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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Britain's House of Lords voted Wednesday to suspend two of its members over corruption claims -- the first time a lord has been barred from the chamber since 1642, a spokesman for the chamber said.

Britain's House of Lords voted to suspend two of its members. It's first time a lord has been barred since 1642.

Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Truscott allegedly agreed to use their influence to get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash, but the person offering the bribe turned out to be an undercover reporter.

The Sunday Times newspaper ran the sting operation, in which journalists approached members of the House of Lords, claiming to be acting on behalf of a foreign business looking to open a chain of stores in the United Kingdom.

"Secret recordings showed Lord Truscott, a former energy minister, discussing a fee of up to $113,000 to work 'behind the scenes' on behalf of the lobbyists, while Lord Taylor offered to conduct a campaign to persuade ministers and officials for a one-year retainer of $189,000," the newspaper said. "Neither peer took any money or offered to [introduce] an amendment themselves."

Truscott and Taylor were among four lords investigated by the House of Lords Sub-Committee on Interests.

The ethics panel found last week that Truscott "was advertising his power and willingness to influence parliament in order for substantial financial inducement."

He called the verdict "outrageous and slanderous," according to the official report by the panel, which rejected his appeal against the decision.

Taylor said he knew the journalists were running a sting operation and that he made "increasingly extravagant and outlandish claims in an effort to 'flush out' the truth," according to the official Lords report on the incident.

The ethics committee considered his defense "full of internal contractions" and found him in breach of the Lords Code of Conduct.

Two other lawmakers, Lord Moonie and Lord Snape, were found not to have breached the code.

The suspension of Truscott and Taylor is officially for breaching the Code of Conduct, which states that members are required to "always act on their personal honor."

They will not face criminal charges, London's Metropolitan Police said.

The suspension will last until the next session of parliament begins in November. Only the Queen can permanently strip a lord of his title.

Both Taylor and Truscott are associated with the governing Labor Party. Thomas Taylor joined the House of Lords, the upper house of parliament, in 1978. Peter Truscott got his baronage in 2004.

Their historic suspension comes a day after the speaker of the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament, was forced to resign -- the first such resignation in more than 300 years.

CNN's Nicola Goulding contributed to this report.

text: LONDON

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text: 's

text: House

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text: next

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text: upper

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text: Truscott

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text: baronage

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text: suspension

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text: a

text: day

text: after

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text: speaker

text: of

text: the

text: House

text: of

text: Commons

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text: lower

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text: parliament

text: was

text: forced

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text: resignation

text: in

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Nicola

text: Goulding

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who was barred for corruption charges?

answer: Lord Truscott

text: Lord Truscott

question: What did Lord Taylor and Lord Truscott allegedly agree to do?

answer: get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash,

text: get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash,

question: What did the police say?

answer: They will not face criminal charges,

text: They will not face criminal charges,

question: What did they agree to take?

answer: get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash,

text: get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash,

question: What did London's Metropolitan Police say?

answer: said.

text: said.

question: Who has been barred?

answer: Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Truscott

text: Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Truscott

question: What did the Metropolitan Police say?

answer: They will not face criminal charges,

text: They will not face criminal charges,

question: What did they agree to do?

answer: get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash,

text: get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash,


text:
(CNN) -- To say that "Real Housewives of New York City" star Ramona Singer is busy would be an understatement. Between her different businesses -- wine, jewelry and skin-care products -- and the time she spends filming the Bravo reality show, Singer is hardly ever in the same location for very long.

But Singer's passion remains with New York City, where she still manages to spend most of her time. A busy lifestyle doing what she loves suits Singer just fine, and New York is the best place for her.

The buzz of the city is what Singer loves most. "You can be all by yourself and you walk out on the street and then you're not alone, but surrounded by tons of people. It just has such great energy."

Here, Singer shares some of her favorite locations in New York City.

Where to eat

T-Bar Steak & Lounge 1278 Third Avenue

A swanky spot on the Upper East Side, T-Bar is known for its flair and of course, its steaks. Grabbing a cocktail here is an easy way for Singer to unwind.

"I love this restaurant and it's in my neighborhood. It's a place I can go by myself and get a bite to eat. I can go with girlfriends, I can go with my husband, they have a great area where you can just hang out and have drinks and appetizers or a whole meal. It just has a nice vibe, a nice local place."

The Standard Grill  848 Washington Street

With a wide variety of menus from breakfast to "late night," The Standard Grill  offers items from a $1 "good pickle" to the $95 porterhouse steak for two. The restaurant is at the bottom of the trendy Standard Hotel, under the High Line Park.

Singer makes tracks to the hotel's 18th floor, where the Top of the Standard lounge (also known as the Boom Boom Room) offers a fun mix of decadence and hip 70s throwback atmosphere.

"I can go on top and have drinks at the Boom Boom Room -- very art deco, chic, a must-see place. The view is floor-to-ceiling glass, absolutely beautiful. It's breathtaking."

Where to shop

Bergdorf Goodman Fifth Avenue

A store with history and designer finds unlike any other, Bergdorf Goodman is like a one-stop shop for Singer, who has little time for shopping. The variety and helpful sales staff makes this one of her top places in New York.

"They have great sales and a great selection. And unlike something you buy in one of the boutiques, you can return it -- because once in a blue moon, I do make a mistake. I love the Sixth floor, they have all of the contemporary designers, like Milly, Rebecca Taylor, Theory.

"I'm always on the go: traveling, running, doing, multi-tasking. I need a place I feel really comfortable, where I get great service and has a great selection."

Michael Kors 790 Madison Avenue

A jewelry designer, Singer can appreciate affordable, fantastic fashion. Michael Kors' new line of accessories is a favorite of Singer and her daughter, with a wide range of watches for about $250.

"I'm in love with their watches, they're oh-so-unbelievable. People ask me and I tell them, 'It's not a Rolex, it's a Michael Kors.' They also have great shoes and handbags."

Favorite spot in Central Park

The Central Park Boathouse East 60th Street

When Singer needs an escape, she visits the Boathouse for its relaxing scenery, good eats and recreation.

"It's the best-kept secret in New York, beyond stunning and gorgeous. It's on the water, so you can have lunch or dinner outside along the waterfront. You can also ride bikes there or grab a bite from a concession stand."

