text:
(CNN) -- Abe Pollin, the longtime owner of the Washington Wizards professional basketball franchise, has died, the Wizards said Tuesday. He was 85.

No further details were immediately available. The Wizards said information would be released as it became available.

The Pollin family asked that their privacy be respected, the basketball team said.

Pollin and his wife, Irene, have owned the NBA franchise, previously known as the Washington Bullets and before that the Baltimore Bullets, for 45 years.

As the majority owners of Washington Sports & Entertainment Limited Partnership, the Pollins oversaw the Washington Wizards, Washington/Baltimore Ticketmaster and in-house promoter Musicentre Productions, as well as the management of the Verizon Center and George Mason University's Patriot Center, according to the Verizon Center's Web site.

Pollin at one time also owned the Washington Capitals hockey team and the Washington Mystics WNBA team.

Pollin moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Washington area when he was 8, according to the Verizon Center's biography of him.

He attended George Washington University and worked for his family's construction company for more than a decade, it says. He and Irene, a St. Louis, Missouri, native, launched their own construction company in 1957 and built several large apartment houses and office buildings.

They have two sons and two granddaughters, according to the Web site.

text: CNN

text: Abe

text: Pollin

text: the

text: longtime

text: owner

text: of

text: the

text: Washington

text: Wizards

text: professional

text: basketball

text: franchise

text: has

text: died

text: the

text: Wizards

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: He

text: was

text: No

text: further

text: details

text: were

text: immediately

text: available

text: The

text: Wizards

text: said

text: information

text: would

text: be

text: released

text: as

text: it

text: became

text: available

text: The

text: Pollin

text: family

text: asked

text: that

text: their

text: privacy

text: be

text: respected

text: the

text: basketball

text: team

text: said

text: Pollin

text: and

text: his

text: wife

text: Irene

text: have

text: owned

text: the

text: NBA

text: franchise

text: previously

text: known

text: as

text: the

text: Washington

text: Bullets

text: and

text: before

text: that

text: the

text: Baltimore

text: Bullets

text: for

text: years

text: As

text: the

text: majority

text: owners

text: of

text: Washington

text: Sports

text: Entertainment

text: Limited

text: Partnership

text: the

text: Pollins

text: oversaw

text: the

text: Washington

text: Wizards

text: Washington

text: Baltimore

text: Ticketmaster

text: and

text: in

text: house

text: promoter

text: Musicentre

text: Productions

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: the

text: management

text: of

text: the

text: Verizon

text: Center

text: and

text: George

text: Mason

text: University

text: 's

text: Patriot

text: Center

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Verizon

text: Center

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: Pollin

text: at

text: one

text: time

text: also

text: owned

text: the

text: Washington

text: Capitals

text: hockey

text: team

text: and

text: the

text: Washington

text: Mystics

text: WNBA

text: team

text: Pollin

text: moved

text: from

text: Philadelphia

text: Pennsylvania

text: to

text: the

text: Washington

text: area

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Verizon

text: Center

text: 's

text: biography

text: of

text: him

text: He

text: attended

text: George

text: Washington

text: University

text: and

text: worked

text: for

text: his

text: family

text: 's

text: construction

text: company

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: decade

text: it

text: says

text: He

text: and

text: Irene

text: a

text: St.

text: Louis

text: Missouri

text: native

text: launched

text: their

text: own

text: construction

text: company

text: in

text: and

text: built

text: several

text: large

text: apartment

text: houses

text: and

text: office

text: buildings

text: They

text: have

text: two

text: sons

text: and

text: two

text: granddaughters

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Web

text: site

question: Who is Pollin survived by?

answer: his wife, Irene,

text: his wife, Irene,

question: Who was 85 years old?

answer: Pollin,

text: Pollin,

question: What amount of time have Pollin and his wife owned the Wizards?

answer: 45 years.

text: 45 years.

question: How long have they owned Wizards for?

answer: 45 years.

text: 45 years.

question: What age was Pollin's when he died?

answer: 85.

question: What age is Abe Polling?

answer: He was 85.

text: He was 85.


text:
(CNN) -- Two giant pandas arrived in Taiwan Tuesday after leaving China's Sichuan province for their new home, in a sign of improving ties between the cross-strait neighbors.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan rest at a giant panda research center in Sichuan province on Monday.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, both four years old, had been living in Ya'an since the May 12 earthquake that damaged their former home in Wolong in Sichuan, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

The pandas ate a meal of steamed corn buns and carrots before they were placed in a truck and taken to the Sichuan capital of Chengdu. From there, they were flown to Taiwan.

"They had a good breakfast to sustain them on the long journey," said a Taiwan keeper traveling with the animals to the island, according to Xinhua.

The panda goodwill was the latest sign of warming relations between Beijing and Taipei.  Watch more about the pandas Â»

Regularly scheduled commercial flights, shipping and mail between Taiwan and China resumed last week for the first time since the 1949 revolution that brought the Communist Party to power on the Chinese mainland.

On Monday, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said China would provide 130 billion yuan ($19 billion) in financing over the next two to three years to Taiwan-based companies doing business in the mainland.

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has been cultivating ties with Beijing since winning office in March.

Ma, a Nationalist, opposes reunification with China but ran on a platform touting the economic benefits of better relations with the mainland.

In June -- in the first formal talks between the two sides in almost a decade --Chinese and Taiwanese officials agreed to set up permanent offices in each other's territories.

Taiwan separated from China after the communists' victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949. About 2 million Chinese Nationalists fled to Taiwan and set up a government there.

Beijing has always considered the island a part of China and has threatened to go to war should Taiwan declare formal independence.

China said in May 2005 it would give the island two giant pandas, but their departure was delayed for more than three years. Improved ties between the two sides made the delivery of the pandas possible, Xinhua reported.

The pair, whose names Tuan and Yuan together mean "reunion," will live in a four-story building at the Taipei city zoo, and their lodgings will include an outdoor playground, the agency said.

After a one-month quarantine, the pandas are expected to make their debut in Taiwan during the Chinese lunar new year.

There are about 1,590 pandas living in China's wild, mostly in Sichuan and the northwestern provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu. There were 239 captive-bred giant pandas in China in 2007, Xinhua reported.

One panda died in the May quake, while another is still missing, according to an official at the China Panda Protection Studies Center in Wolong.

