will

text: set

text: women

text: back

text: after

text: the

text: progress

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: made

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: seven

text: years

text: Sima

text: Samar

text: head

text: of

text: Afghanistan

text: 's

text: Independent

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Commission

text: has

text: been

text: working

text: for

text: a

text: year

text: now

text: trying

text: to

text: amend

text: certain

text: articles

text: within

text: the

text: law

text: I

text: feel

text: discriminated

text: Clear

text: cut

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: feel

text: equal

text: in

text: this

text: country

text: she

text: told

text: us

text: Samar

text: said

text: the

text: law

text: does

text: not

text: represent

text: Islam

text: It

text: blatantly

text: contradicts

text: the

text: constitution

text: of

text: Afghanistan

text: which

text: states

text: that

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: are

text: equal

text: Critics

text: have

text: labeled

text: the

text: law

text: as

text: Talibanistic

text: but

text: Samar

text: says

text: even

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: Taliban

text: 's

text: actions

text: were

text: not

text: enshrined

text: in

text: law

text: She

text: admitted

text: that

text: a

text: law

text: for

text: Shias

text: is

text: necessary

text: but

text: that

text: it

text: should

text: be

text: what

text: is

text: stated

text: in

text: Sharia

text: or

text: Islamic

text: Law

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: very

text: important

text: pillars

text: in

text: Islam

text: is

text: justice

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: justice

text: in

text: this

text: law

text: she

text: said

text: Samar

text: also

text: pointed

text: out

text: the

text: absurdities

text: in

text: the

text: law

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: edict

text: on

text: makeup

text: If

text: she

text: does

text: n't

text: put

text: on

text: make

text: up

text: will

text: the

text: husband

text: go

text: complain

text: to

text: the

text: police

text: that

text: she

text: did

text: n't

text: put

text: on

text: the

text: lipstick

text: Or

text: I

text: like

text: red

text: but

text: she

text: put

text: on

text: pink

text: However

text: Samar

text: did

text: n't

text: blame

text: the

text: clerics

text: alone

text: for

text: creating

text: the

text: new

text: law

text: she

text: blamed

text: various

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: government

text: for

text: allowing

text: it

text: to

text: pass

text: I

text: think

text: they

text: all

text: of

text: them

text: took

text: the

text: whole

text: issue

text: very

text: superficially

text: And

text: of

text: the

text: state

text: institutions

text: ministry

text: of

text: justice

text: parliament

text: senate

text: and

text: the

text: office

text: of

text: the

text: president

text: really

text: did

text: n't

text: look

text: at

text: the

text: law

text: as

text: serious

text: as

text: they

text: should

text: she

text: said

question: what does the law do to women?

answer: of many rights.

text: of many rights.

question: What do the critics say?

answer: strips Afghan Shia women of many rights.

text: strips Afghan Shia women of many rights.

question: what does the law not represent?

answer: Islam.

text: Islam.

question: who is behind shia state law?

answer: Mohammed Asif Mohseni

text: Mohammed Asif Mohseni