text: CNN

text: To

text: say

text: that

text: Real

text: Housewives

text: of

text: New

text: York

text: City

text: star

text: Ramona

text: Singer

text: is

text: busy

text: would

text: be

text: an

text: understatement

text: Between

text: her

text: different

text: businesses

text: wine

text: jewelry

text: and

text: skin

text: care

text: products

text: and

text: the

text: time

text: she

text: spends

text: filming

text: the

text: Bravo

text: reality

text: show

text: Singer

text: is

text: hardly

text: ever

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: location

text: for

text: very

text: long

text: But

text: Singer

text: 's

text: passion

text: remains

text: with

text: New

text: York

text: City

text: where

text: she

text: still

text: manages

text: to

text: spend

text: most

text: of

text: her

text: time

text: A

text: busy

text: lifestyle

text: doing

text: what

text: she

text: loves

text: suits

text: Singer

text: just

text: fine

text: and

text: New

text: York

text: is

text: the

text: best

text: place

text: for

text: her

text: The

text: buzz

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: is

text: what

text: Singer

text: loves

text: most

text: You

text: can

text: be

text: all

text: by

text: yourself

text: and

text: you

text: walk

text: out

text: on

text: the

text: street

text: and

text: then

text: you

text: 're

text: not

text: alone

text: but

text: surrounded

text: by

text: tons

text: of

text: people

text: It

text: just

text: has

text: such

text: great

text: energy

text: Here

text: Singer

text: shares

text: some

text: of

text: her

text: favorite

text: locations

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: City

text: Where

text: to

text: eat

text: T

text: Bar

text: Steak

text: Lounge

text: Third

text: Avenue

text: A

text: swanky

text: spot

text: on

text: the

text: Upper

text: East

text: Side

text: T

text: Bar

text: is

text: known

text: for

text: its

text: flair

text: and

text: of

text: course

text: its

text: steaks

text: Grabbing

text: a

text: cocktail

text: here

text: is

text: an

text: easy

text: way

text: for

text: Singer

text: to

text: unwind

text: I

text: love

text: this

text: restaurant

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: in

text: my

text: neighborhood

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: place

text: I

text: can

text: go

text: by

text: myself

text: and

text: get

text: a

text: bite

text: to

text: eat

text: I

text: can

text: go

text: with

text: girlfriends

text: I

text: can

text: go

text: with

text: my

text: husband

text: they

text: have

text: a

text: great

text: area

text: where

text: you

text: can

text: just

text: hang

text: out

text: and

text: have

text: drinks

text: and

text: appetizers

text: or

text: a

text: whole

text: meal

text: It

text: just

text: has

text: a

text: nice

text: vibe

text: a

text: nice

text: local

text: place

text: The

text: Standard

text: Grill

text: Washington

text: Street

text: With

text: a

text: wide

text: variety

text: of

text: menus

text: from

text: breakfast

text: to

text: late

text: night

text: The

text: Standard

text: Grill

text: offers

text: items

text: from

text: a

text: good

text: pickle

text: to

text: the

text: porterhouse

text: steak

text: for

text: two

text: The

text: restaurant

text: is

text: at

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: the

text: trendy

text: Standard

text: Hotel

text: under

text: the

text: High

text: Line

text: Park

text: Singer

text: makes

text: tracks

text: to

text: the

text: hotel

text: 's

text: floor

text: where

text: the

text: Top

text: of

text: the

text: Standard

text: lounge

text: also

text: known

text: as

text: the

text: Boom

text: Boom

text: Room

text: offers

text: a

text: fun

text: mix

text: of

text: decadence

text: and

text: hip

text: throwback

text: atmosphere

text: I

text: can

text: go

text: on

text: top

text: and

text: have

text: drinks

text: at

text: the

text: Boom

text: Boom

text: Room

text: very

text: art

text: deco

text: chic

text: a

text: must

text: see

text: place

text: The

text: view

text: is

text: floor

text: to

text: ceiling

text: glass

text: absolutely

text: beautiful

text: It

text: 's

text: breathtaking

text: Where

text: to

text: shop

text: Bergdorf

text: Goodman

text: Fifth

text: Avenue

text: A

text: store

text: with

text: history

text: and

text: designer

text: finds

text: unlike

text: any

text: other

text: Bergdorf

text: Goodman

text: is

text: like

text: a

text: one

text: stop

text: shop

text: for

text: Singer

text: who

text: has

text: little

text: time

text: for

text: shopping

text: The

text: variety

text: and

text: helpful

text: sales

text: staff

text: makes

text: this

text: one

text: of

text: her

text: top

text: places

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: They

text: have

text: great

text: sales

text: and

text: a

text: great

text: selection

text: And

text: unlike

text: something

text: you

text: buy

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: boutiques

text: you

text: can

text: return

text: it

text: because

text: once

text: in

text: a

text: blue

text: moon

text: I

text: do

text: make

text: a

text: mistake

text: I

text: love

text: the

text: Sixth

text: floor

text: they

text: have

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: contemporary

text: designers

text: like

text: Milly

text: Rebecca

text: Taylor

text: Theory

text: I

text: 'm

text: always

text: on

text: the

text: go

text: traveling

text: running

text: doing

text: multi

text: tasking

text: I

text: need

text: a

text: place

text: I

text: feel

text: really

text: comfortable

text: where

text: I

text: get

text: great

text: service

text: and

text: has

text: a

text: great

text: selection

text: Michael

text: Kors

text: Madison

text: Avenue

text: A

text: jewelry

text: designer

text: Singer

text: can

text: appreciate

text: affordable

text: fantastic

text: fashion

text: Michael

text: Kors

text: new

text: line

text: of

text: accessories

text: is

text: a

text: favorite

text: of

text: Singer

text: and

text: her

text: daughter

text: with

text: a

text: wide

text: range

text: of

text: watches

text: for

text: about

text: I

text: 'm

text: in

text: love

text: with

text: their

text: watches

text: they

text: 're

text: oh

text: so

text: unbelievable

text: People

text: ask

text: me

text: and

text: I

text: tell

text: them

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: a

text: Rolex

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: Michael

text: Kors

text: They

text: also

text: have

text: great

text: shoes

text: and

text: handbags

text: Favorite

text: spot

text: in

text: Central

text: Park

text: The

text: Central

text: Park

text: Boathouse

text: East

text: Street

text: When

text: Singer

text: needs

text: an

text: escape

text: she

text: visits

text: the

text: Boathouse

text: for

text: its

text: relaxing

text: scenery

text: good

text: eats

text: and

text: recreation

text: It

text: 's

text: the

text: best

text: kept

text: secret

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: beyond

text: stunning

text: and

text: gorgeous

text: It

text: 's

text: on

text: the

text: water

text: so

text: you

text: can

text: have

text: lunch

text: or

text: dinner

text: outside

text: along

text: the

text: waterfront

text: You

text: can

text: also

text: ride

text: bikes

text: there

text: or

text: grab

text: a

text: bite

text: from

text: a

text: concession

text: stand

question: What are the dining costs?

answer: $1 "good pickle" to the $95 porterhouse

text: $1 "good pickle" to the $95 porterhouse

question: what are the dinner spots

answer: T-Bar Steak & Lounge 1278 Third Avenue

text: T-Bar Steak & Lounge 1278 Third Avenue

question: Where is the boathouse

answer: East 60th Street

text: East 60th Street

question: What makes this area so great?

answer: The buzz of the city

text: The buzz of the city


text:
Niger (CNN) -- Dark shadows were lifting themselves off the sidewalk, slowly stretching, shaking the slumber from their limbs.

It was 6:15 a.m. in Niger's capital, Niamey, and I was setting off on a 12-hour drive, leaving its lush boulevards for Agadez, the sands of the Sahara, the desert trails to Libya, and the chaos Moammar Gadhafi's war there is causing.

The sun had yet to raise itself over the roofs but already the first hints of day were breaking the sleep of the destitute at the roadside.

I have seen poverty before, but even shrouded in the predawn gray, there is no mistaking it: People with little of anything save a public place to lay their heads.

Despite tough lives, the people here are warm, welcoming and hospitable.

"Bonjour," they say, hinting at their recent French colonial past. It seems to have overlaid, in part at least, their far earlier conversion to Islam. "As-Salaamu Aleikum," the Arabic greeting, is rarely used. Long French loaves -- not Arabic flatbread -- are on sale at tiny stalls.

We've already passed through the checkpoint on the outskirts of the capital before the countryside begins to take shape.

Gendarmes in what look like fading French military fatigues checked the car's documents and a man in orange overalls took a few dollars' road toll for the 950 kilometers, or 600 miles, we will drive.

The rope blocking our way across the road was dropped and we were released onto a strangely empty highway. Slowly the countryside began to show is colors. Gray shaded to blue, to a dark olive green.

Then in an instant the sun smothers everything, washing away the stains of the night. Our journey lurches into gear, no longer feeling like we're sluggishly passing anonymous vegetation. Our momentum, at least in our minds, increases as we streak past the newly revealed rich green towering maize, the thickly leaved luxuriant trees.

This land is green and fertile. Everything is vibrant in a way Timothy Leary could truly appreciate.

In the villages, strange, bulging, round mud buildings - like an oversize, slightly squashed rugby ball - mingle with mud and straw shacks. They have no door, only a scant straw roof: grain stores hinting at the bounty of the land.

Village after village, we pass them. The more there are, the bigger they are, the more grain is held and the more prosperous the people who own them. Lest this give an illusion of wealth, consider this: Most children we see are barefoot, and that's almost half Niger's people.

Within a few hours of leaving the capital, none of the villages have electricity, running water, sanitation, a building that's not made out of mud and straw. The slightly larger towns have slightly more. But that's all.

The farther we go, the villages become fewer and farther between. The muddy ponds, courtesy of the recent rains, shrink, and the striking longhorn cattle and goats jostle for a place to slake their thirst.

The tarmac on the highway begins to break apart. We slam into potholes, lurching, juddering forward. The bright greens are gone, the vegetation paler and browner here. The great trees have shrunk to tiny shrubs.