text: CNN

text: Two

text: giant

text: pandas

text: arrived

text: in

text: Taiwan

text: Tuesday

text: after

text: leaving

text: China

text: 's

text: Sichuan

text: province

text: for

text: their

text: new

text: home

text: in

text: a

text: sign

text: of

text: improving

text: ties

text: between

text: the

text: cross

text: strait

text: neighbors

text: Tuan

text: Tuan

text: and

text: Yuan

text: Yuan

text: rest

text: at

text: a

text: giant

text: panda

text: research

text: center

text: in

text: Sichuan

text: province

text: on

text: Monday

text: Tuan

text: Tuan

text: and

text: Yuan

text: Yuan

text: both

text: four

text: years

text: old

text: had

text: been

text: living

text: in

text: Ya'an

text: since

text: the

text: May

text: earthquake

text: that

text: damaged

text: their

text: former

text: home

text: in

text: Wolong

text: in

text: Sichuan

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: state

text: run

text: Xinhua

text: news

text: agency

text: The

text: pandas

text: ate

text: a

text: meal

text: of

text: steamed

text: corn

text: buns

text: and

text: carrots

text: before

text: they

text: were

text: placed

text: in

text: a

text: truck

text: and

text: taken

text: to

text: the

text: Sichuan

text: capital

text: of

text: Chengdu

text: From

text: there

text: they

text: were

text: flown

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: They

text: had

text: a

text: good

text: breakfast

text: to

text: sustain

text: them

text: on

text: the

text: long

text: journey

text: said

text: a

text: Taiwan

text: keeper

text: traveling

text: with

text: the

text: animals

text: to

text: the

text: island

text: according

text: to

text: Xinhua

text: The

text: panda

text: goodwill

text: was

text: the

text: latest

text: sign

text: of

text: warming

text: relations

text: between

text: Beijing

text: and

text: Taipei

text: Watch

text: more

text: about

text: the

text: pandas

text: Â

text: Regularly

text: scheduled

text: commercial

text: flights

text: shipping

text: and

text: mail

text: between

text: Taiwan

text: and

text: China

text: resumed

text: last

text: week

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: since

text: the

text: revolution

text: that

text: brought

text: the

text: Communist

text: Party

text: to

text: power

text: on

text: the

text: Chinese

text: mainland

text: On

text: Monday

text: the

text: Taiwan

text: Affairs

text: Office

text: of

text: the

text: State

text: Council

text: said

text: China

text: would

text: provide

text: billion

text: yuan

text: billion

text: in

text: financing

text: over

text: the

text: next

text: two

text: to

text: three

text: years

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: based

text: companies

text: doing

text: business

text: in

text: the

text: mainland

text: Taiwanese

text: President

text: Ma

text: Ying

text: jeou

text: has

text: been

text: cultivating

text: ties

text: with

text: Beijing

text: since

text: winning

text: office

text: in

text: March

text: Ma

text: a

text: Nationalist

text: opposes

text: reunification

text: with

text: China

text: but

text: ran

text: on

text: a

text: platform

text: touting

text: the

text: economic

text: benefits

text: of

text: better

text: relations

text: with

text: the

text: mainland

text: In

text: June

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: formal

text: talks

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: sides

text: in

text: almost

text: a

text: decade

text: --Chinese

text: and

text: Taiwanese

text: officials

text: agreed

text: to

text: set

text: up

text: permanent

text: offices

text: in

text: each

text: other

text: 's

text: territories

text: Taiwan

text: separated

text: from

text: China

text: after

text: the

text: communists

text: victory

text: in

text: the

text: Chinese

text: civil

text: war

text: in

text: About

text: million

text: Chinese

text: Nationalists

text: fled

text: to

text: Taiwan

text: and

text: set

text: up

text: a

text: government

text: there

text: Beijing

text: has

text: always

text: considered

text: the

text: island

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: China

text: and

text: has

text: threatened

text: to

text: go

text: to

text: war

text: should

text: Taiwan

text: declare

text: formal

text: independence

text: China

text: said

text: in

text: May

text: it

text: would

text: give

text: the

text: island

text: two

text: giant

text: pandas

text: but

text: their

text: departure

text: was

text: delayed

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: three

text: years

text: Improved

text: ties

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: sides

text: made

text: the

text: delivery

text: of

text: the

text: pandas

text: possible

text: Xinhua

text: reported

text: The

text: pair

text: whose

text: names

text: Tuan

text: and

text: Yuan

text: together

text: mean

text: reunion

text: will

text: live

text: in

text: a

text: four

text: story

text: building

text: at

text: the

text: Taipei

text: city

text: zoo

text: and

text: their

text: lodgings

text: will

text: include

text: an

text: outdoor

text: playground

text: the

text: agency

text: said

text: After

text: a

text: one

text: month

text: quarantine

text: the

text: pandas

text: are

text: expected

text: to

text: make

text: their

text: debut

text: in

text: Taiwan

text: during

text: the

text: Chinese

text: lunar

text: new

text: year

text: There

text: are

text: about

text: pandas

text: living

text: in

text: China

text: 's

text: wild

text: mostly

text: in

text: Sichuan

text: and

text: the

text: northwestern

text: provinces

text: of

text: Shaanxi

text: and

text: Gansu

text: There

text: were

text: captive

text: bred

text: giant

text: pandas

text: in

text: China

text: in

text: Xinhua

text: reported

text: One

text: panda

text: died

text: in

text: the

text: May

text: quake

text: while

text: another

text: is

text: still

text: missing

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: official

text: at

text: the

text: China

text: Panda

text: Protection

text: Studies

text: Center

text: in

text: Wolong

question: When are the Panda's expected to debut at the Taipei zoo?

answer: during the Chinese lunar new year.

text: during the Chinese lunar new year.

question: Where is the zoo located?

answer: Taipei city

text: Taipei city

question: Amount of pandas that live in China's wild?

answer: about 1,590

text: about 1,590

question: Where will the pandas live?

answer: in a four-story building at the Taipei city zoo,

text: in a four-story building at the Taipei city zoo,

question: What is the latest sign of warming relations?

answer: The panda goodwill

text: The panda goodwill

question: PAnda goodwill is a sign of warming relations between who?

answer: Beijing and Taipei.

text: Beijing and Taipei.

question: What animals will live at the zoo?

answer: Two

text: Two

question: How many pandas were captive bred in 2007?

answer: 239

question: Which Chinese chronological event is mentioned?

answer: 1949 revolution

text: 1949 revolution

question: How many pandas live China's wild?

answer: 1,590

question: Where were the pandas set to live?

answer: in a four-story building at the Taipei city zoo,

text: in a four-story building at the Taipei city zoo,


text:
(CNN) -- Sixteen people were wounded and a guru was shot to death in an outbreak of violence between rival Sikhs at an Indian temple in Vienna, Austria, police said.

Austrian police secure the area outside a Sikh temple in Vienna where a shooting occured Sunday.

Six people were arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred about 1:20 p.m. local time (7:20 a.m. ET) Sunday in Vienna's 15th district, police spokesman Schwaig Hofar told CNN.

One armed suspect fired at two gurus, and five other knife-wielding suspects attacked congregants during prayer, Hofar said. One of the gurus, a 57-year-old Sikh preacher, was killed.

The number of wounded includes four of the suspects, two of them in serious condition, he said.

About 150 people were in the room when the violence took place, he said. Authorities are investigating what triggered the attacks.

CNN's David Ariosto contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Sixteen

text: people

text: were

text: wounded

text: and

text: a

text: guru

text: was

text: shot

text: to

text: death

text: in

text: an

text: outbreak

text: of

text: violence

text: between

text: rival

text: Sikhs

text: at

text: an

text: Indian

text: temple

text: in

text: Vienna

text: Austria

text: police

text: said

text: Austrian

text: police

text: secure

text: the

text: area

text: outside

text: a

text: Sikh

text: temple

text: in

text: Vienna

text: where

text: a

text: shooting

text: occured

text: Sunday

text: Six

text: people

text: were

text: arrested

text: in

text: connection

text: with

text: the

text: incident

text: which

text: occurred

text: about

text: p.m.

text: local

text: time

text: a.m.

text: ET

text: Sunday

text: in

text: Vienna

text: 's

text: district

text: police

text: spokesman

text: Schwaig

text: Hofar

text: told

text: CNN

text: One

text: armed

text: suspect

text: fired

text: at

text: two

text: gurus

text: and

text: five

text: other

text: knife

text: wielding

text: suspects

text: attacked

text: congregants

text: during

text: prayer

text: Hofar

text: said

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: gurus

text: a

text: old

text: Sikh

text: preacher

text: was

text: killed

text: The

text: number

text: of

text: wounded

text: includes

text: four

text: of

text: the

text: suspects

text: two

text: of

text: them

text: in

text: serious

text: condition

text: he

text: said

text: About

text: people

text: were

text: in

text: the

text: room

text: when

text: the

text: violence

text: took

text: place

text: he

text: said

text: Authorities

text: are

text: investigating

text: what

text: triggered

text: the

text: attacks

text: CNN

text: 's

text: David

text: Ariosto

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: How many suspects attacked with knives?

answer: five

text: five

question: What did they use to attack?

answer: knife-wielding

text: knife-wielding

question: What were the suspects firing at?

answer: two gurus,

text: two gurus,

question: What number of people were in the room?

answer: About 150

text: About 150

question: What age was the Sikh preacher who was killed?

answer: 57-year-old

question: What number of people were in the room when shoootings took place?

answer: 150


text:
(CNN) -- Philanthropist and billionaire businessman Ted Turner will receive 88 disease-free bison from Yellowstone National Park, Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirmed Tuesday.

The bison, which were facing slaughter, will be transferred for breeding to Turner's "Green Ranch," west of Bozeman, Montana, from a quarantine facility.

"The Green Ranch emerged as the best option we have for these bison right now," said Ken McDonald, said the state agency's wildlife bureau chief in Helena, Montana. "It gives us time to evaluate the social and biological factors that will come into play as we begin to plan for the future of bison management in Montana."

For several years, the bison were quarantined and spared from slaughter after concerns about brucellosis disease, an infectious disease caused by contact with animals carrying the bacteria called brucella.

All quarantined bison delivered to Turner's property, along with 25 percent of their offspring, will be returned to the state wildlife agency at the conclusion of the agreement, which will last up to five years, the release said.

Turner Enterprises' Green Ranch proposal describes 12,000 acres of suitable habitat, excellent handling facilities, years of experience with bison and secure living space for the animals. The ranch also will participate in continued disease testing and monitoring conducted by state and federal officials, the release said.

According to the Turner Enterprises Inc. Web site, Turner, who founded CNN in 1980, is the largest individual landowner in North America with an estimated 2 million acres. His Western properties consist of 15 ranches in seven states. His bison herd is about 50,000 animals, making it the largest private herd in the world, his Web site said.

text: CNN

text: Philanthropist

text: and

text: billionaire

text: businessman

text: Ted

text: Turner

text: will

text: receive

text: disease

text: free

text: bison

text: from

text: Yellowstone

text: National

text: Park

text: Montana

text: 's

text: Department

text: of

text: Fish

text: Wildlife

text: and

text: Parks

text: confirmed

text: Tuesday

text: The

text: bison

text: which

text: were

text: facing

text: slaughter

text: will

text: be

text: transferred

text: for

text: breeding

text: to

text: Turner

text: 's

text: Green

text: Ranch

text: west

text: of

text: Bozeman

text: Montana

text: from

text: a

text: quarantine

text: facility

text: The

text: Green

text: Ranch

text: emerged

text: as

text: the

text: best

text: option

text: we

text: have

text: for

text: these

text: bison

text: right

text: now

text: said

text: Ken

text: McDonald

text: said

text: the

text: state

text: agency

text: 's

text: wildlife

text: bureau

text: chief

text: in

text: Helena

text: Montana

text: It

text: gives

text: us

text: time

text: to

text: evaluate

text: the

text: social

text: and

text: biological

text: factors

text: that

text: will

text: come

text: into

text: play

text: as

text: we

text: begin

text: to

text: plan

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: of

text: bison

text: management

text: in

text: Montana

text: For

text: several

text: years

text: the

text: bison

text: were

text: quarantined

text: and

text: spared

text: from

text: slaughter

text: after

text: concerns

text: about

text: brucellosis

text: disease

text: an

text: infectious

text: disease

text: caused

text: by

text: contact

text: with

text: animals

text: carrying

text: the

text: bacteria

text: called

text: brucella

text: All

text: quarantined

text: bison

text: delivered

text: to

text: Turner

text: 's

text: property

text: along

text: with

text: percent

text: of

text: their

text: offspring

text: will

text: be

text: returned

text: to

text: the

text: state

text: wildlife

text: agency

text: at

text: the

text: conclusion

text: of

text: the

text: agreement

text: which

text: will

text: last

text: up

text: to

text: five

text: years

text: the

text: release

text: said

text: Turner

text: Enterprises

text: Green

text: Ranch

text: proposal

text: describes

text: acres

text: of

text: suitable

text: habitat

text: excellent

text: handling

text: facilities

text: years

text: of

text: experience

text: with

text: bison

text: and

text: secure

text: living

text: space

text: for

text: the

text: animals

text: The

text: ranch

text: also

text: will

text: participate

text: in

text: continued

text: disease

text: testing

text: and

text: monitoring

text: conducted

text: by

text: state

text: and

text: federal

text: officials

text: the

text: release

text: said

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: Turner

text: Enterprises

text: Inc.

