text:
Yabuli, China (CNN) -- Insulated in designer skiwear against a temperature of -15Â° Celsius, three of China's burgeoning ski set bundle into a gondola headed to a wind-swept mountaintop in Heilongjiang province, Northeastern China.

These new members of China's skiing elite had traveled from Harbin three hours drive away for a day's skiing at Sun Mountain, Yabuli, and clearly relished hurtling downhill at one of the country's newest high-end resorts.

"Control your speed" is good advice for any novice skier, but it could be equally applied to the growing number of businesses aiming to tap into the nascent Chinese skiing industry.

Skiing is just the latest market in China touted to "boom" as an increasingly affluent middle class finds new ways to spend their wealth and leisure time.

The China Ski Association put the number of skiers in China at 5 million in 2005, up from just 200,000 in 2000. The association predicts 20 million skiers by 2014.

"But around 80 percent will probably never do it again, because the experience is so bad," says Graham Kwan, CEO of Melco China Resorts the developers of Sun Mountain, Yabuli.

It's a factor that has held back the momentum of the Chinese ski industry, where the image is still one of bumpy nursery slopes crowded with first-time skiers snow-ploughing into one another.

"The industry isn't developing as fast as it should," says Justin Downes, president of Axis Leisure, a Beijing-based resort industry consultancy.

"Ninety percent of skiers are still considered beginners and rent their equipment. The quality of the product and safety has often been questionable, service has been poor."

Kwan hopes Sun Mountain will provide Chinese skiers with a five-star destination resort that keeps novices coming back to the slopes.

Others developers are following suit.

French resort company Club Med plans to open a dedicated ski village in China at the end of the year, the first of five the company plans to open by 2015. China's Wanda group have plans on a resort in the mountains bordering North Korea, and a resort called Beijing Secret Garden is being developed outside of Beijing near the Great Wall.

Since opening last year Sun Mountain has gained accolades, including TIME Magazine's Best Resort Make-over in 2009. Yabuli was also the site of the World University Games in 2009, with a reported $400 million invested by the government in updating the facilities and improving transport links to the area, making it the base for China's national ski team.

For Kwan, however, transforming a sleepy town with one aging hotel at the bottom of a mountain has been far from a smooth ride.

"To be perfectly honest, it's been a struggle," says Kwan.

"It's easy to have a mountain in China. People often ask, 'Why did you put [the resort] here?' There are beautiful mountains [elsewhere], but too far from the market. Chinese people travel like Europeans; they're North-South travelers."

With over $100 million invested in Sun Mountain, Kwan hopes it will be the centerpiece of the new face of skiing in China, offering more than just well-groomed slopes and aprÃ¨s-ski with a Chinese twist.

"It's a combination of operations and real estate, you can't sell luxury homes if you don't sell luxury products," says Kwan.

A new boutique hotel at the top of the 1000-meter mountain will open next year and capacity eventually expanded to 15 hotels. But it is the resort's real estate that will be just as important to how fast the area develops. Around 75 houses are already built with almost a thousand more nestled on the mountainside planned for the next 10 years.

"The concept of buying a recreational home in the mountains when it's -20Â° Celsius is not something the Chinese have grasped yet," says Downes.

"The ski market [in China] is so small that you can't expect to put $100 million into a project and hope to recoup that any time soon off your ski operations. But the leisure real estate market is also immature in China."

As well as selling the resort as an investment opportunity, nurturing the culture of skiing is part of the development. Its absence is something that Downes believes is really hampering the market.

"When I went to work in a ski resort it's because I wanted to ski all day and party all night. The people who go to work in Chinese ski resorts don't have any aspirations to do any of those things," says Downes.

A few gold medals by Chinese skiers at the Winter Olympics could help create a buzz around the sport itself, but for Kwan and Downes, presenting a gold-standard lifestyle is just as important.

"All their gear is high-end, because of course it represents their status. And that's why we've chosen to go higher end, because those kinds of customers want to be with us," says Kwan, who plans to add VIP gondolas with heated seats and sound system at Sun Mountain, as well as slope-side tea service.

"You can't just pick up a Whistler or Three Valleys pop it into China and expect it to be successful," adds Downes. "Because while Chinese skiers want all the positive trapping they also want something that is theirs -- food and cultural elements, but delivered at a much higher level.

"The younger generation is getting money, traveling and getting more adventurous, they're the ones who are going to define the industry."