We are still 200 miles from Agadez. Grass covers some of the land, the grain huts are long gone, and quickly so is the road. We are no longer dodging potholes, we are driving in one big long one.

The cell phone service that has surprisingly kept us company so much of the journey has also disappeared. In over a hundred miles, we pass but two tiny towns.

This is what it means to be remote, where the land and sun are so unforgiving none can live, and this is where the bonds that tie a nation together begin to fray.

The crowds that gathered about the car with rounded faces we saw in the morning have by afternoon given way to the thinner, lighter features of the Touareg. Those features are often hard to see, shrouded as they are by turbans that wrap around the face.

By instinct, by life, by tradition, they are desert mountain people. Twice in the past two decades, they've risen up in armed rebellion against the government. Some joined Gadhafi's forces over the border in Libya.

The government in Niamey worries Libya's war will create instability in Niger. Officials publicly say they fear Gadhafi's weapon stockpiles could be falling into al Qaeda's hands. Privately there's another fear, that the newly liberated guns could one day be turned on the government in another Touareg rebellion.

But for now a Touareg rebellion seems the more distant possibility, because al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is exploiting the Arab spring and every crumb of opportunity that might fall unnoticed from the battlefield.

Their drug-, gun- and people-smuggling routes through the sparsely populated land we are crossing are hungry for the sustenance turmoil can bring. The more confusion and chaos there is, the easier it is to keep their networks hidden.

It is these last few miles to Agadez that worry us the most. Al Qaeda has kidnapped several foreigners in this remote region in the past few years. We don't want to be unlucky names added to the list.

While our driver is holding up well, almost 12 hours at the wheel, our fuel light has been on for a while. We've been running on reserve. He stops to top up the tank from a solitary liter bottle of fuel we purchased earlier in the day.

There have been no milestones for a while and the sun is edging down to the dirt of the desert. We're hoping Agadez will soon come into view. How far can a four-wheel-drive off-road truck go on a liter of gas? Then we see a red-topped stone marker come into view.

It reads 30 kilometers, 20 or so miles, to go. And not a soul around. We're racing the sun, our dwindling fuel and our fears. Each bend in the road I hope will be our last.

Can the red light on the fuel gauge be any brighter? Probably not; it's a trick of the fading light easily worked on tense, tired eyes.

Then, as if by clockwork, almost exactly 12 hours after we left Niamey, Agadez slips into view - low, dusty, dilapidated, but a delight to see. Uniformed gendarmes and a man in orange overalls greet us at the checkpoint, lower the rope and wave, their job for the day almost done; there can be few more drivers behind us.

The litter-strewn streets are cluttered with vendors packing up their shabby wares. Dust and smoke cloud the air, making it hard to see much of this town. With better light tomorrow we'll get a good look at this place where Gadhafi is rumored to have spent millions paving roads, putting up lights, even building a hospital.

A few hours later as I settle in to my bed, I can only wonder at the irony. Gadhafi is out there somewhere on the run, and I'll be getting a good night's sleep in the Agadez hotel he built.

text: Niger

text: CNN

text: Dark

text: shadows

text: were

text: lifting

text: themselves

text: off

text: the

text: sidewalk

text: slowly

text: stretching

text: shaking

text: the

text: slumber

text: from

text: their

text: limbs

text: It

text: was

text: a.m.