text: Web

text: site

text: Turner

text: who

text: founded

text: CNN

text: in

text: is

text: the

text: largest

text: individual

text: landowner

text: in

text: North

text: America

text: with

text: an

text: estimated

text: million

text: acres

text: His

text: Western

text: properties

text: consist

text: of

text: ranches

text: in

text: seven

text: states

text: His

text: bison

text: herd

text: is

text: about

text: animals

text: making

text: it

text: the

text: largest

text: private

text: herd

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: his

text: Web

text: site

text: said

question: How many will he get?

answer: 88

question: What were the concerns about?

answer: brucellosis disease,

text: brucellosis disease,

question: Who has the largest private herd in the world?

answer: Ted Turner

text: Ted Turner

question: What has been quarantined?

answer: The bison,

text: The bison,

question: Who has the largest bison herd in the world?

answer: Ted Turner

text: Ted Turner

question: How many bison does Turner have?

answer: 88

question: How many bison will Turner get?

answer: 88


text:
(CNN) -- Ireland's government-backed "bad bank" is taking on 16 billion euros ($21.5 billion) in debt from five troubled Irish banks -- a first step toward buying 81 billion euros ($109 billion) in bad loans, the government announced.

The National Asset Management Agency, as the "bad bank" is officially known, will pay 8.5 billion euros ($11.4 billion) for the first 16 billion euros in debt, it said Tuesday.

The move takes 1,200 loans off the books of Irish Nationwide Building Society, EBS Building Society, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Anglo Irish Bank. The first two banks' debts were taken over on Monday and the other three institutions' bad loans should be transferred by early April, NAMA said.

Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan gave a sobering assessment of the banks' health Tuesday.

"I understand why many want us to close" Anglo Irish Bank, which lost huge sums in property lending, he told lawmakers. "I understand the impulse to obliterate it from the system."

But, he said, "the sums required to rescue the bank are enormous but the costs of winding it down are even greater."

The government has already replaced the management of the bank.

Lenihan hinted broadly that the government will take over Allied Irish Bank, which he said must raise "additional equity capital of at least 7.4 billion euros ($9.9B) by the end of the year."

"If sufficient private capital is not available, it is probable that the state will have a majority shareholding in Allied Irish Bank as a listed entity, but this is much more preferable than an under-capitalized or only adequately-capitalized entity," he said.

The government is seeking to sell Irish Nationwide or merge it with another entity as soon as possible, after having taken it over earlier, he said.

The Bank of Ireland "expects to be able to raise private capital and is well advanced in its actions to address its capital needs," and EBS is in talks with "a private party" about raising market capital, he added.

The move is part of an Irish government response to the global financial crisis, which hit Ireland particularly hard.

The government expects to complete the purchase of the 81 billion euros in debt by February of next year, a deadline set by the European Union, NAMA said.

Borrowers whose loans have been acquired by NAMA will be required to submit a comprehensive business plan in accordance with NAMA's template within one month outlining how they propose to honor their loan commitments, NAMA chief executive Brendan McDonagh said in a statement.

If the plans are not submitted or not approved, "NAMA will take whatever actions it considers necessary to protect the interests of the taxpayer," he said.

CNN's Jim Boulden and Eve Parish contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Ireland

text: 's

text: government

text: backed

text: bad

text: bank

text: is

text: taking

text: on

text: billion

text: euros

text: billion

text: in

text: debt

text: from

text: five

text: troubled

text: Irish

text: banks

text: a

text: first

text: step

text: toward

text: buying

text: billion

text: euros

text: billion

text: in

text: bad

text: loans

text: the

text: government

text: announced

text: The

text: National

text: Asset

text: Management

text: Agency

text: as

text: the

text: bad

text: bank

text: is

text: officially

text: known

text: will

text: pay

text: billion

text: euros

text: billion

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: billion

text: euros

text: in

text: debt

text: it

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: The

text: move

text: takes

text: loans

text: off

text: the

text: books

text: of

text: Irish

text: Nationwide

text: Building

text: Society

text: EBS

text: Building

text: Society

text: Bank

text: of

text: Ireland

text: Allied

text: Irish

text: Banks

text: and

text: Anglo

text: Irish

text: Bank

text: The

text: first

text: two

text: banks

text: debts

text: were

text: taken

text: over

text: on

text: Monday

text: and

text: the

text: other

text: three

text: institutions

text: bad

text: loans

text: should

text: be

text: transferred

text: by

text: early

text: April

text: NAMA

text: said

text: Irish

text: Finance

text: Minister

text: Brian

text: Lenihan

text: gave

text: a

text: sobering

text: assessment

text: of

text: the

text: banks

text: health

text: Tuesday

text: I

text: understand

text: why

text: many

text: want

text: us

text: to

text: close

text: Anglo

text: Irish

text: Bank

text: which

text: lost

text: huge

text: sums

text: in

text: property

text: lending

text: he

text: told

text: lawmakers

text: I

text: understand

text: the

text: impulse

text: to

text: obliterate

text: it

text: from

text: the

text: system

text: But

text: he

text: said

text: the

text: sums

text: required

text: to

text: rescue

text: the

text: bank

text: are

text: enormous

text: but

text: the

text: costs

text: of

text: winding

text: it

text: down

text: are

text: even

text: greater

text: The

text: government

text: has

text: already

text: replaced

text: the

text: management

text: of

text: the

text: bank

text: Lenihan

text: hinted

text: broadly

text: that

text: the

text: government

text: will

text: take

text: over

text: Allied

text: Irish

text: Bank

text: which

text: he

text: said

text: must

text: raise

text: additional

text: equity

text: capital

text: of

text: at

text: least

text: billion

text: euros

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: If

text: sufficient

text: private

text: capital

text: is

text: not

text: available

text: it

text: is

text: probable

text: that

text: the

text: state

text: will

text: have

text: a

text: majority

text: shareholding

text: in

text: Allied

text: Irish

text: Bank

text: as

text: a

text: listed

text: entity

text: but

text: this

text: is

text: much

text: more

text: preferable

text: than

text: an

text: under

text: capitalized

text: or

text: only

text: adequately

text: capitalized

text: entity

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: government

text: is

text: seeking

text: to

text: sell

text: Irish

text: Nationwide

text: or

text: merge

text: it

text: with

text: another

text: entity

text: as

text: soon

text: as

text: possible

text: after

text: having

text: taken

text: it

text: over

text: earlier

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: Bank

text: of

text: Ireland

text: expects

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: raise

text: private

text: capital

text: and

text: is

text: well

text: advanced

text: in

text: its

text: actions

text: to

text: address

text: its

text: capital

text: needs

text: and

text: EBS

text: is

text: in

text: talks

text: with

text: a

text: private

text: party

text: about

text: raising

text: market

text: capital

text: he

text: added

text: The

text: move

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: an

text: Irish

text: government

text: response

text: to

text: the

text: global

text: financial

text: crisis

text: which

text: hit

text: Ireland

text: particularly

text: hard

text: The

text: government

text: expects

text: to

text: complete

text: the

text: purchase

text: of

text: the

text: billion

text: euros

text: in

text: debt

text: by

text: February

text: of

text: next

text: year

text: a

text: deadline

text: set

text: by

text: the

text: European

text: Union

text: NAMA

text: said

text: Borrowers

text: whose

text: loans

text: have

text: been

text: acquired

text: by

text: NAMA

text: will

text: be

text: required

text: to

text: submit

text: a

text: comprehensive

text: business

text: plan

text: in

text: accordance

text: with

text: NAMA

text: 's

text: template

text: within

text: one

text: month

text: outlining

text: how

text: they

text: propose

text: to

text: honor

text: their

text: loan

text: commitments

text: NAMA

text: chief

text: executive

text: Brendan

text: McDonagh

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: If

text: the

text: plans

text: are

text: not

text: submitted

text: or

text: not

text: approved

text: NAMA

text: will

text: take

text: whatever

text: actions

text: it

text: considers

text: necessary

text: to

text: protect

text: the

text: interests

text: of

text: the

text: taxpayer

text: he

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Jim

text: Boulden

text: and

text: Eve

text: Parish

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who will purchase debt in february?

answer: The National Asset Management Agency,

text: The National Asset Management Agency,

question: what does move do?

answer: takes 1,200 loans off the books of Irish Nationwide Building Society, EBS Building Society, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Anglo Irish Bank.

text: takes 1,200 loans off the books of Irish Nationwide Building Society, EBS Building Society, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Anglo Irish Bank.

question: What does the move do?

answer: takes 1,200 loans off the books of Irish Nationwide Building Society, EBS Building Society, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Anglo Irish Bank.

text: takes 1,200 loans off the books of Irish Nationwide Building Society, EBS Building Society, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Banks and Anglo Irish Bank.

question: How much debt will be purchased?

answer: 81 billion euros ($109 billion)

text: 81 billion euros ($109 billion)

question: When will debt be purchased?

answer: by February of next year,

text: by February of next year,

question: How many loans will be taken off?

answer: 1,200


text:
(CNN) -- North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong Il died over the weekend, is the least democratic nation on Earth, according to a newly released report by a British analysis and intelligence firm.

The Democracy Index 2011, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, listed Norway as the most democratic nation in the world.

The top 10 spots in this year's index were occupied mostly by European countries. Following Norway were: Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Finland and the Netherlands.