text: Yabuli

text: China

text: CNN

text: Insulated

text: in

text: designer

text: skiwear

text: against

text: a

text: temperature

text: of

text: Celsius

text: three

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: burgeoning

text: ski

text: set

text: bundle

text: into

text: a

text: gondola

text: headed

text: to

text: a

text: wind

text: swept

text: mountaintop

text: in

text: Heilongjiang

text: province

text: Northeastern

text: China

text: These

text: new

text: members

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: skiing

text: elite

text: had

text: traveled

text: from

text: Harbin

text: three

text: hours

text: drive

text: away

text: for

text: a

text: day

text: 's

text: skiing

text: at

text: Sun

text: Mountain

text: Yabuli

text: and

text: clearly

text: relished

text: hurtling

text: downhill

text: at

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: newest

text: high

text: end

text: resorts

text: Control

text: your

text: speed

text: is

text: good

text: advice

text: for

text: any

text: novice

text: skier

text: but

text: it

text: could

text: be

text: equally

text: applied

text: to

text: the

text: growing

text: number

text: of

text: businesses

text: aiming

text: to

text: tap

text: into

text: the

text: nascent

text: Chinese

text: skiing

text: industry

text: Skiing

text: is

text: just

text: the

text: latest

text: market

text: in

text: China

text: touted

text: to

text: boom

text: as

text: an

text: increasingly

text: affluent

text: middle

text: class

text: finds

text: new

text: ways

text: to

text: spend

text: their

text: wealth

text: and

text: leisure

text: time

text: The

text: China

text: Ski

text: Association

text: put

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: skiers

text: in

text: China

text: at

text: million

text: in

text: up

text: from

text: just

text: in

text: The

text: association

text: predicts

text: million

text: skiers

text: by

text: But

text: around

text: percent

text: will

text: probably

text: never

text: do

text: it

text: again

text: because

text: the

text: experience

text: is

text: so

text: bad

text: says

text: Graham

text: Kwan

text: CEO

text: of

text: Melco

text: China

text: Resorts

text: the

text: developers

text: of

text: Sun

text: Mountain

text: Yabuli

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: factor

text: that

text: has

text: held

text: back

text: the

text: momentum

text: of

text: the

text: Chinese

text: ski

text: industry

text: where

text: the

text: image

text: is

text: still

text: one

text: of

text: bumpy

text: nursery

text: slopes

text: crowded

text: with

text: first

text: time

text: skiers

text: snow

text: ploughing

text: into

text: one

text: another

text: The

text: industry

text: is

text: n't

text: developing

text: as

text: fast

text: as

text: it

text: should

text: says

text: Justin

text: Downes

text: president

text: of

text: Axis

text: Leisure

text: a

text: Beijing

text: based

text: resort

text: industry

text: consultancy

text: Ninety

text: percent

text: of

text: skiers

text: are

text: still

text: considered

text: beginners

text: and

text: rent

text: their

text: equipment

text: The

text: quality

text: of

text: the

text: product

text: and

text: safety

text: has

text: often

text: been

text: questionable

text: service

text: has

text: been

text: poor

text: Kwan

text: hopes

text: Sun

text: Mountain

text: will

text: provide

text: Chinese

text: skiers

text: with

text: a

text: five

text: star

text: destination

text: resort

text: that

text: keeps

text: novices

text: coming

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: slopes

text: Others

text: developers

text: are

text: following

text: suit

text: French

text: resort

text: company

text: Club

text: Med

text: plans

text: to

text: open

text: a

text: dedicated

text: ski

text: village

text: in

text: China

text: at

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: the

text: first

text: of

text: five

text: the

text: company

text: plans

text: to

text: open

text: by

text: China

text: 's

text: Wanda

text: group

text: have

text: plans

text: on

text: a

text: resort

text: in

text: the

text: mountains

text: bordering

text: North

text: Korea

text: and

text: a

text: resort

text: called

text: Beijing

text: Secret

text: Garden

text: is

text: being

text: developed

text: outside

text: of

text: Beijing

text: near

text: the

text: Great

text: Wall

text: Since

text: opening

text: last

text: year

text: Sun

text: Mountain

text: has

text: gained

text: accolades

text: including

text: TIME

text: Magazine

text: 's

text: Best

text: Resort

text: Make

text: over

text: in

text: Yabuli

text: was

text: also

text: the

text: site

text: of

text: the

text: World

text: University

text: Games

text: in

text: with

text: a

text: reported

text: million

text: invested

text: by

text: the

text: government

text: in

text: updating

text: the

text: facilities

text: and

text: improving

text: transport

text: links

text: to

text: the

text: area

text: making

text: it

text: the

text: base

text: for

text: China

text: 's

text: national

text: ski

text: team

text: For

text: Kwan

text: however

text: transforming

text: a

text: sleepy

text: town

text: with

text: one

text: aging

text: hotel

text: at

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: a

text: mountain

text: has

text: been

text: far

text: from

text: a

text: smooth

text: ride

text: To

text: be

text: perfectly

text: honest

text: it

text: 's

text: been

text: a

text: struggle

text: says

text: Kwan

text: It

text: 's

text: easy

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: mountain

text: in

text: China

text: People

text: often

text: ask

text: Why

text: did

text: you

text: put

text: the

text: resort

text: here

text: There

text: are

text: beautiful

text: mountains

text: elsewhere

text: but

text: too

text: far

text: from

text: the

text: market

text: Chinese

text: people

text: travel

text: like

text: Europeans

text: they

text: 're

text: North

text: South

text: travelers

text: With

text: over

text: million

text: invested

text: in

text: Sun

text: Mountain

text: Kwan

text: hopes

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: centerpiece

text: of

text: the

text: new

text: face

text: of

text: skiing

text: in

text: China

text: offering

text: more

text: than

text: just

text: well

text: groomed

text: slopes

text: and

text: aprÃ¨s

text: ski

text: with

text: a

text: Chinese

text: twist

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: combination

text: of

text: operations

text: and

text: real

text: estate

text: you

text: ca

text: n't

text: sell

text: luxury

text: homes

text: if

text: you

text: do

text: n't

text: sell

text: luxury

text: products

text: says

text: Kwan

text: A

text: new

text: boutique

text: hotel

text: at

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: mountain

text: will

text: open

text: next

text: year

text: and

text: capacity

text: eventually

text: expanded

text: to

text: hotels

text: But

text: it

text: is

text: the

text: resort

text: 's

text: real

text: estate

text: that

text: will

text: be

text: just

text: as

text: important

text: to

text: how

text: fast

text: the

text: area

text: develops

text: Around

text: houses

text: are

text: already

text: built

text: with

text: almost

text: a

text: thousand

text: more

text: nestled

text: on

text: the

text: mountainside

text: planned

text: for

text: the

text: next

text: years

text: The

text: concept

text: of

text: buying

text: a

text: recreational

text: home

text: in

text: the

text: mountains

text: when

text: it

text: 's

text: Celsius

text: is

text: not

text: something

text: the

text: Chinese

text: have

text: grasped

text: yet

text: says

text: Downes

text: The

text: ski

text: market

text: in

text: China

text: is

text: so

text: small

text: that

text: you

text: ca

text: n't

text: expect

text: to

text: put

text: million

text: into

text: a

text: project

text: and

text: hope

text: to

text: recoup

text: that

text: any

text: time

text: soon

text: off

text: your

text: ski

text: operations

text: But

text: the

text: leisure

text: real

text: estate

text: market

text: is

text: also

text: immature

text: in

text: China

text: As

text: well

text: as

text: selling

text: the

text: resort

text: as

text: an

text: investment

text: opportunity

text: nurturing

text: the

text: culture

text: of

text: skiing

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: development

text: Its

text: absence

text: is

text: something

text: that

text: Downes

text: believes

text: is

text: really

text: hampering

text: the

text: market

text: When

text: I

text: went

text: to

text: work

text: in

text: a

text: ski

text: resort

text: it

text: 's

text: because

text: I

text: wanted

text: to

text: ski

text: all

text: day

text: and

text: party

text: all

text: night

text: The

text: people

text: who

text: go

text: to

text: work

text: in

text: Chinese

text: ski

text: resorts

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: any

text: aspirations

text: to

text: do

text: any

text: of

text: those

text: things

text: says

text: Downes

text: A

text: few

text: gold

text: medals

text: by

text: Chinese

text: skiers

text: at

text: the

text: Winter

text: Olympics

text: could

text: help

text: create

text: a

text: buzz

text: around

text: the

text: sport

text: itself

text: but

text: for

text: Kwan

text: and

text: Downes

text: presenting

text: a

text: gold

text: standard

text: lifestyle

text: is

text: just

text: as

text: important

text: All

text: their

text: gear

text: is

text: high

text: end

text: because

text: of

text: course

text: it

text: represents

text: their

text: status

text: And

text: that

text: 's

text: why

text: we

text: 've

text: chosen

text: to

text: go

text: higher

text: end

text: because

text: those

text: kinds

text: of

text: customers

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: with

text: us

text: says

text: Kwan

text: who

text: plans

text: to

text: add

text: VIP

text: gondolas

text: with

text: heated

text: seats

text: and

text: sound

text: system

text: at

text: Sun

text: Mountain

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: slope

text: side

text: tea

text: service

text: You

text: ca

text: n't

text: just

text: pick

text: up

text: a

text: Whistler

text: or

text: Three

text: Valleys

text: pop

text: it

text: into

text: China

text: and

text: expect

text: it

text: to

text: be

text: successful

text: adds

text: Downes

text: Because

text: while

text: Chinese

text: skiers

text: want

text: all

text: the

text: positive

text: trapping

text: they

text: also

text: want

text: something

text: that

text: is

text: theirs

text: food

text: and

text: cultural

text: elements

text: but

text: delivered

text: at

text: a

text: much

text: higher

text: level

text: The

text: younger

text: generation

text: is

text: getting

text: money

text: traveling

text: and

text: getting

text: more

text: adventurous

text: they

text: 're

text: the

text: ones

text: who

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: define

text: the

text: industry

question: Who is buildings resorts across the country

answer: China's Wanda group

text: China's Wanda group

question: How many skiers is China predicted to have

answer: 20 million

text: 20 million

question: How many people in China have actually skied before?

answer: 5 million

text: 5 million

question: How many skiers is China predicted to have by 2014?

answer: 20 million

text: 20 million

question: What is a huge growth market

answer: Chinese skiing industry.

text: Chinese skiing industry.

question: Which countries ski industry has seen huge growth?

answer: China

text: China


text:
(CNN) -- Police in Zimbabwe Monday failed to bring to court an opposition activist who was scheduled to become a government minister on Friday but was arrested instead.

Zimbabwe police officers at Mutare Magistrates Court where Roy Bennett's scheduled appearance was postponed.

Roy Bennett of the Movement for Democratic Change was supposed to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister last week under a power-sharing agreement between the MDC and President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.

Bennett was charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism, sabotage and banditry. Police added another charge, contravening the Immigration Act, on the day he was scheduled to appear in court. They accuse Bennett of attempting to leave the country illegally.

His party has decried the charges as "trumped up."

His lawyer said Monday's court proceedings were canceled because prosecutors were unable to make it from the capital Harare to the court where the proceeding was to take place, in Mutare, 132 miles (213 km) away. It is unclear why local prosecutors are not being used.

Bennett's lawyer Trust Maanda says he hopes his client will appear on Tuesday.

"He is doing fine considering the conditions of the cells he is being kept in," Maanda said. "There is no food or running water, sanitation facilities are not working, the cells are overcrowded and there are no blankets."

Bennett was arrested on Friday while on his way to South Africa, where he has been living for three years.

Bennett, who is also the MDC party's treasurer, was pulled from an aircraft at the airport in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, the MDC said.

Police accuse him of funding the acquisition of weapons to commit the crimes he is charged with.

Bennett, a white coffee grower, is an old foe of Mugabe's government.

His farms were seized during the country's controversial land reform program. He has previously been jailed for assaulting Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa in parliament.