text: in

text: Niger

text: 's

text: capital

text: Niamey

text: and

text: I

text: was

text: setting

text: off

text: on

text: a

text: drive

text: leaving

text: its

text: lush

text: boulevards

text: for

text: Agadez

text: the

text: sands

text: of

text: the

text: Sahara

text: the

text: desert

text: trails

text: to

text: Libya

text: and

text: the

text: chaos

text: Moammar

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: war

text: there

text: is

text: causing

text: The

text: sun

text: had

text: yet

text: to

text: raise

text: itself

text: over

text: the

text: roofs

text: but

text: already

text: the

text: first

text: hints

text: of

text: day

text: were

text: breaking

text: the

text: sleep

text: of

text: the

text: destitute

text: at

text: the

text: roadside

text: I

text: have

text: seen

text: poverty

text: before

text: but

text: even

text: shrouded

text: in

text: the

text: predawn

text: gray

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: mistaking

text: it

text: People

text: with

text: little

text: of

text: anything

text: save

text: a

text: public

text: place

text: to

text: lay

text: their

text: heads

text: Despite

text: tough

text: lives

text: the

text: people

text: here

text: are

text: warm

text: welcoming

text: and

text: hospitable

text: Bonjour

text: they

text: say

text: hinting

text: at

text: their

text: recent

text: French

text: colonial

text: past

text: It

text: seems

text: to

text: have

text: overlaid

text: in

text: part

text: at

text: least

text: their

text: far

text: earlier

text: conversion

text: to

text: Islam

text: As

text: Salaamu

text: Aleikum

text: the

text: Arabic

text: greeting

text: is

text: rarely

text: used

text: Long

text: French

text: loaves

text: not

text: Arabic

text: flatbread

text: are

text: on

text: sale

text: at

text: tiny

text: stalls

text: We

text: 've

text: already

text: passed

text: through

text: the

text: checkpoint

text: on

text: the

text: outskirts

text: of

text: the

text: capital

text: before

text: the

text: countryside

text: begins

text: to

text: take

text: shape

text: Gendarmes

text: in

text: what

text: look

text: like

text: fading

text: French

text: military

text: fatigues

text: checked

text: the

text: car

text: 's

text: documents

text: and

text: a

text: man

text: in

text: orange

text: overalls

text: took

text: a

text: few

text: dollars

text: road

text: toll

text: for

text: the

text: kilometers

text: or

text: miles

text: we

text: will

text: drive

text: The

text: rope

text: blocking

text: our

text: way

text: across

text: the

text: road

text: was

text: dropped

text: and

text: we

text: were

text: released

text: onto

text: a

text: strangely

text: empty

text: highway

text: Slowly

text: the

text: countryside

text: began

text: to

text: show

text: is

text: colors

text: Gray

text: shaded

text: to

text: blue

text: to

text: a

text: dark

text: olive

text: green

text: Then

text: in

text: an

text: instant

text: the

text: sun

text: smothers

text: everything

text: washing

text: away

text: the

text: stains

text: of

text: the

text: night

text: Our

text: journey

text: lurches

text: into

text: gear

text: no

text: longer

text: feeling

text: like

text: we

text: 're

text: sluggishly

text: passing

text: anonymous

text: vegetation

text: Our

text: momentum

text: at

text: least

text: in

text: our

text: minds

text: increases

text: as

text: we

text: streak

text: past

text: the

text: newly

text: revealed

text: rich

text: green

text: towering

text: maize

text: the

text: thickly

text: leaved

text: luxuriant

text: trees

text: This

text: land

text: is

text: green

text: and

text: fertile

text: Everything

text: is

text: vibrant

text: in

text: a

text: way

text: Timothy

text: Leary

text: could

text: truly

text: appreciate

text: In

text: the

text: villages

text: strange

text: bulging

text: round

text: mud

text: buildings

text: like

text: an

text: oversize

text: slightly

text: squashed

text: rugby

text: ball

text: mingle

text: with

text: mud

text: and

text: straw

text: shacks

text: They

text: have

text: no

text: door

text: only

text: a

text: scant

text: straw

text: roof

text: grain

text: stores

text: hinting

text: at

text: the

text: bounty

text: of

text: the

text: land

text: Village

text: after

text: village

text: we

text: pass

text: them

text: The

text: more

text: there

text: are

text: the

text: bigger

text: they

text: are

text: the

text: more

text: grain

text: is

text: held

text: and

text: the

text: more

text: prosperous

text: the

text: people

text: who

text: own

text: them

text: Lest

text: this

text: give

text: an

text: illusion

text: of

text: wealth

text: consider

text: this

text: Most

text: children

text: we

text: see

text: are

text: barefoot

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: almost

text: half

text: Niger

text: 's

text: people

text: Within

text: a

text: few

text: hours

text: of

text: leaving

text: the

text: capital

text: of

text: the

text: villages

text: have

text: electricity

text: running

text: water

text: sanitation

text: a

text: building

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: made

text: out

text: of

text: mud

text: and

text: straw

text: The

text: slightly

text: larger

text: towns

text: have

text: slightly

text: more

text: But

text: that

text: 's

text: all

text: The

text: farther

text: we

text: go

text: the

text: villages

text: become

text: fewer

text: and

text: farther

text: between

text: The

text: muddy

text: ponds

text: courtesy

text: of

text: the

text: recent

text: rains

text: shrink

text: and

text: the

text: striking

text: longhorn

text: cattle

text: and

text: goats

text: jostle

text: for

text: a

text: place

text: to

text: slake

text: their

text: thirst

text: The

text: tarmac

text: on

text: the

text: highway

text: begins

text: to

text: break

text: apart

text: We

text: slam

text: into

text: potholes

text: lurching

text: juddering

text: forward

text: The

text: bright

text: greens

text: are

text: gone

text: the

text: vegetation

text: paler

text: and

text: browner

text: here

text: The

text: great

text: trees

text: have

text: shrunk

text: to

text: tiny

text: shrubs

text: We

text: are

text: still

text: miles

text: from

text: Agadez

text: Grass

text: covers

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: land

text: the

text: grain

text: huts

text: are

text: long

text: gone

text: and

text: quickly

text: so

text: is

text: the

text: road

text: We

text: are

text: no

text: longer

text: dodging

text: potholes

text: we

text: are

text: driving

text: in

text: one

text: big

text: long

text: one

text: The

text: cell

text: phone

text: service

text: that

text: has

text: surprisingly

text: kept

text: us

text: company

text: so

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: journey

text: has

text: also

text: disappeared

text: In

text: over

text: a

text: hundred

text: miles

text: we

text: pass

text: but

text: two

text: tiny

text: towns

text: This

text: is

text: what

text: it

text: means

text: to

text: be

text: remote

text: where

text: the

text: land

text: and

text: sun

text: are

text: so

text: unforgiving

text: can

text: live

text: and

text: this

text: is

text: where

text: the

text: bonds

text: that

text: tie

text: a

text: nation

text: together

text: begin

text: to

text: fray

text: The

text: crowds

text: that

text: gathered

text: about

text: the

text: car

text: with

text: rounded

text: faces

text: we

text: saw

text: in

text: the

text: morning

text: have

text: by

text: afternoon

text: given

text: way

text: to

text: the

text: thinner

text: lighter

text: features

text: of

text: the

text: Touareg

text: Those

text: features

text: are

text: often

text: hard

text: to

text: see

text: shrouded

text: as

text: they

text: are

text: by

text: turbans

text: that

text: wrap

text: around

text: the

text: face

text: By

text: instinct

text: by

text: life

text: by

text: tradition

text: they

text: are

text: desert

text: mountain

text: people

text: Twice

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: decades

text: they

text: 've

text: risen

text: up

text: in

text: armed

text: rebellion

text: against

text: the

text: government

text: Some

text: joined

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: forces

text: over

text: the

text: border

text: in

text: Libya

text: The

text: government

text: in

text: Niamey

text: worries

text: Libya

text: 's

text: war

text: will

text: create

text: instability

text: in

text: Niger

text: Officials

text: publicly

text: say

text: they

text: fear

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: weapon

text: stockpiles

text: could

text: be

text: falling

text: into

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: 's

text: hands

text: Privately

text: there

text: 's

text: another

text: fear

text: that

text: the

text: newly

text: liberated

text: guns

text: could

text: one

text: day

text: be

text: turned

text: on

text: the

text: government

text: in

text: another

text: Touareg

text: rebellion

text: But

text: for

text: now

text: a

text: Touareg

text: rebellion

text: seems

text: the

text: more

text: distant

text: possibility

text: because

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: in

text: the

text: Islamic

text: Maghreb

text: is

text: exploiting

text: the

text: Arab

text: spring

text: and

text: every

text: crumb

text: of

text: opportunity

text: that

text: might

text: fall

text: unnoticed

text: from

text: the

text: battlefield

text: Their

text: drug-

text: gun-

text: and

text: people

text: smuggling

text: routes

text: through

text: the

text: sparsely

text: populated

text: land

text: we

text: are

text: crossing

text: are

text: hungry

text: for

text: the

text: sustenance

text: turmoil

text: can

text: bring

text: The

text: more

text: confusion

text: and

text: chaos

text: there

text: is

text: the

text: easier

text: it

text: is

text: to

text: keep

text: their

text: networks

text: hidden

text: It

text: is

text: these

text: last

text: few

text: miles

text: to

text: Agadez

text: that

text: worry

text: us

text: the

text: most

text: Al

text: Qaeda

text: has

text: kidnapped

text: several

text: foreigners

text: in

text: this

text: remote

text: region

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: few

text: years

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: unlucky

text: names

text: added

text: to

text: the

text: list

text: While

text: our

text: driver

text: is

text: holding

text: up

text: well

text: almost

text: hours

text: at

text: the

text: wheel

text: our

text: fuel

text: light

text: has

text: been

text: on

text: for

text: a

text: while

text: We

text: 've

text: been

text: running

text: on

text: reserve

text: He

text: stops

text: to

text: top

text: up

text: the

text: tank

text: from

text: a

text: solitary

text: liter

text: bottle

text: of

text: fuel

text: we

text: purchased

text: earlier

text: in

text: the

text: day

text: There

text: have

text: been

text: no

text: milestones

text: for

text: a

text: while

text: and

text: the

text: sun

text: is

text: edging

text: down

text: to

text: the

text: dirt

text: of

text: the

text: desert

text: We

text: 're

text: hoping

text: Agadez

text: will

text: soon

text: come

text: into

text: view

text: How

text: far

text: can

text: a

text: four

text: wheel

text: drive

text: off

text: road

text: truck

text: go

text: on

text: a

text: liter

text: of

text: gas

text: Then

text: we

text: see

text: a

text: red

text: topped

text: stone

text: marker

text: come

text: into

text: view

text: It

text: reads

text: kilometers

text: or

text: so

text: miles

text: to

text: go

text: And

text: not

text: a

text: soul

text: around

text: We

text: 're

text: racing

text: the

text: sun

text: our

text: dwindling

text: fuel

text: and

text: our

text: fears

text: Each

text: bend

text: in

text: the

text: road

text: I

text: hope

text: will

text: be

text: our

text: last

text: Can

text: the

text: red

text: light

text: on

text: the

text: fuel

text: gauge

text: be

text: any

text: brighter

text: Probably

text: not

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: trick

text: of

text: the

text: fading

text: light

text: easily

text: worked

text: on

text: tense

text: tired

text: eyes

text: Then

text: as

text: if

text: by

text: clockwork

text: almost

text: exactly

text: hours

text: after

text: we

text: left

text: Niamey

text: Agadez

text: slips

text: into

text: view

text: low

text: dusty

text: dilapidated

text: but

text: a

text: delight

text: to

text: see

text: Uniformed

text: gendarmes

text: and

text: a

text: man

text: in

text: orange

text: overalls

text: greet

text: us

text: at

text: the

text: checkpoint

text: lower

text: the

text: rope

text: and

text: wave

text: their

text: job

text: for

text: the

text: day

text: almost

text: done

text: there

text: can

text: be

text: few

text: more

text: drivers

text: behind

text: us

text: The

text: litter

text: strewn

text: streets

text: are

text: cluttered

text: with

text: vendors

text: packing

text: up

text: their

text: shabby

text: wares

text: Dust

text: and

text: smoke

text: cloud

text: the

text: air

text: making

text: it

text: hard

text: to

text: see

text: much

text: of

text: this

text: town

text: With

text: better

text: light

text: tomorrow

text: we

text: 'll

text: get

text: a

text: good

text: look

text: at

text: this

text: place

text: where

text: Gadhafi

text: is

text: rumored

text: to

text: have

text: spent

text: millions

text: paving

text: roads

text: putting

text: up

text: lights

text: even

text: building

text: a

text: hospital

text: A

text: few

text: hours

text: later

text: as

text: I

text: settle

text: in

text: to

text: my

text: bed

text: I

text: can

text: only

text: wonder

text: at

text: the

text: irony

text: Gadhafi

text: is

text: out

text: there

text: somewhere

text: on

text: the

text: run

text: and

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: getting

text: a

text: good

text: night

text: 's

text: sleep

text: in

text: the

text: Agadez

text: hotel

text: he

text: built

question: Who spent millions?

answer: Gadhafi

text: Gadhafi

question: What specifically was it spent on?

answer: paving roads, putting up lights, even building a hospital.

text: paving roads, putting up lights, even building a hospital.

question: Who has Al Qaeda kidnapped?

answer: several foreigners

text: several foreigners

question: What is Niger's government worried about?

answer: Libya's war will create instability in

text: Libya's war will create instability in


text:
LONDON, England -- Savers at a leading UK mortgage bank lined up for a second day to empty their accounts Saturday, a day after the lender was bailed out by the Bank of England after heavily slashing profit forecasts.