Read the full report

The United States ranked 19th, down two spots from the 2010 listing. The United States' 2011 ranking is below Canada (8th) and the United Kingdom (18th).

The United States also ranked below the Czech Republic (16th), a former Soviet communist satellite that did not become a democracy until 1989, and the South American nation of Uruguay (17th), a former right-wing dictatorship that did not return to democracy until 1984.

The Economist Intelligence Unit analysis, released this month, concluded that democracy deteriorated in 48 countries, improved in 41 and stayed the same in 78. In most regions, the report said, the level of democracy was lower in 2011 than the previous year.

"2011 was an exceptionally turbulent year, characterized by sovereign debt crises and weak political leadership in the developed world, dramatic political change and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa and rising social unrest," said Laza Kekic, the report's lead author.

The Democracy Index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, how government functions, political participation by the public, and political culture. The analysts measured the level of democracy in 165 nations and two territories, "which account for almost the entire population of the world," the Economist Intelligence Unit said in a release.

Using a scale of 0 to 10, countries were placed in one of four categories: full democracies (8-10), flawed democracies (6 to 7.9), hybrid regimes (4 to 5.9) and authoritarian regimes (0 to 3.9).

Norway, the top-ranked nation, had a score of 9.8. The Scandinavian nation also ranked No. 1 in 2010 with an identical score.

North Korea, ranked No. 167, had a score of 1.08. The Asian nation also ranked last in 2010, with the same score.

The United States had a score of 8.11, slightly lower than last year's 8.18.

"U.S. democracy has been adversely affected by a deepening of the polarization of the political scene and political brinkmanship and paralysis," the Economist Intelligence Unit concluded.

The analysts noted that the United States and the United Kingdom lag behind many other full democracies for some of the same reasons.

"There has been a rise in protest movements," the report states. "Problems in the functioning of government have become more prominent."

Among other findings in the report:

-- Slightly more than half the world's population lives in some type of democracy, although only 11% enjoy a "full democracy."

-- More than one-third of the globe's population lives under authoritarian rule.

-- Nearly half the nations on the planet are considered democracies: 25 "full" and 53 "flawed."

-- There were 37 "hybrid regimes" and 52 "authoritarian regimes."

-- Violence, drug trafficking and other crime in Latin America continue to hinder democracy.

-- Eastern Europe continued to suffer a decline in democracy, with 12 nations worse than the previous year.

-- Western Europe also had a decline in democracy, with seven nations deteriorating and none improving. Some of that deterioration was due to financial problems plaguing the eurozone. Five of the countries that lost points in the rankings belong to the eurozone: Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland.

-- Eight countries had a listing change from one type of government to another in 2011. Four were upgraded and four were downgraded.

-- Countries that deteriorated were: Portugal (fell from full to flawed democracy), Ukraine and Guatemala (flawed democracy to hybrid regime) and Russia (hybrid to authoritarian regime).

-- Zambia improved from a hybrid to a flawed democracy. Tunisia, Mauritania and Niger moved up from authoritarian to hybrid.

In the Western Hemisphere, Costa Rica is ranked 20th, up five spots from last year. That nation's score was 8.10, nearly the same as the United States. Costa Rica is listed as a full democracy.

Western Hemisphere flawed democracies are: Chile (35th, 7.54); Trinidad and Tobago (43rd, 7.16); Brazil (45th; 7.12); Panama (47th, 7.08); Mexico (50th, 6.93); Argentina (51st, 6.84); Colombia (55th, 6.63); Peru (56th, 6.59); El Salvador (61st, 6.47); Paraguay (62nd, 6.40); Dominican Republic (70th, 6.20) and Guyana (77th, 6.05).

Western Hemisphere nations listed as hybrid regimes are: Guatemala (82nd, 5.88); Bolivia (84th, 5.84); Honduras (84th, 5.84); Ecuador (89th, 5.72); Nicaragua (91st, 5.56); Venezuela (97th, 5.08) and Haiti (114th, 4.00).

Cuba (126th, 3.52) is the only Western Hemisphere nation categorized as authoritarian.

Full democracies worldwide include: Luxembourg, Ireland, Austria, Germany, Malta, Japan, South Korea, Belgium, Mauritius and Spain.

Some nations categorized as flawed democracies include: South Africa, France, Italy, India, Indonesia and Philippines.

Hybrid regimes include: Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangladesh, Turkey, Palestine, Cambodia, Pakistan and Iraq.

Authoritarian nations include: Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, China, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Laos.

In addition to North Korea, the other nine least-democratic nations are: Chad, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Myanmar, Equatorial Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Central African Republic, Iran and Syria.

The Economist Intelligence Unit, which performed the analysis, is based in London and reports having offices in more than 40 cities worldwide. The company says it has about 650 country experts and analysts worldwide. The Democracy Index 2011 was released December 15.

The latest Democracy Index closely mirrors a Corruption Perceptions Index released by the German watchdog organization Transparency International in late November.

In that analysis, New Zealand was perceived as the least corrupt nation on earth, and Somalia and North Korea were seen as the most corrupt.

The United States ranked 24th least corrupt on a "corruption perceptions index," the fourth-best in the Western Hemisphere. Canada ranked 10th, the Bahamas was 21st and Chile was 22nd.

Overall, the top spots were occupied mostly by European countries, with the exception of New Zealand, Singapore at No. 5 and Australia, which was tied for eighth with Switzerland. Other nations with top rankings were Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands.

In addition to Somalia and North Korea, which were tied for last at No. 182, the bottom of the list included Myanmar, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Sudan, Iraq, Haiti and Venezuela.

The report was prepared by the independent, nonpartisan Transparency International organization, which said it drew its conclusions based "on different assessments and business opinion surveys carried out by independent and reputable institutions."

The information used to compile the index included "questions relating to the bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of public funds and questions that probe the strength and effectiveness of public-sector and anti-corruption efforts," Transparency International said.

Perceptions are used, the organization said, because corruption is a hidden activity that is difficult to measure.

"Over time," the organization said in its report, "perceptions have proved to be a reliable estimate of corruption."

The rankings for other Western Hemisphere countries were: Uruguay (25), Puerto Rico (39), Costa Rica (50), Cuba (61), Brazil (73), Colombia, El Salvador and Peru (tied for 80), Panama (86), Argentina and Mexico (tied for 100), Bolivia (118), Ecuador and Guatemala (tied for 120), the Dominican Republic and Honduras (tied for 129), Nicaragua (134), Paraguay (154), Venezuela (172) and Haiti (175).

The index used a scale of 0-10 to measure perceived corruption, with zero representing highly corrupt and 10 being very clean.

New Zealand, the highest-ranked nation, has a 9.5 score. Somalia and North Korea, the lowest-ranked, had 1.0.

The United States scored 7.1, while Canada was 8.7 and Chile was 7.2. Haiti, the lowest-ranked nation in the Western Hemisphere, scored 1.8. Next-worst was Venezuela with 1.9.

Transparency International, headquartered in Berlin, reports having 90 chapters worldwide. The organization says it works with partners in government, business and civil society to develop and implement effective measures to combat corruption.

text: CNN

text: North

text: Korea

text: whose

text: leader

text: Kim

text: Jong

text: Il

text: died

text: over

text: the

text: weekend

text: is

text: the

text: least

text: democratic

text: nation

text: on

text: Earth

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: newly

text: released

text: report

text: by

text: a

text: British

text: analysis

text: and

text: intelligence

text: firm

text: The

text: Democracy

text: Index

text: compiled

text: by

text: the

text: Economist

text: Intelligence

text: Unit

text: listed

text: Norway

text: as

text: the

text: most

text: democratic

text: nation

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: top

text: spots

text: in

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: index

text: were

text: occupied

text: mostly

text: by

text: European

text: countries

text: Following

text: Norway

text: were

text: Iceland

text: Denmark

text: Sweden

text: New

text: Zealand

text: Australia

text: Switzerland

text: Canada

text: Finland

text: and

text: the

text: Netherlands

text: Read

text: the

text: full

text: report

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: ranked

text: down

text: two

text: spots

text: from

text: the

text: listing

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: ranking

text: is

text: below

text: Canada

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: Kingdom

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: also

text: ranked

text: below

text: the

text: Czech

text: Republic

text: a

text: former

text: Soviet

text: communist

text: satellite

text: that

text: did

text: not

text: become

text: a

text: democracy

text: until

text: and

text: the

text: South

text: American

text: nation

text: of

text: Uruguay

text: a

text: former

text: right

text: wing

text: dictatorship

text: that

text: did

text: not

text: return

text: to

text: democracy

text: until

text: The

text: Economist

text: Intelligence

text: Unit

text: analysis

text: released

text: this

text: month

text: concluded

text: that

text: democracy

text: deteriorated

text: in

text: countries

text: improved

text: in

text: and

text: stayed

text: the

text: same

text: in

text: In

text: most

text: regions

text: the

text: report

text: said

text: the

text: level

text: of

text: democracy

text: was

text: lower

text: in

text: than

text: the

text: previous

text: year

text: was

text: an

text: exceptionally

text: turbulent

text: year

text: characterized

text: by

text: sovereign

text: debt

text: crises

text: and

text: weak

text: political

text: leadership

text: in

text: the

text: developed

text: world

text: dramatic

text: political

text: change

text: and

text: conflict

text: in

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: and

text: North

text: Africa

text: and

text: rising

text: social

text: unrest

text: said

text: Laza

text: Kekic

text: the

text: report

text: 's

text: lead

text: author

text: The

text: Democracy

text: Index

text: is

text: based

text: on

text: five

text: categories

text: electoral

text: process

text: and

text: pluralism

text: civil

text: liberties

text: how

text: government

text: functions

text: political

text: participation

text: by

text: the

text: public

text: and

text: political

text: culture

text: The

text: analysts

text: measured

text: the

text: level

text: of

text: democracy

text: in

text: nations

text: and

text: two

text: territories

text: which

text: account

text: for

text: almost

text: the

text: entire

text: population

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: the

text: Economist

text: Intelligence

text: Unit

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: release

text: Using

text: a

text: scale

text: of

text: to

text: countries

text: were

text: placed

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: four

text: categories

text: full

text: democracies

text: flawed

text: democracies

text: to

text: hybrid

text: regimes

text: to

text: and

text: authoritarian

text: regimes

text: to

text: Norway

text: the

text: top

text: ranked

text: nation

text: had

text: a

text: score

text: of

text: The

text: Scandinavian

text: nation

text: also

text: ranked

text: No

text: in

text: with

text: an

text: identical

text: score

text: North

text: Korea

text: ranked

text: No

text: had

text: a

text: score

text: of

text: The

text: Asian

text: nation

text: also

text: ranked

text: last

text: in

text: with

text: the

text: same

text: score

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: had

text: a

text: score

text: of

text: slightly

text: lower

text: than

text: last

text: year

text: 's

text: U.S.