The arrest happened the same day that other MDC ministers in the new unity government took their oaths of office.

The power-sharing agreement came into effect only after months of on-again, off-again negotiations between Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, and the MDC, led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

Under Mugabe's government, the country has gone from being one of the breadbaskets of Africa to dire poverty.

A cholera epidemic is raging, much of the population lacks adequate food and water, many public sector workers are on strike, and the country suffers such severe inflation it recently knocked 12 zeroes off its currency.

--CNN's Nkepile Mabuse contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Police

text: in

text: Zimbabwe

text: Monday

text: failed

text: to

text: bring

text: to

text: court

text: an

text: opposition

text: activist

text: who

text: was

text: scheduled

text: to

text: become

text: a

text: government

text: minister

text: on

text: Friday

text: but

text: was

text: arrested

text: instead

text: Zimbabwe

text: police

text: officers

text: at

text: Mutare

text: Magistrates

text: Court

text: where

text: Roy

text: Bennett

text: 's

text: scheduled

text: appearance

text: was

text: postponed

text: Roy

text: Bennett

text: of

text: the

text: Movement

text: for

text: Democratic

text: Change

text: was

text: supposed

text: to

text: be

text: sworn

text: in

text: as

text: deputy

text: agriculture

text: minister

text: last

text: week

text: under

text: a

text: power

text: sharing

text: agreement

text: between

text: the

text: MDC

text: and

text: President

text: Robert

text: Mugabe

text: 's

text: ZANU

text: PF

text: party

text: Bennett

text: was

text: charged

text: with

text: conspiracy

text: to

text: commit

text: terrorism

text: sabotage

text: and

text: banditry

text: Police

text: added

text: another

text: charge

text: contravening

text: the

text: Immigration

text: Act

text: on

text: the

text: day

text: he

text: was

text: scheduled

text: to

text: appear

text: in

text: court

text: They

text: accuse

text: Bennett

text: of

text: attempting

text: to

text: leave

text: the

text: country

text: illegally

text: His

text: party

text: has

text: decried

text: the

text: charges

text: as

text: trumped

text: up

text: His

text: lawyer

text: said

text: Monday

text: 's

text: court

text: proceedings

text: were

text: canceled

text: because

text: prosecutors

text: were

text: unable

text: to

text: make

text: it

text: from

text: the

text: capital

text: Harare

text: to

text: the

text: court

text: where

text: the

text: proceeding

text: was

text: to

text: take

text: place

text: in

text: Mutare

text: miles

text: km

text: away

text: It

text: is

text: unclear

text: why

text: local

text: prosecutors

text: are

text: not

text: being

text: used

text: Bennett

text: 's

text: lawyer

text: Trust

text: Maanda

text: says

text: he

text: hopes

text: his

text: client

text: will

text: appear

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: He

text: is

text: doing

text: fine

text: considering

text: the

text: conditions

text: of

text: the

text: cells

text: he

text: is

text: being

text: kept

text: in

text: Maanda

text: said

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: food

text: or

text: running

text: water

text: sanitation

text: facilities

text: are

text: not

text: working

text: the

text: cells

text: are

text: overcrowded

text: and

text: there

text: are

text: no

text: blankets

text: Bennett

text: was

text: arrested

text: on

text: Friday

text: while

text: on

text: his

text: way

text: to

text: South

text: Africa

text: where

text: he

text: has

text: been

text: living

text: for

text: three

text: years

text: Bennett

text: who

text: is

text: also

text: the

text: MDC

text: party

text: 's

text: treasurer

text: was

text: pulled

text: from

text: an

text: aircraft

text: at

text: the

text: airport

text: in

text: Zimbabwe

text: 's

text: capital

text: Harare

text: the

text: MDC

text: said

text: Police

text: accuse

text: him

text: of

text: funding

text: the

text: acquisition

text: of

text: weapons

text: to

text: commit

text: the

text: crimes

text: he

text: is

text: charged

text: with

text: Bennett

text: a

text: white

text: coffee

text: grower

text: is

text: an

text: old

text: foe

text: of

text: Mugabe

text: 's

text: government

text: His

text: farms

text: were

text: seized

text: during

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: controversial

text: land

text: reform

text: program

text: He

text: has

text: previously

text: been

text: jailed

text: for

text: assaulting

text: Justice

text: Minister

text: Patrick

text: Chinamasa

text: in

text: parliament

text: The

text: arrest

text: happened

text: the

text: same

text: day

text: that

text: other

text: MDC

text: ministers

text: in

text: the

text: new

text: unity

text: government

text: took

text: their

text: oaths

text: of

text: office

text: The

text: power

text: sharing

text: agreement

text: came

text: into

text: effect

text: only

text: after

text: months

text: of

text: on

text: again

text: off

text: again

text: negotiations

text: between

text: Mugabe

text: who

text: has

text: ruled

text: Zimbabwe

text: since

text: independence

text: in

text: and

text: the

text: MDC

text: led

text: by

text: Morgan

text: Tsvangirai

text: Under

text: Mugabe

text: 's

text: government

text: the

text: country

text: has

text: gone

text: from

text: being

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: breadbaskets

text: of

text: Africa

text: to

text: dire

text: poverty

text: A

text: cholera

text: epidemic

text: is

text: raging

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: population

text: lacks

text: adequate

text: food

text: and

text: water

text: many

text: public

text: sector

text: workers

text: are

text: on

text: strike

text: and

text: the

text: country

text: suffers

text: such

text: severe

text: inflation

text: it

text: recently

text: knocked

text: zeroes

text: off

text: its

text: currency

text: --CNN

text: 's

text: Nkepile

text: Mabuse

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What was delayed?

answer: Roy Bennett's scheduled appearance

text: Roy Bennett's scheduled appearance

question: The Movement for Democratic Change says the charges are what?

answer: "trumped up."

text: "trumped up."

question: Who was arrested on Friday?

answer: Bennett

text: Bennett

question: Who says the conspiracy charges are trumped up?

answer: Movement for Democratic Change

text: Movement for Democratic Change

question: Who was arrested on Friday, the same day he was supposed to be named a government minister?

answer: Roy Bennett

text: Roy Bennett

question: What was going to happen to Roy Bennett before he was arrested?

answer: be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister

text: be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister

question: How far was this court from Harare?

answer: 132 miles

text: 132 miles

question: How far is the court from Harare?

answer: 132 miles

text: 132 miles

question: What organization didn't agree with the conspiracy charges?

answer: Movement for Democratic Change

text: Movement for Democratic Change

question: What did the Movement for Democratic Change say?

answer: supposed to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister last week

text: supposed to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister last week


text:
Ras Lanuf, Libya (CNN) -- The military forces of Moammar Gadhafi on Friday pounded Ras Lanuf, the key oil port once in the hands of rebel forces, with its leadership confidently vowing to retake all territory from the opposition despite growing international pressure.

Even as it targeted its domestic enemies, the Tripoli government continued to parry with leaders around the globe.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim, for instance, said Friday that Libya has suspended diplomatic relations with France, one day after the French government recognized the newly created Libyan opposition movement as the sole representative of the country.

In Ras Lanuf, pro-Gadhafi forces cranked up an intense and steady bombardment of the city, believed to be by rocket, artillery and tank fire. A storage tank at an oil refinery was on fire after an air raid there.

"We saw a bomb fall about a kilometer to the southwest of the refinery, and moments later saw thick black smoke rising from the refinery. We don't know, and no one we spoke to could say with any level of certainty or veracity, what caused the fire," said CNN Correspondent Ben Wedeman.

Dozens of pickup trucks and cars belonging to the opposition were heading away from the city amid fear that Libyan forces were advancing as the bombardment continued. The rebels evacuated to a checkpoint outside the town, but that and other rebel positions also were targeted by airstrikes.

Rebels said the eastern city has been essentially empty as civilians fled and opposition forces retreated from sustained attacks. On Thursday, state media said the town was "cleansed" of the fighters.

This reflects the turn in fortunes for Gadhafi's well-equipped military, which has gained an upper hand after rebel fighters seized ground across Libya.

Along with its offensive in Ras Lanuf, government soldiers beat back rebels Thursday in Zawiya east of the capital, Tripoli.