Fearful customers line up to withdraw cash from a Northern Rock branch in southeast London on Friday.

Long lines formed before counters opened at the Northern Rock building society, one of the UK's top five lenders, as worried customers ignored reassurances from the bank and the government.

Customers are believed to have already withdrawn about Â£1 billion ($2 billion) since the bank's woes were revealed, prompting speculation that the global credit crunch made raising funds through commercial borrowing difficult.

Shares in Northern Rock dropped up to 30 percent in Friday trading, with problems spilling over the European banking sector

The British Bankers' Association has urged customers to "calm down," according to the UK Press Association.

It said: "Northern Rock is a sound and safe bank and there is absolutely no reason for either mortgage customers or savers to worry."

Meanwhile, finance minister Alistair Darling said the Bank of England had stepped in "to create a stable banking system".

He said: "People can use their accounts in the usual way, they can carry on making their mortgage payments in the usual way. Northern Rock will be able to carry on its business."

Northern Rock chief executive Adam Applegarth said yesterday that the bank had yet to draw on the emergency cash, which he called "a backdrop in case we need to use it", according to PA. E-mail to a friend

text: LONDON

text: England

text: Savers

text: at

text: a

text: leading

text: UK

text: mortgage

text: bank

text: lined

text: up

text: for

text: a

text: second

text: day

text: to

text: empty

text: their

text: accounts

text: Saturday

text: a

text: day

text: after

text: the

text: lender

text: was

text: bailed

text: out

text: by

text: the

text: Bank

text: of

text: England

text: after

text: heavily

text: slashing

text: profit

text: forecasts

text: Fearful

text: customers

text: line

text: up

text: to

text: withdraw

text: cash

text: from

text: a

text: Northern

text: Rock

text: branch

text: in

text: southeast

text: London

text: on

text: Friday

text: Long

text: lines

text: formed

text: before

text: counters

text: opened

text: at

text: the

text: Northern

text: Rock

text: building

text: society

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: UK

text: 's

text: top

text: five

text: lenders

text: as

text: worried

text: customers

text: ignored

text: reassurances

text: from

text: the

text: bank

text: and

text: the

text: government

text: Customers

text: are

text: believed

text: to

text: have

text: already

text: withdrawn

text: about

text: Â£1

text: billion

text: billion

text: since

text: the

text: bank

text: 's

text: woes

text: were

text: revealed

text: prompting

text: speculation

text: that

text: the

text: global

text: credit

text: crunch

text: made

text: raising

text: funds

text: through

text: commercial

text: borrowing

text: difficult

text: Shares

text: in

text: Northern

text: Rock

text: dropped

text: up

text: to

text: percent

text: in

text: Friday

text: trading

text: with

text: problems

text: spilling

text: over

text: the

text: European

text: banking

text: sector

text: The

text: British

text: Bankers

text: Association

text: has

text: urged

text: customers

text: to

text: calm

text: down

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: UK

text: Press

text: Association

text: It

text: said

text: Northern

text: Rock

text: is

text: a

text: sound

text: and

text: safe

text: bank

text: and

text: there

text: is

text: absolutely

text: no

text: reason

text: for

text: either

text: mortgage

text: customers

text: or

text: savers

text: to

text: worry

text: Meanwhile

text: finance

text: minister

text: Alistair

text: Darling

text: said

text: the

text: Bank

text: of

text: England

text: had

text: stepped

text: in

text: to

text: create

text: a

text: stable

text: banking

text: system

text: He

text: said

text: People

text: can

text: use

text: their

text: accounts

text: in

text: the

text: usual

text: way

text: they

text: can

text: carry

text: on

text: making

text: their

text: mortgage

text: payments

text: in

text: the

text: usual

text: way

text: Northern

text: Rock

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: carry

text: on

text: its

text: business

text: Northern

text: Rock

text: chief

text: executive

text: Adam

text: Applegarth

text: said

text: yesterday

text: that

text: the

text: bank

text: had

text: yet

text: to

text: draw

text: on

text: the

text: emergency

text: cash

text: which

text: he

text: called

text: a

text: backdrop

text: in

text: case

text: we

text: need

text: to

text: use

text: it

text: according

text: to

text: PA

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: When did this occur?

answer: Friday.

text: Friday.

question: At which bank did savers line up to empty their accounts?

answer: Northern Rock building society,

text: Northern Rock building society,

question: who are empty their accounts?

answer: Savers at a leading UK mortgage bank

text: Savers at a leading UK mortgage bank

question: what bank bailed out Northern Rock?

answer: of England

text: of England

question: At what UK mortgage bank did savers line up to empty their accounts?

answer: Northern Rock

text: Northern Rock

question: What did savers do?

answer: lined up for a second day to empty their accounts

text: lined up for a second day to empty their accounts

question: Which country did Northern Rock trade in

answer: UK

text: UK

question: What was the name of the building society bailed out by Bank of England?

answer: Northern Rock

text: Northern Rock

question: What is the UK mortgage bank called?

answer: Northern Rock

text: Northern Rock

question: Who was bailed out by the Bank of England?

answer: the lender

text: the lender

question: Who bailed out Northern Rock?

answer: Bank of England

text: Bank of England

question: Which bank did the Bank of England bail out?

answer: a leading UK mortgage

text: a leading UK mortgage

question: What did savers at Northern Rock do

answer: empty their accounts

text: empty their accounts

question: Who were lining up to empty accounts?

answer: Savers at a leading UK mortgage bank

text: Savers at a leading UK mortgage bank

question: Were some savers emptying their accounts?

answer: Customers are believed to have already withdrawn about Â£1 billion ($2 billion)

text: Customers are believed to have already withdrawn about Â£1 billion ($2 billion)

question: Who bailed out the bank?

answer: of England

text: of England

question: What did the savers line up to do at Northern Rock?

answer: empty their accounts

text: empty their accounts


text:
Baghdad, Iraq (CNN)  -- Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed -- also known as Chemical Ali -- was executed Monday, an Iraqi government spokesman said.

He was hanged after having been convicted on 13 counts of killings and genocide, Ali al-Dabagh said.

Al-Majeed had been sentenced to death in four separate trials, including one that focused on his involvement in a poison gas attack against Iraqi Kurds that killed about 5,000 people.

His execution had been delayed for political rather than legal reasons. It is not clear what change, if any, led to the reported execution.

Al-Majeed had been held in United States custody since his capture in 2003. But he was handed over to the Iraqi authorities in the 24 hours before his execution, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill told CNN's Diana Magnay on Monday.

The 1988 poison gas attack on the village of Halabja, which earned al-Majeed his nickname, was part of the Anfal campaign, in which the Hussein regime killed at least 100,000 Iraqi Kurds. The campaign is believed to be worst poison gas attack on civilians ever.

Al-Majeed was sentenced to death separately for his role in putting down a Shiite uprising against Hussein in 1991, and for his part in putting down a Baghdad revolt in 1999.

Estimates of the Shiite death toll in the 1991 rebellion range from 20,000 to 100,000. Al-Majeed was convicted of playing a key part in the slaughter during the revolt in southern Iraq that followed the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

One of his co-defendants in the Anfal case, Sultan Hashem, is a prominent Sunni leader who is considered a key player in efforts to reconcile the country's once-dominant Sunni community with the Shiite majority that now wields political power.