text: democracy

text: has

text: been

text: adversely

text: affected

text: by

text: a

text: deepening

text: of

text: the

text: polarization

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: scene

text: and

text: political

text: brinkmanship

text: and

text: paralysis

text: the

text: Economist

text: Intelligence

text: Unit

text: concluded

text: The

text: analysts

text: noted

text: that

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: Kingdom

text: lag

text: behind

text: many

text: other

text: full

text: democracies

text: for

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: same

text: reasons

text: There

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: rise

text: in

text: protest

text: movements

text: the

text: report

text: states

text: Problems

text: in

text: the

text: functioning

text: of

text: government

text: have

text: become

text: more

text: prominent

text: Among

text: other

text: findings

text: in

text: the

text: report

text: Slightly

text: more

text: than

text: half

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: population

text: lives

text: in

text: some

text: type

text: of

text: democracy

text: although

text: only

text: enjoy

text: a

text: full

text: democracy

text: More

text: than

text: one

text: third

text: of

text: the

text: globe

text: 's

text: population

text: lives

text: under

text: authoritarian

text: rule

text: Nearly

text: half

text: the

text: nations

text: on

text: the

text: planet

text: are

text: considered

text: democracies

text: full

text: and

text: flawed

text: There

text: were

text: hybrid

text: regimes

text: and

text: authoritarian

text: regimes

text: Violence

text: drug

text: trafficking

text: and

text: other

text: crime

text: in

text: Latin

text: America

text: continue

text: to

text: hinder

text: democracy

text: Eastern

text: Europe

text: continued

text: to

text: suffer

text: a

text: decline

text: in

text: democracy

text: with

text: nations

text: worse

text: than

text: the

text: previous

text: year

text: Western

text: Europe

text: also

text: had

text: a

text: decline

text: in

text: democracy

text: with

text: seven

text: nations

text: deteriorating

text: and

text: improving

text: Some

text: of

text: that

text: deterioration

text: was

text: due

text: to

text: financial

text: problems

text: plaguing

text: the

text: eurozone

text: Five

text: of

text: the

text: countries

text: that

text: lost

text: points

text: in

text: the

text: rankings

text: belong

text: to

text: the

text: eurozone

text: Greece

text: Italy

text: Portugal

text: Spain

text: and

text: Ireland

text: Eight

text: countries

text: had

text: a

text: listing

text: change

text: from

text: one

text: type

text: of

text: government

text: to

text: another

text: in

text: Four

text: were

text: upgraded

text: and

text: four

text: were

text: downgraded

text: Countries

text: that

text: deteriorated

text: were

text: Portugal

text: fell

text: from

text: full

text: to

text: flawed

text: democracy

text: Ukraine

text: and

text: Guatemala

text: flawed

text: democracy

text: to

text: hybrid

text: regime

text: and

text: Russia

text: hybrid

text: to

text: authoritarian

text: regime

text: Zambia

text: improved

text: from

text: a

text: hybrid

text: to

text: a

text: flawed

text: democracy

text: Tunisia

text: Mauritania

text: and

text: Niger

text: moved

text: up

text: from

text: authoritarian

text: to

text: hybrid

text: In

text: the

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: Costa

text: Rica

text: is

text: ranked

text: up

text: five

text: spots

text: from

text: last

text: year

text: That

text: nation

text: 's

text: score

text: was

text: nearly

text: the

text: same

text: as

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Costa

text: Rica

text: is

text: listed

text: as

text: a

text: full

text: democracy

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: flawed

text: democracies

text: are

text: Chile

text: Trinidad

text: and

text: Tobago

text: Brazil

text: Panama

text: Mexico

text: Argentina

text: Colombia

text: Peru

text: El

text: Salvador

text: Paraguay

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: and

text: Guyana

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: nations

text: listed

text: as

text: hybrid

text: regimes

text: are

text: Guatemala

text: Bolivia

text: Honduras

text: Ecuador

text: Nicaragua

text: Venezuela

text: and

text: Haiti

text: Cuba

text: is

text: the

text: only

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: nation

text: categorized

text: as

text: authoritarian

text: Full

text: democracies

text: worldwide

text: include

text: Luxembourg

text: Ireland

text: Austria

text: Germany

text: Malta

text: Japan

text: South

text: Korea

text: Belgium

text: Mauritius

text: and

text: Spain

text: Some

text: nations

text: categorized

text: as

text: flawed

text: democracies

text: include

text: South

text: Africa

text: France

text: Italy

text: India

text: Indonesia

text: and

text: Philippines

text: Hybrid

text: regimes

text: include

text: Hong

text: Kong

text: Singapore

text: Bangladesh

text: Turkey

text: Palestine

text: Cambodia

text: Pakistan

text: and

text: Iraq

text: Authoritarian

text: nations

text: include

text: Jordan

text: Kuwait

text: Libya

text: China

text: Vietnam

text: United

text: Arab

text: Emirates

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: Laos

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: North

text: Korea

text: the

text: other

text: nine

text: least

text: democratic

text: nations

text: are

text: Chad

text: Turkmenistan

text: Uzbekistan

text: Myanmar

text: Equatorial

text: Guinea

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: Central

text: African

text: Republic

text: Iran

text: and

text: Syria

text: The

text: Economist

text: Intelligence

text: Unit

text: which

text: performed

text: the

text: analysis

text: is

text: based

text: in

text: London

text: and

text: reports

text: having

text: offices

text: in

text: more

text: than

text: cities

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text: The

text: company

text: says

text: it

text: has

text: about

text: country

text: experts

text: and

text: analysts

text: worldwide

text: The

text: Democracy

text: Index

text: was

text: released

text: December

text: The

text: latest

text: Democracy

text: Index

text: closely

text: mirrors

text: a

text: Corruption

text: Perceptions

text: Index

text: released

text: by

text: the

text: German

text: watchdog

text: organization

text: Transparency

text: International

text: in

text: late

text: November

text: In

text: that

text: analysis

text: New

text: Zealand

text: was

text: perceived

text: as

text: the

text: least

text: corrupt

text: nation

text: on

text: earth

text: and

text: Somalia

text: and

text: North

text: Korea

text: were

text: seen

text: as

text: the

text: most

text: corrupt

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: ranked

text: least

text: corrupt

text: on

text: a

text: corruption

text: perceptions

text: index

text: the

text: fourth

text: best

text: in

text: the

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: Canada

text: ranked

text: the

text: Bahamas

text: was

text: and

text: Chile

text: was

text: Overall

text: the

text: top

text: spots

text: were

text: occupied

text: mostly

text: by

text: European

text: countries

text: with

text: the

text: exception

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text: New

text: Zealand

text: Singapore

text: at

text: No

text: and

text: Australia

text: which

text: was

text: tied

text: for

text: eighth

text: with

text: Switzerland

text: Other

text: nations

text: with

text: top

text: rankings

text: were

text: Denmark

text: Finland

text: Sweden

text: Norway

text: and

text: the

text: Netherlands

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: Somalia

text: and

text: North

text: Korea

text: which

text: were

text: tied

text: for

text: last

text: at

text: No

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: the

text: list

text: included

text: Myanmar

text: Afghanistan

text: Uzbekistan

text: Turkmenistan

text: Sudan

text: Iraq

text: Haiti

text: and

text: Venezuela

text: The

text: report

text: was

text: prepared

text: by

text: the

text: independent

text: nonpartisan

text: Transparency

text: International

text: organization

text: which

text: said

text: it

text: drew

text: its

text: conclusions

text: based

text: on

text: different

text: assessments

text: and

text: business

text: opinion

text: surveys

text: carried

text: out

text: by

text: independent

text: and

text: reputable

text: institutions

text: The

text: information

text: used

text: to

text: compile

text: the

text: index

text: included

text: questions

text: relating

text: to

text: the

text: bribery

text: of

text: public

text: officials

text: kickbacks

text: in

text: public

text: procurement

text: embezzlement

text: of

text: public

text: funds

text: and

text: questions

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text: probe

text: the

text: strength

text: and

text: effectiveness

text: of

text: public

text: sector

text: and

text: anti

text: corruption

text: efforts

text: Transparency

text: International

text: said

text: Perceptions

text: are

text: used

text: the

text: organization

text: said

text: because

text: corruption

text: is

text: a

text: hidden

text: activity

text: that

text: is

text: difficult

text: to

text: measure

text: Over

text: time

text: the

text: organization

text: said

text: in

text: its

text: report

text: perceptions

text: have

text: proved

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: reliable

text: estimate

text: of

text: corruption

text: The

text: rankings

text: for

text: other

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: countries

text: were

text: Uruguay

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: Costa

text: Rica

text: Cuba

text: Brazil

text: Colombia

text: El

text: Salvador

text: and