Zawiya's Martyrs' Square was littered with the bombed-out, scorched carcasses of army tanks and other military vehicles. Workers swept up the evidence as Gadhafi supporters chanted slogans and waved green flags.

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, one of Gadhafi's sons and a spokesman for the regime, vowed Thursday to retake other areas in eastern Libya that were controlled by the opposition and warned the international community that Libyans won't welcome NATO and Americans. NATO is contemplating the establishment of a no-fly zone, but says it needs a clear U.N. mandate to do it.

"I receive hundreds of calls from the east daily, and they are saying, 'Save us.' They are begging us and pleading for us to save them, and my answer is two words. Listen to me, and I want those armed groups to listen to me real well, and I want our people in the east to hear this as well: We're coming," he said.

Saif al-Islam Gadhafi is one of two Moammar Gadhafi sons who share the first name Saif.

On the diplomatic front, meanwhile, opposition to Moammar Gadhafi continues to gain momentum.

U.S. President Barack Obama reiterated Friday that he wants the Libyan leader to "step down." He added that he "won't take (the) decision lightly" to decide whether to use military force, including helping enforce a no-fly zone, saying it is critical to "balance costs versus benefits."

Obama noted that NATO officials will meet Tuesday to consider whether to implement a no-fly zone. He said U.S. actions so far, including freezing assets and other sanctions, are "slowly tightening the noose" on Gadhafi.

"We have moved about as swiftly as an international coalition has ever moved to impose sanctions," he said.

The U.S. Treasury Department beefed up those sanctions Friday, freezing the assets of nine more individuals. Among them are the wife and four sons of Libya's leader, including Saadi, Hannibal, Muhammad and Saif Al-Arab Gadhafi. Libya's defense minister, military intelligence director, external security organization head and public works coordinator are also included.

Also Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon introduced former Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib as his new special envoy to Libya. Khatib will leave New York over the weekend, accompanied by humanitarian and U.N. officials, to "convey, in no uncertain terms, the concerns of the United Nations and the international community," Ban said.

"I (hope) that this effort ... will succeed in stopping the killings and ending the suffering of the civilian population, in addressing their humanitarian needs and in preserving the unity of the Libyan people and the territorial integrity of their homeland," Khatib said, adding that Gadhafi's government "welcomed" the visit.

In Brussels, Belgium, the European Council, a body of the European Union, issued a declaration saying Gadhafi "must relinquish power immediately."

"His regime has lost all legitimacy and is no longer an interlocutor for the EU. The European Union has adopted restrictive measures against the country's leadership and against entities holding sizeable assets controlled by the regime and stands ready to adopt further sanctions.

"The objective is for Libya to rapidly embark on an orderly transition to democracy through a broad-based dialogue. The European Union welcomes and encourages the interim transitional national council based in Benghazi which it considers a political interlocutor."

Some members are clearer than others in their support for the National Transitional Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in his news conference that "we consider the National Council based in Benghazi as the proper interlocutors for Libya and they need to be recognized as such and encouraged." German Chancellor Angela Merkel was more cautious in her approach to the council and called them a possible interlocutor.

Sarkozy said the European Council decision is a very strong one, and he stressed that a U.N. mandate and a request from the region are needed for intervention.

"We are considering and examining all necessary options to deal with the situation," he said. "We cannot stand by and watch this happen."

He wouldn't say whether France or Britain would take unilateral military action if a U.N. mandate wasn't achieved.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said in Brussels that authorities are tightening "the net" on Gadhafi and "his henchman" with tougher financial sanctions.

"We have added the Libyan Central Bank and the Libyan Investment Authority to the Libyan EU asset freezing list and, in doing so, the UK has frozen a total of 12 billion pounds of Libyan assets," Cameron said.

On Friday, the Libyan ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations will call on the United States to follow France's lead and recognize the opposition as the legitimate representative of Libya.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced plans to meet with opposition leaders when she visits Tunisia and Egypt next week. She said the United States was suspending relations with the Libyan Embassy in Washington, and an administration official added that the embassy "must shut down."

Protests against the 68-year-old Gadhafi began February 15 as anti-government demonstrators sought his ouster after nearly 42 years of rule, and the discontent devolved into a fierce and bloody civil war.

Death toll estimates earlier this week ranged from more than 1,000 to as many as 2,000.

As of Thursday morning, the war had forced out nearly 250,000 people, many of them poor migrant workers who have been stranded at both the Tunisian and Egyptian borders, the U.N. refugee agency said.

CNN's Jonathan Wald contributed to this report.

text: Ras

text: Lanuf

text: Libya

text: CNN

text: The

text: military

text: forces

text: of

text: Moammar

text: Gadhafi

text: on

text: Friday

text: pounded

text: Ras

text: Lanuf

text: the

text: key

text: oil

text: port

text: once

text: in

text: the

text: hands

text: of

text: rebel

text: forces

text: with

text: its

text: leadership

text: confidently

text: vowing

text: to

text: retake

text: all

text: territory

text: from

text: the

text: opposition

text: despite

text: growing

text: international

text: pressure

text: Even

text: as

text: it

text: targeted

text: its

text: domestic

text: enemies

text: the

text: Tripoli

text: government

text: continued

text: to

text: parry

text: with

text: leaders

text: around

text: the

text: globe

text: Deputy

text: Foreign

text: Minister

text: Khaled

text: Kaim

text: for

text: instance

text: said

text: Friday

text: that

text: Libya

text: has

text: suspended

text: diplomatic

text: relations

text: with

text: France

text: one

text: day

text: after

text: the

text: French

text: government

text: recognized

text: the

text: newly

text: created

text: Libyan

text: opposition

text: movement

text: as

text: the

text: sole

text: representative

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: In

text: Ras

text: Lanuf

text: pro

text: Gadhafi

text: forces

text: cranked

text: up

text: an

text: intense

text: and

text: steady

text: bombardment

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: believed

text: to

text: be

text: by

text: rocket

text: artillery

text: and

text: tank

text: fire

text: A

text: storage

text: tank

text: at

text: an

text: oil

text: refinery

text: was

text: on

text: fire

text: after

text: an

text: air

text: raid

text: there

text: We

text: saw

text: a

text: bomb

text: fall

text: about

text: a

text: kilometer

text: to

text: the

text: southwest

text: of

text: the

text: refinery

text: and

text: moments

text: later

text: saw

text: thick

text: black

text: smoke

text: rising

text: from

text: the

text: refinery

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: and

text: no

text: one

text: we

text: spoke

text: to

text: could

text: say

text: with

text: any

text: level

text: of

text: certainty

text: or

text: veracity

text: what

text: caused

text: the

text: fire

text: said

text: CNN

text: Correspondent

text: Ben

text: Wedeman

text: Dozens

text: of

text: pickup

text: trucks

text: and

text: cars

text: belonging

text: to

text: the

text: opposition

text: were

text: heading

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: city

text: amid

text: fear

text: that

text: Libyan

text: forces

text: were

text: advancing

text: as

text: the

text: bombardment

text: continued

text: The

text: rebels

text: evacuated

text: to

text: a

text: checkpoint

text: outside

text: the

text: town

text: but

text: that

text: and

text: other

text: rebel

text: positions

text: also

text: were

text: targeted

text: by

text: airstrikes

text: Rebels

text: said

text: the

text: eastern

text: city

text: has

text: been

text: essentially

text: empty

text: as

text: civilians

text: fled

text: and

text: opposition

text: forces

text: retreated

text: from

text: sustained

text: attacks

text: On

text: Thursday

text: state

text: media

text: said

text: the

text: town

text: was

text: cleansed

text: of

text: the

text: fighters

text: This

text: reflects

text: the

text: turn

text: in

text: fortunes

text: for

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: well

text: equipped

text: military

text: which

text: has

text: gained

text: an

text: upper

text: hand

text: after

text: rebel

text: fighters

text: seized

text: ground

text: across

text: Libya

text: Along

text: with

text: its

text: offensive

text: in

text: Ras

text: Lanuf

text: government

text: soldiers

text: beat

text: back

text: rebels

text: Thursday

text: in

text: Zawiya

text: east

text: of

text: the

text: capital

text: Tripoli

text: Zawiya

text: 's

text: Martyrs

text: Square

text: was

text: littered

text: with

text: the

text: bombed

text: out

text: scorched

text: carcasses

text: of

text: army

text: tanks

text: and

text: other

text: military

text: vehicles

text: Workers

text: swept

text: up

text: the

text: evidence

text: as

text: Gadhafi

text: supporters

text: chanted

text: slogans

text: and

text: waved

text: green

text: flags

text: Saif

text: al

text: Islam

text: Gadhafi

text: one

text: of

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: sons

text: and

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: regime

text: vowed

text: Thursday

text: to

text: retake

text: other

text: areas

text: in

text: eastern

text: Libya

text: that

text: were

text: controlled

text: by

text: the

text: opposition

text: and

text: warned

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: that

text: Libyans

text: wo

text: n't

text: welcome

text: NATO

text: and

text: Americans

text: NATO

text: is

text: contemplating

text: the

text: establishment

text: of

text: a

text: no

text: fly

text: zone

text: but

text: says

text: it

text: needs

text: a

text: clear

text: U.N.