Hashem was also sentenced to death, but Iraq's Sunni Arab Vice-President Tariq al-Hashimi has long refused to sign his execution order.  That delayed the execution of al-Majeed and another defendant as well.

Iraqi law requires all three members of the Iraqi presidency council -- the president and two vice-presidents -- to sign execution orders. It does not say what happens if they do not sign.

CNN's Yousif Bassil contributed to this report.

text: Baghdad

text: Iraq

text: CNN

text: Saddam

text: Hussein

text: 's

text: cousin

text: Ali

text: Hassan

text: al

text: Majeed

text: also

text: known

text: as

text: Chemical

text: Ali

text: was

text: executed

text: Monday

text: an

text: Iraqi

text: government

text: spokesman

text: said

text: He

text: was

text: hanged

text: after

text: having

text: been

text: convicted

text: on

text: counts

text: of

text: killings

text: and

text: genocide

text: Ali

text: al

text: Dabagh

text: said

text: Al

text: Majeed

text: had

text: been

text: sentenced

text: to

text: death

text: in

text: four

text: separate

text: trials

text: including

text: one

text: that

text: focused

text: on

text: his

text: involvement

text: in

text: a

text: poison

text: gas

text: attack

text: against

text: Iraqi

text: Kurds

text: that

text: killed

text: about

text: people

text: His

text: execution

text: had

text: been

text: delayed

text: for

text: political

text: rather

text: than

text: legal

text: reasons

text: It

text: is

text: not

text: clear

text: what

text: change

text: if

text: any

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: reported

text: execution

text: Al

text: Majeed

text: had

text: been

text: held

text: in

text: United

text: States

text: custody

text: since

text: his

text: capture

text: in

text: But

text: he

text: was

text: handed

text: over

text: to

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: authorities

text: in

text: the

text: hours

text: before

text: his

text: execution

text: U.S.

text: Ambassador

text: Christopher

text: Hill

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Diana

text: Magnay

text: on

text: Monday

text: The

text: poison

text: gas

text: attack

text: on

text: the

text: village

text: of

text: Halabja

text: which

text: earned

text: al

text: Majeed

text: his

text: nickname

text: was

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: Anfal

text: campaign

text: in

text: which

text: the

text: Hussein

text: regime

text: killed

text: at

text: least

text: Iraqi

text: Kurds

text: The

text: campaign

text: is

text: believed

text: to

text: be

text: worst

text: poison

text: gas

text: attack

text: on

text: civilians

text: ever

text: Al

text: Majeed

text: was

text: sentenced

text: to

text: death

text: separately

text: for

text: his

text: role

text: in

text: putting

text: down

text: a

text: Shiite

text: uprising

text: against

text: Hussein

text: in

text: and

text: for

text: his

text: part

text: in

text: putting

text: down

text: a

text: Baghdad

text: revolt

text: in

text: Estimates

text: of

text: the

text: Shiite

text: death

text: toll

text: in

text: the

text: rebellion

text: range

text: from

text: to

text: Al

text: Majeed

text: was

text: convicted

text: of

text: playing

text: a

text: key

text: part

text: in

text: the

text: slaughter

text: during

text: the

text: revolt

text: in

text: southern

text: Iraq

text: that

text: followed

text: the

text: Persian

text: Gulf

text: War

text: One

text: of

text: his

text: co

text: defendants

text: in

text: the

text: Anfal

text: case

text: Sultan

text: Hashem

text: is

text: a

text: prominent

text: Sunni

text: leader

text: who

text: is

text: considered

text: a

text: key

text: player

text: in

text: efforts

text: to

text: reconcile

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: once

text: dominant

text: Sunni

text: community

text: with

text: the

text: Shiite

text: majority

text: that

text: now

text: wields

text: political

text: power

text: Hashem

text: was

text: also

text: sentenced

text: to

text: death

text: but

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: Sunni

text: Arab

text: Vice

text: President

text: Tariq

text: al

text: Hashimi

text: has

text: long

text: refused

text: to

text: sign

text: his

text: execution

text: order

text: That

text: delayed

text: the

text: execution

text: of

text: al

text: Majeed

text: and

text: another

text: defendant

text: as

text: well

text: Iraqi

text: law

text: requires

text: all

text: three

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Iraqi

text: presidency

text: council

text: the

text: president

text: and

text: two

text: vice

text: presidents

text: to

text: sign

text: execution

text: orders

text: It

text: does

text: not

text: say

text: what

text: happens

text: if

text: they

text: do

text: not

text: sign

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Yousif

text: Bassil

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: who had been sentenced to death in four separate trials?

answer: Ali Hassan al-Majeed

text: Ali Hassan al-Majeed

question: on what grounds  was the execution delayeed?

answer: for political rather than legal reasons.

text: for political rather than legal reasons.

question: that happened to Al-Majeed?

answer: executed

text: executed

question: Who was executed?

answer: Ali Hassan al-Majeed

text: Ali Hassan al-Majeed

question: whose cousin was executed?

answer: Saddam Hussein's

text: Saddam Hussein's

question: Who was handed over to Iraqi authorities?

answer: Al-Majeed

text: Al-Majeed


text:
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- A killer bug is spreading like wildfire.

Armed guards stand outside the Mexico City Respiratory Hospital to control the flow of people.

Streets of one of the world's biggest cities are eerily empty. Bars and restaurants have been shuttered for days.

The president goes on TV to tell workers to stay at home for their own safety.

Those who venture outside are clad in surgical masks. Once healthy people are suddenly falling sick and dying from a new disease, H1N1 swine flu.

The government swears the situation is under control. But down at the hospital, medics scurry around behind the glass door of an isolation ward. They're clad from head to toe in biohazard suits, goggles and two pairs of gloves.

At the airport, officials set up a barrage of thermal imaging machines. If the picture flashes up red or orange, would-be passengers are whisked off to medical facilities.  See where the virus has been confirmed Â»

It may sound like a sci-fi movie. It's not. Welcome to Mexico City.

It's a nightmare scenario and despite twice-a-day news conferences featuring Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova, people on the streets fear the virus may be out of control and that the real death toll may be greater than anyone is letting on.  Watch how the city has been shut down Â»

"The measures we're taking are working and are helping us to slow the spread of the virus. But the situation continues to be serious," Cordova said at a news conference this week.

Government orders to its citizens are clear: wash frequently, don't shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places.

That's easier said than done.

The doors on the subway car snap open at Hidalgo station. Dozens more passengers clad in surgical masks stream on.

It's rush hour deep below the streets of downtown Mexico City.

The subway system is the veins of the capital, ferrying millions of people from all social classes to and from work. It's hot and humid down there and there's little fresh air. It's just the kind of crowded place that Mexican authorities say could be a prime breeding ground for swine flu.

"I'm pretty nervous of this whole virus thing," welder Frontino Valdez mumbled  through one of the masks.  Watch passengers packed onto trains trying to protect themselves Â»

Sitting one carriage down, Berta Hernandez, a product demonstrator, tries not to show her panic and applies eyeliner like any other morning. But today she has a problem, she has no intention of lifting her mask to paint on lip gloss.

"I'm nervous of those people who aren't wearing masks. Maybe they will suddenly sneeze or cough," she said. In these days of swine flu paranoia, just coughing, or worse sneezing, in the subway, or "metro" as they call it here, brings black looks from fellow passengers.

This has been a strange epidemic since the outset. So far, the Mexican government has been unable to pinpoint where or when this outbreak started.

Authorities admit there was an outbreak of influenza in a village in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz in early April. But only one patient -- 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez -- was diagnosed as having swine flu.  Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta ask the boy about his symptoms Â»

The international media have taken to calling him "Patient Zero." He made a full recovery.

So far there's no evidence a pig farm near his home reported any problems with its livestock. The family hasn't explained how little Edgar could have infected a capital city let alone the world.

The authorities haven't drawn up a genetic map of Edgar's illness nor compared it to the lethal strain that swept through Mexico City and other parts of the country.

Lethal it is. But getting to the truth of who has really died from the virus is tough.

Since midweek, the government abandoned its initial reporting and began to speak only of confirmed swine flu cases and confirmed deaths due to the H1N1 virus. Previously it had also tallied suspected cases and others under observation.