text: Peru

text: tied

text: for

text: Panama

text: Argentina

text: and

text: Mexico

text: tied

text: for

text: Bolivia

text: Ecuador

text: and

text: Guatemala

text: tied

text: for

text: the

text: Dominican

text: Republic

text: and

text: Honduras

text: tied

text: for

text: Nicaragua

text: Paraguay

text: Venezuela

text: and

text: Haiti

text: The

text: index

text: used

text: a

text: scale

text: of

text: to

text: measure

text: perceived

text: corruption

text: with

text: zero

text: representing

text: highly

text: corrupt

text: and

text: being

text: very

text: clean

text: New

text: Zealand

text: the

text: highest

text: ranked

text: nation

text: has

text: a

text: score

text: Somalia

text: and

text: North

text: Korea

text: the

text: lowest

text: ranked

text: had

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: scored

text: while

text: Canada

text: was

text: and

text: Chile

text: was

text: Haiti

text: the

text: lowest

text: ranked

text: nation

text: in

text: the

text: Western

text: Hemisphere

text: scored

text: Next

text: worst

text: was

text: Venezuela

text: with

text: Transparency

text: International

text: headquartered

text: in

text: Berlin

text: reports

text: having

text: chapters

text: worldwide

text: The

text: organization

text: says

text: it

text: works

text: with

text: partners

text: in

text: government

text: business

text: and

text: civil

text: society

text: to

text: develop

text: and

text: implement

text: effective

text: measures

text: to

text: combat

text: corruption

question: whaht is the rank of Canada?

answer: (8th)

question: What is the United Kingdoms rank

answer: (18th).

question: What did the US rank?

answer: 19th,

question: What place is Canada?

answer: (8th)

question: what is the report?

answer: The Democracy Index 2011,

text: The Democracy Index 2011,

question: What is Norway listed as

answer: the most democratic nation in the world.

text: the most democratic nation in the world.

question: Which nation was listed as the most democratic?

answer: Norway

text: Norway

question: what is the rank of the united states?

answer: 19th,

question: What country ranks 19th

answer: The United States

text: The United States


text:
Washington (CNN) -- New Hampshire Republican political pros are not expecting a big surprise when the state's voters cast their ballots in Tuesday's GOP presidential primary, seeing an easy victory for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. But the race for second place is much less clear.

A CNN survey of 52 New Hampshire GOP insiders found that only one thought Romney would lose the primary, and that was to former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. This group included Republican leaders in both chambers of the state Legislature, local elected and party officials, business and conservative interest group leaders, veterans of previous primary campaigns, GOP political consultants and other party activists. (Those surveyed were granted anonymity for their individual responses to encourage candor. The names of the insiders who participated in this survey appear at the end of this article.)

The political insiders also thought that while Romney's margin of victory would be substantial, he would not crack 40 percent. When their predictions for what percentage of the vote each candidate would receive were averaged, Romney came out with a victory of 19 percentage points over Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, followed closely by Santorum.

Percentage of primary vote expected

Mitt Romney -- 37%

Ron Paul -- 18%

Rick Santorum -- 16%

Newt Gingrich --12%

Jon Huntsman -- 12%

Rick Perry -- 4%

Others -- 1 %

The CNN insiders closely mirror the most recent statewide poll of likely GOP voters from WMUR and the University of New Hampshire, which indicates a strong lead for Romney, but the same list of other candidates vying for the No. 2 position. Second place could be key coming out of New Hampshire and going into the contentious South Carolina primary January 21.

"Other than Romney right now, feels like the junior varsity on the field," said one New Hampshire GOP insider. Another said, "I believe like so many (that) it's Romney's to lose."

Since finishing second in the GOP presidential primary here four years ago to Sen. John McCain of Arizona, Romney has continued to court New Hampshire Republican activists and maintained a home on Lake Winnipesaukee, about an hour north of Manchester.

So far, none of the other candidates has been able to knock down Romney in a state with a tradition of humbling front-runners. All the other contenders seem to have significant flaws, at least in the eyes of local party activists.

Paul: Too 'wacky'?

Paul, who commands a loyal following in the state, faces two of the same hurdles that he faced in Iowa: the view among many in the party -- fair or unfair -- that he can't defeat President Barack Obama in November, and his isolationist foreign policy views, which are anathema to many Republicans.

What do you think has been the biggest obstacle for Paul in New Hampshire?

Perception that he can't win in the general election -- 50%

His stance on foreign policy -- 48%

Paul is too extreme for New Hampshire (volunteered) -- 2%

"He has a ceiling to grow entirely because of his foreign policy views," one New Hampshire GOP insider said. "He has his bloc; they are passionate and not going anywhere."

Others said they feel that Paul's foreign policy stance feeds into a broader impression of 76-year-old congressman and his campaign. "He's often wacky," another GOP insider said. "And his supporters turn off regular voters with their messianic zeal."

Santorum: Not enough time

Hoping to build on his near-victory in the Iowa caucuses, Santorum has held town-hall meetings throughout the state taking questions from all comers. Doing so earns him points from locals who believe they have a duty to cross-examine White House hopefuls, but it also has led to a number of hard questions about Santorum's strenuous opposition to same-sex marriage, which at times put him on the defensive. Indeed, a slight majority of the New Hampshire GOP insiders said they felt Santorum's stance on social issues was a major handicap for him in the state.

What do you think has been the biggest obstacle for Santorum in New Hampshire?

His views on social issues are too conservative for many Republican and independent voters -- 52%

He doesn't have enough time or money to capitalize on his Iowa caucus showing -- 44%

Both (volunteered) -- 2%

Perception that he can't win the nomination -- 2%

Indeed, one New Hampshire insider said that brief window between the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary helps Santorum because it "minimizes the time for him to spout off on (the) social conservative agenda and turn off late deciders."

But others said they thought that if he had had more than a week to campaign, Santorum might have been able to at least partially overcome his perceived liability on social issues. "Despite his social conservative views in New Hampshire, I believe he could gain more momentum here if he had more time because of the kind of grass-roots campaigner he is," one GOP insider ventured. "Not sure he could win, but he could beat Paul."

Huntsman: Too moderate?

If Santorum has a problem in New Hampshire because some of his views are too conservative, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who was ambassador to China during the first two years of the Obama administration, has to deal with the view that he's too moderate for the state's GOP primary electorate.

What do you think has been the biggest obstacle for Huntsman in New Hampshire?

Perception that he's too moderate -- 50%

Perception that he can't win the GOP nomination -- 40%

His message has been muddled (volunteered) -- 10%

"Yes, he has appeared too moderate, and yes, he is perceived as someone who can't win the nomination," one GOP insider said. "But the reason that both of those have been obstacles for Huntsman is because his message has been all over the place, with no discipline, no definition."

Another echoed, "I think his biggest obstacle has been his campaign's confusing messaging. Within the span of a few months, they tried to convey him as the common-sense moderate and the true conservative."

Gingrich: Too much of a Washington insider?

As for Newt Gingrich, it was clear what his biggest problem was in the New Hampshire -- the view that his business ties to companies such as Freddie Mac left the former House speaker open to the charge that he's part of the influence-peddling culture of Washington.

What do you think has been the biggest obstacle for Gingrich in New Hampshire?

His consulting for the government mortgage-giant Freddie Mac and other interests -- 63%

His personal life -- 27%

Weak staff and campaign in the state (volunteered) -- 8%

Consulting and personal life (volunteered) -- 2%

"New Hampshire Romney surrogates were pounding him every chance they got," one GOP insider said, citing Gingrich's vulnerability on his consulting ties.

The CNN New Hampshire GOP insiders were surveyed from Friday to Sunday afternoon. The survey was conducted over the Internet. The New Hampshire insiders were given anonymity for their individual answers to encourage candid responses. Half of the insiders said they were formally aligned with one of the presidential campaigns, and half said they had neither endorsed nor were they working for any candidate. Here are the names of the participants in the survey: Kevin Abbott, Peter Angerhofer, Charlie Arlinghaus, Richard Ashooh, Brad Blais, Travis Blais, Grant Bosse, Jeb Bradley, Peter Bragdon, Jamie Burnett, Amelia Chasse, Paul Collins, Bradford E. Cook, Thomas Cronin, Fergus Cullen, Michael P. Dennehy, Ed Dupont, Stephen Duprey, Jay Flanders, Jim Foley, Matt Hagerty, Erin Hass, Jennifer Horn, Periklis Karoutas, Rich Killion, Corey Lewandowski, John Lyons, Sean Mahoney, Kerry Marsh, Jim MacEachern, Shannon McGinley, Jim Merrill, Nancy Merrill, Betsy Miller, Jayne Millerick, Maureen Mooney, B.J. Perry, Thomas D. Rath, Stella Scamman, Pete Silva, Nick Skaltsis, Dan St. Hilaire, John Stephen, Sharon Sykas, Donna Sytek, Pamela Tucker, Peter Weeks, Karen Umberger, J. Christopher Williams, Chris Wolfe, Will Wrobleski and Paul Young.