text: mandate

text: to

text: do

text: it

text: I

text: receive

text: hundreds

text: of

text: calls

text: from

text: the

text: east

text: daily

text: and

text: they

text: are

text: saying

text: Save

text: us

text: They

text: are

text: begging

text: us

text: and

text: pleading

text: for

text: us

text: to

text: save

text: them

text: and

text: my

text: answer

text: is

text: two

text: words

text: Listen

text: to

text: me

text: and

text: I

text: want

text: those

text: armed

text: groups

text: to

text: listen

text: to

text: me

text: real

text: well

text: and

text: I

text: want

text: our

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: east

text: to

text: hear

text: this

text: as

text: well

text: We

text: 're

text: coming

text: he

text: said

text: Saif

text: al

text: Islam

text: Gadhafi

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: two

text: Moammar

text: Gadhafi

text: sons

text: who

text: share

text: the

text: first

text: name

text: Saif

text: On

text: the

text: diplomatic

text: front

text: meanwhile

text: opposition

text: to

text: Moammar

text: Gadhafi

text: continues

text: to

text: gain

text: momentum

text: U.S.

text: President

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: reiterated

text: Friday

text: that

text: he

text: wants

text: the

text: Libyan

text: leader

text: to

text: step

text: down

text: He

text: added

text: that

text: he

text: wo

text: n't

text: take

text: the

text: decision

text: lightly

text: to

text: decide

text: whether

text: to

text: use

text: military

text: force

text: including

text: helping

text: enforce

text: a

text: no

text: fly

text: zone

text: saying

text: it

text: is

text: critical

text: to

text: balance

text: costs

text: versus

text: benefits

text: Obama

text: noted

text: that

text: NATO

text: officials

text: will

text: meet

text: Tuesday

text: to

text: consider

text: whether

text: to

text: implement

text: a

text: no

text: fly

text: zone

text: He

text: said

text: U.S.

text: actions

text: so

text: far

text: including

text: freezing

text: assets

text: and

text: other

text: sanctions

text: are

text: slowly

text: tightening

text: the

text: noose

text: on

text: Gadhafi

text: We

text: have

text: moved

text: about

text: as

text: swiftly

text: as

text: an

text: international

text: coalition

text: has

text: ever

text: moved

text: to

text: impose

text: sanctions

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: U.S.

text: Treasury

text: Department

text: beefed

text: up

text: those

text: sanctions

text: Friday

text: freezing

text: the

text: assets

text: of

text: nine

text: more

text: individuals

text: Among

text: them

text: are

text: the

text: wife

text: and

text: four

text: sons

text: of

text: Libya

text: 's

text: leader

text: including

text: Saadi

text: Hannibal

text: Muhammad

text: and

text: Saif

text: Al

text: Arab

text: Gadhafi

text: Libya

text: 's

text: defense

text: minister

text: military

text: intelligence

text: director

text: external

text: security

text: organization

text: head

text: and

text: public

text: works

text: coordinator

text: are

text: also

text: included

text: Also

text: Friday

text: U.N.

text: Secretary

text: General

text: Ban

text: Ki

text: moon

text: introduced

text: former

text: Jordanian

text: Foreign

text: Minister

text: Abdul

text: Ilah

text: Khatib

text: as

text: his

text: new

text: special

text: envoy

text: to

text: Libya

text: Khatib

text: will

text: leave

text: New

text: York

text: over

text: the

text: weekend

text: accompanied

text: by

text: humanitarian

text: and

text: U.N.

text: officials

text: to

text: convey

text: in

text: no

text: uncertain

text: terms

text: the

text: concerns

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: and

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: Ban

text: said

text: I

text: hope

text: that

text: this

text: effort

text: will

text: succeed

text: in

text: stopping

text: the

text: killings

text: and

text: ending

text: the

text: suffering

text: of

text: the

text: civilian

text: population

text: in

text: addressing

text: their

text: humanitarian

text: needs

text: and

text: in

text: preserving

text: the

text: unity

text: of

text: the

text: Libyan

text: people

text: and

text: the

text: territorial

text: integrity

text: of

text: their

text: homeland

text: Khatib

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: government

text: welcomed

text: the

text: visit

text: In

text: Brussels

text: Belgium

text: the

text: European

text: Council

text: a

text: body

text: of

text: the

text: European

text: Union

text: issued

text: a

text: declaration

text: saying

text: Gadhafi

text: must

text: relinquish

text: power

text: immediately

text: His

text: regime

text: has

text: lost

text: all

text: legitimacy

text: and

text: is

text: no

text: longer

text: an

text: interlocutor

text: for

text: the

text: EU

text: The

text: European

text: Union

text: has

text: adopted

text: restrictive

text: measures

text: against

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: leadership

text: and

text: against

text: entities

text: holding

text: sizeable

text: assets

text: controlled

text: by

text: the

text: regime

text: and

text: stands

text: ready

text: to

text: adopt

text: further

text: sanctions

text: The

text: objective

text: is

text: for

text: Libya

text: to

text: rapidly

text: embark

text: on

text: an

text: orderly

text: transition

text: to

text: democracy

text: through

text: a

text: broad

text: based

text: dialogue

text: The

text: European

text: Union

text: welcomes

text: and

text: encourages

text: the

text: interim

text: transitional

text: national

text: council

text: based

text: in

text: Benghazi

text: which

text: it

text: considers

text: a

text: political

text: interlocutor

text: Some

text: members

text: are

text: clearer

text: than

text: others

text: in

text: their

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: National

text: Transitional

text: Council

text: as

text: the

text: legitimate

text: representative

text: of

text: the

text: Libyan

text: people

text: French

text: President

text: Nicolas

text: Sarkozy

text: said

text: in

text: his

text: news

text: conference

text: that

text: we

text: consider

text: the

text: National

text: Council

text: based

text: in

text: Benghazi

text: as

text: the

text: proper

text: interlocutors

text: for

text: Libya

text: and

text: they

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: recognized

text: as

text: such

text: and

text: encouraged

text: German

text: Chancellor

text: Angela

text: Merkel

text: was

text: more

text: cautious

text: in

text: her

text: approach

text: to

text: the

text: council

text: and

text: called

text: them

text: a

text: possible

text: interlocutor

text: Sarkozy

text: said

text: the

text: European

text: Council

text: decision

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: strong

text: one

text: and

text: he

text: stressed

text: that

text: a

text: U.N.

text: mandate

text: and

text: a

text: request

text: from

text: the

text: region

text: are

text: needed

text: for

text: intervention

text: We

text: are

text: considering

text: and

text: examining

text: all

text: necessary

text: options

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: the

text: situation

text: he

text: said

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: stand

text: by

text: and

text: watch

text: this

text: happen

text: He

text: would

text: n't

text: say

text: whether

text: France

text: or

text: Britain

text: would

text: take

text: unilateral

text: military

text: action

text: if

text: a

text: U.N.

text: mandate

text: was

text: n't

text: achieved

text: British

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: David

text: Cameron

text: said

text: in

text: Brussels

text: that

text: authorities

text: are

text: tightening

text: the

text: net

text: on

text: Gadhafi

text: and

text: his

text: henchman

text: with

text: tougher

text: financial

text: sanctions

text: We

text: have

text: added

text: the

text: Libyan

text: Central

text: Bank

text: and

text: the

text: Libyan

text: Investment

text: Authority

text: to

text: the

text: Libyan

text: EU

text: asset

text: freezing

text: list

text: and

text: in

text: doing

text: so

text: the

text: UK

text: has

text: frozen

text: a

text: total

text: of

text: billion

text: pounds

text: of

text: Libyan

text: assets

text: Cameron

text: said

text: On

text: Friday

text: the

text: Libyan

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: will

text: call

text: on

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: to

text: follow

text: France

text: 's

text: lead

text: and

text: recognize

text: the

text: opposition

text: as

text: the

text: legitimate

text: representative

text: of

text: Libya

text: U.S.