In practice, it is taking days for the government to get test results from autopsies and tests. By the time a case is confirmed the patient may be long buried.

One afternoon this week, at a cinder block home perched on a hillside in a poor northern neighborhood of Mexico City, a coffin was mounted on the living room table. A steady stream of neighbors filed in to pay their final tribute to a dead 24-year-old.

Biting back tears, a young man said his brother had died of "respiratory problems." When asked what kind of a person his brother was, he said simply: "He was an honest man. He never got in any trouble."

The man seemed to be feeling an underlying sense of shame. Suddenly there was a huge stigma attached to swine flu -- like in the early days of AIDS-related deaths -- and Mexican families were keen to dispel notions their loved ones had died of the mutant virus.

They didn't want the prying eyes of the media near their home. We wanted to tell their story, observe the wake and follow the funeral.

But death is a rite of passage. They had a right to mourn in private.

The following day came a tip-off that a 5-year-old girl, Maria Fernanda Garcia, had died. The modest side street outside her home in eastern Mexico City was swarming with police, health workers and civil protection officials.  Watch how armed guards were part of Maria Fernanda's funeral Â»

Little Maria Fernanda's father appeared briefly and told us we weren't welcome. He was curt when he told us his daughter had died from pneumonia.

A medic confirmed the specific cause of death was indeed pneumonia. But he added the hospital was still waiting for test results to confirm whether the underlying cause was swine flu. He conceded that process could take days.

But judging by the heavy security, local authorities certainly feared this was another case of the virus.

"These are the prevention measures we must take. This case is still not confirmed but we must take these steps to protect citizens," said Victor Luna, a member of the public security detail for this district of Mexico City.

A few minutes later, the hearse with Maria Fernanda's body pulled out of the housing complex where she lived. Her dad was clutching a Winnie Pooh cuddly toy as he rode up front.

Police and health officials shadowed the funeral cortege to the graveyard. Police guards only permitted immediate family and close friends through the iron gates.

Through the bars silent, tearful mourners could be seen weaving through a labyrinth of headstones.

Later that afternoon, the family had left Maria Fernanda's grave -- a tiny patch of newly dug dry earth, not much more than 3 feet long.

It was covered with sweet-scented white flowers. The plaque on the grave was a simple hand-painted affair:

"Maria Fernanda. 2004 to 2009. We love you."

text: MEXICO

text: CITY

text: Mexico

text: CNN

text: A

text: killer

text: bug

text: is

text: spreading

text: like

text: wildfire

text: Armed

text: guards

text: stand

text: outside

text: the

text: Mexico

text: City

text: Respiratory

text: Hospital

text: to

text: control

text: the

text: flow

text: of

text: people

text: Streets

text: of

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: biggest

text: cities

text: are

text: eerily

text: empty

text: Bars

text: and

text: restaurants

text: have

text: been

text: shuttered

text: for

text: days

text: The

text: president

text: goes

text: on

text: TV

text: to

text: tell

text: workers

text: to

text: stay

text: at

text: home

text: for

text: their

text: own

text: safety

text: Those

text: who

text: venture

text: outside

text: are

text: clad

text: in

text: surgical

text: masks

text: Once

text: healthy

text: people

text: are

text: suddenly

text: falling

text: sick

text: and

text: dying

text: from

text: a

text: new

text: disease

text: swine

text: flu

text: The

text: government

text: swears

text: the

text: situation

text: is

text: under

text: control

text: But

text: down

text: at

text: the

text: hospital

text: medics

text: scurry

text: around

text: behind

text: the

text: glass

text: door

text: of

text: an

text: isolation

text: ward

text: They

text: 're

text: clad

text: from

text: head

text: to

text: toe

text: in

text: biohazard

text: suits

text: goggles

text: and

text: two

text: pairs

text: of

text: gloves

text: At

text: the

text: airport

text: officials

text: set

text: up

text: a

text: barrage

text: of

text: thermal

text: imaging

text: machines

text: If

text: the

text: picture

text: flashes

text: up

text: red

text: or

text: orange

text: would

text: be

text: passengers

text: are

text: whisked

text: off

text: to

text: medical

text: facilities

text: See

text: where

text: the

text: virus

text: has

text: been

text: confirmed

text: Â

text: It

text: may

text: sound

text: like

text: a

text: sci

text: fi

text: movie

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: Welcome

text: to

text: Mexico

text: City

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: nightmare

text: scenario

text: and

text: despite

text: twice

text: a

text: day

text: news

text: conferences

text: featuring

text: Mexican

text: Health

text: Minister

text: Jose

text: Angel

text: Cordova

text: people

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: fear

text: the

text: virus

text: may

text: be

text: out

text: of

text: control

text: and

text: that

text: the

text: real

text: death

text: toll

text: may

text: be

text: greater

text: than

text: anyone

text: is

text: letting

text: on

text: Watch

text: how

text: the

text: city

text: has

text: been

text: shut

text: down

text: Â

text: The

text: measures

text: we

text: 're

text: taking

text: are

text: working

text: and

text: are

text: helping

text: us

text: to

text: slow

text: the

text: spread

text: of

text: the

text: virus

text: But

text: the

text: situation

text: continues

text: to

text: be

text: serious

text: Cordova

text: said

text: at

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: this

text: week

text: Government

text: orders

text: to

text: its

text: citizens

text: are

text: clear

text: wash

text: frequently

text: do

text: n't

text: shake

text: hands

text: or

text: kiss

text: and

text: stay

text: away

text: from

text: crowded

text: places

text: That

text: 's

text: easier

text: said

text: than

text: done

text: The

text: doors

text: on

text: the

text: subway

text: car

text: snap

text: open

text: at

text: Hidalgo

text: station

text: Dozens

text: more

text: passengers

text: clad

text: in

text: surgical

text: masks

text: stream

text: on

text: It

text: 's

text: rush

text: hour

text: deep

text: below

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: downtown

text: Mexico

text: City

text: The

text: subway

text: system

text: is

text: the

text: veins

text: of

text: the

text: capital

text: ferrying

text: millions

text: of

text: people

text: from

text: all

text: social

text: classes

text: to

text: and

text: from

text: work

text: It

text: 's

text: hot

text: and

text: humid

text: down

text: there

text: and

text: there

text: 's

text: little

text: fresh

text: air

text: It

text: 's

text: just

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: crowded

text: place

text: that

text: Mexican

text: authorities

text: say

text: could

text: be

text: a

text: prime

text: breeding

text: ground

text: for

text: swine

text: flu

text: I

text: 'm

text: pretty

text: nervous

text: of

text: this

text: whole

text: virus

text: thing

text: welder

text: Frontino

text: Valdez

text: mumbled

text: through

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: masks

text: Watch

text: passengers

text: packed

text: onto

text: trains

text: trying

text: to

text: protect

text: themselves

text: Â

text: Sitting

text: one

text: carriage

text: down

text: Berta

text: Hernandez

text: a

text: product

text: demonstrator

text: tries

text: not

text: to

text: show

text: her

text: panic

text: and

text: applies

text: eyeliner

text: like

text: any

text: other

text: morning

text: But

text: today

text: she

text: has

text: a

text: problem

text: she

text: has

text: no

text: intention

text: of

text: lifting

text: her

text: mask

text: to

text: paint

text: on

text: lip

text: gloss

text: I

text: 'm

text: nervous

text: of

text: those

text: people

text: who

text: are

text: n't

text: wearing

text: masks

text: Maybe

text: they

text: will

text: suddenly

text: sneeze

text: or

text: cough

text: she

text: said

text: In

text: these

text: days

text: of

text: swine

text: flu

text: paranoia

text: just

text: coughing

text: or

text: worse

text: sneezing

text: in

text: the

text: subway

text: or

text: metro

text: as

text: they

text: call

text: it

text: here

text: brings

text: black

text: looks

text: from

text: fellow

text: passengers

text: This

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: strange

text: epidemic

text: since

text: the

text: outset

text: So

text: far

text: the

text: Mexican

text: government

text: has

text: been

text: unable

text: to

text: pinpoint

text: where

text: or

text: when

text: this

text: outbreak

text: started

text: Authorities

text: admit

text: there

text: was

text: an

text: outbreak

text: of

text: influenza

text: in

text: a

text: village

text: in

text: the

text: Gulf

text: Coast

text: state

text: of

text: Veracruz

text: in

text: early

text: April

text: But

text: only

text: one

text: patient

text: old

text: Edgar

text: Hernandez

text: was

text: diagnosed

text: as

text: having

text: swine

text: flu

text: Watch

text: Dr.