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: Republican

text: political

text: pros

text: are

text: not

text: expecting

text: a

text: big

text: surprise

text: when

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: voters

text: cast

text: their

text: ballots

text: in

text: Tuesday

text: 's

text: GOP

text: presidential

text: primary

text: seeing

text: an

text: easy

text: victory

text: for

text: former

text: Massachusetts

text: Gov.

text: Mitt

text: Romney

text: But

text: the

text: race

text: for

text: second

text: place

text: is

text: much

text: less

text: clear

text: A

text: CNN

text: survey

text: of

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: GOP

text: insiders

text: found

text: that

text: only

text: one

text: thought

text: Romney

text: would

text: lose

text: the

text: primary

text: and

text: that

text: was

text: to

text: former

text: Sen.

text: Rick

text: Santorum

text: of

text: Pennsylvania

text: This

text: group

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text: leaders

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text: the

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text: elected

text: and

text: party

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text: conservative

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text: of

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text: same

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text: victory

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text: Iowa

text: caucuses

text: Santorum

text: has

text: held

text: town

text: hall

text: meetings

text: throughout

text: the

text: state

text: taking

text: questions

text: from

text: all

text: comers

text: Doing

text: so

text: earns

text: him

text: points

text: from

text: locals

text: who

text: believe

text: they

text: have

text: a

text: duty

text: to

text: cross

text: examine

text: White

text: House

text: hopefuls

text: but

text: it

text: also

text: has

text: led

text: to

text: a

text: number

text: of

text: hard

text: questions

text: about

text: Santorum

text: 's

text: strenuous

text: opposition

text: to

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: which

text: at

text: times

text: put

text: him

text: on

text: the

text: defensive

text: Indeed

text: a

text: slight

text: majority

text: of

text: the

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: GOP

text: insiders

text: said

text: they

text: felt

text: Santorum

text: 's

text: stance

text: on

text: social

text: issues

text: was

text: a

text: major

text: handicap

text: for

text: him

text: in

text: the

text: state

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: has

text: been

text: the

text: biggest

text: obstacle

text: for

text: Santorum

text: in

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: His

text: views

text: on

text: social

text: issues

text: are

text: too

text: conservative

text: for

text: many

text: Republican

text: and

text: independent

text: voters

text: He

text: does

text: n't

text: have

text: enough

text: time

text: or

text: money

text: to

text: capitalize

text: on

text: his

text: Iowa

text: caucus

text: showing

text: Both

text: volunteered

text: Perception

text: that

text: he

text: ca

text: n't

text: win

text: the

text: nomination

text: Indeed

text: one

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: insider

text: said

text: that

text: brief

text: window

text: between

text: the

text: Iowa

text: caucuses

text: and

text: the

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: primary

text: helps

text: Santorum

text: because

text: it

text: minimizes

text: the

text: time

text: for

text: him

text: to

text: spout

text: off

text: on

text: the

text: social

text: conservative

text: agenda

text: and

text: turn

text: off

text: late

text: deciders

text: But

text: others

text: said

text: they

text: thought

text: that

text: if

text: he

text: had

text: had

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: week

text: to

text: campaign

text: Santorum

text: might

text: have

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: at

text: least

text: partially

text: overcome

text: his

text: perceived

text: liability

text: on

text: social

text: issues

text: Despite

text: his

text: social

text: conservative

text: views

text: in

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: I

text: believe

text: he

text: could

text: gain

text: more

text: momentum

text: here

text: if

text: he

text: had

text: more

text: time

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: grass

text: roots

text: campaigner

text: he

text: is

text: one

text: GOP

text: insider

text: ventured

text: Not

text: sure

text: he

text: could

text: win

text: but

text: he

text: could

text: beat

text: Paul

text: Huntsman

text: Too

text: moderate

text: If

text: Santorum

text: has

text: a

text: problem

text: in

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: because

text: some

text: of

text: his

text: views

text: are

text: too

text: conservative

text: former

text: Utah

text: Gov.

text: Jon

text: Huntsman

text: who

text: was

text: ambassador

text: to

text: China

text: during

text: the

text: first

text: two

text: years

text: of

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: has

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: the

text: view

text: that

text: he

text: 's

text: too

text: moderate

text: for

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: GOP

text: primary

text: electorate

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: has

text: been

text: the

text: biggest

text: obstacle

text: for

text: Huntsman

text: in

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: Perception

text: that

text: he

text: 's

text: too

text: moderate

text: Perception

text: that

text: he

text: ca

text: n't

text: win

text: the

text: GOP

text: nomination

text: His

text: message

text: has

text: been

text: muddled

text: volunteered

text: Yes

text: he

text: has

text: appeared

text: too

text: moderate

text: and

text: yes

text: he

text: is

text: perceived

text: as

text: someone

text: who

text: ca

text: n't

text: win

text: the

text: nomination

text: one

text: GOP

text: insider

text: said

text: But

text: the

text: reason

text: that

text: both

text: of

text: those

text: have

text: been

text: obstacles

text: for

text: Huntsman

text: is

text: because

text: his

text: message

text: has

text: been

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: place

text: with

text: no

text: discipline

text: no

text: definition

text: Another

text: echoed

text: I

text: think

text: his

text: biggest

text: obstacle

text: has

text: been

text: his

text: campaign

text: 's

text: confusing

text: messaging

text: Within

text: the

text: span

text: of

text: a

text: few

text: months

text: they

text: tried

text: to

text: convey

text: him

text: as

text: the

text: common

text: sense

text: moderate

text: and

text: the

text: true

text: conservative

text: Gingrich

text: Too

text: much

text: of

text: a

text: Washington

text: insider

text: As

text: for

text: Newt

text: Gingrich

text: it

text: was

text: clear

text: what

text: his

text: biggest

text: problem

text: was

text: in

text: the

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: the

text: view

text: that

text: his

text: business

text: ties

text: to

text: companies

text: such

text: as

text: Freddie

text: Mac

text: left

text: the

text: former

text: House

text: speaker

text: open

text: to

text: the

text: charge

text: that

text: he

text: 's

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: influence

text: peddling

text: culture

text: of

text: Washington

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: has

text: been

text: the

text: biggest

text: obstacle

text: for

text: Gingrich

text: in

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: His

text: consulting

text: for

text: the

text: government

text: mortgage

text: giant

text: Freddie

text: Mac

text: and

text: other

text: interests

text: His

text: personal

text: life

text: Weak

text: staff

text: and

text: campaign

text: in

text: the

text: state

text: volunteered

text: Consulting

text: and

text: personal

text: life

text: volunteered

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: Romney

text: surrogates

text: were

text: pounding

text: him

text: every

text: chance

text: they

text: got

text: one

text: GOP

text: insider

text: said

text: citing

text: Gingrich

text: 's

text: vulnerability

text: on

text: his

text: consulting

text: ties

text: The

text: CNN

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: GOP

text: insiders

text: were

text: surveyed

text: from

text: Friday

text: to

text: Sunday

text: afternoon

text: The

text: survey

text: was

text: conducted

text: over

text: the

text: Internet

text: The

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: insiders

text: were

text: given

text: anonymity

text: for

text: their

text: individual

text: answers

text: to

text: encourage

text: candid

text: responses

text: Half

text: of

text: the

text: insiders

text: said

text: they

text: were

text: formally

text: aligned

text: with

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: presidential

text: campaigns

text: and

text: half

text: said

text: they

text: had

text: neither

text: endorsed

text: nor

text: were

text: they

text: working

text: for

text: any

text: candidate

text: Here

text: are

text: the

text: names

text: of

text: the

text: participants

text: in

text: the

text: survey

text: Kevin

text: Abbott

text: Peter

text: Angerhofer

text: Charlie

text: Arlinghaus

text: Richard

text: Ashooh

text: Brad

text: Blais

text: Travis

text: Blais

text: Grant

text: Bosse

text: Jeb

text: Bradley

text: Peter

text: Bragdon

text: Jamie

text: Burnett

text: Amelia

text: Chasse

text: Paul

text: Collins

text: Bradford

text: E.

text: Cook

text: Thomas

text: Cronin

text: Fergus

text: Cullen

text: Michael

text: P.

text: Dennehy

text: Ed

text: Dupont

text: Stephen

text: Duprey

text: Jay

text: Flanders

text: Jim

text: Foley

text: Matt

text: Hagerty

text: Erin

text: Hass

text: Jennifer

text: Horn

text: Periklis

text: Karoutas

text: Rich

text: Killion

text: Corey

text: Lewandowski

text: John

text: Lyons

text: Sean

text: Mahoney

text: Kerry

text: Marsh

text: Jim

text: MacEachern

text: Shannon

text: McGinley

text: Jim

text: Merrill

text: Nancy

text: Merrill

text: Betsy

text: Miller

text: Jayne

text: Millerick

text: Maureen

text: Mooney

text: B.J.

text: Perry

text: Thomas

text: D.

text: Rath

text: Stella

text: Scamman

text: Pete

text: Silva

text: Nick

text: Skaltsis

text: Dan

text: St.

text: Hilaire

text: John

text: Stephen

text: Sharon

text: Sykas

text: Donna

text: Sytek

text: Pamela

text: Tucker

text: Peter

text: Weeks

text: Karen

text: Umberger

text: J.

text: Christopher

text: Williams

text: Chris

text: Wolfe

text: Will

text: Wrobleski

text: and

text: Paul

text: Young

question: Who was the only one who did not feel as "junior varsity"?

answer: Romney

text: Romney

question: Who is a clear favourite?

answer: Gov. Mitt Romney.

text: Gov. Mitt Romney.

question: What insiders said about the all story?

answer: "I believe like so many (that) it's Romney's to lose."

text: "I believe like so many (that) it's Romney's to lose."

question: Who has been a clear favorite politician at New Hampshire?

answer: Mitt Romney.

text: Mitt Romney.

question: Who is the favorite?

answer: Mitt Romney.

text: Mitt Romney.

question: Is the race close?

answer: race for second place is much less clear.

text: race for second place is much less clear.

question: What is the name of politicians in New Hampshire who having a very close race for the second place?

answer: Ron Paul

text: Ron Paul


text:
(CNN) -- The declaration of a state of emergency in Thailand following violent clashes between anti-government and security forces marks the latest escalation in a long-running political crisis which has plunged the southeast Asian country into frequent bouts of disorder and instability.