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: has

text: announced

text: plans

text: to

text: meet

text: with

text: opposition

text: leaders

text: when

text: she

text: visits

text: Tunisia

text: and

text: Egypt

text: next

text: week

text: She

text: said

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: was

text: suspending

text: relations

text: with

text: the

text: Libyan

text: Embassy

text: in

text: Washington

text: and

text: an

text: administration

text: official

text: added

text: that

text: the

text: embassy

text: must

text: shut

text: down

text: Protests

text: against

text: the

text: old

text: Gadhafi

text: began

text: February

text: as

text: anti

text: government

text: demonstrators

text: sought

text: his

text: ouster

text: after

text: nearly

text: years

text: of

text: rule

text: and

text: the

text: discontent

text: devolved

text: into

text: a

text: fierce

text: and

text: bloody

text: civil

text: war

text: Death

text: toll

text: estimates

text: earlier

text: this

text: week

text: ranged

text: from

text: more

text: than

text: to

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: As

text: of

text: Thursday

text: morning

text: the

text: war

text: had

text: forced

text: out

text: nearly

text: people

text: many

text: of

text: them

text: poor

text: migrant

text: workers

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: stranded

text: at

text: both

text: the

text: Tunisian

text: and

text: Egyptian

text: borders

text: the

text: U.N.

text: refugee

text: agency

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Jonathan

text: Wald

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What country broadened sanctions?

answer: U.S.

text: U.S.

question: Gadhafi's government suspends diplomatic relations with ?

answer: France,

text: France,

question: what does  EU council calls for ?

answer: Gadhafi "must relinquish power immediately."

text: Gadhafi "must relinquish power immediately."

question: Pro-Gadhafi forces steadily bombarded the city of?

answer: Ras Lanuf,

text: Ras Lanuf,

question: What port city was bombarded?

answer: Ras Lanuf,

text: Ras Lanuf,

question: Who broadens its sanctions?

answer: The U.S. Treasury Department

text: The U.S. Treasury Department

question: Who called for Gadhafi's departure?

answer: U.S. President Barack Obama

text: U.S. President Barack Obama

question: Who bombarded Ras Lanuf?

answer: military forces of Moammar Gadhafi

text: military forces of Moammar Gadhafi


text:
(CNN)  -- The Marine Corps' top officer says he would want to avoid housing gay and heterosexual Marines in the same rooms on base if the ban on gays openly serving in the military is lifted.

"I would not ask our Marines to live with someone that's homosexual if we can possibly avoid it," Marine Commandant Gen. James Conway told a Web site in an interview posted Friday. "And to me that means we've got to build [barracks] that have single rooms."

Asked about the possibility of gay and straight Marines living together, Conway told the site Military.com that he would "want to preserve the right of a Marine that thinks he or she wouldn't want to do that -- and that's the overwhelming number of people that say they wouldn't like to do so."

Conway said the Marine Corps is the only branch of the armed services that houses two to a room.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the Pentagon will start to ease its enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy prohibiting homosexuals from serving openly in the military.

Among other things, Gates said the Pentagon is raising the threshold for what constitutes an appropriate level of information necessary to launch a "credible inquiry" into allegations of homosexual behavior.

The change, which will take effect in 30 days and apply to all current cases, is a reflection of "common sense" and "common decency," Gates said.

"These changes reflect some of the insights we have gained over 17 years of implementing the current law, including the need for consistency, oversight and clear standards," Gates said.

President Obama and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, support a legislative repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," which was first enacted in 1993. Some senior members of the military, however, have expressed concern over the impact of the ban's repeal on unit cohesion and morale, among other things.

text: CNN

text: The

text: Marine

text: Corps

text: top

text: officer

text: says

text: he

text: would

text: want

text: to

text: avoid

text: housing

text: gay

text: and

text: heterosexual

text: Marines

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: rooms

text: on

text: base

text: if

text: the

text: ban

text: on

text: gays

text: openly

text: serving

text: in

text: the

text: military

text: is

text: lifted

text: I

text: would

text: not

text: ask

text: our

text: Marines

text: to

text: live

text: with

text: someone

text: that

text: 's

text: homosexual

text: if

text: we

text: can

text: possibly

text: avoid

text: it

text: Marine

text: Commandant

text: Gen.

text: James

text: Conway

text: told

text: a

text: Web

text: site

text: in

text: an

text: interview

text: posted

text: Friday

text: And

text: to

text: me

text: that

text: means

text: we

text: 've

text: got

text: to

text: build

text: barracks

text: that

text: have

text: single

text: rooms

text: Asked

text: about

text: the

text: possibility

text: of

text: gay

text: and

text: straight

text: Marines

text: living

text: together

text: Conway

text: told

text: the

text: site

text: Military.com

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: want

text: to

text: preserve

text: the

text: right

text: of

text: a

text: Marine

text: that

text: thinks

text: he

text: or

text: she

text: would

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: do

text: that

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: the

text: overwhelming

text: number

text: of

text: people

text: that

text: say

text: they

text: would

text: n't

text: like

text: to

text: do

text: so

text: Conway

text: said

text: the

text: Marine

text: Corps

text: is

text: the

text: only

text: branch

text: of

text: the

text: armed

text: services

text: that

text: houses

text: two

text: to

text: a

text: room

text: On

text: Thursday

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: Robert

text: Gates

text: announced

text: that

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: will

text: start

text: to

text: ease

text: its

text: enforcement

text: of

text: the

text: do

text: n't

text: ask

text: do

text: n't

text: tell

text: policy

text: prohibiting

text: homosexuals

text: from

text: serving

text: openly

text: in

text: the

text: military

text: Among

text: other

text: things

text: Gates

text: said

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: is

text: raising

text: the

text: threshold

text: for

text: what

text: constitutes

text: an

text: appropriate

text: level

text: of

text: information

text: necessary

text: to

text: launch

text: a

text: credible

text: inquiry

text: into

text: allegations

text: of

text: homosexual

text: behavior

text: The

text: change

text: which

text: will

text: take

text: effect

text: in

text: days

text: and

text: apply

text: to

text: all

text: current

text: cases

text: is

text: a

text: reflection

text: of

text: common

text: sense

text: and

text: common

text: decency

text: Gates

text: said

text: These

text: changes

text: reflect

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: insights

text: we

text: have

text: gained

text: over

text: years

text: of

text: implementing

text: the

text: current

text: law

text: including

text: the

text: need

text: for

text: consistency

text: oversight

text: and

text: clear

text: standards

text: Gates

text: said

text: President

text: Obama

text: and

text: Adm.

text: Mike

text: Mullen

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: Joint

text: Chiefs

text: of

text: Staff

text: support

text: a

text: legislative

text: repeal

text: of

text: do

text: n't

text: ask

text: do

text: n't

text: tell

text: which

text: was

text: first

text: enacted

text: in

text: Some

text: senior

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: military

text: however

text: have

text: expressed

text: concern

text: over

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: the

text: ban

text: 's

text: repeal

text: on

text: unit

text: cohesion

text: and

text: morale

text: among

text: other

text: things

question: what he said about marines?

answer: Corps is the only branch of the armed services that houses two to a room.

text: Corps is the only branch of the armed services that houses two to a room.

question: overwhelming number of people don't want to share what?

answer: housing gay and heterosexual Marines

text: housing gay and heterosexual Marines

question: who is Gen. James Conway?

answer: Marine Commandant

text: Marine Commandant

question: how many per room

answer: two

text: two

question: What wouldn't Conway ask marines to do?

answer: gay and straight

text: gay and straight

question: What is the only branch that houses two to a room?

answer: Marine Corps

text: Marine Corps


text:
(CNN) -- The space shuttle Atlantis glided to a picture-perfect landing Friday morning under bright, sunny skies at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The seven-person crew returned after an 11-day mission to deliver key spare parts to prolong the life of the international space station.