text: Sanjay

text: Gupta

text: ask

text: the

text: boy

text: about

text: his

text: symptoms

text: Â

text: The

text: international

text: media

text: have

text: taken

text: to

text: calling

text: him

text: Patient

text: Zero

text: He

text: made

text: a

text: full

text: recovery

text: So

text: far

text: there

text: 's

text: no

text: evidence

text: a

text: pig

text: farm

text: near

text: his

text: home

text: reported

text: any

text: problems

text: with

text: its

text: livestock

text: The

text: family

text: has

text: n't

text: explained

text: how

text: little

text: Edgar

text: could

text: have

text: infected

text: a

text: capital

text: city

text: let

text: alone

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: authorities

text: have

text: n't

text: drawn

text: up

text: a

text: genetic

text: map

text: of

text: Edgar

text: 's

text: illness

text: nor

text: compared

text: it

text: to

text: the

text: lethal

text: strain

text: that

text: swept

text: through

text: Mexico

text: City

text: and

text: other

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: Lethal

text: it

text: is

text: But

text: getting

text: to

text: the

text: truth

text: of

text: who

text: has

text: really

text: died

text: from

text: the

text: virus

text: is

text: tough

text: Since

text: midweek

text: the

text: government

text: abandoned

text: its

text: initial

text: reporting

text: and

text: began

text: to

text: speak

text: only

text: of

text: confirmed

text: swine

text: flu

text: cases

text: and

text: confirmed

text: deaths

text: due

text: to

text: the

text: virus

text: Previously

text: it

text: had

text: also

text: tallied

text: suspected

text: cases

text: and

text: others

text: under

text: observation

text: In

text: practice

text: it

text: is

text: taking

text: days

text: for

text: the

text: government

text: to

text: get

text: test

text: results

text: from

text: autopsies

text: and

text: tests

text: By

text: the

text: time

text: a

text: case

text: is

text: confirmed

text: the

text: patient

text: may

text: be

text: long

text: buried

text: One

text: afternoon

text: this

text: week

text: at

text: a

text: cinder

text: block

text: home

text: perched

text: on

text: a

text: hillside

text: in

text: a

text: poor

text: northern

text: neighborhood

text: of

text: Mexico

text: City

text: a

text: coffin

text: was

text: mounted

text: on

text: the

text: living

text: room

text: table

text: A

text: steady

text: stream

text: of

text: neighbors

text: filed

text: in

text: to

text: pay

text: their

text: final

text: tribute

text: to

text: a

text: dead

text: old

text: Biting

text: back

text: tears

text: a

text: young

text: man

text: said

text: his

text: brother

text: had

text: died

text: of

text: respiratory

text: problems

text: When

text: asked

text: what

text: kind

text: of

text: a

text: person

text: his

text: brother

text: was

text: he

text: said

text: simply

text: He

text: was

text: an

text: honest

text: man

text: He

text: never

text: got

text: in

text: any

text: trouble

text: The

text: man

text: seemed

text: to

text: be

text: feeling

text: an

text: underlying

text: sense

text: of

text: shame

text: Suddenly

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: huge

text: stigma

text: attached

text: to

text: swine

text: flu

text: like

text: in

text: the

text: early

text: days

text: of

text: AIDS

text: related

text: deaths

text: and

text: Mexican

text: families

text: were

text: keen

text: to

text: dispel

text: notions

text: their

text: loved

text: ones

text: had

text: died

text: of

text: the

text: mutant

text: virus

text: They

text: did

text: n't

text: want

text: the

text: prying

text: eyes

text: of

text: the

text: media

text: near

text: their

text: home

text: We

text: wanted

text: to

text: tell

text: their

text: story

text: observe

text: the

text: wake

text: and

text: follow

text: the

text: funeral

text: But

text: death

text: is

text: a

text: rite

text: of

text: passage

text: They

text: had

text: a

text: right

text: to

text: mourn

text: in

text: private

text: The

text: following

text: day

text: came

text: a

text: tip

text: off

text: that

text: a

text: old

text: girl

text: Maria

text: Fernanda

text: Garcia

text: had

text: died

text: The

text: modest

text: side

text: street

text: outside

text: her

text: home

text: in

text: eastern

text: Mexico

text: City

text: was

text: swarming

text: with

text: police

text: health

text: workers

text: and

text: civil

text: protection

text: officials

text: Watch

text: how

text: armed

text: guards

text: were

text: part

text: of

text: Maria

text: Fernanda

text: 's

text: funeral

text: Â

text: Little

text: Maria

text: Fernanda

text: 's

text: father

text: appeared

text: briefly

text: and

text: told

text: us

text: we

text: were

text: n't

text: welcome

text: He

text: was

text: curt

text: when

text: he

text: told

text: us

text: his

text: daughter

text: had

text: died

text: from

text: pneumonia

text: A

text: medic

text: confirmed

text: the

text: specific

text: cause

text: of

text: death

text: was

text: indeed

text: pneumonia

text: But

text: he

text: added

text: the

text: hospital

text: was

text: still

text: waiting

text: for

text: test

text: results

text: to

text: confirm

text: whether

text: the

text: underlying

text: cause

text: was

text: swine

text: flu

text: He

text: conceded

text: that

text: process

text: could

text: take

text: days

text: But

text: judging

text: by

text: the

text: heavy

text: security

text: local

text: authorities

text: certainly

text: feared

text: this

text: was

text: another

text: case

text: of

text: the

text: virus

text: These

text: are

text: the

text: prevention

text: measures

text: we

text: must

text: take

text: This

text: case

text: is

text: still

text: not

text: confirmed

text: but

text: we

text: must

text: take

text: these

text: steps

text: to

text: protect

text: citizens

text: said

text: Victor

text: Luna

text: a

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: public

text: security

text: detail

text: for

text: this

text: district

text: of

text: Mexico

text: City

text: A

text: few

text: minutes

text: later

text: the

text: hearse

text: with

text: Maria

text: Fernanda

text: 's

text: body

text: pulled

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: housing

text: complex

text: where

text: she

text: lived

text: Her

text: dad

text: was

text: clutching

text: a

text: Winnie

text: Pooh

text: cuddly

text: toy

text: as

text: he

text: rode

text: up

text: front

text: Police

text: and

text: health

text: officials

text: shadowed

text: the

text: funeral

text: cortege

text: to

text: the

text: graveyard

text: Police

text: guards

text: only

text: permitted

text: immediate

text: family

text: and

text: close

text: friends

text: through

text: the

text: iron

text: gates

text: Through

text: the

text: bars

text: silent

text: tearful

text: mourners

text: could

text: be

text: seen

text: weaving

text: through

text: a

text: labyrinth

text: of

text: headstones

text: Later

text: that

text: afternoon

text: the

text: family

text: had

text: left

text: Maria

text: Fernanda

text: 's

text: grave

text: a

text: tiny

text: patch

text: of

text: newly

text: dug

text: dry

text: earth

text: not

text: much

text: more

text: than

text: feet

text: long

text: It

text: was

text: covered

text: with

text: sweet

text: scented

text: white

text: flowers

text: The

text: plaque

text: on

text: the

text: grave

text: was

text: a

text: simple

text: hand

text: painted

text: affair

text: Maria

text: Fernanda

text: to

text: We

text: love

text: you

question: What are citizens no longer doing?

answer: t shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places

text: t shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places

question: What has hit every aspect of life?

answer: H1N1 swine flu.

text: H1N1 swine flu.

question: Where has H1N1 spread?

answer: Mexico

text: Mexico

question: What are citizens told to do?

answer: : wash frequently, don't shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places

text: : wash frequently, don't shake hands or kiss, and stay away from crowded places

question: What is being spread?

answer: H1N1 swine flu.

text: H1N1 swine flu.