The scene from the streets of Bangkok on Monday showed widespread protests against the government.

This weekend's protests, which included forcing the postponement of a summit of Asian leaders in the southern coastal city of Pattaya and demonstrations on the streets of Bangkok, were orchestrated by red-shirted supporters of the controversial and corruption-tainted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin -- a multibillionaire media tycoon elected in 2001 on a populist platform that promised universal healthcare and cash handouts to poor villagers -- was ousted from power in a bloodless army coup in 2006 and has been in exile abroad since being sentenced last October to two years in prison after being convicted of a corruption charge by Thailand's Supreme Court.

But Thaksin remains a polarizing figure in Thailand, commanding substantial support in the countryside.

Until last year, Thaksin's allies had remained in power with the government headed by the exiled prime minister's brother-in law, Somchai Wongsawat, despite disruptive protests by the opposition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), whose supporters dressed in yellow and represented Thailand's traditional ruling class, suspicious of Thaksin's populist model of democracy.

But the PAD achieved its goal of ousting Somchai in December after a week-long occupation of the prime ministerial Government House offices and blockading Bangkok's main airports, stranding thousands of tourists.

Thailand's Constitutional Court subsequently disbanded Somchai's People Power Party for electoral fraud and barred Somchai from office for five years, paving the way for Thai lawmakers to elect opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister. iReport.com: "Red shirts" take to streets

But Thaksin's supporters insist that Abhisit was not democratically elected and have vowed to protest until fresh elections are held.

On Sunday, Thaksin told protesters via a video link from an unknown location that he would return home to lead them in a march on the capital if necessary.

"Now that they have tanks on the street and the soldiers are coming out, so it is time for the people to come out for a revolution," Thaksin said.

Writing in a blog, CNN's Bangkok Correspondent Dan Rivers said he saw five possible scenarios emerging from the current crisis.

Firstly, Abhisit could call a snap election, which he would be unlikely to win because Thaksin's allies continue to lead polls.

Secondly, he could resign, resulting in the creation of another coalition which would struggle to unify the rival factions, leaving open the likelihood of further protests from one side or the other.

Thirdly, Thaksin could return from exile to lead a red-shirted uprising; a scenario which Rivers describes as "messy and bloody." iReport.com: "Numerous buses set ablaze"

Fourthly, the army could again intervene, as it has done in the past, although Rivers says that would do little to heal the deep divisions between both sides.

Finally, Rivers said, Abhisit could choose to ride out the protests or "get tough." But both strategies would likely damage his standing.

"Trying to ignore the protests will leave him looking even weaker; ordering a violent crack-down may simply harden the resolve of the red shirts and provide fodder to their questionable claims that Abhisit has dictatorial tendencies," Rivers said.

text: CNN

text: The

text: declaration

text: of

text: a

text: state

text: of

text: emergency

text: in

text: Thailand

text: following

text: violent

text: clashes

text: between

text: anti

text: government

text: and

text: security

text: forces

text: marks

text: the

text: latest

text: escalation

text: in

text: a

text: long

text: running

text: political

text: crisis

text: which

text: has

text: plunged

text: the

text: southeast

text: Asian

text: country

text: into

text: frequent

text: bouts

text: of

text: disorder

text: and

text: instability

text: The

text: scene

text: from

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Bangkok

text: on

text: Monday

text: showed

text: widespread

text: protests

text: against

text: the

text: government

text: This

text: weekend

text: 's

text: protests

text: which

text: included

text: forcing

text: the

text: postponement

text: of

text: a

text: summit

text: of

text: Asian

text: leaders

text: in

text: the

text: southern

text: coastal

text: city

text: of

text: Pattaya

text: and

text: demonstrations

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Bangkok

text: were

text: orchestrated

text: by

text: red

text: shirted

text: supporters

text: of

text: the

text: controversial

text: and

text: corruption

text: tainted

text: former

text: prime

text: minister

text: Thaksin

text: Shinawatra

text: Thaksin

text: a

text: multibillionaire

text: media

text: tycoon

text: elected

text: in

text: on

text: a

text: populist

text: platform

text: that

text: promised

text: universal

text: healthcare

text: and

text: cash

text: handouts

text: to

text: poor

text: villagers

text: was

text: ousted

text: from

text: power

text: in

text: a

text: bloodless

text: army

text: coup

text: in

text: and

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: exile

text: abroad

text: since

text: being

text: sentenced

text: last

text: October

text: to

text: two

text: years

text: in

text: prison

text: after

text: being

text: convicted

text: of

text: a

text: corruption

text: charge

text: by

text: Thailand

text: 's

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: But

text: Thaksin

text: remains

text: a

text: polarizing

text: figure

text: in

text: Thailand

text: commanding

text: substantial

text: support

text: in

text: the

text: countryside

text: Until

text: last

text: year

text: Thaksin

text: 's

text: allies

text: had

text: remained

text: in

text: power

text: with

text: the

text: government

text: headed

text: by

text: the

text: exiled

text: prime

text: minister

text: 's

text: brother

text: in

text: law

text: Somchai

text: Wongsawat

text: despite

text: disruptive

text: protests

text: by

text: the

text: opposition

text: People

text: 's

text: Alliance

text: for

text: Democracy

text: PAD

text: whose

text: supporters

text: dressed

text: in

text: yellow

text: and

text: represented

text: Thailand

text: 's

text: traditional

text: ruling

text: class

text: suspicious

text: of

text: Thaksin

text: 's

text: populist

text: model

text: of

text: democracy

text: But

text: the

text: PAD

text: achieved

text: its

text: goal

text: of

text: ousting

text: Somchai

text: in

text: December

text: after

text: a

text: week

text: long

text: occupation

text: of

text: the

text: prime

text: ministerial

text: Government

text: House

text: offices

text: and

text: blockading

text: Bangkok

text: 's

text: main

text: airports

text: stranding

text: thousands

text: of

text: tourists

text: Thailand

text: 's

text: Constitutional

text: Court

text: subsequently

text: disbanded

text: Somchai

text: 's

text: People

text: Power

text: Party

text: for

text: electoral

text: fraud

text: and

text: barred

text: Somchai

text: from

text: office

text: for

text: five

text: years

text: paving

text: the

text: way

text: for

text: Thai

text: lawmakers

text: to

text: elect

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Abhisit

text: Vejjajiva

text: as

text: prime

text: minister

text: iReport.com

text: Red

text: shirts

text: take

text: to

text: streets

text: But

text: Thaksin

text: 's

text: supporters

text: insist

text: that

text: Abhisit

text: was

text: not

text: democratically

text: elected

text: and

text: have

text: vowed

text: to

text: protest

text: until

text: fresh

text: elections

text: are

text: held

text: On

text: Sunday

text: Thaksin

text: told

text: protesters

text: via

text: a

text: video

text: link

text: from

text: an

text: unknown

text: location

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: return

text: home

text: to

text: lead

text: them

text: in

text: a

text: march

text: on

text: the

text: capital

text: if

text: necessary

text: Now

text: that

text: they

text: have

text: tanks

text: on

text: the

text: street

text: and

text: the

text: soldiers

text: are

text: coming

text: out

text: so

text: it

text: is

text: time

text: for

text: the

text: people

text: to

text: come

text: out

text: for

text: a

text: revolution

text: Thaksin

text: said

text: Writing

text: in

text: a

text: blog

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Bangkok

text: Correspondent

text: Dan

text: Rivers

text: said

text: he

text: saw

text: five

text: possible

text: scenarios

text: emerging

text: from

text: the

text: current

text: crisis

text: Firstly

text: Abhisit

text: could

text: call

text: a

text: snap

text: election

text: which

text: he

text: would

text: be

text: unlikely

text: to

text: win

text: because

text: Thaksin

text: 's

text: allies

text: continue

text: to

text: lead

text: polls

text: Secondly

text: he

text: could

text: resign

text: resulting

text: in

text: the

text: creation

text: of

text: another

text: coalition

text: which

text: would

text: struggle

text: to

text: unify

text: the

text: rival

text: factions

text: leaving

text: open

text: the

text: likelihood

text: of

text: further

text: protests

text: from

text: one

text: side

text: or

text: the

text: other

text: Thirdly

text: Thaksin

text: could

text: return

text: from

text: exile

text: to

text: lead

text: a

text: red

text: shirted

text: uprising

text: a

text: scenario

text: which

text: Rivers

text: describes

text: as

text: messy

text: and

text: bloody

text: iReport.com

text: Numerous

text: buses

text: set

text: ablaze

text: Fourthly

text: the

text: army

text: could

text: again

text: intervene

text: as

text: it

text: has

text: done

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: although

text: Rivers

text: says

text: that

text: would

text: do

text: little

text: to

text: heal

text: the

text: deep

text: divisions

text: between

text: both

text: sides

text: Finally

text: Rivers

text: said

text: Abhisit

text: could

text: choose

text: to

text: ride

text: out

text: the

text: protests

text: or

text: get

text: tough

text: But

text: both

text: strategies

text: would

text: likely

text: damage

text: his

text: standing

text: Trying

text: to

text: ignore

text: the

text: protests

text: will

text: leave

text: him

text: looking

text: even

text: weaker

text: ordering

text: a

text: violent

text: crack

text: down

text: may

text: simply

text: harden

text: the

text: resolve

text: of

text: the

text: red

text: shirts

text: and

text: provide

text: fodder

text: to

text: their

text: questionable

text: claims

text: that

text: Abhisit

text: has

text: dictatorial

text: tendencies

text: Rivers

text: said

question: Who is PM Thaksin?

answer: a multibillionaire media tycoon

text: a multibillionaire media tycoon

question: What should the people come out for?

answer: a revolution,"

text: a revolution,"