The original six-member crew, with flight engineer Nicole Stott -- who launched in August -- returned amid sunny, clear Florida weather.

"Couldn't have picked a clearer day," Cndr. Charles Hobaugh said as the shuttle approached the runway.

Mission Control told Hobaugh that the landing was a "picture-perfect end" to the mission. "Everybody, welcome back to Earth, especially you, Nicole," Mission Control said.

Stott had spent 87 days on the international space station, according to NASA.

About an hour after the shuttle landed, the crew transport vehicle moved alongside the orbiter access hatch on Atlantis' port side, NASA said on its Web site. With the crew hatch opened, the astronauts left the orbiter to enter the vehicle.

It contains beds and comfortable seats so the astronauts can receive a brief medical checkup before they step onto the tarmac, NASA said.

The crew's mission included three space walks and installation of two platforms to the station's backbone. The platforms will hold spare parts that will sustain station operations after the shuttles are discontinued.

NASA said the parts the crew delivered will add years to the station's life after the space shuttle fleet is retired next year.

Some of the parts are for systems that keep the station from overheating or tumbling through space, NASA said.

During the mission, the crew celebrated Thanksgiving while they prepared for landing. They dined on smoked turkey, green beans, mushrooms, cornbread dressing and candied yams, according to NASA.

Russia will take over supplying the international space station.

On this mission, Atlantis also marked a 6 pound, 13 ounce development.

Astronaut Randy Bresnik welcomed a daughter from space, the second time a baby has been born to a U.S. astronaut on a mission.

Mike Fincke's daughter was born in June 2004 while he was aboard the international space station, NASA said.

text: CNN

text: The

text: space

text: shuttle

text: Atlantis

text: glided

text: to

text: a

text: picture

text: perfect

text: landing

text: Friday

text: morning

text: under

text: bright

text: sunny

text: skies

text: at

text: Kennedy

text: Space

text: Center

text: in

text: Florida

text: The

text: seven

text: person

text: crew

text: returned

text: after

text: an

text: mission

text: to

text: deliver

text: key

text: spare

text: parts

text: to

text: prolong

text: the

text: life

text: of

text: the

text: international

text: space

text: station

text: The

text: original

text: six

text: member

text: crew

text: with

text: flight

text: engineer

text: Nicole

text: Stott

text: who

text: launched

text: in

text: August

text: returned

text: amid

text: sunny

text: clear

text: Florida

text: weather

text: Could

text: n't

text: have

text: picked

text: a

text: clearer

text: day

text: Cndr

text: Charles

text: Hobaugh

text: said

text: as

text: the

text: shuttle

text: approached

text: the

text: runway

text: Mission

text: Control

text: told

text: Hobaugh

text: that

text: the

text: landing

text: was

text: a

text: picture

text: perfect

text: end

text: to

text: the

text: mission

text: Everybody

text: welcome

text: back

text: to

text: Earth

text: especially

text: you

text: Nicole

text: Mission

text: Control

text: said

text: Stott

text: had

text: spent

text: days

text: on

text: the

text: international

text: space

text: station

text: according

text: to

text: NASA

text: About

text: an

text: hour

text: after

text: the

text: shuttle

text: landed

text: the

text: crew

text: transport

text: vehicle

text: moved

text: alongside

text: the

text: orbiter

text: access

text: hatch

text: on

text: Atlantis

text: port

text: side

text: NASA

text: said

text: on

text: its

text: Web

text: site

text: With

text: the

text: crew

text: hatch

text: opened

text: the

text: astronauts

text: left

text: the

text: orbiter

text: to

text: enter

text: the

text: vehicle

text: It

text: contains

text: beds

text: and

text: comfortable

text: seats

text: so

text: the

text: astronauts

text: can

text: receive

text: a

text: brief

text: medical

text: checkup

text: before

text: they

text: step

text: onto

text: the

text: tarmac

text: NASA

text: said

text: The

text: crew

text: 's

text: mission

text: included

text: three

text: space

text: walks

text: and

text: installation

text: of

text: two

text: platforms

text: to

text: the

text: station

text: 's

text: backbone

text: The

text: platforms

text: will

text: hold

text: spare

text: parts

text: that

text: will

text: sustain

text: station

text: operations

text: after

text: the

text: shuttles

text: are

text: discontinued

text: NASA

text: said

text: the

text: parts

text: the

text: crew

text: delivered

text: will

text: add

text: years

text: to

text: the

text: station

text: 's

text: life

text: after

text: the

text: space

text: shuttle

text: fleet

text: is

text: retired

text: next

text: year

text: Some

text: of

text: the

text: parts

text: are

text: for

text: systems

text: that

text: keep

text: the

text: station

text: from

text: overheating

text: or

text: tumbling

text: through

text: space

text: NASA

text: said

text: During

text: the

text: mission

text: the

text: crew

text: celebrated

text: Thanksgiving

text: while

text: they

text: prepared

text: for

text: landing

text: They

text: dined

text: on

text: smoked

text: turkey

text: green

text: beans

text: mushrooms

text: cornbread

text: dressing

text: and

text: candied

text: yams

text: according

text: to

text: NASA

text: Russia

text: will

text: take

text: over

text: supplying

text: the

text: international

text: space

text: station

text: On

text: this

text: mission

text: Atlantis

text: also

text: marked

text: a

text: pound

text: ounce

text: development

text: Astronaut

text: Randy

text: Bresnik

text: welcomed

text: a

text: daughter

text: from

text: space

text: the

text: second

text: time

text: a

text: baby

text: has

text: been

text: born

text: to

text: a

text: U.S.

text: astronaut

text: on

text: a

text: mission

text: Mike

text: Fincke

text: 's

text: daughter

text: was

text: born

text: in

text: June

text: while

text: he

text: was

text: aboard

text: the

text: international

text: space

text: station

text: NASA

text: said

question: What does the mission include?

answer: deliver key spare parts to prolong the life of the international space station.

text: deliver key spare parts to prolong the life of the international space station.

question: What did the crew eat for Thanksgiving?

answer: smoked turkey, green beans, mushrooms, cornbread dressing and candied yams,

text: smoked turkey, green beans, mushrooms, cornbread dressing and candied yams,

question: Where was the 11 day mission to?

answer: the international space station.

text: the international space station.

question: What did Mission Control say to the crew?

answer: "Everybody, welcome back to Earth, especially you, Nicole,"

text: "Everybody, welcome back to Earth, especially you, Nicole,"

question: When did the crew land?

answer: Friday morning

text: Friday morning

question: What did Mission Control say?

answer: the landing was a "picture-perfect end" to the

text: the landing was a "picture-perfect end" to the


text:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- A police officer was killed Monday in a suicide bombing at the gate of a police station in Islamabad, authorities said.

The bombing took place at a police station in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

The explosion occurred on Pakistan Day, a national holiday. The bomber apparently walked up to the police station and blew himself up at its gate. The station houses a special intelligence-gathering branch of Islamabad police.

Two people -- the suicide bomber and a police officer -- were killed, police told CNN. Pakistan's GEO-TV reported three people were dead and 10 wounded in the blast.

The blast blew the doors off the police branch and damaged a mosque adjacent to the building, according the network.

"Parts of the bodies, the human bodies, are spread around the area," GEO-TV's Hamid Mir told CNN.

The explosion was heard at CNN's offices, 2 or 3 miles away.

Members of the police branch housed in the building help protect government officials such as the prime minister, CNN's Reza Sayah said, and with the explosion, someone is "trying to send another message to the federal government here in Islamabad."  Watch more on the bombing Â»

"(The blast) underscores the acute security situation this government is facing," he said.

If the blast was a suicide bombing, it would be the second in the area within a week, Mir said. On March 16, a suicide attack targeted a bus station near Islamabad.

The office targeted Monday is in a crowded area, said Mir, who added: "This intelligence office is not secret. It's a very well-known intelligence office."

However, the area was not in a high-security zone, he said.

Asked about the Pakistanis' attitude toward these repeated attacks, Mir said public opinion in Pakistan was divided.

"Everybody's against the terrorism, but they think the Americans also need to change their policies. They are in trouble after 9/11. America is secure, but the people in Pakistan are not secure."

CNN's Ram Ramgopal contributed to this report.

text: ISLAMABAD

text: Pakistan

text: CNN

text: A

text: police

text: officer

text: was

text: killed

text: Monday

text: in

text: a

text: suicide

text: bombing

text: at

text: the

text: gate

text: of

text: a

text: police

text: station

text: in

text: Islamabad

text: authorities

text: said

text: The

text: bombing

text: took

text: place

text: at

text: a

text: police

text: station

text: in

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: capital

text: Islamabad

text: The

text: explosion

text: occurred

text: on

text: Pakistan

text: Day

text: a

text: national

text: holiday

text: The

text: bomber

text: apparently

text: walked

text: up

text: to

text: the

text: police

text: station

text: and

text: blew

text: himself

text: up

text: at

text: its

text: gate

text: The

text: station

text: houses

text: a

text: special

text: intelligence

text: gathering

text: branch

text: of

text: Islamabad

text: police

text: Two

text: people

text: the

text: suicide

text: bomber

text: and

text: a

text: police

text: officer

text: were

text: killed

text: police

text: told

text: CNN

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: GEO

text: TV

text: reported

text: three

text: people

text: were

text: dead

text: and

text: wounded

text: in

text: the

text: blast

text: The

text: blast

text: blew

text: the

text: doors

text: off

text: the

text: police

text: branch

text: and

text: damaged

text: a

text: mosque

text: adjacent

text: to

text: the

text: building

text: according

text: the

text: network

text: Parts

text: of

text: the

text: bodies

text: the

text: human

text: bodies

text: are

text: spread

text: around

text: the

text: area

text: GEO

text: TV

text: 's

text: Hamid

text: Mir

text: told

text: CNN

text: The

text: explosion

text: was

text: heard

text: at

text: CNN

text: 's

text: offices

text: or

text: miles

text: away

text: Members

text: of

text: the

text: police

text: branch

text: housed

text: in

text: the

text: building

text: help

text: protect

text: government

text: officials

text: such

text: as

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Reza

text: Sayah

text: said

text: and

text: with

text: the

text: explosion

text: someone

text: is

text: trying

text: to

text: send

text: another

text: message

text: to

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: here

text: in

text: Islamabad

text: Watch

text: more

text: on

text: the

text: bombing

text: Â

text: The

text: blast

text: underscores

text: the

text: acute

text: security

text: situation

text: this

text: government

text: is

text: facing

text: he

text: said

text: If

text: the

text: blast

text: was

text: a

text: suicide

text: bombing

text: it

text: would

text: be

text: the

text: second

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: within

text: a

text: week

text: Mir

text: said

text: On

text: March

text: a

text: suicide

text: attack

text: targeted

text: a

text: bus

text: station

text: near

text: Islamabad

text: The

text: office

text: targeted

text: Monday

text: is

text: in

text: a

text: crowded

text: area

text: said

text: Mir

text: who

text: added

text: This

text: intelligence

text: office

text: is

text: not

text: secret

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: very

text: well

text: known

text: intelligence

text: office

text: However

text: the

text: area

text: was

text: not

text: in

text: a

text: high

text: security

text: zone

text: he

text: said

text: Asked

text: about

text: the

text: Pakistanis

text: attitude

text: toward

text: these

text: repeated

text: attacks

text: Mir

text: said

text: public

text: opinion

text: in

text: Pakistan

text: was

text: divided

text: Everybody

text: 's

text: against

text: the

text: terrorism

text: but

text: they

text: think

text: the

text: Americans

text: also

text: need

text: to

text: change

text: their

text: policies

text: They

text: are

text: in

text: trouble

text: after

text: America

text: is

text: secure

text: but

text: the

text: people

text: in

text: Pakistan

text: are

text: not

text: secure

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Ram

text: Ramgopal

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Where did the explosion occur?

answer: police station in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

text: police station in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

question: On what day did the explosion occur?

answer: Pakistan

text: Pakistan

question: What did the bombers target?

answer: police station in Islamabad,

text: police station in Islamabad,


text:
ROME, Italy (CNN) -- The Italian government is vowing to fight a European court ruling that crucifixes in classrooms violate students' right to freedom of religion.

The European Court of Human Rights found unanimously Tuesday that the display of a particular religious symbol -- such as the Christian cross -- in a classroom "restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions, and the right of children to believe or not to believe," a court statement said.

The case was brought by an Italian woman, Soile Lautsi, who objected to the crucifixes on the walls in her two sons' classrooms.

Italian courts had ruled earlier that the cross was a symbol of Italy's history and culture, prompting Lautsi to take her case to the European court in Strasbourg, France.

It awarded her 5,000 euros ($7,400) in damages Tuesday.

The Italian government said it would appeal the European Court's verdict and leading Catholic figures expressed astonishment and anger.

The ruling "is cause for bitterness and many perplexities," the Italian Conference of Bishop said in a written statement.

The bishops said they were still studying the ruling, but it appeared to result from "ideological bias" and a lack of understanding of "the multiple significances of the crucifix."

"It does not take into account the fact that in Italy the display of the crucifix in public places is in line with the recognition of the principles of the Catholicism as 'part of the historical patrimony of the Italian people,' as stated in the Vatican/Italy agreement of 1984," the bishops said.

The Vatican in Rome, which has been the seat of the Catholic Church for most of its 2,000-year history, did not officially respond to the ruling.

But Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re told the leading Italian daily La Repubblica he could not understand it, and that no one with common sense could have expected it.

"When I think that we are talking about a symbol, the crucifix, an image that cannot but be the emblem of a universally shared humanity, I not only feel disappointed but also sadness and grief," he said.

"The crucifix is the sign of a God that loves man to the point of giving up his life for him. It is a God that teaches us to learn to love, to pay attention to each man ... and to respect the others, even those who belong to a different culture or religion.

"How could someone not share such a symbol?"

Italy has three months to file a request for a new hearing, court spokesman Stefano Piedimonte told CNN. A five-judge panel will examine the request, officially known as a referral, to determine if it raises sufficiently important issues for a 17-judge Grand Chamber hearing.

Only the Italian government can appeal the verdict, but other interested parties can file briefs if the case goes forward, Piedimonte said.

The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights.

CNN's Hada Messia in Rome contributed to this report.

text: ROME

text: Italy

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text: The

text: Italian

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text: crucifixes

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text: universally

text: shared

text: humanity

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text: sadness

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text: sign

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text: life

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text: learn

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text: to

text: respect

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text: others

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text: those

text: who

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text: different

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text: could

text: someone

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text: symbol

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text: has

text: three

text: months

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text: a

text: request

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text: Stefano

text: Piedimonte

text: told

text: CNN

text: A

text: five

text: judge

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text: determine

text: if

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text: Grand

text: Chamber

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text: the

text: Italian

text: government

text: can

text: appeal

text: the

text: verdict

text: but

text: other

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text: if

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text: case

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text: Piedimonte

text: said

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text: European

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text: was

text: set

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text: Strasbourg

text: by

text: the

text: Council

text: of

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text: States

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text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: alleged

text: violations

text: of

text: the

text: European

text: Convention

text: on

text: Human

text: Rights

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Hada

text: Messia

text: in

text: Rome

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What does the government say?

answer: it would appeal the European Court's verdict

text: it would appeal the European Court's verdict

question: Where are the crucifixes banned from?

answer: classrooms

text: classrooms

question: What is the issue with "display of religious symbols?"

answer: their convictions, and the right of children to believe or not to believe,"

text: their convictions, and the right of children to believe or not to believe,"

question: What did the court rule that the display of religious symbols violated?

answer: students' right to freedom of religion.

text: students' right to freedom of religion.

question: Who was the woman who brought the case to trial?

answer: Soile Lautsi,

text: Soile Lautsi,